The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for disinfection of biological samples, including semen and the like. In a first aspect of the present invention, a method for reducing pathogens in a biological sample includes passing the biological sample through a gradient including an enzyme suitable for removal of at least one pathogen from the sample. In an additional aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for removing pathogens from a biological sample includes a container including a gradient having at least one layer that is suitable for having the biological sample pass through the layer, the at least one layer including an enzyme suitable for removing at least one pathogen from the biological sample.

The present invention generally relates to the field of contaminate reduction in seminal fluid, and more particularly to a process to reduce or eliminate pathogenic contamination in seminal fluid.
A great risk exists concerning transmission of pathogenic agents in biological samples. Effective processes to reduce or eliminate contamination (herein after "decontamination") in biological samples have generally been developed for embryos. The embryo has an outer layer, called the zona pellucida, which is impenetrable to a variety of pathogenic agents; however, it is still possible to transmit disease by pathogens adhering to the surface of the zona pellucida. Because of the relatively large size of embryos and oocytes (typically on the order of 100 micrometers in diameter), they can be handled individually and treated (or "dipped") in a decontamination solution (e.g., containing a low concentration of a proteolytic enzyme such as trypsin) which effectively inactivates many infectious agents. Trypsin treatment is harsh and can irreversibly damage embryos if overexposed.
Sperm, on the other hand, cannot be handled individually (the diameter of sperm heads typically are less than 5 micrometers) so it has not been possible to treat sperm by a brief exposure of typsin treatment without causing damage.
For the forgoing reasons, there is a need for a process that decontaminates seminal fluid of both bacteria and viruses, which may allow the reduction or elimination of pathogenic agents from a biological sample, such as seminal fluid.

Method and apparatus for reducing pathogens in a biological sample


The present invention provides a salience estimation method for object-based visual attention model. The method comprises steps of segmenting the image into a plurality of objects to be estimated, extracting feature maps for each segmented object, calculating the saliences of each segmented object in a set of circles defined around a center pixel of the object based on the extracted feature maps, and integrating the saliences of each segmented object in all circles in order to achieve an overall salience estimation for each segmented object. The present invention is much more human vision inosculated and of low computing complexity.

As a neurobiological conception, attention implies the concentration of mental powers upon an object by close or careful observation. Attention area is the area in a picture where tends to catch more human attention. The system designed to automatically detect the attention area of a picture is called attention model. The detected attention area is widely utilized in many kinds of applications, such as accumulating limited resource in an attention area, directing retrieval/search, simplifying analysis, etc.
FIG. 1 indicates the general architecture of a mostly used attention model. First, an image to be estimated is inputted into the attention model. Then the feature of intensity, colour, orientation, etc. will be achieved after the step of feature extraction. In the third step the salience of said features are estimated. After the steps of fusion scheme and post-processing the attention area is finally got.
Different from attention models used in most previous machine vision systems which drive attention based on the spatial location hypothesis with macro-block (MB) being the basic unit, other models which direct visual attention are object-driven, called object-based visual attention model.
A lot of researches on MB (macro-block) spatial-based visual attention are established as proposed by L. Itti et al., "A Model of Salience-Based Visual Attention for Rapid Scene Analysis", IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, Volume 20, No. 11, November 1998 and by Y. F. Ma et al., "A User Attention Model for Video Summarization", ACM Multimedia'02, pp. 533-542, December 2002. However, object-based visual attention is not so widely studied because of its inherent difficulty. Y. Sun et al. propose a framework of object-based visual attention in "Object-based Visual Attention for Computer Vision", Artificial Intelligence, pp. 77-123, May 2003. Another object-based visual attention model is presented by F. Orabona et al., "Object-based Visual Attention: a Model for a Behaving Robot", 3rd International Workshop on Attention and Performance in Computational Vision, June 2005. Both object-based visual attention schemes still follow the general architecture of attention model listed in FIG. 1. All the processes except "salience estimation" are directly inherited from Itti's MB spatial-based visual attention model.
No matter in MB spatial-based or in object-based visual attention models, low level spatial/temporal features are first extracted, and then for each salient (different, outstanding from its surroundings; or say, more attractive) feature map of each unit is estimated over the whole picture, after that a master "salience map" is generated by feeding all feature maps in a purely bottom-up manner.
Compared with object-based visual attention model, the MB spatial-based visual attention model is a much easier and faster creation. However, it has several inherent disadvantages:
1) The attention area breaks natural object boundary;
2) Each micro-block may cover lots of natural objects.
So, the extracted feature of the micro-block is a mixed property of all these natural objects and thus will lower down attention area detection precision.
The key issue of the object-based visual attention model lies in two aspects: one is the object grouping before feature extraction, the other is the particular efficient salience estimation of each object over all the objects in the image. The central idea of the currently used salience estimation scheme is based on Gauss distance measure as presented by Y. Sun et al.
Denote x as the object to be salience estimated, yi (i=1, 2, . . . , n) as all the background objects, was the maximum of the width and height of the input image, and //x−yi// as the physical distance between x and yi, so the Gauss distance is defined as the formula (1),
                                          d            gauss                                          (                          x              ,                              y                i                                      )                          =                              (                          1              -                                                ||                                      x                    -                                          y                      i                                                        ||                                                  w                  -                  1                                                      )                                ⅇ                                          1                                  2                                                                                σ                    2                                                              ||                              x                -                                  y                  i                                                                          ||                2                                                                        (        1        )            with the scale σ set to w/ρ, where ρ is a positive integer and generally 1/ρ may be set to a percentage of w such as 2%, 4%, 5% or 20%, 25%, 50%, etc.
Denote SF(x, yi) as the absolute difference of object x and yi in feature F, then the salience estimation SF(X) as the overall salience degree of object x in feature F can be expressed as Formula (2).
                                          S            F                                          (            x            )                          =                                            ∑                              i                =                1                            n                                                                                S                  F                                                                  (                                      x                    ,                                          y                      i                                                        )                                            ·                                                d                  gauss                                                                  (                                      x                    ,                                          y                      i                                                        )                                                                                ∑                              i                =                1                            n                                                                                d                gauss                                                          (                                  x                  ,                                      y                    i                                                  )                                                                        (        2        )
By the definition of the salience estimation, it can be concluded that:
1. The larger difference between the object and its surroundings exists, the more salient the object is.
2. The closer the object and its feature differed surroundings is, the more salient the object is. That is, human vision decreases its ability to distinguish the difference according to distance. The attenuation coefficient is measured by dgauss, which is coherent with the visual physiology thesis.
This guarantees SF(x) is a useful salient estimation in feature F. Unfortunately, some important human perception properties are not considered in SF(x).
FIG. 2a is an original image of Skating to be estimated and FIG. 3a is the salience estimation result of FIG. 2a using the conventional object-based visual attention model.
FIG. 2b is an original image of Coastguard to be estimated and FIG. 3b is the salience estimation result of FIG. 2b using the conventional object-based visual attention model.
Both in FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b, white colour means a very outstanding object while black colour means not salient one, the grey level between white and black represents the salience degree.
From FIG. 3a we can see that the audience is considered salient, because its colour greatly differs from its neighbour's, but actually the part of audience contains no details. Viewers usually will not focus on the audience and recognize it as "video texture".
Also in FIG. 3a, there is a little grey block on the left of the female dancer's head. The block consists of a piece of white skating rink which is circled by black male clothing and female skin, and it is salient in this local area. But when all comes to all, this block is a part of the large skating rink and will not attract viewers' attention. This is called "Local effect". Because of the local effect, the accumulated difference between the object and its neighbours is large and thus it is recognized as "salience".
From forgoing description we can see that the conventional object-based visual attention model is not efficient enough and there are a lot of human vision properties not considered:
1. Object size—The estimation of the influence that the object size on salience degree is a complex problem. For example, (a) if all neighbouring objects yi are of the same size s and the size of object x decreases from s to 0, as a result the salience degree of x (SF(x)) will decrease gradually, (b) if all neighbouring objects yf are of the same size s and the size of object x decreases from s1 to s2 (s1>>s, and s1>s2>s), SF(X) will increase gradually. Thus we know that the relationship between object size and salience degree is not monotonous. And the problem becomes even more complex when each of the objects may have an arbitrary size.
2. Local effect—If an object is not salient among its near neighbours (local area) while the far neighbours are greatly different from the object, there are two possible results: (a) the object is not salient at all inside the whole image; (b) the local area as a whole is salient inside the image with the object being a member of the local area. No matter in which case, the salient degree of the object does not match what defined above.
3. Video texture—Suppose the object features of an image are uniformly random, human will usually ignore the details of the whole image and not any object of the image is salient, while the above defined SF(x) will be a large number for any of the objects in the image.
With all these limitations, the conventional object-based visual attention model is far from applicable. Therefore an improved object-based visual attention model is desirable.

