A delay optimization system including a layout processing unit for receiving the input of circuit specification of a target circuit to conduct layout, as well as extracting wiring information, an optimization processing unit for conducting optimization with reference to the wiring information, as well as generating circuit change information and inserted buffer information, and a constraints violations determining unit for determining whether a circuit generated as a result of the layout by the layout processing unit satisfies delay constraints set for the target circuit, the layout processing unit executing initial layout based only on circuit information synthesized based on the circuit specification of the target circuit and re-layout with reference to the circuit change information and inserted buffer information generated by the optimization processing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optimization system which locally changes a circuit having gates located and wired thereon through layout to conduct optimization for satisfying delay constraints on the circuit, and a method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optimization systems of this kind locally change a circuit to realize optimization and reduction of the circuit size for satisfying required constraints after receiving the input of circuit information which is a result of locating and wiring of gates by layout and conducting logic synthesis. With locating position of gates, wiring topology, wire length, wire capacitance, wire resistance and other parameters applied out of layout results, optimization is conducted so as to satisfy required delay constraints while calculating accurate delay and power consumption based on these information.
Conventional delay optimization techniques using layout information will be described in the following.
FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing conducted by one of conventional delay optimization systems.
With reference to FIG. 9, initial logic synthesis is first conducted with respect to applied layout results of a target circuit (Step 901) and then gates are initially located on the initially synthesized target circuit (Step 902). Next, based on the initial location results of the gates, circuit optimization is conducted so as to satisfy delay constraints set for the target circuit (Step 903). Then, only at a part changed by the optimization (Step 903), re-placement processing of the gates is conducted (Step 904). Next, determination is made whether there exists a part still violating the delay constraints in the target circuit and when there exists a part which fails to satisfy the delay constraints, the routine returns to the optimization of Step 903 (Step 905). On the other hand, when all the delay constraints are satisfied, routing of gates is actually conducted to complete processing (Steps 905 and 906).
Layout information 910 shown in FIG. 9 includes gate locating position coordinates generated at the processing of Step 902 and other parameters and is referred to in each processing of Steps 903, 904 and 906. In the processing of Steps 904 and 906, the layout information is updated according to the contents of re-placement processing and routing processing. Circuit change information 911 includes information regarding connection relationship of gates changed by the processing of Step 903 and is referred to in the processing of Step 904. Locational constraints information 912 includes information regarding constraints on locating position of gates obtained by the processing of Step 903 and is referred to in the processing of Step 904.
In the optimization and the gate re-placement processing at Steps 903 and 904, local change of a target circuit is conducted such as insertion of buffers and gate re-sizing in order to satisfy delay constraints on the target circuit. In a case of newly inserting a buffer in a target circuit, since no wiring of the target circuit is conducted at the time of insertion of the buffer, a minimum spanning tree is generated based on gate locating position to place the buffer at a branching point of the tree or near a leaf. Here, the minimum spanning tree represents a tree which connects all the terminals and allows no branch-out in the middle of a branch to make the length of the whole tree the shortest. Wire delay is calculated considering the minimum spanning tree as real wires. FIG. 10 shows an example of a minimum spanning tree of the already located gates.
Buffer insertion position is limited to a branching point or a leaf of the minimum spanning tree and the position of the inserted buffer is given as a locating position constraint in the re-placement processing of Step 1004. The processing of Step 1004 therefore intends to locate a buffer to be newly inserted at the position given as a constraint as much as possible.
FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing conducted by another example of conventional delay optimization systems. In the illustrated conventional technique, optimization is realized by gate re-sizing and buffer insertion.
With reference to FIG. 11, initial logic synthesis is first conducted with respect to applied layout results of a target circuit (Step 1101) and then initial layout is conducted for the initially synthesized circuit (Step 1102). Next, based on the results of the initial layout, circuit optimization is conducted so as to satisfy delay constraints set for the target circuit (Step 1103). Then, only a part changed by the optimization (Step 1103) is re-laid out (Step 1104). Next, determination is made whether there exists a part still violating delay constraints in the target circuit and when there exists a part which fails to satisfy the delay constraints, the routine returns to the optimization of Step 1103 (Step 1105). On the other hand, when all the delay constraints are satisfied, processing is completed.
Layout information 1110 shown in FIG. 11 includes wire capacitance, wire delay and other parameters generated at the processing of Step 1102 and is referred to in the optimization of Step 1103. Connection change information 1111 includes information regarding a connection relationship of gates changed by the processing of Step 1103 and is referred to in the processing of Step 1104.
In the optimization of Step 1103, such local change of a circuit is made as buffer insertion and gate re-sizing to satisfy delay constraints on the target circuit. Re-sizing of a gate is an optimization technique realized by replacing an already located gate with a gate having the same logic and a different drivability. In other words, a gate which fails to satisfy a delay time (required time) required by delay constraints is replaced with another gate which satisfies the requested time.
In the re-layout at Step 1104, no change occurs in wire delay because a buffer placed immediately behind a gate causes fanout wiring to change little. In a case of re-sizing of a gate, the gate is placed at a position where a replaced gate is used to be placed, thereby enabling layout with the same delay as estimated in the delay optimization system.
FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a flow of processing conducted by still another example of conventional delay optimization systems. In the illustrated conventional technique, optimization is realized by the another buffer insertion.
With reference to FIG. 12, initial logic synthesis is first conducted with respect to applied layout results of a target circuit (Step 1201) and then the initially synthesized circuit is initially laid out (Step 1202). After the initial circuit synthesis of Step 1201, layout of the initial circuit is conducted at the initial layout of Step 1202. Next, gate placement information 1210 is obtained from the initially laid out target circuit and a buffer is inserted on a segment of a wire without destroying the Steiner tree structure generated based on the locational information to conduct delay optimization of the target circuit (Step 1203). Although description is here made assuming the segments to be branching points of a wire and a part of the wire between terminals, via (where a wiring layer changes), branching points and a part of a wire between terminals may be regarded as segments in practice. Next, re-layout is conducted based on the circuit change information 1211 obtained after the optimization (Step 1204). Determination is then made whether there exists a part still violating the delay constraints in the target circuit and when there exists a part failing to satisfy the delay constraints, the routine returns to the optimization of Step 1203 (Step 1205). On the other hand, if all the delay constraints are satisfied, processing is completed.
In the optimization of Step 1203, such optimization is conducted as enables relatively accurate calculation of an wire RC delay. Delay is generally expressed by the following equation. EQU (delay)=(intrinsic gate delay)+(propagation)+(wire RC delay of wire)
Intrinsic delay of a gate is a delay between an input terminal and an output terminal within the gate. Propagation delay of a gate is a delay based on signal propagation and independent of wiring topology, which is calculated from a wire capacitance between gates. Wire RC delay of a wire is a delay based on signal propagation and is dependent on wiring topology. There are several kinds of wire RC delay calculation methods with different delay precisions. Elmore delay calculation will be described as an example.
With a terminal on the source side denoted as n.sub.i and a terminal on the sink side as n.sub.j, an wire RC delay tpd.sub.RCi,j between n.sub.i and n.sub.j will be calculated by the following equations (1) to (4). ##EQU1##
In the above equations, n.sub.i represents a branching point of a wire or a terminal. 1.ltoreq.i.ltoreq.N holds for i, and N represents the total number of terminals connected to the wire and branching points. S.sub.i,j represents a segment between n.sub.j and n.sub.j. R.sub.i,j represents a resistance between n.sub.i and n.sub.j at S.sub.i,j represents a capacitance between n.sub.i and n.sub.j at S.sub.i,j. Here, Ci.sub.j takes a value of a terminal capacitance of n.sub.j when n.sub.j is a gate terminal and otherwise it is zero. Rise represents .beta..sub.j for a rise signal and fall represents .beta..sub.j for a fall signal. P(i,j) represents a set of segments between n.sub.i and n.sub.j. TFO (k,l) represents a segment of S.sub.k,l in the transitive fanout direction. Transitive fanout represents a segment from a predetermined part toward the fanout direction. Transitive fanin represents a segment from a given part toward the fanin direction. Taking the circuit diagram illustrated in FIG. 13 as an example, an wire RC delay between n.sub.1 and n.sub.5 will be expressed by the following equations, where Vdd represents a power supply voltage and Vt.sub.5 represents an input threshold voltage at n.sub.5. ##EQU2##
As described in the foregoing, it is necessary for estimating an wire RC delay to obtain a resistance and a capacitance of each segment of a tree structure of wiring from a layout system. Other wire RC delay calculation methods than the Elmore delay calculation are also the same in this respect.
Since in this conventional technique, wiring is expressed as a Steiner tree to enable comprehension of the tree structure, relatively accurate calculation of an wire RC delay is possible among delay components. Steiner tree is a tree connecting all the terminals, while allowing branch-out in the middle of a branch. When a buffer is inserted into an appropriate position in optimization, there is no knowing how much layout changes. It is therefore extremely important to conduct optimization while accurately estimating an wire RC delay. In this conventional technique, a Steiner tree is generated and a buffer is placed on the tree in order to accurately consider an wire RC delay.
Resistance and capacitance of a segment will be expressed by the following equations (8) and (9). EQU R=r.multidot.L.multidot.W (8) EQU C=c.multidot.L/W (9)
In the above equations, r represents a resistance per unit area and c represents a capacitance per unit length, both of which are constants. L represents a wire length and W represents a wire width. Since resistance and capacitance have values proportional to a wire length, the resistance and the capacitance are allocated in proportion to the wire length.
The above described conventional delay optimization techniques, however, have the following drawbacks.
According to the first conventional technique, no wiring is actually conducted at the time of optimization illustrated at Step 903 of FIG. 9. In the calculation of a wire delay, therefore, the above-mentioned minimum spanning tree is regarded as real wiring. Real wiring in general takes topology approximate to that of a Steiner tree rather than that of a minimum spanning tree. In addition, the above-described optimization takes neither detoured wiring nor wire RC delay into consideration. As a result, there are cases where expected results are not obtained because a delay estimation result obtained by the optimization differs from a delay value obtained after routing.
According to the second conventional technique, gate re-sizing and buffer insertion are conducted in the optimization illustrated at Step 1103 of FIG. 11. Buffer insertion here is to insert a buffer so as to place immediately behind a gate and in layout, adjacent to the same such that the number of fanouts of the gates will be "1". Limiting a buffer locating position to immediately behind a gate is intended for making an accurate delay estimation in logic synthesis. This disables drastic delay optimization.
The third conventional technique has three problems. First is a large difference between an estimated delay value and a real delay value because a tree structure of a Steiner tree generated in the optimization disagrees with a tree structure of real layout. As a result, optimization for obtaining a circuit satisfying delay constraints can not be appropriately conducted, whereby the number of iterations of layout is increased to disable designing to be completed in a short time period.
Second problem is difficulty in deciding a buffer insertion position because of lack of methods for heuristic calculating buffer insertion position on a wire segment.
Thirdly, this conventional technique employs, as information for use in generating a Steiner tree, only the gate locating position information but not the wiring information. In the optimization, a Steiner tree is generated without considering wiring crowdedness. It is therefore impossible to take account of detoured wiring which will be made in layout in practice, so that delay error is liable to occur.

