A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of input/output terminals, a memory cell array which are divided into blocks respectively corresponding to the input/output terminals such that only one of the blocks corresponds to a given one of the input/output terminals, sense amplifiers, which are connected to the blocks at a side thereof, and amplify data of the memory cell array, switches which are respectively connected to the sense amplifiers, and signal lines, which connect the sense amplifiers to a corresponding one of the input/output terminals via the switches.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to semiconductor memory devices, and particularly relates to a page-mode memory device that allows a plurality of pages to be accessed at high speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Page-mode memory devices allow high-speed data write/read operation to be performed with respect to a memory cell array. In page-mode memory devices, data is read from a plurality of pages at once to be stored in the sense amplifiers, and an address is provided from an exterior of the device to specify a page, thereby reading the data of the specified page at high speed. As long as the specified page is one of the plurality of pages that have been read at once, all that is required is to read data from the sense amplifiers, and there is no need to read data by accessing the memory cell array each time a page is specified. This shortens a time period from the address input to the data output, thereby achieving high-speed data read operation.
FIG. 1 is an illustrative drawing showing a configuration of a related-art page-mode memory.
A memory cell array 10 is divided into four pages Page0 through Page3, and each page is further divided into portions corresponding to respective input/output terminals. For example, an input/output terminal I/O0 is coupled to a corresponding portion of each memory cell array through a corresponding input/output buffer 11 and a corresponding sense amplifier 12. The same applies in the case of other input/output terminals. In this manner, each input/output terminal is coupled to all of these four pages Page0 through Page3.
At the time of data read operation, data of all the pages Page0 through Page 3 are read and stored in the sense amplifiers 12. Thereafter, switches 13 for a selected page is switched on to supply the data of the selected page to an exterior of the memory device.
At the time of data write operation, all input/output terminals that correspond to a selected address are treated as one unit, and data is provided to perform write operation.
In the configuration of FIG. 1, the input/output buffers 11 are connected to the corresponding sense amplifiers 12 via signal lines 14. Since each input/output terminal needs to be coupled to all the pages, the signal lines 14 tend to extend a long distance in commensurate with the spatial extension of the memory cell array corresponding to the four pages Page0 through Page3.
Accordingly, wire resistance and capacitance of the signal lines 14 tend to be great, resulting in long signal delays. This causes a decrease in data write/read operation speed, hindering an effort toward the higher operation speed of memory chips.
Accordingly, there is a need for a semiconductor memory device that can achieve high-speed operation by reducing wire resistance and capacitance of signal lines associated with the input/output section of the memory device.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor memory device that substantially obviates one or more of the problems caused by the limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
Features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings, or may be learned by practice of the invention according to the teachings provided in the description. Objects as well as other features and advantages of the present invention will be realized and attained by a semiconductor memory device particularly pointed out in the specification in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention.
To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention provides a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of input/output terminals, a memory cell array which are divided into blocks respectively corresponding to the input/output terminals such that only one of the blocks corresponds to a given one of the input/output terminals, sense amplifiers, which are connected to the blocks at a side thereof, and amplify data of the memory cell array, switches which are respectively connected to the sense amplifiers, and signal lines, which connect the sense amplifiers to a corresponding one of the input/output terminals via the switches.
According to the present invention as described above, a given input/output terminal is coupled to only one block of the memory cell array where this one block corresponds to this input/output terminal, so that the signal lines connecting the input/output terminal to the sense amplifiers suffice if they have a line length substantially comparable to the spatial extension of the block. In other words, the signal lines connecting the input/output terminal to the sense amplifiers only need to be coupled to the sense amplifiers corresponding to the plurality of pages, so that a length of the signal lines are sufficient if it is comparable to the spatial extension of these sense amplifiers arranged adjacent to one another. Accordingly, the semiconductor memory device of the present invention can achieve high-speed operation by reducing wire resistance and capacitance of the signal lines associated with the input/output section of the device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor memory device includes an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory cell array which include a plurality of I/O portions, which are grouped into a plurality of I/O sets, word lines provided separately for respective ones of the I/O sets, and word-line drivers provided separately for the respective ones of the I/O sets, wherein the word lines are activated in all the I/O sets during a read operation, and are activated in at least one but not all of the I/O sets during a write operation.
The present invention described above reduces a stress that is applied to the gates of memory cells during write operation when the word lines are activated to a high potential. This helps to improve reliability of the data.

Semiconductor memory device with shorter signal lines


An imaging device includes a frame rate conversion unit synthesizing images captured at a second frame rate higher than a first frame rate to convert the images into a synthesized image having the first frame and a motion estimation unit performing motion estimation between consecutive frames of the images captured at the second frame. The imaging device also includes a motion vector synthesis unit synthesizing motion vectors having the second frame rate, to generate a synthesized motion vector of a target macroblock in the synthesized image, a motion blur amount determination unit counting, in an area surrounding the target macroblock, the number of macroblocks having the same synthesized motion vector as the target macroblock and comparing a value derived from the number of counted macroblocks with a threshold value, and a motion vector selection unit selecting the synthesized motion vector when the derived value determined to exceed the threshold value.

Some of conventional imaging devices which capture moving images while encoding the moving images employ, for example, the MPEG encoding. In the MPEG encoding, a motion vector between an encoding-target frame and a previous frame is obtained by a motion vector estimation executed for each sub-block called a macroblock. Using the obtained motion vector, a difference between blocks is calculated. Then, the conventional imaging device encodes the resultant motion-compensated image difference.
Examples of such a conventional imaging device include an imaging device which captures images at a frame rate higher than a target encoding frame rate and uses the high-frame-rate images for a motion vector estimation to enable the estimation in a larger area with a less amount of calculation (see Page 24 and FIG. 1 of Patent Reference 1, for example). FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a conventional imaging device having a high-speed image capturing capability.
In FIG. 1, the imaging device includes an imaging unit 101, an image receiving unit 102, a motion estimation unit 103, a motion vector synthesis unit 104, an encoding unit 105, an internal bus 106, a Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) control unit 107, a memory card control unit 108, a DRAM 109, a memory card 110, and a frame rate conversion unit 111. It should be noted that the components enclosed by a dotted line are implemented by an integrated circuit. The imaging unit 101 captures moving images at a high frame rate which is n-times higher than a target encoding frame rate ("n" is a real number larger than 1). The images captured at the high frame rate are written into the DRAM 109 by the image receiving unit 102 via the internal bus 106 and the DRAM control unit 107.
The frame rate conversion unit 111 converts the high-frame-rate images stored in the DRAM control unit 107 into images having the target encoding frame rate. It should be noted that although "n" is a real number, the following describes a case, as an example, where "n" is an integer for ease of explanation. For example, the frame rate conversion unit 111 synthesizes an n number of images captured at the nX-speed high frame rate into a single image so as to convert the images into an image having the target encoding frame rate.
The motion estimation unit 103 sequentially performs a motion vector estimation between adjacent frames of the images captured at the high frame rate. Vectors obtained as a result of the estimations performed by the motion estimation unit 103 are synthesized by the motion vector synthesis unit 104. Accordingly, a synthesized motion vector corresponding to the target encoding frame rate is generated. The images captured at the high frame rate are accumulated in the DRAM 109 as many as needed to obtain at least the synthesized motion vector. To be more specific, the DRAM 109 stores at least an "n+1" number of previous frames of the images captured at the nX-speed high frame rate.
The encoding unit 105 performs motion compensation on the synthesized frame image generated by the frame rate conversion unit 111 using the synthesized motion vector generated by the motion vector synthesis unit 104, and then encodes the resultant difference. Moreover, the encoding unit 105 records the encoded image into the memory card 110 via the memory card control unit 108.
With the configuration described thus far, the motion estimation using the images at the high frame rate can improve processing efficiency in the motion estimation. When an estimation distance per motion vector estimation is m pixels, a target estimation area is m2. Here, since the synthesis is performed an n number of times, a motion vector corresponding to an n*m pixel distance can be estimated by calculation performed only on an n*m2 area as a target estimation area.
When it is desired that images are captured at the same rate as the target encoding frame rate and that a motion vector corresponding to the same n*m pixel distance as above is estimated, the motion vector estimation needs to be performed on an (n*m)2 area.
More specifically, (n*m)2÷n*m2=n. The image capturing at the nX-speed high frame rate can improve the efficiency in nX-speed motion estimation processing.
This means that when the same calculation amount is assigned to the motion estimation processing, a larger estimation area can be allocated. In other words, when an object moving more actively is captured, more improvement can be expected in the encoding efficiency.

