A hose support for hoses extending from a truck tractor to a truck trailer includes a U-shaped tube, a plurality of balls, a weight, a telescoping member, a hose engagement feature, and a mounting feature. The U-shaped tube has a central axis and two upwardly directed arms. The plurality of balls are disposed within the tube. The weight is slidably disposed in a first arm of the U-shaped tube, and acts against the balls. The telescoping tube is slidably disposed in a second arm. The hose engagement feature is disposed on the telescoping tube. The mounting feature is connected to the U-shaped tube. The weight, acting against the balls, biases the telescoping member upward.

Truck tractors have hoses and electrical cables which extend to trailers for operating trailer brakes, lights and other equipment. The length of the hoses and cables needed to connect the tractor with the trailer varies with the relative angular orientation of the tractor and trailer. For example, the distance between the hose/cable connecting points on the tractor and trailer in an aligned position, as shown in FIG. 1, is typically much less than when the trailer is at an angle to the tractor, as shown in FIG. 2. The lengths of the hoses and cables are resultantly chosen to accommodate the longest anticipated distance between the connecting points. The hoses and cables consequently have a significant amount of slack when the tractor and trailer are aligned, making them vulnerable to damage. Hose supports have long been used to help prevent the hoses and cables from being damaged as the trailer pivots about its hitch point on the tractor during maneuvering. Hose supports also help protect the hoses and cables both from damage and from damaging the tractor when the tractor is operated without a trailer.
One type of hose support has a rail connected directed to a rear side of the tractor's cab. A spring or a strap is slidably mounted on a first end to the rail. The second end of the strap or spring engages the hoses/cables near their midpoint, suspending them above the truck's frame. During maneuvers tending to tension the hoses/cables, the first end of the strap/spring moves laterally along the rail, allowing the hose/cables to be suspended above the frame of the truck without developing excess tension. This type of support has the disadvantage of communicating undesired vibrations into the cab from road induced movement of the cables, particularly when springs are employed. Another disadvantage is that because the rail at the back of the cab is relatively far from the trailer in some tractor/trailer configurations, the length of the hoses/cables extending beyond the support may be too long for the rail to adequately support the hoses/cables when they are uncoupled from the trailer.
Another mechanism used to support hoses and cables is a post-type device which engages the hoses/cables approximately mid-way between the tractor and trailer and is bendably mounted to the tractor frame on a spring base. The post-type supports mounted to the frame of the truck do not transmit vibrations directly into the cab. The hoses/cables cause the post to bend or pivot relative to its base when the tractor and trailer are at an angle to each other, thereby preventing the development of undesirable levels of tension. When the tractor is again aligned with the trailer, the spring restores the post to an upright position. As with the rail support, when the tractor and the hoses/cables are disconnected from the trailer, they may hang lower than desired, making them potentially vulnerable to being damaged, or to damaging other components.
It is therefore desired to provide a post-type hose support, suitable for mounting to a truck frame, which provides improved tensioning of the hoses/cables to minimize the free length of the hoses/cables when the hoses/cables are not connected to a trailer.


A telescoping fluid actuator assembly including a housing having a plurality of concentrically disposed fluid actuators disposed therein. Each fluid actuator includes a cylindrical housing enclosing a piston and piston rod. Fluid passage means is provided for alternately directing fluid pressure to the front and back piston faces of each piston to effect forward and rearward movement of the pistons and the associated piston rod. The innermost concentric fluid actuator has a piston rod extending from the housing for engaging a workpiece for movement thereof. All of the concentrically mounted fluid actuators, except the innermost fluid actuator, is provided with a hollow piston rod which forms the cylinder housing for adjacent concentric fluid actuators.

Typical telescoping fluid actuators available in the art include telescoping piston/piston rods which are extendible responsive to fluid pressure acting on the piston for moving the piston and associated rod. However, once the telescoping piston/piston rods are displaced to an extended position, it was necessary to relieve the pressure on the piston by venting the cylinder and manually forcing the extended piston/piston rods back into their retracted positions in the cylinder. Alternatively, in order to retract the piston/piston rod assemblies back into the cylinder, long, flexible hoses have been mounted externally of the cylinder and in communication with the return side (face) of the pistons so that fluid pressure may be directed into the cylinder against the face of the pistons for displacing the piston/piston rod assemblies to its initial (unextended) position in the cylinder.
Both of these approaches have shortcomings. In the first case, once the piston/piston rod has been extended, it becomes a burdensome task for one to reach and manually exert an external force on the end of the extended piston rod while venting the cylinder. In the second case, which relies on the use of long flexible hoses which must move (extend) with each extending telescoping piston/piston assembly to provide the return fluid pressure, the fluid lines become entangled or at the very least pose a significant problem when the fluid cylinders are not used because they must be left to clutter up the space adjacent to the fluid actuators.
To overcome these noted difficulties, the applicant has provided a compact telescoping fluid actuator system which includes internal passageways which extend with the extending piston/piston rod assemblies while maintaining each face of the pistons in fluid communication with a source of fluid pressure without the need of extendible fluid lines.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a telescoping fluid actuator system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an internally ported fluid actuator system having plural telescoping piston/piston rod assemblies.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.


A sidewall panel for securement between posts associated with a truck bed. The panel is defined by a generally rectangular ringlike frame having generally parallel top and bottom edge rails which are rigidly joined together by vertically extending edge rails. Corner members couple the horizontal and vertical edge rails together. The interior of the frame is occupied by a sheet of stiffening material, such as a rigid plastic foam sheet. Opposite sides of the panel are defined by thin covering sheets of hard material, such as rigid plastic.

Many trucks and trailers are of the flat bed type in that they are not provided with any permanent sidewall structure to provide optimum flexibility with respect to the size and shape of goods which are to be transported on the bed. In many instances, however, a temporary and removable sidewall structure can be secured to the bed around the periphery thereof so as to define a generally open top container, which top is typically covered with a canvas. The removable sidewall structure typically employs a plurality of upright posts or stakes which are removably secured to the bed at horizontally spaced intervals around the periphery thereof. The stakes typically engage within sockets or receiving structures provided on the bed along the peripheral edge thereof. These stakes or posts, which are typically about 4 foot high, often have a pair of channels formed along opposite sides thereof, whereby a sidewall panel, typically a 2'.times.4', or a 4'.times.4' panel, can be disposed between each adjacent pair of posts with the panel edges being confined within the channels. These channels enable the sidewall panels to be vertically slidably inserted into or removed from between adjacent pairs of posts.
In a typical construction, the sidewall panels are constructed of plywood so as to be of simple and economical construction. This construction was also believed necessary to permit the panels to be easily cut or reduced in width without requiring complex tools or equipment so that the panels could be made to fit nonstandard spacing between adjacent posts.
While sidewall panels of typical construction, particularly plywood panels, have been and still are extensively utilized, nevertheless such panels have proven to possess significant disadvantages. For example, such panels readily deteriorate due to abuses encountered during use. Weather conditions and particularly moisture also cause the panels to deteriorate in a rather short period of time. Such panels are also difficult to maintain and hence have a very undesirable appearance within a very short period of time, and thus have a very short useful life. Replacement of such panels is required with undesirable frequency.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved sidewall panel which is believed to overcome many of the advantages associated with conventional panels as described above.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved sidewall panel for use in conjunction with the removable sidewall structure of a truck or trailer bed, which improved sidewall panel is of economical construction, possesses significant durability so as to permit relatively long-term use, maintains a desirable appearance, and is capable of withstanding weather and use abuse.
The present invention, in one embodiment thereof, can be readily cut to reduce the width thereof and reassembled so as to accommodate the particular width between an adjacent pair of posts, which cutting and reassembly operation can be accomplished without requiring complex tools or extensive expenditure of time.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sidewall panel is defined by a generally rectangular ringlike frame having generally parallel top and bottom edge rails which are rigidly joined together by vertically extending edge rails, with the corner connection between each pair of rails including a corner member which couples to the respective horizontal and vertical edge rails. The interior of the frame is occupied by a sheet of stiffening material, such as a rigid plastic foam sheet. Thin covering sheets of hard material, such as rigid plastic, extend over opposite sides of the center stiffening sheet.
In the sidewall panel according to one embodiment of the present invention, the corner member includes a main blocklike part which defines the actual corner of the panel and abuts the end of one of the adjacent two rails which join at the corner. The corner member also has a pair of cantilevered support legs which project outwardly in perpendicular relationship from the blocklike part. Each of the cantilevered support legs projects longitudinally into and snugly engages the end of the respective edge rail, the latter preferably being of channel-like cross section to snugly receive the support leg therein.
With the improved sidewall panel of said one embodiment, as aforesaid, the panel can be suitably cut to remove a width segment of desired magnitude, and then reassembled to provide a panel of desired reduced width. For example, a first cut can be provided vertically generally parallel with and closely adjacent one side rail so as to permit separation of the one side rail and respective corner members from the panel. A second cut can be made vertically across the panel at a distance from the first cut corresponding to the width of panel section which is to be removed. This can be accomplished using rather simple tools such as a hacksaw and a utility knife. Thereafter the removed vertical edge rail and corner members are reattached to the remainder of the panel, such as by inserting the corner member legs into the cut ends of the top and bottom edge rails, and preferably using an adhesive for securement along the cut edges.
In the sidewall panel according to a further embodiment of the present invention, the corner member is of L-shaped configuration and has a pair of cantilevered support legs which project outwardly in perpendicular relationship from one another. Each of the cantilevered support legs projects longitudinally into and engages the end of the respective edge rail for fixed securement therewith, which edge rail is preferably of channel-like cross section to snugly receive the support leg therein. The L-shaped corner member is disposed wholly interiorly of the rails which meet and define a corner of the frame.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with structures of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.


