In a method for suppression of even-numbered harmonic distortion which occurs in a non-linear element 4, a signal x(n) is linked to a pseudo random noise sequence r(n), and is thus spread, before passing through the non-linear element 4. After passing through the non-linear element 4, the signal y*(n) is once again linked to the pseudo random noise sequence r(n). The signal y*(n) is thus despread while, in contrast, even-numbered order harmonic elements are once again spread, and remain as broadband noise.

Harmonic distortion represents one of the strongest limiting factors on the behaviour of high-quality, analogue microelectronic circuits and other electronic circuits, such as analogue/digital converters (ADC), digital/analogue converters (DAC), filters, etc. Harmonic distortion generally occurs as a result of interference whose level is dependent on the respective signals. In particular, harmonic distortion occurs as a result of the non-linear behaviour of active electronic components (transistors, amplifiers, etc.) or passive electronic components (resistors, capacitors, etc.).
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a non-linear element 4 with the analogue or digital input signal x(t) or x(n), respectively, and with the analogue or digital output signal y(t) or y(n), respectively. The image of the analogue input signal x(t) on the analogue output signal y(t) is described by the function f, which can be written as a polynomial in the following form:y(t)=f(x(t))=a0+a1x(t)+a2x2(t)+a3x3(t)+,  (1)where a0, a1, a2, a3 . . . are constant coefficients. For simplificity, the following text considers third-order polynomials (ai=0 for i=0, 4, 5, . . . ) with the above expression (a1=1) being normalized, which does not restrict the general applicability of the analysis. If the input signal is a sinusoidal oscillation in the form x(t)=cos(ωt), then Equation (1) results in:
                                          y                                      (              t              )                                =                                                    1                2                                                          a                2                2                                      +                                          [                                  1                  +                                                            3                      4                                                                                a                      3                      3                                                                      ]                                                          cos                                                  (                                      ω                                                                                t                                    )                                                      +                                          1                2                                                          a                2                2                                                          cos                                                  (                                      2                                        ω                                                                                t                                    )                                                      +                                          1                4                                                          a                3                3                                                          cos                                                  (                                      3                                        ω                                                                                t                                    )                                                                    ,                            (        2        )            where ω is the circular frequency of the sinusoidal input signal. In addition to the linear component, the output signal contains a constant offset as well as second and third harmonics. If the polynomial in Equation (1) also takes account of higher-order terms, then the output signal additionally includes the corresponding higher harmonics.
The aim is to minimize the non-linearity of electronic circuits, that is to say the magnitudes of the coefficients of non-linear order a2, a3, . . .
One possible way to reduce non-linearities is to use high-linearity components for the design of the electronic circuits, for example high-linearity passive components or high-gain amplifiers together with a feedback mechanism.
Another possible way to minimize the non-linear components in electronic circuits is so-called differential technique. This essentially comprises the design of two parallel, ideally identical, signal paths, one of which processes a signal x+(t), while the other processes the inverted version of the signal x−(t)=−x+(t). The input signal x(t) is formed by the difference between the signals in the two signal paths. Thus, x(t)=x+(t)−x−(t)=2x+(t), that is to say the input signal x(t) corresponds to twice the signal x+(t) in the positive signal path. Based on the assumption of the non-linear relationship between the input signal and output signal as described in Equation (1) and the simplification a0=0, this results in the output signals in the positive and negative signal paths y+(t) and y−(t) respectively being:
                                                                           y                +                                                          (                t                )                                      =                                                            a                  1                                                                                x                    +                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                              +                                                a                  2                                                                                x                    +                    2                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                              +                                                a                  3                                                                                x                    +                    3                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                              +              …                                                                                and                                      (          3          )                                                                                y                    -                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                  =                                                                                +                                              a                        1                                                                                x                        -                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                                              +                                                            a                      2                                                                                x                        -                        2                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                                              +                                                            a                      3                                                                                x                        -                        3                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                                              +                  …                                                                                =                                                                                -                                              a                        1                                                                                x                        +                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                                              +                                                            a                      2                                                                                x                        +                        2                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                                              -                                                            a                      3                                                                                x                        +                        3                                                                                (                        t                        )                                                                              +                  …                                                                                (          4          )                                                          The                                                                          differential                                                                          output                                                                          signal                                                                                y                                            (                t                )                                                                                is                                                                          described                                                                          by                                      :                                                                                y                                            (                t                )                                      =                                                                                y                    +                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                  -                                                      y                    -                                                                          (                    t                    )                                                              =                                                2                                                        a                    1                                                                                x                      +                                                                                (                      t                      )                                                                      +                0                +                                  2                                                        a                    3                                                                                x                      +                      3                                                                                (                      t                      )                                                                      +                0                +                …                                                                          (          5          )                    In this case, the even-numbered order terms (a2, a4, . . . ) cancel one another out. The even-numbered order harmonics of sinusoidal input signals therefore ideally disappear.
This frequently used technique has a number of disadvantages, however:    (1) Odd-numbered harmonics do not cancel one another out.    (2) The cancellation is dependent on matching between the two signal paths. A mismatch of the signals y−(t) and y+(t) in the two signal paths leads to incomplete cancellation of equivalent polynomial coefficients of the even-numbered order terms, and the output signal still includes the corresponding even-numbered harmonics.    (3) Differential circuits lead to higher circuit design costs and occupy more space and chip area, since the signal path must be duplicated, in particular all the passive elements which are used as feedback elements for amplifiers. Furthermore, common-note feedback circuits must be added.

Suppression of even-numbered harmonic distortion in a non-linear element


A modified chess game for play by two opposing players comprises a game board eight squares wide and sixteen squares deep, foldable at its midsection to create a carrying case for the pieces. Each player has a playing pieces set consisting of two kings, two queens, four rooks, four knights, four bishops and sixteen pawns. The pieces are positioned as in conventional chess, except that each row is doubled. Playing pieces are moved pursuant to conventional movements and rules of capture, except that pawns may advance two spaces at a time as long as they are in their own territory, and must reach the sixteenth row to be exchanged for any playing piece but the king. The game may be played so that a player wins by capturing both of his opponent's kings, or by capturing only one.

The present invention relates to board games and more particularly to improvements in chess games.
In traditional chess, two opposing armies face each other across a playing board of 64 equal squares, eight squares across and eight squares deep. The armies consist of eight foot soldiers called pawns, two rooks (castles), two knights, two bishops, a queen and a king. The rooks, knights, bishops, queen and king are collectively known as "royalty pieces."
The game ends immediately when one player captures the king. As a result, the duration of the game is often short, especially when one of the players is more experienced. Moreover, the popularity of chess notwithstanding, many players have become bored with the repetitiveness of the game.
To overcome these disadvantages, several variations to the game of chess have been suggested in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,626 to Nolte discloses a chesslike game wherein the size of the playing area and the number of chess figures is increased.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,789 to Carlson discloses a chess set comprising a game board fifteen squares wide and twelve squares deep for play by two teams of two players each. A key disadvantage of this type of game is the fact that while the number of game pieces is increased, the actual playing time afforded each player is no more than the playing time of a traditional chess game.
However, these and similar games have not achieved commercial success due in part to the fact that the rules by which these games are played differ from those of the traditional game of chess so as to make play unduly complicated for most players.

Apparatus and method of playing double chess game


An RF antenna includes a first substrate having a first top surface and a first bottom surface and a second substrate having a second top surface and a second bottom surface, wherein the first substrate is disposed on top of the second substrate, the second bottom surface including a ground plane disposed thereon. The RF antenna further includes a low-band (LB) radiation element disposed on the first top surface of the first substrate. The LB radiation element is to resonate within a first frequency band to transmit and receive RF signals associated with the first frequency band. The RF antenna further includes multiple high-band (HB) radiation elements disposed between the first bottom surface of the first substrate and the second top surface of the second substrate. Each HB radiation element is to resonate within a second frequency band to transmit and receive RF signals associated with the second frequency band.

