A dimmer fixture has a ballast board 10, a main board 40 and switch 70. The ballast board and main board have no inductors so the fixture may be used for fluorescent and incandescent lamps. The ballast board 10 has two bridge circuits 14, 16 and two dc voltage regulators. A delay circuit 24 prevents the VCO 26 for operating for long enough to allow fluorescent lamps to warm up. The main board has four power MOSFETS or IGBTs. One of devices Q1 and Q2 is always on. One of devices Q3, Q4 completes the drive to the lamps. Control signals on ballast board 10 operate the power devices Q1-Q4.

The present invention relates to energy conservation dimmers for use on fluorescent lamps.
Fluorescent lamps, like fluorescent lamps and sodium vapor lamps, are a common feature today in commercial, industrial and increasingly in residential applications. A typical fluorescent lamp requires about a third or less of the electrical power of an incandescent bulb to produce the same amount of light and generally has a longer working life than an incandescent bulb. The efficiency of fluorescent lamps makes them an obvious choice for reducing lighting costs.
Coupled with the increased demand for fluorescent lamps was the demand and development of light level control devices which would allow users to reduce light output and power consumption when maximum illumination from the lamps is not needed. Despite the numerous improvements that have been made to such dimming control devices, current dimming technology is still unable to efficiently match the reduced light output with a corresponding reduction in power consumption. As a result dimmed fluorescent lamps often use more power than is necessary to maintain light levels at less than maximum illumination.
A significant period of inefficient power use occurs during the initial startup of the lamp. Generally fluorescent lamps require time to warm up before they reach full effectiveness. If the illumination is set to less than maximum during this time, the lamp will take longer to heat up and will use more power to do so. This limitation has been recognized in the prior art which have put forward several solutions to this problem, but generally circumvent the problem by inhibiting the dimming control during the lamp start-up phase. However, there are further energy-saving control steps that may be taken.
Prior art dimmer controls and ballast were often large circuits or systems. Multiple lamps were controlled by a central processor because the electronic circuitry for controlling an individual lamp was large and expensive. Many systems used microprocessors to control the lamps. Prior art systems also used inductors to limit the current in the lamps. Fluorescent lamps are negative resistance devices. Once they turn on, their resistance decreases. In order to limit the current in the lamp circuit other use inductors. But inductors are inefficient and waste power through heat.
Electronic ballast operates at a high frequency of 20-60 kHz whereas the conventional magnetic ballast operates at 50/60 Hz. The high frequency operation of the fluorescent lamp improves the efficiency by approximately 10 percent because of the increase in phosphor excitation. Flicker is also eliminated. Instant start is possible even at low supply voltage. Lamp life time is hence extended because coating of the filament can last longer.
Electronic ballasts operate at frequencies in the range of tens of kHz. By controlling the frequency, the power applying to the lamp is varied and hence the luminous output can be adjusted. Dimmable electronic ballast uses a low DC voltage or a rheostat to adjust the light output. It is typical to dim a lamp down to about 10 percent of its full brightness.
The present invention seeks to reduce the inefficiency of dimming control of fluorescent lamps by providing a more effective energy saving dimming control circuit. The invention also provides a relatively small control circuit that may fit into a standard two gang electrical junction box that is commonly used to hold an electrical receptacle or switch.


Methods and systems for implementing experimental trials on utility grids. Variations in grid parameters are selected to introduce into utility grids to improve the value of learning from each experimental trial and promoting improved utility grid performance by computing expected values for both learning and grid performance. Those trials are used to manage the opportunity costs and constraints that affect the introduction of variations into utility grid parameters and the generation of valid data that can be attributed to particular variations in utility grid parameters.

The performance of utilities grids—their reliability, safety, and efficiency—can be drastically improved through sensing key parameters and using those results to direct the operations and maintenance of the grid, by identifying faults, directing appropriate responses, and enabling active management such as incorporating renewable sources into electrical grids while maintaining power quality.
Sensor networks are often used to monitor utilities grids. These sensor networks may include smart meters located at the ends of the grid, sensors at grid nodes, and sensors on or around the utilities lines, these sensors measuring grid parameters such as flow rates in water grids, power quality in electrical grids, or pressures in utilities grids. These sensors are transducers, usually outputting analog signals representative of the measured properties. These outputs need to be characterized to map to specific values of those properties, and/or classified so that they may represent particular states of the world, such as a potential leak that requires investigation, or identification of a difference in phases when incorporating a renewable resource into an electrical grid. Characterization of sensors is usually done through bench testing, while the sensors may have various interferences in the environment surrounding them; in-situ characterization of sensors on a utility grid monitoring network would be preferred, but is difficult for the large numbers of sensors used to monitor a utilities grid.
The trend in analyzing sensor data and directing responses is "big data," which uses large amounts of grid historical data to build models used for classification and direction of responses. These big data models, however, are limited to correlations, as they mine historical data to build the models, limiting their effectiveness for actively directing treatments or making fine adjustments. Further, these big data models typically require large volumes of data that prevent highly granular understandings of grid conditions at particular grid nodes or locations or that can only achieve such granularity after long operations; some have applied machine learning techniques and improved models to increase speed and granularity, but even these approaches continue to rely on correlations from passively collected historical data.
Signal injections have been used to highlight grid faults, such as discovering nodes where power is being illegally drawn from an AC power grid, or to test grid-wide response to large changes in high levels of the grid, such as at the HVDC distribution level. These signal injections have been large, individual, and human mediated, and used to evaluate the system, not the sensors monitoring the system.
Utilities grid management would benefit greatly from real-time cause-and-effect understanding of sensor responses, remedying the issues with big data smart grid approaches and allowing for real-time, granular, and fine-tuned grid monitoring and management.

Systems and methods for maximizing expected utility of signal injection test patterns in utility grids


An image display system including: an image acquisition section that acquires a specific number of images of an imaging subject by imaging with an imaging section from different respective imaging positions; a detection section that detects regions of attention expressing specific loci of attention in each of the specific number of images acquired by the image acquisition section; and a selection section that selects, from combinations of the images, a combination of images for display as images on a display section, the combination of images having a minimum number of images having all of the loci of attention expressed by the regions of attention detected by the detection section in the specific number of images.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image display system.
2. Related Art
There are previously known radiographic imaging devices (imaging devices) that perform radiographic imaging for the purpose of medical diagnostics. For such types of radiographic imaging device, there is, for example, a known technique for performing tomosynthesis imaging to image a breast of an investigation subject from plural angles, for purposes such as early diagnosis of breast cancer.
The slice images acquired of the breast by tomosynthesis imaging with images acquired from plural angles are particularly effective for highly dense (with many mammary glands) breasts (known as dense breasts). An example of the reason for this is that during imaging from one angle the transmission rate of mammary glands is low, and so although there is a risk of misdiagnosis if, for example, a tumor does not show up on an image due to the presence of mammary glands masking the tumor, the tumor becomes more readily picked up in the images by imaging from plural angles.
There are also known 3-dimensional viewing systems by which the breast can be viewed at a whole all at once.
However, the display of slice images only provides fragmentary data, and for a 3-dimensional image, consideration needs to be given to a combination made from the slice images, with the possibility of this leading to a tumor being overlooked. It is also necessary to check all of the plural slice images, with the possibility that this leads to the time for interpretation being longer than previously.
In a 3-dimensional system, there is an advantage as a tool by which the breast can be envisaged all at once, however, since the data amount for displaying the breast as a whole is based on data from two images taken from a limited angular field of view of about 4 to 10 degrees, the amount of data is not sufficient in comparison to the amount of data obtained from the great number of images acquired by tomosynthesis imaging, and in particular it is not sufficient to find tumors and the like in dense breasts.
Note that while there is a technique to detect regions of interest by computer aided detection (CAD) as a means to shorten the duration for interpreting slice images obtained by tomosynthesis imaging, in order to reach an opinion, a 3-dimensional image of the breast must be considered, and this takes time for interpretation. The regions of interest, for example, refer to regions of attention expressing loci of attention on the images. An example of a locus of attention is a calcified location.


The present invention provides for a method of manufacturing a preform for a RTM molding process that will increase both the handling capability of the preform and the final part quality. The invention consists of applying a patterned discontinuous layer of liquid resin over at least one side of a layer of reinforcing fibers. The resin film can consist of a homogeneous liquid, an aqueous dispersion or a melted resin applied at an elevated temperature. In one embodiment, there is present a roller having a patterned surface. Liquid resin is applied to the surface of the patterned roller via a second roller. The layer of reinforcing fibers is passed by the roller in such a fashion that the resin from the pattern on the surface of the roller is transferred to the layer of reinforcing fibers. The contact of the roller with the layer of reinforcing fibers is sufficient to force some of the resin into the fibers themselves. After the resin is applied, the layer of reinforcing fibers with resin is passed through an additional process to cause the resin to turn into a solid flexible coating. The layer of fiber is then wrapped onto a cardboard roll or similar type material and packaged for storage or shipment.

