The present invention provides a high-quality semiconductor device in which deterioration in transistor characteristics and an increase in interface layer due to a gate insulating film are suppressed, and a method for manufacturing the same. In the present invention, an interface layer, a diffusion suppressing layer and a high dielectric constant insulating film are formed sequentially in this order on one surface of a silicon substrate.

In recent years, with the increase in integration of semiconductors, a material for use in a gate insulating film of a MIS transistor has been shifted from SiO2, obtained by oxidizing a conventional silicon substrate (Si substrate), to a material (high-k) having a larger dielectric constant. However, there are problems with the high-k material in that the dielectric constant of the high-k material decreases due to mutual diffusion of the high-k material and the Si substrate, and further, the diffusion layer increases due to heat treatment performed in the transistor production process.
In order to solve the problems as described above, for example, a technique has been proposed which is described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-43565. This is a technique in which a Si3N4 film obtained by nitriding Si is once formed on a Si substrate and then a high-k film is formed so that the mutual diffusion of the Si substrate and the high-k material can be prevented.
However, in the technique described in the above-mentioned publication, there has occurred a problem of deterioration in transistor characteristics due to the existence of nitrogen in the vicinity of the Si interface, and this has prevented certain production of a high-quality MIS transistor.
The present invention was made, taking note of the foregoing matters, and has an object to provide a high-quality semiconductor device in which deterioration in transistor characteristics and an increase in interface layer due to a gate insulating film are suppressed, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same


An electric operating part assembly has a switching mat and switching mat domes which are arranged therein and which can be operated by the effect of a vertical force. The operating part has at least one pull rocker which, in its longitudinal course, is arranged parallel to the surface of the switching mat. When the pull rocker is operated, a switching arm of the pull rocker situated opposite the operating arm will move a ram arranged between the switching arm and the switching mat dome, for operating the switching mat dome, in the direction of the switching mat dome.

This application claims the priority of German Application No.: 10 2004 029 172.1-34 filed on Jun. 16, 2004, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention is based on an electric operating part, as known, for example, from German Patent Document DE 44 15 665 A1.
This German Patent Document DE 44 15 665 A1 describes an operating part for an electric apparatus with a front panel, in which switching keys are arranged which can be swivelled about a first swivel bearing, and with key parts situated behind the front panel. When these key parts are pressed in, switching points are operated which are arranged behind the front panel. Furthermore, a converter lever is provided between a switching key and the switching point and carries out a mediator function in that it converts a possibly excessively steep setting angle of the switching key to a very low setting angle at the switching mat.
In the case of the operating part according to the invention, as a result of the arrangement of switching mats in combination with pull rockers, the possibility is created of producing the operating part by means of simple technological devices, which causes low tool costs and permits a simple and space-saving assembly. It is known that a switching mat is constructed such that electric contacts, which are also called switching mat domes, are provided in the flat mat, the operating of the switching mat domes taking place by a pressure onto these switching mat domes, so that the electric contact is closed and the desired function is switched on and/or off. The implementation of the operations of the switching mat domes by means of pull rockers permits the exercising of a vertically acting pressure onto the switching mat domes, whereby a point-accurate operation is ensured. Furthermore, this arrangement has the advantage that only a few moving parts and no additional deflecting mechanisms, as described in the prior art, are required. This significantly improves the haptics and the service life and provides for a faster and process-reliable manufacturing. Another advantage of the arrangement according to certain preferred embodiments of the invention is the fact two identical pull rockers can be arranged opposite one another at a narrow distance.
The operating part according to the invention is illustrated in the drawing and will be explained in detail in the following.
Additional details of preferred embodiments of the invention are characterized in the claims.
An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be described in detail in the following.

Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft


In order to detachably mount a module to a plug-in unit while reliably realizing electromagnetic shielding of the plug-in unit in a communication apparatus having a sub-rack and the plug-in unit electrically connected to the sub-rack, the present invention provides a second shield cover member covering a portion protruding from a front end surface of a printed board in an interface part and having a first opening to expose a connection with an outside provided at a front end of the interface part to the outside, the first opening being in contact with a circumferential surface of the interface part and a shield mechanism interposed between the second shield cover member and a front cover member to cover a gap between a second opening of the front cover member and an outer circumferential surface of the second shield cover member.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug-in unit mechanically and electrically connected to a sub-rack having a back plane with a connector and a communication apparatus having such a plug-in unit, and in particular, relates to a technique for realizing electromagnetic shielding and reduction of an influence caused by static electricity in a plug-in unit.
2) Description of the Related Art
With rapid progress of technological innovation, present-day electronic devices are ever on their way to higher performance such as improvement in processing speed and higher-density packaging of electronic components, and accompanying such trends are a rapid increase in radiant quantity of electromagnetic waves from internal circuits of electronic devices and much shorter wavelengths of electromagnetic waves due to higher processing speeds.
Electromagnetic waves can have harmful effects such as malfunctioning and noise contamination of nearby devices, and inoperability and noise contamination of radio broadcasting of TV and radio and radio communications. Also with higher performance, electronic devices have become more sensitive, and malfunctioning by receiving electromagnetic waves radiated by nearby devices and destruction and malfunctioning of electronic components caused by static electricity are more likely to occur. Grave damage such as malfunctioning and destruction caused by these electromagnetic waves and static electricity is a very important challenge to stable operation of electronic devices and demand for electromagnetic shielding and making electronic devices unsusceptible to influences of static electricity is increasing with higher performance of electronic devices.
Thus, for a communication apparatus in which a plurality of plug-in units are installed in a sub-rack device by insertion, a technique (for example, see Patent Document 1) in which, in a plug-in unit, electromagnetic shielding is realized by covering a printed wiring board (hereinafter referred to as a printed board) on which electronic components are mounted with a metallic case has been proposed.
By making electromagnetic waves more unlikely to have an influence to the outside of a plug-in unit with implementation of electromagnetic shielding in the plug-in unit, an influence of electromagnetic waves on electronic devices near the plug-in unit can be eliminated.
Further, a technique (for example, see Patent Document 2) to realize reduction of an influence caused by static electricity by grounding the plug-in units via the sub-rack device has also been proposed.
Here, a communication apparatus 100 having a conventional electromagnetic shielding mechanism will be described with reference to FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. The communication apparatus 100 comprises a sub-rack device 120 adopting a bookshelf form and a plurality of plug-in units 110 mounted in the sub-rack device 120. Numeral 110′ in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 denotes the plug-in unit 110 before assembled.
The plug-in unit 110 comprises a front panel 111, a printed board 112, and a shield cover 113 so that the front panel 111 covers the front of the printed board 112 and the shield cover 113 covers upper and lower surfaces and both sides of the printed board 112.
Meanwhile, card levers 114 for linking to the shield cover 113 are rotatably placed opposite to each other in upper and lower parts of the front panel 111.
Here, a more detailed description of the plug-in unit 110 will be provided. The printed board 112 of the plug-in unit 110 is inserted into the cylindrical or box-shaped shield cover 113 via arm members 115a and 115b placed to extend along the upper and lower surfaces of the printed board 112, and further the front panel 111 and each of the arm members 115a and 115b of the plug-in unit 110 are linked.
Each of the arm members 115a and 115b comprises plates 115c and 115d sandwiching the printed board 112 with a predetermined space from both sides and a pin 115e that is interposed between the plates 115c and 115d and whose ends are joined to the plates 115c and 115d.
Then, as shown in FIG. 10(a), a cutout 112a extending toward a top end surface of the printed board 112 is provided at a position corresponding to the pin 115e of the arm member 115a of the printed board 112, and the cutout 112a extending toward a lower end of the printed board 112 is also provided at a position corresponding to the pin 115e of the arm member 115b of the printed board 112.
The pin 115e is inserted into each of these cutouts 112a, and a width W of the cutout 112a is designed to be slightly larger than a diameter D of the pin 115e so that the printed board 112 has little play in an insertion/removal direction (a1-a2 direction) of the sub-rack device of the plug-in unit 110.
A length F of the cutout 112a, on the other hand, is designed to be larger than the diameter D of the pin 115e so that the printed board 112 is freely movable in a vertical direction (b1-b2 direction)
By configuring the plug-in unit 110 such that the printed board 112 is freely movable in the vertical direction, a back plane connector 122 (See FIG. 8) provided in a back plane 121 (See FIG. 8) of the sub-rack device 120 and a plug-in unit connector 116 provided at a rear end of the printed board 112 can be connected without being influenced by variations (tolerance accumulation) of dimensions of components of the plug-in unit 110 and sub-rack device 120.
Here, an insertion sequence of the plug-in unit 110 into the sub-rack device 120 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10(a) to (c). First, as shown in FIG. 10(a), the plug-in unit 110 is moved in an insertion direction (a1 direction) along a lower rail 123 (See FIG. 8) of the sub-rack device 120 in a process of inserting the plug-in unit 110 into the sub-rack device 120.
Then, as shown in FIG. 10(b), the plug-in unit 110 is further inserted into the sub-rack device 120 so that a guide projection 116a of the plug-in unit connector 116 and a guide hole 122a of the back plane connector 122 are brought into contact. If the plug-in unit 110 is further inserted, since the printed board 112 is configured to be freely movable in the vertical direction, the printed board 112 is moved to an appropriate position in the vertical direction (b1-b2 direction) to be plugged in by being guided by end faces of the guide projection 116a and guide hole 112a so that, as shown in FIG. 10(c), the plug-in unit connector 116 can reliably be connected to the back plane connector 122.
Meanwhile, a module called a pig tail in which an optical fiber cable is connected to an optical module in an undetachable state has conventionally been used widely as an optical module mounted in a communication apparatus to switch electric and optical signals (See, for example, Patent Document 3).
FIGS. 11(a) to (c) show a plug-in unit 130 in which an optical module 131 of a conventional pig tail type is mounted. FIG. 11(c) is a C-C′ sectional view of a front portion of the plug-in unit 130 shown in FIG. 11(a). When the optical module 131 to which an optical fiber cable 132 is connected in an undetachable state is used, as shown in FIG. 11(a), the optical module 131 is electrically connected to a printed board 130a by being fastened to the printed board 130a by soldering.
As shown in FIGS. 11(b) and (c), the plug-in unit 130 has an interface 140 for optical fiber connection on a front side. The interface 140 is configured by arranging an optical adapter 141 for connecting and relaying an optical connector to both sides on a swing 142 that is rotatable with respect to a front panel 130b and also connecting another end of the optical fiber cable 132 connected to the optical module 131 for converting electric and optical signals in an undetachable state to the optical adapter 141.
As shown in FIG. 11(c), the conventional plug-in unit 130 in which the optical module 131 of the pig tail type is mounted has a boundary part 133 between the printed board 130a and swing 142 and electromagnetic shielding is thereby realized.
Meanwhile, with ever higher functionality of electronic components, plug-in units in which an optical module [for example, SFP (Small form Factor Pluggable)] obtained by insertably/removably connecting an optical fiber cable and optical module to an optical connector is mounted are nowadays increasingly used.
FIGS. 12(a) and (b) show a plug-in unit 150 in which an SFP 152 is mounted. As shown in FIGS. 12(a) and (b), the plug-in unit 150 has only cases (cages) 153 and electric connectors (not shown) fastened to a printed board 151 for housing the SFPs 152 and the SFP 152 is insertable/removable into/from the case 153. The printed board 151 has four SFPs 152 and cases 153 mounted on the printed board 151.
Then, a front panel 154 of the plug-in unit 150 has an opening (hole) 155 for exposing the SFP 152 to the outside provided at a position corresponding to the SFP 152 and the SFP 152 is thereby mounted in a state in which the SFP 152 is detachable from the front of the plug-in unit 150.
For reasons described above with reference to FIGS. 10(a) to (c), a height (opening length in the vertical direction) of the opening 155 of the front panel 154 is made sufficiently higher (longer) than that (length in the vertical direction) of the SFP 152 also in the plug-in unit 150 to make the printed board 151 freely movable in the vertical direction (b1-b2 direction).
In the plug-in unit 150, as described above, even when a necessity for classification change such as a wavelength of optical signals arises, an end user can cope with the necessity by a simple means of replacing the SFP 152 with another optical module by configuring the SFP 152 to be detachable from the printed board 151 and thus diversified requests to the communication apparatus can be met.
However, as described above with reference to FIG. 11, while the plug-in unit 130 in which the optical module 131 of the pig tail type is mounted can realize electromagnetic shielding and the like, the plug-in unit 150 in which the SFP 152 is detachably mounted has the opening 155 in the front panel 151 and thus has an insufficient boundary of electromagnetic shielding from outside, is likely to direct an influence of electromagnetic waves to the outside and is also susceptible to static electricity.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems and an object thereof is to make it possible, in a communication apparatus having a sub-rack and a plug-in unit electrically connected to the sub-rack, to detachably mount a module (for example, an optical module) to the plug-in unit while reliably realizing electromagnetic shielding of the plug-in unit. Another object of the present invention is to enable realization of reduction of an influence caused by static electricity.
Patent Document 1: WO 00/074454
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-050887
Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-086967

