An apparatus and method thereof wherein a portable computer system or personal digital assistant generates a visual signal in response to an occurrence of a programmed event. For example, the portable computer system can use a light emitting diode to visually signal an alarm at a specified time. The visual signal can be varied in order to indicate the type of event associated with the alarm. In one implementation, the visual signal blinks at a particular rate depending on the type of event. In another implementation, the visual signal blinks a prescribed number of times or according to a particular pattern depending on the type of event. When enabled, the visual signal is generated in lieu of an audible signal, thus providing to the user a silent alarm that does not disturb other people in proximity, such as in a meeting, a theater, or some other gathering.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of portable computer systems such as personal digital assistants or palmtops. Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a silent visual indicator (e.g., an alarm) for portable computer systems.
2. Related Art
As the components required to build a computer system have reduced in size, new categories of computer systems have emerged. One of the more recent categories of computer systems is the portable or "palmtop" computer system, or personal digital assistant (PDA). A palmtop computer system is a computer that is small enough to be held in the hand of a user and is thus "palm-sized." As a result, palmtops are readily carried about in a briefcase or purse, and some palmtops are compact enough to fit into a person's pocket. By virtue of their size, palmtop computer systems are also lightweight and so are exceptionally portable and convenient.
Because of the portability and convenience of palmtops, it is becoming increasingly desirable to increase the range of applications and functions for which they can be used. It is advantageous to expand the capabilities of a palmtop so that it can provide many of the same, if not the same, services provided by a personal computer (e.g., a desktop or laptop computer system), particularly with regard to access to the World Wide Web as well as the ability to communicate with other palmtops and personal computers. As such, information currently available via the Internet over personal computers, such as on-line access to news and financial information, can also be provided via a palmtop. In addition, a palmtop can be used for electronic mail ("e-mail") and multi-player gaming, and features such as voice recognition can also be added.
Palmtop computers are also used very frequently as personal calendars, containing a user's schedule of meetings, appointments, and other items of significance such as birthdays and anniversaries. The user can open (e.g., display) the calendar to check for upcoming events. In addition, palmtops are generally equipped with an alarm that provides an audible indication to a user of an imminent appointment.
The audible alarm currently used in palmtops is problematic because it is not appropriate for all situations and cannot be used by the hearing impaired. In an environment that is supposed to be quiet (such as a theater), the audible signal can be disruptive and impolite. In an environment where there are many palmtop users (such as a business meeting), there are many occasions when multiple palmtops will sound their alarms at about the same time. In these situations, the sound of multiple alarms is exceptionally disruptive. In addition, it is not easy to trace an audible alarm to its source, and so there will also be some initial confusion while people try to determine whether it is their palmtop that is creating the alarm, further disrupting the meeting.
Furthermore, because of their disruptive nature, audible alarms cannot always be used to signal events other than appointments, etc. That is, there may be a number of conditions associated with the different functions and applications mentioned above for which a user may wish to receive an alert, but with an audible alarm the signals may be virtually continuous, especially in an environment where multiple palmtops are present. Thus, instead of being subjected to too much noise, or subjecting others nearby to the noise, a user may elect to not receive an audible alarm when he or she would really rather have one.
On the other hand, an audible signal can also be problematic in a noisy environment. It may not be possible to hear an audible alarm over the surrounding noise, in this case rendering the alarm useless.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and apparatus for visual silent alarm indicator


The present invention provides a method for producing .epsilon.-caprolactam, which comprises subjecting cyclohexene to a hydration reaction to obtain cyclohexanol, subjecting the cyclohexanol to a dehydrogenation reaction to obtain cyclohexanone, subjecting the cyclohexanone to an oxime-forming reaction to obtain cyclohexanone oxime, and subjecting the cyclohexanone oxime to a Beckmann rearrangement reaction to obtain .epsilon.-caprolactam, wherein methylcyclopentanones contained in the cyclohexanone subjected to the oxime-forming reaction are controlled to be not more than 400 ppm.. According to the present invention, it is possible to produce .epsilon.-caprolactam having a quality not inferior to conventional quality at a low cost.

.epsilon.-Caprolactam has been produced mainly by converting cyclohexanone to an oxime, and subjecting the formed cyclohexanone oxime to a Beckmann rearrangement. The cyclohexanone oxime is usually produced by reacting cyclohexanone with hydroxylamine.
Heretofore, for the production of cyclohexanone which is useful for producing .epsilon.-caprolactam, it has been most common to employ a method which comprises oxidizing cyclohexane with molecular oxygen to obtain a mixture of cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone, separating cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone by distillation and converting the separated cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone by a dehydrogenation reaction, as an industrially practiced method. Also known is a method wherein phenol is subjected to hydrogenation and dehydrogenation to obtain cyclohexanone.
On the other hand, an attention has been drawn in recent years to a method of hydrating cyclohexene in the presence of a solid catalyst, particularly a zeolite catalyst, as a method for producing cyclohexanol on an industrial scale. Many reports have been made on such a method since about 1965, but a production on an industrial scale has only recently been realized (Chemical Economy, 1993 March issue, p. 40-45).

Process for the preparation of .epsilon.-caprolactam


Reaction detection method to detect a chemical reaction with respect to a target substance, for instance, glucose (5) in a sample (32) includes the steps of forming a reaction layer (3) to induce the chemical reaction and forming an oxygen transfer layer (2), which has an oxygen transmission rate higher than that of the reaction layer (3) and which transfers oxygen (4) in the air (1) to the reaction layer (3), between the reaction layer (3) and the air (1), where the oxygen is consumed in the chemical reaction. Chemical reaction rate with respect to target substances in a sample is increased.

The concentration measurement of a target substance contained in a sample, e.g., a biological fluid is an analytical method widely used in medical and biochemical fields. For example, in the medical field, the measurement of glucose concentration in blood or urine is applied as an effective screening test to medical diagnoses of diseases, e.g., hypoglycemia and diabetes mellitus.
In general, a method through the use of detection of a chemical reaction with respect to a target substance in a sample is widely used as a measure to determine the concentration of the target substance at present. A method in which the sample after the reaction of the whole target substance has been completed is observed and a chemical reaction with respect to the target substance is determined on the basis of the observation is mentioned as one of such chemical reaction detection methods. However, according to this method, the waiting time until the reaction of the whole target substance in the sample is completed increases and it may be inefficient.
As for another method without being accompanied by such an inconvenience, a method in which an initial reaction rate is measured and a chemical reaction with respect to the target substance is detected on the basis of this measurement is mentioned. In this method, a sample is observed after a predetermined term is elapsed from start of the reaction of the target substance, and a total amount of reaction of the target substance at that point in time is determined. This method is effective in the case where the substrate concentration can be estimated from the reaction rate with high accuracy as with an enzyme reaction, for example, and is useful because it is not necessary to wait until the reaction of the whole target substance is completed.
Also, as for a technique used for quantitatively detecting the reaction of the target substance, a colorimetric determination method described in, for example, PTL 1 is mentioned. For example, PTL 1 describes a method in which in a saliva sugar measurement, a reduced coenzyme or hydrogen peroxide produced by using glucose oxidase-peroxidase allows other oxidation-reduction substance to take on a color and the measurement is performed with a microplate reader or a spectrophotometer.
Meanwhile, PTL 2 describes a configuration in which hydrogen peroxide assay reagents and a sample containing an analyte are combined into a droplet and the assay is conducted in the droplet to yield a detectable signal (such as color change). Also, it is disclosed that the above-described droplet may be surrounded by a filler fluid, e.g., silicon oil, that is immiscible with the droplet.

Method for detection of chemical reaction with respect to target substance in sample


The sides of a sports racquet, and optionally the tip and throat bridge, include axially extending cutout portions. An insert member, having a plurality of string port holes and optionally conventional string holes, is seated in each cutout portion. The frame and insert member are preferably formed of different materials.

