The present disclosure provides an integrated circuit design method in many different embodiments. An exemplary IC design method comprises providing an IC design layout of a circuit in a first technology node; migrating the IC design layout of the circuit to a second technology node; applying an electrical patterning (ePatterning) modification to the migrated IC design layout according to an electrical parameter of the circuit; and thereafter fabricating a mask according to the migrated IC design layout of the circuit in the second technology node.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced rapid growth. In the course of IC evolution, functional density (i.e., the number of interconnected devices per chip area) has generally increased while geometry size (i.e., the smallest component (or line) that can be created using a fabrication process) has decreased. This scaling down process generally provides benefits by increasing production efficiency and lowering associated costs. Such scaling down has also increased the complexity of processing and manufacturing ICs and, for these advances to be realized, similar developments in IC processing and manufacturing are needed.
For example, the performance of a chip design is seriously influenced by control of resistance/capacitance (RC), timing, leakage, and topology of the metal/dielectric inter-layers. In semiconductor fabrication, various processing modules are involved. Each module releases some representative information to a design model for follow-up work. Afterward, only a statistical corner can be added onto the simulation model for design reference. Such design flow lacks cross-team interaction, especially when the feature size is dramatically shrunken. Furthermore, in the current IC design flow, patterns used in simulation are too simple than the frequently designed patterns. The existing design method is challenged by various problems. For example, every module in current semiconductor processing modeling, such as lithography patterning, thin film deposition, etching, etc., is independent from other modules. The full chip tape out, as the final design product, cannot be achieved without maximized modeling efficiency. In another problem, the statistical corner is used for design reference and reduces the design flexibility and design margin. Further, if it is desired to use a design layout from a first technology node for fabricating devices of a second technology node, numerous interactions are required between a designer and semiconductor manufacturer.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and a system to provide effective and improved IC design for the advanced IC technologies.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for updating a multi-tenant virtualization system are described herein. Session launch data for a plurality of end users associated with a plurality of tenants is obtained from a session database, and queried. The session launch data is analyzed for session launch activity. An update time is obtained based on the analysis. A component of the multi-tenant virtualization system is updated at the determined update time. During the updating, new sessions by the plurality of end users associated with the plurality of tenants are prevented from launching.

Virtual desktops provide access to applications, such as Microsoft WORD stored in a public or private cloud, to remote users, who can access the applications via a virtual desktop infrastructure such as XENDESKTOP or XENAPP, by Citrix Systems, Inc. of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. This allows users to work from various locations, such as a location that is not the user's home or office, due to the centralized nature of the application that is being accessed by the users.
For example, XENDESKTOP manages and delivers applications to a user by supporting hypervisors, to create virtual machines to run applications and desktops for the user. Using XENAPP, any type of application on a WINDOWS Operating System (OS) by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond Wash.) or a Linux Operating System OS, running on a public cloud, a private cloud, or a hybrid (e.g., partially public and partially private) cloud, can be centrally managed and delivered on-demand to many different users worldwide. Using XENDESKTOP, any type of application or server-hosted desktop on a WINDOWS or Linux OS, running on a public cloud, a private cloud, or a hybrid cloud, can be centrally managed and delivered on-demand to many different users worldwide.
One issue with respect to virtual environments that affect one or more remote users at different locations is performing upgrades at times that have as minimal effect on users as possible, since users that are adversely affected by downtimes when upgrades are being performed may become upset and thus unwilling to use such services in the future.

Upgrade/downtime scheduling using end user session launch data


In a cross-connection network including first and second matrix switching units supplied with input digital signals through a branching circuit, first through N-th transmit switching circuits includes primary and secondary first through primary and secondary N-th transmit input terminals connected to primary and secondary first through primary and secondary N-th matrix output terminals of the first and the second matrix switching units, respectively, first through N-th transmit output terminals, and primary and secondary first through primary and secondary N-th abnormal signal detectors, respectively. The transmit switching circuits supply the input digital signals from the primary transmit input terminals to the transmit output terminals, respectively, when the secondary abnormal signal detectors detect abnormalities of the input digital signals, respectively. The transmit switching circuits supply the input digital signals from the secondary transmit input terminals to the transmit output terminals, respectively, when the primary abnormal signal detectors detect abnormalities of the input digital signals, respectively. The transmit switching circuits may supply the input digital signals from the primary transmit input terminals to the transmit output terminals, respectively, when secondary demand data detectors detect switch demand data of the input digital signals that represent failures of matrix switching circuits included in the matrix switching units, respectively. The transmit switching circuits may supply the input digital signals from the secondary transmit input terminals to the transmit output terminals, respectively, when primary switch demand data detectors detect the switch demand data, respectively.

This invention relates to a cross-connection network comprising first and second matrix switching units.
In the manner which will later be described more in detail, a conventional cross-connection network comprises first through N-th input lines, a branching circuit, first and second matrix switching units, a controller, and first through N-th transmit switching circuits, where N represents an integer greater than one.
The first through the N-th input lines receive first through N-th input digital signals, respectively. The branching circuit has first through N-th input terminals, primary first through primary N-th output terminals, and secondary first through secondary N-th output terminals. The first through the N-th input terminals are connected to the first through the N-th input lines, to the primary first through the primary N-th output terminals, and to the secondary first through the secondary N-th output terminals, respectively.
The first matrix switching unit has primary first through primary N-th matrix input terminals identified by primary input terminal codes, respectively, and primary first through primary N-th matrix output terminals identified by primary output terminal codes, respectively. The first matrix switching unit comprises primary first through primary M-th matrix switching circuits arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, where M represents an integer greater than four. The primary first through the primary N-th matrix input terminals are connected to the primary first through the primary N-th output terminals, respectively. The first matrix switching unit selectively connects the primary first through the primary N-th matrix input terminals to the primary first through the primary N-th matrix output terminals.
The second matrix switching unit has secondary first through secondary N-th matrix input terminals identified by secondary input terminal codes, respectively, and secondary first through secondary N-th matrix output terminals identified by secondary output terminal codes, respectively. The second matrix switching unit comprises secondary first through secondary M-th matrix switching circuits arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. The secondary first through the secondary N-th matrix input terminals are connected to the secondary first through the secondary N-th output terminals, respectively. The second matrix switching unit selectively connects the secondary first through the secondary N-th matrix input terminals to the secondary first through the secondary N-th matrix output terminals.
The controller comprises a memory and a control unit. The memory memorizes connection information signals indicating, in correspondence to the primary and the secondary input terminal codes, designated ones, not greater in number than N, of the primary output terminal codes and of the secondary output terminal codes. The control unit is connected to the memory and the first and the second matrix switching units. The control unit controls in accordance with the connection information signals the first matrix switching unit to make the first matrix switching unit cross connect the primary first through the primary N-th matrix input terminals to ones of the primary first through the primary N-th matrix output terminals that are identified by the designated ones of the primary output terminal codes. The control unit controls the second matrix switching unit to make the second matrix switching unit cross connect the secondary first through the secondary N-th matrix input terminals to ones of the secondary first through the secondary N-th matrix output terminals that are identified by the designated ones of the secondary output terminal codes.
The first through the N-th transmit switching circuits comprise primary first through primary N-th transmit input terminals, secondary first through secondary N-th transmit input terminals, first through N-th transmit output terminals, primary first through primary N-th abnormal signal detectors, and secondary first through secondary N-th abnormal signal detectors, respectively. The primary first through the primary N-th transmit input terminals are connected to the primary first through the primary N-th matrix output terminals, respectively. The primary first through the primary N-th transmit input terminals receive the first through the N-th input digital signals through the branching circuit and the first matrix switching unit, respectively. The secondary first through the secondary N-th transmit input terminals are connected to the secondary first through the secondary N-th matrix output terminals, respectively. The secondary first through secondary N-th transmit input terminals receive the first through the N-th input digital signals through the branching circuit and the second matrix switching unit, respectively. The primary first through the primary N-th abnormal signal detectors detects primary abnormalities of the first through the N-th input digital signals supplied thereto, respectively. The secondary first through the secondary N-th abnormal signal detectors detects secondary abnormalities of the first through the N-th input digital signals supplied thereto, respectively. All of the first through the N-th transmit switching circuits supply the first through the N-th input digital signals from the primary first through the primary N-th transmit input terminals to the first through the N-th transmit output terminals, respectively, when one of the secondary first through the secondary N-th abnormal detectors detects one of the secondary abnormalities of the first through the N-th input digital signals. All of the first through the N-th transmit switching circuits supply the secondary first through the secondary N-th input digital signals from the secondary first through the secondary N-th transmit input terminals to the first through the N-th transmit output signals, respectively, when one of primary first through the primary N-th abnormal signal detectors detects one of the primary abnormalities of the first through the N-th input digital signals.
It is impossible to use the first matrix switching unit when a failure appears in each of the primary first through the primary M-th matrix switching circuits. It is impossible to use the second matrix switching unit when a failure appears in each of the secondary first through the secondary M-th matrix switching circuits. Consequently, the conventional cross-connection network system is impossible to reliably transmit transmission signals.


