Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to identifying an address of user data to be registered as a defective user data address in disk defect inspection. In an embodiment of the present invention, in the state where a write element is positioned to a target position to execute data write processing to execute normal data read processing, a write element executes data write processing. If a predefined error occurs during the data write processing, an address of user data for which the normal data write processing is executed is estimated using the error-causing servo data as a target. In addition, an address of the servo data used as the target during the normal data write processing for the estimated address of the user data is identified. If the identified address of the servo data and the address of the error-causing servo data match with each other, the estimated address of the user data is registered as a defective user data address.

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to recording disk drives and to methods of managing defective regions in the same. More particularly, embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to managing defective regions in a recording disk drive which has a head whose read/write offsets are present.
Devices using various types of media such as optical disks, and magnetic tapes, are known in the art as data storage devices. Among them, hard disk drives (hereinafter referred to as HDD) have become popular as storage devices for computers to such an extent that they are one of the storage devices indispensable for today's computer systems. Further, the HDDs are not limited to use for the computer systems as described above, they are being used in many fields because of excellent characteristics. For example, The HDDs are used for moving picture recording/reproducing devices, car navigation systems, cellular phones, and removable memories for use in digital cameras.
The HDD that writes and reads data using a head element section performs positioning control of a head, based on servo data formed on a magnetic disk. The tracks formed concentrically on the magnetic disk each include a plurality of servo sectors, each of which further consists of servo data and user data. During manufacturing processes of the HDD, servo data is recorded on the magnetic disk by means of a servo-writer or the like.
In recent years, with the tendency to increase the storage capacity and recording density of the HDD, the data track pitches, servo track pitches, and data sector pitches tend to be narrowed. This has been reducing a tolerance for fluctuation of a head element section. The non-uniformity of servo track pitches is produced due to structural non-uniformity of HDDs and the non-uniformity of head positions during servo-writing. The non-uniformity of servo track pitches cannot be ignored while narrowing track pitches or sector pitches.
For example, the non-uniformity of servo track pitches causes the servo tracks to be regionally narrowed. A servo track that is regionally narrowed causes a "squeeze error" in which writing is performed on a track next to a desired track and thus data on the next track is erased. The "squeeze" is an event in which the head element section overwrites a track next to a desired track since a servo track cannot be properly read by a head element section or since a servo track is regionally narrowed or for some other reasons.
Tests for detecting defects on the surfaces of magnetic disks are therefore performed during the manufacturing processes of HDDs. These tests, called SRSTs (Self-Run Self-Tests), are described in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-260355 (Patent Document 1), for example. In the SRSTs, in addition to SATs (Surface Analysis Tests) for detecting defective regions in which a scratch or the like is formed by performing data read/write operations from/to a magnetic disk, tests called FILL-DATA tests are performed. Defective sectors that have been detected during the tests are registered on a map called PDM (Primary Defect Map). The data sectors that have been registered on PDM are not used.
During the FILL-DATA tests, data is written into all data regions of the magnetic disk and the data tracks on which a write error occurs are detected. All data sectors included in these data tracks are registered on the PDM as defective regions. The FILL-DATA tests are performed to defect the defective regions in which a write error frequently occurs caused by a servo track error such as a servo track narrowed, an unreadable servo track.

Recording disk drive and method of managing defective regions in the same

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A method is for determining suitability of various contrast agents for the imaging examination of the. In this case, a tissue sample is taken from the patient, it is divided into a plurality of individual samples and a contrast agent which binds to a particular target structure in the tissue is added to each individual sample. The individual samples are examined by an analysis or imaging method in order to determine the suitability of the various contrast agents for the imaging examination of the patient.

Conventional imaging diagnosis, for example X-ray computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance tomography (MRT), positron emission tomography (PET), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or optical imaging such as NIRF (Near Infra Red Fluorescence) provides anatomical or functional physiological information about the body. In this case, contrast agents are often used to make pathological tissue visible via physiological parameters such as blood supply or tissue density.
In PET, for example, biomolecules in which a stable isotope is replaced by a positron emitter, for example 11C, 13N or 15O, are used as contrast agents (CA). In this way, it is possible to monitor the metabolic behavior of the labeled biomolecules. Paramagnetic or ferromagnetic substances, for example chelated Gd or iron oxide nanoparticles, are used in MRT as contrast agents which can accumulate on further molecules for functionalization. These contrast agents concentrate, for example, in tissues which may be pathologically modified, where they lead to contrast changes in the image.
Currently approved contrast agents, however, are not very specific. Concentration of the MRT contrast agent Gd-DOTA in the brain may, for example, be caused by a tumor, a stroke, an MS lesion or any other physiological modification which affects the blood-brain barrier.
More recent so-called molecular imaging (MI) contrast agents allow very much more specific characterization of pathological tissues by the aforementioned imaging methods (see A. Hengerer, T. Mertelmeier, Siemens AG, Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany: "Molecular Biology for Medical Imaging" electromedica 69 (2001) no. 1).
Molecular imaging integrates molecular biological methods, for example antigen-antibody interactions or peptide receptor binding, and imaging technologies. In this way, noninvasive characterization of biological processes is possible at the cellular or molecular level. Molecular imaging thus involves the in vivo visualization of defective metabolic processes by biological reagents (molecular imaging contrast agents) which bind to molecular disease markers or target structures in the body and hence label them selectively. As a supplement to conventional imaging, molecular imaging provides complementary information about the position and—in the ideal case—the amount of molecular target structures in the living body, without the need for a biopsy.
Since pathological processes first manifest themselves at the molecular level, before (macro-) anatomical or functional expressions of the disease occur, molecular imaging allows diagnosis in the early stages of a disease.
A molecular imaging contrast agent therefore includes both a contrasting unit, for example an iron oxide nanoparticle in the case of MRI, and a molecular structure which interacts with the target structure in the tissue.
This molecular structure is also referred to as the "ligand" of the contrast agent.
WO 99/56788 discloses a method for the selection of a suitable molecular imaging contrast agent for a particular target tissue. This may be a cell culture or a tissue sample. In the method, a large number of different contrast agents are generated by the conjugation of contrasting units with a multiplicity of different ligands, for example peptides, oligomers, synthetic monomers or antibodies etc. The contrast agents are added to the target tissue and the binding affinity is tested by an analytical method.
The article by K. P. C. Li et al., "Combined vascular targeted imaging and therapy: a paradigm for personalized treatment", Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, ISSN 1097-4644, 2002, Supplement 39, 65-71, discloses a nanoparticle technology for loading particles both with ligands that bind to target structures and with contrasting units and therapeutic active agents. The nanoparticles respond, in particular, to endothelial receptors. Before treatment with a nanoparticle for administering a pharmaceutical active agent, the affinity of this nanoparticle can be tested by "in vivo" imaging after having administered a nanoparticle which is loaded with a contrasting unit but not with the therapeutic active agent.
In many applications, MI contrast agents are so specific that imaging examination cannot be carried out with the same contrast agent on every patient, even if they have the "same" initial diagnosis/suspected diagnosis. Many diseases that are currently grouped under one diagnosis (for example tumors of particular organs) actually subsume various molecular diseases with anatomically similar expression. Since the underlying pathological mechanisms are different, however, there may also be different target structures for the imaging.
In order to exploit the possibilities of specific molecular imaging contrast agents, each patient must thus undergo the same imaging method several times, with a different contrast agent in each case. If a contrast agent is selected with only one particular ligand that binds to particular molecular disease marks, then no diagnosis if is possible if the contrast agent has been selected incorrectly.

