A leg for use on hopping, running, jumping and walking machines. As incorporated into the bow leg hopper robot, a thrust actuator provides elastic energy to the leg which is automatically released during stance to control hopping height. Lateral motion is controlled by directing the leg angle at touchdown, which determines the angle of takeoff. The leg pivots freely on a hip bearing, and is automatically decoupled from the leg-angle positioner during stance to preclude hip torques that would disturb body attitude. Upright attitude is maintained without active control by allowing the body to hang from the hip joint. The leg may also be incorporated into multilegged running robots, and recreational vehicles.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to legged vehicles and toys, and, more particularly, to a resilient leg and its embodiment in a robot for which it provides hopping propulsion.
2. Description of the Invention Background
Human beings and animals have remarkable abilities to walk and run over a wide variety of terrain. In running, as distinct from walking, a machine (or animal) exhibits periods of flight in which contact with the ground is completely lost. Running in general is a dynamic phenomenon where inertial forces are significant, and balance is achieved by active means, not by static equilibrium. Running allows higher speeds than walking, and exploits dynamics to negotiate widely spaced (horizontally or vertically) footholds.
There have been a number of efforts at building running robots. One running robot was a planar one-legged hopper that operated in low effective gravity on an inclined table with thrust provided by a high-force electric solenoid. A succession of machines tested one-leg, two-leg and four-leg designs both in the plane and in three dimensions (3D). Most used a telescoping leg with an internal air spring for compliance, and hydraulic actuators. Some machines have been controlled by the same basic decomposition into three independent linear controllers: forward velocity controlled by foot placement, hopping height controlled by thrust, and pitch controlled by hip torque during stance. This control involved high force and power during stance.
There have been several examples of electrically actuated hoppers. One was constructed with a one-leg electrically actuated planar hopper with a leg constructed from a four bar linkage with a tension spring. Another was built with a one-leg planar hopper with electric motors instead of hydraulics and a metal spring instead of an air spring. Others designed an electrically actuated leg with three revolute joints that used an electric motor coupled with elastic tendons to drive the foot. Others have been designed with an electrically actuated telescoping leg constrained to the vertical. It incorporated a DC motor driving a ball screw in series with a steel spring.
While research on dynamically-stabilized legged locomotion has been completed, previous hopping/running machines have been characterized by the following shortcomings: (i) inefficiency due to losses in the mechanical system and negative work; (ii) the need for large, high-powered actuators for excitation and control of motion; (iii) the requirement for excessive power via off-board power supply; (iv) large body-attitude disturbances and control effort; (v) the inability to perform precise motion control needed for reliable movement over complex terrains; (vi) control complexity; and (vii) vulnerability to damage. In short, previous concepts of running machines have been confined to laboratory environments, and have not been suitable for practical legged locomotion. Thus, there is a need for legged vehicles, which are energy efficient and simple.
There is a further need for a hopper robot that employs a pivoting hip, which minimizes the torque coupling and attitude disturbances during stance.
There is still another need for a hopping robot that is self-righting without the need for computation, actuation, or energy for pitch control.
There is yet another need for a leg that is lightweight and that can be positioned with a low-power actuator such that minimal disturbance is applied to the body.
Another need exists for a leg that has high passive restitution to minimize the energy that needs to be added for each cycle, and to make the impacts relatively repeatable and predictable.
Still another need exists for a hopping, jumping or running robot that stores energy during flight to enable the use of low-powered actuators.

Resilient leg design for hopping running and walking machines


The invention directed to a portable handheld drilling apparatus for receiving and driving a drill which can encounter a drilling resistance during a drilling operation thereby causing the drilling apparatus to undergo an unwanted rotational movement. The drilling apparatus of the invention includes: a handle for holding by an operator while performing the drilling operation; a drive motor; a transmission for driving the drill; a centrifugal clutch assembly mounted between the drive motor and the transmission; a brake device movable between an inactive position and a braking position; a trigger lever movable between a first position wherein the trigger lever is at rest and a second position; the trigger lever being operatively connected to the brake device so as to trip the brake device into the braking position when the trigger lever moves from the first position into the second position; and, an actuating device for acting upon the trigger lever to cause the trigger lever to move into the second position when the unwanted rotational movement exceeds a pregiven limit value.

Portable handheld drilling apparatus of this kind have the disadvantage that unexpected torque increases can occur when the auger encounters resistances in the drill hole such as stones, roots or the like. These unexpected torque increases can lead to a sudden reduction of rpm of the auger or even cause the auger to become blocked or jammed. The braking torque occurring thereby must be taken up by the operator via the guide handle and this can lead to a considerable safety risk since the operator can lose his hold on the apparatus and be injured thereby.


A system and method of locating the position of a satellite or a user using a satellite positioning system. The system and method includes receiving, at a terminal, satellite positioning data for at least one specified time period over a communications channel. In addition, the system includes storing, at the terminal, the satellite positioning data for the at least one specified time period. Responsive to an event at a later time, the system generally calculates, at the terminal, the satellite position at the later time based only on the satellite positioning data for the at least one specified time period.

The use of satellite positioning systems is becoming increasingly common. Satellite positioning systems are being used in a variety of applications such as navigation (for example automotive navigation) and surveying. Dedicated satellite positioning system receivers are now relatively inexpensive and readily available to the consumer. In addition, satellite positioning system receivers are also now being integrated into mobile telephones, personal digital assistants ("PDA") and automotive computers, as well as being available as peripherals for personal computers.
An example of a satellite positioning system is the Global Positioning System ("GPS"), operated by the United States Department of Defense. The GPS system uses a satellite constellation of at least 24 satellites in a circular medium earth orbit ("MEO"), such that at least four satellites are within line of sight from almost any point on the Earth, and each satellite orbits the Earth twice every day. Other satellite positioning systems include the Russian Global Navigation System (GLONASS) and the European Galileo system.
A GPS receiver can determine its location in terms of its longitude, latitude and altitude (as well as its speed and the current time) by performing calculations on the signals broadcast from the satellites. The location of the receiver is calculated using a process known as trilateration.
Each satellite continuously transmits a coded identification signal, allowing a receiver to identify the satellite. Along with this signal, the satellite transmits a time signal (from an atomic clock on board the satellite), ephemeris data, and an "almanac" of the location of other satellites. Ephemeris data is a set of information that allows the receiver to calculate the movement of the satellite in orbit over a specific interval of time. Typically, the ephemeris data can enable the receiver to accurately calculate the position of the satellite at any given moment over a period of four hours. The ephemeris data allows a plot to be determined that describes how the satellite orbits the Earth. The plot is in the form of a curve or line which is a good fit for the satellite's orbit for approximately four hours, but for times after this the accuracy of the plot gradually degrades. The almanac is a description of the location of the other satellites in the constellation, but is not as accurate as the ephemeris data, and is used by the receiver to determine which other satellites it can see.
By reading the time signal from the satellites, the receiver can determine the distance from the satellites (known as the "pseudorange"). Therefore, the receiver can determine that its position is on the surface of an imaginary sphere centred on the location of the satellite. With signals from four (or more) satellites, the receiver can determine the intersection point of the four (or more) imaginary spheres, which gives the location of the receiver. If only three satellites are visible to the receiver, a two-dimensional location of the receiver can be calculated.
Ground stations based on the Earth monitor the precise locations of the satellites, and update the ephemeris data on the satellites to match the observations from the Earth. The ground stations also update the atomic clocks on the satellites to synchronise them.
A problem with GPS receivers is that they may typically take about 30 seconds to start up, because the receiver needs to download the ephemeris data broadcast from the satellites, in addition to measuring the timing. As mentioned, once loaded, the ephemeris data is valid for about four hours. However, after about an hour many satellites will have set or risen, so new data is required. This therefore incurs another delay as the new data is downloaded.
In addition, inside buildings or other areas where there is no line of sight to the satellites (such as "urban canyons"), the signal may be too weak to download the ephemeris data. In these situations the location of the receiver cannot be determined. A known solution to this problem is to use a communication link to fetch the ephemeris data from a server based on Earth (called assisted GPS). However, this requires the ability to connect to the server, which may not always be available. For example, if the connection is made using a cellular wireless connection, then there must be sufficient cellular coverage in the area and the receiver must have necessary hardware to connect to a cellular system. Alternatively, if the connection is via the Internet, then the receiver must have access to either a wired or wireless Internet connection, which may be inconvenient to the user and requires extra hardware in the receiver. Furthermore, the downloading of the ephemeris data from a server also incurs delay in determining the location of the receiver.
There is therefore a need for techniques to address the aforementioned problems by, for example, providing ephemeris data to a satellite positioning receiver.

STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited


A package method for an organic electro-luminescent display, which spreads a certain amount of ultra-violet curing resin or thermal curing resin on a lamination plate or a substrate, to obtain a global spreading effect by forming a trench at an of the lamination plate. The lamination plate with the trench at the edge thereon is provided by a lamination plate supply system. The lamination plate is aligned and laminated with the substrate, and ultra-violet light radiation or thermal process is performed for curing the ultra-violet or thermal curing resin, respectively. In the alignment and lamination process, the space between the lamination plate and the substrate is controlled by adjusting lamination pressure and movement of the lamination machine; thereby, the exceeding ultra-violet or thermal curing resin flows into the trench at the edge of the lamination plate, and dimension of the package can thus be controlled.

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application serial no. 90114375, filed Jun. 14, 2001.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a package method for an organic electro-luminescent (OEL) display, which applies a certain amount of ultra-violet (UV) or thermal curing resin on a lamination plate or a substrate and obtains a global application by forming a trench at an edge of the lamination plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the conventional package method of OEL display, a frame sealant is formed using a syringe to spread a UV curing resin around a device under an inert gas (nitrogen or argon) environment. In this way, the substrate and the lamination plate are adhered together to protect the device from being corroded by moisture. The frame sealant, however, made of polymer, cannot perfectly prevent permeation of moisture, so that the commercial requirement in lifetime cannot be achieved. Studies in thin film structure, material and package process of packages for electro-luminescent display devices have been commenced by a lot of companies and researchers. The research of package process has focused on disposing drying agent or moisture absorber into the device or electroplating one or several layers of protection films on the device structure.
In terms of disposing moisture absorber inside of the device, Idemitsu Kosan filed a package method patent in 1995 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,962). In this package method, inert liquid layer mixed with drying agent is formed inside the device. In another package method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,761 by Pioneer, a metal lamination plate with a recess is used, and a drying substance is applied into the recess. Thereby, the moisture permeating into the device is absorbed, and the device lifetime is lengthened. The purpose for depositing one or several protection films on the device structure is to completely block the moisture in the external environment to permeate into the device. In this regard, protection films made of organic and inorganic materials have been discussed. For example, Motorola disclosed a patent of protection film in 1995 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,811,177), in which inert metal, inorganic protection film and resin sealant are coated on the device structure.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the R.O.C Patent No. 87117618 issued to Highlight Optoelectronics Inc. disclosed a package method, which applies a screen printing process to coat a UV curing resin 106 on a lamination plate 104. A substrate 100 comprising an OEL display 102 thereon is then aligned with the lamination plate 104. By pressure and thermal processes, the package of the OEL display 102 is complete.
The above screen printing process for coating the UV curing resin on the lamination requires frequent change and cleaning of printing boards. Therefore, a mass production under an inert gas environment cannot be achieved by such method.
In addition, microscopically, the UV curing resin coated on the lamination plate by screen printing process has an uneven surface. During lamination process of the lamination plate and the substrate, bubbles are likely produced near the surface of the OEL display. Further, the dimension of the UV curing resin is difficult to control during the lamination process.
The present invention provides a package method for an organic electro-luminescent (OEL) display. By applying a certain amount of UV curing resin or thermal curing resin on either a lamination plate or a substrate, and by forming a trench at an edge of a lamination plate, a global coating effect can be obtained. Consequently, the adhesion between the UV or thermal curing resin, the lamination plate, and the substrate is significantly improved. Further, the dimension of the UV or thermal curing resin can be precisely controlled.
By obtaining the global coating effect, the package method for an OEL display mentioned allows mass production under an inert gas environment.
Accordingly, the present method provides a package method and a package apparatus for an OEL display. A panel on which an OEL display is formed is provided by a panel supply system. A lamination plate is provided by a lamination plate supply system. A UV or thermal curing resin is coated on either the lamination plate or the panel. The lamination plate and the panel are aligned and laminated with each other. By applying a UV radiation or a thermal process, the UV or thermal resin is cured to form a frame sealant between the panel and the lamination plate. In the alignment and lamination process, the space dimension between the panel and the lamination plate is controlled by adjusting lamination pressure and movement of the lamination machine. The exceeding UV or thermal resin flows into the trench at the edge of the lamination plate, so that the dimension thereof is well controlled. The coating pattern of the UV or thermal curing resin includes dots, circles, rectangles, parallel straight lines, cross lines, or a tree pattern. The shape of the trench includes a continuous grooves or multiple broken straight grooves distributed at the edge of the lamination plate, such that the function for controlling dimension of the UV or thermal curing resin can be achieved.
Both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

Package method and apparatus for organic electro-luminescent display


A motor includes a shaft, a bearing for supporting the shaft rotatably, a rotor including a rotor frame to be mounted to the shaft along an axial direction of the shaft, a stator confronting an outer wall of the rotor via a space, and a washer disposed between the bearing and the rotor frame. On top of that, a step section forming a recess is provided to the rotor frame at a place where the washer confronts the rotor frame.

A motor has been structured by various methods, and one of the conventional methods is this: A rotor and a stator are combined together such that a magnetic center of the rotor is away from a magnetic center of the stator by a given distance relative to an axial direction of a shaft. In this case, the rotor is supported by using the force to bring the magnetic center of the rotor in agreement with that of the stator along the axial direction. When a device including the foregoing motor is mounted to, e.g. a vehicle, a difference can be generated in a gravity-working direction acting on the motor depending on the mounted status of the device. If the difference is generated in the gravity-working direction, the motor structure discussed above allows no change in positional relation between the rotor and the stator along the axial direction, whereby a steady motor function is obtainable.
On the other hand, when the vehicle runs on a bad road, a strong shock is applied to the foregoing on-vehicle motor, then the rotor jumps and hits a bearing, thereby producing a collision sound. Techniques for overcoming this problem, i.e. lowering the collision sound, have been proposed, e.g. refer to Patent Literature 1. One of these techniques proposes that a round groove and a dumper ring are provided on the outer wall near the shaft end.
A conventional dumper ring should be mounted to the shaft properly, so that the motor structure becomes complicated, which requires complex assembling work and thus lowers an efficiency of the assembly. On top of that, use of the dumper ring increases the number of components.
Patent Literature: Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-254193

Motor and fan motor using the same motor


Provided herein are methods shifting the isoelectric profile of a recombinant protein product and the use of such methods in the manufacture of recombinant protein products. Also provided are recombinant protein products produced by such methods.

Mammalian cells containing a nucleic acid that encodes a recombinant protein are often used to produce therapeutically or commercially important proteins. The resulting recombinant protein product contains a variety of protein molecules, each having its own set of biophysical properties. For example, a recombinant protein product produced by a mammalian cell culture can have one or more protein subpopulations, with each subpopulation having its own isoelectric point. The isoelectric point of a protein subpopulation can effect one or more of the proteins' net charge, solubility, folding, substrate binding affinity, biological activity, and clearance rate in a human body. In view of the effect of the isoelectric point on proteins, it can be desirable to shift or redistribute the subpopulations within the isoelectric profile of a recombinant protein product. For example, it may be desirable to increase or decrease a level (or quantity) of one or more of the protein subpopulation(s) having a specific isoelectric point in a recombinant protein product relative to a reference or starting isoelectric profile.

