A sawing machine has a casing, a moveable cover and a saw blade both pivotally mounted inside the casing. Two block rings are respectively mounted at two lateral sides of a pivoted portion of the moveable cover for preventing sawing chips generated by the saw blade sawing a workpiece in a sawing procedure from entering the pivoted portion of the moveable cover.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a machine tool, and more particularly to a sawing machine having an assembly for dustproof.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional sawing machine mainly having a casing 1, a transmission assembly 2, a movable cover 3 and a saw blade 4. The transmission assembly 2 has a motor 2a mounted at an outer side of the casing 1, a bearing mount 2b mounted at an inner side of the casing 1 and a transmission shaft 2c running through the bearing mount 2a, wherein the bearing mount 2b has an axle 2d projected out, the movable cover 3 has an annular rim 3a and an arched block plate 3b to engage the rim 3a with the axle 2d so that the movable cover 3 swings with the axle 2d to be the center of rotation. The saw blade 4 connects with the transmission shaft 2c and has a part thereof covered by the block plate 3b. A separating device 5 is provided in between the movable cover 3 and saw blade 4 to keep the saw blade 4 running smoothly. When the sawing machine is cutting a specific object A, as shown in FIG. 2, the movable cover 3 has its front end in contact with the object A and moves along with it. In the meantime of the object A running forwardly, the movable cover 3 swings backwardly so that the movable cover 3 always can block the chips of the object A being sawn.
It is always occurred in the conventional sawing machine that the chips run into the space between the rim 3a and the axle 2d and are accumulated therein to make the movable cover 3 can not swing smoothly. Beside that, the movable cover was made of aluminum so that while a metal object was sawn by the machine, the metal chips accumulated in between the rim and the axle damage the movable cover frequently.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a sawing machine having a dustproof assembly to block the sawing chips so that the movable cover always works correctly in sawing procedures.
According to the objective of the present invention, a sawing machine comprises a casing having a chamber therein, an axle hole at a side thereof and an opening at a bottom thereof. Both of the axle hole and the opening communicate with the chamber. A transmission assembly has a bearing mount mounted at an inner side of the casing having a base board and an axle projected from a side of the base board, a transmission shaft running through the bearing mount and the axle hole and a power resource for driving the transmission shaft to rotate. A movable cover has an annular rim and a block plate, wherein the rim has an inner annular face, an inner face and an outer face and is engaged with the axle of the bearing mount so that the movable cover swings around the axle which serves as a center of rotation. A first block ring is installed in between the bearing mount and the movable cover, wherein the first block ring is attached to the base board of the bearing mount and the rim of the movable cover respectively. A block device is provided at an outer side of the movable cover and has a mask and a second block ring, wherein the mask has a first hole for the transmission shaft running therethrough and the second block ring has opposite sides attached to the outer face of the rim of the movable cover and the mask respectively, and a saw blade is fastened at a distal end of the transmission shaft and is located at an outer side of the block device, wherein the saw blade has a part thereof extruded out of the casing via the opening and the extruded part thereof are covered by the block plate.


A method, non-transitory computer readable medium and storage server computing device that allocates monotonically increasing sequence numbers to storage operations based on an order of the storage operations corresponding entries in a log. The storage operations are sequenced including by identifying a subset of the storage operations that are parallelizable. A file system data structure is allocated and populated with data associated with one of the storage operations. A determination is made when a rollback is detected based on whether a replay ledger index field of the file system data structure comprises one of the sequence numbers that is greater than another one of the sequence number corresponding to the one of the storage operations. The another one of the sequence numbers is inserted into the replay ledger index field, when the determining indicates that a rollback is not detected.

Storage servers can store data redundantly, e.g., across multiple data storage devices. Storage servers may employ various forms of data storage devices, such as hard disk drives, solid state drives, flash drives, or tape devices for example. The data storage devices are typically implemented as one or more storage volumes that comprise a cluster of data storage devices, in which the volumes define an overall logical arrangement of storage space. For example, a storage server can serve a large number of discrete volumes each generally associated with its own file system.
To improve performance, storage servers can temporarily store various data storage operations and associated data received from client devices in a region of system memory. By storing the storage operations and data they receive in system memory, the storage servers can immediately return an acknowledgement message to the client devices rather than waiting for slower data storage devices to actually store the data prior to the acknowledgement being sent. However, system memory can be erased before the data is stored to data storage devices, e.g., in an event of a power (or other) failure.
To reduce the likelihood of data loss in such circumstances, storage servers may also store the storage operations and associated data in non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), e.g., in a log stored in the NVRAM. By initially storing the storage operations in the log, the storage server can immediately return an acknowledgment to the client devices rather than wait for the operation to complete on one or more data storage devices.
Moreover, in the event of failure of the storage server, the storage operations can be replayed, thereby preventing loss of data. The NVRAM can have various associated circuitry to prevent data loss, e.g., battery backup, flash-type memory, etc. By logging storage operations (e.g., create file, write data, delete data, etc.) as "journal" entries in the log, a storage server can conform with data storage protocols that require the storage server only acknowledge storage operations after writing data to persistent storage.
The log can accumulate storage operations until a consistency point is triggered. Consistency points can be triggered at various time intervals (e.g., fixed time intervals), or when other events arise, e.g., the NVRAM is almost fully filled. At each consistency point, data is transferred from the storage server system memory (e.g., the NVRAM) to underlying data storage volumes on data storage devices, and the system memory is cleared of the transferred data upon successful transfer.
If the storage server's operations are interrupted unexpectedly, e.g., because of power failure or other subsystem problem, its operating system or file system can recover by using information stored in the log between the time of the last consistency point and the unexpected interruption, e.g., by using a replay operation.
Technological advances have caused a significant reduction in the price of NVRAM and processors with a concomitant increase in logic density. Thus, it is now possible to employ many more NVRAM and many more processors (or processor cores) at a lower cost than was previously possible. It can be desirable to have a large amount of NVRAM to increase the throughput of the storage server. On the other hand, having more storage operations that are saved in the log can cause an increase in the time required to complete a replay operation.
To make it possible for the storage server to operate at high speed while maintaining an acceptable recovery time, the replay time per operation has been reduced to compensate for the greater number of operations being recorded in the log. The reduction in replay time per operation is made possible based on a sequencing process by which storage operations are identified as parallelizable and handled concurrently. In particular, logged storage operations determined to be parallelizable can be transferred to storage volumes concurrently by different processors or processor cores.
However, parallelization cannot be completed without regard to the operation tasks because storage operations can modify the same location offset or otherwise be overlapping or conflicting. If logged storage operations are replayed to storage volumes in sequence (e.g., in the same order as they appear in the log), then the storage volumes will be consistent with the order in which client devices transmitted the storage operations. However, when storage operations are handled in parallel, it is possible that a second storage operation can complete before a first storage operation, which is dependent on the second storage operations, resulting in inconsistencies in file system data.
The rules for identifying storage operations that are parallelizable are non-trivial and complex. Accordingly, storage operations that conflict are occasionally identified as parallelizable and replayed as such, resulting in inconsistent data in the file system. Currently, there is currently no effective, programmatic way to detect, in real-time, logic errors in the sequencing process, which resulted in a misidentification of storage operations as parallelizable, in order to prevent inconsistent data from being written to data storage devices.

Methods for detecting out-of-order sequencing during journal recovery and devices thereof


An inductive electronic module, comprising a core element having an inner limb (12; 29a) and at least two lateral limbs (14, 16; 33a, 35a; 37a, 39a) associated the inner limb on both sides, the core element being provided with windings (N1, N2, N3, N4) for forming a transformer. A first winding (N1, N2: 47, 49; 51, 53) is implemented as a series connection composed of two partial windings. A first partial winding is formed on a first lateral limb, and a second partial winding is formed on a second lateral limb.

