Through a provision of a level holding circuit in a focus servo mechanism for an optical disk reproducing device, a detection signal level with regard to a focusing position error, when a detection signal corresponding to a received optical beam amount shows a maximum value under a condition when not being changed over to an automatic focus loop, is sampled as an offset amount and, is held in advance in the level holding circuit, and the thus held level is utilized for effecting an automatic focusing under a just focusing servo condition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical disk reproducing device, and, more specifically, relates to an improvement in a focusing servo mechanism for an optical disk reproducing device which eliminates a disturbance injection, permits a focusing (an automatic focus control) with a further simple circuit, and increases an S/N ratio as well as unnecessitates a readjustment even when such as an external pick up unit is exchanged.
2. Conventional Art
Recently, with regard to CD-ROM devices, the data read out speed thereof is rapidly increasing, for example, from a double speed to 32 times speed or more than that speed, for this reason, it is required to read data in a speed range from double speed to 32 times speed or more that speed. Further, also with regard to optical disk memory devices, the memory density thereof is rapidly increasing, for example, to double, four times, six times, eight times and so on.
For these sorts of the optical disk reproducing devices, a focusing servo mechanism with a very high accuracy is required. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining such a focusing servo mechanism.
In FIG. 5, numeral 1 is a focusing servo mechanism, numeral 2 is an optical disk therefor, numeral 3 is a rotation mechanism therefor, and numeral 4 is an optical system therefor which is constituted by a laser unit 41 for irradiating laser beams onto the optical disk 2 and a half mirror 42. Numeral 5 is a focusing servo circuit which is constituted by a photo detector (pick-up) 51, a focus position error generation circuit 52, a level detection circuit 53, a response wave form generation circuit 54, an amplitude detection circuit 55, a focus automatic adjustment controller 56, a focus servo controller 57, an offset amount adjustment circuit 58, a signal level synthesis circuit 59 performing a subtraction synthesis of the signal levels, a disturbance oscillator 60, another signal level synthesis circuit 61 performing an addition synthesis of the signal levels, a phase compensation loop filter (a so called low pass filter of CR) 62, a search wave form generation circuit 63, a change over circuit 64, a drive amplifier 65 and a focus position adjustment mechanism 66.
Herein, the tetra-section photo detector 51 uniformly divides the sensor area into four sections and generates respective detection signals of the corresponding sectioned areas. The tetra-section photo detector 51 receives reflection beams from the half mirror 42 of the optical beams from the optical disk 2, converts the received optical beam amount irradiated on the respective areas into electrical signals, generates sum signals of opposing sensor areas in different directions as detection signals A and B and sends out the detection signals A and B to the focus position error generation circuit 52.
The focus position error generation circuit 52 generates a sum signal of the detection signals A and B as a detection signal RF with regard to the total received optical beam amount (which is a detection signal representing an optical beam amount of the reflection optical beams from the optical disk received by the photo detector, and is a signal corresponding to a reflection level of the reflection optical beams from the optical disk, and which is hereinbelow called as a RF detection signal RF), as well as generates a difference signal of the detection signals A and B as a position error signal FE (FE is an abbreviation of Focus Error). Among these signals, the position error detection signal FE is applied to the phase compensation loop filter 62 via the signal level synthesis circuits 59 and 61. Then, low pass components in the signal are extracted in the phase compensation loop filter 62 and are applied to the drive amplifier 65 under a condition of an automatic focus control (hereinbelow, called as a just focus control), and the drive amplifier 65 applies an output in a direction correcting the focus error depending on the level of the low pass components to the focus position adjustment mechanism 66 to drive the laser unit 41 so that the level of the position error detection signal FE is reduced and the focusing position is automatically adjusted to a focused position.
Further, the just focus control is effected in a direction so as to eliminate the position error depending on the level of the position error detection signal FE.
On the other hand, the RF detection signal RF is applied to the level detection circuit 53 to detect whether the RF detection signal RF falls within a range of the just focus control depending on the level thereof. When the RF detection signal RF reaches the level of the just focus control, the level detection circuit 53 detects the same and the detection signal thereof is inputted to the focus servo controller 57. When the focus servo controller 57 receives the detection signal from the level detection circuit 53, the focus servo controller 57 changes over the change over circuit 64 to the side of the phase compensation loop filter 62 and sends out the same to the drive amplifier 65. Thereby, the just focus control is effected.
Further, the change over circuit 64, for the first time, is set to the side of the search wave form generation circuit 63 which is designed to generate a ramp voltage for searching a just focus point by the focus servo controller 57 (the search wave form generation circuit is a so called ramp voltage generation circuit which generates signals which cause to advance or back the focusing position continuously with respect to the disk in order to search the focusing position), and in response to the rotation drive of the optical disk 2 the search wave form generation circuit 63 is activated by the focus servo controller 57 and outputs the ramp voltage to drive the drive amplifier 65. Thereby, the drive amplifier 65 drives the focus position adjustment mechanism 66, and the focus position adjustment mechanism 66 moves a focusing lens incorporated in the laser unit 41 depending on the ramp voltage so that the focusing position of the laser beams irradiated from the laser unit 41 onto the optical disk is raised from the lowest point. Thus, the level of the RF detection signal RF increases and in response to the detection signal of the level detection circuit 53 which detects the level thereof the control moves into a condition which permits the just focus control, and at this moment the above referred to change over of the change over circuit 64 is performed by the focus servo controller 57.
Further, the pick-up unit includes the tetrasection photo detector 51, the laser unit 45 having a laser beam source and a lens disposed in an optical passage of the laser beam source and the focus position adjustment mechanism 66 which moves the lens back and forth directions, and through movement by the focus position adjustment mechanism 66 of the focusing lens which is provided in the laser unit 41 and is disposed movably along the optical axis of the laser beams from the laser beam source, the focusing position of the laser beams which are outputted from the laser beam source onto the irradiation face of the optical disk 2 can be moved in back and forth directions. Further, herein either with the drive amplifier 65 or with the focus position adjustment mechanism 66 a so called negative feed back control is formed which receives the synthesized signal from the signal level synthesis circuit 61 via the phase compensation loop filter 62 and generates an output which drives the focusing lens in the direction for reducing the position error detecting signal FE.
Accordingly, at the moment when the change over circuit 64 is changed over to the side of the phase compensation loop filter 62, the focusing servo mechanism 1 moves into the just focus control. At this instance, the focus automatic adjustment controller 56 which has received a signal from the focus servo controller 57 activates the disturbance oscillator 60. The disturbance oscillator 60 generates, for example, a saw tooth wave of about 1 kHz as a disturbance signal. The disturbance signal is added via the signal level synthesis circuit 61 to the position error detection signal FE representing the output of the focus position error generation circuit 52, the added signal is applied to the phase compensation loop filter 62 and in response thereto the focus position adjustment mechanism 66 is controlled by the drive amplifier 65, thereby, the focusing position of the laser beams irradiated from the laser unit 41 is moved finely in vertical direction and the RF detection signal RF at the moment is inputted to the response wave form generation circuit 54, in which a response wave form is generated, and the amplitude thereof is detected by the amplitude detection circuit 55 and the detection signal is inputted to the focus automatic adjustment controller 56. The focus automatic adjustment controller 56 estimates sensitivity unbalance amounts of the sensor areas divided into four sections in the tetra-section photo detector 51 and sends out a signal for generating an offset depending on the unbalance amount to the offset amount adjustment circuit 58. Then, the disturbance signal from the disturbance oscillator 60 is stopped.
The offset amount adjustment circuit 58 generates in response to the input signal an output depending on the offset amount, and the output is applied to the negative side input (xe2x88x92) of the signal level synthesis circuit 59 and is synthesized by the signal level synthesis circuit 59 into the position error detection signal FE so as to subtract the level of the position error detection signal by the offset amount (if the offset amount is negative value, the subtraction result effects as an addition). Thereby, the sensitivity unbalance amounts of the sensor areas are corrected. As a result, in the focusing servo mechanism 1 the phase compensation loop filter 62 generates an output providing the just focus position in response to the position error detection signal FE and through the output corresponding to the offset amount from the offset amount adjustment circuit 58, the detection position offset due to the sensitivity unbalance is corrected as well as the laser beams irradiated from the laser unit 41 are focused onto the optical disk 2.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the detection signals A and B of the tetra-section photo detector 51 and the offset amount and illustrates a case in which the level of detection signal A is larger than the level of detection signal B. In the drawing, the ordinate denotes voltage (V) representing the detection level and the abscissa denotes distance (xcexcm) from a reference position to a focus point.
From the drawing, it is observed that the zero cross point C of the position error detection signal FE representing a difference signal between the detection signals A and B is shifted to the right side with respect to the peak position P of the RF detection signal RF representing a sum signal of the detection signals A and B. When the relationship between the detection signals A and B is opposite as that indicated above, the zero cross point C will be shifted to the opposite direction.
Now, with the conventional focus control as has been explained above, if not the loop of the focus control enters into the just focus control, a just focusing of the optical beam source with respect to the optical disk can not be set. However, if subjected to an external vibration, the optical beam receiving position of the tetra-section photo detector 51 offsets, therefore, the automatic focusing servo loop can not be maintained with the just focus control.
Further, in order to form the automatic focusing servo loop, it is necessary to set the offset amount, for this purpose a circuit for generating a disturbance signal is indispensable,- and wherein a level adjustment of the disturbance signal is necessary so that the automatic focusing servo loop never goes out from a certain level. Therefore, the adjustment of the offset amount becomes difficult.
Still further, near the just focus point at which a signal wave form for searching a focus position is generated, the level of the response wave form with respect to the disturbance signal becomes small, therefore, a highly accurate detection is required for estimating the offset amount, in addition, since the unbalance amount depends on the tetra-section photo detector 51, readjustment is necessitated when parts are exchanged, moreover, it takes time for the readjustment.
An object of the present invention is to resolve the above mentioned conventional problems and to provide an optical disk reproducing device which eliminates a disturbance injection, permits a focusing with a further simple circuit, and increases an S/N ratio as well as unnecessitates a readjustment even when such as an external pick up unit is exchanged.
An optical disk reproducing device for achieving the above object and including a focus servo mechanism in which in response to reception of reflection beams from an optical disk by a photo detector, a received optical beam amount detection signal corresponding to the received optical beam amount and a position error detection signal with respect to a focusing position error are generated, and in response to the level of the detection signal of the received optical beam amount a focus servo controller is changed over to an automatic focus loop and through a control in a direction eliminating the position error depending on the detection signal of the position error laser beams from a laser beam optical source are automatically focused with respect to the optical disk, is characterized in that the focus servo mechanism comprises: a signal generation circuit which generates a signal for advancing or backing a focusing position of the laser beams with respect to the optical disk; a maximum value detection circuit which detects the maximum value of the detection signal of the received optical beam amount; and a level holding circuit which holds the level of the detection signal of the position error at the moment in response to the detection signal from the maximum value detection circuit, wherein the focus servo controller drives the signal generation circuit and causes to detect the maximum value through the maximum value detection circuit without changing over to the automatic focus loop, and thereafter performs a control of changing over to the automatic focus control, and after synthesizing the level of the detecting signal of the position error held in the level holding circuit and the level of the current detection signal of the position error an automatic focusing is performed in the automatic focus control.
Now, in the focus servo mechanism for an optical disk as has been explained in the section of CONVENTIONAL ART, namely, in the focus servo mechanism in which in response to reception by the photo detector of reflected optical beams from the optical disk, the RF detection signal RF and the position error detection signal FE are generated, and in response to the level of the RF detection signal RF the focus servo controller moves into the automatic focus control by changing over to the automatic focus loop and through a fine movement of the focusing position of the laser beams in response to the position error detection signal FE the optical beams from the laser beam source are automatically focused with respect to the optical disk, since the maximum peak position of the RF detection signal RF corresponds to the focusing position, if the control moves under a condition of the automatic focus control near the maximum peak position, an automatic focusing can be performed through the automatic focus loop control.
Further, at the focused position corresponding to the maximum peak position of the detection signal RF the level of the position error detection signal FE is primarily to have to assume xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d, therefore, the difference component from xe2x80x9c0xe2x80x9d corresponds to the offset caused by the sensitivity unbalance of the sensor areas.
Now, as a specific example of the level holding circuit, for example, a memory circuit which stores the level can be used. In such instance, in correspondence with the maximum peak position of the RF detection signal RF the level the position error detection signal FE is stored and the level stored under the condition of just focusing servo as representing the offset amount can be synthesized with the level of the position error detection signal FE. Further, the maximum value detection circuit can be modified to a detection circuit of the maximum peak value and the minimum peak value, and as a specific example of the level holding circuit a circuit which holds an average value of the maximum peak and minimum peak values can be used. In this instance, after detecting the maximum peak value and the minimum peak value of the levels of the position error detection signal FE the average value thereof is calculated, and using the average value as the offset amount the level of the position error detection signal FE is synthesized.
Since, the offset amount of the position error detection signal FE from the zero crossing point corresponds to the offset caused by the sensitivity unbalance of the sensor areas, in such case, when the zero crossing point is shifted to a positing representing the average value of the maximum peak value and the minimum peak value of the levels of the position error detection signal FE, the offset can be corrected.
As has been explained, according to the present invention, with the provision of the level holding circuit, by sampling the level of the detection signal of the focusing position error when the detection signal representing the received optical beam amount shows the maximum value as the offset amount and by holding the same in advance in the level holding circuit without changing over to the automatic focus loop, the held level is utilized under a condition of the just focusing servo to effect the automatic focusing.
In the above two cases, the storage of the offset amount based on the position error detection signal FE or the calculation of the average value is performed under a condition other than the automatic focusing servo condition. Thereby, influences due to disturbance noises are eliminated and no disturbance oscillator is required. As a result, with a further simple circuit the focusing can be performed without injecting disturbances and S/N ratio can be enhanced. Moreover, a readjustment is unnecessitated even when such as an external pick-up parts are exchanged.