Plug-in unit and communication apparatus


Disclosed is a power transmission apparatus for a wind generator having an electric generator connected to an apparatus rotor by a main shaft. The electric generator includes a generator rotor and a generator stator. The electric generator may be assembled to the main shaft via the generator rotor, but the generator stator is not assembled to the main shaft. Instead, the generator stator is connected to a stator housing fixed to bearing housings respectively provided on a pair of bearings disposed on an outer surface of a rotor bearing. The rotor bearing is disposed perpendicular to a vertical rotor frame, is formed integrally with the generator rotor, and is connected to an outer surface of the main shaft. The apparatus permits the generator stator to be assembled with a circumference of the generator rotor. The apparatus provides increased convenience and efficiency in assembly.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power transmission apparatus for a wind generator.
2. Description of Related Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, wind generators generate electricity using the power of an apparatus rotor, which is rotated by wind. Generally, a wind generator is configured such that a tower is installed at a designated height above the ground and an apparatus rotor having a plurality of rotating blades and a generator are connected by a main shaft above the tower so as to transmit the rotary power of the apparatus rotor to the generator through the main shaft.
In the apparatus rotor, the plurality of rotating blades is fixed along the circumferential surface of a rotor hub formed at the front end of the main shaft by blade fixtures. The blade fixtures use a conventional method, such as bolt fastening.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating the internal structure of a conventional wind generator. As shown in FIG. 6, the generator 4 includes a stator 411 and a rotor 412, which are spaced from each other by a designated interval, and the main shaft 2, both ends of which are supported by a front bearing 5 and a rear bearing 6, is divided into a turbine shaft 2a and a generator shaft 2b, which are connected by a flange joint 2c. Further, the rotor 412 is connected to the generator shaft 2b and is rotated together with the rotation of the generator shaft 2, and generates electricity due to the electrical action with the stator 411.
Now, the connection structure of the stator 411 and the rotor 412 to the generator shaft 2b will be described in more detail. Both ends of the generator shaft 2b are supported by bearings 413, a stator housing 411a is connected to the bearings 413, and a rotor body 412a is connected directly to the generator shaft 2b.
In the conventional wind generator, when the stator 411 and the rotor 412 are connected to the generator shaft 2b, the assembly of the stator housing 411a to the electric bearings 413 and the connection of the rotor body 412a directly to the generator shaft 2b are separately carried out, thus causing troublesome and inconvenience in assembly and deteriorating efficiency in assembly. Now, the connection structure of the stator 411 and the rotor 412 to the generator shaft 2b will be described in more detail. Both ends of the generator shaft 2b are supported by electric bearings 413, and a stator housing 411a is connected to the electric hearings 413, and a rotor body 412a is connected directly to the generator shaft 2b. In the conventional wind turbine, when the stator 411 and the rotor 412 are connected to the generator shaft 2b, the assembly of the stator housing 411a to the electric bearing 413 and the connection of the rotor body 412a directly to the generator shaft 2b are separately carried out, thus causing troublesome and inconvenience in assembly and deteriorating efficiently in assembly.
The main shaft 2 is divided into the turbine shaft 2a and the generator shaft 2b, which are connected by the flange joint 2c, as described above, and thus causes a loss in transmission of rotational torque.
Generally, in a generator or a motor, over-current flows in wires inside a stator due to natural degradation, physical defects, or overload, and the insulation between the wires in the stator is destroyed by the repetition of the above over-current flow, thus causing a short. In this case, counter torque due to over-current is produced in the generator.
The conventional wind generator is not provided with any unit for preventing the above counter torque caused by the short, thus having many defects, such as damage to the wind generator, shortening of the life span of the wind generator, and a difficulty in maintenance and repair of the wind generator.
Further, in case that the misalignment and the tilting of the main shaft are generated, the conventional wind generator does not have a self-aligning function of the main shaft, and thus causes inaccuracy in power transmission and operation due to the misalignment and the tilting of the main shaft.