Salience estimation for object-based visual attention model


An MOS semiconductor memory device includes memory cell matrices. Each matrix is constituted with memory cells and noise cancellers. Each memory cell is connected, at an intersection between a pair of bit lines and a word line, between either one of the bit lines and the word line. The word line controls read and write operations of the memory cell. The noise canceller is connected, at an intersection between a pair of bit lines and a dummy word line, between either one of the bit lines and the dummy word line. The dummy word line enables the noise canceller. The memory cell matrices form groups of memory cells into which the cells are grouped in accordance wtih addresses. The dummy word line and the word line have substantially identical characteristics. The dummy word line possesses parasitic resistance and capacitance to delay by a first predetermined period of time a signal to enable the noise canceller. The memory device further includes sense amplifier circuits connected between the pair of bit lines of the memory cell matrices for amplifying a potential difference between the bit lines in response to an enable signal, and a sense control circuit connected to the dummy word lines and the sense amplifier circuits to be operative in a read or write operation of the memory cell for selectively enabling related sense amplifier circuits in response to a signal delayed by a dummy word line of selected ones of the memory cell matrices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an MOS semiconductor memory device, more specifically, to a semiconductor memory device such as a dynamic random access memory. RAM, having a plurality of memory cell matrices and a sense control for controlling operations of sense amplifiers connected to the matrices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some conventional types of MOS semiconductor memory devices include a plurality of memory cell matrices arranged with associated sense amplifiers and sense controls provided. In such types of device, since each memory cell matrix has a sense control provided exclusively, the number of constituent elements and hence that of wirings therebetween are increased, which has been a hindrance to designing highly integrated memory devices.
Heretofore, there has been an MOS semiconductor memory device of the type shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, for example. A description will be given of the constitution of the device with reference to those figures, which illustratively show schematic configurations of the conventional MOS semiconductor memry device.
The illustrative device is a dynamic RAM including memory cell matrices 10-1 to 10-4 into which memory cells are grouped in accordance with row and column addresses. Each of the memory cell matrices 10-1 to 10-4 comprises a plurality of memory cells 13 of a single-transistor type connected to word lines 11 and to pairs of bit lines 12a and 12b, and a plurality of noise cancellers 15 each including an MOS tansistor connected to a dummy word line 14 and a pair of bit lines 12a and 12b.
In the proximity of the memory cell matrices 10-1 to 10-4, there are disposed in association therewith row address decoders 20-1 to 20-4, word line drives 21-1 to 21-4, and noise canceller controls 22-1 to 22-4, respectively. The drives and controls are connected to the associated decoders. For the work line drives 21-1 to 21-4 and the noise canceller controls 22-1 to 22-4, the voltages thereof are increased by use of a word line votage step-up or booster circuit 23. The word line drives 21-1 to 21-4 are connected to the respective memory cell matrices 10-1 to 10-4, whereas the noise canceller controls 22-1 to 22-4 are linked to the dummy word lines 14.
Connected between the bit lines 12a and 12b is an n-channel type of sense amplifier 24 and a p-channel type of sense amplifier 25. Those sense amplifiers 24 and 25 are respectively connected via associated enable signal lines 26 and 27, an n-channel type of MOS transistor 29 to sense controls 30-1 to 30-6. The sense controls 31-1 to 31-6 are respectively selected in response to address signals Al, . . . , Ai, . . . , Aj, . . . , and An; specifically, based on the signals Ai and Aj and inverted signals thereof Ai and Aj. These controls are connected in common via a word line monitor curcuit 31 to the word line booster circuit 23.
In FIGS. 2A and 2B, lines 30S and 30S are complementary outputs from the sense controls 30-1 to 30-6, Vcc indicates a power supply voltage, and Vcp denotes a reference voltage which is equal to Vcc/2.
FIGS. 3A to 3G plot operative waveforms appearing in the system of FIGS. 2A and 2B. Referring to those waveforms, operations of the circuitry shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B will be described. In a memory cell matrix, 10-1, for example, selected based on address signals A1 to An, the word line drive 21-1 is supplied with outputs from the word line booster circuit 23 and the row address decoder 20-1 to resultantly produce an output. Based on the output, a word line 11 is selected to be set to its high level "H". In this situation, on the all bit lines connected to the all memory cells 13 linked to the word line 11, namely, the selected bit lines 12a, noises appear because of coupling of word line 11 caused by parasitic capacitance. In order to suppress the noises, the noise canceller control 22-1 receiving the outputs from the row address decoder 20-1 and the word line booster 23 produces an output to set the dummy word line 14 to its low level "L". In response thereto, the noise canceller 15 is enabled. The bit lines 12b not connected to any memory cell 13 is called unselected bit lines.
If information stored in a memory cell 13 is a logical "1", for example, when the word line 11 carries a potential level not less than the sum of reference potential Vcp and NMOS threshold potential VTN, a potential difference .DELTA.V (=.vertline.selected bit line 12a potential-unselected bit line 12b potential.vertline.) appears between the selected bit lines 12a and 12b. If information stored in the memory cell 13 is a logical "0", the potential difference is developed when the level of the word line 11 becomes at least the voltage VTN.
In order for the potential difference .DELTA.V to be fully developed, the word line monitor 31 receiving the output from the word line booster 23 supplies an output with a predetermined delay time to a sense control, 30-2 in this example, associated with the selected memory cell matrix 10-1. The sense control 30-2 is beforehand selected in response to the address signals AiAj to AiAj. The sense control 30-2 supplied with the output from the word line monitor 31 sets one output 30S therefrom to its high level "H" and the other output 30S to its low level "L". When the ouptut 30S is thus set to the high level, the MNOS 28 turns on and hence the enable signal line 26 goes down to its low level "L", which is identical to a ground potential. When the output 30S is thus lowered, the PMOS 29 turns on to set the enable signal line 27 to its high level "H", which is equal to the power supply potential Vcc. Consequently, the n-channel type of sense amplifier 24 and the p-channel type of sense amplifier 25 start their operations. This initiates charge and discharge operations of the paired bit lines 12a and 12b. When the levels of the bit lines 12a and 12b are resultantly settled, the sense operation is completed.
Information signals on the bit lines 12a and 12b are passed via a transfer gate, not shown, which turns on and off in response to an output from a row address decoder, so as to be read out to an external device over a line such as a data bus.
However, in the apparatus configured as above, since the exclusive sense controls 30-1 to 30-6 are respectively required for the memory cell matrix pairs 10-1 and 10-2 as well as 10-3 and 10-4, the number of circuit constituent elements and hence the number of wirings therebetween are increased, which is not suitable for a high integration of the device. In addition, solutions of these problems have been attended with difficulties.

MOS semiconductor memory device having sense control circuitry simplified


A plumb bob apparatus comprises a rigid surface mount member for coupling at a proximal end to a surface. The surface mount member is rotatable about its axis. The plumb bob apparatus further includes a rigid device support member for pivotally coupling at a proximal end to a distal end of the surface mount member. When the plumb bob apparatus is coupled to the surface, the device support member will align vertically. The plumb bob can be mounted on a substantially vertical surface.

The present invention relates generally to a plumb bob for mining applications and specifically to a plumb bob apparatus that can be used with laser surveying for accurately establishing directional headings in mining tunnels.
In conventional mining operations, it is desirable to ensure that mining tunnel headings are accurately maintained. If the headings of the mining tunnels are inaccurate, extra money is spent to compensate for the error and to regain the correct heading. Furthermore, if a number of tunnels are driven parallel to each other, the intervening unmined material forms support pillars. It may be necessary to provide these parallel tunnels at close distances, and thus a miscalculation in the accuracy of the headings may undermine the strength of the support pillars.
In usual mining operations, the headings of the tunnels are maintained by conventional surveying techniques which include placing a number of spads or hooks in the mine ceiling from which standard plumb bobs are suspended. The standard plumb bobs are used because they hang vertically, regardless of the direction of the surface to which they are attached. This process requires a team of people, which typically includes an engineer. The team uses a pair of standard plumb bobs suspended from spads such that they are perpendicular to the direction of the tunnel. The team uses a surveying device placed on a known location for determining positions of the standard plumb bobs. Once the positions of the standard plumb bobs are determined, the direction of the tunnel is calculated.
It is well known that this operation is inaccurate, time consuming, and expensive. In order to install the standard plumb bobs, holes are drilled into the ceiling of the mine, which can be 15 feet high. In order to drill the holes, the miners halt working and a machine, referred to as a Jumbo costing approximately $750,000, is used. A mine tractor is then used to hoist a miner to the ceiling to install plugs for the spads.
Recent advances have been made that reduce the costs involved in surveying a mine, as well as improving the accuracy of the surveys. Surveying equipment developed by Leica Geosystems AG, Switzerland (xe2x80x9cLeicaxe2x80x9d) provides for the rapid detection of the position of a target marking. The target marking is picked-up by imaging optics and a local opto-electronic detector of a theodolite or tachymeter. Electric signals from the detector are rapidly evaluated in a pre-processing unit by formation of sum functions for determining co-ordinates of the target marking.
In current mining applications, the target marking used is a prism. Equipment is brought into the mine to bore a hole in the wall in which to house the prism. The holes are numbered so that they may be used later as necessary. The Leica surveying equipment is used to automatically detect the location of the prisms, thus providing a simpler method for collecting data. As a result, it is often no longer required to have a separate team for calculating the co-ordinates, as the system can be used by the miners themselves.
The requirement to bore holes in the tunnel walls, however, introduces a new expense and step to the process. Equipment that was not previously required now has to be brought into the mine and used to bore the holes. Furthermore, it may be time consuming to bore the hole and place the prisms in the proper location.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus that makes it cheaper and simpler to place the prism in the desired location. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above mentioned disadvantages.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention there is provided a plumb bob apparatus. The plumb bob apparatus comprises a rigid surface mount member for coupling at a proximal end to a surface. The surface mount member is rotatable about its major axis. The plumb bob apparatus further includes a rigid device support member for pivotally coupling at a proximal end to a distal end of the surface mount member. When the plumb bob apparatus is coupled to a surface, the device support member will align vertically. The rigid device support member is also rotatable about its major axis. It is an advantage of the present invention that a plumb bob apparatus can be mounted on a substantially vertical surface.


