A level shifter physical verification system identifies missing level shifters in a multi-voltage domain integrated circuit design. The system analyzes a physical layout design data file for design to identify domains and signals that cross domains, and connected nets of devices within the IC design having one or more missing level shifters.

The present invention relates to the field of Integrated Circuit (IC) design using Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, and in particular, to a method and system for verifying level shifters in a multi-voltage IC design.
IC design is now carried out using special Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools, sometimes known as EDA tools. These tools assist an IC designer to produce complex integrated circuitry, such as System on Chip (SoC) ICs, by not only assisting in the conversion of logical design parameters (from varying degrees of abstraction) into physical layout data for use in producing the semiconductor production masks, and the like, but also to aid in the testing of designs for correct operation and suitability for the chosen manufacturing process(es).
Many IC designs today make use of multiple (different) voltage domains, where each domain may be supplied by a power supply voltage optimised for its task or structure. IC designers may particularly use such multiple voltage domain architectures because they allow IC designers to implement large, complex SoCs that consume the less power, while delivering the required performance and functionality.
In digital circuits in general, a logic level is one of a finite number of states that a signal can have and is usually represented by a voltage difference between the respective signal and some common reference voltage point, such as ground (0 volts). The range of voltage levels that represents each state may depend on the logic family being used, but a typical example is the use of binary logic levels, such as "1" and "0", where, for example, "0"indicates a voltage at or near ground (0V), and "1" indicates a voltage at or near the maximum power supply voltage of the IC (or portion thereof)—e.g. 1.2V, 3.3V, 5V, etc., where the power supply voltage for the IC is 1.2V, 3.3V, and 5V respectively.
As voltages increase (or IC minimum dimensions decrease), means to avoid transistor breakdown (i.e. inbuilt protection) may need to be employed in circuits operating at the higher voltages. For example, in ICs using Metal on Silicon (MOS) type transistor technology, this protection may take the form of increasing, e.g. doubling, the gate oxide for the high voltage transistors, producing so called Double Gate Oxide (DGO) type cells.
When an IC design includes multiple voltage domains, a level shifter is used to shift a signal voltage (e.g. an output voltage) of a first power supply voltage domain to a suitable signal voltage (e.g. an input voltage) of a second power supply voltage domain or vice-versa. As such, a level shift function within an IC design may comprise, for example, shifting a logical "1" at 1.2V to a logical "1" at 3.3V (or a logical "1" at 1.2V to a logical "1" at 5V, or vice-versa), and the like. That is to say, a level shift operation may comprise either shifting the voltage from a low(er) voltage to a high(er) voltage or from a high(er) voltage to a low(er) voltage. If a level shifter is missing between two voltage domains, there will be an invalid power domain crossing. Therefore, multiple power domain IC designs need to be verified extensively for possible violations of signals not being level shifted when crossing domains.

Multi-voltage domain circuit design verification method


A pen holder with puzzle blocks comprises a plurality of rotatable blocks on a holder stem with all lateral faces providing a groove respectively, a plurality of sliding pieces with different colors, numbers, or figures on the upper faces. The plurality of sliding pieces are fitted with the plurality of rotatable blocks on the grooves at all lateral faces and one of the grooves is left as a vacancy. During operation, the plurality of rotatable blocks are turned, respectively, and the vacancy is filled with an adjacent sliding piece. The process is continued until the four lateral sides of the pen holder are each aligned with one distinguishable color, number or figure.

The invention relates to a pen holder with puzzle blocks. More particularly, the invention relates to a pen holder which may be used not only for writing but also for playing a puzzle game.
A conventional pen holder usually includes a body stem with a smooth outer surface or a polygonal outer surface that is conveniently and comfortably held by the user. Newer types of pen holders are known for their innovative appearance or assembly of parts for forming a new construction. It is unknown to provide a pen holder with additional functions.


Methods and systems for realizing a high brightness, liquid based x-ray source suitable for high throughput x-ray metrology are presented herein. A high brightness x-ray source is produced by bombarding a rotating liquid metal anode material with a stream of electrons to generate x-ray radiation. A rotating anode support structure supports the liquid metal anode material in a fixed position with respect to the support structure while rotating at the constant angular velocity. In another aspect, a translational actuator is coupled to the rotating assembly to translate the liquid metal anode in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation. In another aspect, an output window is coupled to the rotating anode support structure. Emitted x-rays are transmitted through the output window toward the specimen under measurement. In another further aspect, a containment window maintains the shape of the liquid metal anode material independent of rotational angular velocity.