Anti-bacterial composite particles which comprise a polymer base material comprising a thermal melting polymer, such as a polyolefine, exhibiting good dispersibility in a basic material resin and having a lower molecular weight or a lower softening point than that of the basic material resin, and inorganic fine particles comprising a metal having anti-bacterial activity carried thereon. An antibacterial resin composition can be prepared by melting and kneading a synthetic resin composition as the basic material resin together with the anti-bacterial composite particles and forming by known molding methods such as extrusion molding and injection molding, and can be used for producing various synthetic resin moldings which have an inorganic anti-bacterial agent uniformly dispersed in a synthetic resin composition and thus exhibits good anti-bacterial effect.

In order to impart antibacterial activity to various kinds of synthetic resin molded articles, such as fibers and the like, it has been considered that a metal having antibacterial activity is added to a synthetic resin material. For example, there has been such a method in that a metal or metallic compound having antibacterial activity is added directly to a synthetic resin material. However, due to a significant difference in physical property between the metal or metallic compound and the synthetic resin material, the synthetic resin material is largely influenced thereby to restrict the range of utilization thereof, and furthermore, there is such a possibility that the metal or metallic compound is released from the synthetic resin molded article during use to cause influence on durability of the antibacterial activity and to cause unexpected adverse side effect with the metal or metallic compound thus released.
In order to solve the problem, JP-B-63-54013 and JP-A-63-175117 disclose that antibacterial zeolite obtained by carrying an antibacterial metal on zeolite by ion exchange is added to fibers or a fiber material.
JP-A-2-180270, JP-A-3-218765 and JP-A-5-154 disclose an antibacterial composition obtained by carrying an antibacterial metal and a metallic ion thereof on hydroxyapatite, which is most frequently used among calcium phosphate materials.
However, in the case where powder of the antibacterial zeolite or the antibacterial hydroxyapatite having an antibacterial metallic ion carried thereon is added directly to, for example, a raw material polymer for fibers, to prevent propagation of microorganisms, the zeolite or hydroxyapatite powder is liable to be aggregated among particles and is difficult to be dispersed, and therefore, the antibacterial agent is difficult to be present uniformly on the surface of fibers to fail to obtain good antibacterial activity. Accordingly, unevenness in quality of antibacterial activity is liable to occur when a small amount of the antibacterial agent is used.
In view of the above, it has been attempted upon mixing antibacterial ceramic powder with a raw material polymer for various kinds of synthetic resin molded articles that, as the first step, a master batch containing the antibacterial agent in a high concentration is prepared, and as the second step, the master batch is added to the raw material polymer for molded articles to obtain a prescribed concentration of the antibacterial agent, so as to attain uniform mixing.
In the case where the aforementioned production process is carried out, it is necessary that the master batch mixed with the antibacterial ceramic powder and the raw material polymer for molded articles are simultaneously melted. Therefore, it is preferred that the master batch has a melting point and physical property that are completely same as those of the raw material polymer for the synthetic resin composition constituting the molded articles. In order to satisfy the requirement, it is necessary that the base material of the master batch having the antibacterial agent mixed therein is the same as the polymer, and the particle diameter of the master batch is reduced.
However, in order to obtain a finely particulate master batch, it is necessary that the master batch having been once produced is pulverized by sufficiently cooled with a freezing medium and then subjected to some particular process steps, such as homogenization of the particle diameter and the like step, and therefore, it is disadvantageous in production time and cost. Furthermore, while it has been proposed that a polymer having a low melting point, such as polyolefin wax and the like, is used as the base material of the master batch, there is a significantly large difference in viscosity between the master batch base material and the basic material resin at the production temperature of molded articles, whereby the master batch suffers segregation to cause such a problem that it cannot be uniformly mixed in the basic material resin.

Anti-bacterial composite particles and anti-bacterial resin composition


A low noise amplifier including an amplifier kernel circuit and a DC bias unit is provided. The amplifier kernel circuit is used for receiving a single input signal or a differential input signal so as to output a differential output signal. The DC bias unit is coupled to the amplifier kernel circuit, and is used for processing a signal source to generate the single input signal or the differential input signal according to its circuit configuration.

