A light-emitting device has a main semiconductor region formed via an n-type AlInGaN buffer region on a p-type silicon substrate, the latter being sufficiently electroconductive to provide part of the current path through the device. Constituting the primary working part of the LED, the main semiconductor region comprises an n-type GaN layer, an active layer, and a p-type GaN layer, which are successively epitaxially grown in that order on the buffer region. A heterojunction is created between p-type substrate and n-type buffer region. Carrier transportation from substrate to buffer region is expedited by the interface levels of the heterojunction, with a consequent reduction of the drive voltage requirement of the LED.

This invention relates to semiconductor devices, and particularly to those of the class employing nitrides or derivatives thereof as semiconductors, as typified by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and transistors.
Nitride-based semiconductor devices have been known and used extensively which are built upon substrates of sapphire, silicon, or silicon carbide. Of these known substrate materials, silicon offers the advantages of greater ease of machining and less expensiveness than the others. Additionally, unlike sapphire, silicon permits doping to provide a substrate that is sufficiently electroconductive to serve as part of the main current path in the device. Offsetting these advantages of the silicon substrate, as incorporated in semiconductor devices of prior art design, was a comparatively great voltage drop across the potential barrier between the substrate and the nitride semiconductor region thereon. As a result, in the case of LEDs for example, an unnecessarily high drive voltage was required for obtaining light of desired intensity.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-208729 teaches an LED explicitly designed to resolve the noted difficulties accompanying the silicon substrate. Successively grown by epitaxy on an n-type silicon substrate according to this prior art are an aluminum nitride (AIN) buffer layer, an n-type indium gallium nitride (InGaN) layer, an n-type gallium nitride (GaN) layer, an InGaN active layer, and a p-type GaN layer. In the course of the epitaxial growth of these layers, there are diffused into the silicon substrate both indium and gallium from the InGaN layer and aluminum from the AIN buffer layer. The result is the creation of a Ga—In—Al—Si alloy layer to a certain depth from the surface of the silicon substrate. Lowering the potential barrier of the heterojunction between the silicon substrate and the AIN buffer layer, the Ga—In—Al—Si alloy layer serves to reduce the drive voltage required by the LED for a current of given magnitude. Less power loss and higher efficiency are thus accomplished.
Despite the creation of the alloy layer as above, the potential barrier between the n-type silicon substrate and the overlying nitride semiconductor layer has still been not nearly so low as can be desired. The drive voltage required by the silicon-substrate LED with the alloy layer has been approximately 1.2 times as high as that of the more conventional sapphire-substrate LED for given output light intensity. The same problem has affected not just LEDs but transistors and other semiconductor devices in which current flows through the silicon substrate in its thickness direction.
Another problem with the LED concerns an electrode configuration on its light-emitting surface. The electrode must be so constructed and arranged on the light-emitting surface as to meet the dual, somewhat contradictory requirements of how to produce light of utmost intensity from the light-emitting surface and how to expedite electric connection of the electrode to wire or like conductor. A well known electrode configuration is to overlay the light-emitting surface with a transparent electrode, as of a mixture (hereinafter referred to as ITO) of indium oxide (In2O3) and stannic oxide (SnO2) and to place an opaque wire-bonding pad centrally on the transparent electrode. The transparent electrode takes the form of a film of electroconductive material as thin as, say, 10 nanometers. The metal from which is made the bonding pad is easy to diffuse into the transparent electrode and, possibly, further into the underlying semiconductor region, with the consequent creation of a Schottky barrier between the bonding pad and the semiconductor region.
Capable of interrupting the forward current of the LED, the Schottky barrier reduces the amount of current flowing through that part of the semiconductor region which lies right under the bonding pad. The result is the flow of a correspondingly greater amount of current through the outer part of the semiconductor region which is out of register with the bonding pad. Thus the Schottky barrier functions just like the familiar current-blocking layer that has been used in LEDs for blocking current flow through the part of the active layer which immediately underlies the bonding pad. The current flowing under the bonding pad is a waste of energy, the light generated there being interrupted by the opaque bonding pad on the light-emitting surface of the LED. Just as the current-blocking layer contributes to enhancement of LED efficiency by causing a greater amount of current to flow through the outer part of the semiconductor region, so does the Schottky barrier.
The Schottky barrier has proved to possess its own drawback, however. As has been stated, the LED with an n-type silicon substrate has a comparatively high forward drive voltage. The higher forward drive voltage inevitably incurs greater power loss, and a greater amount of heat generated, at the silicon substrate and the semiconductor region. The Schottky barrier performs its intended function to a lesser extent when the device heats up to excessive temperatures than when it does not. As a consequence, in the prior art LED with the n-type silicon substrate, greater current leakage occurred through the Schottky barrier, resulting in turn in less current flow through the desired outer part of the semiconductor region.
The current-blocking layer is less temperature-dependent and so more reliable than the Schottky barrier for the purpose for which it is intended. However, the current-blocking layer is objectionable by reason of the additional manufacturing steps required for its own creation, in contrast to the Schottky barrier which demands no such steps, it being a byproduct, so to say, of the conventional transparent electrode and opaque bonding pad thereon.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Nitride-based semiconductor device of reduced voltage drop


A method and apparatus for digital content access control comprises receiving an authenticated digital content request based at least in part on a digital content request comprising a request for digital content, validating the authenticated digital content request and providing the digital content if the authenticated digital content request is valid. The validating comprises indicating the authenticated digital content request is valid if the authenticated digital content request is validly associated with the digital content and if the authenticated digital content request authenticates the digital content request, and indicating the authenticated digital content request is invalid if the authenticated digital content request is not validly associated with the digital content.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates a typical mechanism for digital content access control. A mobile phone operator 100 includes a portal 150 by which one or more mobile phones 125–140 communicate with one or more content producers 105–120 via a network 175 such as the Internet. Mobile phone operator 100 also includes a product catalog 145 that includes a description of digital content 155–170 stored by digital content producers 105–170. A particular digital content producer controls access to digital content stored by the digital content producer. Thus, authenticators 180–195 control access to digital content 155–170, respectively.
A user desiring access to digital content 155–170 stored by a digital content producer 105–120 uses a mobile phone 125–140 to issue an access request to a particular digital content producer 105–120. The digital content producer 105–195 authenticates the user making the request. The authentication typically includes prompting the user for a username and a password if the username and password is not included with the initial access request. Upon successful user authentication, the digital content producer 105–120 may grant access to the digital content 155–170. Alternatively, the digital content producer 105–120 may issue a token that may be presented at a later time and redeemed in exchange for access to the digital content.
Unfortunately, the bandwidth available for communications with digital content producers 105–120 is relatively limited. If the available bandwidth is exceeded, a user may be denied service. This problem is exacerbated as the number of users increases.
Accordingly, a need exists in the prior art for a digital content access control solution that requires relatively less communication with digital content producers. A further need exists for such a solution that is relatively secure. Yet another need exists for such a solution that is relatively scaleable.

Repositing for digital content access control


A wearable computing device generates a volumetric visualization at a first position that is located in a three-dimensional space. The wearable computing device includes a volumetric source configured to create the volumetric visualization. The wearable computing device includes one or more sensors configured to determine movement of the wearable computing device. A movement of the wearable computing device is identified by the wearable computing device. Based on the movement the wearable computing device adjusts the volumetric source.

The present disclosure relates to volumetric visualizations, and more specifically, to adjusting the path of a volumetric source based on movement of a mid-air volumetric visualization.
Volumetric visualizations may be a visual projection that includes depth and may be observed by a user from multiple perspectives. Volumetric visualizations may be useful for user to be able to see an element from multiple angles or to be able to intuitively understand how an object (represented by the visualization) relates to other objects. Volumetric visualizations may be created by a volumetric source that remains steady, allowing for the volumetric source to trace a very specific path through a three-dimensional space.

Mid-air volumetric visualization movement compensation


A discharge tube of the type wherein a voltage is applied across a pair of electrodes to cause a discharge between the anode side electrode and the cathode side electrode. In the new discharge tube, opposing end portions of the pair of electrodes are formed into a non-acute configuration, and a large number of concave or convex portions are formed on a surface at least of the cathode side electrode. A stabilized high discharge voltage can be obtained from an initial stage of discharging with a comparatively small distance between the electrodes. Further, since the surface area of the electrodes is great, exhaustion of the electrodes are dispersed, and the electrodes are superior in durability. Further, since the distance between the electrodes is small, the discharge maintaining voltage is low and the energy loss is decreased.

