Techniques are described herein for leveraging and extending relational data sharding infrastructure to provide comprehensive support for sharding semi-structured and unstructured data, in addition to the relational data, in a single sharded database system. Specifically, techniques are described in which a catalog server pre-gathers all data it needs to answer fetches from a dynamically created temporary lob. In addition, techniques are provided in which a catalog server encodes shard identifiers in lob locators sent to the client. Techniques are provided for pushing down various operators to shard servers.

Database systems that store increasingly large amounts of data are becoming more and more prevalent. For example, online transaction processing (OLTP) systems, such as e-commerce, mobile, social, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) system, typically require large database storage. Example applications for OLTP systems include, but are not limited to, large billing systems, ticketing systems, online financial services, media companies, online information services, and social media companies. Given the significant amount of data stored by these database systems, storing all the data on a single database instance is not practical, as the amount of data can utilize significant computing resources, such as processors, memory, and storage.
Furthermore, non-relational databases, sometimes referred to as NoSQL databases, do not provide the fully featured benefits of a relational database. For example, NoSQL databases do not offer the same schema control, atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability, or fully-featured structured query language (SQL) of a relational database.
To more efficiently handle well-structured relational data, techniques have been developed for "horizontally partitioning" a database. Horizontal partitioning involves decomposing a single larger table into smaller, more manageable subsets of information, called "partitions." Sharding is a data tier architecture where data is horizontally partitioned across independent database instances, where each independent database instance is referred to as a "shard." A collection of shards, together, makes up a single logical database which is referred to as a "sharded database" ("SDB"). Logically, a sharded database can be accessible to a client application just like a traditional unsharded database. However, tables in a sharded database are horizontally partitioned across shards.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an unsharded database 100 and a sharded database 110. Unsharded database 100 is a relational database and includes table 102. All of the contents of table 102 are stored in the same unsharded database 100, and thus use the same computing resources, such as processors, memory, and disk space.
Sharded database 110, however, depicts an alternative configuration using sharding techniques. Sharded database 110, includes three shards 112, 114, and 116. Each of the shards 112, 114, and 116 is its own database instance and includes its own tables 113, 115, and 117, respectively. However, in sharded database 110, table 102 has been horizontally partitioned across shards 112, 114, and 116 into tables 113, 115, and 117. Horizontal partitioning in a sharded database involves splitting a database table, such as table 102, across shards so that each shard contains a subset of rows of table 102. In this example, tables 113, 115, and 117 each contain a subset of rows of table 102. Collectively, tables 113, 115, and 117 can be referred to as a "sharded table." The data collectively stored in tables 113, 115, and 117 is equivalent to the data stored in table 102. Sharded database 110 is logically treated as a single database, and thus can be accessible by client applications just like unsharded database 100.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a sharded database system. Client application 210 is any sort of client application that requires access to data stored in a database. Sharded database 250 is a logical database where data is horizontally partitioned across independent database instances. Specifically, data stored in sharded database 250 is horizontally partitioned and stored in shards 260A, 260B, and 260C. A sharded database may include any number of shards, and the number of shards in a sharded database may vary over time. Each of shards 260A, 260B, and 260C may be its own database instance that does need to share physical resources, such as processors, memory, and/or storage device, with other shards in the sharded database 250.
Shard catalogue 230 is a special database system that is used to store configuration data for the sharded database 250 and may include, for example: a routing table that maps which shard stores a chunk of data that corresponds to a given value, range of values, or set of values of a sharding key, shard topology data, the configuration of the shards 260A, 260B, and 260C, the configuration of the catalog server 220, information about the client application 210, etc. Catalog server 220 coordinates various functionalities across the sharded database 250, including, but not limited to: routing database requests to shards, propagating database schema changes to shards, monitoring the status of shards, receiving status updates from shards, receiving notifications from client applications, sending notifications to shards, sending notifications to client applications, and/or coordinating various operations that affect the configuration of the sharded database 260, such as resharding operations.
The horizontal partitioning techniques used by a sharded database improve scalability by eliminating performance bottlenecks and making it possible to increase performance and capacity of the system by adding additional shards and distributing load across shards. However, even when conventional relational database systems employ horizontally-partitioning, the needs of all users are not adequately addressed because those systems do not provide an agile document-object storage model that allows schema-less query, indexing, and search capability. Consequently, for users who deal with semi-structured data and unstructured data, horizontally partitioning a conventional relational table is insufficient. The term "semi-structured and unstructured data" refers to data items that are not known to strictly conform to any explicitly defined schema. Users who want to enjoy horizontal partitioning with both structured and unstructured data typically have to maintain multiple sharding systems and build a home-grown middle-tier to integrate both systems. Therefore, there is a clear need for a system that provides the benefits of horizontal partitioning regardless of whether the underlying data is fully-structured, semi-structured, unstructured, or any combination thereof.
The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Handling semi-structured and unstructured data in a sharded database environment


The invention provides a marine propulsion device comprising a powerhead including an internal combustion engine having an output shaft and an exhaust port, a propeller shaft adapted to hold a propeller, a selective coupler of the engine output shaft and the propeller shaft, an exhaust passage communicating with the engine exhaust port and comprising a first exhaust outlet and a second exhaust outlet, and a valve that is associated with the selective coupler to open and close the second exhaust outlet.

It is common in the manufacture of marine propulsion devices, such as outboard motors and stern drives, to construct the device with a primary exhaust discharge and a secondary exhaust discharge. The primary exhaust discharge generally directs exhaust into the low pressure area below the water and behind the propeller. This can be accomplished either by directing the exhaust through an outlet on the underside of the anti-ventilation plate or through a hollow propeller hub. Noxious exhaust gases and noise are generally retained in the water.
The secondary exhaust discharge is generally located above the top of the water level when the marine propulsion device is mounted on an associated boat. The secondary exhaust discharge is generally designed to reduce the back pressure of the exhaust gas in the marine propulsion device when the engine is idling or is running at low speed.
Accordingly, the secondary exhaust discharge is commonly referred to as an idle relief passage. Since the idle relief passage bypasses the normal underwater exhaust discharge system, it is designed to minimize the exhaust noise transmitted through it by being designed with a series of baffles. However, in many marine propulsion devices, the idle relief passage allows some noise, along with various noxious exhaust gases, smoke, and in some cases water or steam, to emanate from this outlet under most operating conditions, especially at slow speed.
When a boat is operated for an extended length of time at slow speed a considerable amount of exhaust gas may emanate from the secondary exhaust gas discharge. In certain conditions, such as when the wind is blowing from the stern, these gases can be blown into the boat and cause discomfort to the operator and passengers.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,121 shows a marine propulsion device including a vacuum valve in the exhaust for relieving negative pressure created during engine start.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,601,666 discloses an outboard motor with a selectively operable valve in the exhaust passage which diverts all of the exhaust to either the primary under water exhaust discharge port or the secondary above water exhaust discharge port in order to divert exhaust to the secondary exhaust discharge port during slow speed trolling operation in order not to disturb the fish. The diverter is associated with the engine throttle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,330 discloses an outboard motor with a secondary exhaust outlet that automatically shuts off upon high powerhead speed.

Marine propulsion device with selectively operable secondary exhaust discharge


The invention relates to synchronizing settings in a home control system such as settings for lighting scenes in a lighting system with a plurality of light units. A basic idea of the invention is to synchronize settings such as lighting scene settings in a home control system with a network of devices such as light units and multiple control devices for controlling the network devices. An embodiment of the invention provides a device (Sync) for synchronizing settings in a home control system comprising a memory (12) for storing settings of one or more of devices (L1-L9) of the home control system, a communication unit (14) for receiving signals (16) from and transmitting signals (18) to control devices (RC3-RC 4) of the home control system, and a processor (10) for synchronizing stored settings in the home control system upon receipt of a signal (16) from a control device (RC3, RC4) of the home control system by transmitting a synchronization signal (18). Thus, all control devices may have access to all settings. Particularly, a user may control all settings with one control devices and does not have to remember which settings are stored in which control device.

An example of a home control system is a lighting control system. Future lighting applications anticipate a lighting (home) control system with dimmable lights and wireless control devices like (wall) switches and remote controls. In most cases people will start with a simple system with a few lamps and one remote control. Gradually the system can be extended with more lamps and more (remote) control devices. Such lighting systems often allow a user to create a lighting scene with a remote control device and to store these scenes in the remote control device. A lighting scene comprises settings of the lamps of the lighting system, which are activated to create the lighting scene. Typically, these settings comprise dimming values of lamps, the color of the created lighting. A lighting scene stored in a remote control can later be retrieved by the user.
However, with more and more lamps and control devices to create, adjust and store lighting scenes this can lead to a situation where different controls devices store different lighting scenes. This can lead to a situation where it is difficult for a user to remember which control device contains which lighting scenes and/or which control device controls which lamps.

