An example operation may include one or more of connecting, by a participating node, to a blockchain configured to store user assets, receiving, by the participating node, login data from a user, receiving, by the participating node, an asset transfer request from the user identified by the login data, the asset transfer request including identification data of an asset recipient, confirming, by the participating node, that the user is an owner of the asset based on a previous asset transfer transaction associated with the user, verifying, by the participating node, integrity and validity of the asset based on blockchain records, determining, by the participating node, that the asset recipient is a registered user of the blockchain, in response to the determining, by the participating node, that the asset recipient is the registered user of the blockchain, encrypting, by the participating node, an asset transfer transaction by a public key associated with a private key of an auditor; and providing, by the participating node, the encrypted asset transfer transaction to the auditor.

A centralized database stores and maintains data in one single database (e.g., database server) at one location. This location is often a central computer, for example, a desktop central processing unit (CPU), a server CPU, or a mainframe computer. Information stored on a centralized database is typically accessible from multiple different points. Multiple users or client workstations can work simultaneously on the centralized database, for example, based on a client/server configuration. A centralized database is easy to manage, maintain, and control, especially for purposes of security because of its single location. Within a centralized database, data redundancy is minimized as a single storing place of all data also implies that a given set of data only has one primary record.
However, a centralized database suffers from significant drawbacks. For example, a centralized database has a single point of failure. In particular, if there are no fault-tolerance considerations and a hardware failure occurs (for example, a hardware, firmware, and/or a software failure), all data within the database is lost and work of all users is interrupted. In addition, centralized databases are highly dependent on network connectivity. As a result, the slower the connection, the amount of time needed for each database access is increased. Another drawback is the occurrence of bottlenecks when a centralized database experiences high traffic due to a single location. Furthermore, a centralized database provides limited access to data because only one copy of the data is maintained by the database. As a result, multiple devices cannot access the same piece of data at the same time without creating significant problems or risk overwriting stored data. Furthermore, because a database storage system has minimal to no data redundancy, data that is unexpectedly lost is very difficult to retrieve other than through manual operation from back-up storage.
Conventionally, a centralized database is limited by low search capability, lack of security and slow speed of transactions. As such, what is needed is a solution to overcome these significant drawbacks.
Computing nodes in a blockchain network may be used to perform asset transfer operations between users. Securities trading, supply chain transactions, virtual payments are different forms of asset transfer operations, with a privacy being a non-negotiable requirement in most of these cases. Some existing solutions attempt to tackle the issues of the privacy by leveraging zero-knowledge proofs to help nodes in the blockchain to assess the validity of transactions without learning their content. However, the privacy guarantees of zero-knowledge proofs come at the expense of performance. These proofs are generally computationally expensive for both the prover and the verifier, with the only exception being SNARK-based solutions (e.g., Zerocash) that enjoy a lightweight verification at the cost of an expensive proof generation. The main drawback of the SNARK-based solution is the requirement of a trusted setup that cannot easily be distributed. Without a distributed setup, the security of such schemes cannot be ensured, and their adoption may be limited.
Accordingly, a method for efficient and secure privacy-preserving asset transfer mechanism that can be easily distributed and provides for selective access to the asset transfer data for enforceable auditability is desired.

International Business Machines Corporation


Each input binary digit of an input serial bit string having a referential word in a referential word time period is sampled N times to produce a plurality of over-sampled binary digits corresponding to a first group of sampling operations, a second group of sampling operations,--, an N-th group of sampling operations, and the over-sampled binary digits are divided to N divided bit strings corresponding to the N groups of sampling operations respectively. Because each divided bit string having the referential word is correctly sampled at high probability, a word start position of the referential word in each divided bit string is detected, one divided bit string correctly sampled at the highest probability is selected, and a string of words starting from the word start position is retrieved from the selected divided bit string and is output.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a serial data receiving device in which an input serial bit string distorted due to noise is correctly received according to an over-sampling method.
2. Description of Related Art
In a case where binary digits are sampled from an input serial bit string received in a conventional serial data receiving device, a level change time (hereinafter called a change point) of each binary digit of the bit string is unknown in the conventional serial data receiving device. Therefore, in a case where a binary digit is undesirably sampled in the neighborhood of its change point, there is a probability that a value of the sampled binary digit is incorrect.
To prevent the occurrence of error in the sampling for the input serial bit string, an over-sampling method has been adopted to correctly perform the sampling of binary digits.
In detail, as shown in FIG. 7, binary digits are sampled from an input serial bit string at a sampling rate higher than a bit rate of the binary digits. For example, the sampling is performed five times during a time period corresponding to one binary digit to obtain five sampled binary digits for each binary digit. Therefore, an amount of sampled binary digits is five times larger than an amount of binary digits of the input serial bit string. Though there is a probability that data sampled at positions near change points is incorrect, there is a high probability that data sampled at positions far from change points is correct. In the over-sampling method, data correctly sampled at a high probability is selected from five sampled binary digits corresponding to each binary digit of the bit string, and a set of parallel bit strings composed of pieces of data correctly sampled at a high probability are obtained from the input serial bit string.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional serial data receiving device. In FIG. 6, 101 indicates an over-sampling unit for performing the over-sampling N times (for example, N=5) for each input binary digit of an input serial bit string to obtain a serial bit string of over-sampled binary digits from the input serial bit string. 102 indicates a serial-parallel converting unit for converting a plurality of over-sampled binary digits corresponding to each group of L input binary digits (for example, L=10) successively placed in the input serial bit string to a set of L parallel bit strings respectively composed of N over-sampled binary digits. 103 indicates a data selecting unit for selecting a correctly-sampled binary digit from N over-sampled binary digits of each parallel bit string to obtain a selected bit string composed of L correctly-sampled binary digits and to obtain a plurality of selected bit strings corresponding to the input serial bit string. 104 indicates a word retrieving unit for retrieving a string of words from the correctly-sampled binary digits of the selected bit strings.
Next, an operation of the conventional serial data receiving device will be described below.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the over-sampling method performed in the conventional serial data receiving device for an input serial bit string. In this example, the number of over-sampling operations for each input binary digit is set to five.
When an input serial bit string composed of input binary digits serially arranged is received in the over-sampling unit 101, the sampling is performed five times for each input binary digit of the input serial bit string to obtain a serial bit string of over-sampled binary digits, and a plurality of over-sampled binary digits corresponding to each group of input binary digits successively placed in the input serial bit string are converted in the serial-parallel converting unit 102 to a set of parallel bit strings respectively composed of five over-sampled binary digits. The number of parallel bit strings is equal to the number of input binary digits corresponding to the conversion, and each parallel bit string corresponds to one input binary digit. In this example, fifty over-sampled binary digits corresponding to each group of ten input binary digits successively arranged in the input serial bit string are converted to a set of ten parallel bit strings composed of fifty over-sampled binary digits (5xc3x9710=50). Therefore, an operating frequency of the conventional serial data receiving device can be reduced, each group of ten input binary digits included in the input serial bit string can be estimated at once, and the data selection and the word retrieval can be easily performed later.
Thereafter, in the data selecting unit 103, ten over-sampled binary digits correctly sampled at a high probability are selected from each set of ten parallel bit strings as a selected bit string of ten correctly-sampled binary digits. In this case, to select one over-sampled binary digit correctly sampled at a high probability from each parallel bit string, a method for finding out two successive over-sampled binary digits having different values at a high probability is often used. For example, a value of the first over-sampled binary digit differs from a value of the second over-sampled binary digit at a high probability in each of four parallel bit strings xe2x80x9c10000xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c01111xe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9c11111xe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c01000xe2x80x9d shown in FIG. 7. In this case, it seems reasonable to conclude that the change point of each input binary digit in the input serial bit string is placed between the first over-sampled binary digit and the second over-sampled binary digit of the corresponding parallel bit string. Also, because the fourth over-sampled binary digit has the same value as those of the third and fifth over-sampled binary digits adjacent to the fourth over-sampled binary digit in each parallel bit string at a high probability, it seems that the value of each fourth over-sampled binary digit is stable. Therefore, the fourth over-sampled binary digit in each of ten parallel bit strings is selected as a correctly-sampled binary digit. Because the transmission time period for each input binary digit of the input serial bit string is normally constant, the change point of the input binary digit is placed every five over-sampled binary digits and is placed between the (5M+1)-th over-sampled binary digit and the (5M+2)-th over-sampled binary digit (M denotes zero or a positive integral number), and one (5M+4)-th over-sampled binary digit is to be selected as a correctly-sampled binary digit from each of ten parallel bit strings. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the fourth (M=0 in (5M+4)-th) over-sampled binary digit, the ninth (M=1 in (5M+4)-th) over-sampled binary digit,---, the forty-ninth (M=9 in (5M+4)-th) over-sampled binary digit are selected as ten correctly-sampled binary digits of one selected bit string.
However, in the actual operation, the input serial bit string undesirably receives the influence of noises, the change point of an input binary digit is moved, for example, from the position between the (5M+1)-th over-sampled binary digit and the (5M+2)-th over-sampled binary digit to the position between the (5M+2)-th over-sampled binary digit and the (5M+3)-th over-sampled binary digit. In this case, to reliably select correctly-sampled binary digits, one over-sampled binary digit most stable among five over-sampled binary digits in each parallel bit string is selected as one correctly-sampled binary digit.
Thereafter, a plurality of selected bit strings respectively composed of ten correctly-sampled binary digits are successively input to the word retrieving unit 104. In general, a group of input binary digits preset to a predetermined bit number and expressing a fixed meaning is included many times in the input serial bit string. For example, in case of picture data, red information of one pixel, green information of one pixel and blue information of one pixel are respectively expressed by using a group of eight (or ten) binary digits. Therefore, when picture data is transmitted as an input serial bit string, a serial data receiving device is required to divide the input serial bit string every eight binary digits denoting a unit of pixel information. A bit string of input binary digits expressing a meaning is called a word. In the word retrieving unit 104, a boundary position between each pair of words is found out, the correctly-sampled binary digits of the selected bit strings are divided at the boundary positions, and a bit string of correctly-sampled binary digits corresponding to each word is output.
To easily find out a boundary position between each pair of words, a predetermined bit string preset to a predetermined bit number is many times included in the input serial bit string, and the input serial bit string including the predetermined bit strings is transmitted to a serial data receiving device during a prescribed time period. This predetermined bit string is called a referential word, and referential words included in the input serial bit string are transmitted in a referential word transmitting time period. In the word retrieving unit 104, the selected bit strings respectively composed of correctly-sampled binary digits are searched for one predetermined bit string expressing one referential word. In cases where the predetermined bit string expressing one referential word exists in the selected bit string of correctly-sampled binary digits, a boundary position between each pair of words can be found out by detecting the predetermined bit string expressing one referential word.
A referential word retrieving method will be described in detail below. For example, a bit number of each referential word is set to ten, and a bit number of each word desired to be transmitted is also set to ten. In the word retrieving unit 104, twenty correctly-sampled binary digits of each set of two selected bit strings output from the data selecting unit 103 are stored in a storing circuit having an area of twenty bits. The group of twenty correctly-sampled binary digits included in each set of two bit strings is searched for a referential word composed of ten over-sampled binary digits. As a searched result, in a case where it is found out that a group of ten over-sampled binary digits placed from sixth bit to fifteenth bit agrees with one referential word, the referential word is detected in the group of twenty correctly-sampled binary digits, and a starting point of the referential word placed at the sixth bit is detected. After the transmission of the input serial bit string including the referential words in the referential word transmitting time period, the input serial bit string not including any referential word but including desired words is transmitted to the serial data receiving device. In the word retrieving unit 104 of the device, a group of ten correctly-sampled binary digits starting from the sixth bit of twenty correctly-sampled binary digits in each set of two selected bit strings is retrieved as one word, and a string of words successively arranged is output.
As is described above, in the conventional serial data receiving device, the over-sampling is performed N times for each input binary digit of the input serial bit string each time L input binary digits of the input serial bit string is received, L correctly-sampled binary digits are selected from L sets of N over-sampled binary digits, and words are retrieved from the correctly-sampled binary digits. In the selecting processing of the correctly-sampled binary digits, each selected bit string of L correctly-sampled binary digits is determined from L parallel bit strings of N over-sampled binary digits by finding out the change point of the N over-sampled binary digits in each parallel bit string. However, in a case where the change point of the N over-sampled binary digits cannot be determined, it is required to select each correctly-sampled binary digit from each parallel bit string of N over-sampled binary digits according to statistical analysis. Therefore, in a case where the input serial bit string is considerably distorted due to the influence of noise, there is a probability that one over-sampled binary digit not correctly sampled is erroneously selected as one correctly-sampled binary digit to produce an incorrect bit string, and the word retrieving operation for the referential word is performed for the incorrect bit string of 2*L correctly-sampled binary digits. In this case, no bit string agreeing with a referential word is found out from a bit string of 2*L correctly-sampled binary digits including the incorrect bit string. As a result, a problem has arisen that a string of words cannot be correctly received or output.
An object of the present invention is to provide, with due consideration to the drawbacks of the conventional serial data receiving device, a serial data receiving device in which a string of words is correctly received and output even though input serial data is considerably distorted.
The object is achieved by the provision of a serial data receiving device including over-sampling means, serial-parallel converting means, data dividing means, data retrieving means and output data selecting means. In the over-sampling means, a sampling operation is performed N-th times for each input binary digit of an input serial bit string having a referential word, and a plurality of over-sampled binary digits are produced. In the serial-parallel converting means, an over-sampling bit string of the over-sampled binary digits is converted to a plurality of parallel bit strings respectively corresponding to one input binary digit of the input serial bit string. In the data dividing means, the N over-sampled binary digits of each parallel bit string are divided to N groups to produce N divided bit strings corresponding to the N groups of sampling operations. In the data retrieving means, a plurality of divided bit strings having the referential word are detected, a group specified result indicating a plurality of groups corresponding to the divided bit strings having the referential word is output, and a string of desired data is retrieved from each divided bit string having the referential word. In the output data selecting means, one group is selected as a final selected group from the groups of the group specified result, and the string of desired data corresponding to the final selected group is output as an output bit string.
Accordingly, even though the input serial bit string is considerably distorted, a string of words representing the string of desired data can be correctly retrieved from the input serial bit string and can be output.

