A programmable configuration selector is provided to an apparatus having at least one configurable device. The programmable configuration selector comprises a non-volatile memory having at least one storage register for storing configuration information corresponding to the at least one configurable device, and a multiplexer driver. The multiplexer driver comprises at least one output port coupled to the at least one configurable device, for asserting configuration information, received from the non-volatile memory, on the at least one output port to configure the at least one configurable device at a first time, and for asserting operational data, received from a data bus, on the at least one output port to the at least one configurable device at a second time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer systems and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for the programmable configuration of strapping options on a circuit board assembly.
2. Background Information
Recognizing that "one size does not fit all" in the computer industry, many computer system manufacturers offer a wide variety of computer systems to satisfy a variety of markets and budgets. While such variety makes computer shopping convenient for consumers, the same product variety adds complexity to the manufacturing process which, when left unaddressed, may well result in quality and efficiency problems.
In an effort to improve efficiency and alleviate quality problems associated with the circuit board assembly process, many manufacturers have determined that it is more cost effective to settle on a few circuit board assembly "platforms". These platforms are essentially the same, or very similar, printed circuit board assemblies populated with similar components, wherein the operating configuration for a particular variety of printed circuit board is selectively configured through the use of alternate strapping devices. Jumper blocks, dual inline package (DIP) switches, double-pole single-throw (DPST) switches and, more recently, non-volatile memory devices are but a few examples of strapping devices which set the strapping options for a circuit board assembly.
As introduced above, strapping devices selectively set strapping options on a circuit board assembly "platform" to a produce a particular genre of circuit board assembly (i.e., a circuit board assembly suitable for a particular use/product). That is to say, the strapping devices provide an otherwise generic circuit board assembly with the "personality" characteristics (i.e., operating characteristics) commonly associated with a particular product. In, for example, computer system motherboards, strapping devices are often used to select the system bus clock speed and to indicate the bus/core ratio.
Furthermore, as microprocessor technology continues to improve, the size of the processor is continually being reduced. Consistent with the effort to reduce the real estate required by processors, many of the pins which interface the processor to the rest of the circuit board assembly are serving multiple roles. In other words, depending on the state of the processor, several pins on the processor may serve several different roles at different times. For example, some of the configuration information used to "set-up" a processor for operation is only required during the start-up process. Accordingly, certain pins may be used to perform one function during the start-up process, while serving another function during the normal operation of the processor. However, the static nature of prior art strapping devices make the use of these strapping devices unappealing in such implementations. Thus, processors have not been able to effectively use the dual-tasking feature of these inputs without the addition of external multiplexers, used to switch the processor pins to alternate circuit board input/output lines, based on the state of the circuit board assembly (i.e., start-up, shut-down, regular operation, etc.). The addition of the multiplexer into the processor support circuitry is a very costly solution, however, both in terms of additional components and real estate. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the nominal circuit board area gained by the dual-tasking pins is quickly eaten up with the addition of external multiplexers.
In addition to the quality and efficiency problems associated with prior art strapping devices, they do not lend themselves well to the upgrade of the circuit board assembly. For example, upgrading the central processing unit (CPU) to a higher performance processor may require that the strapping devices associated with the clock speed and bus/core ratio be updated to take advantage of the performance characteristics of the higher performance processor. With many of the common prior art strapping devices, the strapping options are set by hand by a service technician. Just as in the manufacturing process, the manual configuration of strapping devices in this manner is prone to human error and mechanical failure.
Thus a need exists for a method and apparatus for the programmable configuration of strapping options unencumbered by the deficiencies and limitations associated with the prior art.

System for configuring a device where stored configuration information is asserted at a first time and external operational data is asserted at a second time


A method is provided for allocating sub-channels in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) mobile communication system including a plurality of cells or a plurality of sectors. The method comprises dividing a time interval preset into a band Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) sub-channel region and a diversity sub-channel region, for each of the cells or sectors; and allocating band AMC sub-channels only in a preset frequency region of the full frequency band used in the OFDMA mobile communication system, in the band AMC sub-channel region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method for allocating sub-channels in a mobile communication system using an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme (OFDMA mobile communication system), and in particular, to a sub-channel allocation method for minimizing interference between adjacent cells or between adjacent sectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the 4th generation (4G) communication system which is the next generation communication system, active research is being conducted to provide high-speed services having various Qualities of Service (QoSs) to users. Particularly, in the 4G communication system, active research is being carried out to support high-speed services capable of guaranteeing mobility and QoS for a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) communication system such as a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) system and a wireless Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) system. The 802.16a/d communication system of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and IEEE 802.16e communication system are typical 4G communication systems.
The IEEE 802.16a/d communication system and the IEEE 802.16e communication system are communication systems employing an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)/OFDMA scheme to support a broadband transmission network for physical channels of the wireless MAN system. The IEEE 802.16a/d communication system takes into account only the scenario in which a subscriber station (SS) is fixed, i.e. the scenario where mobility of the SS is never considered, and the single-cell architecture. Compared with the IEEE 802.16a/d communication system, the IEEE 802.16e communication system takes into account mobility of the SS for the IEEE 802.16a/d communication system, and the SS having mobility will be referred to as a mobile station (MS).
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the general architecture of IEEE 802.16e communication system. With reference to FIG. 1, a description will now be made of the architecture of the IEEE 802.16e communication system.
The IEEE 802.16e communication system is a multi-cell architecture, i.e. has a cell 100 and a cell 150, and includes a base station (BS) 110 for managing cell 100, a BS 140 for managing cell 150, and a plurality of MSs 111, 113, 130, 151 and 153. Although one BS can manage a plurality of cells, it is assumed in FIG. 1 that one BS manages only one cell, for convenience. In addition, signal exchange between BSs 110 and 140 and the MSs 111, 113, 130, 151 and 153 is achieved using the OFDM/OFDMA scheme.
The IEEE 802.16e communication system uses an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) scheme, and also uses a plurality of sub-carriers. The IEEE 802.16e communication system uses some of the sub-carriers as pilot sub-carriers, and the other sub-carriers except for the pilot sub-carriers as data sub-carriers. In addition, the IEEE 802.16e communication system classifies the data sub-carriers into sub-channels each having a predetermined number of the data sub-carriers, and allocates the sub-channels to a plurality of users, i.e. a plurality of MSs, according to system conditions. Herein, the "sub-channel" refers to a channel having at least one sub-carrier.
In the IEEE 802.16e communication system, the sub-channels are classified into band Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) sub-channels and diversity sub-channels according to their generation method. A description will now be made of the band AMC sub-channels and the diversity sub-channels.
Band AMC Sub-Channel
The full frequency band used in the IEEE 802.16e communication system is divided into a plurality of sub-bands, i.e. a plurality of bands, and at least one sub-carrier belonging to each of the plurality of bands constituting one band AMC sub-channel. The sub-carriers constituting the band AMC sub-channel are adjacent to each other. In order to allocate the band AMC sub-channels, a BS should receive channel quality information (CQI) fed back from each of its MSs for each of the plurality of bands, and allocates a band AMC sub-channel of the band capable of providing the best channel quality to each of the MSs taking into account the CQIs fed back from the MSs. In this case, the band AMC sub-channels in each band have the similar channel quality, as they are composed of adjacent sub-carriers. Therefore, the MS can apply an appropriate AMC scheme to each AMC sub-channel, thereby maximizing the transmission capacity.
As described above, the band AMC sub-channel allocation operation in the IEEE 802.16e communication system is performed independently for each of the plurality of bands. Therefore, each MS should feed back a CQI for each individual band, and the BS allocates the band AMC sub-channels taking into account the CQI of each band, fed back from each MS. The BS selects an MS having the best channel quality for each individual band, and allocates a band AMC sub-channel to the selected MS, thereby maximizing the system capacity.
Diversity Sub-Channel
The diversity sub-channel is generated such that at least one of all sub-carriers used in the IEEE 802.16e communication system is distributed over the full frequency band of the IEEE 802.16e communication system, making it possible to acquire a frequency diversity gain. Generally, a wireless channel undergoes a change in the time domain and frequency domain. In this channel environment, if it is impossible to adaptively transmit a signal according to the channel quality of a particular MS, each MS receives the transmitted signal sometimes with the good channel quality, or sometimes with the bad channel quality, so it is preferable to acquire the diversity gain. Therefore, it is preferable to allocate the diversity sub-channels. The diversity sub-channel is generated by mapping indexes of all sub-carries used in the IEEE 802.16e communication system according to a preset frequency hopping pattern or spreading sequence.
The band AMC sub-channel is suitable for transmitting a signal to a particular MS, because it is not preferable that the channel transmits to a plurality of MSs, for example, a broadcast channel or a common control information channel, adaptively transmits according to the channel quality of a particular MS. In addition, the band AMC sub-channel is suitable for transmission of the traffics, which are less susceptible to delay, for the following reason. As the band AMC sub-channel is basically allocated to the selected MSs having good channel quality, the traffics susceptible to delay, for example, the real-time traffics for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or video conference, cannot wait until the channel quality of the corresponding MS becomes good. That is, the reason is because the MSs servicing the real-time traffics should continuously provide the service to guarantee a certain delay even though the channel quality is poor. In addition, the AMC sub-channel decreases in reliability of a CQI fed back from an MS, when the moving velocity of the MS increases. Therefore, it is not preferable to allocate the AMC sub-channel to a high-velocity MS. That is, for the high-velocity MS, it is preferable to allocate the diversity sub-channel having no need for separate CQI feedback.
In addition, in the IEEE 802.16e communication system, if adjacent cells or adjacent sectors use the same frequency band, i.e. if a frequency reuse factor is 1, signal collision may occur deteriorating the reception performance. A description thereof will be made herein below.
First, the diversity sub-channel collision between adjacent cells or adjacent sectors is described.
In the IEEE 802.16e communication system, the diversity sub-channels are generated between adjacent cells or adjacent sectors according to different frequency hopping pattern or spreading sequence, to prevent the occasion where the same diversity sub-channel is used at the same unit time. However, even in this case, collision may occur between some of the sub-carriers. Although the collision occurs, the number of sub-carriers undergoing the collision is very small, so it is possible to receive a signal through collision-free sub-carriers.
Second, a description will be made of diversity sub-channel and band AMC sub-channel collision between adjacent cells or adjacent sectors.
As described above, because the diversity sub-channel is generated according to the frequency hoping pattern or spreading sequence, collision between the diversity sub-channel and the band AMC sub-channel may rarely occur. Of course, even in this case, collision between some of the sub-carriers may occur. Although the collision occurs, the number of sub-carriers undergoing the collision is very small, so it is possible to receive a signal through collision-free sub-carriers.
Third, a description will be made of band AMC sub-channel collision between adjacent cells or adjacent sectors.
Currently, in the IEEE 802.16e communication system, there is no separate scheme proposed for prevention of the band AMC sub-channel collision between the adjacent cells or adjacent sectors. Therefore, if the band AMC sub-channel collision occurs between the adjacent cells or adjacent sectors, all sub-carriers constituting the band AMC sub-channel undergo the collision, disabling signal reception. As a result, all signals should be retransmitted.
As described above, if collision occurs in the band AMC sub-channels between the adjacent cells or adjacent sectors, the signal reception is impossible, causing abrupt deterioration of the entire system performance. However, in the IEEE 802.16e communication system, because there is no separate scheme proposed for prevention of the band AMC sub-channel collision between the adjacent cells or adjacent sectors, there is a need for a band AMC sub-channel allocation scheme for collision prevention between adjacent cells or adjacent sectors. That is, there is a demand for a scheme of allocating band AMC sub-channels so as to minimize interference between adjacent cells or adjacent sectors in the IEEE 802.16e communication system using a frequency reuse factor of 1.

