A multi-directional adjustable solar outdoor projection light capable of adjusting its lighting range, angle and sensing direction includes a support assembly, and a key light, and a solar power module which are pivoted to the top of the support assembly. Both sides of the key light are pivoted with a fill light capable of adjusting the angles of elevation and depression and the front and rear directions of a projected light relative to the key light, and the support assembly is pivoted is an axially rotatable sensor, thus improving the convenience of use and expanding the lighting range of the solar outdoor projection light.

Outdoor LED sensor lights are commonly used in parking lots, home entrances, private roadways, or garden paths and other environments. The sensor lights mainly use a sensor, such as a light sensor or motion detection infrared sensors to detect surrounding environmental conditions in order to achieve the effects of controlling the ON and OFF of the LED, preventing people from forgetting to turn on and off the sensor light switch, and providing a more power-saving and convenient operation and a warning function.
In general, an infrared sensor has a sensing angle and a sensing distance of a certain range, and the sensing angle is about 100˜180 degrees. When the sensor senses a person at night or an approaching vehicle, the sensor light will activate the LED lighting; and when no person or vehicle is detected, the sensor light will turn off the lighting. In order to ensure that the sensor light can be illuminated normally in an area selected by users, builders need to adjust the installation position repeatedly when installing the sensor light, and thus the construction is time-consuming. In addition, the sensor light is fixed and its sensing angle cannot be adjusted flexibly, and when the users change the selected area afterwards, it is necessary to remove and reinstall the sensor light.
Furthermore, LED has the features of high light source directivity and relatively limited lighting range, and thus different models of LEDs with adjustable lighting direction available on the market are provided for the users to adjust the lighting direction of each LED lamp head on the sensor lamp and expand the lighting range of the LED lamp.
The inventor of the present invention has designed and developed a solar garden light as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 10,488,002, which can project a light towards the front or the rear, and adjust the focal length of the projected light with various lighting effects. However, the functions of effectively sensing and controlling the lighting and flexibly adjusting the lighting range are still limited. For example, when a user needs to project a light towards the front, rear and surrounding region of the lamp at the same time, or at different elevation/depression angles, the lighting range that the sensor light can expand is still limited and unable to meet the user requirements. Overall speaking, the sensor lamp is limited by the sensing angle and the lighting direction, so that the design of outdoor lighting is also limited. overcome the aforementioned shortcomings and effectively expanded the function and scope of applicability of the product.
In view of the aforementioned drawbacks, the inventor of the present invention provides a multi-directional adjustable outdoor solar projection light to overcome the drawbacks of the conventional projection light and expand the function and scope of applicability of the product

Multi-directional adjustable solar outdoor projection light


A rib forming apparatus has an elongated support table, a supply of thermoplastic sheet material over the table, a transporting means having at least two transverse carriages mounted on the table to slide along longitudinal edges thereof, a thermal means mounted on one of the carriages for locally heating the sheet material in preparation of a molding press, and at least one press module mounted on another carriage and having a reciprocating press blade positioned at one flat side of the sheet material and a couple of swiveling press blades positioned at the opposite flat side of the sheet material and movable toward the reciprocating press blade to mold the heated section of the sheet material by closing the above three press blades toward each other, whereby a series of vertical rib folds are formed transversely of the sheet material and advanced by the transport means through the closed press blades.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plastic forming apparatus for making a plastic panel with transverse ribs. More particularly, the present invention relates to a manufacturing apparatus for making a plastic panel with rib folds such as a root barrier panel material used in the landscaping field to control outgrowth of tree roots.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Folding machines for sheet plastic or sheet metal or the like are plenty. A more advanced type of such an apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,939,284 to Trovinger at al. the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Trovinger teaches a sheet folding apparatus with a rounded fold blade. Trovinger's patent makes a single center fold of a piece of sheet using a fold roller that runs around a round fold blade and depresses the sheet material between the fold blade. When regularly distanced transverse folds are necessary on a continuous supply of plastic sheet for use in various constructive walls that need ribs, this and other known devices come short in providing an adequate speed and quality of evenly spaced ribbed sheets or plates.
An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic rib forming apparatus for thermoplastic sheet plastic that is mechanically simplified and optimized to produce a speedy folding of well-defined ribs from a flat surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel combination of rack-and-pinion gears with four-bar linkage of parallel motion to mold and advance the sheet material to optimize the otherwise complex machine operations.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of forming an elongated panel with transverse ribs with improved efficiency.


An apparatus for cutting a continuous dough extrudate into pieces of uniform weight and accurately positioning the pieces on a moving belt includes a knife blade having a flat upper surface bounded in part by two opposed cutting edges, and a bottom surface having a double taper formed by flat facets downwardly angled from the cutting edges and meeting in an apex. An elongated dough positioning guide is downwardly directed from the bottom surface. The knife blade is caused to undergo reciprocating motion at a frequency dependent upon the velocity of the extrudate and the speed of the moving belt.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the handling of dough for baking, and more particularly concerns a method and apparatus for dispensing successive pieces of dough of constant weight.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Methods and apparatus for pumping, homogenizing and dividing dough into pieces of predetermined uniform weight for baking into bread loaves, buns, rolls and the like are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,960,601; 4,517,212; 4,449,908; 4,424,236; 4,332,538; 4,948,611; and 5,046,940. In general, such apparatus includes a hopper which receives dough, auger means for advancing the dough, multiple nozzles which receive the metered dough, and cutting means which sever the continuously advancing dough into discrete pieces that fall onto an underlying moving belt.
It is important that the successive dough pieces be of constant weight because bread, buns and rolls are sold on a weight basis. The uniformity of weight also produces products of uniform quality and facilitates the automated handling and packaging of the baked products. The weight of the dough is one of the most expensive cost elements in manufacturing baked goods, and control of the weight tolerances can reduce the need for excess dough. The production of dough pieces of a given weight is known as "scaling" in the trade. In general, less than 2% deviation in weight is sought relative to a target weight.
Modern dough processing equipment operates at high speeds wherein the linear rate of dough extruded through the nozzles may be as high as about 75 feet/minute. The rate of cutting of the stream of dough into discrete pieces may be in the range of 100 to 150 cuts/minute. Since the cutting means acts in a direction transverse to the direction of dough flow, it must move rapidly and with high precision. If the rate of movement of the cutting means is slow relative to the linear rate of movement of the extruded dough, the severed pieces of dough will be of improper shape, or may be fragmented. A problem often encountered at the site of cutting is the accumulation of dough which diminishes the accuracy of the cutting step.
For the purpose of achieving efficient utilization of subsequent equipment, it is desirable that multiple lines of dough pieces are formed on the moving belt. Multiple lines of dough pieces have generally been produced by the use of multiple nozzles arranged transversely across the moving belt. Such use of multiple nozzles is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,395,427, 4,948,611 and 5,046,940.
In order to maintain uniformity of weight and dough consistency amongst multiple lines of dough pieces emergent from a dough divider machine, it would be desirable to produce multiple lines from a single nozzle. Such arrangement would also enable the dough divider machine to be of simpler construction, and could further result in easier maintenance and cleaning of the machine. The production of multiple lines of dough pieces from a single nozzle is disclosed in FIG. 3 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,708, wherein a reciprocating pusher device laterally positions pieces of dough resting upon the belt. Although effective, the speed of operation of the pusher device is limited, presumably because of the time required for the non-productive retraction motion of the pusher in preparation for its next pushing motion.
The pushing of pieces of dough upon an underlying moving belt is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,611 wherein a cut-off knife pushes newly formed dough pieces from multiple nozzles in the direction of belt movement, an action which serves merely to advance the dough piece away from the nozzles.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for producing from a single extrusion nozzle two lines of dough pieces upon an underlying moving belt.
It is another object of this invention to provide a method for producing from a single extrusion nozzle two lines of dough pieces upon an underlying moving belt.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the aforesaid nature which is of simple, durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

Dough cut-off and positioning method and apparatus


A system and method for enhancing the reception of a single carrier signal. The single carrier signal includes periodic training signal and data. The system includes a transmitter configured such that L symbols of either the beginning or end of the N symbols of the training signal, where L<N, are duplicated at either the end or the beginning of the training signal, respectively. The system further includes a receiver configured to receive the modified training signal for the calculation of FIR coefficients in a single pass and without the need for least mean square (LMS) methods or the like.