The present invention relates to an inductive electronic module according to the preamble of the main claim as well to the use of such an electronic module; a generic module is known from the US 20050286270.
Transformers have been disclosed in the art where windings are formed on the limbs of an (approximately e-shaped) core element. A typical e-shape therefore forms an inner limb as well as two lateral limbs adjacent to the inner limb. Depending on the respectively provided transformer or transducer functionality these then have limb windings associated with them.
Furthermore it is known from the state of the art to implement transformers as so-called planar transformers by implementing the windings (typically provided stacked and suitably connected) in the form of conductor tracks on printed circuit boards. Such planar inductivities then cooperate with a core element formed for example of ferrite which engages in an breakthrough of a winding shaped as a "printed" coil on an associated circuit board. This approach in particular permits automated manufacture or manufacture in bulk.
In the context of complex circuit topologies which use a plurality of transformers or transducers, this, of necessity, leads to the need for a more efficient implementation and a reduction in the amount of components used, in particular in the context of the above mentioned planar technology. As an example for the use of such a technology in this context reference is made to the German patent application 10 2010 010 235 of the applicant, which, in view of the technological context described in there as an application for the present invention, shall be deemed to be part of the disclosure as belonging to the invention, and which discloses a control device for a plurality of LED strands (as consumers), which are acted upon by preferably the same predetermined split current. In essence this application provides for suitable transformers for each of these branches, wherein for a traditional implementation, in particular for a large number of branches or strands to be supplied with a predetermined split current in the manner described in there, a corresponding plurality of transformers is required. For a typical implementation in planar technology, these transformers have, of necessity, to be designed at great expense accompanied by a corresponding space requirement, resulting in the need to reduce the amount of components required for transformers in circuit topologies of this kind (and, of course, beyond it).
The use of an inactive electronic module for operating a plurality of LEDs arranged in the form of a strand is known moreover from the US 2006/0255753.
Accordingly it is a requirement of the invention to improve a generic inductive electronic module for implementing a transformer, in particular in planar technology, in such a way that a required component amount can be reduced for a plurality of transformers, the number of required core elements, in particular, can be reduced and, in the context of a planar technology, the required circuit board area can be reduced.
The requirement is met by the inductive electronic module having the characteristics of the main claim; advantageous further developments of the invention have been described in the sub-claims. Also, protection is claimed within the framework of the present invention for use of the inductive electronic module according to the main claim as well as the further developing sub-claims in respect of a current divider device, on which a current generated on the secondary side of a first transformer is split among at least two independently controlled consumer branches each comprising a transformer. Whilst the present invention is suited, in particular, to the current-driven control of LED series connections in their role of consumers, the present invention is nevertheless not restricted to these but rather is suitable for any application purposes where a plurality of transducers or transformers have to be implemented in an efficient manner using a minimum number of core elements. Within the framework of the present invention this applies, preferably, to implementations by means of planar technology, although in this context also the present invention is not restricted with respect to the range of applications.
According to the invention the inductive electronic module advantageously achieves a magnetic coupling between the first winding and the second winding with the result that each of these windings (each of which has a plurality of magnetically coupled, separately contactable conductors) is able to implement a transducer or transformer without the transformer implemented by the first winding (or a pair of conductors existing therein) magnetically influencing a transformer of the second winding.
According to the invention this is implemented in that the first winding is provided in the form of a series connection made up of two partial windings on two of the lateral limbs, in particular opposite each other in relation to the inner limb, i.e. in that it is implemented as a winding by means of two consecutively connected sections. The second winding, by contrast, is formed on the inner limb. With regard to the magnetic flows implemented by the windings according to the invention in the core element this can have the advantageous effect that a magnetic flow caused in the inner limb by the first winding (or the two partial windings on the lateral limbs) is cancelled or becomes zero in order to prevent the second winding formed on the inner limb from becoming magnetically influenced. As a result of the invention this advantageously leads to one and the same core element being able to form at least two transformers independent of one another, i.e. when the first winding implements a first transformer having a corresponding plurality of separately contactable conductors and the second winding (again having a plurality of conductors) implements a second transformer which is then, according to the invention, magnetically decoupled from the first transformer and is independent.
Whilst, as generally indicated above, it would be possible for this approach to the solution to be implemented discretely in principle on a core element body by means of suitable coils, it is nevertheless preferable in terms of the invention to use planar technology for implementing the invention. For this purpose the first and second windings are formed as an array of conductors on (at least) one circuit board, wherein the core elements then engage in breakthroughs or recesses in the circuit board in the area of the conductor windings. In order to achieve the desired inductivities the winding (with its details) may then be implemented as a multi-layer winding with suitable vertical contacting such as in the form of known multi-layer circuit boards, or by additionally or alternatively using a plurality of single circuit boards suitably stacked and with through-connections according to the tracing of the conductors.
When using planar technology for implementing the present invention it is especially favourable and preferred to manufacture a transformer by arranging for at least two conductors of one of the windings to be traced in parallel and/or concentrically on a circuit board; in this way it is possible to predefine the winding structure exactly and so as to be easily reproducible but due to the areal layout the respectively desired magnetic coupling can also be easily configured thus allowing for a cost-effective manufacture in batches.

Inductive electronic module and use thereof


A device for characterizing an object (100, 503, 504) is provided wherein the device comprises a first sensor element (310) and a determination unit (508), wherein the first sensor element (310) is adapted to measure a value of a physical parameter of an object (100, 503, 504), wherein the physical parameter has an impact on a signal of a contactless transmission element arranged (511, 512) on the object (503, 504), and wherein the determination unit (508) is adapted to determine an impact value based on the measured value of the physical parameter.

To maximize the benefit of RFID installations a good understanding of the environment and the respective influence on the used technology is important. Especially with higher frequencies the quality of the environment on which an antenna of an RFID-tag/label is placed is affecting the parameters of the antenna and thus affecting the performance of the said RFID device.
A common RFID performance monitoring system may include systems, methods, or computer program products for collecting information related to the performance of an RFID system. In particular, signal strength and/or signal sensitivity of the individual RFID tags may be measured and the resulting performance information may be stored in a data repository. In the data repository, the performance information for an individual tag may be associated with an identifier that is uniquely associated with the tag. It is known, that the performance information may be used by an on-line system configured to automatically determine the performance margin with which RFID tags are being read in an RFID system, or to automatically tune the RFID system to achieve a desired performance margin.
Furthermore, the objects/products that should be used with RFID technology can be simulated to get an understanding of their influence on RFID devices and their respective antenna. However, the accuracy of these simulations depend on the accuracy of the model on one hand and on the limitations in terms of variations of different real life scenarios on the other hand.

Device for and method of characterizing an object


An infrared spectrophotometer, which is capable of preventing measurement data measured from being adversely affected by moisture vapor. An internal space of an attachment receiving therein an optical element is sealed and isolated from ambient air by providing a tube and others, and a dehumidifier is provided in the internal space of the attachment for an optical path. Thus, the dehumidifier is disposed in a relatively narrow space, so that the internal space of the attachment can be efficiently dehumidified within a short period of time so as to reduce humidity in the internal space to suppress absorption of moisture vapor which would otherwise occur on the optical path in the internal space of the attachment. This makes it possible to prevent a negative influence of moisture vapor on measurement data, while reducing a standby time due to the dehumidification.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an infrared spectrophotometer for measuring infrared absorption spectra of a sample to analyze substances in the sample qualitatively and quantitatively, and an attachment for use with the infrared spectrophotometer.
2. Description of the Background Art
An infrared spectrophotometer is designed to measure a spectrum of light transmitted through a target sample while irradiating the sample with infrared light, and determine a wavelength of light absorbed in or transmitted through the sample to analyze components of the sample.
A Fourier-transform infrared (hereinafter also referred to as "FTIR") spectrophotometer is equipped with an interferometer in order to produce infrared coherent light. In the interferometer, an optical element, such as a beam splitter, is made of a material having deliquescent properties (properties of melting by absorbing moisture in air), such as potassium bromide (KBr). If deliquescence of the optical element occurs, it will preclude satisfactory measurements. Therefore, in order to prevent the deliquescence of the optical element, measures have been taken, for example, by placing the optical element in an element-receiving space, such as a low-humidity space gastightly isolated from ambient air while minimizing moisture vapor therein, or a vacuum space kept in a vacuumed state (see, for example, JP 2004-108970A and JU 3116465B).
During an infrared spectrophotometric measurement, if moisture vapor exists in any optical path, it will exert a negative effect on a measurement result, for example, an absorption peak of the moisture vapor will appear on measurement data, because moisture vapor has absorption peaks in a wavelength band of target substances. Thus, there is a need for additionally eliminating moisture vapor from an optical path in a device other than the interferometer, such as a sample chamber, by replacing internal air of the device with external dry air or nitrogen (performing an air-purging operation), on a case-by-case basis.
The infrared spectrophotometer is capable of measuring infrared absorption spectra of various types of gas, liquid and solid samples. The infrared spectrophotometric measurement is performed by an appropriate method selected depending on a type of sample, an intended purpose of measurement, etc. For example, the infrared spectrophotometric measurement method includes a transmission method, a reflection method, an ATR method, and various other methods.
For example, the reflection method can be used in a measurement for a substance absorbed in or applied to a material non-transmissive to infrared light, such as a metal plate. A reflection measurement for determining a reflectivity of a substance includes a method (regular reflection method or specular reflection method) in which infrared light is emitted to an entrance surface at an angle approximately perpendicular thereto, and a method (called "high-sensitivity reflection method" or "RAS (Reflection Absorption Spectrometry) method") in which infrared light is emitted to an incidence surface at an angle approximately parallel thereto to measure a thin sample layer (thin film) on a substrate.
The ATR method can be used in obtaining absorption spectra of a smooth planar surface of a solid sample, a powder sample, or a liquid sample. ATR stands for Attenuated Total Reflection. In the ATR method, light totally reflected by a surface of a sample can be measured to obtain an absorption spectrum of the sample surface.
In the infrared spectrophotometric measurements, a plurality of types of attachments each having at least one optical element of an optical system suitable for a specific one of the various measurement method, such as an attachment for the regular reflection method (regular reflection attachment) and an attachment for the ATR method (ATR attachment), are prepared, and a measurer or operator performs the measurements while replacing between the attachments depending on an intended one of the measurement methods to form an optical system corresponding to the intended measurement method, in many cases.
An internal space of the interferometer is dehumidified so as to keep humidity at a low level in consideration of influences primarily on an optical element. However, the interferometer is designed with little regard for influences of moisture vapor on measurement data. Particularly, for example, during an operation of opening and closing a sample chamber, or an operation of replacing an attachment in the sample chamber with another one, any sections other than the interferometer, such as the sample chamber, and a pre-chamber and a detector chamber each in communication with the sample chamber, are opened to ambient air, so that moisture vapor in resulting incoming ambient air will intrude into an optical path.
Moisture (moisture vapor) not only damages the optical element but also adversely affects on infrared spectrum data. Moisture vapor has a wide absorption band, primarily, around 4000 to 3400 cm−1, 2000 to 1300 cm−1 and 400 cm−1 in a mid-infrared region. Thus, an influence of moisture vapor appears on measurement data, which is likely to cause noises in the absorption wavelength band of moisture vapor, and an undesirable situation where peaks other than those of a target sample are observed in the measurement data.
In particular, under conditions that a large amount of moisture vapor is contained in ambient air, energy in the absorption wavelength band of moisture vapor becomes smaller, and thereby the measurement data is more likely to receive a negative influence and have noises.
Further, during an operation of changing a measurement sample, it is also necessary to open and close the sample chamber and, in some cases, replace the attachment with another one depending on the measurement sample. Consequently, internal air of the sample chamber and air surrounding the attachment disposed in the sample chamber are replaced with ambient air to cause intrusion of moisture vapor into an optical path.

