A composite material having polymeric resin with disperse phases of reinforcing fibers and nanoparticle materials and its manufacture is disclosed herein. The nanoparticles may be bound together and added to the polymeric resin as microscale aggregations, and then unbound to create a disperse phase of nanoparticles in the resin. In other embodiments, the nanoparticles may be bound to a substrate, such as long fibers, and added to a polymeric resin. The nanoparticles are then unbound from the substrate and dispersed throughout the polymeric resin. The polymeric resin may have multiple components where one component may control the dispersion of the nanoparticles.

Among the various thermoset polymers, epoxy resins provide superior overall performance, such as good mechanical properties, chemical resistance, and low shrinkage. Therefore, epoxy resins are high-performance systems for use in coating, adhesive, civil engineering, structural, electronic and composite applications.
In 1907, phenolic resins were the first thermoset resins to be synthesized commercially. These resins have excellent fire performance, good dimensional stability, excellent thermal insulation properties, and are cost effective. These properties enable phenolics to be used in household appliances, business equipment, wiring devices, automotive electrical systems, and mass transit.
Fiber reinforced plastics (FRPs) are the most widely used composites. In general, fibers are the principal load-carrying members, while the surrounding plastic matrix keeps the fibers in the desired location and orientation, acting as a load transfer medium. The plastic also protects the fibers from environmental damage due to exposure to elevated temperature and humidity. Fiber-reinforced composites have low specific gravity, high internal damping, and high strength-to-weight ratio and modulus-to-weight ratio. There have been numerous applications for FRPs, and additional applications are continually sought, due to the attractive properties. In the FRP art, the terms "long fiber" and "short fiber" are commonly used to designate fibers and will be understood by those of skill in the art.
A "nanocomposite" is a composite containing a disperse material with at least one dimension that is smaller than about 100 nm in size. Due to the nanoscale dispersion and the high aspect ratios of the inorganic clays, polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites (PLSNs) exhibit light weight, dimensional stability, heat resistance, and a certain degree of stiffness, barrier properties, improved toughness and strength with far less reinforcement loading than conventional composite counterparts. The synthesis and characterization of PLSNs has become one of the frontiers in materials science.
Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), many people have studied the properties of polymer-carbon nanotube composites. However, the high cost and low volume of production of the CNT have greatly limited product development and application. Carbon nanofibers (CNF), defined as carbon fibers with diameters of up to 200 nm (and typically in the 100-200 nm range) and lengths of up to about 100 microns, may serve as a substitute for the carbon nanotubes. Recent studies indicate that polymer-carbon nanofiber composites (PCNFCs) have properties similar to polymer-carbon nanotube composites. These CNF nanocomposites can be used to make conductive paints, coatings, films, tubes, sheets, and parts for electrostatic painting, electro-magnetic interference and electro-static discharge applications. In addition, these composites also provide improved strength, stiffness, dimensional stability and thermal conductivity. It makes the PCNFCs a very promising material for a wide range of applications in automotive, aerospace, electronic and chemical industries.
Although fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) have good mechanical properties, an interface exists between the polymer matrix and the individual fibers. This interface, which represents a substantial area, is subject to diffusive attack by water and other small molecules. This can cause a substantial drop in interfacial strength and failure of adhesion between the components. Under tension, compression, shear, or impact, failure of the polymer matrix may also take place.
A problem continually encountered in preparing nanocomposites has been the difficulty in properly dispersing the nanoparticles in the continuous polymer phase. For example, it is often difficult to load more than about 10 weight % of nanoparticles into the continuous phase. By way of comparison, a highly-loaded FRP can often contain greater than 50 weight % of the disperse fiber phase. Not unexpectedly, the enhancement of mechanical properties of the continuous phase polymer in a typical PLSN or PCNFC is relatively low compared with the enhancement of mechanical properties in a typical FRP. When this is combined with the high cost of the nano-scale material, it would be surprising if nanocomposites would have already made significant market penetration.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a composite material that effectively combines advantages of a disperse fiber phase and a disperse nanoparticle phase.

Reinforced nancomposites and method of producing the same


This disclosure describes an integrated management method to manage a service mesh data plane over a network fabric. The method includes determining at least one service mesh data plane policy for a microservice of a service mesh. The method further includes sending, over the network fabric, the at least one service mesh data plane policy to a virtual router associated with the microservice based at least in part on connectivity information maintained by a network fabric control plane manager of a configuration manager.

A cloud-native application is a collection of small, independent, and loosely coupled services. In contrast to employing a monolithic architecture, many cloud-native applications employ a microservice architecture.
In a monolithic architecture, an application is typically built as a single deployable unit. By contrast, in a microservice architecture, a complex system may be split into multiple independent, narrowly focused services, each with its own isolated business logic and data store. In a microservice architecture, typically, any service can be scaled and deployed separately.
A service mesh may be utilized to control how the microservices and other parts of an application share data with one another. A service mesh is a dedicated configurable infrastructure layer built right into an application, typically designed to handle a high volume of network-based inter-process communication using application programming interfaces (APIs). The service mesh may provide capabilities such as service discovery, load balancing and encryption.
A challenge with microservice architectures is manage the communication between the cloud-native microservice components, including cloud-native microservice components that are hosted in different physical locations and communicate with each other across a network, such as over a Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN).

Integrated service mesh control plane management


Various embodiments of a computer-implemented method of information security using block cipher column rotations are described. The cipher state column rotations provide resistance to white box side channel memory correlation attacks designed to reverse-engineer a symmetric cipher key associated with the information security system. The column rotation operations can be performed on the cipher state of a block cipher, and then removed from the result, to provide obfuscation of the data when in memory, while not impacting the resulting output of the cipher or decipher operation. The method additionally includes performing a first rotation of an iteration specific cipher subkey according to the first rotation index, performing an iteration of the block cipher operations on the cipher state matrix, and rotating the columns of the cipher state matrix according to an inverse of the first rotation index.

Information security is the general practice of defending information from unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or other related activities. In the computer security realm, this can include tasks such as data encryption, including file encryption for individual files, folders, or volumes, up to and including whole disk encryption. Additionally, access to computer systems, electronic data, or user accounts can be gated by an account authorization process, which can involve several levels of information security. Additionally, copyright holders can use digital rights management (DRM) technologies to limit the use of digital content to usages that are authorized by the rights holders. Each of these technologies employs data encryption technologies as an information security measure.
A specific type of data encryption works on finite blocks of data. These block ciphers are designed to encrypt a specific amount of data in one pass of the cipher. Unencrypted data, referred to as "cleartext" or "plaintext," is divided into data blocks according to the pre-defined block size of the block cipher, and each block is processed. The Advanced Encryption Standard is one example of a block cipher. The specification for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) can be found in Announcing the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 197, Nov. 26, 2001, which is incorporated herein by reference.
AES is an iterated block cipher based on a substitution-permutation network. Electronic data is processed 16 bytes (128 bits) at a time using a 128, 192, or 256-bit cipher key. The AES algorithm iterates upon a state buffer, which can be represented as a 4×4 column-major order matrix of bytes. First, a block of unencrypted data is loaded into the state buffer. In the initial round of AES, the data in the state buffer is combined with the first "round key," which is a sub-key derived from the cipher key using a key schedule algorithm. Subsequently, multiple "rounds" of substitution and permutation are performed on the AES State, and during each round, an additional sub-key derivation of the encryption key is added to the AES State. Decryption of encrypted data is performed using the inverse of the encryption operations.
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a state buffer transition through the various operations of the AES algorithm. The basic AES operations are AddRoundKey, SubBytes, ShiftRows, and MixColumns. In the exemplary illustration, 11 rounds of operations are performed using an 128 bit cipher key. In the initial round, a buffer containing the AES state 102 is loaded with unencrypted data, and an initial AddRoundKey operation (e.g., AddRoundKey—0 106) is performed. In an AddRoundKey operation, each byte of the state buffer 102 is combined with a subkey (e.g., Subkey—0 108), which is derived from the secret cipher key. The subkey for each round is the same size as the state (16-bytes), and is generated from the secret cipher key using a key-scheduling algorithm. The subkey is combined with the state once each round using an exclusive or (XOR) operation.
In round 1 through round 9, each of the AES operations is performed once. The Substitute Bytes (SubBytes) operation performs non-linear substitutions in which each byte is replaced with another byte according to a lookup table. The ShiftRows operation performs a transposition in which each row of the state buffer is shifted cyclically a certain number of steps. The MixColumns operation is a mixing operation in which the four bytes of each column of the state buffer are combined using a linear transformation, where each column is treated as a four-term polynomial. Accordingly, for each iteration "i," a SubBytes_i 110, a ShiftRows_i 112, a MixColumns_i 114, and an additional AddRoundKey_i 116 is performed on the block cipher. During the AddRoundKey_i 116 operation, a round specific Subkey_i 118 is combined with the State 102 with an XOR operation.
In the final round, the MixColumns operation is omitted, and a SubBytes—10 120, ShiftRows—10 122, and a final AddRoundKey—11 126 operation is performed, in which the 11th Subkey (e.g., Subkey—10 126) is XORed with the AES state buffer 102. The decryption of AES encrypted data is performed by performing the inverse of each encryption operation in the inverse order of the encryption operation. The inverse operation of AddRoundKey is an additional AddRoundKey operation. The InverseSubBytes operation performs table lookup to perform the inverse of the byte substitution, as does the InverseMixColumn operation. The InverseShiftRows operation inverts the ShiftRows operation performed during the data encryption.