Method for allocating sub-channel in a mobile communication system using orthogonal frequency division multiple access scheme


A memory device includes an interface controller for communication with a semiconductor device over a communication link. A clock signal is transmitted from the semiconductor device over the link to the memory device. A frequency of the clock signal may be any within a given range of frequencies. A frequency value signal conveying the value of the frequency of the clock signal is also transmitted. The interface controller includes circuitry for deriving from the clock signal and from the frequency value signal at least one timing signal for any operation in the memory device.

It is generally known to interconnect two semiconductor devices, one serving for data processing and the other, containing a memory array, serving for data storage. In most common systems, the interconnection is via a bus to which also other devices, as well as multiple memory devices, are connected. Each device is usually implemented as a die, mounted in a suitable package. Certain class types of memory devices, such as flash memory, static random-access memory (SRAM) and electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM—implemented also in flash technology), have special structures and characteristics, including moderate operational speed, and, on the other hand, need to be very frequently and readily accessible by the processing device. For these reasons memory devices of such classes are often directly connected, possible via an exclusive bus, to the processing device; often they are also packaged together, in a stacked manner, whereby the interconnecting lines become very short. In effect, this arrangement creates a pair of interactive dies. Because of the special structure and characteristics of the memory device, the mechanical and electrical structure of the interconnection and the protocols governing the interface between the devices are, in prior art, custom designed for the particular pair; moreover, the circuit layout of the processing device is often designed so as to place connecting pads at locations that enable connection to the particular memory device. Thus, in general, prior art requires, for any given type of processing device, a different design of the mechanical and electrical interface, as well as of the processing die's circuit layout, for each different type of memory device. Such a set of interfaces, moreover, would generally, vary among different types of processing device. Furthermore, the characteristics of each memory device to be connected need to be stored in the processing device. Connecting buses of prior art are also characterized by having separate lines for addresses and for data, and/or separate lines for inflow and outflow (relative to the main device). Additionally, interfaces of prior art are designed for only a limited number of bus widths and memory status and control signals are conveyed inefficiently. Moreover, interfaces of prior art do not automatically enable simultaneous access to the memory by a plurality of processes (multiple streams) and generally do not support timing of the memory device based on the clock signal of a synchronous bus.
There is, thus, a need for a standard interface between a processing (or main) device and a memory device that is suitable for a wide range of memory device types, as well as of main device types and that will enable coupling of a main device to a variety of memory devices with relatively minor modifications to its hardware and software. Such a standard interface need also enable efficient data communication between the devices and use a minimal number of connecting lines, while maintaining flexibility in the bus width. There may also be a need for the standard interface to enable simultaneous access to the memory by a plurality of processes and/or to support timing of the memory device based on the clock signal of the synchronous bus. Optionally there may also be a need for the standard interface to connect a plurality of memory devices to a main device, possibly all packaged in a stack.
A list, with brief descriptions, of related prior art follows.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,456, to Titus, et al., discloses a processor device and method for booting a programmable apparatus having a signal bus having a selectable bus width. The processor device includes a microprocessor, a configurable bus interface for coupling the microprocessor to the signal bus, and a first memory. The first memory includes a bus sizing code for instructing the microprocessor for reading initial data from a pre-determined address of a second memory and configuring the bus interface to the bus width that has been selected.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,016,270, to Thummalapally, et al., discloses a flash memory architecture that relies on a single, time-shared address bus to enable a read operation to be performed simultaneously with an algorithm operation when the read operation is targeted for a memory cell block that is not currently tagged for an algorithm operation. After a read address has been latched into the array block selected for the read operation, the address bus is "free" for the remainder of the read operation cycle. During this free time, the address bus can be used for algorithm operations to load the counter address into an active tagged block in the array. Separate global data I/O lines are provided to facilitate simultaneous read and algorithm operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,554, to Akram, et al., discloses a stackable chip scale semiconductor package and a method for fabricating the package. The package includes a substrate having a die mounting site wherein a semiconductor die is mounted. The package also includes first contacts formed on a first surface of the substrate, and second contacts formed on an opposing second surface of the substrate. Conductive vias in the substrate electrically connect the first contacts to the second contacts. In addition, the first contacts and the second contacts have a mating configuration, such that a second package can be stacked on and electrically connected to the package.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,426, to Ajanovic, discloses a memory controller for use with a memory sub-system selected to have one of multiple memory organizations. The memory controller includes output drivers connected to output pins, the output drivers being programmable to have one of multiple output characteristics. The memory controller also includes a configuration register storing a programmable value that determines the output characteristic.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,472,747, to Bazarjani, et al., discloses techniques for fabricating analog and digital circuits on separate dies and stacking and integrating the dies within a single package to form a mixed-signal IC that provides many benefits. In one aspect, the analog and digital circuits are implemented on two separate dies using possibly different IC processes suitable for these different types of circuits. The analog and digital dies are thereafter integrated (stacked) and encapsulated within the single package. Bonding pads are provided to interconnect the dies and to connect the dies to external pins. The bonding pads may be located and arranged in a manner to provide the required connectivity while minimizing the amount of die area required to implement the pads.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,875, to Eskildsen, discloses an integrated circuit die having bond pads near adjacent sides to allow stacking of dice without regard to dice size. A lower die has keep out areas on its top surface. The keep out areas correspond to two adjacent edges of the lower die. The lower die has bond pads within the keep out areas. An upper die is stacked on the top surface of the lower die such that the bond pads within the keep out areas of the lower die are exposed to accept wire bonds. The configuration of the keep out areas next to adjacent edges of the lower die thus provides flexibility in the design of stacked chip packages because the size of the upper die is not limited by the bond pad configuration of the lower die.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,618,790, to Talreja, et al., discloses a burst transfer operation with a memory device that can be suspended and resumed without having to provide the current memory address when it is resumed. A chip enable signal to the memory device can be deasserted to initiate the suspend operation and place the memory device in a low power standby mode. When the chip enable signal is reasserted, the memory device can be reactivated and the burst transfer can continue where it stopped, without any setup commands. The current address counter and other bus transfer parameters can be saved within the memory device during the suspend operation. When the suspend operation is terminated by reasserting the chip enable signal, the memory device can resume the transfer using the saved parameters.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,413, to Stevens, et al., discloses a memory controller that provides a series of queues between the processor and the PCI bus and the memory system. The memory controller is highly programmable for multiple speeds and types of processors and several speeds of memory devices. The memory controller includes a plurality of registers that specify number of clock periods for the particular portions of a conventional dynamic random access memory cycle which are used to control state machine operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,560, to Lieberman, et al., discloses a dynamically configurable memory system having a programmable controller including a frequency multiplier to maintain memory timing resolution for different bus speeds.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,442,076 and 6,657,899, both to Roohparvar, disclose a synchronous flash memory that includes an array of non-volatile memory cells. The memory array is arranged in rows and columns, and can be further arranged in addressable blocks. Data communication connections are used for bi-directional data communication with an external device(s), such as a processor or other memory controller. The memory can write data to one location, such as a memory array block, while data is read from a second location, such as a second memory array block. The memory automatically provides status data when a read command is received for a memory array location that is currently subject to a write operation. The automatic status output allows multiple processors to access the memory device without substantial bus master overhead. The memory can also output status data in response to a status read command.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,754, to Fandrich, et al., discloses a flash memory device having a plurality of flash array blocks and a block status register circuit containing a block status register for storing a block status for each flash array block. A flash array controller circuit in the flash memory device performs program or erase operations on the flash array blocks, and maintains the block status in each block status register. An interface circuit in the flash memory device enables read access of the block status registers over a bus.
AM29LV800B is a flash memory device, commercially available from ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES, INC. It has a parallel interface, with selectable two bus width and a standard status protocol. It features a pair of arrays, with flexible sector architectures, and the ability to simultaneous read from one array and program into the other array. Program operation status is conveyed by a status line.
28F640W18 is a single-die firmware hub (FWH) device that includes a flash memory and is commercially available from INTEL CORP. It has a synchronous interface bus.
MT48LC4M32B2 is a SDRAM device by MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC. Read and write accesses to the memory are burst oriented; accesses start at a selected location and continue for a programmed number of locations. It also features configuration of access time delay and multiple internal banks.
SST25FV is a flash memory device made by SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC. It features a serial SPI interface, whose protocol includes a 'data in' signal, a 'data out' signal, a clock signal for timing the communication, and a 'chip select' signal. The protocol passes commands and addresses to the device and serially shifts data in or out of the device. Either a single byte or a sequence of data bytes (burst) may be read or written.

