A diagnostic method is provided for a particle filter arranged in exhaust-gas flow of an internal combustion engine. A particle concentration is detected by a particle sensor positioned downstream of the particle filter. The combustion-relevant engine parameters are briefly changed by an engine controller in such a way that an untreated emissions concentration from the engine is significantly increased. A filter fault message is output if the detected associated measurement values of the particle concentration exceed a detection threshold value of the particle sensor, which is in particular considerably greater than a predefined, preferably volume-related particle limit value.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a diagnostic method for a particle filter which is arranged in the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine, a particle concentration being sensed by a particle sensor which is connected downstream of the particle filter.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a diagnostic system for a particle filter which is arranged in the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine. The diagnostic system has an engine controller for setting combustion-relevant engine parameters as a function of different operating modes and for outputting at least one filter fault message. Furthermore, it has a particle sensor which is connected downstream of the particle filter in order to sense a particle concentration.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a suitable use of the diagnostic system according to the invention.
2. Related Art
An internal combustion engine is preferably a diesel engine. As an alternative, the internal combustion engine can be a gasoline engine or a gas-operated internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine is typically provided for driving a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car. As an alternative, the internal combustion engine can be provided for steady-state operation, for example in an installation. In particular, the particle filter is a soot filter for diesel soot, and the particle sensor is a soot sensor.
The current particulate matter discussion for keeping the air clean has led vehicle producers to provide soot particle filters, in vehicles operated by diesel engine. To this end, an on-board diagnosis of all the emissions-relevant components of the vehicle is required. Corresponding malfunctions are entered in a fault memory of the vehicle. The owner of the vehicle is optionally advised to have his vehicle checked or repaired in a repair shop.
A differential pressure measurement is known from the prior art for monitoring the correct function of a particle filter. However, particle sensors are also known which are connected behind the particle filter and output a measured value which corresponds to the particle concentration in the exhaust gas stream at that point.
The maximum permissible particle concentrations behind the particle filter which are usually prescribed by law are extremely low and require a considerable outlay on measuring technology. Thus highly accurate particle sensors are required for future diesel systems in order to adhere to the EURO 5 limit values of less than 5 mg/km which correspond approximately to a volume-related limit value of 2 mg/m3. Sensors of this type have to have a detection threshold value which lies in the range of the volume-related limit value. In particular, a high absolute accuracy is required. In order, in addition, to take a sensor-dependent zero point drift and cross sensitivity into consideration in terms of measuring technology, the currently available particle sensors would have to have a considerably lower detection threshold value, such as 0.5 mg/m3. However, particle sensors with a high measuring resolution of this type are very expensive.

Diagnostic method and diagnostic system for a particle filter of an internal combustion engine, in particular for a soot filter in a diesel motor vehicle


In one embodiment of the present invention, a GPU contains an authentication module at the front end, and a memory security engine and graphic memory interface at the backend. In one embodiment of the present invention, the memory security engine provides a privilege table. The programmable privilege table maps memory address ranges, and user IDs to privileges for accessing the memory address ranges. In one embodiment of the present invention, the memory security engine receives a memory access command along with an associated authenticated user ID. In one embodiment of the present invention, the memory security engine checks the authenticated user ID and address range against the privilege table. In one embodiment of the present invention, if the table indicates that the user has authorization for the particular read or write transaction to the graphic memory, the instruction is executed by the graphic memory interface. If the accessed address is not in the table, no special privileges are needed to access that address. If the table indicates that the user does not have authorization for the particular read or write transaction, the memory security engine provides a memory redirect.

Referring to FIG. 1, a computer system according to the conventional art is shown. As depicted in FIG. 1, the computer system comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 110 communicatively coupled to a chipset 120. System memory 130 and various input/output (I/O) devices 140 are also communicatively coupled to the chipset 120. The I/O devices may include peripherals such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a speaker, and the like.
A graphical processing unit (GPU) 160 is also communicatively coupled to the chipset 120. The GPU 160 is also communicatively coupled to graphics memory 170, and a monitor 150. The chipset 120 acts as a simple input/output hub for communicating data and instructions between the CPU 110, system memory 130, GPU 160 and/or I/O devices 170. Chipset 120 may include complex bus architectures.
Certain processes and steps are realized as a series of instructions (e.g., code) and data that reside within the system memory 130 and are executed by the CPU 110. When executed, the instructions cause the CPU 110 to provide an operating system. Furthermore, one or more applications may be executing on the CPU 110 and controlled by the operating system.
Certain graphical processes and steps are realized as a series of instructions and data that reside within GPU accessible memory 170 and are executed by the GPU 160. The CPU 110 may provide one or more instructions, commands and/or data values to the GPU 160. Furthermore, the CPU 110 and the operating systems executing thereon control the GPU 160.
The GPU 160 is responsible for creating images displayed on an I/O device 140, such as the monitor 150. The CPU 110 sends a relatively small set of drawing instructions or commands to the GPU 160. The GPU 160 executes the instructions to provide lower level image processing operations such as bitmap transfers and painting, window resizing and repositioning, line drawing, font scaling polygon drawings, and the like. The GPU 160 then writes the frame data to the graphics memory 170. The GPU 160 also reads the frame data out of the graphics memory 170 and converts it to a composite red/green/blue signal for output to the monitor 150.
Offloading image processing-intensive tasks from the CPU 110 onto the GPU 160 increases system performance. As a result, the CPU 110 utilization is advantageously reduced allowing the CPU 110 to handle other tasks, which in turn increases the system's overall processing power.
Computer systems and the various components thereof have long been subject to numerous security threats. Computers are vulnerable to intruders, unauthorized users, or authorized users attempting to perform unauthorized actions. The graphics processing subsystem is also vulnerable. Data and instructions in the graphics processing subsystem are susceptible to interruption, interception, modification, and/or fabrication. For example, passwords can be stolen by spoofing images (e.g., Trojan horse), and copyrighted material can be stolen by copying the graphics memory.
As computer systems progress, increased security becomes more critical. Increased security is required at all levels of the computer system. Thus, the graphics subsystem also requires increased security. Drivers, buggy programs, malicious programs, and the like should be prevented from acquiring, overwriting, and/or intentionally or unintentionally revealing or corrupting data.
One solution that has been proposed, is to encrypt all data values and access commands flowing to and from the graphics processor and its associated graphics memory 170. Therefore, only authorized users, having the correct encryption key, would be able to utilize the processing resources of the GPU 160 and access the graphics memory 170. However, encryption is a computational intensive process, which requires considerable processing resources. Furthermore, encryption can result in increased image processing latency in the graphics processing subsystem.
Thus, there is a continued need to provide a secure transactional method for sending data and instructions to and reading them from the GPU 160 and/or graphics memory 170.

Memory redirect primitive for a secure graphics processing unit


A device for storing key-value (KV) data includes non-volatile memory and a controller. The controller includes a decapsulator and a KV mapper to receive network data communicated over a network, for example using a layer 2 protocol. The decapsulator is configured to decapsulate a payload from the network data, the payload including a key-value pair and first information. The KV mapper is configured to receive the key-value pair and the first information decapsulated from the network data, and determine, based on the received key-value pair and first information, a first location of the non-volatile memory. The controller is further configured to store KV data corresponding to the key-value pair at the first location of the non-volatile memory based on the first information.

Various configurations for communication between storage devices and host devices using networks have been introduced by several vendors, for example, Seagate and Western Digital (WDC). Seagate's products connect storage applications via Ethernet directly to disks using simple put and get commands via an open source object storage protocol API. WDC uses more sophisticated software in a drive interface, e.g., iSCSI or Ceph that could be used to connect the devices. Also, some standardization efforts have been made for highly distributed and capacity-optimized workloads in a data center. For example, Seagate established Open-Kinetics forum, including multiple vendors to specific aspects of Kinetics Ethernet drive—API, form factors, etc. These products were low performance with high protocol overheads. More recent high performing products using Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) protocols and using Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) networking adapters have been developed, but these require very high cost network adapters and infrastructure. However, improvements in cost-effective and efficient data storage and access still remain desired.

System and method for accessing and managing key-value data over networks


An identity based service system is provided, in which an identity is created and managed for a user or principal, such that at least a portion of the identity is available to use between one or more system entities. A discovery service enables a system entity to discover a service descriptor, given a service name and a name identifier of the user, whereby system entities can find and invoke the user's other personal web services. The discovery service preferably provides a translation between a plurality of namespaces, to prevent linkable identity information over time between system entities.

