A system and method for compensating for changes in relative antenna attitude in a single-receiver position detection system, such as a differential carrier phase GPS system, utilizes sensor input to detect changes in the relative attitude of at least two antennas or an antenna positioner, such as an motorized actuator or operator, that orients or re-orients the antennas to a predetermined orientation. The changes in the detected relative carrier phase due to the right hand circular polarized nature of the carrier signals are thus corrected. In this way, the high positional accuracy associated with kinematic GPS systems, for example, can be achieved even when the system's antennas are not constrained by a common rigid body, for example.

The NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system developed by the U.S. military in the 1970's. The GPS space segment consists of a nominal constellation of 24 satellites, four satellites in each of 6 orbit planes.
Originally conceived as a navigation aid for ships, the use of the system has become ubiquitous both within the military and within civilian and commercial applications. For example, many cars today are outfitted with GPS navigation systems that locate the car on a displayed digital map to the driver. In commercial applications, GPS systems are used for surveying in addition to controlling vehicles such as graders during the laying of road beds. On these vehicles, the antennas are sometimes located on the blade in addition to the cab. In order to ensure good satellite visibility, however, the antennas must be placed on high poles to provide line of sight to the required four satellites.
The Standard Positioning Service (SPS) signal is currently provided to civilian users of GPS. It is made up of an L-band carrier at 1575.42 megahertz (MHz) (referred to as the L1 carrier) modulated by a pseudorandom noise (PRN) C/A (clear acquisition) code. The satellites are distinguished from each other by their unique C/A codes, which are nearly orthogonal to each other. The C/A code has a chip rate of 1.023 MHz and is repeated every millisecond. A 50 bit per second data stream is modulated with the C/A code to provide satellite ephemeris and health information. The phase of the C/A code provides a measurement of the range to the satellite. This range includes an offset due to the receiver clock and is therefore referred to as the pseudo-range. Since the receiver clock error is common to all satellites, it represents an additional unknown to be solved for along with position. Consequently, to perform a three dimensional position fix, a GPS position detection system traditionally requires a minimum of four satellites (one satellite phase measurement for each of the unknowns). The positioning accuracy provided by the SPS is on the order of ten meters. Due to geometric effects, vertical errors are typically larger than horizontal errors.
Other global positioning systems exist in addition to the NAVSTAR GPS. Within the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) are the Russian GLONASS and the forthcoming European GALILEO GPS systems. Position detection systems can use one or more of these systems to generate position information.
Differential GPS (DGPS) is a variant method for providing higher positional accuracy. If a reference GPS receiver is placed at a known location on the ground, the bulk of the errors associated with the satellite phase measurements can be estimated. Phase corrections can be calculated and broadcast to a roving GPS user. Since most errors are highly correlated in a local area, the roving user's position solution after applying the corrections will be greatly improved.
Traditional DGPS systems use the C/A code phase measurements to arrive at position solutions. These systems provide 95% positioning accuracies on the order of a few meters. The precision of the L1 carrier phase measurement has been used to improve the performance of DGPS. Using carrier smoothed code techniques, DGPS performance improves to the meter level.
Further improvements are achieved through the use of kinematic DGPS. Kinematic DGPS, or differential carrier phase GPS, refers to using the differentially corrected carrier phase measurements, possibly in addition to the code phase. Due to the short wavelength of the L1 carrier phase (about 19 cm), these measurements are extremely precise, on the order of several millimeters. Although the measurements are corrupted slightly by the errors sources, the potential accuracy of kinematic positioning is on the centimeter level. However, the carrier phase measurement has an integer cycle ambiguity associated with it. This ambiguity arises from the fact that each cycle of the carrier phase is indistinguishable from the others; before centimeter level positioning can be achieved, the ambiguity must be resolved.
Some kinematic DGPS systems use a common clock to process carrier signal information from multiple antennas. This allows for position solutions with carrier signals from less than four satellites if relative delays associated with receiving the broadcast phases from the antennas are known. Typically, this delay is determined by measuring the length or delay associated with a fixed length cable that extends between the reference GPS receiver and the slave receiver.
At these precisions, another ambiguity arises from the relationship between the attitude or orientation of the antenna and the nature of the GPS signals. The transmitted GPS signals are righthand circularly polarized (RHCP). Therefore, GPS receive antennas are designed to receive RHCP signals. The measured carrier phase of a circularly polarized signal is a function not only of the distance between the transmit and receive phase centers, but also of the relative orientation of the antennas and particularly the antennas' yaw or rotation about their boresights. Thus, unknowns concerning the orientation or attitude of the antennas can result in ranging errors that become relevant at the resolutions associated with kinematic DGPS.
Traditionally, kinematic GPS applications do not correct for the effects associated with antenna orientation. When the boresights of all of the receive antennas are parallel and constrained to rotate as a single rigid body, the correction is common to all satellites. It, therefore, affects only the differential clock error or line bias, not the position or attitude solution. However, if the yaw angle between antenna boresights becomes large, a RHCP correction should be applied.
One strategy is to find a correction for each transmit and receive antenna pair. The receive antennas are assumed to be flat patch antennas; the results can be generalized for other types of antennas given their off-boresight phase characteristics.
In kinematic GPS applications, the phase measured from one antenna is typically subtracted from that measured at another antenna. For kinematic positioning, the phase measured at the reference station is subtracted from that measured at the roving antenna. For attitude determination, the phase measured at a master antenna is subtracted from those measured at slave antennas. Thus, another method for applying a RHCP correction is to apply a correction to the single differenced phases. This correction is a function of the two receive antenna orientations and the line-of-sight to the transmit antenna. The incoming signal and the receive antennas are assumed to be circularly polarized in the derivation of this correction. Although less general than the previous one, this correction is sufficient for most applications.

Method and system for circular polarization correction for independently moving GNSS antennas


A mobile communication apparatus includes a registration request part (47) requesting a correspondent node to make location registration, a BU list memory (45) keeping a list of the correspondent nodes which have made the location registration, a handover detection part (41) detecting the start of a handover, and a registration cancellation processing part (46) canceling the location registration of the correspondent nodes in the BU list, upon notification of start of handover by the handover detection part (41), thereby reducing loss of packets transmitted from the correspondent nodes during the handover, because the route optimization applied to the correspondent nodes registered in the BU list at the start of the handover is canceled by requesting the cancellation to the correspondent nodes.

As a conventional mobile communication method using an internet protocol, the one using Mobile IPv6 which is disclosed in "Mobility Support in IPv6", IETF RFC3775 written by David B. Johnson et al. is known.
The operation of the conventional Mobile IPv6 will be explained with reference to a sequence diagram of FIG. 7. Note that black circles in the drawing indicate routing nodes.
First of all, a mobile communication apparatus MN holds a home address (hereinafter, referred to as HoA) which will not change with movement, and is connected to an access router (hereinafter, referred to as OAR). It receives data packets from a correspondent node (hereinafter, referred to as CN) through the OAR (step S700).
The mobile communication apparatus moves to another access router (hereinafter, referred to as NAR) from this state, and generates a care-of address (hereinafter, referred to as CoA) based on a subnet prefix included in a router advertisement (hereinafter, referred to as RA) message (step S701) received from the NAR after a handover in a data link layer is finished (step S702).
Next, the mobile communication apparatus MN sends a binding update (hereinafter, referred to as BU) message including HoA and CoA to a home agent HA (step S703).
The home agent HA, after receiving the BU message from the mobile communication apparatus MN, in the case that there exists an entry which corresponds to the HoA included in the received BU message in a binding cache stored by the home agent HA itself, updates the entry. In the case that there does not exist a corresponding entry, a new entry is generated. After that, the home agent HA sends to the mobile communication apparatus MN a binding acknowledgement (hereinafter, referred to as BA) message indicating that a registration is completed (step S704).
Next, the mobile communication apparatus MN confirms that the registration is completed by receiving the BA message. According to the above, packets sent addressed to the HoA of the mobile communication apparatus MN are intercepted by the home agent HA and tunneled to the CoA of the mobile communication apparatus MN.
However, in these standard operations of Mobile IPv6, all packets addressed to the HoA of the mobile communication apparatus MN are routed via the home agent HA; therefore, the route will be redundant.
Therefore, in Mobile IPv6, a route optimization procedure which allows packets to be directly transmitted to the mobile communication apparatus MN without routing via the home agent HA is prescribed as an optional feature. In the route optimization procedure, the mobile communication apparatus MN, after the registration to the home agent HA as the standard operation has been completed, sends the BU message including the HoA and CoA to the correspondent node CN with which the apparatus currently communicates (step S706). Or, when a received packet is tunneled by the home agent HA, the BU message including HoA and CoA is sent to the correspondent node CN which is the transmission origin and is the node with which communication is to be made.
Next, the correspondent node CN which has received the BU message from the mobile communication apparatus MN updates or generates the entry concerning the HoA of the mobile communication apparatus MN in the binding cache in the same way as the home agent HA. In the case of performing a registration processing to the correspondent node CN, a procedure for securing security (step S705) might be performed.
According to the above operation, the correspondent node CN can forward a packet directly to the mobile communication apparatus MN without sending the packet to the corresponding care-of address and thus being routed via the home agent HA, because there exists a destination address of the transmission packet in the binding cache (step S707).
According to the route optimization procedure, packet transmission delay can be made small, which is effective when performing close-to-real-time communication. For example, when an application to be used requires the real-time communication, there is a method of decreasing the packet delay by executing the route optimization procedure as disclosed in JP-A-2001-144811.
However, in the conventional structure, when the mobile communication apparatus moves to another access router while communicating with the correspondent node with the route optimization performed, the apparatus starts a location registration to the correspondent node after the location registration with respect to the home agent has been completed, and therefore, packets transmitted to the care-of address of the mobile communication apparatus during the registration are transmitted to the care-of address before the movement, so that there is a problem that packet loss occurs.

