An automated method for producing integrated circuit arrangements for automotive vehicle control systems provides at least two logically isolated subsystems (5, 6) and, in addition to the logical isolation, effects a spatial (physical) isolation of the subsystems on the surface available on the circuit arrangement.

The present invention relates to a method for producing integrated circuit arrangements for automotive vehicle control systems by establishing a layout using an automated method.
Various methods for the design of client-specific integrated circuits (ASICS, FGPAs) in the field of microelectronics are known in the art. ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) refers to an integrated circuit (IC, 'chip') that has been developed related to the client or application-specifically. ASICs are employed when an optimum is demanded in terms of overall size, efficiency and low power dissipation. Depending on ASIC technology, a cost benefit is achieved already starting from relatively small quantities. The spectrum reaches from simple, programmable structural elements (PLDs) via more complex, freely programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) up to full custom ASICs with analog and digital component. Mask sets (Layout) for specific methods of producing circuits (e.g. CMOS, BICMOS) of defined companies may be produced by a customer by way of assembling complex components (IP) that can be polled from libraries with a per se known appropriate development software such as OCEAN of Delft University (NL), Synopsis or CADENCE. The development tools thus permit designing micro-circuits within limits defined by the manufacturer. The development of circuits utilizes hardware descriptive languages like VHDL, Verilog or by means of SDL for signal-flow oriented applications.
In electronic control devices for controlling the brakes of motor vehicles, e.g. in electronic driving dynamics control systems (ESP) or anti-lock systems (ABS), the regulation and control of most various functions is performed by microprocessor systems. As is known, safety-critical electronic circuits have a totally or partially redundant design in view of the high degree of reliability demanded from corresponding control devices.
A basic principle of redundancy is that the subsystems available several times (e.g. two equal microprocessors) operate independently of one another and can monitor or correct each other. It is, however, also possible that the proper function of these multiply provided subsystems is compared by a third circuit unit and, when a deviation of the function occurs, further suitable steps may be taken.
When corresponding circuits with redundancy are developed by means of per se known development tools such as CADENCE, the multiply provided subsystems are usually interlaced more or less.
It has shown that the circuit arrangements produced by means of the previously described development tools do not yet satisfy in full the demands placed on them in terms of reliability of operation.

Client-specific circuit board with isolated redundant systems


A base station includes an incoming call terminal identification message generating portion When the base station transmits an incoming call message to a terminal, an incoming call terminal identification message useful for only the incoming call terminal, for example a message such as ID number information peculiar to the terminal, is inserted in the head of a slot assigned to the terminal and is transmitted. When the incoming call terminal detects the incoming call terminal identification message, the terminal receives a regular incoming call message transmitted thereafter. When the terminal cannot detect the incoming call terminal identification message, the terminal judges that the message is not directed to a call to its own terminal and immediately stops monitoring of the slot at this time.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radio communication apparatus such as a mobile telephone and a portable telephone including a battery as a power supply thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a radio communication system including a base station and terminals, control information such as information for controlling a call may be transmitted through a control channel and speech maybe transmitted through a speech channel. When there is an incoming call from the base station, information for call initiation for calling a specific terminal is generally transmitted through the control channel. The terminal detects the information for call initiation and exchanges necessary information with the base station. Then, the terminal starts speech by means of the speech channel. The terminal is required to monitor the control channel in order to detect the call initiation; the terminal does not always monitor for an incoming call, but monitors for an incoming call for a particular time at regular intervals. The state of monitoring for a request for call initiation is named a state of waiting for a call. Thus, in this state, the terminal operates a receiving circuit only when the terminal performs the monitoring and during other periods the terminal is required to operate a timer function for counting the time until the next monitoring at the minimum.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a control channel transmitting unit of a base station and a control channel receiving unit of a terminal in the prior art. In the base station 51, an incoming call control portion 53 detects an incoming call from a network. An incoming call message generating portion 54 generates an incoming call message for the incoming call terminal. An other message generating portion 55 generates messages of various kinds of control information indicative of states and the like of the system which are not directly related to the incoming call. A message constructing portion 56 constructs messages from the incoming call message generating portion 54 and the other message generating portion 55 to form one message block. A transmitting portion 57 transmits the message block constructed by the message constructing portion 56 in synchronism with a slot timing through radio.
In a terminal 52, which is a mobile station, a receiving portion 58 monitors a slot assigned to the terminal 52 and receives a radio wave signal from the base station 51. An incoming call message detecting portion 59 takes out the incoming call message from the received slot. An operation/stop control portion 60 controls to operate and stop each portion of the terminal
Operation of the above prior art will now be described Control data transmitted from the base station 51 is described with reference to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a carrier 61 used as the control channel on a radio circuit is divided into slots each having a milliseconds as a unit. A control message 62 provided on the control channel includes a series of various kinds of control information containing incoming call information sent from the base station 51 and is formed as one message block. The terminal 52 monitors the control channel for each slot assigned thereto in the state of waiting for a call and previously arranges together with the base station 51 to monitor the control channel every k slots. In FIG. 2, for example, when the terminal 52 monitors the control channel at slot (n), the next monitoring by the terminal 52 is performed at slot (n+k). Further, when the base station 51 attempts to connect a call to a terminal, the base station 51 provides the incoming call message in any position within a slot to be monitored by the terminal 52, so that the terminal 52 can detect the request for call initiation. For example, when the incoming call information is provided in the message (3) of the slot (n), the terminal 52 can receive the message (3) including the incoming call information for x milliseconds after an elapse of y milliseconds from starting of monitoring the slot (n).
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, operation of the base station 51 and the terminal 52 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, in the base station 51, when the incoming call control portion 53 detects an incoming call from a line wire (step 71), the control portion 53 requests the incoming call message generating portion 54 to issue an incoming call message (step 72). The call incoming message generating portion 54 issues the incoming call message in response to the request. The message constructing portion 56 constructs the incoming call message and inserts the message into a specific slot (step 73). The transmitting portion 57 transmits the constructed message through radio (step 74).
On the other hand, in the terminal 52, as shown in FIG. 4, the operation/stop control portion 60 operates the receiving portion 58 and the incoming call message detecting portion 59 just before a slot to be monitored by its own terminal is reached and moves from the state of waiting for a call to an operational state (step 81). The receiving portion 58 receives the slot assigned to its own terminal (step 82) and the incoming call message detecting portion 59 examines whether an incoming call message to its own terminal is contained in the received slot or not (step 83). If an incoming call message to its own terminal is present, the operation/stop control portion 60 sends a signal to an incoming call processing control portion (not shown) to perform the call initiation process. If an incoming call message to its own terminal is not present, the slot is continuously received until the slot is finished (step 84). When the slot is finished, the operation/stop control portion 60 stops operation of the receiving portion 58 and incoming call detecting portion 59 and moves from the operational state to the state of waiting for a call (step 85).
In the conventional radio communication apparatus, however, there is the following problem: Whether an incoming call message to its own terminal is contained to the received slot is not understood unless the slot is received to the end thereof and the message is decoded, and the longer the slot time is, the more a battery in the terminal is consumed.
Generally, in a terminal such as the portable telephone which is operated by a battery, how long the time of waiting for a call can be extended in one charging is a very important subject and the electric power consumed to monitor the slot every time so as to detect an incoming call to the terminal cannot be neglected.

