A remote connection system capable of generating a wake-up command and method thereof include a remote connector with a power supply input receiver capable of being connected to a power source and further capable of receiving a power supply for the purpose of powering the remote connector. The remote connector further includes a plurality of input ports allowing the coupling of a connector thereto and providing for the transmission of information thereacross. The remote connector further includes a wireless receiver capable of wirelessly receiving a wireless command and a transmitter capable of generating the wake-up command in response to the wireless command. The remote connector further includes a remote device capable of receiving a user input command, generating the wireless command and thereupon wirelessly transmitting the command to the wireless receiver of the remote connector.

With the growth of computing systems, there is also a growth in the number of peripheral components, where a peripheral component is any attachable electrical and/or mechanical component, such as, but not limited to, a printer, a mouse, a joystick, a keypad or a display device. A common computing system includes, but not limited to, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or any other suitable system, including a processor and at least one interface for allowing interactivity with a peripheral component. Current system limitations provide for only a finite number of peripheral components to be connected to the computing system. Furthermore, there are a growing number of interfaces for allowing more devices to be connected to the computing system, such as, but not limited to, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector, a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) or an accelerated graphics port (AGP) bus.
As the number of connections to the computing system is limited, a solution is a remote connector having a plurality of input ports, commonly referred to as a hub. The remote connector is thereupon coupled to the computing system, occupying a single input port of the computing system, but providing multiple input ports for connecting various peripheral components. The input port may consist of a physical receptacle for engaging a peripheral connector, the input port may further consist of one or more memory modules for providing direct interface between the computing system and the peripheral device and the input port may further contain any other suitable elements, as recognized by one having ordinary skill in the art, for providing improved interconnectivity and communication between a connected peripheral component and the computing system.
One example of a remote connector is a USB hub that consists of multiple USB input ports coupled to a central internal bus. In one embodiment, the USB hub thereupon allows multiple peripheral components to be coupled to the computing system across a central USB through a USB connector coupled to a USB port in the computing system. In accordance with known USB technology, the computing system may thereupon interact with multiple peripheral components in a daisy-chain configuration.
Furthermore, the remote connectors, such as USB hubs, can be powered-using two different types of power sources. A bus-powered remote connector device is powered by a power source supplied across the bus connecting the remote connector to the computing system. Another type of remote connector is a self-powered remote connector that contains a connector for an external power source. In one embodiment, the external power source may be a standard 110 volt outlet, wherein a power supply amount to power the remote connector device is provided across a power supply input.
Another aspect of modern computing systems is a power-saving step performed by the computing system known as operating in a suspend mode. In a typical computing system, after a timed duration, or in response to a user command, the computing system may enter into a low-power consumption mode, otherwise commonly referred to as the suspend mode or the sleep mode. While within the suspend mode, the computing system requires less power and operates in accordance with known power consumption reduction technologies, such as eliminating an external display and powering down a memory component.
Concurrent with a suspend mode, computing systems also have triggers for allowing the computing system to return to normal operations, commonly referred to as waking up. In a typical computing system, a wake-up command is generated, wherein the wake-up command typically consists of a command to the central processor, or some other processor, to increase power consumption and resume normal computer operations. One example of a triggering action for a wake-up command is depressing any key on an attached keypad or keyboard. Another example of a triggering action is the movement of a peripheral device, such as a mouse.
Some computing systems execute operations that may be specific to a peripheral input device. For example; in a computing system having graphics processing, such as an All-In-Wonder device available from ATI Technologies, Inc., the system has the ability to perform operations in response to specific commands. One available option for some graphics processing systems is a remote control, such as any suitable remote device capable of transmitting a wireless command signal. One such example is the ATI RF Remote Receiver, available from ATI Technologies, Inc., which encompasses a radio frequency (RF) receiver that provides an input command to the computing system via a USB port. The wireless receiver is typically powered through the connecting port, similar to the bus-powered remote connector.
Problems arise while the computing system is operating in a suspend mode, in that the wireless receiver fails to receive enough power. Therefore, while the computing system is in a suspend mode, the wireless receiver is rendered inoperative. As there does not exist a receiver for the remote device, the remote device is thereupon unable to wake up the computing system and thereupon the computing system must be manually retrieved from suspend mode.
Another problem occurs with other types of receiving devices, as they may be implemented using an infrared transmitter, which requires a line of sight between the remote device and the wireless device. Therefore, an end user not only is required to have the receiving device visibly accessible, but also must align the remote device with the receiving device for the proper transmission of a wireless command. Furthermore, an infrared receiving device still fails to overcome the lack of power to operate the receiver when the computing system is in a suspend mode.
Since the number of input ports in a typical computing system is limited, another concern arises in using one of the limited number of input ports to couple the wireless receiver to the computing system. Therefore, it is not advantageous to connect the wireless receiver to one of the limited number of ports when the receiver itself is rendered inoperative during a suspend mode and the receiver does not have enough power to instruct the computing system to resume normal operations, exiting the suspend mode.
As such, there exists a need for a remote connector providing a plurality of input ports and allowing for the reception of a wireless command from a remote receiver when the computing system is in a suspend mode.

Remote connection system capable of generating a wake-up command and method thereof


An operational amplifier includes three transconductance stages (TSs) each having a differential input and a differential output, a first and second resistor coupled between the differential output of the first TS and the differential input of the first TS, a third and fourth resistor coupled between the differential output of the third TS and the differential input of the first TS, a first and second capacitor coupled between the differential output of the third TS and the differential input of the third TS, wherein the first, second, and third TSs each include a differential input amplifier coupled to the differential input of the respective TS, a differential output amplifier coupled to the differential output of the respective TS, and a plurality of Schottky diodes coupled between the differential input amplifier and the differential output amplifier for voltage level shifting.

Operational amplifiers are key building block circuits for a very wide variety of applications. Prior art Si-CMOS based operational amplifiers have a relatively low bandwidth, and less than 1 milliWatt of power handling capability. Example commercially available Si-CMOS operational amplifiers include Texas Instrument's part no. THS4304, which has a 3 GHz bandwidth, and Linear Technologies' part no. LTC6420-20, which is a differential amplifier.
Prior art InP-HBT based operational amplifiers have excellent linearity and bandwidths, but have poor noise figures and dynamic ranges. An example InP-HBT based operational amplifier is described by Z. Griffith et al. in "mm-Wave Operational amplifiers employing simple-Miller compensation, with OIP3/Pdc ratios of 211 (10 dB NF) and 144 (6.0 dB NF) at 2 GHz", 2012 CSIC Symposium, pp. 1-4, 2008.
Prior art circuits for operational amplifiers include those that are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,898,333, issued Mar. 2, 2011 to Griffith et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,222,958, issued Jul. 17, 2012 to Griffith et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 8,354,885, issued Jan. 15, 2013 to Griffith et al., which are incorporated by reference as though set forth in full.
What is needed is an improved operational amplifier with ultra-high linearity, high gain, wide bandwidth, low noise figure, and high power-handling capability. The embodiments of the present disclosure address these and other needs.

High performance GaN operational amplifier with wide bandwidth and high dynamic range