A horn assembly is disclosed. The horn assembly includes a shutter than can cooperate with a horn valve. The shutter disposed on an end portion of the horn assembly can help seal the horn assembly and prevent moisture, rain or debris from entering the interior of the horn assembly. In operation, the shutter can be moved to allow the horn to provide a signal. After the horn has completed operation, the shutter can be moved back to its original sealing position.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of horns, and more particularly, to a horn suitable for use with a motor vehicle.
2. Related Art
Motor vehicles generally include horns that are designed to provide an audible signal or warning to pedestrians or to other drivers. In some cases, horns are operated by using compressed air.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,173 to Cha et al. discloses a horn for an electric car which includes a rotatable shutter (5) disposed in a horn-shaped air collector. A shutter control lever controls the shutter between a closed position and an open position to adjust the loudness or volume of the horn. The fully open position provides the loudest volume setting since the maximum amount of air passes through the air collector to the discharge end. The purpose of the shutter taught by Cha et al. is for sound volume control, and there is no provision for sealing the shutter relative to the air collector. The controller for the shutter of Cha et al. is separate from the horn actuator.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,294,984 to Meister discloses an air horn assembly for mounting on a motorcycle that has a stationary, protective grille or screen (54) to prevent rocks or debris from entering the trumpet. The grill or screen of Meister is stationary and remains fixed during operation of the horn. The grill or screen is also not water tight.
There is currently a need for a system that better protects various components of a horn assembly, while at the same time, does not interfere with the operation of the horn.


Apparatus and processes for preparing heterostructures with reduced strain are disclosed. The heterostructures may include a semiconductor structure that conforms to a surface layer having a different crystal lattice constant than the structure to form a relatively low-defect heterostructure.

Multi-layered structures comprising a device layer with a device quality surface and a substrate that has a different crystal lattice structure than the material of the device layer are useful for a number of different purposes. These multi-layered structures typically comprise multiple layers of material having differing lattice constants. The lattice mismatch between layers causes the layers to be strained. Misfit dislocations may spontaneously form in the device layer to relax the strain between layers. Such dislocations degrade the quality and usefulness of the multi-layer semiconductor structure.
A continuing need exists for methods for relaxing the strain between lattice-mismatched semiconductor layers and for methods that result in substrates and device layers that are substantially free of dislocations.

Processes and apparatus for preparing heterostructures with reduced strain by radial compression

SunEdison Semiconductor Limited (UEN201334164H)


Disclosed are an apparatus and method for detecting double-feed of paper to prevent banking accidents or jam in a paper handling machine for handling paper, sheets of currency note are not separated by a sheet separating means and thus plural sheets are double fed. The apparatus includes paper feeding means for guiding upper and lower surfaces of the paper and feeding the paper, a pivot member pivotally installed to a rotary shaft, and having a contact portion disposed in a paper feeding path of the paper feeding means and contacting with one surface of the feeding paper, and an encoder portion with a plurality of slits, in which the rotary shaft is closer to the contact portion rather than the encoder portion, and a sensor for counting the number of slits of the encoder portion when the pivot member pivots. The present invention can accurately detect the overlay of the paper having a thin thickness with a simple construction. Also, the present invention can detect the overlay of the paper, regardless of a size and thickness of the paper and a transferring direction of the paper.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting double-feed of paper in a paper handling machine, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for detecting double-feed of paper to prevent banking accidents or jam in a paper handling machine for handling paper, for example, currency note, where sheets of currency note are not separated by a sheet separating means and thus plural sheets are double fed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A paper handling machine is a machine for handling or carrying currency note or paper.
For example, there are automatic teller machines (ATMs) for depositing or dispensing the currency note at a cash corner, printers for printing transaction particulars on paper, copying machines for conveniently and quickly copying documents or papers of a user onto plural sheets of paper stacked on a cartridge, and the like.
The paper handling machine generally includes a pickup roller for separating the paper sheet by sheet in a stacking space of paper and a feeding means (such as a belt or a feeding roller, for feeding a sheet of paper).
If two or more sheets of overlapped paper are fed in the paper handling machine, jam happens in the machine, which causes an error to occur in a paper handling processor of the paper handling machine that is optimized for the case where a sheet of paper is fed at a certain interval.
In particular, if the ATM feeds the overlapped currency note to dispense more money to a customer, the banking accident may occur.
In addition, when jam or error occurs in the paper handling machine, the paper handling machine has to be shut down and maintained by a manager, which causes an efficiency of the machine to remarkably deteriorate.

Apparatus for detecting double-feed of paper


A request interface device and method for operating the device and its components are described. The request interface device comprises a bus interface unit (BIU) and a requesting device. The requesting device generates a transfer request for data or command information, along with state information determining the manner in which the requester will transfer the data or command information associated with the request once the transfer request is granted. The transfer request and the associated state information are sent to the BIU, freeing the requester to generate new requests wile the first transfer request is waiting to be granted. The transfer request and associated information is stored in a queue within the BIU while the BIU logic gains access to the host bus. Once the transfer request is granted, it is sent over the host bus to its target while the associated state information is concurrently reflected back to the requestor to be used by the requester to complete the data or command information transfer.