Radio communication apparatus which includes a base station and terminals that save power as they monitor for incoming calls from the base station

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A bistable non-volatile latch circuit adapted to store a non-volatile binary data state during a program operation, and to assume one of two stable states in response to a power up operation that correspond uniquely to the data state has first and second circuit sections. The first circuit section has a first non-volatile current path with means to set the impedance of the first current path in a non-volatile manner. A first end of the first current path is connected to provide a logic output signal, which represents a binary logic state depending on a voltage applied to the a first signal input node. The set/reset signal to the first current path varies between at least the power source voltage and a program voltage that is negative with respect to the power source voltage. A second circuit section generates an output voltage on a second output node that represents a binary logic state opposite from the output states of the first circuit section. Means are provided for connecting the first circuit section and the second circuit section into a bistable configuration.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bistable non-volatile semiconductor latches, and, more particularly, to a flip-flop circuit which includes electrically erasable, electrically programmable memory elements for setting and storing the configuration of programmable semiconductor circuitry.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a strong need to remember the state of conditions entered or derived in semiconductor devices whenever the devices are on. These states must reliably configure the devices to act in one way or another. Examples of devices needing different configurations with the same basic device are EPLD's (Electrically Programmable Logic Devices), FPGA's (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and memory devices that require repairing defective rows or columns of memory cells with spare or redundant rows or columns of memory cells.
Since these devices and systems have no prior knowledge of the desired conditions, non-volatile memory would be needed to store the state of conditions when the devices are turned off. When the devices are turned back on, the state of conditions are restored for proper device operation.
An array of non-volatile memory cells is a way of storing the desired conditions, but because the structure of an array of memory cells requires additional circuitry to function, simultaneous access of all states in the array is not practical. Sometimes in the EPLD case, an array of non-volatile memory cells on or off chip is used, and during device and system power up, the entire content of the array is downloaded into state latches on the device which store and configure the device while it is on. The problem with this scheme is off chip it requires more system board space and algorithms for downloading the data, and on chip it requires a memory array with its associated overhead circuitry. Both methods require algorithms for downloading the data into state latches on chip.
For memory devices, the above scheme does not work since on power up, the memory device needs to start working right away without downloading from a non-volatile memory. Usually, memory devices incorporate fuse links to configure redundant elements and are an efficient way to implement redundancy on a memory device, but this method requires large development and production cost.
A better approach would be integrate a non-volatile latch into the configuration logic of these circuits; however, almost all manufacturable non-volatile memory elements available today require voltages during the erase and write operations that greatly exceed the typical operating voltage range of logic circuitry. In order to accommodate these higher voltages, special high voltage devices and structures must be fabricated in an integrated fashion with the standard logic devices. The additional manufacturing steps required to integrate the high voltage devices adds non-productive manufacturing costs to the logic and increases logic production yield losses. Oftentimes, these two factors increase the cost of the logic well beyond what customers would be willing to accept.
It is therefore desirable to integrate non-volatile memory elements in a novel manner that would eliminate the need for voltages significantly higher that the typical operation voltage range of the logic circuitry.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and apparatus for providing instantaneous logic configuration upon power up when data latch devices are used to configure the state of the logic without incorporating large numbers of extra devices and manufacturing steps.

Semiconductor non-volatile latch device including embedded non-volatile elements


A mask pattern applied to a peripheral portion of a wafer has an open/close ratio substantially the same as that in a central portion thereof and prepared according to a looser design rule than that for forming the central portion. The looser design rule has a high latitude for out-of-focus exposure and provides high resistance to pattern removal. Since the open/close ratios in the central portion and the peripheral portion of the wafer are substantially the same, variance in process accuracy due to a micro-loading effect can be prevented.

The present invention relates generally to a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same, and more particularly to an improvement of a pattern formed on a wafer and a method for forming the pattern.
To prepare a mask for use in a process of forming an integrated circuit, in general, a diagram depicted at 1000 to 5000 magnification of a circuit is first prepared. The circuit diagram is converted by a CAD system to data for driving a pattern generator or electron beam exposure system. The pattern generator or electron beam exposure system forms a reticle (enlargement mask) 4 to 10 times enlarged from an actual size.
Generally, a pattern for one or several chips of an integrated circuit is depicted on a reticle. By means of a photo-repeater, the pattern on the reticle is reduced and a number of chip patterns are formed on a hard blank (or photographic plate) to obtain a master mask of an actual size. A master mask can be formed directly by an electron beam exposure system without a photo-repeater.
In recent years, as the integration density of an integrated circuit has been greatly increased and a projection aligner of non-contact type has been developed, a master mask of high accuracy is directly used in a production line, or a wafer is exposed via a reticle by a shot-by-shot exposure by means of a wafer stepper and a projection aligner.
A step and repeat system is one of the typical shot-by-shot exposure systems. In this system, a wafer is vacuum-fixed to an X-Y stage which can be moved two-dimensionally, and the wafer is exposed every time it is transferred by a fixed distance. Although the throughput of this system is lower than that of the full wafer exposure system, a pattern having high resolution is obtained by easy control, since a central portion of the lens used in the step and repeat system has less distortion. In addition, since patterns formed in different steps can be placed one on another, positioning with high accuracy can be achieved.
Both in the step and repeat system and the full wafer exposure system, when a chip pattern is transferred to a wafer, a peripheral portion the pattern may be displaced from the wafer, that is, outline imperfect chips are formed. According to the conventional manufacturing art, to form a pattern on all the portion of a wafer in the same manufacturing conditions, the wafer is exposed at a critical level with the same pattern both in a central portion and a peripheral portion of the wafer.
However, it is difficult to form, particularly, chips of a sub-half micron pattern in the peripheral portion of the wafer in the same design rule pattern as used in the central portion. The reasons for the difficulty are: the depth of focus is inevitably narrow when a fine pattern is projected; the focus in a region near the central portion is also applied to the peripheral portion of the wafer, since an area sufficient for focus measurement cannot be ensured in the peripheral portion; and the wafer is less flat in the peripheral portion than in the central portion.
Further, if a pattern is out of focus, the pattern may be removed in the steps subsequent to the pattern forming, generating foreign matter and lowering the manufacturing yield. More specifically, if foreign matter is adhered to a wafer, it may function as a mask in dry etching or ion implantation, thus forming etching remainder or a conductive inverted layer immediately under the foreign matter. Alternatively, atoms constituting the foreign matter may diffuse into the substrate or lower the adhesion strength of a deposited film.
Of all the external defects generated in the wafer process, defects, which may result from foreign matter adhered to the wafers or masks, are considered to be about 70%. Although outline imperfect chips are not the only cause of all of the external defects, they can be a potential source of defects.

Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same


A layered optical cross-connect switches signals from a first set of optical fibers to a second set of optical fibers. The optical cross-connect comprises at least two switching layers. The input ports and the output ports of each switching layer are fully interconnected. At least one switching layer is configured to switch at least two signals from the same optical fiber from the first set of optical fibers to the second set of optical fibers. For example, in a wavelength-division multiplex (WDM) system, a switching layer can switch signals from different WDM channels having different wavelengths.

The long-distance optical transport network with wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technology has shown a promising future for high-capacity optical fiber communications. In such a network, the communications between central offices within a telecommunications network are conveyed by a fiber-trunk mesh. Each central office acts as a network node, where signals from different fiber trunks and local client offices are either switched to different output fiber trunks for transmission to the next node, or dropped to the local offices.
The Wavelength Selective Cross-Connect (WSXC) is one type of known optical cross-connect. WSXC accepts multiwavelength signals and cross-connects individual wavelengths. Received signals are wavelength demultiplexed and then the signals having the same wavelength are switched on a wavelength-specific switching layer. In a WDM system, each WDM channel will be associated with a unique WSXC switching layer. At a network node connecting P fibers each having Q wavelength channels, the WSXC will have Q P-by-P switching layers. WSXC is nonblocking in any wavelength-specific layer, but is blocking from one wavelength layer to another. In other words, a signal received on any input port for a given wavelength-specific layer can be switched to any output port for that layer. A signal received on an output port of a given wavelength-specific layer, however, cannot be switched to an output port of a different wavelength-specific layer.
Another type of known optical cross-connect is the Wavelength Interchanging Cross-Connect (WIXC). WIXC accepts multiwavelength signals and cross-connects signals with wavelength interchange when necessary. In other words, at a network node connecting P fibers each having Q wavelength channels, the WIXC will have a single PQ-by-PQ switching layer. WIXC is nonblocking between fibers and between wavelength layers.
With network traffic demand rapidly growing, there is a growing demand for increased capacity in a telecommunications network. A likely solution to increase the capacity of a telecommunications network is to increase the number of wavelengths in WDM systems and/or to increase the quantities of fibers in each fiber trunk. This solution requires the high-capacity switch fabrics at the central offices to handle an increased number of input/output ports. Consequently, an optimum switch architecture should have a manageable switch size and have high expandability.
Known optical cross-connects, however, cannot adequately address the increased capacity requirements of telecommunications networks having rapidly growing traffic. Known optical cross-connects must increase the number of ports in the switch layers as the number of wavelengths and/or the quantities of fibers in each fiber trunk increases. Specifically, in the WSXC, the number of ports in each switching layer must be increased as the quantity of fibers in each fiber trunk increases. Similarly, in the WIXC, the number of ports in the single switching layer must be increased as either the number of wavelengths or the quantities of fibers in each fiber trunk increases. At some point, cost and/or available technology prohibits adding more ports to a switching layer to expand the capacity of known optical cross-connects. Consequently, known optical cross-connects have limited expandability and create management problems as capacity requirements increase.

