A memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells each of which has a control gate and a floating gate. A programming circuit operates in a first programming mode followed by a second programming mode. In the first programming mode, the programming circuit applies a first program pulse to first memory cells while progressively increasing a programming capability of the first program pulse until threshold voltages of the first memory cells become higher than or equal to a first reference voltage. In the second programming mode, the programming circuit applies a second program pulse to second memory cells included in the first memory cells and having threshold voltages lower than a second reference voltage that is higher than the first reference voltage until the threshold voltages of the second memory cells become higher than or equal to the second reference voltage.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and a method of programming in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device having a plurality of memory cells each of which can store a multi-level data, and a method of programming in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally speaking, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device such as a flash memory includes a plurality of memory cells each of which has a stacked gate structure (floating gate structure). That is to say, in a MOS transistor of the memory cell, a floating gate is provided between a substrate and a control gate. When charges are injected into the floating gate, a threshold value (threshold voltage) of each memory cell varies in accordance with the amount of the injected charges. In such a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, the threshold voltages are correlated with data stored in the memory cell. Thus, by detecting the threshold voltage of each memory cell, the data stored in each memory cell can be read out.
A "programming" means an injection of the charges into a floating gate. In the programming of a memory cell, a predetermined potential is applied to source/drain, and a high potential is applied to a control gate of the memory cell. Accordingly, charges are injected into a floating gate of the memory cell. The programming may be performed for a plurality of memory cells by using one program pulse, which causes increase of a difference in the threshold voltage between a memory cell to which charges are injected at high-speed (high-efficiency) and a memory cell to which charges are injected at low-speed (low-efficiency). In order to prevent such a problem, a "verify (verifying step)" is generally carried out after the "programming". In the verify, whether or not a desired amount of charges have been injected to the floating gate is checked. That is, in the verify, whether or not the threshold voltage of the memory cell have become a desired value.
FIG. 1 shows a relationship between a voltage Vcg applied to a control gate and a program time (the number of programming operations) when a memory cell is programmed according to a conventional programming method. In the conventional programming, as shown in FIG. 1, the voltage Vcg applied to the control gate of the memory cell is increases by ΔVcg as the number of programming operations increases. After every time the voltage is applied, a verify operation is performed to verify whether the threshold voltage of the memory cell has exceeded a predetermined value. With regard to the memory cell whose threshold voltage is determined by the verify operation to exceed the predetermined value, the programming is completed at that state. On the other hand, with regard to the memory cell whose threshold voltage is not determined to exceed the predetermined value, the programming operation continues until the threshold voltage reaches the predetermined value.
FIG. 2 shows a threshold voltage distribution with respect to the plurality of memory cells which are programmed according to the above-mentioned conventional method. The threshold voltage Vth is represented in the ordinate, and the number of memory cells is represented in the abscissa. A width ΔVth of the threshold voltage distribution represents the difference in the threshold voltage among the plurality of memory cells. That is, the threshold voltage Vth of each memory cell is in a range from the predetermined value Vref to Vref+ΔVth. Since the voltage of the program pulse is increased by ΔVcg according to the above-mentioned conventional programming, the width ΔVth is in proportion to ΔVcg.
In such a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, the threshold voltages are correlated with the data stored in the memory cell. For example, each memory cell is programmed such that the data "0" corresponds to the higher threshold value and the data "1" corresponds to the lower threshold value.
Also, a multi-level storing technique is known as a technique for increasing the storage density in a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. According to the multi-level storing technique, data of at least two bits can be stored in a single memory cell. Such a memory cell is called as an MLC (Multi-Level Cell). For example, in a four-level nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, a four-level memory cell can store 2-bit data "00", "01", "10" and "11". Each memory cell is programmed to have a threshold voltage corresponding to any one of the "00", "01", "10" and "11" in accordance with the programmed data.
According to the multi-level (multi-bit) nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, two adjacent threshold voltage distributions corresponding to different storage data are close to each other as compared with a two-value (single-bit) nonvolatile semiconductor memory device. The narrower margin can cause a read error and hence deterioration of reading accuracy. As such, it is required to reduce the distribution width ΔVth with regard to the threshold voltages of the memory cells shown in FIG. 2 as possible. In the programming shown in FIG. 1, the program pulse increment ΔVcg may be set to a smaller value for the purpose of narrowing the distribution width ΔVth and widening the margin. In this case, however, there are problems in that the number of programming operations increases and hence the time necessary for the programming increases.
A technique for reducing the time required for the programming and for narrowing the distribution width is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-357693 (Patent Document No. 1). FIG. 3 shows a relationship between a voltage Vcg applied to a control gate and a program time (the number of programming operations) when a memory cell is programmed according to the method described in the Patent Document No. 1. According to the method, the programming operation is classified into a coarse stage and a fine stage. The programming in the coarse stage is performed until a threshold voltage of a memory cell exceeds a first reference level (Vref3) while incrementing the program voltage by ΔVcg3. The programming in the fine stage is performed until the threshold voltage of the memory cell exceeds a second reference level (Vref4) while incrementing the program voltage by ΔVcg4. The increment width ΔVcg4 of the program pulse in the fine stage is set smaller than the increment width ΔVcg3 of the program pulse in the coarse stage.
FIG. 4 shows a threshold voltage distribution just after the coarse stage and a threshold voltage distribution just after the fine stage. It is described in the above-referenced Patent Document No. 1 that the first reference value (level) Vref3 is preferably set to a value obtained by subtracting a value more than the increment width ΔVcg3 in the coarse stage from the second reference value (level) Vref4. A distribution width ΔVth3 of the threshold voltage distribution after the completion of the coarse stage is proportional to the increment width ΔVcg3. After the coarse stage, the programming in the fine stage is carried out. As a result, a final threshold voltage distribution is obtained as shown in FIG. 4, whose width ΔVth4 is proportional to the increment width ΔVcg4. The final distribution width ΔVth4 obtained after the fine stage is narrower than the distribution width ΔVth3 obtained just after the coarse stage, as shown in FIG. 4.
According to the conventional technique, as described above, the plurality of program pulses are used and successively applied in the programming (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Whether the threshold voltage exceeds the reference value Vref (see FIG. 2) or not is checked in the verifying operation. Thus, the post-programming threshold voltage is controlled to be a desired threshold voltage level. However, the reference value Vref can fluctuate due to influences of noises. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the threshold voltages of a part of the memory cells remain lower than the reference value Vref, and hence the final threshold voltage distribution expands to the lower side with regard to the threshold voltage. Such a problem can also occur in the case of the above-mentioned Patent Document No. 1. In other words, the final threshold voltage distribution after the fine stage expands to below the desired reference level Vref4.

Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device and method of programming in nonvolatile semiconductor memory device


Method and apparatus for treating contaminants on a site, especially a deep well site includes delivering a first stream of a first gas to a first port of a laminar microporous diffuser and delivering a second stream of a second gas to a second port of the laminar microporous diffuser to effect mixing of the first and second streams of gases within the laminar microporous diffuser.

This invention relates generally to water remediation systems.
There is a well-recognized need to clean-up contaminants found in ground water, i.e., aquifers and surrounding soil formations. Such aquifers and surrounding soil formations may be contaminated with various constituents including organic compounds such as, volatile hydrocarbons, including chlorinated hydrocarbons such as dichloroethene (DCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and tetrachloroethene (PCE). Other contaminates that can be present include vinyl chloride, 1,1 trichloroethane (TCA), and very soluble gasoline additives such as methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). At times these contaminants and others are found at great depths below the earth's surface. Other contaminants may also be encountered.


In order to stabilize the idle current and the bandwidth of a Darlington-coupled output stage, the output stage is adapted, within an interval of currents, to continuously increase its current amplification with increasing input current from a first amplification value to a second amplification value.

Such a known output stage has a high current amplification also for low currents. This causes the bandwidth of the output stage to be reduced when the current is reduced. The current amplification varies from transistor to transistor and, moreover, the current amplification is temperature dependent. This causes problems with the stabilization of the idle current of the output stage.

