A method and system for a PCI Express device is provided. The elastic buffer includes, a buffer control module that determines a difference between a write and read pointer value and compares the difference to a threshold value for inserting or deleting a standard symbol, wherein the threshold value is adjusted dynamically based on a slow or fast clock speed. The standard symbol is a PCI Express SKIP symbol. The method includes, determining if a clock speed is slow, wherein a monitoring register value indicates if a clock speed is slow; selecting a threshold value based on the monitoring register value; and inserting or deleting a standard symbol based on a comparison of a difference between a write and read pointer and the threshold value. The PCI Express device may be a host bus adapter operating in a storage area network or any other network.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computing systems, and more particularly, to an elastic buffer module used in PCI Express devices.
2. Background of the Invention
Computing systems typically include several functional components. These components may include a central processing unit (CPU), main memory, input/output ("I/O") devices, and streaming storage devices (for example, tape drives). In conventional systems, the main memory is coupled to the CPU via a system bus or a local memory bus. The main memory is used to provide the CPU access to data and/or program information that is stored in main memory at execution time. Typically, the main memory is composed of random access memory (RAM) circuits. A computer system with the CPU and main memory is often referred to as a host system.
Host systems often communicate with peripheral devices via an interface such as the Peripheral Component Interconnect ("PCI") interface, a local bus standard using parallel data transfer that was developed by Intel Corporation®, or the extension of PCI known as PCI-X. More recently, PCI Express, a standard interface incorporating PCI transaction protocols at the logical level, but using serial data transfer at the physical level has been developed to offer better performance than PCI or PCI-X.
Host systems are used in various network applications, including storage area networks ("SANs"). In SANs, plural memory storage devices are made available to various host computing systems. Data in a SAN is typically moved between plural host systems and storage systems (or storage devices, used interchangeably throughout this specification) through various controllers/adapters, for example, host bus adapters ("HBAs").
HBAs (a PCI Express device) that are placed in SANs receive serial data streams (bit stream), align the serial data and then convert it into parallel data for processing, as described above. HBAs operate as a transmitting device as well as the receiving device.
PCI Express is an Input/Output ("I/O") bus standard (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) that is compatible with existing PCI cards using the PCI Express bus. PCI-Express uses discrete logical layers to process inbound and outbound information. In the PCI-Express terminology, a serial connection between two devices is referred to as a link.
Various other standard interfaces are also used to move data between host systems and peripheral devices. Fibre Channel is one such standard. Fibre Channel (incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) is an American National Standard Institute (ANSI) set of standards, which provides a serial transmission protocol for storage and network protocols.
PCI Express, Fibre Channel and other serial interfaces use 8-bit to 10-bit encoding, in which each 8-bit character of source data is encoded into a 10-bit symbol prior to transmission. A receiving device to recover the original 8-bit character decodes the 10-bit data.
In order to recover data from a serial bit stream, the receiving PCI Express device performs clock recovery, de-serialization and symbol lock. In clock recovery, the receiving device generates a serial bit clock that is phase locked to the incoming serial bit stream. This is also known as bit synchronization. For de-serialization, the recovered clock is used to sample the incoming serial bit stream and convert it into parallel data. For symbol lock, the boundary between consecutive 10-bit symbols is determined and the de-serialized data is aligned to the boundary. After the symbol lock, the 10-bit data is sent to an Elastic Buffer module (may also be referred to as Elastic Buffer) and then the 10-bit data is decoded to 8-bit for further processing.
The Elastic Buffer, using a first-in-first-out memory space (for example, a circular buffer), typically receives symbols from a symbol lock module at the rate of one symbol/clock (for example, receive clock rate) and forwards symbols to other modules at another clock rate (for example, system clock rate). PCI Express allows the difference between clock rates to be up to 600 ppm. Clock rate compensation is used to control data flow from/to the elastic buffer.
The PCI Express standard allows a PCI Express device to insert or delete special symbols so that the elastic buffer does not overflow or under flow depending on the rate difference between the receive and system clocks. The underflow condition occurs when the system clock is faster than the receive clock, while the overflow condition occurs when the receive clock is faster than the system clock. One such symbol is the SKIP symbol (defined by the PCI Express standard) within a SKIP ordered set.
Typically, the elastic buffer uses the difference between a write and read pointer to determine the amount of information in the buffer. The write pointer indicates the location where the received data from the symbol lock module is written in the elastic buffer, while the read pointer indicates the storage location from where data is read from the elastic buffer. Once the difference is known, SKIP symbols may be inserted/deleted to avoid overflow/underflow conditions. However, the read and write pointers operate in different clock domains (system and receive clock domains) and hence the difference calculation itself may have errors. The deletion/insertion of SKIP symbols based on the erroneous calculation is not able to solve the underflow/overflow conditions when the data rate difference is operating at the theoretical limit. This theoretical limit is determined by the size of the Elastic Buffer and the maximum clock rate difference possible as specified in the PCI Express specification.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and system for efficiently managing underflow/overflow conditions in an elastic buffer.

Elastic buffer module for PCI express devices


A broadband antenna for wireless communication system, the broadband antenna includes a radiating element, a grounding element and a connecting element for connecting the radiating element and the grounding element. The radiating element has a U-shaped structure, a V-shaped structure or an L-shaped structure. The broadband antenna of the present invention has wider frequency bandwidth and higher antenna efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna, and more particularly, to a dual-band broadband antenna.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the developments in wireless communications technology, many electronic devices, such as notebooks and mobile phones, now incorporate wireless communications abilities. In order to receive and transmit signals, these electronic devices need to have an antenna for detecting electromagnetic wave.
Since both mobile phones and notebooks have became important in the daily lives of many people, if it were possible to combine these two devices, such a combined-function device would offer significantly more convenience for users. However, the prior art antennas for typical mobile phones usually have a frequency bandwidth of about 70 MHz at a low frequency range (900 MHz), and a frequency bandwidth of about 120 MHz at a high frequency range (1800 MHz) when a VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) is less than 4. Additionally, the antenna efficiency of the typical mobile phones is typically around 20˜30%; therefore, if the prior art mobile phone antenna is installed in a notebook, the antenna will not provide very satisfactory results.
A prior art technology has disclosed a dual-band antenna that can provide a wider frequency bandwidth than earlier mobile phone antennas. Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a prior art antenna 90, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,861,986. The antenna 90 can be used for WWAN, WLAN 802.11a or 802.11b, Bluetooth or GSM communications systems. Compared to the typical mobile phone antenna, the antenna 90 has a wider frequency bandwidth, usually having a frequency bandwidth of about 120 MHz at the low frequency range (900 MHz) and a frequency bandwidth of about 480 MHz at the high frequency range (1800 MHz) when the VSWR is less than 3.
Although the prior art technology already provides a broadband antenna, the frequency bandwidth still can be improved. Furthermore, if a new antenna can provide a wider frequency bandwidth with a smaller size, such a new antenna would have better platform compatibility characteristics, and would have lower manufacturing costs.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a dual-band broadband antenna to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.


An embodiment of the invention may include a method, computer program product and system for computing device management. An embodiment may include preparing, by an estimated arrival time of a user at a location, at least one computing device needed by the user to perform a computing task at the location.

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to the fields of computing devices and software applications, and more specifically, to management of computing devices and software application execution based on user location and predicted destination.
Device management is the process of managing the implementation, operation, and maintenance of a physical, or virtual, computing device. Device management is a broad term that includes various administrative tools and processes for the maintenance, operation, and upkeep of computing, network, mobile, and/or virtual devices. Although the term devices may usually refer to physical/hardware devices such as computers, laptops, servers, mobile phones, and other smart devices, devices may also refer to virtual devices such as virtual machines and virtual switches.
Application management is the process of managing the operation, maintenance, versioning, and upgrading of an application throughout its lifecycle. Application management includes best practices, techniques, and procedures essential to the operation, performance, and efficiency of a deployed application.

Preparing computing devices in anticipation of predicted user arrival

International Business Machines Corporation


A double drill rod section has an outer drill rod section and an inner drill rod section. The inner drill rod section has at least one conductor. In order to bring about an electrical connection of the conductor, the inner drill rod section has an essentially annular outer contact, and, in the annular space between the outer drill rod section and the inner drill rod section, a pick-up is in contact with the annular outer contact of the inner drill rod section.

