A Viterbi detector includes an ACS circuit that performs addition of a path metric and branch metrics, comparison of the path metric values and path selection based on the result of comparison. The ACS circuit performs a path decision based on the path metric values and the reproduced signal supplied to the Viterbi detector at the time instant that is a specified number of channel clocks earlier during the path selection. The ACS circuit selects a mark-continuing path if the reproduced signal at the time instant that is the specified number of channel clocks earlier has an amplitude corresponding to any mark, and performs path decision based on the path metric values if the reproduced signal does not have the amplitude corresponding to any mark.

With the increasing use of multimedia in recent years, there has been a need to process large volumes of information including video information. Storage devices of increased capacity are also needed for recording such information. In the field of storages for high quality video information in particular, a capacity exceeding that of the current DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks) is desired of the storage devices. Increasing of the capacity of optical disk apparatuses or HDD units necessitates raising of the recording density. With the recording density improved, it has become an important challenge to reduce an error rate and ensure the reliability. Approaches that have been made toward such an important challenge in terms of optical disks are broadly classified into three types: medium composition approaches, optical approaches, and signal processing approaches. The following description will deal primarily with the signal processing approaches.
In the optical disk, the disk medium is irradiated with a laser beam that is focused by an optical element, and information is detected from the brightness level or polarization of the reflected light. The focused beam spot is finite, and a smaller diameter of the beam spot allows performing of recording and reproducing with a higher density. Optical approaches have thus been employed to reduce the beam spot. The spot diameter is inversely proportional to the NA (Numerical Aperture) of the objective lens and is proportional to the wavelength λ of the laser beam. The spot diameter can thus be made smaller by increasing the NA and decreasing the λ.
A higher NA, however, leads to a shallower depth of focus, whereby the distance between the disk surface and the lens needs to be narrowed. There is thus a limit in the size of NA. The laser wavelength has been on the decrease from an infrared laser (λ=780 nm) for CD, via a red laser (λ=650 nm) for DVD to a blue laser (λ=405 nm) for next-generation DVD. Short-wavelength lasers, however, have such challenges as to achieve stability during high output-power lasing and a longer life. There is thus a limit in reducing the wavelength.
An MTF (Modulation Transfer Function), which is the frequency characteristic of the transfer channel between the optical head and the disk medium, appears as an LPF (Low-Pass Filter) which drops in gain at high frequencies, due to a finite beam spot thereof. Rectangular waves, if recorded, will thus be reproduced with obtuse waveforms. Besides, at an increased recording density, a waveform to be read at a specific time instant can interfere with those of other time instants to cause intersymbol interference. The intersymbol interference makes it difficult to reproduce shorter recorded marks of a specific length or less. If recorded marks are longer, on the other hand, a lower frequency of the output of phase information for extracting a synchronizing clock may cause a loss of synchronization. The mark length therefore needs to be limited to a certain length or less. From the foregoing reasons, data to be recorded on an optical disk is coded for a signal processing approach. The coding often uses RLL code (Run Length Limited code) which limits the distance of code inversion. Examples include ETM (Eight to Twelve Modulation), EFM (Eight to Fourteen Modulation), (1,7) RLL, and 8/16 code. Of these, the EFM modulation code which is used in CD and the 8/16 modulation code which is employed for DVD have a minimum run length of 2 (d=2). The (1,7) RLL and ETM modulation code have a minimum run length of 1. As described in Non-Patent Literature-1, ETM is (1,10) RLL code with a coding rate of ⅔ which is the same as that of (1,7) RLL. ETM is characterized by the limitation on the number of consecutive shortest marks and the performance for compressing DC (Direct Current) components.
There is a technology referred to as waveform equalization. The waveform equalization is to insert an inverse filter for eliminating intersymbol interference, thereby lowering the error rate. The equalization suppresses intersymbol interference by enhancing the high-frequency band components of the reproduced signal, whereas it also enhances the high-frequency band components of noise and sometimes degrades the SNR (Signal to Nose Ratio) of the reproduced signal. The SNR degradation caused by the waveform equalization is a primary factor of errors in detected data at an increased recording density in particular. PR (Partial Response) equalization is a technique of waveform equalization such as causes known intersymbol interference on purpose. The PR equalization does not enhance high-frequency components and can thus suppress SNR degradation.
Among effective techniques of detection is a maximum likelihood detection technique. The technique is to select a time series pattern, from among all possible time series patterns, that provides a minimum mean square of errors with respect to a data string that is known to make certain state transitions, thereby improving the detection performance. It is difficult to perform the foregoing processing on an actual circuit, however, in terms of circuit scale and operating speed. Maximum likelihood detection is thus usually performed by performing path selections asymptotically, using an algorithm referred to as Viterbi algorithm. The information detection using the maximum likelihood detection is referred to as Viterbi decoding or Viterbi detection.
A detection technique that combines the foregoing PR equalization with the Viterbi detection is referred to as a PRML (Partial Response Maximum Likelihood) technique, which can perform data detection with a kind of error correction. The reproduced signal is subjected to a correlation in the direction of time by the PR equalization. A data series that is obtained by sampling the reproduced signal therefore represents certain state transitions alone. Errors in the detected data can be reduced by comparing such limited state transitions with the data series of the actual reproduced data including noise and selecting most likely state transitions. A PRML detection technique using ETM code and a PR(1,2,2,2,1) channel is described in Non-Patent Literature-2. The technique can provide a wide detection margin during high-density recording and reproducing.
To improve the detection performance by Viterbi detection, the frequency characteristics of the reproduction channel need to coincide with certain PR equalization characteristics. PR equalization characteristics as close to those of the reproduction channel as possible are thus selected. Here, a waveform equalizer is typically used to correct the frequency characteristics of the reproduction channel so that the frequency characteristics coincide with specified PR characteristics. An automated equalization or adaptive equalization technique is a technology to adaptively correct the time degradation of the signal for improved detection performance Non-Patent Literature-3 describes adaptive equalization algorithms of sequential type. The Zero Forcing algorithm, the Mean Square algorithm, and the like are commonly used in particular. The adaptive equalization technology is highly effective because it eliminates the need for an initial adjustment to the apparatus.
Description will now be given of operation of the Viterbi detection. FIG. 8 illustrates the state transitions of a signal xn that is a DVD-reproduced signal which is sampled in synchrony with the channel clock, followed by PR(1,2,2,1) equalization. The numerals that accompany the branches extending from the six states represent ideal sample values. For example, in an area where a 4T space (T is the clock cycle) and a 4T mark occur in succession, the state changes such as S0→S1→S3→S7→S7→S6→S4→S0→S0→S1→ . . . as illustrated in FIG. 8. Ideally, xn assumes −3, −2, 0, 2, 3, 2, 0, −2, −3, −2, . . . . In fact, however, the xn assumes the values of, e.g., −2.9, −1.9, 0.1, 1.7, 2.9, 0.2, −1.6, −2.9, −2.1, . . . due to noise and other factors. The recording code employed for DVD is limited to a minimum run length of 2, and such paths as S3→S6 and S4→S1 do not exist.
Now, it is assumed that Gaussian noise is superposed on xn, and, rn assumes any of five reference levels {±3, ±2, 0}. Here, the maximum likelihood detection is to find out rn that minimizes Σ(xn−rn)2. Since it is difficult to compare all the combinations in real time, however, the Viterbi algorithm performs the rn calculations in succession.
FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the state transitions of FIG. 8 developed on the time axis, which is referred to as a trellis diagram. Referring to the diagram, it can be seen that the value of xn is constrained by previous and following values. PRML uses the constraint condition to improve the accuracy of identification. In FIG. 9, there are points where a plurality of paths are input, such as the states S0 and S7. If a certain condition is applied to the state transitions of FIG. 9 to select a single path from a plurality of paths that make the same state transitions, then the trellis diagram shown by a solid line in FIG. 10 is obtained. The broken lines represent a plurality of paths that are not selected. From the trellis diagram of FIG. 10, it is represented that the paths can be traced back from the respective states at time instant "n" to the past to reach a path merge where the paths converge into one. The information before the merged time instant is settled by the path merge thus obtained.
To select a single path from among a plurality of paths, there is introduced an index of probability referred to as metric. The probability Pan for a state Sa to be assumed at time instant n will be referred to as path metric. The square of a difference between xn and a reference level r will be defined as branch metric bn(r). The branch metric is expressed by the following equation-1:bn(r)=(xn−r)2;  (1)The reference level r is determined from the input signal xn of that time.
The path metric is a summation of branch metrics from the past, and indicates a higher probability if its value is smaller. Referring to FIG. 8, the state one clock (1T time) before the state S1 is always the state S0. A path metric P1n is thus given by adding the branch metric bn(−2) at the current time to the path metric P0n-1 of the state S0 that is one clock earlier. Thus,P1n=P0n−1+bn(−2).  (2)Likewise, P3n, P4n, and P6n are given by the following formulas:P3n=P1n-1+bn(0);  (3)P4n=P6n-1+bn(0);  (4) andP6n=P7n-1+bn(2).  (5)
P0n is calculated by the following way. The state one clock before the state S0 is S0 or S4. The state S0 has two paths. Here, the path metrics of the two paths are compared to select a path of smaller value. Assuming that Min[a,b] is a function to select the smaller value between "a" and "b":P0n=Min[P0n-1+bn(−3),P4n-1+bn(−2)].  (6)Likewise, P7n is defined by the following equation-7:P7n=Min[P7n-1+bn(3),P3n-1+bn(2)].  (7)
The path metrics are updated and path selections are made at each time, whereby each state has a single path input. Such paths are sequentially traced back to the past, and beyond a certain time the paths merge to settle the information. Note that equations-6 and -7 have only to be capable of comparing the path metrics in magnitude. Since the term xn2 in bn(r) is common between all the path metrics, the branch metrics may be given by the following equation, in which case there is an advantage that the circuit can be simplified:bn(r)′=r2−2rxn.
The foregoing processing is usually performed in units of the channel clock, and a high speed processing is thus needed. For example, an 8×-speed DVD has a channel clock frequency of over 200 MHz, and the foregoing processing is thus typically performed by a dedicated circuit. FIG. 11 illustrates the configuration of a Viterbi detector. A path-metric calculation circuit 11 has the functions of adding a path metric and a branch metric, comparing path metric values, and selecting a path based on the result of comparison. Using the initials of the functions, the path-metric calculation circuit 11 is referred to as ACS circuit. The Viterbi detector includes at least the ACS circuit 11, a branch-metric generation circuit (BMG circuit) 10 which is intended to calculate branch metrics, and a memory (MEM) 13 which is intended to store path-select information and is referred to as path memory. In Viterbi detection, paths can be merged if the memory length is long. With a memory of finite length, some input signals may fail to be merged. In view of this possibility, the Viterbi detector in FIG. 11 includes a maximum-likelihood-path selection circuit (SEL) 14 that searches for a path having the minimum value among a plurality of path metric values and outputs the information thereof.
In the PRML detection, it is known that even a signal that has too low SNR to be detected by level detection at all can be detected by using a Viterbi detector so long as the signal level distribution after adaptive equalization is close to a normal distribution with respect to each reference level. This condition mostly corresponds to such cases as when recorded marks have superior quality and yet high jitter or high intersymbol interference, when a disk tilt occurs, and when reproduction is performed in a defocused state.
The PRML detection system can sometimes fall behind the conventional level detection system in performance, however, if marks are recorded on the disk in imperfect shapes mainly because of the control of recording power. FIG. 12 illustrates the reproduced waveform of a long mark (14T) with waveform distortion. The waveform corresponds to the reproduced waveform of a mark that is formed by a recording strategy such that the recording power decreases in the center of the long mark. With the level detection system, it is possible to detect the 14T from the foregoing waveform without a problem. The Viterbi detector, however, sometimes selects the path that is represented by the dotted line in the chart because of the decrease in amplitude. Here, the Viterbi detector can make an erroneous decision that the 14T mark is a 6T mark+a 3T space+a 5T mark, considering the low amplitude portion in the center of the long mark as the 3T space.
The Viterbi detection uses path metrics to determine the likelihood of the continuous waveform pattern as described above. Assuming that each sample point (solid circle) in FIG. 12 is xi and a string of ideal values of possible data path is ri, a path metric Pn at time instant n can be expressed by the following equation:Pn=Σi=1,n(xi−ri)2  (8)
Taking a span of six times, a path metric Pn′ with the long mark as ideal values and a path metric Pn″ with the 3T space as ideal values are expressed by the following respective equations:Pn′=(xn−3)2+(xn-1−3)2+(xn-2−3)2+(xn-3−3)2+(xn-4−3)2+(xn-5−3)2;  (9) andPn″=(xn-2)2+(xn-1−0)2+(xn-2+2)2+(xn-3+2)2+(xn-4−0)2+(xn-5−2)2.  (10)
If Pn′<Pn″, there is determined to be a long mark. If the input waveform is distorted, for example, like (xn-5, xn-4, xn-3, xn-2, xn-1, xn)=(1.8, 1.0, 0.5, 0.5, 1.0, 1.9), however, Pa′=23.15 and Pn″=14.55. That is, Pn′>Pn″. In this case, the long-mark path is not selected and there occurs an erroneous decision that there are a 6T mark+a 3T space+a 5T mark.
The level detection is a conventionally-used technique and has been employed for many optical disk drives. Reproduction compatibility with disks that are recorded by the conventional drives is indispensable even for optical disk drives that incorporate the Viterbi detection that has come into use recently. Although the PRML-based detection can be expected to improve the reproducing performance, there is the problem that the PRML detection may fall behind the threshold detection in performance when detecting a reproduced signal of high nonlinearity, such as when the recorded marks are imperfect.
Patent Publication-1 describes a technology for avoiding the foregoing problem. FIG. 13 illustrates the configuration of the apparatus described in Patent Publication-1. According to the technology, recorded data on an optical disk medium 50 is converted into an electric signal through an optical head 51 and corrected in frequency characteristics by a waveform equalizer 52 before being sampled by an A/D converter 53. The sampling clock here is the channel clock that a PLL 55 generates from the signal for which the range of DC variation at low frequencies is suppressed by an offset compensator 54. The output of the offset compensator 54 is input to a PRML detection system which includes a PR equalizer 56 and a maximum likelihood decoder 59, and to a binary discriminator 57 of a level discrimination system. The results of the two types of detection are input to a selection means 60, and either one of them is output. A mark-distortion-factor measurement means 58 calculates the waveform distortion factor of the output of the PR equalizer 56. Based on the distortion factor, the selection means 60 outputs the result of level detection if the distortion is higher. If the distortion ratio is lower, on the other hand, the selection means 60 outputs the result of PRML detection. This makes it possible to obtain a reproducing quality that is hardly influenced by mark distortions.    Patent Publication-1: JP-2005-93033A    Non-Patent Literature-1: Kinji Kayanuma, et al., "Eight to Twelve Modulation Code for High Density Optical Disk," International Symposium on Optical Memory 2003, Technical Digest pp. 160-161, Nov. 3, 2003    Non-Patent Literature-2: Ogawa, Honma, et al., "Development of HD DVD drive technology (Recording technology)," ITE TECHNICAL REPORT VOL. 28, NO. 43, PP. 17-20, MMS2004-38, CE2004-39 (JULY 2004)    Non-Patent Literature-3: Shuzo Saito, et al., "Fundamentals of Modern Information Communications," Ohm-sha, Dec. 20, 1992, pp. 212-217
The technique described in Patent Publication-1 includes switching to threshold detection if the mark distortion factor is higher. The detection performance higher than that of the level detection is therefore not available in spite of the implementation of PRML. The technique also involves the two detection systems and the special circuit for determining the distortion factor, with a result of an increase in the circuit scale and power consumption.

