A computer implemented system for facilitating configuration, data tracking and reporting for data centric applications and a method for performing the same have been disclosed. The system enables an enterprise to quickly move from paper based tracking to web based mode by configuring metadata. Also, the system hosts multiple tenants on a single server and enables creation of workspace to enable users within a tenant to securely view the data based on his/her permission levels. Additionally, the system classifies the resources as ‘Human’ and ‘Non-Human’ resources and further as static resources which are shared metadata across tenants and non-static resources which are applicable only to a particular tenant. Thus, the system enables common information to be shared easily across various organizations while securing the data via workspaces. Furthermore, the system includes report creation and dashboard generation capability using data from within the system as well as from external databases.

Information technology has enabled businesses both small and large to switch from paper based manually tracking systems to automated processes for tracking data and their day to day operations with ease and accuracy.
An efficient way of tracking of processes and data in the prior art was via spreadsheets. Spreadsheets enabled users to organize data and insert code and functions for automatically performing various operations on data for tracking and reporting purposes.
However, tracking and reporting of data using spreadsheets is unmanageable for large quantities of data. Also, sharing of a large volume of data using spreadsheets gets difficult as setting appropriate permissions for restricting various amendments to the data, adding filters suitable for a particular user are not possible. Moreover, the spreadsheets do not give the provision to add triggers for performing certain action on sensing data changes. Hence, manual dependency is still required for tracking data and operations.
Another way of tracking of processes, data and creating custom reports is via custom built software applications. These customized applications not only enable businesses to streamline their operations but also enable efficient tracking of day to day activities. However, building of a software application customized for a particular business involves investing a lot of money and time alike. Time is invested to explain the business requirements, processes required for day to day running of the business, user interface requirements and reports required by the business. The software, as it has to be custom built from scratch, requires time for development, and then it had to go through the software development lifecycle of testing and user acceptance. Many a times, as the user requirements are not effectively incorporated or did not meet the customer's expectation, re-development is required. Hence, this increases the delay in the hosting of the software application at business site.
Therefore, there is felt a need for a system which overcomes the above drawbacks and in which:                a large volume of data can be tracked, shared and viewed securely;        triggers can be added to handle data changes automatically;        application interfaces for a business can be created efficiently in less time and cost; and        processes and reports can be created with minimum efforts and human intervention.

Computer implemented system for facilitating configuration, data tracking and reporting for data centric applications


The present disclosure provides a gas injection system that can include a housing configured to hold a plurality of precursor cartridges comprising one or more precursor materials, and a nozzle extending from the housing, the nozzle having a tip configured for insertion into a sample chamber of a material processing apparatus. The precursor cartridges are fluidly connected to the nozzle to selectively deliver one or more precursor gasses to the sample chamber.

Among other uses, Focused Ion Beam (FIB) systems, electron beam systems such as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), dual-beam FIB/SEM systems, and other systems based on a laser beam are used for deposition of chemical compounds on a surface of a sample via beam-induced deposition. Briefly, a precursor gas containing the desired chemical compound, or combination of gases capable of producing the desired compound as a result of the chemical reaction, is/are introduced into the sample chamber of the instrument, where the precursor gas is undergoing decomposition or chemical reaction induced by the corresponding beam and depositing the desired compound on the surface of the sample. The FIB, SEM, dual-beam FIB/SEM, and laser-based system can utilize a gas injection systems (GIS) to deliver a precursor gas into the sample chamber. Gas precursors are also used for gas assisted etching (GAE) induced by ion, electron, and laser beams.
Oftentimes, it may be necessary to introduce different precursor gasses during the deposition or GAE process. There is a need to provide a gas injection system that can handle multiple precursor gases, provides short switching times between precursors, is easy to set up, and requires minimal handling of the chemicals.

Method and apparatus for precursor gas injection


An ink supply system including a cover, an ink delivery module, delivery pipes and a shut-off valve module, and a media recording device including a body and a print head disposed therein are provided. The cover is pivoted to the body, and the ink delivery module is disposed therein and next to the cover. The shut-off valve module includes a base disposed in the body, an eccentric wheel pivoted to the base, and a linkage connected between the eccentric wheel and the cover. The delivery pipes are connected between the print head and the ink delivery module and they pass between the base and the eccentric wheel. The cover is opened or closed relative to the body and it drives the linkage to drive the eccentric wheel to rotate relative to the base so as to press against or release the delivery pipes.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to an ink supply system and a media recording device. More particularly, the invention relates to an ink supply system and a media recording device having a shut-off valve module.
2. Related Art
With the advent of the information society, automated equipments such as the scanner, photocopier, or the printer are being installed in the office, and users may perform secretarial processing operations using these automated office equipments. It should be noted that when the various types of automated office equipments above are simultaneously disposed in the office, a lot of space is consumed. As a result, a multi-function peripheral (MFP) integrating functions such as copying, printing, and scanning is developed to solve the above issue.
As an example, after a multi-function peripheral having an inkjet printing function has been used for a period of time, an executed printing operation may need to be paused in order to replace an ink cartridge because the ink in the cartridge has been depleted. Additionally, since the ink cartridge cannot be reused, there is a resource waste issue.
Moreover, another type of currently available ink supply system configures an ink container outside of the inkjet printer. By using the delivery pipes connected to the ink container and the ink cartridges disposed inside the inkjet printer, ink is guided from the ink container into the ink cartridges by utilizing a vacuum ink guiding principle. Although this method can be environmentally friendly, space outside of the inkjet printer is occupied because the ink container is disposed outside of the inkjet printer. Furthermore, when users add ink to the ink cartridges, ink may leak from the print head because of the connection of the delivery pipes.