In rod-based drilling in the ground, in particular to produce to horizontal borings, a drill head of a drilling rod is driven by a drive device situated on the surface or in a construction pit. The drill rods used consist of individual drill rod lengths connected to each other, which according to the course of the drilling are successively applied to the rear end of the already drilled-in drilling rod and connected thereto.
For rock drilling, i.e. drilling in rock or stone formations, a double drill rod or double rod is used. In these drilling devices the drilling head is additionally driven in a rotating manner via an inner rod of the double drill rod from the drive device arranged on the surface or in the construction pit which also ensures advancing of the drilling head. For this the inner rod is borne in a rotatable manner within an outer rod of the double drill rod. In double drill rods the individual rod lengths both of the outer rod and the inner rod are either screwed to each other or inserted into each other.
To supply electrical consumers in the double drill rod and/or to transmit signals it is necessary to provide electrical connections within the double drill rod. For this it is known to use a conductor or a cable which extends along the inside of the inner drill rod.
A drawback of the existing provision of electrical connections is that the electrical connection for conducing electrical energy—for supplying electrical voltage or power and/or for transmitting data—can only take place in the inner drill rod assembly as it has hitherto been assumed that the conductor or cable has to be protected in the inner drill rod.

Double drill rod section, double drill rod length and method of producing an electrically conductive connection in a double drill rod section


A semiconductor device having a strained channel and a method of manufacture thereof is provided. The semiconductor device has a gate electrode formed over a channel recess. A first recess and a second recess formed on opposing sides of the gate electrode are filled with a stress-inducing material. The stress-inducing material extends into an area wherein source/drain extensions overlap an edge of the gate electrode. In an embodiment, sidewalls of the channel recess and/or the first and second recesses may be along {111} facet planes.

Size reduction of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), including reduction of the gate length and gate oxide thickness, has enabled the continued improvement in speed, performance, density, and cost per unit function of integrated circuits over the past few decades. To further enhance transistor performance, MOSFET devices have been fabricated using strained channel regions located in portions of a semiconductor substrate. Strained channel regions allow enhanced carrier mobility to be realized, thereby resulting in increased performance when used for n-channel (NMOSFET) or for p-channel (PMOSFET) devices. Generally, it is desirable to induce a tensile strain in the n-channel of an NMOSFET transistor in the source-to-drain direction to increase electron mobility and to induce a compressive strain in the p-channel of a PMOSFET transistor in the source-to-drain direction to increase hole mobility. There are several existing approaches of introducing strain in the transistor channel region.
In one approach, strain in the channel region is introduced by creating a recess in the substrate in the source/drain regions. For example, a PMOS device having a compressive stress in the channel region may be formed on a silicon substrate by epitaxially growing a stress-inducing layer having a larger lattice structure than the silicon, such as a layer of SiGe, within recessed regions in the source/drain regions. Similarly, an NMOS device having a tensile stress in the channel region may be formed on a silicon substrate by epitaxially growing a stress-inducing layer having a smaller lattice structure than the silicon, such as a layer of SiC, within recessed regions in the source/drain regions.
In this approach, the stress-inducing layer is limited to the more heavily-doped regions of the source/drain regions. As a result, there is little or no contribution to stress in the channel region from the source/drain extension regions or the overlapping region between the gate electrode and the source/drain extensions.

Strained semiconductor device with recessed channel

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


A stent includes a main body having a plurality of rings that form a helix. Each of the plurality of rings includes a plurality of skewed v-shaped elements that each have a first leg and a second leg that is longer than the first leg. The stent further includes a first end ring and a second end ring positioned to an opposite side of the main body from the first end ring. Each of the plurality of rings of the main body is angled with respect to the first end ring and the second end ring. The stent further includes a first transitional region for connecting the first end ring to the main body, and a second transitional region for connecting the second end ring to the main body.

Aneurysms are enlargements or bulges in blood vessels that are often prone to rupture and which therefore present a serious risk to a patient. Aneurysms may occur in any blood vessel but are of particular concern when they occur in the cerebral vasculature or the patient's aorta.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure are concerned with aneurysms occurring in the aorta, particularly those referred to as aortic aneurysms. Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA's) are classified based on their location within the aorta as well as their shape and complexity. Aneurysms that are found below the renal arteries are referred to as infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms. Suprarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms occur above the renal arteries, while thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA's) occur in the ascending, transverse, or descending part of the upper aorta.
Infrarenal aneurysms are the most common, representing about seventy percent (70%) of all aortic aneurysms. Suprarenal aneurysms are less common, representing about twenty percent (20%) of the aortic aneurysms. Thoracic aortic aneurysms are the least common and often the most difficult to treat. Many endovascular systems are also too large (above 4 mm in diameter) for percutaneous introduction.
The most common form of aneurysm is fusiform, wherein the enlargement extends about the entire aortic circumference. Less commonly, the aneurysms may be characterized by a bulge on one side of the blood vessel attached at a narrow neck. Thoracic aortic aneurysms are often dissecting aneurysms caused by hemorrhagic separation in the aortic wall, usually within the medial layer. The most common treatment for each of these types and forms of aneurysm is open surgical repair. Open surgical repair is quite successful in patients who are otherwise reasonably healthy and free from significant co-morbidities. Such open surgical procedures are problematic, however, since access to the abdominal and thoracic aortas is difficult to obtain and because the aorta must be clamped off, placing significant strain on the patient's heart.
Endoluminal grafts can be used for the treatment of aortic aneurysm in patients who cannot undergo open surgical procedures. In general, endoluminal repairs access the aneurysm endoluminally through either or both iliac arteries in the groin. Subclavian access is also used to perform branched procedures. The grafts, which can have fabric or membrane tubes supported and attached by various stent structures, are then implanted, and can require several pieces or modules to be assembled in situ. Successful endoluminal procedures can have a much shorter recovery period than open surgical procedures.
Many designs of helical stents for treating aneurysms require a lot of manual work during the manufacturing process in order to align and adjust the struts of the stent to achieve uniform geometry pattern. Helical stents when expanded may lengthen or foreshorten causing unpredictability in placement of the stent relative to an anatomy. Many times the branches associated with an aneurysm may also need to be stented. Aneurysms in the aorta may require that various branches, such as but not limited to renal arteries, iliac arteries, the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), and the celiac artery be partially stented. Branched stents for repairing such branches often face challenges with respect to lacking enough flexibility to withstand the physiological motion of the branch vessels.

Endoluminal prosthesis systems and methods


In a tool holder, when oil supplied via an oil supply passage and an oil introducing passage reaches an atomizing space, the oil is atomized by an air flow of carrier gas consisting of compressed air, and then water supplied from a water supply passage and a water introducing passage is formed into a water drop in the atomizing space by an air flow of oil containing compressed air to generate the water drop with oil film in which the oil film is formed on a surface of the water drop. Since the water drop with oil film is supplied to a work piece through a top nozzle and an in-tool passage, the water drop with oil film is generated at an extremely close location to a tool, and therefore, responsiveness when supplying the water drop with oil film to the work piece can be enhanced.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool holder which is mounted on a spindle of a machine tool to hold a tool for machining a work piece.
2. Description of Related Art
When performing machining such as cutting and grinding for a work piece, lubrication of the work piece and a working tool and cooling of heat generated by the machining are performed by sprinkling a working fluid such as oil and emulsion in a liquid state, or atomizing the liquid to spray it on a surface of the work piece to be machined from a nozzle provided toward a vicinity of a working point, in order to improve machining accuracy and increase a life of the working tool. In the case of atomizing the working fluid to spray it, there is proposed a method of mixing the working fluids of different kinds such as oil and water, and thereafter spraying the working fluids on the machined surface of the work piece, or a method of providing a plurality of nozzles to spray the working fluids of different kinds on the machined surface of the work piece from the respective nozzles.
However, since the working fluid is continuously supplied over a machining time of the work piece in order to obtain sufficient lubrication and cooling effects during the machining, there has been the problem that a large amount of working fluid is required when the working fluid is sprinkled in the liquid state. In particular, since incombustible emulsion requires to be processed as industrial waste when it is deteriorated, there has been the problem that high cost is required in processing a large amount of used or old emulsion. On the other hand, in the case of spraying the working fluid after atomizing it in order to reduce the use amount of the working fluid, there has been the problem that too much oil is scattered in the air when atomizing and spraying the oil due to the small mass of the oil, and therefore a sufficient amount of oil does not attach to the machined surface of the work piece, by which the lubrication of the work piece and the working tool and the cooling of the heat are not sufficiently performed. In addition, there has also been the problem that it is conceivable that the scattering of the atomized oil causes the risk of fire, influences human bodies and the like, in the respect of factory environment. Further, in the method of spraying the mixture solution of water and oil, or spraying those on the worked surface from the separate nozzles as described above, too much oil is also scattered in the air, and therefore, there has been the same problem.
Accordingly, in order to solve the above described problems, there has been proposed, in recent years, a method of generating a water drop with oil film by forming water supplied from an outside into a water drop and forming the oil film on a surface of the water drop as a working fluid, and machining the work piece while spraying this working fluid on the work piece (for example, see JP-A-2001-150294).