Method for determining suitability of various contrast agents for the imaging examination of the patient and uses of the ligand contained in a selected contrast agent


A novel method of making a nozzle by forcing a malleable metallic disk into a series of cavities in progression using punches to draw down a formed section so metal can be pulled into the shape of the next cavity in the series. Each cavity differs in size and shape, progression of the nozzle to the next cavity occurs until the metal is incrementally hardened by each step in the progression and the desired shape is formed. Wall thickness of the nozzle can be selectively varied in each section drawn down or pulled. Exceptionally accurate nozzles can be made with smooth, hard, rigid, walls of varying and constant thickness at low cost.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of liquid dispensing equipment. More particularly, it pertains to a method of making a novel nozzle that is applicable to manufacture of nozzles with constant or varying wall thickness. The technique will produce metallic nozzles with very thin rigid walls from metals that have a tendency to become hard and rigid when worked into final shape.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nozzles made for dispensing of viscous fluids are produced in a variety of different ways. The method and material selected are a function of the general category.
At present there are three general types of nozzles used to underfill electronic devices with viscous liquid: (1) a modified hypodermic needle made of stainless steel and medical tubing, (2) a custom machined metal nozzle, and (3) a molded plastic cone-shaped nozzle. The modified hypodermic needle nozzle is merely a standard hypodermic needle adapted to fit to a standard valve (Luer or Luer lock type) and attached to a hose leading from a pump that is connected to a reservoir of liquid. Modified hypodermic needles have a constant diameter throughout the length. This causes a very high-pressure drop across the needle and restricts liquid flow. In addition, the needle is made from stainless steel, plastic, or brass. Stainless steel and plastic are not known as good heat transfer materials. The fluid path is not contiguous and usually constrictive at the connection point. Transition points of the flow channel through the nozzle using this manufacturing technique are abrupt and inconsistent. The custom machined nozzle may be made of better heat transfer materials and may be shaped to remove or, at least, greatly reduce the resistance produced in the hypodermic needle design. However, a machined nozzle is limited to the size of the tools that can be used to cut the inside wall diameter and the wall thickness that must be maintained to ensure cuts are made without deformation of the nozzle. Machining of nozzles can be applied to one and two-piece designs, any shape can be made that can be programmed to cut using computer controlled lathes or form tools ground for the purpose. It is difficult to make very small gage sizes, almost impossible if the nozzle wall is thin. These limitations, along with the high cost of machining minute nozzles of this type, have slowed the widespread use of such nozzles in the industry.
The molded plastic nozzle is the lowest cost nozzle produced, it can be made in a variety of sizes and shapes out of a number of engineering polymers using plastic injection molding. However, plastics are not good agents of heat transfer, they are not dimensionally stable, require a relatively loose tolerance, expand and contract when exposed to high intermittent pressures and have threads that have little resistance to failure by over tightening. Such a practice has not been well accepted in the industry. The modified hypodermic needle remains the most widely used nozzle.
3. Objects and Advantages
Accordingly, the method of making the nozzle has inherent objects and advantages that were not described earlier in my patent. Several additional objects and advantages of the present invention are:                (1.) To provide a method of producing a nozzle wherein Process enables a constant thickness wall at the core inlet, selectively thinning the core wall between various sections to achieve a wall thin enough to allow a punch to pierce the section without fracture. Through experimentation it has been found the equationPcPf=12.0535−0.268653*Gage−1445.17*Wallwill yield suitable results for prediction of Carbide punch failure for a given section composed of copper alloy, apriori. Simplified empirical equation fit from data using Ridge Regression Techniques is accurate within a range of 0.001 in to 0.005 in. in wall thickness. Values of Pc/Pf; the Critical Punch Force/Force To Punch The Hole approaching Pc/Pf<=1, indicate punch fracture from the force required to pierce thru the nozzle wall.        (2.) To provide a method of producing a conically shaped exit aperture; radial clearance between punch and die can be adjusted to vary the conical depth through the exit aperture wall.        (3.) To provide a method of producing a nozzle wherein the thinness of the nozzle wall is such that geometry for features, rifling or striations or other like details can be built into the outside wall of the die cavity. Metal forced against the die side bends inward to produce a raised image of the geometry on the inside of the nozzle cavity.        (4.) To provide a method of producing a nozzle wherein soft, ductile, thermally efficient, conductive metals can be cold worked to the extent the metal effectively hardens and becomes rigid. Copper and copper alloys are the best candidates for the process.        (5.) To provide a method of producing a nozzle wherein Process is fast and low cost to proliferate the use of the technology in the industry.        (6.) To provide a method of producing a nozzle wherein very low Nozzle-to-Nozzle variability is a result of exceptionally tight tooling tolerances enabled by the process. Nozzle bore tolerance is routinely held to ten thousandths of an inch.        (7.) The high aspect ratio of the process produces a nozzle core that is composed of one piece or contiguous.        (8.) The Process can produce compound bend radii as tight as 0.0014 inch on a 0.0014-inch thick wall with copper alloys. The ratio wall thickness/bend radii can be as large as 1.0 using this material in the annealed or softened condition.Thinner walls also provide less facial area at the base upon which liquid can adhere resulting in a cleaner break-off of the dispensed liquid. The thinner wall also results in the smallest difference between the surface areas on the exterior, as opposed to the interior. This provides less surface tension forces, which direct the fluid to accumulate on the exterior of the nozzle. Thus more liquid is held on the interior of the nozzle improving both speed and accuracy of dispensing and of the automated dispensing equipment upon which it may be used. Additionally, the material making up the nozzle must have good heat transfer characteristics. This enables reduction of viscosity in most liquids, thereby enhancing the dispensability of the liquid. Further, the thinner wall also enables a more uniform and rapid thermal response to the entire nozzle body. Finally, thinner walls enable dispensing on densely populated circuitry, effectively depositing fluid closer to the chip.


An electroluminescent device includes a first substrate being provided with a plurality of luminescent elements, a second substrate facing the first substrate with the plurality of luminescent elements therebetween, a desiccating agent covering the face of the first substrate at the side facing the second substrate or of the second substrate at the side facing the first substrate, and a liquid-repellent portion surrounding the desiccating agent and being repellent to a coating liquid for forming the desiccating agent.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method of sealing an electroluminescent device.
2. Related Art
Recently, electroluminescent devices (hereinafter "electroluminescent" may be abbreviated as "EL") have been used in displays of mobile devices, such as mobile phones and PDAs, and of personal computers. The EL devices are known that their luminescent portions are deteriorated by moisture or oxygen and therefore are indispensably required to have a highly hermetic sealing structure for preventing penetration of moisture and oxygen. For example, JP-A-2003-297558 (Patent Document 1) discloses a method for preventing deterioration of a luminescent element by providing a desiccating agent to a sealing substrate. As shown in FIG. 7, a dent D is formed on a sealing substrate 20 by blasting, and a desiccating agent 17 is applied to the dent D.
However, the structure shown in FIG. 7 has disadvantages that a cost for processing the sealing substrate 20 is additionally required and also that when the precision in ejection of the desiccating agent 17 is low, the desiccating agent 17 leaks from the dent D and corrodes a sealing material 30 to reduce the sealing performance thereof. Furthermore, in a top emission EL device, in which light is emitted from the sealing substrate 20 side, display quality may be decreased by light scattering caused by micro-roughness of the substrate 20 produced by the blasting.

Electroluminescent device with liquid-repellent portion and electronic apparatus


An image processing type aligner enables proper set-up of one of two adjustment elements used to align an adaptive cruise control sensor or the like mounted on a vehicle. One element, such as a laser beam source, is mounted with the sensor on the vehicle; and the other element, such as a mirror, is mounted on a stand. A carrier on the stand positions at least one image sensor of the aligner system. The stand is positioned in front of the vehicle and manipulated until the aligner indicates that the axis of the adjustment element on the stand is aligned relative to a desired line of the vehicle, for example, the thrust line. A beam of light is transmitted between the two adjustment elements, and the technician adjusts the sensor until the beam position indicates a desired alignment of the sensor relative to the line of the vehicle.