Arrangement for reducing and stabilizing the amplification of a Darlington-coupled output stage


An apparatus for adjusting a fixing pressure of an image forming apparatus is provided. The apparatus for adjusting the fixing pressure includes a pair of pressing members to rotatably support an axis of a first roller from both ends and to rotate about a hinge shaft to cause the first roller to press against a second roller, a pair of hinge cams to move the hinge shaft of the pair of pressing members in either of two directions, a driving unit to rotate the pair of hinge cams, and a control unit to control the driving unit to adjust the position of the hinge shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus for adjusting pressure of a fixing unit, and an image forming apparatus having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus generally operates to form a toner image onto a photosensitive medium, and transfer the toner image onto a printing medium. The image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit to fix the toner image onto the printing medium by heat and pressure.
The fixing (i.e., fusing) unit generally includes a heating roller to generate a high temperature heat, and a pressing roller to press against the heating roller with a predetermined pressing force. An elastic member is employed to support the pressing roller, such that the pressing roller presses the heating roller with a predetermined pressure. Accordingly, a toner image is fixed onto a printing medium when the printing medium passes between the heating roller and the pressing roller.
Because the fixing unit is usually set to have a specific pressing force, that is, set for standard printing paper, problems occur when a printing medium other than standard printing paper is passed through the fixing unit. For example, if an envelope, which is thicker than standard printing paper, is passed through the heating and pressing rollers, the envelope will usually have a crease.
In order to solve the above problem, an image forming apparatus is conventionally provided with a separate manually-operable lever, to adjust the pressure exerted on the pressing roller by the elastic member in accordance with the thickness of the printing medium. That is, in order to print on an envelope, a user operates the manually-operable lever to adjust the pressing force of the pressing roller and to prevent generation of a crease on the envelope. However, the user is inconvenienced, because he has to operate the manually-operable lever whenever it is necessary to print on the envelope.

Apparatus for adjusting fixing pressure and image forming apparatus having the same


A method of forming a gate dielectric layer includes forming a gate dielectric layer over a substrate. The gate dielectric layer is processed with carbon-containing ions. The gate dielectric layer is thermally processed, thereby providing the gate dielectric layer with a level of carbon between about 1 atomic % and about 20 atomic %.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor structures and methods of forming semiconductor structures, and more particularly to gate dielectric layers and methods of fabricating gate dielectric layers.
2. Description of the Related Art
With advances associated with electronic products, semiconductor technology, has been widely applied in manufacturing memories, central processing units (CPUs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), light emission diodes (LEDs); laser diodes and other devices or chip sets. In order to achieve high integration and speed targets, dimensions of semiconductor integrated circuits, such as gate dielectric layers, continue shrinking and various materials, such as high-k dielectric materials, have been used along with techniques for overcoming manufacturing obstacles associated with these materials.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a prior art high-k gate dielectric layer formed over a substrate. A high-k gate dielectric layer 110 is formed over a substrate 100. The high-k gate dielectric layer 110 includes ions, such as nitrogen (N), hafnium (Hf) or zirconium (Zr), which increases the dielectric constant of the high-k gate dielectric layer 110. For example, a dielectric constant of a gate oxide layer is about 3.9 and a dielectric constant of an HfO2 layer is about 22. A high-k dielectric layer having a high physical thickness provides a desired equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) to that provided by an oxide layer having a low physical thickness. An oxide layer having a physical thickness of about 15 Å provides an EOT of about 15 Å. An HfO2 layer providing an EOT of about 15 Å, however, may have a physical thickness of about 85 Å. The HfO2 layer having an 85-Å physical thickness can tolerate a high gate voltage applied thereto. Accordingly, a transistor having an HfO2 layer as a gate dielectric layer not only provides the same electrical performance as a transistor having a 15-Å oxide layer, but also has a current leakage lower than the transistor having the oxide dielectric layer.
By way of background, U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,269 provides a description of a process for reducing interface-trapped charges, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,548 provides a description of a process for manufacturing metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices, the entirety of which is also hereby incorporated by reference herein.
From the foregoing, improved gate dielectric layers and methods of forming gate dielectric layers are desired.

Gate dielectric layers and methods of fabricating gate dielectric layers

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A CMOS solid state imaging device capable of achieving a higher image quality while reducing the size and power consumption and increasing the number of pixels and speeds. The CMOS solid state imaging device includes a light-receiving portion that performs photoelectric conversion according to a quantity of received light, a transfer gate used to read out charges obtained through the photoelectric conversion in the light-receiving portion, and a peripheral transistor in a periphery of the light-receiving portion. A voltage applied to the transfer gate is set higher than a voltage applied to the peripheral transistor.

A CMOS solid state imaging device can be reduced more in size and power consumption than a CCD (Charge Transfer Device), and is therefore used as an imaging device in a digital still camera or a cellular phone.
In order to achieve a further reduction in size and power consumption in the CMOS solid state imaging device, it is necessary to reduce a power supply voltage by reducing an area per pixel according to the scaling law and reducing the dimensions of elements forming the pixel. A pixel region can be thus reduced and the sensitivity is reduced proportionally.
Incidentally, Japanese Patent No. 2618939 discloses a technique in the related art aimed at increasing the speeds and an image quality in a CCD. This technique can prevent mixing of signal charges (signal deterioration) among horizontal CCD registers when high-speed reading is performed using a CCD that has been reduced in size and increased in resolution.
The technique to prevent signal deterioration in the CCD has been disclosed; however, there is no satisfactory countermeasure against S/N deterioration when a quantity of charges that can be handled in the CMOS solid state imaging device is lessened. In other words, the CMOS solid state imaging device has an advantage that the pixel portion and peripheral circuits can be manufactured in the same process; however, when the pixel region is reduced according to the scaling law, a power supply voltage is reduced as well. This reduces a voltage applied to the transfer gate used when charges are read out from the pixel portion, which gives rise to S/N deterioration caused by a reduced quantity of saturation charges.


A pure pearl powder preparation method of preparing a pure pearl powder by: (a) preparing pearl and washing the prepared pearl to remove sands and other, and then infusing the washed pearl in milk/soybean milk till that the milk/soybean milk becomes rancid, (b) washing the pearl with water to remove foul smell from the pearl, and then drying the pearl, and crushing the pearl into a superfine pearl powder, and (c) mixing the superfine pearl powder thus obtained with water in a high-speed mixer to form a pearl powder suspension, and then drawing the pearl powder suspension out of the mixer through a sieve over 100 mesh, and then drying the collected pearl powder suspension at low temperature to obtain the desired pure pearl powder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to material processing and more particularly, to a method of preparing pure pearl powder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pearl is a noble Chinese medicine. According to modern scientific searches, pearl contains various amino acids including Asp, Thr, Ser, Glu, Gly, Ala, Gys, Val, Met, Ile, Leu, Tyr, Ph., Lys, His, Arg, Pro, Taurine and etc. Pearl also contains many minor elements necessary for human body such as Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, Cr, Se, I, Ni, F, Mo, V, Sn, Sr, Ge, and etc. Pearl is effective in tranquilizing the mind, improving eyesight, detoxifying chemicals and promoting granulation. It is a good for anti-aging beauty and healthcare applications. However, pearl is a mixed organic-inorganic nanostructured material, comprising two layers of calcium carbonate of aragonite structure and a layer of protein of thickness ranging from several nanometers to ten and more nanometers sandwiched between the two layers of calcium carbonate. Therefore, pearl has the characteristics of high hardness and toughness. Processing of pearl is not easy. Conventionally, there are two ways to process pearl, i.e., the dry grinding method and water-adding grinding method. Pearl powder obtained by the method dry grinding has a relatively greater grain size about several tens of nanometers in diameter that is not effective for absorption in human body. Further, this pearl powder processing method cannot remove heavy metal and other impurities. The water-adding grinding method can remove impurities, however it is not suitable for industrial production because of the drawbacks of high consumption of energy and time during processing.


A system, computer-readable storage medium and method provide a secure transaction by receiving, from a mobile wallet a request to assign a vendor specific payment account identifier (VSPAI) to a payment account identifier (PAI) associated with a user of the mobile wallet. Identifying information is verified of: (i) an issuer of the PAI, (ii) a specific vendor; and (iii) the user of the mobile wallet. In response to verifying, a unique VSPAI is created that is associated with the PAI of the user and the specific vendor. Then, when a payment request is received including the unique VSPAI for a transaction with a particular vendor, the particular vendor is verified as the specific vendor associated with the unique VSPAI. In response to verifying that the particular vendor, payment of the transaction by the issuer using the PAI associated with the unique VSPAI is facilitated.