Facing to human's information society in the future of 2020, related technology of 5G (fifth generation) has not reached a stable standard, but the basic features of 5G are clear, such as high speed, low latency, mass devices connection, low power consumption. 5G terminal antenna is the main component of 5G terminals. Unless we innovatively defeat the technology difficulty of antenna design can we ensure a normal run and commercial use of 5G system. So this invention plays a positive and vital role in boosting and promoting the development of the new generation of mobile communication system and 5G terminals.
Recently, the international telecommunication union (ITU) announced the following spectrum for 5G communications, including the 24.25-27.5 GHz, 37-40.5 GHz, 66-76 GHz in millimeter wave bands, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the spectrum of 27.5-28.35 GHz, 37-38.6 GHz, 38.6-40 GHz, 64-71 GHz for 5G. For China, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MITT) announced its 5G bands, including 24.75-27.5 GHz and 37-42.5 GHz,
Since all of the above bands are included by 24-43 GHz in low band and 59-71 GHz in high band, a novel antenna element which can cover all these bands is desirable.

Antenna element structure suitable for 5G CPE devices

HUIZHOU SPEED WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


Disclosed herein is a method of sealing a tieback to a tubular. The method includes, positioning a metal deformable member of the tieback within a tubular and contacting the tubular with a sleeve of the tieback. Moving the sleeve in a first axial direction thereby contacting and radially deforming a first portion of the deformable member by axially compressing the deformable member and sealably engaging the tubular with the radially deformed first portion.

Tieback seals are commonly used to seal a tieback to a downhole tubular such as a liner. Seal integrity and durability are desirable characteristics for such seals, as once set, tieback seals are often kept in place for long periods of time, often multiple years.
Typical tieback seals incorporate elastomers at the seal interface. Caustic fluids, high temperatures and high pressures encountered downhole often precipitate degradation of elastomeric seals. Degraded seals can develop leaks that can be costly to an operation whether left in place or replaced. When left in place, the quality of a production stream can suffer. When replaced, the cost of equipment and labor as well as costs of lost production, during replacement down-time, will accumulate. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for highly durable tieback seals.


A modular conveyor belt constructed of a series of articulating rows of belt modules having flights formed atop laterally consecutive interleaved hinge elements of adjacent belt rows. The flights on leading and trailing rows are aligned when the belt is running flat, but open up for cleaning as their rows articulate about a sprocket.

The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and more particularly to articulated modular conveyor belts with flights at hinge joints between adjacent belt rows.
Flights are used to divide the conveying surface of a conveyor belt into individual product bins or to help push conveyed products up an incline. Articulated modular conveyor belts are constructed of a series of rows of belt modules pivotally linked together at hinge joints. Typical flight modules have flights that extend upward from the module's conveying surface across the entire width of the module at a position between the hinge joints. In a belt row constructed of two or more flight modules side by side, seams are formed between laterally consecutive flights. These small seams, which can harbor bacteria, are hard to clean. Unlike the hinges, which are often designed to open up and reveal more of the hinge rod for cleaning as they articulate about sprockets, the flights in a belt row remain in alignment and do not open to allow access to the seams by cleaning sprays.

Conveyor belt and modules with flights at the hinge


A semiconductor photolithography system to improve overlay accuracy is disclosed. Such a system can include an exposure tool, at least one track, and a number of photoresist modules. The exposure tool performs functionality related to both at least a front-end and a back-end wafer. Each track has one or more paths to and from the exposure tool. The photoresist modules each perform functionality related to photoresist, on only either the front-end wafer or the back-end wafer, not both. Each module is located on one of the tracks. More specifically, a two-track system is disclosed, where each track has a path to and from the exposure tool, and a single-track system is disclosed having two paths to and from the exposure tool.

