A clamp assembly for clamping first and second objects together includes a sleeve adapted to fit within a first bore in the first object, the sleeve having a first end, a second end, and a slit extending from the first end to the second end. Bolt-driven sleeve-expansion components operate to radially expand the sleeve within the first bore of the first object while applying force to the sleeve axially toward the second object. One embodiment includes a cylindrically shaped, longitudinally split sleeve of resiliently deformable composition. A conically shaped member and a bolt having a conically shaped head and a shank adapted to screw into the second bore cooperate as sleeve expansion components. The tapered head of the bolt faces a first tapered inner surface of the sleeve, and a tapered exterior surface on the conically shaped member faces a second tapered inner surface of the sleeve. The shank of the bolt extends axially through the sleeve and the conically shaped member. Screwing the end portion of the shank sufficiently into the second bore in the second object causes the tapered exterior surface of the conically shaped head of the bolt and the tapered exterior surface of the conically shaped member to cooperatively bear against respective ones of the first and second tapered inner surfaces of the sleeve so that the sleeve expands and bears against the first object radially as well as axially toward the second object. Unscrewing the bolt a partial turn unlocks the clamp.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to clamps, and more particularly to an inexpensive clamp assembly with quick locking and release action that provides both positional accuracy and high repeatability while being easily installed.
2. Description of Related Art
Recall that some clamping applications seek quick locking and release action while demanding strength and precision. Consider the task of holding a workpiece during machining by a computerized machining center, for example. The machinist uses workpiece holding components to clamp each workpiece securely on the machining center worktable while he drills or otherwise machines it. Then he removes the workpiece and mounts another. Thus, the workpiece holding components should lock and release quickly and securely while maintaining both positional accuracy and high repeatability.
But some existing workpiece holding components have certain drawbacks. Visualize, for example, an existing pallet system for a vertical machining center. It may include a receiver plate that mounts on the worktable and several interchangeable pallets that hold the workpieces. With a vise securely holding the receiver plate on the worktable, the machinist selects one of the pallets, mounts it on the receiver plate, and then machines the one or more workpieces it holds. After that, he removes the pallet from the receiver plate and mounts another one.
He continues that way to machine all the workpieces, and so the manner in which the pallet mounts on the receiver plate is critical. However, some existing pallet systems do so with four bolts that pass through the pallet into threaded holes in the receiver plate. That means the bolts must be screwed all the way in and all the way out each time the pallet is changed, and that procedure can be too time consuming. Furthermore, bolts fit loosely through the pallet and so indexing pins or other suitable means must be used to properly position the pallet on the receiver plate. That increases cost and complexity. Thus, machinists need a better way to mount the pallet on the receiver plate.
Many other applications experience the same problem. So they need a better way also--an inexpensive clamp assembly with quick locking and release action that provides both positional accuracy and high repeatability while being easily installed.


A method of forming a floating gate electrode of a cell of a flash memory device having an interval less than a critical dimension (CD) in a conventional photolithographic process, in which the reliability of a dielectric layer does not deteriorate and damage to a floating gate electrode during etching is prevented, is provided. According to the present invention, a protective layer formed of a material having a high etching selectivity with respect to a device isolation layer and a doped polysilicon layer is formed on the upper surface of the doped polysilicon layer forming the floating gate electrode. The protective layer is partially etched and includes a recess. Next, a material layer for forming a spacer, which is formed of a material having a high etching selectivity with respect to the device isolation layer and the doped polysilicon layer, is formed on the upper surface of the protective layer and is etched back, thus forming the spacer. Damage to the doped polysilicon layer during etching is prevented by the protective layer containing the recess. The floating gate electrode, which is arranged at an interval less than a limit value in a photolithographic process, can be formed by the spacer. The spacer and the protective layer are removed, and a step difference does not occur at edges of the floating gate electrode. Thus deterioration of the reliability of a dielectric layer formed on top of the floating gate electrode can be prevented.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of fabricating semiconductor memory devices, and more particularly, to a method of fabricating a cell of a flash memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor flash memory device, information stored in a memory cell is not lost even though power is not supplied to the flash memory device. Thus, the flash memory device is widely used in computer memory cards. A cell on which a floating gate electrode and a control gate electrode are stacked in order is widely employed as a unit cell of the flash memory device.
FIG. 1 is a layout view of parts of a cell array region of a conventional NOR-type flash memory device. A plurality of word line patterns 115 are arranged in parallel with one another, and an active region pattern 111 crosses the word line patterns 115. Common source region patterns S extending from the active region pattern 111 are arranged in parallel with the word line patterns 115 between a pair of the word line patterns 115. The active region pattern 111 facing the common source region patterns S between the word line patterns 115 corresponds to drain regions D of a cell. Bit line contact patterns 117 are arranged in each of the drain regions D, and bit line patterns 119 covering the bit line contact patterns 117 are arranged perpendicular to the word line patterns 115. Etching mask patterns 113 for separating floating gates of cells neighboring the word line patterns 115 are arranged between the bit line patterns 119.
In order to improve the characteristics of a unit cell of the flash memory device having the structure of FIG. 1, it is important to increase capacitance between the floating gate electrode and the control gate electrode. A technique in which an interval between neighboring floating gate electrodes is formed to be smaller than the resolution limit of a photolithographic process using the etching mask patterns 113 and a technique in which a spacer remains along edges of the floating gate electrodes for maximizing an area where the floating gate electrodes overlap with the control gate electrodes, are used as methods for increasing the capacitance.
One of the techniques is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,162. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,162, a spacer is formed on top of edges of the floating gate electrodes, and a dielectric layer composed of oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) or nitride-oxide (NO) material and control gate electrodes are stacked on top of the floating gate electrodes, thus maximizing the capacitance between the floating gate electrodes and the control gate electrodes. However, since the upper portion of the spacer formed on the floating gate electrodes has a pointed shape, the electric field has a high flux between the spacer and the control gate electrode. Thus, a breakdown voltage across the dielectric layer interposed between the floating gate electrode and the control gate electrode is reduced, and the reliability of a dielectric layer and the device is reduced.
Another method for increasing the area overlapped by the floating gate electrode and the control gate electrode is described in FIGS. 2 through 5, which are sectional views taken along line B-Bxe2x80x2 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a device isolation layer 12 defining an active region is formed on a semiconductor substrate 10 using an active region pattern 111. A 50-100 xc3x85 thick thin tunnel oxide film 14 is formed on the active region. The tunnel oxide film 14 is formed of thermal oxide. A polysilicon layer 16 and an antireflective layer 18 are sequentially formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate on which the tunnel oxide film 14 is formed. A photoresist etching mask pattern 20 is formed on a first upper portion of the antireflective layer 18.
In FIG. 3, all of the antireflective layer 18 and parts of the polysilicon layer 16 are removed in areas not protected by the photoresist etching mask pattern 20, so that an antireflective layer pattern 18a and polysilicon layers 16 and 16a having a recess are formed on the semiconductor substrate 10. Next, after the photoresist etching mask pattern 20 is removed (not shown), a silicon nitride film 21 is formed over the antireflective layer pattern 18a and the polysilicon layers 16 and 16a.
In FIG. 4, a spacer 22 formed of silicon nitride is formed along the sides of the antireflective layer pattern 18a and along the edges of both sides of the recess by etching back the entire surface of the silicon nitride film 21. The polysilicon layers 16 and 16a are completely removed using the spacer 22, thereby exposing the upper surface of the device isolation layer 12.
In FIG. 5, the antireflective layer pattern 18a and the spacer 22 are removed using phosphoric acid. Next, the polysilicon layers 16 and 16a are converted into a doped polysilicon layer pattern 16b by doping them with impurity ions. An interlevel dielectric (ILD) layer 24 and a doped polysilicon layer 26 are sequentially formed on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate on which the polysilicon layer pattern 16b including a step difference is formed. The ILD layer 24 is typically composed of oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) or nitride-oxide (NO) material. Next, the doped polysilicon pattern 16b, the ILD layer 24, and the doped polysilicon layer 26 are patterned using a predetermined photoresist mask pattern, and then, the floating gate electrode, the dielectric layer, and the control gate electrode are formed.
In these prior structures, the surface of the polysilicon layer 16a contacting the spacer 22 is damaged from etching during an etching process. Thus, a step difference is formed on the uppermost portion of the floating gate electrode and, similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,162, the reliability of the ILD layer interposed between the floating gate electrode and the control gate electrode beneath a step difference deteriorates.
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating a cell of a flash memory device, in which an interval between neighboring floating gate electrodes can be reduced to less than a critical dimension (CD), and which includes a floating gate electrode in which etching damage and a step difference can be prevented.
According to the invention, there is provided a method of fabricating a cell of a flash memory device. A semiconductor substrate including a device isolation layer is provided. A first conductive layer is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A protective layer of a material having a high etching selectivity with respect to the device isolation layer and the first conductive layer is formed on the upper surface of the first conductive layer. Portions of the protective layer located directly above the device isolation layer are removed to form a protective layer pattern having a recess. The semiconductor substrate on which the protective layer pattern is formed is etched to expose the first conductive layer and to form a spacer of a material having a high etching selectivity with respect to the device isolation layer and the first conductive layer on lower edges of the recess. The exposed first conductive layer is patterned using the spacer to expose the surface of the device isolation layer. The spacer and the protective layer pattern are then removed.
The protective layer and the spacer may be formed of a silicon film containing nitrogen, for example, a silicon nitride film or a silicon oxynitride film. In a case where the spacer and the protective layer may be formed of the same material, the spacer and the protective layer can be removed using phosphoric acid at one time, thus simplifying the manufacturing process.
The first conductive layer may be a doped polysilicon layer in a NAND-type flash memory device, and may be an undoped polysilicon layer in a NOR-type flash memory device. If the first conductive layer is to be doped, doping is performed after removing the spacer and the protective layer pattern.
Forming the spacer can include forming a material layer of a material having a high etching selectivity with respect to the device isolation layer and the first conductive layer on the surface of the semiconductor substrate on which the protective layer pattern is formed The surface of the material layer can be etched back until the first conductive layer is exposed. Here, the thickness of the material layer can be 500-1500 xc3x85. The first conductive layer is covered by the protective layer before an etching back process, thus preventing the first conductive layer from being damaged during etching. The protective layer may be formed of an antireflective layer, which is essentially used in forming a photoresist mask pattern, without forming a specific layer. In this case, an additional process is not required, thus the process does not become complicated. Next, the first conductive layer is etched using the spacer and the protective layer.
After removing the spacer and the protective layer pattern, an insulating layer and a second conductive layer can be sequentially formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate on which the patterned first conductive layer is formed. The first conductive layer, the insulating layer, and the second conductive layer can be patterned further to form a floating gate electrode, a dielectric layer, and a control gate electrode, respectively, and a source region and a drain region can be formed on an active region of the semiconductor substrate using the dielectric layer and the control gate electrode. Here, the second conductive layer may be formed of a doped polysilicon layer or a polysilicide layer containing refractory metal, and the polysilicide layer containing refractory metal may be formed of a tungsten silicide film or a titanium silicide film. The insulating layer may be composed of oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) or nitride-oxide (NO) material.

