A display device includes a display panel which displays an image with light, a backlight unit which generates and provides the light to the display panel, and a polarizer which is coupled to the display panel and includes a polarizing film to polarize the light. The polarizing film includes a base film defining a first optical surface thereof from which first grooves are defined recessed and a second optical surface thereof which opposes the first optical surface and from which second grooves are defined recessed; a polarizing layer including the first grooves recessed from the first optical surface; and a light blocking layer including the second grooves recessed from the second optical surface.

1. Field
The invention relates to a polarizer and a display device having the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a polarizer having both polarizing and condensing functions and a display device having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A display device, such as a liquid crystal display, includes a backlight unit and a liquid crystal display panel which displays an image using a light provided from the backlight unit. The backlight unit includes a light emitting unit, a light guide plate, and optical sheets controlling a path of the light exiting from the light guide plate.
The light guide plate guides the light provided from the light emitting unit to the liquid crystal display panel. The optical sheets include a diffusion sheet and a prism sheet. The diffusion sheet diffuses the light exiting from the light guide plate and the prism sheet condenses the light exiting from the light guide plate toward a front direction of the liquid crystal display panel.
In addition, polarizers are respectively attached to front and rear surfaces of the liquid crystal display panel. The polarizers have absorption axes substantially perpendicular to each other and each of the polarizers linearly polarizes the light provided from the light emitting unit.

Polarizer and display device having the same


An ionizing wiper for removing static charge from an insulative surface. The wiper is made of wiping material with a high density of ionizing points being disposed along the surface of the wiper such that the air between the ionizing points and an object is sufficiently ionized to remove static charge from the object.

The present invention relates to static control devices, and particularly relates to wiping cloths providing control of static charge buildup.
Wiping of plastic, glass, and other substantially insulative surfaces to remove particles of dust and dirt may result in a buildup of static charge on the surface of the material, which re-attracts the particles to the surface. Re-attraction of dust and dirt particles to surfaces such as photographic film, computer monitor screens, acrylics, and other common polymeric materials can result in such problems as scratching of the surface from repeated wiping of computer screens, visual defects in picture framing, or dust spots on photo enlargements.
Conventional antistatic wipers use conductive yarn or treatments to change their surface resistivity. However, the resistivity of the wiper is not related directly to the reduction of static charge on an insulative surface because by definition, an insulator cannot be grounded. Many surfaces such as polymeric materials and glass are good insulators and tend to accumulate electrons on their surfaces. A conductive material can transfer electrons readily to such a surface when it is wiped. A grounded conductive, static dissipative, or anti-static surface is not able to consistently remove static from an insulative surface. This concept is described more fully in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,501,899, 5,690,014, and 5,740,006, all by the same inventor as the present application and incorporated herein by reference. This concept is important in the understanding of the present invention and the differences between the wiper described herein and conventional wipers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an ionizing wiper that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the invention to provide an ionizing wiper that combines the characteristics of a conventional wiper with at least one wiper portion that uses ionizing points at the surface of the wiper.
The present invention is an ionizing wiper for removing static charge from a substantially insulative surface comprising a cloth, being made of ordinary wiping material, and a plurality of ionizing points being disposed on said cloth defining an ionizing wipe area. The plurality of ionizing points being of sufficient density such that air between said plurality of ionizing points and an object is sufficiently ionized to remove static charge from the object.


Systems and methods are provided for monitoring equipment in a semiconductor manufacturing facility. A processing device maintains baseline measurement record generated from measurements performed by a plurality of tools over a first time range. A measurement record is received, the measurement record corresponding to a measurement performed on a wafer, the wafer having been processed by a first tool of the plurality of tools. The measurement record is stored in a drift candidate table corresponding to a second time range. A determination is made as to whether the measurement record satisfy a set of excursion rules in view of the drift candidate table, and, in response to the determination, the measurement record is stored in an alert table.

Manufacturing facilities often utilize real-time monitoring to ensure that various pieces of equipment are operating within allowable tolerances. In semiconductor manufacturing facilities in particular, improving the control of a fleet of manufacturing tools to act interchangeably has become increasingly important in the face of 3D metrology and tight design rules. Each tool of the fleet may perform measurements in real-time to ensure that measurements of critical dimension of features are within acceptable ranges. Traditional methods have focused on improving upon the measurement uncertainty on dedicated monitoring artifacts. In doing so, however, such methods are more sensitive to the dedicated monitoring artifacts rather than to the performance of the fleet on production artifacts, and thus lack the ability to identify excursions early on during steady state fleet operation.

System and method for equipment monitoring using a group candidate baseline and probabilistic model


[Objection of the invention]An ion beam generator, a thermal distortion in a grid assembly is reduced. [Structure to solve the objection]Thermal expansion coefficients αP, αM and αG, for a sidewall (1A) of a discharge chamber, mounting platform (40) and extraction grid electrode assembly (20) are selected to have a relation: αP>αM≧αG. For example, the material of discharge chamber sidewall is stainless steel o aluminum, the material of grids is Mo, W or C and the material of platform is Ti or Mo.

One conventional ion beam generator is disclosed in patent publication 2005-506656A. When the ion beam generator is used in a sputtering or etching system, an appropriate gas such as argon is introduced into a discharge chamber through gas introducing means. A plasma is generated by applying a rf power to the gas. Normally, the generated plasma is confined within the discharge chamber. Part of the plasma is in the vicinity of ion beam extraction units in respective facets. An assembly of grids which extract ions from the discharge chamber thereinto and accelerate ions therethrough are provided in each of the ion beam extraction units.


A data processing system may include a high integrity storage (HIS) device with a partition or cache that is protected from updates. The data processing system may perform a boot process in response to being reactivated. The boot process may include the operation of executing a boot object. During the boot process, before executing the boot object, the data processing system may retrieve a digest for the boot object from the protected cache of the HIS device. The digest may be a cryptographic hash value for the boot object. During the boot process, the retrieved digest may be extended into a platform configuration register in a trusted platform module of the data processing system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

For purposes of this disclosure, to "reactivate" a data processing system is to turn on or reset the data processing system. Typically, when a data processing system is reactivated, it must complete a boot process before it is useful to a user. For instance, the boot process may include operations such as determining what types of hardware components are present and loading an operating system (OS). The objects that are loaded and/or executed in the boot process may be referred to as "boot objects." Also, the boot process may include different stages, such as a "pre-boot phase" and an "OS boot phase." For purposes of this disclosure, the pre-boot phase includes all of the operations executed by the data processing system starting with the first operation after reactivation and ending with transfer of control to an OS boot loader or the like. Accordingly, the OS boot phase starts when control is transferred to the OS boot loader. The pre-boot phase is typically managed by a basic input/output system (BIOS). The BIOS may also be referred to as "firmware."
In recent years, malware (e.g., computer viruses and rootkits) has been developed to attack low-level code, such as the OS kernel, the OS boot loader, or even the firmware. This type of malicious code may be difficult for anti-virus software to detect and remove, because it may operate at the same security level as the anti-virus software.
The Trusted Computing Group (TCG) has developed standards for trusted platform modules (TPMs) to help protect against such attacks. For instance, the TCG has published a document entitled "TCG PC Client Specific TPM Interface Specification (TIS)," Version 1.21, Revision 1.00, Apr. 28, 2011 (the "TPM Client Specification"). As explained in the TPM Client Specification, a TPM may provide for the secure generation of and storage of cryptographic keys. A TPM may also provide platform configuration registers (PCRs) for safely storing information about the current platform configuration. A TPM may also provide a cryptographic hash generator or "hash engine." A hash engine may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software.
A trusted boot process may involve checking the integrity of a system object (or objects) that will be loaded prior to its (or their) loading. For instance, a system object may be run through the TPM's hash engine to generate a hash value for that object. The original object may be referred to as the "message," and the resulting hash value may be referred to as the "hash result," the "hash," or the "digest." Also, the process of hashing a message may be referred to as "measuring" the message, and the resulting digest may be referred to as the "measurement." A given object can be verified as not having been altered, relative to an original version of that object, by hashing the given version of the object and then comparing the resulting digest with a digest that is known to have been produced from the original version of the object. Consequently, the integrity of a computing platform can be trusted if digests for all of the loaded objects can be verified against known good digests, provided that the function (or functions) that is responsible for performing that verification can also be trusted. One way to verify a digest is through direct comparison against a list of known good digests for known good messages (i.e., through use of a "whitelist"). Another way is to report the digest to a third party that is trusted to determine and attest to whether or not the digest is good (i.e., through "attestation"). A data processing system that uses a whitelist for digest authentication may be said to perform a "secure boot" or "secure launch." A data processing system that uses attestation for digest authentication may be said to perform a "measured boot" or "measured launch." The term "trusted boot" covers both "secure boot" and "measured boot."
In a trusted boot process, the BIOS of the data processing system may use a TPM to establish a chain of trust which involves a basic function (or set of functions) that is trusted implicitly. That basic function may be referred to as the "root of trust." For instance, one of the initial functions to be executed by the BIOS upon boot of a data processing system may be a function for measuring and verifying the BIOS itself. That function may be referred to as the "static core root of trust for measurement" (SCRTM). For instance, the SCRTM may be code that is supplied by the platform manufacturer, as a subset of platform firmware that initializes and configures platform components.
In addition, once a hash value has been generated, it may be added to a PCR in the TPM. This process is known as "extending" the PCR. As explained in the TPM Client Specification, different PCRs may be used to store measurements for different types of boot objects. And the TPM may preserve the values in at least some of its PCRs during the life of a computing platform session, but then all PCRs may be initialized to a fixed value (e.g., 0) when the computer platform restarts or resets.
The TCG has also published standards for enhancing the security of storage devices such as hard disk drives. For example, the TCG has published a document entitled "TCG Storage: Security Subsystem Class: Opal," Specification Version 1.00, Revision 3.00, Feb. 4, 2010 (the "Opal Specification"). The stated purpose of the Opal Specification is as follows: "The Storage Workgroup specifications provide a comprehensive architecture for putting Storage Devices under policy control as determined by the trusted platform host, the capabilities of the Storage Device to conform with the policies of the trusted platform, and the lifecycle state of the Storage Device as a Trusted Peripheral."
As described in greater detail below, the present disclosure introduces techniques for optimizing trusted boot performance, using secure storage.

