Apparatus and method for decoding pages of subtitle data supplied as information pages which include respective headers and page data (i.e., subtitle character data) which are superimposed on a video signal. Each received information page is stored in a ring-type memory as a respective page therein, and the header of a page stored in memory is detected prior to being pre-read therefrom. The detected header is read from memory a second time and the page data is read from memory at a time in accordance with certain data included in the pre-read header. The page data is decoded and supplied as an output to be combined with the video signal.

The present invention relates to apparatus and method for decoding an information page having header information and page data and, more particularly, to apparatus and method for decoding a page of subtitle data reproduced from a record medium and including character data representing a subtitle to be superimposed on a video image and a page header which includes, inter alia, subtitle presentation time data.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data encoding device which stores compressed (e.g., MPEG formatted) video, audio and subtitle data on an optical disk and a decoding device which reproduces and decodes the stored video, audio and subtitle data from the optical disk. An encoding device, such as shown in FIG. 1, generally includes an image encoder 101, an audio encoder 102, a subtitle encoder 103, a multiplexer 104, an error correction circuit 105, a modulator 106, and a cutting device 107. Digital image data, digital audio data, and digital subtitle data are supplied to encoders 101, 102 and 103, respectively, which encode the respectively supplied data in a manner well known in the art, and the encoded image, audio and subtitle data are combined in multiplexer 104 and error correction data is added thereto in error correction circuit 105. The data is modulated in circuit 106 and is stored on a master optical disk 108 by means of cutting device 107. Since the operations of each of the circuits 101-107 of the encoding device of FIG. 1 are well known in the art, further description thereof is omitted herein.
An existing decoding device, such as shown also in FIG. 1, generally includes a pick-up circuit 110, a waveform equalizer/PLL circuit 111, a demodulator 112, an error correction circuit 113, a buffer 114, a demultiplexer 115, decoders 116, 117 and 118, a mixing circuit 119, digital-to-analog (D/A) converters 120, 121 and a host controller 124. Data stored in an optical disk 109, which is a distributed copy of master disk 108, is "picked-up" (i.e., reproduced) by pick-up circuit 110 and waveform equalized in circuit 111. A data clock timing signal is generated from the reproduced data by waveform equalizer/PLL circuit 111, the reproduced data is demodulated by demodulator circuit 112, and any errors that occur in the reproduced data are corrected in error correction circuit 113. The demodulated error corrected data is temporarily stored in buffer 114 which supplies the data stored therein to demultiplexer 115 which separates the reproduced data into respective image, audio and subtitle components and which supplies the image, audio and subtitle data to image decoder 116, audio decoder 117 and subtitle decoder 118, respectively. Decoders 116, 117 and 118 decode the respectively supplied data, and the decoded image and subtitle data are combined in mixer 119 prior to being supplied to D/A converter 120. The decoded audio data is supplied to D/A converter 121. D/A converters 120, 121 convert the digital video data (including both image and subtitle data) and the digital audio data, respectively, to respective analog signals which may be displayed and reproduced by, for example, an image display device 122 and a loud speaker 123. As is well known, host controller 124 controls the operations of the various circuits of the decoding device, including decoders 116, 117 and 118 and demultiplexer 115. Except for subtitle decoder 118, the operations of circuits 110-117, 119-121 and 124 of the decoding device shown in block diagram form in FIG. 1 are well known in the art and further description thereof is omitted herein except where necessary for an understanding of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a format of subtitle data stored on an optical disk wherein subtitle information which is superimposed on a video picture is referred to as a "page" and wherein each page usually is comprised of 1 to 3 lines of character information and displayed with the video picture for a time period of several seconds. Referring to FIG. 2A, each page of subtitle data is shown as including a page header having a data amount h followed by character data. Each page header, shown in detail in FIG. 2B, includes a leading code for identifying the page header, PTSS (presentation time stamp start) data which identifies the time at which the subtitle is presented (i.e., displayed), PTSE (presentation time stamp end) data which identifies the superimposition termination time of the subtitle, a page data length which identifies the amount of data included in the page, image presentation position data which identifies the position in the video image at which the subtitle is to be located (e.g., horizontal and vertical positions, height, width, etc.), as well as other information. The length h of each page header is fixed.
The character data of each page represents the subtitle that is displayed on the video picture and includes both character and color information. The character data is either compressed or uncompressed digital data and generally is not constant in length (i.e., data amount).
FIG. 2C illustrates the packet-like structure of the video, audio and subtitle data reproduced from the optical disk, in which each packet of image data (V.sub.J, V.sub.J+1 . . . ) is followed by a packet of audio data (A.sub.K, A.sub.K+1 . . . ) which, in turn, is followed by a packet of subtitle data (S.sub.I, S.sub.I+1 . . . ). Each subtitle data packet S generally does not contain an entire page of subtitle data, and instead, each subtitle page is comprised of plural subtitle packets. Demultiplexer 115, shown in FIG. 1, converts the reproduced digital data having the data structure shown in FIG. 2C to subtitle data having the data structure shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, and supplies the converted data to subtitle decoder 118.
Host controller 124 synchronously controls decoders 116, 117 and 118 utilizing a reference clock (not shown) so that each subtitle is superimposed on the video picture at a reference clock time equal to the time indicated by the respective presentation start time PTSS until the time indicated by the respective presentation end time PTSE.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of subtitle decoder 118 which receives pages of subtitle information from demultiplexer 115. Each page of subtitle data is supplied to a header detector circuit 130 which detects and extracts therefrom the page header and supplies the extracted page header to a subtitle controller 131, and supplies the character data to the input terminal of a switch 133. Switch 133 supplies the character data either to a first memory bank 132a via output terminal (a) or to a second memory bank 132b via output terminal (b). Memory banks 132a and 132b are included in a code buffer memory 132 and each has a storage capacity equal to the maximum amount of character data that can be supplied in a single page. Switch 133 is controlled by subtitle controller 131 which controls the switch to supply character data of a first supplied page to first memory bank 132a, which stores the character data therein, and to supply character data of a successively supplied page to memory bank 132b.
Subtitle controller 131 receives from header detector circuit 130 page header data of a supplied page of subtitle data, such page header including presentation start time data PTSS and presentation end time data PTSE, as previously discussed. Subtitle controller 131 supplies the PTSS and PTSE data, as well as other data included in the page header, to host controller 124 which, in response thereto and to the value of the reference clock, supplies a presentation start instruction to subtitle controller 131. In response to the presentation start instruction, subtitle controller 131 controls a second switch 134 to switch its input to that memory bank 132a or 132b containing the appropriate character data. At the same time, the appropriate memory bank is controlled to read out the character data stored therein and to supply the read out character data, via switch 134, to expander circuit 135. The readout character data, if in compressed form, is expanded in circuit 135 and supplied to mixer 119 which superimposes the character data on the video picture. The character data repeatedly is read out from code buffer memory 132, expanded and supplied to mixer 119 until the time identified by presentation end time data PTSE is reached, at which time host controller 124 supplies a presentation end command to subtitle controller 131 which, in response thereto, controls both code buffer memory 132 and switch 134 to terminate the reading out and supplying of the stored character data.
When character data of a first page is being read from, for example, memory bank 132a and being supplied to mixer circuit 119, the page header of the successively supplied page of subtitle data is detected and extracted in circuit 130 and supplied to subtitle controller 131, and the character data of the successively supplied page is stored in the other memory bank, for example, memory bank 132b. When the presentation start time PTSS of the second page is reached, subtitle decoder 118 is ready to read out and supply character data of the second page. At this time, (i.e., while the character data of the second page is read out and supplied to mixer circuit 119) subtitle controller 131 controls switch 133 to switch its output to terminal a so that the character data of a third supplied page is stored in memory bank 132a.
One problem with a subtitle decoder having the block structure shown in FIG. 3 is its general inability to store more than two pages of character data at a time and its general inability to maximize the amount of data that can be stored in its buffer memory. Even if the buffer memory included a third or even a fourth memory bank, such a subtitle decoder still would not maximize memory utilization since each page of subtitle data which has less data than the size of a memory bank still requires the use of an entire memory bank (e.g., memory bank 132a). Moreover, switching between three or more memory banks to provide simultaneous reading and writing therefrom and to is complex.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of another subtitle decoder 118 in which a "ring" type code buffer 202 is utilized to store pages of character data. Subtitle data output from demultiplexer 115 is supplied to header detector circuit 200 which detects and extracts the page header of each page in a manner similar to that of header detector 130, previously discussed. One page of character data (without the page header) is supplied and stored in code buffer 202 at a "top of page" address therein and the "top of page" address is stored in address register 203. Similar to subtitle controller 131 shown in FIG. 3, subtitle controller 201 supplies the presentation start time data PTSS and the presentation end time data PTSE to host controller 124 and when host controller 124 supplies a presentation start instruction to subtitle controller 201 (when the reference clock value equals the presentation start time PTSS), subtitle controller 201 reads the top of page address from address register 203 corresponding to the particular subtitle to be displayed. The character data is read from code buffer 202 and expanded, if necessary, in expander circuit 204 in a manner similar to that of expander circuit 135, previously discussed. When host controller 124 supplies a presentation end instruction to subtitle controller 201, code buffer 202 is controlled to stop reproducing and supplying the character data stored therein.
At this time, the page header of a successively supplied page of title data is already stored in address register 203 and the character data thereof is stored in code buffer 202. Furthermore, additional pages of subtitle data also may be stored in the subtitle decoder. Subtitle controller 201 supplies to host controller 124 presentation start time data PTSS and presentation end time data PTSE stored in address register 203 corresponding to a subsequent page of subtitle data. Successive pages of character data similarly are read from code buffer 202 in the above described manner.
Although the subtitle decoder of FIG. 4 utilizes a ring type buffer memory which, in theory, maximizes storage capacity of variable length pages of subtitle data, since the page header of each page is stored in address register 203, the maximum number of page headers to be stored therein must be predetermined in order to properly carry out the above discussed operations. In other words, although code buffer 202 itself does not require a predetermined maximum number of pages of subtitle data that can be stored therein, the storage of the page headers in address register 203 requires the maximum number of page headers to be stored therein to be predefined which, in turn, sets a limit to the maximum number of pages of character data that can be stored in the code buffer.