Layered switch architectures for high-capacity optical transport networks


The invention offers a clip that makes it possible to use any necktie as is by the enabling the simple tying of a necktie knot with a single step.

The invention concerns a roll-knot necktie clip.
It is a clip for tying neckties easily that eliminates the past complications of tying neckties. There are numerous types of devices currently on the market that relate to simple tying of neckties. These devices have the same general purpose as the invention. However, the specific purpose of the invention is more limited and does not relate to other inventions for which patent application has been made.
The invention is a device to arrange the shape and form of a necktie such that the necktie crosses and narrows at the neck section of the part of the tie that hangs in front, without tying a knot. Thus the invention is a clip for the wearing of neckties utilizing a tying method called a roll knot, similar to way mufflers or ascot ties are tied.
While there are no roll-knot clips on the market, the following inventions have been published in public patent bulletins.
1. Patent Announcement No.144113 (1996)
2. Patent Announcement No.3809 (1998)
Products with the same objective as the invention in a broad sense, that is, various kinds of simple necktie clips, are already on the market. Moreover, the number of applications to the Patent Office is substantial.
But while the motivation for inventing a simple necktie clip is the same, comparative examples cannot be provided here because in the narrow sense (roll-knot necktie clip), the purpose for creating the invention is different.
As indicated above, products for the same purpose as the invention in the narrow sensexe2x80x94that is, roll-knot tie clips xe2x80x94are not found on the market.
The patent application devices quoted above in 1 and 2 have the following problems. The aim of the invention is to resolve these problems.
1. The quoted inventions (Patent Announcement No.144113 (1990) and Patent Announcement No.3809 (1998); hereinafter: xe2x80x9cthe quoted inventionsxe2x80x9d) use a screw or similar object to narrow and insert the essential part of the necktie.
2. Inserting the essential part of the necktie and tightening the screw appears simple on explanation diagrams, but it is bothersome to practice, because half of the necktie can slip out of place while the other half is being held in place.
3. There is a danger of damaging the necktie when tightening the screw, because ties are not made from materials of the same quality as the metal screw and great force is exerted on a small area of the soft cloth, a weaker material.
4. Forcefully tightening the screw will damage the necktie, whereas the tie may easily slide off the clip if the force of the screw is too weak.
5. A much simpler approach is preferable for this type of device. The quoted inventions, however, all require screws, are complicated in structure, and are expensive to manufacture because of their numerous parts.
The imperfections of the quoted inventions can be cited as the reason that it has not been possible to make them commercially available. They are not simple enough to be worn effectively, the necktie may slip off the clip more easily than expected depending on the screw strength, and they fail to meet the need for improved necktie use.
The invention aims to be an appealing product that can solve these problems through very simple manufacture and exceptional ease of use.
The invention characteristics are as follows.
1. The invention consists of an holding frame used as a catch section that is formed by extending both tips of a narrow, short plate of metal or similar material bent into a U-shape, at right angles towards each other such that they form a claw shape, and a stopper made of some material such as plastic that has been formed into a spindle that is slightly indented in the center.
The user first squeezes the tie at the back of the tie knot that corresponds to the knot of the necktie when tied in a roll knot and overlaps the front and inside part of the necktie to be held by the claw-shaped catch section, using the elasticity of the entire metal frame. The user then inserts the stopper from below and inside the inserted necktie and makes sure the tie is securely inserted by the clip and stopper and the necktie is firmly fixed.
The holding frame and stopper are analogous to a nut and bolt, working together to form the necktie clip.
2. Rather than bend the catch section into a claw shape, the identical result can be achieved by bending it into a loop; or attaching caps or balls made of some frictional materials such as rubber or plastic to both tips without bending them. When a hard round substance such as pearl is used, the same effect as a spherical catch section made of frictional materials such as plastic can be achieved by applying a friction agent such as silicon to the inside of the hard spherical body.
3. The stopper can be made of frictional materials such as plastic in the shape of a spindle that is slightly indented in the center portion; or of a slender metal plate in the shape of a spindle that is slightly indented in the center when seen from the side.
4. By forming an inside holding frame shaped like a ring that is slightly open at the tips and connecting it to the holding frame by a short plate such that both pieces are joined at the base, the inside holding frame maintains the insertion unit so a necktie can be tied firmly without having to use a stopper. This substantially improves ease and reliability of use.
5. The inside holding frame can also be formed by continuing to bend the bottom of the U-shaped unit directly at right angles into a forked shape and extending the tips to the prescribed length.
6. The inside holding frame can also be formed by directly extending the bottom section of the U-shaped body to the prescribed length in a spiral.
7. other ways to connect the parts that can be considered are an arrangement that allows the holding frame to slide. This is formed by doubling over the connector plate of the inside holding frame, extending it to the prescribed length and inserting the bottom portion of the holding frame into the slot formed by the doubled portion, or joining the connector plate portions with a hinge. The result increases the simplicity of use.
To make a necktie, the user does not tie the necktie in the normal fashion. Instead he crosses both halves and hangs one half of the roll knot (in this case the wider portion) on the outside, as with a muffler or ascot tie. Then, on the exact inside of where they cross, the user folds and overlaps the outside and inside portions of the necktie into a U-shape, inserts both ends into the claw-shaped clip portion and tightens the knot. Because the tips of the claw-shaped portion have a half-moon shape, the edges of the overlapping halves of the necktie can be precisely aligned by sliding the upper part of the necktie material as if drawing a circle and inserting the material so it is not damaged. The clip cannot easily slip off.
Merely inserting the necktie using the holding frame puts tension on the tie from the elasticity from the outside part of the tie, and the tie may slip out of place or come undone. To prevent this the spindle part that is made from material such as plastic and is slightly indented in the center is used as a stopper and inserted into the knot from the bottom part of the frame. Together with the clip the two parts fit together exactly like a nut and bolt, as explained above. This makes it possible to firmly secure the necktie.
In this case the indentation in the center of the spindle is analogous to the threads on a bolt and acts to prevent the tie from returning to the position it had just prior to the stopper being inserted, or from slipping or coming undone.
When the stopper is shaped to form a spindle that is slightly indented in the center when seen from the side, by bending both tips made from a slender long metal plate, the moderate tension in the metal plate acts on the outside as a stopper to hold the inserted necktie in place. When the catch part is bent into a loop shape without making a claw shape or is formed without bending into a spherical or cap shape with rubber or plastic material on both tips, the necktie can be smoothly inserted using moderate tension, while at the same time the strong friction towards the front half makes it hard for the necktie to slip off.
By forming a continuous structure with a plate joining the bottoms of the holding frame U-shape and the ring-shaped inside holding frame, the inside holding frame continues to hold the portion that was the inside backing of the crossed necktie, and action that pulls the inserted portion upwards also occurs. Force will also be added from the front side, forming a knot that will not easily come undone.
Through the action described above, the connected holding frame and inside holding frame structure not only make the stopper unnecessary, the inside holding frame also fulfills the role of a frame holding the essential part of the necktie and serves to give a smart look to the completed necktie.
The inside holding frame can also be made with an elongated structure that does not use the connector plate and that curves in a direct forked shape from the bottom of the U-shaped frame of the holding frame, but the result is nearly the same as with the ring-shaped inside holding form.
It is also possible to make the inside holding frame in a spiral of prescribed length with a single tip instead of the forked shape that wraps around the base portion of the inside of the crossed necktie to form the knot. In this case the invention is uniquely easy to use.
When using a structure to install the connector plate by extending it slightly and doubling it over in a way that allows the holding frame to slide, the user first slides the holding frame part and pulls it completely down to the bottom of the doubled section, then inserts the ring portion of the inside holding frame into the inside of the crossed necktie to support the base. The user then inserts the U-shaped overlapping necktie into the holding frame in one direction using the claw-shaped part, and finally slides the holding frame part back to its original position. The invention is aimed at beginners, enabling even those who are not used to tying a necktie to easily make a knot using the clip.
Because the holding frame portion and the inside holding frame portion can be variably connected using the connector plate, the tie can be made easily by first supporting the inside of the crossed necktie by folding the inside holding frame portion in front, then inserting the overlapped necktie into the U-shape. This is also intended for beginners.

