A surgical joint includes a first clamping member for engaging a first support member and a second clamping member for engaging a second support member. The first clamping member includes a clamping bore wherein the first support member is positionable within the clamping bore. The second clamping member includes a socket wherein the second support member is positionable within the socket. A shaft is disposed through the first clamping member and is in communication with the second clamping member. An actuating mechanism is coupled to the shaft wherein the actuating mechanism is positionable to force the first clamping member frictionally engages the first support member and the second clamping member frictionally engages the second support member.

The present invention relates generally to a surgical clamp for use in mounting a retractor support apparatus with respect to an operating table. More particularly, the present invention relates to a clamp that can be positioned about the retractor support apparatus in a selected position.
Prior to performing a surgical procedure requiring retraction, a retractor support apparatus is typically constructed about a surgical site. The retractor support apparatus is attached to a field post that is attached to a surgical table with the field post extending upwardly from the surgical table.
The retractor support apparatus extends over the surgical table and can include as little as one support member or numerous support members. Retractors and other surgical equipment are positioned about the surgical site by being secured with a clamp attached to the retractor support apparatus.
However, the retractor support apparatus can be burdensome and difficult to position. Additionally, the clamp is typically free to move along the length of the field post which creates additional difficulty in securing the retractor support apparatus with the clamp. Therefore, securing the retractor support apparatus with a clamp and positioning the clamp in a selected position on the field post can pose difficulties.
The design of the clamp can also add to the difficulty in mounting the retractor support apparatus to the field post. The retractor clamp typically includes first and second clamping members that are generally in the shape of the letter "U". Clamping members having U-shaped structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,718,151, 5,020,195, 5,242,240 and 5,792,046, all of which are assigned to the same assignee as the assignee of the present application. The object to be clamped is placed in a clamping bore defined by the legs of the U-shaped structure where movement of the legs towards each other causes the object to be clamped within the clamping bore.
However, the weight and configuration of the retractor support apparatus may create potential difficulties in positioning the end of the retractor support apparatus within the clamping bore. Additionally, once the end of the retractor support apparatus is positioned within the U-shaped structure, the retractor support apparatus must be slid into a selected position prior to clamping the retractor support apparatus in the selected position.


An adaptive filter that, in one embodiment, filters rows of pixels of an image in a vertical direction, stores the results in row vectors, and then filters the row vectors in the horizontal direction, and displays the results or stores the results for later display. Coefficients of a reference filter are modified based on the output from the reference filter through a table-lookup process that accesses tables of modified filter coefficients. The output of the modified filter is added to a delayed version of the input to provide the adaptive filter output.

This application relates to digital image processing methods and apparatus, and more particularly to adaptive filtering methods and apparatus.
Block-based image and video coding as in current coding standards, such as JPEG, H.261, H.263, MPEG4 and H.264/AVC, divide an image to be encoded into horizontal rows and vertical columns of non-overlapping blocks of pixels, as illustrated by FIG. 1. The blocks are typically square, having dimensions of 8 pixels×8 pixels. A color image is often separated into a luminance (Y) channel that represents brightness information in the image and two chrominance (U, V) channels that represent color information in the image. The image is then represented by luminance blocks and, depending on the image's chrominance format, a number of chrominance blocks. Each block is encoded by a transform, e.g., the discrete cosine transform (DCT), and each transformed block is quantized according to a quantization parameter (QP).
Quantization can result in visually annoying artifacts, especially for video coding at low bit-rates relative to the video resolution, such as 32 kilobits per second (kbps) and 64 kbps for common intermediate format (CIF) and quarter CIF (QCIF) resolutions, which are used today for video clips, video conferences, etc. displayed on mobile communication devices and other devices having limited computational and display resources and/or communicating on channels having limited bandwidth. Two common artifacts produced by the quantization of the DCT are blocking and ringing artifacts. The blocking artifact is seen as an unnatural discontinuity between pixel values of neighboring blocks. The ringing artifact is seen as high-frequency irregularities around edges of objects in an image.
Many image processing methods to reduce blocking and ringing have been suggested. An older review is M.-Y. Shen and C.-C. J. Kuo, "Review of Postprocessing Techniques for Compression Artifact Removal", J. Visual Communication and Image Representation, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 2–14 (March 1998).
To reduce blocking artifacts, two-dimensional (2D) low-pass filtering of pixels on block boundaries of the decoded image(s) was suggested in H. C. Reeve III and Jae S. Lim, "Reduction of Blocking Effect in Image Coding", Proc. ICASSP, pp. 1212–1215, Boston, Mass. (1983). The 2D space-invariant static filtering described in that Reeve paper reduces blocking artifacts but can also introduce blurring artifacts when true edges in the image are filtered.
To avoid blurring of true edges in the image and also to be computationally efficient, the amount of digital low-pass filtering may be controlled by table-lookup as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,420 to G. Bjontegaard for "Cosmetics Filter for Smoothing Regenerated Pictures, e.g. after Signal Compressing for Transmission in a Narrowband Network". Large differences between initial pixel values and filtered pixel values are seen as natural image structure, and thus filtering is weak so that the image is not blurred. Small pixel differences are seen as coding artifacts, and thus stronger filtering is allowed to remove the artifacts. Based on data from other equipment, the amount of filtering can be controlled by using additional filter tables. This patent modifies the output of a low-pass-filtered signal with the output of a table-lookup using the difference between a delayed input signal and the filtered signal as an index into the table, and different degrees of filtering are achieved only by providing additional tables.
To adapt the amount of filtering according to the DCT quantization, the QP from an H.261 decoder has been used as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,385 to X. Yuan for "Method and Apparatus for Processing Block Coded Image Data to Reduce Boundary Artifacts between Adjacent Image Blocks". The QP scales the amount of low-pass versus all-pass filtering performed, thereby allowing stronger low-pass filtering for larger quantization. This patent selects low-pass and all-pass filter coefficients to reduce the differences in pixel values between boundary pixels of neighboring blocks, and the selection is determined by intra/inter-block encoding, the number of non-zero a.c. coefficients in the DCT, output pixel position in the block, and the direction of image gradient along the block boundary. The QP is used to weight the relative parts of the low-pass and all-pass filter responses in the filter output.
A combined de-blocking and de-ringing filter was proposed in ITU-T Recommendation H.263 Appendix III: Examples for H.263 Encoder/Decoder Implementations (June 2000). The proposed filter used filter strengths on block boundaries that were different from filter strengths inside blocks, allowing for stronger filtering at block boundaries than inside blocks. This was achieved by using a metric that used different constants when computing the output values of block boundary pixels versus the output values of pixels inside the block boundary. The metric also included the QP.
These and most other current algorithms handle de-blocking and de-ringing artifacts separately. This requires filtering in two steps to handle both artifacts, e.g., first process a decoded image with a de-blocking filter to remove artifacts on block boundaries, and then apply a de-ringing filter to remove ringing artifacts. Such double filtering can have a negative impact on computational complexity and memory consumption, which are parameters of particular importance in many devices, such as mobile communication devices.
Moreover, removal of blocking and ringing artifacts can add visually annoying blurring artifacts as described above. It is thus important to be careful with strong image features that likely are natural image features and not coding artifacts.
An adaptive non-linear filter can also be configured to increase sharpness of true image details, limit overshoots near sharp edges, and attenuate coding artifacts, as described in G. Scognamiglio et al., "Enhancement of Coded Video Sequences via an Adaptive Nonlinear Post-processing", Signal Processing: Image Communication, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 127–139, Elsevier B.V. (February 2003). A non-separable, two-dimensional, 5-tap filter is controlled by rational functions, one in the horizontal direction and one in the vertical direction. The rational functions are adapted based on measures of local variance and blockiness and ringing.
Most current algorithms consider sharpening separately from de-blocking/de-ringing. This can adversely impact computational complexity and memory consumption. In addition, increasing the sharpness of an image can add visually annoying noise and/or coding artifacts. Thus when sharpening, it is important to be careful with weak image features that can be coding artifacts or noise and not natural image features. In addition, a sharpening filter should have low complexity and low memory consumption, facilitating its use in resource-constrained environments, such as portable devices like mobile terminals.