A service system includes a service provider server-system in wireless communication over a network with at least one service requesting application, wherein the requesting application is executing in a smartphone. The requesting application includes a computer coded map. The requesting application is configured, on a request by a user of the application, to request a service by transmitting a map information layer including a visual symbol located on the geographical position (GPS) of the smartphone together with an indication of the requested service to the service provider server-system.

Modern cars are changing their appearance from petrol driven speed monsters to electric and environmentally friendly computer driven machines. Many modern cars need software updates from time to time provided over the Internet instead of changing oil from time to time at workshops. In a sense, many modern cars are computers equipped with wheels and a motor. One major benefit of modern cars is the ability to communicate with them over the Internet.
Taxi services are providing a service correlated with a geographical pick-up point, usually a street address, and a delivery location, which is normally a street address as well. Several taxi apps exists in prior art and one of the more used ones is the system delivered by Uber. This is a one-click system comprising a client application program in respective user's mobile phones and a server-system run by the Uber service provider. When a user activates the application program in his mobile phone, by touching the screen on his phone, the GPS position of his location is sent together with the request of a taxi to the Uber server-system. The Uber server-system identifies an available taxi in close proximity to the transmitted GPS position of the user. The user receives a confirmation that a taxi is on its way to his destination together with a photo of the taxi driver. The server-system can also update a map in the phone of the user indicating respective geographical positions the taxi is moving along. A user being member of the Uber system has a user profile comprising details of a credit card the user can pay for the transport in the Uber system.
Sometimes it happens that a user wants to order a taxi on the countryside, for example just outside a city limit. Then there is no street address. If a user orders a taxi outside a theatre just after a performance has ended, others waiting for a taxi can "hijack" the taxi even without having ordered one.
Similar problems may exist with other forms of geographical position associated services. For example, parcel delivery systems may pick-up parcels at one location and delivers the parcels at another location. In prior art there are examples of smart drones delivering parcels this way.
In the case of the Uber system, it is easy to get a taxi to a specific location and the requester can follow the movement of an approaching taxi. As discussed above, taxis may be "hijacked" by other persons.
This may not be a big problem with taxis, but if one wants to be sure that a passenger is the one requesting the taxi, the taxi driver should receive some form of identification of the passenger. The passenger receives a photo of the driver, but normally the driver receives no confirmation about the passenger's identity. There are some examples in prior that taxi companies can generate a code the requester receives over the phone when ordering the taxi, which can be given to the driver as a confirmation of the taxi order.
When a person is ordering a taxi, it is also a question of security involved. One aspect is the identity of the taxi driver, but when a taxi drives a person to his home address and need to reveal his identity, for example when paying with a credit card in the taxi, or as a confirmation for his identity, this can pose a later security risk. Therefore, keeping anonymity of requesters of services is preferable.
When for example drones are shipping valuable items, it is mandatory that a recipient can confirm his identity. Otherwise, wrong people can get hold of valuable items. A company providing these kind of services needs expensive insurances to cover losses if they are responsible. Secure delivery includes delivery to the correct person or company. Further, a recipient should normally sign a receipt when receiving documents, especially legal documents, goods etc. When ordering a delivery, this can be to another geographical location not associated with the requester of the service. For example, a plumber working in a house misses a part and order a drone or a courier service to ship the missing part to the location of the work.
Therefore, it can be a tradeoff between keeping anonymity, and at the same time be able to reveal the identity of a service requester without compromising needed anonymity.
Therefore, there is a need of an improved service provider system associated with geographical position based services.

Service provider system associated with geographical position based services and a mobile service requesting application


A headlight washer device is equipped with a nozzle support, which can be adjusted in its cleaning position through an opening in the autobody. A cap for closing the opening is connected via elastic elements with the nozzle support in such a way that the cap aligns autonomously along the edge of the body opening during the retracting movement of the nozzle support.

The invention relates to a nozzle support with a cap for a headlight washer device, a nozzle support assembly, and a method of making nozzle support assembly.
The cap is arranged on the nozzle support by a ball-and-socket joint and can thus align in the car body opening in such a way that the body opening in the retracted position of the nozzle support is closed with an even joint configuration and/or flush with the surface.
The task of the invention is to further develop the familiar nozzle support.
This task is resolved with the embodiments described as follows.
The present invention involves connecting the cap via at least one elastic element or via at least one swiveling axis with the nozzle support in such a way that after each cleaning operation and the subsequent movement of the nozzle support into its retracted position, the cap autonomously aligns along the edge of the body opening. This allows a tolerance compensation between the cap and the body part, independent from temperature conditions, tolerances and aging-related deformations of the affected polymer parts. Additionally, complex adjustment processes during the initial assembly or during repairs are eliminated because the centering of the cap in or along the body opening occurs automatically via the elastic elements or the swiveling axis/axes.

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof, and an electronic device including the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate; an active region including a first source/drain region, a channel region and a second source/drain region stacked sequentially on the substrate and adjacent to each other; a gate stack formed around an outer periphery of the channel region; and spacers formed around the outer periphery of the channel region, respectively between the gate stack and the first source/drain region and between the gate stack and the second source/drain region; wherein the spacers each have a thickness varying in a direction parallel to a top surface of the substrate.

Horizontal semiconductor device (such as metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET)) has source electrode, gate electrode and drain electrode arranged in a direction substantially parallel to a top surface of a substrate (the horizontal direction), and thus has the problems that a size of the device in the horizontal direction is not easy to reduce and it is not conducive to improve an integration density of an electronic device or chip. The use of vertical semiconductor device may further improve the integration density. In the vertical semiconductor device, the source electrode, gate electrode and drain electrode of the transistor are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate (the vertical direction), thus the vertical device has more space for optimization in the vertical direction and the size may be reduced more easily in the horizontal direction.
As the size of the vertical device shrinks and the integration density increases, it becomes more and more difficult to form a dielectric spacer between the gate electrode and the source/drain region, which may cause an increase of parasitic capacitance, thereby causing a negative effect on performance of the device and integrated circuit.

Semiconductor device with spacer of gradually changed thickness and manufacturing method thereof, and electronic device including the semiconductor device

INSTITUTE OF MICROELECTRONICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES


A variable-focus liquid lens is provided. The liquid lens includes a membrane and a fluid. The membrane is made of a transparent elastomer, and the fluid fills a predetermined space to contact at least a lens surface of the membrane. The membrane and the fluid are respectively made of materials repulsive to each other, for example, hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials or oleophilic and oleophobic materials. Accordingly, a repulsive force between the fluid and the membrane can prevent the absorption or leaking of the fluid into/through the membrane.

1. Field
The following description relates to an optical lens, and more particularly, to a variable-focus liquid lens.
2. Description of the Related Art
The development of digital technologies is accelerating digital convergence. Applications of digital convergence are most active in the fields of media and communication, and a primary example of a digital convergence product is a mobile communication device. Mobile communication devices are incorporated not only with devices that offer gaming, music playback, broadcasting and Internet functions, but also with image pickup devices such as digital cameras and digital camcorders. In particular, image pickup devices are being widely installed in mobile phones and other mobile electronic devices such as laptop computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs).
Mobile electronic devices equipped with an image pickup device, which has recently gained popularity, are becoming smaller and thinner. Accordingly, image pickup devices are also required to be smaller, lighter, and cost-effective. In particular, the recent trends that a mobile communication device includes not only an image pickup device but also other digital electronic devices (e.g., an MP3 player, a video player, a digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) television, and the like) contributes to an increase in demands for smaller and cost-effective image pickup devices. Wafer-level image pickup devices are small camera modules designed to meet the demands for smaller, thinner, and more economical image pickup devices.
In early days when mobile electronic devices containing image pickup devices were first available, the demands on the performance (e.g., resolution) of the image pickup devices were not that high. However, as the type of mobile electronic devices equipped with an image pickup device has become more and more diverse to meet the various needs and preferences of consumers, the demands on the performance of image pickup devices is also increasing. For example, image pickup devices of mobile electronic devices had offered a close-up function with a close-up distance of 60 cm, with a fixed focal length. Nowadays, image pickup devices have an auto-focus function, a zoom function, and a close-up function with a close-up distance of 30 cm or less.
To implement the auto-focus function, the zoom function, and the close-up function in image pickup devices, variation in the focal length of a lens is essential. One way of enabling wafer-level image pickup devices to have a variable focus is to use a liquid lens. A liquid lens is an optical lens having a transparent fluid which is contained in a transparent membrane. Specifically, a liquid lens is an optical lens that can change its focal length by applying a predetermined force to the fluid which is contained in a membrane, and thus changing the shape (i.e., curvature) of a surface of the membrane. Since liquid lenses can be manufactured small, they are suitable for use as variable-focus optical lenses of wafer-level image pickup devices.

Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University


A semiconductor includes a plurality of active regions that are separated from each other on a substrate by a device isolation layer and extend in a first direction, the active regions having two opposite ends and a center region; wordlines that are buried in and cross the active regions and extend in a second direction, which is different from the first direction, wherein a wordline that crosses an active region crosses between one of the two opposite ends and the center region of the active region; first contact plugs on the two opposite ends of the active regions, each contact plug overlapping a border between the active region and the device isolation layer; and second contact plugs formed on the first contact plugs.

1. Field
The disclosure relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having improved reliability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to increased integration of semiconductor devices, patterning process techniques may reduce an area of a unit cell in a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). However, as the area of a unit cell decreases, misalignment may occur during the patterning process. Due to the misalignment, a contacting area between a storage contact plug and an active region may be reduced, and thus reliability of a semiconductor device may be deteriorated.

Semiconductor device having improved reliability


In a magnetic head carrying device a method and apparatus for removing a magnetic head carrying arm from a support arm wherein ball stake mounting is used to affix the magnetic head carrying arm to the support arm. A mounting plate is provided having a bevel. Tool blades may be inserted into the bevel to disassemble the ball stake mount.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the arm used to carry a magnetic head in a magnetic disk drive unit. In particular, the invention relates to a method of removing a ball stake mounted magnetic head from the support arm.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been a continual drive to increase the storage density in magnetic disk drive units. This has been achieved in part by stacking magnetic disks in a "pack" all carried within the same disk drive unit. Each side of each disk has its own associated magnetic head used for reading and writing information thereon. Each magnetic head has its own associated support arm which positions the head above the disk surface By moving the arm, the magnetic head is moved between tracks on the disk surface. A servomotor is connected to the opposite end of the support arm. The magnetic head is moved between tracks by activating the servomotor whereby the support arm pivots and the magnetic head at the opposite tip of the arm is swung between adjacent tracks on the disk surface. A linear actuator may alternatively be used to move a magnetic head. A linear actuator moves the head inward or outward on the disk along a straight line.
To further increase space savings in the disk drive unit, a single servomotor typically controls all of the support arms and their associated magnetic heads. Thus, all of the support arms are connected together and pivot about the same pivot point. This configuration is identified as an "E-block" (which refers to the shape formed by the adjacent arms and the servomotor/pivot assembly).
Each magnetic head is connected to the support arm using a mounting method known as "ball staking" or "swaging." In ball staking two pieces, a hole in one piece is aligned with a hollow tube which extends from a second piece. A rounded shape (the "ball") is forced through the hollow tube which causes the tube metal to expand and lock the two pieces together.
A problem associated with past ball stake mount designs is that there is no economical method to remove a single defective magnetic head from the assembly. Once ball stake mounted, the support structure is very difficult to disassemble and is easily damaged Thus, the entire E-block assembly must typically be replaced if a single magnetic head malfunctions.

Method for removing ball staked head gimbal assembly


Provided are formulations and methods for treating one or more genitourinary conditions. The formulations may include a therapeutic agent that includes a calcium channel blocker, a rho kinase inhibitor, or a combination thereof. The methods may include locally administering a therapeutic agent into a ureter. Systems for delivering a therapeutic agent also are provided.

Urinary stone disease is a common cause of morbidity. According to a recent study, 12% of men and 5% of women by age 70 will have at least one symptomatic urinary stone. Kidney stones may become lodged in the ureter, which may result in one or more of extreme pain, nausea, vomiting, emergency department visits, missed work, and, for some patients, surgical procedures to remove stones that fail to pass.
Various classes of drugs have been contemplated for oral dosing to aid urinary stone passage. According to studies, these oral medications are often ineffective as the oral dose is insufficient for eliciting the desired physiological effect of ureteral relaxation. Amplification of ureteral relaxation through increased oral dosing is impractical, unsafe, or both. This is usually because these drugs have lethal systemic side effects at increased oral dosages. For example, conventional oral medications, such as α-blockers or calcium channel blockers, cannot be increased arbitrarily as oral α- and calcium channel blockers affect muscle function and regulate systemic conditions, such as blood pressure and/or cardiac function. Significant systemic risks, therefore, limit the dosage any patient can receive.
Nevertheless, first line therapy for patients having urinary stones typically includes oral fluid and pain management, in order to manage a patient's pain level and provide hydration to "flush" the stone through the urinary tract spontaneously. Spontaneous stone passage, however, is largely determined by stone size. Stones 2-4 mm in diameter have a 95% chance of passage, but stones >5 mm require surgical intervention nearly 50% of the time (Macario, A. et al., Anesth. Analg., vol. 89, no. 5, pp. 1241-1245, November 1999). An average of 1-3 weeks is required for spontaneous passage (˜8.2 days for stones <2 mm, 12.2 days for stones 2-4 mm, 22.1 days for stones 4 mm or greater). These durations can decrease the patients' quality of life, and increase the reliance on oral-pain medications, including opioid medications.
Although the oral management of urinary stones typically includes the off-label use of α-blockers or calcium channel blockers, there remains no FDA-approved therapeutic directly indicated for expediting passage of urinary stones (Hollingsworth, J. M. et al., Lancet, vol. 368, no. 9542, pp. 1171-1179, September 2006). Providers routinely prescribe tamsulosin hydrochloride (FLOMAX, an α-blocker used for difficulty urinating due to benign prostate hyperplasia) or calcium channel blockers indicated for hypertension (Perumal, C. et al. Urol. Ann., vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 74-78, March 2015).
These drugs are used because when a stone obstructs the ureter, the typical, natural response for the human ureter is to undergo peristaltic contractions, an involuntary physiological response in an effort to rid the obstruction (Biancani, P. et al. Am. J. Physiol., vol. 231, no. 2, pp. 393-398, August 1976). Continued ureteral contractions around the stone, however, can lead to pain, local inflammation, and/or swelling that can become prohibitive to stone passage (Rule, A. D. et al., J. Am. Soc. Nephrol. JASN, vol. 25, no. 12, pp. 2878-2886, December 2014). Off-label medications continue to be used, however, even though a recent 2015 study, which provided patients an α-blocker, a calcium channel blocker, or placebo, revealed no clinical difference in time to passage among the different therapies (Pickard, R. et al., The Lancet, vol. 386, no. 9991, pp. 341-349, July 2015). The results of this trial reflected typical clinical outcomes, as only 20-50% of all urinary stone patients on oral medications spontaneously pass their kidney stones (Küpeli, B. et al., Urology, vol. 64, no. 6, pp. 1111-1115, December 2004). Failure to pass a stone can result in additional intervention (usually surgical lithotripsy), which can further contribute to the cost of stone disease.
For expedited urinary stone passage, the implementation of a stent (WO2008115543) in a ureter has been reported, as well as a formulation of local diazepam only (US20100272806). Diazepam, however, can be dangerous, even at low doses, and can involve significant risk factors (see, e.g., Lader, M. J. Clin. Psychiatry, vol. 48 Suppl, pp. 12-16, December 1987; and Canda, A. E., et al. Urol. Int., vol. 78, no. 4, pp. 289-298, 2007). Furthermore, the ureters lack discrete neuromuscular junctions (which is the primary mode of action for Diazepam), and there is no known mechanism of action for diazepam and no clinical evidence that it works (Wein, A. J. et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology, 9th ed., vol. 2, 4 vols; and Burnstock, G. et al. Circ. Res., vol. 27, p. Suppl 2:5-23, October 1970).
There remains a need for improved treatments of urinary stones, especially in view of the fact that there are no existing FDA-approved products indicated for expedited stone passage (outside of lithotripsy and off-label oral medication use), and a significant proportion of patients that have urinary stones do not pass them spontaneously and require surgical intervention. There also remains a need for treatments of ureters via a local delivery approach that may achieve a relaxation of the ureter. Increasing relaxation of the ureter may expedite time to passage of a urinary stone, which may reduce pain, improve quality of life, and/or diminish a patient's reliance on pain medications, such as opioids. The relaxation of the ureter also may be used in the treatment of other genitourinary conditions where triggering the physiology of smooth muscle to facilitate relaxation provides a positive clinical outcome. Also, facilitating a significant and targeted relaxation effect typically requires micromolar concentrations or higher dosing in the ureter, which is not possible to achieve safely via oral dosing.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms and abbreviations used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Although methods and formulations similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, suitable methods and formulations are described without intending that any such methods and formulations limit the invention herein.

