Methods and apparatuses to reduce memory bandwidth consumption when executing a program that uses integral images are provided. A first integral image representation of a grayscale image may be computed using a first number of bits per pixel. A second integral image representation of the grayscale image may be computed using a second number of bits per pixel. Additionally, an image processing algorithm may be executed on the grayscale image, wherein the size of a rectangle to be used by the image processing algorithm can be determined. Based on the size of the rectangle to be used by the image processing algorithm, it may be determined whether to use the first integral image representation or second integral image representation for the image processing algorithm.

An integral image representation of a grayscale image can be used in place of the grayscale image to efficiently perform image processing on the grayscale image. Although processing the integral image of a grayscale image can reduce memory bandwidth consumption of image processing algorithms to a certain extent, system constraints may call for further reduction of memory bandwidth.

Reducing memory bandwidth consumption when executing a program that uses integral images


The compound of formula (I): is provided. It may be produced by subjecting a compound of formula (IV) to a reduction reaction wherein R represents hydrogen, straight or branched C1-C6 alkyl. This compound is a valuable intermediate which may be used in the synthesis of fesoterodine, tolterodine, its active metabolite, and related compounds.

In man, normal urinary bladder contractions are mediated, (inter alia), through cholinergic muscarinic receptor stimulation. Muscarinic receptors not only mediate normal bladder contractions, but may also mediate the main part of the contractions in the overactive bladder resulting in symptoms such as urinary frequency, urgency and urge urinary incontinence.
After administration of fesoterodine and other phenolic monoesters of formula (III) to mammals, such as humans, these compounds are cleaved to form the active metabolite. The active metabolite is known to be a potent and competitive muscarinic receptor antagonist (WO 94/11337). Therefore, fesoterodine and other phenolic esters of formula (III) represent potential prodrugs for the active metabolite, and are drugs which are effective in the treatment of overactive bladder with symptoms of urge urinary incontinence, urgency, and urinary frequency, as well as detrusor hyperactivity (as described e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,464). Tolterodine is another well known drug for the treatment of overactive bladder.
Two different routes for the synthesis of the phenolic monoesters of formula (III) such as fesoterodine have previously been described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,464 and WO 01/96279, respectively. WO 01/49649 discloses a certain method for producing tolterodine.
The synthesis of the active metabolite is also known in the prior art. WO 94/11337 and WO 98/43942 both describe a multi-stage process to synthesize the active metabolite.
However, all these prior art processes are inconvenient, because they comprise a large number of steps e.g. in accordance with the synthesis disclosed in WO 94/11337, 11 steps are necessary for obtaining the active metabolite. Similarly, 12 different reaction steps are necessary for producing the phenolic monoesters of formula (III) (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,464).
A first approach for shortening the synthesis of the phenolic monoesters of formula (III) is disclosed in WO 01/96279. In the process according to WO 01/96279, the preferred R-enantiomer of the compounds of formula (II) or (III) is obtained by utilizing the diastereomeric cinchonidine salt of (R,S)-4-phenyl-2-chromanone-6-carboxylic acid ((2b), Scheme 1). If this salt is crystallized, the R-enantiomer of 4-phenyl-2-chromanone-6-carboxylic acid predominates as the acid component (more than 95% ee.). By recrystallization, the enantiomeric purity can be increased up to 99% ee.
The optically pure lactone (step 3, (3)) is then liberated by acidification and subsequently converted into its methyl ester (4). The lactone (4) is then reduced with one molar equivalent of a hydride, thereby obtaining the lactol (5). The lactol intermediate (5) is then used to prepare the active metabolite (II) in 2 additional steps by first reductively aminating the lactol (5) and in a second step by the reduction of the ester substituent to give the benzylic hydroxyl function of the active metabolite (II), which can be then acylated to give a compound of formula (III).
Notwithstanding the significant reduction in the number of necessary operations as compared to previous routes, the synthesis of the active metabolite of formula (II) still requires 8 steps in total, and 5 steps from 4-phenyl-2-chromanone-6-carboxylic acid.

Owing to the large number of steps involved, all prior art processes are complex, and the overall yield of the active metabolite is unsatisfactory. As a consequence there was a need for a further shortening of the synthesis of the compounds of formula (II) or (III), whereby the above disadvantages may be avoided.
In WO 01/96279 the reduction of the lactone (4) was performed at mild conditions and with a stoichiometry [reducing agent/compound of formula (4)] of about 1:1 or less because of concerns that harsher reduction conditions would lead to an opening of the lactone ring. Based on the state of the art, it would have been expected that harsher reduction conditions would result in an over-reduction of the intermediate lactol such that both the lactone as well as the benzoate ester functions would be fully reduced thus leading to the synthetically unwanted primary alcohol depicted below (March's Organic Chemistry, 5th Ed, Wiley Publication, 2001, see particularly tables 19-3 and 19-5; Walker, Chem Sac Rev 5, 1976, 23; see particularly Table 7; Soai et al, J Org Chem 51, 1986, 4000).
Expected Reduction Reaction:

The problem was thus to achieve the reduction of the benzoate ester or benzoic acid function to the primary alcohol while at the same timing stopping the reduction of the lactonic ester at the aldehyde (lactol) stage, with the particular challenge that lactones are generally more susceptible to reduction than carboxylic acids or esters (see e.g. March's Organic Chemistry, 5th Ed, Wiley Publication, 2001, tables 19-3 and 19-5). Surprisingly, it has now been found that under appropriate conditions in fact the benzoate ester of compound (4) can be selectively reduced without reduction of the lactol. The resulting compound of formula (I) can then be converted in one step to the active metabolite of formula (II), thereby saving one step in the overall production process (scheme 2).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Chiral intermediate, process for producing the same and its use in the manufacture of tolterodine, fesoterodine, or the active metabolite thereof


The present interface system includes a controller monitoring pressure on a locomotive brake pipe port, controlling pressure on a train brake pipe port in response to the pressure on a locomotive brake pipe port, providing ECP commands on an ECP trainline via a train electrical terminal in response to the pressure on the locomotive brake pipe port, and providing electrical power on the ECP trainline via an train electrical trainline terminal from the locomotive electrical trainline terminal. A transceiver is connected to the controller for wireless communication with the controller. A wireless display unit communicates via the transceiver with the controller and displays information from the controller to the operator remote from the interface system and provides inputs from the operator to the controller. The system also includes a three position change over valve. An event recorder and a GPS system may be connected to the controller.

The present invention relates generally to railway pneumatic brake systems and, more specifically, to an interface between a pneumatic train brake control system and a train of electrically controlled pneumatic (ECP) brake equipped cars.
The freight train industry in the U.S. is transitioning from a completely pneumatically-controlled train to a train having ECP brake equipment on their cars. For the foreseeable future, not all locomotives will have the capability of interfacing with an ECP equipped train. They do not have the ability to provide the necessary power or electric control signals to the individual cars nor to control the brake pipe as required by the ECP cars. As presently configured, the train brake pipe is maintained at its charged value and is only used as a pneumatic back-up for failure of the ECP electrical control signals.
To meet this demand, various systems have been suggested. A limp-in control arrangement for ECP systems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,913. An interface which provides the appropriate level of power to the ECP trainline is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,126. A locomotive to ECP brake conversion system which provides the appropriate power and control signals to the car trainline is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,980. Another interface system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,229.
The present interface system includes a controller monitoring pressure on a locomotive brake pipe port, controlling pressure on a train brake pipe port in response to the pressure on a locomotive brake pipe port, providing ECP commands on an ECP trainline via a train electrical terminal in response to the pressure on the locomotive brake pipe port, and providing electrical power on the ECP trainline via an train electrical trainline terminal from the locomotive electrical trainline terminal A transceiver is connected to the controller for wireless communication with the controller. A wireless display unit communicates via the transceiver with the controller and displays information from the controller to the operator remote from the interface system and provides inputs from the operator to the controller.
The display unit has an antenna electrically connected to the display unit and removable mounted to the display unit by a mount and the mount allows mounting the antenna to a locomotive. The mount is a magnetic mount. The display unit includes a chargeable power source and the interface system includes a charger for receiving the display unit and charging the power source. The wireless communication maybe WiFi.
The controller communicates train brake system status to the display unit and the display unit communicates display unit status to the controller. The controller communicates prompts of required action by the operator to the display unit. The system may include a GPS receiver connected to the controller and the controller performs speed limit enforcement using data from the GPS. The system controller communicates loss of data from the GPS receiver to the display unit. The system may include an event recorder connecting the GPS receiver to the controller.
These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, when considered in conjunction with accompanying drawings.