Methods and apparatus for trusted boot optimization


A system for providing a Domain Name System (DNS) service may include providing an agent for installation on a subscriber device. The subscriber device may be connected to the DNS service via an entry point device. The system includes receiving, from the agent, agent data indicative of a subscriber identifier and a unique identifier associated with the entry point device. The system may then determine, based on the agent data, a current Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the entry point device and associate the unique identifier with the subscriber identifier. The system may then dynamically map the subscriber identifier to the current IP address and provide DNS service to the subscriber device based on the current IP address.

Domain Name System (DNS) software solutions may function as standalone elements in a network or in combination with hosted network services and consumer applications to deliver better network resiliency and performance, improved end user security and rich navigation. In addition to enabling the Internet, a DNS software solution can make the Internet better by seamlessly reacting to an event based on a policy rule set.
A DNS serves as the phone book for the Internet by translating human-friendly computer hostnames into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. An IP address is a numerical label assigned to each device (e.g., computer, printer) participating in a computer network that uses the IP for communication. The DNS makes it possible to assign domain names to Internet resources and devices based on their IP addresses in a meaningful way, independent of the physical location of the resources and devices. However, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) may reallocate IP addresses to allow many devices to share limited address space on a network if only some of the devices will be online at a particular time. This dynamic IP allocation complicates services provided by DNS software solutions by requiring frequent remapping of IP addresses.
Furthermore, ISPs typically do not provide a separate IP to every device within a local network. Instead, a single IP address is provided to the device serving as the network's entry point device. Such a network entry point device is commonly known as a gateway (e.g., a router). This further complicates services provided by DNS software solutions by requiring them to establish a different level of service (if at all) for various devices associated with the same IP address and/or entry point device.

Systems and methods for providing DNS services


A method and apparatus for guaranteeing packet delivery times in an asynchronous network includes generating a global timing schedule to synchronize the communication between the terminals of a network and, in response to at least one trigger, transmitting and receiving data according to the generated global timing schedule. To optimize bandwidth utilization, more than one terminal may transmit data during a specific time slot of each time frame of the global timing schedule as long as no more than one terminal attempts to transmit data to a common other terminal.

With the introduction of multimedia processing in computing systems and increased deployment of digital audio and video formats, there is an increased demand for reliable transmission of synchronous and isochronous data over standard, typically asynchronous, computer networks implementing Internet Protocols. While audio and video are examples of synchronous and isochronous data, substantially any data stream that must be clocked and is continuous would be considered synchronous and a data stream which must be delivered with determinant latency could be considered isochronous.
Typically, packet networks, such as local area networks implementing IP such as Ethernet, were developed to carry computer-type data. The computer-type data carried by such local area networks was primarily asynchronous in nature, and not highly sensitive to non-deterministic latencies. More specifically, the asynchronous data communication of such networks is a type of data communication that guarantees the delivery of the data and not the time of delivery of the data. In such networks, the delivery of the data is continuously retried until the receipt of the data is verified. The Ethernet protocol of such networks uses a carrier sense multiple access with collision detection media access control protocol (CSMA/CD MAC). This type of MAC is characterized by very low typical latencies, and reasonably high potential throughput.
In such packet networks, data communication between terminals is typically facilitated by Ethernet switches. Such switches typically maintain internal queues (i.e., a first-in-first-out (FIFO) memory queue) used to schedule the transferring of data from one terminal of the local area network to another. The data is buffered in the queue awaiting its turn for transmission. Such an architecture, however, does not allow for synchronous or isochronous transmission which require determinant latency. As such, such packet networks have been recently modified for the transmission of synchronous and isochronous transfer of data. For example, in various modified asynchronous packet networks, a priority list for an included data queue has been implemented. However, such prioritized data queues, although maybe guaranteeing a time for transmission, do not also guarantee a time for reception by an intended receiver.
Another shortcoming of such modified Ethernet packet networks used for the transmission of synchronous and isochronous data lies in the potentially high latencies when collisions occur between terminals transmitting on the network. In response, various schemes have been developed for the transmission of synchronous and isochronous data over such packet network Ethernet protocol systems to avoid collisions. For example, a reservation system typically employs two communications channels; one channel, the reservation channel, is used to communicate reservation requests from individual stations to a central authority which then allocates bandwidth in the primary channel, as requested, if possible. The reservation channel typically carries asynchronous data, while the primary channel carries isochronous data. Such two channel systems, however, experience significant inefficiencies in transmission and also do not guarantee a time of reception.
Another such scheme for transmitting synchronous and isochronous data in typically asynchronous IP networks is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,431, issued Jun. 2, 1998 to Gross et al. In the Gross et al. Patent, an order persistent timer is provided in each terminal on a network to control the timing of the transmission of each isochronous data packet from a terminal, and to also control the timing of transmission of asynchronous data packets that include reservation requests. The OP timer at each terminal monitors traffic on the network from other stations to detect whether the network is active or idle. In an idle state (no packet on the network from another station), the OP timer times a number of deferral time intervals that are used with a network interrupt handler at the terminal to control the transmission of synchronous and isochronous data packets without collision, and asynchronous data packets thereafter. However, the inclusion of OP timers in each terminal in order for each terminal to be able to transmit synchronous and isochronous data packets without collision, as disclosed by Gross et al., results in significant inefficiencies in transmission at least because each terminal must detect an idle interval before transmitting queued synchronous or isochronous data. In addition, such a system does not guarantee a time of reception of transmitted synchronous or isochronous data.