Magnetic heads capable of recording and reading with high sensitivity and resolution are provided by minimizing the outflow of magnetic fluxes from a flux guide to magnetic shields while using a flux guide structure for an MR element. In the magnetic head, magnetic shields exposed on a surface opposite a magnetic recording medium (air bearing surface) and a flux guide exposed between the magnetic heads via a non-magnetic layer are provided, and magnetic fluxes are guided by the flux guide to a magnetoresistive (MR) element formed in a position not exposed on the air bearing surface. The height of the magnetic shields in direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface is less than the distance from the air bearing surface to the MR element.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head for recording and/or reading back information in an apparatus using a magnetic recording medium which holds information according to magnetic changes in a magnetic recording film formed over the surface of the medium, and more particularly, the invention relates to the structure of a magnetoresistive thin film magnetic head capable of high-sensitivity and high-resolution recording and reading back, and a production method therefor.
2. Description of the Background
In recent years, there has been rapid progress made-in high-density recording technology for use in magnetic disk apparatuses resulting in a successful capacity enlargement and size reduction of such apparatuses. The core of such high-density recording technology is a magnetoresistive thin film magnetic head ("MR head") with a high read-back output. Ongoing efforts to improve the structure of magnetoresistive elements ("MR elements") with a view toward achieving ever higher outputs continue. The focus of these attempts is a structure known as a spin valve type.
An MR head is mounted with an MR element manifesting a magnetoresistive effect as a magnetic head dedicated to read-back use. The basic structure of an MR head is shown, for example, in FIG. 5 of JP-A-114119/1993. An MR element typically includes outlet terminals made of a non-magnetic conductive metal joined to the MR element in a "sandwich-style" orientation. These outlet terminals let a sense current flow and detect variations in the resistance of the MR element due to leakage fluxes from the medium as a variation in voltage.
On both sides of the MR element, there are provided magnetic shields made of a soft magnetic substance such as NiFe via a non-magnetic insulating layer of Al2O3 (or similar materials) arranged substantially in parallel to the MR element. This shielding structure can restrict the magnetic fluxes leaking into the MR element from the medium to those coming in through the air bearing surface of the MR element which thereby enhances the resolution of read-back.
Attempts have also been made to increase the sensitivity and minimize the size of MR elements to meet the need for ever greater density in recording and reading back applications. Where an MR element of such a fine structure is to be used, if its tip is directly exposed on the air bearing surface (head flying surface), the outlet terminals may become short-circuited during the grinding process undertaken to expose the MR element or by dust accumulating on the medium. If the outlet terminals are short-circuited in this way, the rate of resistance change of the MR element will drop heavily or the read-back noise may increase, both of which may result in a significant deterioration in the quality of the read-back signals.
For example, a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element, currently known in the art as a highly sensitive MR element, is only about 20 nm in overall thickness, and its insulating layer, separating the free layer and the pinned layer within the magnetic body from each other, is no more than approximately 1 nm thick. The short-circuiting problem is particularly acute with this TMR element. Therefore, it is preferable to form the MR element away from the air bearing surface and to provide a flux guide for guiding leakage fluxes from the medium toward the MR element instead. This circumstance is described in, for example, Nikkei Electronics, No. 774 (Jul. 17, 2000), p. 182.
A disadvantage in utilizing the flux guide structure lies in the insufficient magnetic resistance between the flux guide and magnetic shields sandwiching it. This insufficiency invites absorption by the magnetic shields of the magnetic fluxes flowing into the flux guide. As a result, magnetic fluxes from the magnetic recording medium decrease before they reach the MR element, and only part of the magnetic flux quantity flowing from the medium into the flux guide contributes to the read-back output.
Methods for improving this flux guide structure limitation are specifically described in, for example, JP-A-114119/1993 cited above and JP-A-150258/1994. In an MR head described in either of these documents, the shape of magnetic shields is improved which preferably results in an enhanced magnetic flux induction efficiency of the flux guide. Thus, it is a structure in which the spacing between the magnetic shields is narrowed near the air bearing surface of the head to restrict magnetic fluxes flowing into the flux guide, while the magnetic shields are arranged away from the flux guide inside the head to reduce the flow of magnetic fluxes from the flux guide to the magnetic shields.
The structure disclosed in either of the above-cited patent applications makes it possible to keep the magnetic resistance between the flux guide and the magnetic substance of the magnetic shields greater than that between magnetic shields arranged in a planar form. Accordingly, the read-back sensitivity of the MR head having this flux guide structure is enhanced.
However, even in these improved structures according to the prior art, the magnetic shields are formed in a direction substantially parallel to the flux guide, i.e. a direction perpendicular to the air bearing surface, except that there is some level gap. Therefore, even these structures cannot prevent magnetic fluxes from flowing out of the flux guide, and this outflow of magnetic fluxes may be even more pronounced where the flux guide is extended in length.
In order to achieve an improved level of magnetic flux induction efficiency, it is necessary to increase the level gap between magnetic shields and to secure a wide angle in the level gap part. It is also essential to accurately control the distance between the level gap and the air bearing surface.
An exemplary process for forming magnetic shields with a level gap like those in the above-described conventional structures will now be described with reference to FIG. 1. Initially, a magnetic head base 11 is prepared as shown in FIG. 1A. A flux guide, a magnetic flux detecting element consisting of a magnetoresistive effect, electrodes accompanying the magnetic flux detecting element and an insulating layer are preferably built into this magnetic head base 11 in advance. Thereafter, a level gap of resist 12 is formed by photolithography (FIG. 1B). After the angle of the level gap part is appropriately adjusted by high-temperature baking or another process (FIG. 1C), a soft magnetic material, such as NiFe, is formed into films 13 to prepare shields by plating (FIG. 1D). Finally the slider bottom is ground to determine the air bearing surface 14 (FIG. 1E). This production process is conventionally used as a method to form a level gap in the upper magnetic pole or the like of a recording head and is illustrated in, for example, FIG. 10 of JP-A-258236/1993.
However, utilizing the production process described above to fabricate exemplary devices has revealed potential problems. For example, where a large level gap is formed in a sharp angle in this process, it is difficult to control the way in which a plating film is stuck to the level gap part, and the formation of shield films in the level gap part is susceptible to frequent fault. For instance, FIG. 1D′ illustrates the result of plating from the step of FIG. 1B with the step of FIG. 1C dispensed with. As is understood from the state of the level gap shown in FIG. 1D′, plated magnetic shields are partly thinned, resulting in an inadequate shielding effect in this part.
At the step of easing the angle of the level gap part shown in FIG. 1C, the starting position of the level gap (the ending position of the resist) substantially fluctuates from head to head. Consequently, in the grinding process shown in FIG. 1E, the closer the starting position of the level gap is to the air bearing surface, the greater the deviation of the distance from the air bearing surface of the magnetic head to the starting position of the level gap, which may result in a more pronounced fluctuation of read-back sensitivity. Enhancing the efficiency of magnetic shields without deviating from conventional structures has its own inevitable limit imposed by the production process.

Magnetic head and production method for magnetic heads


There is provided an information processing apparatus including an operation recognition unit configured to recognize a drag start area in a first application and a droppable area in a second application, the drag start area being an area where an drag operation is started, and the second application being different from the first application, a paste content processing unit configured to analyze attributes of the drag start area and the droppable area, and to determine a paste content in response to a comparison result between the respective attributes, and a paste execution unit configured to paste the paste content determined by the paste content processing unit, in the droppable area, when the operation recognition unit recognizes a drop operation in the droppable area.

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and a storage medium.
In related art, when performing a copy-paste between multiple application screens in an information processing apparatus such as a smart phone or a tablet terminal, it is necessary that a user specify a copy-intended range and perform a copy operation, and thereafter, it is necessary to call a paste-intended screen and perform a paste operation. The operation takes effort.
In response, in JP 2005-352730A, a function of analyzing a text selected by a user and automatically displaying candidates of an application to be processed is implemented. Thereby, it is possible to save the effort for the operation of calling a paste-intended screen (application).

Information processing apparatus and storage medium


A semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a metal gate. The metal gate includes a metallic filling layer and disposed over the substrate. The semiconductor structure further includes a dielectric material over the metallic filling layer and separating the metallic filling layer from a conductive trace. The conductive trace is over the dielectric material. The semiconductor structure further includes a conductive plug extending longitudinally through the dielectric material and ending with a lateral encroachment inside the metallic filling layer along a direction. The lateral direction is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the conductive plug.

The semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) industry has experienced rapid growth. As the dimensions of transistors decrease, the thickness of the gate oxide must be reduced to maintain performance with the decreased gate length. However, in order to reduce gate leakage, high dielectric constant (high-k) gate insulator layers are used which allow greater physical thicknesses while maintaining the same effective thickness as would be provided by a typical gate oxide used in larger technology nodes.
Additionally, as technology nodes shrink, in some IC designs, there has been a desire to replace the typically polysilicon gate electrode with a metal gate (MG) electrode to improve device performance with the decreased feature sizes. One process of forming the MG electrode is termed "gate last" process in which the final metal gate electrode is fabricated "last" which allows for reduced number of subsequent processes, including high temperature processing, that must be performed after formation of the gate.
However, problems arise when integrating a high-k/metal gate feature in a CMOS technology process flow due to various factors such as incompatibility of materials, complex processes, and thermal budgets. Therefore, for these advances to be realized, similar developments in IC processing and manufacturing are needed.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method thereof

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.


There is provided a video format determination device including a video input unit that receives video having a feature amount for each pixel, a region representative value calculation unit that divides a left-eye video region and a right-eye video region in a three-dimensional video format to be determined in input video into small regions, and then computes representative values of feature amounts of the respective small regions for each of the left-eye video region and the right-eye video region, a correction value calculation unit that calculates a correction value to correct the representative values, a data correction unit that corrects the representative values, an inter-region correlation calculation unit that calculates the correlation between the left- and right-eye video regions, and an evaluation determination unit that evaluates the correlation to determine whether input video is in the three-dimensional video format.