Adaptive cruise control systems provide an adaptive vehicle speed control, based on sensing of another vehicle or target in front of the host vehicle within which the cruise control operates. Cruise control normally controls host vehicle speed to minimize a difference between actual vehicle speed and a driver-set speed. The adaptive speed control senses the presence of a vehicle or the like in front of the host vehicle and adjusts the cruise control algorithm to account for the target preceding the host vehicle, for example to reduce host vehicle speed and maintain a set distance between the vehicles. A number of different types of automobile manufacturers offer such adaptive cruise control as a comfort aid for driving.
Adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems typically utilize a radar or laser sensor or the like to detect the presence of and distance to a target vehicle leading the host vehicle on which the sensor and the ACC system are mounted. Adaptive cruise control sensors are now commonly mounted on motor vehicles, such as cars, trucks, lorries, vans and the like. Such an adaptive cruise control sensor is located to the front of the host vehicle, generally in the front bumper, and directs a radar beam forwardly in the direction of forward motion of the motor vehicle. Based on the return signal, whenever the sensor detects another vehicle in front of and in the path of the host vehicle, which is moving at a speed slower than the speed of the host vehicle, the adaptive cruise control system determines the speed of the leading vehicle from the sensor signal. The control of the adaptive system sets the cruise speed of the host vehicle to the speed of the leading vehicle.
In order for such an adaptive cruise control system to operate properly, the sensor must be aligned with the vehicle thrust line, and implementation of such a system requires accurate alignment of the sensor with that thrust line. It is essential that the sensor axis, and thus the axis along which the sensor emits a radar or laser beam, extends parallel to the thrust line of the vehicle. In certain cases, the axis of the adaptive cruise control sensor may coincide with the thrust line, although in general, the axis of the adaptive cruise control sensor tends to be spaced apart from the thrust line, but must be parallel thereto.
The thrust line of a vehicle is determined by the toe of the rear wheels of the vehicle, and techniques for measurement thereof will be well known to those skilled in the art. It is a line that extends from the point of intersection of the rear transverse axis of the rear wheels and the longitudinal center line of the vehicle, and it extends forwardly of the vehicle at an angle to the center line of the vehicle. The angle that the thrust line makes with respect to the center line of the vehicle is determined by the toe of the rear wheels, and is relatively small.
Devices for aligning the axis of an adaptive cruise control sensor are known. In general, such a device comprises a mirror and a laser beam. An arrangement is provided for mounting the mirror or the laser light beam source forwardly of the vehicle for cooperating, with the other of the source and the mirror, which is mounted on the adaptive cruise control sensor. Typically, the laser light beam source is mounted on the adaptive cruise control sensor, and the source is arranged with its axis, and in turn, the axis at which the light beam is projected, extending parallel to and relatively close to the axis of the adaptive cruise control sensor. In this arrangement, the mirror is mounted on a separate stand or the like in front of the vehicle.
German published patent application DE 19857871 (C1) discloses a device for aligning the sensor of an adaptive cruise control system to the thrust line of the host vehicle. The disclosed device uses a laser source mounted on a frame positioned in front of the automobile, for directing a laser beam onto a mirror provided by the radar sensor perpendicular to the propagation direction of the radar beam. The rear wheels of the automobile have angle sources, which are used for alignment of the frame with the automobile longitudinal axis in conjunction with angle sources at the opposite sides of the frame, with correction of the radar sensor using evaluation of the reflected laser beam.
Where the mirror is the separately mounted element, it is essential that the mirror is aligned with the vehicle such that the mirror extends transversely across the vehicle thrust line, that is to say perpendicular to the thrust line. In general, it is difficult to locate the mirror so that it accurately extends perpendicular to the thrust line. In cases where the mirror is mounted on the adaptive cruise control sensor, the mirror is mounted transversely of the vehicle thrust line, and the laser light beam source is separately mounted. In this later case, the laser light beam source must be located with the axis of the light beam source extending parallel to the thrust line. It is often difficult to accurately align the laser light beam source on a mounting with the beam source axis extending parallel to the thrust line.
It is well known to align the front and rear wheels of a vehicle with alignment devices or systems. Modern wheel alignment systems, providing increased accuracy and ease of use, have relied on visible targets and computer processing of camera images of the wheel mounted visible targets. Such systems are often referred to as 3D image wheel aligner systems. Examples of methods and apparatus involving computerized image processing for alignment of motor vehicles are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,943,783 entitled "Method and apparatus for determining the alignment of motor vehicle wheels;" U.S. Pat. No. 5,809,658 entitled "Method and apparatus for calibrating cameras used in the alignment of motor vehicle wheels;" U.S. Pat. No. 5,724,743 entitled "Method and apparatus for determining the alignment of motor vehicle wheels;" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,535,522 entitled "Method and apparatus for determining the alignment of motor vehicle wheels." A wheel alignment system of the type described in these references is sometimes called a "3D aligner" or "visual aligner." An example of a commercial vehicle wheel aligner is the Visualiner 3D, commercially available from John Bean Company, Conway, Ark., a unit of Snap-on Tools Company.
The prior adaptive cruise control sensor alignment devices, including that disclosed in DE 19857871 (C1), have been designed for use with older alignment measurement heads. In view of the increased accuracy and ease of use, it would be advantageous if the 3D type visual aligner systems could be used to also perform alignment of an adaptive cruise control sensor. The prior adaptive cruise control sensor alignment devices, however, do not work with the more modern 3D type visual aligner systems, due to limiting parameters of the 3D visual aligner and/or the sensor itself.
Hence a need exists for an apparatus for use with a visual aligner system, such as used for wheel alignments, to allow the aligner to also perform an alignment of the sensor of the adaptive cruise control system on a host vehicle. There is an attendant need for a method that facilitates the alignment of an adaptive cruise control sensor of a vehicle using a 3D image wheel aligner.

Camera technique for adaptive cruise control (ACC) sensor adjustment


Example embodiments disclosed herein relate to file transfers based on telephone numbers. In example embodiments, a request to transfer a file from a first user (305) associated with a first telephone number (309) to a second user associated (310) with a second telephone number (314) is received. In example embodiments, the second telephone number (314) is determined based on access to call records. In example embodiments, the file is then stored in or transferred to a location identified using the second telephone number (314).

Prior to the global presence of the World Wide Web, people located apart from one another typically exchanged information via telephone conversations, faxes, and postal mail. With the rapid development of computer networks in the past several decades, users can now instantaneously transmit data to any location in the world. The ease with which data can be transmitted has encouraged widespread acceptance of email and other electronic methods for both business and personal communication.
As one example of the use of computer networks, a user may instantly transfer an electronic file, such as a word processing document, image, or video, to a location associated with a recipient, such as an email address, user name, or a location on a server. By downloading and opening the file on his or her computing device, the recipient can immediately access the transferred information. In current networks, in order to transfer an electronic file to another user, a computer user must typically know the other user's email address or another location identifier. Transferring files can therefore be burdensome when, for example, the recipient does not wish to disclose his or her identifier or when the transferring user simply does not know the recipient's identifier.

File transfers based on telephone numbers

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A method of loading a plurality of articles in a container. The method can include providing a container having a body and defining an interior chamber, providing a stack of articles comprising snack pieces having a convex surface, inserting the stack of articles at least partially into the interior chamber, and reorienting the leading article by forcing the leading article against the inner surface such that the convex surface of the article cooperates with the inner surface.