Apparatus and method for decoding an information page having header information and page data


A method for performing frame synchronization in a WCDMA system includes first, correlating a received signal with a plurality of predetermined correlators to obtain a plurality of frame synchronization correlation results, then, coherently combining frame synchronization correlation results with a slot synchronization phase when a test phase difference is less than a threshold phase difference, or, coherently combining frame synchronization correlation results with a linear combination of slot synchronization phases when the test phase difference is greater than or equal to the threshold phase difference. The slot synchronization phase is determined by correlating the received signal with a slot synchronization sequence. Lastly, the method determines a frame boundary of the received signal based on the coherent combination results. The method accommodates for a changing signal to noise ratio to improve frame synchronization speed and accuracy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cell searching in a wide-band code division multiple access (WCDMA) system, and more specifically, to frame synchronization in a WCDMA system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spread spectrum communication systems are becoming increasingly important in cellular networks. In particular, wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) systems are entering the marketplace, and offer the potential of significantly increased performance and reliability.
To establish a network connection in a WCDMA system, the user equipment (UE) must first perform a cell search procedure. The cell search procedure enables the UE to obtain timing and code synchronization for the downlink channel. Various methods are known in the prior art for performing a cell search procedure. Attention is drawn, for example, to the article "Cell Search in W-CDMA" by Yi-Pin Eric Wang and Tony Ottosson in Vol.18, No.8 (August 2000 edition) of IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, which is included herein by reference.
A simple overview of cell searching is presented in the following. Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a downlink Common Control Channel (CCH) 10 in a WCDMA system. The CCH 10 is broken up into a series of frames 12. Each frame 12 contains fifteen slots 14. Each slot 14 holds ten symbols, each of 256 chips. Hence, each slot 14 is 2560 chips in length. Please refer to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a slot 14 in the CCH 10. The first symbol 16 in each slot 14 holds a primary synchronization channel (PSCH) 16p and a secondary synchronization channel (SSCH) 16s. The remaining nine symbols 18 follow after the first symbol 16 is the primary common control physical channel (P-CCPCH). The PSCH 16p and SSCH 16s are orthogonal to each other, and hence can be broadcast on top of each other. The PSCH 16p is encoded by way of a primary synchronization code (PSC) that is the same for all base stations, and that does not change. The SSCH 16s consists of repeatedly transmitting a sequence of 15 modulated codes each of length 256 chips. These secondary synchronization codes (SSC) are transmitted in parallel with primary SCH. Each SSC is chosen from a set of 16 different codes of length 256 chips. The sequence of the secondary SCH indicates to which code group the cells downlink scrambling code belongs. Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a common pilot channel (CPICH) 20 broadcast with the CCH 10. The coding used for the CPICH 20 is unique to the broadcasting base station. In a WCDMA system, a base station can use one of 512 different primary scrambling codes for the CPICH 20, which are broken into 64 code groups, each having 8 respective codes. The PSC of the PSCH 16p is common across all base stations, and can thus be used for slot 14 synchronization. Although the SSC of the SSCH 16s changes on a slot 14 by slot 14 basis, the sequence pattern of code change of the SSCH 16s is determined by the code group into which the code used for the CPICH 20 lies. That is, there are 64 code sequence patterns for the SSCH 16s to follow, each of which corresponds to a particular code group associated with the code used for the CPICH 20. By correlating the received CCH signal 10 with all possible SSCH 16s code sequences and identifying the maximum correlation value, it is possible to learn the code group of the CPICH 20, and to obtain frame 12 synchronization. This is due to the fact that the SSCH 16s changes according to a predefined sequence, the starting sequence of which is known and which is sent at the beginning of every frame 12, thus enabling frame synchronization. Once the code group of the CPICH 20 is learned, it is possible to obtain the primary scrambling code used by the cell by performing symbol-by-symbol correlation over the CPICH 20 with all eight of the codes in the code group identified for the CPICH 20. Once the primary scrambling code used by the base station has been identified, system and cell specific broadcast channel (BCH) information can be read.
Based upon the above, cell searching is thus typically broken into the three following steps:
Step 1: Slot synchronization.
Utilize the PSCH 16p to perform slot synchronization. This is typically done with a matched filter (or similar device) that is matched to the PSC that is common to all base stations. Typically, output from the matched filter of a frame's worth of slots is non-coherently combined, and a resulting maximum peak is found. The slot boundary is obtained from the maximum peak.
Step 2: Frame synchronization and code group identification.
The slot timing obtained in step 1 is used to correlate the SSCH 16s with all possible SSC code sequences. There are sixteen SSC codes, SSC1 to SSC16, that make up the SSCH code sequence. The SSCs are correlated over a frame's worth of slots and accumulated over all possible frame boundaries to yield a table of values. Each entry in the table has a column/row position that indicates the corresponding scrambling code group and frame slot boundary of the entry. The maximum entry in the table is chosen as the candidate for frame boundary and code group determination.
Step 3: Scrambling code identification.
Symbol-by-symbol correlation is performed on the CPICH 20 for all scrambling codes within the code group identified in step 2. The maximum correlation value is selected as the primary scrambling code of the base station. This maximum correlation value is acceptable only if it exceeds a threshold value.
Please refer to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a simple block diagram that illustrates cell synchronization for a prior art UE 30. Of course, the UE 30 will contain many more components than those shown in FIG. 4, which is restricted to the present discussion. The UE 30 includes a transceiver 39 and a synchronization stage 38. The transceiver 39 receives broadcasts from a base station (not shown) and passes broadcast data to the synchronization stage 38 in a manner familiar to those in the art of wireless devices. The synchronization stage 38 includes a stage 1 31, a stage 2 32 and a stage 3 33. The stage 1 31 performs the slot synchronization of step 1 discussed above. Results from stage 1 31 are passed to stage 2 32, which performs the frame 12 synchronization and code group identification of step 2. Results from stage 2 32 are then passed on to stage 3 33, which performs the scrambling code identification of step 3.
Stage 1 31 includes a peak profiler 34. The peak profiler 34 contains the PSC 35 that is common to all base stations, and generates peak profile data 36 that is obtained by matching the PSC 35 against the PSCH 16p received from the transceiver 39, and which is non-coherently combined over a frame 12 of slots 14. The profile data 36 holds data for a predetermined number of chips, and as the PSCH 16p repeats with every slot 14, it is common to hold enough data to cover an entire slot 14, i.e., 2560 chips. The chip in the profile data 36 having the highest peak profile is assumed to mark the PSCH 16p, and is thus used as the slot boundary offset 37. This is illustrated in FIG. 5, which is an example graph of peak profile data 36 (not to scale). Stage 1 31 notes that in the profile data 36 a maximum valued peak occurs at chip number 1658. The slot boundary offset 37 would thus hold a value indicative of the peak path position at chip 1658. The slot boundary offset 37 is forwarded to stage 2 32 as the slot 14 synchronization point. Utilizing the slot 14 position marked by the slot boundary offset 37, stage 2 32 performs step 2 outlined above to generate a code group value 32g and a slot number 32s.
The stage 2 32 has a correlation unit 32c that generates a correlation table 32t based upon the slot boundary offset 37 and the correlation results of the SSCH 16s with the SSCs. The correlation unit 32c contains 16 SSC correlators. Assumeα0˜α15 are the outputs of 16 SSCH correlators (slot rate). The lower table c in FIG. 6 is the allocation of SSCs for the secondary SCH, which is used for table look-up. The right table w is used for recording the accumulated results over 15 slots. The decision of frame boundary and code group can be described clearly with the following steps:
for slot=0:14
for group=0:63
for shift=0:14
w(group, shift)+=α
next shift
next group
next slot
The maximum value corresponds to a code group and a slot number. The corresponding slot number 32s is the difference in number of slots from the current slot boundary, i.e. we get the frame boundary. The corresponding code group 32g is the group number of the scrambling code used in the current cell.
The stage 3 33 also includes a correlation unit 33c, which correlates the CPICH 20 with all possible primary scrambling codes contained within the code group 32g. The correlation results 33r are respectively obtained in this manner for the primary scrambling codes. The primary scrambling code having the largest correlation result is chosen as the primary scrambling code 33p, but only if the corresponding correlation result exceeds a threshold value 33x. For example, if each code group contains eight primary scrambling codes S0 to S7, the primary correlation results 33r would be: C0, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, which are respectively the primary correlation results of the eight primary scrambling codes S0 through S7 in the code group indicated by the code group number 32g. If C6 holds the highest primary correlation value, then the stage 3 33 would place the value of "6" as the primary scrambling code number 33p, assuming that C6 also exceeded the threshold value 33x.
Conventionally, in stage 2 32 an estimated PSCH phase is referenced by the correlation unit 32c when performing coherent combination to generate the correlation table 32t. That is, the phase correction applied to the SSCH 16s signal is based on the phase error of the corresponding PSCH 16p signal because the SSCH is transmitted in parallel with the PSCH and the PSCH is the same in every slot 14. This is why we can use the phase reference estimated from the PSCH. While in high signal to noise ratio (SNR) situations this is adequate, when the SNR is low, the correlation unit 32c suffers from performance degradation. Thus, referencing the PSCH phase without considering noise can lead to slower frame synchronization and corresponding slower cell searching.

