Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A station may be communicating with an access point during a first active communication period. The communication may be performed in a first power mode. The station may switch to a second power mode to transition to a sleep period. The station may determine, based on traffic indicator metric(s), whether to perform a speculative wakeup and switch to the first power mode at the end of the sleep period.

The following relates generally to wireless communication, and more specifically to adaptive power save with reinforcement learning.
Wireless communications systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing the available system resources (e.g., time, frequency, and power). A wireless network, for example a wireless local area network (WLAN), such as a Wi-Fi (i.e., Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11) network may include an access point (AP) that may communicate with one or more stations (STAs) or mobile devices. The AP may be coupled to a network, such as the Internet, and may enable a mobile device to communicate via the network (or communicate with other devices coupled to the access point). A wireless device may communicate with a network device bi-directionally. For example, in a WLAN, a STA may communicate with an associated AP via downlink (DL) and uplink (UL). The DL (or forward link) may refer to the communication link from the AP to the station, and the UL (or reverse link) may refer to the communication link from the station to the AP.
A STA may communicate with an AP while in an active power mode and may conserve power in between communications by entering a sleep mode. In some cases, a STA may delay transitioning into a sleep mode after transmission or reception of a packet in case a subsequent packet is to be sent or received. For example, the STA may wait for an inactivity timeout (ITO) to expire before entering the sleep mode.
A STA may use an ITO regardless of the type of traffic the STA is transmitting or receiving. But use of the ITO may keep a STA in active mode longer than necessary for some types of traffic. For example, for certain types of traffic, a STA may consume power to remain in active mode in between periodically-scheduled packets, when packets are generally not sent for that type of traffic between the periodically-scheduled packets. Consumption of power while in active mode may reduce the battery life of the STA and negatively impact performance of the STA.

Adaptive power save with reinforcement learning


The invention refers to an interlock mechanism for restricting a rotational movement of a rotatable component (1) of a drug delivery device (10) and to a method for controlling the rotational movement of the rotatable component (1). The method comprises the steps of:                translatively moving a trigger arm (6) engaged with a protrusion (7) of a latch arm (5) from an initial position for pivoting the latch arm (5) out of one of at least one catches (3) provided in a cam profile of the rotatable component (1) thus allowing the rotatable component (1), biased by an energy source, to rotate;        pivoting the trigger arm (5) by one of at least one cams (4) provided in the cam profile during the rotation (R) of the rotatable component (1) whereby the trigger arm (6) is disengaged from the protrusion (7) thus allowing the latch arm (5) to re-engage with one of the catches (3) to stop the rotational movement (R) and whereby an interlock means (8) catches and holds the trigger arm (6) in its translatively moved and pivoted position until the interlock means (8) is released by a reset means;        translatively moving the trigger arm (6) back into the initial position once the interlock means (8) is released thereby allowing it to pivot back and re-engage with the protrusion (7).

Autoinjector devices aim to make self-administration of injected therapies easier for patients. Current therapies delivered by means of self-administered injections include drugs for diabetes (both insulin and newer GLP-1 class drugs), migraine, hormone therapies, anticoagulants etc.
Autoinjectors require some form of energy input in order to operate. Typically this is achieved by the user performing a "priming" or "cocking" action prior to the injection. This may make the device more complicated to use, as it increases the number of user steps. Also, the actions required, for example pulling, pushing or twisting to charge a spring, may be difficult for a user to perform, particularly if the user is elderly or has dexterity problems.
However, two main user risks have been identified with such a device. Firstly, the user might press a trigger button several times or hold on to the trigger button for too long, causing multiple doses to be injected. Secondly, there would be a risk of the device being triggered accidentally.
In WO 02/47746 A1 a device for auto-injection of a dose of medicament is disclosed, comprising a housing arranged to contain a medicament container therein and comprising a contact part intended to be applied against an injection site, a needle cover surrounding a needle arranged to the medicament container and extending at least the length of the needle, spring means capable of, upon activation, pushing the needle past the end of the needle cover as well as operating said medicament container to supply the dose of medicament, first locking means capable of locking said spring means in a pressurised state, first activating means capable of, upon manual operation, releasing said spring means for injection, characterised by a second locking means capable of locking said first activating means and a second activating means, capable of releasing said second locking means when said contact part is exposed to pressure.
WO 2006/130098 A1 discloses a device for delivery of predetermined doses of liquid medicament. The device comprises a servo drive spring acting in the way of a clock spring for generating a torque. The torque is used for rotating a drum which advances a threaded plunger rod. The rotation of the drum may be blocked by a pin engaging with a slot when a dose of medicament has been delivered.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,972,007 B2 discloses a device for administering an injectable product in doses, the device comprising a dosing member connected to a locking means, which may be held in latching positions thus taking off a spring force onto a driven member which serves for advancing a piston and consequently for delivering a set dose of medicament. The locking means is held in the locking position by grooves engaging with corresponding protrusions.
WO 2006/045529 A1 discloses an injection device having a helical spring adapted to provide a force in the axial direction of the injection device for ejecting a dose of medicament. A rotary movement of a dose indicator barrel is caused by the force of the resilient member acting on a thread. The rotational movement may be manually blocked by appropriately switching a locking member between a locking state and an unlocking state.
WO 2007/063342 A1 discloses a pen-type injector for receiving a medication container. The injector comprises a housing and a torsion spring coupled to a drive member. A dose setting knob is coupled to the spring and rotatably coupled to a housing such that rotation of the knob in a first direction results in compression or twisting of the spring. A user actuable button is coupled to the housing for axial motion relative thereto, the button being coupled to the torsion spring to unwind or expand in discrete steps with each press of the button, which is achieved by engaging teeth of sprung legs of a clutch collet with a toothed rack.

Interlock mechanism for a drug delivery device and drug delivery device


The invention generally relates to an apparatus for forming a shell. The apparatus has a die center and a panel punch located in opposed relation to the die center. A panel punch piston is coupled to the panel punch. The panel punch piston has an upper end and a spacer member is disposed concentrically around an outside surface of the panel punch piston at or proximate to the upper end of the panel punch piston. The upper end of the spacer member is in contact with a lower end of the panel punch and the spacer member is located proximate to a peripheral surface of the lower end of the panel punch. A method for manufacturing a shell is additionally provided as well.

The forming of can ends or shells for can bodies, namely aluminum or steel cans, is well-known in the art. Shells typically have a center panel connected to an inner panel wall which is connected to a countersink. The countersink is connected to a chuck wall of the shell which is connected to a crown. The crown is connected to a peripheral curl that is structured to be seamed onto a can body.
A problem that exists in prior art tooling assemblies occurs in those situations where an end user has to make an adjustment to the press ram because the heat in the die set causes the tooling to grow which, in turn, causes the shell unit depth to be too deep and out of specification. Oftentimes, the end user has to make a number of press ram adjustments to maintain the shell dimensions at specification until the temperature in the die set stabilizes. These types of adjustments in a high speed shell manufacturing line is both impractical and causes lost production.
In order to eliminate the need for press ram adjustments, a number of end users will adjust the press shutheight to provide a shell unit depth dimension at a low limit of the specification. As the press is stabilized at operating temperatures, the shell will grow in unit depth dimension to a high limit of the specification. Such a practice produces a shell that meets end user specifications, but other processes of the shell manufacturing process is negatively affected, such as, for example, conveying the shells, accumulating the shells and bagging the converted ends. Also, as the product reaches the high limit of the shell unit depth specification, the amount of material in the curl is reduced and this could adversely affect seaming of the final converted can ends onto a can body.
As a press and its associated tooling assemblies reach operating temperatures, expansion of the tooling assemblies change the product dimensions. A die core ring in the lower tooling is coupled to a die retainer coupled to the lower die shoe. The positioning of the die core ring provides for the upper end of the die core ring, which is unrestrained, to axially expand upward. A die center coupled to a die center riser is provided in the upper die shoe. The die center is used to penetrate into the die core ring a fixed distance to provide for a specified shell unit depth. The change in the height of the upper end of the die core ring to a face of the die center causes the shell unit depth of the product to become deeper. This variation in shell unit depth is caused by thermal expansion of the die core ring.
Due to the potentially high internal pressures generated by carbonated beverages, both the can body and the can end are typically required to sustain internal pressures of 90 psi (0.621 MPa) without cracking or deformation. Depending on various environmental conditions such as heat, over fill, high carbon dioxide content, and vibration, the internal pressure in a beverage may exceed internal pressures of 90 psi (0.621 MPa). Recently, shell developments have been focused on engineering various features of the shell including the chuck wall angle in order to reduce the metal content in the shell, but still provide the shell with the capability of sustaining internal pressures exceeding 90 psi (0.621 MPa). Another approach to reducing metal content in the shell is to use reduced gauge metal sheet in the manufacture of the shell. The reduced metal content in the shell makes it desirable for the shells to have dimensions that are centered within the specifications of the end user in order to prevent, for example, rupture and catastrophic failure of the shell. As end users continue to strive to reduce the metal content in shells and improve manufacturing processes, end users desire an apparatus and method for forming shells with a generally uniform depth without the complications of adjusting the press ram, the press shutheight or the like throughout their day-to-day operations.
As a result, a need exists in the art for a shell press and method for forming shells that manufactures shells having a unit depth that centers the dimensions of the shells within the specifications of the end user.
Another need exists in the art for an apparatus and method for forming shells having a uniform unit depth.