A reference voltage generator circuit may include at least one MOS transistor and at least one bipolar transistor coupled together to provide an electrical path from an input reference potential to an output of the generator circuit. The electrical path may extend through a gate-to-source path of the MOS transistor and further through a base-to-emitter path of the bipolar transistor. The MOS transistor may be biased by a bias current that is proportional to T2·μ(T), where T represents absolute temperature and μ(T) represents mobility of a MOS transistor in the bias current generator. Optionally, the reference voltage generator may include N MOS and M multiple bipolar transistors (N≧1, M≧1), and the output reference voltage may be N*VGS+M*VBE as compared to the input reference potential.

Many integrated circuit designs, especially those used for mobile devices, desire low powered solutions to improve system performance and battery life. The generation of an accurate reference voltage conventionally utilizes circuits that include one or more resistors. In a low power environment, the size of resistors can become very large and thus the required chip area becomes very large in most integrated processes. Therefore, a need exists for a low power solution to produce an accurate reference voltage that only requires a small chip area.

Reference voltage generators for integrated circuits


An object of the present invention is to provide a compound that is resistant to decomposition even when coming into contact with a magnetic head, while enabling a reduced spacing between the magnetic head and a magnetic disk, and to provide a lubricant comprising the compound, and a magnetic disk comprising the compound. The present invention relates to a compound represented by formula (1), a lubricant comprising the compound, and a magnetic disk comprising the compound:C6H6-i—[O—(CH2)n—O—CH2—R—CH2—X]i  (1)wherein n is an integer of 2 to 6; i is an integer of 2 or 3; X is a group represented by —OH, —O—(CH2)m—OH, —OCH2CH(OH)CH2OH, —OCH2CH(OH)CH2O—C6H5, or —OCH2CH(OH)CH2O—C6H4—OCH3; m is an integer of 1 to 6; R is —(CF2)pO(CF2O)x(CF2CF2O)y(CF2CF2CF2O)z(CF2CF2CF2CF2O)w(CF2)p—; x and y are each a real number of 0 to 30; z is a real number of 0 to 30; w is a real number of 0 to 20; and p is an integer of 1 to 3.

With the increased recording density of magnetic disks, the distance between a magnetic disk serving as a recording medium and a head for recording and reproducing information has become almost nil as they approach coming into contact with each other. The magnetic disk surface is provided with a carbon protective, film and a lubricant film to diminish abrasion caused by contact with the head or sliding of the head thereon, and to prevent contamination of the disk surface. The carbon protective film is typically formed by sputtering or CVD. The disk surface is protected by two films, i.e., the carbon protective film and the lubricant film provided thereover. In particular, the lubricant layer provided on the top must have various properties, such as long-term stability, chemical resistance, friction properties, and heat resistance.
Conventionally used lubricants for magnetic disks are fluoropolyethers having functional groups, such as hydroxyl and amino, at their molecular terminals. However, fluoropolyether-based lubricants have low durability against Lewis acids. When the lubricants come into contact with the magnetic head, their backbone is cleaved by alumina (Al2O3; contained in a magnetic head component, whereby the lubricants become lower molecules, ultimately dissipating from the magnetic disk surface. Thus, the film formed by such lubricants cannot be maintained in a system where the magnetic head comes into contact with the magnetic disk or slides on the magnetic disk,
A recent rapid increase in the information recording density of magnetic disks requires a reduction in magnetic spacing between the magnetic head and the recording layer of the magnetic disk. It is thus becoming important to further reduce the thickness of the lubricant layer present between the magnetic head and the recording layer of the magnetic disk.
In response to this need, fluoropolyether-based lubricants have been proposed which have functional groups at their molecular terminals and in the middle of the molecular chains (e.g., Patent Documents 1 to 4). Patent Document 1 teaches that the use of a lubricant having hydroxyl both in the molecular chain and at the molecular terminals reduces the thickness of one molecule even when the lubricant is highly polymerized. Patent Document 2 teaches that the use of a lubricant having hydroxyl at the molecular terminals and in the center of the molecular chain, optionally with an aromatic ring in the center of the molecular chain, reduces the thickness of a lubricant layer while enabling high film coverage. Patent Document 3 teaches that the use of a compound having an aromatic ring at the molecular terminals and in the center of the molecular chain can improve the heat resistance. Patent Document 4 teaches that the use of a lubricant having hydroxyl at the molecular terminals and a benzene ring in the center of the molecular chain reduces the thickness of one molecule to thereby reduce the spacing between the head and the disk, thus enabling durability against sliding.
However, neither of Patent Documents 1 to 4 discloses a lubricant that can reduce the thickness of one molecule to thereby reduce the spacing between the magnetic head and the magnetic disk, while being resistant to decomposition by alumina when coming into contact with the magnetic head.

Fluoropolyether compound, lubricant containing same, and magnetic disk


An electronic device includes first to n-th cells (‘n’ is an integer of 2 or more) that receive spatial-temporal input signals that indicate an event unit in a time window, a summation circuit that sums first to n-th cell signals recorded in the first to n-th cells for each of first to m-th unit times (‘m’ is an integer of 2 or more) dividing the time window to generate first to m-th summation signals, and an encoding circuit that compares each of the first to m-th summation signals with a threshold value to encode the spatial-temporal input signals into a code of the event unit.

Embodiments relate to an electronic device for encoding an event indicated by spatial-temporal input signals and a method of operating the same.
A neuron constructing a neural network may receive signals from neighboring neurons. The neuron may fire when a magnitude of an accumulative signal by the received signals exceeds a certain level, and may transmit a new spike signal to other neurons.
Method for modeling a spike signal that is output from the neuron, may be largely divided into a method of modeling a precise formation process and a shape for the spike signal, using an electrical circuit, and a method of encoding an array of spike signals obtained by simplifying whether the spike signal is generated to logic values (e.g., 0 or 1) of one signal. In the latter case, the array of the spike signals may include both information related to spaces of neurons generating the spike signals and information related to time indicating whether the spike signals is generated in the neurons. It is necessary to correctly encode the spike signals with spatial-temporal information.

Electronic device for encoding event indicated by spatial-temporal input signals and operating method thereof

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present invention provides a partially radiolucent, partially radiopaque marker and a method for using such a marker for radiographic examination. The marker and the disclosed method may be employed for the examination of tissue structures of various densities. The radiographic density and thickness of the marker are selected so that when the marker and an underlying tissue structure are exposed to x-ray radiation of a specified energy, the marker casts a legible shadow without obscuring anatomical detail present in the underlying tissue structure. The invention also provides a system of partially radiolucent, partially radiopaque markers for use in the method of radiographic examination taught by the invention.