Infrared spectrophotometer and auxiliary device therefor


In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes accessing patient-derived blood data; identifying biomarker pair interactions based on signal processing of the patient-derived blood data; generating a data model that characterizes one or more aspects of human immune system interactions based on reverse engineering of the human immune system interactions using the identified biomarker pair interactions; evaluating suitability of the data model, wherein the evaluating includes: statistically testing the data model in characterizing correlations between biomarker pairs; decomposing the data model to determine (i) model order accuracy, (ii) whether biomarker nodes act in together or opposite each other, and (iii) normalized data with dynamic effects of homeostasis removed; and quantifying degrees to which the data model accurately correlates patient treatments to patient outcomes; and providing the data model for use in treatment-based decision making based on the evaluating.

The treatment of cancer using modulation of host immunity (cancer immunotherapy) is an old concept that has recently generated renewed enthusiasm as novel agents targeting elements of the systemic immune system in patients (blocking antibodies to checkpoint inhibitors, CTLA4 and/or PD1) have been found to yield favorable clinical results. Unlike previously studied recombinant cytokines (interferons, interleukin-2), current immune checkpoint blocking antibodies (ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, nivolumab) appear to achieve their therapeutic effects by interfering with tumor-derived inhibition of T cell function. While clinical results are still modest relative to pre-clinical success, the therapeutic benefits have been found to be sufficient to stimulate a massive effort in combination treatments involving these agents. Efforts to improve upon early clinical successes have focused on drug combinations. Such clinical efforts have been largely empiric, driven primarily by clinical observations, rationalization of potential combinatorial benefit based on postulated (pre-clinical) mechanisms of action, and minimization of cumulative toxicity.

Modeling of systematic immunity in patients

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research


This disclosed subject matter is generally related to methods for characterizing two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) samples to determine pore-body and pore-throat size distributions and capillary pressure curves in porous media using petrographic image analysis. Input includes high-resolution petrographic images and laboratory-derived porosity measurements. Output includes: (1) pore-body and pore-throat size distributions, and (2) simulated capillary pressure curves for both pore bodies and pore throats.

Properties obtained from Special Core AnaLysis (SCAL) provide an input to reservoir simulators. Such properties include pore-body and pore-throat size distributions, and capillary pressure curves. Pore-throat size distributions are generally computed from laboratory mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) experiments. Under ideal conditions, mercury enters pores with the largest throats first, and fills these pores while the pressure is relatively constant. Pressure is sequentially increased to allow mercury to enter smaller and smaller pore throats and their attached pore bodies. MICP measurements are accurate, but they are slow, expensive, and they destroy the samples. Additionally, MICP measurements are not useful for pore throats larger than 100 microns because those throats are filled at low injection pressures.

Petrographic image analysis for determining capillary pressure in porous media


A high-gloss, impact-resistant rubber-modified polystyrene composition, characterized in that said rubber-modified polystyrene consists essentially of. (i) a polystyrene, PA1 (ii) dispersed particles of elastomeric polymers, and optionally polydimethylsiloxane and at least one member selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, and metallic salts or amides of higher fatty acids based on the total weight of the composition.

Industrial Application Areas
This invention relates to an impact-resistant polystyrene resin composition offering a well-balanced combination of impact strength and gloss.
Rubber-modified polystyrene has widely been used in components of domestic electric appliances and other like appliances. However, this material is inferior to the conventional ABS resin in relation to gloss and impact strength of finished products. Another drawback has been its poor colorability. Recently, there has been a growing demand for rubber-modified polystyrene that would compare favorably with ABS resin from the standpoint of cost and applicability to the thin-walled products.
The resin composition of the present invention excels in gloss, impact strength, and rigidity. Thus, the resin composition of the present invention enables the production of injection-molded products, extruded sheets, and vacuum-formed products with high impact strength and good gloss, which are comparable to those obtained by using expensive ABS resin. Thus, it can be of considerable value as an economical resin.
Related-Art Statement
Rubber-modified polystyrene has been widely used in the industry for a long period of time. Normally the rubber particle size dispersed is polystyrene matrix is about 1.0-5.0 microns. Recently, to achieve high gloss in molded products, rubber-modified polystyrenes with a smaller rubber particle size have been developed and introduced to the market. However, products with 1.0 micron or less in rubber particle size is characterized with a substantially low impact strength, and for this reason, desirable resins have not yet been obtained from these products. Further, to improve the balance of impact strength and gloss, a composition comprised of a blend of rubber-modified polystyrene containing rubber particles less than 1.0 micron in particle size and those containing larger rubber particles, have been disclosed in existing literature, such as Japanese Patent Publication B46-41467, Japanese Patent Publication B59-1519, U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,589, U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,056, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,922. However, the large particles used in these prior art were of 2 microns or greater. These large particles gave low surface gloss of the molded article (In particular, those large particles gave a large "gloss gradient, " which means the gloss value of the parts in the molded articles which are further from the injection gate have a sharply lower gloss, as compared with the parts which are near the gate). Also, when these products are molded under a low mold temperature, the gloss markedly decreased.
Other, resin compositions made of rubber-modified styrene resin and organic polysiloxane have been disclosed in existing literature such as Modern Plastics, November 1972, pp. 114-115; Plastics Age, 1974, Vol. 20, May, p. 107; Japanese Patent Laid-Open A55-3494; Japanese Patent Laid-Open A53-124561; Japanese Patent Laid-Open A57-172948; Japanese Patent Laid-Open A57-187345; and Japanese Patent Laid-Open A57-187346. However, such mixtures, in which rubber-modified polystyrene in which a small rubber particle size is used, have not yielded a resin composition with desirable properties.
Further, another resin compositions made of rubber-modified polystyrene resin, polydimethylsiloxane, and metallic salts of higher fatty acids are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open A61-183339; and those comprised of rubber-modified styrene resin, polydimethylsiloxane, and amides of higher fatty acids are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open A61-183341. These products also have not yielded a resin composition with desirable properties when used in conjunction with rubber-modified polystyrene with a small rubber particle size.
To meet the market demand for rubber-modified polystyrene with a well-balanced combination of properties, as noted above, it is necessary to produce a rubber-modified polystyrene resin with a well-balanced combination of properties such as good surface gloss (especially a high gloss value and a small gloss gradient) in molded products, high impact strength, and high rigidity.