Shell press and method for forming a shell


An intake and exhaust system of an engine is provided, which includes an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage configured to recirculate a portion of exhaust gas as EGR gas, from an exhaust passage of the engine to an intake passage, and an EGR cooler disposed in the EGR passage, the EGR cooler being coupled to a passage wall of the exhaust passage at an EGR gas inlet side, and having a center line intersecting with a flow direction of exhaust gas in the exhaust passage. A through-hole communicating the EGR cooler with the exhaust passage is formed into a long hole elongated in the flow direction in the exhaust passage.

JP2015-161225A discloses an intake and exhaust system of an engine in which an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) passage which leads a portion of exhaust gas as an EGR gas from an exhaust passage located downstream of a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) to an intake passage is provided, and an EGR cooler and an EGR valve are provided in the EGR passage.
In the intake and exhaust system, the DPF is arranged on a rear side of an engine body with its axis extending in a lined-up direction of cylinders, and an exhaust pipe extending at the rear of an automobile is connected to a downstream end of the DPF. The EGR cooler is connected to a side surface (an opposite side from the DPF) of the exhaust pipe, and the EGR valve is fixed to a side surface (an opposite side from the DPF) of the EGR cooler. An EGR pipe extends upward from the EGR valve and is connected to a horizontally extending part of an intake pipe located upstream of a compressor of a turbocharger. Further, a blow-by gas pipe which introduces blow-by gas into the intake passage is connected to a position near a connected part of the intake pipe with the EGR pipe.
With this intake and exhaust system, the EGR gas horizontally passes through the EGR cooler from the exhaust pipe, and then is led upward from the EGR valve through the EGR pipe.
In the intake and exhaust system, when condensed water is generated in the EGR passage, the condensed water may stagnate in a horizontal part of the EGR passage, that is, in a part where the EGR cooler and the EGR valve are provided. In this regard, it may be considered to arrange the EGR passage, including the EGR cooler, to extend vertically from the exhaust passage to the intake passage. According to this structure, the condensed water is discharged to the exhaust passage through an EGR passage wall and is prevented from stagnating in an intermediate part of the EGR passage.
However, forming the EGR passage as such reduces a passage resistance when the EGR gas flows from the exhaust passage toward the intake passage. As a result, it becomes easy for the EGR gas to pass through the EGR cooler, which lowers cooling efficiency of the EGR gas by the EGR cooler. That is, it becomes more difficult to cool the EGR gas.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A system and method for automatically providing artifact warnings in Pulsed-Wave (PW) Doppler imaging is provided. The method includes acquiring, by an ultrasound system at a pulse repetition frequency (PRF), Pulsed-Wave (PW) Doppler signals from a selected gate position in a high PRF mode. The method includes determining, by a processor of the ultrasound system based on the PRF, a position of a virtual gate along a PW line in a B-mode image. The method includes presenting, at a display, the virtual gate at the determined position along the PW line in the B-mode image. The method includes analyzing, by the processor, B-mode image intensity values at the virtual gate in the B-mode image to determine whether the B-mode image intensity values exceed an intensity threshold. The method includes providing, by the at least one processor, a virtual gate warning when the B-mode image intensity values exceed the intensity threshold.

Ultrasound imaging is a medical imaging technique for imaging organs and soft tissues in a human body. Ultrasound imaging uses real time, non-invasive high frequency sound waves to produce a two-dimensional (2D) image and/or a three-dimensional (3D) image.
Pulsed-Wave (PW) Doppler signals are rich signals that describe the spectrum of tissue and fluid velocities in a small volume from which the signals are acquired. During a PW Doppler ultrasound examination of a patient, an operator may place a gate over a small region in a B-mode image, such as over a blood vessel. The velocity information of the blood vessel at the location of the gate may be presented in a spectrogram. FIG. 1 illustrates a B-mode image 10 and spectrogram 20, as known in the art. Referring to FIG. 1, the B-mode image 10 may include a PW line 14 and a selected gate 16 along the PW line 14. The gate 16 may be positioned at a location, such as over a blood vessel 12, to acquire velocity information of the blood vessel 12 at the gate location 16. The velocity information at the gate location 16 is presented in a spectrogram 20. The spectrogram 20 of FIG. 1 shows a constant flow 22 and background noise 24.
During a PW Doppler examination, transmit shots are repeated at the position of the PW line 14 and the received signals are used to generate the spectrogram 20. After transmitting a shot, the ultrasound system switches to receive mode. Each transmitted shot takes a certain amount of time, based on the speed of sound in a medium, until the wave front "hits" the scatterers at the gate 16 position. The return of the echoes takes the same amount of time. As an example, with a speed of sound of 1540 m/s and a gate depth of 10 cm, it takes 0.1 [m]/1540 [m/s]=65 [μs] times two after the transmit event (i.e. 130 μs) until the echoes from within the gate 16 are received. Accordingly, the next transmit event may start after 130 μs, which is equivalent to a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 7700 Hz (≈ 1/130 μs).
In practice, if a velocity of a flow is high, the PRF typically needs to be high to prevent aliasing. Accordingly, in a high PRF mode, subsequent transmit events begin prior to the echoes of the last transmit event being received. For example, if operating with a PRF of 10,000 Hz in a high PRF mode during a PW Doppler examination, a transmit event occurs every 100 μs. However, the return of the echoes from the gate depth takes 130 μs as noted in the example above. In other words, the ultrasound probe receives echoes 130 μs after a first transmit event, which is also 30 μs after the second transmit event. Echoes from the second transmit event are received after 130 μs, which is 30 μs after the third transmit event. The transmit and receive event timing continues in this pattern. However, a problem may occur if another vessel or highly reflective structure is at a depth that causes additional echoes to be received at the same time the echoes from the desired blood vessel are received. As an example, if a second vessel is located at a depth of 2.3 cm along the PW line 14 according to the above example, Doppler signals from the second vessel are received at the probe 30 μs after the second transmit event, which is the same time as the echoes are received from the first vessel 12 corresponding with the first transmit event.
Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison of such systems with some aspects of the present disclosure as set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

Method and system for automatically providing artifact warnings in pulsed-wave doppler imaging


In order to prevent exhaust pipe for exhausting perfluorocompound (PFC) decomposition gas after washing from corrosion, a mist separating apparatus is provided at a rear stage of the washing tower for washing the PFC decomposition gas. The corrosion of the exhaust pipe can be prevented by removing the mist from the washed gas.

The present invention relates to a method for treating perfluorocompound (PFC) gas, and an apparatus thereof.
PFC a general term of CF4, C2F6, C3F8, SF6, NF3, and the like. PFC gas is used as an etching gas for semiconductor, a cleaning gas for semiconductor, an insulating gas, and others. The PFC gas is a kind of earth warming-up gas, and its release to atmosphere is an object of regulation. Therefore, various methods for decomposition of PFC have been investigated. One of the methods, wherein PFC gas is decomposed by hydrolysis; subsequently, the decomposed gas is treated with water or an alkaline aqueous solution; and the treated gas is exhausted to atmosphere; has been disclosed in JP-A-11-70322 (1999).
During study of the PFC treating method, wherein the PFC gas is decomposed; the decomposed gas is washed; and the washed gas is exhausted; the inventors of the present invention have found that exhaust blowers and exhaust pipe for exhausting the washed gas are corroded with the washed gas.
The present invention is aimed at suppressing the corrosion of the exhaust blowers and the exhaust pipe with the washed PFC decomposed gas in the method or the apparatus for treating the PFC decomposed gas.
The gist of the present invention is in exhausting the PFC decomposed gas after washing the PFC decomposed gas and separating mist containing PFC decomposition products contained in the decomposed gas.
The inventors of the present invention have found that the corrosion of exhaust pipe and exhaust blowers is caused by the PFC decomposed gas; which has not removed by washing in the washing step, releasing to outside of the washing tower accompanied with mist, and adhering to the to the exhaust blower or the exhaust pipe. Therefore, the inventors have succeeded in suppressing the corrosion of the exhaust pipe and the exhaust blowers by separating the mist from the washed PFC decomposed gas.
A large proportion of the mist contained in the gas after the washing step have mainly a particle size larger than 10 μm, and the mist having a particle size smaller than 1 μm are utmost a several tens percent. In order to remove the mist having such a particle size distribution, cyclone separators, filter separators, electric dust collectors, active carbon adsorption apparatus, and the like are suitable. In particular, the cyclone separators and the filter separators are desirable, because their apparatus can be made small size. When the filter separator is used, it is desirable that plural filters having different pore sizes each other are overlapped, and large size mist is separated by the filter having larger pore size and small size mist is separated by the filter having smaller pore size. If only the filter having smaller size is used, passing the gas through the filter is disturbed. Then, it is not desirable, because the pressure loss at the filter is increased, and use of large size blowers is required. The pressure loss can be restricted to small by combining plural filters having different pore sizes each other.
The present invention can be applied to a method, wherein the PFC gas is decomposed by hydrolysis, oxidation decomposition, combustion, or thermal decomposition, and the like to a gas containing hydrogen fluoride, and washed and exhausted. In addition to the above method, the present invention can be applied to any methods, if the method decomposes PFC gas to the gas containing hydrogen fluoride. In accordance with converting PFC to hydrogen fluoride, the hydrogen fluoride can be removed from the gas by absorbing into a solution by washing with water or an alkaline aqueous solution, and the gas released from the washing tower can be made a gas which substantially does not contain fluoride compounds.
Prior art, wherein the mist is separated from the exhaust gas after washing the exhaust gas, is disclosed in JP-A-11-216455 (1999), but the prior art is not aimed at treating the PFC decomposed gas. JP-A-8-318122 (1996) and JP-A-57-197023 have disclosed methods, wherein an absorption tower is installed after water washing apparatus in the process, but the prior art are not aimed at treating the corrosive mist of PFC decomposed gas, neither.