Updating scenes in remote controllers of a home control system


Provided is an information processing apparatus that displays on a screen at least a part of a display region, in which display elements are arranged; terminates the display of the display region when an operation of specifying a first direction with respect to a predetermined region in the screen is received from a user; and shifts into a state, in which the termination of the display of the display region, when an operation of specifying a second direction that is different from the first direction with respect to the predetermined region is received from the user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that displays a plurality of display regions on a screen, an information processing method, and an information storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a conventional practice in an information processing apparatus such as a computer to generate a plurality of display regions including various kinds of display elements to be presented to a user, for example, windows or tabs, and arrange or switch the display regions for display on a screen. In this case, a display region that is no longer necessary for the user is desirably erased in response to a user's instruction so as not to be displayed on the screen. However, it is not preferred for the display region that includes information necessary for the user to be erased by an erroneous operation by the user. To address this problem, there is proposed an information processing apparatus that allows the user to give an instruction to restrict a particular display region from becoming a target for such erasure.


An airbag-releasing portion structure, an inner case, and an airbag apparatus are provided that are unsusceptible to a surrounding temperature, and capable of small-sizing for a hinge portion and smoothly releasing an airbag to a vehicle interior. In this form, an inner case is composed of an inner panel connected to an inside of the outer panel, and a side wall that forms a space for housing the retainer. The inner panel is composed of a supporting portion connected to the fixing portion of the outer panel, a flap portion welded to the door portion, and a hinge portion formed between the supporting portion and the flap portion. The hinge portion includes a top portion, a supporting portion side connecting portion for connecting the supporting portion and the top portion, and a flap side connecting portion for connecting the flap portion and the top portion. A thin-walled portion formed to have a smaller wall thickness than the other portion of the hinge portion is provided in the supporting portion side connecting portion.

In general, an airbag apparatus for restraining an occupant by expanding and extending an airbag to a vehicle interior in collision or the like is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile or the like. In such airbag apparatuses, various types of airbag apparatuses such as an airbag apparatus for use in a driver's seat internally installed in a steering wheel, a passenger airbag apparatus internally installed in an instrument panel, a side airbag apparatus internally installed in a side surface portion of a vehicle or a seat, a curtain airbag apparatus internally installed in an upper portion of a door, and so forth are developed and adopted. These airbag apparatuses are housed in a vehicle structure at a normal time such that the existence thereof cannot be recognized, and in an emergency such as a collision of the vehicle or the like, the airbag apparatuses are configured to expand and extend an airbag upon bursting through the vehicle structure. Hence, an airbag releasing portion of the airbag apparatus has to be configured to be able to smoothly and rapidly release the airbag in an emergency, whereas the same has to be configured to be covered so as to be assimilated to a vehicle interior component at a normal time.
Currently, FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) are views illustrating a passenger airbag apparatus in which FIG. 4(A) is a cross-sectional view and FIG. 4(B) is an enlarged view of B-portion in FIG. 4(A). The passenger airbag apparatus is internally installed at a vehicle body side of an instrument panel 41 disposed at a front face of a passenger seat. Further, as illustrated in FIG. 4(A), the passenger airbag apparatus is provided with an airbag (not shown) that is folded back in the normal time and is expanded and extended in the emergency, an inflator 42 for supplying a gas into the airbag, a retainer 43 for housing the airbag and the inflator 42, an outer panel 44 mounted in the instrument panel 41, and an inner case 45 that is connected to an inside of the outer panel 44 and that latches the retainer 43. Incidentally, the retainer 43 is coupled with a fixing member 47 via a joining member 46 and fixed thereto.
In the aforementioned instrument panel 41, an opening portion 41a is formed so as to be able to release the airbag. In the opening portion 41a, the outer panel 44 is mounted using a clip 44a or the like and the surface thereof is processed so as to be assimilated to the instrument panel 41. Further, in an inside of the outer panel 44, a plurality of notches 44b for allowing the outer panel 44 to easily crack at a time when the airbag is expanded is formed. By means of the notches 44b, the outer panel 44 is sectionalized into a fixing portion 44c and a door portion 44d.
The aforementioned inner case 45 is composed of an inner panel 45a connected to an inside of the outer panel 44, and side walls 45b that form a space for housing the retainer 43. In addition, a plurality of latching holes 45c is formed in the side walls 45b, and hooks 43a connected to the retainer 43 are configured to be latched with the latching holes 45c. Further, the inner panel 45a is divided into two parts at a center portion and each of the inner panels 45a is composed of a supporting portion 451 connected to the fixing portion 44c of the outer panel 44, a flap portion 452 connected to the door portion 44d, and a hinge portion 453 formed between the supporting portion 451 and the flap portion 452. The hinge portion 453 is substantially U-shaped as illustrated in FIG. 4(B), and normally, thicknesses of t1 through t4 are uniformly formed.
In the above-described passenger airbag apparatus, the gas is supplied into the airbag (not shown) by operating the inflator 42 in an emergency such as a collision of the vehicle or the like. The airbag is expanded in the retainer 3 and the inner case 45, and presses the inner panel 45a and the outer panel 44. The outer panel 44 is divided at the notch 44b between the door portions 44d and releases the airbag to the vehicle interior. As an expanding and extending operation of the airbag proceeds, the door portion 44d of the outer panel 44 is rotated toward an instrument panel 41 side, and is further divided at the notch 44b between the fixing portion 44c and the door portion 44d. Currently, since the fixing portion 44c and the door portion 44d of the outer panel 44 are respectively connected to the inner panels 45a, there is no possibility that the door portion 44d is broken up even when the outer panel 44 is divided at the notch 44b. Further, the door portions 44d are further rotated toward the instrument panel 41 side and are opened in a double door-like manner by means of the operation of a hinge portion 48 of the inner panel 45a.
Here, the inner case 45 is formed of resin in general, and is susceptible to a surrounding temperature and is hardened or softened. Accordingly, a devisal is necessary for forming a shape of the hinge portion 453 so as to appropriately open the outer panel 44 in the double door-like manner. For example, a hinge portion described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-96267, is formed so as to expand out in a direction being spaced apart from an outer panel, and to be gradually thin-walled from a fixing portion side to a door-reinforcing portion side (refer to FIG. 4 in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-96267). Further, a hinge portion described in PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2003-137057, is formed such that a top of a bent portion has a thinner wall than the other portion of a curved hinge portion (refer to FIG. 4 in PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2003-137057).
However, since the fixing portion side is formed to be entirely thick in the hinge portion described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-96267, a stretching up amount of the hinge portion at a time of opening the outer panel in the double door-like manner is small. Therefore, the lack of the stretching up amount has to be compensated by largely forming an entire hinge portion (namely, a diameter of a U-shaped portion). However, if the diameter of the U-shaped portion is enlarged, a non-welded portion between the outer panel and an inner panel increases, and an effect for reinforcing the outer panel is reduced. Furthermore, in the case that the U-shape is longitudinally formed so as to avoid such problems, a problem occurs in which a manufacture for the hinge portion becomes difficult and it becomes a factor of cost up.
Moreover, in a hinge structure described in PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2003-137057, a portion (a top of a bent portion) that is easiest to be stretched at a time when the outer panel is opened in the double door-like manner is formed of a thin wall. Hence, a problem occurs in which an excessive stress is concentrated on the top of the bent portion.

Airbag-releasing portion structure, inner case, and airbag apparatus


A process for producing an expandable resin composition for a small diameter electric wire insulated with highly expanded cellular polyethylene which comprises (1) heat-kneading at a temperature higher than 135.degree. C. a mixture comprising: (i) a low density polyethylene having a density ranging from about 0.890 to 0.925 g/ml; (ii) a high density polyethylene having a melting point higher than 130.degree. C.; and (iii) a polyolefin wax having an average molecular weight ranging from about 1500 to 8000 and a melting point ranging from about 100.degree. C. to 160.degree. C.; and (2) heat kneading at a temperature ranging from 120.degree. C. to 130.degree. C. and at a preliminary expansion ratio lower than 5% the mixture of step (1) with a low temperature decomposable chemical blowing agent.

