In a non-volatile semiconductor memory of this invention, a memory cell array constituted by a plurality of memory cells is divided into a plurlaity of blocks, and erase lines which are common to the respective blocks and independent from each other are arranged. In the data write mode, a predetermined voltage is applied to only the erase line connected to a selected one of the blocks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory capable of electrically erasing data and, more particularly, to a semiconductor memory capable of improving reliability by shortening a voltage stress time of each non-selected cell and preventing erroneous erasure.
2. Description of the Related Art
In comparison with ultraviolet-erasable type EPROMs, EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROMs) from which stored data can be electrically erased and in which new data can be written are easy to use. For example, data can be erased by electrical signals in a state wherein an EEPROM is kept mounted on a board. Therefore, the demand for EEPROMs to be used for control operation, IC cards (memory cards), and the like has greatly increased. EEPROMs capable of realizing a large capacity employ a memory cell having an arrangement shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C are especially popular.
FIG. 1A is a plan view of a pattern; FIG. 1B, a sectional view taken along a line A1-A2 in FIG. 1A; and FIG. 1C, a sectional view taken along a line B1-B2 in FIG. 1A. Referring to FIGS. 1A to 1C, reference numeral 11 denotes a floating gate consisting of a first polysilicon layer; 12, an erasing gate consisting of a second polysilicon layer; 13, a control gate consisting of a third polysilicon layer, which is also used as a word line of the memory cell; 14, a p-type substrate; 15 and 16, a source and a drain formed on the substrate 14, respectively; 17, a contact hole; 18, a data line consisting of an aluminum layer connected to the drain 16; 19, a gate insulating film of a floating gate transistor portion; 20, a gate insulating film formed between the floating gate 11 and the erasing gate 12 and 21, a gate insulating film formed between the floating gate 11 and the control gate 13. The gate insulating film 21 is constituted by a three-layer film of an O-N-O (Oxide-Nitride-Oxide) structure. In addition, reference numeral 22 denotes a gate insulating film formed between the erasing gate 12 and the control gate 13 and having an O-N-O structure; 23, a gate insulating film of a selection transistor portion using the third polysilicon layer as a gate electrode; 24, a field insulating film; and 25, an insulating interlayer.
FIG. 2 shows an equivalent circuit of the memory cell shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C. FIG. 3 shows an equivalent circuit of a capacitance system. Referring to FIG. 2, reference symbol V.sub.D denotes a drain voltage; V.sub.S, a source voltage; V.sub.FG, a floating gate voltage; V.sub.EG, an erasing gate voltage; and V.sub.CG, a control gate voltage. Referring to FIG. 3, reference symbol C.sub.FC denotes a capacitance between the floating gate 11 and the control gate 13; C.sub.FE, a capacitance between the floating gate 11 and the erasing gate 12; C.sub.FD, a capacitance between the floating gate 11 and the drain 16; and C.sub.FS, another capacitance with respect to the floating gate 11 between floating gate 11 and source 15. In this capacitance system, an initial value Q(.sub.1) of a charge amount corresponding to all the capacitances can be given by the following equation: EQU Q.sub.(1) =(V.sub.FG -V.sub.CG).multidot.C.sub.FC +(V.sub.FG -V.sub.EG).multidot.C.sub.FE +(V.sub.FG -V.sub.D).multidot.C.sub.FD +(V.sub.FG -V.sub.S).multidot.C.sub.FS ( 1)
If the sum of all the capacitances is represented by C.sub.T, then EQU C.sub.T =C.sub.FC +C.sub.FE +C.sub.FD +C.sub.FS ( 2)
Therefore, the voltage V.sub.FG to be applied to the floating gate is given by the following equation: EQU V.sub.FG ={(V.sub.CG .multidot.C.sub.FC +V.sub.EG .multidot.C.sub.FE +V.sub.D .multidot.C.sub.FD +V.sub.S .multidot.C.sub.FS)/C.sub.T }+{Q(1)/C.sub.T } (3)
Substitutions of Q.sub.(1) /C.sub.T =V.sub.FG(1) and V.sub.S =0 V into equation (3) yield: EQU V.sub.FG ={V.sub.CG .multidot.C.sub.FC +V.sub.EG .multidot.C.sub.FE +V.sub.D .multidot.C.sub.FD)/C.sub.T }+V.sub.FG(1) ( 4)
The memory cells described above are arranged in an actual memory to form a matrix. In this case, however, in order to simplify description, a 4-bit memory cell array, shown in FIG. 4, will be considered. FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a memory cell array having memory cells M1 to M4. The drains of these four memory cells M1 to M4 are connected to either of two data lines DL1 and DL2. Their control gates are connected to either of two word lines WL1 and WL2. The erasing gates of all the memory cells M1 to M4 are commonly connected to an erase line EL. A reference voltage of, e.g., 0 V is applied to their sources. Data erasure of the memory cell array having the abovedescribed arrangement is performed in the following manner. Data erasure is collectively performed in all the memory cells M1 to M4. For this reason, the source potential V.sub.S, the drain potential V.sub.D, and the control gate potential V.sub.CG of each memory cell are set to 0 V (i.e., the data lines DL1 and DL2 and the word lines WL1 and WL2 are set to 0 V), and the erasing gate potential V.sub.EG is set to a high potential of, e.g., 20 V. At this time, electrons in the floating gates are emitted into the erasing gates upon field emission due to the Fowler-Nordheim tunnel effect, and the floating gates are charged and set at a positive potential. Therefore, if the potential VFG(1) in each floating gate is set to, e.g., +3 V (a threshold value V.sub.TH of each floating gate transistor is set to be 1 V), an inversion layer is formed under the floating gate, and the threshold voltage of each memory cell is decreased. This state will be referred to as a data state of "1".
A case wherein data is written in one memory cell, e.g., the memory cell M1 of the memory cell array will be considered below. When data is to be written in the selected memory cell M1, the control gate potential V.sub.CG of the memory cell M1, i.e., the word line WL1, is set at a high potential of, e.g., +12.5 V, the drain potential V.sub.D, i.e., the data line DL1 is set at a high potential of, e.g., +10 V, and the source potential V.sub.S and the data and word lines DL2 and WL2 are set at 0 V. In addition, a power source voltage of +5 V, for example, is applied to the erasing gate. With this operation, the potential of the floating gate of the selected memory cell is increased due to the capacitance ratio of the erasing gate, and hence an easy-to-write state is obtained. As a result, the hot electron effect occurs near the drain of the selected memory cell M1, and electrons which are generated upon impact ionization are injected in the floating gate. Since the potential of the floating gate is negative in this state, if the potential V.sub.FG (1) in the floating gate is set at, e.g., -3 V, the threshold voltage of the memory cell is increased. This state will be referred to as a data state of "0". No hot electron effect occurs at the non-selected memory cells M2 to M4.
Voltage stresses acting on the non-selected cells M2 to M4 in each data state, i.e., data state of "1", "0" during a data write operation will be considered. Since the values V.sub.EG .multidot.C.sub.FE and V.sub.D .multidot.C.sub.FD in equation (4) in the write mode are sufficiently small as compared with the value V.sub.CG .multidot.C.sub.FC, equation (4) in the write mode can be rewritten as follows: EQU V.sub.FG =(C.sub.FC /C.sub.T).multidot.V.sub.CG +V.sub.FG(1)( 5)
Assume that a capacitance ratio C.sub.FC /C.sub.T is set to be, e.g., 0.6, and that a memory cell with a data state of "1" has V.sub.FG(1) =+3 V and a memory cell with a data state of "0" has V.sub.FG(1) =-3 V. In addition, assume that the non-selected cell M2 on the same word line WL1 as that of the selected cell M1 has a data state of "1". In this case, since the control gate potential V.sub.CG of the memory cell M2 is 12.5 V, the floating gate potential V.sub.FG is 10.5 V according to equation (5). However since the erasing gate potential is set at 5 V, the potential of the erasing gate viewed from the floating gate, is -5.5 V. If a voltage of 5 V is applied to the erasing gate in this manner, the electric field of the floating gate of the non-selected cell on the same word line as that of the selected cell is reduced with respect to the erasing gate, and reliability against an erroneous operation due to erroneous write operation can be increased. FIG. 5 collectively shows voltage stresses of the erasing gates acting on the floating gates of the four memory cells M1 to M4. Referring to FIG. 4, when the non-selected memory cells M3 and M4 connected to the word line WL2, different from the word line of the selected memory cell, have a data state of "0", the voltage stress of the erasing gate acting on the floating gate becomes maximum. As is apparent from FIG. 5, in the non-selected cells M3 and M4, a voltage of +8 V is applied between the floating gate and the erasing gate to form a weak erasing state, and electrons in the floating gate tend to be emitted to the erasing gate, thus causing erroneous erasure.
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing an arrangement of a conventional semiconductor memory using the abovedescribed memory cells. The drain of each cell 30 of a memory cell array 31 in FIG. 6 is connected to either of n data lines DL1 to DLn, and its control gate is connected to either of m word lines WL1 to WLm. At the same time, the erasing gates of all the memory cells are commonly connected to an erase line EL. A voltage of, e.g., 0 V is applied to the source of each memory cell. In this case, since the erasing gates of all the memory cells 30 in the memory cell array 31 are commonly connected, the voltage V.sub.EG is applied to the erasing gates of all the memory cells 30 in the data write mode. Referring to FIG. 6, reference numeral 32 denotes a row decoder; 33, a column decoder; 34-1 to 34-n, column selection transistors; 35, a bus line; 36, a data input circuit; 37, a sense amplifier circuit; 38, a data output circuit; 39, a boost-up circuit for data erasing; and 41, an address buffer.
A case wherein a data write time per cell is represented by t and all the bits are written will be considered. In a non-selected state, a maximum stress time in a weak erasing state in which each control gate is set at 0 V (described with reference to FIG. 5) is {(m-1).times.n}.times.t (m is the number of row lines and n is the number of column lines) per bit.
As described above, in the conventional semiconductor memory shown in FIG. 6, in the data write mode, when a high voltage is applied to the drain and the control gate of a given memory cell 30 with its source and the substrate being set at "0"level, and hot electrons are injected in the floating gate, a voltage of 5 V is also applied to the erasing gate.
As a result, in FIG. 3, the voltage V.sub.FG rises to a certain potential by a value corresponding to the capacitance C.sub.FE. For this reason, the write speed is increased to improve write efficiency. That is, the write speed per memory cell is increased, and hence the write speed of the overall memory is increased. The conventional semiconductor memory reduces an erroneous write stress on a non-selected cell on the same word line.
In contrast to this, in spite of the fact that the control gate of a non-selected cell on a word line different from that of a selected cell is set at 0 V, since the voltage V.sub.EG is applied to its erasing gate, the field intensity of the erasing gate with respect to the floating gate becomes larger than that of a non-selected cell on the same word line as that of the selected cell. Therefore, erroneous erasure tends to occur. In addition, the probability of erroneous erasure is increased in proportion to the voltage stress time. This stress time depends on the storage capacity of the memory. The stress time is prolonged with an increase in storage capacity of the memory, thus posing a problem in terms of reliability. For example, in a 1 M-bit (128 K words.times.8 bits) memory, n=128 and m=1,024 (in FIG. 6). If a write time per bit is 1 ms, the maximum time during which an erroneous write stress acts on a given non-selected cell on the same word line as that of a selected cell is: EQU 1 ms.times.127=127 ms
and, the maximum time during which an erroneous stress acts on a given non-selected cell on a word line different from that of the selected cell becomes very long as follows: EQU 1 ms.times.(1,024-1).times.128=130,944 ms.apprxeq.131 s.