Imaging device for motion vector estimation using images captured at a high frame rate with blur detection and method and integrated circuit performing the same

Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America


According to an embodiment, a driving apparatus of a DC brush motor includes: a drive circuit that supplies motor current to a coil of a DC brush motor; and a control circuit configured to: after a predetermined time interval has elapsed since starting-up of the DC brush motor, drop down step-by-step a limit value that sets an upper limit of the motor current; and detect turning into a state where the motor current is limited by the limit value.

Conventionally, there has been disclosed a technology that detects an output current supplied to a motor so as to detect an abnormality due to deterioration in a motor and/or a load machine. In many cases, an abnormality in a motor is due to deterioration caused by a long-time aging. It is difficult for a user to determine deterioration in a motor in some cases. On the other hand, if deterioration in a motor is appropriately presented to a user, the convenience is accordingly improved. A DC brush motor has characteristic features such as generation of rush current at its starting. In view of the features of the DC brush motor, there have been desired a driving apparatus and a driving method of a DC brush motor capable of easily detecting an abnormal state due to deterioration.

Driving apparatus and driving method of DC brush motor

TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION


Techniques for generating a diagnostic waveform for a sensor are provided. In an example, a control circuit for an electrochemical sensor can include power supply inputs configured to receive a supply voltage, a first signal generator configured to receive control information and to generate a first signal on a first output using the supply voltage and the control information, a second signal generator configured to receive the control information and to provide a second signal on a second output, using the supply voltage and the control information. An output voltage between the first output and the second output, in a diagnostic mode of operation of the control circuit, can include a periodic signal having a peak-to-peak voltage greater than the supply voltage.

To ensure customer satisfaction and trust in a product, manufacturers often test their products before placing them on the market or shipping the products to a customer. In some situations, sensor performance can be questioned when a system encounters unexpected results. It can be difficult to assess whether a system component such as the sensor cause the unexpected results without testing the sensor. However, sensor testing, such as for electrochemical sensors, can require external, specialized equipment to generate test signals which can be cumbersome and resource expensive.

Diagnostic waveform generator for a sensor

Analog Devices International Unlimited Company


An optical amplifier has a pump and an “anti-pump” for reducing a variation of the amplifier gain with the input optical power. The wavelength of “anti-pump” light is longer than the wavelength of the optical signal being amplified, so that the optical signal serves as a pump for the “anti-pump” light, whereby an optical loss variation with the signal power at the signal wavelength is created, which reduces optical gain variation with the signal power. To compensate for gain loss due to the anti-pump light, two and three stages of amplification can be used.

In a wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical transmission system, optical signals at a plurality of wavelengths are encoded with digital streams of information. These encoded optical signals, or optical channels, are combined together and transmitted through a series of spans of an optical fiber comprising a transmission link of a WDM fiberoptic network. At a receiver end of the transmission link, the optical channels are separated, whereby each optical channel can be detected by an optical receiver.
While propagating through an optical fiber, light tends to lose power. Yet some minimal level of optical channel power is required at the receiver end to decode information that has been encoded in an optical channel at the transmitter end. To boost optical signals propagating in an optical fiber, optical amplifiers are deployed at multiple locations, known as nodes, along the transmission link. The optical amplifiers extend the maximum possible length of the link, in some instances, from a few hundred kilometers to several thousand kilometers, by amplifying optical signals to power levels close to the original levels of optical power at the transmitter end.
An erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) is one of the most practical types of optical amplifiers employed in many modern fiberoptic networks. A single EDFA module can amplify up to about a hundred of optical channels at a time, thus providing significant cost savings. One of the main components of an EDFA is a length of an active optical fiber having a core doped with ions of a rare earth element such as erbium. In operation, the erbium doped fiber (EDF) is optically pumped by using a suitable pump such as a laser diode, so as to create a population inversion between energy states of the erbium ions comprising a gain medium of the EDF. Referring to FIG. 1, an energy diagram 10 of an erbium ion is presented. The pump light at 980 nm is used to excite the erbium ion from the ground state 4I15/2 into the excited state 4I11/2. A transition to the state 4I13/2 occurs spontaneously with a time constant τ of 5-10 us. As a result, a population inversion between the states 4I13/2 and 4I15/2 is created.
Once the population inversion occurs, the gain medium begins to amplify an optical signal having a wavelength of approximately 1550 nm+/−20 nm propagating along the core of the EDF. The optical signal comprises a plurality of individual optical channels. The gain medium is characterized by a wavelength-dependent gain coefficient, from which amplification coefficients of these optical channels can be determined. During the amplification process, the optical power of the pump is absorbed by the gain medium, which simultaneously amplifies all the optical channels present. The amplification coefficient of a particular channel depends on the optical power and the number of optical channels present, and on the optical power of the pump light. When the number of optical channels changes suddenly, for example, due to adding, dropping, or routing of some of the optical channels, the gain coefficient of the gain medium of the EDF changes as well, which impacts the amplification coefficient of the rest of the optical channels. This phenomenon is highly detrimental because it affects reliability and the bit error rate (BER) of fiberoptic communications links.
To overcome the gain sensitivity to optical power of the signal, various techniques of gain stabilization of an optical amplifier have been developed. At least two types of such techniques exist to date. The techniques of the first type involve detecting input and, or output optical power levels of an optical amplifier and using an electronic feedback loop to adjust the optical pumping levels in the optical amplifier, so as to compensate for optical gain variation.
Turning to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a prior-art optical amplifier 20 of the first type having a gain stabilization circuit 21 is shown. An optical signal coupled to an input port 22 of the optical amplifier 20 is split using a 5% optical tap 23, and the tapped signal is directed to a photodiode 24 for measuring input optical power level, which is used to generate a so called "feed-forward" control signal. A wavelength division multiplexor (WDM) 25 is used to couple light emitted by a pump laser diode 26, together with the optical signal, into an EDF 27, which amplifies the signal as explained above. The output signal is tapped off by an output 2% tap 28 for measuring the output optical power level using a photodiode 29, which is used to generate a so-called "feedback" control signal. Then, the amplified optical signal is directed towards an output port 30. The gain stabilization circuit 21 adjusts the driving current of the pump laser diode 26 based on the feed-forward and feedback signals, so as to stabilize the overall gain of the optical amplifier 20.
Unfortunately, the prior-art gain-stabilized optical amplifier 20 suffers from transient gain fluctuation effects. Referring now to FIG. 3, a time dependence 31 of optical gain of the prior-art optical amplifier 20 of FIG. 2 is shown. When input optical power level changes abruptly as shown at 32, and the optical pumping level is adjusted as shown at 33, the optical gain 31 undergoes an overshoot 34 and an undershoot 35. One fundamental reason of existence of overshoot 34 and the undershoot 35 in the time dependence 31 of the optical gain is a finite transition time τ of 5-10 μs between erbium energy levels 4I11/2 and 4I13/2 shown in FIG. 1. Due to the finite transition time τ, the population inversion between the levels 4I13/2 and 4I15/2 does not changes instantly, even when the optical pumping level 33 is changed very quickly after the input power change 32 is detected. Thus, the techniques of first type generally have an inherent drawback of exhibiting transient gain variation, which is difficult to suppress using feed-forward and/or feedback control signals.
The techniques of the second type attempt to directly stabilize the gain of the amplifying medium. These techniques are commonly referred to as "gain clamping". One well-known prior-art method of gain clamping is to create a lasing cavity in an optical amplifier. In an article entitled "Gain-Clamped Fiber Amplifier with a Short Length of Preamplification Fiber" by Kyo Inoue, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, v. 11, No. 9, 1999, which is incorporated herein by reference, an optical amplifier gain-clamped by a ring laser cavity is described. The gain is stabilized because the roundtrip optical losses of a continuously emitting laser equal the roundtrip gain in the amplifying medium. When the losses stay constant, the gain stays constant and therefore the population inversion stays constant. Unfortunately, the transient effects are still present in laser-based gain stabilized amplifiers because of transient effects in the lasing cavity itself. The transient effects in the lasing cavity are observed upon an abrupt change of the input optical power. Furthermore, lasing-based gain stabilization techniques generally suffer from a drawback of increased optical noise in the output optical signal.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,511,881 entitled "Amplified Spontaneous Emission Reflector-Based Gain-Clamped Fiber Amplifier" by Ahn et al., which is incorporated herein by reference, a gain-clamped optical fiber amplifier is described. The gain of the optical amplifier of Ahn et al. is stabilized by using an optical interleaver coupled to a mirror for reflecting amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) back into the amplifier. The optical power of ASE decreases when the input signal power increases, and vice versa, so that when ASE is reflected back into the amplification medium, the gain is stabilized. Disadvantageously, about a half of the usable amplifier bandwidth is lost due to having to spectrally separate ASE from the signal using the optical interleaver.
The prior art, therefore, is lacking a practical, full-bandwidth, transient-suppressed, gain-stabilized optical amplifier. Accordingly, it is a goal of the present invention to provide such an optical amplifier; in particular, an amplifier having reduced variation of the optical gain with the signal power.