Data receiving device for receiving serial data according to over-sampling


An electronic device, a touch detection circuit and an update method for a reference value of a touch screen are provided. The update method includes: acquiring a temperature value of an environment of the touch screen; when determining that the acquired temperature value is less than a preset temperature threshold and determining that a continuously touched area exists in the touch screen, collecting N data frames of the continuously touched area; calculating N feature values of the N data frames; and updating N reference values corresponding to the N data frames according to the N feature values; wherein, N is greater than 1 and N is an integer. A difference between a reference value and a sensed value of the continuously touched area may not be decreased with a temperature rise due to the heat transferred by a touched object, thus point elimination at a low temperature is avoided.

At present, most of the electronic terminal devices on the market (for example, mobile phones, tablet personal computers, etc.) realize the human-computer interaction using a capacitive touch screen. The capacitive touch screen detects a user's touch operation through a capacitive sensor. Before detecting the user's operation on the touch screen, the touch screen generally establishes a reference original value, and the original value is obtained through code sampling of a touch control chip. The reference original value reflects an initial state of each sensing node of the capacitive sensor. When a touch object (for example, a finger, a stylus, or any other objects that can change the sensing capacitance), is conducted a clicking, a scribing, or other operation on the touch screen, the capacitance of a sensing node at a corresponding position will be changed. The original value obtained at this time is the current original value, and a difference can be obtained by subtracting the current original value from the reference original value. The difference can reflect the capacitance variation caused by the touch object at the operating position, and touch coordinates can be calculated and reported according to the difference.
In the course of realizing the present application, the inventor has found that at least the following problems exist in the prior art: when the temperature rises or drops, the original value of the capacitive touch screen will also change accordingly due to the temperature drift characteristics of the capacitive sensor; when the capacitive touch screen is used in a severe cold environment, and the user's finger is continuously placed in a certain position of the touch screen, the touch coordinates are normally reported at the beginning, but then a phenomenon of point elimination occurs; wherein the phenomenon of point elimination refers to operating the touch object on the touch screen while the touch control chip does not report the coordinates. The reason why the phenomenon of point elimination appears is that: when the user just puts the finger on the touch screen, the original value of the capacitive sensing node where the finger is located will decrease, and a positive difference can be obtained by subtracting the current original value from the reference original value; when the difference exceeds a certain threshold, the touch control chip will calculate and report the coordinates; however, in a severe cold environment, the temperature of the touch screen is far lower than that of the human finger, and when the finger is continuously placed in the same position of the touch screen, the temperature of the position will gradually be increased due to the heat conducted by the finger, which will cause the original value of the capacitive sensing node at the position to be gradually increased, so that the difference is gradually decreased; and when the difference is less than a certain threshold, the phenomenon of point elimination will occur to the position touched by the finger.

Electronic device, touch detection circuit and update method for reference value of touch screen


Artificial agents utilized for voice interactions continue to improve in their capacity to conduct more sophisticated interactions. Rather than just presenting a limited set of options, artificial agents are continuing to narrow the gap between generated speech and natural human speech. A requirement is often in place that spoken interactions be recorded, however, storing speech, even with data compression, is a resource-demanding task. Generated speech may be provided from content, such as text, and speech data. By recording an identifier of the content and associated speech data, storage processing and space requirements can be greatly reduced. Playback may be provided from a waveform of audio provided by the human participant and by selecting the content associated with the content identifier and generating speech of the content utilizing settings provided by the speech data.

Many contact centers must, or choose to, record some or all audio calls, such as for legal or regulatory compliance. Additionally, recorded calls are useful for quality analysis, training, and coaching applications. Recording can require a significant storage space, especially when regulatory rules can demand that recordings be maintained for up to seven years. Additionally, significant CPU resources may be required to perform speech analysis and encryption of these audio recordings, if such functions are deployed.