Methods of shifting an isoelectric profile of a protein product and uses thereof


An actuated wedge socket assembly. The assembly includes a wedge socket having an elongated hollow basket with a large opening at a first end, a small opening at an opposed second end, and an open interior cross-section tapering from the large opening to the small opening. A wedge includes a large end, an opposed small end, and a peripheral groove to receive a wire rope therein. A mechanism is provided to mechanically move and seat the wedge and the wire rope in the wedge socket to a controlled depth.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an actuated wedge socket assembly for termination of a wire rope. In particular, the present invention relates to an actuated wedge socket assembly which provides controlled loading which will enhance efficiencies of the wire rope and wedge socket assembly.
2. Prior Art
Wire rope or wire line is often used to lift, pull or move heavy objects. One type of wire rope consists of several strands which are laid or twisted together in a helical pattern. Each strand may likewise be made up of metal wires twisted or laid together in a helical pattern. Wire rope is frequently made from carbon steel wires, although other materials may be used as well.
Wire rope can be used to transmit motion through various planes or angles, can be used to tie down or hold back objects, and can be used to counter balance, guide or lift objects.
The end of a wire rope can not be easily connected to objects or equipment and, accordingly, there are different ways to secure the ends of a wire rope. Ideally, force and motion are transferred from the end of the wire rope efficiently. End terminations are, therefore, of great importance for transferring these forces and motions.
Examples of wire rope terminations include wire rope sockets (open and closed spelter and swage), mechanical splice terminations, and clip terminations. Another type of wire rope termination which may be installed in the field is a wedge socket, which is simple, easy and quick to apply and to disassemble.
A wedge socket termination is useful in a number of applications. One application would be in a high-wear region where the rope may be periodically trimmed, requiring the termination to be removed and reapplied.
In order to attach a wire rope to a wedge socket, one end of the wire rope is passed through a hollow basket or socket from a smaller opening to a larger opening. Thereafter, the wire rope is positioned in a peripheral groove around the circumference of a wedge. The end of the wire rope is then run back through the hollow basket of the wedge socket from the larger opening to the smaller opening. The wedge with the wire rope around the circumference is then inserted into the open basket of the wedge socket, trapping the wire rope between the edge of the wedge and the interior of the basket. The taper of the wedge and the taper of the inside of the basket or socket combine so that when tension is put on the wire rope, the wedge is pulled by the wire rope and firmly held in place.
An example of an existing wedge socket design is disclosed in Assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,814 entitled "Wedge Socket". In addition, Assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,360 entitled "Extended Wedge Socket Assembly" discloses a wedge socket assembly having an extended portion on the smaller end of the wedge to act as a retaining mechanism for retaining the wedge in the socket.
During the process of seating the wire rope and the wedge in the socket, the wire rope will be formed and/or compressed. Because of this, end terminations will not develop the full strength of the wire rope used. The wire rope industry has determined terminal efficiencies for various types of end terminations. The efficiency of a termination is a rating derived as a ratio of the expected ultimate strength of the terminated wire rope assembly to its published catalog breaking strength. Wedge sockets should achieve an efficiency of approximately 70 to 80%. The efficiency is defined as a percentage of the load carrying force of the wire rope within the wedge socket assembly after installation. For example, for a 50,000 pound breaking strength wire rope, an 80% efficiency would mean that the wire rope within the assembled wedge socket would support up to 40,000 pounds of force. For example, the U.S. Federal government has a specification that wire rope sockets should have an ultimate assembly strength of about 70% of the wire rope strength (see Federal Specification RRS550D entitled "Sockets, Wire Rope").
As the diameter of the wire rope increases, so does the difficulty in manually manipulating the wire rope around the wedge and into the socket. Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an actuated wedge assembly to assemble the termination in the field.
Additionally, recently, new high strength wire rope designs have been developed which include compacted strand and rotation resistant ropes. These new high strength wire ropes are often compacted, swaged or formed during manufacture in order to minimize the diameter and maximize the metal cross section. These high strength wire ropes tend to be stiffer and more resistant to bending than traditional wire ropes and, accordingly, have greater difficulty accommodating the relatively sharp bending radius during assembly when the wire rope is wrapped around the peripheral edge of the wedge.
The standard procedure to assemble a wire rope wedge socket assembly in the field is for an installer to drive the large end of the wedge and the wire rope into the wedge socket as deep as possible with a hammer (see Wire Rope Technical Board—Wire Rope Users Manual). The force from hammering is not measured and may vary widely. Thereafter, the installer is instructed to apply a first or test load to the live end of the wire rope to fully seat the wedge into the socket. A slight tilting of the wedge within the socket may occur due to an unbalanced load being applied to the wedge during the recommended first load to fully seat the wedge application. The unbalanced load occurs because only the live line is acting to seat the wedge, and the tendency is for the wedge to rotate due to the moment being applied.
Through testing, Applicants have determined that the assembly pre-load requirements vary depending on the unique construction and manufacturing processes of different brands of wire rope. The traditional methods of hammering the wedge into place and applying a random first load may not achieve the desired wire rope termination efficiency.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an actuated mechanism as a method to engage and assemble a wedge and wire rope with a wedge socket.
It is an additional object and purpose of the present invention to provide controlled seating of the wire rope and the wedge in the wedge socket at the time of assembly.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to assist in the installation of a wedge and wire rope into a wedge socket.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide increased efficiency of wedge socket terminations with use of an external force to seat the wedge and wire rope in the socket.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide increased efficiency of wedge socket terminations by uniformly and evenly loading the wedge and rope into the wedge socket.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a mechanical mechanism to seat the wedge and wire rope in the socket using tools readily available in the field.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide an actuated wedge socket assembly that may be utilized for new applications and may also be retrofit to existing wedge socket assemblies.


A voltage generating circuit supplies first gate voltage to the control gate of a memory cell for a first control time period and supplies write voltage to the drain for a first write time period which is shorter than the first control time period when an operation of writing data into the memory cell is started. As the verify result, if it is detected that a data amount written into the memory cell is insufficient, the voltage generating circuit supplies second control voltage obtained by raising the first control gate voltage by constant voltage to the control gate for a time period which is shorter than the first control time period and supplies write voltage to the drain for a second write time period which is shorter than the first write time period.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to, for example, a NOR type nonvolatile semiconductor memory device which stores multivalue data.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, various types of nonvolatile semiconductor memory devices (which are hereinafter referred to as flash memories) which are configured by EEROM cells and in which data can be electrically and simultaneously erased are developed. The flash memories are roughly divided into NAND type memories and NOR type memories. In the flash memory of either type, it is required to precisely and rapidly control the threshold voltage set for the memory cell at the data write time or erase time. Conventionally, in the NAND type flash memory, a method to increase the write voltage in stages in order to precisely and rapidly set the threshold voltage is developed (for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. H11-39887).
Recently, the technique for storing multivalue data of two bits (four valued) or more bits in one memory cell is developed with an increase in the memory capacity. When multivalue data of, for example, "00", "01", "10", "11" is stored in one memory cell, it is required to more precisely control the threshold voltage of the memory cell in comparison with a case wherein binary data of only "0", "1" is stored. However, in order to precisely adjust the threshold voltage, it is necessary to repeatedly perform the write and verify operations and a long time is required for adjustment in the conventional method for increasing the write voltage in stages. Therefore, since it is contrary to the requirement of enhancing the write operation speed, it becomes important to optimize the write sequence when multivalue data is stored. As a result, it is required to develop a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device which can optimize the multivalue data write sequence.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device which stores multivalue data


An article handling/supporting apparatus having a frame, a resolvable base attached to the frame, a turntable assembly mounted to the base, a main boom pivotally connected to the turntable assembly and a main article supporting arm pivotally connected to the main boom. Upon the release of a plurality of locking mechanisms, the turntable assembly is free to rotate while the main boom and the article support arm are free to move up and down. Once an operator has positioned the article handling/supporting apparatus in the desired location, the operator, by the release of a single button, can lock all of the movable components of the apparatus. In addition, fine adjustment of the components can be made from a single location by an operator even after the components have been locked in place.

This invention relates generally to article handling devices, and, more particularly, to a portable article handling/supporting apparatus capable of being utilized by a single operator.
There are many instances when it is desirable for a individual to have the assistance of someone else either in lifting, moving or supporting equipment. During such times when assistance is unavailable, many a person has devised a makeshift support system only to find out that it was either not in the right position or incapable of safely supporting the article or equipment. Without the help of others it may be virtually impossible for an individual to accomplish many relatively simple tasks.
To date, the types of apparatus available to assist individuals in performing tasks of type set forth above generally have been cumbersome or lacking in the versatility necessary to effectively perform a wide variety of tasks. More specifically, the prior art can be exemplified by the following U.S. patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,307 discloses an article handling apparatus having a wheeled base and linkage arms articulated by an electric motor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,389 discloses a material handling apparatus having an articulated boom with arm movement controlled by hydraulic actuators controlled by an electronic servosystem.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,179 discloses an articulated support arm in which the joints are movable between locked and unlocked positions. A foot value controls the locking and unlocking operation.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,548,373 and 4,517,632 disclose articulated linkages which incorporate therein releasable brakes. The release of the brakes is operator controlled.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,166 discloses a universal jack and work positioning mechanism having a coarse positioning adjustment, a locking device and a fine adjustment actuator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,333 discloses an adjustable support wherein the linkage system has clamping devices urged by springs and released by the application of air pressure controlled by a switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,588 dislcoses a wheeled, load handling apparatus controlled by hydraulic actuators.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,177,002 discloses a robotic load handling apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,758 discloses a solenoid actuated release for a brake mechanism.

Portable article handling/supporting apparatus


A method for resolving a hang in a database system includes receiving a symbolic graph having a plurality of nodes, where each node represents a database session involved in the hang during a specified time interval. The blocking time associated with each node in the symbolic graph is recursively determined. The node that has the longest blocking time is output to a display for review by the database administrator. Alternatively, the database session represented by the node having the longest blocking time may be automatically eliminated.

A database is an organized collection of data, typically in digital form. A database may be managed and maintained by at least one instance of database management software that allows different users to concurrently access the same database. When a user starts to access the database, a database session associated with the user is created.
However, many database resources, though sharable, may not be accessed in certain ways by more than one database session at any given time. For example, database resources, such as a data table stored in data storage, may be concurrently accessed in some ways (e.g., read) by multiple database sessions, but accessed in other ways (e.g., written to) by only one database session at a time. Thus, a group of database sessions may have to wait for one or more database resources, if the database resources are being held by another group of database sessions, which causes a hang in the database system.
It is within this context that embodiments arise.