Protecting against white box attacks using column rotation


Disclosed herein are systems and methods for preparing a plurality of containers having a suspension of a solid wherein the concentrations of the solid in the plurality of containers are substantially similar or the same and the volumes of the suspension in the plurality of containers are substantially similar or the same.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices and methods for preparing, in a closed system, a cellular suspension for storage.
2. Description of the Related Art
With recent advances in cell transplantation, tissue engineering and genetic technologies, the living cell is becoming an important therapeutic tool in various medical treatments. The availability and efficacy of medical treatments involving the administration of living cells depends on successful preservation and storage of the living cells.
Cells can remain viable for months or years at cryogenic temperatures (e.g. temperatures below about 173 K). Such cryogenic temperatures are not generally lethal to cells. Instead, cell damage and cell death often occurs when the cells are prepared and cooled. Thus, storage of cells at cryogenic temperatures which are later suitable (viable) for use in medical treatments is possible where the cryogenic temperatures can be obtained without incurring fatal damage to the cells.
The two primary causes of fatal damage to cells during cooling are (1) the formation of ice crystals within the cells, and (2) the loss of water from the interior of the cell by osmosis. If freezing is carried out slowly, ice will tend to form outside the cell rather than inside. With further cooling, water from the interior of the cell will pass by osmosis through the cell membrane to add to the growing extracellular ice crystals. In leaving the cell, large and often fatal concentrations of solutes remain behind in the interior of the cell. Thus, rapid cooling is usually fatal to the cell due to intracellular ice formation; slow cooling is usually fatal due to high concentrations of solute inside the cell.
Various cyroprotectants are often used to avoid the formation of ice and/or delay the onset of ice formation to as low a temperature as possible. Such cryoprotectants known in the art are typically glycerol, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, trimethylamine acetate, and other high molecular weight solutes capable of strongly hydrogen-bonding to water. Unfortunately, many cyroprotectants are toxic to cells under certain conditions, e.g. exposure to the cyroprotectant for a certain amount of time at a certain temperature. For example, DSMO is toxic to cells exposed thereto for periods of approximately 30 minutes or more at temperatures above 4° C.
Unfortunately, current devices and methods for the cryopreservation of cells do not allow fast and efficient cryopreservation of multiple cell preparations of uniform concentrations and volumes.

Fill system for providing uniform concentrations and volumes and methods thereof


A new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant named ‘Balabolav’, characterized by its single type light lavender-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, spreading and trailing growth habit.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Sutera plant botanically known as Sutera grandiflora and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name 'Balabolav'.
The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during June 2004. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Sutera cultivars that continuously flower with attractive flower coloration, dark green-colored foliage, excellent basal branching, and spreading growth habit.
The new Sutera cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Sutera grandiflora breeding selection designated 5370-2, not patented, characterized by its blush white-colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and semi-upright and trailing growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during August 2005 in a controlled environment at Guadalupe, Calif.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2005 at Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.


There are disclosed an information processing apparatus and its control method, which can proceed to execute a process of an incomplete print job upon receiving an end process request while an incomplete print job is present. In an information processing apparatus according to this invention, if an incomplete print job is present upon receiving an end process instruction, another information processing apparatus which can alternately process this print job is searched for (S2203), and the incomplete print job is transferred to that information processing apparatus (S2207). Since the information processing apparatus, which received the incomplete print job, processes the received print job as a self spooled print job, the print job can be normally processed.

Conventionally, in a print system to which an information processing apparatus of this type can be applied, a printer, client computers (PCs), server computer, and the like can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication medium, and print jobs received in accordance with job processing requests from the respective client computers are stored in a job spooler in the order they are received, and are interpreted in turn to print using the printer.
In a recent print system, the job names of print jobs spooled in a server can be displayed on a client. Using network utility software installed on the client, a print job is designated, the print process of the designated print job can be suspended or canceled according to the authority of the client, and order control can also be made.
Recent software which runs on the client holds print jobs in a PDL format generated by a printer driver without sending their print requests to a print server, and sends a plurality of print jobs together to the print server as a print result, thus implementing a combined print process.
However, when an end process such as a shut-down process or the like of the client or print server is executed while a job whose process is not completed is spooled, the information processing apparatus which forms the conventional print system deletes such job or re-registers it upon restarting the client or print server after the end process, and cannot proceed to execute the print process. Also, the conventional utility software can make order control of print jobs spooled in the server (print server) but cannot control a print process of a group job by grouping a plurality of jobs so as to prevent another print job from interrupting the group job.
In order to reduce the load on the network or print server, a client may send only a print request and job information to the print server, the print server may manage the order control, and the print job itself may be spooled by the client as the print request source. However, a plurality of jobs, which are separately spooled in the print server and clients so as to output them to an identical printer from a plurality of different clients cannot undergo a print process together, or the processing order of jobs spooled in clients in a given group cannot be designated from another client.
Upon grouping print jobs, all print jobs to be grouped are not always ready. Also, the user who uses the client computer does not always immediately issue a print request of a print job in the next print order from the client computer, and a print request may be issued after an elapse of a long period of time when the user is away from his or her desk. In such case, since a print process cannot be started before all grouped print jobs are ready to print, i.e., print jobs are ready to be sent to the printer, print jobs spooled in a server spooler in the print server and client spoolers in respective clients must stand by in that state. However, in a conventional print queue, since a print job whose print request has been issued must be ready to print, a print job must be sent to the printer when a turn to print that print job in the print queue comes.
The conventional software, which implements a combined print process, can execute a combined print process of print jobs from a single client, but cannot form a group of print jobs generated by a plurality of clients.
Furthermore, since the conventional system does not consider any group print process, an end message is sent to a client as the request source upon completion of output of each print job. For this reason, an end message cannot be sent after the print processing states of all jobs that have undergone print processes in a given group are confirmed, and it is confirmed if a series of print processes have ended normally.
When a print process has failed due to a printer error or the like before the end of print processes of all jobs in a group is confirmed, if a client is not informed of all jobs in the group, the user or server as the print request source cannot change a print destination, and cannot take quick and flexible measures against such error. As a result, the suspended group print process cannot be resumed, and a desired print processing result cannot be quickly obtained.
Some recent print system considers a change in print destination of a single print job, but does not consider a change in print destination of the aforementioned grouping job. For this reason, even when the print destination of a single print job has been changed, the paper output face need not be considered as long as an identical PDL is used. This is because the print job is internally spooled, and can undergo a print process by reversing the order of pages by the function of the printer itself. However, the function of the printer itself can cover only a single job, but cannot cover the grouping job, which is considered in the present invention.

Information processing apparatus capable of transferring print job to another information processing apparatus, and its control method


A method of forming a silicided gate on a substrate having active regions is provided. The method comprises forming silicide in the active regions and a portion of the gate, leaving a remaining portion of the gate unsilicided; forming a shielding layer over the active regions and gate after the forming step; forming a coating layer over portions of the shielding layer over the active regions; opening the shielding layer to expose the gate, wherein the coating layer protects the portions of the shielding layer over the active regions during the opening step; depositing a metal layer over the exposed gate; and annealing to cause the metal to react with the gate to silicidize at least a part of the remaining portion of the gate.