Audio recording optimization for calls serviced by an artificial intelligence agent


A standalone eddy current monitoring system provides a thickness profile of a substrate sample by obtaining initial and terminating resistance and reactance measurements from the sample. Initial eddy current measurement values are obtained while an eddy current probe is positioned at an initial distance relative to the substrate sample, and terminating values are obtained while the eddy current probe is positioned at a modified distance relative to the sample. An intersecting line can be calculated using the initial and terminating resistance and reactance measurements. An intersecting point between a previously defined natural intercepting curve and the intersecting line may also be determined. A reactance voltage of the intersecting point may be located along a digital calibration curve to identify a closest-two of a plurality of calibration samples. The conductive top layer thickness of the substrate sample can then be determined by approximating a location, using linear or non-linear calculations, of the reactance voltage relative to the closest-two of the plurality of calibration samples.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an eddy current measuring system, and in particular to an eddy current measuring system for estimating the thickness of conductive films formed on semiconductor wafer products.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the semiconductor industry, critical steps in the production of semiconductor wafers are the selective formation and removal of films on an underlying substrate. The films are made from a variety of substances, and can be conductive (for example, metal or a magnetic ferrous conductive material) or non-conductive (for example, an insulator or a magnetic ferrite insulating material).
Films are used in typical semiconductor processing by: (1) depositing a film; (2) patterning areas of the film using lithography and etching; (3) depositing material which fills the etched areas; and (4) planarizing the structure by etching or chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP). Films may be formed on a substrate by a variety of well-known methods including physical vapor deposition (PVD) by sputtering or evaporation, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and electrochemical process (ECP). Films may be removed by any of several well-known methods including chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP), reactive ion etching (RIE), wet etching, electrochemical etching, vapor etching, and spray etching.
The semiconductor fabrication industry continues to demand higher yields and shorter fabrication times, while insisting upon ever-increasing quality standards. A variety of inspection procedures have been employed during the various stages of the semiconductor wafer fabrication process in an attempt to meet these demands. These inspection procedures include destructive, as well as nondestructive, testing methods for analyzing wafer products.
In a destructive measuring process, a standard or electron microscope may be used to measure the thickness of a wafer""s coating after a cross-section has been obtained. When the thickness of a thin-film coating is greater than 10,000 xc3x85, for example, this type of destructive measuring method may provide accurate measurements. However, measuring accuracy usually begins to degrade as the coating thickness falls below the 10,000 xc3x85 threshold.
Other types of measuring processes utilize sensitive eddy current sensors which do not destroy or significantly alter the article measured. Although eddy current sensors provide highly accurate readings, these sensors are susceptible to error. For example, the shifting of an electronic reference point due to thermal drifting often occurs at some point during the data collection and inspection process. To compensate for thermal drifting and to ensure accurate readings, many existing eddy current sensors must be recalibrated on a periodic basis.
While there have been other attempts in addition to eddy current sensors to employ highly accurate, nondestructive measuring devices for estimating the thickness of a conductive top layer formed on a semiconductor wafer product, improvement is still needed.
A standalone eddy current monitoring system provides a thickness profile of a substrate sample by obtaining initial and terminating resistance and reactance measurements from the sample. Initial eddy current measurement values are obtained while an eddy current probe is positioned at an initial distance relative to the substrate sample, and terminating values are obtained while the eddy current probe is positioned at a modified distance relative to the sample. An intersecting line can be calculated using the initial and terminating resistance and reactance measurements. An intersecting point between a previously defined natural intercepting curve and the intersecting line may also be determined. A reactance voltage of the intersecting point may be located along a digital calibration curve to identify a closest-two of a plurality of calibration samples. The conductive top layer thickness of the substrate sample can then be determined by approximating a location, using linear or nonlinear calculations, of the reactance voltage relative to the closest-two of the plurality of calibration samples.

Standalone eddy current measuring system for thickness estimation of conductive films


A separator (1a) under the invention for the taking of blood serum or blood plasma contained in a blood sample from a separating strip comprises a top part (3), a bottom part (4) and a joint (5). Said top part (3) and bottom part (4) are linked by the joint (5) in a pivoting way. Bottom part (4) is designed to support the separating strip. At least one nose (7a, 7b) is provided at the bottom part (4) and/or underside of top part (3) which can exert local pressure on the separating strip once top part (3) and bottom part (4) are folded together thus pressing blood serum or blood plasma out of the rear end of the separating strip.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a separator and a separating strip for the separation of blood serum or blood plasma contained in a blood sample.
2. Background Information
From WO 2003/073095, we know of a separating strip for the separation of blood serum contained in a blood sample. It is hereby necessary to press the blood serum out of the separating strip, using fingers or fingernails, for instance. This is unpractical and bears the risk of damage to the separation test strips and blood serum contamination.
The present invention has the goal of providing both a device and a procedure to easily separate a defined quantity of blood serum or blood plasma without deteriorating the separation test strip or contaminating the blood serum or blood plasma.


An apparatus for determining and displaying the time evolution profile of electron carriers present within a submicron or micron device comprises a laser for generating a beam of ultrafast pulses of ultraviolet light. A first beam splitter splits each pulse into a transmitted beam and a reflected beam. The transmitted beam travels through a time delay circuit, and is then converted into a train of ultrafast electrical pulses which are transmitted to the device. The reflected beam is focused on the device. An electron detector, also focused on the device, collects the ejected electrons resulting from the interaction of the light pulse and electrical pulse to produce an electrical signal. The signal is then magnified in intensity by an amplifier and directed at a cathode ray tube to cause an image to appear thereon. A SIT vidicon camera converts the image into an electrical signal and transmits the signal to a computer. The computer generates a time evolution profile from the signal received which is sent to a monitor for display.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for measuring the time evolution of carriers (electrons and holes) propagating within submicron and micron electronic devices.
Electronic devices used in computers and communication systems are continually becoming both smaller in physical size and faster in execution capabilities. With technology progressing at its present rate, it is not inconceivable that submicron and micron sized electronic devices will soon become commonplace in the computer and communications industries. While submicron and micron sized electronic devices bring innumerable benefits to these industries, their extremely small size creates problems with regard to testing. For one thing, the size of submicron electronic device makes it virtually impossible using conventional state-of-the-art technology to observe directly the ultrafast (frequently in the picosecond and femtosecond regimes) kinetic activity and pathways of carriers present within such a device. This is because the current technology uses light to probe the spatial distribution of the carriers and light is limited in resolution to a few microns. Nonetheless, despite present day technological inadequacies, there persists a definite need to know the speed and pathways of carriers propogating in submicron and micron electronic devices.
In the past, electron microscope have frequently been used to explore spatial relationships in the submicron and micron world.
Electron microscopes are traditionally classified as either transmission or scanning instruments.
In a transmission electron microscope an electron beam, which is generated by an electron gun, is focused by a magnetically operated condenser lens onto the specimen. The specimen is usually mounted in a mechanical stage, which forms a part of a magnetically operated objective lens. The objective lens forms an intermediate image of some 50 to 100 times magnification of the specimen in the vicinity of a magnetically operated projector lens, which further magnifies the image and projects the magnified image onto an observation screen for viewing.
In a scanning electron microscope, which is very similar in operation and construction to a closed circuit television system, a finely focused electron beam is formed by an electron lens system. The beam sweeps rapidly across the specimen, stimulating the emission of secondary electrons from the area it strikes. The secondary electrons are then collected to produce a signal which is then amplified. The amplified signal is then used to vary the intensity of a second electron beam as it scans a cathode ray tube in synchronism with the first beam to produce a light image of the specimen.
One drawback to the use of electron microscopes is that, when used in the manner described above, they lack the independent capability to temporally resolve ultrafast events. This makes electron microscopes, when used alone, unsuitable for measuring and recording the ultrafast time evolution of carriers within submicron and micron electronic devices.
Streak cameras, are a well known type of instrument which have been used to directly measure the time dynamics of luminous events. A typical streak camera includes an entrance slit which is usually rectangular, a streak camera tube, input relay optics for imaging the entrance slit onto the streak camera tube, sweep generating electronics, and output relay optics for imaging the streak camera image formed at the output end of the streak camera tube onto an external focal plane. The image at the external focal plane is then photographed by either a conventional still camera or a television camera. The streak camera tube generally includes a photocathode, an accelerating mesh, sweeping electrodes, and a phosphor screen. The streak camera tube may also include a microchannel plate. In the operation of a streak camera, light incident on the photocathode is converted into a streak image, which is formed on the phosphor screen with the intensity of the streak image from the start of the streak to the end of the streak corresponding to the intensity of the light incident thereon during the time window of the streak. The time during which the electrons are swept to form the streak image is controlled by the sweep electronics which supplies a very fast sweep signal to the sweeping electrodes. The input optics of the streak camera may comprise a single lens or a plurality of lenses.