Methods for resolving a hang in a database system


A rheo-photoacoustic fourier-transform infrared spectroscopic method and apparatus for examining rheological properties of materials on a molecular level. The apparatus comprises an IR spectrometer and a photoacoustic cell for generating frequency-domain photoacoustic information of a specimen under various static load conditions. Relative changes in amplitudes of certain bands in the respective spectra as a function of elongation indicate relative behavior of different molecular bonds in the material thereby to detect individually the behavior or failure mode of the respective molecular bonds. A method of detecting interfacial failure of composite polymeric material includes detecting changes in the profile of the spectrum of the surface layer at successive levels of stretching of the composite material brought about by appearance of spectral responses characteristic of the underlying layer.

This invention pertains to a method and apparatus for examining characteristics of materials on a molecular level using photoacoustic techniques, particularly, the examination of organic polymers.
Photoacoustic analytical techniques discussed herein are drawn from the infrared (IR) spectroscopic and acoustics arts. U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,971 to Rosencwaig, for example, discloses photoacoustic microscopy for examining materials on microscopic level. He also suggests the use of radiant energy, but not for rheo-photoacoustically examining molecular behavior. U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,175 to Egee, et al. also discloses photoacoustic spectroscopic techniques for analyzing thermal properties of layered materials. On the other hand, rheo-photoacoustical properties are measured in accordance with this invention.
It is also known, for instance, that molecular structures of certain chemical compounds produce characteristic energy absorption patterns in the IR spectrum due to their molecular vibration modes of the bonds that join the respective atoms. The molecules generally vibrate in the wave number range of 200 to 4000 cm.sup.-1. To identify the material, IR spectroscopy alone serves that purpose, if the material is IR transmissive, since each material exhibits a unique frequency IR absorption spectral pattern.
Rheological properties of optically transmissive polymers on a molecular level are described in "Rheo-optical Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy of polymers", Colloid & Polymer Science, Vol. 262, pp. 223-229, 1984, H. W. Siesler. Siesler, like many other prior infrared spectroscopy techniques, relates molecular events in the material under stress-strain conditions to IR intensities and/or IR band shift measurements.
On a microscopic level, as opposed to molecular level, properties of adhesive bonds or material flaws have also been examined. In the past, stress-wave emission techniques, such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,456 to Vahaviolos, U.S. Pat. 4,100,808 to Evans et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,149 to Konno, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,462 to Hartog were employed. From a rheological standpoint, though, optical systems have been limited to birefringence techniques, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,481 to Spillman, Jr. and U S. Pat. No. 4,777,358 to Nelson. No rheo-photoacoustical FT-IR techniques relating to vibrational modes of the substance under examination are believed to have been used in the past.

Rheo-photoacoustic ft-ir spectroscopic method and apparatus


The disclosure provides a capturing apparatus and a capturing method for the capturing apparatus. The method includes steps: controlling the capturing unit to capture an image; performing an image processing function in relation to the captured image to obtain pixels of the captured image; comparing the pixels of the captured image with the pixels of the pre-stored standard images and determining whether a percentage of the pixels of the image is similar to the pixels of one of the standard images. If the percentage of the pixels of the image reaches a threshold of similarity to the pixels of one standard image, acquiring the parameters associated with the standard image; and controlling the capturing unit to capture subsequent images according to the parameters associated with the standard image.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to image capturing technology and, more particularly, to a capturing apparatus and a method of capturing image adapted for the capturing apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A digital point-and-shoot camera of related art captures images according to default parameters, such as default focus, color, brightness, contrast, and exposure. However, the environment and the position of the digital camera may change, the quality of the images may be reduced when the image is captured according to the default parameters all the time.
Therefore, what is needed is a capturing apparatus to overcome the described shortcoming.

Capturing apparatus and method of capturing image

Fu Tai Hua Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


A method and a device for image processing and for a night vision system for motor vehicles, in which a standard camera that is sensitive in the near infrared delivers images which are displayed on a display arrangement having a lower resolution than the camera. In addition, the image processing method improves the raw images of the sensor using image-sharpening methods and/or contrast-enhancing methods, so that display on a display arrangement is made possible for viewing by a viewer.

One application of video technique in the motor vehicle field is that of night vision systems. In this context, heat-sensitive cameras as well as a projection unit may be used, which project the visible images recorded by the camera onto the windshield (so-called head-up displays). U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,439 is an example of such a night vision system. The expenditure for such a night vision system may be considerable, particularly because of the high cost of these components.

Method and device for image processing, in addition to a night viewing system for motor vehicles


A technology capable of reducing load on both system processing and filter operation and improving power consumption and performance is provided. In a digital signal processor, a program memory, a program counter, and a control logic circuit are provided, and a bit field of each instruction includes instruction stop flag information and bit field information. Also, the control logic circuit carries out the control in such a manner that the instruction whose instruction stop flag information is cleared is executed as is to proceed to the next instruction processing, execution of the instruction whose instruction stop flag information is set is stopped if an execution resumption trigger condition corresponding to the bit field information is not satisfied, and the instruction whose instruction stop flag information is set is executed if the execution resumption trigger condition corresponding to bit field information is satisfied, to proceed to the next instruction processing.

For example, in a micro controller for use with a digital controlled power supply system, the digital controlled power supply system needs a digital filter operation function for the calculation for phase compensation in its feedback control loop. In order to enable such digital filter operation function in addition to other various operation functions of systematic processing, an instruction for multiplication and accumulation (MAC), which is installed in a general use DSP, is provided in a CPU core of the micro controller, and filter operation and systematic processing are executed under the same CPU core.
Such a micro controller for use with a digital controlled power supply system is disclosed in, for example:
(1) dsPIC33F Family Reference Manual Part 1, Chapter: Section 2 CPU, Page 2-1, Article No.: DS70204B, Medium: [online], Publication year: 2009, Search Date: Jul. 7, 2011, Information source: Internet <http://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/70204B.pdf> by Microchip Technology Inc. (Non-Patent Document 1);
(2) TMS320F28030, TMS320F28031, TMS320F28032, TMS320F28033, TMS320F28034, TMS320F28035 Piccolo Microcontrollers, Chapter: 3.3 Brief Descriptions, Page 27-34, Article No.: SPRS584E-APRIL 2009-REVISED MARCH 2011, Medium: [online], Publication year: April, 2009, March, 2011 (revised), Search Date: Jul. 7, 2011, Information source: Internet <http://focus.tij.co.jp/jp/lit/ds/symlink/tms320f28030.pdf>, by Texas Instruments Inc. (Non-Patent Document 2); and
(3) NJU20010 DSC for Digital Power Supply Control, Chapter: 4. Outline of Ximo16 Architecture, Page 16-23, ArticleNo.: Ver. 2010.6.30, Medium: [online], Publication year: Jun. 30, 2010, Search Date: Jul. 7, 2011, Information source: Internet <http://semicon.njr.co.jp/digital-power-control/index.html> by New Japan Radio, Co., Ltd (Non-Patent Document 3).

Processing unit and micro controller unit (MCU)


There is provided a composition for forming a resist underlayer film not only having a large selection ratio of a dry etching rate but also exhibiting desired values of the k value and of the refractive index n at a short wavelength such as a wavelength of an ArF excimer laser. A resist underlayer film forming composition for lithography comprising: a linear polymer; and a solvent, wherein a backbone of the linear polymer has a unit structure in which 2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid is introduced through an ester bond and an ether bond.

There is a known composition to form an antireflective film used in a lithography process using an ArF excimer laser (wavelength: about 193 nm) as a light source (see Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a composition containing acrylic resins which are copolymers and have a benzene ring, a lactone ring and a hydroxyalkyl group each independently in side chains of the copolymer.
Patent Document 2 discloses an antireflective film forming composition containing a reaction product between an isocyanuric acid compound having two or three 2,3-epoxypropyl groups and a benzoic acid compound. Further, Patent Document 3 discloses in Example 1 thereof, an antireflective film forming composition containing a reaction product between tris(2,3-epoxypropyl) isocyanurate and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. However, in both of Patent Documents 2 and 3, there is not disclosed the use of 2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid.
As for others, there is a known antireflective film forming composition containing 2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid (see Patent Document 4). Patent Document 4 discloses in Example 5 thereof, a composition containing a reaction product obtained using as a compound having at least two glycidyl ether structures, polyglycerol polyglycidyl ether and as an aromatic compound, 2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid and benzoic acid. However, there is not disclosed a linear polymer obtained by a condensation polymerization of a di-functional diglycidyl ester compound with 2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid. When the multi-functional glycidyl ether as described above is used, the reaction product is mainly an oligomer and thus is difficult to develop into a high molecular weight and has low thermal stability, so that there is caused a problem that when a composition containing the reaction product is thermally cured, a large amount of sublimates is generated, which have been elucidated by the study of the inventors of the present invention.
Patent Document 1: International Publication No. WO 03/017002 pamphlet
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2005-321752
Patent Document 3: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/6110089 specification
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JPA-2004-212907.