The various features and multiple structural levels of semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices are typically fabricated by a sequence of processing steps applied to a specimen. For example, lithography among others is one semiconductor fabrication process that involves generating a pattern on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated on a single semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Metrology processes are used at various steps during a semiconductor manufacturing process to detect defects on wafers to promote higher yield. Optical metrology techniques offer the potential for high throughput without the risk of sample destruction. A number of optical metrology based techniques including scatterometry and reflectometry implementations and associated analysis algorithms are commonly used to characterize critical dimensions, film thicknesses, composition and other parameters of nanoscale structures.
As devices (e.g., logic and memory devices) move toward smaller nanometer-scale dimensions, characterization becomes more difficult. Devices incorporating complex three-dimensional geometry and materials with diverse physical properties contribute to characterization difficulty. For example, modern memory structures are often high-aspect ratio, three-dimensional structures that make it difficult for optical radiation to penetrate to the bottom layers. In addition, the increasing number of parameters required to characterize complex structures (e.g., FinFETs), leads to increasing parameter correlation. As a result, the parameters characterizing the target often cannot be reliably decoupled with available measurements. In another example, opaque, high-k materials are increasingly employed in modern semiconductor structures. Optical radiation is often unable to penetrate layers constructed of these materials. As a result, measurements with thin-film scatterometry tools such as ellipsometers or reflectometers are becoming increasingly challenging.
In response, more complex optical tools have been developed. For example, tools with multiple angles of illumination, shorter and broader ranges of illumination wavelengths, and more complete information acquisition from reflected signals (e.g., measuring multiple Mueller matrix elements in addition to the more conventional reflectivity or ellipsometric signals) have been developed. However, these approaches have not reliably overcome fundamental challenges associated with measurement of many advanced targets (e.g., complex 3D structures, structures smaller than 10 nm, structures employing opaque materials) and measurement applications (e.g., line edge roughness and line width roughness measurements).
Atomic force microscopes (AFM) and scanning-tunneling microscopes (STM) are able to achieve atomic resolution, but they can only probe the surface of the specimen. In addition, AFM and STM microscopes require long scanning times. Scanning electron microscopes (SEM) achieve intermediate resolution levels, but are unable to penetrate structures to sufficient depth. Thus, high-aspect ratio holes are not characterized well. In addition, the required charging of the specimen has an adverse effect on imaging performance.
To overcome penetration depth issues, traditional imaging techniques such as TEM, SEM etc., are employed with destructive sample preparation techniques such as focused ion beam (FIB) machining, ion milling, blanket or selective etching, etc. For example, transmission electron microscopes (TEM) achieve high resolution levels and are able to probe arbitrary depths, but TEM requires destructive sectioning of the specimen. Several iterations of material removal and measurement generally provide the information required to measure the critical metrology parameters throughout a three dimensional structure. But, these techniques require sample destruction and lengthy process times. The complexity and time to complete these types of measurements introduces large inaccuracies due to drift of etching and metrology steps. In addition, these techniques require numerous iterations which introduce registration errors.
Another response to recent metrology challenges has been the adoption of x-ray metrology for measurements including film thickness, composition, strain, surface roughness, line edge roughness, and porosity.
Small-Angle X-Ray Scatterometry (SAXS) systems have shown promise to address challenging measurement applications. Various aspects of the application of SAXS technology to the measurement of critical dimensions (CD-SAXS) and overlay (OVL-SAXS) are described in 1) U.S. Pat. No. 7,929,667 to Zhuang and Fielden, entitled "High-brightness X-ray metrology," 2) U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0019097 by Bakeman, Shchegrov, Zhao, and Tan, entitled "Model Building And Analysis Engine For Combined X-Ray And Optical Metrology," 3) U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0117610 by Veldman, Bakeman, Shchegrov, and Mieher, entitled "Methods and Apparatus For Measuring Semiconductor Device Overlay Using X-Ray Metrology," 4) U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0202193 by Hench, Shchegrov, and Bakeman, entitled "Measurement System Optimization For X-Ray Based Metrology," 5) U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017/0167862 by Dziura, Gellineau, and Shchegrov, entitled "X-ray Metrology For High Aspect Ratio Structures," and 6) U.S. Patent Publication No. 2018/0106735 by Gellineau, Dziura, Hench, Veldman, and Zalubovsky, entitled "Full Beam Metrology for X-Ray Scatterometry Systems." The aforementioned patent documents are assigned to KLA-Tencor Corporation, Milpitas, Calif. (USA).
Research on CD-SAXS metrology of semiconductor structures is also described in scientific literature. Most research groups have employed high-brightness X-ray synchrotron sources which are not suitable for use in a semiconductor fabrication facility due to their immense size, cost, etc. One example of such a system is described in the article entitled "Intercomparison between optical and x-ray scatterometry measurements of FinFET structures" by Lemaillet, Germer, Kline et al., Proc. SPIE, v.8681, p. 86810Q (2013). More recently, a group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has initiated research employing compact and bright X-ray sources similar those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,929,667. This research is described in an article entitled "X-ray scattering critical dimensional metrology using a compact x-ray source for next generation semiconductor devices," J. Micro/Nanolith. MEMS MOEMS 16(1), 014001 (January-March 2017).
SAXS has also been applied to the characterization of materials and other non-semiconductor related applications. Exemplary systems have been commercialized by several companies, including Xenocs SAS (www.xenocs.com), Bruker Corporation (www.bruker.com), and Rigaku Corporation (www.rigaku.com/en).
Many x-ray metrology techniques used in semiconductor manufacturing can benefit from high brightness x-ray sources. For example, critical dimension small angle x-ray scattering (CD-SAXS) measurements often require long integration times due to the low scattering of certain materials. A high brightness source can improve the throughput of CD-SAXS measurements.
Development efforts in the area of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography are focused on light sources that emit narrowband radiation (e.g., +/−0.1 nm) centered at 13 nanometers (i.e., 92.6 electron volts) at high power levels (e.g., 210 watts of average power at the intermediate focus of the illuminator). Light sources for EUV lithography have been developed using a laser droplet plasma architecture. For example, xenon, tin, and lithium droplet targets operating at pulse repetition frequencies of approximately 100 kHz are pumped by CO2 coherent sources. The realized light is high power (e.g., 210 watts of average power at the intermediate focus of the illuminator is the goal for lithography tools at 13 nanometers). However, the resulting radiation is relatively low energy (92.6 electron volts), which severely limits the utility of these illumination sources in metrology applications. An exemplary system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,518,134 to ASML Netherlands B.V., the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In some examples, x-ray illumination light is generated by high energy electron beam bombardment of a solid target material, such as rotating anode target material. Rotating anode X-ray sources are commonly employed for medical imaging and analytical chemistry applications. Numerous versions of rotating anode X-ray sources are manufactured by companies such as Philips, General Electric, Siemens, and others, for medical imaging applications such as tomography, mammography, angiography, etc. Rigaku Corporation and Bruker Corporation manufacture continuously operated rotating anode sources for analytical chemistry applications such as X-Ray diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Reflectometry (XRR), small angle X-Ray scatterometry (SAXS), wide angle X-Ray scatterometry (WARS), etc.
Rotating anode targets enable more effective heat removal from the anode material compared to stationary anode targets. Continuously moving the location of electron beam impingement on the anode surface results in convective heat dissipation that decreases focal spot impact temperature and improves X-ray tube power loading capability. A typical rotating anode source rotates anode material at 5,000-10,000 revolutions per minute, or higher. The linear speed of the anode material at the focal spot location may be 100 meters/second, or higher.
Improvements directed toward increased anode heat dissipation and thermal conductivity have been proposed. For example, the FR-X model X-ray sources manufactured by Rigaku Corporation (Japan) and the MicroMax model X-ray sources manufactured by Bruker AXS GmbH (Germany) employ water cooling to dissipate heat generated at the anode.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,715,989 describes a rotating anode structure with high thermal conductivity diamond layers. U.S. Pat. No. 8,243,884 describes the use of diamond-metal composite materials to improve heat dissipation. U.S. Pat. No. 7,440,549 describes a rotating anode device that dissipates heat by a heat pipe effect. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2015/0092924 describes a microstructural anode including a high atomic number material embedded in a high thermal conductivity matrix. U.S. Pat. No. 9,159,524 and U.S. Pat. No. 9,715,989 describe similar diamond-based heat management solutions in the context of stationary anode sources. The contents of the aforementioned U.S. Patents and U.S. Patent Publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Despite improved power loading capabilities, rotating anode sources suffer from significant limitations. In practice, microcracks form at the surface of the solid anode material located on the focal track (i.e., the locus of points repeatedly subjected to e-beam impingement) due to repeated thermal cycling. These microcracks introduce losses due to increased absorption. In some examples, a 20-30% drop in X-ray flux occurs within the first 1,000 hours of source operation. In addition, a typical rotating anode requires re-polishing (i.e., restoration of the surface of the anode material) approximately every 3,000 hours. In addition, in some examples, high rotation speeds limit X-ray spot size and spatial stability of the X-ray spot.
In some other examples, x-ray illumination light is generated by high energy electron beam bombardment of a liquid target material to mitigate the formation of surface microcracks associated with solid anode targets.
In some of these examples, a liquid metal jet anode is employed. An exemplary liquid metal jet x-ray illumination system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,929,667 to Zhuang and Fielden, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Another exemplary liquid metal jet x-ray illumination source is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,233, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The liquid metal jet effectively refreshes the anode surface continuously to eliminate the formation of surface microcracks. However, the liquid metal anode material does evaporate and form a metal vapor that may limit x-ray source lifetime. In some examples, the metal vapor condenses on the vacuum x-ray window causing additional x-ray absorption. In some examples, the metal vapor diffuses into the cathode region and contaminates the cathode, reducing cathode lifetime and system output. In some examples, the metal vapor diffuses into the electron beam acceleration region causing high-voltage breakdowns.
In some other examples, a liquid metal anode is flowed over a stationary structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,191 describes a liquid metal anode material flowing over a stationary metal surface, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 8,629,606 describes a liquid metal anode material flowing on internal surfaces of an X-ray source vacuum enclosure, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0369476 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,565,381 describe a liquid metal anode material flowing through a channel or tube, the content of each is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The fast moving liquid metal is enclosed in part by suitable windows to allow electron beam penetration and X-ray extraction.
Despite improved power loading capabilities, liquid anode sources suffer from significant limitations. In practice, flowing thin liquid metal layers over other surfaces is limited to relatively low velocity flow. As flow velocity increases, turbulence arises, which destabilizes the X-ray illumination source. As a result, anode power loading of an X-ray source employing liquid anode material flowing over another surface is significantly limited. In addition, anode power loading for X-ray illumination sources based on flowing liquid metal inside channels and tubes is limited by the structural integrity of any windows employed to contain the flow and allow electron beam penetration and X-ray extraction.
Similarly, stable operation of a liquid metal jet X-ray illumination source requires a laminar liquid metal jet flow. Therefore, any increase in jet speed to accommodate increased anode power loading is limited by the laminar-turbulent transition of the jet itself and the feasibility of an ultra-high-pressure jet return loop required to achieve any increased jet velocity.
Unfortunately, X-ray based metrology throughput is impaired by limited power loading on the anode. An increase in power loading of a conventional solid metal anode source causes ablation and destruction of the anode. For typical liquid metal sources, an increase in power loading tends to destabilize the X-ray illumination source.
Future metrology applications present challenges for metrology due to increasingly high resolution requirements, multi-parameter correlation, increasingly complex geometric structures, and increasing use of opaque materials. The adoption of x-ray metrology for semiconductor applications requires improved x-ray sources with the highest possible brightness.

Liquid metal rotating anode X-ray source for semiconductor metrology


A coin call telephone apparatus includes a control device comprised of a housing having set therein a coin track for continuous insertion therethrough of a coins of different value without interrupting the line so as to let the line be continuously keeping on for conversation. When a call is terminated or if the line is engaged, coins drop into refund slot immediately after hand set is hung on the cradle of the housing, and the pressure force from the cradle immediately forces a link rod to move downward to further drive a curved retainer frame to turn back so as to turn off the telephone apparatus.

Since the invention of telephone apparatus, the communication between people becomes more and more convenient and frequent. Following technology improvement, telephone apparatus has also been improved in function to make communication easy. Regular telephone apparatus may include regular line controlled type for regular home or office use, and a coin call type for public use. Regular coin call telephone apparatus are normally controlled by means of IC. Ic board is practical in function control but expensive and difficult to maintain. Further, regular coin call telephone apparatus are normally having three separate coin slots for respectively insertion therein of coins of different value. When in operation, one must make sure that coins of different value are correspondingly inserted into right coin slots. When a first coin is consumed, one must have to press down the control button to continue the calling after another coin is inserted, that is, control button must be pressed down each time after each insertion of coins.
The main object of the present invention is to provide such a coin call telephone apparatus which includes a magnet to efficiently control slotting process by means of a push-button.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a coin call telephone apparatus which provides high sensitivity to efficiently perform coin slotting and refunding process and which is durable in use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a coin call telephone apparatus which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a coin call telephone apparatus which includes one single slot track to simultaneously accept coins of different value.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide such a coin call telephone apparatus which accepts continuous insertion of same of different value to keep the line on without repeatedly pressing down the control button.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become fully understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments considered in connection with the annexed drawings in which:

No. 1, Alley 33, Lane 788, Hsin Chuan Chih Rd.