This invention relates to the manufacture of a fiber reinforced composite article using resin transfer molding, and, and more particularly, to an improved method of adhering or bonding the layers of composite fabrics made of fibrous material to provide an improved composite preform.
Because of its high strength to weight ratio, fiber reinforced composite structures have become attractive for aerospace applications, such as parts for airframes and propulsion power plants including gas turbine engines. These structures, made from fiber-reinforced materials, such as yams, fibers, filaments and the like, have substantial rigidity and other properties, which make them desirable for many applications. Certain of the composite fabrics comprising these structures even have sufficient rigidity and strength so that they can be formed into components previously made from metals. For example, many composite fabrics have sufficient strength, rigidity, impact resistance and other desirable properties to make them useful materials for gas turbine blade members, for example, fan blades for jet engines.
Resin transfer molding (RTM) is one process used to make these fiber-reinforced composite structures. Layers of reinforcing material of a predetermined shape, known as preforms, are loaded into a mold, and a thermosetting or EM wavelength activated resin binder is injected into the mold and cured by known procedures to provide a finished composite piece. Molding of such parts has been relatively time consuming and labor intensive, in part, because of the need to properly position and align the layers of preform accurately in the mold.
In order to mechanically hold the preform layers of substantially dry reinforcing fabrics and to prevent damage to the yams, fibers and/or filaments in the stacked assembly of such dry fabric layers during various operations, a resin, usually a thermoplastic, is used as a binder or xe2x80x9ctackifierxe2x80x9d to stiffen the reinforcing fabric and hold it in place before the molding process begins.
Methods of impregnating fiber with a tackifier are well known. For example, in U.S Pat. No. 5,382,148, a tackifier having two distinct curing stages is continuously applied by way of a sprayer as a spray to a glass fiber mat to effectuate a thin, penetrating random disposition of droplets. Upon curing of both stages, a rigid preform is produced.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,260 discloses a spray-up process, wherein chopped glass roving or other chopped fiber reinforcement material is sprayed onto a forming mandrel from a chopper gun. The fibers may be resin coated or a small amount of resin may be introduced into the stream of chopped fibers to cause it to be retained on the mandrel. A web is then placed in direct contact with and encapsulates at least a portion of the sprayed reinforcement material.
Similar methods, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,467 utilize a fiber nozzle to blow a stream of chopped fibers onto a screen, and a tackifier nozzle to continuously spray tackifier into the fiber stream. A ducted fan creates a vacuum and helps to draw and hold the fibers onto the screen.
Other prior art methods, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,318, set forth processes in which individual fiber plies are sprinkled with a solid powder of the tackifier. The powder is heated to fuse it onto the surface of the substrate and then cooled to solidify it. The different plies can be stacked together, heated to fuse the plies together, and then cooled leaving a preform to be placed into a mold for use in an ordinary RTM process. The tackifier, in powder form, is not applied to the fiber plies in any predetermined discontinuous pattern, and preferably is applied evenly across the plies.
The RTM process consists of placing these preforms of predetermined shape into a mold. The mold is closed, and vacuum may or may not be applied to the closed mold. A liquid resin is injected into the mold, the resin injection process continuing until the mold is completely filled and no resin free areas are left in the mold. At the completion of the injection process, the resin is then cured in the case of reactive resin systems, or it is cooled in the case of thermoplastic resin systems. Upon cooling, the mold is opened and the part is removed.
Critical to the success of the RTM process is the construction of the preform. The preform must be constructed in such a manner as to allow for handling and placement into the RTM mold. Stabilization of the preform is achieved by applying tackifier to the surface of each layer of reinforcing fibers. The amount of tackifier and its location on the layer of reinforcing fibers can greatly affect the handleability, the stackability and the injectability of the preform.
One problem with the above described methods of applying the tackifier is that powder systems can result in a layer of powder that will not go into solution in the RTM resin, significantly reducing the mechanical properties in the final part. Continuous film spraying methods may leave too much resin on the layer of reinforcing fibers resulting in reduced RTM resin injection capability thereby weakening the final part, lack of flexibility in the preform and high potential for void formation in the final part.
There is, therefor, a continuous need for improved designs for preform manufacturing methods that will increase both handling capability and quality of the final part. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.
The present invention provides for a method of manufacturing a preform that will increase both the handling capabilities of the preform and the final part quality. The invention consists of applying a patterned discontinuous layer of liquid resin over one or both sides of a layer of reinforcing fibers. The resin film can consist of a homogeneous liquid, an aqueous dispersion of resin powder or particles or a resin applied at an elevated temperature at which it is fluid, but which solidifies on cooling to ambient temperatures.
In one embodiment, there is present a roller having a patterned surface. Liquid resin is applied to the surface of the patterned roller. The layer of reinforcing fibers is passed over the roller, contacting the surface so that the resin from the pattern on the surface of the roller is transferred to the layer of reinforcing fibers. The contact of the roller with the layer of reinforcing fibers is sufficient to force some of the resin between the fibers themselves. After the resin is applied, the layer of reinforcing fibers with resin is passed through an additional process to cause the resin to turn into a solid flexible coating. The layer of fiber is then wrapped onto a cardboard roll or similar type material and packaged for storage or subsequent shipment.
One advantage of the present invention is that the patterned roller provides a reduced amount of tackifier resin, but sufficient resin to adhere layers for handling purposes and placing them in a preform, resulting in a significant decrease in the probability of the tackifier not going into solution in the RTM resin.
Another advantage is that decreasing the amount of resin applied to the layer of reinforcing fibers increases the preform flexibility. This is especially important when subsequent process operations are needed on the preform to achieve net shape or near net shape prior to loading into the RTM molding tool.
Still another advantage is that the method of applying the tackifier of the present invention can be used with any type of fiber, such as carbon fibers, graphic fibers, glass fibers, aramid fibers or any combination thereof.
Yet another advantage is that the present method has the flexibility to use resins that are liquid at room temperature as well as those resins that become liquid at elevated temperature.
The present invention also has the flexibility to be applied to one or both sides of the layer of reinforcing fibers and a further advantage in that the resin chemistry can be epoxy based, typically with curative bis-maleimides, and thermoplastic such as a polyester, or an aqueous system such as polyvinyl alcohol.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the discontinuous film of tackifier resin applies by the patterned roller to the layer of reinforcing fibers enhances the subsequent resin flow through the fiber preform during the RTM process.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

Method of preparing preforms for RTM molding processes


A memory cell of a SRAM has two drive MISFETs and two vertical MISFETs. The p channel vertical MISFETs are formed above the n channel drive MISFETs. The vertical MISFETs respectively mainly consist of a square pole laminate formed of a lower semiconductor layer, intermediate semiconductor layer and upper semiconductor layer laminated in this sequence, a gate insulating film of silicon oxide formed on the surface of the side wall of the laminate, and a gate electrode formed so as to cover the side wall of the laminate. The vertical MISFETs are perfect depletion type MISFETs.

This invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device, and to a technique for effectively applying the device and method to a semiconductor memory device comprising a SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) in which a memory cell is formed from four MISFETs.
An SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), which is a type of general-purpose mass semiconductor memory device, may comprise four n channel type MISFETs (Metal Insulator Field Effect Transistors) and two p channel type MISFETs for example. However, in a "perfect CMOS" (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) SRAM, which is of the same type, six MISFETs are arranged in a principal surface of a semiconductor substrate, so that reduction of the memory cell size is difficult.