Method for WCDMA frame synchronization and related device


Methods, computer readable media, and system embodiments are provided for call routing in communication networks. One method embodiment includes initiating a call processing process by receiving a call for a called party, sending a message to a home location register to initiate a call termination, arming a trigger for transferring the call processing process to a set of executable instructions that can use a variable delay to pause the call processing process to allow a color ringback tone server to provide an initial play of a ringback tone, initiating an initial play of the ringback tone for receipt by the calling party, sending a message transferring the call processing process to the home location register, and setting a variable delay that allows the initial play of the ringback tone to the calling party to play for a predetermined period.

In the field of communications (e.g., telecommunications), individuals can subscribe to services offered by a number of different service providers. A service provider can provide services, such as mobile and/or fixed phone service and/or other communications service functionalities, through a telecommunications system. For example, an individual can subscribe to a particular communications service for their phone that is offered by a particular service provider.
With respect to communication device service providers, an individual often makes this decision based upon the features offered by the service provider and/or the service's compatibility with the individual's device that accesses the communications system.
A communications system can include various functions which can work together to provide services to subscribers. Within these are services that provide a ringtone, message, or other type of information that is provided during some portion of the communication processing that creates a communication link between users of the system.
In some systems, users can be subscribers and non-subscribers. For example, a user that is a non-subscriber may contact the system in order to communicate with a user that is a subscriber. In such instances, some functions of the systems being contacted may be compatible with the functionalities of the system to which the contacting party is a subscriber and some functions may not be compatible.
One service that can be provided by a communications system (e.g., a telecommunications system), sometimes referred to as color ringback tone (CRBT), allows a called party to play a message or ringtone for the calling party to hear while the communication device system is connecting the party's devices for communication. For example, the called party can play a message such as "Thank you for calling, your call is important to us, please stay on the line and our service staff will help you as soon as they are available."
However, some communication device systems have become so fast at setting up the call connections that the CRBT is cut short (e.g., before the entire message has played). In some systems, even with short ringback tones, the ringback tone can be cut off before it finishes. In some systems, this issue can be an annoyance or can provide an incoherent message to a listener.

Pausing call processing to enable the playback of information

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A pressurized squeeze casting apparatus and method for casting articles includes densifying means for mechanically applying force to a die assembly to compress and densify the molten metal material into a solid article having a near net shape. A shutoff member is provided to seal the interior cavity at the juncture of the runner and the cavity after the cavity is filled with molten metallic material and prior to densification. A low pressure furnace provides a supply of molten metallic material. The outlet from the furnace is biased into engagement with the runner by the gas pressure in the low pressure furnace to ensure a fluid tight connection between the furnace and the runner.

Known casting techniques are degraded due to air entrapment within the molten metal material introduced into a casting mold. The entrapped air forms pores in the molded article which weaken the structure and which degrade the metallurgical integrity of the article. In known casting methods, when a volume of molten metal material within a mold cools, it shrinks as it transforms from a molten state to a solid state. Pores result from air entrapped in the mold and the shrinking of the molten material increases the difficulty of obtaining near net shape castings. Shrinkage changes the size of the article and results in void cavities and pores in the article, thus making it unheatreatable. This results in lower mechanical properties and an inferior product. Near net shape castings are casting which require little or no finishing or machining for the articles to be of a predetermined shape and size.
It is known to use pressure to force air from a mold as well as to minimize the space occupied by the air to thereby decrease the size of the resulting pores in the cast article. One known die casting method includes a plunger which extends into a central region of the mold cavity to densify the metal proximate to the plunger. The pressure from the plunger compresses the molten metal to densify the material and reduce air spaces or voids within the material. The known die casting devices, such as that which utilize a central plunger, effect greater densification of the metallic material proximate the plunger than material which is spaced apart from the plunger. This results in uneven density in the cast article.
It is desirable to produce near net shape cast metallic articles which have a uniform density and which have desirable metallurgical properties, such as like those found in forgings. It is further desirable to be able to cast near net shaped articles having more complicated geometries than is normally allowed in forging operations wherein the metallurgical properties of the article are desirable and which rival that of a forged part.
The prior art utilizes complicated tooling which provides for relative movement within the die members during the densification process, i.e, the densification member moves relative to one of the die members. This requires replacement of the densification members when the tooling is replaced. One embodiment of the present invention overcomes this disadvantage by moving the platen and die member mounted thereon by the densifying assembly which allows replacement of the tooling without modification of the densifying assembly. This represents a substantial savings over prior art constructions which require modification of the densifying assembly every time a new die member is placed in the squeeze casting apparatus.

Pressurized squeeze casting apparatus and method and low pressure furnace for use therewith


A probe for a scanning thermal microscope includes a cantilever beam, an insulating layer, a conductive layer and a carbon nanotube. The cantilever beam includes a microtip at a distal end thereof, and the microtip has a conductive exterior portion with a pointed part. The insulating layer is formed on a part of the conductive exterior portion other than the pointed part thereof. The conductive layer is formed on the insulating layer and has a coupling portion in contact with the pointed part of the conductive exterior portion of the microtip, the coupling portion of the conductive layer and the pointed part of the conductive exterior portion thereby cooperatively form a thermocouple junction. The carbon nanotube has one end arranged on the thermocouple junction. The probe for a scanning thermal microscope increases spatial resolution of scanning thermal microscope and can prevent excessive current leakage.

Scanning Thermal Microscope (SThM) is a technique that uses the sample's thermal conductivity as a contrast mechanism in imaging microscopic features. A temperature sensing probe in SThM can be used for semiconductor material and device study such as locating hot spots created by short circuit defects in the sub micron regime.
Commercial SThMs use a miniature thermal resistor positioned at one end of a cantilever. If a small current is passed through the resistor, and the resistance is measured as the probe tip is scanned over a sample surface, a local temperature map of the sample is produced based on the resistance changes. If, on the other hand, a large current is passed and the resistor temperature rises significantly above that of the sample, the probe detects local changes in the local thermal conductivity of the sample. In the latter mode of operation, the thermal conductivity of the sample, as presented at the surface, is an aggregate of any thermal conductivity variations down into the sample. Changes in composition below the sample surface will therefore produce a feature in the thermal map.
One of the limitations to current usage of the above probe is that if one needs to obtain the thermal map of an electrically biased sample, the conductive parts of the sample must be passivated to prevent excessive current leakage between the tip and the conductive sample.
Another limitations to current usage of the above probe is that if one needs to obtain the thermal map of an sample with high spatial resolution, the probe tip must be have a small diameter.
What is needed, therefore, is a probe for a scanning thermal microscope with small tip diameter that can prevent excessive current leakage between the tip and the conductive sample.


A magnetic recording medium is provided which includes a recording layer formed in a concavo-convex pattern including recording elements formed as convex portions, provides a good flying performance of a magnetic head, and has high reliability. A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus including that magnetic recording medium and a manufacturing method of that magnetic recording medium are also provided. The magnetic recording medium includes: the recording layer formed in a predetermined concavo-convex pattern over a substrate, the recording elements being formed as convex portions of the concavo-convex pattern; filling elements with which concave portions between the recording elements are filled; a conductive film which has a smaller electric resistivity than the filling elements and is formed over the filling elements; and a protective layer which covers the recording elements and the filling elements and is in contact with an upper surface of the conductive film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic recording medium in which a recording layer is formed in a predetermined concavo-convex pattern and recording elements are formed as convex portions of the concavo-convex pattern, a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus including that magnetic recording medium, and a manufacturing method of that magnetic recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a protective layer is formed over a recording layer in a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk in order to protect the recording layer against contact with a magnetic head or the like. The protective layer is required to have abrasion resistance and corrosion resistance. For example, a film of carbon called as diamond like carbon is specifically known as a material for the protective layer that meets the above needs, for example. Exemplary methods for forming such a carbon film over a recording layer are CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), IBD (Ion Beam Deposition), and bias sputtering, in each of which carbon is deposited over a surface while a bias voltage is applied to a substrate (see Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. Hei 6-60404,for example).
On the other hand, developments such as miniaturization of magnetic particles forming a recording layer, change of a material for the recording layer, and miniaturization of head processing have been made to largely improve areal density of a magnetic recording medium. The improvement of areal density is expected to continue. However, the improvement of areal density by conventional approaches has reached its limit, because many problems such as processing limits of a magnetic head, incorrect recording of information onto a track adjacent to a target track because of broadening of a recording magnetic field of the magnetic head, and crosstalk during reproducing have become remarkable. Thus, in order to further improve areal density, a discrete track medium and a patterned medium have been proposed, in which a recording layer is formed in a concavo-convex pattern and recording elements are formed as convex portions of the concavo-convex pattern.
For a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk, flatness of the surface of the medium is important in order to achieve a stable flying performance of a magnetic head. In the discrete track medium and the patterned medium in which areal density is high and a magnetic gap is small, flatness of the surface of the medium is especially important and therefore it has been proposed to fill a concave portion between the recording elements with filling elements. It is preferable that the filling elements have high hardness and good corrosion resistance. Specific examples of a material for the filling elements include oxides such as SiO2, nitrides, and carbides.
In order to fill the concave portions with the filling elements, a method can be used in which a filling material is deposited over the recording layer having the concavo-convex pattern by sputtering so as to fill the concave portions and thereafter an excess part of the filling material over the recording layer is removed by CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) or dry etching such as ion beam etching so as to flatten a surface.
For the discrete track medium and the patterned medium, it has been proposed to form a protective layer of carbon over the recording elements and the filling element (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-195042, for example).
When the concave portions between the recording elements are filled with the filling elements, an upper surface of the recording elements and an upper surface of the filling elements are flattened, and then those upper surfaces are covered with the protective layer, it is expected that a flying performance of a magnetic head can be made as favorable as that obtained by a magnetic recording medium in which a protective layer is formed over a continuous recording layer.
However, even if the discrete track medium or the patterned medium has the same level of surface roughness as the magnetic recording medium having the continuous recording layer, the same level of the flying performance of the magnetic head as that obtained for the magnetic recording medium having the continuous recording layer is not obtained for the discrete track medium or the patterned medium in some cases. That is, the discrete track medium and the patterned medium have a problem of reliability.