The invention relates generally to information transfer over a computer bus. More specifically, the invention relates to a bus interface unit (BIU) connected with a requestor, wherein state information determining how the requestor will act on a particular transfer request is passed to the BIU which reflects the state information back to the requestor once access to the host bus is granted.
A bus is a path over which data and commands are transmitted between components of a computer system. Each bus is characterized by the width of the data transfer path, the speed at which data may move along the path, and the protocol by which the data is transferred over the bus. There are a number of different types of busses within a typical computer system. For instance, a typical personal computer system has a processor bus which transfers information to and from the processor and the chipset, a cache bus which transfers data between a cache and the processor, a memory bus which transfers that transfers information between the chipset and the memory, a host (or local) bus (such as PCI) which is used to connect high speed peripherals to the chipset, and one or more I/O busses (such as an ISA bus, a SCSI bus, a IEEE 1394 bus or USB) connected to the host bus and used to connect certain types of peripherals to the computer system.
Each bus typically comprises one or more information transfer paths. For example, one path may be provided to transfer data and another may be provided to pass control information, such as address information about where in memory data is to be read from or written to. Additionally, each type of bus typically has a bus controller that controls the transfer of data and information over the bus between the components connected to it.
Where two different buses interface, an interface device, such as a bridge, is required to translate between the different protocols utilized by each bus to move information and data to facilitate the efficient transfer of information through the interface device.
For example, a typical personal computer has a PCI local bus to which certain performance critical devices are attached, such as video cards and storage devices. Additionally, a personal computer system typically has a ISA and/or USB bus connected to the PCI bus that is used for slower, less performance critical devices, such as mice, keyboards, and modems. In order to send data received from an Internet connection by a modem to a video card and subsequently a monitor for display, it is necessary to transfer the data over an interface device between the ISA and PCI buses. The interface device needs to be configured specific to the requirements of the PCI bus and be able to communicate with the PCI bus, while the interface device also needs to be configured to receive data and information from the ISA bus. Essentially, the interface device is designed specifically for the two buses it bridges.
A xe2x80x9crequest interface devicexe2x80x9d is one type of interface device in which commands or data may be transferred over a host bus such as a PCI bus to and from a peripheral to another component of the computer system without the involvement of the computer system""s central processing unit (CPU). A typical request interface device is comprised of a bus interface unit (BIU) that communicates with a host bus for access to the host bus to transfer data and commands, and a requestor that generates requests for data and commands on behalf of a device or peripheral attached to another bus such as an I/O bus. An example of a requestor would be a DMA engine that can read and write to memory without the involvement of the CPU.
For example, an interface device might include a DMA engine in communication with a printer connected to Universal serial bus (USB) that has been commanded by the CPU to print some pages of a document. The DMA engine might be directed to retrieve data stored in memory that represents the document being printed. Therefore, the DMA engine generates a request for the specific data and sends that request to the memory to retrieve the required data, however, in order transmit the request the DMA must get access to the PCI bus with which the memory is connected, typically, by way of a memory bus and a chipset. The BIU performs the function of gaining access to the PCI bus by communicating with the PCI bus controller and when permitted to do so mastering the PCI bus. The BIU then transmits the DMA""s request to the memory, whereby the requested data is retrieved from the memory and transported to the DMA and eventually the printer.
A bus interface unit (BIU) and a method for operating the BIU are described wherein the BIU operates on transfer requests generated by a requestor for transmittal over a host bus of a computer system. The BIU has one interface with a requester through which it receives a request to transfer information over the host bus from the requestor along with state information associated with the request. The BIU also has another interface with the host bus, memory for storing both the transfer request and its associated state information, and BIU logic.
The BIU logic gains access to the host bus to facilitate the transfer of the transfer request over the host bus. Next, it retrieves the transfer request and the associated state information from memory. The transfer request is transmitted over the host bus to a target while the state information is contemporaneously reflected back through the interface in which the BIU is connected with the requester.

Bus interface unit for reflecting state information for a transfer request to a requesting device


A lock cylinder assembly has a base, multiple selecting disks and multiple disk sets. The base has an axis. The selecting disks are rotatably connected to the base along the axis of the base. The disk sets are operationally mounted along the axis of the base and are respectively connected to the selecting disks. Each disk set has multiple disks operationally mounted along the axis of the base. Accordingly, a lock cylinder assembly that can increase the difficulty of unlocking the lock cylinder assembly to improve the safety of using the lock cylinder assembly is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lock cylinder assembly, and more particularly to a multistage lock cylinder assembly to improve the safety provided by the lock cylinder assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
With reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, a conventional lock cylinder assembly applied for a lock device in accordance with the prior art comprises a base (50), a knob (54) and a disk set (60). The base has a central tube (51), multiple through holes (52) and an indicator (55). The central tube (51) is formed on and extends from the base (50). The through holes (52) are defined through the base (50) and around the central tube (51). With multiple fasteners extending through the through holes (52), the base (50) is secured to an object on which the lock cylinder assembly is mounted. The knob (54) is rotatably mounted on the base (50) and has a driving rod (53) extending through the base (50) and the central tube (51). The knob (54) has multiple number signs corresponding to the indicator (55) on the base (50) to provide an indicating effect to the user for rotating the knob (54). The disk set (60) is connected to the driving rod (53) of the knob (54) and comprises a driving disk (63) and two driven disks (61,62). The driving disk (63) is secured on the driving rod (53), and the driven disks (61,62) are rotatably mounted around the central tube (51). Each disk (61,62,63) has a notch (611,621,631) defined in the periphery of the disk (61,62,63) and has at least one protrusion (612,622,623,632) formed on at least one side of the disk (61,62,63). With the abutment between the protrusions (612,622,623,632), the driven disks (61,62) are rotated with the driving disk (63) when the knob (54) is rotated.
When the disks (61,62,63) are rotated to make the notches (611,621,631) in aligning with each other, the notches (611,621,631) in the disks (61,62,63) will implement a space allowing a locking bolt extending into the space. Consequently, the locking bolt can be removed from a locking cavity to make a lock device with the locking cylinder assembly in an unlocked condition. When the disks (61,62,63) are rotated to make the notches (611,621,631) misaligning with each other, the locking bolt will not be escaped from the lock cavity so that the lock device with the lock cylinder assembly is in a locked condition.
However, the conventional lock cylinder assembly has only one disk set (60) including three disks (61,62,63), to unlock the lock cylinder assembly only needs three passwords, is easy and takes few time for an unauthorized person. Therefore, the safety of using the conventional lock cylinder assembly needs to be improved.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a lock cylinder assembly to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


A method for plasma assisted etching of a polysilicon containing gate electrode to reduce or avoid polysilicon notching at a base portion including providing a semiconducting substrate; forming a gate dielectric layer on the semiconducting substrate; forming a polysilicon layer on the gate dielectric; patterning a photoresist layer over the polysilicon layer for etching a gate electrode; carrying out a first plasma assisted etch process to etch through a major thickness portion of the polysilicon layer; carrying out a first inert gas plasma treatment; carrying out a second plasma assisted etch process to include exposing portions of the underlying gate dielectric layer; carrying out a second inert gas plasma treatment; and, carrying out a third plasma assisted etch process to fully expose the underlying gate dielectric layer adjacent either side of the gate electrodes.

As devices become smaller and integration density increases, reactive ion etching (RIE) has become a key process in anisotropic etching of semiconductor features. RIE or ion-enhanced etching works by a combination of physical and chemical mechanisms for achieving selectivity and anisotropicity during the etching process. Generally, RIE operates in the milliTorr range and above. Generally, three processes compete with each other during plasma etching; physical bombardment by ions, chemical etching by radicals and ions, and surface passivation by the deposition of passivating films. In some applications, for example, etching high aspect ratio features, high density plasma (HDP) etching having a higher density of ions and operating at lower pressures has been increasingly used in etching high aspect ratio features, for example, having aspect ratios greater than about 3:1.
An increasingly problematical phenomenon in RIE processes is notching, also referred to as micro-trenching, at the base of a polysilicon feature overlying another material, such as an oxide. For example, as device characteristic dimensions decrease, the precise formation of polysilicon gate critical dimensions as well as avoiding damage to the underlying gate dielectric portion is increasingly critical to satisfactory operation of CMOS devices.
Although the reason for notching is not precisely understood and has been a long-standing processing problem, adequate solutions to overcome the problem have to date been less than adequate. Several phenomena including the formation and accumulation of localized charge imbalances during etching are believed to contribute to preferential etching at the base of a polysilicon gate feature. In addition, the simultaneous etching of an underlying oxide layer is believed to create undesirable reactive ion species that contribute to the problem of micro-trenching or undesirable preferential etching at the base of gate electrode feature. While attempts in the prior art to address the problem have including altering etching conditions and chemistries, and schemes have been proposed to reduce charge imbalance accumulation, an adequate solution for etching polysilicon gate structures with required critical dimensions in the absence of micro-trenching remains a problem to be overcome.
In addition, the problem of micro-trenching is particularly problematical where both NMOS and PMOS gate electrode structures are formed in parallel in a single RIE etching process. One particular micro-trenching phenomenon involves the formation of a 'notch' (decrease in the gate electrode width) at the base of the polysilicon electrode where the degree of notching may depend in part on the dopant type of the polysilicon. In addition, damage to the underlying gate dielectric can occur in overetching processes. Etching defects including notches adversely affect critical electrical properties of CMOS devices including decreased dielectric breakdown strength, Voltage threshold variations, and current leakage.
There is therefore a need in the semiconductor processing art to develop an improved method for plasma assisted etching of polysilicon including gate electrodes to achieve improved etching profiles while avoiding the formation of preferential etching defects to thereby improve semiconductor device reliability and yield.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved method for plasma assisted etching of polysilicon including gate electrodes to achieve improved etching profiles while avoiding the formation of preferential etching defects to thereby improve semiconductor device reliability and yield, while overcoming other shortcomings and deficiencies of the prior art.