Semiconductor memory device and a method of manufacturing the same


Disclosed is a radio frequency (RF) antenna for plasma ion sources. The RF antenna includes a low-resistance metal tube having an inner and outer diameter. A low friction polymer tube also having an inner and outer diameter surrounds the low-resistance metal tube. The inner diameter of the polymer tube is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the low-resistance metal tube. A pre-formed quartz glass tube encases the low friction polymer tube and low-resistance metal tube. The quartz glass tube is pre-formed in a desired shape. A guide wire is attached inside one end of the low-resistance hollow metal tube. The flexible low friction polymer tube containing the low-resistance metal tubed may then be threaded through the quartz glass tube.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention relate to internal RF antennas for use with ion plasma sources. More particularly, the present invention relates to internal RF antennas for use with ion plasma sources that include a dielectric insulation component.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Plasmas are used in a variety of ways in semiconductor processing to implant wafers or substrates with various dopants, to deposit or to etch thin films. Such processes involve the directional deposition or doping of ions on or beneath the surface of a target substrate. Generally, plasmas are generated by supplying energy to a neutral gas introduced into a chamber to form charged carriers which are implanted into or deposited on the target substrate. The gas is ionized by any of several methods of plasma generation including, but not limited to DC glow discharge, capacitively coupled RF, inductively coupled RF, etc.
An RF source may have an antenna positioned external a dielectric window of an ion source chamber or have an antenna positioned inside the ion source chamber. In an RF source having an internal antenna, an induction coil or RF antenna is internally disposed in the ion source chamber and supplies energy to ionize gas introduced into the chamber. The RF antenna within the chamber usually takes the shape of a coil which includes power leads that extend through seals in the walls of the chamber. Since these RF antennas are exposed to the generated plasma within the ion source chamber, the antenna is usually protected by a dielectric coating such as glass, porcelain, alumina, etc. However, coated RF antenna coils generally have limited lifetimes because the coatings typically contain micro-pores or hair fractures that lead to punctures in the dielectric coating material when exposed to caustic RF plasma material. Alternatively, a glass tube may be used to insulate the antenna. These tubes have a shape corresponding to the conductive material being encased through a process of heating and bending. Since glass has a high melting point, the conductive metal must also have a high melting point to make the materials malleable enough to bend into the desired shape. Two often used metals are stainless steel and titanium. Stainless steel has a resistivity of approximately 69-75×10−8 Ω-m while titanium has a resistivity of approximately 42×10−8 Ω-m. Conductors with high resistivity lead to a large Q factor which generally refers to the quality factor of the transmitter coil. Conductors such as copper (1.7×10−8 Ω-m), aluminum (2.65×10−8 Ω-m), and silver (1.65×10−8 Ω-m) have lower resistivity as compared to stainless steel and titanium. Thus, the Q factor for titanium and stainless steel having high resistivity stainless steel and titanium is approximately 25-45 times lower as compared to a material such as copper which has a relatively lower resistivity metal such as copper. A material that has a high Q (e.g. stainless steel, titanium) antenna will be much less efficient and will suffer inductive losses as compared to a lower Q (copper, aluminum, silver) antenna. In addition, if the melting points of the glass and the metal conductor are too dissimilar, one may liquefy or become too malleable with respect to the other. The problem with high melting point metals is that they have higher electrical resistance properties which lead to an inefficient high Q for an RF antenna.
Some RF antennas may employ a conductive metal such as copper, but must then use a lower grade glass having a much lower melting point than quartz to maintain an acceptable range for the melting points of both materials. The use of a lower grade glass, however, introduces other unwanted characteristics such as sputtering that can lead to contamination issues and electrical shorting of the antenna to walls of the chamber. Extensive sputtering may eventually puncture the antenna casing (lower grade glass) which may lead to water leaks and flooding of the vacuum chamber of the ion source. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present improvements have been needed.

Internal RF antenna with dielectric insulation

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


A method for synthesizing functionalized bio-based crosslinkers including forming a first mixture by mixing a bio-based carboxylic acid with an alkaline solution and forming a second mixture containing a functionalized bio-based crosslinker by reacting the bio-based carboxylic acid with a modifier. The modifier includes at least one of an epoxide group and an acrylate group. Reacting the bio-based carboxylic acid with the modifier includes forming a reaction mixture by mixing the first mixture with the modifier and exposing the reaction mixture to at least one of heating, ultrasound radiation, and microwave radiation.

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are three-dimensional hydrophilic networks which absorb and retain large amounts of water and physiological solutions. Superabsorbent polymers are industrially fabricated using monomers, initiators, and crosslinkers in which type and content of the crosslinkers have a key role in determining the superabsorbent properties. However, SAPs fabricated using conventional crosslinkers may have limited applications due to their poor physicochemical and swelling characteristics.
Moreover, conventional crosslinkers are generally composed of fossil-based materials which cause environmental pollution and have limited resources. There is a lot of interest in replacing fossil-based crosslinkers with renewable materials for fabricating the SAPs. As a result, bio-based materials are suitable candidates due to their sustainability, safety, and cost-effectiveness. For example, biomass is a huge sustainable source for the production of different chemicals, such as lactic acid, itaconic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, and citric acid.
Hence, there is a need for a simple and efficient method for synthesizing bio-based crosslinkers. Also, there is a need for bio-based crosslinkers which may be utilized as an internal crosslinker for fabricating cost-effective SAPs with improved swelling properties and which may be used as an external crosslinker for surface treatment of SAP particles.


A changer assembly and a playard are disclosed. The changer assembly is adapted for installation on a skeleton of a playard and includes an attachment base and a changer frame. The attachment base includes a mount structure attached to the skeleton and a guiding structure connected to the mount structure and outwardly extended with respect to a circumferential side of the skeleton. The changer frame is rotatably and slidably connected to the guiding structure and detachably engaging with an upper side of the skeleton for being capable of moving from a first position above the upper side to a second position beside the circumferential side by disengaging from the upper side and rotating on and sliding along the guiding structure. Thereby, the playard equipped with the changer assembly needs no additional space outside the playard for storing the changer frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a changer assembly and a playard with changer, and especially relates to a movable changer and a playard with stow-away changer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Playards are used to contain and provide a safe environment for a child for sleeping or playing. Due to the widespread use of playards, considerable effort has been devoted to increase their versatility to caregivers. Some accessories that have been added to playards are changing tables (or "changers"), bassinets and newborn sleep areas (or "nappers"). Many playards currently on the market are sold with a changing station, allowing for convenient changing of an infant's diaper. When this changer is not in use, it is usually removed from the playard or moved to a storage position by the caregiver. There are also numerous methods used for moving the changer to a storage position when not in use, such as rotating the changer out of the way. Most of the current methods require additional space around the outside of the playard for that movement.

Changer assembly and playard with stow-away changer


The invention provides a device and a method for extending the bandwidth of short wavelength and long wavelength fiber optic lengths. The invention provides for an optical transmitter package device comprising: a laser diode; and a semiconductor optical amplifier connected directly after and in close proximity to the laser diode, wherein the semiconductor optical amplifier is adapted to operate in a frequency domain such that the semiconductor optical amplifier filters and reshapes optical wavelengths from the laser diode, and wherein the semiconductor optical amplifier is biased below an amplification threshold for the semiconductor optical amplifier. The device may also comprises a feedback circuit which comprises an optical splitter, wherein the feedback circuit samples reshaped optical output from the semiconductor optical amplifier and dynamically adjusts one or both of the semiconductor optical amplifier and the laser diode. In the case of a multimode fiber, the present invention provides the additional ability to provide a controlled offset launch into the fiber and the ability to control modal noise devoid of a specialized optical connector.

1. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the invention generally relate to high speed data communications protocols, and, more particularly, to Fiber Channel Protocol (FCP) and Fiber Connectivity (FICON) links and including, but not limited to, such protocols such as Ethernet for networking, storage and related applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Across the data communication industry, Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP) and Fiber Connectivity (FICON) protocols are used for networking, storage, and related applications. It will be understood to those of skill in the art that the term FCP in the present disclosure is interchangeable with the term FICON because the disclosure of the invention set forth herein relates to the physical layer properties of these protocols. Fiber optic links have been defined for FCP protocol operating at several data rates as defined by ANSI. Currently, 1 Gbit/s and 2 Gbit/s links are most commonly used, although higher data rates such as 4 Gbits/s and above are beginning to emerge. Since FCP has become established as a critical enabler for computer networks, adopting higher bandwidth FCP links would be beneficial. FCP is defined as supporting 4 Gbit/s data rates over up to 10 km over single-mode fiber. The implementation of 4 Gbit/s and higher data rates over single-mode fiber with long wavelength (LX) sources (e.g., 1300 nm center wavelength) in a cost effective and efficient manner remains a challenge.
One way to support 4 Gbits/sec data rate is by using a distributed feedback (DFB) laser. A DFB laser can support a 4 Gbits/s data rate at 10 km over single-mode fiber, but tends to be expensive relative to Fabry-Perot lasers. The Fabry-Perot (FP) lasers are used reliably in lower data rate and shorter (e.g., 3-5 km) FCP links. To enable FP lasers to function at the 4 Gbit/s rate over 10 km additional complexity is required in the design to comply the FCP standard.
Short wavelength (SX) optical pulses, as well as LX pulses, present excessive dispersion as optical pulses propagate down the fuser with the implementation of 4 Gbit/s and higher data rates over multi-mode fiber with short wavelength (SX) light sources (e.g., 850 nm). Dispersion is a function of laser center wavelength and spectral width. SX links are typically specified in the range of 100-300 meters, compared with 10 km for an LX link. Even in fairly short optical links, dispersion is a limiting factor for BER performance.
Optical communication links require amplification (e.g., semiconductor optical amplifiers, semiconductor laser amplifiers, doped fiber amplifiers, etc.) to extend their distances for applications such as disaster recovery in a storage area network. Semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) have proved useful in this regard. An SOA functions much like an in-line semiconductor laser diode that is optically pumped. In conventional applications which require extremely long distances, the most desirable conventional feature of the SOA is high gain. Conventional SOAs are designed with a broad spectral width to accommodate a wider range of input devices (and possible wavelength multiplexing in some cases). It amplifies incoming optical signals without requiring optical/electrical conversions.
The SOA is itself very similar in construction to a Fabry Perot semiconductor laser diode, using a mirrored optical cavity to affect gain in the direction of propagation for an optical signal. The mirrors are used to increase the effective path length through the gain medium, and hence increase the overall gain. The SOA may offer potential advantages over other optical amplification technologies such as doped fiber amplifiers. However, the invention disclosed herein may be practiced with any semiconductor optical amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which can be biased with respect to their threshold setting and easily integrated with a laser package, as one known to those of skill in the art. The SOA can be monolithically integrated with other semiconductor devices on a common chip or substrate and mass produced at low cost. SOAs can easily amplify light at various wavelengths including 1300 nm and 850 nm. The SOA is a low cost solution to amplify the 1300 nm and 850 nm wavelength windows most commonly used in data communication systems such as FCP (other industry standards, including Ethernet, also use the same wavelength windows). SOAs are often used in gain clamping configurations. To optimize the achievable distance, SOAs may also be positioned near the middle of a long distance optical link.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,784, herein incorporated by reference, discloses a distributed feed back laser device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,126, herein incorporated by reference, discloses a tunable Fabry-Perot laser device and a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,894,833, herein incorporated by reference, discloses a semiconductor optical amplifier used to amplify laser output. U.S. Pat. No. 6,839,481, herein incorporated by reference, discloses a multimode optical fiber system.