Viterbi detector and information reproducing apparatus


A valve that keeps a electro-hydraulic servo valve (EHSV) controlled device such as a fuel metering valve or actuator at the last commanded position upon loss of input command in the EHSV is described. The valve fixes the position of the positioning device within a tolerance of the position the positioning device was at prior to the loss of the position command. Upon loss of the input position command, the valve moves from its spring-biased default position to a position that keeps the positioning device at a position within a tolerance band of its last commanded position as a result of the differential pressure created when the EHSV loses its input position command

Electro-hydraulic servo valves (EHSVs) are within many position control systems. The EHSV converts a low energy signal level command from a controller into a high energy hydraulic command. This hydraulic command is used to position mechanical components. For example, fuel metering valves require that the position of the metering valve be controlled. Similarly, variable geometry vane systems require the position of a variable geometry actuator be controlled. The first stage of the servo valve is typically a double or single acting flapper valve with a torque-motor actuated flapper and the second stage is typically a spool type valve.
Upon loss of a position command to the low energy torque motor (e.g., loss of control power), the EHSV drives the device being controlled to a shut-off position due to the bias spring within the EHSV. Some end-use applications desire that the device be driven to a shut-off position. However, other applications require that the position of the device being controlled stay at the position it was at when a loss of position command occurs.

Maintaining the position of an electro-hydraulic servo valve controlled device upon loss of position command


A corrosion-resistant coating for a substrate is described. The corrosion-resistant coating comprises a first distinct layer of a first composition disposed over the substrate, wherein the first distinct layer has a thickness that is not greater than about 10 microns, and a second distinct layer of a second composition disposed over the first distinct layer, wherein the second distinct layer has a thickness that is not greater than about 10 microns and either the first distinct layer or the second distinct layer is corrosion-resistant. Preferably, the thickness of each distinct layer is less than about 1 or 2 microns, more preferably, less than about 0.4 microns. The coating may comprise additional layers. Corrosion-resistant articles, methods of protecting an articles, and methods of depositing corrosion-resistant coatings are also described.

