In an Image forming apparatus, a light color toner image forming unit that forms a light color toner image on a transfer medium has a first developing device which develops an electrostatic image on a first image bearing member to form the light color toner image on the first image bearing member. A first transfer member electrostatically transfers the light color toner image to the transferring medium member by abutting against the first image bearing member with the transferring member in a first abutting position. A deep color toner image forming unit that forms a deep color toner image on a transferring medium has a second developing device which develops an electrostatic image on a second image bearing member in a second developing portion to form the deep color image on the second image bearing member. A second transferring member electrostatically transfers the deep color toner image to the transferring medium by abutting against the second image bearing member with the transferring member arranged so that the rotational direction distance of the first image bearing member between the second developing potion and the second abutting portion is longer than the rotational direction distance of the first image bearing member between the first developing portion and the first abutting potion and so that the deep color toner image forming unit is arranged upstream of the transferring medium moving direction with respect to the light color toner image forming unit.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which a toner image on an image bearing member is repetitively transferred to a transferring medium, wherein the lowering of the quality of image when the toner image is transferred to the transferring medium is prevented.
2. Related Background Art
When a toner image on an image bearing member is to be repetitively transferred to a transferring medium, as shown in FIG. 18 of the accompanying drawings, there is the problem that there occurs so-called "re-transferring" in which when a toner image transferred from an image bearing member 1a on the upstream side with respect to the direction of movement (arrow R51) of a transferring medium 51 to the transferring medium 51 is transferred to an image bearing member 1b on the downstream side when a toner image on the image bearing member 1b is transferred to the transferring medium 51. Due to the occurrence of the re-transferring, an image of desired density is not obtained and the quality of image is lowered.
Heretofore, in order to solve the problem of this re-transferring, as shown in FIG. 19 of the accompanying drawings, a transfer member 5 for transferring a toner image on an image bearing member 1 to a transferring, medium 51 has been provided upstream of an area N in which the image bearing member 1 and the transferring medium 51 contact with each other, with respect to the direction of movement (R51) of the transferring medium 51.
The cause of the occurrence of the re-transferring is considered to be that the charging polarity of the toner image on the transferring medium 51 is reversed by an electric current flowing through the area N in which the image bearing member 1 and the transferring medium 51 contact with each other. The more becomes the electric current flowing through the area N in which the image bearing member 1 and the transferring medium 51 contact with each other, the greater becomes the amount of toner of which the charging polarity is reversed, and the re-transferring becomes liable to occur.
If the transfer member 5 is provided upstream of the area N in which the image bearing member 1 and the transferring medium 51 contact with each other with respect to the direction of movement (R51) of the recording medium, discharge occurs at a gap A upstream of the area N in which the image bearing member 1 and the transferring medium 51 contact with each other. By this discharge, the potential difference between the surface of the image bearing member 1 and the surface of the transferring medium 51 becomes small. Thereupon, the electric current flowing through the area N in which the image bearing member and the transferring medium contact with each other during transferring becomes little, and the occurrence of the re-transferring is prevented.
However, if the transfer member 5 is provided upstream of the area N in which the image bearing member 1 and the transferring medium 51 contact with each other with respect to the direction of movement of the transferring medium 51, so-called "scattering" in which the toner scatters around the toner image transferred to the transferring medium 51 occurs. The quality of image is lowered by the occurrence of the scattering. The cause of this scattering is considered to be that due to the discharge at the gap A, the toner image on the image bearing member flies to the recording medium at the gap A.
Here, the re-transferring and the scattering cannot be prevented, and there has arisen the problem that the quality of image is lowered.

Image forming apparatus which presents faulty image when toner image on image bearing member is transferred to transferring medium


A method of printing a polyamide structure using two or more of water-soluble dye with an inorganicity/organicity value of 1 to 7 selected so that the ones with the largest and smallest inorganicity/organicity values show a difference of 2 or below between their two such values, to allow the polyamide structure to be printed with no uneven color, high color reproducibility and excellent ink bleeding prevention.

It has been publicly known that synthetic polyamide fiber structures are generally dyed and printed using acid dyes. The printing of polyamide fiber structures using an inkjet system has been disclosed by JP-A-6-57650 and other patents, which have proposed the use of certain acid dyes as ink for such printing.
In the meantime, patents such as JP-B2-2672346 and JP-A-188977 have proposed the use of reactive dyes for dyeing and printing natural or synthetic polyamide fiber structure.
Further in connection with the application of an inkjet system in printing a polyamide fiber structure, JP-A-9-268482 has proposed the use of certain reactive dyes as ink for such printing.
However, such prior art has the great disadvantage of not allowing the use of two or more types of water-soluble dyes in dyeing or printing polyamide fiber structure because of the difference in their affinity for such fiber structure, which results in its uneven color and poor color reproducibility.
In addition, the prior art requires the polyamide fiber structure dyed or printed with water-soluble dyes to be subjected to treatment such as steaming for fixation of the dyes onto the fiber, which involves control of the condition for the fixation such as temperature and time.
However, such fixation condition is extremely difficult to control perfectly on an industrial basis, inevitably undergoing variation.
Such variation in the fixation condition also presents a problem of resulting in uneven color and/or poor color reproducibility of the resultant dyed or printed fiber.
The prior art has also a problem of the dyes applied to a fiber structure to print a design pattern on it bleeding out of the outline of the pattern (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cbleedingxe2x80x9d).
Accordingly, no prior art has yet been disclosed to establish a method of printing a polyamide structure using two or more types of water-soluble dyes to allow the polyamide structure to be printed with no uneven color, high color reproducibility and excellent ink bleeding prevention.
The inventors investigated the causes of the above-mentioned problems involved in printing a polyamide fiber structure with water-soluble dyes such as its uneven color, poor color reproducibility and bleeding. As a result of the investigation, the inventors discovered that these problems are closely associated with the water-soluble dyes"" inorganicity values divided by their respective organicity values (hereinafter referred to as their xe2x80x9cinorganicity/organicity values).
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of printing a polyamide structure using two or more types of water-soluble dyes to allow the polyamide structure to be printed with no uneven color, high color reproducibility and excellent ink bleeding prevention.
The present invention relates to a method of printing a natural or synthetic polyamide structure such as fiber, fabric or sheet using water-soluble dyes to allow the polyamide structure to be printed with no uneven color, high color reproducibility and excellent ink bleeding prevention, such a method based on an inkjet system and an inkset for use with such a method.
The present invention chiefly consists of a method of printing a polyamide structure using two or more of water-soluble dye with an inorganicity/organicity value of 1 to 7 selected so that the ones with the largest and smallest inorganicity/organicity values show a difference of 2 or below between their two such values.

Method of printing a polyamide structure, such a method based on an inkjet system and an inkset for such a system


The present invention relates to C-Glycosylisoflavones having alkylaminoalkoxyl substituent and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, a process for the preparation thereof, pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of a compound of the formula (I), and to the use of these compounds or compositions for the treatment or prevention of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases, in particular for the treatment of various cardiocerebral hypoxic-ischemic diseases, for the treatment or prevention of diabetes mellitus and complications thereof, and for the treatment or prevention of chemical poisoning, in particular alcoholism.

