In a pump device applicable to a power steering apparatus, a pump element is housed within a pump housing and is configured to drain a working oil, an electric motor is configured to drive the pump element, a reservoir tank is installed on the housing and is configured to reserve the working oil supplied to the oil element, a passage is formed within the pump housing and is connected to the pump element, and a control valve is installed in the pump housing, is configured to communicate with the passage, and is configured to control a flow of the working oil caused to flow through the passage.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pump device, for example, used in a power steering apparatus which provides a steering force or a steering assistance force for a steering mechanism of an automotive vehicle by an operation of a hydraulic (or hydraulic pressure) power cylinder in accordance with a steering torque outputted from the steering mechanism of the automotive vehicle.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A previously proposed pump device is exemplified by a Japanese Patent Application First Publication (tokkai) No. 2004-276664 published on Oct. 7, 2004 in which the previously proposed pump device is applied to a power steering apparatus. The disclosed power steering apparatus includes: a steering shaft attached onto a steering wheel; an output shaft connected with a lower end of the steering shaft; a rack-and-pinion mechanism installed on a lower end of the output shaft; a hydraulic (pressure) power cylinder interlinked with a rack of the rack-and-pinion mechanism; a reversible pump which relatively supplies a working oil to first and second hydraulic pressure chambers located at left and right sides of the hydraulic pressure power cylinder via first and second passages; and a control valve which is a return check valve installed in a bypass passage connected between the first and second passages.
This control valve is configured to have a working oil which is drained from a reversible pump supplied to the hydraulic pressure power cylinder in response to a closure of a pressure application side (or pressurization side) valve and, while, have the working oil within the hydraulic power cylinder exhausted to a reservoir tank in response to an open of a non-pressure application side (non-pressurization side) valve. This exhaust action causes an efficient reduction in the hydraulic pressure at the non-pressure application side (non-pressurization side) and causes such contaminations and air as metallic powders present in piping to be exhausted within the reservoir tank.
Then, if, during a vehicular run, an ordinary leftward (counterclockwise) or rightward (clockwise steering through the steering wheel is carried out, a detection mechanism detecting this steering torque according to the steering operation causes the reversible pump to normally or reversely revolve via an electronic controller so that the working oil in either one of the first and second hydraulic pressure chambers and within either one of the first and second communication passages is selectively supplied to the other of the first and second hydraulic pressure chambers and within the other of the first and second communication passages.


A uni-directional tag for use with position and orientation detection systems, which is not affected by exposure to high magnetic field levels. The tag is constructed from special geometry of magnetic materials and is applicable for example to catheter location systems.

This invention relates to a magnetic marker or tag and to methods of position and orientation detection using the marker or tag. It will be appreciated that the terms xe2x80x9cmarkerxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9ctagxe2x80x9d are used herein interchangeably; the term xe2x80x9clabelxe2x80x9d is also used in the art to describe magnetic articles of the type to which this invention relates. It should also be noted that the term xe2x80x9cmagneticxe2x80x9d is used herein in the sense that the tag undergoes some kind of detectable change when subjected to appropriate magnetic conditions; the term does not imply that the tag is ferromagneticxe2x80x94in general, the tag will not display ferromagnetic properties. Typically, the magnetic materials used for such tags are soft magnetic materials; these may display anisotropic magnetic properties, usually possessing a preferred direction of magnetisationxe2x80x94i.e. an axis along which the material may readily be magnetised; the magnetic permeability along this preferred axis is much greater than in other directions.
A tag in accordance with this invention can be added to existing equipment, for instance it may be secured to the tip of a catheter, which is used in conjunction with special interrogation equipment. The essence of the invention is the provision of a uni-directional tag, which avoids the 180 degree ambiguity usually found with the existing state-of-the-art magnetic tags.
EAS (electronic article security) systems use a magnetic material as a marker or tag, which is attached typically to retail articles. Typically the tag is detected by a pair of coils when the tag passes between them. These EAS systems utilise the magnetic (induction) characteristics of the material used in the tag for the purpose of detection.
A more advanced system is able to detect not only the presence but also the location and orientation of the tag or market. An example of an application where this is beneficial would be catheter location, where the magnetic material (tag) can be directly sputtered onto existing catheters. The position and orientation of the catheter can then be determined using external systems.
Existing tags have suffered from being bi-directional; that is their orientation is ambiguous since the detection signal is the same after rotating the tag through 180 degrees as it was initially. Thus the presence of the tag may readily be detected, but its orientation is undefined since it could be positioned in either of two possible pointing directions.
Alternatively the tags have incorporated hard magnetic material, which can be affected by large external field levels and the tag performance is then deranged.
The invention provides a tags which has been designed so that in the presence of a magnetic gradient field, it exhibits a non-symmetric MH loop. Hence the pointing direction of the tag can be detected. (Notexe2x80x94it is customary to describe magnetic material properties as xe2x80x9cBHxe2x80x9d loop, whereas this patent will describe the MH loop, where M is magnetisation).
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a tag which is characterised in that the saturation magnetisation of the tag material is not a constant value at all points along the tag.
This invention describes a tag whose orientation is unambiguous and includes features that the interrogation equipment can process to yield pointing direction. The tag can be constructed so that it can survive exposure to high magnetic fields typically found in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) machines without affecting its unidirectional behaviour. Thus the tag is generally formed of a material which does not undergo permanent change when exposed to high magnetic fields.
Generally, the tag has a main axis and in that the saturation magnetisation at one end of said axis differs from the saturation magnetisation at the opposite end of said axis. Conveniently, the saturation magnetisation is a function of position along said axis. One way of achieving this is for the tag to be tapered in shape. For example, the tag may be triangular in cross-section. In one embodiment, the tag is generally elongate and is wider at one end than at the other. In another embodiment, the tag is generally elongate and has a thickness which is greater at one end than at the other. A tag of this form may be constructed by laminating material to achieve variation in thickness. In a third embodiment, the tag is generally elongate and is tapered in both the width and thickness directions.
A tag in accordance with this invention may be formed from a spin melt ribbon or from thin film material. Alternatively, the tag is formed from thin mu-metal sheet.
It is also possible to make the tag by sputtering a material directly onto a carrier whose position is to be detected.


Provided is a polysilicon manufacturing apparatus including a reactor disposed on a base plate to form a reaction chamber, a pair of electrical feedthroughs installed on the base plate to be extended to the inside of the reaction chamber, rod filaments installed on the electrical feedthroughs in the reaction chamber and connected to each other by a rod bridge at the upper end to form a silicon rod by chemical vapor deposition of source gas introduced to a gas inlet, and a cooling jacket inserted to a through-hole provided at the upper side of the reactor to be supported to the base plate, connected to a gas outlet formed on the base plate by forming a gas passage discharging the gas after reaction, and introducing and circulating a low-temperature coolant to a coolant passage from the outside of the reactor by forming the coolant passage at the outside of the gas passage to discharge a high-temperature coolant to the outside of the reactor.

Polycrystal-state silicon, that is, polysilicon or polycrystalline silicon is a component used as a basic material in solar energy generation industry and semiconductor industry, and recently, the demand thereof has been rapidly increased with the development of the corresponding industries.
In the manufacturing method of polysilicon, a silicon precipitation process (alternatively, a chemical vapor deposition process) of forming polysilicon in a solid state from silane source gas is representative.
The silicon precipitation process generates silicon particles through a hydrogen reduction reaction and pyrolysis of the silane source gas at a high temperature and the silicon particles are formed in a polycrystalline state on the surface of rods or particles to be precipitated.
As an example, a simens precipitation method using a chemical vapor deposition reactor, a precipitation method using a fluidized bed reactor, and the like are included.
The simens chemical vapor deposition reactor is a batch process apparatus as a polysilicon manufacturing process.
In the chemical vapor deposition method, a silicon filament (Si filament) having a diameter of 7 to 10 mm and a length of 2,500 to 3,000 mm in the reactor is installed, resistor heating is generated by applying power to the Si filament, and source gas is injected for 60 to 80 hours under a high-pressure condition to produce silicon rod (Si rod) having a diameter of 120 to 150 mm.
For example, during the chemical vapor deposition process, the source gas is introduced from the lower portion of the reactor and then is discharged to the lower portion again by shifting a direction at the upper portion to form a turbulent flow.
The turbulent flow increases heat loss by convection to increase an electric basic unit.
By the turbulent flow, when the source gas is left between the introducing flow and the discharging flow, hot spots are formed to increase a deviation in gas velocity around the silicon rod, a deviation in diameter of the Si rod, and a deviation in surface temperature of the Si rod.
When the surface temperatures of the Si rods are nonuniform, a popcorn is generated around the hot spot to deteriorate productivity and quality of the polysilicon. That is, competitiveness of the polysilicon is lowered.