This present invention relates generally to the field of a radiography and, more particularly, to a marker of intermediate density and a method of radiographic examination using such a marker. The invention further relates to a system of radiographic markers for use in such a method.
To convey pertinent information on radiographic film, radiologists and technicians frequently use markers which absorb x-rays and cast a shadow when placed within the x-ray exposure field. Such markers are positioned either directly on a patient undergoing radiographic examination or on the cassette holding the radiographic film.
For example, right and left markers are routinely used to designate the anatomical orientation of the patient or to identify a particular extremity being examined. Markers are also used in trauma cases to localize the trauma site by placing the marker on the skin surface at the appropriate location prior to x-ray exposure. Further, markers are often placed on the surface of the examination table or the film cassette, within the exposure field but outside the image of the patient, to define the patient's physical orientation in relationship to the x-ray beam or the film, i.e., erect, prone, supine or decubitus.
In the past, radiographic markers have been constructed of materials having a high atomic number such as, for example, lead, mercury, steel or heavy metal salts. When exposed to x-rays, markers having such high density completely attenuate the x-ray beam and cast a distinct shadow that is readily apparent on the x-ray film. The disadvantage here is that any tissue detail that falls within the shadow of the marker will be completely obscured. Metallic markers also create problems when employed in computerized tomography (CT) applications. CT scanners, which typically operate in the range of 60 to 80 KV, cannot tolerate the presence of metallic objects in the radiographic field. Such dense objects cause streaking which degrades the radiographic image. This problem is made more acute by the fact that the marker must have sufficient surface area to be imaged in at least one section radio graphed by the scanner. A metallic marker having the required surface area would completely disrupt the scanning apparatus.
Accordingly, it has been the practice of those skilled in the art of general radiography to place such markers on the patient or the radiographic film outside the area of clinical concern. This practice encourages increasing the size of the x-ray field to ensure that the image of an important marker appears on the film. Unfortunately, one result of such a practice is that the patient's body is exposed to potentially harmful radiation beyond the specific site being examined. In cases where a radiographic examination is conducted and the image of a marker is not clearly visible within the exposure field, the exam is often repeated to either enlarge the exposure field or to reposition the marker. Again, the unfortunate result is that the patient is exposed to greater dosage of potentially harmful radiation.
To precisely locate a tissue area of particular concern on the radiographic film following exposure, there are circumstances where a marker is placed on a patient and purposely imaged while overlying anatomical structures. In such a case, it is the usual practice of those skilled in the art to use a small, metal, spherical marker measuring no more than about 1 to 2 mm in diameter. While the shadow from such a small marker is less likely to obscure important tissue detail, the shadow may be mistaken for a physiological calcification or an opaque foreign body. Further, because such a marker is necessarily of small size with a correspondingly small shadow, there is an inherent difficulty in discerning variations in the size and shape of the marker's image on the film. Thus, the information that can be conveyed by markers of this type is limited.
Finally, markers comprising lead, mercury and other toxic heavy metals cannot be deposited in landfills or incinerated and thus present a potential environmental hazard if improperly disposed of. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that during radiographic examination procedures markers are often contaminated by body fluids. While contaminated markers can be sterilized, to save time and expense they are, more typically, discarded after only a single use.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a radiographic marker which may be placed on a tissue structure and imaged without obscuring underlying anatomical detail.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such marker which is constructed from non-toxic material.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide markers of this type in various sizes and shapes to convey pertinent information on radiographic film.
It is another object of the invention to provide a marker for use in CT applications which may be placed on a tissue structure and imaged without obscuring underlying anatomical detail.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method of radiographic examination using such markers.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Intermediate density marker and a method using such a marker for radiographic examination


A camera module may include a substrate, and an image sensor mounted on the substrate. The camera module may also include a housing, and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield provided around the image sensor and within the module. The camera module may be particularly suited for use in a mobile telephone, for example.

Digital image sensing based upon solid state technology is known. The two most common types of image sensors currently may be charge coupled devices (CCDs) and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors. Digital image sensors may be incorporated within a wide variety of devices throughout the consumer, industrial, defence, and other sectors.
An image sensor is a device that may comprise one or more radiation sensitive elements having an electrical property that changes when radiation is incident upon them, together with circuitry for converting the changed electrical property into a signal. As an example, an image sensor may comprise a photodetector that generates a charge when radiation is incident upon it. The photodetector may be sensitive to electromagnetic radiation in the range of (human) visible wavelengths, or other neighboring wavelength ranges, such as, infra-red or ultra-violet, for example. Circuitry may be provided that collects and carries the charge from the radiation sensitive element for conversion to a value representing the intensity of incident radiation.
Typically, more than one radiation sensitive element may be provided in an array. The term pixel is used as a shorthand for picture element. In the context of a digital image sensor, a pixel may refer to that portion of the image sensor that contributes one value representative of the radiation intensity at that point on the array. These pixel values may be combined to reproduce a scene that is to be imaged by the sensor. A plurality of pixel values may be referred to collectively as image data. Pixels may usually be formed on and/or within a semiconductor substrate. In fact, the radiation sensitive element may comprise only a part of the pixel and only part of the pixel's surface area (the proportion of the pixel area that the radiation sensitive element takes up may be known as the fill factor). Other parts of the pixel may be taken up by metallization, such as, transistor gates and so on. Other image sensor components, such as readout electronics, analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, and so on, may be provided at least partially as part of each pixel, depending on the pixel architecture.
A digital image sensor may be formed on and/or within a semiconductor substrate, for example, silicon. The sensor die may be connected to or form an integral subsection of a printed circuit board (PCB). A camera module may be a packaged assembly that may comprise a substrate, an image sensor, and a housing. The housing may comprise optical components, for example, one or more lenses. Camera modules of this type may be provided in various shapes and sizes for use with different types of devices, for example, mobile telephones, webcams, and optical mice, to name but a few.
Various other elements may be included as part of the module, for example, infra-red filters, lens actuators, and so on. The substrate of the module may also comprise further circuitry for read-out of the image data and for post processing, depending upon the chosen implementation. For example, in system on a chip (SoC) implementations, various image post processing functions may be carried out on a PCB substrate that forms part of the camera module. Alternatively, a co-processor may be provided as a dedicated circuit component for separate connection to and operation with the camera module.
Electronic devices may be sensitive to electromagnetic fields. The effect is known as electromagnetic interference (EMI). Unwanted electromagnetic fields can interfere with the correct operation of the electronic devices. As well as being sensitive to EMI, electronic devices can also generate EMI that can degrade the performance of the devices themselves, or of other electronic components. It may be desirable for electronic devices that they are electromagnetically compatible for use in the specific environment for which they are designed. Electromagnetic compatibility may be referred to as EMC.
In general, unwanted EMI may be dealt with in two ways: either by electrical or circuit level modifications, or by physical shielding. Of course a combination of both types may be used for a particular device as appropriate. Electrical techniques for dealing with EMI emissions from a device may include modifying the timing of clock signals by frequency modulation so that spectral density is reduced. This may not reduce the overall energy of the emitted EMI, but it may reduce unwanted peaks, which would block frequency channels for data communication or other purposes. At the circuit level, the length of path that may act to transmit or receive EMI can be reduced. It may also be possible to introduce lossy components and relatively low impedance paths to a ground to suppress noise.
Physical techniques may predominantly use shielding in the form of conductive layers or ground planes. Shields may act to absorb EMI or to reflect it, depending on the type and quantity of material that is used.
Existing shielding approaches for camera modules may include a metal can, electroplating, or conductive paint. All of these techniques may be applied to the outside of the module.
However, a metal may add significant weight and bulk to the overall assembly. The forming process for manufacturing a metal may have a relatively poor yield, and the design of components within the module, such as, lens actuators, and so on, may have to take into account the specific structure of the metal can in advance, in the design process. The connection to ground of the metal may also present problems, as it may rely on metallized sockets, or, in the case of flexed camera modules, a more complicated grounding chain, which may have poor reliability.
Electroplating is relatively expensive to apply and often requires multiple passes of a plating applicator to achieve satisfactory coating. Coated modules also bond with conductive glue or paste to maintain a conductive path to the shield ground. The electroplated coatings may be easily scratched or damaged during handling, which may result in visual defects and foreign matter causing optical occlusion or electrical shorting.
Conductive paint is relatively cheaper to apply, however, the masking of the paint may present issues, and consistent application may be difficult. Use of conductive paint may also involve an additional curing process, adding time and expense to the manufacturing process.
Trends in the manufacture of electronic devices increasingly consider EMI. For example, in the mobile telephone industry, there is a relatively strong desire to increase battery life, while providing multiple functions on one device. Additionally, there is a desire to reliably receive weaker signals to maintain communications. The weaker signals and sensitive antennas mean that unwanted EMI has a greater effect on the signal quality for voice and data calls. Pressure on pricing also means that, in addition to the desire for robust EMI shielding, the manufacturing process may be as efficient as possible.

Electromagnetic shielding for camera modules

STMICROELECTRONICS (RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT) LIMITED


The media inherent key storing unit 220 prestores an inherent key Ki, the conversion unit 230 generates an encrypted inherent key Ji from the inherent key read from the media inherent key storing unit 220, the random number generating unit 331 generates a random number R1, the encryption unit 252 generates an encrypted random number S1, the decryption unit 333 generates a random number R′1 from the encrypted random number R1, and the mutual authentication control unit 334 compares the random number R′1 with the random number R1 and, if the random number R′1 matches the random number R1, judges that the memory card 200 is an authorized device. If the memory card 200 and the memory card writer have successfully authenticated each other, the memory card writer encrypts a content using a decrypted inherent key. If the memory card 200 and the memory card reader have successfully authenticated each other, the memory card reader decrypts an encrypted content using the decrypted inherent key.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for distributing digital contents, such as digitized documents, audio, images, and programs, via a network to allow users to record the contents on recording media and to reproduce the recorded contents. In particular, the present invention relates to a system for protecting digital contents from unauthorized recording and reproduction.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, techniques for distributing digital contents, such as digitized documents, audio, images, and programs, via networks, such as the Internet, have been devised. The techniques allow users to easily record and reproduce the distributed contents.
While having an advantage that users can easily replicate digital contents, the techniques also have a problem that copyrights owned by authors of the digital contents can be easily infringed.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


Embodiments of the invention relate to an electro-optic device comprising a first region of silicon semiconductor material and a second region of III-V semiconductor material. A waveguide of the optical device is formed in part by a ridge in the second region. An optical mode of the waveguide is laterally confined by the ridge of the second region and vertically confined by a vertical boundary included in the first region. The ridge structure further serves as a current confinement structure over the active region of the electro-optic device, eliminating the need for implantation or other structures that are known to present reliability problems during manufacturing. The lack of “voids” and implants in electro-optic devices according to embodiments of the invention leads to better device reliability, process repeatability and improved mechanical strength.

