The construction of a film on a wafer, which is placed in a processing chamber, may be carried out through the following steps. A layer of material is deposited on the wafer. Next, the layer of material is annealed. Once the annealing is completed, the material may be oxidized. Alternatively, the material may be exposed to a silicon gas once the annealing is completed. The deposition, annealing, and either oxidation or silicon gas exposure may all be carried out in the same chamber, without need for removing the wafer from the chamber until all three steps are completed. A semiconductor wafer processing chamber for carrying out such an in-situ construction may include a processing chamber, a showerhead, a wafer support and a rf signal means. The showerhead supplies gases into the processing chamber, while the wafer support supports a wafer in the processing chamber. The rf signal means is coupled to the showerhead and the wafer support for providing a first rf signal to the showerhead and a second rf signal to the wafer support.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed toward the field of manufacturing integrated circuits.
B. Description of the Related Art
When manufacturing integrated circuits, deposition processes are employed to deposit thin layers of insulative material and conductive material onto wafers. Deposition has been performed through various well known processes, such as chemical vapor deposition (xe2x80x9cCVDxe2x80x9d) and physical vapor deposition (xe2x80x9cPVDxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csputteringxe2x80x9d).
In a CVD process, a wafer is loaded into a chemical vapor deposition chamber. Conventional CVD processes supply reactive gases to the wafer surface where heat-induced chemical reactions take place to form a thin film layer over the surface of the wafer being processed. One particular CVD application is the deposition of a titanium containing compound, such as titanium nitride, over a wafer from a process gas that includes a metallo-organic compound. One such compound is tetrakis (dialkylamido) titanium (Ti(NR2)4) having the following structural formula:
wherein R at each occurrence independently is in an alkyl group, of, for example, 1-5 carbon atoms. For example, it is common to use tetrakis(dimethylamido) titanium (TDMAT), which has the formula Ti(N(CH3)2)4.
A carrier gas, such as helium, argon, nitrogen, or hydrogen brings the compound into the chamber, so that it may be infused with energy. The energy may be generated through a thermal heat source, in the case of thermal CVD, or a radio frequency (xe2x80x9crfxe2x80x9d) signal source, in the case of plasma enhanced CVD. The energized chemical vapor reacts with the wafer""s surface to form a thin layer of material on the wafer. When the TDMAT chemical vapor is used, a titanium nitride film is deposited on the wafer""s surface.
In a sputtering process, a wafer is placed in a physical vapor deposition (xe2x80x9cPVDxe2x80x9d) chamber, and the chamber is filled with a gas, such as argon. A plasma containing positively charged ions is generated from the gas, by creating an electrical field in the chamber. The positively charged ions accelerate and collide into a target material, which is mounted in the chamber. Atoms of the target material are thereby separated from the target and deposited on the wafer to form a layer of target material on the surface of the wafer.
In a traditional sputtering process, the bombardment of the target material by the positively charged ions is enhanced by providing a negative bias to the target material. This is. achieved by providing a radio frequency signal to an electrode that supports the target material.
A separate rf signal may be inductively coupled to the chamber for generating positively charged ions in a high density plasma PVD chamber. A high density plasma PVD chamber may include another rf signal coupled to a wafer support for improving the attraction of the target material to the wafer.
A deposition chamber, such as a CVD chamber or a PVD chamber, may be used to deposit diffusion barriers in an integrated circuit. Diffusion barriers inhibit the diffusion of a contact metal, such as aluminum and copper, into the active region of a semiconductor device that is built on a silicon substrate. This prevents the interdiffusion of a contact metal into the substrate. Unlike an insulative layer of material, a diffusion barrier forms a conductive path through which current may flow. For example, a diffusion barrier may be employed to overlie a silicon substrate at the base of a contact hole.
A severe interdiffusion between a contact metal and a silicon substrate can begin to take place when the integrated circuit is heated to temperatures in excess of 450xc2x0 C. If an interdiffusion is allowed to occur, the contact metal penetrates into the silicon substrate. This causes an open contact in the integrated circuit and renders the integrated circuit defective.
In the fabrication of integrated circuits, there has been an increased use of aluminum and copper metalization processes operating at high temperatures, in excess of 450xc2x0 C. Therefore, it desirable to have diffusion barriers with a greater ability to inhibit the diffusion of contact metals, such as aluminum and copper.
Traditionally, diffusion barriers have been made thicker to accommodate such a desire. However, smaller geometries are being employed in the fabrication of integrated circuits. The smaller geometries decrease the dimensions of contact holes, thereby making it desirable for diffusion barriers to become thinner and more conformal.
FIG. 1 illustrates a diffusion barrier 100 that resides between a conductive region 105 of a silicon substrate 101 and a contact plug 102. A contact hole 103 is formed in an insulative layer of material 104, such as silicon dioxide, which overlies the substrate 101. The diffusion barrier 100 is ideally formed so that it is thin and substantially conforms to the contours of the surface of the contact hole 103.
If the diffusion barrier 100 is thin and highly conformal, the contact metal 102 is able to form a sufficiently conductive ohmic contact with the silicon substrate""s conductive region 105. If the diffusion barrier 100 is too thick or poorly formed, as shown in FIG. 2, it will prevent the contact metal 102 from forming a sufficiently conductive ohmic contact with the substrate region 105.
In FIG. 2, the poorly formed diffusion barrier 100 severely narrows the opening of the contact hole 103. The narrow opening causes the contact metal 102 to form so that it does not reach the base of the contact hole 103. As a result, a void 106 is formed.
In order to ensure a good ohmic contact between the contact metal 102 and the substrate region 105, it is desirable for the resistance of the diffusion barrier 100 to be minimal. Typically, a resistivity value of 1,000 xcexcxcexa9-cm or less is acceptable. One material that has been successfully employed as a diffusion barrier is titanium nitride (TiN).
However, some deposition processes, such as those using TDMAT, provide an unstable barrier layer having high resistivity. In the case of TDMAT, this is partly due to a significant fraction of the deposited barrier material being composed of a carbon (hydrocarbons, carbides, etc.). Further, the titanium, a chemically reactive metal, may not be completely reacted in the film. It would be desirable to treat such a layer of barrier material with a post-deposition processing, so that its resistivity is reduced and stabilized.
In manufacturing an integrated circuit, it is desirable to perform successive steps of the manufacturing process, such as deposition and post-deposition processing, in the same chamber (xe2x80x9cin-situxe2x80x9d). In-situ operations reduce the amount of contamination that a wafer is exposed to by decreasing the number of times that the wafer is required to be transferred between different pieces of manufacturing equipment. In-situ operations also lead to a reduction in the number of expensive pieces of manufacturing equipment that an integrated circuit manufacturer must purchase and maintain.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to construct a highly conformal thin diffusion barrier with an increased ability to inhibit the diffusion of contact metals, such as aluminum or copper. Additionally, it is desirable for such a diffusion barrier to have a resistance that allows the diffusion barrier to form a good path for current flow. It would also be desirable to construct such a diffusion barrier in-situ.
An apparatus and method in accordance with the present invention provides for carrying out the in-situ construction of a highly conformal diffusion barrier with improved resistivity. By practicing aspects of the present invention, the diffusion barrier""s ability to impede the diffusion of contact metals, such as aluminum or copper, may be enhanced. Such an enhancement of the diffusion barrier will not significantly enlarge its thickness or resistivity beyond acceptable limits.
A semiconductor processing apparatus, which enables practicing embodiments of the present invention, may include a processing chamber, showerhead, wafer support, and rf signal means. In one embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor wafer processing apparatus is capable of performing chemical vapor deposition.
The showerhead is adapted to supply gases in the processing chamber. The wafer support provides for supporting a wafer in the processing chamber. The rf signal means may be coupled to both the showerhead and the wafer support for providing a first rf signal to the showerhead and a second rf signal to the wafer support. Alternatively, the rf signal means may only be coupled to provide a rf signal to the wafer support.
The wafer support is supported in the processing chamber by a support arm. The support arm couples the rf signal means to the wafer support. The support arm also couples a thermocouple housed in the wafer support to a temperature determination device for measuring the temperature of the wafer support. The thermocouple is electrically isolated from the rf signal means.
When practicing an aspect of the present invention, a film may be constructed on a wafer. First, a layer of material is deposited on the wafer. The material may be a binary metal nitride MxNy or a ternary metal silicon nitride MxSiyN2 (where M may be titanium Ti, Zirconium Zr, hafnium Hf, tantalum Ta, Molybdenum Mo, Tungsten W, and other metals). The deposition of the material may be carried out by a variety of means, such as chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition.
After the material is deposited, the material is plasma annealed, so as to reduce the resistivity of the layer of material. The plasma annealing may include an exposure of the material to an environment containing ions and electrically biasing the layer of the material to cause the ions to impact the material.
Alternatively, the annealing may consist of multiple annealing steps that are performed sequentially with different gases. For example, a first annealing step may employ a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen, while a subsequent annealing step uses a mixture of nitrogen and helium. The subsequent annealing step removes hydrogen molecules from the material to reduce its resistivity.
Once the annealing is completed, the layer of material may be oxidized. The oxidation enhances the material""s ability to inhibit the diffusion of contact metals, such as aluminum. Alternatively, the annealed layer of material may be exposed to a silane gas to enhance the material""s ability to inhibit the diffusion of contact metals, such as copper.
In accordance with the present invention, the deposition, annealing, and either oxidation or silane exposure may all be performed in a single chamber, without need for removing the wafer from the chamber before all three operations are completed. Accordingly, the deposition, annealing and either oxidation or silane exposure of the material may be performed in-situ.