Power transmission apparatus for wind generator


Systems, devices, and techniques for determining downhole fluid contamination are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, phase-related properties are measured for a reservoir fluid having a determined composition. An equation-of-state (EOS) is selected and/or tuned based, at least in part, on the measured phase-related properties and the tuned EOS is applied to estimate fluid property values for a reference fluid over specified ranges of at least two thermodynamic properties. Contaminant reference data are generated that correlate the estimated fluid property values for the reference fluid with respective contaminant levels. Within a wellbore, a fluid sample is analyzed to determine a fluid property value. A contaminant level is identified that corresponds within the contaminant reference data to the determined fluid property value of the fluid sample.

The disclosure generally relates to the field of downhole fluid sampling, and more particularly to quantifying contamination of downhole samples.
Information collected and analyzed during oil and gas exploration may be used to determine the quantity and quality of hydrocarbons in a reservoir and to develop or modify strategies for hydrocarbon extraction. The information may be used for reservoir content evaluation, flow assurance, reservoir stimulation, facility enhancement, production enhancement strategies, and reserve volume estimation. One technique for collecting relevant information involves using a variety of different tools to obtain and analyze fluid samples from a reservoir of interest. The samples may be analyzed to determine fluid properties, including, without limitation, component concentrations, plus fraction molecular weight, gas-oil ratios, bubble point, dew point, phase envelope, viscosity, combinations thereof, or the like. In addition to laboratory analysis, downhole analysis of the fluid sample may also be used to provide real-time fluid properties.
Accurate determination of fluid properties may be problematic as the fluid samples are often contaminated with drilling fluids, such as mud filtrate. The drilling process itself frequently introduces drilling fluid contaminants within a reserve wellbore. A liquid oil-based drilling fluid (alternately referred to as "oil-based mud") is typically comprised of a petroleum base liquid such as diesel. Techniques to determine drilling fluid contamination may include use of pump-out curves, such as density, gas-to-oil ratio and resistivity, among other properties of the fluids. The base liquids used in many oil-based drilling fluids may interfere with determination of the API gravity of the reservoir fluid (i.e., native fluid with the reservoir) due to similarities in properties, particularly fluid densities of the drilling fluid and native reservoir fluid.

Quantifying contamination of downhole samples


Disclosed is synthesis of an O-Antigen oligosaccharide compound of Helicobacter pylori serotype O2, belonging to the field of organic synthesis. The disclosure obtains O-antigen disaccharide to tetracosasaccharide of Helicobacter pylori serotype O2 by chemical synthesis. A chemical synthesis method which is quite conducive to production of a glucose-α-lglucosidic bond is developed in the disclosure by a protectant strategy, temperature effect, solvent effect, and additive effect. The method is applied in synthesis of an O-antigen oligosaccharide compound of Helicobacter pylori serotype O2 assembled with an amino linking arm. A saccharide conjugate can be prepared from the synthesized O-antigen oligosaccharide compound of Helicobacter pylori serotype O2 assembled with an amino linking arm together with a carrier protein for immunology researches, playing an important role in preventing and treating Helicobacter pylori.

Helicobacter pylori is a microaerobic Gram-negative bacterium. About a half of the populations across the world have been infected with this pathogenic bacterium. Due to the low socioeconomic status and poor medical conditions, the proportion in developing countries is even up to 80%. It is reported that 47% and 66% of the populations in urban and rural areas of China are infected with Helicobacter pylori. Oral-oral transmission and fecal-oral transmission are the most major transmission modes of the pathogenic bacterium, and mother-to-child transmission is also one of transmission modes of the pathogenic bacterium.
Most Helicobacter pylori infection occurs in childhood. Once infected, the pathogenic bacterium may exist on the gastric mucosa for a lifetime. Although 70% of the infected are asymptomatic clinically, it is verified that this pathogenic bacterium is associated with a series of gastrointestinal diseases. 15%-20% of those long-term infected people will suffer from a series of gastrointestinal diseases including gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and the like. Besides, gastric cancer will be developed among 1%-2% of those long-term infected people. Gastric cancer has become a cancer with the fifth highest morbidity (about 952000 cases, accounting for 6.2% of cancer patients according to WHO data in 2012) and the third mortality (about 723000 cases accounting for 8.8% of cancer patients according to WHO data in 2012) across the globe. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IACR) affiliated to WHO classified Helicobacter pylori as Class I cancerogen in 1994.
Currently, the major therapeutic method for gastrointestinal diseases associated with Helicobacter pylori infection is a combined therapeutic method using two antibiotics (metronidazole and clarithromycin) and a proton pump inhibitor, and is referred to as a triple therapy. This method has achieved some effects on treating Helicobacter pylori, but still has quite a few shortcomings. The main restrictions are manifested in: 1) antibiotics have a short metabolic period of time in gastrointestinal tracts; 2) antibiotics are not stable relatively in this special low pH environment of the stomach; 3) Helicobacter pylori generally lives at the gastric mucosa, while antibiotics have quite low concentrations at the gastric mucosa; and 4) more importantly, the therapeutic effect of antibiotics has a tendency of gradually weakening as drug-resistant bacteria come into being. Based on the defects above, it is reported that the one-year recurrence rate of Helicobacter pylori after treatment with the triple therapy reaches 15%-30%.
Accordingly, for overcoming this defect, researches concerning vaccines against this pathogenic bacterium have received more and more attention. For the past few years, researches on vaccines against the Helicobacter pylori focused on virulence factor antigens, such as urease B, cytotoxin-associated toxin (CagA), vacuolar toxin (VacA), flagellum, heat shock protein, adhesin, and neutrophil activating protein. In addition, a research on inactivated whole cells and lysate is also one of hot issues regarding vaccines.
At present, the researches on Helicobacter pylori lipopolysaccharide are mainly on extraction from inactivated bacteria. The deficiency of this method is that quite few products are obtained from extraction at a time. Besides, subjecting to the characteristics of bacterial gene expression and modification, the extracted lipopolysaccharide also has the characteristics including inconsistent structure, easy attachment of impurities with similar structures, and poor experimental repeatability, imposing some disturbances on the researches. We use a chemical synthesis method to produce O-antigen disaccharide, tetrasaccharide, and hexaose with the O-antigen oligosaccharide of Helicobacter pylori serotype O2 as a target compound, and through the design and construction of glycosyl building blocks as well as selection and optimization of glycosylation. Moreover, a reducing end of each of the synthesized disaccharide, tetrasaccharide, and hexaose are assembled with an amino linking arm, and can be connected with a carrier protein to form a glycoconjugate for conducting further immunology researches.

Synthesis of O-antigen oligosaccharide compounds of


A dust-proof structure (200) for an electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device includes a case (208) having a slot (208a) aligned with a card connector (204) in the electronic device. The dust-proof structure includes a frame (212) formed on the case and around the slot, and a dust-proof gate (210) made of resilient material. The dust-proof gate is attached to the case at a position surrounded by the frame and covering the slot. The dust-proof gate has a slit (210a) positioned communicating with the slot, wherein the slit extends along a direction parallel to a longitudinal length of the slot. To insert an electronic card (202) into the electrical device to electrically connect with the card connector, the card is moved first through the slot of the case and then the slit of the dust-proof gate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dust-proof structure, and more particularly, to a dust-proof structure provided on a case of a handheld electronic device for preventing a card connector in the electronic device from being contaminated by dust.
2. Description of Related Art
The multi-media technology has ushered into a new era. A lot of handheld electronic devices like digital camera, PDA, and mobile phone, have been developed, which are required to embody the multi-media technology and thus need a card connector to connect with a memory card, a game card or an extension card. The card is simply inserted into a case of the device through a slot in the case to connect with the card connector. The device usually does not have means on the case for preventing dust from entering into the device through the slot. When dust enters into the device through the slot, it will accumulate on the connector and contaminate contacts of the connector. The contamination of the contacts adversely affects a normal connection between the connector and the inserted card, and accordingly, a normal operation of the handheld electronic device.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective, exploded view of a handheld electronic device and a memory card 102, according to the prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, the handheld electronic device has a case 108 defining a slot 108a therethrough, a printed circuit board 106 and a card connector 104 mounted on the printed circuit board 106. The card connector 104 and the printed circuit board 106 are accommodated in the case 108. The slot 108a is aligned with the card connector 104 so that when the memory card 102 is inserted into the case 108 through the slot 108a, the memory card 102 can electrically connect with the card connector 104. However, the handheld electronic device lacks a means, which can prevent dust from entering an inside of the device through the slot 108a. The dust entering the inside of the device may accumulate on and contaminate the card connector 104 and the circuit board 106.
In order to prevent dust from contaminating an electrical connector, U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,354 discloses a dust-proof structure attached to an electrical connector. The dust-proof structure is constructed from two flexible layers and a rigid layer, wherein the two flexible layers are laminated on the rigid layer. The outer one of the flexible layers can be a woven monofilament synthetic fiber, such as nylon. The inner one of the flexible layers can be non-woven and rubber-like, such as natural rubber, silicon rubber, neoprene and so on. The rigid layer is, for example, plastic. However, due to structural limitation, the dust-proof structure of the prior art cannot be not be easily attached to the card connector of the handheld electronic device to prevent the contamination thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,451 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,216 each discloses a dust-proof structure comprising two panels capable of rotating about two respective shafts. The two panels are urged by springs to close an insertion port thereby to prevent dust from entering an inside of an electronic device. However, the dust-proof structures are mechanisms with a complex setup, numerous parts, a larger size and requires a high production cost.