Semiconductor photonic devices, such as lasers, have an active structure in which electrons and holes are converted into photons to produce optical emissions. FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of prior art semiconductor laser 100. When a positive electrode is connected to p-type electrical contact 106 and negative electrodes are connected to n-type electrical contacts 112, and a voltage is applied, laser 100 becomes forward biased. Electrical current (i.e., holes and electrons) is injected towards active layer 109. Holes in p-type region 108 move in a direction away from p-type electrical contact 106 toward n-type electrical contacts 112. Electrons in n-type layer 110 move in a direction away from n-type contacts 112 toward p-type electrical contact 106. The active structure of laser 100 includes optical mode 113 and the portion of active layer 109 included in optical mode 113. As the holes and electrons meet at the active structure, the holes and electrons combine to emit light.
Regions 107 are implanted in order to inhibit electrical conduction and force the electrical current to flow from p-type electrical contact 106 through region 111 and into the portion of active layer 109 that overlaps optical mode 113. Implant regions 107 present reliability issues for device 100, as proton implanted regions cannot be too close to the active region of the device due to concerns about implant damage causing current to spread and leak outside of the confined area
The prior art laser of FIG. 1 further includes silicon waveguide 104 formed on a silicon on insulator substrate that includes silicon top layer 101, silicon dioxide layer 102 and silicon substrate 103. Silicon waveguide 104 is formed by etched regions 105 included in silicon top layer 101.
Etched regions 105 cause several detrimental effects for laser 100. Creating said regions results in voids in the structure that reduce the mechanical strength of the device. These waveguide confinement structures further result in the device having poor thermal performance due to material loss where the material was etched away to form regions 105. The areas that heat may dissipate away from the laser's active region are also restricted due to regions 105 and layer 102. Prior art solutions to improve thermal performance have included creating thermal shunts in a lasing device, but this solution requires additional processing steps.
Descriptions of certain details and implementations follow, including a description of the figures, which may depict some or all of the embodiments described below, as well as discussing other potential embodiments or implementations of the inventive concepts presented herein. An overview of embodiments of the invention is provided below, followed by a more detailed description with reference to the drawings.


A wiper dart includes one or more wiper elements disposed about a mandrel, each wiper element comprising a wiper cup that extends radially outward and rearwardly relative to the mandrel, and a nose assembly coupled to the mandrel. A drive element is disposed about the mandrel and includes a shoe and a cup coupled to the shoe. The cup extends radially outward and rearwardly from the shoe and exhibits a maximum diameter less than or equal to a maximum diameter of the one or more wiper elements, and the shoe provides at least one of axial and radial support to the cup.

In the oil and gas industry, wellbores are commonly completed by cementing wellbore liner (e.g., casing, liner, etc.) into the drilled borehole. In some cementation operations, a wiper dart (alternately referred to as a dart, a wiper plug, a cementing plug, a drill pipe dart, and a drill pipe wiping dart) is pumped downhole to hydraulically force a cement slurry through the wellbore liner and out into the open wellbore. The cement slurry exits the wellbore liner and flows into an annulus defined between the wellbore liner and the wellbore wall where it eventually cures to provide a cement sheath that secures the wellbore liner within the wellbore.
Wiper darts are typically pumped downhole through a work string extended into the wellbore, including multiple lengths of drill pipe or other tubulars connected end to end. Wiper darts commonly have one or more wiper elements or "cups" that flare radially outward to sealingly engage the inner diameter of the work string. The wiper elements help generate a pressure differential across the wiper dart by preventing fluid flow across the wiper dart as it is pumped downhole. Moreover, the wiper elements also serve to "wipe" the inner wall of the work string and thereby substantially remove the cement slurry from the work string.
Wiper darts are often required to pass through varying inner diameters as they are pumped downhole. For instance, multiple tubing sizes are commonly used within the same work string, and each tubing size can exhibit a different inner diameter. Moreover, wiper darts are also often required to pass through minimum restrictions provided by various downhole tools, such as a cement head, safety valves, a crossover tool, diverter tools, liner hangers, liner plug assemblies, and other conventional wellbore cementing tools. Accordingly, not only does a wiper dart have to effectively seal and wipe a variety of inner diameters as it is pumped downhole, it must also successfully pass through various minimum restrictions while performing these vital functions. Such small inner diameters or restrictions are collectively referred to herein as "reduced diameter restrictions." Due to the immense amount of friction caused by the wiper elements as they pass through reduced diameter restrictions, the wiper dart can become stuck and may not reach its final destination. As can be appreciated, retrieving a stuck wiper dart can be a costly and time-consuming operation.

Wiper dart with reinforced drive element


A system for content sharing and methods for making and using the same. The content sharing system enables a smooth and easy exchange of electronic data.

Physical business cards can help professionals network and share contact information. However, to produce a business card, it needs to be purchased, designed, printed, and always carried around. When contact information is updated or cards run out, the process repeats.
Furthermore, although traditional methods of exchanging contact information (e.g., physical business cards) have their place, exchanging electronic contact information is growing in popularity. The modern content sharing platform includes various applications, such as, short message service (SMS) text messages, electronic mail (e-mail), near-field communication (NFC) (e.g., AirDrop from Apple®), standard Bluetooth, social media platforms (e.g., Facebook® Messenger, WhatsApp®, Twitter®, Facebook®, LinkedIn®, and so on), wireless-fidelity (wi-fi), quick response (QR) codes (e.g., WeChat®, Camcard®), and so on. With one of these applications installed on your phone, a digital fingerprint can be exchanged.
However, while these platforms provide a unique way of sharing content with another person, they cannot provide a seamless user experience. For example, these platforms cannot provide a seamless method for scanning nearby devices, filtering those scanned devices, pairing a selected device, and bidirectionally exchange data between the paired devices. Some conventional solutions also rely on physical gestures (e.g., shaking the phone) so that the phone's accelerometer can trigger a connection. Often, even after a connection, these platforms can accidentally disconnect and the process must be repeated. Once connected, conventional solutions then require on-screen navigation through complicated applications, such as by clicking through photos or filtering through an electronic contact book. Unless the connection is then manually disconnected, conventional platforms do not disconnect devices, thereby draining power and wasting resources of mobile devices.
Even further, these conventional solutions are not always secure. In some cases, the conventional application allows the user to limit whether they can exchange electronic information with only contacts or with anyone. Limiting digital exchanges to only contacts defeats the purpose of exchanging digital contact information with new users. In other words, this requires a manual exchange of contact information before any digital information can be sent. But, allowing communication with all contacts can be unsafe. When scanning for a target phone to exchange information with, multiple phones are often detected based on proximity. This means that users can inadvertently share digital information with all detected phones within proximity at the accidental click of a button. Often, there is no recourse to undo this action.
In fact, conventional solutions typically do not allow users to control the distance that phones are detected. This is typically defined by the limits of the communication medium (e.g., Bluetooth proximity or NFC ranges). Conventional solutions that rely on NFC require the two phones to be in very close proximity. And conventional NFC-based data exchange is very slow for two-way communication (the exchange for conventional NFC-based systems is a single direction at a time), which is not ideal for quick networking and exchanging contact information.
As a further disadvantage, conventional applications diminish the user experience as there is a set-up required. Some require a physical scan of a QR code or a request to message over a social media platform. This can include accessing the camera, generating the QR code, pointing the camera to read the code/card/phone, and so on.
For standard Bluetooth, the devices first need to be paired, taking time and effort. To share contacts with multiple users, each device needs to be separately paired. But any existing connection needs to be first unpaired before pairing with a new device. This is not practical, for example, at a public setting when trying to exchange contacts quickly
Similarly, for wi-fi, the devices need access to a common network. Security is quickly lost on public networks. In other examples, conventional content sharing application typically require a socket to communicate, thereby requiring a server. This means that data transfer can occur only when the server and/or both users are online.
Other conventional solutions require that smart devices (e.g., phones or tablets) are brought into physical contact with one another, thereby limiting content sharing with another user at a time. Sharing with multiple users becomes time consuming and inefficient. Even further, these solutions fail to address the desire for contactless data solutions in the modern world.
Conventional platforms for video and/or audio conferencing are similarly not well suited for seamlessly exchanging electronic content. For example, users can exchange contacts by sending a private chat message through these video conferencing platforms. However, users can only see who is connected during the call. Once the conference has ended, there is not an easy method to connect with other participants. In other words, these platforms rarely provide meeting memory so once the network session ends, associated chat windows are closed and contact information can be lost.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for an improved system for data exchange in an effort to overcome the aforementioned obstacles and deficiencies of conventional content management methods.
It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions are generally represented by like reference numerals for illustrative purposes throughout the figures. It also should be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the preferred embodiments. The figures do not illustrate every aspect of the described embodiments and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

