A sheet processing apparatus including a first sheet stacking portion for stacking sheets thereon, a second sheet stacking portion provided downstream of the first sheet stacking portion with respect to a sheet conveying direction, a sheet holding device for holding the sheets stacked on the first sheet stacking portion, and a holding device moving device for moving the sheet holding device between a holding position for holding the sheets and a discharging position provided downstream of the holding position in the sheet conveying direction, wherein the discharging position has a predetermined distance upstream from a stop position in which the sheet holding device moved to a downstream side with respect to the sheet conveying direction by the holding device moving device is stopped to an upstream side.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus provided with the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, some of image forming apparatuses such as a copying machine, a printer, a laser printer and a facsimile, and a compound apparatus of these have been designed such that an image forming apparatus main body is provided with a sheet processing apparatus for effecting such treatment as a stapling treatment on sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus main body.
As such a sheet processing apparatus, there is one designed such that sheets discharged from the image forming apparatus main body are conveyed to a sheet processing portion, and such treatments as a sheet stacking and aligning operation of stacking and aligning the discharged sheets, and a stapling operation of stapling the sheets are performed in the sheet processing portion.
Further, such a sheet processing apparatus is designed such that as shown, for example, in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, after the treatments have been effected on the sheets, a sheet bundle is discharged from a treatment tray 602 to the inclined stack tray 601 of a main body external portion 600 by bundle discharging means 650, and in this case, the sheet bundle can be aligned in one direction from gravity by the inclination of the stack tray 601 (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-284425).
As another sheet processing apparatus, there is known an apparatus designed such that sheets having images formed thereon are contained in stacking means, whereafter a sheet bundle is bundle-moved, whereafter such a treatment as a stapling treatment is effected on the sheet bundle, and thereafter the sheet bundle is again bundle-moved and contained in the stacking means (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H07-257811)
However, in such a conventional sheet processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus provided with the same, when the sheet bundle is to be stacked on the inclined stack tray 601, the sheet bundle can be aligned by the inclination of the stack tray 601, but when the sheet bundle is to be discharged to a substantially horizontal stack tray, the alignment of the sheet bundle by the gravity fall thereof cannot be effected. Therefore, depending on an inertial force or the condition of the sheet bundle, the position of the sheet bundle stacked on the stack tray after it has been discharged does not become constant, and the stacking property is reduced.
Particularly, in the case of an unstapled sheet bundle, the alignment in the sheet bundle is liable to deviate, and once it deviates, it is impossible to align the sheet bundle again. That is, in a case where the sheet bundle is discharged to the substantially horizontal stack tray, it has been difficult to stack the sheet bundle in its aligned state.
Also, when the treatment of the sheet bundle is to be effected in the afore described another conventional sheet processing apparatus, there is a case where sheets are discharged from a discharge path onto the treatment tray, so as to fly, and the discharged sheets are moved in a direction opposite to the discharging direction, and then the aligning operation is performed, whereafter the edge portions of the sheets in the conveying direction thereof are aligned, and then a sheet bundle is stapled (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-37512).
In order to perform such an aligning operation, the sheet processing apparatus, as shown, for example, in FIG. 2 of the accompanying drawings, has a resilient member 671 called a paddle, and an aligning belt 619 rotated in synchronism with a discharge roller 617 for discharging a sheet S onto a treatment tray 672, and the trailing edge of the sheet S is pulled back to the nip point between the aligning belt 619 and the treatment tray 672 by the resilient member (paddle) 671, whereafter the sheet S is caused to abut against an alignment abutting member (not shown) by the frictional force of the aligning belt 619 to thereby regulate the position of the sheet in the conveying direction thereof and perform alignment.
Also, the sheet discharged onto the treatment tray and caused to abut against the alignment abutting member and having had its edge portion in the conveying direction aligned is thereafter subjected to such an aligning operation that it is nipped in its width direction by a width direction aligning member movable in the width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction, so that the position of the sheet in the width direction may be regulated.
Now, in the conventional sheet processing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 and an image forming apparatus provided with the same, to convey and align the sheets, several parts such as the discharge roller 617, the resilient member 671 and the aligning belt 619 are necessary, and this has led to a great number of parts including members around those parts.
Also, in a case where a frictional force obtained by the rotation of the resilient member 671 is utilized to effect the alignment of the sheets S in the conveying direction thereof, as the number of stacked sheets S increases, the amount of flexure of the resilient member 671 becomes greater, and along therewith, the contact pressure of the resilient member 671 with the sheet S increases, and when the sheet S abuts against the abutting portion, there has been the possibility of the sheet S being buckled. When in order to effect the alignment of the sheet S in the conveying direction thereof, a frictional force obtained by the rotation of the aligning belt is utilized as another means, there has been the possibility that deviation is caused to an aligned sheet bundle by the delicate vibration of the aligning belt occurring during the rotation of the aligning belt.
Further, the sheet S is discharged onto the treatment tray by the discharge roller 617 so as to fly and therefore, when the sheet S is discharged onto the treatment tray, the falling position of the sheet is not stable in some cases depending on the kind of the sheet S, and in such cases, it has sometimes been impossible to cause the discharged sheet to stably abut against the aligning and abutting portion.
Also, in a case where design is made such that the alignment of the sheet S in the width direction thereof is effected by a width direction aligning member, if a change occurs to the length of the sheet in the width direction thereof due to the influence of temperature, humidity or the like, the sheet may sometimes be buckled by this change in the length. On the supposition of such a change in the length of the sheet in the width direction thereof, it is also possible, for example, to adopt a construction in which a spring or the like is attached to the width direction aligning member to thereby enable the change in the length in the width direction to be absorbed to some extent, but the adoption of such a construction leads to a greater number of parts.
Further, in the conventional sheet processing apparatus, when the sheet is to be uniformized (aligned) in the width (a direction intersecting with the sheet conveying direction), as shown in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings, the sheet S conveyed to a treatment tray 800 in the direction indicated by the arrow A has been caused to abut against an abutting wall 803 with a width regulating plate 802 moved on the treatment tray 800 by a predetermined amount in the direction indicated by the arrow B orthogonal to the sheet conveying direction. The width regulating plate 802 is adapted to receive the driving force of a motor (not shown) through a rack and a pinion and be moved thereby. The width of the sheet being aligned also means that one side edge (hereinafter referred to as the side edge) Sa of the sheet S is aligned.
The amount of movement of the width regulating plate 802 is set to a distance of e.g. about 2 mm to about 3 mm further inwardly from a position at which the side edge Sa of the sheet S along the sheet conveying direction has abutted against the abutting wall 803. That is, the width regulating plate 802 is adapted to be moved to a position made narrower by about 2 mm to about 3 mm than the width size (a length C in FIG. 3) of each sheet.
However, in the conventional sheet processing apparatus provided with the width regulating plate 802, the amount of movement of the width regulating plate 802 is determined to about 2 mm to about 3 mm further from the position at which the side edge Sa of the sheet S has been caused to abut against the abutting wall 803, and this has led to the problem that in the case of an upper trough curl in which the opposite side edges of the sheet S face up, or a lower trough curl in which the opposite side edges of the sheet S face down, the width C of the sheet becomes narrower by the amount of curl of the sheet S than the actual width of the sheet, and the sheet cannot be caused to reliably abut against the abutting wall 803 by the predetermined width narrowing amount of the width regulating plate 802, and width aligning accuracy is remarkably lowered.
If the amount of movement of the width regulating plate 802 is made greater than about 2 mm to about 3 mm, when an uncurled normal sheet is pushed in, an overload is applied to a motor for moving the width regulating plate and the motor may lose synchronism. Therefore, the conventional sheet processing apparatus is designed such that the sheet is pushed in by the width regulating plate 802 by such a degree of distance (about 2 mm to about 3 mm) that the motor does not lose synchronism.
Also, when the sheet has come into contact with the width regulating plate 802, if the sheet is in an upper trough curled state, the sheet may more or less float up from the treatment tray 800 along the curl, and if conversely the sheet is in a lower trough curled state, the sheet may more or less float up from the treatment tray 800 in such a manner as to be turned up along the curl, and this has led to the problem that the width aligning accuracy is remarkably lowered.
Also, in the conventional sheet processing apparatus, the entire side edge of the sheet is pushed by the width regulating plate 802, and this has also led to the problem that if the size of the sheet during the cutting thereof is uneven, the width aligning accuracy cannot be enhanced.

Sheet processing apparatus and image forming apparatus having the same


A method for character input, involving activating a first rotating character ribbon on a display associated with a portable electronic device, wherein the rotating character ribbon includes a first plurality of characters for selection, selecting at least one character from the first rotating character ribbon, wherein the at least one character is selected using a positioning device on the portable electronic device, and storing the at least one selected character as part of a text sequence on the portable electronic device.

