A new approach for improving fire resistance of cellulosic materials is provided, especially when the cellulosic material is to be used in polymer composites. Cellulosic material is treated with an aqueous mixture of alkali metal or ammonium hydroxide and alkaline earth or aluminum metal salt simultaneously with or within a short period of time of preparing the mixture. The treated cellulosic material becomes self-extinguishing and may also have improved thermal stability, improved interfacial thermal resistance, improved resistance to damage by oxidants and other chemical agents, improved resistance to biological agents and/or improved resistance to damage by ultra-violet light.

Cellulosic materials (natural and synthetic) in different forms (fiber, film, powder, particle, pellet, chip, etc) at different sizes (nano, micro or macro) are often flammable and have low thermal resistance. They can be burned and also can spread the fire in the presence of oxygen. Thus, their use either in direct or non-direct form is limited in applications requiring fire resistance. Due to their flammability, the use of cellulosic materials in polymer composites is also limited in certain applications.
Cellulosic materials are treated with different flame retardants depending on the application, for example in furniture, textiles or composites. The most commonly used flame retardants are based on halogen (e.g. WO 2004/1097088), phosphorous (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,899,483; 6,524,653; 4,228,202; 5,238,464; US 2005/0215152; US 2004/0094279; WO 2002/1044470; U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,786), boron (e.g. WO 2005/1042840; U.S. Pat. No. 4,228,202; US 2009/0156073), ammonium (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,228,202; 6,524,653; WO 2002/1044470), graphite (e.g. JP 09-031887; EP 0735187), alkaline-earth metallic compounds (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,200) or mixtures thereof. To improve fire resistance of organic polymer composites, the incorporation of flame retardants based on halogen, phosphorous, metallic hydroxide (magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, layer double hydroxide), metallic oxide (antimony oxide, boron oxide), silicate (clay, talc), etc, in the polymer matrix has been widely used.
Among the compounds listed above, halogen based flame retardants are well known to be the most efficient as they can be used at a low concentration in the final composition thus limiting their impact on other properties of the product. However, halogen compounds are considered to be harmful to the environment. Boron compounds are supposed to be efficient, however they tend to be washed off due to their good solubility in water. Less harmful flame retardants based on phosphorous, graphite or alkaline-earth metallic compounds are much less efficient, thus a large amount of those additives must be used in the formulation. The use of flame retardant incorporated in a polymer matrix alone does not satisfactorily resolve the flammability problem in cellulose-polymer composites, especially when the concentration of cellulose is quite significant in the formulation of the composite.
It is generally known that metal hydroxides, including barium hydroxide, can be used as a flame retardant for cellulosic materials (e.g. US 2009-298370; U.S. Pat. No. 671,548; Chen 1991; Mostashari 2008) and for polymer materials (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 7,354,958). Further, CA 2,079,302 discloses a flame retardant composition for cellulosic material comprising sodium hydroxide and a metal salt of boron among other ingredients. The metal salt of boron is defines as borax which is a sodium tetraborate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,074 discloses a flame-proofing composition comprising potassium hydroxide and/or potassium carbonate and possible a small amount of sodium hydroxide and/or sodium carbonate and may include another potassium salt. U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,587 discloses inorganic additives to impart flame resistance to polymers. The additives include hydroxides and metal salts that evolve gas. One such metal salt is barium chloride dihydrate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,242 discloses the use of a mixture of a polycondensate of a halogenated phenol and an alkaline earth metal halide in a flame retarding composition.
US 2003-0220515 discloses flame retardant compositions in which ancillary flame retardant additives may be used alone or in combination, such as metal hydroxides and metal salts, including alkaline earth metal salts. There is no disclosure of the use of an aqueous mixture of alkali metal hydroxides with alkaline earth metal salts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,317 discloses the use of "alkali compounds" for use in flame resistant plaster board. The "alkali compounds" are defined as at least one of an alkali metal hydroxide, alkali metal salt, alkaline earth metal hydroxide or alkaline earth metal salt. It is preferred to use a mixture of alkali metal salts and alkaline earth metal salts, for example a mixture of sodium and calcium formate. The combination of alkali metal hydroxide and alkaline earth metal salt, especially barium salts, is not specifically disclosed.
The abstract of CN 1869154 discloses a flame retardant composition which initially involves the step of making magnesium hydroxide from the reaction of magnesium sulfate and sodium hydroxide. However, this document does not disclose treating a cellulosic material with an aqueous reaction mixture of an alkali metal hydroxide and alkaline earth metal salt simultaneously with or shortly after mixing the alkali metal hydroxide with alkaline earth metal salt.
It is known that treatment of cellulosic materials with alkaline earth metal carbonates (e.g. barium carbonate) imparts fire resistance to the cellulosic material (e.g. Mostashari 2004-2005). Here, the alkaline earth metal carbonate is applied to the cellulosic material by first coating the cellulosic material with an alkaline earth metal chloride and then treating the so-coated material with sodium carbonate. It is also known to use both a clay and a metal hydroxide in a fire retarding composition comprising a polymer material (e.g. GB 2367064; JP 2002-180374).
There remains a need for an environmentally friendlier, effective approach to producing fire-resistant cellulosic materials.


A motor includes a stationary unit, a rotary unit, and a bearing unit. The stationary unit includes a stator, a PCB and a base member. The stator includes a stator core and coils. The stator is arranged radially outward of the bearing unit. The PCB includes through-hole portions, land portions and PCB fixing portions. The base member includes a stator holding portion arranged to hold the stator and a bearing holding portion arranged to hold the bearing unit. The rotary unit includes a shaft positioned radially inward of the bearing unit and a magnet opposed to a circumferential surface of the stator core. The through-hole portions are arranged along a circumferential direction of the PCB. At least a portion of the PCB axially overlaps with the bearing unit. The PCB fixing portions are arranged radially outward of the through-hole portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-166851 discloses a motor that includes a stationary unit, a rotary unit and a bearing unit. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the stationary unit includes a housing 1, a stator core 2, a PCB (printed circuit board) 3 and coils 4. The PCB 3 is fixed to the housing 1 by an adhesive agent. The coils 4 are wound around the stator core 2 and are held in the housing 1 by press-fit or other methods. A cutout 7 is defined in an outer peripheral edge of the PCB 3. Lead wire terminals 5 of the coils 4 are arranged to pass through the cutout 7 and are soldered to lands 6 arranged on the lower surface of the PCB 3.
In the motor disclosed in the above-cited reference, a through-hole is defined at the center of the PCB 3 in order to install the PCB 3 in the central region of the housing 1. For that reason, the rigidity of the PCB 3 gets reduced. The lead wire terminals 5 make contact with the outer peripheral edge of the PCB 3, thereby applying a downward load to the PCB 3. As a result, there is posed a problem in that the PCB 3 is deformed downward.

Motor provided with a printed circuit board


The present invention relates to new 2-Phenyl-1-[4-(2-Aminoethoxy)-Benzyl]-Indole compounds having the general structures below:

The use of hormone replacement therapy for bone loss prevention in post-menopausal women is well precedented. The normal protocol calls for estrogen supplementation using such formulations containing estrone, estriol, ethynyl estradiol or conjugated estrogens isolated from natural sources (i.e. Premarin® conjugated estrogens from Wyeth-Ayerst). In some patients, therapy may be contraindicated due to the proliferative effects of unopposed estrogens (estrogens not given in combination with progestins) have on uterine tissue. This proliferation is associated with increased risk for endometriosis and/or endometrial cancer. The effects of unopposed estrogens on breast tissue is less clear, but is of some concern. The need for estrogens which can maintain the bone sparing effect while minimizing the proliferative effects in the uterus and breast is evident. Certain nonsteroidal antiestrogens have been shown to maintain bone mass in the ovariectomized rat model as well as in human clinical trials. Tamoxifen (sold as Novadex® brand tamoxifen citrate by Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Wilmington, Del.), for example, is a useful palliative for the treatment of breast cancer and has been demonstrated to exert an estrogen agonist-like effect on the bone, in humans. However, it is also a partial agonist in the uterus and this is cause for some concern. Raloxifene, a benzothiophene antiestrogen, has been shown to stimulate uterine growth in the ovariectomized rat to a lesser extent than tamoxifen while maintaining the ability to spare bone. A suitable review of tissue selective estrogens is seen in the article "Tissue-Selective Actions Of Estrogen Analogs", Bone Vol. 17, No. 4, October 1995, 181S–190S.
The use of indoles as estrogen antagonists has been reported by Von Angerer, Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 99, No. 7 (1983), Abstract No. 53886u. Also, see, J. Med. Chem. 1990, 33, 2635–2640; J. Med. Chem. 1987, 30, 131–136. Also see Ger. Offen., DE 3821148 A1 891228 and WO 96/03375. These prior art compounds share some structural similarities with the present compounds, but are functionally different. For compounds containing a basic amine, there is no phenyl group to rigidify the side chain. The reported data for these compounds indicates that they may have a weaker binding to estrogen receptor than the compounds of the present invention and the reported compounds containing the basic side chain show some uterotrophic effect in the rat uterus. One compound from the listed family of compounds in WO 96/03375 possesses a benzyl group, but does not have a basic side chain. The majority of these compounds fall into a class of compounds best characterized as being "pure antiestrogens". Many of the compounds described presently, due to their particular side chain, act as pure antiestrogens in the uterus, however, show strong estrogenic action in the bone and cardiovascular systems. No such action is demonstrated for the related prior art compounds described herein.
WO A 95 17383 (Kar Bio AB) describes indole antiestrogens with long straight chains. Another related patent WO A 93 10741 describes 5-Hydroxyindole with a generic descriptor incorporating other side chains. WO 93/23374 (Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, Japan) describes compounds which differ from the present invention; where R3 in the present formulas I and II, below, is defined as thioalkyl and the reference discloses no such compounds having chains from the indole nitrogen having the same structure as the ones provided by the present invention. Where the side chain claimed is similar to that described herein, the compounds are amides: Acylated indoles are not claimed in the present invention.