Apparatus for treating perfluorocompound gas


A low power or passive optical apparatus provides temperature control of dynamic thermooptic devices and temperature-sensitive optical devices formed on the same substrate. The optical apparatus includes a variable heat transfer device with a conductive heat transfer component (e.g., heat pipe) and a heat-conductive interface component (e.g., heat sink) to exchange thermal energy with an external environment. In one embodiment, the heat pipe has a variable resistance and the heat sink has a fixed thermal resistance. In a second embodiment, the heat pipe has a fixed resistance and the heat sink has a variable thermal resistance. In another embodiment both the heat pipe and heat sink have variable thermal resistance. In another embodiment, the optical apparatus further includes a thermoelectric cooler and the variable heat transfer device (e.g., variable heat pipe and/or heat sink) is used to reduce the temperature range over which said thermoelectric cooler operates, resulting in a lower power requirement for the thermoelectric cooler.

Optical wavelength channel control devices, such as wavelength add-drop filters, can be made at low cost by integrating optical filters and power-dissipating active elements, such as thermooptic phase shifters, together on the same substrate. However, the thermooptic phase shifters dissipate power, whereas the optical filters need to be held at constant temperature. Since the power dissipation from the thermooptic phase shifters, the ambient temperature, and the characteristics of the ambient airflow over the device may vary with time, the temperature of the substrate tends to vary with time as well. However, the performance of the optical filters will be sacrificed if the substrate temperature cannot be maintained constant. FIG. 3 shows a prior art integrated optical device arrangement to hold constant substrate temperature, where the optical filters 101 and the thermooptic unit 102 are formed on a substrate 103 that is mounted to a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) 201 which is mounted on a heat sink 106. This prior art arrangement generally results in a thermal management solution consuming a very large amount of electrical power (on the order of that dissipated by the integrated optical device) which could otherwise be used to add more optical functionality to the device. This prior art solution also usually requires a stiff mechanical connection between the substrate 103 and the heat sink (106). This often results in unwanted strains and vibrations on the optical device due to environmental changes, often adversely affecting the optical response.
What is desired is a low-power technique to dissipate the heat from the substrate while holding the substrate at a constant temperature. Furthermore, it would be desirable for this technique to have only a flexible mechanical connection between the substrate and the heat sink.

Temperature control of thermooptic devices


Provided is a panorama image synthesis technique using a scanning charged-particle microscope and capable of obtaining a panorama image synthesis that is robust against contamination and the imaging shift and distortion of an image in a wide-field imaging region (EP) for semiconductor fine patterns. The panorama image synthesis technique in the wide-field imaging region (EP) using the scanning charged-particle microscope is characterized in that the layout of each adjustment point, each local imaging region, and an imaging sequence comprising the imaging order of the each adjustment point are optimized and created as an imaging recipe.

In forming a wiring pattern on a semiconductor wafer, a method is adopted in which coating material called resist is applied on the semiconductor wafer, an exposure mask (a reticle) of a wiring pattern is superposed on the resist, a visible light ray, ultraviolet rays or an electron beam is applied thereto from above, the resist is photo-sensed (exposed) and developed to thereby form the wiring pattern on the semiconductor wafer, and with this wiring pattern of the resist as a mask, the semiconductor wafer is etched to thereby form the wiring pattern.
In inspecting the mask and the pattern shape on the wafer, a critical dimension scanning electron microscope: (CD-SEM), which is a scanning charged-particle microscope, is widely used. The coordinates for performing SEM imaging for evaluating the pattern shape are called an evaluation point, and hereinafter called EP (Evaluation Point) for short. In order to image the EP with a small imaging shift amount and also with high image quality, some or all of adjustment points out of an addressing point (hereinafter referred to as AP), an auto focus point (hereinafter referred to as AF), an auto stigma point (hereinafter referred to as AST) or an auto brightness and contrast point (hereinafter referred to as ABCC) are set as needed, and at the respective adjustment points, addressing, auto focusing, auto stigma adjustment and auto brightness and contrast adjustment are performed, and then the EP is imaged. As to the imaging shift amount in the above addressing, matching between an SEM image at the AP registered in advance as a registered template, whose coordinates are already known, and an SEM image actually observed in the imaging sequence is performed, a shift amount in the matching is taken as a shifting amount of the imaging position, and corrected. The evaluation point (EP), and the adjustment points (AP, AF, AST, ABCC) are collectively called the imaging point. The size and coordinates and the imaging conditions of the EP, the imaging conditions and adjusting methods of the respective adjustment points and the imaging order (or the adjusting sequence) of the respective imaging points, and the above registered template are managed as an imaging recipe, and the SEM images the EP according to the imaging recipe.
The recipe has been manually generated heretofore by an SEM operator, so the labor and time are required. Further, in order to decide the respective adjustment points and register the registered template in the recipe, it is necessary to actually image the wafer at a low power, resulting in that the generation of a recipe is one of the causes of lowering the operating ratio of the SEM apparatus. Further, with the development to the microstructure and the complicatedness of a pattern, the number of points requiring evaluation remarkably increases, so that the manual generation of the recipe is becoming unrealistic from a viewpoint of labor and generation time.
Therefore, concerning the imaging recipe, for example, a semiconductor inspection system is disclosed in which the AP is determined based on design data on a circuit pattern of a semiconductor described in the GDS II form, and further data in the AP is picked from the design data and registered as the registered template in the imaging recipe (Patent Literature 1: JP-A No. 2002-328015 official gazette). In that system, it is not necessary to image an actual wafer only for the purpose of deciding the AP and registering the registered template, so that the improvement in operating ratio of the SEM can be achieved. Further, the system has such a function that when an SEM image at the AP (an actual imaging template) is obtained in the actual imaging sequence, matching between the actual imaging template and the registered template of design data is performed, and an SEM image corresponding to the position of the registered template of the design data is re-registered as the registered template in the imaging recipe, and hereinafter the registered template of the re-registered SEM image is used for the addressing processing. Further, the system has a function of automatically detecting a characteristic pattern part from the design data, and registering the same as the AP.
As the EP, cited are a designation point from a user and a critical portion where device failure is liable to occur called a hot spot output from an EDA (Electronic Design Automation) tool or the like, and feedback such as shape correction for a mask pattern and an alteration of the semiconductor manufacturing process condition is performed based on the pattern dimensional values at these EPs to thereby achieve a high yield. The wiring pattern has been advanced to microstructure and high densification to meet the recent needs of high speed and high integration of the semiconductor device, and super-resolution exposure technique represented by Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) has been introduced. With this introduction, the mask pattern becomes complicated so that simulation prediction for a pattern shape transferred on a wafer and inspection for the actually transferred pattern shape become more important.    [Patent Literature 1] JP-A No. 2002-328015 official gazette

Method and device for synthesizing panorama image using scanning charged-particle microscope


A system for debugging the computer program present in read-only memory (ROM) contains a debugger, a processor, read-only memory, a bus and a hardware debugging support module. The hardware debugging support module contains a first register called the range start register, a second register called the range end register and a comparator. The debugger uses a list of "n" user specified break points to divide a computer program into "n+1" regions, each of which has a start address and an end address. The first register and the second register of the hardware debugging support module are programmed with the start address and end address of a region which contains a specific address. The comparator is connected to the first register and second register of the hardware debugging support module and is also connected to the bus which connects the read-only memory to the processor. The comparator monitors addresses traveling on the bus and causes the hardware debugging support module to interrupt the processor and transfer control of the computer program to the debugger if a specific address traveling on the bus does not fall within the range defined by the first register and the second register. The debugger then searches the remaining "n+1" regions to see if the specific address lies within a second region. If such a region is found, then the start address and end address of that second region are entered into the first register and the second register and the computer program is run. However, if such a region is not found, then the computer program has reached a break point and the debugger transfers control of the program to the user. The computer program can then be single stepped to execute the instruction at which the break point was placed to obtain an output address. The start address and end address of the region that contain this output address are programmed into the first register and the second register and the computer program is run. This process is repeated until the entire computer program has been executed.