The principle way of reducing contact resistance between polysilicon gates and source/drain regions and interconnect lines is by forming a metal silicide atop the source/drain regions and the gate electrodes prior to application of the conductive film for formation of the various conductive interconnect lines. Presently, the most common metal silicide materials are CoSi2 and TiSi2, typically formed by the so called salicide (self-aligned silicide) process. In the salicide process, a thin layer of a metal, such as titanium, is blanket deposited over the semiconductor substrate, specifically over exposed source/drain and gate electrode regions. The wafer is then subjected to one or more annealing steps, for example at a temperature of 800° C. or higher for titanium. This annealing process causes the metal to selectively react with the exposed silicon of the source/drain regions and the gate electrodes, thereby forming a metal silicide (e.g., TiSi2). The process is referred to as the self-aligned silicide process because the silicide layer is formed only where the metal material directly contacts the silicon source/drain regions and the polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) gate electrode. Following the formation of the silicide layer, the unreacted metal is removed and an interconnect process is performed to provide conductive paths, such as by forming via holes through a deposited interlayer dielectric and filling the via holes with a conductive material, e.g., tungsten.
The thickness of the silicide layer is an important parameter because a thin silicide layer is more resistive than a thicker silicide layer of the same material. Therefore, a thicker silicide layer increases semiconductor speed. The formation of a thick silicide layer, however, may cause a high junction leakage current in the active regions and low reliability, particularly when forming ultra-shallow junctions. The formation of a thick silicide layer consumes silicon from the underlying semiconductor substrate such that the thick silicide layer approaches and even shorts the ultra-shallow junction, thereby generating a high junction leakage current.
It is desirable to also lower the resistance of the gate electrode to increase the speed of the device. The greater the amount of silicon converted into silicide in the gate electrode, the lower the resistance will be in the gate electrode. Silicided gate electrodes also eliminate problems associated with boron penetration from the polysilicon gate electrode into the gate oxide of PMOS devices and avoid device performance degradation due to the depletion effect. Formation of silicide in the gate electrode simultaneously with the source/drain regions leads to the risk of spiking in the source/drain regions if the complete silicidation of the gate electrode is attempted. The conventional salicide process, therefore, suffers from a very narrow process window due to the strong likelihood that exposure of the metal and silicon to rapid thermal annealing conditions sufficient to completely silicidize a gate electrode will also cause the silicide in the source/drain region to spike and reach the bottom of the junction, undesirably causing leakage.
Various methods have been suggested for forming fully silicided gate electrodes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,562,718 to Xiang et al. describes a method of forming a fully silicided gate electrode. Xiang et al. propose simultaneously forming a silicide region in the source/drain regions and partially within the gate electrode. A silicon oxide shielding layer is then deposited over the substrate and opened by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) to expose the gate electrode, leaving the source/drain regions covered by the remaining portion of the shielding layer. Silicidation of the gate electrode is then completed. The Xiang et al. process suffers from several problems. The CMP step adds significant process costs to the fabrication method. Further, the CMP step adversely effects process control. Specifically, the CMP step is not highly selective between the oxide shielding layer and the polysilicon gate. Therefore, the height of the polysilicon gate cannot be controlled effectively using the process of Xiang et al.
There remains a need for a method of forming fully silicided gate electrodes that affords greater process control.

Method of forming silicided gate structure

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.


A driving circuit for an input display is provided. The driving circuit includes first and second data lines disposed in parallel with each other, first and second gate lines disposed in parallel with each other and intersected with the first and the second data lines, so as to form a pixel of the input display thereby, a common line disposed between the first and the second gate lines, a first switching element having a first gate electrode connected to the first gate line, a second switching element having a second gate electrode connected to the second gate line, and a third switching element connected between the common line and the second switching element and operating in a forward-bias state. The first and second gate lines operate in sequence and the first and second switching elements are respectively activated by the first and second gate lines in sequence.

With the photosensitivity of the amorphous silicon, the input displays are provided with the embedded photo elements. Since the process of the amorphous silicon photo elements and the readout circuit layout of an input display are compatible with the known process of the thin film transistor array of the active matrix liquid crystal display, the manufacturing cost of the input display with embedded amorphous silicon as the photo element is more competitive than the known input display with a touch panel attached thereon.
Furthermore, the optical transmittance of the input display with the touch panel would be degraded by 20%; while the optical transmittance of the input display with amorphous silicon as the sensing devices is only dependent on the layouts of the photo sensing devices and the readout line in each pixel. Therefore, it is apparent that the input display with an amorphous silicon photo element embedded thereon is a more promising way to construct the readout pixel of the input display.
Generally, there are two typical designs of the amorphous silicon photo elements used in the input display. Please refer to FIG. 1(A) and FIG. 1(B), which respectively shows the schematic diagram of a charge-based photo element and a current-based photo element in a readout pixel of the input display. As shown in FIG. 1(A), the charge-based photo element 10 comprises a photo thin film transistor (TFT) 11, a switch TFT 12 and a capacitor C. As shown in FIG. 1(A), the activation of the switch TFT 12 is controlled by an input SW. When the switch TFT 12 is switched to on state, a current from the readout line will charge the capacitor C which is connected to the photo TFT 11 in parallel. Then, when the switch TFT 12 is switched to off state, the charge stored in the capacitor C will be discharged through the photo TFT 11. When the switch TFT 12 is switched to on state again, a current from the readout line will recharge the capacitor C back to the original charge again. Accordingly, the charge refilled to the capacitor C can be used for estimating the photo current generated by the photo TFT 11. As to the current-based photo element 20 shown in FIG. 1(B), it includes a photo TFT 21 which receives a bias voltage VBias to generate a photo current, a switch TFT 22 activated by an input SW for controlling the current to be transferred to the readout line. In such a current-based photo element, the photo current value is directly read out from the readout line.
It should be noted that both the charge-based and the current-based photo element use the photo TFT 11, 21 to generate the photo current and use the switch TFT to control the readout of the photo current. However, the current characteristics of the photo TFT between a forward-bias operation and a reverse-bias operation are asymmetric. Please refer to FIG. 2, which shows the respective characteristic curves of photo currents of a photo TFT in an illuminated state and in a non-illuminated state. As shown in FIG. 2, when the photo TFT is illuminated, the generated photo current will behave as the characteristic curve 12, which includes a forward-bias operation in a condition of the Vgs>0, which is also called on current state, and a reverse-bias operation in a condition of the Vgs<0, which is also called off current state. When the photo TFT is not illuminated, the generated photo current will behave as the characteristic curve I1, which also includes a forward-bias operation in a condition of the Vgs>0, which is also called on current state and a reverse-bias operation in a condition of the Vgs<0, which is also called off current state. Typically, the photo TFT should operates in the forward-bias state, in order to abate the signal delay resulting from the parasitic resistance and capacitance of the readout line.
Although the parasitic resistance and capacitance issue can be overcome by the forward-bias operation of the photo TFT, the readout pixel of the input display still exists a problem relating to the pixel voltage control of the readout pixel. Please refer to FIG. 3(A), which schematically shows an equivalent driving circuit in an input display according to the prior art. As can be seen from FIG. 3(A), the driving circuit 100 in each readout pixel includes a first and a second gate lines Gn-1, Gn, and a first and a second data lines Dm-1, Dm intersecting to each other, so as to form the readout pixel of the input display. Furthermore, in each readout pixel, a readout line 103 is disposed between the first and the second data lines Dm-1, Dm and passing through the readout pixel, while a common line Cp-1, is disposed between the first and the second gate lines Gn-1, Gn. Moreover, in each readout pixel, there are still two main parts, i.e. a pixel element 101 and a photo element 102 formed therein. As shown in FIG. 3(A), both the pixel element 101 and the photo element 102 are electrically connected to the common line Cp-1, through which a reference voltage is provided to a storage capacitor Cst of the pixel element 101 and through which a bias voltage is provided for driving a photo current generated by the photo element 102. Furthermore, it also can be known from the FIG. 3(A) that the pixel element 101 has a pixel TFT 1011 connected to a pixel electrode (not shown) of the input display, and the pixel electrode and a common electrode (not shown) of the input display form a liquid crystal capacitor Clc. Moreover, a further storage capacitor Cst in FIG. 3(A) is formed by the pixel electrode and the common line Cp-1.
Please further refer to FIG. 3(B), which schematically shows the operation of the driving signals according to the driving circuit of FIG. 3(A). When the first gate line Gn-1 is provided with a signal with a relatively high state, the pixel TFT 1011 of the pixel element 101 is switched on, and a signal from the first data line Dm-1 is input to the pixel element 101 and a pixel voltage Vpixel is generated thereby for providing a gray value for pixel element 101. At the same time, a switch TFT 1021 of the photo element 102 is switched on and a photo current generated by a photo TFT 1022 is output through the switch TFT 1021 to the readout line 103. Since the common voltage provided by the common line will be affected by the parasitic resistance, the voltage difference between the pixel voltage and the common voltage would be fluctuant. When the first gate line Gn-1 is provided with a signal with a relatively low state, the pixel TFT 1011 and the switch TFT 1021 are closed, and the photo current is vanished. Since the photo current is vanished, the common voltage provided by the common line will resume to a steady voltage. However, when the common voltage of the common line fluctuates again, the pixel voltage would be affected by the coupling effect. Therefore, the gray value for pixel element 101 will be affected.
Based on the above, it is the main aspect of the present invention to provide an improved driving circuit of an input display and an improved method for driving an input display, so that the voltage fluctuation issues resulting from the shared common line could be overcome.

Driving circuit and driving method for input display


A method of manufacturing a thin-film electronic device includes applying a plastic coating to a rigid carrier substrate for forming a plastic substrate. The plastic material has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater in a first direction perpendicular to the substrate plane than in a second direction parallel to the substrate plane. Thin film electronic elements are formed over the plastic substrate and the rigid carrier substrate is released from the plastic substrate by a heating process which expands the plastic substrate preferentially in a direction perpendicular to the substrate plane.