2-phenyl-1-[4-(2-aminoethoxy)-benzyl]-indoles as estrogenic agents

Abstract: which are useful in treating uterine leiomyoma.


A semiconductor memory device capable of suppressing size increase and reducing the operating time is provided. This semiconductor memory device comprises storage portion, connected to a data read line, containing a material having a hysteresis property and data read portion connected to the data read line for reading data stored in the storage portion, for supplying prescribed energy capable of changing a storage state of the storage portion from an initial state supplying no prescribed energy and thereafter returning the intensity of the energy to a level not changing the storage state for reading the data with the data read portion on the basis of the current state of the data read line and the state of the data read line in the initial state in data reading.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more particularly, it relates to a semiconductor memory device comprising data read means reading data stored in storage means.
2. Description of the Background Art
A semiconductor memory device comprising data read means for reading data stored in storage means is known in general. FIG. 5 shows the structure of a one-transistor one-capacitor (1T1C) ferroelectric memory comprising a comparator (data read means) as an exemplary semiconductor memory device comprising data read means. The ferroelectric memory is a nonvolatile memory utilizing pseudo capacitance variation responsive to the direction of polarization of a ferroelectric substance as a memory element. As shown in FIG. 5, this 1T1C ferroelectric memory comprises a memory cell (storage means) 101 connected between a word line WL and a plate line PL and between the plate line PL and a bit line BL and a comparator 102 connected to the bit line BL. The memory cell 101 includes a ferroelectric capacitor 103 and a selection transistor 107. The word line WL is connected to the gate of the selection transistor 107. The comparator 102 is supplied with a reference potential Vref generated by a prescribed method.
In a read operation, the conventional 1T1C ferroelectric memory shown in FIG. 5 activates the word line WL, thereby turning on the selection transistor 107. Thereafter the ferroelectric memory applies a prescribed read potential to the plate line PL. Thus, a potential responsive to data "1" or "0" stored in the memory cell 101 appears on the bit line BL. Thereafter the ferroelectric memory generates an intermediate potential between those corresponding to the data "1" and "0" respectively by the prescribed method and supplies this potential to the comparator 102. The ferroelectric memory employs the potential generated by the prescribed method as the reference potential Vref and compares the potential corresponding to the data of the memory cell 101 appearing on the bit line BL with the reference potential Vref through the comparator 102, thereby determining the data read from the memory cell 101 as "0" or "1". The ferroelectric memory outputs the data "1" or "0" of the memory cell 101 determined as "0" or "1" from the comparator 102.
FIG. 6 shows a one-capacitor (1C) cross-point ferroelectric memory comprising a comparator (data read means) 112 as another exemplary conventional semiconductor memory device comprising data read means. As shown in FIG. 6, the 1C cross-point ferroelectric memory comprises a word line WL, a bit line BL, a memory cell 111 connected to the word line WL and the bit line BL and the comparator 112 connected to the bit line BL. The memory cell 111 is constituted of only a ferroelectric capacitor 113 consisting of the word line WL, the bit line BL and a ferroelectric film (not shown) arranged between the word line WL and the bit line BL. The comparator 112 is supplied with a reference potential Vref generated by a prescribed method.
In a read operation, the conventional 1C cross-point ferroelectric memory shown in FIG. 6 applies a read potential to the word line WL. Thus, a potential responsive to data "1" or "0" stored in the memory cell 111 appears on the bit line BL. At this time, the ferroelectric memory generates the reference potential Vref at an intermediate level between potentials corresponding to the data "1" and "0" respectively by the prescribed method and supplies the same to the comparator 112. Similarly to the aforementioned 1T1C ferroelectric memory, the 1C cross-point ferroelectric memory compares the potential corresponding to the data read from the memory cell 111 on the bit line BL with the reference potential Vref through the comparator 112, thereby determining the data "0" or "1" and outputting the same from the comparator 112.
However, the conventional 1T1C ferroelectric memory shown in FIG. 5 utilizing the reference potential Vref for determining the data "0" or "1" read on the bit line BL must be provided with a circuit for generating the reference potential Vref. Thus, the size of the ferroelectric memory is disadvantageously increased.
The 1C cross-point ferroelectric memory shown in FIG. 6, also employing the reference potential Vref for determining the data "0" or "1" read from the memory cell 111 on the bit line BL, is also disadvantageously increased in size similarly to the conventional 1T1C ferroelectric memory shown in FIG. 5.
Therefore, a semiconductor memory device capable of determining data without a reference potential is proposed in general. For example, "A 512 Kb Cross-Point Cell MRAM", ISSCC 2003/SESSION 16/NON-VOLATILE MEMORY/PAPER 16.1, for example, proposes such a semiconductor memory device.
The aforementioned literature "A 512 Kb Cross-Point Cell MRAM", ISSCC 2003/SESSION 16/NON-VOLATILE MEMORY/PAPER 16.1 discloses a cross-point MRAM (magnetic random access memory) constituted to perform self-comparative reading requiring no reference potential in a read operation. More specifically, the aforementioned cross-point MRAM performs first data reading from a memory cell while holding a voltage corresponding to the read data. Then, the MRAM writes data "0" or "1" in the memory cell. Then, the MRAM performs second data reading from the memory cell while comparing the held voltage corresponding to the data read through the first data reading with a voltage corresponding to the data "0" or "1" read through the second data reading, thereby determining the data read through the first data reading. The cross-point MRAM disclosed in the aforementioned literature "A 512 Kb Cross-Point Cell MRAM", ISSCC 2003/SESSION 16/NON-VOLATILE MEMORY/PAPER 16.1 may not employ a reference potential due to the self-comparative reading.
However, the cross-point MRAM proposed in the aforementioned literature "A 512 Kb Cross-Point Cell MRAM", ISSCC 2003/SESSION 16/NON-VOLATILE MEMORY/PAPER 16.1 requires three cycles of operations, i.e., the first read operation, the operation of writing the data "0" or "1" and the second read operation, in order to read the data from the memory cell and determine the same. Thus, the operating time of the cross-point MRAM is disadvantageously increased due to the large number of operations.


Provided is a vehicle air conditioner which includes a simple water-proofing structure that is capable of preventing flooding of a vehicle cabin from mating surfaces, etc. of expansion-valve covers and top and bottom divided cases of an air conditioning unit (HVAC unit) without employing a water-proofing cover, or the like. In a vehicle air conditioner in which expansion-valve covers (6 and 7) that are horizontally divided into two parts are provided at an outer surface side of top and bottom divided cases of an air conditioning unit disposed in the vehicle cabin so as to bridge mating surfaces of the cases; an expansion valve can be disposed inside the expansion-valve covers (6 and 7); and, in addition, the interior of the expansion-valve covers (6 and 7) communicates with an engine compartment via an opening provided in a toe board, step portions (11) in which inner surface sides (9) are made lower and outer surface sides (10) are made higher are formed at the top and bottom mating surfaces of the expansion-valve covers (6 and 7).

Among vehicle air conditioners that air-condition a vehicle cabin, there is a known vehicle air conditioner in the related art in which an opening is provided in a toe board that separates a vehicle engine compartment and the vehicle cabin; an expansion valve provided in an air conditioning unit (HVAC unit: Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Unit) is disposed so as to face the opening, and devices disposed in the engine compartment, such as a compressor, a condenser, etc., are connected with an evaporator in the air conditioning unit disposed in the vehicle cabin with a refrigerant pipe via the expansion valve.
In such a vehicle air conditioner, an expansion-valve cover that covers the outer circumference of the expansion valve is provided so as to bridge mating surfaces of top and bottom divided cases that form the air conditioning unit, and the expansion-valve cover is installed in close contact with the toe board at the periphery of the opening thereof with a dash-side gasket sandwiched therebetween, thus preventing infiltration of water that would otherwise pour into the vehicle cabin via the opening from the engine compartment, for example, rain water, water splashed when driving on a flooded road, and so on; however, water enters the expansion-valve cover, inside which the expansion valve is disposed, from the engine compartment via the opening in the toe board. Therefore, if the mating surfaces of the expansion-valve cover and those of the top and bottom divided cases of the air conditioning unit face the portion where the expansion valve is disposed, water may infiltrate the vehicle cabin by being conveyed through the mating surfaces.
Therefore, a rubber water-proofing cover is installed at the portion where the expansion valve is disposed to prevent water from infiltrating the vehicle cabin. Patent Literature 1 discloses a waterproofing structure in which the opening in the toe board is sealed with a waterproofing cover formed of a pair of divided members that sandwich and hold a refrigerant pipe connected to the expansion valve and that are bonded together with a gasket material. In addition, Patent Literature 2 discloses a vehicle air conditioner in which mating surfaces of top and bottom cases, which cover the outer circumference of an expansion valve, are fitted with each other by means of fitting ribs, front surfaces thereof are placed in close contact with a toe board with a front gasket therebetween, and a rear gasket is also provided, via ribs, at a rear opening, through which an indoor-side pipe passes, thus achieving both prevention of flooding of the vehicle cabin and ease of replacing the expansion valve.