Rubber-modified polystyrene resin composition


A polyvinyl chloride resin composition comprising (i) 100 parts by weight of a polyvinyl chloride resin and (ii) 2 to 40 parts by weight of a multi-stage copolymer obtained by polymerizing resin component formable monomers in the range of from more than 30 parts by weight to 50 parts by weight in three stages onto 50-70 parts by weight of a butadiene elastomer having a glass transition temperature ranging from -40.degree. C. to 5.degree. C. obtained by a copolymerization of a monomer mixture of 70 to 90% by weight of butadiene, 10 to 30 percent by weight of an aromatic vinyl monomer and a polyfunctional monomer added in an amount corresponding to 3 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the total amount of the butadiene and aromatic vinyl monomer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polyvinyl chloride resin composition having an excellent impact resistance, particularly a falling weight impact resistance, stress-whitening resistance, and optical characteristics.
2. Description of the Related Art
Polyvinyl chloride resin has excellent chemical and physical properties, and therefore, is widely used in many fields. Nevertheless, polyvinyl chloride resin per se has a drawback of an inferior impact resistance, and a large number of proposals have been made for an elimination of this drawback.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 42-20847 proposes a polyvinyl chloride resin composition comprising 30 parts by weight or less of a graft copolymer and 70 parts or more by weight of a polyvinyl chloride resin, wherein said graft copolymer is obtained by graft polymerizing 80 to 30 parts by weight of the monomers as the total of 40 to 80% by weight of a methacrylic acid ester and 60 to 20% by weight of styrene onto 20 to 70 parts by weight of a polymer composed mainly of 1,3-butadiene, said graft polymerization being conducted by first graft polymerizing the methacrylic acid ester and then graft copolymerizing styrene.
Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) 47-23648 proposes a polyvinyl chloride resin composition comprising a graft copolymer and a vinyl chloride resin, wherein said graft copolymer is obtained by graft polymerizing first methyl methacrylate in the presence of an elastomer and then graft polymerizing styrene.
Also, Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 57-26536 proposes a polyvinyl chloride resin composition comprising 3 to 40 parts by weight of a graft copolymer and 97 to 60 parts by weight of a polyvinyl chloride resin, wherein said graft copolymer is obtained by graft polymerizing 65 to 25 parts by weight of monomer group comprising methyl methacrylate, an alkyl acrylate and styrene and optionally a polyfunctional crosslinking agent in the presence of 35 to 75 parts by weight of a 1,3-butadiene type elastomer, said graft polymerization being conducted by graft polymerizing in the first stage 50 to 90% by weight of the total amount of a major amount of methyl methacrylate and a minor amount of an alkyl acrylate and optionally a polyfunctional crosslinking agent having an allyl group, in the presence of 35 to 75 parts by weight of a 1,3-butadiene type elastomer, and then graft polymerizing styrene in the second stage, and further, graft polymerizing 10 to 50% by weight of the total amount of methyl methacrylate and an alkyl acrylate.
Further, Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 2-19145 proposes a polyvinyl chloride resin composition comprising 2 to 40% by weight of a graft copolymer and 60 to 98% by weight of a polyvinyl chloride resin, wherein said graft copolymer is obtained by graft polymerizing 30 to 15 parts by weight of a monomer mixture comprising an alkyl methacrylate and an aromatic vinyl or a monomer mixture comprising an alkyl methacrylate, an aromatic vinyl and an unsaturated nitrile onto 70 to 85 parts by weight of a highly crosslinked butadiene rubber with a particle size of 600 to 3000 .ANG., a total crosslinking agent in an amount of 1 to 10% by weight and a degree of swelling of 7 or less, said graft polymerization being conducted by one stage or multi stage.
In the polyvinyl chloride resin composition proposed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 42-20847 or 47-23648, however, an ungelled product is liable to remain under extrusion conditions of a low degree of mixing, whereby, for example, a large generation of fish eyes occurs when formed into a sheet, the optical characteristics are poor, the stress-whitening resistance is poor, and the dart falling weight impact strength is too poor. Also, since styrene as the final graft component is polymerized during the preparation of the graft copolymer used, a styrene having a slow polymerization rate often is left, and consequently, remains in the graft copolymer powder and causes an objectionable odor to arise, and thus has a drawback in that the use of such a polyvinyl chloride resin composition is limited.
In the polyvinyl chloride resin composition proposed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 57-26536, however, although the optical characteristics such as a total light transmittance and haze value are good, a product having a satisfactory stress-whitening resistance and falling weight impact strength cannot be obtained.
Further, in the polyvinyl chloride resin composition proposed in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 2-19145, although the impact resistance is excellent, the optical characteristics such as a total light transmittance and haze value are poor, and further, the stress-whitening resistance is not satisfactory.


An apparatus, system, and method dynamically adjust an antenna network frequency response in accordance with an operation mode of a half duplex call. One of a plurality of antenna network configurations is selected based at least partly on the half duplex operation mode which comprises a talk mode and a listen mode. When the portable communication device is in a listen mode, the antenna network is tuned to a reception configuration which results in a reception efficiency that is greater for at least a portion of a reception frequency band than the reception efficiency resulting from at least one other antenna network configuration. The antenna network is maintained in a default configuration unless antenna adjustment conditions are met. In some situations, the antenna network is set to a transmission configuration to improve transmission efficiency relative to the default configuration.

Portable communication devices such as cellular telephones and wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs) transmit and receive electromagnetic waves through an antenna. In addition to other factors, the efficiency and quality of communication is based on the characteristics of the antenna. The antenna efficiency over a frequency band is often compromised to meet size and shape requirements of the portable communication device designs. In addition, portable communication devices may transmit and receive within different frequency bands requiring the antenna to have sufficient performance over both frequency bands. In conventional portable communication devices, the performance within one or both of the frequency bands is compromised to maintain an antenna operational bandwidth that incorporates both of the frequency bands. In addition, the link budget for either the uplink or downlink is fixed in conventional communication devices. Link budget is a system parameter that refers to the amount of transmission power and receiver sensitivity needed to establish a communication link between the base station and the communication device through a wireless communication channel. The link budget takes into account propagation loss, cable losses, and antenna directivity. During half duplex communication, such as push-to-talk (PTT) or one-way file transfers, the link budget for the communication direction (either uplink or downlink) with user data is more important than the communication direction without any user data. Conventional antenna systems in portable communication devices are not adjustable based on data activity.
Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus, system, and method for managing an antenna network of a portable communication device.

Apparatus, system, and method for managing an antenna network during a half duplex call


In one aspect, video latency reduction by real-time warping is described. In one aspect, an original geometric image model of a digital video frame is adjusted according to a video frame latency, to form an adjusted geometric image model. A geometric image model may represent a field of view from a remote camera used to capture the digital video frame. The adjusted geometric image model may be overlaid onto the original geometric image model to capture a warped image. In one aspect the warped image is re-projected according to the adjusted geometric image model to form a re-projected image. The re-projected image may then be displayed to approximate a real-time field of view from a camera used to capture the digital video frame. In one aspect, an attitude and runway alignment of an unmanned aerial vehicle may be controlled using a displayed, re-projected image. Other aspects are described and claimed.

Digital video is popular due to its high quality, ease of transmission, and encryption capability. Unfortunately, digital video requires compression to retain reasonable bandwidth. This generally creates several video frames of latency, adding as much as 200-400 milliseconds (ms) of delay. In other words, the received digital video is not representative of a scene in real-time due to the latency caused by the compression. Highly interactive tasks, such as remote control tasks require low latency. Remote control tasks require reacting to displayed images with precision, which varies in difficulty depending on the magnitude of the latency. Some current methods for reducing video latency focus on reducing the actual latency of a video stream. Other techniques provide completely synthetic views.

Method and apparatus for digital video latency reduction by real-time warping


The invention relates to spatially scalable encoding and decoding processes using a method for deriving coding information. More particularly, it relates to a method for deriving coding information for high resolution pictures from the coding information of low resolution pictures. The method mainly comprises the following steps:                Computing geometrical parameters characterizing the position of said high layer macroblock relatively to the corresponding base layer macroblocks and deriving from these parameters a macroblock class;        Deriving a partition and possibly sub-partitions for each partition of said high layer macroblock from corresponding base layer macroblocks partition and sub-partitions on the basis of the geometrical parameters and HL MB class; and        Deriving motion information for said high layer macroblock from motion information of corresponding base layer macroblocks.

State-of-art scalable hierarchical coding methods allow to encode the information hierarchically in order that it can be decoded at different resolution and/or quality levels. A data stream generated by a scalable coding device is thus divided into several layers, a base layer and one or more enhancement layers, also called high layers. These devices allow to adapt a unique data stream to variable transmission conditions (bandwidth, error rate . . . ) and also to the capacities of reception devices (CPU, characteristics of reproduction device . . . ). A spatially scalable hierarchical encoding method encodes (or decodes) a first part of data called base layer relating to low resolution pictures, and from this base layer encodes (or decodes) at least another data part called enhancement layer relating to high resolution pictures. The coding information relating to enhancement layer are possibly inherited (i.e. derived) from coding information relating to the base layer by a method called inter-layer prediction method. The derived coding information may possibly comprise: a partitioning pattern associated with block of pixels of the high resolution picture (for splitting said block into several sub-blocks), coding modes associated with said blocks, possibly motion vectors and one or more picture reference indices associated with some blocks allowing to reference the picture used to predict said block. A reference picture is an picture of the sequence used to predict another picture of the sequence. Thus, if not explicitly coded in the data stream, the coding information relating to the enhancement layer has to be derived from the coding information relating to low resolution pictures. State-of-art methods for deriving coding information cannot be used for high resolution pictures whose format is not linked to the format of low resolution pictures by a dyadic transform.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for deriving coding information for high resolution pictures from low resolution pictures and coding and decoding devices implementing said method


A method of controlling a ceiling type air conditioner including a panel located on a ceiling surface, outlets formed at positions corresponding to four sides of the panel, a first vane group for opening and closing the outlets located at two opposing sides, and a second vane group for opening and closing the outlets located at the other two opposing sides includes performing a dynamic airflow mode in which an indoor temperature reaches a set temperature by controlling rotation angles of the first vane group and the second vane group, and calculating a pleasant airflow index Y for determining a pleasant feeling of a user at the set temperature. The pleasant airflow index is calculated using the indoor temperature, the rotation angle of the first vane group or the second vane group, an air volume, a distance from a floor surface and an airflow position as variables.