Method of fabricating cell of flash memory device


A gas isolation box including an enclosure; a number of gas sticks contained within the enclosure, each gas stick including a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick; a purge gas section including a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick; and an evacuation section including a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick to an exhaust stream.

The present invention relates generally to gas handling devices, and more particularly, relates to gas handling devices that are capable of supplying, evacuating and purging a process gas and are also capable of handling multiple process gases in a single gas handling device.
In a semiconductor manufacturing process, a variety of process tools are utilized, such as steppers, etchers and the like, each of which requires a constant supply of process gases in order to produce semiconductor devices of uniform quality. A tool may require multiple supply lines of process gases, such as nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, boron trichloride, fluorine, silicon tetrafluoride, silane, argon, etc. Many process gases are flammable, toxic and/or pyrophoric and therefore require special precautions in order to be utilized safely.
A conventional gas handling device, also known as a gas isolation box, typically includes a plurality of gas handling units, also known as gas sticks or gas isolation assemblies. For the sake of simplicity, the gas handling device will be referred to hereafter as a gas isolation box or GIB and the gas handling units will be referred to hereafter as gas sticks.
Each gas stick may have various stop valves, mass flow controllers, pressure transducers, filters, etc. which are coupled to each other by various types of union fittings as is well known to those skilled in the art. The gas sticks are also coupled to a gas inlet which provides process gas from a remote gas supply and to a gas outlet which leads to a tool, sometimes remotely located. The components of each gas stick are rigidly fastened to a mounting block. The components of each gas stick so mounted on the mounting block are then positioned within an enclosure to make up the GIB. For safety reasons, all tubing coming to the GIB is welded to the GIB to avoid leaks.
Various GIBs are illustrated in the prior art including those shown in Barr et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,744, Seaman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,414, and Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,543, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein. As disclosed in Seaman et al., a plurality of gas sticks are located in an enclosure. Purge gas is supplied from a manifold and is manually controlled external to the GIB.
Several disadvantages are apparent from the prior art. First, some functions of the GIB, such as purging, are not contained within the GIB so extra room around the GIB need be made to account for the external functions. Second, only one process gas is supplied to a given GIB. Thus, there needs to be multiple GIBs to accommodate multiple process gases. Third, conventional GIBs are manually controlled which necessarily requires an operator to be available to attend to the GIB. Fourth, the functions present in conventional GIBs are limited.
It would be desirable to have a GIB which resolves the difficulties inherent in conventional GIBs.
Accordingly, it is a purpose of the present invention to have all functions of the GIB contained within the GIB.
It is another purpose of the present invention to have a GIB that can handle multiple process gases at the same time.
It is yet another purpose of the present invention to have a GIB which is controlled pneumatically and/or electronically.
It is still another purpose of the present invention to have a GIB which can handle multiple functions of supply, evacuate and purge of a process gas.
These and other purposes of the present invention will become more apparent after referring to the following description of the invention considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The purposes of the invention have been achieved by providing, according to a first aspect of the invention a gas stick comprising:
a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick;
a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick; and
an evacuation section comprising a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick to an exhaust stream.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a gas isolation box comprising:
an enclosure;
a plurality of gas sticks contained within the enclosure, each gas stick comprising:
a process gas section comprising a first process gas inlet valve for gating the flow of a process gas into the gas stick;
a purge gas section comprising a purge valve for gating the flow of a purge gas into the gas stick; and
an evacuation section comprising a first evacuation valve for gating the exiting of a process gas or a purge gas from the gas stick, a bleed valve which in a closed position allows process gas to bleed through the bleed valve and in an open position allows purge gas to freely flow through the bleed valve, and a vacuum generator module which pulls a vacuum to evacuate a purge gas or any remaining process gas in the gas stick or the tool through the first evacuation valve and the bleed valve and out from the gas stick to an exhaust stream.

International Business Machines Corporation


A light emitting diode (LED) lamp tube includes a lamp device including a circuit board, and a plurality of LEDs mounted on the circuit board. The circuit board is disposed in a tubular enclosure such that an inner peripheral surface of the enclosure is divided into a non-illuminated portion and a light-receiving portion. The tubular enclosure has a plurality of tapered protrusions extending from the light-receiving portion toward the LEDs. Each of the tapered protrusions converges from the light-receiving portion toward the LEDs. Each of the tapered protrusions further has a maximum width at an outer end thereof, which increases gradually from a middle portion of the light-receiving portion toward junctions of the light-receiving portion and the non-illuminated portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) lamp tube, more particularly to a lamp tube capable of providing uniform illumination and preventing glare.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional light emitting diode (LED) lamp tubes have a longer service life than fluorescent lamps and can replace the fluorescent lamps. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional LED lamp tube 1 comprises a lamp device 11 and a tubular enclosure 12. The lamp device 11 includes a circuit board 111 disposed in the enclosure 12, a plurality of LEDs 112 electrically connected to the circuit board 111, and two electrode seats 113 electrically connected to the LEDs 112. The circuit board 111 divides an inner surface of the tubular enclosure 12 into a light-receiving portion and a non-illuminated portion.
However, the conventional LED lamp tubes encounter a problem during use in that glare is generated that can irritate users' eyes and make the users uncomfortable and dizzy due to the fact that the number of beams of light passing through the light-receiving portion of the tubular enclosure 12 reduces gradually from a middle portion of the light-receiving portion to junctions between the light-receiving portion and the non-illuminated portion. In particular, as illustrated in FIG. 2, with respect to an axial position of the lamp tube 1, the brightness of regions (b) is greater than that of each region (a), and smaller than that of region (c). As such, the brightness of the light-receiving portion of the tubular enclosure 12 is not uniform, and glare is generated.
In order to alleviate the above drawbacks, Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 330422 discloses an improved LED lamp tube. Referring to FIG. 3, the main difference between the improved LED lamp tube and the previously described LED lamp tube 1 resides in the configuration of the tubular enclosure. In the improved LED lamp tube, a plurality of transparent protrusions 121 are formed on an inner peripheral surface of the enclosure 12. Light emitted by the LEDs 112 is refracted in the protrusions 121 to redirect the light, thus reducing glare. However, the improved LED lamp tube cannot increase effectively uniformity of illumination. That is, the LED lamp is brighter at a middle portion of the light-receiving portion of the lamp tube, and darker at junctions of the light-receiving portion and the non-illuminated portion.