Optical amplifier and a method of light amplification


The present invention relates to a partition post used on a printed circuit board, which comprises an insulation post member and an electric conductive spring. The top and the bottom of the insulation post member are respectively and protrudingly installed with an upper and a lower connection rings, and the bottom surface of the lower connection ring is longitudinally extended with an arrow-shaped elastic buckle claw; the electric conductive spring is sleeved on the insulation post member, the top and the bottom thereof are respectively installed with an upper and a lower guide parts composed of plural spiral rings and at the locations corresponding to the upper and the lower connection rings; so static electricity and/or noise signal generated by each electric component on the printed circuit board can be transmitted through the electric conductive spring to the electric conductive member and thereby providing a grounding effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a partition post capable of being used for installing and fastening a printed circuit board, especially to a partition post capable of stably positioning the printed circuit board and having a grounding effect.
2. Description of Related Art
In a general computer or an electronic device, for installing a printed circuit board on a fixed substrate of a housing, a screw post or engagement post is often provided on the fixed substrate then the printed circuit board is installed on the columnar post.
The above-mentioned screw post has a columnar body installed between the printed circuit board and the fixed substrate, one end of the columnar body is formed with a thread portion, the other end is formed with a screw hole at the center, the thread portion of the columnar body is screw-fitted with the fixed substrate, and the screw hole allows a screw to pass a positioning hole formed on the printed circuit board then be screw-fitted, thereby fastening the printing circuit board and forming an interval with respect to the fixed substrate.
In conventional engagement post, one end of the main body is installed with an elastic buckle claw for being inserted in a positioning hole formed on the printed circuit board thereby generating a buckle connection effect; the other end surface is abutted against the fixed substrate, thereby forming an interval between the printed circuit board and the fixed substrate.
With the trend of electronic device to be lighter, thinner, shorter and smaller, the internal space inside a computer or an electronic device is greatly reduced, so the electric components installed on a printed circuit board are more compact; however, all electric components would generate electromagnetic interfere (EMI). As such, a metal housing is often covered at the exterior of the printed circuit board for the purpose of shielding; because the metal housing is often installed with a grounding pin, or the printed circuit board is installed with an electric conducive elastic sheet for being in contact with the metal housing, and the grounding pin or the electric conductive elastic sheet is installed on the printed circuit board for the purpose of grounding and reducing the electromagnetic interfere.
However, the above-mentioned electric conductive elastic sheet can be used for transmitting static electricity and/or noise signal to the exterior through a grounding path thereby eliminating the electromagnetic interfere. Instead of integrating, the electric conductive elastic sheet and the partition post individually provide the positioning and the grounding function to the printed circuit board, thereby causing the complicated assembly procedure and shall be improved by the skilled people in the art.

Partition post used on printed circuit board

Kang Yang Hardware Enterprises Co., Ltd.


An organic light-emitting diode display panel includes a substrate and a light-emitting pixel array disposed on the substrate, and the light-emitting pixel array includes a plurality of light-emitting pixels. Each of the plurality of light-emitting pixels comprises a convex structure layer, a light-emitting element, a planarization layer and a microlens structure which are sequentially stacked on the substrate. The convex structure layer comprises at least one convex structure which is convex in a direction facing away from the substrate and at least one convex surface where each of the at least one convex structure is in contact with the light-emitting element. The microlens structure and convex structure are aligned each other that their vertical projections on the substrate overlap with a vertical projection of the light-emitting element on the substrate.

In recent years, organic light-emitting diode display (OLED hereinafter) panels have gradually become the mainstream of mobile terminal screens and display screens. An OLED panel includes a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in an array, where each sub-pixel includes a pixel driving circuit and a light-emitting element electrically connected to the pixel driving circuit.
As part of the large-angle light in the light emitted from the OLED panel cannot reach human vision system, a large power consumption problem of the OLED panel caused by light waste may occur. In order to ensure that the large-angle light emitted from the OLED panel is converged into the viewing angle of an observer, in the related art, a micro convex lens is configured above each OLED pixel, and light photons emitted from the light-emitting element in the corresponding pixel are converged into a parallel or an approximately parallel emitting light beam through the micro convex lens, thus ensuring that the output light photons are efficiently collected by the human vision system in a relative long distance without being diffused and lost midway.
However, when a convex lens is configured above an OLED pixel, light emitted from a light-emitting surface having an area about the same dimension as the area of the convex lens cannot be focused into a parallel light beam or an approximately parallel light beam through the convex lens, and still a considerable part of light is emitted at a large angle and cannot reach the human vision system, resulting in a loss of more light.

Organic light-emitting diode display panel


A solution for generating a 3D representation of an object in a scene is provided. A depth map representation of the object is combined with a reflectivity map representation of the object to generate the 3D representation of the object. The 3D representation of the object provides more complete and accurate information of the object. An image of the object is illuminated by structured light and is captured. Pattern features rendered in the captured image of the object are analyzed to derive a depth map representation and a reflectivity map representation of the illuminated object. The depth map representation provides depth information while the reflectivity map representation provides surface information (e.g., reflectivity) of the illuminated object. The 3D representation of the object can be enhanced with additional illumination projected onto the object and additional images of the object.

This disclosure relates generally to the field of structured light imaging, and more specifically to enhancing 3 dimensional (3D) representations of objects with reflectivity map representation of the objects.
3D representations of scenes or objects in scenes are used to render images for a Virtual Reality (VR) system, which provides virtual experience to users of the VR system. However, using only depth map representation of an object in conventional ways to create 3D representations of the object has drawbacks. For example, using only depth information of captured objects in a scene for a 3D representation of the scene does not provide detailed information of the surfaces of the objects, which degrades user experience with the effect of 3D scenes generated from the depth map representations of the captured objects.