A computer body having a chassis, a motherboard, and a number of stanchions to secure the motherboard to the chassis while separating the motherboard from the chassis. The stanchion disclosed in this invention is easy to make and manufacture, as it is made from just one part. The stanchion is easy to install and disassemble. The invention requires holes be made in the chassis to accommodate and fix the stanchions to the chassis. In addition, the invention requires holes in the motherboard to accommodate a screw to fasten the motherboard to the tops of the stanchions. The invention allows a wide variety of motherboards to be installed in a single chassis without requiring the manufacture of a new chassis each time a slightly different motherboard is used. Also, the present invention prevents the motherboard form shaking and vibrating when the computer device is being handled or moved.

Electronic computer devices are generally enclosed in a metallic housing called a chassis. The metallic housing prevents electromagnetic interference from either entering or leaving the device. It also provides for the physical structure for the device. The electronic circuitry found within is often composed of integrated circuit chips such as a CPU, placed on a printed circuit board, sometimes referred to as a motherboard. This motherboard must be physically fixed to the chassis so that the motherboard does not vibrate and wobble when the electronic computer is being transported, handled, or installed or used. In addition, this motherboard must have adequate support so that it does not bow or warp in places. Lastly, the motherboard must not be allowed to unintentionally form electrical contact with the grounded chassis of the device. Therefore, devices called stand-off units, sometimes referred to as stanchions or standards, are used to mount the printed circuit board on the chassis while maintaining a predetermined distance of separation between the printed circuit board and the chassis.
The prior art contains numerous designs for stand-off units. FIG. 1 discloses a earlier stand-off unit. Nuts or lugs are integrally formed with the chassis, requiring that motherboards installed in the chassis of FIG. 1 must use all of the lugs 20 to prevent unwanted and unintentional shorting. Thus, a new chassis with a new lug arrangement had to be created each time a new motherboard containing a slightly different through hole arrangement was employed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,066,367 for a Panel Mounting Fastener to German discloses another earlier design for a stand-off unit. Fastening clips mounted on the base of the chassis and positioned around the circuit board allow for a variety of printed circuit boards to be installed in the same chassis. However, one drawback is that Garman's design is inadequate if the motherboard should be large, as there is no support for the motherboard in the center, allowing the motherboard to sag or warp downward. A more sophisticated design to alleviate the above problem can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,776 for a Spacer For Mounting Boards to Takahashi. Takahashi shows a unit that is easy to install and remove, and can be installed in the middle as well as near the edge of the motherboard. However, Takahashi is just a spacer, as it fails to secure the motherboard to the chassis, thus failing to prevent the motherboard inside the chassis from shaking and vibrating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,366 for a Substrate to Substrate Standoff Assembly to Cheng et al. discloses an interconnect and standoff assembly that provides for electrical coupling between the chassis and the motherboard. In addition, a screw is inserted into a hole formed in the motherboard to attach the stand-off unit to the motherboard. Cheng requires many holes to be formed for each stand-off unit inserted, thus increasing machining costs. Also, Cheng's assembly is made up of more than one part, thus complicating the machining and the assembly of the standoff unit.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No 4,470,178 for a Fastener to Matsui, U.S. Pat. No. 5,191,513 for a Securing Device to Sugiura et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,380 for a Combined Metal And Plastic Standoff to Ryan et al. each disclose resilient standoff units used to fasten a motherboard to a chassis at a predetermined distance. The drawback with each of these devices is that each are composed of numerous parts, which are difficult to manufacture and assemble.
What is needed is a design for a stand-off unit that is easy to manufacture, that can easily be attached to a detached from a hole in a computer chassis, and that firmly supports and attaches a variety of printed circuit boards of all sizes, including large sizes, to computer chassis.


An optical laminate is provided including a thin layer formed of a resin having a weight average molecular weight of not less than 200 and not more than 1000 with three or less functional groups and a penetrative solvent is provided on a light transparent base material, and a hardcoat layer is provided on the thin layer.

Image display surfaces in image display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) or cathode ray tube display devices (CRTs) are required to reduce the reflection of light applied from an external light source and thus enhance the visibility of the image. To meet this demand, it is common practice to utilize an optical laminate comprising an anti-dazzling layer or anti-reflection layer provided on a light transparent base material (for example, an anti-reflective laminate) and thus to reduce the reflection of light frorri an image display surface in the image display device, whereby the visibility of the image is improved.
In an optical laminate comprising layers with a large refractive index difference stacked on top of each other, however, interface reflection and interference fringes often occur at the interface of the mutually superimposed layers. In particular, when black is reproduced on an image display surface in a screen display device, the occurrence of interference fringes is significant, resulting in lowered image visibility. Further, in this case, the appearance of the image display surface is deteriorated. In particular, interference fringes are likely to occur when the refractive index of the light transparent base material and the refractive index of the hardcoat layer are different from each other.
On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 75605/2003 proposes an antireflection hardcoat sheet comprising a transparent base material film and, provided on the transparent base material film in the following order, an intermediate-refractive index layer having a refractive index of 1.5 to 1.7, a higher-refractive index layer having a refractive index of 1.6 to 1.8, and further a lower-refractive index layer formed of a material having a lower refractive index than the higher-refractive index layer stacked. The advantage of this antireflection hardcoat sheet is to eliminate the interface reflection, interference fringes and the like. This prior art technique has been accomplished by focusing on the materials that constitute each layer. Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 205563/2003 proposes a method in which a hardcoat layer is formed on a base material by using a resin containing a solvent capable of dissolving the base material.
To date, there is no prior art recognition that interface reflection and interference fringes can be effectively prevented by forming a thin layer using a resin having specific properties before forming a hardcoat layer on the light transparent base material to improve the state of the interface between the light transparent base material and the hardcoat layer.


A roof-mounted cover for a tubular skylight includes a dome and a frusto-conical skirt depending downwardly from the dome. The skirt defines an open circular periphery, and plural circular grooves are formed on the inside surface of the skirt parallel to the periphery. The grooves direct light into a vertical reflecting tube that is in communication with the cover, and the light propagates downwardly through the tube and through a ceiling-mounted light diffuser to illuminate an interior room of the building on which the cover is mounted.

Skylights are used to illuminate interior rooms of buildings pleasantly and energy efficiently. Typically, a tubular skylight includes a transparent cover mounted on a roof of a building, and the cover is connected via an internally reflective tube to a diffuser mounted on the interior ceiling of the room to be lighted. With this structure, light entering the cover on the roof can propagate downwardly through the tube and out of the diffuser to illuminate the room.
To increase the amount of light that is directed into a room from a roof-mounted cover, U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,622, assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention, discloses a transparent dome-shaped roof cover having a reflector mounted therein. The reflector redirects into the tube light that otherwise would not be directed into the tube, to thereby increase the amount of light that is directed into the interior room. The '622 invention has been commercially successful.
In contrast to the above-noted commercially successful '622 patented device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,339 teaches a roof-mounted hemispherical dome that does not have a reflector located inside the dome, but rather has longitudinal grooves formed in the outer surface of the dome along great circles that pass through the apex of the dome. As taught in the '339 patent, the grooves internally reflect light to redirect light into an internally reflective tube and thence into an interior room to be lighted. As recognized by the present invention, however, the '339 patented invention only inefficiently redirects light into the tube, and thus does not increase the amount of light that is directed into the room as effectively as might be hoped.
Furthermore, the '339 dome is a hemisphere. Consequently, like other skylight domes, the '339 dome presents a rather high profile above a roofline. Another example of a high profile dome is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,873, wherein the dome must have a relatively high profile to enclose a pyramidal prism. Indeed, the ratio of the height to the base of the '873 dome is about 0.67. In some applications, particularly in residential applications, it is not desirable, for aesthetic reasons, to incorporate high profile structure into rooflines.
The present invention, however, recognizes that it is possible to provide a skylight dome that includes a reflector for directing light into a skylight tube while avoiding blocking light and while presenting a comparatively low profile on a roofline. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a skylight dome that includes a reflector for directing light into a skylight tube. Another object of the present invention is to provide a skylight dome that directs a relatively large amount of light into an interior room of a building. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a skylight dome with reflector that does not block light from entering a tube in light communication with the dome, but instead efficiently directs light into the tube. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a skylight dome that is easy to use and cost effective to manufacture. Another object of the present invention is to provide a skylight that directs a relatively large amount of light into an interior room of a building and that is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.