At the present time, the identity of an individual or user in a network environment, such as the Internet, is comprised of a large number of pieces of information, which is collected and recollected by a large number of entities. Some basic information regarding an individual, such as but not limited to name information, address information, identification information, financial information, profile information, and or preference information, is repeatedly collected and stored at a large number of system entities. Additional information, such as a user name and password, is created, as necessary, such that the individual or user can sign on and/or gain access to a service provider.
A large number of pieces of an individual's business and personal identity are therefore scattered across an increasing number of system entities, such as but not limited to commercial entities, banking and investment institutions, credit card companies, service providers, and/or educational institutions.
Individuals are therefore required to repeatedly enter much of the same information, in the process of numerous professional and/or personal endeavors. Furthermore, as the information for an individual changes, the stored information becomes increasingly impractical to manage and/or update. In addition, the numerous user names and passwords associated with an individual quickly becomes unwieldy, such that users often forget or lose track of the information they need to access services and/or accounts.
Several structures and methods have been described for identity and proxy-based networks, such as:    E. Gabber, P. Gibbons, Y. Matias, and A. Mayer, System and Method for Providing Anonymous Personalized Browsing by a Proxy System in a Network, U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,593, 05 Oct. 1999, describes a system "For use with a network having server sites capable of being browsed by users based on identifiers received into the server sites and personal to the users, alternative proxy systems for providing substitute identifiers to the server sites that allow the users to browse the server sites anonymously via the proxy system. A central proxy system includes computer-executable routines that process site-specific substitute identifiers constructed from data specific to the users, that transmits the substitute identifiers to the server sites, that retransmits browsing commands received from the users to the server sites, and that removes portions of the browsing commands that would identify the users to the server sites. The foregoing functionality is performed consistently by the central proxy system during subsequent visits to a given server site as the same site specific substitute identifiers are reused. Consistent use of the site specific substitute identifiers enables the server site to recognize a returning user and, possibly, provide personalized service";    Proxy-Based Security Protocols in Networked Mobile Devices; M. Burnside, D. Clarke, T. Mills, S. Devadas, and R. Rivest; MIT Laboratory for Computer Science; event,declarke,mills,devada,firstname.lastname@example.com;    SPKI/SDSI http Server/Certificate Chain Discovery in SPKI/SDDI; D. Clarke; MIT Laboratory for Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, September 2001;    Grid Information Services for Distributed Resource Sharing; K. Czajkowski, S. Fitzgerald, I. Foster, C. Kesselman; Proc. 10th IEEE Symposium on High-Performance Distributed Computing, 2001;    Certificate Discovery Using SPKI/SDSI 2.0 Certificates; J. Elien; MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; May 1998; and    Local Names in SPKI/SDSI; N. Li; NYU Department of Computer Science; Proceedings of the 13th IEEE Computer Security Foundations Workshop.
Other systems provide various details of the operation of network identity and proxy systems, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,460,036, System and Method for Providing Customized Electronic Newspapers and Target Advertisements; U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,195, System for Customized Electronic Identification of Desirable Objects; U.S. Pat. No. 5,835,087, System for Generation of Object Profiles for a System for Customized Electronic Identification of Desirable Objects; U.S. Pat. No. 5,754,939, System for Generation of User Profiles for a System for Customized Electronic Identification of Desirable Objects; U.S. Pat. No. 5,754,938, Pseudonymous Server for System for Customized Electronic Identification of Desirable Objects; U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,620, Integrated Proxy Interface for Web Based Alarm Management Tools; U.S. Pat. No. 6,480,885, Dynamically Matching Users for Group Communications Based on a Threshold Degree of Matching of Sender and Recipient Predetermined Acceptance Criteria; U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,407, Integrated Proxy Interface for Web Based Alarm management Tools; U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,733, System for Dynamically Transcoding Data Transmitted Between Computers; U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,652, Customer Access Solutions Architecture; U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,817, Chase Me System; U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,064, Method for Enabling a Web Server Running a "Closed" Native Operating System to Impersonate a User of a Web Client to Obtain a Protected File; U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,782, One-Number Communications System and Service Integrating Wireline/Wireless Telephone Communications Systems; U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,566, Method and Apparatus for Providing Persistent Fault-Tolerant Proxy Login to a Web-Based Distributed File Service; European Pat. No. EP 1094404, Collaborator Discovery Method and System; European Pat. No. EP 1031206, Identity Discovery method for Detecting Authorized Security Service Which is Illicitly Transferring Decoding Capabilities for use in Unauthorized Security Devices; The Session Initiation Protocol: Internet-Centric Signaling; H. Schulzrinne, J. Rosenberg; IEEE Communications Magazine; October 2000; How Bluetooth Embeds in the Environment; Lawday, G.; Electronic Product Design; November 2001; and Business: Designing with Users in Internet Time; J. Braiterman, S. Verhage, and R. Choo; Interactions: September-October 2000.
It would be advantageous to provide an identity based service system, which does not require a user to create a user identity for each participant. The development of such an identity based service system would constitute a major technological advance.
Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide an identity based service system, which allows a user to create an identity that can be controllably accessed and shared by a plurality of participants. The development of such an identity based service system would constitute a further technological advance.
As well, it would be advantageous that such an identity based service system be integrated with existing site authentication and authorization structures, such that the identity based service system is readily used by a wide variety of sites. The development of such an identity based service system would constitute a further major technological advance.

AOL LLC, a Delaware limited liability company


A method for attaching a die (11) to a substrate (15) is provided. In accordance with the method, a die and a substrate are provided which are to be connected to each other across first and second surfaces. The first and second surfaces are contacted with a liquid solder composition (21) having a maximum melting temperature Tm1, of less than about 100 C. The liquid solder composition is contacted with a freezing agent (17 or 19) such that a second composition is formed which has a maximum melting temperature Tm2, wherein T2xe2x88x92Tm1 is at least about 25xc2x0 C.

The present invention relates generally to solder compositions, and more particularly to solder compositions useful for attaching a die to a substrate or package.
In one aspect, a method is disclosed herein for attaching an electronic component, such as a die, integrated circuit, or the like, to a substrate or package, comprising the steps of providing an electronic component and a substrate to be connected to each other across first and second surfaces with a liquid solder composition, and, in any order, either simultaneously or consecutively (a) contacting the first and second surfaces with the liquid solder composition, and (b) contacting the liquid solder composition with a freezing agent, wherein the liquid solder composition has a maximum melting temperature Tm1 of less than about 100 C. before it is exposed to the freezing agent, and wherein the liquid solder composition interacts with the freezing agent to form a second composition which has a maximum melting temperature Tm2, wherein Tm2xe2x88x92Tm1 is at least about 25xc2x0 C. The liquid solder composition is preferably an alloy containing Ga, In, and Sn, and preferably has a melting temperature of less than about 75 C., more preferably less than about 50 C., and most preferably less than about 25 C. Preferably Tm2xe2x88x92Tm1 is at least about 50 C., more preferably Tm2xe2x88x92Tm1 is at least about 75 C., even more preferably Tm2xe2x88x92Tm1 is at least about 100 C., and most preferably, Tm2xe2x88x92Tm1 is at least about 125 C. The freezing agent may be a material such as, for example, gold, which may be plated onto one or both of the first and second surfaces.
In another aspect, a method is disclosed herein for attaching a die to a substrate, comprising the steps of providing a die having a first faying surface thereon, providing a substrate having a second faying surface thereon, said second faying surface comprising gold, applying a gallium-based liquid solder composition to at least one of the first and second faying surfaces, and bringing the first and second faying surfaces into sufficient proximity such that the liquid solder composition is in contact with the first and second faying surfaces. The liquid solder composition is preferably applied to only the first faying surface prior to the point at which the first and second faying surfaces are brought into sufficient proximity such that the liquid solder composition is in contact with the first and second faying surfaces. Preferably, the liquid solder composition contains X % by weight Ga, Y % by weight In, and Z % by weight Sn, based on the total weight of the alloy, wherein 0 less than X,Y,Z less than 100. More preferably, X is within the range of about 40 to about 80, Y is within the range of about 5 to about 25, and Z is within the range of about 10 to about 30. The gold on the second faying surface is adsorbed by the liquid solder composition, and acts as a freezing agent for the composition.
These and other aspects are described in further detail below.

Solder compositions for attaching a die to a substrate


A computer system for changing signals to separately value components temporally decomposed from residential property, the computer system including: an input device operable for converting input data representing the residential property into input signals representing the input data; a computer having a processor, the processor connected to the input to receive the input computer signals, the processor programmed to change the input signals to produce modified signals representing a separate market-based valuation of each of a plurality of components temporally decomposed from the property, the components including a residential estate for years interest and a residential remainder interest; and an output device connected to the processor to convert the modified signals into an illustration including the respective valuation of each of the components.

