Methods and apparatus for writing and reading data provide storage in a volume of memory material consisting of inhomogenously broadened absorption centers such that a beam of electromagnetic radiation controlled to be independently steered and simultaneously shifted in wavelength can access information stored in four independent dimensions, three spatial and one spectral. The memory medium can be utilized to write and read a selectable connection matrix between two completely populated two-dimensional memory planes.

This invention relates generally to optical memory techniques and devices, and, more particularly, relates to optical data storage techniques and devices utilizing holographic storage in volume media, in conjunction with coherent writing and reading beams.
In recent years, a wide range of different optical media have been considered or proposed for providing high capacity data storage and retrieval. The dimensionality of various media is one identifying characteristic of optical storage systems. Two-dimensional media, such as optical disk and microfiche storage devices, are common. Three-dimensional memory media are also possible. Three-dimensional media include, for example, volume holographic memories. Such media are discussed in R. J. Collier, C. B. Burckhardt, L. H. Lin, "Optical Holography" Academic Press, New York (1971) pp. 454-493, incorporated herein by reference.
A second identifiable characteristic is the use of either holographic or bit-oriented storage. Although schemes have been proposed for selective erasure of data in holographic memories, selective erasure using bit-oriented storage is conceptually simpler. Holographic storage methods in which the reading or writing radiation is incident on the entire memory medium are limited in information capacity by the erasure of old data during reading operations or the storage of new data. However, photon gating or electronic gating of memory planes can solve these problems for both holographic and bit-oriented storage. Holographic storage is less susceptible to dust and media imperfections, but the same effect may be achieved using bit-oriented storage through the use of coding schemes. Holography provides a method of storing and accessing information stored throughout the volume of a medium without the requirement for a complex optical system to access individual planes in the medium.
It is known that multiple two-dimensional planes of data can be stored in a volume holographic medium, and that these planes may be accessed individually by introducing the reference beam into the medium at a different angle for each individual plane of data. A volume medium therefore has three spatial dimensions, corresponding to the dimensionality of the information stored in a two-dimensional output array multiplied by the number of independent reference beam directions in a linear array of reference beams.
Certain conventional optical data storage systems, such as optical disk memory, can provide large storage capacity. In particular, 30,000 tracks multiplied by 150,000 bits per track results in a capacity of approximately 560 Mbytes on a 12 cm optical disk. However, the use of a single detector for readout provides only a serial data stream, which limits the data transfer rate. The disadvantages of this memory device also include difficulties caused by the dynamic focusing and tracking problems associated with a moving disk, the latency or time required to wait for the desired bits to rotate to the reading location, and the wide field of view lens required for bit-oriented access.
In other optical data storage systems, cascaded orthogonal beamsteering stages are used to access data pages stored in a two-dimensional holographic format. In this system, the memory medium is stationary, eliminating the need for active tracking in the beamsteering system. Because the data are stored holographically, no readout optics are required, eliminating the need for a wide-field-of-view high-resolution lens. Parallel readout can be used to obtain an entire two-dimensional array of bits from one beam position, allowing the use of a somewhat slower beamsteering mechanism to be used than for an optical disk, while still maintaining the same data transfer rate. A millisecond deflection time provides a possible data rate of 10.sup.9 bits per second, which exceeds the data transfer rates of current detector arrays.
However, two-dimensional holographic memory requires high spatial frequency response, and is characterized by limited storage capacity and excessive size, because the information is spread out over a two-dimensional area. The storage capacity of two-dimensional holographic memory is limited by the resolution of the medium. Assuming an array of 1000 by 1000 bits is stored in a 1 cm by 1 cm hologram, a 10 cm by 10 cm memory plane can contain 100 holograms with 10.sup.6 bits per hologram or 10.sup.8 bits in total. Since each bit is about 10 .mu.m in size at the detector array, the optical system must have an optical configuration of approximately f/20 for a 0.5 .mu.m reading wavelength. Thus, the detector must be approximately 20 cm from the memory plane. Since none of the pages can be directly on-axis, the pages at the far side of the 10 cm by 10 cm array must have an angle of approximately 60.degree. between the illumination and the signal beam, corresponding to a hologram fringe spacing of one wavelength, or 0.5 .mu.m. Storage of more holograms in a single memory plane would require even greater spatial resolution.
There has long been a need for a high capacity optical data storage technique which eliminates the requirements for mechanical translation or rotation of a storage medium and read/write element--with its associated latency and tracking problems--while providing compact, high density data storage.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a high capacity optical data storage technique in which both the storage medium and the read/write element are substantially stationary, and which provides high access speeds.
It is another object of the invention to provide methods and apparatus adapted for interconnection computing systems.

Apparatus for high density holographic optical data storage


Methods and systems for model discovery include forming a mathematical program based on a set of observational data to generate an objective function and one or more constraints. The mathematical program represents a model space as an expression tree comprising operators and operands. The mathematical program is solved by optimizing the objective function subject to the one or more constraints to determine a model in the model space that best fits the set of observational data.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to automatic model discovery and, more particularly, combining data-driven methods with primitives of first-principles based modeling to generate a mathematical model.
Description of the Related Art
Mathematical modeling provides a consistent link between the input and output of a system or phenomenon under investigation. These models are used for various objectives such as description, prediction, and design, through a broad range of science and engineering disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, economics, etc. Historically, researchers and practitioners find consistent and generalized cause and effect links through experiment and formulate mathematical expressions that embody such relations. However, modeling complex phenomena, in particular while relying on a relatively small number of observations, is difficult to accomplish.
Traditionally the formulation of mathematical models is attempted through first principles formulations, using modeling primitives such as differential operators and integral equations. Such an approach benefits from great generality in the governing relations, but identification of an appropriate formulation is non-trivial. Such an approach usually relies on human intuition and the frequently tedious comparison of predictions with experimental observations.
At the other extreme, modeling can be performed using data driven approaches that use generic statistical models, assuming that a sufficient amount of input data is provided. Statistical models may be limited in their generalizability and, depending on the capacity and complexity of the predictive relation in the prescribed functional form, may require an intractably large set of examples to use as training data.

Globally convergent system and method for automated model discovery

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A method for measuring the holding properties of a TFT array of an active matrix display panel comprising multiple pixel circuits with holding capacitors, this measuring method being characterized in that the multiple pixel circuits comprise at least a first pixel circuit and a second pixel circuit, and the method comprises a step for charging to the holding capacitor of the first pixel circuit, a step for then charging to the holding capacitor of the second pixel circuit, a step for performing an effect-eliminating procedure due to floating capacity, and a step for measuring the charge of the holding capacitor of the first and second pixel circuits wherein a predetermined holding time after charging has elapsed.