Preshaped snack pieces are typically frangible and might be fragile and easily broken during packaging, shipping and/or other handling operations. Conventional packaging techniques provide bags and/or boxes that can permit a significant number of the snack pieces to break or crush prior to consumption. The well known Pringles® shaped potato chip snack pieces, a product of The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, are individual snack pieces having a "saddle" shape and are packaged in a manner which overcomes disadvantages of the prior art. The Pringles® snack pieces have conventionally been packaged as a single nested stack in a cylindrical container which provides enhanced protection during packaging, shipping and/or other handling. As a result, the Pringles® snack pieces are typically presented to the consumer without breakage.
The "saddle" shape of the Pringles® snack pieces provide oppositely facing concave surfaces that present curved edges to engage a planar portion of the container when loading the chips. Pringles® snack pieces may be loaded by horizontally positioning an elongated circular cylindrical container and thereafter horizontally inserting a stack of snack pieces therein. As the snack pieces are inserted, the leading snack pieces typically tip over out of proper alignment with the remaining stack until the outer edge of the leading snack piece engages a flat planar surface of the bottom wall wherein the curvature of the outer edge of the snack piece facilitates reorientation of the leading snack piece to form a nested stack of snack pieces.
There is a continuing need for user-friendly, relatively inexpensive containers for packaging various frangible snack pieces to provide protection against breakage during packaging, shipping and/or other handling. It is further desired to provide containers that facilitate loading of snack pieces during production. There is further demand for containers that provide a user-friendly package and provide oxygen and moisture protection to prevent spoilage of snack pieces contained therein.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Apparatus for loading and transporting recreational vehicles includes a pickup truck. Four upright supports are coupled to the pickup's bed. An upper rack is coupled to the four upright supports, generally parallel to the bed with space between the rack and the bed to support a first recreational vehicle on the bed beneath the rack. A vehicle transport ramp is pivotally coupled to the upper rack pivotal from a first position in which a second recreational vehicle may drive onto the ramp to a second position, generally horizontal and parallel to the bed, for transporting the second vehicle on the ramp. The ramp has a displaceable extension for shortening the ramp's length when the ramp is pivoted to the second position. The displaceable extension is used for extending the length of the ramp to contact the ground when the ramp is in the first position. It also permits (1) extending the length of the ramp to couple with the first, removable extension when the ramp is in the first position and (2) shortening the length of the ramp when the ramp is in the second position. A winch is coupled to the rack for coupling to and assisting a second recreational vehicle to move up upon the ramp.

The need to provide a method of transporting recreational type vehicles such as Quad runners, snowmobiles, or jet skis easily and safely has been a problem. Different methods have been tried such as trailers or merely trying to stack them in the back of a pick-up truck. Using our apparatus, these vehicles can be transported easier and safer. It is to these ends that our invention is directed.

Apparatus for transporting recreational type vehicles


A multi-story transverse shifting type automatic parking device is described which is suited for a multi-story parking building. Each floor of the building is divided into at least one row of equal blocks, each row of equal blocks being formed with an elevator passage way centrally located and at least two parking units on the opposite sides of the elevator passage way. At least one lifting gearframe is installed in the elevator passage way and is driven horizontally from one row to another with a lifting gear mainframe which includes a mother elevator driven vertically and a multi-story daughter elevator driven to move vertically in the mother elevator. A plurality of pairs of transverse shifting mechanisms respectively fastened in each floor of the building are provided and each pair of which are fastened at opposite sides of the elevator passage way. A plurality of carriers respectively placed on the parking units on each floor in the multi-story parking building and are also placed in the multi-story daughter elevator. A car then is parked in the parking unit on a particular floor by moving the mother and daughter elevators and the transverse shifting mechanisms.

The present invention relates to automatic parking devices and relates more particularly to a multi-story, transverse shifting type automatic parking device which utilizes a mother elevator with a multi-story daughter elevator therein to match with a plurality of transverse shifting mechanisms for carrying a car to any parking unit on any floor. By means of the arrangement of the present invention, many parking units can be provided in the same unit area.
Due to an increasing number of cars, it has become the common problem for people living in big cities in the world to find a parking space for parking a car. However, it is very difficult to build sufficient parking lots in the limited land space in cities. In order to fully utilize the limited land space in cities, several parking devices have been disclosed, which include:
(A) Multi-deck parking device, which is to set up several parking units in a unit parking space with one above another for parking several cars by means of the operation of a lifting mechanism. A disadvantage of this structure of multi-deck parking device is that it can not be extended sidewards. Further, the car parked at the bottom deck should be moved out before parking a car at the topmost deck or taking it therefrom. Therefore, this structure of parking device is less effective in use.
(B) Horizontal circulation parking device, which is to utilize the basement of a building for parking cars by means of the operation of a horizontal circulation mechanism.
(C) Cage-delivered multi-story parking device, which utilizes a cage moved by a belt conveyer circulation system for carrying a car to either parking unit in either floor for parking.
These horizontal circulation parking device and cage-delivered multi-story parking device may make use of transversely or longitudinally extended space for parking cars. However, when parking or taking a car, the desired parking unit shall be moved to a common entrance. Therefore, much time is required in parking or taking a car and, high flow rate can not be achieved.
(D) Elevator-delivered multi-story parking device, which utilizes an elevator for carrying a car to either floor in a building for parking. This structure of elevator-delivered multi-story parking device is still not satisfactory in use because it can not eliminate the disadvantages as described in the cage-delivered multi-story parking device.

Multi-story, transverse shifting type automatic parking device


A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional fiber-reinforced part utilizing the single-tool method of stereolithography. The tool is fabricated by designing the tool on a computer-aided design system and curing successive layers of a fluid medium via a computer-controlled irradiation source to form the three-dimensional tool. The desired part is generated by applying layers of resin-wetted fabric to the tool, curing the fabric on the tool, removing the tool from the designed part and cleaning, trimming and inspecting the designed part.

The manufacture of fiber-reinforced three-dimensional parts is typically accomplished by one of two methods: master tooling; or "contact lay-up." The master tooling method includes the fabrication of a solid pattern typically of wood or metal via a multi-step tooling process. This method of tooling is not employed often due to th craftsmanship skills and experience needed to work with a solid wood or metal pattern.
Generally, the contact lay-up method of tooling includes the steps of: (1) fabricating a tool; (2) applying resin-wetted layers of fiber material to the tool; (3) curing the fiber layers; (4) removing the tool; and (5) trimming and cleaning the part. The primary disadvantage of this method of tooling is the amount of time and expense incurred to fabricate the tool. Manufacture of a single three-dimensional part by this method requires a minimum of three intermediate tools. If the part to be manufactured includes negative draft angles or other complex shaping requirements, more than three intermediate tools may be required. Additionally, design changes are difficult to incorporate. Finally, human error, storage and maintenance requirements, and labor-intensive in-processing severely limit this method.
Thus a need has arisen for a manufacturing method whereby fiber-reinforced three-dimensional parts are created utilizing a single-tool process, thereby minimizing material, time and labor resources while offering greater flexibility and accuracy.

Method for manufacturing fiber-reinforced parts utilizing stereolithography tooling


Apparatus and method are described for controlling thickness of plastic films produced by the blown film process. The apparatus is an air cooling ring modified to include devices for locally modifying the temperature of the air discharged from the air ring onto the blown bubble. Local variations in the temperature of the cooling air applied to the surface of the bubble result in variations in the bubble cooling rate and viscosity, with consequent variations in thinning during transverse bubble expansion. The method includes controlling the location and extent of local temperature variation applied to the bubble in response to comparison of measured film thickness with a desired film thickness.