The invention relates to a textile strip comprising an integrated antenna thread for an RF transponder. The aim of the invention is to produce a textile strip in a simple, flexible manner and to avoid the risk of short-circuits. To achieve this, the strip is configured from a base textile (2, 2a) that is produced on a needle loom. The antenna thread (4, 4a, 4b) is laid on the base textile in an undulating or zigzag form during the production of said textile, the distance between the limbs (14a, 14b) of an antenna thread loop and at least one edge (8) of the strip being two weft threads.

A textile strip of the type mentioned initially is known, for example, from WO0136728. There, for example, conductor tracks serving as antennae are introduced, inter alia, as successive wefts of a basic fabric. The disadvantage of this is that the individual limbs of the conductor thread lie closely to one another, and there is the constant risk of short circuits, insofar as the conductor threads are not provided with complicated insulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,677,917 discloses fabrics, such as, for example, articles of clothing, to which, for example, radio frequency transponders, what are known as RF transponders, can be fastened, and which have an integrated antenna. However, this does not describe in detail how such an antenna thread is to be fastened to a fabric.

Textile strip comprising an integrated antenna thread for an RF transponder


Laminated films laminated by blocking characterized in that the cut end is joined by heat fusion, the inner layer contains a thermoplastic resin having a Shore hardness lower than the resin of the outer layer, the inner layer comprises an acid-modified polyolefin resin, the joined portion by blocking comprises strongly joined portions and weakly joined portions, the end portions are joined more strongly than the central portion, and a process for producing the same. The laminated films are stably laminated by blocking and do not separate through the laminating process and the bag-making process.

This invention relates to laminated films joined by blocking and processes for producing the same.
As the packaging material used for the packaging bags of photographic photosensitive materials, laminated films consisting of a plurality of film layers are used, and the plurality of the film layers are laminated through an adhesive layer or directly by extrusion laminating. The laminated films are produced through many laminating processes which increase manufacturing cost, and tend to curl. Moreover, tear strength is small.
The inventors disclosed a novel laminated film laminated not by adhesive or extrusion laminating but by blocking in a soft state to a certain degree U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,734, EP 0,369,447A). The laminated films laminated by blocking have a great tear strength, Gelbo test strength and impact puncture strength, and curling does not occur. However, the pseudo-adhesion by blocking is unstable, and laminated films were occasionally separated from a cut end at temperatures. The pseudo-adhesion was also occasionally separated partially in the laminating process with other flexible sheets or in the bag-making process, resulting in the occurrence of wrinkling, furrowing or blistering troubles. These troubles became a problem in winter and in strongly air-cooled room.

Laminated film and process for producing the same


A perpendicular magnetic recording disk has a granular Co-based ferromagnetic alloy recording layer (RL) with oxides of a selected metal (Ta or Nb) and a reduced-thickness exchange-break layer (EBL) between the RL and the soft magnetic underlayer (SUL). A perpendicular magnetic recording system that includes the disk, the write head and the read head, has an improved ability to write to the RL because of the reduced-thickness EBL.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to perpendicular magnetic recording media, and more particularly to a disk with a perpendicular magnetic recording layer for use in magnetic recording hard disk drives.
2. Description of the Related Art
Perpendicular magnetic recording, wherein the recorded bits are stored in a perpendicular or out-of-plane orientation in the recording layer, is a promising path toward ultra-high recording densities in magnetic recording hard disk drives. A common type of perpendicular magnetic recording system is one that uses a "dual-layer" media. This type of system is shown in FIG. 1 with a single write pole type of recording head. The dual-layer media includes a perpendicular magnetic data recording layer (RL) formed on a "soft" or relatively low-coercivity magnetically permeable underlayer (SUL). The SUL serves as a flux return path for the field from the write pole to the return pole of the recording head. In FIG. 1, the RL is illustrated with perpendicularly recorded or magnetized regions, with adjacent regions having opposite magnetization directions, as represented by the arrows. The magnetic transitions between adjacent oppositely-directed magnetized regions are detectable by the read element or head as the recorded bits.
FIG. 2 is a schematic of a cross-section of a prior art perpendicular magnetic recording disk showing the write field Hw acting on the recording layer RL. The disk also includes the hard disk substrate, a seed or onset layer (OL) for growth of the SUL, a nonmagnetic exchange break layer (EBL) to break the magnetic exchange coupling between the magnetically permeable films of the SUL and the RL and to facilitate epitaxial growth of the RL, and a protective overcoat (OC). As shown in FIG. 2, the RL is located inside the gap of the "apparent" recording head (ARH), which allows for significantly higher write fields compared to longitudinal or in-plane recording. The ARH comprises the write pole (FIG. 1) which is the real write head (RWH) above the disk, and an effective secondary write pole (SWP) beneath the RL. The SWP is facilitated by the SUL, which is decoupled from the RL by the EBL and by virtue of its high permeability produces a magnetic mirror image of the RWH during the write process. This effectively brings the RL into the gap of the ARH and allows for a large write field Hw inside the RL.
One type of material for the RL is a granular ferromagnetic cobalt alloy, such as a CoPtCr alloy, with a hexagonal-close-packed (hcp) crystalline structure having the c-axis oriented substantially out-of-plane or perpendicular to the RL. The granular cobalt alloy RL should also have a well-isolated fine-grain structure to produce a high-coercivity (Hc) media and to reduce inter-granular exchange coupling, which is responsible for high intrinsic media noise. Thus, enhancement of grain segregation in the cobalt alloy RL has been proposed by the addition of oxides, including oxides of Si, Ta and Nb, which precipitate to the grain boundaries.
A perpendicular magnetic recording medium has also been proposed wherein the RL is an antiferromagnetically-coupled (AFC) recording layer of two ferromagnetic layers, each having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, separated by an antiferromagnetically (AF) coupling layer. The AF-coupling layer induces perpendicular antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between the two ferromagnetic layers, as depicted in FIG. 3 by the antiparallel magnetization directions between the two ferromagnetic layers in each magnetized region of the AFC RL. The upper ferromagnetic layer is formed with a higher magnetic moment than the lower ferromagnetic layer, typically by making it thicker, so that the AFC RL has a net magnetic moment in the absence of a magnetic field. In this type of medium, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,815,082 B2, both the first or lower ferromagnetic layer and the second or upper ferromagnetic layer are formed of a granular cobalt alloy, such as a CoPtCr alloy, with an hcp crystalline structure and with or without oxides.
The cobalt alloy RL, including the cobalt alloy AFC RL, with or without oxides, has out-of-plane of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy as a result of the c-axis of its hcp crystalline structure being induced to grow perpendicular to the plane of the layer during deposition. To induce this growth of the hcp RL, the EBL onto which the RL is formed is also an hcp material. In a perpendicular magnetic recording medium with an AFC RL, the EBL also has an hcp crystalline structure to induce the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the lower layer in the AFC RL. Ruthenium (Ru) is one type of nonmagnetic hcp material proposed for the EBL. While not shown in FIG. 2, a seed layer is typically deposited directly on the SUL to facilitate the growth of the EBL.
To achieve high performance perpendicular magnetic recording disks at ultra-high recording densities, e.g., greater than 200 Gbits/in2, the RL should exhibit low intrinsic media noise (high signal-to-noise ratio or SNR), a coercivity Hc greater than about 5000 Oe and a nucleation field Hn greater (more negative) than about −1500 Oe. The nucleation field Hn has several meanings, but as used herein it is the reversing field, preferably in the second quadrant of the M-H hysteresis loop, at which the magnetization drops to 90% of its saturation value Ms. The more negative the nucleation field, the more stable the remanent magnetic state will be because a larger reversing field is required to alter the magnetization.
A perpendicular magnetic recording medium with a RL of a CoPtCr granular alloy with added SiO2 is described by H. Uwazumi, et al., "CoPtCr—SiO2 Granular Media for High-Density Perpendicular Recording", IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol. 39, No. 4, July 2003, pp. 1914-1918. The RL had Hc of about 4000 Oe and Hn of about −700 Oe. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium with a RL of a CoPt granular alloy with added Ta2O5 is described by T. Chiba et al., "Structure and magnetic properties of Co—Pt—Ta2O5 film for perpendicular magnetic recording media", Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, Vol. 287, February 2005, pp. 167-171. The RL had Hc of about 3000 Oe.
In perpendicular magnetic recording systems the recording medium is part of the write head and therefore needs to match with the head design, as depicted in FIG. 2 for a system with a single-write-pole head. For a single-write-pole head, it is desirable to minimize the write-pole-to-SUL spacing to concentrate the write field flux and thus maximize the write field. Another type of system uses a trailing-shield type of write head. In this system the write-pole-to-trailing-shield distance should match with the write-pole-to-SUL spacing to obtain the best write angle. In both systems, a thin EBL is used to achieve the desired head-to-SUL spacing. However, while a reduction in thickness of the EBL is desirable for writing, the EBL is made thick enough to provide the template for the growth of the hcp cobalt alloy RL to assure that its c-axis is perpendicular. The EBL is also sufficiently thick to provide an RL with high Hc and low enough inter-granular exchange coupling to minimize the intrinsic media noise. The thickness of the EBL required for RLs with Si oxides is typically greater than about 20 nm. The RL with Ta oxides reported in the above-cited article by T. Chiba et al. had a Ru EBL with a thickness of 15 nm.
What is needed is a high-performance, ultra-high-recording-density perpendicular magnetic recording disk with a CoPtCr granular alloy RL and a thin EBL for optimal write performance.