A processing system includes sequential entries for storing operations of different types and a scan chain which can identify an operation of a first type which follows after an operation of a second type. The first and second types can be identical so that the scan chain identifies the second operation of a particular type in the sequence. The scan chain includes single-entry "generate", "propagate", "kill", and "only" terms which control a scan bit. Conceptually, if the "only" term is not asserted, an entry of the second type generates the scan bit and asserts the "only" term. After the "only" term is asserted, further generation of the scan bit is inhibited. Each entry either propagates the scan bit to the next entry or if the entry is of the first type, kills the scan bit and identifies itself as the selected entry. Look-ahead logic determines group terms from single-entry terms to indicate whether a scan bit would be generated, propagated, or killed by a group of entries. Accordingly, the scan bit is not required to propagate through every entry, and scans can be performed quickly.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to circuits and methods for quickly identifying an object in a sequential list, and particularly relates to circuits and methods for selecting operations for use by execution units in a superscalar processor.
2. Description of Related Art
A typical computer program is a list of instructions which when compiled or assembled generates a sequence of machine instructions or operations which a processor executes. The operations have a program order defined by the logic of the computer program and are generally intended for sequential execution in the program order. Scalar processors execute the operations in the program order which limits a scalar processor to completing one operation before completing the next operation. To improve processor performance, superscalar processors have been developed which contain a variety of execution units which are capable of operating in parallel so that operations can be executed and completed in parallel or out of the program order. Superscalar processors can complete more than one operation at a time and therefore can be computationally faster than scalar processors operating at the same clock speed.
A scheduler in a superscalar processor may schedule execution of operations so that operations are executed out of the normal program order. Difficulties in out-of-order execution arise because one operation may depend on another in that the logic of a computer program requires that the first operation in the program be executed before the second operation. Whether an operation should be executed at all often depends on the result of a branch operation. If an operation that follows a conditional branch operation is executed before the branch, the execution must be speculative because the branch may skip over the instruction. Additionally, many computers require that a system's state be known just before or after an operation generates an error, interrupt, or trap; but when operations are executed out of order, an operation which follows an error in a program may have been executed before the error occurred. Thus, the processor must be able to undo operations which should not have been executed and must be able to construct the system's state following an error.
Two somewhat conflicting goals of superscalar architecture are quick scheduling so that a processor can operate at a high clock rate and efficient scheduling to maximize parallel execution of operation which are actually required for completion of the program. Schedulers which accomplish these goals are desired.

Processing system that rapidly indentifies first or second operations of selected types for execution


In making a layer jump or focus search on a multilayer optical disk having two or more signal recorded layers, an objective lens is moved in a focusing direction to focus a laser beam onto a desired signal recorded layer with focus servo kept OFF. Based on the number of times a focus error signal having an S-shaped characteristic obtained as a result of driving the objective lens exceeds a predetermined voltage level, arrival at the desired signal recorded layer is determined. In this state, the focus servo is made active at the time when the focus error signal first goes to the 0 level.

The present invention relates to a multilayer optical disk reproduction system for reproducing multilayer optical disks having two or more signal recorded layers, and more specifically to improvements in a focus control device and method for selectively performing focus servo on the signal recorded layers.
As is well known, a type of optical disk, called a DVD (Digital Video Disk), has been developed and put into practical use in recent years. This DVD, which is 12 cm in diameter as is the music compact disk (CD), can be recorded on its one side with more than five gigabytes of digital data.
For this reason, it is expected that the DVD will be widely used in various fields as a large-volume storage medium. With the DVD, a further increase in recording capacity can be achieved by sticking a plurality of disks each with a signal recording layer together into multilayer structure.
In an optical disk playback system adapted to reproduce such a multilayer DVD, focus servo is performed on the objective lens so that a laser beam is focused onto a signal recorded layer on which, of multiple signal recorded layers, a reproduction request is made, thereby reading data recorded on that layer.
Suppose here that, when focus servo is being performed on a specific signal recorded layer, a request is made for playing back another signal recorded layer. In such a case, in order to perform focus servo on the target signal recorded layer, it is required that the multilayer optical disk reproduction system be equipped with what is called a layer jump function to automatically control the position of the objective lens.
Also, suppose that, when none of the signal recorded layers is played back, that is, when the objective lens is placed in its initial position, a request is made for playing back a desired signal recorded layer. In order to perform focus servo on that signal recorded layer, it is required for the multilayer optical disk reproduction system to be equipped with a focus search function that allows the position of the objective lens to be controlled automatically.

Focus control device and method for use in multilayer optical disk reproduction system


An acceleration sensing device includes a rotational speed sensor which is mounted on a substrate and detects rotational speed, at least one oscillating structure with a deflectable seismic mass, and an acceleration sensor that detects linear acceleration and has at least one additional seismic mass which is suspended on flexible elements so that it can be deflected. The seismic masses of the two sensors are deflected independently of one another.

German Patent No. 195 00 800 describes a rotational speed sensor having seismic masses in a spring suspension on a substrate so they can be deflected under the effect of acceleration. In addition, the acceleration sensor has analysis devices for detecting acceleration-induced deflection of the seismic masses. For this purpose, the seismic masses are suspended so that deflection by any interfering acceleration, especially linear acceleration, is suppressed. The rotational speed sensor is used to detect Coriolis acceleration in particular.
German Patent No. 44 31 478 describes an acceleration sensor having a seismic mass which is suspended on flexible elements and can be deflected by the action of acceleration. An electrode mounted on the seismic mass is moved relative to a stationary electrode, so the capacitance of the resulting capacitor changes due to acceleration. The change in capacitance is detected by measurement. The sensor is used for detection of linear acceleration.
Finally, an acceleration sensor which is designed as a Coriolis rotational speed sensor is described in German Patent No. 195 23 895 (a later publication). In one embodiment, the Coriolis rotational speed sensor is also designed for detection of linear acceleration. To do so, an additional electronic position controller is assigned to an oscillating structure which is formed by seismic masses and is suspended so that it can move with rotary oscillation, and the position controller detects and damps the linear acceleration acting on the oscillating structure. This electronic position controller is formed by comb structures arranged on the oscillating masses to engage with additional comb structures, so that capacitances between the two comb structures can be measured by applying a voltage. When the oscillating structure is deflected due to linear acceleration, the distance between the individual fingers of the comb structures changes, resulting in a change in capacitance which is detected by the electronic position controller. By changing the voltage applied to the comb structures, it is possible to regulate the distance between the comb structures to a predetermined setpoint using the electrostatic effect. At the same time, the voltage level used for the distance control supplies information regarding the magnitude of the linear acceleration acting on the oscillating structure.
One disadvantage of the acceleration sensor described in German Patent No. 195 00 800 is that linear acceleration cannot be detected because linear acceleration is actually suppressed or attenuated.
Furthermore, the acceleration sensor described in German Patent No. 44 31 478 can detect only linear acceleration. Therefore, it is not suitable when both linear acceleration and Coriolis acceleration are to be detected.
One disadvantage of the Coriolis rotational speed sensor described in German Patent No. 195 23 895, which is supposed to detect linear acceleration at the same time, is that the amplitude of the rotary oscillation is several times greater than the respective perpendicular amplitude of the oscillation of the comb structure of the position controller. The amplitude of the rotary oscillation is on the order of 10 to 30 .mu.m, and the amplitude of the oscillation of the comb structure of the position controller is on the order of 1 nm. Thus, the oscillation of the comb structure is superimposed on the rotary oscillation, so that the signal for the electronic position controller of the comb structure is also influenced by the rotary oscillation. This makes it difficult to use the electronic position controller signal for an accurate determination of linear acceleration. However, for certain applications of acceleration sensors, ability to accurately determine both linear acceleration and non-linear acceleration, e.g., Coriolis acceleration, is required.


An apparatus including a crucible, an energy source, and a controller is provided. The crucible may be sealed to a nitrogen-containing gas, and may be chemically inert to at least ammonia at a temperature in a range of about 400 degrees Celsius to about 2500 degrees Celsius. The energy source may supply thermal energy to the crucible. The controller may control the energy source to selectively direct sufficient thermal energy to a predefined first volume within the crucible to attain and maintain a temperature in the first volume to be in a range of from about 400 degrees Celsius to about 2500 degrees Celsius. The thermal energy may be sufficient to initiate, sustain, or both initiate and sustain growth of a crystal in the first volume. The first temperature in the first volume may be controllable separately from a second temperature in another volume within the crucible. The first temperature and the second temperature differ from each other. Associated methods are provided.