A letter input method using a touch screen allows an input action of a user to be recognized using basic slip actions in four directions perpendicular to each other and consecutive slip actions expansively consecutive therefrom, and a consecutive slip action is configured as a combination of actions slipping in a direction not overlapping with a former slip direction. Thus, each slip action may be clearly distinguished to fundamentally solve problems such as erroneous input, duplicated recognition caused by gestures (slips) performed at a border line, erroneous recognition or the like, thereby greatly improving the efficiency in inputting letters and also realizing an action recognition algorithm more conveniently and easily.

Generally, if a finger or article touches a specific location of a touch screen, the touch screen checks the location and transfers it to a controller. A terminal equipped with the touch screen outputs various images on the touch screen according to a function demanded by the user and figures out an image touched by the user to perform the corresponding function.
When an input function is performed using a soft keyboard on a touch screen of a smartphone or a tablet PC, a key button is touched to input a letter, and here a broad display area should be ensured since a letter input function and a screen display function should be realized together.
However, in most cases, the soft keyboard occupies about a half of the entire area of the touch screen, and even though the significant area of the touch screen is occupied, each key button is so small to cause touch errors frequently.
In addition, in order to input a word, various key buttons should be pressed on the soft keyboard. However, as the soft keyboard has a greater area, the finger should be moved longer, which consumes much time for input.
Korean Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-2011-0137128 discloses a letter input method, which is however not available for other languages than Korean, and a user should be acquainted with various input methods in order to input vowels of Korean language.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A system comprising a plurality of three dimensional artificially animated portraits for performing preprogrammed animations of voice and facial expressions in the form of a scripted dialogue orchestrated by a central source. The system is operable to prepare animations of recorded voice and selected depictions of facial expressions to be transferred to the animated portraits and performed by the animated portraits. The system is operable to combine prepared animations in a scripted dialogue to be performed so as to mimic an interactive conversation.

The present invention relates to a system of artificially animated portraits and particularly to portraits composed of a plurality of three dimensional figure busts configured to produce voice sounds and movement of facial features, in order to present a scripted dialogue of preprogrammed animations from a central source.
Three dimensional figures and figures having a three-dimensional aspect, have long been used to teach, entertain and amuse. Figures may be formed to resemble humans and animals. They can be adapted or clothed with accessories to suggest a resemblance to members of a particular profession or group. Figures can be made to suggest a resemblance to a specific recognizable individual. Figures, or portions of figures may be configured as puppets to aid in the presentation of a dramatic script.
For purposes of dramatic presentations, puppet figures have been animated using a variety of methods. Simple methods include the marionette and the hand puppet. Dramatic presentations conveyed the illusion that these animated figures moved and gave voice, to perform activities and engage in dialogue. Advances in technology have made it possible to produce more complex and more realistic figures which are capable of animation and voice. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,589, to Villa demonstrates the use of miniature electronic and mechanical apparatus together with a flexible covering material, to produce a replica of a human face with concealed equipment for life-like movements of the facial features. It is possible to use a figure or a bust incorporating the features as disclosed in the patent to Villa to produce a dramatic reading having a high degree of realism. It is possible that a plurality of such figures could be grouped together to present a dramatic dialogue.
It would be a further advantage to have a system which could store voice recordings and movement instructions for a plurality of grouped figure busts or full figures and which could control and operate the figures to present animations in synchronized fashion to simulate interactive dialogue.


Provided are systems and methods directed to identifying relationships between colloquial place names in a relational database. In some embodiments, a method of identifying relationships between colloquial place names in a relational database comprises receiving geographic location information; generating a vector corresponding to the geographic location; comparing the geographic location information vector to a plurality of colloquial place name vectors in a relational database that maps a plurality of colloquial place names to a plurality of corresponding colloquial place name vectors in a vector space, to generate a plurality of similarity scores that is calculated based on the geographic location information vector and each colloquial place name vector of the plurality of colloquial place name vectors; and identifying that one or more colloquial place names in the relational database are related to the geographic location information based on the plurality of similarity scores.

As access to geographic location information has increased in recent years with improved global positioning system (GPS), location services, and other location identification technologies, so too has the variety of applications and uses for this geographic information. Governments, law enforcement, companies, and researchers have all found ways to harness this location information to better serve their interests. However, this location data is all based on information that does not take into account user input. For example, some social media platforms allow users to input their location when publishing a post by choosing a pre-loaded location, tagging the post, and/or textually providing location information. The above-described location data does not consider this user-inputted location information.
However, users often use unofficial descriptors when identifying their location. For example, a user may refer to New York City using numerous different colloquial terms such as New York, N.Y.; The Big Apple: NYC; New York; The City That Never Sleeps; etc. Colloquial terms that a user may use to indicate that he is located in New York City include New Yorker; Yankee; and Knickerbocker.
Currently, there are systems available that can harvest this user-inputted colloquial geographic information by sorting and associating like-terms together. For example, such systems may categorically sort and associate terms such as "New Yorker", "Bostonian", "Washingtonian", and "Chicagoan". Other terms that may be grouped together include "NYC", "BOS", "DC", and "CHI". In both examples, the terms all categorically refer to their respective city in a similar way.