Perpendicular magnetic recording disk with recording layer containing selected metal oxides and formed on a reduced-thickness exchange-break layer

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A dielectric isolation type semiconductor device includes a dielectric isolation type substrate in which a support substrate, an embedded dielectric layer, and a first conductive type semiconductor substrate of a low impurity concentration are laminated one over another. The semiconductor substrate includes a first semiconductor region of a first conductive type having a high impurity concentration, a second semiconductor region of a second conductive type having a high impurity concentration arranged so as to surround the first semiconductor region, a first main electrode joined to a surface of the first semiconductor region, and a second main electrode joined to a surface of the second semiconductor region. A first dielectric portion is arranged adjacent the embedded dielectric layer so as to surround a region of the support substrate superposed on the first semiconductor region in a direction of lamination thereof, and a wire connected with the first main electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dielectric isolation type semiconductor device with a high voltage circuit formed on a dielectric isolation type substrate, and to a manufacturing method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a known dielectric isolation semiconductor device, a dielectric layer and a rear surface electrode are arranged on an upper surface and a lower surface, respectively, of a support substrate, and a semiconductor substrate is provided on an upper surface of the dielectric layer so that the semiconductor substrate and the support substrate are dielectrically isolated from each other by means of the dielectric layer. An insulating film in the semiconductor substrate serves to define, in a prescribed range, an n− type semiconductor layer that constitutes the semiconductor substrate, and in this defined prescribed range, an n+ type semiconductor region having a resistance lower than that of the n− type semiconductor layer is formed on an upper surface of the n− type semiconductor layer, and a p+ type semiconductor region is also formed so as to surround the n+ type semiconductor region. In addition, a cathode electrode and an anode electrode are connected with the n+ type semiconductor region and the p+ type semiconductor region, respectively, and the cathode electrode and the anode electrode are insulated from each other by a field oxide film.
When both the anode electrode and the rear surface electrode are set to 0V with a positive voltage applied on the cathode electrode being gradually increased, there will develop a first depletion layer extending from a p-n junction between the n− type semiconductor layer and the p+ type semiconductor region. At this time, since the semiconductor substrate acts as a field plate through the dielectric layer, a second depletion layer in addition to the first depletion layer develops so as to extend in a direction toward the upper surface of the n− type semiconductor layer from an interface or boundary surface of the n− type semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer. Due to the extension of the second depletion layer, the first depletion layer become able to easily extend from the p-n junction toward the cathode electrode whereby an electric field at the p-n junction between the n− type semiconductor layer and the p+ type semiconductor region is alleviated. This effect is generally called a RESURF (reduced surface field) effect.
The electric field strength in the thickness direction of the n− type semiconductor layer at a position sufficiently away from the p+ type semiconductor region is zero in a range from an upper surface of the n− type semiconductor layer up to a prescribed position, increases linearly from the prescribed position, further increases in a stepwise manner at the interface or boundary surface of the n− type semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer, becomes constant in the dielectric layer, and returns to zero at a boundary between the dielectric layer and the support substrate. Representing the thickness of the depletion layer extending from the boundary between the n− type semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer by x, the thickness of the dielectric layer by t0, the impurity concentration of the n− type semiconductor layer by N(cm−3), the dielectric constant of a vacuum by ∈0 (C×V−1×cm−1), the relative dielectric constant of the n− type semiconductor layer by ∈2, and the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric layer by ∈3, respectively, a full voltage drop V in the thickness direction of the n− type semiconductor layer at a position sufficiently away from the p+ type semiconductor region is represented by the following expression (1).V=q·N/(∈2·∈0)×(x2/2+∈2·t0x/∈3)  (1)
From expression (1) above, it is found that when the thickness t0 of the dielectric layer is increased while keeping the full voltage drop V unchanged, the thickness x of the second depletion layer extending from the interface is decreased. This means the RESURF effect becomes weaker.
On the other hand, under the condition that avalanche breakdowns due to the concentration of electric field at the p-n junction between the n− type semiconductor layer and the p+ type semiconductor region and the concentration of electric field at the interface between the n− type semiconductor layer and the n+ type semiconductor region do not occur, the dielectric strength of the dielectric isolation type semiconductor device is eventually determined by the avalanche breakdown due to the concentration of electric field at the interface between the n− type semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer at a location right under the n+ type semiconductor region. In order to construct the dielectric isolation type semiconductor device so as to satisfy such a condition, the p+ type semiconductor region and the n+ type semiconductor region need only be arranged sufficiently away from each other so that the thickness and the impurity concentration of the n− type semiconductor layer can be optimized.
It is generally known that the condition for nonoccurrence of avalanche breakdowns means that state in which when depletion is caused from the interface between the n− type semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer to the upper surface of the n− type semiconductor layer, the concentration of electric field at the interface between the n− type semiconductor layer and the dielectric layer satisfies the avalanche breakdown condition.
Under such a condition, when the thickness of the n− type semiconductor layer is represented by d and the critical electric field that causes avalanche breakdown by Ecr, the dielectric strength V is shown by the following expression (2), while neglecting the thickness of the n+ type semiconductor region.V=Ecr·(d/2+∈2·t0/∈3)  (2)
Here, the dielectric strength V of the dielectric isolation type semiconductor device is calculated with the n− type semiconductor layer being formed of silicon, and the dielectric layer being formed of a silicon oxide film. D =4×10−4 and t0 =2×10−4 are adopted as general values for the distance d and the thickness t0, respectively. The critical electric field strength Ecr, though influenced by the thickness d of the n− type semiconductor layer, is represented in this case by about Ecr=4×105. With this, by assigning numeric values 11.7 and 3.9 to ∈2 and ∈3 (i.e., ∈2=11.7 and ∈3=3.9), respectively, the dielectric strength V is calculated as 320 V.
When the thickness d of the n− type semiconductor layer is increased by 1 μm, the dielectric strength increases by 20 V, and when the thickness t0 of the dielectric layer is increased by 1 μm, the dielectric strength increases by 120 V.
Thus, the dielectric strength increases more greatly when increasing the thickness of the dielectric layer than when increasing the thickness of the n− type semiconductor layer, so for the purpose of increasing of the dielectric strength, it is more effective to increase the thickness of the dielectric layer rather than that of the n− type semiconductor layer. Besides, to increase the thickness of the n− type semiconductor layer results in increased difficulty in the formation of the insulating film, and hence is undesirable.
On the other hand, when the thickness of the dielectric layer is increased, the extension of the second depletion layer becomes small as stated above, thus resulting in reduction in the RESURF effect. That is, the concentration of electric field at the p-n junction between the p+ type semiconductor region and the n− type semiconductor layer increases, whereby the dielectric strength will be limited by a possible avalanche breakdown at this p-n junction.
Accordingly, by forming a porous oxide film in a region of the support substrate including a portion right under the cathode electrode arranged on the upper surface of the n+ type semiconductor region of the semiconductor substrate, the concentration of electric field in the n− type semiconductor layer in the vicinity of the boundary of the n+ type semiconductor region and the n− type semiconductor layer is alleviated, and the dielectric strength is improved.
In addition, by forming a through hole in a region of the support substrate including a portion right under a drain electrode of a MOSFET formed on the semiconductor substrate, and forming a dielectric layer made of silicone ladder polymer on that portion of the dielectric layer which appears in the interior of the through hole, the concentration of electric field in the n− type semiconductor layer in the vicinity of the boundary of the n+ type semiconductor region and the n− type semiconductor layer is alleviated, and the dielectric strength is improved (see, for example, a first patent document: Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2004-200472).
However, when the dielectric strength of the dielectric isolation type semiconductor device increases due to the formation of the porous oxide film, the dielectric strength of lead-out wiring from the cathode electrode will fall below the dielectric strength of the dielectric isolation type semiconductor device. In view of this, by adopting wire wiring in place of the lead-out wiring from the cathode electrode, the dielectric strength can be made to exceed the dielectric strength of the semiconductor device.
However, when a wire is wire bonded to the cathode electrode right under which the porous oxide film is formed, by using an ultrasonic wire bonder, there will be a problem that an ultrasonic wave is applied to the sponge-like porous oxide film, thereby generating a crack therein.
Moreover, in the case where the through hole is formed through the support substrate, there is another problem that the dielectric isolation type semiconductor device might be caused to flex due to a force that is generated by a header of the ultrasonic wire bonder to urge the wire against the drain electrode.