The low noise amplifier (LNA) in a radio frequency (RF) chip with a single receiving or a differential receiving is determined by the product positioning. In other words, after the RF chip is manufactured, the receiving mode of the LNA is either the single receiving or the differential receiving. Therefore, the LNA is incapable of supporting these two receiving modes under the RF chip is manufactured.

Industrial Technology Research Institute


Provided are a method and an apparatus that make is possible to measure the amount of greenhouse gas reduced for the stop time of an engine stopped while a vehicle idles. A first amount of fuel consumed in an engine is measured before the engine of a vehicle idling stops. A second amount of fuel consumed for restarting the engine, which is stopped, by idling of the vehicle is measured. Exhaust reduction of greenhouse gas is calculated from idle stop of the vehicle to engine restart, on the basis of the first and second amount of fuel consumed and an engine stop-continued time from an ECU.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for measuring reduction of greenhouse gas in the transportation field, in detail, a method and apparatus for making it possible to measure the amount of greenhouse gas that is not exhausted in idling stop of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A gas, which contributes to the greenhouse effect, of various gases in the atmosphere is called greenhouse gas. The greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, Freon, and ozone etc. Although the moisture is the largest cause for natural greenhouse effect, carbon dioxide is typical greenhouse gas causing global warming.
As global warming has rapidly spread since the later half of the 20th century, unusual climate, such as localized heavy rain, droughts, and typhoons, have rapidly increased. If the present level of contamination continues, it is expected that the exhaust amount of greenhouse gases throughout the world will reach a level that will seriously threaten mankind and the ecosystem in the near future.
Accordingly, international cooperation for reducing the exhaust amount of the greenhouse gases has been established to cope with global warming due to the greenhouse gases.
Presently, a variety of efforts are being made in the transportation field to reduce the greenhouse gases. In particular, much effort has been made in improving fuel efficiency, as a part of the efforts.
However, research on a technology for accurately detecting and analyzing the reduction of the greenhouse gas resulting from the improvement of the fuel efficiency are not sufficient yet.

Method and apparatus for measuring reduction of greenhouse gas by idling stop

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


The present invention relates to a radiation image capturing system. A radiation detector of a radiation detecting cassette detects a radiation that has passed through a patient, and an accumulated exposed radiation dose calculator calculates an accumulated exposed radiation dose by accumulating radiation image information detected by the radiation detector, at every image capturing. The calculated accumulated exposed radiation dose is transmitted, together with cassette ID information, to a console. In the console, a status determining unit compares the accumulated exposed radiation dose with an allowable accumulated exposed radiation dose for the radiation detecting cassette to determine the status of the radiation detecting cassette, and issues a warning based on the determined status.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation image capturing system having a radiation conversion panel for detecting a radiation that has passed through a subject and converting the detected radiation into radiation image information.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the medical field, there have widely been used radiation image capturing apparatus which apply a radiation to a subject and guide the radiation that has passed through the subject to a radiation conversion panel, which captures a radiation image from the radiation. Known forms of the radiation conversion panel include a conventional radiation film for recording a radiation image by way of exposure, and a stimulable phosphor panel for storing a radiation energy representing a radiation image in a phosphor and reproducing the radiation image as stimulated light by applying stimulating light to the phosphor. The radiation film with the recorded radiation image is supplied to a developing device to develop the radiation, or the stimulable phosphor panel is supplied to a reading device to read the radiation image as a visible image.
In the operating room or the like, it is necessary to read and display a recorded radiation image immediately from a radiation conversion panel after the radiation image is captured for the purpose of quickly and appropriately treating the patient. As a radiation conversion panel which meets such a requirement, there has been developed a radiation detector having a solid-state detector for converting a radiation directly into an electric signal or converting a radiation into visible light with a scintillator and then converting the visible light into an electric signal to read a detected radiation image.
Radiation image capturing systems incorporating such a radiation conversion panel manage an exposed radiation dose that is applied to a subject in order to prevent the subject from being irradiated with an excessive amount of radiation.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-097909 discloses an exposed radiation dose managing system including an image management server for calculating and accumulating an exposed radiation dose from information about radiation images of a subject and confirming the accumulated exposed radiation dose applied to the subject to prevent the subject from being irradiated with an excessive amount of radiation.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-142089 discloses an X-ray managing apparatus for determining an accumulated value representing the sum of an X-ray dose applied to a subject in the past and a predicted value of X-ray dose before the subject is irradiated with X-rays, and making an advance warning, when necessary, based on the accumulated value.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-201757 reveals an X-ray diagnosing system which allows the accumulated exposed radiation dose of a subject to be shared by different hospital facilities.
The systems and apparatus disclosed in all the documents referred to above, manage an exposed radiation dose applied to a subject, but not a radiation dose applied to a radiation conversion panel. Since the radiation conversion panel has its sensitivity variable when irradiated with a radiation, the radiation conversion panel may fail to produce an appropriate radiation image depending on the accumulated exposed radiation dose applied thereto.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention relates to a housing for an imaging device, and more particularly to a frame fastening structure, and provides a frame fastening structure with a thinner fastening portion. This frame fastening structure comprises a first frame, a second frame that is screwed to the first frame, bosses that are provided on either the first frame side or the second frame side, and holes provided on the other side into which the bosses are fitted. The center positions are offset when the bosses and holes are mated, which imparts a force in the direction of pulling the first frame and second frame together, and the layout is such that the fastening direction of the second frame is substantially perpendicular to the screw fastening direction.

1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to a housing for an imaging device, and more particularly to a frame fastening structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been proposals in the past for a frame structure having a screw fastening direction that is different from the part fastening direction, in which the fastening is done with screws from a part side face.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2006-9471 discloses a configuration in which the lower end face of an upper column and the upper end face of a lower column are inclined faces that are parallel to each other and are oblique to their center axes, and a bolt linking means is provided that pulls the upper column and the lower column together, in a direction that is at a right angle to their axes, from a state in which the upper part along the inclined lower end face of the upper column is butted against the lower part along the inclined upper end face of the lower column, to a position where the center axes coincide. With this configuration, in an integrated state in which that the center axes of the upper column and the lower column coincide, these columns constitute a temporary column of a specific height.
Thus, with the conventional frame fastening structure disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, fastening is performed with screws from a part side face, which makes it possible to fasten frames having a screw fastening direction that is different from the part fastening direction.

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A method for forming a semiconductor structure is provided. The method includes providing a substrate having a first region and a second region; and forming at least one first trench in the first region of the substrate, and at least one second trench in second region of the substrate. The method also includes forming a first liner layer on side and bottom surfaces of the first trench, and the side and bottom surfaces of the second trench; and performing a rapid thermal oxy-nitridation process on the first liner layer to release a tensile stress between the first liner layer and the substrate. Further, the method includes removing a portion of the first liner layer in the first region to expose the first trench; and forming a second liner layer on the side and bottom surface of the first trench.

Shallow trench isolation (STI) structures are commonly used to isolate active regions of semiconductor devices. FIGS. 1-3 illustrates an existing fabrication process of a STI structure.
As shown in FIG. 1, the process includes providing a substrate 100; and forming a trench 101 in the substrate 100. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the process includes forming an isolation film 102 on surface of the substrate 100; and fills the trench 101. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the process also includes polishing the isolation film 102 until the surface of the substrate 100 is exposed. Thus, a STI structure 103 is formed in the trench 101.
With the continuous development of semiconductor technology, the critical dimension (CD) of the semiconductor devices has become smaller and smaller; and the integration level of the semiconductor devices have been consciously increased. Thus, the size of STI structures is correspondingly reduced. The size reduction of the STI structures has cause the height-to-width aspect ratio of the STI structure to be continuously increased; and it is easy to form voids inside the isolation film 102 formed in the trench 101. The voids may significantly affect the isolation properties of the isolation structure 103.
In order to improve the quality of the isolation layer 102, a high aspect ratio process (HARP) is used to form the isolation layer 102. The isolation layer 102 formed by the HARP is able to match the requirement for a high respect ratio. Further, the voids in the isolation layer 102 formed by the HARP may be reduced, or avoided.
However, such STI structures formed by the HARP may have certain detrimental effects to the semiconductor devices subsequently formed on, and/or in the substrate 100. Thus, the performance of the semiconductor devices may be reduced. The disclosed device structures and methods are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems.