1. Technical Field
The invention includes embodiments that may relate to a single crystal and quasi-single crystal. The invention includes embodiments that may relate to a composition for forming single crystal and quasi-single crystal. The invention includes embodiments that may relate to an apparatus for forming single crystal and quasi-single crystal. The invention includes embodiments that may relate to a method for forming single crystal and quasi-single crystal.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Quasi-single crystal nitrides may be grown by vapor-phase methods, which may employ non-nitride substrates as seeds or substrates to produce quasi-single crystals. Vapor-phase methods may include hydride or halide vapor phase epitaxy, HVPE, and sublimation growth. Control of spontaneous nucleation may be problematic using a non-epitaxial substrate, which may prevent the growth of desirable single crystals. Crystal growth may occur in supercritical fluid. However, the growth rate achievable using conventional autoclaves at mild conditions (temperature less than about 550 degrees Celsius, and pressure less than about 6 kbar) may be undesirably low, and the use of more extreme conditions may require specialized equipment.
Some methods have been disclosed for nitride growth from a flux. A flux is a solvent that is a solid at room temperature. A flux for gallium nitride growth may be molten gallium. However, the vapor pressure of nitrogen gas in contact with the molten gallium may be undesirably high at temperatures sufficiently high for viable crystal growth rates. Such conditions, again, may necessitate the use of specialized equipment. In addition, the growth rates may be undesirably low due to the low solubility and the low diffusion coefficient of nitrogen in molten gallium metal. Small growth rates of gallium nitride in liquid Na/Ga alloys have also been achieved at moderate pressures (about 50 bar). The solubility of nitrogen in liquid Na/Ga alloys is relatively low. The relatively low solubility may limit crystal grow rate and/or maximum crystal size.
Static configurations used for crystal growth, where there is no motion between the hot zone and the growing crystal, may limit crystal grow rate and/or maximum crystal size. A dynamic configuration may include a crystal pulling apparatus, such as a Bridgman apparatus or an apparatus set up for the Czochralski technique. However, the solubility of nitrogen in the flux is relatively low. The dynamic process may be difficult to control because the flux may become supersaturated with respect to gallium nitride formation, and because of spontaneous nucleation of gallium nitride crystals remote from the seed crystal.
It may be desirable to grow Group III metal nitride crystals that are sufficiently large to serve as commercially viable substrates for electronic devices. It may be desirable to grow Group III metal nitride crystals that are of high quality and have low concentrations of impurities and dislocations. It may be desirable to grow Group III metal nitride crystals at a high growth rate.

Apparatus for producing single crystal and quasi-single crystal, and associated method


A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric element includes the steps of forming a first electrode above a substrate, forming above the first electrode a piezoelectric layer composed of a piezoelectric material having a perovskite structure, and forming a second electrode above the piezoelectric layer, wherein the step of forming the first electrode includes forming a lanthanum nickelate layer that is oriented to a cubic (100) by a sputter method, and a ratio of nickel to lanthanum (Ni/La) in a target used for the sputter method is greater than 1 but smaller than 1.5.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to piezoelectric elements and methods for manufacturing the same, ink jet recording heads and ink jet printers.
2. Related Art
Ink jet printers are known as printers that can realize high image quality and high speed printing. In order to improve the characteristics of piezoelectric elements in ink jet recording heads for ink jet printers, it is important to control the crystal orientation of the piezoelectric layers.
As a method to control the crystal orientation, Japanese Laid-open patent application JP-A-2000-158648 describes a control method using an MgO (100) single crystal substrate. However, according to this method, the process for manufacturing an ink jet recording head may become complex.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for manufacturing a piezoelectric element


A board for commutation of a brushless motor having an encoder comprising a plurality of Hall-effect sensors operative for providing commutation information to a motor controller including an output drive section which comprises three high-side power FET's and three low-side power FET's connected to determined stator windings of the brushless motor. A low-side pre-drive circuit is operative to selectively turn on each of the low-side FETs and a high-side pre-drive circuit is operative to selectively turn on each of the high-side FETs. A commutation decode logic circuit is connected to the Hall-effect sensors to receive the commutation position information from the Hall-effect sensors and is connected to the high-side and low-side pre-drive circuits for providing selection signals for selecting the appropriate power FETs for commutating the motor. The board is preferably affixed to the end of the brushless motor. The board may further comprise an overcurrent monitoring and disabling circuit as well as a temperature measurement circuit for measuring the temperature of the board.

Brushless motors are well known. Conventionally, these motors comprise a housing rotatably supporting a rotor carrying a plurality of permanent magnets arranged in pole pairs. These magnets supply the field flux. A plurality of stators are arranged about the rotor. Each stator has stator windings such that the interaction of current passing through the winding with the flux of the rotor magnets produces torque if the current through each stator winding is timed correctly with respect to rotor position.
Typically, brushless motors provide the necessary commutation position feedback information to a motor controller through the use of either an optical encoder mounted on the end of the motor or through Hall effect sensors placed in close proximity to a disc having a magnetic pattern thereon which rotates with the rotor.
The details of a brushless motor of this type using Hall-effect sensors for commutation information are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,905 assigned to the owner of the present application.
In such brushless motors there is a necessity for decoding the output of the Hall-effect sensors in order to commutate the current through the various stator windings at the appropriate instant. U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,487 to Malang suggests that the motor drive can be commutated through use of a Programmable Logic Device. The device of this reference is constructed utilizing transistor technology and it is further suggested that MOSFETs may be substituted. The teaching of Malang is that the "back driving" of the power supply may be avoided by appropriate selection of the states of the regulating transistors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,997 to Daggett suggests the use of PWM pulses for determining the time span of current flow communication switching logic.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,544,868 also teaches the use of a programmable logic array to energize the windings. In this reference a pulse-width modulation circuit monitors the current supplied to the motor and interrupts motor energization whenever the current rises above a reference level. The circuit is also used to provide regenerative braking whenever the direction of motor rotation is to be reversed. This reference also fails to address the problems with using FETs.


An amplifier circuit comprises a differential input stage configured to receive a differential input signal, wherein the differential input stage is susceptible to an offset error that includes a linear offset error portion and a nonlinear offset error portion; and an offset error correction circuit coupled to the differential input stage and configured to apply a second order error correction signal to the differential input stage to reduce the nonlinear portion of the offset error.

Amplifier circuits, or amplifiers, have many uses in integrated circuits. Operational amplifiers can be used to amplify signals or isolate signals present at their inputs. Difference amplifiers can be used to amplify the difference in electrical signals present at the inputs to the amplifier. Instrumentation amplifiers can be used to measurement and test equipment. Amplifier circuits can be susceptible to offset voltages at the input that are reflected at the output. It is desired to reduce or eliminate the offset voltage especially where precision measurements and control is desired.

Amplifier nonlinear offset drift correction


An exemplary backlight module (11) includes a light guide plate (12), a reflector (18), and a light emitting diode unit (142). The light guide plate has a light incident surface (122). The reflector is positioned adjacent to the light incident surface, and has a reflection pattern (184) thereat. The light emitting diode unit is interposed between the light incident surface and the reflector.

Liquid crystal displays are commonly used as display devices for compact electronic apparatuses, because they not only provide good quality images but are also very thin. Because liquid crystal molecules in a liquid crystal display do not emit any light themselves, the liquid crystal molecules have to be lit by a light source so as to clearly and sharply display text and images. Therefore, liquid crystal displays usually require a backlight module.
Referring to FIG. 12, a typical backlight module 88 includes a light guide plate 880, a light source 882, and a reflector 884, arranged in that order from right to left. The backlight module 88 further includes a plastic frame 886 for receiving the light guide plate 880, the light source 882, and the reflector 884. The reflector 884 has a planar inner surface 885 facing the light source 882. The light source 882 interposed between the light guide plate 880 and the reflector 884 includes a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) units 888. Each LED unit 888 includes a red LED 888a, a green LED 888b, and a blue LED 888c, and each LED 888a/888b/888c can emit light beams of the one respective particular kind of primary color.
In operation, a mixing process of light beams occurs since each LED 888a/888b/888c emits one respective kind of light beams. The mixing process generally occurs in a space ranging from where the light beams emit from the LEDs 888a, 888b, and 888c to where the light beams reach the light guide plate 880, thus obtaining white light beams. However, the mixing space for the light beams is limited to a certain size of the plastic frame 886, and the mixed light beams are therefore liable to appear a little yellow or blue, instead of being pure white. This may result in an uneven color balance of light output by the backlight module 88. In order to obtain pure white light beams, the size of the plastic frame 886 is required to be large, which correspondingly increases a size of the backlight module 88. This makes the backlight module 88 unsuitable for certain compact and small-scale applications.
What is needed, therefore, is a backlight module that can overcome the above-described deficiencies. What is also needed is a liquid crystal display employing such a backlight module.