Delay optimization system to conduct optimization for satisfying delay constraints on the circuit and method therefor


A test circuit for evaluating the characteristics of an component formed on the surface of a semi-conductor substrate. The test circuit comprises at least two MOS field effect transistors having the same gate width and different gate lengths, and measuring electrodes mounted on opposite ends of each gate and enageable with probes when measuring the test circuit. The test circuit measures typical characteristic data of MOSFETs to be used in a semiconductor device with good match by an electrical means.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device including a test circuit for evaluating the characteristics of components of the semiconductor device, and more particularly to an improvement of such test circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integrated-circuit chips contain a good assortment of components. A MOS field effect transistor (hereinafter called "MOSFET") is one of such component. It is essential to know the precise characteristics of the MOSFET components of the integrated circuit. Consequently, in many instances, test circuits for measuring the characteristics of individual components of an integrated circuit are formed on a semiconductor substrate such as wafer independently.
The characteristics of MOSFET are tested to evaluate the electrical characteristics of the components. Therefore, it is preferable to perform all the measurement electrically and to obtain consistent data.
However it is impossible for conventional test circuits to electrically measure essential characteristics such as the effective channel length and gate length necessary for controlling the effective channel length. For instance, the gate length has to be measured optically based on a measurement principle which differs from the principles of electrical measurement. Therefore, the data that are obtained by the different measurement principles are sometimes inconsistent. It also takes time to perform the measurements.
Conventional test circuits have difficulty precisely measuring the characteristics of the MOSFET by a simple method. Specifically, different test circuits have to be used to measure the effective channel length and the sheet resistance of the MOSFET, respectively, resulting in test circuits that occupy a large space on the wafer.
FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings show an example of a test circuit MOSFET. With MOSFET, the effective channel length should be precisely measured, since it is as important as the threshold voltage.
The test circuit 100 includes at least two MOSFETs 10a, 10b whose gates 12a, 12b have the same width W but has different lengths L. The sources, drains and gates of these MOSFETs 10a, 10b are respectively connected to metal wirings and measuring electrodes 16, 18, 20a, 20b via contact holes 14.
A computer-controlled measuring unit (not shown) contacts probes to the measuring electrodes 16, 18, 20a, 20b of the test circuit 100. For example a predetermined voltage is applied to the gates of MOSFETs 10a and 10b to measure the current across the source and the drain. The effective channel length is then calculated based on the current and applied voltage characteristics of MOSFETs 10a and 10b.
FIG. 7 shows a test circuit 110 for measuring the sheet resistance of MOSFET. A gate 12 of MOSFET is usually made of polycrystalline silicon, for example, similar to a resistor component. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the resistance of the MOSFET gate as the sheet resistance (specified in units of ohms per square) after excluding the influence of the parasitic resistance. For this purpose, the test circuit 110 includes an element 22 for measuring the sheet resistance. The element 22 is connected to four measuring electrodes 24, 26, 28, 30 via contact holes 14. A computer-controlled measuring unit (not shown) contacts its probes to these measuring electrodes 24, 26, 28, 30, measuring the sheet resistance of the element 22.
The test circuits 100, 110 are applicable to electrically measure the effective channel length and the sheet resistance of MOSFETs. A typical application of these test circuits is for the evaluation of trial products using the measured results.
In practice, such test circuits 100, 110 are also applied to evaluate mass-produced articles. In such case, it is also required to obtain data such as the gate length for controlling the effective channel length, difference between the gate length and the effective channel length, and the lateral diffusion length of the source and drain.
However these data cannot be obtained from the electrical measurements of the test circuits 100, 110. For example, the gate length has to be optically measured by using laser beams.
The optical measurement should be carried out for an exposed gate region 12 during the fabrication of the test cirucit 100 under the conditions quite different from the electrical measurement. Further, the gate length obtained by the optical measurement, which is different from the principle of electrical measurement, does not always match the effective channel length and the sheet reistance obtained by the electrical measurement. Therefore, the obtained data are not always reliable enough to evaluate MOSFETs.
There has been a great demand to make compact test circuits and to reduce the number of measuring electrodes to effectively use the measuring probes, so that the test circuits are appliable to evaluation of the mass-produced articles without adversely affecting highly integrated circuits.
Conventionally, two test circuits 100, 110 are required to measure the important data such as the effective channel length and the sheet resistance as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. This means that these test circuits not only occupy rather large spaces on the semiconductor substrate but also need a number of measuring electrodes.
Specifically, the test circuit 110 for measuring the sheet resistance is large and needs many electrodes.


Calibration of a hexapod structure includes measuring a head pose of the hexapod structure relative to a base of the hexapod structure. Calibration of the hexapod structure also includes for each strut, independently increasing a length of each strut by a predefined amount from an original length and repeating the measuring of the head pose relative to the base. Calibration of the hexapod structure further includes for each strut, independently decreasing a length of each strut by a predefined amount from the original length and repeating the measuring of the head pose relative to the base. Additionally, calibration of the hexapod structure includes moving each strut back to the original length, and estimating joint errors for each strut prior to calibrating of the hexapod structure.

PIXL instrument on a vehicle employs a hexapod structure to provide six (6) degrees of freedom (DOF) maneuverability. The knowledge of the exact locations of the top and bottom joints of all six struts is critical in determining the real-time pose of the PIXL instrument to support PIXL science mission. Direct measurements of those joints locations however are not possible or difficult.
Thus, a new calibration approach for hexapod structures with applications to the vehicle employing a hexapod structure may be beneficial.

Hexapod pose knowledge improvement by joint location calibration with individual strut length differential measurements

United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


A rolling bearing unit has a hub which is formed with a housing for partly forming a constant velocity joint, wherein a connecting tube 20 of a magnetic metal plate is provided to have a base half portion 21 fitted onto the opening portion of the housing and a tip half portion 22 projecting from the housing, and a number of through holes 26 are formed in an axial portion of the base half portion and arranged circumferentially to function as a tone wheel.