The present invention relates to sports racquets, for example tennis, squash, badminton, and racquetball racquets. Such racquets have a head portion containing an interwoven string bed, a handle, and a shaft portion connecting the head portion to the handle.
Most high performance sports racquets have a frame molded from composite materials, e.g., a carbon fiber-reinforced resin. Holes for anchoring the ends of the strings are drilled through the frame after the racquet is molded. Plastic grommet pegs, which are formed on a grommet strip or bumper strip that rests against the outside surface of the frame, extend through the string holes to protect the strings from the sharp edges of the drilled holes.
Proposals have been made to form string holes during the molding process. For example, commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,800,239 discloses a racquet made of two frame tubes, in which the string holes are formed during the molding process using a plurality of hole-forming pins positioned within the mold between the two tubes. Such racquet has the advantage that it does not require drilling holes through the material, which can weaken the frame. Moreover, the two tubes press against one another during molding, forming an interior support wall, which further strengthens and stiffens the racquet.
Commonly owned PCT application WO 2004/075996 discloses another sports racquet in which the string holes are molded-in. In this racquet, however, pairs of adjacent conventional string holes are replaced with a single enlarged string hole, the opposite sides of which accommodate two strings. Such process allows the weight of the racquet head to be reduced and, as in the case of the '239 patent, tends to produce a frame which is stiffer and stronger than one in which string holes are drilled through the frame after molding.
In racquet sports, there is no single ideal racquet. Different players need racquets with different playing characteristics. For example, beginners, intermediate players, and advanced players each tend to prefer racquets with different playing characteristics. Also, a player's choice of racquet tends to vary depending upon the player's type of swing and playing style. Serve-and-volley players may prefer racquets with far different playing characteristics than racquets preferred by baseline players.
Once a racquet has been designed and built, it is difficult to alter its playing characteristics to any significant degree. Its overall weight, stiffness, balance, mass and polar moments of inertia, sweet spot, and coefficient of restitution are determined principally by the design of the frame, choice of material, the fiber orientation of the various plies of material forming the frame, and the number and placement of the string holes. The weight, balance, and moments of inertia can be modified to some degree by using special tapes positioned at certain racquet locations, or by attaching removable parts. However, such measures make the racquet heavier than its original design, which is normally undesirable. Moreover, the frame stiffness and the stringing pattern of the racquet cannot be changed after the racquet has been molded and the string holes formed. In order to substantially modify the playing characteristics of an existing racquet model, the racquet frame would have to be redesigned.
In order to satisfy a range of player needs, manufacturers currently are forced to offer many different racquet models. It would be desirable to provide a racquet whose playing characteristics can be customized after the racquet is manufactured in order to reduce the number of racquet models while still providing a wide range of playing characteristics.

Sports racquet with insert members for anchoring strings


One or more computing devices, systems, and/or methods for efficiently storing and retrieving electronic communication are provided. Messages with the same structure are grouped into a same cluster. A template is created for the cluster. The template is populated with constant values that are the same amongst the messages. Variable values that are different amongst the messages are stored within user account repositories for each message. In this way, the constant values are merely stored once for the messages within the cluster. A template within a general repository and variable values within a user account repository may be used to reconstruct a message.

A messaging service, such as an email service, may provide users with the ability to send, receive, store, and retrieve messages. The messaging service may store messages associated with user accounts within storage devices. Thus, when a user requests a particular message, the message can be retrieved from a storage device by a server of the messaging service. The messaging service may store messages for a large number of users, such as millions of users, which have been accumulated over time by the users. Many messages may be unopened messages that users never read and/or messages that user never deleted. Storing each instance of every message for every user in perpetuity can consume a large amount of storage space. This increases maintenance overhead of managing and maintaining all the necessary storage devices, energy consumption by the storage devices, and infrastructure cost of the storage devices. Many of these messages may be machine generated messages where most of the content between each message is the same (e.g., flight itinerary emails where most of the message body is the same other than a flight number, date, and user name; promotional messages where only a user name or account number is different; etc.). Thus, a lot of storage space is inefficiently utilized because a substantial amount of redundant message content is stored.

Systems and methods for efficient electronic message storage and retrieval


A temperature sensor for an automobile is disclosed. The temperature sensor includes a conductive sensor body including a bottom wall, an insulative connector housing coupled to the sensor body, first and second terminals provided inside the connector housing, which have lower contact portions, a ceramic element mounted near the bottom wall in the sensor body for detecting temperature, which has lower and upper electrode surfaces, and a connecting disc mounted on the ceramic element, which has lower and upper connecting surfaces. The lower electrode surface of the ceramic element is attached to the bottom wall by a conductive adhesive layer and grounded to the sensor body. The upper electrode surface of the ceramic element is electrically connected to the lower contact portion of the first terminal through the lower and upper connecting surfaces of the connecting disc. The lower contact portion of the second terminal contacts the sensor body.

In general, a temperature sensor for an automobile detects a temperature of engine coolant, transmission oil or engine suction air, and transmits the detected temperature to an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The temperature sensor uses a ceramic element for detecting a middle and low temperature range (the maximum detectable temperature: 150° C. to 170° C.).
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional temperature sensor for an automobile, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of circle "A" in FIG. 1. A temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of engine coolant is used as an example.
As shown in the drawings, a conventional temperature sensor for an automobile comprises a sensor body 1 and a connector housing 2. The sensor body 1 is formed in a probe type. The sensor body 1 includes a cylindrical inner empty space 4 and a bottom wall 3 for closing the bottom of the space 4. A flange 5 extends radially from the upper end of the body 1, and a connector receiving portion 6 extends upward from the periphery of the flange 5. A screw thread 7 is formed around the outer-middle surface of the body 1. The screw thread 7 may be tightened into a screw hole formed at a wall of an engine cooling jacket, for detecting the temperature of engine coolant.
The lower portion of the connector housing 2 is received in the connector receiving portion 6 of the sensor body 1. The connector housing 2 is fixed to the sensor body 1 by wrapping around the upper periphery of the connector receiving portion 6. The connector housing 2 is made from a plastic material by an injection molding process. A rod 8 extends integrally downward from the connector housing 2. Before the injection molding process, lower ends of two lead wires 10a and 10b are soldered to a ceramic element 9, and upper ends of two lead wires 10a and 10b are connected to two terminals 11a and 11b disposed at the connector housing 2. The ceramic element 9 is inserted within an epoxy or glass molding 12. During the injection molding process, the ceramic element 9 is disposed near the lower end of the rod 8 extending from the connector housing 2, and the lead wires 10a and 10b pass through the rod 8 to be connected to the terminals 11a and 11b.
The rod 8 of the connector housing 2 is inserted into the empty space 4 of the sensor body 1. When the connector housing 2 is received in the connector receiving portion 6 of the sensor body 1, an O-ring 13 is interposed between the lower outer surface of the connector housing 2 and the inner surface of the connector receiving portion 6. Thus, the ceramic element 9 is located near the bottom wall 3 inside the empty space 4 of the sensor body 1.
When the above conventional temperature sensor is used for detecting a variation in temperature of engine-coolant, the ceramic element 9 located near the bottom wall 3 of the sensor body 1 detects the temperature of engine coolant. The heat of engine coolant is transferred to the ceramic element 9 through the bottom wall 3, the rod 8 and the molding 12. It is preferable that the ceramic element 9 has a good response to the variation in temperature. The ceramic element 9 typically has a size of 1.0×1.0×0.5 mm.
In addition, the temperature sensor disclosed in Korean Patent No. 254860 and Korean Utility Model Registration No. 248772, which have been assigned to this Applicant, may be referred as a prior art.
Those skilled in the art have attempted to improve the response of the temperature sensor. For example, a plurality of concave and convex portions may be formed at the outer surface of the sensor body to increase a heat exchange area. Also, an inorganic matter may be mixed with the epoxy or glass molding, within which the ceramic element is inserted, to improve a heat transfer efficiency of the molding. Further, a plurality of concave and convex portions may be formed at the outer surface of the molding to increase a heat exchange area. Also, the ceramic element may be formed compactly to easily react to the increase in temperature. In addition, to reduce a heat loss from the lead wires connecting the ceramic element to the terminals, a relatively thin lead wire may be used or a material having low heat-loss characteristics may be selected for manufacturing the lead wire.
However, if forming the ceramic element compactly, it has a good response to the increase in temperature, but it has a poor response to the decrease in temperature because the heat exchange area is too small to efficiently emit the heat generated at the ceramic element when current is applied through the ceramic element.


A multi-bit sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (40) includes a sigma-delta modulator (41) with a multi-bit quantizer (46) and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) (47). An output of the DAC (47) provides an error signal of the modulator (41). The quantizer (46) provides a quantized signal having multiple bits ordered from a most-significant bit, to a second most significant bit, to at least one lower-order bit including a least-significant bit. At least two of these bits, including the most significant bit and one of the lower-order bit or bits, are provided as inputs to the DAC (47). The remaining bits are provided as inputs to a prefilter (49), which performs the same transfer function as a comparable multi-bit modulator. A summing device (49) subtracts the output of the prefilter (48) from the quantized signal. A decimation filter (50) resamples the output of the summing device (49) to provide the output of the ADC (40).