It is generally accepted that equalization of a single carrier signal is done by an adaptive equalizer. The adaptive equalization can be done on the data as in QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) based signals or on combination of a special training signal and the data as in VSB (Vestigial Side Band). The equalizer is normally configured in an IIR mode (An FIR plus a feedback equalizer) to provide coverage for long delayed multipath with a minimal number of taps, thus hardware efficient. Learning of the taps values of the equalizing filter is done with the LMS algorithm or some of its variations.
The LMS algorithm is usually applied because of its limited complexity. It is not however optimal in term of channel correction capability. The LMS is a continuous learning and tracking process that does not provide any means of control on the taps value build up. It works excellently in simple conditions, normally found when there is a line of sight to the transmission tower and when an outdoor antenna is used. In many other conditions that are common for TV reception like: indoor antenna use, downtown area surrounded with tall buildings or hilly terrain, the adaptive IIR equalizer with LMS learning algorithm does not always work. Such conditions normally induce short delays which pose difficulty to LMS based algorithms to cope with.
The ATSC standard (Advanced TV System Community), for the DTV transmission (Digital TV) in the USA, is based on VSB modulation that includes a reference signal (referred to also as training signal). The reference signal substitutes the data every 313 segments (312 segments of data and one segment of reference information). The reference signal is made of a training pattern and additional data, using only 2 levels constellations (M=2). The reference pattern assists in the LMS convergence rate. The training pattern is designed for the LMS based algorithms.
A typical VSB technology by an LMS algorithm adapts an equalizer filter taps b, according to the following equations:bn=bn−1+μn*en*xn     bn—The equalizer taps vector at time n.    bn−1—The equalizer taps vector at time n−1.    xn—The received signal.    en—The present equalization error.    μn—The algorithm step size, which sets the convergence rate of bn to the optimal value bopt. In order to ensure stable convergence process, μn has to be limited.
Adaptive equalization based on the LMS algorithm suffers from the following disadvantages:    1. Low tracking capability of time varying channel, due to stability condition on μ.    2. Limited performance in present of non line of sight (LOS) channel conditions. The C/N penalty of typical ATSC demodulators increase significantly for Rayleigh channel conditions (low C/E level).    3. Stability loss of the LMS IIR section, in presence of severe indoor conditions.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Training signal in a single carrier transmission


A flexible leak test apparatus and method for leak testing a variety of workpieces having various multiple configurations with at least one internal cavity and at least one aperture leading therefrom. The flexible leak test apparatus and method provide a plurality of leak test fixtures adaptable to receive the workpieces. Each leak test fixture has a bottom portion and a top portion that engage one another when the workpieces are loaded in the bottom portion of the leak test fixture. The leak test fixtures are shuttled in and out of the workstation, and a manipulator loads and unloads the workpieces into and out of the bottom portion of the leak test fixtures. The leak test fixtures seal the apertures in the workpieces so that the workpieces can be leak tested by pressurizing the internal cavity of the workpiece.

Today's manufacturing industry has become increasingly competitive, especially the automotive industry. In the past, most automotive manufacturing machinery and assembly lines were dedicated to one specific model of automobile so that hundreds of thousands of automobiles could be produced on the same dedicated lines at a relatively inexpensive cost. However, with the advent of numerous automobile manufacturers, the automobile market has forced automobile manufacturers to develop many new and different options of automobiles so as to satisfy all of its customers' demands. The manufacturing and assembly lines that are dedicated to single models of automobiles are inefficient in that they must be retooled and/or replaced upon manufacturing new models of automobiles. In addition, such dedicated manufacturing and assembly lines can lead to excessive downtime, since the entire line must be stopped in order to perform necessary maintenance or repairs. This creates inefficiencies that are undesirable in any industrial environment, not just the automotive industry.
In order to reduce such inefficiencies, it has been necessary to reduce the cost of manufacturing and assembling automobile components by designing flexibility into the machinery such that various components and models can be manufactured from the same machinery. In addition, the machinery must be automated so as to reduce the amount of manual labor that is required to manufacture the automobile components, since labor is a large cost component associated with manufacturing automobiles. By providing flexible and automated machinery to produce various automobile components, the cost of machinery and labor is reduced, thereby reducing the cost associated with manufacturing automobiles.
These same principals apply to the equipment and methods utilized to leak test various components of an automobile, such as cylinder heads, clutches, transmission parts, water and vacuum pumps, and cylinder blocks. Specifically, engine blocks and cylinder heads must be leak tested to ensure that the engine will perform properly when assembled into its final configuration. Leak testing components prior to their assembly into the final product avoids incorporating defective components into the final product and the costs associated with such defective products. By incorporating flexibility into the machinery that performs the leak testing for such components, such as engine blocks and cylinder heads, the cost of manufacturing such components is reduced. Thus, there is a savings in creating less defective components at a lower manufacturing cost by using flexible machinery. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide flexible and automated leak test equipment that could automatically leak test a variety of different automobile components for different engine sizes and different types of automobiles in order to reduce the cost associated with manufacturing such automobiles.


The present invention provides a display device which is capable of fetching input signals of a small amplitude into the inside thereof. A level converting circuit includes a first-conductive-type first transistor having a gate electrode to which input signals are applied through a first capacitive element, a second-conductive-type second transistor having a gate electrode to which input signals are applied through a second capacitive element, a first bias circuit which applies a first bias voltage to the gate electrode of the first transistor and a second bias circuit which applies a second bias voltage to the gate electrode of the second transistor. Here, the first bias voltage is a voltage which turns off the first transistor when a voltage applied to the gate electrode of the first transistor assumes a maximum value and the second bias voltage is a voltage which turns off the second transistor when a voltage applied to the gate electrode of the second transistor assumes a minimum value.

The present invention relates to a display device, and more particularly to a display device provided with a level converting circuit which converts a voltage level of input signals (control signal, display data, for example) having a small amplitude inputted from outside.
A TFT (thin film transistor) type liquid crystal display module has been popularly used as a display device of a notebook type personal computer or the like.
In this liquid crystal display module, in response to input signals (for example, display date, control signals) which are inputted from an outside (for example, a host-side computer), images are displayed. In such a case, in general, a level converting circuit which converts the input signals into signals having larger amplitudes is provided to an input stage of the liquid crystal display module.
As this level converting circuit, a capacitive coupling type level converting circuit (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2002/251174, hereinafter referred to as "patent literature 1") or a direct-coupled type level converting circuit (see SID 02 DIGEST pp. 690–693, hereinafter referred to as "non-patent literature 1") has been known.


A process of producing a foreign protein is provided which comprises transforming E. coli with a plasmid carrying a fused DNA having a DNA fragment encoding a foreign protein located downstream of a transcription initiation signal and translation initiation signal both derived from an appropriate T4 phage gene, infecting the transformant with a T4 phase denB and/or alc mutant at a low multiplicity of infection, and then culturing the infected transformant. The desired foreign protein can be produced in an extremely high yield, as compared to the prior art technique.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a foreign protein in Escherichia coli as a host by recombinant DNA technique.
2. Related Prior Art Statement
Where a foreign protein is produced in E. coli by recombinant DNA technique, some foreign proteins are highly sensitive to proteases in E. coli and their productivity is therefore extremely poor in an ordinary expression system. Even if a foreign protein is not highly sensitive to protease in E. coli, many proteins are somehow affected by proteases so that their yield decreases.
T4 phage is one of the known virulent phages, a host of which is E. coli, and it has an excellent ability of producing, e.g., an inhibitor on host protease(s) which are involved in degradation of abnormal proteins [Simon et al., Nature, 275, 424 (1978)]. For this reason, it is extremely beneficial from an industrial viewpoint to apply various functions of T4 phage, especially the ability to produce an inhibitor on host protease(s) to the production of useful substances by recombinant DNA technique using E. coli as a host.
For the purpose of directly utilizing the functions of T4 phage, research has been heretofore conducted to clone a DNA fragment encoding a foreign protein to the T4 phage genome to convert the T4 phage itself into an expression vector [Casna et al., Gene, 18, 297 (1982), Noguchi et al., Gene, 44, 133 (1986), Mattson et al., Japanese National Publication No. 60-502187]. All of this research utilizes the DNA recombination activity of T4 phage, based on the replacement by DNA recombination in vivo of T4 phage DNA cloned in a plasmid with the genome of T4 phage infected to a host due to their DNA homology, thereby to introduce the DNA fragment encoding a foreign protein into phage genome. According to this technique, a suitable T4 phage promoter ligated with the gene encoding a foreign protein to be expressed can be introduced the phage genome, thus at least succeeding to render the T4 phage itself an expression vector [Casna et al., Gene, 37, 31 (1985), Noguchi et al., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-232384].
T4 phage carries hydroxymethylcytosine (HMC), which is an abnormal base, in its DNA strand instead of normal cytosine (C). When mutations are introduced into genes 42, 56, denB and alc, however, the HMC is completely substituted with normal C [Snyder et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA), 73, 2098 (1976)]. Such a multiple mutant is generally called T4dC phage. Since T4dC phage is deficient in denB gene(endonuclease IV-deficient), the phage has an extremely high frequency of DNA recombination with a plasmid as compared to a wild type phage. Therefore, in the prior art technique, after the infection of T4dC phage, DNA recombination with a plasmid is caused to construct recombinant T4dC phage [Noguchi et al., Gene, 44, 133 (1986)]. However, T4dC phage is a multiple mutant so that its proliferation ability is poor as compared to a wild type phage and its productivity of an expressed product also decreases. In order to express the desired foreign protein in a high quantity, in the prior art technique it was thus necessary to construct HMC recombinant phage by further hybridization of the recombinant T4dC phage with a wild type phage.
As stated above, it was very complicated to render T4 phage itself an expression vector, including preparation of a hybrid plasmid. Furthermore, an amount of the desired foreign protein to be expressed was not sufficiently satisfactory [Noguchi et al., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-232384, Casna et al., Gene, 37, 31 (1986)].