Etching process to avoid polysilicon notching

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


Image development and transfer apparatus for use in electrophotographic color printers and including a photoconductor, such as either a photoconductive drum or belt, which is spaced from sources of liquid color toners. An intermediate transport film is driven around a section of the photoconductor surface and between this surface and the sources of liquid color toners. Thus, the latent image developed on the surface of the photoconductor is transferred from the surface of the photoconductor to the outer surface of the intermediate transport film where the composite color image is developed. Then, this composite color image is transferred directly onto a print receiving media. Consequently, the photoconductor is not exposed to heat or carrier fluids during the image transfer and development process. This novel feature not only improves overall print quality on the printed media, but additionally extends the useful lifetime of the photoconductor. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the intermediate transfer film is passed into contact with a conditioning squeegee roller of a selected material during each pass around the photoconductor in order to compress the developed image on the film and enhance the image quality thereof. Also, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the intermediate transfer film comprises a first main layer of a polyester material and a thin outer release layer of either a fluorosilicon material or a cross-linked siloxane material.

In the field of electrophotographic color printing using liquid color toners, two different technologies have been developed for transferring a developed color image from the surface of a photoconductive drum or belt to an adjacent print media. One of these two technologies uses a direct transfer method wherein the unprinted media is passed directly between the surface of a photoconductive drum or belt and a transfer roller where a color image is directly transferred from the surface of the photoconductive drum or belt to the media. One example of such a direct transfer process is disclosed and claimed in the Camis U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,277 issued May 19, 1992, and entitled "Electrostatically Assisted Transfer Roller and Method for Directly Transferring Liquid Toner to a Print Medium", assigned to the present assignee and incorporated herein by reference.
The other of these two technologies uses an intermediate transfer member (ITM) which is positioned between the surface of a photoconductive drum and a transfer roller and is operative firstly to receive the developed color image from the surface of the photoconductive drum and secondly to transfer the developed color image from its own surface to the media which passes between the surface of the intermediate transfer member and an adjacent transfer roller.
One disadvantage of using either one of the above two image transfer methods is that the photoconductive drum material must be insensitive to a carrier fluid, such as an Isopar or equivalent carrier fluid as well as sub-micron toner particles. In addition, in the direct transfer case, the photoconductive drum should also possess a surface preferably having more or less ideal release properties in order to eliminate toner adhesion problems. Other important factors when using a direct transfer process are that direct transfer methods require some means for heating the media, and this requirement in turn can cause both physical and electrical damage to the photoconductive drum material.
It should also be mentioned that in either the above direct transfer or indirect transfer cases, the toner charge level is an extremely important parameter inasmuch as it has a direct critical effect upon toner mass transfer. Using the intermediate transfer method, this process is also not immune to heat damage problems, and a high level of toner charge control is required since this charge control also controls the electrostatic transfer of the liquid color toners from the surface of the photoconductive drum to the intermediate transfer member. However, the direct transfer method of image processing is even more dependent upon the toner charge level since it requires very specific levels of voltage on the photoconductor in order to achieve optimal toner-on-toner multi-layer development. These levels of toner charge are also critical to the direct transfer of color images to the media. Also, the use of these direct transfer techniques has an additional problem in that the media comes into direct contact with the photoconductor, and this can cause undesirable wear on the photoconductor.

Image development and transfer apparatus which utilized an intermediate transfer film


The present invention provides novel polyamic acids and polyimide optical alignment layers for inducing alignment of a liquid crystal medium. The novel compositions comprise crosslinking diamines containing a C3-C22 linear or branched hydrocarbon chains containing 1 to 4 carbon-carbon double bonds. The invention further describes liquid crystal displays comprising the novel polyimide optical alignment layers.

The present invention relates to materials for aligning liquid crystals, and liquid crystal optical elements.
Current liquid crystal display elements include a product that utilize a twisted nematic mode, i.e. having a structure wherein the aligning direction of nematic liquid crystal molecules is twisted by 90xc2x0 between a pair of upper and lower electrode substrates, a product utilizing a supertwisted nematic mode, utilizing a birefringent effect, i.e. having a structure wherein the aligning direction of nematic liquid crystal molecules is twisted by 180xc2x0 to 300xc2x0, an in-plane-switching mode wherein both electrodes controlling the liquid crystal alignment are present on one substrate and the direction of the liquid crystal orientation in the plane of the substrate changes upon application of an electric field, and a product utilizing a ferroelectric liquid crystal substance or an antiferroelectric liquid crystal substance. Common to each of these products is a liquid crystal layer disposed between a pair of substrates coated with a polymeric alignment layer. The polymeric alignment layer controls the direction of alignment of the liquid crystal medium in the absence of an electric field. Usually the direction of alignment of the liquid crystal medium is established in a mechanical buffing process wherein the polymer layer is buffed with a cloth or other fiberous material. The liquid crystal medium contacting the buffed surface typically aligns parallel to the mechanical buffing direction. Alternatively, an alignment layer comprising anisotropically absorbing molecules can be exposed to polarized light to align a liquid crystal medium as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,032,009 and 4,974,941 xe2x80x9cProcess of Aligning and Realigning Liquid Crystal Mediaxe2x80x9d which are hereby incorporated by reference.
The process for aligning liquid crystal media with polarized light can be a noncontact method of alignment that has the potential to reduce dust and static charge buildup on alignment layers. Other advantages of the optical alignment process include high resolution control of alignment direction and high quality of alignment.
Requirements of optical alignment layers for liquid crystal displays include low energy threshold for alignment, transparency to visible light (no color), good dielectric properties and voltage holding ratios, long-term thermal and optical stability and in many applications a controlled uniform pre-tilt angle. Most liquid crystal devices, including displays, have a finite pre-tilt angle, controlled, for instance, by the mechanical buffing of selected polymeric alignment layers. The liquid crystal molecules in contact with such a layer align parallel to the buffing direction, but are not exactly parallel to the substrate. The liquid crystal molecules are slightly tilted from the substrate, for instance by about 2-15 degrees. For optimum performance in most display applications a finite and uniform pre-tilt angle of the liquid crystal is desirable.
Continuing effort has been directed to the development of processes and compositions for optical alignment of liquid crystals and liquid crystal displays. Through diligent effort and intensive experiments we have found that the alignment quality and electrical properties, specifically the voltage holding ratio, of polyimide alignment layers derived from polyamic acids containing the novel crosslinking diamines disclosed herein are significantly improved over those lacking such crosslinking capability.
The present invention provides a process for preparing an optical alignment layer for aligning liquid crystals comprising: preparing a layer of polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamic acid, polyamide ester and polyimide, comprising anisotropically absorbing molecules, on a substrate; exposing said layer to polarized light; the polarized light having a wavelength within the absorption band of said anisotropically absorbing molecules; wherein the resulting exposed anisotropically absorbing molecules induce alignment of a liquid crystal medium at an angle with respect to the major axis of the polarization of the incident light and along the surface of the optical alignment layer; wherein the polymer is further characterized in having side chains selected from the group of C3-C22 linear and branched hydrocarbon and partially fluorinated hydrocarbon chains, optionally substituted by one to two heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, S, O and having one to four carbon-carbon double bonds.
Further embodiments of the invention are polymers including polyimides, polyamic acids and esters thereof, characterized in that they comprise identical or different repeat units selected from one or more of the formula
wherein B is hydrogen or a monovalent organic group derived from an alcohol after formal removal of the hydroxyl group, M is a tetravalent organic radical of a tetracarboxylic acid anhydride after formal removal of the two xe2x80x94COxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94COxe2x80x94 groups, the four valencies of which are distributed between four different carbon atoms of the radical; A is a trivalent unsubstituted or optionally fluoro-, chloro-, cyano-, alkyl-, alkoxy-, fluoroalkyl- or fluoroalkoxy- substituted aromatic or alicyclic radical; Y is selected from the group of C3-C22 linear and branched hydrocarbon and partially fluorinated hydrocarbon chains, optionally substituted by one to two heteroatoms selected from the group of N, S, O and having one to four carbon-carbon double bonds.

Process and materials for inducing alignment of liquid crystals and liquid crystal optical elements


A lamp holder includes a bowl-like lampshade having a top center hole, a glass cover covered on the opened bottom side of the lampshade and detachably secured thereto by clamps, a hopper-like mount having a flanged neck fastened to the top center hole of the lampshade and an outwardly extended top mounting flange, a socket cap detachably fastened to top mounting flange of the mount by screws to hold a lamp socket on the inside and a lamp bulb in the lamp socket within the lampshade.