Memory interface including generation of timing signals for memory operation


Provided is a polymeric fluorescent substance showing fluorescence in solid state, which has a specific carrier drift mobility, a specific repeating unit, and specific number-average molecular weight. The polymeric fluorescent substance is excellent in solubility to organic solvents, and has higher efficiency and longer lifetime in applying as a polymer LED.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymeric fluorescent substance, a polymer light-emitting device (hereinafter, referred to as polymer LED), and a device using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inorganic electroluminescence devices (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as inorganic EL device) using an inorganic luminescent material as a light-emitting material are used for example for sheet light sources as back-lights and displays such as a flat panel display and the like, however, an alternating current of high voltage has been required for light emission.
Recently, there has been reported an organic electroluminescence device (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as organic EL device) having a double-layer structure in which an organic fluorescent dye as a light-emitting layer is laminated with an organic charge transport compound used in photosensitive layer for electrophotography and the like (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 59-194393). Since organic EL devices have characteristics that light emissions of a lot of colors are obtained easily in addition to low voltage driving and high luminance as compared with inorganic EL devices, there have been reported a lot of trials regarding device structures, organic fluorescent dyes and organic charge transport compounds of organic EL devices [Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 27, L269 (1988), J. Appl. Phys., 65, 3610 (1989)].
Further, apart from organic EL devices using mainly organic compounds having a lower molecular weight, polymer light-emitting devices using light-emitting materials having a higher molecular weight have been proposed in such as WO 9013148 published specification, JP-A No. 3-244630, Appl. Phys. Lett., 58, 1982 (1991). WO9013148 discloses in the Examples an EL device using a thin film of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) obtained by forming a film of a soluble precursor on the electrode and subjecting it to a heat treatment to convert the precursor into a conjugated polymer.
Further, JP-A 3-244630 has exemplified a conjugated polymers having a feature that they are themselves soluble in a solvent and needs no heat treatment. Also in Appl. Phys. Lett., 58, 1982 (1991), a polymeric light-emitting materials soluble in a solvent and a polymer LED fabricated using the same are described.
Polymer LEDs are advantageous for formation of a film having large area and reduction in cost since an organic layer can be easily formed by coating with using a polymeric fluorescent substance soluble in organic solvents, as compared with the case of vapor deposition of a material having a lower molecular weight, and the mechanical strength of the resulting film is believed to be high because of a high molecular weight thereof.
Conventionally, as the light-emitting materials used in these polymer LEDs, in addition to the above-described poly(p-phenylene vinylene), there have been reported polyfluorene (Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 30, L1941 (1991)), poly p-phenylene derivative (Adv. Mater., 4, 36 (1992)) and the like.
In order to utilize the film-formable characteristics of a polymeric fluorescent substance by coating, there have been demanded a polymeric fluorescent substance having excellent solubility in organic solvents. To realize the practical falt panel display, there have been demanded a polymer LED having high efficiency and long.
The object of the present invention is to provide a polymeric fluorescent substance having more excellent solubility to organic solvents, a polymer LED having high performance which can be driven at high efficiency and longer lifetime using said polymeric fluorescent substance.

Polymeric fluorescent substance and polymer light-emitting device


The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for determining a tag match ratio. The method according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises selecting a content item, identifying one or more tags that are associated with the content item and determining a weight for each of the one or more tags associated with the content item. The method further comprises extracting one or more keywords from the content item. A tag match ratio for the one or more tags associated with the content item is then calculated and stored.

A tag may be thought of as a keyword or term associated with or assigned to a content item, such as a webpage, a digital image, a video clip, an internet bookmark, etc., which serves to describe the content item and enable classification of the content item. Tags are typically chosen informally and personally by end users who use a content item and assign one or more tags to the content item, which may be accomplished through the bookmarking process. As the digital environment continues to expand, the number of users of content items is increasing dramatically. Inherent in the increase of the number of users who view and interact with content items is an increase in the number of tags associated with a given content item that are personal to a user and may not accurately reflect the content of the of the content item. In essence, as more users tag a content item, the larger the spectrum of the subject of the tags, and thus, the greater the likelihood that the tags associated with the content item do not accurately reflect the content contained therein.
Thus, there is a need in the art for systems, methods and computer program products that allow for the determination of the quality of tags associated with a web document in reflecting the content of the web document.

Systems and methods for determining a tag match ratio


An ultrasonic back suction-integrated tooth cleaner includes a tooth cleaner host and a tooth cleaner handle. The tooth cleaner host includes a pipeline structure inside. Head ends of a water supply pipeline and a back suction pipeline both extend out of a housing of the tooth cleaner host and are connected to a tail end of the tooth cleaner handle. In the present invention, a back suction pipeline is added to an existing tooth cleaner host, so that the host is adapted to an integral tooth cleaner handle with a back suction function. A flow rate in the water supply pipeline is regulated by using an electromagnetic valve, so that a requirement for accurately controlling a water output volume is satisfied. The tooth cleaner handle is ingeniously designed with a back suction pipeline inside the existing ultrasonic handle, so that an aerosol is effectively controlled during ultrasonic tooth cleaning.

During ultrasonic tooth cleaning, while cooling a working tip of a tooth cleaner, sprayed cooling water collides with the working tip in an ultrasonic working state, and generates a mist-like aerosol with a range of approximately 80 cm. Since the aerosol is a source of an inhalable contaminant, effective measures need to be taken to inhibit the aerosol.
At present, a common manner is that an assistant of a dentist uses a saliva ejector for absorption near a tooth cleaning area or uses a semi-fixed cover for absorption. Since the working tip of the tooth cleaner moves during tooth cleaning, and cannot be completely followed in the foregoing absorption manner, the foregoing absorption manner has a shortcoming in absorption efficiency.
Upon searching, the Chinese patent document CN105411711A discloses an ultrasonic irrigator, in which three pipelines with switches and water pumps are connected to a same handle, to respectively spray a disinfectant, emit ultrasonic waves, and perform back suction. However, the irrigator stays at a conceptual design level, and the problems of operating habits and sizes and shapes of components in actual use, as well as, the technical problem that the irrigator cannot be directly applied to the field of ultrasonic tooth cleaning, are not anticipated.