Process for producing foreign protein in Escherichia coli


An improved camera for the acquisition of panoramic images is disclosed. The camera comprises a convex photochromic reflector directed towards an image capture element. Multiple incoming light sensors around the perimeter of the camera detect strong incoming light and cause the activation of a corresponding UV light. The UV light in turn activates the photochromic effect on a particular region of the photochromic reflector that corresponds to an area of strong incident light. The photochromic reflector then darkens in that area, providing compensation for a scene that has a wide range of lighting conditions. Therefore, the camera compensates for strong lighting indoors as well as outdoors.

Panoramic cameras provide a convenient way to capture a 360 degree field of view with a single camera. Cameras of this type are very useful for surveillance and security applications. Such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,071,964 (360-Degree Panoramic Scene-Storage Device), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/035,404 (Panoramic Image Management System and Method). Both of these references are incorporated herein by reference, to the extent not inconsistent with this disclosure. Exposure control with cameras of this type can be quite difficult, as there are a variety of lighting conditions, and usage scenarios (e.g. indoor, outdoor, night use) that should be considered for optimal performance. As there is an ever increasing need for security and surveillance, it is desired to have an improved camera for the acquisition of panoramic images in the aforementioned usage scenarios.


A method and system to preview video content. The system comprises an access component to receive a search request and a loader to simultaneously stream a plurality of videos associated with the search request. The system may further comprise a trigger to detect a pointer positioned over a first video and a mode selector to provide the first video in a preview mode.

The World Wide Web (the "Web") provides a breadth and depth of information to users. Typically, a user accesses portions of the information by visiting a World Wide Web ("Web") site. Due to the rapid growth of the Web and the number of Web sites accessible via the Web, it is often difficult for a user looking for information about a particular topic to determine if a Web site exists that contains such information, which Web site to go to, or what the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is for a web site of interest.
As a result of a desire by users to search for relevant Web sites related to various topics of interests, some Web sites provide search services to allow users to search for content on the Web via a browser application present on the user's computer system. When a user submits a query with one or more search terms or keywords to a search script running in the users browser, the search engine that provides the search script to the browser may communicate search results to the user based on the search terms or keywords.
Some existing systems provide video objects in response to a search query. Video objects are sometimes displayed in a form of still pictures with associated links. In order to view a video associated with a particular search result, a user may invoke the associated link to trigger the streaming of the selected video. However, the relevance of video objects is not always apparent from the still pictures or the associated links presented to the user.

Method and system to present video content


A gear mechanism includes a pair of gears including first and second gears overlapped with each other in an axial direction. The first and second gears include first and second tooth portions, respectively. The first tooth portion slightly projects outwardly from the second tooth portion. The first gear is formed with a deformation facilitating portion for facilitating deformation of the first gear in a radial direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gear mechanisms and blade drive devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are wide varieties of mechanisms which transmit a drive force from a motor or an engine to another member and which employ plural gears. When the gear is employed as a drive transmitting mechanism, there may be a problem with an operation noise on the basis of backlash between gears meshing each other. Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 53-122576 discloses a gear having at least one gear element and an elastic member jointed to the gear element, and an outer edge of the elastic member slightly projecting from that of the gear element. When such a gear is employed in the drive transmitting mechanism, the operation noise may be reduced, because the elastic member absorbs the impact caused by meshing the opposite gear therewith.
However, the operation noise according to the backlash of the gears may be needed to be further reduced depending on a product employing such gears. The same demand applies to, for example, a blade drive device employed in an optical device such as a camera.


The present invention describes Photolabile Compounds methods for use of the compounds. The Photolabile Compounds have a photoreleasable ligand, which can be biologically active, and which is photoreleased from the compound upon exposure to light. In one embodiment, the light is visible light, which is not detrimental to the viability of biological samples, such as cells and tissues, in which the released organic molecule is bioactive and can have a therapeutic effect.

Photolabile protecting groups, which are also called caging groups, are classes of protecting groups that are particularly useful in the biological sciences. Because light can be controlled with precision both spatially and temporally, cleaving a protecting group from a bioactive molecule allows release, or uncaging, of the molecule. Protecting groups typically mask or conceal charged (for example, carboxylate or phosphate) or polar (for example, amine, hydroxyl, or sulfhydryl) groups on the compounds. Frequently such functionalities increase the hydrophobicity and membrane permeability of the protected molecules. Prior to photolysis, the Photolabile Compounds are typically chemically or biologically inactive because at least one of the compounds' main functionalities is blocked. The activity of the molecule can be triggered by a pulse of light, thereby releasing the molecule from the photoreleasable compound. Thus, photolabile protecting groups can be removed from a protected compound by irradiation, for example, to control the release of the compound when and where desired, either in vivo or in vitro.
Commercially available Photolabile Compounds typically require ultraviolet (UV) light to remove the compounds from the cage. However, UV light can cause damage to organs, tissues and cells, thus making UV light detrimental for in vivo use. Thus, there is a need in the art to utilize new Photolabile Compounds having ligands that can be released using light other than UV light, particularly for in vivo applications. The present invention provides novel Photolabile Compounds and methods for using the compounds, which provide advantages over currently available compounds that are photolabile using only UV light.

The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York


A network and method for interconnecting a plurality of router elements in a parallel computer. The network forms a routing system for routing data from source processing elements to destination processing elements. The input lines and output lines of each router chip are prioritized. Higher priority output lines from a given output group of a first routing element are connected to low priority input lines of a second routing element and lower priority output lines from the output group of the first rotating element are connected to higher priority input lines of the second routing element.

1. Cross-Reference to Related Applications
The following co-pending patent applications are assigned to the same assignee of the present application and are related to the present application: "Router Chip with Quad-Crossbar and Hyperbar Personalities" by John Zapisek (M-867) filed concurrently herewith and assigned Ser. No. 07/926,138 which is a continuation of Ser. No. 07/461,551, now abandoned and "Scalable Inter-Processor And Processor To I/O Messaging System For Parallel Processing Arrays" by John Nickolls et al. (M-881) filed concurrently herewith and assigned Ser. No. 07/461,492, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,474, issued on Jan. 18, 1994. The disclosures of these concurrently filed applications are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to parallel data processing systems and more specifically, to a wiring network for interconnecting router chips within a parallel computer system wherein data is routed from source processor elements to destination processor elements.
3. Description of the Relevant Art
Maximizing the data processing speed of computer systems has been a primary goal in the development of computer systems. Extensive effort and resources have been devoted to increasing the speed of conventional, single-processor computer systems which are referred to as Von Neumman machines. Semiconductor processing technology has continuously improved to the point where current microprocessors are approaching theoretical limits in density of features and circuit speed.
As an alternative to conventional, single-processor computer systems, parallel computer systems having multiple processors which simultaneously process data have been proposed. These parallel computer systems comprise several processors or "processor elements" which receive and process data simultaneously. A so-called "massively parallel" computer system may have 1,000 processor elements or more operating simultaneously, and the amount of data which can be processed during a single instruction cycle can be made many times greater than the amount which can be processed by a single-processor computer system.
A problem common to parallel computer systems has involved the development of a communication scheme which allows data to be quickly transferred between processor elements. Data routing circuitry has been designed for routing data from a selected source processor element to a selected destination processor element. Basic parts of the data routing circuitry of a parallel computer system may be manufactured on a single integrated circuit chip called a router chip. A typical router chip has a multiplicity of input terminals, each of which is connected to a route granting device and also a multiplicity of output terminals, each of which is connected to a destination device.
When a large number of processing elements (i.e. more than 1000) are to be interconnected within a parallel computer system, it becomes impractical or impossible to provide the circuitry for an entire routing system on one integrated circuit chip. Consequently, the circuit is partitioned and several router chips or elements are implemented in stages to provide a communications path between a message-originating processor element and a message-receiving processor element.
The stages of router elements are preferably interconnected by a wiring network which allows any processor element to communicate with any other processor element within the parallel computer. DEC (Digital Equipment Corp. of Massachusetts) has developed a multistage crossbar type of network for allowing clusters of processor units to randomly communicate with other clusters of processor units. The DEC crossbar system is described in PCT application WO 88/06764 of Grondalski which was published Sep. 7, 1987 and is based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/018,937, now abandoned. The disclosures of the Grondalski applications are incorporated herein by reference.
Ideally, messaging should occur in parallel so that multiple processor elements are exchanging information simultaneously. If, however, sets of data from more than one processor element (PE) are directed to the same input wire or bus of a destination processor element during one data transfer cycle, contention occurs. The data from one of the message-sending processor elements is blocked and must be retransmitted after the completion of transmission of the data set from the other message-sending processor element. In addition to this contention mechanism, there are a limited number of wires within the routing network. If the number of processing elements wishing to send messages is more than the number of router wires, the transmission of data from one processor element may have to be delayed while the transmission of data from another processor element passes through a choke point even though the data sets are being routed to different destination processing elements. This is known as internal channel "blockage" or internal contention. When channel contention occurs, the data set from one of the processing elements can not transfer to the destination processing element until after the data from the contending processing element passes through. Channel contention is undesirable because it increases messaging time for the system as a whole.