Optical spectral filtering and dispersion compensation using semiconductor optical amplifiers

International Business Machines Corporation


A scanning display includes a light source and a scanning assembly. The light source is configured to emit source light from a plurality of rows of emitters that are arranged parallel to a first dimension. The scanning assembly includes at least one optical element that conditions the source light. The scanning assembly is configured to scan the conditioned source light along a second dimension that is orthogonal to the first dimension. The scanning assembly configured to output the scanned light over a portion of a target area of an output waveguide. And a brightness of the scanned image light offsets dimming caused by the output waveguide expanding the scanned light in at least one dimension.

This disclosure relates generally to a-near eye displays (NEDs), and in particular, to multi-line scanning displays for use in NEDs.
Conventional headsets used for presentation of content are quite bulky. And for artificial reality applications is desirable to have a light headset. The display for conventional headsets often includes one or more relatively large panels that provide image light to the eye using a somewhat bulky optical assembly. Accordingly, in order to provide a better user experience it is desirable to reduce form factor, weight, etc., of conventional displays. Moreover, it is desirable to do so in a manner that does not sacrifice brightness of content presented to the user.

Multi-line scanning display for near-eye displays


The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for deploying enterprise systems in cloud environments. In one implementation, a system for deploying an enterprise system in a cloud environment may include at least one processor configured to provide: one or more first containers hosting at least one application with at least one enterprise function; one or more second containers hosting at least one microservice configured to activate the at least one enterprise function; at least one application programming interface (API) between the at least one microservice and at least one client; and at least one gateway configured to manage access to the at least one API.

Many industries use systems built around processing cores to integrate different parts of a distributed system. For example, a utility company may use an energy core to track resource extraction, power plants, transmission lines, and the like using an integrated system. In another example, an insurance company may use an insurance core to track premiums, investments, customer information, and the like in an integrated and unified manner. Similarly, a bank may use a banking core to track deposits, interests, transactions, accounts, customer information, and the like. Indeed, any enterprise system may include a core to provide integration across the enterprise applications and services.
Processing cores and enterprise systems are typically very costly to set up. The time-cost often exceeds months, and the process generally requires extensive manual intervention. Moreover, an entire business may be rendered nonfunctional, to differing degrees, if the enterprise system crashes, either in whole or in part, during the lengthy time required to re-establish the enterprise system. Further, peripheral systems, such as a website for customers, mobile hardware devices connected to the enterprise system, and the like may be unusable due to the outage. An on-demand backup enterprise system using traditional architecture would be costly to set up leading to delays in bringing systems online if the crash is long-term. So, traditionally, organizations avoid time-delay by employing a second, pre-established enterprise system for use in the case of a catastrophic event. This results in wasted infrastructure that is not used most of the time.
The inventors recognized a need to quickly and efficiently deploy enterprise systems and backup enterprise systems for initial deployment, system upgrades, and during cases of catastrophic outage. Existing enterprise systems employ architectures that result in a heavy time-cost (e.g., on the order of weeks or months) to set up or update and generally require close human supervision and manual review, e.g., of importing data and of importing custom applications, services, and configurations for the enterprise core. Existing enterprise systems cannot be deployed on the order of hours due, in part, to the need for human supervision and manual porting of custom applications and services.

Systems and methods for rapid booting and deploying of an enterprise system in a cloud environment


Examples of the present disclosure describe systems and methods for monitoring the security privileges of a process. In aspects, when a process is created, the corresponding process security token and privilege information is detected and recorded. At subsequent “checkpoints,” the security token is evaluated to determine whether the security token has been replaced, or whether new or unexpected privileges have been granted to the created process. When a modification to the security token is determined, a warning or indication of the modification is generated and the process may be terminated to prevent the use of the modified security token.

Various forms of malware utilize vulnerabilities in operating system code to enable attackers to access and modify the security privileges available to a process, application or service. In many instances, such vulnerabilities enable shellcode to execute in a high-privileged, secured mode. Attackers customize the shellcode to steal or provide access to security information for high-privileged system processes. The stolen security information is used to replace the security information for a low-privileged process, thereby exploiting a "privilege escalation" vulnerability in the system.
It is with respect to these and other general considerations that the aspects disclosed herein have been made. Also, although relatively specific problems may be discussed, it should be understood that the examples should not be limited to solving the specific problems identified in the background or elsewhere in this disclosure.

Security privilege escalation exploit detection and mitigation


An encoding system for encoding a first ancillary code in media data and monitoring for reception of a second ancillary code that has a higher priority than the first ancillary code, such that upon detection of the higher priority ancillary code the encoding system modifies a characteristic and/or characteristics of the first ancillary code.

In the United States, the Emergency Alert System ("EAS") replaced the older Emergency Broadcast System in January 1997. The EAS allows the President of the United States of America, or one of his representatives, to address the Nation during national emergency situations. EAS places the Nation's broadcast and cable industries at the President's disposal for addressing the Nation. The Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"), along with the National Weather Service ("NWS") and the Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA"), implement EAS.
EAS utilizes Audio Frequency Shift Keying ("AFSK") to send a data signal on a broadcast station's main audio channel. Weekly tests of the AFSK, and monthly on-air tests for television and radio stations are performed by EAS. The utilization of AFSK allows EAS to send data to unattended stations. The EAS equipment receives a message, interrupts a station's regular programming, sends the alert warning, and then automatically returns the station to normal programming.
There is also a large interest in identifying and/or measuring audience exposure to audio data in order to provide market information to, for instance, advertisers and media distributors, for any purpose for which an estimation of audience receipt or exposure is desired.
One technique utilized for audience measurement involves adding an ancillary code to the audio data for use in producing audience estimates. An encoder is typically utilized by the radio station, broadcast TV station or cable location to insert an inaudible code into the audio spectrum of the media source. These signals are then received and decoded at the audience location to uniquely identify the program signal.
However, when an EAS signal passes through such an encoder, the characteristics of the EAS signal may be modified. The modified EAS signal may not operate properly with the studio broadcast equipment. A typically improper operation could be, for instance, the studio control equipment failing to detect and activate in response to an EAS signal, or the studio control equipment failing to turn off from EAS mode once the EAS broadcast has been completed.
As the EAS is maintained for use in national emergency situations, it is vital that nothing interfere with the EAS broadcast transmission.
However, it is also very important to advertisers and media distributors that they receive comprehensive audience measurement information. Therefore, any interruption in the identification of a program signal that an audience is exposed to should be minimized.
Therefore, what is desired is to provide an encoding system that will not interfere with the effective detection of an EAS code and/or another higher priority code.
It is further desired to provide an encoding system that will minimize any interruption in audience measurement after an EAS code or another higher priority code is detected.
It is further desired to provide an encoding system that will reliably ensure that the audience measurement system will continue to function after the cessation of the EAS code or other higher priority code.

Ensuring EAS performance in audio signal encoding


An integrated system for the running and control of machines and equipment (10), in particular for the treatment of foodstuff, comprising an electronic circuit card (11), installed in the machine (10) and equipped with a relative microprocessor (12), suitable for controlling the machine (10), and a modem device on a network line (13), suitable for transmitting a series of data and/or information onto the machine (10) , such as periods of use, diagnostics, maintenance expiry dates etc.; data and/or information are conveyed through the electric feeding line of the machines (10), to a central unit or collector (14) which, in turn, sends the data received to a central collecting and processing unit, via GSM (17, 18) and/or e-mail (19), through Internet.