The constant velocity joint is used to transmit the rotational force taken out of the engine through the transmission.
JP Patent Publication KOKAI NO. H7-317754 discloses a conventional rolling bearing unit for vehicle wheel having a constant velocity joint, where the constant velocity joint is combined with the rolling bearing unit, so that the driven wheel is rotatably supported by the suspension while the rotational force is transmitted to the driven wheel.
FIG. 8 shows the conventional structure disclosed in this publication. An outer ring or race 1 is supported by the suspension so as not to rotate when incorporated in the vehicle, and formed with a first mount flange 2 on its outer peripheral surface to be supported by the suspension and with outer ring raceways 3 in double rows on its inner peripheral surface. A hub 4 is provided on the radially inside of the outer ring 1, and formed with a second mount flange 5 on its outer peripheral surface at the axially outer end (left end in the drawings) to support a vehicle wheel (not shown), with inner ring raceways 6 in double rows on its outer peripheral surface at the axially middle portion, and with a housing 8 for the constant velocity joint 7 at the axially inner end (right end in the drawings). A plurality of rolling members 9 are provided between the outer ring raceways 3 and the inner ring raceways 6 to rotatably support the hub 4 inside the outer ring 1.
The terms "axially outer" and "axially outside" mean the widthwise outside when installed in the vehicle while the terms "axially inner" and "axially inside" mean the widthwise inside when installed in the vehicle in the present specification.
Substantially cylindrical covers 10 made of a metal plate such as stainless steel and annular seal rings 11 made of elastic member such as elastomer e.g. rubber are provided between the opposite opening portions of the outer ring 1 and the outer peripheral surface at the middle portion of the hub 4. The covers 10 and seal rings 11 isolate the portion where the rolling members 9 are located, from outside, and prevent the grease in this portion from leaking out to the outside, and the foreign matter such as rain water, dust from entering this portion.
The constant velocity joint 7 comprises, in addition to the housing 8, an inner ring or inner joint member 12 and balls 13, which are a rotation or torque transmitting member, respectively. The balls 13 are rotatably supported by a cage 14. Engaged in a spline joint with the inside of the inner ring 12 is the end of the drive shaft (not shown) which is rotated through the transmission by the engine.
Formed on the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring 12 are a plurality of (e.g. six) inner engagement grooves 15 in arcuate cross section which are circumferentially arranged with a uniform interval to extend at right angles with reference to the circumferential direction.
Formed on the inner peripheral surface of the housing 8 facing the inner engagement grooves 15 are a plurality of outer engagement grooves 16 in arcuate cross section which are circumferentially arranged to extend at right angles with reference to the circumferential direction.
The balls 13 can roll along the inner and outer engagement grooves 15, 16 when supported by the pockets 17 of the cage 14, respectively.
When installing into the vehicle the rolling bearing unit integral with the constant velocity joint as constructed above, the outer ring 1 is supported by the suspension through the first mount flange 2 while for example the front wheel, that is a driven wheel, is connected to the hub 4 through the second mount flange 5. The end portion of the drive shaft (not shown) is engaged in a spline joint with the inside of the inner ring 12 of the constant velocity joint to be rotatably driven by the engine through the transmission.
When the vehicle is moving, the rotation of the inner ring 12 is transmitted to the hub 4 through the balls 13 to rotate the driven wheel, e.g. front wheel.
There is a problem that the conventional rolling bearing unit for vehicle wheel as shown in FIG. 8 is hard to make the unit compact and lightweight. The reason is as follows;
In the constant velocity joint 7 integrally combined with the rolling bearing unit, six inner engagement grooves 15, six outer engagement grooves 16 and six balls 13 are used. In this case, in order to transmit the required torque keeping the rolling fatigue life of the inner engagement grooves 15 and outer engagement grooves 16 and of the rolling contact surfaces of the balls 13 of the constant velocity joint, the outer diameter of the balls 13 of the constant velocity joint 7 must be large in a degree. Accordingly, in the conventional rolling bearing unit for the vehicle wheel, the diameter of the circumscribing circle of the outer engagement grooves 16 determined by the size of the diameter of the circumscribing circle of the balls 13 is larger than the diameter of the inner ring raceways 6 on the outer peripheral surface at the middle portion of the hub 4.
Therefore, in the conventional rolling bearing unit for the vehicle wheel, the rolling bearing section comprising the outer ring 1, hub 4 and rolling members 9 and the section of the constant velocity joint 7 are arranged in series in the axial direction as shown in FIG. 8. However, in this series arrangement, the whole axial size of the rolling bearing unit for the vehicle wheel is larger, and by that amount, the whole apparatus weight is larger. The weight increase of the rolling bearing unit increases the unspring weight of the vehicle, which would worsen the ride comfortability and fuel consumption performance. Therefore, making the rolling bearing unit for the vehicle wheel compact and lightweight is required.
Under such a situation, the present inventors invented the rolling bearing unit for the vehicle wheel combined with the constant velocity joint disclosed in JP Patent Application No. H9-191433.
In the rolling bearing unit for the vehicle wheel combined with the constant velocity joint of this patent application, as shown in FIG. 9, the number of the inner engagement grooves 15 on the outer peripheral surface of the inner ring or inner joint member 12, the outer engagement grooves 16 on the inner peripheral surface of the housing 8a of the constant velocity joint 7a, which is provided on the axially inner end of the hub 4a, and the balls 13 between the inner and outer engagement grooves 15 and 16 are seven or more (e.g. 8-12), respectively, so that the load applied to the balls 13 during use of the rolling bearing unit is smaller than in the conventional structure. By that amount, the outer diameter of the balls 13 is made smaller, so that the diameter of the circumscribing circle of the balls 13 arranged in an annular shape, and the diameter of the circumscribing circle of the outer engagement grooves 16 are made smaller than the diameter of at least the axially inside one of the inner ring raceways 6 which are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the middle portion of the hub 4a. In addition, the axially inside one of the inner ring raceways 6 is made to overlap part (the left part in FIG. 9) of the outer engagement grooves 16 in the radial direction.
The operation to rotatably support the vehicle wheel to the suspension by the rolling bearing unit of this application is substantially the same to that of the conventional rolling bearing unit as mentioned above.
Particularly, in the case of the rolling bearing unit of this patent application, the diameter of the circumscribing circle of the outer engagement grooves 16 is smaller than the diameter of the axially inside one of the inner ring raceways 6, so that this inner ring raceway 6 is made to radially overlap part of the outer engagement grooves 16. Accordingly, by this overlap amount, the axial size of the rolling bearing unit for the vehicle wheel is made smaller so as to make the whole apparatus compact and lightweight.
However, it is difficult to incorporate in the structure of FIG. 9 the tone wheel for detecting the rotational speed of the vehicle wheel. Specifically, detecting the rotational speed of the vehicle wheel is required to control the antilock brake system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). And, the tone wheel with the circumferential property changed alternately with a uniform interval must be fixedly supported on the inside of the first mount flange 2 on part of the hub 4a rotating with the vehicle wheel in order to detect the rotational speed.
However, in the case of the patent application of FIG. 9, the inner ring raceway 6 on the axially inside is made to radially overlap part of the outer engagement grooves 16 to reduce the axial size of the rolling bearing unit, which reduces the axial size L.sub.18 of the axially inner end portion 18 axially inwardly projecting from the seal ring 11 at the axially inner end of the housing 8a adjacent the axially inner end portion of the hub 4a.
Fitted onto the axially inner end portion 18 is the axially outer end portion of the boot (not shown) which shields the interior of the housing 8a from outside to prevent the foreign matter from entering the housing 8a while preventing the grease in the housing 8a from leaking out. In addition, the axially outer end of the boot must be retained on the outer peripheral surface at the axially inner end portion of the housing 8a with a retaining band (not shown). For the rolling bearing unit combined with the constant velocity joint improved as shown in FIG. 9, the space for incorporating the tone wheel is not available so long as any modification is made.

Tone wheel built-in constant velocity joint


A tube-structured battery to be inserted into a living body is provided. The tube-structured battery includes: a biofuel battery part which generates electric energy by using biofuel in the blood passing through an internal space of the tube structure; a transformer circuit part which adjusts a voltage or current density by using the generated electric energy; and a secondary battery part which is charged with the electric energy by using the adjusted voltage or current density to store the electric energy, wherein the tube-structured battery is inserted into the living body or a blood vessel of the living body.

1. Field
The present general inventive concept generally relates to a battery to be inserted into a living body, and more particularly, to a tube-structured battery to into a blood vessel of a living body.
2. Description of the Related Art
Living body implantable medical devices, such as an artificial heart, a pacemaker, a video pill, a diagnostic medical center, a drug infusion pump, etc., assist a patient to be diagnosed and cured. However, since the living body implantable medical devices have large sizes to give burdens to patients, many patients who have been implanted with the living implantable medical devices complain of inconveniences of wearing sensations.
Therefore, many efforts to reduce the sizes of the living body implantable medical devices have been made. However, since a volume of a primary battery occupying a considerable portion between about 20 v % and about 60 v % in these devices is great, remarkably reducing the sizes of the medical devices is limited.
In particular, a life of primary battery ends after a predetermined time, and thus an implanted device is to be periodically replaced through a surgical operation.
A living body implantable secondary battery has been developed and commercialized. As a charging method of the secondary battery, there is a method of charging the secondary battery by using an external radio frequency (RF) or a method of charging the secondary battery by wire through a terminal exposed to the outside. This method causes a continuous charging, and the charging method using the terminal exposed to the outside causes inconveniences to patients. Also, the charging method using the RF causes a safety problem.
According to a report, a size of a device which does not give repulsion toward wearing sensations to patients and does not give pains to the patients when implanting the device is 0.5 cm (length)×500 μm (width)×200 μm (thickness). Therefore, a size of a battery used as power of the device is to be reduced in an ultra-small size. In this case, a capacity of the battery is also reduced and thus cannot be used for a long time.
In order to solve this problem, there have appeared a micro-sized living body implantable biofuel battery which generates electricity from Glucose existing in a living body.
The biofuel battery has a micro-size but oxidizes the Glucose of the living body to self-generate the electricity and thus continuously supplies electricity to a device implanted into the living body. However, voltage and current densities generated from the electricity are very low, and thus it is impossible to apply the living body implantable biofuel battery as an enough power source to supply power to a living body implantable device. Also, in consideration of convenience of a user, a micro-sized biofuel battery to be inserted into a blood vessel is requested.