The present application relates to mobile wallets, and more particularly to protecting payment account identifiers associated with mobile wallets.
When people registered with web stores or service providers, they create user profile with one or more credit card numbers including user (account holder) name, address, and/or phone number. For instance, users store a credit card number to register with Uber (transportation company utilizing online network) services with their mobile devices such as smartphone or tablet computer. Uber service automatically processes the payment with the user's credit card. Users also store their credit card numbers at online stores such as Amazon to receive quick services without entering the card number again at each purchase. Hackers often steal a large number of payment information from web stores or service providers and use them for fraudulent transactions.
Third-party payers such as PAYPAL have arisen to be an intermediary so that the individual vendors do not have to directly handle payment account identifiers (PAIS). However, these third-party payers are themselves the target of malicious activities. Once criminals obtain sufficient information about an individual, the third-party payer can be used to transact for a wide variety of goods and services through numerous vendors. Significant financial damage can occur before such misuse is detected and stopped. Even if the user is made whole, the increased cost of doing business due to such theft increases the overall charges that must be levied by the third-party payer for this intermediary service.
There is a need to protect payment accounts stored in online stores and service providers from hackers and to prevent losses caused by hacked account information.

Vendor specific payment account identifier


A method of forming a non-woven material includes blending both synthetic and wool fibres in a web and stabilizing the web by utilizing a bonding medium to form dispersed bonds between the fibres. The wool fibres are subjected before formation of the web to a pretreatment effective to modify the epicuticle of the wool so as to substantially increase the surface energy of the wool fibres without destroying their integrity to an extent sufficient for the wool fibres to accept the bonding medium in the web. The dispersed bonds thereby include bonds with wool fibres substantially effective to hold the wool fibres of the material in the web.

This invention relates to non-woven material containing wool, especially insulating material for clothing and bedding products, and in a particular aspect provides an insulating material formed predominantly from wool fibres.
Down is presently recognized as the superior lightweight filling for clothing and bedding products due to its excellent loftiness. High quality down has a volume fraction of 0.003, that is it contains only 0.3% fibre and 99.7% air by volume. This large volume of trapped, still air is vital to the excellent insulating properties of down and its high warmth to weight ratio. A second important characteristic of down is its high resilience, that is its ability to maintain excellent loft after repeated compressions and indeed through years of use.
A currently used synthetic substitute for down is a lightweight non-woven open web of polyester fibres. The web may be a conventional card web in which the fibres are partially aligned parallel to the web direction, or a random web in which there is no preferred orientation of the fibres. The resilience of the random web is considered to be superior to that of the partially aligned web. The open web structure is normally stabilized by some form of bonding. This bonding can be achieved by a variety of methods including chemical bonding methods and thermal bonding. A common form of chemical bonding is the use of either a spray adhesive (spray bonding) or bath immersion of the product in a solution of adhesive. Thermal bonding is a technique that appears to have a promising future and the non-woven industry has shown a trend towards this method. In thermal bonding, effective dispersed bonds are achieved by initially forming the web to include a portion of thermoplastic fibres of lower melting point than the majority of the polyester fibres. On heating the blend, the low melting point fibres melt to form droplets which on cooling bond and stabilise the structure. In a variation, the bonding is achieved using conjugate thermoplastic fibres, for example bicomponent fibres each in two parts, core and sheath, made from two different polymers of differing melting points. On heating, only one component melts and so the binder fibre maintains its integrity as a fibre rather than forming a droplet.
It is known that the properties of synthetic fibres may be enhanced in certain respects, by blending in a selected proportion of a staple natural fibre, such as wool. In particular, wool provides good moisture absorption capacity and therefore enhanced comfort for the user. A blended synthetic and wool insulating batt has been proposed in a paper by Hoffmeyer and Watt in WRONZ Report R128, January 1986, published by the Wool Research Organization of New Zealand (WRONZ). Various different lofty batts were formed as non-woven webs stablised by thermal bonding using a blend with mono or bicomponent bondable fibres and wool. Hoffmeyer and Watt reported that none of the fibres assessed gave a measurable bond to wool fibres, even when the latter had been pretreated by either scouring, solvent extraction, chlorination with 2.8% BASOLAN DC or chlorine-HERCOSETT treated with 2.8% BASOLAN DC followed by 2.8% HERCOSETT 57. Some of the webs at least mechanically trapped the wool fibres. The products were, however, observed to be poorly stabilised insofar as the wool fibres were concerned and to exhibit poor resilience and generally inferior properties relative to down.
A non-woven fabric comprised of thermoplastic fibres and wool fibres is disclosed in Australian patent 459539, wherein the wool fibres are said not to be interbonded to each other at their crossing points and only lightly bonded if at all at the points at which they cross the thermoplastic fibres, being held in the structure by mechanical constraint.

Commonwealth Sceintific and Industrial Research Organisation


The invention relates to a rotary/push-button controller having a controller ring (18) which can be rotated about a rotation axis (7) and is arranged such that it can rotate on a holding cylinder (6) which is arranged coaxially within the control ring (18). In this case, the holding cylinder (6) is provided at its end with an input and/or display field (14), and the control ring (18) and the holding cylinder (6) can be moved axially with respect to the rotation axis (7) against a spring force from a neutral position to a switch position which operates a switching element. The input and/or display field (14) is mounted so that it can rotate about the rotation axis (7). A rotary transmitter ring is arranged coaxially on the control ring (18) and is arranged coaxially alongside a rotary transmitter (17) which is firmly connected to the holding cylinder (6) with the relative rotation position of the rotary transmitter ring with the respect to the rotary transmitter (17) being recordable.

The invention relates to a rotary/pushbutton controller having an operator control ring which can be rotated about a rotational axis and which is rotatably mounted on a holding cylinder which is arranged coaxially within the operator control ring, wherein the holding cylinder is provided at one of its ends with an input and/or display field and the operator control ring and/or the holding cylinder can be moved axially with respect to the rotational axis counter to a spring force from a neutral position into a switched position which activates a switch, having a rotary transmitter ring which is arranged coaxially on the operator control ring and is arranged coaxially next to a rotary transmitter which is fixedly connected to the holding cylinder, wherein the relative rotational position of the rotary transmitter ring with respect to the rotary transmitter can be sensed.
In such a rotary/pushbutton controller, it is known that only the operator control ring but not the holding cylinder and the rotational axis can be rotated.
Such a rotary/pushbutton controller is used in particular in a motor vehicle for control of, for example, a multimedia system or navigation system or a vehicle subsystem such as an air-conditioning system. In this context, for example, the selection of a menu item can be made by rotating the operator control ring, the menu item is then selected by pressing the operator control ring, where the holding cylinder and/or the input and display field and switching the switching element.
Numbers, letters or symbols can be displayed and/or selected on the input and display field independently of the operator control ring.
It is also possible to make the input and display field sensitive and to use it for menu prompting and/or data input.
For example, it is possible to input lines, symbols, numerals or letters by moving a finger on the input and display field.
Since the input and display field in the motor vehicle is fixed, the position is optimized for the driver as a right-handed person in a left-hand drive vehicle. If the driver is left-handed or if the front seat passenger also attempts to activate the rotary/pushbutton controller, this activation is possible only with difficulty.


A vehicle system includes a vehicle occupant seat including at least two weight sensors coupled to the seat for generating weight signals. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) including an occupant classification algorithm for generating an occupant classification signal as a function of the weight signals. The electronic control unit further includes variant signal metrics for generating an error signal as a function of comparing the weight signals.

Advanced air bag requirements have resulted in the implementation of passenger occupant classification sensors. Two current occupant classification sensor systems are structure based sensor systems and bladder systems.
Structure-based occupant classification sensor systems include sensors designed in the lower seat structure or seat base, whereas bladder systems are non-structure based and include bladders placed between seat foam and a seat pan. Structure-based systems measure the weight on the seat (including bottom and back cushions) for determining a classification for the front-seat passenger occupant, for example, child, adult, etc., and can also be used for determining a classification for the driver occupant, for example, small adult (5th%), medium adult (50th%), and large adult (95th%).
For these systems properly to measure occupant weight, the seat must not contact any adjacent systems (e.g. center console, door panel) and should be unconstrained. Occupant classification sensor system measured error results from adjacent system contact with the seat and is usually measured in pounds or kilograms. Most of the above specified adjacent system contacts produce only small amounts of occupant classification sensor measurement error.
Large errors may be generated, however, when a vehicle power seat is motored or driven into or onto an object that stops the seat movement prior to normal seat travel, and the seat motor continues to apply a force into the seat structure. Examples of items that may cause these measured errors include: a power seat lowered onto an object stuck under the seat and fore or aft seat movement into an object directly behind the seat (e.g. cargo behind the seat). These large measured weight errors can lead to improper occupant classification and improper pyrotechnic deployment strategies.
Similar difficulties also exist for manual seats where the operator adjusts the seat, which induces forces on the seat structure as a result of contacting objects. These forces generally result in system measurement error.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an improved occupant weight detection system to decrease the probability of improper safety device response.