A. Description of the Prior Art
During the last recession, a far greater number of businesses failed than would normally have been expected. Bankruptcies, financial defaults, and foreclosures on property also increased, and bad real estate loans caused an atypically large number of lenders to collapse. If there were obvious ways to increase investment return under conditions of economic stress, most likely those ways would have been uncovered long ago.
Consider real estate, for example. Commercial real estate market activity was at or near a standstill for several years around the start of this decade, beginning in the last recession and continuing for more than a year past the end of the recession. Although excess development of commercial space received great attention in the financial press, there was also a drastic reduction in capital available for real estate equity investment and finance.
Real estate equity capital declined as pension funds reduced or ended commitments of new equity capital to real estate capital markets. Capital for real estate finance declined correspondingly as savings and loan institutions withdrew from commercial real estate lending. Of even greater significance, real estate lending practices of insurance companies and commercial banks came under greater regulatory scrutiny in response to increased loan defaults in the early 1990s, which led to a tightening of standards for real estate loans and a reduction in flexibility on loan terms.
Property values fell, and investors were uncertain of how far values had fallen because so few sales of commercial property were occurring.
The problem was not a lack of potential investors. Although the pension funds had withdrawn from the markets, the core group of real estate developers and professionals involved in the markets before the pension funds entered were still committed to the real estate business and were still willing to commit capital to acquire and control real estate for business investment purposes.
Nor was the problem a lack of potential financing. Despite some withdrawal by savings and loan institutions, insurance companies were still available to provide financing for sound commercial real estate developments. However, there were at least two key constraints on loan commitments by insurance companies that had the practical effect of restricting the amount of available financing.
One key constraint was the emergence of a more strict regulatory environment that restricted the maturities of most loans that insurance companies were willing to make to no more than ten (10) years. This conflicted with the dictates of tax considerations for taxable investors, which suggested that the terms of loans should be at least fifteen (15) years, and preferably twenty (20) years or more.
A second key constraint was that, due to high nationwide vacancy rates in commercial properties, insurance companies were making real estate loans primarily on property that was almost fully leased to tenants that were unlikely to default on their leases. Thus, credit ratings of the tenants were a prime consideration in deciding whether loans should be made.
In fact, insurance companies usually viewed real estate loans as financings of existing tenant leases. Accordingly, lenders usually insisted that property owners assign the rent payments to the lenders to provide additional assurance that loan payments would be made, and lenders also insisted that the rent assignments totally amortize the loans. (The primary reason that most offered mortgages were for no more than ten years was that, in the high-vacancy rental environment existing at that time, most leases ran for no more than ten years.) Furthermore, the lenders could frequently have viewed their legal claims on the tenants' rental payments as perhaps more important than their claims on the property, because in a market with excess space, a claim on vacant space was not particularly valuable.
In other words, during this period of excess rental capacity, financing necessary to sustain the level of liquidity historically experienced by the real estate markets was not available from financial institutions on acceptable terms and conditions.
The result was market "gridlock" and a dearth of real estate transactions until the current economic expansion led to a nationwide increase in demand for rental space and a corresponding decrease in vacancy rates.
Similar troubles have been features of the real estate market at low points in the real estate cycle at various times in the history of the market. Despite great economic pressure to improve the situation, a more efficient technology for real estate finance in an economic environment of excess rental capacity and weak economic activity has not surfaced.
Related problems exist in the case of residential property finance. For example, some homeowners who purchase homes with minimal down payment during real estate booms find themselves forced to own their homes for much longer than desired if their home values fall below the value of the outstanding mortgage debt following the end of the boom. Although home mortgages are legally required to be nonrecourse loans, the problem here is that the federal government views any improvement in personal net worth due to forgiven debt as taxable income. In the case of nonrecourse mortgages, the government considers any transfer of home title from homeowner to mortgage lender to retire mortgage debt as an occurrence of debt forgiveness if the value of the mortgaged property is less than the debt value at the time of the transfer. Consequently, homeowners in such situations who can't afford the tax that would be due upon transfer of title must continue to make their mortgage payments to avoid foreclosure, regardless of whether they would prefer to surrender the property to the lenders and move elsewhere. The problem exists in the case of single-family dwellings such as the following: single-family houses, condominiums (e.g., individually-owned residential units within multifamily residential structures), and single-family residential apartments within multifamily residential cooperatives.
Problems with residential property finance are acute for the more than twenty million Islamic residents of the United States. The Shariah (Islamic religious law) forbids interest-bearing debt as a financing tool. This has long placed Muslims in America who wish to purchase a home but who don't have the resources for an all-cash purchase at a disadvantage. Although lease-based financial instruments have been developed recently by Islamic financial institutions that comply with the Shariah, such instruments cannot be securitized by the financial institutions as would take place routinely in the case of home mortgages. The inability to recycle capital via securitization limits the amount of capital available for such financings and increases the financing cost for homeowners relative to mortgage finance.

Non-debt funding system for home finance


The present invention provides a novel bis 2-difluoro pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine of formula VII

Pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine antitumour antibiotics are commonly known as anthramycin class of compounds. In the last few decades, a growing interest has been shown in the development of new pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepines (PBDs). These PBDs are a family of sequence selective DNA-binding antitumour antibiotics that bind exclusively to the exocyclic N2-guanine in the minor groove of DNA via an acid-labile aminal bond to the electrophilic imine at the N10-C11 position (Kunimoto, S.; Masuda, T.; Kanbayashi, N.; Hamada, M.; Naganawa, H.; Miyamoto, M.; Takeuchi, T.; Unezawa, H. J. Antibiot., 1980, 33, 665; Kohn, K. W.; Speous, C. L. J. Mol. Biol., 1970, 51, 551; Hurley, L. H. Gairpla, C.; Zmijewski, M. Biochem. Biophys. Acta., 1977, 475, 521; Kaplan, D. J.; Hurley, L. H. Biochemistry, 1981, 20, 7572). All biologically active PBDs possess the (S) configuration at the chiral C11a position, which provides the molecule with a right-handed twist, which allows them to follow the curvature of the minor groove of B-form double-stranded DNA spanning three base pairs. Recently, PBD dimers have been developed that comprise two C2-exo-methylene-substituted DC-81 subunits tethered through their C-8 position via an inert propanedioxy linker (Gregson, S. J.; Howard, P. W.; Hartely, J. A.; Brooks, N. A.; Adams, L. J.; Jenkins, Kelland, L. R.; Thurston, D. E. J. Med. Chem., 2001, 44, 737). A recent development has been the linking of two PBD units through their C-8 positions to give bisfunctional alkylating agents capable of cross-linking DNA (Thurston, D. E.; Bose, D. S.; Thomson, A. S.; Howard, P. W.; Leoni, A.; Croker, S. J.; Jenkins, T. C.; Neidle, S.; Hurley, L. H. J. Org. Chem., 1996, 61, 8141). Recently, a noncross-linking mixed imine-amide PBD dimers have been synthesized that have significant DNA binding ability and potent antitumour activitiy (Kamal, A.; Laxman, N.; Ramesh, G.; Ramulu, P; Srinivas, O U.S. Pat. No. 636,233. dt 26 Mar. 2002; Kamal, A.; Ramesh, G.; Laxman, N.; Ramulu, P.; Srinivas, O.; Neelima, K.; Kondapi, A. K.; Srinu, V. B.; Nagarajaram, H. M. J. Med. Chem. 2002, 45, 4679).
The PBDs are of considerable current interest due to their ability to recognize and subsequently form covalent bonds to specific base sequences of double-stranded DNA. Naturally occurring pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepines belong to a group of antitumour antibiotics derived from Streptomyces species with family members including anthramycin, tomaymycin, sibiromycin, chicamycin, neothramycins A and B, and DC-81.

However, the clinical efficacy for these antibiotics is hindered by several limitations, such as poor water solubility and cardiotoxicity and development of drug resistance and metabolic inactivation.

Abstract: wherein, n is 3 to 10. novel bis 2-difluoro pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine of formula VII exhibits biding affinity with calf thymus (CT) DNA at a molar ratio of 1:5 in aqueous sodium phosphate buffer at pH of about 7.00. The present invention further provides a process for the preparation of novel bis 2-difluoro pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine of formula VII.


A storage system is configured to store material on a mountable surface. The storage system includes a mounting panel with a pouch attachment ladder system grid of webbing slots, a plurality of rigid stay protrusion slots and a plurality of mounting hardware holes. A modular lightweight load-carrying equipment holster that has a pouch attachment ladder system grid of webbing. The pouch attachment ladder system grid of webbing fits through the pouch attachment ladder system grid of webbing slots which is then held in place with a rigid stay. The rigid stay further comprises a protrusion in order to prevent the rigid stay from sliding out of the pouch attachment ladder system grid of webbing.

The embodiments herein relate generally to systems for organizing and attaching gear in a storage compartment.
Prior to embodiments of the disclosed invention organizing items in small storage compartments (like those found on motorcycles) was difficult because many storage compartments do not have separate sections configured to meet the user's specific personal needs. Embodiments of the disclosed invention solve this problem.


The present invention provides systems and methods for remote authorization of fuel dispensing and authorization or confirmation of participation in frequent shopper programs, club memberships, and the like. In one embodiment, identification documents may be used as membership cards for a retailer's membership or frequent shopper program. In another embodiment, an identification may be a membership card to gain access to a retailer. In another aspect, an identification document may be coupled with one or more PINs to validate a customer, or alternatively, the one or more PINs can be used instead of the identification document to validate a customer.