This invention relates generally to photolithography systems for semiconductor processing, and more particularly to such a system for increasing overlay accuracy.
Patterning is one of the basic steps performed in semiconductor processing. It also referred to as photolithography, masking, oxide or metal removal, and microlithography. Patterning enables the selective removal of material deposited on a semiconductor substrate, or wafer, as a result of a deposition process. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, a layer 104 has been deposited on a substrate 102. After the photolithography process is performed, as shown in FIG. 1B, some parts of the layer 104 have been selectively removed, such that gaps 106a and 106b are present within the layer 104. A photomask, or pattern, is used (not shown in FIG. 1B) so that only the material from the gaps 106a and 106b are removed, and not the other portions of the layer 104. The process of adding layers and removing selective parts of them, in conjunction with other processes, permits the fabrication of semiconductor devices.
Alignment is critical in photolithography and deposition, as well as in other semiconductor processes. If layers are not deposited properly, or if they are not selectively removed properly, the resulting semiconductor devices may not function, relegating them to scrap, which can be costly. Such misalignment, or overlay shift, is shown in FIG. 2. The layer 204 may or may not be deposited in a properly aligned configuration on the substrate 202, whereas subsequent deposition layers 206a, 206b, . . . , 206n are misaligned. This is indicated by the reference marks 210a, 210b, . . . , 210n, which are shown in FIG. 2 for illustrative clarity only. The reference marks 210a, 210b, . . . , 210n, should substantially align over the alignment marks 208 of the substrate 202, but they do not.
In comparison to FIG. 2, correctly aligned layers are shown in FIG. 3. The semiconductor wafer 202 has alignment marks 208. The layer 204 is aligned thereupon. Similarly, the layers 206a, 206b, . . . , 206n are deposited upon the layer 204, without any, or with minimal, overlay shift. This is indicated by the reference marks 210a, 210b, . . . , 210n aligning with the alignment marks 208 of the wafer 202.
Alignment errors such as overlay shift are also referred to as overlay error or misalignment. A common error is a simple misplacement of a layer in the x and/or y directions. Another overlay error is rotational, where one side of the wafer is aligned, but patterns become increasingly misaligned across the wafer. Other misalignment problems associated with masks and stepper aligners are run-out and run-in. These problems arise when the chip patterns are not formed on the mask on constant centers, or are placed on the chip off center. The result is that only a portion of the mask chip patterns can be properly aligned to the wafer patterns, such that the pattern becomes progressively misaligned across the wafer.
A common rule of thumb is that circuits with micron or sub-micron feature sizes must meet registration tolerances of one-third the minimum critical feature size. An overlay budget is therefore determined for the total circuit. The overlay budget is the allowable accumulated alignment error for the entire mask set. For example, for a 0.35-micron product, the allowable overlay budget is usually about 0.1 micron.
Overlay error can thus be caused by limitations in scanner or stepper stage accuracy, limitations in magnification accuracy, lens distortion, lens aberrations, such as focus, spherical, coma, and astigmatism aberrations, as well as other limitations, errors, distortions, and aberrations. Scanners and steppers are semiconductor exposure equipment, or tools, used to align a photomask over a semiconductor wafer, and then expose the wafer through the photomask. Such equipment usually has a tolerance range or otherwise has a limited accuracy, such that overlay error can result. Limitations in magnification accuracy result from the masks have a greater size than the resulting exposed image on the wafer, resulting in overlay error. Distortions and aberrations in the lenses of scanners and steppers also cause overlay error.
Conventional approaches to correct overlay error include adjusting the stage, magnification, and/or field rotation and translation to compensate for overlay errors between different layers being deposited and/or exposed. That is, between the deposition and/or exposure of different layers on the semiconductor wafer, scanner and stepper parameters such as the stage, magnification, and field rotation and translation may be varied to account and compensate for and correct overlay error. However, typically there is residual overlay error that cannot be corrected. For instance, the use of different exposure tools and equipment for different layers of the semiconductor device can be responsible for residual overlay error. Different scanners and steppers have different types of lens, with specific signatures of distortion and aberrations, causing pattern placement error.
Matching different exposure tools to one another is a difficult process, because different scanners and steppers have different overlay specifications. As an example, one scanner may have an overlay specification of 35 nanometers (nm), whereas another scanner may have an overlay specification of 55 nm. Even if these two scanners can be theoretically matched, tolerances in their overlay accuracy may further impede matching in actuality. For instance, the former scanner may actually have an overlay specification of 20 nm, whereas the latter scanner may actually have a specification of 45 nm. Matching the scanners in theory, in other words, still causes overlay error in actuality.
FIG. 4 shows an example of such a conventional two-exposure tool photolithography system 400. The system includes a pre-exposure track 402, an exposure tool 404, and a post-exposure track 406 for a front-end wafer 412A, and a pre- and post-exposure track 408 and an exposure tool 410 for a back-end wafer 412B. The back-end wafer 412B can be the front-end wafer 412A after it has been processed by the pre-exposure track 402, the exposure tool 404, and the post-exposure track 406. The tracks 402, 406, and 408 are tracks in that a continual number of wafers can be moved through them in an automated line approach. The exposure tool 404 typically has different overlay specifications than that of the exposure tool 410, such that use of the two tools 404 and 410 results in residual overlay error.
The pre-exposure track 402 handles processes that affect the photoresist prior to exposure by the exposure tool 404. These include applying the photoresist, and soft baking the photoresist. Photoresist application is usually by spinning photoresist onto the semiconductor wafer. Spinning may be static, dynamically dispensed, dispensed by a moving arm, manually spun, and/or automatically spun, among other approaches. Furthermore, a backside coating may be applied, which is coating the back of the wafer with photoresist. Soft baking is a heating operation to evaporate a portion of the solvents in the photoresist. The resist film is still soft after the soft bake, as opposed to being baked to a varnish-like finish. Soft baking can be accomplished by convection ovens, manual hot plates, in-line single-wafer hot plates, moving-belt hot plates, moving-belt infrared ovens, microwave baking, and/or vacuum baking, among other approaches.
The exposure tool 404 usually performs both alignment and exposure. Alignment is the position of the required image on the wafer surface, whereas exposure is the encoding of the image in the photoresist layer by exposing light or another radiation source. The exposure tool 404 may be or include a stepper or a scanner. Different types of aligners include optical aligners, such as contact, proximity, scanning projection, and stepper aligners, and non-optical aligners, such as x-ray and e-beam aligners.
The post-exposure track 406 handles processes that affect the photoresist after exposure by the exposure tool 404. These include developing the photoresist to remove the exposed photoresist, and hard baking the remaining, undeveloped and unexposed photoresist. Development techniques are designed to leave in the resist layer an exact copy of the pattern that was on the photomask or reticle. Development may be wet development, such as immersion, spray development, puddle development, and plasma descumming, or dry development, which is also known as plasma development. Hard baking is a heating operation to evaporate a portion of the solvents in the photoresist, similar to soft baking. However, the goal of hard baking is to achieve good adhesion of the resist to the wafer surface. Like soft baking, hard baking may be performed by convection ovens, in-line and manual hot plates, infrared ovens, moving-belt conduction ovens, and vacuum ovens.
The pre- and post-exposure track 408 includes the functionality of both the pre-exposure track 402 and the post-exposure track 404, but for the back-end wafer 412B instead of the front-end wafer 412A. The consolidation of pre-exposure and post-exposure functionality into a single track 408 is shown for example purposes only. The dual functionality of the track 408 could also be separated into two single tracks, like the tracks 402 and 404 are for the front-end wafer 412A. Similarly, he exposure tool 410 assumes the functionality of the exposure tool 404, but for the back-end wafer 412B instead of the front-end wafer 412A.
Ideally, a single scanner or stepper is used to expose all critical layers of a semiconductor device, which are the layers in which critical dimensions (CD""s) are present. However, in the prior art, it is not possible to use a single machine to expose all the critical layers. For example, to compensate for potential contamination between layers, fabrication of semiconductor devices that use copper usually employs one scanner or stepper for front-end processes, and another scanner or stepper for back-end processes. Front-end processes are those that process first layers of a device, whereas back-end processes are those that process the last layers of a device. Since overlay error must be significantly reduced as semiconductor feature size is reduced, to 0.13 micron and below, the inability to compensate for residual overlay error becomes a serious problem in semiconductor device fabrication.
Therefore, there is a need to improve overlay accuracy between layers of a semiconductor device, especially such layers that are critical. Such an improvement in accuracy should decrease residual overlay error. This improvement in overlay accuracy may also result from using a single scanner, stepper, or other exposure tool. For these and other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.
The invention relates to a semiconductor photolithography system to improve overlay accuracy. Such a system can include an exposure tool, at least one track, and a number of photoresist modules. The exposure tool performs functionality related to both at least a front-end and a back-end wafer. Each track has one or more paths to and from the exposure tool. The photoresist modules each perform functionality related to photoresist, on only either the front-end wafer or the back-end wafer, not both. Each module is located on one of the tracks.
In one two-track system of the invention, there is a first track for the front-end wafer and a second-track for the back-end wafer. The first track has a single path for the front-end wafer, whereas the second track has a single path for the back-end wafer. In one one-track system of the invention, there is only a single track that has two paths. One of the paths is for the front-end wafer, and the other of the paths is for the back-end wafer.
The invention provides for advantages over the prior art. Overlay accuracy is improved because residual overlay error is decreased. Since front-end and back-end wafer processing is performed on the same exposure tool, no matching between disparate exposure tools is required. Still other advantages, embodiments, and aspects of the invention will become apparent by reading the detailed description that follows, and by referencing the attached drawings.

Photolithography system to increase overlay accuracy

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd


The invention provides a biological method of producing isoprenoids.

Geranylgeraniol and farnesol are synthesized as, inter alia, precursors of cholesterol and are used as highly lipophilic molecules for fixating proteins to cell membranes. In addition, geranylgeraniol and farnesol exhibit wide range of biological activities such as antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor activities. These compounds also possess ability to prevent a wide variety of illnesses such as ulcer, neuro-degenerative illnesses, conditions linked to skin aging, the phenomena of thrombosis and atherosclerosis and immune deficiencies. In addition, geranylgeraniol diphosphate is a precursor for the biological synthesis of Taxol®, which is a potent anticancer compound currently marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. under the generic name paclitaxel.
There remains a need for an efficient and economical method for producing farnesol and/or geranylgeraniol.

Bio-Technical Resources, a division of Arkion Life Sciences, LLC


An apparatus for evaluating performance of a headphone assembly is provided with a base and a support having a proximal end extending from the base. The support includes a distal end that is adapted for supporting a headphone assembly, and the support includes a pair of opposing sides that are laterally spaced apart. The apparatus also includes a pair of plates and at least two microphones. Each plate is mounted to one of the opposing sides of the support, and includes a central portion with at least two apertures formed therein. The central portion is sized for receiving a headphone of the headphone assembly. Each microphone is disposed within one of the apertures and arranged such that an outer surface of the microphone is oriented substantially parallel to an outer surface of the plate and adapted for receiving sound emitted from the headphone.

Advancements in the recording industry include reproducing sound from a multiple channel sound system, such as reproducing sound from a surround sound system. Typically, surround sound or two-channel stereo recordings are recorded and then processed to be reproduced over loudspeakers, which limits the quality of such recordings when reproduced over headphones. For example, stereo recordings are usually meant to be reproduced over loudspeakers, instead of being played back over headphones. This results in the stereo panorama appearing on line in between the ears or inside a listener's head, which can be an unnatural and fatiguing listening experience.
To resolve the issues of reproducing sound over headphones, designers have derived stereo and surround sound enhancement systems for headphones; however, for the most part these enhancement systems have introduced unwanted effects such as unwanted coloration, resonance, reverberation, and/or distortion of timbre or sound source angle and/or position.
Sound color or timbre is the quality of a musical note or sound or tone that distinguishes different types of sound production, such as voices, musical instruments, and sound systems (e.g., loudspeakers and headphones). The physical characteristics of sound that determine the perception of timbre include spectrum and envelope. Generally, timbre is what makes a particular musical sound different from another, even when they have the same pitch and loudness.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0236023 to Horbach, describes a system for headphone equalization using an "equal loudness method", which filters the unwanted effects from the audio signals provided by headphones. The system includes a stored set of predetermined tone burst reference signals and a stored set of predetermined tone burst test signals that form a range of frequencies used in a user specific audio test to develop a headphone correction filter. A predetermined tone burst reference signal and a predetermined tone burst test signal may intermittently and sequentially drive a transducer included in the headphone. A loudness of the predetermined tone burst reference signal may be fixed and a loudness of the predetermined tone burst test signal may be variable with a gain setting. The gain setting may be used to generate the headphone correction filter.