Construction of a film on a semiconductor wafer


A pedal is switched between a normal position and a low position, which is reached by depressing the pedal downward from the normal position with toes of a foot of a user. A pedal locking unit switches the pedal between a locked state in which the pedal is locked at the low position and an unlocked state in which the pedal is released from the locked state. A lock switch plate switches the pedal locking unit to the locked state. An unlock switch plate releases the pedal from the locked state of the pedal locking means. The lock and unlock switch plates are located beside the pedal to be operable by a heel of the foot.

The present invention relates to a pedal locking device and pedal device for locking a foot-depressed pedal at a low position.
In conventional percussion instruments, for example high hat stands and the like, there are known pedal locking devices for maintaining a pedal at a foot-depressed position. In general, high hat stands are incorporated in a drum set and include two cymbals arranged one on top of the other. A pedal is moved upward and downward to close and open the two cymbals. Unique tonal qualities are produced when the two cymbals are closed together and struck while the pedal is depressed. However, when the drum set has two bass drums and twin pedals, a total of three pedals are used, two pedals for operating the drums and one pedal for operating the high hat stands. Since the high hat stand pedal cannot be operated at the same time as when operating the two drum pedals, the cymbals are maintained in the opened position. However, there may be times when the musician desires to play the high hat stands while the cymbals are in the closed state, that is, when the foot-depressed pedal is located at a low position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,532 describes a device having a function for locking a pedal so as to allow the high hat stands to be maintained in the closed state. The device described in the US Patent is provided with a stationary member 150, which functions as a guide post, and a movable member 151, which is slidable on the stationary member 150, as shown in FIG. 11. A spring 152 is arranged on the outer surface of the movable member 151. The stationary member 150 is supported on a U-shaped frame 153. The frame 153 is mounted on a high hat stand guide column 155 by means of mounting members 154a and 154b. The frame 153 is provided with an anchor plate 156 through which extends the movable member 151. A tiltable plate 158, which has a hole, is arranged between the anchor plate 156 and an arm 157 on the bottom end of the frame 153.
A compression spring 159 is arranged between the plate 158 and the arm 157. A slight gap is provided between plate 158 and the movable member 151 in the hole of the plate 158. Accordingly, the movable member 151 is forced upward by the spring 152. The plate 158 prevented from the movable member 151 from being raised unintentionally. Therefore, the movable member 151 is stopped at any position.
In this device, an operation pedal 160 is depressed to hold the cymbals in a closed state. This lowers the movable member 151 as it slides along the outer surface of the stationary member 150 and compresses the spring 152. The plate 158 functions to keep the movable member 151 anchored at the lowered position. In this state, a foot pedal 161 is pressed downward by the lowered movable member 151. This closes the pair of cymbals and locks the foot pedal 161 at the foot-depressed position (low position).
When unlocking the foot pedal 161, the plate 158 is depressed downward to release the movable member 151. This enables the movable member to move through the hole of the plate 158. The force exerted by the spring 152 lifts the movable member 151. Thus, the downward pressing force on the foot pedal 161 is eliminated to unlock the foot pedal and open the cymbals.
In the conventional device, when the cymbals are locked in the closed state, the joined cymbals produce a somewhat combined noise. Furthermore, since the cymbals automatically return to the open state when released from the locked state, it is impossible to continue playing the cymbals in the closed state after releasing the lock. This is because the pedal locking and unlocking operations cannot be performed when the pedal is being depressed.
Furthermore, a constant tonal quality cannot be reproduced because the tone of the cymbals changes each time the cymbals are locked in accordance with changes in the pressure applied by the operation pedal 160 when locking the cymbals in the closed state.


The pore forming material for a porous body of the present invention comprises organic polymer particles and inorganic particles. As the embodiment thereof, there may be mentioned one having a structure in which the inorganic particles are contained in the organic polymer particles, and an aggregate body of the organic polymer particles and the inorganic particles. The inorganic particles may be inorganic micro-balloons, and the organic polymer particles may be organic micro-balloons.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pore forming material for a porous body, a manufacturing method of the pore forming material for a porous body, a manufacturing method of a porous body, a porous body, and a honeycomb structural body.
2. Discussion of the Background
In recent years, particulates, such as soot and the like, contained in exhaust gases that are discharged from internal combustion engines of vehicles, such as buses, trucks and the like, and construction machines and the like, have raised serious problems as those particulates are harmful to the environment and the human body.
In order to solve these problems, there have been proposed various honeycomb structural bodies made of porous ceramics, which serve as filters for collecting particulates in exhaust gases to purify the exhaust gases.
With respect to a method for manufacturing a porous body to be used for honeycomb structural bodies of this type, for example, a method has been proposed in which: polymer particles (pore forming material for a porous body) having a pore forming function are mixed in an aggregate made of ceramics, metal and the like, and the resulting product is formed, dried, degreased and fired so that a porous body is manufactured (for example, see JP-A 2003-10617). In such a manufacturing method, almost all the polymer particles are burned to be removed during the degreasing process so that portions that have been occupied by the polymer particles are allowed to form pores; thus, after the firing process, a porous body having the resulting pores is formed.
Moreover, in the honeycomb structural body made of a porous body, the porosity of the porous body forms a very important factor that determines the performance of a filter, and there have been strong demands for a filter having a great porosity from the viewpoints of an increased supported amount of catalyst, the collecting efficiency of fine particles, the pressure loss and the collecting time.
Therefore, in order to manufacture a porous body having a great porosity by using the above-mentioned method, it is necessary to increase the content of polymer particles. However, in this case, an abrupt heat generating reaction is exerted upon burning the polymer particles in the drying, degreasing and firing processes to cause a portion which locally has high temperatures.
Furthermore, in the case where the polymer particles are formed into porous bodies (with a lower density) in an attempt to reduce the content of the polymer particles, the polymer particles are squashed upon applying a high pressure thereto during the forming process.
The contents of JP-A 2003-10617 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Pore forming material for porous body, manufacturing method of pore forming material for porous body, manufacturing method of porous body, porous body, and honeycomb structural body


In a working 4-cycle engine including a crankcase, a cylinder block inclined with respect to the crankcase, and an oil pan located in a lower portion of the crankcase. An auxiliary oil tank is disposed below the cylinder block in the direction of inclination of the cylinder block. The auxiliary oil tank communicates with the inside of the oil pan and normally assumes a position higher than the level of oil stored in the oil pan. However, when the engine is tilted down in the direction of inclination of the cylinder block, the oil stored in the oil pan flows into and is accumulated in the auxiliary oil tank. Thus, even if the engine is tilted down in the direction of inclination of the cylinder block, the oil stored in the oil pan is prevented from flowing into the cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a working 4-cycle engine for use as a power source for a rammer, trimmer or the like, and particularly, to a working 4-cycle engine including a cylinder block which is connected to a crankcase having an oil pan in a lower portion thereof. The cylinder block is inclined sideways with respect to the crankcase.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a 2-cycle engine which does not require an oil pan has been widely used as a working engine.
Even in the working engine, however, the employment of a 4-cycle engine is necessary from the viewpoint of purification of an exhaust gas. The present applicant has already proposed a 4-cycle engine of the above-described construction (see Japanese Patent Application No. 7-87620).
In the 4-cycle engine of the above-described construction, if this engine remains tilted for a long time in the direction of inclination of the cylinder block, there is a possibility that oil flowing from the oil pan into a cylinder in the cylinder block, may flow through the contact of a piston ring and cylinder block wall into a combustion chamber.


A reactor with a reaction chamber (14), which is produced for example by etching or other micro-mechanical production processes. An agitating device (20) is formed for example by an electrical field generator (18), which acts on electrical charge carriers (21) of the sample fluid, and consequently leads to circulation or mixing of the sample fluid. As an alternative, a magnetic field generator which acts on magnetic particles in the sample fluid may also be used. The reactor permits the extensive miniaturization of test reactors for bioprocesses, since circulation of the fluid to achieve a quasi steady-state bioprocess is possible the agitating devices even under extremely confined spatial conditions.