The recent trend in the technology of insulated wires, especially coaxial cables for high-frequency signal transmission, is toward the use of cellular insulating coating having a high expansion ratio for the lowering of dielectric constant and the .delta., which leads to a reduction of crosstalk and attenuation, an improvement of image and sound, and a decreased number of repeaters required.
The production of wires insulated with a cellular material having a high expansion ratio resorts usually to the chemical blowing process or gas blowing process. The chemical blowing process consists of compounding a resin component with a chemical blowing agent at a temperature under the decomposition point of the chemical blowing agent, extruding the resulting compound at a temperature above the decomposition point of the chemical blowing agent, thereby coating a conductor, allowing the coating layer to expand in the air, and cooling and solidifying the expanded coating layer. The chemical blowing process is simpler in operation and more economical in equipment than the gas blowing process. Therefore, it has gained general acceptance although it is inferior to the gas blowing process as far as the expansion ratio is concerned.
A major resin used in the chemical blowing process has been high-pressure low-density polyethylene (abbreviated as HP-LDPE hereinafter). This is because HP-LDPE has no polar groups in the molecule and, hence, has a low dielectric constant, e.g. tan .delta., and is suitable for use as a cellular insulation for coaxial cables. In addition, HP-LDPE has a melting point of typically about 107.degree. C. and, hence, is capable of processing at a lower temperature than high-density polyethylene having a high melting point (typically about 133.degree. C.). Moreover, HP-LDPE is easy to make into a highly-expanded foam because it has a higher melt tension than high-density polyethylene.
There has recently arisen a demand for the improvement of coaxial cables in characteristic properties such as dielectric constant, e.g. tan .delta., for the reduction of crosstalk and attenuation. To meet this demand, it is necessary to increase the expansion ratio of the insulation coating up to 60% and above, preferably 70% or more.
However, difficulties are involved in the production of a highly-expanded (above 60%) foam from HP-LDPE. That is, the foam has such a thin cell membrane and, hence, has such a low mechanical strength that the resulting coaxial cable has poor mechanical properties such that it collapses or is broken easily during handling.
To address this problem an attempt has been made to incorporate HP-LDPE with high-density polyethylene, which is superior in mechanical strength to HP-LDPE. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54:44787/1979 discloses a process for producing a highly-expanded foam with high mechanical strength by gas blowing a resin composition composed of 100 parts by weight of high-density polyethylene and 20 to 50 parts by weight of low-density polyethylene. Unfortunately, this process is not applicable as such to the chemical blowing method.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 58:174423/1983 discloses a mixture composed of a low-density polyethylene having a melt index of 1 to 7 grams/10 minutes and a high density polyethylene. The invention is characterized by the use of two chemical blowing agents and not by the combination of two polyethylenes. In the examples, only low density polyethylene is employed and not a mixture of a low density polyethylene and a high density polyethylene.
The production of a highly-expanded foam (having an expansion ratio greater than 60%) from HP-LDPE incorporated with high-density polyethylene by the chemical blowing process requires that the resin should have a sufficiently high melt tension at its blowing temperature. For this reason, the blowing temperature is restricted in the range of 130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. and, hence, the decomposition temperature of the chemical blowing agent is also restricted in the range of 130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. If a chemical blowing agent having a decomposition temperature of 130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C. is to be uniformly dispersed into HP-LDPE incorporated with high-density polyethylene, it is necessary that mixing should be performed at a temperature higher than the melting point (typically about 133.degree. C.) of high-density polyethylene. Such mixing, however, induces the decomposition and foaming of the chemical blowing agent, making its impossible to produce an expandable resin composition.
For the reasons mentioned above, it was difficult to produce a highly-expanded polyethylene (having an expansion ratio greater than 60%) from HP-LDPE incorporated with high density polyethylene.
The inventors found it possible to solve the above described problems by mixing low density polyethylene and high density polyethylene by a special method, and filed Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 4-76028/1992.
Recently, telecommunication instruments, and image or picture processing instruments, such as telephones, radios, facsimile machines, copy machines, computers, word processors, and television, have become remarkably smaller in size, and their parts have become smaller in size and have been clustered into compact configurations in high densities. To cope with this tendency, smaller-diameter electric wires insulated with highly-expanded cellular polyethylene have been increasingly used in the above mentioned instruments as compared with the conventional larger diameter wires insulated with highly-expanded cellular polyethylene, such as coaxial cables.
For the production of such larger-diameter coaxial cable, for example, the production has been conducted with no trouble by the method, such as our invention of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 4-76028, in which an expandable resin composition is applied to the larger-diameter wires. However, when the expandable resin composition disclosed in our invention of Japanese Patent -Laid-Open Publication No. 4-76028 was applied to a smaller diameter wire, the resultant cellular polyethylene did not attain an expansion ratio as high as above 60% which was required for use. This has been a problem which has been needed to be solved.

Small diameter electric wire insulated with highly expanded cellular polyethylene and production thereof


This pipette tip includes: a first part having an outer diameter which increases gradually from a distal end side toward a proximal end side; a second part in which a taper angle of an outer surface of the second part is smaller than a taper angle of an outer surface of the first part; a third part in which a taper angle of an outer surface of the third part is larger than the taper angle of the outer surface of the first part; and a fourth in which a taper angle of an outer surface of the fourth part is smaller than the taper angle of the outer surface of the third part.

Biochemical reactions such as antigen-antibody reactions are used in biochemical examinations. For example, in a fluorescent immunoassay (hereinafter also referred to as "FIA"), a substance to be detected (antigen) is reacted with a labeling substance containing a fluorescent substance. Thereafter, fluorescence emitted by the fluorescent substance is detected by irradiating, with excitation light, the substance to be detected that has been labeled with the labeling substance. Then, from an intensity of the detected fluorescence and the like, an amount of the substance to be detected is specified. Among such FIAs, as a method capable of detecting a substance to be detected with particularly high sensitivity, surface plasmon-field enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (hereinafter also referred to as "SPFS") is known.
In SPFS, a first capturing body (e.g., a primary antibody) capable of specifically binding to a substance to be detected is fixed on a metal film to form a reaction field for capturing the substance to be detected. Usually, the reaction field is formed in a fine channel. Then, a sample liquid (specimen) containing the substance to be detected is injected into this channel, thereby binding the substance to be detected to the first capturing body (primary reaction). Subsequently, a fluorescent labeling liquid containing a second capturing body (e.g., a secondary antibody) labeled with a fluorescent substance is injected into the channel, thereby further binding the second capturing body to the substance to be detected bound to the primary antibody (secondary reaction). That is, the substance to be detected is indirectly labeled with the fluorescent substance. When the metal film is irradiated with excitation light in this state, the fluorescent substance is excited by the electric field enhanced by surface plasmon resonance (hereinafter also referred to as "SPR") to emit fluorescence. Then, the substance to be detected can be detected by detecting the fluorescence emitted by the fluorescent substance.
PTL 1 discloses a biochemical examination apparatus that detects a substance to be detected with use of SPFS. This biochemical examination apparatus includes: an inspection chip having a channel formed with a reaction field inside; a reagent chip having a plurality of vessels each containing different types of reagents; a liquid delivery mechanism to move a liquid between the reagent chip and the inspection chip; a conveyance mechanism to move the inspection chip; a measurement unit to irradiate the inspection chip with excitation light and to detect fluorescence from the inspection chip, and the like.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing reagent chip 10 and inspection chip 20 in the biochemical examination apparatus described in PTL 1. As shown in FIG. 1, reagent chip 10 includes: cleaning liquid vessel 11 containing a cleaning liquid; specimen vessel 12 containing a specimen; diluent vessel 13 containing a diluent; sample liquid vessel 14 containing a sample liquid obtained by diluting the specimen with the diluent; and fluorescent labeling liquid vessel 15 containing a fluorescent labeling liquid. Further, reagent chip 10 is attached with pipette tip 16. Pipette tip 16 is attached to the liquid delivery mechanism to be used. Inspection chip 20 has channel 21 and pipette tip insertion part (insertion hole) 22 connected to one end of channel 21. An opening of pipette tip insertion part 22 is closed with seal (insertion hole hermetic seal) 23. In the biochemical examination apparatus described in PTL 1, as shown in FIG. 1, pipette tip 16 attached to the liquid delivery mechanism is inserted into any vessel of reagent chip 10 to suck a reagent into pipette tip 16, and then pipette tip 16 is inserted into pipette tip insertion part 22 of inspection chip 20 to inject the reagent into channel 21. While a through hole is formed in seal 23 when pipette tip 16 is initially inserted into pipette tip insertion part 22, this through hole is closed with pipette tip 16 in a state where pipette tip 16 is inserted into pipette tip insertion part 22. Therefore, injecting the liquid in pipette tip 16 into pipette tip insertion part 22 increases pressure inside pipette tip insertion part 22, and causes the liquid to be also injected into channel 21. Similarly, sucking the liquid in pipette tip insertion part 22 into pipette tip 16 lowers pressure in pipette tip insertion part 22, and causes the liquid in channel 21 to be also sucked into pipette tip 16.
In the biochemical examination apparatus described in PTL 1, there is used pipette tip 16 with an outer diameter gradually increasing from a distal end to a proximal end except for the vicinity of the proximal end. In the vicinity of the proximal end, the outer diameter of pipette tip 16 is constant. An inner diameter of pipette tip 16 gradually increases from the distal end toward the proximal end, from the distal end to the proximal end. A taper angle of an inclined surface of an outer surface of pipette tip 16 is constant, and a taper angle of an inclined surface on an inner surface is also constant.
In the biochemical examination apparatus described in PTL 1, an opening of pipette tip insertion part 22 of inspection chip 20 is closed with seal 23, but whether or not an opening of each vessel of reagent chip 10 is closed with a seal is not particularly described. On the other hand, such sealing of an opening of a vessel containing a reagent with a seal has been done since before. For example, PTL 2 discloses a reaction vessel to detect SNP in which openings of a reagent container and a mineral oil container are closed with a film, and a reaction vessel processing apparatus using the reaction vessel. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the reaction vessel described in PTL 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the reaction vessel has sample injection part 30, reagent container 31, mineral oil container 32, and reaction part 33, and openings of reagent container 31 and mineral oil container 32 are closed with film 34. In using a liquid in reagent container 31 or mineral oil container 32, the liquid is sucked into pipette tip 35 by pipette tip 35 pierced into film 34.
In the reaction vessel processing apparatus described in PTL 2, there is used pipette tip 35 with an outer diameter gradually increasing from a distal end to a proximal end except for the vicinity of the proximal end. In the vicinity of the proximal end, the outer diameter of pipette tip 35 is constant. A taper angle of an inclined surface of an outer surface of pipette tip 35 is constant.