Formulations, methods, and systems for treating genitourinary conditions


A feedback section acquires an analog signal that has passed through a band-pass filter, and converts the analog signal to a digital signal. A digital signal processing section compares the digital signal obtained from the feedback section and an input digital signal with each other to measure modulation accuracy, and performs delay correction on a subsequently input digital signal so as to improve the modulation accuracy.

As a result of the advance of radio communication technologies, radio communication systems such as mobile phone systems are currently in wide use. When a communication device in a radio communication system transmits a radio signal, a digital signal to be transmitted is converted to an analog signal, then modulated and amplified by a transceiver amplifier. The analog signal generated in this manner is subjected to band limiting in a band pass filter (BPF) and then output from a transceiver antenna. Radio resources are limited, and thus, there has been a demand for further improvement in signal transmission efficiency to cope with the growth of radio communication systems.
One cause of the reduction in the transmission efficiency is amplification distortion caused in the amplifier. The amplifier is expected to have a linear relationship between the input and output signal levels. However, because of its physical properties, the amplifier exhibits nonlinearity in a range of the input signal level exceeding a predetermined level. Such nonlinearity of the amplifier brings about amplification distortion of the signal, causing reduction in the transmission efficiency. To cope with this, distortion compensation techniques have been proposed wherein, in a transceiver amplifier, a digital signal is previously applied with a distortion opposite to the amplification distortion caused in the amplifier, to suppress the amplification distortion of the analog signal having passed through the amplifier. In many distortion compensation techniques, a feedback circuit is used to convert the analog signal that has passed through the amplifier to a digital signal to detect distortion (see, e.g., Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications Nos. 2007-53552 and 11-284675).
Another cause of the reduction in the transmission efficiency is delay deviation caused in the band-pass filter. In the band-pass filter, delay attributable to the filtering process varies depending on the frequency. Namely, there arises a time difference in output timing between high- and low-frequency components of the input signal. Such delay deviation caused by the band-pass filter results in an increase in the signal decoding error at a receiving-side device, causing lowering of the transmission efficiency. To cope with this, delay deviation compensation techniques have been proposed wherein, in a transceiver amplifier, a digital signal is previously given a delay for canceling out the delay deviation caused by the band-pass filter, to suppress the delay deviation between the frequency components of the analog signal having passed through the band-pass filter (see, e.g., Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 07-202955).
In recent years, removal of unwanted signals outside the transmission frequency band has been strictly demanded, with the result that the role of the band-pass filter has become more and more important. For example, in some applications, the desired signal power-to-interference signal power ratio at a frequency spaced by 5 MHz (megahertz) from the transmission frequency band is desired to be 110 dB (decibels) or higher.
Generally, a band-pass filter capable of more effective attenuation of unwanted signals outside the transmission frequency band tends to have a greater delay deviation between the frequency components. For this reason, there has been a demand for a delay deviation compensation technique capable of appropriately suppressing the occurrence of decoding error at the receiving-side device. With the technique disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 07-202955, however, it is difficult to set an optimum correction amount, in terms of transmission efficiency, for the delay deviation compensation. Consequently, the occurrence of decoding error at the receiving-side device fails to be satisfactorily suppressed.

Transceiver amplifier and delay deviation compensation method


Methods and systems of defining product attributes may involve receiving a search query and extracting a user expectation from the search query. In addition, an attribute may be defined for a product based on the user expectation. In one example, consumer generated content such as forum content, review content, blog content and social networking content, is used to define the attribute.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to online shopping. More particularly, embodiments relate to the use of search queries to define product attributes in electronic commerce (e-commerce) platforms.
A typical online shopping experience may involve a consumer conducting various searches on manufacturer or retailer web sites to identify products of interest. If the consumer's search terms match the information used in a particular product description, then that product might be included in the search results presented to the consumer. Because the product descriptions may often be generated, however, by the manufacturer or retailer there may be instances in which consumer expectations are not fully captured in the information being searched. Accordingly, there may be significant room for improvement with regard to providing consumers an accurate and fast mechanism to identify products of interest.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Deriving dynamic consumer defined product attributes from input queries


Methods and kits for isolation of cell-derived vesicles and their associated macromolecules like nucleic acids, proteins, lipids metabolites etc. from one or more blood, serum, plasma, saliva, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, breast milk, tear, conditioned culture media etc. to assist detection, prevention, and understanding of disease biology. The invention offers various advantages including simple technical solutions which are cost-effective, time-saving and scalable for large industrial outputs.

Exosomes are cell-derived vesicles, preformed microvesicles that are released from the cell following the exocytic fusion of intracellular multi-vesicular bodies with the plasma membrane and are nano-scale vesicles secreted by cells in almost all organisms and contain biomacromolecules (DNA, RNA, Proteins, lipids, metabolites etc.). Exosomes (30-100 nanometer in size) represent a miniaturized cell (5-10 micrometer size). Exosomes originate from the intraluminal vesicles of late endosomal compartments named multi-vesicular bodies and the fusion of these late endosomes with the cell membrane result in the release of the vesicles into the extracellular compartment.
Exosomes were once thought to be "trash bags" for cells to discard unwanted proteins. However, exosomes are increasingly viewed as having important physiological function particularly in cellular communication. In recent years, exosomes derived from tumour-pulsed dendritic cells, neoplastic cells, and malignant effusions have been shown to be able to present antigens to T-cells, and has led to numerous studies employing these vesicles as biomarkers in the diagnosis of diseases like cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's etc.
In the present state of art, various methods are known for extraction of exosomes for further analysis of their bio-macromolecular contents for disease diagnosis, drug delivery etc. Some of the known methods for exosome isolation include ultra-centrifugation, size exclusion chromatography, affinity-chromatography etc. Practically all these methods employ extended incubation times and thus these known methodologies are constrained by technical limitations and other drawbacks like being labour intensive, time-consuming, damaging the integrity of the exosomes and being costly.
In accordance with the present state of the art, what is needed are methods, processes, kits and assays for rapid and inexpensive isolation exosomes wherein such methods have little or no incubation time, utilize common laboratory reagents and apparatus, and do not require high speed centrifugation, such as ultracentrifugation and wherein the use of low speed centrifugation, that uses centrifugal forces significantly less than 10,000×g, can be used to isolate high quality exosomes.
Accordingly, the present invention, which provides new kits and methods for isolation of exosomes and associated macromolecules like nucleic acids, proteins, lipids metabolites etc. from blood, serum, plasma, saliva, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, breast milk, tear, conditioned culture media etc. to assist detection, prevention, and understanding of disease biology, is of immense significance and may solve a long-standing pressing need.

Method and kit for exosomes and associated biomacromolecules capture


Those hijackers seeking to commit suicide by crashing a plane into a selected target are frustrated because the selected targets, such as a nuclear plant or a governmental building, are provided with Repulsion Transmitters emanating an encrypted signal throughout a relatively small protective zonez. Planes are provided with receptors detecting such repulsion signals, together with discriminatory analyzers distinguishing between safe tangential travel through such zone and dangerous radial or spiral approach toward such target Both ground crew and the robotic controls within the plane are alerted and when appropriate, activated to re-route the plane to avoid the collision planned by the hijackers.