Many gasoline retailers are reporting an increase in gasoline theft, or "drive-offs." A drive-off occurs whenever an automobile refueling at a remote, enabled fuel dispenser drives off without its occupants having paid for the gasoline. Drive-offs cost the industry nearly $300 million a year, which is more than $3,000 per store selling gas, and it is no longer just teenagers taking a few dollars for a thrill. It is now grown adults taking a full tank, which costs as much as $50 when the automobile being filled up is a sport utility vehicle. Many service station owners make only pennies a gallon. Thus, to make up for a $10 drive off, they have to sell anywhere from two to three hundred gallons of gas. It is money that retailers cannot recover or that retailers are forced to pass on to law-abiding customers, affecting both gas prices and in-store convenience items such as food and beverages.
Additionally, some drive-offs leave the gas station at unsafe speeds to avoid being caught, creating a more dangerous environment.
The problem has become so serious that more than twenty states have recently passed laws in which a judge has the discretion to suspend the driver's license of someone convicted of gas theft. Several states have passed laws that motorists convicted twice for stealing gas automatically lose their licenses for six months, and another state law permits warrantless arrests for drive-offs.
However, despite tougher laws, police still solve very few cases of drive-offs, often because of a lack of information. Some police reports only list the color of the car, no make, model or description. Even with license plate numbers, it is difficult for law enforcement personnel to catch the thieves. Though it is tough to catch violators, service station owners do not take the crimes lightly and have become more aggressive in gathering and sending information to the police, some even installing cameras to photograph license plates and patrons.
One option often suggested by police to curtail drive-offs is to require prepayment, making people use a credit card or cash before they are able to pump a drop of gas. With prepay systems, each pump is not "enabled" (i.e., ready for pumping without attendant intervention) to purchase gasoline until the customer pays either by credit card or cash. Remote, point-of-sale systems allowing for payment using a customer credit or debit card and automatically enabling fuel dispensers directly from a fuel island, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,395,626 and 4,395,627 to Barker et al. which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties, are well known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, systems for accepting cash payments at the pump or fuel island, such as the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,470 to Bohnert et al. which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, are also well known to those skilled in the art.
However, remote cash pre-payment systems have not proven as effective as remote credit card pre-payment systems because of numerous issues, including providing cash change back to the customer and collecting the cash from one or multiple fuel islands. Because remote cash pre-payment systems are rare, most customers desiring to prepay for a fuel purchase with cash must still make two trips to the central location for pre-payment and for obtaining any change due and a receipt. Remote credit or debit pre-payment systems also have drawbacks, including that some customers do not wish to use credit and debit cards to pay for gas or other transactions and other customers, such as teenagers, may not even have a credit or debit card they can use at the pump. Now, when for so many years pumps were already enabled when customers arrived at the fuel island and prepayment systems have become widely available, consumers have become accustomed to conducting fuel purchase transactions without the need to walk to the central location for both pre-payment and post-pumping wrap-up.
Though some retailers have gone completely to a prepay-only system, the vast majority of service station owners have not because they want to provide their customers with options. As service station owners know, customers want convenience, and if one service station does not offer it, people will go elsewhere. It is clear that neither leaving the pumps in an enabled state at all times nor requiring pre-payment are completely satisfactory to service station owners because neither option provides both protection against drive-offs and the flexibility consumers desire. Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods for remote authorization of fuel dispensing that reduce drive-offs but do not require prepayment by cash, credit cards, or the like.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for customer validation using an identification document and/or one or more pins


Some embodiments provide a system for synchronizing and configuring monitoring devices. In some embodiments, a patient monitoring device settings module is configured to automatically provide configuration settings to a plurality of patient monitoring devices. A monitoring device data module is configured to receive measurement data from at least one of the patient monitoring devices. An electronic medical records system interface is configured to provide patient data at least partially derived from the received measurement data to an electronic medical records system. A patient records interface is configured to provide patient data to at least one of the patient monitoring devices.

1. Field
Some embodiments of the disclosure relate generally to methods and devices for determining a concentration of an analyte in a sample, such as an analyte in a sample of bodily fluid, as well as methods and devices which can be used to support the making of such determinations. This disclosure also relates generally to synchronization and configuration of patient monitoring devices.
2. Description of Related Art
It is advantageous to measure the levels of certain analytes, such as glucose, in a bodily fluid, such as blood. This can be done, for example, in a hospital or clinical setting when there is a risk that the levels of certain analytes may move outside a desired range, which in turn can jeopardize the health of a patient. Currently known systems for analyte monitoring in a hospital or clinical setting may suffer from various drawbacks.

Monitoring systems and methods with fast initialization


A process for continuous countercurrent ion exchange comprises piping a contaminated feed stream into a closed loop ion exchange contactor. The contactor is an ion exchange bed that has three or more reaction segments. The segments are comprised of at least an adsorption segment for treating the contaminated feed stream, a regeneration segment for stripping the contaminant ions from the resin bed, and a pulse segment for advancing the resin bed. Simultaneously, the feed stream is moved through the contactor in the same direction as the regeneration stream. Measuring the quality of this treated feed stream after it exits the contactor monitors the treatment capacity of the resin bed. In response to this quality measurement, the regenerated resin bed is advanced in the pulse segment of the contactor. The spent brine is recycled back to the contactor until the final effluent brine is highly concentrated. After the resin stops advancing, the feed stream and regeneration stream resume flow. Process water is recycled in four different steps of the ion exchange process, for the dilution of acid, as resin rinsing water, for back wash and during the resin pulsing stage.

Ion exchange methods using a closed loop system have been utilized for a variety of industrial and agricultural processes to remove unwanted anions and cations from solutions. The continuous operation of ion exchange reaction units having moving beds has been taught by I. Higgins in a multitude of patents including U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,663 for the radioactive decontamination of milk, U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,092 for an ion exchange process for treating crude mineral solutions, U.S. Pat. No. 3,579,322 for the recovery of phosphate from phosphate containing pond water, U.S. Pat. No. 3,580,842 for a downflow ion exchange, U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,937 for a split loop contactor, U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,088 for a process for treating fertilizer plant waste streams, U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,313 for a process for removing ammonia and phosphates from sewage water, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,822 for the extraction of thermally stable contaminants from stack gas scrubbing amines.
The Higgins system for ion exchange teaches a continuous, countercurrent, exchange column loop system in which removal or recovery of a targeted cation or anion occurs in one section and the regeneration of resin in another. Two or more liquids of differing specific gravity contact particulate solids in a closed system with little or no dilution and intermixing. A continuous ion exchange apparatus performs both ion exchange treatment and regeneration treatment within a single looped column by the use of ion exchange resin whose ion exchange abilities can be regenerated by acid, salt or alkali. The typical Higgins apparatus comprises unshaped closed tube having an adsorption or treatment zone, a washing or rinsing zone, a regenerating zone and in more current versions, a pulsing zone. The zones or sections are separated by valves. After the resin is regenerated, the influent flow of solution to be treated and regeneration flow are interrupted and the ion exchange resin bed is shifted from one section to another contiguous section so that a portion of the resin in the treatment zone is replaced with regenerated resin.
Later continuous ion exchange systems that employ the Higgins Loop™, a trademark of Tetra Process Technologies, a Severn Trent Services Company, incorporate a pulse cycle to hydraulically move the spent resin out to the treatment vessel and move regenerated resin into the vessel. Chopra in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,972,810, 4,057,494, Removal of Chromium Chromate Molybdate and Zinc utilizes the Higgins Loop™ system.
Kashiwabara et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,562 uses a loop-style continuous ion exchange unit having a liquid treating section, a material weighing and transfer section, a regeneration section, a washing section and a back-washing section. The back-washing section is above the liquid treating section to enable material to fall by gravity into the liquid treating section. The liquid treating section is located above the material weighing and transfer section so that material can fall by gravity into the material weighing and transfer section.
Iwatsuka, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,445 discloses a continuous ion exchange apparatus capable of performing both ion exchange treatment and regeneration treatment within a single column by the use of ion exchange resin(s) whose ion exchange abilities can be regenerated by acid or alkali. A resin extraction transfer means is used for withdrawal of the ion exchange resin from the bottom of the column and transferring them to a metering container disposed on the top of the column and a regenerant passage system allowing the supply of the regenerant from the bottom of the regeneration zone into the interior of the column and discharge of regenerant waste from the top of the regeneration zone to the exterior of the column.
None of these references, however, teach or suggest a continuous counter current ion exchange within a closed loop that automatically adjusts resin regeneration and reduces the significant amount of environmental wastes generated by the system. Arion, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,956,115 and 4,002,455 discloses a complex process for regeneration of ion exchange resins and recovering waste water from the fertilizer manufacturer. This process requires extensive equipment and at least 24 steps to accomplish.