Method, apparatus and system for guaranteed packet delivery times in asynchronous networks


A display backlight assembly includes a light guide panel having first and second principal faces and at least one edge surface. A display screen is aligned with and substantially perpendicular to the first principal face of the light guide panel. The assembly also includes a light source with one or more white LEDs and one or more first color LEDs, where each first color LED emits a first color of light that is red, green, blue, or yellow. Each white LED and each first color LED is positioned to emit light into the light guide panel. A controller is electrically coupled to the light source and capable of independently setting an intensity value for each white LED and for each first color LED. The controller controls illumination of the LEDs independently as needed to provide backlighting with the selected intensity.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic display equipment and more particularly to LED backlighting for LCD displays.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) use backlighting to affect the brightness, contrast, and other aspects of the viewing experience. A typical LCD panel has crystalline material suspended in a liquid medium between glass plates. An array of semiconductor switches in the LCD module applies electric fields to the crystalline material to align the crystalline material to either block light or permit light to pass through the display. The crystalline material thus acts as a shutter to control the light passing through the LCD. Because LCD displays produce no light of their own, a light source positioned to illuminate the LCD panel provides back lighting by shining light through the display.
Referring to FIG. 1, one type of traditional LCD backlight assembly 10 has a cold-cathode fluorescent tube lamp (CCFTs) 12 placed along one side of a LCD panel 14. A light diffuser plate 15 is positioned behind LCD panel 14 and tapers in thickness from a first end 16 near CCFT 12 to a second end 18. A back surface of diffuser plate 14 has a reflective coating 20. Light 22 incident to reflective coating 20 reflects into a polarizing film 24. Internal refraction causes light 22 to be reflected and eventually transmitted towards LCD panel 14 in a predetermined direction 26, thereby transmitting polarizing light emitted from CCFT 12 through LCD panel 14. Light diffuser plate 14 and polarizing film 24 evenly spread the light across the display. CCFT technology has been used extensively for many years. Compared to white LEDs, most CCFTs have a more even white spectral output that provides a more complete color gamut for the display than LED backlighting. Compared to RGB LEDs, CCFTs are deficient in red light wavelengths. However, CCFTs are considered less energy efficient than LEDs and require an inverter to transform the low voltage used for the LCD (usually 5 or 12 v) to a high voltage needed to light a CCFT. The thickness of the inverter transformer often determines the minimum thickness of the LCD display.
In the interest of energy efficiency and in minimizing overall display thickness, another method of backlighting uses a row of white LEDs placed along edges of the display to illuminate the LCD display. Similar to CCFT technology, a diffuser evenly spreads the light across the display. LED backlighting of this type has been widely used in desktop computer monitors.
In yet another type of backlighting, an array of white or RGB LEDs placed behind a diffuser positioned in back of the LCD panel illuminates the LCD display from behind. LCD displays with this backlight technology usually have the ability to dim the LEDs in the dark areas of the image being displayed, effectively increasing the contrast ratio of the display. This type of LED array backlighting has been widely used in LCD televisions.
With array-based LCD displays, open areas exist between each liquid crystal (or "pixel") making up the array. Light from white LED or CCFT backlighting bleeds or leaks around each LCD pixel, causing a blooming effect due to unnecessary illumination around the fringes of LCD pixels. This blooming effect is sometimes referred to as "inter-pixel light leakage."

Spectrally-controlled backlighting for LCD displays


A polarimeter for measuring the rotation of optically active samples comprises a light source which generates a measuring light beam, a polarizer mounted for rotation about the beam axis of the measuring light beam, a driving mechanism for reciprocating rotational movement of the polarizer, a sample vessel, an analyzer behind the sample vessel, a photoelectric detector, and balancing means which are controlled by the signal of the photoelectric detector and by which a position can be achieved in which the polarizer and analyzer are arranged substantially crosswise. The balancing means comprises a steeper motor for rotating the polarizer with an adjusting movement superimposed by the reciprocatingly rotational movement by which adjusting movement a quick coarse balancing of the polarizer plane of the measuring light beam relative to a zero position of the analyzer is achieved. Fine measuring means are provided for the fine measuring of the angle between the polarization plane of the analyzer in its zero position and the polarization plane of the coarsely balanced measuring light beam.

The invention relates to a polarimeter and method for measuring the rotation of optically active samples
Generally, polarimetric analysis is a method of chemical analysis based on the optical activity of the substance to be determined, i.e., a measurement of optical rotation of the substance is used to identify the substance or determine quantity. A polarimeter is an instrument used to determine the rotation of the plane of polarization of plane polarized light when it passes through a substance.
In German patent application 1 159 180 (which is incorporated herein by reference), a polarimeter with a polarizer, an analyzer and a radiation receiver arranged behind the analyzer is disclosed in which an optically active sample is inserted between the polarizer and the analyzer, and the polarizer is caused to make rotary oscillations about the beam axis. The output signal of the radiation receiver is supplied to phase sensitive balancing means which, when the polarization plane rotates, effect a follow-up rotation of the analyzer.
In the prior art polarimeter, the polarizer is connected to a cylindrical, diametrically magnetized permanent magnet. The permanent magnet is surrounded by concave-cylindrical pole surfaces of a electromagnet exited by an A.C. voltage. A radial leaf spring fetters the permanent magnet and the polarizer to its rest position.
In the prior art driving device, the polarizer oscillates sinusoidally with the mains frequency near the resonance of the oscillatory system formed by the polarizer, permanent magnet, and leaf spring. For balancing, the analyzer is rotated by a servomotor depending on the signal of the detector as long as the analyzer is arranged crosswise with the rotated polarization plane of the measuring light beam. The oscillation of the polarizer provides an alternating signal with an oscillation frequency according to which the servomotor can be controlled.
It is necessary to measure the optical rotation of the measuring light beam with a very high degree of precision (millidegree). Therefore, the analyzer has to follow-up the polarization plane of the measuring light beam very sensitively with a large stepping-down ratio. On the other hand, quite large optical rotations, e.g. 90.degree. rotations, can occur and considerable time, relatively speaking, is required until the analyzer with the correspondingly large stepping-down ratio is rotated to the balancing position.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved polarimeter which attains a high degree of precision in angular measurement with decreased measuring time.
It has been found that the foregoing and related objects are attained in a polarimeter having a light source generating a measuring light beam, a polarizer mounted for rotation about the beam axis of the measuring light beam, a driving mechanism for reciprocatingly rotational movement of the polarizer, a sample vessel, an analyzer behind the sample vessel, a photoelectric detector sensing the measuring light beam, and balancing apparatus controlled by the signal of the photoelectric detector for positioning the polarizer and analyzer substantially crosswise. The balancing apparatus comprises a stepper motor for rotating the polarizer with an adjusting movement superimposed by a reciprocatingly rotational movement. By the adjusting movement, a quick coarse balancing of the polarizer plane of the measuring light beam relative to a zero position of the analyzer is achieved. Fine measuring means are provided for fine measurement of the angle between the polarization plane of the analyzer in its zero position and the polarization plane of the coarsely balanced measuring light beam.
Thus, the polarizer is utilized not only for generating a reciprocatingly rotational movement of the polarization plane but also for a coarse balancing movement by which the polarization plane of the measuring light beam, which becomes effective at the analyzer with consideration of the optical rotation in the sample, is at least approximately moved into a position in which the polarization plane of the substantially stationary analyzer is arranged crosswise. Thereby, the polarizer makes a movement which is composed of a steady adjusting movement and a reciprocating rotational oscillation movement superimposed onto this adjusting movement. Such coarse balancing can be achieved relatively quickly and fine measuring of the angle is accomplished by separate fine measuring means.
The fine measuring means can measure the exact angle by interpolation of the alternating signal for right-hand and left-hand rotation remaining after the coarse balancing. The fine measuring can also be made by a fine balancing in which the analyzer is rotated. Since the analyzer has to be rotated only through a small angle after the coarse balancing, this rotation can be made quite quickly in spite of the required stepping down ratio.


The present invention relates to a container for holding viscous substance. More particularly the present invention relates to a squeezable tube (1) with an enclosable head (3). It is an object of the present invention to provide a tube which is easily recyclable and has relatively better stress crack resistance and squeezability. Surprisingly it has been found by the way of present invention that a mixture of Linear Low Density Polyethylene, Linear Medium Density Polyethylene and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate when used in certain weight percentage gives both the stress-crack resistance and the squeezability required for making a tube integral with head/cap. The tube of the present invention is recyclable together with the head/cap, thus making the process sustainable.