Method of forming shallow trench isolations for a semiconductor device

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION


A method for preparing BTK inhibitor CC-292 of formula 1, comprising: (1) contacting a compound of formula 2 with a compound of formula 3 to obtain a compound of formula 4; (2) contacting the compound of formula 4 with a compound of formula 5 to obtain a compound of formula 6; (3) contacting the compound of formula 6 with trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride to obtain a compound of formula 7; and (4) contacting the compound of formula 7 with a compound of formula 8 to obtain the compound of formula 1,

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (abbreviated Btk or BTK) also known as tyrosine-protein kinase BTK is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the BTK gene. BTK was discovered in 1993 and is named for Ogden Bruton, who first described XLA in 1952. BTK is a kinase that plays a crucial role in B-cell development. Its exact mechanism of action remains unknown, but it plays a crucial role in B cell maturation as well as mast cell activation through the high-affinity IgE receptor. Btk contains a PH domain that binds phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3). PIP3 binding induces Btk to phosphorylate phospholipase C, which in turn hydrolyzes PIP2, a phosphatidylinositol, into two second messengers, inositol triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG), which then go on to modulate the activity of downstream proteins during B-cell signalling.
Ibrutinib (PCI-32765), the first selective BTK inhibitor, was approved by the US FDA in November 2013 for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma and in February 2014 for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Celgene (following its acquisition of Avila) is developing spebrutinib (CC-292, AVL-292, structure shown), the lead from a series of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitors, including CNX-652, for the potential oral treatment of B-cell cancers such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple myeloma. In October 2013, a phase II RA trial began. In June 2011, a phase Ib trial in B-cell cancers was initiated; in February 2013, a phase I trial in CLL/small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL) began. In December 2013, a phase I trial was initiated in DCBCL patients in the US, France and Italy. In January 2014, initial data from a phase I/II study of spebrutinib in combination with lenalidomide in CLL patients were expected in 2014.
CC-292 is described chemically as N-(3-(5-fluoro-2-(4-(2-methoxyethoxyl)phenylamino)pyrimidin-4-ylamino)phenyl)acrylamide, and has the structural formula shown as Formula 1:

Patent application publication No. US2010029610A1 disclose preparation method of CC-292 and closely related analogues. The synthetic route of CC-292 is shown below.

In the first step of US2010029610A1, it's easy to produce 2-substituted and 2,4-bis substituted products with low yield and difficult to separate.


The game will be called Bowl N Hold-em. It will combine the standard game of bowling, along with the poker game Texas Hold-em. The game will utilize the bowling center's computer scoring system, along with a standard deck of playing cards. This will be done by creating a computer program that will be compatible with a bowling center's existing computer software. The maximum number of players per pair of lanes, shall be ten. One standard deck of playing cards shall be used per pair of lanes.

Bowling is a popular sport that has been around for centuries. It is one of the oldest most widely played games in the world. The sport of bowling is played recreationally and in organized leagues and competitions by millions of people, every age, any gender. Since its' creation, which can be traced back to the stone age, the game has evolved from a crude form of the sport, to the conventional game of bowling that is played today. Over the years, there have been many variations to the game to continually challenge a player and increase the public's interest in the sport. The most significant technological advancement in the game of bowling was the introduction of the automatic pinspotter in the 1940's. This machine revolutionized the bowling industry and brought it into the modern era. It is now time to once again, revolutionize the bowling industry by introducing a new method of playing this popular sport. What better way then to combine one of the most widely played games in the world, with the most popular form of poker played in the United States today.


Pixel electrodes in odd-numbered rows and even-numbered rows of a liquid crystal display panel are connected to source lines arranged on the left side of the pixel electrodes and source lines on the right side of the pixel electrodes, respectively. A DA converter switches between whether a potential higher than a common electrode potential is output from an odd-numbered output terminal and a potential lower than the common electrode potential is output from an even-numbered potential output terminal, and whether a potential lower than the common electrode potential is output from the odd-numbered potential output terminal and a potential higher than the common electrode potential is output from the even-numbered potential output terminal. A switch mechanism switches between whether a pixel electrode potential is set using the source line on the left side or is set using the source line on the right side.

An active matrix liquid crystal display device is configured to sandwich liquid crystal between a common electrode and multiple pixel electrodes. Then, an active element such as a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) is provided for each pixel electrode, and use of the active element enables control of whether the voltage of source wiring should be set for the pixel electrode.
The common electrode is set to a predetermined potential, and each pixel electrode is set to a potential corresponding to each pixel value of an image to be displayed. Here, a state where the potential of the pixel electrode is higher than the potential of the common electrode is referred to as positive polarity. On the other hand, a state where the potential of the pixel electrode is lower than the potential of the common electrode is referred to as negative polarity.
FIG. 39 is an illustrative diagram showing an example of the potential of the common electrode and potentials for setting pixels to white or black at each polarity. Here, a description will be made by taking normally white mode as an example. The potential of the common electrode is denoted as VCOM. Vpb, Vpw, VCOM, Vnw and Vnb shown in FIG. 39 represent potentials, respectively, where Vnb<Vnw<VCOM<Vpw<Vpb. When pixels are to be displayed in black at the positive polarity, the potential of source lines connected to the pixels may be set to Vpb, while when the pixels are to be displayed in white at the positive polarity, the potential of the source lines connected to the pixels may be set to Vpw. Further, when the pixels to be displayed are set to gray scale display at the positive polarity, the potential of the source lines connected to the pixels may be set to a potential higher than Vpw and lower than Vpb. On the other hand, when the pixels are to be displayed in black at the negative polarity, the potential of the source lines connected to the pixels may be set to Vnb, while when the pixels are to be displayed in white at the negative polarity, the potential of the source lines connected to the pixels may be set to Vnw. Further, when the pixels to be displayed is set to gray scale display at the negative polarity, the potential of the source lines connected to the pixels may be set to a potential lower than Vnw and higher than Vnb.
In an active matrix liquid crystal display device, it is preferred to drive pixels in such a manner that few pixels having the same polarity will be disposed side by side in succession to prevent crosstalk. FIG. 40 is an illustrative diagram showing a typical liquid crystal display device. As shown in FIG. 40, pixel electrodes 50 are arranged in a matrix, and a TFT 51 is provided for each pixel electrode. In FIG. 40, pixels for red are denoted as "R," pixels for green are denoted as "G," and pixels for blue are denoted as "B."
As shown in FIG. 40, a source driver 60 is provided to set the potential of each of source lines S1 to Sn, and each source line is connected to each of output terminals D1 to Dn of the source driver 60. In the example shown in FIG. 40, each TFT 51 is provided on the left side of the pixel electrode 50, and connected to the source line located on the left side of the pixel electrode 50. Further, gate lines G1, G2, G3, . . . are provided for each row of pixels, and each gate line is connected to the TFT 51 of the pixel electrode in the row. The gate lines are selected sequentially and the TFTs 51 in the selected row put the pixel electrodes 50 and the source lines into a conductive state. As a result, the pixel electrodes 50 in the selected row are controlled to have potentials equal to the potentials of the source lines located on the left side of the pixel electrodes, respectively. On the other hand, the TFTs 51 in the unselected rows put the pixel electrodes 50 and the source lines into a non-conductive state. Thus, the gate lines are selected sequentially, and the source driver 60 sets the potential of each source line to a potential corresponding to the pixel value of each pixel in the selected row to display an image according to image data.
For example, in the typical liquid crystal display device shown in FIG. 40, the source driver 60 controls adjacent pixels to have different polarities as follows: Upon selection of gate lines in an odd-numbered row in certain one frame, the source driver 60 sets the potentials of source lines S1, S3, S5, . . . in an odd-numbered column higher than the potential VCOM of the common electrode (not shown), and sets the potentials of source lines S2, S4, S6, . . . in even-numbered columns lower than VCOM. Upon selection of gate lines in an even-numbered row, the source driver 60 sets the potentials of source lines S1, S3, S5, . . . in the odd-numbered columns lower than VCOM, and sets the potentials of source lines S2, S4, S6, . . . in the even-numbered columns higher than VCOM. As a result, as shown in FIG. 40, adjacent pixels are controlled to alternate the positive polarity and the negative polarity. In FIG. 40, "+" represents the positive polarity and "−" represents the negative polarity.
Further, the source driver 60 changes the potentials of the source lines to reverse the polarity of each pixel each time the frame is switched. In other words, upon selection of gate lines in an odd-numbered row in the next frame that follows the above-mentioned frame, the source driver 60 sets the potentials of source lines in the odd-numbered columns lower than VCOM, and sets the potentials of source lines in the even-numbered columns higher than VCOM. On the other hand, upon selection of gate lines in an even-numbered row, the source driver 60 sets the potentials of source lines in the odd-numbered columns higher than VCOM, and sets the potentials of source lines in the even-numbered columns lower than VCOM. As a result, the polarity of each pixel becomes opposite to the polarity of each pixel shown in FIG. 40.
In this driving method, each time the selected row is switched to another, the potential of each source line is changed from a potential higher than VCOM to a potential lower than VCOM, or from the potential lower than VCOM to the potential higher than VCOM. This increases power requirements. Particularly, since the power consumption of a liquid crystal display panel is proportional to the square of a difference between the potentials of the source line upon switching between selected rows, the power consumption increases as the number of times of switching the potential of the source line increases.
There is proposed a liquid crystal display device capable of controlling adjacent pixels to have different polarities while reducing power consumption (see Paragraph Nos. 0008 to 0018 and FIGS. 1 to 6 in Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-P2009-181100A)). In the liquid crystal display device described in JP-P2009-181100A, TFTs connected to gate lines in an odd-numbered row are formed on the left side of source lines, and TFTs connected to gate lines in an even-numbered row are formed on the right side of source lines. This structure can prevent a change in the potential of each source line from a potential higher than VCOM to a potential lower than VCOM, or from a potential lower than VCOM to a potential higher than VCOM during each selection period.
The liquid crystal display device described in JP-P2009-181100A also includes a distribution transistor for switching the source lines to be connected to the TFTs to switch the output of a driver circuit among multiple source lines within one row selection period. For example, one of output terminals of the driver circuit is switched sequentially to the leftmost source line, the third source line from the left, the fifth source line from the left and so on within one row selection period. Similarly, another output terminal is switched sequentially to the second source line from the left, the fourth source line from the left, the sixth source line from the left, and so on within the selection period.
Further, a liquid crystal display device configured to switch between sampling timings of sampling and latching serially input image data per horizontal scanning period is described on the first page of Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-P2006-71891A) and the like.
In the liquid crystal display device described in JP-P2009-181100A, one of the output terminals of the driver circuit is switched sequentially to the leftmost source line, the third source line from the left, the fifth source line from the left and so on within one row selection period. Similarly, another output terminal is also switched sequentially to the second source line from the left, the fourth source line from the left, the sixth source line from the left and so on within the selection period. Therefore, input data for respective pixels have to be output while changing the order of input of the data. FIG. 41 is an illustrative diagram showing switching between data sequences in a driving method for the liquid crystal display device described in JP-P2009-181100A. It is assumed here that pixels in each row are disposed in the following order: R, G, B, R, G, B, . . . .
For example, suppose that data on respective pixels are input as shown in FIG. 41(a) as data on respective pixels in the first row in the following order: (R1, G1, B1), (R2, G2, B2), . . . . Since potentials are so set that the polarities of adjacent pixels are switched alternately, it is assumed that output potentials R1+, G1−, B1+, R2−, G2+, B2−, . . . are defined in response to R1, G1, B1, R2, G2, B2, . . . (see FIG. 41(b)). Note that "+" represents a potential higher than VCOM and "−" represents a potential lower than VCOM.
In the liquid crystal display device described in JP-P2009-181100A, one of the output terminals of the driver circuit first outputs R1+ within the selection period of the first row, and the output terminal is connected to the leftmost source line at this time. Next, the output terminal outputs B1+ within the selection period, and is connected to the third source line from the left. Further, the output terminal outputs G2+ within the selection period, and is connected to the fifth source line from the left. Thus, this output terminal outputs data within one selection period as shown in FIG. 41 (c) in the following order: R1+, B1+, G2+, . . . . Another output terminal first outputs G1− within the selection period of the first row, and the output terminal is connected to the second source line from the left at this time. Next, the output terminal outputs R2− within the selection period, and is connected to the fourth source line from the left. Further, the output terminal outputs B2− within the selection period, and is connected to the sixth source line from the left. Thus, this output terminal outputs data within one selection period as shown in FIG. 41 (d) in the following order: G1−, R2−, B2−, . . . . Since the order of signal output does not correspond to the order of input as R1, G1, B1, R2, G2, B2, . . . , the order of output must be changed in the driver circuit, resulting in complicated data output control because of the need to change the order of data.
Further, since each output terminal has to set the potentials of multiple pixel electrodes within one selection period, there is a possibility that a medium- or large-sized liquid crystal display panel with a large number of pixels may not be able to set a potential necessary for each pixel electrode.