System having fixedly priorized and grouped by positions I/O lines for interconnecting router elements in plurality of stages within parrallel computer


An unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is disclosed. The UUV includes a body and a propulsion system for propelling and orienting the UUV. The propulsion system has an inlet formed in the body that facilitates fluid being drawn into the UUV from outside the body. The propulsion system also has a duct in fluid communication with the inlet. The duct is adapted to direct the fluid along a flow path. The propulsion system further includes a pump operable with the duct to increase the velocity of the fluid. In addition, the propulsion system includes a nozzle in fluid communication with the duct to receive the fluid at the increased velocity. The nozzle is supported about a side of the body and adapted to moveably redirect fluid out of the UUV. The propulsion system provides multi-axis control of the UUV.

A typical unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) design includes a standard external rear propeller for propulsion, and fins or other control surfaces adjacent to the propeller that can be angled to enable guidance or orientation of the vehicle. Such vehicles are used for a variety of purposes and can include cameras or other sensors to provide information about underwater objects. For example, UUVs are commonly used in mine warfare to inspect and/or identify mines or other underwater items.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.


A cuvette for use with light scattering detectors is disclosed. A trough or moat within the cuvette can be filled with solvent which is not in fluid contact with the sample to be measured. This solvent moat creates saturated vapor pressure in the chamber preventing evaporation from the sample when the cuvette is capped. The cuvette itself may be made of an inexpensive polymer which can be polished to high optical quality while still being moldable in complex forms capable of enabling further utility, such as extra griping surfaces, identification tabs allowing the detection instrument to determine the cuvette model, and various sample chamber forms. The novel cuvette may have extremely small sample volumes, while allowing significant overfill of the measurement chamber, improving ease of sample loading. The polymers used may be relatively inexpensive, and therefore the cuvette can generally be discarded after a single use.

Light scattering (LS) is a non-invasive technique for characterizing macromolecules and a wide range of particles in solution. The two types of light scattering detection frequently used for the characterization of macromolecules are static light scattering (SLS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS).
Static light scattering includes a variety of embodiments such as single angle light scattering (SALS), dual angle light scattering (DALS), low angle light scattering (LALS), and multi-angle light scattering (MALS). SLS experiments generally involve the measurement of the absolute intensity of the light scattered from a sample in solution that is illuminated by a fine beam of light. This measurement is often used, for appropriate classes of particles/molecules, to determine the size and structure of the sample molecules or particles, and, when combined with knowledge of the sample concentration, the determination of weight average molar mass. In addition, nonlinearity of the intensity of scattered light as a function of sample concentration may be used to measure interparticle interactions and associations.
Dynamic light scattering is also known as quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). In a DLS experiment, time-dependent fluctuations in the scattered light signal are measured using a fast photodetector. DLS measurements determine the diffusion coefficient of the molecules or particles, which can in turn be used to calculate their hydrodynamic radius.
Extensive literature has been published describing methods for making both static and dynamic light scattering measurements in flowing and batch (non-flowing) systems. See, for example, P. J. Wyatt, "Light scattering and the absolute characterization of macromolecules," Analytica chimica Acta, 272, 1-40, (1993). Historically light scattering measurements in batch mode were performed on sample solutions contained in scintillation vials. However, these measurements generally required at least 4 mL of the sample. The flow mode alternative might require a lower sample volume within the flow cell itself, however, a significant amount of sample is still required to deliver and fill the measurement volume of the cell. More recently, cuvettes have been introduced with significantly smaller sample volumes. For example, the MicroCUVETTE manufactured by Wyatt Technology Corporation (Santa Barbara, Calif.) is capable of batch LS measurements with sample volumes as small as 12 μL. A common source of small cuvettes are the so-called microtiter plates containing an array of wells, each of which may serve as a cuvette.
As sample volumes decrease, the likelihood of solvent evaporation also becomes a concern and, as light scattering measurements can be very sensitive to the concentration of the solute with the sample, preventing evaporation can become a critical component of accurate LS measurements. It is an objective of the present invention to minimize sample evaporation for batch light scattering measurements. Evaporation can alter the sample state, skew results through altered background intensity, or prevent light scattering measurements entirely. Partial evaporation of the solvent from a cuvette produces an effective increase of the dissolved solute concentration which additionally may have deleterious effects on the sample itself. Evaporation can also impact the meniscus curvature as well as meniscus height in the cuvette or plate well. More substantial evaporation of the sample solvent may prevent any type of LS measurement, a problem particularly prevalent in very small volume cuvettes where even a small amount of evaporation results in a large change in the height of the fluid level. This can cause the meniscus to be intersected by the incident light beam, overwhelming the detector or detectors and distorting significantly any measurements. Further, temperature dependent measurements during which the cuvette environment is cycled over a broad range of ambient temperatures may promote evaporation thus skewing the results and giving inaccurate data regarding temperature dependent reactions, such as molecular interaction experiments.
A frequently used method to overcome the evaporation problem is to cap or place a film over the mouth of the cuvette itself or to place a layer of oil overlaying the sample contained in each well in a microtiter plate. However, for light scattering measurements, both of these commonly used evaporation mitigation techniques can be problematic. With respect to the cap, the sample solvent may still evaporate and condense on the inner surface of the film or cover as the unused volume of the cuvette itself will have a lower vapor pressure than the sample itself, thus evaporation cannot be mitigated by sealing the cuvette alone. While the use of an oil overlay eliminates the issue of condensation, the potentially negative interactions of oil and sample molecules are well known, as documented in the 2004 article by L. S. Jones et al, "Silicone oil induced aggregation of proteins," published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, volume 94, pages 918-927. Such unintended interactions may result in an inaccurate representation of the true sample characteristics. In addition, oil overlays can be difficult to apply, and difficult to remove if the cuvette or well plate is to be reused. It is another objective of the present invention to obviate the need to use an oil overlay to control evaporation in a sample cuvette.
Traditionally, LS measurement cuvettes have been constructed of expensive materials such as quartz and other highly polished glass materials. These cuvettes are often prohibitively expensive to be disposed of after a single use, and therefore must be carefully cleaned between uses to prevent contamination by a prior sample or cleaning agent with the new sample to be analyzed. Further, cuvettes formed from glass substances are rarely capable of being designed in complex forms which would otherwise be useful in providing important benefits to light scattering measurements. It is an objective of the present invention to provide a cuvette compatible with light scattering measurements that is inexpensive enough that it may be discarded after a single use. It is a further objective of this invention to provide a cuvette capable of improved simplicity of use and utility heretofore unavailable in cuvettes made of glass and similar materials.
The limitations disclosed above can seriously inhibit the accurate collection of light scattering data from samples contained within small cuvettes as well as complicating the measurement process by requiring laborious and often inadequate cleaning of the sample containing chamber within the cuvette. A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a means by which all of these limitations for making light scattering measurements in a cuvette may be mitigated, allowing for an increased quality of optical measurements of liquid samples contained therein, while simultaneously facilitating the measurements themselves.