An electrically conductive roll is disclosed, which includes: a center shaft; a base layer formed on an outer circumferential surface of the center shaft and including an elastic material as a major component and an ion-conductive material, the base layer having a volume resistivity of 10.sup.6 -10.sup.9 .OMEGA.cm; an electrode layer formed on an outer surface of the base layer and including a synthetic resin material as a major component and an electron-conductive material, the electrode layer having a volume resistivity of not more than 10.sup.3 .OMEGA.cm; a resistance adjusting layer formed on an outer surface of the electrode layer; and a protective layer formed on an outer surface of the resistance adjusting layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrically conductive roll, such as a charging roll, a transfer roll and a cleaning roll, for use in electrophotographic copying machines, printers or the like, which conductive roll is required to exhibit low hardness or high flexibility, and electrical conductivity.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
An electrically conductive roll such as a charging roll, a transfer roll and a cleaning roll to be used in electrophotographic copying machines and printers is generally required to exhibit low hardness or high flexibility, and electrical conductivity. To meet this requirement, there has been conventionally employed a conductive roll as shown in the drawing, wherein a base layer consisting of an electrically conductive elastic body having low hardness and a predetermined thickness is formed on the outer circumferential surface of a suitable center shaft (metal core). On the outer surface of the base layer, there are formed by coating the following layers in the order of description: an electrode layer having a relatively small thickness; a dielectric layer (resistance adjusting layer); and a protective layer. In the case of a charging roll with a center shaft (10) having a diameter of about 6 mm, for example, a base layer (12) which has a thickness of about 3 mm is formed on the outer surface of the center shaft (10). Then, on the outer surface of the base layer (12), there are formed an electrode layer (14), a dielectric layer (16), and a protective layer (18) in the order of description which have a thickness of about 10 .mu.m, 160 .mu.m, and 10 .mu.m, respectively.
The base layer of the conventional conductive roll as described above is formed of an electrically conductive elastic material prepared by adding an electron-conductive material, such as a carbon black or metal powder, to an elastic material (major component) such as EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer), SBR (styrene-butadiene rubber), or NR (natural rubber), so that the prepared mixture is adjusted to have a volume resistivity of not more than 10.sup.3 .OMEGA.cm. To the thus prepared mixture, there is further added a relatively large amount of softener such as a process oil or a liquid polymer, so that the mixture has a JIS A type (Japanese Industrial Standards) hardness value (Hs) as low as 30.degree.. Thus, the material for the base layer prepared as described above provides the conductive roll with low hardness (high flexibility) and high electrical conductivity.
The electrode layer formed on the outer surface of the base layer consists of a material which is prepared by mixing carbon black with a synthetic resin such an nylon, so as to have a volume resistivity of around 10.sup.2 .OMEGA.cm. The electrode layer assures resistance uniformity of the conductive roll, and serves as a barrier for inhibiting the softener contained in the material of the base layer from migrating into the dielectric and protective layers, and consequently onto the outer surface of the roll. The dielectric layer formed on the outer surface of the electrode layer is formed of a material including epichlorohydrin rubber as a major constituent, for instance. The material is formulated to have a volume resistivity of around 10.sup.7 .OMEGA.cm, so that the electrode layer formed of the thus prepared material is capable of adjusting the resistance of the conductive roll and preventing leakage of an electric current therethrough. The protective layer provided on the dielectric layer is formed of a material prepared by mixing an electrically conductive powder of a solid solution of antimony oxide and stannic oxide, so as to have a volume resistivity of around 10.sup.7 .OMEGA.cm. The protective layer formed of the thus prepared material prevents the conductive roll from sticking to a photosensitive or photoconductive body such as a photoconductive drum used in a photocopying machine, for instance.
In the conventional conductive roll as described above, however, since the base layer is formed of the electrically conductive elastic composition which includes an electron-conductive material to give the base layer having a volume resistivity of not more than 10.sup.3 .OMEGA.cm, the conductive roll suffers from a problem that the level of the voltage at which an abnormal electric discharge is induced is undesirably low. Accordingly, the conventional conductive roll tends to suffer from the abnormal electric discharge upon application of a relatively high voltage for reproducing an image on a copy sheet. As a result, the image reproduced by using the conventional conductive roll has a low copy quality, that is, lines undesirably appear as a part of the reproduced image in the transverse direction of the copy sheet. In the conventional conductive roll, both of the base and electrode layers have relatively low volume resistivity values. Accordingly, the resistance of the conductive roll to the dielectric breakdown (and consequent current leakage) is highly dependent on the dielectric layer in the form of a relatively thin coating layer. As a result, the dielectric layer is likely to be subject to the dielectric breakdown at its local portions having a comparatively small thickness, leading to an insufficient operating reliability of the conductive roll. Furthermore, the hardness of the conductive roll is liable to increase since the electrically conductive elastic composition which gives the base layer of the conventional conductive roll contains the electron-conductive material such as a carbon black or metal powder dispersed in the matrix of the elastic material. For assuring a suitable or desired nip between the conductive roll and the photoconductive drum when the roll is in pressed contact with the drum, the material for the base layer must unfavorably contain an excessively large amount of the softener to reduce the hardness of the conductive roll.

Electrically conductive roll whose base layer is formed of ion-conductive elastic material


When an "off" state of an IDLE switch is detected even once after an ignition switch of an internal combustion engine is turned on, a cruise ECU determines that the IDLE switch is normal, and performs constant-speed cruise control if the start thereof is instructed. Because the constant-speed cruise control is normally instructed while a vehicle is running, if the IDLE switch is normal, the IDLE switch becomes the "off" state at least one time during the time period until the start of the constant-speed cruise control is instructed after the ignition switch is turned on. For this reason, if the IDLE switch does not become the "off" state even once, the cruise ECU determines that the IDLE switch has failed and interrupts the constant-speed cruise control.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a running speed control device for a vehicle which controls vehicle running speed by driving a throttle mechanism for an internal combustion engine, and to an opening and closing state abnormality detecting device for detecting an abnormality of an opening and closing state detecting device which detects an opening and closing state of the throttle mechanism used by the running speed control device.
2. Related Art
Conventionally, a running speed control device for a vehicle is well-known, which includes a throttle state detecting device such as an IDLE switch for detecting an opening and closing state of a throttle mechanism such as a throttle valve of an internal combustion engine, a vehicle speed detecting device such as a vehicle speed sensor for detecting running speed of a vehicle, and a throttle driving device for driving the throttle valve so that a vehicle speed matches a target running speed responsive to the difference between the vehicle speed and target running speed and an opening and closing states detected by the IDLE switch during the running speed control.
In such a running speed control device for a vehicle, if the running speed control starts when the throttle valve is fully closed and the present vehicle speed is nearly equal to the target running speed, the throttle valve is opened by some degree to prevent temporary drop of the running speed due to the delay, and caused by the time required to move the throttle valve to a desirable opening position.
However, in such a running speed control device for a vehicle, if an IDLE switch fails and can not reliably detect that the throttle valve has opened, the following situation may be caused. For example, if the IDLE switch can not detect that the throttle valve has opened when the throttle valve is opened by some degree as described above, the throttle driving device continues driving the throttle valve toward an open side, because the control device determines that the throttle valve is fully closed. The drive of the throttle valve may go on until the vehicle speed becomes higher than the target vehicle speed. If so, the running speed of the vehicle overshoots and riding comfort of the vehicle deteriorates.

Running speed control device for a vehicle


The present invention provides an apparatus, system and method for use in remotely diagnosing electronic devices and/or providing content. The method for use in remotely diagnosing includes the initiating a diagnostic analysis of an electronic device, identifying the electronic device, receiving scripts communicated over a distributed network for diagnosing, remotely initiating diagnostic instructions with the scripts and receiving a response based on the instruction. The method can further determine further diagnostic instructions based on responses, and remotely initiate further instructions with the scripts. Additionally, a system for use in remotely diagnosing electronic devices includes a script generator coupled with a distributed network, and a remote diagnostic controller coupled with the distributed network and with an electronic device. The script generator compiles scripts and forwards them over the distributed network. The diagnostic controller implements the scripts to forward instructions to and to receive replies from the electronic device.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates generally to the secure, remote diagnosis, maintenance and/or control of hardware and/or firmware of electronic devices, and in particular to electronic devices which may be accessed through a network, either directly, or by means of an intermediary host personal computer.
2. Discussion of Related Art
The complexity of electronic devices has increased dramatically to provide any number of functions, options and capabilities. As the complexity of these devices increase, so to does their operation and diagnosis. Often, malfunctions are not caused by a broken device, but rather by their incorrect operation. This increased device complexity complicates diagnosis, as well as and increases the comensurate costs of customer service.
Further, many electronic devices take advantage of the vast amounts of data and functionality available through the Internet. Such devices regularly receive content, updates and/or upgrades. For example, portable music and other media players can retrieve data for subsequent playback, or may download firmware upgrades to improve or extend device functionality functionality. Accessing and retrieving this data can be time consuming and/or complicated for some users.
The present invention advantageously addresses the above and other needs.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for use in remote diagnostics


The heat cracking of a heat-resistant member is predicted by (a) producing a model having a similar shape to that of the heat-resistant member from a photo-set resin having a thermal conductivity of 0.1-0.2 W/m.multidot.K, (b) introducing a hot air at a temperature of 50.degree. C. or higher and lower than a softening point of the photo-set resin into the model, (c) measuring a temperature in each portion of the model by a thermal image analyzer, (d) measuring the changes of temperature distribution in the model with time to find whether or not there are overheated portions in the model, and (e) determining the overheated portions as portions in which heat cracking may take place.