Method and system for detecting occupant seat weight sensor measurement error


An anchoring system for a tool in a borehole is provided. The anchoring system comprising a tool body, anchoring members which are operable to extend from the tool body so as to deploy an anchor portion into contact with the borehole wall such that when deployed. The anchoring members act to support the tool body in a central region of the borehole. Moreover, the anchoring members are connected to an operating mechanism which links deployment of the anchoring members so as to distribute the anchoring force and position of the anchoring members in a controlled manner.

In a conventional drilling setup, a drill bit is mounted on a bottom hole assembly (BHA) that is connected to a drill string made up of tubular members connected in an end-to-end arrangement. The BHA can include measuring instruments, a drilling motor, telemetry systems and generators. Penetration is achieved by rotating the drill bit while applying weight on bit (WOB). Rotation can be achieved by rotating the drill string at the surface or by use of a drilling motor downhole on which the drill bit is mounted. The drilling motor is typically powered by flow of a drilling fluid through the drill string and into a hydraulic motor in the BHA. The drilling fluid exits through the drill bit and returns to the surface outside the drill string carrying drilled cuttings with it. WOB is applied by the use of heavyweight drill pipe in the drill string above the BHA.
Clearly WOB can only be applied when the heavyweight drill pipe is close to vertical in the borehole. When it is desired to drill highly deviated borehole sections (close to horizontal), the heavyweight drill pipe may have to be located some distance from the BHA in order for it to be in a borehole section that is close to vertical.
Another form of drilling uses coiled tubing to connect the BHA to the surface. An example of this is found in Hill D, Nerne E, Ehlig-Economides C and Mollinedo M "Reentry Drilling Gives New Life to Aging Fields" Oilfield Review (Autumn 1996) 4-14 which describes the VIPER Coiled Tubing Drilling System. In this case the coiled tubing is used to push the drilling tool along the well and provide WOB. However, problems can occur as the coiled tubing does not have great strength in compression.
Recently, various proposals have been made for drilling systems conveyed on wireline cable. An example of this is found in GB2398308. Clearly a flexible cable cannot be used to provide WOB.
The various problems incurred in obtaining WOB, in conventional, coiled tubing and wireline drilling have lead to the development of tractor or thruster devices to provide the necessary WOB. These devices typically lock in the borehole above the drill bit to provide a reaction point and use a drive mechanism to urge the drill bit away from the reaction point and provide WOB.
There have been a number of proposals for tractors and thrusters. Tractors are used to convey borehole tools along the borehole in highly deviated situations. These typically pull the tool(s) on a wireline cable down the well which is then logged back up the well on the wireline cable pulled from the surface. Examples of tractors for such uses can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,131, U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,055 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,568. A tractor for use with coiled tubing or drill pipe is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,703 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,235.
Rather than pulling the tool, a thruster pushes a tool forward. Examples of such thrusters can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,606, U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,813, U.S. Pat. No. 6,629,570 and GB 2 388 132. Thrusters often can be used for pulling as well. The term "tractor" is used in this application to indicate both forms of device. Where a distinction is required, the terms "pulling tractor" and "pushing tractor" are used.
Other examples of downhole anchoring in tools can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,747 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,655,458.
There are various mechanisms used by tractors. In one approach, wheels or chains act on the borehole wall to drive the tractor along. Another approach is a push-pull crawler. In this case, the device locks one end against the borehole wall and extends a free end forward. At the limit of its extent, the free end is then locked and the other end released and retracted to the newly locked end. When fully retracted, the other end is locked and the locked end released and advanced again. This is repeated as required to either push or pull equipment connected to the tractor. This can be used for both pushing and pulling actions.
When drilling wells using a wireline drilling system, the tractor may encounter many situations where a classic piston anchoring system will not be adequate. These can include washouts, cave-ins, and very soft formations in open-hole. In cased-hole, during trips; the tractor can encounter obstructions from completion equipment, and weak tubing. Furthermore, the same tractor may need to be sufficiently multifunctional to be able to operate in open hole, tubing, and casing, in various aging conditions (erosion, corrosion, etc).
It is an object of this invention to provide anchoring techniques that can be used by tractors in various hole and casing situations.


A lens is equipped with a reference mounting surface that is abutted to a surface of a lens support member at the time of mounting the lens, wherein the reference mounting surface is arranged between a plane which is normal to the optical axis of the lens and includes a principal point on the incident light side of the lens and a plane which is normal to the optical axis of the lens and includes a principal point on the outgoing light side of the lens.

In an optical communications system that uses one or more optical fibers, wherein an optical coupler having a light sending side and a light receiving side is used, there has been a need for an optical coupling system wherein a divergent light beam that is emitted from the light sending side of the optical coupler is collected and formed into a convergent light beam that is then incident onto an end surface of an optical fiber on the light receiving side of the optical coupler.
Conventionally, a so-called ball lens (i.e., a spherical lens) has been used as a lens in such an optical coupling system to collect the light and to form the light into a convergent beam. Such a lens has an advantage in that, since no alignment is required due to its spherical shape, it is easily mounted. However, there is a problem in that a ball lens does not efficiently condense light due to the spherical aberration of such a lens being large.
In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. H09-061665 another design is disclosed that uses an aspherical lens as a coupling lens in an optical communications system that enables the light to be more efficiently condensed, as compared with using a ball lens, and thus the coupling efficiency of the optical coupler is enhanced.
With a lens having a fixed optical axis such as with an aspherical lens, it is generally difficult to obtain a desired optical performance unless the alignment of the lens is accurately performed. When the lens is used as a component of an optical coupler in an optical communications system, alignment errors (especially, inclination errors) of the lens result in a large shifting of the position of the focus point, and thus the coupling efficiency of the optical coupler may be remarkably reduced.
Conventionally, a lens of an optical coupler in an optical communications system must be accurately aligned with meticulous care, due to the mounting operation of the lens being less than 'user friendly'.