Cuvette for light scattering measurements incorporating evaporation inhibition means


Various methods are provided, including re-epithelization and wound healing with reduced fibrosis, particularly for the re-epithelization of mucous membrane tissues, most particularly for the treatment and prevention of gum disease and for periodontal regeneration, each of which uses administration of a composition containing one or more rhamnolipids as an active ingredient. The figure provides a graphical representation of the effects of topical BAC-3 on the rate of burn wound closure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of rhamnolipids in re-epithelization of mucosa, particularly in wound healing with the diminution of fibrosis, most particularly in the wound healing of mucous membranes, the treatment and prevention of gum disease such as gingivitis and for periodontal regeneration.
2. Discussion of the Background
Typically, when an adult human receives an injury, either through burning of tissue or an incision in the skin tissue, the wound heals to leave a scar. This is even true in the case of post-surgical recovery where the wound has been closed with sutures (although scarring is generally less in such cases). This is not the case, however for wounds to fetuses. It is known that wounds in fetuses heal rapidly and generally without scar formation until late in the gestation cycle. Reasons for that include:
1. Dermis is the location of the scar in adult wounds. As healing progresses, dermal collagen is deposited and sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAG) replace non-sulfated GAG in which hyaluronic acid (HA) is predominant.
2. Fetal tissue appears to be intrinsic in repair, with reduction of fibrosis, and the major fetal cell type responsible for such repair may be the fetal fibroblast.
3. The fetal immune system is functionally immature relative to the adult immune system and plays a much less prominent role in fetal wound healing.
4. The fetal extracellular matrix (ECM) differs from that in adults in having HA, collagen, elastin, and adhesion glycoproteins as the major components.
It has been shown that hyaluronic acid levels in both fetal and adult sheep wounds rapidly increase until three days after wounding. This elevated level persists at least 21 days after wounding in the fetus, whereas it rapidly returns to baseline in the adult. In adult wounds, HA is deposited briefly within a fibrin and platelet plug. The HA is removed by hyaluronidase, and this provisional matrix is replaced by collagen and sulfated glycosaminoglycans. The deposition of collagen in fetal wounds is in a highly organized pattern that is indistinguishable from unwounded fetal dermis. Some of the major differences between fetal and adult repair are the temporal patterns of adhesion glycoproteins present in the wound, which are seen at the earliest stage of repair. Those differences may lead to differences in cell mobility, migration, adhesion and proliferation.
Cytokines. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) induces fibroplasia and increases wound tensile strength in adult wounds, and similar effects have been recorded in fetal wounds. In adults, activated macrophage products, such as cytokines and growth factors, progressively modify the local tissue environment, initially leading to destruction of tissue and later, i.e., in chronic delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions, causing replacement by connective tissue. The effects of macrophage-derived cytokines and growth factors occur in two phases. TNF, IL-1, and macrophage-derived chemokines acutely augment inflammatory reactions initiated by T-cells. These same cytokines also chronically stimulate fibroblast proliferation and collagen production. These slow actions of cytokines are augmented by the actions of macrophage-derived polypeptide growth factors. Platelet-derived growth factor, produced by activated macrophages, is a potent stimulator of fibroblast proliferation, whereas macrophage-derived growth factor (TGF-beta) augments collagen synthesis. Macrophage secretion of fibroblast growth factor causes endothelial cell migration and proliferation, leading to new blood vessel formation. The consequence of these slow actions of cytokines and growth factors is that prolonged activation of macrophages in a tissue, e.g., in the setting of chronic antigenic stimulation, leads to the replacement of differentiated tissues by fibrous tissue. Fibrosis is the outcome of chronic DTH, when elimination of antigen and rapid resolution are unsuccessful.
There is thus a need to develop methods for inducing re-epithelization in adult skin tissue, to provide wound healing with reduction of fibrosis in adults, thereby reducing one of the detrimental effects of surgery and wound healing in general, and the treatment of gum disease by the induction of re-epithelization in the mucous membranes.

Use of rhamnolipids in wound healing, treatment and prevention of gum disease and periodontal regeneration


Disclosed herein is a lane recognition system using a defog sensor, including: a defog sensor mounted in a defogging system of a vehicle; an imaging unit mounted on a windshield of the vehicle so as to image the front of the vehicle; and an integrated control unit configured to analyze a defog sensor signal received from the defog sensor, process an image signal received from the imaging unit based on the analyzed defog sensor signal, and acquire lane information.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a lane recognition system and method using a defog sensor, and more particularly, to a lane recognition system and method using a defog sensor, which analyzes a signal of the defog sensor and acquires final lane information through image processing based on the analyzed signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, in the automobile industry, research has been actively conducted on the development of technology related to an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) for supporting a driver's driving ability.
In particular, many ADASs based on lane recognition technology have emerged. Representative examples of the ADAS may include a lane departure warning system (LDWS).
Korean Patent No. 10-0666276 (Patent Document 1) has disclosed a lane recognition method according to the related art.
Patent Document 1 relates to a lane departure warning method using a vanishing point. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the lane departure warning method according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 5, the lane departure warning method according to the related art includes: receiving an image of a lane through a camera; binarizing the image information of the lane; extracting edges by removing unnecessary portions of the binarized lane information; calculating the slope of the lane through an equation of straight line based on input lanes at both sides, and modeling a graph of the lane; comparing the graph of the modeled lane to a preset warning threshold section; and issuing a warning to a driver when the graph of the lane exceeds the warning threshold section. Through the lane departure warning method, a process of analyzing lane information inputted from an image input unit during the operation of a vehicle may be performed with more precision.
However, although various related techniques have been developed, the lane recognition precision of the lane departure warning system and method may be significantly degraded in a special environment in which frost or demister is formed on the windshield of a vehicle as illustrated in FIG. 1A or 1B.
Furthermore, when a lane is misrecognized due to the frost or demister, the lane departure warning system based on the misrecognized lane may malfunction to increase the risk of an accident during operation.
Recently, a defogging system has been developed, which operates an air-conditioning system inside a vehicle when a defog sensor senses frost or demister on a windshield. However, since the air-conditioning system is implemented separately from the operation of the lane recognition system, the defogging system does not contribute to the improvement of lane recognition precision.

Lane recognition system and method using defog sensor


The invention relates to, in a sensor comprising: an electrically conductive metal housing, said housing having an inside wall forming a transmission matrix cavity, said wall having perforations therethrough; a liner transmissible of water lining said inside wall and covering said perforations; a transmission matrix filling said liner; a tablet of slowly dissolving material atop said transmission matrix; a cap closing said housing forming an electrode matrix chamber; an electrode chamber matrix in said electrode matrix chamber; a pair of spaced-apart electrodes in said electrode matrix chamber in contact with said electrode chamber matrix; the cap passing electrical leads from said electrodes; an improvement comprising said liner comprising a layer of laid, thermally bonded fibers in a pattern such as to provide-passages of such size as to confine said transmission matrix but to permit flow of moisture to and from said transmission matrix and soil in contact with it.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,347 which issued Jan. 12, 1993 to Alfred J. Hawkins shows a classical electrical sensor for sensing moisture in soils. This patent is incorporated herein in its entirety for its showing of a soil moisture sensor of which this invention is an improvement. Details of construction for most of the sensor of this invention can be learned from this patent. The related product has been manufactured and sold for many years by Irrometer Company, Inc., at Riverside Calif. This invention is an improvement on this already-proved product, providing an improved response to changes in soil moisture as the moisture flows both inwardly and outwardly of the sensor when the soil becomes wetter or drier as irrigation, weather conditions, and plant transportation change.
Within its effective range the sensor provides useful information regarding the wetness of the soil at the depth where the sensor is placed. Depending on the crop, the depths at which the sensor is buried may be relatively shallow for row crops, or very deep near the roots of established trees, or in between these depths for other crops.
The sensor includes a strong perforated housing to resist external physical loads and to confine its contents. It is preferably made of an electrically conductive metal to provide some screening against stray electrical currents in the soil. An internal cavity contains a porous transmission matrix, usually tightly packed silica sand. A liner to be described fits inside the housing and forms an interface between the soil and the transmission matrix while it also confines the matrix to the cavity and passes moisture from the soil into the matrix, and from the matrix into the soil.
A slightly soluble buffer tablet is placed atop the transmission matrix, and beneath an electrode chamber matrix. A pair of electrodes is placed in the electronic chamber, spaced apart from one another by electrode chamber matrix. Circuit leads extend from these electrodes for connection to measurement instruments.
The concentration of water in soil (wetness) is learned by measuring the electrical resistance of the path between the electrodes. In addition to information about actual wetness current information whether the soil is becoming wetter or drier and how rapidly is important to the grower. The more responsive the sensor is to the soil condition, both temporally and accurately, the better.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improvement to the interface between the soil and the transmission matrix. One of the functions of the interface is to retain the transmission matrix inside the housing, an obviously necessary function. This function is provided in the Hawkins patent by a liner inside the housing. The other function of the interface is optimally to transfer moisture to-or from the transmission matrix from or to the soil so the wetness of the transmission matrix will approximate or equal the wetness of the soil.
In the Hawkins patent the interface is a liner made of a woven medium. It is a filter in the sense that it retains particles of a given size and larger. This material has sufficient strength for structural purposes, and open passages through which the moisture can flow. Depending on the liner material, the liner may itself become involved in the transmission of moisture by itself soaking and drying out. This delays the transmission of moisture during the time that some of the moisture soaks the matrix and stays in it, or leaves the filter material drier. This can cause a delay in response while the interface material itself adjusts to the change in wetness just at the time of most interest.
It is an object of this invention to provide for this sensor a liner made of fibers having limited capacity for moisture, randomly laid and bonded, not woven, in a pattern with passages of various and irregular cross-sections all of which will retain the silica sand but as a group is less likely to become clogged by these particles, than an orderly weave of porous filter paper As a consequence the moisture is more readily transferred through the liner into and out of the transmission matrix. When provided, a hydrophilic surface appears to facilitate passage of the moisture through the liner. Substantial absorption or loss of moisture in the interface material itself is avoided by limiting the depth of hydrophilic layer when this layer has the property of limited absorption of the water and laying it atop a cord of material that does not absorb water.