Backlight module with reflector having reflection pattern thereat and liquid crystal display having same


A system and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks, enabling creation of advertisements using licensed third party content and placement of said ads at desired network locations, utilizing an auction of ad spaces based on bids placed by advertisers to have their ads displayed at such locations. When a network user/ad viewer requests an ad by clicking or other action, an auction algorithm executes to select the ad to be displayed from those that bid for display at such ad space location and then the ad is composed and delivered to the ad space location by accessing a relational database storing commands that retrieve, assemble and dispatch the licensed ad content. Usage and display of licensed content on designated ad space is tracked to enable cost-per-use charging for both use of licensed content and ad display at the designated ad space.

A. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for creation and distribution of advertising, promotional and informational electronic communications regarding products and services via computer and communication networks, and displaying same at desired locations. More specifically, the present invention is a system and method for creation of electronic advertisements using digital content made available for licensing, and placing the ads at desired network locations utilizing an auction of designated advertising space at desired locations on a network. The system can be used to provide an ad content as well as an ad space exchange for content licensors, advertisers and ad publishers, including barter-based implementations.
B. Background
Advertisers seeking the global reach of the Internet and other electronic networks as an effective and efficient medium for disseminating advertisements to consumers have had to deal with various limitations in technology and methods. From the advertiser's perspective, there are two main tasks to accomplish: 1) creation of an effective ad; and 2) effective placement of the ad. From the ad publisher's perspective there are also two main tasks to accomplish: 1) display of the highest revenue-producing ads; and 2) reducing the amount of work necessary to place, maintain, track and process payments for advertising. The creation of electronic advertising content can be an expensive task for those that take the traditional route of either creating content internally or engaging a third party contractor to create same. While there are sources of pre-existing electronic content that can be used in exchange for payment of a fee, because of content provider system limitations in the ability to track usage activity with respect to the content, usually the fee is a flat fee payable up front, which makes the use of such content an expense that users must incur beforehand. This method does not allow for optimization of return on investment, or "ROI," with respect to ads based on real-time ad response, because if the advertising content is not working effectively, to change the content would mean losing all invested in the purchase of that content. This also can result in content licensors not maximizing the revenues generated from their content.
Effective placement of an ad is crucial for success of any ad campaign. The ad must reach the proper audience and as large an audience as possible in order to maximize the effectiveness of the ad in generating business for the advertiser. Ad display space costs money as well, and advertisers therefore need to make sure that the display locations they select for their ads produce an acceptable ROI to be worthwhile. In the case of the Internet, which is dominated by a large number of personal and special interest websites with relatively low traffic, a simple method for publishers to place advertising on their web sites for optimal return is necessary. Internet advertising charging methods include the pre-pay or billed cost-per-impression, or "CPM," or cost-per-click, or "CPC," models, wherein advertisers pay publishers to place their advertisements on a website according to the number of impressions served, or click actions taken on the advertisement. Usually these transactions are done through a third party agency who receives commissions based on a percentage agency discount offered by the publisher.

System and method for creation, distribution and tracking of advertising via electronic networks


A disc housing intended for refiners with refining discs rotating in opposed directions relative to each other is disclosed for mechanically disintegrating and working fibrous material. The disc housing surrounds the refining discs in an air-tight manner, and is provided with an outlet for the worked fibrous material. The inside of the disc housing along its periphery is formed with a channel, which, as seen in the circumferential direction, has a continuously increasing radius, which increases all the way to the outlet, which is located tangentially as a direct continuation of the channel.

The mechanical disintegration and working of this fibrous material requires energy, which is supplied by means of the refining elements on the refining discs. During the refining, the supplied energy is transformed substantially to heat, with the result that the water following along with the fibrous material evaporates and is emitted from the worked material. The main part of the steam flows out into the disc housing, where pressure is maintained by means of a blow valve.
Due to the rotation of the refining disc, the worked material will be thrown about in the disc housing before the fibrous material, together with the steam, leaves the disc housing through the blow valve. This turbulent flow of the fibrous material in the disc housing increases the energy consumption and causes wear on the rotating as well as the stationary parts of the disc housing. Fiber build-up and extractive matter on the inside of the disc housing brake the flow and can block the outflow through the blow valve, which results in higher energy consumption and increases the development of steam.
The present invention relates to a disc housing for refiners which is designed to overcome the aforesaid problems and improve the fiber flow in the disc housing.


A Process for the preparation of materials crosslinkable with elimination of alcohols to give elastomers, wherein                (A) an organopolysiloxane having at least two hydroxyl groups,        (B) trialkoxysilanes and/or the partial hydrolysis products thereof in an amount of at least 0.7 part by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of component (A),        (C) an organosilicon compound which comprises at least one radical bonded to silicon via carbon and having basic nitrogen,        (D) a tin catalyst, optionally,        (E) fillers,        (F) stabilizers and        (G) further substancesare mixed with one another, (A) and (B) forming a reaction product with elimination of alkanol, with the proviso that tin catalyst (D) is added to the component (A) or the mixture containing the reaction product thereof only when from 1 to 60% of the Si—OH groups originally present remain present.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of materials crosslinkable with elimination of alcohols to give elastomers, i.e. RTV-1 materials, with the use of hydroxyl-terminated polydiorganosiloxanes.
2. Background Art
Processes for the preparation of materials crosslinkable at room temperature on admission of water have long been known. Typically, such materials are formulated substantially from organopolysiloxanes having at least two hydrolyzable radicals such as alkoxy groups, crosslinking agents having at least three hydrolyzable radicals, again often being alkoxy groups, and catalysts such as organotin compounds. The siloxanes used as base polymers, which are "blocked" at the end, are prepared by a so-called "endcapping" process.
Endcapping is essential for the preparation of RTV-1 materials crosslinkable with elimination of alcohols. The endcapping can take place in several ways: 1) direct compounding with organopolysiloxanes having terminal OH groups employing titanium catalysts; 1.1) in situ endcapping with orthophosphoric esters in combination with chalk, as described, for example, in DE-C-19507416; 1.2) in situ endcapping of organopolysiloxanes having terminal OH groups with the use of (alkoxy)Si—N compounds and combinations of Lewis acids and amine compounds, as described, for example, in EP-A-137883; and 1.3) in situ endcapping with the use of trialkoxysilanes and carboxamides or salts thereof, as disclosed in EP-A-304701; thereafter, the materials are further compounded. 2) Separate preparation of special polymers which are endcapped. 3) Compounding of hydroxyl-terminated organopolysiloxanes with alkoxysil(ox)ane and solid catalysts at elevated temperature, the solid catalysts being subsequently removed, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,355.

Process for the preparation of crosslinkable materials based on organosilicon compounds


The present invention introduces two revolutionary concepts (a caterpillar and a squeeze engine) for rotary engines with features highly desirable for space applications, e.g., very high torque, light weight, low power AC or DC input, and smooth stroke over indefinite rotation. Through these unique advantages, the proposed concepts meet an existing demand in the space industry to which, so far, only very high cost and complex solutions have been developed. Although both concepts exploit the same physical phenomenon (the significant 15% volume change related to the paraffin solid-liquid phase change), their similarity stops here. They represent fundamentally different design philosophies and offer different performance characteristics. Preliminary calculations show that the caterpillar engine with no friction-prone slip contacts shall output an approximate 150 lbf--in torque for a 2 inch diameter and 0.5 inch deep cylindrical configuration while consuming approximately 20 W direct current. The corresponding time for one out put revolution might vary between half an hour and an hour depending on technical details. The second engine concept, the squeeze engine, if built with similar overall dimensions and power consumption as the caterpillar engine would produce approximately one ninth the output torque of the caterpillar engine with approximately nine times the speed. The output torque varies as the third power of the scaling of the configurations for both designs.

Various thermal engines are known in the art. Some use shape memorizing alloys, some use thermo-chemical fluids, and some use the expansion of high purity paraffin.
Current devices powered by the melting of paraffin are based on the concept of a paraffin actuator. These devices are referred to as linear paraffin engines. These devices involve a high purity paraffin-filled space enclosed in a cylinder into which an actuator rod is placed. If the paraffin is melted, then its corresponding high volume expansion factor of 15% forces the actuator rod to emerge from the cylinder. Actuation can be active or passive. In the former case, the paraffin is melted by heating filaments. Passive actuation, on the other hand, is triggered by an environmental temperature increase. The desired response temperature is selected via the use of the proper type of paraffin.
Benefits for aerospace applications include the following:
high reliability due to utmost mechanical simplicity PA1 light weight (typically 2 ounces) PA1 low power consumption (typically 10 W) PA1 high output force (50-1000 lbf) PA1 operable with AC or DC Power PA1 high kick-off force PA1 gentle, smooth stroke PA1 resetability PA1 high cycle life PA1 precision PA1 long stroke capability PA1 wide range of actuation temperatures according to type of paraffin used PA1 option for magnetic cleanliness PA1 a temperature and motion control logic external to the engine mechanism. PA1 a section that is a mechanically self contained removable entity. PA1 include a circular disk (the rotor disk) into the rotor, or the circumference of which the actuator bars are mounted. PA1 provide a slit on the sides of the squeeze tube and boots facing the engine axis for the rotor disk to pass. PA1 aid section cooling in a ribs or the outside of the stator.
A shortcoming of the paraffin actuator is its limited stroke, which can be extended only at the cost of the actuator size. Consequently, linear actuators find their best applications in release mechanisms and latches. Their use to power a wide range of rotary or linear motion would entail a loss of power due to the complexity of gears involved. Certain operations, however, require a steady, strong force sustained over a considerable extent of motion. An example is drum rotation during the deployment or retraction of unfurlable structures. Also, space structure deployment often involves relative rotations over large, often obtuse angles. The deployment of these structures could be designed along novel lines if such rotations could be directly powered without the weight and power consumption penalties of conventional electric engines.
The rotary paraffin engine concept described by the present invention has been developed to, first, overcome the stroke limitations of paraffin actuators without a decrease of output power. Second, the present invention offers an alternative to existing rotary actuation technology by directly powering rotary, rather than linear, motion. Therefore, it permits the reactivation of the advantages listed above for actuation.