Magnetic recording medium, magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus, and manufacturing method of magnetic recording medium


A method, computer program product and system for managing font resources using system independent references. A resource library may store a table, referred to herein as the “resource access table” that contains an entry for each base font resource. Each entry may include the following information on a base font resource: a native name, a file name, a unique identification, attributes, and possibly a link list used to identify any font resources that are linked to the base font resource. Since changes to the resource file such as updating a version of a font resource, changing the attributes of the font resource or changing the font resource's linked fonts, simply require an update to the resource access table, the data stream and the application program generating that data stream does not have to be changed.

Computer systems can generate output information in several ways, including video output and "hard copy" or printed output. Although more and more output consists of evanescent video screens, a large amount of data is still printed on paper and other permanent media. Therefore, there is a need for efficiently describing printed data and then printing a hard copy page from the print description. The printing is often performed by high-speed, high-volume printing systems which receive streams of encoded print data and utilize "intelligent" printers that can store commands and data. Such encoded print streams often include data for many printed pages. For example, a telephone company might print all of its telephone bills for a specified week with a single print stream. Each page in the print stream may be a telephone bill for a particular customer.
In such printing and presentation systems, fonts may be stored in files in a separate resource database, commonly referred to as a "resource library." Such font resources enable a relatively small set of characters to be efficiently defined for printing and displaying. A font resource may define the encoding (mapping values, referred to as code points, to characters), the metrics (measurements of a character), glyphs (actual images of a character) and descriptive attributes of a collection of related characters. For example, a typical Latin font contains approximately three hundred (300) characters including alphabetic, numeric, symbolic, punctuation and special drawing characters. In another example, Unicode is a 16-bit character encoding standard that is capable of representing all of the world's languages, including non-Roman languages, such as Chinese, Japanese and Hindi. The Unicode standard can encode more than 1 million characters.
Typically, in printing and presentation systems, an application on a computer, commonly referred to as a client computer, may generate a printable and/or viewable data stream that contains page description information typically stored in a file. The page description information includes information used to print a document. Such information may include a reference to a font resource, e.g., True Type font. The font resource may be referenced by specifying the file name that contains the font resource in the resource library. Hence, the file name may be specified in the data stream generated by the application along with the character string to be printed using that font resource.
However, referencing font resources by file names is system dependent. For example, a font resource, e.g., TrueType, may be stored in file name #1 in one system but stored as a different file name, file name #2, in a different system. Hence, the application program must reference a font resource using different file names in different systems. If the application program references the font resource with the incorrect file name, then the font resource will not be able to be retrieved.
Also, there is the possibility that two different files may store the same resource. For example, the TrueType font resource may be installed initially in the resource library in a stand alone font file. The application program would then reference the stand alone font file using the file name that stores the TrueType font resource. The TrueType font resource may later be installed as part of a collection of fonts such as a TrueType Collection file. The application program would then have to be modified to reference the collection file with an index to the TrueType font reference.
Further, if there are changes to a resource file, then the user may have to build or buy a special purpose font. For example, Microsoft™ provides the ability for a user to add a character to a font resource provided the character appears in a special type of file used for extending TrueType fonts for user-defined characters. Such files have a .tte extension. However, if the user desires to add a character not found in the file, then the user may have to build or buy a special purpose font resource that incorporates the added character along with the base font resource. Similarly, if a customer wants to replace a character in the font resource because the character has an error, the customer is usually prevented from modifying the font resource due to the license from the manufacturer of the font resource. The customer may then have to build or buy a special purpose font resource that includes the additional or modified character as well as the other characters in that font resource. Furthermore, if a customer wants to delete a character in the font resource because the customer will not use the character, then the customer may have to build or buy a special purpose font resource that does not include the character the customer desires to delete. The application program would then have to be modified in order to reference the special purpose font resource. Hence, when there are changes to a resource file, the application may then have to be modified in order to select the correct file containing the correct font resource.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a printing system with a system independent resource reference in the data stream. Further, there is a need in the art for a printing system that does not require any changes to the application if there are changes to the resource file.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Printing system that manages font resources using system independent resource references


An X-ray tube apparatus (2) having an anode rotating mechanism for preventing damage of the anode (23) of the X-ray tube apparatus thereby to shorten the X-ray exposure waiting time. When the measured number of revolutions of a rotary anode is determined to be predetermined number from only the impedance or current information on the basis of both voltage information and current information on a stator coil (22) of motor constituent elements for rotating the rotary anode, a DC high voltage outputted from an X-ray high-voltage unit (1) is applied between the anode (23) and a cathode (24) of the X-ray tube apparatus, thus exposing a subject (130) to X-rays and imaging the subject. An X-ray generating device and a radiograph are also disclosed.