With the technical progress in electronics and telecommunications, handheld devices have become smaller in size, while simultaneously incorporating extended functionality. For example, a single handheld device can now handle text messaging, electronic mail, web browsing, playing music, and mobile phone functions. Many of the aforementioned functions utilize text editing capabilities, which require the ability to enter characters in an easy and quick manner.
Character input on small form factor electronic devices may be accomplished in several different ways. Typically, character input on handheld electronic devices is performed using a physical keyboard that either plugs into the handheld device or is located on the handheld device. The physical keyboard that externally attaches to the handheld device may be a standard keyboard used for character input in personal computers and laptops. When the keyboard is located on the handheld device, the characters of the physical keyboard are typically displayed over numbers or other keys on the handheld device, such as on a mobile phone. Thus, a user may be required to press a key with the character written on it several times until the required character is displayed. Even with the inclusion of auto-complete functionality, a user often needs to select the completed word from a list of displayed words, requiring further selection steps by the user.
On some handheld devices, text entry or character input is performed using a stylus or pen to "write" on the screen of the handheld device. In this method of character input, either a user's handwriting or typed characters corresponding to symbols entered using the stylus or pen may be displayed in the resulting written message. Further, some handheld devices incorporate a virtual keyboard displayed on the display screen of the device, where characters may be selected using touch-screen functionality. Such a device also typically requires a stylus or pen for the selection of characters, and often requires the use of two hands for character input.


A backlight module includes a light guide plate and a light emitting unit. The light guide plate has a first side surface, a second side surface, and a third side surface. The first side surface is located opposite to the second side surface. A height of the first side surface is greater than a height of the second side surface. The third side surface is located between the first side surface and the second side surface and has a light entrance surface and a light exit surface. The light entrance surface is connected to the first side surface and the light exit surface. The light exit surface is connected to the second side surface. An included angle is formed between the light entrance surface and the light exit surface. The light emitting unit is disposed on the light entrance surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a backlight module, and more specifically, to a backlight module for disposing a light emitting unit on a light entrance surface tilted relative to a light exit surface or a bottom reflection surface of a light guide plate at the same side surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Since liquid crystal molecules do not produce light themselves, a common method for driving a liquid crystal display device to display images involves utilizing a backlight module to provide light with sufficient brightness and uniform distribution to the liquid crystal display device. Therefore, a backlight module is one of the major components of a liquid crystal display device.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a side view of a backlight module 10 according to the prior art. The backlight module 10 includes a light guide plate 12, a light emitting unit 14, and a reflection cover 16. The light guide plate 12 has a light entrance surface 18 and a light exit surface 20. The light emitting unit 14 is disposed on the light entrance surface 18, and the reflection cover 16 covers the light emitting unit 14. Accordingly, light emitted by the light emitting unit 14 is incident into the light guide plate 12 via the light entrance surface 18 directly or by reflection of the reflection cover 16, and then is emitted out of the light guide plate 12 via the light exit surface 20, so that the light guide plate 12 can provide light with sufficient brightness and uniform distribution to a display panel disposed thereon (not shown in FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 1, the section of the light guide plate 12 corresponding to the light entrance surface 18 has a gradually-increased thickness so as to make the area of the light entrance surface 18 greater than that of the light emitting area of the light emitting unit 14. In such a manner, efficiency of the backlight module 10 in use of light emitted by the light emitting unit 14 can be improved.
However, since the said design causes a structure with a gradually-increased height (e.g. an inclined surface 22 as shown in FIG. 1) formed between the light exit surface 20 and the light entrance surface 18 of the light guide plate 12, light incident into the light guide plate 12 via the light entrance surface 18 may be emitted out of the light guide plate 12 via the inclined surface 22 so as to cause a hot line problem or a light leakage problem. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, since the backlight module 10 needs an additional containing space formed between the light entrance surface 18 of the light guide plate 12 and the reflection cover 16 for containing the light emitting unit 14, the overall width of the backlight module 10 is increased accordingly, so as to be disadvantageous to narrow a side frame of a liquid crystal display device where the backlight module 10 is installed.


A method of performing a fracture operation at a wellsite is provided. The wellsite has a fracture network therein with natural fractures. The method involves stimulating the wellsite by injecting an injection fluid with proppant into the fracture network, obtaining wellsite data comprising natural fracture parameters of the natural fractures and obtaining a mechanical earth model of the subterranean formation, defining the natural fractures based on the wellsite data by generating one or more realizations of the natural fracture data based on a statistical distribution of natural fracture parameters, meters, generating a statistical distribution of predicted fluid production by generating a hydraulic fracture growth pattern for the fracture network over time based on each defined realization and predicting fluid production from the formation based on the defined realizations, selecting a reference production from the generated statistical distribution, and optimizing production and uncertainty by adjusting the stimulating operations based on the selecting.

The present disclosure relates generally to techniques for performing wellsite operations. More particularly, this disclosure is directed to techniques for performing fracture operations, such as perforating, injecting, fracturing, stimulating, monitoring, investigating, and/or characterizing a subterranean formation to facilitate production of fluids therefrom.
In order to facilitate the recovery of hydrocarbons from oil and gas wells, the subterranean formations surrounding such wells can be hydraulically fractured. Hydraulic fracturing may be used to create cracks in subsurface formations to allow oil or gas to move toward the well. A formation is fractured by introducing a specially engineered fluid (referred to as "fracturing fluid" or "fracturing slurry" herein) at high pressure and high flow rates into the formation through one or more wellbores. Hydraulic fractures may extend away from the wellbore hundreds of feet in two opposing directions according to the natural stresses within the formation. Under certain circumstances, they may form a complex fracture network.
Current hydraulic fracture monitoring methods and systems may map where the fractures occur and the extent of the fractures. Some methods and systems of microseismic monitoring may process seismic event locations by mapping seismic arrival times and polarization information into three-dimensional space through the use of modeled travel times and/or ray paths. These methods and systems can be used to infer hydraulic fracture propagation over time.
Patterns of hydraulic fractures created by the fracturing stimulation may be complex and may form a fracture network as indicated by a distribution of associated microseismic events. Complex hydraulic fracture networks have been developed to represent the created hydraulic fractures. Hydraulic fracture networks may be modeled to predict fracturing, production, and/or other oilfield operations. Examples of fracture models are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,101,447, 7,363,162, 7,788,074, 20080133186, 20100138196, and 20100250215.

Method of performing wellsite fracture operations with statistical uncertainties


A fixed type constant velocity universal joint secures smooth rotation and reduces a load on a cage even at a large operating angle and when bearing large torque. The universal joint includes an outer joint member having an inner spherical surface in which track grooves are circumferentially formed in an axial direction and an inner joint member having an outer spherical surface in which track grooves paired with the track grooves of the outer joint member are circumferentially formed in the axial direction and multiple outer spherical surface portions circumferentially arranged. Balls are interposed between the track grooves of the outer and inner joint members for transmitting torque. A cage is interposed between the inner spherical surface and the outer spherical surface for retaining the balls. A spherical surface angle of the outer spherical surface on a joint opening side is set to 12.5° or more.

A fixed type constant velocity universal joint is an example of a constant velocity universal joint used as means for transmitting torque from the engine of an automobile to the wheels at constant velocity. The fixed type constant velocity universal joint connects two shafts on the driving side and the driven side and is provided with a structure allowing constant-velocity transmission of rotational torque even when the two shafts form an operating angle. Generally, as an example of the widely-known fixed type constant velocity universal joint described above, there may be given one adopting a birfield type (BJ) or an undercut free type (UJ).
For example, the fixed type constant velocity universal joint of the BJ type includes an outer joint member having opened one end and an inner spherical surface in which multiple track grooves are equiangularly formed in an axial direction, an inner joint member having an outer spherical surface in which multiple track grooves paired with the track grooves of the outer joint member are equiangularly formed in the axial direction, multiple balls interposed between the track grooves of the outer joint member and the track grooves of the inner joint member, for transmitting torque, and a cage interposed between the inner spherical surface of the outer joint member and the outer spherical surface of the inner joint member, for retaining the balls.
The multiple balls are equiangularly arranged while being accommodated in pockets formed in the cage. Further, internal components including those inner joint member, balls, and cage are accommodated inside the outer joint member. The inner joint member has a shape in which the outer spherical surface thereof has multiple protruding portions formed between the track grooves.
When a constant velocity universal joint of this type is used, for example, for an automotive drive shaft, there is generally employed the structure in which the outer joint member is connected to a driven shaft, and a drive shaft extending from a plunging type constant velocity universal joint mounted to a differential on the vehicle body side is connected to the inner joint member through spline fit-engagement. In this constant velocity universal joint, when an operating angle is formed between the outer joint member and the inner joint member, the balls accommodated in the cage are always maintained within the bisector plane of any operating angle, thereby securing the constant velocity property of the joint.
In the fixed type constant velocity universal joint, generally, the inner joint member is assembled to the cage by the following procedures. First, the inner joint member is arranged relatively to the cage in the direction of being rotated by 90° with respect to the axial direction of the cage. Then, in a state of fitting one of the protruding portions positioned between the track grooves of the inner joint member into one of the pockets of the cage, the inner joint member is inserted into the cage. The center of the inner joint member and the center of the cage are caused to correspond to each other, and then the inner joint member is rotated by 90° with respect to the axial direction of the cage. In this manner, the axial line of the cage is caused to correspond to the axial line of the inner joint member, whereby arrangement in a regular posture is achieved (refer to Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example).    Patent Document 1: DE 19514868 C1    Patent Document 2: JP 3678026 B