A vehicle seat assembly is configured for mating engagement with a selectively interchangeable first trim cover portion having a first attachment member. The seat assembly includes a foam cushion, a second trim cover portion having a second attachment member, and a clip defining first and second recesses operatively connected to the foam cushion. The clip is configured such that the first attachment member is insertable into the first recess for snap-fit engagement with the clip to retain the first trim cover portion with respect to the cushion. The second attachment member is in snap-fit engagement with the clip in the second recess to retain the second trim cover portion with respect to the cushion.

A vehicle seat typically includes foam cushions that separate an occupant from a rigid seat frame and that are compressible to conform to the contours of the occupant so that the occupant is comfortably supported. Flexible trim covers, such as fabric, leather, or vinyl, cover the foam cushions and form the occupiable outer surface of the seat. A vehicle seat is typically characterized by a lower seat portion and a seatback portion. The lower seat portion defines a generally horizontal surface to support an occupant, and the seatback portion defines a generally vertical surface to support the back of an occupant.


The electrode for a fuel cell includes an electrode substrate and a catalyst layer disposed on the electrode substrate. The catalyst layer includes a first catalyst including a tungsten-containing compound and a second catalyst including a noble metal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode for a fuel cell, and a membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell system including the membrane-electrode assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrode for a fuel cell that can lower the cost of a fuel cell and implement a high power fuel cell, and a membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell system including the membrane-electrode assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuel cell is a power generation system for producing electrical energy through an electrochemical redox reaction of an oxidant and a fuel, such as hydrogen, or a hydrocarbon-based material such as methanol, ethanol, natural gas, and the like. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell is a clean energy source that is capable of replacing fossil fuels. It has advantages, such as high power output density and energy conversion efficiency, operability at room temperature, and being small-sized and tightly sealed. Therefore, it can be applicable to a wide array of fields, such as non-polluting automobiles, and electricity generation systems and portable power sources for mobile equipment, military equipment, and the like.
Representative exemplary fuel cells include Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) and Direct Oxidation Fuel Cells (DOFCs). The DOFC includes a direct methanol fuel cell that uses methanol as a fuel.
The PEMFC has an advantage of a high energy density and high power, but it also has problems in the need to carefully handle hydrogen gas and the requirement for accessory facilities, such as a fuel reforming processor for reforming methane or methanol, natural gas, and the like in order to produce hydrogen as the fuel gas.
On the contrary, a DOFC has a lower energy density than that of the polymer electrolyte fuel cell, but has the advantages of easy handling of the liquid-type fuel, a low operation temperature, and no need for additional fuel reforming processors.
In the above-mentioned fuel cell system, a stack that generates electricity includes several to scores of unit cells stacked adjacent to one another, and each unit cell is formed of a Membrane-Electrode Assembly (MEA) and a separator (also referred to as a bipolar plate). The MEA is composed of an anode (also referred to as a "fuel electrode" or an "oxidation electrode") and a cathode (also referred to as an "air electrode" or a "reduction electrode") that are separated by a polymer electrolyte membrane.
A fuel is supplied to the anode and adsorbed on catalysts of the anode, and the fuel is oxidized to produce protons and electrons. The electrons are transferred into the cathode via an external circuit, and the protons are transferred into the cathode through the polymer electrolyte membrane. In addition, an oxidant is supplied to the cathode, and then the oxidant, protons, and electrons react on catalysts of the cathode to produce electricity along with water.

Fuel cell electrode, membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell system including membrane-electrode assembly


An endoluminal stent and associated methods for placing the endoluminal stent in a lumen of a trachea of a patient. The stent includes an elongate framework having a first open end, a second open end opposite the first open end, and a lumen extending from the first open end to the second open end. The elongate framework includes a first edge extending from the first open end to the second open end, a second edge extending from the first open end to the second open end, and an opening between the first edge and the second edge extending from the first open end to the second open end such that the stent has a C-shaped cross-section. The stent may be implanted in a trachea with the opening positioned along a posterior wall of the trachea adjacent the trachealis muscle.

In general, the human body includes various lumens, such as a trachea, arteries, blood vessels, as well as urinary, biliary, esophageal or renal tracts, etc. These lumens sometimes become occluded or weakened, or otherwise in need of structural support. For example, the body lumen can be constricted by a tumor, occluded by plaque, or weakened by an aneurysm. For instance, tracheobronchomalacia or TBM is a condition characterized by flaccidity of the cartilage that supports the trachea. This leads to tracheal collapse which in some instances may extend further to the bronchi. TBM may cause discomfort in swallowing, coughing, and breathing to the patient. However, such a condition of the patient can be treated with a medical endoprosthesis to help support the trachea.
Endoprostheses have been developed that may be implanted in a passageway or lumen in the body. In general, such endoprostheses are tubular members with a circular cross-section, examples of which include stents, stent grafts, covered stents, etc. However, such endoprostheses may not be suitable for lumens such as tracheae having non-circular cross-sections, such as a D-shaped cross-section, which requires continued functionality of the trachealis muscle to permit the flow of mucus therethrough, for example.
For instance, the trachea, which lies adjacent to esophagus, has a flat posterior wall which may be pressed by a circular stent, impeding the functionality of the trachealis muscle. In some other instances, existing stents may not be suitable for deployment in branching airways, as the stenting may block side branching airways in the bronchi, for example. In addition, the stents may not allow mucus clearing. Hence, there may exist a need of stents or endoprostheses that may provide desired luminal support while preserving other functionality of the body lumen.

Endoluminal stents and methods of delivery


Air conditioning and refrigeration methods and apparatus for controlling the temperature of a conditioned space to a predetermined temperature band adjacent to a predetermined set point temperature via cooling and heating cycles utilizing a supply of pressurized cryogen. A fluid flow path for the cryogen includes a heat exchanger associated with the conditioned space. A cryogen heater is connected in the active cryogen flow path during a heating cycle, and cryogen is directed through the heater and heat exchanger via at least two successive serial passes, utilizing the elevated pressure energy of the cryogen as the motive force.

Stationary and transport applications of air conditioning and transport refrigeration systems control the temperature of a conditioned space to a predetermined temperature range adjacent to a predetermined set point temperature, with transport applications including those used with straight trucks, tractor-trailer combinations, refrigerated containers, and the like. Such air conditioning and refrigeration systems conventionally utilize a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerant in a mechanical refrigeration cycle. The mechanical refrigeration cycle requires a refrigerant compressor driven by a prime mover, which often includes an internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine. Because of the suspected depleting effect of CFC's on stratospheric ozone (O.sub.3), practical alternatives to the use of CFC's in air conditioning and refrigeration systems are being sought.
The use of a cryogen, i.e., a gas which has been compressed to a very cold liquid state, such as carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and nitrogen (N.sub.2), in air conditioning and refrigeration systems is particularly attractive because, in addition to eliminating the need for a CFC, it also eliminates the need for a compressor and associated prime mover.
Refrigeration systems of which we are aware which utilize a cryogen, implement a cooling cycle by circulating the cryogen through a fluid flow path, or flow paths, of a heat exchanger which is in heat exchange relation with air from the space to be conditioned. When a heating cycle is required to hold a set point temperature, or to implement a defrost cycle, the cryogen is heated by a burner connected to a combustible fuel, and the heated cryogen is circulated through the fluid flow path, or flow paths of the conditioned space heat exchanger. Thus, cryogen is expended during both the cooling and heating cycles.
It would be desirable, and it is an object of the invention, to provide new and improved cryogenic based air conditioning and refrigeration systems, suitable for both transport and stationary applications, which more effectively and efficiently utilizes the cryogen, for lower cost operation, and for extending the operating time in a transport application for a given on-board supply vessel of cryogen.