An X-ray tube device having an anode rotation mechanism for increasing an allowable load by transferring an electron collision cross section is very frequently used in the field of X-ray imaging apparatuses including an X-ray inspection apparatus and an X-ray image diagnostic apparatus such as an X-ray CT apparatus.
As shown in figures in the document "Johns, H. E., et al: The Physics of Radiology.3rd. ed., Charles C Thomas Publisher, Springfield, 1969" (The same drawing is in Ishiyaku Publishers, Inc.: Medical Radiation Science Course 13, "Radiation Diagnostic Instrument Engineering", page 7, FIG. 1—1), an anode of the X-ray tube device includes a rotator and an umbrella-shaped target and is rotated in the same principle of induction motor. An area of the electron collision cross section of the target is extended by rotating the target, wherein in case of a short-time load, an input for a unit area of a focus can be greatly increased. Accordingly, an X-ray tube device having large capacity can be realized. The anode having a rotor coil is rotated in the X-ray tube device within a rotating magnetic field generated by supplying an electric current to a stator coil winded around a stator provided outside the X-ray tube.
As described above, the anode is rotated in the same principle as that of induction motor. A difference to induction motor is that a glass or a metal covering the X-ray tube exists between the stator and the rotator, and so the gap is large.
In an X-ray generating device using thus constructed rotary anode X-ray tube, a single-phase or three-phase AC voltage is supplied to the stator coil inside the anode rotation mechanism before radiating X-rays from the X-ray tube and a rotating magnetic field is generated, and thus the anode is rotated. After the rotation of the anode is accelerated and the rotation number becomes steady so that generated torque of the motor coincides with a load torque on the motor determined by the mechanical system of the anode rotation mechanism, a DC high voltage is applied between the anode and the cathode of the X-ray tube from an X-ray high voltage generating device, whereby X-rays are radiated and scanning is started.
When a portion for diagnosis of an object to be examined is scanned, in the X-ray tube, electronic beams are radiated from the cathode, and collided with and reflected by the anode target to generate X-rays. Because the electron beams generated from the cathode have enormous energy, the anode target is rotated as described above for the purpose of avoiding instantaneous burning of the anode target collided with the electronic beams.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-150193 discloses a mechanism of controlling rotation drive of the anode in three operation modes by supplying a voltage to the anode rotation mechanism.
The first operation mode is a starting mode, which requires large activating torque. Accordingly, a high AC voltage of, for example, about 500V is applied to the stator coil to activate the anode. The second mode is a steady mode, in which after the anode is activated, its rotation number reaches a predetermined number, i.e., it coincides with a torque determined by a system of the anode rotation mechanism. Because this driving torque is smaller than the starting torque, it is enough to supply a low AC voltage of about 200V to the stator coil. The third operation mode is a breaking mode to stop the anode rotation, in which a DC voltage of about 120V is supplied to the stator coil to put brake on the DC voltage. Here, the operation time of the starting mode is the time until the rotation number of the anode reaches a predetermined number. As disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Sho.53-78191, this time can be accurately measured by installing a rotation number meter to an anode rotation shaft and directly detecting the rotation number. However, it is technically difficult to install the rotation number meter under the circumstance of high temperature, vacuum, and high voltage and within a limited space. According to the conventional technique, a time until the anode rotation number reaches the predetermined number is previously measured, and the time, referred to as X-ray radiation waiting time hereinafter, is set to an X-ray high voltage generating device. Accordingly, in X-ray imaging, a rotation driving signal is output from the X-ray high voltage generating device to the anode driving mechanism and X-rays are radiated to start scanning after a lapse of the predetermined X-ray radiation waiting time. That is, X-rays are radiated when the anode rotation number reaches the predetermined number. In short, when an image is obtained by an X-ray imaging apparatus, an anode driving signal is output from the X-ray high voltage generating device to the anode driving mechanism, an X-ray radiation waiting time is preset so that the anode rotation number reaches the predetermined number by driving the anode to rotate with the anode rotation device, a DC high voltage is output from the X-ray high voltage generating device after a lapse of the X-ray radiation waiting time and applied to the X-ray tube, and thus X-rays are radiated from the X-ray tube.
However, the X-ray radiation waiting time (the time until the rotary anode reaches a predetermined rotation number) depends on the following conditions:
(1) Effects of Temperature of Stator Coil
A time until the anode reaches a predetermined rotation number, e.g., a steady rotation number of 8000 rpm is around five seconds when the stator coil is cold. However, it is around six seconds when the stator coil is warm after several times of imaging. That is, in the state where the stator coil is warm, the time until the anode reaches the predetermined rotation number is prolonged.
The reason is that a resistance of the stator coil increases to reduce a current. If the X-ray radiation waiting time until the anode reaches the predetermined rotation number is set assuming a condition that the stator coil is warm (e.g., six seconds in the state where the stator coil is warm), a wasted time (e.g., one second) to X-ray radiation appears in the state where the stator coil is cold. When an object is observed and an imaging position is determined with X-ray fluoroscopy as in, for example, gastric contrast examination using barium, the wasted time becomes a factor of losing scanning timing by just one second or disturbing improvement of throughput of the X-ray image diagnostic apparatus. Accordingly, it is preferable to reduce the wasted time to be as small as possible. Further, in a fluid volume inspection apparatus using an X-ray tube device, because a passing speed can be improved by shortening the X-ray radiation waiting time, inspection time can be shortened.
(2) Effects of Fluctuation of Power Supply Voltage of Anode Driving Mechanism
An anode driving mechanism which rotates the anode by applying a single-phase or three-phase AC voltage to the stator coil and generating a rotating magnetic field usually includes an inverter circuit for converting a commercial AC power supply voltage into DC voltage, and further converting this DC voltage into a single-phase or three-phase AC voltage. An output voltage from the inverter circuit fluctuates in response to the commercial AC power supply voltage. Because a torque generated in the anode driving mechanism is approximately in proportion to square of the voltage applied to the stator coil, when the commercial power supply voltage fluctuates, the torque generated in the anode driving mechanism greatly fluctuates. Accordingly, the time until the anode rotation number reaches the predetermined number also changes. However, no special measure has been taken for this phenomenon.
(3) Other
In addition to (1) and (2) listed above, consideration of following matter is also necessary because a rotational property of the anode changes due to the temperature of the anode and a change of the frictional force of the anode rotation shaft.
The time until the anode rotation number reaches a predetermined rotation number fluctuates due to various factors. Therefore, in a conventional method of setting the predetermined X-ray radiation waiting time, it is necessary in consideration to the conditions based on the above (1) to (3) to set a sufficient X-ray radiation waiting time by separately preparing an interlock mechanism or the like for constantly stopping an X-ray radiation signal for a wasted time of 0.5 to 1 second after activating the rotary anode, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei.5-114497 and in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3276967.
Further, if X-ray radiation is started before the anode rotation number reaches a predetermined rotation number for reasons such that a scanning timing is lost, a time from scanning preparation to scanning is prolonged, or any circumstance occurs, there is concern that fever of the anode increases to induce discharge and thus shorten life duration of the X-ray tube.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei.5-114497 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 3276967 disclose a structure in which electric power consumption is detected from a reactive power or a power factor and compared with a preset value of power consumption in the predetermined rotation, and X-ray radiation signal is shut off when slippage is larger than the rated value.
According to the above construction, because power consumption is detected in accordance with the relational expression "active power=power consumption+reactive power", it is necessary to take into consideration a phase difference in calculating reactive power or power factor. Accordingly, the power detecting mechanism becomes complicated and so the cost for the detection device becomes high.
Further, the electric power supplied from the inverter type driving circuit used as an anode driving mechanism fluctuates in accordance with the commercial AC power supply voltage as described above and is approximately in proportion to the square of the voltage applied to the stator coil. Accordingly, when the commercial power supply voltage fluctuates, the voltage to be supplied greatly fluctuates particularly in activating the inverter type driving circuit, thereby values of voltage and current detected when the anode have low reliability, and cannot be used for detection of the anode rotation number at a time of starting operation. Therefore, in the conventional technique, the above interlock mechanism is necessary. Although the interlock mechanism can shut off the X-ray radiation signal after the anode starts to rotate, it cannot adjust the X-ray radiation waiting time until the anode rotation number reaches a predetermined number.
Further, according to the conventional technique, it is necessary to determine a power consumption preset value in accordance with individual difference, aging, and types of X-ray tube. It is necessary to determine the power consumption preset value by practically driving and measuring X-ray tubes one by one, which requires so much energy.

X-ray apparatus with anode rotation number detecting means


In a method for operating a drive, in particular for an injection system of an injection molding machine, wherein a spindle (7) is provided drivable by a first electric motor (14), on which spindle a nut (15) is borne which is drivable by a second electric motor (20) and borne so as to be axially non-displaceable, a translation movement of the spindle (7) is brought about by driving the nut (15) by means of the second electric motor (20) or by driving the spindle (7) by means of the first electric motor (14). To increase the dynamics of the driving during the conveyance of an acceleration or, respectively, retardation ramp of the translation movement of the spindle (7) by means of one of the two electric motors (14, 20) the other electric motor (20, 14) is briefly driven in that rotational direction which supports the acceleration or, respectively, the retardation of the translation movement of the spindle (7).

The invention relates to a method for operating an injection system for injection molding machines with a melting cylinder with melting worm and two electric motors, preferably servomotors, for driving the melting worm whose rear end is connected so as to be torsion-tight with a spindle, which can be driven by the first electric motor and on which a nut is borne drivable by the second electric motor, wherein for the injection a translational movement of the worm results from the nut being driven by means of the second electric motor.
An injection system of this type is already disclosed in DE-OS 43 44 335. The conventional operation of such injection system proceeds as follows: for melting and transporting the material into the antechamber of the worm the spindle and the nut are driven by the first and the second electric motor in the same direction. The plastifying performance results therein from the rotational speed of the worm which is determined by the rotational speed of the spindle or, respectively, of the first electric motor. In order to bring about during plastification a return-stroke speed of the worm through which the back dynamic pressure of the plastificate in the antechamber of the worm is determined, the spindle and the nut are driven at a slightly different rotational speed. For the subsequent injection of the plastificate the first motor, which drives the spindle, is stopped and the nut is driven in the corresponding direction via the second motor.
In the course of the machine cycle, the driving unit for the injection is switched between different operating states. For example, the injection speed at the beginning of the injection process increases from zero to a given value. Further switching takes place between the pre-injection and the application of the dwell pressure.
It should be possible to complete such switching processes as rapidly as possible, i.e. the dynamics of the driving system for the injection should be as high as possible. In the conventional operating type of an injection system cited above, the dynamics of the driving system for the injection through the applicable torque of the second electric motor used in combination with the mass inertia of the system is limited.
It is furthermore desirable that a maximum injection speed which is as high as possible can be brought about. In the conventional operating mode of the above cited injection system the injection speed is determined by the maximum speed at which the nut can be driven by the second electric motor.