Puerarin (formula (I), wherein R1=R2=R3=H) is an effective ingredient in Kudzuvine Root (Radix Puerariae), a leguminous plant, and has a chemical name of 4′,7-dihydroxy-8-β-D-C-glycosylisoflavone. In the recent decades, the mechanism and applications of puerarin are studied, and it is proven that puerarin does have effects such as expanding coronary artery, improving cardiac contractility, protection global ischemia cardiac muscle, promoting blood circulation, etc. At present, puerarin is widely used clinically for the treatment of coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, myocardial infarct, arrhythmia, cardiac failure, vertebro-basilar artery insufficiency, hyperviscosity syndrome, hypertension, cerebral thrombosis, cerebral edema, retinal arterial obstruction, retinal vein obstruction, sudden deafness, diabetes and complications thereof, pesticide intoxication, alcoholism, and tumors, etc. (Wang Jing, Ji Min, Hua Weiyi, et al., Study Achievement of Puerarin, Yaoxue Xuebao (Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica), 2003, 27(2):70-3). At present, cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases are the primary diseases causing adult death in China. Being a new drug for improving cardio- and cerebrovascular blood circulation, puerarin has a novel structure and definite therapeutic effects, and thus is important for the treatment of these diseases.
It has been reported in the prior arts that puerarin has some adverse effects in clinical applications, which mainly manifest in febrile, allergies, drug eruptions, transient hemoglobinuria, etc. Cheng Weijin, et al. (Yaowu Liuxingbing Zazhi (Chinese Journal of Pharmacoepidemiology), 2000, 9(3):129-130) had made an investigation on 568 patients who had administered with puerarin, and the results indicates that the total incidence rate of febrile was 5.81%, there was no significant difference in age and gender and in dosage, and the febrile mainly related to the days of sustained medication. The patients' body temperature gradually decreased to normal level after drug withdrawal or the patients were treated by antipyresis simultaneously. The treatment with antibiotics was ineffective. This might be caused by the toxic effect of drug accumulation during the long time of therapy; and the drug might penetrate the blood brain barrier, directly stimulate the center of thermoregulation in hypothalamus, affect the procedure of human body heat production and loss, and cause delayed allergy.
A series of simple alkyl esteric and etheric derivatives of puerarin had been synthesized via the modification of phenolic hydroxyl group and alditolic hydroxyl groups and their effects on blood flow of rabbit ocular tissue (Yang Ruolin, Li Na, et al., Zhongguo Yaoke Daxue Xuebao (Journal of China Pharmaceutical University), 1999, 30(2):81-85; Hou Dianjie, Wang Jianwu, Sun Jianlong, Zhongguo Yaowu Huaxue Xuebao (Chinese Journal of Medicinal Chemistry), 2002, 12(2):103-4). However, the pharmacodynamic actions and toxicities of these compounds on cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes and alcoholism are not studied deeply.
In the prior arts, it is also disclosed that puerarin has poor water-solubility and lipo-solubility, and the solubility of puerarin in water is 0.462 g/100 ml. Solubilizers should be added during the preparations, and common solubilizers are propylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), etc. The solubility of puerarin in 4.3% PVP aqueous solution is 1.332 g/100 ml. The solubility of puerarin also depends on pH value, and puerarin in an aqueous solution has a poor stability at a relatively high pH value. The pH generally should be controlled at 6.5 or lower during the complexing and dissolving procedure (Wu Zhenghong, Zhu Yanqin, et al., Jiangsu Yaoxue Yu Linchuang Yanjiu (Jiangsu Pharmaceutical and Clinical Researches), 1999, 7(1): 9-12).
The prior art further discloses that puerarin has a relatively low oral bioavailability of about 30%, and is administered by intravenous injection in clinic. The poor water-solubility, oral bioavailability and adverse effects of puerarin render the value of puerarin as pharmaceuticals.
So far, no document has been found that relates to the puerarin-based compounds of the present invention, i.e., C-Glycosylisoflavones having alkylaminoalkoxyl substituent, and to the use of these compounds for the treatment and prevention of cardio- and cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and chemical poisoning.

C-glycosylisoflavones having alkylaminoalkoxyl substituent, preparation and use of the same

Hainan Yangpu New & Special Medicine Co., Ltd.

Institute of Radiation Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, PLA


A multilayer battery cell comprises an ion-conductive separator film. A positive electrode layer is disposed on one surface of the separator film. A negative electrode layer is disposed on the other surface of the separator film. A first conductive layer is disposed on the positive electrode layer and electrically connected to the same. A second conductive layer is disposed on the negative electrode layer and electrically connected to the same. The positive and negative electrode layers and the first and second conductive layers are each produced by employing a spraying process.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates in general to rechargeable batteries and method of producing same, and more particularly to rechargeable lithium ion batteries and method of producing same. More specifically, the present invention is concerned with a multilayer battery cell used as an essential element of the battery and a method of producing same.
2. Description of Prior Art
In order to clarify the task of the present invention, one known multilayer battery cell will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 11 of the accompanying drawings.
The drawing shows an enlarged sectional view of the known multilayer battery cell 9 for the battery. As shown, the known battery cell 9 comprises positive and negative electrode parts xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cNxe2x80x9d which are put on each other to form a laminated assembly. The positive electrode part xe2x80x9cPxe2x80x9d comprises a metallic foil current collector 1 that has positive electrode layers 2 at both surfaces thereof and two separator films 3 and 4 that intimately put therebetween the positive electrode layers 2. Similar to this, the negative electrode part xe2x80x9cNxe2x80x9d comprises a metallic foil current collector 5 that has negative electrode layers 6 at both surfaces thereof and two separator films 7 and 8 that intimately put therebetween negative electrode layers 6. Although not shown, the multilayer battery cell 9 is to be wound up to form a shaped unit. The shaped unit is received in a case filled with an electrolytic solution. A lid is fixed to the case to complete the battery. This type battery is shown in page 542 of xe2x80x9cBattery Handbookxe2x80x9d issued from MARUZEN Co., Ltd. in 1995, and pages 217 and 320 of xe2x80x9cHigh Density Lithium Secondary Batteryxe2x80x9d issued from TECHNOSYSTEM Co., Ltd.
However, as is easily understood from the drawing, the multilayer battery cell 9 has a complicated structure due to usage of numerous parts and elements such as foil current collectors 1 and 5, and separator films 3, 4, 7 and 8. The complicated structure brings about not only a bulky construction of the battery but also a time-consuming production process of the same, that causes increase in cost of the battery.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multilayer battery cell which is simple in construction and easy to be produced.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a multilayer battery cell comprising a separator film that is ion-conductive; a positive electrode layer disposed on one surface of the separator film, the positive electrode layer being provided by spraying on the surface of the separator film a first predetermined composition; a negative electrode layer disposed on the other surface of the separator film, the negative electrode layer being provided by applying on the other surface of the separator film a second predetermined composition; a first conductive layer disposed on the positive electrode layer and electrically connected to the same; and a second conductive layer disposed on the negative electrode layer and electrically connected to the same.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a multilayer battery cell which comprises an ion-conductive separator film including a porous plastic film that has pores filled with ion-conductive additive; a positive electrode layer disposed on one surface of the separator film, the positive electrode layer being provided by applying on the surface of the separator film an oxide of lithium metal complex; a negative electrode layer disposed on the other surface of the separator film, the negative electrode layer being provided by applying on the other surface of the separator film a carbon powder or an oxide of lithium metal complex; a first conducive layer disposed on the positive electrode layer and electrically connected to the same, the first conductive layer having a first portion that is in contact with both the separator film and the positive electrode layer; a second conductive layer disposed on the negative electrode layer and electrically connected to the same, the second conductive layer having a second portion that is in contact with both the separator film and the negative electrode layer; a first insulating layer disposed on the first conductive layer and having a portion that is in contact with both the separator film and the positive electrode layer; and a second insulating layer disposed on the second conductive layer and having a portion that is in contact with both the separator film and the negative electrode layer, wherein the positive and negative electrode layers, the first and second conductive layers and the first and second insulating layers are each provided by a spraying or printing process and wherein upon charging and discharging, ion transfer takes place between the positive and negative electrode layers through the separator film.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a multilayer battery. The method comprises conveying an ion-conductive separator film in a given direction, the separator film having first and second surfaces; spraying first and second predetermined compositions on the first and second surfaces of the separator film respectively, the first and second predetermined compositions being those for producing positive and negative electrode layers; drying the first and second predetermined compositions thereby to form the positive and negative electrode layers on the first and second surfaces of the separator film; spraying third and fourth predetermined compositions on the positive and negative electrode layers thus produced; and drying the third and fourth predetermined compositions thereby to form first and second conductive layers on the positive and negative electrode layers respectively.

Multilayer battery cell and method of producing same


A method for determining the plausibility of objects in driver assistance systems of motor vehicles includes the steps of statistically analyzing the lateral offsets (Y) of stationary objects to detect left and right roadway boundaries, analyzing the lateral offsets (Y_H) of moving objects to detect any adjacent lanes, calculating a probability value Q_R that the host vehicle is in the extreme right traffic lane of the roadway and a probability value Q_L that the host vehicle is in the extreme left traffic lane, and varying the width and/or lateral position of the travel route envelope as a function of the probability values Q_R and Q_L.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for determining the plausibility of objects in driver assistance systems of motor vehicles which have a locating system, e.g., a radar system, for locating objects in the surroundings of the vehicle and for measuring lateral offsets of these objects in the direction perpendicular to the direction of travel, in which method a travel route envelope is defined for the host vehicle, and the plausibility of moving objects is determined according to whether they are inside or outside of the travel route envelope.
2. Description of Related Art
In driver assistance systems which support the driver in guiding a motor vehicle, it is often necessary to determine the plausibility of located objects, particularly other preceding vehicles. By this is meant that it is necessary to decide whether or not these objects must potentially be taken into account in the execution of the assistance function in question. Examples for driver assistance systems in which this problem occurs are, for instance, adaptive vehicle speed controllers, also known as ACC systems (adaptive cruise control), in which the traveling speed of the host vehicle is adjusted in such a way that a located preceding vehicle is followed at a suitable distance, or warning and safety systems which are intended to warn the driver of an imminent collision and/or to initiate automatic measures for mitigating the effects of a collision.
To determine object plausibility in such systems, a travel route envelope of suitable width is defined which describes the anticipated course of the host vehicle, and objects that are within this travel route envelope are checked for plausibility in an ACC system in the sense that they are graded as potentially relevant obstacles to which the vehicle speed controller may have to react. Among the objects whose plausibility has thus been determined, one object, typically that having the smallest distance to the host vehicle, is then selected as the target object for the distance control.
In general, the width of the travel route envelope should correspond approximately to the width of the traffic lane being used by the host vehicle. However, the following conflict of aims occurs when exactly defining this width. On one hand, the width should be selected to be as great as possible, so that potential target objects can be detected early on, especially when the course of the roadway is not straight, and therefore the speed can be adjusted in plenty of time. On the other hand, if the travel route envelope is so wide that it extends to parts of adjacent lanes, there is the danger that so-called adjacent-lane disturbances will occur, that is, that the plausibility of objects which are in the adjacent lane and therefore are not actually relevant will be falsely determined, and these objects will be included in the evaluation, so that faulty reactions occur in the system.
To optimize the width of the travel route envelope, it has already been proposed to enlarge the travel route envelope beyond a certain basic width as soon as a target object has been detected, so that this target object can then be followed in a steadier manner. However, this has the disadvantage that the front vehicle being followed is retained as the target object unnecessarily long, even when this vehicle changes to an adjacent lane, and the adjacent-lane disturbances occurring have a longer and therefore substantially more intense effect.
Another approach is to differentiate between various types of roads, namely, freeways on one hand and country roads on the other hand, based on data provided by a navigation system or based on locating data supplied by the locating system. On freeways, which generally have several traffic lanes per travel direction, a narrower travel route envelope is then selected in order to avoid adjacent-lane disturbances, while on country roads, which generally have only one traffic lane in each direction, a wider travel route envelope is selected, thereby permitting earlier detection and steadier tracking of the target object. Here, however, there is the disadvantage that on freeways, the target object can only be detected relatively late, and thus the approach behavior of the host vehicle is impaired. On the other hand, on country roads, particularly on well-enlarged, very broad country roads, as well as in the case of crawler lanes, acceleration lanes or turn-off lanes occasionally present on country roads as well, there is a high susceptibility for adjacent-lane disturbances.