Ultrasonic back suction-integrated tooth cleaner

NANJING SEALAND MEDICAL INSTRUMENT CO., LTD


In a rapid connecting device for coupling a tube member with a connector such as a terminal connector on the end of a pipe, the tube member is of the type having an annular groove. The connecting device comprises a collar piece which is adapted to be mated with the tube member, around the latter, the collar piece having a locking means for engaging in the annular groove of the tube member so as to immobilise the collar piece with respect to the latter. The connector has a socket arranged to receive the end portion of the tube member and the collar piece, with a seal being interposed between the collar piece and the tube member. The collar piece has a further locking means for immobilising the connector with respect to the collar piece. The invention is especially applicable to the coupling of heat transfer fluid inlet and outlet tube connections of a heat exchanger, with external pipes.

Such a connecting device may in particular form part of a cooling circuit for the engine, or for heating the cabin, of a motor vehicle. Equally, such a device is generally twinned with another similar device, so as to enable the tube members of a heat exchanger which serve as the inlet and outlet branches for a heat transfer fluid, to be coupled with the two corresponding pipe connectors that are usually connected to flexible pipes for transporting the heat transfer fluid between the heat exchanger and other parts of the fluid circuit.
It is known, especially from French patent application No. 93 14261, to provide a twinned connecting device of this type. However, this known device is suitable only for use in connection with tube members of a particular kind having an external annular rib.
Now there does also exist a need for rapid connection of at least one connector with at least one tube member having an annular groove, and the invention aims to provide an answer to this need.

Rapid connection device for connecting a tube member with a pipe connector, especially for a heat exchanger; and a heat exchanger equipped with such a device


A voltage-regulating device for charge pump is disclosed. The charge pump outputs an output voltage according to the operation of at least one clock signal. The voltage-regulating device includes at least one voltage regulating capacitor and at least inverter. The inverter is for receiving the clock signal and outputting an inverse clock signal accordingly. The voltage regulating capacitor has one terminal coupled to the output voltage and the other terminal coupled to the inverter for receiving the inverse clock signal. The width of a PMOS transistor is different from the width of an NMOS transistor in the inverter.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a voltage-regulating device, and more particularly to a voltage-regulating device for charge pump.
2. Description of the Related Art
Charge pumps can be used to increase voltage. Take the writeable flash memory for example: ordinary reading only requires a low voltage, e.g., 3V, whereas writing requires a high voltage, e.g. 12V. While ordinary integrated circuit chips (IC chips) normally have only a power supply of small voltage, e.g. 3V, a charge pump can herein be used to increase the direct current (DC) voltage if a larger-than-3V operating voltage, e.g. 12 V, is needed.
Conventional charge pumps have a number of varieties such as two-phase charge pump, four-phase charge pump, etc. Herein a two-phase charge pump is illustrated for elaboration. Please refer to FIG. 1, a schematic circuit diagram for a conventional two-phase charge pump. Two-phase charge pump 100 includes diodes D1, D2, D3, and D4, capacitors C1, C2, and C3. For the convenience of elaboration, diodes D1, D2, D3, and D4 are assumed to be ideal diodes with zero turn-on voltage. The positive electrode of diode D1 is coupled to DC power supply Vdd while the negative electrode of diode D1 is coupled to node N1 together with the positive electrode of diode D2 and one terminal of capacitor C1, wherein the other terminal of capacitor C1 receives clock signal CLK. The negative electrode of diode D2 is coupled to node N2 together with the positive electrode of diode D3 and one terminal of capacitor C2, wherein the other terminal of capacitor C2 receives inverse clock signal CLK′, inverse of clock signal CLK. The negative electrode of diode D3 is coupled to node N3 together with the positive electrode of diode D4 and one terminal of capacitor C3, wherein the other terminal of capacitor C3 receives clock signal CLK. The negative electrode voltage of diode D4 is exactly the charge pump output voltage Vo.
FIG. 2A is a schematic voltage diagram for the nodes of a charge pump. The voltage for DC power supply Vdd is 3V; the high level and low level voltages for clock signal CLK are 3V and 0V respectively; the initial voltage for node N1 is 3V. When the voltage of clock signal CLK changes to high level, the cross voltage of capacitor C1 still remains at 3V causing V(N1), the voltage of node N1, to be raised to 6V. Similarly, V(N2), the voltage of node N2, is raised to 9V while V(N3), the voltage of node N3, is raised to 12V. Consequently, output voltage Vo is raised to 12V.
FIG. 2B is a schematic output voltage diagram for a conventional charge pump. While the charge pump raises the voltage step by step, output voltage Vo will eventually be raised to 12V. Due to the discharge effect of capacitor C3, however, output voltage Vo starts to drop slightly when the clock signal CLK coupled to capacitor C3 is at low level, but starts to rise up slightly when clock signal CLK is at high level. In worst cases, output voltage Vo will swing for ±1V and result in an undesired ripple-like waveform of the output voltage.

Voltage-regulating device for charge pump


A contactless power supply system includes a power supply areas, each provided with a primary coil and a primary authentication coil. The primary coil and primary authentication coil are arranged at different locations. An electric appliance includes a power reception area provided with a secondary coil and a secondary authentication coil. The secondary coil and the secondary verification coil are arranged at different locations. The presence of a metal foreign object is detected between the primary coil and secondary coil based on a transmission oscillation signal generated by the primary coil, and the presence of a metal foreign object is detected between the primary authentication coil and secondary authentication coil based on an authentication oscillation signal generated by the primary authentication coil.

An electromagnetic induction type contactless power supply system is provided with contactless power supply device, which includes a primary coil, and a power reception device, which includes a secondary coil. When an electric appliance including a power reception device is set on a setting surface of a contactless power supply device, the contactless power supply device excites a power supply coil. This excites a power reception coil, which is arranged in the power reception device of the electric appliance, through electromagnetic induction. The power reception coil generates secondary power that is converted into DC power and supplied to a load of the electric appliance.
When a metal foreign object is present between the contactless power supply device and electric appliance (power reception device), the metal foreign object may be heated by induction when power is being supplied. Hence, the contactless power supply systems may include a metal detection device that detects a metal foreign object. When the metal detection device detects a metal foreign object, the contactless power supply device stops supplying power.
A conventional contactless power supply system includes a primary authentication coil, which is arranged in a contactless power supply device, and a secondary authentication coil, which is arranged in a power reception device, to exchange authentication signals between the contactless power supply device and the power reception device. The contactless power supply system uses the primary and secondary authentication coils to detect a metal foreign object (for example, WO 2011/036863).
In the above publication, magnetic coupling occurs between the primary and secondary authentication coils when a metal foreign object is present between the contactless power supply device and the power reception device, and the contactless power supply system uses this effect to detect a metal foreign object. In detail, when a metal foreign object is present, an electromagnetic induction signal of the secondary authentication coils responding to the excitation of the primary authentication coils is decreased in amplitude. The electromagnetic induction signal of the secondary authentication coil is provided to the primary authentication coils as a load modulation signal. The contactless power supply device detects a metal foreign object from the amplitude of the provided load modulation signal.

Method for detecting metal foreign object in contactless power supply system, contactless power supply device, power reception device, and contactless power supply system

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


The reaction between a hydroxyacetic acid derivative bearing an oxygen protecting group and a chiral auxiliary group and an imine produces chiral .beta.-lactams. Hydrolysis of the chiral .beta.-lactams produces chiral amino acid analogs.