Tubes are generally made from flat laminates which are rolled up to form a tube. Alternately the tubes are also made by a coextrusion process with no joints on the walls of the tube; such tubes are called seamless tubes. The available tubes have typically two main components: a tube body and a head/cap. The tube body and the head/cap are generally manufactured separately and then assembled to get a complete tube. The materials of construction of the two parts are typically different as they serve different purpose.
One of the biggest problems in today's world is global warming. The more the number of stages for a particular process the more the carbon footprint and consequently it adds up to global warming. The problem associated with the current tubes is their recyclability. As the tube body and the head/cap are made of dissimilar materials, such tubes cannot be recycled completely unless the parts made with dissimilar materials are separated from each other before recycling. The tube body and the head/cap need to be recycled separately. This is a labour-intensive process, takes a long time and is difficult to practice on a large scale making recycling non-sustainable, inconvenient and also uneconomical.
A tube or container integral with a closable head is known in from US 2006/0016837 which describes a container having a removable tab which creates a dispensing opening when removed and where a lateral projection on said tab can be used to reseal the tube. This type of tube head assembly has been developed to minimize the risk of using a scissors or a knife for cutting the container cap to dispense the content. The container is said to be made by blow moulding or injection moulding.
GB 2 120 630 describes a container for unit dosing of liquid medication for ophthalmic surgery and for respiratory care. Such a container or vial is said to be made by injection molding of a suitable plastic material like polypropylene. However this document does not address the problem of providing a tube with a reclosable cap.
Other than the above prior art, multi-tube containers with twist-off breaking head are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,636 describes a multi-tube container having multiple tubes in parallel. The container includes a plurality of body portions, each of which have a hollow portion for containing contents, a plurality of twistable head portions formed at one end of each of the body portions, a plurality of neck portions, each of which can be broken off by twisting of the head portion, creating an opening for extruding the contents from the hollow portion and is located between the body portion and the head portion, and a plurality of sealing portions formed at the other end of each of said body portions. Each of the sealing portions are breakably connected to the adjacent sealing portions, and at least one of the head portions and the neck portions are breakably connected to each other. This document does not disclose a tube made of a single material.
However all the prior art is silent about a composition for making a tube unitarily with the head/cap such that the tube is squeezable and at the same time provides good stress crack resistance.
The prior art does not teach anything about the recyclability of the material and also does not disclose any specific material or composition that can contribute both stress-crack resistance and squeezability required for making the tube integral with the head or cap by using the same material so that the recyclability becomes easier and the process becomes sustainable and reduce the carbon footprint.


A signal generator using an IIR type digital filter (recursive type digital filter) having multipliers A and B in a feedback loop. A control unit 2 provided for the signal generator sets and changes coefficients of the multipliers A and B and generates, supplies and stops an output signal while maintaining a frequency of the output signal. In each step of generating, supplying and stopping of the output signal, the frequency of the output signal can be maintained at a frequency upon stable output and the generation of harmonics can be minimized.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a signal generator using an IIR type digital filter, which is used as a re-generator of, for example, mobile communication system; and a method of generating, supplying, and stopping its output signal.
2. Related Background Art
According to a conventional signal generator using an IIR type digital filter, at the start of the operation, an impulse delta[n] (delta[n] are set to "all 0" except in the case where n=0) is inputted to the IIR type digital filter expressed by the following difference equation.y[n]=x[n]+A1*y[n−1]−A2*y[n−2]  (1)By transmitting output data y[n] to a multiplier (coefficient B0) provided out of a feedback loop of the IIR type digital filter, a desired output signal is obtained.
Poles of a transfer function of the equation (1) are set on a unit circle on a Z plane, not depending on each time when output signal is generated, supplied or stopped.
It is assumed hereinafter that generation of output signal denotes a stage (period of time) until the output signal becomes stable after signal generator started operating, that supply of output signal denotes a stage (period of time) after the output signal became stable, and that stop of output signal denotes a stage (period of time) until the output signal stops after it became stable. Moreover, the output signal denotes a signal obtained by converting the output data (digital signal) into an analog signal.
In the above prior art, if the signal generator is inputted with delta[n] at starting time of operation, for the signal generator to start operating; a value of the output data changes suddenly by transitional response which appears with generation of output signal. Moreover, if the output signal is stopped by switching the coefficient B0 of the multiplier to 0, a value of the output data changes suddenly by transitional response which appears with stop of output signal. Such a sudden change in output data is converted into an analog signal and its harmonics penetrate, as noises, peripheral circuits. Accordingly, a problem to be solved such that the noises sometimes cause inconvenience still remains.
In order to solve this problem, there is also a case where the coefficient B0 is gradually decreased to 0 and the output is stopped. In this case, a problem to be solved such that it is necessary to execute arithmetic operations of the coefficient B0 many times and a control method becomes complicated still remains. Accordingly, a technique for enabling a calculation or the like of the transfer function to be easily executed has also been released (for example, refer to a patent literature 1: JP-A-6-61790 (Abstract)).
What is to be solved by present invention is: a problem such that a value of the output data changes suddenly by transitional response which appears with generation of output signal, or by transitional response which appears with stop of output signal; and such a sudden change in output data is converted into an analog signal and its harmonics penetrate, as noises, peripheral circuits; causing inconvenience to peripheral circuits.

Signal generator using IIR type digital filter; and method of generating, supplying, and stopping its output signal


A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for processing a set of links in a document. In response to receiving the document, the set of links in the document is displayed as being validated. The set of links are then processed to determine whether the links are valid or invalid. Whenever one of the links in the set of links is identified as being valid, the display of the link is changed to indicate that the link is valid. Whenever a link in the set of links is identified as being invalid, the display of that link is changed to indicate that this link is invalid.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing data. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for processing links in a document.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet is a global network of computers and networks joined together by means of gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from a protocol of the sending network to a protocol used by the receiving network. On the Internet, any computer may communicate with any other computer with information traveling over the Internet through a variety of languages, also referred to as protocols. The set of protocols used on the Internet is called transmission control protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
The Internet has revolutionized both communications and commerce, as well as, being a source of both information and entertainment. For many users, email is a widely used format to communicate over the Internet. Additionally, the Internet is also used for real-time voice conversations.
With respect to transferring data over the Internet, the World Wide Web environment is used. This environment is also referred to simply as "the Web". The Web is a mechanism used to access information over the Internet. In the Web environment, servers and clients effect data transaction using the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), a known protocol for handling the transfer of various data files, such as text files, graphic images, animation files, audio files, and video files.
On the Web, the information in various data files is formatted for presentation to a user by a standard page description language, the hypertext markup language (HTML). Documents using HTML are also referred to as Web pages. Web pages are connected to each other through links or hyperlinks. These links allow for a connection or link to other Web resources identified by a universal resource identifier (URI), such as a uniform resource locator (URL).
A browser is a program used to look at and interact with all of the information on the Web. A browser is able to display Web pages and to traverse links to other Web pages. Resources, such as Web pages, are retrieved by a browser, which is capable of submitting a request for the resource. This request typically includes an identifier, such as, for example, a URL. As used herein, a browser is an application used to navigate or view information or data in any distributed database, such as the Internet or the World Wide Web. A user may enter a domain name through a graphical user interface (GUI) for the browser to access a source of content. The domain name is automatically converted to the IP address by a domain name system (DNS), which is a service that translates the symbolic name entered by the user into an IP address by looking up the domain name in a database.
The browser includes a user interface, which is a GUI that allows the user to interface or communicate with another browser. This interface provides for selection of various functions through menus and allows for navigation. For example, a menu may allow a user to perform various functions, such as saving a file, opening a new window, displaying a history, and entering a URL.
In following links in a document, it is not uncommon for the document to have invalid links. An invalid link is a link that does not lead to a document. Instead, an error is returned and a message is displayed on the browser to the user stating that the particular page cannot be displayed. For example, with HTTP requests, and error code of 404 is returned if the document is not found on the server. In such a case, the page may no longer be present or may have been moved to another location. In selecting invalid links, the user is required to spend time waiting for a non-existent document to load onto the Web browser. In other words, when loading a non-existent link in a Web browser, the user waits while the Web browser determines that the specified link does not exist. Having to wait to find out that a page or a link no longer exists can be frustrating and time consuming.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for identifying valid and invalid links.

Method and apparatus for self validating URL links

International Business Machines Corporation


A Buoyancy-Driven System for generating electric power is disclosed. The Buoyancy-Driven System utilizes Archimedes"" Principle to drive magnet capsules through a fluid-filled portion of pipe and gravity to return the magnet capsules. As the magnet capsules pass through coil modules, electric power is generated.