Liquid crystal display device, driving device for liquid crystal display panel, and liquid crystal display panel


A method for single-knob operation of a balancing machine is characterized by a program-controlled run of the balancing process which is controllable in steps via a single-knob control element. In this method, operating the single-knob control element at predetermined steps of the program triggers functions which depend on the current status of the program-controlled run. A single-knob control element is provided for carrying out the method.

This invention relates to a method for operating a balancing machine and to a control element for carrying out the method.
Conventional wheel balancing machines are operated via a plurality of buttons and/or keys. This requires exact knowledge of all control elements on the part of the user. If the user is not especially skilled in handling the machine, he must engage in a time-consuming search for the control elements on the control console. This can easily lead to errors which prolong the wheel balancing process and/or falsify the results.
The problem of the invention is to simplify operation of the machine so that an operator with no detailed knowledge of the balancing process can nevertheless handle the machine well.
This problem is solved by the method according to the invention of operating a balancing machine wherein the run of the balancing process is program controlled, and the program-controlled run runs in steps, stops or can be stopped at suitable points via a single-knob control element. The single-knob control element at predetermined steps of the program triggers functions which depend on the current status of the program-controlled run. Operating the single-knob control element in a primary mode triggers primary functions which control the run according to a predetermined standard program, and operating the single-knob control element in a secondary mode triggers secondary functions which allow deviation from the standard program at the predetermined steps. The primary functions include starting and stopping a balancing run, and the secondary functions include at least calling a help function.
The invention also includes a control element for operating a balancing machine, comprising a control element having a single-knob control element which is operable independently in at least a primary and a secondary mode. The single-knob control element is movable axially for executing the primary mode by depressing the control element, and mounted rotatably for executing the secondary mode by turning the single-knob control element. A button (2) is disposed on an axle (9) which is centered by a centering device (10) and mounted movably in the vertical direction. A gearwheel (6) is disposed on the axle (9) for cooperating with sensors (5) as incremental transducers, and a microswitch (8) is mounted below the gearwheel in the direction of the axle (9), said switch being operable by the gearwheel (6).

Method for operating a balancing machine and a control element


An improved vibrato device for an electric guitar that includes a lever passing from the bridge assembly down through the guitar body front surface and extending toward the neck and then upwardly through the guitar front surface within convenient reach of a musician's picking hand. The lever may be operatively coupled with a controller that enables the musician to better synchronize the vibrato effect during playing with other desired effects, such as volume changes, phase changes and effects produced by Musical Instrument Digital Instrument (MIDI) devices.

This invention relates to the field of musical instruments and, more particularly, to a vibrato device for an electric guitar.
Musicians have long known to impart a desirable "vibrato" effect to musical notes by slightly varying the pitch of the note as it sounded. This effect is highly desirable to listeners of stringed instruments. On fretless stringed instruments, such as violins, the musician typically imparts vibrato by holding a string against the neck of the instrument and rocking the finger holding the string back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the string as the string is played. The speaking length of the string, and thus the pitch, are thereby varied at a desired rate to produce vibrato.
On fretted stringed instruments, such as electric guitars, different techniques have been necessary to impart vibrato. It is known to vary the pitch of a note by holding a string against the neck of the guitar with a finger and moving the string back and forth along the length of the fret as the string is played. However, this method has limitations. Achieving a desired vibrato effect in this way can be more difficult for the musician compared with fretless stringed instruments. Moreover, by moving the strings repeatedly in a direction perpendicular to their longitudinal axis, tunings could be more frequently required. This method could also be more difficult if the musician were holding multiple strings against the neck of the guitar, such as when playing a chord.
To overcome the difficulties of imparting vibrato to notes played on the electric guitar, mechanical vibrato devices have been developed. As known to those skilled in the art, such vibrato devices generally consist of a bridge assembly for holding the strings that is adapted to pivot continuously between two positions and thereby to vary the pitch of the strings. The vibrato device is typically biased to one position by springs. A vibrato hand lever extending above the guitar front surface is normally coupled with the vibrato device, which is then actuated by depressing the vibrato lever. In operation, a guitar musician plays the desired notes with the playing hand and then moves the playing hand away from the strings to grasp and actuate the vibrato lever. The lever is normally pivotally coupled with the vibrato device to enable the lever to swing out of the way when not in use.
The typical vibrato device can limit a guitar player's ability to impart vibrato. The vibrato lever must often be first rotated into an operable position prior to use, which can undesirably impede playing. The orientation of the conventional vibrato lever, extending upwardly and outwardly from the front surface of the guitar, also makes it difficult to quickly impart vibrato without maintaining a constant hold of the lever and, in some instances, partially depressing it. However, maintaining a constant hold of the lever can interfere undesirably with playing. The same is true for maintaining the lever in a slightly depressed position. In both instances, the movement of the picking hand can be undesirably constrained. For example, a musician often wishes to play certain strings of the guitar while muting others with the palm of the picking hand. As known to those skilled in the art, such muting can be necessary to prevent the strings not played from producing unwanted ringing when the guitar is played through an electric amplifier. Imparting vibrato during such "pick and mute" playing can be particularly awkward, if not impossible, with a conventional vibrato device because the conventional lever may prevent the musician from properly muting the desired strings. Additionally, as known to those skilled in the art, striking the vibrato lever can impart a desirable "warble" to the sound of the strings, an effect commonly used in hard rock music. Striking the vibrato bar presently requires the musician to undesirably move the hand away from the strings, rendering simultaneous "pick and mute" playing nearly impossible.
Additionally, it can be desirable to vary by electronic means the sound produced by the strings of an electric guitar. A volume control, typically comprising a potentiometer, may be provided in the magnetic pickup circuit for the strings. Such a volume control is normally located on the front surface of the guitar. In addition, the electric guitar may be connected to an amplifier through a controller, such as the well-known "wah-wah" pedal. The controller can be actuated by the player's foot and may be configured to vary the volume, the phase or other properties of the sound produced by the strings.
A musician's use of such controllers during playing is subject to limitations. Rotating a potentiometer by hand to a desired volume setting without interrupting play is difficult. Similarly, foot-operated controllers typically cannot be actuated with a high degree of precision. Thus, at present, it is difficult to accurately synchronize the vibrato imparted by a vibrato device with effects imparted by a controller.
To overcome these and other limitations of the prior art, an improved vibrato device for an electric guitar is desirable to allow the musician to more easily impart vibrato and other effects to music played thereon.