Augmenting a depth map representation with a reflectivity map representation


A near-field light generator includes: a waveguide; a clad layer having a penetrating opening and disposed on the waveguide; a plasmon generator accommodated in the opening; and a dielectric film interposed between the plasmon generator and each of the waveguide and the clad layer. In a method of manufacturing the near-field light generator, an initial clad layer is initially formed on the waveguide, and then the initial clad layer is taper-etched by RIE to form a recess that does not reach the top surface of the waveguide. Subsequently, the recess is etched by wet etching until the top surface of the waveguide is exposed in part. Next, the dielectric film is formed in the opening, and the plasmon generator is formed on the dielectric film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a near-field light generator for use in thermally-assisted magnetic recording where a recording medium is irradiated with near-field light to lower the coercivity of the recording medium for data writing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, magnetic recording devices such as magnetic disk drives have been improved in recording density, and thin-film magnetic heads and recording media of improved performance have been demanded accordingly. Among the thin-film magnetic heads, a composite thin-film magnetic head has been used widely. The composite thin-film magnetic head has such a structure that a read head including a magnetoresistive element (hereinafter, also referred to as MR element) for reading and a write head including an induction-type electromagnetic transducer for writing are stacked on a substrate. In a magnetic disk drive, the thin-film magnetic head is mounted on a slider that flies slightly above the surface of the magnetic recording medium.
To increase the recording density of a magnetic recording device, it is effective to make the magnetic fine particles of the recording medium smaller. Making the magnetic fine particles smaller, however, causes the problem that the magnetic fine particles drop in the thermal stability of magnetization. To solve this problem, it is effective to increase the anisotropic energy of the magnetic fine particles. However, increasing the anisotropic energy of the magnetic fine particles leads to an increase in coercivity of the recording medium, and this makes it difficult to perform data writing with existing magnetic heads.
To solve the foregoing problems, there has been proposed a technique so-called thermally-assisted magnetic recording. This technique uses a recording medium having high coercivity. When writing data, a magnetic field and heat are simultaneously applied to the area of the recording medium where to write data, so that the area rises in temperature and drops in coercivity for data writing. The area where data is written subsequently falls in temperature and rises in coercivity to increase the thermal stability of magnetization. Hereinafter, a magnetic head for use in thermally-assisted magnetic recording will be referred to as a thermally-assisted magnetic recording head.
In thermally-assisted magnetic recording, near-field light is typically used as a means for applying heat to the recording medium. A known method for generating near-field light is to apply laser light to a plasmon antenna, which is a small piece of metal, as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0055762 A1, for example. The laser light applied to the plasmon antenna excites surface plasmons on the plasmon antenna, and near-field light is generated based on the surface plasmons. The near-field light generated by the plasmon antenna exists only within an area smaller than the diffraction limit of light. Irradiating the recording medium with the near-field light makes it possible to heat only a small area of the recording medium.
In a conventional thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, the plasmon antenna is directly irradiated with laser light, so that the plasmon antenna transforms the laser light into near-field light. In this case, there is the problem of poor use efficiency of the laser light since the laser light can be reflected at the surface of the plasmon antenna or can be transformed into thermal energy and absorbed by the plasmon antenna.
Having a size smaller than the wavelength of the light, the conventional plasmon antenna is small in volume. The conventional plasmon antenna therefore shows a large increase in temperature when absorbing the thermal energy. This results in problems such as the problem that the plasmon antenna expands and protrudes from a medium facing surface, a surface that faces the recording medium, to damage the recording medium.
To cope with this, there has been proposed the technique of arranging the outer surface of a plasmon generator, a piece of metal that generates near-field light, to face the outer surface of a waveguide (core) with a predetermined distance therebetween, and exciting surface plasmons on the plasmon generator by utilizing evanescent light that results from total reflection of the light propagated through the waveguide at the outer surface of the waveguide.
The thermally-assisted magnetic recording head can be configured so that the plasmon generator has an edge part that faces the outer surface of the waveguide with a predetermined distance therebetween. In such a configuration, a clad having a refractive index lower than that of the waveguide is interposed in part between the outer surface of the waveguide and the plasmon generator. In the foregoing plasmon generator, an end of the edge part that is located in the medium facing surface functions as a near-field light generating part. In the plasmon generator, surface plasmons are excited on the edge part based on the evanescent light occurring on the outer surface of the waveguide. The surface plasmons are propagated along the edge part to the near-field light generating part, and near-field light occurs from the near-field light generating part based on the surface plasmons. This configuration allows the surface plasmons excited on the edge part of the plasmon generator to be propagated efficiently to the near-field light generating part.
In the foregoing configuration, it is important to appropriately control the distance between the outer surface of the waveguide and the edge part of the plasmon generator in order to appropriately excite the surface plasmons on the edge part of the plasmon generator. In addition, in order to increase the recording density of the magnetic recording device, it is preferred that the near-field light be smaller in spot diameter. In order to reduce the spot diameter when the foregoing configuration is employed, it is effective to reduce the radius of curvature of the end of the edge part located in the medium facing surface.
The plasmon generator in the foregoing configuration can be formed by the following method. In the method, a dielectric layer is initially formed on the waveguide. Next, a groove that is V-shaped in cross section parallel to the medium facing surface is formed in the dielectric layer. The groove is formed so that its bottom does not reach the outer surface (top surface) of the waveguide. Next, a dielectric film is formed along the surface of the groove. The plasmon generator is then formed on the dielectric film. The dielectric layer and the dielectric film constitute part of the clad.
The above-described method of forming the plasmon generator has the problem that the distance between the outer surface of the waveguide and the edge part of the plasmon generator varies due to variations in the depth of the groove. The above-described method of forming the plasmon generator further has the problem that the edge part of the plasmon generator can be rounded, which makes it difficult to reduce the radius of curvature of the edge part, and consequently, it is difficult to reduce the spot diameter of the near-field light.

Method of manufacturing near-field light generator including waveguide and plasmon generator


The circumferential register of a web passing through printing units of a web-fed rotary press is accomplished by determining an actual value of the tension in the web. An angular position or an angular velocity of a cylinder of a first print unit, with respect to a cylinder of a second print unit, is varied based on this determined tension. This corrects any register offset without the need to control web tension and without the use of an optical recognition system. The value of the needed change for the cylinder angular position or velocity is determined as a function of the measured tension of the web.

The present invention is directed to a method for regulating a circumferential register in a web-fed rotary printing press. An actual web tension passing through at least two print units of the press is used to regulate the circumferential register.
A regulation of the transverse and linear register in a press is known from EP 0 951 993 A1. The correction of the transverse register is performed by use of a traction roller. A change in the web""s linear expansion is determined by use of web speeds and other parameters, such as tension-expansion diagrams and set values of tension. This change is transmitted back to regulation arrangements for cylinders of the printing groups and/or for an actuator for setting and correcting the cutting register.
WO 00/34042 discloses a method for regulating a register. A deviation of a web tension from a set value changes the number of revolutions and/or the angular position of a first printing location in relation to a second printing location.
EP 0 950 519 A1 discloses a method for regulating the cutting and inking registers of several webs in respect to each other, as well as between individual print units. Expansions of the webs are determined by use of the operating points of the drive mechanisms of conveying rollers, active cylinders and traction rollers. Correcting values determined from this are added as position offsets to the command variables for the cutting register or the inking register.
The object of the present invention is directed to providing methods for regulating a circumferential register in a web-fed rotary printing press.
In accordance with the present invention, this object is attained by providing at least two printing units in the web-fed rotary press through which the web passes sequentially. An actual value of the tension in the web is determined. An angular position or speed of one cylinder of a first print unit, with respect to a cylinder of a second print unit, is regulated. The web tension is determined downstream of the last print unit, in the production direction. This tension is used to regulate the angular position or speed of a cylinder in a print unit upstream of this last print unit. A difference between the actual web tension and a set value can be determined and used to regulate the upstream cylinder. The change value of the cylinder may be formed as a function of web quality.
The advantages which can be obtained by the present invention reside, in particular, in that an error in the circumferential register, which error is the result of web tension fluctuations or of fluctuations of the circumference of the printing cylinder caused, for example, by brief changes in the thickness of the web, is counteracted without a great outlay for measuring and regulating. The error to be corrected can be a register offset, which is an error in the so-called inking register, or a register error between the two sides of the imprinted web. A difference in the conveying speed of the web occurring between two print positions is corrected by a change of the relative rotary position of the two print positions with respect to each other.
It is a great advantage of the present invention that it is possible to omit elaborate measurements and regulations by the use of ink markers applied to the web. Neither a direct measurement of the web expansion, nor a regulation of the web tension or torque by use of the operating points of the drive mechanisms of the print units, for the purpose of a correction, needs to be performed.
The method, and a corresponding device in accordance with the present invention, can be employed particularly advantageously in case of a register offset in print units with several double printing groups arranged one behind the other, or with one on top of the other for a rubber-against-rubber operation, such as in an eight-unit printing tower composed of two so-called H-print units, wherein at least two of the printing locations make successive imprints on the same location of a web.
For eight-unit towers, consisting of two H-printing groups, it is particularly advantageous to evaluate the chronological change of the tension of the web, for example before or after passing through a gluing station for the web, downstream of the last printing group, or the last print unit, and to perform only a change of the angular position of the H-print unit which is first in the running direction of the web in relation to the second H-print unit. This regulation of the circumferential register, and in particular of the ink register, is advantageous for several, for example for at least three print units through which a web successively passes, wherein a distance between the two first printing nips is clearly less than a subsequent distance from a third printing nip. An eight-unit tower, consisting of two H-print units, is an example for this.
The method in accordance with the present invention can be advantageously used for regulating the register between the two sides of the web in printing presses having satellite print units.
In one embodiment, the present invention is of particular advantage in that a chronological change of the tension downstream of the last print unit, i.e. a difference in the tension at a first point in time and at a second point in time, is used directly and linearly for the correction of the register offset of the second H-print unit in relation to the first H-print unit. This requires an extremely low measuring and regulating outlay, while still being sufficiently accurate.
It is possible, in an advantageous manner, to omit a tension regulation, for example by use of a moment-controlled traction roller downstream of the printing tower. An unregulated traction roller, with a controlled number of revolutions, is sufficient here. A register offset, for example caused in a gluing station, is corrected in an advantageous manner exclusively by use of the circumferential register of the cylinders, in particular the cylinders of the first print unit, or of the first two print units. It is possible, in particular, to regulate the two first print units, for example in the form of an H-print unit, together, so that it is merely necessary to determine a single correction value and to perform a single correction.