Fixed type constant velocity universal joint


Disclosed is an image processing apparatus for processing a color image signal obtained by converting color image information on a document into an electric signal. In the apparatus, a color ghost is corrected from the color of the color image signal in accordance with a predetermined correction manner. When a marked region on the document with a coloring member different from the color of the document is detected and an image process is performed in relation to the marked region, the predetermined correction manner is changed.

The present invention relates to a color image processing apparatus which is peculiarly well fitted for an image processing apparatus such as a color copier in which a plain paper is used as a recording paper. The invention especially relates to a color image processing apparatus in which color ghost correction processing can be changed when a region is designated.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a color image processing apparatus having a partial color conversion function, to which the function to prevent a region designating color from becoming blurred is added to the color ghost correcting function.
In a color image processing apparatus such as a color copier in which laser beams are used, color image information is obtained by dissolving plural colors on a color document, and color images are recorded according to the color image information.
A color copier of this kind is designed and made so that it can conduct various image processing such as variable magnification processing and partial color conversion processing.
Partial color conversion processing means an image compiling process in which the color image information inside or outside the designated region can be recorded by the color used when the region is designated.
Designation of the region is usually conducted by a color marker. For instance, when the region a is designated by a blue marker as shown in FIG. 10A, the image within the region a is recorded by the color which was used to designate the region, wherein it is blue in this example. Refer to FIG. 10B.
If the image in another region needs to be erased, the images in the region can be recorded as black and white images.
In order to attain the partial color conversion mode, it is necessary to detect the color of a color marker used to designate the region, and the region itself. In order to boundaries for the region as shown in FIG. 11, the marker signals BP and RP are detected from the color marker which is formed across each scanning line (n, n+1, and so forth) and at the same time the region signals QB' and QR' are formed by the process.
According to these marker signals BP and RP, and the region signals QB' and QR', the images in the designated region are extracted and recorded and the recording processing shown in FIG. 10B is attained.
To change the subject slightly, there are color image processing apparatuses with a color ghost correcting function in addition to a partial color conversion function.
Color ghost is an unnecessary color signal which appears when an image signal is discriminated as plural color signals.
Namely, when a color image signal is discriminated, unnecessary color ghost appears in the peripheral area of black letters.
FIG. 12 shows an example of color ghost generation.
In this example, a Japanese letter " " (sei, gender) is picked up and color ghost generated after color separation is shown. This example depicts that the color ghost of red and blue appears at the edge of the black line, that of black appears at the edge of the blue line, and that of black appears at the edge of the red line, as shown in FIGS. 13A through 13C.
Other color combinations produce different color ghosts.
In many cases, the color ghost correction means is installed in apparatuses to obtain the object of reducing color ghosts and improving quality of recorded images.
When color ghost is corrected by this kind of color correction means, the color correction means sometimes misjudges the image information of a document when the partial color correction mode is selected.
When a specific region is painted out with a color marker as shown in FIG. 14 to record only the region, the contours 31, 32 of the image within the color marker become blurred.
The reasons are as follows.
For instance, if a red or blue marker exists around a black letter and the edge of the black letter is discriminated by a red or blue marker, the overlapped part is not discriminated as an image which is necessary for recording, even if it is an edge of the black letter.
The reason for that is because a color marker is only for detecting the region and a color marker portion is not recorded. That is the reason why the edges of images become blurred or narrow.
As explained above, color ghost correction has a special function to correct red and blue ghosts which appear around black letters. So, the peripheral part of a black letter is converted to white and the color conversion processing is not conducted.
The main object of the present invention is to solve these problems in a simple and cost-effective manner. The invention provides a color image processing apparatus which can prevent deterioration of image quality by changing the contents of color ghost correction when a specific color image is processed.
In a color image processing apparatus equipped with a partial color conversion function, the region of a color marker must be detected accurately as explained above. But the accuracy greatly depends on the manner in which the color is drawn.
Namely, when a color marker is drawn on a document correctly with high density, the color marker can be detected accurately. On the other hand, if a color marker becomes blurred in some places, then the color marker regions cannot be accurately detected.
When the output level of a CCD, which is quite often used to read images, is a little different, the color of a color marker and a black image overlap each other.
There are several methods to avoid this problem, such as adjusting the color marker region judging means or the blurred place correcting means. As a color marker can be detected accurately by applying these methods to the operation, false detection of the designated region caused by a blurred color marker or imbalance of the CCD level, can be eliminated.
But in the case when the region judging means is utilized, it becomes disadvantageously complicated. The region judging means is used to judge whether the information of the previous process should be used or not when a color marker becomes blurred, or even when a color marker becomes blurred, the region judging means should judge whether to neglect the information about several lines or several bits or not.
If blurred parts are needed to be corrected, an exclusive blurred part correcting means must be installed. Furthermore, it is necessary to process data in the blurred part correction means as well as in the region judging means. As a result, structure of the control circuit becomes complicated and it leads to high costs. It can be said to be a disadvantage.
Considering the circumstances, the second object of the present invention is as follows. A color image processing apparatus which has a color ghost correcting function in addition to a partial color conversion function, processes color marker blurred parts by appropriately utilizing the color ghost correction function.

Color image processing apparatus with color ghost correction


Reversible thermal rectifiers for selectively controlling the direction of heat flow include a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects disposed in a fluid medium, wherein each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects include a refractive side and a reflective side such that heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side, and a bidirectional field actuator system that selectively orients the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction.

Metamaterials are man-made materials with material properties that are engineered to achieve a desired effect. For example, metamaterials can be engineered to possess material properties which are not available naturally, such as directional or orientation dependent heat flow. Such metamaterials may allow for heat to flow past it in one direction, while reflecting heat back as it approaches in the opposite direction. Metamaterials may thereby be used to produce a heat flow gradient where heat primarily flows in only one direction. However, such metamaterials remain static in their orientation leading to a static direction of heat flow. Thus, the entire apparatus containing the metamaterials would need to be reconfigured in order to stop or change the direction of heat flow.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative reversible thermal rectifiers for selectively orienting objects to influence the direction of heat flow.

Reversible thermal rectifiers, temperature control systems and vehicles incorporating the same

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


A heat treatment apparatus for high-quality graphene synthesis comprises an upper roll chamber, a deposition chamber connected to the upper roll chamber to deposit graphene on a catalytic metal film, and a lower roll chamber mounted on a lower portion of the deposition chamber. The upper roll chamber includes a supply roller and the lower roll chamber includes a lower direction shifting roller shifting a direction of the catalytic metal film supplied from the supply roller. In the deposition chamber, a catalytic metal film at a supply side transferred from the supply roller to the lower direction shifting roller and a catalytic metal film at a discharge side transferred from the lower direction shifting roller to a winding roller are passed, and a heater portion is mounted around the catalytic metal film at the supply side and the catalytic metal film at the discharge side.