By means of tests of active matrix display panels that operate by liquid crystals or electroluminescence (EL hereafter; for instance, an organic EL or other EL element), circuit tests referred to as array tests are conducted on each pixel of a TFT array wherein each pixel circuit is made in matrix form on a panel.
The present Specification includes both TFT arrays that are subjected to array tests before the liquid crystals or EL elements have been formed or those that are subjected to array tests after the liquid crystals or EL elements have been formed. It is generally preferred that defective products be rejected before the expensive pixels are formed in order to reduce production costs.
Each pixel circuit of the TFT array of a display panel generally comprises a pixel selecting transistor for selecting pixels; a holding capacitor for accumulating voltage supplied to the pixels; and a pixel driving part for driving the pixels in accordance with the supplied voltage.
One array test involves examining the holding properties of the holding capacitor. By means of this test, a predetermined charge is written in the holding capacitor and the charge that remains after a predetermined holding time (generally 16.7 ms of frame time) has elapsed is read. FIGS. 13 and 14 and paragraphs 49 through 55 of Japan Patent Publication 7[1995]-5408, relate to active matrix liquid crystals and show an algorithm for shortening the measurement time of holding capacitor tests on liquid crystal TFT arrays.
On the other hand, the liquid crystals of active matrices of recent years have a shift register that corresponds to both the horizontal and vertical shift registers of a TFT array as referred in Sony, LCX028BMT (4.6 cm (1.8-inch) black-and-white LCD panel) data sheet.
The following is a discussion of the method for measuring the holding capacitor which has been developed by the inventors for a TFT array of an active matrix display panel comprising control lines to a shift register for pixel selection based on the testing method disclosed in FIG. 13 of Japan Patent Publication 7[1995]-5408, FIGS. 13 and 14, paragraphs 49 through 55.
It should be noted that as in Japan Patent Publication 7[1995]-5408, FIGS. 13 and 14, paragraphs 49 through 55, writing time Tw and reading time Tr of the holding capacitor are the same and are represented by τ in this discussion.
As shown in the block diagram in FIG. 10 of a general testing device 1300 assumed by the inventors, a TFT array 1302 comprises an H shift register (horizontal shift register) 1340 for selecting data lines and a V shift register (vertical shift register) 1342 for selecting gate lines, and the pixels (represented by 1356, 1358, and 1360) are selected and tested by these registers. There is a clock terminal (CLK_H 1328, CLK_V 1348) and a pulse input terminal (Start_H 1330, Start_V 1346) at each shift register and these terminals perform the shift operation. An enable terminal (ENB_V) is connected to the V shift register. A charge meter Q 1310 for performing a measurement of electric charges and a variable voltage source 1322 are connected in series to a power source terminal 1324 of the H shift register.
However, as persons skilled in the art can easily understand, Tw and Tr must be the same, because the holding time Th to each pixel in a group that will be written in a lot and be read in a lot must be the same according to the method shown in FIG. 13 of the Japan Patent Publication 7[1995]-5408.
Next, the measuring method by the testing device in FIG. 10 that was assumed by the inventors will be described using the timing chart in FIG. 11. This testing method is the procedure whereby all of the pixels are divided into multiple pixel groups and tests are performed by each pixel group. This discussion focuses on the jth pixel group. After writing, that is, charging to the holding capacitor, first pixel Pj,l for writing time W (that is, Tw in FIG. 13 of Japan Patent Publication 7[1995]-5408) starting from time t10, the charge is read, that is, measured, over reading time R starting from time t13 after holding time H (that is, Th in FIG. 13 of Japan Patent Publication 7[1995]-5408). A1 here is the waiting time during writing for the difference between writing time W and reading time R in order to guarantee holding time H of each pixel.
The number of pixels of each pixel group in the method shown in FIG. 11 becomes a maximum of N=H/R from the relationship between holding time H and reading time R. The total number of pixel groups are assumed M.
Hereafter the ith pixel of the jth pixel group will be represented as Pi,j in the present specification. The term "pixel group" means pixels measured together as one group.
It should be noted that A3 in FIG. 11 is the waiting time, which becomes a fraction due to the relationship between holding time H and reading time R.
When this is applied to FIG. 10, the step is implemented whereby data line Dm is set at writing voltage Vw and writing is performed from the top to the bottom on N number of pixels 1356, 1358, 1360 . . . , while data line Dm is set at reading voltage Vr and reading is performed from the top to the bottom of pixels 1356, 1358, 1360 . . . , wherein holding time H has elapsed, and the holding measurements are studied.
There is a concern that various floating capacities will be present because the circuits are housed in a TFT array. In particular, there is a concern that the charge that has accumulated in these floating capacities between the data lines and other various signal lines once N number of pixels have been written will have an effect in the form of a difference in measurements when the first pixel of the next reading operation is measured.

Method for measuring thin film transistor array of active matrix display panel


A positive magnetostrictive material such as a ferromagnetic alloy is subjected to a magnetic field during annealing treatment while being heated for a predetermined period of time at an elevated temperature below its softening temperature followed by cooling resulting in a treated ferromagnetic material having high tensile strength and positive magnetostriction properties for enhancing use thereof under tensile loading conditions. Such treatment of the ferromagnetic alloy may be augmented by application thereto of a compressive stress.

Recently, ferromagnetic alloys (Fe-Ga) have been developed for use as transduction material under tensile loading as wire cables or bars for example, because of their high physical tensile strength and magnetostrictive property. However certain problems arise during such tensile loading because of the rotation of the material magnetization toward the physical loading stress axis. Such magnetization rotation under loading was undesirable because magnetization becomes axially aligned with the tensile stress so as to preclude any magnetostrictive change in material length under an axially applied magnetic field.
Compressive stress was applied during annealing treatment to magnetostrictive material such as Terfenol-D according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,648, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, so as to maximize magnetostriction during use in transducers or the like. However, because magnetostrictive materials similar to Terfenol-D are brittle, they cannot be used in environments subject to significant tensile loading.
The present invention is the use of positive magnetostrictive materials under tensile loading conditions.

Preparation of positive magnetostrictive materials for use under tension

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


Methods and apparatus are provided for calibrating a fiber optic gyroscope (FOG) to compensate for wavelength fluctuations. The wavelength of the light propagating in the gyroscope is accurately determined by obtaining wavelength indicia for light originally produced by the sensor light source and for light produced by a reference light source. The wavelength indicia may include normalized power values, such as sum and difference indicia, obtained from two outputs of a wavelength division multiplexer. Such information can be used to determine the wavelength of light produced by the sensor light source, and to adjust a scale factor or other operating parameter of the gyroscope as a function of the determined wavelength. This adjustment, in turn, can be used to compensate the output of the sensor to account for wavelength variations.

For many years, fiber optic gyroscopes have been used in guidance and navigation systems for aircraft, satellites, missiles, watercraft and other moving objects. Fiber optic gyroscopes typically utilize two beams of light that rotate in opposite directions around a coil of optical fiber. As the coil rotates, the propagation of the light beams within the fiber varies according to the well-known Sagnac Effect. By sensing relative changes in the phase of the two counter-rotating light beams within the coil, then, the rotation of the coil itself can be detected with a very high level of accuracy. This rotation of the coil can be readily correlated to rotation of a vehicle, missile or other object.
Gyroscopes frequently operate in highly demanding environments (e.g. aerospace or battlefield settings) that can require very high levels of performance even in the face of radiation, extreme temperature variances, electromagnetic noise and/or other environmental effects. Radiation and temperature variations, for example, are known to affect the stability of the mean wavelength of light exiting the gyroscope, which is proportional to the measured rate of rotation. Scientists and engineers therefore continually strive to reduce sensitivity to wavelength fluctuations and to otherwise improve the performance, resolution and manufacturability of fiber optic gyroscopes, particularly those deployed in highly demanding environments.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a fiber optic gyroscope and associated operating methods with improved performance. In particular, it is desirable to reduce sensitivity to variations in source wavelength. Other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.

Wavelength calibration in a fiber optic gyroscope


A foam backed panel comprised of a cladding with polyurethane foam is anchored to a frame by an anchor embedded in the foam and straps attaching the anchor to frame members. The anchored frame enables 100% continuous insulation since it eliminates nails and other fasteners that cause thermal bridges. Anchors also increase a panel's uplift resistance and may be used to attach roof panels to trusses. This all results in a stronger, better insulated structure.

The inventive subject matter comprises strengthening framed structures while improving their thermal insulation by rearranging polyurethane foam insulating material. Despite polyurethane foam's low modulus of elasticity, it has been found that partially embedding a frame in an adhesive foam can substantially increases the stiffness and load carrying capacity of framed structures while eliminating thermal bridges and reducing the number of frame members.
There has been a need to strengthen buildings by increasing a framed structure's load capacity at little or no cost for all types of applications. Stronger framed structures result in the ability to carry greater loads and/or increase spacing between frame members which reduces cost. To date, increasing load capacity of frame members and their supported panels has been accomplished by changing the frame member's or panel's design to use materials with an increased modulus of elasticity and/or with an increased moment of inertia and/or by shortening the frame member's span.
There has also been a need to use materials more efficiently in that typical building walls, for example, are comprised of several layers of different materials with each providing a different function to overcome the deficiencies of other materials. This is a waste of materials and labor and there is a need to consolidate wall functions into fewer, more versatile materials that will improve quality, speed construction and save costs. One such material that can do this is self-adhering polyurethane foam.
Spray or poured polyurethane foam has been used in building construction for the past 70 years primarily as an expensive thermal insulating material and many of it's other desirable properties have been overlooked. One unique property is polyurethane foam's ability to be applied as a liquid in ambient temperature and proceed to expand and adhesively bond to anything it comes in contact with during it's expansion. This property enables insulated building panels, for example, to be manufactured by simply positioning a cladding, face down, with a frame about one inch above and then applying the liquid polyurethane foam to the cladding's backside. The foam expands and self-adheres to the cladding and frame resulting in a composite framed structure complete with continuous and cavity insulation, no thermal bridges (nails) and an air, vapor and moisture barrier—all with minimum labor.
Composite action has been widely applied to wall, floor or roof assemblies where increased load capacity and greater structural integrity has been achieved by adequately bonding a sheathing to the frame members. It is also well known that polyurethane foam can be used to bond sheathing or claddings to frame members and thereby reduce racking and increase the structural integrity of an entire structural wall or roof section. However, no prior art has recognized that embedding frame members in self-adhering polyurethane foam can result in substantially increasing a framed structure's lateral/transverse load bearing capacity.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,889 (Richard A. Butcher) discloses a structural wall comprised of polyurethane foam bonded to an interior wallboard and to the sides of studs and teaches added stiffness of the framed wall to enable thinner panels and lighter frame members. U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,724 (James Palmer) discloses a wall section comprised of an exterior cover bonded to the sides of stud members by a polyurethane foam that increases the strength of the entire structure. U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,591 (Walter E. Jamison) discloses a wall assembly with an exterior section comprised of polyurethane foam bonded to sheathing and to the sides of studs. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,748,781 & 4,914,883 (Stanley E. Wencley) discloses polyurethane fillets bonding a panel to frame members to provide an increased strength bonded structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,221 (James S. Hardigg, et al) discloses two half panels with each having a face and a web molded to the face's backside and the webs bonded together to provide a panel having bending strength in all directions. U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,768 (Michael R. Strickland et al) discloses a backer board bonded to a frame with polyurethane foam. U.S. Pat. No. 8,397,465 (Jeffrey M. Hansbro et al) discloses a wall assembly comprised of polyurethane foam panels bonded to the sides of structural members (studs) and to foam boards continuous over the structural member's edge. U.S. Pat. No. 8,696,966 (Jason Smith) discloses a method of fabricating a wall structure whereby polyurethane foam is applied against a form and the foam expands to become a panel bonded to the edges and sides of support members (studs) within a wall frame. US 2012/0011792 (Dean P. DeWildt et al) discloses a light-framed wall structure comprised of sheathing attached to studs with a top and bottom plate and spray polyurethane foam in the cavity. The wall structure has high axial point, lateral and transverse load bearing properties. WO/2013/052997 (John Damien Digney) discloses a composite panel system reinforced with wire mesh and comprised of a structural cladding spaced apart from and bonded to a studded frame with polyurethane foam that is between and continuous over the studs.
US 2014/0053486 (Anthony Grisolia et al) discloses a wall structure including support members inside the frame (studs) and a polyurethane foam panel both continuous over and between the support members. US 2014/0115988, US 2014/0115989 and US 2014/0115991 (Michael J. Sievers, et al) discloses a wall assembly of a frame assembly with vertical members (studs) and an insulating foam layer disposed between and on top of the vertical members. US 2014/0174011 (Jason Smith) discloses a method of fabricating a wall structure comprised of bonding polyurethane foam to the edge and sides of frame members. US 2015/0093535 (James Lambach et al) discloses a framed panel with a polyiso board continuous over frame members and bonded to the sides of frame members with polyurethane foam. US 2015/0376898 and US 2017/0044759 (Kenneth R. Kreizinger) discloses a frame supported panel having increased load capacity derived from polyurethane foam bonded to a cladding and to frame members.
The problems to be solved by this inventive subject matter are: first, to increase the load carrying capacity of composite framed structures at little or no additional cost. Second, to manufacture stronger structures more efficiently, and third, to increase the thermal insulating value of composite framed structures by eliminating thermal bridges and reducing the number of frame members.