The present invention relates to a control and management system of equipment and/or machines in general, to be integrated to each machine, which allows the remote acquisition of specific information on the functioning of the machine relating to the periods of use, diagnostics, maintenance expiry dates, etc.
The invention relates, in particular, to a control and running system of machines and equipment for restaurants, machines for the treatment of foodstuff, such as, for example, slicing machines, blenders, cutters, mixers, bagging machines, coffee grinders, potato peeling machines, citrus fruit squeezers, mincing machines, etc.
The idea arose from the observation that national large-scale retail trades are increasingly concentrating their interest on their own activities, delegating the management of the equipment to third parties.
This in fact facilitates the management of rented machines and the whole distribution system and, above all, there are fixed overall operating costs, which can be estimated beforehand.
A general objective of the present invention is to provide an integrated system for the running and control of machines and equipment, in particular for the treatment of foodstuff, which allows the remote acquisition of a series of data and/or information such as periods of use, diagnostics, anomalies, maintenance expiry dates, etc. relating to the functioning of each of the machines distributed by the management, for renting, in the various sales points.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an integrated system for the running and control of machines and equipment, in particular for the treatment of foodstuff, which allows data and information to be collected, relating to the machines and equipment directly in the sales point and also allows said information and/or functions to be transmitted to the management, to one or more resellers and/or to the whole distribution network.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide an integrated system for the running and control of machines and equipment, in particular for the treatment of foodstuff, which is particularly effective, comfortable and safe, which also simplifies the entire management of the equipment and allows fixed costs for the management, which can be estimated in advance.

Integrated system for the running and control of machines and equipment, in particular for the treatment of foodstuff


An electrophotographic photoreceptor belt which is excellent in durability and therefore little cracks even when fingerprints of an operator or hand cream adheres to the belt, wherein a binder resin for photosensitive layers comprising as the main component a polycarbonate resin which comprises bisphenol A type constituent units represented by the formula (I) as the main constituent unit (preferably in an amount of at least 90% by weight based on the whole of the constituent units) and which has a limiting viscosity of 1 to 1.6 dl/g and preferably a molecular weight distribution of 3.2 to 4.3 as calculated from the weight-average molecular weight and number-average molecular weight determined by GPC is used in a photosensitive layer (particularly carrier transport layer) of the belt.

Currently, as a technology which enables with ease a high speed, miniaturization, and an increase in the size of copying machines and laser beam printers (hereinafter, "LBP"), an electrophotographic photoreceptor belt wherein the electrophotographic photoreceptor is formed in the shape of a belt has been developed.
The electrophotographic photoreceptor belt has an advantage that a metal drum having a large diameter as conventional photoreceptors is not required and a wider photoreceptor can be developed in the same volume. Therefore, it is suitable for miniaturization of an equipment and high-speed printing of a large-sized print such as a poster.
The mainstream of an electrophotographic photoreceptor belt is that wherein a photosensitive layer (a photoconductive layer, or in case when it is of multilayer type, a charge generating layer and a charge transport layer) is formed on a conductive support belt substrate such as a film of stainless steel or an aluminum metallized polyethylene terephthalate to form an electrophotographic photoreceptor belt. Among them, an electrophotographic photoreceptor belt wherein polycarbonate is used for a photosensitive layer, particularly for a charge transport layer is known (see Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).
These electrophotographic photoreceptor belts are required to be exchanged after copying on a certain number of paper since it is worn and deteriorated by friction of a transfer belt, paper, a cleaning blade or the like. However, in case when an operator touches with bare hands at the time of exchange, it may occur that cracks begin to generate at the touched point to cause shortening of a service life of the belts, and thus there is a room for improvement.
Patent Document 1: Jpn. Pat. Laid-Open Publication No. H6-236045
Patent Document 4: Jpn. Pat. Laid-Open Publication No. H10-111579

Binder resin for photosensitive layers and electrophotographic photoreceptor belts


The first cutting edge can advantageously remove a large burr from the edge of a drilled hole with high effectiveness, because of the particularly aggressive cutting action of the first cutting edge. The following inclined second cutting edge advantageously allows precise chamfers to be cut, i.e., the surface and the angle of the counter bore can be precisely maintained, independent of the wear on the cutting edges. A control surface located adjacent to the cutting edge in the forward region enables a precise control of the cutter.

The invention is directed to a deburring cutter according to the preamble of claim 1.
A first embodiment of a cutter, known as a DEFA cutter, by the same applicant has a straight, vertical cutting edge. A control surface is disposed on the front free end of the cutting edge. The control surface is radially inwardly inclined, does not cut, and functions only as a control surface for the vertically oriented cutting edge. The inclined control surface transitions into a horizontal front end.
With the DEFA cutter, the chamfer diameter of the drilled hole to be deburred can advantageously be set very accurately and does not change during the deburring process.
This may be due to the fact that the vertical cutting edge performs an excellent cutting action as a result of the forced control by the inclined control edge located subsequent to the vertical cutting edge.
If the inclined control edge were omitted, the DEFA cutter would operate only as a countersink tool, without being centered in the drilled hole.
In another embodiment of a cutter, the so-called GHS cutter by the same applicant, a different cutting geometry was used which essentially consists of a radially inwardly inclined cutting edge that transitions on its free front end directly into an ineffectual, non-cutting end face. Unlike the DEFA cutter, this embodiment does not include the so-called control edge.
Advantageously, the GHS cutter is capable of achieving a large forward feed with excellent angular accuracy of the chamfer to be deburred. Only a small secondary edge was produced.
In this disadvantageous arrangement, the control edge has been omitted, which could cause a variable, uneven chamfer. When the cutter becomes dull, the exact chamfer diameter can no longer be guaranteed.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a deburring cutter for deburring edges of a drilled hole in workpieces of the aforedescribed type, which can effectively remove large burrs from the edge of the drilled hole, while accurately maintaining the chamfer or countersink geometry of the edges of the drilled hole and, in particular, of the countersink angle more or less independent of the wear of the cutting edges, whereby the cutter can be precisely controlled by a control surface.
According to the invention, a novel cutter is provided, wherein the at least one cutting section has a first cutting edge directly or indirectly followed by a second cutting edge, with a non-cutting free edge arranged after the second cutting edge indirectly via a transition, with the free edge being recessed radially toward the rotation axis with respect to the second cutting edge. The first cutting edge encloses with the rotation axis an angle in the range of approximately 45° to 120°, and the second cutting edge encloses, on one hand, with the rotation axis an angle in the range of approximately 0° to 90° and, on the other hand, with the first cutting edge an outside angle greater than 180°. A control edge is located behind the free edge, as viewed in a direction opposite the rotation direction, which has at least partially the same radial distance with respect to the rotation axis as the second cutting edge. More particularly, the free edge encloses with the second cutting edge an angle between approximately 90° and 270°. The invention relates to clockwise and counter-clockwise rotating cutters.

Deburring cutter for deburring edges of drilled holes


Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including: a semiconductor layer including a photoelectric conversion section receiving incident light and generating a signal charge; and a light absorbing section for absorbing transmitted light transmitted by the photoelectric conversion section and having a longer wavelength than light absorbed by the photoelectric conversion section, the transmitted light being included in the incident light, the light absorbing section being disposed on a side of another surface of the semiconductor layer on an opposite side from one surface of the semiconductor layer, the incident light being made incident on the one surface of the semiconductor layer.

The present disclosure relates to a solid-state imaging device, a method of manufacturing the same, and an electronic device.
Electronic devices such as a digital video camera, a digital still camera, and the like include a solid-state imaging device. The solid-state imaging device includes for example a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor and a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor.
The solid-state imaging device has a plurality of pixels arranged in an imaging plane. Each pixel includes a photoelectric conversion section. The photoelectric conversion section is for example a photodiode. The photoelectric conversion section receives light made incident via an external optical system on a light receiving surface, and subjects the light to photoelectric conversion. The photoelectric conversion section thereby generates a signal charge.
Of solid-state imaging devices, a CMOS image sensor has pixels configured to include not only a photoelectric conversion section but also a pixel transistor. The pixel transistor is configured to read out a signal charge generated in the photoelectric conversion section and output the signal charge to a signal line as an electric signal.
Solid-state imaging devices of a "frontside illumination type" and a "backside illumination type" are known. In the "frontside illumination type," a photoelectric conversion section receives incident light made incident from the top surface side of a semiconductor substrate on which top surface side a pixel transistor, wiring, and the like are provided. Thus, in the case of the "frontside illumination type," it may be difficult to improve sensitivity because the wiring and the like decrease an aperture ratio. On the other hand, in the case of the "backside illumination type," sensitivity can be improved because a photoelectric conversion section receives incident light made incident from a bottom surface side on an opposite side from the top surface of a semiconductor substrate on which top surface a pixel transistor, wiring, and the like are provided (see Japanese Patent No. 3759435, for example).
A solid-state imaging device as described above has an effective pixel region and an optical black region provided in an imaging plane. The effective pixel region has effective pixels arranged therein, in which effective pixels a photoelectric conversion section receives incident light. The optical black region is provided on a part of the periphery of the effective pixel region, and has optical black (OB) pixels arranged therein, which OB pixels are provided with a light shielding layer for shielding a photoelectric conversion section from incident light. A black level reference signal is output from the OB pixels. The solid-state imaging device corrects signals output from the effective pixels with the signals output from the OB pixels as a reference so as to remove noise components such as a dark current and the like (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-347708, for example).