A power supply includes an inverter configured to convert direct current (DC) power into alternating current (AC) power, an impedance matching circuit configured to supply the AC power to a load, and a controller configured to detect a delay time of an output voltage and an output current output to the impedance matching circuit and the load and to adjust a frequency of the output voltage according to the detected delay time.

Various electronic or electrical devices for use in living or industrial sites require a power supply. According to purposes, characteristics or use environment of electronic or electrical device, the electronic or electrical devices may require different types of power supply. Among the electronic or electrical devices, particularly, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) devices require an alternating current (AC) power supply having high power and a high frequency.
A power supply configured to supply power to an inductively coupled plasma device may turn on or off an inverter to controls power supplied to the inductively coupled plasma device. A power supply method of the power supply needs to be controlled to prevent noise or stress generated from the power supply and to efficiently supply power to the inductively coupled plasma device.
Additionally, a power amount of power supplied to the inductively coupled plasma device or a current amount of a current supplied thereto should be controlled to precisely control an operation of the inductively coupled plasma device. Various methods have been studied to control a power amount of power supplied to the inductively coupled plasma device or a current amount of a current supplied thereto. However, most of the methods increase the complexity, volume or price of a power supply. Alternatively, high-frequency switching noise is generated in a power supply or a stress is applied to the power supply to cause malfunction of the power supply. Thus, reliability of the power supply is degraded or life of the power supply is significantly reduced. Accordingly, there is a need for a research into a power supply and a method of supplying power which do not increase complexity and do not cause high-frequency switching noise and a stress.

Power supply and method of supplying power to load


A tattoo machine is disclosed herein. The tattoo machine comprises at least one brace for supporting the machine on a body part. A base carriage is supported on the brace and is displaceable along a length of the brace. A top carrier is hingeably coupled to the base carriage. A holder plate is displaceably coupled to the top carrier, wherein the displacement of the holder plate within the top carriage is facilitated in a direction along the length of the holder plate. A tattoo applicator is supported at a free end of the holder plate, wherein the tattoo applicator comprises a ball for housing a tip of a needle. One aspect of the tattoo machine is that the depth at which the tattoo applicator operated on a body part is manually adjustable.

One or more embodiments of the invention generally relate to a tattoo machine. More particularly, certain embodiments of the invention relate to a CNC tattoo machine in which CNC controlled motors are configured to control the movement of an applicator along the X and Y axes.
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon. CNC controlled tattoo machines are known in the art which are configured to apply a tattoo on a body part of a user in accordance with an input program fed to the machine. Such machines typically include a frame in which a user can insert or place a body part on which the user wishes to have the tattoo done. The body part can be securely supported on the frame by means of straps or other similar means. An applicator of the tattoo machine is also supported on the frame such that the applicator can be moved thereon, wherein the movement of the applicator is governed by the input program fed to the CNC controlled tattoo machine and depends upon the design of the tattoo that the user desires.
The following is an example of a specific aspect in the prior art that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon. By way of educational background, another aspect of the prior art generally useful to be aware of is that the conventional CNC controlled tattoo machines have the applicator configured to move on the frame of the machine along the X, Y, and Z axes. Typically, the movement of the applicator along the X, Y, and Z axes are facilitated via CNC controlled motors. Typically, two axes, e.g., X and Y axes define an XY plane that forms the plane of reference for the surface area of the user's body part on which the applicator moves per the design of the tattoo. The contours of the body part are, therefore, measured along the remaining Z axis. Measurement of the contours of the body part is performed to compute the locations where the applicator needs to be lifted as well as the height by which the applicator needs to be lifted to optimally apply the tattoo without causing any injuries to the user. Some conventional CNC controlled machines include a handheld switch that allows the user to stop the operation of the machine, in case of discomfort or injuries arising due to incorrect or inaccurate reading along the Z-axis, which causes the inaccurate movement of the applicator on the user's body part.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniques are not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.


In a pump, a flexible tube passes through the pump and is held “normally closed” at an output constriction. The pump includes a pump body and a pump member that can perform two functions by their relative motion. The first function is to open and close an input constriction of the flexible tube. The second function is to compress the section of flexible tube between the input constriction and the output constriction. This section of tube acts as the pump chamber. When closed, the input constriction provides a greater impediment to fluid flow than the output constriction. Therefore, when the input constriction is closed and the pump chamber is compressed, fluid flows out of the pump past the output constriction. When the input constriction is open and compression of the pump chamber is removed, the output constriction closes and fluid can enter the pump by flowing past the location of the input constriction.

A peristaltic pump is a pump in which fluid is forced along by cycles of contraction produced mechanically on flexible tubing. One advantage of peristaltic pumps is that the pump mechanism is separated from the fluid being pumped within the flexible tubing, which can help reduce contamination of the fluid by the pump and can help reduce clogging or fouling issues. Various configurations of peristaltic pumps have been developed to date.
In one approach, e.g., as considered in U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,473, members mechanically engage with the tube to provide input valve action, output valve action, and pumping. In another approach, e.g., as considered in U.S. Pat. No. 6,743,204, a roller assembly in contact with the flexible tube creates a compression of the flexible tube that is moved along the tube to provide pumping action. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,545, a similar approach is considered, where a ring-shaped pressure member creates a moving compression point in the flexible tube to provide pumping action.
However, these conventional approaches can have some significant disadvantages. Approaches that rely on separate members for input valve action, output valve action, and pumping may require more complex mechanical designs to provide the appropriate operation sequence. For example, multiple actuators may be necessary. Approaches that rely on moving a point of compression along the flexible tube (e.g., rotary peristaltic pumps) can suffer from reduced mechanical efficiency and can lead more quickly to unwanted permanent deformation of the tubing.
Accordingly, it would be an advance in the art to provide improved pumping performance with pumps having a simpler mechanical configuration than conventional approaches, and to provide such pumps capable of being driven with a single actuator.

Peristaltic pump with constrictions at fixed locations

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


An ironing board that includes a main board and two swingable board extensions retractable attached to the main board. The main board comprises a relatively wide section and a comparatively narrow section forming a single planar ironing surface. The narrow section is adapted to telescopically receive a trouser leg, which can be rotated so that all trouser leg areas can be ironed. The swingable board extensions are adapted to receive the sleeve areas of shirts and blouses.

This relates to ironing boards, especially to ironing boards having a number of different ironing board sections adapted for ironing different garments or different areas of a garment or fabric item.
The ironing board of this invention comprises a main board and two board extensions. The main board comprises a relatively wide section having two parallel side edges spaced apart about twenty inches so as to provide a relatively large ironing area therebetween. The main board further includes a relatively narrow elongated section extending from one end of the wide section of the board. This narrow board section is adapted to have the leg of a trouser slipped thereover for ironing the trouser leg material. The trouser leg can periodically be rotated around the narrow board section for ironing different areas of the trouser leg.
At the areas where the narrow section of the board joins the wide section of the board two angular shoulder edges are formed. A blouse or shirt can be slipped over the board so that shoulder areas of the garment are on the shoulder edges of the board. The garment conforms generally to the board configuration so that shoulder areas of the garment can be ironed flat on the board surface.
The ironing board has two swingably mounted extensions that can be moved between retracted positions extending alongside the narrow section of the main board and extended positions projecting outwardly beyond the side edges of the main board. When the board extensions are in their extended positions their upper faces are in contiguous planar alignment with the upper face of the main board. Shirts and blouses can be positioned with their sleeve areas telescoped over (around) the board extensions. Extensive areas of the blouse or shirt can be ironed in one continuous operation without interruptions for repositioning or reforming the garment.
In order to facilitate the ironing of very large fabric items, e.g. sheet or curtains, the board includes a supplemental table that is adapted to be detachably suspended from a side edge of the main board so as to effectively augment the ironing area. The supplemental table can be readily detached from the main area of the board when it is desired to iron smaller items.

Ironing board having swingable extensions and a detachable suspended table, for ironing trousers, shirts, and large items


This inventing is intended to shorten data deletion time of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory such as a flash memory (EEPROM). When deleting data written to a memory cell MC0 among flash memory cells MC0 to MC2 formed on a semiconductor substrate PSUB through a separation region NiSO, a voltage of p type well PWL0 in which the memory cell MC0 is formed is raised to 10V and a voltage of the separation region NiSO is raised to 12V by using a voltage application unit different from a voltage application unit applying a voltage to the p type well PWL0. As a result, parasitic capacitances Ca1 and Ca2 generated between p type wells PWL1 and PWL2 in which the unselected memory cells MC1 and MC2 are formed and the separation region NiSO, respectively, and a parasitic capacitance Cb generated between the separation region NiSO and the semiconductor substrate PSUB are charged by the voltage application units. It is, therefore, possible to shorten time required to charge the parasitic capacitances and to shorten the deletion time.