Generally, discharge tubes wherein gas is enclosed in a tube and a voltage is applied across a pair of electrodes provided at the opposite ends of the tube to cause a discharge between them are used widely in various fields.
FIG. 9 shows a discharge tube 61 which is used with an ignition device C with a series gap of an automobile engine shown in FIG. 10 or the like, and in the discharge tube 61, an electrode 63 in the form of a needle and another electrode 64 in the form of a flat plate are provided at the opposite ends of a cylindrical casing 62. Inert gas is enclosed in the discharge tube 61. The discharge tube 61 acts as a series gap S of the ignition device C, and as the discharge voltage at the series gap S is maintained high to some degree and the voltage across the series gap after discharging is applied to an electrode of an ignition plug P, an ignition voltage necessary for the ignition plug P is obtained without having a significant influence of an electric shunt circuit which may be caused by carbon sticking to the ignition plug P or the like.
However, since the electrode 63 of the discharge tube 61 on the side to which a voltage of an ignition coil 65 is applied is formed into a needle-like configuration as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 and as described hereinabove, there are problems that a non-uniform electric field is formed between the electrodes 63 and 64 of the discharge tube 61 and readily causes discharging and that the discharge voltage V.sub.1 of a voltage characteristic illustrated in FIG. 12 does not present a very high level. Accordingly, in order to raise the discharge voltage V.sub.1 of the discharge tube 61 to some degree, the distance between the needle-formed electrode 63 and the flat plate-formed electrode 64, that is, the series gap S, is increased to some degree. However, where the series gap S is increased in this manner, there is a problem that the configuration of the entire discharge tube is increased, and there is another problem that a discharge maintaining voltage V.sub.2 of FIG. 12 becomes high and the energy loss during discharging is increased. Also, there is a problem that, since the electrode surface area of the needle-shaped electrode 63 is small, the influence of exhaustion of the electrode by discharging is great and the durability is not so long.
Thus, it may seem recommendable to form the electrodes of the discharge tube 61 as a pair of substantially parallel plate electrodes (Rogosky electrodes) which are often used in experiments of a discharge phenomenon and wherein an end face has a flat face configuration and a circumferential edge portion around the end face is rounded into a curved face configuration in order to approximate an electric field between the electrodes of the discharge tube to a uniform electric field so as to cause a discharge less readily to allow the discharge voltage V.sub.1 shown in FIG. 12 to be raised and also to reduce the distance between the electrodes to lower the discharge maintaining voltage V.sub.2 to decrease the energy loss.
However, such Rogosky electrode has a characteristic that it is readily influenced by a quantity of electrons floating between the electrodes and electrons are not discharged from the electrodes, and there is a problem that the discharge voltage V.sub.1 is not stabilized and is influenced by a frequency of discharges.


A self-erecting container which is collapsible into a flat storage position. The container includes a bottom member and a plurality of walls pivotally connected to the bottom member. The container further includes a biasing assembly for biasing the wall members in an erected position, for permitting the wall members to be moved to a collapsed position from the erected position by a bias overcoming force exerted on the wall members, and for drawing the wall members from the collapsed position to the erected position when the bias overcoming force is removed from the wall members.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of containers and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to containers which have a bias for being in an erected position and which assume a flat position when the bias is overcome.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Various types of collapsible, self-erecting novelty devices are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,622 issued to Herlin discloses an advertising display device which erects itself from a flat configuration. An advertising or display message panel is mounted to the top of the Herlin device. The Herlin device is closed on all sides when in the self-erected condition.


A heat pump air conditioning system and a control method. The heat pump air conditioning system includes: a compressor; an indoor unit heat exchanger, an outdoor unit heat exchanger and a throttling device; a refrigerant circulation loop, connecting the compressor, the indoor unit heat exchanger, the outdoor unit heat exchanger and the throttling device in series; the heat storage module, disposed in the refrigerant circulation loop and configured to absorb heat from refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation loop and store heat when heat storage is required, and to heat the refrigerant in the refrigerant circulation loop when the outdoor unit heat exchanger defrosting is required. The heat pump air conditioning system can store excess heat of the system for defrosting when indoor heat load is low, and release heat for defrosting by means of the heat storage module during a defrosting process while continuing supplying heat to a room.

Existing defrosting modes of heat pump air conditioners mainly include two modes: refrigeration cycle defrosting and hot gas defrosting. The refrigeration cycle defrosting is performed by switching the system from a heating cycle to the refrigeration cycle for defrosting by means of a four-way selector valve. The hot gas defrosting is performed by increasing a rate of flow of an expansion valve under the heating cycle to make the high-temperature refrigerant enter the condenser to defrost. In both defrosting modes, heat can not be supplied to a room, which will cause the room temperature to drop and affect comfort of the room. Especially in the refrigeration cycle defrosting mode, an indoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator during defrosting, which will absorb indoor heat.
The heat pump air conditioner in the prior art cannot supply heat to the room during a defrosting process, resulting in technical problems such as a drop in room temperature and affecting the comfort of the room, therefore the present application studies and provides a heat pump air conditioning system and a control method.

Heat pump air conditioning system and control method

GREE ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, INC. OF ZHUHAI


A semiconductor device is provided with a polyimide film 21 between the encapsulating synthetic resin 16 and the passivating film 20. If a material having a high hardness (E-modulus.gtoreq.1.0.multidot.10.sup.10 Pa) is selected as the polyimide, the number of defects caused by variations in temperature is reduced.

The invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip encapsulated in synthetic resin, which chip is provided with a passivating film and a polyimide film which is provided between said passivating film and the synthetic resin.
At present, the vast majority of semiconductor chips or ICs are constructed with a synthetic resin envelope, which synthetic resin is termed encapsulating synthetic resin. In said construction, the chip is completely embedded in synthetic resin. Due to the fact that the synthetic resin and the silicon have different thermal expansion coefficients (TEC), variations in temperature may induce large mechanical stresses in the semiconductor device, in particular when the dimensions of the chip are relatively large as in the case of LSIs (large-scale integrated circuits) and VLSIs (very large-scale integrated circuits). The encapsulating synthetic resin generally consists of an epoxy resin filled with quartz powder or glass powder. The silicon chip is provided with a passivating film on the side of the electronic circuit to preclude the circuit from being damaged and contaminated during further treatment and during its life cycle. Such a passivating film consists, for example, of one or more films of phosphor silicate glass (PSG) or silicon nitride. Due to differences in TEC and the consequential stresses microcracks may be formed in said passivating film. Said stresses and microcracks may also lead to damage to the electronic circuit of the chip, thereby causing functional defects and even failure of the chip. Ambient humidity may reach the chip via the microcracks and cause corrosion. Said defects are customarily reduced by applying a so-called stress-relief film to the passivating film. A synthetic resin such as polyimide and silicone resin is used as the stress-relief film.
A semiconductor device of the type described above is known from European patent application EP-A-0 349 001. An unspecified polyimide film is mentioned as the stress-relief film. A disadvantage of the customary polyimides is the presence of large numbers of cracks in the passivating film after the semiconductor device has been subjected to a thermocycling test. A thermocycling test gives an indication of the reliability of the semiconductor device under operating conditions. The presence of cracks may lead to functional failure of the chip. In a customary thermocycling test 200 semiconductor devices are subjected to a number, for example 1000, of cycles of maintaining the temperature at -65.degree. C. for 30 minutes followed by rapidly heating to 150.degree. C., also for 30 minutes, and conversely. After said test, the percentage of semiconductor devices which have functionally failed is determined. Additionally, in a parallel test the number of cracks in the passivating film is determined per chip after a number of cycles.
In the case of temperature variations, five materials and four interfaces are important, namely the interface between the silicon chip and the metal lead frame; the interface between the synthetic resin envelope and the metal lead frame; the interface between the passivating film and the polyimide film and the interface between the polyimide film and the encapsulating synthetic resin. The stresses occurring in the films and along the interfaces depend on the relevant TEC-values and the moduli of elasticity (E). Additionally, at the location of the metal tracks of the electronic circuit a sixth material plays a part.

Resin-encapsulated semiconductor device having a passivation reinforcement hard polyimide film


A device for separating a pair of adjacent teeth comprising a wire spring formed from a single piece of wire. The wire spring comprises two angled leg segments connected by a bridging portion, the leg segments being offset from one another and from a central reference plane such that when the leg segments are drawn towards a common plane, the bridging portion is placed under a torsional load. This torsional load causes the legs to apply a force to the proximal walls of the adjacent teeth. The terminal ends of the leg portions are blunted, preferably through the formation of loops.. The wire utilized in formation of the separating spring is of a substantially rectangular cross section wherein the wire has a horizontal surface dimension which is greater than the vertical side dimension.

