A compact fluorescent lamp for illumination which is constructed by planar glass plates formed of a low cost sodium glass material and assembled together by a sealing glass adhesive, or a glass frit, such that a low cost compact fluorescent lamp that has maximum electrical discharge path can be fabricated in mass production. The compact flourescent lamp has a chamber cavity that is divided into a plurality of sub-chambers by interior partitions each having an aperture therethrough for allowing a discharge to go through into a neighboring sub-chamber. The placement of the aperture is such that a maximum discharge path, or a maximum arc path can be achieved while maintaining the total volume of the compact lamp at a minimum. The use of flat glass plates made of a low cost sodium glass material enables a low cost manufacturing of the present invention novel lamp. Complex and expensive shaping of glass tubes into bent or curved tubes utilized in conventional compact flourescent lamps are completely eliminated in the present invention novel method.

The present invention generally relates to a compact fluorescent lamp and a method for manufacturing such lamp and more particularly, relates to a compact fluorescent lamp that can be fabricated by adhesively bonding planar glass plates together forming a hermetically sealed chamber having interior partitions therein dividing a chamber cavity into a plurality of sub-chambers with fluid communication thereinbetween such that a maximum length of passageway for an electrical discharge may be achieved resulting in an improved brightness of the lamp, and a method for manufacturing such lamp.
Fluorescent lamps that utilize a fluorescent coating in a glass tube and a gas filling capable of being charged to produce ultraviolet energy in order to energize the fluorescent coating have been used for a long time. The conventional fluorescent lamps are normally supplied in the form of elongated tubes of significant length, for instance, between 2 ft and 4 ft, that require a large installation space and large fixtures for holding such lamps. Due to the bulkiness of the lamps and the fixtures, conventional fluorescent lamps have only been used in industrial or commercial applications where available space for installation is not a problem. The consumer or home usages of the fluorescent lamps are limited to the 1 ft length lamps normally used in a reading lamp fixture, or the 4 ft lamps normally used in a shop light fixture. The energy saving aspect of the fluorescent lamps has therefore not been fully utilized in the consumer market, mainly due to its bulkiness and its low light intensity (or low lumen output), when the lamps are fabricated in a package that is small enough to fit inside a consumer-type light fixture.
In more recent years, there is a significant push for the use of more compact fluorescent lamps for replacing the conventional incandescent lamps caused by a high awareness of energy savings. One other benefit for using the fluorescent lamps is the longer life time of the lamps when compared to the incandescent lamps. More compact fluorescent lamps became available which are shaped in a plurality of parallelly extending tubes from a base at a predetermined length.
One obvious drawback of the compact fluorescent lamps that must be overcome before the lamps can be widely used in the consumer market is the low lumen output when compared to that from the incandescent lamps. For instance, in a conventional 20 watt straight tube fluorescent lamp which produces approximately the same lumen output as a 100 watt incandescent bulb, 4 ft length of the fluorescent lamp is required. This is the type of straight tube fluorescent lamps that are normally used in shop light fixtures. In order to produce a higher lumen output, the arc discharge length (or simply known as the discharge length), required for producing such lumen output must be maximized which leads to the problem of packaging a long tube within a small package size such that it fits in a conventional incandescent lamp fixture.
Lamp manufacturers have extended the length of the respective tube portions in a lamp envelope, or alternatively increased the number of the tube portions to as many as eight such tube portions arranged side-by-side. One example of such application produced fluorescent lamps by bending segments of glass tubings into U-shapes and sealing of one or both legs and then connecting two or more of such bent tubes with glass bridges by simultaneously blowing out a small hole near one end of the tube and then fusing them together. For instance, in a dual U-shaped lamp, the arc discharge passageway goes up one leg, down the other and then through the glass bridge into a second bent tube arrangement.
One of such designs for fluorescent lamps is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,890 and in FIGS. 1Axcx9c2B. FIGS. 1Axcx9c1B shows a compact type fluorescent lamp device that has a crooked arc path. A reversed W-shaped arc bulb 10 which includes a first U-shaped bulb 12 and a second U-shaped bulb 14. The reverse W-shaped arc bulb 10 is fabricated in the following manner. First, the outside surface of one of the ends 16 of the first U-shaped bulb 12 and the corresponding surface of one of the ends 18 of the second U-shaped bulb 14 are heated. The heated portions are closely opposed and connected to one another in a blow-off process to fluidly communicate to each other. As shown in FIG. 1B, a first electrode 20 is disposed in one end 22 of the first U-shaped bulb 12, and a second electrode 24 is arranged in the other end 26. A substantially W-shaped arc path is thus formed in the connected first and second U-shaped bulbs 12 and 14.
As shown in FIG. 1B, a wide recess 28 is formed at the center of the pedestal portion 30 of the base 32. To house the connected portion of the first and second U-shaped bulbs 12 and 14. The process further requires the formation of a pair of holes 32 and 34 at the opposite sides of the wide recess 28 in the pedestal portion 30. The other ends 22 and 26 of the first and second U-shaped bulbs 12 and 14 in which the first and second electrodes 20 and 24 are disposed are respectively inserted into the corresponding holes 32 and 34, and are further supported with an elastic bonding agent which is later filled in the pedestal portion 30. The reversed W-shaped arc bulb 10 therefore requires elaborate manufacturing steps for blowing-off portions of the glass tubes and then reconnecting them to provide fluid communication between the two U-shaped bulbs. It is an expensive manufacturing process and the product produced must be marketed at a high cost basis.
In another embodiment, also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,890, a first, second, third and fourth straight bulbs 36, 38, 40 and 42 are rectangularly arranged on pedestal portion 30 of the base 32 extending perpendicularly from the pedestal portion 30. The extended end portion 36a of the first bulb 36 is connected to the extended end portion 38a of the second bulb 38 by a first connecting tube 44 to provide fluid communication between the two bulbs. This is shown in FIG. 2B. The base portion 36b of the first bulb 36 is disposed in a first hole 46a formed in the pedestal section 30 of the base 32. The base end portion 38b of the second bulb 38 which is opposite to the extended end portion 38a is disposed in a second hole 46b formed in the pedestal portion 30. The inner side surface of the second bulb 38, facing the third bulb 40, in the vicinity of base end portion 38b is connected to the corresponding portion of the third bulb 40 by a second connecting tube 48. This is shown in FIG. 2B. The second bulb 38 and the third bulb 40 are thus in fluid communication with each other. The extended end portion 40a of the third bulb 40 is connected to the corresponding portion 42a of the fourth bulb 42 by a third connecting tube 50 to enable fluid communication with each other. The base end portion 40b of the third bulb 40 is disposed in a third hole 46c formed in the pedestal portion 30, while the base end portion 42b of the fourth bulb 42 is disposed in a fourth hole 46d in the pedestal portion 30. A first electrode 52 is supported in the base end portion 36b of the first bulb 36, and a second electrode 54 is supported in the base end portion 42b of the fourth bulb 42. A relatively long arc path is therefore established through the first bulb 36, the first connecting tube 44, the second bulb 38, the second connecting tube 48, the third bulb 40, the third connecting tube 50 and the fourth bulb 42.
In this conventional construction of multiple-tube design, three separate passageways must be provided in connecting the four tubes together such that a single arc path can be obtained. The building of the four individual tubes and the connections must be made thereinbetween render the manufacturing process difficult and costly.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination that does not have the drawbacks or shortcomings of the conventional compact fluorescent lamps.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination that can be fabricated in mass production at low cost.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination wherein the lamp may be formed by planar glass plates.
It is another further object of the present invention to provide a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination wherein the lamp may be formed with low cost sodium glass.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination wherein a plurality of sub-chambers are formed in a hermetically sealed chamber such that a maximum discharge length can be obtained by an arc going through the sub-chambers.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination capable of producing higher lumen output than conventional compact flourescent lamps.
It is still another further object of the present invention to provide a compact fluorescent lamp wherein a lamp chamber may be divided into four, six, nine, twelve or fifteen sub-chambers for achieving a maximum discharge length and lumen output.
It is yet another further object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination by utilizing planar glass plates of sodium glass material which are glued together by using a sealing glass, or glass frit, for simple and low cost assembly of the lamp.
It is still another further object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination wherein a flourescent powder is coated on the interior walls of the lamp by electrostatic coating or screen printing, while outwardly facing surfaces are also coated with a reflective coating material.
In accordance with the present invention, a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination and a simple, low cost method for fabricating such lamps are disclosed.
In the preferred embodiment, a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination may be provided which includes a lamp body constructed by two side walls, two end walls, a cover and a base forming a hermetically sealed chamber cavity, at least one interior partition within the chamber cavity forming at least two sub-chambers, the at least one interior partition has at least one aperture therethrough for providing fluid communication between the at least two sub-chambers, the at least one aperture is positioned on the at least one partition in such a way that a maximum length of passageway by a subsequently generated electrical discharge is achieved in said at least two sub-chambers, at least one chemical substance coated on the interior walls including the at least one interior partition and the inside surfaces of the two sidewalls, two end walls, the cover and the base, the chemical substance produces visible light when energized by ultraviolet energy, a pair of spaced-apart electrodes each situated in a different sub-chamber of the at least two sub-chambers for providing an electrical discharge in the at least two sub-chambers, and a gas filling the at least two sub-chambers which when charged by the electrical discharge emits ultraviolet energy to energize the at least one chemical substance coated on the interior walls for producing visible light.
The compact fluorescent lamp may be constructed by sidewalls, end walls, cover and base which have a planar surface. The planar surface may have either a rectangular or a square shape. The lamp may have at least two interior partitions within the chamber cavity forming four sub-chambers. The lamp may further include three apertures with one provided on each of three partitions which divide the four sub-chambers, the three apertures are positioned such that a maximum length of passageway by the electrical discharge is achieved in the four sub-chambers. The chamber may further have at least three interior partitions within the chamber cavity to form six sub-chambers.
The compact fluorescent lamp may further include five apertures with one provided on each of five partitions which divide the six sub-chambers, the five apertures are positioned such that a maximum length of travel by the electrical discharge is achieved in the six sub-chambers. The lamp may also have at least four interior partitions within the chamber cavity forming nine sub-chambers. The lamp may further include eight apertures with one provided on each of seven partitions which divide the nine sub-chambers, the eight apertures are positioned such that a maximum length of travel by the electrical discharge is achieved in the nine sub-chambers.
The chemical substance used in coating the interior walls in the chamber cavity may be a phosphor-containing substance. The chemical substance produces a visible light which may be daylight, special white light, cool white light or white light depending on the specific type of the chemical substance selected. The chemical substance may be coated on the interior walls by either an electrostatic coating method or a screen printing method. The compact fluorescent lamp may further include reflective coating layers placed on outwardly-facing interior walls in the lamp for improving its brightness. The sidewalls, end walls, cover, base and interior partitions may be formed of sodium-containing glass, and may be assembled together by adhesive means. The adhesive means utilized may be a sealing glass material, or a glass frit. The at least two sub-chambers may further include twelve sub-chambers which are formed by planar sodium glass plates.
The present invention is further directed to a method for fabricating a compact fluorescent lamp for illumination which includes the steps of first providing two sidewalls, two end walls, a cover and a base formed of planar glass plates, then assembling the sidewalls, end walls, cover and base together by adhesive means into a hermetically sealed chamber which also includes the step of dividing a cavity in the chamber into at least two sub-chambers by at least one interior partition formed of planar glass plates, the at least one interior partition has at least one aperture therethrough for providing fluid communication between the at least two sub-chambers, the at least one aperture is positioned on the at least one partition in such a way that a maximum length of passageway by a subsequently generated electrical discharge is achieved in the at least two sub-chambers, interior walls on the planar glass plates are coated with at least one chemical substance that produces visible light when excited by ultraviolet energy, then providing a pair of spaced-apart electrodes in the at least two sub-chambers with one electrode in each sub-chamber for generating an electrical discharge, then filling the at least two sub-chambers with a gas which emits ultraviolet energy when charged by the electrical discharge, and generating ultraviolet energy in the gas and energizing the at least one chemical substance to produce visible light.
The method for fabricating a compact fluorescent lamp may further include the step of assembling the sidewalls, end walls, cover and base together by gluing with a glass frit. The method may further include the step of providing the sidewalls, end walls, cover, base and the at least one interior partition in a rectangular or square shape. The method may further include the step of positioning the pair of spaced-apart electrodes at two extreme ends of the maximum length of passageway for the electrical discharge generated in the at least two sub-chambers. The method may further include the step of coating all interior walls that face outwardly away from the chamber with a reflective coating. The at least one chamber substance may be a powder that emits fluorescent light when excited by an electrical discharge.
The method may further include the step of dividing the cavity in the chamber into four sub-chambers by at least two interior partitions, or the step of dividing the cavity in the chamber into six sub-chambers by at least three interior partitions, or the step of dividing the cavity in the chamber into nine sub-chambers by at least four interior partitions.
The method for forming a compact fluorescent lamp may further include the step of coating the at least one chemical substance by an electrostatic coating method or by a screen printing method. The method may further include the step of providing the planar gas plates in sodium glass.