The most common form of active matrix display is an active matrix liquid crystal display (AMLCD). AMLCD devices are usually made on large glass substrates that are 0.7 mm thick. Two plates are needed for a cell, so that completed displays are just over 1.4 mm thick. Mobile phone manufacturers, and some laptop computer manufacturers, require thinner and lighter displays, and completed cells can be thinned in an HF (hydrofluoric acid) solution, typically to about 0.8 mm thick. Mobile phone manufacturers ideally want the displays to be even thinner, but it has been found that cells below 0.8 mm thick made by this method are too fragile.
The HF thinning is not attractive because it is a wasteful process that uses hazardous chemicals that are difficult to dispose of safely and economically. There is also some yield loss during the etching process due to pitting of the glass.
The attractiveness of light, rugged and thin plastic AMLCDs as an alternative has long been recognized. Recently, interest in plastic displays has increased even further, partly due to the increased use of color AMLCDs in mobile phones and PDAs. There has been much research recently into AMLCDs and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays on plastic substrates. Despite this interest, there is still a need for a plausible manufacturing route for mass production of plastic displays.
A number of different ways have been reported for the manufacture of thin-film transistors (TFTs) or displays on plastic substrates.
One technique is described in WO 05/050754, in which a substrate arrangement is manufactured comprising a rigid carrier substrate and a plastic substrate over the rigid carrier substrate. The rigid carrier substrate is released from the plastic substrate after forming pixel circuits and display cells over the plastic substrate. This enables substantially conventional substrate handling, processing and cell making to be employed.
To release the plastic substrate from a glass carrier a heating method is often used. By heating the glass and the plastic substrate, the plastic substrate and the electronic components formed on the substrate are released from the glass carrier.
There are various methods by which the plastic substrate can be separated from the glass carrier. A release process proposed in WO 05/050754 is a laser lift-off process. Laser light at ultraviolet wavelengths is used to cause the lift-off of the plastic substrate from the underlying carrier. It has been suggested that the release process is a photoablation process due to multiple-photon processes, including localized heating. A suggested material for this process is polyimide, which is chosen for its high-temperature stability and high absorption of UV energy.
There are potential problems in using a heating effect to lift-off the plastic substrate from the glass. Sufficient energy is needed to enable lift off to occur, but without damaging either the plastic substrate or the components formed on it, which may result from thermal expansion effects.
When using a laser lift-off process, higher wavelengths within the UV spectrum are preferable because lower wavelengths are absorbed more by the glass substrate, making the laser release less effective. For example commercially available lasers which operate at 308 nm or 351 nm are preferred.
At these higher wavelengths, the energy absorbed in the plastic layer is statistically distributed without complete thermalisation in the plastic polymer molecules. This gives rise to localized heating effects, which can in turn result in damage to the plastic substrate or the components mounted on it. This can also result in partial or poor lift-off from the carrier.
There is therefore a need for a substrate material which is able to withstand heating without cracking or buckling either of the substrate or the components mounted on it, and which can have good lift-off from a glass substrate.

Electronic device having a plastic substrate


A method of manufacturing a stator of an electric rotating machine is provided. The stator includes a plurality of teeth radially extended from a yoke portion formed by stacking steel sheets, a stator core having an insulating film on a surface of the teeth, and a winding portion including a plurality of layers of a power generating coil wound around each of the plurality of teeth. The method includes: a step of forming an insulating coating film by impregnating the power generating coil in a lower layer portion of the winding portion with a varnish using a liquid-type thermosetting resin, thereafter covering the power generating coil in a surface portion of the winding portion with a thermally meltable powder resin, and melt-bonding and thereafter curing the powder resin; and a step of curing the varnish that is performed simultaneously with the step of forming an insulating coating film.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a stator of an electric rotating machine mounted to, for example, vehicles.
Description of the Related Art
An electric rotating machine that is mounted to a vehicle and used as a power generator or a motor, such as a magnet generator, has a multipolar stator. This multipolar stator has a stator core, which has radially-arranged teeth provided on the outer circumference of an annular yoke portion. Around the outer circumference of each of the teeth of this stator core, a stator coil is wound with an insulating material interposed therebetween. Because the stator coils of such a multipolar stator are affected by vibrations from the engine, a bonding process of bonding the coiled wires of the stator coils to each other with a resin such as a varnish is essential.
A conventionally known method of bonding the coiled wires of the stator coil of the electric rotating machine to be mounted in a vehicle is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-11-150923 (Patent Document 1), in which a varnish resin in liquid form is impregnated between the coiled wires and cured to bond the coiled wires to each other.
Another method of bonding the coiled wires is also known, as disclosed in JP-A-58-26552 (Patent Document 2). In this method, the coiled wires are bonded by bringing thermally meltable powder such as an epoxy resin into contact with the coiled wire surface of the stator coil that has been pre-heated so as to melt the thermally meltable powder, and then curing the thermally meltable powder.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-11-150923
Patent Document 2: JP-A-58-26552
However, conventional coil bonding methods have the following problems, because of circumstances such as an increase of engine vibration that is associated with higher vehicle output performance, a voltage increase in vehicle's power supply system, and maintenance of the coiled wire quality that is commensurate with these.
According to the method disclosed in Patent Document 1 above, it is possible to cause the varnish resin to permeate between the coiled wires and into the coiled wire lower layer portion because of its low viscosity. However, if the bonding of the coil end portion is insufficient and the engine vibration is large, it may be possible that the coil end portion can move and undergo fatigue failure.
In view of the problem, the coil end portion is conventionally bonded in the following manner. In order to bond the coil end portion sufficiently, the above-described bonding process with the varnish resin is performed, and thereafter, the coil end portion is bonded again with a high-viscosity liquid-type varnish resin.
According to the method disclosed in the foregoing Patent Document 2, bonding of the stator coil winding portion exterior, including the coil end portion, is sufficient, but insulation failure may occur between the coiled wires. The reason is as follows. The thermally meltable powder such as epoxy resin does not easily permeate between the coiled wires or into the coiled wire lower layer portion. For this reason, when the engine vibration is large, the coiled wires in the lower layer portion in particular move mutually, and because of the friction between the coiled wires, the insulating coating film on the coil surface wears out.
In addition, since the thermally meltable powder such as epoxy resin does not easily permeate between the coiled wires or into the coiled wire lower layer portion, an insulation failure may occur between the coils and between the coils and the stator core because of pin holes in the coil insulating coating film and pin holes in the core insulating film. The probability of this insulation failure between the coils and between the coils and the stator core becomes higher due to an increase in the voltage of the vehicle electric power supply system.
Furthermore, when merely both the bonding by the impregnation of the liquid-type varnish resin and the bonding by melting and curing the powdered resin are employed, there is a problem of extremely low productivity.

Method of manufacturing stator of electric rotating machine


The present invention relates to the use of a peptide having the amino acid sequence NH2-VCVLAHHFGKEFTPPVQAAYQKVVAGVANALAHKYH-COOH (SEQ ID NO:1) as well as variants, derivatives and fragments of the peptide for the treatment of viral diseases.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of a peptide having the SEQ ID No. 1 for the treatment of viral diseases.
2. Background Information
While a number of effective antibiotics are available for the treatment of diseases caused by bacteria, the treatment of viral diseases is often difficult. In many cases, only vaccination methods if at all, but no effective therapeutic agents are available. The provision of therapeutically active substances which can be administered after a viral infection is of great importance.
Diseases caused by herpes simplex viruses are among the most frequent infectious diseases of the skin. Most infections occur in the face and in the genital region. The disease is caused by an infection with herpes simplex viruses. Frequent variants thereof are herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). HSV-2 is commonly associated with herpes genitalis and HSV-1 commonly with herpes labialis.
Most people become infected with the herpes virus already in their childhood. When herpes breaks out in the adult age, a renewed infection from another person may have occurred, or activation of the "silent" viruses present in one's own body. The first herpes infection mostly involves the formation of small blisters in the oral cavity (gingivostomatitis). If the vagina is afflicted, the infection is called vulvovaginitis, and in the urethra, it is called urethritis. A second or later disease results in herpes labialis (cold sore). A particularly severe form of herpes infection (eczema herpeticatum) may occur in people suffering from neurodermitis.
An overcome episode of herpes infection does not cause immunity. In most cases, there are frequent recurrences of the disease. A satisfactory therapy of herpes infection has not been known to date. Also, to date, no possibility has been found for destroying the virus resting in the body. For this reason, symptoms, such as pain, if any, fever and the inflammations, are treated in a herpes infection. Ointments comprising antivirally active ingredients, such as aciclovir, only shorten the duration of the disease. However, they only have limited influence on the symptomatic course of a herpes infection.