A method for developing a virtual representation of an x-ray diffraction imaging system includes generating a symmetry axis, generating a conical shape having a base diameter, a vertex angle α, and a vertex point, locating the vertex point at an origin point on the symmetry axis, and extending a first line and a second line between the vertex point and the conical base such that the first line is separated an angle dφ from the second line in an azimuthal direction around the conical base.

This invention relates generally to x-ray diffraction imaging (XDI) systems, and more particularly to a method of developing an x-ray diffraction imaging system.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has recently mandated more stringent inspection procedures be implemented by the travel industry to reduce the possibility of passengers boarding a carrier such as a plane, for example, carrying concealed weapons, explosives, or other contraband. To facilitate preventing passengers boarding a plane carrying concealed weapons, explosives, etc., the TSA requires that all passengers be screened prior to boarding the aircraft.
One such inspection system utilized to perform the inspection procedures is an x-ray diffraction imaging (XDI) system. Known XDI systems are generally designed utilizing several parameters that include, for example, overall system cost and space constraints. More specifically, the design of the XDI system is typically based on a single primary factor. For example, the XDI system may be designed based on pre-existing space constraints thus causing the cost of the overall system to increase. Moreover, the XDI system may be designed within certain cost restraints while de-emphasizing the space constraints of the system. As a result, known XDI systems may not be designed to optimize all of the design variables, such as the size constraint and the cost.

Method for developing an x-ray diffraction imaging system


According to a method and apparatus for controlling a voltage of an image forming apparatus, a transferring roll resistance, which indicates the resistance between a transferring roller and a photoconductor drum, is detected by applying a first voltage to the transferring roller. A transferring voltage, which corresponds to the detected transferring roll resistance, is applied to the transferring roller with reference to a transferring table which corresponds to the paper resistance, and a transferring is performed on a printing paper by using a transferring roller to which a transferring voltage is applied.

1. Field
The embodiments relate to a method and apparatus to control a voltage of an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses form an image on a printing paper by using a dot printing method, an inkjet printing method, or a laser printing method. Also, in order to form an image on a printing paper, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses include processes of charging, exposing, developing, transferring, and fixing. Here, the printing paper on which an image is formed using an image forming apparatus has various resistances according to a manufacturing environment, and a resistance of a transferring roller included in the image forming apparatus changes according to a period and environment of use. Accordingly, since the resistances of the printing paper and the transferring roller are not the same, the quality of an image formed on the printing medium varies.

Method and apparatus for controlling voltage of image forming apparatus


A self-unloading pipe trailer carries a rack of pipe and automatically unloads segments as it moves along a pipeline location. A single operator can maneuver the trailer and operate the unload controls. In unload mode, the operator drives along the pipeline and the trailer unloads the segments automatically. The trailer employs a power pipe rolling assembly that engages with weight-bearing tires in order to translate the distance traveled across the ground to directly power a pipe unloading system such that each foot of ground travel equates to a foot of pipe unloading. If the operator needs to change speed and/or stop, it can be done without modifying the unload mode as the dispensing process automatically responds to the change in speed. There is no complex externally powered unloading system to break-down, lose timing, or otherwise complicate matters. Pipe is simply unloaded automatically as the trailer moves down the pipeline.

Pipelines provide an efficient, rapid, and relatively safe way to move materials across distances. With the recent rapid expansion in energy development, there has been an increasing need for pipelines, whether made from steel, polyethylene (also known as "poly") or some other material. However, placing all the segments or sections of pipe in a row, end-to-end, on or next to the pipeline location can be a labor-intensive, tedious and inefficient process. There are many different methods of completing this process currently known in the art. But because they all rely on manual labor or excessive human intervention, they are inefficient. What is needed is a self-unloading pipe trailer (and/or vehicle) that can unload pipe segments end-to-end along a proposed pipeline location efficiently, automatically, and with as little human intervention or management as possible.


A cowl structure of a vehicle includes: A-pillars vertically arranged at both sides of a vehicle body; an apron upper member arranged on a front of each of the A-pillars to be longitudinally elongated therefrom; a shock absorber housing formed under the apron upper members; a cowl transversely arranged between the apron upper members; and an engine compartment extension panel connected between the cowl and the apron upper member so as to form an extended plane on both sides of the cowl corresponding to the cowl. The apron upper member is integrally formed with the A-pillar in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and both sides of the cowl are cut along the shape of the engine compartment extension panel so as to correspond to the engine compartment extension panel.

1. Field of Invention
The present disclosure relates to a cowl structure of a vehicle. More particularly, it relates to a cowl structure of a vehicle which has a configuration of a changed apron upper member and cowl, and is provided with an engine compartment extension panel and A-pillar, thereby decreasing a damage exerted to a chest of an occupant seated in the driver seat during a vehicle collision and increasing a torsional rigidity of a vehicle body.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, a vehicle consists largely of a vehicle body and a chassis. The vehicle body is a portion which forms an outer appearance of the vehicle, and the chassis is a portion on which at least mechanical apparatus necessary for driving the vehicle are mounted.
A vehicle cowl is a portion of the vehicle body and refers to a front panel portion which is connected to a front window frame of the vehicle. Generally, the cowl has a shape designed to minimize a resistance of the air generated by the flow of air during driving.
Specifically, as a performance test for a vehicle, there is a small overlap crash test wherein only over 25% of the front part of a vehicle body is collided with a fixed obstacle while a vehicle is driven at a speed of 64 km per hour. Recently, in order to respond to the small overlap crash test, various researches into increasing a rigidity of the vehicle cowl have been actively conducted.
As shown in FIG. 1A, a conventional cowl structure for a vehicle includes A-pillar 1 arranged in a vertical direction of the vehicle body, an apron upper member 2 which is arranged on a front of the A-pillar 1 spaced apart therefrom in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, and a cowl 4 arranged between the A-pillar 1 and the apron upper member 2 across a vehicle width direction of the vehicle body.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 1B, a cowl cross bracket 5 is connected to the A-pillar 1, and an A-pillar extension panel 3 is fastened between the cowl 4 and the cowl cross bracket 5 by bolts.
However, in the conventional cowl structure for a vehicle, as shown in FIG. 2, since a joint part between the apron upper member 2 and the cowl 4 has a discrete cross section, the rigidity thereof is decreased, and thus shock absorption performance during a vehicle collision is reduced, and further the rigidity at an impact point of the vehicle body decreases, and thus the cowl 4 is to be bent during the vehicle collision, and thereby a chest injury to an occupant seated in the driver seat may become serious due to a deformation thereof.
When a corner section of the joint part between the A-pillar 1 and the cowl 4 is collapsed by a vehicle front collision, for instance, the cowl 4 is pushed reward. In order to improve such a phenomenon, an extension panel 3 and a cowl cross bar bracket 5 has to be further fixed to the joint part between the A-pillar 1 and the cowl 4 by fastening bolts, and thus there is an increase in the number of vehicle body parts, as well as manpower and costs required for bolt fastening work.
The information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


A guide system for use by a user who performs an operation in a defined three-dimensional region is disclosed, the system including a data processing apparatus for generating images of the subject of the operation in co-registration with the subject, a display for displaying the images to the user, a probe having a position which is visible to the user, and a tracking unit for tracking the location of the probe by the system and transmitting that location to the data processing apparatus, the data processing apparatus being arranged, upon the user moving the probe to a selection region outside and surrounding the defined region, to generate one or more virtual buttons, each of the buttons being associated with a corresponding instruction to the system, the data processing apparatus being arranged to register a selection by the user of any of the virtual buttons, the selection including positioning of the probe in relation to the apparent position of that virtual button, and to modify the computer-generated image based on the selection.