The technology disclosed in the present specification relates to a video format determination device and a video format determination method that are used to determine the format of a video signal, and a video display device that switches display modes of a video signal based on a format determination result, and more particularly, to a video format determination device, a video format determination method, and a video display device that realize reliable determination of a three-dimensional video format or two-dimensional video format with a small calculation amount.
A viewer can be presented with a stereoscopic video that can be three-dimensionally seen by displaying a video using parallax between right and left eyes. For example, a time-division stereoscopic video display system includes a combination of a display device that displays a plurality of different videos in a time-division manner and eyeglasses that video viewers wear. The display device alternately displays left-eye images and right-eye images having parallax at very short time intervals. In addition, while a left-eye video is displayed, the left eye part of the eyeglasses transmits light, and the right eye part thereof is shielded from light. On the other hand, while a right-eye video is displayed, the right eye part of the eyeglasses transmits light, and the left eye part is shielded from light. In addition, in a space-division stereoscopic video display system, a left-eye video and a right-eye video are multiplexed and displayed on one screen, and the left eye part of eyeglasses that a viewer wears only transmits light of the left-eye video, and the right eye part thereof only transmits light of the right-eye video. In both systems, the brain of a user who views the video fuses the left-eye video and the right-eye video so as to recognize the fusion as a stereoscopic video.
As transmission formats of three-dimensional video signals, for example, three types of a side-by-side format, a top-and-bottom format, and a frame sequential format can be exemplified. In the side-by-side format, active regions of two-dimensional video signals are divided into two halves in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 23, and a (concurrent) left-eye video L and a right-eye video R are multiplexed to the left and right sides, that is, in the horizontal direction. In addition, in the top-and-bottom format, active regions of two-dimensional video signals are divided into two halves in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 24, and a (concurrent) left-eye video L and right-eye video R are multiplexed to the upper and lower sides, that is, in the vertical direction. In the frame sequential format, left-eye videos L and right-eye videos R are alternately inserted on a time axis as shown in FIG. 25.
Any of the transmission formats controls a display device that processes video signals such that left-eye videos and right-eye videos are separated from the signals, correctly arranged on the time axis, and thereby the left-eye videos are displayed for the left eye and the right-eye videos are displayed for the right eye. In this case, it is of course necessary to switch a display format by determining whether or not the video signal currently transmitted is for three-dimensional videos, and if the signal is for three-dimensional videos, determining in what transmission format shown in any of FIGS. 23 to 25 described above the signal is.
If a signal indicating a transmission format is added to transmitted video data, the determination can be accurately made. However, there are some broadcasting signals and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) to which such a signal is not added. In addition, there is content of which signals have different transmission formats, such as two-dimensional video content of a TV commercial, and three-dimensional video content of a TV program. Manually switching display modes every time signals are switched is very inconvenient for a viewer. If a display mode for which a video format is wrong is selected, an inconvenient incident in which two different types of images are displayed overlappingly occurs.
There are several proposals for devices that determine a video format from correlation of regions respectively corresponding to a left-eye video and a right-eye video in an image. For example, a proposal for a video display device that switches a display format by obtaining a position histogram from difference values in units of pixels to calculate correlation, and determining whether or not the result is for three-dimensional video has been made (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-68309). In addition, another proposal for a stereoscopic image format determination device that automatically determines a format from the inner product of feature amounts of each region of a left-eye video and a right-eye video has been made (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-332985).
In the method for determining a format having the correlation between respective left- and right-eye video regions in a video signal as an index, determination of whether data is for three-dimensional video or two-dimensional video is made by obtaining predetermined feature amounts from the video regions and having a cumulative result of the absolute difference value between the feature amounts as estimation values. Herein, when an evaluation value is small, the correlation between the left- and right-eye video regions is high, and thus it can be determined that the respective regions are in the relationship of corresponding left and right videos, in other words, data is for three-dimensional video. Conversely, when an evaluation value is large, the correlation between the left- and right-eye video regions is low, and thus it can be determined that the respective regions are not in the relationship of corresponding left and right videos, and the data is for two-dimensional video.
However, if evaluation is performed merely based on the calculation of the correlation between left- and right-eye video regions, there are problems in terms of performance in that determination accuracy is low, and reliability is hard to guarantee.
For example, since there is parallax between a left video and a right video in a stereoscopic video, the correlation between the videos is low when the parallax is large, and thus there is a possibility of making erroneous determination that the video is not a three-dimensional video. FIG. 26 shows a result of an absolute difference value ABS (Lch-Rch) of feature amounts by simply matching the feature amounts of a left-eye video (Lch) and a right-eye video (Rch) having parallax. As shown in the drawing, when parallax is large, a difference is generated between videos, accordingly the correlation is low, and as a result, there is a possibility of making erroneous determination that the video is a two-dimensional video.
In addition, there is a possibility of making erroneous determination that a video is not a three-dimensional video due to a difference other than parallax between left and right videos. There is no problem in a CG (Computer Graphics) video, or the like, but particularly in the case of a three-dimensional video photographed using a twin lens camera, luminance, contrast, 7, color, bands of video signals, a noise amount, and the like may be significantly different between left and right videos due to differences in characteristics, differences in installation accuracy of lens systems, and the like. FIG. 27 shows a result of an absolute difference value ABS (Lch-Rch) of a feature amount by simply matching the feature amounts of a left-eye video (Lch) and a right-eye video (Rch) showing differences in luminance and contrast. As shown in the drawing, the difference is further made between videos when the differences in luminance and contrast are great, the correlation thereof becomes low, and thus a possibility of making erroneous determination that the videos are two-dimensional videos continuously increases.
Conversely, there are also cases in which a two-dimensional video is erroneously determined to be a three-dimensional video if videos having a high correlation between regions respectively corresponding to a left-eye video and a right-eye video are included therein. FIG. 28 shows an image of a seascape as an example of an image showing an insufficient change in luminance and contrast, and since the difference in the feature amounts on the left and right sides of the image is small and a high correlation is shown, there is a possibility of the image being erroneously determined as a three-dimensional video in the side-by-side format.
In addition, during determination of a video format, the evaluation method merely using calculation of the correlation between left- and right-eye video regions includes calculation in units of pixels and calculation of an inner product, which causes a large calculation amount, and therefore the amount adversely affects fast determination and costs.

Video format determination device, video format determination method, and video display device


The present invention relates to an initiation system composed of the reaction product of at least one cyclic siloxane and at least one organometalic compound of sufficient reactivity to open the siloxane ring.