Machine learning of colloquial place names


A read/write copier, including an integrally formed image reading and image printing unit. The copier also includes means for feeding a document to be read in unison with a copy substrate material to be printed past both faces of an integrally formed image reading and image printing unit. The image reading and image printing unit further includes a page-wide linear array of image reading elements located on one of the faces of the image reading and image printing unit, where the reading array is oriented in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the document. Furthermore, the reading elements of the reading array generate image signals representative of the document image scanned, by way of an optical path for each of the image reading elements suitable for transmitting image rays as reflected from the document surface to the image reading elements. Also included on the image reading and image printing unit is a light source to illuminate at least a linear portion of the original document as defined by the optical path of the image reading elements. The image reading and image printing unit further includes a page-wide linear array of image printing elements operatively disposed on another face of the image reading and image printing unit, whereby the printing array is oriented in a direction normal to the direction of travel of the copy sheet and whereby a copy of the document image is produced by the printing elements on the copy sheet.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a combination input and output scanner, and more particularly to a full-width read/write device incorporating a reading head and a printing head to permit substantially simultaneous reading and writing of a document original and copy thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Historically, copies of document originals have been produced by a xerographic process wherein the document original to be copied is placed on a transparent platen, either by hand or automatically through the use of a document handler, and the document original illuminated by a relatively high intensity light. Image rays reflected from the illuminated document original are focused by a suitable optical system into a previously charged photoconductor, the image light rays functioning to discharge the photoconductor in accordance with the image content of the original to produce a latent electrostatic image of the original on the photoconductor. The latent electrostatic image so produced is thereafter developed by a suitable developer material commonly referred to as toner, and the developed image transferred to a sheet of copy paper brought forward by a suitable feeder. The transferred image is thereafter fixed as by fusing to provide a permanent copy while the photoconductor is cleaned of residual developer preparatory to recharging.
More recently, interest has arisen in electronic imaging where in contrast to the above described xerographic system, the image of the document original is converted to electrical signals or pixels and these signals, which may be processed, transmitted over long distances, and/or stored, are used to produce copies. In such an electronic imaging system, rather than focusing the light image onto a photoreceptor for purposes of discharging a charged surface prior to xerographic development, the optical system focuses the image rays reflected from the document original onto the image reading array which serves to convert the image rays to electrical signals. These signals could be used to create an image by some means such as operating a laser beam to discharge a xerographic photoreceptor, or by operating some direct marking system such as an ink jet or thermal transfer printing system.
The prior art related to these types of systems includes, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,496,984 to Stoffel and 4,583,126, a division of the above identified reference, disclose an input/output scanner for simultaneously reading a document and writing a copy. The document and copy sheet are fed in back to back relation to the read/write station. A monolithic full width reading array reads each line in two steps, to improve resolution. The writing array consists of rows of ink jet nozzles, of which the number and disposition is in direct correspondence to the sensors of the read bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,524 to Daniele discloses a full width read/write LED array for scanning a document in the read mode or exposing the photoreceptor in the write mode. A Selfoc optical fiber lens array is used for focusing the full width LED array on the document or photoreceptor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,871 to Oi discloses a copying machine comprising separate reading and printing arrays and a scanning mechanism for moving the subject copy. A relative movement between the copying paper sheet and print element and between the document and read element is effected so that scanning is performed in the same pattern on both the reading and printing sides.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,130 to Oi discloses a reading/recording apparatus comprising a reading portion having a contact-type one-dimensional image sensor, a recording portion having a contact-type one-dimensional recording head, and a selector switch portion for controlling the image sensor and recording head operation in a sequential fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,7244,490 to Tanioka teaches an image input device having an original exposing portion, and image sensor portion, and a thermal head portion formed by heat generating members. The heat generating members are driven by signals originating in the image sensor portion and are used to effect printing using a thermosensitive copy medium.
A difficulty with these prior art systems is the complexity and cost of separate components, for example, the complex optics, photoreceptor and developer in a typical xerographic process such as the Daniele system. In other systems such as the Stoffel system, it is necessary for an operator to manually combine a document and copy sheet into a single unit for insertion into the machine feed rolls. Moreover, some of these systems would introduce motion quality defects into the output document, due to the relative motion between the read and write assemblies or as a result of sequential page-wide cycling of the one-dimensional read/write arrays. Furthermore, a difficulty of the prior art system, as disclosed by Tanioka, is the practical limitation of the size of such a device, as well as the requirement for a thermosensitive copy medium.
Moreover, it would be generally advantageous if the normally separate document reading and copy printing operations could be combined, thereby simplifying system operation and synchronization problems. In addition, overall system cost would be reduced through the use of fewer parts.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved read/write scanner/printer system in which a read array and print array are both located on the same substrate to simultaneously read a document and print a copy on a copy sheet. It is another object of the present invention to provide a document that is read and a copy that is printed in a page-wide fashion across the document and copy, that is, the reading and copying operations are effected by linear arrays extending the entire width of the document and/or copy sheet at a relatively higher resolution. It is another object of the present invention to integrally affix a means for illuminating an original document and a means for focussing the light rays, as reflected from the document, to the read array on a common substrate, thereby enabling a compact, self-contained unit requiring no post manufacturing adjustments. It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a scanner/printer system with full-width read and print arrays capable of producing copies at an increased rate.

Full-width simultaneous read/write copier


Described herein is an enabling product that facilitates implementation of an m-commerce business solution. According to an embodiment of the present invention an m-commerce solution includes: a content provider or merchant site that provides products and goods to be purchased; a payment system allowing online authorization of funds to purchase the goods; and a wireless network for all customer interactions. Embodiments described herein perform at least one of the following three functions: 1) protocol conversions; 2) customer information reposing, and 3) payment authorization system interfacing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for conducting commerce over a wireless communication network. The present invention further relates to a system and method for using radio-based wireless devices such as cell phones and personal digital assistants to conduct business-to-business and business-to-consumer transactions over an electronic commerce system.
2. Description of Related Art
With the explosion of the Internet as a new indispensable worldwide medium, the web is becoming an integral part of our daily personal and working lives. Electronic commerce continues to see phenomenal growth, but so far most e-commerce developments have involved wired infrastructures.
In this new knowledge economy that puts increased demands on every individual's time, mobility will become an essential, relevant and important tool. While the Internet allows real-time communication and transactions, online accessibility has been restricted to PCs. With the advancement of wireless network technologies, electronic commerce through the Internet has extended itself to incorporate new business opportunities in the arena of mobile commerce (m-commerce).
In the field of m-commerce, there are significant restrictions on the efficiency and variety of m-commerce transactions that are available. Current technology is either limited to off-line payment or to restricted merchant specific on-line mobile payment through a mobile phone using a smart card, wherein the mobile phone must contain a dual slot smart card reader. Other m-commerce payment processes include dialing a premium rate number, e.g., 900-number, which has a call charge equivalent to the product price, dialing a prefix plus a premium rate number to indicate that the product should be charged to a different number for billing, and developing a pre-standing agreement for credit card payments, wherein a PIN has to be entered at the time of purchase to validate the user. These payment solutions offer no variety in payment methods and are limited to participating vendors, e.g., off-line vending machines. Further, m-commerce payment limitations affect mobile shopping, mobile retailing, and mobile ticketing. While electronic shopping, retailing, and ticketing have been available for some time, there are additional steps required to complete a mobile transaction. On-line mobile payments, shopping, retailing, ticketing, etc., require language recognition and or conversion in order to complete transactions with electronic merchants and payment authorization systems. Consequently, there is a need for a system and method of performing mobile commerce which facilitates interaction between mobile and electronic components which utilize differing protocols and languages.

Method and system for conducting commerce over a wireless communication network


It is an object of the present invention to provide an emulsion which can form a coating excellent in water penetration resistance as well as impregnating adhesion property, its production method, and a structure body using the emulsion. The present invention is directed to an emulsion comprising a hydrophobic resin particle (A) dispersed in a water-based medium as a resin component, wherein 20 to 60% by weight in the entire resin components including the hydrophobic resin particles (A) is a polymer emulsifier (B) and the average particle diameter of the particles contained therein is 50 nm or smaller.

For porous substrates to be used for tiles, concrete, inorganic construction materials and old (deteriorated) coating walls and the like, treatment of forming resin coatings on the surfaces of substrates has mainly been carried out in order to reinforce or fill substrate surface layers. As a sealer to be used in such a case, in general, solvent type sealers have conventionally been used. However in recent years, use of organic solvents tends to be restricted more strictly and shift to water-based coating materials is desired. In such a situation, it has been required to develop water-based sealers comprising emulsions.
So far, as water-based sealers, the following have been proposed: for examples, as described in Japanese Kokai Publicaion Hei-10-310739, water-based undercoating agent which comprises a water-based medium and copolymer dissolved therein and obtained by copolymerizing monomer mixtures containing (a) 8 to 70% by weight of an ethylenic unsaturated carboxylic acid, (b) 30 to 92% by weight of at least one monomer selected from a group consisting of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid ester with alkyl having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, aromatic vinyl compound, vinyl halide, saturated carboxylic acid vinyl ester, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, ethylene, and butadiene, and (c) 0 to 20% by weight of other monomers and which are characterized in that 30% or more of the above-mentioned ethylenic unsaturated carboxylic acid (a) exists in neutralized state by addition of an alkali and as described in Japanese Kokai Publication 2000-204285, water-based sealer containing, as basic resin component, water-based mixed resin solution of synthetic resin emulsion (I) and water-soluble resin solution (II). Also, as resin compositions suitable for water-based indoor coating material, there are proposed resin composition for water-based coating material, as described in Japanese Kokai Publicaiton Hei-11-343464, each comprising (A) a water-based emulsion of copolymer having a lowest film formation temperature and a glass transition temperature in respectively specified ranges and (B) a resin having a glass transition temperature in a specified range and made solubilized in water by an alkali and weight ratio A/B on the basis of non-volatile components in (A) and (B) being in a range of 95/5 to 60/40.
However, the above-mentioned conventionally known water-based sealers contain, as main components, polymers with high water solubility in order to keep high impregnating adhesion property. Therefore, as compared with conventionally widely employed solvent type sealers, there is a disadvantage that they are considerably inferior in water penetration resistance.
Further, in conventional techniques essentially using a water-soluble resin and an emulsion, the particles in the emulsion are relatively large in general and coatings are formed by filling gaps among large particles with the water-soluble resin and such coating is provided only with insufficient water permeation resistance as compared with solvent type sealers in present situation. To say more particularly, conventionally, it has been well known that the particle diameter of particles in an emulsion can be controlled to be small by increasing the amount of a surfactant, but on the other hand, it also has been well known that the existence of a large quantity of a surfactant causes decrease of water penetration resistance and in the case of aiming to improve the water penetration resistance, making the particle diameter of an emulsion small by using a large quantity of a surfactant has been supposed to be rather disadvantageous in terms of water penetration resistance. Additionally, in conventional techniques essentially using a water-soluble resin and an emulsion, selective use of alkali-soluble one as the water-soluble resin may be possible to improve the water penetration resistance, however water penetration resistance as high as that of a solvent type sealer has not been obtained yet.
Accordingly, it has been required to improve the water penetration resistance of a water-based sealer to be as high as that of a solvent type sealer and to satisfy the requirement, it has been desired to develop an emulsion which can form a coating excellent in water penetration resistance as well as impregnating adhesion property.