Orthodontic treatment often requires the banding of teeth. In order to effect such banding, there must be sufficient space between adjacent teeth to permit the insertion and placement of the orthodontic bands. If adjacent teeth are too close together, it is necessary to create a space between them through the introduction of a mechanical force.
In the past, numerous devices have been utilized to create the necessary space between adjacent teeth, including elastomeric modules, twisted brass wire and metal spring devices (such as the stainless steel TP spring marketed by TP Orthodontics, Inc. of LaPorte, Ind. and the nickel titanium alloy NEET Spring marketed by PDS Products of Santa Ana, Calif.).
Each of these previously used devices has proved effective for generating the required space between adjacent teeth, but each has certain disadvantages.
Elastomeric modules work well in situations where the teeth are slightly mobile, as is often true of children. However, situations involving tight contacts may lead to the distortion or breakage of the elastomeric modules.
Twisted brass wire is effective in situations where the contact between adjacent teeth is too tight to permit the use of elastomeric modules. The use of twisted brass wire may, however, give rise to severe patient discomfort due to the application of substantial nonresilient forces. Further, the ends of the twisted wire tend to irritate the patient's interproximal gum tissue once in place.
Both the TP spring and the NEET spring may also be used in instances where the contacts are too tight for the use of elastomeric modules. However, both springs utilize a design having sharp wire ends which can irritate the patient's interproximal gum tissue both at the time of insertion and during use. These sharp ends also present a more serious patient hazard--they enhance the possibility that the device may become lodged in the patient's throat, causing choking, if aspirated. Further, if such a device is swallowed, the sharp ends can cause intestinal damage.
In addition to the fact that the previously used orthodontic springs incorporate irritating and potentially dangerous sharp end designs, these springs are also made of round wire stock, which creates an enhanced potential for occlusal interference due to the fact that the wire has the same dimensions in all directions. In other words, if the gauge of the round spring wire is increased to enhance the spacing forces provided, then, by necessity, this will also increase the extension of the wire through the occlusal plane--thereby interfering with the patient's masticatory processes.
Thus, the need exists for a spacing device which may be used in situations involving tight contacts and which will minimize irritation to patients' interproximal gum tissue and the potential for injury arising from sharp wire ends. There is also a need for a tooth spacing device having a cross section which permits spacing forces to be optimized while minimizing occlusal interference.


A flexible elastomeric grip for the shaft of a golf club having an end cap with a cavity for receiving a sensor and/or counterweight. The cap has a durometer hardness equal to or greater than the tubular body portion of the grip and a flange sized to match the larger diameter of the body, with a sleeve engaging the inner periphery of the larger end of the tubular body. In one version of the cap, the sleeve portion is extended in length and has stiffening ribs on the outer surface of the sleeve; and, in another version, the sleeve is shorter and may also have stiffening ribs on the outer surface of the sleeve. In another version of the cap, fibrous material is disposed in the flange and sleeve to increase lateral stiffness without increasing durometer.

The present disclosure relates to flexible grips for the shaft of a golf club and particularly such grips made from elastomeric material. Typically, such grips are formed of elastomeric material sized so as to be slightly stretched when received over the club shaft to provide sufficient friction to resist the forces applied to the club during the downswing.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flexible elastomeric grip for a golf club shaft currently in widespread use showing a body portion 1 with an end cap 2 which is usually formed of elastomeric material having a higher durometer than the body portion.
FIG. 2 shows a cross section of an elastomeric flexible grip for a golf club shaft of the type currently in widespread use as having an integrally formed substantially closed end 3 molded simultaneously with the body portion 4 to form a one-piece grip.
It has been desired to employ electronic sensors or counterweight in the butt end of the grip in order to measure the swing characteristics such as, for example, the speed of the downswing and the arc or plane of movement. It is proposed to locate such a sensing device in a cavity formed in a cap provided on the end of the grip because the cap has the largest diameter of the grip. If the length of the grip is extended beyond the end of the club shaft in order to provide additional space to accommodate the sensor or counterweight, the grip becomes less resistant to bending and this can result in increased lateral deflection or oscillation of the grip which results in "wobble" that can create an unstable feel for the user resulting in degradation of the quality of the downswing. The phenomenon can be particularly troublesome where a balance counterweight is included in the cap, particularly if counterweight is employed in conjunction with a sensing device resulting in a significant increase in the length beyond the club shaft due to the requirement for a larger cavity in the cap.
Efforts to reduce the cap wobble and resistance to lateral deflection, particularly where the sensing device and/or counterweight are employed in the cap, have been directed to forming the cap from a harder elastomer or elastomer having a higher durometer than the remaining portions of the flexible grip. However, if the harder material is present on the exterior surface of the golf grip, this results in a harsher feel and less slip resistance than experienced with elastomer of lesser durometer and will lessen the feel of the grip to the user. Thus, it has been desired to find a way to accommodate sensing devices and/or counterweights in the cap of an elastomeric golf club grip in a manner which does not degrade the feel of the grip and yet provides resistance to lateral deflection or wobble.


The present invention relates to a method and network system for charging an account related to a terminal device (1) of a subscriber (A) to a first data network (10) for a network session rendered to the terminal device when roaming in a second data network (18). According to the method of the invention, upon registration of the terminal device to the second (visited) data network a network address of a first charging system (16) related to the home data network (10) of the terminal device (1) is transmitted from the home data network to the visited data network (18). When a network session is established for the terminal device (1) by the second data network, assessing of charge information about the network session will begin in the second data network in a real-time process. The saved network address of the charging system will be used for transmitting in real-time the assessed charge information from the second data network to the first charging system (16). The first charging system will calculate the charge for the network session using incoming charge information from the second network. The account related to the terminal device (1) will be charged so that the balance of the account is reduced by the charged amount.

Mobile telephony using a prepaid service has driven the growth of penetration rates in data networks in many markets. A prepaid service is a billing arrangement between an operator of a data network and a customer, hereinafter also called subscriber, where the subscriber deposits and amount of money in advance which is subsequently used to pay for usage of network services like for instance telephone calls, data transfer between a telephone or computer and data resources in the internet. Such usage of data network services will hereinafter be named network session.
To get full control of the customer credit, a prepaid service is usually based on an on-line charging process. Charging is understood as a set of functions whereby information related to a chargeable event (charge information) is formatted and transferred in order to make it possible to determine usage for which the charged party may be billed. A chargeable event maybe the transport of data between given terminal devices, e.g., telephones, handhelds or computers, through the bearer network, or a service rendered like establishing a radio transmission telephone session, or the delivery of content, like for instance stock market data stored in a database, etc. In an on-line charging process charging information can affect, in real-time, the service rendered. An on-line charging process therefore directly interacts with the network session control.
Due to its success in existing markets prepaid functionality is therefore an essential feature also for the growing third generation (3G) networks. To date, however, existing mechanisms do not allow providing full prepaid functionality to roaming subscribers. Currently offered prepaid services are not flexibly available in a visited network.
Some services use real-time charge calculation methods in which a calculation algorithm is implemented in a terminal device, e.g. in a chip integrated into a prepaid card. This method is expensive because it requires the implementation of the algorithm in each terminal device. It also restricts the flexibility of the charging system of the network operator since the algorithm can usually not be changed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,364 describes a data network and method enabling real-time online charging of data network subscribers. The network's charging system may also obtain temporary service profiles for visiting roamers. For this the charging system downloads customer service information for the roamer from a roamer clearinghouse. The roamer's customer service information is then entered into the network's charging system as a temporary customer service profile and account for the roamer. As service is provided to the roamer, the billing system recalculates the prepaid balance or outstanding postpaid balance, and updates these parameters in the roamer's temporary customer service profile. Once the roamer stops receiving service from the host telephone service provider, the updated customer service information is posted back to the roamer clearinghouse.
This method has the disadvantage of requiring administrative effort for running the roamer's clearinghouse and for keeping temporary customer's files in the visited network. It is therefore complicated and expensive.

Method and network system for charging a roaming network subscriber


A plurality of user-defined memories are mapped to pre-defined basic memories, such as defined on a base platform. The user-defined memories are dividing into classes of similar memories. A mapping technique is selected for members of a selected class of user-defined memories that minimizes the ratio (maxi,j(USEDi,j/AVAILi,j)) of basic memories that have been mapped to basic memories that are available for mapping. If the number of different memory mappings is smaller than a threshold the mapping technique is applied to each user-defined memory. If the number of different memory mappings is greater than the threshold, the groups are arranged in ordered queues of single memory types based on a mapping price and the mapping technique is selected based on a memory of each group and is applied to each user-defined memory in the respective group.