Abstract: The invention is a roll-knot necktie clip that is formed from a holding frame (1) having a claw-shaped catch section (2a) and an inside holding frame (4a) in the shape of a ring that is joined to the base (5) by a connector plate (8).

Abstract: The second working example of the invention is an improved version made from the first working example and is formed from the holding frame (1) and the inside holding frame (4a). The second working example makes it possible to form a knot in nearly a single step without the use of a screw or other device by folding the inside of the essential part (14) and holding this in the inside holding frame, then inserting the outside (11a) and inside (11b) of the necktie (11b) that are overlapped in a U-shape into the holding frame.

Abstract: Because the invention clip makes it possible to use any necktie without changing the tie, the invention has the advantage of allowing users to select from nearly unlimited types of neckties without having to sacrifice individuality.


A method and apparatus are described for controlling connection admission for a connection request in a network. A first estimator estimates an equivalent cell rate (ECR) based on description of the connection request. The description includes a booking factor. A second estimator estimates a measured utilization factor for admitted connections in the network using measurements of data streams arriving at queues. A controller is coupled to the first and second estimators to generate an admission decision for the connection request based on the estimated ECR and the estimated measured utilization factor.

The purpose of the connection admission control (CAC) function is to ensure that each admitted connection is allocated a sufficient amount of a network node resource (e.g., buffer, bandwidth) along the connection path to satisfy the connection's quality of service (QoS) requirements. A connection request is rejected if there is an insufficient level of the network resource to guarantee the connection's QoS requirements.
There are six basic service categories: constant bit rate (CBR), real-time variable bit rate (rt-VBR), non-real-time variable bit rate (nrt-VBR), unspecified bit rate (UBR), available bit rate (ABR), and guaranteed frame rate (GFR). A different service category has different traffic characteristics and QoS requirements and therefore requires a different treatment by the network. For example, for real-time traffic such as CBR and rt-VBR, the bandwidth should be allocated such that burst level congestion is virtually eliminated and stringent cell transfer delay (CTD) and cell delay variation (CDV) requirements can be satisfied.
Traditional techniques for CAC use fixed models of traffic profiles. The disadvantages include inflexibility, resource under-utilization, and unrealistic admission control.

Hybrid connection admission control using combined model-based and measurement-based estimators


According to the present invention, a substrate 11, a cluster of LED chips, which are arranged two-dimensionally on the substrate 11, and a plurality of phosphor resin portions 13a, 13b that cover the respective LED chips are provided. The phosphor resin portion 13a, 13b includes a phosphor for transforming the emission of its associated LED chip into a light ray having a longer wavelength than that of the emission. A size of the phosphor resin portions 13b, which cover the LED chips located in an outer region of the cluster, is set bigger than that of the other phosphor resin portions 13a, which cover the LED chips located in the remaining non-outer region.

The present invention relates to an LED lamp and more particularly relates to a white LED lamp that can be used as general illumination.
A light emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that can radiate an emission in a bright color with high efficiency even though its size is small. The emission of an LED has an excellent monochromatic peak. To obtain white light from LEDs, a conventional LED lamp arranges red, green and blue LEDs close to each other and gets the light rays in those three different colors diffused and mixed together. An LED lamp of this type, however, easily produces color unevenness because the LED of each color has an excellent monochromatic peak. That is to say, unless the light rays emitted from the respective LEDs are mixed together uniformly, color unevenness will be produced inevitably in the resultant white light. Thus, to overcome such a color unevenness problem, an LED lamp for obtaining white light by combining a blue LED and a yellow phosphor was developed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-242513 and Japanese Patent No. 2998696, for example).
According to the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 10-242513, white light is obtained by combining together the emission of a blue LED and the yellow emission of a yellow phosphor, which is produced when excited by the emission of the blue LED. That is to say, the white light can be obtained by using just one type of LEDs. Accordingly, the color unevenness problem, which arises when white light is produced by arranging multiple types of LEDs close together, is avoidable.
But the luminous flux of a single LED is too low. Accordingly, to obtain a luminous flux comparable to that of an incandescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp or any other general illumination used extensively today, an LED lamp preferably includes a plurality of LEDs that are arranged as an array. LED lamps of that type are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publications No. 2003-59332 and No. 2003-124528. A relevant prior art is also disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-324313.
However, an LED lamp, which can overcome the color unevenness problem of the bullet-shaped LED lamp disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2998696, is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-324313. Hereinafter, this LED lamp that can overcome the color unevenness problem will be described.
The LED lamp with the bullet-shaped appearance as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2998696 has a configuration such as that illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the bullet-shaped LED lamp 200 includes an LED chip 121, a bullet-shaped transparent housing 127 to cover the LED chip 121, and leads 122a and 122b to supply current to the LED chip 121. A cup reflector 123 for reflecting the emission of the LED chip 121 in the direction indicated by the arrow D is provided for the mount portion of the lead 122b on which the LED chip 121 is mounted. The LED chip 121 is encapsulated with a first resin portion 124, in which a phosphor 126 is dispersed and which is further encapsulated with a second resin portion. If the LED chip 121 emits a blue light ray, the phosphor 126 is excited by the blue light ray to produce a yellow light ray. As a result, the blue and yellow light rays are mixed together to produce white light.
However, the first resin portion 124 is formed by filling the cup reflector 123 with a resin to encapsulate the LED chip 121 and then curing the resin. For that reason, the first resin portion 124 easily has a rugged upper surface as shown in FIG. 2 on a larger scale. Then, the thickness of the resin including the phosphor 126 loses its uniformity, thus making non-uniform the amounts of the phosphor 126 present along the optical paths E and F of multiple light rays going out of the LED chip 121 through the first resin portion 124. As a result, the unwanted color unevenness is produced.
To overcome such a problem, the LED lamp disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-324313 is designed such that the reflective surface of a light reflecting member (i.e., a reflector) is spaced apart from the side surface of a resin portion in which a phosphor is dispersed. FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are respectively a side cross-sectional view and a top view illustrating an LED lamp as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-324313. In the LED lamp 300 shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), an LED chip 112 mounted on a substrate 111 is covered with a resin portion 113 in which a phosphor is dispersed. A reflector 151 with a reflective surface 151a is bonded to the substrate 111 such that the reflective surface 151a of the reflector 151 is spaced apart from the side surface of the resin portion 113.
Since the side surface of the resin portion 113 is spaced apart from the reflective surface 151a of the reflector 151, the shape of the resin portion 113 can be freely designed without being restricted by the shape of the reflective surface 151a of the reflector 151. As a result, the color unevenness can be reduced significantly.
By arranging a plurality of LED lamps having the structure shown in FIG. 3 in matrix, an LED array such as that shown in FIG. 4 is obtained. In the LED lamp 300 shown in FIG. 4, the resin portions 113, each covering its associated LED chip 112, are arranged in columns and rows on the substrate 111, and a reflector 151, having a plurality of reflective surfaces 151a for the respective resin portions 113, is bonded onto the substrate 111.
In such an arrangement, the luminous fluxes of a plurality of LEDs can be combined together. Thus, a luminous flux, comparable to that of an incandescent lamp, a fluorescent lamp or any other general illumination source that is used extensively today, can be obtained easily.
In fabricating the LED lamp 300 shown in FIG. 4, after the LED chips 112 have been mounted in columns and rows on the substrate 111, all of their resin portions 113 are preferably made at a time so as to cover the respective LED chips 112. Ideally, every LED chip 112 should be located at or around the center of the resin portion 113 as shown in FIG. 5. Actually, however, if the manufacturing process has significant tolerance, then not every LED chip 112 will be located at the center of its associated resin portion 113 to cause misalignment. As a result, some LED chips 112 may be exposed on the resin portions 113 as shown in FIG. 6. The LED chips 112 are likely to be exposed as shown in FIG. 6 particularly in the outer region of the matrix.
FIG. 7 illustrates LED chips 112a and 112b, which are located in the outer region and exposed on the resin portions 113. Specifically, the LED chip 112b is located on the outermost region, while the LED chip 112a is located on the second outermost region.
As shown in FIG. 7, there is no resin portion 113 on a part of the LED chip 112b facing the outermost region. Thus, (blue) light ray A emitted from the LED chip 112b is not mixed with the emission of the phosphor but is reflected by the reflector (not shown) to be output as it is (i.e., as a blue ray) in the direction pointed by the arrow G. A light ray (i.e., the blue ray in this case) emitted from an LED chip has directivity and does not mix with other chromatic rays easily. As a result, color unevenness is produced to make the white light emitted from a white LED lamp look as if the white light included blue components. The white LED lamp with such color unevenness is a defective product. Thus, such color unevenness decreases the yield and eventually increases the cost of white LED lamps.
Also, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 7, another blue ray A is radiated from the LED chip 112a, which is located next to the LED chip 112b. However, the light ray A emitted from the LED chip 112a is less noticeable than the light ray A emitted from the outermost LED chip 112b. This is because the light ray A emitted from the LED chip 112a mixes with a light ray B that has passed through the phosphor in the resin portion 113 covering the outermost LED chip 112a (e.g., a light ray containing relatively a lot of yellow components). As a result, the light as pointed by the arrow H looks more like white.
Consequently, in such a white LED lamp in which a plurality of LED chips are arranged, the blue light ray A emitted from the outermost LED chip 112b is a major factor of the color unevenness. In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, the LED chips 112 are fully exposed on their resin portions 113. However, even if those LED chips 112 are not exposed fully but are misaligned from their centers so much as to reduce the outermost thickness of the resin portions 113 significantly, the color unevenness problem is also caused by the blue light ray A.
In order to overcome the problems described above, a primary object of the present invention is to provide an LED lamp that produces light with significantly reduced color unevenness.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An apparatus for controlling a valve including an enclosure that defines first and second chambers, an indicator proximate the first and second chambers, an operating media distribution system that is disposed in the first chamber, and an electronic control unit disposed in the second chamber. The operating media distribution system includes a manifold block that has an exterior surface, and a plurality of operating media distribution cartridges exchangeably disposed with respect to the manifold block. The manifold block defines a plurality of holes, an operating media supply passage and an operating media exhaust passage. Each of the plurality of operating media distribution cartridges is disposed in a respective one of the plurality of holes and includes a cylinder and a spool assembly that is disposed in and displaced relative to the cylinder. The electronic control unit operates at least one electromagnetic valve to control operating media flow via the operating media distribution system.