Dielectric isolation type semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor


The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, Prunus persica, broadly characterized by a medium size, moderately vigorous, hardy, self-fertile, productive and regular bearing tree. The variety blooms during the mid to late blooming season and requires about 600 chilling hours. The fruit matures under the ecological conditions described in the last half of August, with first picking on Aug. 20, 2013. The fruit is uniform, very large in size, globose in shape, freestone in type, firm and melting in texture, white in flesh color, mostly red in skin color, and a tasty balance of light acid and sugar in flavor.

In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, we, the inventors, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. We also grow a smaller number of open pollinated seeds of each of these fruits, usually to capture recessive traits. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which has been denominated varietally as 'Pearl Princess XII'.
During the summer of 2006 we gathered about 1000 open pollinated seeds from the fruit of several different peach trees that exhibited desired characteristics. These trees, some experimental and some patented varieties, were all located on the breeding grounds of our experimental orchard located near Le Grand, Calif., in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley). All of the seeds that came from white flesh freestone peaches were mixed together and dried in a container labeled "WPF (OP)". These seeds were then planted as a group in November, 2006, in row "36M" of the experimental orchard referenced above. About 500 of the seed germinated and sprouted the following spring. The resulting group of seedlings were grown using normal cultural practices for three years, and then the fruit from each individual tree was carefully evaluated. During the fruit evaluation season of 2011 we selected the present variety as a single tree from the group of seedlings described above for exhibiting desirable qualities. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of peach tree, we asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of 'Nemaguard' (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is most similar to 'Glacier Princess' peach (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,867) by having a medium vigorous tree with large blossoms, by having reniform leaf glands, by being self-fertile, by having a bitter tasting kernel, and by producing white flesh freestone peaches that are very large in size, mostly red in skin color, globose in shape, firm in texture, and good in flavor, but is distinguished therefrom by blooming about ten days later, by requiring more chilling hours, and by producing fruit that matures about fifteen days earlier.


The aromatics production system is useful for producing an aromatics-rich system product from a liquid hydrocarbon condensate includes a hydroprocessing reactor, an aromatization reactor system and a hydrogen extraction unit. The method for producing the aromatics-rich system product from the wide boiling range condensate includes introducing the wide boiling range condensate into the hydroprocessing reactor, operating the aromatics production system such that the hydroprocessing reactor forms a naphtha boiling temperature range liquid product, such that the aromatization reactor system forms the aromatics-rich system product, and such that the hydrogen extraction unit forms a high-purity hydrogen.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to the production of aromatics. More specifically, the field relates to a system and method for producing aromatics from gas condensates.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally wide boiling range condensates from natural gas, light condensate, natural gas liquid, shale gas, and other gas or liquid hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs that produce light petroleum liquids (C3-12 range) are sent to fractionation columns and are distilled using techniques similar to those used for fractionating crude oil in an atmospheric pressure crude separations tower. The fractionated products—liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gasoline, naphtha, and atmospheric gas oil fractions—are then typically processed for various impurities that occur within each boiling fraction before they are used to produce refined product fuels and petrochemicals, including olefins, gasoline and blending components of gasoline, kerosene and diesel.
Other uses of wide boiling range condensates include feeding the condensate to a steam-cracking reformer or a pyrolysis furnace to crack the material into light olefins, especially C2-4 olefins, for direct use in petrochemical manufacturing of polymers and other light olefin derivatives. Another process using a condensate includes combining the condensate material with hydrocarbon stream from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process. Both of these processes, however, struggle with handling the impurities that come with the wide boiling range condensate, including sulfur and nitrogen-bearing compounds, and heterorganic species with nickel and vanadium.
It is desirable to find a more direct process for receiving a wide boiling range condensate, which many within the industry consider as an alternative feedstock, from its production source with minimal pre-treatment for conversion into useful petrochemicals, especially aromatic commodity chemicals including benzene, toluene and the xylenes. Such chemicals have a global marketplace and are not limited to local use, unlike light olefins with their high reactivity. It is also desirable to have a system that eliminates the necessity of separating the wide boiling range condensate first into fractional components. As well, there is interest in preventing the build-up of sulfur or metal-based fouling within the processing system regardless of technique.

Two-step process for aromatics production from natural gas/shale gas condensates


According to an aspect, an implantable device for penile construction includes a penile implant having a distal portion and a proximal portion. The distal portion includes a shaft portion configured to be disposed in a neophallus. The proximal portion defines a first strut and a second strut, and the proximal portion is configured to be attached to a pelvis structure.

In some examples, penile prostheses for erectile dysfunction have been used off-label in penile construction or reconstruction cases such as female to male transgender, and natal males with penile reconstruction (e.g., congenital disorders, amputation (penile cancer), trauma, etc.). For example, a patient undergoes a phalloplasty procedure (e.g., single stage or multiple stages) in which a neophallus is surgically constructed from tissue grafts taken from other parts of the body. The phalloplasty procedure may be considered highly invasive with relatively high infection risks, and a patient may be open on the operating table for an extended period of time (e.g., 8+ hours). Since the neophallus is made of skin and does not contain the erectile tissues of a biological penis, the neophallus does not have the capability to achieve an erection.
A penile prosthesis may be implanted after the phalloplasty procedure. In some examples, the penile prosthesis may be a transgender specific device or a penile prosthesis used for erectile dysfunction in natal males. However, there may be difficulties associated with how the penile prosthesis is attached to the pelvic. In natal males, the proximal ends of the corpora cavernosa tunnel deep into the pelvis, and, in some examples, they provide the cavity in which the two cylinders of the penile prosthesis are disposed, as well as a way to prevent migration or crossover of the cylinders. In the natal males undergoing penile reconstruction due to amputation (as well as other situations), the proximal corpora may still be intact and may serve to anchor the proximal ends of the penile prosthesis dual cylinders. However, in female-to-male (FTM) transgender individuals, natal males with birth defects, and/or severe trauma cases (or other situations), these features of the proximal corpora may not be present in the same manner, and, there may be difficulties with anchoring these devices to the pelvis.


A device (D) is dedicated to the diagnosis of operating situations) in at least one communication network (RC) having a bus (BU) with N wire(s). This device (D) comprises i) P connection means (MCI-MC3), with P≧N, bypass-connected at least to the N wires of the bus (BU) so as to access the P voltages présent, ii) conversion means (MV1-MV3) devised so as to convert the P voltages into P first digital signais (SI (p,t)), iii) processing means (MT) devised so as to construct a measurement vector (V(t)) associated with a voltages measurement instant (t) and comprising K éléments chosen from among at least the P first digital signais (SI (p, t)), then to compare at least this measurement vector (V(t)) with at least I pairs, with I≧1, of first (Vt(i,t)) and second (Vr2(i,t) référence vectors comprising K éléments representative of K minimum and maximum values that can be taken by the K éléments of the measurement vector (V(t)), so as to deliver I second signais (S2(i)) each représentative of the result of a comparison, each result being représentative of an operating situation on the bus (BU), and iv) I display means (MAI-MAI) each devised so as to signal an operating situation represented by a second signal (S2(i)) delivered.

The invention relates to devices used to perform diagnostics in communication networks equipped with a bus comprising at least one electric wire on which a voltage can be measured in a non-intrusive manner.
The buses of certain communication networks of the aforementioned type comprise a limited number of wires (at least one) to which communication equipment can be connected in parallel in order to exchange data between them by means of multiplexed frames. This is for instance in the case of networks such as CAN LS ("Controller Area Network Low Speed"), CAN HS ("Controller Area Network High Speed"), VAN ("Vehicle Area Network"), LIN ("Local Interconnect Network"), ARINC ("Aeronautical Radio Inc.") or I2C (or IIC "Inter-Integrated Circuit") which are used in areas such as vehicles (including automotive type vehicles), industrial installations, in aeronautics, consumer electronics and in the railroad domain.
Because of the high number of connections involved in such networks, they can be the object of numerous and difficult to detect operating faults (or breakdowns). For instance, they can be the object of a short-circuit between a data transmitting electric wire and a ground, a short-circuit between a data transmitting electric wire and the voltage of a power network (for instance of a vehicle), a short-circuit between two data transmitting electric wires, or the outage of one data transmitting electric wire.
The larger a network the more difficult it becomes to diagnose the origin of an operating fault (or breakdown) occurring within the network. Certain devices (or tools) such as those described in, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,418, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,847, U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,206, FR 266641 8 and EP 0231 607 are available for diagnosing breakdowns. But they all have at least one disadvantage, such as for instance the need for establishing, with the network, a bidirectional communication according to a predefined, and therefore intrusive, protocol, and/or the need for using relatively powerful processors, and/or the need for complex programming, and/or large overall dimensions, and/or the need for being operated by previously trained technicians.