Method for controlling a circumferential register in a web-fed rotary press


The eyes of a contact lens wearer are protected from the effects of a liquid disinfecting solution by providing a contact lens container having a catalyst therein and a container of the disinfecting solution of unusual design. The openings of the contact lens container and the solution container are configured so only the contact lens container is able to receive solution from the solution container. This prevents the user from directly removing disinfecting solution from the solution container and thereby prevents the user from directly applying the disinfecting solution to the eye.

Contact lenses are commonly worn by many people. Currently, it is estimated that 125 million people world wide enjoy the comfort, convenience and cosmetic appearance that contact lenses provide. In order to receive these benefits, proper maintenance of contact lenses is necessary. Although some contact lenses are designed to be worn for a short period and then thrown away, it is more common for users to periodically disinfect contact lenses to reduce or eliminate harmful microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria. While disinfecting contact lenses, they are also cleaned of protein, lipid deposits and particulates that accumulate on the lenses.
To date, the single most effective method of disinfecting contact lenses is by immersing the lenses in an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution. As suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,451, disinfecting with hydrogen peroxide is conveniently done in the presence of a catalyst so that the hydrogen peroxide is decomposed to produce water and gaseous oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is a known effective disinfectant and, with one requirement recognized in the prior art, is eminently suitable for disinfecting contact lenses and is, in fact, the preferred disinfectant. The known requirement is that the hydrogen peroxide must be neutralized before the contact lens is reinserted into the user's eye. Otherwise, the hydrogen peroxide causes significant pain and discomfort and may potentially cause eye injury. The degree of pain and discomfort varies, given differences in individual sensitivity and variations in the strength of the hydrogen peroxide solution when exposed.
By placing the contact lens in a container having a catalyst therein, the hydrogen peroxide decomposes in a relatively predictable manner. Thus, placing the contact lens in the container, conveniently before retiring for the night, produces a neutralized solution by the next morning. This process, accelerated by the catalyst, reduces the hydrogen peroxide from a 3% or so solution to a 10-30 parts per million solution by morning. So far as is known, almost all users can tolerate a 10-30 parts per million solution and thus safely insert the contact lenses in their eyes.
It is known to provide containers for several different types of liquid with dispensing spouts so they dispense into their intended receiver. For example, water is provided in containers with valved spouts actuated by pressing on the top of lead-acid automotive batteries so the water is delivered directly into openings in the top of the battery.
Disclosures relative to this invention are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,402,747; 3,473,886; 3,912,451; 4,011,941; 4,784,167; 4,905,819; 5,089,240; 5,127,517; 5,270,002 and 6,228,333.


Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media can provide a content feed through a display interface. The content feed can include at least a snippet of a first content item that is associated with a preview time threshold. A determination can be made that the snippet of the first content item has been positioned within a viewport region of the display interface for a duration of time that satisfies the preview time threshold. Data associated with the first content item can be obtained from a content distribution system. The data associated with the first content item can be stored.

Today, people often utilize computing devices (or systems) for a wide variety of purposes. Users can operate their computing devices to, for example, interact with one another, create content, share content, and access information. Under conventional approaches, content items (e.g., images, videos, audio files, etc.) can be made available through a content sharing platform. Users can operate their computing devices to access the content items through the platform. Typically, the content items can be provided, or uploaded, by various entities including, for example, content publishers and also users of the content sharing platform. In some instances, the content items can be categorized and/or curated.

Systems and method for content presentation


A new and distinct Tillandsia cultivar named ‘RAINFOREST RED’ is disclosed, characterized by foliage which is red with a unique combination of shape and trichome dispersal and density. The new variety is a Tillandsia, typically produced as an indoor ornamental plant.

This application relates to a new cultivar of Tillandsia trifasciata. The new variety is the product of chance discovery. The inventor discovered the new variety as a whole plant, naturally occurring mutation from the parent plant, an unnamed Tillandsia hybrida.
The new variety was first observed, by the inventor, in 2011 in a planting of the parent plant, at a commercial nursery in Torrance, Calif. After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor continued confidential observation of 'RAINFOREST RED', assessing the unique characteristics of this variety.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'RAINFOREST RED' was first performed at a commercial laboratory in Belgium by tissue culture in 2016. Subsequent asexual propagation has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type through successive generations.


An organic light emitting diode display comprises: a substrate; an active layer formed with a semiconductor material on the substrate; a first insulation layer formed on the semiconductor layer; a pixel electrode formed on the first insulation layer and generated by alternately stacking a plurality of pixel metal layers and a plurality of pixel transparent conductive layers; a gate electrode formed on the first insulation layer and formed in a configuration different from that of the pixel electrode; a second insulation layer formed on the first insulation layer so as to cover the gate electrode with an insulation layer opening for revealing the pixel electrode; a source electrode and a drain electrode respectively formed on the second insulation layer and electrically connected to the active layer; an organic emission layer formed on the pixel electrode; and a common electrode formed on the organic emission layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an excellent-quality organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display has been paid much attention as a next-generation display because of its advantageous characteristics, such as a wide viewing angle, a fast response rate, and relatively less power consumption, as well as less weight and a slim size.
In order for the organic light emitting diode (OLED) display to efficiently realize a full color system, a resonant structure for changing optical lengths of respective wavelengths emitted by an organic emission layer must be adopted.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of an understanding of the background of the described technology, and therefore it may contain information which does not form the prior art which is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Organic light emitting display device and manufacturing method thereof


Embodiments of a method of injection molding with two molding steps and tools for this method are described. The transfer tool for high-volume manufacturing allows transfer of molded parts from one injection molding tool to another injection molding tool without separating the molded part from runners and without degating. The single step transfer, which can be performed without degating and without separating the molded parts from one another, can reduce cycle time as well as complexity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods of injection molding and a tool for forming injection molded parts. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of injection molding parts with two molding steps and injection molding tools to make molding more efficient.
2. Description of the Related Art
Injection molding is one of the most popular processes for manufacturing plastic products. A typical injection molding process generally includes (1) injecting molten plastic material into a closed mold, (2) allowing the plastic to cool down and solidify, and (3) ejecting the finished product from the mold. This process may be used to form molded plastic parts, including for example, be used to form housings and accessories for various electronic products.
In some cases, injection molding can also be used to place decorative features on the outer surfaces of a part. In other cases, plastic can be molded over an already molded part to produce, for example, parts having two or more different colors or formed of two or more different materials. Formation of such features may be accomplished in two molding steps.
For example, the first molding step can be used to form the part (as described above for example), and the second molding step can be used to create an outer layer around some or all of the part (or vice versa). By way of example, injection molding in two steps may be used to place a soft layer on top of a hard layer, a transparent layer on top of an opaque layer, or create multicolored layers. In some cases, this molding process can be used to form the structural walls of the enclosure.
When one machine and tool set molds both shots, the tool is typically known as double-shot tool. Transferring a molded part from a first tool to a second tool for the second shot is known as transfer molding. A basic process can include injection molding a part, transferring this molded part to a second tool, and molding the second component on the transferred part. The transfer process can add complexity as well as cycle time to the process.

Injection molding tool with integrated gate removal for high-volume manufacturing


Disclosed are a method for producing a polyaspartic acid precursor polymer by polymerization using at least one kind selected from a product obtained from maleic anhydride and ammonia and, maleamic acid as a monomer, wherein at least part of carboxyl groups in the monomers are a tertiary amine salt; and an industrially inexpensive and simple method for producing a polyaspartic acid salt by treating the polyaspartic acid precursor polymer obtained by this method with a basic aqueous solution.