Compact fluorescent lamp and method for manufacturing

Industrial Technology Research Institute


An electric heating module structure, an installation method, a forming method, and a wind turbine are provided. The electric heating module structure is configured for melting ice on a blade, and includes an electric heating module, a positive conductive wire and a negative conductive wire. The positive conductive wire and the negative conductive wire are integrally formed with the electric heating module, to supply power to the electric heating module. The integrally formed electric heating module, the positive conductive wire and the negative conductive wire are laid in an outer layer of the blade.

With a shortage of energy sources and people's growing concept of environment protection, wind power generation gradually becomes the most widely used renewable energy source. A blade of a wind turbine will be frozen due to the change of weather (such as freezing rain), and an ice layer on the blade seriously influences a normal operation of the wind turbine.
At present, an influence of the ice layer on the blade is reduced by the following method. In a case the blade is frozen to a certain extent, a deicing operation is performed under stopping the wind turbine or it may wait until the temperature rises to naturally de-ice. In a case that icing is not severe, the wind turbine generator is adjusted to reduce a capacity thereof which reduces power generation efficiency of the wind turbine.
A Chinese Patent (Application No. 201410025123.0) discloses an electric heating ice melting rotor blade of a wind turbine, an electric heating module, a forming apparatus, and a forming method thereof. The electric heating module is laid on the blade, the electric heating module is woven by a carbon fiber material, side lines of two wires thereof are led out from an upper side and a lower side, and in a case that the blade is frozen, the electric heating module can be powered on and heated to melt the ice on the blade.
However, for the electric heating module on the electric heating ice melting rotor blade and the conductive device, terminals led out from two sides of the electric heating module are connected by a cylindrical cable. Such connection requires connecting each bundle of carbon fibers and a wire via a plastic tube, and then connecting the metal wire with a bus bar. The connection is complicated, and requires a large connection space. It requires a larger space for refitting when laying on the blade. It has a great processing depth for the blade and a great processing difficulty when refitting is performed on the blade of an operating wind turbine, and requires a large amount of work when recovering a surface of the blade.

Electric heating module structure, installation method and forming method thereof, and wind turbine

BEIJING GOLDWIND SCIENCE & CREATION WINDPOWER EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.


Medical devices may be made of shape-memory materials portions of which have been heat treated to exhibit spatial variations in the stiffness of the material. Devices including stents, vena cava filters and guidewires may be constructed from such materials. Devices may also be made from shape-memory materials which have been locally heat treated such that the superelasticity of the treated portion is destroyed while the remainder of the shape-memory material can transition between the martensitic and austenitic states.