Resist underlayer film forming composition and method of forming resist pattern using the same


To decrease the number of base stations transmitting when a mobile station is connected to a plurality of base stations during handover and to let a base station having the best reception quality perform transmission so as to decrease interference in downlink and increase the link capacity. A mobile station periodically measures a pilot signal transmitted from a base station in a reception monitor 406 and estimates its own movement speed at predetermined intervals based upon the reception electric field strength of the pilot signal in a speed estimate device 407 in soft handover state. A time length for measuring the pilot signal transmitted from the base station corresponding to the movement speed and an inner threshold value for deciding transmission base stations during handover are altered in a control section 408. In this case, when the movement speed is slow, the pilot signal measurement time length is set short, and the inner threshold value is set small, and when the movement speed is fast, the pilot signal measurement time length is set long, and the inner threshold value is set large.

In a cellular system employing direct sequence code divisional multi access, since the same frequency bands are employed in a plurality of channels, other channels' radio signals become interference, and the reception quality of a desired wave deteriorates when interference increase, thereby causing disconnection of a link or the like. Therefore, the number of links through which talking at the same time is possible while a constant standard of speech quality is maintained, that is, a link capacity, depends on the amount of the interference.
Thus, in a cellular system employing the direct sequence code divisional multi access, when transmission from a base station to a plurality of mobile stations is implemented, the transmission power value of the base station is controlled in order that a downlink signal that each mobile station generally receives is at a required minimum reception level. That is, a closed loop control is implemented wherein while each mobile station periodically measures the reception quality of a signal that the base station transmits, a signal instructing the base station to decrease the transmission electric power is transmitted when the measured reception quality exceeds a predetermined target value, and a signal instructing the base station to increase the transmission electric power is transmitted when the quality is less than the predetermined target value. Typically, in this control, a high speed closed loop type control for each slot is performed so that the reception level in a mobile station becomes a minimum reception level capable of talking.
In general, in handover of a cellular system employing the direct sequence code divisional multi access, a technique called soft handover is employed. This technique is one in which when a mobile station reaches to a cell boundary area of a base station with which the mobile station communicates so that the reception level of downlink decreases due to a propagation loss or the like, a link is set up also with a base station adjacent to the base station to implement simultaneous connections. Thus, the mobile station periodically measures pilot signals that each base station transmits at a predetermined electric power, and when a base station exists in which the difference between the reception level from a presently communicating base station and that thereof becomes within a predetermined threshold value, base stations are chosen so that the number of the base stations is within a predetermined maximum number in the order of good quality to implement simultaneous connections.
In a mobile station during the soft handover, the same down information is received from a plurality of base stations to implement a diversity synthesis. In a vicinity of a cell boundary, since the distance from a base station is long, the reception quality deteriorates. Although link quality tends to deteriorate due to interference from another cell, by a diversity effect caused by connection with such plurality of base stations, deterioration in downlink quality can be prevented.
However, since a plurality of links are employed for one mobile station in the soft handover, interference in downlink increases compared to a cellular system in which the soft handover is not employed, causing a problem that increase in the link capacity cannot be achieved.
As a technique for solving this problem, Japanese Patent Publication No. H11(1999)-69416 discloses a transmission electric power control technique of a base station selection type in which the downlink capacity is increased by specifying transmission base stations actually transmitting among a base station group during the soft handover.
In this transmission electric power control technique of the base station selection type, a base station group and links are set up wherein the differences in the reception qualities are within a threshold value, and further transmission base stations to actually transmit are selected from among the base station group with which links are set up. The transmission base station is supposed to be one in which the difference in the reception qualities is within an inner threshold value which is smaller than the threshold value of the time of setting links up, and the base station other than the transmission base station with which links are set up switches its transmission electric power to a predetermined minimum transmission power value. Thus, it becomes possible to reduce interference of downlink while maintaining an advantage in smooth handover switching in the conventional soft handover, and therefore the link capacity can be increased.
However, since there is a delay time, for transmitting a measured result to the base station, between time of measuring the reception quality and time of actually transmitting, and since the reception level is changing due to fading or the like, the reception level changes during the delay time, and a drift occurs between the measured result and the reception quality of the time of actual transmission.
Accordingly, even when a transmission base station is decided in the order of good quality at the time of measuring the reception quality, a case where a base station having a good quality is not included in the transmission base stations at the time of actual transmission may occur. In this case, not the best base station but a base station having a greater propagation loss has to transmit. Typically, since the reception quality at a mobile station is controlled so as to satisfy a desired standard by a transmission electric power control of a high speed closed loop type, there is a problem that the transmission electric power of a base station is high, interference electric power for other mobile stations increases, and the link capacity decreases.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to decrease the number of transmission base stations and increase the downlink capacity while enhancing the possibility that the best base station is included.

Mobile communication control method, cellular system, mobile station, base station, and base station control apparatus


Techniques are disclosed for hot swapping one or more module devices on a single host device. A module device can perform module-specific tasks that are defined in its module software driver. Using one or more application programming interfaces, the host device communicates with the module device's module software driver to allow the module device to perform module-specific tasks while removably connected to the host device.

Various types of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), unmanned aerial vehicles (AUVs), and robots for performing a wide variety of human tasks are known in the art. Typically, each UGV, UAV, and/or robot is designed and built to perform a specific task that it is intended to perform. While some UGVs, UAVs, and/or robots can perform several tasks, for example, by software programming, these devices generally cannot perform tasks that fall outside its originally intended scope, for example, tasks that may require new hardware. Thus, multiple devices must be used for performing multiple tasks, or existing UGVs, UAVs, and/or robots must be retrofitted with new hardware, which can be impractical and costly. In this regard, the invention described herein addresses these problems.

Unmanned ground and aerial vehicle attachment system


The present disclosure provides a storage box, including a bottom, a first side wall, a second side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall. The first side wall, the second side wall, the third side wall and the fourth side wall sequentially surround the bottom. The first side wall is parallel to the third side wall, the second side wall is parallel to the fourth side wall, the first side wall is perpendicular to the second side wall, a first notch is disposed on the first side wall, a second notch is disposed on the second side wall, a width of the first notch is larger than or equal to a thickness of the second side wall, a width of the second notch is larger than or equal to a thickness of the first side wall.

Storage boxes are boxes used for storing items, when there are requirements to use the storage boxes, the storage boxes are taken out to storage the items, and when the requirements are gone, a storage problem of the storage boxes needs to be considered. In particular, the storage boxes are not only applied to industrial production, but also are widely applied to all aspects such as daily life, etc.
When there are a plurality of idle storage boxes, the storage boxes need to be stacked, a space occupied by the storage boxes is equal to a total volume of all the storage boxes, which requires a large space, so that there is a requirement for providing a storage box capable of considering about the large space is occupied when the plurality of the idle storage boxes are stored.


An image display device element, a filter element, and a reflective element allow a brightened display screen displaying red, green, blue, and composite colors through use of a single light-emitting portion. The image display device has a first element where a boundary wavelength between light absorption and light transmission or between reflection in an oblique direction and light transmission is variable or fixed and a second element where a wavelength region to be reflected is variable or fixed. The boundary wavelength of the first element and/or the wavelength region of the second element is variable. A positional relationship exists where light transmitted by the first element is incident on the second element. Controlling overlap between light transmission bands of the elements through varying the boundary wavelength of the first element and/or the wavelength region of the second element varies a band and amount of light reflected by the second element.

In the technical field of image display devices, image display devices that display images using structural colors have been already known. Image display devices of this type include, for example, an image display device described in JP Patent Publication No. 2006-099070 A. Electromagnetic waves are classified into various classifications according to wavelengths and are referred to as radio waves, light, X rays, and gamma rays in descending order of wavelength.