Method for determining the plausibility of objects in driver assistance systems


A trench type power MOSgated device has a plurality of spaced trenches lined with oxide and filled with conductive polysilicon. The tops of the polysilicon fillers are below the top silicon surface and are capped with a deposited oxide the top of which is flush with the top of the silicon. Source regions of short lateral extent extend into the trench walls to a depth below the top of the polysilicon. A trench termination is formed having an insulation oxide liner covered by a polysilicon layer, covered in turn by a deposited oxide.

Low voltage trench type MOSFETs are well known. In present day devices, the manufacture process is complicated due to the contact etch and the use of shallow implants. Thus, with regard to the contact etch, problems exist of an incomplete silicon etch and metal step coverage and incomplete filling of the trench. Further, shallow implants into deep contacts introduces defects which reduce the BVdss of the device.
Further, in low voltage trench MOSFETs, the on resistance (RDSON) is highly dependent on the channel contribution, which is greater than 40% of the total RDSON. Thus, an increase in channel density and a reduction in channel length is desirable to reduce RDSON. However, increasing cell density produces complications in the design of the device and the manufacturing process.
Further, in the manufacturing process, each of the trenches are filled with a conductive polysilicon gate mass and capped with an oxide which insulates the source electrode from the polysilicon gate. This oxide is conventionally a grown oxide. It has been found that manufacturing problems occur as result of the grown oxide cap.
It would be desirable to reduce the manufacturing complexity and to also reduce the RDSON of trench type low voltage MOSFETs.

Trench fet with self aligned source and contact


A drive device (140) for the rotatable shaft (44) of a mill (10) is disclosed including first and second, diametrically opposed carriers (142). In each of the carriers (142), the ends of first and second bearing plates (152, 154) and of a motor plate (176) extend through parallel slots (148-150) formed in parallel, first and second housing plates (144) and are secured to adjustment plates (164) located outside of and slideable on the housing plates (144). Screw mechanisms (168) extend between and adjustably relate the housing and adjustment plates (144, 164) to provide relative sliding therebetween. A jack shaft (156) rotatably mounted by first and second bearings (158, 160) carried by the bearing plates (152, 154) includes a sheave (162) located intermediate the bearing plates (152, 154). A motor (180) is mounted to the motor plate (176) and has an output shaft (182) coupled to an end of the jack shaft (156) to avoid overhung loads to the motor (180). The rotatable shaft (44) is rotatably related to the jack shaft (156) by belts (198, 202) extending around sheaves (162, 196, 200) on the jack shaft (156) and the rotatable shaft (44) in diametrically opposite directions to avoid overhung loads being transferred to the rotatable shaft (44).

The present invention generally relates to drive devices, and particularly to drive devices for rotatable shafts.
In various apparatus such as mills for processing, resizing, and grinding various materials, a rotatable shaft must be driven by a motive force such as by a motor (electric or hydraulic), an internal combustion engine, or the like. Problems then arise in the mounting, adjustment, and alignment of the motive force to the apparatus and with respect to the rotatable shaft. These problems are further complicated when the output shaft of the motive force is not parallel to the rotatable shaft and/or is rotated at speeds different than the desired rotational speeds of the rotatable shaft. Additionally, problems encountered also include overhung loads caused by tensions and pull on the rotatable shaft which accelerate bearing wear, difficulties in manufacture, maintenance, and compatibility with different types and forms of motive forces, placement restrictions which physically limit the form of the apparatus and create other liabilities, and the like. Also, if a single drive train is utilized in apparatus requiring high levels of torque to the rotatable shaft such as mills for processing, resizing, and grinding various materials, the motive forces as well as the other components in the drive train are required to be of large sizes which often are non-stock items having costs which are a multiple of smaller sizes.


A device for making an arc of a predetermined radius at a square corner of a workpiece includes a positioning member having first and second edge members which are joined together at a right angle so that the positioning member may be seated against the square corner and an arc member extending across a portion of the right angle formed between the first and second edge members. The arc member is planar with the positioning member disposed on and extending from the arc member. The device may also include multiple positioning members and multiple arc members having different arc radii. A method of marking an arc of a predetermined radius at a square corner of a workpiece includes the steps of providing a device that has a positioning member having first and second edge members joined together at a right angle such that the positioning member may be seated against the square corner and an arc member extending across a portion of the right angle formed by the edge members, positioning the device such that the positioning member is in a seated position against the square corner and the arc member is disposed against the surface of the workpiece to be marked; and marking the arc on the surface of the workpiece by holding a marking implement against the arc member and, while moving the marking implement along the arcuate edge, pressing the marking implement against the workpiece to leave a mark.

This invention relates to a device and a method for marking an arc of a predetermined radius at a square corner. More particularly, this invention relates to a device and a method for marking an arc of a predetermined radius at a square corner of a workpiece so that, by using the arc as a guide for where to make a cut, a rounded corner can be produced.
Carpenters, amateur woodworkers, hobbyists, and others are frequently faced with the task of cutting a workpiece to produce a rounded corner beginning with a workpiece that has a square corner. A person wanting to make a rounded corner usually draws an arc on the workpiece, with the arc serving as a guide for where the cut is to be made. Use of a compass is one of the most precise methods of marking an arc on the workpiece, provided the compass is a good one. Although accurate, it is time-consuming to determine the center of the radius for drawing the arc with a compass. This problem is compounded, of course, when a workpiece has several corners that will be rounded or when several workpieces each have a corner to be rounded. Each corner to be rounded must be individually marked by going through the process of determining the length of the radius, determining the center of the radius, and then drawing the arc. Thus, it is tedious to repeat the same process for each corner to be marked. Compasses are typically able to draw arcs of any size within a certain range. This flexibility can be a disadvantage, however, when arcs of certain standard sizes are used repeatedly. A compass also may leave a hole in the workpiece at the center of the radius. With some types of workpieces this hole can be removed or covered, for example by sanding a piece of wood. However, with some workpieces it would be impossible or impractical to remove or cover the hole. Even if the hole can be removed or covered, it requires time and effort to do so. Further, compasses can be expensive, easily damaged, and easily misplaced.
Another method for marking an arc on a square corner is to place a cylindrical or circular object having the desired radius on the workpiece such that the edges of the workpiece that form the square corner are tangential to the circular edge of the object. With the object thus aligned, an arc is drawn by moving a pencil, pen, nail, or other marking instrument along the edge of the object. Objects such as lids, jars, and cans are often used for such a purpose. However, it is inconvenient to search for an object having the desired radius every time such a mark needs to be drawn. It is also inconvenient to keep a supply of objects on hand for when they might be needed.