1. Background Of The Invention
1.1. Technical Field
1.2. Description Of Related Art
2. Summary Of The Invention
3. Description Of The Preferred Embodiments
3.1. Examples 1 to 6
3.2. Example 4
3.3. Example 5
3.4. Example 6
3.5. Examples 7 through 20
3.6. Examples 21 through 24
3.7. Example 25
3.8. Examples 26 through 30
3.9. Examples 31 through 32
4. Claims
5. Abstract Of The Disclosure
1.1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an initiation system for anionic (co)polymerization of (meth)acrylic, vinylaromatic and/or diene monomers; this new initiation system has proven to be high-performance, because it uses easy experimental conditions as regards temperature, with practically a quantitative yield, and, for example, permits simple synthesis of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) with a high content of isotactic triads (at least 75%), with a high number average molecular weight ({overscore (Mn)}), while retaining a narrow polymolecularity index Ip ({overscore (Mw)}/{overscore (Mn)}), and also controlled polymerization of acrylates, particularly primary acrylates, and the synthesis of block copolymers with blocks of isotactic PMMA and the synthesis of polydienes with high contents of the 1,4-microstructure.
1.2. Description of Related Art
In the literature, initiation systems permitting anionic polymerization of methacrylates with a high level of isotactic triads all present one limitation. This is in the area of yields, i.e., at the level of the main characteristics of polymers (Ip, {overscore (Mn)}, tacticity). Experimental conditions are generally drastic, notably requiring very low temperatures (xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C.). Thus, in Polymer Journal, Vol. 17, No. 8, pp., 977-980 (1985), and in Polymer Journal, Vol. 18, No. 12, pp. 1037-1047, HATADA et al. report that t-C4H9MgBr prepared in diethyl ether has not caused any secondary reactions in the polymerization of methylmethacrylate in toluene at xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C., and has formed a highly isotactic polymer with a narrow polymolecularity index. However, this process is limited to very low temperatures and does not permit synthesis of PMMA with very high molar masses.
There is, therefore, a real need in this area for more flexible operating constraints and an improvement in the processes or characteristics of the products.
The present invention relates to an initiation system composed of the reaction product of at least one cyclic siloxane and at least one organometallic compound of sufficient reactivity to open the siloxane ring.
Application of the present invention is to the preparation of homopolymers of (meth)acrylic, vinylaromatic or diene monomers, random or block copolymers of these monomers and, in particular, application to poly(methylmethacrylate) with a high content of isotactic triads.
The first objective of this invention therefore is an initiation system for anionic (co)polymerization of (meth)acrylic, vinyl-aromatic and/or diene monomers, including the reaction product
a) of at least one cyclic siloxane of Formula I:
wherein R and Rxe2x80x2, identical or different, each represent a C1-C8, linear or branched alkyl radical, or an aryl radical, an arylalkyl or alkylaryl radical, wherein the alkyl group has from 1 to 6 atoms of carbon and p is a whole number from 3 to 6 and
b) of at least one organometallic compound with sufficient reactivity to open the siloxane ring,
the molar ratio r=no/n, wherein n0 is the number of moles of active sites deriving from the organometalic compound reacting with n moles of cyclic siloxane compound, being between 0.8p and 2p, where p represents the number of siloxane units.
In Formula (I) for cyclic siloxane, R and Rxe2x80x2, identical or different, preferably represent a methyl radical, and p, representing the number of siloxane units, preferably is equal to 3 or 4. A particularly preferred cyclic siloxane, called Dp, with D=xe2x80x94(R)(Rxe2x80x2)Sixe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94 and p=the number of these units, particularly preferably, is hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3) or octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4).
The organometallic compound is selected, in particular, from among the compounds:
(1) of Formula (II):
(R1)uxe2x80x94Mxe2x80x83xe2x80x83(II)
wherein:
R1 represents a branched-chain alkyl radical containing 3 to 6 carbon atoms; or an aryl radical with one or more rings, possibly substituted; or an alkenyl radical at C2-C6, substituted by aryl or alkylaryl; or an alkyl radical, linear or branched, containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, substituted by at least one phenyl group, or a C1-C6 alkylaryl radical, wherein the alkyl group has from 1 to 8 carbon atoms;
M designates an alkaline metal or alkaline earth metal; the valence u is respectively 1 or 2.
(2) difunctional compounds of Formula (III):
wherein:
Mxe2x80x2 is an alkaline metal;
R2 represents an organic bivalent radical, whether aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or containing at least one cycloaliphatic or aromatic group; R2 may contain substituents;
R3 and R4 each independently represent an organic monovalent radical, whether aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or containing at least one cycloaliphatic or aromatic group, R3 and R4 may contain substituents;
(3) monofunctional silylated compounds of Formula (IV):
wherein:
R5, R6, R7 each independently represent an alkyl radical, linear or branched, containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
R8 represents an alkylene radical, linear or branched, containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
Mxe2x80x3 designates an alkaline metal or alkaline earth metal, and valence q is 1 or 2, respectively; and
(4) difunctional silylated compounds of Formula (V):
wherein:
R9 and R10 each independently represent a linear or branched alkyl radical containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
R11 and R12 each independently represent a linear or branched alkylene radical containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and
Mxe2x80x2xe2x80x3 designates an alkaline metal.
The monofunctional initiators (1) of Formula (II) are selected, in particular, from between sec.-butyllithium and tert.-butyllithium.
As for difunctional compounds (2) of Formula (III), they are selected notably from between 1,1,4,4-tetraphenyl-1,4-dilithiobutane and 1,1,4,4-tetraphenyl-1,4-disodiobutane.
In Formulas (IV) and (V) above, it is preferable for R5, R6, R7, R9 and R10 to each represent a methyl, and for R8, R11 and R12 to each represent a methylene, and for Mxe2x80x3 and Mxe2x80x2xe2x80x3 to each represent lithium.
Difunctional precursors, such as lithium naphthalene, sodium naphthalene and potassium naphthalene also are used.
The inventive initiation system is generally obtained by reaction of at least one cyclic siloxane Dp with at least one organometallic compound at ambient temperature, under nitrogen, in a nonpolar solvent such as toluene. The mechanism of this reaction is that of a nucleophilic addition reaction of the organometallic compound to the electrophilic silicon atom, thus provoking the opening of the ring.
As an example, with n moles of cyclic siloxane D3 (3 siloxane units) and n0 moles of active sites deriving from organometalic compound R1M reacting with the cyclic siloxane D3, the reaction is as follows:
Since the medium is nonpolar, it is thought that there are associated mixed species of the form xR1M and 6-x R1-D-M with D:
Due to the existence of several associated mixed species, preparation of the initiation system, at ambient temperature, requires enough time to permit an equilibrium favorable to the thermodynamically most stable species to be reached. This period may, for example, be 20 hours.
The choice of the molar ration r=no/n permits control of the molar ratio (R) of the silanolate species (S) obtained related to the organometallic compound acting as initiator (A) and consequently constitutes a parameter that affects this equilibrium.
The quantity of siloxane units p must be sufficient to permit formation of a complex with the active polymerization core and thus allow stabilization of the latter.
The quantity of siloxane units p depends on the organometallic compound chosen and the monomer(s) to be polymerized. The molar ration no/n is thus preferably between 0.8p and 2p.
The following initiation systems is cited advantageously: one prepared from sec.-butyllithium (sec.-BuLi) and hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3), one prepared from tert.-butyllithium (tert.-BuLi) or trimethylsilylmethyllithium (TMSM-Li) and hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3), one prepared from sec.-BuLi and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and one prepared from tert.-BuLi or TMSM-Li and D4.
This invention also concerns an anionic (co)polymerization process for (meth)acrylic, vinylaromatic and/or diene monomers, characterized in that the polymerization is conducted in the presence of an initiation system as defined above.
The polymerization temperature varies between about xe2x88x9278xc2x0 C. and +25xc2x0 C. and is preferably below about xe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. for acrylates and about 0xc2x0 C. for methacrylates.
The polymerization, conducted in the presence of the inventive initiation system, preferably takes place in the absence of moisture and oxygen, and in the presence of at least one aprotic solvent, polar or nonpolar, and preferably mostly nonpolar, preferably selected from among benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, tetrahydrofuran, diglyme, tetraglyme, orthoterphenyl, biphenyl, decaline, tetraline or mixtures thereof; toluene or ethylbenzene may be used advantageously. A mixture of toluene-tetrahydrofuran or ethylbenzene-tetrahydrofuran that contains up to 10% by volume of tetrahydrofuran may also be used.
Polymerization according to the invention is possible in batch-type or tube reactors, but is not limited to them; it may be isothermal or adiabatic.
It may be conducted continuously, as described in Patent Application EP-A-0749987 and, in this case, the monomer(s) to be polymerized and the initiation system are first mixed in a micro-mixer (for instance, a micro-mixer of the cyclone or tangential jet type, or the impact-jet type), and the mixture is then injected into the (co)polymerization reactor. The dwell time of the monomer(s) and the initiation system in the micro-mixer is less than the (co)polymerization time.
Homopolymers, random copolymers, block copolymers and polymers or star copolymers are created by the invention.
The monomers that are (co)polymerized by the inventive method are selected particularly from the group composed of (meth)acrylic, vinylaromatic and diene monomers.
The term xe2x80x9c(meth)acrylic monomerxe2x80x9d, as used here, means a monomer selected from among (meth)acrylates of the following respective formulas:
wherein R0 is selected from among C1-C18 linear or branched alkyl radicals, primary, secondary, or tertiary, C5-C18 cycloakyl radicals, alkoxyalkyl and alkylthioalkyl radicals, wherein the alkyl groups, linear or branched, have 1 to 8 carbon atoms, aryl and arylalkyl, these radicals possibly being substituted by at least one atom of fluorine and/or at least one hydroxyl group after protection of this hydroxyl group; the (meth)acrylates of glycidyl, norbornyl, isobornyl, mono- and di-(alkyl at C1-C18)-(meth)acrylamides.
As examples of usable methacrylates, we cite the methacrylates of methyl, ethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec.-butyl, tert.-butyl, n-amyl, i-amyl, n-hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, cyclohexyl, octyl, i-octyl, nonyl, decyl, lauryl, stearyl, phenyl, benzyl, xcex2-hydroxy-ethyl, isobornyl, hydroxypropyl and hydroxybutyl. The preferred methyacrylic monomer is methylmethacrylate.
As examples of acrylates of the above formula, we cite the acrylates of methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec.-butyl, tert.-butyl, hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl, isooctyl, 3,3,5-trimethylhexyl, nonyl, isodecyl, lauryl, octadecyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, methoxymethyl, methoxyethyl, ethoxymethyl and ethoxyethyl.
Vinylaromatic monomer in the sense of this invention means an ethylenically-unsaturated aromatic monomer such as styrene, vinyltoluene, alpha-methylstyrene, methyl-4-styrene, methyl-3-styrene, methoxy-4-styrene, hydromethyl-2-styrene, ethyl-4-styrene, ethoxy-4-styrene, dimethyl-3,4-styrene, tert.-butyl-3-styrene and vinyl-1-naphthalene.
Diene monomer means a diene selected from among the linear or cyclic dienes, conjugated or unconjugated, such as, for example, butadiene, 2,3-dimethyl-butadiene, isoprene, 1,3-pentadiene, 1,4-pentadiene, 1,4-hexadiene, 1,5-hexadiene, 1,9-decadiene, 5-methylene-2-norbornene, 5-vinyl-2-norbornene, 2-alkyl-2,5-norbornadienes, 5-ethylene-2-norbornene, 5-(2-propenyl)-2-norbornene, 5-(5-hexenyl)-2-norbornene.
In particular, the inventive initiation system permits polymerization of PMMA at temperatures of around 0xc2x0 C. and even at temperatures ranging as high as at least 20xc2x0 C., to obtain PMMA with high isotactic triads (which go as high as 75%), with a high mass and a polydispersity index that is low (1.1-1.3).
PMMAs with a high isotactic triad content have the advantage of being able to combine with syndiotactic or radical PMMA or with a block copolymer containing a syndiotactic PMMA block. The stereo complexes formed by these mixtures present the peculiarity of having physical properties different from the two polymers composing them. The thermal properties demonstrated by thermal analyses show the disappearance of the two transition temperatures (Tg) of the homopolymers. The formation of these stereocomplexes causes a physical crosslinking of chains of differing tacticities to form in the mixture. This is of major importance for the mechanical properties of the new materials.
The inventive initiation system also permits:
conducting controlled polymerization of primary acrylates;
conducting the synthesis of (meth)acrylic block copolymers, e.g., poly(alkyl methyl-b-acrylate methylacrylate);
creating an almost quantitative initiation of monomers in pure toluene.
The inventive initiation system is also used for polymerization of diene and vinylaromatic monomers with a narrow polymolecularity. Since these polymers are reactive, other monomers such as methylmethacrylate are introduced after polymerization of a diene or vinylaromatic monomer, to prepare block copolymers that have a narrow polymolecularity index.
In biblock polymers that are obtained pursuant to the invention, for example poly(MMA-b-nBuA), poly(isoprene or butadiene or styrene-b-MMA), the PMMA block advantageously has an isotactic triad content equal to at least 75%.
Note, in particular, that by using the inventive initiation system, it is possible to prepare diene or vinylaromatic-(meth)acrylic block polymers with no need to add, after formation of the first polydiene or polyvinyl-aromatic sequence, a compound such as 1,1-diphenylethylene to decrease the reactivity of carbanions at the end of polydiene or polyvinyl-aromatic chains before initiation of (meth)acrylates (a technique known as xe2x80x9cend-cappingxe2x80x9d).
The following examples illustrate this invention without, however, limiting the scope thereof. In these examples, the following abbreviations were used:
MMA and PMMA=methyl methacrylate and poly(methyl methacrylate);
nBuA=n-butyl acrylate;
sec.-BuLi=sec.-butyllithium;
tert.-BuLi=tert.-butyllithium;
n-BuLi=n-butyllithium;
D3=hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane;