In order to develop software, it is important to have debugging tools to find bugs or errors in the software. One of the important features of a debugger is the ability to set break points on an instruction and get control of the computer program to examine its state when the flow of control of the program reaches the break point. Typical computer systems or peripheral debug diagnostic systems, for example, logic analyzers, implement break points by using individual registers. A register is a memory element storing a plurality of bits. Each bit in the register can be a logical 0 or a logical 1, as is common in digital computer systems. Thus, the break point is defined by a bit pattern of logical 0's and logical 1's called a break point code, which is stored in the register. In general, a debugger is expected to support multiple break points since there might be multiple points of interest to the user. To implement break points, the user first specifies an address (A) to the debugger where the program must break in order to activate the break point. The debugger then replaces the software instruction at address (A) with a break instruction.
Subsequently, during the execution of the computer program, if the break instruction is executed, control is transferred to the debugger which either prints a message or waits for user input. This transfer of control allows a computer operator to then scrutinize various contents of the computer system to examine if the computer system is in a proper state at the time of recognition, that is, at the break point. When the program execution needs to be continued, the break point instruction is replaced with the actual instruction which had originally been present in the computer program. This approach works well when the program to be debugged exists in a memory location which can be written to by the user. However, in embedded systems, the computer program usually resides in read-only memory (ROM), which cannot be written to by the user. Thus, the above approach of replacing the instruction at the break point with a break point instruction is not possible.
One prior art approach of debugging programs in ROM is to always single step the program, as known in the art, and compare the address of the instruction to be executed with a previously-specified list of break points set by the user. Using this approach, any number of break points can be supported in the debugging program without the need for any extra hardware support. However, this single-step approach is rarely used because it is extremely slow. The execution time of the program in a debugging mode is several orders of magnitude slower than the actual program which makes for a very unpleasant debugging experience.
A second alternate prior art approach to debug computer programs that are present in ROM is to provide additional hardware to support break points in ROM. This approach has been used by embedded processors like the ARM, Lucent 1600, Lucent 16000, TI C54X, etc. embedded processors.
Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which depicts an example of the second prior art approach to debug computer programs that are present in ROM by providing additional hardware to support break points in ROM. In the prior art, a hardware debugging support module 5 consists of a break point address list 7 and a comparator 6 as shown in FIG. 1. The output of break point address list 7 is connected to comparator 6 within hardware debugging support module 5. Comparator 6 taps into address bus 14 which transfers information between processor 12 and memory 10 of the computer system. A predetermined user defined list of break point addresses is stored in break point address list 7. When hardware debugging support module 5 is in operation, comparator 6 compares the actual condition existing on address bus 14, i.e., the address being passed between processor 12 and memory 10, with the list of addresses that are stored in break point address list 7. When comparator 6 finds a match between a signal on address bus 14 and an address stored in break point address list 7, comparator 6 signals that a break point has been recognized, and hardware debugging support module 5 interrupts processor 12 and transfers control to the debugger. Since the comparison performed by comparator 6 must be done at the speed of processor 12 and the silicon resources needed for storing the list of break point addresses in break point address list 7 is large, prior art processors limit break points to an extremely small and finite number. Generally, only one breakpoint address can be loaded into one of the registers at any one time. Thus, to implement a plurality of break points requires a plurality of break point registers which increases the complexity and cost of the hardware. Generally, break point address list 7 is implemented using one or two registers, thereby limiting the debugger to the use of only one or two break points. Thus, it is desirable to provide for a new technique that allows for the placement of a greater number of break points in ROM with a finite amount of hardware resources.

System for debugging (N) break points by dividing a computer program to (n+1) regions each contains no break point and using two registers to define the start and end addresses of each region


A toothbrush includes a hollow handle which has an outer sleeve made of an elastomeric material which can be expanded or contracted to provide an adjustable diameter grip.

It has been found that there is a preference by users of toothbrushes to have a number of different gripping styles which could be used by the consumers when brushing their teeth. Given these different styles it is difficult to design one handle shape which will accommodate this multitude of gripping styles. It would be desirable if it were possible to provide a toothbrush handle having the capability of being adjustable in its diameter and to a lesser extent in its overall length. Such a handle with an adjustable grip would lend itself to help people with different types of disabilities, such as arthritis, to properly brush their teeth.


A negative active material of a rechargeable lithium battery includes a crystalline carbon core having an intensity ratio Ra I(1360)/I(1580) of a Raman Spectroscopy peak intensity I(1360) at a (1360) plane to an Raman Spectroscopy peak intensity I(1580) at a (1580) plane of 0.01 to 0.45 and a shell with a turbostratic or half-onion ring structure coated on the core, the shell including crystalline micro-particles and a semi-crystalline carbon, the shell having an intensity ratio Ra I(1360)/I(1580) of a Raman Spectroscopy peak intensity I(1360) at a (1360) plane to a Raman Spectroscopy peak intensity I(1580) at a (1580) plane of 0.46 to 1.5.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery and a method of preparing the same and more particularly, to a negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery exhibiting good discharge capacity, efficiency, and cycle life characteristics and a method of preparing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A negative active material for a rechargeable lithium battery uses carbonaceous materials such as amorphous carbon or crystalline carbon. Among these carbonaceous materials, crystalline carbon such as artificial graphite and natural graphite is widely used because of its high capacity.
It is considered that natural graphite exhibits a higher charge and discharge capacity than artificial graphite, and hence satisfies the demands for batteries with higher capacity. However, high reactivity of the natural graphite limits the electrolyte. In addition, natural graphite is easily plate-shaped by pulverizing and sieving, which increases the degree of graphitization (crystallinity) to increase capacity. The plate-shaped graphite deteriorates battery performance factors.
To overcome such problems, various studies on development of a negative active material that exhibits advantages of both a crystalline carbon and an amorphous carbon have been undertaken.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-265417 SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD. discloses a negative active material, including a crystalline carbon core and a semi-crystalline carbon shell formed on the core. The shell includes elements serving as graphitization catalysts.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-261046 discloses a negative active material which is produced by oxidize-heat treating graphite powder and shaving a surface of the resultant to break a closed structure of the surface of the graphite into an open structure followed by heat-treating it while rapidly increasing the temperature, thus re-forming a closed structure of the surface of the graphite. The graphite powder is produced by carbonizing carbonaceous materials, and pulverizing and graphitizing it. However, even though the negative active material has substantially no reactivity with the electrolyte, it has a lower discharge capacity than natural graphite.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,403,259 discloses a negative active material produced by grinding natural graphite or artificial graphite and coating the resulting material with a carbon precursor. The negative active material exhibits improved storage properties at a high temperature, better discharge characteristics at a low temperature, and it has a density of 1.20 g/cc. However, a low-crystallinity carbon surface having reactivity with an electrolyte may be present on the negative active material.

Negative active material for rechargeable lithium battery and method of preparing same


A method for producing an optoelectronic component may include forming a first electrode on a substrate, forming an organic functional layer structure on the first electrode; forming a second electrode on the organic functional layer structure, forming at least one contact for making contact with the first and/or second electrode, forming an encapsulation layer above the layer structure and the contact, removing the encapsulation layer above the contact with the aid of an anisotropic etching method, and cooling the substrate during the anisotropic etching method.

Optoelectronic components including organic functional layers often have encapsulation layers above the organic functional layers, which protect the organic functional layers, for example against moisture. The encapsulation layers are applied for example by means of deposition methods, for example by means of atomic layer deposition or chemical vapor deposition. Applying the encapsulation layers involves encapsulating not only the organic functional layers, but also contacts provided for making contact with electrodes between which the organic functional layers are arranged. Making contact with such coated, encapsulated contacts cannot be carried out in a simple manner. In order to expose the contacts it is known to uncover them by scraping manually, which is very time-consuming and thus costly.