In a semiconductor device, a plurality of triple-stacked structures all having the same structure are provided. Each of the triple-stacked structures includes one lower electrode layer, at least one upper electrode layer and one dielectric layer sandwiched by the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and more particularly, to capacitors and resistors having a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in ASIC semiconductor devices, a large number of semiconductor transistor circuits, capacitors and resistors are connected to each other in accordance with the customer's request. ASIC semiconductor devices are divided into cell-based ASIC semiconductor devices, master slice type ASIC semiconductor devices and the like. The master slice type ASIC semiconductor devices are disclosed in JP-2000-307062A.
On the other hand, structured ASIC semiconductor devices have been developed to reduce the turn around time and the manufacturing cost.
A prior art structured ASIC semiconductor device is constructed by a common-use section where basic logic cells (semiconductor transistor circuits), power supply lines, basic logic cell connections, macro connections and the like are formed, and a customized section where input/output connections and conductive pattern layers for the basic logic cells are formed. In this case, the common-use section is formed regardless of the customer's request, while the customized section is formed in accordance with the customer's request.
Also, passive elements such as metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitors and MIM resistors are disclosed in JP-2004-193602A, WO02/17367A2 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0082639 A1.
Particularly, referring to U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0082639 A1, in order to realize an MIM capacitor and an MIM resistor, triple-stacked structures each including one lower electrode layer, one upper electrode layer and one dielectric layer sandwiched by the lower electrode layer and the upper electrode layer are provided.

Semiconductor device including triple-stacked structures having the same structure


Method and apparatus for designing a system for implementation in a programmable logic device (PLD) is described. In one example, a program language description of the system is captured. The program language description includes control code for configuring actor elements with functions to perform tasks in response to input data. A hardware implementation is generated for the PLD from the program language description by mapping the control code to decision logic, the functions to partial configuration streams, and the actor elements to reconfigurable slots.

Modern integrated circuits are designed using programmed computers. Such computers are conventionally programmed with Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and Electronic Computer-Aided Design (ECAD) tools (generally referred to as EDA tools). EDA tools process an abstract representation of a circuit design into a physical representation of the circuit design that can be implemented using integrated circuitry. For example, a circuit design may be specified by a designer using a hardware description language (HDL), such as the very high speed integrated circuit hardware description language (VHDL) or VERILOG.
Programmable logic devices (PLDs) exist as a well-known type of integrated circuit (IC) that may be programmed by a user to perform specified logic functions. There are different types of programmable logic devices, such as programmable logic arrays (PLAs) and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). One type of programmable logic device, known as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), is very popular because of a superior combination of capacity, flexibility, time-to-market, and cost.
An FPGA typically includes an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by a ring of programmable input/output blocks (IOBs). The CLBs and IOBs are interconnected by a programmable interconnect structure. An FPGA may also include various dedicated logic circuits, such as memories, digital clock managers (DCMs), and input/output (I/O) transceivers. Notably, an FPGA may include one or more embedded processors. The programmable logic of an FPGA (e.g., CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure) is typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data (known as a bitstream) into internal configuration memory cells. The states of the configuration memory cells define how the CLBs, IOBs, interconnect structure, and other programmable logic are configured. Some FPGAs include support for run-time partial reconfiguration, which provides the ability to alter the behavior of portions of a circuit configured in an active FPGA. Partial reconfiguration is useful in systems that must support a wide range of optional behavior, only a subset of which is operational at any point in time.
Typically, circuits are designed for implementation in an FPGA using an HDL. However, present HDLs are only capable of describing a circuit that is static, that is, a circuit whose function is fully described at design time. Thus, in present design flows, it is very challenging to model dynamic circuits that use run-time reconfiguration. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for modeling, analysis, and implementation of a circuit designed to use run-time reconfiguration capabilities of a PLD.


A method for selecting a dominant color among a set of digital content. The dominant color is used to set the visual aspects of a user interface through which the user views the digital content, enabling a visually appealing application, rather than one reliant on neutral and possibly uncomplimentary colors.

User interface elements for conventional image presentation applications often rely on a palette based on neutral colors for user interface regardless of the color content of media in the user's repository. This leads to a user interface that is, at best, generically bland and difficult to differentiate. At worst, the user interface directly clashes with the user's content or blends in too much. Both of those outcomes result in experience and usability issues.
A typical issue is loss of contrast for user interface elements overlaying (e.g., "floating over") scrollable user-generated content such as image libraries. A lack of contrast between such user interface elements and the displayed content, such as user's content, may result in a displeasing user experience. This lack of contrast can also occur in user interfaces that display over video content displayed in the background.

Automatically adapt user interface color scheme for digital images and video


In certain embodiments, automatic modification-triggered transfer of a file among two or more computer systems associated with a user. In some embodiments, a copy of a first file may be received, via a first application at a first computer system, from a second application at a second computer system associated with a user. The first file copy may be automatically received from the second application responsive to the user modifying a content of the first file, where the first file copy is a version of the first file that is generated from the user modifying the content of the first file. Responsive to receiving the first file copy from the second computer system, the first file copy may be automatically transferred via the first application to a third computer system associated with the user to replace an older version of the first file stored on the third computer system.

Users of modern computing systems are increasingly finding themselves in constantly-connected, high-speed networked environments. The Web continues to be a killer application, second only to email, on the Internet. Further, customers are increasingly using more than one computing device; a customer may have a desktop computer at home, one at work, and a constantly connected "smart phone". Due to the confluence of these two trends, file management across these devices has become a problem.
Although modern devices are easily connected, they do not provide the customer a seamless environment; the customer must manually handle many aspects of that connection. With regards to file management, customers must manually move files between their devices using some protocol like email, ftp, or by posting them on the Web. These practices lead to problems that include:                The proliferation of redundant file copies. This proliferation creates a confusing environment where the customer is unclear where the "official" or newest version of a file exists.        The creation of an error-prone environment. Some documents, such as those associated with word processing and desktop publishing, externally reference other files. Copying such a document can break these references causing errors that the customer has to handle manually. An example of such a document is a desktop publishing document that contains a reference to an image. If that image file is not transferred along with the desktop publishing file, the image will appear as a broken link.        Unnecessary complexity. Because devices tend to have their own filing system, customers must manage a different filing model on each of his devices. For example, instead of having a single "Movies" folder, he may have to deal with many "Movies" folders, which may be in different locations on each of his devices. Each device may also have its own security model, further complicating the matter.
That a customer has to manually move files around to ensure their accessibility on his devices is unnecessary, and is an indicator of a lack of customer-focused design in modern file systems. File systems in use today are direct offspring of systems used when graphical customer interfaces were nonexistent. Modern file system customer interfaces, such as Windows® Explorer and Mac OS X's Finder are just now starting to provide experiences that are more in line to a customer's workflow. Whereas, before, these interfaces were concerned with representing files with abstracted icons, the file's actual contents are becoming paramount in how files are organized and presented.
Problems still exist with how these newer customer interfaces are implemented. They are not completely integrated with applications, suffer from performance problems, and do not generally work well outside of a device's local file system.
There are several solutions to this problem that are in one way or another inadequate to the task:
Remote Desktop software allows a customer to remotely "see" his desktop. Remote desktop software screen-scrapes a remote machine's screen (a "server") and displays it on a screen local to the customer (a "client"). Remote desktop gives a customer access to not only his files, but also to his applications. However, this approach requires that the host machine be turned on and connected to the internet at all times. Consequently, this approach would not be appropriate for mobile hosts such as laptops. Remote desktop does not use the resources of a local machine. For full accessibility, the customer would have to keep all files and application on the host machine as any files stored on a client are not guaranteed to be accessible.
Distributed File Systems, like remote desktop software, place data on an always-connected host machine. Unlike remote desktop software, the host machine is not one on which the customer performs computing tasks. The host machine is used as a storage mechanism, and any computation performed on that machine serves to supports its use as such. Distributed file systems generally provide the right functionality for customers to share files between their devices. However, distributed file systems are usually deployed as a shared resource; that is, other customers have access to it. Because of this sharing, a customer's files may be buried deep in a filing structure, and it may not always be immediately evident to customers what kind of access they have to a particular file. Further, to use a distributed file system, the customer must always be connected to it. Files stored on a distributed file system are generally inaccessible if the customer's machine is not connected to it, unless the customer has copied or moved the files to his machine's local hard drive. However, doing so immediately creates the problem of having two filing systems for the same file, creating a mental burden on the customer.
Additionally, accessing a file located on a distributed file system tends to be slower than accessing files on the local hard drive. Modern applications are usually written to assume that the files they access are located locally, and thus are not optimized to access remote files. When these applications are used with remote files, they can lose performance by an order of magnitude. This problem can be fixed by automatically caching often-used files on the local file system, and only synchronizing them when they have been changed. However, this separate synchronization step introduces another problem: because the synchronization process can be lengthy, the customer is never entirely sure if the file he is remotely accessing is the latest version of the file, versus an earlier one that has been marked to be updated. Further, the directory may not reflect the existence of the file at all until synchronization finishes.
FTP is similar to a distributed file system with regards to files being hosted on a remote server. However FTP generally does manifest as a "disk drive" on the customer's desktop; the customer must use special FTP client software to access an FTP server. It shares the same problem as distributed file systems, with the additional problem of weak integration with applications. Applications can generally write and read files directly to and from a distributed file system. This is not the case with FTP, as the customer has to manually use the client software to perform these operations as a separate task.
Email was originally invented for messaging. From the beginning, the model it employs to make files accessible remotely is necessarily inefficient. Email's model for making files accessible is in the form of an email "attachment". Attachments are so named because they piggy-back on a message sent from one customer to another. A customer can make a file remotely available using email by attaching the file to an email and sending it to himself He can then retrieve the file from a remote location by accessing the message on the email server. Email used in this way is even worse than FTP as the process is even more manual: a customer must find the message containing the file before he can even access it. Further, the location in which the attachment lives is read only. If the customer, for example, were to open the file, change it, then save it back out, the results would be ambiguous to the user because the email application, not the user, specified its location. Usually, the saved file would end up buried in an email file cache in an undisclosed area of the file system.
Flash Drives and External Disk Drives, although seemingly the most "primitive" way to ensure file availability, avoid all the problems related to network latency. However, these devices must be physically connected to the computer on which the files will be accessed. These restrictions preclude the customer from employing several effective work-flows including: using more than one computer to complete a single task (the files can only be accessed on one computer) and setting up an automated backup (the computer running the backup can't guarantee that the storage device will be connected come backup time). Further, to ensure full availability of the files, the customer must carry the device with them at all times, and must follow the associated protocols for mounting and dismounting the device.
Other problems with the prior art not described above can also be overcome using the teachings of embodiments of the present invention, as would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Architecture for management of digital files across distributed network