Wireless display unit for ECP transition system


A spacer array is disclosed in which alternating cells are disposed at differing elevations. In a preferred octagonal spacer cell array, alternate fuel rods within the rows and columns of the fuel bundle matrix are surrounded by octagonal spacer cells at a first elevation. Likewise, and in the same preferred octagonal spacer array, the remaining alternate fuel rods within the rows and columns of the fuel bundle matrix are surrounded by octagonal spacer cells at a second elevation. The octagonal spacer cells of the spacer array at one level adjoin the octagonal spacer cells of the spacer array at an adjacent level. Specifically, each octagonal spacer cell has the top and/or the bottom of as many as four of its eight sides disposed for joinding with one side of as many as four octagonal cells in an adjacent cell layer. Each cell has approximately 0.6 of an inch height, or one-half the 1.2 inch height of the prior art. Physically each cell would have approximately half the height of the prior art cell type spacers. There results a spacer cell array which distributes half of the pressure drop at a first elevation, and the remaining half of the pressure at a second elevation for a projected spacer area of one-half that area of the prior art. Further, and because the two cell arrays making up the spacer are disposed at differing elevations--immediately above and below each other--the produced flow resistance at one level of the spacer cells does not have horizontally immediately adjacent cells. Thus, the cells in one layer do not co-act with adjacent flow frictions to the same extent as the co-action would occur if all flow frictions and restrictions were at the same elevation. There results an improved and lesser pressure drop in the disclosed spacer array.

Fuel bundles for boiling water nuclear reactors can be generally summarized as to their construction. They include a lower tie plate, an upper tie plate and a plurality of vertically upstanding fuel rods there between. Insofar as is relevant to this invention, a fuel bundle channel surrounds the lower tie plate, extends around the fuel rods to the upper tie plate, and forms a confined fluid flow path unique to each fuel bundle. This flow path between the tie plates is essentially isolated from both other fuel bundles and the surrounding core by-pass region about the fuel bundles.
The lower tie plate supports the fuel rods and permits the entry of water for both the generation of steam and moderation of fast moving electrons from the nuclear reaction in the fuel rods to slower moving electrons to continue the nuclear reaction. The upper tie plate allows the escape of water and generated steam. It is from the escaped steam that power is ultimately generated, this generation occurring typically in a turbine that is remote from the reactor.
The fuel rods within the fuel bundle are long and slender--typically being in the range of 160 inches in length. These fuel rods are all placed within a square matrix 51/4 inches on a side (dimension is approximate). The modern tendency to enable both improved nuclear performance and steam generation efficiency has been to place increasing numbers of discrete fuel rods into the same 51/4 inch square section. Currently densities of fuel rods are known that include 8 by 8, 9 by 9, and 10 by 10, matrices of fuel rods. With the dense fuel bundle arrays, the individual fuel rods become smaller of diameter and the fuel rods become more flexible between the upper and lower tie plate.
Water and steam fluid flow through the fuel bundles causes the long slender fuel rods to become subject to vibration. Without restraint, the fuel bundles could come into abrading contact and lose their required sealing of their contained nuclear fuel. Further, when the fuel rods move out of alignment, they lose designed nuclear efficiency which is realized when the rods maintain precise designed side-by-side spacing. Accordingly, it has long been the accepted practice of the nuclear industry to incorporate so-called fuel rod spacers at varied elevations within the fuel bundles.
The prior art construction of fuel bundle spacers is relatively easy to understand. A spacer intimately surrounds each and every fuel rod at the particular elevation of the spacer. Thus, each spacer at its own elevation causes each fuel rod to be braced into its designed placement relative to the remaining fuel rods. Various schemes are utilized. These schemes include so-called cell spacers in which individual cells surround each fuel rod at the elevation of the spacer to maintain the surrounded fuel rod in its designed orientation. The cells have been round, or as disclosed in the preferred embodiment here, octagonal.
These fuel rod spacers are the sites of pressure loss within the fuel bundle. In order to understand this effect, it is first necessary to understand that water is pumped through the fuel bundles. Thereafter, the problem of the more dense fuel bundle arrays in causing pressure drop at the location of the spacers can be understood.
In fuel bundles, water moderator is generally pumped into the fuel bundles entering through the lower tie plate and exiting upward through the upper tie plate. As water moves through the fuel bundle, the pressure drop of the water in its passage through the fuel bundle becomes important. In so far as is relevant here, pressure drop has an impact on not only the overall power output of the reactor, but additionally impacts the stability of the reactor at certain power and flow rates. By way of specific example, excessive pressure drop in the upper two phase (steam/water) region of the fuel bundle is avoided to prevent certain thermal-hydraulic and nuclear-thermal-hydraulic instabilities that arise at certain moderator flow and power rates of the reactor. In short, there is a continuing effort on the part of nuclear designers to maintain low pressure drop within the fuel bundles of the reactor.
Having explained in general terms the problems of pressure drop within the upward pumped moderator flow within each fuel bundle, the aggravation of pressure drop by new and dense arrays of fuel rods can now be understood.
In the relatively dense and new fuel arrays, spacers constitute areas of flow constriction within the fuel bundle. This effect can be understood by considering the effects of surface friction on the passing moderator as well as the restriction of the available flow area that a spacer represents.
When a fuel bundle has additional fuel rods introduced within the matrix of the array, the surface area of the fuel rods over which flow must occur increases. This increase in surface area is aggravated at each spacer. Remembering that the each fuel rod is discretely surrounded by the material of the spacer at the elevation of the spacer, two additional surfaces are added at the elevation of the spacer to produce fluid friction.
In addition to the friction that the passing fluid encounters from the surface of the fuel rod, the surfaces of the spacer add their own friction. Specifically, the surface of the spacer exposed towards the fuel rod adds flow friction. Likewise, the surface of the spacer exposed away from the fuel rod adds flow friction. These respective surfaces will contribute to flow friction and thus pressure drop approximately proportional to the length of the spacer cells involved.
Further, the total flow area around the fuel rods will be lessened by the dimension of the spacer. This dimension of the spacer adds flow friction roughly proportional to the square of the spacers cross sectional projected area. Due to the cell placement, this spacer construction internally will have one-half the projected area of the prior art type cell spacer.
Moreover, all these flow friction factors come together and act together at the same elevation within the fuel bundle. That elevation is the elevation of the spacer. Thus, it can be understood that the pressure drop produced at the spacers is an important factor in the overall pressure drop of the fuel bundles and the reactor.
Having set forth the pressure drop problem of spacers, the spacer invention of this disclosure can now be described.

Reduced pressure drop spacer for boiling water reactor fuel bundles


An apparatus includes a memory, and a processor operatively coupled to the memory. The processor can be configured to provide an indication of a natural language query to a machine learning model such that the machine learning model provides a general term and a specific term based on the natural language query. The processor can also execute at least one predetermined search engine based on the general term to generate a set of search results. The processor can also identify multiple query terms associated with the specific term and based on a word embedding. The processor is further configured to identify relevant parts in each search result from the set of search results based on the multiple query terms.

When seeking an answer to a question, users can use a search engine or a suitable information retrieval system to find the answer. Unfortunately, some known search engines present usability issues that can impede a user from finding the answer to their question.
First, some known search engines do not actually provide a direct answer to the user's question. Instead, some known search engines return a list of search results that direct the user to various sources of information, and leave the user to manually investigate the search results to identify the pertinent information that actually contains the answer to their question.
Second, querying a search engine often requires the user to transform their question into a search query designed to interrogate the search engine, which may require the use of special syntax, formatting, or terms.
Third, analyzing the search results of some known search engines can pose a challenge for users with physical, intellectual, visual, or hearing impairments. For example, users with visual impairments may struggle to identify pertinent information because the search results may not include text-to-speech compatible data. Additionally, some sources of information identified by the search engine may not be compatible with assistive technology such as screen readers and magnifiers.
Finally, manually investigating the search results of a search engine can also pose threats to the user's information security and information privacy. For example, the contents of the search results may include targeted advertisements, phishing scams, malware, or other means to collect the user's data.
Thus, a need exists for improved methods and apparatus to securely and efficiently retrieve and present search results that provide an answer to a user's query.

Methods and apparatus for using machine learning to securely and efficiently retrieve and present search results


An upholstered chair or sofa capable of being quickly and easily assembled and disassembled which includes first and second spaced arm members, front and back members interposed between the first and second arm members, and a seat member supported by the arm members and the front member without being attached thereto. Attachment structures are provided for connecting the first and second arm members to the back member, the attachment structures serving solely for securing the first and second arm members to the back member without supporting the seat member. In addition, in one embodiment of the invention the attachment structures also secures the first and second arm members to the front member without supporting the weight of the seat member.