A preferred embodiment method for dispensing a use solution from a solid product into a dishwashing machine includes placing a solid product in a dispenser. The product dispenser (10) for dispensing a use solution from a solid product includes a chamber (11) having a front (12), a back (15), and a bottom (16). The chamber (11) defines a cavity (20) configured and arranged to receive a solid product and a diluent. An inlet (21) proximate the back (15) of the chamber (11) is configured and arranged to receive the diluent, and an outlet portion (26) is in fluid communication with the inlet (21). The outlet portion (26) spans a length of the back (15) and includes a plurality of apertures (27) along the length of the back (15). The plurality of apertures (27) allows diluent to fan out along the back (15), flow down the back (15), and cascade evenly with relatively even pressure from proximate the back (15) toward proximate the front (12) of the chamber (11). A use solution outlet (32) proximate the bottom (16) and the front (12) of the chamber (11) allows diluent and a use solution to exit the chamber (11).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid product dispenser, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a solid rinse additive for use with a dishwashing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Solid products are commonly dissolved with a diluent to form a liquid use solution prior to use. Generally, spray-type dispensers for dispensing various products function by impinging a liquid spray upon an exposed surface of a solid product to dissolve a portion of the product thereby creating a use solution. Flood-type dispensers function by filling a cavity of a dispenser containing a solid product with a liquid, and the liquid dissolves a portion of the solid product as the liquid contacts the solid product. Then, the use solution comprising the dissolved product is directed out of the dispenser to a storage reservoir or to a point of use.
Spray-type dispensers tend to unevenly erode the solid product, which makes the concentration of the use solution unpredictable. Flood-type dispensers may, in some circumstances, dissolve too much product when a lesser concentration is desired. The present invention provides a dispenser for dispensing a solid product when a lower concentration is desired without unevenly eroding the solid product.
One instance where a lower concentration of product may be desired is in dispensing rinse additives in dishwashing machines. Peristaltic pumps are typically used for dispensing liquid rinse additives.

Method of using a solid rinse additive dispenser for dispensing a use solution in a dishwashing machine


The present invention provides a cradle device designed to be connected to a portable terminal which is provided with a connector at an upper part thereof for external electrical connection and with grooves formed at four corners of the outline to be held by means of the grooves. The cradle device has a structure to allow the portable terminal to slide so that the grooves formed in the connector portion and the portable terminal body can be securely engaged. The cradle device also has a rotate and slide mechanism in the face thereof opposing the connector, and has a structure to ensure reliable engagement with the grooves formed in the portable terminal body. Thus, the portable terminal cradle device is easy to carry, small-sized and superior in mechanical reliability, equally to the base unit, or the portable terminal.

Recently, portable terminals such as cellular phones and portable information devices have been rapidly developed to offer multiple functions. Along with this trend, there has emerged a demand to connect these portable terminals with other equipment. There has also emerged a problem of increased power consumption due to prolonged hours of usage. In order to solve such demand and problem, it is desired to increase the capacity of batteries for the portable terminals. On the other hand, by the nature of the portable terminals, there is still a strong demand to reduce the weight and size to improve the portability thereof.
In order to meet these contradictory demands, it is for example proposed to assign functions of some parts pertaining to a base unit (for example, functions of a connector for data communication) to a cradle device, which is originally used as a stationary holder for charging the base unit.
As the number of functions that the cradle device takes charge of is increased, it becomes necessary for a user to carry the cradle device as well. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-101140 (Patent Document 1) and No. 2003-110677 (Patent Document 2) disclose a cradle which is formed foldable to give it portability. On the other hand, Japanese Patent No. 2711784 (Patent Document 3) focuses on improving the portability of a battery pack charger.
However, these cradle devices have several problems.
The first problem resides in the fact that these prior art examples put focus on the portability of the cradle by itself, and no consideration is given to the portability when the cradle device is connected to a portable terminal. When the cradle device has additional functions that the portable terminal does not have, it is necessary to improve the portability of the cradle device connected to the portable terminal.
The second problem resides in the fact these conventional cradle devices have low mechanical reliability. Although consideration is given to connectability to the base unit, no consideration is given to high mechanical reliability that the cradle device should have when carried in the condition connected to the portable terminal represented by a cellular phone.


A display panel includes a transparent EL panel held at an inner end of an opening formed in an instrument panel portion and inclined at a predetermined acute angle with respect to a viewing direction. A cover is disposed at a back side of the display panel for covering the display panel. A surface of the opening portion and an inner face of the cover, to which light from the display panel enters, are colored dark to absorb unnecessary ambient light.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus, and more particularly, to a display apparatus having an electroluminescent (hereinafter referred to as EL) panel, which is suitable to be equipped in a vehicle.
2. Related Arts
Recently, EL panels have been applied to display apparatuses for vehicles. For example, a display apparatus using an EL panel, which is attached to a windshield of a vehicle at its lower portion, is known by JP-U-60-3872.
In the display apparatus, a passenger in a passenger compartment recognizes display information indicated by the EL panel at the lower portion of the windshield.

Electroluminescent display apparatus for a vehicle


A pump system that can dynamically increase its current capability includes: a pump circuit, for producing an output voltage; an oscillator, for driving the pump circuit to pump at a particular frequency according to a pump enable signal; a limiter, coupled to both the oscillator and the output voltage fed back from the pump circuit, for generating the pump enable signal to the oscillator according to the output voltage feedback signal; and an edge timer, coupled to both the oscillator and the pump enable signal, for driving the oscillator to operate at an increased frequency according to a threshold parameter of the pump enable signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to current supplying pumps, and more particularly, to current supplying pumps that can dynamically change their current capability according to requirements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Current supply pumps are standard circuits in the electronics field. They are used to supply and control an output voltage by enabling a pump, and utilizing an oscillator to control the periodicity of pump cycles. The oscillator controls the pump to pump at a desired frequency for producing a certain output voltage, and when the output voltage is too high, the pump will be disabled. These operations are controlled by a feedback mechanism.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a conventional pump circuit 100. The pump circuit 100 comprises a limiter circuit 110, an oscillator 120 and a pump 130. The pump 130 produces an output voltage which is fed back to the limiter 110. The limiter 110 selectively outputs a pump enable signal to the oscillator 120 according to the feedback voltage. When the output of the pump 130 is too low, the limiter 110 will enable the pump signal, thereby enabling the oscillator 120, which will then cause the pump 130 to pump the output voltage higher. When the limiter 110 determines that the output voltage is high enough, the limiter 110 will disable the oscillator 120, so that the pump 130 will not pump. The oscillator 120 controls the output voltage of the pump 130 by setting the period of pump cycles.
There is therefore a correlation between the size of the output voltage and efficiency. If the current demand is high, this means that the oscillator 120 must have a higher periodicity of pump cycles. This allows the pump 130 to generate more current, but also reduces efficiency. If the oscillator 120 controls the pump 130 to pump with a reduced number of pump cycles, the efficiency increases, but there will be a cap on the amount of current the pump 130 can produce.


Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for locating operating system (OS) kernel information and user mode code in physical memory, wherein the kernel information includes kernel code and kernel read only data, and specifying permissions for the kernel information and the user code in an extended page table (EPT). Additionally, systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for switching, in accordance with the permissions, between view instances of the EPT in response to one or more hardware virtualization exceptions.

An operating system (OS) may rely on a kernel to maintain the integrity of a computer platform. The kernel may provide services to applications running on the platform, control access to resources, and maintain isolation/separation among applications, and between applications and the kernel. Although the kernel may run at a higher privilege, vulnerabilities introduced by large/ever-increasing code base and the modularization features that most modern operating systems support may make it feasible for attackers to run malicious code at the kernel privilege level and compromise the integrity of the kernel and the compute platform.