Heat-resistant members subjected to repeated heating and cooling include for instance exhaust equipment such as exhaust manifolds, etc. for use in internal engines of automobiles. Exhaust equipment thermally expands by exposure to a high temperature during engine operation and thermally shrinks by cooling by the air when the engine is stopped. This repeated heating and cooling exerts a large thermal load to the exhaust equipment. When the thermal load becomes excessive, the heat-resistant member is subjected to heat deformation and/or heat cracking, causing problems such as gas leaks, etc.
However, since there are many heat-resistant members having extremely complicated shapes, it is generally difficult to predict the generation of heat cracks. Accordingly, test models of heat-resistant members have conventionally been produced from cast iron or cast steel and tested under practical heating conditions, suffering from the problems of extremely long test time and labor.
A main cause of cracks generated in the exhaust equipment repeatedly subjected to high-temperature heating and cooling is that local overheat or heat accumulation (hereinafter referred to as "hot spot") takes place in the exhaust equipment during temperature elevation. Thus, if the positions of the hot spots can be located accurately, it would be possible to predict where cracking may take place. Positions at which large thermal strain is concentrated during temperature elevation correspond to portions in which there is a large plastic compression deformation affecting thermal deformation and heat cracking. Thus, if positions at which thermal strain is concentrated can be located accurately, it would be possible to predict the thermal deformation and heat cracking of the heat-resistant members.
Under such circumstances, the applicant previously proposed a model made of a polyurethane foam similar to a heat-resistant member (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-28731). In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-28731, a hot air is introduced into a polyurethane foam model with its inlets and outlets restrained to measure a temperature distribution on a model surface by a thermal image analyzer and also to measure a thermal strain distribution by strain gauges attached to the model surface, thereby predicting portions in which heat cracking may take place.
However, the polyurethane foam model has as small a thermal conductivity as about 1/2500 of those of heat-resistant cast steel or heat-resistant cast iron. Accordingly, when a polyurethane foam is used for a thermal analysis model, it can achieve only an extremely small thermal conductivity. Thus, comparing with the measurement results of temperature distribution of a practical heat-resistant member, accuracy should be improved in the measurement of transitional temperature changes occurring in a short period of time, though the polyurethane foam model may be effectively used in a stationary measurement. Also, since the heat resistance of the polyurethane foam is practically 50.degree. C. or lower, the temperature distribution and strain level on a thermal analysis model surface are easily affected by a temperature variation in a measurement chamber.
Further, to produce a thermal analysis model from a polyurethane foam, it is necessary to read complicated drawings of a heat-resistant member to cut a polyurethane foam block into a three-dimensional model. However, this requires an extremely high skill and a long time which is usually about two or three weeks.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a thermal analysis model with which the positions of local hot spots and thermal strain affecting the durability of a heat-resistant member subjected to heating and cooling can be highly accurately located, thereby being capable of predicting the heat cracking of the heat-resistant member.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for predicting portions of a heat-resistant member in which heat cracking may take place by means of a three-dimensional thermal analysis model, thereby determining a structure of the heat-resistant member free from heat cracking.

Model and method for predicting heat cracking of heat-resistant members


A front end mechanism for an excavating machine is shown having a boom pivotally mounted at its foot and a dipper stick pivoted to the forward end of the boom that carries a dipper at its outer end. The mechanism includes a rotatable hoist member coaxial with the pivoted boom foot that is in the form of either a gear or a lever arm, a hoist drive that alternately rotates the hoist member for effecting hoist and lower motions of the machine or that holds the hoist member stationary, a moment arm forming a part of the inner end of the dipper stick which is in the form of either a gear or a linear portion of the dipper stick, a coupling member interposed between the hoist member and the dipper stick moment arm which is in the form of either an elongate strut tying the hoist member and moment arm together or an idler gear when both the hoist member and the moment arm are in the form of gears, and a crowd drive that can alternately pivot the boom with respect to the hoist member or hold these two elements fixed with respect to one another.

This invention relates to shovel type excavators, and more particularly to front end mechanisms for use in these and similar machines.
Shovel type excavators for construction, mining and other earth moving tasks are characterized by the provision of a forwardly extending boom to which a dipper stick is pivotally attached. A dipper, or bucket is mounted on the outer end of the dipper stick, and digging is accomplished by driving the dipper through the earth in a shoveling or scooping movement. The loaded dipper is then raised and swung to a position where the load is dumped. Usually, an excavator imparts two principal movements to its dipper. One is a crowdretract motion in which the dipper is translated either outward or inward of the machine proper. The second is a hoist-lower motion in which, as the term implies, the dipper is either raised or lowered. When the two motions are coordinated the dipper can be manipulated in most any path desired within the envelope of its permissible range of movement.
Conventional type power shovels used for mining and excavating employ a boom fixed in a position extending obliquely forward and upward from a machinery platform. A dipper stick is pivotally mounted approximately at the longitudinal center of the boom and is also reciprocably movable in its lengthwise direction. A dipper is mounted at the outer end of the dipper stick, and a hoist rope runs upwardly from the dipper to a sheave at the top of the boom, from which it extends downwardly to the machinery platform. This form of construction is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,483 entitled "Power Shovel Front End". Hoist-lower motion for such a shovel is imparted to the dipper by drawing in and paying out the hoist rope. The crowd-retract motion for the dipper is accomplished by thrusting the dipper stick outwardly along its axial length for crowding, and by drawing it inwardly for retracting. The dipper is usually fixed in position at the outer end of the dipper stick, so the dipper teeth remain at all times in a set orientation with respect to the dipper stick. The hoist motion supplies the primary digging force, and normally pulls the dipper upwardly through a bank being excavated. The crowd motion is also applied to the dipper during the digging stroke to urge the dipper into the bank being excavated. The crowding force, however, contributes little to the digging force exerted at the dipper teeth, and the resulting path for the dipper through a complete digging stroke takes a generally parabolic configuration entailing a considerable upward component of motion.
One drawback to the digging pattern of a conventional type power shovel is that the digging force applied through the upward pull of the hoist rope is oblique to the path of excavation traveled by the dipper teeth. As a result, the digging force available is not applied in the most efficient manner. Further, the crowd force required to keep the dipper in the bank pushes the sides of the dipper teeth and the dipper heel into the earth, so that considerable sliding friction is created between the dipper and the material being excavated. This friction must be overcome by the hoist rope pulling the dipper through the bank, with a resultant inefficiency.
Another deficiency of the conventional type shovel is that due to the large hoist component in the digging stroke the ability to cut a flat floor over an area is extremely limited. In mining operations, after excavation is completed it is frequently necessary to use other forms of machinery for cleaning up the area and leaving a level surface. A still further problem of these shovels concerns shallow excavations. Since substantial vertical cuts must be taken to fill the dipper, inefficiency results when the bank being excavated does not afford adequate vertical height for taking a full cut.
Another form of common construction for large power shovels is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,376,983 entitled "Rope Crowd for a Knee Action Shovel". In this construction, the inner end of the dipper stick is pivoted to the upper end of the boom to provide an articulated, knee-type action between the boom and dipper stick. A separate crowd arm is also connected to the boom upper end for moving both the boom and dipper stick outward and inward in a crowd-retract stroke. The hoist motion is similar to the conventional type of construction discussed above, with a hoist rope extending downward from a sheave at the top of a mast to the dipper. The digging motions of these shovels are comparable to that of the conventional type machines already discussed, and they exhibit similar problems.
In recent years there has been a development of hydraulically operated mining and excavating shovels using hydraulic cylinders for manipulating a boom and dipper stick, and two forms of such shovels are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,906 for "Loader Apparatus with Crowd Capability" and U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,188 for "Bucket Actuated Means for Excavator". These excavators take the form of enlarged scooper-loaders, with the dipper stick pivoted at its inner end to the forward end of the boom. The boom pivots about its foot, or lower end, so that both the dipper stick and boom are pivoted in manipulating the dipper. One hydraulic cylinder pivots the boom, and is usually attached to the machinery deck. A second hydraulic cylinder extends outwardly to a connection with the dipper stick to pivot the dipper stick relative to the boom. Hydraulic cylinder components have been limited as to their practical size, and they also require considerable maintenance. Hydraulic cylinders and lines connected thereto are susceptible to dirt, dust and other debris, and when located in exposed positions near the point of digging are subject to damage. It has, therefore, remained desirable to employ a different manner of drive for an excavator to eliminate these deficiencies.
Electrical drive systems have been used in the conventional type of mining excavators which are highly reliable in their operation. They efficiently and effectively operate for long periods of time with less maintenance, and consequently are more desirable than the hydraulic cylinder type drive systems. Electric drives have, however, been limited in application to conventional front end designs having the drawbacks discussed above. It would be desirable to combine electric drives with the boom-dipper stick designs similar to those of hydraulic shovels, and to also incorporate a wristing motion for the dipper comprising a pivot of the dipper about its connection with the dipper stick. A wristing motion can improve machine versatility in loading and dumping, but has not been used to any substantial extent in conventional type electric drive shovels. Wristing is used extensively in the hydraulic machines referred to above, and has been taught in a limited fashion for use in front end systems of conventional mining machines, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,063 entitled "Variable Pitch Excavator Dipper Mounting". It would be desirable to combine a full wristing action with an electric drive that powers the hoist, crowd and swing motions of the excavator.