Integrated circuits are used in a wide range electronic devices produced by a large number of device manufacturers. In practice, ICs are seldom manufactured (fabricated) by the electronic device manufacturer. Instead ICs are manufactured by an IC foundry to the specifications of the electronic device manufacturer. The design of the IC is usually the result of corroboration between the device manufacturer and the IC foundry.
The design and manufacture of an application-specific IC, or ASIC, is usually a long and tedious process, requiring development of a hardware description language (HDL) description of the circuit, usually in a synthesizable register transfer language (synthesizable RTL), synthesizing the RTL description to a technology library of components, and ultimately fabricating the circuit into an IC chip. During the process, testing and re-designing is necessary to optimize cell placement to meet physical constrains, wire routing and timing constraints. The process is time consuming and costly.
To reduce the time and cost of development of ASICs, IC foundries have developed standard, or base, platforms containing silicon layers of an IC, but without metal interconnection layers. The silicon layers are configured into gates that can be configured into cells using tools supplied by the IC foundry. The chip designer designs additional metal layers for the base platform to thereby configure the chip into a custom ASIC employing the customer's intellectual property. The IC foundry ordinarily supplies tools to the IC designer to enable the designer to quickly and accurately configure the base platform to a custom ASIC compatible with the foundry's fabrication technology. An example of such a configurable base platform is the RapidChip® platform available from LSI Logic Corporation of Milpitas, California. The RapidChip platform permits the development of complex, high-density ASICs in minimal time with significantly reduced design and manufacturing risks and costs.
The design effort can be considered as encompassing several stages. After the chip size and the placement of the I/O cells has been selected, the megacells, including memories, are placed. Thereafter, standard cells are place to complete the chip. The present invention deals with placement of memories, and particularly to mapping user's custom memories to standard or basic memories that are incorporated into the base platform.
Consider a base platform containing a predetermined number of basic memories of predetermined types. The design created by the IC designer may contain user-defined memories that are different from the basic memories. The present invention is directed to techniques for mapping user-defined memories to basic memories so that the user-defined memories can be implemented in basic memories on the base platform.

Process and apparatus for memory mapping


Systems and methods are described for controlling a plurality of electric lighting devices and in some embodiments preventing the theft of those devices. A microprocessor can be used to analyze information about the devices and send one or more commands to the devices. A user interface allows a user to send a command to at least one of the electric lighting devices, which may alter at least one of a brightness of light emitted, a color of light emitted or other effects of the devices.

The following background discussion includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Various electric lights are known in the art. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,132,936 to Patton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,319 to Schnuckle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,837,355 to Schnuckle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,261,455 to Schnuckle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,994 to Schnuckle et al., U.S. pat. publ. no. 2011/0127914 to Patton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,350,720 to Jaworski et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,471 to Reichow; U.S. pat. publ. no. 2005/0285538 to Jaworski et al. (publ. December 2005); U.S. Pat. No. 7,481,571 to Bistritzky et al.; U.S. pat. publ. no. 2008/0031784 to Bistritzky et al. (publ. February 2008); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2006/0125420 to Boone et al. (publ. June 2006); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2007/0127249 to Medley et al. (publ. June 2007); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2008/0150453 to Medley et al. (publ. June 2008); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2005/0169666 to Porchia, et al. (publ. August 2005); U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,668 to Porchia, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,824,627 to Michaels, et al.; U.S. pat. publ. no. 2006/0039835 to Nottingham et al. (publ. February 2006); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2008/0038156 to Jaramillo (publ. February 2008); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2001/0033488 to Chliwnyj; U.S. pat. publ. no. 2008/0130266 to DeWitt et al. (publ. June 2008); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2012/0024837 to Thompson (publ. February 2012); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2011/0134628 to Pestl et al. (publ. June 2011); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2011/0027124 to Albee et al. (publ. February 2011); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2012/0020052 to McCavit et al. (publ. January 2012); U.S. pat. publ. no. 2012/0093491 to Browder et al. (publ. April 2012); and European publ. no. 1878449. However, while various embodiments of electric candles are known, such systems fail to provide the ability to control a plurality of electric candles.
Unless the context dictates the contrary, all ranges set forth herein should be interpreted as being inclusive of their endpoints, and open-ended ranges should be interpreted to include commercially practical values. Similarly, all lists of values should be considered as inclusive of intermediate values unless the context indicates the contrary.
Thus, there is still a need for improved systems and methods that allow a user to control a plurality of electrical candles.

Systems and methods for controlling a plurality of electric candles


A magnetoinductive flowmeter incorporates a magnet for generating a magnetic field that permeates the flowmeter's measuring tube with a magnetic field component perpendicular to the direction of flow, a first electrode and a second electrode which collect a voltage induced in the medium, and an amplifier to which the voltage collected by the electrodes is fed. A test voltage source and a comparator are provided, the test voltage source generating a test voltage, which is applied to the amplifier in a manner whereby the test voltage is superimposed over the voltage collected by the electrodes. The comparator is connected to the amplifier so that the output voltage of the amplifier can be fed to the comparator, and the comparator is designed in a manner whereby the output voltage of the amplifier can be compared with a reference value. This configuration permits easy calibration of the magnetoinductive flowmeter while during operation, any deviation from a calibrated condition can be detected reliably. A method for operating the flowmeter is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetoinductive flowmeter serving to measure the volume flow of a medium traveling through a measuring tube and incorporating a magnet for generating a magnetic field that permeates the measuring tube with a magnetic-field component perpendicular to the direction of flow, a first electrode and a second electrode for collecting a voltage induced in the medium, and an amplifier to which the voltage collected by the electrodes is fed. The invention also relates to a method for operating a magnetoinductive flowmeter serving to measure the volume flow of a medium traveling through a measuring tube and incorporating a magnet for generating a magnetic field that permeates the measuring tube with a magnetic-field component perpendicular to the direction of flow, a first electrode and a second electrode for collecting a voltage induced in the medium, and an amplifier to which the voltage collected by the electrodes is fed.
2. The Prior Art
Magnetoinductive flowmeters and methods for operating magnetoinductive flowmeters of the type referred to have been well known for some time and have been employed in a variety of different fields of application. The underlying concept of a magnetoinductive flowmeter for measuring the volume flow of a medium traveling through a measuring tube goes all the way back to Faraday who in 1832 proposed applying the principle of electrodynamic induction for measuring flow rates.
According to Faraday's Law of Induction, a medium that contains charge carriers and flows through a magnetic field will produce an electric field intensity perpendicular to the direction of flow and perpendicular to the magnetic field. A magnetoinductive flowmeter employs Faraday's Law of Induction whereby a magnet, generally consisting of two magnetic poles, each with a field coil, generates a magnetic field that contains a magnetic field component perpendicular to the direction of flow in the measuring tube. Within that magnetic field, each volume element of the medium flowing through the magnetic field and containing a certain number of charge carriers, will contribute the field intensity generated in the volume element concerned to the voltage collected by way of the electrodes.
In conventional magnetoinductive flowmeters, the electrodes are designed either for conductive coupling with the flowing medium or for capacitive coupling with the flowing medium. As a salient feature of magnetoinductive flowmeters, the measured voltage is proportional to the flow rate of the medium averaged across the diameter of the measuring tube. In other words, the measured voltage is proportional to the volume flow.
In a practical flow-measuring operation, the magnetic field in a magnetoinductive flowmeter is generally reversed in an alternating time sequence. The prior art shows different approaches to do that. For example, magnetoinductive flow measuring can be performed by means of an alternating field, in which case the field coils of the magnet are typically connected directly to a sinusoidal 60 Hz A.C. line source. However, transformation-related noise or line interference potentials can easily compromise the flow-generated voltage between the measuring electrodes.
In recent times, magnetoinductive flowmeters have generally been operated with a switched constant field. To create a switched constant field, the field coils of the magnet are fed a current having essentially a square-wave pattern with periodic polarity switching. Also possible, however, is the use of a pulsating constant field that is produced by only periodically feeding to the field coils of the magnet a square-wave current having the same polarity. However, a method whereby the field current is periodically polarity-reversed, producing a periodically alternating magnetic field, is preferred because switching the polarity of the magnetic field suppresses interference potentials such as electrochemical noise.
The voltage between the measuring electrodes is proportional to the flow rate and is usually quite small, typically in the microvolt range. That voltage is measured at the highest possible resolution (approx. 100 mV), with the measuring frequency of the more common magnetoinductive flowmeters employing the switched constant-field principle being in the 1 to 100 Hz range.
In conventional magnetoinductive flowmeters, the voltage collected at the electrodes is generally fed to an amplifier before the amplified, flow rate-dependent voltage signal undergoes further processing. Frequently used amplifiers are of the differential amplifier type. The amplified voltage signal is typically evaluated by means of a microprocessor, meaning that, before the voltage signal is sent to the microprocessor, it requires analog-to-digital conversion by means of an analog-to-digital converter.
To permit and perform the calibration of a magnetoinductive flowmeter of the type described above, it is important for the amplification path, i.e. the path traveled by the voltage signal via the amplifier to the evaluation unit, to work reliably. At the very least, the system must alert the operator of the magnetoinductive flowmeter to any deviation from calibrated operation that necessitates recalibration.

Magnetoinductive flowmeter and method for operating a magnetoinductive flowmeter


A method (60) for molding (67) a component (73) including a free floating insert (11). The method includes steps of providing an insert (11) including one or more weakened regions (23) coupled to a removable leader (20) and molding (67) a moldable compound (25) about the insert (11) and a portion of the removable leader (20). The method (60) further includes a step of pulling (69) on the removable leader (20) to fracture the weakened regions (23) and thereby detach the removable leader (20) from a molded component (73) including the insert (11) therein. The molding step (67) desirably includes a step of injection molding (67) a thermoplastic material (25) about the insert (11) and the portion of the removable leader (20).