Method for producing an optoelectronic component, and optoelectronic component


An induction furnace capable of operation at temperatures of over 3100xc2x0 C. has a cooling assembly (60), which is selectively mounted to an upper end of the furnace wall (76). The cooling assembly includes a dome and a lifting mechanism (80), mounted to the dome, which raises a cap (16) of the furnace slightly, allowing hot gases from the hot zone to mix with cooler gas in the dome.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an induction furnace suited to operation at temperatures of around 3000xc2x0 C. and above. It finds particular application in conjunction with the graphitization of pitch fibers and other carbon-containing fibers and will be described with particular reference thereto. It should be appreciated, however, that the furnace is also suited to other high temperature processes, such as halogen purification of graphitic materials to remove metal impurities.
2. Discussion of the Art
Batch induction furnaces have been used for many years for fiber graphitization and other high temperature operations. A typical induction furnace includes an electrically conductive vessel, known as a susceptor. A time-varying electromagnetic field is generated by an alternating current (ac) flowing in an induction heating coil. The magnetic field generated by the coil passes through the susceptor. The magnetic field induces currents in the susceptor, which generate heat. The material to be heated is contained within the susceptor in what is commonly referred to as the xe2x80x9chot zone,xe2x80x9d or hottest part of the furnace.
For operations which require high temperatures, of up to about 3000xc2x0 C., graphite is a preferred material for forming the susceptor, since it is both electrically conductive and able to withstand very high temperatures. There is a tendency, however, for the graphite to sublime, turning to vapor. Sublimation increases markedly as the temperature rises above about 3100xc2x0 C. Because of variations in temperature throughout the susceptor, furnace life at a nominal operating temperature of about 3100xc2x0 C. is typically measured in weeks. Life at 3400xc2x0 C. is often only a matter of hours. Thus, furnaces which are operated at temperatures of over 3000xc2x0 C. tend to suffer considerable downtime for replacement of components.
Graphitization of carbon-containing fibers, in particular, benefits from treatment temperatures of over 3000xc2x0 C. For example, in the formation of lithium batteries, uptake of lithium is dependent on the temperature of graphitization, improving as the graphitization temperature increases. Some improvements in the heat distribution throughout the susceptor have been accomplished by measuring the temperature at different points within the furnace during heating using pyrometers. Different densities of induction power are then delivered to multiple sections of the susceptor along its length, according to the measured temperatures. However, pyrometers are prone to failure and need recalibration over time.
To increase the lifetime of the susceptor, it is desirable to cool the furnace rapidly once the high temperature heating operation is complete. Typically, cooling coils carry water around the furnace. However, because the furnace is generally well insulated, it often takes about a week to cool the furnace down from its operating temperature. In some applications, heat exchangers are employed to speed cooling. In such designs, the furnace is cooled to a temperature of about 1500xc2x0 C. by heat loss through the furnace insulation. Then, valves above and below the hot zone are opened and forced circulation through an external heat exchanger is begun. This system works well for furnaces that are rarely operated above 2800xc2x0 C. In furnaces that are routinely operated above 3000xc2x0 C., the frequent replacement of hot zone components renders these designs expensive to operate. In other designs, the loose insulation material above the furnace is knocked off the furnace to speed cooling. As a result, the insulation needs to be replaced after each furnace run.
The present invention provides a new and improved induction furnace and method of use, which overcome the above-referenced problems, and others.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a furnace is provided. The furnace includes a vessel which defines an interior chamber for receiving items to be treated and a heating means which heats the vessel. A cap selectively closes the vessel interior chamber. A cooling assembly includes a dome which defines a chamber and a lifting mechanism which selectively lifts the cap allowing hot gas to flow from the vessel interior chamber to the dome.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a cooling assembly for a furnace is provided. The cooling assembly includes a dome which defines an interior chamber. A cooling means cools the dome. The assembly includes means for selectively providing fluid communication between a hot zone of the induction furnace and the dome and means for controlling the communicating means in accordance with at least one of a temperature of the hot zone and a temperature of the interior chamber.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, an induction furnace is provided. The furnace includes a susceptor which defines an interior chamber for receiving items to be treated, the susceptor being formed from graphite. An induction coil induces a current in the susceptor to heat the susceptor. A layer of flexible graphite, exterior to the susceptor, inhibits escape of carbon vapor which has sublimed from the susceptor.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of operating a furnace is provided. The method includes heating items to be treated in a first chamber which contains a gas and actively cooling a second chamber which contains a gas. The second chamber is selectively fluidly connectable with the first chamber. After the step of heating, the first chamber is cooled by selectively fluidly connecting the first chamber with the second chamber, thereby allowing heat to flow from the gas in the first chamber to the gas in the second chamber.
An advantage of at least one embodiment of the present invention is that significant increases in furnace life are obtained.
Another advantage of at least one embodiment of the present invention is that cool down times are reduced.
Another advantage of at least one embodiment of the present invention is that the cooling assembly is readily removable from the furnace, simplifying removal and replacement of the susceptor and other hot zone components.
Other advantages of at least one embodiment of the present invention derive from greater accuracy in monitoring variations in furnace temperature throughout the furnace.
Still further advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, upon a reading of the following disclosure and a review of the accompanying drawings.

Induction furnace for high temperature operation


Described herein is a device and method for stimulating testosterone production in a subject. The device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a power source. The first electrode is configured to contact the skin in the pubic region of the subject and is electrically coupled to the power source. The second electrode is configured to contact the skin on the scrotum of the subject and is also electrically coupled to the power source. The power source is configured to deliver about 6 volts or less to the first or second electrodes. The device may further include a snug fitting undergarment for maintaining contact between the first and second electrodes and the subject's skin. The method is directed to the application of a low voltage to the testicles of a subject to stimulate the production of testosterone.

Testosterone is one of the hormones in men that spur the development of secondary sexual characteristics. Testosterone is produced by the testes in response to certain hormonal and nervous system stimulation. Testosterone production typically peaks in the late teens and early twenties and gradually declines with age. It has been estimated that one third of men over the age of 45 years of age have low testosterone levels.
Normally, a male's total testosterone blood level is in the range of about 270 ng/dL to about 1070 ng/dL (about 9 nmol/L to about 38 nmol/L), with free testosterone blood levels falling in the range of about 50 pg/mL to about 210 pg/mL (about 174 pmol/L to about 729 pmol/L). Levels below these ranges indicate clinically low testosterone levels. Individuals having lower testosterone levels, but not low enough to result in a clinical diagnosis of a low testosterone level may also suffer from symptoms associated with the lower level.
The symptoms of low testosterone levels in males include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, loss of body and/or facial hair, weakened bones, increased body fat, and fatigue. Currently, subjects with symptoms of low testosterone levels are treated with hormone replacement therapy such as Androgel® and Testim®. Testosterone replacements are typically applied transdermally or transmucosally and can have a number of side effects including rash, itching, or irritation at the site where the testosterone is applied. There is also the potential for benign prostatic hypertrophy, prostate cancer, sleep apnea, erythrocytosis, and congestive heart failure with these hormone replacement therapies. Methods of safely increasing the endogenous production of testosterone are needed that may avoid some or all of the potential side effects of testosterone hormone replacement therapies.

Method and device for increasing testosterone production in a male


A vulcanizing system including a tire transferring apparatus or a mold opening/closing station arranged equidistantly to a plurality of vulcanizing stations, thereby achieving a reduced equipment cost and a reduced installation space with a higher manufacturing efficiency.

As a tire vulcanizing equipment, there has been conventionally and widely used a vulcanizing apparatus 311 as illustrated in a schematic front view of FIG. 21. Although the apparatus 311 is provided with two pairs of vulcanizing molds 312 and these vulcanizing molds 312 are actually operated in a mutually synchronized manner, the left half of the drawing illustrates a state where the associated vulcanizing mold 312 is about to accommodate therein a green tire 313 and the right half illustrates a state where a vulcanized tire 314 is being taken out of the associated vulcanizing mold 312.
In this apparatus 311, both of the vulcanizing molds 312 are arranged within a plane in postures where central axes of the tires 313, 314 become vertical, thereby allowing two tires to be simultaneously vulcanized at once.
In addition to the vulcanizing molds 312 each comprising upper and lower mold-pieces 312A, 312B, this apparatus 311 includes: mold opening/closing means 317 for opening and closing the molds 312 by displacing an upper platen 316 and the upper mold-piece 312A upward and downward relative to a lower platen 315; and carrying in/out means (not shown) for delivering the green tire 313 into the apparatus, and for taking the vulcanized tire 314 out of the apparatus, for example; so that the apparatus 311 is constitutionally adaptable to various producing situations.
Although the production ability of tires is to be determined by the number of installed sets of such apparatuses 311, there is a recent tendency that the vulcanizing time is extended such as with reduced lots of many types of tires, large-sized tires, and higher performance of tires in addition to a tendency of increased production amount of tires, thereby obliging the number of sets of apparatuses 311 to be further increased to deal with both of the above tendencies.
Under such circumstances, it is strongly desired to develop a tire vulcanizing system capable of dealing with both of the above tendencies by a reduced installation space and a lower equipment cost under the restrictions of an installation space of apparatuses and of an equipment cost, as compared with a situation where many sets of the above-mentioned apparatuses 311 are simply arranged within a plane.
In view of the above, JP-A-9-48026 has proposed a tire vulcanizing apparatus in which vulcanizers are constituted by arranging a plurality of molds in postures where central axes of tires are horizontally oriented, and one mold opening/closing apparatus is provided correspondingly to four molds, thereby contemplating a reduced installation space and a reduced equipment cost. However, this proposal is also to move the mold opening/closing apparatus to a position corresponding to each vulcanizer so as to take a mold into and out of the corresponding vulcanizer at each position and to eject a vulcanized tire from the mold and set a green tire into the mold, in a manner to require a space for moving the mold opening/closing apparatus itself and a moving apparatus therefor as well as a space and an apparatus for temporarily placing vulcanized tires and green tires at respective moved positions, thereby failing to sufficiently lower the installation cost.
Moreover, since the moving times of the mold opening/closing apparatuses between the respective vulcanizers are different depending on the positions of the vulcanizers in the above proposed tire vulcanizing apparatus, it is required to determine a vulcanizing cycle on the basis of a period of time during which the mold opening/closing apparatus moves between the most separated two vulcanizers, thereby resulting in an extended cycle time and a deteriorated throughput per unit time.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tire vulcanizing system capable of remarkably increasing a productivity while sufficiently and exemplarily dealing with various vulcanizing conditions, even with a reduced installation space and an effectively restricted equipment cost.

Tire vulcanizing system and tire manufacturing method to be used therefor


A tire pressure monitoring system receiver includes a storage unit to store transmitter IDs associated with a plurality tire pressure monitoring system transmitters, a receiving unit to receive a transmitted tire pressure monitoring system telegram and a transmitted checksum, a calculating unit to calculate a test checksum from the received telegram and one of the stored IDs, a comparing unit to compare the test checksum with the transmitted checksum, and an identification unit to identify a source transmitter from the test checksum in response to finding a match between the test checksum and the transmitted checksum.

Direct measuring TPMSs are becoming a common feature in modem vehicles. These systems consist of two main system components: sensing modules placed inside each wheel and a central reception unit placed inside the vehicle. A sensing module of a direct measuring TMPS has three main contributions to the overall energy consumption. These are power down current between active operation, radio frequency (RF) transmission and sensor measurements. All known direct measuring TPMSs rely on locally stored energy in order to operate and transmit information. The stored energy is in the form of a battery or is accumulated in small amounts from the surroundings.
A problem with such TMPSs is how to minimize the total amount of energy needed for operation, thereby minimizing the overall cost, volume and weight of the sensing modules.