Reactors for the treatment of a sample medium are used for example for carrying out bioprocesses, meaning the obtainment of products by biochemical reactions. If such bioprocesses are to be used on an industrial scale, the sequence of the bioprocess must be precisely investigated in advance, in order to accomplish the highest possible efficiency of the bioprocess by choosing suitable process parameters. This procedure is referred to as upstream processing.
An installation which allows the bioprocess to be carried out under laboratory conditions is required for the upstream processing. Such an installation, referred to as a table-top fermenter, is offered for example by Infors AG, who on Oct. 25, 2001 described their product under the model name "Sixfors" on the Internet page www.infors.ch/d/d5a.htm. According to the illustration published on this Internet page, "Sixfors" comprises a base station, on which a bioprocess can be carried out simultaneously in six beakers, under modified conditions in each case. As disclosed by the text describing "Sixfors", these beakers have agitating shaft inserts (which can be seen in the illustration). Additionally provided are drives with a magnetic coupling, which can move agitating magnets which are shown in the drawing and are located on the bottom of the beakers.
The two agitating devices mentioned provide constant circulation of the reaction fluid while the bioprocess is being conducted, whereby a quasi steady-state bioprocess can be maintained. This process largely corresponds to the conditions during industrial-scale use. The quasi steady state is referred to as fed-batch, meaning that the bioprocess is maintained by constant feeding of reaction fluid on the one hand and removal of the reaction product on the other hand.

Reactor for the treatment of a sample medium


A first MOS transistor of a specific conductive type and a second MOS transistor of the specific conductive type are combined in an electrostatic circuit protection. In the first MOS transistor, a drain thereof is connected to an output terminal or an input terminal and a source thereof is connected to a first power terminal. The first MOS transistor is turned on/off by a signal received by a gate or ordinarily turned off by holding the gate at a specific potential. In the second MOS transistor of the specific conductive type, a drain thereof is connected to the output terminal or the input terminal and a source thereof is connected to a gate of the first MOS transistor. The second MOS transistor is ordinarily turned off by connecting a gate thereof to the first power terminal.

The present invention relates to a device for providing a Voltage Source Convertor (VSC converter) for converting direct voltage to alternating voltage, and alternating voltage into direct voltage in a plant for transmitting electric power. The VSC converter is connected to an active alternating voltage network having at least two phases and has a direct voltage side providing a direct voltage across at least one capacitor upon connection of the converter to the alternating voltage network. An inductance is connected between the alternating voltage network and the converter. A first breaking means is provided in each connection line between each phase of the alternating voltage network and the converter for connecting the respective alternating voltage phase to the VSC converter. The device conducts current to charge the capacitor through a resistance.
The VSC converter may be connected to a direct voltage network for producing high voltage direct current (HVDC). A plant for transmitting electric power between such a direct voltage network and an alternating voltage network has recently become known through the disclosure "PWM and control of two and three-level High Power Voltage Source Converters" by Anders Lindberg, Kungliga Tekniska Hogskolan, Stockholm, 1995. However, it is emphasized that the invention is not restricted to this application. The VSC converter could, for example, be a part of an SVC (Static Var Compensator), in which the direct voltage side of the converter is not connected to any direct voltage network.
The number of phases of said alternating voltage network, and therefore the number of phase legs of the VSC converter, may be arbitrary. The invention is directed to a device for connecting a VSC converter to an alternating voltage network of at least two phases, however, there are usually three phases. The three phases of the alternating voltage network require three phase legs of the VSC converter, and therefore a total of six current valves, in which the converter constitutes a six-pulse bridge.
In a state in which a converter is not connected to the alternating voltage network, and there is in principle no direct voltage across said capacitor. When the converter is connected to the alternating voltage network, the capacitor will, in such a connection of the alternating voltage network, be charged through the diodes in the bridge of the converter, since the semiconductor elements, which are turn-off type, preferably IGBTs connected in anti-parallel therewith, are blocked and not controllable in this state. Energy is stored in the inductance as a consequence of the charging current. The inductance may be constituted by a transformer or inductors when the converter does not have any transformer. This energy will charge the capacitor beyond peak-rectifying voltage when the charging current sinks to an over-voltage condition. As a consequence, these systems have been adapted to conduct the current charging the capacitor through a resistance, which so far has been accomplished at high voltages, e.g., within the range 100 kV to 500 kV. A first breaking means connects a resistor into the respective connection line (phase leg), between the converter and the respective phase of the alternating voltage network, so as to reduce the charging current and drastically reduce the energy oscillating between the inductor and the capacitor. The resistor is then disconnected, so that the current in the respective connection line is shunted past the resistor so as not to cause unnecessary losses. Resistors have been incorporated in all the first breaking means, since these close simultaneously, and it is not known which of the phases of the alternating voltage network leads in time and, therefore, which one will initially charge the capacitor. This solution to the problem of over-voltage conditions across the capacitor occurring upon connection of a VSC converter to an active alternating voltage network when providing the converter with voltage is comparatively costly, and normally not accessible for so-called medium voltage breakers, for voltages between 10 and 100 kV.

Device for connecting a VSC converter to a source of alternating voltage


A carriage for an image scanning unit which scans an image on an object is provided with a light source, a reflecting member placed to face the light source and configured to reflect a light emitted from the light source toward the object to illuminate the image, a housing that contains the light source and the reflecting member, the housing having an opening which allows the light reflected by the reflecting member to pass through and proceed toward the object, and a radiation plate connected to the reflecting member so that heat is conducted from the reflecting member to the radiation plate, at least part of the radiation plate being exposed to outside the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a carriage for image scanning unit, an image scanning unit and a multifunction peripheral having an image scanning function. Specifically, the present invention relates to a technique to improve a luminous efficiency of a light source of the carriage for image scanning unit (hereinafter, a carriage for scanning an image will be simply referred to as a carriage).
2. Related Art
Conventionally, a multifunction peripheral (hereinafter, referred to as an MFP) provided with an image scanning function and an image forming function is known. Such an MFP is provided with a moveable carriage beneath a platen glass on which an original document is placed. An example of such a configuration is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. P2004-214877A.
Typically, the carriage for scanning an image is provided with a reflecting plate for reflecting light emitted from a light source to illuminate the original document. The reflecting plate is arranged to surround the light source such that reflecting surface thereof faces the light source. As a result of this configuration, heat generated by the light source is accumulated in the reflecting plate, and further, radiation of heat of the light source is prevented. Therefore, the temperature of the light source is likely to increase. In particular, when a plurality of original documents are scanned continuously, or a relatively long time is spent for scanning an image at a high resolution, light emitting period becomes relatively long. In such a case, the temperature of the light source tends to increase extraordinary. There are light sources (e.g., a cold cathode tube) which have characteristics such that luminous efficiency is deteriorated as the temperature increase. When the luminous efficiency is deteriorated, the light intensity becomes insufficient, which may adversely effect image scanning.

Carriage for image scanning unit including radiation plate for conducting heat


A cushioning pad of heavy fabric thickness (P-2), including double terry loops (T-1 and T-2), is formed in the high pad area (12) at the medial portion of the rear of the leg (L) to provide cushioning characteristics in this area to protect the rear of the lower leg of the wearer from chafing by the upper edge of a snowboarding boot. A pad of maximum fabric thickness (P-3), including triple terry loops (T-1, T-2 and T-3) is provided in the high splice area (13) above the heel (14) and defines a locking pad to force the wearer's foot forwardly into the boot when the foot is inserted into the boot to provide a firm fit of the foot of the wearer in the boot. Pads of heavy fabric thickness (P-2) are provided in the ball (18) and toe (15) to cushion the toes of the wearer and to absorb shocks in the ball area when landing after completing flip-over operations or maneuvers. A cushioning pad of medium fabric thickness (P-1 ), including single terry loops (T-1), is provided in the front half of the leg L and the instep of the foot F to cushion and prevent chafing of the upper front edge of the boot and the upper portion of the boot. optionally, pads of medium fabric thickness (P-1) may be provided in the heel (14) and the lower splice area (16) to cushion the heel of the wearer.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,373,361 discloses a ski sock with additional yarn knit in selected portions of the sock to form thickened fabric areas extending along selected portions of the front and rear of the leg. In certain embodiments of the sock disclosed in my prior patent, the thickened fabric areas form pads of medium fabric thickness by knitting a first set of terry loops, and pads of heavy fabric thickness by knitting both first and second sets of terry loops. In each embodiment of the ski sock of my prior patent, thickened fabric areas extend along the front portion of the leg to cushion and protect the front portion of the leg of the wearer from chafing and from pressure exerted against the leg by the front and upper edge of the ski boot. The ski sock of my prior patent is perfectly satisfactory for use when normal skiing maneuvers are performed by a person wearing conventional relatively stiff ski boots. However, it has been found that this ski sock does not provide the required firm fit and all of the desired padding and cushioning characteristics when the wearer is snowboarding. A person engaged in snowboarding normally wears boots that are much more flexible than a conventional ski boot, and frequently performs backward flips and other unusual aerobatic maneuvers. The unusual maneuvers performed during snowboarding require that the snowboarding boot be firmly positioned on the foot and leg of the wearer, notwithstanding the flexibility of the boot, and that the sock provide sufficient cushioning characteristics to absorb shocks imparted to the foot and lower leg of the wearer during such maneuvers.