Circuitry within a ferroelectric memory prevents inversion of the polarization of ferroelectric memory cells caused by a power on reset signal to avoid corruption of data stored therein. A ferroelectric memory includes a memory cell array, a plurality of word lines commonly connected to the gates of the cell transistors in the same row, a plurality of plate lines commonly connected to the plates of the cell capacitors in the same row, a plurality of bit lines commonly connected to one end of the cell transistors in the same row, and a power on reset circuit for generating a power on reset signal of a predetermined level for a predetermined period of time after the power supply is turned on. An erroneous programming prevention circuit within the memory includes a plurality of switching transistors connected between all of the bit lines and plate lines and a plurality of nodes at a predetermined potential. The switching transistors are controlled by the power on reset signal so that they are on for a predetermined period of time.

Recently, research and development efforts have been directed to semiconductor memory devices utilizing ferroelectric memory cells in hopes of providing memories which are non-volatile and provide fast access. Examples of such semiconductor devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,664 to Eaton, Jr. and in the article Eaton, Jr., et al., "A Ferroelectric DRAM Cell for High Density NVRAMs," ISSCC DIGEST OF TECHNICAL PAPERS, pp. 130-131, February 1988. Conventional examples of such devices, however, have experienced the corruption of data due to unknown causes. The observed failure mode is that data are corrupted when previously written data are inverted as a power supply is turned on which had previously been turned off.

Fram, fram card, and card system using the same


A seat back pad 70 has a groove 73 for tucking a skin material therein, formed at borders between a central portion 71 and side portions 72. A hole (slot hole 74) is formed in a bottom of the groove 73 along the groove 73. A tuck-in wire 76 for tucking the skin material in includes a plurality of tuck-in portions 76A provided along the groove 73, and a connecting portion (detour portion 76B) detouring around the hole and connecting the tuck-in portions 76A. With this configuration, when an upper body of an occupant P subsides into a seat back S2 in a rear-end collision of a vehicle, the central portion 71, defined by the groove 73 as a border, is easily and sufficiently moved rearward relative to the left and right side portions 72. Furthermore, the tuck-in wire 76 is not exposed through the hole, and thus adhesion between the seat back pad 70 and the tuck-in wire 76 can be improved.

In a rear-end collision of a car that occurs when a rear end of your car is struck by another car or when a rear end of your car which is being reversed strikes another car or a construct, a head of an occupant seated on a seat cushion of a car seat would largely tilt back by inertia, and in reaction thereto, the neck of the occupant would likely be given a large shock. With this in view, the car seat is commonly provided with a headrest for receiving the head of the occupant from a back side so as to absorb a shock given to the neck of the occupant in a rear-end collision of the car.
Herein, an occupant seated on a seat cushion and driving a car is, in many cases, postured in an in-seat position with a head slightly apart from the headrest to the front, and many of other passengers not driving the car also have similar in-seat positions. When a car in which an occupant/passenger is seated in such a posture is rear-ended, the head of the occupant would tilt slightly to the rear before being received, and would go tilted back to the front in reaction thereto, so that its benefit of absorbing a shock given to the neck of the occupant would be reduced.
Against this backdrop, there are proposed a vehicle seat and a seat back device which are configured such that in a rear-end collision of the car, an upper body of an occupant tending to move rearward by inertia is caused to subside into a seat back disposed at his/her rear side so that the head of the occupant is swiftly received by the headrest (e.g., see Patent Literatures 1, 2).
A vehicle seat described in Patent Literature 1 includes a pressure-receiving member connected rearward-movably to a seat back frame, as a member for receiving an upper body of an occupant by means of a seat back pad (seat back cushion) within a seat back. A seat back device described in Patent Literature 2 includes a sheet-like elastic member corresponding to the pressure-receiving member described in Patent Literature 1.
In the vehicle seat described in Patent Literature 1 and the seat back device described in Patent Literature 2, the pressure-receiving member (sheet-like elastic member) moves together with the seat back pad to the rear relative to the seat back frame when the rear-end collision of a vehicle causes a rearward motion load to be imposed on an occupant and thus presses an upper body of the occupant against the seat back. As a result, the upper body of the occupant subsides into the seat back, allowing the head of the occupant to be swiftly received by the headrest; in this way, the shock be given to the neck of the occupant can be absorbed.
On the other hand, a vehicle seat having a seat structure in which a side air bag device is provided is generally known (e.g., see Patent Literature 3). The structure disclosed in this Patent Literature 3 is such that an insert wire (tuck-in wire) for attaching a seat skin inside a vertical groove formed in the seat back pad is embedded in a seat back pad.


For the incineration of waste materials, a process is described, in which the waste materials are reduced in size as far as necessary and are subsequently optionally mixed with fuel and are incinerated at temperatures from 1000.degree. to 1700.degree. C. to form liquid ash, a major part of which is removed as liquid slag from the combustion chamber, and the pollutants are removed from the exhaust gases produced by the incineration. The process is characterized in that the pollutant-containing droplets of liquid ash which are suspended in the exhaust gas are separated at a temperature, which is close to the incineration temperature by at least one mass force separator and are subsequently either solidified alone or are combined with the liquid slag and solidified together with said slag.

This invention relates to a process of incinerating waste materials, in which the waste materials are reduced in size as far as necessary and are subsequently optionally mixed with fuel and are incinerated at temperatures from 1000.degree. to 1700.degree. C. to form liquid ash, a major part of which is removed as liquid slag from the combustion chamber and the pollutants are removed from the exhaust gases produced by the incineration.
Waste materials--i.e., household and industrial wastes, hazardous wastes, agricultural waste products and clarifier sludge--have been incinerated on a large scale for many years in order to destroy pollutants contained in the waste material and to considerably decrease the amount of waste material which is to be dumped. In the past, the incineration of waste material has often given rise to problems because the exhaust gases as well as the ashes and fly dusts which are formed contain toxic substances, which pollute the environment and must be removed from the exhaust gases, ashes and fly dusts by expensive processes. As an example, attention may be directed here to the dioxins, which are formed by the incineration of waste materials and the formation of which must substantially be suppressed by an appropriate processing or which must be removed from purifying processes from the products of the incineration of waste materials. Specifically, the fly dusts, which are formed by the incineration of waste materials and consist of very fine ash particles, constitute a considerable hazard in the environment because they contain highly toxic organic compounds--i.e. dioxins, halogenated furans and highly condensed aromatic hydrocarbons--as well as heavy metals and heavy metal compounds and the latter will be dissolved at least in part in contact with water and in that case will contaminate the surface water and ground water. Because the plants for the incineration of waste materials contain considerable amounts of pollutants, they must be handled as hazardous wastes.
Numerous attempts have been made to eliminate the potential hazards which are due to the solid residues formed by the incineration of waste materials and are particularly due to the fly dusts. But it has been found again and again that the previously employed processes of incinerating waste materials result in solid residues which necessarily contain pollutants in considerable amounts. For instance, Published European Patent Application 305,779 discloses for the disposal of waste materials by incineration a process in which the dried waste materials are incinerated in a cyclone at temperatures above 1500.degree. C. to form a molten slag having a low pollutant content and a hot exhaust gas. The liquid slag flows form a furnace which succeeds the incinerating cyclone. The exhaust gas is subjected to a first exhaust gas cooling and the valuable materials are then removed by a partial condensation, whereafter the exhaust gas is cooled further and the pollutants are subsequently removed by a partial condensation at a lower temperature. Because droplets of liquid ash are suspended in the exhaust gas, the partial condensation results in a formation of fly dust, which contains pollutants, or the partial condensation involves in a collection of valuable materials, which undesirably cannot be utilized because they have a high content of fly dust so that they must also be handled as pollutant-containing solid residues.