Tire pressure monitoring system telegram with suppressed ID


A cut, strip and wrap tool for removing insulation from a wire while wrapping about a terminal, comprising on a rotatable bit a wire-receiving slot which is circumferentially offset from a sleeve window at one end to a cutter at the opposite end. The bit configuration is such that both left hand and right hand loading of the wire by the operator is allowed.

There exist a number of commercially available cut, strip and wrap tools. Their use is for wire-wrapping electrical conductors about a terminal post typically mounted on terminals, connectors, terminal boards or printed circuit boards for mounting electrical components. In use, the operator loads an insulated wire into a wire receiving cavity in the front end face of a rotatable wrapping bit surrounded by a fixed sleeve mounted on a gun-type electrical or pneumatic hand tool, pushes the wire through a wire slot on the bit until it exits from a window at the sleeve rear, then pulls the wire into a notch at the sleeve front end, pushes the tool onto the terminal, which enters a terminal receiving bore in the bit, and then presses the gun trigger. This causes the bit to rotate within the sleeve, pulling the wire free end back through the tool. In this process, a cutter in the sleeve window cuts the wire end to define a predetermined wire length, and an insulation stripper on the bit close to its end face strips off the insulation, and the resultant bare wire is wrapped around the terminal. Various sleeve and bit configurations have been patented. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,781,932; 4,329,777; and 4,380,111 are examples of several configurations.
The known tools exhibit various drawbacks. As examples, some of the known tools do not readily permit loading of the wire from either the right or left side; cutting of the wire is not always optimum, which sometimes distorts the conductor shape at the cut end; the insulation is not always cut all the way around before the stripping action.

Cutting, stripping and wire-wrapping hand tool


Disclosed herein is an apparatus that includes a memory cell array including a plurality of word lines each coupled to a plurality of memory cells, and a control circuit configured to activate first and second internal signals in a time-di vision manner in response to a first external command. A first number of the word lines are selected in response to the first internal signal, and a second number of the word line is selected in response to the second internal signal, the second number is smaller than the first number.

If accesses are concentrated to the same word line in a semiconductor device such as a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), information storage characteristics of memory cells coupled to word lines adjacent to that word line may be decreased. To solve this problem, a refresh operation for the memory cells coupled to the adjacent word lines is sometimes performed in addition to the normal refresh operation to prevent loss of information of the relevant memory cells. This additional refresh operation is called "row hammer refresh".
Generally, the row hammer refresh operation is performed so as to interrupt the normal refresh operation. Accordingly, if the frequency of the row hammer refresh operations is increased, it leads to a problem that the number of the normal refresh operations is reduced and the refresh cycle becomes longer.

Semiconductor device performing row hammer refresh operation


The present invention provides nonlinear compensating apparatus and transmitter. The nonlinear compensating apparatus comprises: an information acquiring unit to acquire a symbol information sequence of the pulse information input by a transmitting side; a perturbation quantity calculating unit to calculate the weighted sum of the interaction of the pulses of several items at several different instants relative to the current instant, to obtain the perturbation quantity produced by the current instant nonlinear effect on a transmission link of a certain length; and an information compensating unit to compensate for the symbol information sequence of the pulses at the current instant acquired by the information acquiring unit by using the perturbation quantity obtained by the perturbation quantity calculating unit, so as to obtain the symbol information sequence compensated at the current instant to cause the transmitting side to transmit signals according to the compensated symbol information sequence. The apparatus corrects the symbol information sequence of the pulse signals input by a transmitting side, with the complexity of calculation being low, and the apparatus is applicable to single-polarization and dual-polarization multiplexing systems, and at the same time, compatible with any modulation format.

Nonlinearity in a channel is an inherent damage in an optical transmission system and is resulted from the Kerr Effect of the optical fiber. The effect of nonlinearity in the channel on the system includes: timing jitter, signal amplitude fluctuation and generation of ghost pulse, etc. [1].
When the rate of a single channel reaches 40-60 Gbits/s or higher, due to the effect of the dispersion, the pulses within the same channel will be greatly widened and overlap each other, with an energy exchange occurring between the overlapped pulses under the effect of the nonlinearity. In such a case, even though the remaining dispersion within the link is compensated at the receiving side, the system will still be subjected to severe nonlinear damage. And along with the increase in the capacity of the optical fiber transmission system, simple intensity modulation formats will be gradually replaced by more complex multidimensional modulation technologies. A higher incident power is often required in order to ensure that a complex modulation format has a sufficient signal to noise ratio, resulting in the increase in the nonlinear penalty of the system.
Currently, for a long-haul optical communication system, such schemes as link design, digital signal processing (DSP) of a receiver and encoding of transmitted signal, etc. are adopted to compensate or weaken the effect of the nonlinearity in the channel on the system. Following is a brief description of these schemes.
1) Scheme of Link Design:
The nonlinearity in the channel is weakened by adding an optical phase conjugate unit in the link, and in this way, the transmission haul may be increased to 6400 km from 5200 km [2].
2) Scheme of digital signal processing of a receiver, including a processing based on the channel inversion and a processing based on a nonlinear electrical filter, and wherein,
the processing based on the channel inversion: using the coherent receiver to obtain the electrical field signal containing an amplitude and phase of the signal light after being transmitted via a link, and constructing a virtual link completely opposite to the link parameters (dispersion coefficient, nonlinear coefficient and attenuation coefficient) according to the link configuration; and then passing the received electrical field signal through the virtual link, thereby compensating the damage of nonlinearity of the signal;
the processing based on a nonlinear electrical filter [5]: using a nonlinear electrical filter to equalize the signal being deteriorated by the nonlinearity.
3) Scheme of pre-compensating or encoding the transmitted signal at a transmitter side, comprising a pre-compensating scheme based on the channel inversion [7], a encoding scheme [8] and a new modulation scheme, wherein
Pre-compensating scheme based on the channel inversion [7]: firstly obtaining through calculation a signal of a transmission sequence with a certain length (a combination of various bits) after passing through a virtual link, and then transmitting a corresponding pre-compensating waveform according to the information sequence through a lookup table;
Encoding scheme [8]: reducing the times of occurrence of the worst bit sequence under the effect of the nonlinearity within the channel by increasing redundance;
New modulation scheme [9]: as to the OOK amplitude modulation signal, reducing effectively the effect of the four-wave mixing within the channel according to the phase of each of the symbols of the bit sequence.
However, it is found by the applicant in the implementation of the present invention that following defects exist in the above prior art:
1) the scheme of link design is not applicable to a laid optical fiber link and at the same time, there is no mature commercial module corresponding to the optical phase conjugate technology;
2) if the receiver adopts the scheme based on the channel inversion, it needs to solve the nonlinear Schrodinger equation by generally using a steply Fourier algorithm, and the system complexity depends on the size of the step to a certain extent; when the step is less than ⅓ of the span of the optical fiber, the performance of the compensation is optimal and thus, the complexity of calculation is excessively high, and even though the step is equal to the length of the span of the optical fiber, the number of multiplication needed in such scheme is more than 100 times greater than the linear filters needed to compensate the dispersion in the compensating link, which is a great challenge to the existing DSP technology [3][4];
3) the scheme in which the receiver side is based on nonlinear filters: in comparison with the scheme based on the channel inversion, the calculation complexity of this scheme is not reduced and even higher; and at the same time, since the processed signal is the signal after distortion (nonlinearity, frequency difference, and laser linewidth), it is somewhat difficult in algorithm convergence;
4) the pre-compensating scheme in which the transmitter side is based on the channel inversion: when the memory length of the system is relatively large, such as in a wireless dispersion compensating system, the number of the interactive symbols will reach 100 orders, and at this time, the size of the lookup table is 2100 or 4100 (dependent on the modulation scheme), which is hard to be realized;
5) the scheme of encoding at the transmitter side: the information rate is compromised.
Some documentations advantageous to the understanding of the present invention and the prior art are listed below, which are incorporated herein by reference, as they are stated fully in this text.                [1] IEEE PTL Vol. 12, No. 4, 2000, Antonio Mecozzi et. al.;        [2] OFC2004, PDP32, Chowdhury;        [3] Journal of Lightwave Technology, 2008, Kahn et. al.;        [4] IEEE Photonics Journal Volume 1, Number 2, August 2009; F. Yaman et. al.;        [5] JOURNAL OF LIGHTWAVE TECHNOLOGY, VOL. 25, NO. 4, APRIL 2007, Chunmin Xia;        [6] ECOC, 2009, Yan Gao;        [7] IEEE Photonics Technology Lett., Vol. 18, 2006, pp. 403-405, K. Roberts et. al.;        [8] Journal Of Lightwave Technology, 2006, Vladimir Pechenkin et. al.;        [9] IEEE Photonics Technology Letters 2007, Ivan B. Djordjevic;        [10] Electrical domain compensation of non-linear effects in an optical communications system, CN1795627A, published on Jun. 28, 2006;        [11] Suppression of the Nonlinear Kerr Effect in Optical Fiber Communication Systems by Dispersion Management and Optical Phase Conjugation, a doctorial dissertation of Tsinghua University, November, 2006.