Ink supply system and multifunctional printer

Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited


To provide an active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition exhibiting excellent curing performance by including a water-soluble polymerizable substance with high reactivity and a water-soluble polymerization initiator having high initiation efficiency; and an inkjet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit, and inkjet recording apparatus all using the active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition. The active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition includes at least water; a polymerizable substance which undergoes radical polymerization by active energy rays; and a polymerization initiator which generates radicals by active energy rays, in which the polymerizable substance is a water-soluble compound having 2 to 6 (meth)acrylic groups; and the polymerization initiator is a water-soluble acylphosphine oxide compound.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition exhibiting excellent curing performance by including a water-soluble polymerizable substance having high reactivity which undergoes radical polymerization by active energy rays and a water-soluble polymerization initiator having high initiation efficiency which generates radicals by active energy rays, and to an inkjet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit, and inkjet recording apparatus using the active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition.
2. Related Background Art
Active energy ray curable aqueous ink can be preferably used for image printing, pretreatment for providing printability to a recording medium, aftertreatment for protection or decoration of the printed image, and the like. Further, the active energy ray curable aqueous ink technology has numerous excellent features and possibilities in that the ink can keep up with tightening of regulations on. VOC, can be applied to a high density inkjet recording head through reduction of ink viscosity, etc.
A polymerizable substance which undergoes radical polymerization by active energy rays (hereinafter, referred to as polymerizable substance) and a polymerization initiator which generates radicals by active energy rays (hereinafter, referred to as polymerization initiator), which are basic components of the active energy ray curable aqueous ink, each had been generally prepared in a form of emulsion in a water-based solvent initially. However, the polymerizable substance and the polymerization initiator themselves must be water-soluble or hydrophilic to prepare homogenous ink from the viewpoints of film formation properties of the ink during polymerization, discharge stability thereof applied to an inkjet system, and the like.
A first example of a water-soluble or hydrophilic polymerizable substance in practical use is a compound having an acidic group, and a (meth)acryloyl group or vinyl group in a molecule such as an ester of succinic anhydride and 2-hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate, an ester of phthalic anhydride and 2-hydroxyethyl(meth)acrylate, or vinylnaphthalene sulfonic acid.
A second example of the water-soluble or hydrophilic polymerizable substance in practical use is a (meth)acrylic ester of a polyhydric alcohol provided with hydrophilicity by a polyethylene oxide chain such as tetraethylene glycol di(meth)acrylate, which is an industrially produced compound having two or more polymerizable functional groups.
Another example thereof is a (meth)acrylic ester of a hydrophilic polyepoxide derived from a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-117960.
Examples of a water-soluble or hydrophilic polymerization initiator include: a hydroxyphenyl ketone polymerization initiator provided with water-solubility through addition of a polyethylene oxide chain, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-186242; and a thioxanthone polymerization initiator provided with water-solubility through addition of a polyethylene oxide chain or an anionic functional group, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-1879 18. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S57-197289 discloses an invention relating to an acylphosphine oxide polymerization initiator having an ionic group as a polymerization initiator useful for polymerization of an aqueous polymerizable composition such as a coating material, a printing ink, an unsaturated polyester molding material, or a recording material.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-159621 discloses an invention in which the water-soluble acylphosphine oxide polymerization initiator described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S57-197289 is used as a polymerizable composition for dental use.
Active energy ray curable aqueous ink has excellent properties as described above, but degradation of its curing performance through dilution with water is pointed out in some cases. The curing performance may be improved by increasing contents of a polymerizable substance and polymerization initiator. However, when active energy ray curable aqueous ink is applied to an inkjet system, the ink is subjected to limitation in viscosity or the like. As a result, the curing performance greatly varies depending on properties of individual materials.
Active energy ray curable aqueous ink preferably applied to the inkjet system must include a water-soluble polymerizable substance which is formed of a material having low viscosity and favorable flowability applicable to high density nozzles, which can be added to the ink in a large amount, and which provides excellent hardness of an ink film or excellent adhesion of the ink film on to a recording medium after curing. The active energy ray curable aqueous ink preferably applied thereto must further include a water-soluble polymerization initiator which highly responds to irradiation of active energy rays in a short period of time, which can generate large amounts of radicals, and which provides excellent initiation efficiency.
The polymerizable substance in the first example has one polymerizable functional group in a molecule, and has a low polymerization rate and a very low degree of crosslinking of a cured product. Thus, the polymerization substance cannot serve as a main material for the aqueous polymerizable composition.
The polymerizable substance of the second example is not water-soluble if a length of an ethylene oxide chain is short. In contrast, if the length of the ethylene oxide chain is long, the polymerizable substance is water-soluble, but has problems in that physical properties of a polymerized or cured solid are often insufficient in performance such as hardness and adhesiveness, required for paint or ink.
The polymerizable substance disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-117960 is highly water-soluble, has a high polymerization rate by active energy rays, and has excellent physical properties of a cured product. However, the polymerizable substance has such a feature that it has numerous hydroxyl groups and thus has a slightly high viscosity. Thus, the polymerizable substance may be added to ink in a small amount.
The polymerization initiator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-186242 is liquid, has excellent compatibility with water and a polymerizable substance, but provides slightly insufficient initiation efficiency. The polymerization initiator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-187918 is the type of hydrogen abstraction and requires a hydrogen donor such as tertiary amine. Further, the polymerization initiator is colored and is not suitable for clear ink. The polymerization initiator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S57-197289 has features of high quantum yield of radical generation, high reactivity of radicals having unpaired electrons on a phosphorus atom, and long actual life of generated radicals. Thus, the polymerization initiator has high initiation efficiency and favorable water-solubility.
The water-soluble polymerization initiator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. S57-197289 has excellent properties as described above, but an actual application thereof remains as the dental material described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-159621 or the like. In this application, an irradiation time of the active energy rays is not particularly limited, and thus the initiation efficiency is not a required item.
High initiation efficiency is effective in applications requiring high curing rate of printing ink or the like. Such application presumably has not been tried because of insufficient reactivity of a water-soluble polymerizable substance combined with a polymerization initiator.
In contrast, performance of the entire aqueous polymerizable composition may significantly degrade because of insufficient initiation efficiency of a water-soluble polymerization initiator combined with a water-soluble polymerizable substance having high reactivity.
As described above, the inventors of the present invention have found for the first time that a combination of two factors including reactivity of a water-soluble polymerizable substance and initiation efficiency of a water-soluble polymerization initiator must be focused for ensuring sufficient curing performance as an active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition and obtaining adaptability to a wide range of applications.

Active energy ray curable aqueous ink composition, and inkjet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit, and inkjet recording apparatus using the same


A method for controllably forming zinc oxide nanostructures on a surface via an organic template, which is formed using a stamp prepared from pre-defined relief structures, inking the stamp with a solution comprising self-assembled monolayer (SAM) molecules, contacting the stamp to the surface, such as Ag sputtered on Si, and immersing the surface with the patterned SAM molecules with a zinc-containing solution with pH control to form zinc oxide nanostructures on the bare Ag surface.

The invention describes a method for making zinc oxide nanostructures on a surface in a definable pattern.
Synthesis and assembly of nanomaterials for new applications are at the forefront of nanoscience and nanotechnology research. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures have potential uses in many high-technology areas, including optoelectronics, nanomechanics, energy conversion, biochemical sensing, and catalysis, due to the multi-functionality of ZnO bulk properties, such as wide bandgap semiconductors, piezoelectricity, and transparent conductors. Most of ZnO nanostructures have been synthesized at high temperatures by vapor phase techniques, with spatial organization achieved through patterning of metal catalysts. Solution-based crystal growth techniques have advantages of low temperatures and environmentally benign.
Specially tailored organic molecules have been demonstrated to govern the nucleation and growth of inorganic crystals. Using molecules that form self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to direct crystal growth from solution is particularly attractive because the molecular assembly on surfaces is well characterized and soft lithography techniques can be applied forming patterns down to the nanometer regime. For example, through use of solution-based approach, previous work showed that nucleation location and density, crystal size, morphology, and orientation of calcite crystal on metal surfaces can be controlled with high precision.

Directed spatial organization of zinc oxide nanostructures


A data link layer switch includes a switching mechanism coupled to several port interface controllers. The port interface controllers include an address table, an address learner, and an address matcher. The address table stores multicast addresses for hosts attached to the port interface controller. The address learner compares a destination address in an incoming packet to a target address, and stores a multicast address from the incoming packet in the address table when the destination address matches the target address. The address matcher compares a destination address in an outgoing packet to the multicast addresses stored in the address table, and transmits the outgoing packet when the destination address matches one of the multicast addresses.

Multicast communication refers to the transmission of identical data packets to selected, multiple destinations. In contrast, broadcast communication refers to the indiscriminate transmission of data packets to all destinations, and unicast communication refers to the transmission of data packets to a single destination.
Every participant in a multicast receives information transmitted by any other participant in the multicast. Users connected to the network who are not participants in a particular multicast do not receive the information transmitted by the participants of the multicast. In this way, the multicast communication uses only the network components (e.g., switches and trunks) actually needed for the multicast transmission.
With conventional techniques, a switch transmits multicast packets on all of its ports. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an Ethernet switch 100. The Ethernet switch 100 includes a switching mechanism 110 connected to several port interface controllers 120. The switching mechanism 110 may include any conventional shared medium, shared memory, or space-division device.
The port interface controller 120 transports packets between a port and the switching mechanism 110. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a port interface controller 120. The port interface controller 120 includes an Ethernet interface 210, a Media Access Control (MAC) address learner 220, a MAC address table 230, a MAC address matcher 240, and a controller 250.
The Ethernet interface 210 receives an inbound packet transmitted from a host attached to switching mechanism 110 over an Ethernet channel, and passes the packet to the MAC address learner 220. The MAC address learner 220 reads the Ethernet address of the originating host and stores the address in the MAC address table 230, if the address is not already stored there. The controller 250 maintains addresses of attached hosts in the MAC address table 230. If a host has not transmitted for a certain period of time, the controller 250 removes the MAC address of the host from the MAC address table 230.
The MAC address learner 220 sends the received packet to the controller 250, which, in turn, forwards the packet to the switching mechanism 110 (FIG. 1). The switching mechanism 110 identifies the appropriate port interface controller 120 for the packet and sends it to this controller.
The controller 250 of the identified port interface controller 120 receives the packet from the switching mechanism 110 and sends it to the MAC address matcher 240. The MAC address matcher 240 compares the packet's destination address to the MAC addresses stored in the MAC address table 230. If the outbound packet's destination address is of a broadcast or multicast type, or is unicast and matches an entry in the MAC address table 230, the MAC address matcher 240 forwards the packet to its port for transmission to the attached host(s).
Conventional Ethernet switches do not support Internet Protocol (IP) multicasting. IP multicasting first found its application in audio and video conferencing. Each IP multicast group contains a unique class-D IP address ranging from 126.96.36.199 to 22.214.171.124. Multicast data is sent to a group based on this unique address. For an IP multicast packet transmitted on the Ethernet, the multicast Ethernet address includes the least significant 23 bits of the IP address.
FIG. 3 is a high-level diagram of conventional multicast processing by an Ethernet switch. When a host desires to join a particular IP multicast group, the host sends a "request to join" message to the nearest multicast-capable router to request to join the multicast group and receive information sent to this group. In FIG. 3, host A sends a message to join multicast group Y, and host B sends a message to join multicast group X. The router R propagates the request up to the multicast source if the data path is not already in place.
Upon receiving an IP packet for group X, for example, the router R maps the class-D IP multicast group address into an Ethernet multicast address, and sends the resultant Ethernet packet to the appropriate switch(es) 100. The switch 100 transmits the packet on all of its ports.
The current Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) does not specify an explicit message for withdrawing membership from the multicast group. A host's membership expires when the router does not receive a periodic membership report from the host.
Some conventional Ethernet switches route IP packets and, therefore, support IP multicasting. However, despite the words "Ethernet switch" in their names, they are, in fact, not Ethernet switches, but routers because the actual switching is carried out at the IP or the network layer, not at the Ethernet or data link layer. Consequently, their performance and cost are comparable with routers and much higher than that of Ethernet switches due to the overhead of IP decoding and routing.
No multicast mechanism currently exists at the data link layer, corresponding to the IP layer. As a result, a conventional Ethernet switch broadcasts multicast packets, sending them to all ports regardless of whether the hosts attached to these ports are intended recipients for the packets. It is the responsibility of the receiving host to determine whether a packet belongs to the groups that have been requested at the IP layer The receiving host makes this determination through the use of an address filter either implemented in hardware on a Local Area Network (LAN) controller or in communication control software.
Thus, the current technologies for switching multicast packets at the data link layer are inefficient and will render the network inoperable when several hosts receive different multicast streams concurrently. To illustrate this problem, suppose that a conventional Ethernet switch includes one network port connecting a multicast router at 100 Mb/s and 24 local ports each connecting to a personal computer (PC) at 10 Mb/s. Assume that each of the PCs is tuned to a different video channel via IP multicasting, and each video stream is coded at 1.5 Mb/s. Since the Ethernet switch sends each multicast packet to all ports, the switch incurs a load of 24.times.1.5=36 Mb/s at each local port, far exceeding the PCs' 10 Mb/s capacity. As a result, the network becomes bogged down by congestion.
The inefficiencies of conventional Ethernet switches becomes particularly problematic in remote networks, such as the public switched data network. Malfunctioning or malicious equipment attached to a port of a switch can generate broadcast or multicast messages that overload all other ports of the same switch.
Therefore, a need exists to overcome the deficiencies of the conventional data link layer switches.