Mobile communication method and mobile communication apparatus


A method of producing a digital stereoscopic image using a processor is disclosed. The method includes providing a plurality of digital image files which include digital images and the time of capture of each image and using time of capture to identify candidate pairs of images. The method further includes using the processor to analyze the image content of the candidate pairs of images to identify at least one image pair that can be used to produce a stereoscopic image; and using an identified image pair to produce the digital stereoscopic image.

Photographic and imaging systems are primarily designed for use in creating two-dimensional images. In a two-dimensional image, only one perspective is needed. Human vision, however, views scenes from two perspectives with one perspective provided by each eye of an observer. The parallax that exists between the perspectives is interpreted by the mind of the observer to provide depth information about the scene being viewed. Various electronic and photochemical imaging techniques have been developed that capture images of a scene taken from different perspectives. These images are later processed and displayed to a user so that one eye of an observer is exposed to an image of the scene from one perspective, while the other eye of the observer is exposed to another image taken from another perspective. This creates the parallax difference needed to create the appearance of depth in the mind of the observer.
In all multi-perspective imaging systems, the apparent depth in the scene is proportional to the extent of the parallax-induced differences between the presented images. The extent of such parallax-induced differences is determined in part by the degree of separation between the captured images and in part by the distance from the captured images to the scene. Typically, depth imaging systems combine images that are captured at generally the same distance from the scene. This simulates the way that the eyes of a human observer will see a scene. Accordingly, the apparent extent of depth in the resultant output is typically modified by varying the degree of separation between the captured images. This creates an important issue for a photographer in preparing a multi-perspective image: the challenge of selecting the proper combination of images needed to provide a desired depth effect.
In some cameras and photography methods, this challenge is met by the use of cameras that have a fixed separation between the images and thus, the perspective is pre-selected. For example, it is known to capture stereoscopic and depth images using cameras having multiple image capture systems to record multiple images of a scene. See for example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,271,876 entitled "Using Two Different Capture Media to Make Stereo Images of A Scene" filed by McIntyre et al. on May 6, 1997. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,276 entitled "Apparatus for Formatting and Viewing a Stereoscopic Video Frame" filed by Gallaher. Alternatively, it is known to use a camera that provides a single optical path and that is moved along a fixed track. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,695 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Producing Stereoscopic Images with Single Sensor" filed by of Paul on Sep. 19, 1997. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,193 entitled "Single Camera Autostereoscopic Imaging System" filed by Pritchard on Oct. 20, 1992. In such systems, different perspectives are captured as the camera is moved to fixed locations along the path.
Another invention uses a way of adjustable parallax by giving the operator an indication of the separation of the left and right images. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,466,336 entitled "Camera and Method for Composing Multi-Perspective Image". In this system a capture device contains a mode switch which converts from mono to stereo image capture. This requires a special capture device with a mode switch which is an added expense and an inconvenience.


A straw having a flexible portion. The flexible portion of the straw is removably coupleable to a lid. The straw may be bent to engage a straw latch on the lid, sealing the straw.

Beverage containers have utilized a variety of mechanisms to allow a user to drink the beverage contained therein. Typically, in order to provide the user with access to the contents of the container, an opening must be provided into the container. The user is then able to drink from the opening. However, the presence of the opening in the container also provides a possible pathway for the containers of the container to spill, such as when the beverage container is placed in a position where the opening is below the surface of the beverage container therein. For this reason, many beverage containers include a mechanism for closing the opening.
In addition to a general opening in a container, certain structures may be utilized to assist the user in the process of drinking from the container. One such structure is a straw, which provides a pathway connecting a user's mouth to the contents of the container. However, the presence of a straw may further exacerbate the problem of leakage from the container, as the straw provides a defined pathway out of the container.


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor package includes preparing a package substrate including a semiconductor chip mounting region. A semiconductor chip is mounted in the semiconductor chip mounting region. A dam surrounding the semiconductor chip is formed. The formation of the dam includes depositing a first solution having a temperature below a set first temperature. A region under the semiconductor chip and a region defined by the dam are filled with an underfill by depositing the first solution having a temperature equal to or higher than the set first temperature.

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package, and more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor package by using a process of spraying an underfill on a package substrate on which a semiconductor chip is mounted.
With the miniaturization and an increase in the functionality of electronic products, a high-density mounting process has become useful for a packaging technique of mounting a semiconductor device on a package substrate. Thus, various types of techniques of mounting semiconductor devices have been proposed. When a semiconductor device is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), a gap between the semiconductor device and the PCB may be filled with an underfill to ensure connection reliability between the PCB and the semiconductor device. When the underfill, which may be a liquid resin, is deposited (e.g., sprayed) between the PCB and the semiconductor device, a small amount of the underfill may overflow into a peripheral region surrounding the semiconductor device. However, with recent developments of electronic products, there are tendencies to mount a semiconductor device on a PCB at high integration density and also to mount an electronic device and a circuit pattern in the peripheral region at high integration density. Therefore, when the underfill overflows and reaches the electronic device and the circuit pattern located in the peripheral region, the electronic device and the circuit pattern may be contaminated with the underfill so that failures may occur in the electronic products.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor package


A process is disclosed for retrieving information in large heterogeneous data bases, wherein information retrieval through visual querying/browsing is supported by dynamic taxonomies; the process comprises the steps of: initially showing a complete taxonomy for the retrieval; refining the retrieval through a selection of subsets of interest, where the refining is performed by selecting concepts in the taxonomy and combining them through Boolean operations; showing a reduced taxonomy for the selected set; and further refining the retrieval through an iterative execution of the refining and showing steps.

The present invention refers to a dynamic taxonomy process for browsing and retrieving information in large heterogeneous data bases.
Information retrieval on this type of data bases (for example those available on the Internet) is nowadays a slow task, sometimes impossible to realize due to the enormous amount of data to be analyzed, and that can be implemented with difficulty with the currently available tools. The following documents deal with the prior art in this field: Hearst M. et al: xe2x80x9cCat-a-cone: an interactive interface for specifying searched and viewing retrieval results using a large category hierarchy,xe2x80x9d Annual International ACM-SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval, US, New York, N.Y.: ACM, 1997, pages 246-255; EP-A-0 694 829 (XEROX Corp.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,740 (Kiuchi Itsuko); Gert Schmeltz Pedersen: xe2x80x9cA browser for bibliographic information retrieval, based on an application of lattice theory,xe2x80x9d Proceedings of the Annual International ACM SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval, US, New York, ACM, vol. CONF., 16, 1993, pages 270-279; and Story G. et al: xe2x80x9cThe Rightpages image-based electronic library for alerting and browsing,xe2x80x9d Computer, US, IEEE Computer Society, Long Beach, Calif., US, vol. 25, no. 9, 1 Sep. 1992, pages 17-25.
Dynamic taxonomies are a model to conceptually describe and access large heterogeneous information bases composed of texts, data, images and other multimedia documents.
The following documents deal with prior art in this field: Hearst M. et al: xe2x80x98Cat-a-cone: an interactive interface for specifying searched and viewing retrieval results using a large category hierarchyxe2x80x99, Annual International ACM-SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval, US, New York, N.Y.: ACM, 1997, pages 246-255; EP-A-0 694 829 (XEROX Corp.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,644,740 (Kiuchi Itsuko); Gert Schmeltz Pedersen: xe2x80x98A browser for bibliographic information retrieval, based on an application of lattice theoryxe2x80x99, Proceedings of the Annual International ACM SIGIR Conference on Research and Development in Information Retrieval, US, New York, ACM, vol. CONF., 16, 1993, pages 270-279; and Story G. et al: xe2x80x98The Rightpages image-based electronic library for alerting and browsingxe2x80x9d, Computer, US, IEEE Computer Society, Long Beach, Calif., US, vol. 25, no. 9, 1 Sep. 1992, pages 17-25.
As disclosed in Hearst, a dynamic taxonomy is basically a IS-A hierarchy of concepts, going from the most general (topmost) to the most specific. A concept may have several fathers. This is a conceptual schema of the information base, i.e. the xe2x80x9cintensionxe2x80x9d. Documents can be freely classified under different concepts at different level of abstraction (this is the xe2x80x9cextensionxe2x80x9d). A specific document is generally classified under several concepts.
Dynamic taxonomies enforce the IS-A relationship by containment, i.e. the documents classified under a concept C are the deep extension of C, i.e. the recursive union of all the documents classified under C and under each descendant Cxe2x80x2 of C.
In a dynamic taxonomy, concepts can be composed through classical boolean operations. In addition, any set S of documents in the universe of discourse U (defined as the set of all documents classified in the taxonomy) can be represented by a reduced taxonomy. S may be synthesized either by boolean expressions on concepts or by any other retrieval method (e.g. xe2x80x9cinformation retrievalxe2x80x9d). The reduced taxonomy is derived from the original taxonomy by pruning the concepts (nodes) under which no document d in S is classified.
A new visual query/browsing approach is supported by dynamic taxonomies. The user is initially presented with the complete taxonomy. He/she can then refine the result by selecting a subset of interest. Refinement is done by selecting concepts in the taxonomy and combining them through boolean operations. She/he will then be presented with a reduced taxonomy for the selected set of documents, which can be iteratively further refined.
The invention described here covers the following aspects of dynamic taxonomies:
1. additional operations;
2. abstract storage structures and operations on such structures for the intension and the extension;
3. physical storage structures, architecture and implementation of operations;
4. definition, use and implementation of virtual concepts;
5. definition, use and implementation of time-varying concepts;
6. binding a dynamic taxonomy to a database system;
7. using dynamic taxonomies to represent user profiles of interest and implementation of user alert for new interesting documents based on such profiles of interest.
The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained by a dynamic taxonomy process as claimed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are claimed in the dependent Claim.