Valve control systems are known in the related art. A valve control system may be used, for example, to continuously control the position of a valve based on pneumatic pressure. A valve control system may also have the capability to indicate valve position. A valve control system may further have the capability to monitor valve operation and signal an error message, if a failure condition occurs.

Device and method for pneumatic valve control


An attrition resistant precipitated bulk iron catalyst is prepared from iron oxide precursor and a binder by spray drying. The catalysts are preferably used in carbon monoxide hydrogenation processes such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. These catalysts are suitable for use in fluidized-bed reactors, transport reactors and, especially, slurry bubble column reactors.

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is a set of reactions by which CO and H2 (syngas) are converted into a wide variety of hydrocarbons [Dry, M. E., Catalysis-Science and Technology, p. 160, (1980); Anderson, R. B., et al., The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, Academic Press, Inc., NY, (1984)]. This synthesis provides the best means currently available for the conversion of natural gas and carbonaceous fuels such as coal, coke, and petroleum residue to liquids and chemicals, particularly fuel and premium waxes. When FTS is used to convert low hydrogen-to-carbon ratio solid fuels, for reforming of natural gas with CO2, or for other feedstocks producing a syngas relatively lean in hydrogen (H2/CO≅0.4 to 1.0), the use of a catalyst with water gas shift (WGS) activity is highly preferred in order to generate additional H2 during the reaction as seen below:CO+2H2→(—CH2—)n+H2O  (FTS)CO+H2O→CO2+H2  (WGS)
Iron (Fe) is the preferred catalyst for low H2/CO ratio syngas over its competitor cobalt (Co) because iron is one of the most active FTS catalysts that is also active for WGS. Iron is also much less expensive than Co and has lower methane selectivity in FTS. For these reasons, iron FTS catalysts have been the subject of extensive research focus; see, for example, Bukur, D. B., et al., Natural Gas Conversion IV, Vol. 107, p. 163, (1997); Jothimurugesan, K., et al., Natural Gas Conversion V, Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, Vol. 119, p. 215 (1998); Jothimurugesan, K., et al., Catalysis Today, Vol. 58, p. 335, (2000); O'Brien, R. J., et al., Applied Catalysis A: General, Vol. 196, p.173, (2000); and Liaw, S. and Davis, B. H., Topics in Catalysis, Vol. 10, p. 133, (2000).
Because FTS is highly exothermic, efficient heat removal from the FTS reactor is necessary to prevent catalyst deactivation via sintering and to maintain high catalyst activity and selectivity. A slurry bubble column reactor (SBCR) is the preferred reactor type for FTS. The reactor operates with fine catalyst particles dispersed in a liquid medium and gas is sparged as fine bubbles from the reactor bottom into the liquid. The preferred liquid medium for FTS is the wax product produced in the FTS reaction itself. The wax provides an efficient heat sink and the gas bubbles provide agitation and allow the heat to be rapidly absorbed and dissipated. SBCRs have relatively simple designs and low initial costs while still permitting high catalyst and reactor productivity. Other advantages of SBCRs for FTS include the ability to use low H2/CO ratio syngas and favorable conditions for catalyst regeneration and/or makeup.
Much recent work related to slurry-phase FTS has focused on using iron catalysts. These catalysts have been prepared by precipitation to achieve high activity for FTS and high selectivity for liquid hydrocarbon and wax. Alpha (α) is the well-known Anderson-Schulz-Flory chain growth parameter and is a measure of a catalyst's ability to make liquids and waxes while making less gas. A catalyst with an α of 0.9 or higher and methane selectivity below five percent is preferred for FTS. Bulk iron catalysts, i.e., iron catalysts having an iron content, calculated as Fe2O3, exceeding about 50 weight percent (wt. %) prepared by precipitation are preferred catalysts, as compared to bulk iron catalysts prepared by fusion, or to supported iron catalysts prepared by impregnation of iron onto a support because of the high activity and selectivity of the precipitated bulk iron catalysts. Preparation of precipitated bulk iron catalysts for FTS has been extensively reviewed [Dry, (1980); Anderson (1984); Lang, X., et al., Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol. 34, p. 73, (1995)]. They are typically prepared using iron nitrate as an iron oxide precursor. Copper, (Cu), potassium, (K), and/or SiO2 are added as reduction, chemical, and textural promoters, respectively. The addition of potassium results in a higher α catalyst.
Catalyst attrition is currently a major obstacle to industrial application of precipitated bulk iron catalysts in a SBCR [Bhatt, et al. Proceedings of the 1997 Coal Liquefaction and Solid Fuels Contractor Review Conference, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Pittsburgh, Pa., p. 41, Sep. 3-4, 1997; Srinivasan, R et al., Fuel Science Technology International, Vol. 14, p.1337, (1996)]. The non-uniform particles and, especially, the irregular shapes of the catalyst particles produced by precipitation lead to production of catalyst fines by abrasion during use. In turn, attrition of iron catalysts causes (i) plugging of filters, (ii) difficulty in separation of liquid/wax product from the catalyst, and (iii) steady loss of catalyst fines from the reactors.
A number of recent patents [Chaudhary, V. R. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,419 (1998); Gangwal, S. K. and Jothimurugesan, K., U.S. Pat. No. 5,928,980 (1999); Espinoza, R. L. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,839 (1998); Rivas, L. A. et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,093 (1998); Moy D., U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,635 (1996)] are directed to the preparation and use of attrition-resistant, supported iron and other metal catalysts for FTS and other processes. Although the use of catalyst supports such as alumina (prepared as spheroids by spray drying) can improve catalyst attrition resistance, supported iron catalysts are generally limited to an iron oxide content of less than 30 wt. %, and have been found to have much lower activity compared to bulk iron catalysts for FTS [Dry, (1980); Anderson, (1984); Bukur, D. B., et al., J. Catalysts, Vol. 29, p. 1588, (1990)]. This is because much less iron is available per unit weight of catalyst. The supports also inhibit the activity of promoters and iron reduction and, thus, reduce catalyst effectiveness.
Improving the attrition properties of bulk iron catalysts is particularly difficult because bulk iron catalysts in a FTS SBCR are subject to both physical attrition and chemical attrition. Physical attrition can be caused by particle collision with other particles or reactor walls and by rapid sparging of gas around the particles. Chemical attrition can be caused during catalyst pretreatment and/or during FTS by iron catalyst phase changes (Fe2O3→Fe3O4→Fe metal and/or Fe carbide), resulting in a decrease or complete loss of physical integrity of the catalyst particles.
Although chemical attrition during the pretreatment of precipitated bulk iron catalysts and during FTS, is not clearly understood, it is well known that the active iron phase for FTS is an iron carbide [Srivastava, et al., Hydrocarbon Processing, (1990); Rao, V. et al., Fuel Processing Technology, Vol. 30, p. 83, (1992)]. The common pretreatment conditions employed are H2 reduction, CO reduction, or syngas reduction with the later two resulting in a more active and higher α catalyst. At least five forms of iron carbides are known to exist; three octahedral-carbides with carbon in the octahedral interstices, and two trigonal prismatic-carbides with carbon in trigonal prismatic interstices. Although the role of these carbides in FTS is not resolved, the multiplicity of carbide phases and iron oxidation states can cause grain boundaries to grow during FTS which can place significant stresses on the iron particle that can lead to chemical attrition.