Tube-structured battery to be inserted into living body

Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation Gyeongsang National University


A hairdresser's masking aid allows for masking selected strands of hair from other strands of hair while the selected strands are treated. The masking aid comprising at least two panels of flexible sheet material which are capable of being hinged apart to receive the selected strands and subsequently brought together to envelop the selected strands. At least one of the panels comprises a substrate of a flexible and transparent plastics material laminated over at least part of its area to a metal foil substrate. The plastics substrate is laminated to the said metal foil substrate by a laminating wax so that the resultant laminated sheet is capable of being deadfolded in a similar way as non-laminated aluminum foil.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hairdresser's masking aids and in particular concerns masking sheets of the type that are adapted to engage and mask selected strands of hair while the selected strands are treated, for example, when performing a bleaching or a coloring process.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of techniques are known that enable selected strands of hair to be treated and masked from unselected hair. For example, European patent number 0,122,145 discloses a hairdresser's masking sheet comprising a substrate of flexible material having an adhesive strip carried by the substrate for effecting attachments of the sheet to selected strands of a head of hair prior to treatment and for rapid removal of the strands from the substrate after treatment. The masking sheet comprises two rectangular panels, of substantially the same dimensions, which are welded together along a common edge to form a transversely extending hinge about which the panels are pivotal relative to one another. The hinged joint enables the panels to be hinged apart to receive the selected strands of hair between the panels and brought into proximity with each other to envelop the selected strands so that the strands may undergo a treatment process within the envelope so formed.
In one known example, the masking sheet comprises a first panel of opaque flexible sheet material, for example polyester, and a second panel of substantially transparent flexible sheet material welded to the first along a common edge. The transparent panel allows the hairdresser to monitor the progress of the coloring/bleaching process.
There are a number of drawbacks and disadvantages associated with hairdresser's masking sheets of the type described in EP 0122145. For example, the adhesive securing means (strip) becomes ineffective when brought into contact with many of the substances used to treat the selected hair. Consequently, the device tends to be labile, often slipping from the selected hair, thus requiring repositioning or replacement. Furthermore, the strips of adhesive material provide a barrier to treatment substances. Therefore, it is difficult to treat all of the selected hair within the envelope, particularly the roots of the selected strands that remain outside the envelope on the other side of the adhesive strip in use. Additionally, a problem experienced by hairdressers includes excessive application of treatment substances. For example, the application of too much treatment substance to the hair or to the interior of the envelope can lead to over processing of the selected strands, wastage of treatment substances and leakage of excess treatment solution from the envelope. The latter can be particularly problematic if excess treatment solution drips onto the clothing of the person undergoing the treatment process and causes bleaching or discoloration thereof. If too much treatment solution is applied and over processing occurs, the selected strands tend to tangle with neighboring strands when the treatment solution is washed out and the hair is dried.
This can lead to some of the selected strands breaking when subsequently combed. This problem arises from the fact that the hair cuticles become raised during over processing and the raised cuticles then interlock with the cuticles of neighboring strands, which causes tangling of the hair when it is dried.
Many hairdressers prefer to use strips of aluminum foil for masking strands of hair instead of using masking sheets of the aforementioned type. One of the preferred characteristics of metal foil is that it will dead fold to create a sealed region around the strands of hair being treated. Typically hairdresser's masking foil comprises strips of 18 micron aluminum foil. This thickness has been shown to provide sufficient strength for normal use and enables the hairdresser to reopen the packet or envelope formed by folding the foil to periodically monitor the coloration or bleaching process.
Metal foil is not, however, without its drawbacks. For example, a problem encountered by hair colorists and the like occurs when masking sheets of substantially opaque material, for example metal foil, are used to mask the selected strands of hair. Such opaque sheets do not readily enable the hair colorist to monitor the coloring or bleaching process without opening the envelope formed by the masking sheet around the selected strands of hair. This is an important consideration because as the hair grows out of the scalp it receives oxygen from the atmosphere and a hardening process known as keratinisation occurs. Keratinisation, or full keratinisation, takes about 6 weeks for normal hair, which is equivalent to about 25 mm (1 inch) growth. The first 25 mm of hair from the root is not, therefore, fully keratinised and more readily absorbs the active chemicals of the hair treatment substance used for colouring or bleaching. The remaining length of hair is fully keratinised and is hard and horn-like in texture. The greater hardness of the keratinised hair makes it much harder for the chemicals to penetrate the hair and this increases the amount of time required for the chemicals to be absorbed, which increases the process time. This is not necessarily a problem when highlighting selected strands by bleaching since the desired effect is to remove all pigment from root to tip and similarly where a whole head of hair is to be coloured darker than the hair's natural colour. However, the difference in processing times is significant when a whole head of hair is to be coloured lighter than the hair's natural colour and currently it is necessary for the hair colorist to first apply the treatment substance to the middle lengths and ends of the hair and wait for a predetermined amount of time, for example 20 minutes, before the same substance is applied to the roots in order to achieve even coloring. When using opaque masking sheets, such as metal foil, it is therefore, necessary for the hair colorist to periodically check that the roots have been processed sufficiently so that they are the same colour as the remaining keratinised part of the hair. As previously mentioned this involves the colorist periodically opening the envelope formed by the metal foil to observe the extent of the coloring process. In doing so, it is possible that treatment solution may escape.


An outdoor screen fence is made up of a series of molded panels with simulated paneling and lattice in relief bounded on each lateral side by a leg. Each leg has a plurality of brackets along the length thereof. The brackets on one leg are disposed intermediate the brackets on the other leg. Each of the brackets has an aperture therethrough for receiving a tubular fence post. In assembly, the brackets of different panels are aligned in an interspersed relationship and a fence post with a removable impact cap is inserted through the apertures and driven into a support surface such that each leg is supported by at least two brackets.