Peptides for the treatment of herpes virus infections


A storm mapping system is used to track the location, path, and strength of a storm. The system is comprised of an erasable marker-board surface having a map and a chart permanently immobilized thereon. The map is of any desired geographic region and may have additional map features, such as longitude and latitude lines, distance scale, hurricane category chart, and geographic names thereon. The chart is a table member having columns for date, time, latitude & longitude, wind speed, wind direction, and barometric pressure, in inches of mercury, millibars or both. At least one token representing a storm, is removably attachable to the map in any desired fashion. The token is attached to the map in order to visually locate a storm thereon and a path line may be drawn on the map for historical tracking of the storm. Information about the storm is entered into the chart at desired time intervals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system capable of locating and tracking hurricanes and tropical storms and retaining information about the storms.
2. Background of the Prior Art
Hurricanes are one of nature's most furious and destructive displays of force. However, unlike other natural disasters--earthquakes and tornadoes for example--the hurricane tends to give a relatively large warning time period before striking. This advance warning gives potential victims lying in the storm's path sufficient time to make appropriate preparations. As the path of a hurricane is unpredictable, it is necessary to track a hurricane's progression in order to properly determine the probable land fall of the incoming storm. This tracking can take several days.
Typically, the United States National Weather Service (or similar counterpart in other nations) provides regular updates of a storm's path and gives other vital information about the storm. Historical tracking, via some form of graphic display is also typically provided. In order to make an informed decision about a course of action, a person will want to gather and store the information about the storm. The typical method of information storage is to continually plot the hurricane's progress on a paper map and to keep the other vital storm information on the back of the map or on a separate notepad. This system achieves its purpose of information storage but can become messy, especially for a storm that frequently changes course or retraces part of its travel path. Furthermore, it can become relatively difficult to properly extract information from the system.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a system that will assist the average person in locating and tracking a storm and for storing information about the storm in a neat, organized, and relatively compact fashion. The system must store all vital information regarding the storm and should provide ease of information retrieval. The system should be of simple design and should be easy to use.


A sheet supplying apparatus having a plurality of sheet decks for supplying sheets connected in series, and provided with a controller for controlling the feeding of the sheets of each sheet deck, wherein each sheet deck has a sheet stacking portion for supporting the sheets thereon, a sheet conveying path for guiding the sheets from an upstream side to a downstream side, and a joining conveying path joining the sheet conveying path for guiding the sheets from the sheet stacking portion to the sheet conveying path, wherein the sheet decks are connected in such a manner that the respective sheet conveying paths are connected thereto, and the controller judges the position of the sheet deck for supplying a sheet preceding by one the sheet supplied in predetermined order when the sheets are supplied in order from each sheet deck and controls so as to pre-feed the sheet in the predetermined order to the vicinity of the upstream side of a joining point between the sheet conveying path in the sheet deck for supplying the preceding sheet and the joining conveying path when the judged sheet deck is disposed downstream of the sheet deck for supplying the sheet in the predetermined order.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a sheet supplying apparatus provided with a plurality of sheet decks stacking various sheets thereon and capable of supplying many kinds of sheets, and an image forming system provided with the sheet supplying apparatus and for forming images on the many kinds of sheets supplied from the sheet supplying apparatus, and providing the sheets in the form of bundle to a user.
2. Description of Related Art
(First Example of the Conventional Art)
Fields related to digital copying machines and printing include a field called on-demand print, and in recent years, this field has been attracting attention. The on-demand print can meet many kinds and small lots of demands on demand from customers, and facilitates the alteration of contents, and is suited for the production of documents such as manuals and pamphlets for individuals. Also, the on-demand print facilitates the alteration of contents and can therefore greatly curtail the stock of printed documents or the like. Further, the on-demand print can accomplish the great shortening of the number of steps and time by data inputting to the completion of bookbinding being effected by in-line, the great shortening of the time limit of delivery and the curtailment of delivery cost based on the ease of data forwarding by customers and a digital circuit being connected together.
An image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine which has realized such an on-demand print technique is improved in its quality of image to a level approximate to printed matter by the recent heightening of the quality of image, and has come to be used for the printing of pamphlets such as catalogs and manuals of products, or pamphlets such as distributed matter in offices or the like.
Image forming systems using an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine coping with the on-demand print include what has been proposed as a large-sized image forming system for executing, by a series of job operations, such post-treating processes as the Z fold process of receiving the supply of sheets from a sheet supplying apparatus of large capacity, and folding a sheet fed out from the image forming apparatus into a substantially Z-shape (for example, the folding process of folding A3 size into A4 size, and thereafter folding one portion of A4 size into a half), the inserter process of inserting a different kind of sheet between the sheets, the stapling process of stapling a bundle of sheets, the punching process of punching the bundle of sheets, and the bookbinding process, in order to cope with a variety of sheets.
The sheet supplying apparatus, as is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-506212, is formed by a plurality of sheet decks stacking different kinds of sheets thereon being connected in series (in tandem). A variety of sheets include sheets differing in size, thickness, material, etc.
(Second Example of the Conventional Art)
There is also such a system printer as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H01-209235. That is, there is also a system printer in which prior to the supply of sheets from a sheet tray which is the sheet stacking means of a sheet deck provided with a relatively long conveying path and connected, a sheet is preliminarily conveyed to just before a position which first joins another sheet conveying path to thereby keep the order of sheet conveyance to an image forming portion, and yet shorten the sheet conveying distance to the image forming portion, thereby improving productivity.
(Problems Peculiar to the First Example of the Conventional Art)
The image forming system in which the sheet decks of the sheet supplying apparatus of large capacity are connected in series (in tandem) shares a sheet conveying path from each sheet deck to the image forming apparatus, and therefore has suffered from the following problems.
For example, in the job of preparing a bundle of sheets having different kinds of sheet mixed in one and the same bundle of sheets, it sometimes happens that due to the changing of the kind of the sheet, the sheet deck for supplying the sheets is changed from a sheet deck nearest to the image forming apparatus to a sheet deck farthest from the image forming apparatus. In such case, if the sheets are supplied from the sheet deck to the image forming apparatus at ordinary sheet supply timing, the farthest sheet deck, which has a long sheet conveying path, supplies a sheet at an interval corresponding to the long conveying distance, with respect to a sheet supplied from the nearest sheet deck. This has led to the problem that the image forming timing of the image forming apparatus becomes late and the productivity of the image forming system is lowered.
In order to cope with this problem, there is conceivable the conveyance control of changing the sheet supply timing with the number of the connected sheet decks or the connection and disposition of the sheet decks taken into account, or accelerating the sheets in the sheet conveying path to thereby shorten the inter-sheet interval, but in this case, there may arise another problem that the conveyance control becomes complicated.
(Problem Peculiar to the Second Example of the Conventional Art)
The system printer according to the second example of the conventional art suffers from the problem that only one sheet deck can be connected thereto and the kinds of the sheets are limited.

Sheet supplying apparatus and image forming system


A ring binder includes a housing, a driving mechanism moveable relative to the housing, and rings for holding the loose-leaf pages. Each ring has a first ring member and a second ring member moveable relative to each other between a closed position and an opened position. A ring actuator is positionable relative to the housing and operatively connected to the driving mechanism for moving the ring members between their closed and opened positions. A blocking device blocks the ring members in their closed position against movement to their opened position. The blocking device is positionable relative to the housing between a blocking position wherein the ring members are inhibited by the blocking device against movement from their opened position, and an unblocking position wherein the ring members are selectively moveable from their closed position to their opened position by positioning of the actuator. The blocking device is operable independent of the actuator.

A ring binder mechanism includes ring members for retaining loose-leaf pages, such as hole-punched pages, in a file or notebook. The ring members may be selectively opened to add or remove pages or closed to retain pages while allowing the pages to be moved along the ring members. Typically, the ring members mount on two adjacent hinge plates that join together about a pivot axis. An elongate housing loosely supports the hinge plates within the housing and holds the hinge plates together so they may pivot relative to the housing.
The undeformed housing is slightly narrower than the joined hinge plates when the hinge plates are in a coplanar position (180°). As the hinge plates pivot through this position, they deform the resilient housing and cause a spring force in the housing that urges the hinge plates to pivot away from the coplanar position, either opening or closing the ring members. Thus, when the ring members are closed the spring force resists hinge plate movement and clamps the ring members together. Similarly, when the ring members are open, the spring force holds them apart. An operator may overcome this force by manually pulling the ring members apart or pushing them together. Levers can also be provided on one or both ends of the housing for actuating the ring members between the open and closed positions.
A drawback to typical ring binder mechanism configurations is that when the ring members are closed, they do not inhibit unintended separating of the ring members, such as if the mechanism is accidentally dropped. There is a need, therefore, for a blocking device that is capable of blocking all of the ring members of a ring binder mechanism closed that is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to construct, easy to use, and reliable in repeated operation.