Spray drying using an appropriate binder is the industrial method of choice for producing microspheroid (40-120 μm) attrition resistant fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts and fluidizable alumina in large quantities. It consists of first producing a slurry of catalyst precursor dispersed in a solution of the binder oxide precursor that will form the hard phase of the catalyst [Stiles, A. B., Catalyst Manufacture, Marcel Dekker, Inc., NY, (1983)]. The oxide material must be in the form of discrete colloidal particles. The slurry is then spray dried to form "green" microspheres, mostly larger than 40 μm and mostly smaller than 120 μm that are calcined (heat treated in air) at an appropriate temperature (typically 300-500° C.) to produce attrition-resistant micro-spheroid particles.
Typically, attrition-resistant particles produced by spray drying require 25 to 50 wt. % binder constituting a continuous framework in which are embedded small particles of the active catalyst. Some binders typically used in industry include colloidal silica, colloidal alumina, kaolin clay, and phosphate-modified clay. Bergna, U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,539, (1989); Bergna, U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,084, (1987); and Bergna, H. E. et al., Catalysis Today, 1, p. 49, (1987); disclose a process for producing spray dried, attrition-resistant vanadium oxide/phosphorous oxide catalysts having a lower binder content, preferably about 10 wt % silica-based binder, wherein the binder is added in the form of subcolloidal size particles. During the spray drying process, the subcolloidal size particles of the binder migrate between the spaces of the much larger particles of catalyst or catalyst precursor, to the surface of the spray dried particles and form a hard peripheral composite exterior shell after sintering.
Past attempts to produce attrition-resistant, precipitated bulk iron FTS catalyst microspheres by spray drying have met with failure [Srinivasan et. al. (1996); Bhatt et al., (1997); O'Brien et al., Coal Liquefaction and Gas Conversion Contractor's Review Conference, DOE, (1995)]. In fact, attrition was so severe for a spray dried, high α iron FTS catalyst prepared by United Catalysts, Inc. that a FTS pilot plant at Laporte, Tex. operated by Air Products for DOE had to shut down after only a few hours of testing due to production of catalyst fines and filter plugging [Private Communication with DOE, (1999)].
Espinoza et al, PCT Application WO99/49965, (1999) claim that attrition resistance of precipitated iron FTS catalysts can be increased simply by heat treatment at temperatures above 300° C. without the use of spray drying or binders. However, it is well known that nearly all heterogeneous catalysts, including precipitated iron FTS catalysts, are calcined at 300° C. or higher [Jothimurugesan et al., (1998); Gormley, R. J., et al., Applied Catalysis A: General, Vol. 161, p. 263, (1997)]. Espinoza et al. do not present any attrition results of carbided or used catalysts. Benham et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,118, (1996) teach the preparation of a 5 to 50 μm size iron FTS catalyst for slurry-phase FTS by spray drying without the use of binders. However, these catalysts are not said to be attrition resistant. Thus, such catalyst would not suitable for a slurry-phase reactor from an attrition standpoint and, in addition, the catalysts particles in the lower portion of the 5 to 50 μm particle size range would be likely to plug filters through which wax is removed from the reactor.
Thus, despite substantial effort and research, there are no commercially available precipitated bulk iron FTS catalysts, which are attrition resistant and have substantial catalytic activity. Accordingly, in practice, commercially available precipitated bulk iron catalysts, such as the standard Ruhrchemie pelletized catalyst, are supplied in pelletized form and are limited to use in fixed bed reactors. Nevertheless, precipitated bulk iron catalysts remain the preferred FTS catalysts for low H2/CO ratio syngas processes due to their high activity and selectivity.

Attrition resistant bulk iron catalysts and processes for preparing and using same

The University of Pittsburgh-of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education


Integrated circuits sometimes include, in addition to the connection surfaces provided for normal operation, additional test pads through which test signals can be put in or read out during testing on the wafer. These connection pads require additional space on the semiconductor slice, so that fewer circuits can be accommodated on a semiconductor slice of a given size. It is proposed to provide the test pads in a row at one or two sides of the circuit and connect them with two adjoining circuits. The cut for separating the chips after manufacture and the test can then take place through these test pads, so that the latter require only little extra space. Advantageously, adjoining circuits will have layouts which are one another's mirrored images.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of manufacturing integrated circuits by which a number of similar circuits are manufactured jointly on a semiconductor slice and then separated from one another by cutting, each circuit being provided at the rim with several connection pads, some of which are used exclusively for testing the circuit before it is separated from the adjoining circuits.
The invention also relates to an integrated circuit which is manufactured on a semiconductor slice jointly with a number of similar circuits and then separated from these by cutting, each circuit being provided at the rim with several connection pads, some of which are used exclusively for testing the circuit before it is separated from the adjoining circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
The manufacture of a large number of integrated circuits together on one semiconductor slice by means of diffusion and etching processes, especially by the use of photolithographic means, is generally known. After these manufacturing steps have all been completed, each single circuit on the semiconductor slice is tested for correct operation in the following way: test probes mounted to a device are put on the connection pads of a circuit each time, and an operating voltage or test signals are supplied and output signals are taken up through these probes. Incorrectly functioning circuits are marked after each test cycle, so that they no longer take part in the subsequent manufacturing steps, especially building-in into a housing and the connection of the connection pads to external connections through wires.
Digital circuits in particular can first be tested only by way of the connections used in normal operation, but such a test is very laborious, for example in the case of highly complex circuits or also circuits with very few external connections, such as, for example, circuits used for contactless chip cards. The test can be substantially simplified when additional connections are applied for testing only, through which the additional test signals are applied to the circuit or output signals are conducted to the exterior, these connections not being used for normal operation. Since the total size of connection pads, however, is relatively great in relation to the elements of the circuit proper, which is also true for the connection pads for testing, a substantial portion of the semiconductor slice is used for such connection pads in this way, so that fewer circuits can be realized on a semiconductor slice of a given size and the manufacturing cost of a single circuit is made higher.

Integrated test circuits having pads provided along scribe lines


The present disclosure relates to an ultrasound elastography system and method. The system may include a transmitting/receiving unit which transmits ultrasound pulses to a target and receives ultrasound echoes from the target to obtain the ultrasound echo signals; an imaging unit which processes the ultrasound echo signals and displays the obtained image; and an analysis unit which detects a region of interest and a shell region selected by an operator in the image, calculate elasticity parameters in a reference region and the shell region respectively, and analyzes the elasticity parameters to obtain an analysis result.