1. Field of The Invention
The invention relates to the synthesis of hydroxy-.beta.-lactams with high enantiomeric purity and hydroxyamino acids derived therefrom.
The development of a process for the efficient production of hydroxy-.beta.-lactams and their derivatives with high enantiomeric purity in high yield is of great importance for the synthesis of biologically active compounds of medicinal interest. The hydroxy-.beta.-lactams with high enantiomeric purity can serve as precursors for the production of 2-hydroxy-3-amino acids (isoserines).
2. Background of Related Art
The hydroxyamino acids are an important class of amino acids, which include norstatine, statine, and their analogs. The structures of norstatine and statine are as follows: ##STR1##
These amino acids and their derivatives serve as important components of enzyme inhibitors for a variety of peptide-degrading enzymes (peptidases). Furthermore, hydroxy-.beta.-lactam with high enantiomeric purity can serve as a key intermediate in the semisynthesis of the important anti-tumor chemotherapeutic agent, taxol.
Norstatine, statine and their analogs have been used extensively as crucial amino acid residues in peptide-based inhibitors of such enzymes as renin and HIV protease. Structures of typical enzyme inhibitors of renin and HIV protease are shown below: ##STR2##
Renin inhibitors are very specific antihypertensive agents, and HIV protease inhibitors are expected to serve as key therapeutic agents for AIDS. Norstatine, statine and their analogs provide effective transition state mimics of the substrates for peptidases, which bind to the enzymes tightly and inhibit their actions. Those enzyme inhibitions are very sensitive to the enantiomeric purity of the hydroxyamino acid residues.
Taxol is a complex diterpene isolated from the bark of Taxus brevifolia (Pacific Yew). The structure of taxol is as follows: ##STR3##
Taxol possesses high cytotoxicity and strong antitumor activity and is currently in phase III clinical trials in the United States.
A more readily available taxol precursor can be isolated from the leaves of Taxus baccata. Extraction of fresh leaves yields 10-deacetyl baccatin III which has the following structure: ##STR4##
With the availability of 10-deacetyl baccatin III, taxol can be produced in a semi-synthetic fashion with the coupling of a side chain which is a N-benzoyl-(2R,3S)-3-phenylisoserine having the following structure: ##STR5##
Synthesis of the side chain via a Sharpless epoxidation in a process requiring eight steps has been described by Denis, J. N., et al., "An Efficient, Enantioselective Synthesis of the Taxol Side Chain", J. Org. Chem. 51, 46-50 (1986). The Denis et al. mode of synthesis of the taxol side chain is as follows:
Phenylacetylene is subject to 1) hydroxymethylation followed by 2) Lindlar reduction to yield cis-cinnamyl alcohol. ##STR6## 3) The cis-cinnamyl alcohol is subjected to the titanium-catalyzed epoxidation process to yield (2S,3R)-epoxy alcohol. ##STR7## 4) This epoxy alcohol is oxidized with RuCl.sub.3 and NaIO.sub.4, and 5) the reaction product converted to the methyl ester of the epoxide with ethereal diazomethane. 6) This methyl ester of the epoxide is transformed into the desired hydroxyazide by epoxide cleavage using azidotrimethylsilane and a catalytic amount of zinc chloride followed by acid hydrolysis. ##STR8## 7) The hydroxy azide is transformed into azido benzoate and hydrogenated in methanol to produce amino benzoate. 8) The amino benzoate is rearranged to give the product. ##STR9## Modifications in this method have also been described by Denis, J. N. et al., "An Improved Synthesis of the Taxol Side Chain and of RP56976", J. Org. Chem 55, 1957-1959 (1990).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,744 to Holton describes another process for preparing the side chain of taxol. In the Holton process, the starting materials are acyloxyacetyl chloride cyclocondensed with an imine derived from benzaldehyde and p-methoxyaniline. The reaction produces racemic hydroxy-.beta.-lactams which must be resolved into the pure enantiomers. After the optical resolution, the (3R,4S)-hydroxy-.beta.-lactam is reacted with ethyl vinyl ether and then converted to an oxazinone: ##STR10## The oxazinone is reacted with 7-O-triethylsilyl baccatin III to form the last precursor to taxol.
For antitumor activity of taxol, the side chain, N-benzoyl-(2R,3S)-3-phenylisoserine is crucial. This side chain must be highly enantiomerically pure.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to synthesize hydroxy-.beta.-lactams in high yield with high enantioselectivity, with a minimum of synthesis steps.
It is a further object of the invention to provide hydroxy-.beta.-lactams which act as precursors for a variety of biologically active compounds such as the side chain of taxol and its analogs and also norstatine, statine, their analogs, and other amino acid residues.

Process for the production of chiral hydroxy-.beta.-lactams and hydroxyamino acids derived therefrom

The Research Foundation State University of New York


Systems and methods for sharing information between media devices of members of user groups in a many-to-one manner are presented herein. User groups may include group manager type users as managers of the user groups and group member type users as members of the user groups. Information may be shared between group members and group managers of associated user groups. The group managers receive aggregate information comprising information captured from the media devices of the members of the associated user group for display on the media devices used by the group managers.

In today's technological age, consumers are able to store all types of information on their media devices (e.g., computing platforms such as PDAs, cellular telephones, smart phones, gaming consoles, laptops, tablets, desktop computers, PCs, etc. . . . ). Some users may share information which is stored and/or displayed on their media devices with other users of media devices. Communication channels used for sharing information include wired and/or wireless communications. Wireless communications may be facilitated over a network such as the Internet, cellular networks, near field communication, Bluetooth, and/or other wireless communication channels. For example, digital information may be shared via short message services (e.g., text and/or picture messages), electronic mail (e.g., email), and/or by other techniques. Wired communications may be facilitated by universal serial bus (USB) enabled wired communications, and/or other considerations.

Sharing mobile device content in a many-to-one manner


A dual band color filter includes a periodic arrangement of metallic dots in a middle transparent medium, having an index of refraction, interposed between a first and a second transparent medium, each having an index of refraction greater than the middle transparent medium index of refraction. The filter accepts visible spectrum light. In response to the periodic arrangement of metallic dots, a surface plasmon mode is generated. In response to a diameter common to all the metallic dots, a local mode is generated, and in response to the combination of the middle, first, and second transparent medium indices of refraction, a waveguide mode is generated. As a result, two distinct wavelength bands of visible spectrum light are transmitted through the bottom surface of the dual band color filter, while attenuating one wavelength band of visible spectrum light.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a visible wavelength color filter and, more particularly, to a color filter capable of transmitting two colors while attenuating a third color wavelength band.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, color conversion displays have attracted more attention. In order to achieve red, green, blue (RGB) three color pixels, blue light emitting diodes (LEDs)/organic LEDs (OLEDs) have been used as the blue pixel color, while pumping red and green phosphors, quantum dots, or organic materials to generate the red and green colors. Unfortunately, additional filtering is required to eliminate the emission of blue color from the red and green pixels, which adds to the size and cost of RGB displays. Further, when the blue pumped RGB technology is applied to a transparent display, the three color filters degrade the transparency, since only one wavelength is transparent for each pixel. For green and red pixels, any blue light passing through green and red materials affects the color quality.
It would be advantageous if a dual band color filter existed to block blue pumping light, while passing red and green light.


A valve timing controller has a shaft body as an output rotor, a torque generating system which generates the controlling torque outputted from the shaft body, and a planet carrier as an input rotor connected with the shaft body. A phase adjusting mechanism adjusts the relative rotational phase between a crankshaft and a camshaft according to the control torque inputted into the planet carrier from the shaft body. A bearing rotatably supports the planet carrier. The planet carrier forms a cylindrical input wall press-inserted in an inner circumference of the bearing. The input wall is provided with a fitting recess on its inner surface for engaging with the shaft body, the input wall is provided with a thin-wall portion of which thickness is reduced in a radial direction, and the fitting recess and the thin-wall portion are circumferentially arranged apart from each other.

A valve timing controller adjusts the relative rotational phase (engine phase) between a crankshaft and a camshaft which determines valve timing by using the controlling torque generated by a torque generation means, such as an electric motor and a dynamo-electric brake.
In such a valve timing controller, an output rotor is connected to an input rotor of a phase adjusting mechanism. The output rotor outputs a control torque, and the phase adjusting mechanism adjusts the engine phase. That is, the engine phase is adjusted according to the control torque which is transferred from the output rotor to the input rotor. For example, in a valve timing controller disclosed in JP-2005-264898A, the input rotor has a cylindrical input wall. A fitting recess is formed at an inner surface of the input wall. A joint member of the output rotor is engaged with the fitting recess, whereby connection strength between these rotors is enhanced.
The input wall of the input rotor is rotatably supported through a bearing member. In order to reduce supporting backlash, it is possible to press-insert the input wall into the inner circumference of the bearing member. However, since the rigidity of the input wall is partially varied in a circumferential direction due to the fitting recess, the input wall is deformed in the circumferential direction when it is inserted. Such a deformation causes a distortion of the fitting recess, so that it will take long time to engage the joint member and the fitting recess. After assembling, the joint member vibrates in the fitting recess, which causes abrasion and noise. In a case that the deformation of the input wall is transferred into the bearing member, a roundness of the bearing member is deteriorated so that life time of the bearing member is reduced.


Systems and methods are directed to a file storage system that manages configuration information for each cloud gateway's storage device. Systems and methods also manage a configuration parameter; and a file transfer slot number, which represents how many HTTP sessions the cloud gateway can process substantially simultaneously. Based on the configuration information, systems and methods may prioritize the multiple cloud gateways. Systems and methods calculate time lengths weighted by the priorities of the cloud gateways and multiplied by the file-transfer slot number for each cloud gateway in a time period, and then allocate time slots of the cloud gateways in the time period according to the above calculated time lengths. Systems and methods therefore allow for automatically aligning the traffic between cloud gateways and cloud storage according to the configuration of cloud gateways.