Injection molding of plastic parts is important for many electronic products. However, especially when other components must be included entirely within an injection molded part, or have portions projecting from only one face of an injection molded part, process complexity is increased and additionally the equipment required to make the part is substantially more complex than is required, for example, to injection mold a package about a conventional lead frame, which includes portions projecting from either side of the mold. Prior art approaches suffer from lack of flexibility and either require pins, which are removed during the molding process, or a two-step molding process. When the moveable pin approach is used, it may leave openings that may require backfilling. It has been especially uneconomical and impractical to provide for inserts that do not extend to the surface of the molded part.
Thus, what is needed is a practical, economical method for holding an insert that is to be contained entirely within a molded component, particularly when the insert does not extend from one side of the molded part to another.


An attack repellent holder for securing an attack repellant device to a user's hand is provided. The attack repellant device includes a canister of attack repellent. The attack repellant holder includes a body having a cavity defined therein. The cavity is adapted for a close conforming fit to an exterior portion of the canister of attack repellent. A plurality of finger rings are attached to the body. The finger rings are positioned such that a user's fingers can be inserted in the finger rings to secure the device to a user's hand.

The present invention relates to attack repelling devices, and more particularly to hand-held repellent sprays such as mace, tear gas or pepper gas.
The use of small pressurized hand-held canisters containing tear gas, mace, pepper gas or other attack repellent materials for producing an incapacitating effect on an attacker have gained rapid popularity. However, in order to be effective, the device must be readily accessible and easily directed so that a user can have adequate time to use the device prior to or during an attack. If the device is not accessible, it is likely that an attack would be completed prior to the victim being able to use the device, and sometimes the device can be taken by the attacker and used against the victim.
In order to provide readily available attack repellent devices, key chains holders were developed which include small tear gas dispensers or audio alarms. This allows the deterrent to be available whenever the keys are carried. However, when a user does not have their keys in hand, or if the keys are removed or dropped from a user's hands, then this type of device becomes ineffective.
With the rise of street crimes, it would be desirable to provide an attack repellent device which can be easily carried outdoors, especially by walkers, joggers, bike riders, cross country skiers, skaters, and others while they exercise. One known device allows an attack repellent to be secured to a user's hand by providing an elastic strap which is wrapped around the user's palm. The strap positions the attack repellent adjacent to the thumb so that the thumb can be used to activate the attack repellent device. However, this type of arrangement has certain drawbacks in that the user must move their thumb into an awkward position in order to trigger the attack repellent, and there is no natural or reflexive aiming of the device toward the attacker based on its position. Additionally, based on the position that the attack repellant is held in by the strap on the user's palm, it would be extremely difficult for a user to access an attack repellent canister having a protective cover over the triggering mechanism with one hand. It is also not possible for the user to grasp a bike handlebar, ski pole, water bottle, or other object with their hand based on the strap position.
Another known device provides a holder for an attack repellent in the form of a hand band which is strapped over a user's hand. However, the attack repellent canister is again secured to the palm area providing the same problems with respect to the ergonomics of actuating the device or using an attack repellent canister having a protective cover over the triggering mechanism to prevent accidental discharge.
Another known device incorporates an attack repellent into a jogging weight, with the attack repellent being located in the grip portion and being discharged through a trumpet area in the jogging weight. However, the jogging weight requires the user to constantly grip the weight, which could get knocked loose. Additionally, this may make it more difficult for a jogger to work loose an abdominal muscle cramp while jogging, which requires a jogger to hold their hand and arm on the cramping side loosely in order to allow the cramped muscle to relax.
It would be desirable to provide a more ergonomic attack repellent holder which is self-securing to a user's hand, which is also more ergonomic to allow easier access and use based on the position of the attack repellent and the holder, as well as provide a more visible warning to deter attackers.


A pair of mating connectors includes a receptacle having an insulative housing and at least one conductive receptacle contact with a pair of spaced walls forming a plug contact receiving space. The plug connector has an insulative housing and at least one conductive contact having a pair of spaced walls which converge to form a projection engageable in the plug receiving space of the receptacle contact. The electronic power connectors can also be modified to accommodate connections for an external AC power supply. The connector housing incorporating the AC power connection capability can accommodate different forms of AC power supply termination contacts, such as spade-type contacts having a spring-like plug for receiving discrete quick connect socket terminals.

Designers of electronic circuits generally are concerned with two basic circuit portions, the logic or signal portion and the power portion. In designing logic circuits, the designer usually does not have to take into account any changes in electrical properties, such as resistance of circuit components, that are brought about by changes in conditions, such as temperature, because current flows in logic circuits are usually relatively low. However, power circuits can undergo changes in electrical properties because of the relatively high current flows, for example, on the order of 30 amps or more in certain electronic equipment. Consequently, connectors designed for use in power circuits must be capable of dissipating heat (generated primarily as a result of the Joule effect) so that changes in circuit characteristics as a result of changing current flow are minimized. Conventional plug contacts in circuit board electrical power connectors are generally of rectangular (blade-like) or circular (pin-like) cross-section. These are so-called "singular-mass" designs. In these conventional singular-mass blade and pin configurations, the opposing receptacle contacts comprise a pair of inwardly urged cantilever beams and the mating blade or pin is located between the pair of beams. Such arrangements are difficult to reduce in size without adversely effecting heat dissipation capabilities. They also provide only minimal flexibility to change contact normal forces by adjustment of contact geometry. There is a need for a small contact which efficiently dissipates heat and which has readily modifiable contact normal forces.
In the parent application for the present application, namely U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/160/900, electronic power connectors are described for use in power circuits where the connectors provide terminations associated with power that is internal to the system. In some power circuit configurations an external power supply, usually an external AC power cable, may also be incorporated into the overall environment. The external AC power supply connections are known to be stand-alone cable connections that are terminated directly onto the board. This poses known drawbacks due to the fact that in those circumstances where the AC power supply is on the order of 30 amps or more an undesirable level of heat buildup on the traces of the power board can occur. Also, where stand-alone cable connections are used to adapt AC power by direct wire termination onto the power distribution boards there is an additional level of complexity in the connective configurations on the board. Thus, there is a need for an electronic power connector that incorporates into a single housing those contacts for establishing connections for the internal system power and contacts for mating with an external power cable.