1. Field of the invention
This invention comprises apparatus and method for controlling gauge uniformity in the manufacture of blown plastic film.
2. Review of the Prior Art
Production of blown plastic film by the processes of extruding molten polymer through an annular die nozzle, surrounding the extruded tube by an air cooling ring, cooling the extruded tube by discharging air from the air cooling ring onto the surface of the extruded tube, holding the extruded polymer tube closed between opposed nip rolls, inflating the closed tube between the annular die nozzle and the nip rolls to a diameter greater than that of the annular die, and drawing the polymer tube from the nozzle with the nip rolls at a rate greater than the linear rate of discharge from the annular die nozzle is well known. Uniformity of the nozzle gap, distribution of the air from the cooling ring, uniformity of temperature and attendant viscosity of the molten polymer, cleanliness and maintenance of the equipment and environmental factor in the building in which the equipment is located have all been recognized as influencing the uniformity of the gauge of the finished blown film. In view of the detrimental effects of gauge non-uniformity to subsequent processing wound rolls of blown film, it is customary to rotate portions of the equipment, e.g. extruder, die, nip rolls and collapser, to effect a distribution of gauge non-uniformity across the roll face.
While the previously mentioned factors have long been recognized to lead to gauge non-uniformities in the finished film, numerous schemes have been proposed to deliberately adjust some of these same factors to compensate for the gauge non-uniformities or to produce a desired thickness profile. In the flat die area, both local mechanical adjustments of the die opening in response to a thickness measurement signal, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,122,782 and 3,122,783 and direct local heating of selected portions of the die responsible for greater thickness U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,711 are known.
A series of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,246,212; 4,339,403; 4,339,404; 4,351,785; 4,425,290; 4,464,318 extend the basic methods of mechanical deformation and/or temperature variation of the die lips to annular blown film dies. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,212 the outer nozzle ring of the annular die has been subdivided into a number of temperature control sectors which can be separately supplied with heated or cooled fluids to locally affect melt viscosity and the resulting film thickness.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,403 the correcting sections of the nozzle ring, either mechanical or thermal, are influenced in response to the circumferential lengths of film sectors of constant cross sectional area, until such circumferential lengths are equal. The remaining patents in this series deal with methods for determining and implementing correction commands.
In European EPO 325 961 A2 blown film thickness control by means of infrared heaters arranged about the bubble circumference downstream of the die and air ring has been shown. In this method, infrared heaters, whose wavelengths must be matched to the absorption characteristics of the film being processed, are used to heat locally thick areas, thereby reducing the resistance to deformation, with the net result that the thickness uniformity following transverse expansion is improved. Use of heaters in the flat die area in cases of biaxial orientation involving reheating followed by machine direction and transverse deformation are generally known, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,873.
While the previously mentioned patents all describe variation in techniques previously used in flat die extrusion applications, U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,475 describes an apparatus and method for controlling film thickness that is unique to blown film processing. As previously indicated, in the blown film process it is customary to apply one or more stream of cooling air to the extruded tube following extrusion. In the '475 patent an air ring is described that is equipped with a large number of independently adjustable blades that can project into the discharged cooling air stream. These deflector blades, by locally inducing more or less local turbulence into the cooling air stream, will offset cooling of the extruded tube along longitudinal bands. By selectively altering the cooling rates along the longitudinal bands in response to gauge variation in the expanded film, these variations can be reduced, i.e. slower cooling of thick bands relative to adjacent thin ones results in proportionally more deformation during transverse tube expansion and consequent variation or difference in film gauge. Although this patent primarily dealt with manual actuation of the deflector blades, mention was made of a system utilizing motorized adjustment of individual blades in response to control signals from an online thickness measuring device.

Air ring for controlling blown film thickness

Battenfeld Gloucester Engineering Co., Inc.


A vehicle control system has a battery, a vehicle alternator for charging the battery, a vehicle-alternator control device capable of controlling the vehicle alternator, and a battery current detection device. The battery current detection device has a battery current detecting means capable of detecting a charging/discharging current of the battery, a battery voltage detection means capable of detecting a voltage of the battery, a battery temperature detection means capable of detecting a temperature of the battery, a microcomputer, and a communication controller. The communication controller performs digital data communication to transfer digital control signals between the vehicle alternator and the battery current detection device. The vehicle alternator has a display unit to display the occurrence of abnormal information of those detection means transferred from the battery current detection device, the occurrence of a battery failure, and a disconnecting of a charging wire of the battery by using different display patterns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle control systems capable of controlling electric-power generation state of a vehicle alternator based on a battery condition mounted to vehicles such as passenger vehicles and trucks.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a well-known sensor failure detection device equipped with a data processing unit and a special display unit mounted to a vehicle. The data processing unit detects the occurrence of a current sensor failure and a voltage sensor failure. The current sensor detects a charging current and a discharging current of a battery. On the other hand, the voltage sensor detects the output voltage of the battery. The display unit displays the occurrence of a current sensor failure or a voltage sensor failure in order to inform the occurrence of those sensor failures to the vehicle driver and passengers. For example, Japanese patent laid open publication NO. JP 2003-68366 discloses such a conventional sensor failure detection device.
There is another well-known control device such as engine control unit (ECU) capable of controlling the generation amount of electric power of a vehicle alternator based on a battery temperature detected by a battery temperature sensor. The ECU further detects the occurrence of abnormal state of the battery temperature sensor. When detecting the occurrence of abnormal state of the battery temperature sensor, the ECU informs a vehicle driver the occurrence of abnormal state of the battery temperature sensor through a warning lamp. For example, Japanese patent laid open publication NO. JP 2007-97336 discloses such a conventional control device.
The former and latter conventional control devices described above inform to the vehicle driver or passengers the occurrence of abnormal state of the temperature sensor and the voltage sensor through the display unit or the warning lamp when the data processing unit or the ECU detects the abnormal state of each sensor.
However, those conventional devices are equipped with an additional special display unit or an additional special warning lamp in order to display the occurrence of abnormal state of each sensor. This requires an additional area of packaging an instrument panel on which the special display unit or special warning lamp is mounted. This further increases the total manufacturing cost thereof.

Vehicle control system capable of controlling electric-power generation state of vehicle alternator


A multi-symbol indication apparatus, may include a plurality of light sources, each of the light sources emitting light of a single color, a plurality of filter units, each of the filter units installed above the light sources with different height each other and reflecting light of the single color corresponding to the relevant light source, wherein a symbol may be carved on each of the filter units, and a display cover installed above the filter units.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-symbol indication apparatus, which can apply multiple symbols to a limited space by theoretically using a plurality of filters when the operating wavelength ranges of light sources and filters do not overlap each other.
2. Description of Related Art
A multi-symbol indication apparatus refers to an apparatus used when multiple symbols must be selectively indicated in a limited space.
Such an apparatus is mainly used in an indicator or the like of a vehicle, and is configured such that individual symbols emit light of different colors so as to indicate multiple symbols while alternating the symbols at the same location on a single panel.
In the prior art, for this functionality, a multi-symbol indication apparatus is configured such that a plurality of light sources of different colors are provided and a single panel is installed above the light sources, wherein a part of the panel in which symbols appear is processed to be transparent, the respective symbol parts are coated with different colors to perform filtering, and overlapping parts are processed to be transparent, thus enabling the respective symbols to appear in different colors at the same location.
That is, there is a single panel, but the symbols in the panel are coated with different colors for filtering and the overlapping parts are processed to be transparent so that different colors can pass through the respective symbols of the panel.
However, such a multi-symbol indication apparatus is disadvantageous in that the individual symbols are carved and coated, and the overlapping parts are processed to be transparent, thus requiring very delicate and complicated operations.
As a result, a defective rate has increased. Further, the overlapping parts are processed to be transparent and then cause a difference in luminance with the remaining parts, thus causing even a single symbol to appear spotted in spite of being the same color.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.


Disclosed is a light source device. The light source device includes:                a light guide plate;        a reflector disposed under the light guide plate;        a light source unit optically coupled to the light guide plate; and        a photo luminescent film disposed between the light guide plate and the light source unit, wherein the photo luminescent film includes at least two partitioned areas, and wherein a first fluorescent material included in at least one area of the at least two areas is different from a second fluorescent material included in the other areas.