Ring binder mechanism having blocking device


Wiring an IC, using flexible circuits, by relating a circuit board to an IC and using traces on the circuit board as a second set of input to the IC. More specifically, a set of first lands on the circuit board are connected to a first set of lands on the IC. The circuit board and IC are positioned so as to present a second set of lands on the circuit board in close proximity to a second set of lands on the IC. A first flex circuit is connected to the second lands on the circuit board while a second flex circuit is connected to the second lands on the IC. The flex circuits may be connected to signal wires or may serve themselves as the main signal wires.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for connecting electrical leads (wires, traces, etc . . . ) to a device and in particular to apparatus and methods for connection to a large number of leads to a device contained in a relatively small area, such as an IC chip in a housing for a transesophageal ultrasound probe.
Non-invasive, semi-invasive and invasive ultrasound probes have been widely used to view tissue structures, such as the heart, the abdominal organs, the fetus, and the vascular system. Semi-invasive systems include transesophageal imaging systems, while invasive systems include intravascular imaging systems. Depending on the type and location of the tissue, different systems provide better access to or improved field of view of internal biological tissue.
An ultrasound probe usually comprises at least one transducer element, typically formed of PZT material, and may comprise a one or two dimensional array of such elements. In general, each element must be connected to a separate lead and a common ground plane. Since many of the proposed two dimensional arrays have a significant number of elements (for example even a relatively small 56×56 array has 3,136 elements) the number of required connections is quite large. Forming connections between the drive circuits and such an array of elements has proven challenging.
One of the more specialized types of ultrasound probes in the transesophageal probe (TEE Probe) which is formed on a long slender body placing sever limitations on the mechanical and electrical design thereof. Specifically, TEE probes have considerable space constraints that must be observed when designing the probe. This affects not only the size of the elements (but also the volume available to connect the leads to the array. While known one-dimensional arrays typically have a fine horizontal pitch with a coarse vertical pitch, many proposed two dimensional arrays are finely pitched in both directions having horizontal and vertical measurements of less than 5 mm. In a non-invasive probe, adequate room for such connection may be created, but in an invasive probe, such as a TEE probe, space is severely limited and every square nanometer is valuable. It has been extremely difficult to design a TEE probe which provides a significant number of discrete leads within the space allowed by the overall design of the probe and more importantly it has proven difficult to connect any significant number (such as are required for a 2-D transducer assembly) of leads to their respective elements in the array. Traditional connections either require too much space or are too difficult to implement as part of an assembly process.
The present inventor has invented a method and apparatus permitting the connection of a large number of leads to a device wherein such connections must be implemented in a relatively small area. Such methods and apparatus are well adapted for use with TEE probes and other ultrasound probes.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A live broadcast system for use with a mobile terminal and a mobile terminal is described. The system includes a mobile terminal and a live server. The mobile terminal collects a video signal and an audio signal, compresses the video signal and the audio signal, packages the compressed video signal and the compressed audio signal into a data stream, and transmits the data stream to a live server. The live server transmits the data stream to a terminal device, wherein the data stream can be directly played in the terminal device. Thus, the cost of live broadcasts is reduced.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Presently, live systems are usually based on televisions or networks. In live systems, professional studio cameras and large studio vehicles collect audio signals and video signals. Designated networks or satellite transmission circuits are used for transmitting the collected audio signals and the video signals. The collected audio signals and the video signals are then transmitted to television systems or network systems.

Live system, method based on mobile terminal and mobile terminal

Tencent Technology (Shenzhen) Company Limited


A Universal Serial Bus (USB) modem (14) in which reassembly and segmentation operations are performed outside of the host computer (12) is disclosed. A USB interface device (30) is coupled to a digital signal processor (DSP) (32) in the modem (14), and contains a shared memory (44) in which bulk endpoints (51) are established, at which received ATM cell payload data may be stored. An ATM receive controller (134) is provided in the USB interface device (30), which receives each ATM cell from the DSP (32) and interrogates the ATM cell header to determine which, if any, virtual connection the cell corresponds. The ATM receive controller (134) then forwards the payload portion of the ATM cell, but not the ATM cell header, to the endpoint (51) corresponding to the virtual connection to which the ATM cell is directed. The disclosed ATM receive controller (134) also includes logic (64) for calculating a cyclic redundancy check value over the payload portion of the ATM cells that make up an ATM packet.

This invention is in the field of data communications, and is more specifically directed to Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) data communications by way of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) peripheral device.
The present embodiments relate to universal serial bus ("USB") systems, and are more particularly directed to increasing the rate and flexibility of communications between a USB host and a peripheral.
USB is a recently-developed technology established by a joint effort of various companies, resulting in an adopted standard set forth in Universal Serial Bus Specification, Revision 1.1, Sep. 23, 1998, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. The USB Specification is directed to a goal of improving the user-friendliness of various aspects of computers and the peripheral devices typically used with such computers, and to this end governs many aspects about USB systems. In a USB system, peripheral devices are coupled to the host personal computer or workstation computer in a tiered-star topology over the USB bus; in this topology, external devices are physically connected to the USB bus by way of a standardized USB cable, rather than by way of specialized serial and parallel ports. The USB bus is mastered by a USB host, resident in the host personal computer or workstation, with the USB peripherals operating as slave devices on that bus.
The USB technology provides significant advantages to the computer system user, including the ability to connect up to 127 peripheral devices, in a "daisy-chain" tiered-star topology, to a single USB port on the host computer. The USB technology also permits the user to connect and disconnect USB peripheral devices to or from the USB system without requiring system power-down, and generally with little or no configuration input required from the user. This capability provides considerable flexibility and possible cost reduction in comparison to many contemporary systems, particularly those which can only support one peripheral device per port. USB systems also can easily integrate various functions such as data, voice, and video, into the system through a single serial-data transfer protocol, without requiring add-on cards and the availability of their associated mainboard slots. Additionally, the master-slave arrangement permits the relatively high processing capacity of the host computer to perform and manage much of the data processing required for the peripheral function.
By way of further background, various techniques have been developed in the field of digital communications for routing messages among the nodes of a network. One such approach is referred to as packet-based data communications, in which certain network nodes operate as concentrators to receive portions of messages, referred to as packets, from the sending units. These packets may be stored at the concentrator, and are then routed to a destination concentrator to which the receiving unit indicated by the packet address is coupled. The size of the packet refers to the maximum upper limit of information that can be communicated between concentrators (i.e., between the store and forward nodes), and is typically a portion of a message or file. Each packet includes header information relating to the source and destination network addresses, permitting proper routing of the message packet. Packet switching with short length packets ensures that routing paths are not unduly dominated by long individual messages, and thus reduces transmission delay in the store-and-forward nodes. Packet-based data communications technology has enabled communications to be carried out at high data rates, up to and exceeding hundreds of megabits per second.
A well-known fast packet switching protocol, which combines the efficiency of packet switching with the predictability of circuit switching, is Asynchronous Transfer Mode (generally referred to as "ATM"). According to ATM protocols, message packets are subdivided into cells of fixed length and organization, regardless of message length or data type (i.e., voice, data, or video). Each ATM cell is composed of fifty-three bytes, five of which are dedicated to the header and the remaining forty-eight of which serve as the payload. According to this protocol, ATM packets are made up of a number of fixed-length ATM cells; for the example of AAL5 protocol, the number of ATM cells in a packet is currently limited to a maximum of 1366 cells, corresponding to a maximum payload of 64 k bytes. The fixed size of the ATM cells enables packet switching to be implemented in hardware, as opposed to software, resulting in transmission speeds in the gigabits-per-second range. In addition, the switching of cells rather than packets permits scalable user access to the network, from a few Mbps to several Gbps, as appropriate to the application.
The ATM technology is particularly well suited for communications among computers over the worldwide and public medium commonly referred to as the Internet, because of the flexibility and recoverability provided by this packet-based approach. A relatively recent technology by way of which remote, home, or small office workstations can now connect to the Internet is referred to in the art as digital subscriber loop ("DSL"). DSL refers generically to a public network technology that delivers relatively high bandwidth, far greater than current voice modem data rates, over conventional telephone company copper wiring at limited distances. As such, DSL modulator/demodulators ("modems") are now available for implementation with workstations and personal computers for ATM communications to and from the Internet, with data rates provided by DSL modems ranging from on the order of 500 Kbps to 18 Mbps or higher, according to conventional techniques.
Given the benefits of USB peripherals discussed above, USB-based DSL modems are now being introduced into the marketplace. Conventional USB-based DSL modems rely upon the host workstation or personal computer to perform such operations as segmentation of message data to be transmitted into ATM cells, and also the reassembly of received ATM cells into the message. This reliance upon the host processor is typical for USB-based peripherals, as noted above.

Hardware acceleration for reassembly of message packets in a universal serial bus peripheral device


An authentication system receives authentication information from a user as part of a request to access a web-based service. The authentication system transmits the authentication information to a set of second users authorized to evaluate the authentication information. If a threshold number of the set of second users authenticate the identity of the first user, the authentication system enables the user to access the web-based service.