There are numerous examples of prefabricated fence sections that can be assembled to form a continuous structure. Earlier prefabricated fences were assembled from individual sections made of wood. Usually, each section had a fence post at each end for anchoring in the ground. Other fence sections were made with pilings or panels attached to supporting frame members and the frame members were assembled to pre-set fence posts
U.S. Pat. No. 42,166, discloses a portable fence. The fence consists of panels of longitudinal strips attached parallel to upright bars, a single nail or bolt passing through the strips and bars at the intersections. The panels are connected together and secured to the ground by means of stakes which pass through metal loops or eyes attached to the ends of the panels. The panels may be arranged in straight line, zigzag or other form and may be utilized on level or inclined ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 174,973, discloses a portable fence. The fence consisting of panels, constructed of a number of rails secured together by vertical bars. Eyelets are secured to the ends of the rails by tangs fitting in grooves along the rails. The panels are connected together and secured to the ground by means of stakes which pass through the eyelets attached to the ends of the panels. A brace consisting of a stanchion is placed about midway along the length of the panels. The stanchion includes looped ends through which stakes are driven into the ground to secure the panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 197,806, discloses a portable fence. The fence consisting of panels, constructed of a number of rails secured together by vertical bars. Eyelets are secured to the ends of the rails and stakes having hooks secured thereto are driven into the ground through the eyelets until the hook contacts the uppermost eyelet.
U.S. Pat. No. 326,902, discloses a farm fence constructed of a number of rails secured together by vertical bars. Wire strands extend between the upper portions of the vertical bars to prevent livestock from leaning against the fence sections and eyelets are secured to the ends of the rails. Stakes having hooks secured thereto are driven into the ground through the eyelets until the hook contacts the uppermost eyelet.
More recently, wood, wire and ropes have been replaced with man-made materials such as polymers, pressed board, fiberglass, etc. These materials offer advantages in uniformity of shape, ease of assembly, upkeep, and longevity. One such prefabricated fence is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,772,998. The fence assembly comprises a plurality of post members, a plurality of rail members and a plurality of paling members. The post members are connected to the rail members via openings on the inside face of the post members and projections at the end of the rail. The connection between the paling members is established by passing the paling members through a plurality of openings in the rail members. The bottom of the post member may be connected to a foot. Typically the foot is a precast concrete block. The block may have a cavity extending downwardly from the top wall to a depth suitable to hold the fence post. The cavity may be enlarged at one side to accept a holding wedge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,096, discloses a fence characterized by interchangeably mountable fence sections each having a front and a rear surface, and parallel pairs of vertical and horizontal edges. A mounting member having a mast-receiving opening therein is disposed adjacent each vertical edge of the wall portion of each of the fence sections. Each mounting member has a mating surface thereon disposed in the same plane as the mating surface provided on the other mounting member. When the first mating surface on the wall portion of a first fence section is matingly engaged with a mating surface provided on the other of the mounting members on a next-adjacent fence section, the mast-receiving openings therein are disposed in vertical registration. The fence section, including the wall portions and the mounting members, are integrally fabricated of a plastic material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,753, discloses a moldable edge connecting apparatus that can optionally be employed as a hinge. It is suitable for use as fencing and is particularly applicable to removable fencing. It employs integrally molded connecting fingers that are designed without deep slots, lips thereover, or fully circumscribed openings. The entire structure is substantially coplanar with segments to be connected, even when used as a hinge, and utilizes half-round grooves that are substantially no deeper than the radius of the groove.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,660, discloses a fence structure consisting of modular panels mounted on posts. The modular panels are of thermoplastic or thermoset material having a rail portion and a connector at each end for fitting over the posts. The connector has an integral expansion joint in its central passage and each connector is offset in opposite directions to the longitudinal center of the panel to provide a hinged effect with the connectors of adjacent panels in the fence. The construction is readily adaptable to sloping ground and variation in height between panels and provides simplified installation-by easy alignment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,081, discloses a pre-fabricated picket fence. The picket fence consists of a series of repeating units hingedly engaged with each other to form a fence. Each unit includes a vertically elongated picket and a pair of rails mounted to each picket. One rail is mounted adjacent the upper portion of the picket and one rail is mounted adjacent the lower portion of the picket. Each rail having a tongue horizontally extending from one side of the picket and a pair of flanges forming a groove adapted to receive a tongue extending from the other side of the picket. The tongues and flanges are vertically aligned and a sharpened dowel is placed through aligned apertures and driven into the ground to secure the fence.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,327, discloses a portable fence panel for use on a support surface. The fence includes a rectangular frame member having a pair of side frame portions and a top and bottom frame portion. The frame portions have an outer and inner surface defining an aperture through the frame member. The panel includes cross-members in the frame aperture for restricting passage therethrough. One of the side frame portions has at least one first connector portion extending therefrom defining a connector surface and having at least one aperture therethrough. The panel also includes at least one second connector portion extending-from the other side frame portion having a connector surface which is substantially coplanar with the connector surface of the first connector portion. The second connector portions extend in a direction opposite the first connector portion and have at least one aperture therethrough. The panel also includes supports extending from the bottom frame portion. The supports have a contact portion supported by the support surface and a connector portion having at least one aperture therethrough. To connect a plurality of fence panels, a pin is positioned through one of the connecting portion apertures in a connector portion of a first and second panel and a second pin is positioned in a second connector portion aperture of the first panel and a connector portion aperture in a third panel.
U.S. Pat. No. D427,322, illustrates an ornamental design for a fence section. having a cross lattice shape on the upper portion and a vertical lattice shape on the lower portion.
Included in the broad field of prefabricated fencing, lattice screens are well known for decorative use, as well as, for providing a barrier. One advantage of this structure is the lessened wind resistance. The lattice is usually mass produced of a series of small thin longitudinal pieces laid over a series of small thin lateral pieces at a ninety degree angle and fastened together leaving interstices of varying sizes. Again, the traditional wooden construction has given way to plastics and other synthetic materials. Examples of such structures are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,398,193; 6,308,487 and 6,286,284.
Typically the prior art utilizes rectangular corner posts and are thus designed for joining in straight lines or right angles. For example, the posts generally have bores or slots extending through the posts at right angles to each other allowing the panel supports to be aligned or oriented normal to each other. Any other angular relationship may require some modification of the posts or the panel sections or both.
Prior art fences are also semi-permanent in that placement of the fence posts usually results in a post anchored into a hole in the ground that may be filled with concrete. Adjustment of the fence requires substantial labor.
In addition the prior art fencing is heavy and difficult to ship. The sections must be dismantled and the pieces spaced apart within the packaging to prevent damage during shipment.
What is needed in the art is a fencing system that provides secure privacy, adaptability in layout, ease of changing the fence line and can be installed without damage to the fence posts. The fencing system should also be lightweight and should be constructed for stacked packaging in a nested arrangment for ease of shipment.


A method is provided to detect whether vertical deviation occurs as an optical disc spins in an optical disc player having a pickup head pre-installed in a balanced position at a focal distance. When moving towards and away from the balanced position, the pickup head generates a focus error signal with an S-curve. According to an input control signal, a focus actuator actuates the pickup head to keep it substantially at the focal distance. When the pickup head is not focused, the waveform of the input control signal is designed to actuate the pickup head back and forth within a predetermined range to generate the focus error signal with S-curves. Zero crossing points of S-curves are identified and input control values in the input control signal are obtained accordingly. The variation of the input control values is calculated, and whether vertical deviation occurs is determined by a predetermined procedure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detection method, and more particularly, to a method for detecting whether vertical deviation of an optical disc occurs while the optical disc is spinning in an optical disc player or an optical disc writer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Vertical deviation refers to the wobbling of an optical disc, along the perpendicular direction of the spinning level that the optical disc is spinning on, while the optical disc is spinning in the optical disc player or optical disc writer. Vertical deviation causes data reading to be unstable, writing quality to be inconsistent, and noise to be produced while the machine is operating.
Vertical deviation usually results from poor quality of the optical disc; this kind of undesired disc is called vertical deviation disc. In the field of disc manufacturing, there are many related technologies to prevent vertical deviation discs from being manufactured. Besides, many industrial instruments are used to detect whether an optical disc is a vertical deviation disc.
However, consumers may encounter a vertical deviation disc while using an optical disc player or optical disc writer. The reason could be attributed to inadequate quality management of the disc manufacturer or the imbalanced mass of the optical disc caused by damage after the optical disc left the factory. Because the prevention of vertical deviation is considered to be the responsibility of the disc manufacturers, optical disc players or optical disc writers generally don't include the detection method for detecting whether the optical disc is a vertical deviation disc.
Besides, an optical disc player or optical disc writer can read some of the vertical deviation discs. In the prior art, an optical disc player or optical disc writer is designed to be able to keep the focus length from the optical disc in order to read data, the so-called focus. Therefore, although the vertical deviation disc wobbles along the perpendicular direction of the spinning level, the pickup head can follow the wobbling of the optical disc and keep focusing to read data.
Because the prevention of vertical deviation of an optical disc is considered to be the responsibility of the disc manufacturers, and because some of the vertical deviation discs are still readable, manufacturers of optical disc player and optical disc writer usually ignore the problem of vertical deviation. Users of optical disc players and optical disc writers depend on the abnormal noise made while the optical disc is spinning in the machine or on inconsistent quality of reading or writing to determine whether the optical disc presently used is a vertical deviation disc. Therefore, the conventional optical disc player and optical disc writer lack a vertical deviation disc detection method.

Method of vertical deviation disc detection


A combination cover and elongated friction device for holding the cover in position on a firearm is provided. The device can be used with different type guns. The cover is provided with holes and slots, for holding a bolt or hammer in a fixed position, and is shaped, to enclose the trigger or prevent movement of firearm parts, and has plural sized apertures to receive protrusion of the elongated friction device. The friction device has plural protrusions larger than the sized apertures to create an interference fit that requires specific force to remove so that there is a resistance to accidental discharge and use of the firearm by children.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is to an externally attached friction operated safety system for firearms. A cover device is placed over the trigger and/or trigger guard and/or hammer or bolt of a firearm or between relatively movable parts. The cover is held in place by a friction means of either the reusable type or the nonreusable fracture type. Either type friction means requires a predetermined force to remove or break the frictional hold. The cover device is used to obstruct access to and/or prevent movement of operating parts of firearms.
2. Description of Related Art
Prevention of the accidental discharge of firearms has been of concern almost since the use of such arms began. Many contrivances have been built internally into and externally onto and both internally and externally of firearms as safety devices for controlling discharge. Some of these safety devices, especially the external type, are independent additions to build in safety means.
There are many devices that lock or secure portions of a firearm to prevent unauthorized use. Deming, U.S. Pat. No. 835,349 issued Nov. 6, 1906, and Bayn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,397 issued Nov. 1983, and Butler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,596 issued Mar. 31, 1992, are examples of securing firearm hammers using a padlock, frangible strap and quick release child resistant pressure responsive means. Windle, U.S. Pat. No. 1,686,482 issued Oct. 2, 1928, and Cannon, U.S. Pat. No. 3,022,596 issued Feb. 27, 1962, and Durnal, U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,837 issued Aug. 2, 1983, are examples of covering the trigger of a firearm. Bernet et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,962 issued Apr. 24, 1984, teach a guard for the bolt of a firearm.
The use of a sized aperture and an elongated strip with protrusions for frictional force fit is old for permanent engagement, with Hansen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,197,164 issued Jul. 27, 1965 an example, as is insertion and removal for adjustment, with Liautaud, U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,428 issued Mar. 13, 1951 an example. Most fasteners and securing means are concerned with ease of insertion in one direction and a reverse direction force movement that will fracture and destroy the fastener or securing means; Van Neil, U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,803 issued Aug. 10, 1971, and Moberg et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,919 issued Jan. 11, 1977, are examples.