A clutch device separates a non-changing component and a changing component of power generated by a driving source, and transmits the non-changing component and the changing component of power so separated to separate driven bodies, respectively. Power generated by a driving source is preferably subjected to form conversion by a power form converter and is then separated into a non-changing component and a changing component by a power separator. The non-changing component of power so separated is transmitted to a first driven body by a non-changing component transmitter while the changing component of power so separated is transmitted to a second driven body by a changing component transmitter. A fluid pump can be used as the power form transmitter, and an outlet flow rate regulating valve of the fluid pump can be used as the power separator. Control of the second driven body can be made easily by smoothing the changing component of power separated by using a smoother.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a clutch device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A friction clutch using a friction plate has gained a wide application as a clutch device for interruptedly transmitting power generated by a driving source to a driven body. Examples of such a friction clutch includes a clutch to be combined with a manual transmission of a car, a so-called "lockup clutch" disposed inside a torque convertor of an automatic transmission, and so forth.
On the other hand, a variety of prime movers are used as the driving source, and most of the prime movers involve a torque change during one cycle of rotation.
In reciprocating-piston-type internal combustion engines that have been most widely employed for cars, for example, the torque change occurs due to reciprocation of the pistons and due to the pressure change inside a combustion chamber, and an axle rotates with a torque change and with a rotation change.
If this change is transmitted to the driven body, the driven body vibrates and in the case of the car described above, for example, this vibration is transmitted to the car body, so that a driver feels uncomfortable and the commercial value of the car is lowered.
Therefore, a power transmission apparatus which reduces the frictional engagement force of a friction clutch to prevent transmission of the torque change of the engine to the car body and transmits power while slipping the friction clutch is known (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 57-33253).
Nonetheless, slip of the friction clutch means conversion of a part of power inputted from the prime mover to heat energy and to discard it, and results in a great waste of energy.


Some methods provide an electronic design file, which includes an integrated circuit (IC) component that is operably coupled to a package component. The IC component and package component collectively form a resistor inductor capacitor (RLC) resonant circuit. The method also provides a damping component in the electronic design file. This damping component is configured to reduce a pre-resonant time during which energy exchanged in the RLC resonant circuit approaches a steady-state, and thereby speeds simulation time.

An integrated circuit (IC) is an electronic circuit formed on a small piece of semiconducting material, typically silicon. ICs are used in virtually all electronic equipment today and have revolutionized the world of electronics. Computers, mobile phones, and other digital home appliances, which are made possible by the low cost of ICs, are now inextricable parts of modern societies. ICs can be made very compact, having up to several billion transistors and other electronic components on a piece of semiconducting material about the size of a fingernail. Feature sizes of ICs, such as the width of each conducting line, are made smaller and smaller for successive generations of technology. For example, in 2008 the width of each conducting line dropped below 100 nanometers and in 2013 is in the tens of nanometers.
Despite the ever shrinking feature size for successive technology nodes, the overall power consumption per unit area has remained the same or even tended to increase for successive technology nodes. This is because of the increased density at which devices are packed on the ICs and because of the higher operating frequencies for the newer devices. To help curtail this increase in power consumption between successive technology nodes, newer technology nodes typically utilize lower supply voltages than previous technology nodes. For example, whereas a typical IC made according to a 0.6 μm technology node was powered with a 5 volt DC supply, more recent ICs at the 0.13 μm technology node are powered with a 1.2 volt DC supply. As supply voltages have decreased, the voltage drop which can be tolerated between the supply rails has also decreased. For example, if a 5% supply rail drop is tolerable, a 5 V supply could tolerate a 250 mV voltage drop, but a 1.2 V supply can tolerate only a 60 mV drop. Thus, for modern technology nodes where supply voltages are decreasing, it is becoming more and more important to accurately model supply rail voltages.

Techniques for fast resonance convergence

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A mobile IPv6 dual-stack node engages in IPv6 communication while roaming within an IPv4-only network, for example using ISATAP. First, the node determines that it has moved Bnd obtains a new IPv4 address. After determining that the visited network contains no IPv6-enabled components, the node uses an IPv6 connect agent to engage in IPv6 communication. The node configures its care-of address using the IPv6 connect agent's routing information and the node's newly-obtained IPv4 address. In one embodiment, the node and the connect agent optimize the handoff when the nodes has moved but still uses the same connect agent. The node sends a binding updates to the connect agents comprising the node's old care-of address and the node's new care-of address. When the connect agent receives a packet destined for the node's previous care-of address, it forwards the packet to the node's currents care-of address, thereby reducing packet loss.

Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is a new version of the Internet Protocol, designed as the successor to Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4). Since IPv6 does not support mobility, packets addressed to a mobile IPv6 node (a node that dynamically changes its access point to the Internet) cannot reach the node when it is away from its home link. In order to support mobile IPv6 nodes, Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) was created. MIPv6 enables mobile IPv6 nodes to remain reachable while they move around in IPv6 networks.
However, there are currently two versions of Internet Protocol in use: the widely used but older Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) and the less used but newer Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6). If a mobile IPv6 node moves to an IPv4-only network, the mobile IPv6 node will be unable to continue IPv6 communication with its corresponding IPv6 peers. This is because the originating mobile IPv6 node would first have to communicate with an IPv4-only node, which then would have to communicate with the terminating IPv6 node. This is not supported by either IPv6 or MIPv6. While IPv6 is expected to gradually replace IPv4, the two versions will coexist for a number of years during the transition period. Thus, enabling a mobile IPv6 node to engage in IPv6 communication with other IPv6 nodes, even when the mobile IPv6 node is in an IPv4-only network, is an important concern among users of the Internet.
What is needed are methods and systems for a mobile IPv6 node in an IPv4-only network to engage in IPv6 communication across the IPv4-only network. The methods and systems should not require an upgrade of the IPv4-only network.

Enabling mobile IPv6 communication over a network containing IPv4 components using ISATAP


An arrangement and method for preventing unauthorized access of personnel into the hoistway of an elevator system. The arrangement includes a security device for mounting in the vicinity of an auxiliary release mechanism of a landing door to prevent actuation of the auxiliary release mechanism during normal operating conditions. The security device includes an energization circuit which, in use, is responsive to changes in operating conditions of the elevator system and may also include an obstruction member movable in response to the energization circuit between a first position preventing key access through a keyhole during normal operating conditions and a second position permitting access through the keyhole during abnormal operating conditions. Accordingly, a key can only be inserted through the keyhole to actuate an unlocking bit of the auxiliary release mechanism to release the landing doors during abnormal operating conditions.

The invention relates to a means and method of preventing unauthorized access of personnel into the hoistway of an elevator system. In particular the invention provides a specific landing door lock with an auxiliary release mechanism which can only be actuated during maintenance or emergency conditions hereinafter referred to as abnormal operating conditions.
In modern elevator systems it is common practice to provide a lock on each landing door of an elevator system. The lock has two specific mechanisms that are employed to unlock the landing door. The first is the main release mechanism which is actuated during normal operating conditions of the elevator by a retractable cam mounted either on a car of the elevator or on the landing door. Accordingly, when the car reaches the desired floor, the main release mechanism is actuated on the neighboring landing door thereby enabling transferal of passengers between the car and the floor. Naturally there are occasions (during maintenance or emergency conditions for example) when it is necessary for authorized personnel to gain direct access to the hoistway from a floor. For this purpose the lock further includes an auxiliary release mechanism. Generally, the auxiliary release mechanism is actuated manually by an appropriate key in the possession of the service engineer or firefighter (authorized personnel) and the landing door can then be opened manually. It has become apparent that this security precaution is no longer adequate to prevent unauthorized personnel such as vandals from opening the landing door and causing damage to elevator equipment as well as endangering their own safety.
To ensure ease of use and universal applicability for all elevator systems within a particular region or area, the key for the auxiliary locking mechanisms is typically of a simple design. For example in Europe, the relevant standard, EN 81-1:1998, specifies that the key will fit an unlocking triangle which is accessible from the landing. The unlocking triangle is shaped as a solid equilateral triangle with rounded corners. A person who is determined to enter the hoistway can easily replicate a key that will fit the unlocking triangle. Occasionally, the unlocking triangle may be covered with a screw cap or plug however these are not particularly effective deterrents and do not prevent deliberate misuse.
In the United States of America it is common practice to supply an unlocking key with a semicircular profile which fits into a corresponding keyhole accessible from the landing. Instead of rotating the key, it is moved to one side which action slides an unlocking lever in the opposite direction to actuate the auxiliary release mechanism. Again, this relatively simple arrangement is no longer effective in preventing deliberate misuse.
A solution to the problem was proposed in GB 1498039. Instead of key activation, the auxiliary release mechanism of GB 1498039 is connected electrically to a manually operable switch, activation of which releases the landing door. The switch can be housed in a locked compartment in the elevator car, on the landing or in the machine room of the elevator system.
The switch, being a dedicated component to the elevator system, must always be available on site and therefore there is always an inherent risk of vandalism leading to unauthorized access to the hoistway. Furthermore, the continual pressure to reduce space consumption within the industry has led to the design of modern systems that do not have a machine room, the machine being mounted instead in the hoistway. In these installations the locked compartment must be mounted either in the car or landing, both of which are generally accessible to the public, thereby increasing the risk of vandalism and unauthorized access.
If the mechanism of GB 1498039 is to comply with the standards, the compartment containing the release switch must be capable of being unlocked using a standard key. In this instance the mechanism is no better at preventing unauthorized access than the existing key actuated release mechanism; a person merely has the additional task of manually activating the switch to open the landing doors.
In JP 08 059151 a similar arrangement is described where a manual switch is provided in the elevator car and another manual switch is provided in the control room. Only when both switches have been activated can the landing door be opened.
JP 2000072361 shows an arrangement whereby a shutter blocks the keyhole on a landing door at all times except when the car is in a docking position directly opposite the landing door. It is apparent that if this system is used, then no access is possible to the hoistway for maintenance purposes.
An alternative solution has been proposed in GB 1511838. In this solution the landing door lock includes at least one fixed obstruction intended to prevent objects other than the appropriate key from being inserted through the keyhole and actuating the auxiliary release mechanism. All objects, including the key, are prevented from being inserted along a direct path through the keyhole. Instead, the key is inserted along a non-direct path to avoid a projection provided in the keyhole. When fully inserted, an aperture in the key can accommodate the projection and therefore the key can be levered to actuate the auxiliary release mechanism.
Again the solution does not prevent the would-be vandal from attempting to gain access to the hoistway, an act which itself may be extremely hazardous as a makeshift replica key could become securely lodged in the keyhole preventing subsequent operation by authorized personnel, particularly during emergency procedures.