Method and system for proximity-based contact transfer


An aspect of the present invention includes a circuit having a cascoded H-bridge, an upper voltage supply component, a lower voltage supply component and a pre-driver component. The cascoded H-bridge is arranged to provide a driving signal for driving a load. The upper voltage supply component can provide an upper supply voltage to the cascoded H-bridge. The lower voltage supply component can provide a lower supply voltage to the cascoded H-bridge. The pre-driver component can provide a pre-driving signal to the cascoded H-bridge, wherein pre-driver component has a first voltage source and a second voltage source. The first voltage source can provide an upper swing voltage and the second voltage source can provide a lower swing voltage. The pre-driver component can provide the pre-driving signal based on the upper swing voltage, the lower swing voltage and one of the upper supply voltage and the lower supply voltage.

The present invention generally relates to H-bridge transmitters.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional H-bridge transmitter. While H-bridge transmitters can be used in a plurality of driver applications, H-bridge operation is explained below using a low voltage DC electric motor application.
In the figure, conventional H-bridge transmitter 100 includes an H-bridge 102, an upper reference voltage source 104 and a lower reference voltage source 106. H-bridge 102 includes a Field Effect Transistor (FET) 108, a FET 110, a FET 112 and a FET 114. FET 108 is an NMOS FET, FET 110 is an NMOS FET, FET 112 is a PMOS FET and FET 114 is a PMOS FET.
As shown in the figure, FET 108 is arranged to be the upper left leg of H-bridge 102, whereas FET 110 is arranged to be the upper right leg of H-bridge 102. FET 112 is arranged to be the lower left leg of H-bridge 102, whereas FET 114 is arranged to be the lower right leg of H-bridge 102.
An input signal 116 drives the gate FET 108 and an input signal 118 drives the gate of FET 110. An input signal 120 drives the gate of FET 112 and an input signal 122 drives the gate FET 114. An output terminal 124 and an output terminal 126 are arranged as the transmitter outputs of H-bridge 102. A transmission load 128, as applied across output terminal 124 and output terminal 126, represents the load which H-bridge transmitter 100 drives.
Upper reference voltage source 104 and a lower reference voltage source 106 set the voltage swing limits between output terminals 124 and 126, and thus to transmission load 128. The signal amplitude and polarity across transmission load 128 is set by input signals 116, 118, 120 and 122.
For purposes of discussion, consider the operation of H-bridge 102 for a conventional basic low voltage DC motor control. In a first state, input signals 116 and 122 actuate the gates of FETs 108 and 114, respectively, whereas input signals 118 and 120 do not actuate the gates of FETs 110 and 112, respectively. In this first state, the current would run from output terminal 124 through transmission load 128 to output terminal 126, such that the motor would turn in a first direction. In a second state, input signals 116 and 122 do not actuate the gates of FETs 108 and 114, respectively, whereas input signals 118 and 120 actuate the gates of FETs 110 and 112, respectively. In this second state, the current would run from output terminal 126 through transmission load 128 to output terminal 124, such that the motor would turn in a second direction, opposite ID the first direction.
However, for high DC voltage applications, the CMOS based H-bridge implementation described above presents a challenge in supporting the necessary voltage swings without transistor damage.
What is needed is an H-bridge transmitter utilizing CMOS logic, but where the design supports the output drive voltages conventionally supported only by the conventional higher voltage semiconductor technologies such as bipolar.


An apparatus and a computer-implemented method performed by a computerized device, comprising: generating a collection of test data for testing one or more domains, wherein the test data is useful for post-silicon verification of hardware devices; selecting a subset of the collection of test data in accordance with a hardware device to be tested and at least one of the domains to be tested with respect to the hardware device; and indexing the subset of the collection of test data to obtain an indexed collection.

Computerized devices control almost every aspect of our life—from writing documents to controlling traffic lights. However, computerized devices are bug-prone, and thus require a testing phase in which the bugs should be discovered. The testing phase is considered one of the most difficult tasks in designing a computerized device. The cost of not discovering a bug may be enormous, as the consequences of the bug may be disastrous. For example, a bug may cause the injury of a person relying on the designated behavior of the computerized device. Additionally, a bug in hardware or firmware of a marketed product may be expensive to fix, as patching it requires call-back of the computerized device. Hence, many developers of computerized devices invest a substantial portion of the development cycle to discover erroneous behaviors of the computerized device.
The target computerized system may be a processor, a microprocessor, an electronic circuit, an integrated circuit, a chipset, a computerized device comprising a processor or the like. Testing such devices may comprise one or more pre-silicon stages and/or one or more post-silicon stages.
During the pre-silicon stages, devices are generally tested in a computerized environment simulating the functionality of the devices, such as using HDL simulator, emulators, hardware accelerators, and formal verification tools. In pre-silicon stages, the target computerized system may be described using a descriptive language, such as for example Verilog or VHDL.
Post-silicon validation and debug is the last step in the verification of a computerized device. Post-silicon validation tests occur on the actual devices running at-speed in commercial, real-world system boards, using logic analyzer and assertion-based tools.
In the present disclosure, fabricated target computerized system may be referred to as a circuit, silicon, processor, hardware device or simply device.
The post-silicon stage may refer to a stage once the target computerized system has been fabricated. For example, the post-silicon stage may be after the target computerized system is produced in accordance with a description provided in a descriptive language. It will be noted that the circuit may be different than a finalized product, such as for example comprising only a chip without a casing, being assembled manually, being only partially assembled, a manufactured wafer, or the like.
Modern chips may comprise hundreds of thousands of logic elements and a large number of functionalities and features. It is therefore highly time consuming to thoroughly test the chip, i.e., verify all its areas operate in accordance with the design. On the other hand, due to business-related reasons, it is of high importance that the chip is released on time without undue delays. The time window that is thus available for testing is bounded by receiving the device from the semiconductor fabrication plant (FAB) on the one hand, and the expected release date on the other hand.
It is therefore important to utilize this time window as intensively as possible, and perform the post-silicon validation with enhanced efficiency.
Exercisers are common tools for post-silicon testing. An exerciser is an application that is being loaded to the tested system, generates test cases, executes them, and checks their behavior or results. However, exercisers should be kept as simple as possible due to a number of reasons, including for example the need to debug the target platform, enabling high utilization of the testing platform, or the like.
Since hardware failures are extremely hard to debug, simple software is normally used in order to ease the effort. A complex exerciser may add a redundant level of complexity to the debug process.
An exerciser typically starts executing at an early stage of the bring-up of the device, when no operating system thus no sophisticated debug tools are available, and every operation is performed directly by the device with no abstraction level provided by the operating system.
The exerciser is executed by the device that it tests. Therefore, if the device has a bug, then the bug may be exhibited by the operation of the exerciser itself. It is thus preferable to use an exerciser that performs simple operations for its own functionality and utilizes the device extensively when test cases are executed.
In addition, in order to test some areas of a device, for example floating point operations, it may be required to generate a large amount of test data, including test data that is known to be complex.
However, generating such data is time consuming, which leads to poor utilization of the testing time window, since the tested device is idle while waiting for tests to be generated. Also, if the device is idle for significant part of the time, some errors or problems that occur only after continuous long period of operation of the device may not occur, thus providing non-representative test results. Moreover, generating the data may require complex computations by the exerciser.

Method and apparatus for post-silicon testing

International Business Machines Corporation


A lighting device according to the present invention includes: a curvedly shaped base chassis having a reflection layer on its inner surface; an optical sheet facing the reflection layer to output illuminating light of the lighting device; a light source group, disposed between the base chassis and the optical sheet, including first light sources and second light sources emitting light in mutually opposite directions; a light source substrate mounted with the light source group, and a light distribution adjusting member, covering the optical sheet side of the light source group, to direct light from the light source group into predetermined directions. The directions of light emission from the light source group are in parallel with the light output surface of the optical sheet. The reflection layer is curved such that a portion thereof on each of the two direction sides is concave away from the optical sheet.