A radiation-sensitive composition comprising an admixture in a solvent of: at least one alkali-soluble binder resin, at least one photoactive compound and an effective absorbance increasing amount of BLANKOPHOR FBW actinic dye; the amount of said binder resin being about 60 to 95% by weight, the amount of said photoactive component being about 5% to about 40% by weight, based on the total solids content of said radiation-sensitive composition.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radiation sensitive mixtures (e.g., those particularly useful as dyed i-line positive-working resist compositions) containing the admixture of an alkali-soluble binder resin, a photoactive compound, and BLANKOPHOR FBW actinic dye all dissolved in a solvent. Furthermore, the present invention also relates to substrates coated with these radiation sensitive mixtures as well as the process of coating, imaging and developing these radiation sensitive mixtures on these substrates.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
Photoresist compositions are used in microlithographic Processes for making miniaturized electronic components such as in the fabrication of integrated circuits and printed wiring board circuitry. In these processes, a thin coating or film of a photoresist composition is generally first applied to a substrate material, such as silicon wafers used for making integrated circuits or aluminum or copper plates of printed wiring boards. The preferred method of applying this film is spin coating. By this method, much of the solvent in the photoresist formulation is removed by the spinning operation. The coated substrate is then baked to evaporate any remaining solvent in the photoresist composition and to fix the coating onto the substrate. The baked coated surface of the substrate is next subjected to an image-wise exposure of radiation. This radiation exposure causes a chemical transformation in the exposed areas of the coated surface. Visible light, ultraviolet (UV) light, electron beam, ion beam, and X-ray radiant energy are radiation types commonly used today in microlithographic processes.
After this image-wise exposure, the coated substrate is treated with a developer solution to dissolve and remove either the radiation-exposed or the unexposed areas of the coated surface of the substrate. In some processes, it is desirable to bake the imaged resist coating before this developing step. This intermediate step is sometimes called post-exposure bake or PEB.
There are two types of photoresist compositions--negative-working and positive-working. When negative-working photoresist compositions are exposed image-wise to radiation, the areas of the resist composition exposed to the radiation become less soluble to a developer solution (e.g., a cross-linking reaction occurs) while the unexposed areas of the photoresist coating remain relatively soluble to a developing solution. Thus, treatment of an exposed negative-working resist with a developer solution causes removal of the nonexposed areas of the resist coating and the creation of a negative image in the photoresist coating, and thereby uncovering a desired portion of the underlying substrate surface on which the photoresist composition was deposited but not exposed to the radiation. On the other hand, when positive-working photoresist compositions are exposed image-wise to radiation, those areas of the resist composition exposed to the radiation become more soluble to the developer solution (e.g., the Wolff rearrangement reaction of the photoactive compound occurs) while those areas not exposed remain relatively insoluble to the developer solution. Thus, treatment of an exposed positive-working resist with the developer solution causes removal of the exposed areas of the resist coating and the creation of a positive image in the photoresist coating. The desired Portion of the underlying substrate surface is uncovered where the photoresist was exposed to the radiation.
Positive-working photoresist compositions are currently favored over negative-working resists because the former generally have better resolution capabilities and pattern transfer characteristics.
After this development operation, the now partially unprotected substrate may be treated with a substrate-etchant solution or plasma gases and the like. This etchant solution or plasma gases etch the portion of the substrate where the Photoresist coating was removed during development. The areas of the substrate are protected where the photoresist coating still remains and, thus, an etched pattern is created in the substrate material which corresponds to the photomask used for the image-wise exposure of the radiation. Later, the remaining areas of the photoresist coating may be removed during a stripping operation, leaving a clean etched substrate surface. In some instances, it is desirable to heat treat the remaining resist layer after the development step and before the etching step to increase its adhesion to the underlying substrate and its resistance to etching solutions.
End users of photoresists are demanding photoresist formulations possess better lithographic properties for the fabrication of smaller micro-electronic circuits. The lithographic properties which are critical to positive-working photoresist end-users include the following: (1) good resolution capabilities in both the micron and submicron ranges without incomplete development in the exposed areas (i.e. scumming); (2) higher thermal image deformation temperatures (e.g., above 120.degree. C.); (3) relatively fast photospeeds; (4) good adhesion to substrate; (5) good developer dissolution rates; (6) good process- latitude; (7) near to absolute vertical profiles (or good contrast) between exposed and unexposed photoresist areas after development; (8) good resistance to etching solutions and plasma etching techniques; (9) reduced tendency to form insoluble particulates; and (10) mask linearity.
A major problem in VLSI lithographic imaging using conventional photoresists is line width variation caused by scattered light from reflective substrates. To combat this problem, actinic dyes have been added to the photoresist in order to increase the photoresist's absorptivity and reduce scattered light. Conventional actinic dyes have two major drawbacks. One is that they are solubility limited (i.e., their limited solubility in the photoresist also limits the amount of increased absorption which they can provide). A second problem with conventional actinic dyes is that their increased absorption generally corresponds to an undesirable decreased photoresist sensitivity (i.e., decreased photospeed). These two problems are enhanced by the additional fact that there are very few known actinic dyes which absorp at 365.+-.10 nonometers, the wavelength of i-line photoresists.
The present invention is believed to solve these two problems and allows for a particularly effective positive-working i-line photoresist composition.

Positive-working radiation sensitive mixtures and articles containing alkali-soluble binder, o-quinonediazide photoactive compound and BLANKOPHOR FBW acting dye


A reactor for the production or formulation of flowable viscous products is equipped with an internal piston which assists in the removal of product from the reactor interior.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a chemical reaction vessel that can be used for the in situ preparation of flowable viscous products. The reaction vessel incorporates an internal piston that assists in the removal of reaction products from the interior of the vessel.
2. Related Technology
Chemical reactors or reaction vessels used in the production of viscous products often suffer from reduced yields because the reaction product cannot be completely removed from the reactor. An added complication in producing viscous products is the effort and expense in cleaning the reactor for re-use. In addition to reactor down-time, cleaning often produces large volumes of sometimes hazardous or difficult-to-dispose-of waste. Indeed, the volume of waste material from the cleaning operation may exceed the volume of the reactor itself.
The use of pistons or piston-like devices for discharging flowable viscous products from vessels used for the transport or storage of semisolid fluid materials is disclosed in several patents. For example, Watson U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,726 describes an elongated transport tank having a cylindrical piston with a radial, annular seal. The piston is sized so that its periphery bears against the walls of the transport tank to assist in the removal of viscous products. Other examples of the use of internal pistons to remove viscous materials from the interior of storage or transport tanks are depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,203,674, 3,828,988, 4,721,235, and 5,114,054.
Chemical reaction vessels, which are capable of operating at elevated temperatures and pressures and in the presence of solvents and/or corrosive chemicals, present a different environment from that of a storage or transport vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,641 discloses an apparatus for preparing non-flowable gelatinous materials. The apparatus includes a closed reaction vessel that has a vertically-movable internal piston that is used to discharge non-flowable, semi-solid material onto an extrusion head. The apparatus is designed so that the piston fits loosely, i.e., the juncture of the piston with the reaction vessel is not fluid-tight. Because the apparatus would allow flowable materials to migrate around the periphery of the piston, the device depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,709,641 would not overcome the problem addressed by the invention.

Reactor for the productions of flowable viscous products


In transpedicular vertebral attachment systems and a device for the practice thereof a screw is provided. The screw is much shorter than a traditional screw and engages a plug of silastic or any other polymer having equivalent mechanical properties and biocompatibility, such as a metal or metal alloy. The plug is inserted in the pedicle, extending only slightly beyond the length thereof. The system is applicable to osteoporotic patients in whom the density of the bone tissue of the vertebral body is much lower, and in general in all lesions of the backbone in which instrumented vertebral fusion is indicated.

There is currently known the technique regularly used for transpedicular vertebral attachment using a normal five centimeter long screw.
This technique suffers from drawbacks derived from the very dimension and constitution of the screw and of the anchorage site, which may cause rocking of the front end of the screw, proper to osteoporotic vertebrae, with the consequent loss of pull-out strength and with the serious risk of extending beyond the vertebra anterior cortical layer with the tip of the screw, possibly perforating viscera or blood vessels.

Transpedicular vertebral attachment systems and device for the practice thereof


A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for implementing a relational schema comprising at least one many-to-many relationship in a hierarchical database supporting one-to-many relationships, the relational schema being defined by a plurality of entities including at least one first entity having N components and at least one second entity having M components, the first and the second entity having a many-to-many relationship. One embodiment comprises creating a bridging table to transform the many-to-many relationship between the first and the second entities into a one-to-many relationship between the first entity and the bridging table and a one-to-many relationship between the bridging table and the second entity. For each mapping between one of the N components and one of the M components, an entry is created in the bridging table, the entry comprising a mapping between the one of the N components and the one of the M components.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to accessing records documenting a business problem in document databases. More particularly, the present invention relates to implementing a relational schema between a plurality of interconnected entities in a hierarchical database.
2. Description of the Related Art
Databases are computerized information, storage and retrieval systems. Storing and retrieving data in a database is performed by means of a computer database management system (DBMS). Depending on how data is modeled by a database, different types of databases are differentiated.
The most prevalent type of database is the relational database, a tabular database in which data is defined so that it can be reorganized and accessed in a number of different ways. Data records in a relational database are maintained in tables, which are a collection of rows all having the same columns. Each row represents a data record and each column maintains information on a particular type of data for the data records that comprise the rows. Data records may be indexed using unique indices or keys that join different data records in different related tables together.
Another important type of database is the hierarchical database. The hierarchical database uses a hierarchical schema for storing information known as the parent/child model. A hierarchical schema may be represented as a tree structure, where each parent node may have a plurality of child nodes, while each child node may only have one parent node. Examples for hierarchical databases are IMS and Lotus Notes from International Business Machines of Armonk, N.Y.
Lotus Notes integrates a number of today's most important information sources that the user may seamlessly access on-line or off-line. Among others, Lotus Notes integrates an e-mail, calendaring, group scheduling, instant messaging, security, workflow, accessibility and cross split form capability. As a result of their diverse functionality, hierarchical databases such as, Lotus Notes, are widely spread and used by a large number of users, including a number of Fortune 500 companies.
A major disadvantage of hierarchical databases is that they are not suitable for implementing solutions to problems involving a relational schema. Consequently, users of hierarchical databases in general are required to use relational databases when trying to implement relational schemas.
Accordingly, there is a need to adapt hierarchical databases for use with relational schemas.

Hierarchical environments supporting relational schemas

International Business Machines Corporation


A Reverse-conducting semiconductor device which comprises a freewheeling diode and an insulated gate bipolar transistor on a common wafer, part of which wafer forms a base layer of a first conductivity type with a first doping concentration and a base layer thickness. The insulated gate bipolar transistor comprises a collector side and an emitter side opposite the collector side of the wafer. A cathode layer of a first conductivity type with at least one first region and a anode layer of a second conductivity type with at least one second and pilot region are alternately arranged on the collector side. Each region has a region area with a region width surrounded by a region border. The Reverse-conducting-IGBT of the present application satisfies a number of specific geometrical rules.