Pipette tip, liquid delivery method and liquid delivery system


The present invention relates to a multistage process including at least two steps for making a heat and oil resistant preroxide-cured thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV) based on hydrogenated carboxiated nitrile butadiene rubber (HXNBR) and at least one polyamide. TPV's according to the present invention have improved properties and morphology over known TPV's prepared in single-stage processes.

TPV's are two-phase systems wherein cured rubber particles are finely dispersed in a thermoplastic phase. The mixing temperature must be high enough to melt the thermoplastic and also cure the rubber. The curing of the rubber phase occurs under conditions of dynamic vulcanization (curing the rubber during melt mixing), contrary to static curing that typically occurs in a rubber mold. Shearing must continue to be applied to prevent the agglomeration of the rubber particles since small rubber particle size is critical in obtaining a product with high performance. For TPV's to have good performance the following properties are desired: (a) the surface energies of the two phases must match, (b) the molecular weight between inter-chain entanglements in the rubber must be low, (c) thermoplastic should have crystallinity, (d) the rubber should be cured at the mixing temperature, and (e) both phases must be stable at the mixing the temperature.
TPV's are processed by techniques commonly used in the plastics industry such as injection molding which makes their fabrication more efficient and cost-effective than thermosets. TPV's have non-Newtonian flow properties and their viscosity is very shear dependent. At low shear rates, their viscosity increases, flow diminishes, and they have a high retention of melt integrity and shape retention when cooled. As the shear rate increases, they become more fluid and can be more rapidly injected into a mould.
Thermoplastic elastomers find many applications, for example in coatings, adhesives and in molded and extruded parts. The latter are valued for their toughness and impact resistance, and find application in automotive parts, mechanical parts, electrical parts and other uses. Specific applications include: seals, wire covers, fuel lines and hoses, cold-air intake tubes, and CVJ boots, pedals, grips, wipers, pipe seals, electrical moldings, as well as injection molded housing and cabinetry for electronic applications.
Improvements in properties are being constantly sought, and often for this purpose polymeric materials are mixed or blended. EP-A1-0 364 859 relates to vulcanizable rubbery compositions containing a polyamide, a partially hydrogenated nitrile rubber and curatives in the nitrile rubber. The partially hydrogenated nitrile rubber, admixed with a curing agent, was gradually added to molten polyamide, with mixing. It is stated that it is preferred to use a polyamide having a low melting point, such as nylon 12. In a preferred embodiment the composition includes maleic anhydride or succinic anhydride. The specification states that the anhydride additive improves mixing between the nylon and the rubber compound. Better results are obtained in an example in which maleic anhydride is used, but the properties of the product obtained are not particularly good, and are not adequate for commercial use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,867 relates to vulcanizable rubbery compositions containing a crystalline polyamide, a synthetic rubbery polymer composed of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile, an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid and butadiene, an additive selected from the halides of lithium, magnesium, calcium and zinc, an additive selected from the oxides and hydroxides of magnesium, calcium, barium and zinc and the peroxides of calcium and zinc and further contains sulfur vulcanization active agents. Nylon 11 is the only polyamide whose use is exemplified.
The descriptive portion of the specification suggests that the mixing of the polyamide and the synthetic rubbery polymer should take place at a temperature in the range of from about 50 to about 125° C. In Examples 1 and 2 mixing of nylon 11 and carboxylated nitrile rubber, and other ingredients, took place at 50° C. In Example 3 mixing took place at 190 to 199° C. and Example 4 does not specify the temperature of mixing. It is believed that the compositions of U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,867 do not display adequate heat resistant properties.
WO 03/020820A1 describes the preparation of heat and oil resistant polymers blends of polyamides and hydrogenated carboxylated nitrile rubber prepared according to a single step process. HNBR-Polyamide TPV's prepared according to WO 03/020820 A1 do not yield the morphology and rubber particle size of the TPV's prepared according to the present invention.

Multistage process for the manufacture of peroxide-cured HXNBR-polyamide thermoplastic vulcanizates


A relayless and fuseless junction box or power distribution unit. The junction box configured to perform operations associated with fuses and relays without the short-comings associated with the operations thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to relayless and fuseless junction boxes and power distribution units.
2. Background Art
Junctions boxes and power distribution units are units commonly used to distribute or relay power and other electrical signals to one or more subsystem. The units typically include one or more mechanical relays and one or more fuses. The relays are typically used to open and close high current electrical connections and the fuses are typically used to generate open circuits during fault conditions, such as to provide protection to a load.
Fuses tend to be one-use items which must be replaced if opened during fault conditions, i.e., if the fuse blows. The replacement or rework of blown fuses can be problematic and expensive. Fuses may fail to provide feedback or other empirical indicators which may be useful in diagnosing the fault conditions that cause the fuse to blow. Fuses also fail to provide early warning indicators prior to the occurrence of such fault conditions.
Relays tend to be relatively expensive items which require removal or rework should they fail or otherwise require repair. Their mechanical nature tends to limit control functionality and often results in instable load current characteristics, such as in-rush, ripple, noise, etc.). The opening of relays may also be problematic in that the relays tend to bounce rather than immediately shutting off the current supply, causing spikes and other trickle currents to keep flowing to the subsystem associated therewith.
Relays and fuses tend to be fairly large in size and consume corresponding large portions of printed circuit boards (PCBs). This can lead to design constraints and other problems associated with packaging the PCBs in vehicles and other environments. Relays and fuses tend to have short lead time to fail, forcing OEMs to make the PCB, fuses, and relays serviceable and accessible by the user.


The present disclosure relates to a method of tuning an electric charge extraction circuit of a vibrational energy harvester having a mechanical resonator, the method comprising varying, during a first phase, first and second parameters (ψ1,ψ2) of the electric charge extraction circuit based on detected harvested power (PHARVEST), each of the first and second parameters (ψ1,ψ2) influencing the amount of damping of the mechanical resonator and at least the first parameter (ψ1) influencing the resonance frequency of the mechanical resonator, wherein the first and second parameters (ψ1,ψ2) are varied during the first phase such that the amount of damping remains constant or varies by less than a first significant amount and the resonance frequency reaches a final level.

Vibrational energy harvesters are a type of electrical generator that can be employed in a broad range of environments in order to extract energy from ambient vibrations. Such generators generally comprise a mechanical resonator, means for converting the movement of the resonator into electrical energy, and an electric charge extraction circuit for extracting the electrical energy. For example, such generators typically use a piezoelectric layer or an electromagnetic system to convert the mechanical oscillations of the resonator into electrical energy. The extracted electrical energy can for example be used to charge a battery, or otherwise provide electrical power to a load.
A difficulty with existing vibrational energy harvesters is that, in order to achieve reasonable levels of energy recuperation, the resonance frequency of the mechanical resonator should be equal to or close to the frequency of the ambient vibrations from which energy is to be extracted. However, even if such harvesters are manufactured to target a known frequency of ambient vibrations, any drift over time in the resonance frequency of the mechanical resonator or in the frequency of the ambient vibrations can lead to a significant reduction in performance.
It has been proposed to provide systems allowing the resonance frequency of a mechanical resonator to be tuned during use. However, there are technical difficulties in providing a tuning algorithm that achieves high levels of harvested power for a broad range of types of energy harvesters.