Kernel runtime integrity using processor assists


A connection switching circuit is disposed in each node of a ring system in which a first ring and a second ring are provided with two communication lines which allow data to flow in a different direction respectively and is connected with a currently used passage and preliminary passage. The connection switching circuit comprises an alarm correction reading part for generating a control signal, an alarm monitor part for outputting respective alarm detection signals, a currently used/and preliminary alarm recognition part, and a switching control signal generation part for generating a control signal for selecting a passage, wherein either the currently used passage or the preliminary passage is selected by monitoring the alarm of the data which flows on the currently used passage or the preliminary passage to connect the first ring and the second ring with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connection switching circuit for ring system, and more particularly to a connection switching circuit which can be used in a ring system, especially a BLSR (Bi-directional Line Switched Ring) system or the like for optical communication network by means of SDH (Synchronized Digital Hierarchy).
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a number of ring type optical communication networks are used as a large scale network.
Then various designs are made for mutually connecting the ring type communication networks. For example, the following UPSR (Uni-directional Path Switched Ring) system is conventionally used.
FIG. 9 is a view for explaining a schematic structure of a conventional UPSR system. In FIG. 9, the ring system comprises two UPRS rings A and B. The ring system is constituted in such a manner that two UPSR rings A and B are mutually connected by a node A-1 on the UPSR ring A and a node B-1 on the UPSR ring B.
Furthermore, each of the UPSR rings A and B comprises lines (LA1 and LB1) which allows data to flow in a clockwise direction and lines (LA2 and LB2) which allows data to flow in an anti-clockwise direction. On each of the UPSR ring, a plurality of nodes (A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2 and the like) are arranged.
On nodes A-1 and B-1 for mutually connecting rings, a PSW (Path Switch) is provided and the rings are mutually connected by appropriately changing two lines depending on the situation of the line quality. And, other nodes which do not have relation to the mutual connection directly also include a PSW.
In the conventional UPSR system, for securing reliability, data is allowed to flow through clockwise lines (LA1 and LB1) and anti-clockwise lines (LA2 and LB2) at all times.
Now, a case is considered in which communication is carried out between node A-3 on the UPSR ring A and node B-3 on the UPSR ring B.
In the beginning, data which is transmitted from the node A-3 is transmitted to the clockwise and anti-clockwise lines (LA1 and LA2) of the UPSR ring A to be input to the node A-1.
Either of the two same data which is input to the node A-1 is selected in PSW1 and PSW2 to be output to the node B-1 on the UPSR ring B. Here, the fact that two PSW, i.e. PSW 1 and PSW 2 are provided in one node A-1 is to connect two rings (A, B) with two circuits L3 and L4 with respect to the data transmission from the UPSR ring A to the UPSR ring B.
In other words, data which is selected with PSW1 is output to node B-1 through line L3, and data selected with PSW2 is output to node B-1 through L4.
Next, data input from the lines L3 and L4 is given to the selection parts S3 and S4 where either the data from the line L3 or the data from the line L4 is selected.
Then, the data selected at each of the selection parts S3 and S4 is output to the clockwise line (LB1) or the antic-lockwise line (LB2) so that both data is transmitted to node B-3. At node B-3, either of the data is adopted at the inside PSW.
At each PSW, the line quality is inspected at all times on the basis of the predetermined standard. Out of the two data which is to be input, data which is not provided with an alarm is selected. On the contrary, a similar operation is carried out with respect to the case in which data is transmitted from node B-3 to node A-3.
In the aforementioned UPSR ring system, the reliability of the data transmission is sufficiently secured in order to allow the same data to flow through the two lines A1 and LA2. However, the use efficiency of the line is poor. Besides, in the case where a trouble is caused to one of the line, data on the other line is selected to secure the transmission, but at this time, the line where the trouble is caused is not used.

Connection switching circuit for ring system


In a pulse width modulation light emitting diode (LED) controller an error amplifier and output load switch are synchronously controlled to prevent service life shortening current overshoot through the LEDs and slowing discharging currents causing color temperature shifting in the light output from the LEDs. A plurality of switching arrangements for the error amplifier and the compensation network may be provided in a single integrated circuit LED dimming controller, and outputs for controlling a variety of differently configured output power switch combinations for disconnecting or shorting the LEDs, or disconnecting the output capacitor during off times of the modulated dimming control signal.

LEDs used for area lighting, automotive exterior lighting, medical lighting and television backlighting require a way to dim the LEDs to obtain a desired lighting level and/or average lumen output. LED dimming may be provided with analog linear dimming or pulse width modulation (PWM) dimming. Linear dimming of LEDs is used to reduce/adjust brightness thereof by changing current through the LEDs. Change in current through the LEDs results in a shift of the chromaticity coordinates (change of color temperature). Many applications like retrofit light bulb replacement, automotive lighting, medical lighting or professional illumination systems highly rely on specific color temperatures to meet application specific light requirements or legal regulations. PWM dimming turns on and off (allows current to flow and not flow through the LEDs) at a nominal current necessary to meet specific chromaticity coordinates during the on-time of the LEDs. The on and off frequency for dimming the LEDs has to be high enough to create a seemingly static (constant) light to the human eye.
PWM dimming of constant current sources causes three issues with LEDs: The first issue is high current overshoot as the LED is switched into the circuit (when the current source is turned back on after the dimming off-time). This overshoot shortens the service life of the LED. This effect can particularly be observed in lighting systems where switched-mode DC/DC converters are used as the current source. Control stages of analog switched-mode power converters utilize operational amplifiers as an inverting error amplifier. During the dimming off-time, the feedback signal drops to zero. The analog error amplifier thereupon increases its output voltage (reference voltage to peak current comparators or comparators in PWM generators) to compensate for the instantaneous error. The feedback loop of these amplifiers is closed by a circuit of resistors and capacitors (the compensation filter RC network). This RC network is either connected between the amplifier input and its output (circuit for general purpose operational amplifiers) or between the amplifier output and the circuit ground (circuit for trans-conductance operational amplifiers). When the amplifier output voltage increases to compensate for the instantaneous error during the PWM dimming off-time, the RC network is charged. When the feedback drops to zero, the error is maximal and so the output voltage of the error amplifier will increase up to the saturation point of the circuit. When the PWM dimming signal is turned back on, the error amplifier of the control circuit will force the switched-mode power converter to apply the maximum duty ratio of the switching frequency resulting in a short maximum power output, which will last until the feedback signal has tuned into normal levels of operation and the compensation network has de-saturated. To compensate for this issue, analog circuits are usually added to the error amplifier circuit to apply a fast soft-start ramp. These fast soft-start ramps, however, add a reduced average forward current component to the total LED forward current, causing a shift of chromaticity coordinates (shift in color temperature).
The second issue is a slow forward voltage decay after the current source is switched off that is caused by the discharging output capacitors of the disabled current source. This decay affects the color temperature, which becomes more and more dominant with shorter duty ratios.
The third issue is the physical limitation of minimum dimming PWM duty ratios when systems suffer from slow current slew rates of leading and/or falling edges. The time required to increase the LED forward current up to the nominal level and/or back down to zero limits the minimum on-time required to achieve a certain lumen output. When stable color temperatures are explicit, a minimum period of nominal forward current is required, further increasing the minimum on-time. This becomes an issue in applications when very low on-times and stable color temperatures are mandatory, like automotive exterior lighting, display backlights, medical or restoration lighting applications, and the like.

Method and system for improving LED lifetime and color quality in dimming apparatus


A device for clamping parts, in particular metal sheets, in a motor vehicle mounting line, has a console, a support for the parts that may be secured on a top stop of the console, and a pneumatic clamping device that actuates a pressure piece that can be clamped against the parts mounted on the support. In order to obtain a console made of a few components with various spatial positions of the clamping point between the support and the pressure piece, at its base the console has a clamping block and a centering piece for a stay that can be secured thereon, and the top stop acts with its bottom side as a centering element for the stay that can be secured thereon.

Such devices are used especially in the manufacture of bodies in the automobile industry to automatically clamp metal plates to be welded to one another. A plurality of such devices are arranged within an assembly line. Each of these devices must be designed according to the necessary spatial arrangement of the metal plates to be clamped. This is expensive.

Device for clamping parts, in particular metal sheets, in a welding or mounting line


An optical recording and reproducing system including a read/write head assembly including an objective lens for reading or writing information on an adjacent magneto-optical recording medium. A solid immersion lens is disposed between the objective lens and the recording medium with a surface closely spaced from the recording medium. The closely spaced surface is provided with a mask having an opening which defines the extent of evanescent fields coupled to the recording medium.

In magneto-optic recording systems, digital information is stored in a thin magnetic storage medium by locally magnetized regions or domains. The regions are magnetized to represent either ones or zeros. The information is written into the magnetic storage medium by raising the temperature of localized small regions of the magnetic medium to the Curie point temperature of the medium at the localized regions. This lowers the coercivity to a point which enables orientation of the magnetic domain in the medium by an external magnetic field. Stored information is read by Kerr or Faraday rotation of a polarized light beam incident upon the magnetic medium at the magnetized regions or domains. The shift in polarization is in the order of 1 degree and is employed to detect the ones and zeros. Systems for reading out these small rotational changes are well established in the optical storage industry. Optical recording and the design of conventional read/write heads is described in the book entitled "Optical Recording" authored by Alan B. Marchant, Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1990.
The size of the regions or domains determines the density of the digital information. The size of the localized regions is limited by diffraction of the light energy and is marginally improved by use of shorter wavelengths of light and higher numerical aperture lens.
In microscopy the diffraction limitation is overcome by employing near-field microscopy. In near-field microscopy the light beam is focused through a pinhole that is smaller than the diffraction limited spot size of the light beam. The pinhole is placed very close to the object. The size of the pinhole determines the definition of the microscope.
Betzig and others overcame the diffraction limitation in an optical recording system by employing near-field optics. They demonstrated areas of 20 nm diameter or better for the magnetized regions or domains. (E. Betzig, J. K. Trautman, R. Wolfe, P. L. Finn, M. H. Kryder and C. H. Chang, "Near-Field Magneto-Optics and Hi-Density Data Storage", Appl. Phys. Lett. 61, 142-144, (1992)).
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,750 there is disclosed an optical recording system including a read/write optical assembly for reading or writing from a magneto-optical medium. A solid immersion lens is interposed between the objective lens of the read/write head and the magnetic recording medium. The use of the solid immersion lens in conjunction with the objective lens decreases the spot size of the light focused on the recording medium and therefore increases the optical density and resolution. The spot size is diffraction limited.