Systems and method herein provide for sophisticated and efficient matching between users of a vehicle data system and data on sales that occur, where that data was obtained from distributed sources across a computer network. In particular, embodiments may obtain data from a variety of data sources across a distributed network and enhance data records by correlating the data obtained from these distributed sources. Data on sales thus obtain can be correlated with data on online users of the vehicle data system using a scoring engine to provide confidence scores to potential user-sale matches.

Today, the Internet is a useful tool for purchasing products or services. The implementation of systems on the Internet is, however, fraught with technical complexity. This situation exists in no small part because of the distributed nature of the data sources and other computing systems with which systems may interact while providing data or services over the network and the requirement that such interactions occur in real-time as expected by users of the Internet.
A microcosm of this problem occurs in the context of vehicle data systems that may be provided by operators that are not dealers or other sellers (collectively dealers) of vehicles and who may have users that may purchase vehicles from dealers, where these purchases may occur through other channels than the vehicle data system.
However, given the technical complexity of the Internet, the presentation of data including websites across the Internet and the interactions between websites and users or those websites, it may often times be difficult to correlate activities occurring in association with one system or website with activities occurring with a distinct system or website, or offline activities.
What is desired, therefore, are improved systems and methods to correlate activities in a distributed computer network.

System and method for correlating and enhancing data obtained from distributed sources in a network of distributed computer systems


An electrical machining method comprises machining a workpiece by an electrical machining device comprising an electrode; increasing a feedrate of the electrode at a first acceleration if a discharge current passing through the electrode and the workpiece is lower than a discharge current reference; and decreasing the feedrate of the electrode at a second acceleration if the discharge current is higher than the discharge current reference, wherein the second acceleration has an absolute value higher than that of the first acceleration.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to electrical machining devices and methods, and hybrid machining systems and methods.
Electrical machining is a manufacturing process whereby a desired shape is obtained using electrical discharges. Material is removed from the workpiece by a series of rapidly recurring current discharges between the electrode and the workpiece. Conventional electrical machining methods have problems of low efficiency and stability.
A conventional machining process combination usually requires two or more independent machining devices in sequence, each of which requires particular hardware and software resources, thus causing a high complexity for system design and a time-consuming process for tool assembling and disassembly.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide new electrical machining devices and methods, and hybrid machining systems and methods to solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems.

Electrical machining device and method, hybrid machining system and method


An electronic apparatus that includes a display panel having opposite sides with a display screen provided on one side, a main body enclosure having opposite sides with a key-based input device provided on one side and a keyless user interface provided on an opposite side, and a hinge assembly which couples the display panel and main body member together. The hinge assembly is configured to allow the main body enclosure and the display panel to pivot together about an angle of up to substantially 360° about a common or parallel pivot axes and which hinge assembly further allows the main body enclosure to twist or rotate with respect to the display panel about an axis that intersects or bisects the common or parallel pivot axes about which the main body enclosure and the display panel to pivot. In further embodiments the hinge assembly is further configured to allow the display panel to twist or rotate with respect to the main body enclosure about an axis that intersects or bisects the common or parallel pivot axes about which the main body enclosure and the display panel to pivot.

As portable computers have become more integrated in our daily lives, consumer demand has prompted an evolution towards increased flexibility. One relatively recent adaptation has been the development of alternative modes of data input, such as digitizers, to replace or augment the use of conventional alphanumeric keyboards. Digitizers have been adapted for computing devices to allow for, among other things, handwritten user input.
The advent of the digitizer interface has inspired tablet computing devices, including handheld personal digital assistants (PDAs), which are special purpose devices having limited computing power, and larger and more powerful general purpose tablet computers. PDAs and tablet computers provide the practical benefit of being compact when in use, because the display includes a digitizer (i.e., it is a touchscreen) that serves as the input device for receiving information from the user, so that the tablet has a relatively smaller footprint as compared to computers having a separate display and input device. PDAs and tablet computers typically enable the user to write, draw, and navigate using a pen-like stylus.
The implementation of digitizers into portable computers such as notebook, laptop and tablet computers has, for the most part, either replaced alphanumeric keyboards or has incorporated hybrid or integrated display/input devices for standard display screens.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,133,280 to Love, U.S. Pat. No. 7,027,297 to Mizuno et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,520 to Hashimoto, U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,494 to Shimano, U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,376 to Moon and U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,619 to Miyagawa et al. each disclose portable computing devices having hybrid or integrated display/input devices which portable computing devices are configured so that the hybrid or integrated display/input devices can be positioned so as to overlay conventional alphanumeric keyboards.
U.S. Pat. No 6,700,773 to Adriaansen et al. discloses several different configurations for personal computing devices, including an embodiment in FIGS. 13-20 that includes dual digitizers and main body 51 that includes a keyboard 55 on one side and a second digitizer 57 on the opposite side. A system of hinged arms allows each of the panel 53 (containing the first digitizer 61) and main body 51 to rotate about an axis that passes through the panel 53 ("Q") and main body 51 ("S"). The hinged arm are further pivotal about a common axis ("R").
Other U.S. patents and U.S. Application Publications that are directed to related electronic apparatus and devices and hinge configurations and assemblies for such apparatus and devices include U.S. Pat. No. 7,136,687 to Chang, U.S. Pat. No. 7,113,395 to Hara et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,096,540 to Watanabe et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,598 to Huang, U.S. Pat. No. 7,017,235 Lu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,016,183 to Takemoto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,010,834 to Barnett, U.S. Pat. No. 7,006,853 to Kang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,999,802 to Kim, U.S. Pat. No. 6,944,012 to Doczy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,891 to Kuivas et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,850,407 to Tanimoto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,680,845 to Agata et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,333 to Tseng et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,704 to Tang, and U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2007/0086155 to Chen et al., 2007/0091553 to Chang, 2006/0238970 to Ukonabo et al., 2006/0230580 Watanabe et al., 2006/0135225 to Lin et al., 2006/0111160 to Lin et al. 2006/0007648 to Wang, 2005/0155184 to Kayl, 2005/0060843 to Hung, and 2004/0227045 to An et al.
The present invention provides an electronic apparatus with multiple data input modes that can be in the form of a laptop or notebook computer, a subnotebook computer, a personal digital assistant, a wireless phone, a digital camera, a hand held video or computer game or gaming device, or the like.

Electronic apparatus with multiple data input modes


A method for detecting an undesirable condition within a messaging network. A message is received and a source of the message is identified. If an entry in a database for the source has not been created, an entry is created. A source counter for the source is then set to one and a timestamp is created for the source. If an entry in the database for the source has been previously created, the source counter is incremented by one and the timestamp is updated. The source counter is then compared to a source threshold, and if the source counter exceeds the source threshold over the course of predetermined amount of time, a source alarm is triggered. A sliding with respect to the predetermined amount of time may also be implemented to account for total counts that may fall across or be split by set periods of time. The invention is particularly useful for detecting “spam” events and undesirable routing loops.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to detection of suspicious traffic patterns over a network. More specifically, the present invention relates to such detection in wireless messaging networks based, for example, on source and destination addresses and/or timing.
2. Background of the Invention
Spam is a problem that plagues much of today's communications networks and, particularly, telecommunications networks. As used herein, "spam" includes mass messaging from one or a small set of origination numbers associated with wireless devices, such as mobile telephones, that frequently contain unwanted or otherwise undesirable content. Spam often takes the form of an unusually large number of messages from a single source address to multiple recipients, and may be caused by applications that send messages to a wireless network via a telephone handset connected to a computer or wireless modem. In addition, spam may be defined as a large number of messages sent from a single source to a single destination address with no corresponding messages in the reverse direction. While not strictly considered spam in the traditional meaning, this may constitute, for example, a denial-of-service-like misuse of the messaging network that a carrier may want to be alerted to, or, it may also indicate an undesirable "routing loop".
As used herein, the term "routing loop" refers to a situation whereby one carrier, e.g., a mobile telephone network provider, recognizes a number as being out of its system and forwards the call or message associated with that number to another network, or an intermediary that logically bridges different networks. The intermediary (or other network), however, recognizes the number as belonging to the original carrier's system and sends the message back. This routing and re-routing can continue indefinitely.
Undesirable looping can often occur in the context of number portability (NP), whereby two entities, e.g., a wireless carrier and an inter-carrier vendor, in a message exchange environment have, at a given moment in time, different routing information for a specific telephone number. For example, the inter-carrier vendor may have received and processed a notification of a porting event for a telephone number via a real-time porting/pooling data feed, but the wireless carrier has, for any number of reasons, not yet updated its local routing information to reflect the notification. This conflict can result in the above-described message or routing loop.
In such a circumstance, the carrier will determine (incorrectly) that, for example, a Short Message Service (SMS) message that is addressed to a telephone number is outside of its network and will, accordingly, pass the message to the inter-carrier vendor for delivery. The vendor (or intermediary) will determine (correctly) that the telephone number has been ported to the carrier and should thus be serviced by that carrier and will, accordingly, return the message to the carrier for delivery. The message will then be bounced back and forth indefinitely without ever being sent to the intended recipient.
Both spam and routing loops create problems for carriers and customers alike. It would be desirable to identify, reduce and possibly even eliminate spam and routing loops within communication networks. This would be especially desirable within wireless communication networks that handle data such as SMS messages.