Headphone response measurement and equalization


A frame for a line guide ring in which an operation of a fishing line is not prevented while a drawing work is performed to a holding frame is provided. The frame comprises a ring shaped holding frame for holding a guide ring through which a fishing line extends and a front side mounting leg integrally formed in a lower side of the holding frame. The holding frame is formed by a drawing in such a manner that an axial portion extending to an axial direction is formed and that the front side mounting leg extends from a rear end of the axial portion. The front side mounting leg is bent in such a manner that a front end thereof extends to the front side against the holding frame formed by a drawing. The front side mounting leg is bent such that a starting end for bending is set to a side closer to the axial portion than a root end.

The present invention relates to a frame for a line guide ring used for a fishing rod, and particularly to a frame for a line guide ring line which is integrally formed from a metal plate.
A line guide ring used for a fishing rod which is mounted to the fishing rod so as to guide a fishing line is usually structured by a guide ring for the fishing rod and a frame fixed to the fishing rod and supporting the guide ring. The guide ring is formed by using a rigid material such as ceramics and the like. However, normally, the frame is integrally formed by using a metal plate made of stainless or aluminum to which ,for example, a bending formation is performed so as to have a ring shaped holding frame and a mounting leg. Then, a line guide ring is formed by fitting the guide ring inside the ring shaped holding frame and fixing between them by using an adhesive material. In most cases, the holding frame of the frame is formed as a simple plate shape having a fitting hole. However, in this shape, if a thin metal plate is used for the purpose of making the line guide ring light weight, it is impossible to secure a sufficient strength for usage. Accordingly, an axial portion B (see Fig.7) extending in an axial direction is formed on a holding frame A by a drawing process as shown in FIG. 7 so that a line guide ring E used for the fishing rod can be obtained and used, which can prevent the strength of the holding frame A from drapping in the case where the thickness of frame C is thin and securely holds guide ring D.
In a line guide ring E of this kind used for a fishing rod, a short inside directing portion F in a radial direction is formed on the front end portion of the axial portion B so as to hold the guide ring D. In addition to this, a front mounting leg G and a rear mounting leg H extend from the bottom of the rear end of the axial portion B and from both sides of the rear end thereof, respectively. The front mounting leg G is bent in such a manner that its front end J extends to the front from the root end I as a bend starting end. Then when the front mounting leg G and the rear mounting leg H are seated to an outer surface of the fishing rod, the line guide ring E used for the fishing rod is mounted to the fishing rod by winding a line around the fishing rod from an upper portion of the front mounting leg G and the rear mounting leg H.
Although the line guide ring E used for the fishing rod formed by drawing to the holding frame A has an excellent advantage that light weight can be achieved without lowering the strength thereof, since a relatively deep recess portion K is formed between the lower portion of the holding frame A and the root portion of the front mounting leg G, there is a risk that the fishing line may be caught by this recess portion K when rewinding line so that smooth operation of the fishing line is prevented.


A hard disk drive with a circuit that provides a control signal to a voice coil motor to move a head across a disk of a drive. The circuit includes a state estimator that provides a plurality of state estimates and a disturbance estimator that provides a disturbance estimate that is combined with the state estimates to define the control signal. The disturbance estimator compensates for flex cable disturbances, particularly during a settle mode of a seek routine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seek routine of a hard disk drive.
2. Background Information
Hard disk drives contain a plurality of magnetic heads that are coupled to rotating disks. The heads write and read information by magnetizing and sensing the magnetic fields of the disk surfaces. Each head is attached to a flexure arm to create a subassembly commonly referred to as a head gimbal assembly ("HGA"). The HGA's are suspended from an actuator arm. The actuator arm has a voice coil motor that can move the heads across the surfaces of the disks. The heads are typically electronically connected to the circuits of the drive by a flex cable.
Information is typically stored in radial tracks that extend across the surface of each disk. Each track is typically divided into a number of segments or sectors. The voice coil motor and actuator arm can move the heads to different tracks of the disks.
FIG. 1 shows a typical track that has a number of fields associated with each sector. A sector may include an automatic gain control ("AGC") field 1 that is used to adjust the strength of the read signal, a sync field 2 to establish a timing reference for the circuits of the drive, and ID 3 and Gray Code 4 fields to provide sector and track identification.
Each sector may have also a servo field 5 located adjacent to a data field 6. The servo field 5 contains a plurality of servo bits A, B, C and D that are read and utilized in a servo routine to position the head 7 relative to the track. By way of example, the servo routine may utilize the algorithm of ((A-B)-(C-D)) to create a position error signal ("PES"). The PES is used to create a drive signal for the voice coil motor to position the head on the track.
To move the heads to a new disk location the drive performs a seek routine. In a seek routine the heads are moved across the disks and then decelerated into a settle mode. The drive controls typically include a feed forward control loop. The feed forward control loop includes a state estimator that computes head position and head velocity estimates that are used to adjust the control signal provided to the voice coil motor.
During the settle mode there may be a disturbance in the flex cable that increases the settle time of the servo process. The state estimator of the feed forward control loop includes a bias estimate. It is has been found that the bias estimate is inadequate to reduce settle time during or subsequent to a flex cable disturbance.

Control method to reduce settle TMR in hard disk drives


Adjustable head rests are disclosed for vehicle seats including a first support mounted on the vehicle seat, a second support pivotally mounted with respect to the first support, the second support mounting a head rest, and an adjustable control for adjusting the position of the second support into a plurality of locked annular positions with respect to the first support, the adjustable control extending substantially within the boundary surface of the head rest and adapted to be engaged by the fingers of an occupant in the vehicle seat.

In the field of vehicles, for example cars, the different seats for the driver and the passengers, respectively, are normally provided with headrests. A general requirement is that the headrest should be arranged adjacent to the occupant's head so as to provide support for the neck during driving, since the occupant is normally leaning back. Furthermore, a purpose with such a headrest is to provide protection in the event of a collision.
Fixed (i.e. non-adjustable) headrests are common in today's vehicles. Although a headrest of this type normally provides good support and protection for the head of the occupant, its effect is somewhat limited since it does not provide equally high comfort and protection for all occupants. This is of course due to the fact that different occupants have different body shapes and driving positions. This problem can be solved by means of a headrest which comprises an adjustment mechanism, so that the headrest can be inclined and positioned in different angular positions in relation to the occupant's seat, i.e. in relation to the seat's backrest.
A number of different types of such adjustable headrests are previously known. One Solution is based on the principle that only frictional force is used to lock the headrest in the desired position in relation to the backrest of the vehicle seat. Furthermore, mechanisms are also known by means of which the headrest can be swung back and forth between a plurality of positions, step by step towards an end position, and wherein further tilting results in the headrest resuming its initial position so that adjustment can be carried out again. Furthermore, solutions comprising electrical adjustment of the headrest and which also may comprise a memory are previously known.
Although the previously known adjustable headrests function in an acceptable manner in most situations, they imply certain problems. Firstly, they do allow adjustment of the headrest by using one hand only, which is required from a comfort point of view of the occupant and which also is an advantage as regards safety, since the driver cannot remove both hands from the steering wheel while driving the vehicle. Another problem associated with the previously known solutions relates to the fact that they cannot normally hold the headrest in the assumed position in case of a collision or during sudden acceleration or deceleration. Naturally, this may lead to personal injuries. Furthermore, the known solution which comprises an electrical adjustment mechanism involves a disadvantage, i.e. it is too expensive to manufacture and unnecessarily complicated.


An apparatus that includes a housing containing a motor that is electrically connected to a power source. An enclosed motorized assembly is connected to the housing and contains secure points located in an outer surface thereof and LEDs therein. An object is affixed to the motorized assembly and contains insertion points. A slip ring is secured around a motor shaft of the motor and electrically connects to a first conductive plate that is secured within the housing. The first conductive plate is further electrically connected to the LEDs. A second conductive plate is electrically connected to the motor shaft and the LEDs. A plurality of extension elements include a first and second end, wherein the first end is secured to the secure points and the plurality of extension elements radiate or transmit light from the LEDs.