Systems (200) and methods for making different plastic products (202, 204) in a single melting process are provided. A method includes melting a plastic resin in a first extruder (104) to form a melt (106) and transferring at least a portion of the melt to a second extruder (114). Any portion of the melt (106) that is not transferred to the second extruder (114) is formed into a first plastic product (202). Additives (116) are blended with the melt in the second extruder to form a second melt (118), and a second plastic product (204) is formed from the second melt (118).

Making colored plastic products is often a three step process, with each step taking place at a different facility. In a first process, a plastic resin, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, or other resin, is synthesized and pelletized for sales at a production facility. In a second step, at another facility the pelletized resins are compounded with an additive, such as a colorant masterbatch, and formed into colored pellets. As used herein, a masterbatch is a material blended with a high concentration, e.g., as much as 70% or more, by weight, of a pigment or other additive. In a final process, the colored plastic pellets are formed into a final product, such as a pipe, sheet, film, bottle, and the like. In some circumstances, the colorant may be blended with the resin at the facility producing the plastic product.
Due to the risk of contamination, colorant is generally not used at the production facility and more generally is not used in large extruders that are used to produce uncolored products in addition to colored products. Thus, color compounding facilities have traditionally been entirely separate facilities with associated intermediate storage and handling facilities. Constructing and maintaining a separate compounding facility can be very expensive, and may often cost as much as $US20-30 million, or more. Thus, lower cost systems for forming colored products would be beneficial.
In some applications, sequential extruders have been used to provide different mixing environments to solve problems with mixing resins that have different characteristics. For example, a small side-feed extruder can be used to melt additives, such as masterbatches, for feeding to a larger blending extruder. In another example, a first extruder may provide an aggressive blending environment to melt a resin quickly. The melted resin may then be fed to a second extruder that provides a gentler environment for a longer period of time to blend in more sensitive resins. An application using this type of arrangement is a bimodal blending line, configured to blend a high molecular weight polyethylene with a low molecular weight polyethylene. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,815,360 a material processing plant with two screw-type extruding machines is disclosed, wherein a first extruding machine discharges a melt through a linkage to a lower lying extruder. Other systems having multiple sequential or cascading extruders have been described, for example, in European Patent Application Publication No. 1 005 411 B1, U.S. Pat. No. 3,261,056, and German Patent Publication No. 2 304 088 A.
A number of systems have been developed that use a side extruder to melt a feed, or form a compound, and then force it into a main extruder for blending with a polymer system. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0057621 discloses electrically conductive compositions and methods for forming these compositions. In the method described, a molten masterbatch is mixed with a first polymer in a first extruder. The first polymer has a melt viscosity that is lower than the melt viscosity of the molten masterbatch, and the melt viscosity of the molten masterbatch is reduced to form a reduced viscosity molten masterbatch. The reduced viscosity molten masterbatch is mixed with a second polymer in a second extruder to form the electrically conductive composition.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0093763 discloses multi-color fiber-plastic composites and systems and methods for forming the composites. In the application, multiple compounding extruders are used to form melts that are forced into a primary extruder for blending with a base polymer.
In addition to these systems, any number of other systems can use side feed extruders to feed melted materials into a main extruder, including commercially available systems from Coperion GMBH, of Stuttgart, Germany, (under the ZS-B trade name), among others. However, all of the prior systems are configured to combine melted materials for blending and forming a single plastic product. Thus, the prior systems are configured to send all of the melt formed in a first extruder into a second extruder.
As described above, forming colored plastics is generally performed in a multistep process, with the resins pelletized and cooled between each step. Although this may lower or eliminate the risk of cross-contamination of a natural, or uncolored, resin with a color, it subjects the resin to multiple heat histories. The subsequent heat input steps also deplete the additives used to protect the plastic resin from UV, heat and other aggressive environments so that additional additives may be required in continuing process/fabrication steps. Furthermore, the costs of building separate intermediate storage and compounding facilities can substantially increase the costs of the colored resins and products.
Thus, there remains a need for improved processes for forming colored plastics. Furthermore, there is a need for a method that would enable one to form different plastic products from a single melt stream.

Forming different plastic products from a single melt


In a recording and reproducing device of the type using depressible push buttons to activate different modes of operation there is provided a reproduction actuator lever, a lock lever to keep the actuator lever in its operative position, a head support plate movable in response to movement of the actuator lever, a recording actuator lever, and a swingable lever to lock the recording actuator lever. The swingable lever is normally forced to a position engaged with the recording actuator lever and a swingable member is provided to move the reproduction actuator lever during operation of the recording actuator lever so that during the recording mode the recording lever is held in its operative position by engagement of the swingable lever with the reproduction actuator lever which is locked by the lock lever. During the reproducing mode, the swingable member is liberated so that no force is applied to the recording actuator lever even though the reproduction actuator lever is operated whereby the recording mode can be initiated by a single operation of the recording actuator lever.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to recording and reproducing devices such as tape recorders and, more particularly, is directed to such devices wherein selected modes of operation are achieved by selective depression of mode selecting push buttons which activate mode changing mechanisms within the device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recording and reproducing devices such as tape recorders of the cassette type have been provided where selected modes of operation such as recording, reproducing, rewind and the like are initiated by depressing a control push button which initiates the desired response. Devices of this type often require that two or more different push buttons be depressed to initiate certain modes of operation. Such a necessity often makes use of such recording and reproducing devices needlessly complex and difficult to use with facility.


The endless track is made of a reinforced rubber material with longitudinally spaced and transversely disposed ridges or lugs. It is particularly well-adapted for recreational snowmobiles having a single track. The track is characterized in that the rubber material of the central portion of the body has a hardness of between 75 and 90 duro A while the rubber material of the opposite band portions of the body has a hardness between 55 and 75 duro A. Such track facilitates the steering capabilities of a snowmobile, particularly when the snowmobile is traveling on hard and abrasive surfaces. It also improves the durability of the track.