The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, a data deletion method of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory, an information processing apparatus and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technique effective to be applied to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory (EEPROM: Electric Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) capable of electrically writing and deleting data.
An EEPROM represented by, for example, a flash memory includes a source and a drain which are formed on the surface of a well in a semiconductor substrate, a charge accumulation layer (or floating electrode) which is formed on the source and the drain through a gate insulating film, and a control electrode which is provided on the charge accumulation layer (or floating electrode) through an insulating film. The EEPROM determines data (xe2x80x9c1xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d) which is held therein depending on whether or not electrons are injected into the charge accumulation layer (or floating electrode) (depending on the magnitude of the threshold value of each memory cell).
To write or delete data to and from this EEPROM, hot electrons which are generated by the potential difference between the control electrode of a selected memory cell and the semiconductor substrate (well, source or drain) or electrons which are emitted by a tunnel phenomenon are injected or pulled out into and from the charge accumulation layer (or floating electrode).
In the case where an operation for pulling out electrons from the charge accumulation layer (or floating electrode) of the EEPROM (flash memory) is defined as deletion, it is necessary to apply a high negative voltage (negative voltage having the high absolute value of the voltage) to the control electrode of a memory cell selected to secure the above-stated potential difference during this deletion.
However, if a high negative voltage (negative voltage having the high absolute value of the voltage) is applied to the control electrode, it is also required to increase the withstand voltage of an MISFET (Metal Insulator Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) which constitutes peripheral circuits driving the control electrode. To increase the withstand voltage of the MISFET, it is necessary to make the gate insulating film thicker. If the gate insulating film becomes thicker, the driving capability of the MISFET is deteriorated and a read rate is eventually sacrificed.
To prevent this disadvantage, a technique for obtaining a desired potential difference while lowering a negative voltage applied to the control electrode (lowering the absolute value of the voltage) by applying a positive voltage to the well in the semiconductor substrate, is considered.
The inventors of the present invention have been dedicated to study and development related to nonvolatile semiconductor memories. After considering the above-stated technique, the inventors were faced with a problem regarding time required to reach a deletion potential (time required to pull out a desired quantity of electrons).
The inventors applied themselves closely to the cause of this problem. As a result, the inventors reached the conclusion that the problem is caused by the fact that the well is electrically separated from the semiconductor substrate and a parasitic capacitance is thereby generated in a separation region.
In other words, if a positive voltage is applied to the well in the semiconductor substrate, the well is electrically separated from the semiconductor substrate and a separation region opposite in conductive type to the well is thereby formed between the well and the semiconductor substrate. If data is deleted from the EEPROM (flash memory), it is required to charge a parasitic capacitance generated between the well and the separation region, the separation region and the semiconductor substrate, making deletion time (including time required until the voltage becomes a desired value) longer.
Furthermore, during data deletion, if it is determined whether or not the threshold voltage of a memory cell is a predetermined threshold voltage and it is found that the threshold voltage of the memory cell is higher than the desired threshold voltage, then the data is re-deleted so as not to apply an excessive stress (a series of these operations will be referred to as xe2x80x9ca deletion verification operationxe2x80x9d hereinafter).
While the threshold voltage of the memory cell is determined, the charged parasitic capacitance stated above should be discharged. In addition, if the data is re-deleted from the memory cell, the parasitic capacitance thus discharged should be charged again.
As can be seen, during the deletion verification discharged, with the result that the problem of the increase of deletion time becomes more serious.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a technique capable of shortening time required to delete data from a nonvolatile semiconductor memory such as an EEPROM (flash memory).
The above and other objects and the novel features of the present invention will be readily apparent from the description of the specification of the present application and accompanying drawings.
Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, typical inventions will be briefly outlined as follows.
(1) A nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor region; a second semiconductor region formed on the first semiconductor region; a memory cell section formed on the second semiconductor region; and a control section which outputs a control signal instructing a voltage generation section to generate a voltage applied to the second semiconductor region when or before receiving an access instruction from an outside indicating that it is necessary to charge the second semiconductor region, and which indicating a control signal for discharging the second semiconductor region when indicated from the outside to discharge the second semiconductor region, to the voltage generation section.
(2) A nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the present invention includes voltage application means for applying a voltage to a second semiconductor region (NiSO) formed between a semiconductor substrate and a first semiconductor region in which a nonvolatile memory cell is formed, the means different from means for applying a voltage to the first semiconductor region.
(3) A nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the present invention includes means for prohibiting a voltage from being applied to a second semiconductor region formed between a semiconductor substrate and a first semiconductor region in which a nonvolatile memory cell is formed.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory, data deletion method of nonvolatile semiconductor memory, information processing apparatus and nonvolatile semiconductor memory system


The present disclosure describes a method for the formation of gate-all-around nano-sheet FETs with tunable performance. The method includes disposing a first and a second vertical structure with different widths over a substrate, where the first and the second vertical structures have a top portion comprising a multilayer nano-sheet stack with alternating first and second nano-sheet layers. The method also includes disposing a sacrificial gate structure over the top portion of the first and second vertical structures; depositing an isolation layer over the first and second vertical structures so that the isolation layer surrounds a sidewall of the sacrificial gate structure; etching the sacrificial gate structure to expose each multilayer nano-sheet stack from the first and second vertical structures; removing the second nano-sheet layers from each exposed multilayer nano-sheet stack to form suspended first nano-sheet layers; forming a metal gate structure to surround the suspended first nano-sheet layers.

Integrated circuits (ICs) used in mobile applications (e.g., mobile computing, smart phones, tablets, smart gear, etc.) can have stringent power and performance requirements. For example, p-type and n-type field-effect transistors (FETs) are expected to exhibit a balanced switching performance (e.g., similar turn ON and OFF characteristics) within the logic and static access memory (SRAM) regions of the chip. However, due to FET scaling, p-type and n-type FETs may develop a performance mismatch. For example, NFETs can become "faster" than PFETs due to different materials used in their respective fabrication, different lattice orientations, or different strain engineering conditions applied to the their respective channel region.

High performance MOSFETs having different device characteristics

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A power tool including a housing, a controller within the housing, and a brushless motor within the housing and controlled by the controller. The brushless motor including a stator assembly including a stator core having stator laminations with an annular portion and inwardly extending stator teeth. The stator assembly defines a stator envelope in an axial direction extending between axial ends of stator end caps of the stator assembly. The brushless motor further includes a rotor assembly including a rotor core having rotor laminations and defining a central aperture that extends in the axial direction and that receives a shaft, and a position sensor board assembly including position sensors and configured to provide position information of the rotor core to the controller. The rotor assembly and the position sensor board assembly are provided at least partially within the stator envelope.

Power tools generally include a motor connected to a power source to power the tool. One such motor is a brushed direct current (DC) motor. In brushed DC motors, motor brushes make and break electrical connection to the motor due to rotation of the rotor. Conventionally, brushed DC motors were used in power tools for their relative ease of manufacture and low cost. However, brushed DC motors have several drawbacks when used in power tools. One drawback of brushed DC motors is that the brushes eventually wear out reducing the longevity of the power tool. Further, because the brushes are making and breaking electrical connection, there may be sparks and electrical noise within the power tool. A brushless DC motor is another type of motor used in power tools. A brushless DC motor uses electronically controlled switches to selectively apply power to coils of a motor to drive a rotor, rather than brushes.


An apparatus for unloading particulate material from a container having a thermally-conductive shell includes an outlet for particulate material from the container, a material conveying conduit that is connected to the particulate material outlet, and an inlet and an outlet for pressurized gas. A conduit is also provided between the pressurized gas outlet and the material conveying conduit, along with a blower, compressor or other means for pressurizing gas and a conduit between the blower and the pressurized gas inlet. The outlet for pressurized gas is arranged with respect to the inlet for pressurized gas so that the pressurized gas is directed to flow from the inlet across at least a portion of the thermally-conductive shell to the outlet. The conduit between the pressurized gas outlet and the material conveying conduit is arranged so that pressurized gas entering the material conveying conduit may entrain material that is discharged from the particulate material outlet.