Near field magneto-optical recording system employing slit illumination

The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University


There is provided an illumination system for lithography with wavelengths of ≦193 mn. The system comprises a first optical element, which is divided into first raster elements and lies in a first plane. The first plane defines an x-direction and a y-direction, the first raster elements each have an x-direction and a y-direction with an aspect ratio, and at least two of the first raster elements have aspect ratios of different magnitude.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an illumination system, particularly one that is used for lithography, for example, VUV and EUV-lithography with wavelengths of less than or equal to 193 nm, which illuminates a field, wherein the illumination system comprises at least one light source as well as optical elements, which are divided into raster elements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to be able to even further reduce the structural widths for electronic components, particularly in the submicron range, it is necessary to reduce the wavelength of the light utilized for microlithography.
For example, lithography with soft x-rays is conceivable at wavelengths of smaller than 193 mn. A double-facetted illumination system for such wavelengths has become known, for example, from DE 199 03 807. The disclosure content of DE 199 03 807 is incorporated herein by reference.
In the case of the illumination system known from DE 199 03 807, first raster elements, which are also denoted field raster elements, are illuminated via collecting optics. When arranged in reflection, illumination is produced at a specific angle of incidence. Therefore, the illuminated field on the field raster elements is preferably elliptical. The field raster elements are configured rectangularly, however, corresponding to the desired field in the object plane, which coincides with the reticle plane.
Each field raster element is imaged in a field in an object plane, in which the reticle is positioned. Since each field raster element contributes to the uniformity of the illuminated field, field raster elements that are only partially illuminated adversely affect the uniformity in the object plane. Thus, only completely illuminated field raster elements should be used.
In systems, such as are known from DE 199 03 807, the first raster elements or facets have a typical aspect ratio of approximately 1:16. In such systems, field raster elements cover only about 80% of the area illuminated by the light source, i.e. approximately 20% of the power is lost. Since the number of field raster elements is limited by the optical elements arranged in the light path from the light source to the reticle plane behind the optical element with first raster elements and for reasons of geometry and capability of construction, a better efficiency for an illumination system as is known from DE 199 03 807 cannot be achieved simply by increasing the number of field raster elements.

Illumination system with raster elements of different sizes


Method of determining a laundry load size in a laundry treating appliance comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment in accordance with a treating cycle of operation, an imaging device, and a controller having a processor, the method includes generating an image, detecting markings in the generated image, and determining, by the controller, a load size based thereon.

Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, clothes dryers, refreshers, and non-aqueous systems, may have a configuration based on a rotating drum that defines a treating chamber in which laundry items are placed for treating according to one or more cycles of operation. The laundry treating appliance may have a controller that implements the cycles of operation having one or more operating parameters. The cycles of operation may vary according to the size of the laundry load in the drum. The size of the laundry load may be manually input by the user through a user interface. Oftentimes a user will overestimate or underestimate the load size, thereby resulting in a less than optimal treating performance. Furthermore, laundry treating appliances currently measure mass but this may not provide a full understanding of the load size and may cause confusion for the user when mass is indicated.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of determining a load size in a laundry treating appliance


Provided are a variable resistive memory device and a method of fabricating the same. The variable resistive memory device includes an interlayer insulating film having an opening therein, the opening exposing a surface of a first electrode which is disposed at a bottom of the opening. A variable resistive layer is formed in the opening and a second electrode is formed on the variable resistive layer. The variable resistive layer has a sidewall that is separated from an inner side surface of the opening to define a gap between the sidewall of the variable resistive layer and the inner side surface of the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor technology, and more particularly, to a variable resistive memory device and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the demand for portable digital application devices, such as digital cameras, MP3 players, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or mobile phones has increased, the nonvolatile memory market has grown rapidly. High-density flash memory devices having low fabricating costs per bit are widely used as programmable nonvolatile memories. However, since flash memories require a relatively high capacity transistor in order to perform hot carrier injection for programming and a tunneling oxide film that is thick enough to endure a high internal voltage in order to ensure reliable data retention, there is a basic limitation in scaling down flash memories. As flash memories have recently reached their scaling limits, nonvolatile memory devices using a variable resistive material have attracted attention as alternative nonvolatile memories.
Since a variable resistive material has bi-stable resistive states that may be reversely changed by an electrical pulse applied thereto, and thus physical characteristics of the variable resistive material may be used as data, a memory device may operate without a transistor and may be easily scaled.
Regarding the scaling down of the variable resistive memory device, a driving device needs to be miniaturized, power consumption needs to be reduced. Especially, when a variable resistive material is a phase-change material, an interference due to thermal crosstalk between adjacent memory cells needs to be suppressed. In detail, when a phase-change memory device is designed to be equal to or less than 65 nm, particularly, equal to or less than 20 nm, heat generated during programming of a selected memory cell may affect a written state of another memory cell adjacent to the selected memory cell, thereby leading to reliability problems such as data loss or malfunction.

Variable resistive memory device and method of fabricating the same


The invention provides methods of covalently joining nucleic acid molecules and methods of molecular cloning. The methods provide either sequential or simultaneous ligation of flanking or vector nucleic acid molecules to nucleic acid insert molecules by topoisomerase and DNA ligase. The methods provide for directional and non-directional covalent joining and cloning of nucleic acid molecules.

Construction of recombinant nucleic acid molecules requires two enzymatic steps. First, site-specific restriction endonuclease digestion or PCR amplification are used to generate linear nucleic acid molecules with defined termini. Second, the linear molecules are covalently joined at their termini in the presence of a ligase enzyme. Methods of covalently joining and cloning nucleic acid molecules that require only one step or that eliminate the use of restriction endonucleases or ligases would be advantageous over the traditional method of constructing recombinant nucleic acid molecules.

Method for ligating nucleic acids and molecular cloning


A fluid damper includes a cylinder tube portion which is filled with a fluid, a piston which is provided so as to be movable in an inner portion of the cylinder tube portion and whose moving speed is controlled with resistance of the fluid, and a biasing member which expands and contracts in accordance with a position of the piston and which applies a force corresponding to an expansion and contraction amount of the biasing member to the piston. The resistance of the fluid at a time the piston moves is changed in accordance with the position of the piston.

There is known a driving tool referred to as a nailing machine in which a driving piston is actuated by a driving mechanism using a fluid such as compressed air as a power source, and in which a driver coupled to the driving piston is driven to drive a fastener such as a nail supplied to a nose. In such a nailing machine, the driving mechanism is actuated by operations of two members to drive a nail, which are one operation of pulling a trigger provided on a handle and another operation of pressing a contact arm, which protrudes at a tip end of the nose and is provided so as to be reciprocally movable, against an object.
In the following description, a state where the trigger is pulled by the one operation is referred to as "ON of the trigger", and a state where the one operation is released and the trigger is not pulled is referred to as "OFF of the trigger". In addition, a state where the contact arm is pressed by the other operation is referred to as "ON of the contact arm", and a state where the other operation is released and the contact arm is not pressed is referred to as "OFF of the contact arm".
In the nailing machine, for example, after the contact arm is set ON, the trigger is set ON with the contact arm being in the ON state, so that the driving mechanism is actuated to perform nail driving.
The trigger and the contact arm are set OFF after the nail driving, and the trigger and the contact arm are set ON again as described above, so that the driving mechanism is actuated to perform a next nail driving. An operation in which the trigger and the contact arm are set ON for each nail driving after being set OFF to perform the next nail driving as described is referred to as "a single driving mode".
In contrast, there has been proposed a technique in which the contact arm is set OFF after the nail driving with the trigger being in an ON state, and the contact arm is set ON again with the trigger being in the ON state, so that the driving mechanism is actuated to perform the next nail driving. An operation in which continuous nail driving is performed by repeating ON and OFF of the contact arm with the trigger being in the ON state as described is referred to as "a continuous driving mode".
In the continuous driving mode, the nail driving can be continuously performed each time the contact arm is pressed against the object after a nail driving with the trigger being pulled, and thus it is suitable for quick work. On the other hand, in the single driving mode, the operations of the trigger and the contact arm are released after a nail driving, and the trigger is pulled again after the contact arm is pressed against the object so as to perform the next nail driving; it is not suitable for quick work although an effect of regulating undesired operation is presented. Therefore, there has been proposed a technique in which, a continuous nail driving operation for a certain period of time is made possible only by the operation of pressing the contact arm against the object, with the operation of the trigger not released after a first nail driving is performed by pressing the contact arm against the object and then pulling the trigger (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).


A method is provided in one example and includes receiving flow data associated with a traffic flow. The flow data can be tagged with a data source identifier identifying a data source exporting the flow data, a source site identifier identifying a site associated with a source device of the traffic flow, and a destination site identifier identifying a destination site associated with a destination device of the traffic flow. The method further includes determining at least one authoritative data source for each site and metric type using at least one selection rule. The method further includes receiving a query for de-duplicated flow data, and generating de-duplicated flow data based on the data source identifier, source site identifier, and destination site identifier and particular flow data associated with the determined at least one authoritative data source.