Dust-proof structure for card connector in handheld electronic device


The package (10) provides a first panel (11) and a second panel (12) foldably connected thereto. The first panel (11) serves as a winding panel and is connected at opposite sides to various separation panels (18,19, 20,21). Thread coils (42) can be wound on the first panel (11), the needles (43) thereof are inserted into a foam material needle support (24). After that, a separation panel (19) is folded over to cover a part of the finished thread coil (42). Above that, a further thread coil is produced. The individual separation panels (18-21) each only cover a part of the thread coil below, yet keep the threads from becoming entangled with one another.

The present invention refers to a multithread package for surgical sewing material, containing multiple threads each connected to at least one needle.
From EP 0 065 098 B1, there has been known a multithread package for surgical sewing material comprising a folded card forming the cover of the package. A first panel of the folded card serves as a winding panel. This panel has multiple holes wherethrough pins can be placed around which a thread is being wound. Furthermore, there is attached to the winding panel a needle supporting means in the form of a strip of foam material with multiple slots. The needles attached to the threads can be individually inserted into the slots. After the first thread has been wound on the first panel, a separation panel is put on the first panel so that the wound thread is covered. This separation panel also comprises holes, which are aligned with those of the first panel, so that the winding pins can be placed therethrough. A further thread is then placed on the separation panel by being wound around the winding pins. After that, further separation panels can be put on top. The stack of separation panels with the thread coils in between is then covered by further panels, which are folded over, forming a container together with the first panel. The needles of all the threads are held in place by the needle supporting means. Additionally, a separate sewing material support with a needle supporting means of its own can be inserted into the envelope, which support presents a package of further needles after the envelope has been opened. Instead of using the stack of separate separation panels, a structure of interconnected separation panels in the shape of an accordion can be employed. In any case, the separation panels are additional parts which have to be attached to the card structure, causing the package to become very thick.
EP 0 506 612 B1 discloses a multithread package of multiple panels arranged side by side and forming a complex folding package and comprising lateral recesses for winding pins. A thread can be wound on any panel and can then be covered by folding over an adjacent panel. Then another thread is wound on the adjacent panel. The needles of all the threads are collected in a needle supporting means foldably connected to the first winding panel. The needles are inserted into a window of the second panel so that they can later be grasped from the outside. The needles are therefore not completely exposed to be grasped, but only on their needle portions projecting from the window.

Multithread package for surgical sewing material


A machine tool stand and/or workbench, electrical outlet panel, light supply, and modular task box system, combined into an integrated system that includes a support structure having a support base on wheels and side rails disposed on the surface of the support base. The side rails include structure for attaching tool holders, work pieces holders, work surfaces, and the like.

Whether working in the field or in a shop, craftsmen, tradesmen, woodworkers, mechanics, residential handymen, and the like are generally interested in minimizing the inconvenience and time involved in taking tools from storage containers, transporting the tools, setting them up at the work site, finding and connecting to electrical power, setting up a suitable work surface for holding and supporting workpieces, and then taking down the work site and returning the tools to storage when finished. Unfortunately, carrying larger tools, work materials, and multiple small power and hand tools to remote work sites can be an ungainly exercise requiring numerous small trips to and from vehicles and shops. Further, it can take considerable effort to organize and contain material and tools for transport to protect them from damage and to provide for easy access once in the field. Once in the field and at the site, deploying and using connections to power can be a frustrating adventure of untangling cords and hunting for elusive receptacles or extension cord ends. Further, but without nearly exhausting the annoyances of interest, it is a challenge to get adequate light onto a remote work site.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system for conveniently storing and transporting tools and work materials and for providing electrical power in the field. To that end, several solutions have been proposed, including that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,345,829 B1, to Mueller. This patent discloses a hand-truck-type convertible apparatus for transporting and supporting a work tool at a work site. The apparatus has an extended and a collapsed position, and a vertical work configuration and a horizontal transport configuration. It includes a support frame extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end and a second end. A base member extends from the support frame in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support frame and stabilizes the support frame in its vertical, working position. A primary wheel assembly is mounted to the support frame opposite the base member such that the primary wheel assembly and the base member stabilize the support frame in its vertical, working position. A work platform is mounted to the second end of the support frame and is movable between an extended position and a collapsed position. The work platform is supported in its extended position by a pair of brace members that extend from opposite sides of the work platform. The brace members are each received within a locking device to secure the work platform in an extended position. The locking devices can be released to allow the work platform to move from the extended position to the collapsed position. The apparatus further includes an electrical outlet box mounted on its rear surface, offering the user multiple individual outlets; it is connected to a power source through a cord.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,472 to Borganti, teaches a combined hand truck and machine stand, wherein one configuration can readily be converted into the other. The device includes a first frame support pivotally coupled to a second frame support for movement between a first position forming a hand truck and a second position forming a machine stand. A machine support is pivotally coupled to the first frame support and is movable between a first position forming the hand truck and a second position forming the machine stand. A base plate is pivotally coupled to a lower portion of the first frame support, and is movable between a first position pivoted outwardly relative to the first frame support and locked in place to prevent the apparatus from toppling when in the form of a hand truck, and a second position pivoted inwardly relative to the first frame support when the apparatus is in the form of a machine stand. The second frame support includes a pair of legs and a cross-piece support extending between and coupled for rotation to each leg. A plate defining a flat surface for engaging the machine support is fixed to the cross-piece support, and a handle is coupled to, and extends outwardly from the plate. When the apparatus is in the form of a hand truck, the plate engages the machine support to thereby prevent rotation of the cross-piece support and allow the handle to be used to move the hand truck. When the apparatus is configured as a machine stand, the cross-piece support forms a buttress for contacting and supporting the machine support.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,322 to Barton, shows a combination transport device and work surface has a collapsible support member and base member. In the collapsed position, the support member and base member are close to a stem of the device to define a transport surface. The transport surface can be easily moved via a handle and wheels. In the extended position, the support member and the base member extend transversely from the stem to define a work surface and a support base respectively.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,224,531 to Blohm, discloses a portable apparatus for storing tools in an organized fashion and which also converts to a combination saw table, router table and workbench. The apparatus can be readily maneuvered, loaded into a truck bed and stored when folded. It also provides a rigid work surface with easy tool access when in the set-up position.
At present in the market place, Ryobi Technologies, Inc., offers a portable toolbox on wheels having sliding drawers for holding it's 18.0V Six Pack, which includes a drill/driver, compound miter saw, circular saw, reciprocating saw, Speed Saw™, and flashlight, along with three rechargeable battery packs and a one-hour diagnostic charger. The tool box on wheels doubles as a miter saw work stand.
The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.

Tool and task box storage, transport, and workbench system


A cordless communication system includes a plurality of cordless communication devices, a plurality of connection units which couple the cordless communication devices and communication lines, and a control unit which controls connections between the connection units and the cordless communication devices. The control unit includes a retrieval range specifying part for specifying idle channel retrieving ranges within which connection units which are idle respectively retrieve idle channels so that the connection units which are idle share a retrieval procedure for retrieving idle channels from all the channels, and a control part for controlling the connection units so that the connection units which are idle retrieve idle channels within the idle channel retrieving ranges specified by the retrieval range specifying part.

The present invention generally relates to a cordless telephone system operated on a multi-channel access basis, and more particularly to a method for retrieving an idle channel.
A cordless telephone system comprises a fixed station and mobile stations connected via radio frequency (RF) links or channels. A handset unit or a cordless telephone set is provided at each mobile station, and a base unit is provided at the fixed station. The base unit comprises a control unit and a plurality of connection units.
Conventionally, when the connection units retrieve idle channels from radio frequency channels, each of the connection units accesses all channels allotted to its own unit (87 channels, for example), and holds information about idle channels. When a call from a mobile station is received, one of the idle channels is allotted to the call, so that an RF channel can be established.
However, the above-mentioned conventional idle channel retrieving process takes a long time since each of the connection units must search all the channels allotted thereto. During the time the idle channel retrieving process is being carried out, it is not possible for each connection unit to handle another job.