The present invention relates to a lighting device and an image display device including the same as a backlight.
Besides being used for general illumination purposes, for example, for indoor and outdoor lighting, lighting devices are also used as backlight devices for non-luminescent display devices such as liquid crystal display devices. Lighting devices for use as backlight devices, in particular, are required to be low power consuming and durable, so that they use, in many cases, LEDs (light emitting diodes) as light sources.
Lighting devices using LEDs as light sources, particularly, planar lighting devices each have a wide light emitting surface for illuminating a wide area. Such planar lighting devices each have an optical system for forming light emitted from the LEDs into a uniform planar light source. Known techniques for realizing such planar lighting devices include one disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-236701. The backlight device described in the above patent document has a light guide plate including a groove-like concave portion on which side lighting LEDs are disposed and a diffuse reflection member provided on the underside of the light guide plate. The diffuse reflection member serves to uniformize brightness distribution so as to cause the liquid crystal panel of the planar lighting device to be uniformly irradiated with light.

Lighting device and image display device including the same


A method for doping silica soot with fluorine during laydown, including providing a bait rod, and providing a burner, wherein the burner emits a reactant flame. The method also including providing at least one first gas-feed separate from the burner, wherein the gas-feed supplies a first jet of fluorine-based gases, and depositing a layer of silica soot on the bait rod by vaporizing a silica producing gas within the reactant flame of the burner. The method further including supplying the first jet of fluorine-based gases to the silica soot deposited on to the bait rod via the first gas-feed subsequent to vaporizing at least a portion of the silica producing gas within the reactant flame of the burner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for creating an optical fiber, and more specifically, a method for doping silica soot with fluorine during laydown.
2. Technical Background
In the production of optical waveguide fibers, conventional chemical vapor deposition methods such as vapor axial deposition (VAD) and outside vapor deposition (OVD) use source compounds such as chlorides of silicon (SiCl4) and germanium (GeCl4). The source compounds are converted into vapor form using either bubblers or evaporators. The vapor is then transported into a flame and reacted with oxygen to form oxide soot particles. These soot particles may be doped with various elements and compounds to alter the relative refractive index of the resultant core or cladding segment as discussed below. These particles are collected on a rotating starting rod or bait tube in the case of VAD or rotating mandrel in the case of OVD. In some OVD systems, the cladding portion of the preform is deposited on a previously formed core preform or core cane, rather than on a mandrel.
Various elements and compounds may be added to the silica soot particles that alter the relative refractive index thereof. One such element, fluorine, is used as a xe2x80x9cdown-dopantxe2x80x9d or a dopant that decreases the refractive index of the corresponding core or cladding segment. While the use of fluorine as a dopant is advantageous in particular fiber profiles, the utilization of fluorine has numerous disadvantages and drawbacks associated with the doping process, or the process of adding the fluorine to the silica soot.
Historically, the doping of fluorine into silica soot particles has been achieved by passing a fluorine containing gas through the fume line and/or through the inner shield of an associated burner system. Typically, the flow of a silica producing gas flowing through the burner is regulated so as to attain a ratio of fluorine containing gases in the fume line to the silica producing gas of approximately 1 to 1. This ratio normally results in a fluorine incorporation in the silica soot of about 1.0 wt %. This level can be further increased to between approximately 1.7 wt % to 1.8 wt % with the addition of about 1 to 2 slpm of fluorine containing gas in the inner shield of the burner. In either case, the resultant deposition rate is relatively low, between 0.15 to 0.2 g/minute, with a large percent of the fluorine ending up as either hydrofluoric acid (HF), or as un-reacted initial fluorine gas exiting with the out-going fluent gases.
In the past, the fluorine containing gases that were selected as the doping gas were chosen from those gases that would not react easily with silica, such as CF4 and C2F6. This allowed the silica soot particles to form prior to reaction with the fluorine, and resulted in an overall increased doping effectiveness.
The inefficient reaction of the fluorine dopant coupled with the significant loss of fluorine in the outgoing fluent gases, as well as the potential release of harmful HF into the atmosphere are some of the problems typically associated with using fluorine as a silica dopant. A solution is needed therefore which allows for a more efficient method for doping silica soot with fluorine while simultaneously reducing waste of the fluorine dopant as well as the pollution associated with harmful fluoride gases.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a method for doping silica soot with fluorine during laydown, including providing a bait rod, and providing a burner, wherein the burner emits a reactant flame. The method also includes providing at least one first gas-feed separate from the burner, wherein the gas-feed supplies a first jet of fluorine-based gases, and depositing a layer of silica soot on the bait rod by vaporizing a silica producing gas within the reactant flame of the burner. The method further includes supplying the first jet of fluorine-based gases to the silica soot deposited onto the bait rod via the first gas-feed subsequent to vaporizing at least a portion of the silica producing gas within the reactant flame of the burner.
Another aspect of the invention is to provide an apparatus for doping silica soot with fluorine during the formation of an optical fiber, that includes a burner adapted to emit a reactant flame to vaporize a silica producing gas, and at least one first gas-feed separate from the burner, wherein the gas-feed is adapted to supply a first jet of fluorine-based gases. The reactant flame emitted from the burner is used to vaporize the silica producing gas thereby creating a silica soot which is deposited on a bait rod. The first gas-feed is oriented such that the first jet of fluorine-based gases contacts the silica soot subsequent to at least a portion of the silica producing gas being vaporized within the reactant flame of the burner.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows and will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description or recognized by practicing the invention as described in the invention which follows, together with the claims and the appended drawings.

Apparatus and method of doping silica with fluorine during laydown


A hydroponic system includes a channel-like trough formed of parallel side walls and an orthogonal bottom wall defining an upwardly opening coffer. A pair of oblique walls extend integrally from a medial portion of the bottom wall to respective medial portions of the side walls to define a V-shaped bottom in the interior of the trough. The oblique walls also strengthen the channel structure, and define with the bottom wall and side walls two closed longitudinal flow spaces extending the length of the trough. A pair of end caps are sealed to the ends of the trough, sealing the longitudinal flow spaces and forming a liquid retaining container. A longitudinally extending cover panel is configured to snap-engage the upper edges of the side walls of the trough. The cover panel is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced plant holes, and a plurality of plant supporting members are dimensioned to be supported in the plant holes. The plant holes that are not used are capped or plugged, so that there is no evaporation from the coffer, and no light to promote algae growth. A first pair of hose connectors extend through one end cap into the main chamber of the trough, one of the connectors being located at the bottom of the V-shaped trough, and the other located adjacent to the top of the trough. A second pair of hose connectors may be provided, each disposed to pump warm or cool liquid through the longitudinal flow spaces of the trough.

Hydroponic systems known in the prior art generally comprise a longitudinally extending trough or coffer having an upward opening, and a pumping system for circulating a nutrient solution through the container. It is also common to employ a growing medium such as sawdust, sand, gravel, exfoliated mineral products, rock wool cubes, or other media that provide structural support for the plant roots and easy circulation of the solution.
The upward opening of most hydroponic systems permits a large amount of evaporation from the system, causing a great deal of water loss. In a greenhouse setting, this has the effect of raising the humidity significantly and requiring the use of dehumidifiers and adding substantially to energy costs. In an outdoor setting the water loss must be compensated, requiring constant water level checking, and testing for nutrient concentration and pH level. Moreover, this waste of large amounts of water negates a major feature of hydroponics; i.e., its inherent conservation of materials and control of growing conditions.
The exposure of the container and its contents to light and sunlight also promotes the growth of algae and the like in the nutrient-rich media. This unwanted growth is parasitic in the system, in that is consumes nutrients intended for productive plant growth. Furthermore, the algae can clog the pumps and filters, causing increased maintenance costs and labor.
The growing media itself also fosters the growth of unwanted and damaging microorganisms, due to the non-sterile nature of the media and the fertile growing conditions. Such microorganisms can attack the plants directly, or can cause indirect damage through toxin release, pH changes in the media, and the like. The use of algicides, fungicides, and anti-bacterial agents adds a great expense to hydroponic operations, and also affect the quality and production of the plants. Also, a growing media that becomes contaminated with destructive agents can be very difficult to clean and restore to productive use.