Apparatus and method for measuring the time evolution of carriers propogating within submicron and micron electronic devices


In order to implement an external antenna of a radio device with a simple configuration, an antenna according to the present invention includes: a conductor plate; a first linear conductor including a portion disposed substantially in parallel to an edge of the conductor plate, and being curved halfway and connected to the conductor plate with a gap being interposed; a second linear conductor intersecting with a line extending from an end of the first linear conductor opposite to a connection end thereof connected to the conductor plate, and being connected to the conductor plate; a third linear conductor being connected to an end of the second linear conductor opposite to an end thereof connected to the conductor plate, and being disposed substantially in parallel to the first linear conductor; and a fourth linear conductor being disposed in a direction apart from the conductor plate at an end of the third linear conductor opposite to an end thereof connected to the second linear conductor.

It is important to downsize appearance of a mobile radio device such as a cellular phone, a smartphone, and a mobile router. Many of such mobile radio devices each have an antenna for communication built in a housing.
Dimensions of each antenna element in the antennas may be set to be shorter than a wavelength corresponding to a resonance frequency so that the antenna can be built within dimensions of a housing, which may cause deterioration in antenna performance due to reduction in the dimensions of each antenna element.
Accordingly, in order to ensure communication performance, particularly, at a location where a radio wave environment is poor and the like, an external antenna a length of which is not reduced with respect to the wavelength corresponding to the resonance frequency may be used instead of the built-in antenna with a reduced length, to thereby enhance antenna performance.
Then, as a configuration described in PTL 1, there is a configuration in which an external antenna is placed on a cradle (also referred to as a desktop holder, which also serves as a charging station) of a radio device.
FIG. 36 illustrates an example of a cradle 160 on which an external antenna 161 is placed, and an example of a radio device 150 placed on the cradle 160.
Note that PTLs 2 to 6 disclose techniques for improving performance of an antenna.

Antenna, radio device, mounting device, and charging device


The present invention relates to polyvinyl ethers and to their use as supports for synthetic methods (organic synthesis, peptide synthesis, oligonucleotide synthesis, oligosaccharide synthesis or any other synthetic procedure) and to their use for chromatographic applications (such as affinity chromatography), immobilisation of enzymes, reagents or catalysts.

Solid-phase synthesis (otherwise known as "SPS") is a well-established method that has revolutionised natural oligomer and small molecule synthesis and allowed for the development of combinatorial techniques and high-throughput drug discovery. Currently more and more articles are being published in the area (e.g. R. E. Dolle, J. Comb. Chem., 2000, 2, 383.; S. E. Hall, Mol. Diversity, 1999, 4, 131.).
The seminal work in this area is the famous Merrifield's peptide synthesis on crosslinked polystyrene (R. B. Merrifield, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1963, 85, 2149.) even if the concept has been envisaged some years before (R. L. Letsinger and S. B. Hamilton, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1959, 81, 3009.; R. L. Letsinger and M. J. Komet, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1963, 85, 3045.).
The use of chemically inert, insoluble, crosslinked polymers to assist synthetic transformations has several advantages: most important, the system allows the use of excess reagents to drive reactions to completion which can be easily separated by means of a simple filtration and subsequent washings. For this reason, automation of a complete synthetic sequence in a single vessel has been possible accelerating the synthetic output even at industrial level.
As a consequence the development of improved polymeric supports is of paramount importance to solid-phase synthesis.
After Merrifield's peptide synthesis a wide variety of supports have been developed (e.g. I. Sucholeiki, Mol. Diversity, 1999, 4, 25; P. H. Toy, T. S. Reger, and K. D. Janda, Aldrichimica Acta, 2000, 33, 87; B. Yan, Comb. Chem. High Throughput Screening, 1998, 1, 215; D. Hudson, J. Comb. Chem., 1999, 1, 333; D. Hudson, J Comb. Chem., 1999, 1, 403; M. Meldal, Methods in Enzymology, 1997, 289, 83.). Polystyrene supports (cross-linked with divinylbenzene, usually <5%) are quite resistant (both chemically and mechanically) and can provide for high loading levels as each monomer may bear a functional group. Polystyrene polymers have been used as:                lowly-crosslinked gel-type resins (e.g. R. B. Merrifield, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1963, 85, 2149.; R. L. Letsinger and M. J. Komet, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1963, 85, 3045.; R. L. Letsinger and V. Mahadevan, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1965, 87, 3526;. R. L. Letsinger, M. J. Komet, V. Mahadevan, and D. M. Jerina, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1964, 86, 5163.; R. Arshady, Makromol. Chem., 1988, 189, 1295.; J. H. Adams, R. M. Cook, D. Hudson, V. Jammalamadaka, M. H. Lyttle, and M. F. Songster, J. Org. Chem., 1998, 63, 3706.),        macroporous supports (e.g. C. McCollum and A. Andrus, Tetrahedron Lett., 1991, 32, 4069; A. Mercier, H. Deleuze, and 0. Mondain-Monval, React. Funct. Polym., 2000, 46, 67; A. Barbetta, N. R. Cameron, and S. J. Cooper, Chem. Commun. (Cambridge), 2000, 221; Y. H. Chang and W. T. Ford, Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1981, 46, 5364; M. Hori, D. J. Gravert, P. Wentworth, Jr., and K. D. Janda, Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett., 1998, 8, 2363.),        and even in a linear, soluble format (e.g. P. H. Toy and K. D. Janda, Acc. Chem. Res., 2000, 33, 546; D. J. Gravert and K. D. Janda, Chem. Rev., 1997, 97, 489).
They have been used in different physical formats such as beads, monoliths (e.g. A. Mercier, H. Deleuze, and O. Mondain-Monval, React. Funct. Polym., 2000, 46, 67.) and discs (e.g. N. Hird, I. Hughes, D. Hunter, M. G. J. T. Morrison, D. C. Sherrington, and L. Stevenson, Tetrahedron, 1999, 55, 9575).
Nevertheless, solvent compatibility for polystyrene is low due to the hydrophobic nature of the polymer. This is particularly relevant for gel-type resins that need to swell well in the reaction solvent, or solvent mixture, to allow diffusion of reagents/substrates to the polymer bound substrates/reagents.
To improve these features several chemically different types of polymers were developed. Most successful alternatives for Merrifield resins being:                polyethylene glycol-(PEG)-containing polystyrene (PS) supports such as:                    Tentagel (e.g. E. Bayer and W. Rapp, U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,405.; A. W. Czamik, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 1998, 61, 77; Y. Feng and K. Burgess, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 2000, 71, 3; W. B. Li and B. Yan, J. Org. Chem., 1998, 63, 4092),            Argogel (e.g. J. W. Labadie, J. A. Porco and O. W. Gooding, WO 97 27226.; O. W. Gooding, S. Baudart, T. L. Deegan, K. Heisler, J. W. Labadie, W. S. Newcomb, J. A. Porco, and P. van Eikeren, J. Combi. Chem., 1999, 1, 113; A. W. Czarnik, Biotechnol. Bioeng, 1998, 61, 77; Y. Feng and K. Burgess, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 2000, 71, 3; Argonaut Technologies web-page: http://www.argotech.com),            Novagel (e.g. Y. Feng and K. Burgess, Biotechnol. Bioeng., 2000, 71, 3; Novabiochem web-page: http://www.novabiochem.com),                        non-divinyl benzene (DVB) crosslinked PS polymers such as:                    POEPS (e.g. M. Meldal, J. Buchardt and J. Rademann, WO 00 18823.; J. Buchardt and M. Meldal, Tetrahedron Lett., 1998, 39, 8695; M. Grotli, C. H. Gotfredsen, J. Rademann, J. Buchardt, A. J. Clark, J. O. Duus, and M. Meldal, J. Combi. Chem., 2000, 2, 108; M. Renil and M. Meldal, Tetrahedron Lett., 1996, 37, 6185);                        and JandaJel supports (e.g. P. H. Toy and K. D. Janda, Tetrahedron Lett., 1999, 40, 6329; P. H. Toy, T. S. Reger, and K. D. Janda, Aldrichimica Acta, 2000, 33, 87)        acrylamides polymers e.g. E. Atherton, D. L. J. Clive, and R. C. Sheppard, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1975, 97, 6584.; R. Arshady, E. Atherton, D. L. J. Clive, and R. C. Sheppard, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 1981, 529; J. T. Sparrow, P. Kanda and R. C. Kennedy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,638) such as polydimethylacrylamide (PDMA) gels,        PEG-containing acrylamide supports, such as:                    PEGA resins (e.g. M. Meldal, U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,756.; M. Meldal, Tetrahedron Lett., 1992, 33, 3077; M. Meldal, F. -I. Auzanneau, O. Hindsgaul, and M. M. Palcic, J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1994, 1849; M. Meldal and I. Svendsen, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 1995, 1591; M. Renil and M. Meldal, Tetrahedron Lett., 1995, 36, 4647)                        and all-PEG supports such as:                    SPOCC (e.g. M. Meldal, J. Buchardt and J. Rademann, WO 00 18823.; J. Rademann, M. Grotli, M. Meldal, and K. Bock, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1999, 121, 5459; M. Grotli, J. Rademan, T. Groth, W. D. Lubell, L. P. Miranda, and M. Meldal, J. Comb. Chem., 2001, 3, 28; M. Grotli, C. H. Gotfredsen, J. Rademann, J. Buchardt, A. J. Clark, J. 0. Duus, and M. Meldal, J. Combi. Chem., 2000, 2, 108)            and POEPOP (e.g. M. Renil and M. Meldal, Tetrahedron Lett., 1996, 37, 6185; M. Grotli, C. H. Gotfredsen, J. Rademann, J. Buchardt, A. J. Clark, J. O. Duus, and M. Meldal, J. Combi. Chem., 2000, 2, 108; M. Grotli, J. Rademan, T. Groth, W. D. Lubell, L. P. Miranda, and M. Meldal, J. Comb. Chem., 2001, 3, 28).
Tentagel and related PEG-PS supports (Argogel and Novagel) are PEG-grafted PS polymers. The differences between these kinds of polymers lie in the structure of the graft bonds, the quantity of PEG chains per styrene monomer and the position of the functional site (at the end of the PEG chain or next to the aromatic ring). The amphiphilic towards hydrophilic and flexible nature of the PEG chains provides a good environment for reactions to take place and the PEG-grafted PS can swell well in both polar and non-polar solvents (from CH2Cl2 to water). As a disadvantage, the loading levels decrease dramatically from the PS supports, which for Merrifield resins can be up to 6.5 mmol/g resin, achieving at the most 1 mmol/g resin but normally much lower loading levels.
By grafting PEG chains the swelling behaviour of PS resins has been improved but at the cost of dramatically decreasing loading levels: a feature that has been repeated in support development.
Another way of improving the swelling properties of PS supports has been to use a crosslinker more flexible and hydrophilic than DVB. Two examples are POEPS resins and JandaJel. POEPS are PEG-crosslinked PS polymers. Their features are similar to PEG-grafted PS supports though, in theory, they allow for slightly higher loading levels.
JandaJel incorporates an oligomeric polytetrahydrofuran crosslinker which renders the resin more swellable in DMF and other polar aprotic solvents. Whilst this crosslinker allows the support to retain high loading levels it does not achieve a significant change in swelling properties since swelling is negligible in lower alcohols and water.
Alternatively, by changing completely the monomer to one that can present a functional polar side chain, capable of producing a polymer with excellent swelling properties and high loading levels, it was possible to produce a better support. For example, polyacrylamide resins possess good swelling in polar solvents and allow high loading levels constituting the best supports in solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), especially for Fmoc chemistry. Nevertheless, their use is limited since amide bonds are chemically reactive in a wide variety of common organic reactions and therefore cannot be used for solid-phase organic synthesis (SPOS).
PEGA resins are acrylamide resins which include a PEG-containing crosslinker. Their features are similar to polyacrylamide resins.
So far, polyethers have proved the best option to produce supports with the chemical stability needed for SPOS applications and good swelling properties. This is the case of the "all PEG"-supports (such as SPOCC and POEPOP). They are constituted of functionalised crosslinked PEG. These polymers swell very well across a wide range of solvent polarities and are chemically resistant so that they can be used in SPOS. Nevertheless the loading levels achieved with these supports is low (typically far below 1 mmol/g resin) and their method of synthesis does not allow for a high control in functionality level or crosslinking level as it is carried out by the polymerisation of a non purified mixture of macromonomers and macrocrosslinkers.
The inspection of the features of available polymeric supports for synthetic applications shows that there is still the need for the development of a novel resin capable of fast swelling kinetics and high degrees of swelling in polar and apolar solvents, possessing chemical stability under a wide variety of reaction conditions to be compatible with SPPS, oligonucleotide synthesis and SPOS and with the possibility of high levels of control over the loading level. Ideally this support should also be able to be produced via the copolymerisation of different comonomers in a controlled and easy manner that would allow the presence of different functional groups in the desired ratio to be used for orthogonal processes.
Chemically stable off-the-shelf supports that interact well with a wide range of solvents have low loading levels (usually below 1 mmol/g) whereas supports with high loading levels are limited to a narrow range of suitable solvent systems (I. Sucholeiki, Mol. Diversity, 1999, 4, 25; P. H. Toy, T. S. Reger, and K. D. Janda, Aldrichimica Acta, 2000, 33, 87; B. Yan, Comb. Chem. High Throughput Screening, 1998, 1, 215; D. Hudson, J. Comb. Chem., 1999, 1, 333; D. Hudson, J. Comb. Chem., 1999, 1, 403; M. Meldal, Methods in Enzymology, 1997, 289, 83.). Support development has shown that polyether supports (usually but not necessarily PEG-derived) exhibit good swelling properties combined with good chemical stability. On the other hand, vinyl monomers can provide for side chain functional sites allowing high loading levels and high degree of control of these loading levels. In addition copolymerisation of different vinyl monomers allow the inclusion of a diverse range of functional sites in the final support. All of these characteristics are common to a unique type of monomers: vinyl ethers.
The present invention seeks to provide a support that posseses these characteristics and thereby overcomes the problems associated with the known polymeric supports.

Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine


A gaming system for playing a basic wagering game on a gaming terminal. The gaming system includes an input device adapted to receive an input from a player of a basic wagering game and output a signal to a controller. A controller is configured to randomly select a basic wagering game outcome from a plurality of basic wagering game outcomes. A gaming feature is also provided. In this gaming feature, an extra wager may be input in association therewith to increase an award for a selected basic wagering game winning outcome, a plurality of selected basic wagering game winning outcomes, or a selected group and related subgroup of basic wagering game winning outcomes.

Gaming machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines, and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines with players is dependent on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing machines and the expectation of winning each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are most likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting of the machines.
Consequently, shrewd operators strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines available because such machines attract frequent play and, hence, increase profitability to the operator. In the competitive gaming machine industry, there is a continuing need for gaming machine manufacturers to produce new types of games, or enhancements to existing games, which will attract frequent play by increasing the entertainment value and excitement associated with the game.
One concept that has been successfully employed to enhance the entertainment value of a game is that of a "secondary" or "bonus" game which may be played in conjunction with a "basic" game. The bonus game, which is entered upon the occurrence of a selected event or outcome of the basic game, may comprise any type of game, either similar to or completely different from the basic game. Such a bonus game produces a significantly higher level of player excitement than the basic game because it provides a greater expectation of winning than the basic game.
While some game features provide some enhanced excitement, there is a continuing need to develop new game features to satisfy the demands of players and operators. Preferably, such new game features will further enhance the level of player excitement. The present invention is directed to satisfying these needs in that it provide a game feature enabling players to, for an extra side wager, increase their winnings on certain outcomes of the base game.

Wagering game with side-wagering feature on certain outcomes


The present invention relates to a contact sensor that detects contact between two objects and includes a first conductor separated from a second conductor by a crushable layer with a predetermined crush resistance. The crushable layer deforms under pressure such that a signal passes between the first and second conductor. Methods of detecting contact are also part of this invention

This invention relates to a sensor for measuring changes in ambient conditions as well as detecting contact between two objects.
Sensors are used to measure a variety of different physical properties, of which temperature and pressure are probably the most relevant to everyday life. Temperature sensors are used in a wide variety of-applications, including, inter alia, sensing the temperature of a fluid in a system, sensing the temperature of industrial processes, and sensing the temperature of electronic components to prevent overheating.
Pressure sensors are also used in a wide variety of applications including, inter alia, sensing the weight of an object, sensing the strength of an impact between two objects and sensing the pressure exerted by a fluid in a system. For example, a pressure sensor is utilized in all scales, which measure weight. Furthermore, scale-type pressure sensors can be used to detect the presence or absence of an object on the scale. For example, it would be advantageous to be able to detect the presence or absence of a person occupying the passenger seat in an automobile. This information could be used in a crash to determine which air bags to deploy and with how much force to deploy the air bags.
Pressure sensors are also an important part of testing the strength of objects. For example, consumer products under go significant testing to make sure that they can withstand the types of forces normally associated with their use.
Furthermore pressure sensors are used to sense the presence of fluids, either liquids or gases, in a system. For example, automobiles use a variety of fluids that allow the vehicle to operate such as motor oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, and the like. The pressure of these fluids must be monitored to insure that sufficient fluids are present, while also insuring that damage to the vehicle is not caused by over pressurization of the fluid system. Another example of fluid pressure in an automobile that must be by monitored is air pressure in tires. Incorrect tire pressure can lead to tires that prematurely wear out and/or crashes from severely over or under inflated tires.
A subset of pressure sensors are those that detect contact between two objects.
Known temperature and pressure sensors have become unsatisfactory because of the manufacturing processes are complex and therefore expensive. Known sensors may include several moving parts, which need to be assembled. For many sensors, assembly of the moving parts requires precision because of their small size. The required high precision can also lead to high failure rates of the production process, leading to significant costs associated with wasted components. In addition, gas and liquid tight hermetically sealed sensors are particularly difficult and expensive to manufacture. Many failures of sensors and switching devices are do to excessive moisture and/or condensation. Sensors that are rugged, able to withstand high gravitationally forces and/or shock and hermetically sealed are extremely difficult to manufacture.
Accordingly, the inventor has recognized the need for a new type of sensor, which may be inexpensively and reliably manufactured.
A first aspect of the present invention relates to a temperature and/or pressure sensor that includes a first conductor connected to a source terminal and a second conductor connected to a return terminal. Between the two conductors resides a semi-conductive layer with a predetermined resistance. A resistance measurement device determines how the predetermined resistance of the semi-conductive layer changes in response to a change in pressure or temperature. Also included is a sensor with integral fault detection. The present invention also relates more generally to a coaxial cable, which includes a semi-conductive layer between two conductors. The present invention also incorporates a method of sensing pressure or temperature by measuring a change in resistance of a semi-conductive layer.
A second aspect of the present invention also relates to a contact sensor that detects contact between two objects. In this aspect of the invention, the first conductor is separated from the second conductor by a crushable layer with a predetermined crush resistance. The crushable layer deforms under pressure such that a signal passes between the first and second conductor.