Circuit and method for frequency tuning of a vibrational energy harvester

Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives


The present invention provides a computer-implemented method, performed by a server system having one or more servers and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more servers, the method comprising at the server system: receiving an access request to a network server from a terminal device; determining whether the access request matches a cached record stored in an substitute server; if the cached record is found, returning the cached record to the terminal device; if no cached record is found, processing the access request for security check; forwarding the processed access request to the network server; receiving a response from the network server; optimizing the response from the network server; and forwarding the optimized response to the terminal device.

A computer network (e.g., Internet) involves data exchange between a terminal device (e.g., a laptop, a tablet computer, or a smart phone) and a network server (e.g., a web server). The terminal device sends out an access request to access a piece of day (e.g., a web page) hosted by the network server. A domain name sever (DNS) receives the access request, determines the internet protocol (IP) address of the network server, and forwards the access request to the network server. The network server returns information of the accessed web page to the terminal device upon receiving the access request. In many cases, the source code of the web page may have security loopholes due to, e.g., lack of experience of the person who develops the source code. As such, the network server may be vulnerable to malicious attacks.

System and method for detecting and preventing attacks against a server in a computer network


A light-emitting diode (LED) package structure includes a substrate, an LED, a side wall, an encapsulant, and a waterproof protective coating. The LED is disposed on the substrate, the side wall defines a through hole and is disposed on the substrate, and the LED is accommodated in the through hole. The encapsulant is filled in the through hole and covers the LED. A heterojunction is disposed between the encapsulant and the side wall, and the waterproof protective coating seals the heterojunction. Furthermore, the encapsulant includes a first fluoropolymer, the waterproof protective coating includes a second fluoropolymer, and the light transmittance of the first fluoropolymer is greater than that of the second fluoropolymer.

With the advancement of LED technology, along with the maturity of related circuit control components and heat dissipation technology, applications of the LED has gradually diversified. The conventional technology of an LED package structure includes a quartz cover, but the refractive index (n) of the quartz cover is 1.45, while that of the air is 1. Thus, the refractive indices of the quartz cover and the LED do not match with each other, causing total reflection and causing a loss of 12% to 15% in the absorption power. The conventional technology of another LED package structure includes a silicon molded package, but the conventional silicon encapsulant is prone to crack under light with a wavelength in the ultra-violet (UV) band, which decreases the reliability. Thus, the another LED package structure is not suitable for environments with high temperature and humidity, and a light transmittance of the silicon encapsulant under light having a wavelength in the UV band is relatively poor, e.g., decreases by about 55% at a 275 nm wavelength.
Therefore, due to the above mentioned reasons, one of the important issues in the industry is to overcome the above mentioned defects through structural design and the improvement of material selection, and to maintain or increase the luminous power of the LED.

LITE-ON OPTO TECHNOLOGY (CHANGZHOU) CO., LTD.


A structure formed by temperature difference includes an enveloped part, an enveloping part, and a low heat transfer layer. The enveloped part has a free section and an engagement section. The enveloping part defines at least one holding space corresponding to the engagement section. The holding space is dimensioned to be slightly less than the engagement section and can be thermally expanded to be larger than the engagement section by heating the enveloping part to reach a predetermined temperature difference over the enveloped part, so that the engagement section can be put into the holding space. When the enveloping part is cooled, the holding space can shrink, causing the enveloping part to tightly hold the engagement section. The low heat transfer layer, which has a thermal conductivity less than each of the two parts, is disposed in the holding space, between the engagement section and the enveloping part.

For joining metals, conventional ways such as welding, bonding, and bolted connection can be used. However, the strength at the joint of the metals through these methods is weaker than the metal parts. For example, the most vulnerable location in a vehicle is usually at the welds. Thus, when a vehicle suffers an impact, the welds are the easiest place to break. On the other hand, the process for separating the joined metals is complicated and often leaves the welding or bonding marks on the metals. Bolted connection for metals also encounters some problems, such as thread damages, insufficient thread accuracy, insufficient torque, and loose nut. In addition, conventional equipment used for joining metals is expensive, and the process time is relatively long.
There is another conventional way to join two metal parts. During the joining process, one metal part with a hole can be heated so that the hole can be enlarged to have the other metal part easily inserted therethrough. When the metal part is cooled, the hole can shrink to grip the other metal part. This way of joining metal parts is commonly seen in manufacturing a motor, wherein a rotor element can be heated so that its bore allows a shaft to be inserted therethrough. After the rotor element is cooled, the rotor element and the shaft can be fixed together to become a rotor assembly. However, for dismantling the rotor assembly, reheating the rotor element does not work. Due to thermal conduction between the rotor element and the shaft, the shaft can be affected by heat to expand. As a result, there would be no sufficient gap between the rotor element and the shaft, causing the shaft difficulty being separated from the rotor element.
Also, when two dissimilar metals are contact with each other, due to different reduction potentials thereof, one metal having higher reduction potential would experience a reduction reaction (cathode) while the other metal having lower reduction potential would experience an oxidation reaction (anode). As a result, the joint is significantly weakened over time. On the other hand, two metals being connected by conventional means are electrically conductive with each other, which may cause unnecessary short circuits.
Thus, there is a need to provide a structure that is robust and can be easily assembled and disassembled.

Structure formed by temperature difference, method of forming the structure, and lightweight rigid assembly comprising the structure


A phase locked loop (PLL) can include a test loop filter (100) that generates a control voltage (VCTRL) for input to a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). In a test mode, a control voltage can be varied and resulting output frequencies recorded, from which an open loop bandwidth can be determined. A control voltage can be varied by enabling a switch element (104-1) that can provide a current path through load resistance (RL) of test loop filter (100). Current provided to the test loop filter can be varied according to test signals to provide a variable control voltage (VCTRL).

In electronic systems, timing signals can be very important to the overall performance of the system. One widely used way to synchronize operations of a system (e.g., integrated circuit) with an externally received clock can be with a phase locked loop (PLL). PLLs can address many common timing problems associated with generating a clock signal, including but not limited to, unwanted clock skew and jitter. Of course, PLLs are widely in used in applications other than frequency synchronization, including but not limited to frequency synthesis, frequency translation, frequency detection, and frequency modulation.
To better understand various features of the disclosed embodiments, a conventional PLL arrangement will now be described with reference to FIG. 9.
FIG. 9 shows a block schematic diagram of a conventional third order PLL designated by the general reference character 900. FIG. 9 shows a basic "charge pump" style PLL, in which a charge pump generates a control (or error) voltage on a capacitance by "pumping" the potential up or down. Such a basic charge pump style PLL is commonly used for frequency synthesis applications.
A PLL 900 can include a phase frequency detector 902, charge pump 904, a loop filter (with passive components resistor RL, capacitor CL, and capacitor CS) 906, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 908, and a feedback divider 910. These blocks of a PLL 900 can form a negative feedback loop that operates to match the phases and frequencies of the two PFD input signals, φIN and φFBK. A feedback divider 910 can allow the synthesized output signal to operate at "P" times the input frequency, thus enabling the PLL to generate an output signal φOUT in phase but greater in frequency than the reference input signal φIN.
Because a PLL is a feedback loop, a loop frequency response can be important for determining the stability of the overall circuit. In order for a loop to be stable, the total loop phase shift must typically be less than 180 degrees when the open loop gain falls below 0 dB (at the open loop bandwidth).
In a basic charge pump PLL, the stable loop frequency range in the PLL can be far less variable over process and environmental conditions (due mostly to RC component variations of the loop filter) than the open loop bandwidth. Therefore, knowledge of the open loop bandwidth within the less variable stable loop frequency range can show the relative stability of the PLL. For example, if the open loop bandwidth is beyond the stable loop frequency range window, one can reasonably infer either instability or well under-damped stability.
Utilizing the transfer functions shown in FIG. 9, the PLL open loop bandwidth can be found as shown in Eq. 2.1.
                              OLG                                (            s            )                          =                                              I            CP                    ×                                                    s                                                                                τ                  L                                            +              1                                                      s                                                  (                                                            C                      L                                        +                                          C                      S                                                        )                                                                          (                                                      s                                                                                τ                      S                                                        +                  1                                )                                              ×                                    K              VCO                        s                    ×                      1            P                                              Eq        .                                          2.1                        where                                                                            τ            L                    =                                                        R              L                                                  C              L                                      ,                              τ            S                    =                                                                      C                  L                                                                  C                  S                                                                              C                  L                                +                                  C                  S                                                                                R              L                                      ,                                                    at                                                                            OLG                                      (              s              )                                ≈                                          0                                                                          dB                          ,                                                                      OLG                                (            s            )                          =                                                                              K                  VCO                                                                  I                  CP                                                            P                                                  (                                                            C                      L                                        +                                          C                      S                                                        )                                                      ×                                          s                                                                                τ                  L                                                            s                2                                              =                                                    K                VCO                                                          I                CP                                                          R                L                                                          C                L                                                    P                                            (                                                      C                    L                                    +                                      C                    S                                                  )                                                                                OLBW        =                                              K            VCO                                          I            CP                                          R            L                    ×                                    C              L                                      P                                            (                                                      C                    L                                    +                                      C                    S                                                  )
While measurement of PLL loop dynamics, including the open loop bandwidth, can provide insight into loop stability, such measurements are conventionally taken by bench and pico-probe testing whereby individual PLL component measurements are taken by an individual. Such methods present a more complex or invasive method than could be achieved through automated chip/part testing. As result, such approaches can be slow, inefficient, and expensive. Therefore, full PLL testing, which includes the open loop bandwidth measurement, is typically only completed on a small sample set of any particular PLL chip/part taken from a much larger manufacturing lot or group of devices.
Conventional PLL test measurements taken during production typically include only a "lock" test, which can reveal PLL stability in a binary sense (true/false), but reveals no other information about the PLL loop dynamics.
In light of the above, it would be desirable to have a test mechanism for testing PLL loop dynamics that can be more easily and inexpensively implemented than conventional approaches, such as bench testing.