A system estimates flow parameters associated with a fluid flow encountering a bluff body. The system includes multiple sensors distributed on a surface of a bluff body. The system further includes input circuitry and a sensor processing unit. The input circuitry receives a signal from each of the multiple sensors. The sensor processing unit determines noise levels associated with each of the multiple sensors due to the fluid flow encountering the bluff body. The sensor processing unit further assigns weights to each of the multiple sensors based on the determined noise levels and estimates the fluid flow direction based on the assigned weights.

A number of conventional systems detect, classify, and track air and ground bodies or targets. The sensing elements that permit these systems to perform these functions are typically arrays of microphones whose outputs are processed to reject coherent interfering acoustic noise sources, such as nearby machinery, general acoustic background noise, and wind noise. The propagation of sound and, thus, the passive acoustic detection of targets, is typically governed in part by local and regional weather conditions, such as wind and temperature. Knowledge of wind speed and direction can, thereby, be used to improve the estimate of the detection range for a given target and sensor pairing. Environmental sensors are, for this reason, often considered for inclusion in the design of ground sensor packages or suites of field sensors. Similarly, measurement of local weather conditions are often undertaken as part of the assessment of the noise impact of facilities such as airports on the environment or on nearby communities. In each of these cases there is a need to measure wind speed and direction along with sound levels.
Therefore, there exists a need for systems and methods that can combine the measurement of flow speed and direction along with the measurement of acoustic levels in a single device that may be more compact and potentially energy efficient than if these functions were incorporated within separate devices.

Systems and methods for flow measurement


A multi-layer thermoplastic film include a first film of thermoplastic material, a second film of thermoplastic material bonded to the first film, and an odor control component disposed between the first film and the second film. A method of manufacturing a multi-layer thermoplastic film coextruding a plurality of layers to form a first film, coextruding a plurality of layers to form a second film, disposing at least one odor control component on at least one of the first film and the second film, and bonding the first and second films together such that the at least one substance is disposed between the first film and the second film.

Thermoplastic films are a common component in various commercial and consumer products. For example, grocery bags, trash bags, sacks, and packaging materials are products that are commonly made from thermoplastic films. Additionally, feminine hygiene products, baby diapers, adult incontinence products, and many other products include thermoplastic films to one extent or another.
In regard to trash bags formed from thermoplastic films, controlling odors from materials placed in the trash bags (e.g., trash) is a significant concern. As a result, trash bags are often scented to help mask (e.g., hide) the odors that escape from (e.g., permeate through) the trash bags. The trash bags are typically "scented" by coating one or more sides (e.g., the interior or exterior sides) with a fragrance.
Additionally, manufacturers typically attempt to use thicker materials to help prevent odors from escaping products. Conventional understanding is that the mass of thermoplastic film is directly proportional to the ability of the thermoplastic film to hold to both PRM and malodor molecules yielding better odor control performance. The cost to produce products including thermoplastic film is directly related to the cost of the thermoplastic film. Recently the cost of thermoplastic materials has risen. In response, many attempt to control manufacturing costs by decreasing the amount of thermoplastic material in a given product. One way manufacturers may attempt to reduce production costs is to stretch the thermoplastic film, thereby increasing its surface area. Thus, stretched films of reduced thickness can allow manufacturers to use less thermoplastic material to form a product of a given surface area or size. However, a trash bag's ability to control malodorant molecules' permeation through the sidewalls of the trash bag is normally understood to be a function of the thickness of the film used as the sidewalls. As result, stretched films are often more permeable and allow more malodorant molecules (e.g., offensive smells) to escape through the stretched films in comparison to non-stretched (e.g., thicker) films. Thus, manufacturer typically must weigh odor control and manufacturing costs when developing products with thermoplastic films.
Accordingly, there are a number of considerations to be made in thermoplastic films and controlling odors with thermoplastic films.

Multi-layer thermoplastic films and bags with enhanced odor control and methods of making the same


A system for exchanging transaction messages between different computer systems includes a data processor for monitoring transaction messages. The data processor has a transaction processor for assigning identifiers to both inbound transaction messages from source executable applications and outbound transaction messages for communication to destination executable applications, to individually identify transaction messages. The data processor has a repository of map information associating inbound and outbound transaction messages using the assigned identifiers and a user interface for providing data representing at least one display image and including data identifying an inbound or outbound transaction message and a corresponding outbound or inbound transaction message, in response to a user command.

Computerized database systems are known and used as information repositories. Information is stored in information repositories and other databases for use with computer systems to store information necessary to operate the systems. Configuration data for controlling a new operational mode of a computer system, or executable application is entered into the database. User interface database systems are known that operate to retrieve the information and configuration data from such computerized databases or other information repositories, and facilitate exchanging data between the different computer systems and executable applications.
The OPENLink system by Siemens Medical Systems, Inc. is one known interface database system. The Siemens OPENLink interface database system is an executable application that facilitates exchange of data and monitoring among different computer systems. One computer system or executable application transmits data to the Siemens OPENLink system in a predetermined data format via a specific communications medium and protocol acceptable to the transmitting computer system. The Siemens OPENLink system in turn relays this data to a second computer systems. The second computer system receives the data in a predetermined data format via a specific communications medium and protocol acceptable by the receiving system. The data format, communications medium and protocol of the receiving computer system are not necessarily the same as those of the transmitting system. The OPENLink system acts as an interface, or integration engine to facilitate data and transaction message exchange between the computer systems, accommodating differences in data format, communications medium and protocol.
In the interface database system, the user configures endpoints of communication or connections between computer systems or executable applications and the interface, or integration engine, using configuration protocol. A connection as used in this context represents an object definition within the integration engine that is either responsible for inbound connectivity into the integrations engine from the source system or the outbound connectivity into the destinations system. A connection in this respect owns the responsibility for either sending or receiving data along with maintaining the archived transaction messages of that relationship.
A configured connection is associated to an interface controlled by the integration engine for communication, or message exchange between the integration engine and the computer system. A transaction message sent from a computer system to the integration engine is sent from an inbound connection. A transaction message sent to the computer system from the integration engine is sent to the connection. Connection is a term that describes the configured link to or from a computer system or executable application. Hence, connections are connections with the integration engine, or configured interfaces to an endpoint, or computer system. Sending a transaction message to a computer system, or receiving a transaction message by a computer system may be described with respect to the integration engine as sending to or receiving from an inbound or outbound connection. The communication interface, or integration enables communication data between particular source and destination computer systems (as respective inbound and outbound connections). The system receives transaction messages, or sends transaction messages by use of the configured connections. Such data communications and message exchanges are referred to as transactions. The exchange or transmission of transaction data is a transaction messages.
Known interface database systems typically do not permit the storing of both inbound and outbound data transaction messages and do not provide linking capability between the inbound and outbound transactions. Known system operation enables a user find a transaction in one transaction archive file, and then manually search for related transactions stored in other transaction archive files. It is difficult for a user to match an inbound transaction stored in one transaction archive file with a related outbound transaction stored in another transaction archive file. Currently this can be accomplished by concurrently viewing an inbound transaction archive file and an outbound transaction archive file, and attempting to match the posted times of the two transactions in the separate transaction archive files. It may be impossible to identify or correctly match linked transactions using conventional processes. For example, where the user interface system operates to control exchange of message transactions between different medical related computer systems it is difficult to match linked transactions, particularly where there are several archived transactions for the same patient that occurred around the same time.
Another problem with known interface system transaction processing relates to operation of user interface system functions that enable inbound transaction files to be edited, or the transaction message resent, which cause the system to create a new transaction. A user would want to know which transaction was used to create this new transaction. For this case, the original transaction is identified by looking through the transaction records in a transaction archive file to find one transaction record that has a reprocessed date/time that is the same time as the new transaction (in the new transaction record) that was created.
A system according to invention principles addresses these deficiencies and related problems.


A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a pulse width expander circuit for expanding the pulse width of a pulse signal of the ECL (emitter coupled logic) level that has a very narrow pulse width, a level conversion circuit for converting the output signal of the ECL level of the pulse width expander circuit into a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) level, and an internal circuit that is so connected as to receive the output signal of the level conversion circuit. In other words, the pulse signal having a narrow pulse width is expanded to have a pulse width which is sufficient for the level conversion circuit prior to performing the level conversion operation. Therefore, the level of the pulse signals having narrow pulse widths is stably converted.