1. Technical Field
Methods and example implementations described herein are generally directed to storage area network (SAN) storage systems, and specifically, for cloud storage systems.
2. Related Art
Network Attached Storage (NAS) systems are emerging in the enterprise IT (Information Technology) systems to store unstructured data files (e.g., document, figures, voice, movie, etc.). By using the NAS, enterprise users can share the unstructured data files on their enterprise computer network. The NAS uses standard file access protocols such as the Network File System (NFS) protocol or the Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol to receive file read/write requests from their client computers and to reply the requested files. NAS systems can be implemented in a cloud, where storage and other functions are stored in one or more outside servers rather than on the client device.
In view of the extensibility of the network attached storage system, the related art cloud storage system was developed. The cloud storage system may include a set of one or multiple cloud gateways and one or multiple cloud storage devices. The cloud gateways are located in user sites and act as general NAS devices. Such cloud storage devices are located in external sites such as remote sites of the users or cloud services. The cloud gateways transfer the file data stored in them to the cloud storage devices according to their configurations. For example, when the total size of data stored in a cloud gateway exceeds the pre-configured threshold for total data size, the cloud gateway transfers the least accessed file into a cloud storage device that is designated as a target device for the cloud gateway. The cloud storage device then keeps mapping information between the metadata of the transferred file and the actual location of the file.
However, when the number of the cloud gateways that designate the same cloud-storage device increases, the throughput of the cloud storage device will decrease. The multiple Hyper Text Transfer Protocol/Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTP/HTTPS) sessions may cause congestion in a network between the cloud gateways and the cloud-storage device. The congestion reduces data transfer rate of the HTTP sessions due to the congestion control mechanism of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer. As a result, the total throughput of the cloud-storage device is reduced. Also, the multiple overlapped HTTP sessions may exhaust HTTP processing capacity of the cloud-storage device. Thus, in the same way, throughput of the cloud-storage device will be reduced.

Method and apparatus to transfer file data to a cloud environment


A bipolar lateral device is disclosed having a high BV.sub.ceo. The device is formed according to a single polysilicon process. In one embodiment silicide is excluded from the surface of the N+ doped polysilicon protecting the N- base width region of the device and the resulting device has a BV.sub.ceo of 8 to 10 V. In another embodiment, the silicide is excluded from the surface of the polysilicon protecting the n-base width region and the polysilicon is maintained as intrinsic polysilicon. The resulting device has a BV.sub.ceo of about 20 V. The devices are useful as voltage clamping devices in programmable logic circuits which must withstand a collector to emitter reverse bias voltage that is sufficient to program either vertical fuse or lateral fuse devices.

The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor devices and their manufacture. More specifically, in one embodiment the invention provides bipolar devices having high breakdown voltages.
Bipolar devices such as those of the present invention are commonly combined with other devices such as a p-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS). In one embodiment, PMOS devices are fabricated along with n-channel metal-oxide semiconductors (NMOS) devices to produce complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices. Bipolar and CMOS devices are fabricated together to produce "BiCMOS" devices. BiCMOS devices offer the advantages of the high packing density and low power consumption of CMOS devices, as well as the high speed of bipolar devices. One BiCMOS device and process for fabrication thereof is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,480 (Vora), assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
One form of a bipolar device is a lateral PNP bipolar device. A common use of such a bipolar lateral device is as a voltage clamping device in programmable logic array (PLA) circuits. Programmable logic array circuits are programmed by providing a reverse bias voltage sufficiently high to program a vertical fuse or lateral fuse in components of the circuitry. However, it is desired that the voltage clamping devices be left unaffected by the reverse bias voltage during programming. Thus, the voltage clamping devices in PLA circuits must withstand a collector-to-emitter reverse bias voltage which is sufficient to program vertical fuse or lateral fuse devices. For this reason, it would be advantageous for a bipolar lateral devices to have a BV.sub.ceo value greater than the reverse bias voltage used to program a PLA circuit.

Method of fabrication of transistor device with increased breakdown voltage


A drive for conveyor belts, of the type that comprises, associated with a travel frame for a conveyor belt with at least one transport chain, transport elements for the belt and a device for recovering any elongation of the belt. The belt elongation recovery device is constituted by a supporting element for the transport element, which floats adjacent to the belt and is coupled to a box-like body for containing the drive by way of at least one sliding guide and by way of an elastic tension-preventing member for the belt.

Currently known conveyor belts, particularly the ones used in the food industry, are generally constituted by two or more parallel chains, which are connected transversely by rod-like elements.
The ends of said rod-like elements are fixed to the corresponding and mutually opposite links of said chains.
Transport means, suitable to move the chains of the conveyor belt in a chosen travel direction, and means for recovering any elongation of said belt are associated with said chain-type conveyor belts and are rigidly coupled to a travel frame for the belt.
The transport means are generally constituted by motorized gears, the teeth of which engage the links of the adjacent chains.
The means for recovering the elongation of the belt start to operate when the belt slows down or accelerates in one of its parts, tensioning the adjacent belt portions.
The belt, which generally has a certain elasticity, is elongated by being thus stressed, and can also elongate due to any unevenness in the pitch of the gears or links, due to temperature variations, due to intervening wear of the chains or gears, and other similar drawbacks.
Excessive elongation, however, can cause the belt to break or cause a plastic deformation that makes it defective and unusable.
Excessive tension of the belt, further, can displace the products being conveyed from the correct conveyance position, with the risk of compromising the subsequent operations of the process (such as for example packing, cartoning and the like) to which said products are subjected.
In currently known conveyor belts, the frame supports the transport means on a straight portion and the belt elongation recovery means in the curved regions that are typical for example of spiral belts.
These known elongation recovery means are constituted by curved guides having an elastically variable radius.
The tension of the belt causes the internal part of the elastic curve, stressed by said belt, to shorten its radius, thus discharging the tensions that are accumulating on the belt.
These elastic curves have a relatively complicated structure that is expensive to provide.
Said elastic curves in fact must be custom-designed for each conveyor belt supporting frame, and as such they must be manufactured in small-batches, with consequent substantial production costs.


A description is given of a circuit having a transmitter having a first transmission stage for generating a first transmission signal according to a first standard and a bias stage for generating a bias signal for a second standard and a second transmission stage for generating a second transmission signal according to the second standard. The second transmission stage is effectively coupled to the bias stage in order to receive the bias signal.

Typical wireless communication systems support various standards, for example GSM (GMSK and/or 8 PSK), 3G, CDMA and/or LTE. The importance of GSM is decreasing, but support for this standard is still required, for example on account of backward compatibility or on account of incomplete 3G/LTE coverage in particular areas. Such GSM support partially contradicts the trend on the market for ultra-low-cost implementations. The ultra-low-cost segment is—in addition to the high-end segment which is pursued, for example, in the case of powerful smartphones—a rapidly growing market. Such ultra-low-cost implementations can be used, for example, in data center units in emerging nations or in so-called machine-to-machine communication. For such uses, the total system costs are more important than performance, for example talk time. In other words, consumers are prepared to accept losses in performance as long as the fundamental requirements are met, as predefined by the 3GPP specifications, for example. On account of the fact that 2G support is necessary but is less relevant to standards, for example 3G or LTE, there is a need for low-cost 2G implementations.


A challenge response scheme authenticates a requesting device by an authenticating device. The authenticating device generates and issues a challenge to the requesting device. The requesting device combines the challenge with a hash of a password provided by a user, and the combination is further hashed in order to generate a requesting encryption key used to encrypt the user supplied password. The encrypted user supplied password is sent to the authenticating device as a response to the issued challenge. The authenticating device generates an authenticating encryption key by generating the hash of a combination of the challenge and a stored hash of an authenticating device password. The authenticating encryption key is used to decrypt the response in order to retrieve the user-supplied password. If the user-supplied password hash matches the stored authenticating device password hash, the requesting device is authenticated and the authenticating device is in possession of the password.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to the field of communications, and in particular to a challenge response system and method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, wireless communication devices and the like, are occasionally connected to a user's desktop system in order to synchronize information between the user's desktop system and their mobile device. Information such as a user's calendar, task list and phone book entries are examples of information that is routinely synchronized between the desktop system and the mobile device.
Such information is usually of a sensitive nature and should be secured. The user is thus provided with an option to specify a device password on the mobile device in order to secure the mobile device and prevent use of the device without knowledge of the device password.
When the mobile device is connected to the desktop system in order to synchronize information, the mobile device issues a challenge to the desktop system in order to determine if the desktop system is authorized to initiate a connection with the mobile device. The desktop system then provides a response to the mobile device. If the response provided by the desktop system matches the response expected by the mobile device, then the desktop system is allowed to connect to the mobile device and proceed to synchronize information.
Typically, the issued challenge is a request for the hash of the user password. A hash function, such as SHA-1, is a one-way function that takes an input or varying length and converts it into a unique output. The hash of the password provided by the user of the desktop system initiating a connection is sent to the device in response to the challenge by the mobile device. If the response matches the stored hash of the device password, the desktop system is allowed to connect to the mobile device and proceed to synchronize information.
The device password is typically not stored on the device. Only the hash of the device password is stored on the device. However, since the device password itself is not stored on the device, certain operations requiring use of the device password cannot be performed if only the hash of the device password is available on the mobile device. For instance, if the information on the mobile device is encrypted using the device password, then the device password must be supplied in order to decrypt the information prior to synchronizing with the desktop system.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Challenge response-based device authentication system and method