Initiation system and process for anionic (co) polymerization of (Meth) acrylic, vinylaromatic and/or diene monomers


A sprayer and method for spraying powdered material activated by pulsating vibration air. The sprayer comprises an elastic membrane, a storage tank for storing powdered material provided with the elastic membrane at the bottom opening, and a pulsating vibration air generator for supplying pulsating vibration air to the elastic membrane. The sprayer so constructed is designed to uniformly and diffusely spray the powdered material stored in the storage tank when the elastic membrane is forcedly vibrated up and down in compliance with the frequency of the pulsating vibration air by receiving pulsating vibration air from the pulsating vibration air generator.

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a newly developed sprayer and method for spraying powdered material in an extremely small quantity activated by pulsating vibration air, and more particularly to a sprayer for spraying bulky and soft powdered material with large specific volume or powdered material with poor fluidity without causing clogging.
II. Prior Art
Manufacturing of tablets is generally comprised of a weight, mixing, granulation, tableting and inspection process. A trace of an additive, which is described in a statement of the powers of medicine, is added to the basis of the medicine in the process of mixing or tableting.
A sprayer for effectively spraying powdered material in extremely small quantities has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application H6-10187 (filed on Feb. 1, 1994).
This sprayer as shown in FIG. 7, is provided with a storage tank a with a valve f at the bottom end in which powdered material h is stored. The sprayer is also provided with a reservoir c which has a body for storing the powdered material h, a filter cloth b formed with at least plural bores g at the tip end, and a gas feeding means d.
According to the sprayer so constructed, powdered material h can be continuously sprayed through the bores g when the filter cloth b of the reservoir c is forcedly vibrated by a vibrator e while driving gas is fed into a communication pipe i from the gas feeding means d.
However in such a sprayer, bulky and soft powdered material with a large specific volume, in which the ratio of air to powder is rather large, or a powdered material with poor fluidity, cannot be sprayed for a long period without causing clogging since such powdered material stored in the reservoir c would be caught in the bores g of the filter cloth b while the sprayer is repeatedly used. Namely, clogging has often been caused in such a sprayer. Further, considerable time is needed in that the powdered material thus attached to the filter cloth b amounts to a constant quantity, and sprayer amount per unit time becomes constant.

Spray for spraying powdered material activated by pulsating vibration air and method


The present invention is directed to an image processing apparatus for achieving an increase of capacity and an improvement in processing capability without causing a drop in performance and an increase in cost. The apparatus includes built-in memory, external memory, and a memory interface (I/F) circuit. The external memory is divided into a plurality of blocks that store predetermined data. The built in memory is accommodated on the semiconductor chip and is divided into blocks having the same capacity as a divided block of the external memory. The memory I/F circuit displaces data stored in the built-in memory with data stored in the external memory based on a displacement command.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a graphics drawing image processing apparatus and more particularly, relates to technology for accessing a built-in memory and external memory when combining a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or other memory requiring refreshing and a logic circuit and further providing an external memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer graphics are often used in a variety of computer aided design (CAD) system and amusement apparatuses. Especially, along with recent advances in image processing techniques, systems using three-dimensional computer graphics are becoming rapidly widespread.
In three-dimensional computer graphics, the color value of each pixel is calculated at the time of deciding the color of each corresponding pixel, and rendering is performed for writing the calculated value of the pixel to an address of a display buffer (frame buffer) corresponding to the pixel.
One of the rendering methods is polygon rendering. In this method, a three-dimensional model is expressed as a composite of triangular unit graphics (polygons). By drawing the polygons as units, the colors of the display screen are decided.
In polygon rendering, coordinates (x, y, z), color data (R, G, B), homogeneous coordinates (s, t) of texture data indicating a composite image pattern, and a value of the homogeneous term q for each vertex of the triangle in a physical coordinate system are input and processing is performed for interpolation of these values inside the triangle.
Here, looking at the homogeneous term q, the coordinates in a UV coordinate system of an actual texture buffer, namely, texture coordinate data (u, v), are comprised of the homogeneous coordinates (s, t) divided by the homogeneous term q to give "s/q" and "t/q", which in turn are multiplied by texture sizes USIZE and VSIZE, respectively.
FIG. 12 is a view of the system configuration showing the basic concept of a three-dimensional computer graphics system.
In this three-dimensional computer graphics system, data for drawing graphics is supplied from a main memory 2 in a main processor 1 or from an input/output (I/O) interface circuit 3 for receiving graphics data from the outside via a main bus 4 to a rendering circuit 5 having a rendering processor 5a and a frame buffer memory 5b.
In the rendering processor 5a, a frame buffer memory 5b for holding data for display and a texture memory 6 for holding texture data to be applied on the surface of a graphic element (for example, a triangle) to be drawn are connected.
Then, by the rendering processor 5a, processing for drawing the graphic element applied with the texture on its surface for every graphic element in the frame buffer memory 5b is performed.
The frame buffer memory 5b and the texture memory 6 are generally configured by a DRAM.
Then, in the system of FIG. 12, the frame buffer memory 5b and the texture memory 6 are configured as physically separated memory systems.
In a graphics drawing image processing apparatus, however, the memory is frequently accessed, such as for writing and reading image data to and from the memory and for reading for display of the image. Further, it becomes necessary to secure a wide bus width of the memory to obtain the full graphics drawing performance.
As a result, it has become physically impossible to arrange separately the graphics drawing image processing apparatus and memory due to the increase of the number of interconnections, so the DRAM and the logic circuit began to be provided on one chip.
Summarizing the problems to be solved by the invention, as mentioned above, in a graphics drawing image processing apparatus, it became easy to secure the bus width by arranging the memory inside the LSI.
However, it is necessary to make the built-in DRAM larger in capacity to improve the performance, but the enlargement of the capacity is difficult in actuality due to restrictions on the size of the chip.
In this case, the memory is frequently accessed for being rewritten from the outside due to the shortage of the memory capacity. This exerts a large influence upon the performance.
Also, reconnection of the external memory can be considered in order to achieve enlargement of the capacity, but simple expansion causes the disadvantage that the processing speed and the latency (reaction speed) become slow.