Dual use counters for routing loops and spam detection


A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes providing a time protocol assistant associated with a time-synchronized domain (TSD). The TSD includes a set of nodes that are synchronized to a same time source. The TSD has defined egress and ingress edge points where bidirectional measurements can be made and the egress and ingress edge points are coupled to the time protocol assistant. The method also includes synchronizing one or more packets flowing through a network that includes the TSD through the same time source. In more specific embodiments, the nodes are synchronized to the same time source via the network and the same time source is a grandmaster clock that synchronizes one or more transparent clocks. In yet other embodiments, the transparent clocks manipulate precision time protocol (PTP) packets sent by the grandmaster clock.

Networking architectures have grown increasingly complex in communication environments. This complexity has resulted in numerous protocols being implemented to ensure that network elements and packets are synchronized via some clock source. There is an emerging need to distribute accurate time and frequency over packet switched networks for a variety of applications.
When offering time and/or frequency transport from a customer over one or more service provider networks, or between network domains within a large enterprise, inter and intra domain issues typically arise. For example, a service provider may synchronize its own network to one clock source, but be required to transport time from a different source [and time-scale] over its network, as part of a contracted service. Traversing multiple domains also introduces new security problems and demands on equipment. For example, 'on-path hardware support' for time-stamping may exist for aiding time transport, but hardware support for authenticating the timestamp in transit (as an atomic operation or one that adjusts for time variants of the computed and applied hash) may not.
Hence, the ability to offer a system or a protocol that offers an effective synchronization for network communications and elements (without hindering system speeds, creating unnecessary overhead, or overtaxing processing capabilities of network components) provides a significant challenge to network designers, component manufacturers, service providers, and system administrators alike.

System and method for providing quality inter-domain network time transport


An electronic control apparatus configured to control electric power steering and provided integrally with an electric motor is electrically connected to an ignition switch and which assists a rotation operation of a steering column by rotation of the electric motor. A first magnetism detecting element configured to operate using power supplied via the ignition switch to output a first set of rotation angle signals of the electric motor. A second magnetism detecting element configured to operate continuously using continuously supplied power to output a second set of rotation angle signals of the electric motor. A controller configured or programmed to generate rotation angle information about the electric motor based on the first set of rotation angle signals and the second set of rotation angle signals outputted while the ignition switch is stopped and to calculate a position of a steering wheel from the generated rotation angle information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic control apparatus for electric power steering preferable for use in a vehicle in which an electric motor is used to assist an operation of rotating a steering column.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electric power steering apparatus is provided with an angle sensor for detecting a steering angle of a steering wheel (a rotation angle of a steering column). For example, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-103089, the angle sensor operates by power supplied from a battery, and it has a rotation angle sensor for detecting a rotation angle of the rotation shaft of an electric motor, such as a brushless DC motor. The rotation angle sensor refers to an MR sensor or the like which is constituted by magnetoresistive elements for detecting change in the magnetic field of a rotation member constituted by a magnetic body attached to the rotation shaft of the electric motor.
The MR sensor is arranged so that the phase is displaced by π/2 according to a rotation angle of the rotation member, and the magnetoresistive elements the electrical resistance value of which changes according to strength of the magnetic field constitute a bridge circuit. By the angle sensor configured as described above, a controller can acquire an angle signal of a sine wave (sin θ) and a cosine wave (cos θ) corresponding to a rotation angle θ of the electric motor.
Further, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-103090, there are known an angle sensor capable of continuing acquiring information related to the steering angle of a steering wheel even under an environment where the ignition switch is not operating, and an electric power steering apparatus steering provided with the angle sensor.
According to the prior-art techniques described above, since it is necessary to provide an angle sensor inside an electric motor, the angle sensor and a controller therefor are separately required. A harness is also necessary to connect the angle sensor and the controller. With increase in the number of parts, measures for noise are also required, which causes increase in cost. Furthermore, when an abnormality occurs in the angle sensor, normal assist control becomes impossible. This is a problem from a viewpoint of reliability.

Electronic control unit for electric power steering


The invention concerns a procedure for determining the composition of a fuel mixture from a first fuel and a second fuel or for determining the quality of a fuel for operating a combustion engine with at least one cylinder pressure sensor in at least one cylinder of the combustion engine for determining the pressure history during a combustion process and a cylinder pressure based motor regulation for regulating the load and the combustion situation of the combustion engine. It is thereby provided that the determination of the composition of the fuel mixture or the quality of the fuel takes place with the aid of regulator information of the cylinder-pressure-based motor regulation. The procedure enables the continuing determination of the composition of the fuel mixture and the quality of the fuel at cylinder-pressure-based motor regulations without additional components as for example an ethanol sensor.

Combustion engines on the basis of Otto engines are generally operated with fuel consisting of hydrocarbons and fossil fuels on the basis of refined oil. Ethanol that has been increasingly produced from re-growing natural resources (plants) or another alcohol s added to this fuel in different mixing ratios. In the US and in Europe often a mixture of 70-85% ethanol and 15-30% gasoline is used under the trade name E85. The combustion engines are construed in such a way that they can be operated with pure gasoline as well as with mixtures up to E85; this is called 'flex-fuel-operation'. For an economical operation with a low pollutant emission at a simultaneously high engine performance and good starting behavior the operating parameters in the flex-fuel-operation have to be adapted to the present fuel mixture. A stoichiometric air/fuel ratio is for example present at 14.7 weight proportions of air per proportion of gasoline, but an air percentage of 9 weight proportions has to be adjusted when using pure ethanol. Slight and/or slow changes of the alcohol content can be detected and considered by the engine management of the combustion engine with the aid of a lambda probe and/or a knock sensor. But for example after refueling also quick changes with a significant deviation of the composition of the fuel mixture can occur. If the combustion engine was operated with 100% gasoline and refueled with E85 at an almost empty tank, this can cause starting problems and complications with the combustion, which can also increase the exhaust gas emission. According to the state of the art such fast changes of the composition of the fuel can be detected with the aid of an alcohol sensor. But this component increases the costs of the combustion engine.
For operating diesel engines biodiesel-components, known as fame-fuels, are increasingly added to the diesel fuel that is won from raw oil. Furthermore fuels of the 2nd generation, produced from the entire biomass (cellulose), are known. These fuels, for example under the trade name SunFuel, are shortly before a series maturity and can also be added to the diesel fuel. Therefore the composition of the ultimately present fuel and related to this the combustion features of the fuel mixture can alternate in wide ranges.
Known are furthermore motor regulations, which take place on the basis of a direct, cylinder individual combustion chamber signals. Preferably cylinder pressure sensors are here used as a sensor, which determined the pressure history during a combustion cycle in temporal high-resolution. Thereby the average induced pressure pmi can be provided for example as a measure for the mechanical work that has been performed by the combustion engine and the status of the combustion focus MFB50 (mass fraction burnt 50%) that has been determined from the pressure history as a reference variable of the regulation. Such cylinder-pressure-based motor regulation concepts regulate the main effects of a change of the composition of the present fuel mixture onto the combustion almost completely away.
A procedure for determining the composition of a fuel mixture from at least a first fuel and a second fuel for operating a combustion engine is known from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/126,075, whereby the first and the second fuel provide different rates of combustion and/or different energy contents and whereby the combustion engine provides at least one pressure sensor in at least one combustion chamber, with which a time- and/or angle-synchronic pressure history in the combustion chamber is determined. Thereby it is provided that the composition of the fuel mixture is determined from the time- and/or angle-synchronic pressure history of the gas pressure in the at least one combustion chamber during a combustion phase.
This procedure has the disadvantage that it is a pure detection function, thus that a separate evaluation electronic for determining the composition of the fuel mixture from the data of the pressure sensor besides the pressure sensor has to be provided.
It is the task of the invention to provide a procedure, which allows a reliable and inexpensive detection of the composition of a fuel mixture or the quality of a fuel within an existing regulation concept for combustion engines.