Idle channel retrieving method and cordless communications system using the same


An information management system and method is provided for integrating structured and unstructured data using an ontological approach, and further comprises processes for creating, validating, augmenting, and combining ontologies for life science informatics and other disciplines.

An ontology may be broadly interpreted as a dynamic, controlled vocabulary for describing a plurality of objects or concepts contained in a process or domain, and their interrelationships. An ontology may be further thought of as a formal knowledge-representation system which comprises rules for encoding the manner in which knowledge is represented, along with rules that enable automated reasoning with regard to the objects or concepts represented.
An ontology term may be a single named concept describing an object or entity. A concept may, for example, comprise a collection of words and associated relevance weights, co-occurrence and word localization statistics that describe a topic.
In various disciplines, scientific or otherwise, a number of resources (e.g., data management systems) may exist for representing cumulative knowledge gathered for different specialty areas within each discipline. Some existing systems, for instance, may use separate ontologies for each area of specialty within a particular discipline. One drawback associated with such ontology systems, however, is the inability to link different areas of specialty within a discipline.
Another drawback associated with existing ontology systems is the inability to map ontology terms to infer linkages to related or referenced entities in wider data sources.
Moreover, while existing ontology systems generally offer descriptions of a particular discipline syntactically (in terms of nouns or entity names), they often lack a particularly well-developed set of semantic relationships (in terms of verbs or relationship between entities) built into the ontology.
Yet another drawback associated with existing ontology systems is a general lack of names in an ontology that correspond to all the information or concepts in a document set. For example, in existing systems, ontologies are often specific to a few sub-domains, and to the data sources that are relevant to those sub-domains. For example, in a life science system, a gene ontology (GO) may deal with objects that are related to cellular locations, biological processes, and molecular functions, while potentially missing a number of other aspects or objects relevant to a particular life science domain. This may create potential "completeness" issues if the gene ontology was alone used to represent all of the information in a document set pertaining to the life science domain.
In existing systems, the ontology for each sub-domain may be populated unevenly. Some sub-domains (representing an area of active research) may be relatively well populated when compared to other sub-domains. Additionally, even within a sub-domain, differing levels of detail are often provided. Some areas may be relatively well-defined and comprise easily discriminated concepts, while other areas may not. Existing systems do not address evaluating the levels of specificity and how discriminating terms in an ontology may be.
In life science disciplines, for example, many ontology terms have not been tested against any current database, particularly in information content and retrieval terms. In addition, many of the terms do not have any references to external databases. This may result in a user not knowing beforehand whether it is possible to discriminate between any pair of terms based on the available evidence for those terms and the availability and/or capability of information retrieval (IR) tools. If a user cannot discriminate between a pair of terms using existing information retrieval tools, the terms may effectively be treated as one in the same. As such, another drawback in existing ontology systems is the apparent inability to generate the maximally diverse set of discriminable terms that may be derived from a starting ontology.
Yet another drawback in existing ontology systems is the apparent inability to discover a new set of terms that describe identifiable, discriminable concepts in the rest of an information space.
Still yet another drawback associated with existing ontology systems is the apparent inability to evaluate the distance between a pair of ontology terms.
Further, existing systems deal with information that may be inherently represented by terms in an ontology. This begs the question, "What happens if information exists that has not been codified in an ontology?" There is a great deal of information space that unfortunately may not be fully described by terms in existing ontologies.
These and other drawbacks exist.

Ontology-based information management system and method


A workpiece processing system (1) includes a transfer robot (3), a control device (4) controlling operation of the transfer robot (3), and an operating part (5) performing a teaching operation to the transfer robot (3). The control device (4) has an approach point setter (6) setting in advance an approach point as a reference point for the transfer robot (3) to start operation to a workpiece processing device, a first program generator (7) generating a first program defining the operation of the transfer robot (3) from an operational zero point for the transfer robot (3) to the approach point, a second program generator (8) generating a second program defining the operation of the transfer robot (3) after the approach point based on the teaching operation, and a robot controller (9) controlling the operation of the transfer robot (3) in accordance with the first program and the second program.

Conventionally, it is known that, in a workpiece processing system having a plurality of workpiece processing devices (for example, an NC (numerically controlled) machine tool and its peripheral devices) provided therein, a workpiece is transferred between the workpiece processing devices, for example, by an articulated robot. Note that examples of the aforementioned peripheral devices include, for example, a measuring device, an air blow device, a tool changer, and a deburring device.
When a workpiece is transferred by the articulated robot in the above-described workpiece processing system, before actually causing the workpiece processing system to operate, a teaching operation (teaching) is necessary to store a moving path for transferring the workpiece to each workpiece processing device with the workpiece being gripped by the articulated robot. Performing a teaching in advance allows, when the articulated robot is actually operated, a workpiece to be transferred without contact of the articulated robot holding the workpiece with peripheral members.
For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a robot simulation apparatus which displays a virtually-operated device model of an actual device as an image, which is used for simulation using shape data created by a three-dimensional CAD, and moves an image of a movable part on the display screen in accordance with a control program to check for interference of the part.
This robot simulation apparatus includes a program converter, a storage, a computing and controlling part, and a teaching point storage. The program converter converts a program description language for robot into a program for simulation, and the storage stores therein three-dimensional shapes of the robot and peripheral devices. Further, the computing and controlling part arranges three-dimensional models, sets teaching points, and executes a simulation, and the teaching point storage stores therein teaching points for operating the robot model.


A portion tobacco product includes a tobacco filler containing leaf tobacco or a leaf tobacco component, and a first pouch containing a wrapping material having a function of controlling the permeation of a compound contained in the tobacco filler, wherein the tobacco filler is included in the first pouch.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portion tobacco product in which a tobacco filler is included in a pouch comprising a wrapping material having a function of controlling the permeation of a compound contained in the tobacco filler.
2. Description of the Related Art
Smokeless tobacco products such as moist-snuff or snuffs have attracted attention in recent years. These include a portion tobacco product in which a tobacco filler containing leaf tobacco shreds is wrapped in a pouch composed of a nonwoven fabric of cellulose fibers or the like. One can enjoy the taste and flavor derived from the leaf tobacco shreds of such a portion tobacco by putting it into the gap between the lip and gum in the mouth (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/062549).
In enjoying the taste and flavor derived from the leaf tobacco shreds of such a portion tobacco product, a leaf tobacco shred component or a component added to the shreds is eluted from the pouch into the saliva without being controlled, and may adversely affect the taste and flavor. Furthermore, the product comprising a tobacco filler that is wrapped in a pouch composed of a nonwoven fabric or the like is shipped in a state that the tobacco filler has been adjusted to have a constant water content; however, a colorant compound is eluted from the leaf tobacco shreds over time, and a visually unpleasant blot such as a spot occurs on the surface of the pouch in some cases. Furthermore, when such a product is put into the mouth according to a general usage, the tobacco filler gets wet by the moisture in the mouth, and thus the colorant compound derived from the leaf tobacco shreds is eluted, thereby the gum and skin in the mouth are stained in some cases.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,516 describes an impermeable sheet for preventing snuff from direct contact with the skin in the mouth. However, this sheet cannot prevent the colorant compound contained in the leaf tobacco shreds from causing staining of the pouch, and the colorant compound may be eluted into the saliva in the mouth. In such a case, this sheet cannot prevent the contact of the colorant compound with the skin in the mouth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,104 does not disclose a portion tobacco product, but describes a nicotine-sealed pouch comprising a nicotine barrier layer containing a nitrile rubber-modified acrylonitrile-methyl acrylate copolymer and a nicotine degradation agent barrier layer. This pouch controls the transfer of a component by a substance that has a property of adsorbing nicotine (for example, a nitrilated acrylonitrile vinyl). Therefore, even if leaf tobacco shreds are applied to the pouch of this literature, the elution of substances other than nicotine cannot be suppressed, although the maintenance and control of elution of nicotine are possible.


An illumination device includes: a light source section including a laser light source; a first uniformization optical member receiving light from the light source section; a second uniformization optical member receiving light from the first uniformization optical member; an optical device disposed on an optical path of outgoing light from the light source section; and a drive section vibrating the optical device.