There is disclosed an apparatus including a housing that contains a motor, which is electrically connected to a power source, an enclosed motorized assembly connected to the housing and containing secure points located in an outer surface thereof and LEDs therein, a slip ring secured around a motor shaft of the motor, a first conductive plate electrically connected to the slip ring and the LEDs, an object affixed to the motorized assembly and containing insertion points, wherein the object radiates or transmits light from the LEDs and wherein the object and motorized assembly rotate about an axis, a second conductive plate electrically connected to the motor shaft and the LEDs, and a plurality of extension elements containing a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is secured to the secure points of the enclosed motorized assembly and wherein the extension elements radiate or transmit light from the LEDs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Antimicrobial quinolone thiourea compounds of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein (1) A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3, R.sup.1, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, and R.sup.6 form any of a variety of quinolone and related heterocyclic structures similar to those known in the art to have antimicrobial activity; and. (2). (1) R.sup.1 is X, R.sup.3 is X, or both R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 are X; and PA2 (2) X is --R.sup.15 --N(R.sup.16)(R.sup.17) or --R.sup.15 --R.sup.18 --N(R.sup.19)(R.sup.17), where. (a) PA4 (1) R.sup.15 is nil, alkyl, a carbocyclic ring, or a heterocyclic ring; and PA4 (2) R.sup.16 is hydrogen; alkyl; alkenyl; a carbocyclic ring; a heterocyclic ring; or PA4 (3) when X is R.sup.15 --N(R.sup.16)(R.sup.17), R.sup.16 and R.sup.15 may together comprise a heterocyclic ring including the nitrogen atom to which R.sup.15 and R.sup.16 are bonded; PA3 (b) R.sup.17 is C(.dbd.S)--NR.sup.20 R.sup.21 ; where R.sup.20 is, hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, a carbocyclic ring or a heterocyclic ring; and R.sup.21 is R.sup.20 or N(R.sup.20)(R.sup.20); or R.sup.20 and R.sup.21, together with the nitrogen to which they are bonded, form a heterocyclic ring; and PA3 (c) PA4 (1) R.sup.18 is alkyl, a carbocyclic ring, or a heterocyclic ring; and PA4 (2) R.sup.19 is hydrogen; alkyl; alkenyl; a carbocyclic ring; a heterocyclic ring; or PA4 (3) R.sup.18 and R.sup.19 may together comprise a heterocyclic ring including the nitrogen atom to which R.sup.18 and R.sup.19 are bonded;. and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts and biohydrolyzable esters thereof, and hydrates thereof.

This invention relates to novel antimicrobial compounds and compositions. In particular, the compounds of this invention contain a quinolone or related heterocyclic moiety.
The chemical and medical literature describes a myriad of compounds that are said to be antimicrobial, i.e., capable of destroying or suppressing the growth or reproduction of microorganisms, such as bacteria. In particular, antibacterials include a large variety of naturally-occurring (antibiotic), synthetic, or semi-synthetic compounds. They may be classified (for example) as the aminoglycosides, ansamacrolides, beta-lactams (including penicillins and cephalosporins), lincosaminides, macrolides, nitrofurans, nucleosides, oligosaccharides, peptides and polypeptides, phenazines, polyenes, polyethers, quinolones, tetracyclines, and sulfonamides. Such antibacterials and other antimicrobials are described in Antibiotics, Chemotherapeutics, and Antibacterial Agents for Disease Control (M. Grayson, editor, 1982), and E. Gale et al., The Molecular Basis of Antibiotic Action 2d edition (1981), both incorporated by reference herein.
The mechanism of action of these antibacterials vary. However, each can be generally classified as functioning in one or more of four ways: by inhibiting cell wall synthesis or repair; by altering cell wall permeability; by inhibiting protein synthesis; or by inhibiting synthesis of nucleic acids. For example, beta-lactam antibacterials act through inhibiting the essential penicillin binding proteins (PBPs) in bacteria, which are responsible for cell wall synthesis. On the other hand, quinolones act by inhibiting synthesis of bacterial DNA, thus preventing the bacteria from replicating.
Not surprisingly, the pharmacological characteristics of antibacterials and other antimicrobials, and their suitability for any given clinical use, also vary considerably. For example, the classes of antimicrobials (and members within a class) may vary in their relative efficacy against different types of microorganisms, and their susceptibility to development of microbial resistance. These antimicrobials may also differ in their pharmacological characteristics, such as their bioavailability, and biodistribution. Accordingly, selection of an appropriate antibacterial (or other antimicrobial) in any given clinical situation can be a complicated analysis of many factors, including the type of organism involved, the desired method of administration, and the location of the infection to be treated.
The pharmaceutical literature is replete with attempts to develop improved antimicrobials (i.e., compounds that have a broader scope of activity, greater potency, improved pharmacology, and/or less susceptibility to resistance development.) For example, one group of antimicrobials that has been developed relatively recently for clinical use is the quinolones. These compounds include, for example, nalidixic acid, difloxacin, enoxacin, fleroxacin, norfloxacin, lomefloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and pefloxacin. See, C. Marchbanks and M. Dudley, "New Fluoroquinolones", 7 Hospital Therapy 18 (1988); P. Shah, "Quinolones", 31 Prog. Drug Res. 243 (1987); Quinolones--Their Future in Clinical Practice, (A. Percival, editor, Royal Society of Medical Services, 1986); and M. Parry, "Pharmacology and Clinical Uses of Quinolone Antibiotics", 116 Medical Times 39 (1988).
However, many such attempts to produce improved antimicrobials have produced equivocal results. Indeed, few antimicrobials are developed that are truly clinically-acceptable in terms of their spectrum of antimicrobial activity, avoidance of microbial resistance, and pharmacology. For example, the quinolones often show reduced effectiveness against certain clinically important pathogens (for example, gram positive bacteria and/or anaerobic bacteria). The quinolones also have limited water solubility limiting their bioavailability and suitability for parenteral dosing. They may also produce adverse side effects, such as gastrointestinal disturbance and central nervous system effects (such as convulsions). See, M. Neuman and A. Esanu, "Gaps and Perspectives of New Fluoroquinolones", 24 Drugs Exptl. Clin. Res. 385 (1988); W. Christ et al., "Specific Toxicologic Aspects of the Quinolones", 10 Rev. Infectious Diseases S141 (1988); H. Neu, "Clinical Use of the Quinolones", Lancet 1319 (1987); and "Ciprofloxacin: Panacea or Blunder Drug?", J. South Carolina Med. Assoc 131 (March 1989).


The disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for printing a document from a computer workstation to a multifunction peripheral. Upon receiving a print command, the computer workstation determines whether the multifunction peripheral prints pages in a face-up or a face-down configuration. If the multifunction peripheral prints pages in a face-down configuration, the workstation invokes a printer driver to send the pages of the document to a print controller in reverse order. The print controller processes an initial portion of the document and sends the initial portion to the multifunction peripheral for printing. The multifunction peripheral prints the initial processing portion of the document while the controller processes the remainder of the document.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trade dress rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to image forming apparatuses and, more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for efficiently sending and processing a print job for an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Most contemporary operating systems, such as Microsoft Windows, permit a user to print a document on a printer from a networked computer workstation. The printing process typically comprises the user generating a printable document using an application program on a host computer. The host computer is often a computer workstation on a network. The application program sends the document to a printer driver, which, in conjunction with the operating system, converts the document into a language readable by the printer. The printer often comprises the combination of a printer controller coupled to a print engine. The document is then formatted by the printer controller and sent to the print engine for printing. Each step in this process is desirably performed in an efficient manner in order to minimize the time required for the printer to start outputting the document.
A printer driver is a software program or file that resides on the host computer, typically on the host computer""s hard drive and run from memory (e.g., RAM), rather than the printer itself. The driver takes into account the individual characteristics of a printer and converts graphics and text into device-specific data at the time of printing. A printer driver also gives the host computer and its user an understanding of the capabilities of the printer, so that all the printer features can be used.
The printer driver normally tells the host computer what printer language the printer uses, which fonts are built in, how many paper feeders it has, what sizes of paper it can support, whether it can print duplex, etc. The language used by a printer is the set of commands it obeys to format data sent from a computer. The host computer uses the printer driver to convert the document into data readable by the printer and to embed certain printer commands in the data. The driver then sends the document to the printer controller.
The printer controller commonly comprises a processor embedded in the printer that creates an image from commands it receives from the source of the document. The controller may also comprise a dedicated computer that is not embedded in the printer. The controller performs several tasks. For example, the controller: (a) communicates with the host computer; (b) interprets the commands embedded in the document to be printed; (c) formats the document, including setting the paper size, margins, selecting fonts etc.; and (d) rasterizes the document, in which the document is typically arranged into an array of dots ready for the printer. In the rasterizing stage, the controller converts the commands received from the formatter into an array of dots. It takes the bitmap for each character of text, and places it at the specified position in the array, then overlays the array with any bitmap graphics, to generate the pattern to be printed.
After the printer controller has processed the document, the printer controller finally passes the document to the print engine for printing. Alternately, the document is loaded in a print job queue. The print engine is the device that physically forms the generated image on a recording medium such as paper. The print engine cannot begin printing the document until it receives at least one page of generated image from the printer controller.
The first page out time (FPOT) for a document is the amount of time that it takes the print engine to begin printing the first page of a document from the time that the user first sends a print command. The FPOT is dependent on various factors, including the amount of time that the printer driver takes to process the document and send the document to the controller. The FPOT is also dependent on the amount of time that the controller takes to send a generated image to the print engine and the amount of time that the print engine takes to begin printing after it receives the document. Generally, it is desirable to reduce the FPOT so that a user can receive a print job as quickly as possible. For a short print job, the total print time may be dominated by the FPOT. Even for large jobs, a longer FPOT can give the impression of overall slowness.
The FPOT of a print job may be unnecessarily increased if any of the components in the printing process sit idle waiting for any of the other components to complete its tasks. This can be seen in the case of the FPOT for a face-up printer, which is generally longer than the FPOT for a face-down printer. A face-up printer prints a document with the first printed page facing upwardly. A face-up printer prints the document in reverse order (last page of the document printed first) so that the pages of the final printed document are arranged in the correct consecutive order for the user. A face-down printer prints a document with the first page facing downwardly. A facedown printer thus prints a document in forward order (first page of the document printed first) so that the pages of the final document are arranged in correct consecutive order for the user.
The reason that a face-up printer has a longer FPOT than a face-down printer is that a face-down printer can begin printing as soon as it receives image data from the host computer. The host computer transmits each page in the same order that the pages are printed by the face-down printer. To the contrary, a face-up printer, which prints from last page to first page, cannot begin printing until it receives the entire document from the host computer. This is because the face-up printer outputs pages in the opposite order from which they are output by the host computer. The printer engine therefore may be required sit idle while it is xe2x80x9cwaitingxe2x80x9d to receive the last page of the document from the controller. This is inefficient.
The previously described problems are solved by the method and apparatus described herein. One aspect of the invention relates to a method and apparatus for sending a document from a computer workstation to a multifunction peripheral (MFP) for printing, the MFP being communicatively coupled to a controller. The computer workstation and the controller process the document in a manner that allows the MFP to begin printing as soon as it receives image data from the controller in order to reduce down-time by the MFP.
A user at a computer workstation submits a document for printing and the computer workstation uses a printer driver to convert the document into a print file. The computer workstation then sends the print file to the controller, which processes the print file and submits it to the MFP for printing. Prior to sending the document to the controller, the computer workstation arranges the pages of the document in an order that allows the MFP to immediately begin printing upon receipt of the document from the controller. Specifically, the computer workstation arranges the pages of the document in a forward consecutive order if the multifunction peripheral prints in a face-down configuration and arranges the pages in a reverse consecutive order if the multifunction peripheral prints in a face-up configuration.
Additionally, upon receipt of the document from the computer workstation, the controller initially processes a portion of the document and then immediately sends the processed portion to the MFP. This allows the MFP to start printing the document as soon as it receives the first image data from the controller. The controller then processes the remainder of the document while the MFP is printing the initial processed portion, the remainder comprising the pages in the print job not present in the initial processing portion. The control unit then sends the remainder of the document to the multifunction peripheral for printing. The aforementioned process provides a reduced first page output time for a print job.
Still further objects and advantages attaching to the device and to its use and operation will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following particular description.


A media delivery apparatus includes a media insertion portion and a media delivery port. A media guide surface is configured to guide media toward the delivery port. The feed roller is configured to feed the media toward the delivery port. The first pressing member is configured to press the media against the feed roller and the second pressing member is configured to press the media against the media guide surface. A driving mechanism is configured to drive the first pressing member. The first pressing member is moved from a waiting position and toward the feed roller and the second pressing member is moved from a retreating position to a side of the media guide surface interlockingly with the first pressing member. The second pressing member reaches a position at which the second pressing member presses the media against the media guide surface after the first pressing member reaches a position at which the first pressing member presses the media against the feed roller.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a medium delivery apparatus for separating and delivering media, such as checks and recording papers, sheet by sheet, and to a medium processing apparatus, such as a check processing apparatus, a printer, a scanner, and a magnetic reading apparatus, for delivering media, using the medium delivery apparatus.
2. Related Art
In financial institutions such as banks, checks (securities), such as a check or a bill, brought thereinto are put into a check processing apparatus to read images and magnetic ink characters printed on the front surface and the rear surface of the checks and to perform an operation of distributing the checks according to a result of reading the images and the magnetic ink characters. With the recent popularization of electronic payment, read image data and magnetic ink characters have been processed by computers to manage checks by computers. JP-A-2004-206362 discloses such a check processing apparatus.
In the check processing apparatus, checks are inserted into a check insertion portion in a stacked state and are delivered to a check delivery passage by a feed roller. A pressing member for pressing a check against the feed roller is placed in the check insertion portion.
A rotation-type member is employed as the pressing member, which is enabled to rotate around one end thereof to press a check against the feed roller at the other end thereof. The rotation-type pressing member is simple in structure and is highly reliable in operation, as compared with a parallel-movement-type pressing member.
The rotation-type pressing member presses only a check's portion that is opposed to an outer peripheral surface of the feed roller against the feed roller. Thus, the check is put into a state in which the check is not constrained in a stacking direction at the remaining portions thereof. Consequently, in a case where a check is creased at a leading end part thereof in a check delivering direction, the leading end portion of the check tends to unfold because the leading end portion thereof is not pressed. When the check is delivered from the check insertion portion via a delivery port having a narrow width, the check is likely to be caught in the delivery port. Thus, there is a concern that the check may be jammed therein.
Such an adverse effect can be avoided by completely pressing the check in the check insertion portion using a parallel-movement-type pressing member. However, as compared with the rotation-type pressing member, the parallel-movement-type pressing member is complex in the structure of a movement mechanism, and is large in the number of components. Thus, the parallel-movement-type pressing member is high in the manufacturing cost thereof, and is low in reliability.
In view of the above, in JP-A-2008-201501, a medium delivery apparatus enabled to surely deliver a sheet-shaped medium, such as a check, from a medium insertion portion using a rotation-type pressing member has been proposed. In the delivery apparatus disclosed in JP-A-2008-201501, a first pressing member that presses a sheet-shaped medium against the feed roller, and a second pressing member that presses a sheet-shaped medium's end portion in a delivering direction, are arranged. A sheet-shaped medium is delivered in a state in which the sheet-shaped medium is pressed by both the pressing members.

Medium delivery apparatus and medium processing apparatus with dual pressing members


A Jacquard fabric includes a Jacquard yarn plaited into a base knit structure such as, for example, a "Sleeknit" structure. The fabric may be knitted on a warp knitting machine having at least four guide bars, the frontmost guide bar being a Jacquard guide bar, with the Jacquard yarn being knitted in a knit-float-knit sequence. The two middle guide bars are, for example, fully threaded with multifilament synthetic yarns (e.g. Nylon or polyester), which knit on alternate courses and float on alternate courses. The backmost bar may be fully threaded with, for example, an elastomeric fiber (e.g. Lycra Spandex) which may be laid into the structure during knitting. In an exemplary method for producing the fabric of the present invention, the two middle guide bars knit on alternate courses, so that only one of these bars is knitting on any one course. This arrangement allows the Jacquard yarn to be plaited into the same course and stitch as the finer multifilament yarn on the odd-numbered courses, creating a softer fabric. In addition, the fabric may be produced without a dropping of the stitch from the needle, even when the Jacquard guide bar is being deflected.