Image guidance systems have been widely adopted in neurosurgery and have been proven to increase the accuracy and reduce the invasiveness of a wide range of surgical procedures. Currently, image guided surgical systems ("Navigation Systems") are based on a series of images constructed from data gathered before the operation (for example by MRI or CT) which are registered in relation to the patient in the physical world by means of an optical tracking system. To do this, detecting markers are placed on the skin of the patient and they are correlated with their counterparts visible on the imaging data. During the surgical operation the images are displayed on a screen in 3 orthogonal planes through the image volume, while the surgeon holds a probe that is tracked by the tracking system. When the probe is introduced into the surgical field, the position of the probe tip is represented as an icon drawn on the images. By linking the preoperative imaging data with the actual surgical space, navigation systems provide the surgeon with valuable information about the exact localisation of a tool in relation to the surrounding structures and help to relate the intra-operative status to the pre-operative planning.
Despite these strengths, the current navigation systems suffer from various shortcomings.
Firstly, the surgeon needs to look at the computer monitor and away from the surgical scene during the navigation procedure. This tends to interrupt the surgical workflow and in practice often results in the operation being a two-people job, with the surgeon looking at the surgical scene through the microscope and his assistant looking at the monitor and prompting him.
Secondly, the interaction with the images during the surgery (e.g. switching between CT and MRI, changing the screen windows, activating markers or segmented structures from the planning phase, colour and contrast adjustments) requires the operation of a keyboard, a mouse or a touch screen, which is distracting for the surgeon and troublesome since the equipment needs to be packed with sterile drape. Although probe-type control devices have been proposed (see Hinckley K, Pausch R, Goble C J, Kassel N, F: A Survey of Design Issues in Spatial Input, Proceedings of ACM UIST'94 Symposium on User Interface Software & Technology, pp. 213-222; and Mackinlay J, Card S. Robertson G: Rapid Controlled Movement Through a Virtual 3D Workspace, Comp. Grap., 24 (4), 1990, 171-176), all have shortcomings in use.
Thirdly, a common problem to all current navigation systems which present imaging data as 2D orthogonal slices is the fact that the surgeon has to relate the spatial orientation of the image series including their mentally reconstructed 3D information to the orientation of the patient's head, which is covered during the operation.
A system that uses see-through augmentation by combining the naked eye view of the patient with the computer-generated images is currently under investigation (see Blackwell M, O'Toole R V, Morgan F, Gregor L: Performance and Accuracy experiments with 3D and 2D Image overlay systems. Proceedings of MRCAS 95, Baltimore, USA, 1995, pp 312-317; and DiGioia, Anthony M., Branislav Jaramaz, Robert V. O'Toole, David A. Simon, and Takeo Kanade. Medical Robotics And Computer Assisted Surgery In Orthopaedics. In Interactive Technology and the New Paradigm for Healthcare, ed. K. Morgan, R. M. Satava, H. B. Sieberg, R. Mattheus, and J. P. Christensen. 88-90. IOS Press, 1995). In this system, an inverted image on an upside-down monitor is overlaid over the surgical scene with a half-silvered mirror to combine the images. The user wears a head tracking system while looking onto the mirror and the patient beneath. However, the authors report significant inaccuracies between the virtual and the real object.
Other systems currently under research or development combine computer-generated images with the video of the surgical scene obtained through cameras placed at fixed positions in the operation theatre or a head mounted display of the user. The combined signal is then channelled into the HMD ("Head Mounted Display") of a user. The three examples of such projects are disclosed at in Fuchs H, Mark A, Livingston, Ramesh Raskar, D'nardo Colucci, Kurtis Keller, Andrei State, Jessica R. Crawford, Paul Rademacher, Samuel H. Drake, and Anthony A. Meyer, MD. Augmented Reality Visualization for Laparoscopic Surgery. Proceedings of First International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention (MICCAI '98), 11-13 Oct. 1998, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass., USA; Fuchs H, State A, Pisano E D, Garrett W F, Gentaro Hirota, Mark A. Livingston, Mary C. Whitton, Pizer S M. (Towards) Performing Ultrasound-Guided Needle Biopsies from within a Head-Mounted Display. Proceedings of Visualization in Biomedical Computing 1996, (Hamburg, Germany, Sep. 22-25, 1996), pgs. 591-600; and State, Andrei, Mark A. Livingston, Gentaro Hirota, William F. Garrett, Mary C. Whitton, Henry Fuchs, and Etta D. Pisano (MD). Technologies for Augmented-Reality Systems: realizing Ultrasound-Guided Needle Biopsies. Proceedings of SIGGRAPH 96 (New Orleans, La., Aug. 4-9, 1996), in Computer Graphics Proceedings, Annual Conference Series 1996, ACM SIGGRAPH, pgs. 439-446.
Another technique (disclosed in Edwards P J, Hawkes D J, Hill D L G, Jewell D, Spink R, Strong A, Gleeson M: Augmented reality in the stereo microscope for Otolaryngology and neurosurgical Guidance. Proceedings of MRCAS 95, Baltimore, USA, 1995, pp 8-15) uses an operating microscope as a device for overlaid display of 3D graphics. By "image injection" of stereoscopic structures into the optical channels of the microscope the surgeon sees the superimposed image over the surgical scene. This technique overlays simple meshes with a relatively low resolution onto the surgical scene, without providing any interactive capabilities. The authors report difficulties regarding the stereoscopic perception of the overlaid data in relation to the real view.
Although meant for guidance of the user, these techniques are all limited in application and usability.

Augmented reality system controlled by probe position


A conduit structure including a first conduit pipe in fluid communication with a second conduit pipe. The first conduit pipe is defined by a first axis, with a bull head pipe extending beyond the second conduit defined by a third axis parallel to and offset relative to the first axis of the first conduit to accommodate debris and abrasive material minimizing damage to the elbow association of the first and second conduit. A modification of the invention includes the use of a modified bull head pipe, including a manually reciprocatable piston mounted within the pipe to effect periodic discharge of debris accumulated within the modified bull head pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to conduit elbow structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved erosion resistant elbow conduit for use in transport of fluid to minimize abrasive wear by providing accommodation of abrasive material within the elbow structure within an associated bull head pipe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In fluid flow of various materials such as in gas, oil, and the like, abrasive particles at elevated velocities are directed through the elbow and effect erosion within the elbow due to successive contact with interior surfaces of the elbow structure prior art organizations provide structure to effect cleaning of the elbow pipe and the like, but have heretofore not been arranged and configured to accommodate abrasive material in a manner as set forth by the instant invention. Examples of prior art structure may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,762 to Barnhardt, et al. wherein an elbow structure utilizes a removable drain trap that includes a filter member positionable within the elbow to provide filtration of debris within fluid flow within the elbow structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,914 to Neri provides a sink trap utilizing a branch pipe mounted to the elbow organization to provide a removable cap to the branch pipe to permit a flushing of the elbow through access of the branch pipe.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,554 to Wojacicki provides a drain trap with a removable tray mounted within the elbow structure to accommodate various debris deposited within the elbow organization.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,116 to Guth, et al. wherein an elbow structure includes a tongue like projection that is pivotally mounted to effect a sound barrier when the elbow structure is utilized in association with a pump organization.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,164,048 to Kampfer provides a drain trap with an access port arranged at an oblique angle relative to the elbow construction to provide access to the elbow to perform periodic maintenance and cleaning of the elbow organization.
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new and improved erosion resistant elbow conduit wherein the same addresses both the problems of ease of accommodation within a fluid flow system, as well as effectiveness in construction and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A trailer-mounted platform that unfolds to provide a multipurpose platform is herein disclosed, comprising a conventional double axle trailer. A pair of side panels is attached to a longitudinal edge and folded up for transport. In their folded state, the side panels form a triangular shape with a bottom center panel. As such, the interior of the triangular space is used to transport various items associated with the final use of the platform. Upon arrival at its destination, the side panels are lowered and supported with adjustable jack stands along with the center panel to form a platform assembly. The jack stands are adjustable over a wide range to accommodate ground conditions.