Comprehensive network management and monitoring requires traffic flow data to be collected from multiple sources. This multitude of data sources often contains duplicated and/or overlapped data since each traffic flow may traverse multiple networking devices and monitoring agents. Thus, the same flow may be reported by more than one source. De-duplication is thus a key technology to ensure that network monitoring solutions report correct traffic statistics without counting multiple instances of the same flow.

Flow de-duplication for network monitoring


A method, apparatus and computer program product may be provided for signaling-based remote provisioning and updating of protection policy information in a SEPP of a visited network. A method may include obtaining, at a home network node (hSEPP), protection policy information from a local repository in a home network or via configuration. The hSEPP is a network node at a boundary of the home netowork, and the home network is a public land mobile network (hPLMN). The method includes distributing, via a signaling interface, the protection policy information to a visited network node (vSEPP) within a visited network (vPLMN). The vSEPP is a network node at a boundary of a second network. The protection policy information includes information regarding protection of signaling messages addressed for network functions (NFs) hosted in the hPLMN and is configured for enabling the vSEPP to selectively protect outgoing messages to hSEPP in the home network.

In 5th generation wireless systems (5G), Service Based Architecture (SBA), defined in TS 23.501, is introduced to model services as network functions (NFs) that communicate with each other using representation state transfer (REST)ful application programming interfaces (APIs). In the scenario where the two communicating NFs are in two different public land moble networks (PLMNs), communication happens over the roaming interface between the two participating PLMNs.
To protect NF specific content in the messages that are sent over the roaming interface, 5G introduces SEPP as the entity sitting at the perimeter of the PLMN network and acting as a gateway that protects all the traffic going out of the network. The SEPP implements application layer security for all the data exchanged between two inter-network NFs at the service layer.
Application layer security involves protecting information sent in various parts of the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) message, including HTTP Request/Response Line, HTTP header and HTTP Payload. However, differing levels of protection may be required for different parts of the message. For example, some parts of the message may need to be encrypted, while the rest of the message may require integrity protection.

Method and apparatus for remote provisioning of protection policies in an edge node based on signaling between edge nodes


Methods for depositing and curing a flowable dielectric layer are disclosed herein. Methods can include forming a flowable dielectric layer, immersing the flowable dielectric layer in an oxygen-containing gas, purging the chamber and curing the layer with UV radiation. By curing the layer after an oxygen-containing gas pre-soak, the layer can be more completely cured during the UV irradiation.

Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to increasing UV penetration in flowable layers. More specifically, embodiments described herein generally relate to methods for pretreating a flowable layer for increased curing efficiency.
Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor device geometries have dramatically decreased in size since their introduction several decades ago. Modern semiconductor fabrication equipment is routinely used to produce devices having geometries as small as 28 nm and less, and new equipment designs are continually being developed and implemented to produce devices with even smaller geometries. As device geometries decrease, the impact of interconnect capacitance on device performance increases. To reduce interconnect capacitance, inter-layer materials that have traditionally been formed of silicon oxide are being formed using lower dielectric constant materials (low k materials). Some low k materials that have been used include fluorinated silicon oxide, carbonated silicon oxide, and various polymers and aerogels. Use of these low k materials often presents serious reliability, manufacturability, and/or integration challenges.
Over the years, many techniques have been developed to avoid having dielectric material clog the top of a gap, or to "heal" the void or seam that has been formed. One approach has been to start with highly flowable precursor materials that may be applied in a liquid phase to a spinning substrate surface (e.g., spin on glass deposition techniques). These flowable precursors can flow into and fill very small substrate gaps without forming voids or weak seams. However, once these highly flowable materials are deposited, they have to be hardened into a solid dielectric material.
In many instances, the hardening process for flowable materials includes a non-thermal curing under UV lights, to further crosslink the materials into a film, before furnace conversion and densification. With UV exposure, the film density and Si—Si bonds increase. As the surface is the first region of the film to come in contact with the UV radiation, the optical property of the film changes at the surface first. The reflective index and extinction coefficient increase for the surface layer, and this blocks or reduces UV intensity in the bulk film.
Accordingly, devices and methods for better controlling the UV cure process are desirable.

Flowable film curing penetration depth improvement and stress tuning


Any number of Serial Peripheral Interface (“SPI”) flash memory die may be stacked and packaged using any desired multi-chip packaging technique to realize any one or combination of various capabilities such as low per-bit cost, high density storage, code shadowing to RAM, and fast random access for “execute in place” applications, while preserving the advantages of the SPI interface. During device manufacture, each of the stacked die is assigned a unique identifier or “Die ID” relative to the other stacked die in the package. During normal operations, the unique Die IDs are used by a Die Select instruction to enable one of the stacked die to respond to subsequent instructions on the SPI interface, while disabling the other stacked die in the package from responding to subsequent instructions but for certain “Universal” instructions which include the Die Select instruction. Concurrent operations by the stacked die are supported.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flash memory, and more particularly to flash memory devices which use stacked memory die and the Serial Peripheral Interface ("SPI").
2. Description of Related Art
Serial flash memory has become a popular alternative to conventional parallel flash memory. Serial flash memory provides many advantages, including small footprint packaging, low pin-count, simplified printed circuit board layout, low power consumption, performance comparable to parallel flash memory, and reduced device and system-level costs. The Serial Peripheral Interface ("SPI") is widely used in serial flash memory, and devices which are configurable for single-bit SPI or multi-bit SPI, including multi-bit instruction and/or address input and multi-bit data output, have become particularly popular. The SPI interface has many advantages. Single-bit SPI allows for broad compatibility, while multi-bit SPI when combined with certain types of flash memory and high clock speeds allows for fast "code shadowing to RAM" and "execute in place" ("XIP") code storage applications. Additional information on single-bit and multi-bit SPI may be found in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,558,900 issued Jul. 7, 2009 to Jigour et al., and in various publications by Winbond Electronics Corporation, including Winbond Electronics Corporation, W25Q256FV: spiflash 3V 256M-Bit Serial Flash Memory with Dual/Quad SPI & QPI, Revision F, Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C., Oct. 16, 2013; and Winbond Electronics Corporation, W25N01 GV: spiflash 3V 1 G-Bit Serial SLC NAND Flash Memory with Dual/Quad SPI & Continuous Read, Preliminary—Revision B, Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C., Nov. 26, 2013.
Serial flash memories typically are offered in densities from 512 Kilobit to 1 Gigabit. However, the demand for higher density serial flash devices at lower per-bit cost keeps increasing. Monolithic silicon die at high density is feasible but costly. Stacking of lower density die of the same type to form a high density serial flash memory device is an alternative. With a density of 256 Mb for a single die, for example, two serial flash memory die of the same type have been stacked to achieve a 512 Mb (2×256 Mb) device, and four serial flash memory die of the same type have been stacked to achieve a 1 Gb (4×256 Mb) device.
Moreover, flash memory die of different types has been stacked to achieve a single memory device having different characteristics. Flash memory typically is NOR-type or NAND-type. In NOR-type flash memory, each memory cell is connected between a bit line and ground. The typical characteristics of NOR flash are low density, high read speed, slow write speed, slow erase speed, and random access. Since NOR flash has fast random-access memory read, microprocessors generally can use NOR flash memory for fast "code shadowing to RAM" and "execute in place" applications. In NAND-type flash memory, a number of memory cells are connected in series between a bit line and ground. The typical characteristics of NAND flash are high density, medium read speed, high page write speed, high erase speed, and an indirect or I/O like access. NAND-type flash memory is particularly well suited to systems requiring high-capacity data storage because of its high speed sequential writing capability and high density at low cost. Some types of NAND-type flash memory have been modified to provide sufficient SPI-NOR like performance in code shadowing applications. Further information on the stacking of NOR die and NAND die, and the stacking of a performance-enhanced NAND die and a NAND die, are described in United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2012/0084491 published Apr. 5, 2012, in the name of Eungjoon Park et al.
The techniques to operate a flash memory device having stacked SPI flash memory die are not entirely satisfactory. In one stacking approach disclosed in Spansion Inc., Data Sheet, S70FL256P 256-Mbit CMOS 3.0 Volt Flash Memory with 104-MHz SPI Multi I/O Bus, Revision 05, Jan. 30, 2013, two identical 128 Mb dies are stacked with their individual /CS inputs bonded to respective pins of the package to form the flash memory device. Disadvantageously, the controller is required to provide and manage multiple /CS control signals. Moreover, the dedication of two pins of an 8-pin package for chip select precludes one of the pins needed for the Quad SPI interface, thereby eliminating Quad SPI in an 8-pin package.
In another stacking approach disclosed in Micron Technology Inc., N25Q512A 1.8V, Multiple I/O Serial Flash Memory, September 2013, two dissimilar die are stacked and from a user standpoint behave as a monolithic device, except with regard to READ MEMORY and ERASE operations and status polling. While such a device can operate with a Quad I/O SPI protocol in an 8-pin package, the manufacturing costs tend to be greater due to the complexity of the special design.