Service providers often require users to provide authentication information in order to access one or more services provided by these service providers. For instance, a user can provide a username and corresponding password to a service to enable the service to authenticate the user and to enable the user to perform certain operations. However, for some users, additional authentication information is required. Evaluation of this additional authentication information can be complex, resulting in significant friction for a service as additional resources are used to evaluate the additional authentication information to determine whether a user can be authenticated.


A strain of Sphingobacterium multivorum, mOL12-4s, is disclosed which produces deaminoneuraminidase in high yields. The deaminoneuraminidase produced by mOL12-4s does not act on the ketosidic linkages of N-acetylneuraminic acid or N-glycolylneuraminic acid containing complex carbohydrates, but only on ketosidic linkages of deaminoneuraminic acid containing complex carbohydrates.

Deaminoneuraminic acid (3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nonulosonic acid or 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-nononic acid; hereinafter referred to as "KDN") has the same structure as that of sialic acid except that N-acyl group linked to 5-position carbon of sialic acid is replaced with hydroxyl group. It has been heretofore revealed that KDN widely ranges over the living world, as a constitutional component of complex carbohydrate, and has a variety of existing forms, in the same manner as sialic acid. On the other hand, KDN has unique properties different from those of sialic acid. For example, it has been clarified that KDN-containing complex carbohydrate plays an important role in the ovum-sperm interaction during fertilization. A great interest is attracted by elucidation of structure and function of KDN-containing glycoprotein and glycolipid.
By the way, those known as an enzyme to cleave the KDN ketosidic linkage of KDN-containing complex carbohydrate (deaminoneuraminidase; hereinafter referred to as "KDNase", if necessary) include KDN-sialidase existing in liver of loach (Li, Y. -T. et al. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Vol. 310, No. 1, pp. 243-246 (1994)). The present inventors have found that an enzyme having a sialidase activity and a deaminoneuraminidase activity exists in a tissue such as ovary of fish such as rainbow trout (Angata, T. et al., Glycobiology, Vol. 4, pp. 517-523 (1994)).
However, any of the foregoing enzymes does not specifically cleave the KDN ketosidic linkage. Some of the foregoing enzymes involve a sialidase activity to a degree approximately the same as the activity to cleave the KDN ketosidic linkage (enzyme originating from loach described above), and others involve a sialidase activity stronger than the activity to cleave the KDN ketosidic linkage (enzyme originating from rainbow trout described above). No enzyme has been known, which specifically acts on only KDN. The enzyme originating from loach is known to have an optimum pH of about 4.5. The present inventors have found that the enzyme originating from rainbow trout has an optimum pH of about 4.4.
It is known that the enzyme originating from loach has, in the vicinity of pH 6, an amount of the deaminoneuraminidase activity which is 65% of an amount of the deaminoneuraminidase activity obtained at its optimum pH. On the other hand, the present inventors have found that no deaminoneuraminidase activity is found in the vicinity of pH 6.5 in the case of the enzyme originating from rainbow trout. Therefore, it has been difficult to make a deaminoneuraminidase reaction under a condition of neutral pH. Further, any of the foregoing deaminoneuraminidases is an enzyme which originates from the animal. No deaminoneuraminidase has been known at all, which originates from any microorganism. Accordingly, an obtainable amount of the enzyme has been also limited.

Sphingobacterium multivorum, mOL12-4s, produces deaminoneuraminidase and method for producing the same


An optical mechanism installed in an office machine, which has a machine base defining an internal space, and a paper-feeding mechanism arranged on the machine base, the paper-feeding mechanism having an inside receiving space and a bottom incident zone for the passing of light. The optical mechanism has an optical-path device formed of an image sensor and an optical module and mounted in the internal space inside the machine base, and a light-focusing structure mounted in the receiving space inside the paper-feeding mechanism above the incident zone for increasing optical path.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an optical mechanism for use in an office machine, for example, a copy machine or scanner and, more particularly, to such an optical mechanism that increases the optical path of the office machine.
2. Description of the Related Art
A paper-feeding type office machine, for example, a copy machine or scanner, as shown in FIG. 1, generally comprises a paper-feeding mechanism 10 which comprises a sheet-transferring mechanism 12, which is adapted to transfer paper 11, and a machine base 20, which is disposed on the bottom side of the paper-feeding mechanism 10. The machine base 20 comprises a document carrier glass 22, which is disposed on the top side, an optical-path device 30m which is disposed on the inside. Document carrier glass 22 has a scanning zone 25 near one side. The optical-path device 30, for example, a charge-coupled device, comprises an image sensor 32, which is adapted to convert a light signal into an electric signal that is further proceeded with and is stored by an electronic device, and an optical module 34, which comprises a light source that provides a scanning light to the scanning zone 25 for scanning a document, and which comprises a lens set adapted to focus reflected light onto the image sensor 32. The paper-feeding mechanism 10 has a scanning hole 17 in the bottom panel 16 for enabling paper 11 to be transferred to the scanning zone 25 and then back to the topside of the paper-feeding mechanism 10. Another design is possible, in which document is delivered sideways from the surface of the document carrier glass 22.
According to this design of office machine, paper 11 must be kept in close contact with the scanning zone 25 to match the focus 36 of the optical-path device 30. This close contact makes the structural design difficult, and does not allow the paper-feeding mechanism 10 to have much internal space for holding component parts of the machine. Further, because the sheet-transferring mechanism 12 must be kept as close to the bottom panel 16 as possible, the design of the arrangement of the internal component parts in the sheet-transferring mechanism 12 is complicated and difficult.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an optical mechanism for use in an office machine, which increases the optical path to facilitate the arrangement of internal component parts.

Optical mechanism for increasing optical path and office machine having said optical mechanism


A nozzle for dispensing a liquid contained in a receptacle, the nozzle including a rigid body provided with a dispensing channel including a dispensing orifice emerging in the front wall of the body, the nozzle also including an elastically deformable sleeve that is disposed in a non-adherent fashion and in clamping contact around at least part of the periphery of the rigid body, the sleeve being provided with at least one front lip that is disposed opposite the dispensing orifice, the lip being arranged so as, by application of the dispensing pressure of the liquid on it, to be reversibly movable between a stable closed state and stressed opening state of the orifice, in which the attachment of the sleeve on the rigid body is achieved in combination by a first attachment for retaining the axial movement of the rear part of the sleeve relative to the rigid body and by a second attachment for retaining the axial movement of another part of the sleeve relative to the rigid body.

In a known fashion, a dispensing nozzle comprises a rigid body in which a liquid dispensing channel is formed. In order to limit contact between the external air and the liquid stationary in the dispensing channel, in particular to avoid drying and/or degradation of said liquid over time, the process of equipping the nozzles with devices for reversible closure of the orifice downstream of the dispensing channel is known.
In particular, such devices can be formed from an elastically deformable sleeve on which there is formed a lip that can be moved by application of the dispensing pressure on it. Reversible closure can then be obtained by disposing the sleeve around the rigid body, with said lip in sealed contact with the downstream orifice, the movement of said lip opening said orifice.
However, so that the lip can be moved with respect to the rigid body, the sleeve must be disposed in a non-adhering fashion around the rigid body. Problems of seal between the sleeve and the rigid body, of mechanical strength of said sleeve on the body and of adjusting the contact pressure of the lip on the downstream orifice are then posed.

Dispensing nozzle comprising an axially attached closure sleeve


An electrical component having improved impact resistance and improved tolerance for thermal cycling, without sacrificing high-temperature performance, and without requiring unconventional and expensive manufacturing techniques includes an electric device mounted on a substrate circuit board, and a composite material underfilling, overmolding or encapsulating the electronic device, wherein the composite material includes a thermoset matrix phase and a discontinuous liquid crystal polymer phase dispersed throughout the thermoset matrix phase.