Nonlinear compensating apparatus and transmitter


An air bag device for a vehicular passenger, includes: a box-shaped container having an open front face; an air bag confined in a folded shape in the container; an inflator attached to the container; a lid covering the front face of the container; a lid mounting bracket disposed along the upper face of the container; and a backup plate forming the lid and having its upper face extended to the back of the lid to provide a lid mounting portion fixed on the lid mounting bracket. Further, a load transmitting member is interposed between the lid mounting bracket and the upper face of the container for transmitting a load, which is applied to the lid mounting bracket toward the container, to the container.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air bag device which is mounted in the instrument panel of a vehicle for extending an air bag to protect a passenger at the time of a collision of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the air bag device for a vehicular passenger, a folded air bag and an inflator are confined in a container, and a lid is so attached to the container as to cover the air bag. When the vehicle collides, the inflator operates to inflate the air bag. Then, the lid is pushed by the air bag being expanded and is opened into the cabin so that the air bag is largely extended into the cabin to protect the passenger.
In FIGS. 5 to 7 showing an air bag device of the prior art: FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the overall structure before the air bag is inflated; FIG. 6 is a side elevation; and FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view.
In this air bag device 10, a lid 14 is attached to the open front face of a box-shaped container 12. An inflator 16 is fixed in the container 12. An air bag 18 is folded and fitted in the container 12 and is fixed by means of bolts 19 to side portions 125.
The container 12 is formed in its upper and lower walls with a number of aspiration holes 20. When the inflator 16 is activated to inject its gases into the container 12 to inflate the air bag 18, air flows through those aspiration holes 20 into the container 12 to extend the air bag 18 quickly.
The lid 14 is composed of a backup plate 22 made of an aluminum alloy and a soft cover 24 covering the front face of the plate 22. This plate 22 has its upper edge extending over the container 12 to provide a lid mount 26.
To the upper face of the container 12, there is spot-welded a lid mounting bracket 28. This lid mounting bracket 28 is extended along the upper face of the container 12 and formed with a number of bolt holes 30. The lid mount 26 is also formed with a number of corresponding bolt holes 32, through which it is fixed on the lid mounting bracket 28 by means of bolts 84 and nuts.
As shown in FIG. 7, the container 12 has its back face recessed to receive the inflator 16. Moreover, this back face is slitted at 36 to introduce the injected gases of the inflator 16 into the container 12. The inflator 16 is held in the container 12 by an inflator cover 38. This inflator cover 38 is fixed on the container 12 by means of bolts 40. Numeral 42 designates slits for passing the bolts 40 therethrough. When the inflator 16 operates, the lid 14 is pushed, as indicated in broken line 14A, by the air bag, and is opened into the cabin, as shown by an arrow 14B.
Incidentally, the inflator 16 is thus arranged on the back of the container 12 but may be arranged in the container 12.
The air bag device for a vehicular passenger of this kind has to damp the impact which is caused when the passenger hits it or the instrument panel over it. In the prior art, therefore, the air bag device for a vehicular passenger has its container and the like constructed such that it is gradually deformed to absorb the impact, if applied.

Air bag lid mounting bracket having a load transmitting member


Described herein are water desalination membranes and methods of desalinating water. Sulfonated poly(arylene ether) polymers are also disclosed, including those comprising one or more sulfonate groups at various points along the polymer chain. The polymers may be used as at least a portion of a water desalination membrane. The polymers described herein are useful for preventing transport of aqueous ionic species (e.g., Na+ and Cl−) across a membrane made from the polymers while allowing water to pass. Chlorine-stable polymers are described, as well as polymers exhibiting good performance for rejecting monovalent cations in the presence of polyvalent cations.

Clean water is critical to the safety, security and survivability of mankind. Nearly 41% of the Earth's population lives in water-stressed areas, and water scarcity will be exacerbated by an increasing population. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, ˜96.5% of the Earth's water is located in seas and oceans with the remaining in surface and ground water, mostly frozen in glaciers and ice caps. Approximately 96% of the total water is saline, and only ˜0.8% is considered to be accessible fresh water. Thus, saltwater desalination is important for tackling the problem of water scarcity. Thermal desalination methods are not energetically efficient because they rely on an energy-intensive phase change and require a large quantity of fuel to vaporize the water. Membrane based desalination processes are more economical and energetically efficient than thermal methods for seawater desalination and for other related water purification applications. Anionic sulfonated poly(arylene ether) membranes for water desalination have been shown to have high water permeability and good rejection of monovalent salts (e.g., NaCl), but prior membranes made from such materials are typically not very good at rejecting monovalent ions (e.g., Na+ Cl−) in the presence of polyvalent cations (e.g., Ca2+, Mg2+, etc.). Given that polyvalent salts are found in virtually all saline water and surface water sources, further development is needed.

Sulfonated poly(arylene ether) membranes with high monovalent salt rejection even in the presence of mixed salt feeds that contain multivalent salts

Board of Regents, The University of Texas System

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.


According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of manufacturing a flexible printed interconnect board, including an insulating base film; a conductive pattern that is layered on one surface side of the base film; and a plurality of connection terminals that are fixed to a terminal connection area on one edge side of the conductive pattern, includes: fixing the plurality of connection terminals in parallel to a component fixing jig; and mounting the plurality of fixed connection terminals together with the component fixing jig.

A flexible printed interconnect board includes a plurality of connection terminals that are connected to a conductive pattern an electronic device (see International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 2010/004439). The plurality of connection terminals may be attached, for example, by solder, one by one to a connection area provided on the surface of the flexible printed interconnect board.

Method of manufacturing flexible printed interconnect board

SUMITOMO ELECTRIC PRINTED CIRCUITS, INC.


An active pattern structure includes a lower active pattern protruding from an upper surface of a substrate in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the substrate, a buffer structure on the lower active pattern, at least a portion of which may include aluminum silicon oxide, and an upper active pattern on the buffer structure.

Example embodiments relate to an active pattern structure and a semiconductor device including the same. More particularly, example embodiments relate to a finFET including a buffer structure.
When an active fin is formed during the fabrication of a finFET, the active fin may have a width increasing from an upper portion to a lower portion due to the characteristics of a patterning process, and thus currents may concentrate on the upper portion of the active fin or leakage currents may be generated in the lower portion of the active fin. Particularly, due to the scale down of the active fin, the leakage currents may increase in the lower portion of the active fin.

Active pattern structure and semiconductor device including the same


Method, apparatus, and system of powering gaming machine devices over an Ethernet connection. A Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) connection point communicates with and powers a PoE device performing operations for a wagering game presented on the gaming machine. The PoE connection point and PoE device are powered by a different power source than the gaming machine and continue operating and communicating after the gaming machine power source fails.

A wide variety of computerized wagering game machines (a.k.a. gaming machines) are now available to casino operators and players. Computerized wagering game machines range from slot machines to games that are traditionally played live, such as poker, blackjack, roulette, etc. These computerized gaming machines provide many benefits to game owners and players, including increased reliability over mechanical machines, greater game variety, improved sound and animation, and lower overall management cost.
Wagering game machines typically include power supplies that provide power to their central processing units (CPU) and peripheral devices. For example, a wagering game machine's bill validator typically processes currency and performs other operations using power from the wagering game machine's internal power supply. Typically, if the wagering game machine's internal power supply is not plugged into a wall socket, the CPU and peripheral devices will not have power needed for performing gaming machine operations. If the CPU is not running, most peripheral devices are not needed. However, some peripheral devices may be needed even when the gaming machine's internal power supply cannot provide power to the CPU and other peripheral devices.

Powering devices in wagering game machines


The invention relates to a radiant energy powered water heating methods and apparatus, particularly, to the open-loop solar radiation collection systems. At least one nozzle is directed against a reflection surface facing an evaporation surface to spray at least one jet with reflection to diffuse the fluid within the inner cavity in an atomized plume having the evaporation surface been moisturized by a part of the sprayed fluid and said moisturizing part of the sprayed fluid been sufficiently vaporized or evaporated (see FIG. 3).