Field
This embodiment relates to a light source device.
Description of the Related Art
In general, an electric bulb or a fluorescent lamp is commonly used as an indoor or outdoor lighting lamp. However, the electric bulb or the fluorescent lamp has a short life span, so that it should be frequently changed. Moreover, a conventional fluorescent lamp is degraded due to elapse of time for its use. As a result, it is often that its illuminance is gradually decreased.
In order to overcome such problems, a lighting apparatus is now being developed by using a light emitting device (hereinafter, referred to as LED). The LED is easy to control and has a rapid response speed, high electro-optic conversion efficiency, a long life span, low power consumption and high luminance. The LED is also used to create emotional lighting.
Light emitting device (LED) lighting is next generation lighting. Since the LED lighting uses a semiconductor device and light with a longer wavelength than that of an ultraviolet ray, it is not harmful to human body.
Therefore, many lighting apparatuses to which the LED is applied are now being developed. However, a lot of parts are required at present to create various colors or a characteristic of light which is a source of lighting, for example, a color rendering index (CRI).


The present invention is capable of eliminating the line unit in an air conditioner that includes a plurality of heat source units, and hold increases in onsite line construction to a minimum while making it possible to adjust the amount of refrigerant in the air conditioner. The air conditioner includes a plurality of heat source units, a refrigerant liquid junction line and a refrigerant gas junction line, user units, and a refrigerant supply circuit. The refrigerant supply circuit is used in situations in which some of the plurality of heat source units stop operating in response to the operational burden of the user units, and is formed from refrigerant removal lines that remove refrigerant that accumulates inside stopped heat source units to the exterior thereof, and an oil equalization line and oil removal lines that connect the refrigerant removal lines of each stopped heat source unit and the intake sides of the compression mechanisms of the operating heat source units.

In some conventional air conditioners having a plurality of heat source units, heat source side branch liquid lines and heat source side branch gas lines of the plurality of heat source units are connected to a separately provided line unit, and the heat source side branch liquid lines and the heat source side branch gas lines are merged together inside the line unit as a refrigerant liquid junction line and a refrigerant gas junction line and connected to user units.
This line unit not only functions to integrate the aforementioned heat source side branch liquid lines and the heat source side branch gas lines into a refrigerant liquid junction line and a refrigerant gas junction line, but when some of the plurality of heat source units stop operating in response to the operational burden of the user units, the line unit also functions to accumulate refrigerant inside the stopped heat source units to prevent a shortage in the refrigerant that flows between the user units and the operating heat source units.
With this type of air conditioner, the heat source side branch liquid lines and the heat source side branch gas lines of each heat source unit can be merged together into a refrigerant liquid junction line and a refrigerant gas junction line by simply connecting the heat source side branch liquid lines and the heat source side branch gas lines to the line unit, and thus the ability to construct the air conditioner at the location in which it is to be installed can be improved (see, for example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. H06-249527).
However, from a manufacturing viewpoint, the line unit of the aforementioned conventional air conditioner must be manufactured and stored as inventory, and thus causes costs to increase. Thus, there is a need to eliminate the line unit when seen from the perspective of manufacturing these units.


A trigger device for setting a downhole tool is disclosed. The trigger device includes a retaining member that prevents the downhole tool from setting until it is properly positioned within the well. Regardless of the type of downhole tool or the type of trigger device, the retaining member includes a dissolvable material that dissolves when contacted by a solvent. The dissolvable material is preferably one that dissolves at a known rate so that the amount of time necessary for the downhole tool to set is pre-determined. Preferably, the solvent is a water-based or hydrocarbon-based drilling fluid or mud.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention is directed to trigger devices for actuating downhole tools and, in particular, trigger devices having a dissolvable material such that when the dissolvable material dissolves, the trigger device is activated and the downhole tool is actuated.
2. Description of Art
Some downhole tools need to be retained in an unset position until properly placed in the well. It is only when they are properly located within the well that the downhole tool is set. Such downhole tools in the past have had trigger mechanisms that are retained in an immovable position while the downhole tool is being "run" into the well and properly placed within the well. One prior technique for holding the trigger mechanism immobile until the downhole tool is properly placed in the well involves disabling the trigger with a mechanical device that is held against movement by a Kevlar® high strength fiber and an associated electrically powered heat source generally powered by stored batteries in the downhole tool. The generation of sufficient heat burns the fibers and releases the trigger so that the tool can set. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,153. One problem with this trigger mechanism is that it is extremely difficult to generate sufficient heat downhole to burn the fibers without damaging adjacent components. This is because the physical size of the battery pack must be large enough to provide sufficient energy to generate the necessary temperature, for the necessary duration, to break the fibers. Another issue is the very high temperatures needed to break the fibers and the effect on the overall design of the downhole tool from having to keep heat sensitive components away from the heated area.
Another prior trigger mechanism includes a battery operated heater coil in a downhole tool to release the trigger by applying heat and melting a plug to start the setting sequence. This design is reflected in U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,234. As with the other prior attempt, the size of the battery to provide the required electrical capacity to create enough heat to melt the plug presents a space concern in a downhole tool where space for a large power supply is at a premium. Further, the heat sensitive components must be shielded from the heater coil. The cost and the reliability of a large battery pack is also can be a problem. Additionally, safety is another issue because some batteries need special shipping and handling requirements.
Still other alternatives involve the large battery pack to accomplish a release of the trigger. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,153 also suggests using solder wire that melts at relatively low temperatures to be the trigger material or using the stored power in the battery to advance a knife to physically cut the fiber as opposed to breaking it with a battery operated heat source.
In other prior attempts, pressures from fluids pumped down the well are used to break shear pins on the downhole tools. The use of shear pins, however, requires elevated directional pressure forces acting on the shear pins. However, in some instances sufficient pressure may not be available. Alternatively, in some wells, pressure, even if available, cannot be utilized because additional intervention steps are required which results in the well experiencing undesirable "downtime" for the additional intervention steps. Additionally, in some instances, the shear pins fail to shear when they are supposed to, causing further delays.
Accordingly, prior to the present inventions trigger devices and methods for actuating downhole tools have been desired in the art which: permit customization of the trigger device such that the amount of time for the trigger device to be activated is pre-determined; permit setting of downhole tools without the need for high pressures or heat; allow the setting of the downhole tool without additional intervention steps and, thus, decreasing the costs associated with actuating the downhole tools.


The present disclosure describes novel methods that can be utilized to choose, set up, open, and/or manage an online account at a financial institution. The present disclosure addresses prior art problems of online account opening by describing methods for automating key aspects of the account opening process for customers such as tailoring the presentation of information to the online customer based at least in part on the customer's input, performing suitability checks for the customer based on online products chosen by the customer, presenting cross-sell products to the customer based on information known by the financial institution or currently received from the customer, and allowing a pending customer to complete the online application procedure in the absence of a confirmed identification of the online customer.