The present invention relates to a method of controlling a ceiling type air conditioner.
An air conditioner is an apparatus for maintaining air of a predetermined space in a best state according to usage or purposes thereof. In general, the air conditioner includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator. A freezing cycle for performing compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation of refrigerant may be performed to cool or heat the predetermined space.
The predetermined space may be changed according to place where the air conditioner is used. For example, when the air conditioner is positioned in home or office, the predetermined space may be an indoor space of a house or building.
When the air conditioner performs cooling operation, an outdoor heat exchanger provided in an outdoor unit performs a condensation function and an indoor heat exchanger provided in an indoor unit performs an evaporation function. In contrast, when the air conditioner performs heating operation, the outdoor heat exchanger performs a condensation function and the indoor heat exchanger performs an evaporation function.
The air conditioner may be classified into an upright type, a wall-mounted type or a ceiling type according to the installation position thereof. The upright type air conditioner refers to an air conditioner standing up in an indoor space, and the wall- mounted type air conditioner refers to an air conditioner attached to a wall surface.
In addition, the ceiling type air conditioner is understood as an air conditioner installed in a ceiling. For example, the ceiling type air conditioner includes a casing embedded in a ceiling and a panel coupled to a lower side of the casing and including an inlet and an outlet formed therein.
Information on the related art is as follows.
1. Patent Publication No. (Publication Date): 2003-0008242 (Jan. 25, 2003)
2. Title of the Invention: Vane control method of ceiling type air conditioner
The related art discloses increasing the speed of discharged airflow by alternately performing opening and closing operation of opposing vanes using a plurality of stepping motors.
However, the related art has the following problems.
First, it takes a considerable time for an indoor temperature to reach a target set temperature by airflow discharged by the vanes.
Second, in the related art, the air conditioner is controlled using the same control method in cooling operation and heating operation. Specifically, if the same control as the cooling operation is performed in heating operation, even when relatively warm air is discharged from the ceiling by relatively cold indoor air, warm air flows to a point higher than an occupant (user) according to flow of air due to a temperature difference, thereby decreasing a pleasant feeling and increasing the rising time of an indoor temperature.
Third, a conventional air conditioner uses a predicted mean vote (PMV) control method in order to determine the pleasant feeling of the occupant (user). The PMV control method refers to a method of controlling an air conditioner by detecting a temperature, a radiant temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, the amount of activity and the amount of worn clothes, calculating a PMV index and evaluating thermal sensation.
However, the PMV control method has a limitation in determination of the pleasant feeling of the user due to direct influence of airflow reaching the user as the index of the thermal environment. Specifically, the PMV index at an air velocity of 0.5 m/s or more is not reliable due to a large difference from the actual pleasant feeling of the user.
Fourth, it is impossible to eliminate the unpleasant feeling of the user due to draft. The draft means a phenomenon wherein local convection current is caused by an indoor thermal environment, that is, a vertical or horizontal temperature difference, even when the appropriate temperature of an indoor floor is maintained in a room in which ventilation occurs.
That is, the temperature and the air velocity of the user's position are changed by draft. As a result, there is a difference between the actual pleasant feeling of the user and the pleasant feeling of the user determined by the conventional air conditioner.

Method for controlling a ceiling type air conditioner


A multilayer wiring board assembly component comprises: an insulating substrate component (the insulating resin layer 111); a conductive layer 112 formed on one surface of said insulating substrate component 111 in the form of an electrode pattern; an adhesive layer 113 formed on the other surface of said insulating substrate component 111; and a conductive resin composition 115 with which is filled a through hole passing through said insulating substrate component 111, said adhesive layer and said conductive layer in order to make interlayer interconnection. The bore diameter of the conductive layer portion 114b of the through hole 114 is smaller than the bore diameter of the insulating resin layer portion and the adhesive layer portion 114a to establish electrical connection between the conductive resin composition 115 and the conductive layer 112 by the rare surface 112a of the conductive layer 112.

There have been known flexible printed circuit boards (FPC) in which a polyimide film is used as an insulating layer material having a high heat resistance, high electrically insulation performance, and high bending tenacity (Japanese Patent Published Application No. Hei 10-209593). Also, there have been developed FPCs in which FPCs are multilayered and formed with interlayer interconnection via through halls.
In the case of a multilayered FPC with through halls, it is impossible to mount a chip on a through hall to decrease the flexibility of designing circuit layouts due to the restriction on the location of the interlayer interconnection. Therefore, there is a definite ceiling to the implementation density, and it is impossible to meet the demands for high density packaging.
In order to cope with this situation, there has been resin multilayer printed circuit boards developed in which via-on-via is possible by interlayer interconnection via IVH (Interstitial Via Hole) in place of a through hall, for example, ALIVH (Any Layer Interstitial Via Hole) of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd, or polyimide composite multilayer build up integrated circuit board (MOSAIC) of Sony Chemicals Corporation in which polyimide FPCs are built up in a multilayered structure without using a through hall (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Published Application No. Hei 06-268345 and Japanese Patent Published Application No. Hei 07-147464).
Also, proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-85224 assigned to the same assignee as the assignee of this application is a structure and a manufacturing method for obtaining a multilayered FPC having an IVH structure in accordance with a simple process making use of starting items of general purpose copper plated resin substrate components (copper plated polyimide substrate components) each of which is composed of a polyimide film as an insulating layer with a conductive layer of copper foil being attached to one of the surfaces thereof.
In the multilayer wiring board assembly component as proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-85224, an IVH structure is formed as illustrated in FIG. 1 in which, after opening a through hole in a copper plated resin film with a copper foil being attached to one surface of the insulating layer thereof, a conductive resin composition (a resin base conductive paste) is applied to fill the through hole from the copper foil side by a printing technique such as screen printing and the like. Meanwhile, in FIG. 1, numeral 1 designates an insulating layer; numeral 2 designates a copper foil member; numeral 4 designates a through hole; and numeral 5 designates a conductive resin composition with which the through hole 4 is filled.
Particularly, by designing the bore diameter of the opening of a mask (stencil) used during screen printing to be larger than the bore diameter of the IVH, there becomes available a margin in alignment during screen printing to some extent while a head shaped projection 5A is formed on the copper foil member 2 by the conductive resin composition 5 with a diameter corresponding to the bore diameter of the mask opening so that it is possible to increase the contact area between the copper foil member 2 and the conductive resin composition 5 filling the through hole 4. Also, it is possible to prevent the conductive resin composition 5 filling the through hole 4 from falling out from the through hole 4 by the existence of the head shaped projection 5A.
Furthermore, disclosed as a similar technique are a structure and a manufacturing method for obtaining an IVH multilayer substrate by one time lamination making use of starting items of general purpose copper plated resin substrate components each of which is composed of a polyimide film as an insulating layer with a conductive layer of copper foil being attached to one of the surfaces thereof (for example, disclosed in Shoji Ito and other three, "IVH Multilayer Substrate Laminated In Bulk With Polyimide Substrates Having Copper Foil", pp. 31 to 32 (Mar. 18, 2002), Japan Institute of Electronics Packaging 16th Microelectronics Show).
In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the IVH structure of the IVH multilayer substrate laminated in bulk with polyimide substrates having copper foil is formed after opening a through hole (via hole 13) in a copper plated resin film with a copper foil 12 attached to one surface of an insulating layer (polyimide substrate) 11, a resin base conductive paste 14 is applied to fill the through hole by a printing technique such as screen printing and the like from the copper foil 12.
In accordance with this type of IVH multilayer substrate, it is possible to increase the margin in alignment during screen printing to some extent, to form a brim member 15 on the copper foil member 12 by using the conductive paste 14 with a diameter corresponding to the bore diameter of the mask opening so that it is possible to increase the contact area between the copper foil member 12 and the conductive paste 14 filling the through hole 4.
Furthermore, for example, the technique as illustrated in FIG. 3 is also provided (Japanese Patent Published Application No. Hei 9-828325).
However, in the case of the multilayer wiring board assembly component as proposed in Japanese Patent Application 2001-85224, when lamination adhesion is performed for multilayering after hardening the conductive resin composition 5, because of the thickness of the conductive resin composition 5 (the head shaped projection 5A) located above the copper foil, it is necessary to form the adhesive layer with sufficient thickness to accept the electrode thickness of the copper foil and the thickness of the conductive resin composition 5 (the head shaped projection 5A) located above the copper foil. The smoothness of the surface of the multilayer wiring board assembly degrades unless a thicker adhesive layer is used.
Because of this, in the case of the general purpose copper plated resin substrate components, each of which is composed of a polyimide film as an insulating layer with a conductive layer of copper foil being attached to one of the surfaces thereof, it is necessary to form an adhesive layer having a thickness of the order of 15 to 30 μm when the insulating layer has a thickness of the order of 15 to 30 μm and the copper foil has a thickness of the order of 5 to 20 μm, resulting in increasing the thickness of the substrate due to the increased thickness of the adhesive layer. This problem is true in the case of the IVH multilayer substrate as illustrated in FIG. 2.
On the other hand, in order to make close contact between the conductive resin composition and the copper foil of an adjacent layer, it is suggested to laminate the conductive resin composition in a soft condition before hardening.
However, if this technique is applied to the structure as proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-85224, a portion of the conductive resin composition 5 (the head shaped projection 5A) located above the copper foil 2 is excessively squashed and extended as illustrated in FIG. 4 under the lamination pressure P during multilayer lamination so that it is difficult to make the dimensions of the respective head shaped projection 5A even, as seen from the surface of the substrate, therefore, in addition to this, a short-circuit would be formed. This problem is also true in the case of the IVH multilayer substrate as illustrated in FIG. 2.
The present invention has been made in light of the circumstances described above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multilayer wiring board assembly component and a manufacturing method thereof and a multilayer wiring board assembly in which the multilayer wiring board assembly can be made thin without compromising the contact reliability between a conductive resin composition and a conductive circuit member and without compromising the smoothness of the substrate.
Also, it is another object of the present invention to provide a multilayer wiring board assembly component and a manufacturing method thereof and a multilayer wiring board assembly in which film peeling or separation does not occur even if a reliability test is carried out by exposure to a high temperature while the contact area between the conductive circuit member and the conductive paste filling a via hole can be increased.
On the other hand, along with the increasing density of circuitry, the implementation practice of electric elements on the printed circuit board tends to be shifted from those based on the wire bonding technique to those based on the flip chip implementation by means of the bump connection using electrodes formed on the bottom surface of a chip. The flip chip implementation is an implementation technique for making electric connection in bulk by providing conductive bumps (projections) 2 on the surface of a substrate located opposite to a chip 1, and mounting the chip 1 on the substrate 3 in order so that the chip electrodes 4 are located opposite to substrate electrodes 5 through the bumps 2 as illustrated in FIG. 5.
There have been known several implementation techniques for the flip chip implementation such as a technique that makes use of solder bumps for making connection between a chip and a circuit board, a technique that makes use of a conductive adhesive for making connection, a technique that makes use of gold (Au) for making connection between a chip and a circuit board and so forth ("Electronic Industry Material", vol. 39, No. 9, September, 2000, Kogyo Chosakai Publishing Co., Ltd. as published in Sep. 1, 2000, pp. 36 to 40).
In the case of the flip chip implementation that makes use of solder bumps for making connection, there is a problem in that the chip may be disconnected from the substrate due to stress generated at the connection interface between the substrate and the chip by mechanical shock or heat as generated by the operation of the chip. This causes the bump connection method to lose it's advantage over the wire bonding technique.
In the case of the flip chip implementation that makes use of solder bumps for making connection, it is estimated that the disconnection of the chip from the substrate starts from the slenderest portion of the bump by the shearing stress between the bump and the substrate electrode due to the differential coefficient of thermal expansion between the bump and the substrate electrode (pad member). This estimation has been confirmed by simulation on the basis of the finite element method.
As illustrated in the expanded view of FIG. 6, in the case of the bump 2 of a solder ball connected to a flat pad (substrate electrode) 5, a locally deformed portion A forms at the boundary surface between the bump 5 and the pad 5 where the stress is concentrated so that destruction is likely at this location. Namely, defects due to contact between different materials are concentrated at the boundary surface therebetween at which a mechanically fragile composition layer of tin and copper is segregated and which is estimated to be the starting point of destruction.
In the case of the technique that makes use of solder bumps, while a self alignment effect is known as automatic alignment of a chip with a substrate by solder wetting on the electrode during the reflow process for melting the solder, the self alignment effect can not be expected in the case of gold bumps so it is difficult to align a chip to a substrate.
Accordingly, it is another objective of the present invention to provide a printed circuit board and a manufacturing method thereof for mounting a flip chip in which the reliability of connection between a chip and a substrate with the self alignment effect, can be expected even in the case of gold bumps.