The invention switches and forwards information data packets when a plurality of the packets having the same address are competing for simultaneous attention. A plurality of sorting circuits are coupled in a hierarchial cascade. All competing packets are originally received by a superior circuit in the hierarchial cascade. It processes the packet which wins a competition for its attention and passes the rest of the non-winning packets down the hierarchial cascade for processing by an inferior circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-routing packet switching system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a prior art packet switching system, the address of a packet given from an input line is identified. Then the packet is supplied to an output line corresponding to the desired address. When a plurality of packets destined for the same address are simultaneously entered into such a packet switching system, the switching of the competing packets can be achieved in one of the following two methods. By one method, a sorting network and a routing network are combined. The competing packets are dropped and given appropriate delays in a later stage of the routing network. Then they are reentered into the same routing network as taught by Alan Huang et al. in an article entitled "A Wideband Digital Switch" published in 1984 in the IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference Record. By the other, a switch module having an n-input one-output selecting function is provided for each corresponding output line. Switching is accomplished so as to select the packet destined for a given output line from signals appearing on a bus comprising n-input lines as disclosed by Y. S. Yeh et al. in an article entitled "The Knockout Switch: A Simple, Modular Architecture for High-Performance Packet Switching" published in the Proceedings of the IEEE International Switching Symposium 1987.
The first method however, requires complex processing, such as time queueing, in order to avoid reversing of the sequence of the competing packets when they are reentered. The second method needs a number of n-input one-output (n is the number of input lines) switch modules which is equal to the number of output lines, which entails a large volume of hardware if many input and output lines are involved.

Packet switching system having arbitrative function for competing packets


There are provided a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a method of controlling a semiconductor integrated circuit device, and a cache device capable of efficiently implementing power saving, wherein the cache device includes a low-voltage operation enabling cache (200), and a small-area cache (300) having a type different from that of the cache (200), the cache (200) and the cache (300) being independently supplied with source voltage; the cache (200) being operable at a voltage lower than the lower limit voltage at which the cache (300) is operable; a cache control unit (400) operating switchable controls between a first mode allowing only the cache (200) to operate, and a second mode allowing the cache (200) or the cache (300) to operate; and the cache (200) in the first mode operating to supply a voltage below the lower limit voltage at which the cache (300) is operable, while interrupting power supply to the cache (300).

With the recent increasing trend of power consumption by processor, the power consumption has been suppressed generally by lowering the source voltage. It has been known that lowering of the voltage is feasible for the logic section of the processor (0.3 V, for example), but difficult for the memory section such as cache (0.7 V, for example). Accordingly, the cache which stores commands and data has been understood as a bottleneck in achieving the low power consumption.
An exemplary system for reducing power consumption in an electronic circuit is described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. H10-124202). In the system described in Patent Document 1 illustrated in FIG. 11, a cache 50 designed to lower the power consumption has two small-area caches 52, 53 typically composed of memory elements such as SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), and a cache control unit 40 for controlling the cache. An essential feature of this technique resides in achieving the low power consumption, by interrupting power supply to the small-area cache 53. In other words, the low power consumption is implemented by reducing the area used for the operation.
On the other hand, in a semiconductor device described in Patent Document 2 (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2008-47190), a cache memory in a chip is configured by L1 cache SRAMs each having a relatively small capacity, and L2 cache SRAMs each having a relatively large capacity, the power consumption of which is suppressed by appropriately switching between the L1 and L2 cache SRAMs while controlling the increase of the size of the chip.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device, method of controlling semiconductor integrated circuit device, and cache device


The continuous block caster includes a block assembly, a support beam and an apparatus for securing the block assembly to the support beam. The securing apparatus includes a plurality of discrete fixing devices actuated simultaneously by applying a force to a single point.

The continuous casting of molten metal into strips, sheets and slabs has been achieved through processes known as block casting. The term "metal" as used herein, refers to castable metal, including without limitation, aluminum, iron, steel, copper, zinc, manganese, magnesium, nickel and their alloys. Continuous block casters are particularly useful in the production of metal strip. Use of continuous block casters obviates the need to cast large ingots which must be repeatedly hot and cold rolled in order to obtain the desired thickness and microstructure of the cast. Moreover, it is easier to control the width of the strip being cast using continuous block casting methods than when using other processes to produce metal strip.
In a block casting process, metal is supplied from a tundish to a continuously moving mold assembly consisting of two endless, counter-rotating beam chains. An endless beam chain is comprised of, among other things, several "blocks" which have been linked together to form a casting loop, giving the chain assembly a caterpillar track appearance. The beam chains are disposed in close relation to one another and travel in synchronized fashion in the casting direction. The mold cavity can further be defined by a side dam system to prevent movement of the molten metal in a direction transverse to the casting direction. In other embodiments, the blocks themselves can contain features, such as sidewalls, which prevent escape of the molten metal. As the molten metal contacts the moving mold, heat transfer occurs between the blocks, the side dams (if any) and the molten metal, resulting in solidification of the molten metal.
In nearly all block casters, the blocks are attached to "support beam" structures. This structure assists in preventing heat transmission from the blocks and thermal deformations of the blocks from affecting the performance of other caster assemblies requiring relatively small operating tolerances, such as the guideway track and the drive system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,586, by Lauener, assigned to Lauener Engineering Ltd., discloses a caterpillar mold-type casting apparatus for casting metal strips which uses bolts as a block fastening apparatus to preclude heat transfer by conductivity from the chilling blocks to the caster guideway and drive.
The blocks in a continuous caster also require periodic replacement due to wear on their casting surfaces. Moreover, the blocks experience wear from the thermal and physical stresses experienced in moving through the casting loop. This can result in cracked or deformed blocks, causing a reduction in the quality of the cast. In order to replace individual blocks in the beam chain, the continuous casting operation must be halted. The continual stopping of a continuous caster for replacement of blocks leads to undesirable down-time and a decrease in production. For example, in a typical block caster containing sixty-four blocks, all sixty-four blocks may need to be replaced in a four-to-six week period of continuous operation. It is therefore desirable that replacement of blocks in a continuous caster be accomplished quickly.
Apparatus which use bolts for block fixation typically do not allow for rapid replacement of individual blocks.
Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,210 by Takahashi et al., assigned to Ishikawajima-Harima Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha and Nippon Kokan Kabushiki Kaisha, discloses a method for installing and replacing blocks in a continuous block caster. The apparatus disclosed by Takahashi et al. consists of a plurality of clamps connected to the carriers which clamp directly onto steps located on the sides of the blocks. Takahashi et al. also disclose that the clamps on either sides of the block are connected to biasing springs and can be retracted to remove the block from the track by using piston rods located on both sides of the block. The method disclosed by-Takahashi et al. however, uses a substantial number of moving parts and does not allow single point operation for simultaneously releasing a plurality of block fixation devices. Moreover, the clamps used by Takahashi et al. directly contact the block, and after thermal loading of the block can lead to undesirable deformation of the block or the supporting structure.
In addition to block fixation methods and apparatus, it is also desirable to control the positioning of the individual blocks in the beam chain. The positioning required for the individual blocks can depend, among other things, upon the casting application. In general, however, the casting surfaces of each block, and between blocks in the casting region should approximate a flat plane. Thermal and mechanical deformations, however, can occur as the blocks travel through the casting loop. Moreover, for some applications blocks cannot be produced economically to the tolerances required for use in a caster. For these reasons, it is desirable that the positioning of individual blocks be adjustable.
There are essentially three types of adjustments that can be made to the block position in a continuous caster. It is desirable that the individual blocks be capable of being adjustable in the casting direction (the "x-direction"), in the direction transverse to the casting direction (the "y-direction"), and in the direction normal to the casting direction, (the "z-direction"). These adjustments assist in preventing undesirable gaps and "steps" between blocks in the casting region, which reduce the quality of the cast and can cause damage to the caster. The adjustments also assist in preventing premature block wear by preventing unnecessary contact between adjacent blocks as they travel through the casting region.
Known methods and apparatus for fixation and adjustment of blocks in a continuous caster have met with limited success for the rapid replacement of blocks. Typical methods for block adjustment can be unstable and unreliable, can require high adjustment forces, and cannot be performed with high precision. Thus, it is desirable to provide an adjustment method and apparatus which has positive control, is reliable and reproducible.
It is desirable that adjustments to the blocks can be performed quickly and with precision, using minimal adjustment forces. The adjustments should also be reliable and stable enough not to vary over long term operation of the caster. Movement of the blocks during casting can result in blocks unnecessarily contacting adjacent blocks. Moreover, the adjustments should prevent variation during casting in the block-to-block step between blocks, known as "block level drift." Block level drift during casting can result in the formation of insulating gas pockets, causing poor heat transfer between the block surfaces and the metal being cast.


A method of forming a refractory die, and a method for forming a metal article using a refractory die. The refractory die is formed of a ceramic material by casting a slurry containing particles of the ceramic material onto a mold. Then the mold is vibrated while excess liquid medium from the slurry is simultaneously removed, whereby ceramic particles continue to flow into surface details of the mold. The present method of forming a refractory die minimizes drying and firing shrinkage, and even adjusts for drying and firing shrinkage by inclusion of kyanite in the refractory die. According to the method of forming a metal article, a particulate material containing powdered metal is compressed on a refractory die at an elevated temperature and pressure. The consolidated particulate material is differentially cooled, wherein a first, low mass portion contacting the refractory die is cooled more quickly than an opposing, high mass portion of the consolidated body. According to this method, hot tears are prevented.