Emulsion, production method thereof and use thereof


A method for making water-absorbing polymer particles is provided and includes a first aqueous polymerization solution including crosslinkers, polymerizable monomers and/or oligomers and inorganic solid particles, and a second aqueous solution including inorganic solid particles, crosslinkers and either polymerizable monomers and/or oligomers, or crosslinkable polymers. The average closest distance between two neighboring crosslinkers (RXL) from the first aqueous polymerization solution or from the second aqueous solution for a specific X-load of the water-absorbing polymer particle is calculated via the formula below:

An important component of a disposable absorbent article such as a diaper is an absorbent core including water-absorbing polymer particles. These water-absorbing polymer particles ensure that large amounts of bodily fluids, e.g. urine, can be absorbed by the article during its use and locked away, thus providing low rewet and good skin dryness. Especially useful water-absorbing polymer particles are often made by initially polymerizing unsaturated carboxylic acids or derivatives thereof, such as acrylic acid, alkali metal (e.g. sodium and/or potassium) or ammonium salts of acrylic acid, alkyl acrylates, and the like.
These water-absorbing polymer particles need to have adequately high absorption capacity, as well as adequately high gel strength. Absorption capacity needs to be sufficiently high to enable the absorbent polymer to absorb significant amounts of the aqueous body fluids encountered during use of the absorbent article. At the same time, the water-absorbing polymer particles need to have a good permeability for fluid transport through the swollen crosslinked polymers network.
The properties of water-absorbing polymer particles have been characterized in various ways. The absorbent capacity (CRC) in grams of liquid per gram of water-absorbing polymer particles has been used, as well as the absorption speed as measured by the Free Swell Rate (FSR) and their permeability as measured by the Urine Permeability Measurement (UPM) test.
Low molecular weight polymer chains that are not incorporated into the crosslinked polymer network exist in the water-absorbing polymer particles and are called "extractables". These chains can be extracted from the crosslinked polymer network when the water-absorbing polymer particles are swollen in excess liquid. The "extractables" do not contribute to the water-absorbing polymer particles performance.
Moreover, the "extractables" increase the ionic strength in the environment of the water-absorbing polymer particles due to their charged groups and negatively impact the absorption capacity of the water-absorbing polymer particles. Therefore, the quantity of "extractables" is important in determining the optimum performance of the water-absorbing polymer particles. There is a need to provide water-absorbing polymer particles with a low quantity of "extractables".
Water-absorbing polymer particles with relatively high permeability can be made by increasing the level of internal crosslinking or surface crosslinking, which increases the resistance of the swollen gel against deformation by an external pressure and decrease the number of "extractables". However, increasing the level of internal crosslinking or surface crosslinking typically reduce the absorption capacity of the water-absorbing polymer particles.
On the contrary, decreasing the level of internal crosslinking or surface crosslinking in water-absorbing polymer particles leads to high absorption capacity of the water-absorbing polymer particles but also to a high number of "extractables" and a relatively low permeability.
Therefore, there is a need to provide water-absorbing polymer particles that presents a right balance between having high absorption capacity, high permeability and a low number of "extractables".
It is desirable to find a method for making water-absorbing polymer particles with improved performances in terms of capacity and permeability while having a low quantity of "extractables".

Method for making water-absorbing polymer particles having areas with inorganic solid particles and areas substantially free of inorganic solid particles

Abstract: Rxl        =                                            (                                                (                                                            1                      rho_dry                                        +                                          x_L                      rho_liq                                                        )                                                                      N                    A                                    ·                                                            ∑                      i                                                                                w_xl                        i                                                                    Mr_CSL                        i                                                                                )                                      1              3                                .                                    (        I        )


An emboss roller is provided that can give projecting-and-recess embosses to a surface sheet while uniform fiber density is realized through in an emboss roller which has a first emboss roll and a second roll formed as a set and gives projecting-and-recessed embosses by passing a surface sheet between these emboss rolls, and on the surface of the first emboss roll, a projecting portion projecting outward from a reference surface with the reference surface as a boundary and a recess portion recessed from the reference surface are provided, and the smooth reference surface is present in the periphery of the projecting portion and the recess portion, and on the surface of the second emboss roll, a projecting portion projecting outward from the reference surface with the reference surface as a boundary and meshed with the recess portion of the first emboss roll and a recess position recessed from the reference surface and meshed with the projecting portion of the first emboss roll are provided, and the smooth reference surface is present in the periphery of the projecting portion and the recess portion.

The present invention relates to an emboss roller that can give projecting-and-recessed embosses on a surface sheet and a method for producing a surface sheet which is rich in three-dimensional effects, has high cushion properties, eliminates skin trouble by reducing a contact area with the skin and is excellent in shape maintainability of the projecting-and-recessed embosses and the like.
Hitherto, surface materials of absorbent articles in which appropriate emboss patterns are given in accordance with various purposes such as suppression of a wet feeling by reducing a contact area with skin or improvement of texture and touch on the skin have been offered in the market. This type of articles includes those described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-174234 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-50538, for example.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-174234 proposes a surface sheet 50 for an absorbent article used on a skin contact surface of the absorbent article as illustrated in FIG. 9, which has an upper layer 51 made of a sheet-shaped article directed to the skin side of a wearer and substantially not expanding or contracting and a lower layer 52 made of a sheet-shaped article disposed on the absorber side and substantially not expanding or contracting, in which the upper layer 51 and the lower layer 52 are partially joined and a large number of joined portions are formed, the upper layer 51 projects toward the skin side of the wearer in a portion other than the joined portions and has a large number of projecting portions formed with hollow insides, the projecting portions and the joined portions are arranged alternately and forming a row in one direction, a plurality of the rows is provided, and with respect to any projecting portion in one row, a projecting portion is not located at a position adjacent to the one projecting portion in the right and left rows adjacent to the row. In a method for producing this surface sheet, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the upper layer 51 is shaped with projections and recesses by meshing the upper layer 51 with a meshed part between a first roll 53 having a peripheral face with a projecting-and-recessed shape and a second roll 54 having a projecting-and-recessed shape meshed with the projecting-and-recessed shape of the first roll 53 on the peripheral face, the lower layer 52 is overlapped while the upper layer 51 in the projected-and-recessed shaped state is held on the peripheral face in the first roll 53 through suctioning, and the lower layer 52 is joined to the upper layer 51 located above the projecting portion in the first roll 53. An enlarged view of an essential part of the first roll 53 is illustrated in FIG. 11.
Also, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2009-50538, as illustrated in FIG. 12, a sheet 60 for an absorbent article is proposed in which a first sheet 61 having an outer layer and an inner layer is intermittently joined to a second sheet 62 on the inner layer side, projecting portions projecting to the first sheet 61 side formed between the joined portions are consecutively provided on the sheet 60 for an absorbent article, and fibers constituting the outer layer of the first sheet 61 are fibers thinner than the fibers constituting the inner layer. In a producing method thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 13, first, the first sheet 61 is fed out of an original fabric, and the second sheet 62 is fed out of the original fabric at the same time. The fed-out first sheet 61 is meshed with a meshed portion P1 between a first roll 63 having a projecting-and-recessed shape on the peripheral face and a second roll 64 having the projecting-and-recessed shape, which is a shape meshed with the projecting-and-recessed shape, on the peripheral face so as to shape the first sheet 61 with projections and recesses. The first sheet 61 which was shaped with projections and recesses by meshing between the first roll 63 and the second roll 64 is brought into close contact with the peripheral face of the first roll 63 by a suction force by a suction portion formed in the first roll 63, and the shaped state with projections and recesses are maintained. In the state in which the first sheet 61 is sucked and brought into close contact with the peripheral face of the first roll 63 at a merging portion P2, the first sheet 61 is laminated with the second sheet 62 supplied separately, and the first sheet 61 and the second sheet 62 located at the distal end of a projecting portion of a gear of the first roll 63 are joined together by thermal fusion bonding. A compound sheet in which the first sheet 61 and the second sheet 62 are bonded together is heated and compressed again at a portion P3 by the first roll 63 and a fourth roll 65 so that an adhesion force is improved appropriately and a firmly fixed joined portion is formed, and shape stability of the projection portion is maintained.