According to an aspect, a character input device includes: a display unit; a touch sensor for detecting a contact with a surface thereof; a character recognition processing unit for performing a first character recognition process for recognizing a character used for a first function and a second character recognition process for recognizing a character used for a second function, on the basis of a locus connecting positions where the contact is detected by the touch sensor; and an input control unit for displaying, on the display unit, a first input screen for the first function onto which the character recognized by the first character recognition process is input and/or a second input screen for the second function onto which the character recognized by the second character recognition process is input.

In recent years, touch panels have been widely used in order to allow a user to perform an intuitive operation and achieve a small character input device which does not include a device requiring a large physical area, such as a keyboard. As a technique for inputting characters using a touch panel, a technique has been known in which a character is handwritten to the touch panel (for example, Patent Literature 1).
When a character is handwritten, recognition accuracy increases as the range of the characters to be recognized is narrowed. Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique in which the user operates, for example, a button for changing the mode to change the characters to be recognized to the characters of desired means.

Character input device, character input method, and character input program


Methods and a system that provide a network of data sources in terms of a traditional database schema, convert traditional database queries into network messages, and route those messages to those data sources which have relevant data, in some instances through designated query nodes. In the present invention, those data sources accept the message, and then send reply messages to the originator of the query, or via designated join nodes in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the data sources may be able to perform local join operations. The system then collects these reply messages as appropriate at the designated join nodes, designated query nodes, and/or at the data sources, and the reply messages that meet the requirements of the query are sent back to the query originator. The query results provided to the query originator are presented as a traditional database result.

The ability to access particular desired information from a distributed network database system of data sources under a variety of different conditions is desirable. However, conventional systems can experience difficulties in accessing and managing the desired data in some situations.
For example, one difficulty in the current art regarding networks of data sources is how to manage data from the data sources, especially from very large data sources or from a very large number of data sources. Networks of data sources present difficulties for data management, as the data sent by large data sources or a potential multitude of data sources can be overwhelming to the network or data management system used.
Also, it is possible that data sources in the network continually provide information that will change or be updated frequently. In these situations where the data may be dynamic, conventional systems often do not provide any mechanism to dynamically account in the query results for data inputs from data sources added (or removed) at any moment to the network of data sources. Further, in some situations where the data may be less dynamic and more static, conventional systems may not provide the flexibility to account for situations with either dynamic data or static data or both.
Additional difficulties in effecting proper or accurate data management can be encountered when the network has low bandwidth or is unreliable (for example due to the amounts of control overhead that may be needed to be sent over the network) or when a data source is not reachable due to temporary malfunction or other reason.
Accordingly, it is seen that a system and methods for providing more efficient, sophisticated, flexible query capabilities or techniques are desirable for useful data management of data source networks under a variety of circumstances.

System and methods for highly distributed wide-area data management of a network of data sources through a database interface


A surface coating structure adapted to be quickly installed and removed includes a plurality of parallel sections (1), a multiplicity of connecting members (2) and of slats (3) which engage the connecting members (2). Each connecting member (2) is provided with a pair of mutually opposite central angled hooks (4, 4) and a pair of side angled hooks (5, 5). Each slat has an undercut side groove (10) formed in each longitudinal edge (11) of the slat (3) to engage a central angled hook (4) and a bottom prismatic groove (12) in a part opposite to a part in sight near each longitudinal edge (11) of the slat (3). Each bottom prismatic groove (12) has, with respect to the longitudinal edge (11), a proximal side (14) provided with a series of parallel knurls (17) adapted to retain the side angled hook (5) of the connecting member.

EP 2 149 651 A1 discloses a system for laying wood floors without using screws, nails and glue, but by interlocking or wedging them. According to the system of the cited patent, inserted at regular distances on parallel sections of a base frame are connecting members adapted to permanently connect the parallel sections with slats arranged orthogonally to the parallel sections and forming a coating. Such connecting members are C-shaped in their side towards the parallel sections and have end hooks to allow both the connecting members and the parallel sections to be joined. On their opposite side with respect to the parallel sections the connecting members have a first pair of opposite central hooks, between which a spacer acting as an abutment is interposed, and a second pair of side hooks facing the respective central hooks. All the hooks are angled at their free ends in order to engage slats through grooves thereof on the opposite side to the one in sight. In particular, the slats have side grooves and bottom grooves, both having undercuts forming dovetail portions which the free ends of both the central hooks and the side hooks respectively abut from opposite sides.
A drawback is related to the configuration of the grooves, in particular of the bottom grooves: the free ends of the side hooks point against the dovetail portion so that they are fixed in the undercut. The slats, where necessary, can be disassembled, although with difficulty, but there is the risk of a rupture of the hooks.
A solution to this problem was already given by the Applicant who has manufactured prismatic-shaped bottom grooves, i.e. without undercut. In this way each side hook disengages easily the slat, thanks to the fact that a joint not difficult to release is not formed as there is no undercut. In this solution the connection is provided only by the central hooks, and this leads to a reduced stability of the slats with a consequent risk of their displacement as a result of loads applied on the coating structure.
Therefore, a drawback of the surface coating structure of the prior art is to not allow a proper engagement between slats and connecting members.
It should also be highlighted that the surface coating structures in question are intended to both horizontal surfaces, such as floors that must withstand loads by their nature, and vertical surfaces, such as those of the facade walls. In the prior art the connecting members, which serve to transmit the load from the slats to the base frame, are made identical in both cases.
The Applicant found that the connecting members need to be most strong in the case where they are used for coating horizontal surfaces, and they may be less robust in the case where they are used for coating vertical surfaces.
In particular, in the first case it would be useful that the slats rest firmly on the connecting members; in the second case it is convenient that the connecting members are made in such a way that their assembly with the parallel sections that constitute the base frame of the surface coating structure is easy, such an assembly being obtained by inserting the connecting members in the parallel sections.
Another feature of this type of surface coating structure must also be considered: flanked slats rest with their adjacent edges on the same connecting members. In order to obtain a proper support, ends of consecutive slats must not stay between a connecting member and the other, so as to be cantilevered between a section of the base frame and the other; on the contrary, the ends of consecutive slats must stay on the same connecting member. Since the consecutive slats are inserted at successive times, it occurs that an angled hook of the pair of central hooks provided on the upper part of the connecting members is in locked position, inside the side groove of the slat, in virtue of the occurred engagement between an end of a first slat and the connecting member. The insertion of a contiguous end of a second slat consecutive to the first one, which would cause the deformation downwards of the angled hook of the connecting member on which the end of the first slat rests, is hindered by the occurred engagement of the end of the first slat: the final result is an uncertain engagement between the contiguous ends of the two consecutive slats because a single hook must operate in the engagement with two different slats at successive times.