Processes for producing consolidated metallurgical articles from metal powders are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,999 to Hasselstrom describes a method of producing a consolidated powder metallurgical article using a particulate pressure medium which is preheated in a special container, in a "fluidized" bed. The bed is then heated to a forging temperature and transferred to an outer mold. Pressure is then applied to the pressure medium by means of a pressure tool. This method disadvantageously requires a pressure medium, a fluidized bed, and complex equipment to preheat the pressure medium and to transfer its contents to an outer mold.
Further, the method of the '999 patent does not provide a means to control shrinkage or physical dimensions in the ceramic mold and/or consolidated article, but rather, requires a shrinkage compensated model. This process does not allow existing parts, dies, molds and patterns with finished dimensions to be candidates for the original model, but rather, requires an oversized model, which increases the number of steps required and labor costs.
Further, the method of the '999 patent suffers from interparticle friction of the pressure medium. Interparticle friction is described in UK Patent 2140825A, in which a method is described to reduce such friction and provide uniform pressure. Interparticle friction requires increased pressure or heat to consolidate the powder metal article, requiring large equipment and energy costs. Further, the method of the '999 patent requires crushing of the ceramic mold to remove finished articles, and does not allow the ceramic mold material to be removed from internal passageways or cavities, thereby severely limiting part configuration possibilities.
Other prior art techniques use heat and pressure to increase further the density of a pre-consolidated powder metal article, requiring metal dies machined to desired part geometry. Such a die is loaded with metal powder and compressed in the range of 20,000-100,000 psi at room temperature. The article is then ejected from the die and transferred to a furnace and sintered to increase density and particle bonding. The article is then transferred to a forging die and is surrounded by a particulate pressure medium, wherein heat and applied pressure transferred through the medium further consolidates the metal article to high density.
Such prior art techniques require numerous steps and equipment to produce a powder metal article having complex shape, high density and dimensional accuracy. Cold compaction pressures of 20,000-100,000 psi, followed by sintering requires expensive powder compacting equipment, metal tooling and a sintering furnace to produce a pre-consolidated metal part. The additional steps of placing a pressure medium in a forging die, positioning the metal article upon this medium, covering the metal article with additional medium, and heating the pressure medium and metal article to a forging temperature to densify the metal article increases labor, material and energy costs.
An additional drawback of requiring a pressure medium is interparticle friction, as noted above, which can additionally cause distortion and loss of dimensional accuracy. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,539,175 and 4,501,718. The loss of dimensional accuracy requires secondary machining of the article to its final dimensions which increases costs. Further, the pressure medium has additional disadvantages of increasing surface area and volume, requiring larger forging dies, and requiring additional pressure and/or heat. Accordingly, use of a pressure medium requires larger equipment to consolidate a metal article, resulting in an increase in equipment, energy and labor costs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,123 discloses a method of producing a powder article which requires producing a pre-consolidated article by mixing a ceramic powder and water to form a slurry which is casted into a porous mold. This pre-formed body has a void content of 30-60%. A pressure medium, heat and applied pressure are used to consolidate further the article to higher density. This method has several disadvantages. Slip casting requires a porous mold to be fabricated from an original article or rubber mold and requires a water content of 40-70% (leaving a particulate density of only 30-60% by weight). Due to the high water content, tremendous shrinkage results both when drying and in final consolidation. In addition, the density of a slip cast part varies, caused by larger, heavier powder particles settling at the bottom of the mold causing density gradients and resulting in non-uniform shrinkage. This distortion is further increased by the use of a particulate pressure medium. Interparticle friction of a pressure medium causes non-uniform pressure on the ceramic article being consolidated, resulting in distortion or loss of dimensional accuracy as noted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,501,718 and 4,539,175. This distortion or loss of dimensional accuracy increases the need for machining the article to its final dimensions and increases costs. The pressure medium increases the surface area or volume, thereby requiring higher pressure and/or heat for consolidation. Larger dies are necessary to accommodate the pressure medium resulting in increased machine size, labor and energy costs.
Other prior art techniques are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,123, which teaches a casted ceramic article that is made more dense by a pressure medium that requires heat and applied pressure to further increase density to the casted ceramic article. This technique can not produce a complex metal article in situ, but uses the heat and pressure operation only to make a further dense article.
The prior art method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,337 discloses a method to consolidate a powder in which the powder to be consolidated is placed in a hermetically sealed cylindrical container which is evacuated. The container is embedded in a glass material that becomes viscous at a desired temperature. Applied pressure deforms the glass pressure medium in turn applying pressure to the inner cylindrical container containing a powder which is then consolidated. It is mentioned that if a more intricately shaped article is required, the cylindrical inner container may be eliminated, and other materials such as elastomers could be used to produce an intricately shaped rubber mold to encapsulate the powder metal. The mold transfers its shape to the powder metal under pressure to produce an intricately shaped article. This method of manufacturing requires a pressure medium that collapses, deforms or becomes viscous under heat and/or pressure to consolidate a powder metal. The nature of a pressure medium which becomes viscous or deforms under heat and/or pressure would transfer this deformation to the loose powder metal during consolidation, causing distortion and loss of dimensional accuracy, thus requiring machining of the article to its final dimensions which increases costs. Additional steps of manufacturing a cylindrical container and then requiring a glass material to be casted around this container also increases costs.
The use of the pressure medium step has the additional disadvantage of requiring a larger forging die to contain this medium, and, in turn, increases surface area or volume which requires higher heat and/or pressure to consolidate the metal powder. It also increases machine size, energy and labor costs. This prior art mentions the use of the elastomer tooling to apply pressure to the powder metal. The method has the disadvantage of deforming the loose metal powder at room temperature and would require additional steps to place the article in a pressure medium using heat and applied pressure for further consolidation to produce a high density article. The article experiences further deformation by this additional consolidation step requiring secondary machining to its final dimensions which would increase costs.
A further process is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,362 which discloses a process for making a metal billet by encapsulating metal powder in a metal capsule, or as it is more commonly known a "metal can," and placing a pressure transmitting medium that becomes viscous at consolidation temperature between a first can and a second can, which must be fabricated to encapsulate this pressure medium. A second pressure medium is required to compress the second can. Heat and an applied pressure medium makes the second can more dense. The viscous pressure medium in turn makes the first can more dense, which contains the powder metal. This is a method that requires numerous troublesome steps to consolidate a metal powder. First, a metal can for housing the metal powder must be fabricated, which is usually done by sheet metal equipment. This first can requires embedding in an outer pressure medium, requiring another can to be manufactured and another pressure medium. This method requires two "cans" and two different pressure mediums, such as glass and talc. This method cannot produce a complex shaped article in situ but requires multiple manufacturing steps of producing metal cans to contain either a pressure medium or metal powder. The pressure medium that deforms or becomes viscous transfers that shape or deformity to the loose metal powder being consolidated. The additional outer pressure medium suffers from interparticle friction which causes uneven pressure and causes additional distortion which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,501,718 and 4,539,175. The distortion causes loss of dimensional accuracy and requires machining of the article to its final dimensions which increases the steps and costs. These two pressure mediums increase volume and surface area which require larger dies, higher heat and/or pressure resulting in larger machinery requirements and higher energy and labor costs.

Method for manufacturing powder metallurgical tooling


The fishing reel includes a spool 5A rotatably supported between side plates of a reel body 2, and a level wind device 50 with a fishing line guide body 60 configured to thread a fishing line unreeled from the spool 5A and reciprocate between the right and left side plates. The fishing line guide body 60 is supported in front of the spool and switchable between fishing line winding/unwinding states, and includes a fishing line guide section 67 for guiding the fishing line to the spool in the winding state and having a narrow width in the right and left direction, an opening 68 to reduce resistance against unwinding line in the unwinding state and having a wide width in the right and left direction, and a regulator 69 configured to prevent the fishing line from slipping out of the fishing line guide section in the winding state.

In the related art, there is a double-bearing fishing reel in which a level wind device is mounted such that a fishing line can be uniformly wound around a spool rotatably supported between right and left side plates. This level wind device includes a fishing line guide body that reciprocates in the right and left direction in front of the spool in conjunction with winding operation of a handle rotatably mounted on one of the side plates, and the fishing line can be wound onto the spool in parallel by threading the fishing line through the fishing line guide.
Incidentally, the above-mentioned fishing line guide body has a problem, for example, in which a flying distance of a terminal tackle may be shortened when the terminal tackle is cast because of resistance caused by contacting the fishing line. To solve the above problem, Patent Literature 1 discloses, for example, a configuration in which an upper portion of the fishing line guide body is formed in a rectangular shape extending in the right and left direction and functions as a fishing line unwinding section at the time of unwinding the fishing line, and a lower portion of the fishing line guide body includes a narrow groove in the middle for guiding the fishing line, functioning as a fishing line guide section at the time of winding the fishing line. Further, on the rear side of the fishing line guide body, a pillar movable in the vertical direction in conjunction with switching operation of a clutch is provided. In the fishing line unwinding state, the pillar is moved upwardly so as to position the fishing line at the fishing line unwinding section to reduce the resistance of the fishing line, and in the fishing line winding state, the pillar is moved downwardly such that the fishing line is guided through the narrow groove to improve spooled condition of the fishing line.