Stacked die flash memory device with serial peripheral interface


Single and multiple layer membranes such as gloves and condoms include one or more deactivating barrier layers and/or indicating layers to indicate to a user membrane breach or the presence of a harmful substance in blood or body fluids. A membrane may include one or more permeable or semipermeable layers to disperse contained substances such as lubricants, biocides, spermicides, or indicators outwardly, and may also include permeable or semipermeable layers to allow transmission of body fluids or other environmental fluids inwardly into contact with an indicating or treating substance. An intermediate layer of a multi-layer membrane may include a substance to wipe, cleanse, sterilize, or otherwise treat a piercing needle. A membrane may include a sealing or coating to entrap indicators or other agents such as biocides therein. A method of making membranes such as gloves results in a double glove having discrete inner or outer layers joined only in a cuff region. Admixing of gentian violet with latex prior to membrane formation provides biocidal properties, anti-aging effects prolonging shelf-life and tear resistance, and reduces allergic reactions in latex-allergic users.

The present invention relates to membranes formed from materials including latex, polyurethane, polyethylene, rubber, and other polymers and elastomers. Known applications of such membranes include surgical and examination gloves, condoms, diaphragms, dressings, sheaths, slippers, overshoes, sterile bands, catheters, tubing, drapes, gut openings, mouth pieces, baby nipples, intra gastric nasal tubes, nasal gastric tubes, kidney shunts, eye and brain shunts, dental dams, dental braces, sub-clavian vein and artery shunts, and colostomy bags. Typically, such membranes in use contact a person's or animal's skin or other tissues.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in improving such membranes to provide increased protection against the transmission of viruses such as hepatitis and HIV, as well as other pathogens and harmful agents.

Method of forming a membrane especially a latex or polymer membrane including multiple discrete layers


Methods and circuits are provided to create small, power minimizing, multi-channel high voltage drivers for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). A resistor calibration circuit is introduced to allow on chip resistor dividers to be calibrated against a single precision high voltage resistor divider, eliminating the cost and printed circuit board real estate associated with multiple resistor dividers connected to each channel. Additionally, a multiple-power rail configuration is provided to reduce power to the overall system by producing several rails generated by a boost converter or a capacitive charge pump, where the voltage output of the rails is produced to group rails of lesser voltage requirement rather than connecting all channels to the same high voltage rail on a dynamic basis.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is the technology of very small devices, that merge at the nano-scale into nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) and nanotechnology. MEMS are made up of components between 1 to 100 micrometers in size (i.e. 0.001 to 0.1 mm), and MEMS devices generally range in size from 20 micrometers (20 millionths of a meter) to a few millimeters (i.e. 0.02 to >1.0 mm). MEMS usually consist of a central unit that processes data (the microprocessor) and several components that interact with the surroundings such as microsensors. At these sizes, the standard constructs of classical physics are not always useful. Because of the large surface area to volume ratio of MEMS, surface effects such as electrostatics and wetting dominate over volume effects such as inertia or thermal mass.
MEMS are finding more and more applications in commercial, industrial, military and medical markets. Today microelectromechanical systems are used to drive such things as: i) micro-mirror arrays for optical switching applications; ii) piezo-electric transducers for ultrasound; iii) cholesteric molecules for sensing and no-power display applications; iv) gyroscopes; v) accelerometers; vi) radar and other switches; vii) microfluidic pumps; viii) camera and eye lenses; ix) biological microarrays; x) biological cells based sensors and transducers such as heart cell actuators, and various other mechanical assemblies.
While the applications for MEMS are as varied as the imagination, many MEMS applications share a common requirement for a high voltage interface IC or integrated circuit capable of driving and/or interfacing and/or generating high voltage precision waveforms with extreme accuracy, over large numbers of channels, in an area not so large as to eliminate the benefits of the microelectromechanical device whose primary benefit is usually to save space and power so as to be incorporated into portable or miniature products. They also are often deployed in applications which operate from batteries or for which power must be minimized and often the small size of the MEMs sensors produces a desire for small form factors for the interfaces, biasing circuits, and power supplies to be of practical use.
In most microelectromechanical systems, each high voltage MEMS driver channel has a high impedance (to keep currents low) resistor divider creating a low voltage tap point proportional to the high voltage output. The feedback tap point is in turn coupled to a precision amplifier, normally auto-zeroed or nulled, which in turn drives a transconductor or level shift in a closed loop to create an output on the driver channel in conformance with an analog voltage or digital to analog (D/A) commanded input. The command input could be from a digital interface, a voltage level, a pulse-width modulation (PWM) input, or a similar input known to those skilled in the art.
Unfortunately, high valued resistors of high precision and with tight drift and temperature specifications and high initial accuracy are very expensive and difficult to source. Furthermore, arraying large numbers of high valued resistors across a printed circuit board creates high impedance nodes which are sensitive to noise coupling and leakage and uses a lot of space. Often these noise sources are introduced by the switching power supplies, usually boost converters, residing on or near the MEMS driver circuitry. The result is that most MEMS drivers have poor accuracy, "glitching problems," poor power characteristics, and are often much larger than the MEMS devices they are trying to drive.
High voltage integrated circuits capable of coupling current onto a high voltage output with multiple channels are available. The high voltage integrated circuits accept either an analog input or a digital input and can command an output. In general high voltage integrated circuits either use internal resistors, in which case their relative accuracy is poor, especially over the drift of the process, or high voltage integrated circuits rely on an external resistor divider for each channel. Even if multiple on chip resistors are trimmed for good initial accuracy, a costly process, their drift and voltage coefficient specification is still relatively poor. Exotic materials like SiCr may be used, however, on-chip thermal drift between the different channels, chip topology and the drift of the material itself still do not meet the very tight accuracy requirements of many MEMS drivers or make the cost of such drivers prohibitive.
MEMs system which require multiple high voltage driver outputs also require a means by which to create the rails to drive those outputs. The power supplies required to generate high voltage rails from a low voltage battery can often be extremely large often requiring more than one stage due to the small duty cycle that would otherwise be required. Finally, most implementations of these power supplies are not monolithic and take up a great deal of space. The high voltage driver outputs pull their current from the highest voltage possible and therefore even if the required output voltage is small the power consumed is not reduced.
It would therefore be desirable to create a multichannel MEMS driver by which multiple channels in an integrated circuit may be trimmed against a single external precision low-drift resistor divider. Additionally, it would be desirable to incorporate the high-voltage rail generation control and switching circuitry on the integrated circuit to minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI) and printed circuit board (PCB) loops which can radiate and to save space. Finally, it would be desirable to be able to select rails for multiple outputs on a dynamic basis in conformance with the output voltage command so as to reduce the overall system power use (where rails lower than a given rail are grouped, and the rail sub-regulated to each channel). And finally, it would be desirable to monolithically include all of these components to save space and to utilize a dielectrically isolated process to isolate the power converter switching noise from the rest of the circuitry (ie. charge pumps and inductive boost converters).


A partition is provided at the almost center of a parallel sheet feed tray in a main-scanning direction, and recording paper sheets such as postcards are mounted in two rows in parallel in the main-scanning direction. By bringing upper surfaces of the recording paper sheets into contact with a pick roller, the recording paper sheets are picked one by one per row and fed toward an inside of a housing. While the recording paper sheets are conveyed in a sub-scanning direction with being arranged in parallel in the main-scanning direction, ink drops are discharged to both the recording paper sheets with reciprocation of a carriage with the ink cartridges in the main-scanning direction. Images are formed on the two recording paper sheets simultaneously, thereby shortening time necessary for printing a lot of recording paper sheets.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet printer for forming an image on a recording paper sheet with a recording head mounted on a reciprocating carriage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been used an ink jet printer which forms an image on a recording paper sheet by discharging ink drops from a recording head while reciprocating a carriage which mounts the recording head thereon in a direction (hereinafter referred to as a main-scanning direction) perpendicular to a recording paper sheet conveying direction (hereinafter referred to as a sub-scanning direction). Such ink jet printer is constituted that an image can be formed on a recording paper sheet of various sizes, for example, from A4 size to postcard size.
However, although such a conventional ink jet printer is constituted to form an image on the recording paper sheet of, for example, of A4 size at a maximum one by one, even when an image is formed on a small recording paper sheet such as a postcard, the recording paper sheet is fed from a paper sheet feed tray one by one, an image is formed on the recording paper sheet and the printed recording paper sheet is ejected to a paper sheet exit tray. Thus, especially when images are formed on a lot of postcards, it takes a long time to complete image formation. In such an ink jet printer, to miniaturize an ink jet printer main body, the number of recording paper sheets which can be mounted on the paper sheet feed tray is limited. Thus, when images are formed on a lot of recording paper sheets, it is necessary to frequently fill the paper sheet feed tray with the recording paper sheets, thereby causing inconvenience to the user.
For example, Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-340137 describes a laser printer in which printing speed is improved by processing some printing operations in parallel. However, in the laser printer, recording units for carrying out printing are provided in parallel. Thus, the laser printer has a complicated configuration and requires high costs.