Electronic banking methods, including online accounts, have been in use for a number of years. For customers, the ease of access to account information and money management tools from virtually any location where computer connectivity is available is a very attractive and much less time consuming alternative than having to physically appear at a financial institution, such as a bank. For the financial institution that is offering online accounts to their customers, the economic benefits of online accounts are extraordinary. These benefits typically include less paper to handle, easier audit procedures, more streamlined operations, fewer employees to manage, more efficient and effective accounting through expanded use of automation, increased ability to provide interactive products to customers, etc.
While electronic banking methods have made life easier for customers once the electronic accounts are set up, the same cannot be said about the typical procedure used for opening the online (electronic) account. Typical systems in use today do not automate the online account opening process thereby creating a barrier to entry for customers who would otherwise benefit from an online account. Many existing online account opening systems require the customer to provide information to the financial institution which must then contact the potential customer later, typically via an offline communication. The customer's information must then be handled manually by an employee or temporary employee of the financial institution thereby greatly increasing the time necessary for opening an online account as well as dramatically increasing the probability for errors in processing the customer's request. Consequently, the customer resistance to the hassle, real or perceived, involved in opening an online account limits the potential benefits such accounts provide to both customers and financial institutions. Additionally, current nonautomated systems cannot take advantage of cross-sell opportunities that may present themselves if the online account opening system were automated.
The present disclosure addresses the above problems by describing methods for automating key aspects of the account opening process for customers. These methods may include, for example, ensuring that the online accounts comply with all applicable laws and regulations, establishing business processes as needed to implement and support the online account opening solution, streamlining the online account opening process for the financial institution and customers or potential customers, increasing the overall efficiency of the operation of the financial institution, etc. Some of the efficiency benefits that may be realized by automating the online account opening process may include, for example, reducing labor costs (typically for temporary personnel) incurred in support of the online account opening process, reducing the expense associated with current, nonautomated, methods for online account opening, accelerating the funding rate of accounts opened online, increasing the offer and acceptance rates of cross-sell opportunities at the time of opening the online account, obtaining quicker and more efficient access to the increasing population segment of customers who prefer to conduct business online, and engendering increased customer satisfaction by improving the customer experience for online account opening.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a method for interfacing with a financial institution using a computer interface where the method may include receiving a customer's interface request at the financial institution; sending a first content to the customer where the first content may be presented to the customer and may include a list comprising one or more products; receiving at the financial institution a first input from the customer which may be based on the first content and may include a choice of one or more of the offered products; determining if the customer is a current online client of the financial institution; if the customer is a current online client, receiving from the customer a first set of information which may be verified by the financial institution (or by a third party which is not part of the financial institution) and sending a second content to the customer; if the customer is not a current online client or if the first set of information is not verified by the financial institution (or third party), requesting a second set of information from the customer and determining a status of the customer (either internally by the financial institution or externally by a third party), by (i) receiving at the financial institution the second set of information from the customer; (ii) determining if the customer is an offline client of the financial institution which may be based on the second set of information and if the customer is an offline client, sending the second content to the customer; and (iii) determining an identification of the customer if the second information has been received and the customer has been determined to be an offline client, or flagging the customer as a pending customer if an identification of the customer cannot be determined; performing a suitability check on the customer or pending customer which may be based on the first input; approving the customer or pending customer for the chosen product which may be based on the suitability check or flagging the customer as a pending customer if not approved for the chosen product (which may be based on the suitability check); and sending a third content to the customer or pending customer which may be based on a set of qualification criteria where the third content may include a list comprising one or more cross-sell products.
Additionally, the above method may further include receiving at the financial institution a second input from the customer or pending customer which may be based on the third content and may include a choice of one or more cross-sell products; sending a fourth content to the customer or pending customer; and sending a fifth content to the customer or pending customer.
Still further, the above method may include setting up an account for the customer if the customer has been approved for the chosen product; and informing the customer of the account set up.
The above advantages, as well as many other advantages, of the present disclosure will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains from a perusal of the claims, the appended drawings, and the following detailed description.


The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and computer readable media that evaluate performance of a machine learning system in connection with a test dataset. For example, systems disclosed herein may receive a test dataset and identify label information for the test dataset including feature information and ground truth data. The systems disclosed herein can compare the ground truth data and outputs generated by a machine learning system to evaluate performance of the machine learning system with respect to the test dataset. The systems disclosed herein may further generate feature clusters based on failed outputs and corresponding features and generate a number of performance views that illustrate performance of the machine learning system with respect to clustered groupings of the test dataset.

Recent years have seen significant improvements and developments in machine learning models that are trained to generate outputs or perform various tasks. Indeed, as machine learning models become more prevalent and complex, the utility of machine learning models continues to increase. For instance, machine learning technology is now being used in applications of transportation, healthcare, criminal justice, education, and productivity. Moreover, machine learning models are often trusted to make high-stakes decisions with significant consequences for individuals and companies.
While machine learning models provide useful tools for processing content and generating a wide variety of outputs, accuracy and reliability of machine learning models continues to be a concern. For example, because machine learning models are often implemented as black boxes in which only inputs and outputs are known, failures or inaccuracies in outputs of machine learning models are difficult to analyze or evaluate. As a result, it is often difficult or impossible for conventional training or testing systems to understand what is causing the machine learning model to fail or generate inaccurate outputs with respect to various inputs. Moreover, conventional training and testing systems are often left to employ brute-force training techniques that are often expensive and inefficient at correcting inaccuracies in machine learning models.

Characterizing failures of a machine learning model based on instance features


A cooling system for a low-pressure casting mold is provided, in which a sprue is located at a side surface of a cylinder head to ensure a sufficient distance between a combustion chamber and the sprue so that a combustion chamber cooling system combined with water cooling and air cooling is provided in a lower mold, thus reducing cycle time. Moreover, the cooling system for a low-pressure casting mold improves mechanical properties of a material used by reducing dendrite arm spacing (DAS) and porosity.

(a) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cooling system for a low-pressure casting mold. More particularly, the present invention relates to a cooling system for a low-pressure casting mold, which can reduce cycle time with an improved cooling rate and improve properties of a material used.
(b) Background Art
Generally, a low pressure casting process is intended to gradually cast molten metal at low pressure from a lower portion of a mold, and to allow the molten metal to be solidified. Such a low pressure casting process is used to produce engine blocks, cylinder heads, wheels, etc., since the molten metal produces few casting defects with fewer foreign substances, such as oxides, and thus it is possible to produce precision casting products.
The low pressure casting process is used in casting aluminum alloys, as well as copper alloys and cast iron. For an aluminum alloy, an appropriate mold temperature is 300 to 400° C. Since the bottom of the mold is adjacent to a heat source, its temperature is naturally about 50 to 100° C. higher, and thus it is possible to achieve directional solidification.
A low pressure casting process is determined by a correlation between a change in pressure of a pressure tank and a back pressure in the mold space. The higher the casting rate, the higher the back pressure; however, the back pressure is negligible compared with the pressure of a tank if the gas is sufficiently exhausted.
Accordingly, in the casting process, it is necessary only to control the pressure of the tank.
A pressurizing process in the low pressure casting process is divided broadly into three steps. The first step is a process in which molten metal rises directly under a sprue in a feeding pipe (connection pipe) upon pressurization.
In this case, the connection pipe is kept warm using a gas burner to reduce a drop in temperature of the molten metal. Moreover, since the molten metal should rapidly rise in a state where air is not mixed by shaking of the molten metal or oxides, it is necessary to use a casting machine with ventilation capability.
The second step is a process in which the molten metal is cast into the mold space through the sprue. The casting rate should be high to prevent occurrence of whirl and should be low to prevent gas inclusion.
The third step is a solidification process after the molten metal is completely cast into the mold and is related to a riser effect. According to this step, it is preferable that the pressurizing force is high; however, if it is too high, a gas discharge hole may become clogged or a coating material may be peeled off.
When a sand core is used, it is necessary to control the shift timing from the second step to the third step and the pressure rate.
Accordingly, after the molten metal cast into the mold is completely solidified, the molten metal in the feeding pipe that is not yet solidified is returned to a molten-metal holding furnace by eliminating the pressure exerted thereon, and the mold is opened to enable the molded product to be extracted.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary conventional low-pressure casting apparatus for aluminum products, in which a mold is disposed at an upper portion and a casting means for casting molten metal is disposed at a lower portion.
The mold is divided into an upper mold 1 and a lower mold 2, in which the upper mold 1 is connected to a moving plate 3 moving up and down.
The casting means includes a tank 6 having a predetermined volume, in which a pressure gas supply inlet 4 is formed on one side and a molten metal filling inlet 5 is formed on the other side, a furnace 7 disposed on the bottom surface of the tank 6, and a casting passage 8, through which the molten metal in the furnace 7 is cast into a cavity of the mold, connected between the furnace 7 and the cavity of the mold.
Accordingly, at the same time when gas is supplied into the tank 6 through the pressure gas supply inlet 4, the pressure of the gas is exerted on the surface of the molten melt in the furnace 7 and, subsequently, the molten melt is cast into the cavity of the mold through the casting passage 8. After the molten melt cast into the mold is completely solidified, the pressure is removed to allow a molded product to be extracted.
FIGS. 2 and 9 are diagrams illustrating the position of a sprue 11 in a conventional low-pressure casting mold for a cylinder head 10, in which the sprue 11 is preferably located on a lower surface of the cylinder head 10, and thus the direction that the molten metal is cast is from the bottom to the top. Accordingly, an overhead gate 22 is formed at the bottom of the conventional sprue 11.
In this case, the molten melt is directionally solidified from the diagonally opposite side of the gate 22 to the gate 22, i.e., solidified from the upper surface to the lower surface of the cylinder head 10.
Moreover, after the molten metal is filled in the mold, the cylinder head 10 is solidified by air cooling through the upper and lower molds 1 and 2.
FIG. 3 is an exemplary perspective view showing a conventional connection pipe. The connection pipe 12 connects a casting furnace to a mold so as to cast molten metal in the casting furnace provided at the bottom to a cavity of the mold. A plurality of sprues 12a and 12b is preferably formed in the inside of the connection pipe 12 such that the molten metal is cast into the cavity of the mold through the sprues 12a and 12b.
Preferably, the connection pipe 12 should be kept warm so that the molten metal is cast at a predetermined temperature. Suitably, conventionally, the periphery of the connection pipe 12 is heated by a gas burner.
However, it is difficult to adjust the temperature of the gas burner, and it is also difficult to cool the overheated mold, and the energy cost required to operating the gas burner is high.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing an exemplary structure of a conventional lower mold 13 and, as shown in the figure, the conventional lower mold 13 is of an overhead gate type in which the distance between a combustion chamber 13b and a sprue 13a is short.
However, there is insufficient space for installing a cooling system for the combustion chamber as shown in the above structure, and the sprue may be clogged in the event of overheating, and the combustion chamber is not cooled.
In particular, as shown in exemplary FIGS. 5A and 5B, a cooling groove 14 is provided at a portion where hot spots are formed on the lower surface of a lower mold 13 to cool the hot spots between the sprues 13a by air, and a cooling block 15 assembled with two pipes 16a and 16b in both directions of the cooling groove 14 is connected to the cooling groove 14. Two inlets and outlets are formed in the up and down direction of the cooling block 15 so that air supplied through a cooling pipe 16a provided on one side is introduced through the inlets of the cooling block 15 to cool the lower surface of the lower mold 13 and is then discharged through the outlets of the cooling block 15 to a cooling pipe 16b provided on the other side.
The above-described structure can eliminate shrinkage defect; however, the cooling effect is reduced.
Moreover, as shown in exemplary FIGS. 6 and 7, when gas is introduced and discharged through an inlet 18a and an outlet 18b, formed on the side surface of a conventional mold 17a, the gas is not cooled and naturally discharged. Reference numeral 17b denotes a mold cover.
FIG. 8 shows a cooling structure of a conventional upper mold, in which air cooling is performed to eliminate shrinkage defect of a spark plug 19; however, the shrinkage defect occurs intermittently, and an upper mold 20 is not efficiently cooled. Reference number 21 is an air cooling pipe.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Cooling system for low-pressure casting mold