Provided is a control area network (CAN) communication device formed such that a plurality of nodes are connected to communication channels in the CAN. Each of the nodes includes a transmitting/receiving unit for transmitting and receiving data including a CAN-ID field formed of bits containing function information, an ID-setting unit for setting predetermined function information to the bits of the CAN-ID field contained in the data transmitted from the transmission/reception unit, and an ID-analyzing unit for analyzing the predetermined function information set in the CAN-ID field. The ID-setting unit groups the predetermined function information in units of a predetermined function, assigns a data-transmission priority, assigns a general function group ID, and assigns a communication category code ID used to identify a communication content to each item of the grouped predetermined function information to be set to part of the bits of the CAN-ID field.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a controller area network (CAN) communication device improved in efficiency.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field oft for example, automobiles, which is amid technological trends toward increase in modularized devices, intelligent devices, and devices with reduced harnesses, industries have started rapidly employing device controls using serial communication schemes represented by, for example, a controller area network (CAN) communication scheme.
In particular, in the field of automobiles, a device connected via communication lines and thereby controlled is substantially fixed at a development stage, and no case occurs in which the device connection is changed at least during the stages of production and postproduction.
Thus, in the serial communication represented by the CAN communication mounted on an automobile, IDs individually indicating, for example, device identifications, priorities of communication data, the contents of communication data, are arbitrarily coded and determined in a design stage.
FIG. 9 shows examples of function IDs of, for example, a desired steering angle, which are assigned using 16 bits of 29-bit ID fields according to CAN 2.0B specifications. An ID field other than the 16-bit ID field is allocated to a node ID (ID that physically identifies the node).
However, according to the method of arbitrary assigning codes of IDs as shown in FIG. 9, although a sufficient number of free codes were available in an initial development stage, suitable free codes are running short during advancement of developments.
"Priorities (of data communication)" are semantically defined for many protocol IDs, such as CAN-IDs. Thus, probability is high in that a suitable free ID is already unavailable while assignment of a code of a high-priority ID is desired in a latter stage of development.
Another incidence can also occur. Suppose when serial codes are already assigned to ID(A1) to ID(A3), assignment of a code of ID(A2) having a priority semantically higher than that of a code of ID(A3) and semantically lower than that of a code of ID(A1) is attempted. Even in this case, since no free codes exist between ID(A1) and ID(A3), a desired code corresponding to the priority cannot be assigned to ID(A2).
In addition, according to the scheme of coding an ID for each physical unit, a new ID must be assigned when a physical unit is developed in future by integration or disintegration of functions of the physical unit of the current version. Thus, if a desired ID corresponding to the priority is not preserved free, the code assignment would fail.
In the example shown in FIG. 9, shift remote control is coded "H′3000", and throttle remote control is coded "H′4000". Suppose the shift remote control and the throttle remote control are integrated, and a shift+throttle remote control is thus created as a new function. In this case, the new shift+throttle remote control can be coded "H′2500" representing a priority higher than the priorities of the shift remote control and the throttle remote control. Further, suppose a steering remote control function is integrated into the aforementioned function, and a shift+throttle+steering remote control is thus created as a new function. In this case, the shift remote control and the throttle remote control can be coded "H′500" representing a priority higher than the priority of the steering remote control.
However, it is obvious that the coding system would fail when functions are thus repeatedly added.
As described above, according to the CAN specifications, the CAN-ID semantically represents the communication priority. Concurrently, the CAN-ID semantically represents a data identifier in application. Thus, once an ID has been assigned, it is difficult to change the priority in order to maintain data compatible with another system. For example, while "H′3000" is assigned to an ID for a shift remote control, "'H'3000" is assigned as well to an ID for a shift remote control in a different system. Thus, ID specifications must be changed in all the relevant systems to change the priority.
In addition, in a network already in operation, a case can occur in which consecutive arbitration losses are caused while communication is carried out using a specific ID, establishing no proper communication. Although this is avoidable with respect to a design, this leads to a problem, particularly, in the field of shipbuilding. An engine manufacturer in this field delivers only engines, not finished ships; therefore, a boat-builder or a user, rather than the engine manufacturer, has choices for the system configuration. This makes it difficult for the engine manufacturer to control the system configuration.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of data transmission in a conventional CAN communication device. In the flowchart, when a case occurs, in which data is to be transmitted at a time interval of 10 (msec), the data is transmitted through a routine that is started with step S101 at a periodic interval of 10 (msec).
First, at step S102, the routine determines as to whether previously transmitted data is in a transmission retry performed as a CAN chip function. Next, if the data is not in the retry, the data of the present instance is transmitted at step S103. If the data is in the retry, the routine executes nothing but terminates at step S104. Thereafter, a routine similar to the 10(msec)-regular-interval routine is iterated. If the retry continues in the routine, this data is not transmitted forever.
Thus, the control of the system configuration is difficult for an engine manufacturer, particularly, in the field of shipbuilding. This also makes it difficult for the manufacturer to estimate the total amount of traffic (communication amount). Thus, depending on the system configuration, a traffic overflow may occur, resulting in causing communication failure.
Next, FIG. 11 is a flowchart of conventional gateway transfer operation. Referring to FIG. 11, the gateway transfer operation starts with step S111 in which a gateway node receives data via a CAN 1ch Bus.
At step S112, the received data is filtered through a hardware function provided in a CAN chip, and is then stored in a buffer provided in the CAN chip. In many CAN chips, the number of types of filtering functions provided in the form of hardware is only three at maximum. Thus, filtering for all the IDs cannot be implemented using hardware.
At step S113, a function group ID is either "H′3000" or "H′4000", the received data is transmitted via a CAN 2ch Bus at step S114. However, at step S113, if the function group ID is neither "H′3000" nor "H′4000", the received data is discarded at step S115.
Finally, at step S116, the series of the gateway transfer operation steps terminates.
Thus, the limitation is imposed on use of the hardware filtering functions of the CAN chip. This arises a problem when a large number of IDs are to be transmitted. Specifically, since all the large number of IDs must be checked, the software load is extremely increased.

Controller area network (CAN) communication device


A power cylinder (10) has two pistons (12, 20) slidably mounted within separate cylinders (14, 22) to define inner and outer chambers (16, 18; 24, 26) within each cylinder. One or more rods (28) are coupled between the pistons. The outer chambers (18, 26) are coupled together to allow pressurized hydraulic or pneumatic fluid to flow therebetween. The inner chambers (16, 24) are coupled together to allow pressurized hydraulic or pneumatic fluid to flow therebetween. The fluid flow aforesaid may be achieved by using two hollow rods (128, 130) and allowing the fluid to flow through the rods between the respective chambers. A guard (44) may surround first and second cylinders (14, 22). Bearings (46, 48) may be fixed around the opposed inner ends of cylinders (14, 22) to allow slidable displacement of the cylinders relative to guard (44). Seals (146, 148) may be fixed around the opposed inner ends of cylinders (114, 122) to provide a hydraulic chamber (158) enclosed by the guard (144) between the cylinders (114, 122). Where two rods interconnect the dual cylinders, the first piston (212) may be connected to the second cylinder (222) and the first cylinder (214) may be connected to the second piston (220).

Conventional power cylinders have a single piston and a single rod. The piston is slidably mounted within a cylinder. The rod is fixed to one end of the piston and protrudes through one end of the cylinder. Pressurized hydraulic or pneumatic fluid is injected into the rod end of the cylinder and withdrawn from the opposite end to force the piston towards the opposite end, thereby retracting the rod within the cylinder. The direction of pressurized fluid flow is reversed to force the piston towards the rod end of the cylinder, thereby extending the rod from the cylinder.
Conventional power cylinders of the foregoing type are subject to a number of disadvantages. For example, the seals used in conventional power cylinders are subject to substantial wear and are generally the components which require maintenance most frequently. In particular, seals which are exposed to the external environment in which the cylinder operates may wear out more quickly. Also, forces imposed on the rod during normal use can bend the rod, accelerating wearing of the seals and/or rod support bearings.
The present invention reduces the wear on each seal, increases the number of seals, and protects the seals from the external environment. For example, seal wear is reduced by providing dual pistons mounted in separate cylinders. This reduces the length of rod travel relative to each seal. Typically, the reduction in travel is on the order of half that of a conventional cylinder.
In conventional power cylinders, an eye is often provided on the end of the rod for attachment to external machinery. This may cause a design problem, in that the rod diameter may have to be increased to provide adequate space for connecting the eye to the rod. Consequently, the rods used in conventional cylinders are sometimes larger and more expensive than is required to support the loads imposed on the cylinder by normal use. The present invention avoids this problem by attaching any necessary eyes to the cylinder rather than to the rod. Rods employed in the present invention therefore do not require an eye. This allows suitable rods to be selected based only on the linear load to be supported by the rod during normal use.
Another disadvantage of conventional cylinders is that a single rod and piston tend to rotate within the cylinder. If several such cylinders are connected in series (to form a robotic manipulator arm, for example) the rotational tendency of each cylinder may affect the stability of the structure and prevent accurate control thereof. Certain embodiments of the invention solve this problem by employing two or more parallel rods. Each rod passes through a separate aperture in the rod end of the cylinder. The rods are thus held in place relative to the cylinder and prevented from rotating as they extend and retract.
In embodiments of the invention having two or more rods, hydraulic fluid may be allowed to pass through the rods between first and second hydraulic cylinders. This simplifies the external hydraulic circuitry required to operate the cylinder and allows the present invention to be directly substituted for conventional cylinders without any alteration of the existing hydraulic circuitry associated with the conventional cylinder.


A method and apparatus for determining the hermeticity of a semiconductor package is disclosed. Gas is introduced into the semiconductor package during packaging. Vacuum suction is then applied to the package. If the package has any leaks, the gas within will escape. The package is next scanned using a spectrometer. If the spectrometer does not detect any gas within the package cavity, the package is not hermetically sealed. In an alternate embodiment, the device is packaged first, and then immersed in a pressurized liquid. If the package has a leak, the pressure on the liquid will force liquid into the package cavity. The cavity of a properly sealed package will remain empty and dry. The package is scanned using a spectrometer. If the spectrometer detects liquid within the package, the package is not hermetically sealed.