There are two basic techniques for performing analog-to-digital conversion. An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) using the first technique, known as the open-loop technique, generates a digital signal directly in response to an analog input signal. The open-loop ADC samples the analog input signal at twice the frequency (known as the Nyquist frequency) of the highest expected frequency component of the input signal. The open-loop ADC uses a series of precisely-matched components to digitize the input signal. The resolution and accuracy of the open-loop ADC depend on the matching of these components. However, highly-precise components are difficult to achieve in conventional integrated circuit processing.
An ADC using the second technique, known as the sigma-delta technique, represents the analog input signal by generating a stream of digital samples whise density gives the correct average voltage. The sigma-delta ADC includes a sigma-delta modulator and a decimation filter. The modulator includes a quantizer which generates a digital output signal in response to a filtered difference between the analog input signal and a feedback signal. The feedback signal is the digital output signal reconverted to an analog signal in a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The modulator is oversampled, meaning that the sampling rate is well above the Nyquist rate. The decimation filter resamples the output of the modulator and provides an N-bit data word at the Nyquist rate. The sigma-delta technique achieves high resolution by precise timing instead of by precisely-matched components (resistors and capacitors) which are required by the open-loop ADC.
A simple sigma-delta ADC uses a first-order modulator with a single integrator performing the filter function, a one-bit quantizer, and a one-bit DAC. Since the quantizer can provide the output of the modulator at only one of two levels, its operation is necessarily linear. The first-order sigma-delta modulator has high quantization noise at the sampling frequency. The action of the filter in the modulator shapes the quantization noise to be higher at higher frequencies. Thus, the converter is referred to as a noise-shaping ADC. The decimation filter has a lowpass characteristic with a cutoff frequency at the Nyquist frequency. Since the sampling frequency is much higher than the Nyquist frequency, the filters can usually attenuate this out-of-band quantization noise sufficiently.
A second-order ADC having two filters in the modulator loop has higher out-of-band quantization noise but lower in-band noise than the first-order ADC. Thus, if the out-of-band noise can be sufficiently filtered, the second-order sigma-delta modulator has better performance. The necessary attenuation can be achieved if the decimation filter is one order greater than the order of the modulator. ADCs higher than second order are possible but typically have stability problems.
One way to increase the resolution of a sigma-delta ADC is to substitute a multi-bit quantizer for the single-bit quantizer. In this case the DAC in the feedback loop must also be multi-bit and the linearity of the multi-bit DAC must be as high as that of the overall ADC. To achieve high DAC linearity, costly error correction techniques are necessary. These error correction techniques would cause the sigma-delta ADC to lose its independence of processing variations. Thus, new techniques are needed to improve the resolution of sigma-delta ADCs.

Multi-bit sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter with reduced sensitivity to DAC nonlinearities


An example embodiment involves receiving an activity record including activity data, provider data, and description data; applying a first layer of a multi-layer machine learning (ML) model to predict that the activity record relates to software, applying a second layer of the multi-layer ML model to predict a provider name of a software application referenced in the activity record, applying a third layer of the multi-layer ML model to predict an application title of the software application referenced in the activity record, and storing, in a database, a configuration item indicating that the activity record relates to software, where the configuration item contains attributes including the provider name and the application title.

Discovering single-purchase or subscription-based software as a service (SaaS) products can be difficult using on-premises software discovery systems because such services are not installed locally and, in many cases, leave little or no local evidence of their use. For example, an enterprise may have multiple licenses related to third-party, cloud-based software services (e.g., for file storage and sharing, productivity, training and educational purposes, etc.). But discovery procedures that take place within the enterprise may have no way of determining that these licenses exist.

Machine learning based discovery of software as a service


A hand tool consists of a single length of flat, rigid, steel bar stock bent in the nominal plane of the bar to form a long main body, an elongated head offset from one end of the main body by an orthogonal shoulder and a relatively long foot extending from the other end of the main body in a direction generally opposite to the direction of the offset. The free ends of the head and foot are provided with beveled edges which are notched to enable the head and foot to be engaged under nail heads. The tool can be used in a wide variety of prying, pulling, lifting and positioning applications.

Utility bars of the general type with which this invention is concerned have been available for many years. Such tools run the gamut from long, straight crowbars used to lever large rocks in order to move the rocks to short J-shaped pry bars commonly used to pull nails, pry shingles from roofs, etc.
More recently, there has appeared on the market a utility bar made of flat bar stock. This bar, shown generally at 10 in FIG. 5, has a strap-like body 12 which is in the order of fifteen inches long. The lower end of body 12 is terminated by a relatively short, e.g., two inch, foot 14 which joins body 12 at a heel 16 that has reverse curvature. The forward edge of foot 14 has a bevel 14a at its upper surface and a notch 17 is provided in that edge for grasping nails. The upper end of body 12 has a relatively sharp edge formed by a bevel 12a at the rear surface of body 12 and a notch 18 is provided in that edge to enable bar 10 to grasp nails at that location. Usually, the upper end segment 12b of body 10 is curved rearwardly as shown in FIG. 5 and a wedge-shaped opening 19 is provided in the bar just below the curve. That opening may be used to hang the tool from the wall fastener or to grasp a nail head in order to lift out a nail.
Because the prior tool 10 has a short foot 14, when the tool is used to pry out a nail using the notch 17, the edge of the foot moves along an arc with a relatively short diameter with the result that the tool actually bends the nail. Therefore, if the nail is relatively long, a full downward stroke on the tool body 12 may not suffice to pull out the nail completely. The tool must then be disengaged from the nail and reengaged therewith at the notch 18 or opening 19 in order to finish extracting the nail. This two-step nail pulling procedure can be tedious and time consuming particularly if a particular project involves removing a large number of nails.
Another disadvantage of the prior tool 10 is that its edge bevels 12a and 14a are relatively short and face away from the tool's working fulcrums at 16 and 12b. This sometimes makes it somewhat difficult to engage the bar edge 12b and 14b under a nail head or between objects to be pried apart.
Also, the tool 10 is not particularly good for lifting or aligning heavy objects such as wood or wall board panels, doors, kitchen cabinets and the like. This is due not only to its diminutive foot which may dig into the object, but also to the overall shape of the tool and its insufficient rigidity.


Robotic platform for tele-presence applications has gained paramount importance, such as for remote meetings, group discussions, and the like and has sought much attention. There exist some robotic platforms for such tele-presence applications, these lack efficacy in communication and interaction between remote person and avatar robot deployed in another geographic location thus adding network overhead. Embodiments of the present disclosure for edge centric communication protocol for remotely maneuvering tele-presence robot in geographically distributed environment. More specifically, edge-centric tele-presence robot architecture is provided for maneuvering tele-presence robot in distributed geographical environment, wherein the architecture provides a framework that implements both cloud and edge-centric systems together with a first communication protocol for communication between a master device and an edge device and a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol for communication between the edge device and the tele-presence robot to improve robustness and efficacy in communication.

A tele-presence robotic system for mobile remote presence (MRP) finds applications in many diverse areas such as medicine, education, training, mentoring, monitoring, surveillance, and the like. One of the most important among them is attending meetings and group discussions from remote locations in any agile workplaces. And, for such a tele-presence system to operate systematically without much communication overhead and actuation delay (if the tele-presence system is mobile and is capable of performing some basic activities), it is very important that a proper communication architecture/framework is provided for such a robotic system to save time, money, computational and communication resources and effort.
Considering the fast approaching of an era of unprecedented success in robotics, robots are being deployed in many scenarios nowadays and tele-presence is one of the most prominent applications across varied applications. The most prominent application considers representing a remote person in a meeting, discussion, seminar or conference being his avatar. Such an avatar robot needs a very robust underlying framework to work with efficacy. The current state-of-the-art lacks a robust communication and interactive framework for such an avatar robot. Moreover, the existing systems for such tele-presence robots perform computations over cloud which introduces some communication delays, thus hampering many real-time applications to a great extent.

Edge centric communication protocol for remotely maneuvering a tele-presence robot in a geographically distributed environment


A technique is provided to facilitate pumping of fluids in a well. A submersible pumping system utilizes a submersible motor to power a submersible pump. A motor protector works in cooperation with the submersible motor to protect motor fluid within the submersible motor and to reduce differential pressures between the internal motor fluid and the external well fluid. The motor protector incorporates a piston slidably sealed within an interior cavity of the motor protector for movement to reduce undue differential pressures.

Well completion equipment is used in a variety of well related applications. For example, artificial lift systems are used to produce fluids, such as hydrocarbon based fluids, from subterranean reservoirs. One type of artificial lift system is an electric submersible pumping system in which a submersible motor drives a submersible pump to produce well fluid to a desired location.
The submersible motor often contains an internal motor fluid that is protected from the surrounding well fluid. Additionally, the submersible motor is exposed to substantial differential pressures between its interior and the surrounding environment during movement downhole and during operation downhole. Accordingly, a motor protector can be coupled to the submersible motor to protect the motor from deleterious wellbore fluids while balancing undue pressure differentials.
Many types of motor protectors have been designed for incorporation into electric submersible pumping systems. The motor protectors typically comprise one or more sections that enable conformation to reduce differential pressure while maintaining a barrier between the internal motor fluid and the surrounding wellbore fluid. However, each of the types of available motor protectors can be problematic due to characteristics such as high production cost, high material cost, inability to operate in high temperature environments, undue resistance to pressure balancing, susceptibility to damage caused by contaminants in the well fluid, and susceptibility to damage due to accumulation of material depositions over time.

System and method for protecting a submersible motor


The container has a bowl and lid which together define a hollow enclosure. A reservoir projects downwardly into the enclosure from the lid. The reservoir has an opening which is closed by a cap which, when closed, prevents the contents of the reservoir from discharging into the bowl. A lever is attached to the cap and is in contact with the brim of the opening. The brim acts as a fulcrum about which the lever pivots. A catch causes the lever to pivot with resulting opening of the cap and discharging of the contents of the reservoir into the enclosure. The catch extends through an opening in the lid so that it can be operated from outside the container.