The use of motor vehicles for transportation and sheltering during outdoor activities such as hunting and camping has expanded to include a great number of features, benefits, and options. Utilizing trailers, recreational vehicles, and the like is popular because of features such as sleeping space, weather protection, power, flat clean surfaces, and mobility.
Due to natural limitations on dimensioning from the width of roads, the width of trailers, recreational vehicles, and the like is limited to sizes of no greater than approximately eight (8) feet. While this is acceptable for many uses, many structures and features which are desirable in an outdoors or camping setting require dimension larger than those which can be provided by such vehicles. As a result, structures such as stages, platforms, and the like which require large surface areas are often transported in pieces which require lengthy setup processes upon arrival or eschewed entirely in favor of simpler but smaller equivalents.
Various attempts have been made to provide portable platforms, stages, and the like. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,488, issued in the name of Hanley, describes a portable stage. The Hanley apparatus is utilized with a tractor trailer and deploys in a semi-automated fashion via use of hydraulic or pneumatic portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,878, issued in the name of Weaver, describes a foldable vehicle platform. The Weaver apparatus houses a flat surface underneath a recreational motor vehicle for automatic deployment to a location adjacent the vehicle upon arrival at a destination.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,769, issued in the name of Mertik et al., describes a portable stage. The Mertik apparatus includes an integral chassis and deployable canopy to provide conventional features associated with performance stages.
Additionally, ornamental designs for portable platforms and stages exist, particularly U.S. Pat. Nos. D 149,831 and D 464,144. However, none of these designs are similar to the present invention.
While these apparatuses fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such apparatuses do not provide a sufficient surface area to be utilized for a wide range of purposes. Also, many such apparatuses do not have a plurality of height adjustment portions in order to adapt to uneven terrain as commonly encountered outdoors. Furthermore, many such apparatuses are not adaptable to be carried by a convention recreational vehicle hitch assembly. In addition, many such apparatuses are not deployable in any desired location regardless of proximity to the vehicle. Finally, many such apparatuses are not of a size and design to be safely and easily utilized by a single user without access to equipment and the like. Accordingly, there exists a need for a trailer mounted platform without the disadvantages as described above. the development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.


A method of mapping status messages of monitored objects to service elements in an IT-infrastructure-management system is provided. The service elements and their dependencies being represented by an element graph having directed links between service elements, thereby defining higher-level and lower-level service elements. The method includes directing a status message to at least one higher-level service element; ascertaining, at the higher-level service element, whether the status message pertains to a lower-level service element connected with the higher-level service element; downwardly propagating of the status message to said lower-level service element in response to a positive outcome in the action of ascertaining.

Due to the increasing complexity of modern information-technological (IT) networks (computer networks and telecommunication networks), integrated network management systems (also called "management platforms") have become an important tool for the operation of IT networks. For example, Hewlett-Packard offers such a management platform under the name "hp OpenView" (see, for example, hp OpenView Quick Reference Guide, February 2003), and a structure of a typical management platform is, for example, shown in H.-G. Hegering et al.: Integrated Management of Networked Systems, 1998, pp. 313). Conventionally, one task of "network management" has been the monitoring of the status, performance or availability of network elements and the provision of monitoring results, for example, to a network operator. Typically, network monitoring includes an alarm functionality which alerts the operator when an incident occurs which requires attention, for example, a fault, an impending fault, or a decline of performance or availability of a network element. A network element's status message on which such an alarm is based may either be received from a managed network element in response to (e.g. periodical) requests from a management server, or it may be sent asynchronously by the managed network element to the management server. Typically (but not necessarily) a network management system not only provides a flow of information from managed network elements to the management server (and, e.g. to the network operator), but also enables managed network elements to be manipulated, e.g. by the network operator or, automatically, by a network management process. "Manipulating" may, for example, comprise configuring network elements or changing their existing configuration, starting and stopping processes in network elements, allocating memory to them, etc. Known management architectures are, for example, the OSI management architecture (which is mainly used in the Telecommunications Management Network) and the Internet management architecture which uses SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) as a communication model (see, for example, Hegering, pp. 121-196).
In simple network management systems, only hardware devices (such as network interconnect devices and end devices) are managed. However, what an operator of a network or client of a network provider is typically most interested in is not the functioning of the individual hardware devices and network connections, but rather the functioning of systems (i.e. combinations of several hardware components and an operating system used to utilize the hardware), applications and services provided by the network and its devices. Therefore, in more elaborate management systems, systems, applications and services are also managed (wherein "managed" often just means "monitored"). An application is typically an assembly of sub-applications on which it depends, which, in turn, depend on hardware resources (mostly on a multiplicity of hardware resources) and network connections. A service is a customer-based or user-based functionality which, for example, forms a part of a business process. It is typically composed of several application, operating system, hardware and communication components and normally has an interface to the service receiver. Hence a service depends on service-sub-functionalities, which, in turn, depend on hardware and communication resources (mostly on a multiplicity of such resources). Usually, an application (such as an enterprise resource planning (ERP) application, an e-mail server application, a web server application etc.) may be considered as a "service", but the term "service" may also refer to higher-level objects which may, for example, be business-related (such as objects representing the different business fields of an enterprise). All these objects (hardware devices, systems, sub-applications/sub-services, applications/services) may be managed objects of a network management system; they are all denoted as "service elements" hereinafter.
Examples of network management systems in which service elements are managed (monitored) are described in US 2002/0138638 A1 and US 2002/0143788 A1.
Typically, there are dependencies between service elements: a fault of a hardware device will affect a sub-application (or a sub-service) which relies on this hardware device. In turn, a fault of a sub-application (or sub-service) will affect an application (or a service) relying on it. Such dependencies can be thought of as (virtual) links between service elements. Typically, these links are directed links since, for example, a hard-disk failure will affect a database application relying on this hard disk, but a failure of the (superordinate) database service will generally not affect the functionality of the (subordinate) hard disk. Similarly, the failure of a database management system (DBMS) (which may be considered as a "sub-application" here) will affect an ERP application (which may be considered as an "application") relying on the DBMS, but the (subordinate) DBMS will generally not be affected by a failure of the (superordinate) ERP application. The service elements are thus in relationships which may be modeled by an element graph having links (or edges) between service elements. The nodes of the graph represent the service elements. The links represent the dependencies, and the direction of a link may represent the direction of dependency. Thereby, higher-level and lower-level service elements are defined (wherein, of course, there may be more than two levels, as indicated by the example given above). In simple cases, such a graph will be tree-like (also called a "hierarchy"), with the root of the tree at, or above, the highest-level service element or elements. An example of a tree-like service-element graph is shown in FIG. 4 of US 2002/0138638 A1. Generally, the element graph may have a non-tree-like structure (it may, for example, be a "lattice"), if more than one higher-level service depend on a lower-level service, i.e. it may have cycles. An example of such a non-tree-like service element graph is shown in FIG. 5 of US 2002/0138638 A1.
In network management systems, there are generally two different kinds of status (or monitoring) messages of monitored objects: (i) asynchronous messages which are typically sent by management agents assigned to the monitored object to a management server, such as an SNMP trap in Internet management (see Hegering, pp. 171-179) or a CMIP notification in OSI management (see Hegering, pp. 134-139); such asynchronous messages are sent by the management agents without request, e.g. triggered by an event detected by the agent in the monitored object; (ii) synchronous status messages, i.e. responses of management agents returned in response to status requests, e.g. from a management server. Again, the message may be an SNMP response (issued in response to an SNMP request) in Internet management or a CMIP response (issued in response to a CMIP GET operation) in OSI management. Both asynchronous and synchronous messages are generically denoted as "status messages" hereinafter.
In contrast to most of today's network interconnect devices many of the applications available on the market are not (or, at least, not completely) instrumented for application management; in particular, they are often not enabled to provide information about their status to a management system via an agent, as interconnect devices can. Furthermore, certain high-level services may be virtual or logical elements which are not made up of a single application or resource, but of a (virtual) assembly of several applications and/or resources. For example, such a high-level service element might be a "credit department" of a bank, which relies on several applications. Typically, such virtual high-level services are not objects instrumented for management, either; in particular, they will not be able to send status messages to a management system. Therefore, the current status of such uninstrumented applications or high-level services is often not directly determined, but is indirectly concluded from the current status of lower-level elements on which it depends. For example, a failure of a network interconnect device may have an impact on applications and services on a server, for example a DNS server which can no longer be reached due to the failure, which, in turn, may influence the status of higher-level applications and services relying on it. In order to perform such IT-infrastructure management based on indirect conclusion, a representation of the service-element graph is established in the IT management system, and the (virtual) status of at least some of the service elements is affected by status messages received from other service elements on which they depend.
In an IT-infrastructure-management system with such a virtual service-element graph, as described in US 2002/0138638 A1, status messages from monitored objects are directly mapped to the service elements representing the respective monitored objects. Virtual service elements may depend on the status of the respective monitored object and be affected by a status change of it. As a consequence of a receipt of such a status-change-indicating message at the service element representing such a monitored object, the status of the service element may be changed and the status change (not the status message itself) may be propagated upwardly to also influence the status of the higher-level service elements. For example, if a certain virtual service element depends on the availability of a certain hardware resource, directing a status message indicating a failure of this resource to the representation of this resource in the service-element graph and upward propagating the status change may cause the status of the superordinate service element to change from a "normal" state to a "critical" state which indicates that the virtual service element is not (fully) available.
In the prior art, two ways to map status messages to service elements are known: (i) a status message is mapped to a service element at the lowest hierarchical level, typically to a representation of the monitored object from which the status message originates. The status message may influence the status of the lowest-level service element to which it is mapped. This status change (not the status message itself) is then propagated upwardly in the service-element graph according to predefined rules. An example of such a status-upward propagation is illustrated at the left-hand side of FIG. 6 of US 2002/0138638 A1; (ii) if a status message does not specifically refer to a monitored device, but to a higher-level service element, it may be immediately directed to the higher-level service element, and may directly influence its status. This may happen if an application is "instrumented" for management. An example of this is illustrated at the right-hand side of FIG. 6 of US 2002/0138638 A1. In both cases, the service elements of the service-element graph are identifiable by a unique service-element identifier; and each status message carries with it a service-element identifier referencing the service element for which the message is destined.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