Elevator system and method for preventing unauthorized hoistway access


Disclosed are optoelectronic integrated circuit structures that incorporate a first optical waveguide, having a semiconductor core, indirectly coupled to a grating coupler through a second optical waveguide, having a dielectric core, in order provide a relatively large alignment tolerance. The dielectric core can comprise multiple dielectric layers above one end of the semiconductor core and extending laterally over an isolation region adjacent to that end. The grating coupler can include dielectric fins above the isolation region. Alternatively, the grating coupler can include semiconductor fins within the isolation region. Also disclosed herein are methods of forming such optoelectronic integrated circuit structures that can be readily integrated with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device processing and germanium photodetector processing.

The present disclosure relates to optoelectronic integrated circuits and, more specifically, to optoelectronic integrated circuit structures with grating couplers and methods of forming those structures. Generally, optoelectronic integrated circuit chips comprise a variety of optical devices. For example, optical waveguides transmit optical signals (also referred to herein as light signals or light beams) on an optoelectronic integrated circuit chip. Photodetectors (also referred to herein as photosensors or optical receivers, such as photodiodes) receive optical signals from optical waveguides and convert the optical signals into electronic signals for processing by electronic devices on the chip. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes receive electronic signals from electronic devices, convert the electronic signals into light signals and transmit the light signals to optical waveguides. Grating couplers couple optical waveguides with off-chip optical devices, such as optical fibers, so that optical signals can be received on the chip from the off-chip optical device and/or transmitted off the chip to the off-chip optical device. Silicon is often used as the core material of an optical waveguide because silicon is transparent to optical signals in the infrared wavelength bands. Silicon is often also used for the adjacent grating coupler because silicon grating coupler formation can be easily integrated with current optoelectronic integrated circuit processing. Typically, a silicon grating coupler is formed adjacent to one end of a silicon optical waveguide and on the same horizontal plane as that silicon optical waveguide. However, the alignment tolerance achievable with such a configuration is relatively small and some applications (e.g., automated wafer scale testing, automated die or module scale testing, automated packaging, etc.) require a greater alignment tolerance.

Silicon photonics alignment tolerant vertical grating couplers


A leadless semiconductor package disposed on a substrate includes a chip, a plurality of leads, wherein each lead has a metal layer and a first molding compound formed on the metal layer, a second molding compound disposed on the first molding compound, and a chip paddle for carrying the chip. The leads are connected to the chip by wire bonding technique. The metal layer is exposed out of the first molding compound; and the second molding compound encapsulates the chip with the chip paddle exposed out of the second molding compound.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor package. More particularly, the present invention is related to a leadless semiconductor package with an encapsulation formed therein for reducing the thermal mismatch between the package and the substrate for carrying said package.
2. Related Art
A well-known semiconductor package, such as a bump chip carrier package (BCC) or a quad flat non-leaded (QFN) package is applicable to communication products, portable electronics products, low pin-counts package structure and packages for high-frequency chips, such as chip with a working frequency exceeding 12 GHz.
As mentioned above, the bump chip carrier package employs a plurality of flat contacts, for example metal contacts with a size of 0.4 mm* 0.3 mm, for electrically connecting the chip and the substrate. Besides, the bump chip carrier package has a chip paddle exposed so as to be attached to a substrate through solder materials. Thus, the thermal performance of such BCC package will be enhanced. In addition, the electrical performance of such a BCC package can be enhanced by employing a ground ring.
Referring to FIG. 1, it illustrates a conventional leadless semiconductor package or a bump chip carrier package 10. Such package 10 mainly comprises a chip 20, a chip paddle or a metal pad 22, a plurality of leads 24, a plurality of wires 26, a plurality of ground ring 30 and an encapsulation 28. The back surface 12 of the chip 20 is attached to the chip paddle 22, and the active surface 14 is electrically connected to the leads 24 or the ground rings 30 through the wires 26. The encapsulation 28 encapsulates the chip 20, the wires 26, and the ground ring 30 and leaves the chip paddle 22 and the leads 24 exposed out of the encapsulation 28.
Besides, referring to FIG. 2, the package 10 is attached to a printed circuit board or a substrate 40 through a solder material 44 by surface mount technology. However, when there is a lot of difference of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the encapsulation 28 from that of the printed circuits board 40, it is easy to cause thermal stress at the solder material 44 due to the changes of the working temperature. Thus, the solder material 44 usually bears a lot of cyclic stress so as to cause the fatigue damage and cracks at the solder materials 44. In such a manner, the package 10 and the printed circuits board 40 will not be able to operate well.
Therefore, providing another leadless semiconductor package to solve the mentioned-above disadvantages is the most important task in this invention.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.


A method and means of registering for a debit card includes a card having an account number that is the same as an account number encoded on a magnetic strip of the card. Removably attached to the card is a first and a second label. The first label has the account number printed thereon and a designated area where customer information is filled in. The second label has an authorization code such as a PIN number printed thereon. Both the account number and PIN number are stored in a database maintained by a service provider. To register, the first label is removed from the card and attached to a customer's check and the second label is removed and retained by the customer. The check is scanned and transmitted to the service provider. The service provider compares the account number on the first label of the scanned check with the stored PIN number and creates a debit card account for the customer associated with the customer's checking account.

This invention is directed toward a method and means of registering for a debit card. For a retailer, particularly a high volume retailer such as a grocery store, use of a debit card when making a purchase is the least expensive manner of making a purchase, and the least time consuming. The registration process for a debit card, however, is time consuming and inconvenient for many consumers. A merchant may send direct mail pieces to consumers, but these mail pieces have a low conversion rate. Alternatively, a customer is directed to a customer service area where an application is filled out and processed before a card is issued.
Because of the inconvenience of these conventional registration methods, there exists a need in the art for a method and a means that addresses these shortcomings.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of registering for a debit card that is easy and not time consuming.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a debit card that facilitates the ease of registration.
These and other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the following written description.

Method and means for registering a debit card


A perforating safety system. A perforating safety system includes a detonation transfer interrupter with a device which decreases an axial separation between detonation transfer components after installation of the interrupter in the well. Another perforating safety system includes a perforating gun and firing head installed together in the well, and an interrupter having a device which increases a separation between detonation transfer components in the well to thereby prevent transfer of detonation from the firing head to the perforating gun. Yet another perforating safety system includes a firing head positioned at a distal end of a perforating assembly when installed in the well, and an interrupter having a device which decreases a separation between detonation transfer components after installation of the interrupter in the well.

The present invention relates generally to equipment and procedures used in conjunction with subterranean wells and, in an embodiment described herein, more particularly provides a safety system for use in perforating operations.
Perforating typically involves use of explosive shaped charges in a perforating gun to form perforations or openings through casing cemented in a well. Detonation of the shaped charges is initiated by a device known as a firing head. The firing head may be operated mechanically, electrically, by application of pressure, via various forms of telemetry, etc.
For safety reasons, it would be desirable to isolate the firing head from the perforating gun prior to installing a perforating assembly in a well. Preferably, the firing head would also be isolated from the perforating gun while the perforating assembly is being installed and aligned with a zone to be perforated. In this manner, detonation of the shaped charges in the perforating gun could be avoided, even though the firing head might accidentally be operated, prior to the time when it is desired to perforate the zone.
Furthermore, it would be beneficial to retrieve the perforating gun from the well, without also retrieving the firing head at the same time, in the event that the firing head malfunctions. In this manner, accidental detonation of the shaped charges during retrieval of the perforating gun can be avoided.