Generally, graphene is a material having a two-dimensional planar structure having a honeycomb shape in which carbons are connected with each other in the form of a hexagonal shape, and has a very large feature that its thickness is very thin and transparent, and electric conductivity is very high. Attempts have been made to apply the graphene to a transparent display or a flexible display using these features.
A conventional method for manufacturing a graphene film is described in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2012-0111659 (Method for manufacturing film including graphene, published on Oct. 10, 2012).
In the above publication patent, for mass production, there are disclosed steps of forming the graphene by transferring a catalytic metal film in one direction by a roll-to-roll method for mass production and forming a transfer film on one surface of the catalytic metal film in which the graphene not formed, and a mechanical configuration required for each step has been described.
Particularly, there are disclosed a winding roller and a transfer roller for winding and transferring the catalytic metal film, a graphene formation space of depositing the graphene by supplying carbon supply gas to the catalytic metal film, and the like.
However, the graphene is manufactured by using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), thermochemical vapor deposition (TCVD), rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) and the like, and in order to enable continuous graphene manufacturing while the catalytic metal film passes through the graphene formation space, a vacuum state of the graphene formation space needs to be maintained, but such a technical configuration is not mentioned in the above publication patent.
When such a device is used, it is difficult to form the graphene formed by CVD and it is possible to sufficiently predict a problem that process defects occur due to the penetration of foreign materials. Further, a deposition chamber is horizontally placed and there is a possibility to generate damage to the graphene deposited on the catalytic metal film in the deposition chamber.

Heat treatment apparatus for high-quality graphene synthesis


A toner image carrying thermoplastic layer on a receiving sheet is texturized from the back side of the sheet by positioning the sheet between a smooth hard surface and a texturizing surface with the texturizing surface contacting the back side. The thermoplastic layer is softened by heat and becomes texturized without embossing the back side. A curl preventing layer on the back side is not embossed because it has a melting point above the temperature of the process. A glossy-textured print can be produced this way. The process is especially useful in making multicolor prints of photographic quality.

Traditional photofinishing operations for photographic color images provide the consumer with a variety of textures to the surface of the image in addition to the usual glossy print. In traditional silver halide photography the texture is applied to the surface of the receiving paper in its manufacturing process and survives liquid processing and drying in the photofinishing operation.
In electrophotography, multicolor images having resolution and other qualities comparable to those of silver halide photography have been produced in the laboratory. One reason such systems have not been commercially pratical is they have generally required liquid developing for high quality. However, recent advances in fine particle dry toners have made low grain, high resolution images feasible with dry systems.
One of the problems associated with such systems is that of providing the customer a variety of textures to the image comparable to that available with ordinary photofinishing. Highest quality dry color imaging is accomplished with a receiving sheet having a thermoplastic layer which can be texturized. However, the fixing and other treatments associated with dry electrophotography involve the application of heat and pressure which would adversely affect any texture imparted to such a receiving sheet in its manufacturing operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,405 shows a post-treatment step to add gloss to a toner image carried on paper after ordinary fusing. The fixed image-bearing paper is dried and then pressed between a pair of heated rollers which increase the gloss of the image. At least one of the rollers has a resin coating to provide some width of nip to aid in heat transfer. A purpose for the drying step is to prevent blistering from steam escaping around the nip when coated paper is used as the receiving sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,780,742 shows a method of increasing the gloss of a fixed toner image by coating it with a thin sheet in the presence of heat and pressure. The thin sheet packs the image and fuses it together, increasing gloss and removing surface roughness. The sheet is cooled and peeled off. The image appears to be fused on top of the support and has a principle object of providing less scattering for color images on transparencies.
European patent application No. 0 301 585 published Feb. 1, 1989, shows a glazing sheet used to increase the gloss of either a toner image on a paper backing or a dye and developer in a thermoplastic coating. The glazing sheet is pressed against the paper sheets with moderate pressure and the dye-thermoplastic sheets with substantial pressure. The glazing sheet can be either smooth for a high gloss or dull for a low gloss finish. In one embodiment, the glazing sheet has both high and low gloss sections that can be selected.
In the latter two references the image and sheet are allowed to cool before separation. This approach to preventing release in pressure fixing is shown in a large number of references; see, for example, European patent application No. 0 295 901 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,215.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,303 suggests a method of thermal transfer involving bringing a receiving sheet having a thermoplastic coating into contact with fine toner images in the presence of sufficient heat to soften the thermoplastic coating. The toner is said to be "encapsulated" by the thermoplastic coating under moderate pressure.

Method and apparatus for texturizing toner image bearing receiving sheets and product produced thereby


A plant nutrient composition comprises both fertilizer and microorganisms bound together so that the advantages of fertilizer and microorganisms for plant growth and soil health can be obtained by a one-step administration of the plant nutrient composition.

Two types of plant nutrient compositions are microorganisms, often combined with humate, and fertilizer particles, generally containing one or more of these nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. An example of a microorganism containing composition is SumaGrow™ formulation comprising microbes suspended in a humate carrier.
One or both of these can be used. Even though these compositions are desirable to maximize plant growth and yield, they can often be costly and time consuming to apply when applying separately. A challenge is the unavailability of a single composition containing both fertilizer particles and microorganisms. Therefore, when individual compositions are applied separately, equipment and labor costs required for such applications increases thereby reducing Return on Investment (ROI).
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a plant nutrient composition containing both microorganisms and fertilizer particles so that both can be applied in a single application, maximizing ROI.


A payment system for spending accounts is provided. The payment system includes a qualified vendor system, such as a point of sale system at a doctor's office, that generates purchase data and point of sale data, such as a co-pay amount, a credit card number, and a point of sale device identifier. An account management system receives the purchase data and point of sale data and generates authorized purchase data, such as by determining whether payment of co-pay can be automatically authorized based on pre-qualification of the doctor's office as an authorized source.

Systems for tracking program participation are known in the art. Such systems include systems that track credits for associated purchases, such as for programs that reward frequent flyer points for dining, and rebates for use of a credit card.
While such programs are useful, they generally require very little in the way of second-level functionality. For example, the frequent flyer program may reward points for each dollar spent at a dining establishment, but after the points are generated and credited to the account, no additional functionality os required. Likewise, the rebate systems credit an amount for use of a card, and once a year or otherwise, the user can elect to receive an award based on the points accumulated. Thus, after the credit is made, no further actions are performed. In addition, the consumer is under no obligation to verify the correctness of the credit, such that if an improper award of credits is made to the consumer, they benefit and the organization granting the credits suffers a loss.

Method for reimbursement from pre-tax spending accounts


A method and apparatus for positioning components of a brake system, which includes a push rod, a ball end coupled to the push rod, and a force transfer member placed between the push rod and the ball end. The force transfer member has both a flowable property and a solidifying property, whereby the force transfer member is flowable when being placed between the push rod and ball end and, after a passage of time, the force transfer member solidifies.