Method for producing surface sheet using emboss roller


The disclosure relates to a bidirectional mobile cleaning device comprising a garbage collection box, a first rolling member disposed at one end of the garbage collection box, and a second rolling member disposed at the other end of the garbage collection box. The first rolling member rotates to collect and adsorb garbage and sewage on the ground and feed it into the garbage collection box. The second rolling member rotates in a direction opposite to the direction with which the first rolling member rotates to collect and absorb garbage and sewage on the ground and feed it into the garbage collection box. The bidirectional mobile cleaning device is driven to move based on a speed difference between the first and second rolling members.

A bionic cleaning robot is an intelligent cleaning device that can automatically clean the ground. Traditional bionic cleaning robots generally use a clean, flexible roller to perform cleaning operations on the ground and have only one, forward cleaning direction. The problem with this conventional design is that die garbage behind the flexible roller cannot be effectively cleaned up. When the bionic cleaning robot reverses direction, the back surface of a garbage scraper lip for scooping the garbage off the ground will scoot the garbage, inhibiting the garbage from being collected and stored in the bionic cleaning robot. Thus, the conventional bionic cleaning robot has the drawback of being unable to clean thoroughly when moving in reverse, resulting in a decrease in cleaning efficiency.


Providing a power system and a method for stabilizing a system, in which the number of generators to be disconnected is reduced to narrow an area influenced by a grid fault in the case where the reliability of the state estimation calculation is judged to be high. The power system stabilizing method applied to a power system configured to include a plurality of feeders including circuit breakers, a plurality of nodes, a plurality of generators, and a plurality of loads, in which method: a protection relay detects a grid fault by using an output from a first sensor installed close to the circuit breaker, thereby opening-controlling the circuit breaker, and the circuit breaker is opening-controlled by a power system stabilization output; a state estimation value of a power system obtained by using the first sensor output and a state detection value, of the power system, containing information associated with measurement time measured in the power system are compared with each other to judge reliability of the state estimation value; the circuit breaker which is to be newly cut off from a viewpoint of power system stability after occurrence of a grid fault at a supposed grid fault point of the power system is stored, and the circuit breaker which is to be cut off every reliability judgment result of the state estimation value is stored; and at the time of occurrence of a grid fault of the power system, a turn-off command for the circuit breaker which is selected in response to the reliability judgment result of the state estimation value so as to be newly cut off is set as the power system stabilization output.

The power system is generally configured to include a plurality of generators with rotors, transmission and distribution lines, loads, a voltage/current sensor for detecting a voltage and a power flow of a transmission and distribution network, a protection relay, a circuit breaker for turning ON/disconnecting a generator and a transmission line for the transmission and distribution network in operation by a switching operation, and a power system stabilizing system for controlling the circuit breaker by receiving as inputs thereof operation signals of the voltage/current sensor and the protection relay. As a result, when a ground fault or a line-to-line short circuit fault has occurred in the load or the transmission and distribution lines, the protection relay is activated due to an overcurrent detected by the current sensor to carry out a circuit breaker opening operation for removing fault point from the grid.
When the system voltage gets lower due to the grid fault, an active power which can be supplied from the generator to the load is reduced. When the active power which is to be transmitted is reduced, a breaking torque in the generators' rotor is also reduced. On one hand, since the adjustment of a mechanical input of the generator is accompanied by the delay, the mechanical input exceeds the breaking torque, and as a result, for a period of time required for the removal of the grid fault, rotating speed of the rotors in the generators increases.
On the other hand, when the grid fault is removed by the opening operation of the circuit breaker, since the voltage of the transmission and distribution line returns, the active power which is to be supplied to the transmission and distribution line returns. As a result, the breaking torque returns. Due to the returning of the breaking torque, the angular frequency of the rotor is reduced to settle into an angular frequency corresponding to a commercial frequency.
However, in the case where the voltage drop during grid fault is remarkable, or in the case where a period of time up to the disconnection of the fault point from the grid is long, the rotors are accelerated so much that the generator can have step-out in some cases.
For the stabilization of the rotor speed after the grid fault, the sufficient electrical load is required. For this reason, for the purpose of avoiding the major power outage, there is adopted a technique in which an electrical load of a generator group for which an interconnection state with the system is maintained by disconnecting some generators from the system is increased to keep the stability of whole system.
As described above, the generator stability (transient stability) after the fault depends on the terminal voltage of the generators, and the duration of grid fault. Therefore, the power system stabilizing system is previously provided with a circuit breaker opening table (hereinafter referred to as a control table) in which a portion and a form of the generation of the grid fault are supposed. Thus, after the generator output and the power flow state just before the grid fault are grasped, at the time of the generation of the grid fault, the power system stabilizing system receives as an input thereto operation information associated with the protection relay, and speedily opens the corresponding circuit breaker in accordance with the table described above, thereby preventing wide-area power outage.
Patent Document 1 discloses a control technique with which for the opening of the circuit breaker, the generator transient stability is evaluated by using both off-line information and on-line information, thereby disconnecting the generator. In addition, Non-Patent Document 1 discloses a technique with which state estimation calculation for estimating a state of the power system through calculation from limited sensor information is carried out, thereby controlling the generator disconnection by using the calculation result.

System and method for stabilizing power system


A session relay apparatus for preventing the packet relay delay by detecting the start and end of the policy settable peer-to-peer communication is disclosed. The session relay apparatus for relay a session control message transmitted and received between communication terminals to control the peer-to-peer communication detects the start and end of the communication from the session control message, and acquires the information for identifying a session and the information on the peer-to-peer communication carried out on the session. Upon generation of a policy indicating the packet relay control process by a policy generating unit, edge nodes for passing the packet are searched for and the policy is distributed to the edge nodes. The policy is set in the edge nodes accommodating the communication terminals at the start of communication, and the policy setting is canceled at the end of communication.

The present invention relates to the peer-to-peer communication of one-to-one type, or in particular to a session relay apparatus in which the network operation policy for the relay nodes on the network can be set and canceled with the start or the end of the peer-to-peer communication as a motive.
The network operated and managed by a network provider such as a communication carrier or ISP (Internet Service Provider) is configured of a plurality of relay nodes interconnected for relay the user packets. In the network configured of the relay nodes, the network operation policy for controlling the route and the communication quality of the user packets is called simply as the policy. This policy is set for each application or each user in accordance with the priority or security of the packet relay operation. The relay nodes making up the network perform the process of relay the packets in accordance with the policy thus set.
The network has arranged therein a policy server for uniquely managing the policy, and this policy server reflects the policy in the network by distributing the policy to a multiplicity of relay nodes constituting the network. A well-known protocol for distributing the policy from the policy server is COPS (Common Open Policy Service) defined in the standard recommendation RFC (Request for Comments) prepared by IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) and issued by IAB (Internet Architecture Board).
The network provider can set in a network, for example, a policy for priority control in which the packet of a specific user is repeated preferentially over the packets of the other users. In this case, the policy server classifies specific influent packets in the network into a plurality of priority control classes for the relay node called the edge node arranged in the network boundary, and distributes the policy for setting in the packet header the value called DSCP (Diffserv Code Point) corresponding to each priority control class. The edge node with this policy set therein determines whether the packets flowing into the network configured of the relay nodes meet the conditions set by the policy, and in the presence of a packet meeting the particular conditions, the DSCP value is set in the header of the packet in accordance with the priority control class assigned to the particular packet. Each relay node making up the network performs the priority control of the packets in accordance with the DSCP value set by the edge node.
An example of priority control of the packets with the DSCP value set by the edge node is described in JP-A-2000-253047. In the technique called Diffserv (Differentiated Services) described in this publication, the relay node called the core node arranged in the network transfers packets by priority control in accordance with the order of priority set in the DSCP value under the rules predetermined based on the DSCP value in the header of the received packet. This technique called Diffserv is used, as in the IP (Internet Protocol) telephone, to reduce the transfer delay in transmitting/receiving, on the IP network, the packets requiring the real time property such as audio packets and video packets.
In the peer-to-peer communication of one-to-one type like the IP telephone, on the other hand, a session is established between two communication terminals by a session control protocol typically including SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) defined in the standard recommendation RFC 3261, and the peer-to-peer communication conducted with real time data such as voice and image on the session thus established. The term "session" is defined as the period from the start to the end of the logical connection for communication executed between two communication terminals. Also, the term "peer-to-peer communication" is defined as a form of direct communication established between communication terminals without any server therebetween. In SIP, a session relay apparatus for relay the session control message searches for the terminal of the other party of communication, holds the information required for the peer-to-peer communication including the address of the communication terminal, the port number and the data number or otherwise executes the session management. The "session control message" repeated by the session control message is defined as a message transmitted or received prior to the start or end of the session between communication terminals.
In this peer-to-peer communication, the contents of the data transmitted and received between the communication terminals for each session may be different, include audio data or dynamic image data even in the communication between the same terminals. In such a case, packets are required to be repeated with the proper policy in accordance with the contents of the data, i.e. the contents of the communication. In the case where the network policy is controlled by the policy server as described above, the start and end of the peer-to-peer communication cannot be detected by the policy server, and therefore, the operator of the policy server is required to set the proper policy in accordance with the contents of the communication for the edge nodes in accordance with the start and end of the peer-to-peer communication. In this method, however, an increased network size requires frequent policy setting process, and therefore the setting by the operator may fail to meet the requirements.
In the method for setting in the edge nodes all the policies on the communication terminal for the peer-to-peer communication, on the other hand, the search process for the conditions of classification of the policy control in the edge nodes increases with the increase in the network scale. The increased search process imposes a processing burden on the edge nodes, resulting in an increased packet relay delay for real-time packets.