Method for operating an injection system


In one embodiment, a processor comprises an execution core configured to execute instructions; and a register configured to store an execute-only valid indication indicative of whether or not execution of instructions is permitted in pages that are indicated as execute-only in a set of page tables used by the processor for address translation. The execution core is configured, responsive to a fetch within an execute-only page, to signal a fault responsive to the execute-only valid indication indicating that execution is not permitted in the execute-only page, and wherein the execution core is configured to permit the fetch within the execute-only page responsive to the execute-only valid indication indicating that execution is permitted in the execute-only page.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to virtual machines in computer systems and, more particularly, to using execute-only memory to speed virtual machine monitor operation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Virtualization has been used in computer systems for a variety of different purposes. For example, virtualization can be used to execute privileged software in a "container" to prevent the privileged software from directly accessing and/or making changes to at least some of the physical machine state without first being permitted to do so by a virtual machine manager (VMM) that controls the virtual machine. Such a container can prevent "buggy" or malicious software from causing problems on the physical machine. Additionally, virtualization can be used to permit two or more privileged programs to execute on the same physical machine concurrently. The privileged programs can be prevented from interfering with each other since access to the physical machine is controlled. Privileged programs may include operating systems, and may also include other software which expects to have full control of the hardware on which the software is executing. In another example, virtualization can be used to execute a privileged program on hardware that differs from the hardware expected by the privileged program.
Generally, virtualization of a processor or computer system may include providing one or more privileged programs with access to a virtual machine (the container mentioned above) over which the privileged program has full control, but the control of the physical machine is retained by the VMM. The virtual machine may include a processor (or processors), memory, and various peripheral devices that the privileged program expects to find in the machine on which it is executing. The virtual machine elements may be implemented by hardware that the VMM allocates to the virtual machine, at least temporarily, and/or may be emulated in software. Each privileged program (and related software in some cases, such as the applications that execute on an operating system) may be referred to herein as a guest. Virtualization may be implemented in software (e.g. the VMM mentioned above) without any specific hardware virtualization support in the physical machine on which the VMM and its virtual machines execute. However, virtualization may be simplified and/or achieve higher performance if some hardware support is provided.
In order to maintain control over the physical machine, the VMM may intercept various events that occur during guest execution. For example, the events may include certain instructions that access privileged state, as well as certain exception/interrupt events. In cases in which a guest is virtual machine "aware," the privileged code in the virtual machine may make a call to the VMM. In response to an intercept or call, switching between execution of the VMM and the execution of guests occurs. Additionally, when the VMM schedules a guest for execution, a switch to executing that guest is performed. At various points in time, a switch from executing a guest to executing the VMM also occurs so that the VMM can retain control over the physical machine (e.g. when the guest attempts to access a peripheral device, when a new page of memory is to be allocated to the guest, when it is time for the VMM to schedule another guest, etc.). A switch between a guest and the VMM (in either direction) is often referred to as a "world switch".
Generally, the world switch involves saving processor state for the guest/VMM being switched away from, and restoring processor state for the guest/VMM being switched to. In some cases, saving/restoring all of the state is necessary. For example, when a guest is being started for the first time, none of the corresponding processor state has been loaded and thus all of the processor state may be saved/loaded. However, in other cases, some of the processor state may not change from guest context to VMM context and vice-versa. In still other cases, a world switch may be brief (e.g. the VMM may execute briefly to service a simple guest exit for an intercepted event), and only a small amount of processor state for the VMM may be needed.

Execute-only memory and mechanism enabling execution from execute-only memory for minivisor


A laundry treating appliance includes a treating chamber, an agitator rotatably mounted in the treating chamber and having a skirt and a hollow shaft extending upwardly from the skirt, and a bulk dispenser located within the hollow shaft. The bulk dispenser includes a tubular tank with a rotatable actuator on one end, a dispenser on the other end, and a shaft passing through the tubular tank and connecting the rotatable actuator to the dispenser. Rotating of the actuator, effects a rotation of the shaft, which effects a dispensing of the treating chemistry from the tubular tank via the dispenser.

Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, clothes dryers, refreshers, and non-aqueous systems, can have a configuration based on a rotating drum that defines a treating chamber having an access opening through which laundry items are placed in the treating chamber for treating. The laundry treating appliance can have a controller that implements a number of pre-programmed cycles of operation having one or more operating parameters.
In some laundry treating appliances, a user supplies the laundry treating appliance with a treating chemistry prior to or during each cycle of operation. The treating chemistry may be added directly to the treating chamber or added to a dispenser that supplies the treating chemistry to the treating chamber at the appropriate time in the cycle of operation. It can be desirable to provide a bulk dispenser that is capable of storing multiple doses of a treating chemistry so that a user does not have to handle the treating chemistry each time a cycle of operation is implemented.

Bulk dispenser for a laundry treating appliance


A system for reducing an OFF-current in a thin film transistor of a liquid crystal display device includes gate and data lines crossing each other, a pixel thin film transistor including gate, source and drain electrodes, the gate electrode connected to the gate line and the source electrode connected to the data line, a liquid crystal capacitor connected to the drain electrode of the pixel thin film transistor, a first switch thin film transistor connected to a first end of the data line, a second switch thin film transistor connected to a first end of the gate line, a first voltage source electrically connected to the drain electrode of the pixel thin film transistor, a second voltage source connected to a source electrode of the first switch thin film transistor, a third voltage source connected to gate electrodes of the first and second switch thin film transistors, and a fourth voltage source connected to a source electrode of the second switch thin film transistor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device including a thin film transistor and more particularly, to a system and a method for reducing OFF-current in a thin film transistor of a liquid crystal display device.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Due to rapid development in information technology, display devices have to display large amounts of information. Although cathode ray tube (CRT) devices have been commonly used as display devices, flat panel display devices have been developed that are thin, light weight, and low in power consumption. Among these, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices have been used in notebook computers and desktop monitors because of their superior image resolution, color image display, and display image quality.
The LCD devices include an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a liquid crystal material layer disposed between the upper and lower substrates. The LCD devices make use of optical anisotropy of liquid crystal molecules to produce image data by varying light transmittance according to an arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules that are controlled by an electric field.
One substrate of the LCD device includes a thin film transistor that functions as a switching element. An LCD device that includes the thin film transistor is commonly referred to as an active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD) device. The AMLCD device has high image resolution and can display moving images.
Amorphous silicon is commonly used as an active layer of a thin film transistor since amorphous silicon can be formed on large, low cost substrates, such as glass, under relatively low temperatures. However, although the LCD device is better than the CRT in power consumption, the LCD device including amorphous silicon is very expensive.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an LCD device according to the related art. In FIG. 1, gate and data driver ICs are connected to an array substrate, which includes an amorphous silicon TFT in a display area, using a tape automated bonding (TAB) method. The driver IC is a large scale integration (LSI) device and includes complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices that use single crystalline silicon as active layers. Accordingly, the driver IC is very costly.
In a high resolution LCD device, such as a super extended graphic array (SXGA), which has a resolution of 1280×1024, the LCD device requires a total of (1280×3)+1024 leads to connect the driver ICs to the array substrate. Accordingly, this decreases reliability and productivity of the LCD device. Additionally, this raises the cost of the LCD device.
Since devices that include active layers made of amorphous silicon are expensive to fabricate, LCD devices that include polycrystalline silicon as active layers of the TFTs have been developed. Accordingly, the number of fabrication steps can be reduced since the thin film transistors and driver IC can be formed on the same substrate, eliminating the need for TAB bonding.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another LCD device according to the related art. In FIG. 2, gate and data driver ICs are formed on an array substrate that includes polycrystalline silicon TFTs provided in a display area. The LCD device is commonly referred to as a chip on glass (COG) type device. In addition, field effect mobility of polycrystalline silicon is about 100 to 200 times greater than field effect mobility of amorphous silicon. Moreover, polycrystalline silicon is also optically and thermally stable.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a polycrystalline silicon TFT according to the related art. In FIG. 3, a buffer layer 11 is formed on a transparent substrate 10 and a polycrystalline silicon layer 12 is formed on the buffer layer 11. The polycrystalline silicon layer 12 includes an active layer 12a and source and drain regions 12b and 12c. A gate insulating layer 13 is formed on the polycrystalline silicon layer 12 and a gate electrode 14 is formed on the gate insulating layer 13, wherein the gate electrode 14 corresponds to the active layer 12a. An inter-insulating layer 15 covers the substrate 10 including the gate electrode 14, and the inter-insulating layer 15 has first and second contact holes 15a and 15b. The first and second contact holes 15a and 15b expose the source and drain regions 12b and 12c, respectively. Source and drain electrodes 16 and 17 are formed on the inter-insulating layer 15. The source and drain electrodes 16 and 17 are connected to the source and drain regions 12b and 12c through the first and second contact holes 15a and 15b, respectively. A passivation layer 18 is formed on the source and drain electrodes 16 and 17, and the passivation layer 18 has a third contact hole 18a exposing the drain electrode 17. A pixel electrode 19 is formed on the passivation layer 18, and is connected to the drain electrode 17 through the third contact hole 18a.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an LCD device including the polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor of FIG. 3 according to the related art. In FIG. 4, an LCD device includes lower and upper substrates 20 and 30, which are spaced apart and facing each other, and a liquid crystal material layer 40 disposed between the upper and lower substrates 30 and 20. A gate line 22 and a data line 24 are formed on an inside of the lower substrate 20 to cross each other, thereby defining a pixel region P. A thin film transistor T, which includes polycrystalline silicon as an active layer and has a structure of FIG. 3, is provided at the crossing of the gate line 22 and the data line 24. A pixel electrode 26 is formed within the pixel region P and is connected to the thin film transistor T.
In addition, a black matrix 32, which has an opening corresponding to the pixel electrode 26, is formed on an inside of the upper substrate 30. A color filter layer 34 that corresponds to the opening of the black matrix 32 is formed on the black matrix 32. The color filter layer 34 includes three color filters red (R), green (G), and blue (B), wherein each color corresponds to a respective pixel electrode 26. In addition, a common electrode 36 is formed on the color filter layer 34.
The lower substrate 20 including the thin film transistor T and the pixel electrode 26 may be commonly referred to as an array substrate, and the upper substrate 30 including the color filter layer 34 may be commonly referred to as a color filter substrate.
FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an equivalent circuit view for a pixel of the LCD device of FIG. 4 according to the related art. In FIG. 5, an equivalent circuit of a pixel of the LCD device of FIG. 4 includes a P-TFT interconnected between a data line and a gate line, wherein a signal transmitted along the gate line enables the P-TFT to transmit an image signal along the data line. Accordingly, a liquid crystal cell capacitance CLC of the liquid crystal cell, which is formed with the common line, and a storage capacitance CSTG, which is formed with the storage line, are formed when the P-TFT is enabled.
The array substrate and the color filter substrate are manufactured through various fabricating processes, respectively, and are subsequently assembled. The array substrate goes through various inspection processes before and after assembly, including a process to stabilize the polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor (TFT). Leakage current, which is commonly referred to as OFF-current, occurs due to the presence of electron carriers in a vicinity of the P-N junction of the polycrystalline silicon TFT when the polycrystalline silicon TFT is driven for a long period of time under normal operating temperatures. The leakage current causes residual images that lead to degradation of pixels of the LCD device. Therefore, a process for decreasing the OFF-current of the polycrystalline silicon TFT is required.
The OFF-current can be reduced by generating an OFF-stress at each junction region of the polycrystalline silicon TFT. For example, one method for reducing OFF-state current in field effect transistors is disclosed by Fonash et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,866). Direct current (DC) voltage or alternating current (AC) voltage may be used to generate the OFF-stress. However, since the LCD device includes storage capacitors, it is difficult to apply the DC voltage to the pixel TFTs.