The invention relates to braking systems and, more particularly, a method and apparatus for positioning an end of a push rod of a brake actuator.
Braking systems, such as air brake systems, have generally been used to control movement of motor vehicles in a safe and effective manner. In particular, air brakes are commonly used on commercial vehicles such as trucks, trailers, and buses, which typically have large gross vehicle weights. The considerable inertial mass of these heavy-duty vehicles in combination with the high speeds at which they travel often requires a braking system which responds rapidly with substantial braking power. One system component which may be instrumental in the operation of air brake systems is the brake actuator. The brake actuator typically provides the necessary force when braking the vehicle.
FIG. 1 depicts a push rod generally known in the art. The push rod is a component of brake actuator 12 and is commonly found in many air disc brake systems. As shown, push rod 10 typically extends outwardly away from a mounting face 17 of brake actuator 12. The end of push rod 10 engages with ball end 16 of arm 14, typically a socket part of arm 14. Usually, the overall length Lxe2x80x2 of push rod 10 and ball end 16 relative to mounting face 17 is important to proper braking. Because of such importance, the overall length Lxe2x80x2 may be adjustable. Traditional braking systems, as illustrated in FIG. 1, often used shims 18, or spacers, placed between ball end 16 and push rod 10 to variably adjust overall length Lxe2x80x2.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,873 to Kohar et al. (xe2x80x9cKoharxe2x80x9d) relates to a brake actuator system having calipers that may close upon a disc in order to apply the brakes. Similar to the push rod of FIG. 1, Kohar may also use spacers to operate as shims in adjusting the calipers.
It is typically accepted and known that the overall length of the push rod and ball end relative to a mounting face surface of the actuator is usually essential to proper functioning of the brake system. If this length is too short, a user may need to apply the brakes in a more vigorous manner to brake the vehicle than if the overall length was properly determined. If the overall length is too long, the brakes may be applied continuously or when a user does not wish the vehicle to be braked, which may cause premature wear on the brakes. Because of the importance of the overall length, using shims to variably adjust the overall length may negatively affect accurate determinations of this length, which may possibly affect braking performance.
Usually, the overall length is determined within an acceptable tolerance range. Similarly, the components that make up the overall length, namely the push rod, ball end, and any shims used, are also typically manufactured within a known tolerance range. Combining the components typically results in the combination of the tolerances of the individual components to determine the overall tolerance range. This combination of the tolerances is known in the art to be defined as a xe2x80x9ctolerance stack upxe2x80x9d. The more shims used, the larger the overall tolerance range may become. In some instances, especially where an accurate determination of the overall length is desired, the resulting tolerance stack up may be larger than the acceptable tolerance range for the overall length, resulting in the overall length to be out of tolerance. Furthermore, variability in the actual dimensions of the components that results in an out of tolerance overall length may necessitate provisions for adjustments in order to bring the overall length back within tolerance, such provisions in turn may contribute to tolerance stack up.
Another disadvantage of using shims is that it may increase set up time for positioning the push rod relative to the ball end. The more shims involved to position the push rod relative to the ball end, the more time is typically needed to choose the correctly sized shims or interchange shims. Furthermore, if components of the braking system are interchanged, such as parts of the brake actuator, the shims may shift out of position, thereby necessitating repositioning of the push rod relative to the ball end. This problem may be exacerbated if the combination of shims chosen are not suited to the components of the braking system, where variability between braking systems sometimes favor particular combinations of shims. Adhering the shims to one another may reduce set up time but may also exacerbate tolerance stack up due to the adhesive material now being placed between the shims and affecting the overall length.
What is desired, therefore, is a push rod and ball end assembly that provides an accurate determination of the overall length relative to the mounting face surface. Another desire is a push rod and ball end assembly that reduces tolerance stack up. A further desire is a push rod and ball end assembly that reduces variability in overall length caused by tolerance stack up. Still another desire is a push rod and ball end assembly that reduces set up time.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a push rod and ball end assembly that has an accurately determined overall length and distance from a surface of an actuator""s mounting face.
It is another object of the invention to provide a push rod and ball end assembly that maintains its accurately determined overall length over prolonged use of the brake system.
It is another object of the invention to provide a push rod and ball end assembly that reduces set up time when interchanging components of a brake system.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by provision of an apparatus for positioning components of a brake system, including a push rod, a ball end coupled to the push rod, and a force transfer member placed between the push rod and the ball end. The force transfer member has both a flowable property and a solidifying property, whereby the force transfer member is flowable when being placed between the push rod and ball end and, after a passage of time, the force transfer member solidifies.
In the preferred embodiment, the force transfer member is self hardening, where it automatically solidifies without user intervention. In other embodiments, an additive is added to the force transfer to solidify or facilitate solidifying the force transfer member.
The ball end may optionally include a hole extending from a first end and a second end of the ball end for permitting the force transfer member to be placed, or injected, between the push rod and ball end.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for positioning components of a brake system is provided, including the steps of providing a push rod of a brake actuator and providing a ball end. The method also includes the steps of positioning the push rod relative to the ball end, placing a force transfer member between the push rod and the ball end, and solidifying the force transfer member.
The method may optionally include the step of temporarily or permanently fixing the position of the push rod relative to the ball end.
Prior to placing the force transfer member between the push rod and ball end, or in embodiments where the ball end is temporarily fixed relative to the push rod, the method may optionally include the step of adjusting a distance of the ball end relative to a mounting face of the brake actuator.
Additionally, the method may optionally include the step of providing a hole in the ball end, wherein the hole extends an entire length of the ball end. This hole permits injection of the force transfer member through into the hole and in between the ball end and push rod.
To assist ensuring a proper amount of the force transfer member is placed between the ball end and push rod, the method may include adjusting a flow characteristic of the force transfer member, such as pressure, temperature, flow rate, and combinations thereof, as it is placed between the push rod and the ball end. The method may also continue to place the force transfer member between the push rod and ball end until a desired pressure is achieved.
For embodiments where the force transfer member is not self hardening, or does not automatically solidify without user intervention, the method may include the step of adding an additive to the force transfer member to facilitate solidification.

Method and apparatus for positioning an end of a push rod of a brake actuator


A tissue anchor comprising a body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end with one set of dimensions and a projected surface area, a distal end with a second set of dimensions and a projected surface area where the respective dimensions of the first and second ends are not identical and the projected areas are substantially the same. The tissue anchor may further have a fixing member to attach the anchor and one or more tissues together or to attach the other structures to tissue.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to surgical implements, and more particularly relates to a self-penetrating tissue anchor, which is capable of creating its own pathway into tissue, reducing trauma caused to the tissue and enhancing its stabilization in the tissue.
2. Description of Related Art
Suture anchors are generally known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,129 to Hayhurst describes a suture anchor for securing a suture to body tissue in an arthroscopic surgical procedure. The suture anchor comprises a tubular member with a through hole through which a suture extends. The terminal end of the suture is secured to the leading end of the anchor by forming a knot. A slot is formed on the suture anchor which extends from the trailing end of the suture anchor toward the leading end of the suture anchor. Once the anchor is inserted into tissue, tension is applied to the suture, shifting the orientation of the anchor to a position generally transverse to the free end of the suture. Insertion of the anchor into tissue requires the anchor to be confined within a hollow outer needle of a cannulated insertion tool. The outer dimensions of the insertion tool are greater than those of the anchor. Because of this, the introduction of the anchor into tissue requires a pathway to be created in the tissue larger than the outer dimensions of the anchor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,195 to Bonutti describes a suture anchor having a polygonal cross-section configuration with flat outer side surfaces connected by a plurality of outer corner portions. After initial insertion of the anchor, the anchor is rotated to orientate it parallel to the tissue surface. This orientation provides good fixation within tissue. However, to achieve this orientation, an offset force is required to be applied by a pusher member to the anchor. A tubular guide member is also required to introduce the anchor into tissue. The outer dimensions of the guide member are greater than those of the anchor and, as a result, necessitate a tissue opening that is greater than the dimensions of the anchor.


Multicast routing in ad-hoc networks by exchange of multicast group update information and routing tree information among neighboring routers is disclosed. A router propagates multicast group update information based on the update information and the routing tree information. A router also determines whether to forward multicast data packets based on control information in the multicast data packets and the routing tree information.