Policy settable peer-to-peer session apparatus


The present invention relates to a plasticizer composition which includes an epoxidized alkyl ester composition including one or more compounds represented by the following Chemical Formula 1; and a citrate-based material, wherein a weight ratio of the epoxidized alkyl ester composition and the citrate-based material is in a range of 90:10 to 10:90:

In general, a plasticizer forms an ester through a reaction between an alcohol and a polycarboxylic acid such as phthalic acid or adipic acid. Also, there is continuing research on compositions of plasticizers that can replace phthalate-based plasticizers such as terephthalate-based, trimellitate-based, and other polymer-based plasticizers in consideration of domestic and international regulations on phthalate-based plasticizers harmful to human bodies.
In general, a plasticizer has been used as a material for various products including products in various fields such as electric wires, pipes, flooring materials, wallpaper, sheets, artificial leather, tarpaulin, tapes, and food packaging materials, which are prepared by processing methods such as extrusion molding, injection molding, calendaring, and the like, after a resin such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and various additives such as a filler, a stabilizer, a pigment, an anti-fogging agent, and the like are properly added to impart various processing properties.
With the current situation in the plasticizer market, the development of environmentally friendly plasticizers has been competitively conducted in this field due to environmental issues concerning the phthalate plasticizers. In recent years, novel products have been developed to improve inferior qualities, such as plasticizing efficiency, migration, etc., of di(2-ethylhexyl)terephthalate (DEHTP), which has been used as a common product among the environmentally friendly plasticizers.
Accordingly, there is an ongoing need for research on technology in which novel composition products such as products having properties superior to those of di(2-ethylhexyl)terephthalate are developed so that the composition products are optimally applicable as plasticizers for vinyl chloride-based resins.

Plasticizer composition, resin composition and method of preparing the same


An object of this invention is to provide a bearing device for an electric motor in which a bearing holder holding an oil-impregnated bearing provides good area contact from the beginning and can be readily formed with high productivity. In the bearing device for an electric motor in which a bearing-supporting cylindrical recess is formed in one end face of a bearing holder in the form of a hollow cylinder, and an oil-impregnated bearing having a shaft-inserting hole is fixedly fitted in the bearing-supporting cylindrical recess in such a manner that the shaft-inserting hole of the oil-impregnated bearing is inclined with respect to the central axis P of the bearing holder; the bearing-supporting cylindrical recess of the bearing holder is defined by a cylindrical surface whose diameter is slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the oil-impregnated bearing and which is in parallel with the central axis P of the bearing holder, and an abutting annular surface inclined with respect to the central axis P, and the oil-impregnated bearing is arranged inclined in the bearing-supporting cylindrical recess being abutted against the abutting annular surface.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bearing devices for electric motors, and more particularly to a bearing device which is suitably applicable to a capstan motor to support its shaft to which a side pressure is applied.
2. Related Art
A conventional bearing device of this type is designed as shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 designates a bearing holder in the form of a hollow cylinder; and 2, the hollow of the bearing holder 1. A ball bearing 4 and an oil-impregnated bearing 3 are fixedly fitted in both end portions of the cylindrical bearing holder 1, so as to rotatably support a rotary shaft 5.
Let us consider the case where the bearing device is applied to a capstan motor adapted to drive a magnetic tape in an audio tape recorder or a VTR (video tape recorder); that is, the rotary shaft 5 is employed as the capstan shaft of the recorder. When, in this case, the pinch roller 6 of the recorder abuts against the upper end portion of the rotary shaft 5 protruded through the oil-impregnated bearing 3, to apply a side pressure to it, then as shown in FIG. 6 the rotary shaft is inclined, thus being brought into point or linear contact with both end faces of the oil-impregnated bearing 3. Under this condition, it is difficult to smoothly rotate the rotary shaft 5. Hence, as the case may be, aging is given to the rotary shaft and the oil-impregnated bearing; that is, the rotary shaft 5 is forcibly rotated for a predetermined period of time so as to grind the oil-impregnated gear 3 until the former 5 is in area contact with the latter 3.
However, the aging of the rotary shaft 5 and the oil-impregnated bearing 3 until they are brought into area contact with each other takes a considerably long period of time, thus lowering the productivity. In order to eliminate this difficulty, a bearing device as shown in FIG. 7 has been proposed in the art. That is, in the bearing device, a gear supporting annular recess 12 is formed in one end face of the bearing holder 10 in such a manner that it merges with the hollow 2. An oil-impregnated bearing 14 (FIG. 8) with a shaft-inserting hole 13, into which the rotary shaft is to be inserted, is fixedly fitted in the bearing-supporting cylindrical recess 12 in such a manner that its shaft-inserting hole 13 is in alignment with the central axis P of the bearing holder 10, and the cylindrical surface of the shaft-inserting hole 13 is slightly inclined with respect to the central axis P of the bearing holder 10.
In the above-described bearing device, the cylindrical surface of the shaft-inserting hole 13 of the oil-impregnated bearing 14 is slightly inclined with respect to the central axis P of the bearing holder 10. Hence, when the rotary shaft is inclined by the side pressure, the cylindrical surface of the shaft-inserting hole 13 of the oil-impregnated bearing 14 and the rotary shaft are quickly brought into area contact with each other; that is, the aging is achieved quickly.
The above-described conventional bearing device is advantageous in that it can be used from the beginning with the rotary shaft and the oil-impregnated bearing in good area contact with each other. However, since the cylindrical surface of the bearing-supporting cylindrical recess 12 of the bearing holder 10 in which the oil-impregnated bearing 14 is set, is slightly inclined with respect to the central axis P of the bearing holder 10, the bearing device is still disadvantageous in the following point: Because of the above-described structure, in forming the bearing holder by resin molding, or by aluminum die casting or zinc die casting, the movable pin of a metal mold (not shown) for forming the bearing-supporting cylindrical recess 12 must be moved while being kept inclined. However, with an ordinary metal mold, it is difficult to move the movable pin in this manner. Thus, the formation of the bearing holder requires considerably high technique, and accordingly an expensive apparatus. In addition, for the same reason, the productivity is low.

Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho


In accordance with the present invention, recombinant human PBEF has been produced in order to study its ability to stimulate the transcription of the key cytokine mediators of labor induction, using the amnion-like epithelial (WISH) cell line and fetal membrane explants. As a result of these studies, it has been determined that PBEF is a good indicator of initiation of labor. This makes PBEF a useful marker, especially for the identification of subjects who have initiated preterm labor. Accordingly, methods for the identification of subjects who have commenced labor are provided. In addition, methods are also provided for blocking labor, as well as compositions useful therefor. This is accomplished by blocking the production of PBEF or by blocking the action of PBEF.