The present invention relates to an endless track for a vehicle in which the rubber material of the longitudinally extending central portion of the external side of the track profile has a higher hardness than that of opposite lateral band portions thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a track which is particularly well suited for a vehicle having a single track, such as a conventional recreational snowmobile.
A rubber-band track is found on off-road motor driven vehicles which are designed to travel on snow or grounds that could not adequately support wheels or on which traction forces could not be suitably applied with the use of wheels. A rubber-band track typically consists essentially of an endless band of a molded rubber material that is flexible around a transversal axis so as to follow the curvature around drive and idler sprocket wheels. Each track is designed to support a portion of the weight of the vehicle and apply a traction force on the ground.
Among all off-road vehicles equipped with rubber-band tracks, recreational snowmobiles are unique in that they are equipped with only one track while essentially all other vehicles are equipped with two or more tracks. Examples of such other vehicles are bulldozers, military tanks, snow-surfacing machines, etc. Tracks for vehicles with a single track, which are essentially snowmobiles, are the prime interest of the present invention.
A snowmobile is often equipped with a rubber-band track that features an endless body made of a reinforced rubber material with longitudinally spaced and transversely disposed stiffeners embedded in the rubber material. The body defines a longitudinally extending central portion and a pair of lateral band portions each of which is located on one of the sides of the central portion. The track is positioned under the chassis of the snowmobile and supports most of the weight. A pair of front ski-like runners are provided to steer the snowmobile and support the other portion of the weight.
The body of the track has a ground-engaging outer side and an inner side. The inner side cooperates with a suspension system. The weight of the track is supported by either a pair of slide rails or a plurality of bogey wheels that are mechanically connected to the other parts of the suspension system. The suspension system is also used to support the track with respect to lateral movements.
The ground-engaging outer side has a tread pattern that is repeated uniformly or not over the entire length of the track. The tread pattern comprises a plurality of projecting traction lugs that are configured and disposed in accordance with the purpose for which the track is designed. The traction lugs are used to increase the traction of the snowmobile on snow, mud, melting snow, ice or any other similar surfaces.
Further, the opposite lateral band portions are separated from the central portion by a corresponding row of holes. Each row of holes generally cooperates with the teeth of a corresponding pair of drive and idler sprocket wheels. Alternatively, the drive and idler sprocket wheels may engage driving lugs that are inwardly projecting from the inner side of the track.
Formerly, the material used for forming all portions of the outer side tread had essentially the same hardness value. Choosing the right hardness value was then a compromise between the requirements of preventing the track from deforming excessively during acceleration and allowing the track to bend in various situations. Since the need to prevent the track to deform is of paramount importance, a conventional track is generally hard and stiff, thereby resisting bending. This leads to a number of drawbacks. One of them is that a snowmobile is not easy to turn on hard surfaces, especially hard surfaces with which the track has an important friction level. When turning the snowmobile on such surfaces, the traction lugs of the sides of the track are subjected to an intense abrasion and to substantial stress concentrations. Since the body of the track cannot be easily deformed, the traction lugs take most of the stresses, subjecting them to a premature wear over time. Moreover, this creates unpleasant driving situations to the driver.
The general steering capabilities of a snowmobile may be improved when the driver offsets his/her weight on the side of the snowmobile. This forces the track to bend and it shifts the position of the center of rotation to a more appropriate location. However, considering the weight of some snowmobiles on the market and the fact that some drivers are not heavy enough or are not interested in or capable of performing such movements, there is a need for an improved track which facilitates the general steering capabilities of a snowmobile.
One aspect of the present invention is to facilitate the steering capabilities of a snowmobile, particularly when the snowmobile is traveling on a hard surface, by providing a track in which the rubber material on the outer side tread of the lateral band portions has a lower hardness value than that of the rubber material on the outer side tread of the central portion so as to allow the track to bend more easily during a sharp turn while still being rigid enough at the center for maintaining a good traction during an acceleration.
Another aspect of the present invention is to improve the durability of the track by allowing the track to bend more easily and lower the stresses subjected to the traction lugs.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention are described in or apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment made in conjunction which the apparent figures.


Method and apparatus for inserting prefetch instructions in an executable computer program. Profile data are generated for executed load instructions and store instructions. The profile data include instruction addresses, target addresses, data loaded and stored, and execution counts. From the profile data, recurring patterns of instructions resulting in cache-miss conditions are identified. Prefetch instructions are inserted prior to the instructions that result in cache-miss conditions for patterns of instructions recurring more than a selected frequency.

Many computer systems provide a prefetch mechanism by which selected data is loaded into cache memory before it is referenced by a program in order to reduce the time the processor has to wait for data (prefetched "data" refers to both instructions and data). For example, a load instruction typically reads data referenced by a target address into a local processor register. If the referenced data is in cache memory, the processor spends less time waiting for the data. However, if the referenced data is not in cache memory (a "cache-miss" condition), the data is read from memory to the register and also stored in cache memory for subsequent references. In the case of a cache-miss, the processor spends more time waiting than if the data had been present in cache memory. Therefore, when the data is prefetched into cache memory, the waiting by the process is reduced.
Some known prefetch mechanisms attempt during program execution to predict which data to prefetch based on observed program behavior. When the prediction is correct, the processor spends less time waiting for data and therefore has improved throughput. However, when the prediction is incorrect and data is prefetched and not subsequently referenced, the errant prefetch unnecessarily consumes resources of the cache memory and memory bus. To further complicate matters, correctly predicting the data to load is made difficult in some cases because the address from which the data is to be loaded may not be available until it is too late to prefetch data.
A system and method that address the aforementioned problems, as well as other related problems, are therefore desirable.

Prefetch insertion by correlation of cache misses and previously executed instructions

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method and system for computer assisted site navigation includes capturing an image of a scene for providing real-time image data, calibrating a camera and localizing the image by utilizing the image data and retrieved marker registration and floor-map data for providing position and orientation data, transmitting the data to a web server, utilizing the image data and information on the scene retrieved from a database for deriving an augmented view, and displaying the augmented view.

The present invention relates to the field of computer assisted localization and navigation and, more particularly, to computer assisted localization and navigation in industrial-type environments.
A related type of system and method is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 09/741,581, filed Dec. 20, 2000 in the names of Navab and Genc, entitled COMPUTER ASSISTED LOCALIZATION AND NAVIGATION IN INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENTS and whereof the disclosure is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
A person walking in a man-made environment equipped with a wearable or portable computer may want or need to get access databases containing information about his/her surroundings. If the user wants to access data which is position dependent, one can use a camera attached to the wearable computer to determine the position of the user which, in turn, can be used as an index to a database to retrieve the desired information.
For example, a maintenance person carrying a hand-held computer with a camera attached to it may be facing a wall within which concealed electrical wiring may need to be located. The computer can automatically detect the position of the user and retrieve and display an augmented image showing where the wires are in that wall.
Augmented reality has received attention from computer vision and computer graphics researchers. See, for example, IWAR""98. International Workshop on Augmented Reality, San Francisco, Calif., USA, October 1998; and IWAR""99. International Workshop on Augmented Reality, San Francisco, Calif., USA, October 1999.
When a real image needs to be augmented with a virtual object, typically one has to register the scene and the object in 3D. This registration generally involves determining the pose of the camera that has captured the picture and the three-dimensional structure of the scene. When the augmentation is done interactively, one needs to track the camera, i.e., to compute for each frame the position and orientation.
Though far from being completely solved, tracking can be done in several ways. They may be classified as vision-based and non-vision-based solutions. Nonvision-based solutions include magnetic, infrared, acoustic trackers, and the like. Most of these methods are not suitable for industrial settings either due to their limited range or their operating conditions. For instance, magnetic trackers cannot operate near ferromagnetic objects.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a method for computer assisted site navigation, comprises the steps of: capturing an image of a scene for providing real-time image data; calibrating the camera and localizing the image utilizing the image data and retrieved marker registration and floor-map data for providing position and orientation data; transmitting the data to a web server; utilizing the image data and information on the scene retrieved from a database for deriving an augmented view; and displaying the augmented view. See FIG. 4, for example.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, of the invention, a method for computer assisted site navigation, comprises the steps of: capturing an image of a scene including markers on a video camera for providing real-time image data; processing the image data for providing feature extraction and marker detection data; utilizing the feature extraction and marker detection data and stored information including marker registration and floor-maps for calibrating the camera, localizing the image, and computing coordinates for deriving position and orientation data; displaying the position and orientation data; transmitting the data to a web server; utilizing the image data and information on the scene retrieved from a database for deriving an augmented view; and displaying the augmented view.

Method and system for computer assisted localization, site navigation, and data navigation


An integrated circuit, comprising: a predefined block of functional circuitry having a plurality of I/O pins; and a backside I/O pad electrically connected to each I/O pin through a backside via of the integrated circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of application specific integrated circuits (ASICs); specifically, it relates to a method for connecting core I/O pins to chip I/O pads and more specifically to backside chip I/O pads.
2. Background of the Invention
With the advance of semiconductor technology, the need for integration to system-on-a-chip (SOC) levels within the ASIC field has increased. While reductions in feature sizes and power supply voltage levels have allowed significant integration improvements, these same integration improvements have made inclusion of complex cores (including analog, mixed signal, memory, and specialty cores) more difficult. For example, certain cores require power supply voltages and/or power consumption levels, which are not compatible with the non-core devices and circuits. Further, while the physical number of interconnection (wiring) levels has increased, the number of physical chip I/Os has become a limiting factor as chip sizes have decreased. Moving from peripheral I/O layout to array I/O layout has also raised new problems. Array I/O allow cores to be positioned anywhere within a chip and designers are placing cores closer to the circuit modules the core supports, raising chip I/O routing and competition issues, power distribution and signal noise issues and modeling and testing issues. These issues impact cost, reliability, design time and overall time to market in a field (ASIC) where cost and time to market are critical concerns.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are exemplary of the physical features and topography of an SOC ASIC utilizing array chip I/O's and containing a core.
FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a related art integrated circuit chip. In FIG. 1, integrated circuit chip 100 comprises a silicon substrate 105 on which, a multiplicity of interconnection levels 110 are fabricated. Fabricated between silicon substrate 105 and interconnection levels 110 is a device level 115. Interconnection levels 110 include in order above silicon substrate 115, an M1 level 120, an M2 level 125, an M3 level 130, an M4 level 135, an MT level 140 and a passivation level 145. On top of passivation level 145 are chip I/O pads 150 supporting solder balls 155.
Substrate 105 generally contains the semiconductor portions of devices such as the source, drain, and channels of metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) transistors and device level 115 generally contains the non-semiconductor portions of devices such as the gates of MOS transistors. Each level of interconnection levels 110 includes an insulator, wires formed in the insulator and conductive vias connecting the wires in one level to wires in another level. Interconnect levels 110 wire up devices formed in silicon substrate 105 and device level 115 into circuits and connect those circuits to chip I/O pads 150.
Contained within chip 100, is a core 160. Core 160 includes portions of silicon substrate 105, device level 115, M1 level 120, M2 level 125 and M3 level 130 that are reserved for core devices and circuits. Core 160 is divided into a core circuit portion 165 and a redistribution portion 170. There are no devices in the portions of silicon substrate 105 and device level 115 contained in redistribution portion 170. There is no wiring in portions of M1 level 120 and M2 level 125 contained within redistribution portion 170. A plurality of core I/O pins 175 are located in redistribution portion 170 at M3 level 130. Global wiring in M3 level 130, M4 level 135, MT level 140 and passivation level 145 electrically connect core I/O pins 175 to chip I/O pads 150.
FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the related art integrated circuit chip of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, core I/O pins 175 of core 160 are electrically connected to chip I/O pads 150 by global wiring 180. The exact routing of global wiring 180 is determined based upon electrical parameter wiring rules such as line resistance and capacitance, power distribution rules limiting voltage drop and current hot-spots and physical wiring rules such as wire width and length matching. While global wiring may be done by software, designs still need to be simulated (tested) and corrections made multiple times and often by human intervention.
The present invention provides a method to address chip I/O availability in SOC ASIC chips having cores to minimize cost, design time and overall time to market.