Multi-hop packet-radio networks, or ad hoc networks, consist of mobile hosts interconnected by routers that can also move. The deployment of such routers is ad hoc and the topology of the network is very dynamic, because of host and router mobility, signal loss and interference, and power outages. In addition, the channel bandwidth available in ad hoc networks is relatively limited compared to wired networks, and untethered routers may need to operate with battery-life constraints. In these networks, routing must be accomplished using the minimum number of control messages possible, and avoiding neighbor-to-neighbor handshakes as much as possible, in order to preserve channel bandwidth for user data and the battery life of untethered nodes. Because of the dynamics of the topology in an ad hoc network, broadcast radio links are preferable for interconnecting routers without the need for topology planning.
With few exceptions, the methods used today for supporting many-to-many communication (multicasting) efficiently in computer networks involve establishing multicast routing trees. The basic approach consists of establishing a routing tree for a group of routing nodes (routers). Once a routing tree is established for a group of routers, a packet or message sent to all the routers in the tree traverses each router and link in the tree only once.
The multicast routing protocols developed for the Internet to date fall in two basic categories, which were first described in "Host Extensions for IP Multicasting" In the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request For Comments-112, August 1989 by S. Deering: protocols based on complete topology information, which are also called link-state multicasting protocols, and protocols based on distance information. Multicast OSPF (MOSPF) is an example of the topology-based approach. In MOSPF, each router communicates to every other router in the network the multicast groups to which a given link belongs in addition to the link characteristics used in the Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) protocol. With this information, each router can compute the shortest-path multicast routing tree from each source of a given multicast routing group to the rest of the routers that have reported a link that belongs to the multicast group. The limitations with this approach are the traffic overhead incurred in disseminating changes in group membership information for each link in the network, and the processing overhead incurred in computing the shortest-path trees from each source of a multicast group to the rest of the group members.
Examples of protocols based on distance information are the Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol (DVMRP), the Core Based Tree (CBT) protocol, the Ordered Core Based Tree (OCBT) protocol, the Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) protocol. All these protocols are based on the notion of reverse path forwarding. In DVMRP, the source of a multicast group floods the entire network with a multicast packet; each router receiving the packet forwards it to all its other interfaces if the packet is received from the neighbor that its unicast routing table lists as its next hop to the source of the packet. For a given multicast group, routers that do not have group members on any of their attached networks send a prune control packet to the neighbor listed in its routing table as its next hop to the source of the multicast group. The key limitation of DVMRP is the need to flood the entire network with multicast packets before routers with no multicast members attached to them can prune the resulting spanning tree.
CBT eliminates the need to flood and prune the network by using a special router, which is called the core, as the point of reference for routers to join a given multicast group. Routers with interfaces to networks in which there is one or more hosts requiring to join a multicast group send a join request to the designated core of that multicast group along their shortest paths to the core. Any router that is already part of the multicast routing tree of the group and receives such a join request sends back an acknowledgment to the router that sent the request; accordingly, new multicast tree branches are established along shortest paths from receivers to the core of the multicast group. In contrast to DVMRP, there is only one multicast routing tree per multicast group in CBT. The shared tree built for a given multicast group is bi-directional, which implies that multicast packets can flow in both directions of a link connecting two routers in the multicast tree.
PIM has two modes of operation, dense mode and sparse mode. In PIM dense mode (PIM-DM), the flood and prune approach used in DVMRP is used, with the only difference that PIM-DM relies on the unicast routing tables available at routers, rather than requiring routers to maintain separate routing tables with distances to multicast sources as DVMRP does. PIM sparse mode (PIM-SM) uses the same strategy introduced in CBT to build shared trees; however, the shared trees built with PIM-SM are unidirectional, and the direction of the links in the multicast tree is away from the root of the multicast tree, called the rendezvous point (RP). Accordingly, sources send their packets to the RP and then they are distributed over the multicast tree to all the receivers.
Multicast routing trees have also been proposed for wireless multi-hop networks. These approaches establish multicast routing trees by means of flooding of control packets that search for members of the multicast group.
Because a multicast tree provides a single path between any two routers in the tree, the minimum number of copies per packet are used to disseminate packets to all the receivers of a multicast group. For a tree of N routers, only N-1 links are used to transmit the same information to all the routers in the multicast tree in a network with point-to-point links; in the case of wireless networks with broadcast links using a single channel, each member of a multicast tree needs to transmit a packet only once. Using routing trees is of course far more efficient than the brute-force approach of sending the same information from the source individually to each of the other N-1 times. An additional benefit of using trees for multicast routing is that the routing decisions at each router in the multicast tree becomes very simple: a router in a multicast tree that receives a multicast packet for the group over an in-tree interface forwards the packet over the rest of its in-tree interfaces.
However, multicast trees achieve the efficiency and simplicity described above by forcing a single path between any pair of routers. Accordingly, if multiple sources must transmit information to the same set of destinations, using routing trees requires that either a shared multicast tree be used for all sources, or that a separate multicast tree be established for each source. Using a shared multicast tree has the disadvantage that packets are distributed to the multicast group along paths that can be much longer than the shortest paths from sources to receivers. Using a separate multicast tree for each source of each multicast group forces the routers that participate in multiple multicast groups to maintain an entry for each source in each multicast group, which does not scale as the number of groups and sources per group increases. In addition, because trees provide minimal connectivity among the members of a multicast group, the failure of any link in the tree partitions the group and requires the routers involved to reconfigure the tree.
Although tree-based multicast routing is very attractive for wired networks and the Internet because of its simplicity, maintaining a multicast routing when the underlying topology changes frequently incurs an undesirable amount of control traffic. Furthermore, during periods of routing-table instability, routers may be forced to stop forwarding packets while they wait for the multicast routing tree to be reconstructed.
Recently, two approaches have been proposed for the establishment of multicast meshes, rather than multicast trees. A multicast mesh is a connected subset of a network that includes all the members of a given multicast group and that provides at least one path from each source to each receiver in the multicast group.
The Core Assisted Mesh Protocol (CAMP), proposed by Garcia-Luna-Aceves and Madruga J. J. Garcia-Luna-Aceves and E. L. Madruga in "The Core Assisted Mesh Protocol", IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, Special Issue on Ad-Hoc Networks, Vol. 17, No. 8, pp. 1380-1394, August 1999, extends the basic receiver-initiated approach introduced in the core-based tree (CBT) protocol for the creation of multicast trees to enable the creation of multicast meshes. Cores are used to limit the control traffic needed for receivers to join multicast groups. In contrast to CBT, one or multiple cores can be defined for each mesh, cores need not be part of the mesh of their group, and routers can join a group even if all associated cores become unreachable. A router sends a join request towards a core if none of its neighbors are members of the group; otherwise it simply announces its membership using either reliable or persistent updates. If cores are not reachable from a router that needs to join a group, the router broadcasts its join request using an expanding ring search (ERS) that eventually reaches some group member. When one or multiple responses are sent back to the router, it chooses any of these responses to use as a path to the mesh.
The Forwarding Group Multicast Protocol (FGMP) and the On-demand Multicast Routing Protocol (ODMRP) also build a variation of meshes. However, to establish group meshes, FGMP and ODMRP require for control packets to be flooded in an ad hoc network in much the same was as DVMRP and PIM-DM require multicast data packets to be flooded first. The difference between these two protocols lies in who starts the flooding process—in the former, the receivers, and in the latter, the senders. This approach is acceptable only in small networks. In contrast, the use of cores in CAMP eliminates the need for flooding, unless all cores are unreachable from a connected component.
In essence, ODMRP requires that all senders that are active transmitting data packets periodically flood the network with a sender-advertising packet. All routers directly connected to hosts willing to participate in the multicast group will process those advertising packets, and update a member table. This table lists all senders whose advertisements were received and the neighbor routers used as next hop toward those senders. Periodically the member table is also broadcast, and intermediate routers listed in member tables as next hop to a sender will set a data forwarding flag, become group members and keep/broadcast a member table themselves. Just like CAMP, ODMRP keeps a data packet cache. Data packets are forwarded if the forwarding flag is set and the data packet is not already in the packet cache. FGMP is very similar to that approach, except for the fact mentioned above that receivers are the entities that flood membership advertisement packets, and senders keep track of receivers in the member table.
Both ODMRP and FGMP have scalability problems because of the design decision to flood control packets, and specially FGMP due to the fact senders have to keep track of all receivers in a multicast group.
A limitation of CAMP is the need to define a subset of routers as the cores serving a particular group, because this requires the cores to be configured as such by a system administrator. Furthermore, in the event that the cores of a multicast group are not reachable or fail, routers must rely on flooding the network with search messages to join the intended multicast group.
All of the multicast routing protocols in the prior art assume that either: complete topology information is available at each router (e.g., MOSPF), or distance information to destinations is available (e.g., CBT, CAMP, PIM-SM), or that the multicast routing tree can be built by flooding and then pruning (e.g., DVMRP, FGMP, ODMRP), or that flooding of search messages can be used to join multicast groups (e.g., AODV and multicast routing protocols based on on-demand routing).
A number of unicast routing protocols in the prior art are based on what we call the source-tree routing approach. In this approach routers communicate either the state (i.e., cost or length) of the links in a shortest-path routing tree, or the distance from the root of the tree and the second-to-last hop in the routing tree for each node in the tree. The first of this type of protocols was proposed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,060 by Riddle. In Riddle's protocol, a router communicates different shortest-path trees to different neighbors; such trees are called "exclusionary trees" by Riddle and specify the preferred paths to destinations excluding those paths that involve the router to which the update is being sent. An update packet or message specifies an entire exclusionary tree. The second protocol based on the source-tree routing approach was reported by Garcia-Luna-Aceves, in "A Fail Safe Routing Algorithm for Multihop Pocket-Radio Networks", Proc. IEEE Infocom 86, Miami, Fla., April 1986, which differs from Riddle's protocol in that the same shortest-path routing tree is sent incrementally by a router to all its neighbors. Humblet "Another Adaptive Shortest-Path Algorithm," IEEE Trans. Comm., Vol. 39, No. 6, June 1991, pp. 995-1003, Cheng et al "A Loop-Free Extended Bellman-Ford Routing Protocol without Bouncing Effect", Proc. ACM SIGCOMM 89, pp. 224-236, Rajagopalan and Faiman "A Responsive Distributed Shortest-Path Routing Algorithm within Autonomous Systems," Journal of internetworking: Research and Experience, Vol. 2, No. 1, March 1991, pp. 51-69, and Murthy and Garcia-Luna-Aceves "An Efficient Routing Protocol for Wireless Networks," ACM Mobile Networks and Applications Journal, Special issue on Routing in Mobile Communication Networks, 1996, have all proposed protocols based on source routing trees in which a router communicates to its neighbors the same shortest-path routing tree incrementally and differ from the protocol by Garcia-Luna-Aceves in the way in which a router obtains its own shortest-path routing tree from the trees reported by its neighbors.
Surprisingly, no multicast routing protocol proposed or implemented to date has taken advantage of the shortest-path routing trees that the aforementioned unicast routing protocols provide. Furthermore, none of the multicast protocols in the prior art prevents flooding of either control or multicast data packets without the use of special routers (cores or rendezvous points).
The Adaptive Internet Routing (AIR) protocol, disclosed in commonly assigned patent application Ser. No. 09/221,228, filed Dec. 23, 1998, is also based on the source routing-tree approach. It enables the dissemination of link-state information and node-state information in the form of labeled routing trees (LRTs). With AIR, a router sends updates to its neighbors regarding the links and nodes in its preferred paths to destinations. The links and nodes along the preferred paths from a source to each desired destination constitute an LRT that implicitly specifies the complete paths from the source to each destination and the characteristics of each link and node used in such paths. The aggregation of adjacent links and routing trees reported by neighbors constitutes the partial topology known by a router. The present invention makes use of AIR to enable multicast routing in ad hoc networks with no need for flooding of control or multicast data packets, or the assignment of special routers (e.g., cores) to each multicast group.