The invention is directed towards semiconductor packaging and more specifically, towards determining the hermeticity of semiconductor packaging.
Many semiconductor devices are sensitive to contamination, humidity, and other environmental factors. A package for such a device must be hermetically sealed to protect it from harm. The package is subsequently checked for leaks to ensure that it is properly sealed.
One existing method for detecting a leaky package is to place it in an environment pressurized with helium gas. If the package has a leak, helium will be pushed into the package cavity. Next, the package is removed to a chamber that is connected to a mass spectrometer. The chamber is vacuum-pumped, so any helium that found its way into the package cavity will be suctioned out. If the mass spectrometer detects helium, the package was not properly sealed. This method and others are described in more detail in the Joint Electron Device Engineering Council (JEDEC) standard for hermeticity, JESD22-A109-A, published July 2001.
The prior aft methods have a few drawbacks, however. After a leaky package is flooded with gas, some of the trapped gas inevitably leaks back out when the package is moved to the vacuum chamber. The package cavity must be large enough to allow for this leakage and still retain enough helium to be detected by the mass spectrometer. Additionally, only a single package can be tested at a time using the prior methods. When multiple packages are placed into the vacuum chamber, the prior methods cannot pinpoint which of the packages has a leak.
Current packaging processes have evolved to create much smaller package cavities than before. Wafer-level packaging is one such process. In wafer-level packaging, the semiconductor device is packaged while it remains on the wafer. The device is capped with a cap wafer, thus sandwiching the device between the two wafers and forming a package. Thousands of devices on a wafer can be packaged simultaneously in this fashion. Later, the devices are sawed apart or otherwise separated from each other.
These wafer-level packages are too small to be tested for hermeticity using the prior art methods. The amount of gas trapped within the wafer-level packages is so small that, after accounting for gas leakage, not enough gas remains behind in the package to obtain an accurate measurement. Furthermore, since the prior art methods can only test one package separately at a time, testing the thousands of wafer-level packages created per wafer would be a very time-consuming and expensive process.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining the hermeticity of a semiconductor package is disclosed. This embodiment will hereinafter be referred to as the encapsulation method. First, the device is packaged in a chamber flooded with gas, trapping gas within the package cavity. Next, the package is subjected to a vacuum. If the package has a leak, the previously trapped gas will be sucked out. However, a properly sealed package will not be affected by the vacuum suction, and the gas will remain inside. Finally, the package is scanned using a spectrometer. If the spectrometer does not detect any gas, the package has a leak. If the spectrometer detects gas within the package cavity, then the package is hermetically sealed.
An alternate method for determining the hermeticity of a semiconductor device package is also disclosed. This method will hereinafter be referred to as the infiltration method. First, the device is packaged. Next, the package is immersed in a pressurized liquid. If the package has a leak, the pressure on the liquid will force liquid into the package cavity. However, the cavity of a properly sealed package will remain empty and dry. Finally, the package is scanned using a spectrometer. If the spectrometer detects liquid within the package, the package has a leak. If the spectrometer does not detect any liquid, then the package was properly sealed.
These methods can be successfully used on packages too small to be reliably tested before Furthermore, the packages do not have to be separated from each other before their hermeticity can be testedxe2x80x94the packages can remain on the wafer during hermeticity testing.
Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of preferred embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying exemplary drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.

Method and apparatus for hermeticity determination and leak detection in semiconductor packaging


A method for suggesting invitations to a network. The method includes accessing information corresponding to a plurality of individuals, wherein a first user of the network is associated with the plurality of individuals. The method also includes determining whether any of the plurality of individuals merit an invitation to join said network with the first user. The determining is based on the information corresponding to a plurality of individuals.

In computing network environments a user is able to communicate with other individuals via the services of the computing network environment. Oftentimes the user interacts with a limited number of individuals in which the user has a close relationship with. If the individuals are not currently registered with the service, then the likelihood that they will be active users of the service is reduced.
The drawings referred to in this description should be understood as not being drawn to scale except if specifically noted.

Suggesting invitations to join a network


Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes an interconnect structure disposed over a semiconductor substrate. A dielectric structure is disposed over the interconnect structure. A plurality of cavities are disposed in the dielectric structure. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) substrate is disposed over the dielectric structure, where the MEMS substrate comprises a plurality of movable membranes, and where the movable membranes overlie the cavities, respectively. A plurality of fluid communication channels are disposed in the dielectric structure, where each of the fluid communication channels extend laterally between two neighboring cavities of the cavities, such that each of the cavities are in fluid communication with one another.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is a technology that integrates miniaturized mechanical and electro-mechanical elements on an integrated chip. MEMS devices are often made using micro-fabrication techniques. In recent years, MEMS devices have found a wide range of applications. For example, MEMS devices are found in cell phones (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, digital compasses), pressure sensors, micro-fluidic elements (e.g., valves, pumps), optical switches (e.g., mirrors), imaging devices (e.g., micromachined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs)), etc.

Semiconductor device having microelectromechanical systems devices with improved cavity pressure uniformity

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.


Compositions contain boron nitride nanomaterials at least partially coated with biomolecules.

The present disclosure relates to stabilized compositions containing boron nitride nanomaterials.
Traditionally, micron-size TiO2 as UVB 290-320 nm filter and ZnO as UVA 320-400 nm filters were used in sunscreen products. In addition, nanoparticles of TiO2 and ZnO with size less than 100 nm were introduced to overcome the drawback of opaque and white streak appearance of sunscreen formulated with micron size particles, as well as modulating the UV absorption range. However, these inorganic nanoparticles are photoreactive and prone to oxidation, leading to their cyto- and geno-toxic concerns with long-term exposure to skin. These concerns cannot be completely prevented by the coating of the nanoparticles.
It would be desirable to develop new compositions that overcome the aforementioned deficiencies.


Disclosed is a process for producing a fusion protein of epidermal growth factor (EGF) attached through a Glu-residue, treatment of the fusion protein with a Staphylococcus aureus protease specific for cleaving peptides at a Glu-linkage thereby producing large amounts of the 53 amino acid EGF sequence.. The treatment conditions optimize production of large amounts of the 53 amino acid sequence relative to the 51 amino acid sequence minus the 52 Leu and 53 Arg residues and take full advantage of the selectivity of the protease.

Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and its analogs represent a family of polypeptides having a variety of biological activities. Human EGF itself is a 53 amino acid polypeptide and its analogs vary in the number of amino acids in the polypeptide chain. A variety of these have been described in the literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,824 issued Nov. 4, 1975 EGF. The literature has also described various biological activities for these materials. Each material may or may not have the same activity or as broad a biological activity as the others but in general, it has been found that EGF and analogs inhibit the secretion of gastric acid and promote cell growth. Thus they have been useful in wound healing applications.
Human EGF is found in the urine of young males, in the maxillary glands, and in various other locations throughout the body. Present production techniques of human EGF and its analogs stem largely from isolation of the active components from urine due to a lesser extent, from the recombinant DNA method for preparing these materials. The difficulty inherent in the first of these is quite apparent. Isolation from urine sources is time consuming, expensive and relies on the supply of raw material. Furthermore, the isolation of intact human EGF is made difficult by the presence of closely related analogs. Current procedures leading to a recombinant method for producing EGF have not been entirely satisfactory because of apparent instability of human EGF that results during its production and purification. Some of the disadvantages will become more apparent as more detail is described in this specification.
EGF, also known as urogastrone, is known to contain 53 amino acids as shown in the following sequence: ##STR1##
The above formula is the formula for EGF as it exists in humans and as reported in the literature. The invention as described here, and for which more detail will be given later, relates to the microbial production of human EGF and some of its biologically active analogs. However, it is equally applicable to mouse EGF and in fact any EGF which has an equal or smaller number of glutamyl residues than human EGF.
It is to be noted in the sequence shown in formula I that residues 5, 24, 40 and 51 are glutamyl. The molecule in its natural form is folded in such a way that there are disulfide linkages between residues 6-20, 14-31, and 33-42.
While it is highly desirable to produce this material in recombinant DNA systems employing E. coli, there has been a significant obstacle to overcome because the E. coli tends to produce the EGF in its reduced form which is not stable to the bacterial endogenous proteases. It has been discovered and reported in the literature that in order to increase the stability, one should employ a leader sequence which results in an insoluble fusion protein and which therefore can be readily recovered from the cell paste. The selection of the specific leader sequence is known to be difficult and itself has created difficulty because at the end of the isolation phase of the polypeptide, the leader sequence must be separated and digested away from the EGF moiety at the N terminal amino group thereof. Similarly, even when an appropriate leader sequence is employed, great difficulty has been encountered in purifying the resulting polypeptide. It is often the case that chromatographic separations are required leading to a loss of product in an extremely tedious procedure.