Surface coating structure adapted to be quickly installed and removed


A system and method are presented for a write buffer that combines capabilities and features implemented in separate, specialized buffers in prior art microprocessors. The write buffer receives data records from a CPU and subsequently transfers them to a memory bus. In addition to the data records themselves, each location in the buffer contains a complement of control bits, which determine the mode in which the associated record will be transferred to the memory bus. The use of these bits allows the buffer to perform memory transfers associated with a write-back data cache or an EJTAG test module, as well as more conventional transfers traditionally performed by a write buffer. The combination of these multiple capabilities in a single write buffer is believed to simplify the design of the bus interface unit in a microprocessor incorporating the principles disclosed herein.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to microprocessor architecture, more particularly, to the interface between a microprocessor and main memory.
2. Description of Related Art
The principal component in a modern computer is the microprocessor. It is the microprocessor, often executing hundreds of millions of instructions per second, which actually xe2x80x9crunsxe2x80x9d our applications. Computers are often evaluated on the basis of the speed of their microprocessorxe2x80x94for example, a machine with a 700 MHz processor is typically considered xe2x80x9cbetterxe2x80x9d than one with a 133 MHz processor. Yet, every microprocessor requires memory. The instructions executed by the microprocessor, as well as the data upon which it operates, are accessed from the memory. Thus, the overall performance of a computer depends on how efficiently the microprocessor utilizes memory, as well as the raw speed of its internal logic.
The microprocessor accesses the memory over a bus, which includes address and data lines. The address lines allow the microprocessor to designate a particular memory location to be read from or written to, and the data lines convey the data to or from the selected memory location. The microprocessor, typically operating at a higher speed, can sometimes be encumbered by the slower memory. For example, it may happen that the microprocessor is forced to postpone an instruction fetch because the memory is unavailable, due to a previous operation that has not completed. To deal with such situations, most microprocessors are capable of prolonging their normal instruction cycle through the insertion of xe2x80x9cwait states.xe2x80x9d The wait states effectively slow down the microprocessor""s read/write timing to accommodate the memory. However, a memory interface that depended heavily on wait states would effectively handicap the microprocessor.
Instead, various measures may be taken to improve the efficiency with which the microprocessor accesses memory. One approach involves the use of a write buffer. In general, a buffer is a data area shared by hardware devices or program processes that operate at different speeds or with different sets of priorities. The buffer allows one device or process to operate without being held up by another. A buffer is similar to a cache, but exists not so much to accelerate the speed of an activity as to support the coordination of separate activities, typically clocked at different speeds.
The central processing unit (CPU) in a microprocessor normally fetches (i.e., reads) instructions and data from memory and generates results to be written back to memory. Thus, memory access speed directly influences its speed of execution. However, read operations are typically more critical than writes in this regard. To maintain throughput, the CPU must fetch an instruction (and possibly an operand) from memory each instruction cycle. Results, on the other hand, need not be stored to memory immediately, but can be deferred until it is convenient (e.g., when the memory bus becomes available). Since a write buffer generally interfaces directly to the CPU, the CPU is able to write data into it without accessing the memory bus. Thus, the CPU can continuously fetch instructions and data from memory, and store results in the write buffer. The write buffer contents are independently dispatched to memory during times when the bus is not in use. A bus interface unit (BIU) within the microprocessor coordinates the shared use of the memory bus by the CPU and the write buffer. The BIU coordinates differences in operation between the CPU local bus and one or more buses external to the CPU (i.e., the memory bus). In these circumstances, it is often possible to advantageously increase CPU throughput by using a write buffer within the BIU between the CPU and memory.
A modern microprocessor may interact with memory in a number of ways. For example, a processor equipped with an instruction pipeline often includes the capability to defer load/store operations associated with a current instruction in the pipeline until similar operations associated with previous instructions have completed. Also, many microprocessors today incorporate diagnostic logic (e.g., JTAG-based scan networks), which may require access to the memory while performing test functions.
Diagnostic circuitry based on the joint test action group (JTAG) standard is now included in many microprocessors. The JTAG standard arose in response to the increasing difficulty in testing complex, high-speed integrated circuits by means of conventional external test instruments. Clock rates for many microprocessors, for example, now approach microwave frequencies. It is difficult, if not impossible, to convey diagnostic information to an external tester at the full operating speed of such devices. In addition, pin spacing on device packages has become so dense that traditional techniques for probing external signals are no longer practical. The JTAG standard provides for the inclusion of diagnostic hardware within integrated circuits, along with the functional circuitry. On-chip diagnostic circuitry, coupled with JTAG-compliant scan registers, makes it possible to load a test vector into the IC, run a test, and then scan out internal device states.
To support these various modes of interaction, the bus interface unit of the microprocessor may be compounded by multiple special-purpose write buffers and considerable additional logic, dedicated to the specific functions. Unfortunately, this adds to the complexity and manufacturing cost of the microprocessor. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a single write buffer that will support multiple types of processor-memory transactions.
The problems outlined above are addressed by a single write buffer that combines capabilities and features implemented in separate, specialized buffers of prior art microprocessors. In addition to storing the buffered data and its address, a set of control bits is associated with each storage location, by means of which the improved write buffer hereof directs the transfer of data to memory. The control bits can be used to modify the operation of the write buffer, allowing it to support a variety of memory access modes.
In an embodiment, the buffer is coupled to a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory bus. The buffer contains storage locations, into which data records received from the CPU may be stored, and from which these data records may be transferred to the memory bus. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cdata recordxe2x80x9d refers to a discrete plurality of bits, indicative of data to be transferred to memory from a processor, direct memory access (DMA), peripheral device, etc. Associated with each location in the buffer is a set of control bits, which determine the mode in which the data record stored at that location will be transferred to the memory bus.
The storage locations are addressable by an input pointer and an output pointer. The input pointer indicates the storage location into which the next data record received from the CPU will be stored. As each new data record is received from the CPU and stored in the buffer, the input pointer advances to the next location. Similarly, the output pointer indicates the storage location from which the next data record transferred to the memory bus will be taken. As each data record is transferred from the buffer to the memory bus, the output pointer advances to the next location.
In an exemplary embodiment, the control bits associated with each location in the buffer include a valid bit, a sync bit, an EJTAG Bit, and store conditional and store conditional pass bits. The valid bit indicates that the respective location in the buffer contains data to be transferred to the memory bus. Thus, the contents of a given location in the write buffer will be transferred to the memory bus when the output pointer reaches that location only if the corresponding valid bit is set. The sync bit is used in conjunction with a SYNC instruction, to insure that any memory accesses initiated prior to the SYNC instruction are completed before memory accesses associated with subsequent instructions are allowed to begin. This is accomplished by forcing the CPU to delay any pending load operations until every entry in the write buffer for which the sync bit is active has been transferred to the memory bus. The EJTAG bit signifies that the corresponding data record in the write buffer has been received from the EJTAG test module, rather than from the CPU. In this case, the bus interface unit (BIU) may activate special control input/output (I/O) signals when the record is transferred to the memory bus. The store conditional bit is used together with the store conditional pass bit to make the transfer of a record from the buffer to the memory bus contingent upon an external event or signal. This may be useful, for example, for coordinating memory access between multiple processors. If the store conditional pass bit for a given buffer location is not set, the corresponding data record is not transferred to the memory bus. Moreover, the store conditional pass bit can be set or cleared at any point after the data record has been placed in the buffer. Consequently, an external event or signal that controls the store conditional pass bit can serve as a qualifier for the transfer of the data record to the memory bus.
The write buffer disclosed herein also supports the use of a write-back data cache. In this context, the write buffer receives data records from the CPU as they are written to a data cache. In this mode, the buffer does not individually transfer the records to the memory bus, but waits until an entire cache line (in an embodiment, a cache line contains four words) has been received. It then transfers all four words to the memory bus in burst fashion.
Also disclosed herein, a method is presented for storing data records received from a CPU and subsequently transferring them to a memory bus. According to the method, each record is stored in a FIFO buffer at a location indicated by an input pointer. The input pointer indicates the storage location into which the next data record will be stored, and is incremented each time another record is received. Associated with each buffer location is a set of control bits, which determine the mode in which the record at the respective location is transferred to the memory bus. An output pointer indicates the location of the next data record to be transferred to the memory bus, and is incremented each time another record is transferred. In the disclosed method, the control bits serve the same functions as described above.
Also disclosed herein is a microprocessor, comprising a CPU, memory bus and a write buffer. The buffer receives data records from the CPU and subsequently transfers them to the memory bus. In an embodiment, the buffer contains several locations, into which the data records are stored and from which they are transferred to the memory bus. An input pointer indicates the location into which the next record will be stored, and is incremented after each record is received. Similarly, an output pointer indicates the location from which the next record will be transferred to the memory bus, and is incremented after each record is transferred. In the microprocessor disclosed herein, the control bits serve the same functions as described above.

Versatile write buffer for a microprocessor and method using same


A lane tracking method is proposed for use by an autonomous vehicle running on a lane. A future location of the autonomous vehicle that corresponds to a future time point is estimated based on a current location and a measurement result of an inertial measurement unit of the autonomous vehicle. The future location of the autonomous vehicle, and a reference lane line data and a reference past location that correspond to a reference past time point are used to estimate a future lane line data that corresponds to the future time point.

According to the levels of driving automation that are formulated by SAE International, a higher level of driving automation requires higher robustness and higher reliability for an active control system of an autonomous vehicle.
Limited by the time required for processing images captured by a camera of a lane tracking system, an update frequency for lane detection information is low (e.g., 10-20 Hz), and the lane detection information is hardly truly "real-time" from the perspective of vehicle motion control. For example, the lane detection information, such as lane line/marking information, is usually 100 ms to 200 ms old when provided to a vehicle control system. If a frequency of the vehicle control system controlling operation of the vehicle is limited by, for example, the lower update frequency of the lane detection information, the resolution and the precision of control instructions issued by the vehicle control system may be reduced, and the lane tracking performance may be adversely affected, which is especially evident in road sections with high curvature or when the vehicle is traveling with a larger lateral speed.
In addition, when lane lines/markings have deteriorated, are unclear or even absent, or present abnormal color contrast due to variations in light conditions, conventional lane tracking methods may not provide correct lane line information as normal.

Lane tracking method and lane tracking system for an autonomous vehicle


In accordance with disclosed embodiments, there are provided systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing intelligently suggested keyboard shortcuts for web console applications. For example, an exemplary embodiment includes means for executing a hosted application via a system of a host organization, in which the hosted application includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to receive user interactions; transmitting the GUI to a user device remote from the host organization, in which the GUI is to be displayed to the user device and receive the user interactions as input at the displayed GUI of the user device; receiving, at the host organization, logged user data representing the user interactions with the hosted application received via the GUI displayed to the user device; analyzing the logged user data via the system of the host organization; and triggering a keyboard shortcut recommendation based on the analysis of the logged user data, in which the triggered keyboard shortcut recommendation is pushed from the host organization to the user device for display at the user device. Other related embodiments are disclosed.