A support apparatus (10) for supporting and suspending a bundle (200) of communication wires (201) from an external support (100) wherein the apparatus (10) comprises a threaded fastener member (14) secured to one end (17) of a ring member (16) and an auxiliary locking unit (13) for frictionally engaging both overlapped ends (17, 18) of the ring member (16) into tight frictional engagement with one another.

This invention was the subjected matter of Document Disclosure Program Registration No. 190,934 which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Apr. 18, 1988.
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,602,503; 1,763,060; 1,804,807; and 3,432,129; the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse ring type support devices for suspending different articles.
While all of the aforementioned prior constructions are more than adequate for the basic purposes and function for which they have been specifically designed, these patented structures are uniformly deficient with respect to the fact that none of the prior art constructions provide a positive locking arrangement for the ring opening. Only the Santucci patent '129 even bothers to enhance the frictional engagement between the respective ends of the ring wherein even in this patented arrangement an externally applied force may easily disengage the ends of the ring support.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among those individuals having to deal with ring type supports on a regular basis for an auxiliary positive locking arrangement between the cooperating ends of the ring support which will insure that the respective ends of the support are retained in their locked position and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.


In wire electric discharge machining in which electric discharge energy is supplied between a wire electrode (1a) and a workpiece (2) by a machining electric power supply means (16) so as to machine the workpiece (2) when the wire electrode (1a) and the workpiece (2) are relatively traveled with each other by a positioning means, there are provided a first process in which rough machining is conducted in a working solution (4a) and a second process in which finish-machining is conducted in gas (7) such as air, oxygen, nitrogen or inert gas, and the positioning means is controlled by a control means (17) so that a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode (1a) with the workpiece (2) in the second process can be set at a constant rate not lower than a predetermined rate at which a short circuit can not continue between the electrodes for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to a required specification. It is possible to realize a high accuracy and quality of wire electric discharge machining and also it is possible to realize an enhancement of productivity.

The present invention relates to improvements in a wire electric discharge machining method and a wire electric discharge machine in which an electric discharge is induced in a gap formed between a wire electrode and a workpiece so that the workpiece can be machined.
Electric discharge machining has acquired a steadfast position as a technique for machining metallic dies and others. Therefore, electric discharge machining has been widely used for machining metallic dies in the automobile industry, electric appliance industry and semiconductor industry.
FIGS. 4A to 4E are schematic illustrations for explaining a mechanism of electric discharge machining. In the drawing, reference numeral 1 is an electrode, reference numeral 2 is a workpiece, reference numeral 3 is an arc column, reference numeral 4 is a machining solution and reference numeral 5 represents chips produced in the process of electric discharge machining. While the following processes (a) to (e), which correspond to FIGS. 4A to 4E, are being repeatedly conducted, removal machining is conducted on the workpiece 2 by electric discharges. Each process proceeds as follows.
(a) Formation of the arc column 3 by the generation of electric discharges
(b) Local melt of the workpiece and vaporization of the machining solution 4 by the thermal energy of electric discharges
(c) Generation of vaporizing explosive power by the machining solution 4
(d) Dispersion of the melted portion (chips 5)
(e) Cooling, coagulation and restoration of insulation between the electrodes executed by the machining solution
The present invention relates to wire electric discharge machining used for gouging, cutting and so forth. Concerning the technique of wire electric discharge machining, there is a strong demand for higher accuracy. For example, when metallic dies used in the field of manufacturing semiconductors, the dimensional accuracy of which is high, are machined, it is necessary to conduct machining with high accuracy of 1 to 2xcexcm.
FIGS. 5A to 5C are schematic illustrations showing an example of the wire electric discharge machining process. In the drawing, reference numeral 1a is a wire electrode, reference numeral 2 is a workpiece, reference numeral 4a is water which is a machining solution, and reference numeral 6 is an initial hole. FIG. 5A shows a first cut process which is a rough machining process, FIG. 5B shows a second cut process which is an intermediate finishing process to be conducted after the rough machining process, and FIG. 5C shows a third cut process which is a final finishing process.
An example of the first cut process shown in FIG. 5A shows a gouging process in which the wire electrode 1a is threaded into the initial hole 6 and the workpiece 2 is gouged by electric discharges. In the case of the first cut process described above, since the surface roughness and the accuracy are finished in the later process, it is unnecessary to machine the workpiece with smooth surface roughness high accuracy, and it is important to increase a rate of machining so as to enhance the productivity. In order to enhance the rate of wire electric discharge machining, water 4a is strongly jetted out between the electrodes so that chips can be effectively ejected from between the electrodes. In order to spray water 4a between the electrodes uniformly and prevent the breaking of the wire electrode 1a, a method is adopted in which water 4a is stored up in a machining tank not shown and the workpiece 2 is dipped in the water 4a.
In the conventional wire electric discharge machining method described above, the second cut process (shown in FIG. 5B), which is executed after the first cut process (shown in FIG. 5A), and the third cut process (shown in FIG. 5C), are executed in the water 4a which is a machining solution.
When a voltage is impressed between the wire electrode 1a and the workpiece 2, an electrostatic force is generated between the positive and the negative polarity. By this electrostatic force, the wire electrode 1a, the rigidity of which is low, is drawn onto the workpiece 2 side, which could be a cause of vibration of the wire electrode 1a. Due to the vibration, it becomes difficult to conduct electric discharge machining with high accuracy.
When vaporizing explosive power is generated in the machining solution by electric discharge energy (for example, as shown in FIG. 4C), the wire electrode 1a is given a strong force by the vaporizing explosive power created in the machining solution in a direction opposite to the workpiece 2, and vibration is generated. Due to the vibration, irregularities are caused on the profile of the workpiece 2, which impairs the dimensional accuracy.
In the industry of semiconductors in which wire electric discharge machining is utilized, the following uses are increased. For example, in the case of machining metallic dies of IC lead frames, very high accuracy and very smooth surface roughness are required when a workpiece is machined, the dimensional accuracy of which is not more than 1 xcexcm, and the surface roughness of which is not more than 1 xcexcm Rmax, and further it becomes necessary to enhance the productivity. Especially, in the case where high accuracy and smooth surface roughness are required as described above, remarkable problems are caused by the aforementioned vibration of the wire electrode.
As a means for solving the above problems caused in wire electric discharge machining conducted in the machining solution, there is disclosed a technique of wire electric discharge machining conducted in the atmosphere while a machining solution is not being interposed between the electrodes. This technique is disclosed by the title of xe2x80x9cEnhancement of Accuracy of Second Cut by Electric Discharge Machining Conducted in Atmospherexe2x80x9d written by Adachi et al. of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology on page 154 of the seventh issue of the fourteenth volume of xe2x80x9cDie Technologyxe2x80x9d published by Nikkan Kogyo Shinbunsha in 1999. According to this technique, it is disclosed that the straightness of a cut section of a workpiece can be enhanced by wire electric discharge machining conducted in the atmosphere. From the viewpoint of enhancing the accuracy, this technique has a great significance. However, it is difficult to put this technique into practical use because a short circuit tends to occur between the wire electrode and the workpiece compared with the electric discharge machining conducted in a machining solution and the machining can not be stabilized and the rate of machining can not be increased.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a wire electric discharge machining method and a wire electric discharge machine capable of realizing the high accuracy and quality of wire electric discharge machining and also capable of realizing the enhancement of productivity of wire electric discharge machining.
The present invention provides a wire electric discharge machining method in which electric discharge is generated between the electrodes of a wire electrode and a workpiece so as to machine the workpiece by the electric discharge, comprising the steps of: a first step of conducting rough machining in a machining solution; and a second step of conducting finish machining in gas, wherein a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode with the workpiece in the second step is set at a constant speed not lower than a predetermined speed at which a short circuit between the electrodes can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to a required specification.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machining method in which electric discharge is generated between the electrodes of a wire electrode and a workpiece so as to machine the workpiece by the electric discharge, comprising the steps of: a first step of conducting rough machining in a machining solution; and a second step of conducting finish machining in gas, wherein a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode with the workpiece in the second step is set at a variable speed not lower than a predetermined speed at which a short circuit between the electrodes can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to a required specification.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machining method, in which the variable relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be increased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is large, and the variable relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be decreased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is small.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machining method, in which the predetermined traveling speed at which the short circuit can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to the required specification is compared with the predetermined traveling speed at which a frequency of concentrated generation of electric discharge is lower than a frequency which has been previously set according to the required specification, and the relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be a speed not lower than the faster speed of the two traveling speeds.
The present invention provides a wire electric discharge machine in which electric discharge energy is supplied between a wire electrode and a workpiece by a machining electric power supply means so as to machine the workpiece in gas when the wire electrode and the workpiece are relatively traveled with each other by a positioning means, comprising a control means for controlling the positioning means so that a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode with the workpiece can be set at a constant speed not lower than a predetermined speed at which a short circuit between the electrodes can not continue for a predetermined period of time or more which has been previously set according to a required specification.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machine in which electric discharge energy is supplied between a wire electrode and a workpiece by a machining electric power supply means so as to machine the workpiece in gas when the wire electrode and the workpiece are relatively traveled with each other by a positioning means, comprising a control means for controlling the positioning means so that a relative traveling speed of the wire electrode with the workpiece can be set at a variable speed not lower than a predetermined speed at which a short circuit between the electrodes can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to a required specification.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machine, further comprising a control means for controlling the variable relative traveling speed so that it can be increased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is large and also for controlling the variable relative traveling speed so that it can be decreased in the case where the number of normal electric discharge pulses per unit time is small.
The present invention also provides a wire electric discharge machine, further comprising a control means for controlling the positioning means in such a manner that the relative traveling speed is controlled so that it can be a speed not lower than the faster speed of the two traveling speeds when the predetermined traveling speed at which the short circuit can not continue for a predetermined period of time and more which has been previously set according to the required specification is compared with the predetermined traveling speed at which a frequency of concentrated generation of electric discharge is lower than a frequency which has been previously set according to the required specification.
Since the wire electric discharge machining method and the electric discharge machine of the present invention are composed as described above, it is possible to enhance the stability of wire electric discharge machining conducted in gas and further it is possible to increase the rate of machining. Therefore, the accuracy, quality and productivity of wire electric discharge machining can be enhanced.