Multilayer wiring board, base for multilayer wiring board, printed wiring board and its manufacturing method


A surface of an insulating substrate is charged to a target potential. In one embodiment, the surface is flooded with a higher-energy electron beam such that the electron yield is greater than one. Subsequently, the surface is flooded with a lower-energy electron beam such that the electron yield is less than one. In another embodiment, the substrate is provided with the surface in a state at an approximate initial potential above the target potential. The surface is then flooded with charged particle such that the charge yield of scattered particles is less than one, such that a steady state is reached at which the target potential is achieved. Another embodiment pertains to an apparatus for charging a surface of an insulating substrate to a target potential.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for charging specimens to a potential.
2. Description of the Background Art
It is often desired to charge a non-conducting substrate to a known or uniform electrostatic potential. For example, this is often desired in a charged-particle instrument, such as an electron microscope, ion implanter, or other such instrument. One common application is the charging (or discharging) of a semiconductor wafer, especially with an insulating layer thereon. For example, the insulating layer may be silicon dioxide or another insulating material.
A common method for such charging utilizes electron flooding. The conventional technique for such electron flooding is now discussed in relation to FIGS. 1A and 1B. FIG. 1A is a flow chart depicting a method 100 of conventional flooding. FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram depicting a configuration for the conventional flooding in cross-section.
In the conventional flooding technique, the flood system is configured (102) to generate an electron flood beam 152 with a relatively high landing energy (typically, a few hundred electron volts) such that the electron yield is greater than one (η>1). The substrate 154 is passed (or is positioned) (104) under the electron flood gun 156, while an electrostatic field is simultaneously applied (106) above the substrate 154. The flood gun may include, among other components, a cathode 157, an anode 158, and a lower bias electrode 159. The electrostatic field may be applied, for example, using the lower bias electrode 159 around the flood gun 156 (and perhaps a grid in front of the flood gun). Secondary electrons 160 are emitted (108) from the surface 153 of the substrate 154 with very low energy (typically a few eV). These low energy secondary electrons 160 move under the influence of the electrostatic field, charging (110) the surface 153 until the electrostatic field is essentially neutralized. This results in a surface potential approximately equal to the potential of the lower bias electrode 159 of the flood gun 156. However, the potentials are not exactly equal because of space charge effects. When the surface charge reaches (112) a steady state, a secondary electron current 160 (equal to the incident flood beam current) continues to leave (114) the surface 153 of the substrate 154 and drift across the gap towards the lower bias electrode 158. These secondary electrons create (116) a space charge situation with a self-consistent field that drives the secondary electrons across the gap from the surface 153 to the flood gun bias electrode 158 and causes (118) a voltage depression at the surface of the substrate 154.
The following is a typical example of configuring (102) the system for conventional flooding of a semiconductor wafer with a layer of silicon dioxide on its surface. The configuration (102) may be performed using a controller 151 that is configured to control the various voltages applied in the system, such as the voltages on the electrodes in the flood gun 156 and the voltage applied to the substrate 154. The cathode 157 may be at a potential of negative three hundred volts (−300 V), and the anode 158 of the flood gun may be at the ground potential of zero volts (0 V), such that the electron flood beam has an energy of three hundred electron volts (300 eV). The voltage bias applied to the wafer substrate 154 (the wafer bias) may also be at electrical ground (0 V). Assuming that the potential at the wafer surface is not too far from the wafer bias, this would result in a landing energy of roughly three hundred electron volts (300 eV). If the substrate surface 153 is to be charged to approximately ten volts (10 V), then the lower bias electrode 159 of the flood gun 156 may be set to ten volts (10 V).
Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the conventional flooding typically causes (118) an unwanted voltage depression at the surface of the substrate 154. In a one-dimensional approximation, Child's Law may be used to calculate an approximation of the voltage depression. For example, given a one centimeter (1 cm) gap and an incident beam current density of one hundred microamperes per square centimeter (100 μA/cm2), the space charge will depress the substrate by roughly twelve volts (12 V), according to a calculation using Child's Law.
In addition to the aforementioned voltage depression, variations in current density in the flood beam and at the beam edges will cause variations in substrate surface charge in the conventional flooding technique. Furthermore, there may be additional substrate potential errors due to voltage drops at the flood gun electrode (caused by resistivity and/or work function effects at the electrode). Moreover, there may be further substrate potential errors due to stray electric fields. In practice, these various voltage offsets give rise to charge variations of a few or several volts across the surface of a substrate. This makes it difficult to flood a substrate to a known or uniform potential with accuracy of better than a few volts.