Printed circuit boards and other electrical and/or electronic devices and/or components are often encapsulated, overmolded and/or underfilled with a polymeric material to provide protection against thermal cycling, moisture and/or mechanical impact. Encapsulation is typically achieved by employing a transfer molding process to encase the electrical device in a thermoset body. During the process the polymeric material must be in a liquid state to allow it to flow around and under various components and subsequently solidify by cross-linking. In order to allow the polymeric material to flow around and completely encapsulate the components without damaging fragile wiring and interconnections frequently used in electronic devices, the polymeric material must have a relatively low viscosity (e.g., typically less than 200 poise). Further, it is desirable that the cured or thermoset material exhibit excellent physical properties, e.g., strength, toughness and impact resistance. In addition, the thermoset materials used to encapsulate, overmold and/or underfill electronic components must typically exhibit a relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion to approximately match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the circuit board substrate on which the electronic component is mounted. More importantly, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the underfill should approximate that of the solder used for electrical connections. It is also very desirable that the thermoset encapsulating, overmolding and/or underfilling material have a relatively high glass transition temperature and is resistant to degradation at high temperatures.
On account of these somewhat conflicting requirements, conventional techniques for enhancing the toughness and impact strength of thermoset materials are generally inappropriate for encapsulation, overmolding and/or underfilling of electronic components. Conventional methods of increasing the toughness and impact resistance of thermoset resins include incorporation of reinforcing fibers and/or particles. Due to viscosity issues and filler separation, the incorporation of fiber reinforcing materials and rigid particles such as silica or glass spheres is unsuitable for encapsulation, overmolding and/or underfilling of electrical components mounted on a circuit board substrate. Enhanced toughness and impact resistance can be achieved without raising viscosity to an unacceptable level, while minimizing filler separation, by incorporating rubbery particles such as organosiloxane rubber, nitrile rubber or the like. However, the resulting composite material exhibits an unacceptably high coefficient of thermal expansion, an undesirably low glass transition temperature, and an undesirable tendency to degrade at higher temperatures.
Accordingly, there has been a recognized need for electrical components comprising a circuit board substrate and an electronic device mounted on the circuit board substrate wherein the electronic device is overmolded, encapsulated and/or underfilled with a thermoset material exhibiting enhanced toughness and impact resistance, and which overcomes the disadvantages associated with the use of conventional fiber, rigid particle and/or rubbery particle reinforcement.

Enhancement of underfill physical properties by the addition of thermotropic cellulose


An apparatus for providing a container having a spout assembly disposed thereon, the spout assembly comprising a cap disposed on a fitment having an interior portion for disposition toward the container interior and an exterior portion for disposition toward the container exterior. The apparatus comprises a storage bin for storing plural spout assemblies and a guide assembly for guiding the spout assemblies to an output of the guide assembly. A fitment and cap sterilizer accepts the spout assemblies from the output and applies a disinfecting solution to their interior portions. An output guide assembly guides them to a subsequent processing station such as a spout applicator that applies the spout assembly to the container. An intermediate UV station may be used between the fitment and cap sterilizer and the spout applicator. In one embodiment, the fitment and cap sterilizer comprises a track for guiding the spout assemblies along a predetermined path. A gate mechanism selectively retains the spout assemblies at a predetermined position along the track. A sprayer is disposed in fixed alignment with a spout assembly that has been retained for spraying the retained spout assembly with a disinfecting solution.

Conventional bottles for preserving liquid drinks and the like are being gradually replaced by paper packages. Such packages are generally comprised of a blanks made from a paperboard substrate that is sandwiched between layers of a thermoplastic material. These blanks are side-sealed and presented to the input of a packaging machine. The packaging machine erects these blanks, seals their bottoms, charges them with product, and seals their tops.
A number of such package-types have now come into common use. One such package type is the gable-top container. Another such package type is the brick-type container. In many instances, it has become popular to provide such containers with a spout assembly comprising a fitment and a cap that provides the container with a resealable opening that provides quick and simple access to the container contents.
A packaging machine that is designed to form and seal a package with such a spout assembly is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,811, entitled "Process and Apparatus for Assembling and Liquor-Charging of Packages of Paper and the Like". The device disclosed in the '811 patent purports to be an apparatus for the successive production of a number of paper packages fitted with respective spout on a part of the top end portion thereof and charged with a liquid drink. The spout includes a spout proper having a general cylindrical are configuration and formed generally therethrough with a liquid spouting passage provisionally fixed to the root end of the spout proper. For better sanitary purposes, the spout is introduced into the open and of a semi-package from inside thereof. The spout introduction and attaching job is carried out directly before charging with liquid. Only thereafter, liquid charging-in and top-closing jobs are carried out in a sterilized atmosphere. Within the sanitary execution of these jobs, the spout agency and sealing attachment are included for increasing the sanitary safety.
As such packages have increased in popularity, the demands on the shelf-life of the contents have likewise increased. The shelf-life is directly dependent on the sterility of the packaging process. The foregoing system described in the '811 patent, however, does not provide the sterility required to achieve such extended shelf-lives. The present inventors have found that the current processes for sterilizing a carton prior to charging with the product often neglect a significant potential source of contamination. Accordingly, they have provided the invention disclosed and described herein.

Apparatus for sterilizing a spout assembly of a container


A cultivation method based on an optimization of a plant nitrogen fertilizer disclosure amount includes: selecting plants to be planted in this batch, recording a number of the plants planted this time, and preparing different parts of nitrogen fertilizer for individual plants, each part of the nitrogen fertilizer being 10 g; and planting the same batch of plants every Monday with an interval of one week and fertilizing the planted plants in the second week after planting. According to the cultivation method based on the optimization of the plant nitrogen fertilizer disclosure amount, by adopting a mode of more tests and less planting, consumed plant seedlings are correspondingly reduced when a worker calculates an optimal fertilizer disclosure amount, thus effectively avoiding excessive waste, making a cost of a subsequent use cheaper, bringing a help to a whole experiment, and enabling people to use the method more conveniently.

Nitrogen fertilizer takes nitrogen (N) as a main component, has a marked amount of N, and is applied to soil to provide plants nitrogen nutrition. The nitrogen fertilizer is a fertilizer variety with the largest amount of chemical fertilizer production and use in the world. The appropriate amount of the nitrogen fertilizer plays an important role in increasing crop yield and improving a quality of agricultural products. The nitrogen fertilizer is divided into ammonia nitrogen fertilizer, ammonium nitrogen fertilizer, nitrate nitrogen fertilizer, ammonium and nitrate nitrogen fertilizer, cyanamide nitrogen fertilizer and amide nitrogen fertilizer according to nitrogen-containing groups. A main raw material of chemical nitrogen fertilizer production is synthetic ammonia. From 1940s to 1950s, ammonium sulfate was the most important nitrogen fertilizer variety. In 1960s, ammonium nitrate was added. Since 1970s, urea has become the dominant nitrogen fertilizer variety, and ammonium bicarbonate was one of the main nitrogen fertilizer varieties produced in China in 1980s.
The existing cultivation method of plant nitrogen fertilizer is too complicated, and a calculating duration is too long, and the existing method does not have a function of timely adjustment. When some large-scale plants are planted, many plants and seedlings are wasted to clearly calculate the best planting mode, resulting in excessive waste. Therefore, the existing cultivation method is inconvenient for people to use and brings troubles to people.

Cultivation method based on optimization of plant nitrogen fertilizer disclosure amount

GUANGXI ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES


A filter circuit includes a voltage-current conversion portion that converts a voltage signal input to an input terminal to a current signal, a first capacitor unit formed by a plurality of capacitors, and in which a current signal output from the voltage-current conversion portion is sequentially input to the capacitors, the unit adding and outputting electric charges of a group of capacitors to which the current signal is input, a second capacitor unit formed by a plurality of capacitors, and in which a current signal output from the first capacitor unit is sequentially input to the capacitors, the unit adding and outputting electric charges of a group of capacitors to which the current signal is input, and a plurality of connection nodes that respectively connect a given capacitor in the first capacitor unit and a capacitor in the second capacitor unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a filter circuit and a communication device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, along with miniaturization of a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process, the power supply voltage of a radio frequency (RF) circuit has been reduced. In a situation where the CMOS process is miniaturized, if the RF circuit is implemented using a conventional circuit method, the voltage margin becomes insufficient and the dynamic range of the signal amplitude is narrowed. Meanwhile, along with the miniaturization of the CMOS process, the cut-off frequency of a transistor increases. This is advantageous for operations in which high-speed switching operations are performed accurately in terms of time. Further, as the precision of lithography increases, the capacitance ratio of capacitors becomes accurate.
A digital RF technology is a new technology that implements the concept of discrete-time signal processing to the RF circuit, in order to obtain the above-described advantages while avoiding the problems caused by the miniaturization of the CMOS process. A charge domain filter is known as a main circuit in the digital RF technology field. The charge domain filter is a filter circuit formed by a transconductance amplifier, switches and capacitors. The charge domain filter is a circuit which performs sampling of analog signals by accumulating and discharging electric charges in synchronization with a clock, and which performs filtering and decimation by discrete-time signal processing (refer to Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2008-18220; Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2009-27389; R. Bagheri, "An 800 MHz to 5 GHz Software-Defined Radio Receiver in 90 nm CMOS," ISSCC Deg. Tech. Papers, pp. 1932-1941, February 2006; Hirata, Takahashi, Kato, Kikui and Takebe, "New high frequency, low-power FIR SC circuit (parallel cyclic type circuit)" Shingakuron (A), vol. 75-A, No. 1, PP. 27-38, January, 1992; and K. Muhammad and R. B. Staszewski, "Direct RF sampling mixer with recursive filtering in charge domain," in Proceedings of the International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS '04), vol. 1, pp. I-577-I-580, Vancouver, BC, Canada, May 2004, sec. ASP-L29.5).