The use of coatings to provide corrosion protection to an underlying article or substrate is common. Protective coatings can include organic coatings such as paints and epoxies; nonmetallic coatings such as cements, enamels and oxides; and metallic coatings such as chrome and gold plating. Application of these coatings can be accomplished by such differing processes as painting and spraying to plating and vapor deposition. The process of applying the coating is often dependent on or limited by the properties of the material being deposited and of the properties of the substrate.
Research on improving protective coatings has been extensive for many different materials and applications. The object of protective coatings is to provide corrosion resistance to the underlying substrate and enhance the corrosion resistance of the substrate to the various environments the substrate may encounter. Many coatings are limited to particular environments because of their inability to withstand certain temperature and/or corrosive conditions. The use of organic binders in many coatings limits the use of those coatings at elevated temperatures. A coating not requiring organic binders may withstand elevated temperatures.
Additionally, many articles requiring corrosion protection have specific weight limitations. Therefore, thinner and accordingly lighter coatings are desired. Thinner coatings are also desirable because they require less material, do not significantly change the substrate size, and offer the potential to reduce material costs. Protective coatings, regardless of their composition and the manner in which they are applied, must be adherent to the substrate they are to protect. In order to protect the underlying substrate, the protective coatings must act as a protective barrier against the corrosive agent or as a sacrificial layer. Sacrificial protective layers have the disadvantage that a sacrificial protective layer only provides temporary protection and must be replaced once it has been expended.
Inorganic coatings have also been used for corrosion protection. However, inorganic coatings are typically made of materials that have low coefficients of the thermal expansion relative to the higher coefficient of thermal expansion metal substrates they are intended to protect. While inorganic coatings may perform adequately at a particular temperature, the inorganic coatings on the metal substrates are not able to withstand large temperature changes. When the metal substrate and the coating are subject to large temperature increases and decreases, the underlying metal substrate expands and contracts, respectively, to a greater degree than the inorganic coating. The coefficient of expansion mismatch causes the brittle inorganic coating to crack and break away from the surface of the metal, a phenomenon known as spalling. Thus, the metal is no longer protected by the coating and may become exposed to the corrosive agents.
Metals have been used as protective coatings. However, most metals are subject to corrosion, especially at elevated temperatures and in aqueous, salt and acidic environments. Additionally, metal coatings are expensive, heavy and can be removed by abrasion.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved corrosion-resistant coating which is more durable and effective under a broader range of conditions, particularly at elevated temperatures and in acidic and saline environments.


A system for organization of a service which provides computer hosting services to users is based on a virtual environment placed at the disposal of each user. The virtual environment is installed at an automated cluster of computers in a data center. Each virtual environment appears as a full service computer to the user.

The need for a computer hosting service providing began with the onset of linking computers together. Data centers enabling shared access to a plurality of computers were the first to provide for the hosting of services to an outside computer user. Traditionally, these data centers used mainframe computers which allowed end users to obtain required data storage services to facilitate such applications as ticket booking offices at multiple railway stations.
Computer hosting services became widespread with the development of the Internet as a highly suitable environment for server access. The growing demand for high-quality computer hosting, quality channels, and computers with corresponding hosting services installed, resulted in a tremendous growth of data centers and their remote hosting services.
The providing of a remote computer hosting service is based on a client-server concept, as described in Operating Systems: a Design-oriented Approach by Charles Crowley. Remote hosting service to client computers means that server and data storage services are physically separated from client computers and are linked to client computers by the Internet. The typical data center service represents one server with shared data files accessible by special network protocols, e.g., the World Wide Web (WWW) service protocol, i.e., http. Such special network protocols are designed to function within a distributed network of client computers and network servers, where the network of computers is not as compact as a local computer network.
Serving a special network protocol requires a WWW server, stable Internet and computer access, and non-interrupted service functioning. Dedicated Internet access lines, surplus power supply, cooling, fire and damage protection, etc. are usually found at the data centers, due to the substantial financial investment and technical expertise required. Typically, data centers provide the following services and equipment for their customers:                a dedicated computer with connection to the Internet which is fully operated by the client computer;        installation of the client computer at the data center; and        some limited computer resources for a particular service.
Specially trained staff and tailored software are usually required to support the above-mentioned remote hosting service. To meet the needs of customers, data centers usually sell their portion of the remote hosting support service to a separate division or an independent company which then provides the web-hosting service. This gives the client the opportunity to fill in the provider's web server with the client's contents.
Web-hosting companies typically send users their own web-servers as they are, without the possibility of modification. Certain difficulties emerge when executable CGI files, or "scripts", typically written in interpreted Perl-a-type language, are launched. The CGI files are executed at a server based on user query arguments, and are generally utilized for dynamic generation of web-page contents.
Most active servers generate their web pages by user query arguments. Nevertheless, incorrectly written applications may cause problems with versions of script language interpreters used, web-server versions, and web-server configuration versions; as well as server malfunction, unauthorized access and loss of data security.
One of the basic problems of prior art web-hosting techniques is the quality of access. The quality of access problem has many facets, including the quality of network connection and related fault tolerance level, the availability of the servicing computer, the fault tolerance of the hub and router supplementary equipment, and the non-interrupted functioning of the service-program that contacts the client computer.
Data centers provide much assistance with respect to the quality of access problem, as they readily utilize redundant network resources, standby power supplies, constant system monitoring, and air conditioners, among other things. Nevertheless, the computer which is executing the server-program is the focus for quality servicing. In cases of overload and excessive client requests to a server, the capacity of the computer executing the server program may be insufficient This problem of insufficient capacity is particularly true for servers which haphazardly generate pages of dynamic content, such as news portals which use interpretive language text script generation of requested page of dynamic content.
The problem of insufficient computer capacity may be dealt with in several ways. Obviously, a more powerful computer may be utilized to process hosting service requests. But simply adding more capacity may not be cost efficient, as computer costs rise dramatically with capacity upgrades.
Another solution to the computer capacity problem is the use of a cluster of computers to correlate hosting service requests. This approach to solving the problem of insufficient computer capacity utilizes an algorithm, program, or device to distribute hosting service requests between the clustered computers. Load balancing is critical when a cluster of computers is used, i.e., distribution of requests for hosting service, so as to guarantee the best possible utilization of computer resources. Programs to implement the distribution of hosting service requests are usually called load balancers; while the programs to process hosting service requests are called computer-clusters or farm-servers, e.g., a web-farm for an http protocol (see R. S. Engelschall "Load balancing your web site: Practical approaches for distributing http traffic," Web Techniques Magazine, 3(5), May 1998; Allon, et al. Jul. 23, 1996 U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,883).
In a cluster of computers, each client has an address to which they are trying to connect which is linked to a load balancer. For instance, for a server with an http protocol (WWW), the load balancer could function at a DNS level and give out different IP addresses to clients who have requested the same symbol address, i.e., URL. Typically, though, clients connect to a server via a load balancer program that analyzes both the requests and the farm and redirects the request to one of the servers.
There are several different options for request-processing computer selection for the load balancer, including: consecutive, least loaded, type of request, and contents of transmitted data, among others. The final variant is formed at the last stage of the farm design or installation of a server.
There remains, however, a need in the art for a system and method to balance servers to effectively process and respond to a request for hosting services.

Balancing shared servers in virtual environments


An inverter stack includes an enclosure on which an inlet port is formed at a lower end thereof and an outlet port is formed at an upper end thereof, the enclosure defining an internal space, a heat sink having a switching element, disposed within an upper region of the internal space, and a plurality of DC-link capacitors disposed within the internal space and below the heat sink. Through this, heat generated in high heat dissipation components is immediately moved upward by convection, thereby suppressing the damage of components due to high temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an inverter stack, and more particularly, to an inverter stack for suppressing an adverse effect on due to high temperature by improving its cooling performance.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is generally known, an inverter or inverter stack is an apparatus for converting direct-current power to high-frequency alternate-current power.
Such an inverter stack is widely used in driving a high-frequency induction heater or three-phase AC motor for heating metal or the like using high-frequency power.
The inverter stack may include an enclosure forming an accommodation space therein, and a circuit unit (inverter) having a switching element disposed at an inner portion of the enclosure to switch direct-current power to output high-frequency power, and a cooling unit dissipating heat generated by the circuit unit for cooling.
However, in the inverter stack in the related art, a circuit unit is provided without taking sufficient consideration on the heating relations of components, thereby accelerating the enforced deterioration of peripheral components due to heat generated by high heat dissipation components. In particular, for other components disposed adjacent to high-temperature heat dissipation components, it may cause life reduction and/or performance degradation due to high heat directly transferred from the high heat dissipation components.
Furthermore, when high heat dissipation components are disposed far apart from an outlet port without taking sufficient consideration on the heating relations of components, the dissipation of heat generated from the high heat dissipation components is delayed, thereby increasing an internal temperature of the enclosure.
Taking such points into consideration, when the capacity of a cooling apparatus is increased, it may increase the consumption power of the cooling apparatus, thereby increasing the size of an overall device as well as raising the production cost.