Dynamic taxonomy process for browsing and retrieving information in large heterogeneous data bases


A method of forming a microelectronic device comprises forming a sacrificial material over a base structure. Portions of the sacrificial material are replaced with an etch-resistant material. A stack structure is formed over the etch-resistant material and remaining portions of the sacrificial material. The stack structure comprises a vertically alternating sequence of insulative material and additional sacrificial material arranged in tiers, and at least one staircase structure horizontally overlapping the etch-resistant material and having steps comprising horizontal ends of the tiers. Slots are formed to vertically extend through the stack structure and the remaining portions of the sacrificial material. The sacrificial material and the additional sacrificial material are selectively replaced with conductive material after forming the slots to respectively form lateral contact structures and conductive structures. Microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems are also described.

A continuing goal of the microelectronics industry has been to increase the memory density (e.g., the number of memory cells per memory die) of memory devices, such as non-volatile memory devices (e.g., NAND Flash memory devices). One way of increasing memory density in non-volatile memory devices is to utilize vertical memory array (also referred to as a "three-dimensional (3D) memory array") architectures. A conventional vertical memory array includes memory strings vertically extending through one or more stack structures individually including tiers of conductive structures and insulative structures. Each memory string may include at least one select device coupled in series to a serial combination of vertically stacked memory cells. Such a configuration permits a greater number of switching devices (e.g., transistors) to be located in a unit of die area (i.e., length and width of active surface consumed) by building the array upwards (e.g., vertically) on a die, as compared to structures with conventional planar (e.g., two-dimensional) arrangements of transistors.
Vertical memory array architectures generally include electrical connections between the conductive structures of the tiers of the stack structure of the memory device and conductive routing structures so that the memory cells of the vertical memory array can be uniquely selected for writing, reading, or erasing operations. One method of forming such an electrical connection includes forming so-called "staircase" (or "stair step") structures at edges (e.g., horizontal ends) of the tiers of the stack structure of the memory device. Such staircase structures include individual "steps" defining contact regions of the conductive structures, upon which conductive contact structures can be positioned to provide electrical access to the conductive structures.
Unfortunately, as feature packing densities have increased and margins for formation errors have decreased, conventional methods of forming memory devices (e.g., 3D NAND Flash memory devices) have resulted in undesirable damage that can diminish desired memory device performance, reliability, and durability. For example, conventional methods of forming the stack structure of a memory device (e.g., 3D NAND Flash memory device) using so called "replacement gate" or "gate last" processing, wherein sacrificial structures of a preliminary stack structure are at least partially replaced with the conductive structures, can result in undesirable deformations (e.g., tier bending, tier warping, tier bowing) and/or undesirable damage (e.g., tier cracking, tier collapse) proximate the staircase structures within the preliminary stack structure. Such deformations and/or damage can result in undesirable defects, undesirable reliability, and/or undesirable durability in the memory device including the stack structure formed through such conventional methods.

Methods of forming microelectronic devices, and related microelectronic devices, memory devices, and electronic systems


Disclosed herein are apparatus, methods, and systems for grounding outdoor light poles, as well as other structures, which may be exposed to lightning or other adverse electrical effects and may require a low impedance path to ground. Inventive aspects include a combination of apparatus integral to the pole or other structure and installation considerations whereby the ease of installation, reduction of onsite installation error, and reduction of impedance may be tailored to each installation. An apparatus can include a pre-installed earth grounding electrode at the lower end of the pole or structure to be inserted into the earth. A method can include installing an earth grounding electrode to/on/in a lower end of a pole or structure prior to insertion into the earth.

The present invention generally relates to grounding structures which may experience adverse electrical effects, such as lightning. More specifically, the present invention relates to grounding outdoor support structures, such as light poles, by providing a low impedance path to ground.
It is well known that earth grounding is required for outdoor light poles as well as other structures per the United States National Electric Code (NEC), National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), and most local codes. The general purpose of earth grounding such structures is to provide a path of low impedance such that electrical discharge from lightning or other sources may be dissipated to the earth with minimal damage to property or person.
Outdoor light poles as well as other structures are generally mounted to a concrete foundation, typically pre-cast or poured in situ, which interrupts the low impedance path to ground. For such structures NEC requires a copper or copper-clad earth grounding electrode of at least 8 feet in length to be buried to a minimum depth of 10 feet and connected to the light pole by a conductor sized appropriately per NEC code to complete the low impedance path to ground. If the measured resistance of the installed earth grounding electrode is greater than 25 ohms, then a second earth grounding electrode of at least 8 feet in length must be buried to a minimum depth of 10 feet and connected to the light pole by a conductor sized appropriately per NEC code.
Earth ground electrodes are generally provided and installed by the onsite contractor rather than the manufacturer of the outdoor structure or equipment to be installed on the structure. The contractor may not supply earth ground electrodes of the correct size and material, or may not drive the electrodes to the appropriate depth, or for a variety of other reasons, installation of the electrodes may be done incorrectly, or not at all. Improper installation of earth ground electrodes may lead to an insufficient impedance path to ground which may result in property damage.
It is also well known that various soil types demonstrate lower electrical impedance than others, particularly when moisture content is a factor. In certain soil conditions a resistance of 25 ohms can be difficult to achieve, even with appropriate installation of earth grounding electrodes per NEC code. Adding an additional earth ground electrode decreases the impedance path to ground but in cases of very poor soil conditions the overall earth grounding system may still exceed the 25 ohm resistance. Additionally, as has been stated, earth ground electrodes are typically provided by the onsite contractor and are not always installed correctly, so the consistency of the earth grounding system is limited from application to application.
A well known alternative to burying the earth ground electrodes in the soil is to bury the earth ground electrodes in the poured concrete foundation, known typically as an Ufer ground. For such structures NFPA and the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) require a structural steel electrode of 20 feet to be buried in the concrete foundation and connected to the light pole or other structure by a conductor sized appropriately per NEC and NFPA code. Using the concrete foundation in this way increases the surface area in contact with the soil thereby decreasing the impedance of the earth ground connection. However, this alternate method of installing earth ground electrodes also relies upon the onsite contractor for consistency and correctness. Thus, there is room for improvement in the art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus, method, and system for grounding support structures using an integrated grounding electrode


According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for designing an integrated circuit is provided. The method includes providing a first transistor in a first logic path. The first transistor has a first contact, a first gate length and a first contact to gate centerline spacing. The method also includes providing a second transistor in a second logic path. The second transistor has a second contact, a second gate length and a second contact to gate centerline spacing. The first contact to gate centerline spacing is substantially equal to the second contact to gate centerline spacing. The method also includes selecting a different gate length for the first gate length using a predetermined design criterion.