Method of connecting core I/O pins to backside chip I/O pads

International Business Machines Corporation


The image forming apparatus is provided with: plural rotating members that are arranged rotatably; plural rotation side coupling members that are provided corresponding to the respective rotating members and transmit drive force to the respective rotating members; plural drive side coupling members that are connected to the respective rotation side coupling members and rotate and drive the respective rotating members via the rotation side coupling members; and an interconnecting unit that connects a predetermined number of the drive side coupling members among the plural drive side coupling members to the corresponding rotation side coupling members.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer and a copy machine, and a drive-switching method.
2. Related Art
In an image forming apparatus of so-called tandem system having photoconductor drums for respective colors, image formation in full colors is not always required, but image formation in a single color (for example, black) is required in some cases. In such cases, if photoconductor drums that are not used in the image formation are rotated, abrasion and the like of the photoconductor drums are facilitated by a cleaning blade and the like.

Image forming apparatus and drive-switching method


By using an antibody which is covalently bonded to a water soluble polymer as an antibody to be used in a competitive immunoagglutination assay in a homogeneous system, a protein antigen at a high concentration can be accurately assayed in an undiluted system without resorting to dilution.

A turbidimetric immunoassay such as a latex turbidimetric immunoassay is known as one of methods for assaying a protein present in a blood sample. Since such methods are capable of assaying a great number of samples in a short period of time, they are widely used in the field of laboratory tests. However, various problems arise when these methods are used in an attempt to assay a protein present in blood at a high concentration of about 10−3M, such as albumin. Specifically, in that case, the operation before assay is complicated, because blood analyte collected as a sample must be diluted before use. Further, such methods require the use of a large amount of an antibody as a measuring reagent, which makes the measuring reagent more costly. Still further, a prozone phenomenon easily occurs, and consequently the assay in a high concentration region may be impossible. As a result, the assay of protein in an undiluted system by the turbidimetric immunoassay has not yet been in practical use.
Meanwhile, in connection with the turbidimetric immunoassay, a competitive immunoagglutination assay in a homogenous system is known as one of immunoassays (Patent Documents 1, 2 and 3). The competitive immunoagglutination assay in a homogeneous system is a method for quantitatively determining an antigen to be assayed based on the degree of agglutination as a result of an antigen-antibody reaction between an antigen carried on fine particles and an antibody, the method comprising the steps of; mixing a sample containing an antigen to be assayed, an antibody against the antigen, and fine particles carrying an antigen capable of binding to the antibody; and competing an antigen-antibody reaction of the antibody between the antigen in the sample and the antigen carried on fine particles. This method has an advantage that an antigen at a low concentration can be assayed through various efforts, and studies have thus been made from this perspective. However, in the case of using this method to assay a protein at a high concentration, in generating calibration curves, measurement blanks exceed a measurable upper limit when the concentration of the protein to be assayed is 0. Accordingly, the assay becomes impossible. Therefore, almost no study has been made to assay a protein at a high concentration by using this method, and in consequence, the method has yet been in practical use.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-57-206859    Patent Document 2: JP-A-58-500874    Patent Document 3: JP-A-2002-296281

Method of assaying antigen and kit to be used therein


A venting closure assembly for and milk tank where there is an outside stainless steel cover and a venting closure member positioned beneath the cover. The venting closure member forms a circumferential seal around the periphery of the cover and in one form has a downward and outward flaring flexible skirt, which forms a peripheral venting channel. When there is a surge of product in the tank (e.g. caused by acceleration of the tank) the surge of liquid is forced upwardly against the closure member and takes a circumferential path to slowdowns the surge of milk. In another form, a two-piece closure member is employed.

The invention relates to gasket valve assemblies that are adapted to be mounted to trucks containing fluid. Specifically, the present invention is particularly advantageous for milk trucks (where milk and milk products are herein referred to as xe2x80x9cproductxe2x80x9d). In particular, the present invention relates to a system for allowing airflow to occur between ambient air and the interior portion of a tank. Further, the present invention is advantageous for addressing pressure surge.
In the dairy industry, milk is commonly transported from dairy farms to a central processing center by means of tank trucks and trailers. The milk-containing tank itself is generally made of stainless steel and is commonly of a double-walled construction with insulation between the inner and outer stainless steel walls, so that the contained milk can be kept at an adequately low temperature while being transported.
Because of the sanitation requirements of the dairy industry, the interior of the milk tank must be thoroughly washed at regular intervals. Also, it is necessary to provide the tank with an access opening, commonly called a xe2x80x9cmanholexe2x80x9d, to permit an inspector to actually enter the interior of the tank. Obviously, while milk is being transported, this access opening must be properly covered both to prevent milk from being spilled out of the opening, and also to prevent outside contaminants from being mixed with the milk. There is a further requirement that the interior of the tank be vented to the outside atmosphere, since with an airtight tank even small temperature variations in the milk would cause undesired pressure differentials between the area inside the tank and the surrounding atmosphere.
A quite common means of providing the venting in a milk tank is to provide a venting member in an interior metal cover which normally closes the access opening of the tank. This venting member generally comprises a cylindrical tube mounted to the center of the cover and extending downwardly toward the interior of the tank. The interior of the tube is provided with a set of vertically spaced, staggered baffles which overlap sufficiently to define a circuitous passageway from the interior to the exterior of the tank. An annular gasket member made of a flexible material is usually placed between the perimeter portion of the cover and the support ring which defines the tank access opening, to provide a perimeter seal. Also, an exterior dust cover is positioned over the interior cover. The sanitation standards of the dairy industry require that all components which possibly come into contact with the milk be thoroughly cleaned at regular intervals.
While the prior art disclosure assembly described above has been able to perform the closing and venting functions for a milk tank in a manner to meet the standards of the dairy industry, there was a continuing need for improvement. Accordingly, there was conceived another venting closure arrangement for a milk tank, and various embodiments of this are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,081,107, issued Mar. 28, 1978, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,127,216 issued Nov. 28, 1978. In general, there is described in those patents a closure assembly where there is a venting closure member having perimeter flange members which fit against a support ring of the milk tank to form a circumferential seal and one or more circumferential venting channels. There is an outer cover having a vent opening which fits over the closure member and engages the peripheral portion thereof to form the circumferential seal against the support ring. The venting channel or channels connect to circumferentially spaced openings in the flanges to provide venting from inside the tank to the area outside the tank, while preventing both spilling of the milk and contamination from outside sources.
While the assembly described in the immediately preceding paragraph is believed to be a substantial improvement over the earlier closure assembly described above, and while this improved assembly in general has been found to function quite well in accomplishing its intended functions, it has been found that under certain circumstances it is possible for liquid in the containing chamber to pass out through the circumferential venting channel.
The main inner plate portion has an upper surface that is frusta-conical and slopes downwardly when traveling radially outwardly. The surface is at a desirable angle so the product that reaches the flow area will travel radially outwardly. This radial sloping of surface prevents product from pooling on the main inner plate portion. Product that is caught on the upper surface of the main inner plate portion can rise in temperature, which causes the product to spoil after a short manner of time. When a new surge of product is rushed to the flow area the spoiled product will then flow back into the main tank compartment.
Another advantage of having an angled plate is that it prevents product from being thrusted vertically out of the tank through the outside venting due to vibrations. When a milk truck travels the main inner plate portion vibrates. If product is trapped in the central portion this causes the droplets of the product to bounce out of the first outside venting structure. This splattering of product outside of the milk tank can be disruptive to other motorist.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved venting closure assembly for a milk tank which performs the closure function yet more reliably, while still permitting venting of the containing structure. It is yet another object to provide such a venting closure member that is able to meet the standards of sanitation and other requirements of the dairy industry.
A closure assembly for a containing structure told liquid product where the containing structure has a containing chamber for liquid and has an opening such as a manhole that is defined by a ring structure. The outside cover member has an outer perimeter portion that can be positioned adjacent to the ring structure. The outside cover further has an inner portion that extends to the perimeter portion and the inner portion has a vent opening that leads to the ambient atmosphere. The closure member is adapted to be positioned in an operating location adjacent to the cover. The closure member has an upper surface and a center location as well as a perimeter location. The upper surface has a positive slope (i.e. slopes downwardly) from the center portion to the perimeter portion the closure member further has an inner portion with an inner perimeter where a vertical extension is located. The inner perimeter is located below the first vent opening. The closure member has a relaxed position where the inner portion is spaced hourly from the first vent opening to permit airflow through the first vent opening. The closure member has an upwardly deflected position with an upper surge exerts force upon the closure member and the vertical extension of the closure member is positioned against the first vent opening but allows communication between the containing structure and the ambient air. The closure member further has a second vent opening spaced from the first vent opening and leading to a containing chamber to allow airflow to a from the containing chamber to an area between the cover member and the closure member. The venting closure member in its operating location and in its relaxed position in the containing chamber can be vented to ambient atmosphere and with a surge force exerted on the closure member the closure member moves to its upwardly deflected partially closed position to allow moderate flow of liquid outwardly through the first vent opening.