Solid-state imaging device with photoelectric conversion section, method of manufacturing the same, and electronic device with photoelectric conversion section


There is provided a system for the automatic collection and conditioning of closed caption texts originating from multiple geographic locations, comprising: (1) at least one remote capture client means having a tuner to receive one or more television signals, a decoder to decode closed caption text stream in the television signals, and means to write the closed caption text stream to a text file, (2) central server means operatively connected to the remote capture client means for storing the text files and making the text files available to a user, and (3) an inquiry client means operatively connected to the central server means for searching the text files. The central server is adapted to automatically process search requests from the inquiry client and notify the inquiry client via any suitable communications means, even when the inquiry client is not in active communication with the central server.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and systems for monitoring, decoding, transmitting, and archiving of closed caption texts from television broadcasts. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for the automatic collection and conditioning of closed caption texts originating from multiple geographic locations, and resulting databases produced thereby.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the United States, television stations currently create more than 12,000 hours of local news programming every week. Network and cable news organizations broadcast an additional 1,400+ hours. Because every newscast contains references to specific persons, organizations, and events, an entire industry has grown up to monitor newscast content on behalf of newsmakers. The traditional monitoring approach required workers to videotape, view, and summarize the content of TV newscasts. However, using such a traditional method, it is very difficult to monitor every newscast on every channel on a timely basis. Thus, a need exists for newsmakers and other interested parties to have comprehensive and cost effective real time access to a database of newscast content.
Closed captioning, which is mandated by the Federal Government for most television programs, is a textual representation of the audio portion of a television program. Originally devised as a means for making program dialogue accessible to the deaf and hearing impaired, closed captioning is often displayed now for the convenience of non-deaf persons in environments where television audio is not practical, such as noisy restaurants and airport kiosks. Closed captioning is encoded into the video blanking intervals (VBI), which are part of the video component of a conventional television signal. In the United States, line 21 of the VBI is reserved for carrying closed captioning.
One approach to monitoring television broadcasts by using closed caption text is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,296, issued Jan. 2, 1996, to Cragun et al., and titled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY VIEWING VIDEO INFORMATION.
The Cragun et al. system provides a closed caption decoder that extracts the closed caption text from a television broadcast. A viewer specifies one or more keywords to be used as search parameters and a digital processor executing a control program scans the closed caption text for words or phrases matching the search parameters. The corresponding complete video recording of the television broadcast may then be displayed, edited, or saved. In one mode of operation, the Cragun et al. system may be used to scan one or more television channels unattended and save items that may be of interest to the viewer. In another mode of operation, the Cragun et al. system may be used to assist in quickly locating previously stored video recordings. One clear disadvantage of the Cragun et al. system is that extremely large amounts of memory are required to store the video segments.
One approach to monitoring television broadcasts by using closed caption text is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,471 issued Sep. 15, 1998 to Brodsky et al and titled RETRIEVAL OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NOT FOUND IN INTERACTIVE TV OR TELEPHONY SIGNAL BY APPLICATION USING DYNAMICALLY EXTRACTED VOCABULARY. Significant limitations of the Brodsky patent are that server based features are missing and only single closed caption data is monitored from a specific geographic site, as opposed to broad geographical and dispersed sites in the present application. As such, the present design has features and benefits that are not in the Brodsky design.

Method and system for the automatic collection and conditioning of closed caption text originating from multiple geographic locations, and resulting databases produced thereby


An automobile cylinder balancing assembly 10 including a controller 36 which operates under stored program control and which substantially ensures that the torque produced by each of the cylinders 12, 14 is substantially equal, thereby causing the cylinders 12, 14 to be selectively balanced.

Automobile engine combustion cylinders typically include a movable piston which is connected to a crankshaft. Particularly, air and gasoline are selectively and mixably combusted within the chambers causing the respectively contained pistons to move within the cylinders and against the crankshaft, thereby cooperatively causing the crankshaft to rotate. The selectively moving pistons therefore cooperatively and individually create a torque which is applied to the crankshaft and which causes the automobile to be selectively movable.
Due to structural variances of each of the respective cylinders, variations in the amount of air introduced into each of the cylinders, and/or variations associated with the fuel injection assemblies utilized by each of the cylinders, the torque produced by each of the cylinders is not substantially equal, thereby causing the cylinders to be "out of balance". This imbalance causes or creates an undesirable crankshaft oscillation and drive train resonance which reduces the operating life of the drive train and increases gasoline consumption and the generation of undesirable combustion created emissions. It is therefore desirable to have the torque produced by each of the cylinders be substantially equal and to have the cylinders "balanced."
Existing cylinder balancing methodologies using individual peak cylinder pressure values or crankshaft acceleration measurements are highly susceptible to noise type error and provide relatively unreliable and inaccurate balancing corrections. There is therefore a need for a new and improved balancer assembly.

Method and apparatus for cylinder balancing


A communication apparatus of the present invention includes a transmission/reception coupler for performing a one-to-one communication at short distance with an apparatus of a communication opponent by electric field coupling or magnetic field coupling; a plural copy mode setting unit for setting a plural copy mode for transferring a data file to a plurality of apparatuses; a data file selecting unit for selecting a data file to transfer to the plurality of apparatuses; a file transfer processing unit for transferring the data file already selected in the data file selecting unit to an apparatus, which communication is established, when the plural copy mode is set; and a plural copy mode canceling unit for canceling the plural copy mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus, a communication system, a communication method, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nowadays, electric wave communication method defined in IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers) 802.11 is widely used.
A communication method of performing communication using electric field coupling and magnetic field coupling has been proposed other than the electric wave communication method. In such communication method, when a plurality of couplers for performing magnetic field coupling are brought close, the plurality of couplers magnetic field couple, and such magnetic field coupling realize the communication among the plurality of couplers. The technique of performing communication by magnetic field coupling is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-60283 and the like.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-60283

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Communication apparatus, communication system, communication method, and program


A sound processing unit contains a speaker disposed at a position on a body of the sound processing unit, which outputs an input sound signal; a microphone disposed at another position on the body of the unit; a vibration pick-up disposed at a position near the speaker on the body of the unit such that the ear of the user touches the pik-up during conversation, which detects a bone conduction sound and which outputs it as a bone conduction sound signal; and a double talk detector that compares a level of the input sound signal with a level of the transmitting signal, and outputs a state signal to indicate a receiving state when the level of the input sound signal is judged to be more than a first specific value and the level of the transmitting signal is judged to be less than a second specific value. A first adaptive filter updates a first filter coefficient when the state signal indicates the receiving state, and generates to output an estimated-echo signal in accordance with the first filter coefficient on the basis on the input sound signal and an estimated bone conduction sound signal. A first adder subtracts the estimated-echo signal from the bone conduction sound signal and outputs the estimated bone conduction sound signal. A second adder adds the transmitting signal and the estimateed bone conduction sound signal and outputs an emphasized sound signal. An amplifier regulates a level of the emphasized sound signal to have the same level as the level of the transmitting signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound processing unit in the transmitter/receiver set of a telephone, wireless equipment, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Earphones and high-directionality microphones are used in conversations between a pilot and a pathfinder in an airport, and in conversations by telephones and wireless equipment in an environment with a high level of noises as a construction field.
However, when the noises are enormous, not only the voices of a persons to be transmitted, but the surrounding noises come in through the earphone and the microphone, so that the partner of the call finds it very difficult to catch the voice of the person transmitting.
In order to solve such a problem, earphone-mic equipment has been proposed, which has a function to detect the voices regardless of the surrounding noises, utilizing vibrations of the internal wall of the external auditory meatus generated when a person speaks, namely, bone conduction sound signals. This earphone-mic houses a vibration pick-up that detects the bone conduction sound signals, and a speaker in the ear piece. This earphone-mic is to be worn on the ear of a user, and is connected through signal lines to a transceiver or a portable telephone.
However, the vibration pick-up of this earphone-mic detects not only the bone conduction sound signals, but also the vibrations generated when the speaker emits sounds. In consequence, the vibrations are transmitted to the other party to the call as an echo, which reduces the quality of conversation.
However, the invention disclosed in the Japanese Patent:Laid-Open publication No. H8-340590 proposes an earphone-mic that suppresses such an echo and improves the quality of conversation. Concretely, this earphone-mic contains, in addition to a speaker and a vibration pick-up, a microphone to detect sounds that the speaker emits; and suppresses the echo in such a manner that a signal detected by the microphone is subtracted from a signal detected by the vibration pick-up.
Here, the level of a signal detected by the microphone is regulated to have the same level as a signal component detected by the vibration pick-up by a frequency equalizer circuit in each frequency band, and then, the signal detected by the microphone is inputted to a subtraction circuit.
However, the voice of the person transmitting is not only detected by the vibration pick-up, but also can be detected in part by the microphone for detecting the output sounds from the speaker. The subtraction of the signal detected by the microphone from the signal detected by the vibration pick-up involves an attenuation of a signal level corresponding to the voices of the person to transmit. This attenuation further increases by the regulation performed by the frequency equalizer circuit.
Further, the conventional earphone-mic that utilizes bone conduction sound signals has to be worn on the user's ear; and there are problems in wearing it and inconvenience in responding during reception.