Procedure for determining a fuel composition or a fuel quality


An optical device includes a first substrate, having first and second surfaces, and a second substrate having a third surface. The first substrate includes: a laser unit, having an active layer and emitting light into the first substrate from the active layer; a reflecting mirror, having a plane obliquely intersecting an optical axis of light emitted from the laser unit, and being formed on the first surface so as to reflect the light toward the second surface; and a convex lens, being formed in a region on the second surface, the region including an optical axis of the light reflected by the reflecting mirror. The second substrate is provided with a grating coupler and an optical waveguide on the third surface, the optical waveguide having light incident on the grating coupler propagating therethrough.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Interconnection capacity within an information device such as a router or a server is increasing yearly. In the related art, although electrical interconnection has been used, it is preferable to use optical interconnection in order to realize further capacity enlargement. As one of techniques for realizing optical interconnection, silicon photonics is being developed. In order to realize the silicon photonics, a material which is capable of crystal growth on a silicon substrate and capable of laser oscillation is desired, but such a material is not known on a practical level.

Optical device having a substrate and a laser unit that emits light into the substrate


A Baby Monitoring Mat is provided having a top mesh layer, a bottom mesh layer, two flexible sheets, and an optical cable. The optical cable can be routed between the top mesh layer and the bottom mesh layer. The flexible sheets are also between the top mesh layer and the bottom mesh layer forming a sensing area. A light source is provided for feeding light from one side of the optical cable to a photodiode for detecting light attenuation at the other end of the optical cable. A processor receives signals from the light source and photodiode and the signals are processed to determine movements and breath counts. The signals are generated based on the light attenuation changes along the optical fiber cable detected by photodiode. A method for monitoring baby on a mat is also provided.

Currently, there are products in the consumer market that can detect baby-breathing movement using different sensing technology.
One method is based on piezoresistive pressure sensor pads that are placed beneath the mattress for detecting movements. This type of pressure sensor pad may include a micro-machined silicon diaphragm with piezoresistive strain gauges diffused into it, such as fused to a silicon or glass backplate. Pressure induced strain increases the value of the radial resistance. This resistance change can be high as 30%. The resistors are connected as a Wheatstone Bridge Circuit, the output of which is directly proportional to the pressure applied to the pressure sensor pads.
The pressure sensor pads may detect movement of the baby sleeping on the mattress, including breathing action by baby. But such sensors often provide false alarms that may arise from high sensitivity of the pressure sensor pad to any surrounding vibrations transmitted to the pressure sensor through the bed frame structure. Further, such pressure pad would not work properly on a spring-based mattress. In addition, although such pressure sensor pad is also able to pick up breathing action, it does not provide any breath count because it is not able to differentiate the type of movements occurring on the bed.
There exists another sensor that is based on the properties of piezo film (strip of piezoelectric PVDF polymer film) as a dynamic strain sensor to detect the breathing rate of an infant. Such sensor uses a PVDF-monitor device clipped to the waistband of the baby's diaper. When the baby breathes, its stomach movement causes strain to the piezo film materials, which generates the signal for detecting breathing movements. Such a sensor, however, also provides false alarms arising from bad contact between a diaper or nappy and a body of a baby, especially if the baby body circumference is small or the diaper or nappy is too large or too loose for the baby. Further, such a sensor is also not able to provide any breath count; only detects for non-breath movement.

Baby monitoring mat based on fiber optic sensor


A device may monitor traffic or a data feed associated with a user equipment (UE). The traffic or the data feed may include a set of parameters related to a temporary interference to a beam of a respective set of beams associated with the UE, a user experience of a user of the UE, or a quality of a communication link between the UE and a base station (BS), of a set of network slices used by the UE, or of a quality of (QoS) profile associated with the UE. The device may perform a first analysis related to identifying the temporary interference, a second analysis related to determining the user experience, or a third analysis related to determining the quality. The device may perform one or more actions related to addressing the temporary interference, the user experience, or the quality.

Within a network, interfaces connect various components to or within the network. For example, in a long-term evolution (LTE) network, interfaces permit a mobility management entity device (MME), a serving gateway (SGW), a packet data network gateway (PGW), and/or the like to communicate. In 5G/new radio (NR), a base station transmits a set of beams associated with a cell.


A print device includes a tape mounting portion, a tape print portion, a tape discharge portion, a tube mounting portion, a ribbon mounting portion, a tube print portion, and a tube discharge portion. The tape mounting portion is configured such that a tape is detachably mounted in the tape mounting portion. The tube mounting portion is configured such that a tube is detachably mounted in the tube mounting portion along a predetermined direction. The ribbon mounting portion is configured such that an ink ribbon is detachably mounted in the ribbon mounting portion. The tape mounting portion and the ribbon mounting portion are disposed on a same side with respect to the tube mounting portion, and are disposed side by side along the predetermined direction.

The present disclosure relates to a print device that is provided with a plurality of printing mechanisms.
In related art, a print device is known that is configured to perform printing on a tube. Further, a print device is known that is provided with a plurality of printing mechanisms. For example, a print device is known in which two printing mechanisms are provided in a left and right arrangement. A print device is known in which two printing mechanisms are provided in an up and down arrangement. A print device is known in which two printing mechanisms are provided in a front and rear arrangement.


The disclosure provides a practical system and methods for implementing an adaptive free-space optical network with a high-connectivity, dynamic mesh topology. The network can have operational characteristics similar to those of RF mobile ad-hock networks. Each node has one or more optical terminals that may utilize space-time division multiplexing, which entails rapid spatial hopping of optical beams to provide a high dynamic node degree without incurring high cost or high size, weight, and power requirements. As a consequence the network rapidly sequences through a series of topologies, during each of which connected nodes communicate. Each optical terminal may include a plurality of dedicated acquisition and tracking apertures which can be used to increase the speed at which traffic links can be switched between nodes and change the network topology. An RF overlay network may be provided to act as a control plane and be used to provide node discovery and adaptive route planning for the optical network.

Highly-connected radio frequency and microwave communication networks, commonly referred to as mesh networks, are known. Mesh networks provide high availability by maintaining a high degree of connectivity between nodes. Compared to RF communications, Free-Space Optical (FSO) communications provide higher data rates, lower probability of detection, and are less susceptible to jamming. In addition, FSO communications are not subject to spectrum usage limits. While RE mesh networks are widely used in tactical situations, FSO systems generally remain a collection of point-to-point links (node degree≦2). Such low-connectivity systems may have high latency, low throughput, and poor resilience as any single broken optical link may partition the network into disconnected segments.
Attempts have been made to achieve FSO networks having a higher node degree. Some systems provide multiple (N) optical terminals at each node (node degree=N). However, this approach does not scale in practice, as each increase in node degree requires an additional high-speed optical communications terminal and thus significantly increases the cost and size, weight, and power (SWaP) characteristics. It will be appreciated that a small aircraft or vehicle may support at most two optical communications terminals (node degree≦2). Other systems may increase availability by providing an RE overlay network in addition to optical point-to-point links, wherein the RE network can provide backup and control capabilities. However, such hybrid networks do not actually achieve a higher optical node degree and thus may suffer from degraded data rates, higher probability of detection, and lower jam resistance when a single optical traffic link is broken. Therefore, there is a need for a FSO network with a high node degree and which requires a minimal number of optical communications terminals at each node.