Restraining methods and apparatus for restraining violent detainees, including a rigid binder for binding the upper and lower legs of the detainee, a waist belt, and suspender straps for joining the binder to the waist belt. An erection tether for maintaining the detainee erect by being tautly stretched between an attaching ring at the back of the waist bait and an overhead hook provided for the purpose of maintaining the detainee erect. An alternate embodiment comprises a continuous sheet or sectioned sheets of relatively non-flexuous support material as leg flexure preventing means.

1. Field of the Invention
Our present invention relates to restraining apparatus for use in restraining detainees such an prisoners in police custody or patients in medical facilities, and more particularly to restraining apparatus for restraining violent detainees who, if not suitably restrained, could seriously injure custodial personnel, such ago police officers and hospital emergency room personnel, and could also seriously damage public facilities such as the interiors of police patrol cars or ambulances, or the walls, fixtures and furnishings of police station houses, hospitals and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The term "prior art" as used herein or in any statement made by or on behalf of applicants means only that any document or thing referred to as prior art bears, directly or inferentially, a date which in earlier than the effective filing date hereof.
The problem of suitably restraining violent detainees in police and medical facilities in well known and recognized in the prior art.
For example, it is well known in the law enforcement field that substantial injury to an arresting officer or officers and physical damage to Public property has resulted when a suspect being taken prisoner has resisted arrest. It has been well known for many years to restrain the hands and arms of a police prisoner by handcuffs or the like which connect the prisoner's hands together in front of or behind his or her body. However, although the legs of the prisoner are powerful weapons, especially when the prisoner is emotionally charged or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, no prior art restraining apparatus or system for violent detainees which has come into general use fully and effectively deals with the problem of protecting personnel and public property from injury or damage produced by kicking by violent detainees. Thus, there are many known cases in which an arresting officer has been kicked violently and seriously injured during the placement of a prisoner in a police patrol car, and also many documented cases wherein a police patrol car, cruiser or squad car, has been badly damaged by a prisoner's feet and legs while the prisoner in being transported to the station house or other detention facility. In certain cases, the entire partition between the police officer and the prisoner has been shattered, although most damage occurs to the doors, side panels and windows of the police patrol car.
In addition to the problem of serious injury to arresting officers and costly damage to public facilities, there is also the problem of the self-infliction by the prisoner of injuries such as bruises, abrasions and even open wounds in order to buttress false claims of police brutality.
In addition to addressing the two above described problems arising during the initial arrest, transportation and preliminary incarceration of violent detainees, our present invention also addresses the problem of "positional asphyxiation". The now well known term "positional asphyxiation refers to the fact, or well established belief, that certain prisoners in police custody have suffered asphyxiation with no separate assignable cause during restraint in a prone position, apparently due to post nasal drip or congenital or accidental malformation of the detainee's nasal passages, etc.
These problems result not only in serious injury to police officers and damage to public facilities, in addition to injury or even death of prisoners, but also result in Judicial charges of "police brutality", and may thus result in costly litigation and negative publicity.
Other apparatus and systems for restraining violent detainees are found in the prior art, although none of them as fully address all of the problems discussed above, as do the apparatus and systems of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,553, issued to Jerry Daniels on Mar. 1, 1988, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,889, issued to Jerry Daniels on Nov. 15, 1986, both disclose systems for restraining the lower limbs of a prisoner being conveyed in a vehicle, such as a police patrol car, to preclude injury to persons and property by violent kicking action of the prisoner. Both of the patented systems of Daniels include the provision of a laminated fastening strap for encircling the upper legs of the prisoner. Each of the Daniels patents discloses tethering means for tethering said fastening strap to a particular part of a police car in which the prisoner is being transported.
In accordance with the teachings of the Daniels patents, however, the lower legs of the prisoner being transported are unrestrained, leaving the arresting officer and the patrol car in which the prisoner in transported vulnerable to injury and damage brought about by the kicking of the seated prisoners lower legs.
Further, neither Daniels patent discloses means for constraining the motion of the prisoner's torso, thus leaving the arresting officer subject to injury by violent motion of the prisoner's torso, notwithstanding the fact that the prisoner in handcuffed, with his hands behind his back. Additionally, the freedom of upper torso movement permitted by the systems of the Daniels patents makes it possible for the prisoner to inflict injuries upon himself, such as bruises, abrasions, and even open wounds, which Injuries can be calculatedly used to buttress later judicial charges of police brutality.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,587, issued to Mark Share on Aug. 1, 1969, discloses a device for subduing and then restraining a violent person comprising a relatively stiff, bendable shield having opposed major surfaces. One of the major surfaces, designated the back surface, has attached thereto at least two handles, at least one strap, and means for releasably fastening the strap to the back surface.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of Share, the shield of Share extends substantially from the restrainee's chin to the restrainee's ankles, thus making it difficult if not impossible to bond the restrainee's body to a sitting position suitable for use in transporting the restrainee in a police patrol car.
Further, Share's shield Is "a relatively stiff bendable shield", which in unprovided with integral rigid members which prevent the flexing of the restrainee's legs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,237,700, issued to Karl W. Bremer, Jr., on Dec. 9, 1980, discloses a prisoner leg restrainer which is attachable to one leg of a prisoner wearing a bolt. The leg restrainer of Bremer Includes first and second brace elements which are pivotably coupled together by a hinge. Straps are provided to couple the first and second brace elements to the leg of the prisoner. A locking mechanism automatically engages when the upper and lower sections of the leg restrainer are in vertical alignment to prevent pivotal movement of the prisoner's knee. The leg restrainer of Bremer, being attachable to only one leg of a prisoner, does nothing to protect the arresting officer or officers from being seriously injured by hostile movement of the prisoner's other leg.
In addition, in order to permit a prisoner wearing the leg restrainer of Bremer to assume a seated position, as in a police patrol car, a handle can be manipulated which permits the mutual unlocking of the upper and lower braces, thus "permitting unrestricted aft rotation or pivoting of the leg brace", whereby "the prisoner may flex his knee in a normal manner". Obviously, then, when a prisoner equipped with the device of Bremer is sitting in a police patrol car the device of Bremer does little if anything to protect the arresting officer from injury by the prisoner's legs, or to protect the interior of the patrol car from damage by the prisoner's legs.
It in believed that the documents listed in the Information Disclosure Statement filed herewith contain information which is or might be considered to be material to the examination of this patent application.