Open loop bandwidth test architecture and method for phase locked loop (PLL)


A first electronic component, such as a sensor having opposed first and second surfaces and a first thickness, is arranged on a support member with the second surface facing towards the support member. A second electronic component, such as an integrated circuit mounted on a substrate and having a second thickness less than the first thickness, is arranged on the support member with a substrate surface opposed the second electronic component facing towards the support member. A package molding material is molded onto the support member to encapsulate the second electronic component while leaving exposed the first surface of the first electronic component. The support member is then removed to expose the second surface of the first electronic component and the substrate surface of the substrate.

Electronic devices including a Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor and an associated "companion" chip such as an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) are now common in the art with the MEMS component mounted onto the companion integrated circuit (IC) chip or arranged on a same substrate as the companion IC chip.
Such devices may be packaged in a full-mold package having a thickness defined by the substrate and the mold chase.
Reducing the total device package thickness is a desirable goal which may be pursued by reducing the substrate thickness and/or reducing the chase thickness by improving process tolerances.
Another option in that direction may involve moving to a Chip Scale Package (CSP) process. It is noted that a CSP approach may not be applicable to MEMS and other sensor structures due to specific features of the associated Front End (FE) processes.
Exposing the "top" side of the semiconductor (silicon) substrate has also been proposed, primarily with the purpose of opening sensing ports in pressure sensors or optical devices, for instance. Exposing the "bottom" side of the substrate has also been proposed in order to improve thermal dissipation from the package.
It is noted that a limiting factor of such approaches is related to the use of a substrate, frame and/or mold compound surrounding (embedding, for instance) the device in its entirety.
There is a need in the art to provide a solution which overcomes the disadvantages outlined in the foregoing.

Method of manufacturing electronic devices and corresponding electronic device


A communication stack for providing remote direct memory access (RDMA) over a datagram network is disclosed. The communication stack has a user level interface configured to accept datagram related input and communicate with an RDMA enabled network interface card (NIC) via an NIC driver. The communication stack also has an RDMA protocol layer configured to supply one or more data transfer primitives for the datagram related input of the user level. The communication stack further has a direct data placement (DDP) layer configured to transfer the datagram related input from a user storage to a transport layer based on the one or more data transfer primitives by way of a lower layer protocol (LLP) over the datagram network.

Despite recognized performance inefficiencies, Ethernet currently accounts for more than half of the interconnection networks in the top five hundred supercomputers due to its easy deployment and low cost of ownership. Ethernet is ubiquitously used in commercial and research clusters, serving high performance computing (HPC) and datacenter systems. Unfortunately, the large overhead that Gigabit and 10-Gigabit Ethernet network protocol processing puts on the central processing (CPU) cores has led to critical CPU availability and performance issues. For this, a wide range of efforts started to boost Ethernet efficiency, especially targeting its latency for HPC. The first major attempt was offloading transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) processing using stateless offload (e.g. offloading checksum, segmentation and reassembly, etc.) and stateful TCP Offload Engines (TOE).
Another major approach on top of TOE has been equipping Ethernet with techniques such as Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) and zero-copy communication that have traditionally been associated with other high performance interconnects such as InfiniBand. iWARP (Internet Wide Area RDMA Protocol) was the first standardized protocol to integrate such features into Ethernet, effectively reducing Ethernet latency and increasing host CPU availability by taking advantage of RDMA, kernel bypass capabilities, zero copy and non-interrupt based asynchronous communication. Rather than the traditional kernel level socket application program interface (API), iWARP provides a user-level interface that can be used in both local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) environments, thus, efficiently bypassing kernel overheads such as data copies, synchronization and context switching.
Despite contributing to improving Ethernet efficiency, the current specification of iWARP lacks functionality to support the whole spectrum of Ethernet based applications. The current iWARP standard is only defined on reliable connection-oriented transports. Such a protocol suffers from scalability issues in large-scale applications due to memory requirements associated with multiple inter-process connections. In addition, some applications and data services do not require the reliability overhead and implementation complexity and cost associated with connection-oriented transports such as TCP.
It would therefore be desirable to have a method and system for implementing unreliable RDMA over datagrams.
iWARP Standard
Proposed by RDMA Consortium in 2002 to the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), the iWARP specification defines a multi-level processing stack on top of standard TCP/IP over Ethernet. The stack is designed to decouple the processing of Upper Layer Protocol (ULP) data from the operating system (OS) and reduce the host CPU utilization by avoiding intermediate copies during data transfer (zero copy). To achieve these goals, iWARP needs to be fully offloaded, for example on top of stateless and stateful TOE.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, at the top layer, iWARP provides a set of descriptive user-level interfaces called iWARP verbs. The verbs interface bypasses the OS kernel and is defined on top of an RDMA enabled stack. A network interface card (NIC) that supports the RDMA stack as described in iWARP standard is called an RDMA-enabled NIC or RNIC. An RNIC implements both iWARP stack and TOE functionality in hardware.
The RDMA protocol (RDMAP) layer supplies communication primitives for the verbs layer. Examples of data transfer primitives include Send, Receive, RDMA Write and RDMA Read that are passed as work requests (WR) to a Queue Pair (QP) data structure. The WRs are processed asynchronously by the RNIC, and completion is notified either by polled Completion Queue (CQ) entries or by event notification.
Verbs layer WRs are delivered in order from RDMAP to the lower layers. The Send and RDMA Write operations require a single message for data transfer, while the RDMA Read needs a request by the consumer (data sink), followed by a response from the supplier (data source). RDMAP is designed as a stream-based layer. Operations in the same stream are processed in the order of their submission.
The Direct Data Placement (DDP) layer is designed to directly transfer data from the user buffer to the network interface card (NIC) without intermediate buffering. The packet based DDP layer matches the data sink at the RDMAP layer with the incoming data segments based on two types of data placements models: tagged and untagged. The tagged model, used for one-sided RDMA Write and Read operations, has a sender-based buffer management in which the initiator provides a pre-advertised reference to the data buffer address at the remote side. The untagged model uses a two-sided Send/Receive semantic, where the receiver both handles buffer management and specifies the buffer address.
Due to DDP being a message-based protocol, out-of-order placement of message segments is possible, therefore DDP assures delivery of a complete message upon arrival of all segments. In the current iWARP specification, DDP assumes that the lower layer provides in order and correct delivery of messages.
The lower layer protocol (LLP) on which the iWARP stack is running can be either TCP or stream control transmission protocol (SCTP). Due to the message-oriented nature of DDP, the iWARP protocol requires an adaptation layer to put boundaries on DDP messages transferred over the stream oriented TCP protocol. The Marker PDU Alignment (MPA) protocol inserts markers into DDP data units prior to passing them to the TCP layer. It also re-assembles marked data units from the TCP stream and removes the markers before passing them to the DDP. The MPA layer is not needed on top of message-oriented transports such as SCTP or UDP because intermediate devices do not fragment message-based packets as they would with stream-based ones, removing the middle-box fragmentation issue that the MPA layer solves.
Shortcomings of the Current iWARP Standard
The current iWARP standard offers a range of capabilities that increase the efficiency of Ethernet in modern HPC and datacenters clusters. Taking advantage of the well-known reliable transports in the TCP/IP protocol suite is one of its key advantages. Reliability has in fact been a major force for designing the current iWARP standard on top of connection-oriented transports. The LLP in iWARP is assumed to be a point-to-point reliable stream, established prior to iWARP communication. This requirement makes it easy for the upper layer protocol (ULP) to assume reliable communication of user data. In addition, the independence of individual streams makes iWARP able to enforce error management on a per stream basis.
Such a standard is a fit for applications that require strict reliability at the lower layer, including data validation, flow control and in order delivery. Examples for such applications are reliable datacenter services such as database services, file servers, financial applications and policy enforcement systems (e.g. security applications, etc.).
On the other hand, there is a growing demand for applications that find the strict connection-based semantics of iWARP unnecessary. For such cases, the current iWARP standard imposes barriers to application scalability in large systems. The following subsections point to the shortcomings of the current standard and their relevant implications. As such, there is a strong need for RDMA with datagram transport.
Memory Usage.
The pervasiveness of the Ethernet in modern clusters places a huge demand on the scalability of the iWARP. The scale of high performance clusters is increasing rapidly and can soon reach to a million cores. A similar trend can be observed for datacenters. An obvious drawback of the connection-oriented iWARP is the connection memory usage that can exponentially grow with the number of processes. This dramatically increases the application's memory footprint, unveiling serious scalability issues for large-scale applications.
As the number of required connections increases, memory usage grows proportionately at different network stack layers. In a software implementation of iWARP at the TCP/IP layer, each connection will require a set of socket buffers allocated, in addition to the data structure required to maintain the connection state information. Although the socket buffers are not required in a hardware implementation of iWARP due to zero-copy on the fly processing of data, making a lot of connections will have other adverse effects. Due to limited RNIC cache for connection state information, maintaining out-of-cache connections will require extra memory requests by the RNIC. The other major place of memory usage is the application layer. Specifically, the communication libraries such as message passing interface (MPI) pre-allocate memory buffers per connection to be used for fast buffering and communication management.
Performance
In addition to memory usage problems, connection oriented protocols such as TCP, with their inherent flow-control and congestion management, limit performance. HPC applications running on a local cluster do not require the complexities of TCP flow and congestion management. User datagram protocol (UDP) offers a much lighter weight protocol that can significantly reduce the latency of individual messages, closing the latency gap between iWARP and other high speed interconnects. In addition, many datacenter applications such as those using media streaming protocols over WAN are currently running on top of unreliable datagram transports such as UDP. Due to such semantic discrepancies, the current connection-oriented specification of iWARP makes it impossible for such applications to take advantage of iWARP's major benefits such as zero copy and kernel bypass.
Fabrication Cost
The complexities associated with stream based lower layer protocols (LLPs) such as TCP and SCTP translate into expensive and non-scalable hardware implementations. This becomes especially important with modern multi-core systems where multiple processes could utilize the offloaded stack. A heavyweight protocol such as SCTP or even TCP can partially support multiple parallel on-node requests, due to implementation costs associated with hardware level parallelism.
Hardware Level Operations
iWARP lacks useful operations such as hardware level multicast and broadcast. These operations, if supported, can be utilized in applications with MPI collectives and also media streaming services. iWARP does not support such operations primarily because the underlying TCP protocol is not able to handle multicast and broadcast operations.
Datagram-Based Applications
Despite the benefits offered by iWARP, many datacenter and web-based applications, such as stock-market trading and media-streaming applications, that rely on datagram-based semantics (mostly through UDP/IP) cannot take advantage of it because the iWARP standard is only defined over reliable, connection-oriented transports. Moreover, currently one-sided RDMA operations (such as RDMA Write) are only defined on reliable and connected transports. This effectively limits the number of applications that could utilize iWARP and its RDMA capabilities by excluding User Datagram Protocol (UDP), which according to Cisco Systems, could comprise more than 90% of all Internet consumer traffic by 2014.
Connection-based iWARP has a number of limitations that make it inappropriate for large-scale systems. First, the scalability of the current iWARP is limited since the hardware needs to keep data for each and every connection in hardware or host memory. This limits its effectiveness for applications that are required to service a very large number of clients at a single time. In addition, the current iWARP standard suffers from numerous overheads associated with connection-based transports such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) [21]. High overhead reliability and flow-control measures in TCP and SCTP protocols impose the burden of unnecessary communication processing on applications running on low error-rate networks (such as High Performance Computing (HPC) and data center clusters) as well as applications which do not require reliability.
Moreover, the complexities and overhead associated with packet marking, which is required to adapt the message-oriented iWARP stack over the stream-oriented TCP protocol, further reduce the overall message rate that can be achieved with the current TCP-based iWARP standard.
Clearly, there is a need for a method and system for implementing unreliable RDMA over datagrams.