System and method for reducing off-current in thin film transistor of liquid crystal display device


An optical transmission system includes a number of corresponding modular multiplexing and demultiplexing units used in transmitting and receiving an optical signal respectively. Additionally, compensation components compensate for optical dispersion experienced by the optical signal. The modular multiplexing and demultiplexing units are assembled in a cascade fashion at the transmit side and the receive side of the optical transmission system, respectively. The dispersion compensation components share dispersion compensation fiber across the cascaded units.

Optical systems transmit information as optical signals through optical fiber. When sending optical signals over long distances, a number of optical channels may be simultaneously transmitted over a long length of fiber. Each of the optical channels correspond to a light source of a certain wavelength that is modulated with the data signal of the channel. The channels may be multiplexed together for transmission through the fiber.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an optical communication system 100. Transmitters 101–102 receive input information channels 120–121. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many more than two, e.g., several hundred, channels may be used although only two are shown here to simplify the figure. Transmitters 101–102 may be long reach transmitters (LRTRs) that convert the input information channels 120–121 from electrical signals to optical information modulated around preset wavelengths. These optical channels are then combined by wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) 103 into a single WDM signal and transmitted over fiber link 115. Fiber, connection 115 may include a number of optical fibers, each of which carries WDM signals, as well as repeaters 105 that, among other things, amplify the WDM signal.
The receiving side of communication system 100 includes WDM 110 and receivers 111–112. WDM 110 demultiplexes the received WDM signal into the original channels (wavelengths). Receivers 111–112 receive the demultiplexed optical channels and convert them back to electrical signals.
WDM signals traveling through fiber connection 115 experience chromatic dispersion. Dispersion refers to the fact that the different wavelengths in the WDM signal travel at different speeds in fiber connection 115. These different speeds cause the waveforms to become distorted as they travel through the fiber connection 115. In part, this dispersion can be managed by inserting fiber segments having appropriate dispersion characteristics along the fiber connection 115. While this reduces the average dispersion across the fiber connection 115, there remains some residual, wavelength dependent dispersion to be compensated.
One technique for compensating for this residual dispersion involves inserting a length of dispersion compensating optical fiber into the path of each optical signal. WDM 103 and/or WDM 110, for example, may include such a length of optical fiber for each of its input optical channels. An example of this technique can be illustrated by the situation in which each of a plurality of optical transmitters are connected to an array waveguide (AWG) through differing lengths of dispersion compensating fiber. Both the length and the type (i.e., positive or negative dispersion compensation) are selected based upon the expected residual dispersion associated with the wavelength (channel) at which each transmitter is operating. The required length of the dispersion compensating fiber can be relatively large (e.g., 80 km) for channels that require significant residual compensation. As more channels are added to the system, the amount of dispersion compensating fiber used in the WDM 103 and/or 110 quickly becomes a significant expense as well as increasing the size of the unit which causes it to use up valuable floor space in, e.g., a cable landing station. Moreover, the lossy nature of such parallel dispersion compensation schemes may require a large number of amplifiers.
Thus, there is a need in the art to be able to more efficiently multiplex and demultiplex optical channels in optical transmission systems.

Modular multiplexing/demultiplexing units in optical transmission systems


The invention relates to a sensor-system for metal workpieces, especially cast components (casting cleansing), and a cutting sensor for its implementation, and is intended to improve deburring quality rationally and effectively. To this end, relatively coarse burrs are cut off to a predetermined height and the remaining burrs and also the relatively small ones are removed by sensor control in a single pass by a combined tool having sensor cutter and a burr pre-cutter.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to sensor-controlled deburring of metallic workpieces, in particular the cleaning of castings by face milling, in which process the axis of a tool is tilted relative to a normal line on the surface of a base material of a workpiece, the tool and workpiece being electrically isolated from one another. An electrical voltage is applied at least between one part of the tool and the workpiece. The tool engages with the workpiece under numerical control. The time of contact of a cutting edge with the workpiece is evaluated independently of the speed of the tool during its control as a measure of the width of the tool mark and thus the penetrating depth of the tool when deburring relatively small flashes.
The invention also relates to a cutting sensor for conducting sensor-controlled deburring of metallic workpieces, in particular of castings of the aformentioned kind. The cutting sensor is formed by a workpiece, a sensor cutter that engages with the workiece and whose longitudinal axis is sloped relative to the normal line on the surface of the base material of the workpiece, and an evaluating unit connected to the sensor cutter. The workpiece or the sensor cutter is electrically isolated from its environment and has a measurement voltage applied thereto.
(2) State of the Prior Art
Castings are fraught with tolerances. The cast blanks are far from being at a required defined geometry owing to gating systems and flashes of various shapes and heights. Therefore, the castings must be deburred and smoothed by cleaning. This is predominantly done manually, since acceptable machining results are obtained only in exceptional cases when castings are cleaned automatically, owing to defective compensation for tolerances.
For automatic cleaning of castings with numerically controlled (NC) machine tools, the object is to follow the contour of the workpiece and remove the gating systems and flashes.
Since the flashes vary in shape, width and height with large tolerances, a constantly high cleaning quality can be achieved in numerically controlled automated procedures only with sensors. They monitor the deviation of the actual shape of the flash and its position from a predetermined tolerance value and must correspondingly correct the deburring process.
Previous attempts started from force measurements, performance measurements and optical measurements. None of these principles led to results that would be comparable to those of a cutting sensor. With a cutting sensor it is possible to measure these deviations directly and to compensate with suitable procedures. A known sensor-controlled deburring of the aforementioned kind (M. Weck and J.-P. Furba, VDI-Z., Vol. 128 (1986), no. 22, pp. 879-883) has been proven to have the drawback that it no longer functions when there are large bent-over flashes. If in the case of relatively high flashes, the cutter bends over during this contact measurement, the contact time is no longer determined by the base material but rather by the bent over flash. In this manner the automatically guided sensor cutter is led astray.

Sensor-controlled deburring and cutting sensor to carry out the process

INPRO Innovationsgesellschaft fur fortgeschrittene Produktions-systeme in der Fahrzeugindustrie mbH


A pile is disclosed for insertion by a pile driver. The pile incorporates transversely extending anchors for increased pull-out resistance.

Piles are used to transfer a structural load to the soil below the ground surface. Piles may driven into the soil using a vibratory pile driver, for example. Vibratory pile drivers include a large, heavy housing clamped to the upper end of the pile to be driven. The housing may be provided with at least two eccentric weights. The eccentric weights are rotated at high speed to vibrate the housing. The vibration of the housing, coupled with the weight of the housing, causes the pile to sink into the soil below the ground surface. In alternative configurations, the articulated boom of an excavator may be used to drive the pile downward into the soil as it vibrates. Piles may also be impacted or otherwise driven into the soil.


An immunoglobulin binding peptide having the general formula, from amino terminus to carboxy terminus, of Z-R1—R2—R3—R4—R5—R6—X, is described, wherein: R1 is H or Y; R2 is a hydrophobic, preferentially aromatic, amino acid (for example W, F, Y, V); R3 is a positively charged or aromatic amino acid (for example R, H, F, W); R4 is a hydrophobic or positively charged amino acid (for example G, Y, R, K, L); R5 is a positively charged or aromatic amino acid (for example W, F, R, H, Y); R6 a random amino acid but preferably hydrophobic or negatively charged (for example V, W, L, D, H); X is present or absent and when present is a linking group; and Z is present or absent and when present is a capping group bonded to the N terminus of R1; and wherein the amino acids of said peptide are in D form, L form, or a combination thereof. Methods of using such peptides for the purification of Immunoglobulins are also described.