Hijackers have been seizing commercial aircraft since about 1931. Although somewhat analogous to the problems of piracy of ships at sea, the uniqueness of hijacking passenger planes has stimulated much concern. One of the best summaries of seventy years of deterring hijacking of passenger planes is on the Internet at  less than http://www.gwu.edu/_cms/aviation/track_in/merari.html greater than  setting forth a lecture by Professor Merari at a hijacking conference held Dec. 15, 1997. The hazards of excessively complicated software and computer systems, and the greater reliability of a plurality of independent more simplified computer systems was clarified by consultant Neumann at the same conference at hattp://gwu.edu/cms/aviation/track_ii/neumann.html. The world""s attention was drawn to the inadequacies of thwarting hijackers on Sep. 11, 2001 when the Pentagon and World Trade Center were hit by hijacked planes.
Haxton et al 6,102,332 thwarts hijackers by providing a plane with a plurality of passenger compartments which are loaded at the airport, and thereafter attached to the mainframe of the plane. In the event that a hijacker gains control of tile cockpit, each compartment can be released from the plane so that it can utilize a large parachute for permitting the passengers to achieve a safe landing.
During WWII, the Germans employed xe2x80x9cdronesxe2x80x9d or military planes which were pilotless, and hence suitable for crashing into targets Improved technology concerning transmission of television pictures permits improved drones, as clarified in Eiband et al 5,240,207. Remote control of pilotless planes desirably feature feedback concerning the most recent modifications of the course of the plane, as taught in Berejik et al 4,964,598
Although the automatic pilot systems generally dominate most of the flight of a passenger pane, the pilot can generally instantly dominate such automatic pilot, thus giving a pilot an opportunity to modify the course of the plane to avoid a collision or the like. Such flexibility is generally desirable. Hence, the thwarting of hijackers has generally been based on preventing the hijacker from gaining access to the plane controls, as distinguished from thwarting steps subsequent to the time when a hijacker is in charge of the cockpit.
In accordance with the present invention, the hijacker in the cockpit is thwarted from achieving some of his intended aspirations by reason of the dominance of robotic controls which are activated in response to a system of discriminating precautions. Such robotic controls seek to thwart the hijacker so that at least some of the aspirations of the hijacker are not attainable. Information about the system for thwarting hijackers is intended to deter attempts at hijacking. It is the concept of a system for thwarting the hijacker after he controls the cockpit which is emphasized, recognizing that there might be a plausible range of alternatives within the general system for such concept. Because the invention concerns thwarting the hijacker after he controls the cockpit, automatic sending of emergency signals alerting ground crews to such takeover are significant benefits from the invention. Ground crews, such as the airport towers can maintain some surveillance of an aircraft for being assured that it is on its intended course, and can communicate with pilots when illness or engine trouble prompts a change of course. Improved surveillance of planes for detecting change of course without adequate explanation permits some systems for thwarting a hijacker in the cockpit. Military planes are capable of shooting down an aircraft having a sufficiently dangerous course, but only if ground crews have been alerted to the emergency.
A potential target such as the U.S. Capitol Building, or a nuclear plant, is provided with a plurality of Repulsion Transmitters emitting a confidential encrypted signal for a plausible distance such as 2 kilometer. Each commercial plane is provided with Repulsion receivers adapted to detect the electronic signals from such Repulsion Transmitters whenever such plane comes within the range of the Repulsive Transmitters. A Discriminating Analyzer monitors such signals, and particularly the rate at which there is increase in the intensity of the signal. from the Repulsion Transmitters. If the rate of increase is so rapid, as to indicate that the course of the plane is radially toward the Repulsion Transmitters, then the Electronic Automatic Repulsion Response System within the plane is actuated. If the course of the plane is merely tangentially through the zone of influence of the Repulsion Transmitters, the Discriminating Analyzer recognizes such tangential course of the plane without actuating the Electronic Automatic Repulsion System within the plane. If the discriminating Analyzer diagnoses the course of the plane as a spiral by reason of the relatively slow but persistent acceleration of the intensity of the signal, then the Electronic Automatic Repulsion System is actuated.
The term xe2x80x9cground crewxe2x80x9d refers to all varieties of aircraft surveillance benefiting from any alert about the presence of a hijacker in the cockpit. Desirably each pilot is provided with a xe2x80x9cdeadpan switchxe2x80x9d which the pilot intentionally maintains in a closed position upon entering the cockpit, and which the pilot can either intentionally modify, or which is automatically modified upon the death of the pilot. When such deadpan-pilotswitch is activated, a radio signal is sent to the ground crew that an emergency exists in the cockpit of such plane. Such signal would be coded so that the exact identity,location and direction of the plane would be instantly recognized. Because of the rarity of use of system, it would require no manual surveillance, but could merely sound an alarm and provide a video readout of which plane was sending such emergency signal, like an automatic SOS.
Similarly, whenever the Electronic Automatic Repulsion System was activated, the ground crew would automatically receive a SUPER-SOS message identifying the explicit plane. Because of the great rarity of such signals, no manual surveillance for such signals would be needed, because the alarm and the explicit identification of the plane would provide the relevant information.
Previous systems for thwarting hijackers have focused on preventing the hijacker from entering the cockpit, as distinguished from the present system of coping with the situation of the hijacker in the cockpit. The alarm systems to ground crew, as previously outlined, are innovations which would permit ground crew to take prompt action of an appropriate nature, such as sending military planes after the hijacked pane.
Emergency Robotic Controls would receive instructions from either ground crew or a computer having a memory of instructions for a plurality of diversionary tactics. A Discriminating Analyzer would monitor the course of the plane and the speed with which the plane was moving toward the target having the Repulsion Transmitters. Normally a turn to the right would be an appropriate tactic, but sometimes circumstances might favor a turn to the left or changing the course upwardly. Such Automatic modification of the course of the aircraft would effectively protect the structure having the repulsion transmitters, thus possibly preventing a nuclear accident worse than Chernobyl.
In another modification of the invention, two way communication would be established between the aircraft and the ground crew, so that the ground crew could dominate the remote control of the robotic controls instead of the on-board package of instructions. Because such remote control of the plane would be possible only after the ground crew had been alerted that a hijacker was in the cockpit.
Sometimes the crash of an airplane into a mountain is inexplicable, with some theories that suicidal hijackers have been at the controls. In another modification of the invention, the plane is provided with a radar system constantly monitoring the distance from any obstacle toward which the plane was headed. A discriminatory analyzer could sound alarms to the pilot, and could also activate the robotic controls for making a U-turn soon enough to avoid such obstacle. Such combination of monitored radar, discriminating analyzer, package of instructions and emergency robotic controls would also effectively detect any attempt by a hijacker to nose-dive the plane toward the ground, thereby using the emergency orbiter controls, instructions, and radar monitoring for sending the aircraft t on an upward course to avoid crashing into the ground. Computers of twenty years ago were too slow to be able to accomplish the discriminating analysis required for an emergency robotic control of a passenger aircraft.
Because hijacking has become more glamorous since Sep. 11, 2001, there are potentialities for hijackers to gain control of private planes, freight planes, military planes, dirigibles, and the like. The licensing of the invention might be separate as regards the various categories. Although described primarily in connection with commercial passenger planes, the invention is useful for many kinds of aircraft. Each embodiment is merely illustrative and not a limitation of the invention.


The present invention relates to a functional cap that is provided with a holder adapted to be attached to a cap body, the holder having a given shape like a square, oval, round, and triangle, with a plurality of ventilating holes or without having any ventilating holes formed thereon, such that a plate having a character formed of a specific picture or letter is detachably mounted to the holder of the cap body. The plate of the present invention has a specific character recognized by naked eyes like a specific letter or picture formed on one surface thereof, and the plate can be detachably mounted to the holder by an external force applied by a wearer. Therefore, the functional cap of the present invention can be utilized for advertising specific organizations or groups when the plate is exchanged for their purpose. Thus, the functional cap of the present invention can have the specific picture on a famous sightseeing site printed on the plate thereof and also can have the specific character for sales promotion of all kinds of groups, organizations, and companies.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a functional cap that is provided with a holder adapted to be attached to a cap body, the holder having a given shape like a square, oval, round, and triangle, with a plurality of ventilating holes or without having any ventilating hole formed thereon, such that a plate having a character formed of a specific picture or letter is detachably mounted to the holder of the cap body.
The holder of the present invention has two kinds, i.e., one having a back plate having the plurality of ventilating holes formed thereon and the other having no back plate. On the other hand, the holder has two kinds, i.e., one having fitting wings and the other having no fitting wings. Thus, the holder is coupled to the cap body by means of sewing or an adhesive.
The holder of the present invention can be used in a mounted relation with the plate or in a separated relation from the plate, in accordance with a wearer's demand.
The plate of the present invention has a specific character recognized by naked eyes like a specific letter or picture formed on one surface thereof, and the plate can be detachably mounted to the holder by an external force applied by a wearer. Therefore, the functional cap of the present invention can be utilized for advertising specific organizations or groups when the plate is exchanged for their purpose. Thus, the functional cap of the present invention can have the specific picture on a famous sightseeing site printed on the plate thereof and also can have the specific character for sales promotion of all kinds of groups, organizations, and companies.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a conventional cap has a plate sewn integrally on the front surface thereof, the plate having a specific character, letter or the like additionally provided on one surface thereof. Once the plate has been attached on the cap, it is actually difficult to exchange the plate with another plate, thereby undesirably causing many limitations in the variations of its function and design.


An aerodynamic noise reduction member 30 includes: a plate-like support portion 32 sandwiched between a plurality of fins 24 and 26 of a brake disk 20 and a rotating member 102 of a railroad vehicle; and a plurality of protruding portions 34 protruding from the support portion 32. Each of the plurality of protruding portions 34 is provided in such a manner that, in a state in which the support portion 32 is sandwiched between the plurality of fins 24 and 26 and the rotating member 102, each of the protruding portions 34 partially occludes between the fastening fin 24 and the anchoring fin 26 adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction of the brake disk 20.