This invention relates to upholstered furniture, and in particular to an upholstered seating system capable of being quickly and easily assembled and disassembled.
Conventional upholstered seating systems such as chairs and sofas utilize a fully assembled frame having a seat, a front rail, a back, and two arms. The frame is covered by a fabric covering, and upholstery consisting of materials such as fiber and foam are attached to the fabric covering. Springs, webbing or other means of support are permanently attached below the seat to the front and back rails.
Shipping is usually expensive because conventional upholstered furniture is large, bulky and heavy. In addition, damage to any portion of the furniture requires the entire piece to be transported to a skilled person for repair. Attempts have been made to minimize these problems by constructing furniture in such a way that it can be assembled and taken apart by unskilled persons such as a customer or store owner. This type of furniture, including seating systems, is generally known in the trade as "knock-down" or KD furniture.
Prior art KD upholstered furniture has been designed to permit assembly and subsequent disassembly. This type of furniture relies upon a series of joints and fasteners which often are visible to the casual observer. These joints, which can be loose and weak, make the furniture appear inexpensive and detract from its overall strength and appearance. Most KD upholstered furniture uses exposed wood frames and exposed fasteners. It is far more difficult to build a KD chair or sofa which is completely upholstered with no exposed hardware or fasteners.
Previous efforts to design KD upholstered furniture without visible fasteners have resulted in a product which is time consuming and difficult for the unskilled customers to assemble, more expensive than comparably styled conventional upholstered furniture, requires a plurality of fasteners to maintain structural integrity, and is limited in the number of styles that can be generated from a basic design. Often bolts and other fasteners must be accessed from the bottom of the piece.
For example, the Moyer U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,438 represents an attempt to produce a knockdown upholstered piece of furniture with strong durable construction and imperceptible joints. This design would appear to require at least eight bolts or studs which must apparently be tightened from the bottom of the piece using hand tools. Consequently, the bottom of the seat platform must be left uncovered to allow access to the supporting bolts, which means that the seat platform cannot be supported by common industry techniques such as coil springs since they would inhibit access to the seat platform and the bolts.
The entire weight of the person sitting on the patented structure is supported by four bolts connecting the seat section to the arms. If the seat section is pitched towards the rear (as is done in high quality conventional permanently assembled upholstery), a high proportion of the sitter's weight is borne by the rear two seat platform bolts.
The patented design also restricts the furniture styles which can be used. Using the furniture structure disclosed by Moyer it would be difficult if not impossible to construct a high leg traditional style piece (such as a wing chair) or one having a T-shaped cushion or a recessed arm, i.e. where the arm stops prior to the front of the seat platform.
An attempt to simplify the assembly procedure is shown in the Faulkner et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,966. The sofa described in this patent has an assembly system employing specially designed hardware and fasteners which support the weight of persons sitting on the sofa. There are several commercial drawbacks to this design. Besides the high cost of the special guide rails required for the back assembly, the sofa is highly restricted in terms of style.
The back construction with its rectangular metal frame and attached back envelope gives the piece an unpadded back, cushioned only by the back pillow, allowing for few variations in styling. Only loose back cushions can be used with the described back frame and envelope. An attached or semi-attached back cushion can not be used with the Faulkner design. In addition, the fasteners on the rear of the back envelope can be seen.
Another drawback of the Faulkner design is that assembly must take place from the bottom of the sofa. This requires some strength and agility on the part of the assembler which might not be possible for some customers. The Faulkner patent, also, is not adaptable for high leg traditional, "T" cushion or recessed arm styles.
The Hsiung U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,965 attempts to deal with the special problems of manufacturing KD high leg traditional chairs. The patentees's solution is to use numerous bolts and fasteners requiring a relatively long time to assemble.


Control panels for welding systems are disclosed. An example power system for a vehicle includes a generator to generate electrical power and to be installed on the vehicle; a first case component configured to be attached to a surface of the vehicle; and a second case component configured to be attached to the first case component to form an enclosure, the second case component comprising: a user control device configured to receive a user input for controlling an output of the generator; and an electrical output configured to output at least a portion of the electrical power generated by the generator.

The present disclosure relates generally to power systems and, more particularly, to control panels for power systems.
A wide range work vehicles have been developed and are presently in service. Present estimates are that hundreds of thousands of such vehicles are operative in the United States alone. Depending upon their intended use, work vehicles may include highly integrated systems for performing operations such as welding, cutting, assembly, and so forth. Moreover, vehicles have been developed for providing hydraulic and compressed air service to applications, such as for driving air tools, pneumatic lifts and other compressed air-driven devices, as well as hydraulic lifts, hydraulic tools, concrete and metal working tools, and so forth. Similarly, where electrical power is generated on a vehicle, this may be made available for powering electrical tools, lights, and a wide range of auxiliary devices.
Conventional power systems for work vehicles provide auxiliary service, particularly electrical power, compressed air service and hydraulic service. Conventional power systems may include a remote user interface such as a sheet metal-constructed box that contains power, weld, and control connections. In conventional control boxes, the front of the box contains the user controls and the back of the box has attachment points to mount the box to a panel on the work truck.


A touch display panel is disclosed. The touch display panel includes first touch electrodes and second touch sub-electrodes. The first touch electrodes are insulated from and intersect with the second touch sub-electrodes. At least two of the first touch electrodes are connected as at least one first touch electrode group, where each first touch electrode group is connected with a touch drive detection unit through a wire. In addition, second touch sub-electrodes corresponding to each of the first touch electrode groups form a second touch electrode group. Each second touch electrode group includes second touch electrode units, each including at least two second touch sub-electrodes. Each of the second touch sub-electrodes is connected with the touch drive detection unit through a different wire. Additionally, the touch drive detection unit transmits a touch drive signal to or receives a detection signal from the first touch electrodes or the second touch sub-electrodes.

Touch panels have become popularized gradually in people's life along with the rapid development of display technologies. Compared with a traditional display only capable of providing a display function, a display with a touch panel can enable a user to exchange information with a display control host, so the touch panel can completely or at least partially take the place of a general input device so that the existing display is capable of both displaying and touch control. At present the mostly widely applied touch panels are capacitive touch panels, capacitive touch panels are categorized into in-cell, oncell and attached capacitive touch panels by their relationships between themselves and Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) and Color Filter (CF) substrates, where the in-cell capacitive touch panel has become predominant in the development of touch control technologies due to its high integration, low thickness, superior performance and other advantages.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a capacitive touch panel in the prior art includes a plurality of drive electrodes Tx, e.g., Tx1, Tx2, Tx3, Tx4, etc., disposed parallel to a first direction, and a plurality of detect electrodes Rx, e.g., Rx1, Rx2, Rx3, Rx4, Rx5, Rx6, etc., disposed parallel to a second direction. In a touch scan phase, the drive electrodes Tx are scanned by a drive scan signal row by row, and with a larger size of the touch panel, there are a larger number of channels to be scanned together with Tx, so it will take a longer period of time to scan Tx. For the in-cell touch panel, touch control and display has to be performed in a time-division manner in order to reduce interference with a display signal; and for a display Integrated Circuit (IC), a sufficiently long period of time has to be spared for touch control, and the period of time required for touch control is in direct proportion to the number of channels to be scanned, so that if a larger touch panel is provided with a larger number of channels, then there will be a longer period of time required for touch control and a shorter period of time spared for display scan, but the period of time spared for display scan can only be compressed to some limited extent, and consequently the capacitive touch panel in the prior art might be limited in its size of the panel which can be supported.
In summary, the design of the drive electrodes and the detect electrodes in the prior art might be greatly limited in its application to the touch panel with a large size.

Touch display panel and method for driving the same, and touch device

SHANGHAI TIANMA MICRO-ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.


A method of extracting a polypeptide from a biological sample includes contacting the biological sample with an extraction reagent to form a solution of the biological sample and the extraction reagent. The extraction reagent includes perfluorooctanoic and can be used at a concentration effective to solubilize the polypeptides in the biological sample.

Shotgun proteomics experiments use surfactants to achieve efficient extraction and digestion of proteins. The surfactants widely used in shotgun proteomics can be classified as ionic (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)), nonionic (e.g., Triton-X), and acid cleavable surfactants (e.g., RapiGest). A typical strategy for shotgun proteomics of samples containing membrane proteins begins with protein extraction from cells or tissues in the presence of a surfactant, then cystine residues are reduced and alkylated under denaturing conditions, and then the surfactant is subsequently removed by acetone precipitation or by exchange with urea on a standard filtration device. The resulting acetone precipitate is generally solubilized either in a strong chaotropic agent, such as urea or guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn-HCl) or in a surfactant, and then subjected to proteolytic digestion. After the digestion, the chaotropic agent are removed by a reverse-phase solid phase extraction. However, when a surfactant is used, it cannot be removed easily from the digest. Because surfactants are hydrophobic in nature, they cause peak broadening and suppress the ionization of peptides in the subsequent LC-MS/MS analysis. Thus, the surfactants used must be removed prior to LC-MS/MS analysis.
Surfactants can be removed from peptide mixtures either by ion exchange chromatography, by phase transfer, or by washing with chlorinated solvents while peptides are captured on a reversed phase cartridge. These extra preparation steps have the major drawback of losing peptides to the stationary phase during the procedures, which cannot be afforded when sample amount is limited. To avoid this problem, acid labile surfactants have been developed that can be cleaved between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic part of the surfactants after the protein digestion. The hydrophobic part precipitates upon the acid cleavage, allowing its removal from the digest. The hydrophilic part does not interfere with the subsequent LC-MS/MS analysis. However, it has been reported that hydrophobic peptides are lost from the digest due to their interactions with the precipitated hydrophobic part of the surfactant. Thus, a method is needed that does not lead to the loss of peptides.

Methods and compositions of preparation for proteome analysis


A bend-angle measuring device used to measure the bend angle of bent tubular components. The bend-angle measuring device makes use of a combined linear and rotational motion of a movable arm to gain access to numerous bent configurations.