Methods and apparatus to facilitate fast restarts in processor systems are disclosed. An example processor restart method disclosed herein includes recording a log of pre-boot initialization actions, and replaying a portion of the log during subsequent processor restarts to shorten pre-boot initialization time. The example processor restart method disclosed herein may further include creating a log index table for easier referral to portions of the log, storing the log and the log index table in non-volatile memory, using the log index table to reorder the replaying of the log, and reordering the replay of the log to initialize the video graphics adapter earlier in a processor restart sequence.

In recent years, computer and server platforms have grown increasingly complex. Larger platforms often include multiple-root bridge servers and a sophisticated platform fabric. Such platforms include a large number of devices (e.g., chips, buses, peripheral component interconnect (PCI) devices, memory controller hubs (MCH), input/output (I/O) controller hubs (ICH), expansion cards, and processors) and therefore pre-boot initialization of such platforms can be lengthy. For example, pre-boot initialization can now easily consume several tens of seconds at platform startup.
Pre-boot initialization involves the discovery, identification, sorting, address assignment, configuration space programming, running of option read only memories (ROMs), firmware/basic input/output system (BIOS) configuration, etc. of platform devices. Typically, during this pre-boot initialization time the platform has insufficient system state information to execute a video option ROM and display a splash screen, thereby leaving a system display device dark or blank. This darkness, which may last for several tens of seconds, may give a user an impression of a broken platform. Further, lengthy pre-boot initialization makes an achievement of 5-nines up-time of server platforms more difficult because more time is spent out-of-service.


In one embodiment an input device is provided. The input device includes a central body. A response and communications system is included in the input device. The response and communication system enables communication between the input device and a computing device. At least one protrusion extending from the central body are included. The central body and the at least one protrusion are configured to capture a user's hand movements. The input device is configured to be held by the user. An input detection program, a computing system, computer program instructions and a method for communicating commands to a computer system from an external input device are provided.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to input devices for computer systems, and more particularly to an input device that is held by a user.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been a trend to transition the personal computer from a work environment to an entertainment environment. As part of the trend, alternative input devices are being evaluated. The alternative input devices are geared toward a "living room interface" focusing more on entertainment rather than a work environment. For example, gloves that capture hand motions have been evaluated for virtual reality, telerobotics, medicine, video games, music generation, etc. applications.
One of the shortcomings with the gloves is that manufacturers are finding that consumers do not like to wear a glove for entertainment applications. The gloves require the user to constantly remove the gloves and put the gloves back on, especially if the user is moving between multiple applications. For example, where the user may have to perform typing or some other function requiring a sense of feeling in the hands, consumers tend to remove the gloves. In addition, the data glove hinders the movement of the hand and has substantial weight. Thus, gloves have not been embraced by users for entertainment applications.
Another solution being offered as an alternative input device is computer vision systems. However, computer vision systems are limited in their applications for the entertainment environment. Computer vision systems do not provide for tactile feedback and are limited by lighting conditions. Furthermore, computer vision systems have the problem of "address", i.e., the question of whether the gesture is intended for the computer. Also, parameters are inferred and hence are potentially inaccurate. In addition, the input device must be within view of a camera. Still another disadvantage of computer vision systems is that some gestures are self-occluding and are difficult to interpret.
Thus, there is a need to solve the problems of the prior art to provide an input device convenient for a user to use that provides tactile/haptic feedback and does not have to be worn by a user.


A coefficient-of-thermal-expansion measuring device includes: a temperature detector detecting an object's temperature; an optical interferometer measuring an object's length using single-wavelength light; an actual data acquiring unit changing the object's temperature to temperatures and acquiring actual data of the length measured by the optical interferometer at each temperature; a data set generating unit generating pieces of verification data for each actual data by setting an order of interference within a predetermined range, selecting one piece of verification data at each temperature, and generating data sets each containing the selected piece of verification data, the data sets having different combinations of selection of the pieces of verification data; and a judging unit calculating a linear approximation function for each data set, and judging, using an evaluation index value based on differences of the verification data in each data set from the linear approximation function, applicability of each data set.

A CTE measuring device configured to accurately measure the coefficient of thermal expansion (hereinafter occasionally abbreviated as "CTE") of a substance has been known (for instance, see Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 3897655).
A CTE α can be calculated by the following formula (1), in which L represents a length of an object at a standard temperature, ΔT represents a temperature variation from the standard temperature (a temperature at measurement−standard temperature), and ΔL represents a variation in length (thermal expansion) as a result of changing the temperature of the object from the standard temperature by ΔT.
                    α        =                                            Δ                                                                                L                        L                    ·                      1                          Δ                                                                                T                                                          (        1        )
In the formula (1), ΔL/L is a value in 10−5 order, so that the accuracy of ΔL is important to enhance the accuracy of a value of ΔL/L. To highly accurately calculate the CTE α, the temperature variation ΔT and the thermal expansion ΔL need to be accurately measured. The temperature variation ΔT can be calculated with a sufficient accuracy using an industrial high-precision thermometer.
Meanwhile, the thermal expansion ΔL can be measured, for instance, using an optical interferometer such as Michelson interferometer and Twyman-Green interferometer. In the use of such an optical interferometer, the thermal expansion ΔL is indirectly calculated based on the pieces of absolute dimension measurement data of the object independently obtained by a plurality of times of measurement as disclosed in, for instance, Patent Literature 1.
In measuring the absolute dimension using the optical interferometer, the length of the object is calculated by the following formula (2).
                    L        =                              λ            2                                          (                          N              +              ɛ                        )                                              (        2        )
In the formula (2), N represents an order of interference (integer) and ε represents a fraction. An actually measurable value using the optical interferometer is only the fraction ε and thus the actually measurable value is a half wavelength of measurement light or less. Meanwhile, the order of interference N is estimated from a preliminary value of the dimension. Thus, if the order of interference N is incorrectly determined, the value will be offset in the integral multiples of a half wavelength.
To calculate the CTE, measurement of the temperature and the length is repeated for a plurality of times with changes in the temperature of the object and a linear approximation function is derived from the measurement results. The CTE is obtained from the gradient of the function. Hereinbelow, each measurement of the temperature and the length provides a single piece of measurement data (temperature and length), and a set of data obtained by repeating the measurement for a plurality of times with changes in the temperature of the object is referred to as an actual data set.
FIG. 15 shows an exemplary actual data set obtained when the orders of interference N are correct. FIG. 16 shows an exemplary actual data set obtained when the orders of interference N are partly incorrectly determined.
The examples shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 are each an actual data set obtained by measurement performed at seven temperatures in a range of 20±Δt degrees C. As shown in FIG. 15, when the orders of interference N are correct, the linear approximation function derived from each data is consistent with a normal relationship between the temperature and length of the object. The CTE α can be obtained by the formula (1), where a gradient (ΔL/ΔT) of the linear approximation function is divided by a length L of the object.
In contrast, FIG. 16 shows the example where the order of interference N is set smaller than the actual value in measuring the length at a temperature of 20−Δt degrees C. and larger than the actual value in measuring the length at a temperature of 20+Δt degrees C. Referring to the example shown in FIG. 16, the CTE α is calculated to be larger than the actual value as a result of incorrectly setting the orders of interference N.
The above-described order of interference N is estimated from a preliminary measurement value obtained by preliminarily measuring the dimension of the object using an optical interferometer. When the optical interferometer uses a single-wavelength light source, the preliminary measurement value needs to have an accuracy equal to or less than the half wavelength with respect to the true value of the dimension of the object. For instance, in the use of a laser beam with a wavelength of 633 nm, the preliminary measurement value needs to have an accuracy in an acceptable range of approximately 300 nm or less with respect to the true value of the dimension of the object. Such a required accuracy is so difficult to achieve that the order of interference N is highly likely to be incorrectly determined.
Accordingly, a coincidence method using light sources with a plurality of wavelengths is sometimes used to expand the acceptable range of the preliminary value. For instance, with the use of a light source configured to emit a laser beam with a wavelength of 633 nm and a light source configured to emit a laser beam with a wavelength of 543 nm, the acceptable range can be expanded up to 1.9 μm with respect to the true value of the dimension of the object. However, the above method requires a light source for each of a plurality of wavelengths of light. In other words, a plurality of light sources need to be prepared with increased costs and, further, periodic maintenance, such as wavelength calibration, needs to be performed on the plurality of light sources with increased maintenance costs.
Moreover, if one of the light sources malfunctions but an alternative device cannot be readily prepared, measurement needs to be performed only using a single-wavelength light. In this case, the order of interference N is highly likely to be incorrectly determined as described above. Otherwise, to enhance the measurement accuracy, the measurement needs to be suspended until the alternative device is prepared.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Measuring device for coefficient of thermal expansion and measurement method for coefficient of thermal expansion