Disk brakes have been used for railroad vehicles such as the Shinkansen bullet train. Such a disk brake is provided with, for example, an annular brake disk fixed to a disk-shaped rotating member (disk-like object fixed to a wheel or to an axle separately from the wheel) rotated integrally with an axle, a brake lining with a friction member, and a brake caliper for moving the brake lining.
In the disk brake configured as described above, a braking force can be generated by moving the brake lining by the brake caliper to press the friction member of the brake lining against a surface (sliding surface) of the brake disk. In this way, the railroad vehicle can be decelerated.
While a railroad vehicle is traveling, the brake disk is rotated with the wheel at high speed. High-speed rotation of the brake disk causes air around the brake disk to be sucked from an inner circumference side of the brake disk between the rotating member (such as a wheel) and the brake disk, and thereafter discharged from an outer circumference side of the brake disk. Consequently, while the railroad vehicle is traveling, air is caused to flow between the brake disk and the rotating member at high speed.
The brake disk can be cooled by the air flow during braking. On the other hand, when the railroad vehicle is traveling at a speed over 300 km per hour, there arises a problem of a noise (hereinafter referred to as an aerodynamic noise) being generated due to the high-speed air flow. As such, to solve the problem, the present inventors have proposed a brake disk with which an aerodynamic noise can be reduced (for example, see Patent Document 1).
FIG. 12 is a sectional view illustrating a brake disk disclosed in Patent Document 1. A brake disk 1 illustrated in FIG. 12 includes a plate portion 1a that has a surface (sliding surface) against which a brake lining (not illustrated) is pressed, a plurality of fin portions 1b provided on a back side (the side of a wheel 2) of the plate portion 1a, and a connecting portion 1c for connecting adjacent fin portions 1b. Through holes 1d adapted for fastening are formed in a predetermined number of fin portions 1b of the plurality of fin portions 1b. Bolts 3 are inserted through the through holes 1d to attach the brake disk 1 to the wheel 2.
In the above configuration, when the brake disk 1 and the wheel 2 are rotated, air around the brake disk 1 is to be sucked from the inner circumference side of the brake disk 1 into a space S (space surrounded by a plate portion 1a, adjacent fin portions 1b, and the wheel 2), and after passing through the space S, discharged from the outer circumference side of the brake disk 1.
Here, in the brake disk 1 of Patent Document 1, a sectional area of the space S can be partially reduced by the connecting portion 1c. In this way, air flow is restrained and thus, aerodynamic noise is reduced.

Aerodynamic noise reduction member, railroad vehicle brake disk unit, railroad vehicle disk brake, railroad vehicle wheel, and railroad vehicle


Methods, devices, and systems for generating an aircraft turnaround and airport terminal status analysis are described herein. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive flight information and airport terminal information associated with an airport, generate an aircraft turnaround analysis based on the flight information and the airport terminal information, and a user interface to display the aircraft turnaround analysis in a single integrated display. One device includes a memory, and a processor configured to execute executable instructions stored in the memory to receive airport terminal information associated with an airport, generate an airport terminal status analysis based on the airport terminal information, and a user interface to display the airport terminal status analysis in a single integrated display.

Aircraft and airport terminal traffic analysis can be a major challenge for airports with significant air traffic and passenger throughput. Maintaining a fast and efficient throughput for both airline traffic associated with an airport and passenger traffic through the airport can reduce delays and costs for airlines and passengers.
Maintaining efficient throughput for both airline traffic and passenger traffic can be challenging. Airports can experience terminal side delays of passenger traffic that can be caused by crowds at airline check-in counters, security gates, airport transit system delays, and/or customs/immigration checkpoints, among other causes of terminal side delays. Airports may also experience airside delays of airline traffic that can be caused by a large volume of air traffic at the airport, and/or can also be a result of the terminal side delays of passenger traffic, among other causes of airside delays. Delays on the airside and/or the terminal side can result in delayed flights, or cause passengers to miss flights altogether. Further, these airside and terminal side delays can propagate to future flights at the airport and/or at other airports as well.
Airport infrastructure is typically fixed. On the airside, an airport infrastructure typically has a fixed number of runways, taxiways, aircraft stands, etc. On the terminal side, an airport infrastructure typically has a fixed number of passenger vehicle parking spaces, airline check-in counters, security gates, customs/immigration counters, boarding gates, etc.
An airport operations center (APOC) for the airport may need to manage an increased airline and passenger throughput with the same fixed airport infrastructure. However, current systems may not provide a user, such as an APOC supervisor, with the information needed to efficiently manage airside and terminal side airport infrastructure. This lack of information can lead to delays for passengers and/or airlines.

Aircraft turnaround and airport terminal status analysis


In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of forming a silicon-on-insulator substrate, involving the steps of providing a first silicon substrate; depositing a metal based layer over the first silicon substrate; forming a first insulation layer over the metal based layer to provide a first structure; providing a second structure comprising a second silicon layer and a second insulation layer; bonding the first structure and the second structure together so that the first insulation layer is adjacent the second insulation layer; removing a portion of the second silicon layer thereby providing the silicon-on-insulator substrate having a combined insulation layer having a thickness of about 100 .ANG. to about 5,000 .ANG., wherein the metal based layer has a thickness that is one of less than 15% of the thickness of the combined insulation layer and greater than 50% of the thickness of the combined insulation layer. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a silicon-on-insulator substrate containing a silicon substrate layer; a metal based layer comprising a metal silicide over the silicon substrate layer; an insulation layer over the metal based layer; a silicon device layer comprising silicon over the insulation layer; and at least one of a) at least one conductive plug through the insulation layer and the silicon device layer contacting the metal based layer, and b) at least one conductive plug through the silicon substrate layer contacting the metal based layer.

Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) technology is of growing importance in the field of integrated circuits. SOI technology involves forming transistors in a relatively thin layer of semiconductor material overlying a layer of insulating material. More particularly, SOI technology is characterized by the formation of a thin silicon layer (device region) for formation of the active devices over an insulating layer, such as an oxide, which is in turn formed over a substrate. Transistor sources and drains are formed, for example, by implantations into the silicon layer while transistor gates are formed by forming a patterned oxide and conductor layer structure.
Such structures provide a significant gain in performance by having lower parasitic capacitance (due to the insulator layer) and increased drain current due to floating body charging effects (since no connection is made to the channel region and charging of the floating body provides access towards a majority of carriers which dynamically lower the threshold voltage, resulting in increased drain current). Devices, such as metal oxide silicon field effect transistors (MOSFET), have a number of advantages when formed on SOI wafers versus bulk silicon MOS transistors. These advantages include: reduced source/drain capacitance and hence improved speed performance at higher-operating frequencies; reduced N.sup.+ to P.sup.+ spacing and hence higher packing density due to ease of isolation; absence of latch-up; lower voltage applications; and higher "soft error" upset immunity (i.e., the immunity to the effects of alpha particle strikes).
Although there are significant advantages associated with SOI technology, there are significant disadvantages as well. For example, poor heat removal from devices on an SOI substrate is a significant disadvantage. Electrical devices generate heat, and the inability to remove or dissipate the heat results in poor and/or inconsistent performance of the electrical devices, or even in some instances device and/or substrate degradation.
There is poor heat removal for devices on SOI substrates primarily because of the oxide insulation layer. More specifically, the oxide insulation layer has a markedly lower thermal conductivity than the thermal conductivity of conventional bulk silicon (typically used as semiconductor substrates), which typically surrounds semiconductor devices. For example, the thermal conductivity of silicon dioxide is about 1.4 W/m.degree. C. while the thermal conductivity of conventional bulk silicon is about 150 W/m.degree. C. As a result, the buried oxide layer undesirably insulates thermally the device region in SOI substrates.
In view of the aforementioned disadvantages, there is a need for SOI devices of improved quality, particularly SOI devices having improved heat removal characteristics, and more efficient methods of making such SOI devices.

Practical way to remove heat from SOI devices


A core configuration for use with an electromagnetic machine including first and second pluralities of laminations, each of the first and second pluralities having different properties and/or operating characteristics, the first and second pluralities interleaved together to form a core having desired core properties which are a combination of the properties of the first and second pluralities.