The present invention relates to a lamp holder, and more particularly to such a lamp holder which can be conveniently opened for the installation of the bulb.
FIG. 1 shows a lamp holder according to the prior art. This structure of lamp holder comprises a lampshade A having a plurality of springy retainer strips D riveted thereto at the periphery, a glass cover E covered on the lampshade A at the bottom side and secured in place by the springy retainer strips D, and a lamp socket assembly B fixedly fastened to the lampshade A at the top and holding a lamp tube C within the lampshade A. This structure of lamp holder is still not satisfactory in function. When replacing the lamp bulb C, the cover E must be disconnected from the lampshade A. When disconnecting the cover E from the lampshade A, the retainer strips D must be pulled outwards and stretched. When pulling the retainer strips D, the fingers may easily be injured by sharp edges of the retainer strips D or edges at the lampshade A around the retainer strips D. Frequently stretching the retainer strips D may cause the retainer strips D to deform permanently and to lose spring power, thereby causing the cover E unable to be firmly secured to the lampshade A. Furthermore, because the lamp socket assembly B is fixedly fastened to the lampshade A at the top, the lampshade A cannot be disconnected from the lampshade A for a repair work. Because the lamp socket assembly B is not detachable, it is inconvenient to disconnect the lamp bulb C from the lamp socket assembly B or to clean the inside of the lamp socket assembly B.


In a method for carrying out cyclic and conflict-free data communication for the subscribers of a data bus, which transmits data in non-overlapping time periods within a subscriber cycle interval and processes jobs, and whose fixed transmission time slots in a planning phase are allocated within the subscriber cycle interval, the task processing for a subscriber is carried out exclusively within an application time interval within the subscriber cycle interval, and in the planning phase the transmission time slots for each subscriber, within a transmission time interval which is disjunct with respect to the application time interval, are selected within the subscriber cycle interval, and the selected transmission time slots are communicated to the subscribers in a subsequent initializing phase.