An anti-fuse control circuit includes a first power supply voltage application unit, a second power supply voltage application unit and a control unit. The first power supply voltage application unit configured to selectively apply first power supply voltage to an output node in response to a power up signal. The second power supply voltage application unit configured to selectively apply second power supply voltage to the output node in response to a program signal. The control unit configured to control a connection between the output node and an anti-fuse in response to the power up signal when the program signal is inactivated.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor integrated circuit, and more particularly, to an anti-fuse control circuit for a semiconductor integrated circuit.
2. Related Art
Generally, in a semiconductor integrated circuit, a fuse used after packaging is typically referred to as an anti-fuse. The reason is that the fuse before the packaging performs a repair by cutting but the fuse used after packaging performs a repair by interconnection rather than by the cutting. That is, the anti-fuse is a term that refers to the fuse before packaging. This means a fuse that is electrically opened in a normal state and is electrically shorted when an insulator between conductors is broken due to application of high voltage.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a general anti-fuse control circuit.
In FIG. 1, the anti-fuse control circuit may be configured to include a first inverter IV1 that inverts and outputs a power up signal PWRUP, a first PMOS transistor P1 that is connected between a terminal for applying external power supply voltage Vext and a first node nd1 that receives an output signal of the first inverter IV1 through a gate thereof. The anti-fuse control circuit may also comprise a second PMOS transistor P2 that is connected between the terminal for applying the external power supply voltage Vext and the first node nd1 and the second PMOS transistor P2 which may receive a program signal PG through a gate thereof. The anti-fuse control circuit may also comprise a third PMOS transistor P3 that is connected between the first node nd1 and an anti-fuse F1 and the third PMOS transistor P3 may receive ground voltage Vss through a gate thereof. Still further, anti-fuse control circuit may comprise a third NMOS transistor N3 that is connected between the first node nd1 and the anti-fuse F1 to receive power supply voltage Vbba through a gate thereof and apply back bias voltage Vbbf to a bulk terminal.
In addition, the output terminal of the first node nd1 is formed with fourth and fifth PMOS transistors P4 and P5 and first and second NMOS transistors N1 and N2 in a cross-coupled structure and comprises a first latch unit R1 including second and third inverters IV2 and IV3. Further, a fourth inverter IV4 inverts an output of the first latch unit R1 to output an output signal anti_anz.
An operation process of the anti-fuse control circuit according to the related art will be described below in terms of a program mode and a general operation mode with reference to FIG. 1.
First, the program mode. When the program signal PG is a low level and the anti-fuse F1 is broken, the second PMOS transistor P2 is turned on. In addition, when the power up signal PWRUP is a low level, the first PMOS transistor P1 is turned off, such that the first node nd1 is set to be the level of the external power supply voltage Vext.
In this case, the level of the back bias voltage Vbbf is set to be −3V or less that is low back gate bias (LVBB). Here, the low back gate bias (LVBB) is voltage supplied from an internal voltage generator.
Generally, the anti-fuse control circuit is in a short state in which resistance is very small while the insulator of the anti-fuse F1 is broken at the time of the program mode operation.
Next, the general operation mode. In general operation mode the program signal PG is set to the high level, such that the voltage value of the first node nd1 is defined by the power up signal PWRUP. In this case, the back bias voltage Vbbf is set to be the level of the ground voltage Vss. Further, the voltage level of the power supply voltage Vbba is set to be the level of the external power supply voltage Vext to turn on the third NMOS transistor N3.
In this case, when the anti-fuse F1 is not programmed, the high level of the first node nd1 is maintained by the first latch unit R1 and the logic level of the output signal anti_anz is set to the low level by the fourth inverter IV4.
On the other hand, when the anti-fuse F1 is programmed, the voltage level of the back bias voltage Vbbf becomes the level of the ground voltage Vss. In this case, when the power up signal PWRUP is shifted to a low level, the voltage of the first node nd1 becomes the low level and thus, the signal of the high level stored in the first latch R1 becomes the low level. Therefore, an output signal of the first latch R1 is inverted by the fourth inverter IV4 and thus, the output signal anti_anz is output as the high level.
However, when the anti-fuse F1 is a general operation mode, the third PMOS transistor P3 and the third NMOS transistor N3 are in a turn on state at all times, such that the voltage of the first node nd1 is supplied to the anti-fuse F1 at all times. When the anti-fuse F1 is not programmed, even though the voltage of the first node nd1 is supplied to the anti-fuse F1 at all times in the general operation mode, the anti-fuse F1 is in an open state to prevent current leakage or malfunction due to current leakage. However, when the anti-fuse F1 is programmed, in the general operation mode, the anti-fuse F1 has a high resistance value due to the process change such that the current leakage occurs and a malfunction due to current leakage is caused.


Location information for a mobile terminal is made available by a wireless telephone service provider once a location request is authorized by the user of the mobile terminal. The present invention facilitates sharing of the location information for the mobile terminal with any web server that is capable of providing location based services.

The convergence of cellular communications and the Internet has led to mobile terminals that support voice communications and provide access to the Internet being ubiquitous. It is now commonplace for users of these mobile terminals to access web-based services and retrieve various types of information, ranging from local weather reports and news to movie listings and restaurant locations. The information available through the Internet is seemingly unlimited. In many instances, the location of the user can be used to tailor the information provided to the user in response to a query. A search for a movie listing, restaurant location of a regional chain, weather report, or the like is generally much more useful when the information returned to the user has taken the user's location into consideration, since a user is often most interested in movies, restaurant locations, weather, and the like that are close to their current location. Even when a user isn't aware that location specific information may be available in response to certain queries, many web-based service providers are capable of providing more pertinent information in response to these queries when the location of the user is known.
Communication service providers, such as wireless telephone service providers, generally have ready access to the current locations of the mobile terminals that they support. The communication networks that provide the mobile communication services almost always have access to information identifying the cell that is currently serving a particular mobile terminal. Based on the cell's identity, the location of the mobile terminal, and thus the location of the user can be determined. Depending on the size of the cell, a location of the mobile terminal may be determined within a few miles of the actual location of the mobile terminal. When the mobile terminal is equipped with a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver, very precise location coordinates may be measured by the mobile terminal and uploaded to location servers that are provided in the communication service provider's network. Further, three or more base stations that are within communication range of the mobile terminal may employ triangulation techniques to determine a precise location of the mobile terminal. Regardless of technique, the communication service providers have access to relatively precise location information for a mobile communications device at any given time.
Although communication service providers generally have ready access to the current locations of mobile terminals, the location information that is obtained by the communication service providers is not readily accessible by web-based service providers that are not affiliated with the communication service providers. Without being provided the location information by the user, it is generally difficult if not impossible for web-based service providers to determine the current location of the user. As such, web-based service providers must respond to queries without information bearing on the current location of the user, unless the user specifically provides location information in association with a search.
Accordingly, there is a need for an efficient and effective technique to allow communication service providers to provide location information bearing on the location of a mobile terminal to web-bases service providers. There is a further need to provide the location information to the web-based service providers in association with a user sending a query to the web-based service providers. There is still a further need to allow such sharing of the location information in a secure and authorized manner.