The present disclosure relates to an illumination device emitting light including laser light, and a display unit displaying an image with use of such an illumination device.
A typical optical module, which is one of major components in a projector (a projection display unit), is configured of an illumination optical system (an illumination device) including a light source, and a projection optical system including a light modulation device. In the field of such a projector, a small-sized (a palm-sized) lightweight portable projector called "microprojector" has recently become widespread. A typical microprojector mainly uses an LED (Light Emitting Diode) as the light source of the illumination device.
On the other hand, a laser is recently attracting an attention as a new light source of the illumination device. For example, following commercialization of high-power blue laser diodes and high-power red laser diodes, green laser diodes are being developed, and are nearing practical use. Based on such a background, there is proposed a projector using single-color lasers (laser diodes) of three primary colors of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) as light sources of an illumination device. With use of the single-color lasers as the light sources, a projector having a wide color reproduction range and low power consumption is obtainable.
Moreover, in such a projector, to uniformize a light amount (intensity) of illumination light emitted from an illumination device, the illumination device typically includes a predetermined uniformization optical system (a uniformization optical member). For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2002-311382 and 2012-8549, two (a pair of) fly-eye lenses are included as such a uniformization optical member.

Illumination device and display unit including a light source section, first and second uniformization optical members, an optical device, and a drive section


The objective of the present invention is to provide an autonomous localization and navigation equipment which has the following advantages. The autonomous localization and navigation equipment is highly modularized, which greatly reduces the coupling degree with the host equipment, so the equipment is convenient to be integrated to the existing host equipment and it is flexibly expandable. Thus, the host equipment such as a robot etc. has a more concise and clear system constitution, thereby greatly reducing the development difficulty and developing time of the host equipment having the autonomous localization and navigation equipment 1. Moreover, as a result of the high degree of modularization of the autonomous localization and navigation equipment, it is possible to miniaturize the host equipment.

Autonomous localization and navigation function is the key to realize the practicality of service robotic equipment, which allows robot to autonomously construct a map of the area through sensor data without human assistance, and localize itself in the environment in real-time. Further, the constructed map data and position information are used for navigation, the robot should plan the path intelligently, go to the target location assigned, and effectively avoid obstacles such as pedestrians, furniture, etc. in the environment.
Currently, the above-mentioned autonomous localization and navigation function is realized by simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) algorithm and motion planning algorithm in the industry. The simultaneous localization and mapping algorithm allows the robot to construct a map of any unknown environment while simultaneously perform localization in real-time through specific sensor data. Such algorithm is the most effective one for autonomous localization and navigation at present. For the action of the robot, a certain motion planning algorithm should be used to plan the motion track of robot and make the robot dynamically avoid various obstacles and reach the destination safely in the action.
However, there are many challenges to run the above-mentioned algorithms directly in service robots at present. First of all, since these kinds of algorithms are highly coupled to the robots itself, currently, there is no universal ready-made algorithm that can be run in any robot without modifications. As a result, robot developers need to redesign and develop the above-mentioned simultaneous localization mapping and motion planning algorithms for different robots. However, only developers that have well-knit theoretical knowledge can implement such type of algorithms, and the implementation process is complicated and time-consuming. Therefore, there are merely a few competitive manufacturers and academic institutions capable of effectively using the autonomous localization and navigation algorithm directly in the robots developed in house. Currently, ROS (Robot Operating System) is made for the attempt to implement such type of universal algorithm in the industry, where each algorithm module is a module with independent interface, so it is easier for developers to use. However, since ROS is merely a software-level system without the ability to collaborate with the low-level and high-level layers of a specific robotic system, the ROS cannot address the problems faced in the use of such type of algorithms. On the other hand, as a result of the complexity of this type of algorithms itself, at present, even the mainstream computer systems are subjected to large load pressure in running such algorithms. To make such algorithms efficiently run in service robots using embedded computing systems with relatively low computing performance, the developers should optimize the existing algorithms to a certain extent for implementations, thereby further increasing the difficulty of directly using such algorithms. Moreover, in order to realize the functions of mapping, real-time localization, and obstacles avoidance, the developers are supposed to equip the robot with many kinds of sensors to provide data for the above-mentioned algorithms. The performance differences and the correction effects of various sensors also greatly affect the implementation of the navigation and localization algorithm.
Regarding the above-mentioned situations, currently, the autonomous localization and navigation function is difficult to be applied in most service robots. Nowadays, since the robots with the function of autonomous localization and navigation in the market are often possessed by large-scale competitive enterprises and research institutions, and the system is highly coupled and incompatible, current robot software systems are difficult to be reused among different robots, such that the industrialization of service robots is greatly hindered.
The most direct way to solve the problems faced at present is to implement the localization and navigation function in independent modular system, so as to release the work burden of service robot developers from repetitive navigation and localization algorithm implementations. However, the expandable flexibility and coupling degree with external systems of existing implementations are hard to be balanced. The navigation and localization equipment that can be rapidly integrated into robots always has unchangeable and single functions, such that it is difficult for users to extend their desired functions based on such navigation and localization equipment, while the equipment with greater expansion flexibility also has a high external dependence with the robot system, so such equipment has a great technical difficulty in integration.
The root of this problem lies in the fact that such kind of localization and navigation algorithm highly depends on the configuration of sensors, the size and shape of robot, and the driving mode of different robot platforms. That is to say, the autonomous localization and navigation equipment is highly coupled with the robotic host equipment. As a result of such degree of coupling, the developers of the robotic system as a host should do more preparation works to adapt an autonomous localization and navigation equipment. Besides, since the specific operating behaviors of a robot are defined according to the use of the robot, for example, the sweeping robot requires the motion planning algorithm to perform in a path planning mode where the sweeping robot moves along the edge of the wall and then reciprocates in a bow-shaped path, whereas a security patrol robot is required to complete a patrolling of the area with the possibly lowest cost. At present, there is no autonomous localization and navigation equipment that can handle such differentiations of business logics well.

Autonomous localization and navigation equipment, localization and navigation method, and autonomous localization and navigation system


Method and apparatus for monitoring electrically-actuated aircraft brakes includes measuring the break heat pack thickness to determine wear of the brake discs and adjusting the measurement so as to give ongoing compensation for temperature variations and hence expansion of the heat pack.

The invention relates to electrically actuated aircraft brakes and is more particularly but not exclusively concerned with the wear measurement and adjustment of such brakes.
Aircraft brakes are typically of a multi disc type with carbon-carbon composite (C—C) friction discs and feature hydraulically actuated rams (pistons) to generate the clamping force across the brake heat pack to generate friction at the disc interfaces. A brake heat stack comprising C—C stator discs keyed to a non-rotating torque tube and C—C rotor discs keyed to the rotating wheel and interleaved between the stators generates the friction forces for braking and absorbs the kinetic energy of the aircraft as heat. Brake actuation is under the control of an electronic control unit (ECU) controlling braking force in response to a brake demand signal and monitoring braking through signals representing parameters such as brake pressure, brake torque, deceleration, wheel speed and skid activity.
It is important for aircraft safety that the brake heat stacks have sufficient capacity to absorb the kinetic energy of the aircraft during an emergency braking event such as a Rejected-Take-Off. This requirement dictates a minimum heat stack mass that must be available and it is critical that the amount of material remaining in the brake heat stack, normally identified by the thickness of the heat stack, can be monitored to ensure that heat stacks are replaced at the appropriate time.
Brake heat stack thickness is monitored manually by examining the length of a wear pin attached to the brake stator disc at the end of the brake heat stack where the brake pressure is applied. Such wear pins indicate the thickness of material remaining in the brake heat stack before maintenance action is required.
As technology is introduced for the more electric aircraft there is an emerging trend towards using electrically powered actuator rams for aircraft brakes. In such actuators the movement to apply and release the brake clamping force in the actuator ram is driven by an electric motor through a mechanism such as gears or ball screws. The use of electric actuation allows the actuator to become more intelligent with the capability to provide information such as actuator position to the brake control system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,640 in the name of Goodrich describes a system using position sensors coupled to the actuator ram to determine actuator ram position. By detecting the position of the actuator when it is in contact with the closed brake heat stack during a calibration routine and comparing this position with a previously determined reference position the brake heat stack wear is determined.
The use of wear pins in hydraulically actuated brakes and, for electric actuators, a system of the type proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,640, takes no account of brake temperature when determining heat stack position and wear of the brake heat stack.
Expansion of the C—C brake heat stack is typically in the order of 12×10−6° C.−1. This is equivalent to 1.2 mm per 1000° C. per 100 mm of heat stack thickness. For a typical medium size civil aircraft carbon-carbon brake heat stack with total thickness of 200 mm this gives an expansion of 2.4 mm between ambient and 1000° C. For a typical civil aircraft carbon-carbon brake heat stack with total thickness of 300 mm this gives an expansion of 3.6 mm between ambient and 1000° C.
Thermal expansion of a brake friction material with a positive expansion coefficient will be a positive value when the brake heat stack is increasing in temperature and a negative value when the brake heat stack is cooling. When the brake heats during a braking cycle the heat stack will expand. When the brake cools down between braking cycles the heat stack will contract
If the brake heat stack thickness is measured when the brake heat stack is at an elevated temperature then, when the heat stack then cools below the temperature at which the heat stack thickness was measured, the brake heat stack will contract due to the cooling, thereby decreasing the heat stack thickness. If the system is monitoring brake wear or amount of wear remaining in the brake heat stack a distorted assessment of wear or remaining material will be obtained, resulting in an incorrect evaluation of remaining cycles to overhaul if the system uses algorithms to assess remaining brake life.
Brake control systems such as that featured in WO 02/12043 can now use information on heat stack thickness, derived from amount of material worn away from new or the amount of material remaining above heat pack fully worn thickness to determine the remaining life of the brake heat stack before removal is required.
To obtain a measurement of brake heat stack thickness that can be used to derive accurate information on brake wear the determination of heat stack thickness can only be carried out when the brake is at ambient temperature, or at a temperature at which expansion is considered to be negligible.
If automatic wear measurement is to replace visual inspection of the brakes, several problems must be overcome. Currently, it is the responsibility of the pilot to carry out a visual inspection of components such as the tyres, engines and brakes to ensure the aircraft meets operational requirements.
If wear pins are removed from brake assemblies the pilot requires an indication of the health of the brake so that the pilot can fulfil his responsibilities. A user initiated wear measurement would give the necessary information, however the system detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,640 can only operate when the brake is at ambient temperature. As styles of operation change, some airlines run aircraft on an almost back to back schedule of flights with several different pilots flying any individual plane in a given tour of duty. Each one of these pilots must obtain an accurate wear measurement and will not be able to rely on a previous measurement taken that day as it could have been taken 20 flight cycles earlier.
Airlines are under increasing pressure to fully utilise their asset, so pressure to reduce turn round times—particularly for shorter flights, is high. The limiting factor is often brake temperature, as the brake must be capable of a full Rejected Take Off (RTO) before the aircraft can be released. Typically the limiting temperature is set at around 300° C., though it can be as high as 400° C. This could relate to an axial expansion of over 1 mm on a 300 mm heat stack, resulting in an unacceptable error in wear measurement. For instance, if 0.1 mm of wearable material was remaining at the start of a tour of duty, heavy wear or contamination of the heat stack with de-icer could occur and cause the brake to go below safe limits for heat stack size. Any wear measurement taken without temperature compensation at a temperature of 50° above ambient could result in a brake giving an indication that it is in a healthy condition when it is in fact below the allowable limit.
For electrically actuated brakes the opportunity to carry out a calibrated heat stack wear measurement of the type proposed by Goodrich in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,640 is limited to maintenance periods where the aircraft is out of service. In addition, information on heat pack wear is required to track wear of the heat pack in order to inform that maintenance is required so there is a need for representative wear information to be recorded on an ongoing basis during operating cycles. This cannot be provided if the actuator ram position for contact with the closed heat stack heat pack thickness is being determined as the position will change with brake temperature.