This invention relates to containers for food and more particularly to a container for portions of food such as a salad. The container has a reservoir for a sauce such as salad dressing and has means for selectively opening the reservoir in order to discharge the sauces into the interior of the container where it mixes with the food portions.
Small portable containers intended specifically for such foods as salads are well known, Such containers contain a bowl which is relatively large for the salad and a relatively small compartment below the bowl for a salad dressing. There is provision for opening the compartment from outside the container, usually by applying downward pressure on a portion of the outer wall of the container. When the compartment is opened, the salad dressing spills into the salad below and the two can be mixed together by shaking the container. By keeping the salad and the salad dressing apart until immediately prior to serving, the salad remains fresh, dry and free of sogginess
An example of such a container is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,268 B1 to Michaeli. In that patent, the upper wall of the compartment containing the dressing is flexible and when it is pressed downward, a pin beneath the wall is forced downward. The pin is attached to a cap which opens and closes an outlet at the bottom of the compartment. When the cap is forced downward, it opens the compartment and allows the dressing to spill into the salad below.
Many such containers such as that described in the Michaeli have a number of short-comings. The compartments for salad dressing of such containers project outwardly of the container and if the compartments are accidentally pressed or squeezed, they will spring open with resulting spillage of the dressing onto the salad in the bowls below. A salad becomes soggy and unappetizing if the dressing remains in contact with it for too long.
Another shortcoming of many such containers is that the outlets in the salad-dressing compartments through which the dressing flows are too restricted and much of the dressing remains in the compartment after it is open. This is a particular problem where the dressing is viscous such as those containing particles of cheese and those containing thick cream.


A low-voltage differential signal driver with a pre-emphasis circuit having a current control circuit and a pre-emphasis circuit is provided. Wherein, the pre-emphasis circuit includes the current sourcing circuit and the current sinking circuit, both of which have similar circuit structure, coupled to the current control circuit, respectively. The current sourcing circuit and the current sinking circuit are controlled by two sets of driving signals, so that the pre-emphasis circuit provides an extra driving current to the current control circuit at an instant when the current control circuit switches the current direction. In addition, each set of driving signals contains two synchronous but phase-inversed driving signals. The time it takes for the current steering circuit to switch terminated resistor current between upward and downward directions is decreased.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a low voltage differential signal driver and a pre-emphasis circuit, and more particularly, to a low voltage differential signal driver with high switching speed and high resolution and a pre-emphasis circuit thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
The low voltage differential signal (LVDS) technology is applied in data transmission systems. The LVDS generated by a line driver has a typical value of peak-to-peak voltage, ranging from 250 mV to 450 mV. In cases of high transmission rate, a low-voltage switch is helpful in reducing the power consumption. Therefore, LVDS technology is especially suitable for high-speed data transmission, such as video data processing. In fact, LVDS applications can be found, more or less, in professional video processing devices and electronic consumer products, such as flat panel display and notebook computers.
FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit drawing of a conventional low-voltage differential signal driver. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional LVDS driver comprises the transistor M11, M12, M13 and M14. Wherein, the first source/drain end of the transistor M11 is connected to a voltage supply VDD via a driving current source I1 and the first source/drain end of the transistor M13. The gate end of the transistor M11 receives a driving signal VIN1. The second source/drain end of the transistor M11 is connected to the first source/drain end of the transistor M12 and one end of a load resistor Rt. Similarly, the gate end and the second source/drain end of the transistor M13 are connected to a driving signal VIN2 and the first source/drain end of the transistor M14, respectively, and the second source/drain end of the transistor M13 is also connected to another end of the load resistor Rt. In addition, the gate end and the second source/drain end of the transistor M12 are connected to the driving signal VIN2 and the ground via a resistor R1, respectively. The gate end and the second source/drain end of the transistor M14 are connected to the driving signal VIN1 and the second source/drain end of the transistor M12, respectively.
When the driving signal VIN1 is enabled, it would turn on the transistor M11 and M14. Meanwhile, the driving current generated by the driving current source I1 flows into the first source/drain end of the transistor M11, passes the node 103, and gets to the load resistor Rt in the direction indicated by arrow A. Then the driving current passes the node 105, then reaches the ground via the transistor M14 and the resistor R1. Whereas, when the driving signal VIN2 is enabled, the transistor M13 and M12 will be turned on. Meanwhile, the driving current flows into the first source/drain end of the transistor M13, passes the node 105, and gets to the load resistor Rt in the direction indicated by arrow B. Then, the driving current passes the node 103, and then reaches the ground via the first source/drain end of the transistor M12, the second source/drain end of the transistor M12 and the resistor R1.
The disadvantage of the LVDS driver shown in FIG. 1 is that the switching speed of the current passing through the load resistor Rt is limited by the size of the driving current source I1. That is, the switching speed between route A and B of the current passing through the load resistor Rt, is limited by the size of the driving current source I1, such that the switching speed of the LVDS driver becomes slower. The details can be referred to the U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,715.
To solve the above-described problem, the U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,715 also provides an LVDS driver. Referring to FIG. 2 in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,715, the disclosed LVDS driver generates an additional current ID2 to a current control circuit 201 by means of a current mirror circuit 207 at the instant of switching the current when flowing through the load resistor RL. Thus, the current control circuit 201 can utilize both the current ID1 and ID2 to increase the switching speed.
In the LVDS driver disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,715, five inverters ID1˜ID5 and an exclusive-NOR gate XNOR are used to receive an input signal IN and to control the turn-on sequence of the transistor M21, M22, M23 and M24. Therefore, these logic gates would take a lot of processing time. In particular, the delay when the signals travel through the exclusive-NOR gate consumes the most part of time.
In addition, due to the asynchrony between the control signal to turn on the transistor M25 and M27 and the control signal to turn on the transistor M26 and M28, the timing of turning on the transistor M25 and M26 is somewhat different from that of turning on the transistor M27 and M28. Consequently, the resolution performance of the LVDS driver disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,281,715 declines.

Low-voltage differential signal driver with pre-emphasis circuit


A glue applicator nozzle and an electrode are placed facing each other, with a gluing object between. The applicator nozzle is connected to a high-frequency-wave transmitter unit, while the electrode is bound to a high-frequency-wave receiver unit. The glue is discharged from the applicator nozzle, and applied on the gluing object, so that the state of continuous presence of glue between the applicator nozzle and the gluing object enables the transmission of the high-frequency wave between them for monitoring the desired performance of gluing process. In an alternate arrangement the electrode is set on the side of the applicator nozzle, and facing the glue applied on the gluing object.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monitoring device for the desired application of glue on gluing objects with a glue applicator nozzle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gluing processes in sack machines and collators employ the gluing operation with applicator nozzles. The gluing is monitored by detecting the appropriate application of glue on the gluing objects with the applicator nozzle. A monitoring method for gluing which has been available is the capacitance method, in which the gluing object to which glue is applied is inserted between two electrodes to monitor the performance of the gluing operation by measuring the difference in the capacitance between the electrodes as it is effected by the glue applied. An optical method has also been in use which detects the reflected light from colored glue. In the Japanese Patent Application Provisional Publication No. 60-99641 another method is disclosed which evaluates the quantity of glue applied by detecting the attenuation rate at the receiving electrode during transmission of a high-frequency wave between the transmitting and receiving electrodes with gluing object inserted between the electrodes.
In this capacitance method two electrodes are placed facing each other with the gluing object between. Hence both of the electrodes face the glue on the gluing object. In this arrangement the glue coats the electrode surface, causing vast variation in the measured value of capacitance, making it difficult to obtain an exact measurement. The moisture also would yield variation in the measured values, resulting in difficulty in obtaining stable monitoring. On the other hand, the optical method would require the use of colored glues, while in the method of JPAPP No. 60-99641, besides the necessity of two-electrodes, spacing between the electrodes is reduced to raise the monitoring sensitivity because the gluing object moves between the electrodes.


An optimization server with associated databases for use in social networks utilizes previous interactions and other factors and parameters to optimize a user's level in a social network. The optimization server may be configured to proactively and/or reactively optimize a user's level in a social network by selecting previous social network instances, merging data from the selected instances into a single social network data representation, determining the shortest path between originating and recipient nodes in the network, and assigning a default level for the recipient node based on the shortest path. Additional optimization parameters may be applied to increase or decrease the recipient node's default network level (within certain optionally established limits for change). Various parameters that may be utilized to optimize the social network may include, but are not limited to, user parameters, content classification, user classification, distribution history, existing FOAF definitions, and other external data.