A disk accommodating device for accommodating a disk includes a housing on which an opening portion for allowing the disk to be accommodated into a disk accommodating section therethrough is formed, and a lid member for closing up the opening portion. The housing has a support portion for supporting a one-end side of the lid member for pivotal motion such that the other end side of the lid member may move toward and away from the housing. The disk accommodating section has an upright piece attached for pivotal motion on the side opposite to the side thereof on which the support portion is provided such that the upright piece engages at one end thereof with the disk accommodating section and at the other end thereof with the lid member so as to be erected uprightly from the disk accommodating section in response to pivotal motion of the lid member. The upright piece has a raising up portion provided thereon for raising up, when the lid member is pivoted in a direction in which the lid member is spaced away from the housing, the disk accommodated in the disk accommodating section from the disk accommodating section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disk accommodating device for accommodating a disk therein, a disk apparatus which includes the disk accommodating device, and a portable electronic apparatus which includes the disk apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past, a disk apparatus is known which carries out recording of data on a disk and reading out of data from a disk on which data are recoded magnetically or optically. In recent years, the size of such a disk apparatus as just described has a tendency to decrease, and also portable disk apparatus are known. As one of such portable disk apparatus as just described, a disk apparatus (electronic apparatus) is known which includes a lid member (lid section) for opening and closing an exterior housing member (outer housing) and a holder provided on the lid member for accommodating a disk (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-267828).
In the disk apparatus disclosed in the document mentioned, if the lid member is opened with respect to the exterior housing, then a holder provided on the inner side of the lid member is exposed to enable insertion of a disk into the holder. Therefore, if the lid member is closed with respect to the exterior housing in a state wherein the disk is inserted in the holder, then the disk is accommodated into the inside of the exterior housing together with the holder.
However, the disk apparatus disclosed in the document mentioned above has a problem in that, when a disk is accommodated into the exterior housing, since it is necessary to insert the disk into the holder provided on the lid member, the disk cannot be accommodated into the exterior housing readily. Further, the disk apparatus has a problem in that, even where the lid member is pivoted so as to move away from the exterior housing to open a disk accommodating opening by a great amount, the disk cannot be taken out readily because the disk is accommodated in the holder.

Disk accommodating device, disk apparatus and electronic apparatus


A method and apparatus for achieving high availability for applications and optimizing power consumption within a datacenter is provided. In one embodiment, a method for providing high availability and optimizing power consumption within a datacenter comprises upon execution of an application at a target node amongst a plurality of nodes in a datacenter, selecting a failover target node amongst the plurality of nodes for the application, and reserving a failover capacity of at least one resource of the selected failover target node.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to datacenter workload management and high availability systems and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for achieving high availability for applications and optimizing power consumption within a datacenter.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a typical computing environment (e.g., a datacenter), one or more computers host one or more mission critical applications that need to be highly available. For example, certain mission critical applications are required to be online in order to maintain computer security, prevent confidential data leakage and/or detect malicious software programs. Generally, a computer is selected amongst the one or more available computers as a target computer that hosts the mission critical applications. In order achieve high availability for the mission critical applications, each and every computer in the datacenter remains in a standby mode or powered on. The computers are not utilized to host the mission critical applications until the target computer faults and/or fails. As a result, the other computers remain powered on and consequently, a significant amount of power is dissipated.
Currently, various power management techniques are utilized to identify and power off the one or more computers that do not host any of the mission critical applications. However, such power management techniques fail to identify the failover computer and power off that as well. Further, during a failover, starting a powered off computer takes considerable time. Furthermore, probing resources may consume additional time that may not be acceptable for the one or more mission critical applications. Consequently, a failover time is high that may not be acceptable for the one or more mission critical applications that needs to be highly available. Moreover, the mission critical applications are not available until the one or more failover computers are powered on.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus for achieving high availability for applications and optimizing power consumption within a datacenter.

Method and apparatus for achieving high availability for applications and optimizing power consumption within a datacenter


This invention provides spiral-wound hollow fiber membrane fabric-containing cartridges and modules for separations and other phase contact applications, including tube sheets having improved solvent resistance and mechanical durability which are fabricated by extrusion of thermoplastic resins having particular defined characteristics, and methods for making the same.

This invention relates to the field of spiral-type hollow fiber membrane fabric-containing cartridges and modules for separations and other phase contact applications. In particular, this invention relates to an improved cartridge or module having tube sheets which are fabricated from solvent-resistant thermoplastic resins. The teachings of this invention can, if desired, be used in conjunction with the subject matter of applicant's copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.: 07/816,511 entitled, "Spiral-Wound Hollow Fiber Membrane Fabric Cartridges and Modules Having Flow-Directing Baffles"; and copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.: 07/917,690 entitled, "Spiral-Wound Hollow Fiber Membrane Fabric Cartridges and Modules Having Integral Turbulence Promoters", which are both hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
There is a great deal of prior art relating to the structure, fabrication and use of spiral-type hollow fiber-containing cartridges. Among the early disclosures of such devices are Mahon U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,877 and McLain U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,008, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. In general, a bundle of hollow fibers is positioned around and parallel to the longitudinal axis of a rod-shaped core (which may be a hollow mandrel and may or may not be removed after the bundle is fabricated), the ends of the hollow fiber bundle are potted in tube sheets, and the cartridge is fitted into a pressure housing suitably ported to facilitate feed, permeate and concentrate flows, to constitute a complete module.
More recently, the art has improved such cartridges by forming the hollow fibers into a fabric-like web in which the hollow fibers, parallel to the core axis, are held in place relative to each other by transverse filaments which may or may not also be hollow fibers. The development of these hollow fiber membrane fabrics was an important step in the evolution of this technology, because the fabric both makes unnecessary the manual handling of a random bundle of loose hollow fibers, and facilitates the construction of spiral-wound modules having the hollow fibers spaced and oriented in a highly regular fashion.
Despite these developments, the challenge to optimize the operability, efficiency and durability of these hollow fiber-containing cartridges has continued. With the development of hollow fiber membrane fabrics, the limiting factor in building a module becomes the fabrication of the tube sheets. The classic hollow fiber potting processes include gravity potting and centrifugal potting. In gravity potting, a resinous potting material is introduced into each of the bundle ends, one at a time, and allowed to settle into the end of the bundle and cure. In centrifugal potting, the bundle is inserted into the housing, the assembly is spun on its midpoint to create centrifugal force at both bundle ends, resinous potting material is introduced into the shell-side space near both bundle ends, and the resinous potting material is allowed to cure. (See generally, Mahon U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,877; Maxwell et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,341; Geary et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,002; Davis et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,094; Opersteny et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,605; and Chu et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,735). Among the many drawbacks of these procedures are the following: (1) these are labor-intensive manual processes; (2) being manual processes, these procedures do not yield modules of uniformly high quality; (3) the potting resins tend to wick along the dry portions of the hollow fibers, especially in the dipping process; (4) the potting resins must have a sufficiently low viscosity to readily flow among the closely spaced hollow fibers and wet all adjacent hollow fiber surfaces, especially in the case of the centrifugal process; (5) the inherent requirement in these procedures that the potting resin must readily flow among the hollow fibers limits the acceptable potting resins in terms of both solvent resistance and mechanical durability after cure; (6 ) whenever the curing reaction in the potting resin is exothermic, heat buildup within the tube sheet area, particularly the center of the tube sheet, can lead to catastrophic meltdown of the adjacent hollow fiber ends, markedly reducing the operative portion of the bundle or even rendering the module useless (attempts to conventionally pot a cartridge having a diameter greater than about four inches will so fail, unless a resin such as an epoxy or polyurethane resin having low solvent resistance, or a resin including fillers (to conduct heat and/or act as a diluent, reducing the proportion of the total potting resin composition which must undergo exothermic cure), is used; the low exotherm in curing such a resin results in poor curing quality and accordingly poor solvent resistance and/or mechanical properties); (7) gaps or air bubbles in the potting resin due to inadequate flow may cause leaks in the cartridge; (8) the materials conventionally used as potting resins and having good solvent resistance tend to be brittle (e.g., low molecular weight polyethylene); (9) the materials conventionally used as potting resins and being rubbery tend to have poor solvent resistance (e.g., polyurethane); and (10) both the centrifugal and gravity potting techniques necessitate at least one shell-side port on the side of the module housing, into which the potting resin is poured. If such ports are to be used in later module operation, multiple modules cannot be connected in series without exterior piping or specially-designed pressure housings.
Poor tube sheet solvent resistance and mechanical durability can have great impact on the performance features of the resulting modules. The feasible operating environments of the hollow fiber-fabric --containing cartridges and modules ideally would include all types of solvents. No hollow fiber--forming material is inert to all solvents, but conventionally-available hollow-fiber spinning technology does make available a wide range of hollow fiber types. Assuming that one has chosen an appropriate type of hollow fiber for a particular application or range of applications, and formed a fabric from the hollow fibers, poor solvent resistance in the potting resin can result in failure of the cartridge or module, thus limiting the capability of the hollow fibers themselves. Similarly, the purpose of the tube sheets is to isolate the lumen-side and shell-side portions of the cartridge or module from each other. If the tube sheet material cracks or otherwise disintegrates, total failure of the module occurs. Unfortunately, the conventional methods of tube sheet production (centrifugal casting and gravity potting), require a high degree of potting resin flowability, thus limiting the range of usable potting resins in terms of molecular weight, viscosity and other properties and encouraging the development of solvent-induced and mechanical degradation.
Some attempts have been made to overcome one or more of these difficulties by depositing potting material to form tube sheets simultaneously while the hollow fiber bundle is being formed. For example, the Mahon et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,034 discloses a process in which (1) two monofilaments are continuously unwound in parallel spaced-apart fashion from spools and onto a mandrel; (2) one or more continuous hollow fibers are continuously unwound transversely across and around the two filaments, forming a planar web of hollow fibers which nearly are mutually parallel and nearly are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel; (3) the web is wound spirally onto the mandrel; and (4) a band of solidifiable resin is applied adjacent to one or each end of the hollow fibers (near the filament) and subsequently cured to form a resinous tube sheet. Epoxy resins and silicone rubbers are suggested for forming the tube sheets; and the use of hypodermic needles as potting resin dispensing heads is disclosed. The Schrader U.S. Pat. No. 3,728,425 takes a different approach: (1) a single continuous hollow fiber is wound transversely around an elongated cylindrical mandrel core analogously to a bundle of kite string; (2) a band of resin is simultaneously applied at each end of the core, forming tube sheets, and is cured. Polyepoxide resin is disclosed for use, and Schrader employs applicators as shown in FIG. 2 to apply the bands of resin. The Krueger et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,059,374 discloses that the tube sheets may be formed about the ends of a hollow fiber bundle simultaneously with laying down of the fibers, such as by dripping resin along the fibers as the fibers are laid down. Krueger mentions a number of materials that can serve as tube sheet resins, including polyolefins and polyamides. See also, Sargent et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,695; Francisoud et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,668; applicant's copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.: 07/816,511 entitled, "Spiral-Wound Hollow Fiber Membrane Fabric Cartridges and Modules Having Flow-Directing Baffles"; and applicant's copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No.: 07/917,690 entitled, "Spiral-Wound Hollow Fiber Membrane Fabric Cartridges and Modules Having Integral Turbulence Promoters".
Other prior art disclosures broadly suggesting the use of thermoplastics including polyolefins as tube sheet resins have also been made. For example, the Tigner U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,460 asserts that the choice of material for potting fiber tows to make tube sheets is controlled to a large extent by the viscosity characteristics of the selected material, which should preferably have a viscosity in the range of about 100 to about 5,000 centipoise at a temperature below about 150.degree. C., and is preferably a thermoplastic. Polyethylenes, polypropylenes, and copolymers and mixtures thereof can be used; and reference is made to compositions using low molecular weight polyethylene resins (See a similar disclosure in Lipps et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,597 and Lipps et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,871, which further note that low viscosity resins tend to completely wet and encapsulate the hollow fibers in shorter times and are therefore preferred). The Brauer et al, U.S. Pat. Reissue No. 31,389 reviews certain materials previously used to fabricate tube sheets, and notes that many of them, including polyolefins and olefin copolymers, have been found deficient in one aspect or another. (See also, Maxwell et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,341; Davis et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,094; Zampini U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,453; Fritzsche et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,323,454; Otstot et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,039; Opersteny et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,605; and Chu et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,735).
The need continues for improved methods and materials for making tube sheets which will more closely approach the solvent resistance and mechanical durability of the hollow fibers themselves.