Air conditioning and refrigeration systems utilizing a cryogen


A method and apparatus for optical tracking in an edge-guided tape recorder is provided. In one embodiment, an optical tape guiding system for use in an optical tape drive which may write to optical tape is provided. The optical tape has a first edge and is disposed to be transported through the optical tape drive, and the optical tape exhibits transverse motion during transport through the optical tape drive. The system includes a curved edge guide disposed to maintain contact with the first edge of the optical tape during transport through the optical tape drive. The system may further include a mirror galvanometer disposed to direct a record beam of the optical tape system to the optical tape.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tape media technology, and more specifically, to positioning within an optical tape recorder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical Tape Recording Systems are now built according to two generic types that involve either scanning across the tape media width (optical recording) or simple non-scanning means of recording data tracks in the long tape direction (linear recording). Various linear recording techniques have been proposed for recording multiple parallel tracks along the tape parallel to the tape edge. In these linear recording designs, the optical recording media can be pre-formatted and the system is designed to record and then playback recorded signals while following a previously written track mark.
Optical recording typically employs a sub-micron track width, and designs commonly necessitate a large number of closely spaced tracks. With tens of thousands of microscopic tracks per inch of media, pre-formatting of optical tape is a difficult and burdensome process. Pre-formatting optical media usually requires the fabrication of specialized equipment specifically designed for that purpose. Designing and building an optical media pre-formatter is often more difficult than producing the optical tape recorder itself. Due to the difficulty of implementing pre-formatted tracks on optical tape media, a system compatible with non-formatted media would be a preferred means of recording.
Earlier optical tracking systems deal with these problems regarding the reading of recorded signals by incorporating the use of a servo system that detects and follows the written track. Designing a practical optical tracking mechanism able to follow such dynamic motion is problematic (e.g., mechanical systems capable of a millimeter motion and frequencies of up to 10 KHz are difficult or impossible to implement). Systems have been designed that follow large motions at low frequencies, or that follow small motions at high frequencies. However, the desired servo system should follow essentially all amplitudes at essentially all frequencies and allow track following to within about 0.2 microns of the track center. The stacking of two servo systems, one on top of the other, (e.g., large amplitude and low frequency with small amplitude and high frequency) is possible but difficult.
In addition, another advantage of optical tape systems is that the small width of the written track enables many tracks to be placed on the same section of media providing high recording capacity, however new tracks must not overwrite previously written tracks. This may not create a problem with pre-recorded media, but for unrecorded media the transverse tape motion prohibits adjacent tracks from being closely spaced unless some design solution is implemented to allow this.
A method and apparatus for optical tracking in an edge-guided tape recorder is provided. In one embodiment, an optical tape guiding system for use in an optical tape drive which may write to optical tape is provided. The optical tape has a first edge and is disposed to be transported through the optical tape drive, and the optical tape exhibits transverse motion during transport through the optical tape drive. The system includes a curved edge guide disposed to maintain contact with the first edge of the optical tape during transport through the optical tape drive. The system may further include a mirror galvanometer disposed to direct a record beam of the optical tape system to the optical tape.

Method and apparatus for optical tracking in an edge-guided tape recorder


A closing device for an opening part of a piece of furniture comprises a magnetic detent for retention of the part in a closed position in combination with a thrust “pull-push” mechanism for detachment from the magnetic detent upon command, so as to cause opening of the opening part of the piece of furniture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a closing device for furniture comprising a combination of a magnetic-retention system and a mechanical opening "pull-push" system.
2. State of the Prior Art
In current traditional applications, furniture hinges are equipped with a spring mechanism enabling automatic closure of the door starting from a predetermined closure angle. Under this situation, the door is opened by exerting a pulling action on the handle until overcoming the closure angle and keeps open as far as it is not pushed again towards the direction of action of the automatic closure mechanism.
In some applications use of handleless doors is preferred; in this case suitable pawls known as "pull-push" systems are mounted that, if the door is manually pushed against the flank's ledge, they alternately retain the door in the closed position or release and separate it some millimeters from the flank by means of a spring mechanism. These systems are also used in drawers or other opening parts of a piece of furniture.
Different systems exist for accomplishing the "pull-push" mechanism, but irrespective of the different embodiments, all known systems can be brought back to a single operating principle, i.e. they consist of two main components, one to be mounted on the fixed part. (the flank or horizontal elements, for example) and the other to be mounted on the moving part (the door or front portion of a drawer, for example). One of the two components has no moving parts and has one or more hooking surfaces at undercut regions relative to the perpendicular to the inner surface of the door in a closed position; generally fastening of this first component to the moving part is preferred, due to the smaller overall dimensions thereof. The second component, to be fastened to the other element of the piece of furniture, contains the hooking mechanism that through successive pushes of the door towards the closing ledge, alternately engages in the undercut of the first component causing retention of the door, or is released therefrom and enables opening of the door. These devices, irrespective of their mechanical features, have different drawbacks that are intrinsic in their operating principle: the two components contain elements that must get co-coordinated during closure and must mutually slide to lock and release the door; it is therefore apparent that a great accuracy is required for fastening of same; since generally the "pull-push" mechanism is fastened to the free end of the door, it is apparent that this accuracy can be hardly reached; in addition to tolerances on the sizes of the door and flanks, it is necessary to consider possible mistakes on fastening of the hinges, yielding of the hinges themselves due to wear, and adjustments of the door relative to the piece of furniture, all these factors bringing to even important shiftings relative to the theoretical-abutment position of the door against the furniture flank. In some cases, the mutual shifting between the door and flank can cause the serious drawback of locking the door to the closed position; since the hooking system is rigid, under extreme conditions it may be necessary to break the mechanism so as to open the door. A further drawback consists in the geometry of the hooking tooth obliging either to have projecting parts on the inner surface of the door or, alternatively, to embed the tooth into a hole.
It is a general aim of the present invention to obviate the above mentioned drawbacks by providing a closing device that has a "pull-push" operation but, among other things, does not require a particular precise alignment between the fixed and moving parts and can be released by a mere pulling action, when desired.


A pin-type synchronizer assembly (58) having blocker pins (74) with secondary ramps (80) effective after synchronizing is achieved to minimize "notchiness" is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a synchronizer assembly for vehicular transmissions and, in particular, to an improved pin type synchronizer assembly utilizing an improved blocker pin, and preferably an improved jaw clutch tooth, structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Synchronized jaw clutch assemblies for use in change gear transmissions, usually vehicular change gear transmissions, are well known in the prior art and examples thereof may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,078,975; 3,548,983; 4,059,178; 4,252,222 and 4,540,074, the disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Pin type synchronizers, also known as "Clark type" synchronizers, are also well known to the prior art as may be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,667,955; 3,910,390; and 4,018,319, the disclosures of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Pin type synchronizer assemblies generally include an axially slideable clutch collar member that is mounted on a splined portion of a shaft on which a pair of axially spaced gears are rotatably mounted. The clutch collar member is provided with jaw clutch teeth which are adapted to be disposed in engagement with complimentary jaw clutch teeth formed on the rotatable gears for positively clutching a selected one of the gears to the shaft. The clutch collar member is formed with a radially extending flange having a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings therethrough and parallel to the shaft. Disposed through certain ones of these openings are pins which are fixed at their ends with synchronizer rings that are adapted to cooperate with the aforesaid gears. The pins, usually called blocker pins, have reduced central portions that define radially outwardly extending shoulders that are adapted to cooperate with the flange opening edges for blocking relative axial movement of the latter with respect to the synchronizer rings when they are rotating nonsynchronously. Disposed within others of said flange openings are a plurality of longitudinally split spring pin assemblies which are freely received at their ends in recesses formed in the synchronizer rings. The split pin spring assemblies are formed with centrally located annular grooves which are biased into engagement with the peripheries in the openings of the clutch collar member flange by resilient means. As is well known, upon initial axial movement of a clutch collar member, the synchronizer rings are caused to move cojointly therethrough by the pin assemblies.
While change gear transmissions utilizing synchronized jaw clutch assemblies, including split pin type of synchronizer assemblies, are widely used and very commercially successful, especially in connection with relatively heavy duty vehicles, such transmissions are not totally satisfactory as the amount of force the operator is required to apply to the shift lever will abruptly decrease and then abruptly increase as the synchronizing event concludes and the jaw clutch member moves unopposed from its previously blocked position to an axial position whereat the jaw clutch teeth to be engaged come into axial abutment and then into axial engagement. This abrupt change in force required at the shift lever, known as "notchiness", provides a feel to the operator which is at least somewhat objectionable.


The present invention provides devices and methods for closing a physical anomaly comprising two overlapping layers of tissue, such as a patent foramen ovale (“PFO”). A PFO is comprised of two overlapping layers of malformed interatrial septa, the septum primum and the septum secundum, that form a tunnel between the right atrium and the left atrium. The closure device includes two wings connected to a central arm. The device is delivered through the PFO tunnel in a substantially linear configuration such that the central arm is seated within the PFO tunnel, the first wing extends into the right atrium, and the second wing extends into the left atrium. Once implanted, the closure device is reconfigured such that the arm is seated within the PFO tunnel, the first wing folds against the septum secundum, and the second wing folds against the septum primum, thereby sealing the defect.