Non-intrusive device for diagnosis, by vectorial comparison, of operating situation(s) in at least one communication network


A cargo deck includes a floor engageable with a load. The floor is formed from extruded aluminum in tubular panels extending transversely along the floor. Side rails are disposed on opposed sides of the deck. A plurality of longitudinally-extending support members support the floor, and are coupled to the floor via a plurality of support brackets extending angularly from the floor to the support members.

A light weight cargo deck includes a floor comprised of tubular extruded aluminum panels and side rails formed as one piece from extruded aluminum. The floor is supported by a plurality of longitudinal support members (i.e., main beams) in some embodiments.
A plurality of support posts rotatably affixed to the longitudinal support members extend upwardly from the deck and may be used by overhead cranes to lift the cargo deck. The support posts are rotatable to a stowed position such that multiple cargo decks may be stacked when unloaded.


Process for the powder-metallurgical production of work pieces, particularly tools, containing high-melting point carbides and/or carbonitrides homogeneously distributed in a matrix, in which an amount of elements of the IVa and Va groups, or secondary groups, of the periodic table is adjusted to at least 3 weight percent of the alloy, a low carbon and/or nitrogen concentration is established, and primary precipitates are prevented; and a desired carbon and/or nitrogen content is created by atomization of the melt into powder vaporizing medium. When necessary, it is further created by diffusion annealing of the powder in a medium containing carbon or hydrocarbon compounds and/or nitrogen or nitrogen compounds; and powder with a minimum carbide and/or carbonitride content of 10 percent by volume is processed to produce work pieces in a manner known in the prior art, when necessary after mixing two or more kinds of powders containing different amounts of carbon and nitrogen made according to the process of this invention. Work pieces, particularly tools, produced according to this process have a content of at least two elements selected from the group consisting of vanadium, niobium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium or tantalum, with a carbide and/or carbonitride content of at least 6 percent by volume, and a maximum carbide and/or carbonitride granule size of 5 .mu.m diameter.

The invention relates to a process for the powder metallurgical production of work pieces or tools containing high melting point carbides and/or carbonitrides that are homogeneously distributed in the matrix and PM parts produced according to this process.
In the process for the production of work pieces or tools, particularly when they are produced from alloys containing a high amount of carbon, for example, cold work steels, high-speed steels, and the like, and/or containing high nitrogen concentrations, powder metallurgical processes can be employed to advantage. In the process a molten alloy is atomized to form a powder, this powder is filled into capsules, and a PM (powder metallurgy) part is produced by means of sintering, HIP-ing (hot isostatic pressing), and/or hot-forming and the like. When the particle formed by atomization of a homogeneous melt of the alloy is rapidly cooled, the reaction of the carbon and/or nitrogen with the elements contained in the alloy which elements form carbides and/or nitrides occurs in a brief period of time. As a result, the washing of coarse carbides and/or carbonitrides is prevented from forming during hardening and a uniform distribution of fine particles of these compounds in the powder granules is achieved. The end products, PM parts consequently have a homogeneous distribution of carbides and/or carbonitrides of small granular size in a matrix, which particularly improves the toughness and performance properties.
The usable contents of carbon and nitrogen in the alloy are limited in combination with the amount of carbide-forming and/or nitride -forming elements of the IVa and Va groups, or secondary groups, of the periodic table, because when the amounts of carbon and nitrogen are high, the carbides and/or carbonitrides of the elements already form in the melt due to the high affinities between these elements and carbon and/or nitrogen. These primarily precipitated compounds have high melting points and grow in size in the melt to be mostly block-like and/or dendritic granules, which cannot be reduced even in the atomizing process. This may result in inhomogeneities and scarring in coarse carbides in the resulting PM part, which negatively affects the operating properties of the latter, particularly its toughness qualities.
Attempts have been made in the case of higher concentrations, particularly of the elements C and Nb, to prevent the formation of coarse primary carbide precipitates by the means of technical alloying procedures or influencing the nuclear condition of the melt. However, they have not been able to achieve any significant improvements.
Also proposed in the case of alloys containing elements of more than 3.0 percent in weight which form carbides of the type of MeC and Me.sub.4 C.sub.3, (where Me means metal and C means carbon, or carbides) was superheating at the temperatures far above the usual melting temperatures, for example 1750.degree. to 1800.degree. C., in order to thereby dissolve primary carbide precipitates or to avoid them, and rapid cooling of the alloy from this temperature. The disadvantage here is that the fireproof linings of the furnace for melt and atomization aggregates wear away quickly. Furthermore, at high temperatures the affinities of the elements, for example of niobium and titanium for oxygen, are considerably increased, whereby oxide formations are increased, which causes impurities in the melt and an uncontrollable combustion of the elements.

Process for the powder metallurgical production of working pieces or tools and PM parts


In association with a primary cleaner device, used to remove the preponderance of toner remaining on a charge retentive surface after transfer, a secondary cleaning member is provided, arranged for the removal of toner agglomerates formed by the agglomeration of toner, and toner and debris. The secondary cleaning member is characterized as a thin scraper member arranged at a low angle of attack with respect to the photoreceptor so that a maximum shearing force can be applied by the blade to the agglomerates for removal thereof. A relatively low load is applied to the blade, so that the problems associated with normal cleaning engagement of blades with a charge retentive surface are avoided.

In electrophotographic applications such as xerography, a charge retentive surface is electrostatically charged, and exposed to a light pattern of an original image to be reproduced to selectively discharge the surface in accordance therewith. The resulting pattern of charged and discharged areas on that surface form an electrostatic charge pattern (an electrostatic latent image) conforming to the original image. The latent image is developed by contacting it with a finely divided electrostatically attractable powder referred to as "toner". Toner is held on the image areas by the electrostatic charge on the surface. Thus, a toner image is produced in conformity with a light image of the original being reproduced. The toner image may then be transferred to a substrate (e.g., paper), and the image affixed thereto to form a permanent record of the image to be reproduced. Subsequent to development, excess toner left on the charge retentive surface is cleaned from the surface. The process is well known, and useful for light lens copying from an original, and printing applications from electronically generated or stored originals, where a charged surface may be imagewise discharged in a variety of ways. Ion projection devices where a charge is imagewise deposited on a charge retentive substrate operate similarly.
Although a preponderance of the toner forming the image is transferred to the paper during transfer, some toner invariably remains on the charge retentive surface, it being held thereto by relatively high electrostatic and/or mechanical forces. Additionally, paper fibers, Kaolin and other debris have a tendency to be attracted to the charge retentive surface. It is essential for optimum operation that the toner remaining on the surface be cleaned thoroughly therefrom.
A commercially successful mode of cleaning employed in automatic xerographic devices utilizes a brush with soft conductive fiber bristles which have suitable triboelectric characteristics. While the bristles are soft they are sufficiently firm to remove residual toner particles from the charge retentive surface. A voltage is applied to the fibers to enhance removal of toner from the charge retentive surface.
Not all toner and debris is removed from the surface by the brush cleaner. For reasons that are unclear, toner particles agglomerate with themselves and with certain types of debris to form a spot-wise deposition that can eventually strongly adhere to the charge retentive surface. These spots range from 50 .mu.m to greater than 400 .mu.m in diameter and 5-25 .mu.m in thickness, but typically are about 200 .mu.m in diameter and 5-15 .mu.m in thickness. The agglomerates range in material compositions from nothing but toner to a broad assortment of plastics and debris from paper. The spots cause a copy quality defect showing up as a black spot on a background area of the copy which is the same size as the spot on the photoreceptor. The spot on the copy varies slightly with the exact machine operating conditions, but cannot be deleted by control of the the machine process characteristics.
While attempts were made to eliminate the agglomerate spotting by controlling of extraneous debris within the device, this solution has been found difficult if not impossible to implement. Additionally, there was no way to eliminate the formation of agglomerates that the toner formed itself. However, in studying the formation of these spots, it was noted that the spots appeared instantaneously on the charge retentive surface, i.e., the spots were not the result of a continuing nucleation process. It was subsequently noted that newly deposited spots were more weakly adhered to the surface than older spots.
The combination in a cleaning system of a brush cleaner with a cleaning blade in residual toner removing, sealing engagement is known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,660 to Oda shows a fur brush in combination with a soft rubber cleaning blade, where the cleaning blade functions as the primary means for toner release from the photoreceptor, and the brush operates to remove toner accumulating at the blade to the toner collection system. U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,108 to Thettu et al, shows a brush and blade combination with the brush acts as a scrubber member for the release of accumulating toner film while the blade is the primary cleaner. In a two cycle system, where the photoreceptor rotates twice for every copying operation, U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,808 to Narita shows the use of a cleaning blade as a primary cleaner, in typical cleaning engagement adjacent a magnetic brush used for both development and cleaning. U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,501 to Kojima et al. shows a cleaning system with a cleaning roller and cleaning blade. U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,766 to Fox and U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,648 to Takahashi show various blade cleaner systems. U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,800 To Kamiyama et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,683 to Knieser show liquid developer cleaning arrangements, including, respectively, a blade and squeegee roller, and a blade and foam belt. U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,399 to Gladish and U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,643 to Smith et al. each show air stream devices for cleaning liquids from a surface. IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 19, No. 8, p. 3215, (January, 1977) by K. Sanders, notes the use of an air stream for the removal of toner from a cleaning brush used to clean an electrophotographic drum. These references are all incorporated by reference herein.