This invention relates to an apparatus for making highly sensitive differential measurements of acceleration. The vibration sensor includes the use of moveable gate field effect transistors to sense the motion of a cantilever beam relative to the motion sensed by a reference structure, it also includes an actuator element formed by a pair of electrodes actuating electrostatically on the beam. A feedback control loop is also included for force balance operation resulting in a very wide dynamic range for the sensor.

The concept of a moveable gate Field Effect Transistor (FET) has been extensively studied and reported in literature. A number of devices have been disclosed that make use of a moveable gate FET for building accelerometers.
Force balance feedback control of vibration sensors has been used in seismometers and in accelerometers for attaining increased bandwidth and dynamic range. A number of devices using this approach have been routinely demonstrated and its theory of operation is well understood. Several seismometer and accelerometer manufacturers base their designs on this principle.
The fabrication of a silicon accelerometer using wafer bonding techniques is disclosed in great detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,752 and No. 5,417,312. In these invention disclosures a relatively large mass made of silicon is encapsulated in a cavity formed by electrodes made out of glass on silicon. The accelerometer is operated using an active feedback loop, in which control voltages are applied to the upper and lower electrodes. The displacement of the free mass under acceleration requires compensation through changes in the voltage applied between the upper and lower electrodes and the moving mass.
Utilizing the FET concept, the feedback bulk silicon micromachined accelerometer disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,171 makes use of a feedback loop and at least one pair of dual electrodes acting as capacitive transducers. Differential sensing of the beam-gate capacitance variations is used to generate a null feedback signal used to modulate the voltage applied to electrodes in order to prevent them from moving. Based on the similar concept of using a FET, a device with acceleration dependent gain is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,103,279 and a device that uses a piezoelectric device to generate voltage for the gate is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,871.
The type of accelerometers mentioned above have good sensitivity at low frequencies but limited sensitivity at high frequencies, although they result in higher bandwidth devices than open loop devices. In addition, due to mechanical and electronic manufacturing variations from one accelerometer to the next, the process of calibrating any given accelerometer to detect vibration as differentiated against a "zero" vibration level is difficult without means to establish such a differential reading.
One fundamental problem of implementing a vibration sensor is that most of the time the fabrication process used to implement the sensor is incompatible with the most common processes used to implement the standard electronics associated with the sensor. To solve this incompatibility, it is often preferred to fabricate the sensor in a separate die from the electronic circuitry. This type of multi-die implementation, however, results in higher costs and lower yield since a more complex multi-die packaging is needed. In some cases cost considerations might advise the use of a monolithic (single-dye) implementation in which the sensor and accompanying electronics reside in the same die.


Method in which a continuous butt-sealed rim of a collar defined by corresponding concentric ends, without undulations, of a first wall, radially innermost, and a second wall, radially outermost, of a double-wall bellows is obtained as a continuous butt-weld bead on the corresponding rims, arranged radially adjacent to each other, of the ends of the first and second walls, which have been prepared such that, before welding, they are radially spaced apart from each other by not more than 0.3 mm and with the rim of the second wall that projects in an axial direction with respect to that of the first wall for a length of 0.2-0.4 mm; butt welding is performed with a laser beam directed parallel to an axis of symmetry of the collar, making the latter rotate around the axis to progressively expose the entire perimeter of the rims of the ends of the first and second walls, simultaneously pressing the rims against each other with a force between 1 and 3 kg via spring clamping rollers.

It is known that for the above-mentioned applications, bellows are used that are made with austenitic stainless steels or superalloys, such as INCONEL for example (for high-temperature applications), having double-walls, a radially outer one and a radially inner one, each one sized to resist the design conditions independently of the other. A spacer, composed of fine-mesh metal netting for example, is inserted between the two walls in order to ensure radial clearance between the two walls that, in the case of failure in the inner wall or the associated longitudinal weld of the latter allows passage of pressure of the fluid contained in the bellow, which is detected by a specially provided instrument located on the straight end, devoid of undulations, of the bellows itself, known as the collar.
In order to allow testing of the double-wall bellows, it is evident that the end rims of the collars, which in use will be welded to the respective end rims of the pipes to be connected via the hydraulic coupling, of which in use the bellows forms part, must be fluid-tight sealed before fitting the bellows itself.
It is clear that user requirements are directed towards sealing systems that cancel, or reduce to the minimum, the risk of leakage after phase of circumferentially welding the bellows to the piping. To this end, the most requested sealing system is that which uses the resistance welding process.
Thus, the most commonly used sealing method exclusively employs manual TIG butt-welding of the rim, with or without the aid of filler metal, in function of the thickness of the walls of the bellows.
Nevertheless, although guaranteeing a high level of reliability, the above-illustrated sealing method does not exclude leakage risks after welding the bellows to the pipes to be connected (a process known as "bellows-pipe welding"), as during the sealing phase it does not allow a weld bead to be obtained on the rim having sufficient depth in the base material (in the axial direction), in terms of fusion, to exclude subsequent leakage without triggering metallurgical and mechanical phenomena that would negatively impact the final characteristics of the coupling.
Secondly, the above-described known art requires a significant amount of time to be carried out (several hours) and the carrying out of monitoring tests for possible leaks.

Apparatus and method for sealing collars of double-wall bellows and double-wall bellows so obtained that can be fitted with crack monitoring


A bit alterable memory may include current generators in a periphery outside the main memory core. Current may be generated in the periphery and driven into the core. As a result, the capacitance of the memory cells has a lowered effect. The current may be generated using the chip supply voltage and then mirrored using a pump voltage. In some embodiments, the mirroring may be ratioed at the partition level and multiplied at the plane level. A delay may be provided before applying the currents to the cell to accommodate for transients.

This relates generally to bit alterable memories.
A bit alterable memory is a memory that can be altered by writing at the bit level. For example, flash memories generally are written in bulk across a number of cells at the same time. Bit alterable memories, such as lone-pair semiconductor or phase change memories, dynamic random access memories, polymer memories, ferroelectric random access memories, and magnetic random access memories can be written one bit at a time.
Phase change memory devices use phase change materials, i.e., materials that may be electrically switched between a generally amorphous and a generally crystalline state, for electronic memory application. One type of memory element utilizes a phase change material that may be, in one application, electrically switched between a structural state of generally amorphous and generally crystalline local order or between different detectable states of local order across the entire spectrum between completely amorphous and completely crystalline states. The state of the phase change materials is also non-volatile in that, when set in either a crystalline, semi-crystalline, amorphous, or semi-amorphous state representing a resistance value, that value is retained until changed by another programming event, as that value represents a phase or physical state of the material (e.g., crystalline or amorphous). The state is unaffected by removing electrical power.


A gas generator includes a cylindrical housing, a diffuser portion, a first combustion chamber defined by a first porous plate member, a second combustion chamber defined by a second porous plate member, and an ignition device having an ignition portion attached to an igniter collar. The first porous plate member comprises first through holes arranged in the vicinity of a peripheral edge portion. An annular space is formed between an outer peripheral surface of the ignition portion and an inner peripheral wall surface of the cylindrical housing. The height (H) of a top surface of the ignition portion from the igniter collar and a smallest length (Lmin) of a first gas generating agent in the first combustion chamber satisfies a relation Lmin<H. An axis of the cylindrical housing is coincident with a central line of the ignition portion, the first porous plate member, and the second porous plate member.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a gas generator used in a restraining device for vehicles such as an airbag apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Some of gas generators for deploying an airbag have an elongated cylindrical housing because of their attachment position. In such gas generators, an igniter is attached to one end thereof and a gas discharge port is provided on the other end.
When the igniter is separated from the gas discharge port in this manner, a lead wire connected to the igniter does not become an obstacle at the time of attaching an airbag around the gas discharge port, which is advantageous because the attachment to a vehicle is facilitated.
However, with the igniter provided at one end, when ignition of a gas generating agent progresses from one end to the other end, the gas generating agent ignites easily in some positions whereas it does not easily ignite in some other positions.
In a gas generator 10 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,820, an igniter 20 is disposed in one end of an elongated housing 12, and a gas generating agent 30 is charged around the igniter 20.
A chamber in which the igniter 20 is disposed and the gas generating agent 30 is filled and a chamber 21 in which another gas generating agent 99 is filled are partitioned by a spacer 18 provided with a communication hole 19 in a central portion thereof. The communication hole 19 is closed by a seal 97.
Moreover, since the igniter 20 is disposed in such a state that an ignition portion protrudes into a combustion chamber, a pocket-like annular space is formed near an end closure 22 and the gas generating agent 30 is also present in the annular space.
FIG. 1 of JP-A No. 2011-157025 shows a gas generator that includes a first porous plate member 14 and a second porous plate member 32.


The printed circuit board (100) includes the interposer (2) where the semiconductor element (1) is mounted and the electrode pad (8) is formed on one surface, the printed wiring board (3) where the electrode pad (9) is formed on one surface facing the interposer (2), and the joint material (70) for bonding the electrode pads (8) and (9). The joint material (70) includes the solder layer (60) formed by the solder material (11) and the metal layers (50), (50) provided to the electrode pads (8) and (9). Each metal layer (50) includes the metal particle aggregate (10) in which metal particles are integrated with voids and is formed by filling the voids in the metal particle aggregate (10) with melted solder material (11). It is possible to ensure the height of the solder, improve reliability of the bonding, and downsize the semiconductor device by using such joint material.