The increased availability of network-capable computing devices has led to a wide variety of communication options for users. Users can exchange messages and content through various communication systems including e-mail, instant messaging, chat rooms, bulletin and discussion boards, file sharing applications, and blogs and other web sites. For example, instant messaging systems such as Internet Relay Chat (IRC), ICQ, AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, and Microsoft's MSN Messenger are widely used by many users on the Internet. Similar systems are available for messaging within local networks, as well.
Various arrangements of the previously-listed (and other) communication systems have been proposed for use in so-called "social networking" systems. Generally speaking, a "social network" refers to a group of persons or other entities ("members") linked to one another through one or more types of social connections. Social networks are also commonly referred to as "friend-of-a-friend" networks, although social networks may of course include or consist entirely of entities linked by social connections other than friendship. For example, a social network can include members linked to one another by connections including common friendship, place or field of employment, place of education, place of residence, membership in a club or other group, or common hobbies or topical interests. Many social networking systems attempt to provide computer-based tools for maintaining, enhancing, and creating social networks.
For example, social networking web sites provide users with web space to create a profile and link to various other users designated as "friends." See, for example, http://www.myspace.com, http://www.facebook.com, and http://www.friendster.com. Users of such sites can post messages and other content to web pages accessible to various parties of their choosing (for example, to "friends only" or to the public at large). Social networking sites may also utilize instant messaging and online chat rooms that allow for near-instantaneous communication between users.
Social networks and the interactions thereof may develop from a variety of different systems for establishing, modeling, and/or managing the social network relationships and corresponding infrastructure. In one particular example, social networks can be created for providing "limited viral distribution" of digital content among a plurality of invited users. A content provider may limit the extent to which selected digital content may be shared by establishing a "degree of separation", or maximum level distance from a content provider the content can be distributed through a sharing network. In this example, a user wants to seed digital content to a select group of people and allow them to have freedom to spread the content further, at their discretion, and to users of their choice. However, certain controls on the social distribution network are established to prevent the content from going to the general public. The networked relationship that is created by sharing content from the originating user to other invited members creates a social network for purposes of sharing content in a limited and controlled fashion. Additional details regarding this particular type of social network and associated content sharing features is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/516,231, entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RIGHTS PROPAGATION AND LICENSE MANAGEMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH DISTRIBUTION OF DIGITAL CONTENT IN A SOCIAL NETWORK", filed on Sep. 6, 2006, currently pending, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Potential concerns may arise when a user's place (or level) in a given social network instance is not the optimal representation of the true or desired social network level. This situation may occur, for example, when a given user is connected in the social network by more than one path from an originating user, or content owner. In one exemplary situation, a user may be considered by one path to be two levels away from an originating user, but four levels away by another path. Often times having a greater separational distance (higher level number) in the social network will limit that user's functionality, influence or other features provided by the social network system.
In response to this potential limitation, a need exists for technology that optimizes a social network. In accordance with the presently disclosed technology, a social network optimization server utilizes previous network interactions, including social network instances, user parameters, content classification, user classification, distribution history, existing social network distributions, and other external data to optimize a social network. Based on user preferences, the system merges selected social network interactions into a single social network and then finds the optimal (shortest) path to the user to determine that user's level in the network. The system further optimizes the user's level by utilizing other influences such as user classification and previous distribution history of related content. The end result is that for current content distribution or other interaction, each user in the social network can be assured to obtain the highest level in the social network possible. This, in turn, gives the user the highest level of access, or other functional features provided via the social network.
Although various social networking technologies exist, no solution that addresses all the features and aspects of the present subject matter has been developed.

System and method of optimizing social networks and user levels based on prior network interactions


A panel for a display device includes an electroconductive substrate formed from an electroconductive metal material, a substrate insulating layer arranged on the electroconductive substrate, an X-direction electric wiring group and a Y-direction electric wiring group arranged on the electroconductive substrate, pixels arranged in a matrix, a TFT element for driving the pixel, and a control unit for controlling, to a predetermined potential, a substrate potential of the electroconductive substrate. The TFT element has a reverse stagger structure, with the substrate insulating layer being arranged between the electroconductive substrate and a gate electrode of the TFT element, a gate insulating layer of the TFT element is arranged between a drain electrode of the TFT element and the electroconductive substrate, and an electric capacitor is formed in a part of the substrate insulating layer between the drain electrode and the electroconductive substrate. The electric capacitor is set based on the gate insulating layer of a film thickness smaller than a thickness of the substrate insulating layer without causing insulating breakdown.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device having matrix wiring arranged on an insulated electroconductive substrate by an insulator.
2. Related Background Art
The demand for a display device which has lower power consumption and a thinner size has increased with the development of information processing devices, and research and development works for such a display device as to correspond to the demand have been actively conducted.
A display device is often used outdoors, along with increase of such mobile information processing devices as particularly so-called a wearable personal computer and an electronic note, and the reduction of a power consumption and an installation space is expected.
However, many liquid crystal displays have no so-called memory function in general, so that they have to continuously apply voltage on a liquid crystal display panel during the display. On the other hand, a liquid crystal display panel with a memory function has difficulty in sufficiently securing operational reliability, when assuming that it will be used in various environments as are wearable personal computers, so that it has not been practically used yet.
One of a thin-and-light display system with a memory function is an electrophoretic display device disclosed by Harold D. Lees (cf. U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,758).
Electrophoretic display devices of this kind comprise a pair of substrates arranged in a state of being separated by a predetermined gap, an insulating liquid filled in between a pair of the substrates, a lot of coloring chargeable electrophoretic particles dispersed in the insulating liquid, and a display electrode placed on each picture element in parallel to each substrate.
In the display device, the coloring chargeable electrophoretic particles are electrically charged into a positive polarity or a negative polarity, so that they are adsorbed to either of the display electrodes according to the polarity of voltage applied to the display electrode. For instance, between the condition of making the coloring particles adsorbed to an upper electrode to show the coloring chargeable electrophoretic particles and the condition of making the coloring chargeable electrophoretic particles adsorbed to a bottom electrode to show the color of an insulating liquid, through controlling applied voltage, the display device can display various images. Such a type of a display device is called "vertically moving type."
In addition to the above one, such a type of an electrophoretic display device is disclosed as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-211499).
The electrophoretic display device has a different configuration from that of the above described type which has an insulating liquid arranged so as to be sandwiched by a pair of substrates, and adopts such a configuration shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B as to have, for instance, a first electrode 231 arranged under a shielding layer (a partition wall) 235 placed between picture elements, and a second electrode 232 which is arranged on the whole picture element display for reflecting incident light and is covered with an insulating film 236.
Accordingly, an insulating liquid 237 has only to be transparent. The electrophoretic display device displays a black color by covering the second electrode 232 with electrophoretic particles 238 as shown in FIG. 4A, and displays a white color by exposing the second electrode 232 through collecting the electrophoretic particles 238 to the first electrode 231 placed between the picture elements as shown in FIG. 4B. Thus, the electrophoretic display device can display images by controlling the polarity of applied voltage for every picture element.
In recent years, a display with a small thickness, hardly being damaged and having flexibility like paper, has been suggested as a display device using the above described electrophoretic method, which could not been conventionally realized. In order to follow the trend, it has been considered to form a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) back plane for driving a display element not on a glass substrate made of conventional glass, but on a comparatively thin metallic sheet or a plastic substrate made of a plastic material.
For instance, a technology is disclosed for forming a TFT back plane on a metallic substrate made of a stainless steel (SUS: Steel Use Stainless) material (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H9-179106).
As described above, the metallic substrate made of a stainless steel material (SUS) is greatly different from glass materials which have been conventionally used in general and plastic materials having comparatively high flexibility in the respect of having electroconductivity.
FIG. 5 shows one example of a sectional drawing of a pixel electrode in a TFT matrix array formed on a metallic substrate.
As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional display device comprises a substrate-insulating layer 311, a gate electrode 312, a gate insulating layer 314, an amorphous silicon layer 315, an ohmic contact layer 319, a source electrode 320, a drain electrode 317 and a channel protective film 318 sequentially layered on a metallic substrate 310; and an electrode 313 for providing electrical retention capacitance (Cs) in between itself and each of a metallic substrate 310 and a drain electrode 317.
In a conventional display device with the use of a substrate made of a non-conductive material such as glass, reference character a of parasitic capacitance Cg-Sub and reference character b1 or b2 of parasitic capacitance Cd-Sub as shown in FIG. 5 do not exist.
In a display device with the use of an electroconductive substrate as shown in FIG. 5, Cg-Sub of parasitic capacitance a and Cd-Sub of parasitic capacitance b1 or b2 are produced, of which the state is equivalent to such a state that the display device has an electrically connected certain coil component. Then, a metallic substrate in a floating state of having an inconstant substrate potential inconveniently acts as an antenna, picks up noises, adversely affects a pixel circuit formed on a metallic substrate or the driving system of the pixel circuit, and causes malfunction.
In addition, a metallic substrate has a comparatively high linear expansion coefficient in comparison with an AN glass requiring no annealing treatment, which is generally used in a display unit application, and has a large fluctuation of the dimension due to a variation of a heat history in a manufacturing process. Accordingly, in the manufacturing process of a TFT matrix array in particular, the metallic substrate causes difficulty in an alignment step for adjusting the dimension of itself, and makes it difficult to cope with a high-resolution display device, which are problems.
For this reason, objects of the present invention are to provide a panel for a display device, which has an improved reliability of the drive for a pixel circuit and can cope with a high-resolution image, and to provide the display device therefor.