Cleaning apparatus for the reduction of agglomeration-caused spotting


A vehicle control apparatus, a vehicle control method, and a program that can curb unnecessary driving control are provided. The vehicle control apparatus includes a pedestrian recognition unit configured to recognize a crossing pedestrian crossing a road on which a vehicle travels, a space recognition unit configured to recognize whether there is a space having a predetermined width or more between a lane on which the vehicle travels and an oncoming lane, and a driving control unit configured to execute avoidance support for avoiding contact between the vehicle and the crossing pedestrian recognized by the pedestrian recognition unit based on a behavior of the crossing pedestrian and a behavior of the vehicle, in which the driving control unit is configured to determine whether the crossing pedestrian recognized by the pedestrian recognition unit is moving from the oncoming lane side to a space recognized by the space recognition unit, and curb the avoidance support upon determination that the crossing pedestrian is moving to the space.

In recent years, research on automatic control of vehicles has been conducted. In relation to this, a technology in which a vehicle detects a pedestrian on a road provided with a barrier such as a protective fence and performs control to prevent a collision with the pedestrian on the basis of a positional relationship between the barrier and the pedestrian has been known (refer to Patent Document 1).

Vehicle control apparatus, vehicle control method, and program


The present invention relates to a combiner, channel identifier, Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing OFDM receiver and method for optimizing use of channel state information of a received signal. The method comprises analyzing a received signal in a time domain and extracting from the received signal characteristics of a communication channel. The method furthermore comprises determining a dynamic indicator of channel station information accuracy based on the characteristics of the received signal. Additionally, the method comprises applying a weight to the channel state information according to the dynamic indicator.

In the last decades, the interest toward wireless communications has greatly increased. Such an interest has pushed the development and refinement of wireless protocols and technologies. All types of wireless communications have one thing in common: they allow data transmission over the air. However, transmitting data over the air introduces issues such as interference, distortion and multipath propagation. To overcome such issues, multiple techniques for treating received data signals have been developed in combination with more robust modulation techniques. Some of the mostly used modulation techniques include Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Access (OFDMA).
More particularly, in OFDM and OFDMA, multiple signals are modulated on different sub-carriers that operate on different frequencies. These sub-carriers are then added together to create a composite signal. The composite signal is afterwards modulated onto a single carrier frequency for transmission over the air from one device to another. The essence of an OFDM signal lies, however, in the way the sub-carriers are placed with respect to each other. The sub-carriers are chosen so as to have orthogonally spaced sub-carriers to avoid inter-carrier interference.
To further increase the accuracy of a decoded OFDM signal, a method called soft-demapping is applied to the signal. In OFDM receivers, a soft-demapper module performs constellation demapping by indicating, for each bit of a symbol, the level of confidence that a bit is either a "0" or a "1". The output of the soft-demapper is used by a decoder. This method provides a high level of accuracy when the channel is frequency non-selective. For instance, white noise and flat fading generates on average the same SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) for all sub-carriers in a signal.
However, intersymbol interference resulting from multipath propagation affects each sub-carrier differently and is therefore considered as being frequency selective: each sub-carrier has a different level of SNR depending on the amplitude of the sub-carrier channel response. A generalized method for symbol estimation such as soft-demapping leads to a low level of accuracy when in presence of frequency selective interference. It is therefore necessary to use other methods for establishing the confidence level of symbols in each sub-carrier.
Many have proposed various methods for establishing the CSI indicator for each sub-carrier. One of the ways used for determining the CSI indicator is through an interpolation of an estimated SNR for pilot carriers. The estimated SNR for each pilot carrier is established by processing the pilot carriers through a CSI computation module of the OFDM receiver. The CSI computation module is then capable of establishing the estimated SNR for each sub-carrier. The generated CSI estimate for each sub-carrier is then taken into consideration by the decoder.
Several have tried to combine the SNR estimates originating from both frequency non-selective and frequency selective interferences. In Kim, U.S. Pat. No. 7,577,206, an apparatus and method of estimating a CPE (Common Phase Error) uses data and pilot sub-carriers for establishing a CSI indicator. For each sub-carrier, a CSI indicator is estimated from the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) signal. The CPE is generated from a CPE estimation unit that uses as input an equalized signal and the CSI indicator. A Soft-Demapper then demaps the CPE compensated equalized signal for decoding.
In the same line of thought, in Gupta et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,639,749, is disclosed a method that teaches a SNR based selection filter. The method further teaches the use of the filter in combination with a DFE (Decision Feedback Equalizer) with which is then combined a WCSI (Weighted Channel State Information). The WCSI is used by the decoder, which is modified to give decoding weights to symbols proportional to channel estimation. The channel estimation is performed in a frequency domain.
Although the systems presented by Gupta et al. and in Kim may provide a respectable level of accuracy in the decoded data, several computational modules must be added to the conventional OFDM receiver. It is needless to say that the addition of computational modules decreases the efficiency of the OFDM receiver. As OFDM receivers are integrated in various communication units such as devices that generate high levels of data traffic, it is thus important that the OFDM receiver manages to maintain its efficiency and consume as little power as possible. It would therefore be useful to have an OFDM receiver that is capable of increasing the level of data accuracy regardless of the environment or signal propagation conditions while remaining efficient and consuming as little power as possible.

System and method for optimizing use of channel state information


A content reproduction device (600) determines whether there is a change in the connection state of the content reproduction device. When a determination is made that there is a change in the connection state, the content reproduction device transmits to a portable terminal device (500) control information to control the content reproduction device or another device (600A) connected to the content reproduction device. The portable terminal device can control the content reproduction device or another device connected to the content reproduction device based on the received control information.

In recent years, a content reproduction device such as a television receiver, allowing connection with a wide variety of devices, media, and the like, is becoming pervasive.
Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 04-273795 (Patent Document 1) discloses the technique for detecting the state of a plurality of connected devices, and controlling the plurality of devices according to the detected state.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 04-273795

Content reproduction device, control method and network system


A method and apparatus for producing a carbon monoxide containing product in which cathode and anode sides of an electrically driven oxygen separation device are contacted with carbon dioxide and a reducing agent, respectively. The carbon dioxide is reduced to carbon monoxide through ionization of oxygen and the reducing agent lowers the partial pressure of oxygen at the anode side to partially drive oxygen ion transport within the device through the consumption of the oxygen and to supply heat. The lowering of oxygen partial pressure reduces voltage and therefore, electrical power required to be applied to the device and the heat is supplied to heat the device to an operational temperature and to the reduction of the carbon dioxide occurring at the cathode side. The device can be used as part of an integrated apparatus in which the carbon dioxide is supplied from a waste stream of a process plant.

There are many known industrial processes that require the use of carbon monoxide principally in the production of chemicals including the manufacture of aldehydes, methanol, phosgene and acetic acid via the MONSANTO process. Carbon monoxide is also hydrogenated to liquid hydrocarbon fuels in the Fischer-Tropsch process. A common manner of producing such carbon monoxide is through steam methane reforming and the separation of carbon monoxide from resulting synthesis gases in connection with the production of hydrogen.
Hydrogen has also been produced by natural gas assisted steam electrolyzers in which steam is contacted at the cathode side of an electrically driven oxygen separation devices to produce hydrogen from the disassociation of water that is assisted by combustion of natural gas at anode side of the separation device. An example of such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,125. It is to be noted that such devices are similar to fuel cells save the fact that instead of generating electricity, a voltage is applied to drive the oxygen ion transport.
Typically, such electrically driven oxygen separation devices have a membrane element that incorporates an electrolyte layer to conduct oxygen ions that is located between two electrode layers to apply an electrical potential across the electrolyte. The electrode layers are porous and can have sublayers while the electrolyte is an air-tight, dense layer. The resulting composite structure can be in the form of a tube in which the oxygen containing feed is fed to the inside of the tube and the separated oxygen is either collected on the outside of the tube and then dissipated. The reverse is possible and oxygen can be fed to the outside of the tube and the permeated oxygen collected on the inside of the tube. Other forms are possible, for example, flat plates and honeycomb-like structures.
The electrolyte layer is formed of an ionic conductor that is capable of conducting oxygen ions when subjected to an elevated operational temperature and an electrical potential applied to the electrode layers. Under such circumstances, the oxygen ions will ionize on one surface of the electrolyte layer known as the cathode side and under the impetus of the electrical potential will be transported through the electrolyte layer to the opposite cathode side where the oxygen ions will recombine into molecular oxygen. Typical materials that are used to form the electrolyte layer are yttria stabilized zirconia and gadolinium doped ceria. The electrical potential is applied to the electrolyte by way of cathode and anode electrodes. The oxygen ionizes at the cathode and the oxygen ions recombine at the anode. Typically, electrodes can be made of mixtures of the electrolyte material and a conductive metal, metal alloy or an electrically conductive perovskite. In order to distribute current to the electrodes, current collectors are utilized in the form of layers on the electrodes opposite to the electrolyte.
As will be discussed, the present invention provides a method of generating carbon monoxide from a carbon dioxide containing feed with the use of an electrically driven oxygen separation device.