The present invention is related to the use of shape memory materials in medical devices.
A shape memory material can assume an initial high temperature configuration and a deformed low temperature configuration and revert back to the initial high temperature configuration upon the application of heat. The high temperature configuration of the material is set into the material or memorized during an initial shaping step in which the material is maintained at a high temperature in a desired shape for a period of time.
This shape memory exhibited by metals results from the metal undergoing a reversible solid state phase transition. Specifically, the metal transitions from an austenitic state to a martensitic state with a decrease in temperature. The temperature at which the transition begins is typically designated Ms (martensite start temperature) while the temperature at which the transition finishes is designated Mf (martensite finish temperature). As the metal transitions from the austenitic state to the martensitic state it becomes more easily deformed. In the martensitic state, the metal is able to accommodate significant plastic deformation at an almost constant stress level.
Upon heating a metal in the martensitic state, the metal begins to return to an austenitic state. The temperature at which this transition begins to occurs is designated As (Austenitic start temperature). The transition is complete at a temperature designated Af (Austenitic finish temperature). When Af is attained, the metal has fully reverted to its initial, high temperature configuration.
Shape-memory materials have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,012,882 to Muldawer et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,851 to Buehler et al. both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
A variety of materials exhibit shape memory properties including binary metals such as Nickel-Titanium alloys including Nitinol. Doped Nickel-Titanium alloys may also exhibit shape-memory properties.
The use of shape-memory metals in medical applications has been disclosed in a number of references including U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,978 to Hess, U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,712 to Kleshinski et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,378 to Jervis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,796 to Palermo et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,247 to Unsworth et al. The contents of the above patents are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.
Shape-memory materials have been used, inter alia, in the production of stents. Nitinol stents which are fully expanded in the austenitic state and compressed or partially expanded in the martensitic state have been disclosed. The specific Nitinol alloy is chosen such that the stent will be in the austenitic state at body temperature. Prior to insertion into the body, the stent is maintained at low temperature corresponding to a temperature within the martensitic range. Upon delivery to a desired bodily location, the stent is warmed to at least the Af temperature and in the process expanded to its desired final diameter.
Shape-memory metals have been disclosed for use in other medical devices as well.
The physical properties, including elasticity and stiffness, of a shape-memory metal may be controlled via a variety of factors including the chemical composition of the alloy and the treatment to which the alloy is subjected. The physical properties of a shape-memory material may also be controlled by heat treating the material. By selective local heat treatment of a shape-memory material, it is possible to destroy the austenitic-martensitic transition and/or change the elasticity and stiffness.
The present invention is directed to medical devices which use shape-memory materials that have been differentially heat treated to exhibit spatially varying properties such as elasticity and stiffness.
The present invention is directed to medical devices having been formed, at least in part, from shape-memory materials which have been locally treated to alter their memory characteristics relative to portions of the device which have not been subjected to the local heat treatment. Specifically, a region of the shape-memory material is treated to decrease the stiffness of the region relative to the remainder of the medical device. Desirably, the local treatment will destroy the superelastic properties of the locally treated region.
The invention is directed in particular to a stent having been formed at least in part of a shape-memory material. The stent comprises a plurality of cells arranged in columns extending from one end of the stent to the other. Adjacent columns of cells are interconnected. The stent includes at least one differently treated column of cells which has been treated differently from the remainder of the stent to have different shape-memory properties from the remainder of the stent.
The invention is also directed to a stent wherein at least one of the columns is characterized by a reduced elasticity relative to the remainder of the columns.
The invention is also directed to a stent wherein at least one of the columns is characterized by a reduced stiffness relative to the remainder of the columns.
The invention is further directed to a stent wherein at a desired temperature range, at least one longitudinal column of cells does not have superelastic properties while the remainder of the longitudinal columns do have superelastic properties.
The invention is also directed to a stent having been formed of a shape memory material and comprising a plurality of spaced segments. Adjacent spaced segments are connected to each other by one or more connector sections. Each segment comprises a series of interconnected cells. Desirably, the cells in plan view are of polygonal configuration. The segments have been subjected to a different heat treatment than the connector sections.
The invention is also directed to a stent having been formed of a shape memory material and comprising a plurality of spaced segments with adjacent spaced segments connected to each other by one or more connector sections. Each segment comprises a series of interconnected cells. Desirably, the cells in plan view are of polygonal configuration. The segments have a reduced stiffness relative to the connector sections. Desirably, the segments are not superelastic.
In another embodiment, the invention is directed to a medical guidewire having been formed at least in part of a shape-memory metal. Different portions of the shape-memory metal have been treated differently to have different shape-memory properties. Desirably, at least one portion of the guidewire is subjected to a local heat treatment resulting in a reduced stiffness compared with the remainder of the guidewire. In this way, a guidewire of desired flexibility can be prepared. Via the localized heat treatment, a guidewire may be prepared in which at least a portion thereof retains its shape memory properties while a portion thereof loses its shape memory properties.
In yet another embodiment, the invention is directed to implantable medical filters such as vena cava filter having been formed of shape-memory materials. At least a portion of the shape-memory material is differently treated to alter the shape-memory properties of the material relative to the untreated shape-memory material. Desirably, the differently treated portion will be heat treated and exhibit a greater tendency toward plastic deformation relative to the remainder of the filter.

Multi-property nitinol by heat treatment


A rotary evaporator (1) having a cooler (6), wherein temperature sensors (15, 17) are disposed in the inlet (14) and outlet (16) of the coolant into or out of the cooler (6), and a volume flow rate of the coolant through the cooler (6) is determined. The initiation or termination of condensation in the cooler (6) is derived from an increase or decrease in the difference of the temperatures (X) at the temperature sensors (15, 17). The volume of the condensed distillate (10) is determined from the difference in temperatures (X), and a distillation volume control is performed. By regulating the heating power of the heater (11) and/or the pressure in the system, the loading of the cooler (6) is controlled as a function of the difference in temperatures (X).

The invention relates to a rotary evaporator having a distilling flask, receiving a distillate and supported rotationally around an axis, which comprises a vapor tube encompassing the axis, a cooler comprising a cooling spiral receiving a coolant and connected to a cooling circuit to form a flow path, and a distillate flask to receive the distillate, with the vapor tube connecting the distilling flask to the cooler and the distillate flask, the distilling flask being heated by a heater, the distilling flask being rotational around the axis by a drive during the heating process, and the vapor guided through the vapor tube and condensed at the cooling spiral can be collected in the distillate flask.
The invention further relates to a method for evaporating a material to be distilled matter, with the material to be distilled being evaporated at least partially by being inserted into a distilling flask that receives the material to be distilled that is supported rotationally around an axis, with the distilling flask with the material to be distilled being heated by a heater, with the distilling flask being rotated around the axis during the heating process by a drive, with the vapor formed due to heating being guided via a vapor tube encompassing the axis into a cooler, with said cooler comprising a cooling spiral, which is connected to a coolant circuit in order to form a flow path for a coolant, and with a coolant flowing through it, and the vapor condensing at the cooling spiral being collected in a distillate flask.
Such rotary evaporators and methods for evaporating a material to be distilled are known, for example from the professional article M. T. Kramer: A Rotary Evaporator System And Its Potentials, G-I-T-Fachz. Lab., 18th Volume, September 1974, page 862ff, and have been largely proven in practice. A feature of the rotary evaporator particularly to be emphasized comprises that by the rotation of the distilling flask during the heating process, the material to be distilled is heated more evenly compared to conventional methods, particularly by a wide-range precipitation of the interior wall of the distilling flask with the material to be distilled. Thus, such rotary evaporators serve very well in lab technology.
From WO 96/05901 a method is known for regulating and controlling a distillation or condensing apparatus comprising a boiler, a heat source, and a cooler, with the cooling water circulating through the cooler accepting its temperature in the circuit and when it reaches an upper temperature limit, it is replaced by adding cold water until a lower temperature limit is reached. Here, a defined cut-off can be set if, in spite of inserting cold water, any reduction of the temperature of the cooling water fails to occur.


The vector control device includes: secondary magnetic flux command computing means (40) for computing a secondary magnetic flux command to an induction motor (6) by taking a maximum voltage that an inverter (4) can generate into account on a basis of a torque command from an external, a DC voltage to be inputted into the inverter, and an inverter angular frequency, which is an angular frequency of an AC voltage to be outputted from the inverter; q-axis/d-axis current command generating means (8 and 9) for generating a q-axis current command and a d-axis current command on a d-q axes rotating coordinate system in reference to a secondary magnetic flux of the induction motor (6) on a basis of the torque command and the secondary magnetic flux command; output voltage computing means (voltage non-interference computation portion 14, adder 17, and adder 18) for computing an output voltage that the inverter (4) is to output on a basis of the q-axis current command, the d-axis current command, and a circuit constant of the induction motor (6); and voltage command/PWM signal generating means (50) for controlling the inverter (4) for the inverter (4) to output the output voltage.