A method includes coupling, by using a switching circuit, a first node to a bulk node of an input/output (IO) circuit of a memory circuit when the IO circuit operates in an active mode. The first node is configured to carry a first voltage level sufficient to cause a set of transistors of the IO circuit to have a first threshold voltage. A second node is coupled to the bulk node by using the switching circuit when the IO circuit operates in an inactive mode. The second node is configured to carry a second voltage level sufficient to cause the set of transistors of the IO circuit to have a second threshold voltage, and an absolute value of the second threshold voltage is greater than an absolute value of the first threshold voltage.

As advanced technologies evolve, controlling leakage current becomes more and more important. Currently, in various applications, the bulks of MOS transistors are connected directly to a regular voltage source. For example, the bulks of NMOS transistors are coupled to a first voltage source providing a reference voltage VSS while the bulks of PMOS transistors are coupled to a second voltage source providing an operational voltage VDD. Such configurations, though, result in some leakage current, but the leakage current is acceptable for existing applications in slower semiconductor technology nodes such as 130 nm. For faster applications in advanced semiconductor nodes such as 40 nm, the once-acceptable leakage current is no longer acceptable. New mechanisms are needed to better control the leakage current.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.


To convert an analog current to a digital signal using a high-speed pipelined analog-to-digigal (A/D) converter, the A/D converter may comprise a current sample- and hold (S/H) circuit at the input and several identical pipelined stages, where each stage contains a current S/H circuit, a current interstage low-resolution A/D converter and current references. To improve the speed of pipelined current-mode A/D converters the capacitive load seen by the output of every stage will be reduced. By adjusting the reference currents the power consumption will also be reduced. It is possible to achieve about 100 Msamples/s conversion rate and to reduce the power consumption by several times compared with existing designs. To increase the operation speed and to provide means to reduce the power consumption the pipelined current-mode A/D converter may comprise an S/H circuit (7) as the input and N pipelined stages (8), each of which contains an internal low-resolution A/D converter (9), a D/A converter (10), an S/H circuit (11), a reference current source (12) and an adder/subtractor (13). The most distinguishing features of the invented architecture are: 1) the inputs to the internal A/D converter and the interstage S/H circuit are timeinterleaved; and 2) the reference current to the D/A converter in every stage can be different.

Traditionally CMOS A/D converters have been designed by using switched-capacitor technique. But these kind of A/D converters usually call for linear capacitors. In a digital CMOS process, there is only one poly layer available. To create linear capacitors in the digital CMOS process, extra process steps are needed, which would increase the cost. It is therefore of interest to design CMOS A/D converters in the digital CMOS process. This can be accomplished by using the current mode approach, see for example: "Analog IC Design: the Current-Mode Approach", C. Toumazou, F. J. Lidgey and D. G. Haig (Eds), Peter Peregrinus Ltd., 1990 and "Switched-Currents: an Analogue Technique for Digital Technology", C. Toumazou, J. B. Hughes and N. C Bettersby (Eds), Peter Peregrinus Ltd., 1993.
A high-speed pipelined A/D converter was presented in "A CMOS transistor--only 8-b 4.5--Ms/s pipelined analog-to-digital converter using fully-differential current-mode curcuit techniques" C. -Y. Wu, C. -C. Chen and J. -J. Cho, IEEE J. Solid--State Circuits, May 1995 pp. 522-532. In FIG. 1 there is shown a 1-bit-per-stage architecture. The A/D converter consists of a current sample-and-hold (S/H) circuit 1 at the input and 8 identical 1-bit pipelined stages 2. Each stage 2 contains a current S/H 3 circuit, an inter stage current amplifier/adder 4, a current comparator 5 and current references 6.
If the input current I.sub.j is positive, the output of the current comparator is ONE and the residual current to the next stage is (2I.sub.j -I.sub.ref). If the input current I.sub.j is negative, the output of the current comparator is ZERO and the residual current to the next stage is (2I.sub.j +I.sub.ref). The residual current I.sub.j+l is then sent to the next stage to determine next bit. The sampled input currents can therefore be pipelined to determine its digital codes sequentially.
In practical realization the function of multiplication by 2 can be realized in the S/H circuit by using a current mirror as in the reference "A CMOS transistor--only 8-b 4.5--Ms/s pipelined analog-to-digital converter using fully-differential current-mode circuit techniques". However, the current mirrors include extra capacitive load to the S/H circuit, which limits the speed. Another drawback is that every stage is treated equally and therefore the power consumtion cannot be optimized.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,657: "Pipelined analog-to-digital architecture with parallel-autozero analog signal processing" the invention relates to an A/D converter for converting analog signals to digital signals and in particular to a pipelined A/D converter having a cascade connection of A/D-D/A sub-blocks respectively for determining partial bits of a conversion output. The cited invention is based on the traditional voltage-mode approach, and therefore is not in the scope of the invention where a current mode approach is used.

Current-mode pipelined ADC with time-interleaved sampling and mixed reference and residue scaling