Panel for display device, and display device


A D flip-flop latches a reference clock signal in response to an output signal fed back from an output circuit. A pulse generating circuit generates a pulse in response to the output signal fedback from the output circuit. From the latched signal and the pulse generated by the pulse generating circuit, a count pulse is generated. The count pulse is output to an up/down counter. Based on the counting result of the up/down counter, a digital-to-analog conversion circuit generates a delay control signal. Using this delay control signal, the delay circuit synchronizes its output signal with the reference clock signal. It is possible to synchronize the output data signal with the reference clock signal regardless of variations in the reference clock signal, source voltage, and ambient temperature.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a delay control circuit, more particularly to a delay control circuit for synchronizing the phase of an input data signal with a reference clock signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 15 shows a display system for displaying an indication, such as a channel indication, on a monitor 400 simultaneously with a television picture. The display system of FIG. 15 includes a television signal input terminal 104 for receiving a television signal, a television tuner 200 for converting a television signal to a picture signal, a data signal input terminal 102 for receiving a data signal, such as channel number superimposed on the monitor 400, a delay control circuit 100 for image-processing the data signal input to the input terminal 102, a reference clock input terminal 101 for receiving a reference clock to be supplied to the delay control circuit 100 and the television tuner 200, a line memory 300 for storing picture elements corresponding to one scanning line, a monitor 400 such as a Braun tube, a plasma display, a liquid crystal panel (TFT), or a television display 401 in the monitor 400 for displaying the television picture received from the television tuner 200 and the channel indication received from the delay control circuit 100.
In FIG. 15, the television signal input to the television signal input terminal 104 is image-processed by the television tuner 200 and transmitted to the line memory 300 for each scanning line. On the other hand, the data signal input to the data signal input terminal 102 is image-processed by the delay control circuit 100 and transmitted to the line memory 300 for each scanning line. The television signal output from the television tuner 200 and the data signal output from the delay control circuit 100 are composed by the line memory 300 and displayed on the monitor 400. The data signal is displayed at a fixed location of the monitor 400.
The reference clock signal is supplied to the television tuner 200 and the delay control circuit 100 via the reference clock input terminal 101. The television tuner 200 and the delay control circuit 100 are processed by the same reference clock signal, respectively. Each output signal from the delay control circuit 100 and the television tuner 200 is output to the line memory 300 and superimposed and displayed on the monitor 400. Therefore, if the output signal from the television tuner 200 and the output signal from the delay control circuit 100 are not synchronized, the television signal from the television tuner 200 and the data signal from the delay control circuit 100 are shifted in the line memory 300, and therefore the data signal from the delay control circuit 100 is not displayed on a desired location on the monitor 400. Accordingly, the delay control circuit 100 must precisely synchronize the data signal input from the data signal input terminal 102 with the reference clock signal.
For such a delay control circuit, for example, a circuit using the delay circuit shown in FIG. 16 is known. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a conventional delay control circuit for controlling delay of the input data signal against the reference clock input signal. FIG. 17 shows an example of the delay circuit 2 of FIG. 16. FIG. 18 shows an example of an output circuit 3 of FIG. 16. FIGS. 19A-19E are timing charts showing the operation of the delay control circuit shown in FIG. 16.
In FIG. 16, a terminal T of a D flip-flop 1 is supplied with the reference clock signal via the reference clock input terminal 101 (see FIG. 19A), and the terminal D of the D flip-flop 1 is supplied with a data signal (see FIG. 19B), such as a superimposed signal supplied via the data signal input terminal 102. The delay circuit 2 delays the data signal from the D flip-flop 1 by a predetermined time and outputs it to an output circuit 3. The output circuit 3 gives a predetermined delay to the data signal output from the delay circuit 2 and outputs the delayed data signal to an output terminal 103 so that it is synchronized with the reference clock signal.
The delay circuit 2 of FIG. 17 includes an input terminal 203, a plurality of inverters 4a-4d, and an output terminal 204, and has a delay corresponding to the sum of delays of these inverters. The output circuit 3 of FIG. 18 includes an input terminal 204, inverters 4c-4h, and an output terminal 103. The output circuit 3 has the delay corresponding to the sum of delays of these inverters. Further, the output circuit 3 not only provides a delay, but also operates as a buffer for an external circuit.
The operation of the conventional delay control circuit shown in FIG. 16 is described below using FIGS. 19A-19E. FIG. 19C shows that the input data signals shown in FIG. 19B, input from the outside, is latched at the falling edges of the reference clock signal shown in FIG. 19A and is synchronized with the reference clock signal. The data signal output from the D flip-flop 1 is delayed by a predetermined delay .DELTA. t1 in the delay circuit 2 as shown in FIG. 19D. Further, the output circuit 3 gives a predetermined delay .DELTA. t2 to the output terminal 103 as shown in FIG. 19E. By adjusting the sum (.DELTA. t1+.DELTA. t2) of the delay .DELTA. t1 and .DELTA. t2 to equal the period T of the reference clock signal, that is, .DELTA. t1+.DELTA. t2=T, the data signal output from the output circuit 3 can be synchronized with the falling edge of the reference clock signal.
In this way, in the conventional delay control circuit, the number of stages of the inverters 4a-4d in the delay circuit 2 and the number of the stages of the inverters 4e-4h in the output circuit 3 are set so that the sum of the delay of the circuit (.DELTA. t1+.DELTA. t2) is the same as the period T. In this way, by the cascade connection of a plurality of the inverters, the input data signal is output synchronously with the reference clock signal at a change point of the reference clock signal, with the fixed delay (inherent delay determined by the inverter).
However, in the conventional current delay control circuit, the delay depends on the number of inverters. Therefore, when there are some changes in the ambient temperature and the source voltage supplied to the delay control circuit, the delay changes according to the external conditions. In other words, if the ambient temperature or the source voltage changes, the length of the delay shifts from the period of the reference clock signal and the output data signal is not synchronized with the reference clock signal at the falling edge of the reference clock signal.
For example, when the source voltage decreased or the ambient temperature increases, the length of the delay increases in each inverter in the delay circuit 2 and the output circuit 3, so the total delay of the delay control circuit also increases. FIGS. 20A-20E are timing charts showing signals at respective points in the delay control circuit of FIG. 16 when the source voltage decreases or the ambient temperature increases. As shown in FIG. 20B, the rise and fall of the input data signals, such as a superimposed signal received from the outside, are latched at each falling edge of the reference clock signal as shown in FIG. 20A, so the output signal from the D flip-flop 1 is synchronized with the reference clock as shown in FIG. 20C. The output signal from the D flip-flop 1 is delayed in the delay circuit 2. However, if the source voltage falls or the ambient temperature rises, a delay .DELTA. t1a, which is larger than the normal delay .DELTA. t1, is generated as shown in FIG. 20D. Further, in the output circuit 3, a delay .DELTA. t2a, which is larger than the normal delay .DELTA. t2, is generated as shown in FIG. 20E. Therefore, since the predetermined delay (.DELTA. t1+.DELTA. t2) is changed to (.DELTA. t1a+.DELTA. t2a) via the delay circuit 2 and the output circuit 3, the delay (.DELTA. t1a+.DELTA. t2a) becomes larger than T (.DELTA. t1a+.DELTA. t2a>T) and the output data signal from the output circuit 3 does not synchronize with the reference clock signal at the falling edges of the reference clock signal as shown in FIG. 20E. From this reason, there is a serious problem in that the input data signal is not displayed at a desired location on the monitor 400. Further, there is a disadvantage in that the superimposed picture becomes unstable since jitter occurs in the superimposed picture.

Mitsubishi Electric Semiconductor Software Co., Ltd.


The artificial firelogs of this invention provide a natural visual and audible sensation so that the artificial firelogs have both a soothing flickering flame and a crackling or popping sound normally observed only with natural wood logs. The crackling additive can be mustard seeds, sesame seeds and synthetic hollow spheres.

Various types of artificial firelogs are known and have been formulated to act as a substitute for natural firewood and are designed for use in fireplaces and other environments where natural wood would otherwise be used. Typically, artificial firelogs are made by mixing flammable particles with a binder matrix to form a mixture and then molding or extruding the mixture into an elongated form that resembles a piece of natural wood. Wood particles and other cellulosic-derived materials are readily available and are therefore often used as the flammable particles. A commonly used type of wood particle is saw dust of selected sizes and of various wood types and can be employed in various particle size distributions. Various types of inexpensive waxes, resins, plant extracts and related petroleum derived products are often used as the binders for the particles in the artificial firelogs.
The binder functions to hold the firelog in a desired shape and aids in the combustion process, since it commonly has provides most of the firelog's fuel value during the combustion of the firelog in a fireplace or other suitable combustion location.
Generally, artificial firelogs are formed by extruding the mixture through a bore extrusion die wherein the particles and binder as well as any other materials incorporated therein are compressed and shaped within the extrusion bore. The extruded product is cut into predetermined lengths that are sized to fit in a home fireplace or other combustion site and provide a predictable burn time of typically 2 to 4 hours. The elongated flammable bodies (also know as artificial firelogs) formed by this process are usually placed in a protective outer wrapper or sheath for sale, although this is optional and depends on the aesthetics of sale and the materials selected to form the artificial firelogs.
These firelogs are typically marketed for sale to residential homeowners for use in a home fireplace to provide heat and to provide an attractive fire that simulates the fire produced by a natural wood fire. In order to provide advantages over a natural wood fire, the artificial firelogs are formulated so that they can burn for a few hours without attending to the fire as would be required when burning natural wood. Also, artificial firelogs generally start much easier, burn cleaner and generate less ash compared to natural wood. In order to make use of the artificial fuel log more attractive than use of natural wood, the firelog usually includes means for rapidly igniting it with a match which is applied to the outer wrapper. Further, since the artificial firelog is in many instances being used for the aesthetic enjoyment of a fire in social settings, any attributes that are similar to a traditional wood fire will enhance the pleasure of the products use and more closely simulate a traditional wood fire.
Various types of coverings or coatings have been suggested for use in fuel articles. These coatings or coverings address the need to provide a low cost means for reducing adherence of the wrapper to the firelog.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,539 discloses a firelog grating system and discloses use therewith of artificial firelogs containing hemp, millet and sunflower seeds as additives in the firelog. The patentee states at Column 5, lines 7 et seq. that, "Although the use of a typical fuel log 18 is sufficient to generate the desired effect for flame quality, it has been found that by impregnating such fuel log with a variety of seed 24 such as hemp, millet, and sunflower, those commonly found in birdseed, a popping sound is generated much like that which a burning log makes as the moisture in the log is heated and ignites. This popping sound adds to the atmosphere created to make the use of the present invention less distinguishable from a wood burning fire." Although these seeds may provide some modest sound, the disclosed seeds do not provide an effective sound. Testing of various grades of millet and sunflower seeds have shown they do not pop sufficiently well to provide a popping sound and their sounds are very short-lived. Further, hemp seeds are illegal to possess and, accordingly cannot be used as a firelog additive.