A basic technique of vector control on an induction motor using an inverter is a prior art that has been used extensively in the industrial field. This technique is to control a torque of a motor instantaneously at a high speed through an operation of a torque component current in an orthogonal relation to a secondary magnetic flux inside the motor by operating the magnitude and the phase of an inverter output voltage separately.
The vector control of an induction motor is a technique that is being used also in the electric railroad in recent years.
A driving inverter of an electric vehicle is characterized in that the switching mode of the inverter is switched in such a manner that a multi-pulse PWM mode, which is employed generally in many cases, is used in a low speed range and a single-pulse mode is used in a medium and high speed range in which the inverter output voltage saturates and is fixed to the maximum value.
The multi-pulse PWM (pulse width modulation) mode referred to herein is a generally well-known PWM method and it is a mode to generate a PWM signal by comparing a triangular wave at a frequency of about 1 kHz with a voltage command.
The single-pulse mode referred to herein is to shape an output line-to-line voltage of the inverter to the waveform of 120° rectangular-wave conduction. Because the effective value of the fundamental wave of an inverter output voltage can be increased to the maximum and the number of pulses in a half cycle of the output voltage fundamental wave can be reduced to one, which is the minimum, it is characterized in that a compact and light inverter can be obtained by minimizing a switching loss of the inverter and making a cooling device smaller.
The waveform of 120° rectangular-wave conduction referred to herein is a voltage waveform by which a line-to-line voltage of the inverter has one pulse in a half cycle and a conduction width is 120° in electric angle.
For the inverter in an electric vehicle, it is essential to have the capability of performing stable vector control over the entire range from the multi-pulse PWM mode in a low speed range to the single-pulse mode in a medium and high speed range in which an output voltage of the inverter saturates and is fixed to the maximum value, and a vector control technique in an output voltage saturation range of the inverter and a pulse mode switching technique are crucial elements.
In particular, the magnitude of an output voltage of the inverter is fixed to the maximum voltage corresponding to an input voltage of the inverter in the output voltage saturation range of the inverter. It is therefore necessary to devise a technique to establish vector control.
In the output voltage saturation range of the inverter, in a case where an inverter output voltage command computed by a vector control device exceeds the maximum voltage that the inverter can actually output, the inverter fails to output a voltage according to the inverter output voltage command.
Accordingly, there is a discrepancy between a secondary magnetic flux command to the induction motor and a secondary magnetic flux inside the motor, which makes it difficult to perform vector control appropriately.
In order to avoid such a phenomenon, it is necessary to adjust a secondary magnetic flux command so that an inverter output voltage command will not exceed the maximum voltage that the inverter can actually output.
To be more concrete, in a case where the inverter output voltage command exceeds the maximum voltage that the inverter can actually output, the inverter output voltage command has to be lowered by lowering the secondary magnetic flux command.
Non-Patent Document 1 specified below discloses a vector control method that solves the problems discussed above.
Non-Patent Document 1 discloses that the inverter output voltage command can be corrected so as to coincide with the maximum output voltage that the inverter can actually output and hence vector control is enabled even in the output voltage saturation range of the inverter by configuring in such a manner that when an inverter output voltage command computed by the vector control device exceeds the maximum voltage that the inverter can output, a difference between the inverter output voltage command and the voltage that the inverter can actually output is inputted to a magnetic flux correction controller, so that the secondary magnetic flux command is lowered by an output of the magnetic flux correction controller.
Non-Patent Document 1: "Denatsu kotei moudo deno yuuden dendouki no bekutoru seigyo", Journal of IEEJ, Vol. 118-D, No. 9, 1998.

Vector control device of induction motor, vector control method of induction motor, and drive control device of induction motor


Systems and methods are provided for facilitating enrollment of consumers in programs associated with entities. One exemplary method includes, in response to a selection of registration for an account with an entity, calling an application programming interface (API) associated with a virtual wallet platform, and receiving from the virtual wallet platform, via the API, a token associated with the entity. The method also includes displaying the token to a user and receiving, from the virtual wallet platform, a packet of personal identifying information for the user. The method further includes populating an application for registration of the user for the account with the personal identifying information included in the packet, and, upon an input from the user, enrolling the user in a program associated with the entity, based on the personal identifying information included in the packet, and providing the account to the user.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Consumers are known to purchase products (e.g., goods, services, etc.) from merchants. The purchases may be funded by the consumers through payment accounts, as presented to the merchants through physical cards (e.g., credit cards, debit cards, etc.) or virtual payment devices (e.g., virtual wallet applications, etc.).
From time to time, the merchants may offer loyalty programs to the consumers, whereby the consumers are associated with loyalty accounts and then gain points, miles, etc., in exchange for the purchases at the merchants (or otherwise, consistent with the terms and conditions of the loyalty programs). The points, miles, etc. may then be redeemed by the consumers for goods or services. Further, the loyalty accounts may be, simply, accounts that accrue points, miles, etc. based on the purchases, or they may be payment accounts that permit the consumers to also fund purchases at the merchants (and, potentially, at other merchants, etc.). Depending on the types of the loyalty accounts, the consumers may be required to provide a variety of information to the merchants in order to enroll with the merchants for the loyalty accounts. The information may include, for example, names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. for the consumers. The merchants then often rely on the information received from the consumers to enroll the consumers in the loyalty accounts, either in general or only if the consumers are subsequently deemed acceptable and/or worthy.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Systems and methods for use in facilitating enrollment in loyalty accounts


A first storage subsystem 100A comprises a first storage device 6A1 and one or more second storage devices 6A2, 6A3. A second storage subsystem 100B comprises a third storage device 6B1 and a fourth storage device 6B2. A third storage subsystem 100C comprises a fifth storage device 6C1 and a sixth storage device 6C2. The first storage subsystem 100A generates a data set, stores the generated data set in the second storage devices 6A2, 6A3, and transmits the data set to the second and third storage subsystems 100B, 100C. Each of the second and third storage subsystems 100B, 100C stores the received data set in the third storage device 6B1 or fifth storage device 6C1, reads a data set from the third or fifth storage device 6B1, 6C1, and stores the write data within the data set in the fourth storage device 6B2 or sixth storage device 6C2.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data storage and processing technology, for example to the replication of data among a plurality of storage subsystems.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, a technique in which data stored in a first storage subsystem are replicated in second and third storage subsystems has been considered so that when a fault occurs in the first storage subsystem, a data processing system comprising the first storage subsystem can continue to provide service. An example of this type of technique is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2003-122509. According to this technique, a first storage subsystem holds a first logical volume, a second storage subsystem holds a second logical volume, and a third storage subsystem holds a third logical volume. When the first storage subsystem writes data (to be referred to as "data A" hereafter) into the first logical volume, the data A are transferred to the second storage subsystem and written into the second logical volume synchronously with the timing at which the data A are written into the second logical volume, and the data A are transferred to the third storage subsystem and written into the third logical volume asynchronously with the timing at which the data A are written into the first logical volume.
Furthermore, the system described below, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,002, is known as an example of a data processing system comprising three or more storage subsystems.
A first storage subsystem holds a first logical volume serving as a replication source. A second storage subsystem holds a second logical volume serving as the replication destination of the first logical volume, and a third logical volume serving as the replication source of the second logical volume. A third storage subsystem holds a fourth logical volume serving as the replication destination of the third logical volume. When the first storage subsystem performs a data update on the first logical volume serving as the replication source, the data in the second logical volume of the second storage subsystem are updated. The second storage subsystem executes data replication processing from the second logical volume to the third logical volume and data replication processing from the third logical volume to the fourth logical volume exclusively.
In the prior art which is Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2003-122509, a function for learning the state of progress of data transfer, reception, and update between the second storage subsystem and third storage subsystem is provided in each of the second storage subsystem and third storage subsystem. In certain cases, however, it is desirable to perform replication between the second and third storage subsystems while maintaining data consistency without providing such a function.
Furthermore, in the prior art which is U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,002, upon reception of a data write command, the first storage subsystem writes data into both the first logical volume and the second logical volume in the second storage subsystem, and hence the response time to the write command may lengthen depending on the physical distance between the first storage subsystem and second storage subsystem. To reduce the response time to a write command, the physical distance between the first storage subsystem and second storage subsystem must be shortened.

Data processing system and storage subsystem provided in data processing system


A technique is presented for integrating software components. The technique includes providing an application integration model capable of adapting to different environments by dynamically using different software components at application runtime. The software components are categorized into different stages, with the stages being indicative of when the software components are to be loaded and executed within an application by the application integration model. The technique further includes employing the application integration model to assemble software components into the application within a runtime environment. The application integration model includes an application runtime driver (ARD), which drives work flows of the application integration model through multiple predefined application stages, and a component runtime integration box (CRIB), which includes multiple common data structures employed by the software components during integration into the application.