The subject matter discussed in the background section shall not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section are not to be assumed as having been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also correspond to the claimed embodiments.
Discoverability of available keyboard shortcuts in within applications, such as web console applications, is usually limited. In most cases, users must search for the shortcuts they need by bringing up a particular help menu containing the list of the supported shortcuts, which is a static list of available shortcuts built pre-built into the application. Occasionally, with certain applications having a more user focused experience, an application may display information to the user identifying a possible keyboard shortcut alongside the corresponding User Interface (UI) component presently being utilized by the user, such as by displaying "Ctrl-S" when the user hovers a mouse or cursor over a "Save" button. Such functionality is sometimes referred to as a "screen tips" or "extended tips" or "smart tips." In any event, the user must take action, such as trigger a mouse-over event by hovering over a button of a GUI so as to invoke the responsive "screen tip" action.
Unfortunately, neither of the above approaches are sufficiently user friendly as both approaches require users to actively pull such shortcut information from an application rather than permitting the application to push such information to the user when needed or based on customizable conditions, such as times considered to be contextually relevant to the user or intuitive to the user. If the user does not take the initiative to pull the information from the system, then the user will likely never learn of the available keyboard shortcut.
The present state of the art may therefore benefit from the systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing intelligently suggested keyboard shortcuts for web console applications within a computing environment as is described herein.

Systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing intelligently suggested keyboard shortcuts for web console applications


A monodirectional, current-reducing impedance magnifier (MCRIM) provides continuously variable magnification of any general impedance Z.sub.0 without affecting its phase charateristics. The monodirectional, current-reducing impedance magnifier circuit realizes floating resistors, inductors and capacitors, suitable for use over any range of frequencies, and the simulated impedance is continuously user-variable over wide ranges. In another embodiment, a monodirectional, generalized impedance synthesizer (MGIS) permits simulation of user-variable floating impedances whose phase and frequency characteristics are widely subject to design objectives. In addition to realizing all conventional circuit elements R, L and C, including positive and negative values thereof, the MGIS produces an infinite set of alternatives for the simulation of user-variable resistance and reactance functions of frequency. The MGIS is also usable over any bandwidth.

The individual components present in an electrical circuit are called circuit elements. The basic circuit elements describe physical processes such as the energy storage in a magnetic field (inductor), the energy storage in an electric field (capacitor) and the dissipation of electromagnetic energy (resistance). The behavior of these circuit elements may be completely described by their terminal voltage-current relationships within the time domain or the frequency domain.
Practical versions of these circuit elements deviate from the idealized model at high frequencies due to parasitic impedance effects. For a resistor, in general, there are reactive effects due to the winding of the resistance wire and the stray capacitance across the resistor. The practical version of an inductor is not a lossless element, and the effect of energy dissipation by resistive heating is observed. Practical capacitors are also lossy because of losses in the dielectric, and the terminal wires also have an inductive effect.
Circuit elements having predetermined values n-ay be selected and combined in a network to produce a prescribed output in response to a defined excitation to its input. The desired circuit behavior, such as frequency response, can be adversely affected by parasitic impedances. Moreover, some circuits may require the use of variable resistors, inductors and capacitors. Variable inductors and variable capacitors can be realized with the aid of mechanical devices, but at substantial increases in component size and mass, increases in dissipation and parasitic effects and increases in production costs with corresponding reductions in marketing revenues.
Generally, the inductance of a coil is proportional to the number of winding turns and the cross-sectional area of the coil structure. These values are not conveniently subject to continuous user variation, and the physical size and weight of an inductor will increase as higher inductance values are realized. An increase in the number of winding turns increases the resistance of the winding, which can vary from around one ohm per 1,000 feet for No. 12 gauge wire, to over 1,600 ohms per 1,000 feet for No. 42 gauge wire. The inductance value can also be increased by increasing the permeability of the core. However, losses in the heating of magnetic cores due to eddy currents and hysteresis increase in direct proportion to frequency. Dielectric losses in the coil winding insulation also increase at higher frequencies and are determined by the power factor of the distributive capacity. Moreover, most ferrite core materials will saturate in response to AC flux densities in the region of 3,000 to 4,000 Gauss. Thus the use of magnetic cores to vary the inductance value introduces losses which limit the performance of the inductor at high frequencies.
The selection of practical capacitors for use in a specific network is also limited by parasitic elements such as inductance and resistance. Moreover, since miniaturization is usually a prime consideration, the smallest possible capacitors will require thin dielectrics and efficient packaging without degrading performance. This severely limits prospects for user variation of the capacitance. Another important consideration in the selection of capacitors for use in certain LC filters is the figure of merit Q which is inversely proportional to the excitation frequency. The capacitor figure of merit Q must be sufficiently higher than the inductor figure of merit so that the effective figure of merit of the LC combination will not be degraded.
In certain LC filters, particularly those for radio frequency use, it is sometimes found more convenient to resonate a tuned circuit by adjusting the capacitance C rather than the inductance L. In such circuits, a small variable trimmer capacitor is connected in parallel with a fixed resonating capacitor. Such a parallel capacitance can be varied from its mean value by only a small percentage. The trimmer capacitors usually employ air, ceramic, mica or glass as a dielectric. Air capacitors consist of two sets of plates, one called a rotor, which is mounted on a shaft, and the other called the stator, which is fixed. As the rotor is revolved, the plates intermesh without making contact, resulting in increasing capacitance. For a large range capacitance variation, the plate size and number must be increased dramatically, especially if air is used as the dielectric. This becomes a serious limitation when the component mass or the available component space is restricted.
The resistor R is a fundamental component of active filters. Sensitivity studies have shown that the resistor components are usually at least as significant as capacitors. Accordingly, the selection of the appropriate resistor is critical to the success of a particular network design. In some networks, it is desirable to provide an identically constant negative resistance for exciting natural oscillation in passive LC circuits. However, the realization of such absolutely negative resistance values is not possible without the use of active elements.
It will be appreciated, therefore, that the parasitic effects associated with conventional inductors, capacitors and resistors, as well as constraints on physical size and mass, impose serious limitations on the design of networks which utilize passive R, L and C circuit elements, exclusively.


A temperature sensor capable of operation in high vibration environment includes a sensor sheath mounted at the distal end of a mineral insulated cable. A resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensing element is connected to leads of the cable within the sheath. The sheath is filled at least partially with a ceramic thermal adhesive.

The present invention relates to temperature sensors, and in particular to a temperature sensor capable of operating in high vibration environments with improved accuracy and a high temperature range.
The temperature of a process fluid in an industrial process is typically measured by a temperature sensor or probe that is positioned in the fluid. The temperature sensor may use a thermocouple or a resistance temperature detector (RTD) to produce an electrical signal that is a function of temperature.
A thermocouple makes use of two dissimilar metals with different Seebeck coefficients. The thermocouple generates a voltage based upon a temperature difference between the thermocouple junction and a reference junction. The thermocouple offers a wide temperature operating range (typically from 0° C. to 1450° C.), and does not require a power source to generate an output signal. Thermocouples also are capable of operating in high vibration environments. However, thermocouples are less accurate than RTD devices.
A resistance temperature detector (RTD) senses temperature by a change in electrical resistance of a metal. The higher the temperature of the RTD, the higher the resistance. An output signal of the RTD sensor is generated by passing a constant electrical current through the RTD and measuring the voltage produced.
An RTD may be either a wire wound or a thin film device. The RTD may be encapsulated in a temperature probe and used in conjunction with an industrial process transmitter to generate a transmitter output representing the temperature of the fluid in contact with the probe. Platinum is commonly used in wire wound and thin film RTDs, and provides stable and accurate measurement of temperatures up to about 600° C. to 650° C.
When compared to thermocouples, RTD devices are capable of higher accuracy but have smaller overall temperature range. Also, RTD devices are more susceptible to damage or failure in high vibration environments than are thermocouples.
There is a need for a temperature sensor capable of operation in high vibration environments with the accuracy of an RTD and with a better high temperature range than is currently available with RTDs designed for high vibration environments.