Multicast extension to data link layer protocols


A voltage regulator with a low noise discharge switch is used in non-volatile memory electronic devices, such as for discharging word lines from negative voltage potentials. The voltage regulator includes a first circuit portion with transistors for transforming a first voltage to a second voltage. The second voltage is applied to a second circuit portion with transistors. The output of the first circuit portion is coupled to ground by a discharge transistor. A third circuit portion with transistors receives a third voltage transformed, starting from the second voltage for biasing at least one word line connected downstream of the third circuit portion. A circuit portion with a discharge switch incorporates the discharge transistor, and further includes a pair of transistors connected in series to each other by an interconnection node. The interconnection node is connected to the body terminal of the discharge transistor.

In non-volatile memories, such as with EEPROM Flash memories, it is necessary to carry out several operations to modify the state of the memory cells which alternatively apply positive and negative voltages to their gates. Memory cells are formed by MOS transistors interconnected in a matrix-like configuration. The columns or bit lines connect the drain terminals of the transistors, and the rows or word lines connect the gate terminals.
Since the gate terminals of the memory cells are connected to each other by the word lines of the matrix cells, these word lines should, each time, be discharged to ground for alternatively applying positive and negative voltages according to the type of modify, program or erase operations the cells are to undergo.
During the modify algorithm, and in particular during the erase, there are the steps of drain stress, erase verify and depletion verify in which it is necessary to discharge, each time, at least one word line whereon there is a potential of negative voltage, although all the other word lines are maintained at negative voltages.
At present, this discharge step may be by way of a simple NMOS transistor whose body terminal is connected to ground or to a negative voltage DECS, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In greater detail, the example of FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of a gate voltage regulator 1 for non-volatile memory cells incorporated in a matrix of cells of an electronic device of the known type.
The regulator 1 includes a first circuit portion 2 comprising a pair of transistors M1 and M2. The first transistor M1 is of the PMOS type, and the second transistor M2 is of the NMOS type. They are connected to each other by their respective drain and source terminals. That is, the source terminal S1 is connected to the drain terminal D2, while the drain terminal D1 is connected to the source S2.
These transistors M1 and M2 receive, on the respective terminals S1, D2, the potential VX_RAMP, while on the gate terminals the potentials TO_VX_RAMP_N and TO_VX_RAMP are respectively applied. On the body terminals of the transistors M1 and M2 the potentials WELL_PART and GND2 are respectively applied.
The other conduction terminals D1, S2 of the transistors M1, M2 are connected to ground by a discharge transistor M3 of the NMOS type which receives, on its own gate terminal, the signal TO_RAMP_N. This transistor M3 substantially forms a complementary pair with the transistor M1.
The output of the circuit portion 2 is represented by a connection line O2 which leads a voltage signal VXS_RAMP<0> towards a second circuit portion 3 of the regulator 1. This second circuit portion 3 comprises a pair of transistors M4 and M6. The first transistor M4 is of the PMOS type, and the second transistor M6 is of the NMOS type. They are connected to each other by their respective drain and source terminals. That is, the source terminal S4 is connected to the drain terminal D6, while the drain terminal D4 is connected to the source terminal S6. These transistors M4, M6 receive on the respective terminals S4, D6 the potential VX_RAMP<0>, while on the gate terminals the potentials SPSEL_N<0> and SPSEL<0> are respectively applied.
The output of the circuit portion 3 is represented by a connection line O3 which leads a voltage signal SP<0> towards a third circuit portion 4 of the regulator 1. A transistor M5 is connected to the transistor M4 and forms with it a complementary pair. The gate terminals of the transistors M4 and M5 receive the signal SPSEL_N<0>, while on the source terminal S5 of M5 a potential DECS is applied.
An inverter 5 formed by a complementary pair of transistors M7 and M8 receives on its own gate terminals the signal SPSEL_N<0>, and outputs the signal SPSEL<0> for the gate of M6. The regulator 1 is coupled to the word line WL<0> by the third circuit portion 4 which comprises the transistors M9, M10 and M11.
The transistor M9 is of the PMOS type while the other transistor M11 is of the NMOS type. These transistors are connected to each other by their respective drain and source terminals. That is, the source terminal S9 is connected to the drain terminal D11, and the drain terminal D9 is connected to the source terminal S11.
On the terminals S9 and D11 a potential SP<0> is applied which is produced by the circuit portion 3 of the regulator 1, arranged upstream with respect to the portion 4. A transistor M10 is connected to the transistor M9 and forms with it a complementary pair. The gate terminals of the transistors M9 and M10 receive the signal GP<0>, while on the source terminal S10 of M10 a potential DECS is applied.
FIG. 1 also shows the word line parasitic capacity. The prior art approach described with reference to FIG. 1 determines the presence of two drain-body PN junctions in the regions X and Y of the transistors M2 and M3 which are directly biased during all the discharge process of the word line starting from a negative potential voltage. Simulating a drain stress operative step, it is first necessary to pre-charge the Word Line CWL capacity. This word line parasitic capacity is normally identical to some hundreds of femtoFarad.
If a negative voltage of some volts is applied and the discharge to ground of the word line occurs through the transistor M3, two current peaks have been highlighted on the junctions X, source-body of the transistor M2 and Y drain-body of the transistor M3, due to the transit of the charge in the node VXS_RAMP<0> towards GND2. This represents a highly undesired effect which induces noise onto the virtual ground GND2 and affects the overall operation of the memory device as a whole.
A second known approach is shown in the example of FIG. 2 which completely corresponds to the circuit structure of FIG. 1, except for some transistors having different labels. The transistor M14, equivalent to M3 in the example of FIG. 1, has the body terminal whereon a potential DECS is applied.
This transistor is thus subjected to a body effect which, although eliminating the presence of PN junctions directly biased, does not allow a complete discharge of the word line from a negative voltage to ground. This is due to the presence of the body effect introduced by the biasing of the body terminal of the transistor M14.

Voltage regulator having a low noise discharge switch for non-volatile memories, in particular for discharging word lines from negative voltages


A Fourier Transform (FT) spectrometer apparatus uses multi-element MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems) or D-MEMS (Diffractive Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems) devices. A polychromatic light source is first diffracted or refracted by a dispersive component such as a grating or prism. The dispersed beam is intersected by a multi-element MEMS apparatus. The MEMS apparatus encodes each spectral component thereof with different time varying modulation through corresponding MEMS element. The light radiation is then spectrally recombined as a single beam. The beam is further split into to a reference beam and a probe beam. The probe light is directed to a sample and then the transmitted or reflected light is collected. Both the reference beam and probe beam are detected by a photo-detector. The detected time varying signal is analyzed by Fourier transformation to resolve the spectral components of the sample under measurement.