Method for charging substrate to a potential


An information processing apparatus can accommodate a portable device in a detachable way, and can detect accommodation/removal of the portable device, and can read ID information transmitted from the portable device. Therefore, access to a security system and a host computer via a same portable device can be achieved, and an individual can be relieved of the trouble of carrying to many portable devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus including an image display apparatus (and hereafter referred to as an information processing apparatus), a portable device, a method for communicating between those and a storage medium. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a portable device, a method for communicating between devices and a storage medium which are preferable for, in a detachable way, storing a portable device such as a portable telephone set.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional computer system is, as shown in FIG. 10, configured of a computer main unit 1001, an information processing apparatus 1002, a keyboard 1003, and a mouse 1004. The computer main unit 1001 performs operation processing and has a storage device, etc. The information processing apparatus 1002 is connected via a cable with the computer main unit 1001 and displays images according to operation processing results of the computer main unit 1001. Data input devices, the keyboard 1003 and the mouse 1004 are connected to the computer main unit 1001. Further, the computer main unit 1001 is connected to a network to perform management of electronic mails (e-mails) destined for individual users and external devices such as printers.
On the other hand, in such an environment as a corporate office, one computer is not provided per information processing apparatus but a system is used where a plurality of terminals are networked with a host computer which has a high processing ability as shown in FIG. 11. The shown computer network system performs such processing as centralized data management by networking a plurality of terminals or information processing apparatuses 1102A, 1102B, 1102C, 1102D, . . . and data input devices 1103A, 1103B, 1103C, 1103D, . . . with the host computer 1101 to effectively use resources and reduce total cost through space saving and data sharing.
In an office where such a computer system is installed, terminals and desks owned by individuals are not necessarily required, i.e., individuals do not own his/her desks, and data concerning personal information such as the above e-mail data is processed using personal numbers. Moreover, in an office where such a computer system is installed, a plurality of electronic devices are often used such as ID cards for entrance/exit management and portable telephone sets including PHSs (Personal Handy-phone Systems) as well as the above e-mail as a means for communicating with individuals. In this case, the above computer system, ID card and portable telephone set are independent of one another in terms of functionality.
However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following problems. That is, when an individual performs a task using a computer, he/she has to carry two kinds of portable devices, an ID card for entrance/exit management and a portable telephone set into his/her office, start up the system or information processing apparatus, then perform operation including password entry for personal information management. Most of the portable telephone sets require charging and are connected to a charger for charging when not in use.
Thus, an individual sometimes performs task while he/she wears an ID card over the neck, with a portable telephone set connected to an information processing apparatus and a charger placed on the desk. This requires considerable space on the desk and is troublesome in that power supply for each device is need and a cumbersome startup procedure is involved. Unnecessary energy consumption due to failure to turn off power supply was another problem. Moreover, as mentioned above, when individuals do not have their own desks and telephone sets as a means for communication are fixed to desks, one knows the telephone number for a particular desk but cannot identify the person who is at the desk, thus making unknown a telephone number for an individual.
Even when an individual has temporarily left a desk with a portable device while he/she is using an information processing apparatus, he/she must return to the desk to check for incoming e-mails or terminate operation of the desktop device. This is highly troublesome.
The present invention, taking account of the above disadvantages, has a first object of providing an information processing apparatus, a portable device, a method for inter-device communication and a storage medium which relieve an individual of the trouble of carrying too many portable devices by making feasible an access to the security system and the host computer via a same portable device.
The present invention, taking account of the above disadvantages, has a second object of providing an information processing apparatus, a portable device, a method for inter-device communication and a storage medium which aim at reduction of wall outlets and improvement of space efficiency by eliminating the need for separately providing a charger in a case where a portable device which requires charging is used.
The present invention, taking account of the above disadvantages, has a third object of providing an information processing apparatus, a portable device, a method for inter-device communication and a storage medium which have eliminated the need for troublesome operation by automatically starting a computer system only when a portable device is placed on an information processing apparatus thus making the personal information of the user accessible, and which has improved security by using a password for access permission.
The present invention, taking account of the above disadvantages, has a fourth object of providing an information processing apparatus, a portable device, a method for inter-device communication and a storage medium which have allowed avoidance of unnecessary energy consumption due to failure to turn off power supply, etc. by securing ON-OFF of an information processing apparatus or a computer system.
The present invention, taking account of the above disadvantages, has a fifth object of providing an information processing apparatus, a portable device, a method for inter-device communication and a storage medium which have improved convenience and operability by allowing data communications between an information processing apparatus or a computer system in use and a portable device when an individual temporarily leaves his/her desk carrying a portable device while he/she is using the information processing apparatus or the computer system.
To attain the above objects, the present invention is characterized in that it includes an information processing apparatus connected to a higher level device such as a computer and that the information processing apparatus has a means for accommodating a portable device in a detachable way as well as connecting the portable device and the information processing apparatus main unit in such a way as communication is enabled.
To attain the above objects, the present invention is characterized in that it can transmit the ID information of a portable device to the security system which performs entrance/exit management of the owner of the portable device.
To attain the above objects, the present invention is characterized in that it includes a method for inter-device communications applied to a system equipped with an information processing apparatus connected to a higher level device such as a computer and a portable device and that the information processing apparatus which accommodates a portable device in a detachable way as well as connecting the portable device and the information processing apparatus main unit in such a way as communication is enabled has a detection step of detecting accommodation/removal of the portable device and a communication step of communicating the ID information sent from the portable device to the information processing apparatus main unit.

Portable device, information processing apparatus and method for communicating between those


A wave actuated gaming wheel is described as a device for entertainment. In a basic form, the invention includes a wave generator, a wave tank or pool, a wave energy captured device, and a specially adapted gaming wheel. The wave energy capture device is mounted in the path of the wave, positioned so as to interact with an oncoming wave. Paddles, cups, or pontoons, and other supporting structure are coupled or fixed to the gaming wheel to capture energy from the wave and to transfer it to the gaming wheel in the form of rotary motion. When the wave has passed, the transfer of energy terminates. Friction, energy losses, or a brake cause the gaming wheel eventually to come to a stop. As with conventional gaming wheels or “wheels of fortune,” the circumference of the wheel may be divided into a plurality of distinct gaming partitions with symbols that represent a certain possibility for a winning outcome. Players or observers seek to predict which gaming symbol might fall along a pay line when the gaming wheel stops.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to games of chance. In particular, the present invention is a method and device for actuating a gaming wheel by the motion of a wave.
2. Description of Related Art
Games of chance typically involve some form of uncertainty for the participant, which may be considered to be guessing or wagering on an unpredictable or uncontrolled outcome. This ordinary sense of lack of control or predictability is often introduced through some randomizing factor or device. In gaming, the outcome may appear to be random, although the pattern or distribution of outcomes may be predictable in the long run and may simply be dependent on some initial randomizing physical conditions or input. In some cases, the game of chance includes a factor of personal skill or participation, in addition to the randomizing influence.
One category of games of chance involves gaming wheels. Gaming wheels as amusement devices are relatively well known. Rotating gaming wheels are seen in games such as roulette, wheels of fortune, slot machines, and other games of chance. Carnival gaming wheels are widespread, and the randomizing conditions may include the relative radial starting point, the energy imparted by the force of spin, and other physical characteristics of the device, such as friction or balance. The "big six" game or "wheel of fortune" typically includes 54 radial slots or divisions about the circumference of the wheel and each slot has a symbol. Following rotation the wheel's pointer or "pay line" lands on or points to a particular slot or division and its symbol. This represents the winner for those who wagered on that symbol. In a more complicated example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,821 to Korenek discloses a game wheel having 53 card images about its circumference of a wheel, along with several smaller wheels, enabling the play of various card games. Because this game may involve strategy and familiarity with probability of outcome, the Korenek device introduces an element of skill.
Other games of chance that include an element of skill may involve the aiming of some projectile or water stream from a water nozzle (e.g. water-pistol) to a target. An example of a personal version of such a game is provided in the amusement device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,723. In an example of a competitive version of these games, contestants may direct a stream of water at one or more randomly presented targets. The contestant with the greatest recorded accuracy during a given time period or volume of water is the winner of some prize. Success may be gauged by the recorded number of targets hit.
One invention extracts energy from a flow of water to enable a spring to drive a personal game of chance. U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,910 to Huen disclosed a shower head or unit where a plurality of labeled (e.g., numbered) rotatable cylinders or wheels are visibly disposed within a shower head. When the shower is activated, the water pressure imparts energy to a coil spring through a pressure plate, engaging a clutch. When the water flow is stopped, the clutch is released and the energy in the spring spins the cylinders, which then display an outcome of three numbers in the shower head. The randomizing conditions in this case may include the starting point of the cylinders, the energy imparted by stream, and other physical characteristics of the device.
An object of the present invention is to provide a gaming wheel in a different and open water environment, having a novel energy source that is consistent with a water theme.


A method for forming ceramic articles for prototypes that involves the use of metal particles or metal-coated ceramic particles that are formed into ceramic articles using a laser engineered net shaping process. The metal particles or metal coating on the ceramic particles facilitates bonding between the ceramic particles to enable quick manufacture of ceramic articles using the laser engineered net shaping process. The ceramic articles may be ceramic core prototypes and may be used in a variety of different industries.