Transceiver circuitry for use in a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO), orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), communications environment, is disclosed. Error correction coding according to a fixed-block size code, such as low density parity check (LDPC) coding, is implemented. The codeword length, and codeword arrangement, are selected by determining a minimum number of OFDM symbol periods required for a payload size, and the number of available information bits in those symbol periods. A rule-based approach, for example in a table, is used to select the codeword length, and the number of codewords required. Shortening is then applied to the code, followed by determining whether puncturing or repeating of bits is necessary to efficiently use the available OFDM symbols.

This invention is in the field of communications, and is more specifically directed to the encoding of digital information in such communications.
High-speed data communication services, for example in providing high-speed Internet access, have become a widespread utility for many businesses, schools, and homes. In its current stage of development, this access is provided by an array of technologies. Recent advances in wireless communications technology have enabled localized wireless network connectivity according to the IEEE 802.11 standard to become popular for connecting computer workstations and portable computers to a local area network (LAN), and typically through the LAN to the Internet. Broadband wireless data communication technologies, for example those technologies referred to as "WiMAX" and "WiBro", and those technologies according to the IEEE 802.16d/e standards, have also been developed to provide wireless DSL-like connectivity in the Metro Area Network (MAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) context.
Multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) communication techniques have recently attracted attention, especially in the wireless LAN context. In a general sense, MIMO communications are realized by providing multiple signal paths (i.e., RF data path, or "chain", and antenna) both at a transmitter and at a receiver. In this manner, the transmitted information is either redundantly or independently transmitted over multiple spatial streams between a transmitter antenna and a receiver antenna. The spatial diversity provided by the MIMO approach provides either improved data rate or improved bit error rate in the signal, after combining of the multiple spatial streams at the receiver. These improvements are attractive in any wireless communications context, including wireless LAN (or MAN or WAN) technology, and wireless telephony. An overview of MIMO technology is provided in Gesbert et al., "From Theory to Practice: An Overview of MIMO Space-Time Coded Wireless Systems", Journal on Selected Areas in Communications, Vol. 21, No. 3 (IEEE, April 2003), pp. 281-302.
In the wireless LAN context, MIMO communication technology is being investigated for use in conjunction with orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) techniques. As known in the art, OFDM refers to a broadband communications approach in which modulated signals are transmitted over multiple narrow-bandwidth (e.g., 20 kHz) channels. Standardization efforts for use of MIMO OFDM wireless LAN communications have been ongoing in the industry, specifically with reference to the IEEE 802.11n standard. It is contemplated that wireless LAN communications under the eventual 802.11n standard will be able to reach 250 Mbit/second data rates, at distances of up to 50 meters.
A problem that is common to all data communications technologies, including of course MIMO OFDM communications, is the corruption of data by noise. As is fundamental in the art, the signal-to-noise ratio for a communications channel is a degree of goodness of the communications carried out over that channel, as it conveys the relative strength of the signal that carries the data (as attenuated over distance and time), to the noise present on that channel. These factors relate directly to the likelihood that a data bit or symbol as received differs from the data bit or symbol as transmitted. This likelihood of a data error is reflected by the error probability for the communications over the channel, commonly expressed as the Bit Error Rate (BER) ratio of errored bits to total bits transmitted. In short, the likelihood of error in data communications must be considered in developing a communications technology. Techniques for detecting and correcting errors in the communicated data must be incorporated for the communications technology to be useful.
Error detection and correction techniques are typically implemented by the technique of redundant coding. In general, redundant coding inserts data bits into the transmitted data stream that do not add any additional information, but that indicate, on decoding, whether an error is present in the received data stream. More complex codes provide the ability to deduce the true transmitted data from a received data stream even if errors are present.
Many types of redundant codes that provide error correction have been developed. One type of code simply repeats the transmission, for example by sending the payload followed by two repetitions of the payload, so that the receiver deduces the transmitted data by applying a decoder that determines the majority vote of the three transmissions for each bit. Of course, this simple redundant approach does not necessarily correct every error, but greatly reduces the payload data rate. In this example, a predictable likelihood exists that two of three bits are in error, resulting in an erroneous majority vote despite the useful data rate having been reduced to one-third. More efficient approaches, such as Hamming codes, have been developed toward the goal of reducing the error rate while maximizing the data rate.
The well-known Shannon limit provides a theoretical bound on the optimization of decoder error as a function of data rate. The Shannon limit provides a metric against which codes can be compared, both in the absolute and relative to one another. Since the time of the Shannon proof, modem data correction codes have been developed to more closely approach the theoretical limit. An important class of these conventional codes includes "turbo" codes, which encode the data stream by applying two convolutional encoders. One of these convolutional encoders encodes the datastream as given, while the other encodes a pseudo-randomly interleaved version of the data stream. The results from the two encoders are interwoven to produce the encoded data stream.
Another class of known redundant codes are the Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) codes. The fundamental paper describing these codes is Gallager, Low-Density Parity-Check Codes, (MIT Press, 1963), monograph available at http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/mackay/gallager/papers/. In these codes, a sparse matrix H defines the code, with the encodings c of the payload data satisfying:Hc=0  (1)over Galois field GF(2). Each encoding c consists of the source message ci combined with the corresponding parity check bits cp for that source message ci. The encodings c are transmitted, with the receiving network element receiving a signal vector r=c+n, n being the noise added by the channel. Because the decoder at the receiver also knows matrix H, it can compute a vector z=Hr. However, because r=c+n, and because Hc=0:z=Hr=Hc+Hn=Hn  (2)The decoding process thus involves finding the most sparse vector x that satisfies:Hx=z  (3)over GF(2). This vector x becomes the best guess for noise vector n, which can be subtracted from the received signal vector r to recover encodings c, from which the original source message ci is recoverable.
There are many known implementations of LDPC codes. Some of these LDPC codes have been described as providing code performance that approaches the Shannon limit, as described in MacKay et al., "Comparison of Constructions of Irregular Gallager Codes", Trans. Comm., Vol. 47, No. 10 (IEEE, Oct. 1999), pp. 1449-54, and in Tanner et al., "A Class of Group-Structured LDPC Codes", ISTCA-2001 Proc. (Ambleside, England, 2001).
In theory, the encoding of data words according to an LDPC code is straightforward. Given enough memory or small enough data words, one can store all possible code words in a lookup table, and look up the code word in the table according to the data word to be transmitted. But modem data words to be encoded are on the order of 1 kbits and larger, rendering lookup tables prohibitively large and cumbersome. Accordingly, algorithms have been developed that derive codewords, in real time, from the data words to be transmitted. A straightforward approach for generating a codeword is to consider the n-bit codeword vector c in its systematic form, having a data or information portion ci and an m-bit parity portion cp such that c=(c1|cp). Similarly, parity matrix H is placed into a systematic form Hsys, preferably in a lower triangular form for the m parity bits. In this conventional encoder, the information portion ci is filled with n-m information bits, and the m parity bits are derived by back-substitution with the systematic parity matrix Hsys. This approach is described in Richardson and Urbanke, "Efficient Encoding of Low-Density Parity-Check Codes", IEEE Trans. on Information Theory, Vol. 47, No. 2 (Feb. 2001), pp. 638-656. This article indicates that, through matrix manipulation, the encoding of LDPC codewords can be accomplished in a number of operations that approaches a linear relationship with the size n of the codewords. However, the computational efficiency in this and other conventional LDPC encoding techniques does not necessarily translate into an efficient encoder hardware architecture. Specifically, these and other conventional encoder architectures are inefficient because they typically involve the storing of inverse matrices, by way of which the parity check of equation (1), or a corollary, is solved in the encoding operation.
By way of further background, copending patent application Ser. No. 10/329,597, filed Dec. 26, 2002, now published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2004/0034828, and copending patent application Ser. No. 10/806,879, filed Mar. 23, 2004, and now published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2004/0194007 A1, both commonly assigned herewith and incorporated herein by this reference, describe a family of structured irregular LDPC codes, and decoding architectures for those codes. The quasi-cyclic structure of this family of LDPC codes can also provide efficiencies in the hardware implementation of the encoder, as described in copending patent application Ser. No. 10/724,280, filed Nov. 28, 2003, now published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2004/0148560 A1, commonly assigned herewith and incorporated herein by this reference. The encoder and encoding method that are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2004/0148560 A1 follow a generalized approach, and are capable of handling such complications as row rank deficiency.
By way of still further background, copending patent application Ser. No. 11/201,391, filed Aug. 10, 2005 and published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2006/0036926, commonly assigned herewith and incorporated herein by this reference, describes constraints on this family of structured irregular LDPC codes that enable recursive, and efficient, encoding of communications.
By way of still further background, copending patent application Ser. No. 11/284,929, filed Nov. 22, 2005 and published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2006/0123277 A1, commonly assigned herewith and incorporated herein by this reference, describes the shortening and puncturing of systematic codewords, and more specifically describes the selection of the number of shortened bits and the number of punctured bits from a given codeword length and code rate, for encoding according to a different selected codeword length. The approach described in this U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2006/0123277 A1 is believed to be particularly useful in connection with broadband wireless MAN communications according to the IEEE 802.16 standard.
By way of still further background, it is known to restructure a codeword arrangement in response to a comparison of the fraction of information bits that are to be shortened to the fraction of parity bits that are to be punctured.
As fundamental in the art of coded communications, the codeword length greatly affects the efficiency and performance of the communications system. As such, it is desirable to optimize communications by wisely selecting these code parameters. However, in the context of MIMO OFDM communications, many factors in the particular system implementation and operation are present that ought to be taken into account in selecting the optimum codeword length. These factors include the number of transmit antennae (and RF chains), the number of receive antennae (and RF chains), the number of OFDM subchannels, packet lengths, whether space-time block coding ("STBC") will be used to transmit a single spatial stream across multiple antennae, the modulation scheme applied to individual OFDM subchannels (e.g., 16-QAM, 64-QAM), the desired code rate, whether a short guard interval option is used, and the like.
Convolutional error correcting codes can be readily and flexibly adapted to a wide range of codeword lengths and code rates. It is desirable to obtain the important benefits provided by LDPC codes; however, LDPC codes operate on fixed block sizes, and as such are not easily adapted to varying selections of codeword length and code rate. As discussed above, and as described in the above-incorporated U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2006/0123277 A1, it is also desirable to have a minimum number of codeword lengths and code rates in modern LDPC transceivers, so that the memory and computational requirements can be kept modest.