Method and apparatus for electrodischarge wire machining


A method to control a hybrid electric vehicle includes operating a compression ignition engine based on an engine-on request, and performing an exhaust aftertreatment procedure when a fraction of an engine-on time is greater than an aftertreatment condition threshold. A vehicle has a compression ignition engine with an exhaust aftertreatment system, and a controller. The controller is configured to: (i) operate the engine based on an engine-on request, and (ii) perform an exhaust aftertreatment procedure for the vehicle when an engine-on fraction for a designated time is greater than an aftertreatment condition threshold. A computer readable medium having stored data representing instructions executable by a controller to control a vehicle includes instructions for operating the engine based on an engine-on request, and instructions for performing an exhaust aftertreatment procedure for the vehicle when an engine-on time fraction is greater than an aftertreatment condition threshold.

The engine operation in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is significantly different than in a conventional vehicle as the vehicle may be operated using electric power only. In certain hybrids, such as plug-in electric hybrids (PHEVs), battery energy may be prioritized, and the engine may only run for a short time period during a vehicle operation cycle, or from key on to key off.
An HEV or PHEV with a diesel engine require emission control devices and corresponding control strategies for the devices. The diesel aftertreatment procedures or requirements may force more frequent and continuous engine-on operation. Examples of aftertreatment procedures include: diesel particulate filter (DPF) regeneration (Regen), catalyst light off, diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) heat-up, other exhaust temperature maintenance procedures, and maintaining in-use monitor performance ratios (IUMPRs).
Energy management in a diesel PHEV favors reduced or minimum engine-on time to gain fuel economy benefits. For example, in a DPF Regen, additional fuel and engine-on time may be needed to complete the aftertreatment procedure. In a HEV or PHEV, the engine-on time is less than that of a conventional vehicle, and operating the engine for the purpose of completing an aftertreatment procedure leads to lower fuel economy for the vehicle.
There may be additional drivability concerns or expectations, like PHEV users, expecting the engine to be off when the power demand is low and the vehicle speed is low. The aftertreatment procedures need to be completed without significantly impacting fuel economy or drivability.

Predictive aftertreatment scheduling for a vehicle


An electronic money system and an electronic money terminal used therein which facilitate and promote the transaction by card representing cash. A user carries out a transaction by using an information card storing data representing monetary value, and in a case where the balance on the card is insufficient, the balance due is charged to a designated account or paid by loan. The user of the information card is able to carry out a transaction solely by information card even when the balance stored in the information card is insufficient.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electronic money system and an electronic money terminal used therein, and more particularly to an electronic money system, as well as to an electronic money terminal, operative with the use of a portable electronic device which is typically but not exclusively an information card storing monetary value data. The invention also is concerned with a transaction method which uses the electronic money system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cash card or credit card issued by a bank or a credit company when used requires a salesclerk at a store equipped with a compatible card terminal to operate the card terminal to read the card number stored in a magnetic stripe on the card and to enter the amount of the sales.
The card terminal then forms a connection with a management computer of a bank or credit company and sends information, such as the card number and the amount of the sales, to the management computer. The management computer manages such information as expiration dates, transaction limits, and loss and theft, for each card a user carries, and determines whether the card transaction is allowable based on the information regarding the card number and the amount of the transaction sent from the card terminal via communication lines. When a card transaction is allowable, the management computer sends back information to that effect and debits the transaction amount from the designated account.
As seen from the above, the system using a cash card or credit card requires transmitting a card verification request from a card terminal to the management computer of the bank or the credit company each time the user uses the card. The conventional system thus has a disadvantage of requiring the connection forming process, making the process of card transaction somewhat cumbersome.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic money system and an electronic money terminal used therein, as well as a transaction method, that facilitate and promote transactions using a portable electronic device or unit, typically an information card, which represents monetary value.
To this end, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic money system, comprising: an electronic money terminal having withdrawing means for withdrawing a transaction amount from electronic money representing monetary value stored in a portable electronic device and processing means form processing a balance due when the transaction amount exceeds the amount stored in the portable electronic device; and an electronic money management means for compiling the transaction amount withdrawn from the electronic money through the electronic money terminal and the amount processed by the balance due processing means.
The portable electronic device may be an information card.
Preferably, the information card is a contactless-type information card which exchanges the amount data in a contactless manner.
The electronic money system may further comprise a money deposit terminal for updating the amount data stored in the portable electronic device.
The arrangement may be such that the balance due processing means processes the balance due such that the balance due is paid on credit.
The balance due processing means may have reading means for reading a credit flag embedded in the electronic device.
The electronic device may have a personal identification function.
Preferably, the electronic device is integrated with a communication terminal.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic money terminal in which settlement and clearing are carried out by using electronic money contained in an electronic device comprising a processing means for processing the payment of a balance due so that the payment is deferred when an amount of a transaction exceeds the amount of money data contained in the electronic device representing monetary value at the time the transaction amount is withdrawn from a balance.
The arrangement may be such that the processing means shares the balance due to a designated account or loans, namely, it determines whether the balance due is to be funded from the account or loan, or from both of them, and stores the share or the funded amount.
The present invention in still another aspect provides a transaction method which uses electronic money comprising the steps of: subtracting a transaction amount from electronic money contained in an electronic device; and, processing a payment of a balance due so that the payment is deferred when the transaction amount exceeds the amount of electronic money contained in the electronic device.
In this method, the deferred payment of the balance due may be funded from a designated account or by a loan.
The present invention in further aspect provides an electronic money system comprising: an electronic money terminal having means for withdrawing a transaction amount from a balance on an electronic device having an information storage unit for storing electronic money representing monetary value and allowing the payment of any balance due to be deferred when the transaction amount exceeds the balance; and, an electronic money management means for compiling the transaction amount withdrawn from the balance in the electronic device through the electronic money terminal and an amount of the allowed deferred payment.
The electronic device may be a card-type storage medium.
Preferably, the card-type storage medium is a contactless information card which exchanges the transaction amount data in a contactless manner.
The electronic device may have at least one of a communication terminal function, a personal identification and verification function, and an entry or exit key function.
Preferably, the electronic money management means is arranged to record the date and time of the transaction using the electronic device and the amount of the transaction.
The user of the electronic money system having the foregoing features carries out a transaction by using an electronic device, typically an information card, which stores data representing monetary value, and when the balance on the card is short, changes the balance due to a designated account or pays by a loan. The user of the information card is, therefore, able to carry out a transaction solely by the electronic device, e.g., an information card, even when the balance stored therein is insufficient. The use, therefore, can fully enjoy the advantages offered by the use of the electronic money system.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiments when the same are read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
It is to be noted that the electronic device to be used in the electronic money system of the invention is not limited to a card-type medium, although information cards are specifically mentioned in the following description. Thus, any portable electronic device which carries data representing monetary value can be used, for example, a mobile phone, a mobile computer or a watch. Furthermore, an information card may have one or more functions in addition to carrying electronic data representing monetary value. For example, an information card may also serve as a personal identification card for office staffs, an electronic key for locking an unlocking the office (especially where the security is demanded), a railway pass, a driver""s license, a passport, an insurance document, or the like, depending on the contents of memory mounted on the electronic device. Thus, the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms, and all such forms are encompassed by the scope of the present invention.