Generation of electric power is a necessary component for the operation of modern society. Alternatives to conventional electric power generation sources fueled by coal or nuclear materials continue to be explored. One of the most inexpensive and cleanest methods for generating large amounts of electric power is hydroelectric power generation. The use of hydroelectric power generation, however, is limited because it requires the availability of vast quantities of water and the feasibility of constructing a large dam to store the large amount of water. Moreover, the geological sites where the requisite conditions for hydroelectric power generation can be satisfied are few and far between. These limitations often require reliance on other means of power generation such as nuclear and fossil fuel power plants, which are expensive and environmentally unattractive.
Other sources of energy, such as wind and solar power, are environmentally clean and relatively inexpensive. However, a large-scale utilization of these sources for electric power generation is not currently in practice because of several limitations that are inherent in these methods. For example, wind power and solar energy both require a disproportionately large surface area for a large-scale operation. Further, these methods are unreliable because of their dependence on the weather conditions. Thus, it is difficult to obtain continuous generation of a large amount of electric power through wind power or solar energy.
Because of the inherent limitations of most power generation methods, it would be desirable to develop an alternative power generation method that could provide power with the benefits of hydroelectric generation, but with reduced geographical restrictions.
Buoyancy force is a form of gravitational force. For ease of explanation, however, xe2x80x9cgravityxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cgravitationalxe2x80x9d will be used for scenarios in which the capsule is denser than the surrounding environment. xe2x80x9cBuoyantxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cbuoyancyxe2x80x9d will refer to scenarios in which the capsule is less dense than the surrounding environment, and thus rises upwardly. xe2x80x9cEMF,xe2x80x9d otherwise known as electromotive force, is any voltage induced by moving a conductor across a magnetic field.
The present invention pertains to a new method and system of electric power generation, which requires neither large amounts of water nor a large dam construction. The present invention pertains to a Buoyancy-Driven System (BDS), which uses the motion of magnet capsules through coil modules to generate electric power. Like the typical hydroelectric power system, the BDS uses gravitational energy. The BDS, however, also makes use of buoyancy force in accordance with Archimedes"" Principle.
In the conventional hydroelectric power system, fast-flowing water held back by a dam turns the turbine in an electric generator. The water rushing out of the dam is under high pressure caused by the weight of the water in the reservoir. The energy utilized to turn the generator is gravitational in origin, i.e., a conversion of gravitational energy to electrical energy. The electric power is generated when the magnetic field of the rotating magnetic rotor induces an EMF in the static coil that surrounds the magnetic rotor or, conversely, that rotation of a coil in the magnetic field of a fixed magnet causes an induced EMF in the rotating coil.
The BDS uses gravitational energy, in the form of gravity and buoyancy. Instead of either the water falling in the gravitational field or the fast-flowing water under high pressure from the weight of the water in the reservoir, the BDS uses buoyancy force. In the BDS, a plurality of buoyant magnet capsules are placed in a portion of a fluid-filled area. Because the magnet capsules are buoyant in surrounding fluid, buoyancy force drives the capsules upward in the fluid. As the capsules move upward, the magnetic fields of these magnet capsules induce an EMF in a plurality of coil modules that are situated on the exterior surface of portions of the loop. The size and configuration of the coil modules on the external surface of the loop are dictated by the strength and distribution of the magnetic fields generated by the magnet capsules. The coil modules may be placed on the exterior surface of the liquid-filled portion and/or the empty portion of the loop.
The BDS utilizes a containment loop which contains a buoyancy section, a slide-and-fall section, and a capsule injector. The containment loop ensures that the magnet capsules move in a predetermined path. The buoyancy section is filled with fluid. Typically, this fluid is water. However, other liquids, such as engine oil, may be utilized. Indeed, in certain embodiments, oil may be a preferable liquid due to reduced friction. The magnet capsules rise from a lower portion to an upper portion of the buoyancy section. The momentum of the magnet capsules carries them into the slide-and-fall section. The slide-and-fall section allows gravity to return the capsule from an upper elevation to a lower elevation.
In between the bottom of the buoyancy section and gravitational section, there is a capsule injector. The capsule injector receives a magnet capsule from the low-pressure gravitational section and introduces it into the high-pressure buoyancy section. In a preferred embodiment, the capsule injector operates much like a lock in a canal. There are two gates, an entrance gate on the low pressure side and an exit gate on the high pressure side. When the entrance gate is opened, the weight of the stacked magnet capsules in the capsule waiting portion of the slide-and-fall section will push the next waiting capsule into the capsule injector. Upon entering the capsule injector, a volume of liquid equal to the volume of the capsule is displaced. The displaced liquid may exit the loop via a drainage pipe that is situated off the slide-and-fall section. The displaced liquid may be pumped to the buoyancy section in order to recycle the liquid in the BDS. Once the magnet capsule is in the capsule injector, the entrance gate is closed. Next, the exit gate is opened. The magnet capsule is now subjected to the high pressure buoyancy section. At this point, the magnet capsule will rise from the bottom to the top of the buoyancy section.
The motion of a capsule through the BDS loop generates electric power. A changing magnetic flux passing through a wire loop will induce a current in the loop. Thus, the movement of a magnet capsule through a coil module will induce a current, and generate electric power. The BDS loop operates as a continuous cycle in which the magnet capsules are driven upward via buoyancy force and taken back downward using gravity. Because buoyancy and gravitational forces drive the magnet capsules through the BDS loop, EMF may be generated in either or both of the buoyancy or gravity portions of the BDS loop by placing coil modules surrounding those portions of the BDS loop.
The BDS offers a clean method of generating power. The BDS uses gravity, which includes buoyancy force, to drive magnet capsules through the BDS loop. The only energy consumed in the BDS is through the operation of the capsule injector and, if used, a refill pump for recycling the liquid utilized. Thus, with the appropriate design characteristics, the BDS can be a self-sustaining system.

Buoyancy-driven electric power generator


[Problem] To provide an optical packet buffer control device, without making device construction large in scale, that is capable of dynamically responding to traffic and suppressing power consumption.

In JP 2008-211530 A (Patent Literature 1), an optical packet buffer control device is disclosed. The optical packet buffer control device includes an optical delay line buffer including a plurality of delay lines.
An amount of delay of each fiber delay line in the optical delay line buffer is constant. Thus, an amount of delay given to an optical packet by the optical delay line buffer is a fixed discrete value. Thus, in a case where optical packets having different lengths reach the optical delay line buffer simultaneously, an excessive delay is given to the optical packets. As a result, there are some void spaces between continuously-outputted packets from the buffer. These spaces decrease link utilization.
Moreover, in order to expand an optical delay line buffer, many delay lines are required. The optical delay line buffer generally controls an amount of given delay by choosing line having enough length to accommodate the packet. Thus, in a case of expanding the optical delay line buffer, long delay lines are necessary and footprint of the buffer becomes large. In addition, signal quality is deteriorated due to long delay lines.

Optical delay line and electronic buffer merged-type optical packet buffer control device

Abstract: [Solution] An optical delay line and electronic buffer merged-type optical packet buffer control device having N number of input terminals (11), an optical packet information acquisition unit (13), a plurality of switches (15), a plurality of delay lines (17), an electronic buffer (19), an output terminal (21), and a buffer control unit (23), wherein the buffer control unit (23) receives packet information and analyzes packet traffic, and exerts control so as not to use the electronic buffer (19) when the packet traffic is equal to or less than a first threshold, or receives information pertaining to the use state of the delay lines and exerts control so as not to use the electronic buffer (19) when the use rate of the delay lines (the percentage of the number of used delay lines relative to the total number of delay lines) is equal to or less than a first threshold pertaining to the use rate. This device can expand capacity by utilizing the electronic buffer at the time of congestion, and can dynamically respond to changes in traffic.

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology


An expander type exercising apparatus has an elongated stretchable elastic element consisting of one or more coil springs, elastic tubes and/or elastic strands. The elastic element is confined in the median portion of an elongated tube-like envelope the end portions of which are directly or indirectly secured to and extend beyond the respective ends of the elastic element. The end portions of the envelope have looped sections which constitute handles to be grasped by a person wishing to stretch the elastic element by way of the two end portions of the envelope. The sizes of the looped sections are adjustable to thus change the overall length of the apparatus. The envelope consists of filaments which are woven around the elastic element while the latter is maintained in stretched condition.

The invention relates to exercising apparatus in general, and more particularly to improvements in exercising apparatus of the type known as expanders.
Expanders are used by person wishing to exercise and strengthen the muscles in their hands and in other parts of their bodies. A conventional expander comprises one or more elongated coil springs the end portions of which are connected with handles, e.g., with handles in the form of rings. Such expanders are simple, inexpensive and effective. However, a careless or clumsy person is likely to sustain serious injuries as a result of improper manipulation of a conventional expander with one or more coil springs. For example, if one of the handles is released in stretched condition of the coil spring or springs (this can happen if the hands of the person using the expander perspire as a result of prolonged strenuous exercising), the spring or springs are free to abruptly contract and to propel the released handle against the body of the user or to injure a person standing by. Moreover, conventional expanders (especially those for use by adults seeking strenuous exercise) are heavy and bulky and, therefore, not suitable for taking along on trips so that the owner could carry out her or his daily exercise at home or elsewhere.


An electronic musical apparatus comprises an instructing device that instructs establishment of connection to a network via a communication interface, a first time information obtaining device that obtains time information from a first time information provider connected to the network, a second time information obtaining device that obtains time information from a second time information provider connected to the network when the first time information obtaining device cannot obtain the time information, and an executing device that executes a service via the network by using the time information obtained from either one of the first and the second time information providers.

A) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronic musical apparatus, more in detail, relates to an electronic musical instrument that can connect to the networks.
B) Description of the Related Art
There is an electronic musical instrument that can connect to a musical contents providing server on a communication network such as the Internet and download and purchase musical contents (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent 2003-076364).
Normally, when musical contents are purchased on the communication network, it is necessary to input personal information such as a user ID, a password and the likes. It is known that the Cookie by which the personal information can be stored in the user's apparatus for omitting the inputting the personal information from the next time and which can be used for user identification.
The Cookie is a format wherein a Web site provider temporally stores data in a visitor's (the user) apparatus via the Web browser, and in which information relating to the user, time and date of visiting the site for the last time, the number of visiting times can be stored.
In transmission of the user ID and the password when purchasing the musical contents, security is necessary. The SSL protocol that transmits and receives encrypted information on the Internet is known as what prevents data tapping, data falsification and pretending by combining security techniques such as a public key encryption and a secret key encryption, a digital certificate (SSL certificate) and a hash function.
The above-described Cookie and SSL certificate have validation date, and it is necessary to always keep a current time on the apparatus side to use the Cookie and the SSL certificate. Generally, since the electronic musical apparatus such as an electronic musical instrument cannot keep the current time inside the apparatus as different from a personal computer, it is difficult to receive an internet service requiring a current time.
Moreover, an network time protocol (NTP) sever is used as a server to be connected for obtaining time information on the Internet; however, some types of the Internet connection prohibits NTP usage, and the time information cannot be obtained by the NTP.

Electronic music apparatus capable of connecting to network


The invention provides a floor mat system having a plurality of floor mats disposed in edge-to-edge relationships. The floor mats are held in place with clips that prevent the mats from creeping over each other while allowing the mats to be lifted from the floor. One embodiment of the invention provides that each floor mat is held down with four clips disposed at the corners of the floor mat. Another embodiment provides mats held in place with clips positioned at the centers of the mats.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a floor mat system and, more particularly, to a floor mat system designed to include a plurality of floor mats disposed next to each other in a manner that prevents the mats from riding up onto each other.
2. Background Information
Floor mats are often used at the entrances of businesses for customers to wipe water and snow from the bottoms of their shoes. Conventional floor mats are constructed of a flexible rubber and are formed with a plurality of spaced apart orthogonal ribs which form rectangular-shaped openings. These conventional floor mats require that a recessed area be formed in the floor where the floor mats are located with the edges of the recessed area preventing the floor mats from sliding when walked upon by a customer. The water and snow from the customer""s shoes flows through the openings keeping the top surface of the floor mat free of standing water.
Although these prior art floor mats are adequate for the purpose for which they were intended, the business owner must plan for the installation of these floor mats and have the recessed area built into the floor during construction of the building. If these prior art floor mats are merely placed on the floor without a recessed area the floor mats slide when a horizontal pressure from a customers shoes or from strong wind is applied on the mats. Alternatively, the recessed area can be dug out of the floor after the building has been constructed at a great expense to the business owner. Additionally, even when a recessed area has been provided to accept the floor mat, if large mats are utilized, or a number of mats are utilized adjacent one another, the mats may still move within the recessed area possibly causing an unsafe condition.
Another type of floor mat merely sits on the floor allowing the water and snow from the customers"" shoes to flow through the openings. Unless these floor mats are surrounded by some type of frame, the water will eventually build up beneath the floor mat and flow back out into the traffic area creating a puddle of water in front of the floor mat where the customers step. If the floor mat is placed within the business owner""s store, the water will eventually flow out into the aisles or walkways creating a slippery and hazardous condition.
Also, if the area to be covered by the floor mats is a relatively large area such as the entrance or exit to a supermarket, a plurality of these floor mats must be placed at the entrance way to collect the snow and water from customer""s shoes. If each of these plurality of floor mats is contained within its own separate frame, the front floor mats which the customers walk upon first will collect a majority of snow and water while the floor mats closer to the door will be relatively dry. Eventually, the front floor mats will fill with water causing an overflow of water into the walkway or causing standing water on the top surface of the mat.
Therefore, the need exists for an improved floor mat system having inner and outer frame members which extend between and around, respectively, a plurality of floor mats, which frame members attach directly to the floor to restrict movement of the floor mats, in which the frame members include a seal receiving recess formed in a bottom end thereof for selectively receiving a seal and which the mats are easily removable from within the frame to allow the water under the mat to be cleaned up and which are easily placed back in the frame.
Floor mats are also used between the storage areas in retail establishments and the display or retail environment of the retail establishment. These floor mats are intended to prevent dirt, water, and other debris from entering the retail environment from the storage environment where goods are unloaded from trucks. These floor mats are subjected to foot traffic as well as traffic from wheeled transport vehicles such as loaders or pull carts that are used to move goods from the storage area to the retail environment of the store. These transport vehicles are typically very heavy and include relatively small wheels in order to keep the height of the transport vehicle low. These transport vehicles typically have three or four wheels.
A problem has occurred in the art when these transport vehicles are rolled over prior art floor mats. It has been found that the movement of the transport vehicle over the floor mat causes the floor mat to xe2x80x9ccreepxe2x80x9d or move out of its intended location. This movement is believed to occur when the wheels of the transport vehicle engage the floor mat under a heavy load. The floor mats must be manually repositioned after such movement. One solution has been to fasten the floor mat to the floor with clips to prevent the mats from moving. Although this is functional, the clips prevent the mats from being readily pulled up during cleaning. It is thus desired in the art to provide a floor mat system for use with relatively heavy, wheeled transport vehicles that will allow the transport vehicle to be rolled over the floor mat system without moving the floor mat system.
Another problem with prior art floor mat systems is that the rib structure of the floor mats is designed to support foot traffic and is not designed to carry the relatively heavy point loads created by a wheeled transport vehicle. Prior art rib structures allow the point load of a small wheel to depress the floor mat between ribs eventually causing damage to the floor mat and allowing the wheel to obtain a better grip on the floor mat to move the floor mat. One solution to this problem has been to create floor mats with ribs that are closely adjacent. The problem with floor mats having closely adjacent ribs is that there is little room for the floor mat to collect debris and little room for the liquid under the floor mat to flow. Another solution has been to provide a floor mat having intersecting ribs. The problem with floor mats having intersecting ribs is that the intersecting ribs prevent liquid from flowing under the floor mat to a drain positioned in one area of the floor mat. As such, it is desired in the art to provide a floor mat structure that is capable of supporting relatively heavy rolling point loads while maintaining liquid flow channels and room for debris under the floor mat.
Another problem in the art of floor mat systems is when the edges of adjacent mats ride up over each other to create a tripping hazard. The prior art recognizes that one solution to this problem is to place the adjacent floor mats in individual wells defined by frame members. The drawback with this solution is the cost of fabricating and installing the frame members. The art desires a floor mat system that includes a plurality of mats disposed in an edge-to-edge-or abuttingxe2x80x94relationship wherein the risk of edge creep (wherein the edges ride up over each other during normal use) is eliminated.
The invention provides a floor mat system having a plurality of floor mats disposed in edge-to-edge relationships. The floor mats are held in place with clips that prevent the mats from creeping over each other while allowing the mats to be lifted from the floor.
One embodiment of the invention provides that each floor mat is held down with four clips disposed at the corners of the floor mat. Another embodiment provides mats held in place with clips positioned at the centers of the mats.


System and techniques for delayed transaction matching are described herein. A received transaction request, that includes an original value used to match against another transaction request, has the original value modified to create a modified value that is less likely to match another transaction request. A data structure entry is written for the transaction request with corresponding value field in the entry including the modified value. After a time period, or a delay period, is elapsed, the entry is rewritten to change the modified value to the original value of the transaction request to end the delay applied to the transaction request.

Computer transactions are a set (e.g., sequence) of computer operations whereby the failure of any results in a failure of the transaction. For example, a transaction to update a database may include updating two records as part of a transaction. If the first record update succeeds and the second record update fails, the transaction has failed. In such cases, to maintain the integrity of the data, the change to the first record will be rolled back when the transaction fails. In general, transactions help to ensure that data-oriented resources are not permanently updated unless all operations within the transactional unit complete successfully.
Transactions may be initiated with a transaction request. A Transaction request may include initiation of one or more transactions in a message to a transaction processing system. Often, a transaction request is matched by the transaction processing system to a resource, or another transaction request, to complete the transaction. For example, a request to process video in a hardware accelerator may be accepted by the transaction processing system and held until a hardware accelerator becomes available and matched the transaction request. In this way, the transaction processing system arbitrates resource matching to the transaction requests that are received.