In recent years, digital devices such as a digital camera and a digital video camera are becoming lighter, thinner, shorter, and smaller and semiconductor devices in which many electronic components are mounted in a smaller space are used. A stacked type semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor devices are stacked attracts attention. The stacked type semiconductor device is formed by bonding a semiconductor package by a joint material such as solder onto another semiconductor package in which a semiconductor element is mounted on an interposer.
The mainstream of semiconductor devices is a semiconductor package of BGA (Ball Grid Array) in which solder balls are used as joint materials which are external connection electrode. Among the BGAs, a semiconductor package, such as a CSP (Chip Size Package), which includes an interposer slightly larger than or equal to a semiconductor element, is increasingly employed.
Generally, thermal deformation such as warping occurs in the interposer due to heat generation when the semiconductor element operates. At this time, the solder used as the joint material is the softest of components of the semiconductor device and a printed wiring board on which the semiconductor device is mounted, so that the solder has a function to absorb a difference of coefficient of thermal expansion between the interposers or between the interposer and the printed wiring board. At this time, shear stress is concentrated to the solder.
When the semiconductor device is mounted on the printed wiring board, the shear stress generated in the solder, which is the joint material, is evaluated by a strain value obtained by dividing a difference between the amount of thermal deformation of the interposer of the semiconductor device and the amount of thermal deformation of the printed wiring board by the height of the solder, which is the joint material. When the semiconductor device is a stacked type semiconductor device, the shear stress is evaluated by a strain value obtained by dividing a difference between the amount of thermal deformation of the interposer of an upper semiconductor device and the amount of thermal deformation of the interposer of a lower semiconductor device by the height of the solder which is the joint material. The larger the strain value, the more the shear stress is concentrated and the easier a bonding portion is broken. Therefore, the smaller the diameter of the solder ball is set to in order to further downsize the semiconductor device, the larger the strain value and the easier the solder ball, which is the bonding portion, is broken.
In a stacked type semiconductor device, an interposer is further stacked and coupled onto another interposer on which a semiconductor element is mounted, so that a height higher than a height of the semiconductor element mounted on the lower interposer is required for the bonding portion (external connection electrode) connecting the upper and the lower interposers together. Therefore, when the diameter of the solder ball, which is the bonding portion, is simply reduced in order to downsize the semiconductor device, the height of the bonding portion cannot be higher than or equal to the height of the semiconductor element mounted on the lower interposer.
PTL 1 describes that a cylindrical metal post is formed on an electrode pad of the lower interposer and the solder ball is disposed on the metal post in order to ensure the height of the bonding portion.
However, in the case of the configuration described in PTL 1, when the diameter of the solder ball is decreased, the strain value described above increases and cracks tend to occur in the interface between the solder ball and the metal post. In particular, a shear stress is concentrated on the interface between the solder ball and the metal post where the physical property of materials drastically changes, so that there is a problem that long term reliability cannot be ensured.

Stacked type semiconductor device and printed circuit board


An observation valve structure includes an inlet pipe joint. The inlet pipe joint has an outer threaded section at an inner end thereof, an annular guide groove in the inlet pipe joint, and guide holes at the inner end thereof. The annular guide groove communicates with the guide holes. The inlet pipe joint has a stop trough at the inner end thereof for insertion of an annular gasket. A holder is provided on top of the connector body. The holder has two threaded holes at two sides thereof close to the inlet end of the connector body. A plate is positioned on the holder by two screws which are screwed in the threaded holes. The plate has a top surface with characters which are perpendicular to each other, a position hole disposed close to the middle character, and two apertures disposed at an outer side of the other two characters for insertion of the two screws. The handle has an indication plate. The indication plate has a positioning bead hole for insertion of a positioning bead. Through the right side or the left side of the indication plate limited by the screws or the positioning bead slid into the positioning bead hole and stopped, the handle cooperates with the characters of the plate to control rotation of the ball shutter. Two opposing sides of the ball shutter are airtight through two uniform annular gaskets which can be replaced with ease. The present invention can limit and position the handle and enhance side water flow.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an observation valve structure, and more particularly to one having an inlet pipe joint. The inlet pipe has an outer threaded section at an inner end thereof, an annular guide groove in the inlet pipe joint, and guide holes at the inner end thereof. The annular guide groove communicates with the guide holes. The inlet pipe joint has a stop trough at the inner end thereof for insertion of an annular gasket which is used to clamp one side of a ball shutter. A plate and a handle are pivotally connected to a holder. The handle has an indication plate and a positioning bead and the plate has a positioning hole and two threaded holes to limit and position the handle and to enhance side water flow.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional observation valve, referring to U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,262, comprises a conical connecting body. The center of the conical connecting body has a pipe opening for insertion of a three-way ball shutter. The conical connecting body further has a plurality of holes in a periphery portion for side water flow. A rotatable disc with a lever is provided on top of the observation valve. The rotatable disc is positioned by means of three positioning bead holes of the rotatable disc and a positioning bead disposed under the rotatable disc to control water flow by the three-way ball shutter in the OFF, TEST, DRAIN position. If the conical connecting body is a resilient body, its structure is not strong enough and deformed easily. If the conical connecting body is a rigid body, its mating tolerance must be least. The three-way ball shuttle is wearing easily and the specific parts are not common to increase the cost. The disc is rotated by the positioning bead hole to aim at the positioning bead, without an indication to show the OFF, TEST, DRAIN position. When the elastic member in the positioning bead is fatigued, it is easily displaced by an external force.


To improve the Q value of a piezoelectric thin-film element in a state in which unnecessary vibration is suppressed, an acoustic reflection film (104) is affixed to a first electrode (102), a piezoelectric single-crystal substrate (101) is thinned by polishing from the other surface (101b) of the piezoelectric single-crystal substrate (101), such that the first electrode (102) and piezoelectric thin film (105) are piled on the piezoelectric single-crystal substrate (101). In this polishing, a pressure (polishing pressure) to the surface (101b) during polishing in an electrode formation region where the first electrode (102) is formed differs from that in a non-electrode formation region around the electrode formation region. Consequently, the electrode formation region of the piezoelectric thin film (105), where the first electrode (102) is formed, is made thinner than the non-electrode formation region around the electrode formation region.

In a communication apparatus such as a cell phone, a piezoelectric thin-film filter using a piezoelectric thin-film resonator is beginning to be used as a bandpass filter for selectively transmitting or receiving only a desired signal. For example, an FBAR (Thin Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator) filter is known as the piezoelectric thin-film filter. In this filter, a piezoelectric thin film sandwiched between electrodes is formed on a substrate such as an Si substrate, and a gap is formed on the substrate side of the electrode formation portion in order to prevent a leak of vibration energy to the Si substrate. An SMR (Solidity Mounted Resonator) filter using an acoustic reflection film instead of a gap is also used. These filters are generically called BAW (Bulk Acoustic Wave) filters.
The operation principle of the BAW filter will briefly be explained below. When a high-frequency signal is applied between two electrodes sandwiching a piezoelectric thin film, the piezoelectric thin film resonates at a frequency corresponding to the piezoelectric thin film, thereby functioning as a resonator. When a ladder circuit is formed by connecting an interconnection to each electrode of this piezoelectric thin-film resonator, a desired filter characteristic can be obtained.
Since the BAW filter is a filter using a piezoelectric thin-film resonator, it is necessary to sufficiently increase the Q value as a quality coefficient of the piezoelectric thin-film resonator. To improve the Q value of the resonator, it is ideal to completely confine vibration energy generated by resonance in the piezoelectric thin film. In an actual piezoelectric thin-film resonator, however, the vibration energy leaks due to a propagation mode in a lateral direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and generates unnecessary vibration (spurious).
To solve this problem, patent literature 1 suppresses the spurious caused by the lateral propagation mode by increasing the thickness of one electrode (apex electrode) in the vicinity of the edge. Also, patent literature 2 suppresses the spurious caused by the lateral propagation mode by decreasing the thickness of the piezoelectric thin film in an excitation region, and increasing the thickness in a non-excitation region in the periphery. Furthermore, patent literature 2 has a structure in which a cave is formed in a support substrate in the excitation region where the piezoelectric thin film is thinned, so vibration excited in the excitation region does not interfere with the support substrate.
In addition, in the technique of patent literature 2, a single-crystal substrate having a thickness with which the substrate can withstand its own weight is adhered to the support substrate having the gap, and thinned to a desired thickness by mechanical polishing or the like, thereby obtaining a predetermined frequency. In the technique of patent literature 2, therefore, a piezoelectric thin film is formed without film formation such as deposition, and this eliminates a problem such as the influence of the underlayer on the crystallinity. Consequently, it can be expected to obtain a good piezoelectric performance.