Artificial firelog with natural wood sound


In one embodiment, network data exchanged between a client computer and a remote server computer are scanned for computer viruses at a first network security computer. The first network security computer creates connection information about the connection between the client computer and the server computer, and registers that connection information with a second network security computer that may receive network data transmitted in the connection. This allows the second network security computer to forward to the first network security computer network data transmitted in the connection even when the first and second network security computers are configured for asymmetric routing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to data communications, and more particularly but not exclusively to scanning of data transmitted over computer networks.
2. Description of the Background Art
Computer viruses, worms, Trojans, and spyware are examples of malicious codes that have plagued computer systems throughout the world. Although there are technical differences between each type of malicious code, malicious codes are commonly collectively referred to as "viruses." For example, commercially available "antivirus software" is designed to scan a computer for viruses as well as worms and other malicious codes.
A computer network may employ an antivirus as a protective measure against viruses. For example, antivirus software may be installed in a gateway, router, or other centralized network component to scan network data (e.g., packets transmitted over the network) for viruses. As a further example, a gateway with antivirus components may scan packets exchanged between a client computer within the network and a server computer outside the network. In that scenario, the gateway is in-line with the client computer and server computer, and scans packets exchanged between the two. Antivirus components capable of in-line virus scanning are commercially available from several vendors including Trend Micro, Inc.
High-availability computing environments are those capable of continuous operation. Typically, in a high-availability environment, network components that provide critical services are deployed with redundancy. For example, redundant network security computers may be employed to scan network data. While deployment of redundant security computers makes the computer network more robust, it complicates in-line scanning because there are several computers available to scan packets leaving and entering the network and improper or lack of coordination between these computers may result in some packets not being scanned at all.

In-line scanning of network data in an asymmetric routing environment


An improved wet abrasive blast machine with remote control rinse cycle enables a pilot operating the apparatus to control remote switching between blast and rinse cycles directly, for example from a nozzle of a blast hose or from a panel. A first and second hydraulic circuit and a pneumatic circuit are controllable via communication with a control circuit which is operable remotely to direct a configurable pilot signal between various valve states. In a preferred embodiment, the control circuit is powered pneumatically via a branch circuit fed from the pneumatic circuit. Switching between to configurations is effected by directing an air pilot signal between airflows interior to a series of valves. In an alternate embodiment switching airflows between configurations is effected electrically.

Various wet abrasive blast machines and vapor blast machines (collectively "WAB" machines) are well known in the surface cleaning industry. Typically, a hydraulic side and a pneumatic side combine to enable blasting of pressurized fluids to scour and clean surfaces. A blast pot, containing grit, is pressurized by water pumped from a standalone water tank into the blast pot to maintain a pressure therein. Pneumatic pressure is thence generated via an air compressor into a blast hose via a piping manifold connected to the blast pot by a slurry hose. Slurry (grit and water) from the blast pot is thence introduced into the airflow in the blast hose to jet a spray of pressurized fluid containing grit against a targeted surface. The effect is to spray a high velocity stream of grit particles to scour and clean the targeted surface. Depending on the grit used and the pressures employed, the surface may be scoured to remove paint, rust, residue, chemicals, oxides, and other surface elements or contaminants, to expose, restore, or refinish the surface.
During blasting operations, introduction of grit from the blast pot into the airstream is controlled by a pinch valve operating at the juncture of the slurry hose and the blast hose. When an operator enacts a switch at the blast hose nozzle, typically a deadman switch to require active engagement, the pinch valve is automatically opened to release pressure on the hydraulic side whereby slurry is forced into the airstream and thence carried, at pressure, for blasting.
As seen in the art, water from the standalone tank is also applied to a rinse cycle after blasting operations have ceased. The present state of the art controls application of rinse water by requiring manual shut-off of a ball valve disposed upon the slurry hose whereby water is introducible into the airstream while the slurry from the blast pot is excluded. This presents several problems and inefficiencies when blasting. First, a second operator is generally required to tend the blast pot and respond to signals from the operator to disengage the hydraulic side for rinsing to commence. Slurry remnant in the slurry hose downstream from the ball valve, and up to the blast hose nozzle, must then be evacuated by the rinse stream before rinsing operations can properly commence. This results in wasted time, resources, wear on the ball valve, and additional manpower—especially when switching between blasting and rinsing operations frequently since the ball valve must be manually set each time between blasting and rinsing and the slurry in the slurry hose downstream from the ball valve and in the blast hose must be evacuated.
What is needed is a control circuit feeding back to the pinch valve from the blast hose proper wherein the operator of the blast hose is enabled remote control of a pinch to switch between blasting and rinsing operations without having to employ use of the upstream ball valve in sealing off the blast pot, nor deactivate the pumps pressurizing the hydraulic circuit(s), nor deactivating the compressor(s) pressurizing the pneumatic circuit. Thus, singlehanded blasting operations are enabled and immediate switching between rinse and blasting cycles is effectuated more efficiently with the hydraulic and pneumatic circuits maintained at pressure.

Wet abrasive blast machine with remote control rinse cycle


A media stack height sensor in an image forming apparatus with a flag arm that is in contact with a top surface a media stack. The arm is coupled to a flag characterized by varying transmissivity. The flag is moveable by the flag arm so that as the position of the arm changes in relation to the stack height, a different portion of the flag is positioned between a transmitter and receiver of an optical sensor disposed within the body of the image forming apparatus. The flag accordingly reduces the amount of optical energy received by the receiver. The receiver output signal indicates the height of the media stack. The flag also includes features that further limit light transmission to the receiver to provide discrete stack height indications such as low, empty, full, or intermediate states.

A media tray in an image forming apparatus may be equipped with a stack height sensor to detect the presence, absence, or quantity of media contained therein. It is also useful to particularly detect discrete states within the range of stack heights. For instance, sensors may be used to indicate full, intermediate, and empty conditions so that informational and operational warnings may be provided. One intermediate state of interest is a low condition. Low warnings are useful to determine whether enough media remains in the media tray to complete a print job. The same low warning may also be used to alert users of the condition so that they can add media before the media tray becomes completely empty. An empty condition signal is useful to alert users and, in some cases, prevent operation of the image forming apparatus to prevent damage or unnecessary wear. Some stack height sensors use a single sensor for each discrete height. For instance, two separate sensors may be used to generate a signal indicative of the low and empty conditions. Unfortunately, for these types of systems, stack heights other than these discrete positions will be unknown and unavailable.
Other stack height indicators use a continuously variable sensor that provides a signal that changes in proportion to the amount of media remaining in the media tray. These continuously variable sensors can provide stack height values over the entire range of heights. However, since most media sheets used in an image forming apparatus are thin in relation to the height of a stack, it is difficult to precisely determine when the discrete conditions are encountered. The output of a continuously variable sensor generally does not change a large amount as the height or position of a media stack changes as individual sheets are removed or added to the stack. Thus, systems that use a continuously variable sensor look for an expected range of sensor outputs to simulate discrete states.
Space limitations make integrating these components into an image forming apparatus increasingly difficult. Consequently, design and manufacturing constraints sometimes permit only one or another type of stack height sensor.

Media tray stack height sensor with continuous height feedback and discrete intermediate and limit states


A VDMOS structure with an added n- doping component, and a LOCOS oxide self-aligned to it, at the surface extension of the drain. The additional shallow n- component permits the body diffusion to be heavier, and hence reduces the risk of latchup.