In a conventional FT (Fourier Transform) optical spectrometer, a Michelson interferometer is used, where a broadband light source is divided into two equal-intensity beams with one of the beams traversing a fixed-distance path and the other traversing a variable-distance path. The beams are then recombined and focused onto a detector. There are some major disadvantages of conventional FT spectrometers, such as the requirement of large dynamic range amplifiers and large-bit A/D boards, the alignment and mechanical reliability problem caused by a moving mirror, and the inability to directly ratio the sample and background signals simultaneously.
Accordingly, it is an object of U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,609, "Fourier transform spectrometer using a multi-element liquid crystal display", disclosed by Funk, et al. to provide an apparatus and method for performing Fourier transform spectroscopy using fixed dispersive optical elements and a polychromatic light source with no bulk optical moving parts. Another object of that reference is to provide a Fourier transform spectrometer having increased S/N ratios over scanning dispersive instruments and gain substantial freedom from 1/f noise. However, Funk's invention is limited due to the transparent wavelength limitation of liquid crystal, especially in the longer wavelength infrared region. In addition, there is a 3 dB loss due to the requirement of polarized light input.
An independent area of endeavor concerns MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) technology. Traditionally, MEMS devices are derivatives of moving mirrors and operate as tiltable reflective surfaces. These are true micro-machines that incorporate actual mechanical components, such as mirrors mounted on some form of a mechanical bearing device. The source light is reflected into different directions as the mirror sweeps across an arc. In many tilting mirror designs, the MEMS device is etched out of a silicon substrate, with the control surface coated with a reflective material such as gold or aluminum, leaving a mirror on a bearing surface. In operation, this type of device will "sweep" light at constant amplitude from the source to the destination aperture, such as an optical fiber or exit pupil. In other words, the light amplitude is constant while the output angle is variable.
The applications of these tiltable mirror or deformable mirror based MEMS devices in the spectrometer field have been disclosed by Stafford in U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,575, "SLM Spectrometer", Messerschmidt in U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,066, "Multisource Infrared Spectrometer", Fateley in U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,078, "Radiation Filter, Spectrometer and Imager Using a Micro-Mirror Array", and Polynkin et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,753,960 B1, "Optical Spectral Power Monitors Employing Frequency-Division-Multiplexing Detection Schemes". In the patents by Stafford, Fateley and Polynkin, a MEMS mirror device in combination with a dispersive element is placed between a sample and a photo detector to measure the emission spectrum of the sample. The MEMS mirror functions as either a filter to select certain wavelength component from the emission spectrum or a modulator to encode each wavelength component with different modulation frequency. The drawback of these approaches is that they do not provide a direct way to ratio the spectrum of the sample with the spectrum of the light source, i.e. the background signal, which is very important for absorption or reflection spectrum measurement.
In the patent by Messerschmidt, a deformable MEMS mirror array is employed in combination with a diffraction grating to form a monochrometer to select the desired illumination wavelength from a light source. The MEMS device is placed between the light source and the grating element and functions as an apparatus to spatially modulate the waveform of the light source by varying the curvature of the micro mirror. The performance of this spectroscopic system is not ideal because the waveform modulation provided by the micro mirror is not very accurate. What is more, the disclosed optical system does not provide background signal calibration. None of the patents discussed above teach or suggest the application of the MEMS based spectrometer in the mid or far infrared wavelength region (with wavelength of >2.5 μm).
A different kind of MEMS device, known as diffractive MEMS (D-MEMS), utilizes the wave aspect of light, i.e., interference and diffraction. The basic technology, originally referred to as deformable grating modulators, was pioneered at Stanford University in the early 1990s (O. Solgaard, F. S. A. Sandejas, and D. M. Bloom, "Deformable grating optical modulator," Opt. Lett. 17, 9, pp. 688-690, 1992). The design of D-MEMS devices is unique in that they operate as mirrors in the static state and as a variable grating in the dynamic state. This unique approach offers significant functional advantages in terms of speed, accuracy, reliability and ease of manufacturing over the common "tilting mirror" MEMS structures. The device was further developed with symmetrical structure, and special membrane and island pattern to achieve polarization-independent and achromatic attenuation as described by Asif Godil, et al. in "Diffractive MEMS technology offers a new platform for optical networks," http://www.lightconnect.com/technology/Diffractive_MEMS.pdf. The utilization of diffractive MEMS devices for FT spectrometers has not been disclosed in the previous literature.

Fourier Transform spectrometer apparatus using multi-element MEMS


A current sensor for magnetic field-based current determination of an alternating current through a current conductor is based on a magnetic field-sensitive sensor element. The sensor element is arranged spatially adjacent the current conductor to detect a magnetic field brought about by the alternating current I in the current conductor. It is proposed that at least one conductive compensation element be arranged separately from the current flow through the current conductor and spatially adjacent the sensor element and the current conductor to compensate frequency-dependent distortions of the magnetic field by means of an induction-generatable compensation magnetic field.