The invention provides novel compositions and methods for detecting unlabeled nucleic acid targets using labeled polynucleotide probes and partially complementary antiprobes. The interaction of probes, antiprobes and targets result in signaling changes that indicate target frequency. This novel detection mechanism is called a DNA detection switch, and it enable end-point detection, microarray detection and real-time PCR detection of a variety of nucleic acid targets including microbial species and subspecies, drug resistant mutants, and pathogenic strains.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of nucleic acid probe technology. More specifically, it relates to new compositions and methods to identify and quantify targeted DNA or RNA sequences, including single-base sequence variants in genomic and pathogenic samples. In particular it relates to new general probe systems to detect and assess target amplification by real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) with improved sensitivity, quantification and economy.
2. Description of the Related Art
The detection of targeted polynucleotide sequences is usually based on the use of short synthetic oligonucleotide probes or long cDNA based probes that are labeled and hybridized to a target sequence of interest. To work effectively, such probe products must be washed after hybridization to remove both unbound probes and probes that are weakly bound to non-specific targets. However, under the conditions of real-time PCR [U.S. Pat. No. 4,965,188; U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,015; U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,972; U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,848], a wash step is not feasible, and thus novel probes had to be devised that only generate signaling when they are bound to a complementary target and that have diminished or quenched signaling when they are unbound and floating free in solution.
To achieve this end, the prior art has generally relied on probes that employ FRET (fluorescent resonance energy transfer) interactions between a donor and an acceptor molecule, such as two fluorophores or a fluorophore and a quencher [Didenko V, Biotechniques, 2001, November; 31(5):1106-16, 1118, 1120-1121; Chen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1997, Sep. 30; 94: 10756-10762]. To work, the fluorescence emission spectrum of the donor must overlap the absorption or excitation spectrum of the acceptor.
In FRET, the excited-state energy of the fluorescent donor molecule is transferred to the acceptor molecule when they are brought into proximity (10 to 100 angstroms). If the acceptor molecule is fluorescent, signaling shifts to a longer wavelength. If the acceptor molecule is an effective quencher, fluorescent signaling is significantly diminished and may be essentially turned off. Taqman and Molecular Beacon probes are the principal FRET-based probes of this type for real-time PCR detection. In both cases, they serve as an internal probe that is used in conjunction with a pair of opposing primers that flank the target region of interest. When the primers amplify the target segment, the probe will selectively bind to those products at an identifying sequence in between the primer sites, thereby causing increases in FRET signaling relative to increases in target frequency. While these probe systems are therefore similar in effect, they employ somewhat different detection mechanisms.
More specifically, a Taqman probe comprises a synthetic oligonucleotide of about 22 to 30 bases that is complementary to a target sequence and that is labeled on both ends with a FRET pair [Livak et al. 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,848]. Typically, the 5′ end will have a shorter wavelength fluorophore such as fluorescein (e.g. FAM™) and the 3′ end is commonly labeled with a longer wavelength fluorescent quencher (e.g. TAMRA™) or a non-fluorescent quencher compound (e.g. Black Hole Quencher™). In solution, the probe will randomly coil or fold so that the labeled ends are in proximity and 5′ fluorescent emissions are effectively quenched. But when the probe binds to an internal target sequence during the annealing step of PCR, the advancing Taq polymerase has 5′-3′ exonuclease activity that will degrade the bound probe, permanently releasing the components in solution. Once a 5′ fluorophore is thereby released, it can emit fluorescent signaling, and thus the level of fluorescence that results is proportional to the frequency of amplified targets.
Taqman probes evolved from an earlier system based on 5′-3′ exonuclease digestion using internal probes with simply a 5′ fluorescent end. When the probe was digested via polymerase advance, the released fluorescent fragments were thereafter detected [U.S. Pat. No. 5,210,015; U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,972]. One common requirement for designing such fluorescent probes is that there be no guanine (G) at the 5′ end since a G adjacent to the reporter dye will significantly quench reporter fluorescence even after the probe is degraded.
Like TaqMan probes, Molecular Beacon probes use FRET interactions to detect and quantify a PCR product, with each probe having a 5′ fluorescent-labeled end and a 3′ quencher-labeled end. [Tyagi et al. 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,517; Tyagi et al., Nature Biotechnology 1996, 14: 303-8]. However, Molecular Beacons also include short artificial segments of 5 to 7 bases at each end that are complementary to one another but not complementary to the target. In the absence of target binding, these matching end sequences will bind together in solution, thereby bringing the quencher-labeled end in proximity to the fluorophore-labeled end so that fluorescent signaling is suppressed.
This probe structure has been described as a hairpin or stem-loop configuration, wherein the stem depicts the two short self-binding ends and the loop depicts the long internal target-specific region of about 20 to 30 bases. Due to this configuration and the relatively greater length of the target-specific region, these probes will preferentially hybridize to available complementary targets, thereby causing the probes to straighten and extend since double-stranded DNA is relatively rigid like a spring as compared to single-stranded DNA which is floppy and easily folded like a string. Consequently, with target binding, the labeled ends of the probe will separate from one another, thereby releasing fluorescent emissions. Because this mechanism does not depend on degradation of the probe, Molecular beacons can be employed in a variety of detection schemes in addition to real-time PCR assays. A similar detection mechanism is employed by an independent invention wherein the probe is fabricated with only the loop structure and without the short complementary stem regions [Mayrand et al. 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,146]. This method also works because in the absence of target binding the fluor-labeled and quencher-labeled ends will naturally fold or coil together to significantly quench fluorescence, whereas, when target binding occurs, these probes will automatically stretch out, thereby releasing fluorescence.
An alternative FRET-based approach for PCR and real-time PCR detection uses two hybridization probes that bind to adjacent sites on the target wherein the first probe has a fluorescent donor label at the 3′ end and the second probe has a fluorescent acceptor label at its 5′ end [Wittmer et al. Biotechniques, 1997, 22: 130-138]. When both probes bind to the template, bringing the donor and acceptor labels into proximity, the FRET interaction occurs causing a color shift in fluorescent signaling. Thus PCR amplification causes an exponential increase in the ratio of acceptor fluorescence versus donor fluorescence which is proportional to the amount of target DNA generated.
Scorpion™ probes provide a FRET-based stem-loop detection mechanism similar to Molecular Beacons, except that the probe also has a segment attached that serves as an amplification primer [Whitcombe et al. Nat Biotechnol. 1999, Aug. 17(8): 804-7; U.S. Pat. No. 6,326,145]. Like Molecular Beacons, these probes maintain a stem-loop configuration in the unhybridized state with the fluorophore thereby quenched. However, they have a longer multi-component structure. First there is a 5′ fluorophore, then a target-specific stem-loop section, then a Black Hole Quencher™, then a hexethylene glycol (HEG) blocker and finally a 3′ primer sequence. The blocker prevents reverse extension of the product onto the probe. After primer extension occurs, the Scorpion probe is attached to the terminal end of the amplicon. When denaturation occurs again, followed by annealing, the loop segment of the probe will preferentially bind to its long complementary segment on the attached template, thereby opening the stem-loop structure and releasing fluorescence.
Alternatively, the stem-loop structure is cut into two units with one unit having four components, i.e., the 5′ fluorophore, the target specific segment, the blocker and the primer, and with the other unit having the quencher and a probe segment. Similar to Scorpion probes, Sunrise™ probes comprise a primer attached to a hairpin probe that is extended during amplification. This separates the internal quencher label from the 5′ terminal fluorophore [Nazarenko et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 1997, 25: 2516-2521].
All these dual-labeled FRET-based probes require careful design and they are quite expensive. Their synthesis is difficult and they require manual post-synthesis addition of at least one label as well as high pressure liquid chromatography to purify for double-labeled products. Taqman and Molecular Beacon probes also require the design of two opposing primers that must work in conjunction with the probe. In order to function effectively during the annealing step, Taqman and Molecular Beacon probes must be longer and have a Tm that is 5 to 10 degrees higher than the primers since the probe must bind firmly to the target before extension. For Taqman probes this condition is needed to digest and release fluorescence. For Molecular Beacons, this condition is similarly essential to stretch out and release fluorescence. However, at the same time, the requirement for a long target-specific probe makes it much more difficult to design and develop probes that can selectively detect small sequence changes such as SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) or single base mutations. Therefore, these hybridization-based probes generally require multiple designs and repeated testing in order to achieve a working or optimal result.
In other detection formats, different issues are important. When gene targets are detected by FISH (fluorescent in situ hybridization) four processing steps are typically required: 1) the preparation of labeled probes, 2) probe hybridization to fixed denatured targets, 3) the washing of unbound probes, and 4) fluorescent excitation and detection [Barch M J, editor. The ACT Cytogenetics Laboratory Manual. 2nd ed. New York: Raven Press; 1991]. Careful wash steps are critical to effective detection since the signal to noise ratio is highly dependent on the stringency of washing and since excessive washing can greatly reduce signaling. Thus FISH probes generally require a delicate, graded series of critically timed wash steps, using different components and dilutions, all of which add considerably to the time, complexity and cost of such assays.
Microarray detection is somewhat similar to FISH detection. Arrays are typically based on printing glass or silicon substrates with bound oligo probes or cDNA probes; applying fluorescent-labeled DNA or RNA targets which must be hybridized to the probes; washing the arrays stringently; and then detecting the bound targets—usually by laser scanning [Schena et al. 1995, Science 270: 467-470; Heller et al. 1997, P.N.A.S. USA, 94, 2150-2155]. Like FISH probes, the wash steps are again complex and time consuming. However, the preparation and labeling of the targets are an expensive additional process since each target sample is unique. Indeed, the cost and time burden of current target labeling and detection methods is the major limitation to the routine use of microarray-based assays.
The present invention significantly overcomes many of the limitations described above and provides advantages over the prior art for microarray detection, FISH detection and PCR detection. In addition, several embodiments of the present invention enable more definitive quantification of real-time PCR products, whereas such assays typically require running concurrent standards and controls in order to certify results.
The invention is especially directed towards the detection of single base variants important to discriminating bacterial and viral pathogens, including drug resistant mutants. Of particular interest, HIV-1 resistance-related targets have defied detection with ordinary real-time PCR probe systems or with hybridization-based microarray probes because these critical single base mutations commonly occur in a sea of nearby unrelated mutations [Shafer, R. W. 2002, Clin Microbiol Rev 15: 247-277; D'Aquila et al. 2002, Topics HIV Med 10: 21-25; Gonzalez et al. 2004, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 42 (7): 2907-2912; Gunthard et al. 1998, AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 14: 869-876]. Overcoming these difficult detection limitations has been a goal as well as an accomplishment of the present invention.
There is a recognized need in the art for improved detection of nucleic acid targets. Specifically, the prior art is deficient in the lack of a simple method for detecting single or multiple polynucleotide target sequences by employing novel probe and antiprobe compositions and detection strategies in various liquid and solid phase detection platforms. The present invention fulfils this longstanding need in the art.