A sensing and decoding scheme layout for a memory device comprising an array made up of columns and rows of memory cells is disclosed wherein sense amplifiers and pairs of memory cell columns are positioned so as to collectively fit within the pitches of the memory cells of the memory cell column pairs and where the sense amplifiers are connected in a one-to-one correspondence with columns of the memory cells.

Integrated circuit memory devices are often organized into rows and columns of memory cells, with the rows and columns separately selected based on the value of the portions of the memory address which represent row and column addresses. In such devices, the term "word lines" generally refers to a set of conductors of which one, when active, selects the addressed row of memory cells; the term "bit lines" generally refers to a set of conductors which communicate data between memory cells in the addressed row and a sense amplifier. The sense amplifier is a circuit which senses the data state of the data on an associated bit line, and which generally amplifies the sensed data state for communication to output stages of the circuit.
Due to the drive capability of static memory cells, where the memory cell consists of a latch, multiple columns in many static random access memories (SRAMs) share a single sense amplifier. With reference to FIG. 1, each column of a memory array is connected by line 3 to its associated sense amplifier 10 through each column's associated pass transistor 7. Pass transistor 7, when turned on, allows electrical connection of a selected column to sense amplifier 10. Since the change in charge, Q, is equal to the capacitance, C, times the change in voltage, V, across the capacitor in pass transistor 7, that is Q=C V, then the time, t, to charge the capacitor is a function of Q over the charging current, I, or rather t=f(Q/I). It is apparent that pass transistor 7 should be as large as possible in order to drive sense amp 10. However, as pass transistor 7 increases in size, its capacitance increases in size thereby decreasing the switching speed of the pass transistor and thus slowing down the operation of the memory device.

High performance bipolar differential sense amplifier in a BiCMOS SRAM


A mobile communication device. The device comprises a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and a memory comprising a mobile application incorporating a search client that. When executed by at least one of the CPU and the GPU, the application receives an input selecting the search client, begins execution in a trusted security zone execution mode wherein instructions of the search client execute in the GPU, creates a genesis block of a block chain via the search client instructions executing in the GPU, creates an event block of the block chain via the search client instructions executing in the GPU, attaches the event block to the block chain via the search client instructions executing in the GPU, transmits the block chain to a data store, and reverts to execution in a normal execution mode.

Mobile communication devices are widely deployed and used by people in all walks of life in the United States and other nations. Mobile communication devices provide both voice communication services and data communication services. People can hold voice conversations with others via their mobile communication devices. People can access the Internet and download content via browsers executing on their mobile communication devices. Additionally, mobile applications or computer programs may be installed on the mobile communication device. When executed, the mobile applications may process autonomously on the mobile communication device. The mobile applications may also interact with application servers that assist the mobile applications in some way. In some cases, the mobile application may be deployed as a client having limited capabilities that executes on the mobile communication device that interworks with a server application that executes on a server computer accessible via a wireless connection from the mobile communication device. Mobile communication devices may have an operating system installed that provides an execution environment. This operating system may constrain or limit what mobile applications are able to do.

Performance metrics collection and promulgation from within a mobile application


A structure with electronic component mounted therein includes a wiring board on which an electronic component is mounted at least on its first face, resin provided at least between the electronic component and the wiring board, and a plurality of holes formed in the wiring board at region corresponding to a mounting position of the electronic component. The holes are filled with the resin. This suppresses warpage of the structure with electronic component mounted therein, and also improves reliability by reducing a stress applied to a bonding section between the wiring board and the electronic component.

Electronic circuits are rapidly becoming more multi-functioned, smaller, and lighter. In line with this trend, smaller, lighter, and thinner packages of semiconductor chips or the like and their mounting methods are also demanded.
To satisfy these demands, a flip-chip mounting technology is widely adopted, instead of wire-bonding technology, in technologies for mounting semiconductor chips on a wiring board. The flip-chip technology is to form projecting electrodes, using solder or Au wire, on the surface of a semiconductor chip and connect these electrodes to a wiring board. In this technology, in general, a semiconductor chip is mounted, via projecting electrodes, on one side of a wiring board with a wiring pattern, and resin called underfill is filled between the semiconductor chip and the wiring board, so as to integrate and fix the semiconductor chip onto the wiring board.
Since the semiconductor chip and the wiring board are integrated using resin, warpage occurs consistently or repeatedly due to heat treatment during production or external ambient temperature during use if a thermal expansion coefficient differs between the semiconductor chip and the wiring board.
To solve this warpage problem, a double-sided mounting method for chip mounting boards is disclosed. (For example, refer to Patent Literature 1.) The double-sided mounting method disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes the first step of mounting the semiconductor chip on one face of the wiring board and curing underfill resin between the wiring board and the semiconductor chip, and the second step of mounting a semiconductor chip on the other face of the wiring board and curing underfill resin between the wiring board and the semiconductor chip. The use of underfill resin with different thermal expansion coefficients in the first step and the second step prevents warpage of the chip-mounted board.
However, the use of different types of underfill resin in Patent Literature 1 results in restrictions to flexibility in material designs. In addition, since steps of placing a semiconductor chip, injecting underfill resin, and curing underfill resin need to be implemented separately for the surface and the rear face of the wiring bard, the assembly time approximately doubles, decreasing the productivity. Accordingly, a technology for both improving productivity and suppressing warpage has been demanded. Still more, a temperature for canceling the warpage occurred in assembly processes may not be an optimal temperature for curing underfill resin. If the temperature is not optimal, curing of underfill resin may take longer time, curing of underfill resin may not be achieved, or contrarily, curing time may be too short. As a result, voids are produced in the underfill resin, and reliability reduces due to degradation in moisture resistance or bonding strength.
Still more, a mounting method for a structure with electronic component mounted therein and the mounting structure are disclosed. (For example, refer to Patent Literature 2.) In Patent Literature 2, the structure with electronic component mounted therein is mounted facing down on a wiring board with fine holes via liquid resin composite containing inorganic filler with the size larger than the holes. Since only resin in the liquid resin composite is filled in the holes, warpage of the structure with electronic component mounted therein is prevented, depending on an amount of resin filled in the holes, by adjusting thermal expansion coefficients of the resin composite between the electronic component and the wiring board.
Furthermore, a semiconductor device in which a semiconductor chip is mounted on both faces of a carrier tape with holes penetrating through is disclosed. (For example, refer to Patent Literature 3 and Patent Literature 4.) In Patent Literature 3 and Patent Literature 4, resin is filled between opposing semiconductor chips in a single step via a hole penetrating through, and the resin improves the sealing strength.
In the above Patent Literature 3, warpage of overall semiconductor device is effectively prevented when semiconductor chips are mounted on both faces of carrier tape. However, it is difficult to reduce a stress concentrated on a bonding section between an electrode of semiconductor chip and an electrode of tape carrier caused by difference in thermal expansion coefficients. Therefore, the stress concentrates on the bonding section by a change in external ambient temperature. This causes a crack, breakage, or peeling in the bonding section, reducing the reliability.
In Patent Literature 4, warpage of semiconductor device is prevented by optimizing the filling sequence of underfill resin injected to semiconductor chips with different sizes mounted on both faces. In addition, the underfill resin can be efficiently filled via the holes penetrating through. However, same as Patent Literature 3, it is also difficult to reduce a stress concentrated on a bonding section in Patent Literature 4.
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2004-23045
Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 3260249
Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H3-20051
Patent Literature 4: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2007-134448

Structure with electronic component mounted therein and method for manufacturing such structure


A method and a device for monitoring a space for the presence of a foreign body comprises at least one transmitter and a first and second receiving device. The signal of the second receiving device which is spaced further apart from the transmitter than the first receiving device is evaluated for its parasitic signal portions. If the distance between the first and the second receiving device is not too great, it can be assumed that parasitic signal portions detected in the second received signal are also contained in the first received signal. In this case, it is recommended to discontinue monitoring the space or to discard any result of this monitoring already obtained at least until no parasitic signal portions are detected in a repeated evaluation of the second received signal.