A clock for digital devices. Ordinarily, when multiple digital devices are clocked by a common clock, the clock signals frequently arrive at the digital devices at different times, due to propagation delays. The devices are thus not clocked synchronously. Under the invention, the multiple devices are connected to a common transmission line. A standing wave is generated on the transmission line, and the periodic collapse of the standing wave is used to clock the devices. Synchronous clocking to within about 1.0 nano-seconds has been attained, in a transmission line about ten feet long, wherein a clock signal ordinarily takes about 15 nanoseconds to travel from one end to the other.

One factor which limits the speed of operation of computers is the requirement of delivering synchronous clock signals to modules which are physically separated. For example, it is often required that two modules M1 and M2 in FIG. 1 receive synchronous clock signals 3 from a clock CL. Clock CL delivers the clock signals 3 to a branched transmission line 6, and they travel in the direction of arrow 8.
One way to make the clock signals synchronous is to assure that they arrive at M1 and M2 simultaneously, by locating modules M1 and M2 equidistant from clock CL. (FIG. 1 does not show this.) However, in the general case, equal distances cannot be attained, for practical reasons.
When the distances are not equal, the situation shown in FIG. 1 can occur. When clock pulse P1 reaches module M2, a later pulse P4 reaches module M1. This represents non-synchronous operation, because, at any given time, the modules respond to different clock pulses. Module M1 operates four clock cycles ahead of module M2.
To attain synchronous operation, the modules can be positioned as shown in FIG. 2, wherein their pick-off points 10 are 1/2 wavelength apart, or less. With this positioning, the situation will never arise wherein one pulse, such as P1, triggers module M2 while a later pulse, such as P2, triggers module M1.
In actual practice, the modules are frequently spaced closer, at 1/10 wavelength. The physical distance which this 1/10 wavelength spacing represents will now be estimated. As a rough estimate, signal travel on both printed circuit boards (PCBs) and integrated circuits (ICs) is in the range of one-half the speed of light. A rule-of-thumb for the speed of light is one foot per nano-second, so that a clock pulse, in a PCB or IC, takes about two nano-seconds to travel one foot.
If the wavelength of the clock pulse is one foot, then one wavelength occurs every 2 nano-seconds. The frequency is then 1/(2.times.10.sup.-9), or 5.times.10.sup.8 Hz, which is 0.5 Giga-Hertz, GHz. One-tenth of this one-foot wavelength is 1.2 inches.
Thus, under the 1/10 wavelength limitation, the maximum separation between modules M1 and M2 allowed by a clock running at 0.5 GHz would be 1.2 inches. For other clock frequencies and other signal velocities, the limits on separation are computed in the same way. In general, as clock frequencies increase, the separation between modules receiving the same clock signals must be reduced. This reduction creates problems in the design of digital circuitry, because, in general, designers wish to avoid constraints on the positioning of modules such as M1 and M2.

High-speed synchronous clock generated by standing wave


A method and system for reading endpoints used for tracking consumption of a utility may allow the sequencing of meters/endpoints in a meter reading route, such as a mobile automatic meter reading route. The sequencing may include receiving an indication of a collection of endpoints comprising a meter reading route, wherein each endpoint stores utility consumption data, then executing the meter reading route. Executing the meter reading route may include identifying and reading a first endpoint on the meter reading route, receiving input used in identifying a next endpoint to be read on the meter reading route, identifying a next endpoint to be read on the meter reading route based on the received input, and reading the identified next endpoint. One or more of these tasks may be performed repeatedly until all the endpoints on the meter reading route are read or otherwise acknowledged as unreadable, etc.

Utility companies typically rely on meter reading to determine consumption of a utility by its customers. In some utility meter reading applications, operators drive vehicles equipped with radio-equipped data collection units around an area or route to read electric, gas, and/or water meters. The meters are equipped with modules that allow them to send and receive signals. This style of meter reading, sometimes referred to as mobile AMR (automatic meter reading), allows meter reading to be completed without direct access to the meter.
Mobile AMR is sometimes used in saturated areas where there may be large populations of meters, difficult-to-access meters, or hazardous-to-read meters. When used in such areas, mobile AMR can dramatically improve meter reading efficiency. For example, a single data command unit transceiver reads an average of 10–12,000 meters in an eight-hour shift, and can read up to 24,000 meters per day, depending on meter density and system use. A portable DataPac® (Itron, Inc. of Spokane, Wash.) reads an average of 4,000 to 5,000 meters per day.
Routes for mobile AMR are typically defined geographically and may include hundreds or thousands of meters. Typically, in cases where meters are equipped with features that allow for point-to-point communication, each meter (or endpoint) in the route is read in turn (sequentially). To determine the order in which endpoints in the route are read, mobile AMR systems rely on sequential lists that identify each endpoint using a unique address assigned to the endpoint. The sequential list is formulated in advance and based on the geographic location of each endpoint relative to other endpoints in the route. For example, a mobile AMR route may have starting and ending points, and endpoints are read according to proximity from a vehicle moving between the starting and ending points. When using this technique, the data collection unit installed on the vehicle must know each endpoint address in its route. During the sequential reading of endpoints on a route, the driver typically relies on a visual display of addresses to determine if an endpoint has been successfully read. Such lists can be lengthy if the route contains many endpoints. If a reading fails with respect to any given endpoint, the operator aboard the vehicle will typically initiate a reread of the endpoint by providing its address.
Where meters are read using non-point-to-point techniques, such as with conventional "wake-up" or "bubble-up" techniques, there is no implied sequence of meters read in a route. At best, an operator (e.g., a driver or meter reader) is instructed to proceed with a vehicle (or on foot) in a certain direction or area). For example, an operator is instructed to drive certain streets in order. During this process the mobile collector in the vehicle sends out wake up tones and waits for meters to respond or simply listens for broadcasts from bubble up meters. As meters wake up and send their data, the mobile collector grabs the data and posts it against the correct position in the route. At the end of this process, the operator may perform a process to identify any "missed" reads in the area prior to leaving the area or street.
The way this is accomplished may vary, depending on whether the system is capable of point-to-point communications with meters. Identifying missed meter reads in point-to-point systems may involve having the driver identify the street address of the location where the meter has not been read and driving by that location again while the radio is operating. During this process, the radio tries to communicate with any meters in the area by waking them up, as described above.

Utility endpoint communication scheme, such as for sequencing the order of meter reading communications for electric, gas, and water utility meters.


According to one embodiment of the present invention, an output buffer (200) includes a first output driver (86) and a second output driver (88). A first output cascode (80) coupled to the first output driver (86) protects the gate oxide of the first output driver (86) from voltage changes on the output (16). A second output cascode (84) coupled to the second output driver (88) protects the gate oxide of the second output driver (88) from voltage changes on the output (16). A level shifter (60) includes multiple cascode devices (66, 68, 70, 72) and switches the first output driver according to the values of a data input (12) and an enable input (14). A first testability device (202, 204, 206, 208) coupled to a cascode device (66, 68, 70, 72) of the level shifter (60) generates a current in response to failure of the cascode device (66, 68, 70, 72).

Many output buffer circuits are coupled to one or more power supplies and use one or more output drivers to switch an output voltage according to the values of one or more inputs. For example, an output buffer that receives a high voltage (VDDHV) from a first power supply and a chip core voltage (VDD) from a second power supply might have p-channel and n-channel output drivers to switch an output voltage according to the values of a data input and an enable input. It is often desirable to protect the gate oxides of these output drivers and other components of the output buffer from overstress, break down, or other damage due to voltage levels on the output. Typically, the gate oxide of a transistor can withstand DC voltages only up to approximately VDD plus a transistor threshold voltage, a fact which motivates much of the circuitry of the present invention.
As microelectronic devices become increasingly complex to satisfy additional processing requirements, reducing the failure of devices during operation becomes increasingly important. A known technique for protecting the gate oxide of an n-channel output driver includes coupling a cascode device between the output driver and the output to shield the gate oxide of the output driver from voltage levels on the output. The gate of the cascode is maintained at a substantially constant intermediate voltage, such that the voltage across the gate oxide does not exceed the gate oxide's maximum fixed voltage tolerance. Although these techniques protect the output driver gate oxide when the cascode is functioning properly, the output driver is susceptible to failure if the cascode device has shorted, even though the output buffer may appear to be functioning properly. Furthermore, such techniques do not provide for detection of cascode failure, leaving previous output buffers and the associated electronic devices prone to unexpected failure during operation. These and other inadequacies make prior output buffers unsuitable for many applications.