Magnetic field-based current sensors serve in the electrically isolated, contactless measurement of currents.
For the purposes of the invention, magnetic field-based current sensors are considered which serve to measure the intensity of a current with at least components affected by alternating current through one or more conductors on the basis of the magnetic field surrounding the conductor. The current may be a pure, generally sinusoidal, alternating current (AC current), an alternating current affected by a direct current (DC current), a current affected by harmonics with one or more frequency components or indeed a direct current with high switching frequency—in any event, a current which brings about an alternating magnetic field which is capable of inducing eddy currents in metallic conductors.
Current sensors of the type in question are used for example in relation to powertrain and charging for e-mobility and in automotive applications for electrically driven private and commercial vehicles, large-scale industrial drives and in renewable energy technology such as photovoltaics or wind power. At present, these sectors make use of conventional current sensors in closed-/open-loop Hall or fluxgate technology and isolating transformers with decoupled measuring shunts. Such current sensors are inexpensive and have a low frequency bandwidth. However, they also require a relatively large installation space and have elevated EMC sensitivity (electromagnetic compatibility) or require additional refrigeration.
Contactless current sensors for measuring the intensity of a current through one or more current conductors on the basis of the magnetic field H along a closed curve S and surrounding the current conductor are sufficiently well known in the art. They are based on a conclusion being drawn as to the total current I passing through the area A bounded by the curve S, according to Ampere's Law:
   I  =         ∫               ∫      A                               J        →              ·       d                         A       →                     =            ∮     S                          H       →            ·      d                     s      →
This allows contactless current detection without intervention in the operation of an electrical circuit, in particular without interruption or interposition of an electrical circuit.
Arrangements are known from the prior art which use magnetic field-sensitive gradient sensors to measure a magnetic field strength difference in a measurement plane between conduction currents of adjacent current conductors. Magnetoresistive sensor elements are generally used as magnetic field-sensitive sensor elements which operate for example according to the planar Hall effect, the AMR effect, the GMR effect or the TMR effect, or which are configured as a magnetoresistor (MDR—Magnetic Dependent Resistor). However, these also include sensors which provide a magnetic field-dependent voltage, such as for example Hall sensors, or otherwise provide a sensor signal as a function of the intensity of the magnetic field. By way of example and not exhaustively, reference is further made to SQUID based sensors (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) or to a fluxgate magnetometer.
In the field of magnetoresistive sensor elements, the AMR effect is based on a magnetic field-based change in resistance in a ferromagnetic layer which has internal polarisation, wherein an external magnetic field brings about a change in the angle of the resultant magnetic vector of the ferromagnetic layer relative to the current direction. TMR and GMR sensors are based on the TMR or GMR effect and consist of a plurality of layers just a few nanometres thick, wherein at least one reference layer has a fixedly oriented magnetisation and the magnetisation of a free layer follows an external magnetic field. The angle of the magnetisations between reference layer and free layer influences the resistance value, which changes with the change in angle of the external magnetic field.
If two sensor elements are placed spacedly next to one another, the sensor may be made robust towards external interference fields by differential evaluation of the sensor signals. The difference quotient is understood to be a gradient of the magnetic field. These gradient sensors are particularly suitable for application in current sensors. Such magnetic field-sensitive sensor elements may thus take the form of gradient sensors, based on two magnetic field sensors, wherein the respective magnetic field sensors detect the magnetic field caused by each current part and the magnetic field sensors internally or externally determine a gradient value therefrom.
In a magnetic field-sensitive current sensor the sensor element is arranged in the region of the conductor portion active in terms of current measurement such that the magnetic field of the conductor portion active in terms of current measurement brings about a major change in sensor value, in particular a major change in resistance, and the magnetic field of the conductor portion parasitic in terms of current measurement brings about minor or substantially no changes in sensor value, due to the spatial orientation of the sensor element relative to the conductor portion parasitic in terms of current measurement and/or as a result of field compensation effects of further current-carrying elements.
Previous solutions for current measurement in a gradiometer arrangement are generally based on U-shaped current conductors for generating a primary current-dependent field gradient, as described for example in DE 43 00 605 A1. To this end, a current flowing in both legs of the U-shaped current conductor is considered, wherein the current flowing into one leg and out in the neighbouring leg forms a superposed overall magnetic field between the legs, the field gradient of which is detected in a measurement plane. Naturally, the same amount of current flows in both legs, but in opposing directions. With increasing miniaturisation, interference field components occur in such a current sensor, for example as a result of currents in the connecting piece between the legs of the U-shaped conductor, and assume a magnitude which leads to a change in the magnetisation of the magnetic field-sensitive layers of the xMR sensor.
WO 2014/001473 A1 represents a further development in relation to this previously known U-shaped geometry, wherein the U-shaped current conductor comprises at least one conductor portion active in terms of current measurement and at least one conductor portion parasitic in terms of current measurement. The sensor element has at least one sensitivity direction in which magnetic field components bring about a major change in sensor value. To this end, the sensor element is oriented in such a way in the region of the conductor portion active in terms of current measurement, in particular is rotated, tilted and/or height-offset relative to the conductor portion parasitic in terms of current measurement, such that the magnetic field of a conductor portion active in terms of current measurement of the U-shaped conductor element is oriented substantially in the sensitivity direction and the magnetic field of a conductor portion parasitic in terms of current measurement of the U-shaped conductor element is oriented substantially not in the sensitivity direction, in particular at right angles to the sensitivity direction. To support the sensitivity of the sensor element, the parallel legs may be flanked by permanent magnets, which provide an auxiliary magnetic field for supporting internal magnetisation of the sensor element.
The inductance formed by the U-shaped current legs leads to voltage peaks, something which has to be compensated by a switched-in power semiconductor electronics unit, which is designed for example for converter operation. This must thus be designed for relatively high voltage peaks.
Most recently, a further development of a current sensor has been described in WO 2019/072421 A1 which, instead of a U-shaped current leg, comprises two parallel conductor portions height-offset relative to a measurement plane of a gradient sensor element and through each of which one part of the current to be measured flows in the same direction. Through the current distribution, the current load of the conductor portions can be reduced and parasitic interference fields of a transverse leg or of the connecting line prevented.
In the field of alternating current measurement, the skin effect arises due to self-induction of the current-generated alternating magnetic field in the current conductor. Due to a high-frequency alternating current in the current conductor, a current density is established in the inner regions which is lower than in the outer regions by a current displacement effect. This means that, in the case of an alternating current, eddy currents and electromagnetic fields are generated as a function of frequency which displace the charge carriers to the surface of the conductor. In this way, however, when the frequency increases the magnetic field surrounding the current conductor changes, such that, for the same amount of current, the sensor element sees a different magnetic field than in the case of direct current. To increase the measuring accuracy of a current sensor, it is for example known from DE 101 10 254 A1 to shape the cross-section of the current conductor in such a way that no eddy currents can occur in the current conductor itself.
In addition, a proximity effect acts between two closely adjacent conductors. The proximity effect is a current displacement phenomenon, wherein this frequency-dependent phenomenon is limited to eddy currents between closely adjacent conductors in which alternating currents flow in the same or opposing directions, as is the case with height-offset conductor portions or U-shaped conductor portions. Depending on current intensity, the proximity effect may act over a spacing of the conductors of a few millimetres up to several centimetres. According to the proximity effect, which is particularly pronounced at higher frequencies, opposingly directed high-frequency currents, as in a U-shaped current conductor, tend to flow as closely as possible to one another, and identically oriented high-frequency currents, as in height-offset parallel current conductors, tend to displace one another. The current flow is concentrated onto the region in which the two conductors lie closely next to one another or are a long way apart.
The cause of the skin and proximity effects are repelling Lorentz forces of the opposing currents or identically oriented partial currents in the two conductor portions, reinforced by eddy currents inside the conductor portions. In contrast to the U-shaped current conductor, where the proximity effect brings about current concentration close to the sensor and concomitant rises in amplitude in the frequency response of the sensor arrangement may be compensated with RC elements, in height-offset conductor portions an increase in amplitude for higher frequency components is barely possible without losing DC measuring capability or considerable measurement signal effort. Suppression of these HF current density effects by using for example intrinsically insulated HF stranded wires fails on grounds of economic viability and the possibility of generating sufficiently large fields at the sensor location in the light of the low current-carrying capacity per line diameter of the HF stranded wire compared with solid material.
In the case of the U-shaped current conductors, superimposition of the two above-stated effects brings about a high current density in the inner regions of the legs, in particular in the edges. In the case of height-offset current conductors flowed through in parallel, a high current density arises in the outer regions, in particular in the edges, due to the above-mentioned distortion effects. High-frequency currents are thus carried markedly more densely or less densely and the field gradient increases or reduces in the region of the sensor relative to a pure direct current measurement. In this regard, the previously known current sensors are dependent with regard to their measuring quality on current frequency, wherein different signal values of the current sensor are generated at identical current intensities and different frequencies.
Thus, starting from the above-stated prior art, the problem arises that measurement errors occur as a function of the current frequency or of the transient current behaviour.
With a pure DC or pure AC measurement with a restricted frequency range, the geometry may be designed for precisely this case, but the error increases significantly if limits are exceeded. For a current sensor with U-shaped current conductor, a relatively complex geometry may be achieved for selected applications and the skin and proximity effect can be compensated in a narrow, previously known frequency range.
In addition, subsequent correction in certain frequency ranges may be provided by complex signal processing by ascertaining the frequency components.
On the basis of the above-stated prior art, the object of the invention is to reduce the disadvantages of known arrangements. In particular, it is intended for high current intensities of several hundred amperes to be measurable over a large frequency range with a simple, inexpensive structure. Small spatial dimensions and good measuring accuracies at DC working frequencies of up to 50 to 150 kHz are desirable.

Magnetic field-based current sensor for frequency-compensated measurement of alternating currents


Methods are provided to select plants and populations of epigenetically fixed crop plants with improved yield.

The production of agricultural goods and in particular food and feed production, in sufficient quantity and quality is an increasingly challenging task. One the one hand, there is a continuous growth of the demand for agricultural products, due to increase in world population as well as increase in the average standard of living for large parts of the world population. On the other hand, the area suitable or available for agriculture is continuously shrinking, partly because of changing climate conditions which can result in deterioration of areas previously suitable for agriculture. A continuous demand exists to increase the yield potential of agricultural crops, or at least maintaining such yield potential when growing agricultural crops under suboptimal or adverse abiotic conditions.
Up to now, efforts to increase the intrinsic yield potential have mainly focused on exploiting the genetic variability within the crops. By traditional breeding techniques existing or induced variant alleles are shuffled into new combinations. More recently, the pool of variability has been expanded through molecular techniques allowing the exchange of genetic material across species, and even kingdom, barriers.
However, much less attention has been devoted to the role epigenetic control mechanisms may play in determining quantitative traits such as yield. Indeed, all quantitative traits such as size and weights in animals or yield, particularly seed yield in crops exhibit variability with a normal distribution, even within a population of genetically identical individuals. Underlying the observed phenotypic variability are genetic components, environmental factors but also epigenetic components. The importance in plants of epigenetic control components in short and long term adaptation to stress has been documented (Molinier et al. 2006, Transgeneration memory of stress in plants. Nature 442, 1046-1049). Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that altered epigenetic states can be transmitted to successive generations that have not been or are no longer exposed to the inducing trigger (also reviewed in Jablonka and Raz, 2009 Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: prevalence, mechanisms, and implications for the study of heredity and evolution. The Quarterly Review of Biology 84, No. 2, 131-176).
There is no direct proof however that recurrent selection allows to drive the epigenetic component of a quantitative trait towards the ends of the normal distribution curve. In other words, the prior art remains silent on the ability to influence or select from a population, particularly from a genetically uniform population, those individuals with an above or below average value for the quantitative trait and fix that selected epigenetic component in a (sub)population.
Enfield and colleagues (Enfield, F. D., Comstock, R. E. & Braskerud, O, Selection for pupa weight in Tribolium castaneum. I. Parameters in base populations. Genetics 54, 523-533 (1966); Kaufman, P. K. & Enfield, F. D., Comstock, R. E. Stabilizing selection for pupa weight in Tribolium castaneum. Genetics 87, 324-341 (1977) described experiments whereby starting from a population obtained through a cross between two inbred flour beetles with an average pupa weight of 2400 μg, they were able to select a population with an average pupa weight of 5800 μg by continuous inbreeding for 120 generations. Enfield et al expressed their surprise that so many genetic variability was maintained over so many generations of inbreeding. It is however not unlikely that at a certain stage of the selection process epigenetic variability rather than genetic variability was selected for. This is further supported by identical experiments starting with inbred lines that were homozygous for the genes affecting pupa weight (Enfield, F. D. & Braskerud, O. Mutational variance for pupa weight in Tribolium castaneum. Theor. Appl. Genet. 77, 416-420 (1989)).
Various parameters have been employed to establish a correlation with the yield potential of a plant. A positive correlation has been found between yield potential and lower cellular respiration rates.
Wilson described the response to selection of dark respiration rate of mature leaves in Lolium perenne and its effects on growth of young plants and simulated swards. (Wilson Ann. Bot. 49, 303-312 (1982))
Wilson and Jones described the effect of selection for dark respiration rate of mature leaves on crop yields of Lolium perenne cv. S23. (Wilson and Jones Ann. Bot. 49, 313-320 (1982)).
Kraus et al. reported on the yield advantage of a 'slow-' over a 'fast-' respiring population of Lolium perenne cv. S23 which depends on plant density. (Kraus et al. New Phytol. 123, 39-44 (1993)) and on the effect of handling on the yield of two populations of Lolium perenne selected for differences in mature leaf respiration rate (Kraus et al. Physiol. Plant. 89, 341-346 (1993)).
Nunes-Nesi et al. described enhanced photosynthetic performance and growth as a consequence of decreasing mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase activity in transgenic tomato plants. (Nunes-Nesi et al. Plant Physiol. 137, 611-622 (2005)). Juczczuk et al. reported on the effect of mitochondrial genome rearrangement on respiratory activity, photosynthesis, photorespiration and energy status of MSC16 cucumber (Cucumis sativus) mutant. (Juczczuk et al, Physiol. Plant. 131, 527-541 (2007)).
De Block and De Brouwer described a simple and robust in vitro assay to quantify the vigour of oilseed rape lines and hybrids. (Plant Physiol. Biochem. 40, 845-852 (2002))
WO02/066972 provides methods and means for determining parent inbred plant lines with good combining ability, for determining good combinations of parent inbred plant lines capable of yielding hybrid lines with high heterosis, and further for determining the agronomical performance of different plant lines, which can be performed in vitro by determining the electron flow in the mitochondria under control and stress conditions
None of the prior art documents however described recurrent selection for low cellular respiration rates in a genetically uniform population of plants which allows to establish (sub)populations of plants which have a higher yield potential and tolerance to adverse biotic conditions. The epigenetic component can further be inherited in successive generations (and behaves as a dominant or co-dominant factor).