The invention concerns a method for detecting an obstacle in the detection area of a detecting device. The invention also concerns this detecting device and a computer program for performing the method. The invention also concerns a data carrier having this computer program.
Detecting devices of this type are known in the art. They are typically installed in the bumper of an automotive vehicle and are used as a parking aid by detecting obstacles in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle. Devices of this type are typically operated using ultrasound and comprise at least one transmitter and at least one first and one second receiving device, wherein the second receiving device is spaced further apart from the transmitter than the first receiving device. The transmitter of the detecting device is designed to emit a transmission signal, e.g. an ultrasound signal, at particular transmitting times in order to detect an obstacle in the detection area of the detecting device. At this transmitting time, the first receiving device is activated to receive a first received signal and the second receiving device is activated to receive a second received signal, wherein the received signals may comprise, in particular, portions of the transmission signal, which are reflected from the obstacle. At least the first received signal is subsequently evaluated for the presence of the obstacle in the detection area of the detecting device. The obstacle is recognized when at least the first received signal contains the portions of the transmission signal reflected from the obstacle.
In order to evaluate the at least first received signal for the presence of the obstacle, the first received signal is conventionally not detected directly after the transmitting time but after a threshold time which is individually associated with each receiving device. This threshold time is conventionally typically defined by the distance from the transmitter associated with each receiving device. The threshold time which is characteristic for a receiving device is obtained by dividing the distance between the transmitter and the receiving device by the propagation speed of the transmission signal in space. This means that signal portions of the respective received signal which are received at a time before the threshold time associated with this distance, cannot possibly be derived from the obstacle to be detected. For this reason, the detecting devices are physically not able to detect obstacles being positioned at a shorter distance from the device than the acoustical short circuit which is defined as half the respective distance between the transmitter and receiving device. For the same reason, as mentioned above, the evaluation of the received signal is started only after the individual threshold time.
The received signal may, however, contain at least parts of parasitic signals even after this threshold time, which can produce false information about the presence of an obstacle in the detection area of the detecting device if they are erroneously assumed to be portions of the transmission signal reflected from the obstacle. This error is very likely since the signal shapes of the parasitic signals will not necessarily differ from the reflected portions of the transmission signal.
Departing therefrom, it is the object of the present invention to further develop a conventional method for detecting an obstacle and a computer program and a detecting device for performing this method in such a manner that a reliable statement about the presence of an obstacle in the detection area of the detecting device is obtained.

Method for detecting an obstacle in the detection area of a detection device


In response to a command to restrict a communication service for a computer, a countermeasures apparatus replaces the communication address of a second computer, which has been stored in a first computer, with the communication address of the countermeasures apparatus, and replaces a communication address of the first computer, which has been stored in the second computer, with the communication address of the countermeasures apparatus. Accordingly, the countermeasures apparatus acquires a packet from the first computer to the second computer and determines whether this acquired packet is to be transmitted to the second computer.

Along with development of network technologies in recent years, computers serving as client terminals have been connected to various networks. Accordingly, damages by computer viruses and the like and damages caused by intrusion of hackers and crackers have been increasing. Thus, security measures for client terminals have become important.
Moreover, execution of prohibited software within a subnetwork by a client terminal can make subnetwork security vulnerable. Moreover, sometimes it may be desirable to limit the communication services that are available to specific computers. For example, in an educational institution it may be desirable to restrict communication services available to students that are not suitable from an educational standpoint. In addition, minimizing unnecessary connections makes it possible to use network resources more effectively. Thus, it may be preferable that a network administrator or a service provider be able to restrict communication services accessible to computers connected to a subnetwork, in order to control access to servers by computers lacking security measures, the use of prohibited software, and the like.
A computer lacking security measures may require the installation of a virus pattern file or a security patch provided by a server over a local area network (LAN). Here, such a computer is called a "computer to be controlled." However, in this situation the computer to be controlled lacks security measures. Thus, it is preferable to be able to restrict the availability of all usual communication services using the server and the LAN, in order to prevent damage caused by virus and worm infection, and the like. Specifically, for the computer to be controlled, it is desirable that only the communication services needed for security measures be executed, and that other communication services irrelevant to the security measures, such as access to files and use of server applications, be restricted.
Restrictions on communication services can be provided by a firewall by capturing packets that flow between a PC (personal computer) and a server, and examining the contents of the packets (see, for example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-273936). Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-273936 teaches that packets may be filtered by a firewall between a terminal and a central server.
If all communications of a computer to be controlled pass through the firewall, communication services of the computer to be controlled can be restricted using the method of Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-273936. However, when the computer to be controlled is connected inside a subnetwork such as LAN behind the firewall, so that communication is completed within the network without passing through the firewall, it is not possible to restrict a communication service in this way.
Another way to restrict communication services is by using network devices called layer 3 switches and layer 7 switches. The layer 3 switch and the layer 7 switch may be, for example, switches capable of controlling the destination of a packet according to an application level protocol. Thus, a specific communication service can be restricted by permitting or blocking communication with a server by acquiring a packet from a computer to be controlled, and recognizing the packet accordingly. However, this method of restricting communication service requires the use of layer 3 or layer 7 switches for all the switches or hubs throughout a subnetwork.
In principle, an intelligent switch could be used; however, an intelligent switch can only block a packet, and cannot restrict a communication service.
Further, it is preferable that an administrator of the subnetwork be able to restrict communication service at any arbitrary time. For example, when a new virus circulates, it is preferable that a communication service be restricted again, even though security measures have been fully implemented previously and the communication service is not restricted. It is preferable to be able to remove the restriction quickly, once security measures for the new virus are fully implemented.
Thus, as described above, there is a need for a way of restricting communication services of computers behind firewalls.


In a secure communication system, a secure point-to-point communication may be accomplished in the following manner. A first communications unit receives a request from an operator for a point-to-point communication identifying at least one destination communication unit. In response, the first communication unit generates a private call key variable by modifying an encryption key variable through the use of a predetermined function. Identity of the encryption key variable and information pertaining to the predetermined function is transmitted by the first communication unit to the destination communication unit. Upon receiving the identity of the encryption key variable and information pertaining to the predetermined function, the destination communication unit generates the private call key variable. When the private call key variable has been determined by the first communication unit and the destination communication unit, both communication units can engage in the secure point-to-point communication.

Communication systems are known to comprise mobile transmitters and receivers, such as in-car mobile or hand-held portable radios, hereafter referred to as communication units, as well as fixed transmitters and fixed receivers, such as base stations or controllers (fixed end). A typical message within such a communication system may begin with a mobile unit converting an audio signal into a digital data stream suitable for transmission over an RF (radio frequency) channel to either another communication unit or the fixed end. Such systems are often used by public safety institutions, such as local or federal law enforcement agencies. The existence of commercially available radio frequency scanners makes it possible for unauthorized parties to monitor the information transmitted within such a communication system. To reduce unauthorized eavesdropping, communication systems encrypt communications such that, without knowledge of the encryption method and a decryptor, the communications are unintelligible.
As is known, digital encryption methods use a reversible algorithm to introduce randomness into a digital data stream. An algorithm that randomizes digital data is called an encryptor; that which reconstructs the original data from the randomized data, a decryptor. An encryptor/decryptor algorithm typically utilizes dynamic parameters, often referred to as keys or key variables, to uniquely specify the nature of the randomness introduced to the digital data stream. Thus, only encryptors and decryptors utilizing an identical algorithm and key are capable of reproducing intelligible messages. An example of an encryptor/decryptor algorithm is the Data Encryption Standard (DES). Typically, each communication unit within a secure communication system Can store anywhere from one to twenty keys for use in encrypted communications. A communication unit's capacity for key storage is typically limited by the cost of the storage devices and protection technology required to safely maintain a set of keys.
The limited number of keys which i a secure communication unit may typically store precludes the use of many features commonly found in unencrypted communication systems. For example, if two users within a secure communication system wished to initiate a secure point-to-point communication with one another such that no one else in the communication system, in addition to those outside the communication system, could monitor their call, they would require the exclusive use, for an indefinite period of time, of at least one of the limited number of keys available to all of the communication units within the system. In very large secure systems containing hundreds or even thousands of communication units, such exclusive use of key variables is obviously inefficient. Furthermore, such a communication would have a degree of privacy but would not, in general, be completely secure in that other units within the system could monitor the communication by trying each of the limited number of keys until the conversation was rendered intelligible. To prevent this situation, a unique key variable would need to be available to each communication unit in the system. The number of unique keys that would need to be added to each communication unit to accommodate all possible point-to-point communications in a large system, as well as the additional processing required to determine which key is being utilized, is prohibitive. Therefore a need exists for a method which allows point-to-point communications to be accomplished within secure communication systems without the inefficient exclusive use of key variables or the addition of a large number of unique key variables in each communication unit.

Method for point-to-point communications within secure communication systems