This invention relates generally to unloading systems for containers that are used to store or transport particulate materials. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for cooling the entraining gas used in a pneumatic transport system for unloading particulate materials from such a container.
Many particulate materials are conveniently transported by truck, although they may also be transported by railcar, barge or by other means. Trucks that are used to transport such materials may include a tractor and an attached trailer having a tank or other container mounted thereon. Similar containers may be used to store particulate materials. Frequently, these containers are referred to as pneumatic containers because of the pneumatic method, involving gas- or air-entrainment, by which they may be loaded and unloaded. Materials that are generally stored or transported in pneumatic containers include agricultural products such as grain, corn kernels, beans, flour, sugar, peanuts and the like, and intermediate products for various industrial uses such as plastic pellets, coke, lime, silica gel, powdered acid resins, rare earth powders and powdered alumina, and many others.
Pneumatic containers generally include one or more product compartments that are usually cylindrical or spherical in shape in order to facilitate unloading by a method which involves pressurizing the compartments. Cylindrical or spherical product compartments are also generally easy to completely empty. Each product compartment is provided with a discharge hopper that may be generally cylindrical or conical in shape. The product compartments are generally enclosed by a sheet metal sheath, especially when the container is mounted on a trailer or other transport device, which sheath provides an aerodynamically efficient outer container surface.
One type of known construction of such pneumatic containers comprises one or more generally cylindrical and horizontally disposed product compartments which are arranged along a common horizontal axis in at least partial fluid communication with each other. A cylindrical or conical discharge hopper is provided for each product compartment, and the axis of each such discharge hopper intersects the product compartment with which it is associated generally at right angles to the axis of the cylinder of the product compartment. Each discharge hopper has a material outlet at the bottom and a valve which controls the entry of material into the outlet. An unloading system is also provided which includes a blower or other mechanism for pressurizing air or another gas. The blower provides the energy required for unloading the material from the container in the form of compressed air or another gas. One end of a pressurized gas conduit is attached to the blower and the other end to a pressurized gas inlet in the container. Operation of the blower will compress air or gas and move it through the pressurized gas inlet into the container, thereby increasing the pressure of the air or gas above the material in the product compartment or compartments in the container in order to assist in discharging material through the hopper outlets. One end of a material conveying conduit is also attached to the blower and extends past and connects to each material outlet so that when the product compartment has been pressurized, air or another gas may be directed into the material conveying conduit to entrain material passing through each material outlet and carry it to the discharge end of the conduit. The container may be mounted on a frame which is supported by the chassis of a trailer.
Although the conventional pneumatic container operates satisfactorily to discharge many types of particulate materials, problems of product degradation may arise if the materials are temperature sensitive. Because an increase in pressure of a gas is directly proportional to an increase in its temperature (so long as its volume remains constant), pressurizing the air in the container will increase its temperature, and this increased temperature will be transmitted to the particulate material. Generally, the air that is compressed and blown into the container to assist in the unloading of particulate material will be heated by about 200xc2x0 F. by the compression process. If the material is temperature sensitive, such as plastic pellets, for example, pressurizing the air in the container may even raise the temperature of the material past its melting point.
Plastics are generally transported in pellet or powdered form. When the pellets are subjected to high temperatures in the pneumatic unloading process, the plastic softens and tends to coat the walls of the discharge piping with long hair-like strands of plastic. These xe2x80x9cstringersxe2x80x9d may then. break off at a later time and pass through the discharge conduit in a subsequent unloading operation. The presence of such non-uniformly sized xe2x80x9cstringersxe2x80x9d in the plastic material can create problems for the equipment that handles and processes the plastic and can contaminate a subsequent load of particulate material.
Various methods have been developed to deal with the problem of transport of temperature sensitive particulate materials. Thus, for example, it is known to employ a water-filled sheath around the conduit carrying the pressurizing air stream to the container. However, such a device requires that a supply of water be readily available at the unloading site, as well as the means for its disposal. It is also known to place cooling fins on the material conveying conduit. However, such cooling fins are bulky, heavy and expensive, and only marginally effective. It is also known to reduce the temperature created in a pressurizing system by restricting the operation of the blower or compressor to reduce the pressure produced. However, such restriction will slow the unloading process since the pressure differential between the container and the ambient conditions at the discharge end of the material conveying conduit will not be as great. Because of such reduced pressure in the container, the particulate material therein is also more likely to get clogged in the hopper outlets.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,193 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,398, both of Battle et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,136 of Smoot describe methods for reducing the temperature of the pressurizing air by placing a heat exchanger in the air stream. These methods require the employment of additional equipment, which increases the capital cost, operating expense and maintenance requirements for the system. The addition of heat exchanger components to a trailer-mounted container also increases the weight of the trailer, thereby reducing the payload it may carry as well as the fuel efficiency of the tractor-trailer combination. It would be desirable if a simpler method and apparatus could be provided that could be used to transfer particulate material from a container while minimizing any increase in the temperature to which the particulate material is exposed. It would also be desirable if such a method and apparatus could be provided that could be implemented by making only minor modifications of the conventional pneumatic container.
Among the advantages of the invention is that it provides a method and apparatus for the unloading of particulate material from a container while minimizing any increase in the temperature to which the material is exposed. Another advantage of the invention is that it provides such a method and apparatus which requires no significant addition of expensive equipment. Still another advantage of he invention is that it provides such a method and apparatus that does not add significant weight to a trailer-mounted container. Yet another advantage of the invention is that it provides such a method and apparatus utilizing only minor modifications to conventional pneumatic unloading systems.
Additional objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from an examination of the drawings and the ensuing description.
As used herein, the term particulate material refers to granular, fluent or comminuted material that is capable of being transported through a conduit by an entraining gas.
As used herein, the term container refers to an enclosure for particulate materials that may include one or more product compartments.
As used herein the term pressurized gas refers to the air or gas that is introduced into the pressurized gas inlet of the container, directed to flow across at least a portion of the thermally-conductive shell of the container, withdrawn from the pressurized gas outlet and conducted to the material conveying conduit where it entrains material that has been discharged through the material outlet, regardless of the particular pressure conditions of such gas as it passes through such circuit.
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for unloading particulate material from a container having a thermally-conductive shell, an outlet for particulate material and a material conveying conduit connected to the material outlet. The apparatus includes a pressurized gas inlet and a pressurized gas outlet in the container, as well as a conduit between the pressurized gas outlet and the material conveying conduit. A source of pressurized gas or other means for introducing pressurized gas into the container is provided, so that pressurized gas may be introduced into the container through the pressurized gas inlet and directed to flow across at least a portion of the thermally-conductive shell. The pressurized gas is withdrawn from the pressurized gas outlet and conducted to the material conveying conduit. Particulate material is discharged through the material outlet into the material conveying conduit, where it is entrained by the pressurized gas and conveyed through the material conveying conduit. The container may be mounted on a frame of a trailer for transport.
In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, the preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings, and a detailed description thereof follows. It is not intended, however, that the invention be limited to the particular embodiments described or to use in connection with the apparatus illustrated herein. Various modifications and alternative embodiments such as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates are also contemplated and included within the scope of the invention described and claimed herein.

Cooling system for pneumatic unloading of container


A device for determining soil compaction includes a control member fitted with one or more sensors that measure the response of the control member during co-action between the control member and a soil surface. In one embodiment, this response can be flexure as characterized by a measurable parameter such as strain. A measurement module in communication with the sensor or sensors determines a soil modulus for the soil based on the strain measurement from the sensor or sensors. In one arrangement, the control member includes one set of sensors that measure radial strain and another set of sensors that measures hoop strain. The device can also include a load sensor for measuring the load applied to the control member. In one embodiment the measurement module includes a processor that determines soil modulus based the strain measurements and the measured load.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to soil compaction testing equipment and methods for testing the compaction of soils. In particular aspects, the invention relates to devices and methods for determining the soil modulus of soil.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, techniques for controlling and monitoring the degree of compaction for soils have involved the measurement of dry density for the soil and the determination of an optimum water content for the soil. The term "soil," as used herein, is intended to apply to a wide variety of substances that are intended to be compacted to a specific degree of density in the course of typical civil construction works, including natural soil, base courses, asphalt, embankments and retaining wall backfill. Using conventional methods for monitoring dry density of the soil, a sample of compacted soil is placed inside a cylindrical steel mold. The weight and water content of the sample are determined in a laboratory. A graph is then generated that plots dry density against water content. From these calculations, a maximum dry density and optimum moisture content are derived.
There has been a recent movement to utilize a soil modulus, rather than dry density, as a measure of soil compaction. One reason for this is that soil modulus is currently used as a basis for overlying pavement upon a subbase of soil. One new tool that is used to measure soil modulus is the H-4140 Geogauge™, or Humboldt Stiffness Gauge, from Humboldt Manufacturing Co. of Norridge, Ill. This device places a toroidal-shaped plate upon the soil to be measured and then induces vibration in the plate using a shaker apparatus. Unfortunately, the Geogauge™ device is expensive and complex.
There is a need to provide improved methods and devices for compaction testing and particularly for measurement of soil modulus. The present invention addresses the problems of the prior art.

System and method for testing the compaction of soil


A self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner includes: a vacuum cleaner main body; a running section for causing the vacuum cleaner main body to run on a floor; a suction section for suctioning dust; a side brush for sweeping the dust on the floor, to the suction section; a floor detection sensor for detecting whether or not there is the floor; and a control section for controlling and driving the running section, the suction section and the side brush in response to an output of the floor detection sensor, in which the side brush includes a rotating shaft coaxially having a through-hole, and a plurality of brush bundles radially spread from one end of the rotating shaft, wherein the floor detection sensor includes an optical sensor provided adjacent to the other end of the rotating shaft to detect whether or not there is an object, through the through-hole.