A large square baler includes a crop compressing plunger constructed in a modular fashion comprising a main support frame to which right and left plunger end sections and a plurality of identical individual cast plunger middle sections are bolted in side-by-side, spaced relationship to each other, with the space between adjacent sections defining a pathway through which a twine-delivery needle may pass to deliver twine to a knotter assembly when it is desired to secure a formed bale by tying lengths of twine about the bale.

Modern plunger designs require complex sheet metal weldments. The weldments are made up of stiffeners, cross-members, needle guides, shim rollers or plates, plunger guide skis and knives. This type of construction results in high production costs. Additionally, when plunger damage occurs, serviceability to repair damaged sections is very difficult as it may require the entire plunger to be removed even though the damage may be localized.


An automated pay-per-view activation method is disclosed for use in integrated television receive-only satellite receiver/descramblers. The automated procedure allows for automatic activation of the pay-per-view program event reception from all pay-per-view service providers. Taken in conjunction with a preprogrammed timer function, the present invention provides for the preprogrammed reception of pay-per-view programs in the absence of the operator.

It is well known that an integrated television receive-only satellite broadcast receiver/descrambler (IRD) is capable of receiving a variety of television program events which are broadcast by a service provider. And that operators often desire to record such program events at the present time for viewing at a later time by interconnecting a video cassette recorder (VCR) to the IRD. Furthermore, it is often desirable for the operator, who is typically a consumer in the home, to preprogram the VCR at the present time to record a program event at a future time so that the program event may be played back and viewed at a point in time still further in the future. To accomplish this recording function, it is necessary for the operator to utilize a timer function and preprogram the VCR to activate its record function at a specific time in the future when the desired program event is to be aired. Likewise, a timer function in the IRD must be employed to preprogram the reception for the desired program event. Then, with the proper cabling interconnecting the output of the IRD to the input of the VCR, the desired program event will be recorded for viewing at a later time. Many IRDs employ a timer function to allow the preprogrammed reception of program events. Such timer functions control various functions of the IRD. The functions controlled by such timers often include; the primary power to the IRD, the direction in which the antenna is pointed, and the radio frequency channel of operation.
In a different aspect of the use of IRD satellite broadcast receivers, it is well known that monetary service fees are charged to operators for the privilege of receiving certain programs. It is well known that these fees are assessed on a recurring basis, frequently at monthly or quarterly intervals.
In order to prevent unauthorized reception of transmitted program events, modern satellite broadcast systems scramble some of the transmitted signals for which an access fee is to be charged. Each IRD which has the capability to descramble the scrambled broadcast signal must have a descrambling device in order to do so. There has been an evolution of descrambling device technology used in the market. This descrambling technology is well known to those skilled in the art. Today, the descrambling devices popularly in use comprise a proprietary electronic circuit board inserted into the IRD. The descrambling device employs software to implement a complex and secure descrambling algorithm. The descrambling devices also provide other functions which may include communications with the service provider, interface to the receiving circuitry in the IRD, generation of operator menus on the TV screen, and storage of usage history and other data. IRD manufacturers do not develop or manufacture descrambling devices, but rather, IRD manufacturers purchase these devices from a third party and incorporate them into the IRD's that they manufacture. The principal descrambling devices in use today are the VideoCipher II, VideoCipher II Plus, VideoCipher II Plus MOM, and VideoCipher RS which are manufactured or licensed by General Instruments Corporation. These devices are often simply identified as VCII modules.
The VCII descrambling modules are proprietary in their design. Manufacturers are provided with mechanical, electrical, and protocol interface specifications that enable them to incorporate the VCII descrambling modules into the IRDs that they manufacture. The full interface specification is available from General Instruments Corporation, VideoCipher Division, 6262 Lusk Boulevard, San Diego, Calif. 92121-2743. The electrical interface to the descrambler is interfaced with a modified microprocessor bus in the IRD thus providing communications between the IRD and descrambler. The protocol specification includes a set of commands that allow the IRD to send instructions to the descrambler and for the IRD to receive responses from the descrambler. The commands sent to the descrambler by the IRD are interpreted from keystrokes entered by the operator. These commands include the following keystrokes:
______________________________________ [VIEW] Selects viewing mode [NEXT] Selects next program [SETUP] Selects SET-UP menu [TEXT] Provides text for function [MSG] Displays message [0]-[9] Enters digits [ENTER] Performs selection [CNCL] Cancels selection [(left arrow)] Data input per function [(right arrow)] Data input per function [HELP] Requests help information ______________________________________
These commands are used to control the function of the descrambler and to send enabling, initializing and activating commands to the descrambler to control the descrambling function.
Responses are generated within the descrambler and communicated to the IRD. Some responses are composed of alpha-numeric characters which are displayed on the TV. Others are communicated to the IRD microprocessor via the microprocessor bus. Some of the responses include:
______________________________________ "QUERY" Request for receiver state "NUMMODE" Allows activation of descrambler "CHANMODE" Descrambler is active ______________________________________
Each of these commands is interpreted by the IRD to determine the state of the descrambler and other functions. Therefore, activation of the descrambler involves the input of information, via keystroke entry to the descrambler, and receiving the appropriate response from the input.
Considering now the monetary service fee which is charged for the reception and descrambling of scrambled satellite broadcast program events, service providers activate the descrambling device on an operator's IRD for a periodic service fee. The IRD is thus activated to descramble scrambled program events for the duration of the period. There is no limit placed on the number of program events that may be viewed by the operator during the service period. However, service providers have a need and a desire to charge a monetary service fee on a per event basis for singular and one-time program events.
In recent years an alternative method of assessing service fees to operators has become popular. In this alternative method, the operator is assessed a service fee on a demand basis for each particular program event viewed. This method of billing is commonly called pay-per-view (PPV) or instant-pay-per-view (IPPV). The operator may select a desired program event from a program listing and adjust his IRD to receive the program event at a time just prior to or just after the time the desired program event begins. The adjustments required to the IRD include pointing the receiving antenna toward the satellite broadcasting the signal and tuning to the desired channel from the plurality of channels broadcast. Having done this, the operator must initialize and activate the PPV function so as to acknowledge the PPV monetary fee and accept the program event. The initialization and activation procedures are accomplished by manually entering keystroke commands as prompted by the descrambler on the TV screen and in accordance with the particular service provider. Often, this initialization and activation procedure includes the entering of a security password. Such password provides security to the operator in preventing unauthorized purchases of PPV programming.
There are several PPV service providers currently broadcasting PPV program events. Among these are Action Pay-Per-View, Cable Video Store (CVS), Touchstone Video Network (TVN), Request TV, and others. Each of these service providers may have a somewhat different PPV initialization and activation procedure. Furthermore, the specific activation procedure may be different depending on the access period. The access period is defined by the relationship between the time the initialization and activation procedure is executed and the time the program event begins airing.
The access periods falls into six categories. Access period one occurs long before the desired program event begins to air. During period one, the access to the program event can be denied because the program will not begin within a reasonable time period. The duration of the reasonable time period varies between service providers. It is also likely that another program event is airing during access period one, further explaining why descrambler access is denied during access period one.
Access period two occurs just prior to the beginning of a program event and follows the end of access period one. During period two, descrambler access can be gained, however additional keystroke entry is usually required to inform the descrambler that the subsequent program event is desired, as opposed to the current program event. Access period two begins a reasonable time period prior to the beginning of the program event. The duration of this period varies between service providers. During access period two, the previous program event may or may not be concluding.
Access period three also occurs just prior to the beginning of the desired program event. It differs from access period two in that the service provider is airing an advertisement for the subsequent or other future program events. Sometimes, an additional keystroke is required to exit the period three mode prior to activating the descrambler. The presence or absence of access period three depends on the service provider.
Access period four begins at the beginning of the desired program event and is defined as a short period of time when the service provider does not scramble the broadcast signal, but rather, allows IRDs to receive the broadcast without the need to descramble the signal. This is possibly done to encourage operators to decide to purchase the balance of time for the program event. During this period, the descrambler activation may be executed. The required keystroke commands may vary between service providers during access period four.
Access period five is defined as a period of time which begins after the desired program event has begun. During this period, the service provider is scrambling the signal and the operator may activate the descrambler to descramble the signal. The duration of this period varies widely between service providers. Some service providers allow activation of the descrambler up to the end of a program event's broadcast.
Access period six is a period of time which begins after the desired program event has begun and during which the service provider will not allow the activation of the descrambler by the operator. The purpose of this period is to prevent the purchase of PPV programs when there is insufficient program time remaining.
For each of the above cited periods and depending on which service provider is broadcasting the program event, a somewhat different keystroke entry sequence may be required to activate the descrambler in order to receive a program event. The descrambler provides a menu driven user interface that guides the user through the activation procedure. As was noted, descrambler activation is not possible during certain access periods. It may be, for example, necessary for the operator to wait until access period one has expired before executing the activation procedure.
The initialization and activation procedure is accomplished by entering keystroke commands to the IRD which are communicated to the descrambler via the internal microprocessor bus. It is not difficult for an operator to manually initialize and activate a PPV program event because the operators is prompted on the TV screen by the descrambler as to what entries are required at each moment.
As with other program events which are not scrambled, operators desire the ability to preprogram their IRD to receive pay-per-view programs in their absence, therefore, there is a need to automate the PPV program initialization and activation procedure so that it may be accomplished without the operator being present to actuate keystroke commands to the descrambler and IRD. The solution to automating the PPV initialization and activation procedure is complicated by the different initialization and activation procedures required by different PPV programming service providers and by the different access periods during which an initialization and activation procedure is attempted.
The manual initialization and activation of the PPV descrambling function in IRD satellite broadcast receivers has placed certain limits on the ability of operators to record program events which are purchased on a pay-per-view basis. Although pay-per-view program events can be recorded at the present time for viewing at a future time by manually initializing and activating the IRD satellite receiver pay-per-view function and activating the VCR record function, operators have a need to automate the recording of pay-per-view programs. Such automation would allow the operator to program the IRD to facilitate recording a program event at a future point in time for viewing at a point in time still further in the future.

Automatic pay-per-view reception in a satellite receiver


A method and apparatus for optimizing register allocation during scheduling and execution of program code in a hardware environment. The program code can be compiled to optimize execution given predetermined hardware constraints. The hardware constraints can include the number of register read and write operations that can be performed in a given processor pass. The optimizer can initially schedule the program using virtual registers and a goal of minimizing the amount of active registers at any time. The optimizer reschedules the program to assign the virtual registers to actual physical registers in a manner that minimizes the number of processor passes used to execute the program.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to the field of electronic processing. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to register allocation and scheduling of program code.
2. Description of Related Art
Various applications can be implemented in the form of machine readable instructions stored in one or more storage devices and executed on associated hardware. Devices can be configured to perform a limited range of applications through embedded software executing on local hardware. Other devices can be general purpose devices on which applications can be configured through execution of software.
In typical applications, the software is developed in what is referred to as a high level language that can be relatively independent of the type of hardware used to execute the application. The high level language can be compiled or otherwise translated into hardware specific low level language instructions. The instructions can be loaded into a storage device, such as memory, and hardware can execute the instructions.
As programs evolve to require increasingly complex processes to be performed in ever decreasing time periods, the performance of hardware architectures eventually approach limitations that do not permit the near instantaneous execution of code desired of many applications. The program execution time is typically limited by an identifiable set of bottlenecks in the hardware architecture that limit the processing capabilities of the architecture.
In early or more simple hardware architectures, a single processor core can be configured to access from associated memory, a single instruction or operand per instruction cycle. The processor can operate based on a clock signal and each instruction cycle can be one or more clock cycles.
In such a simple hardware architecture, the clock speed can be increased to increase the execution time for the application. However, there are practical limitations to clock rates, although presently available processors can operate at clock rates on the order of hundreds of megahertz and may include internal multipliers that increase the effective clock rate to several gigahertz.
More complicated architectures can include multiple processing paths that are configured in parallel. In a basic variation of the multiple path architecture, each processing path can operate independently of any other processing path and each processing path can have hardware dedicated to the particular path.
The program execution time in an architecture having multiple processing paths can be improved in part by increasing the clock rates of the processing paths. Additionally, the program execution time may be improved by efficient scheduling of instructions executed in each individual processing path. Thus, because the compiler schedules the low level instructions translated from higher level code, the operation of the compiler can have significant impact on the execution time of an application or program.
It is desirable to optimize the allocation of resources consumed and the scheduling of instructions in parallel processing applications in order to optimize the execution of the application. One benefit of such optimization can be a decrease in the execution time of the application with no hardware changes.

Method and apparatus for register allocation in presence of hardware constraints


An apparatus for holding radioactive objects includes a base and a central pillar extending upwardly between a bottom end coupled to the base and a top end above the base. A plurality of inner segments are spaced around the central pillar, and a plurality of outer segments are spaced around the inner segments to form pairs. The inner segments, the outer segments and the central pillar may be coupled together to permit limited radial movement of at least one of the segments of each pair. Each pair may define a generally vertical, object-receiving channel arranged between the inner and outer segment of the pair. The segments of each pair may be adapted to bear against an object in the channel of the pair to laterally restrain the object and facilitate heat transfer from the object.

The following is not an admission that anything discussed therein is prior art or part of the knowledge of persons skilled in the art.
Isotopes used in nuclear medicine may be produced through a process that includes irradiation of uranium targets in a nuclear reactor. Targets may be fabricated in a variety of shapes, and may be cladded in aluminum or other metal to protect the chemically reactive uranium metal or alloy and contain the fission products produced during irradiation. For example, targets may be shaped as narrow cylinders, with a diameter similar to a large pencil, and formed of a uranium aluminum alloy with aluminum cladding.

Apparatus for holding radioactive objects

ATOMIC ENERGY OF CANADA LIMITED / ÉNERGIE ATOMIQUE DU CANADA LIMITÉE


A multi-dimensional liquid analysis system includes a flow splitter for separating mobile phase outflow from a first dimension liquid analysis system into first and second liquid split outlet flows. Volumetric flow rate control of the split outlet flows is provided by a flow control pump which withdraws one of the split outlet flows from the flow splitter at a controlled withdrawal flow rate to define the other split outlet flow rate as the difference between the outflow rate from the first dimension system and the withdrawal flow rate. In this manner, accurate and consistent flow division can be accomplished, which is particularly useful for multi-dimensional liquid analysis.

Separation techniques such as high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) are commonly used in analytical chemistry. However, HPLC is limited by the resolution which can be achieved using a single chromatographic separation column. Attempts have been made to combine two or more liquid chromatographs into a hybrid instrument to achieve enhanced resolution of more compounds than can be achieved in a single separation column. As sample complexity has increased over the years, a need has arisen for greater resolving power than that achievable through the use of a single HPLC column.
Some analytical instruments involve the combination of HPLC and mass spectrometry for further identification of the sample. Typical mass spectrometers, however, analyze a significantly lower flow rate than the flow rate typically passed through a HPLC separation column. Analysts have therefore attempted to operate such combined instrumentation by reducing the HPLC mobile phase flow rate to a less than optimum value so that the outflow rate from the HPLC separation matches the liquid flow capacity of the mass spectrometer. Such reduction in flow rate through the HPLC column tends to reduce the available chromatographic resolution. To avoid the reduction in HPLC resolution, flow splitters have been employed in a full-flow regime to split a portion of the flow from the outlet of the HPLC column or detector to the inlet of the mass spectrometer, and the balance of the flow to another detector or to waste. Typical commercial flow splitters make use of resistive tubing elements to split the liquid flow into two or more distinct flow streams. Example flow splitters are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,914, and European patent application Publication No. EP 495255A1. Resistive division of liquid flow is difficult to maintain at uniform levels. Factors such as variable viscosity of the mobile phase, temperature, and any variations in the flow path during the analysis may cause the split ratio between the respective flow paths to change. Such variability becomes of particular concern when multiple dimension liquid chromatography is practiced.
One example chromatographic application where mobile phase splitting is desirable is two-dimensional liquid chromatography (or LC*LC), wherein the first dimension HPLC column effluent is introduced into a second dimension HPLC column, with no portion of the first dimension separation not being introduced into the second dimension column for subsequent "second dimension" separation. Those of ordinary skill in the art of HPLC analysis understand the various techniques are known for injecting a sample into a chromatographic column. In many cases, a sample volume is established in a multi-port valve, and thereafter injected into the chromatographic column by a fluid force generated by a pump. Samples may be introduced into a flowing mobile phase stream.
Theoretically, it is desirable to have the entire volume of the first dimension separation injected into the second dimension separation column, though such an approach remains impractical as the rate of the effluent from the first separation column is far too great to be directly injected into the second separation column. Traditionally, therefore, analysis of the "first dimension" separation has been accomplished by collection of the total volume of the effluent from the first separation column by fraction collection, and then re-injecting a representative sample of each fraction into the second dimension separation column.
In addition to flow rate mismatch, the developing chromatogram in the first dimension may contain increasing relative concentrations of organic solvent. The increasing relative concentration of organic solvent may be a result of the particular liquid chromatographic approach, in which an organic solvent is injected into the separation column after an aqueous mobile phase. As the relative concentration of organic solvent increases in the first dimension separation, injection of a fixed volume from the first dimension into the second dimension chromatograph further increases the relative organic solvent concentration during the second dimension separation. Under some conditions, injecting large volumes of organic solvent into the second dimension chromatograph is destructive to the second dimension separation. As the variation in organic solvent versus time occurs in the first dimension separation, the flow rate exiting from standard resistive flow splitters disposed downstream from the first separation column becomes unpredictable. Analysts therefore find it difficult to know the actual flow rate of sample available for injection into the second dimension separation column. An understanding of the sample flow rate is critical to control the organic solvent concentration in the second dimension separation column, and to ensure that no portion of the first dimension chromatograph is unsampled in the second dimension separation. Typical resistive flow splitters are not capable of providing analysts with the necessary information to consistently control analysis in the second dimension. Because of the limitations of standard resistive flow splitters, LC*LC has not enjoyed wide usage in the art.

Valve and splitting system for multi-dimensional liquid analysis


In a machine used to refurbish roads, having a driver's cab for one operator, an automotive running gear with two axles (4) and a working roller (8) that is mounted to pivot relative to the machine frame and that is enclosed in a hood (7) which defines a working chamber, and having a drive motor (9) with the necessary output to drive the working roller (8) and to power the vehicle's travel, the invention provides that a drive unit containing the working motor (9) is mounted in a pivoting frame (13) and forms a unit (2) that can be pivoted relative to the machine frame (1), that the working roller (8) is also mounted in the pivotable unit (2) and, together with the latter (2), can be pivoted relative to the hood (7), which has a fixed mounting to the machine frame (1), and that the working roller (8) is directly weighted by the unit (2), virtually the entire machine weight being concentrated between the running gear axles (4) and transferred to the pivotable unit (2).

The present invention is directed to an automotive working machine for the treatment of roadways.
Such working machines are used for the treatment of road material, e.g., for stabilization of ground having insufficient bearing properties, the fragmentation of hard asphalt surfacing, and for the recycling of bound or non-bound road surfaces.
Known machines of the above type are characterized by usually one working drum rotating in a working chamber and being arranged to have its height and inclination adjusted in conformity with the surface to be treated.
The required processes, e.g. the breaking and fragmenting of the milled-off road material, the adding of binding agents, the mixing and distributing of added materials and the like, will take place in said working chamber.
The inventive working process can also be divided into a counter-rotational working process and a co-rotational working process, depending on whether--with the same rotational direction--the peripheral force of the working drum will act against the driving force of the machine or will support it. Because of their relatively wide range of applications, especially in working processes wherein binding agents such as lime or cement are mixed partly in loose form with the surface layer to be treated, such machine are often provided with a closed driver's cabin so as to comply with working safety requirements.
The above described working machines for the refurbishing of roadways comprise a working drum driven either on one or both sides, and a very high drive power may be required depending on the respective application, with the rotational speed of the working drum being adjustable. Since the working process is often performed in the immediate vicinity of lateral obstacles, e.g. embankments, curbs, trees, house walls and so on, difficulties often occur because the slightest possible distance has to be kept between the outer cutting edge of the working drum and the outer edge of the machine in the working range.
The working chamber, extending between the working drum and the outer cover, is of special importance for the result of the working process. The work achieved could be improved, e.g., by an enlarged working chamber having a larger working depth. In known machines, the positions of the working drum axis relative to the drive carriage axes are quite different. Extensive research has revealed that the position of the working drum axis relative to the drive carriage axis is of particular relevance for the detachment behavior. The working machines, usually provided with two drive carriage axes, require considerable pressing forces to obtain the detachment behavior of the working drum, the maximum possible pressing force being determined by the weight of the machine. The arrangement of the working drum is favorable when, if feasible, the whole machine weight can be used in counter-rotational and co-rotational working processes for generating the possibly required pressing forces of the working drum. The outer cover is fixedly arranged on the machine frame. The fixed arrangement is usually advantageous because of its low constructional expenditure (no necessity for guide elements). For the working result, the particle size and resp. the particle distribution of the detached and resp. also picked-up material is of eminent importance. The distribution of the particle sizes is decisively influenced by the geometrical configuration of the working chamber which is determined by defined geometrical relationships between the working drum and the outer cover. Particularly an outer cover which is resistant to mechanical stresses will provide advantageous working results.
The driver's platform, which for safety reasons is imperative in machines of the above type, poses problems due to the resultant increased height of the machine, which is disadvantageous especially during transport of the machine. For this reason, the driver's platform of the known embodiments has been arranged at the rear or the front of the machine which still offer enough space. This, in turn, entails the disadvantage that only one working direction can be visually observed to a really satisfactory extent.
Depending on the nature of the surface to be treated, the working process requires that the working drum axis be adapted with respect to the working depth, i.e. with respect to the relative vertical distance of the working drum axis for the to-be-treated surface and the absolute transverse inclination of the working drum axis. The tools arranged on the periphery of the working drum for performing the material detachment process are partly equipped with cutting tools known from road milling machines.
Depending on their respective type, the presently known methods and devices for the above described working process suffer from one or several of the following disadvantages:
The present solutions for the working drum drive, due to their hydraulic, hydraulic-mechanical or indirectly mechanical concepts, suffer from an unsatisfactory efficiency and corresponding energy losses. A direct mechanical drive has not yet been realized in the above machines.
Although an enlargement of the working space with increased working depth, offering favorable working results, has been realized in some embodiments of working machines, this has been accomplished only at the expense of the advantageous arrangement of the working drum axis relative to the drive carriage axes. This applies also to embodiments wherein, although the working drum axis is arranged between the drive carriage axes, the weight distribution (rear and resp. front axes) is so unfavorable that the above described advantage of using the machine weight for the pressing forces of the working drum cannot be utilized for the counter-rotational working process and the co-rotational working process. On the other hand, embodiments of working machines exist wherein the working drum axis is arranged in a favorable position relative to the drive carriage axes, but these machines do not offer the advantage of an enlargement of the working space with increased working depth.
In present embodiments of working machines, the outer cover is either fixedly or movably arranged on the supporting frame of the machine. In known working machines, the above described advantages of a fixed arrangement are only achieved if the working chamber is non-adjustable. Further, only in case of a fixed arrangement of the working drum housing, so-called breaker bars can be realized, since the fragmentation of material normally produces forces which advantageously are introduced into the machine frame. Adjustable breaker bars, i.e. devices wherein the distance between the breaker bar and the working drum during the working process can be changed, have not yet been realized.
In known working machines, the positioning of the driver's platform has not been satisfactory. Either, with a non-central arrangement, it is not possible to visually monitor the whole machine, or, with a central arrangement of the driver's platform and particularly in case of an embodiment comprising a driver's cabin, the transport height is so large that the transport from one construction site to another one requires a demounting of constructional components.
In the machines known up to now, the indication of the working depth is performed by reference to the relative position between the working drum axis and the drive carriage axis. For this reason, the largevolumed tires, which are frequently used in this type of working machines, will due to their resilient properties inevitably cause a measuring and indication error with respect to the working depth. The use of control devices for the adjustment and maintenance of a preselected working depth has not been realized yet.
Because of the partly high detachment resistance of the material to be worked on, incidents like e.g. the breakage of a cutting tool will cause damage to the holder or other constructional components fixedly attached to the working drum, which due to the resulting repair work will result in considerable operational disturbances and interruptions of the working process. The use of an exchange holder system which is known for so-called road milling machines, has not been considered yet for working machines of the type discussed here.
The above outlined state of the art is described, for instance, in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,259,692, 5,190,398 and 5,354,147.


An image forming apparatus comprises: attach/detach sections to/from each of which a developer container for containing developer can be attached/detached; an image bearing body for bearing a latent image; and a displaying section for displaying information thereon. When developer containers are attached to the attach/detach sections, the apparatus is usable as a color image forming apparatus for forming a color image by developing the latent image bore on the image bearing body with the developer in each developer container. When a developer container is attached to only one attach/detach section, the apparatus is usable as a single-color image forming apparatus for forming a single-color image by developing the latent image bore on the image bearing body with the developer in the developer container. Information displayed on the displaying section when the apparatus is used as the color image forming apparatus is different from information displayed on the displaying section when it is used as the single-color image forming apparatus.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image forming apparatuses and image forming systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are known image forming apparatuses that comprise, for example, a plurality of attach/detach sections to and from each of which a developing unit (which serves as an example of a developer container for containing developer) can be attached and detached, and an image bearing body for bearing a latent image. These image forming apparatuses form images by developing the latent image bore on the image bearing body with the developer contained in the developing unit(s) attached to the attach/detach section(s). When image signals are transmitted from an external device such as a computer, the image forming apparatus moves the developing units to thereby locate one of the developing units at a developing position opposing the image bearing body. A developer image is formed by developing the latent image formed on the image bearing body, and the image is temporarily transferred onto an intermediate transferring body. The image forming apparatus sequentially changes the developing units and repeats the developing and transferring in a similar manner to superimpose a plurality of developer images and thereby form a color image. The developer image formed on the intermediate transferring body is then transferred onto a medium to form an image thereon. (See, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2002-333756 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2003-43773.)
In some situations, a user may wish to use a color image forming apparatus as a monochrome image forming apparatus by attaching, for example, only a black developing unit, which contains black developer, to the image forming apparatus. In order to fulfill such a desire, it is advantageous to use an image forming apparatus of the type described below, for example.
This type of image forming apparatus comprises a plurality of attach/detach sections to and from each of which a developing unit for containing developer can be attached and detached, and an image bearing body for bearing a latent image (and also a displaying section for displaying information thereon, if necessary). When a developing unit is attached to each of the plurality of attach/detach sections, the image forming apparatus can be used as a color image forming apparatus for forming a color image by developing the latent image bore on the image bearing body with the developer contained in each of the developing units. On the other hand, when a developing unit is attached to only one of the plurality of attach/detach sections, the image forming apparatus can be used as a single-color image forming apparatus for forming a single-color image by developing the latent image bore on the image bearing body with the developer contained in that developing unit.
(1) In this type of image forming apparatus, information is displayed on the displaying section. For example, the image forming apparatus displays, on the displaying section, information about the number of sheets on which images have been formed, for example.
However, not all of the information that is displayed on the displaying section when the image forming apparatus is used as a color image forming apparatus are necessary when the image forming apparatus is used as a monochrome image forming apparatus. For example, it would be preferable to display information, such as the number of sheets of media on which color images have been formed, when the image forming apparatus is used as a color image forming apparatus, but such information as the number of sheets of media on which color images have been formed is not always necessary when the image forming apparatus is used as a monochrome image forming apparatus. In view of such circumstances, there has been a need to display information that suits either the color image forming apparatus or the monochrome image forming apparatus respectively for when the image forming apparatus is used as a color image forming apparatus and for when it is used as a monochrome image forming apparatus.
(2) Further, when the image forming apparatus of the type described above is switched between the single-color mode and the color mode, apparatus information (such as "printer information") for when printing is carried out according to either the single-color state or the color state is output as a status sheet.
However, not all of the printer information about the color printer that is output when the printer is switched from the single-color mode to the color mode are necessary for the printer information about the single-color printer that is output when the printer is switched from the color mode to the single-color mode. Output of unnecessary information makes it difficult for a user to get hold of necessary information accurately.
(3) Further, there are situations in which a user, serviceperson, etc. (which is also referred to collectively as "user etc." below) wishes to switch the image forming apparatus between the single-color mode and the color mode. (This switching between the single-color mode and the color mode is also referred to as "apparatus switching" below.) In such a case, the user etc. carries out apparatus switching by either attaching a developing unit to an attach/detach section or detaching a developing unit from an attach/detach section.
However, there are cases in which the user etc. attaches a developing unit to an attach/detach section or detaches a developing unit from an attach/detach section, even though apparatus switching of the image forming apparatus is not intended. For example, the user may exchange developing units, or the user may confirm the developing units to specify causes of a malfunction of the image forming apparatus. If apparatus switching of the image forming apparatus is executed, contrary to the user's intentions, due to attachment/detachment of a developing unit in the above-described cases, then it will become inconvenient for the user etc.
(4) Meanwhile, devices, such as the image forming apparatuses of the type described above, that are capable of communicating with computers generally have device IDs. A device ID is used by the computer to recognize the device when the device is electrically connected to the computer. By receiving the device ID from the device, the computer carries out settings relating to the device, such as allocation of hardware resources, and also carries out operations such as prompting a user to install a device driver for that device (which is also referred to simply as a "driver" below) or loading the driver.
It is preferable for a driver for an image forming apparatus of the above-mentioned type to be provided with functions that suit a single-color image forming apparatus for when the image forming apparatus is being used as the single-color image forming apparatus, as well as functions that suit a color image forming apparatus for when the image forming apparatus is being used as the color image forming apparatus. This would be convenient for a user.
Therefore, it is preferable that computers run a driver having the appropriate functions that suit either the single-color image forming apparatus or the color image forming apparatus when it receives a device ID from an image forming apparatus.

Image forming apparatus and image forming system


A blasting method of processing a bomb by forming an explosive layer on an outermost surface of the bomb to be processed having a casing in a particular shape and by exploding the explosive layer, wherein the explosive layer comprises a first explosive layer formed around the outermost surface of the casing and a second explosive layer formed as to surround the first explosive layer, an explosive in the second explosive layer has a higher explosion velocity than an explosive in the first explosive layer, and the second and first explosive layers are exploded at a certain time interval by igniting a particular region of the second explosive layer. The method allows low-cost blasting of bombs, by relaxing the impact of the scattering casing fragments.

Military bomb such as shell, bomb, land mine, and naval mine are normally filled with an explosive in a steel casing. In particular, chemical weapons are filled with an explosive as well as a chemical agent hazardous to a human body. Examples of the chemical agents used include, for example, mustard and lewisite hazardous to the body.
Treatment of chemical weapons by blasting has been known as a method of processing and detoxifying such chemical weapons. The treatment by blasting has advantages that it does not demand disassembling operation, allows treatment not only of favorably preserved bombs but also of the bombs that are difficult to disassemble because of aged deterioration and deformation, and that most of the chemical agents therein are decomposed under the ultrahigh temperature and ultrahigh pressure generated by explosion. Such a processing method is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1.
The blasting is frequently performed in a tightly sealed vessel, for prevention of leakage of the chemical agents to outside and adverse effects on environment such as noise and vibration of blasting. It is also advantageous to blast a bomb in a tightly sealed vessel under vacuum, keeping a negative pressure in the vessel even after treatment, for more reliable prevention of the outward leakage of the chemical agents.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No. No. 7-208899.
However, when a bomb is blasted by the method described in the Patent Document 1, the vessel should be rigid enough to prevent noise and to withstand the impact by explosion. However, solid fragments, for example, from the bomb shell of weapon scatter at a significantly high velocity by explosion and collide to the vessel, often causing damages on the internal wall of the vessel. Accordingly, the vessel should be replaced occasionally, because it is damaged significantly after several treatments. The vessel is larger in size and weight, and thus, is not easy to replace.
Since establishment of the chemical weapons ban treaty, there is an ever-increasing demand for demolition of chemical weapons all over the world. For example, the Japanese Government ratified the chemical weapons ban treaty and has an obligation under the treaty to demolish chemical weapons left in China by the old Japanese Army. According to the "Outline of the Project for the Destruction of Chemical Weapons abandoned by the old Japanese army" issued in October 2002 by the Project Team for Destruction of Abandoned Chemical Weapons, Cabinet Office, there are estimated, approximately 700,000 chemical weapons still abandoned in all areas of China. In designing the processing facility, the report says that a facility should have a processing capacity of 120 bombs per hour, assuming that 700,000 bombs are processed in three years.
Accordingly, for efficient low-cost processing of a number of the abandoned chemical weapons by the blasting described above, there is a strong demand for a method of blasting bombs in a tightly sealed vessel without damage therein that can reduce the labor and time for exchanging the vessel. In addition, there is a strong need for a highly efficient method of processing many weapons at the same time.

National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


A liquid spraying apparatus includes a chassis having a front, a rear, opposite sides and a handle generally at the rear of the chassis. Wheels are rotatably mounted on the chassis for moving the spraying apparatus in a path over a subjacent surface. A tank is mounted on the chassis for holding liquid to be sprayed. An elongated spray boom is mounted at least at one side of the chassis. The boom has an inner end pivotally mounted to the chassis for movement of an outer end in a generally horizontal plane between an outboard position projecting outwardly of the chassis and an inboard position generally alongside the chassis. At least one spray nozzle is provided on the boom. Conduits are provided for feeding liquid from the tank to the nozzle. Positioning detents are provided for holding the boom in at least one intermediate position between the outboard and inboard positions to vary the width of the spray pattern as the apparatus is moved in the path over the subjacent surface.