Polyaspartic acids and salts thereof are known as an environmentally-adapted biodegradable water-soluble polymer, and are expected to be an alternative as a chelating agent, a scale inhibitor, a detergent builder, and a dispersing agent, and a fertilizer additive for industrial use. Also, for agriculture use, it is known that they have an advantageous effect as a crop growth promoter by mixing it to a fertilizer, as well as a value as an insecticide or a sterilizer is also recognized.
As a method for producing a polyaspartic acid and a salt thereof, non-patent document 1 discloses a method in which aspartic acid is heat condensed at 200° C. for 2 to 3 hours to obtain a polysuccinimide and this is hydrolyzed to produce a polyaspartic acid with a molecular weight of 10000. Patent document 1 discloses a method in which aspartic acid is polymerized under nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature of 180° C. or more for 3 to 6 hours with stirring in a fluidized bed to obtain a polysuccinimide and this is hydrolyzed to produce a polyaspartic acid. Patent document 2 discloses a method in which aspartic acid is heated to 200 to 230° C. in a water-insoluble solvent to obtain a polysuccinimide and this is hydrolyzed by an alkaline aqueous solution to produce a polyaspartic acid salt. In the description of Example 1, a polyaspartic acid salt with a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 24000 is obtained.
By each above-mentioned method, a polyaspartic acid and a salt thereof with an Mw of 10000 or more can relatively easily be produced. However, since there is a problem that the polysuccinimide is not melted but is consolidated, the process comes to be cumbersome such that a specific apparatus is used to crush it and a high boiling point solvent is used to conduct suspension polymerization. Also, it is disadvantageous as an industrial process that aspartic acid which is a raw material is expensive.
On the other hand, there is a method in which maleamic acid or maleic anhydride and ammonia is used as a raw material to obtain a polysuccinimide and this is hydrolyzed to produce a polyaspartic acid. For example, patent document 3 discloses a method in which maleamic acid is heated to a temperature of 160 to 330° C. to obtain a polysuccinimide. Also, patent document 4 discloses a method in which maleic anhydride is reacted with an aqueous ammonia in water solvent and is then heated to a temperature of at least 170° C. to obtain a polysuccinimide and this is hydrolyzed by a base to produce a polyaspartic acid salt.
Each above-mentioned method is industrially an advantageous method because relatively inexpensive maleic anhydride and ammonia are used as a raw material. However, it involves a problem regarding consolidation of the polysuccinimide as in the case of polyaspartic acid raw material. In order to solve the problem, for example, the patent document 3 proposes (1) using a processing aid such as zeolite or silicate, (2) using a diluent such as tetrahydronaphthalene or a surfactant, and (3) using a solvent such as sulfolane or dimethylsulfoxide. However, in the methods (1) and (2), the process is cumbersome because the processing aid and the diluent must be removed. Also, in the method (3), the process is also cumbersome because the polysuccinimide must be isolated by a method such as reprecipitation. Furthermore, the Mw of the polyaspartic acid described in the Example is approximately 2000. Further, since the polymerization temperature high, it comes to be a problem that coloration of the polymer is large.
Also, in patent document 5, aspartic acid or product obtained from maleic anhydride and ammonia is heat polymerized in water solvent, and is hydrolyzed to produce a polyaspartic acid salt. However, since the polymerization temperature must be 150 to 300° C., it becomes a high pressure reaction and a reactor for high pressure reaction must be used. Further, as for the molecular weight of the polyaspartic acid obtained, it is described that Mw=500 to 10000 (preferably Mw=1000 to 5000), and it is difficult to obtain a polyaspartic acid with an Mw of more than 10000. Also, since the polymerization temperature high, it comes to be a problem that coloration of the polymer is large.
Also, patent document 6, patent document 7, and patent document 8 disclose a method in which maleamic acid or a product obtained from maleic anhydride and ammonia is polymerized in a continuous polymerization apparatus and the polysuccinimide obtained is hydrolyzed to produce a polyaspartic acid salt. However, in these methods, a specific polymerization apparatus is needed overcome difficulty of bulk polymerization. Also, as for the molecular weight of the polyaspartic acid and the salt thereof obtained, it is described that Mw=500 to 10000 (preferably Mw=1000 to 5000) due to the limitation of the retention time, and it is difficult to obtain a polyaspartic acid with an Mw of more than 10000.
On the other hand, patent document 9 discloses a method for producing a polyaspartic acid in which maleamic acid or a product obtained from maleic anhydride and ammonia is hydrogen transfer polymerized in a presence of a vinyl polymerization inhibitor and a basic catalyst. In the description of Example, it is described that maleamic acid is polymerized in a presence of hydroquinone in tetrahydrofuran solvent using sodium t-butoxide or sodium hydroxide as a catalyst to obtain a polyaspartic acid with Mw>20000. However, although there is no detailed description in the Example, since there is a description that water is generated as a by-product during the reaction, a polysuccinimide is produced also in this reaction and the must be cumbersome process is unavoidable such that it must be isolated by reprecipitation.
As is clear from the problem of each above-mentioned prior art, there hardly seems to be a satisfactory method in which a polyaspartic acid and a salt thereof are industrially easily produced from maleamic acid or a product obtained from maleic anhydride and ammonia that is inexpensive in the prior art.

Methods for producing polyaspartic acid precursor polymer and polyaspartic acid salt


A gas sparger (30) is operative for supplying an oxidation gas containing oxygen to a tank (18) of a wet scrubber which is operative for removing sulphur dioxide from a process gas by means of a slurry (S). The gas sparger (30) is provided with at least a first liquid supply nozzle (38), which is located inside an oxidation gas supply duct (32) and is operative for spraying a liquid containing water towards a first oxidation gas supply nozzle (44). The oxidation gas supply duct (32) has a characteristic cross-sectional measure, such as a diameter (D), at said first oxidation gas supply nozzle (44). The first liquid supply nozzle (38) is located a distance (L1) of maximum 5 times said characteristic cross-sectional measure (D) from said first oxidation gas supply nozzle (44).

In the combustion of a fuel, such as coal, oil, peat, waste, etc., in a combustion plant, such as a power plant, a hot process gas is generated, such a hot process gas, often referred to as a flue gas, containing, among other components, sulphur dioxide, SO2. The sulphur dioxide is often removed in a so-called wet scrubber, in which the flue gas is brought into contact with a slurry containing, e.g., limestone. The slurry is recirculated from a recirculation tank of the wet scrubber. The sulphur dioxide is absorbed by the slurry, and reacts with the limestone to form calcium sulphite, CaSO3. The calcium sulphite is not a desired end-product, and therefore an oxidation gas containing oxygen is supplied by means of one or several so-called gas spargers to the slurry of the recirculation tank. Typically, the oxidation gas containing oxygen is ambient air, but other gases, such as pure oxygen gas, can also be utilized. The oxygen reacts with the calcium sulphite of the slurry, and converts it to calcium sulphate, CaSO4, i.e., gypsum.
A problem of the known gas spargers is that they tend to become clogged by solid calcium deposits, such as calcium sulphite and calcium sulphate, formed outside and inside of the gas spargers. Such clogging results in frequent maintenance work, which may cause interruptions of the operation of the wet scrubber.

Gas sparger for supplying oxidation gas to a wet scrubber


A method, computer program product, and computing system for defining an IO splitter module within each of a plurality of nodes included within a hyper-converged storage environment. A coherency module is defined on at least one of the plurality of nodes. A data request is received.

Storing and safeguarding electronic content is of paramount importance in modern business. Accordingly, various data storage systems may be employed to protect such electronic content. Unfortunately, if the data storage system is distributed across multiple physical devices and the data is stored in a high availability fashion (e.g., via multiple redundant copies), procedures must be put in place to ensure the coherency of the multiple redundant copies.


A dual stacked stripline circulator includes multiple composite ferrite discs, each having an inner portion and an outer portion; a first substrate having an edge with a first composite ferrite disc disposed in the first substrate; a second substrate having an edge with a second composite ferrite disc disposed in the second substrate; a third substrate having an edge with a third composite ferrite disc disposed in the third substrate, the third substrate disposed adjacent the second substrate; a fourth substrate having an edge with a fourth composite ferrite disc disposed in the fourth substrate; a first pattern defining three ports of a first three-port circulator disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a second pattern defining three ports of a second three-port circulator disposed between the third substrate and the fourth substrate; and a metal film encircling the edge of the first, second, third and fourth substrate.

As is known in the art, feed structures are used to couple a radar or communication system to an array of antenna elements. One component of a feed structure is a circulator. U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,241 entitled "Dual Junction Back-To-Back Microstrip Four-Port Circulators" describes a back-to-back four port microstrip circulator configured from two three-port single junction circulators whose substrates lay back-to-back and are interconnected with a coaxial feedthrough. The teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,241 describe the advantages of such a configuration.