A noncontact type tonometer comprising with a nozzle for directing fluid into a cornea of a patient's eye and for deforming the cornea from a normally convex state, through a flat state, to a concave state, a detector for detecting fluid pressure within the nozzle and for generating pressure data corresponding to the fluid pressure, an optical detector for optically detecting corneal deformation and for generating optical data corresponding to a deformation state from the normally convex state to the concave state, a generator for generating predetermined time interval data according to a predetermined time interval, a clock, cooperable with the optical detector for optically detecting corneal deformation, for detecting an elapsed time interval for the cornea to deform to the flat state from the normally convex state and for generating elapsed time interval data corresponding thereto, a predictor for predicting an optimal time interval for the cornea to deform from the normally convex state to the flat state based upon the optical data and the predetermined time interval data and for generating optimal time interval data corresponding thereto, a comparator for comparing the elapsed time interval data with a predetermined range of the optimal time interval data, a pressure calculator for calculating the fluid pressure according to the pressure detected by the detector for detecting fluid pressure at the elapsed time interval where the cornea deforms to a flat state if the elapsed time interval lies within the predetermined range of the optimal time interval, and a controller for driving the nozzle.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a noncontact type tonometer by which intraocular pressure of a patient's eye is measured without contacting the eye by directing a compressed air pulse into the cornea of the patient's eye and deforming the cornea in a predetermined manner.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a noncontact type tonometer in which intraocular pressure of the patient's eye can be precisely measured without giving discomfort to the patient by predicting the ideal pressure value of the compressed air used to measure the intraocular pressure based on a predetermined condition of the cornea and the deformation of the cornea by compressed air with the predicted pressure value.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, two types of tonometers for measuring intraocular pressure of the patient's eye are known. One type is a traditional contact type tonometer and the other type is a noncontact type tonometer. The contact type tonometer has mechanical plunger which is placed in direct contact with the cornea to measure resistance of the patient's eyeball to deformation. This kind of contact type tonometer is not widely used at present because excessive compressed air pressure is directed to the cornea of the patient's eye. As a result, the patient experiences considerable discomfort.
A typical noncontact type tonometer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,849. In this tonometer, an air pulse is directed to the cornea of the patient's eye in order to deform the cornea from its normal convex shape, through a flat shape, to a concave shape and vice versa. During this deformation, the deformation state of the cornea is observed as a function of time through the detection of a quantity of light reflected from the cornea. The light from a light source is reflected from the cornea. As a result, intraocular pressure of the patient's eye is measured based on the detected time elapsed until the cornea becomes flatshaped.
However, the aforementioned noncontact tonometer has a defect in that an excessive amount of compressed air may be directed to the cornea unnecessarily because there is no pressure control over the compressed air.
To improve this defect, a tonometer is provided in which the maximum pressure of the compressed air can be arbitrarily set in one of a plurality ranges as disclosed in Japanese patent application, laid-open No. 63-300740. According to the apparatus, based on information of the intraocular pressure of a patient's eye obtained after first measurement, the maximum pressure of the compressed air necessary for a second measurement can be selected. Thus, it is possible that only the compressed air pressure necessary for measuring intraocular pressure can be directed to the cornea of the patient's eye in the above improved apparatus by selecting the maximum pressure of the compressed air.
However, a control circuit for accomplishing the selection of one of the plurality of ranges becomes very complicated because such selection is conducted by controlling the electric current input of a solenoid which drives a piston through a division of a resistor in a control circuit.
Further, it is very difficult to judge whether or not the selected maximum pressure of compressed air is optimum to measure the intraocular pressure because this apparatus cannot respond to a change of the intraocular pressure due to a pulsation of the patient's eye, a change of atmospheric pressure, a delicate alignment deviation of elements of the device in the apparatus, etc. since the maximum pressure is directly selected based on the measured intraocular pressure.
Therefore, though the range of pressures is divided into more discrete units, the greater the variety of maximum pressures which may be applied. On the other hand, inferior measurement tends to occur due to lack of adequate pressure.


Multi-configurable, high luminous output light fixture systems, devices, and methods are disclosed. Light fixtures can be configured to produce variable light emission outputs and patterns and can include LED packages wherein at least one can be movable with respect to another of the LED packages. In addition, a power supply can selectively dim or turn off at least one of the LED packages. The light fixtures disclosed herein can be used in both high bay and low bay light fixtures.

Solid state light devices, for example, light emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used in a variety products for indoor and outdoor commercial and industrial applications. For example, LEDs can illuminate building structures using high bay and low bay fixtures as well as illuminate street lights, billboards, parking lots, and parking garages. LEDs are desirable over conventional light sources for many reasons including, for example, a modular ability, increased energy efficiency, and a long L70 lifetime. Modular ability allows LEDs to be designed in fixtures whereby the LEDs can be easily manipulated, configured, and/or moved relative to each other or other components. Increased energy efficiency can lead to significant energy savings associated with lighting devices, while the long lifetime can result in low maintenance of hard to reach light fixtures, including high bay and low bay fixtures.
Conventional high bay and low bay fixtures, for example, utilize high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps which produce light by causing an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent arc tube. Typically, light fixtures utilizing HID lamps are designed for use in either high bay applications or low bay applications, but not both. Conventional low bay fixtures are used where a ceiling height is between 15 and 25 feet, and high bay fixtures are used with ceiling heights of 20 to 40 feet. Light emission patterns and paths required for high bay and low bay fixtures can differ significantly, so it can be important to choose the right fixture when using HID lamps. Light fixtures utilizing HID lamps comprise materials which can adversely affect the environment, such as mercury and heavy metals. Further, HID lamps can potentially shatter or otherwise violently fail as a result of misapplication, system failure, or a variety of other factors. These failures can release extremely hot glass and lamp parts creating a risk of fire, personal injury, or property damage.
Consequently, there remains a need for improved high luminous output light fixtures and methods that overcome or alleviate shortcomings of prior art fixtures.

Multi-configurable, high luminous output light fixture systems, devices and methods


The present disclosure relates to computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for using augmented reality-based operations to interact with and analyze real estate property, including modifications and additions to the interior of the property. One example method includes receiving, from an augmented reality-enabled application, a request identifying at least one digital improvement associated with a particular real estate property. A set of characteristics associated with the at least one digital improvement are identified, and a response including at least a portion of the identified set of characteristics associated with the at least one digital improvement and a digital object representing the at least one digital improvement is transmitted to the augmented reality-enabled application. The digital object can visually represent the at least one digital improvement, and can be inserted in an augmented reality-based presentation of the particular real estate property using the augmented reality-enabled application.

The purchasing or renting of real estate property requires buyers or renters to use their imagination in determining, if purchased or rented, how a particular location can be transformed. In many situations, such determinations may cause price and timing expectations to greatly differ from reality.
Augmented reality (AR) is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are augmented by computer-generated perceptual information, including visual and auditory information. In many instances, augmenting can include overlaying information onto a visual or video presentation.

Augmented reality-based real estate property analysis


A solid-state disk device exchanging data with a host includes a nonvolatile memory device, a buffer memory configured to temporarily store data exchanged between the host and the nonvolatile memory, and a buffer manager configured to control transfer of data to/from the buffer memory, wherein the transfer of data between the nonvolatile memory device and the host during a streaming mode of operation begins immediately when a defined unit data is input to the buffer memory.

The present invention relates to nonvolatile memory systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to a semiconductor disk device incorporating a nonvolatile memory system as a storage medium and a related data processing method.
Flash memory is a form of electrically erasable nonvolatile memory that has gained wide acceptance in such applications as computers, memory cards, etc. Flash memory is also used in portable information devices such as cellular phones, PDAs, and digital cameras. Flash memory is also being used as a replacement for, or in conjunction with, bulk data storage devices, such as hard disk drives (HDDs).
Emerging portable information devices require large amounts of data storage capacity in order to provide high-end data processing functionality (e.g., video playback). Many different approaches have been proposed over the years to meet this requirement. For example, memory devices incorporating multi-bit memory cells have been actively developed. A multi-bit memory device includes memory cells capable of storing 2 or more bits of data per memory cell. A memory cell adapted to store multi-bit data is commonly referred to as a Multi-Level Cell (MLC). In contrast, a memory cell adapted to store 1-bit data is commonly referred to as a Single-Level Cell (SLC). Flash memory devices incorporating an array of MLCs enjoy increased data storage capacity over similarly sized memory arrays of SLCs. However, the process of writing data to a memory cell array of MLCs takes considerably longer than SLC memory arrays.
Given this MLC/SLC tradeoff between data storage capacity and write operation speed, many contemporary flash memory devices are hybrid type devices including some SLCs operating at a higher speed and some MLCs providing expanded data storage capacity. In particular, hybrid NAND flash memory has been introduced with notable advances in performance. The hybrid NAND flash memory can selectively use either MLCs or SLCs to store data. In addition, recent technical advances allow both high speed operation and high data storage capacity by mounting a SLC memory chip and a MLC memory chip in a single integrated circuit package. Such improved device integration and packaging techniques improve overall performances while reducing cost.
Such improvements allow the cost effective manufacture of products including both high-cost nonvolatile memory operating at relatively low write speeds and low-cost nonvolatile memory operating at relatively high write speeds. In such products, the overall performance of the data storage device depends on the "write management" of data between these two different types of memory cells. That is, the high-speed SLC memory is commonly used to store frequently and randomly accessed data in relatively small data blocks (i.e., so-called "hot data"). This approach speeds overall data access performance and limits the number of erase operations applied to the low speed MLC memory during repeated write operations.
Thus, as compared with other forms of memory, flash memory enables high-speed data access at relatively low cost. However, an erase operation must typically be performed prior to a write operation in flash memory. Further, the unit size of data to be erased is usually larger than that of data to be written. These technical considerations make it difficult to use the flash memory as a main memory and directly use a common hard-disk file system even when the flash memory is used as an auxiliary storage device. Therefore, a flash translation layer (hereinafter referred to as "FTL") is used between the file system and the flash memory to conceal erase operations applied to the flash memory.
The FTL essentially maps a logic address generated by the file system onto a physical address within the flash memory performing an erase operation during the write operation. A variety of FTL schemes have been conventionally proposed. One type of FTL scheme is the so-called log block mapping scheme. The log block mapping scheme uses a limited number of log blocks as a write buffer. Given the foregoing address mapping function for the FTL, a host device may recognize the flash memory device as a hard disk drive (or SRAM) and access the flash memory device in a manner similar to a hard disk drive.
As the price of flash memory has dropped over time, it has been increasingly used as a bulk data storage medium replacing conventional hard disk storage devices. Such flash memory based, bulk data storage devices are commonly referred to as solid-state drives or solid-state disks (hereinafter denoted as "SSD"). According to typical data access operations within a SSD, data may be written to or retrieved from memory at high speed without the search time and failure rate typical of HDDs which require the operation of various electro-mechanical components. Further, SSDs are not easily damaged even by external impact and its operation is characterized by low heat and low noise generation, and reduced power consumption. Moreover, it is possible to make SSDs light and compact. Therefore, the demand for SSDs is increasing with trends towards higher performance portable information devices requiring large data storage capacity. Accordingly, there have been extensive studies on SSDs and their ability to provide high speed data access with high reliability.