This invention relates generally to the field of integrated circuit design and more particularly to integrated circuit cells.
Reduction of quiescent leakage current (xe2x80x9cIDDQxe2x80x9d) in integrated circuits (xe2x80x9cICxe2x80x9d), such as an application specific integrated circuit (xe2x80x9cASICxe2x80x9d), is one goal of integrated circuit design because such a reduction lowers the overall power consumption of the IC. However, implementing features in cells of the IC to reduce the IDDQ also degrades the performance of the cells. Because of the performance degradation, these cells, referred to as xe2x80x9clow power cells,xe2x80x9d are positioned in electrical paths of the IC where the importance of performance is relatively low. Such selective use of low power cells in an IC reduces IDDQ, which lowers the overall power consumption of the IC without sacrificing the overall performance of the IC.
Conventionally, one feature that distinguishes a low power cell from other cells, such as high performance cells, is a larger cell footprint. The footprint is larger because a low power cell has a gate that is longer than the gate of a high performance cell, which requires the contacts of the low power cell to be further apart from each other. Because of the larger footprint, low power cells may not be used in combination with high performance cells in certain ICs. For example, an ASIC, which requires its cells to have a uniform footprint, cannot benefit from the selective use of low power cells.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for designing an integrated circuit is provided. The method includes providing a first transistor in a first logic path. The first transistor has a first contact, a first gate length and a first contact to gate centerline spacing. The method also includes providing a second transistor in a second logic path. The second transistor has a second contact, a second gate length and a second contact to gate centerline spacing. The first contact to gate centerline spacing is substantially equal to the second contact to gate centerline spacing. The method also includes selecting a different gate length for the first gate length using a predetermined design criterion.
Some embodiments of the invention provide numerous technical advantages. Some embodiments may benefit from some, none, or all of these advantages. For example, according to one embodiment, an integrated circuit having a combination of high performance and low power cells may be designed or manufactured using a same footprint, which simplifies the design and manufacturing processes. According to another embodiment, an integrated circuit that requires the use of a same cell footprint, such as an application specific integrated circuit, may have a combination of high performance cells and low power cells, which reduces the power consumption level of the integrated circuit. According to another embodiment, the process of switching a high performance to a low power cell, or vice versa, is simplified. According to another embodiment, late substitution of cells during an IC design process made possible.
Other technical advantages may be readily ascertain by one of skill in the art.


A semiconductor device includes: a device region having a semiconductor layer that includes a channel section; a device peripheral region adjoining the device region; a gate electrode provided within the device region, and having a boundary section that spans the device region and the device peripheral region; a conductive layer provided between the gate electrode and the semiconductor layer; and an insulating layer provided between the gate electrode in the boundary section and the semiconductor layer.

The present technology relates to a semiconductor device, such as a heterostructure field-effect transistor (HFET), and an electronic apparatus that includes this semiconductor device.
So-called compound semiconductors such as InP, GaAs, or GaN possess excellent properties in terms of the electron mobility, electron saturation velocity, dielectric breakdown electric field, and the like. Accordingly semiconductor devices made of compound semiconductors, such as HFETs, have increasingly been developed. The exemplary applications of such semiconductor devices may include high-frequency device units and power device units.
High-frequency or power device units, as described above, each have a plurality of semiconductor devices, and these semiconductor devices (device regions) are isolated from one another. In order to isolate each device region, two methods have typically been employed. The first method uses ion implantation for semiconductor layers. In this method, ions are injected to a semiconductor layer within a region (device peripheral region) around each device region, so that a deep level is formed and the resistance of the device peripheral region increases. The second method uses mesa isolation. In this method, a depression is formed in a semiconductor layer within a device peripheral region more deeply than a channel forming section. In a certain HFET, a depression is formed at a deeper position than a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) region (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-209126). Then a gate electrode is provided so as to span both a device region and a device peripheral region.

Semiconductor device and electronic apparatus


The invention relates to a process of catalytic hydrovisbreaking of a hydrocarbon charge comprising the following stages:. a) Mixing the charge to be treated with a gas containing hydrogen in an amount sufficient for carrying out the hydrovisbreaking reaction, PA0 b) introducing into the hydrogen-hydrocarbon charge mixture an amount of a catalytic composition that is sufficient for obtaining a content of metals in the charge to be treated ranging from about 10 to 2,000 ppm by weight in relation to the weight of the charge, said catalytic composition being obtained with a method comprising the following stages: PA0 1) subjecting to a thermal treatment under the globally reducing atmosphere of a gas containing hydrogen, the mixture obtained by contacting, in any order, at least one compound other than a sulfide of at least one metal with a hydrocarbon charge containing asphaltenes and with at least one organic polysulfide PA0 2) heating the product resulting from statge (b) in the presence of a gas containing hydrogen, and PA0 c) subjecting the product resulting from stage (b) to hydrovisbreaking conditions for a time sufficient for carrying out the hydrovisbreaking of the charge to be treated.

The present invention relates to a process for the catalytic hydrovisbreaking of a hydrocarbon charge in the presence of a catalytic composition comprising at least one metal selected among the metals from groups VI B, VII B and VIII of the periodic table of elements (Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 37th edition, 1956, pp. 392-393). It concerns more particularly a process for hydrovisbreaking heavy petroleum fractions in order to convert them into lighter fractions.
Numerous processes for visbreaking or hydrovisbreaking hydrocarbon charges have been described in prior art and it is well-known that the conversion, which is carried out at a high temperature, depends on the operating conditions. However, when the operating conditions are too severe (high temperature and long residence time), unstable products form and there is also a risk of coke forming.
A means which is well-known by the man skilled in the art for compensating for this disadvantage consists in continuously injecting into the charge to be treated a metal or a metal compound having in the thermal treatment conditions a hydrogenizing activity (EP A 181,253, U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,905). The metal which is most often used to do this is molybdenum, which shows a hydrogenizing activity in the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2 S).
Besides, it is also known by the person skilled in the art that it is advantageous to utilize, in the processes for visbreaking and/or hydrovisbreaking hydrocarbon charges, a catalyst in the form of a sulfide. As a matter of fact, said form shows a catalytic activity and a stability which are higher than those of the other forms which can be used, especially those of oxides.
It is also known that, apart from the quality of the catalytic precursor which is used, it is advisable to obtain catalysts that are well scattered in the charge to be treated.

Catalytic composition comprising a metal sulfide suspended in a liquid containing asphaltenes and hydrovisbreaking process of a hydrocarbon charge


The bearing system includes a first component having a first substrate and a first coating. The first coating includes a DLC layer and a DLN layer between the DLC layer and the substrate. A second component is in sliding engagement with the first component.

The invention relates to bearings. More particularly, the invention relates to bearings in cryogenic turbopumps.
Various turbomachines are subject to use at cryogenic temperatures. For example, turbopumps are used in rocket propulsion to pump cryogenic liquids such as oxygen, hydrogen, and hydrazine. One exemplary turbopump configuration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,464.
Bearing performance is critical to operation of such machines. Often, the machines are subject to a variety of conditions including start-up, shut-down, and other transient operations. For example, the bearings may be configured for lubrication by the working fluid. However, a lack of such fluid in start-up and shut-down conditions may exacerbate asperity contact between bearing surfaces. Accordingly, much development work has gone into bearings for such applications. Among these are the variety of complex foil bearing constructions (e.g., as proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,893).
Separately, technologies have developed regarding the deposition of so-called diamond-like coatings including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and diamond-like nanocomposite (DLN) coatings. Exemplary DLN coatings are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,352,493, 5,466,431, 5,728,465, 6,200,675, and 6,228,471. Exemplary DLC and DLN coatings and application services are available from Bekaert Dymonics n.v., Zulte, Belgium. Diamond-like coatings are generally amorphous carbon-based coatings with a high hardness and a low coefficient of friction. Exemplary DLC coatings involve a mixture of SP2 and SP3 bonded carbon atoms stabilized by hydrogen. Exemplary DLN coatings involve interpenetrating networks of a-C:H and a-SI:O. The compositional balances and addition of dopants may vary coating properties.


Embodiments of the invention describe methods, systems and apparatuses to improve solid state device (SSD) write speed by efficiently utilizing error correction code executed for the device. SSDs may be comprised of several NAND memory devices. It is understood that such devices tend to have a raw bit error rate (RBER) that is related to the program/erase cycle count for the device.

A solid state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses solid state memory to store persistent data. Said solid state memory may be comprised of NAND non-volatile flash memory units. SSDs allow for versatile and compact design for their respective host systems and perform better than hard disk drives in terms of seek times and latency due to their lack of moving parts.
The "storage fidelity" of an SSD is defined as the reliability of the data retention of its NAND memory units. SSD storage fidelity issues, in particular the presence of bit errors during read operations, tend to increase with use due to accumulated wear on the silicon from repeated program/erase cycling.
As a result, SSDs typically employ error detection and error checking code (ECC) designed to fix these bit errors and guarantee the data integrity of NAND flash devices. Such ECC algorithms are provisioned to be robust enough to handle error rates throughout the life of the SSD. Thus, because these ECC algorithms must be robust enough for "end of life" storage fidelity, they are "over-provisioned" for the "early life" storage fidelity of the SSD—i.e., when the device experiences a much smaller error rate.
Descriptions of certain details and implementations follow, including a description of the figures, which may depict some or all of the embodiments described below, as well as discussing other potential embodiments or implementations of the inventive concepts presented herein. An overview of embodiments of the invention is provided below, followed by a more detailed description with reference to the drawings.

Adjustable programming speed for NAND memory devices

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention efficiently use system ECC by changing the operating conditions of the SSD to better utilize the robustness of the implemented ECC algorithm. For example, embodiments of the invention may alter the programming voltage supplied to an SSD to increase write speed; such an increase may increase the RBER of the device, but will not affect the accuracy of such operations due to the ECC that is provisioned for end of life storage fidelity (i.e., the RBER that will occur at the end of life).