Method for manufacturing piezoelectric thin-film element


A composite panel assembly includes first and second elastic membranes and a structure. The structure has a first side mounted to the first elastic membrane and a second side mounted to the second elastic membrane. The structure includes a first honeycomb layer, a second honeycomb layer, and a plurality of necks. The first honeycomb layer has partition walls defining resonance cavities that are covered by the first elastic membrane along the first side. The second honeycomb layer has partition walls defining resonance cavities that are covered by the second elastic membrane along the second side. The necks are disposed between and connect the first and second honeycomb layers. Each neck defines a channel that is fluidly connected to a corresponding one of the resonance cavities of the first honeycomb layer and a corresponding one of the resonance cavities of the second honeycomb layer.

Sound-absorbing materials are desirable in various vehicles and facilities with people present because exposure to high noise levels can cause hearing loss, increase stress, and interfere with communication. Some current types of noise dampening materials include active noise cancelling piezo-electric materials and passive foams and foam-like materials, but each has associated disadvantages. For example, weight and space are concerns for the passive foam materials, which are typically relatively heavy and voluminous. Heavy foam installed within certain vehicles, such as aircraft, may result in increased fuel consumption and reduced operating efficiency. Another disadvantage of passive foam materials is that the materials are typically not designed to absorb sound at frequency ranges of interest that are specific to a certain application. The piezo-based systems may be smaller and/or lighter than the foams, but require hardware, such as electrical components, circuitry, and power supplies. The piezo-based systems are generally more complex and costly to manufacture, install, operate, troubleshoot, and repair than the passive foams, and reliability of the systems can also be an issue.

Composite sound absorption panel assembly


A replacement tool removes an old bushing or installs a new bushing in a driveshaft yoke. A fixture has a guide chamber facing a bushing bore and a first threaded passage. A traveler mounted in the fixture has a plunger received in the guide chamber and a socket that holds the bushing. The plunger has a second threaded passage aligned with the first passage and having a smaller diameter. A set screw can lock the bushing into the socket. A removal bolt with a shaft matching the second passage is inserted through both passages. Turning of the removal bolt retracts the traveler and extracts the bushing. The tool is reconfigured with an installation bolt in the first passage only. A push plug is placed in the guide chamber to transfer force from the installation bolt to the plunger during turning of the installation bolt to press fit a new bushing.

The present invention relates in general to couplings between an automotive transmission and driveshaft, and, more specifically, to a tool for replacing a center bushing mounted to a driveshaft yoke that receives a transmission spigot.
One commonly used type of coupling between an automotive transmission output and a driveshaft may include a yoke carrying a center bushing which receives a transmission spigot. The bushing is press fit into a central bushing bore in the yoke. The bushing may be a metal cylinder with a flexible seal installed in its interior for conforming to the spigot.
During vehicle usage, the bushing may sometimes become cracked or otherwise damaged so that it needs to be replaced. Because the bushing is press fit and has a smooth outer surface, removal can be very difficult and there is a lack of useful tools available to perform the removal and subsequent installation of a new bushing. In some cases, attempts have been made to remove a bushing by drilling holes in the bushing and plying it out or otherwise applying sideways forces to remove the bushing. Consequently, removal of the bushing has been a difficult, time-consuming process which often causes damage to the yoke and/or driveshaft. In order to avoid the trouble of replacing the bushing, the entire driveshaft assembly is often replaced with a new one. This leads to increased cost (e.g., warranty costs) and waste.
It would be desirable to replace driveshaft yoke bushings in an efficient and productive manner without causing harm to the driveshaft or the yoke.

Replacement tool for driveshaft yoke bushings


A TFT 20 includes a gate electrode 21, a gate insulating film 22, a semiconductor layer 23, a source electrode 24, a drain electrode 25, etc. The semiconductor layer 23 is comprised of a metal oxide semiconductor (IGZO), and has a source portion 23a that contacts the source electrode 24, a drain electrode 23b that contacts the drain electrode 25, and a channel portion 23c that is located between the source and drain portions 23a, 23b. A reduced region 30 is formed at least in the channel portion 23c of the semiconductor layer 23, and the reduced region 30 has a higher content of a simple substance of a metal such as In than the remaining portion of the semiconductor layer 23.

A thin film transistor using a metal oxide semiconductor containing In, Ga, and Zn is disclosed as one of this type of TFT (Patent Document 1).
Characteristics vary among a plurality of TFTs due to damage to a semiconductor layer which is caused when forming a protective layer over the semiconductor layer by a sputtering method etc. In the TFT of Patent Document 1, in order to decrease such a variation in characteristics, the semiconductor layer is formed by two layers having different physical properties. Specifically, a first layer is formed by a sputtering method, and then a second layer is formed thereon by a pulsed laser deposition method that forms a low density film. Thus, the semiconductor layer is oxidized to a depth greater than that to which the semiconductor layer is damaged when forming a protective film in an oxygen atmosphere. This increases the resistance in the damaged region so that electric characteristics of the semiconductor layer are not affected.


A sheet post-processing device includes a folding portion, a discharge portion, a stacking tray, a shift unit, a pair of alignment members, and a controller. The pair of alignment members include first and second alignment members at one and the other side of sheets stacked on the stacking tray. When a sheet bundle sorted and stacked on the stacking tray includes a folded sheet, executes a second alignment mode in which it performs, for sheets shifted to a first position at one side on the stacking tray, alignment with only the first alignment member and, for sheets shifted to a second position at the other side, alignment with only the second alignment member, or does not perform alignment process.

The present disclosure relates to a sheet post-processing device that performs predetermined post-processing on a sheet such as a sheet of paper that has undergone image formation by an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer.
Sheet post-processing devices are commonly used that can perform processes such as binding, i.e., stacking a plurality of sheets having images formed on them by an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer and then binding the bundle of the stacked sheets together with a staple; punch hole formation, i.e., forming punch holes (perforations) in sheets with a punch hole forming device; and folding, i.e., folding sheets in two or three.
Such a sheet post-processing device includes a pair of discharge rollers for discharging sheets having undergone post-processing and a stacking tray on which the sheets discharged by the pair of discharge rollers are stacked.


A new and distinct Calylophus plant named ‘WNCYLALEM’, characterized by its outwardly spreading and mounding to eventually trailing and decumbent plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; large light yellow-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane; and excellent garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Calylophus plant, botanically known as Calylophus hybrida, commonly referred to as Texas Primrose and hereinafter referred to by the name 'WNCYLALEM'.
The new Calylophus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous, freely-branching and uniformly mounding Calylophus plants with numerous attractive flowers, long flowering period and good garden performance.
The new Calylophus plant originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 25, 2017 in Bonsall, Calif. of a proprietary selection of Calylophus hybrida identified as code number 17TX073-02, not patented. The new Calylophus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Sep. 13, 2018.
Asexual reproduction of the new Calylophus plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Sep. 18, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Calylophus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


The subject of the invention is a method for determining a quality of at least one mobile communications network in an air corridor (8), which method comprises:

In order to determine a terrestrial quality of a mobile communications network, measurement vehicles are used to perform "drive tests" in which measurements are repeatedly carried out along a predetermined driving route using mobile communications receivers provided in the measurement vehicle. As measurements, voice connections and/or data connections are established to different destinations in order to use a measured call setup time or speed of an Internet connection to draw conclusions about the quality of the mobile communications network used. In order to design the measurements to be as realistic as possible, mobile phones that are commercially available to end users are employed as the mobile communications receivers, and these are often connected to antennas arranged outside the measurement vehicle.
Nowadays, unmanned aerial vehicles are being used increasingly for a vastly varied range of uses, for instance for delivering goods or medical supplies in inaccessible terrain. Regulations stipulate that the unmanned aerial vehicles, known as UAVs or drones, are normally allowed to be flown only in visual navigation under line of sight, LOS, between a pilot of the unmanned aerial vehicle and the unmanned aerial vehicle. Numerous applications require autonomous operation, however, in which the unmanned aerial vehicle is flown without LOS, under what is known as NLOS. In such a case, the pilot only makes contact when required, while the unmanned aerial vehicle otherwise flies completely autonomously.
The pilot normally controls the unmanned aerial vehicle by a control device, also called a remote control, which communicates with the unmanned aerial vehicle by means of radio signals. For cost reasons alone, a link to a terrestrial mobile communications network is desirable for autonomous operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle in order for the pilot to be able to make necessary contact when required via the mobile communications connection. This requires, however, that the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains a continuous connection to the terrestrial mobile communications network during its entire flight route comprising frequently changing flight heights and speeds.
Yet until now, little has been known of the quality of terrestrial mobile communications networks at different heights, because the mobile communications networks are planned solely on the basis of terrestrial measurements, for instance on the basis of the results of the drive test described above. Nonetheless, it can be expected in future that the legislature will give clearance to autonomous air traffic of unmanned aerial vehicles in designated and suitably qualified air corridors. In these air corridors, continuous provision by a terrestrial mobile communications network would have to be guaranteed at different heights and speeds in order to avoid dangerous flight situations for the unmanned aerial vehicles.