Preterm birth is a multifactorial disease involving activation of uterine contractions and/or decreased cervical competence, which can be the result of an inflammatory, infectious or ischemic insult to the uteroplacental barrier (see Mauldin J G and Newman R B. "Preterm birth risk assessment." in Semin Perinatol 2001;4:215-22). Preterm labor, defined as uterine contractions or preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes before 37 weeks gestational age, accounts for some 80% of all preterm deliveries (see Goldenberg R, Hauth J C, and Andrews W W. "Intrauterine infection and preterm delivery." in New Engl J Med 2000:342:1500-7). There is little doubt that cytokine secretion by inflammatory cells plays an important role in the initiation of infection-induced parturition (see Dudley D J. "Immunoendocrinology of preterm labor: the link between corticotropin-releasing hormone and inflammation." in Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999; 180: S251-6). It seems likely that IL-6 (see Opsjon et al. "Tumor necrosis factor, interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 in normal human pregnancy." in Am J Obstet Gynecol 1993;169:397-404) and IL-8 (see Arici et al. "Interleukin-8 induces proliferation of endometrial stromal cells: a potential autocrine growth factor." in J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998;83:1201-5) are also involved in the normal localized growth required for successful pregnancy. However, their involvement in normal parturition appears to be facilitative rather than initiative. Thus, in the absence of chorioamnionitis, as the cervix dilates, there is increased contact between the decidua/fetal membranes and the upper genital tract. This contact results in the locally increased production of several inflammatory cytokines, albeit at lower concentrations than in infection-induced parturition, and this augments and drives both uterine contraction and further cervical dilatation via the induction of prostaglandins (see Mitchell M D, Dudley D J, Edwin S S and Lundin-Schiller S. "Interleukin-6 stimulates prostaglandin production by human amnion and decidual cells." in Eur J Pharm 1991;192:189-91) and matrix metalloproteinases (see Winkler M, Oberpichler A, Tschetsche H, Ruck P, Fischer D C and Rath W. "Collagenolysis in the lower uterine segment during parturition at term: correlations with stage of cervical dilatation and duration of labor." in Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999:181:153-8). In this manner, both an inflammatory response and decidual activation are initiated and/or augmented, accelerating the subsequent events leading to birth.
Pre-B-cell colony enhancing factor (PBEF) was first identified from activated peripheral blood lymphocytes and shown to be involved in the maturation of B-cell precursors (see Samal B, Sun Y, Stearns G, Xie C, Suggs S and McNiece I. "Cloning and characterization of the cDNA encoding a novel human pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor." in Mol Cell Biol 1994; 14:1431-7). In studying the effects of acute distension on the genes expressed by human amniotic epithelial cells (WISH), one of these genes was identified as PBEF (see Nemeth E, Tashima L S, Yu Z and Bryant-Greenwood G D. "Fetal membrane distension I. Differentially expressed genes regulated by acute distension in amniotic epithelial (WISH) cells." in Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;192:50-9; referred to hereinafter as "Nemeth I"). When preterm and term full-thickness fetal membranes were similarly distended in vitro, it was shown that the expression of the PBEF gene was greater in the preterm than in the term membranes (see Nemeth E, Millar L K and Bryant-Greenwood G. "Fetal membrane distension: II. Differentially expressed genes regulated by acute distension in vitro." in Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000; 182:60-7; referred to hereinafter as "Nemeth II"). This suggested that by term, the tissue had attained its maximum distension, and sensitivity to further distension was then limited. While distension is a part of the normal process of pregnancy, uterine contractions also cause distension, thus distension is also a key part of the labor process.
A genomic clone of PBEF was subsequently analysed and shown to be a highly regulated gene. An important finding in this study was the identification of an NF-κB binding element in the third intron, likely to be responsible for the responsiveness to distension (see Ognjanovic S, Bao S, Yamamoto S Y, Garibay-Tupas J, Samal B, and Bryant-Greenwood G D. "Genomic organization of the gene coding for human pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor and expression in human fetal membranes." in J Mol Endocrinol 2001;26:107-117). PBEF was also localized with a specific antiserum, showing that the expression of the PBEF gene was significantly upregulated in severely infected membranes. In addition, the neutrophils present in these tissues stained darkly for PBEF, suggesting that they are an additional source of PBEF in the setting of infection (see Ognjanovic et al., supra). However, while LPS, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 all induced PBEF gene expression, it has been shown that IL-8 treatment had no such effect (see Ognjanovic et al., supra). This was particularly interesting because IL-8 and PBEF expression both increased when WISH cells and the fetal membranes were acutely distended (see Nemeth I and Nemeth II, supra). Therefore, like PBEF, IL-8 appears to be responsive to distension in a sterile situation, as well as being induced by infection, but its relationship with PBEF under these conditions is unknown.
PBEF is present in fetal membranes during normal gestation and parturition in the absence of infection. Its expression increases with both preterm labor and normal labor at term. Moreover, PBEF causes an increase in the expression in fetal membranes of many key proteins that are known activators of the labor process (see, for example, FIG. 5). Thus, it was investigated whether PBEF could serve as a useful marker for identifying patients in true labor, providing new diagnostic modalities not previously available. Furthermore, it was investigated whether the action of PBEF could be blocked, or its expression blocked, thereby stopping the labor process and providing new treatment modalities not previously available.


A dielectric resonator device including a circuit substrate with a top surface provided with transmission lines, and a bottom surface provided with a ground electrode; a dielectric substrate with opposite surfaces that are respectively provided with electrodes having circular openings so as to form a TE010-mode resonator; and an insulating layer disposed between the ground electrode of the circuit substrate and the electrodes of the TE010-mode resonator. The TE010-mode resonator is attached to the circuit substrate with an insulative adhesive. Accordingly, a current path remains unchanged even if the circuit substrate and the TE010-mode resonator are partially disengaged from each other, thereby achieving stable characteristics.

A typical dielectric resonator device used in a transmitter-receiver apparatus, such as a communication apparatus and a radar apparatus, is provided with a circuit substrate having a ground electrode and a transmission line, and a dielectric resonator which is attached to the circuit substrate at a position facing the ground electrode so as to be coupled to the transmission line (for example, see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-214908
In such prior art, the dielectric resonator is defined by a TE010-mode resonator that has, for example, electrodes disposed on opposite surfaces of a dielectric substrate, and these electrodes are respectively provided with circular openings that face each other. The electrodes of the TE010-mode resonator are electrically connected to the ground electrode of the circuit substrate, such that the electrodes of the TE010-mode resonator are supported by the ground electrode.
In the prior art, the electrodes of the TE010-mode resonator are electrically connected to the ground electrode of the circuit substrate with, for example, a conductive projection. For this reason, if a bump, for example, is used as the conductive projection, a designated device or process is necessary for the attachment of the bump. This leads to an increase in manufacturing costs. Furthermore, since an inexpensive insulative resin material is used for the circuit substrate while a high dielectric ceramic substrate is used for the TE010-mode resonator, a thermal stress may be generated between the circuit substrate and the TE010-mode resonator due to a difference in coefficient of linear expansion between the two. This may possibly cause a disengagement of the joined section between the ground electrode of the circuit substrate and the electrodes of the TE010-mode resonator. The disengagement of the joined section induces a change in a current path, thus easily leading to fluctuation of the characteristics of the TE010-mode resonator.

Dielectric resonator device, oscillator and transmitter-receiver apparatus


A process for producing an inexpensive large high-quality GaN substrate which comprises forming a MgO buffer layer on a high-quality substrate, generating a ZnO layer on the MgO buffer layer while performing polarity control, growing a GaN layer on the ZnO layer while performing polarity control, and melting the ZnO layer, thereby producing a GaN substrate.

Production methods of GaN substrate which have been attempted so far are roughly classified to four. The first is a melt growth method, which comprises growing bulk crystal of GaN from a GaN melt under high pressure, but has not be technically established. Further, it is not known whether growth of a large crystal substrate of 1 inch or more is possible in the future or not.
The second is a solution growth method, which comprises dissolving GaN in a proper solvent (e.g., sodium) to prepare a solution, and growing the bulk crystal therefrom, but has not been technically established yet.
The third method comprises growing a GaN thick film on a sapphire substrate by CD (chemical vapor deposition) or MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition), and then detaching the GaN film by a lift-off method using laser. According to this method, formation of a large substrate is possible because the substrate size is determined depending on the sapphire substrate, but a low yield is the bottleneck.
The fourth method comprises growing a GaN thick film on a GaAs substrate by CVD or MOCVD, and thereafter melting the GaAs substrate with an acid or the like, thereby producing a GaN substrate. According to this method, also, formation of a large substrate is possible, but a high cost is the bottleneck.
Fifthly, it has been also adapted to form a ZnO layer on a sapphire substrate, generate a GaN layer on the ZnO layer, and then melt the ZnO layer to take out a GaN substrate.
In this case, it is known that use of a MgO buffer layer on sapphire is effective in improving the surface shape of the ZnO layer grown on the buffer layer (refer to Non-patent Literatures 1 and 2).
[Non-Patent Literature 1]
Chen Y, Ko H J, Hong S K, and Yao T. Layer-by-layer growth of ZnO epilayer on Al2O3 (0001) by using a MgO buffer layer, Appl. Phys. Lett., 2000; 76: 559
[Non-Patent Literature 2]
Chen Y, Hong S K, Ko H J, Kirshner V, Wenisich H, Yao T, Inaba K, and Segawa Y. Effects of an extremely thin buffer on heteroepitaxy with large lattice mismatch, Appl. Phys. Lett., 2001; 78: 3352.


A digital system is provided with a memory (506) shared by several initiator resources (540-550), wherein a portion of the initiator resources are big endian and another portion of the initiator resources are little endian. The memory is segregated into a set of regions by a memory management unit (MMU) (500-510) and an endianism attribute bit is defined for each region. For each memory request to the memory, the endianism attribute bit for the selected region is provided by the MMU. Each memory transaction request is completed in accordance with the endianism attribute of the selected region. Depending on the capability of a given initiator resource, the memory request address is adjusted to agree with the endianism attribute of the selected region, or an access fault is generated (530) if the endianism of the initiating resource does not match the endianism attribute of the selected memory region. A resource identification value (R-ID) provided by each of the initiator resources is used to identify the endianism of each of the initiator resources.