The present invention relates to a method for carrying out cyclic and conflict-free data communication for the subscribers of a data bus, which transmits data in non-overlapping time periods within a subscriber cycle interval and processes jobs, and whose fixed transmission time slots in a planning phase are allocated within the subscriber cycle interval.
Time-driven data buses are finding increased application in motor vehicles and other means of transport (aircraft, trains, and ships, for example). In contrast to event-driven data buses, they are preferably used in cases where security-relevant data are to be exchanged between control devices at regular intervals with high reliability and low fluctuation over time (jitter). A major advantage of time-driven data buses with regard to ensuring such characteristics is that a continuous occupation of the data bus, resulting from malfunction of a control device, for example, is prevented.
DE 102 00 201 A1 discloses a method for communication to various subscribers via a time-driven data bus. In the method, the subscribers send messages cyclically in fixed transmission time slots via the data bus. The time period for transmitting a message, referred to below as "subscriber cycle time," may be identical to the bus cycle time, i.e., the length of a bus cycle interval. However, a transmission time slot may also be used in different bus cycle intervals by different subscribers, thereby increasing the subscriber cycle time compared to the bus cycle time. According to the prior art, the subscriber cycle time may also be reduced when multiple transmission time slots within a bus cycle interval are occupied by the same message.
According to the prior art, for a time interval in which all messages transmitted via the data bus are repeated, a scheduling process specifies a system-wide sequence (schedule) in which the functional dependencies of all subscribers are taken into account, and all subscribers communicate in each strictly specified transmission time slot via the data bus in a conflict-free manner. In this scheduling process the application time periods are also specified in coordination with the transmission time slots. The configuration of the control devices for the particular application time periods may be absolute with respect to time, or may be relative, based on the transmission time slots.
Such a specification often creates a close interlinking between transmission time slots and application time periods for multiple subscribers. This interlinking results in a strong temporal dependency between the applications for various subscribers. Functional modifications or replacement of a control device may require that the schedule be changed. As a result of the temporal dependency, such schedule changes often apply not just to individual subscribers, but to multiple subscribers that are linked to one another by a causal chain. Thus, a single functional modification may affect multiple subscribers and control devices.
In the development divisions of many industrial sectors such as the automotive industry, where any change to safety-relevant applications is subject to strict controls, every modification to a device entails an extensive certification process. The time required to complete each certification process represents a waiting period within the development process, and generally results in prolonged development time and increased development costs for a device and for components which depend on this device.
As described above, when the communication and the application are closely coupled together in a bus system, as in the prior art, the modification of a control device frequently makes it necessary to change other control devices having certification requirements. In addition, the usability of a certified control device is generally limited by the methods according to the prior art to a single bus system. If a control device is to be used in various bus systems and functionally integrated therein, as a rule the same transmission time slots cannot be assigned to the control device in all bus systems. According to the prior art, this results in generally different application time periods for the subscribers which are in different bus systems and associated with this control device. Each of the different variants which results must go through its own certification process.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a method by which the number of required certification measures is reduced in conjunction with the replacement and modification of individual control devices of a time-driven data bus.
This is achieved by exemplary embodiments of the present invention by decoupling the schedule of various subscribers by the systematic use of time reserves. This is accomplished by independently specifying the transmission time slot and application time periods for each individual subscriber in disjunct (i.e., non-overlapping) function-driven time intervals. Transmission time slots and application time periods may then be flexibly specified and modified within these function-driven time intervals without influencing one another.
An advantage of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is that as the result of this decoupling of transmission and application times, a control device remains unaffected by modifications to other control devices, provided that these modifications take place within the respective function-driven time intervals. The majority of functional modifications during the development process of a distributed bus system have an effect, i.e., only on a single device, by use of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Likewise, by use of exemplary embodiments of the present invention a certified control device may be flexibly introduced into various bus systems without the need for reconfiguration. The number of required certification measures may be significantly reduced as a result of these two referenced factors. In many cases, this reduction significantly decreases both the time and the costs for developing time-driven bus systems.
In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention the data communication occurs via a time-driven data bus within cyclically repeating bus cycle intervals. The length of these bus cycle intervals is referred to below as "bus cycle time." The bus cycle interval is divided into individual transmission time slots for the exact specification of time periods for message exchange within the bus cycle interval.
Various control devices used for controlling, regulating, or monitoring engine, safety, or comfort features are typically connected to such a time-driven data bus. The control devices exchange messages via the data bus in cyclical sequences and process these messages. The communication characteristics of a control device on a time-driven data bus often include the cyclical reception and transmission of more than one message. Frequently, for example, in a first step a message is received, in a second step the contents of the received message are processed, and in a third step the results of the processing are sent as a message. It is common for a single control device to also take part in multiple causal sequences of this type.
In the following discussion it is assumed from the outset that a control device includes one or more logical subscribers, in which a transmission process and processing of a task alternate and cyclically repeat. It is also assumed from the outset that the transmission process and the task processing take place in different time periods. Thus, the transmission time slots for a subscriber do not overlap with the subscriber's application time periods.
Thus, the processing of various tasks by a control device is distributed over the logical subscribers in such a way that each logical subscriber requires a contiguous time period for its task processing. A time period is likewise provided for the transmission process. By definition, any given number of messages may be transmitted in this time period. The practical implementation of this described subject matter and the extension of the principle of the invention to cases that do not conform to this definition are addressed further below.
A subscriber cycle time is specified for each subscriber according to the requirements for the frequency of the subscriber's communication or task processing. In principle, this subscriber cycle time may be a multiple or also a fraction of the bus cycle time. Idle times are frequently introduced into causal sequences due to the resolution of the close temporal interlinking of transmission time slots and application time periods associated with exemplary embodiments of the present invention. However, these idle times may be kept within functionally tolerable limits by appropriate choice of the subscriber cycle time.
Within a subscriber cycle interval having the length of the subscriber cycle time, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention two disjunct function-driven time intervals are present, one of which, a transmission time interval, is provided exclusively for transmitting messages by the subscriber, and the other, an application time interval, is provided exclusively for task processing for the subscriber. It is assumed from the outset that the combined duration of both function-driven time intervals spans the entire subscriber cycle interval. For this case, in principle the definition of a single time interval is also sufficient, since the second time interval automatically results from the subscriber cycle interval minus the first time interval. To allow subsequent deviations from the limitation made here to be addressed in the same manner, however, the definition of two function-driven time intervals will be adhered to.
The following prerequisites should be taken into account for specifying the function-driven time intervals:                The length of the transmission time slots required by each subscriber for fulfilling the subscriber's required tasks is assumed to be known in a subscriber cycle interval. The length of the transmission time interval is selected to be at least large enough that transmission time slots of this length fit therein.        The length of the time period for task processing required by each subscriber for fulfilling the subscriber's required tasks is likewise assumed to be known in a subscriber cycle interval. The length of the application time interval is selected to be at least large enough that a time period of this length fits therein.        From the standpoint of a subscriber, the function-driven time intervals within the subscriber cycle interval should be specified so that the subscriber can fulfill its required task in the bus system when the location of the subscriber's transmission time slots within the transmission time interval and the location of the application time period within the application time interval are flexibly selected.        All subscriber cycle times and transmission time intervals should be specified such that in principle it is possible to plan all transmission time slots, both on the data bus and within the transmission time interval, for the respective subscriber without conflicts.
If the application time interval for a subscriber is greater than the length of the application time period, there is a time reserve for modifying the subscriber's application. If the transmission time interval for a subscriber is selected to be greater than the length of the transmission time slots, this results in greater flexibility in the global transmission time scheduling. If all of the above-referenced conditions are satisfied for various lengths of transmission time and application time intervals, a choice should be made as to which of the referenced advantages should be maximized, by selecting the application time interval or the transmission time interval to be as large as possible.
In a planning phase, first a system-wide (global) transmission time scheduler selects the transmission time slots for all subscribers such that the transmission time slots for a subscriber are within the respective transmission time interval and the transmission time slots for all subscribers are specified on the data bus without conflicts.
The result of the transmission time scheduling, i.e., the assignment of transmission time slots to the individual subscribers (slot assignment table), is communicated to the subscribers in a subsequent initializing phase. By definition, all subscribers can fulfill their required task when transmission time slots within the respective transmission time interval are assigned to the subscribers. This is ensured by the described scheduling process.
The application time periods are independent of the assigned transmission time slots as a result of the division into disjunct, function-driven time intervals. The application scheduling within the application time interval thus affects only the respective subscriber, and therefore can be performed by this subscriber itself (locally).
If a control device is designed in such a way that it does not have to be configured for the exact transmission time slots specified by the transmission time scheduler, but instead is available for transmission at any given time within a transmission time interval, modifications to the transmission time scheduling or a new sequence for the planning phase do not require modifications per se to the subscribers themselves. Only subscribers whose application has been modified in content need be altered and, if needed, recertified. This is also generally the case when the content of exchanged messages is modified for all involved subscribers, since a modification of the communication content also affects the application for the respective subscribers.
The time span between the end of task processing and the start of transmission time slots for a subscriber may vary due to the decoupled specification of transmission time slots and application time periods. This does not represent a technical problem if the data to be transmitted by the sending subscriber, for example at the end of task processing, are thus transferred to a transmitter unit no later than the end of the application time interval, and in turn no later than the start of the transmission time interval.
The advantages resulting from exemplary embodiments of the present invention for the development and flexible use of control devices for time-driven data buses are described below.
A first advantage of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is that temporal changes in the application or transmission behavior of a subscriber do not affect other subscribers, provided that the changes take place within the particular function-driven time intervals, and all requirements referenced in specifying the function-driven time intervals are also satisfied after the change. The reason for such changes may be that the task processing time previously provided for individual subscribers is no longer adequate for fulfilling the particular task, or that larger quantities of data must be transferred, thus requiring a greater number of transmission time slots than previously provided. After such a modification to a subscriber, it is necessary only to specify new transmission time slots in a new planning phase, and to communicate these to the subscribers in a new initializing phase. No changes to other subscribers and control devices are necessary.
A further advantage of exemplary embodiments of the present invention is that certified control devices may be used without modification in various bus systems, provided that all requirements referenced in specifying the function-driven time intervals are satisfied for each bus system. According to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, introduction of a control device into a bus system requires only that, likewise, transmission time slots be specified in a planning phase, and that these be communicated to the subscribers in an initializing phase. It is not necessary to make changes to any of the control devices.
In addition, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention certified control devices may be used without modification in bus systems which also contain control devices with subscribers designed according to the prior art, in which transmission time slots and application time periods are strictly specified (backward compatibility). This case may be derived as a special case from the preceding instance, in which the transmission time interval for each subscriber comprises the exact transmission time slots actually required, and the application time interval for each subscriber comprises the exact application time period. By use of this definition, transmission time slots for all subscribers may be specified in a planning phase as described above, provided that all requirements referenced in specifying the function-driven time intervals are satisfied, and these transmission time slots are communicated to the subscribers according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention in an initializing phase. To this end, there must be no changes made to any of the control devices.
Since according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention the interface of a subscriber at the data bus is determined by the subscriber cycle time and the transmission time interval for the subscriber, the introduction of conventions for such an interface facilitates the compatibility of various subscribers with one another as well as the development of suitable scheduling processes. Several conventions are proposed below.
For systematically implementing exemplary embodiments of the present invention it may be advantageous to form classes of subscribers, each of which is characterized by a given subscriber cycle time and a given specification of the transmission time interval within the subscriber cycle interval.
It is advantageous to specify the classes in such a way that the bus bandwidth is well utilized, depending on the number of representatives in a subscriber class and their transmission time requirements. This may be achieved, for example, by selecting the subscriber cycle times for the subscriber classes as binary multiples of a base cycle time, and correspondingly providing the transmission time intervals within the subscriber cycle interval.
These and other specifications used to systematically implement exemplary embodiments of the present invention are accompanied or supported by synchronously starting the subscriber cycle interval for all subscribers represented on a data bus at at least one global synchronization time.
For systematically implementing exemplary embodiments of the present invention it may also be advantageous to specify a fixed ratio of the length of the transmission time interval to the application time interval, i.e., the subscriber cycle interval.
As the result of decoupling transmission times and application times, in principle any subscriber can itself perform the time planning within the particular application time interval (local application scheduling). In the simplest case, the task processing is started at the earliest possible time after the application time interval begins. Alternatively, it may be advantageous to plan the time of task processing for the subscriber so that the task processing ends at the latest possible time before the application time interval ends, i.e., so that a minimum time interval from the application time interval is observed. A minimum time interval between the transmission time interval and application time period could also be achieved by providing, in a manner which differs from a prerequisite established above, a time period between the transmission time interval and the application time interval for a subscriber.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft


A method of recording data from a recorder to a recording medium, where it is judged whether a terminal unit having user identification information recorded in memory therein is connected to the recorder. When the terminal unit is found connected, an encryption key is exchanged between the recorder and terminal unit, user identification information read from the memory of the terminal unit is encrypted with the exchanged encryption key, sent from the terminal unit to the recorder, and the encrypted user identification information is recorded to the recording medium.

Conventionally, a content data such as audio data, image data, moving-picture data, game program, computer program, etc. is recorded in a recording medium such as an optical disc, tape cassette or the like for commercial distribution, and a user having purchased the recording medium can permanently reproduce the content data from the recording medium.
For example, in the field of commercial distribution of an audio data via a network such as the Internet, the audio data is encrypted for distribution from a server to each terminal unit. The user wanting to reproduce the audio data at his own terminal unit will buy an encryption key to decrypt the encrypted audio data, that is, he or she will download the encryption key by paying a due compensation or money for the encryption key and store it in his or her storage unit such as a hard disc, nonvolatile memory or the like, while the audio data serving side will be able to receive a compensation for the audio data. In this case, the user will have to decrypt the encrypted audio data downloaded using the encryption key stored in his storage unit in order to permanently enjoy the audio data.
However, many such users own a plurality of audio data players such as a personal computer, stationary player, on-vehicle player, portable player and the like. With the above-mentioned copyright management system, however, the users going to enjoy such an audio data can only reproduce the encrypted audio data by his own player in which an encryption key for the audio data is stored.
To reproduce an encrypted audio data by a player owned by a user going to enjoy the audio data and which has not stored therein any encryption key for the audio data, it has been proposed to connect a player the user is going to use to a one having the encryption key stored therein via a network and thus use the encryption key in common between the player the user is going to use and a one having the encryption key stored therein. Besides, it has also been proposed to design a removable storage unit having the encryption key stored therein and for the user of a player to connect the removable storage unit to his own player. In any case, the user has to build the network or carry on the storage unit having the encryption key stored therein, which will make it complicated or troublesome for the user to enjoy such an audio data.
To solve the above problems, there is currently available a system by which only a player having downloaded an encrypted audio data can decrypt the audio data with an encryption key for reproduction of the audio data. However, it is desirable that any player owned by a user having purchased an audio data can always reproduce the audio data only if the reproduction is limited to a range of private use by the user.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method of, and apparatus for, recording/reproducing data to/from recording medium having copyright management data recorded therein


A method is provided for improving the filtration rate of nonhazardous wastewater streams generated at a steel plant. The solids are concentrated in the wastewater stream. No more than about 5% by weight of lime is added to the concentrated wastewater stream which is then dewatered. A friable filter cake is produced by allowing the solids to harden. The lime addition results in a significant increase in the rate at which the stream may be filtered.