A business form product (10) broadly including a printable sheet (12), a magnetic sheet (14) aligned edge-to-edge with the printable sheet (12) to define a seam (16), and a heat-resistant tape (18) applied over the seam (16) to retain the sheets (12,14) in the edge-to-edge relationship is disclosed. The inventive business form product (10, 106) is formed by joining multiple continuous webs (38, 58) edge-to-edge and marrying the webs (38,58) with a continuous streamer of tape (86) in a press (36). A preferred embodiment of the inventive method of forming the continuous sheet (106) is disclosed wherein at least one rotatable mechanical web guide (72) is used to align the webs (38,58) in the edge-to-edge relationship, thereby enabling precise alignment not available with existing optic-type web guides. A preferred embodiment of the printable business form product (10) is disclosed wherein heat-resistant tape (18) enables the business form product (10) to be printed in high-heat printing applications (e.g., printed in an offline laser printer) without fracturing the taped seam (16).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to printable forms formed in a rotary press. More specifically, the present invention concerns a continuous printable sheet, and individual printable forms sheeted therefrom, wherein the continuous printable sheet is formed by joining multiple continuous webs edge-to-edge and marrying the webs with a heat-resistant tape. A preferred embodiment of the inventive method of forming the continuous sheet includes utilizing at least one rotatable mechanical web guide to align the webs, thereby enabling precise alignment not available with existing optic-type web guides. A preferred embodiment of the printable form includes a heat-resistant tape that enables the form to be printed in high-heat printing applications (e.g., printed in an offline laser printer) without fracturing the taped seam.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
It is desirable in many printing applications to join multiple continuous webs in a press to form a single continuous printable sheet that can be printed, sheeted into forms before or after printing, etc. It is desirable to enable joining differing webs, for example, webs formed of different materials (e.g., paper, magnetic material, etc.) and/or having differing thicknesses (e.g., one web having a single layer and one web having multiple layers, etc.). However, the continuous printable sheet, and any individual form, or blank, formed therefrom, is preferably adapted to be subsequently fed through any desired printing system (e.g., a downstream inline print station in a press, an offline laser printer, etc.). Accordingly, the multiple webs must be sufficiently adhered together, or married, to enable the resulting sheet to withstand a subsequent printing operation. Adhesion applications have proven difficult and ineffective when using certain types of substrates, and have prevented the utilization of certain types of printing systems. For example, when a relatively thick substrate is used in one of the webs (e.g., a magnetic substrate, a plastic substrate, etc.) for joinder with a relatively thin web (e.g., paper, etc.), the thicker web must typically be overlain with the thinner web to provide the necessary strength of the seam. The thickness of the adhesion seam is undesirable if the resulting blank cannot be fed into a desktop printer, such as a laser or ink jet printer.
It is known in the art to overlay the edges of continuous webs and adhere the webs together with a glue-type adhesive to form a single continuous sheet. It is known in the art to utilize optic-type web guides to align the webs prior to joinder. One example of the prior art web guides are available as special orders (e.g., configured for the specific thickness and the width of the web as provided by the customer) from Coast Controls Inc. of Sarasota, Fla. It is also known in the art to utilize tape to retain die cut, removable sections in a continuous sheet or a blank, such as a card. These prior art joinder methods and prior art taping techniques are problematic and subject to several undesirable limitations.
For example, the prior art joinder methods produce a thick seam including both substrates and the adhesive, wherein the adhesive may comprise multiple layers. When one of the substrates is relatively thick (e.g., a magnetic or plastic substrate), the thick seams do not enable the forms to be fed into a laser printer. Moreover, the thickness of the seam hinders or even prevents the forms from being stacked up, as is desirable for offline printing applications. The prior art optic-type web guides used to align the substrates prior to joinder do not enable the desired tolerances for edge-to-edge marrying. For example, prior art web guides typically include a sensor that effects aligning movement of an upstream roller. However, there is a necessary delay in sensing a web is out of alignment and the corrective realignment of the upstream roller. This delay results in a see-saw type movement of the web, or a "loop." Accordingly, prior art web guides are limited to alignment tolerances of about one-thirty-seconds inch or at best one-sixty-fourths inch. It is also known in the art to run the web over a stationary obstruction (e.g., a piece of metal, etc.) in the web's path to effect alignment. However, this method of alignment causes large amounts of friction between the web and the obstruction, which results in heat, which in turn leads to undesired damage of the web.
The prior art taping techniques do not enable the form or blank to be printed in some desirable printing systems. For example, it is becoming increasingly more popular for end users to print forms or blanks in their own desktop laser printers. However, these laser printers are relatively high-heat printing stations that subject the forms to temperatures as high as 175 degrees Fahrenheit. The prior art taping techniques utilized tape that could not withstand the temperatures of the high-heat printing stations, i.e., the tape would lose its integrity and the seam would fracture.

Form having abutting tape-interconnected substrates and method of making same


A method and system for reducing interference in a wireless communication network is disclosed. The wireless communication network has at least one base station using an antenna array and one or more code channels to receive or transmit one or more communication signals from or to a plurality of terminals used by one or more users. A signal received by the antenna array carries one or more training sequences and a traffic signal in a frame. After estimating a spatial signature and joint channel response model per user based on the training sequences, one or more spatial weights are found based on the estimated spatial signature and joint channel response model to maximize a signal to noise ratio. A joint detection matrix is then formed based on the estimated spatial weights, the joint channel response model, and a user code channel assignment. After code correlating a traffic signal to obtain one or more user specific multi-antenna signals, a spatial combining is performed on one or more multi-antenna signals associated with each user to generate scalar symbol estimates. Thereafter, a joint detection is done based on the scalar symbol estimates using the joint detection matrix. Similar techniques can be used for downlink communications.

Techniques described herein relate to a wireless communication system in general, and more particularly, to a method and system for detecting a desired signal and reducing types of interference such as multi-user inter-symbol-interference (MU-ISI), multi-code interference (MCI), or inter network interference (INI).
A wireless communication involves a cellular structure where a call control and management device such as a base station is placed at the center of a cell and communicate with a number of terminals such as handsets or other communication devices using a predetermined frequency band. As such, the wireless communication network can serve multiple users. For the purpose of discussion, the term "terminal" is used interchangeably with the term "user" as each one terminal must have at least one user.
As it is well known, when the base station transmits signals to the terminal, the communication is referred to as a downlink communication. Similarly, when the terminal transmits signals back to the base station, it is known as an uplink communication. During both the uplink and downlink communications, the receivers of base stations or terminals receive the combination of the signals of interest and interfering communication interference signals such as multi-user inter-symbol-interference (MU-ISI), multi-code interference (MCI) and inter network interference (INI).
To support high speed internet access and multimedia communications, CDMA is extended to function as both access and variable rate modulation scheme. In this case, multiple codes can be assigned to a single user in response to dynamic communication traffic. So each user may be characterized by multiple code signatures. As is well known, the capacity of a CDMA system is largely limited by the multiple code interference (MCI) due to non-orthogonality among user signature waveforms as well as multi-user inter-symbol interference (MU-ISI) due to signature overlapping caused by channel dispersion. In synchronous communication systems, spreading codes are chosen to be mutually orthogonal. However, channel distortion, physical multipath or imperfect timing, can destroy this ideal property and introduce signature dispersion which causes the MCI and MU-ISI. The MU-ISI can be removed by inserting guard chips between symbols which causes low spectrum efficiency. The MCI and MU-ISI can also be mitigated by method of equalization which is effective only in the single user case. In addition to aforementioned intracell interference, other communications in the vicinity of the cell wherein the desired communication is carried out generate interference. All such types of interference are collectively referred to as the inter-network interference (INI). High INI also limits the system capacity.
In summary, the interference issue most likely arises in the following scenarios: (1) when air links suffer dispersive multipath with delay spread larger than the inversion of signal bandwidth and/or when timing is not perfect, the ideal orthogonality among spreading codes is destroyed, and the MCI and MU-ISI occurred; (2) when any undesired communications in the neighborhood of the cell generate the INI; (3) when non-orthogonal spreading codes are used by design to increase system utilization and throughput.
Smart antennas and joint detection are two powerful techniques proposed to suppress the above described types of interference in the space and time domain respectively. Smart antennas system employs antenna array at the base station to provide beamforming gain and/or diversity gain against interference and fading, thereby greatly enhancing signal-to-interference ratio at both the base station and mobile site. Further enhancement can be achieved in a multi-cell environment by explicitly making use of discrepancy in the spatial signatures between desired users and interfering sources. On the other hand, multiuser detection exploits the distinction in the temporal signature waveforms of multiple accessing users and applies either linear nulling and/or nonlinear soft/hard decision based cancellation to extract user information in a significantly more efficient way than conventional methods.
A big challenge of incorporating space-time processing into a base station is how to achieve both spatial and temporal diversity gain and capacity improvement in a multi-interference environment with reasonable computational complexity. In order to avail coherent detection, accurate and fast estimation of space-time channel response for multiple users is required in an interference prone and mobile environment.
What is needed is an improved method and system for offering all desired gains by employing multiple antennas and codes with reasonable complexity for detecting desired signals and canceling the various undesirable types of interference.

Method and system for interference reduction in a wireless communication network using a joint detector


A bearing includes an annular cup having an outer race and a radially extending flap. The flap defines an inner circumferential surface and a notch extending outwardly from the inner circumferential surface. The notch includes opposing radially extending sides, an outer circumferential wall, and a locking lip raised from the outer wall. Rolling elements are seated on the outer race and arranged to ride on a shaft. A sealing disc has an outer circumferential surface disposed against the inner circumferential surface and a tab received in the notch with the locking lip extending radially over the tab to secure the scaling disc to the cup.

A bearing is one type of friction-reducing component. Many different types of bearings are used in a variety of applications. Rolling bearings are one type of bearing that are commonly used in automotive applications. A typical rolling bearing includes a first race, a second race, and a plurality of rolling elements disposed between the first and second races. The rolling elements may be spherical (commonly called ball bearings) or cylindrical (sometimes called needle bearings). The rolling elements act between the races to provide smooth, low friction rotation. A cage is sometimes used to hold the rolling elements in place to prevent contact and maintain spacing. The cage is disposed in the space defined between the races.