As a background technique of the present invention, a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner including, on a surface facing the floor of a chassis, multiple driving wheels, a dust suction port, a main cleaning brush, a side brush and a floor detection sensor which detects a cliff (large step) on a floor is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).


An electrical connector assembly (1) includes a base (2), and a frame (3) assembled with the base. The base includes two solid cylindrical fixing posts (231) at two diagonally opposite corners thereof. Each fixing post includes a fixing portion (2312) at a top thereof. The frame defines two fixing holes (32), corresponding to the fixing posts. Each fixing hole is surrounded by a step (321) thereat. When the base and the frame are assembled together, the fixing posts are deformably received through the fixing holes, and the fixing portions hook on the steps. Thus the frame and the base are combined together firmly. Because the fixing posts are solid and generally cylindrical, during assembly, the fixing posts can fasten the frame on the base firmly and securely with minimal risk of breakage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly used for electrically connecting a land grid array (LGA) integrated circuit (IC) module to a printed circuit board (PCB), and particularly to such electrical connector assembly which provides excellent joining between the sub-parts thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electrical connector assembly used for electrically connecting an LGA electrical component to a PCB is widely applied in the field of electronics, and a correlative article is found in Nonlinear Analysis Helps Design LGA Connectors (Connector Specifier, February 2001). Such electrical connector assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,027,345, 6,146,151, 6,146,152, 6,164,978 and 6,293,806.
FIG. 4 shows such a conventional electrical connector assembly 6, comprising a frame 61 and a base 62 fixed with the frame 61. The frame 61 defines a pair of orientation holes 611 on two opposite sides thereof respectively, and a plurality of recesses 612 in two adjacent sides thereof. The frame 61 further defines two fixing holes 613 at the diagonally corners thereof, with each fixing hole 613 being surrounded by a step (not shown) thereat. The base 62 defines a multiplicity of passageways 621 adapted to receive a multiplicity of contacts (not shown). The base 62 defines two forklike fixing members 622 and two orientation posts 624, respectively corresponding to the fixing holes 613 and the orientation holes 611 of the frame 61. In addition, the base further defines a plurality of restricting posts 623 corresponding to the recesses 612 of the frame 61. When the frame 61 and the base 62 are assembled together, the forklike fixing members 622 cooperate with the fixing holes 613 to fix the base 62 on the frame 61 firmly. Because each fixing member 622 is forklike, a portion thereof connecting with the base 62 is relatively weak. The fixing member 622 is liable to rupture during assembly of the frame 61 to the base 62. When this happens, the frame 61 is prone to detach from the base 62. Moreover, it requires using a slide for a mold design to form the forklike fixing member 622, which will increase the manufacturing cost in molding.
Hence, a new electrical connector assembly is required to overcome the above-described disadvantages.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly having securely combined sub-parts.
In order to achieve the aforementioned object, an electrical connector assembly in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base and a frame assembled with the base. The base comprises two generally cylindrical fixing posts at two diagonally opposite comers thereof. Each fixing post is generally a solid column, but with a planar surface on a circumferential periphery thereof. Each fixing post comprises a top fixing portion. The frame defines two fixing holes corresponding to the fixing posts. Each fixing hole is surrounded by a step thereat. When the base and the frame are assembled together, the fixing posts are deformably received through the fixing holes respectively, and the fixing portions hook on the steps. Thus the frame and the base are combined together firmly and securely. Because the fixing posts are solid and generally cylindrical, in assembly, the fixing posts can fasten the frame on the base firmly and securely with minimal risk of breakage.

Electrical connector assembly with strengthened fixing posts


A round baler includes a variable bale chamber delimited by side walls arranged on a right and a left in a forward direction of travel, at least one forming belt circulating between the side walls, and at least one sensor for detecting a change of position of the forming belt in the direction of one of the side walls, the at least one sensor being directly or indirectly in operative connection with the forming belt.

Round balers for compaction of an agricultural crop are known. Among others, there are balers in use that have variable bale chambers in which one or more moving forming belts guided over rollers delimit a bale chamber in the circumferential direction of a round bale that is to be formed. Right and left side walls of the round baler delimit the bale chamber in the forward direction of travel on the side, or face, of a cylindrical round bale that is to be formed.
In general, round balers are towed by a towing vehicle, for example, an agricultural tractor, over a swath of cut or mown crop laid on the ground, where a pickup and feed unit on the round baler picks up the crop and transports it to the bale chamber. A cylindrical bale forms with increasing crop feed. It is disadvantageous that frequently the forming belt or belts wander or drift laterally with respect to their circumferential direction, so that for one asymmetric bales can result, and for another the forming belts can rub or drag along at the side walls and unnecessarily wear. A lateral drift is, as a rule, caused by crop that is not uniformly delivered over the width of the round baler. This may be because the swath laid on the ground is unevenly piled up, or the round baler is not guided over the middle of the swath. Thus, more crop is fed to the bale chamber on one side of the baler than on the other side, which unevenly tensions the forming belt or belts over the width of the bale chamber. This ultimately gives rise to a lateral wandering or drifting of the forming belt and in the worst case lets the belt reach the side wall, at which it then drags along, which should be prevented. A driver of the vehicle may prevent this by guiding the baler appropriately evenly over the swath so that a crop feed uniformly distributed over the width of the round baler takes place. However, this is difficult because the driver lacks information about the uniformity of the delivered amount of crop.
Thus, there is a need for a round baler designed with which crop feed that is as uniform as possible can take place, so that cylindrical bales can be uniformly formed and the wear of a forming belt can be reduced.

Round baler, combination of an agricultural vehicle with such a baler and method for forming round bales


A method of controlling a power supply of an electronic apparatus connected to another electronic apparatus, the method including: electrically connecting a contact part configured to be connected to the other electronic apparatus and a detection unit configured to detect a signal representing a state of the power supply of the other electronic apparatus via the contact part when the power supply of the electronic apparatus is off; electrically disconnecting the contact part and the detection unit when the power supply of the electronic apparatus is on; and controlling the power supply of the electronic apparatus when the signal is detected by the detection unit.

1. Field
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus and a power-supply control apparatus and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
These days, the functionality of electronic apparatuses such as portable terminal apparatuses is progressing.
Some portable terminal apparatuses are able to perform various kinds of information processing, for example, voice phone conversation, document creation, access to web sites, transmission and reception of electronic mail, movie reproduction, and the like.
Furthermore, there are electronic apparatuses that have various different forms so that a user may comfortably use such functions.
In relation to this, there are known mobile phones that have two devices and may be changed such that the devices are in either a coupled state or a separated state in accordance with an application, and that may be used in either of the states, and that may, with a power-supply turn-on operation of one of the devices, turn on the power supply of the other device by using a transmission line between the devices (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-172826).

Electronic apparatus and power-supply control apparatus and method


An apparatus for venting an annular space between a liner and a pipeline of a subsea riser used for conveying hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising a permeate recovery device for recovering permeate passing through the liner into the annular space. The permeate recovery device includes a first vent port in a wall of the pipeline at or adjacent a lower region of the pipeline and communicating with a permeate recovery line defining a flow path between the annular space and a permeate collection vessel. A one-way valve is associated with the permeate recovery line for preventing flow from the permeate recovery line into the annular space. A gaseous permeate recovery line connected to a second vent port at an upper region of the pipeline defining a flow of gaseous permeate from the annular space.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for venting an annular space between a liner and the pipeline of a riser for conveying hydrocarbons.
Grooved liners are a technology used within steel pipelines as a cost efficient alternative to using Corrosion Resistant Alloys (CRA's) to construct pipelines transporting highly corrosive substances such as hydrocarbons. The system involves inserting a plastic liner, complete with a number of longitudinal external grooves, into the pipeline. The aim of the liner is to protect the carbon steel pipe from the highly corrosive nature of the production fluids. The grooves act as a method of transporting the gases/liquids that inevitably permeate through the liner to a venting location where they are released to atmosphere or stored in a collection vessel.
It is desirable to utilise the technology for vertical applications, such as production risers, Steel Catenery Risers (SCR) etc. Such applications involve lining vertical pipelines in exactly the same way as a standard horizontal pipeline. These vertical lines act as a method of transporting the production fluids from the main production transport line to the surface. In some applications, the production fluids are transported down to the seabed. Since some of these vertical lines can be exposed to depths in excess of 1000 m, a method of aiding flow to the surface is usually required. One such method is Gas Lift, in which processed gas is pumped cyclically through the system to push the fluids from the seabed to the surface.
In the vertical orientation, the liquid permeate will condense on the inner walls of the pipeline and fall to the base of the riser under gravity, where a column of liquid would quickly develop between the liner and the pipeline. This phenomenon dictates that a reliable venting system is required for the removal of the condensed permeate which collects at the base of the riser. This is necessary to avoid the situation where the liner experiences external overpressure and possible collapse in the event that there is a loss of internal pressure in the bore.

Apparatus for venting an annular space between a liner and a pipeline of a subsea riser