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for collecting heat, such as solar radiant, energy by heating fluid, such as water. Particularly, the invention concerns a radiation collection system which comprises radiation-collection element and which may be a part of a water heating system in a building or facility. More particularly, the present invention relates to the open-loop solar energy powered systems providing hot water for domestic or other use simultaneously using it as a heat-collection and heat-transfer medium.
In solar collector panel (U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,701 to Buckley, publ. 1981 Mar. 31), which may be used in conventional open-loop solar water heating system, in its heat transmission module, a natural-circulation, solar collector, storage tank, insulation means for insulating and separating the storage tank from collector, and other unrelated parts are fabricated as a unitary structure capable of bearing load. Said panel solar collector is mounted with an inclination of a top solar-radiated surface to better receive radiant solar energy. Storage spread over wall surface acts as a thermal barrier to heat. When the circulating water temperature is low, the additional heating of the whole water storage tank is possible. However, with increasing the temperature of circulating water, sufficiently decreases the heat transfer through the collector wall and, correspondingly, the solar collection efficiency (at instantaneous solar radiation 850 W/m2 for the circulating water temperature 50-70 degrees higher than the ambient temperature, the real efficiency of the collectors with advanced black-chrome glazed coatings is about 30-45%). The limited solar collection efficiency determines the lower balance temperature and correspondingly limited water-heating capacity. Due to the low velocity of line-pressure water circulation, the minerals from the water precipitate, clogging the narrow channels of the collector. The panel solar collectors of open-loop systems are susceptible to freezing in the cold-winter climate.
Close-loop indirect circulation system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,100 to Yu (publ. 1983 Dec. 20) having the thermosyphon heat pipe water heating appliance uses latent heat of heat-transfer liquid in the separate low-pressure solar collector circuit connected to the tank. The collector is operated to vaporize the first heat-transfer fluid (Freon) to be condensed in upper duct so that the latent heat is transferred to the second low-pressure fluid in the tank with a ducting for passing to the third fluid (line-pressure water). The close-loop systems are complicated by having separate fluid circuits with energy losses at heat transfer from one circuit to another and sufficiently higher required circulating temperature of the first fluid that sufficiently decreases efficiency of solar collection. The evacuated-tube collectors using the heat-pipe principle, while more efficient than the flat-plate collectors at higher temperatures, are sufficiently more complex and expensive.
Close-loop indirect circulation system described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,682 to Hazan (publ. 2000 Sep. 19) having integrated flat solar radiation absorber panel and insulated fluid storage tank operates by thermosyphonic circulation of the heat-transfer liquid (demineralized water with added antifreeze substance, corrosion inhibitor, etc.) through the collector channels and conduits to the tank; an extended-length heat-exchange piping circuit with the line-pressure water; storage tank housing having a cold-water inlet port and hot-water outlet port and an electric water immersion heater. The two-circuit system has low heat-transfer and solar radiation collection efficiency and correspondingly low temperature of the water in the tank until the electric water immersion heater is used.
Modular solar radiation collector described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,187 to Wiegand (publ. 1978 Sep. 5) comprises spray means extending into the cavity formed by an upper radiation absorption surface and a lower drainage surface. Fluid is sprayed through nozzles spaced along water conduits situated in the internal cavity against the underside of said upper radiation absorption surface and drained through outlet means adjacent to the lower end cap. The spaced nozzle positioning against the underside of the upper radiation absorption surface creates its excessive moisturizing, which at comparatively week level of radiation, such as solar one, doesn't allow the water evaporating with its consequent condensation and latent heat utilization. Thus, due to low intensity heat transfer from said underside surface, the collector has low water-heating efficiency.
In the above prior art systems, the solar energy collection efficiency sufficiently decreases at high circulation temperature. Devices used, particularly, in the open-loop systems are characterized by low productivity and reliability, remarkably in the cold-winter climate. For increasing the heat-abstraction efficiency, the pulsating devices, as in the prior art apparatus described below, and corresponding methods may be used.
A boiling-film heat-transfer device containing a vertical copper tube with the heat transfer wall having an evaporation surface with the indentation of artificial pores of depth from 0.2 to 0.3 mm of the same diameter leads to a liquid film boiling with heat transfer enhancement up to 2.2-3.4 times comparatively with pool boiling (according to B. Haase, Der Warmeubergang am sidenden Rieselfilm, Chem. Tech., 22H, 5. (Mai, 1970) 283-287—see I. I. Gogonin, Heat transfer in boiling liquid in a film moving under gravity, Journal of Engineering Physics and Thermophysics, July-August, 2010, p. 876-881 (83-4), Ref. 4). The high-efficient film boiling of liquid is associated with restricting the vapor flow from the wall by the entrainment of a portion of moisturizing liquid from a film after vapor bubble collapse, which is technically hardly achievable because requires a very accurate tailoring of the film conditions.
A heat accumulating device in Japan Patent 56138645 to Wada Takahiro (publ. 1981 Oct. 29) comprises a solar radiation collector and a heat exchanger connected with an indoor air conditioner and provided with an atomizing device fitted with an ultrasonic-wave oscillating element, which is purposed to enable condensation of solution by means of a low-temperature heat source by applying ultrasonic waves to diluted solution to make the same atomized and by heating the same later to be vaporized in the device wherein heat radiation and heat accumulation are performed by repeating dilution and condensation of the solution. By atomizing the diluted solution by means of the sufficiently powerful ultrasonic-wave oscillating element, the surface area of the solution is increased and the vaporization rate is accelerated, while the size of the droplet of liquid and the atomization rate can be controlled by varying the frequency and output of the ultrasonic waves. However using powerful ultrasonic device to sufficiently improve in such a way the heat transfer compromises the device reliability and health safety and requires additional energy consumption.
A pulsator in U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,116 to Krauth and Brunnengraeber (publ. 1994 May 24) comprises a casing having an expansible elastic tube defining partially an expansible chamber and adapted for control of an intermittent opening in said chamber by closing pressure-controlled valve in contracting position in at least near line contact, an inlet with flow control communicated to said expansible chamber. When the pressure in the chamber exceeds a predetermined level, the valve will open to intermittently discharge pulses of liquid. The normally closed valve preferably comprises an annular contact surface to induce near-instantaneous opening during a pulsating cycle. The elastic tube device is not reliable and, due to rheological properties of the elastic tube material, not applicable for high-frequency low-volume pulse flow with sufficient momentum; the bulky and complex design of the elastic tube is intended for irrigation but doesn't match into small space of the internal cavity for the solar-radiation collection purposes. Due to the above-mentioned scale factor and elastic characteristics varying with the temperature change, the elastic tube device doesn't provide reliably intermittent pulsating flow of the heated water.
A pulsating device for converting pressurized low-rate continuous flow to high-rate intermittent pulsating flow in U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,436 to Ruttenberg (publ. 1996 Apr. 16), which may be used for increasing the heat abstraction efficiency, comprises a somewhat expandable chamber having flow inlet with controlled flow rate and outlet provided with a small-diameter tube having a deflector and nozzle at an opposite end and a normally-closed pressure-responsive valve having a preset pressure response to create a water hammer effect. The valve contains expandable elastic sleeve and openings, which create a pumping effect to admix air with the affluent stream, ejecting fluid from said expandable chamber through said outlet in a high rate causing the volume and pressure of the liquid in said chamber to decrease and to close said outlet and openings, thereby to complete a cycle of an intermittent pulsating flow. However, it's hard to provide reliable characteristics of said elastic sleeve, which controls said preset pressure level and the pulse characteristics applicable for high-frequency low-volume high-velocity pulsating flow. The elastic properties vary at wide temperature range and don't provide the device reliability with durable low-varying pulse characteristics. While the spray means connected to this pulsator is claimed to be capable to spray liquids to a large designated area, the air-enriched atomized flow has insufficient momentum for creating required distinctive velocity plume in the space of internal cavity of solar radiation collector and would decrease the heat-abstraction efficiency.
Device for water desalination described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,050 to Kaufmann (publ. 1997 Jul. 22), including the elements of the solar heat abstraction, comprises an element arranged in an inclined position and having a top solar-radiated surface and a bottom evaporation surface within container having an inlet for water to be desalted and outlet for water vaporized or evaporated at said element; condenser coupled to said outlet arranged in an upper area of said container; rinsing means connected to water feed pipe containing nozzles arranged to spray water in a distributed manner against said bottom evaporation surface. The device contains a draining pipe coupled to a lower area of said container; openings arranged there through which outside air can be drawn in; and a suction device coupled to the said outlet in an upper area. In the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,050 to Kaufmann, the water is sprayed against the underside of the element; in order to evacuate the evaporating water avoiding its condensation within the element and draining with downward-running part of the sprayed water, the outside air motion is provided by a fan situated at lower area and suction device in the upper area, which sufficiently complicates the device functioning and decrease the heat transfer intensity and efficiency. In order to provide necessary heating of the surface by solar radiation, the water sprayed preferably for period of only a few seconds at predetermined by controlled valve intervals up to 90 minutes. To clean the element rinsing away deposited salt, the water may be sprayed, for initial cooling, every 0.5 to 1.5 hours for 0.67 to 2 minutes or, at low temperature, every 1 to 1.5 minutes for 1 to 6 seconds, preferably 2 to 4 s, which at least 1-minute-long spraying intervals are determined by the time necessary for the evaporating water evacuation during the solar-radiation powered evaporation process. Such relatively short spraying periods with intensive heat abstraction require powerful devices for vapor removal; such method and device are low-efficient for the water-heating purposes.

Solar radiation collection system and method


An electric bed includes a bed frame, a power converter mounted with the bed frame for converting a 110V AC power to a 5V DC power, and a USB receptacle mounted to the bed frame and electrically connected with the power converter for transmitting the 5V DC power generated by the power converter. By this way, a user lying down on the electric bed can charge an electric device through the USB receptacle without leaving the electric bed, thereby enhancing the convenience of the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electric bed, and more specifically to an electric bed that includes a USB receptacle for charging.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to enable a user lying down on the bed to get in a comfortable posture for reading or eating, an electric bed frame is generally used to adjust the tilt angle of the bed for changing the posture of the user. However, if the user needs to charge an electric device, such as a cell phone, through a USB interface, the user has to leave the bed and plug the electric device into the USB receptacle of the computer for charging. After the charging of the electric device is complete, the user needs to leave the bed again to unplug the electric device from the computer. Thus, it is inconvenient for the user to repeatedly get out of the bed for charging because the computer is usually located away from the bed.