Warp knitted Jacquard patterned fabrics as known in the art are generally produced by interlacing continuous filament synthetic yams into a series of interlocking loops. The loops may form a design comprised of underlap floats on the technical back of the fabric. A bright, translucent synthetic yarn may be used, and in particular a monofilament yarn having a generally triangular "prism-like" cross-section. This yarn partially reflects light striking the fabric, giving the fabric an iridescent "glossie" appearance, particularly if the underlying ground yarns directly beneath this face effect yarn are of a different and contrasting color.
While creating an attractive design, the translucent yam typically requires a relatively thick cross section to produce the desired appearance. The thickness of the yarn has a relatively coarse feel. Accordingly, the translucent yarn creates a fabric that is harsh to the touch on the technical face as well as the technical back, making the fabric uncomfortable to wear next to the skin. While improvements to such fabrics have been attempted, for example decreasing the cross section area of the translucent yarn or replacing the monofilament yarn with a multifilament yarn, none of these modifications provides a fabric that retains the desired appearance, yet is soft to the touch on the technical face.

Jacquard fabric and method of manufacturing


A method and network device for managing a multi-homed network are provided. The method comprises receiving a request from a client within a client computer network directed to a remote server computer within a remote computer network, wherein the client and the remote server computer are connected through a plurality of data routes, each of the plurality of data routes is connected to a router; selecting a data route from the plurality of data routes to route the received request, wherein the selection of the data route is based on a decision function; translating a source IP address of the client to an IP address corresponding to the selected data route; and routing the received request from the client to the remote server computer over the selected data route.

In computer networks, such as the Internet, preventing a server from becoming overloaded with requests from clients may be accomplished by providing several servers having redundant capabilities and managing the distribution of client requests among the servers through a process known as "load balancing."
In one early implementation of load balancing, a Domain Naming System (DNS) server connected to the Internet is configured to maintain several IP addresses for a single domain name, with each address corresponding to one of several servers having redundant capabilities. The DNS server receives a request for address translation and responds by returning the list of server addresses from which the client chooses one address at random to connect to. Alternatively, the DNS server returns a single address chosen either at random or in a round-robin fashion, or actively monitors each of the servers and returns a single address based on server load and availability.
More recently, a device known as a "load balancer," such as the Web Server Director, commercially available from the Applicant/assignee, has been used to balance server loads as follows. The load balancer is provided as a gateway to several redundant servers typically situated in a single geographical location referred to as a "server farm" or "server cluster." DNS servers store the IP address of the load balancer rather than the IP addresses of the servers to which the load balancer is connected. The load balancer's address is referred to as a "virtual IP address" in that it masks the addresses of the servers to which it is connected. Client requests are addressed to the virtual IP address of the load balancer which then sends the request to a server based on server load and availability or using other known techniques.
Just as redundant servers in combination with a load balancer may be used to prevent server overload, redundant server farms may be used to reroute client requests received at a first load balancer/server farm to a second load balancer/server farm where none of the servers in the first server farm are available to tend to the request.
One rerouting method currently being used involves sending an HTTP redirect message from the first load balancer/server farm to the client instructing the client to reroute the request to the second load balancer/server farm indicated in the redirect message. This method of load balancing is disadvantageous in that it can only be employed in response to HTTP requests, and not for other types of requests such as FTP requests. Another rerouting method involves configuring the first load balancer to act as a DNS server. Upon receiving a DNS request, the first load balancer simply returns the virtual IP address of the second load balancer. This method of load balancing is disadvantageous in that it can only be employed in response to DNS requests where there is no guarantee that the request will come to the first load balancer since the request does not come directly from the client, and where subsequent requests to intermediate DNS servers may result in a previously cached response being returned with a virtual IP address of a load balancer that is no longer available.
When redundant server farms are situated in more than one geographical location, the geographical location of a client may be considered when determining the load balancer to which the client's requests should be routed, in addition to employing conventional load balancing techniques. However, routing client requests to the geographically nearest server, load balancer, or server farm might not necessarily provide the client with the best service if, for example, routing the request to a geographically more distant location would otherwise result in reduced latency, fewer hops, or provide more processing capacity at the server.


A system for intelligently processing queries for cloud-based network file stores includes a file store that stores groups of documents that are associated with files, a non-transitory storage medium that stores instructions, and a processor. The processor may execute the instructions to receive a ticket based on a communication associated with a query to the file store, pull data for the ticket, check a sender of the communication, identify a file using the data, and/or analyze the communication using an artificial intelligence engine to generate a recommendation. The processor may monitor changes to the recommendation made before being sent in order to update the artificial intelligence engine for the changes.

File stores may include groups of documents associated with different files. These file stores may be available through a network. In some examples, client applications executing on client devices may communicate with one or more servers to query the file stores in various ways. For example, queries may involve requesting one or more documents associated with one or more files, creating new files, adding documents to files, and so on.
For example, a cloud-based network file store may store documents for files associated with escrow transactions, such as private real estate transactions. Parties and/or party agents (such as purchasers, sellers, escrow agents, realtors, lenders, and so on) may use client applications to communicate with one or more file store servers in order to obtain, process, update, and/or otherwise interact with documents associated with the file for an escrow transaction.

Intelligent machine processing of queries for cloud-based network file store


A sleeve and collar system for an oar includes a sleeve configured to couple to a shaft portion of the oar. The sleeve includes an outer surface. The system also includes a wear collar configured to couple around the sleeve at each of a plurality of longitudinal positions along the sleeve. The wear collar is configured to bear substantially all direct contact from an oarlock during a rowing stroke of the oar. A radially inner surface of the wear collar is shaped to be complementary to at least a portion of the sleeve outer surface, such that the wear collar inner surface and the sleeve outer surface cooperate to maintain the wear collar in a predetermined orientation about a longitudinal axis of the sleeve at each of the plurality of longitudinal positions.

The field of the disclosure relates generally to rowing equipment, and more particularly to a sleeve and collar for a rowing oar.
At least some known boats include oars used by a rower to provide forward thrust to move the boat. For example, the oar acts as a lever that pivots around a fulcrum fixed to the boat as the rower moves the oar back and forth through a rowing motion. As least some known oars use an oarlock as the fulcrum. For example, the oar is inserted through the oarlock, and the oarlock pivots on a vertical pin coupled to the boat. At least some known oars include sleeves that are fixed to the oar to improve handling of the oar and/or to act as a replaceable wear surface for the oar at an oarlock contact area. At least some known sleeves are used with a collar that couples around a portion of the sleeve and acts as a stop to prevent the oar from sliding completely through the oarlock.
At least some known collars can be selectively coupled to any of several locations on the sleeve, such that each location provides a correspondingly different mechanical gearing for the rowing motion. At least some rowers prefer to select a different mechanical gearing, and hence a different collar position, for different performance conditions. However, at least some known sleeves, such as but not limited to some two-piece molded thermoplastic sleeves installed on the oar with a bonding agent, tend to twist and/or bulge during installation. The twisting and/or bulging causes an oar blade pitch angle, determined by the interface between the oarlock and the sleeve at the oarlock contact area, to vary for different collar positions, adversely affecting the rower's performance.
Moreover, at least some known sleeves require a user to apply a tool, such as a screwdriver, to reposition the collar. The required use of the tool increases a complexity of changing the mechanical gearing, both on land and in the boat. At least some known sleeves at least partially address this concern by providing spacers that can be positioned on an outboard side of the collar. However, because the spacers move the oarlock contact area to a different position on the sleeve, the problem of varying blade pitch angle is not resolved.