Ultrasound electrography, which relates to the elasticity or hardness of tissue, has been a focus of clinic research in the field of ultrasound imaging in recent years. The basic principle of ultrasound elastography may be described as follows. The target tissue may be slightly compressed with a probe. Alternatively, a certain pressure to the tissue may be formed with the assistance of procedures such as the body's own breathing or vascular pulsation. Thereafter, two frames of ultrasound echo signals before and after the compression may be acquired. When the tissue is compressed, a strain along the compression direction is produced in the tissue. If the distribution of Young's modulus is uneven in the tissue, the strain distribution in the tissue may vary. The strain information of the tissue may be detected through various methods, and outputted to the display interface as elastic images. This method relies on qualitative or quantitative techniques to display elastic parameters in the region of interest, thereby forming an elasticity distribution image, and distinguishes the hardness of tissue by different gray scales or different colors in the image.
However, in most cases, only showing the elastic image may not fulfill the user's needs. The user may not only want to identify the target of interest, but also may want to make further detailed analysis for the target of interest and find more information therefrom. For example, in some applications, the hardness of infiltration area around the lesion may be one of the major objects of concern for the user.

Ultrasound elastography imaging system and method

Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd.


A method of reordering a sequence of code for processing by a target data processor in order to reduce an execution time for said code on said target data processor is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: in response to a request to execute said sequence of code, loading said sequence of code into a volatile data store associated with said target data processor; analyzing said sequence of code in relation to properties of said target data processor; identifying interlocks within said sequence of code when executing on said target data processor, in which a portion of code would be stalled while waiting for an earlier portion to complete; reordering said sequence of code to remove at least some of said interlocks; and executing said reordered sequence of code; wherein said steps of analyzing, identifying, reordering and executing are performed by said target data processor.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention relates to data processing and in particular to reordering application code to improve processing performance.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a desire in data processing to increase the speed of execution of applications. Applications are generally written by a programmer, in a high level language that is easy for a person to understand. A compiler then changes this to machine code which controls a processor to perform the actions specified in the high level language by the programmer. In addition to changing the language the compiler seeks to improve performance times of the application by rearranging the code. The compiler compiles the application from a high level language in which it was written to machine code native to a particular processor that is to process the application. The compiler generally also takes account of the properties of that processor and rearranges the code to improve the execution time on the processor. The compiled application in the form of machine code may then be stored in an apparatus comprising the processor that is to process it.
Although it is clearly efficient to rearrange the code when translating it from one language to another, there may be situations where it is not possible to rearrange it with respect to the properties of a particular processor. For example, when processors are updated, they are generally backwards compatible, i.e. compatible with earlier generation processors and thus, will be able to process the applications that these earlier generation processors could process. However, their hardware configuration will be different from these earlier generation processors and thus, the applications that were compiled to run efficiently on the earlier generation processors may not run as efficiently on the later ones. Although applications could be compiled again for the new processors, there may be situations where this is not appropriate, for example where the processors are within platforms that the designers of the processors do not control such as within mobile phones. Thus, it would be desirable to be able to improve the performance of such applications without needing to recompile them.
Machine independent programming code is also known. For example java bytecode, which can be executed by any processing system using a software virtual machine running on that system. While a java virtual machine causes a processor to execute the java bytecodes the order of this bytecode is set by the java compiler and as the java compiler is generic and not machine specific, the bytecode order produced may well be sub-optimal for a particular machine.
Some hardware systems such as the ARM® 926 ejs processor can execute much of the machine independent code as native code. In such cases there is no need to compile the code, but once again the order of the code may be sub-optimal for the processor that is to process it.
It would be desirable to improve the performance of machine independent code relative to a particular machine.

Reordering application code to improve processing performance


A method for preventing or treating porcine epidemic diarrhea, the method including: administering a live vaccine of a porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and an adjuvant to a pig through oral administration or nasal administration; and administering an inactivated vaccine of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and an adjuvant to the pig through intramuscular administration.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea: PED is caused through oral infection of PED virus (PEDV) contained in feces of an infected pig and is mainly characterized by watery diarrhea and anorexia. The porcine epidemic diarrhea is a viral infectious disease exhibiting a considerably high fatality rate in suckling pigs aged 1 week or less (see NPL 1). There has been a problem that once PEDVs enter a hog raising farm, it is difficult to remove the PEDVs, resulting in severe economic damage. The porcine epidemic diarrhea has prevailed in recent years in Asian countries and Northern American continent such as America, resulting in severe economic damage (see NPL 2).
Target cells of the PEDVs are epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tracts, particularly the intestinal jejunum and the intestinal ileum (see NPL 3). It is considered that some of the PEDVs enter the blood flow through the lymphoid tissue under the mucosas, and there is also a period at which the PEDV genes are detected in the organs throughout the whole body. However, the PEDVs do not exhibit a secondary replication in other organs. Therefore, after the PEDVs are replicated in the gastrointestinal epithelial cells, and the feces are excreted, generating a new source of infection. Pigs after the weaning stage are decreased in sensitivity to the PEDV and may live with subclinical even when the PEDVs are orally forcibly administered to the pigs. However, when the pigs under such a stress condition as infection of other pathogens, a delivery, or an overcrowding breeding are exposed to the PEDVs, they transiently develop symptoms such as anorexia and diarrhea in some cases (see NPL 4).
The vaccines for the porcine epidemic diarrhea (hereinafter may be referred to as "PED vaccine") have been available in Japan, South Korea, China, the Philippines, and America since the late 1990s. These conventional PED vaccines are designed based on the following mechanism. Specifically, these conventional PED vaccines are administered to sows during a pregnancy period, and then the neutralizing antibodies against the PEDVs are secreted in the milk of the sow after a delivery. When a suckling pig takes in this milk, the PEDVs entered in the gastrointestinal tract of the suckling pig are neutralized (see NPL 5). The suckling pig cannot be prevented from infection with the PEDV through only maternal antibodies contained in the colostrum. Throughout a period of suckling, the PEDVs can be neutralized by continuing to take in the milk that has a high concentration of the neutralizing antibodies against the PEDV by virtue of the PED vaccine. As a result, it is possible to prevent pathogenesis of the porcine epidemic diarrhea or alleviate its symptoms.
However, there is a problem that when a piglet is under such a condition that cannot take in the milk due to any reason, the piglet is infected with the PEDV, advancing in severe symptoms. Moreover, there are also problems that when a sow negative for the PEDV antibody and a sow possessing a low immune level are exposed to a large amount of the PEDVs, they will show systemic symptoms including a reduction in the lactation, and the effects of the PED vaccine cannot be sufficiently achieved.
There are also problems that the effects of the conventional PED vaccines are limited to a reduction in the symptoms caused by the PEDVs and reduction in mortality of the piglets and induction of the humoral immune response is insufficient, which cannot insufficiently induce the response of the IgA antibody (see NPL 6).
Accordingly, there are strong demands for provision of a new vaccine for the porcine epidemic diarrhea that not only enables production induction of the neutralizing antibody specific to the PEDV in the milk but also enables induction of immune response capable of preventing the sow itself from infection, and for provision of a method for preventing or treating porcine epidemic diarrhea.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea preventative or therapeutic method, vaccine, and vaccine kit


A support insert assembly including a first member having first and second curved side surfaces parallel to a first direction, first and second planar partial ring-shaped surfaces connecting the first and second curved side surfaces, and first and second end surfaces connected to the first and second curved side surfaces and the first and second planar partial ring-shaped surfaces; and a second member having a third curved side surface, a straight side surface parallel to the direction, and first and second hemispherically-shaped planar surfaces connected to the third curved side surface and the straight side surface and parallel to one another, where the first and second members are arranged in an opening tar a seating arrangement for the infant to form a space enclosed by the straight side surface and the first curved side surface, and the space is arranged to receive and support the infant.

It is know to us an infant supports in the form of a substantially C-shaped member. The infant's back rests upon the interior surface of the C-shaped member and the arms of the C-shaped member cradle the infant. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,211 to (Williams) discloses a baby support assembly comprising two C-shaped members. The C-shaped members are stackable about one another to support the back of an infant; however, there is no support for the front of an infant. Because of the lack of front support, an infant who is not yet stable can easily fall forward and sustain an injury.
Known infant supports typically have substantially rounded edges and are operatively arranged to be used independently. When inserted into a child seat device, such as an entertainer, bouncer, or high chair, the rounded edges prevent a proper fit and lack stability.