Increase of yield in crop plants through selection of epigenetically modified populations


An apparatus for reducing torque fluctuations of a combustion engine includes a crankshaft mounted in the engine, flywheel coupled to the crankshaft, and a first actuator and a second actuator coupled to the flywheel. The flywheel generates a counter torque to the torque generated by the engine during combustion, and the first and the second actuators are operated to adjust the magnitude and the phase of the counter torque generated by the flywheel to suppress fluctuations associated the engine torque.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Generally, the rotation of the crankshaft of internal combustion engines is not uniform because of the work cycles associated with the pistons of the engines. This non-uniformity increases with decreasing number of cylinders, low speeds, and high loads. Attempts to counteract these rotation irregularities include torsionally connecting a large mass to the crankshaft. For example, a linkage system has been employed between a flywheel and a crankshaft so that the flywheel oscillates relatively to the crankshaft the same number of times per crankshaft revolution as the combustion event. The linkage is arranged such that the counter torque generated by the oscillations of the flywheel is in the opposite direction of the engine torque. In these arrangements, however, only the magnitude (and not the phase) of the counter torque generated by the flywheel oscillation is adjustable, even though both the phase and the magnitude of the engine torque fluctuation changes with the engine speed and load.

Apparatus for reducing engine torque fluctuations


The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image forming member that jets liquid droplets onto a recording medium and forms an image on a front face of the recording medium, a tension imparting member that induces tension of 100 N/m to 1000 N/m in the recording medium image-formed on the recording medium front face by the image forming member, and a drying member that dries the image formed on the front face of the recording medium when tension induced in the recording medium by the tension imparting member to a residual moisture level of 3 g/m2 or less in the recording medium.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method for forming an image on a recording medium.
2. Related Art
An inkjet recording apparatus (image forming apparatus) is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 04-338575 in which, during a heating and drying process directly after forming an image on a recorded-on member (a recording medium), tension towards the paper discharge direction is applied to the recorded-on member to maintain the straight form of the recorded-on member.
However, the tension applied to the recording medium is not specified in the conventional configuration, and the degree of drying of the recording medium in the heating and drying process is also not specified. It is therefore a configuration that sometimes cannot suppress waviness from occurring in the recording medium.

Image forming apparatus and image forming method


A high-speed, relay for switching a high voltage signals includes a set of terminals across which the high voltage signal is applied. The relay also includes a motor having a shaft for movement between an open position and a closed position responsive to actuation of the motor. A contact plate is connected to the shaft which moves responsive to the shaft. A conductor having two contacts at distal ends is formed on the contact plate opposite the terminals such that the conductor does not contact the terminals in the open position and the conductor creates a short circuit across the terminals when in the closed position. The relay according to the invention permits the contact plate to be positioned closer to the terminals which results in a faster switching time.

This invention relates generally to electromechanical relays and more particularly to high voltage relays having fast switching times.
Electromechanical switching relays have long been known and used in the art. The relay operates by passing a current through a wire wound coil to create a magnetic field which is used to close the relay. Thus, relays act as electromechanical switches.
Referring to FIG. 1, a prior art relay 10 is shown. The relay consists of a magnetic core 12, a coil 13, a pivot arm 14, and a conductive contact plate 16. The contact plate 16 has a first end that is hingedly mounted and a second end that moves between an open position as shown in FIG. 1 and a closed position wherein the second end is in electrical contact with a terminal 18. The first end remains in electrical contact with a terminal 20 in both the open and closed positions. An actuation signal is applied across terminals 24 and 26 to actuate the pivot arm which causes the plate to move between the open and closed positions.
A variety of applications require the relay to switch within a predetermined time. For example, one or more relays are used in a heart defibrillator to switch or shunt a stored charge through the patient to restore a normal heartbeat. The defibrillator must be able to apply the charge within a predetermined time or risk damaging a patient's heart. For example, when applying a therapeutic shock to the patient the charge must be applied within a predetermined time after R-wave detection.
An electrical schematic of a defibrillator, indicated generally at 30, is shown in FIG. 2. The series circuit consists of a capacitor C which is used as a charge storage means, a choke inductor L, two patient contact pads 32 and 34 which are applied to the patient, and relays R1 and R2 to shunt the charge. Typically, relays R1 and R2, rather than being separate relays, are actually a double pole double throw (DPDT) switch relay so that R1 and R2 operate in unison.
The switching time of the relay, as measured from the assertion of the actuation signal, is primarily determined by the distance D between the plate and the terminals, as shown in FIG. 1, and the combined mass of the plate and shaft. The obvious solution to decrease the switching time is to decrease the distance D between the plate and the terminals. The minimum distance between the plate 16 and terminals 18 and 20, however, is limited by the voltage applied to terminals 18 and 20, as described below. Defibrillators, which require fast switching times, also require high voltages, e.g., 5 KV. Thus, the conventional relay 10 is not well suited for defibrillator applications.
If the voltage applied to the terminals exceeds the breakdown voltage of the air between the terminals from the contact plate, an arc will form between the terminal and the contact plate. One solution to address the breakdown voltage problem is to enclose the terminals and contact plate in a pressure chamber and replace the air with a pressurized gas which has a higher breakdown voltage than air. An example of such a solution is a relay manufactured by Kilovac of Santa Barbara, Calif., part number KM-13/S31. The Kilovac part uses a sulfur hex fluoride gas under approximately three atmospheres of pressure. The pressure chamber, however, results in considerable added expense over the conventional relay.
Accordingly, a need remains for a relay for switching high voltages having a fast switching time which does not require a pressure chamber.


A direct injection engine is coupled to a vacuum brake booster wherein vacuum created from engine pumping is used to supplement driver braking force. The brake booster is coupled through a check valve to the engine intake manifold. A method is disclosed for estimating pressure in the brake booster based on operating conditions. A method is also disclosed for estimating operating parameters based on measured brake booster pressure. Further, a method is disclosed for diagnosing degradation, or monitoring, a brake booster pressure sensor based on operating conditions. In addition, a method is disclosed for diagnosing degradation in other vehicle and engine sensors based on measured brake booster pressure.

The field of the invention relates to internal combustion engines having vacuum assisted brake systems.
Internal combustion engines are known that improve thermal efficiency and reduce pumping work by operating lean of stoichiometry and increasing manifold pressure. It is also known to extend lean operation by performing stratified operation where fuel is injected directed into the engine cylinder during a compression stroke. These engines also are capable of performing homogeneous operation where fuel is injected during an intake, or suction, stroke. Typically, stratified operation limited to lean air/fuel ratios, while homogeneous operation can be both lean and rich of stoichiometry.
Vehicle brake systems are also known that use vacuum assist to increase driver braking force. In these systems, vacuum generated by engine operation provide extra force to assist driver braking. When these braking systems are combined with lean burn engines, engine operation may be controlled so that desired vacuum is supplied during braking. One approach uses a vacuum pressure sensor located in a brake booster to indicate available braking vacuum. When available vacuum falls below a predetermined value, engine air/fuel ratio is decreased toward stoichiometry and stratified operation is discontinued. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,559.
The inventors herein have recognized a disadvantage with the above approach. In particular, vehicle cost is increased since an additional sensor is added to determine vacuum level.
An object of the present invention is to determine brake booster vacuum without, or in addition to, a brake booster vacuum sensor.
The above object is achieved and disadvantages of prior approaches overcome by a method for determining pressure in a brake booster coupled through a check valve to a manifold of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising: measuring an operating parameter; and calculating an estimate of the brake booster pressure based on said operating parameter.
By estimating brake booster pressure from other known operating conditions, it is possible to provide engine control systems with the information necessary to maximize fuel economy and minimize emissions, without adding additional sensors. In other words, by exploiting knowledge of physical relationships between systems, it is possible to estimate necessary brake booster parameters without use of an additional sensor.
An advantage of the above aspect of the present invention is that improved fuel economy and reduced emissions can be achieved without additional cost.
Another advantage of the above aspect of the present invention is that if a brake booster sensor is presently used, the sensed value can be complemented with an estimated value to improve accuracy.
In another aspect of the present invention, the above object is achieved and disadvantages of prior approaches overcome by a method for determining pressure in a brake booster coupled through a check valve to a manifold of an internal combustion engine, the brake booster coupled to a driver actuated hydraulic brake system, the method comprising: measuring an engine operating parameter; measuring a brake system parameter; and calculating an estimate of the brake booster pressure based on said engine operating parameter and said brake system parameter.
By using both engine operating parameters and braking system parameters, it is possible to estimate brake booster pressure continuously during vehicle operation. In particular, engine operating parameters mostly indicate how brake booster pressure can decrease, while braking system parameters mostly indicated how brake booster pressure can increase. In this way, brake booster pressure can be estimated and used to improve other engine operations.
An advantage of the above aspect of the present invention is that improved fuel economy and reduced emissions can be achieved throughout vehicle operation without additional cost.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated by the reader of this specification.


An adjustable Bluetooth wireless earphone primarily comprises an earphone body pin-connecting with a link-part at the front upper portion thereof so that the earphone can be rotated in all direction using the link-part as an axis and the link-part connects with a plug-set. The plug-set can co-move with the link-part. When the plug-set plugged the ear of the user, using the feature that the earphone body can be rotated in all direction, so the earphone body can be pressed close to the cheek portion of the user to form an angle between the earphone body and the plug-set, such that the plugged plug-set may stay more tightly on the ear of the user and not drop off easily.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable wireless earphone, and particularly to an adjustable wireless earphone which the earphone body thereof can be rotated in all direction so that the plug-set thereof may tightly plug the ear of the user and not easily drop out from the ear.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to reduce the rising incidence of traffic accidents due to handholding a mobile phone while driving, many countries has established relevant regulations to strictly forbid any driver communicating by a handheld mobile phone with others during driving to reduce the traffic incidence effectively. Therefore, currently, among many products emerging to match up such government regulations, the most common product is a hand-free kit for mobile phone with a function which the driver places the mobile phone in the seat of the hand-free kit before driving, so the speaker of the kit or the speaker system in the car will broadcast the communication message once a call inbounds. This practice can enable the driver to communicate with others without hand-holding a mobile phone. Since the hand-free kit is associated with the build-in speaker in the car, this may generate too much noise or echo when the driver communicating with others, such that the inbound message can not be received clearly and there is no privacy if any other passenger present. Therefore, such a hand-free kit is not designed properly.
For solving the disadvantage derived from the hand-free kit, now there are over-ear and headset wireless earphones available in the market, it may put on the ear or the head of the user, without the fault of generating too much echoes and exposing the content of the communication while the driver communicating with others. But, the commercial available over-ear or headset wireless earphone usually is die-cast with the wireless principal body, thus there is no way to adjust the angle of the earphone appropriately according to the shape of the ear or the head of the user, this makes the wearing user feeling uncomfortable.
Thus, it can be seen that the above-described conventional articles still have many drawbacks. They are not designed properly, and need to be improved urgently.
In view of the disadvantages derived from the above-described conventional earphone, the inventor had devoted to improve and innovate, and after studying intensively for many years, successfully developed this adjustable Bluetooth wireless earphone according to the present invention finally.


A stepping motor control circuit includes a rotation detection circuit that detects an induced signal and detects whether or not the induced signal exceeds a predetermined reference threshold voltage in a detection segment having a plurality of detection areas, and a control unit that determines the state of rotation of a stepping motor on the basis of a pattern indicating whether or not the induced signals exceed the reference threshold voltage and, on the basis of the result of detection, controls the driving of the stepping motor with anyone of a plurality of main drive pulses different from each other in energy or a correction drive pulse having larger energy than the main drive pulse. An ineffective area is provided between at least the two detection areas, and the control unit determines the state of rotation of the stepping motor without considering the induced signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stepping motor control unit and an analogue electronic watch using the stepping motor control circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, a stepping motor including a stator having a rotor storage hole and a positioning portion for determining a stop position of a rotor, the rotor disposed in the rotor storage hole, and a coil, and being configured to rotate the rotor by causing the stator to generate a magnetic flux by supplying alternating signals to the coil and stop the same at a position corresponding to the positioning portion is used in an analogue electronic watch, for example.
A method employed as a method of controlling the stepping motor is a correction drive system configured to detect whether or not the stepping motor is rotated by detecting an induced signal VRs generated in the stepping motor when the stepping motor is driven with a main drive pulse P1 and, according to the result of detection of whether or not the stepping motor is rotated, change the pulse width of the main drive pulse P1 and drive the stepping motor with the changed main drive pulse P1 or forcedly rotate the stepping motor with a correction drive pulse P2 having a pulse width larger than that of the main drive pulse P1 (for example, JP-B-61-15385).
WO2005/119377 discloses a unit for comparatively discriminating the detected time and the reference time in addition to the detection of the induced signal when detecting the rotation of the stepping motor. If the detected signal is lower than a predetermined reference threshold voltage Vcomp after having rotated the stepping motor with a main drive pulse P11, the corrected drive pulse P2 is supplied, and the subsequent main drive pulse P1 is changed to a main drive pulse P12 having a larger energy than the main drive pulse P11 for driving the stepping motor (upgrade). If the detected time of the rotation with the main drive pulse P12 is earlier than the reference time, the main drive pulse P12 is changed to the main drive pulse P11 (downgrade). In this manner, the pulse is controlled to rotate the stepping motor with the main drive pulse P1 according to the load by determining the state of rotation of the stepping motor when being driven with the main drive pulse, so that the current consumption is reduced.
However, if an attempt is made to determine the state of rotation of the stepping motor only on the basis of whether or not the time of day when the induced signal VRs is generated is earlier than the reference time, determination of the amount of the excess or the shortage of the energy of the main drive pulse with respect to the load is difficult. Therefore, further adequate pulse control is not achieved, and hence an unstable rotation and a limited reduction of power consumption are resulted.