Probe-antiprobe compositions and methods for DNA or RNA detection


The invention relates to a component transducer (20) for sensing a torque component (Mx, My, Mz); wherein an element (21) made of piezoelectric crystal material comprises element surfaces; wherein a force component (Fx, Fy, Fz) produces electric polarization charges on the element surfaces; and wherein the torque component (Mx, My, Mz) to be sensed consists of at least one pair having force components (+Fx, −Fx; +Fy, −Fy; +Fz, −Fz) wherein said force components (+Fx, −Fx; +Fy, −Fy; +Fz, −Fz) of a pair have the same axis of action and opposite directions of action. The component transducer (20) receives the force components (+Fx, −Fx; +Fy, −Fy; +Fz, −Fz) of a pair separately.

Pressure or force transducers are used in a wide variety of applications. Such transducers are often exposed to various forces and torques. Examples are measurements of cutting forces in manufacturing processes, particularly in milling, planing and the like, where a translational movement is performed under force. Depending on the application, a plurality of components of forces and torques in a Cartesian coordinate system with three coordinate axes X, Y, and Z are sensed simultaneously.
Known pressure or force transducers work on the basis of piezoelectric crystal material or strain gauges (DMS). In the case of the piezoelectric crystal material, the sensor element and transducer element are combined in one part while the DMS is only a sensor element and must be connected to a separate transducer element to form a DMS system. There are big differences between the two with respect to function. Thus, the rigidity and, therefore, accuracy, natural frequency, overload capability of the piezoelectric crystal material typically are by an order of magnitude higher than in the case of the DMS system. In addition, the dimensions of a transducer comprising piezoelectric crystal material are smaller by a factor of 30 than a comparable transducer that comprises a DMS system. And finally, the dynamic measuring range of the piezoelectric crystal material is much broader so that a single transducer comprising piezoelectric crystal material covers the dynamic measuring range of multiple transducers comprising DMS systems. For these reasons, the invention relates to a multi-component transducer based on piezoelectric crystal material.
The document CH472668A corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,163 discloses a three-component transducer based on piezoelectric crystal material for the simultaneous measurement of three force components. The structural design of this three-component transducer is schematically shown in detail in FIG. 1 of the present specification. A force F indicated by a straight arrow is absorbed by disc-shaped elements 21 made of piezoelectric crystal material. The negative electric polarization charges generated by the force F on element surfaces of the elements 21 are indicated by minus signs − while the positive electric polarization charges generated by the force F on element surfaces of the elements 21 are indicated by plus signs +. The component transducer 20 comprises sensing electrodes 22 for receiving the positive electric polarization charges and it comprises electrodes 23 for receiving the negative electric polarization charges. The sensing electrode 22 provides an output signal that is proportional to the amount of the absorbed force component. The electrode 23 is grounded. Three component transducers 20, each with two elements 21, are stacked on top of each other along the Z coordinate axis forming a group 200 for directly and simultaneously receiving three force components Fx, Fy and Fz. The uppermost transducer 20 measures the force component Fx. The lowermost transducer 20 measures the force component Fy. The intermediate transducer 20 measures the force component Fz.
However, in automation technology and especially in robotics in the case of humanoid robots or as a wrist sensor there is a long-kept need for the acquisition of forces and torques in all three Cartesian coordinates.
To address this, the document CH502590A discloses a six-component transducer for detecting a plurality of components of forces and torques. Four identical three-component transducers based on piezoelectric crystal material are arranged in an X-Y plane spaced apart from each other in the form of a rectangle. The constructional design of each of the four three-component transducers is as known from document CH472668A corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,163. The lengths of the sides of the rectangle are many times longer than the diameters of each of the three-component transducers. Thus, each of the three-component transducers simultaneously and directly senses three force components and, subsequently, three further torque components are calculated from the sensed force components and the distances of the three-component transducers from each other by means of vector calculation.
A first object of the present invention is to provide a component transducer based on piezoelectric crystal material for sensing a torque component. Another object of the invention is to provide a multi-component transducer for sensing multiple components of forces and torques using such component transducer wherein said multi-component transducer has as small overall dimensions as possible. Furthermore, the component transducer as well as the multi-component transducer shall be robust in construction and cost-effective in manufacture.

Component transducer and multi-component transducer using such component transducer as well as use of such multi-component transducer


A method for making an armature assembly is provided that reduces the level of acoustic noise during initial engagement of the armature, during slippage, and during disengagement. The armature assembly includes an armature disc, an annulus of sound damping material, and a hub assembly having a flexible spider with a web portion. The armature assembly is made by first forming the annulus of sound damping material with a plurality of angularly spaced molding tabs. The annulus is affixed to the web portion of the hub assembly using the molding tabs and is then compressed by securing the armature disc to the web portion such that one side of the annulus is disposed against the web portion and a second side of the annulus is disposed against the armature disc.

This invention relates generally to an armature assembly for a selectively engagable and disengagable coupling such as an electromagnetic clutch or brake.
Newton U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,407, hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a typical electromagnetic clutch in which a slotted armature disc is connected to a driven hub by a mounting plate and is adapted to be attracted into engagement with a driving rotor when an electromagnet is energized. The armature disc is connected to the mounting plate by a series of leaf springs which couple the armature disc in the mounting plate for rotation in unison while allowing the armature disc to move toward and away from the rotor when the electromagnet is energized and de-energized.
Another type of armature assembly is disclosed in Booth U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,779, also hereby incorporated by reference. In that armature assembly, a resiliently yieldable plastic web acts to connect a low magnetic reluctance armature disc for rotation with the driven hub. The web flexes axially in order to permit the armature disc to move toward and away from the rotor when the clutch is engaged and disengaged.
One problem, however, is that impact noise is produced when the armature disc is initially snapped into engagement with the rotor. Noise is also produced by vibration which occurs during slippage of the armature disc and when the disc is disengaged from the rotor.
Van Laningham, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,228, also incorporated by reference discloses an electromagnetic clutch in which an annulus of sound damping material is sandwiched between an armature disc and a backing ring. The annulus and the backing ring coact to define a constrained-layer damping system for reducing noise when the armature disc is snapped into engagement with the rotor of the clutch and also during slipping and disengagement of the armature disc. However, this approach increases an axial length of the electromagnetic coupling, and the backing disc adds weight to the overall device.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved electromagnetic coupling that minimizes or eliminates one or more of the problems as set forth above.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved armature assembly in which the level of noise produced by during initial engagement of the armature and during slippage and disengagement is reduced.
This and other objects are achieved by an armature assembly in which an annulus of sound damping material is sandwiched and compressed between the armature disc and a web portion of a hub assembly wherein the web portion is generally rigid but is axially movable relative to a hub of the hub assembly. The web serves as a constraining layer to cause sheer strains to develop in the damping material and to cause noise to be dissipated as a result of sheer deformation of the damping material.
The armature assembly of the present invention also has the advantage of having a reduced axial length relative to prior armature assemblies incorporating constrained-layer damping techniques. In addition, the armature assembly in accordance with the invention also has a reduced weight relative to prior armature assemblies incorporating constrained-layer damping techniques, since no backing plate is used.


A composition comprising polysulfides, wherein at least about 50 wt. % of the polysulfides are branched C20 to C60 polysulfides represented by general formula R15S1—[S]n—S2R16 wherein R15 and R16 are each independently a branched C10 to C30 alkyl group and wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10. A process of producing a polysulfides crude product comprising one or more branched C20 to C60 polysulfides comprising: (A) reacting a feedstock comprising one or more branched C10 to C30 mercaptans and sulfur in the presence of a catalyst and (B) collecting the polysulfides crude product.