The present invention relates to an inspection device to measure the bend angle of a formed component. The inventive machine uses a combined linear and rotational motion to measure numerous formed configurations.
Over the past years, manufacturers of bent tubular components have had a need to measure the bend angles produced on various bending machines. This is necessary for quality control. Good quality control can lead to good parts produced. The bend angle of a fabricated bent part is most often a critical aspect of a manufacturing process. Over the years, bend angles have been measured using many devices including dedicated fixtures, digital protractors, various four-bar linkages coupled to digital readouts, and optical techniques.
Dedicated fixtures are quick and accurate yet do not lend themselves well to being useful for measuring other bent configurations. Because of their dedicated nature, a dedicated measuring device is designed to measure only one configuration and thus is not intended to measure numerous configurations.
Digital protractors are accurate and can measure numerous shapes, yet do not lend themselves well to measuring bend angles as the bend angle approaches 180xc2x0. This is due to the fact that the pivot point on a commercial digital protractor is unable to transverse in a linear fashion and thus the range of useful motion is limited when attempting to measure numerous bent configurations.
There have been several digital devices coupled with various four-bar linkage designs to overcome the above disadvantages. Four-bar linkage devices intended to measure most bend angles are flexible to accommodate numerous tubular configuration. Nevertheless, four-bar linkages, by design, are constructed from several moving parts. With several moving parts in an inspection device, the repeatability of such a device will be limited. This limitation is caused by the excessive number of moving parts in contact with each other. Interaction between moving parts produce friction, and friction in an inspection machine leads to results that are not accurate and repeatable over time.
Optical techniques, as disclosed by Brinkman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,912, require a vast amount of software and electronics to operate. These techniques are intended for the high end of the inspection market and do not address a low cost solution.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:
(a) to reduce the number of components in a bend-angle measuring machine;
(b) to market a digital bend-angle measuring machine at a low cost;
(c) to provide a bend-angle measuring machine that will quickly adjust to numerous bend angle configurations; and
(d) to provide a simple mechanism, with few moving components, to minimize the amount of friction in the measuring system.
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages can be achieved by providing a fixed arm and a movable arm connected to a common base. The fixed arm is fixed relative to the base and the movable arm is able to transverse in a linear and rotational fashion toward and away from the movable arm. Coupled to the rotational motion of the movable arm is a digital encoder. The encoder transmits the position of the rotational axis of the movable arm to a digital readout and thus displays the rotational position (angle) of the movable arm relative to the fixed arm.


A hand-held tool for removal and scraping of matter, such as mortar, drywall and the like from surfaces such as containers, buckets and the like, thereby perhaps salvaging the matter for reuse as well as salvaging the container. A hand-held tool may include, in the various embodiments, a curved blade having at least one straight side edge; a flat bottom edge; and a top surface that may be used a handle, a hanging shelf, and perhaps even reinforcement of the integrity of a blade. A hand-held tool may be made of stainless steel, galvanized metal, plastic and the like.

Generally, the present invention relates to hand-held systems for the removal of matter from surfaces. Specifically, the present invention relates to hand-held scrapers and perhaps even a scoop which can move, push, or perhaps even remove matter from a surface, such as a container or perhaps even a bucket and the like.
The removal of all kinds of matter from surfaces, such as containers, buckets and the like are commonly used in the construction industry, among others. Common examples of construction matter may include drywall, adhesives, mortar, ceramics and the like. Typically these materials may be applied to a floor or other part of a building by manually removing matter from a container with a hand tool and then applying the matter in a desired application. It may be unlikely that all of the matter can be removed from its container since the tools, as currently existing, may not sufficiently access all of the matter in the container. The remaining matter may be discarded, thus increasing costs of materials and increasing waste. The remaining matter may even be left to harden and dry to its container making it difficult, if not almost impossible, to remove from the container, thus causing waste of the matter and perhaps even leaving container itself unusable. Once matter may adhere to a container, the container may be thrown out which causes environmental waste as well as increased costs. It may have been an assumption in the field that if you did not clean your containers when wet, you pretty much may have had to throw them away.
Various designs for scraper and cleaning tools have been used, such as in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 368,344 to Hansen and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 388,569 to Israel. Many of the existing scraper and cleaning tools have an elongated handle separate from a blade such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 405,661 to Erickson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,807,168 to Wipf; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2004/0068819 to Nistico; U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,128 to Shea; U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,650 to Gerakos; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,868 to Baggenstos. Elongated handles such as shown in these references, may not adequately provide maneuverability of a blade for removal of matter from surfaces. Some tools may have a lower blade member such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,546 to Utley; a base as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,997 to Lehn et al.; and a curved edge as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,635 to Young. A lower blade member may prevent adequate access to sides of a container and may only provide scooping uses.
Other designs include U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,121 to Heiberg, which provides a kitchen implement including a flat sheet having a cutting blade at one longitudinal end, a beaded handle at another longitudinal end, side edges having projecting teeth and a mounting opening through the sheet. Also, a hand tool, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,643 to Faldetta, includes a handle and two different sized blade members.
There are problems, perhaps even unrecognized problems, that may be associated with the present scraper, cleaning tools, and the like. The present tools may not adequately remove wet matter from its container for use. The present tools may not adequately remove dried matter from its container for cleaning. Thus, there remains a continuing need in the art for improved hand tools and methods of using hand tools with matter in containers. In particular, there remains a continuing need in the art for systems and apparatus which can remove matter, such as wet and dry matter from containers as well as providing a tool that is simple, portable and easy to use while saving time, money and perhaps even help with waste reduction. Surprisingly, the references herein described and existing may not be adequate to fulfill the existing needs.

Efficient, hand-held matter removal systems


A device for fixing a fitting, in particular for a sprinkler head, includes a base plate which can be used in various installation situations. According to one configuration, the technical problem of providing a fixing device is solved by the base plate having at least three mountings and by a top piece being present which covers the mountings. The fixing device can thereby be attached to a supporting base in different positions. In addition, a fixing device can accommodate different fittings.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for fixing a fitting, in particular for a sprinkler head, having a base plate.
2. Description of the Related Art.
Sprinkler heads are located on the ceilings of, for example, private households, business premises or industrial facilities. They are usually installed above the ceiling in the room, so that the sprinkler head projects into the room. Devices for fixing sprinkler heads to a supporting base, also called fixing devices below, are known from the prior art. A plurality of sprinkler heads are connected to one another via piping with fittings to forma sprinkler system.
Individual fixing devices are often adapted to the respective fitting. The disadvantage of this is that when sprinkler heads with different fittings are being installed the appropriate fixing device always has to be available, which means that a large stock of different types of fixing devices has to be kept.
WO 10128971 A1 discloses a fixing device which has a fixing plate and a mounting plate, wherein the mounting plate is perpendicularly connected to the fixing plate via a seamed edge. The fixing plate has two hole pairs for fixing the device to a supporting base. The mounting plate comprises three semi-circular mountings for accommodating a fitting. The fitting is put onto the mountings.
The disadvantage with this fixing device is that by putting the fitting onto the mounting the fixing device can only attached to the supporting base in one particular position. Due to the fact that the fixing plate only has two hole pairs, the device cannot be attached to any supporting base and, in particular, it cannot be attached to a supporting base which is narrower than the distance between the hole pairs.


A system and method for detecting explosives and explosive residues. A region of interest is surveyed using a video capture device to thereby identify a target area wherein the target area comprises an unknown material. The target area is interrogated using SWIR spectroscopic methods to form a SWIR hyperspectral image of the target area. The SWIR hyperspectral image is analyzed to thereby identify the unknown material.

Spectroscopic imaging combines digital imaging and molecular spectroscopy techniques, which can include Raman scattering, fluorescence, photoluminescence, ultraviolet, visible and infrared absorption spectroscopies. When applied to the chemical analysis of materials, spectroscopic imaging is commonly referred to as chemical imaging. Instruments for performing spectroscopic (i.e. chemical) imaging typically comprise an illumination source, image gathering optics, focal plane array imaging detectors and imaging spectrometers.
In general, the sample size determines the choice of image gathering optic. For example, a microscope is typically employed for the analysis of sub micron to millimeter spatial dimension samples. For larger objects, in the range of millimeter to meter dimensions, macro lens optics are appropriate. For samples located within relatively inaccessible environments, flexible fiberscope or rigid borescopes can be employed. For very large scale objects, such as planetary objects, telescopes are appropriate image gathering optics.
For detection of images formed by the various optical systems, two-dimensional, imaging focal plane array (FPA) detectors are typically employed. The choice of FPA detector is governed by the spectroscopic technique employed to characterize the sample of interest. For example, silicon (Si) charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors or CMOS detectors are typically employed with visible wavelength fluorescence and Raman spectroscopic imaging systems, while indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) FPA detectors are typically employed with near-infrared spectroscopic imaging systems.
Spectroscopic imaging of a sample can be implemented by one of two methods. First, a point-source illumination can be provided on the sample to measure the spectra at each point of the illuminated area. Second, spectra can be collected over the an entire area encompassing the sample simultaneously using an electronically tunable optical imaging filter such as an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) or a liquid crystal tunable filter ("LCTF"). Here, the organic material in such optical filters are actively aligned by applied voltages to produce the desired bandpass and transmission function. The spectra obtained for each pixel of such an image thereby forms a complex data set referred to as a hyperspectral image which contains the intensity values at numerous wavelengths or the wavelength dependence of each pixel element in this image.
Spectroscopic devices operate over a range of wavelengths due to the operation ranges of the detectors or tunable filters possible. This enables analysis in the Ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS), near infrared (NW), short-wave infrared (SWIR), mid infrared (MIR) wavelengths and to some overlapping ranges. These correspond to wavelengths of about 180-380 nm (UV), 380-700 nm (VIS), 700-2500 nm (NW), 900-1700 nm (SWIR), and 2500-25000 nm (MIR).
There currently exists a need for accurate detection of explosives and explosive residues. In particular, there exists a need for accurate and reliable detection of explosives and explosive residues in standoff and on-the-move (OTM) configurations. There exists a need for a compact multispectral sensor that is capable of both daytime and covert, eye-safe nighttime operations.