Electronic money system and transaction method using the same


A reserve fuel tank retention and control (RTRC) module and a method of operating a vehicle including an engine and a main fuel tank containing a fuel, the method including mounting the RTRC module onto the vehicle; fluidly connecting the RTRC module to the engine and to the main fuel tank; actuating a valve of the RTRC module for a predetermined time to purge moisture in a fuel supply hose into the engine; and upon the main fuel tank becoming empty, actuating the valve to allow fuel from the reserve fuel tank to supply the engine.

Many current industrial/commercial vehicles, such as fork trucks, are fueled by pressurized propane gas, contained in onboard fuel systems in the form of replaceable cylindrical fuel tanks connected to the engine by hoses. Said vehicles do not typically carry, nor have provision for, an onboard reserve fuel supply, and therefore the content of the propane tank determines how long the vehicle can continue operating before the propane tank has to be removed and replaced or refilled, which can occur on site or at a refueling station.
If refueling is not anticipated, the vehicles' engine stops running rendering the vehicle inoperable before the mission of the vehicle is completed, i.e., "dead in the aisle", which in addition to costing time can cause a complete lane or aisle blockage with goods-in-transport not delivered. Inoperability during a mission can be disruptive to vital material flow, with costly downtime. In most cases the user-operator dismounts and hand carries the empty fuel tank to a refueling station, then returns with a replacement full tank. This can take 30-60 minutes, during which time the vehicle is immovable, potentially in an inconvenient place.
Further, purging a replacement fuel tank is usually necessary due to the inherent properties of propane fuel, particularly temperature sensitivity-caused condensation that is typical of fuel tank storage. Traditional purging requires manually "valving off" the condensate/contamination, which costs additional time.


Systems and methods to improve the performance of nonlinear crystals in a resonant cavity are presented. A humidified purge gas is supplied to a resonant cavity of a laser based illumination source that includes a nonlinear crystal. A small amount of water vapor is added to a clean, dry purge gas to prevent excessive drying of the nonlinear crystal during storage or operation. In some embodiments, a humidity injection system includes at least two parallel flow paths. One flow path includes a humidity injector and another does not include humidity injection. The amount of water vapor added to the purge gas flow is determined at least in part by the relative flow rate between the parallel flow paths. In some embodiments, the amount of water vapor added to the purge gas flow is regulated based on a measurement of humidity in the resonant cavity.

Semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices are typically fabricated by a sequence of processing steps applied to a substrate or wafer. The various features and multiple structural levels of the semiconductor devices are formed by these processing steps. For example, lithography among others is one semiconductor fabrication process that involves generating a pattern on a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes include, but are not limited to, chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, and ion implantation. Multiple semiconductor devices may be fabricated on a single semiconductor wafer and then separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Inspection processes are used at various steps during a semiconductor manufacturing process to detect defects on wafers to promote higher yield. When inspecting specular or quasi-specular surfaces, such as semiconductor wafers, any combination of bright field (BF) and dark field (DF) modalities may be used, both to perform patterned wafer inspection and defect review. In general, the defect sensitivity of an inspection system is proportional to the wavelength of the illumination light divided by the NA of the objective. Without further improvement in NA, the overall defect sensitivity of current inspection tools is limited by the wavelength of the illumination source. In addition, viable inspection systems require high radiance illumination to maximize the defect sensitivity of the system.
Current wafer inspection systems typically employ illumination sources of deep ultraviolet (DUV) radiation with wavelengths as short as 260 nanometers with a high numerical aperture (NA). In some examples, illumination light may provided by an arc lamp. For example, electrode based, relatively high intensity discharge arc lamps are used in inspection systems. However, these light sources have a number of disadvantages. For example, electrode based, relatively high intensity discharge arc lamps have radiance limits and power limits due to electrostatic constraints on current density from the electrodes, the limited emissivity of gases as black body emitters, the relatively rapid erosion of electrodes made from refractory materials due to the presence of relatively large current densities at the cathodes, and the inability to control dopants (which can lower the operating temperature of the refractory cathodes) for relatively long periods of time at the required emission current.
In some other examples, illumination light is provided by a laser. One approach to realize the desired short wavelength emission has been the harmonic upconversion of longer wavelength sources. However, the average power that can be reliably sustained has been limited. A significant reliability problem is the failure of nonlinear crystals used in harmonic generators operating at relatively high average power.
Shorter wavelength illumination sources with the required radiance, average power, and reliability for future semiconductor processing applications are required. In particular, improvements in the reliability of crystal elements of relatively high average power lasers employing harmonic upconversion are desired.

Resonant cavity conditioning for improved nonlinear crystal performance


A heating furnace for heating an annular component, includes a furnace body, a heat medium driving component, a support part, a guide component, and a hollow cylinder. Part of the heat medium is ejected to the outer circumferential surface of the annular component through the guide part, and part of the heat medium flows through the inner channel of the hollow cylinder, and be ejected to the inner circumferential surface of the bearing via the second heat medium channel arranged on the hollow cylinder to heat the inner circumferential surface of the bearing. In this way, the hollow cylinder plays a role of distributing the gas to some extent, and as the upper end of the hollow cylinder is a sealed structure, the flowing gas is all converted into effective heat exchange gas flow and restricted to a heat exchange space on the bearing surface.

At present, an annular component such as a large size bearing of a wind turbine is normally assembled to a component such as a motor shaft via a shrink fit mounting method. The shrink fit mounting method means that a bearing is heated in a hot liquid or a hot gas before mounting, and an inner diameter of the bearing is enlarged based on thermal expansion and contraction principle. The expanded bearing can be mounted to the motor shaft, and the bearing will be fixed to the motor shaft after being cooled. The bearing is generally heated in a heating furnace, and air is typically used as a heat exchange medium in the heating furnace. A specific structure of the heating furnace in prior art is provided hereinafter.
The heating furnace includes a furnace body. A blower (such as a fan) unit, a heating component, and a support component are arranged in the furnace body. The blower unit typically has a centrifugal fan and a motor for rotating the centrifugal fan. The blower unit is mainly used to drive air to circulate in the furnace body, the heating component is used to heat the air circulating in the furnace body, and the support component is mainly used to support bearings. Since a large size bearing has a relatively large inner diameter, the space enclosed by the inner diameter is relatively large, and the flow area is relatively large accordingly. The larger the flow area is, the greater the power of the motor in a corresponding fan unit is, and the higher the energy consumption per unit time is.
In order to reduce energy consumption as much as possible, an adiabatic sealed cylinder is further arranged in the inner chamber of the bearing. The adiabatic sealed cylinder is used to enclose an inner ring space of the bearing parts under the centrifugal fan and far away from a heated surface of the conventional heating furnace plus a negative pressurized convergence space after air sweeping across the bearing. A cylindrical adiabatic sealed chamber is arranged in the center of the furnace by using the space, meanwhile, the chamber acts as an airflow accumulated "pressure forebay" for guiding and blowing device for heated surfaces of large size bearings and as a necessary structural link to obtain the inlet airflow guiding and acceleration of the high speed airflow "homogenization" blowing device, limits all of the "flowing airflow" being converted into "effective heat exchange airflow" to the heat exchange space on the bearing surface. The effective heat exchange gas flow refers to: the flowing gas flow driven by the centrifugal fan is all limited to contact and impact a lower surface, an outer surface, an inner surface, and sweep across an upper surface. The gas flow all participates in heat exchange, and converges at a suction inlet of the centrifugal fan. Thus the volume of the effective space is greatly reduced, the ratio of the centrifugal fan driving power to the "effective heat exchange gas flow" velocity is greatly decreased, and the heat exchange rate is greatly improved.
However, it is found in the practical using processes that, the heating efficiency varies greatly according to the size of the bearings heated in the heating furnace equipped with the cylindrical adiabatic sealed chamber, the heating efficiency of the bearings with a large diameter is relatively higher, and the heating efficiency of the bearings with a relatively small diameter and a thick wall is lower, that is, the cylindrical adiabatic sealed chamber cannot play its role.
In addition, as the adiabatic sealed chamber is arranged in the central region of the annular component with a large diameter, which occupies larger radial space of the heating furnace body, the overall radial size of the device body will be too large and the overall radial size may even exceeds the allowed width of transportation, which brings great difficulties for transportation and mobile plant using.
Therefore, an issue to be addressed presently by the person skilled in the art is how to solve the technical problems mentioned above.

Heating furnace for heating annular component

Beijing Goldwind Science & Creation Windpower Equipment Co., Ltd.