In integrated steel plants, large quantities of waste materials are produced from air and water treatment facilities within the plant. Wastes generated during operation of these facilities must be collected and treated prior to discharge, in order to meet applicable Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") discharge criteria. There exist numerous methods for treating and disposing of accumulated wastes.
For example, in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,835, I disclose a method for chemically stabilizing lead and zinc contaminated steel-making waste. Zinc and lead containing wastes may be classified as hazardous wastes, and must pass the toxicity characteristic leaching protocol (TCLP) test mandated by the EPA. The TCLP test requires that lead (the constituent of concern) levels be below a prescribed 5 ppm level. In order to meet this test, it was found that a 4-8% by weight lime addition would precipitate sufficient lead and also zinc to meet the applicable level. Thus, my prior method is extremely beneficial in reducing zinc and lead quantities in a wastewater stream, and that the resulting slurry passes the TCLP test and is considered nonhazardous.
However, the production and disposal of hazardous waste is not the only or even the primary environmental concern at a steel plant. In addition to the potential hazardous waste produced at steel plants, thousands of tons of nonhazardous waste are also produced. Nonhazardous waste is defined as waste not classified as hazardous under the TCLP test. The nonhazardous waste must pass the paint filter test mandated by the EPA in order to be disposed of in a landfill. The paint filter test requires that a sample of waste be absent of any free water before it becomes landfillable. Thus, solids and liquids must be effectively separated in order for the solids to be disposed of in a landfill. Collected slurries typically contain extremely fine particles, with a low solids concentration, and may also contain oil. Because of the low solids concentration, it becomes difficult to both filter and agglomerate the solids. In addition, the oils contained in the slurry may cause filter cloth blinding, which clogs the filter and prevents effective liquid/solids separation. Thus, dewatering a slurry takes a long time, and may be costly. For instance, in order to filter the slurry at a high rate, larger filtering equipment may be necessary, which then results in significant additional costs.
Even with the addition of large filtering equipment, the nonhazardous waste is accumulated at such a high rate that it is difficult to dispose of the waste as quickly as it is accumulated. There has yet been a method developed which can filter the nonhazardous waste at a rate equal to the rate at which it is accumulated, without incurring outrageous operating cost.
For instance, the slurry may be heated to decrease the slurry viscosity, for enabling more effective liquid/solids separation. However, heating thousands of tons of nonhazardous waste is both expensive and extremely impractical.
Finally, the agglomerated solid mass that has been filtered and dewatered, and is ready for landfill disposal, may be thixotropic and become liquefied upon transportation to a landfill. As such, the material may not be disposed of in a solid waste landfill, because it will not pass the paint filter test upon arrival to the landfill site.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a method of improving the filtration rate of nonhazardous iron and steel making wastes, in which the filtered solids do not become liquefied during transport. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art which will become more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.

Lime enhanced pressure filtration of iron and steel making sludge


A transducer configuration disposed within a wellbore sonde for acoustically imaging a target region behind an acoustically reflective layer includes a transmitting transducer for producing a transmitted acoustic beamspread pattern defined by a insonified zone having a width approximately equal to a width of the transmitting transducer and a transmitting main lobe beyond the transmitting collimated zone. The transducer configuration also includes a receiving transducer disposed adjacent the transmitting transducer. The receiving transducer includes an acoustic signal reception pattern defined by a insonified zone having a width approximately equal to a width of the receiving transducer and a receiving main lobe beyond the receiving insonified zone. A beamspread angle defines an amplitude contour forming an outer periphery of the transmitting and receiving main lobes. Intersection of the transmitting and receiving main lobes behind but not within an acoustically reflective layer allows the transducer configuration to null reverberation energy from the acoustically reflective material and enhance acoustic energy received from the less reflective material disposed behind the highly reflective material.

In drilled wells, a steel casing is set within a wellbore formation to maintain the structural integrity of the entire well and to prevent the wellbore walls from collapsing inward. An annular region defined by the space between the steel casing and the wellbore formation is commonly filled with cement to stabilize the steel casing and to prevent fluid communication between vertically stratified geological zones. This cement must be inspected to confirm its structural integrity and to assure a complete sealing of the annulus between the steel casing and wellbore formation.
Before casing and cement are installed, imaging tools are lowered into the open hole utilizing an electric wireline or cable typically to construct a graphic representation of acoustic reflection properties and calculate acoustic travel times from the tool exterior to the wellbore wall. The graphic representation approximates a visual image of the wellbore wall.
Imaging tools are lowered into the well after the casing and cement have been placed in the wellbore. One of the purposes is to evaluate the quality of the cement therein. Steel has a greater acoustic impedance than the impedances of fluids disposed between the imaging tool and the steel casing. Steel also has a greater acoustic impedance than the cement disposed outside the steel casing. As a result, reflections from inner and outer surfaces of the steel casing frustrate attempts to image areas within the cement located an inch or more behind casing. More specifically, multiple acoustic reflections in the wellbore fluid and within the casing occur simultaneously with the arrival of acoustic reflections from the cement onto the acoustic sensors. Furthermore, strong impedance mismatches at the wellbore fluid-steel and steel-cement boundaries greatly decrease energy propagating into the cement and returning from reflectors in cement and back to the acoustic sensors, therefore increasing the difficulty of imaging the concrete. In drilled wells, steel casing is installed to maintain integrity and to prevent walls from caving. The annular region between casing and formation is filled with cement to prevent fluid communication between different geological zones. This cement must be inspected to confirm complete sealing of the annulus between casing and formation.
Steel has large acoustic impedance compared of fluid inside casing and cement outside casing. The resulting reverberation of energy trapped in casing makes it difficult to image reflectors located behind casing. Multiple reverberations in casing fluid and in casing occur simultaneously with the arrival of echoes from certain cement reflectors. Additionally, strong impedance mismatches at steel boundaries cause echoes from reflectors in cement to be much smaller than reverberation noise.

Sensor configuration for nulling reverberations to image behind reflective layers


The invention relates to a method for commanding a security element of a mobile terminal, and to a mobile terminal. An installed application of the mobile terminal issues a command to a platform library of the mobile terminal. Then the platform library reads information from an access control file of the security element. After this, the platform library obtains an access code for the security element from a user according to the access control file information, and inputs the obtained access code and the command to the security element. An action is performed according to the command in the security element, if the access code is approved by the security element.