The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device, such as technology that can be applied particularly effectively to a memory or the like with logic functions constituted based upon a bipolar CMOS-type RAM (random access memory) of an ECL (emitter coupled logic) interface.
When a high-speed computer system is to be constituted, in general, signals of an ECL level are exchanged between a central processing unit (CPU) and storage devices. Signals of the ECL level have an amplitude which is as small as 0.8 volts that the logic high level (or logic low level) can be changed into the logic low level (or logic high level) within a short period of time.
A bipolar static RAM (or an ECL RAM) has been known as a high-speed semiconductor memory device that can be used for the above-mentioned high-speed computer system. The bipolar RAM has memory cells constituted by bipolar transistors and peripheral circuits, and wherein the input/output interface has signals of the ECL levels.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 250583/1987 (laid-open date: Oct. 31, 1987, inventors: Usami et al., assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.) discloses a bipolar static-type RAM having latch circuits for latching address signals of the ECL level supplied from an external unit and a write control signal WE and a signal forming circuit for forming an internal write pulse based upon the latched write control signal WE0 in order to write the data at a high speed into the memory cell of the bipolar-type static RAM.
In recent years, research has been forwarded vigorously to develop semiconductor memory devices constituted by the combination of bipolar transistors and a CMOS (complementary MOS) circuit. U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,796 teaches a static RAM constituted by bipolar transistors and CMOS circuits. A bipolar CMOS static-type RAM of an ECL I/O signal interface has been disclosed in Ogiue et al., "13 nS 500 mW, 64-Kbit ECL RAM Using Hi-BiCMOS Technology", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-21, No. 5, October, 1986, pp. 681-685. Further, a dynamic-type RAM employing bipolar transistors and CMOS circuits have been disclosed in Kitsukawa et al., "An Experimental 1-Mbit BiCMOS DRAM", IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Vol. SC-22, No. 5, October, 1987, pp. 657-661. In these static RAM and dynamic RAM, the memory cells are formed by CMOS technology. Therefore, the memory cells consume small amounts of electric power, and are highly densely integrated, and have a large capacity. That is, the peripheral circuits consume small amounts of electric power and operate at a high speed such that the peripheral circuits thereof can be formed by the combination of the bipolar transistors and the CMOS circuits.
As described above, a semiconductor memory of the ECL I/O signal interface is advantageous for operating the computer system at high speeds, and it is desired that the semiconductor memory based on the bipolar-CMOS technology also has the ECL I/O signal interface. In fact, the theory announced by Ogiue et al. deals with a bipolar CMOS static RAM of the ECL I/O signal interface. Here, attention should be given to the fact that in the static RAM based on the bipolar CMOS technology, the internal memory cells are constituted by the CMOS technology and whereby it becomes necessary to convert the input signals of the ECL level into the internal signals of the MOS level, i.e., to convert the input signals of the ECL level into the internal signals of a level having an amplitude nearly equal to the power source voltage of the circuit.
The write cycle time and the read cycle time of the semiconductor memory device used for the computer system are shortened with the increase in the operation speed of the computer system. Therefore, it becomes difficult to realize various timing conditions for the control signals of the ECL level such as write control signals WE0 that are input from the central processing unit or the like to the semiconductor memory devices.

Write pulse signal generating circuit for a semiconductor memory device


A control system for an electric power steering apparatus detects calculation anomalies in a CPU regardless of the magnitude of a modified control quantity. The CPU has a basic control quantity calculating means for calculating a basic control quantity to drive a motor based on an output from a torque sensor, and a modified control quantity calculating means for calculating a modified control quantity corresponding to the steering conditions (for example, steering speed) of the steering wheel. The CPU-calculation monitoring unit has a first anomaly deciding means for deciding whether the calculation result of the basic control quantity calculating means is normal or anomalous in light of the output from the torque sensor, and a second anomaly deciding means for deciding whether the calculation result of the modified control quantity calculating means is normal or anomalous in light of the steering conditions. The motor is deactivated if anomalies are detected.

This application is based upon, claims the benefit of priority of, and incorporates by reference, the contents of prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-65589 filed Mar. 11, 2002 and No. 2003-11051 filed Jan. 20, 2003.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control system for electric power assisted steering apparatuses that use a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, electric power assisted steering has been commercialized to help the driver with rotation of the steering wheel by utilizing motor torque. This apparatus calculates a control current to be provided to the assist motor in accordance with the torque (output from the torque sensor) needed for rotation of the steering wheel. Thus, if the CPU in the ECU that calculates this control current provides the wrong output because of a CPU problem or the like, the motor assist falls short or exceeds the appropriate level, and steering with the steering wheel becomes more difficult.
To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-67988 discloses a technique for deactivating the steering assist system unless a CPU calculation result falls in a predetermined range of the torque sensor output, deciding that a calculation problem has arisen (see pages 2-4, FIGS. 4 and 5 in this publication).
Presently, to improve steering performance, a damping correction is carried out to correct the extent of motor assist based on the steering speed, for example. In this case, the control current for steering assist is calculated by adding a basic control quantity calculated in correspondence to the steering torque and a modified control quantity calculated in correspondence to the steering speed. Thus, the magnitude of the control current changes with the modified control quantity in addition to the steering torque.
For example, if the modified control quantity is set at a large value, the control current calculated from the output of the torque sensor goes beyond the predetermined range despite correct calculation by the CPU. In turn, if the predetermined range is set to avoid such a problem, calculation problems, if any, may not be detected, and concern arises that the steering assist system cannot be deactivated in case of an anomalous calculation.
The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a control system for the electric power steering apparatus that has a CPU monitoring means for reliably detecting calculation problems in the CPU regardless of the magnitude of modified control.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a control system for an electric power steering apparatus includes a control current calculating means (means for calculating an assist current) for calculating an assist current to be provided to a motor that assists a steering and monitoring means for monitoring calculation by the control current calculating means. This control current calculating means has a basic control quantity calculating means for calculating a basic control quantity for the assist current from a steering torque of a steering wheel, and a modified control quantity calculating means for calculating a modified control quantity to correct the basic control quantity based on steering conditions of the steering wheel. The monitoring means has a first anomaly deciding means for deciding whether the calculation result of the basic control quantity calculating means is normal or anomalous in light of the steering torque of the steering wheel and a second anomaly deciding means for deciding whether the calculation result of the modified control, quantity calculating means is normal or anomalous in light of the steering conditions of the steering wheel.
According to this configuration, it becomes possible to decide whether the calculation results are normal or anomalous by monitoring the calculation result of the basic control quantity calculating means and that of the modified control quantity calculating means, separately. The first anomaly deciding means decides whether the calculation result of the basic control quantity calculating means is normal or anomalous only in light of the steering torque of the steering wheel. Meanwhile, the second anomaly deciding means decides whether the calculation result of the modified control quantity calculating means is normal or anomalous only in light of the steering conditions of the steering wheel. It becomes thereby possible to detect with reliability any anomaly in each calculating means, regardless of the magnitude of the modified control quantity.
According to a second aspect of the invention, the control system according to the first aspect has a motor driving circuit for power assist, and the motor driving circuit deactivates the motor if at least either the first anomaly deciding means or the second anomaly deciding means detects an anomaly. In other words, when it is decided that any one of the basic control quantity and the modified control quantity calculated by the respective calculating means is anomalous, the motor is deactivated. Then it becomes possible to prevent the wrong torque assist of the motor in the event of an anomalous calculation.
According to a third aspect of the invention, in the control system according to the first aspect of the invention, the second anomaly deciding means decides the calculation result of the modified control quantity calculating means as an anomaly if the modified control quantity is equal to or larger than a prescribed value, such as an upper limit. Then whether the calculation result of the modified control quantity calculating means is normal or anomalous can be decided by a simple monitoring of the upper limit, and a simplified logic circuit can be adopted in the second anomaly deciding means.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, the control system of the first aspect further comprises a third anomaly deciding means for deciding whether the motor driver signal provided by the motor driving circuit to the motor is normal or anomalous in light of the assist current. According to this configuration, whether the motor driver signal is normal or anomalous can be decided in light of the assist current provided by the control current calculating means. Then a calculation problem that may arise during calculation of the motor driver signal based on the assist current can be reliably detected.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the control system of the fourth aspect, the motor driving circuit deactivates the motor if at least one of the first anomaly deciding means, the second anomaly deciding means, or the third anomaly deciding means detects an anomaly. If one of the basic control quantities calculated by the basic control quantity calculating means, the modified control quantity calculated by the modified control quantity calculating means and the motor driver signal calculated based on the assist current is decided as anomalous, the motor is deactivated. Then motor torque assist based on an anomalous calculation can be prevented, and improved driving can be ensured.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in the control system of the fourth aspect, one of the first anomaly deciding means, the second anomaly deciding means, and the third anomaly deciding means is built in a custom IC. Then a monitoring section (anomaly deciding means) can be provided by an inexpensive custom IC along with the first and third anomaly deciding means to which logic circuits are applicable. All of the above means for performing an operation are also operational as specific devices.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Control system for electric power steering apparatus