Apparatus for restraining violent detainees


A remote control instant messaging method and system for automatically activating an instant messaging session based upon remote detection of a user approaching a processor capable of executing an instant message system. The method and system also automatically deactivate the instant messaging session based upon remote detection of the user's absence from such processor and automatically re-activate the instant messaging session based upon remote detection of the user's return to the processor. A second instant messaging session can also be remotely activated on a second processor operated by another user_id by detecting the first user's approach to such second processor. The first user is automatically disengaged from this second instant messaging session when the user leaves the location of the second processor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to real-time communication via data networks, and in particular, to methods and apparatus for automatically controlling activation and deactivation of instant messaging across cellular and public or private data networks.
2. Description of Related Art
Instant Messaging is a known means of real-time communication between users at remote data network communication devices. Traditional instant messaging systems operate through computer-based systems hardwired to the Internet, whereby instant messaging software enables the users to communicate with and be alerted when friends, family, colleagues and the like go on-line for real-time communication. More recently available instant messaging systems include wireless and non-wireless instant message communication environments. An instant messaging subscriber of these more current instant messaging systems can send and receive instant messages by means of a mobile unit device, such as a cell phone. Messages received may originate from a computer on a public data network, such as the Internet, or from other mobile unit devices. Other more recent wireless and non-wireless instant message environments include those that send and receive messages by means of a command-line interface.
Whether the instant messaging systems are through computer-based systems or wireless and non-wireless environments, the instant messaging software may be preinstalled in such data network systems, or a user may download or installing such software. Once provided with the instant messaging software, a user of the system must register a personal identifier for distinguishing himself from other users of such instant messaging software. The user is then able to exchange real-time messages with other users of the instant messaging software. In the more traditional computer-based systems, instant messaging allows users to exchange messages in one window without interrupting task(s) in progress in other windows. It is also a valuable resource for allowing colleagues in different geographical locations to quickly and easily communicate in real time for exchanging information, ideas and collaborate together on any given project.
In instant messaging systems, when a first user desires to instant message a second user, the first user generally clicks on a send instant message button and a window such as a buddy list window (list of other users of interest to the particular user, e.g. friends, colleagues, groupings of members, and the like) or database of other users appears for selection of such second user. A chat window allows the first user to compose messages in a message composition area, which is then sent to the selected second user for real-time instant message communication. Alternatively, when a second user identified in a first user's buddy list comes on-line or into the instant message session, this second user's personal identifier may appear to the first user via his data network hardware such as, for example, in a graphical user interface window (GUI) on the first user's data network system. The first user may then initiate a real-time instant messaging conversation with the second user by selecting, e.g., clicking-on, the second user's personal identifier.
Once an instant messaging session has been initiated, there can be several users simultaneously within the instant messaging session. However, when a user within such session decides to take a break from the session, be temporarily unavailable or exit the instant message session, the user must manually alert other users within such session that he will be temporarily unavailable and unable to answer any instant messages sent to him or must physically sign-out of the session. However, users often forget to indicate to other participants within the instant message session that such user will be temporarily unavailable, or even forget to sign-out. This creates the mistaken impression that the user is still working on his terminal and is available to respond to any sent instant messages. When participants within the instant message session send this user a number of instant messages, which are repeatedly unanswered by the user, the other participants will get the impression that the user is no longer participating within the instant message session, and as such, will no longer send the user any messages (even though the user may have returned to his terminal). In instances where the user remembers to alert the other participants within the instant message session that he will be "temporarily unavailable," often such user forgets to remove the "temporarily unavailable" indicator or inform the other participants that he is once again available to receive and answer instant messages. In addition to the above problems associated with instant messaging, when a user physically visits another participant within the instant message session that is actively participating within such session, the user is not able to initiate a simultaneous, separate instant message account for such session on the other participant's terminal.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a method and system for automatically detecting when a participant of an instant message session is unavailable or available for exchange of real-time messages within such session, and to remotely activate or deactivate such participant's instant messaging session based upon the detected availability status of the participant. The method and system would also allow two participants of an instant message session to actively and simultaneously participate within the same instant message session on a single terminal under two separate instant message accounts.

RFID wireless control of instant messaging

International Business Machines Corporation


One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates managing security policies for databases in a distributed system. During operation, the system creates multiple label security policies. The system stores these security policies in a directory and automatically propagates them from the directory to each database within the distributed system. In doing so, the system allows for applying policies to individual tables and schema in any database in the distributed system. The system facilitates centralized administration of security policies and removes the need for replicating policies, since the policy information is available in the directory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to database security. More specifically, the present invention is related to a method and an apparatus for managing security policies for databases in a distributed system
2. Related Art
Many commercial database systems provide access controls that limit the operations that can be performed by various users. For example, a user who correctly enters a user identification (user ID) and a password is typically allowed to access the database system as an authorized user. One or more privileges are assigned to each authorized user, wherein a privilege defines specific operations the authorized user may perform on database objects. For example, a user may have a privilege that allows the user to read all data in a table, but does not allow the user to write data to the table.
Note that database operations include data manipulation operations and database definition operations. Data manipulation operations can include adding a row, deleting a row, and modifying contents of a row, among others. Database definition operations can include adding a table, adding a column to a table, and adding an index for a table, among others. Other database operations can include logging on to the database system and establishing a communication session with a database server.
Access controls provided by early commercial database system frequently did not satisfy access control requirements for some organizations. For example, once a user was granted access rights to a database, the user had access to all tables in the database. This type of access control does not support security policies, such as multi-level security policies. For example, information in a database containing information about military units and their capabilities is typically subject to a multi-level security policy. The multiple levels include "unclassified," "confidential," "secret," and "top-secret." According to this policy, information classified as secret may be accessed only by users who are cleared through the secret level or higher. Hence, information that is secret may be accessed by a user cleared through secret and top-secret levels, but not by an uncleared user or a user cleared through only the confidential level.
In order to implement a multi-level security policy in a system that provides conventional access controls, data for each different security level must be kept in a separate database. Placing data in separate databases based on security level increases storage space requirements, greatly decreases efficiency of many database operations, and often leads to inconsistencies between copies of the same data stored in separate databases.
One approach to providing the access control required by a multi-level security policy is to store data with different security levels data in different tables of the same database. In some cases, the tables are stored in separate files with access to the files controlled by the operating system. Placing data in separate tables and files based on security level is still very inefficient because database operations have to access multiple tables and files and multiple copies of the same data may be stored in the separate tables and files leading to the same problems encountered when using separate databases.
In some database systems, information associated with different security levels is contained in a single database object. For example, access controls can be applied separately to each row in a table. However, this type of system still has drawbacks.
One drawback is that typically only one "security policy" is provided for the database system, yet one security policy may not meet the needs of all users. For example, the multi-level policy does not suit some commercial applications that need to control access to corporate data based on levels within the corporation's hierarchy. In another example, the multi-level policy may not match file access controls of a UNIX operating system, which provides user, group, and world permissions separately for reading and writing files. One user may want to apply the corporate hierarchy levels, another user may want to apply the UNIX operating system controls, and a third user may want to apply a combination of both on the same data. Using conventional approaches, three different database servers would have to be configured to support these three different policies.
Another drawback is that any modification to the security policy typically requires changes to instructions scattered throughout the database system. This makes the task of managing the security policy difficult, costly, and prone to error, and can result in unanticipated and undesired side effects. For example, programmers responsible for modifying the code of a database server to implement a single change in a security policy may make modifications to seven distinct places in the code, without realizing that modifications are also required at two other locations. By failing to make changes in all locations, the database server may fail to operate properly, and may even operate in a manner directly contrary to the policy change for which modifications were being made.
Furthermore, it is often desirable for a security policy to be added to an existing database server without taking the database server offline, so that users of a database system are not prevented from continuing to perform database operations while the change in security policy is taking place.
Database designers have addressed the above problems by using label-based security policies. These label-based security policies are described in the related application entitled, "Techniques for Adding Multiple Security Policies to a Database System," having Ser. No. 10/006,543, and filing date 30 Nov. 2001, which is incorporated by reference above.
Briefly, these label-based security policies operate by adding label columns into database tables. These columns contain attributes that specify what is required to access data within the associated row within the table.
Currently, implementations of these label-based security policies and authorizations are defined and managed separately for each database. This places a large burden on database administrators who are often required to configure many databases with the same security policies. Furthermore, management of label authorizations often requires the same modifications of authorization to be performed on multiple databases scattered throughout an enterprise. In a large enterprise with numerous user accounts and databases, an administrator may not be able to make all of these changes in a timely manner which leads to increased security risks.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for centralized management of security policies for multiple databases in a distributed system without the above described problems.

Method and system for managing security policies for databases in a distributed system


A method of controlling the display period of video data, and system thereof, that matches the frame period of displayed video data to the speed of a color wheel. The period of the color wheel is measured to determine the display period. An optimum frame sequence pattern is selected, based on the display period, to minimize the artifacts created in the displayed image while maximizing the portion of the frame period used to display the image data. The display period for each segment of the frame sequence pattern is scaled to fit the period of the color wheel, and each bit of the image data is loaded into the spatial light modulator and displayed at the proper time.

Typical video and computer graphics display systems use a cathode ray tube (CRT) to convert electrical video signals into a luminous image. In its most basic form, the CRT is an analog device which includes an electron gun designed to emit a stream of electrons towards a phosphorous screen. The stream of electrons passes between two orthogonal pairs of charge plates before impinging on the screen. The two sets of plates are used to create an electric field which deflects the stream of electrons such that the stream of electrons impinges on the screen at a selected location. In a typical monochrome raster-scanned system, a brightness signal is applied to the gun of the CRT to control the intensity of the electron stream, and timing signals are applied to the two sets of plates to sweep the point where the stream of electrons impacts the screen across the screen row-by-row from top to bottom.
A typical CRT-based television system displays the image data as a serial stream of pixels, just as it is received. Vertical and horizontal synchronization signals, which are encoded along with the image data, are used to vary the charge on the CRT plates, thereby directing the electron stream to the proper point on the CRT screen. Because the synchronization signals encoded in the video signal control the aim of the CRT electron gun in real-time, the CRT-based display easily adapts to input video signals with differing frame rates. For example, CRTs used for computer displays must operate at a variety of frame rates such as 60, 66, 72, and 75 Hz, while PAL or SECAM televisions operate at 50 Hz. Additionally, a video source may drift about its specified frame rate. For example, if a videotape is stretched, the frame rate of the video signal will decrease. However, the video timing signals encoded in the video signal will alter the charge on the plates at the slower frame rate and the CRT-based display system will automatically adapt to the slower frame rate.

Producing a rendered image version of an original image using an image structure map representation of the image