Remote direct memory access over datagrams


Disclosed herein is a torsion beam axle-type rear suspension, which simplifies and minimizes the shape and size of a rubber bush that prevents oversteer due to lateral force generated during a turning movement of a vehicle, by causing toe-in.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a torsion beam axle-type rear suspension, which simplifies the shape and minimizes the size of a rubber bush that prevents oversteer due to lateral force generated during a turning movement of a vehicle, by causing toe-in.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional torsion beam axle-type suspension, when lateral force acts on a rear axle during turns, oversteer occurs due to the variation of a torsion beam, thus decreasing stability.
In order to solve the problem, a rear axle control arm for motor vehicles was proposed, which is disclosed in Korean U.M. Laid-open Publication No. 1998-68330.
According to the cited reference, the rear axle control arm is constructed as follows. That is, a control arm C is coupled to each of opposite ends of a rear axle R. A rear end of the control arm C is coupled to a knuckle N which is secured to a tire T, while a front end of the control arm C is integrated with a bush B having a rubber member 110. In order to fasten the bush B by means of bolts and nuts (not shown), a pair of support brackets (not shown) extends downwards from a vehicle body (not shown).
The bush B includes inner and outer pipes 120 and 122 made of steel, and the shock absorbing rubber member 110. Fitting slots (not shown) are provided on the left side of the rubber member 110, while an annular space 114 is provided on the right side of the rubber member 110. Further, ''-shaped protruding parts 142, each of which is made of steel and has a channel 144, are provided on a left side of a right disc 140 made of steel, so that the protrusions 142 are held in the space 114 of the rubber member 110. Further, ''-shaped protruding parts 132, each of which is made of steel and has a channel 134, are provided on a right side of a left disc 130 that is made of steel, so that the protruding parts 132 are supported by an outer portion of the outer pipe 122 and the fitting slots of the rubber member 110.
As such, a space is defined between the inner and outer pipes 120 and 122 of the bush B, thus preventing oversteer due to lateral force generated during a turning movement of the vehicle, by causing toe-in. Further, the bush B is advantageous in that gradient performance of a vehicle is enhanced during vertical vibration. However, it is problematic in that the bush B is complicated in structure and is thus expensive.


A belt device includes a belt member, a detecting unit, and a preventing member. The belt member is stretched over a plurality of rollers and moves in a predetermined moving direction. The detecting unit detects deviation of the belt member in a belt width direction of the belt member. The preventing member is arranged near the detecting unit and prevents deviation of the belt member in a direction other than the moving direction and the belt width direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a belt device, a belt deviation detecting device, and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among image forming apparatuses such as copiers and printers is known a tandem color image forming apparatus including an intermediate transfer belt (belt member) as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2006-343629 and 2001-83840.
A tandem color image forming apparatus includes an intermediate transfer belt and four photosensitive drums (image carriers) that are opposed to the intermediate transfer belt. Black (K), yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) toner images are formed on the photosensitive drums, respectively. The K, Y, M, and C toner images are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt in a superimposed manner to obtain a superimposed toner image. The superimposed toner image on the intermediate transfer belt is then transferred as a color image onto a recording medium.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. 2006-343629 and 2001-83840 disclose conventional technologies related to such an image forming apparatus for detecting deviation of a belt member in a direction of a width of the belt member (hereinafter, "belt width direction") and correcting the deviation based on a result of the detection. The conventional technologies are made to reduce inconveniences that, for example, the belt member is twisted or deviates in the belt width direction to the extent that it comes in contact with a different unit and thus is damaged.
Specifically, the conventional image forming apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-343629 includes a sensor that detects an amount of swaying of a swaying member that is in contact with an edge portion of an intermediate transfer belt (endless belt) as a belt member and that sways along with deviation of the intermediate transfer belt. Based on a result of the detection, a correcting unit (deviation correcting roller) corrects the deviation (twist) of the intermediate transfer belt.
The above conventional image forming apparatus cannot accurately detect deviation of the belt member in the belt width direction when the belt member deviates in a direction perpendicular to the belt width direction that is not a direction in which the belt member rotates (moves) (hereinafter, "belt rotation direction"). In other words, in addition to a deviation component in the belt width direction that is supposed to be detected, the detecting unit sometimes detects a deviation component in a direction other than the belt width direction and the belt rotation direction. This decreases the accuracy in correcting the deviation of the belt member based on the result of the detection by the detecting unit.
The belt member deviates in the direction other than the belt width direction and the belt rotation direction because the belt member supported by and stretched over a plurality of rollers moves while waving in the direction perpendicular to the belt width direction. Such waving of the belt member frequently occurs particularly in a high-speed image forming apparatus in which a belt member moves at high speed (i.e., an image forming apparatus having a high process linear speed).
The belt member is not limited to an intermediate transfer belt and can be a transfer-conveyer belt or a photosensitive belt deviation of which is detected and corrected.
In addition, in the conventional image forming apparatus, the deviation of the belt member in the belt width direction may not be detected with high accuracy.
Specifically, the belt member of the conventional image forming apparatus is in contact with the swaying member with a large area. Thus, when the belt member deviates (twists) in the direction perpendicular to the belt width direction (not the belt rotation direction but the vertical direction), the swaying member may sway along with the deviation in the vertical direction, which may results in inaccurate detection of the deviation of the belt member in the belt width direction. Moreover, variation in accuracy in attaching the swaying member to the belt member (an angle at which the swaying member is attached to the belt member) tends to cause variation in the result of detecting the deviation of the belt member in the belt width direction. Furthermore, the swaying member and the belt member are frayed or worn after moving for a long period while in contact with each other. This leads to a chronological change in the result of detection of the deviation of the belt member in the belt width direction.
The above inconveniences cannot be ignored especially in a high-speed image forming apparatus.