The present invention relates to DMOS-type power transistors, and particularly to such transistors which provide vertical current flow.
Vertical-current DMOS-type power transistors have become an increasingly dominant technology for solid-state power-switching devices. In the basic technology of such transistors, a heavily doped n+ source region is separated from a surface extension of the drain (normally n-type) by a relatively narrow p-type channel region (which is normally outdiffused from the same pattern as the source diffusion). A gate (typically polysilicon) is capacitively coupled to the channel region to controllably invert it. When the channel is inverted, electrons flow from the source region through the channel into the surface extension of the drain, and thence downward through a drain conduction region to eventually reach an n+ drain. The drain may be at the back surface, or may be a buried layer in integrated power processes. The general characteristics of such devices are discussed in the following texts, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference: B. E. Taylor, POWER MOSFET DESIGN (1993); B. J. Baliga, MODERN POWER DEVICES (1987); Grant and Gowar, POWER MOSFETS: THEORY AND APPLICATIONS (1989); and E. Oxner, POWER FETS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS, (1982).
On-Resistance
The on-resistance per unit area of a MOS-gated power device is very important, since it determines the silicon area required to obtain a specified device resistance. However, there is a trade-off between breakdown voltage and on-resistance. Thus as the breakdown voltage of the device increases, the silicon area required to get the on-resistance down to a specific target value increases rapidly. See generally Darwish and Board, "Optimization of Breakdown Voltage and on-resistance of VDMOS transistors," 31 IEEE TRANS'NS ELECTRON DEVICES 1769 (1984), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A number of techniques have been developed to minimize the on-resistance by increasing the doping concentration of the drain region below the gate. (If this added doping concentration is sufficiently light and shallow, it will not degrade the breakdown voltage of the device.) One technique uses lateral diffusion of dopants into the surface drain region; another uses implantation into the surface drain region.
Field-Plate-Induced Breakdowvn
One of the possible breakdown mechanisms in high-voltage MOS transistors is field-plate-induced breakdown, in which the potential on a field plate above a heavily doped region causes a "breakdown" in the heavily doped region, with a consequent high current flow between electrodes which contact the doped region. This effect is described and analyzed in Declercq and Plummer, "Avalanche breakdown in high-voltage D-MOS devices," 23 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRON DEVICES 1 (1976), which is hereby incorporated by reference.
As seen in FIGS. 3A1 and 3A2, the breakdown voltage (for a given oxide thickness under the field plate) therefore has a minimum value at some moderate level of doping, and increases at lower or high doping levels.
Optimal Spacing
For devices with high power-handling capability, many transistor cells are packed in an array. The lateral spacing between cells in the array therefore has a large influence on the overall current density which can be achieved. Published analyses have indicated that there is an optimal spacing, for a given set of device parameters, which will minimize on-resistance. Moreover, this spacing is dependent on the background doping seen at the surface of the VDMOS device.
FIG. 3B indicates the shape of the relation between breakdown voltage and lateral cell spacing, for two different values of body doping. As these curves show, the optimal spacing is lower for higher background dopant concentrations (at least within the range of background dopant concentrations which might be considered for normal device use). See generally Hu, "A Parametric Study of Power MOSFETS," IEEE POWER ELECTRONICS SPECIALISTS CONFERENCE RECORD 385 (1979).
Gate Capacitance of Power FETs
The gate of a large insulated-gate device is a lattice which may run over a very large area of silicon (particularly in discrete devices). In analyzing turn-on and turn-off of such devices, the RC time constant of the gate must be carefully considered: if the applied gate voltage is switched within a duration less than this time constant, then different parts of the gate may have significantly different transient voltage levels, and some parts of the transistor may be on while others are off. This may cause "hot-spotting" or other undesirable effects to occur.
The RC time constant of the gate can be reduced by making metal contact to the gate in more places. This effectively reduces the "R" term in the time constant. However, each such contact consumes some gate area. Moreover, in single-level-metal processes, the requirements of making source contacts severely constrain the possible geometries for gate contacts.
A large part of the gate capacitance is unavoidable, since the gate must be closely coupled to the channel in order for the transistor to operate. However, the channel is only a small fraction of the surface area, and gate coupling to the source and body regions is not particularly necessary. (The source and body areas all have relatively high dopant concentrations, and hence provide high capacitance per unit area where the gate is capacitively coupled to these regions.)
Innovative Processes and Structures
The present application discloses two modifications to the familiar DMOS structures and processes, which provide reduced on-resistance without increasing gate capacitance. These modifications are particularly advantageous in combination.
The first modification is a blanket shallow low-dose n-type implant at the surface of the device areas. This is preferably shallower than the source diffusion. This slightly counterdopes the channel region, so the concentration and/or diffusion length of the shallow p-type diffusion which surrounds the source can be slightly increased without degrading the transistor's on-resistance. This provides increased resistance to latchup in an integrated process (since the resistance of the intrinsic base of the parasitic npn is reduced).
A second modification is an added shallow n-type dopant contribution at the drain surface, which is preferably self-aligned to a LOCOS oxide. This combination provides several benefits:
1) The additional drain surface doping provides improved conductivity without degrading the breakdown voltage of the device. PA0 2) Since the LOCOS oxide separates the gate from most of the drain diffusion, capacitive loading on the gate is minimized. PA0 3) Lateral spacing between adjacent transistor cells is improved. PA0 4) The added drain surface dopant follows the curve of the LOCOS oxide, which provides some downward extension while still using a very shallow diffusion profile. (A deeper dopant profile, due either to deeper implantation or longer diffusion length, would risk some degradation of the voltage stand-off capability of the drain conduction region due to the lower-depth extension of the dopant distribution.)
To avoid field-plate-induced breakdown, both of the added doping contributions provide relatively small additional contributions (preferably a few times the background level), as detailed below.

Structure and process for reducing the on-resistance of mos-gated power devices


A golf swing trainer, and more particularly a kinesthetic golf swing plane training device and a method for golfers to train and perfect their swinging of a golf club is provided. The golf swing training device includes a training light adapted to be attachable to a shaft of a golf club. The training light is directed to project a head beam of light and a grip beam of light. The head beam of light projects parallel to the shaft of the golf club, toward the head of the golf club and the grip beam of light projects parallel to the golf club shaft, toward the grip of the golf club. The golf swing training device also includes a swing platform that includes a ground positioned pair of parallel tracks. An optically reflective means for reflecting the head beam of light as projected by the training light, and for reflecting the grip beam of light as projected by the training light is provided on the swing platform. The swing platform is preferably adjustable to suit various club lengths and club types.

The game of golf is an exact and mentally demanding sport. The physical requirements of the game, though not considered exhaustive, require a high level of precision and expertise, especially if a golfer desires to excel. Golf is also a popular pastime, with a long history of training aids and devices for improving the skills of the golfer, on or away from the golf course. Many of these devices attempt to train the swing of the golfer by helping the golfer to modify and improve their swing.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,080,608 issued to Hannaford is one such training device. Hannaford '608 discloses a stick that includes an electric lamp to project a beam from one end of the stick. The Hannaford '608 patent also includes a mat with a light reflecting surface. The player uses the stick to swing in his normal manner and observes the trace of the light beam upon the reflective mat to diagnose the accuracy of his swing. Hannaford '608 fails to teach a swing diagnosis system that would allow golfers to employ their own golf clubs, instead of a stick. A need exists for a golf swing training device that allows players to employ their own clubs in a light tracing and reflective system. The Hannaford '608 floor mat also fails to include a reflective surface that indicates a proper swing trace. Therefore, a related need exists for a reflective surface system that orients a golfer to a proper golf club swing trace upon an external surface.
In an ideal golf swing, the golfer maintains an arcing swing of the golf club within a circular plane having the golfer at the center of the circular arc. The plane of the golf swing is neither strictly horizontal nor vertical, but the ideal plane of the golf swing must be inclined to include the position of the golf ball at a low point of the golf swing plane. This low point can be the ground surface, the ball as partially buried below the ground, as in a sand trap, or slightly elevated above the ground surface on a golf tee. A perfect and identically repeatable golf club swing plane is a significant advantage and is universally found in all successful golfers. To perfect a proper golf swing plane in every swing or stroke of the various golf clubs utilized an a typical game or round of golf, the golfer must perfect the golf swing with each of their various golf clubs. Therefore, a need exists for a golf swing training device that uses each of a golfers own particular golf clubs to trace the arc of the ideal golf swing plane.
Another golf swing training device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,795 to Taylor. Taylor '795 teaches the self analysis of a golf swing that includes observing the tracing of an illuminated light bulb attached to the shaft of a special golf club. The light from the Taylor '795 is directed upward toward the eyes of the golfer. A need exists for a golf swing training device that allows golfers to train and develop their golf swing, and specifically to observe the tracing of light emitted from the golf club, while utilizing their own particular golf clubs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,479 to McGwire shows yet another golf club swing training device. McGwire '479 discloses a golf swing training device having a light beam source that is removably attached to the end of a golf club's grip. The light illuminates a path on the ground surface surrounding the golf ball, to provide a visual indication of the golfer's back swing and forward swing. McGwire '479 only teaches the attachment of the light beam source to the end of the golf club grip. A need therefore exists for a detachable light source system that also employs self contained light that attaches to any standard golf club and allows the golfer to illuminate the ground during all swing positions, rather than only the back swing and the forward swing.