Multi-level sampling device including compartmentalized longitudinal member for lowering into loose-material to be tested at multiple levels providing for individual containers to be simultaneously filled at each respective level through a retraction of covering lids to accommodate pouring of the material into the containers followed by closing the lids and retracting the sampling device for inspection of the material in each respective container.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,058, entitled Crane-Mounted Drill and Method for In-Situ Treatment of Contaminated Soil, discloses an elongated hollow drive shaft mounted for rotation about its axis while being supported in vertical orientation. The upper end of the drive shaft is connected for selected injection of fluid under pressure into the shaft and a drill is affixed to the lower end of the shaft for drilling a hole downwardly through the soil. The drill comprises a hollow sleeve mounted to the lower end of the shaft and extending therefrom coaxially with the shaft. A pair of drill blades are cantilevered from the sleeve, and extend outwardly therefrom at right angles diametrically opposite to and aligned with each other.
Each blade is of identical uniform cross section and carries a plurality of radially spaced drill teeth oriented tangentially of the sleeve along a leading radial edge of the blade. A hollow pipe extends along the trailing edge of each blade and has orifices for injecting fluid from the sleeve and pipe into the earth as the blade is rotated. A plate is affixed to each blade to deflect soil away from the nozzle orifices as the drill is rotated.
In operation, when drill teeth are brought into engagement with the earth surface, continued driving of the drill combines with angle of attack of the teeth to propel the drill downwardly into the earth's surface at a rate controlled to obtain proper mixing and penetration of the soil. During rotation, a deflector functions to shield nozzle orifices from dirt flowing over the upper surface of the blades. During drilling into and/or removal from the earth, fluid under pressure is fed to the Kelly bar by a fluid control system. Fluid treatment media may comprise hot air or steam to drive off volatile organic compounds that are collected by a shroud; microbes, hydrogen peroxide or a phosphorous/nitrogen solution for bioreclamation for creosote-contaminated and hydrocarbon contaminated soil; cement, flyash or silicaceous material to solidify and entomb heavy metals; or a neutralizing agent to stabilize pond sludge.
In order to sample and test at progressive depths the condition of the loose soil after treatment, it has heretofore been normal practice to obtain samples one by one by lowering to progressive depths a tool having means to retrieve a sample which may be raised to the surface for inspection.


A wireless communication system includes first and second wireless communication apparatuses. The first wireless communication apparatus includes a plurality of communication units that perform communication in different frequency bands. The plurality of communication units transmits the same control signal and data in the different frequency bands to keep allocation of communication slots for the second wireless communication apparatus on a plurality of paths. When detecting a communication failure while connecting to and communicating with one communication unit through one path, the second wireless communication apparatus switches to another communication unit and continues the communication through another path.

In recent years, in the medical and healthcare fields, intra-body wireless communication technology has received a lot of attention, in which data obtained by a sensor attached to a human body is transmitted and received wirelessly in order to collect information on the human body with maintaining user's QoL (Quality of Life) and make use of the information for medical treatment and health maintenance.
As the intra-body wireless communication technology, a BAN (Body Area Network) has been proposed, for example. The BAN is standardized at IEEE 802.15.6, which defines physical layer (PHY) specifications including modulation methods and data rates in different frequency bands (for example, 400 MHz/900 MHz/2.4 GHz), etc.
As related art, there has been proposed a technique of sharing some components both for performing intra-body communication and for performing other communication.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-21984
Since the BAN deals with medical data, higher reliability than conventional wireless communication is needed. Therefore, there is a demand for a technique for resuming communication in a short time quickly even if a communication disconnection occurs due to a communication failure or the like.

Wireless communication system and wireless communication apparatus


Disclosed is a circuit for improved power management of a wireless device, comprising an input signal from an antenna, an oscillator, a mixer and a circuit for correlating. In a first analog embodiment of the circuit, the circuit for correlating comprises a surface acoustic wave (SAW) and the circuit further comprises an operational amplifier and a reference voltage. In a second digital embodiment of the circuit, the circuit for correlating comprises a digital correlator and the circuit further comprises a digital comparator.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present device relates generally to wireless communication protocols, and in particular to device synchronization operation of such protocols.
2. Background
Wireless connection of devices to computers, and wireless networking of groups of computers is one of fastest growing segments of the electronics industry. Current and emerging technologies in this field include IEEE 802.11 (versions a, b and g) also known as 'WiFi' available at http://standards.ieee.org/catalog/olis/lanman.html, 'Bluetooth' available at https://www.bluetooth.org/ and Cypress Semiconductor's proprietary WirelessUSB standard available at http://www.wirelessusb.org
In conventional wireless communication, for two or more devices to communicate, they must first establish a link. The conventional Receiver Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) technique is commonly used to establish communication between two wireless devices. This technique involves a master device sending a signal to activate a slave device, and a slave waiting for such an activation signal.
Before receiving, the slave is typically in a power-down or sleep mode, and monitors the level of energy on a particular frequency band and performs a magnitude comparison on it. If the magnitude rises above a certain threshold, the slave interprets it as a command to activate itself. The conventional RSSI technique has some disadvantages, as it is prone to false activation, which may cause unnecessary power-up operations and drain battery power over time, resulting in reduced battery life.
It would be desirable to have a technique for establishing communication in a wireless system and powering on a receiving device that is more accurate and less prone to false activation.

Power management by constant awake correlator


A clamp for joining a pair of elements having generally circular flanges, the clamp including an inner flange engaging portion arranged to provide generally axially extending forces to said flanges for retaining them against one another when substantially radial forces are applied to the inner flange, an outer circumferential strap element and at least one bolt. The clamp also includes a coupler engaging the strap element adapted to provide substantially circumferential tension thereto, whereby substantially radial forces are applied to the inner flange without urging non-circumferential bending of the strap element.

Various types of clamps are known. There are known, particularly in the missile art, V-clamp joints which exhibit relatively high strength and stiffness. One such clamp is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,723. This clamp comprises a pair of flexible straps which are stretched by a pair of corresponding belts and push radially V-shaped retainer elements which press together the flanges of the connected elements. The bolts and the straps are connected by trunnion-like elements and cooperating loops formed by bending the ends of the straps.
This known prior art structure results in high stresses being applied to the straps, bolts and fasteners or weldings of the loops.

State of Israel-Ministry of Defense, Armament Development Authority, Raphael


A coupling mechanism for use on a railcar moving vehicle designed to couple with European-type railway cars having an end sill at each end of the car which supports a centrally disposed draft hook and a pair of buffers mounted one at each end of the end sill, the coupling mechanism including a casting which moves laterally on a plurality of rollers, a crossbar or lifting beam carried on the end of the casting and pivotal relative thereto about a vertical axis, a pair of lifting forks carried on the respective ends of the crossbar, and a pair of buffer plates carried at opposite ends of the crossbar and positioned to push against corresponding buffers on a railway car. The coupling mechanism also includes a sensing device which controls lateral movement of the casting during a pushing or pulling operation in accordance with relative lateral movement of the railcar end sill and buffers.