System and methods for explosives detection using SWIR


A solar cell has an active semiconductor structure and a back electrical contact overlying and contacting an active semiconductor structure back side. A front electrical contact is applied overlying and contacting the active semiconductor structure front side. The front electrical contact has multiple layers including a titanium layer overlying and contacting the active semiconductor structure front side, a diffusion layer overlying and contacting the titanium layer, a barrier layer overlying and contacting the diffusion layer, and a joining layer overlying and contacting the barrier layer. The front electrical contact may be applied by sequentially vacuum depositing the titanium layer, the diffusion layer, the barrier layer, and the joining layer in a vacuum deposition apparatus in a single pumpdown from ambient pressure. A front electrical lead is affixed overlying and contacting an attachment pad region of the front electrical contact.

A solar cell has an active semiconductor structure including two semiconductor layers in facing contact with each other at a semiconductor junction. When illuminated by the sun or otherwise, the solar cell produces a voltage between the semiconductor layers and thence between a front side and a back side of the active semiconductor structure. ("Front side" refers to the side facing toward the sun, and "back side" refers to the side facing away from the sun.) Advanced solar cells may include more than two semiconductor layers and their respective pairwise semiconductor junctions. The various pairs of semiconductor layers of the advanced solar cells are tuned to the various spectral components of the sun to maximize the power output of the solar cell.
Electrical contacts are applied to the front side and to the back side of the solar cell. The back electrical contact normally is a continuous electrically conductive layer deposited across all or most of the entire back side of the active semiconductor structure, inasmuch as the back side faces away from the sun during service. The front electrical contact normally includes a plurality of interconnected current-gathering strips deposited upon the front side of the active semiconductor structure. At discrete locations, attachment pad regions are defined on the strips so that external electrical leads may be affixed to the front electrical contact.
Solar cells are used in space and terrestrial applications. Particularly for space applications where the solar cells may be inaccessible for many years, and go through many thousands of sunlight/shade (i. e., heating/cooling) duty cycles without any maintenance, the solar cells must be highly reliable. If the structure and performance of any element of the solar cell degrade during service, the power output of that solar cell may be permanently reduced and eventually lost.
During service, the temperature of the solar cell is elevated above the temperature of the ambient surroundings. Some advanced solar cells, such as concentrator solar cells where multiples of the sun power are concentrated on the face of the solar cell by a mirror, reach temperatures of 80-140° C. in current designs. Over periods of 15-25 years and thousands of duty cycles, diffusional processes may cause progressive degradation of the structure of the solar cell that eventually leads to a decrease in performance.
Operable solar cells are known, but there is an ongoing need for an approach to increase the reliability of existing types of solar cells and to achieve high reliability in future types of solar cells. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.

Solar cell with high-temperature front electrical contact, and its fabrication


The present invention provides embodiments of a partially sectored cache. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a cache that includes a tag array for storing information indicating a plurality of tags and a data array for storing a plurality of lines. A first portion of the tags have a one-to-one association with a first portion of the lines and a second portion of the tags have a one-to-many association with a second portion of the lines.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to processor-based systems, and, more particularly, to a partially sectored cache that may be implemented in a processor-based system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many processing devices utilize caches to reduce the average time required to access information stored in a memory. A cache is a smaller and faster memory that stores copies of instructions and/or data that are expected to be used relatively frequently. For example, central processing units (CPUs), which are but one type of processor, are generally associated with a cache or a hierarchy of cache memory elements. Other processors, such as graphics processing units, can also implement cache systems. Instructions or data that are expected to be used by the CPU are moved from (relatively large and slow) main memory into the cache. When the CPU needs to read or write a location in the main memory, it first checks to see whether a copy of the desired memory location is included in the cache memory. If this location is included in the cache (a cache hit), then the CPU can perform the read or write operation on the copy in the cache memory location. If this location is not included in the cache (a cache miss), then the CPU needs to access the information stored in the main memory and, in some cases, the information can be copied from the main memory and added to the cache. Proper configuration and operation of the cache can reduce the average latency of memory accesses to a value below the main memory latency and close to the cache access latency.
One widely used architecture for a CPU cache memory is a hierarchical cache that divides the cache into two levels known as the L1 cache and the L2 cache. The L1 cache is typically a smaller and faster memory than the L2 cache, which is smaller and faster than the main memory. The CPU first attempts to locate needed memory locations in the L1 cache and then proceeds to look successively in the L2 cache and the main memory when it is unable to find the memory location in the cache. The L1 cache can be further subdivided into separate L1 caches for storing instructions (L1-I) and data (L1-D). The L1-I cache can be placed near entities that require more frequent access to instructions than data, whereas the L1-D can be placed closer to entities that require more frequent access to data than instructions. The L2 cache is typically associated with both the L1-I and L1-D caches and can store copies of instructions or data that are retrieved from the main memory. Frequently used instructions are copied from the L2 cache into the L1-I cache and frequently used data can be copied from the L2 cache into the L1-D cache. Some CPU architectures also implement additional cache levels such as the higher-level L3 cache, which is typically larger and slower than the L2 cache.
A conventional caching architecture uses tags to identify the addresses of information stored in the lines of the cache. In physically tagged caches, the tag represents the upper bits of the physical address of a memory location. For example, when the CPU attempts to access information at a particular physical address, it first checks the tag array to see if the information located at that physical address has been copied into a line or block of the data array of the cache. The CPU determines whether the desired information has been stored in a line of the cache by comparing the cache tags with the tag bits of the desired memory location. If there is a tag match, the CPU can access the information directly from the cache. In a conventional (non-sectored) data array, each cache line is associated with a tag that is stored in a tag array. The tag array occupies a chip area that increases in proportion to the size of the non-sectored cache because of the one-to-one relationship between tags and lines in the data array. The power consumed by the tag array also increases in proportion to the size of the non-sectored cache. The large area and the large power consumption of tag arrays may be detrimental to the design and or performance of larger caches such as L2 and L3 cache arrays.
The size and power consumption of the tag array can be reduced by using sectored caches. In a sectored cache, each tag refers to more than one line (or sub block) in the data array. A CPU can determine whether information at a particular physical address is located in the cache by accessing the tag array to determine whether the information at the particular physical address is stored in any of the multiple lines associated with a tag in the tag array. The one-to-many association of tags to lines can reduce the size and power consumption of the tag array for a given number of cache lines because fewer tags are needed to identify the information stored in the data array. However, fully sectored caches have higher latency because a wider granularity of data must be read from and written to the main memory. For example, data for all the lines identified by a tag is copied each time information in one line associated with the tag is modified. Moreover, the reduction in the power consumption of the tag array must be balanced against the power penalty incurred by always having to fetch all of the sub-blocks associated with a tag in the fully sectored cache even when the CPU only requests a subset of the sub-blocks identified by the tag. One option to reduce the power penalty is to only fetch the sub-block requested by the CPU. But that approach suffers from performance degradation due to unused sub-blocks (holes) within a sector.
The cache tag array can also be decoupled from the data array so that tags are dynamically allocated to data lines. This approach can create a one-to-many mapping between the tag array and the data array using pointers to connect lines that include sequentially information. For example, a first tag can be assigned to a line of the data array when information is copied from the main memory to this line of the data array. If information is accessed sequentially from the main memory and copied to a second line in the data array, then the first tag can also be used to indicate the data in the second line using a pointer from the first line to the second line. Additional pointers can be used to link additional sequentially accessed lines. When the CPU checks the tag array, the physical address can be compared to the first tag to determine if the physical address of the data requested by the CPU is stored in the first or second lines. If there is a cache hit, the first tag and the pointers can be used to access the information in the requested line. Using pointers to link the cache lines associated with a single tag can reduce the size and power consumption of the tag array. However, the area and power savings are mitigated by the additional pointer bits used to connect the data and the tags, as well as the additional logic that is needed to traverse the pointers during line replacement.


A magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus, for receiving a magnetic resonance signal occurred in a subject, includes a plurality of high frequency loop coils arranged so that a part of their inner loop surface overlaps each other in a predetermined direction, and a first electric circuit arranged to overlap the inner loop surface of the plurality of high frequency loop coils in the predetermined direction, at a location where the inner loop surface of the plurality of high frequency loop coils overlaps each other, and including a preamplifier to amplify each of the magnetic resonance signals received by each of the plurality of loop coils.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a high frequency coil device which receives a magnetic resonance signal occurred in a subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a magnetic resonance diagnostic apparatus, an array coil which is mounted with a number of loop coils are placed adjacent to the area of a subject being examined so as to receive weak magnetic resonance signals with good sensitivity (refer to, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. Publication KOKAI No. 5-2610081).
In the case where a number of loop coils are disposed, a mutual induction occurs between the loop coils. This mutual induction affects an electric circuit unit, such as a preamplifier circuit. Conventionally, in order to reduce such influence, the electric circuit unit, such as the preamplifier circuit, has been disposed at substantial distance from the loop coils.
However, when the loop coils and the preamplifier circuit are disposed apart, the transmission line therebetween becomes lengthened. Therefore, there was a problem that a magnetic resonance signal received by the loop coils may be attenuated significantly before entering the preamplifier circuit, thereby deteriorating signal-to-noise (S/N) characteristics.


A semiconductor memory apparatus includes a bank that includes a core block where a memory cell array is disposed and a control block to drive the memory cell array, a ground power supply pad that is supplied with a ground power through a ground line, a switch that connects the ground line and the core block, and a block control unit that controls an on/off operation of the switch.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory apparatus, and more particularly, to a semiconductor memory apparatus that is capable of reducing ground noise and reducing power consumption.
2. Related Art
As design technology and process technology of semiconductor memory apparatuses have been developed, a degree of integration thereof has been increased. As a result, semiconductor memory apparatuses that can operate with a low operation voltage have been developed. As such, with an increase in an integration density of the semiconductor memory apparatuses, a design rule of a unit cell that is smaller than a sub-micron unit is used in designing memory apparatuses. As a result, various elements that form the memory circuits have been reduced in size. Meanwhile, a system adapted for the semiconductor memory apparatuses is designed such that as a frequency of a central processing unit (CPU) increases, the semiconductor memory apparatuses can also operate with a high frequency. As a result, while the various elements have been reduced in size, in order to design memory circuits in which a high frequency operation can be performed, a decrease in a power supply voltage VDD is inevitable. For example, in a semiconductor memory apparatus, such as a synchronous DRAM having a level higher than a DDR3, which has attracted attention as the next generation of memory, a power supply voltage of 1.5 V or less is required. In particular, for example as for a DRAM that is mounted on a portable electronic devices and/or communication apparatus, recent research has progressed where an operation voltage is in a range of 1.0 V or less.
Even though the semiconductor memory apparatus strives to achieve a high frequency operation, a high integration degree and low power consumption, it is important to efficiently resolve problems, such as current consumption and noise inside a chip. In particular, it is important to reduce a ground bouncing noise occurring among banks, and an operation current and a leak current of the banks, because these are associated with operational stability of the semiconductor memory apparatus.
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a ground power supply connection structure of a general bank. In general, the semiconductor memory apparatus includes a plurality of banks, each of which has the same structure as that shown in FIG. 1. According to an inner structure of the bank, the bank includes a core block 100 that has a memory cell array and a bit line sense amplifier array, a row control block 200 (X control block) that drives a row address signal of the core block 100, a column control block 300 (Y control block) that drives a column address signal of the core block 100, and a bank internal control block 400 (XY control block) that controls the row control block 200 and the column control block 300 according to a bank selection command.
In particular, in a connection structure shown in FIG. 1, a ground power supply pad 10 (VSS PAD) is disposed outside the bank, and the row control block 200, the column control block 300, and the bank internal control block 400 are connected in common to the ground power supply pad 10. In addition, the core block 100 is directly connected to a node "A" so as to protect regions of memory cells (not shown) from noise of the other blocks.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram specifically illustrating a ground power supply connection structure inside the core block 100 of FIG. 1. The core block 100 includes a cell array 110 where a plurality of memory cells are disposed, a bit line sense amplifier array 120 (BLSA array) where a plurality of sense amplifiers, each sensing data of each of the memory cells, are disposed, a sub word line driver array 130 (SWL driver array) that drives word lines of the memory cells, and a sub hole 140 where a relay is disposed to relay a bit line dividing signal and a bit line equalizing signal. FIG. 2 shows a case in which a semiconductor memory apparatus uses a sub word line scheme.
In the structure of FIG. 2, the bit line sense amplifier array 120, the sub word line driver array 130, and the sub hole 140 are connected in common to one ground line VSS.
Meanwhile, as a capacitance of a semiconductor memory apparatus is increased, the number of memory cells in the core block 100 is increased. Thus the number of each of the bit line sense amplifiers and the sub word line drivers is increased. In addition, sizes of the row control block 200 and the column control block 300 that control the core block 100, and a size of the bank internal control block 400 are also increased. If the bank 100 performs an activation operation, a large number of transistors in the core block 100 are driven, which causes ground noise. Therefore, in order to minimize an influence on the other blocks in the same bank, that is, the row control block 200, the column control block 300, and the bank internal control block 400 due to the ground noise, a ground source is connected to the node A, as shown in FIG. 1. However, as the capacitance of the semiconductor memory apparatus is increased, a ground noise due to an activation operation of the selected bank is gradually increased. Also, even when the bank is not selected, an amount of leak current of the respective control blocks in the bank is also increased. The leak current is increased when the capacitance of the semiconductor memory apparatus is increased.

Semiconductor memory apparatus capable of reducing ground noise


A control circuit supplies a word line drive voltage to one of m word lines which corresponds to a memory cell to which data is to be written, during a word line drive period including a first period and a second period following the first period, to decrease current capabilities of first and second load transistors included in the memory cell during the first period, and increase the current capabilities of the first and second load transistors during the second period.

The technology disclosed herein relates to semiconductor memory devices including a plurality of memory cells, and more particularly, to the control of write operation of memory cells.
FIG. 17 shows a configuration of a memory cell in a typical static random access memory (SRAM). The memory cell includes load transistors QP91 and QP92, drive transistors QN91 and QN92, and access transistors QN93 and QN94. In the memory cell, the potentials of a pair of bit lines BL and /BL are previously precharged high. Data is written to the memory cell as follows. A word line WL is activated (the potential of the word line WL is caused to transition from low to high), and the potential of one of the pair of bit lines BL and /BL is caused to transition from high to low, depending on write data. As a result, the potentials of memory nodes D and ND are changed so that they are complementary, whereby the data is written to the memory cell.
In recent years, as microfabrication technology has advanced, the areas of semiconductor integrated circuits have rapidly decreased. In SRAMs, the size of each transistor included in a memory cell has been largely reduced, leading to an increase in random variations in transistor characteristics. Therefore, it is becoming difficult to ensure a margin for write operation. In general, in order to facilitate write operation (e.g., speed up write operation), it is advantageous in terms of circuit design to reduce the current capability ratio (QP91/QN93) of the load transistor QP91 to the current capability of the access transistor QN93 and the current capability ratio (QP92/QN94) of the load transistor QP92 to the current capability of the access transistor QN94. However, as these current capability ratios decrease, data holding capability (static-noise margin) decreases. If the static-noise margin is not sufficiently ensured, then when a word line is activated, the potentials of the memory nodes D and ND are likely to be reversed (i.e., data is destroyed) in a memory cell which is connected to the activated word line and to which data is not to be written. It is also becoming difficult to ensure the data holding capability due to the increase in random variations in transistor characteristics. In particular, as the threshold voltages of the access transistors QN93 and QN94 decrease due to the random variations, the current capabilities of the access transistors QN93 and QN94 increase (i.e., the current capability ratios (QP91/QN93) and (QP92/QN94) decrease), resulting in a significant degradation in the data holding capability.
As described above, the advances in microfabrication technology have made it more and more difficult to ensure both the write operation margin and the data holding capability in SRAMs. To solve such a problem, Japanese Patent Publication No. S55-64686, (Patent Document 1), Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-012214 (Patent Document 2), etc. describe a technique of achieving more stable write operation by controlling a power supply voltage VDDM to a memory cell. In this technique, when data is written to a memory cell, the power supply voltage VDDM to the memory cell to which the data is to be written is decreased. As a result, the current capability ratios (QP91/QN93) and (QP92/QN94) decrease, resulting in an improvement in the write operation margin.