In U.S. Pat. No. 8,212,283 B2 a prior art reverse-conducting insulated gate bipolar transistor (RC-IGBT) in form of a Bi-mode Insulated Gate Transistor (BIGT) as described (shown in FIG. 1), which comprises a freewheeling diode and an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) on a common wafer 100, part of which wafer forms an (n−) doped base layer 101 with a first doping concentration and a base layer thickness 102. The RC-IGBT comprises a collector side 103 and an emitter side 104, whereas the collector side 103 is arranged opposite of the emitter side 104 of the wafer 100.
The base layer thickness 102 is the maximum vertical distance between the collector and emitter side 103 and 104 of that part of the wafer 100 with the first doping concentration.
An n doped cathode layer 1 of higher doping concentration than the first doping concentration and a p doped anode layer 2 are alternately arranged on the collector side 103. The cathode layer 1 comprises at least one or a plurality of first regions 10, wherein each first region 10 has a first region width 11.
The anode layer 2 comprises at least one or a plurality of second regions 20 and at least one or a plurality of pilot regions 22, wherein each second region 20 has a second region width 21 and each pilot region 22 has a pilot region width 23.
Any region (first, second or pilot region) has a region width and a region area, which is surrounded by a region border.
In an exemplary embodiment, a shortest distance is the minimum length between a point within said region area and a point on said region border. In that exemplary embodiment, each region width is defined as two times the maximum value of any shortest distance within said region.
An n doped source region 3, a p doped well layer 4 and a gate electrode having an electrically conductive gate layer 5 and an insulating layer 6, which insulates the gate layer 5 from any doped layer and an emitter electrode 8, are arranged at the emitter side 104.
The reverse-conducting semiconductor device comprises an active region 110, which is an area in the wafer 100, which includes and is arranged below any of the source region 3, well layer 4 or gate layer 5.
The following geometrical rules have to be fulfilled:                each pilot region area is a p doped area, in which a maximum value of all shortest distances to any border point is bigger than the base layer thickness 102,        the at least one pilot region 22 is arranged in the central part of the active region 110 in such a way that there is a minimum distance between the pilot region border to the active region border of at least one time the base layer thickness 102,        at least one second region 20 is that part of the anode layer 2, which is not the at least one pilot region 22,        the total area (sum of the areas) of the at least one pilot region 22 is between 10 and 30% of the active region 110,        each first region width 11 is smaller than the base layer thickness 102.
The pilot region 22 represents a pilot IGBT region, which eliminates snap-back effects at low currents. The snap-back effect of a BIGT depends on the resistance of the base layer, which in turn depends on the resistivity and thickness of the base layer 102. For devices having a greater base layer thickness 102, the voltage drop across the base layer is larger. Therefore, also the total on-state voltage drop is higher for such devices, and snap-back effect occurs at higher voltages.
The introduction of a sufficiently large p doped region (pilot region) can avoid such snap-back effect in a high voltage IGBT device. A minimum distance between this pilot region 22 and the border of the active region 110 is essential for good thermal performance and improvement of the device SOA since the pilot IGBT does not include transition parts of the chip such as those from active to termination regions 111. Furthermore, by using a pilot region 22, snap-back behaviour is improved compared to distributed smaller pilot regions.
By introducing a larger pilot region 22 compared to the smaller second regions 20, large areas of the device with shorted structures are maintained. By the introduction of the pilot region 22 with much increased dimensions compared to the first and second regions 10, 20, a region is created which is dedicated solely as IGBT region and not operating in the diode mode. The p-type pilot region 22 ensures increased IGBT area. The pilot region 22 is mainly present to give more freedom to determine the IGBT to diode area ratio and decouple this design aspect from the standard approach involving the small second regions 22 only.
The pilot region 22 is surrounded by shorted regions with alternating first and second doped regions 10, 20 (mixed region). Since the small first and second regions 10, 20 do not heavily influence the IGBT snap-back mode in line with the above design rule, their dimensions are adjusted to achieve the required diode area.
The first and second regions 10, 20 form the main shorted region in which the silicon area included is utilized in both IGBT and diode mode. These regions also influence the main IGBT electrical properties.
However, prior art RC-IGBTs have a snap-back in their on-state characteristics as a result of anode shorting. In the case of the prior art BIGT the initial snap-back is minimized or even removed by providing a large pilot region 22 in the center of the device. Consequently the injected carrier distribution becomes uneven in the BIGT having a wide anode in the pilot area and a strongly shorted anode in the mixed region.
During the IGBT mode conduction, the carrier plasma has its highest density in the active region 110 above the middle of the projection of the pilot region 22. As a result, during IGBT-mode conduction the temperature at the center of the chip is increased compared to what is normally seen in prior art IGBTs. Therefore, during the IGBT-mode turn-off the dynamic avalanche sets early at the cells located above the center of the widest/largest anode area, which is the pilot-IGBT region 22. This effect is mainly pronounced when the plasma is inhomogeneously distributed between the pilot-IGBT region 22 and the shorted region 10, 20. This happens mainly at lower temperatures (room temperature) and low currents up to the nominal current. The dynamic avalanche contributes to the increased turn-off losses during these conditions and creates concerns regarding the reliability of the component continuously operating in dynamic avalanche mode. The effect becomes gradually less as the current increases and the shorted regions 10,20 are flooded with carriers, but nevertheless the maximum turn-off capability of the BIGT is reduced compared to a corresponding prior art RC-IGBT.
FIGS. 20 and 21 show the carrier plasma (hole density) concentration in a semiconductor device in a plane located 5 μm from the emitter during IGBT mode turn-off. The hole density is shown at three different voltages of 500 V, 1200 V and 1900 V. FIG. 20 shows the hole density for a prior art BIGT structure, and on the right side a prior art RC IGBT structure is shown.
In the prior art BIGT structure (FIG. 20) dynamic avalanche occurs (seen as a filament of high plasma concentration) in the middle of the Pilot region (at the position −250 μm). The RC IGBT without a pilot-IGBT region as shown in FIG. 21 shows a smoother behavior without dynamic avalanche.
FIG. 22 shows an example of a prior art BIGT turn-off waveform showing the onset of dynamic avalanche detected as the change (slowing down) of the dV/dt rate.


A method of randomizing elements into a random pattern on a surface so the random pattern of elements substantially entirely consumes a region of the surface includes choosing an overlap distance and creating an initial pattern of elements that substantially entirely consumes a region of the surface, wherein neighboring elements overlap by the overlap distance. The method also includes choosing a maximum displacement distance, and displacing the elements by random displacement distances from their positions in the initial pattern, the random displacement distances being less than the maximum displacement distance. Moreover, a signed difference in displacement between two neighboring elements is not greater than the overlap distance. An apparatus including the elements is also disclosed.

Light redirecting films may be used in a variety of applications. Illustratively, light directing films may be used as part of a display or lighting device. Display and lighting devices may be based on a variety of technologies and can have very disparate applications. Regardless of the technology base or application, light directing films may be used to improve the efficiency of the light transmitted from a light source to an output.
One technology that has gained attention in display technologies is liquid crystal (LC) technology. An LC display (LCD) includes a liquid crystal material that is modulated to provide a light-valve function. In many LCD applications, it is useful to improve the power efficiency. Increasing the power efficiency of an LCD (or other similar display) may be useful in improving the image quality of the display, among other benefits.
One way to improve the efficiency of LCDs is by recycling light using light redirecting film(s). The optics of a light redirecting film may be very specific and detailed. A light redirecting film may include a plurality of optical elements. These optical elements may be shaped and arranged to redirect light in an LCD, making the LCD more energy efficient. However, there may be secondary effects of a light redirecting film (e.g., moiré effects or a moiré interference pattern) that reduce the quality of the display. For example, light redirecting films that exhibit moiré effects may have undesirable non-uniform brightness across the LCD screen. This non-uniform brightness may be due to an ordered arrangement of optical elements in the light redirecting film.
What is needed therefore, is an apparatus, or method, or both that addresses at least the deficiencies described above.