Belt device, belt deviation detecting device, and image forming apparatus


An optical information recording medium 10 includes a first substrate 11, a second substrate 12 disposed in parallel with the first substrate 11, and an information layer 20 disposed between the first substrate 11 and the second substrate 12, and the information layer 20 includes a recording layer 23 and inorganic layers (lower side interface layer 22 and upper side interface layer 24) adjacent to the recording layer 23. The recording layer 23 is changed between at least two different states, which are discernable optically, by irradiation with a laser beam 14 incident from the first substrate 11 side. The inorganic layer contains a nitride of SixGe1-x (where 0.3≦x≦0.9) as a main component. The present invention provides an optical information recording medium capable of recording/reproducing information with satisfactory reliability even in recording/reproducing with a light beam having a short wavelength or in recording/reproducing with respect to a plurality of information layers.

Conventionally, it is known that a thin film made of a chalcogen material or the like formed on a substrate is locally heated by irradiation with laser light, whereby a phase can be changed between an amorphous phase and a crystal phase having different optical constants (refractive index n, extinction coefficient k), using different irradiation conditions. A so-called phase-change type optical information recording medium using the above phenomenon is being studied and developed actively. In the phase-change type optical information recording medium, an information track of the recording medium is irradiated with a laser beam whose output is modulated between two power levels: a recording level and an erasure level, whereby a new signal can be recorded while a previous signal is being erased. Generally, in such a recording medium, a multi-layer film including layers other than a recording layer is used as an information layer for recording information. For example, a multi-layer film including a protection layer made of a dielectric material or a reflection layer made of metal can be used as the information layer.
The protection layer made of a dielectric material has, for example, the following functions of
(1) protecting a recording layer from mechanical damage from outside;
(2) reducing thermal damage occurring in the case where a signal is rewritten repeatedly to increase the rewritable number of times;
(3) enhancing the change in optical characteristics by using an interference effect due to multi-reflection; and
(4) preventing a chemical change due to the influence of outside air.
As a material for the protection layer achieving the above-mentioned objects, conventionally, an oxide such as Al2O3, TiO2 and SiO2; a nitride such as Si3N4 and AlN; an oxynitride such as Si—O—N; a sulfide such as ZnS; and a carbide such as SiC are proposed. Furthermore, as the material for the protection layer, a material such as ZnS—SiO2 that is a mixture of ZnS and SiO2 also is proposed. Among these materials, ZnS—SiO2 has a considerably small thermal conductivity among the dielectrics, and can minimize the heat diffusion occurring during recording with a laser beam. Therefore, the recording sensitivity is enhanced by using ZnS—SiO2. Furthermore, due to a small internal stress, even when this material is formed into a thick film, cracking is unlikely to occur. This material has high adhesion with respect to a phase-change material layer, so that the film made of such a material is unlikely to peel off even after repeated laser irradiation. For these reasons, ZnS—SiO2 mostly is used as the material for the protection layer.
Furthermore, an interface layer between a recording layer and a dielectric layer is proposed. The interface layer has, for example, the following functions of:
(1) promoting the crystallization of the recording layer to enhance erasure characteristics; and
(2) preventing mutual diffusion between the recording layer and the protection layer (dielectric layer) and enhance durability in repeated recording. The interface layer also needs to have characteristics in which corrosion and peeling from the recording layer are not likely to occur.
As the material for such an interface layer, for example, a nitride of Si or Ge is disclosed (see JP 5(1993)-217211 A and WO 97/34298). These materials are very excellent in the above-mentioned crystal core generation promoting effect and diffusion preventing effect. However, it is reported that due to the insufficient adhesion with respect to the recording layer, the interface layer made of Si—N peels off under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions, and thus, the reliability during long-term use is low (see WO 97/34298). In contrast, an interface layer containing Ge—N as its main component is unlikely to peel off even under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions, and thus, Ge—N is one of the most suitable materials for the interface layer. WO 97/34298 shows that Cr or the like is effective as an additive to Ge—N in terms of moisture resistance. Si also is listed as an example of an additive. However, WO 97/34298 does not disclose the amount of Si added to Ge—N and specific effects obtained by adding Si.
In the above-mentioned recording medium, as basic means for increasing the amount of information that can be accumulated in one medium, there is a method for shortening the wavelength of laser light or increasing the numerical aperture of an objective lens condensing the laser light, thereby decreasing the spot diameter of laser light and increasing the density of a recording surface. Furthermore, in order to increase the recording density in a circumferential direction, mark edge recording is introduced in which the length of a recording mark is information. Furthermore, land and groove recording is introduced in which information is recorded on grooves for guiding laser light and lands between the grooves, so as to increase the recording density in a radial direction. Furthermore, the recording density can be increased even by using a plurality of recording layers. A recording medium including a plurality of recording layers and a recording/reproducing method thereof have already been disclosed (see JP 9(1997)-212917 A, WO 96/31875, JP 2000-36130 A). Furthermore, layer recognizing means and layer switching means are disclosed for recording/reproducing information by selecting one recording layer from a plurality of recording layers (see WO 96/31875).
In a recording medium (multi-layer recording medium) including a plurality of information layers, an information layer closer to a laser light source absorbs light. Therefore, an information layer far from the laser light source records/reproduces information with attenuated laser light. This causes a decrease in sensitivity during recording and a decrease in reflectance and amplitude during reproducing. Thus, in the multi-layer recording medium, in order to obtain sufficient recording/reproducing characteristics with a limited laser power, it is required that the transmittance of the information layer closer to the laser light source is increased, and the reflectance, difference in reflectance (difference in reflectance between a crystal phase and an amorphous phase) and sensitivity of the information layer far from the laser light source are increased.
Recently, a violet laser diode having a wavelength in the vicinity of 400 nm is being put into practical use. Then, an attempt is made to increase the density of a recording surface by applying the laser diode to a light source of a recording apparatus for an optical information recording medium. However, the spot diameter of a laser beam is decreased as the wavelength becomes shorter, and hence, the energy density of the laser beam is increased. Because of this, each layer of the information layers is likely to be thermally damaged during recording. Consequently, in the case of a number of repeated recordings, recording/reproducing characteristics are likely to be degraded. Furthermore, in general, the light absorption of the dielectric material is increased and the transmittance thereof is decreased as the wavelength becomes shorter. Therefore, when the wavelength of a laser beam is short, for example, the transmittance of an information layer in the multi-layer recording medium closer to a laser light source is decreased, and a laser beam with a sufficient power cannot reach the information layer far from the laser light source. Furthermore, since the light absorption is increased in the interface layer, the light absorption in the recording layer is decreased, which results in a decrease in recording sensitivity.
In the case of using an interface layer containing the above-mentioned Ge—N as a main component, characteristics hardly are degraded even when recording is repeated a number of times in recording/reproducing using a laser diode with a red wavelength. Furthermore, the extinction coefficient k of the interface layer at a red wavelength is small (i.e., 0.05 or less), whereby a high transmittance can be ensured. However, the interface layer is likely to be thermally damaged as described above at a violet wavelength. Therefore, the interface layer is degraded due to repeated recording. Furthermore, the extinction coefficient k at a violet wavelength is large (i.e., about 0.2), which makes it difficult to ensure a high transmittance.

Optical information recording medium and recording method using the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.