Usability and marketability of a software application are often judged by the number of different environments that the application can execute in. The different environments include different types of hardware platforms, operating systems, input/output (I/O) devices, user defined preferences, etc.
Software applications are conventionally built in development environments as a whole monolithic program or as a collection of smaller units such as code modules, static or dynamic libraries, or software components. One difficulty with this approach is that everything in the application needs to be completed and perfected in the development environment. Unfortunately, the running conditions or runtime environments are often highly diverse, and are increasing in number with the continual introduction of new devices. Thus, applications have become very complex in order to contain various types of intelligent logic to predict and react to the expected environment conditions. This increased complexity increases the cost of application development, and at some point, it may not be practicable to have an application that "knows" in advance all of the environments that the application could execute in.
The problem is further amplified by application development cycles becoming shorter and shorter, and by the fact that an "escaped" defect in an application identified in the field is difficult to debug and expensive to remedy. With software components becoming more popular, the problem is further multiplied. This is because when software components are integrated in the development environment into an application, it is difficult to test the software components for all possible runtime environments. Even if this can be accomplished, the developed application might need to be modified with a new platform, for example, another device to run the application is introduced.
In view of the above difficulties and complexities with traditional application development, a new design perspective is believed needed for shifting from the complete application control of the development environment to enabling an application to explore and adapt to a runtime environment. The present invention is directed to providing such a design shift.

Application integration model for dynamic software component assembly within an application at runtime

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention provides a communication and control system and method including a portable control and display unit, such as a portable handheld pocket PC, an aircraft mounted integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite receiver, a VHF radio modem, an Aircraft Communication and Reporting System (ACARS) transceiver, a backup battery for power, and a camera aboard the aircraft which is controlled by the portable control and display unit. The control and display unit transmits and receives data messages, voice communication and video communication, and control the operation and functions of the camera while in flight or on the ground. The control and display unit also communicates as a cell phone.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to secure mobile data, video and voice communications. More specifically, this invention relates to intra-vehicle as well as inter-vehicle communications and communications with a designated operations center.
2. Description of Related Art
Air security has been a major concern in recent times. For many years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented the Federal Air Marshal (FAM) program that places air marshals on U.S. air carriers. The FAM program serves as a deterrent to hijacking and other forms of terrorist activity aboard aircraft. The program provides a covert, armed security force capable of conducting anti-hijacking operations and of deploying rapidly. FAMs are specially trained Special Agents who travel on U.S. air carriers on routes and in areas where worldwide terrorist activities might occur. FAMs are authorized to carry firearms and, if they reasonably believe that a person has committed, or is committing, a felony, are authorized to make arrests without an arrest warrant for any offense against the U.S. However, once in flight, the FAMs have no communication capability. Accordingly, FAMs need a non-obtrusive communication device that has a clear channel communication with an operations center, which may be on the ground or airborne. The communication device should allow text messages, discernable graphics and voice transmissions. The device should be able to transmit an image to, and receive an image from, an operations center. The device should also have the ability to control remote mounted surveillance cameras, view a camera image and send the image to an operations center. In an extremis situation, the device should activate a tracking device that can only be turned off by, for example, an encrypted message from a geographically different source. The device should allow global communications.


Disclosed is a cholestasis ameliorant containing tauroursodeoxycholic acid, which is more excellent in solubility than ursodeoxycholic acid, as the active ingredient. The ameliorant is useful for the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis due to drug-induced hepatopathy, viral hepatitis or the like and the treatment of cholestasis occurring after surgical operation for the treatment of obstructive jaundice.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cholestasis ameliorant containing tauroursodeoxycholic acid as the active ingredient. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid is a taurine conjugate of ursodeoxycholic acid represented by the following structural formula. ##STR1##
2. Background Information
Cholestasis is a pathological condition where the choleresis, which is one of the important functions of the liver, is suppressed and the bile flow from the liver through the bile duct to the duodenum is reduced, resulting in congestion of biliary components, and it is categorized into extrahepatic obstructive jaundice, which is caused by an apparent mechanical obstruction such as tumor or gallstones, and intrahepatic cholestasis, which occurs with no macroscopically noticeable site of obstruction. Intrahepatic cholestasis is further classified into acute type due to drug-induced hepatitis or viral hepatitis, chronic type represented by primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), recurrent type occurring familially or during pregnancy and the like and the main clinical symptoms common to all types of intrahepatic cholestasis are severe jaundice and persistent itching.
Steroid and phenobarbital preparations are currently used for the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis, showing a certain level of, but often insufficient, efficacy.
In patients with obstructive jaundice, biliary drainage techniques such as percutaneous transhepatic cholangio drainage (PTCD), whose purpose is external biliary drainage, are performed but there are quite a few cases where jaundice takes a chronic course because of insufficient biliary drainage.
Since it has recently been reported in Japan and other countries that ursodeoxycholic acid preparations have very high efficacy against intrahepatic cholestasis, development of injectable ursodeoxycholic acid preparations has been hoped for.
However, the solubility of ursodeoxycholic acid is very low and, if it is prepared in an injectable form, the injection would have shortcomings such as causing angialgia because of high pH value.
Therefore, a related substance that is soluble in water and is easy to be prepared into injectable preparations at near-neutral pH has been searched for.


A circuit having a component for signal recovery, such as an adaptive equalizer, may be tested in order to ensure that the component operates properly. Unfortunately, external test equipment may be expensive and prone to being damaged. According to an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a circuit including BIST (Built-in Self-Test) circuitry for testing a component for signal recovery with a stress signal that simulates an imperfect signal received over a communication channel. The circuit also has a detector for determining whether the component is operating properly with the stress signal. Thus, no external test equipment is needed for testing the component. In some implementations, the BIST circuitry includes a low-pass filter for filtering a transmit signal into the stress signal. Thus, the amount of circuitry involved in generating the stress signal can be reduced.

In the past, a motivation for deploying multimode fibre was its cheaper cost by comparison with single mode fibre. Unfortunately, multimode fibre has disadvantages over single mode fibre. In particular, signals traversing a multimode fibre will be dispersed or separated into a number of modes. Unfortunately, depending on the length of the multimode fibre, each mode may arrive at the destination at slightly different times. A receiver should compensate for this. Furthermore, the receiver should compensate for ISI (Inter-Symbol Interference) found in the received signal.
Recovering data received over a multimode fibre is accomplished using appropriate timing recovery. Many existing timing recovery circuits use a PLL (Phase Lock loop) to determine a proper sampling point. However, as data rates increase, existing timing recovery circuits are no longer adequate for properly recovering data received over multimode fibre. Adaptive equalization with appropriate timing recovery circuits can be used. An entire study group during the 802.3aq standard was involved in characterizing this problem.
Adaptive equalization can be an effective approach for recovering data received over multimode fibre. Additionally, adaptive equalization can be an effective approach for recovering data received over other types of communication channels such as long connections of a PCB (Printed Circuit Board) for example.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for self-testing a component for signal recovery


An AD converter includes a delta-sigma AD converter configured to receive an analog signal through an input terminal and obtain a higher-order bit conversion result, a first cyclic AD converter configured to receive a residual signal resulting from removal of a higher-order bit or bits, and performs a conversion process having a amplification factor of one to obtain a 1.5-bit conversion result, a second cyclic AD converter configured to perform a conversion process having an amplification factor of two to obtain a lower-order bit conversion result, and a shift register and a digital accumulator circuit that are configured to receive a higher-order bit, a 1.5-bit, and a lower-order bit conversion result and output an AD conversion value.

The present disclosure relates to an analog-to-digital (AD) converter having improved differential nonlinearity (DNL).
There has in recent years been a demand for the size reduction of multifunctional mobile terminals for easier portability. To meet the demand, it is necessary to further reduce the sizes of an integrated circuit and a sensor device included in a multifunctional terminal. In particular, when an integrated circuit includes an AD converter that converts an output signal of a sensor device into a digital signal, it is necessary to reduce the area of the AD converter, which uses a large area of the integrated circuit.
On the other hand, the size reduction of a sensor device has led to a reduction in the detection sensitivity of the sensor device, i.e., a reduction in output signal level. To compensate for such a sensitivity reduction, the AD converter has been required to have higher accuracy.
Under such circumstances, a technique has been developed that utilizes a combination of different AD converters to extract higher-order bits and lower-order bits (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Japanese Translation of PCT Application) No. H10-508167, and H. Chen et al., "A 13-bit, Low-Power, Compact ADC Suitable for Sensor Applications," Proceedings of 2010 International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), pp. 2414-2417, 2010) However, in such a conventional AD converter, the linearity of the output signal with respect to the input signal deteriorates in some cases.
FIGS. 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D are diagrams showing an output waveform of a conventional lower-order bit AD converter. As shown in these figures, a missing code occurs at a boundary point of the higher-order bits output by the delta-sigma AD converter. A missing code refers to a phenomenon that a portion of a digital code corresponding to an analog input is not output. Specifically, if differential nonlinearity is greater than or equal to ±1 LSB based on the least significant bit (LSB: the lowest-order bit), an output code is missing.
As described above, AD converters are required to be free from a missing code. However, in the conventional art, it is difficult to reduce or prevent the occurrence of a missing code.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