Randomized patterns of individual optical elements


In a process for applying a metallic adhesion layer for thermally sprayed ceramic thermal barrier coatings to metallic components, the surface which is to be coated being cleaned in a first process step, so that the metallic surface is free of grease and oxide, a binder is applied to the metallic surface of the base material in a second process step. Metallic adhesive powder is applied uniformly to the binder in a third process step and solder powder, which has a smaller particle size than the adhesive powder, is applied uniformly to the binder in a fourth process step. After drying the binder, a heat treatment is carried out for the purpose of soldering. The adhesion layers produced in this way are rough and provide a considerable positive lock for the ceramic thermal barrier coatings which are to be sprayed thereon.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of materials technology. It concerns a process for applying a metallic adhesion layer for thermally sprayed ceramic thermal barrier coatings (TBC) to metallic components and a metallic adhesion layer produced in accordance with this process.
2. Discussion of Background
Normally, metal and ceramic cannot be joined to one another owing to the different coefficients of thermal expansion.
It is known that, in order to solve this problem, a ductile intermediate layer is placed between the parts which are to be joined, which intermediate layer compensates for the differential expansions at different temperatures in an elastic-plastic manner (cf. W. J. Brindley, R. A. Miller: "TBCs for better engine efficiency", Nasa Lewis Research Center Cleveland, Advanced Materials & Progress 8/1989, pp. 29-33). These intermediate layers, which are designated as adhesion layers, are conventionally applied by means of known flame spraying processes, plasma spraying processes or detonation spraying processes. They make possible a metallurgical-mechanical bonding to the metallic component and a purely mechanical bonding of the likewise thermally sprayed ceramic layer to the adhesion layer, this joint exhibiting a pronounced sensitivity to impacts and thermal shocks.
Since the ceramic thermal barrier coatings protect the coated metallic components from harmful thermal stresses, it is important for a sufficient service life of the components that they be present without gaps. Components which have been coated in this manner are used in particular in the field of combustion technology, for example for combustion chamber parts or gas turbine blades.
The disadvantage of the metallic adhesion layers for ceramic thermal barrier coatings which have been produced to date is that they exhibit insufficient roughness and thus provide inadequate positive lock (undercuts), so that the layer thickness of the TBC layers is limited. Layer thicknesses of approx. 0.2 to 0.4 mm are known, layer thicknesses of about 0.3 mm being most commonly encountered. If they are thicker, the risk of flaking increases rapidly. If they are thinner, the heat insulating effect drops quickly. Although more recent developments have tended toward coarser adhesion layers (approx. 0.6 mm) being sprayed, the required positive lock is lacking.
A roughness (peak-valley height) which is typical for known metallic adhesion layers is about 30 .mu.m. It is impossible to spray the layers any more roughly, since the size of the powder particles to be melted is limited to approx. 10 to 50 .mu.m, depending on the coating process (different spraying temperatures and spraying speeds), and the liquid powder particles become smoothed out on striking the substrate (cf. B. Heine: "Thermisch gespritzte Schichten" Thermally sprayed layers!, Metall, Vol. 49, 1/1995, pp. 51-57).
An obvious remedy, by roughening to a coarser level by sandblasting or by changing the flame spraying parameters, is, however, limited. For example, although the layer thickness of the TBC ceramic layer can be increased by low-speed flame spraying, layers of this kind do not withstand any thermal shocks.
Rough threading or milling grooves into the surfaces to be coated, as are specified by B. Heine in the abovementioned article in order to promote adhesion with desired layer thickness of greater than 1 mm, are expensive and can be achieved only with great difficulty in the event of a complicated geometric shape of the workpiece.

Process for applying a metallic adhesion layer for ceramic thermal barrier coatings to metallic components


An engine control system includes a fuel system including a first fuel pump in fluid communication with a fuel tank and a second fuel pump in fluid communication with the first fuel pump. A pump control module selectively turns on the first fuel pump when a door opens before an engine is started, the engine is not cranking and a rail pressure of the first fuel pump is less than a predetermined rail pressure.

The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Spark ignition, direct injection (SIDI) engines tend to have longer engine starting times and engine start time variation. The engine starting problems arise due to variations in the amount of time required to prime a low pressure fuel pump.

Fuel pump prime activated by door sensor


A self-rejecting connector apparatus ensures that the connector apparatus of the present invention become fully engaged or fully locked when a rejection force, which pushes connector locks out of any partial-lock or partial-mate condition, ceases to be generated. A specially-shaped spring element, which is used to generate the rejection force, is blocked from being removed from the connector apparatus of this invention until the connector apparatus is fully engaged or fully locked.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a self-rejecting connector apparatus that experiences a rejection force until the connector apparatus locks, and locking method thereof. More particularly, this invention is directed to a self-rejecting connector apparatus having a housing with connector locks that lockingly engage with a female or pocket member, and a spring element for providing a rejection force against the direction towards which the housing is introduced into the female or pocket member, the spring element engaging with a retainer which is introduced into the female or pocket member.
2. Discussion of the Relevant Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,894 is directed to an electrical connector, which utilizes a connector position assurance (CPA) device or shorting clip for assuring the mating of relevant parts of the electrical connector. Although the CPA or shorting clip in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,894 may detect if the mating parts have not completely mated, the CPA or shorting clip may not necessarily prevent the partial mating of the mating parts from occurring during the manual connecting operation thereof.
Moreover, the CPA and shorting clip are additional parts of the electrical connector of U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,894, which results in the manufacturing thereof becoming complicated and costly, and the assembling thereof becoming complex.

Self-rejecting connector apparatus and locking method thereof


An embodiment of a computer implemented method for determining the disposition of a hyperdocument includes retrieving a hyperdocument from an information source, providing information about content of the hyperdocument to a trained artificial neural network (ANN), the ANN being capable of evaluating the information and providing results reflecting the evaluation, and determining the disposition of the hyperdocument based upon results of the ANN.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for evaluating hyperdocuments. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for evaluating hyperdocuments with the use of at least one trained artificial neural network.
Hyperdocuments are retrieved for viewing and/or other use through network connections, file transfers, disk drives or other sources of information. As used in this patent, the term "hyperdocument" means at least one electronically-accessible or readable document, data, image or file, a portion or combination thereof, or a copy thereof. For example, a hyperdocument may be information extractable from a hypertext database or hypermedia system, such as hypertext, images, video, sound, text, or phrases displayed or retrieved as a web page, file, electronic communication or other form of media. A hyperdocument may be a document or web page that includes or points to multiple images, text, video, etc., a compilation of hyperdocument files, a compressed or archived file (e.g. ZIP, TAR, etc.), a document or file that itself is not a hyperdocument (e.g. Microsoft Word documents, Adobe pdf files), but contains one or more hyperdocuments. Often, it is desirable or necessary to evaluate, or review, hyperdocuments for any number of reasons. For example, it may be desirable to evaluate hyperdocuments to determine if they should be provided to one or more users or other destinations for viewing, display, saving, download or another use. For other examples, hyperdocuments are often evaluated for security screening, virus scanning or filtering for, spam or other content. As used in this patent, the term "user" means at least one person, software routine, hardware component, system, designated recipient of a hyperdocument or any other entity or a combination thereof.
Present hyperdocument evaluations systems have various limitations. For example, in the field of hyperdocument filtering, typical existing systems are based upon look-up tables or the like. Some examples of commercially available systems are Norton AntiVirus, Net Nanny and AOL Parental Controls. These systems search the hyperdocument for certain text words or phrases that are compared to text words or phrases maintained in a database. For example, in source comparison systems, the source, address or other identifier of the hyperdocument is typically compared to a list of known sources, addresses or other identifiers. For another example, existing text or html-based language filters must maintain a list of words or phrases to be blocked. Other presently available systems utilize contour transformation, context boundary analysis, templates for categorizing specific hypertext and pixel comparisons for color images. An example of existing image comparison software is ScreenShield by Guardware, Inc., which compares hyperdocument pixel color to a skin tones database.
The ability of typical existing systems to evaluate hyperdocuments is thus limited to the text, phrases, images or other data entered into and maintained in a database. To stay current, the lists must be updated for changing sources or sites, new sources or data, etc. Known systems utilizing contour transformations or boundary analysis are limited to specific criteria previously established for the system.
It should be understood, however, that the above discussion is only exemplary of existing technology and its limitations. The existing technology has other limitations. Further, each embodiment of the present invention and each claim of this patent does not necessarily address or solve the above-described or any particular limitations or disadvantages of existing technology and is otherwise not limited in any way by the above discussion.
Accordingly, there exists a need for apparatus and methods for evaluating hyperdocuments having one or more of the following attributes, capabilities or features: uses trained artificial neural network technology for hyperdocument evaluation; uses trained artificial neural network technology for evaluation of images; uses trained artificial neural network technology for evaluation of pornographic content in hyperdocuments; transforms electronic image data into a format useful by an artificial neural network for hyperdocument analysis; evaluates and selectively categories hyperdocuments based upon artificial neural network analysis; allows for selective categorizations of content within hyperdocuments; evaluates the accuracy of hyperdocument retrieval; allows hyperdocument retrieval based upon a sliding scale associated with specific criteria; selectively allows retrieval of information from within hyperdocuments; provides hyperdocument retrieval control based upon the categorization of the hyperdocument or content within; allows user-selected criteria for hyperdocument retrieval; provides flexibility in hyperdocument retrieval; categorizes the hyperdocuments, such as images, rather than merely inspecting text or phrases; evaluates the actual hyperdocument content, not merely its address, description or reference; is not limited to a comparison list or database; does not rely upon maintenance of a comparison list or database; does not depend on the selection criteria imposed by the system; includes a timeout function; or any combination thereof.

Apparatus and methods for evaluating hyperdocuments using a trained artificial neural network