Sleeve and collar system for an oar and method of making same


A language input architecture receives input text (e.g., phonetic text of a character-based language) entered by a user from an input device (e.g., keyboard, voice recognition). The input text is converted to an output text (e.g., written language text of a character-based language). The language input architecture has a user interface that displays the output text and unconverted input text in line with one another. As the input text is converted, it is replaced in the UI with the converted output text. In addition to this in-line input feature, the UI enables in-place editing or error correction without requiring the user to switch modes from an entry mode to an edit mode. To assist with this in-place editing, the UI presents pop-up windows containing the phonetic text from which the output text was converted as well as first and second candidate lists that contain small and large sets of alternative candidates that might be used to replace the current output text. The language input user interface also allows a user to enter a mixed text of different languages.

Language-specific word processing systems that utilize alphanumeric keyboards (e.g. the English QWERTY keyboard) have existed for many years. Alphanumeric keyboards work well for languages that employ a small alphabet, such as the Roman character set. Unfortunately, not all languages have a small character base. For instance, character-based languages (also referred to as symbol languages), such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and the like, may have thousands of characters. Language specific keyboards do not exist for character-based languages because it is practically impossible to build a keyboard to support separate keys for so many different characters.
Rather than designing expensive language and dialect-specific keyboards, language-specific word processing systems allow the user to enter phonetic text from a small character-set keyboard (e.g., a QWERTY keyboard) and convert that phonetic text to language text of a character-based language. "Phonetic text" represents the sounds made when speaking a given language, whereas the "language text" represents the actual written characters as they appear in the text. In the Chinese language, for example, Pinyin is an example of phonetic text and Hanzi is an example of the language text. Typically, the set of characters needed to express the phonetic text is much smaller than the character set used to express the language text. By converting the phonetic text to language text, many different languages can be processed by the language specific word processor using conventional computers and standard QWERTY keyboards.
To facilitate user entry of phonetic text, language-specific word processing systems often employ a language input user interface (UI). Existing language input UIs, however, are not very user friendly because they are not easy to learn and they do not accommodate a fast typing speed. As an example of such unfriendliness, some conventional language input user interfaces disassociate the phonetic text input from the converted language text output. For instance, a user may enter phonetic text in one location on the visual display screen and the converted characters of the language text are presented in a separate and distinct location on the screen. The two locations may even have their own local cursor. This dual presentation can be confusing to the user in terms of where entry is actually taking place. Moreover, the user must continuously glance between the locations on the screen.
As a result, existing language input UIs are often only used by professional typists, not by everyday personal computer (PC) users. In character-based language countries, these concerns have a significant affect on the popularity of PC use.
In general, there are two types of language input user interfaces: (1) a code-based user interface and (2) a mode-based user interface. In a code-based user interface, users memorize codes related to words of the language. The codes are input by way of an input device and converted to the desired language text. This type of user interface allows users to input text very fast once they have memorized the codes. However, these codes are often not easy to memorize, but are easy to forget.
In a mode-based user interface, phonetic text is input and converted to the desired language text. Mode-based user interfaces do not require users to memorize codes, but typically require users to switch modes between inputting and editing language text. One example of a mode-based user interface is employed in Microsoft's "Word"-brand word processing program that is adapted for foreign languages by utilizing phonetic-to-language conversion, such as Chinese. When entering phonetic text in the "Word" program, a user is presented with a localized tool bar that enables the user to switch between an inputting mode in which a user inputs phonetic characters (e.g., Chinese Pinyin) and an editing mode in which a user corrects inevitable errors that occasionally occur as a result of the recognition and conversion process.
One drawback with such traditional interfaces is that users must be aware of the current mode—input or edit—and take additional steps that are extraneous to text entry (i.e., clicking a tool bar control button) to switch between the modes. This interface thus causes extra work for the user and diverts the user's attention from text entry to others peripheral control aspects, thereby significantly reducing input speed.
Another problem associated with mode-based user interfaces concerns how to handle, from a user interface perspective, the inevitable conversion errors. A conversion error occurs when the recognition and conversion engine converts the phonetic text into an incorrect language character. This may be quite common due to the nature of a given language and the accuracy at which the phonetic text can be used to predict an intended character. After the user converts to the editing mode, the user interface typically provides some way for the user to correct the character. In Microsoft's "Word"-brand word processing program for China, for example, a user is presented with a box containing possible alternative characters. If the list is long, the box provides controls to scroll through the list of possible characters.
Another drawback of traditional mode-based user interfaces is that they require mode switching for inputting different languages. When a user is inputting phonetic text and wants to input text of a second language, the user has to switch modes to input the second language. For instance, in the context of Microsoft "Word", the localized tool bar offers a control button that enables a user to toggle between entry of a first language (e.g., Chinese Pinyin) and entry of a second language (e.g., English). The user must consciously activate the control to inform the word recognition engine of the intended language.
Another concern related to a language input UI, particularly from the perspective of non-professional typists, is typing errors. The average user of phonetic text input UIs is particularly prone to entering typographic typing errors. One reason for the typing errors is that users from different geographic regions often use different dialects of a character-based language. Users misspell phonetic text due to their local dialects. A slight deviation in phonetic text can result in entirely different character text.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved language input user interface.


Methods for removing 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine and N-methylenemethanamine from a N-methylimidazole and methods for making oligonucleotides using N-methylimidazole are provided. In one embodiment, a method for removing 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine and N-methylenemethanamine from a feedstock containing N-methylimidazole includes contacting the feedstock with small or medium pore molecular sieves. The small or medium pore molecular sieves adsorb 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine and N-methylenemethanamine from the feedstock. The method further includes separating the small or medium pore molecular sieves from the feedstock.

N-methylimidazole may be used to synthesize oligonucleotides and/or phosphorothioate oligonucleotides. The synthesis generally has the following steps: (a) deblocking, (b) activation/coupling, (c) capping, and (d) oxidizing (in the case of oligonucleotides) or sulfurizing (in the case of phosphorothioate oligonucleotides). The cycle may be repeated sequentially depending on the number of bases to be coupled. The capping step is commonly carried out in the presence of a combination of N-methylimidazole and acetic anhydride. In some oligonucleotide syntheses employing N-methylimidazole, it has been observed that unwanted adducts may form. The adducts have been observed to add 85 daltons to the molecular weight of the oligonucleotides.
It has been determined that the formation of unwanted adducts occurs when the N-methylimidazole includes 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine as an impurity. Specifically, 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine has been found to react with the oligonucleotide to form unwanted adducts. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide a method for removing 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine from N-methylimidazole. Use of 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine-free N-methylimidazole may provide for optimized synthesis of oligonucleotides and/or phosphorothioate oligonucleotides.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method for removing 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine from N-methylimidazole. Further, it is desirable to provide a method for forming oligonucleotides that includes the step of removing 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine from N-methylimidazole before using the N-methylimidazole to cap unreacted deblocked nucleotide. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Methods for removing triazine from N-methylimidazole for synthesis of oligonucleotide


The disclosed invention relates to achieving micromachined piezoelectrically-actuated diaphragms. The piezoelectric diaphragm includes a central, inactive electrode free region and an annular shaped interdigitated electrode adjacent to the outer periphery of the central region. The diaphragm also may have an inactive annular, electrode free region and an active central, interdigitated electrode region. The diaphragms may be used in, such as, miniature pumps. The pumps may include a plurality of chambers to generate peristaltic pumping of fluids.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are micromachined devices which include sensors or actuators together with signal processors. These devices are usually fabricated by integrated circuit techniques and have the potential for orders of magnitude decrease in size and cost. An example of MEMS is a micromachined mass spectrometer. A conventional mass spectrometer is large, heavy, and expensive. In addition, a trained technical person is required to operate it.
In order to miniaturize a mass spectrometer, a micromachined device capable of creating a vacuum of about 10 mTorr in a detector chamber of the mass spectrometer is required. This requirement, however, is not fully compatible with integrated circuit applications.
Diaphragms of the art which have been used in MEMS such as miniaturized pumps, when deflected in response to an applied voltage, typically undergo sharp, "witch hat" type deflections. Other diaphragms of the art also utilize high voltages when actuated by electrostatic fields only. These types of deflections are disadvantageous in that they generate high stresses in the diaphragm as well as inefficient pumping action.
A need therefore exists for diaphragms which may be used in, such as, miniature pumps and which address these disadvantages of the prior art.