Nonvolatile memory system and data processing method


Methods and systems are provided for expediting the generation of positive pressure and vacuum during corresponding phases of a fuel system leak test. Adjustments to the settings of active grille shutters and air dams enables heat to be trapped in the vehicle for the pressure phase and a cooling air flow to be provided during a vacuum phase. The adjustments enable the response time and completion frequency of an EONV test to be improved.

Evaporative emissions from a vehicle's fuel system may be identified using engine-off natural vacuum (EONV) during conditions when a vehicle engine is not operating. The EONV test relies on heat rejection from a hot, running engine to reach the fuel tank and warm the bulk fuel during vehicle operation. At key-off, when the fuel system is sealed from the atmosphere, the rejected heat causes the pressure in the fuel tank to build. Once the pressure has exceeded a threshold, the fuel system is unsealed and a rate of pressure drop is correlated with the presence or absence of a leak. If the pressure threshold is not met, the positive pressure test is aborted and the fuel system is resealed in anticipation of a vacuum build and the execution of a vacuum based leak test. Therein once the vacuum has exceeded a threshold, the fuel system is unsealed and a rate of vacuum drop is correlated with the presence or absence of a leak.
One example of performing a positive and negative pressure leak test in a vehicle after key-off is shown by Dudar et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 9,140,627. Therein, a cooling fan is used to increase the engine-off fuel tank vacuum.
The inventors herein have recognized potential issues with the approach of '627, as well as EONV tests in general. As an example, abortion of the positive pressure leak test due to insufficient positive pressure generation may result in a drop in the completion frequency of the leak test monitor. This may result in the vehicle falling short on a monitoring performance requirement. As another example, increased reliance on the vacuum phase of the leak test may skew the results of the monitor. Specifically, due to current and future vehicle configurations (e.g., start-stop vehicles, hybrid vehicles, etc.) have increasing limited engine run times, the amount of heat rejected into the fuel system during vehicle propulsion is reduced. This reduces the likelihood of sufficient positive pressure build-up, and causes the monitor to rely more heavily on the vacuum phase of the leak test. As a further example, the vacuum-based leak test is prone to false failures based on customer driving, parking habits, as well as ambient temperature. For example, a refueling event that fills the fuel tank with relatively cool liquid fuel followed by a short ensuing trip may fail to heat the fuel bulk mass and may result in a false fail if an EONV test is run. As another example, during mild weather conditions, the ambient temperature may restrict the amount of heating or cooling of the fuel tank following engine shut-off, and thus limit the rate of pressure or vacuum development. As such, vacuum may not reach expected threshold levels in the time allotted for the EONV test based on available battery charge. This may result in a false-fail condition, leading to potentially unnecessary engine service. Even if a cooling fan is operated to expedite the cooling, the cooling fan assistance may be limited by battery charge availability at the end of a drive cycle. In particular, the amount of stored battery charge that can be used for running the vehicle controller to complete the EONV test as well as to provide cooling fan assistance may be limited to a duration (e.g. 45 minutes) in order to maintain sufficient battery charge to restart the vehicle.
The inventors herein have recognized that vehicle active grille shutters (AGS) and active air dams (AAD) that are used during vehicle propulsion to reduce turbulence, can be used after vehicle propulsion to control air flow for improving leak test completion efficiency. For example, the issues described above may be addressed by a method for a vehicle comprising: responsive to a vehicle key-off, transitioning an active air dam system (AAD) of the vehicle to a more deployed position; and transitioning an active grille shutter system (AGS) of the vehicle to a more closed position. In this way, the robustness of an EONV test is improved.
As an example, at a vehicle off event, such as at vehicle key-off, a pressure phase of the EONV leak test may be initiated. To increase the amount of heat rejected from the engine to the fuel system, the amount of engine heat that is trapped inside the vehicle frame is increased via adjustments to the AGS and AAD. In particular, the AGS may be moved to a more closed position while the AAD is extended downward at key-off to create a thermal filter around the vehicle that traps engine and waste heat. As a result, when the fuel system is sealed, sufficient heat rejected to the fuel system to enable the fuel tank pressure to rapidly exceed the pressure threshold for the positive pressure phase of the leak test. Then, during the vacuum phase of the leak test, the AGS may be moved to a more open position while the AAD is retracted upward to increase air flow across the engine, fuel system, and vehicle underbody to cool off the fuel and assist in the development of vacuum inside the fuel tank. As a result, when the fuel system is sealed, the fuel tank pressure can rapidly drop to the vacuum threshold for the vacuum phase of the leak test.
In this way, air flow adjustments enabled by vehicle grille shutters and air dams at a vehicle off event can be leveraged to increase heat rejection from an engine to a fuel system. The technical effect of closing the grille shutters and extending the air dams during a pressure phase of an engine-off leak test is that more heat can be trapped within the vehicle frame for subsequent heat rejection to a fuel tank. This improves the likelihood of a positive pressure threshold of the test being met, as well as the completion efficiency of the pressure phase of the leak test. The technical effect of opening the grille shutters and raising the air dams during a vacuum phase of the engine-off leak test is that more cool air can be flowed across vehicle components. This improves the likelihood of a vacuum threshold of the test being met, as well as the completion efficiency of the vacuum phase of the leak test. By ensuring completion of both pressure and vacuum phases of the monitor, a vehicle monitoring performance requirement can be met. By enabling improved heat rejection, the EONV test can be completed within the allotted time, and the robustness of the EONV test is improved. By reducing the need for operating a cooling fan, sufficient system battery charge can be maintained for a subsequent engine restart.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Method and system for fuel system leak detection


A method and apparatus for thermally writing a magnetic servo pattern on a magnetic disc medium prior to assembling the medium in a disc drive are provided in which the medium is first magnetized in a uniform magnetization direction. A plurality of magnetic domains are then thermally written on the medium, one magnetic domain at a time, by individually heating each magnetic domain with a light beam while exposing the magnetic domain to a magnetic field. The magnetic field has an orientation that is opposite to the uniform magnetization direction. The light beam forms an illumination pattern on the medium having a shape that at least partially defines a boundary of each magnetic domain.