A process of treating a ketoxime or aldoxime-containing amide mixture resulting from a Beckmann rearrangement of the corresponding ketoxime or aldoxime. The process involves hydrolysis of the mixture to remove the remaining ketoxime or aldoxime which are converted to the corresponding ketone or aldehyde and then separated off from the mixture. Any amino acid resulting from the hydrolysis can be reconverted to the corresponding amide by raising the temperature of the mixture.

Such a process is known from GB-A-1286,427. In that patent publication a process is described for removing cyclohexanone oxime from caprolactam by supplying gaseous sulphur dioxide to and dissolving it in the cyclohexanone oxime-containing caprolactam mixture at a temperature of 70.degree.-170.degree. C., the sulphur dioxide being dissolved to a concentration of at least 1 mole sulphur dioxide per mole cyclohexanone oxime. After completion of the reaction of the sulphur dioxide with the remaining cyclohexanone oxime, the excess of sulphur dioxide is removed by evaporating it from the reaction mixture under reduced pressure or by supplying inert gases to the reaction mixture. The purified caprolactam is subsequently recovered by distillation.
A disadvantage of such a process is that the product formed by the reaction of sulphur dioxide with a ketoxime or aldoxime is a process-alien substance, which must therefore be removed from the process, so that a potential amount of amide to be formed, viz. the non-rearranged ketoxime or aldoxime, is withdrawn from the process.
It is generally known in the art how to produce amides, for instance lactams such as s-caprolactam, by means of a homogeneously catalytic Beckmann rearrangement of ketoximes or aldoximes such as, for instance, cyclohexanone oxime. This rearrangement is effected by treating the ketoxime or aldoxime with strong acids such as, for instance, sulphuric acid, oleum, chlorosulphonic acid, hydrogen fluoride, polyphosphoric acid, phosphorus pentachloride and the like. When using, for instance, sulphuric acid or oleum, a sulphuric acid-amide complex is obtained after the rearrangement, upon which the desired amide must be recovered by neutralizing the reaction mixture with usually ammonia water, in which process a large amount of ammonium sulphate is obtained as byproduct.
Another and more favorable process is the conversion of a ketoxime or aldoxime into the corresponding amide by means of a heterogeneously catalytic Beckmann rearrangement using a solid acid or neutral catalyst, for instance a rearrangement in the gas phase or in the liquid phase. Examples of a solid acid or neutral catalyst to be used are boric acid on a carrier, such as silica or alumina, and crystalline silicas, such as silicalite I (silicon-rich MFI (Mobil Five, also known as ZSM5)) and silicalite II (silicon-rich MEL (Mobil Eleven, also known as ZSM11)), as well as an acid ion exchanger or (mixed) metal oxides and the like. An advantage is that in such a process no ammonium sulphate is formed as byproduct.
In such Beckmann rearrangement processes, however, an incomplete conversion of the ketoxime or aldoxime may occur, causing a certain amount of non-reacted ketoxime or aldoxime to leave the reactor along with the amide formed. On the other hand, a complete removal of the ketoxime or aldoxime from the oxime-containing amide mixture is highly desirable in order to obtain a high degree of amide purity in the preparation of the amide and in order to avoid disturbances in the further amide preparation process. Now, the separation of this oxime from the oxime-containing amide mixture by means of physical separation techniques is very difficult and can be realized only at high costs (reference may be made to GB-A-1,286,427).


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for measuring and controlling volumetric flow rate of gases. The apparatus includes a measurement chamber of fixed volume in a flow line, a controllable inlet valve upstream from the chamber, and flow regulator means for establishing constant flow output downstream from the chamber. Also provided are measuring and control equipment including a pressure sensor in the chamber, means for controlling operation of the inlet valve, timing means, and means for calculating volumetric flow rate. The method involves closing the inlet valve at a chosen time for a selected interval, to interrupt flow into the measurement chamber, while maintaining constancy of flow out of the chamber. During at least part of the interval in which the inlet valve is closed, the pressure decrease is measured, and the rate of pressure decrease is calculated by dividing the measured pressure drop by the time measured by the timing means. The thus calculated rate of fall of pressure is directly related to the volumetric flow rate, which is thus determined.

a. The Need For Delivery Of Gas At A Constant Known Flow Rate
There are many situations in which it is required that gas be delivered through a line at a constant and known flow rate. Various types of chromatography apparatus have this requirement.
Other examples may be seen in the methods and apparatuses disclosed in Clingman U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,777,562; 4,062,236; 4,125,018; and 4,125,123. Generally speaking, these methods and equipment measure the calorific value of a gaseous fuel by causing the fuel to be delivered to a combustion system at a flow rate which maximizes the adiabatic flame temperature. The volumetric flow rate at ambient conditions must be accurately determined in these methods and equipment because it is a component in the determination of calorific value. The measurement of volumetric flow rate must be made independently of temperature, pressure, and gas compositions. The last of these requirements, independence from gas composition, is particularly important in such methods and equipment, because they are employed in situations where the gas composition can vary continually and is not known in advance of the making of the measurement. Thus the flowmeter, of whatever kind employed, cannot be calibrated for a particular gas composition, as is possible for some other gas flow measurement situations. The flow measurement must also be reproducible within one part per thousand.
b. Deficiencies of Prior Art Methods and Equipment
The conditions and requirements outlined above are not well met by the commonly used methods of flow measurement or control. Orifice meters and other methods which depend on measurement of the pressure drop across a flow restriction are sensitive to gas density, which is a function of temperature, pressure, and gas composition. Hot wire flow meters are sensitive to gas properties. Axial flow turbine flow meters are relatively free from sensitivity to gas composition, but contain moving parts which are subject to wear, causing maintenance problems and making recalibration work necessary at intervals as the wear occurs.
c. Certain Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,881 to Peters et al. shows a flow measurement system for liquid in which the time required for a predetermined volume of liquid to flow into a tank is measured to determine flow rate. Following each such measurement, the liquid is drawn from the tank more rapidly than it enters it, to empty the tank in readiness for the next measurement.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,826 to Haire controls the feed of gas from a high pressure supply to a low pressure receiver from which it is withdrawn at uneven rates (as in an oxygen mask receiver) by sensing the pressure in the receiver and utilizing the sensed value to control the setting of a valve between the supply and the receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,376 to Sholes et al. utilizes a computer to direct the actuation of valves in high pressure, atmospheric pressure and vacuum lines connected to a closed pressured volume of gas to adjust the pressure therein in response to signals from a pressure transducer sensing the pressure in the volume.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,665,959, to Castillon shows a flow meter using a sonic nozzle so that advantage may be taken of the circumstance that flow rate through such a nozzle is solely a function of absolute temperature and pressure upstream of the nozzle, both of which parameters being measured to obtain the flow rate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,416 to Van Dyke et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,096,746 to Wilson et al. shows systems utilizing diaphragm actuated devices to control pressure, flow, or both.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,472 to Jones et al. shows a flow measurement system using a rotometer type flowmeter in conjunction with an upstream regulator.
The following U.S. patents all show systems employing orifice type meters for measuring differential pressure across the meter: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,132,338 to Ziebolz; 2,317,807 to Ryder; 2,352,312 to Donaldson; 2,862,162 to Baring; 2,878,825 to Grogan et al.; and 3,543,784 to Smith.

Method and apparatus for measuring and controlling volumetric flow rate of gases in a line