Patent foramen ovale ("PFO") is an anatomical interatrial communication with potential for right-to-left shunting of blood. Specifically, PFO is a flap-like opening between the atrial septa primum and secundum of the heart that persists after one year of age. In utero, the foramen ovale serves as a physiologic conduit for right-to-left shunting of blood in the fetal heart. After birth, with the establishment of pulmonary circulation, the increased left atrial blood flow and pressure presses the septum primum against the walls of the septum secundum, covering the foramen ovale and resulting in functional closure of the foramen ovale. This closure is usually followed by anatomical closure of the foramen ovale due to fusion of the septum primum to the septum secundum.
If anatomical closure of the foramen ovale does not occur, a patent foramen ovale is created. A PFO results when either partial or no fusion of the septum primum and the septum secundum occurs. In the case of partial or no fusion, a persistent passageway or PFO track exists between the septum primum and the septum secundum. The passageway is typically parallel to the plane of the septum primum, and has a mouth that is generally oval in shape. Normally, the passageway is long and quite narrow. Because the mean left atrial pressure is typically higher than the mean right atrial pressure, the opening is usually held closed. However, at times, the mean right atrial pressure may exceed the mean left atrial pressure, causing the PFO track to open and allow the passage of blood (and possible blood clots) from the right atrium to the left atrium (and into systemic circulation). Although the PFO track is often held closed, the endothelialized surfaces of the tissues forming the PFO track prevent the tissues from healing together and permanently closing the PFO track.
Studies have shown that a relatively large percentage of adults have a patent foramen ovale. It is believed that embolism via a PFO may be the cause of a significant number of ischemic strokes, particularly in relatively young patients. Such paradoxical embolism via PFO is considered in the diagnosis of patients who have suffered a stroke or transient ischemic attack ("TIA") in the presence of a PFO and without another identified cause of ischemic attack. Blood clots that form in the venous circulation can embolize, and may enter the arterial circulation via the PFO, subsequently entering the cerebral circulation, resulting in an embolic stroke. Blood clots may also form in the vicinity of the PFO, and embolize into the arterial circulation and into the cerebral circulation. Patients suffering a cryptogenic stroke or TIA in the presence of a PFO are often considered for medical therapy to reduce the risk of a recurrent embolic event. Pharmacological therapy often includes oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents to block the formation of emboli. If pharmacotherapy is unsuitable, open heart surgery may be employed to close a PFO with stitches, for example. Like other open surgical procedures, this surgery is highly invasive, risky, requires general anesthesia, and may result in a lengthy recuperation.
Nonsurgical closure of a PFO is possible with umbrella-like devices and a variety of similar mechanical closure devices originally developed for percutaneous closure of atrial septal defects ("ASD"), a condition where the septum primum is often under-developed and perforated. Many of the devices used for closure of an ASD, however, are often technically complex to manufacture and assemble, have a high septal profile, are difficult to deploy to a precise location, and are difficult to implant without deforming the atrial septa and PFO track. In addition, such devices may be difficult or impossible to reposition or retrieve in cases where the original positioning was unsatisfactory. Moreover, these devices are specially designed to close ASDs, or hole-like defects, and therefore are not optimally designed to close and seal a PFO, an overlapping, flap-like, passageway defect. Thus, when inserting an ASD device to close a PFO, the narrow opening and thin flap may form impediments to proper deployment of the device, resulting in residual leakage through the PFO. Even if an occlusive seal is formed, the device may be deployed in the PFO track at an angle, leaving some components insecurely seated against the septum and thereby increasing the risk of thrombus formation due to hemodynamic disturbances.
Accordingly, there exists a need for instrumentation and techniques that facilitate more effective and efficient closure of aberrant, flap-like bodily openings such as patent foramen ovales.

Devices and methods for closure of a patent foramen ovale


A continuously variable transmission for use in a vehicle which enables smooth starting of the vehicle with a good response. The transmission is intended to eliminate a particular phenomenon in both low-speed and high-speed vehicles provided with the transmission at the time of starting, that is, delay in response and subsequent abrupt rushing out of the vehicles. To this end, the transmission is provided with a variable speed hydraulic transmitting system connected to a hydraulic pump/motor of a variable displacement type acting as a pump and a hydraulic pump/motor of a variable displacement type acting as a motor, and to change the displacement of the hydraulic pump/motor acting as a pump, there are additionally provided a control cylinder, a servo valve, a circuit for detecting the differential pressure of the hydraulic transmitting system, a potentiometer and the like, and a duty control valve. A negative feedback control is performed on the piston by the duty control valve so that the effective differential pressure detected by the differential pressure detecting circuit is kept at a set pressure corresponding to the accelerator pedal position detected by an accelerator pedal position detector.

In vehicles provided with a gasoline engine, it has been customary to determine the optimum engine speed for throttle position in view of improvement of fuel consumption and/or purification of exhaust gas. With a continuously variable transmission it is possible to run an engine at a desired speed regardless of the vehicle speed. To this end, it has been customary to control a continuously variable transmission by a speed-ratio controller so as to realize the above-mentioned desirable correspondence between throttle position and engine speed.
In particular, the conventional standard hydrostatic continuously variable transmission includes a variable speed hydraulic transmitting system between a pair of hydraulic pump/motors at least one of which at the input side is of a variable displacement type, and is so designed that the speed ratio of the output speed to the input speed can be rendered nearly zero with the displacement of the input hydraulic pump/motor acting as a pump being kept zero.
The conventional hydro-mechanical continuously variable transmission comprises: a differential mechanism having a first, a second and a third input/output terminal, a low-speed mechanical transmitting system between the first and second input/output terminals, and a high-speed mechanical transmitting system between the first and third input/output terminals; a hydraulic transmitting mechanism comprising a first hydraulic pump/motor of a variable displacement type the input/output shaft of which is connected to the second input/output terminal of the differential mechanism and a second hydraulic pump/motor of a variable displacement type the input/output shaft of which is connected to the third input/output terminal thereof thereby to form a variable speed hydraulic transmitting system; a low-speed clutch for connecting and disconnecting the transmitting terminal of the above-mentioned low-speed mechanical transmitting system to and from a rotary element provided at the output side; and a high-speed clutch for connecting and disconnecting the transmitting terminal of the above-mentioned high-speed mechanical transmitting system to and from another rotary element provided at the output side, whereby either a low-speed or a high-speed mode can be selected by operating either one of the above-mentioned clutches; the first input/output terminal being connected to an engine and the rotary elements, to an axle of the vehicle.
The speed-ratio controller that is composed chiefly of an ECU (electronic control unit) detects throttle position or accelerator pedal position and engine speed and controls the displacement of the hydraulic pump/motor so that the engine speed is kept at a desired value in accordance with the throttle position.
The above control will be described in detail. As the driver steps on the accelerator pedal, the throttle valve is opened, and the desired engine speed corresponding to the throttle position is obtained from a chart of throttle position/desired engine speed, and the displacement of the hydraulic pump/motor, that is, the speed ratio of the continuously variable transmission is controlled so as to keep the actual engine speed at the desired value.
The vehicle provided with the conventional continuously variable transmission has the following three problems:
First, a time delay exists between the time the accelerator pedal is stepped on to start the vehicle and the time the vehicle begins to start, with resulting deterioration of response. In particular, if the throttle position is subjected to a stepwise increase as the driver steps on the accelerator pedal, the desired engine speed SD greatly increases stepwise. The actual engine speed SE, however, increases with the first order lag accompanied with loss time, so that for some time the actual engine speed SE remains lower than the desired engine speed SD. It is only after the actual engine speed SE exceeds the desired engine speed SD that the engine begins to be loaded by increasing the displacement of the hydraulic pump/motor acting as a pump which has until then been zero so as to lower the actual engine speed SE. Consequently, hydraulic fluid begins to flow into the hydraulic pump/motor at the output side which acts as a motor, so that the vehicle starts moving. The above arrangement has a disadvantage that when the accelerator pedal has been stepped on, until the actual engine speed SE becomes high, the displacement of the hydraulic pump/motor acting as a pump remains unchanged and no hydraulic fluid is supplied to the hydraulic pump/motor acting as a motor, so that the vehicle does not move.
A second disadvantage is that there occurs a great overshooting of the actual engine speed SE. Even when the actual engine speed SE exceeds the desired engine speed SD and the speed-ratio controller begins to increase the displacement of the hydraulic pump/motor acting as a pump, the actual engine speed SE is not suppressed until the engine load torque due to the increasing displacement increases to exceed the engine output torque corresponding to the throttle position at that time, so that the actual engine speed SE continues to increase to cause an overshooting. For example, when the accelerator pedal is stepped on comparatively deeply as is usual with ordinary drivers, the throttle valve is greatly opened stepwise so that the engine output torque corresponding to the throttle position increases greatly. At that time, however, since the displacement of the hydraulic pump/motor acting as a pump remains small, the engine load torque remains small even when the high pressure side of the hydraulic transmitting system has reached a relief pressure, so that the actual engine speed SE rises over the desired engine speed SD so as to cause the relief valve to operate. In other words, while the vehicle speed remains low, the engine output torque is excessively great, so that with the relief valve open to cast away excessive energy, the engine is running almost under racing condition to cause an overshooting of the actual engine speed SE. As a result, it becomes impossible at least during that period of time to run the vehicle with low fuel consumption.
The third disadvantage is that when the vehicle is started, the pressure fluctuates greatly with resulting great fluctuation of the torque. After the actual engine speed SE has overshot in the above-mentioned manner, the speed-ratio controller rapidly increases the displacement of the hydraulic pump/motor acting as a pump in order to recover the delay in control, so that the flow of hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic transmitting system suddenly increases to cause the pressure and the torque to increase rapidly. This causes acceleration at the time of starting the vehicle to become excessive thereby to prevent the vehicle from starting smoothly and give the driver a feeling of rushing out.
The invention has been accomplished in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to solve the above-mentioned first and third problems concerning the starting characteristic which is of primary importance in vehicles thereby to ensure stable, smooth driving and speed changing at the time of starting the vehicle, and to solve the above-mentioned second problem thereby to improve fuel consumption.