The present invention relates to data storage devices and, in particular, to writing servo patterns on magnetic media.
In a magnetic disc drive, data is stored on one or more discs, which are coated with a magnetic medium. The magnetic medium is typically divided into a plurality of generally parallel data tracks, which are arranged concentrically with one another perpendicular to the disc radius.
The data is stored and retrieved by a transducer or xe2x80x9cheadxe2x80x9d that is positioned over a desired track by an actuator arm. The actuator arm moves the head in a radial direction across the data tracks under control of a closed-loop servo system based on position information or xe2x80x9cservo dataxe2x80x9d, which is stored within dedicated servo fields. The servo fields can be interleaved with data sectors on the disc surface or can be located on a separate disc surface that is dedicated to storing servo information. As the head passes over the servo fields, it generates a readback signal that identifies the location of the head relative to the center line of the desired track. Based on this location, the servo system moves the actuator arm to adjust the head""s position so that it moves toward a desired position.
The servo field patterns are typically written onto the disc surface through the product read/write head after the disc has been assembled within the disc drive housing to form a head disc assembly (IDA). A machine called a Servo Track Writer (STW) clamps the HDA along the X, Y and Z axes and then through some method, measures the position of the read/write head and positions the head to the appropriate radial locations to write the servo tracks. Typical methods of obtaining position feedback include the use of a laser interferometer or an optical encoder.
The Servo Track Writer also provides a clock signal with which to align adjacent servo tracks in time. Typically, a clock head is inserted into the HDA and is flown on one of the disc surfaces. The clock head is used to write a clock signal on to the disc surface. This clock signal is then used to run a phase locked loop (PLL) for obtaining a stable reference signal with which to write adjacent radial tracks in a servo pattern with sufficient radial coherence.
There are many advantages to writing the servo tracks in the HDA, after the HDA has been assembled. Unfortunately, the accuracy of the servo tracks (i.e., the actual placement of the tracks on the disc surface) is not optimal when writing the servo tracks in the HDA. Any non-repeatable run-out (NRRO) the HDA at the time of servo writing will be written into the servo pattern. In self-servo track writer systems, the servo tracks are written by bootstrapping the position of each track by the position of the previous track in the HDA with no external references. In these systems, errors in the placement of the servo tracks tend to propagate radially from one track to the next as each track is written in the HDA. Another difficulty encountered when writing the servo tracks is that the accuracy of the servo patterns must increase with decreased track-to-track spacing as the storage density of disc drives continues to increase.
The present invention addresses these and other problems, and offers other advantages over the prior art.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of thermally writing a magnetic servo pattern on a magnetic disc medium prior to assembling the medium in a disc drive. The method includes magnetizing the medium in a uniform magnetization direction and then thermally writing a plurality of magnetic domains on the medium. The magnetic domains are written one magnetic domain at a time by individually heating each magnetic domain with a light beam while exposing the magnetic domain to a magnetic field. The magnetic field has an orientation that is opposite to the uniform magnetization direction. The light beam forms an illumination pattern on the medium having a shape that at least partially defines a boundary of each magnetic domain.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of thermally encoding an information pattern along a track of a magnetic disc medium. The method includes exposing the magnetic disc medium to a magnetic field having a magnetic field strength that is less than a magnetic coercivity of the medium at an ambient temperature and greater than the magnetic coercivity at an elevated temperature. A plurality of magnetic domains are thermally written on the medium by individually heating each magnetic domain to the elevated temperature with a light beam while exposing the magnetic disc medium to the magnetic field. A cross-sectional shape of the light beam at least partially defines a boundary of each magnetic domain. The cross-sectional shape of the light beam is selectively varied from at least one of the plurality of magnetic domains to the next while thermally writing the plurality of magnetic domains.
Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a servo track writer apparatus for writing a plurality of magnetic domains, which form a servo pattern, on a rigid magnetic disc. The apparatus includes a source of a magnetic field adjacent to the magnetic disc and a structure for elevating a temperature of each of the plurality of magnetic domains, one domain at a time, in the presence of the magnetic field.

Method of thermally printing servo patterns on magnetic media


Disclosed is a method for continuous casting with a continuous casting annular mold. The method includes: providing a continuous annular casting mold having a superstructure secured over a chill, the superstructure including an overhang extending over the inner wall of the chill; cooling the inner wall surface of the chill; introducing a mixture of a lubricant and gas under pressure at the transition of the overhang and the inner wall surface of the chill. The mixture is introduced in a direction parallel to the inner wall surface of the chill. A molten material to be cast is introduced to the mold in a direction from above the superstructure. The cast material is drawn off from below the chill, and the mixture of gas and lubricant maintains a gap between the material to be cast and the inner wall surface of the chill. A continuous casting mold is also disclosed.

In continuous casting processes molten metal is poured at a steady rate into a cooled mold. Typically, a shell forms by solidification of the metal along the mold wall. The casting is withdrawn from the bottom of the mold. The solidified shell acts to contain the molten metal inside the shell. The casting emerging from the bottom of the mold is sprayed to cool and solidify the metal further.
A chill can be used to increase the rate of cooling of the casting. A chill is typically a metal or graphite insert placed in a mold to rapidly cool and solidify the casting, producing a hard surface.
One type of continuous casting mold including a chill has an upper superstructure positioned above the chill. The inner wall (facing the molten metal) of the superstructure projects closer to the molten metal than the inner wall of the chill to form an overhang over the chill where the chill meets the superstructure. In use, the inner wall of the chill is cooled and lubricated, and a gas under pressure is introduced to the mold cavity at the point where the superstructure meets the chill.
The method and apparatus described above is disclosed in DE-OS 27 34 388, to Showa, published Feb. 2, 1978. The method described in the Showa reference leads to fairly smooth billet surfaces only under favorable conditions. When starting to cast, for example, monitoring and regulating the pressure of the gas and lubricating oil flow is necessary. In addition, continuous temperature measurements must be made to adjust the casting parameters. In practice, the need for continuous monitoring and adjustment often leads to difficulties in producing satisfactory castings. These problems are compounded by fluctuations of the metal level and changes of the metallostatic pressure in the running casting process.
Further, it has been found that with the method according to DE-OS 27 34 388 lead-containing alloys containing up to 2.5% lead cannot be cast satisfactorily. These alloys are of special importance in the manufacture of continuous casting products to be machined by chipping.
Experiments with gaseous lubricants like acetylene, butadiene, propane and trichlorethylene have shown that, under the pressure and temperature conditions prevailing in the chill, it is not possible to obtain suitable lubrication making use of the decomposition of the gaseous lubricants. When conventional lubricants without gas are used, by introduction parallel to the chill axis, lubricant combustion will occur in the starting phase, (meniscus cavity) and subsequent underdosing of lubricant will occur along the running surface of the chill. It is therefore, not possible to establish optimal lubrication by lubricant dosing only.

Method and apparatus for continuous casting


The suture retainer according to one aspect of the invention has a retainer body and a plurality of suture attachment mechanisms spaced circumferentially about the retainer body, each of the suture attachment mechanisms (such as a pair of teeth) being adapted to hold a suture strand at a discrete attachment point. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of securing a suture in a suture retainer, including the following steps: providing a suture retainer having a retainer body and a plurality of suture attachment mechanisms spaced circumferentially about the retainer body; and attaching a suture strand to the retainer body at each of the suture attachment mechanisms. Yet another aspect of the invention provides a suturing method including the steps of: attaching a first end of a suture strand to a suture retainer; contacting a tissue contact portion of the suture strand with tissue to be sutured, the tissue contact portion being disposed between the first end of the suture strand and a second end of the suture strand; and attaching the second end of the suture strand to the suture retainer at a plurality of suture attachment points spaced circumferentially about the suture retainer.

The invention relates generally to suture retainers and methods of using suture retainers. In particular, the invention relates to suture retainers that hold a suture strand at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points about the suture retainer.
Sutures are used for a variety of surgical purposes, such as approximation of tissue and ligation of tissue. Most generally, when placing sutures, the strand of suture material to be used has a needle affixed to one end. The needle is passed through the tissue to be approximated or ligated, forming a stitch. The stitch is then tensioned appropriately, and the two ends of the suture, the needle end and the non-needle end, are knotted to retain the desired tension in the stitch. Sometimes the ends are knotted together; in other instances they may be stoppered separately, often with the aid of a clip or other device to form resistance to passage through tissue. While forming knots in suture during open surgery is a simple matter, forming knots in suture during endoscopic surgery can be very difficult.
Suture retainers may be used in place of suture knots to prevent passage of a suture end into and through tissue and to maintain the tension applied to the suture material during the suturing procedure. Suture clips and other suture retainers are described in the following publications: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,234,449; 5,383,905; 5,391,173; 5,643,295; 5,645,553; 5,735,877; 5,845,645; 5,895,393; 6,015,428; 6,066,160; 6,231,592; and 6,432,123.