The human immunoglobulins (Igs), a class of plasma proteins produced by the immune system as a response to parasitic invasion, can be divided into five classes, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. Human IgG (HIgG) has an average concentration of 12 mg/ml in adult blood, and encompasses 75% of all human immunoglobulins. HIgG consists of four subclasses IgG1, 2, 3, and 4. Among these subclasses, IgG1 is the most dominant protein, making up anywhere between 43 to 75% of all the HIgG (J. Harris, Blood Separation and Plasma Fractionation, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 325p (1990)). The HIgG backbone consists of two identical "heavy" chains and two identical "light" chains (FIG. 1). Disulfide bonds form bridges between chains, which confer flexibility to the HIgG molecule.
HIgG is usually obtained from pooled plasma by the Cohn-Oncley process, which needs at least 4 steps to achieve an IgG purity of 85%. HIgG isolated by this technique tends to aggregate to form multimers (J. Harris, Blood Separation and Plasma Fractionation, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 325p (1990)). Monoclonal antibodies produced in cell culture from hybridoma cells is another source for the production of HIgG. Diafiltered supernatant of cell culture can be subjected to different processes, such as ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography (IEC), hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC), or affinity chromatography (J. Harris, Blood separation and plasma fractionation, New York: A John Wiley & Sons 325 p. (1990)) to purify HIgG. Ion exchange chromatography (R. Necina et al., Biotechnology and Bioengineering 60(6):689-698 (1998)) has been used to purify HIgG directly from cell culture supernatant containing 3% fetal calf serum (FCS) yielding a recovery of less than 70% and a HIgG:BSA ratio of 1:2. Ammonium sulfate precipitation generated even less purity than ion-exchange chromatography (J. Harris, Blood separation and plasma fractionation, New York: A John Wiley & Sons. 325 p. (1990)). Pretreatment of the cell culture supernatant is necessary prior to using HIC, due to the high salt concentration usually found in the supernatant. Hydrophobic charge induction chromatography (HCIC) (L. Guerrier, et al., Journal of Chromatography B 755(1-2):37-46 (2001); L. Guerrier, et al., Bioseparation 9(4):211-221 (2000)) can be another choice of HIgG purification, yielding a purity of 98% when the feedstock solution was from protein-free cell culture supernatant. However, when dealing with cell culture supernatant containing 5% FCS, an IEC step had to be coupled to HCIC, and the purity and recovery of HIgG were found to be 69% and 76% respectively.
Among the chromatographic methods, affinity chromatography deserves particular attention because, in principle, it allows the possibility of obtaining several fold purification with high recovery in a single step. Protein A and protein G are the most commonly used ligands in the purification of HIgG. However, several drawbacks, including their high cost, low stability, and the possibility of contaminating products, make it important to find a new ligand for IgG purification. Synthetic small ligands may overcome some of these disadvantages and have been studied by many research groups. Table 1, below, lists small ligands that have been used in HIgG affinity purification.
Table 1. Small ligands used in the purification of IgG.
TABLE 1Small ligands used in the purification of IgG.IgGPurity/CompanyLigandSupportCapacitySourceElutionRecovery1.Chinese Academy ofsulfamethazinePoly(glycidyl methacrylate)HBP0.05M PBS, 0.25 NaCl,90%/Sciences, ChinapH 5.52.HoffmannLaRocheEPIHRSTLTALLAmino-NuGel320 μg/gCulture0.2M NaCl/0.2M HOAcInc. USA(SEQ ID NO:35)gel3.Research Institute forMannosylerythritol lipidPoly(2-hydroxyethyl106 mg/g0.1M Acetate buffer,/80%Green Technology,methacrylate)gelpH 3.6Japan4.Tecnogen SCpA,MAPEpoxy-activated EupergifAnti-0.1M acetic acidBiopharmaceuticals,AV13: GFRKYLHFRRHLLC30NMAPItaly(SEQ ID NO:33)sera(AV13)4K2KG(SEQ ID NO:36)AV15:VRLGWLLAPADLDAR(SEQ ID NO:37)(AV15)4(KRG)2KG(SEQ ID NO:38)5.Tecnogen, ItalyTG19318 (PAM):Epoxy-activated Eupergif25 mg/ml0.1M acetic acid(RTY)4K2KGC30Ngel(SEQ ID NO:39)6.Tecnogen, ItalyD-PAM, TG19320:Poly-acrylamide/azlactone-Serum0.1M acetic acid, pH 3.595%/KAPTIV-GYactivated gel (Emphaze(SEQ ID NO:40)matrix)7.AmershamProtein A4% Cross-link agarose20 mg/ml0.1M citrate acid, pH 3.0Biosciencesmoist gel8.AmershamProtein GSepharose high0.1M Gly, pH 2.7Biosciencesperformance9.Prometic BiosciencesMAbsorbent A1P/A2P6% Cross-link agarose50 mg/ml10/50 mM citrate buffer,Ltd.resinpH 3.010.University of22/8: Aromatic aminesSepharose 6B51.9 g/gHBP0.1M glycine-HCl, pH97.3/67%Cambridge, UKmoist gel2.9(0.025M citric acid, pH2.4)11.Hacettepe University,Transition Metal ionsPoly(hydroxyethyl50 mMTurkeymethacrylate)ethylenediaminetetraaceticacid (EDTA), pH 8.0

Purification of immunoglobulins using affinity chromatography and peptide ligands


A plurality of pressure chambers are divided into a first pressure chamber group and a second pressure chamber group, and are arranged such that an interval of the first pressure chamber group and the second pressure chamber group is larger than an interval between nozzles, and sub ink supply passage which supplies the ink to the common liquid chambers through the space is formed. Accordingly, a liquid droplet jetting head which is capable of delivering the ink to all the nozzles without increasing a size is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid droplet jetting head which is used in a liquid droplet jetting apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a liquid droplet jetting head, an ink-jet head which transports an ink supplied from an ink tank, and jets ink droplets from nozzles toward a recording paper has already been known. Types for jetting ink is classified according to a difference of a method of generation of a jetting energy. For example, there are types such as a thermal-jet type in which ink droplets are jetted by generating an air bubble by thermal (heat) energy.
The liquid droplet jetting head described above, includes for example, a channel unit in which a plurality of nozzles, a plurality of pressure chambers which communicate with the plurality of nozzles, a common liquid chamber which communicates with the plurality of pressure chambers, and an ink supply channel for supplying the ink to the common liquid chamber from an outside are formed, and a pressure applying mechanism which applies a jetting pressure to the ink which is infused into the plurality of pressure chambers. The nozzles form a nozzle group which is arranged in rows at an equal interval in a predetermined direction, and the pressure chambers are arranged in a row corresponding to the nozzle group. Moreover, the common liquid chamber is formed to be extended in the predetermined direction corresponding to the pressure chambers arranged in a row, and an ink supply channel which infuses the ink is provided at an end portion of the common liquid chamber (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-114505).


A rotor of a canned motor for a canned motor pump, which operates in fluid, includes a core assembly with a plurality of stacked cores each having a plurality of slots formed therein, a conductor portion integrally constituted by a plurality of rotor bars inserted into respective slots of the core assembly and opposite end rings disposed on the opposite sides of the core assembly, and a coating film formed on the outer surfaces of the core assembly and the conductor portion to prevent the fluid from permeating into them. The rotor has enhanced airtightness and anticorrosion properties and may be made of low-priced materials using a shortened manufacturing process, resulting in cost reduction.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rotor of a canned motor for a canned motor pump, which performs rotation through electromagnetic interaction with a stator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A canned motor pump having a canned motor mounted therein is generally of the type shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, in which the motor is disposed at one side of the pump. The motor comprises a rotor 3 includes a core assembly having a plurality of stacked cores, and a rotary shaft 1 for rotating an impeller the shaft being 5, press-fitted into the central portion of the core assembly. The motor also included a stator 2 disposed peripherally of the rotor 3 in radially facing relation to the rotor, whereby the rotor 3 performs high speed rotation by electromagnetic interaction with the stator, so that a impeller 5 secured to one end of the rotary shaft 1 therewith is rotated, thereby pumping fluid.
Bearings 4 guide and support the opposite end portions of the shaft 1. Lubrication of the sliding contact surfaces between the rotary shaft 1 (which rotates at high speed) and bearings 4 is not provided by supplying separate lubricating oil; instead, the fluid that is being pumped is circulated into the interior of the motor portion. Therefore, the rotor of the motor for the canned motor pump must be arranged to meet the requirements of airtightness, preventing the fluid from permeating into the interior of the rotor and avoiding corrosion thereof.
To satisfy the requirements set forth above, the prior rotor employs the construction shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings. A core assembly 3a includes stacked cores 6 each having a central aperture and a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots 10 formed thereon. Opposite end rings 8a and 8b (copper plates) are attached to the opposite sides of the core assembly, each end ring having a central aperture and slots corresponding to the central aperture and slots of the core. Copper wires or bars are inserted into the slots 10 and secured to the end rings 8a and 8b by welding. A a rotor can 9 of stainless material is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the core assembly to enclose it, and the rotary shaft is 1 press-fitted into the central aperture of the combination of the core assembly and the end rings. Accordingly, permeation of fluid into the core assembly 3a comprising the cores 6 is prevented by the end rings 8a and 8b and the rotor can 9, which entirely surround the core assembly.
In this prior rotor, the end rings and rotor bars, which serve as rotor conductors, are made of copper, which increases the manufacturing cost of the product. Moreover the processes of inserting the rotor bars into the slots of the core assembly and then welding the bars to the end rings complicates the mannfacturing operation, thereby lowering productivity. In addition, since the rotor can which encloses the core assembly to prevent permeation of water from the outside is made of separate stainless material, the manufacturing cost is increased. Furthermore, the thickness of the rotor can itself increase the gap between the rotor and the stator by at least 0.2 mm, thereby lowering the efficiency of the motor. Moreover, even if the rotor can has ben accurately finished and mounted around the core assembly, the airtightness between the rotor can and the core assembly may not be properly maintained with use of the motor for a long time, resulting in permeation of the core assembly.

Rotor of a canned motor for a canned motor pump