A connecting arrangement for an automotive rear wheel steering unit is provided which is adapted for connecting an output shaft of a rear wheel steering gear train and a steering rod for steering rear wheels. The connecting arrangement includes a tapered portion formed on the output shaft, a tapered bore formed in the steering rod for receiving the tapered portion, and a fastener for locking the tapered portion of the output shaft to the tapered bore of the steering rod. With these arrangements, easy connecting operation is established with high mounting accuracy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a rear wheel steering unit for an automotive vehicle. More particularly, the invention is directed to an improvement on a connecting arrangement for connecting between an output shaft of a rear wheel steering gear train and a steering rod for steering rear wheels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is current practice to incorporate a four-wheel steering (4WS) system into automotive vehicles for improving cornering stability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,018, issued on Jan. 7, 1992, assigned to the same assignee of this application, discloses a conventional electrically-operated rear wheel steering unit. This steering unit includes an electric motor-operated gear train which has an output shaft operable to rotate eccentrically with respect to an input shaft, which eccentric movement, in turn, causes a steering rod to be displaced laterally for steering rear wheels.
The above prior art rear wheel steering system, however, encounters a drawback in that the output shaft is press-fitted into a bore formed in the steering rod for establishing tight engagement therebetween with high accuracy, therefore, it is necessary to form a flanged portion on the output shaft for facilitating the press-fitting operation. This results in machining costs as well as assembling processes being increased.

Connecting arrangement for automotive rear wheel steering unit


Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for providing a combined authentication service. Combined authentication information is set by acquiring an entry window location and authentication characters from a user, an entry window including the entry keypad is displayed at the entry window location, entry information including entry characters and entry coordinates is acquired from the user via the entry window, and combined authentication is performed by verifying the entry characters and the entry coordinates, thus strengthening the security of authentication of a mobile terminal while maintaining the user's existing password. Further, if a region to which the password entry coordinates are to be mapped is selected when the user sets a password, authentication is performed by additionally considering mapping coordinates in addition to the password even if the user enters the password into the existing password entry window, thus strengthening the security of password authentication.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for providing a combined authentication service and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing a combined authentication service, which are configured such that, when a user selects the location of a password entry window, and enters his or her password into the entry window at the selected location, authentication is performed by considering entry coordinates and an input pattern, and such that, when the user selects a region to which password entry coordinates are to be mapped, authentication is performed by additionally considering mapping coordinates in addition to the password even if the user enters the password into an existing password entry window.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a password authentication system in mobile terminals is problematic in that the exposure of a password is directly related to the problem of security. Further, when the setting of a complicated password is required so as to strengthen security, a problem arises in that a user is forced to additionally memorize a separate password in addition to his or her existing password that is usually used, thus resulting in inconvenience.
Therefore, when the user selects the location of a password entry window and enters his or her password into the entry window at the selected location, a password input pattern is set, and authentication is performed in consideration of entered numbers, entry coordinates, and an input pattern upon entering the password, thus allowing the user to maintain his or her existing password without change. Further, when the user selects a region to which password entry coordinates are to be mapped upon setting the password, authentication is performed in consideration of the region to be mapped and the entered password, thus strengthening security while allowing the user to maintain his or her existing password and existing password entry window without change. Therefore, authentication technology related to this process is urgently required.
In connection with this, Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2014-0011545 discloses a technology related to "Method for Inputting Data and Apparatus thereof."

Method and apparatus for providing combined authentication service


An x-ray detector is disclosed, for a computed tomography system. In an embodiment, the x-ray detector includes a base plate and a number of detector modules, each including at least one detector field with a detector surface facing counter to an r-direction on a front face and each including a module support, fastened to the base plate. In at least one embodiment, the module support includes a bearing surface facing the base plate, perpendicular to the detector surface, for fastening purposes.

An x-ray detector is known for example from DE 10 2012 213 814 A1, which originates from the applicant. This discloses an x-ray detector, which comprises a number of detector modules arranged next to one another in a stacking direction, said detector modules having a front face, which is aligned toward an x-ray radiation source during operation. In the first approximation the x-ray radiation source is punctiform and emits an essentially fan-shaped beam for the examination of an object (for example a patient). This beam passes through the object in a predetermined plane and finally strikes the detector modules. Each of said detector modules comprises a number of detector elements, having a detector surface with an associated surface normal.
In order to achieve an optimum signal strength, each of the detector modules is aligned in such a manner that the surface normal of the detector surface faces as far as possible in the direction of the x-ray radiation source. In combination with the fan-shaped beam this produces an arced arrangement of the detector modules. To achieve such an arrangement, a frame or support is provided, having a base plate with a curved mounting surface, to which the detector modules are fastened in a radial direction in relation to the x-ray radiation source. In other words, the detector modules are each mounted on the base plate in a mounting direction that corresponds to the surface normal of the respective detector module. The production of such a support is complex. Also the x-ray detector is typically exposed to significant centrifugal force during operation. The support is therefore designed as solid, with the result that its manufacture is resource-intensive.

X-ray detector for a computed tomography system


A mounting apparatus for portable electronic devices provides a hands-free support for utilizing various portable electronics, such as smart phones or tablets. The mounting apparatus includes a specialized base for use with a floor, table, wall, or headboard surface. An upper assembly secures to the electronic device and can be tilted to a desired orientation. The upper assembly also includes an illuminating accessory for ease of viewing in dim lit situations and an attachable privacy curtain.

Cradles and stands for use with portable electronic devices are known. Typically these cradles or stands are designed to temporarily support the portable electronic device while recharging the internal battery or transmitting data to and from the device. Many of the more popular portable electronic devices, such as smart phones and tablet computers, now have larger viewing screens intended to display photos, videos, web pages, books, or other visual data. This has effectively made the modern portable electronic device a personal entertainment device that many people use to read books and watch movies. One (1) problem that is associated with the increased use and viewing of such devices is the need to hold the device in a suitable viewing position for extended periods of time.
In response to this increased functionality, stands and holder have been introduced that also position the device in a generally vertical position for viewing. Unfortunately, the holding and support devices available are designed to only support a particular size or style of electronic device and lack suitable customization. Additionally, the stands often lack the electrical connection that cradles provide. Furthermore, by design the stands limit use and viewability due to the requirement that the stand rest upon a flat horizontal surface. This requires the use to still have to physically hold the portable electronic device when viewing in a lounge chair, bed, or other relaxed position. As these portable electronic devices have become more popular, they have overtaken the television or book as a pre-sleep ritual for many people. Unfortunately, the light and sound of this bedtime use often disturbs a bedmate. Further still, many stands are unstable and prone to be knocked over which can damage the portable electronic device.

Mounting apparatus for a portable electronic device


A timepiece is equipped with a novel type of entertainment, that is a mechanical card game. The timepiece includes: a dial (10) provided with a plurality of windows (12); systems (14) for opening and closing at least some of the windows (12), actuated by control bodies; a plurality of display disks (16) carrying representations of cards to be played, to be visible via the windows (12), the disks being pivoted on axes that are perpendicular to the plane of the dial (10); and a system (18) for rotating the disks and stopping them at random.

A priori, the primary function of timepieces is to provide time-related information. Traditional horology mechanisms have been used to offer more recreational mechanical systems, such as machines or music boxes.
Furthermore, certain watches of the state of the art include, in addition to the typical mechanisms making it possible to display time information, complications allowing a user to have a game on his watch. One remarkable embodiment, known under the name Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillon, is, in addition to a higher horology timepiece, a masterpiece in miniaturization, including a slot machine game. The mechanism is activated by pulling a lever on the right side of the case. A rack then rises along the movement to actuate three rollers, each of which bears five symbols: spade, heart, diamond, horseshoe and bell. When the rack is lowered again, it activates the stoppers that stop the rollers one by one and simultaneously sounds a striking-work. Of the 125 possible combinations, only the three aligned bells represent the jackpot.
The present invention aims to propose a new entertaining timepiece.


Disclosed is a magnetic card which comprises a substrate of a thermoplastic resin and a magnetic recording layer provided on the whole surface of at least one side of the substrate, wherein necessary matters such as letters and figures can be formed in a given area by embossing treatment, and wherein the magnetic recording layer consists of a magnetic film which contains 70% by weight or more of magnetic powders having a coercive force of 300 Oe or higher and which has a tensile break elongation of 50% or more.