Quick release safety device for firearms


A demolition cutter which can smoothly cut an object while eliminating the possibility of any gap being formed between mating surfaces having cutting edges. The cutter includes an arm pin 8 extending between a pair of side plates 6 of a movable bracket 3. Two arms 9a and 9b are mounted on the arm pin 8 so as to be pivotable about the pin 8 between open and closed positions. Cylinders 14a and 14b are connected to the arms 9a and 9b, respectively. The arms 9a and 9b have mating surfaces 11 formed with cutting edges adapted to cut an object when they cross each other. The cylinders 14a and 14b have their axes offset outwardly from the mating surfaces 11 so that when the cylinders are extended, the arms 9a and 9b are closed with their mating surfaces 11 in close contact with each other. This prevents the formation of a gap between the mating surfaces during cutting.

Before remodeling the interior of a house or a factory building, it is often necessary to dismantle existing ceilings and/or walls by means of a demolition cutter.
Such a demolition cutter is disclosed in JP patent 2556664. The demolition cutter disclosed in this patent includes a bracket detachably mounted to the free end of a construction machine and having a pair of side plates. An arm pin extends between the side plates of the bracket. A pair of cutter arms are pivotally mounted on the arm pin. A cylinder is connected to each of the cutter arms to pivot it about the arm pin. The cutter arms have mating surfaces formed with cutting edges. By actuating the cylinders in such directions that the cutter arms close until their cutting edges cross each other like scissors, an object sandwiched between the cutting edges is cut.
FIG. 10A is a development of the cutter disclosed in the above publication, showing the relationship between the cutter arms and their cylinders. In FIG. 10A, two arm pins 41 are shown. But this is merely because this figure is a development. The actual cutter has only one such pin 41. In FIG. 10A, as well as in FIG. 10B, the cutter arms are designated by numerals 42a and 42b, the cylinders by 43a and 43b, the mating surfaces by 44, and the cutting edges by 45.
In this conventional demolition cutter, the axes of the cylinders are present in the plane X1 including the mating surfaces 44 of the cutter arms 42a, 42b. Thus, the arm-closing forces generated by the cylinders 43a and 43b act on the respective cutter arms 42a and 42b along the plane X1. Thus, when the cylinders are actuated to close the cutter arms 42a and 42b with an object W to be cut sandwiched between the cutter arms, the cutter arms tend to pivot outwardly as shown in FIG. 10B. When the cutter arms are repeatedly pivoted outwardly, it becomes increasingly difficult to smoothly cut the object W.
The arm pin 41 is loosely inserted in pin holes 46 formed in the cutter arms 42a and 42b. That is, gaps are present between the pin 41 and the pin holes 46. Thus, when the cylinders are actuated to close the cutter arms with the object W clamped between the cutting edges 45 in an inclined state, the tips of the cutter arms 42a and 42b are pushed outwardly, so that the cutter arms 42a and 42b pivot outwardly within the range permitted by the gaps between the pin 41 and the pin holes 46 as shown in FIG. 10B. Since the arm-closing forces generated by the cylinders act on the arms along the plane X1, they cannot prevent the cutter arms from pivoting. Since the tips of the cutter arms are pushed outwardly, gaps are present between the mating surfaces 44 and thus between the cutting edges 45 when cutting the object W. This makes it difficult to cut the object W cleanly.
When the cutter arms 42a and 42b pivot outwardly about the pin 41, as shown in FIG. 11, the cutter arms are pressed hard against each other at their ends, shown at P1. The cutter arms 42a and 42b are also pressed hard against the side plates 47 of the bracket at points P2. Thus, the frictional resistance between the cutter arms and between the cutter arms and the side plates of the bracket hampers smooth pivoting motion of the cutter arms 42a and 42b in the closing directions. Also, the force from the cylinders acts on the arm pin 41 at its longitudinal center and may deflect and in the worst case break the pin.
Chips as well as a soft or thick object W to be cut tend to get stuck between the mating surfaces 44, thus hampering smooth cutting, or causing outward deformation of the tips of the arms 42a and 42b.
When the cylinders are extended, their thrust force acts along the mating surfaces 44 of the cutter arms 42a and 42b, so that it is necessary to form the cutting edges by cutting out the mating surfaces 44. This results in a reduction in thickness of the cutter arms in their areas where the cutting edges are formed. Thus, in order to reinforce these areas, reinforcements or some other measures are necessary, which of course pushes up the cost of the entire cutter.
In order to avoid these shortcomings, in one conventional demolition cutter, pads or guide rails are provided on the outer sides of the cutter arms to prevent the arms from pivoting outwardly. But such extra members add to the number of parts and thus the cost of the cutter.
In conventional cutters, each cylinder has its body connected to the movable bracket and the piston rod to one of the cutter arms. Thus, the piston rods protrude from the movable bracket. Thus, the piston rods tend to be damaged by hitting against obstacles.
An object of the invention is to provide a demolition cutter in which the cylinders are arranged such that pushing force from the cylinders can minimize inclination of the cutter arms and outward deformation of the tips of the cutter arms when the cylinders are extended to close the cutter arms, thereby eliminating any gap between the mating surfaces of the cutter arms so that an object to be cut can be cut smoothly.
A second object of the invention is to provide a compact demolition cutter which prevents damage to the piston rods of the cylinders for opening and closing the cutter arms, and which ensures smooth demolition work.

Nippon Pneumatic Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A method of generating an image from multiple cameras having different focal lengths is described. The method comprising receiving a wide image and a tele image; aligning the wide image and the tele image to overlap a common field of view; correcting for photometric differences between the wide image and the tele image; selecting a stitching seam for the wide image and the tele image; and joining the wide image and the tele image to generate a composite image, wherein a first portion of the composite image on one side of the stitching seam is from the wide image and a second portion of the composite image on the other side of the stitching seam is from the tele image. An electronic device for generating an image is also described.

Digital cameras are electronic devices that capture an image that is stored in a digital format. Other electronic devices, such as smart phones, tablets or other portable devices, are often equipped with a camera to enable the capture of images. As the demands for improved functionality of cameras or electronic devices having cameras has increased, multiple cameras having different functionality have been implemented in electronic devices. According to some implementations, a dual camera module in an electronic device may contain two different lenses/sensors. For example, a wide angle (wide) lens may be used with a telephoto (tele) lens to approximate the optical zoom effects. The two sensors are operated simultaneously to capture an image of the same scene, respectively referred to as a wide image and a tele image. Because the wide and tele lenses have different focal lengths, each will provide different fields of view (FOV). The wide image reflects a wider FOV, while the tele image has an FOV that may be approximately one half of the wide image for example, although the ratio of the tele image to the wide image could be some other value. While the two images are separately useful, combining portions of the two images together can be difficult.
Therefore, methods of using two images to generate a single image are beneficial.

Device having cameras with different focal lengths and a method of implementing cameras with different focal lengths


The disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) chip fabrication, and more particularly, to an e-fuse device including an opening, a first via and a second via in an interlayer dielectric, wherein the opening, the first via and the second via are connected to an interconnect below the interlayer dielectric; a dielectric layer that encloses the first via and the second via; and a metal layer over the dielectric layer, wherein the metal layer fills the opening with a metal, and wherein the first via and the second via are substantially empty to allow for electromigration of the interconnect during re-programming of the e-fuse device.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) chip fabrication, and more particularly, to an electrical-fuse (e-fuse) including empty vias for electromigration during e-fuse re-programming.
2. Background Art
Circuit programming at the product level after packaging is challenging. One approach that is currently practiced in advanced technologies is e-fuse programming employing a silicided polysilicon gate structure as the fuse link. During e-fuse programming, a high current pulse is passed through the silicided gate to cause damage on the silicide layer to increase resistance. Another e-fuse approach includes utilizing electromigration in metal interconnects to induce an electrical open. Electromigration induces atom drift in the direction of electron current flow, causing a void at the cathode end and metal extrusion at the anode end. However, the metal extrusion causes dielectric breakdown, intra-level shorting, and crack propagation during the thermal cycle, therefore causing major reliability concerns.