The present invention relates to a coupling mechanism for a railcar moving vehicle of the type having road wheels for traveling on road, and rail wheels for traveling on rail, the vehicle being adapted to push or pull one or more railcars along a track when operating on rail. Such railcar moving vehicles typically couple to a railcar to be moved along a track, and they lift the railcar a limited amount to transfer a portion of the weight of the railcar to the railcar moving vehicle to improve the traction of the latter.
The coupling mechanism of the present invention is designed to couple with European-type railway cars having an end sill at each end of the car which supports a centrally disposed draft hook and a pair of buffers mounted one at each end of the end sill. Such a coupling operation involves moving the railcar moving vehicle to a position adjacent to one end of the railcar, engaging buffer plates on the railcar moving vehicle against telescoping cylindrical buffer members on the railcar, causing a hook on the railcar moving vehicle to be engaged with a hook on the railcar, raising the coupling mechanism on the railcar moving vehicle causing lifting forks on the coupling mechanism to partially lift the railcar to transfer a portion of the weight thereof to the railcar moving vehicle, and pulling the railcar moving vehicle hook to pull the railcar up against the railcar moving vehicle causing some compression of the two buffers, after which the railcar moving vehicle may push or pull the railcar and other railcars coupled thereto along the track.
The present invention is an improvement over a coupling mechanism described in White U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,241. The foregoing White patent discloses several embodiments of a coupling mechanism for use on a railcar moving vehicle to couple with a European-type railcar.
In one embodiment shown in FIG. 2 of the White '241 patent, the railcar includes buffers 83 and 84, but the coupling mechanism does not engage against those buffers for the purpose of pushing the railcar. Instead, pushing is achieved through a pair of seat members shown at 39 and 40 in FIG. 2 which engage against the railcar end sill as shown in FIG. 5 to both lift the railcar for weight transfer purposes, and to push the railcar. Additional lifting of the railcar to transfer weight to the railcar moving vehicle is achieved by a pair of lift hooks shown at 66 and 69 in FIG. 3 of the White '241 patent. The lift hooks 66 and 69 lift under the buffer cylinders shown at 86 and 92 in FIG. 3, although those cylinders are of limited strength and not well adapted to permit substantial lifting forces.
In order to permit coupling of the railcar moving vehicle to the railcar for purposes of pulling the latter, FIG. 2 of the White '241 patent shows a hook 101 which is movable vertically so it can be lifted and then laid over in engagement with a draft hook 79 on the railcar, after which a cylinder 98 is used to pull the hook 101 thereby pulling the railcar moving vehicle into firm engagement with the railcar. In the embodiment being described, the end portions 44 of seat members 40 are engaged firmly against the end sill 45 as shown in FIG. 5.
A further feature of the embodiment in FIGS. 1-5 of the White '241 patent involves a double pivot arrangement shown in FIG. 4. The lower square beam 30 carries the seat members 39 and 40 which effect pushing and lifting of the railcar end sill as previously described, whereas the upper beam 52 carries the two lifting hooks shown at 66 and 69 in FIG. 3. It will be seen from FIG. 4 that the lower beam 30 is pivotally mounted about a vertical axis, and the upper beam 52 is similarly pivotal about vertical pin 54. In addition, the rear ends of arms 18 and 50, which carry the beams 30 and 52 at their outer ends, are pivotal about a vertical pivot pin 21. Thus, the arms 18 and 50 are pivotal at their rear ends about vertical pivot pin 21, and the beams 30 and 52 are pivotal about vertical pivot pins at the forward ends of the arms 18 and 50. Such a double pivot arrangement has caused problems when pushing or pulling a railcar around a curve as the structure will tend to buckle or to pivot excessively under certain conditions.
One object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for lifting the buffer cylinders in order to transfer weight to the railcar moving vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to eliminate pushing against the railcar end sill, but rather to push against the railcar buffers while applying only lifting forces to the railcar end sill.
A further one of our objects is to eliminate the double pivot arrangement disclosed in the White '241 patent.
FIG. 11 of White U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,241 is believed to be the closest prior art to the present invention. In that embodiment, a rigid casting 150 carries a beam 145 which is pivotally mounted on the casting for movement about a central vertical axis 152. The casting 150 is laterally movable by means of rollers shown at 154. However, it is important to understand that during a pushing or pulling operation, the casting 150 is freely movable to float laterally. The lateral movement of casting 150 is controlled by a suitable hydraulic cylinder only during a coupling operation when it is necessary to align the railcar moving vehicle and its coupling mechanism with the end of a railcar to be moved.
FIG. 11 of the White '241 patent also shows pusher plates 146 and 147 on the railcar moving vehicle which engage against corresponding buffers 89" and 95" on the railcar. In addition, the White '241 patent explains at column 12, lines 23-33, that lifting of the railcar for weight transfer purposes is accomplished by pads at the opposite end of beam 145 which are adapted for engagement with the underportions of outer cylindrical members 86" and 92" of buffers 83" and 84".
One further objects of the present invention is to effect pushing of a railcar by use of pusher means engagable against the buffers of a European-type railcar. However, another object is to avoid lifting of the railcar by lifting under those same buffers members, and instead our present invention utilizes lifting forks which engage and lift beneath the end sill of a railcar.
Another important advantage of our invention is the provision of a casting member which is laterally movable on rollers and which carries on one end thereof a beam which is pivotal about a vertical axis at one end of the casting member, the beam carrying both a lifting fork and a pusher plate at each end thereof.
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide means for controlling the lateral position of the above-mentioned casting member during a pushing or pulling operation, such means including sensing means for sensing relative lateral movement between one of said pusher plates and a corresponding buffer member in engagement therewith.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Coupling means for railcar moving vehicles


The present invention provides a photothermographic material having, on at least one side of a support, an image forming layer including at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, and a non-photosensitive outermost layer which is disposed on the same side of the support as the image forming layer, wherein the non-photosensitive outermost layer contains a copolymer having at least the following monomer (M1) and monomer (M2) as copolymerization components, and a maximum surface roughness (Rt) on the image forming layer side is 1.5 μm or less; wherein                monomer (M1) is a monomer having a salt or salt forming group, or a poly(alkylene oxide) group and having an unsaturated bond which performs radical polymerization; and        monomer (M2) is a monomer containing a fluorine atom and having an unsaturated bond which performs radical polymerization.An image forming method is also provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photothermographic material and an image forming method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in the field of films for medical diagnosis and in the field of films for graphic arts, there has been a strong desire for decreasing the amount of processing liquid waste from the viewpoints of protecting the environment and economy of space. Technology is therefore required for light-sensitive photothermographic materials which can be exposed effectively by laser image setters or laser imagers and thermally developed to obtain clear black-toned images of high resolution and sharpness, for use in medical diagnostic applications and for use in photographic technical applications. The light-sensitive photothermographic materials do not require liquid processing chemicals and can therefore be supplied to customers as a simpler and environmentally friendly thermal processing system.
While similar requirements also exist in the field of general image forming materials, images for medical imaging in particular require high image quality excellent in sharpness and granularity because fine depiction is required, and further require blue-black image tone from the viewpoint of easy diagnosis. Various kinds of hard copy systems utilizing dyes or pigments, such as ink jet printers and electrophotographic systems, have been marketed as general image forming systems, but they are not satisfactory as output systems for medical images.
Thermal image forming systems utilizing organic silver salts are known. In particular, photothermographic materials generally have an image forming layer in which a catalytically active amount of a photocatalyst (for example, silver halide), a reducing agent, a reducible silver salt (for example, an organic silver salt), and if necessary, a toner for controlling the color tone of developed silver images are dispersed in a binder. Photothermographic materials form black silver images by being heated to a high temperature (for example, 80° C. or higher) after imagewise exposure to cause an oxidation-reduction reaction between a silver halide or a reducible silver salt (functioning as an oxidizing agent) and a reducing agent. The oxidation-reduction reaction is accelerated by the catalytic action of a latent image on the silver halide generated by exposure. As a result, a black silver image is formed on the exposed region. Further, the Fuji Medical Dry Imager FM-DPL is an example of a medical image forming system using photothermographic materials that has been made commercially available.
In addition to photographic properties, film physical properties of surfaces are very important for the photothermographic material. For example, production of the photothermographic material comprises steps of coating solutions on a long roll support, drying the coated film, winding the dried film, and finishing such as slitting and cutting to provide a roll state or a sheet state. In the above steps, the material is conveyed at a high speed while being wound or unwound. Moreover, in an image forming step, the material is also conveyed at a high speed in a sheet state or a roll state. A method of providing surface roughness by coating matting agents on the film surface to decrease contact area and thereby reduce conveying resistance has been generally employed for conventional photographic materials and is also effective for photothermographic materials to improve conveying suitability thereof.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2004-309641 discloses the use of antistatic agents to prevent electrostatic trouble occurring during conveying of a film at a high speed. As the antistatic agent used for the material, the use of a fluorocarbon surfactant is disclosed. All patents, patent publications, and non-patent literature cited in this specification are hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
On the other hand, the manufactured photothermographic materials have such a problem that adhesion to themselves or to each other occurs during storage in a roll state or when the materials are stacked and stored in a sheet state. To prevent this problem, addition of matting agents to the outermost layer of the material is widely employed.
All chemicals required for image formation are incorporated within the coated layers of a photothermographic material in advance. After image formation, these chemicals remain in the material as reaction products or unreacted components. As a result, all of the chemicals exert complicated influences on photographic properties and film physical properties of the photothermographic materials, and also on the storage stability thereof.
Therefore, it is desired that surface compositions of the photothermographic materials satisfy not only the film physical properties of the surfaces, but also the overall characteristics required for the photothermographic materials.

Photothermographic material and image forming method


A rail-mounted, wheel-sensing system is shown having a wheel sensor and a rail mounting platform. The system includes a rugged steel rail clamp including two blocks mounted on the base of the rail by a pair of bolt extending under the rail. One block is connected to a vertically adjustable mounting bracket for carrying a sensor or other device. The mounting bracket includes a platform for the sensor. Two shields on the platform protecting a sensor mounted between them. An adapter plate may be added between the mounting bracket and the clamp for installation on lighter or heavier rails.

The present invention relates generally to a railroad car wheel sensor assembly, and more particularly, to a rail-mounted, wheel-sensing system having a wheel sensor and a mounting bracket therefor.
Today's railroads need to detect the presence of wheels at certain locations on the track. Electrically inductive sensors are often used for this purpose. These sensors, along with their mounting systems, need to be treated as an integrated, matched system this is optimized for freight rail in North America. This means accounting for the effects of heavy haul loads on Class II, III or IV tracks at moderate speeds (10 to 70 miles per hour) and achieving a product cost point which is lower than that of conventional systems.
Rails experience a depression, and almost a shock, when a wheel travels on them. It is therefore necessary that any rail-mounted system for wheel sensors be very rugged and not subject to loosening with vibration over time. In the United States, freight trains generally travel at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. Presently available wheel sensors are designed for high speed rail travel over 200 miles per hour; however, their mounting brackets are not stout enough to withstand freight traffic conditions.
A further requirement of the railroad industry is that a rail-mounted system be relatively easy and quick to install, particularly with respect to alignment with the rail. Currently available sensors require both vertical and horizontal alignments, which may be difficult to achieve simultaneously. Wheel sensors mounted on these systems are frequently damaged or do not operate correctly either because they are hit by equipment hanging from rail cars or because their brackets are not able to hold them in position over time. Sensors therefore require protection from impacts of dragging equipment with passing cars and resistance to misalignment caused by such impacts and by vibration.
In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to develop a rail-mounted, wheel-sensing system having a wheel sensor which is suitable for U.S. railroad speeds (less than 80 miles per hour).

Wheel sensor assembly for rail base mounting