A cartridge including: a housing including a first side wall and a second side wall which are opposed to each other; a driving input member provided to the first side wall and is configured to rotate; and a first rotary member provided at an outer side of the first side wall and is configured to rotate about a first rotational axis in response to a rotational driving force from the driving input member, wherein the first rotary member includes a protrusion protruding to the outer side, wherein the first rotary member is configured to be moved relative to the first side wall in a direction along the first rotational axis, and wherein an end portion of the first rotary member at an opposite side of the first side wall is configured to be displaced in a direction crossing the first rotational axis.

In an example of a laser printer, a developing cartridge is mounted in an apparatus body. Toner is accommodated in the developing cartridge. The toner in the developing cartridge is used to form an image on sheet. If there is no toner in the developing cartridge, the developing cartridge is removed from the apparatus body and a new developing cartridge is mounted in the apparatus body. Further, when sheet jam occurs in the apparatus body, the developing cartridge is removed from the apparatus body. And, after the sheet jam is solved, the developing cartridge is mounted again in the apparatus body.
In order to determine the service life of the developing cartridge, a technique for determining whether the developing cartridge mounted in the apparatus body is a new product or an old product has been proposed.
A detecting gear is provided to a side surface of the developing cartridge. The detecting gear is configured to rotate about an axis (rotational axis) extending in a direction perpendicular to the side surface. The detecting gear includes a plate-shaped detecting gear body and an abutting protrusion integrally formed with the detecting gear body. Herein, the abutting protrusion is provided outside (an opposite side of the developing cartridge's side surface relative to the detecting gear body) of the detecting gear body. The detecting gear body is provided with gear teeth over a partial peripheral surface thereof.
Further, a transmitting gear is provided to the side surface of the developing cartridge. The transmitting gear is configured to rotate about an axis extending parallel to and spaced apart from the axis of the detecting gear. The transmitting gear is integrally rotated together with an agitator for agitating the toner in the developing cartridge. The transmitting gear includes gear teeth over an entire peripheral surface thereof.
In a new developing cartridge, the gear teeth of the transmitting gear is engaged with the gear teeth of the detecting gear. When the developing cartridge is mounted in the apparatus body, a driving force of the motor is inputted to the transmitting gear and then transmitted from the transmitting gear to the detecting gear owing to the engagement between the gear teeth of the transmitting gear and the gear teeth of the detecting gear.
Therefore, the detecting gear rotates and the abutting protrusion moves in a rotational direction of the detecting gear in accordance with the rotation of the detecting gear. When the detecting gear is continuously rotated and a part of the detecting gear without teeth is opposed to the gear teeth of the transmitting gear, the engagement between the gear teeth of the transmitting gear and the gear teeth of the detecting gear is released and thus the detecting gear stops rotating. Accordingly, when the developing cartridge has been mounted in the apparatus body at least once, the engagement between the gear teeth of the transmitting gear and the gear teeth of the detecting gear is released and this state is maintained.
A sensor for detecting passing of the abutting protrusion as a detected protrusion is provided in the apparatus body. It is determined whether the developing cartridge is a new product or an old product, based on the detecting result of the sensor. That is, when the developing cartridge is mounted in the apparatus body and then the sensor detects the passing of the abutting protrusion, it is determined that the developing cartridge is a new product. On the contrary, when the developing cartridge is mounted in the apparatus body and then the sensor does not detect the passing of the abutting protrusion, it is determined that the developing cartridge is an old product (Refer to, for example, JP-A-2006-267994).


Traffic control can be provided across a Layer 2-Layer 3 boundary in a software defined network. A network controller can receive information related to a number of conditions in a software defined network (SDN) from a number of network devices. The network controller can provide network traffic control across a Layer 2-Layer 3 boundary in the SDN based on the received information.

In computer networking, the control plane refers to definition of how network traffic is handled (e.g., via protocols such as spanning tree, open shortest path first, border gateway protocol, etc.) in a network device. The data plane refers to the actual handling of the network traffic according to the control plane (e.g., using forwarding tables, routing tables, queues, etc.) in a network device. The control plane may be said to be distributed in a typical network where each network device includes a control plane and a data plane. Thus, in the event of network congestion, each network device may take corrective action largely independently of other network devices.

Traffic control across a layer 2 layer 3 boundary in a software defined network

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP


The synchronization of data segments is particularly necessary for the use of small screens. A method and a device are disclosed for synchronizing content-dependent first data segments of a first data file and content-dependent second data segments of a second data file, the first and second data segments being respectively output in sequence according to their chronological order in such a way that based on a predeterminable assignment rule for the first and second data segments, each second data segment is output together with a corresponding first data segment.

For many decades, television signals have been transmitted to television subscribers terrestrially and via cable. In Europe, for example, the PAL standard is used for this purpose, and in North America the NTSC standard. Since all television sets in the respective countries are suitable for receiving the television signal encoded e.g. according to the PAL standard, only one television signal needs to be transmitted for a television program. As a result, a transmission of a plurality of differently encoded television signals of a television program, for example as a function of an image size or a performance capability of the television sets, is not required.
Due to the current introduction of new terminal devices, for example mobile terminals with small screens, it will no longer be possible in the future to provide a single television signal of a television program for all terminal devices. Furthermore it may also be desired to provide different television subscribers with television signals of different quality. In this case, for example, a low-quality television signal, in monochrome for example, is provided for a television subscriber who pays a low monthly fee, whereas for a higher fee a high-resolution color television signal is supplied.
New types of data compression algorithms, such as a video coding standard ITU-T H.264 for example, as well as metadata languages, such as e.g. XML (XML=Extended Markup Language), were developed in order to satisfy these requirements. With the aid of said metadata languages, contents of a document and/or a data stream, such as of a television or video signal for example, can be described in a structured manner by means of an XML schema language definition. Based on this definition, information can be obtained as required, with the aid of which information a scaling of the television or video signal for different television subscribers can be realized.
From the prior art, it is known to use XML-based descriptions of data streams in which individual components of the data stream are described or marked according to their syntactical meaning by means of BSD units (BSD=Bitstream Syntax Description) with freely addressable gBSD units (gBSD=generic Bitstream Description) with regard to different adaptation possibilities. A detailed description can be found in document [1] listed at the end of this application. These descriptions of the data stream are used in order to adapt the data stream to the requirement, for example in terms of data rate or quality of a television signal, of an end subscriber, such as e.g. a television subscriber. For this purpose the description of the data stream can first be suitably transformed, with the data stream then being adapted based on the transformed description.
A Bitstream Binding Language (BBL) method, by which a synchronization can be performed, is known from document [4]. Since BBL is based on XPath during the fragmentation of metadata and a description of a section of the metadata using XPath accounts for a sizable quantity of data, a large overhead is generated by this method. A proprietary method is proposed for the fragmentation of the media data, as a result of which it is generally not made possible to synchronize different data types.
Requirements for streamable digital items are presented in document [2]. These requirements are based on the gBSD description, a distributed and dynamic adaptation being proposed for metadata.
Document [3] discloses two methods in which an adaptation of data streams for streaming applications can be performed with the aid of the gBSD description and XSLT description.