Polysulfides of the type disclosed herein are individual organic molecules containing chains of multiple sulfur atoms. Polysulfides are used in diverse applications including lubricants for the mining industry; sealants for automotive, construction, and marine uses; and to some extent as flexibilizing hardeners for epoxy adhesives. Polysulfides are also used as sulfiding agents in synthetic chemistry processes. While processes for making polysulfides from mercaptans are available, preparing individual mercaptans can be costly due numerous purification steps required for the feedstock and/or mercaptan product. Some mercaptans can be used as precursors for agriculture chemicals or as natural gas additives. However, many applications may not require a single pure mercaptan compound, but could utilize mercaptan mixtures. Thus, there is a need to develop mercaptan compositions suitable for such applications, and methods of making same.

Mixed branched eicosyl polysulfide compositions and methods of making same


An integrated circuit is made by depositing a pinning layer on a substrate. A block copolymer photoresist is formed on the pinning layer. The block copolymer has two blocks A and B that do not self-assemble under at least some annealing conditions. The exposed block copolymer photoresist is processed to cleave at least some block copolymer bonds in the exposed selected regions. The exposed pinning layer is processed to create a chemical epitaxial pattern to direct the local self assembly of the block copolymer.

Photoresists in Lithography
Lithography, in general terms, is the process of printing or transferring a pattern onto a surface. Optical lithography plays an important role in the production of semiconductor devices, among other things. In semiconductor lithography patterns of conductors and insulators are written onto a semiconductor substrate. One technologically important use of semiconductor lithography is in the production of an integrated circuit (IC). In an IC, lithography is typically used to write patterns of insulators, conductors, doped regions, etc. onto a semiconductor substrate, usually a silicon wafer. These patterns, once written, are then used to control the electric fields and electric currents within the IC. Advances in semiconductor lithography are important for the industry since lithography often tends to be the technical limiter for further advances in transistor size reduction.
A simplified view of a generic optical lithographic process is as follows. Photoresist material is deposited onto the substrate or an intermediate layer which is to be patterned by means of a deposition process, such as, but not limited to spin casting, drop-casting, or spray-casting. Photoresist (or resist), is a polymeric material which undergoes a chemical reaction, or series of chemical reactions, upon exposure to light. Then light from a light source is passed through a photomask, which lies between the light source and said substrate and serves to introduce a pattern into the light, also known as the aerial image. The patterned light impinges upon the photoresist layer where it exposes the resist. There are a variety of methods for exposing the resist including, but not limited to contact lithography, proximity lithography, projection lithography and immersion lithography. Upon exposure, the exposed area of the resist undergoes a chemical change, creating what is known as a latent image in the resist. This light induced chemical change usually leads, either directly or indirectly, to a change in the solubility of the resist. The resist is then developed, a step which translates the chemical changes in the resist into a change in the coverage of the resist on the substrate by removing selected areas of the resist. The physical pattern in the resist is then transferred to the underlying substrate by various means, including, but not limited to: etching of the substrate, deposition of conductors or semiconductors, and ion implantation. Methods of etching the substrate include, but are not limited to: wet etch, plasma etch, and reactive ion etch (RIE). In this manner a pattern can be transferred onto the semiconductor substrate. In order to create more complex structures on the semiconductor substrate, the light exposure and physical pattern transfer steps (deposition/etch/ion implantation/etc.) may be repeated a number of times, with the same or different light mask patterns, with each subsequent pattern being aligned with the previously transferred pattern on the wafer.
The light driven chemical reactions which occur in the photoresist are most often utilized to selectively change the solubility of the light exposed regions of the polymer, allowing the selective removal during later processing. The ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum from the light source which are used to expose the resist in optical lithography, may be chosen from a wide variety of ranges, including, but not limited to: visible light, ultraviolet (UV) light, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, electron beams, ion beams and x-rays. The light sources may be relatively more monochromatic or polychromatic in nature. Also within these different light ranges, a variety of wavelengths may be chosen. Wavelengths for optical lithography include, but are not limited to: 435 nm, 365 nm, 248 nm, 193 nm, and 157 nm. For the case of positive resists, the resist become more soluble in developer upon exposure, and thus the exposed areas may be selectively removed during development. The opposite is true for negative resists, where the resist becomes less soluble upon exposure. A wide variety of different chemical mechanisms have been exploited for both positive and negative. Two broad classes of resists are the conventional resists and the chemically amplified resists. In both classes of resist, the structure and etch resistance of the films are provided by the polymeric resin.
In conventional resists, mainly exposed with 436 nm and 365 nm light, the absorption of light by a photoactive compound (PAC) leads directly to a change in the solubility of the resist. Common examples of conventional resists include the diazonaphthoquinone (DNQ)/novolac family of resists. These positive resists are composed of DNQ, a PAC, mixed with a novolac resin. DNQ inhibits the dissolution of the novolac resin by the developer solution. Upon absorption of a photon the DNQ is converted to a carboxylic acid. The presence of the carboxylic acid acts to increase the solubility of the resin in the developer, leading to the efficient removal of the exposed areas of the resist during development.
In chemically amplified resists, by way of contrast with conventional resists, the product of the photochemical reaction does not appreciably change the solubility of the resist resin directly. Instead, in a chemically amplified resist the light is absorbed by a chemical species which as a result of the absorption process generates another active chemical species which then in turn can catalyze reactions in the resin to change the resin's solubility. One group of such photochemical generators, which are widely utilized in chemically amplified resists are photoacid generators (PAGs). As a result of the absorption of a photon the PAG generates an acid. During a post exposure bake (PEB), the resin then undergoes thermally induced reactions catalyzed by the photogenerated acid, resulting in a change in solubility for the resist. One non-limiting example of a thermally induced reaction which may take place in a positive tone chemically amplified resist, is the acid catalyzed deblocking of the resin. The deblocked resin can be much more soluble in the developer solution and thus be removed. A non-limiting example of a thermally induced reaction which may be exploited for a negative tone resist, is the acid catalyzed activation of a cross linking agent. The cross-linked, and thus effectively higher molecular weight resin, may be significantly less soluble in the developer solution and thus selectively remain behind during the development stage. In addition to photoacid generators, there are also other photochemical generators, such as photobase generators and photoradical generators, which generate bases and radicals respectively upon the absorption of light, which may be utilized in chemically amplified resists. Recently there has been exploration of negative tone development. In negative tone development, a traditional chemically amplified resist, which are currently being used in leading edge lithography production as positive resists, is used but the developer is replaced with an organic solvent that dissolves the blocked portion of the resin.
The smallest feature size that can be printed by an optical lithography system, also referred to as the resolution of the system, is determined by two main factors. These are the smallest image features that can be projected onto the substrate and the ability of the photoresist to resolve the image and translate that image into a latent chemical image. The first factor is mainly determined by the feature size of the mask, the wavelength of light used to create the aerial image and the numerical aperture, in the case of projection optical lithography. The resolving power of the photoresist depends on the type of resist, i.e. conventional or chemically amplified, and the specifics of the resist. In chemically amplified resists there is a relationship between the resolution, line-edge roughness, and sensitivity of the photoresist, known as the RLS triangle. In simple terms it states that only two of the three properties can be optimized in the formulation of the resist. For example, a high resolution resist which can produce features with low line-edge roughness, will, according to this relationship suffer from low sensitivity. The ability to produce a photoresist which can combine all three desirable properties may enable new technologies.
Block Copolymers
Polymers are macromolecules which are composed of smaller repeating structural units, often referred to as monomers, chemically bound to each other. Homopolymers are polymers in which the constituent monomers are chemically identical. Copolymers are a class of polymers which are composed of at least two different monomeric species. Block copolymers are copolymers in which the different monomeric species are segregated into homopolymer subunits or blocks which are covalently bonded to each other. At the juncture of the homopolymer blocks there may also be an intermediate subunit added for the sake of chemical compatibility. In conceptual terms then, a block copolymer can be thought of as two or more discrete homopolymers linked covalently end to end. Block copolymers composed of two and three homopolymer blocks are known as diblock copolymers and triblock copolymers, respectively. Block copolymers with even more blocks are also known.
The different blocks, may have properties which make it energetically unfavorable for them to mix with each other at a molecular scale, thus resulting in the phase separation of the different blocks. One example may be the case of amphiphilic block copolymers, where one block is lipophilic and the other block is hydrophilic. The resulting copolymer chain therefore is a single molecule which will mix with other copolymer chains in a way to create a polymeric material which can have chemically distinct periodic domains created by the phase separation of the different polymeric blocks. Bulk or macroscopic phase separation cannot result because the blocks are bound to each other in a single polymer chain. The result is that the blocks within the block copolymer self-assemble into repeating patterns (or arrays) of small domains.