Method for determining a quality of at least one mobile radio network

Abstract: an unmanned aerial vehicle (1) comprising a mobile communications receiver (3) configured to determine the quality of the at least one mobile communications network, and comprising a positioning device (4) configured to determine a position of the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) in the air corridor (8), and comprises the steps:

Abstract: arranging a plurality of radio-based control devices (2) along a ground path (6) corresponding to a linear path (7) in the air corridor (8), each of said control devices (2) being configured to control the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) through the air corridor (8) and being spaced apart from one another on the ground (5), such that the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) when flying the linear path (7) at no position is farther than in visual contact range (9) from at least one of the control devices (2);

Abstract: flying the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) along the linear path (7) by controlling the unmanned aerial vehicle (1) by means of the plurality of control devices (2) in turn; and

Abstract: during the flying of the linear path (7), determining the quality of the at least one mobile communications network at the given position in the air corridor (8).


A method of reducing hair loss (alopecia) in a patient undergoing or scheduled to undergo chemotherapy is claimed. The method involves administering brimonidine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to the site of the hair follicles.

Cancer treatments have improved greatly throughout the past century with the development of various therapies including surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy remains one of the most common treatments for cancer. New chemotherapy drugs and combination chemotherapy drug regimens are constantly being developed and tested to increase potency and reduce side-effects. However, hair loss (alopecia) remains an important concern for people undergoing traditional chemotherapy.
Hair loss commonly occurs in patients undergoing chemotherapy because while chemotherapy drugs target rapidly growing cancer cells, the drugs also affect other rapidly growing cells such as the cells in the hair follicles. As a result, chemotherapy often causes a patient's hair to fall out individually and/or in clumps.
Scalp hypothermia or cryotherapy has been used with varying degrees of success to reduce hair loss. During chemotherapy, ice packs or cooling packs are applied to the patient's head in order to slow blood flow to the scalp. However, the ice packs can be uncomfortable and cause headaches.
There is a need for new methods of reducing hair loss in patients undergoing traditional chemotherapy that are easier to administer than ice and cooling packs, have less side effects, and are more effective.

Method of reducing hair loss associated with chemotherapy


Sensor based information from a base station is received by a configuration management device and is used to determine orientation, altitude and/or location. In some embodiments, the configuration management device compares measurement based information to corresponding expected values in a deployment plan to determine whether or not the base station has been correctly deployed. In some embodiments, the configuration management device uses received sensor based information from a base station to control re-configuration of the base station, e.g., re-orient an antenna or change an antenna pattern.

There is an ever increasing demand for wireless communications air link resources as more devices include wireless interfaces, new types of information are being communicated wirelessly, and users desire to be able to have wireless access at any location. In response to this increasing demand for wireless communications resources, service providers are moving toward high density deployments of base stations. For example, many small cell base stations are being added by service providers at outdoor locations to supplement large cell base stations.
High density deployments of base stations may require at least some base stations to be deployed with directional antennas to isolate interference as a means to improve signal to noise ratio (SNR), which in turn translates into better user experience for voice and video application. Typically, when a system is designed which includes base stations in a high density deployment, each base station and/or base station antenna is designed to be mounted at a specific location with a specific mounting orientation, e.g., a specific down tilt and azimuth (direction). The system provider typically relies on construction teams to install the base station at the correct location, to mount the base station in the correct orientation, and to provide feedback via pictures and/or comments. This information supplied by the construction team needs to be stored, maintained and over time updated with changes.
One problem with the current approach of deploying new base stations is that there is no low cost effective way to ensure that a deployment of a base station is effective, accurate and devoid of errors. It may be difficult to verify via pictures that the mounting orientation is correct within the deployment plan tolerances. It would be costly and time consuming to have to send out an evaluation team to verify that each installed base station was correctly deployed in accordance with the deployment plan. Many of these deployed base stations may not be easily accessible, e.g., because of mounting height, to access directly, and it may involve extensive test measurements to map the coverage area of each base station via ground measurements with a communications device and then evaluate the deployment installation status indirectly. In addition, an incorrectly deployed base station may interfere with other base stations in the same region. In situations where multiple new base stations are deployed concurrently it may not be obvious as to which one of the newly deployed was incorrectly installed.
Based on the above discussion there is a need for new methods and apparatus to evaluate base station installations and/or to control base station configuration.

Methods and apparatus for managing and/or configuring base stations which include sensors


Provided is a hybrid catalyst composition including a first transition metal compound represented by Formula 1 and a second transition metal compound represented by Formula 2, the compounds being different from each other in the Formulae. The hybrid catalyst composition including the first and second transition metal compounds may exhibit high catalytic activity and may prepare a polyolefin having processability and mechanical properties.

A polyolefin-based polymer has practical use as a material of various objects, such as shopping bags, vinyl greenhouses, fishing nets, cigarette wrappers, ramen noodle packs, yogurt containers, battery cases, car bumpers, interior materials, shoe soles, washing machines, etc. Known polyolefin-based polymers and copolymers thereof, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers, were prepared by a heterogeneous catalyst consisting of titanium and alkylaluminum compounds. Recently, since the development of metallocene catalysts, which are homogeneous catalysts with an extremely high catalytic activity, a method of preparing a polyolefin using a metallocene catalyst has been studied.
Metallocene catalysts are compounds in which cyclopentadienyl ligands are coordinated centering around a transition metal (or a transition metal halide) in a sandwich structure, and have various molecular structures depending on the type of the ligand and the kind of the central metal. In general, metallocene catalysts by themselves are not active for polymerization, and are thus used together with a co-catalyst such as methylaluminoxane, etc. A metallocene catalyst is activated into a cation by action of the co-catalyst, and the co-catalyst is an anion which does not coordinate to the metallocene catalyst which is able to stabilize the unsaturated cationic active species to form a catalyst system having activities for various kinds of olefin polymerization.
Although metallocene catalysts had already been reported in the 1950s, research thereon was not actively conducted due to their low activity. Research on metallocene catalysts was accelerated after Professor Kaminsky of Germany first reported in 1976 that they exhibit a high activity through use of methylaluminoxane as a co-catalyst. Since metallocene catalysts have uniform active sites, there are advantages that the molecular weight distribution of a polymer is narrow, co-polymerization is easy, distribution of co-monomers is uniform, and the polymer's stereostructure may be controlled according to the symmetry of the catalyst.
However, metallocene catalysts have a problem in that a prepared polymer has excellent mechanical strength but low processability because the polymer has a narrow molecular weight distribution due to uniform active sites of the metallocene catalyst. In order to solve this problem, various methods have been proposed, such as modifying the molecular structure of the polymer or broadening the molecular weight distribution thereof. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,236, processability of a polymer is improved using a catalyst capable of introducing LCB (long chain branch) as side chains to a main chain of the polymer, but there is a problem in that a supported catalyst has low activity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,914,289 discloses a method of controlling a high molecular weight and a molecular weight distribution by supporting metallocene catalysts which are different from each other. However, since the metallocene catalysts are separately supported, a long preparation time and a large amount of solvent are required, and thus production efficiency is lowered.
In order to solve the problems caused by using metallocene catalysts as a single catalyst and to more simply develop a catalyst showing excellent activity and improved processability, methods of hybrid-supporting metallocene catalysts having different characteristics (heterogeneous metallocene catalysts) have been suggested. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,935,474, 6,828,394, and 6,894,128, Korean Patent No. 10-1437509, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,841,631 disclose methods of preparing a polyolefin having a bimodal molecular weight distribution, each using catalysts with different reactivities for co-monomers. Although the polyolefin having the bimodal molecular weight distribution prepared in such a manner has improved processability, its kneading property becomes low due to different molecular weight distributions. Therefore, there are still problems in that it is difficult to obtain a product having uniform physical properties after processing and mechanical strength is reduced.
Further, methods of using a bi-nuclear metallocene catalyst having two active sites have been suggested in order to solve the problems of hybrid-supported catalysts using two or more kinds of metallocenes. Korean Patent No. 2003-0012308 discloses a method of controlling a molecular weight distribution and a molecular weight by using the bi-nuclear metallocene catalyst supported on a carrier, but this method has a problem of low activity.
As such, a variety of methods have been suggested in order to solve the problems of metallocene catalysts, but most of the methods are suggested only for linear low-density polyolefins. However, although metallocene catalysts have excellent activity and processability in the preparation of low-density polyolefins, their catalytic activity tends to decrease with a decreasing concentration of co-monomers. Thus, when a high-density polyolefin is prepared using the catalyst used in the preparation of low-density polyolefins, the catalyst shows low activity, which is uneconomical.
Particularly, the activity is an important factor in a gas-phase process. When a high-density polyolefin is prepared by the gas-phase process, a large amount of fine particles is generated in a gas-phase reactor because of the low activity of the metallocene catalyst. Thus, there is a problem in that stable operation is difficult. That is, due to the low activity of the metallocene catalyst, a large amount of fine particles is generated in the gas-phase reactor, which causes generation of a great amount of static electricity. As a result, the fine particles stick to the wall surface of the reactor to interfere with heat transfer, thereby lowering the temperature during a polymerization reaction. Further, as the reaction progresses, the fine particles which stick to the wall surface of the gas-phase reactor continue to grow, making stable operation difficult.
There is a continuous demand for a catalyst to solve the above problems and to produce high-density polyolefins having excellent mechanical strength and processability and high activity, and improvement thereof is required.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Hybrid catalyst composition, preparation method therefor, and polyolefin prepared using same


A cross coil type instrument includes a plurality of coils cross-arranged around a movable permanent magnet, a needle fastened to the movable permanent magnet through a shaft projecting from the movable permanent magnet and penetrating the coils, a reset-to-zero permanent magnet arranged in the vicinity of the movable permanent magnet, and a stopper so as to make contact with the needle at a reference indication position when the movable permanent magnet is driven only by the reset-to-zero permanent magnet. Further the instrument has a circuit which receives an input signal related to a quantity to be measured and generates drive signals to be supplied to the respective coils based on the input signal so that a composite magnetic field formed by the coils presents a first error in deflection angle of the movable permanent magnet, and an error obtained by adding the first error in deflection angle and a second error in deflection angle due to the reset-to-zero permanent magnet changes linearly as a function of an electrical angle of the drive signals.