Electrochemical carbon monoxide production


A securing system for an endo-tracheal tube in which a holder in the shape of an open ring with side-flanges is slipped around the tube. Adhesive discs bearing catches are stuck to the patient's face in front of the ear lobes with bands securing-the ring flanges to the catches. Additional bands run to and from the remaining catches over the patient's head and around his neck to provide counterpull.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a system to secure an endo-tracheal tube after the patient is intubated and hold it in the patient's mouth and throat so that it will not dislodge. It consists of a tube holder, two disc assemblies which adhere to the patient's face having three catches each, and bands to connect the holder to the catches on either side. The system is further secured by bands around the patient's head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Endo-tracheal tubes are inserted into an unconscious patient's trachea through the mouth to open an airway. Securing the tube after insertion is very important, because if it is dislodged accidentally or coughed out, it could mean the patient's life. But securing the tube adequately has always been problematical. At present this is done with adhesive tape which is wound around the tube and then stuck to the patient's face and neck. This is not satisfactory for long-term use, since the tape is constantly exposed to moisture from the mouth and loses it's adhesive quality. Yet some anchoring to the face is essential, since any other method does not provide sufficient security for the tube. Bands or cord alone will slip and are too risky to use by themselves. It is the object of this invention to provide a securing system which eliminates adhesive tape and the problems occasioned by it, yet assures safety for the tube by using a combination tying and anchoring method.


The present disclosure relates to a layered structure of a multi-layer PCB, and more particularly, to a structure of a high-power multi-layer PCB which can use a high current by efficiently dissipating heat generated from the inside of the multi-layered PCB and heat generated from a power semiconductor module package mounted on the PCB, and a production method thereof. The multi-layer PCB includes: a conductive plate having a plurality of heat poles protruding from at least one of a top surface and a bottom surface thereof; PCBs which are disposed on the top surface and the bottom surface of the conductive plate, and have a plurality of penetrating holes formed therethrough to allow the heat poles of the conductive plate to be inserted thereinto; and an insulation layer which is attached between the conductive plate and the PCBs in order to electrically insulate.

In a normal structure of a multi-layer PCB on which a power semiconductor module package is mounted, a plurality of PCBs 1 are stacked one on another as shown in FIG. 1. Each of the PCBs 1 is formed by printing circuit patterns 1b and 1c, made of copper, on both surfaces of a substrate 1a like FR-4, CEM-1, CEM-3, Al METAL-PCB. In addition, the PCBs are electrically insulated from one another by an insulation layer 2 which is made of prepreg and formed between the PCBs.
A power semiconductor module package P may be mounted on the circuit pattern of the outermost PCB 1. In order to discharge heat generated from the power semiconductor module package P, the core C of the power semiconductor module package P is disposed to face the outside (opposite to the PCB 1), and a heat dissipation structure 4 is installed on the outside of the power semiconductor module package P in contact with the core C.
According to such a normal multi-layer PCB structure, however, heat increases as the density of a current flowing through the circuit pattern increases. However, since the PCBs are stacked one on another in sequence, heat generated from the circuit pattern of the PCB located inside is not efficiently discharged and thus there is a great risk of fire. Accordingly, there is a disadvantage that it is impossible to use a high current of about hundreds of amperes to thousands of amperes.
In addition, in order to discharge the heat generated from the power semiconductor module package, the heat dissipation structure 4 should be additionally installed on the outside of the power semiconductor module package as shown in FIG. 1. However, there are disadvantages that the structure of a product becomes complicated due to the heat dissipation structure 4 and it is difficult to realize slimness and high density of a product due to the volume of the heat dissipation structure 4.

Multi-layer PCB having function of dissipating heat from power semiconductor module package and PCB, and production method thereof


A process of producing crispy pulses includes hydrating a plurality of raw pulses including cooking to produce hydrated pulses having a predetermined hydrated texture and a predetermined hydrated moisture content and crisping the hydrated pulses to produce the crispy pulses having a crispy texture and a predetermined final moisture content. A crispy pulse formed from a raw pulse has a predetermined crispy texture profile and a crispy texture.

Food products with a light and airy texture have been obtained by extrusion technology, where starches are expanded or puffed as they come out of a die, by puffing gun technology, or by frying. Drawbacks of extrusion technology and puffing gun technology include a high capital expenditure and limited product formats. A drawback of frying is that the product is typically calorie-laden with a higher-than-desired fat content. Conventional baking is only able to provide a light and airy texture to certain foods.
A crisping mechanism for traditional grains, such as rice and popcorn, is to temper the material to a low moisture to control steam explosion within the structure and obtain the final desired texture.
Typically, a bean that is soaked and/or insufficiently cooked and then dried has a hard and glassy texture, which is not preferred by consumers, when eaten and is normally not eaten in this form.
It would be desirable to provide a crispy food product that is from a natural source, that is healthy, that is shelf-stable, and that is easily and inexpensively produced.

Crispy pulse products and processes of making the same


A wing packer has a middle frame section and two wing frame sections to which rollers are attached. The packer can be converted to a transport position by a hydraulic system which lifts the middle section and pivots the wing sections upward. The rollers are connected to the frame about a two-axis pivot which facilitates their remaining in contact with the ground on uneven terrain.

This invention relates to an agricultural implement of the type commonly known as a packer. In particular, it relates to a wing-type packer in which the wing sections can be pivoted upward out of contact with the ground so the packer can be conveniently transported.
Packers are farm machines that are towed behind tractors or other vehicles. Their purpose is to pack the soil over which they are pulled, typically during seedbed preparation, in order to reduce moisture loss therefrom. They are often used behind a cultivator, disker or air seeder, being hitched behind these implements as they are towed by a tractor in order to pack the soil after it has been disturbed by the action of the ground-engaging implement.
One problem with prior art packers is the difficulty of maintaining all the rollers of the packer in full contact with the ground on uneven terrain. A further problem is that great strain is exerted on the packer frame when a roller goes over a rock or other obstacle.

F. P. Bourgault Industries Air Seeder Division Ltd.


A polar code encoding/decoding method in a communications system is provided, including: determining an information bit location set or a frozen bit location set of a polar code based on an interleaving operation or a corresponding de-interleaving operation; and encoding or decoding the polar code based on the determined information bit location set or frozen bit location set.

In a communications system, channel coding is usually used to improve data transmission reliability, to ensure communication quality. It has been theoretically proved that polar (Polar) coding is a coding scheme that can be used to achieve a Shannon capacity and that has a simple encoding/decoding method. A polar code is a linear block code. A generator matrix of the polar code is GN. An encoding process of using the polar code is x1N=u1NGN, where u1N=(u1, u2, . . . , uN) is a binary row vector, GN=F2⊗(log2(N)), a code length N=2n, and n a positive integer.
            F      2        =          [                                    1                                0                                                1                                1                              ]        ,where F2⊗(log2(N)) is a Kronecker product of F2, and is defined as follows: F⊗(log2(N))=F⊗F⊗(log2(N))-1).
In a process of encoding the polar code, some bits in u1N are used to carry information and are referred to as information bits. A set of sequence numbers of these information bits is denoted as A. Some other bits are set to fixed values agreed on in advance by a transmit end and a receive end and are referred to as fixed bits. A set of sequence numbers of the fixed bits is denoted as a complementary set Ac of A. Without loss of generality, these fixed bits are usually set to 0. Actually, a fixed bit sequence may be set randomly provided that the transmit end and the receive end agree in advance. Therefore, a coded bit sequence of the polar code may be obtained by using the following method: x1N=uAGN(A). Herein, uA is an information bit set in u1N. uA is a row vector with a length of K, that is, |A|=K, where |⋅| represents the quantity of elements in a set. To be specific, K represents the quantity of elements in the set A. GN(A) is a submatrix of the matrix GN and that is obtained by using rows corresponding to indices in the set A. GN(A) is a K×N matrix.
A key to polar code encoding lies in determining of the code length N and the information bit set A. In an existing polar code encoding solution, the information bit set A cannot be obtained through simple calculation, and may also include a check bit or other bits that are helpful in decoding. In the prior art, the information bit set A is mostly determined in an offline calculation and storage manner. To be specific, an encoder and a decoder store in advance a correspondence table between a plurality of mother code sequences, code lengths, and code rates. During polar code encoding, a corresponding mother code sequence is selected from the correspondence table based on a required code rate and code length.
In the prior art, a polar code construction process is a process of selecting the set A. This polar code construction process determines the performance of the encoding/decoding method using the polar code. Common construction methods, namely, methods for calculating reliability of a polar channel, include density evolution (DE), Gaussian approximation (GA), and the like.
The polar code is based on a successive cancellation (SC) decoding algorithm. To be specific, the polar code is decoded sequentially starting from the first bit. A successive cancellation list (SCL) decoding algorithm is an improvement on the SC decoding algorithm. A plurality of candidate decoding results are retained for each bit. After all the bits are decoded, a final decoding result is selected from all the decoding results in a list based on a specific criterion. The criterion may be as follows: Lists are sorted based on path penalty values of the lists, and a list with the smallest path penalty value is selected; or a list that has passed a CRC check is used as the final output.
In the prior art, communication performance of polar encoding/decoding needs to be further improved.

Encoding method, decoding method, apparatus, and device