A bypass flow regulator for a vacuum waste system (VWS) is disclosed. The bypass flow regulator includes a valve assembly installable in an aircraft vent line leading outside the aircraft from an onboard VWS waste tank. The vent line directs an airstream pumped from the waste tank to an external outlet under suction (from which outlet the airstream is ejected from the aircraft). The valve assembly includes a group of valves (e.g., umbrella valves) set into the path of the airstream. The valves may collectively modulate the flow rate of the airstream by adjusting their effective flow area.

A vacuum waste system aboard an aircraft collects solid and liquid waste from toilets and other receptacles (e.g., lavatories disposed throughout the aircraft cabin) via piping connecting the toilet bowl or receptacle to a waste tank. Waste products can be transported from the bowl or receptacle through the piping and into the tank for storage by pumping air from the waste tank to induce suction. At higher altitudes, suction may be induced based on the pressure differential between the pressurized aircraft cabin and the thinner atmosphere exterior to the aircraft, whereby air is drawn from the waste tank by the resulting suction and expelled from the aircraft through a vent line. Currently access to the vent line is controlled by a binary check valve that is either fully open or fully closed. As the flow rate cannot be regulated or modulated by the binary valve, the flow rate is a function of the pressure differential and thus, at higher altitudes, may exceed the capacity of the vacuum waste system to remove solid or liquid waste components from the airstream prior to expulsion from the waste tank. For sanitary reasons, it is clearly preferable for an airstream pumped from the waste tank and ejected into the atmosphere to contain no solid waste particles. Similarly, the exiting airstream should be free of moisture that may condense or freeze, obstructing the vent line.


A tire bead including steel wire cords and aromatic polyamide wire cords, the steel wire cords being placed inside a cross section of the tire bead and the aromatic polyamide wire cords being placed on the outside of the bead cross section.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tire beads which are provided at the radially inner ends of the sidewalls of a tire.
A conventional pneumatic tire comprises an annular tread, a pair of sidewalls extending radially inward from opposite ends of the tread, a bead portion that is formed at the radially inner end of each sidewall and which is provided with an annular bead in its interior, and a carcass that is composed of a number of parallel carcass cords made of either an organic or inorganic material and that passes through the tread and the sidewalls in such a way that each end of the carcass is folded towards the outside around the bead to be held in position.
The beads as they are used in an inflated pneumatic tire have the basic capability of supporting the terminal ends of the carcass cords as they tend to expand outwardly under the inflation pressure, to thereby accommodate the tension of the carcass cords. To fulfill these functions, the beads are required to have not only sufficient strength to withstand an applied great tension and also the great rigidity that is necessary to retain the tire on a wheel rim while maintaining a sufficient dimensional precision on the inner periphery of the bead portion to insure good fit to the rim.
In order to satisfy these strength and rigidity requirements, a plurality of high-modulus steel wires have been used as conventional beads.
However, such conventional beads that comprise more than one steel wire have had the problem that their weight accounts for about 5% of the tire weight, which is one of the obstacles to the objective of realizing lighter tires that is gaining increasing importance these days when vehicles are required to have better performance.
Another problem with the conventional beads is that the steel wires which constitute the beads contact the Carcass cords to potentially cause a breakage of the latter.
Thus, with a view to reducing the weight of tires, several proposals have been made that are based on the use of aromatic polyamide cords as bead forming wires. For example, Examined Japanese Patent Publication No. 33244/1981 proposes the use of steel wire cords in combination with aromatic polyamide wire cords since beads that are formed of aromatic polyamide wire cords alone have such low rigidity that the tire is difficult to mount positively on a wheel rim.
Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 82705/1975 describes a tire in which the beads are formed solely of cords that are made of aromatic polyamide wires. Further, Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 43010/1981 describes a tire in which the beads are formed of cords that are made of other wire materials than steel such as aromatic polyamides or glass fibers. However, both types of beads are insufficient in strength against compression strain and flexural deformation to be used in practical applications, particularly in truck and bus tires which are to be used with high inflation pressures, and there has been a possibility that the bead's shape will deform during tire manufacture or running.
An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a tire bead that uses an aromatic polyamide in part of the bead forming wires to realize a lighter tire.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tire bead in which the occurrence of broken carcass cords can be prevented.


A tethered ring game and kit is disclosed comprising a tethered ring, means of attaching the tether to an overhead surface, and a novel bottle support apparatus configured and designed to hold and constrain an ordinary bottle in a substantially upright position. The bottle holder apparatus is fixated on a wall, post, or structure such that when a bottle is inserted and constrained, it is used in an eye-hand coordination game of chance involving a tethered ring and a bottle as the target. In practice, a ring, which is tethered and hanging from above in a position equidistant between the player and a bottle, is swung in a pendulum movement toward the bottle, which is constrained by the apparatus, in an endeavor to capture the ring over the top or neck of the bottle.

The invention described herein is a novel eye-hand coordination game of chance involving a tethered ring that is swung in a pendulum movement toward a bottle that is positioned on a vertical structure, wall or post above ground level and below the pendulum pivot point. There exist other tethered ring games where the target is a hook type element. This invention has a significant difference in that the target is a bottle, and the ring is endeavored to be captured around the bottle opening and neck.
It is well recognized in the prior art the benefit of playing games as an enjoyable method by which an individual can build their motor, eye-hand coordination, and mathematical skills. Most games have an element of chance and an element of competitive strategy that allows the player to win the game while utilizing a minimal amount of apparatus required to play the game.
In looking at the prior art in the chance element game area, specifically being concerned with ring type chance elements, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,019 to Arnette disclosed a tethered ring and hook game and kit. In Arnette, a brass ring is tethered to a ceiling by means of an eye screw mounted to the ceiling, further a ball-in-socket swivel is provided intermediate between the string and the eye screw to prevent the cord from being twisted as the ring is released toward the hook. A hook supported block in Arnette is adapted to be mounted to a wall by means of a dowel screw, Velcro fasteners, or a hook, and is mounted to the resilient (vibration dampening) block for receiving the ring, reference column 1, lines 66-69 and column 2, lines 6-17. Continuing in this area, looking at United States design Pat. No. U.S. D288,828 to Romestan et al. disclosed is a design for a ring toss game target board having a ring tied to a string, and a target board with eleven hooks set at different game-point values.
Yet further, in the prior art in the ring game area, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,200 to Loring et al. disclosed is a tethered ring game with hook configuration having a ring made of heavy material such as steel attached to a tether made of a stable and flexible material such as braided nylon cord. In Loring et al., the cord is attached to an overhead mounted pendulum base affixed to an overhead support or ceiling. The cord's length in Loring et al., is equal to the distance between the pendulum base and a wall mounted hook with the tethered ring removably engaged upon the wall mounted hook. In addition, Loring et al., modifies the standard open hook configuration by eliminating the shank and/or "goose neck" and varies the circumference of the actual circular hook portion, see in particular FIGS. 3 and 7b, with the goal of making the player skill required increase.
Further, in the prior art for hook and ring games that are different versions of the aforementioned hook and ring games, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,498 to Mutschler et al., disclosed is a self-contained hook and ring game that has a tether suspended form an overhead support wherein the ring has an extension rod or beam (or termed "second target rod 48") from the outer ring circumference with the ring swinging on the tether in an attempt to land on a plurality of hooks that are randomly mounted positionally on a vertical pole.
What is needed is a game that uses a bottle as the target of a tethered ring game. It can be the inspiration for a drinking game to be played by adults whereby a bottle of beer is placed on the bottle support while players take turns in an endeavor to capture the ring over the bottle opening and neck.
The invention described in the following is a novel tethered ring game that uses a similar ring and tether which is fixed above the target and between the player and the target. In this novel adaptation of a ring and hook game, the target is a bottle rather than a hook. The bottle is mounted above the ground on a wall or post. The player swings the ring in a pendulum motion in the direction of the bottle in an endeavor to capture the ring over the top or neck of the bottle. When the ring is successfully captured around the neck of the bottle, the player has won.