Empty vias for electromigration during electronic-fuse re-programming

International Business Machines Corporation


In a drink preparation machine, particularly espresso machine, with a height adjustable drink outflow unit (6) disposed on the front side of a machine housing front wall (3), a machine housing front wall (3) having an opening (4) extending in height adjustment direction (5) through which opening (4) a drink supply pipe (22, 36) extends. In the machine housing (2) at least one masking band (8) is disposed behind the opening (4). The masking band (8) is connected to the drink outflow unit (6) and masks on the inside of the machine housing front wall (3) one section (41, 42) each of the opening (4) not covered on the outside. At least one deflection section (25′, 28) of the masking band (8) is deflected away from the inner side of the machine housing front wall (3).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drink preparation machine, particularly espresso machine, comprising a height adjustable drink outflow unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Drink preparation machines of this kind, particularly espresso machines, include a drink outflow unit in which at least one downwardly open outflow pipe is provided below which a receptacle, for instance a cup or a glass, can be disposed which receives the drink, or coffee, respectively, prepared by the drink preparation machine, particularly espresso machine. The drink outflow unit is height adjustable to permit the use of cups or glasses of different height to the upper open side of which the outflow pipe can be moved. The drink outflow unit which typically comprise's a drink outflow distributor is disposed on a front side of a machine housing front wall while the proper drink preparation device, particularly a brewing chamber of an espresso machine, is disposed within the machine housing. A drink supply pipe via which the drink is fed from inside of the machine housing from the drink preparation unit, or the brewing chamber, respectively, to the drink outflow unit passes through an opening of the machine housing front wall which extends in height adjustment direction of the drink outflow unit. If the means for the height adjustable support of the drink outflow unit are disposed within the machine housing as well, which is preferred, a connecting member extends from the drinks feeder pipe into the opening of the machine housing front wall, too. The means for the support of the drink outflow unit may consist of a carriage connected with it via the connecting member and movably guided on a vertical slide bar. This state of the art known from practice includes also that the slide bar together with the carriage and, if required, a drink feeder device connected with the proper drink preparation device, particularly the brewing chamber, on one hand, and with the drink outflow unit, or the connecting member, respectively, on the other hand, is arranged in a carrier chassis constituting a separate structural assembly mounted within the machine housing preferably on the machine housing front wall.
It is an disadvantage of such drink preparation machines, particularly espresso machines that the opening in the machine housing front wall extending in the adjustment direction of the drink outflow unit is not completely covered by the drink outflow unit, particularly if the latter is compact and if the height adjustment path is large. Through the open sections of the opening, dirt particles, particularly coffee remains, may penetrate into the interior of the drink preparation machine.
In order to avoid this, one might think of providing the drink outflow unit which is also referred to as outflow slide valve with a shield part outside in front of the machine housing front wall, which, however, might restrict the useful height adjustment path. In order to improve the support of such an outflow slide valve, it has been known to design it as two parts, viz. a shield part and an outflow distributor, wherein the outflow distributor can be extracted like a telescope from the shield part and is height-adjustably supported. This shall result in a more compact type of structure having a lager adjustment scope; it requires, however, a technically elaborate construction (DE 202 20 056 U1).
In another prior art coffee automat an outflow unit is supported on a carrier mounted to the outside of the machine housing front wall (DE 20 2005 011 476 U1). Through an opening of the machine housing front wall, a coffee supply pipe extends from the inside of the coffee automat into an outflow unit in which it is connected to a coffee outflow distributor which discharges into coffee outflow pipes. The support of the outflow unit is effected by means of a longitudinal ball bearing as a first bearing element which encompasses a vertical longitudinal ball bearing axis provided on the carrier as a second bearing element. However, while it is largely avoided when using this coffee automat that dirt particles penetrate through the opening of the machine housing front wall into the machine housing, the relative height adjustability of the outflow unit is smaller than the height dimension thereof.

Drink preparation machine, particularly espresso machine, comprising a height adjustable drink outflow unit


As disclosed herein, a method is provided, in an integrated circuit, for forming an enhanced capacitance trench capacitor. The method includes forming a trench in a semiconductor substrate and forming an isolation collar on a sidewall of the trench. The collar has at least an exposed layer of oxide and occupies only a “collar” portion of the sidewall, while a “capacitor” portion of the sidewall is free of the collar. A seeding layer is then selectively deposited on the capacitor portion of the sidewall. Then, hemispherical silicon grains are deposited on the seeding layer on the capacitor portion of the sidewall. A dielectric material is deposited, and then a conductor material, in that order, over the hemispherical silicon grains on the capacitor portion of the sidewall.

In a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a plurality of memory cells are formed in a matrix manner on a substrate. Each memory cell in a DRAM device is constructed by at least one transistor and at least one storage capacitor. Commonly, either trench capacitor or stacked cells are used. The trenched structure is advantageous to the stacked structure in situations where the surface flatness of the device is of great importance. While trench capacitors are mostly used as storage capacitors in DRAMS, such structures are also used in some integrated circuits as general use capacitors, for example for decoupling purposes.
In DRAMs, as well as in other integrated circuits, it is desirable that a semiconductor chip hold as many circuits or memory cells as possible per unit area. The continuing trend to increase circuit density requires that DRAM cells occupy smaller and smaller areas over the long term. However, the inability to shrink cell voltages and currents as rapidly as the cell area means that proportionally more capacitance is demanded from the storage capacitor per unit of area defined by the initial etch of the trench at critical dimension. Thus, a need exists for a method of forming a trench storage capacitor having enhanced capacitance.

Self-aligned selective hemispherical grain deposition process and structure for enhanced capacitance trench capacitor


A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes an acceleration delta module and a remedial action module. The acceleration delta module determines an acceleration delta of a vehicle based on a difference between an actual acceleration of the vehicle and a desired acceleration of the vehicle. The acceleration delta module also determines an average value of the acceleration delta corresponding to at least one of a first predetermined period and a predetermined number of samples of the acceleration delta. The remedial action module, based on the average value of the acceleration delta and independent of a torque command generated to accelerate the vehicle, selectively takes a remedial action by adjusting operation of at least one of an engine and an electric motor.

The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion engines combust an air and fuel mixture within cylinders to drive pistons, which produces drive torque and thereby accelerates a vehicle. Additionally or alternatively, an electric motor may be used to produce drive torque and thereby accelerate the vehicle. The amount of drive torque produced is based on a driver input such as the position of an accelerator pedal or a cruise control setting. An engine control system typically stores multiple mappings of the driver input to a desired torque and determines a driver torque request based on a selected one of the mappings. The engine control system may then generate a torque command based on the driver torque request and other torque requests, and use the torque command to control the amount of drive torque produced. The other torque requests may include torque requests generated to compensate for accessory loads, to facilitate a transmission shift, and/or to assist with traction control.
In some instances, the amount of drive torque produced may result in vehicle acceleration that is different than desired. The difference between the desired vehicle acceleration and the actual vehicle acceleration may be referred to as a vehicle acceleration delta. Some engine control systems may determine a desired torque based on the driver torque request and the other torque requests in parallel with generating the torque command. The engine control systems may then determine a difference between the desired torque and the torque command and compare the difference to a threshold torque, which may be predetermined through calibration. If the difference is greater than the threshold torque and the vehicle acceleration delta is greater than desired, the engine control systems may shut off an engine to decrease the vehicle acceleration delta. Evaluating the torque command using a threshold torque to decrease the vehicle acceleration delta adds cost and complexity. In addition, shutting off the engine may be undesired in certain situations and may result in undesired cost and inconvenience to the driver.

System and method for controlling vehicle acceleration


An integrated access device is automatically configured to conduct packetized voice and data communications between a customer's voice/data equipment and a digital communications switch. For this purpose, the IAD's communication control processor is programmed to perform an automated analysis of the digital communications link and thereby identify communication interface circuits such as DSLAM and voice gateway units, that have been installed by the service provider. It then automatically configures the communication parameters of the IAD for communication compatibility with the communication interface circuits.

Digital subscriber loop (DSL)-based (packetized) communications currently enable telecommunication service providers to deliver multiple types of digital signalling channels (e.g., voice and data) at a fraction of the cost of conventional time division multiplexed (TDM)-based circuit switched networks. To deliver packetized voice and data, the service provider may deploy several different pieces of communication interface equipment (such as asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switches, digital subscriber line access multiplexers (DSLAMS) and voice gateways in the signal transport path from a central office to a customer premises-resident IAD.
Since the IAD is customer-purchased and installed, the service provider does not participate in the customer's choice of what is connected to the DSL line. However, in order for the customer to be able to conduct (packetized) voice over digital subscriber line (vodsl) communications through its IAD, it is necessary that the IAD's supervisory communications controller be properly initialized or preconfigured with a prescribed set of communication parameters that make the IAD compatible with the DSLAM and voice gateway equipment, that may be sourced from a variety of vendors, each having their own proprietary methods for handling various layer services, set-up and management.
Now although this and other parameter information of the subscription service are provided by the service provider to the purchaser of the terminal equipment, the customer is usually technically unsophisticated and accustomed to doing nothing more than performing a 'plug-and-play' exercise. Indeed, experience has revealed that a very large majority of DSL customers will burden the equipment supplier and/or the service provider with requests for technical support in the course of configuring the IAD, irrespective of whether the service provider has correctly supplied each of the parameters to the customer.