A power supply system for thrusters (e.g., arcjet thrusters) in a spacecraft system comprises lightweight, redundant power supplies that share the power distribution function to the thrusters. Each power supply comprises a plurality of parallel-connected power supply subunits of which the combined power output capability exceeds the required maximum power demand by at least one subunit capacity for each arcjet thruster in the system. Each power supply subunit comprises a lightweight, high-frequency, soft-switching power supply. For arcjet systems comprising arcjet thrusters that do not operate simultaneously, relays are employed to switch between thrusters.

A typical satellite employs four arcjet thrusters. Each arcjet thruster requires a power supply; and a typical power supply for an arcjet thruster employs a pulse width modulated (PWM) converter operating in a current-controlled mode. Disadvantageously, operation of such converters involves hard, i.e., lossy, switching, such that operating frequencies are relatively low (e.g., 20 kHz); hence, relatively large and heavy magnetic and capacitive components are needed. Moreover, with a single power supply being required for each thruster, there is no power supply redundancy so that fault tolerance is minimal.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a power supply system for arcjet thrusters in a satellite system or other spacecraft which is lightweight while providing redundancy.

Power supply system for arcjet thrusters


A storage facility for video cassettes which employs a wire network carrier based on a generally rectangular perimetric frame with upstanding parallel horizontally spaced apart wire elements adapted to receive video cassettes between adjacent wire elements, the perimetric frame being equipped with slide means for cooperation with guide means in an entertainment center case for insertion and removal.

This invention relates to a storage facility for video cassettes and, more particularly, a structure including a wire carrier adapted to be slidably removed from a case--such as an entertainment center--for labeling, splicing, etc.
With the increasing popularity of video cassettes, it is not only desirable but necessary to provide convenient means for storing the same. Unsatisfactory attempts have been tried in the nature of compartmented drawers. These are not only heavy but expensive to construct and thus many people who have accumulated a number of video cassettes are left with no satisfactory storage facility.
The instant invention addresses both opportunities for providing suitable cassette storage. In one aspect, a sturdy, installed carrier is provided which is essentially a wire network provided by the manufacturer of the case or other entertainment center. The carrier which includes a generally rectangular perimetric frame made up of four wires comes equipped with a heavy duty slide assembly to be inserted and removed from guide means provided in the case. The carrier includes a plurality of upstanding generally U-shaped wire elements fixed to the perimetric frame and spaced apart so as to receive a plurality of either Beta or VHS in a box video cassettes. Thus, the owner can easily remove the carrier for transport to a convenient work area.
In another aspect, the invention addresses the lower cost market where the carrier is provided in knocked-down condition but ready-to-assemble. In this aspect, the generally rectangular perimetric frame is equipped with manifolds along two opposite sides for the installation of the upstanding generally U-shaped wire elements defining receiving spaces therebetween for video cassettes.
Advantageously, the carrier can be "tiered" as by superposing through column means, a second or more carriers in vertically spaced relation to the initial carrier. This opens the further opportunity for storing audio cassettes between adjacent wire elements, the audio cassettes having smaller external dimensions than the video cassettes.
In either event, the carrier can be provided with column means in the nature of vertically extending bars or the like so as to permit the fastening to the carrier of a pull-equipped drawer front. Thus, the owner has a finished storage facility that can fit within the existing opening of a case without the need of great expense and, more importantly, substantial weight.


An article and method for stabilization of a nickel-based superalloy coated with a diffusion aluminide coating. The region below the aluminide coating is first carburized to form refractory carbides. The article is cleaned and masked as required so that regions that will not have an aluminide coating are not carburized. After placing the article into a furnace and heating in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to a carburizing temperature, a carburizing gas is introduced, and the near surface region is carburized to a depth of about 100 microns. Refractory carbides are formed in this region. When a diffusion aluminide coating is formed on the article, the refractory elements, being present as refractory carbides, are not available to form detrimental TCP phases.

In a gas turbine engine such as used for aircraft applications, air is drawn into the front of the engine, compressed by a compressor, and mixed with fuel. The compressed mixture is burned in a combustor, and the hot combustion gases flow through a turbine that turns the compressor. The hot gases then flow from the rear of the engine.
The turbine includes stationary turbine vanes that deflect the hot gas flow sideways, and turbine blades mounted on a turbine wheel that turns as a result of the impingement of the hot gas stream. The turbine vanes and blades experience extreme conditions of high temperature, thermal cycling when the engine is turned on and off, oxidation, corrosion, and, in the case of the turbine blades, high stress and fatigue loadings. The higher the temperature of the hot combustion gas, the greater the efficiency of the engine. There is therefore an incentive to push the materials of the engine to ever-higher temperatures and loadings.
Nickel-based superalloys are widely used as the materials of construction of gas turbine blades and vanes. These superalloys contain primarily nickel, and a variety of alloying elements such as cobalt and aluminum, as well as refractory elements such as tantalum, tungsten, chromium, rhenium, hafnium, and others in varying amounts carefully selected to provide good mechanical properties and physical characteristics over the extremes of operating conditions experienced by the engine. However, these refractory elements, which provide the nickel-based superalloys with superior mechanical properties, also make superalloy articles susceptible to the formation of a secondary reaction zone ("SRZ") in certain circumstances. In particular, gas turbine alloy airfoils, such as the turbine blade and vanes discussed above, typically require an aluminide coating treatment as part of a thermal barrier coating system and/or to provide environmental protection. Nickel-based superalloy articles that include refractory elements and which undergo aluminiding treatments are particularly susceptible to formation of an SRZ, wherein an acicular topologically close-packed (TCP) phase forms, such as disclosed in "A New Type of Microstructural Instability in Superalloys—SRZ," Superalloys, 1996 by W. S. Walston, J. C. Schaeffer and W. H. Murphy, ed. R. D. Kissinger, et al. TMS pp. 9-18. Within the SRZ, the TCP phases are brittle and contain a high percentage of refractory elements. In particular, the presence of the brittle phases, the formation of high angle grain boundaries between the SRZ and the alloy, and to a lesser extent, the depletion of the refractory elements weaken the SRZ, making the SRZ essentially non-load-bearing. Because this portion of the article is unable to sustain its share of the load, the applied load is shifted to the remainder of the article, increasing the stress in this portion of the article and shortening its service life.
The problem with refractory elements in nickel-based superalloy articles forming SRZ is known, having been identified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,262, entitled SUBSTRATE STABILIZATION OF DIFFUSION ALUMINIDE COATED NICKEL-BASE SUPERALLOYS issued Aug. 2, 1994 to Schaeffer and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This patent also identifies forming carbide precipitates which reduce the driving force for the formation of TCP phases within the substrate, a method for avoiding the formation of SRZ, by depositing a layer of carbon on the surface of the substrate by chemical vapor deposition and diffusing the carbon onto the surface. The presence of the carbon allows for the combination of carbon with the refractory elements to form stable carbides, substantially reducing the refractory elements unavailable for the formation of TCP phases. This patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,262 is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, forming a part of this specification.
Carbon can be introduced into the nickel-based superalloy article by carburizing techniques, such as vacuum carburizing. Vacuum carburizing of steel is a well-known technique. U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,864 issued Jun. 6, 1989, entitled "Method of Gas Carburizing and Hardening" discloses gas carburizing and hardening a steel article in a carburizing atmosphere at atmospheric pressure, heating the article in a vacuum for a predetermined period of time and hardening the article. U.S. Pat. No. 5,702,540 issued Dec. 30, 1997 entitled "Vacuum Carburizing Method and Device, and Carburized Products" teaches vacuum carburizing steel workpieces in a vacuum furnace by introducing acetylene gas into the chamber at a vacuum of 1 kPa or less to produce a hardened and uniform case depth in the steel article. U.S. patent No. Feb. 13, 2001 entitled "Vacuum Carburizing Method" divulges an improved vacuum carburizing method for steel by heating the steel material to about 900-1100° C. and then introducing ethylene gas while maintaining a vacuum of 1-10 kPa, thereby eliminating the potentially explosive acetylene and replacing the expensing vacuum pumps or mechanical booster pumps required to maintain vacuums at or below 1 kPa.
Of course, it may also be desirable to prevent selected portions of the article from being carburized by preventing contact of the surface with carbon. It is known to mask all or a selected portion of an article surface with a cover or coating to prevent it from being carburized. These coatings or covers, also referred to as a maskant, typically are platings and are usually very effective. These coatings, however, must be easy to remove or must be incorporated into the article. Typical maskants include nickel plating and copper plating. However, such plating may be unsuitable for articles that have precise shapes or include intricate details, since removing such plating after carburization can be difficult or impossible without damaging the article. However, a boron glass coating used as a maskant containing magnesium silicon compounds may be acceptable for use on intricate articles such as turbine blades, as this material can provide protection from carburization to selected, intricate areas of an airfoil, yet can be removed without damaging the airfoil. This maskant system is described in U.S. Patent Application No. 20020020471, published Feb. 21, 2002, and also is incorporated herein by reference.
Coatings typically are formed on the surfaces of the superalloy articles to protect the article from degradation in harsh, high temperature environments. One type of coating is an aluminide coating. Aluminum is diffused into the surface of the nickel-based superalloy article to form a nickel-aluminide layer, which then oxidizes to form an aluminum oxide surface coating during treatment or in service. (Optionally, noble metals such as platinum may also be diffused into the surface). The aluminum oxide surface coating renders the coated article more resistant to oxidation and corrosion, desirably without impairing its mechanical properties. Aluminide coating of turbine blades and vanes is well known and widely practiced in the industry, and is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,415,672 and 3,540,878.
Recently it has been observed that, when some advanced nickel-based superalloys are coated with an aluminide coating and then exposed to service or simulated-service conditions, a secondary reaction zone (SRZ) forms in the underlying superalloy. This SRZ region is observed at a depth of from about 50 to about 250 micrometers (about 0.002-0.010 inches) below the original superalloy surface that has received the aluminide coating. The presence of the SRZ reduces the mechanical properties in the affected region, because the material in the SRZ appears to be brittle and weak, and forms a high angle grain boundary between SRZ and the alloy.
The formation of the SRZ is a major problem in some types of turbine components, because there are cooling channels located about 750 micrometers (about 0.030 inches) below the surface of the article. Cooling air is forced through the channels during operation of the engine, to cool the structure. If the SRZ forms in the region between the surface and the cooling channel, it significantly weakens that region and can lead to reduced strength and fatigue resistance of the article.
While the prior art prevents the formation of the TCP phases that weaken the SRZ, the prior art relies solely on a diffusion mechanism to diffuse inward the carbon deposited on the surface of the superalloy substrate. While acceptable results can thus be obtained, it is desirable to improve the methods of deposition to control the depth of carburization while allowing the absorption of carbon into the surface quickly.