Continuously variable transmission with corrected differential pressure in a low speed mode


A microprocessor interface system including a system bus with a bus clock and a quad-pumped address signal group, and including multiple devices coupled to the system bus. Each device is configured to perform a quad-pumped transaction on the system bus in which multiple request packets are sequentially transferred via the address signal group during each of multiple phases of one cycle of the bus clock. The devices may include at least one microprocessor and one or more bus agents. In one embodiment, the first address data is multiplexed onto the address signal group during first and second request packets during a first phase of the bus clock cycle, and the second address data is multiplexed onto the address signal group during third and fourth request packets during a second phase of the bus clock cycle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to processor address buses, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for quad-pumped/double-pumped address bus which solves the problem of large package and unreasonable power requirements for a present day microprocessor where a significant amount of pins and power are devoted to the microprocessor's address bus interface.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a present day microprocessor, such as an x86-compatible microprocessor, transactions (i.e., read and write transactions) to/from memory are accomplished over a system bus. These transactions include a request phase where an address for a transaction along with the transaction type are provided over an address signal group. The address signal group typically includes an address bus, a set of corresponding address strobe signals, and a request bus. In one particular conventional configuration, the address signal group includes about 40 or so signals which must be provided on pins of a package for the microprocessor die. Many conventional configurations double-pumped multiple bus request packets (e.g., "A" and "B" request packets) on the address signal group during a single clock cycle. And further, many conventional microprocessor configurations support "quad-pumped" transactions in which an entire cache line (e.g., eight quadwords for a 64-byte cache line) is transferred across the bus in just a few clock cycles (e.g., two clock cycles). In the conventional double-pumped transactions, the signals of the address signal group are asserted twice during each clock cycle.
The present inventor has noted that this address signal group configuration is problematic in certain application areas where package size and/or power are constrained. Furthermore, every time one of these signals is driven to the bus, such as multiple assertions in a given clock cycle, additional power is consumed. It is therefore desirable to provide a mechanism whereby the number of address signal group pins and commensurate power requirements are reduced, but where the addressing functionality is retained. Furthermore, to accommodate varying application areas, it is desirable to provide a mechanism whereby an addressing capability can be configured in either a double-pumped mode as described above or in a new quad-pumped mode, as will be described herein.

Apparatus and method for quad-pumped address bus


The rod position indicator system of a pressurized nuclear reactor can be calibrated for one or more control rods without shutdown of the reactor. The procedure involves lowering reactor power to a level at which the control rod which appears to be misaligned can be fully inserted and its rod position indicator calibrated.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the calibration of indicators which show the position of control rods in nuclear reactors. More particularly, it concerns a method of rod position indicator calibration which does not require shutting down of a reactor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The core of a commercial pressurized nuclear reactor contains a fuel such as uranium 235. This core, which is within a pressure vessel, is cooled by the flow of a reactor coolant, such as water, which removes the heat generated by the nuclear reaction. The coolant flows into the pressure vessel, through the reactor core, out of the pressure vessel, through steam generators and then back into the pressure vessel. A secondary coolant medium, usually also water, is provided in heat transfer relationship within the steam generator with the reactor coolant. This secondary coolant is converted into steam in the steam generator and is thereafter used to produce electricity in a conventional steam turbine electrical generator system.
In such nuclear reactors, control rods are employed for controlling the power output and the power distribution within the core, as well as to shut down the nuclear reaction. Each control rod is actually comprised of a plurality of individual rods, a "rod cluster", which cluster is attached to a drive shaft for vertical movement with respect to the core. A drive mechanism moves the control rods into and out of the core.
The rate of heat generation in the reactor core is proportional to the rate of nuclear fission, which is determined by the neutron flux in the core. The control rods may consist of an alloy of silver-indium-cadmium that is a good absorber of neutrons.
Reactors of this type also employ a soluble absorber, which is incorporated in the coolant water. Boric acid is an effective soluble absorber of thermal neutrons. The boric acid can by itself, in sufficient concentration, keep the reactor shut down even if all of the control rods are fully withdrawn. The soluble boron controls all long term reactivity changes, whether caused by fuel depletion or other processes.
In a typical reactor, the control rods are arranged in several banks, that is, groups of rod clusters that ordinarily are moved simultaneously. Each control rod of each bank is intended to be lowered into the core to the same extent as all of the other rods in the same bank. When a rod is displaced from other rods of its bank in the vertical, axial, sense, the rod is said to be misaligned.
The control rods (i.e. the rod clusters) are mounted on drive shafts which have equally spaced notches or grooves for engagement by two axially spaced sets of latches. Thus the position of a rod can be determined by counting the number of grooves or steps by which a rod is lifted from its fully inserted position. The position of rods can also be checked by performing a flux mapping of the reactor core. When a rod appears to be misaligned, the operator must take action, either to correct the rod position, or to determine that the position is correct and then to calibrate the rod position indicator so that the rod position is shown accurately.
Besides the step counters to indicate the position of control rods, there is also a rod position indication (RPI) system for monitoring the position of each rod. The system includes a rod position detector for each rod, which produces an electrical voltage signal that is inversely proportional to the extent of insertion of the rod into the reactor core. Thus the voltage is zero when the rod is fully inserted, and has its maximum value when the rod is fully withdrawn. This signal is processed and transmitted to a control panel so that an operator can determine whether the rods are properly positioned.
After the rod position indication system has been initially calibrated, with the reactor in a shut down condition, the voltage signal is accurate to within .+-.5% of the full length of rod travel.
Each rod position detector is a variable transformer consisting of primary and secondary transformer coils "stacked" vertically around the rod drive shaft, which serves as a "core" of the transformer. With a controlled current signal applied to the primary transformer coil windings, the vertical position of the control rod drive shaft determines the extent of electromagnetic coupling with the secondary transformer coils, and thus produces a secondary voltage which is directly proportional to the extent to which the shaft is inserted through the coils, i.e. directly proportional to the extent to which the rod is withdrawn from the reactor core.
When it is indicated that a control rod position is further from the demand position where it is meant to be than allowed by the .+-.5% error band, it is possible that the rod is misaligned. Another possibility is that the RPI system is not properly calibrated. In the past, when a rod or rods were indicated to be outside the .+-.5% band, the procedure has been to fully insert all of the control rods, shutting down the nuclear reaction, and then lift the rods, step by step, calibrating the voltage shown by the rod position indicators against the number of steps counted.
Obviously shutting down a power generating reactor is an extreme measure; time is required to restart the reactor after shutdown, and the whole procedure is very costly. The present invention provides a method for calibration of the rod position indication system while the reactor continues to operate at a somewhat reduced level. At such a reduced power level, the generator still remains on the line, continuing to produce electricity, whereas when the reactor is shut down, the generator is off line, and restart is more complicated. The method still allows for the safeguard of resort to conventional shutting down of the nuclear reaction.
More specifically, and by way of example, in a conventional pressurized light water reactor of the type produced by Westinghouse Electric Corporation, there are 53 control rods, each comprising a cluster of 20 individual absorber rods. For simplicity, each cluster of 20 absorber rods, which move together, is referred to simply as a control rod. Some of the control rods are shutdown rods used primarily to shut down the reactor, as in the case of an accident. The remainder of the control rods are used for both shutdown and control. They are combined into four rod banks which operate sequentially, when one bank has been partially withdrawn, the next bank starts to withdraw, and so on until all the rod banks are withdrawn. The same overlapping sequence is followed during rod insertion, except during emergency shutdowns, when these rods fall rapidly into the reactor core, as do the shutdown rods. There is a rod bottom position detection system for each rod which signals that the rod is fully inserted.
Rod positions are detected by the transformer coils mounted around the rod drive shafts which produce voltage signals presented to the operator for visual monitoring. Thus rod position is shown as a voltage signal proportional to rod position, on a voltmeter. A reading of 3.45 volts corresponds to a rod withdrawn a full 230 steps (144 inches), each step corresponding to the uniform 5/8 inch spacing between the grooves or notches of the rod drive shafts, and a reading of 0.00 volts indicates a fully inserted rod, i.e a rod on the bottom. Rod position is also shown as counted in terms of steps. There is also a separate bottom indicator for each control rod, which shows that the rod is essentially at the bottom of its travel.
The actual indicated rod position versus the demand position for the rod is logged at least once per shift by the operator. If two rods in a given bank deviate from each other by a preset amount or if any rod deviates from its demanded position by a preset amount, corrective action is required. The overall accuracy of the rod position indication system is about .+-.5% of full rod travel, or .+-.7.2 inches or 12 steps. Thus a rod is considered to be misaligned if it is not within 12 steps of its demanded position. (When a rod is almost fully withdrawn, say more than 210 steps withdrawn, a deviation of 17 steps in the positive sense from demand position is considered tolerable.)
When a rod is indicated to be misaligned, though in fact it is not, the rod position indication (RPI) system requires calibration. In the past calibration has required the plant to be shut down.