Mechanism for automatically configuring integrated access device for use in voice over digital subscriber line circuit


The disclosure relates to a decorated, surface-structured wall or floor panel and a method for manufacturing same. The decorated, surface-structured wall or floor panel of the disclosure comprises a substrate made of a plastic composite material, a primer coat on a surface of the substrate, a decorative coat on the primer coat, a coat of radiation-curable varnish on the decorative coat, a structured plastic film on the coat of radiation-curable varnish, and a coat of finishing varnish on the structured plastic film.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Decorated panels are known per se, wherein the term wall panel also means panels which are suitable as a ceiling or door lining. They usually consist of a carrier or core of a solid material, such as a wood material, which is provided on at least one side with a decorative layer and a covering layer and optionally with further layers, such as a wearing layer disposed between the decorative and the covering layer. The decorative layer is usually a printed paper impregnated with a resin or a printing layer applied onto the carrier by use of, for example, a suitable printing subsurface.
A method for producing a decorated wall or floor panel is known from the document EP 2 829 415 A1, in which, starting from a granular carrier material, a carrier and subsequently a panel are formed. In such a method, for example, a WPC can be used as a carrier material.
Here, the production of the panels as well as the panels themselves in some circumstances can still offer room for improvement. Potential for improvement may in particular be provided with regard to the applicability at the site of the end user.
In order to improve the realistic impression of the panels, it is known from the prior art to provide them with a surface structure in order to achieve a haptic effect adapted to a natural material. Here, it may be provided, for example, that in a wood decoration the structure of the grain is formed by a surface structure matching with the visual representation of the wood grain.

Decorated surface-structured wall or floor panel


A system may include a network, a remote storage facility coupled to the network, and a client coupled to the network. The client may be adapted to receive a store command for a data file, to prompt a user for a file name for the data file, and to receive a parameter selection. The parameter selection may include a transfer time. The client may be adapted to apply the parameter selection to the data file, to queue the data file in a queue for transmission to the remote storage facility, and to transfer the data file to the remote storage facility at the transfer time.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to a system for remotely storing data files, and more particularly to a system for transferring data files from a client across a network to a remote storage facility.
2. Related Art
Losing data is a significant problem for computer systems and electronic devices, and for users of computer systems and electronic devices. Sophistication of computer users varies greatly and may sometimes add to the loss of data. Conventional methods of storing data may store the data locally on a hard drive or a flash memory of a computing device. However, computing devices are vulnerable to viruses, instability in operating systems, storage device failures, and damage to the computer system, all of which may lead to a loss of data and to user frustration. The frustration is particularly acute when data of importance is lost, such as work-related data or digital photograph data having sentimental value. While improvements in computer hard drive and other storage device technologies, such as redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) and mirroring, may allow some opportunity for data recovery, many times data may be lost forever. Data may be lost in many instances since conventional computer systems rely on the integrity of data stored at a storage device local to their computing device.
What is needed then is an improved storage system and method of protecting data that overcomes shortcomings of conventional offerings.

System and method of storing data files at a remote storage facility


A system and method for propagating data commutates data from different data sources into a data stream based on a commutation format. The data is received and decommutated to replicate the data. The commutation format can be changed for prioritizing different data from the data sources.

Many communication systems are packet based, and in some areas such as battlefield management of personnel, tanks, or other items, the packets are difficult to implement. For example, it could be difficult to determine what data is transmitted first. There also are limited bandwidth considerations and it is difficult to determine which packets to drop and which to send. This could be critical in any battlefield management situation if one battle group begins moving and its data becomes more important (or has higher priority) to any command unit that receives and processes that data. Naturally, any high priority data should not be dropped and must be propagated in some fashion to the command.
Some database solutions have been proposed. In one proposed solution, updates are transaction based and each transaction contains additional information required to route and process the data. Any replication of a data set and its update frequency would require significant software development. Also, congestion control and prioritization are difficult to implement and modify. As data changes in priority and/or becomes more dynamic, a solution for optimizing how it is propagated becomes difficult to resolve.


Systems, and methods are described herein for identifying and/or controlling influence and/or potential influence of one or more signals on one or more properties of light emitted by one or more lighting units (100). In various embodiments, one or more signals may be identified that influence, or potentially influence, a manner in which a lighting unit controller (110) controls one or more properties of light to be emitted by a lighting unit (100). In some embodiments, a user instruction may be received to alter the manner in which the one or more signals influence how the lighting unit controller (110) controls the one or more properties of light emitted by the lighting unit (100) may be received. The lighting unit controller (110) may control a manner in which light output of the lighting unit (100) is influenced by the one or more signals in accordance with the user instruction.

Digital lighting technologies, i.e., illumination based on semiconductor light sources, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), offer a viable alternative to traditional fluorescent, HID, and incandescent lamps. Functional advantages and benefits of LEDs include high energy conversion and optical efficiency, durability, lower operating costs, and many others. Recent advances in LED technology have provided efficient and robust full-spectrum lighting sources that enable a variety of lighting effects in many applications. Some of the fixtures embodying these sources feature a lighting module, including one or more LEDs capable of producing different colors, e.g., red, green, and blue, as well as a processor for independently controlling the output of the LEDs in order to generate a variety of colors and color-changing lighting effects, for example, as discussed in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,016,038 and 6,211,626, incorporated herein by reference.
Various signals obtainable by a lighting unit controller may influence, or have the potential of influencing, how the lighting unit controller controls one or more properties of light emitted by one or more lighting units. A wall switch may provide a signal to a lighting unit controller that influences whether the lighting unit controller causes a lighting unit to emit light or not, as well as how the lighting unit controller controls a brightness of light emitted by the lighting unit if the wall switch is dimmable. A wake up routine implemented by, for instance, a lighting system bridge, may influence a lighting unit controller to gradually increase an intensity of light emitted by one or more lighting units. A user presence simulation routine may influence a lighting unit controller to cause one or more lighting units to emit light to simulate the presence of one or more persons, e.g., for security purposes. One or more rules, e.g., promulgated by a lighting system bridge, may influence how a lighting unit controller controls various properties of light emitted by one or more lighting units (e.g., dim lights after 11 pm). Third party services and/or applications, such as social networks, may also influence how a lighting unit controller controls one or more properties of light emitted by a lighting unit, e.g., using technology such as "if this then that," or "IFTTT."
The influence such signals have on how a lighting unit controller controls light emitted by a lighting unit may be altered by multiple parties with different needs and agendas. There is no guarantee that these parties will cooperate or even communicate with each other about their lighting choices. For example, assume a child configures a lamp to flash when the child's favorite team scores a goal. A parent watching television near the lamp may not understand why the lamp flashed. The parent may have no way of finding out why the light flashed other than by asking the child. The child may or may not be available, and may or may not remember configuring the lamp. Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a way to ascertain and/or control how one or more signals influence one or more lighting units.

Identifying and controlling signal influence on one or more properties of emitted light


A processor includes a cache memory that has an array, word lines, and bit lines. A control module accesses cells of the array during access cycles to access instructions stored in the cache memory. The control module performs one of a first discrete read and a first sequential read to access instructions in a first set of cells of the array that are connected to a first word line and selectively performs one of a second discrete read and a second sequential read based on a branch instruction to access instructions in a second set of cells of the array that are connected to a second word line. The second word line is different than the first word line.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Memory in computing devices may be arranged in a memory hierarchy, which includes memory devices of different speeds, types and sizes. The type, size and proximity of a memory device to a processor affect processing speed of the memory device. Higher levels of the hierarchy generally correspond to higher speed/lower capacity memory devices while lower levels of the hierarchy generally correspond to lower speed/higher capacity devices. For example, cache may be at the highest level, RAM and ROM may be at middle levels, and non-volatile memory such as a hard disk drive may be at the lowest level.
Cache may be used to store copies of highly used data and instructions to improve performance. The cache may be implemented using high speed memory such as static random access memory (SRAM) instead of slower dynamic RAM (DRAM), which may be used for main memory. The cache may be arranged on the same integrated circuit (IC) as the processor and may be referred to as Level 1 (L1) cache.
During operation, the processor executes instructions. More particularly, the processor fetches an instruction having a location identified by a program counter (PC). After fetching the instruction, the processor decodes the instruction, which may include an opcode and an operand. The opcode indicates the operation to be performed while the operand may include information for the operation to be performed. After the fetch and decode steps are performed, the processor executes the instruction. Finally, the processor writes back the results to memory. After completing the instruction, the program counter may be incremented by the length of the instruction word.
Some types of instructions may be called branches or jumps that may be used to directly manipulate the program counter. For example, the branch may be used to facilitate behavior similar to loops, conditional decisions and other program functions. Alternately, the branch may occur as a result of register values, which may represent flags.
The cache may be accessed as a word; each including R instructions, where R is an integer greater than one. Each instruction may include I bits, where I is an integer greater than one. To access the word of instructions, multiple read cycles may be executed. Each read cycle accesses one of the instructions. During the read cycle, memory cells associated with an instruction are accessed by asserting toggling both a row path (a word line) and multiple column paths (bit lines) of the array for the corresponding instruction. The asserting of row and column paths may be accompanied by decoding row and column addresses, generating a word line signal, precharging bit lines, sensing-amplification of stored bit information, and latching data.

Processor instruction cache with dual-read modes