Hollow fiber membrane fabric - containing cartridges and modules having solvent-resistant thermoplastic tube sheets, and methods for making the same


A terminal includes a metal part, one end of which is to be connected to a binding post of electrical equipment, and the other end of which is shaped as a ring with an insulating coating. A sleeve mounted inside this insulating coating has an extension in which a plurality of marking elements are received. The sleeve and its extension are directly molded on the terminal.

Terminals for connecting electric cables or leads to the binding post of various electric control and operating units are generally known. These terminals essentially consist of a conductive metal element having a sleeve or lug at one end and a connecting device at the other end. The sleeve is wrapped in insulating material, usually opaque plastic and receives one end of the lead. This sleeve is properly deformed so as to pinch the lead and prevent it from slipping out. The end of the joint or connector to the terminal of the equipment may be shaped according to need, for instance as a ring, fork or plug, male-female (called "Faston") and so on.
There are known for instance terminals according to FR-A-1321537 and EP-A-029554, in which the terminal is manufactured in separate elements to be assembled. There are also known terminals, according to EP-A-0251054, which is formed by a metallic element wrapped in insulating material presenting a support for the marking device and according to DE-A-3107083, which presents a marking support inserted by clutch on the insulating material.
In this application we refer to the known terminals, commonly used, which, as above clarified, present only the metal element and the insulating element without marking support.
These known terminals are not designed for marking and the cables must therefore be marked, irrespective of the installation mode of the terminal. This means a loss of time during wiring and marking of the electric installations.

Electric cable terminal with built-in marking support


A fluid power system includes a hydraulic machine. A pilot-controlled supply valve controls high-pressure fluid to the machine. The valve is coupled between the hydraulic machine and a high-pressure fluid source, and includes a control port for an actuation signal. The supply valve allows passage of fluid from the machine to the fluid source, but blocks passage of fluid from the fluid source to the machine while closed, or permits passage of fluid from the fluid source to the machine while open. The supply valve biases toward closed or open according to an actuation signal at the control port. A pressurization valve is also coupled between the hydraulic machine and the high-pressure fluid source. The pressurization valve blocks passage of fluid from the fluid source to the machine while in a first position, and allows a restricted passage of fluid between its input and output ports while in a second position, to allow pressure to equalize on either side of the supply valve before the supply valve opens.

1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed invention relates to hydraulic power circuits, in general, and in particular, to quiet and efficient fluid switching.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydraulic fluid power systems are used or contemplated for use in hybrid vehicle technology as an alternative to electric hybrid systems. Hydraulic hybrid systems have several advantages over electric hybrid systems. For example, electric systems employ electric batteries to store surplus energy. The batteries have limited charge rate capacities and relatively short useful lives. When the batteries are worn out, they must be disposed of, which creates environmental concerns, given the large amounts of heavy metals found in such batteries. For these and other reasons, there is increasing interest in hydraulic hybrid technology.
In fluid power systems, a high-pressure fluid supply line generally includes a shut-off valve between the high-pressure fluid source, such as an accumulator, and the rest of the system. For example, in the case of a system employing an over-center pump/motor, high-pressure fluid is not switched, as in other reversible motors, but is always provided at the same input port of the motor. Thus, high pressure could be provided at that port continually. From a practical standpoint it is more reasonable to shut off high pressure when the motor is at a zero torque output condition, and to maintain the option of closing the line in an emergency. Accordingly, a supply valve is provided in the line for this purpose. It is generally a poppet type check-valve with a pilot control, arranged in the line to permit transfer of fluid up the line to the accumulator while the motor is in pump mode, regardless of the valve position. The valve is designed to withstand extremely high reverse pressure while closed, and to permit a fluid flow down the line exceeding 100 gpm (gallons-per-minute) while open.
FIG. 1 shows a simplified fluid supply circuit 100 for an over-center pump/motor 102 (referred to hereafter as a motor), such as is known in the art. The circuit 100 includes a high-pressure fluid supply 104 and a low-pressure fluid supply 106. A pilot-controlled check valve 108 is positioned between the motor 102 and the high-pressure fluid supply 104, with a fluid supply line 112 extending between the high-pressure fluid supply 104 and the check valve 108, and a fluid supply line 114 between the check valve 108 and the motor 102. A control unit 110 is configured to provide a pilot signal to the check valve 108 via control line 116. The pilot signal may be provided electrically, such as to a solenoid actuator, by fluid pressure, or by other known means.
The motor 102 may be one of a number of types of hydraulic machines, including bent-axis, swash plate, radial piston, etc. For the purpose of the present disclosure, the motor 102 will be considered a bent-axis pump/motor. As is known in the art, the displacement of such bent-axis motors is controlled by changing a stroke angle of the motor. As the angle increases, the output torque of the motor increases. In the case of over-center motors, the angle may be changed in either a positive direction, which applies torque in one direction of rotation, or a negative direction, which applies torque in an opposite direction of rotation. When the motor is at a zero-stroke angle, there is no output torque applied, and no fluid flows through the motor.
In operation, when the motor 102 is to operate in motor mode, the control unit 110 provides the pilot signal to the check valve 108 to open the check valve to fluid flowing from the high-pressure fluid supply 104 to the motor 102. The high-pressure fluid drives the motor 102 in accordance with a selected displacement and direction. When the pilot signal is stopped, the check valve closes to fluid flowing from the high-pressure fluid supply 104 but still permits fluid flowing from the motor 102 to the high-pressure fluid supply 104. When the motor 102 is operated in pump mode, fluid is drawn from the low-pressure fluid supply 106 and pumped to the high-pressure fluid supply 104.

The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency