A method and system are provided for aligning signals in a communication system. The method and system include alignment logic or functionality configured to compensate for signal propagation discrepancies when communicating signals between one or more other devices. The alignment logic may operate to adjust one or more communicated signals, so that signals that may have different propagation times arrive at one or more devices at a desired time. The system and method may be used when initializing a communication system and before communicating data. The system and method operate to adjust one or more signals, such as a data strobe signal in a memory system for example, so that the one or more signals arrive at one or more devices spaced apart in time within a defined tolerance at a desired time. The alignment logic is used to compensate for signal propagation delays which can be associated with a signal propagation path.

As communication devices continue to shrink in size and increase in speed of operation, device manufacturers strive to design smaller, faster chips that consume less power and generate less heat. As the demand for speed and bandwidth increases and the chip size decreases, designers are faced with the difficult task of managing signal integrity. For example, designers try to account for signal propagation issues, such as signal skew, when designing communication devices where multiple signals are communicated across different signal propagation paths. Signal skew may occur when certain operational characteristics of a communication device, such as the length of a signal propagation path, affect the propagation times of one or more signals.
Signal propagation time may also be affected by other device parameters, such as fluctuating temperature, voltage, load, termination, etc. In some instances, manual signal alignment techniques are used to carefully match and balance delays of each signal path of a communication interface when attempting to account for signal propagation discrepancies. Many compensation techniques typically require prior knowledge obtained by simulation or measurement data which can be a time consuming and frustrating process. The simulation or measurement data may be used to approximate signal propagation variations and any associated skew as absolute delay or in terms of number and fractions of clock cycles for example. Designers thus face an onerous and unenviable task since each new design requires simulation and measuring to obtain new signal propagation data.
As described below, some communication interfaces include one or more "fly-by" or "daisy-chained" signals and one or more point-to-point signals (see FIGS. 1 and 2). For example, as shown in the communication interface of FIG. 2, one or more signal paths (DF-R0, DF-R1, DF-R2, etc.) may be described as being daisy-chained from a driver (DF) to multiple receivers (R0-R7), while other signal paths traverse in a point-to-point manner between a driver and particular receivers (D0-R0, D1-R1, D2-R2, etc.). This signal communication interface requires a designer to take into account the various signal propagation paths and other factors when communicating signals across the interface.
As shown in the Table below, signal propagation discrepancies can occur between the daisy-chained signals (DF-R0, DF-R1, DF-R2, etc.) and point-to-point signals (D0-R0, D1-R1, D2-R2, etc.). That is, signals communicated along point-to-point paths may arrive sooner or later than daisy-chained signals, which may result in signal skew. For instance, the distance from daisy-chained driver DF to receivers R0-R7 increases while distances from point-to-point drivers to respective receivers (D0-R0, D1-R1, D2-R2, etc.) change but not in the same amount and order. The Table below illustrates measured distances and delays associated with the topology of FIG. 2. The time column illustrates the time difference associated with signals propagated between (DF-Rx) and (Dx-Rx).
DF-RxDx-RxDelta (d)timeR0270 mm100 mm170 mm1.15 nsR1285 mm100 mm185 mm1.25 nsR2300 mm100 mm200 mm1.35 nsR3315 mm100 mm215 mm1.45 nsR4335 mm120 mm215 mm1.45 nsR5350 mm120 mm230 mm1.55 nsR6365 mm130 mm235 mm1.57 nsR7380 mm140 mm240 mm1.60 ns
FIG. 4 is a signal timing diagram which illustrates a case of false alignment during a conventional signal alignment process for a double data rate (DDR) type memory system. As shown in FIG. 4, a controlling device attempts a conventional signal alignment process to align a point-to-point signal (PPX0) and a fly-by clock signal (FBCK) as received by the device X. At step 1, the controlling device transmits the point-to-point signal (PPX0) to the device X after transmitting the FBCK. As part of the conventional alignments process, a comparison is made between the leading-edge of the received point-to-point signal (PPX0) and the leading-edge of the received FBCK. Based on the signal alignment protocol, the received signals are aligned when the time difference between the leading-edge of the received point-to-point signal (PPX0) and the leading-edge of the received FBCK are within a defined tolerance (tALGN).
Since the difference between the leading-edge of the received point-to-point signal (PPX0) and the leading-edge of the associated clock are not within the defined tolerance (tALGN) at step 1, at step 2, the controlling device transmits another point-to-point signal (PPX0) (incrementally delayed/advanced in time) and the signals are again compared at device X to determine if signal alignment is achieved. Since the difference between the leading-edge of the received point-to-point signal (PPX0) and the leading-edge of the associated clock are not within the defined tolerance (tALGN) at step 2, at step 3, the controlling device transmits yet another point-to-point signal (PPX0) (incrementally delayed/advanced) and the signals are again compared at device X to determine if signal alignment is achieved.
At step 3, the difference between the leading-edge of the received point-to-point signal (PPX0) and the leading-edge of the associated clock appear to be within the defined tolerance (tALGN), and the device X sends an acknowledging signal (PPX1) to the controlling device, acknowledging that the signals are aligned within the defined tolerance (tALGN). However, since the difference in propagation delay between the fly-by and point-to-point signal is greater than a clock period, the comparison included using the leading edge of an incorrect clock pulse at time 5′, resulting in a false alignment. The comparison should have used the leading edge of the clock at time 6′. Thus, the conventional signal alignment process breaks down if the difference in propagation delay between fly-by and point-to-point signal is greater than a clock period, resulting in the false alignment described above, and the subsequent false degree of confidence that communicated signals of the memory system are properly aligned.

System and method for signal alignment when communicating signals


As described herein, a system, method, and computer program are provided for a microservice lifecycle operator. In use, at least one specification for a microservice is identified. Further, a lifecycle of the microservice is managed, using a lifecycle operator and the at least one specification.

Application lifecycle management generally refers to the management of a multitude of activities performed during the life of a software application, from creation to deployment to support and possibly even retirement. For example, an application lifecycle can include the creation of the specification for the application, creation of the design for the application, development of the application, testing of the application, deployment of the application, and support for the deployed application. Various management platforms exist for management of applications as a whole.
Recently, microservices have begun to be used as a basis for application development. In general, microservices refer to a collection of services that are loosely coupled to form an application. In a microservice architecture, services can be fine-grained and the protocols can be lightweight. However, to date, lifecycle management for microservices has been limited. There is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.

System, method, and computer program for a microservice lifecycle operator


A magnetometer transducer sampling front-end amplifier (stand alone option) and processor including a transducer, a passive low pass filter, a differential or single-ended amplifier, an output capacitor and discharge control, a voltage comparator, a duty cycle control logic block, a sampling clock and PWM logic block, a gated current source, a system clock and decimators block, and an interval counting detection processor with a target detection output to a system controller.

Search coil magnetometer attributes have been exploited for years in low frequency (i.e. usually frequencies less than 2 Hz) ferrous target sensor applications that do not require detection of absolute magnetic field (H) values, but only very small induced changes, or deltas, as the target translates by the sensors static location. Search coil magnetometers operate using a passive transducer that requires no excitation power because the time changing magnetic H field to be detected directly induces a voltage across its coil. The induced voltage varies in accordance with the formula E=KdH/dt, where E is voltage, H is the magnetic field strength and K is the coil sensitivity, usually expressed in terms of "volt-seconds per Oersted."
Traditionally, low noise base-band front-end amplifiers, or preamplifiers, have been used to increase low coil output voltage from a search coil magnetometer to usable signal processing levels. Such traditional approaches employ complex chopper stabilized amplifiers and low-frequency base-band preamplifier designs in various low-noise configurations and topologies. Conventionally, low pass filtering is employed to flatten and band-limit coil output signal rate characteristics (dH/dt) in order to preserve in-band dynamic range capabilities. A dominant pole is often incorporated directly at the coil using the coil's output resistance. Unfortunately, base-band preamplifiers exhibit a significant level of 1/f noise, which significantly degrades system sensitivity at the lowest frequencies of interest, which are often 0.1 Hz or less.
In contrast to conventional approaches, the present invention provides a less complex sampling low noise front-end amplifier architecture that substantially eliminates 1/f noise problems prevalent in traditional base-band low noise preamplifiers. As a result, improved sensor performance is essentially limited only by noise generated by the transducer coil winding(s), or bridge element(s).
The art referred to and/or described above is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is "prior art" with respect to this invention. In addition, this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 C.F.R. § 1.56(a) exists.
All US patents and applications and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Without limiting the scope of the invention, a brief summary of some of the claimed embodiments of the invention is set forth below. Additional details of the summarized embodiments of the invention and/or additional embodiments of the invention may be found in the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments below.
A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification is provided as well for the purposes of complying with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72.

Magnetometer transducer sampling front-end amplifier and processor


A device and method are provided for producing neutral electrolytic water usable in a wide range of fields and stable over long periods of time. In this invention, neutral electrolytic water is produced by an electrolysis process that applies a voltage of 1 volt to 30 volts, and current density of 5 A/dm2 to 300 A/dm2, from a direct current or pulsed current, to a liquid for processing comprised of water and at least one type of salt selected from a group consisting of NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2 while vibrating that liquid at an amplitude from 0.01 to 15 millimeters at a period between 10 Hertz and 200 Hertz.

Oxygen and hydrogen are generated at the electrodes when electrolyzing water by means of a device with diaphragms (separator films). In that case, ion electrophoresis occurs in the fluid due to electrical attraction. An acidic substance is consequently generated at the positive electrode (anode) enclosing the film and that liquid becomes an acidic liquid. The liquid at the negative terminal (cathode) on the other hand, becomes an alkaline liquid.
In the related art, acidic water is produced at the anode, and deoxidized water is produced at the cathode by electrolysis in a 2-tank type electrolyte tank or 3-tank type electrolyte tank using electrolytic films. This electrolytic water functions as a pH (potential of hydrogen) adjuster, oxidizer, and reducer and is also utilized in a wide range of fields such as medical treatment, the electronic industry, agriculture, and the food product industry.
This type of electrolytic water is strongly acidic water or strongly alkaline water. The pH of the strongly acidic water is 2.7 or less. The pH of the strongly alkaline water is 11 or more. No germs or microorganisms can survive at these pH levels. A neutral electrolytic water whose effect is the same or better than the electrolytic water of the related art is now needed.
Technology is disclosed in patent document 1 (Japan Techno Co., Ltd.) for producing a sterilizing or germicidal effect by processing with a vibration-stirring means using anatase titanium oxide blades (vanes). In this disclosed technology, the photocatalytic effect of the blades electrolyzed organic compounds and killed germs within the water, breaking down small quantities of chlorinate compounds (organic halogen compounds such as trihalomethanes and dioxins), and oxidizing nitric acid ions in water lines and sulfuric acid in well (underground) water respectively into nitrous acid ions and sulfurous acid ions. The antiseptic fluid rendered by the technology described in that document was neutral (pH 7.5 to 7.6) and the concentration of the sulfurous ions was approximately 0.08 to 0.5 milligrams per liter. Moreover, this neutral electrolytic water was antiseptic or germ-free after the processing, however this germicidal effect could not be maintained for a long period of time. The technology disclosed in patent document 2 (Japan Techno Co., Ltd.) operated via a vibration-stirring means installed in the water tank and utilized a sterilizing (disinfecting) means such as germicidal metal/metallic compounds (photocatalytic), members generating a magnetic force or ultraviolet rays as methods to clean or sterilize food products. This method utilizes the oxidizing power of the photocatalyst to produce sterilized water by using the photocatalytic effect of the vibration-stirring device. However, the disinfecting effect did not last after the vibration-stirring device was stopped, so utilizing the sterilized water away from the equipment was difficult. The sealed sterilized water did not change until its container was unsealed. The disinfected water was therefore used along with the photocatalytic device so that the sterilizing power did not last for a long time if the equipment was the open type.
The technology in the patent document 3 discloses a method for manufacturing sterilized water with a hypochlorous acid content of 0.2 to 2 ppm by utilizing the separator film type electrolyzing tank. However, the sterilized water possessed a pH of 3 or less showing strong acidity. Therefore in addition to the above described problem, this technology had the drawback that the service life of the device was limited.
The technology in the patent document 4 (Miura Denshi Co., Ltd. and others) discloses a method for supplying saltwater to an electrolyte tank containing an anode and a cathode to produce free chlorine water. This free chlorine water is a purified and sterilized water for uses such as in foodstuffs and sanitation purposes, and contains a high content of free chlorine.
This invention is a neutral electrolytic water with no chlorine odor yet possessing a strong germicidal effect, making it effective as a disinfectant for wounds, boils, burns, athlete's foot, atopy, and as a disinfectant for bathrooms. Moreover, this neutral electrolytic water is also effective as a deodorant for people and pets, for improving oral odors, and as a skin (facial) lotion or health beverage, and for purifying foodstuffs or raising plants. Additional benefits are that the effects last for a long time, and that there is yet no other electrolytic water possessing the features of both strong alkalinity and strong acidity.
More specifically, this neutral electrolytic water contains large amount of H2 and O2. Furthermore there has never been an electrolytic water containing activized oxygen of OH, D2, HD and HDO.
The overall size of the equipment must also be made more compact and simpler in order to promote the widespread use of neutral electrolytic water.    Patent document 1: JP-A No. 122109/2004 (Japan Techno Co., Ltd.)    Patent document 2: JP-A No. 008093/2004 (Japan Techno Co., Ltd.)    Patent document 3: International Publication No. WO96/03881 (Toto Ltd.)    Patent document 4: JP-A No. 330986/1992 (Miura Denshi Co., Ltd.)

Neutral electrolytic water, neutral electrolytic water production method and device thereof


A novel fully integrated adjustable DC current reference is developed. The reference current is set by the ratio of a DC voltage generated using a band-gap reference and a tuned resistor based on an inductor reference. An AC signal is necessary to develop a relationship between the resistor tuned and the inductor reference. A computation unit which could be designed as an analog circuit is necessary to compute the value of the resistor in relationship to the reference inductor. Classic circuits are used to develop and analyze the relationship between the reference inductor and the tunable resistor that sets the DC current reference. Results show that the value of the inductance is insensitive to process, voltage and temperature variations. Therefore, assuming the DC bandgap reference voltage is insensitive to changes in process, voltage and temperature variations, so is the DC current reference.

Significant efforts were made to develop an integrated DC voltage reference insensitive to Process, Voltage and Temperature (PVT) variations. The DC voltage references are usually based on the Silicon bandgap. To create a DC current reference insensitive to PVT one need in theory just an integrated resistor insensitive to PVT. Unfortunately, integrated resistors are very sensitive to process variations and they drift with temperature. Clearly post fabrication control is needed to adjust the value of such a resistor.
The option of trimming the resistor post-fabrication does not resolve the temperature drift problem and one can trim only before packaging so the value of the current reference cannot be tuned post-trimming. It is true that if temperature drift is not a concern, trimming is a simple and robust solution. Trimming is done usually based on an external resistor. Using an integrated inductor reference could simplify the trimming process.
The option of using a resistor component external to the integrated circuit to set the current has at least the following disadvantages:
The external resistor requires additional pads.
The external resistor requires additional space on the integrated circuit support board i.e. printed circuit board.
The external resistor generates noise or picks up noise from the board and requires decoupling capacitors.
The external resistor value will drift with temperature.

Fully integrated adjustable DC current reference based on an integrated inductor reference


A walking exerciser which includes two pedal frames respectively supported on two cranks at two opposite sides of a driving wheel and adapted for turning the driving wheel by legs, two rockers, and two curved coupling rods having a respective front end respectively pivoted to the rockers and a respective rear end respectively pivoted to the cranks and moved with the cranks along a respective longitudinal sliding slot on each pedal frame.

The present invention relates to walking exercisers, and more particularly to a simple structure of walking exerciser which keeps the pedal frames in horizontal when the pedal frames are moved with the legs along an oval track.
This present invention provides an improved structure of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/944,587. FIGS. 1A and 1B show a step exercising apparatus according to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/736,006. A step exerciser in accordance with this present invention comprises a main shaft 1 having a downwardly vertically extended front rod 11 and a downwardly vertically extended rear rod 12 at its two opposite ends, a transverse rear bar 2 fixedly connected to the downwardly vertically extended rear rod 12 of the main shaft 1 for supporting it on the ground, a horizontally disposed barrel 13 fixedly connected to the downwardly vertically extended front rod 11 of the main shaft 1 for supporting it on the ground, two horizontal tubes 21 connected to the horizontally disposed barrel 13 at two opposite sides by an axle 14 and two end caps 3, and two oscillating bars 4 turned about the axle 14 and connected between the barrel 13 of the main shaft 1 and the horizontal tubes 21. Each oscillating bar 4 has a bottom end terminating in a horizontal barrel 41 sleeved on the axle 14 and connected between the barrel 13 of the main shaft 1 and one horizontal tube 21 by ring caps 31, and a top end terminating in a pair of upwardly extended parallel lugs 42. Two front links 5 are provided having a respective front end respectively pivoted to the oscillating bars 4 below the upwardly extended parallel lugs 42. Two rear links 51 are provided having a respective notched front end 52 respectively pivoted to the rear ends of the front links 5 remote from the oscillating bars 4. Two actuating bars 9 are provided having a respective pair of downwardly extended parallel lugs 92 at the rear end respectively pivoted to the rear ends of the rear links 51 remote from the front links 5, and a respective pair of forwardly extended parallel lugs 91 respectively pivoted to the upwardly extended parallel lugs 42 of the oscillating bars 4. The main shaft 1 further comprises a front wheel slot 15 and a rear wheel slot 16. A driving wheel 16 is revolvably supported in the rear wheel slot 16. A fly wheel 8 is revolvably supported in the front wheel slot 15 and coupled to the driving wheel 16 by a transmission belt 17. Two cranks 6 are bilaterally coupled between the driving wheel 16 and the rear links 51.
Two foot plates B are respectively and fixedly mounted on the actuating bars 9, two handlebars C are provided having a respective bottom end respectively pivoted to the upwardly extended parallel lugs 42 of the oscillating bars 4 and the forwardly extended parallel lugs 91 of the actuating bars 9; a step counter A is mounted on the main shaft 1 at the front side between the handlebars 9. The bottom end of each handlebar C is preferably made having a friction ring disposed in contact with the front end of the corresponding actuating bar 9 so that the handlebars C can be turned to impart a resisting force to the actuating bars 9 when the user pedals the foot plates B.
When the user steps on the foot plates B alternatively, the rear links 51 are alternatively forced by the actuating bars 9 to turn the driving wheel 7, causing the flywheel 8 to be turned by the transmission belt 17. Because the rear links 51 are respectively pivoted to the front links 5 and the front links 5 are respectively pivoted to the oscillating bars 4, the actuating bars 9 are forced to move along an oval track when the foot plates B are pedaled.
The structure of invention of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/736,006 is complicated. The foot plates are inclining with truning buring the action. It doesn't have choice and fun. This structure of step exercising apparatus is functional. However, this structure of step exercising apparatus cannot help the user to simulate actual walking exercises because the foot pedals of the step exercising apparatus are tilted up and down when pedaling.


A method and apparatus for alleviating or curing human afflictions, ailments and diseases holistically by application of magnetism in such way of bringing the meridian systems into a balance and harmony. A north pole surface of a magnet is applied to a portion of the trunk, about 1204 square inches, of a person being treated, and is maintained in contact for a time period or periods in accordance with total flux applied for the afflictions or ailments being treated. The magnet is maintained in contact for a time period or periods sufficient to elicit holistic effect of alleviation or cure and to detect ailments and cure in progress or a balanced treatment point. Magnet is being configurated to accommodate the area being treated and haying appropriate total flux of healing power.

The present invention is directed to a method of applying magnetism only to the trunk of patient for holistic effect of entire body, which is not possible under the conventional method of prior art and Acupuncture Practice of Oriental Medicine.
The conventional method is holistically effective and applicable to all ailments of human body for concurrent treatment utilizing meridians of the hands, head and neck of Oriental medical theory and the brain control functions of self-survival healing mechanism. However, the trunk application is uniquely effective with local pains of abdomen, chest, back, loin/waist, lower extremity and related organs and parts along the respective meridian lines that run through the trunk which include bladder, gall bladder, stomach, pancreas/spleen, liver, kidney, conception, governing vessel and extra meridians of penetrating vessel, girdle vessel, yang heal vessel, eum heal vessel, yang linking vessel and eum linking vessel. The conventional method utilizes only hands, head and neck of person and the present invention utilizes only trunk of person or combined with head and neck in magnetic application. When the trunk application is utilized together with head and neck magnetic application, effectiveness is increased with far less treatment time and faster healing, especially helpful in relief of pains associated with muscle tension, stiffness, infalmmation and ill-symptoms of the organs in the region of body trunk and lower extremities.
This is a method of pain relief and cure for holistic effect of entire body by applying negative magnetic flux, North pole, only to the trunk portion of the body of the person treated, applying the principles of the Oriental Medicine utilizing the body's meridians known as pathway of life energy of the human body.
There are 12 main meridians and 8 extra vessel meridians, a total of 20, disposed throughout the entire human body and 730 acupoints assigned and scattered all over the body. Eighteen (18) meridians are bilateral and 2 meridians are unilateral, i.e., bilateral meridians are disposed symmetrically on both side of the body, left and right, their functions are exactly the same as a twin pair. Two (2) meridians are unilateral that run through the center of the front and backside of the body with a different function of governing negative and positive meridians respectively. The main meridians of the human body maintain a balance and harmony for all the organs of the body system in accordance with the five (5) element-functions of meridians of the dual power system of positive and negative energy force, which are based on Five (5) Elements of Law of Nature, consisting of "Wood", "Fire", "Earth", "Metal", and "Water" by which transform into meridians in a form of "help or helped by", "restrain or restrained by", and "harm or harmed by", which lead into two type of functioning—conflicting meridian and co-living meridian, and most afflictions of chronic type ailments are all associated with conflicting meridians. The conflicting meridians are harmful and not helpful to each other thus it is very difficult to maintain or bring the balance back to normal between conflicting meridians. Five Elements & Conflicting Meridians are as follows:
Five Elements:    Co-living Order. "help or helped by"—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water    Conflicted Order. "harm or harmed by"—Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, Metal
Conflicting Main Meridians:    Lung Meridian harms Liver Meridian    Large Intestine Meridian harms Gall Bladder Meridian    Kidney Meridian harms Heart Meridian    Bladder Meridian harms Small Intestine Meridian    Liver Meridian harms Spleen/Pancreas Meridian    Gall Bladder Meridian harms Stomach Meridian    Heart Meridian harms Lung Meridian    Small Intestine Meridian harms Large Intestine Meridian    Pericardium Meridian harms Lung Meridian    Three Triple Warmer Meridian harms Large Intestine Meridian    Spleen/Pancreas Meridian harms Kidney Meridian    Stomach Meridian harms Bladder Meridian
These five elements are assigned to only 12 main meridians and five acupoints per main meridian for its function in terms of maintaining balance and order for each main meridian and its organs of the body. The non-element meridians and non-element acupoints are not capable of adjusting the balance of the meridian and are normally used only for local pain and lesion. Main meridians are all rooted on toes and fingertips, except the sole of foot for kidney meridian, with the energy flow orientation of either ascending from or descending to the toes and sole of the foot and fingertips of the hand, and its five-element acupoints are all located in the region of hand and lower arm and foot and lower leg.
Under Oriental Medicine, any affliction in chronic nature is believed to be a result of energy imbalance and disorder in terms of the dual meridian system of the body, therefore, "such afflictions of chronic ailments are treated only by adjusting meridians into a balance and harmony, otherwise, such ailment and pain from the energy imbalance and disorder are not healed or eradicated after all", quoted from the Text of the Oriental Medicine known as a "Golden Rule".
When the systems of the body are not in balance in view of the meridians and the dual power concept the body is in ill status in the related organs of the unbalanced meridians. When the systems of the body are well balanced, the body is in good health. Therefore, the therapy is directed toward stimulating or depressing the energy in the meridians concerned.
The method of present invention involves 2 unilateral and 6 bilateral meridians, and 6 extra meridians, and 36 unilateral acupoints and 95 bilateral acupoints that are being disposed through the entire body trunk, which are Governing Vessel of 14 acupoints, Conception Vessel of 22 acupoints, Bladder of 39 acupoints, Gall Bladder of 7 acupoints, Stomach of 19 acupoints, Kidney of 17 acupoints, Liver of 3 acupoints, Pancreas/Spleen of 10 acupoints whereas only hand, head and neck meridians are being utilized in the referenced prior art.
This method is also extremely effective in relieving pain, inflammation and distress associated with chronic ailments related with the complicated energy systems of the meridians of the trunk of the body. When magnetic fluxes are applied to the trunk as shown in the diagram of FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of drawings for therapeutical effect, life energy pathways of the trunk meridians are directly affected.
These important elements of the energy flow channels are being stimulated or restored instantly, upon application of magnetism to the trunk, to elicit holistic therapeutical effect of entire body, thus breathing, circulation and energy flow are improved and order and balance of the energy system is restored to help body heals fast and relieves pains effectively, which are all observable and verifiable at sight.
This method enables body to sense responses from ill parts/locations and cure in progress in same way as the head, neck and two-hand method of the referenced prior art, whereas note there is no response being occurred or detected from the healthy body with no ailments by application of magnetism.
These phenomenal healing are identical to that of the Oriental Medicine so called "Myung-Hyun" defining as a positive body signal that the ailing part is definitely healing, which indicates the proper use of five element rules for meridains and balance concept of the dual power systems.
In addition, this phenomenon is believed to be some form of reaction of brain sick memory recall in response to the magnetic application and futher to indicate that,when body is in sickness, pathway of life-energy meridan and sensory neurons of the nervous system are being hindered by some form of blockage and, when the flow is stimulated by magnetic flux, the flow hindered causes responses and symptoms and, when the body is in health, the pathways are all clear and wide open for free flow thus causing no response or symptom even under magnetically stimulated condition in energy flow and neural transmission.
An evidence to support this fact is that, when pain and ailment are cured by magnetic flux, all such responses and symptoms are gone and disappeared.
Magnets and magnetism have heretofore been utilized in the treating of human disease and afflictions.
Any magnet configurated and sized to cover substantially the treatment area of the trunk can be used for this method as long as it produces a sedative and healing effect in a range of 30φ to 250,000φ total flux and the north pote surface is flat and smooth for good contact to the trunk. Total flux of up to 5,000φ is believed to be ideal for pain control and management of sedative effect and total flux of above 5,000φ is believed to be good for healing cure effect.
In comparison with the referenced method of prior art, this method of utilizing trunk is more beneficial in some ways: more effective in relieving pains of related meridians such as organs of liver and gall bladder, kidney and bladder and digestive systems covering abdomen, chest/ribs, back, waist/loin/hip, thigh, leg, foot, and easy off balanced treatment, etc.
Magnetic application in terms of alternative medicine or natural energy medicine has been widely recognized in the Western in recent years although this has been primarily an Oriental practice. Many innovative methods of magnetic treatment have been introduced, yet there is much left to be done for improvement.
Therefore, a general object of the present invention is to provide treatment for a wide variety of ailments and diseases for holistic effects, except for those requiring surgical treatment.
An object of the present invention is to provide such a method which utilizes magnetism applied to a portion of the trunk of a person, thus to provide concurrent treatment of a plurality of ailments and afflictions of the entire body for holistic effect.
An object of the invention is to provide such treatment utilizing magnetism in simplified methods that can be practiced without specialized professional knowledge.
An object of the invention is to provide such methods that provide recovery from fatigue and which provide energetic, vigorous feelings.
An object of the invention is to provide such methods that provide substantial cures, relief of pain and rapid healing.
An object of the invention is to provide such methods that provide breathing control and/or improved circulation of the blood of the person to allow an optimum condition of the body systems,
An object of the invention is to provide methods and techniques of treatment utilizing magnetism, independently of meridians or acupuncture points according to Oriental medicine.
An object of the invention is the provision of such a method which is economical and effective.
An object of the invention is the provision of such methods which, properly utilized, are safe and involve no harm to a patient and no adverse reaction or sequelae.
An object of the invention is the provision of such methods which involve the effecting of a balance of the energy systems of the body, in accordance with Oriental medicine theories, in treating ailments and applications.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Treatment of afflictions, ailments and diseases


A cold storage warehouse is provided in the configuration of a generally circular or octagonal structure. The center of the cold storage warehouse is configured as a cryogenic test site with separate cubicles provided for low temperature research and development. A freezer area is located around the perimeter of the cryogenic test site for storing processed frozen food products. Around the perimeter of the freezer area is located another storage area for non-frozen processed cold food products. Air circulation vents are disposed through the center of cryogenic test site and around the perimeter of the cold storage warehouse to circulate cold air and provide for the transfer of heat to maintain each of the three areas at its desired temperature. Fans are used to circulate the air through the vents and the equipment necessary to operate and control the cold storage warehouse is located on the roof above the three temperature controlled areas. A series of superconductive storage transformers are provided around the central air circulation vent to store electrical current at low temperatures to minimize the loss of electrical current. This stored electrical current can be utilized for external uses either inside or outside the cold storage warehouse.

The delivery of frozen and cold foodstuffs to supermarkets requires most metropolitan areas to have one or more central distribution centers in which the foodstuffs are stored until shipment to the supermarkets for purchase by the consumer.
Cold storage warehouses of many different configurations have been proposed over the years. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,417, the present inventor discloses a warehouse arrangement comprising a cluster of inner cells for receiving and storing processed frozen food products at extremely low temperatures. The inner cells are surrounded by outer cells for receiving and storing processed refrigerated food products at more moderate, yet still cold, temperatures. The outer cells function to insulate the inner cells from cooling temperature losses. Both the inner and outer cells are cooled by removing heat from the rising warm air by driving the warm air through a combination evaporator and fan units through a closed loop finned duct system located beneath the ceilings of each of the inner and outer cells. The disclosure of this U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,417 is incorporated herein by this reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,585 also to the present inventor discloses an energy recovery system for use in a cold storage warehouse. A refrigeration apparatus coacts with energy recovery units having turbines coupled to electromotive generators. The activation of the generators to produce electricity is achieved by utilizing surplus energy available from the operation of the refrigeration apparatus. The surplus energy comes primarily from the kinetic energy of the fluids, vapors and gases flowing through the conduit systems forming circuits through which the refrigerant is circulated during the refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration apparatus.
The present invention expands the concepts contained in these two earlier patents to include a cryogenic test site area on the interior of a specially arranged cold storage warehouse. This cryogenic test site is provided on the interior of the cold storage warehouse and offers a location in which low temperature research and development can be conducted without detracting from the operation and efficiency of the working areas of the cold storage warehouse. The cryogenic test site is easily accessible to scientists and engineers who wish to conduct research and development in a low temperature environment. The cryogenic test site is located such as to not interfere with the storage of processed refrigerated food products and the receipt, storage and delivery of these food products can go on without interrupting the research and development being conducted in the cryogenic test site.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cryogenic test site as a functional part of a cold storage warehouse.
It is a feature of the present invention to locate the cryogenic test site on the interior of a generally circular or octagonal structure and both freezer and cold storage warehouse areas are located around the perimeter of the cryogenic test site.
It is an advantage of the present invention that a convenient location and arrangement for a cryogenic test site can be provided in conjunction with a cold storage warehouse. The cryogenic test site is located so that research and development being conducted in the cryogenic test site does not interfere with the normal operation of the rest of the cold storage warehouse, while at the same time taking advantage of the operating environment of the cold storage warehouse to minimize the amount of energy and insulation that would otherwise be necessary to maintain a cryogenic test site at its needed operating conditions.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

Cold storage warehouse with cryogenic test site


A structural joint is sealed with the aid of an injection hose including a substantially liquid-impermeable base body which envelops a passage channel and which has exit openings distributed over the length of the base body for passage of injection liquid from the passage channel into the joint to be sealed. The exit openings open under internal excess pressure and I close under internal negative pressure. Following injection of the injection liquid into the joint to be sealed, the injection liquid remaining in the injection hose is drawn off from the passage channel.

The invention relates to a process to seal structural joints with the aid of an injection hose comprising a substantially liquid-impermeable base body which defines a passage channel and which has exit openings distributed over the length of the base body for the passage of an injection liquid from the passage channel into a joint to be sealed.
The reliable and permanent seal of construction or expansion joints in structures, especially in concrete structures, presents a general problem. Due to the lack of space and traffic problems, construction is done increasingly underground, especially in densely populated areas. Typical examples are underground garages or underground streets. The reliable function and stability of these structures are largely dependent on their tightness with respect to penetrating water, and for this reason the majority of such structures currently are built of water-impermeable concrete. The concrete structure must ensure, in addition to its basic supporting and enveloping function, the function of satisfactory sealing. In so doing, the configuration and design of the construction and expansion joints thereof become important with regard to tightness and impermeability.
Conventional joint guarantees frequently do not fulfill the demands imposed on them, resulting in considerable costs for cleaning and/or repairing leaky joints or cracks. For this reason, injection hoses of the type specified in DE-OS 35 12 470, DE-OS 33 20 875 and DE-GM 84 25 518 were developed to be built into the construction joints and through which an injection liquid is injected into the joint region in order to ensure that it will be water-tight. The injection process employs an injection hose and occurs usually when the curing of the concrete and thus the relaxation behavior typical of such building material has terminated. The injection liquid is injected into a passage channel of a substantially water-impermeable base body of the injection hose, from which it can issue through exit openings into the vicinity of the joint. The exit openings are covered as shown in DE-OS 25 12 470 or by means of strips that are made of compressible material and that are embedded in depressions disposed on the outside of the base body. The injection hose is held together by means of a hose or covering that is made of a liquid-permeable material and that envelops the base body and the strips. Owing to the injection pressure, the strips are compressed and the joints between the depressions and the strips are expanded in such a manner that the injection liquid can issue from the injection hose. Then the injection liquid can be left to harden, resulting usually in the joint being sealed by means of the injection liquid that has issued from the injection hose. However, the injection liquid also hardens in the hose interior, and it is impossible to check the quality of the seal. If in the course of time the interior of the structure shifts and thus the imperviousness of the joint is lost or, for example, the concrete cracks due to an overload, it no longer is possible to again pressure grout into the joint or crack, since the joint or crack no longer is accessible with the injection hose. Occasionally, it also happens that during initial pressure grouting the joint had large cavities or leaks, into which or through which large amounts of injection material have escaped laterally. Due to resultant pressure loss, the injection material could not reach all such joint regions, and porosity of the joint remained. In such case also, with the known method of using injection hoses it is not possible to seal subsequently the joint and check the joint seal for completion.


A system and method for determining a speed profile for a vehicle travelling along a road in which a curve speed estimation unit receives inputs indicating a position of the vehicle relative to a curve ahead of the vehicle, and inputs related to vehicle velocity, curve geometry, road surface conditions, vehicle-specific data; and driver preferences. The curve sped estimation unit use at least some of the above-listed inputs to determine a speed profile for the curve by generating an acceleration limit map which depends on a relationship between a maximum possible longitudinal acceleration and a maximum possible lateral acceleration.

To help vehicle drivers lower their speed before reaching critical road passages like curves or congested areas, Curve Speed Warning (CSW) systems have been developed. Such systems alert the driver by providing warnings (audible, visible, haptic, etc.) to make the driver aware that the vehicle speed may be too high for a safe and/or comfortable negotiation of the upcoming curve. Such systems may, for example, compare the predicted or projected speed of the vehicle with a predetermined maximum limit when it approaches a known or expected traffic environment (an area of congested traffic, for example) requiring low speed in order to be managed safety. If the speed is above the limit, the system warns the driver. Also known are so-called Curve Speed Control (CSC) systems which autonomously lower the speed of a vehicle before a curve or any other known traffic environment requiring lower speed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,400,963 B2 discloses a vehicle curve speed control system that includes a map database representing a current vehicle path and a locator device communicatively coupled to the database and configured to determine the location of the vehicle on the path. The system further includes a controller configured to identify approaching curve points of a curve in terms of curvature or radius, and determine a desired speed profile based on driver preference and/or vehicle characteristic input. An acceleration profile is determined, based on the current vehicle speed, and desired speed profile. An acceleration or deceleration command at the present control loop is modified towards achieving an optimal curve speed and is delivered to either a brake or an acceleration module to automatically accelerate or decelerate the vehicle accordingly.
A natural limit for a vehicle's acceleration and deceleration is established by the friction available between the vehicle's tires and surface of the road on which it is travelling. Systems as described above take into account a maximum possible acceleration in either the longitudinal direction (which may be caused by braking or adding power) or the lateral direction (which may be caused by centripetal force), but fail to take a combination thereof into account. If, for example, a driver brakes at the same time as steering through a small-radius curve, the lateral acceleration limit may not be reached, but due to the longitudinal acceleration caused by braking the combined lateral/longitudinal limit may be exceeded, with the result that the tires may lose grip with the road.

Method and apparatus for speed estimation and control


A method for updating firmware in a user terminal comprises dividing files with modified contents into a plurality of groups and assigning each file with respective offset. The method then performs bitwise XOR operations between the plurality of groups onto the backup buffer. Consequently, the method stores a result of the bit XOR operations on the backup buffer into a non-volatile storage as a backup file. An apparatus for updating firmware comprises a processing circuit configured to divide files with modified contents into a plurality of groups and assign each file with respective offset. The processing circuit performs bitwise XOR operations between the plurality of groups onto the backup buffer and store a result of the bit XOR operations on the backup buffer into a non-volatile storage as a backup file.

Firmware in a user terminal can be updated via a wired or wireless network. For example of an update method via a wireless network, a Firmware-Over-The-Air (FOTA) service delivers an update package to a user terminal wirelessly. The update package includes a series of instructions that, when applied to the existing firmware, update firmware to a newer version. An update agent stored on a user terminal executes the instructions in the update package to modify the existing firmware and produce the updated version.
The firmware in a user terminal may consist of a read-write file system. When the update engine has finished modifying a file in the file system, it may appear as though the changes have been completed since the modified data can be read from the file. However, those changes may only exist in a file system cache and have not yet been flushed out to non-volatile memory, such as a FLASH memory because the file system cache is designed to improve performance by queuing up many changes and then periodically flushing them to a FLASH memory. The file system cache is implemented in Random Access Memory (RAM) and not in non-volatile, permanent storage. Any power failure during firmware update will invalidate all data in the cache, which can cause the user terminal to be inoperable.

Method and apparatus for updating firmware


A method and apparatus for accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe is disclosed. The method and apparatus of the invention enable the continuous or episodic accumulation of flowing hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe in frozen form. The method also permits the accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe to the substantial exclusion of other gases, thereby enabling the purification of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe. The invention further includes .sup.129 Xe accumulation means which is integrated with .sup.129 Xe hyperpolarization means in a continuous or pulsed flow arrangement. The method and apparatus enable large scale production, storage, and usage of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe for numerous purposes, including imaging of human and animal subjects through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.

The invention relates to apparatus and methods for hyperpolarizing a noble gas. Specifically, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for manufacturing and accumulating significant quantities of a hyperpolarized noble gas in a continuous manner.
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a phenomenon which can be induced through the application of energy against an atomic nucleus being held in a magnetic field. The nucleus, if it has a magnetic moment, can be aligned within an externally applied magnetic field. This alignment can then be transiently disturbed by application of a short burst of radio frequency energy to the system. The resulting disturbance of the nucleus manifests as a measurable resonance or wobble of the nucleus relative to the external field.
For any nucleus to interact with an external field, however, the nucleus must have a magnetic moment, i.e., non-zero spin. Experimental nuclear magnetic resonance techniques are, therefore, limited to study of those target samples which include a significant proportion of nuclei exhibiting non-zero spin. A highly preferred such nucleus is the proton (.sup.1 H), which is typically studied by observing and manipulating the behavior of water protons (.sup.1 H.sub.2 O) in magnetic fields. Other nuclei, including certain noble gas nuclei such as .sup.3 He and .sup.129 Xe, are in principle suited to study via NMR. However, the low relative natural abundance of these isotopes, their small magnetic moments, and other physical factors have made NMR study of these nuclei difficult if not impossible to accomplish.
One important consideration in studying noble gas nuclei via NMR is that they normally yield only a very low NMR signal intensity. It is known, however, that the spin polarization of such noble gases as .sup.3 He and .sup.129 Xe can be increased over natural levels, i.e., populations of these isotopes can be artificially "hyperpolarized", to provide a much larger NMR signal. One preferred hyperpolarization technique is known as spin exchange hyperpolarization. Without describing this technique in exhaustive detail, in this scenario a noble gas is hyperpolarized via interaction with an alkali-metal vapor, such as rubidium, which itself has been polarized by absorption of laser energy of an appropriate wavelength. The polarized rubidium transfers its polarization to the noble gas through a phenomenon known as spin exchange transfer. The end result is that the noble gas becomes "hyperpolarized", i.e., more polarized than it would otherwise be. Details of the theory underlying the spin exchange hyperpolarization technique are available in the literature.
While well established as a theoretical phenomenon, the actual practice of spin exchange hyperpolarization has proven to be something of an art. The production and handling of hyperpolarized noble gases is not only logistically difficult, it is expensive as well. Moreover, due to the experimental nature of spin exchange studies, the production of hyperpolarized noble gases has typically been undertaken only on a small scale. Exquisite craftsmanship is typically required, involving expertise in a variety of fields including lasers, electronics, glass-blowing, ultra-high vacuum pump operation, high-purity gas handling, as well as nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
For example, the production of a single sample of hyperpolarized noble gas has typically involved the fabrication of a single-use sealed glass cell with a volume capacity of only a few tens to a few hundred cubic centimeters. Such cells have required delicacy in manufacture, yet their quality, as measured by their tendency to depolarize the noble gas, has not always been predictable. Moreover, use of such cells for spin exchange requires that they be sealed with the alkali metal present therein. This has meant that care must be taken to remove impurities which can cause oxidation of the metal and consequent ruination of the cell. Other problems arise in the glass itself which can depolarize the noble gas faster than it can be polarized. For study of polarized noble gas by NMR techniques, the sealed cell must be cracked open or destroyed to release the hyperpolarized gas into the NMR spectrometer. Proceeding to the next sample has required repeating all of these steps, including fabricating and filling a new glass cell, which might or might not have similar qualities, resulting in a tedious and often unpredictable procedure.
Middleton established for the first time the possibility of making sealed pumping cells capable of containing larger quantities of a noble gas for hyperpolarization by the spin exchange technique. Middleton H., The Spin Structure of the Neutron Determined Using a Polarized .sup.3 He Target, Ph.D. Dissertation, Princeton University (1994). Even so, the reliability of the procedures described in this publication have not proven to be suited to routine use, in that sample-to-sample variability has remained a problem. Moreover, there is no disclosure in this document of any method of making refillable cells or cells which could be used on a continuous or flowing basis without significant rehabilitation. Accordingly, while progress in cell manufacture has occurred, the art has not provided means for making refillable or continuous flow spin exchange pumping cells.
It has also been known that hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe can be frozen but yet retain a significant proportion of its polarization. Indeed, it is known that freezing .sup.129 Xe can actually prolong the polarization lifetime beyond that which can normally be achieved by keeping the .sup.129 Xe in a gaseous state. Accordingly, sealed glass cells containing small amounts of hyperpolarized .sup.129 Xe have been frozen, stored, and later thawed (sublimed) for use. See, e.g., Cates et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 65(20), 2591-2594(1990). The Cates document projects that small amounts (up to about 1 g/hr) of .sup.129 Xe could be accumulated, but provides no practical indication of how such a result might be achieved. This paper also fails to provide any indication of whether the accumulation of larger quantities of frozen .sup.129 Xe would be possible.
Alternatively, a publication by Becker et al., Nucl. Inst. & Meth. in Phys. Res. A, 346:45-51(1994) describes a method for producing hyperpolarized .sup.3 He by a distinctly different polarization method known as metastability exchange. This approach requires the use of extremely low pressures of .sup.3 He, i.e., about 0.001 atm to about 0.01 atm, and does not involve the use of an alkali metal; the .sup.3 He is polarized directly by the laser. Significant accumulation of hyperpolarized .sup.3 He by this method is limited by the necessity of using huge pumping cells (i.e., about 1 meter long) and then compressing the gas to a useful level. The Becker et al. publication discloses an ingenious but technically difficult approach which employs large volume compressors made of titanium for compressing the gas to about atmospheric pressure. Unfortunately, manufacture and operation of such a system requires great engineering skill, limiting the reproducibility and operability of the system on a routine basis. The apparatus described by Becker et al. also requires significant amounts of floor space and cannot be moved. The Becker et al. paper also avoids the use of alkali metals in the pumping cells, and does not disclose any method of producing hyperpolarized noble gas by spin exchange. Hence, the Becker et al. paper does not resolve the complexity of manufacturing pumping cells in which an alkali metal is employed. As a result, this publication does not describe or suggest any method or apparatus related to the production and delivery of arbitrarily large or small quantities of hyperpolarized noble gas by spin exchange.
It was recently demonstrated that hyperpolarized noble gases can be imaged by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,396. In addition, because the noble gases as a group are inert was found that hyperpolarized noble gases can be used for MRI of human and animal subjects. As a result, there exists a growing need for the generation of larger quantities of hyperpolarized noble gases. Moreover, because of medical and veterinary concerns, controlled uniformity and reliability in the purity of the gases and the amount of hyperpolarization have become necessary. Also, the need for convenient and reliable generation of these hyperpolarized gases has become important for use in a clinical setting in which medical technicians, having little or no specific training in the laboratory techniques described above, are still able to provide discrete or continuous hyperpolarized noble gas samples to subjects undergoing MRI.
In view of the above considerations, it is clear that the apparatus and methods in use in the existing art are limited in a number of ways. For example, the existing art does not provide any practical means for refilling a spin exchange polarization chamber (cell) once it has been used. Most current chambers are either permanently sealed after the first filling or have been refilled with at best unsatisfactory results. Thus, it would be of benefit to develop means for effectively refilling a pumping chamber, or even for optically pumping in a continuous flow mode in the same chamber, so as to decrease costs of materials and personnel.
Moreover, even successful fills for the permanently sealed cells used previously were accomplished via a significantly different system. In the past, an expensive ultra-high vacuum system, with either oil-free pumps or cryotrapped oil-containing pumps, has been required in order to produce a sufficiently clean apparatus for filling high quality polarization chambers. Such a system is expensive (about $30,000), not very compact (3 ft by 6 ft footprint), and requires high maintenance by a trained vacuum technician. A new system, requiring only minimal maintenance and capable of being operated without specialized knowledge of vacuum technology, would be desirable. Also, a system having a more convenient size would be useful in clinical settings.
In addition, there has been no practical way to produce hyperpolarized gas in a continuous fashion. For each spin exchange hyperpolarization procedure, a new sealed sample has had to be prepared and introduced into the hyperpolarization apparatus. It would, therefore, be desirable to develop a system which overcomes this limitation to provide means for continuous hyperpolarization of flowing noble gas.
Systems for producing hyperpolarized gases have also been quite bulky, typically requiring separate rooms for their installation. Such systems are not transportable or installable as a single piece of apparatus in a room used for various other purposes. Thus, small, convenient hyperpolarizers would be advantageous. Also transportable systems would be of benefit in situations where space is a critical consideration.
Also, there has previously been no convenient way to store substantial quantities of hyperpolarized noble gases, especially .sup.129 Xe, for later distribution in discrete quantities of arbitrary amount (up to tens of liters of gas at atmospheric pressure). It would be important to overcome this limitation as well, to provide apparatus for continuous accumulation of a hyperpolarized noble gas, as well as storage and controlled release of the hyperpolarized gas on an as-needed basis, while still retaining substantial quantities of hyperpolarization.

Cryogenic accumulator for spin-polarized xenon-129


An apparatus and method for tracking an object using a feature descriptor and an apparatus and method for removing a garbage feature are disclosed. A feature descriptor generation unit generates a plurality of features descriptors indicating information of a plurality of features extracted from an input image from which an object of interest is desired to be detected. A matching unit matches the feature descriptors with feature descriptors of a target object stored in advance, and determines the feature descriptors of the object of interest corresponding to the target object. A feature point removal unit removes feature descriptors that do not meet a geometric comparison condition from among the feature descriptors of the object of interest, and establishes final feature descriptors of the object of interest.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for tracking an object using a feature descriptor and an apparatus and method for removing a garbage feature, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method for generating a feature descriptor from an input image and removing an erroneously matching feature in order to track an object of interest corresponding to a target object that is a detection target.
2. Discussion of Related Art
With recent performance enhancement of a mobile device, attempts to detect and track an object of interest of an image alone in a mobile device are increasing. Existing algorithms for detecting an object of interest included in an image include Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and Speeded Up Robust Features (SURF).
The SIFT algorithm is a method of dividing, in eight directions, a gradient-oriented histogram of each pixel in subareas around a feature extracted from an image, and representing the gradient-oriented histogram in a 128-dimensional vector. For this, since a plurality of differential images must be generated from an original image and a calculation such as vector calculation must be performed on all pixels of each differential image, high accuracy is provided in comparison with other feature-based algorithms but complexity of the calculation is high in tracking the object of interest.
Further, the SURF algorithm is intended to improve the speed of the SIFT algorithm. Processing speed is improved by using an integral image and a high-speed Hessian detector based on a Hessian detector approximated to extract the feature. However, this method has degraded performance of accuracy although the speed is higher than that of the SIFT algorithm.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,293 registered on Mar. 23, 2004, a method of identifying scale invariant features in an image and locating an object included in the image using the feature is disclosed. And U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0238460 published on Sep. 24, 2009, a method of searching for scale and rotation invariant features at a high speed is disclosed.

Apparatus and method for tracking object using feature descriptor, and apparatus and method for removing garbage feature


A hulled rice distribution device (30) is disposed between a hulling section (10) and a wind sorting section (60) of a rice huller (1). This distribution device (30) comprises an distribution gutter (35) for receiving hulled rice falling from the hulling section, and a screw (32) for conveying the hulled rice having flowed into the distribution gutter (35) in the lengthwise direction of the distribution gutter. A plurality of holes (41, 42 and 43) for the hulled rice to fall through are formed in the distribution gutter (35), and some of them may be blocked or opened by a falling rice control plate (34).

Conventionally, a hulled rice distribution device of this kind consists of an distribution gutter having a plurality of holes for dropping hulled rice through, and a screw for evenly conveying in the lengthwise direction of the distribution gutter the hulled rice having flowed from the hulling section into the distribution gutter, and the flow rate of the hulled rice flowing through this plurality of holes is controlled by regulating the plurality of holes from outside that distribution gutter.
Further, a technique to facilitate uniform distribution of hulled rice by providing scraping means for scraping the hulled rice on the screw disposed in the distribution gutter and fitting on one side of that distribution gutter an overflow control member for adjusting the quantity of hulled rice overflowing the upper end edge of that distribution gutter is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-219082.
However, by the technique described above, where a raw material with contents differing in property, such as long grains and short grains, is to be processed, there is a problem that the quantity of hulled rice dropping through the plurality of holes of the distribution gutter varies so widely that it can not be regulated by a mechanism for regulating an uniform distribution process. Moreover, when the flow rate is to be altered, the feeding of the raw material has to be once suspended and controlling member has to be readjusted after the device is stopped, thereby entailing much trouble.

Hulled rice distribution device in rice huller


In a magneto-optical recording medium for super resolution reproduction, a recording layer having a Curie temperature of 300.degree. C. or higher is used. An inhibition force for inhibiting movement of a domain wall in the recording layer is enhanced, while the magnetization is sufficiently increased such that a contraction force, which decreases a surface area of the domain wall, can be decreased. Thus, recording domains become stable during recording and erasing. Further, cross erasing characteristics can be improved, while maintaining previously used recording and erasing powers. The inhibition force becomes larger than the contraction force, even if the Curie temperature is low, when the recording layer is made of a first magnetic material for forming recording domains which have a compensation temperature between 0.degree. and 200.degree. C., or when the compensation temperature of the recording layer is between 0.degree. and 200.degree. C.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magneto-optical recording medium such as a magneto-optical disk for writing and reproducing information with a laser beam or other similar devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The amount of data which must be dealt with in an information processing system is increasingly becoming larger, and a recording medium having a large storage capacity such as a magneto-optical recording medium has attracted attention. Magneto-optical recording is a type of vertical magnetic recording in which the direction of magnetization is vertical to a substrate plane, and upward and downward magnetization are assigned to signals of "0" and "1". Signals are recorded as domains which are heated above a Curie temperature to reverse the magnetization direction by an external field. The signals are reproduced by detecting the polarization of the laser beam reflected by the domains. According to the Kerr effect, a sign of a difference of the polarization between the incident and reflecting beams depends on the magnetization direction.
In order to increase the recording density of a magneto-optical recording medium, a super resolution technique is developed which can read signals even when a domain size is smaller than an optical resolution limit determined by a laser spot size (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,482). Thus even if two recording domains are included in a laser spot irradiated by the laser beam, information can be read.
The super resolution technique is divided into three types of detection: (a) Front aperture detection (FAD) where a recording domain is read from an area of lower temperature in a laser spot, (b) Rear aperture detection (RAD) where a recording domain is read from an area of higher temperature in a laser spot, and (c) Double aperture detection (DAD) which is a combination of FAD and RAD.
Magneto-optical recording media for super resolution has a structure different from an ordinary magneto-optical recording media. For example, a magneto-optical recording medium for front aperture detection comprises three magnetic layers, or specifically a recording layer, a switching layer and a readout layer. A magneto-optical recording medium for rear aperture detection comprises three magnetic layers, or specifically a recording layer, an intermediate layer and a readout layer. Information is recorded on the recording layer, and it is copied on to the readout layer during reproduction. Then, the signals are read by reading the direction of the magnetization in the readout layer.
The super resolution technique uses temperature distribution in a laser spot irradiated by the laser beam. However, the heat generated during erasing and recording causes a problem in that magnetic domains are affected by the heat generated. Even recording domains formed in a track adjacent to a particular track to be recorded or erased are likely affected by the heating. As the track pitch is made shorter in order to increase the recording density, this phenomenon is liable to occur more, especially in a land and groove recording where recording domains are formed along lands and grooves.
In a magneto-optical recording medium comprising layered magnetic layers, a half bubble may be generated in an adjacent track. In the half bubble, the magnetization in the readout layer is aligned along an applied external magnetic field, while the magnetization in the recording layer remains unchanged. In other words, a domain wall is also formed between the recording layer and the readout layer at the top of the half bubble. Because the above-mentioned domain wall also stores energy, the recording domain in the half bubble state may be more likely to vanish.
Further, if a magnetic field modulation for controlling the direction of applied magnetic field with a magnetic head is adopted for erasing and recording, a laser beam will continuously irradiate tracks. Therefore, the tracks are affected more by laser beam irradiation due to turning on or off the laser beam than the above-mentioned optical modulation for recording.
When the size of recording domains is decreased to obtain a higher recording density, the domains become easier to contract because a force for contracting a recording domain is inversely proportional to the size of recording domain. On the other hand, as a track pitch is shortened to obtain a higher recording density, the temperature of an adjacent track rises higher. Therefore, as the coercive force of the magnetic domain in the recording layer decreases with increasing temperature, an inhibition force for inhibiting movement of domain wall largely decreases, and magnetic domains become easier to contract.

Magneto-optical recording medium for magnetically induced super resolution

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A method for producing cellulose beads which are high in sphericity and narrow in bead size distribution. Cellulose beads are produced by supplying a cellulose solution into a rotating vessel which is rotated at high speed by a rotary shaft and has outlets such as small holes and nozzles, flying droplets formed under a centrifugal acceleration of 10 to 1000 G through the outlets that have a diameter of 0.1 to 5.0 mm, and capturing the droplets with a coagulating solution to coagulate the droplets.

This invention relates to a method of manufacturing cellulose beads and cellulose beads produced thereby.
Cellulose beads and cellulose derivative beads (hereinafter comprehensively referred to as cellulose beads) are used as ion exchangers, packing materials for chromatography, adsorbents for heavy metal ions and proteins, cosmetic additives, carriers for immobilization of biocatalyst, etc.
Commonly for these applications, such cellulose beads have to have high mechanical strength in conformity with their intended use, have to be as near to spheres as possible, and have to be as uniform in bead size as possible, i.e. as narrow in bead size distribution as possible.
Cellulose beads have to be as near to spheres as possible because the lower their sphericity, the larger the contact area between beads, and thus the smaller the exposed effective surface area of the beads. A large contact area between beads also leads to increased wear between beads and thus decrease in their mechanical strength. On the other hand, if beads that are rather wide in bead size distribution are put in a column or a tank as ion exchangers or packing material for chromatography, smaller beads may close gaps between larger beads, thus reducing the flow rate and increasing the pressure loss and thus the possibility of breakage of beads.
Also, it is a recent trend for customers to specify the bead size distribution as well as the average bead size. To meet this requirement, beads have to be separated e.g. on sieves. Such a separation step aggravates yield and manufacturing efficiency.
Conventional methods for manufacturing cellulose beads are roughly classified into two groups. Methods in the first group are chemical methods in which a cellulose solution is stirred in a dispersion medium to disperse small droplets of the cellulose solution utilizing phase separation between a cellulose solution and a dispersion medium, and coagulating the droplets to form cellulose beads. Methods in the second group are physical or mechanical methods in which a cellulose solution is sprayed with high pressure gas through nozzles and droplets thus formed are coagulated or dried to obtain cellulose beads.
Methods in the first group are disclosed in the following three patent publications. Firstly examined Japanese patent publication 57-45254 discloses a method of manufacturing spherical cellulose beads. This method comprises the steps of continuously stirring a suspension of viscose in a water immiscible solvent having a viscosity of 100 centistokes (cst) or less such as chlorobenzene while heating it to 30-100.degree. C. until the suspension solidifies into beads, and subjecting the beads to acid-hydrolysis to produce spherical cellulose beads.
In the method disclosed in examined Japanese patent publication 55-39565, a methylene chloride or chloroform solution of cellulose triacetate is added dropwise while stirring into an aqueous medium obtained by dissolving in water a stabilizer such as a gelatine or a polyvinyl alcohol, and the mixture is heated to obtain spherical beads of cellulose triacetate, and the beads obtained are saponified to produce intended cellulose beads.
Examined Japanese patent publication 6-62781 discloses a method of producing porous cellulose beads comprising the steps of blending an alkaline aqueous polymer solution of cellulose xanthate and a water soluble polymer other than cellulose xanthate with an anionic polymer to produce a suspension of an alkaline aqueous polymer solution, and coagulating the suspension by heating or adding a cellulose xanthate coagulant, and then neutralizing it with an acid to regenerate cellulose beads while simultaneously removing the water soluble polymer from the cellulose beads, or coagulating and neutralizing the suspension with an acid to regenerate cellulose beads while simultaneously removing the water soluble polymer from the cellulose beads.
A method in the second group is disclosed in examined Japanese patent publication 56-21761. In this method, a viscose or cellulose cuprammonium solution is continuously extruded through a discharge nozzle into the atmosphere so that the solution is spontaneously split, and the split droplets of the cellulose solution are fed into a coagulating/regenerating bath.
Another method in the second category is disclosed in unexamined Japanese patent publication 4-41533. In this method, a solution of sodium cellulose xanthate is sprayed into hot blast with an atomizer such as a twinfluid atomizer or a rotary nozzle and dried to produce cellulose beads.
The methods in the first category require precise preparation of the cellulose solution, and strict control of the stirring speed. These methods are thus difficult to carry out. Also, since these methods are all batch type, production efficiency is low.
The methods in the second category need no complicated equipment. Beads can be produced continuously. But these methods have other problems. One problem is that a liquid sprayed in mist into an air stream forms numerous beads that are irregular in shape and size, thus widening the bead size distribution. Also, since the cellulose solution is sprayed under high pressure in the form of minute droplets, the droplets tend to be scattered at high speed until they come into contact with a coagulating solution. This increases the possibility of secondary fragmentation of beads, so that air bubbles tend to mix into the beads to form relatively large pores therein. This lowers the mechanical strength of the beads.
An object of this invention is to provide a method of producing cellulose beads and porous cellulose beads which are free of these problems of the conventional methods, and which can produce cellulose beads that are high in sphericity and narrow in bead size distribution, and to provide such cellulose beads by the method.


The disclosure discloses a method for processing a screenshot image, electronic device and computer storage medium. The method includes obtaining an image of a current page based on an instruction of screenshotting the current page; determining whether the image comprises content to be removed; in response to a determination that the image comprises the content to be removed, searching for a first element in a first image layer of the current page, the first element in the first image layer corresponding to the content to be removed; determining whether a second element exists in a second image layer based on a predetermined condition, wherein the second image layer is adjacent to the first image layer; and performing a covering processing on the image to cover the content to be removed to obtain a processed image based on a determination result.

In terms of information transmission, pictures are often more vivid and visual than text, and information conveyed in pictures is also more intuitive. In web pages or terminal application pages, information conveyed through pictures can be seen everywhere, and applications users also use pictures to share information. Many of the above-mentioned pictures as information carriers are taken from screenshot images of the pages. These screenshot images include the complete contents of the corresponding captured area, but part of the complete contents do not need to be presented to the user. For example, after taking a screenshot image of the playback interface, the obtained screenshot image includes a playback progress bar, the user cannot operate the progress bar, so it doesn't need to present the playback progress bar to the user.
In the prior art, how to deal with the above contents that does not need to be presented in the screenshot image is a problem to be solved.

Method for processing a screenshot image, electronic device and computer storage medium


A semiconductor device comprises an MOS transistor, as a capacitive element, formed at the surface of a semiconductor substrate. A first power supply interconnection, above the substrate, applies a first power supply potential to the source and drain of the transistor. A second power supply interconnection, above the first interconnection, applies a second potential to the gate of the transistor. A third power supply interconnection is formed above, in parallel with and connected to the second power supply interconnection. An externally sourced potential is down-converted to be applied appropriately to the first, second and third power supply interconnections. This configuration achieves a semiconductor device that is less susceptible to power supply noise.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a semiconductor device having an internal circuit responsive to an external signal for carrying out a predetermined operation and a semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor substrate.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a structure of a conventional dynamic random access memory (hereinafter referred to as DRAM). Referring to FIG. 6, this DRAM includes control signal input terminals 31, 32, 34 and 42, an address signal input terminal 33, a data signal input/output (I/O) terminal 41, power supply terminals 35 to 39, and a ground terminal 40. The DRAM further includes an RAS buffer 43, a CAS buffer 44, a WE buffer 45, an OE buffer 46, a clock generating circuit 47, an address buffer 48, a row decoder 49, a column decoder 50, a memory cell array 51, and a sense amplifier+I/O control circuit 52. The DRAM further includes a preamplifier 53, an output buffer 54, a data-in buffer 55, a write driver 56, a VPP circuit 57, a VDC circuit 58 for sense amplifier, and a VDC circuit 59 for column-related circuit.
Buffers 43 to 46 generates internal control signals in response to external control signals ext./RAS, ext./CAS, ext./WE and ext./OE applied through control signal input terminals 31, 32, 34 and 42, respectively. Clock generating circuit 47 selects a prescribed operation mode based on the respective internal control signals applied from buffers 43 to 46 to control the entire DRAM.
Address buffer 48 generates an internal address signal in response to an external address signal ext.Add. applied through address signal input terminal 33, and selectively applies the internal address signal to row decoder 49 and column decoder 50. Memory cell array 51 includes a plurality of memory cells MCs arranged in a matrix in row and column directions, a word line WL provided corresponding to each row, and a bit line pair BLP provided corresponding to each column.
Row decoder 49 selects any one word line WL from memory cell array 51 in response to the internal address signal applied from address buffer 48. A boosted potential VPP is applied to the selected word line WL, whereby a memory cell MC corresponding to that word line WL is activated. Column decoder 50 selects any one bit line pair BLP from memory cell array 51 in response to the internal address signal applied from address buffer 48. Sense amplifier+I/O control circuit 52 connects the bit line pair BLP selected by column decoder 50 to one end of a global signal I/O line pair GIO. More specifically, a memory cell MC located at an intersection of the word line WL selected by row decoder 49 and the bit line pair BLP selected by column decoder 50 is connected to one end of the global signal I/O line pair GIO.
The other end of the global signal I/O line pair GIO is connected to preamplifier 53 and write driver 56. In read operation, preamplifier 53 and output buffer 54 amplifies data read from the selected memory cell MC and outputs the resultant data to data signal I/O terminal 41. In write operation, data-in buffer 55 and write driver 56 applies data externally applied through data signal I/O terminal 41 to the selected memory cell MC through the global signal I/O line pair GIO.
An external power supply potential ext.VCC applied through power supply terminal 35 is applied to buffers 43 to 46 (shown as a portion B in the figure). VPP circuit 57 boosts an external power supply potential ext.VCC applied through power supply terminal 36 to produce a boosted potential VPP for word line WL. VDC circuit 58 down-converts an external power supply potential ext.VCC applied through power supply terminal 37 to produce an internal power supply potential int.VCC and applies the internal power supply potential int.VCC to sense amplifier+I/O control circuit 52. VDC circuit 59 down-converts an external power supply potential ext.VCC applied through power supply terminal 38 to produce an internal power supply potential int.VCC and applies the internal power supply potential int.VCC to the column-related circuit (shown as a portion A in the figure). An external power supply potential ext.VCC applied through power supply terminal 39 is applied to output buffer 54. An external ground potential ext.VSS applied through ground terminal 40 is applied to the entire DRAM.
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a structure of a DRAM chip 60 integrated in a package, wherein illustration of some components is omitted.
In FIG. 7, the DRAM of FIG. 6 is formed at a surface of DRAM chip 60. A plurality of pads (only pads P1 to P8 are shown in the figure) are arranged in the middle of the surface of DRAM chip 60. Pads P1, P3 and P8 constitute power supply terminals 37, 39 and 36 of FIG. 6, respectively. Pads P5 and P6 constitute control signal input terminals 31 and 32 of FIG. 6, respectively. Pad 7 constitute power supply terminals 35 and 38 of FIG. 6.
A plurality of lead frames (only lead frames 61 to 65 are shown in the figure) are located above DRAM chip 60. Lead frame 61 includes a base portion 61a and a branch portion 61b branching away from a tip portion of base portion 61a. A base end portion of base portion 61a is connected to a pin of a package which is not shown, and the tip portion is connected to pads P1 and P2 through bonding wires 66. A tip portion of branch portion 61b is connected to pad P3 through a bonding wire 66. Base end portions of lead frames 62 to 65 are connected to pins of the package which is not shown, and tip portions thereof are connected to pads P5 to P8 by bonding wires 66, respectively. An external power supply potential ext.VCC and an external control signal are applied to the DRAM through lead frames 61 to 65, bonding wires 66 and pads P1 to P8.
A noise removing capacitor constituted by an n channel MOS transistor 70 is provided between an external power supply potential ext.VCC line and an external ground potential ext.VSS line of the DRAM, as shown in FIG. 8. The n channel MOS transistor 70 has its gate connected to the external power supply potential ext.VCC line, and its source and drain connected in common to the external ground potential ext.VSS line.
FIG. 9A is a fragmentary plan view showing a structure of a portion including n channel MOS transistor 70 in DRAM chip 60, and FIG. 9B is a cross sectional view taken along the line Y-Y' of FIG. 9A. Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, a gate electrode 73 is formed on a surface of a p type silicon substrate 71 of DRAM chip 60 with a gate oxide film 72 interposed therebetween. An n type source region 74 is formed on one side of gate electrode 73, and an n type drain region 75 is formed on the other side thereof, so that n channel MOS transistor 70 is formed.
An external ground potential ext.VSS line 76 is provided above the surface of silicon substrate 71 with an insulating layer 78 interposed therebetween, and an external power supply potential ext.VCC line 77 is further provided above external ground potential ext.VSS line 76 with insulating layer 78 therebetween. External ground potential ext.VSS line 76 is formed of a first aluminum interconnection layer (AR1), and external power supply potential ext.VCC line 77 is formed of a second aluminum interconnection layer (AR2). External power supply potential ext.VCC line 77 is connected to gate electrode 73 of n channel MOS transistor 70 through a contact hole 79, and external ground potential ext.VSS line 76 is connected to source region 74 and drain region 75 of n channel MOS transistor 70 through respective contact holes 80 and 81.
Since an external power supply potential ext.VCC is applied to gate electrode 73 of n channel MOS transistor 70 and an external ground potential ext.VSS is applied to source region 74 and drain region 75 thereof, a channel is formed in a region under gate oxide film 72 at the surface of p type silicon substrate 71, and a capacitor is formed between gate electrode 73 and the channel.
FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a structure of output buffer 54 of FIG. 6. Referring to FIG. 10, this output buffer 54 includes two inverters 82 and 83 and an output circuit 84. Inverter 82 includes a p channel MOS transistor 85 and an n channel MOS transistor 86 which are connected in series between an internal power supply potential int.VCC line and an external ground potential ext.VSS line, and produces an inverted signal /Nd of an internal data signal Nd output from preamplifier 53. Inverter 83 includes a p channel MOS transistor 87 and an n channel MOS transistor 88 which are connected in series between the internal power supply potential ext.VCC line and the external ground potential ext.VSS line, and produces an inverted signal Nd of an internal data signal /Nd output from preamplifier 53.
Output circuit 84 includes two n channel MOS transistors 89 and 90. The n channel MOS transistor 89 is connected between an external power supply potential ext. VCC line and data signal I/O terminal 41, and receives an output of inverter 82 at its gate. The n channel MOS transistor 90 is connected between data signal I/O terminal 41 and the external ground potential ext.VSS line, and receives an output of inverter 83 at its gate.
When the internal data signal Nd is at an "H" level, inverters 82 and 83 output signals at an "L" level and an "H" level, respectively, and n channel MOS transistor 89 is rendered non-conductive and n channel MOS transistor 90 is rendered conductive, so that data signal I/O terminal 41 falls to an "L" level. Furthermore, when the internal data signal Nd is at an "L" level, inverters 82 and 83 output signals at an "H" level and an "L" level, respectively, and n channel MOS transistor 89 is rendered conductive and n channel MOS transistor 90 is rendered non-conductive, so that data signal I/O terminal 41 attains an "H" level.
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view showing a structure of a portion including output circuit 84 in DRAM chip 60. Referring to FIG. 11, a plurality (three in the figure) of output circuits 84 are provided at the surface of DRAM chip 60. An external ground potential ext.VSS line 91 and an external power supply potential ext.VCC line 92 are located above the plurality of output circuits 84. The external ground potential ext.VSS line is connected to each output circuit 84 through a contact hole 93. The external power supply potential ext.VCC line is connected to each output circuit 84 through a contact hole 94. External ground potential ext.VSS line 91 has its one end connected to a pad P0, which in turn receives an external ground potential ext.VSS. External power supply potential ext.VCC line 92 extends under external ground potential ext.VSS line 91 and then is connected to a pad P3.
FIG. 12A is an enlarged view showing a structure of a cross under portion (shown as a portion C in the figure) of FIG. 11, and FIG. 12B is a cross sectional view taken along the line Z-Z' of FIG. 12A. External ground potential ext.VSS line 91 and external power supply potential ext.VCC line 92 are formed of a second aluminum interconnection layer (AR2). A connection electrode 95 having a width larger than that of external ground potential ext.VSS line 91 is formed of a first aluminum interconnection layer (AR1) under external ground potential ext.VSS line 91, and both ends of connection electrode 95 are connected to external power supply potential ext.VCC line 92 through respective contact holes 96.
FIG. 13 is a circuit diagram showing a structure of VDC circuit 59. Referring to FIG. 13, this VDC circuit 59 includes a p channel MOS transistor 97 and an operational amplifier 98. The p channel MOS transistor 97 is connected between an external power supply potential ext.VCC line and an internal power supply potential int.VCC line, and receives an output of operational amplifier 98 at its gate. A non-inverting input terminal of operational amplifier 98 receives a reference potential VREF (VREF<VCC), and an inverting input terminal thereof is connected to the internal power supply potential int.VCC line. Operational amplifier 98 controls a gate potential of p channel MOS transistor 97 so that the internal power supply potential int.VCC matches the reference potential VREF.
FIG. 14 is a fragmentary plan view showing a structure of a portion including VDC circuit 59 in DRAM chip 60.
Referring to FIG. 14, VDC circuit 59 is provided at the surface of DRAM chip 60. An external power supply potential ext.VCC line 100, an external ground potential ext.VSS line 101 and an internal power supply potential int.VCC line 102 are located above VDC circuit 59. External power supply potential ext.VCC line 100, external ground potential ext.VSS line 101 and internal power supply potential int.VCC line 102 are connected to VDC circuit 59 through respective contact holes 103, 104 and 105. External power supply potential ext.VCC line 100 has its one end connected to a pad P7. External power supply potential ext.VCC line 100 and internal power supply potential int.VCC line 102 intersect each other. External ground potential ext.VSS line 101 extends under lines 100 and 102 and then is connected to a pad P0.
Since the conventional DRAM has been structured as such, there have been the following problems.
First, when the internal data signals Nd and /Nd switch in FIG. 10, both n channel MOS transistors 89 and 90 in output circuit 84 are rendered conductive and a potential at pad P3 is reduced temporarily. This temporary reduction in potential is transmitted as power supply noise from pad P3 through lead frame 61 to other pads P1 and P2 of FIG. 7, causing malfunction of VDC circuit 58 or the like.
Although it is possible to respectively provide lead frames 110 and 111 to pads P1 and P2 and pad P3 as shown in FIG. 15 in order to prevent transmission of power supply noise from pad P3 to pads P1 and P2, this causes increase in the number of pins in the package.
Second, since VDC circuit 59 and buffers 43 to 46 receive an external power supply potential ext.VCC from the same pad P7, buffers 43 to 46 malfunction due to power supply noise of VDC circuit 59, and on the contrary, VDC circuit 59 malfunctions due to power supply noise of buffers 43 to 46.
Third, the external power supply potential ext.VCC line is formed only of the second aluminum interconnection layer (AR2) in FIG. 9, resulting in high interconnection resistance at the external power supply potential ext.VCC line.
Fourth, there exist such cross under portions C and D as shown in FIGS. 11 and 14 in the power supply lines, resulting in high interconnection resistance at the power supply lines.

Semiconductor device structured to be less susceptible to power supply noise