Method for synchronizing content-dependent data segments of files


A liner apparatus for a tanker having at least one storage compartment and at least one tubular pipe extending into said compartment for conducting a liquid or gas. The liner apparatus includes an elastomeric, resilient liner contiguous with at least a portion of the storage compartment. A mounting bracket has an opening to receive the pipe therethrough and is suspended from the pipe. A fluid and gas impermeable flexible bladder within the storage compartment has an opening to receive the pipe. The flexible bladder is sealably attached to the mounting bracket, whereby spillage of the liquid or escape of the gas from the bladder will be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tanker liner system to prevent spillage of liquids in the event the hull of a tanker is damaged in an accident and to prevent fire or explosion due to the escape of gases from the storage material.
2. Prior Art
Recently, oil spills from tankers have become a major problem. Tanker accidents not only result in loss of the cargo but damage to the marine environment. Both the size and the frequency of the spills have dramatized the need for solutions to the problem.
A recent proposal has been to install double hulls on all ships, with a space provided between the hulls. If the exterior hull is ruptured, the integrity of the cargo would be maintained. This proposal is expensive and cuts down on the amount of usable storage space. It has been estimated that the tanker cost would increase 15 to 30 per cent.
An additional problem not solved by double hull tankers is the possibility of hydrocarbon or toxic vapors escaping or being allowed to combust with oxygen to produce a fire.
Presently, empty crude tankers will have their storage compartments filled with inert gases to prevent a buildup of dangerous hydrocarbon gases from the residue of previous cargoes.
Vapor control systems at dock side are increasingly being required to handle the vapors which are retained in the cargo areas.
The present invention would introduce a liner system to decrease the likelihood of spillage during a tanker accident and reduce the probability of explosion or fire from escaping gases.
A cost effective solution would be provided to a major environmental issue by reducing tanker spills, by increasing safety in transporting volatile products and by eliminating discharge of hydrocarbon vapors into the atmosphere.
Applicant has conducted a search and is aware of the following patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor ______________________________________ 3,664,904 Cook 4,239,416 Borca et al. 4,516,692 Croley 4,653,663 Holtsclaw 4,863,339 Krein 4,930,661 Voorhies 4,941,589 Chen ______________________________________
The Cook patent discloses a self-sealing structure adapted for use in a container as a fluid barrier. The structure comprises a sealant material adapted to swell in the presence of certain fluids and is interposed between inner and outer layers.
The Borca et al. patent discloses a device used to line a cavity in the earth such as a reservoir or tunnel. The lining is a flexible, fluid impervious sheet, such as rubberized fabric supported by a gridlike skeleton structure which when under tension presses the liner against the walls of the cavity.
The Croley patent discloses a disposable container assembly useful for containing and shipping liquids or semi-liquids in bulk. It comprises of fiber board container body secured to a pallet in the upright position. A bag is contained within the interior of the structure containing a dispensing spout locked in a dispensing position on one side of the container.
The Holtsclaw patent discloses a clamping assembly used to secure a flexible liner to a storage tank. The device comprises a filling pipe and a venting pipe passing through a mounting plate attached to the outside of a storage tank.
The Krein patent discloses a method for positioning a waterproof liner in a semi-truck trailer container. A negative pressure is allowed to form in the space between the bag and the inner walls of the container causing the sides of the liner to move toward the sides of the container.
The Voorhies patent discloses a disposable container formed of corrugated paper material containing a molded plastic inner tank positioned upright in the container.
The Chen patent discloses a device for lining the inner surface of a cargo container. The device includes a flexible bag which outlines the entire inner surface wall of the cargo container and magnetic elements holding the bag against the inner surface of the wall. The device is designed to prevent the flexible bag from collapsing within the cargo container.
Accordingly, it is a principal object and purpose of the present invention to provide a liner apparatus to reduce the potential of spills from tankers and to reduce the venting of hydrocarbons or other toxic vapors from a tanker cargo into the atmosphere.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a liner apparatus to absorb the impact in the event of rupture of the hull of a tanker while retaining the liquid cargo.


A handheld punch structure having an integrally formed elongated base of one piece construction and formed of a high strength material capable of being struck repeatedly by a striking instrument or used with a hydraulic press structure. The base defines a plurality of integrally formed punch segments thereon wherein successively positioned ones of the punch segments increase in transverse dimension by a predetermined increment successively from one end towards an opposite end and a gripping portion formed thereon to facilitate gripping by the hand of the user.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an integral, one piece punch assembly having a plurality of punch segments of varying sizes formed thereon for the added versatility of providing a plurality of punches in a single tool minimizing or eliminating the need to readjust or reposition the tool for operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Punch structures of a variety of structural configuration are well known in the art. However, in a typical application, it is prevalent for the user thereof to have a plurality of different sized punches, all being separate instruments, wherein the appropriate sized punch is utilized to perform the required function. More specifically, the punch having the desired size is chosen from a variety of punches as applied to, for example, a bearing assembly for the removal of race structure therefrom by striking one end of the punch with a mallet, hammer or like striking instrument, and thereby separating the components of the bearing assembly.
It is obviously recognized as being inconvenient to maintain a plurality of individual punch instruments which may vary in number up to at least ten separate punches. The punches not only have to be maintained separately but are usually accompanied by some type of carrying case such that the user of the punch assembly can readily refer to the punch of desired size, selected from the plurality of punches available and use it as intended.
In order to avoid the inconvenience of the type set forth above, attempts have been made in the prior art to incorporate a plurality of punches in a s ingle type instrument. This concept is disclosed in the embodied structure of Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 1,114,666. The structure of Anderson discloses an elongated handle having at one end a plurality of punches each mounted on a rotatable base or turntable type member and extending radially outward therefrom in spaced relation to one another. The Anderson structure is primarily used as a punch device for the cutting or punching of leather or like material goods, rather than for the forced assembly or disassembly of a bearing member. Each of the punches obviously differ from one another in size and/or configuration. Operation of this assembly is such as to select the punch of desired size and/or configuration, dispose it in an operative position which is defined by alignment of the punch to be used co-axially with the handle. The aligned and selected punch is "locked" into place and positioned on the instrument, member or material to be punched. A striking instrument, mallet, hammer, etc. is then used to place a striking force on the outer free distal end of the handle so as to operatively actuate the punch in the intended manner. Other distinguishing features of the Anderson structure is that the configuration or taper on the individual punch elements will cause it to "bottom out" and cannot be used effectively to assemble or disassemble bearing structures since the tapered configuration would wedge in the holes of the bearing race. In addition, as set forth above, the punch is clearly not to be intended for use with heavy duty equipment.
While the aforementioned structure is, of course, operable for its intended use, it is questionable from the standpoint of cost, expense, maintenance and general complexity. Therefore, even in light of the existence of this prior art structure, there is a need in the area for a one piece, preferably integrally formed, punch assembly comprising a plurality of punch segments, each of which have an intentionally different size. Such a handheld punch assembly could be used, for example, to remove or separate the various components of a circular or annular shaped bearing, for example, to remove an inner bearing race from the remainder of the bearing assembly by effectively "punching" such bearing race outwardly.

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The present invention is in the field of hair treatment compositions; in particular relates to a method for hair volume reduction. Despite the prior art, there still exists the opportunity to increase the conditioning benefits delivered through hair treatment compositions. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method that retains shape and reduces frizz even after exposure to humidity and washing the hair. It has been found that reduced hair frizz and hair shape retention even after exposure to moisture can be obtained by using N-formyl amino acids.

Frizz is generally known as hair that does not align with the surrounding hairs, but stands up or curls independently, creating a fuzzy or irregular texture thereby giving voluminous or bushy look to the hair. Generally, hair gets frizzy on days when there is humid weather and the level of moisture in the air is high. As a result, hair appears dry and frizzy instead of smooth, shiny and defined. The appearance of frizz and loss of shine and smoothness are associated with a perception of poor hair health.
A common method of providing conditioning benefits to the hair is through the use of conditioning agents such as cationic surfactants and polymers, high melting point fatty compounds, low melting point oils, silicone compounds, and mixtures thereof. Deposition of these materials onto the hair surface results in hair having a greasy feel and look which is undesired.
US 2016/0158128 discloses a rinse-off conditioner composition for hair frizz reduction comprising from about 0.2% to about 20% of a moisture control material or mixture of moisture control materials.
Despite the prior art, there still exists the opportunity to increase the conditioning benefits delivered through hair treatment compositions.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for frizz reduction.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method that retains shape and reduces frizz even after exposure to humidity.
It is yet another object of the present invention to a provide a method with hair shape benefits and frizz reduction even after washing the hair.
Surprisingly, it has been found that reduced hair frizz and hair shape retention even after exposure to moisture can be obtained by using N-formyl amino acids.


An electro-optical device includes an insulating substrate, a switching element, at least one PIN diode, and at least one reflector. The switching element includes a first polysilicon semiconductor layer formed on the insulating substrate, and a gate electrode formed between the insulating substrate and the first semiconductor layer. Each of the at least one PIN diode includes a second polysilicon semiconductor layer formed on the insulating substrate. The at least one reflector is formed in the same layer as the gate electrode and opposite the second semiconductor layer or layers of the at least one PIN diode.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electro-optical devices and electronic apparatuses suitable for display devices that control their display luminances.
2. Related Art
A liquid crystal panel includes two substrates, such as glass substrates or quartz substrates, and liquid crystal filled therebetween. The substrates are provided with electrodes, and image signals are supplied to the electrodes. The optical characteristic of the liquid crystal between the electrodes of the substrates changes according to the image signals. That is to say, by applying voltages based on the image signals to the liquid crystal between the electrodes of the substrates, the alignment of liquid crystal molecules is changed. Thus, the light transmittance in each pixel changes according to the image signals, and an image display according to the image signals is performed.
In order to perform a high-luminance display in such a liquid crystal panel, in general, a backlight unit is provided at the back of a liquid crystal panel. A backlight unit that improves its illumination uniformity using a light guide plate has been developed. By illuminating a display region of a liquid crystal panel with a backlight unit, a display on the display region can be observed with a sufficient luminance.
The viewability of display of a liquid crystal panel changes depending on the ambient brightness. For example, when the ambient light is bright, the display is less viewable, and therefore the illumination of the display region needs to be brighter. Conversely, when the ambient light is sufficiently dark, the display region need not be brighter than necessary.
JP-A-2003-78838 discloses a technique to provide an easily viewable display independently of the ambient brightness. In the technique, the ambient light is detected, and the luminance of a backlight unit is controlled on the basis of the feedback information.
The apparatus of JP-A-2003-78838 uses a discrete component as a light sensor for detecting the ambient light. Therefore, the light sensor needs to be mounted on a flexible printed board. This increases the man-hour and the cost.
To solve this problem, a PIN diode light sensor can be formed on a substrate constituting a display panel, such as a liquid crystal panel. In this case, the PIN diode is formed in the same layer as the semiconductor layer in the display region.
The semiconductor layer in the display region is set to a comparatively small thickness in order to obtain desired transistor characteristics. However, in the case where the semiconductor layer in the PIN diode forming region is thin, incident light passes through the semiconductor layer, and photogenerated charges cannot be efficiently generated. That is to say, light is not efficiently incident on the intrinsic layer, and a sufficient light sensitivity cannot be obtained.

Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus


A method for initializing an electronically slip-controllable power braking system after a startup and an electronically slip-controllable power braking system. Power braking systems are equipped with a pressure generator for conveying pressure medium in a pressure medium circuit. The pressure generator includes a plunger unit made up of a plunger cylinder, a plunger piston, and a plunger work chamber enclosed by plunger cylinder and plunger piston. A characteristic, using which an actuation of the plunger piston is carried out by the motor during the initialization of the power braking system, is selected by the electronic control unit as a function of a piece of information present about the position of plunger piston at the start of the initialization and implemented by corresponding electronic activation of the motor.

Electronically slip-controllable power braking systems for motor vehicles are in the related art. A hydraulic circuit diagram of a power braking system 10 on which the present invention is based is shown by way of example in FIG. 1. This power braking system 10 includes a plunger unit 32 as a pressure generator, including a plunger cylinder 40, in which a plunger piston 38 is accommodated in a movable or displaceable manner. Plunger cylinder 40 and plunger piston 38 delimit a plunger work chamber 35 with one another, which increases or decreases its volume as a function of the movement direction of plunger piston 38.
Furthermore, a motor 30 for actuating or driving this plunger piston 38 is provided. This motor 30 is an electric motor, which is activatable by an electronic control unit 28 and whose drive power is settable via the current strength delivered thereto by electronic control unit 28. It includes a driveshaft, whose rotational movement is converted by a downstream transmission 36 into a translational movement of plunger piston 38.
As plunger piston 38 moves forward, the volume of plunger work chamber 35 decreases and pressure medium is displaced out of plunger work chamber 35 while building up a pressure medium pressure in brake circuits A; B, which are each connected to plunger unit 32. The latter are each contacted by way of example with two wheel brakes 12. An electronically activatable pressure buildup valve 42 is connected upstream and a pressure reducing valve 44 is connected downstream of each wheel brake 12. Pressure buildup valves 42 control a pressure medium supply to wheel brakes 12, by interrupting or regulating, i.e., partially or completely opening, this pressure medium connection, to determine the brake pressure prevailing at wheel brake 12 via this. A brake force generated by wheel brake 12 results via the brake pressure, using which finally a vehicle equipped with power braking system 10 is braked.
The brake force is adapted by electronic control unit 28 to the slip conditions, which presently prevail between a wheel of the motor vehicle associated with wheel brake 12 and the roadway. A wheel tending toward locking up is detected by wheel speed sensors 48, which detect the rotational velocity of the wheel and relay it to electronic control unit 28 for evaluation. If necessary, the brake pressure prevailing in wheel brakes 12 of the locking wheels is dissipated by closing associated pressure buildup valve 42 and opening associated pressure reducing valve 44. Pressure medium drains out of affected wheel brake or wheel brakes 12 via a shared return line 46 into pressure medium reservoir 14 of power braking system 10.
The volume of the pressure medium storable in plunger work chamber 35 of pressure generator 32 is limited and is successively consumed with each braking procedure or each brake pressure buildup. From time to time, plunger work chamber 35 therefore has to be refilled with new pressure medium from pressure medium reservoir 14. For optimum, i.e., comprehensive utilization of the pressure medium volume of plunger work chamber 35, at least one of the two provided end stops of plunger piston 38 has to be known to electronic control unit 28. If plunger piston 38 is located at its first end stop, plunger work chamber 35 has a maximum volume, and at the second end stop it has a minimum volume.
The end stops of plunger piston 38 may be detected, for example, with the aid of position sensors. However, this type of position detection represents a high constructive expenditure and accordingly entails high costs. Alternatively, the end stops may be detected by targeted approach of one of the end stops of plunger piston 38 after a startup of power braking system 10 with less construction expenditure. Such an initialization procedure of power braking system 10 after its startup extends over a certain duration, whose length is dependent, inter alia, on the position at which plunger piston 38 was located upon the start of the initialization procedure. Moreover, the initialization procedure may not be carried out arbitrarily rapidly, since otherwise the end stop would be approached excessively rapidly by plunger piston 38 and the sudden dissipation of the kinetic energy present in the drive then occurring could cause an undesirable high material strain of the participating components. Moreover, striking of plunger piston 38 on an end stop triggers noises that are perceived as annoying by vehicle occupants and are therefore undesirable in principle.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for initializing an electronically slip-controllable power braking system 10 after a startup, which is optimized with respect to initialization duration, noise, and material strain of the participating components.

Method for initializing an electronically slip-controllable power braking system after a startup and electronically slip-controllable power braking system


Disclosed is a device for unlocking a system for fixing sub-munitions on board a carrier, namely any flying vehicle (such as a rocket, missile, stand-off missile etc.). Each sub-munition is held on the body of the carrier by a movable holding clamp fixed to the sub-munition locked by a rod against which there lies a roller fixed to the end of the movable holding clamp. A pneumatic system formed by a piston activates the rod comprising different parts with different widths and diameters so that its step part, on which the roller lies, is translated and leaves place for its central part, in such a way that the movable holding clamp can pivot around the shaft, thus releasing the sub-munition.

The present invention concerns a device for unlocking a system for fixing sub-munitions on board a carrier, namely any flying vehicle (such as a rocket, a missile, a stand-off missile, etc.). The ejection of each of the sub-munitions fixed to the body of the carrier is done simultaneously upon command, by means of the unlocking of the fixing system.
The function of these carriers consists of the transportation, up to the vicinity of the target or targets, of sensitive sub-munitions, namely sub-munitions which could be damaged by stresses, for example mechanical stresses. This function further consists in releasing these sub-munitions by their simultaneous ejection in order to increase the probability of destruction of the target or targets.
The fixing of the sensitive sub-munitions, provided with external or internal supports, to the carrier is done by a holding system consisting, firstly, of a fixing system comprising a movable holding clamp gripping the sub-munition by means of the supports and, secondly, of a locking system keeping the moving holding clamp against the support of the sub-munition before ejection.
To activate the unlocking of the system for locking the clamp against the support of the sub-munition, several methods are used: either a mechanical system with rods or a pyrotechnical system placed at each holding point. The use of these systems shows up several drawbacks:
problems of bulk and weight; PA1 the reduction of the reliability of a system such as this due to any pyrotechnical incident; PA1 the changing of the reaction times; PA1 the complex nature of an electrical network to be installed.
An aim of the invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks in both locking systems by using a pneumatic unlocking system using the gases of a generator of a system for the ejection of the sub-munition.

Pneumatic unlocking device for munitions releasable from a carrier


In opening/closing control for the valve mechanism to which the return torque is applied in an opening direction or a closing direction of the valve, provided are a position control system for outputting a q-axis current command based on a position deviation between a target position command directed to the brushless DC motor and the coarse present position of the motor obtained by using the position detection sensor of a pulse output type, and a current control system in which a virtual current feedback is built for outputting a phase voltage command without a current sensor based on the q-axis current command and the coarse present position of the motor obtained by using the position detection sensor of the pulse output type.

For speed control and position control for a system driven by a motor, there are a "voltage control method" of generating a voltage command directed to the motor based on a deviation between a command and an actual value, and a "current control method" of feeding back an actual current flowing through a winding of the motor so as to control the actual current to coincide with a current command.
The latter current control method applies the control forcedly overcoming the inductance component of the motor windings, and a current lag due to the inductance component in a control bandwidth of a current control system can thus be neglected, thereby providing stable torque control from a low speed range to a high speed range of the motor. On the other hand, in the voltage control method, the influence of the current lag due to the inductance component of the motor windings with respect to the voltage command cannot be neglected and the torque tracking characteristic is deteriorated compared to the current control method, resulting in a defect of presenting an oscillatory response.
By the way, as prior art, there is a technology, in which when an output DUTY is set in accordance with a required DUTY based on a required current for a torque motor for controlling an operation state in an actuator control device for an internal combustion engine, in order to avoid a case in which the output DUTY corresponding to the required DUTY cannot be set due to a restriction on a circuit and the like, the required DUTY and the output DUTY are made coincident with each other by converting the output DUTY into an output current in accordance with a power supply voltage and a resistance in a current path, further estimating a counter electromotive force using an estimated current smoothed in accordance with the coil inductance component of the torque motor, and adding the counter electromotive force to the required DUTY (refer to Patent Literature 1, for example).
Moreover, for a valve of a torque balance drive type which opens/closes the valve in a torque balance between a return spring by energizing means and a motor torque of a DC motor, there is a technology in which the DC motor is controlled by a combination of a feedforward control system and feedback control, and operation amounts of the feedforward control system and the feedback control are further corrected in accordance with a steady state deviation in position (refer to Patent Literature 2, for example).
According to the invention described in Patent Literature 1, it is expected that the lag of the actuator be eliminated, resulting in an increase in stability of the tracking characteristic.
Moreover, according to the invention described in Patent Literature 2, it is expected that the feedforward control system always apply the drive voltage for generating a motor torque corresponding to the return torque in accordance with the opening/closing directions of the valve, and the feedback control system (PID control described in Patent Literature 2) act so as to compensate the position deviation amount thus generated between the present position and the target position, and vibration be thus prevented from occurring by reducing the feedback control amount independently of the opening/closing directions of the valve.
Further, according to the invention described in Patent Literature 2, it is expected that optimal control be provided in accordance with operation characteristics of the valve, which are changed by factors such as the environmental temperature, by correcting a drive duty calculated in accordance with the position deviation by the feedforward control system and a coefficient in an arithmetic operation unit of the feedback control system.