The present invention relates to laminated stator and rotor cores for use with electromagnetic machines and more particularly to core configurations including laminations which have disparate physical properties and operational characteristics.
One common motor type is an induction motor. All induction motors include a stator assembly and a rotor assembly. A typical stator assembly includes a stator core which forms a stator cavity and a plurality of stator windings wrapped around the core such that when current passes through the windings, the current creates an electromagnetic field inside the cavity. In addition to providing support to the windings, the core serves as a flux path for stator field flux and hence strengthens the field within the cavity. By varying the stator currents the magnetic field within the cavity is caused to rotate about the cavity.
A typical rotor assembly includes a rotor core and a plurality of rotor bars (e.g. aluminum bars) which are shorted together at their ends by two shorting rings (e.g. aluminum rings) to form a "squirrel cage" around the core, the core and bars configured so as to fit within the stator cavity. The bars and ring are typically radially constrained by rotor tooth tips or rotor slot bridge formed by the rotor core. The rotor is mounted on a shaft for rotation within the cavity, the rotor and stator together forming an air gap. The rotor bars are arranged such that when the stator magnetic field rotates about the stator cavity, the varying field within the cavity induces rotor current within the bars. The rotor current in turn causes a rotor magnetic field within the stator cavity. The stator and rotor fields interact such that, as the stator field rotates about the core, the rotor field is drawn in the same direction and the rotor rotates within the cavity about the axis of the shaft. In addition to providing support for the bars, the rotor core operates as a flux guide for rotor magnetic field flux.
Motors are typically designed with an end use in mind and therefore, each motor must be able to achieve certain minimal operating characteristics within a specific budget. For example, a motor must be able to generate at least a certain minimal amount of torque, drive at least a minimal load and achieve at least a minimal rotational velocity. To this end, core structures are typically designed such that they have at least certain minimal operating characteristics and a specific cost which can be relied upon when configuring other motor components.
In addition to cost, perhaps the two most basic design criteria for cores are size and efficiency, efficiency being the amount of flux which can be generated within a core given a specific field strength. While high efficiency is desirable, size should be minimized.
There are two primary core characteristics which affect efficiency: core permeability and core losses. The permeability of a substance is the quotient of a change in magnetic induction divided by the corresponding change in magnetizing force. For example, when a magnetic field having a specific strength induces a relatively large amount of flux within a substance, the substance is said to have a high permeability. When a field induces a relatively small amount of flux within a substance, the substance is said to have a low permeability.
The term core losses is used to refer collectively to two different types of energy loss which are generally referred to as eddy current and hysteresis losses. Hysteresis losses are caused by the reality that it takes some energy to change the magnetic state of a substance. For example, when a magnetic substance is placed within a magnetic field, field energy in the form of flux is guided through the substance. A first portion of field energy is stored and is wholly recoverable from the substance when the substance is removed from the field. A second portion of field energy is converted to heat as a result of work required to magnetize the substance and begin flux flow. Hysteresis losses comprise this second portion of field energy.
Eddy current losses result from an electric field and consequent circulatory currents induced in a core by time varying fluxes. Whenever magnetic flux within a substance changes, an electric field is generated within the substance. When the substance is conductive, the electric field causes currents within the substance which are referred to as eddy currents. Eddy currents cause substance heating and subsequent eddy current losses which are proportional to the square of the eddy current multiplied by the substance resistance.
One common core type is a core formed of powdered iron material. To form this type of core, powdered iron material is fed into a mold, compressed under extremely high pressure and then sintered or resin bonded into a finished "compact". The sintering or resin bonding processes hold the material in the compact form. There are many advantages to powdered iron cores including minimum wasted core material and extremely high magnetic permeability. In addition, resin bonded compacts generate minimal eddy current losses. Moreover, sintering can hold powdered iron in a small core configuration.
Unfortunately, compacting force within the powdered material drops off dramatically with distance from the compacting surface, resulting in lower effective density within the core. This is especially true of resin bonded compacts. Generally, as the effective density of a core decreases the relative size of the core increases. In addition, loosely packed cores have minimal mechanical strength. Moreover, while sintered compacts are relatively small, sintered compacts generate excessive eddy current losses.
Another common core type which overcomes some of the shortcomings of the powdered iron core is a laminated core. A laminated core is formed by stacking a plurality of electrical steel laminations together along the length of the core, each lamination being a flat member having oppositely facing first and second surfaces, each surface having the general shape and area of a transaxial slice of the core. An electrically insulating core plating layer is provided on each of the first and second surfaces of each lamination. When stacked together, core plating provides an electrical barrier between adjacent laminations without impeding magnetic flux within the core. While eddy currents still exist within each lamination, the electrical barriers impede greater eddy currents from flowing throughout the core.
Because different materials have different permeabilities and different hysteresis loss characteristics, the easiest way to increase permeability and decrease hysteresis losses in a laminated core and thereby enhance core efficiency is to choose substances for forming laminations which are known to have a high permeability and low hysteresis losses. Similarly, eddy current losses can also be further minimized by choosing laminate substances having characteristically low eddy current losses. As a starting point, usually core materials are limited to metals which are generally permeable and have relatively low losses. Core materials are also usually doped with a loss inhibitor such as silicon to minimize core losses.
To enhance permeability and reduce losses even further, virtually all substances used to form laminations are subjected to various processes including at least one annealing process which is performed either by the material manufacturer or the core manufacturer. During an annealing process a sheet of metallic substance is held at an elevated temperature for the duration of a specified period in order that metastable high permeability and low loss characteristics go into thermal dynamic equilibrium. After the specified period, the substance is cooled slowly back to room temperature, the metastable conditions becoming permanent characteristics of the substance. The metallic sheet or coil may be coated with core plate material as a coil or sheet or the individual laminations may be coated after the laminations have been stamped from the sheet or coil. Depending upon the properties of the metallic substance and the machine manufacturer's processes the laminations may or may not be given a final anneal before assembly to form the electrical machine cores.
Even where an annealing process is precisely controlled, resulting substance permeability and losses cannot be precisely determined until after annealing. This is because initial substance characteristics, even for a specific grade of substance, are not always the same and disparate initial characteristics are reflected in the annealed substance. In addition, even where two substances have similar initial characteristics, the annealing process can affect the substances differently. For this reason, instead of annealing to generate substances with precise characteristics, it is common practice within the industry to anneal with a target range of substance characteristics as a goal, the target range defined by a minimal acceptable permeability and maximum acceptable core losses. After annealing, the substance characteristics are determined using substance samples which are annealed along with the lamination material. The samples are tested (e.g. according to an Epstein test as well known in the art) after annealing by industry prescribed procedures for permeability and losses to ensure that substance characteristics at least meet the minimum requirements of the target range. Other motor components are then designed in light of the minimum substance requirements to provide the minimal required motor operating characteristics.
Unfortunately, while conventional laminated cores as described above overcome some of the problems associated with powdered iron cores, they too have several shortcomings. For example, because laminations are stamped out of sheet material, some lamination scrap is generated and wasted. In addition, because annealed lamination material has disparate characteristics, designers have to configure cores for worst case conditions including minimum allowable permeability and maximum allowable core loss. This constraint causes inefficiencies. For example, some finished laminations might not meet the minimum core loss and permeability requirements and therefore might have to be scrapped. Other lamination material might far exceed the minimum core loss and permeability requirements and thus provide excessive core capability. Moreover, core plated laminations are relatively expensive and therefore increase motor cost.
Furthermore, in many motors, the primary path for dissipating core heat is thermal conductivity through the back iron of the motor stator. While silicon and similar materials reduce core losses, silicon decreases thermal conductivity thereby "bottling up" heat within the core which reduces rated motor output and can require more expensive insulation or a separate heat dissipating mechanism, both options increasing motor costs considerably.
Moreover, for high speed motors, the rotor often has massive structures (e.g. rotor bars or windings in other types of electromotive machines) which are constrained radially solely by the rotor tooth tips or slot bridges. Unfortunately, annealing and other material processing which results in good electrical performance of steel laminates typically lessen laminate mechanical strength.
In addition, some motors require specially designed and relatively expensive cores to enable the motors to operate in special applications. One special application requires a strong axial force which can move a rotor axially within a stator cavity from a first position into a second position. For example, electric hoist motors often require axial rotor movement. One common electrical hoist motor designed to facilitate axial rotor movement includes a rotor and a stator which together define a conical air gap, the stator cavity narrower at a first end than at a second end, the rotor including first and second ends, the second end wider than the first end. A conical brake drum is provided at the second end of the stator cavity and a similarly shaped brake shoe is affixed to the rotor shaft between the second rotor end and the drum. An axial coil spring at the first rotor end biases the rotor and shaft out of the stator into a first position wherein the shoe is received in the drum thereby impeding rotor rotation. When the motor is energized, a strong axial force is formed in the air gap due to the conical geometry of the gap. This force compresses the axial coil spring thereby releasing the brake, moving the rotor into a second position within the stator and allowing rotor rotation. When power is removed, the spring decompresses and the rotor is forced once again into the first position with the brake impeding rotor rotation. This type of conical core design is expensive. This is because a large number of dies are required to stamp out laminations for forming conical cores which in turn form the conical air gap.
For all of these reasons, it would be advantageous to have versatile core "building blocks" which could be combined to form a core structure having selected core characteristics including permeability, core loss, mechanical strength and heat dissipation and which could be formed inexpensively.

Interleaved laminated core for electromagnetic machine