Method for substrate stabilization of diffusion aluminide coated nickel-based superalloys


The present invention relates to an electrodepositable coating composition comprising binders, pigments, fillers, corrosion protection inhibitors, paint auxiliaries, catalysts if desired, organic solvents and water, which additionally comprises an organic amine salt.

The present invention relates to an electrodepositable coating composition based preferably on basic, thermally crosslinkable epoxy or polyurethane resins.
It is known to coat metallic articles by means of electrodeposition coating, use being made thereof both in the automotive industry and otherwise in the metal processing industry. The electrodeposition coating systems used for this purpose generally consist of an aqueous binder dispersion and a pigment paste.
Resins which are electrodepositable at the cathode are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,458. These are crosslinkable coating materials which are deposited on the cathode. These coating materials are derived from an unsaturated polymer which comprises amine groups and carboxyl groups and from an epoxidized material.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,389 describes cationically electrodepositable compositions which are mixtures of certain amine-aldehyde condensates and a large number of cationic resinous materials, one of which materials can be prepared by reacting an organic polyepoxide with a secondary amine and solubilizing the product with acid.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,926 discloses aqueous dispersions which can be electrodeposited at the cathode and which consist of an epoxy resin ester, water and tertiary amino salts. The epoxy ester is the reaction product of glycidyl polyether and an unsaturated oleic acid. The amine salt is the reaction product of an aliphatic carboxylic acid and a tertiary amine.
Binders based on epoxy and polyurethane for use in binder dispersions and pigment pastes, moreover, are known in numerous embodiments. Reference may be made, for example, to DE-2701002, EP-A-261385, EP-A-004090 and DE-C 3630667.
For certain applications, the throwing power is inadequate with all of the systems known to date. In other words, the distribution of paint between readily accessible exterior surfaces and difficult-to-reach interior areas is inadequate. Hence, for example, economic coating of flat radiators requires complete coating of the cavities formed by convectors with, at the same time, thin coats on the exterior surfaces.


The reduction in breakdown voltage of a device which contains adjoining regions of relatively high and low impurity concentrations within a dielectrically isolated island of an integrated circuit architecture is effectively countered by biasing the material surrounding the island, such as a support polysilicon substrate or the fill material of a isolated trench, at a prescribed bias voltage that is insufficient to cause the avalanche-generation of electron-hole pairs in the vicinity of the relatively high-to-low impurity concentration junction between the buried layer and the island. Where a plurality of islands are supported in and surrounded by a common substrate material of an overall integrated circuit architecture, the prescribed bias voltage may be set at a value that is no more positive than half the difference between the most positive and the most negative of the bias voltages that are applied to the integrated circuit. Where respective islands do not share a common (continuously connected) substrate, the surrounding material of each island is biased at a voltage sufficiently close to the island voltage as to prevent avalanche-generation of carrier pairs; this voltage may be the same bias voltage applied to the island material itself.

Devices which contain a reverse-biased PN junction in the vicinity of adjoining regions of relatively high and low impurity concentrations are subject to the problem of an electric field-induced reduction in the breakdown voltage of that PN junction, where a conductor passes over a `high/low` junction between adjoining regions of differential impurity concentration. In particular, an electric field may cause avalanche-generation of electron/hole pairs in the vicinity of the high/low junction. If the reverse-biased PN junction is within approximately a diffusion length of the location where the electron/hole pairs are generated, the charge carriers will be collected by the junction and appear as terminal currents, reducing the breakdown voltage of the PN junction.
An example of a device structure in which this problem occurs is described in an article by T. Mizoguchi et al, entitled "600V, 25A Dielectrically-Isolated Power IC with Vertical IGBT", Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Power Semiconductor Devices and ICs, 1991, pp 40-41. In such a device, the high-low junction is formed between a wrap-around N+ buried layer, which forms the outer side boundary of an island and the N- bulk of that island. The conductor which applies a high voltage to the high/low junction is the conductor which connects to the P diffusion that forms a PN junction with the island. The conductor must cross the high/low junction in order to connect the P region to one or more circuit elements in another island or in other islands. Techniques to reduce this problem include the formation of a region of intermediate doping to reduce the field a the high/low junction and increasing the insulator thickness between the conductor and the high/low junction.
I have discovered that this problem can also occur at the sidewall of a semiconductor-on-insulator structure having a bottom-located or buried layer (as opposed to a wrap-around layer). A bottom-located layer is often preferred over a wrap-around layer, since it allows the PN junction formed within the island to be placed closer to the sides of the island, as no space is consumed by the buried layer and it need not be spaced apart from a side layer. Consequently, eliminating the side layer allows manufacture of devices in smaller islands, thus reducing area and cost.
As an example, FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a dielectrically isolated semiconductor (e.g. N- type silicon) island 11 formed within a surrounding semiconductor (e.g. polysilicon) substrate 13. Island 11 is dielectrically isolated from the substrate 13 by a layer of dielectric material (oxide) 15, which extends from the top surface 17 of the structure along island sidewalls 21, and also along the floor or bottom 23 of the island 11. Island 11 contains a `buried` high impurity concentration (N+) region 25, which is contiguous with floor 23 and forms an N+/N- junction or interface 27 with the more lightly doped N-type material of the island 11 proper. Such a high impurity concentration buried layer may be employed as a subcollector region of a bipolar (NPN) transistor. The `high/low` junction/interface 27 between N- type island 11 and highly doped (N+) buried layer 25 extends to the sidewalls 21 of the island, so that it abuts or intersects dielectric layer 15. When a voltage is applied to and distributed throughout the substrate 13, it gives rise to an electric field. Depending upon the `thinness` of dielectric layer 15 and the magnitude of the substrate bias voltage, this electric field may be strong enough to induce the avalanche-generation of electron/hole pairs at interface 27.
If the island architecture includes a reverse-biased PN junction in the vicinity of the island/buried layer interface 27 (for example, in the case of an NPN transistor, a reverse-biased collector-base junction 31 between N-island 11 and a P-base region 33), and the reversed-biased PN junction (31 in the example of FIG. 1) is within approximately a diffusion length of the location where the electron/hole pairs are generated, these charge carriers will be collected by the PN junction 31 and appear as terminal currents in the device. This substrate bias-induced terminal current limits the conduction or breakdown voltage of the collector-base junction of the device.
Without a side buried layer, one might attempt to solve the breakdown reduction problem by increasing the thickness of the surrounding oxide, one of the conventional methods mentioned above. Unfortunately, increasing the oxide thickness may require a very thick oxide (the Mizoguchi et al article, for example, describes an oxide thickness of 5.4 microns). A very thick oxide on the sides of an isolated island may cause stress which generated crystal defects in the islands which not only tend to produce devices with large current leakage, but also device which consume surface requiring extra area just does a side buried layer. The other prior art technique of forming an N graded region at the high/low junction might also be possible. However, the provision of such a region would require additional processing steps, increasing cost of manufacture. Even so, the above-reference article shows that a thick oxide may still be needed.

Biasing of island-surrounding material to suppress reduction of breakdown voltage due to field plate acting on buried layer/island junction between high and low impurity concentration regions