The use of liquid de-icer compositions is known. Some prefer liquid de-icers over solid form pellets, since liquids have unique melting properties and spread easier than dry products. However, the application process for liquid de-icers can often be difficult for the operator. Currently application methods center around use of heavy manual pump fertilizer sprayers, carried in one hand or carried in a back harness, and applied with a hand wand. These are not satisfactory for winter use for a variety of reasons. The operator needs to stop regularly to repump the sprayer. They also have capacity and weight issues, making this unappealing, particularly in the winter when standing in the cold, on ice. Even further compounding the problem is that liquid de-icer chemicals are heavy, typically running eleven or more pounds per gallon. This makes wand application over long stretches of sidewalk or driveways difficult and tiring.
In order to overcome these deficiencies, there have been some efforts at developing mobile sprayers for de-icing sidewalks and steps that may be pushed like a lawn mower while using battery powered spray systems. People trying this approach have simply turned to lawn and garden sprayers mounted much like an engine is mounted on a hand push lawn mower chassis. However, there are certain design and environmental condition requirements encountered by de-icing spray systems in the wintertime that simply make adaptation of a conventional lawn mower chassis to a de-icer spray system using a tank, ill-suited for best de-icer needs.
Among the problems that occur are those resulting from the winter conditions, the weight of the de-icer, and metal corrosion. With the goal of the sprayer to be easily maneuvered on ice and snow covered paved areas for controlled spray patterns, there is a need to address the proper arrangement necessary to achieve this; at the same time there must be some sort of braking system to allow one to let the unit sit motionless while acting as a pump station to power a spray wand use. The operator must be confident that it will not simply roll away on an inclined or icy surface.
Moreover, additional problems are found with the spray bars or booms that are typically used in the front of mobile sprayers, such as agricultural sprayers. They often get in the way, either because they are not needed for the particular application, or they are needed in a slightly different configuration than a fixed bar, which is typical. There is therefore a need for a collapsible spray boom hinged in two points off the front corners of the de-icer sprayer chassis which may expand or unfold like wings of a folding tool bar. They can then be selectively and independently moved from an operable position to an inoperable position or anywhere in between.
Another problem with conventional agricultural use sprayers using hand wands is an erratic spray pattern, meaning that some areas get skipped. There is a need for a unit that therefore has both adjustable spray booms for uniform application and as optional for the user, a hand wand to get at difficult places not reachable by the booms.
Another difficulty sometimes encountered with a lawn mower-type chassis that has spray booms attached to the front is that the booms themselves can get in the way; they therefore need to be selectively moveable from operational or extended positions to non-operable collapsed, storage positions.
Yet another issue with conventional agricultural sprayers when used for de-icers is that the pump system must be shielded and isolated from the often difficult environmental conditions such as moisture, corrosive effects of de-icer salts, and snow and ice that may cause pump operation difficulties.
Another need is to have a mobile unit which can have an easily removed quick change tank with a push/pull connection and one which has the hose and pumping system, as well as its electrical system all operating under cover, protected from the difficult winter environment.
The solving of the above problems and needs, specific to de-icer application systems, as opposed to using boomed agricultural systems, portable pump sprayers or backpacks can be achieved by use of the system of the present invention. It uses alternately and selectively in combination collapsible wing sprayers, the use of a hand held wand, the use of a chassis brake, environmentally protected power and pump components, and a quick change with a push/pull connection tank. The invention therefore addresses these specific needs and perhaps others, all unique to de-icer spray systems, as opposed to conventional lawn and garden sprayers. It therefore can be seen that the invention solves the stated problems and needs and represents an advance and improvement for the de-icing industry.


A trombone slide extension handle includes a handle portion, a neck portion, and a connector portion. The handle portion is a generally-oval shaped form sized to accommodate a human hand, and a groove portion shaped to accommodate fingertips of the human hand. The connector portion includes an open-ended, generally cylindrical connector having a wall portion with a circumference of approximately 270 degrees, and an opening portion between ends of the wall portion, the connector sized to accommodate a trombone slide handle and to securely hold the trombone slide handle, the ends capable of separation to attach to and be removed from the trombone slide handle.

Trombones, such as trombone 100 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, typically include a manually operated slide 101 that is moved toward or away from the musician, who uses trombone slide handle, or post, 103 to effectuate such movement. However, the range of motion required of the slide 101 for many musical compositions is such that musicians with short arms have difficulty achieving the desired slide extension.


An MRI configuration comprising an MRI phantom positioned in a volume under investigation, wherein the MRI phantom has a chamber disposed in a housing and filled with a liquid, in which a gas bubble forms, the liquid nuclei which have an NMR relaxation time T1 of between 100 ms and 20 s, is characterized in that the chamber the MRI phantom a main chamber and a partial chamber, the main chamber being delimited from the partial chamber such that the gas bubble can completely enter the partial chamber due to its buoyancy by changing the spatial orientation of the MRI phantom in the gravitation field, and remains in the partial chamber in a measurement orientation of the MRI phantom due to its buoyancy. This eliminates imaging artefacts despite the presence of a gas bubble.

The invention concerns a nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) configuration with a magnet system for generating a homogeneous magnetic field B0 in a volume under investigation, a radio frequency (RF) system for generating an RF field B1 in the volume under investigation or for detecting an RF field B1 from the volume under investigation, with a gradient system for temporarily superposing defined gradient fields on the magnetic field B0, and an MRI phantom positioned in the volume under investigation, which aids in determining the homogeneity of the magnetic field B0 and/or the RF field B1 and/or the linearity and/or intensity and/or scaling of the gradient fields in the volume under investigation, wherein the NMR phantom comprises a chamber which is disposed in a housing and filled with a liquid, in which a gas bubble forms, wherein the liquid contains nuclei having an NMR relaxation time T1 of between 100 ms and 20 s.
The company Siemens AG distributes such a configuration e.g. under the name "MAGNETOM Trio"
(http://www.pc.rhul.ac.uk/vision/Restricted/Siemens/-system_trio.pdf).
In order to ensure constant quality of MRI recordings, the above-mentioned properties of the magnetic fields (B0 field, B1 field, and gradient fields) must be tested. A substance is required in order to perform these tests, which is disposed in the image plane in a homogeneous or structured fashion. A hollow body (MRI phantom) filled with a suitable liquid is generally used for this purpose.
When filling liquid into a hollow MRI phantom body, a gas bubble generally forms which can produce imaging artefacts. If the gas bubble is e.g. in the recording plane, no signal is detected in the region of the gas bubble. Moreover, the switching of gradients during MRI recording can cause vibrations of the gas bubble and thereby pressure waves within the liquid in the MRI phantom which produces signal variations within the image plane and thereby artefacts. These problems are known and were discussed e.g. in "Quality Assessment of high spatial resolution for MRI"
(http://ric.uthscsa.edu/personalpages/-lancaste/DI2_Projects—2003/QA_MRI.pdf) and "AAPM Summer School 2001"
(http://www.aapm.org/meetings/2001ISS/presentations/clarke_MRI%20-Troubleshooting.pdf). For this reason, MRI phantoms are regularly refilled in order to minimize gas bubble formation.
Despite such measures to avoid formation of gas bubbles during filling of such MRI phantoms, the liquid may nevertheless be pressed through the seal of the filler neck of the MRI phantom (leakage) when temperatures increase or the hollow body may burst. If there is a gas bubble within the MRI phantom, the compressibility of the gas can compensate for pressure fluctuations. For this reason, the presence of gas bubbles is sometimes even desired, in particular, when liquids containing harmful substances are used.
It is the underlying purpose of the present invention to propose an MRI configuration with an MRI phantom, which avoids imaging artefacts despite the presence of a gas bubble.

Configuration for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with an MRI phantom


Provided is a system and program for automatically handling an error when retrieving a file for an application. An error is detected while the application retrieves a file from the storage device. A user defined policy is checked to determine whether a backup copy should be restored, and the file is restored from the backup copy if the user defined policy indicates that the backup copy should be used.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system, method, and program for automatically restoring corrupt or missing data files.
2. Description of the Related Art
Applications running on a host or server system typically retrieve and store data files on a storage device. The storage device may be comprised of a simple disk drive or multiple disks, such as the case with a Direct Access Storage Device (DASD), Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD), a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), etc. Periodically, access to a file or a collection of files can simply fail for a number of reasons, such as a media Input/Output (I/O) error due to a corrupted file, or the prior deletion of the file, unintentional or not. The most common cause of I/O errors is the operating system crashing (e.g. resource sharing errors, software incompatibility, etc.) or improper shutdown of the system.
When such errors occur, the application accessing the data file usually fails also. Typically, the user must start a separate application to restore the necessary files and then restart the failed application from the beginning. A significant loss of time and productivity is often incurred during this process. Furthermore, the end-user may not always be familiar with the operation to restore the lost or corrupt file(s), and this process may require the intervention of a support person or group to complete.
For these reasons, there is a need in the art to provide techniques to better manage access failures to avoid system disruption.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and article of manufacture for transparent file restore

International Business Machines Corporation


An recessed luminaire trim assembly, comprises an outer trim, an inner reflector portion having a polygon shaped cross-section defined by a plurality of reflectors and a plurality of seams defined between each of the plurality of reflectors, a flange extending outwardly from a peripheral edge of the inner reflector, a spring connected to the outer trim, the spring having at least one leg engaging the inner reflector portion and tightening the plurality of seams.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to recessed light fixtures. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a recessed luminaire trim assembly which utilizes a biasing spring to minimize seams between reflector surfaces.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recessed lighting fixtures have become extremely popular for both residential and commercial uses. Most recessed downlights have a trim or reflector with is generally circular cross-sectional shape. Additionally, the trim or reflector may also have a flange which extends radially from a lower peripheral edge of the reflector. The flange and reflectors have typically had circular cross-sectional shapes, in part, because the circular cross section may be formed integrally of a single piece of material without seams.
Architects desire to utilize alternative shapes for the reflectors and the flanges to match the recessed lighting fixtures to the architecture of the buildings being designed. However, when polygonal shapes are utilized for reflectors and flange designs, multiple seams are formed where the reflector elements meet one another and where the flange elements meet one another. When these seams are not tight, there is an aesthetically unpleasant appearance and hindrance of optical performance of the luminaire. This has been a primary problem with implementation of these polygonal shapes in recessed lighting.
It is preferable to minimize the width of seams between reflector surfaces and flanges so as to allow an aesthetically pleasing use of polygonal cross-sections with the reflectors and flanges.