An optical modulator is provided. The optical modulator includes a thin plate made of an electrooptic material and having a thickness of 20 μm or less, an optical waveguide formed on a top or bottom surface of the thin plate, and a modulation electrode formed on the top surface of the thin plate to modulate light passing through the optical waveguide, wherein, in a shape of the thin plate, a width of the thin plate at an optical input portion or optical output portion of the optical waveguide is two time or less the thickness of the thin plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical modulator, and more particularly, to an optical modulator including a thin plate having an electrooptic effect and having a thickness of 20 μm or less and a reinforcement plate having a thickness lager than that of the thin plate.
2. Related Art Statement
In the related art, waveguide-type optical modulators having optical waveguides or modulation electrodes formed on a substrate having an electrooptic effect have been widely used for optical communication fields or optical measurement fields.
Particularly, an amount of information transmission increases as multimedia technology is developed. Therefore, there is a need for a wide frequency band modulation technology in an optical modulator. In order to implement the wide frequency band modulation, various external modulation schemes with an LN (lithium niobate) modulator or the like are used. However, in order to implement the wide frequency band modulation with the LN modulator, there is a need for velocity matching between an optical wave and a microwave, that is, a modulation signal and decrease in driving voltage.
As one of means for solving the problem, a technique of satisfying the condition of velocity matching between the optical wave and the microwave and decrease in the driving voltage by using a thin substrate has been conventionally known.
In JPA S64-18121 and JPA 2003-215519, an optical waveguide and an modulation electrode are disposed in a thin substrate (hereinafter, referred to as a first substrate) having a thickness of 30 μm or less, and after that, a substrate (hereinafter, referred to as a second substrate) having a dielectric constant lower than that of the first substrate is attached to the first substrate. By doing so, an effective refractive index with respect to a microwave is reduced, so that velocity matching between the microwave and an optical wave is obtained, and a mechanical strength of the substrate is maintained.
In JPA S64-18121 and JPA 2003-215519, the first substrate is mainly made of LiNbO3 (hereinafter, referred to as LN), and the second substrate is made of a material having a dielectric constant lower than that of the LN, such as quartz, a glass, and an aluminum oxide. In the combination of these materials, due to a difference between linear expansion coefficients thereof, temperature drift or DC drift occurs according to change in temperature. Particularly, in JPA 2003-215519, in order to remove such defect, the first and second substrates are attached to each other by using an adhesive having a linear expansion coefficient close to that of the first substrate.
However, in comparison to an optical modulator fabricated by using the conventional LN substrate, an optical modulator fabricated by using a thin-plate LN substrate has a larger amount of coupling loss between an optical fiber and an optical waveguide formed on the substrate. As a result, insertion loss of the optical modulator increases.
Therefore, the inventors have done researched to determine the cause of the increase in the coupling loss between the optical fiber and the optical waveguide formed on the substrate. Finally, the increase in the coupling loss is clarified to be caused from a change in light propagation mode distribution due to a thickness of the substrate. More specifically, if the thickness of the substrate is reduced, a horizontal light confinement of the optical wave propagating along the optical waveguide in the horizontal direction (that is, a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the thin plate) is weakened, so that the light distribution spreads in the horizontal direction. Particularly, if the thickness of the substrate is reduced down to 20 μm or less, a vertical light distribution, that is, a light distribution in a vertical direction (that is, the thickness direction of the thin plate) has a large difference from the horizontal light distribution. Moreover, if the thickness of the substrate is reduced down to 10 μm or less, the difference between the vertical and horizontal light distributions increases greatly.


A steel having a predetermined composition is hot-rolled so as to form a steel strip, the steel strip is subjected to first cold-rolling, the steel strip is subjected to intermediate annealing, the steel strip is subjected to second cold-rolling, and the steel strip is subjected to finish annealing. A finish temperature in the hot-rolling is 900° C. or less, annealing is not performed between the hot-rolling and the first cold-rolling, and a rolling reduction in the second cold-rolling is not less than 40% nor more than 85%.

In recent years, in fields of rotary machines, medium or small sized transformers, electrical components and the like, which use non-oriented electrical steel sheets as materials of their iron cores, a demand for realization of high-efficiency and miniaturization is increasing more and more, in the movement of global environmental conservation typified by the worldwide power and energy saving and CO2 reduction and the like. Under such a social environment, an improvement in performance of the non-oriented electrical steel sheet is of course a pressing issue.
Further, according to the usage, favorable magnetic properties in a rolling direction are sometimes required for a non-oriented electrical steel sheet. For example, a non-oriented electrical steel sheet used for a divided iron core among iron cores of rotary machines, and a non-oriented electrical steel sheet used for iron cores of medium or small sized transformers, are sometimes required to improve magnetic properties in a rolling direction. In these iron cores, magnetic fluxes mainly flow in orthogonal two directions. Further, it is often the case that the rolling direction of the non-oriented electrical steel sheet is set to one direction, out of these two directions, in which an influence of the flow of the magnetic flux is particularly large.
Accordingly, various techniques have been conventionally proposed for the purpose of improving the magnetic properties of the non-oriented electrical steel sheet.
For example, a technique of increasing contents of Si and Al for the purpose of reducing an iron loss has been proposed. For instance, Patent Literature 1 describes a non-oriented electrical steel sheet in which an Al content is increased while keeping a relatively low Si content for the purpose of improving workability during performing cold-rolling. A technique in which not only the increase in contents of Si and/or Al and the like but also the reduction in contents of C, S, N and the like is realized, has also been proposed. Techniques of reducing an iron loss by making impurities harmless through chemical treatment such as an addition of Ca (Patent Literature 2), and an addition of REM (Patent Literature 3), have also been proposed. Further, Patent Literature 4 describes a technique regarding a condition of finish annealing.
For example, a technique regarding an improvement in magnetic flux density has also been proposed. For instance, Patent Literature 5 describes a technique regarding a condition of hot-rolled sheet annealing and a condition of cold-rolling. Further, Patent Literature 6 describes a technique regarding an addition of alloying elements of Sn, Cu and the like.
However, with the conventional techniques, it is difficult to sufficiently improve the magnetic properties in the rolling direction of the non-oriented electrical steel sheet. Further, with the technique in which the contents of Si and Al are increased for the purpose of reducing the iron loss, a saturation magnetic flux density becomes low. In particular, Al easily reduces the saturation magnetic flux density, when compared to Si, so that with the technique described in Patent Literature 1, the saturation magnetic flux density becomes extremely low. Such a technique in which the saturation magnetic flux density becomes low, is absolutely inappropriate for the miniaturization of electric equipments.

Manufacturing method of non-oriented electrical steel sheet

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation


A first conductive layer and a second conductive layer are formed on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. The second conductive layer formed at a higher location than the first conductive layer. An insulating film is formed over the semiconductor substrate to cover the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer. An interlayer insulator has a structure of at least two layers including a first layered film composed of an organic insulating material and a second layered film composed of an inorganic insulating material and formed on the first layered film. The interlayer insulator is formed covering the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A process of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises a step of forming plural conductive layers on a semiconductor substrate and a step of forming contact holes reaching respective conductive layers for connection of wires to the conductive layers (see JP-A 2002-184860). For example, when a MOSFET is formed on the semiconductor substrate, source/drain-diffused regions are formed in the semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate with a gate insulator sandwiched therebetween. Subsequently, an interlayer insulator is formed covering these diffused regions and the gate electrode. Then, a resist pattern formed on the interlayer insulator is employed as a mask to carry out a process of RIE (Reactive Ion Etching) to form contact holes through: the interlayer insulator. A wire material is buried in the contact holes to form contacts for wiring.
In this case, the contact hole reaching the gate electrode has a different depth from that of the contact holes reaching the diffused regions located deeper than the gate electrode. Therefore, when these contact holes are formed at the same time, the contact hole for the gate electrode located shallower is opened first. As a result, the gate electrode suffers damage from RIE until the contact holes reaching the source/drain-diffused regions are opened. At that time, attachment of foreign substrates to the surface of the gate electrode wire on the bottom of the contact hole tends to result in a contact interface with a high electrical resistance. When the width of the bottom of the contact hole is broadened to form a reverse-tapered hole, a void (cavity) may be formed in the wire material buried later in the contact hole, causing a connection failure in the contact hole possibly.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing thereof


A stopped plate is provided in the overhead area in an elevator hoistway above the uppermost landing in the building. The stopping plate is mounted in the hoistway and is operable to stop upward movement of the elevator cab and counterweight without impacting the main components of the cab or counterweight. In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a pair of inverted safeties mounted on the stopping plate and guide rails. If the cab rises above the uppermost landing, the safeties will be set by the cab contacting the stopping plate, thereby limiting further upward motion of the cab. In a second embodiment of the invention, the traction cables are provided with motion arresters such as enlarged clamps, which are secured to the cables a preset distance above the cab assembly. The cables pass through restricted openings in the stopping plate, which openings will not allow passage of the motion arresters. Motion of the traction cables is thus arrested when the cable clamps encounter the stopping plate.