Implementations generally relate to setting up a new television linked with an existing television. In some implementations, a method includes detecting, by a first television, a presence of a second television. The method further includes establishing communication with the second television. The method further includes sending a setup information request to the second television. The method further includes receiving setup information from the second television. The method further includes modifying one or more settings of the first television based at least in part on the setup information from the second television.

Setup of a television can be a lengthy and frustrating process. Using a television remote to enter text is difficult and not intuitive. Some televisions allow a user to use a mobile device to go through a television setup. However, it is still a lengthy and frustrating process to set a television up.

Setting up a new television linked with an existing television


A barcode reader includes a first set of characteristics that are optimized for reading an electronically displayed barcode. The barcode reader also includes a second set of characteristics that are optimized for reading a physically printed barcode. The first set of characteristics may include a first optical path that is optimized for reading the electronically displayed barcode. The second set of characteristics may include a second optical path that is optimized for reading the physically printed barcode.

A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data. Originally, barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines. These types of barcodes may be referred to as linear or one-dimensional (1D) barcodes. Later, barcodes evolved into rectangles, dots, hexagons and other geometric patterns in two dimensions (2D). Although 2D systems use a variety of symbols, they are generally referred to as barcodes as well. Devices for identifying or extracting information from barcodes are generally referred to as barcode readers.
Barcodes and barcode readers have a wide variety of uses. For example, almost every item from a grocery store, department store, or a mass merchandiser has a barcode on it. In addition, barcodes are widely used in the healthcare and hospital settings for patient identification, medication management, etc. Barcodes are used to keep track of rental cars, airline luggage, registered mail, express mail and parcels, etc. Barcoded tickets allow the holder to enter sports arenas, cinemas, theatres, fairgrounds, etc.
One type of barcode reader may be referred to as an image-based barcode reader. An image-based barcode reader may attempt to read a barcode by capturing an image of the barcode and then using image processing techniques to decode the barcode.
The process for using a conventional image-based barcode reader to read a barcode may be described generally as follows. The barcode to be read may be placed inside of a target area. Light sources within the barcode reader may provide illumination (which may be direct illumination) to the target area. Light may be reflected from the barcode toward the barcode reader. Lenses within the barcode reader may focus the reflected light onto an image sensor, which includes a relatively large number of light-sensitive photosensors that are arranged in horizontal rows and vertical columns. The photosensors may be allowed to accumulate charge for a certain amount of time. Read-out circuitry within the barcode reader may generate electronic signals that indicate the amount of charge that has accumulated on the photosensors of the image sensor. These signals may be digitized and amplified in order to provide a two-dimensional array of image data. Each element within this array may be referred to as a "pixel."
In an image-based barcode reader, the "exposure" is a measure of the amount of time that the photosensors within the image sensor are allowed to accumulate charge in order to capture an image. The "gain" is a measure of the amount by which the electronic signals that indicate the amount of charge that has accumulated on the photosensors of the image sensor are amplified.
In the context of an image that is produced by an image-based barcode reader, the term "resolution" refers to the amount of detail that the image includes. The term "field of view" refers to the size of the target area that is visible within the image. A first image may be said to have higher resolution than a second image if the first image includes more pixels for a smaller field of view than the second image. Higher-resolution images may be desirable for certain applications (e.g., for reading very small barcodes, such as those used in some manufacturing environments), but they may not be needed for others (e.g., for reading larger barcodes, such as those used in some retail point of sale environments). Lenses that produce high-resolution images may be referred to as high-resolution lenses (or high-resolution optics).
An image sensor may be configured to capture images using a "rolling shutter" technique or a "global shutter" technique. With a rolling shutter technique, an image is captured by scanning across the image either vertically or horizontally. In other words, not all parts of the image are captured at the same time. With a global shutter technique, the entire image is exposed for the same time window—i.e., all parts of the image are captured at the same time. An image sensor that produces images having a large field of view using a global shutter technique can be useful for reading fast moving barcodes.
An image of a barcode includes barcode elements and background elements. In a one-dimensional barcode, the barcode elements are vertical lines. In a two-dimensional barcode, the barcode elements may include a variety of different shapes and patterns.

Barcode reader that reads electronically displayed barcodes differently than physically printed barcodes


A thickness-information acquisition apparatus includes: an image acquisition section configured to acquire a phase-difference image of a sample; a correlation-distribution computation section configured to compute a correlation distribution of an image in the phase-difference image with respect to pixels of another image in the phase-difference image; and a thickness-information acquisition section configured to acquire information on the thickness of the sample in accordance with the correlation distribution.

The present application relates to a thickness-information acquisition apparatus, a thickness-information acquisition method adopted by the thickness-information acquisition apparatus, a thickness-information acquisition program for implementing the thickness-information acquisition method and a microscope employing the thickness-information acquisition apparatus.
In pathology, a biological sample such as a tissue segment is fixed on a piece of slide glass and subjected to a dyeing process as well as an inclusion process in order to make the sample which can be used as a prepared tissue slide of a microscope. In general, if the storage period of the prepared tissue slide serving as a biological sample is long, the visibility of the prepared tissue slide to the microscope deteriorates due to causes such as deterioration of the biological sample and the color degradation of the sample. In addition, in some cases, the prepared tissue slide of a microscope is examined microscopically at a facility outside a hospital (or another facility) at which the prepared tissue slide has been typically made. In such cases, the prepared tissue slide is delivered from the hospital (or the other facility) to the facility outside the hospital (or the other facility) generally by post. Thus, it takes certain time to deliver the prepared tissue slide.
In order to solve the problems described above, there has been proposed an apparatus for keeping image data of a biological sample. For more information on the proposed apparatus, the reader is advised to refer to documents such as Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2009-175334.