Suture retainer with multiple circumferentially spaced attachment points and suture retention method


A suspension for disc drive includes a base plate, a load beam, and a flexure. The flexure includes a metal base member and a circuit member disposed along the metal base member. The circuit member extends in a longitudinal direction of the load beam. The circuit member includes a resin base member formed of an electrically insulating resin and conductors. The conductors are formed into predetermined circuit patterns by etching a deposited copper layer deposited on the resin base member. Each conductor has a cross section in the shape of a trapezoid such that the width of a surface of the conductor which faces the resin base member is greater than that of a surface of the conductor on the side opposite from the resin base member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a suspension for disc drive used in an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A hard disc drive (HDD) is used in an information processing apparatus, such as a personal computer. The HDD includes a magnetic disc that rotates around a spindle, a carriage turnable around a pivot, etc. A suspension for disc drive is disposed on an arm of the carriage.
The suspension for disc drive includes a load beam fixed to the carriage, a flexure located overlapping the load beam, etc. A slider is mounted on a tongue portion that is formed on the flexure. The slider is provided with a transducer for reading or writing data.
Flexures of various forms have been put to practical use according to required specifications. As an example of these flexures, there is a flexure with conductors described in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-128727 or 9-128728. The flexure with conductors include a metal base member formed of a thin stainless steel plate, a resin base member formed of an electrically insulating material, such as polyimide, a plurality of copper conductors, etc. The resin base member is formed on the metal base member. The conductors are formed on the resin base member.
FIG. 12 shows a part of a conventional flexure 1 with conductors. The flexure 1 includes a metal base member 2 and a circuit member 3 formed thereon. The circuit member 3 includes a resin base member 4 formed of polyimide for example, conductors 5a and 5b formed of copper, a resin cover member 6, etc. In manufacturing the flexure 1 with conductors, resist films (not shown) corresponding to circuit patterns are formed on the resin base member 4. Further, the conductors 5a and 5b are formed by electrodepositing copper on that part of the surface of the resin base member 4 which is not covered by the resist film.
The conductors 5a and 5b are individually deposited between the resist films on the resin base member 4. Thus, the cross section of each of the conductors 5a and 5b is rectangular. Thus, the upper and lower surfaces of each of the conductors 5a and 5b share a width W3 in common. As shown in FIG. 13, moreover, portions that are provided with the circuit member 3 only are formed by removing a part of the metal base member 2 by etching. Also in this case, each of the conductors 5a and 5b has a rectangular cross section.
A bending stress may act in the thickness direction in some flexures with a circuit member. In these flexures, the peel strength of the conductors on the resin base member is expected to be enhanced. However, the peel strength of the conventional conductors against bending can be enhanced only limitedly.
Possibly, the conductors may be disposed on the resin base member by laminating thin rolled copper sheets on the resin base member. However, rolled copper contains a certain percentage of additional elements (e.g., several percent or less of nickel, silicon, etc.). Since rolled copper is lower in electrical conductivity than deposited copper (pure copper), therefore, it may fail to deal with high-speed transfer of read or write signals. In addition, the bending stiffness of rolled copper is higher than that of deposited copper. Thus, if the circuit member with the conductors formed of rolled copper bends in its thickness direction, its spring characteristics may possibly adversely affect the roll or pitch static attitude of the slider.


An improved measuring device for measuring the load of an elevator including a car suspended by a tension member within a hoistway, a termination (36) at one end of the tension member (28), a mounting plate (42) for attaching the termination relative the hoistway, and a hitch (38) for attaching the termination to the mounting plate further including load cell (56) positioned between the hitch and the mounting plate wherein the load cell generates a signal proportional to the load of the car

U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,873 describes a load measurement device located at the dead end hitch. The tension member terminations are mounted to a bracket, which is in turn mounted to a plate. The plate is attached to a guiderail to fix the tension members relative to the hoistway. An edge flange is attached to the plate opposite the guiderails and a strain gauge is attached to the flange. The load exerted by the car suspended by the tension members is transmitted by the plate to the edge flange which is designed such that the force applied to the edge plate by the hoisting ropes causes a large deformation in the edge flange. The strain in the edge flange is measured by the strain gauge.
Japanese patent application 6-255933 describes a load measuring device located at the dead end hitch. The rope terminations pass through a lower plate fixed to a hoistway beam. The rope terminations are fixed to an upper plate, which is pivotally fixed to the lower plate. A load cell is positioned between the upper and lower plates. The load of the car is transmitted through the tension members, to the rope terminations, to the upper plate, forcing it to rotate toward the lower plate thus exerting a force on the load cell proportional to the weight of the car.
The prior art load measurement systems require not only mounting structure but also provisions for transferring the load from the mounting structure to the load measuring device.
The prior art also provides a measurement of the total load as opposed to the load on each tension member
Therefore there exists a need for an improved simplified load measuring apparatus that eliminates the need for complex mounting provisions and provides load measurements for individual tension members.


A mask, a manufacturing method thereof, a fine metal mask, a mask device and a use method thereof are provided. The mask includes at least one opening region and a shielding part surrounding and defining the at least one opening region. The shielding part includes a main part and at least one protrusion, in each opening region, the protrusion is protruded towards the opening region on a side of the main part facing the opening region; the main part includes an edge disposed on a side of the protrusion opposite to the opening region and with an extension direction being a same with an extension direction of the protrusion, the protrusion and a portion of the main part disposed between the edge and the protrusion includes a thinning portion with a thickness being less than a thickness of other portions of the shielding part.

With the popularity of electronic display products, users' requirements on the functions and the appearance of the electronic display products have been further improved. In order to meet different actual needs of users, the appearance or a display region of the electronic display product sometimes needs to be designed into irregular or special shape. Correspondingly, functional layers, structural layers and the like in the electronic display product also need to have irregular or special shapes.

Mask and manufacturing method thereof, fine metal mask, mask device and use method thereof

CHENGDU BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

BEIJING BOE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CO., LTD.


A hologram transfer foil according to an embodiment is thermally transferrable to a transfer base member. The hologram transfer foil has a structure configured such that a peeling layer, a diffraction structure forming layer and an adhesive layer are stacked on one surface of a substrate. the diffraction structure forming layer includes fine concaves and convexes of a hologram or a diffraction grating. At least one of the peeling layer and the adhesive layer includes heat-conductive hidden information in a heat-conductive hidden information possession portion.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a hologram transfer foil which is easy to identify and difficult to counterfeit and tamper, a fabrication method of an image display element, an image display element, and a personal authentication medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In most of personal identification media such as passports or ID (identification) cards, face images are used in order that personal authentication can be visually performed. For example, in a general passport, printing paper on which a face image is printed is attached to a booklet. However, there is a concern that such a passport is tampered by re-attaching a photoprint.
For this reason, in recent years, the information of a face image is digitized, and the digital information is reproduced on the booklet. As an image display technique which is used for image reproduction, use is made of, for example, a thermal transfer recording method by a transfer ribbon using a sublimation (thermal migratory) dye, or a resin melting type or wax melting type in which pigments are dispersed, or an electrophotography technique.
In recent years, printers by a thermal transfer recording method using a sublimation dye or a colored thermoplastic resin have been gaining in popularity. If this thermal transfer recording method is used, it is not necessarily difficult to remove a face image from a passport and to record another face image on the corresponding part.
On the other hand, there has been proposed a fluorescent printed matter on which a face image is printed by using the above-described image display technique and a face image is recorded thereon by using fluorescent ink (see, e.g. literature 1 (Jpn. Pat. Appin. KOKAI Publication No. 2000-141863)). In addition, there have been proposed an anti-counterfeit image formation element on which a face image is recorded by using ink which contains a colorless or thin-color fluorescent dye and a color pigment (e.g. literature 2 (Jpn. Pat. Appin. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-226740)), and a personal authentication medium on which an ordinary face image and a face image, which is formed by using a pearl pigment are disposed in juxtaposition (see, e.g. literature 3 (Jpn. Pat. Appin. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-170685)).
By applying the above-described image display techniques to passports, tampering of passports becomes more difficult.
However, a face image, which is recorded by using a fluorescent material, cannot be observed unless a special light source, such as an ultraviolet lamp, is used. In addition, although a face image, which is formed by using a pearl pigment, can be recognized by the naked eye, it is difficult to form an image with high fineness by using the pearl pigment since the grain size of the pearl pigment is large.
Tampering of a face is easier in a case where the look of a face image recorded on a personal authentication medium is simple and there is no special visual effect, than in a case where a face image is complex and has a characteristic visual effect. In addition, in a case where a face image is displayed with a simple look, it is difficult to visually determine with ease a counterfeited or tampered face image.

Hologram transfer foil, fabrication method of image display element, image display element, and personal authentication medium