Elevators are presently provided with a plurality of braking devices which are designed for use in normal operation of the elevator, as for example to hold the cab in place when it stops at a landing and which are designed for use in emergency situations such as stopping the cab and/or counterweight from plunging into the hoistway pit.
Elevator safeties are typically devices mounted on the car frame or counterweight assembly which are tripped by sensed overspeed of a governor cable connected to the cab or counterweight. Once the safeties are tripped, they will typically grab the guide rails in the hoistway to stop the cab or counterweight. The elevator safeties described above are not operated in an instance where the cab is moving out of control in the upward direction in the hoistway.
Concerns as to passenger safety in an elevator cab moving out of control in the upward direction in a hoistway have prompted safety code revisions in North America which mandate that elevator systems include provisions for safely stopping a runaway cab in the upward direction. These revisions have prompted research and investigation into braking systems which can provide the required function. U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,982, granted Dec. 18, 1990 to L. Bialy, et al., discloses an elevator sheave brake safety which acts directly on the drive sheave to jam the latter in the case of uncontrolled upward movement of the elevator cab, whereby the cab is stopped in the hoistway. The brake safety can also stop movement of the cab away from a landing in the event that the cab doors are open. Both of these features are desirable safety features The brake safety disclosed in this patent utilizes a pair of wedge blocks which flank the sheave and are spring-biased toward the sheave. When the safety is tripped by undesirable cab movement, the wedges will move against and jam the sheave so that it stops rotating, thereby stopping the cab. The wedging can stop the cab in both the up and down directions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,505, granted Apr. 16, 1991 to R. Lindegger, discloses an elevator traction sheave brake which includes a vertically reciprocating spring-biased friction plate beneath the sheave. The friction plate is normally held away from the sheave, but during undesirable cab movement, it will move upwardly to jam rotational movement of the sheave. As before, this brake can stop upward or downward movement of the cab.
Both of the aforesaid brake assemblies operate directly on the drive sheave or a part attached thereto to jam the sheave at its circumference and can thus damage the sheave or create a wedged engagement with the sheave that is very difficult to release. Each of these brakes also results in minimal surface contact between the sheave and the brakes whereby forces exerted on the sheave are quite concentrated and whereby the cab will be jolted to a stop when the brakes trip.
There are several problems relating to the prior art elevator up direction safeties which remain to be solved. One problem relates to the development of a brake which can be easily retrofitted onto an existing elevator system in the field The ability of the brake to be readily released, to be reused without refurbishing, and to operate with a relatively low power supply are also highly desirable.

Stopping of elevators in the up direction


A power booster circuit for use with an integrated circuit coupled to power supply circuitry. The integrated circuit includes a first circuit block that operates at a first voltage level and a second circuit block that operates at a second voltage level. The power supply circuitry includes a first regulator that receives a main supply voltage and provides a first supply voltage at the first level and a second regulator that receives the first supply voltage and provides a second supply voltage at the voltage level. The power booster circuit provides a temporary supply voltage at a third level to the second circuit block in response to the main supply voltage during a time interval between a first time at which the first supply voltage reaches the first level and a second time at which the second supply voltage reaches the second level upon power up of the integrated circuit.

Integrated circuits are known to be used in a wide variety of electronic devices. For example, personal computers, cellular telephones, compact disk players, etc., all include integrated circuits. Such integrated circuits are comprised of a plurality of functional circuit blocks that perform desired functions. Transistors, resistors and capacitors generally comprise the circuitry found in each circuit block.
Frequently, different functional circuit blocks of an integrated circuit operate at different supply voltage levels that are provided from different power supplies. During power up of such an integrated circuit, the sequence in which voltages from the different power supplies rise to the respective supply voltage levels is important for proper operation of the integrated circuit and other components such as buses that couple to the integrated circuit.
A disc drive of the type used to interface with a host computer to store and retrieve user data includes integrated circuits that provide a controller for communicating between the host computer and the head-disc assembly of the disc drive. These integrated circuits of the controller are comprised of circuit blocks that operate at different supply voltage levels. For example, one integrated circuit of the controller includes an outer circuit block that operates at a first voltage level and an inner circuit block that operates at a second voltage level. This integrated circuit directly couples to the data exchange bus connected to the host computer. A switching regulator, which is coupled to a main power supply line, provides a first supply voltage at the first voltage to the outer circuit block. A linear regulator receives the first supply voltage from the switching regulator and provides a second supply voltage at the second voltage level to the inner circuit block. The second voltage level is lower than the first voltage level. This regulation technique, in which a lower voltage is regulated from a higher voltage, is simple, cheap and relatively noise-free. However, during power up of the disc drive, the first supply voltage rises before the second supply voltage can be regulated. This delay in providing the second supply voltage at the second voltage level during power up can result in intermittent electrical spikes or glitches and parity errors in the live data exchange bus that is coupled to the integrated circuit.
Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these and other problems, and offer other advantages over the prior art.

Method and apparatus for integrated circuit power up


Signaling device indicates when a folding backrest of a vehicle seat is in an unlocked position, and includes an actuating knob axially guided in a housing and which is pushed into its locked position by a compression spring. A stop is provided to prevent the actuating knob from extending further outwardly of the housing in its locked position. Actuating knob activates a locking mechanism via a mechanical transmission mechanism thereby allowing the backrest to be unlocked by pressing the actuating knob into the housing. This eliminates the need for a separate indicator device, given that when the actuating knob extends outwardly of the housing, the user can readily tell that the backrest is in its unlocked position. To enhance the signaling effect, the signaling portion of the actuating knob can be painted red, for example.

Passenger cars with folding seats have represented the state of the art for many years. In several models the backrest is divided into sections so that certain segments or the entire backrest may be folded down. The arresting and securing of the backrest and/or portions thereof is facilitated by a locking mechanism, which can be released by use of an actuating knob connected to mechanical transmission means such as a cable, rod or lever. The backrest or a portion thereof can be folded forward and down to expand cargo area. The backrest can then be folded back to return the seat to passenger use. When returning the seat to passenger use, it can occur that the backrest does not engage the locking mechanism completely or at all, even though the user may be convinced upon visual examination that the backrest is properly locked. Only by pulling on the backrest can it be determined with absolute certainty whether the backrest is in a properly locked position. However, for reasons of convenience this test is frequently not performed. A backrest that is not properly locked, however, can become a fatal hazard for passengers, since a rear-end collision or heavy breaking can cause objects stored in the cargo space to enter into the passenger cabin like projectiles.
To prevent this from occurring, indicator devices have been developed that signal to the driver that the backrest of a backseat is not locked or not locked properly.
DE 102 30 637 A1 describes such a display device. The device includes an illuminating device, which signals through illumination whenever a backrest is not locked. In addition to the signal device, an actuating element of the display indicating an unlocked backrest is also provided. In locked position, the upper end of the actuating element is flush with a frame provided on the upper face of the backrest. To unlock the backrest, the actuating element is pulled upward. In this state, the actuating element projects above the upper face of the backrest and remains in this position when the backrest is unlocked.
A display of the same type for indicating that a vehicle seat backrest is not in locked position is described in JP 2001097009-A. In this commonly known solution, a separate indicator for signaling that the backrest is not in locked position is provided in addition to the actuation knob.

Device to indicate when a movable backrest of a vehicle seat is in an unlocked position


A storage system for organizing, handling and storing small electrical appliances with powercords and adapters, in an orderly and efficient manner for ease of access, and especially for handling and storing loose powercords. The system comprises a powercord storage tool, and an appliance storage container. The powercord storage tool provides efficient means for gripping, winding and retaining a powercord. It also provides means for attaching the tool, with powercord on it, to an electrical appliance, and alternately for attaching the tool, with powercord on it, to the outside of the appliance storage container. The appliance storage container provides storage of the appliance inside, and a rack on the outside for attaching and holding the tool, with powercord wound thereon, onto the outside of the container. The tool also provides manual guiding and direct sensory feedback to the operator of the tension on the powercord while it is being wound onto the powercord storage tool.