Process for producing human epidermal growth factor and analogs thereof


A semiconductor device may be provided including a first series portion and a second series portion electrically connected in parallel with the first series portion. The first series portion may include a first MTJ stack and a first resistive element electrically connected in series. The second series portion may include a second MTJ stack and a second resistive element electrically connected in series. The first resistive element may include a third MTJ stack and the second resistive element may include a fourth MTJ stack. The first, second, third, and fourth MTJ stacks may include a same number of layers, which may include a fixed layer, a free layer, and a tunnelling barrier layer between the fixed layer and the free layer. Alternatively, the first resistive element may include a first transistor and the second resistive element may include a second transistor.

Sensor devices capable of sensing magnetic fields have been used in various industries, such as in the automotive and consumer electronics industries. For example, the sensor devices may be used for sensing currents, positions, speeds and angles in these industries. Sensor devices may include sensor elements such as hall sensors, anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) sensors, giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors and tunnel-magnetoresistance (TMR) sensors.
TMR sensors generally perform better than the other types of sensor elements in terms of their output, accuracy and stability. A TMR sensor typically includes a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack having a tunnel barrier layer sandwiched between a fixed/pinned ferromagnetic layer and a free ferromagnetic layer. The magnetic orientation of the fixed layer is usually fixed; whereas, the magnetic orientation of the free layer can change in accordance with an external magnetic field. When the magnetic orientations of the fixed and free layers are parallel, the resistance of the TMR sensor is lower and when the magnetic orientations of the fixed and free layers are anti-parallel, the resistance of the TMR sensor is higher. Accordingly, the external magnetic field may be determined based on the resistance of the TMR sensor.
To date, many sensor devices using TMR sensors have been developed. Some of these sensor devices utilize the TMR sensors either alone, or together with other components in a Wheatstone bridge to improve the sensitivity of the sensor devices. However, the fabrication process of such sensor devices is often complex. For example, multiple steps may be required to fabricate the different types of MTJ stacks to be used in the Wheatstone bridge. In addition, some sensor devices include large components such as parasitic resistors and therefore, the sizes of these sensor devices are large as well.

Tunnel magnetoresistance sensor devices and methods of forming the same


A spoked wheel comprised of a hub and a rim connected by first and second sets of spokes, each set having a plurality of radial spokes and a plurality of non-radial spokes.

The present invention relates generally to the field of spoked wheels and specifically to the spoking pattern or arrangement of the spokes that connect the hub to the rim.
Customarily, the most inexpensive wheels (having a number of spokes that may be as high as 36) are assembled with spokes that are non-radial, and therefore cross over each other, on both sides of the wheel. The wheels used in competition are characterized by a smaller number of spokes (which may be as low as 16 or fewer) and are generally assembled with radial spokes on both sides of the wheel in the case of front wheels, while on the rear wheel the spokes on one side may be radial and those on the other side may be non-radial and crossed.
This type of configuration leads to aesthetic results that have now become established and repetitive. In commercial terms, it would be desirable to have spoking patterns available that are more original from the aesthetic standpoint and make it possible to distinguish the product from the many very similar wheels available on the market.
Apart from this requirement of differentiation from the aesthetic standpoint, it is also necessary to simplify the operations of assembling the wheels, this is particularly true in the case of high-quality wheels in which assembly takes place manually. In this case, specifically, it would be desirable to make use of an assembly sequence that facilitates the centring operations and reduces the assembly time.
A further requirement is to make the transmission of forces between the hub and the rim via the spokes more consistent and efficient.
A spoke wheel having a hub and a rim connected together by a plurality of spokes. The wheel comprises an elongate hub having spaced apart first and second securing portions that define a plurality of spoke receiving apertures which are spaced circumferentially about a central axis through the hub; a rim having an equal plurality of spoke receiving apertures define therein; and an equal plurality of spokes divided into first and second sets of spokes wherein the spokes of the first set are connected between the first securing portion and the rim and the spokes of the second set are connected between the second securing portion and the rim, and both the first and the second sets of spokes include spokes that are oriented radially with respect to the central axis through the hub and spokes that are oriented non-radially with respect to the central axis through the hub.

Spoked wheel for a bicycle and method for its manufacture


A device for securing fenders and other objects to the safety rail of a boat includes a tubular portion terminating at one end in a converging configuration that function as a jam cleat when a line is worked through the tubular portion from the opposite end, with the emerging end then pulled laterally into engagement with the convergence. The device preferably continues beyond the converging configuration to form a hook that can be snapped over and resiliently grasp the boat's hand rail. The device is preferably made in a sequence of operations formed on a piece of thermoplastic tubing, involving splitting the tubing along a fraction of its length, and then opening the split portion to form the convergence. This portion is flattened to also form the hook configuration.

In securing a boat to a dock, attention must be given to protecting the boat against abrasion from repeatedly colliding with the dock structure under a combination of wind and wave action. Even under calm conditions, passing boats can produce waves that jostle the boat against anything close to it. The problem exists primarily when the boat is secured at one side only, as the usual marina slip permits dock lines at both sides that can center the boat in the slip clear of danger. The adjacent dock structure is usually one of two types: planar vertical surfaces, or spaced cylindrical pilings. A so-called "fender" has come into almost universal use as a cushion to be interposed between the boat and the possible sources of damage. Both lateral and vertical movement of the boat against the dock must be considered. Carefully placed spring lines will usually minimize fore-aft movement.
Placement of the fenders is something of an art. These generally cylindrical cushions can be from a foot to three feet long, and from four inches to a foot in diameter. Usually, a short line extends from one or both ends of the fender to be tied to some convenient part of the boat to place the fender in the desired position. Opposite a piling, the fender is usually placed horizontally; and against a broad vertical surface, it is usually vertical. Fenders can be tied to deck cleats, or to the safety rails usually installed around the periphery of the deck. The present invention is associated with the latter arrangement. It has also been found useful as a storage hanger for coiled and shanked dock lines, and for securing throwable life preservers that must be freed quickly for use.

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A dynamic rotating ballistic shield for protecting an enclosed viewing dee. A rotating inner armor sleeve around the device includes a sleeve opening. When the sleeve aligned with a cap opening of an outer armor cap which concentrically surrounds the rotatable inner armor sleeve, a substantially unobstructed field-of-view for the objective window is obtained, with substantial ballistic shield protection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to ballistic shields and more particularly to dynamic rotating ballistic shields for protecting instruments and equipment used in a hostile environment.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
Instruments and equipment such as viewing devices utilize an objective window through which "information" from a surrounding environment is detected. Such objective windows must be transparent to the specific frequency spectrum so as not to impair the functioning of the device yet also physically protect the device. Typical transparent materials used are notoriously weak to physical damage. In hostile environments such as on the battlefield a typical shellburst throws a fragment at an average velocity of 2000 feet per second. A fragment which breaks an objective window may cause shell fragments, window fragments from a solid transparent window (if present), and other parts to damage or jam internal parts. An example of such a viewing device is night vision enhancement devices.
Current Army's armor protection has not provided continuous protection while the night vision enhancement device is functioning. Protection of objective windows for the Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) device is provided by armor doors which can be opened or closed. When open, no protection is provided but maximum FLIR performance is obtained. When closed, maximum protection is provided but with no FLIR visibility. For the Commander's independent thermal tank viewer (CITV), protection is attempted by handing of materials and special internal placement for continued operation after damage of the objective window. Prolonged operation with a broken or missing window will still result in internal corrosion and contamination.
While the prior art has reported using ballistic shields with attached viewing devices, none have established a basis for a specific apparatus that is dedicated to resolve the particular problem at hand.
What is needed in this instance is a ballistic shield which provides continuous protection whether or not the protected equipment is mounted and operational, and to insure that no substantial degradation of operational performance occurs.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army


A wireless drumstick having a tubular hollow body portion, having a tip section having a plurality of LED lights mounted inside the tip section, at least a portion of the tip section being translucent to allow the LED light to illuminate the tip of the drumstick. The tubular hollow body portion further including a wireless mic, and a battery is electronically connected to the LED lights and wireless mic.

The invention relates to wireless mic drumsticks with very small LED lights placed into the stick body when they are manufactured.
US 2009/0019986 A1, published Jan. 22, 2009 discloses a drumstick with integrated microphone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,163, issued Oct. 7, 1980 discloses illuminated drumsticks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,079, issued Aug. 8, 1978 discloses illuminated drum stick.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,479,737, issued Nov. 12, 2002 discloses a system and method for emitting laser light from a drumstick.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,035, issued Jan. 26, 1988 discloses a drumstick with light emitting diode.
Without limiting the scope of the invention a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Invention, below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well only for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. 1.72. The abstract is not intended to be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.