Stepping motor control circuit and analogue electronic watch


According to some embodiments of the invention, there is provided line photo masks that includes transistors having reinforcement layer patterns and methods of forming the same. The transistors and the methods provide a way of compensating a partially removed amount of a strained silicon layer during semiconductor fabrication processes. To the end, at least one gate pattern is disposed on an active region of a semiconductor substrate. Reinforcement layer patterns are formed to extend respectively from sidewalls of the gate pattern and disposed on a main surface of the semiconductor substrate. Each reinforcement layer pattern partially exposes each sidewall of the gate pattern. Impurity regions are disposed in the reinforcement layer patterns and the active region of the semiconductor substrate and overlap the gate pattern. Spacer patterns are disposed on the reinforcement layer patterns and partially cover the sidewalls of the gate pattern.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to transistors and methods of forming the same, more particularly, to transistors having reinforcement layer patterns and methods of forming the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Transistors are formed by using many technologies with a single crystal silicon base substrate in order to realize a very high speed current driving capability. One of the technologies involves the use of a semiconductor substrate having a relaxed silicon germanium (SiGe) layer and a strained silicon layer sequentially stacked on the single crystal silicon base substrate. The semiconductor substrate is prepared using the relaxed silicon SiGe layer and changing a lattice constant of a silicon layer to form the strained silicon layer. At this time, the strained silicon layer has a higher lattice constant than that of the single crystal silicon base substrate. This means that, in the case of using the strained silicon layer as a channel of the transistor with a normal design rule, carriers in the strained silicon layer can be moved at a higher speed than in the single crystal silicon base substrate.
Further, the semiconductor substrate has source and drain regions overlapping a gate pattern of the transistor. The source and drain regions are formed by performing an ion implantation process in the semiconductor substrate. At this time, impurity ions of the source and drain regions show different diffusion velocity in the strained silicon layer and the relaxed SiGe layer. That is, the impurity ions in the strained silicon layer have a lower diffusion rate than in the relaxed SiGe layer. This the semiconductor fabrication process to effectively adjust to the gradual reduction of the design rule. Therefore, the semiconductor fabrication process produces the transistor having a very high speed current drive capability by using the semiconductor substrate.
However, the strained silicon layer may be partially removed by physical or chemical attack during the semiconductor fabrication process. Also, since the strained silicon layer becomes thin due to the physical or chemical attack, it may fail to control the diffusion velocity of the impurity ions in the source and drain regions during the semiconductor fabrication process. Thus, the impurity ions of the source and drain regions may follow to a bulk diffusion velocity of the relaxed SiGe layer instead of a surface diffusion velocity of the strained silicon layer. As such, the source and drain regions contact each other under the gate pattern, thereby causing a punchthrough phenomenon of the transistor. As a result, the strained silicon layer, which is attacked during the semiconductor fabrication process, allows the transistor not to have such a very high speed current driving capability differently from an intention of an original semiconductor circuit interconnection layout.
On the other hand, U.S. Pat. No. 6,429,061 to Kern Lim (the '061 patent) discloses method to fabricate a strained Si CMOS structure using selective epitaxial deposition of Si after device isolation formation.
According to the '061 patent, the method includes forming a relaxed SiGe layer on a surface of a substrate. Isolation regions and well implant regions are formed in the relaxed SiGe layer. A strained silicon layer is formed on the relaxed SiGe layer.
However, the method may cause a physical or chemical attack to the strained silicon layer during the semiconductor fabrication process. Thus, since the strained silicon layer becomes thin due to the physical or chemical attack, the strained silicon layer may not control the diffusion velocity of the impurity ions in the well implant regions. Thus, the attacked strained silicon layer may degrade electrical characteristics of the CMOS structure.

Transistors having reinforcement layer patterns and methods of forming the same


A solid composition is prepared by mixing water, a hydraulic cement, sodium silicate, and a catalyst composition comprising (a) an inorganic support, (b) Pt and/or Pd metal and (c) Fe metal and/or oxide, followed by maintaining the obtained mixture under such conditions as to affect hardening of the hydraulic cement. Preferably, the hydraulic cement is a Type III portland cement and/or a Class H well cement. A solid composition comprising hydraulic cement, sodium silicate and the above-described catalyst composition is provided. This solid composition can be used as a CO oxidation catalyst.

In one aspect, this invention relates to a process for preparing a cement-containing composition. In another aspect, this invention relates to a cement-containing composition which is active as a CO oxidation catalyst.
The use of catalysts for the oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide by reaction with oxygen, in particular at low temperature, is of much interest, e.g., in CO.sub.2 lasers for combining CO and O.sub.2 formed by dissociation of CO.sub.2 during discharge. In the latter application, the presence of O.sub.2 is most undesirable because it can cause a breakdown of the electrical field in the laser cavity. Several patents, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,818,745; 4,902,660; 4,920,088 and 4,921,830 disclose compositions useful as CO oxidation catalysts in CO.sub.2 laser applications. However, there is an ever present need to develop new, effective CO oxidation catalyst compositions having high particle strength and high abrasion resistance, and to develop improved processes for preparing effective CO oxidation catalyst compositions.

Cement-containing catalyst composition and process for its preparation


In cooperating cylinders, in particular cylinders of a printing mechanism which are in a drive connection via gear wheels and form a feed gap, at least one of the gear wheels is formed by a toothed rim and a wheel body which are connected with one another in a positive engagement via an overload coupling.

1. The invention is directed to a safety device in web-fed rotary printing machines at cylinders with a feed gap and, more particularly, to cylinders of a printing mechanism which are in a drive connection via gear wheels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Problems may occur in web-fed rotary printing machines when foreign bodies enter the feed gap between two adjacent cylinders. This occurs, for example, due to wound up paper, breakage of plates and tearing of rubber blankets. It is known from general background art to provide predetermined breaking points in the couplings of the longitudinal shaft in web-fed rotary printing machines which separate the printing unit from the main shaft in the event of an accident in the printing unit. However, it may often be observed in the cases of disruption mentioned above that damage nevertheless occurs within the drive of the printing unit. For example, the drive wheels clamped on the cylinder pins will :bond with the cylinder pins. Repair in this case is costly and requires that the entire cylinder be replaced.
To prevent such damage it would also be possible to bring the cylinder pin into a friction-locking drive connection with the cylinder gear via a friction clutch or a slip clutch. However, it is difficult to accommodate such safety clutches on the cylinder pins due to their length, since spatial conditions are cramped due to other mechanisms such as those for adjusting the register. Moreover, such clutches require that the cylinder gear be mounted on the cylinder pin via roller bearings. This leads to all unacceptable increase in the radial deviation or true-running discrepancy of the cylinder gear. Further, the roller bearings are mainly statically loaded in an unfavorable manner.

Safety device at cylinders with a feed gap in web-fed rotary printing machines


A method of operating a cellular telecommunications network, the cellular telecommunications network including a first base station, a User Equipment (UE) and a remote transceiver, wherein the first base station is adapted to send a signal to the UE, the method including receiving data from an external sensor indicating a first change in a propagation environment between the first base station and the UE; and, in response, the remote transceiver repeating a signal between the first base station and the UE.

A cellular telecommunications network includes a plurality of base stations which each transmit wireless signals about a coverage area (typically called a "cell") to one or more User Equipment (UE). The base stations are also connected to a core network to interconnect the UE with the Internet and core network nodes (such as the Operations Support System (OSS)). In conventional cellular networks, this "backhaul" connection between the base station and the core network is typically via an Ethernet or optical fiber link, but in modern cellular networks this may be in part via a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connection (for example, if the base station is a "Home evolved Node B" (HeNB), also known as a small cell).
As each base station has a limited coverage area and UEs are normally mobile, cellular networking protocols have a defined process for UEs to disconnect from one base station and connect to another base station with seamless connectivity. This process is known as a "handover". A general overview of the handover process will now be described, which is divided into three phases—preparation, execution and completion. The UE is connected to a first base station of a plurality of base stations. The first base station is therefore the UE's "serving" base station, and the UE is configured to perform measurements of various parameters of its serving base stations and of other base stations of the plurality of base stations. In the preparation phase, the serving base station provides one or more thresholds to the UE for the measurements. If the UE's measurements satisfy one or more of these thresholds, then a measurement report is sent from the UE to the serving base station, which triggers the handover of the UE to another base station. The serving base station determines which other base station should become the next serving base station for the UE based on the UE's measurement report. The serving base station and this target base station agree for the handover to take place. In the next phase, execution, the serving base station informs the UE that it should handover to the target base station. The UE will then connect to the target base station. In the completion phase, all routing of packets for the UE is changed to the target base station. The handover is then complete.
Conventional cellular networks have coverage areas which may span several squared kilometers. These are now often referred to as macrocells. In recent years, small cells (such as femtocells, metrocells, picocells and microcells) have also been deployed to increase capacity in the network. Most cellular networking protocols currently use frequency bands having a maximum frequency at or less than 3 GHz, which can offer large coverage areas but have limited capacity.
To increase capacity to accommodate growing demands for cellular data services, it is expected that future cellular networking protocols will additionally operate above 3 GHz (and often above 6 GHz). However, any cellular networking protocol using such relatively high-frequencies will be presented with technical problems. For example, the propagation distance of these relatively high-frequency transmissions will be relatively less than conventional cellular networks. In particular, the propagation distance will be very poor through solid materials, such that these relatively high-frequency transmissions are unlikely to penetrate through buildings. To address this problem, it is expected that network operators will deploy base stations using these relatively high-frequencies at a much higher density (per unit area) compared to base station deployment in conventional cellular networks.
Nonetheless, there is a further technical problem, which will now be described. As the coverage areas of these relatively high-frequency base stations have propagation distances which attenuate so rapidly (in air and especially through materials) compared to that of conventional base stations, the relatively high-frequency base stations have very little time to coordinate a handover. In current cellular networks, there is usually sufficient time for the UEs to complete the three phases of the handover before the UE moves out of the serving base station's coverage area. This is because the received signal power at the UE degrades at such a low rate that the handover may be triggered and complete before the UE moves to a position where there is no service from the serving base station at all. In relatively high-frequency base station coverage areas where the degradation of received signal power at the cell edge may be relatively high, it may not be possible for the UE, serving base station and target base station to coordinate such a handover before the UE moves out of range of the serving base station. In such a scenario, the Quality of Service (QoS) for the UE will drop significantly.
It is therefore desirable to alleviate some or all of the above problems.

British Telecommunications Public Limited Company