Encoding for digital communications in a multiple-input, multiple-output environment


A system and method for granting access to a computer network. The method may include, for example, receiving at an access controller a request by a user to access the network using a computing device; providing the user with the option to retrieve a login page if authentication is required prior to network access being granted; using the access controller to verify user credentials provided by the user on the login page, the using the access controller to verify user credentials comprising: comparing a source IP address of a transmission control protocol connection request with a locally defined list of authorized user credentials stored in the access controller; and determining whether a White List associated with the access controller comprises a destination IP address; and granting the user access to the network if the user credentials are verified.

Recent improvements in technology have resulted in cheaper and more portable (e.g., smaller and lighter) computing devices, fueling a need for a substantial growth in network communication technology. In particular, the increasing prevalence of laptops and other types of portable computing devices has resulted in an increased demand for network connectivity in a variety of locations apart from a user's home or place of business. For example, the user of a portable computing device may wish to establish a connection to the Internet when within range of a Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP) or an enterprise network (e.g., in a hotel or airport lounge).
In many circumstances, however, it is not desirable for the operator of a communications network to permit indiscriminate access to the network. For example, in one type of situation, it may be desirable to limit network access to paying subscribers. In another situation, for example, it may be desirable to limit network access to ticketed passengers at an airport. Accordingly, there is a great need for network systems that permits certain authenticated users partial or total access to a network, while partially or completely denying other, non-authenticated users access to the network.
In many network architectures, one or more access controllers or similar components are used for the purpose of providing selective access to a network. For example, in some network architectures, an access controller or gateway device is used to automatically redirect users to a portal page when an attempt to access the network is made. Such access controllers and gateway devices are not adequate, however, because they fail to provide a secure method to inform the user that adequate credentials are required to access a public IP network (such as the Internet). In particular, the use of current access controllers and gateway devices that automatically redirect users to a portal page following network access attempts makes it difficult to detect possible "mad in the middle" attacks, where unwanted devices spoof Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.
In light of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide an access controller for use in network systems that is capable of presenting a service announcement page to a user in the event that user credentials must be entered prior to network access being granted, such that the security and overall user experience associated with accessing a network from a public location is increased.

System and method for providing HTML authentication using an access controller

Hewlett-Packard Development Comopany, L.P.


An impoved croquet stick comprised of a stick with an opening, two half-pieces of stick head and opening, two half-pieces of stick haed and two connecting cases. Said stick head is comprised of the left and right half-pieces of stick head whose section is in semicircle shape. Two polygonal openings are located in the middle of the stick head wherein a protuberant pillaret is inserted into the opening of the hexagonal stick so as to connect the stick with the stick head together. There are corresponding arc slots on the surface of the stick head. Two connecting cases are secured on both sides of the stick head.

The present invention relates to an improved croquet stick comprised of a stick with an opening, two half-pieces of stick head and connecting cases secured on both sides of the stick head. The improved croquet stick of the present invention, which is easy to manufacture, can be mass-produced so as to reduce the cost of production. The improvement of croquet stick of the present invention is very practical.
Nowadays, croquet is one of the popular sports in Europe and the United States. The lover of croquet is increased rapidly.
The equipment of croquet is no other than the croquet stick and ball. The prior art croquet stick 60 is comprised of a stick 70 and a stick head 80. Both are made of wood. The wood is cut to cylinders in different sizes and diameters so that it is difficult to mass-produce and manufacture the prior art croquet stick. Meantime, the material of wood would hike up the cost of production. Therefore, a practical croquet stick is really in need.
The present invention provides an improved croquet stick comprised of a stick with an opening, right and left half-pieces of stick head and connecting cases secured on both sides of the stick head. Inside the right-half piece of stick head, there is a protuberant pillar. An hexagonal opening is in the middle of the complete stick head, which is composed of left and right half-pieces of stick head for connecting with the hexagonal stick. The protuberant pillar is inserted into the opening of stick. The two half-pieces are combined into one complete stick head with connecting cases secured on both sides. The advanced and practical design of the present invention, which is easy to manufacture and cost-efficient, can be mass-produced.