A charging device includes a charging roller, a cleaning roller, a pair of first supporting members, a pair of second supporting members and a pair of elastic members. The pair of first supporting members supports the charging roller in a rotatable manner. The pair of second supporting members supports the cleaning roller in a rotatable manner. The pair of elastic members is disposed between the first supporting members and the second supporting members, and pushes back the cleaning roller in a direction separate away from the charging roller. The second supporting member provided on one side in an axial direction of the cleaning roller has a roller-shift preventing part which blocks the cleaning roller. The elastic member provided on the one side in the axial direction pushes back the cleaning roller with force smaller than force of the elastic member provided on the other side in the axial direction.

A charging device is sometimes provided with a cleaning body which cleans a charging roll. The cleaning body has a cleaning member wound around the outer circumference of an axial member spirally. A winding angle of the cleaning member is set to be smaller at both axial end portions than at a center portion such that cleaning performance of the cleaning member is higher at both the axial end portions. As a result, a large amount of foreign matter is removed from both the axial end portions where an amount of foreign matter is large among the surface of the charging roll.
However, because the above cleaning body has the spirally wound cleaning member, as the cleaning body is rotated around an axis, a force acts in a direction in which the spiral (a screw) advances, and the balance of the forces (pressing force) applied to both the axial end portions of the shaft part is lost. Then, because the rotational load of the shaft part increases or decreases, the cleaning body cannot be rotated smoothly, and it becomes difficult to clean the charging roller suitably.

Charging device having cleaning roller and charging roller, and image forming apparatus including the charging device


A vocabulary board game is provided which consists of a game board, vowel cube playing pieces, a die, a color cube, a star cube, free pass tokens, point tokens, scoring method cards, vocabulary cards, playing position cards, a timer, pencils, pads of paper and storage files for the vocabulary cards. The object of the game is for a player to accumulate as many points as possible to beat the opponents by knowledge of vocabulary words, stopping on the player's own vowel space on the game board by the roll of the die and rolling a star on the star cube.

1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to word learning games and more specifically it relates to a vocabulary board game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous word learning games have been provided in prior art that are adapted to contain learning instructions, such as for different words and have very little opportunity for chance, skill and other enjoyments of the game. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,651 to Mankoff et al. is illustrative of such prior art. While this unit may be suitable for the particular purpose to which it addresses, it would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.


A microplate (10) includes a carrier (12) having a plate (20) and an annular perimeter wall (30) to define a recess (34). An array of holes (26) extends through the plate (20). A tape piece (16), die cut from a flexible tape (60) includes an array of wells (54) each extending through and having an opening (56) extending into the well (54). The array of wells (54) has a number and locations corresponding to the array of holes (26). The openings (56) have sizes corresponding to the holes (26). An upper surface (50) of the tape piece (16) is abutted with and bonded to the bottom face (24) of the plate (20) with the openings (56) corresponding to the array of holes (26). The slideable receipt of an annular outer periphery (58) of the tape piece (16) insures that the array of wells (54) are aligned to correspond to the array of holes (26) as die cutting of tape piece (16) insures that the array of wells (54) are at consistent positions relative to the annular outer periphery (58).

The present invention relates to a microplate and, more particularly, to a microplate having an array of wells for receiving samples. The present invention also relates to methods for making the microplate.
Trays or microplates with an array of wells are commonly utilized for sample storage and retrieval or for qualitative and quantitative assays in various research and diagnostic procedures. These trays or microplates are generally formed of solid material with molded wells and generally have differing patterns in the array of wells including 8×12 wells with a spacing of 9 mm between centers, 16×24 wells with a spacing of 4.5 mm between centers, and 32×48 wells with a spacing of 2.25 mm between centers. It is well known that different uses of microplates make different demands on the overall form and structure of the microplate. Specifically, the microplates require a specific combination of physical and material properties including rigidity, strength, and straightness required for robotic manipulation; flatness of well arrays required for accurate and reliable liquid sample handling; physical and dimensional stability and integrity during and following exposure to high temperatures; and thin-walled sample wells required for optimal thermal transfer to samples received in the wells. Conventional microplates suffer from various disadvantages. For example, a new mold is required when the size or the pattern of the wells is changed. Furthermore, conventional microplates can not meet the different demands.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,653 to Astle discloses a method for performing a reagent protocol using polymerase chain reaction. U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,345 to Astle discloses a method for performing biological assays. In both Astle patents, a carrier tape is utilized to avoid the problems of freeze-thaw cycle. The carrier tape includes a substrate web formed with a plurality of reagent receiving wells and is indexed by human or machine readable indicia for pattern identification. However, the carrier tape can not be directly handled by the automated equipment set up for solid materials conventional trays or microplates.
Thin-well microplates meeting different demands and methods for making such thin-well microplates have been proposed, and examples of which have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,340,589 and 6,528,302 to Turner et al. Sample wells are joined with the top surface of a skirt and frame portion and/or the peripheries of the holes in the skirt and frame portion, and the upper ends of the sample wells extend beyond the top surface of the skirt and frame portion. When the thin-wall microplate is subjected to a freeze-thaw cycle or other thermal procedures for heating or cooling the samples in the sample wells during tests, the heat transfer rate is not satisfactory, for the upper ends of the sample wells are blocked by the skirt and frame portion and, thus, are not in direct contact with the heating or cooling media. Furthermore, varying temperature zones exist throughout the sample wells that extend through the holes of the skirt and frame portion such that the thermal mass of the skirt and frame portion has adverse affect on the sample wells during heat transfer, for there will be a varying temperature gradient moving down the well due to the thermal mass of the skirt and frame portion.
Thus, a need exists for a microplate that overcomes the deficiencies and problems experienced by prior microplates, that provides satisfactory heat transfer effect for the samples received in the wells and that can be manufactured easily.

Microplate and methods for making the same


An extruded plastic one way obstruction gate assembly for use in the lobster fishing industry. A three fingered rotatable tine assembly attachable to an existing circular hoop of the conventional lobster pot or trap. A curved multi-tine gate assures low frontage obstruction to a lobster by providing an opening located between the bottom of the gate tines and the lower portion of a circular hoop off a lobster trap. A bridge is securable to the hoop and the tine assembly snaps in place on the bridge. This tine assembly easily swings upward and is shaped with a void that provides an alternate escape for undersized lobsters while containing the legal size lobster catch within the trap.