The parent application was for an invention entitled "STORAGE SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, POWERCORDS AND ADAPTERS". During pendency of the parent application, additional aspects and embodiments of the invention were developed. This continuation-in-part application discloses those additional aspects and embodiments as new matter, is dependent in part on prior disclosures in the original specification of the parent application, and makes new claims based on both the prior disclosures and the new matter. This application contains and sets forth a true and accurate copy or restatement of the original specification including the original drawings, FIGS. 1-6; and discloses and describes the additional aspects and embodiments as new matter in new specifications including new drawings FIGS. 7-11, all as set forth herein.

Enhanced storage system for electrical appliances, powercords and adapters


A method for operating an electrical circuit, in particular of a converter is described. The circuit, in at least one embodiment, includes a line-side converter that is coupled to a capacitor. The line-side converter includes at least two series connections, each including at least two power semiconductor elements, and each of the at least two series connections being connected parallel to the capacitor. The line-side converter is coupled to an energy supply system. The DC voltage that is present at the capacitor is determined. A maximum voltage is predetermined. If the DC voltage present at the capacitor is determined to be greater than the maximum voltage, then at least two of the power semiconductor elements are switched into their conductive state in such a manner that the capacitor is discharged in the direction of the energy supply system.

A circuit is known from DE 10 2007 042 246 A1. In FIG. 1 of this document, a line-side converter 22 is connected to a machine-side inverter (20) via a DC link. The DC link has an energy storage unit 26 in the form of a capacitor. A so-called DC link voltage or intermediate circuit voltage is applied to the capacitor.
Particularly the machine-side inverter usually comprises switchable power semiconductor elements, for example IGBT's (IGBT=insulated gate bipolar transistor) or GTO thyristors (GTO=gate turn off), or the like. The power semiconductor elements can only be switched on and/or off within predetermined voltage limits. Switching into the non-conductive state outside of the voltage limits can result in damage to or even to destruction of the respective power semiconductor element. If, for example, IGBT's are present, the IGBT's can only be switched off, i.e. switched into a non-conductive state, if the intermediate circuit voltage at the capacitor does not exceed a predetermined maximum voltage.
It is however possible that, for any reason, the intermediate circuit voltage at the capacitor will increase and exceed the predetermined maximum voltage. In this case, DE 10 2007 042 246 A1 provides for a so-called chopper circuit 24 that is shown in FIG. 1 and that comprises a resistance and a transistor that is connected in series to the resistance. If the intermediate circuit voltage exceeds the predetermined maximum voltage, the transistor can be switched into a conductive state, resulting in a parallel circuit of the capacitor, to which the circuit voltage is applied, and the resistance. Consequently, the capacitor can discharge via the resistance and thus the intermediate circuit voltage decreases.
Apparently, DE 10 2007 042 246 A1 requires a higher expenditure, particularly with regard to the indicated chopper circuit.

Method for operating an electrical circuit and electrical circuit

GE Energy Power Conversion Technology Limited


An execution unit adapted to perform at least a portion of the Data Encryption Standard. The execution unit includes a Left Half input; a Key input; and a Table input. The execution unit also includes a first group of transistors configured to receive the Table input, perform a table look-up, and output data. The execution unit further includes a first exclusive-or operator having two inputs and an output. The first exclusive-or operator is configured to receive the Left Half input and the Key input. The execution unit also includes a second exclusive-or operator having two inputs and an output. The second exclusive-or operator is configured to receive the data output by the first group of transistors and to receive the output of the first exclusive-or operator. The execution unit also includes a third exclusive-or operator having two inputs and an output. The third exclusive-or operator is configured to receive the Left Half input and the data output by the first group of transistors.

The Data Encryption Standard public key encryption algorithm ("DES") is a symmetric-key encryption developed in 1975 and standardized by the American National Standards Institute ("ANSI") in 1981 as the ANSI X.3.9.2 standard. DES utilizes a single key to encrypt and decrypt a message. Additional information regarding the DES algorithm can be found in the Handbook of Applied Cryptography by Menezes, Oorschot, and Vanstone, CRC Press, 1997.
As shown in FIG. 1, the DES algorithm takes as input a 64-bit text message. It also takes as input a 64-bit key (not shown). However, only 56 of the 64 bits are utilized. From these 56 bits, 16 48-bit sub-keys are created. The first step in encrypting a 64-bit message, as shown in Block 101 of FIG. 1, is to permutate the 64-bit input message. While software implementations of the DES algorithm require significant time to perform this permutation, hardware implementations of the DES algorithm can perform this permutation by appropriately routing signals so that no transistors are required and no significant delay occurs.
Referring again to FIG. 1, the result of the input permutation is divided into two 32-bit halves. The lower 32 bits will be referred to as the Right Half 0. The upper 32 bits will be referred to as the Left Half 0.
The Right Half 0 and sub-key 1 are input into "function" logic block 102. The "function" logic block 102 will be discussed more fully below. The output of "function" logic block 102 and the Left Half 0 are input into an exclusive-or operator 103. The exclusive-or operator is represented with a circle around a "+" symbol. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing of the Right Half 0 and the Left Half 0 by "function" block 102 and the exclusive-or operator 103 will be referred to as Round 1.
After the completion of Round 1, the output of the exclusive-or operator 103, which will be referred to as Right Half 1, and sub-key 2 are input into "function" logic block 104. The output of "function" logic block 104 and Right Half 0, which will also be referred to as Left Half 1, are input into exclusive-or operator 105. The processing of the Right Half 1 and the Left Half 1 by "function" block 104 and the exclusive-or operator 105 will be referred to as Round 2.
As shown in FIG. 1, Round 3 and Rounds 4 through 15 are identical to Round 2.
Round 16 includes inputting the Right Half 15 and sub-key 16 into "function" logic block 106. The output of "function" logic block 106 and Left Half 15, are input into exclusive-or operator 107.
After the completion of Round 16, the Right Half 16 and the Left Half 16 are combined to form a 64-bit number. The 64-bit number is then permutated by output permutation block 108. The permutation performed by output permutation block 108 is the inverse of the permutation performed by input permutation block 101. The result of the output permutation block 108 is 64 DES encrypted bits.
As discussed above, FIG. 1 includes 16 "function" logic blocks (four of which are shown). FIG. 2 presents a diagram of a "function" logic block. As shown in block 201 of FIG. 2, the 32-bit input to the "function" block is expanded to 48 bits by duplicating half of the 32 bits. In software implementations of the DES algorithm, this expansion takes a significant amount of time. However, in hardware implementations of the DES algorithm, the expansion can be performed by appropriately routing signals so that no transistors are required and no significant delay occurs. Next, the expanded 48 bits and a sub-key are input into exclusive-or operator 202. The result of the exclusive-or operation is split into eight groups. Each of these groups contains 6 bits. Each group of 6 bits is then input into one of eight S boxes 203-210. The S boxes perform table look-ups and output eight groups of 4 bits. For example, if the value of the 6 bit input group is k, then the S box would output the kth 4 bit entry in the S box's table. Each S box utilizes a different table. Typically, S boxes are implemented utilizing high-speed random access memory ("RAM"). The eight 4-bit outputs of the S boxes are then combined and permutated as shown in Block 211 of FIG. 2. In software implementations of the DES algorithm, the permutation takes a significant amount of time. However, in hardware implementations of the DES algorithm, the permutation can be performed by appropriately routing signals so that no transistors are required and no significant delay occurs.
FIG. 3 presents a simplified version of rounds 2 and 3 of a conventional hardware implementation of the DES algorithm. Because permutations and expansions can be performed by routing signals without the use of transistors, and hence do not impact the speed of execution of a hardware implementation of the DES algorithm, the permutations and expansions are not shown in FIG. 3. As is evident from FIG. 3, the critical path between S boxes 301 and S boxes 304 includes two exclusive-or operators 302 and 303.
As modern computers need to encrypt and decrypt large amounts of data using the DES algorithm, a need exists to increase the speed of hardware executed DES algorithms. Thus, there is a need to shorten the critical path between S boxes in hardware implementations of the DES algorithm.

Execution unit for performing the data encryption standard