The present invention generally relates to a cross coil type instrument, and particularly to a cross coil type instrument which can be applied to a revolution indicator indicating a revolution of an engine for an automobile, a speed meter, and so on.
A cross coil type instrument includes a movable permanent magnet around which a plurality of coils are cross-arranged. Currents based on an quantity to be measured pass through the coils, which generate a composite magnetic field. The movable permanent magnet having a needle is rotated due to the generated composite magnetic field.
A conventional cross coil type instrument is described with reference to FIG. 1. A movable permanent magnet 31 is fixed to a needle shaft 32. A needle 33 is fastened to an end of the needle shaft 32. Two coils 34 and 35 are cross-arranged at an angle of 90 degrees. A cosX drive circuit 36 supplies the coil 34 with a cosX drive signal I as shown in FIG. 2 where "X" is an electrical angle. A sinX drive circuit 37 supplies the coil 35 with a sinX derive signal II as shown in FIG. 2. The levels of the drive signals I and II change based on a quantity to be measured.
When power supply to the drive circuits 36 and 37 is turned OFF, the movable permanent magnet 31 rests so that the needle 33 is fixed to a position indicated at that time. For example, in the case where a cross coil type instrument is applied to an indicating instrument for indicating engine revolution, when an ignition switch is turned OFF, a needle of the indicating instrument is held at a position indicated just prior to turning the ignition switch OFF. For this reason, the cross coil type instrument requires a reset-to-zero mechanism which returns the needle (movable permanent magnet) to a zero position when power is turned OFF.
Conventionally, the reset-to-zero mechanism is formed by a permanent magnet (reset-to-zero permanent magnet), which is positioned in the vicinity of the movable permanent magnet. The reset-to-zero permanent magnet functions to absorb the movable permanent magnet. It is noted that force due to the reset-to-zero permanent magnet is always exerted on the movable permanent magnet 31 during normal operation. Thus, the rotation (or deflection) angle of the needle is not proportional to a change in quantity to be measured. In other words, the needle rotates non-linearly in response to a change in quantity to be measured. In addition, it is impossible to arrange indication scales at equal intervals.


Certain implementations of the disclosed technology may include Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI)-based sensors systems and methods for measuring a desired stimulus. In accordance with an example implementation of the disclosed technology, a method is provided for receiving, by a Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) sensor, first interrogation light having a first wavelength and second interrogation light having a second wavelength. The FPI sensor is configured to alter the received first interrogation light and the second interrogation light responsive to a measurement stimulus. The method includes detecting, by a first optical detector, a measurement signal responsive to receiving the altered first interrogation light and the altered second interrogation light from the FPI sensor, the measurement signal corresponding to the measurement stimulus. The method includes producing a measurement output signal, the measurement output signal representing an intensity of the measurement signal. The method further includes outputting the measurement output signal.

Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI)-based sensors can be used to measure environmental stimuli such as temperature, pressure, acceleration, etc. For example, external pressure changes may be utilized to deflect a diaphragm that is coupled to a reflective surface within the FPI cavity. By interrogating the cavity with light, a signal may be generated that corresponds to the pressure stimuli. The retrieved signals from FPI sensors typically correspond to optical interference intensity variations, which in turn, correspond to the measured phenomena as the sensor is subjected to environmental changes.
Some of the challenges involved in using traditional FPI sensors for pressure measurements include configuring the FPI to provide an accurate and unambiguous output signal, free of dead zones. A need exists for such systems and methods.

Two wavelength optical interferometric pressure switch and pressure transducers


A photodetector element for receiving radiated light from a surface of a semiconductor wafer loses a detection function because the intensity of the received light exceeds a detection limit while a flash lamp emits light. Measurement is not performed during the above-mentioned period, and the intensity of the radiated light from the surface of the semiconductor wafer is measured after the flash lamp stops emitting light and the photodetector element restores the detection function. Then, the temperature of the surface of the semiconductor wafer heated by irradiation with a flash of light is calculated based on the measured intensity of the radiated light. Accordingly, even in a case where intense irradiation is performed in an extremely short period of time, such as flash irradiation, the flash of light does not act as ambient light, which enables to obtain the surface temperature of the semiconductor wafer.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat treatment method and a heat treatment apparatus for heating a thin plate-like precision electronic substrate (hereinafter referred to simply as a "substrate") such as a semiconductor wafer and a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display device by irradiating the substrate with light.
Description of the Background Art
In the process of manufacturing a semiconductor device, impurity doping is an essential step for forming a pn junction in a semiconductor wafer. At present, it is common practice to perform impurity doping by an ion implantation process and a subsequent annealing process. The ion implantation process is a technique for causing ions of impurity elements such as boron (B), arsenic (As) and phosphorus (P) to collide against the semiconductor wafer with high acceleration voltage, thereby physically implanting the impurities into the semiconductor wafer. The implanted impurities are activated by the subsequent annealing process. When annealing time in this annealing process is approximately several seconds or longer, the implanted impurities are deeply diffused by heat. This results in a junction depth much greater than a required depth, which might constitute a hindrance to good device formation.
In recent years, attention has been given to flash lamp annealing (FLA) that is an annealing technique for heating a semiconductor wafer in an extremely short period of time. The flash lamp annealing is a heat treatment technique in which xenon flash lamps (the term "flash lamp" as used hereinafter refers to a "xenon flash lamp") are used to irradiate the surface of a semiconductor wafer with a flash of light, thereby raising the temperature of only the surface of the semiconductor wafer doped with impurities in an extremely short period of time (several milliseconds or less).
The xenon flash lamps have a spectral distribution of radiation ranging from ultraviolet to near-infrared regions. The wavelength of light emitted from the xenon flash lamps is shorter than that of light emitted from conventional halogen lamps, and approximately coincides with a fundamental absorption band of a silicon semiconductor wafer. Thus, when a semiconductor wafer is irradiated with a flash of light emitted from the xenon flash lamps, the temperature of the semiconductor wafer can be raised rapidly, with only a small amount of light transmitted through the semiconductor wafer. Also, it has turned out that flash irradiation, that is, the irradiation of a semiconductor wafer with a flash of light in an extremely short period of time of several milliseconds or less allows a selective temperature rise only near the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Therefore, the temperature rise in an extremely short period of time with the xenon flash lamps allows only the activation of impurities to be achieved without deep diffusion of the impurities.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,935,913 discloses the technique in which a light measuring part including a calorimeter disposed outside a chamber body, a light guide structure for guiding the light emitted to the inside of the chamber body to the calorimeter, and a calculation part that performs computations based on an output from the calorimeter is provided in a flash lamp annealer, to thereby measure the energy of the light emitted to the inside of the chamber body from a flash lamp with the calorimeter. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 7,935,913 discloses that the surface temperature of a substrate is obtained by computations based on the energy of a flash of light measured by the calorimeter.
In the technique disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,935,913, the total energy (amount of heat) of single flash irradiation is measured, to thereby obtain the maximum attained temperature of the surface of the substrate from the total energy. However, even if the total energy of flash irradiation is constant, the light energy to be absorbed differs between different emissivities of a semiconductor wafer surface, which leads to variations in the surface temperature to be attained. Typically, a device pattern is formed on the surface of a semiconductor wafer W, and the emissivity differs depending on a pattern.
Therefore, it is conceivable to measure the surface temperature more directly by the measurement of the radiated light from the surface of the semiconductor wafer in flash irradiation. However, the intensity of a flash of light itself radiated from the flash lamp is extremely large, which makes it impossible to measure the intensity of the radiated light from the semiconductor wafer due to the unnecessarily large intensity of a background during light emission from the flash lamp. That is, in a case where heating by light emission is performed using a light source that emits light of large intensity in an extremely short period of time, such as a flash lamp, it is considerably difficult to calculate the surface temperature by measurement of the intensity of the light radiated from a semiconductor wafer.

Heat treatment method and heat treatment apparatus for heating substrate by irradiating substrate with light