This invention generally relates to microprocessors, and more specifically to improvements in cache memory and access circuits, systems, and methods of making.
Microprocessors are general-purpose processors that provide high instruction throughputs in order to execute software running thereon, and can have a wide range of processing requirements depending on the particular software applications involved. A cache architecture is often used to increase the speed of retrieving information from a main memory. A cache memory is a high-speed memory that is situated between the processing core of a processing device and the main memory. The main memory is generally much larger than the cache, but also significantly slower. Each time the processing core requests information from the main memory, the cache controller checks the cache memory to determine whether the address being accessed is currently in the cache memory. If so, the information is retrieved from the faster cache memory instead of the slower main memory to service the request. If the information is not in the cache, the main memory is accessed, and the cache memory is updated with the information.
Many different types of processors are known, of which microprocessors are but one example. For example, Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) are widely used, in particular for specific applications, such as mobile processing applications. DSPs are typically configured to optimize the performance of the applications concerned and to achieve this they employ more specialized execution units and instruction sets. Particularly in applications such as mobile telecommunications, but not exclusively, it is desirable to provide ever-increasing DSP performance while keeping power consumption as low as possible.
To further improve performance of a digital system, two or more processors can be interconnected. For example, a DSP may be interconnected with a general-purpose processor in a digital system. The DSP performs numeric intensive signal processing algorithms while the general-purpose processor manages overall control flow. The two processors communicate and transfer data for signal processing via shared memory. A direct memory access (DMA) controller is often associated with a processor in order to take over the burden of transferring blocks of data from one memory or peripheral resource to another and to thereby improve the performance of the processor.
There are two major types of data alignment, referred to as xe2x80x9cbig endianxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9clittle endian.xe2x80x9d Various processors use either one or the other type.
Particular and preferred aspects of the invention are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a digital system is provided with a memory shared by several initiator resources, wherein a portion of the initiator resources are big endian and another portion of the initiator resources are little endian. The memory is segregated into a set of regions by a memory management unit (MMU) and an endianism attribute bit is defined for each region. For each memory request to the memory, the endianism attribute bit for the selected region is provided by the MMU. Each memory transaction request is completed in accordance with the endianism attribute of the selected region.
In one embodiment of the invention, the memory request address is adjusted to agree with the endianism attribute of the selected region.
In another embodiment, an access fault is generated if the endianism of the initiating resource does not match the endianism attribute of the selected memory region.
In some embodiments, a resource identification value provided by each of the initiator resources is used to identify the endianism of each of the initiator resources.

MMU descriptor having big/little endian bit to control the transfer data between devices


A method of making an array having discrete volumes of cell culture micro-environments possessing different properties influencing the behavior of encapsulated cells, in particular proliferation, colony-formation, differentiation, migration, or combinations thereof. The method comprises a) providing different hydrogel precursor molecules, where the precursor molecules are linear or branched hydrophilic polymers for building up cell culture micro-environments; b) combining and dispensing different combinations of the hydrogel precursor molecules, according to step a), onto discrete volumes of a multi-well plate; c) adding one or more biologically active molecules to the discrete volumes and either attaching the molecules to one of the hydrogel precursor molecules present or a hydrogel, formed in step e), or allowing them to diffuse freely; d) adding cells onto/into the discrete volumes of the multi-well plate; and e) crosslinking the hydrogel precursor molecules based on an enzymatically catalyzed reaction or a Michael addition reaction to form a hydrogel matrix.

Two-dimensional cell culture systems as well as naturally derived three-dimensional cell culture systems as models to elucidate complex cell behaviour, notably in the field of cancer or stem cell research, have been known for many years.
Two-dimensional cell culture systems have the drawback of not allowing for gene expression patterns and cellular phenotypes that closely resemble those found in vivo. Further, they cannot be expected to faithfully reproduce certain key physiological features of the in vivo cell culture microenvironment, notably spatial constraints, proteolytic remodeling, stiffness-mediated mechanotransduction and appropriate mode of presentation of ligands.
Naturally derived 3D cell culture systems have poorly defined compositions and show batch to batch variation, which makes it impossible to alter their properties in systematic ways and to independently control their key matrix parameters.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, in particular to provide tools and methods that enable rapid identification of cell culture cell culture microenvironments controlling desired cell behaviours.

Arrays of discrete cell culture microenvironments, methods of making such arrays and uses thereof

ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE (EPFL) EPFL-TTO


A radiation detector is generally described. The detector can comprise a thallium halide (e.g., TlBr) and/or an indium halide. The thallium halide and/or indium halide can be doped with a dopant or a mixture of dopants. The dopant can comprise an alkaline earth metal element, a lanthanide element, and/or an element with an oxidation state of +2. Non-limiting examples of suitable dopants include Ba, Sr, Ca, Mg, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and/or Yb. Radiation detectors, as described herein, may have beneficial properties, including enhanced charge collection and long-term stability.

Radiation detection is of major interest in a host of applications, including nuclear medicine, fundamental physics, industrial gauging, baggage scanning, and oil well logging.
Semiconductor detectors, such as silicon avalanche photodiodes (Si-APDs), are widely used for the detection of x-rays, gamma rays, and particles such as neutrons and alpha particles. Thallium halide (e.g., thallium bromide) and/or indium halide detectors can have advantages compared to other semiconductor detectors, such as higher photoelectric and total attenuation coefficients. Additionally, thallium halide and/or indium halide detectors can operate at room temperature with low dark current in the same manner as other semiconductor detectors. However, thallium halide and/or indium halide detectors generally have not been widely used due to performance problems, such as reduced internal field and detector instability, which can result from polarization under applied bias at room temperature. Accordingly, improved detectors and methods would be useful.

Doped semiconductor-based radiation detectors


A microelectronic structure includes a first row of contacts (14) and a second row of contacts (24) offset from the first row, so that the first and second rows cooperatively define pairs of contacts. These pairs of contacts include first pairs (30a) and second pairs (30b) arranged in alternating sequence in the row direction. The first pairs are provided with low connectors (32a), whereas the second pairs are provided with high connectors (32b). The high connectors and low connectors have sections vertically offset from one another to reduce mutual impedance between adjacent connectors.

Many microelectronic structures are made with rows of contacts interconnected with one another by leads such as wire bonds. For example, a microelectronic element such as a semiconductor chip may be made with one or more rows of contacts exposed at a front surface of the chip. Each row of contacts extends in a direction referred to herein as the "row direction." A package substrate may overlie the front surface of the chip. The package substrate may incorporate rows of contacts, commonly referred to as "bond pads" corresponding to the rows of contacts on the chip. Typically, each row of contacts on the package substrate extends parallel to a row of contacts on the chip. The package substrate may include other electrically conductive elements such as terminals for connecting the substrate to an external element, such as a circuit board, and traces connecting the terminals to the contacts or bond pads. The contacts or bond pads of the package substrate are connected to contacts of the chip by leads such as wire bonds. For example, the package substrate may incorporate an elongated slot and one or more rows of contacts extending in a row direction along the slot. The package substrate may be placed on the front surface of the chip so that the slot is aligned with a row of contacts on the chip. The wire bonds extend from the contacts of the package substrate into the slot to the contacts of the chip.
In other cases, a package substrate may have a row of contacts disposed along an edge of the substrate, so that the leads extend from the contacts of the package substrate, over the edge of the package substrate, and downwardly to the contacts of the chip. In still other arrangements, the chip is disposed with a rear surface facing toward the package substrate and with the front, contact-bearing surface facing upwardly away from the package substrate. In this case, the leads may extend over an edge of the chip to the contacts on the package substrate.
Inductances in the leads can pose significant issues. For example, where the contacts of the chip are disposed at small intervals at the row direction the leads are also disposed at relatively small intervals in the row direction. Because the leads lie relatively close to one another, there can be substantial mutual inductance between adjacent leads. Where adjacent leads carry different currents, potentials or signals, there can be cross-talk between the leads. For example, where one lead is carrying a rapidly changing current, the mutual inductance with the adjacent lead will cause a rapidly changing voltage to appear on the adjacent lead. This rapidly changing voltage effectively constitutes "noise" or unwanted voltage fluctuations on the adjacent lead and impairs signal transmissions on the adjacent lead.
Moreover, the mutual inductance between the leads increases the effective inductance along each lead, i.e., the inductance appearing between the contact of the chip and the contact of the package substrate which are connected to one another by a particular lead. This increased effective inductance reduces the speed with which signals can be conveyed along the leads. These problems have become more significant as the speed of operation of components such as semiconductor chips has increased, and the frequency of signals sent along the leads has also increased.
Certain aspects of the present invention alleviate or mitigate these problems.


This disclosure is directed to product displays systems. In one aspect, a product display system includes three or more bases spatially distributed in a space. Each base has a wireless transceiver. The system includes a product display assembly comprising a puck assembly and a base assembly. The puck assembly has a surface on which a product is mountable for merchandising of the product to a customer and is untethered to the base assembly. The puck assembly executes machine-readable instructions that determines a coordinate location of the puck assembly within the space based on wireless communications between the puck assembly and the three or more bases. The puck assembly may also generate an alarm sound when the coordinate location is located within an alarm zone or a warning zone of the space.

Selling products in a retail setting is often a balance between a seller's desire to create customer interest in products on display by allowing customers to inspect and handle the products and the seller's need to ensure that the products are not stolen. Retail sales of small electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, cameras, and wearable electronics, are often placed on display tables in large open retail settings, enabling customers an opportunity to inspect many different device models by simply walking from table to table. However, because many products on display can be easily concealed and stolen in a crowded open retail setting, products are secured using retractable tether assemblies. Each retractable tether assembly is attached to a display table and has a tether that is connected at one end to a product and at the other end to a self-winding reel located within the retractable tether assembly. When a customer lifts a product to examine the product features, the product is often held under very high tension by a retractable tether assembly, making it difficult for the customer to appreciate how the product actually feels. For example, customers often find tethered electronic devices cumbersome to inspect because of the high tension created by the retractable tether assemblies. As a result, retail sellers seek systems and methods for displaying products in a retail setting that enables customers more freedom to inspect products but without compromising security.

Systems and methods for spatial sensing and tracking of objects in a space