A method is disclosed for forming a PDP front electrode by applying a particular type of photopolymerizable black paste, drying the black paste, and applying a particular type of photopolymerizable white paste on top of the dried black paste.

Recently, the electrodes used in the front panels of plasma display panels (PDPs) are being required to have finer and finer lines. To form fine lines, photosensitive conductive pastes are conventionally used to form PDP electrodes. However, the problem has been that during light exposure, not enough light energy may reach the base of the photosensitive paste applied to the substrate, and the pattern may therefore have an inverted trapezoidal cross-section after development, which is a phenomenon sometimes called "undercut". If the undercut is great, the intended pattern may peel off the substrate during the development process. The following is an example of prior art aimed at addressing the issue of how to control undercut in PDP.
JP 2006-120568 discloses a PDP front electrode formed using a black photosensitive paste containing about 16 parts by weight of a photopolymerizable monomer and 60 parts by weight of tricobalt tetraoxide with a specific surface area of 8.2 m2/g, and a white photosensitive paste with about 6 parts by weight of a photopolymerizable monomer added thereto.

Method for forming front electrode of PDP


In a preferred embodiment, a pair of tap shoes each having toe and heel taps, associated with each tap there being an audio-pickup transducer mounted one adjacent each tap, connected by signal-carrying wiring to a common electronic radio-wave transmitter and power-source mechanism that receives and sends the signal received from the respective transducers to a radio-wave receiver and amplifying and speaker mechanism spaced-away from the tap shoes such that tapping sounds of the taps on a hard surface are received, amplified and broadcast through speakers.

Prior to the present invention, there has been an ever-increasing problem that developed for tap dances as polular music as played on or through large and powerful amplifying systems produced louder and louder music making the sound of tapping tap-shoes virtually impossible to discern or hear as a part of the beat of the music. Such problem has substantially reduced the extent to which tap dancers may be a part of various musical performances, and making special compensations necessary in the playing or performance of musics in order to accomodate the utilization of a tap dancer one or more. The problem relates not only to live performances, but to the now controlling media of television, drastically limiting the financial possibilities open to tap dancers.


Devices and techniques are generally described for sending a first instruction for a device to output first content while the speech-processing device is in an ambient state during a first time period. First feedback data is received indicating that a first action associated with the first content was requested at a first time. A determination is made that the first time is during the first time period. Timing data related to a current time of the device is determined. Second content is determined based at least in part on the first action being requested during the first time period and the timing data. A second instruction is sent effective to cause the device to output second content while in the ambient state during a second time period.

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) combined with language processing techniques may enable a computing device to retrieve and process commands from a user based on the user's spoken commands. In some systems, speech recognition and/or voice-controlled devices activate upon detection of a spoken "wake-word." Spoken requests are translated into computer-executable instructions. The executable instructions are executed and a corresponding task is performed. Such speech processing and voice control may be used by personal computers, hand-held devices, telephone computer systems, and a wide variety of other computing devices to improve human-computer interactions and to control various systems. In various examples, speech-processing enabled devices may comprise or may be configured in communication with displays for showing images and video and/or speakers for outputting audio.


Embodiments of apparatuses and methods of power optimization in VLC positioning are disclosed. In one embodiment, a mobile device may include image sensors configured to receive visible light communication signals, a memory configured to store the visible light communication signals, and a transceiver configured to receive positioning assistance data of a venue, and a controller configured to: decode one or more light fixtures within a field of view of the mobile device to obtain corresponding light fixture identifications, determine a motion of the mobile device with respect to the one or more light fixtures based on the light fixture identifications and the positioning assistance data of the venue, and switch the image sensors of the mobile device to a reduced duty cycle state based on the motion of the mobile device with respect to the one or more light fixtures within the field of view of the mobile device.

Recently, interest in radio over fiber technologies complementary to Radio Frequency (RF) technologies has increased due to the exhaustion of RF band frequencies, potential crosstalk between several wireless communication technologies, increased demand for communication security, and the advent of an ultra-high speed ubiquitous communication environment based on various wireless technologies. Consequently, visible light communication employing visible light LEDs has been developed to complement RF technologies.
FIG. 1 illustrates a timing diagram of a conventional implementation of visible light communication positioning. As shown in FIG. 1, to estimate the location using VLC, a mobile device decodes the light source identification transmitted continuously, represented by the double arrows 102a through 102g, throughout each duty cycle of VLC signaling. Typically, decoding each VLC message can take half one second to one second to process depending on the data rate being used. Generally, the image sensors are therefore enabled almost all the time, which results in significant power consumption in operating the image sensors and decoding the VLC messages.
Therefore, there is a need for apparatuses and methods for power optimization in visible light communication positioning.

Power optimization in visible light communication positioning


A distinct cultivar of Coprosma plant named xe2x80x98Fire Burstxe2x80x99, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant form; freely branching growth habit; and dark green, pale pink and bright ed tri-colored foliage.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Coprosma hybrida cultivar Fire Burst.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coprosma plant, botanically known as Coprosma hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Fire Burstxe2x80x99.
The new Coprosma was discovered by the Inventor in 1999 in a controlled environment in Palmerston North, New Zealand, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Coprosma hybrida cultivar Rainbow Surprise, not patented. The new Coprosma was selected by the Inventor on the basis of its uniquely-colored foliage.
Asexual reproduction of the new Coprosma by cuttings in a controlled environment in Palmerston, New Zealand since Aug. 10, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Coprosma are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Fire Burst have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Fire Burstxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Fire Burstxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant form.
2. Freely branching growth habit.
3. Dark green, pale pink and bright red tri-colored foliage.
Plants of the cultivar Fire Burst are most similar to plants of the parent, the cultivar Rainbow Surprise. Plants of the new Coprosma differ from plants of the cultivar Rainbow Surprise in foliage coloration as plants of the new Coprosma have leaves with dark green-colored centers and bright red-colored margins whereas plants of the cultivar Rainbow Surprise have leaves with medium green-colored centers and bright pink-colored margins.


An inflatable endurance unmanned vehicle includes an inflatable hull with at least one inflatable wing extending therefrom. The inflatable wing has at least one spar movable between an extended position and a retracted position. Photovoltaic arrays are used to power the vehicle during daytime operation and power an electrolyzer. A fuel cell powers the vehicle during nighttime operation.

Use of airborne vehicles for military surveillance and communication platforms is well known in the art. Lighter-than-air balloons were initially used to observe enemy forces to obtain battlefield intelligence. Aerostats of today perform essentially the same function and may also facilitate communications between distant forces by relaying information utilizing the aerostat as a communications platform. AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) planes can perform some of the same functions.
The use of aerostats is problematic inasmuch as they are usually tethered to a ground location and for the most part are stationary. In other words, aerostats are not easily moved from one location to another once they are deployed. It is also difficult to position, deploy and retrieve aerostats in inclement weather. And known self-powered aerostats must be retrieved for re-fueling. Accordingly, any communications link provided by such an aerostat is unavailable during re-fueling. Airplanes that provide communication platforms can move about, but they must be continually refueled and as such cannot stay aloft for extended periods of time. Airplanes are also somewhat limited in the altitude that they can reach to facilitate long range communications. And due to lack of fly-over rights and needed regional support facilities, some areas may not be conducive to use of airplanes with communications equipment.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an unmanned aerial vehicle that is easily deployed and that can stay aloft at high altitudes for extended periods of time. There is also a need for such a vehicle that is retrievable and that can be re-deployed after minimal servicing.