The domains created by the phase separation of the block copolymers can be made to have a variety of sizes and shapes and geometries depending upon several factors but mostly due to the relative lengths of the homopolymer blocks. The sizes of the block copolymer domains may vary a good deal depending upon the exact makeup of the copolymer, but sizes usually vary in the range of 5 to 50 nm. The natural period of the block copolymer is often used when describing the size of the domains in the block copolymer. The natural period, L0, is the defined as twice the length of the block copolymer in its ordered state (H. Kim, W. D. Hinsberg, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 22 (6), 2008, 1369). For the case of an ideal diblock copolymer the geometry or morphology of the resulting domains changes as a function of the relative chain lengths of the homopolymer blocks and thus by extension the volume fraction of a given block. For example, for a diblock copolymer with a low volume fraction of one block, the minority blocks form spherical domains arrayed within the bulk of the majority polymer. At higher fractional volumes of one block, the minority blocks form cylindrical domains which are arrayed in a hexagonal fashion within the bulk of the majority polymeric block. For an ideal diblock copolymer where the relative amount of one block is about the same as the other domain, the two blocks create parallel lamellar domains.
The thickness of a block copolymer film can also strongly influence the phase separated block domain structure or morphology. This is mainly due to the way in which changing the thickness of the film changes the relative important of the interactions of the copolymer at the block copolymer/air and block copolymer/substrate interface. For films thinner than the natural period of the block copolymer, L0, the formation of equilibrium type domains may be frustrated by the increased importance of the block copolymer interfaces. This usually results in the formation of complex morphologies. For the formation of patterns which are more typically of interest to lithography, the desired film thickness is on the order of the natural period of the block copolymer, L0. In this range the effect of the interfaces usually has more influences over the long range ordering or directionality of the domains rather than the shape of the domains. The domain shapes and sizes for films in this thickness range are typically closer to those for bulk block copolymers where the effects of the interfaces are minimized.
Deposition of block copolymer films can be performed by a variety of methods, including, but not limited to drop-casting, spin-casting, dip-coating, or spray-casting. After being deposited, the block copolymers are usually not in an equilibrium or near-equilibrium state, i.e. they have not formed the morphology of the phase separated domains which would minimize the energy of the film. An anneal step, or series of annealing steps, are then used to drive the morphology in the direction of equilibrium or near equilibrium structures and create a film with the desired self-assembled domains made up of the blocks of the copolymer. These thermal annealing step usually raise the temperature of the block copolymers above the glass transition temperatures of the constituent blocks.
Lithographic Patterning with Block Copolymers
For years the ability of block copolymers to create patterns on the nanoscale has been well known. There have already been examples of copolymer thin films being used for in the creation of etching masks for the transference of patterns to a substrate as well as further promise of creating patterns where the domain sizes are in the range of interest for current and future lithographic features. Early work demonstrating the use of the phase separated domains in block copolymers to pattern a substrate date back to over 20 years. Thin films of block copolymers may be formed on a substrate and various processing methods, such as selectively etching one block of the copolymer, may then be used to transfer the pattern to the substrate. The resulting patterns may be smaller than what can be easily achieved by purely optical methods. The patterning of block copolymers can potentially supplement optical lithography in making certain patterns with feature sizes that are comparable to or smaller than what is achievable with more conventional means and often in a simpler or cheaper manner.
While the range of domain geometries fall loosely within the three listed above (lamellar, cylindrical, and spherical) these geometries can be used to create at least two important lithographic patterns. For example, thin films of block copolymers with spherical domains or cylindrical domains orientated perpendicular to the substrate may be used to make via or point contact patterns. In a similar fashion, both lamellar and cylindrical domains orientated parallel to the substrate may be used to create line-space patterns.
Since the size of the pattern features given by block copolymer domains and their sharpness directly relate to the size and chemistry of the blocks which make up the copolymer, the control of the dimensions of the repeating domains and their short range ordering can be quite robust. However, the use of block copolymers to generate lithographic patterns can often be limited by a relative lack of longer range order. Long range order is defined as length scales of several natural periods of the block copolymer, compared to localized or short range order, which would be in the range of one to two natural periods. For example, if a line-space pattern with equal-lined, equal-spaced distances is desired, a block copolymer may be composed and spin cast onto a substrate in such a way as to create a lamellar structure with lines and spaces determined by the respective and absolute sizes of the various blocks, among other factors. The pattern created by the block copolymer may have very good short term order, i.e. the dimension of the domains which will make up the spaces and the lines may be as desired and the lines and spaces may be parallel, but simply drop casting the film of block copolymers may not create long range order, i.e. with all the lines and spaces running straight from one end of the substrate to the other and oriented in the correct manner.
There are many ways to maximize, or at least to increase, the long range order of the block copolymers, including, but not limited to: increased film annealing times in the presence of solvent vapor, directional solvent vapor evaporation techniques, the introduction of shear forces, the use of a temperature gradient, and directed self-assembly. From a lithographic standpoint, the most useful methods for introducing more long range control over the alignment and orientation of the domains within the block copolymer are the methods of directed self-assembly. In these methods the long range order is transferred to the block copolymer from patterns previously written into the substrate. The use of these methods may often require the use of complementary lithographic techniques. Two of these methods to help introduce long term order into patterns of are known as chemical epitaxy and graphoepitaxy. In both of these methods, the substrate or a thin film deposited on the substrate has a background pattern already written into it. The features of this pattern are usually larger than the desired feature size for the block copolymer and the main purpose is to create a long term ordering which the self-assembled pattern of the blocks of the copolymer can build upon. One example of this might be to use optical lithography to create a line and space pattern in a resist, hardmask, or substrate, with a relatively large feature size and then use the self-assembly of the block copolymers to perform a pitch division. Deposition of the block copolymer, previously optimized to create a lamellar type geometry, onto the coarsely patterned surface may then, with the aid of further processing, write finer lines and spaces aligned within these coarse features. In this example the coarse features written by the optical lithography would define the directionality and alignment of the finer domain features. In graphoepitaxy the chemistry of the walls and floors of the spaces can strongly effect the ordering of the phase separated block domains. For example, if features that are perpendicular to the substrate are desired, often the case for efficient pattern transfer of both lamellar and column type features, the "floor" of the space (substrate, hardmask, underlayer, etc.) should be neutral with respect to wetting by the two blocks of the block copolymer. If instead one block preferentially wets the surface, the pattern will tend to have components which may vary with the depth of the feature, which is significantly less desirable. The chemistry of the walls of the space can also play an important role in the final morphology and long range ordering of the block copolymer film.
For the case of chemical epitaxy, chemical differentiation on a flat surface is used to direct the self-assembly process, inducing long range order. These sparse patterns of chemical differentiation can be written by various techniques involving a variety of lithographic technologies, including optical and e-beam lithography. The chemistry which interacts with the blocks of the copolymer and directs the self-assembly are usually of a pinning or preferential wetting type. Features written with chemical differentiation potentially have better resolution (smaller line-edge roughness, etc.) than graphoepitaxy, but it is usually harder to write these chemical patterns.
Cleavable Block Copolymers
Recently there has been an interest in the development of cleavable block copolymer for a variety of uses including drug delivery and the production of nanoporous surfaces. Cleavable block copolymers are copolymers which can undergo a reaction to break the linkage between two of the blocks of the copolymer. This is usually achieved by placing a reactive chemical unit or linker between the neighboring blocks of a block copolymer. Under exposure to a specific stimulus the linker undergoes a chemical reaction, the end result of which being the breaking of the chemical bonds within the linker or between the linker unit and one or both of the blocks of the copolymer to which it is attached. Thus the block copolymer can be split into two separate segments along the juncture of two blocks. In the case of a block copolymer, the result would be to break the copolymer into two separate segments each containing only the one block and possibly fragments of the linker molecule. Several different linker groups with a variety of driving stimuli (photons, acid exposure, etc.) have been developed to this end. A non-exhaustive list of examples of photocleavable block copolymers (block copolymers which can be cleaved by exposure to light) include: block copolymers in which the linker is an ortho-nitrobenzyl group {Synthesis of Photocleavable Poly(styrene-block-ethylene oxide) and its Self-Assembly into Nanoporous Thin Films} or an anthracene photodimer {J. T. Goldbach, K. A. Lavery, J. Penelle, T. P. Russell Macromolecules 2004, 37, 9639.}, both of which can be cleaved by exposure to UV light. There are also examples of block copolymers which can be cleaved by exposure to an acid. Examples of this include block copolymers with a triphenylmethyl (trityl) ether linkage {M. Zhang, L. yang, S. Yurt, M. J. Misner, J. Chen, E. B. Coughlin, D. Venkataraman, T. P. Russell, "Highly Ordered Nanopourous Thing Films from Cleavable Polystyrene-block-pol(ethylene oxide)" Adv. Mater. 2007, 19, 1571.}, a tert-butyl carbamate linker {M. A. DeWit, E. R. Gillies, "A cascade Biodegradable Polymer Based on Alternating Cyclization and Elimination Reactions" J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 18327.}, a diphenyl methyl ether linkage {S. K. Varshney, J. Zhang, J. Ahmend, Z. Song, V. Klep, I. Luzinov, "Synthesis of poly(styrene-block-ethylene oxide) copolymers by anionic polymerization and acid cleavage into its constituent homopolymers for the formation of ordered nanoporous thing films" e-Polymers 2008, 94.}