Lobster fishing methods have now become state and federally regulated. The principle state regulations dictate the specific size range of lobsters which may be taken. For example, certain specific size openings have now been mandated to allow for the smaller lobsters to escape should a trap be lost. Seasons, of course are also regulated.
The Federal Government, at the urging of environmental activists, are now even proposing breakaway buoys and lineless traps to save the right whales. Such regulations and controls cut into the profits of lobster fisherman, and thus improvements must be made in the fishing gear and fishing methods for trapping lobsters. This invention relates to new and novel improvements in an age-old art.
Lobster fishing methods have evolved over several decades to the present art of using current technology materials such as plastic coated wire metal traps, positioned on the bottom of the ocean floor and tethered to surface buoys. The age-old design of the lobster trap is based on the lobster's inherent instinct to crawl. Lobsters are not swimmers, and the traps of today and this invention rely upon the natural and inherent crawling nature of lobsters.
A rectangular lobster trap includes a series of netting funnels with ring type openings through which the lobster proceeds until he becomes trapped by failure to readily crawl to an escape route. Conventional lobster pots generally include two major tandem compartments, with the first compartment being called the kitchen, and the second and final trap compartment being called the parlor. The kitchen usually has two, or perhaps more, entrance funnels each provided with terminating circular hoops. These entrance funnels and hoop assemblies are called heads.
The hoops for such entrance heads are nominally about seven or so inches in diameter. The lobster is lead into these compartments by the scent of herring in a bait bag normally located at the junction of the two heads. That bait bag is normally located in the kitchen at the junction of the entrance heads. After the lobster passes through an entrance head and into the kitchen, it must transit a third mesh funnel which terminates at a smaller hoop in the parlor. A simple maze has thus been established in the pot.
Lobster trapping is quite unlike other marine animal trapping techniques--particularly the crab trapping industry. Indeed, the trial and error developed methods have shown that the best chance of trapping the desired size lobster is though a series of funnels and hoops with the expectation that the lobster will have difficulty finding his way back out through the maze. The lobster maze prevents an inadvertent lobster escape because, the theory goes, the lobster cannot readily retrace his path through the maze before the lobster fisherman returns to run the pots after a soak.
However, in point of fact, many lobster fisherman think that many lobsters do escape. Additionally my research has shown that a sizable percentage of trapped lobsters may indeed escape backward through the hoops and funnels. When such escapes occur prior to the lobster fisherman returning to haul his traps, the final catch is reduced.
This escape loss may be sizable. In some of my tests, for example, as many as fifteen lobsters were kept in a trap equipped with my gate; but in a similar situation without any gates on the same type trap only two lobsters were finally trapped. Although my test situations did not conclusively provide proof that final catch increases were due solely to my lobster techniques, it is my strongly developed supposition from the facts as presented, that my one way gate(s) achieve a major improvement in lobstering.
Lobsters are also different from other marine animals in their activity levels. Thus, as a further compounding factor, lobsters vary in activity depending on environmental factors of tides, ocean temperature and current changes. Additionally, the molting seasons of the lobsters causes activity changes as well. These crustaceans are at times very sluggish and lethargic, and at other times are very active, somewhat predictively so.
Such activity changes--especially on the East Coast--can occur overnight based, for example on water temperature changes. During the more active times and conditions, in addition to feeding more aggressively, the lobster is more likely to find his way out of the trap. Thus, in the ideal sense, the lobster fisherman would like to have a true one way gate that may be installed and then removed as necessary depending upon lobster activity.
Given the variable activity levels of the lobster, the ideal situation would be for the fisherman to include or exclude a minimal resistance one way trap at the discretion of his fishing instincts and knowledge. My invention fulfills that need by providing a one way gate which is virtually undetectable upon lobster entry, is easily and manually removable at will by the fisherman, and obstructs any legal-sized lobster from exiting the trap proper.
Accordingly, I herein present a solution--long sought after; but, never-before developed--to a heretofore unsolved lobster trapping problem. I teach and claim one or more truly inviting entrances in a conventional type lobster trap having blocked escape gates. A vastly improved lobster catch is the final result.
Prior to this invention, there had been no one way lobster gates which would exclusively prevent legal-sized lobsters from escaping. My invention when several gates are employed, for the first time, provides a lobster trap that is silent in operation, has very little obstruction to a crawling entry and has total obstruction which blocks escape for legal sized lobsters--yet allows shorts an escape route.
None of the known prior art teach or suggest the novel and inventive principles of my invention which accomplishes these separate functions in a way not heretofore recognized in the lobster fishing industry.

One way removable lobster gate with closed position lobster entry opening


The invention relates to an electrical connector for contacting at least one electrical lead and for connection with a complementary connector, to an electrical plug-in connection for connecting at least one electrical lead to an electronic component and to an assembly method for assembling such an electrical connector. In order to provide an electrical connector of the above type and an associated assembly method which ensures simple, inexpensive producibility on the one hand and robust and reliable contactability on the other hand, and which additionally enables the greatest possible miniaturization, the connector (100) comprises a housing (116), in which the contact element (120) is at least partially accommodated and on which there is arranged a terminal cover (118) for covering the terminal area (124), which cover comprises a first lid part (126) and a second lid part (128), which are so constructed that they may both be moved to expose the terminal area (124) during fitting of the electrical lead (104).

Known airbag arrangements are used as automotive safety components in virtually every vehicle. An airbag arrangement comprises an inflatable restraining device, which is accommodated in the steering wheel, the instrument panel or the side door and is inflated by means of a gas generator in the event of sufficiently forceful deceleration. The gas generator is conventionally actuated by means of an explosive ignition device, which is also known as an igniter or squib and contains a gunpowder-like material. The igniter is ignited electronically in response to an electrical signal, which is emitted via electrical leads by an acceleration sensor or the like in the vehicle. Contact is established between these electrical leads and the igniter via a dedicated connector, also known as a "squib connector". A known igniter socket arrangement, as known for example from EP 0 600 418 B1, comprises two connector pins, which are connected to the two electrical leads via contact elements of an electrical connector.
In the motor vehicles, especially at a safety-relevant location, such an electrical plug-in connection is generally produced to extremely high specifications for resistance to vibrations, temperature fluctuations or electromagnetic interference.
To fit the electrical connector on the electrical lead, it is conventional to connect a metallic contact element to the electrical lead and then fit it in a housing. As is known for example from EP 1 006 621 B1, the housing may comprise a hinged lid portion, which allows fitting of the contact elements. This solution has a disadvantage, however, that the crimping process, during which the contact elements are connected to the electrical lead, has to be performed before the contact element has been assembled in the housing.
The known solutions additionally exhibit a disadvantage that an additional tool is necessary in the case of bent contact elements to produce the angled contact.
It is therefore an object of the invention, among others, to provide a miniaturized electrical connector of the above type and an associated assembly method which ensures simple, inexpensive producibility on the one hand and robust and reliable contactability on the other hand.

Miniaturized electrical connector with improved crimpability


A bow equipped with an improvement enabling adjustment of its rigidity. According to the invention, a longitudinal recess is made in the stick of the bow and this recess encloses a core stiffener linked to a screw-nut system (26-27) actuated by a knob (32). The stick can, for instance, be of molded synthetic material.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bow for stringed musical instrument and particularly concerns an improvement to the stick of this bow, enabling adjustment of the stiffness thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A classical bow is composed of a curved stick with a widened hatched-shaped head and equipped at the other end with an adjustable frog. A horsehair ribbon is stretched between the head and the frog using a screw and nut system. Conventionally, the stick is cut from a fairly rare hard and resistant brazilwood, Pernambuco. More recently, it was proposed to make this stick of a synthetic material, usually composite such as a carbon-fibre based or similar material.
The qualities of a bow depend essentially on the characteristics of the stick, such as its curve and its greater or lesser rigidity. In fact, one same bow may be considered satisfactory by one instrumental performer yet disliked by another. Indeed, the best instrumentalists consider it necessary to change the bow to suit the musical work being performed, or merely their sensitivity of the moment. This therefore causes them to possess several bows. Yet, good bows are expensive.
Also, bows in a synthetic material, if reproducible on an industrial scale, are too similar in characteristics from one model to another to satisfy all instrumentalists. Indeed, one cannot conceive of an ideal bow to suit all instrumentalists, precisely because of the varied, and sometimes even contradictory, demands of these latter. Such variety, which can be obtained by a skilled craftsman making each bow individually, raises difficulties for manufacture on an industrial scale.


An audible command can be utilized to both permit identification of the speaker and to permit subsequent actions that comprise a corresponding response to the audible command when the identity of the speaker correlates with that of a previously authorized individual. Such identification can be supplemented with other identification mechanisms. Hierarchical levels of permission can be utilized, with or without confidence level thresholds, to further protect the device against unauthorized access and/or manipulation.

There are many devices (or device features) that should preferably be limited to specific individuals. It is known to attempt to limit use of such devices through incorporation of various identifying mechanisms. Such mechanisms include biometric-based approaches (using, for example, fingerprints, retinal patterns, and speech recognition/voice pattern recognition) and knowledge-based or device-based approaches (using, for example, passwords and personal identification numbers, radio frequency based tags, and magnetically-encoded cards and identification tags).
For some applications, these kinds of approaches are often acceptable. In many other settings, however, issues concerning identification execution time, cost, security requirements and the like render such solutions less than optimum. In yet other settings, the obvious existence of the identification process and identification requirement is itself undesirable. Existing solutions tend to require a discrete user activity that exclusively serves the identification process and purpose. Such discrete solutions tend to add both complexity (and possibly corresponding user training requirements) and an increase to overall incremental transactional time requirements for the activity at hand.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are typically not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.

Identification apparatus and method for receiving and processing audible commands


The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for remotely operating an interface of a mobile device. The method may include receiving a request for an LBS sent from the mobile device through the information exchange port, and obtaining a current time point in response to the request for the LBS. The method may also include obtaining historical behavior information related to a user of the mobile device. The method may also include determining, based on the historical behavior information and the current time point, one or more recommended destinations for the user. The method may further include remotely controlling the interface of the mobile device, through the information exchange port, to display the one or more recommended destinations.

With the development of Internet technology, LBSs play a more and more significant role in people's daily lives. For example, the location information of a mobile device has been widely used in the online taxi-hailing services, navigation services, or the like. When a user makes a request for an LBS via the mobile phone, he/she may need to manually input a location. For example, when a passenger hails a taxi, he/she needs to manually input a destination, which is time-consuming. Therefore, it is desirable to provide systems and methods for automatically recommending a destination in LBS platforms upon detecting the user's request for the service, thus improving the efficiency of location input or location search.

Systems and methods for recommending a destination

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