Providing location information for a mobile terminal from a wireless telephone service provider


A warming oven includes a base, a heating unit, a heat conducting unit, and a reflective shield. The base has an accommodating space. The heating unit is disposed within the accommodating space. The heat conducting unit includes a positioning plate, a top plate spaced apart from the positioning plate, a quartz glass tube inserted into the positioning plate and the top plate, and a plurality of upright connecting rods disposed around the positioning plate and the top plate. The reflective shield is formed with a plurality of vent holes, and includes a bottom cover that covers a top end of the heat conducting unit and that has a vertically curved outer mirror surface for reflecting light from a fire flame produced by the heating unit, thereby providing an illumination effect.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heating device, and more particularly to a heating device having light reflection effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional outdoor warming oven 1 disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model Patent Publication No. 392837 includes a barrel receiving cylinder 11 for accommodating a gas barrel (not shown) therein, a combustion unit 12 disposed fixedly above the barrel receiving cylinder 11, and a top cap 13 for covering the combustion unit 12. The combustion unit 12 includes a supporting post 121 fixed on and above the barrel receiving cylinder 11, an ignition switch 122 disposed on the supporting post 121, a burner 123 controlled by the ignition switch 122 to produce a fire flame, and a shield 123 surrounding the burner 123. The top cap 13 is disposed for covering the burner 124.
A fire produced by the burner 123 is used for heating air to form hot air. The top cap 13 can block the hot air from flowing into the atmosphere. Hence, surrounding air can be heated to increase the surrounding temperature. However, due to the presence of the top cap 13, the illumination effect is limited.

Warming oven having light reflection effect


A magnitude comparator suitable for use in a FIFO memory is modified to compare the magnitudes of two values more quickly. Bit comparators are divided into groups which generate compare output signals in parallel to one another, thereby reducing total magnitude comparator delay and resulting in faster operation. These compare output signals are fed into a control element which determines which compare output signal is allowed to pass through as the final compare output signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits, and more specifically to a magnitude comparator circuit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnitude comparator circuits are used when it is necessary to determine the relationship between the magnitude of two numbers--whether a number is equal to, less than, or greater than another number in magnitude. Such circuits find a wide variety of uses in the electronics industry. For example, magnitude comparators are used in conjunction with subtractors to generate high speed flag logic for FIFO (First In First Out) memories. Magnitude comparator circuits are also used in arithmetic logic units (ALU's) found in personal computers (PCs) and other computers and by microprocessors for the execution of certain instructions.
Serial magnitude comparators are a common form of comparator circuits in the prior art. They have a number of individual bit comparators that together serially determine the magnitude of a number relative to another number. First, the least significant bits (LSBs) of the two numbers are compared before comparing the next bits, the LSB+1. This process continues serially until the most significant bits (MSBs) have been compared. The serial process can be quite consuming; at least 16 gate delays will be incurred for comparing two 16 bit words.
The individual bit comparators which comprise a serial magnitude comparator have four inputs: two inputs determined by the two bits to be compared, an input from the compare output of the previous magnitude comparator, and an input equal to the first bit of the two bits being compared. The compare output of a bit comparator is input to the subsequent bit comparator and reflects whether the magnitude of one bit is equal to, less than, or greater than the magnitude of the second bit. If the two bits being compared are equal, then the compare input is passed through the bit comparator as the compare output. If, however, the two bits are unequal in magnitude, then the input equal to the first bit of the two bits being compared is passed through as the compare output. This comparison process starts with the least significant bit (LSB) comparator and continues until the most significant bit (MSB) comparator finishes its comparison operation. The bit comparator with the highest order bit of difference determines the state of the final compare output.
The gate delays associated with serial magnitude comparators can have an adverse effect on overall system performance. In FIFO (First In First Out) memory applications, a magnitude comparator is often used in conjunction with a subtractor circuit to generate FIFO flag logic. A FIFO flag tells the user how full the FIFO is. Flag logic, which is dependent on the comparator and subtractor, must be generated quickly. If the magnitude comparator is slow, it will have an adverse affect on how quickly flag logic may be generated and overall FIFO performance will suffer. A fundamental way to enhance the speed at which FIFO flag logic is generated is to minimize propagation and gate delays associated with serial magnitude comparators. It would be desirable to accomplish this using current magnitude comparator design.


A taper-locking ferrule for use with optical fibers is provided. The taper-locking ferrule has an interior channel. The interior channel is tapered from one end to the other end and has a threaded interior portion. In an embodiment, the threaded interior portion covers approximately half of the interior wall of the channel. A slit may extend along the threaded portion, from the exterior surface of the device to the interior channel, dividing the threaded portion of the interior channel into sections and allowing the interior channel to slightly expand. The threaded portion of the interior channel grasps and secures an optical fiber.

A taper-locking ferrule for use with optical fibers is provided. The taper-locking ferrule has an interior channel The interior channel is tapered from one end to the other end and has a threaded interior portion. In an embodiment, the threaded interior portion covers approximately half of the interior wall of the channel. A slit may extend along the threaded portion, from the exterior surface of the device to the interior channel, dividing the threaded portion of the interior channel into sections and allowing the interior chamel to slightly expand. The threaded portion of the interior channel grasps and secures an optical fiber.
Optical fiber ferrules have been around since the early 1980s. An optical fiber ferrule is generally a plastic, ceramic or metal portion of a fiber-optic plug which secures the end of the optical fiber and precisely aligns the fiber optic to a socket. In previous ferrules, the optic fiber is inserted into the ferrule and secured with an adhesive, such as an epoxy. The adhesive is designed to give the optical fiber long-term mechanical strength and also help prevent contamination of the fiber optic from the surrounding elements. If the alignment of the ferrule is not exact, a poor connection will result and the quality of the signal is diminished.
Over the years many optical fiber ferrules have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No.: 7,845,859 to Roth et al discloses a ferrule assembly for terminating at least one fiber of a ribbon cable in a ferrule, where the ferrule assembly is positioned in a housing of an optical connector. The ferrule assembly includes the ferrule having a mating face, at least one groove for receiving the fiber and at least one through-hole. The ferrule assembly also includes an alignment member holder having at least one alignment member and providing a first channel for the ribbon cable, the alignment member being insertable in the through-hole of the ferrule and having a first length such that an end of the alignment member extends beyond the mating face of the ferrule when the ferrule assembly is assembled. The ferrule assembly further includes a carrier body attachable to the alignment member holder, the carrier body having at least two biasing member capture portions, each of the biasing member capture portions providing an opening for capturing a biasing member therein when the alignment member holder and the carrier body are attached. The carrier body further provides a second channel for the ribbon cable, the second channel being disposed between the biasing member capture portions of the carrier body and being contiguous with the first channel when the alignment member holder and the carrier body are attached.
Further, U.S. Pat. No.: 6,789,950 to Loder et al discloses a fiber optic connector system for connecting at least one optical fiber cable mounted near the edge of a planar substrate to a backplane, each optical fiber cable including a plurality of optical fibers and a terminating ferrule, the longitudinal orientation of the optical fibers within the terminating ferrule defining a longitudinal axis and a forward direction, the ferrule having a first longitudinal range of motion and a ferrule spring element having a longitudinal ferrule spring force. The optical connector system includes a substrate housing assembly and a backplane housing assembly. The substrate housing assembly is designed to be mounted on the planar substrate and includes at least one ferrule receiving cavity for receiving the optical fiber ferrule, and a substrate housing assembly spring. The substrate housing assembly has a longitudinal freedom of motion with respect to the substrate, the housing assembly spring controlling movement of the substrate housing assembly along the longitudinal axis and having a longitudinal spring force, wherein The backplane housing assembly defines at least one longitudinal receiving cavity, the receiving cavity having a frontal opening along the first surface of the backplane member and a rear opening along the second surface of the backplane member. A frontal door covers the frontal opening and a rear door covers the rear opening.
Telecommunication companies are always looking for ways to move information faster. Currently, telecommunication companies use a typical set-top box installation. Installers at these telecommunication companies either use a simple Ethernet RJ-45's with a pre terminated cable, or they use 1 mm plastic optic fiber ("POF") with connectionless transceivers with good results. The RJ-45 is a registered jack standard for a modular connector using 8 conductors, which specifies the physical male and female connectors as well as the pin assignments of the wires in a telephone cable. The disadvantage in using a 1 mm POF is that bandwidth is limited therein limiting the length of the cable that may be used.
In typical ferrules, a subscriber connector ("SC") is typically built around a long cylindrical 2.5 mm diameter ferrule, made of ceramic (zirconia) or metal (stainless alloy). A 124˜127 um diameter high precision hole is then drilled in the center of the ferrule, where stripped bare fiber is inserted through and usually bonded by epoxy or adhesive. The end of the fiber is at the end of the ferrule, where it typically is polished smooth.
Almost all fiber-optic connectors have one thing in common which is the alignment of the ferrule to the fiber optic core. The ferrule is usually on the nose or the front of the connector and does the alignment of the fiber to the fiber-optic transceiver. The ferrule usually has very high concentric tolerances as this is a direct reflection on how well the fiber is aligned to the outside of the ferrule. Some of the new technologies in use now are connector-less transceiver like the Optolock® (like FIG. 21) which is manufactured by Firecomms in Ireland which uses the outside jacket and the alignment and holding feature of the fiber core. These types of transceivers work well on polymer optical fiber that has a very large core fiber and the alignment tolerances are not as accurate. However, with small core fiber optics these connector-less transceivers do not have the alignment capabilities to produce good results.
With modern manufacturing processes in the art of cable making over the last decade, the refinement of the concentricity tolerances between the buffer, the fiber core and or the jacket have become very exact.
However, existing methods fail to allow the easy installation of current fiber and hardware so that the large bandwidth can travel long distances accurately. A need, therefore, exists for an easy installation process which uses current off the self devices. Accordingly, the present taper ferrule is provided which will allow this larger bandwidth to travel longer distances without losing content.