Dual stripline tile circulator utilizing thick film post-fired substrate stacking


An acoustic drum 10 has a hollow cylindrical shell 11, a drumhead 12 mounted to an opening end of the shell 11 to form a striking surface, a striking surface attachment 13a provided on the entire surface of a useful movable portion of the front side of the drumhead 12, and a striking surface attachment 13b provided on the entire surface of a useful movable portion of the reverse side of the drumhead 12. Each of the striking surface attachments 13a and 13b is formed of a resin film, with respective outer areas of the striking surface attachments 13a and 13b being fixed to the drumhead 12. As a result, the acoustic drum 10 can reduce sound volume, while maintaining struck sounds having brightness and providing a player with favorable feeling of striking.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an acoustic drum which can reduce sound volume.
2. Description of the Related Art
Acoustic drums generate louder sounds than the other musical instruments. Therefore, there are conventional acoustic drums employing some method of reducing sound volume. For example, there is a conventional sound volume reduction method which provides gel or a sponge ring for vibration suppression on a part of a head member. However, this method is aimed at sound-absorbing and vibration suppression, and is disadvantageous in that a tonic pitch cannot maintain to fail to obtain natural sustain. Furthermore, because this method is a partial mute, a player might feel uncomfortable or cannot generate a sound if the player hits on the gel or the sponge ring.
Therefore, an acoustic drum which reduces sound volume by attaching a large vibration-absorbing member to a head member has been developed (for example, see Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3004768). This drum is designed such that a drumhead is mounted on one opening end of a drum shell through a drum hoop while the drumhead is formed of two sheets of head members with a vibration-absorbing member formed of a thin rubber or plastic sheet being interposed to be attached between the two sheets of head members. This drum can achieve sufficient reduction in sound volume.


An optoelectronic package having passive optical components that are configured to reduce the amount of optical back reflection that reaches an optoelectronic device housed within the optoelectronic package. In one example, the optoelectronic package includes an optoelectronic device, a wave plate, and a linear polarizer. The optoelectronic device is configured to emit an optical signal along an optical path. The wave plate is positioned in the optical path of the optoelectronic device. The linear polarizer is positioned in the optical path of the optoelectronic device between the optoelectronic device and the wave plate.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optoelectronic package. More specifically, the present invention relates to an optoelectronic package having passive optical components that are configured to manage optical back reflection and thereby facilitate improved performance of an optoelectronic device housed within the optoelectronic package.
2. Related Technology
Optoelectronic packages are used in the field of fiber optic communication to house an optoelectronic device. In addition, optoelectronic packages may also house other optical and electrical components associated with the optoelectronic device. One example of an optoelectronic package is a transistor outline ("TO") package, commonly known as a "TO-can." The optoelectronic device housed within an optoelectronic package is a transducer used to convert optical data signals to electrical data signals or electrical data signals to optical data signals. Examples of optoelectronic devices include edge emitting lasers, such as Fabry-Perot lasers, distributed feedback lasers, and surface emitting lasers, such as vertical cavity surface emitting lasers ("VCSELs") including long wavelength ("LW") VCSELs.
One common problem in optoelectronic packages is optical back reflection ("OBR"). OBR can cause interference with optical data signals, a phenomenon commonly known as "noise." Certain types of edge emitting lasers and surface emitting lasers, such as LW VCSELS, are particularly sensitive to OBR.
One approach to reduce noise caused by OBR in optoelectronic packages involves the use of optical isolators. Optical isolators function to block OBR from reaching the optoelectronic device housed within the optoelectronic package. While the use of optical isolators can help prevent OBR from reaching an optoelectronic device housed within an optoelectronic package, and thereby maintain noise below acceptable levels, the cost of optical isolators can be prohibitive.


A method for correcting bias in altimetry data for ascending satellite tracks and descending satellite tracks. For satellites operating in tandem, calculate ascending track bias between the height measurement made by the first and the second satellites for the ascending tracks in a region, calculate an ascending bias correction by least squares fitting a polynomial to the bias as a function of significant wave height for the ascending tracks, and apply a portion of the ascending track bias to the sea surface height measurements. The correction can be calculated based on only one track and its crossover points. Another embodiment uses data from only one satellite, estimates the sea state bias at the crossover points separately for the ascending and descending tracks, and apportions a percentage of the difference at the crossover points to the tracks based on minimizing the rms differences between the ascending and descending tracks.

FIG. 1 illustrates the sea surface height and a satellite measuring the sea surface height with an altimeter. Sea surface height is the deviation in sea surface level from the marine geoid, an expected value that takes into account the earth's gravity and the bottom topography of the ocean. Sea surface height can also be affected by ocean eddies, temperature of the upper ocean water, tides in the deep ocean, and ocean currents or ocean circulation.
NASA began tracking ocean surface topography in 1992 with TOPEX/Poseidon, a joint US-French space mission from an orbit 1336 km above the ocean surface. In addition, the JASON-1 spacecraft was launched in 2001 to track ocean surface topography. The spacecrafts' radar altimeters measure the precise distance between the satellite and sea surface by measuring the round-trip travel time of microwave pulses bounced from the spacecraft to the sea surface and back to the spacecraft. The satellite's position is known from laser measurements and by triangulation with GPS satellites. The altitude of the satellite is determined by a sophisticated estimation procedure based on an orbit determination measurement system both onboard the satellite and on the ground stations located all over the world. The details of the shape of the returned radar pulses also provide information on wave height.
Since the TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite was launched, models have been developed and applied to the altimetry measurements, with a goal improving the accuracy of the sea surface height measurements.
During an eight month period after launch, Jason-1 was in a verification phase in which its orbit was positioned to sample the ocean within 1 km of the nominal ground track at the equator and 72 seconds ahead of the T/P satellite, as discussed in Menard, Y., L.-L. Fu, P. Escudier, F. Parisot, J. Perbos, P. Vincent, S. Desai, B. Haones, and G. Kunstmann, "The Jason-1 mission", Marine Geodesy, Vol. 26, pages 131-146 (2003). After the verification tandem phase, T/P was repositioned into a ground track interleaved with the Jason-1 orbit to begin a scientific tandem phase.
One important application of satellite altimeter data is the estimation of the zonal and meridional components of the geostrophic velocity fields. Prior to the beginning of the scientific tandem phase, a crossover method was the primary way to estimate geostrophic velocities from exact repeat orbit satellite measurements at the intersections of ascending and descending tracks. A crossover method is discussed in Parke, M. E., R. L. Stewart, D. L. Farless, and D. E. Cartwright, "On the choice of orbits for an altimetric satellite to study ocean circulation and tides", J. Geophysical. Research. Vol 92, issue/pages: 11,693-11,707 (1987).
During the scientific tandem phase, Jason-1 and T/P have coordinated orbits with half the spacing (ground-track separation) of the original T/P mission. At the equator, the T/P spacing is approximately 79 km. Stammer, D., and C. Dietrich, "Space-borne measurements of the time-dependent geostrophic ocean flow field", J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., Vol. 16, pages 1198-1207 (1999) discuss a parallel track method for estimating the zonal and meridional components of the geostrophic velocity fields from between-track differences of sea surface height measured with the altimeters on Jason-1 and T/P during the scientific tandem phase.
Sea state bias (SSB) is a correction that is applied to the calculated sea surface height (based on the satellite altimeter) to account for differences in the reflection of the radar pulse due to surface waves. Vincent, P., Desai, S. D., Dorandeu, J., Ablain, M., Soussi, B., Callahan, P. S., and B. J. Haines, "Jason-1 Geophysical Performance Evaluation", Marine Geodesy, Vol. 26, pages167-186 (2003) discusses the sea state bias correction and indicates that the differences in the reflection of the radar pulse due to surface waves cause the largest part of the error in the range measurements of Jason-1 and T/P.
The sea state bias has been estimated empirically by fitting data to a relationship between sea state bias, surface wave height, and wind speed, as discussed in Gaspar, P., Ogor, F., Le Traon P. Y., and O. Z. Zanife, "Estimating the sea state bias of the TOPEX and POSEIDON altimeters from crossover differences", J. Geophys. Res., Vol. 99, pages 24,981-24,994 (1994) and in Chambers, D. P., S. A. Hayes, J. C. Ries, and T. J. Urban, "New TOPEX sea state bias models and their effect on global mean sea level", J. Geophys. Res. 108(C10), 3305, doi:10.1029/2003JC001839 (2003). Nonparametric methods are discussed in Gaspar, P., and J. P. Florens, "Estimation of the sea state bias in radar altimeter measurements of sea level: Results form a new nonparametric method", J. Geophys. Res., Vol.103, pages 15,803-15,814 (1998) and in Gaspar, Labroue, S., Ogor, F., Lafitte, L., Marchal, L., and M. Rafanel, "Improving nonparametric estimates of the sea state bias in radar altimeter measurements of sea level", J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., Vol. 19, pages 1690-1707 (2001). These models assume the sea state bias is a global estimate with no spatial or directional dependence.