With the opening of the software environment of the mobile terminal and with the 3G (Third Generation) specifications, it is becoming possible for third parties (including cellular operators and mobile terminal manufacturers) to make applications for mobile terminals that handle the security element, usually a smart card, in the terminal. An application that is installed in the mobile terminal by the user can be called an installed application. The applications that reside more permanently in the mobile terminal are usually installed into the mobile terminal by the manufacturer when the device is manufactured, and are called a platform library. Throughout this application, we use these two terms: the installed application and the platform library. Usually, the user installs the installed application in the mobile terminal after s/he has acquired the mobile terminal, whereas the manufacturer installs the platform library or part thereof in the mobile terminal before the sale of the mobile terminal to the end-customer.
The Java™ Community Process (JCP) expert group defines a Java™ programming environment for mobile terminals and security elements in a specification called JSR-177 (Java™ Specification Request 177). Because installed applications, such as Java™ midlets, can be loaded into a terminal from multiple sources, and the security environment for those applications differs from the security environment of the security element, there needs to be a mechanism with which the security element application can define the installed applications that can invoke commands on the security element application.
The installed application can be signed, and the mobile terminal will verify the signature and thus the origin of the installed application. The mobile terminal can have separate restrictions on applications coming from cellular operators, manufacturers and others. So the issuer of the application signs the midlet, the mobile terminal verifies the signature and if the signature is that of the cellular operator, the midlet gets the rights specified for that security domain (for example can make a phone call, can access the security element, but cannot write to the mobile terminal operating system area).
The mobile terminal security element, such as a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) or USIM (UMTS SIM) card, a security element of the terminal itself or a security element in an accessory of the terminal, is needed for secure storage and processing of data. Digital signature creation, for example, requires a very secure element in which to do the operation, because a private key cannot be compromised, and thus the private key cannot leave the security element. Other usages for security elements are access authentication to networks, storing electronic cash values or tickets, or processing financial transactions. So there is a need for installed applications to access the security element for these advanced features.
The basic problem is that the application running in the security element cannot itself verify that the installed application accessing it has the appropriate rights and is a valid application. The cellular operators want to limit SIM access to applications coming from the operators themselves. An attacking application can fake a security code for access granting, and it is not possible to transfer the whole installed application to the security element for verification (indeed it might be so that a valid application is given for verification but the attacking application uses the element after access granting).

Security element commanding method and mobile terminal


An object detection apparatus, using at least one processing circuit, for detecting an object in an image capturing area based on parallax information generated from a plurality of images captured by a plurality of image capturing units, includes a parallax histogram information generator to generate vertical-direction parallax histogram information indicating a frequency profile of parallax values in each of vertical row areas in a captured image based on the parallax information; and an object image area extraction unit to extract, among parallax values having frequency exceeding a given frequency threshold, a group of pixels having parallax values existing within proximity of a given parallax value and having a pixel-to-pixel interval in an image left-to-right direction within a given range as an object image area displaying an object based on the vertical-direction parallax histogram information.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an object detection apparatus to generate parallax information based on a plurality of captured images and to detect an object in an image capturing area based on the parallax information, and a vehicle-mounted device control system, and a program of object detection stored on a recording medium.
2. Related Art
At present, object detection apparatuses that can detect a target object such as obstacles based on a captured image of an area ahead of a vehicle by an image capturing device are used for automobiles, trains, ships, airplanes or the like. These object detection apparatuses are available, for example, as driver support systems such as adaptive cruise control (ACC) to reduce the burden on drivers of vehicles. The driver support systems provide various functions, including a brake-control-and-alert function that alerts the driver to take corrective action to avoid a collision or reduce the impact of the collision, a driving speed adjustment function to maintain a safe minimum distance between vehicles, and a stray prevention function to prevent the vehicle from straying into another lane. To effectively use these functions, various target objects existing around the vehicle need to be recognized with high precision in an image captured ahead of the vehicle, wherein the various target objects are, for example, other vehicles, pedestrians, road objects (lanes, manhole covers), road-side objects (telegraph poles, guard rails, curbstones, median strips), lanes of the vehicle, and objects, which may need to be recognized to avoid collision.
JP-2012-226689-A discloses an environment recognition apparatus that identifies types of target objects based on luminance information and height position information of the target objects in a detection area such as image capturing area. As to the environment recognition apparatus, an identification number for a specific object is assigned to a target portion having luminance included in a luminance area of the specific object, set in advance, to prepare a specific object map.
Then, the height position of each target portion from the road surface is obtained for each target portion assigned with an identification number. The height position of each target portion can be obtained using parallax information computed from data of two images captured by two image capturing devices. Then, if the height position is within the height position range of the specific object identified by the identification number in a specific object table, the concerned target portion is provisionally determined as the concerned specific object.
After this provisional determination, a certain target portion is used as a base point, and other target portion which is within a given horizontal distance range from the certain target portion and within a given relative distance range from the vehicle are grouped as target portions provisionally determined as the same specific object (i.e., assigned with the same identification number), and the grouped target portions are determined as a target object. Then, a width of the determined target object is computed. If the computed width is within a width range of the concerned specific object in the specific object table, the target object is determined as the concerned specific object.
Three types of information such as height, width (horizontal direction length), distance from the image capturing device to an object in the image capturing area become key information when selectively detecting each of objects in the image capturing area with high precision because one face having the same distance from the image capturing device and having a certain height and a certain width can be assumed as one face of an object, and the above mentioned three types of information is required to identify such one face.
In the environment recognition apparatus disclosed in JP-2012-226689-A, a group of target portions existing in a given height position range and having the same or similar level of luminance is provisionally determined as one target object, and the group of target portions is further grouped of target portions existing within a given horizontal distance range and at within a given relative distance range (distance to the concerned object). Therefore, the environment recognition apparatus disclosed in JP-2012-226689-A may selectively detects each of the target object using three information of object such as height, width, and distance.
However, in the environment recognition apparatus disclosed in JP-2012-226689-A, three types of information of object such as height, width, and distance may need to obtain one by one sequentially. Specifically, at first, target portions having the same or similar luminance and existing in a certain height position range are provisionally determined as one target object, with which height information of the target object is obtained. Then, in a process of identifying target portions existing within a given horizontal distance range, width information of the target object is obtained. Then, in a process of identifying the target portions existing within a given relative distance range, distance information to the target object is obtained. Because three types of information of height, width, and distance of object is obtained one by one sequentially, an object detection processing that selectively detects each object may require a longer time, which is not preferable.

Object detection apparatus, vehicle-mounted device control system and storage medium of program of object detection


A rotating cylindrical treatment apparatus includes a cylindrical body rotatably supported in the treatment apparatus; a feeding section for supplying a treated material onto an outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical body; a pressure roller for pressing the supplied treated material and for rolling the pressed treated material; a first medium introducing device for introducing a heating or cooling medium into the cylindrical body and for discharging the introduced medium; a second medium introducing device for introducing the medium into the pressure roller and for discharging the introduced medium; and an endless belt for conveying the rolled treated material while causing the rolled treated material to be closely contacted with the outer circumferential surface. The second medium introducing device has an introducing pipe with a spraying nozzle pipe attached thereto, the nozzle pipe projecting into the interior of the pressure roller body and including a spraying port in the projecting end face formed to spray the medium at an obtuse angle around the pressure roller body central axis, and a discharging pipe including a suction port immersed in the medium at the pressure roller body lower portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotating cylindrical treatment apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying synthetic resin, smashed fish or meat, etc. to be heated or cooled in the shape of a sheet-like material, etc. and pressing such a material against a heated or cooled surface of a rotating cylindrical body to heat or cool the sheet-like material.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a rotating cylindrical treatment apparatus of this type is used as a cooler constructing a portion of a pulverizer in manufacturing processes of thermoplastic synthetic resin, thermosetting synthetic resin, etc.
Such a rotating cylindrical treatment apparatus is disclosed in e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laying Open (KOKAI) No. 62-225882.
The rotating cylindrical treatment apparatus is mainly constructed by a cylindrical body, a heating or cooling mechanism, a feeding section for supplying a treated material, a pressure roller and an endless belt. The cylindrical body has a rotary shaft supported in a horizontal direction. The heating or cooling mechanism is disposed within the cylindrical body. The treated material feeding section is disposed above the cylindrical body. The pressure roller presses and rolls the treated material supplied onto the cylindrical body. The endless belt conveys the treated material while pressing the treated material against the cylindrical body.
In the above pressure roller, a space portion is formed at any time in a roller body since gas is left in an upper portion of the roller body. A flow of a heating or cooling medium from an introducing pipe to a discharging pipe within the roller body is a laminar flow and has a low speed. Therefore, the coefficient of heat transfer of this flow is low so that it is impossible to efficiently heat or cool the treated material.
Further, in the heating or cooling mechanism within the cylindrical body, both a feed pipe and a discharging pipe are supported in the shape of a cantilever. Accordingly, the feed pipe and the discharging pipe are vibrated by reaction force caused by the injection of pressurized air and the heating or cooling medium which are mixed with each other, vibration of the cylindrical body caused by the rotation thereof, and so forth. Therefore, there is a fear that the feed pipe and the discharging pipe are deformed or damaged since resonance is caused by the vibrations of the feed pipe and the discharging pipe. Further, it is difficult to uniformly wet an inner wall of the cylindrical body with the medium.

Rotating cylindrical treatment apparatus

Ryoka Techno Engineering & Construction Co.