The magnetic cards which comprise a substrate of a thermoplastic resin and a magnetic recording layer provided thereon at a given width and in a given direction, and in a given area of which the desired matters such as letters and figures can be formed by an embossing process, have been widely used as credit cards, cash cards for banking, identification cards, cards for oil filling, cards for shopping and others.
These conventional magnetic cards comprise a thermoplastic resin sheet of polyvinyl chloride or the like as a substrate and a magnetic recording layer which is called magnetic stripes and formed by heat-transferring or bonding a magnetic layer formed on a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) tape or the like, to the desired portion of the substrate in the form of stripes.
The constitution of these magnetic cards is schematically shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional magnetic card, The magnetic card 10 comprises substrates 21 and 22 of polyvinyl chloride sheets printed with letters or designs 41 and 42, protective layers 34 of transparent polyvinyl chloride sheets through which the letters or designs 41 and 42 can be seen, magnetic stripe 31 heat-transferred or bonded to the protective layer 34 and letters and FIGS. 43 and 44 formed by embossing treatment.
In this constitution, the portion to be printed with letters or designs 41 is limited by the magnetic stripe 31 and therefore the degree of freedom for designs is restricted. Thus, high level of designs are hindered.
Recently, for enhancement of the degree of freedom for designing, such magnetic card 10 as shown in FIG. 2 has been increasingly used. That is, in the magnetic card 10 hiding layer 32 is provided on the whole surface of substrate 23 to which magnetic stripe 31 has been transferred, then the letters or designs 41 are printed on this hiding layer 32 and the printed letters or designs are protected with protective layer 33.
However, formation of the hiding layer 32 which hides the magnetic stripe 31 requires a special technique for hiding the difference in level or in color tone between the magnetic stripe 31 and the substrate 23 of a transparent polyvinyl chloride sheet to which the stripe 31 has been transferred or bonded. As a result, improvement of productivity has been inhibited.
Furthermore, the magnetic stripe 31 is relatively expensive, registration in transferring or bonding of the stripe and registration in cutting of the cards are difficult to cause reduction in the yield. Thus, improvements in material cost and production cost have also been desired.
As an approach to solve the above problems and to provide magnetic cards which are inexpensive and stable in quality and a process for production thereof, it has been proposed to form, in succession, a magnetic recording layer, a hiding layer and a design layer on the whole surface of the substrate of a magnetic card (See Japanese Patent Kokai (Laid-Open) Nos. Sho 48-23337 and 54-73608 and Hei 2-249696). The proposed magnetic cards can solve the problems in material cost and production cost, but they still suffer from the problems that when the desired matters such as letters and figures are formed in a given position of the magnetic cards by embossing treatment, there occur cracking, peeling and exfoliation of the magnetic film in the portions subjected to the embossing treatment to expose the substrate and thus, the appearance is seriously damaged and commercial value is diminished.

Magnetic card having embossed portions and a magnetic layer having magnetic powders specified binder resins and a tensile elongation at break of 50 percent or more


In an oil-cooled screw compressor comprising, a compressor body including a pair of a male rotor and a female rotor, a motor including a stator and a motor rotor connected to one of the male and female rotors, and an oil separator container for gathering the oil from a mixture of the gaseous manner and oil to restrain the oil from proceeding with the compressed gaseous matter after the mixture of the gaseous manner and oil is discharged from the pair of male and female rotors, a rotational axis of the motor rotor and the rotational axis of the one of the male and female rotors are coaxial with respect to each other.

The present invention relates to an oil-cooled screw compressor having an oil separator container.
A conventional oil-cooled screw compressor having an oil separator container is disclosed by, for example, FIG. 1 of JP-B2-3262011. In this conventional art, a compressor body and the oil separator container are connected by a pipe, and the compressor body is driven by an electric motor through a belt and a pair of transmission pulleys.
Another conventional art is disclosed by JP-A-2004-176699 (FIG. 1), in which a receiver for gathering a lubricant oil, the compressor body and the electric motor are aligned along a substantially straight line.


Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for coordinating processing of data by multiple networked computing resources include monitoring data associated with a plurality of networked computing resources, and coordinating the routing of data processing segments to the networked computing resources.

In various forms of networked or otherwise distributed data processing systems, complex and/or multiple related processes are often routed to multiple computing resources for execution. For example, in financial and other trading systems, orders for purchases, sales, and other transactions in financial interests are often routed to multiple market or exchange servers for fulfillment. For example, when a large order is routed to multiple exchanges (e.g., based on the liquidity available in each market), orders tend to arrive at the faster exchanges (i.e., those having fewer inherent latencies) before they arrive at slower exchanges (i.e., those having greater inherent latencies), and thus show in the books of different exchanges at different times. When orders begin to show on the books of the faster exchanges, other parties can detect the orders and attempt to take advantage of the latency in slower exchanges by cancelling, changing, and or otherwise manipulating quotes (e.g., bids and offers) or other market parameters on the slower exchanges, effectively increasing the implicit trading costs. As a result, orders that may have otherwise executed on any single exchange at a high fill ratio tend to exhibit a lower overall fill ratio when routed to multiple exchanges as a split trade.
Prior art documents, such as the Rony Kay article "Pragmatic Network Latency Engineering, Fundamental Facts and Analysis, have attempted to address such problems by proposing elimination of one-way communications (i.e., "packet") latencies. Such systems fail to address arbitrage opportunities and other issues caused or facilitated by variations in the time required for multiple processors to execute individual portions of multiple-processor execution requests (i.e., execution latencies), in addition to (or as part of) communications latencies.

Coordinated processing of data by networked computing resources


Disclosed is a light-sensitive material comprising a support and a light-sensitive layer provided thereon which contains silver halide, a reducing agent and an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound. The silver halide and the polymerizable compound are contained in oily droplets. The oily droplets are a core material of microcupsules. The oily droplet has a film therearound which is composed of a reaction product of a water-soluble polymer having a sulfinyl group with an ethylenically unsaturated polymerizable compound.

A light-sensitive material comprising a support and a light-sensitive layer containing silver halide, a reducing agent and a polymerizable compound is used in an image-forming method. The image-forming method comprises image-wise exposing to light the light-sensitive material to form a latent image of silver halide, and developing the light-sensitive material to imagewise polymerize the polymerizable compound by the action of the reducing agent.
Examples of the image-forming methods are described in Japanese Patent Publications No. 45(1970)-11149 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,275), No. 47(1972)-20741 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,667) and No. 49(1974)-10697, and Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 57(1982)-138632, No. 57(1982)-142638, No. 57(1982)-176033, No. 57(1982)-211146 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,997), No. 58(1983)-107529 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,637), No. 58(1983)-121031 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,450) and No. 58(1983)-169143. In the image-forming method disclosed in the above-mentioned publications, when the exposed silver halide is developed using a developing solution, the polymerizable compound is induced to polymerize in the presence of a reducing agent to form a polymer image. Thus, this method needs a wet development process using a developing solution.
An improved image-forming method employing a dry process is described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. 61(1986)-69062 and No. 61(1986)-73145 (the contents of both publications are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,676 and European Patent Provisional Publication No. 0174634A2). In this image-forming method, a recording material (light-sensitive material) comprising a support and a light-sensitive layer provided thereon which contains a light-sensitive silver salt (silver halide), a reducing agent, a polymerizable compound and a binder is imagewise exposed to light to form a latent image, and then the material is heated to polymerize within the area where the latent image of the silver halide has been formed. The above-mentioned image-forming method using a dry process is also described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. 61(1986)-183640 and No. 61(1986)-188535.
There is also known an image-forming method in which the polymerizable compound is polymerized within the area where a latent image of the silver halide has not been formed, as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 61(1986)-260241. In this method, the polymerization of the polymerizable compound within the area where the latent image of the silver halide has been formed is inhibited, and simultaneously the polymerization of the polymerizable compound within other area (i.e., area where the latent image of the silver halide has not been formed) is accelerated.
The image-forming method using the light-sensitive material having the above constitution generally comprises the steps of forming imagewise a polymer compound on the light-sensitive material, superposing the light-sensitive material on an image-receiving material having an image-receiving layer, and pressing them to transfer the unpolymerized polymerizable compound on to the image-receiving material so as to obtain a transferred image on the image-receiving material. In this method, preferably employed is a light-sensitive material in which the silver halide and the polymerizable compound are contained in microcapsules (referred to hereinafter as "light-sensitive microcapsule(s)"), as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. 61(1986)-275742 and No. 61(1986)-278849.
As the shell material of the microcapsules, a variety of resins are known. For example, there are known polyamide resin and/or polyester resin as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 62(1987)-209437, polyurea resin and/or polyurethane resin as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 62(1987)-209438, amino-aldehyde resin as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 62(1987)-209439, gelatin as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 62(1987)-209440, epoxy resin as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 62(1987)-209441, multi-layer shell of polyamide resin and/or polyurea resin as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 62(1987)-209447, multi-layer shell of polyurethane resin and/or polyester resin as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. 62(1987)-209442 and No. 64(1989)-91131, melamine derivative-aldehyde resin as described in Japanese Patent Application No. 62(1987)-313486, and dual-walled microcapsules (inner shell: polyurea or polyurethane resin, outer shell: amino-aldehyde resin) as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 63(1988)-269146.
In the preparation of microcapsules, various methods are utilized to prepare microcapsules which are more suitable for light-sensitive materials. For example, there are known a method of using a specific protective colloid (e.g., a mixture of pectin and a styrenesulfonic acid type polymer as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 63(1988)-121837 and a mixture of gelatin and a styrenesulfonic acid type polymer as described in Japanese Patent provisional Publication No. 64(1989)-9439) and a method of removing a unnecessary component (i.e., component having buffer function, e.g., anionic protective colloid) remaining in a microcapsule dispersion after preparation of microcapsules as described in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 63(1988)-173041.
A transferred image obtained by the above-mentioned image-forming method using the light-sensitive material having a light-sensitive layer which contains microcapsules is desired to have high contrast and high quality. However, the transferred image sometimes suffers various problems. For example, the density of the imaged portion (i.e., portion of maximum density) lowers or the portion other than the imaged portion (i.e., portion of background or portion of minimum density) is colored, and thereby the contrast of entire image is decreased. Otherwise, unevenness of the density occurs in the imaged portion even though the density in that portion should be uniform, such that the image quality deteriorates.

Light-sensitive material containing silver halide reducing agent and polymerizable compound