System and method for removal of sea-state bias in satellite altimetry data

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A method for processing a flush-back fluid containing impurities after its use in a flush-back filter for cleaning fluid used in a cleaning process is accomplished in accordance with the invention in that flush-back fluid drawn from the flush-back filter is subjected to a sedimentation process and hereby acted upon at least from time to time by pressure and that after completion of the sedimentation process the flush-back fluid is separated in a pressure-tight manner from a least at least a portion of a sediment recovered thereby and the latter is subsequently removed and a part of the flush-back fluid cleansed at least to a large extent of impurities is returned to the cleaning process.

In known methods, solid impurities are removed from flush-back fluid drawn off from the flush-back filter by using flat material web filters, in particular endless paper band filters. In this respect, a flat material web filter is arranged over a collecting tank for flush-back fluid, which is dimensioned so as to be sufficiently large. Once it has been conveyed to the band filter, the flush-back fluid discharged from the flush-back filter passes through the filter material, and impurities are removed to a large extent from this fluid which then flows into the collecting tank while the separated impurities are transported into a separate disposal tank with the continuously or cyclically unrolling band filter. The flush-back fluid collecting in the collecting tank for the flush-back fluid is returned to the cleaning process or, if required, to the flush-back filter via a line comprising a pump. This results in the fluid being conveyed in a circuit. Methods of this type do, however, have the disadvantage that the resulting amounts of filter material are quite considerable and these have to be disposed of together with the impurities located thereon. In view of the necessarily large quantities of the cleaning fluid, which is primarily to be processed, flowing through the flush-back filter and in view of the pressure required at treating systems of the cleaning process, such as, for example, nozzles, the pressures prevailing in the interior of the flush-back filter are between 3 and 10 bars and so the discharge of flush-back fluid from the flush-back filter proves to be extremely problematic. On the one hand, the discharge opening provided in the flush-back filter would have to be as small as possible to limit the outflowing amount of flush-back fluid; on the other hand, the discharge opening would have to be designed sufficiently large in order not to become blocked. When using a discharge opening of small design or a throttle valve, there is, apart from the risk of clogging, the risk of the resulting strong stream of fluid damaging the flat material web filter. For this reason, in a known flush-back filter, a discharge line comprising a throttle valve opens into a steadying tank, which is of extremely large dimensions and from which the flush-back fluid loaded with impurities is then passed to the flat material web filter. An additional disadvantage of known processing methods is the fact that due to the partially open mode of operation considerable amounts of energy are lost by vaporization of the flush-back fluid originally used in the cleaning process as heated cleaning fluid as well as due to a necessarily poor insulation. An additional disadvantage is to be seen in the fact that in the known partially open mode of operation the surroundings are moistened to a considerable degree by evaporation and the escape of vapors and in this way chemical components are discharged into the environment.

Method for processing filter backwash fluid for reuse as cleaning fluid


What is provided is a water line connected onto the outflow end of the whirlpool bath; a source of pressurized water, for example from a hose connected onto the second end of the flowline, so that introduction of water from the hose introduces the water into the line and up through the outflow pipe into the pump which in turn would be expelled from the intake ports around the base of the mechanism; a valving means at the end of the flow line, in order to reduce the pressure of the fluid flow to avoid movement of the fluid into the motor assembly adjacent the juncture of the flow line and the flow pipe; a second line forming a juncture with the fluid line, the second line capable of adapting a volume of cleaning solution thereunto, so that upon introduction of fluid into the line from the hose, the cleaning solution may in turn be introduced into the flow of the water into the mechanism to provide a cleaning solution or disinfectant through the mechanism; a second valving member means for controlling the amount of flow of cleaning solution or disinfectant into the fluid flow line; and a means for measuring a quantity of disinfectant being introduced into the line per unit volume of water being introduced thereinto.

1. Field of the Invention
The system of the present invention relates to whirlpool baths. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for flushing fluids through the mechanism of a whirlpool bath in order to disinfect, clean, or flush the system.
2. General Background
Whirlpool baths are used extensively in the treatment of injured or ill patients, as a therapeutic device. In general, a whirlpool bath allows a patient to submerge the injured portion of his body into a tank filled with a certain quantity of water, and the mechanism of the bath draws water up into a pump mechanism to be exited under certain force, so to provide a swirling motion of hot fluid around the injured part, which is known to help reduce swelling, or infection, or perhaps clean open wounds of a patient.
One of the overriding concerns in the use of whirlpool baths, is the assurance that the whirlpool bath is completely clean after use of the bath by a particular patient. In the cleaning of the tank portion of the bath, the tank portion or the outer mechanism is simply rubbed or scrubbed down with a disinfectant or the like, to assure that all germs left in the outer mechanism or tank have been removed so that the next patient may use the mechanism in a clean manner. However, an overriding concern is the cleaning of the internal mechanism i.e., the intake pipe, the pump mechanism and the outflow pipe, which cannot be cleaned with a type of "scrub-down", and must have fluids flushed therethrough. Therefore, in the present state of the art, this is accomplished by filling the tank with a level of water above the intake port, placing a disinfectant in the water, and turning the bath on so that the water is circulated through the pipes to the intake pipe to pump in the outflow pipe, thereby cleaning them. However, this particular method of cleaning is often expensive and time consuming due to the fact that the water volume, particularly in the large tanks, is quite great, and which must be therefore removed after the cleaning is complete. Another type of method is to submerge the intake pipe into a "container" of water containing disinfectant and undertaking the same type of flow through the system. Again, this process of having to fill the container with water inserted into the tank and place the mechanism thereinto also is quite time consuming and inefficient.
The following patents have been found in the search conducted of the art and may be pertinent to the present invention:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTORS DATE ______________________________________ 831,722 H. J. HOLMES Sept. 25, 1906 1,941,065 S. WILLIAMSON Dec. 26, 1933 1,605,749 W. H. McCARTHY Nov. 2, 1926 4,321,712 DIXON March 30, 1982 2,267,064 E. WIKELUND Dec. 23, 1941 3,936,892 MILLER Feb. 10, 1976 4,371,991 SCHROTT Feb. 8, 1983 ______________________________________
This invention constitutes an improvement over Applicant's pending application Ser. No. 243,278 filed on Sept. 12, 1988 entitled "System For Cleaning Whirlpool Baths", which is incorporated by reference thereto. This improvement would solve the problem of reducing the pressure of the water being introduced into the system, in order to avoid the water under high pressure from moving into the housing area, and making contact with the motor assembly.


A semiconductor structure includes an SRAM cell that includes first and second pull-up (PU) transistors, first and second pull-down (PD) transistors, first and second pass-gate (PG) transistors, and bit line (BL) conductors. The first PU and the first PD transistors form a first inverter. The second PU and the second PD transistors form a second inverter. The first and the second inverters are cross-coupled to form two storage nodes that are coupled to the BL conductors through the first and the second PG transistors. The first and the second PU transistors are formed over an n-type active region over a frontside of the semiconductor structure. The first and the second PD transistors and the first and the second PG transistors are formed over a p-type active region over the frontside of the semiconductor structure. The BL conductors are disposed over a backside of the semiconductor structure.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced exponential growth. Technological advances in IC materials and design have produced generations of ICs where each generation has smaller and more complex circuits than the previous generation. In the course of IC evolution, functional density (i.e., the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased. This scaling down process generally provides benefits by increasing production efficiency and lowering associated costs. Such scaling down has also increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs. Hence, semiconductor manufacturing processes need continued improvements. One area of improvements is how to reduce stray capacitance among features of field effect transistors.
For example, embedded static random-access memory (SRAM) cells are frequently integrated into semiconductor devices for increased functional density. Such applications range from industrial and scientific subsystems, automotive electronics, cell phones, digital cameras, microprocessors, and so on. To meet the demand for higher SRAM density and better performance (e.g., higher operating speed and lower power consumption), simply scalding down the semiconductor feature size is no longer enough, and other approaches in addition to the scaling down are desired.

Four-poly-pitch SRAM cell with backside metal tracks

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