An inlet air filtration unit for a gas turbine includes an inlet filter house having an upstream surface through which air is ingested. A plurality of weather hoods is secured to the upstream surface. A wave-generating system is installed on or proximate to the plurality of weather hoods, the wave-generating system emitting waves that deter pests from the inlet filter house. A method of deterring pests from entering an inlet filter house of an inlet air filtration system is also provided. The method includes: installing a wave-generating system proximate to or on a weather hood on an upstream surface of the inlet filter house; and energizing the wave-generating system to produce energy waves across the upstream surface of the inlet filter house.

Power generation equipment, such as a gas turbine engine, may use a large amount of intake air to support the combustion process. In some instances, the intake air is laden with dust particles, salt, and other types of contaminants, which may damage the compressor blades and other turbine components, via corrosion and erosion, for example. Such component damage may impact the efficiency and performance of the gas turbine engine and may result in more frequent maintenance intervals.
To reduce the problems caused by impure intake air, inlet air filtration units are often used upstream of the compressor. The intake air generally passes through a series of filters and screens to assist in removing the contaminants before they can reach the compressor. Further, the filters and screens may normalize the velocity and pressure of the inlet air flow. The inlet air filtration unit may include an upstream water separation filter for removing water from the inlet (intake) air and one or more downstream filtration modules for removing dust and other impurities.
It has been observed that the number of flying insects (e.g., moths) increases dramatically during monsoon or rainy seasons, which provide damp breeding grounds for such insects. It is common for the flying insects to be drawn toward the lights of the power plant and to be sucked into the compressor's inlet air filtration system, where their ingestion clogs the filters and inhibits the flow of air therethrough. The reduced airflow can cause disruptions to the operation of the gas turbine, which may necessitate the gas turbine being taken off-line for filter cleaning and/or replacement.
To combat this problem, although seasonal and temporary, many power plant operators have installed a large inlet screen with a very fine pore size across the most upstream surface of the inlet air filtration unit (i.e., further upstream of the upstream water separation filter). The inlet screen catches debris, such as insects or bits of paper, and prevents its ultimate ingress into the air filters. Because the inlet screen is a permanent fixture to the inlet air filtration system and must be durable to changing weather conditions, the inlet screen is typically made of stainless steel, which contributes significantly to its cost. In addition to its considerable cost, the inlet screen also results in a pressure drop in the air flow entering the compressor, leading to an undesirable loss in power output for the gas turbine.
It would be useful, therefore, to provide a system to deter insect populations from approaching the inlet air filtration system, thereby eliminating the need for the costly screen and its associated pressure drop, reducing the likelihood of insects being trapped in the air filters, and ensuring the reliable and efficient operation of the gas turbine.

Systems and methods for deterring pests from gas turbine inlet air filtration units


An electrical connector (1) is adapted for mounting to a circuit substrate having a metallic shell (2) assembled onto an insulated housing (3). The metallic shell (2) has a base portion with two side-walls (23) and a pair of arms (24) extending from the side-walls (23). Some interferential tabs (243) are introverted on both of the arms (24) and corresponding slots (311) are formed on the insulated housing (3). When assembling, the interferential tabs (243) are engaged with corresponding slots (311) to firmly fit the metallic shell (2) and insulated housing (3) together.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly, to an electrical connector with a metallic shell interferentially engaged with a portion of the connector.
2. Description of Related Art
The SFF Committee is an ad hoc group formed to address storage industry needs in a prompt manner. One kind of connector named Mini SAS connector adapted for high-speed transmission has been defined by the SFF Committee. Several types of utility Mini SAS connectors have been launched and U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0160399 A1 discloses such kind of connector. The connector includes a connector guide made of metallic sheet and located in front of an insulated housing. The connector guide and the insulated housing are separately mounted on a circuit substrate. When mounting onto the printed circuit board, the relative position between the connector guide and the insulated housing is loosely controlled, and the assemble process is heavy and complicated.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,822 B2 issued to Amphenol on Feb. 19, 2008 discloses another receptacle for a pluggable module including a conductive housing having two side walls and a metallic shell assembled onto the conductive housing with a barb 24 and a engaging portion 15. In this way, the conductive housing and the metallic shell can join together. However, the fixation of elastic lock may affect the stability of new combination and it is still hard to fix the conductive housing and the metallic shell firmly.
Hence, an improved electrical connector with a firm fixed metallic shell is highly desired to overcome the disadvantages of the related arts.

Electrical connector with shell interferentially engaged with portion of the connector


A smoking accessory that protects the felt along the interior of a vehicle""s window from the damages of hot ash being thumped out the window by the vehicle""s occupants. Once installed in the vehicle""s glass groove, the accessory is self-supporting and gives continued protection to the felt behind it from the constant abuse that it is subjected to by smokers.

NOT APPLICABLE
NOT APPLICABLE
NOT APPLICABLE
The present invention relates generally to tobacco accessories, and more particularly is directed towards protecting the felt along the inside of a vehicles window, where smokers generally tend to thump the hot ash from the end of their tobacco products, thus permanently damaging the felt along the windows edge.
There have been no previous attempts to solve this problem, therefore there is no related prior art to compare it to.
The present invention is a device for protecting the felt along the inside of a vehicles window from being scarred and burnt by the hot ends and ash of tobacco products being consumed by the occupants of the vehicle while they smoke. There is a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shape to one side of the invention that is pushed up into the glass groove of the window when the window is fully raised. Fully penetrating points are pressed through the material of the invention along both of the outer sides of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d shape during the manufacturing process. The points are formed along the outside edges of the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d and grip the felt on the inside of the vehicles glass groove and hold the invention in place while the window is lowered. The remaining exposed part of the invention then covers an area of the felt and acts as a guard that protects the felt from the damages of hot ash that smokers tend to burn the area along the windows edge with.
The main objective of the invention is to inexpensively supply the public with a felt protector that is quickly connectable to the various shapes of vehicles throughout the world.


An accumulator comprises a housing and a rod. The housing is sealed by means of high- and low-pressure sealing devices. The high-pressure sealing device includes an annular groove formed on the inner surface of the housing, a seal ring with an L-shaped section housed in the annular groove, and an elastomeric O-ring disposed on the outer periphery side of the seal ring. The seal ring is composed of a thin wall portion, situated on the high-pressure side, and a thick wall portion situated on the low-pressure-side. The inner peripheral surface of the thick wall portion is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rod. A gap, which is wide enough to receive the hydraulic fluid, is defined between the inner peripheral surface of the thin wall portion and the outer peripheral surface of the rod. A drain recovery hole is connected between the high- and low-pressure sealing devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accumulator having a housing and a rod, and more particularly, to a sealing structure at an insertion region of the accumulator through which the rod is inserted into the housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional shock absorber comprises a housing containing a hydraulic fluid therein, a rod inserted in the housing for axial movement, and a damping force generating mechanism disposed inside the housing. When the housing and the rod move relatively to each other in the axial direction, the fluid flows through the damping force generating mechanism, thereby damping the motion of the rod.
The shock absorber is used in combination with suspension springs of a motor vehicle. In this case, load of the vehicle body is supported by the suspension springs, so that the internal pressure of the housing need not be high. In a hydropneumatic suspension developed by the inventors hereof, however, the housing must be charged with a gas at a very high pressure in order that the vehicle body load is supported by means of the repulsive force of the gas in the housing. In this case, the gas pressure sometimes may attain 100 kgf/cm.sup.2 or more. It is essential, therefore, to securely seal an insertion region at an open end of the housing for the insertion of the rod.
A typical example of the prior art sealing structure comprises an annular groove formed on the inner surface of a housing, in the vicinity of an open end thereof, a plastic seal ring housed in the groove, and an O-ring press-fitted between the outer peripheral surface of the seal ring and the bottom of the annular groove. The section of seal ring in its axial direction is rectangular, and the inner peripheral surface of the seal ring is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rod.
If the interference of the seal ring is too great, in the sealing structure described above, the frictional drag of the seal ring against the rod becomes too great, and lubrication of the seal ring is insufficient. In such a case, the rod cannot smoothly move, and the seal ring is liable to wear. If the interference of the seal ring is too small, on the other hand, an excessive, unstable fluid leakage is caused between the rod and the seal ring, especially when the rod moves at high speed.