Thickness-information acquisition apparatus, thickness-information acquisition method, thickness-information acquisition program and microscope


A printing apparatus and a printing method are provided by which, when an image is printed by a plurality of printing modes using different printing elements, a plurality of printing elements can have an equalized use frequency to thereby maintain the uniformity of quality of the printed image. In a first multipath printing control, a use rate of a nozzle group that is not used in the first multipath printing control and that is used in a second multipath printing control is higher than that of a nozzle group that is used in the first and second multipath printing controls.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing method by which a printing head having a plurality of printing elements that can apply color material to a printing medium can be used to print an image by a plurality of printing modes.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an ink jet printing apparatus, a serial-type printing apparatus has been used that uses a printing head in which many nozzles (printing elements) including ejection ports and liquid paths are arranged to print an image. In the serial-type printing apparatus, an image is printed on a printing medium by alternately repeating the printing scanning in the main scanning direction of the printing head and the transport operation of the printing medium in the sub-scanning direction. In the printing apparatus as described above, such an image printing is required that is stable in various factors such as color formation, gradation, and uniformity. The image uniformity in particular is easily influenced by factors caused in the step of manufacturing a printing head such as a slight variation among nozzles or the dirt around the ejection ports of the respective nozzles. Owing to the variation among the nozzles as described above, there is a possibility that the amount of ink ejected through the respective nozzles or the ejection directions therefrom are unstable, thus density unevenness of a printed image may be caused. When a so-called multipath printing method is used according to which a single printing region is printed by a plurality of scannings by a printing head, a printed image can be prevented from having uneven density by reducing the influence by the variation among the nozzles. However, the use of the multipath printing method as described above causes a declined printing speed due to the increased number of scannings by the printing head. In recent years, such a printing apparatus has been generally used that has a plurality of printing modes so as to be able to select one path printing method or a printing operation using a multipath printing method having a reduced number of paths, and a printing operation using a multipath printing method having an increased number of paths. In the printing apparatus as described above, a user can select a printing method depending on an image quality and a printing speed.
In the case of a multipath printing method such as a 4-path printing method, four mask patterns having a complementary relationship to one another are generally used to thin out a printed image. Each of these four mask patterns has a 25% culling rate (printing rate). Thus, a 100%-image is printed through four printing scannings based on the printing data thinned-out by the four mask patterns.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-177992 discloses a printing apparatus that uses mask patterns having not-equal printing rates. For example, a mask pattern corresponding to nozzles at both ends of a nozzle array has a lower printing rate and a mask pattern corresponding to a nozzle at one end of the nozzle array has an increased printing rate. Thus, when such a mask pattern is used that has printing rates that are not equal and that are uneven, there is a possibility that a nozzle part corresponding to the mask pattern having a high printing rate has a high number of ink ejections and thus the nozzle part may be deteriorated sooner than in the case of other nozzles. To prevent this, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-177992, another mask pattern having printing rates that are uneven in an inverted manner is prepared. Thus, the two mask patterns are alternately used depending on each printing scanning to supprese the early deterioration of a specific nozzle. For example, when one mask pattern has a high printing rate corresponding to the nozzle at an end of the nozzle array, the other test pattern is arranged to have a low printing rate corresponding to the nozzle at the end of the nozzle array so that these test patterns are alternately used depending on each printing scanning.
Image printing modes in a printing apparatus include a mode in which a nozzle to be used (to-be-used nozzle) and a nozzle not to be used (not-to-be-used nozzle) are fixedly set in a nozzle array. For example, two nozzle arrays in the printing head are divided those nozzles in an upstream-side half region in the transport direction of the printing medium (upstream-side nozzles) and those nozzles in a downstream-side half region in the transport direction (downstream-side nozzles). Then, during the first printing scanning by the printing head, the first ink is ejected through the upstream-side nozzles in one of the two nozzle arrays. Then, during the second printing scanning after the transport operation of the printing medium, the second ink is ejected through the downstream-side nozzles of the other nozzle array so as to coat the printing region applied with the first ink. When not-to-be-used nozzles are fixedly set in the nozzle array as described above, such a mask pattern cannot be used that has an inverted printing rate for each printing scanning. Thus, a to-be-used nozzle and a not-to-be-used nozzle cannot have a similar deterioration level among the nozzles in the respective nozzle arrays.
When the printing mode where a not-to-be-used nozzle is fixedly set and the printing mode where a not-to-be-used nozzle is not fixedly set are carried out in one printing apparatus, a difference in the deterioration among nozzles caused by the former printing mode has an influence on the latter printing mode. Specifically, a difference in the deterioration among nozzles caused by the former printing mode causes the resultant imaged by the latter printing mode to have not-uniform qualities, thus there is a possibility the uniformity is damaged.


Distributed execution of commands and scripts may comprise a script execution manager having access to a library of executable objects comprising at least one or more of commands or scripts or combination of commands and scripts. A script execution console may be operable to present a graphical user interface for selecting an executable object from the library to execute and for selecting one or more managed computers, on which to execute the selected executable object. The script execution console may be further operable to present a dynamically updated collation of results from execution of the selected executable object. One or more script execution agents may be operable to run on the selected respective one or more managed computers and further operable to communicate with the script execution manager.

Large data centers need large numbers of system administrators to manage servers for the customers they serve. When managing large numbers of servers, a system administrator (SA) frequently needs to execute a command or pre-existing script on a large number of servers for any of a number of purposes, such as viewing diagnostic information or setting a configuration parameter. For an SA to log in to each server, copy a script to the server, execute it, and copy the results back to his workstation is a very tedious, time-consuming, and error-prone job.
Server management frameworks have been developed to ease the distribution and execution of commands and scripts, but they lack access controls or a unified user interface for dispatching commands and collecting results.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Automated, controlled distribution and execution of commands and scripts

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A cab mounting assembly attaches a cab to a chassis of a vehicle at the point of rotation of the cab when the cab is tilted. The cab mounting assembly provides two paths for the forces acting between the cab and the chassis. The static forces are supported by a bearing assembly which includes a relatively hard elastomeric member. The dynamic forces are supported by an elastomeric mount which includes a relatively soft elastomeric member. The elastomeric mount is attached to the bearing assembly and to a shock absorber. The bearing assembly is attached to the elastomeric mount and to an air spring assembly.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
In order to provide comfort for large vehicle operators and reduce driving fatigue experienced by operators of larger vehicles, the operator's cab is suspended utilizing a vibration isolation device and a shock absorption device between the vehicle's chassis and the vehicle's cab which reduces the shock, vibration and consequent pounding the operator experiences during operation of the vehicle. Additionally, the continued application of vibration and shock forces to the cab results in structural damage which ultimately increases the costs associated with maintenance.
The load carried by a large vehicle is supported by the vehicle's frame which is resiliently carried by the vehicle's suspension springs and the vehicle's shock absorbers supported by the vehicle's wheels. Suspension springs typically have a high rate of stiffness which makes the ride more jarring on the operator of the vehicle. To dampen the vibration and shock transmitted to the cab, cab suspension systems have been developed utilizing cab mounting systems that include cab hydraulic shock absorbers and cab air springs to reduce the jounce and rebound movements of the cab with respect to the vehicle's frame.
These cab hydraulic shock absorbers and cab air springs can be mounted at both the front and rear ends of the cab. Typically, a cab is tilted by rotating around a pair of cab air springs and cab hydraulic shock absorbers which are located at the front of the vehicle. The front mounting cab hydraulic shock absorbers and cab air springs often need some type of a bearing to enable the rotational movement during the tilting of the cab. This rotational movement requirement makes it difficult from a design point of view to adequately isolate the cab from the frame.

Double path mount for cab suspension with tilting function

Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc.


The present invention makes players willing to play games next to each other, so as to increase the use ratio. When a game result of a basic game corresponding to a payout occurs, a gaming machine determines whether a battle game condition related to the payout is at least satisfied, and when it is determined that the battle game condition is satisfied, adjacent gaming terminals are set as battle opponents. When battle opponents join the battle game, the battle game in which the battle opponents compete to win is executed, and the battle opponent winning the battle game obtains some profits.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine for executing a battle game between gaming terminals, and a game control method thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In prior art, for gaming machines, a plurality of gaming terminals are usually arranged in a row. In addition to basic games, sometimes battle games are executed among the plurality of gaming terminals.

Gaming machine for executing battle game between gaming terminals


There is provided a rotor core which increases the quality and reliability thereof by preventing the occurrence of a core separation of the rotor core. There is provided a rotor core including a plurality of substantially cylindrical core blocks which are stacked on each other; and a plurality of magnets, characterized in that a plurality of magnet holes extending in an axial direction are provided in the plurality of core blocks so as to extend over the plurality of core blocks in that the plurality of magnets are accommodated in each of the plurality of magnet accommodation holes and fixed therein with a resin, and in that an axial position of core block boundary planes where the plurality of core blocks are brought into abutment with each other and an axial position of magnet boundary planes where the plurality of magnets are brought into abutment with each other differ from each other.

Patent Literature 1 proposes a method for fixing magnets within a magnet accommodation hole which is formed in a substantially cylindrical rotor core along an axial direction thereof. This fixing method is a method comprising, as FIGS. 4A, 4B show, the steps of forming a rotor core 60 by stacking and fixed therein a plurality of electromagnetic steel plates (core pieces) 69, accommodating magnet pieces 62 in a magnet accommodation hole 61 in the rotor core 60, and filling a resin 63 into the magnet accommodation hole 61 from a resin pot 65 formed in an upper mold 64 for integration of the rotor core 60 with the resin. Here, in the figures, reference numeral 67 denotes a plunger for pushing the resin 63 out, and reference numeral 68 denotes a lower mold.