In a resin structure including a resin molded body and a plurality of electronic components embedded in the resin molded body, (i) the resin molded body has a plurality of exposed surfaces on which electrodes of the plurality of electronic components are exposed, (ii) the resin molded body has a recess formed therein, and (iii) the recess has a bottom surface which is at least one of the plurality of exposed surfaces.

Recently, electronic appliances for consumer use, such as (i) portable electronic appliances such as a mobile phone or (ii) health equipment typified by an electronic thermometer and a sphygmomanometer, face a demand for supply of a thin, light-weight, small, and highly waterproof wearable product at a reasonable price.
In general, the electronic appliances as described above are each configured by assembling various electronic components on a printed circuit board. Note here that examples of the various electronic components include (i) a passive component such as a resistor or a capacitor, (ii) an active component such as an LSI (large scale integrated circuit) or an IC (integrated circuit), (iii) a power supply such as a battery, (iv) a display such as an LED (light emitting diode), and (v) a sensor or a switch.
In general, the printed circuit board is fabricated in such a manner that copper foil is laminated on a sheet of an epoxy resin board (glass epoxy substrate) reinforced with glass fiber or on a sheet of a polyimide substrate (flexible board), and the copper foil laminated is etched so as to form a wiring circuit. Other electronic components are mounted on the wiring circuit with use of solder, a conductive adhesive, a metal wire, or the like to thereby assemble an electronic appliance.
However, the printed circuit board whose circuit is fabricated by etching the copper foil involves a high material cost and a high processing cost, and the mounting of the electronic components with use of the solder, the conductive adhesive, the metal wire, or the like also involves a high material cost and a high processing cost. This makes the electronic appliance expensive. Further, waste fluid discharged during the etching process imposes much damage on the environment.
There is another problem that mounting the electronic components on the printed circuit board requires a certain amount of space between the electronic components, and this results in an increase in thickness of a product obtained and a limitation on downsizing of the product.
To solve these problems, a method for mounting electronic components has been proposed which method uses no printed circuit board in order to achieve reductions in width, size, and cost of a product.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses an electronic circuit package in which an electronic component, a circuit element, and the like are embedded in a molded resin such that an electrode surface is exposed. The electronic circuit package is manufactured in the following manner. First, the electronic component, the circuit element, and the like are temporally fixed with use of thermosetting resin. Next, the electronic component, the circuit element, and the like are embedded in the molded resin by injection molding. Then, the resin used for temporally fixing the electronic component, the circuit element, and the like is removed by dissolving, so that the electrode surface is exposed. On the electrode surface thus exposed, a conductor layer is formed and then subjected to exposure and etching, so that a wiring pattern is formed. Thus, the electronic circuit package is manufactured.
Patent Literature 2 discloses a method of using, as an exterior component, a resin in which an electronic component is embedded. According to Patent Literature 2, a circuit is formed by, for example, a technique in which the electronic component is embedded in an inner surface of the resin such that an electrode of the electronic component is exposed, and then silver paste is printed. According to this, the exterior component serves as a substrate, so that no substrate for forming the circuit thereon is necessary. This enables a reduction in width of a product obtained.
Patent Literature 3 discloses an electronic component-mounted device in which an electronic component is embedded in a resin molded article. In the electronic component-mounted device, the electronic component is embedded in the resin molded article such that an electrode of the electronic component is exposed. As such, by electrically connecting the exposed electrode, it is possible to omit (i) a member (substrate) for fixing the electronic component in a state where the electronic component is positioned and (ii) an operation of assembling the electronic component onto a housing.

Resin structure having electronic component embedded therein, and method for manufacturing said structure


An arrow launcher apparatus (10) includes a bow attachment assembly (20) which allows attachment to the middle portion of the handle of a bow in a manner that allows adjustment approximately along the axis of the arrow. An elevation adjustment assembly (40), attached to the bow attachment assembly, allows vertical adjustment against the bow attachment assembly. A windage adjustment assembly (70), attached to the elevation adjustment assembly, allows horizontal adjustment against the elevation adjustment assembly. A launcher sleeve assembly (100) is pivotably carried by the windage adjustment assembly between a forward position wherein the launcher arm (140) is lowered, and a rearward position wherein the launcher arm is raised. A pull string (160) is attached to the buss cable on a compound bow that moves down when the bowstring is pulled back. Movement of the pull string overcomes the bias of the spring (120) and lifts the launcher arm and arrow. Upon release of the bowstring, the buss cable moves up and the launcher sleeve assembly pivots to its relaxed state, thereby lowering the launcher arm.

A limited number of launcher-type arrow rests are known and used by archery enthusiasts. While in theory such arrow rests have many advantages, there is still considerable unmet demand for an arrow rest that is more easily and accurately adjusted, both vertically and horizontally.
A primary cause of the difficulty in adjusting such arrow rests is that the structure of known arrow rests tends to rely on adjustable movement against the bow itself by the bracket or fastener which is used to directly attach the apparatus to the bow. That is, the entire apparatus is incrementally moved with respect to the bow to make an adjustment. However, such a bracket is under considerable stress, in that it receives a shock each time an arrow is released. The shock is typically greater to this portion of the apparatus than to other portions of the apparatus, since the weight of the entire remainder of the apparatus is supported by this bracket. Such repeated shocks will eventually incrementally change the position of the bracket, thereby resulting in degradation of accuracy.
A further cause of the difficulty in adjusting such arrow rests is that the means for adjustment is frequently based on the degree to which a bolt or screw extends or protrudes from a surface. In an apparatus based on such a structure, to change the adjustment an additional quarter-turn of a bolt may be indicated, thereby causing a different length of the bolt to extend past a surface. However, no locking structure prevents rotation of the bolt, and impact and vibration may cause the bolt to move on its own.
Similarly, where an adjustment is made by turning a structure in a rotary manner about a bolt, it is typically the case that the bolt will either be over-tightened or will slip. Neither circumstance is desirable.
Therefore, what is needed is an improved arrow launcher apparatus having an improved adjustment structure. The adjustment structure must not depend on moving that portion of the apparatus directly attached to the bow, with respect to the bow. Similarly, the adjustment structure must not depend on the degree to which a bolt or screw extends from a surface. And further, the adjustment structure must not employ a component that is incrementally revolved about a bolt, and must result in unimpeded clearance for the fletching of the arrow as it goes by.


A mold includes upper and lower mold members, an upper-side slider pushing member, a slider, and an ejector rod. The upper-side slider pushing member is secured on the upper mold member. The lower mold member defines a movement space. The slider is slidably mounted on the lower mold member, and forms outer and inner angled surfaces. The ejector rod is movably mounted on the lower mold member. The ejector rod extends into the movement space and is driven by the push bar. The ejector rod and the upper-side slider pushing member are respectively engageable and thus pushing the inner and outer angled surfaces of the slider to cause the slider to slide on the lower mold member. The mold keeps the slider in a closed state while the mold is being opened, thereby preventing molded products from sticking to an upper mold member and saving internal space for the sliders.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a mold, and particularly to a mold that contains therein sliders for preventing molded products from sticking on an upper mold member of the mold.
2. Description of Prior Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a known mold 100′ is shown, comprising an upper mold member 10′, a lower mold member 20′, a slider 30′ slidably located on the lower mold member 20′ and an angled guide rod 40′. The slider 30′ defines a guide groove 31′ vertically extending therethrough. The slider 30′ comprises an end extending into a mold cavity 21′ formed in the lower mold member 20′. The angled guide rod 40′ is fixed on the upper mold member 10′ and comprises an end inserting into the guide groove 31′ of the slider 30′.
However, when the above-mentioned mold 100′ is opened and a molded plastic product is ejected, the angled guide rod 40′ drives the slider 30′ to slide outward. This makes it easy for the molded product to stick to and undesirably moved by the upper mold member 10′. When the mold is closed against, the molded product will be crushed, affecting the progress of the next molding cycle. It is adverse for subsequent molding process.