Inflatable endurance unmanned aerial vehicle


The possibility of the loss of information stored in a memory cell which is caused by repeating the reading action on the same memory cell comprising a variable resistance element and a select transistor can significantly be reduced. A voltage applying circuit for selecting one or more of the memory cells from a memory cell array and applying voltages to the word lines, bit lines, and source lines for programming, erasing, and reading information applies a voltage between the bit line and the source line connected to the selected memory cell so that the voltage applied between the two ports of the variable resistance element in the selected memory cell during the reading action is equal in the polarity to one of the voltages applied between the two ports of the variable resistance element for the programming action and the erasing action respectively whichever is greater in the absolute value.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device provided with a memory cell including a variable resistance element having two terminals, that can store information by varying its electric resistan ce between a first state and a second state when voltage having different polarities are separately applied to both ends thereof, and a select transistor whose source or drain is connected to one end of the variable resistance element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices including typically flash memories have widely been marketed for use in computers, communications apparatuses, measuring apparatuses, automatic controlling apparatuses, and house-hold appliances designed for personal use, as they are large in the storage capacity and small in the overall size. There is an increasing demand for providing less expensive, larger storage size nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices. This is because such nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices are electrically writable and capable of holding data when they have been de-energized and can thus be functioned as nonvolatile data storages or program storages where initial settings for operating the apparatuses are stored in portable apparatuses such as memory cards or mobile telephones.
Also, as some other types of the nonvolatile semiconductor memories have been proposed employing novel materials, one of them is promisingly known an RRAM (resistance random access memory). The RRAM is based on a variable resistance element for changing the resistance to develop a memory function when receiving a current greater than the read current and favorable for future use as improved in the operation speed, the storage size, the power consumption, and the performance potential.
Disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2004-185755 (referred to as a prior art citation hereinafter) is a type of RRAM which comprises one or more arrays of nonvolatile memory cells, each cell including a variable resistance element, arranged in rows and columns and accompanied with a number of word lines and a number of bit lines arranged along the rows and the columns respectively for selecting one or more of the memory cells.
For instance, the variable resistance element of each memory cell in the RRAM is connected at one end to the source (or the drain) of a select transistor for storage of information through varying the electrical resistance. Also in the memory cell array, either the other end of the variable resistance element or the drain (or the source) of the select transistor is connected to a common bit line extending along one column while the other is connected to a common source line. The gate of the select transistor is connected to a common word line extending along one row. When the word line, the bit line, and the source line connected to its memory cell array of interest in the above arrangement are applied with their respective levels of the voltage determined to match the requirements of voltage application, the stored data in the memory cell can be written or read out.
For example, the memory cells in the memory cell array of the prior art citation are shown in FIG. 23. More particularly, as shown in FIG. 23, the variable resistance element 11 is connected at one end to the source of the select transistor 12 to build up a memory cell 10. The variable resistance elements 11 are connected at the other end to source lines SL1, SL2 while the select transistors 12 are connected at the drain to bit lines BL1 to BL4. Since the memory cell in the prior art citation is composed mainly of a series circuit of the variable resistance element and the select transistor, its select transistors aligned along an unselected row remain turned off (not conducted) thus to disconnect the current path which extends through the variable resistance elements in the memory cells other than the selected memory cell. This prevents the unselected memory cells connected to the same bit lines from interrupting the read action of the selected memory cell. Moreover, since the select transistor is connected between the bit lines and the variable resistance element in each memory cell, the variable resistance elements in the unselected memory cells are electrically isolated from the bit lines along the selected column to which the readout voltage is applied. This permits the variable resistance elements to remain free from any stress of the voltage, thus increasing the reliability in the data storage performance.
The RRAM in the prior art citation is proposed in which the variable resistance element is varied in the electric resistance by the action of electrical stress and its resistance level remains held after the removal of the electrical stress. The variable resistance element is made of, for example, an oxide material of a perovskite structure containing manganese which may be selected from Pr(1·x)CaxMnO3, La(1·x)CaxMnO3, La(1·x·y)CaxPbyMnO3 (where x<1, y<1, and x+y<1), Sr2FeMoO6,and Sr2FeWO6, or more specifically Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3, La0.65Ca0.35MnO3, and La0.65Ca0.175Pb0.175MnO3 in manganese oxide layer form.
The reading action on the memory cell array shown in FIG. 23 will now be described. The action starts with making the bit line select transistor 4 conductive which is connected to the selected bit line in order to supply the selected bit line connected to the memory cell to be read with a bias voltage. Simultaneously, the selected word line connected to the gate of the select transistor 3 in the memory cell to be read is turned to the high level by a word line driver 5 in order to make the select transistor 3 conductive. In addition, the source line is supplied with a reference voltage or 0 V (of the grounding voltage). As the result, a current path for the reading action is established extending from the selected bit line at the bias voltage through the select transistor 3 and the variable resistance element 2 in the memory cell to be read to the source line at the grounding voltage level. Meanwhile, as for the unselected memory cells, the unselected word lines are turned to the low level, for example, 0 V by the word line driver 5 and the unselected bit lines are turned to the low level, for example, 0 V or the open state (at a high impedance level). As a result, there is no current path from the selected bit line to the source line other than the current path for the reading action to pass through the variable resistance element in the memory cell to be read. As the change in the electric resistance in the variable resistance element in the memory cell to be read is interpreted to a change in the current which runs through the bit line in response to the application of voltages across the bit line, the word line, an the source line, the current change is analyzed by the readout circuit thus to correctly pick the information from the memory cell to be read. Moreover, since the variable resistance elements in the unselected memory cells and the selected bit line are electrically disconnected, the variable resistance elements in the unselected memory cells directly receive no voltage stress from the bit line even if the reading action is repeatedly carried out with the same bit line. Accordingly, any change in the resistance of the variable resistance element or the erase or the loss of information stored in the variable resistance element caused by the voltage stress will significantly be minimized. In other words, the semiconductor memory device will be improved in the reliability of data storage.
However, the semiconductor memory device described above is contemplated for inhibiting the loss of information stored in the memory cells not to be read during the reading action on the selected memory cell to be read but fails to avoid the loss of information stored in the selected memory cell to be read. Accordingly, when the selected memory cell to be read is repeatedly subjected to the reading action a number of times, its stored information may be lost due to a change in the resistance caused by the readout voltage which is applied directly to the variable resistance element, whereby its reliability of data storage will be declined.
The prior art citation protects the variable resistance element in the memory cell not to be read from directly receiving a stress of voltage from the bit line and can thus inhibit any change in the resistance or the loss of information stored in the variable resistance element. It can however fail to eliminate the probability of the loss of information stored in the variable resistance element in the selected memory cell to be read.
The loss of information stored in the selected memory cell may be triggered by the fact that, while the writing action on the variable resistance element is carried out through varying the resistance level of the variable resistance element or more particularly applying a first readout voltage to between the two ports of the variable resistance element for shifting the resistance level from a first state to a second state and applying a second readout voltage for shifting the resistance level from the second state to the first state, the action of reading the resistance level of the variable resistance element is equally carried out through applying the readout voltage to between the two ports of the variable resistance element. In brief, the loss may be caused by the voltage application to the variable resistance element which is carried out in the writing action and the reading action element in the same way although the absolute values of the applied voltages are different between the actions. Accordingly, when the reading action is repeatedly conducted, the resistance level or the information stored in the variable resistance element may be lost at higher possibility.


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates keeping track of memory usage of tasks in a shared heap. The system operates by performing a garbage collection operation on the shared heap, wherein the garbage collection operation is a compacting garbage collection operation which preserves the ordering of objects within the shared heap. The system determines a memory usage for each task in the shared heap by adding the memory usage for intervals containing objects for each task in the shared heap to the memory usage count for each task to produce an actual memory usage for each task. This garbage collection may or may not be a generational garbage collection operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to virtual machines within computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for keeping track of memory usage for tasks in a shared heap without performing a full garbage-collection operation.
2. Related Art
The Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME™), has become very popular in the wireless device space. Motorola, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, RIM, Siemens, and many other key players in the wireless device industry have recently started shipping J2ME-enabled devices in very high volume. It has been estimated that over 200 million J2ME-enabled mobile phones were shipped in 2003 alone.
In order to effectively run applications on the new memory-constrained computing devices, a number of techniques have been developed to conserve memory. One promising technique involves providing a shared heap wherein objects from different tasks can be stored. This can greatly save memory space in comparison to the conventional technique of providing a separate heap for each thread. However, this shared heap technique complicates both garbage-collection operations and memory accounting operations.
In traditional non-memory-constrained computing systems, additional data structures, such as lookup tables, can be used to keep track of memory allocation by individual tasks. However, in memory-constrained computing devices, memory is extremely scarce. It is consequently impractical to use additional data structures to keep track of memory allocation, because the additional space used by the data structures would largely eliminate the space savings gained by using a shared heap.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for keeping track of memory usage for tasks in a shared heap without the problems listed above.

Method and apparatus for keeping track of memory usage for tasks in a shared heap