It is becoming important that casting patterns and their associated tools be developed faster in free-form, at lower cost, having superior surface finish and/or requiring little or no remachining. Although there are technologies that are currently used for forming ceramic articles, each has significant disadvantages that fail to meet all of the objectives.
For ceramic prototypes, the prior art has relied on complex processes to form these objects. These methods include the pressing of ceramic powders with subsequent sintering and machining into a final shape. Ceramic objects of this type may include mold shells that are used in casting. Nevertheless, this process is also slow and expensive.
Another method is selective laser sintering. Selective laser sintering (SLS) is a powder-based layer additive manufacturing process generally meant for rapid prototyping. Laser beams, either continuous or pulse mode, are used as a heat source for scanning and joining powders in predetermined sizes and shapes of layers via a polymer binder. The geometry of the scanned layers corresponds to the various cross-sections of the computer-aided design (CAD) models. A drawback of SLS is that additional powder at the boundaries is often hardened and remains attached to the part, thereby requiring additional finishing steps to remove the unwanted material. Furthermore, an inert atmosphere is often required, increasing the cost of the equipment.
Other prior methods include direct or indirect sintering processes. In a direct metal-laser-sinter process, the process operates essentially in the same manner as SLS, except that no binder is required. In this method, the ceramic is directly sintered by the laser.
Another prior art system is a fused deposition modeling system. The fused deposition modeling (FDM) system was designed to create prototype parts using thermoplastic or wax filaments. With this system, the filament is fed through the nozzle where it is heated just above its solidification temperature. The heated filament is then deposited onto the previous layers where it solidifies, forming the part. The movement of the heated nozzle is controlled by a sliced CAD model. In the ceramic FDM process, the filament is produced from a mixture of ceramic powder and binder material. The ceramic-binder filament is used in the equipment in the same manner as the thermoplastic filament. After a green part is formed from the ceramic-binder filament, the binder is removed by conventional means and the resulting ceramic parts are sintered to high density. In this method, the binder has to be removed and the resulting ceramic parts are sintered to high density.
Yet another prior art method is 3-D printing. 3-D printing uses a drop on demand jetting technology that is similar to ink jet printing. In this method the devices deposit a binder onto a powder bed. As the binder solidifies, a layer of solid geometry is created. As in FDM, the binder has to be removed and the resulting ceramic parts are sintered to high density.
Still another method is laminated object manufacturing (LOM). The LOM system normally uses thin sheets of paper to build up a wood-like component. The system is adapted to work with engineered ceramic materials using tape-cast ceramic sheet materials suitable for lamination. During the LOM build process, a laser, controlled by the machine's software, cuts the part cross-section onto a ceramic tape. A new layer of material is laminated to the previous cut layer. The process is repeated until the part is finished.
Accordingly, what is needed is a method of ceramic core prototypes that is faster than prior art methods. Also what is needed is a method of forming ceramic core prototypes that provides greater flexibility in changing the design of the ceramic core after formation. Also what is needed is a method of forming ceramic core prototypes that may be used in the formation of many different ceramic core articles or ceramic articles in general.


The present invention relates to a method of producing net structures by connecting annular net elements with connectors. The present method includes a net strip forming process in which a net strip is formed with a plurality of annular sections for net elements arranged in a predetermined pattern and joined with the net strip through joints on the outer edges of the annular sections, a connecting process in which all adjacent annular sections of the net strip are connected to each other with a connector in a position where no joint is provided, and a separation process in which the joints are cut off to separate each annular section from the net strip for formation of the net elements. According to the invention, a net strip is punched to have a plurality of annular sections and with the annular sections kept joined with the strip, the adjacent annular sections are connected to each other with a connector, and then the annular sections are cut off from the strip to form individual net elements. Thus a troublesome process to arrange all the net elements in position is eliminated and the only thing to do is to connect the annular sections provided in position in the strip. This easier and more accurate connection of net elements facilitates the mass production of net structures and improves the yield.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of producing net structures by connecting annular net elements with connectors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that a net structure of metal such as aluminum (a rat guard net) is an effective means against rat damages. Taking advantage of the rats' habit of not gnawing moving things, this net structure is made by connecting, in a movable manner, a plurality of annular net elements (rings) arranged lengthwise and breadthwise in a plane with connectors. If any articles to be protected against rats are covered with this net structure, the rats cannot gnaw them because the net structure trembles the instant the rats touch it.
In addition to the rat guard net, this type of net structures is adopted for fish preserves by some fish farms, and also sometimes used as a decoration net.
FIG. 11 shows an example of this type of net structure N, in which annular net elements 1 are arranged in a plurality of rows. The rows are in a staggered arrangement by half pitch per row to make each annular element 1 surrounded by six such elements and every two adjacent elements 1 are connected to each other with a connector 2.
As shown in FIG. 12, the connector 2 consists of a staple 2' which includes a pair of arm sections 2a' and a connecting section 2b' between the arm sections 2a' as shown in FIG. 12(A). To form the connector 2, the staple 2' is shaped into a loop as shown in FIG. 12(B) or both the arm sections 2a' are rounded into curl sections 2A (FIG. 12(C)) similarly to ordinary staples.
According to a prior method of producing the net structure formed of annular net elements connected by connectors, a metal strip of, for example, aluminum is first press-cut into a plurality of annular net elements such as that shown at 1. These net elements are transported with a vibrating conveyor to a connection table, where the elements are arranged in position and the two adjacent elements are connected to each other with a connector to provide a finished net structure.
As described above, the prior method requires transportation of the net elements 1 to the connection table to connect them with a connecting device of the same principle as ordinary staplers. Therefore, if each element is not in position, the staple as the connector cannot fit in the annular element, resulting in incomplete formation of the net structure.
Moreover, because each annular ring element 1 is too small and light to be transported accurately, it is often out of position on the connection table. Such out-of-position conditions not only prevent formation of the desired net structure, but also require many temporary stops of the machine to take an additional action, for example, to remove defective net structures. This causes low yield and low efficiency and impedes mass production of the net structures.


A system includes a line-based receiver for receiving protected content from a source and a line-based transmitter for providing the protected content to a destination. The protected content is secure, such as by using a High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) mechanism. Between the line-based transmitter and receiver is a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver. The wireless transmitter establishes an encrypted wireless link with the wireless receiver according to a second encryption mechanism. The wireless transmitter is further configured for receiving the protected content from the line-based receiver, encrypting the protected content according to the second encryption mechanism, and wirelessly transmitting the encrypted protected content. The wireless receiver is further configured for receiving the wirelessly transmitted protected content from the wireless transmitter and decrypting the protected content according to the second encryption mechanism.

It is frequently desirable to provide a secure content delivery mechanism for transferring protectable subject matter from one node to another. One example of such a mechanism is the provision of digital video and/or audio over a Digital Video Interface (DVI) or High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). DVI and HDMI often use a mechanism called High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) to prevent the interception of the audio/video between the content source and destination. By using HDCP, data, such as copyright protectable movies and music, can be securely transmitted with a reduced likelihood of theft.
HDCP is required, by standard, to be delivered over a physical link, such as an HDMI cable. Furthermore, connections between two such links require the use of a repeater that provides endpoint data encryption termination to both links, and fulfills any encryption and/or key requirements for each individual link. HDCP repeaters are generally described in the document "High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection System," Revision 1.1, Jun. 9, 2003, (hereinafter "HDCP System Standard") which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application in its entirety.
HDCP compliant devices are required, by standard, to have a unique key set ("DKS"), including 40 56-bit secret device keys, referred to as Device Private Keys, and a 40-bit identifier, referred to as the Key Selection Vector ("KSV"). During authentication, a transmitter ("Device A") sends to a receiver ("Device B") a message containing the transmitter's KSV ("Aksv") and a 64-bit pseudorandom value An. Device B responds with the receiver's KSV ("Bksv") and indicates whether Device B is a repeater. Device A verifies that Bksv has not been revoked and that it contains 20 ones and 20 zeros. Both devices then generate a session key ("Ks"), which is a 56-bit secret key for the HDCP cipher, a 64-bit secret value ("Mo") that is used for the next phase of authentication, and a 16-bit response value ("Ro") to indicate success of the authentication exchange.
If Device B is a repeater, the device gathers a list of downstream KSVs to report upstream. The KSVs are checked upstream to determine whether they have been revoked. The final step in authentication occurs during the vertical blanking period and involves both of the devices calculating new cipher initialization values Ki, Mi, and Ri, wherein the index i represents the frame number staring with 1 for the first video frame that is encrypted.
A general trend towards wireless links exists. However, as stated above, some transmission mechanisms, such as HDCP, cannot be provided over a wireless link. Therefore, a need exists to provide a wireless link between two nodes in which transmission mechanisms like HDCP would otherwise be provided.

System and method for implementing content protection in a wireless digital system