An apparatus is presented for improving the efficiency of data transfers between devices interconnected over an on-chip system bus a multi-master computer system configuration. Bus efficiency is improved by providing an apparatus for controlling a read-modify-write transaction to an address in a bus slave device that does not suspend essential features of the system bus during the transaction, namely, pipelining and transaction splitting. The apparatus includes transaction control logic in a bus master device and transaction response logic in a bus slave device. The transaction control logic provides a write barrier command from the bus master device over the on-chip system bus to the bus slave device. The transaction response logic receives the write barrier command, and precludes execution of future transactions to the address within the bus slave device until completion of the read-modify-write transaction while allowing execution of transactions to other addresses within the bus slave device to complete.

This invention relates in general to the field of computer system bus architecture, and more particularly to is an apparatus that allows atomic read-modify-write operations to be executed over a pipelined, split-transaction on-chip data bus.
Computer systems have historically consisted of a number of distinct components such as a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and input/output (I/O) logic. The CPU performs all of the computational functions, the memory stores program instructions and data that direct the CPU to perform specific functions, and the I/O logic provides an interface to devices such as video monitors, keyboards, and storage devices. The CPU must constantly transfer data to/from the memory to retrieve program instructions and to store results of computations. The CPU must also communicate with the I/O logic to retrieve commands and to display results. In many systems today, the I/O logic directly retrieves large blocks of data from the memory to allow video monitors to be refreshed without burdening the CPU.
To standardize interface signals, interface logic, and the communication protocol between devices in a computer system, it is standard practice to interconnect all devices via a bused architecture rather than providing point-to-point connections between devices. In a bused architecture, a common set of communication signals-a system bus consisting of address signals and data signals are connected in parallel to all devices. The address signals on the system bus identify a device that is the target of a data transfer. The data signals on the system bus are used to transfer the data itself to the target device.
And because devices in the system configuration are connected in parallel to the system bus, it follows that only one instance of a data transfer can occur at any given point in time. If two devices execute a data transfer at the same time, then signals on the bus are corrupted, thus precluding any transfer of data at all. As a result, system designers provide logic elements in a system configuration whose purpose is to arbitrate access to the bus so that contention is avoided and devices are provided fair and timely access to the bus.
In early years, computer system buses were simple: eight bits in width, the CPU was the only device that was capable of initiating a data transfer, and the number of other devices connected to the bus consisted primarily of memory and I/O logic. Accordingly, access to the bus was easily managed. If the CPU required a byte of data from the memory, it grabbed the bus, issued the address of the data byte to the memory, and the memory supplied the byte of data to the CPU. Operation of the bus was efficient because the bus was always available for use by the CPU.
But in more recent years, a host of associated technological advances have completely changed the bus architecture. Because a digital computer can be used to control a wide range of automated processes, whole industries have migrated toward the incorporation of computers into their products. Today we see computer systems in telecommunication devices, televisions, home appliances, automobiles, industrial process controllers, musical instruments, games, and vending machines, not to mention aircraft, spacecraft, weapons systems, and data network servers. It could be said that it is the demand for faster, more precise, more application-specific, more robust computer systems that is driving the computer industry toward further advances instead of advances in the industry identifying opportunities for application of computer devices. We are experiencing an era where demands are pulling enabling technologies along.
Today, there are literally thousands of different devices that can be connected to a computer bus. Today""s data buses are no longer 8 bits wide; 64-bit buses are more commonly found with new devices coming to the field having 128-bit buses, or wider. And today""s systems no longer have only one device that is capable of initiating a transaction over the data bus. A high-end performance computer may have a CPU that is dedicated to performing general purpose computations, a graphics processor that performs video-intensive computations, and a digital signal processor (DSP) that performs intensive audio signal manipulations. The high-end system may also have a communications processor that is dedicated to interacting with other computers over a network. All of these processors must communicate over a system bus to memory, to I/O logic, to each other, and to innumerable other kinds of special-purpose devices. In fact, it is not uncommon today to find four or more CPUs in a system configuration, each of which is capable of initiating data transfer operations over the system bus. Because of these advances in the art, system designers have been forced to provide more sophisticated techniques and algorithms that enable a system bus to be used more efficiently.
One such technique is known as transaction pipelining. Simply put, rather than executing a first address transaction over the address signals and a first data transaction over the data signals to accomplish a first data transfer operation, then following this with a second address transaction over the address signals and a second data transaction over the data signals to accomplish a second data transfer operation, pipelining allows transactions over both sets of signals to occur simultaneously, very much like an assembly line process. In the case stated above, pipelining allows the second address transaction to occur over the address signals concurrent with execution of the first data transaction. Obviously, rather than arbitrating access to the bus at a system level, devices that support pipelined bus arbitrate access at the address and data signal level distinctly. A device can be granted access to the address signals while a different device is granted access to the data signals.
A second technique that has been developed to improve the efficiency of data transfers over a system bus is transaction splitting. A transaction is typically defined as a read or a write, to or from, memory or I/O. The transaction begins with an address phase that defines the type of transaction, and the address of the data, and concludes with a data phase where the data associated with the address is presented to/from the requester. In a split transaction system, the address and data phases of a transaction are split. That is, the address phase of a transaction is decoupled from the data phase of a transaction. This allows the address bus to be utilized for subsequent transactions, even though the data bus is still completing an initial transaction.
Furthermore, a split-transaction bus allows data transactions to occur out-of-order. What this means is that devices that are capable of providing data more rapidly can access the data bus-which would otherwise be idle-ahead of slower devices, even though address transactions to the slower devices preceded address transactions to the faster devices (presuming some form of transaction tracking is provided). The addition of transaction splitting to a pipelined architecture significantly improves the usage efficiency of a system bus.
Both pipelining and transaction splitting are essential features of a present day system bus where the demand for access is heavy and the amount of data transferred is large. Yet in spite of the necessity of these features, there is one class of data transfer operations that cannot be efficiently executed in a pipelined, split-transaction environment: read-modify-write operations.
A read-modify-write operation, generally speaking, is a series of two dependent data transfers to the same location: a first data transfer wherein the contents of the location are read by a requesting device and a second data transfer wherein the requesting device writes new data to the location. Read-modify-writes are commonly employed in a system configuration that provides shared resources to multiple CPUs. Most often, the availability of a resource is indicated by the state of a location, say, an address in memory. If the contents of the addressed location are, say all zeros, then the resource is not being used. If the contents are all ones, then the resource is in use. Hence, to acquire and use the resource, a given CPU will read the address. The CPU has acquired the resource if it just read in all zeroes. If it read in ones, then it has to wait until the current owner relinquishes control by writing zeroes. Irrespective of whether the CPU read zeroes or ones, it writes back ones. Note that if the CPU became the owner, this is the correction modification to the location. If the CPU is not the owner, then this write has no impact.
But to properly perform a read-modify-write operation, the memory location must be protected from inadvertent accesses by other CPUs during the interim between the read by the given CPU and the ensuing write. Otherwise, another CPU may be allowed to think that it can also obtain the resource.
But present day bus architectures only provide work-around approaches to enable read-modify-writes to be accomplished. One approach, bus locking, suspends pipelining and transaction-splitting features altogether during a read-modify-write while another approach, address reservation, requires that the requesting device be responsible for ensuring that the write portion of the read-modify-write operation is performed, when in fact the requesting device cannot prevent any other device from writing to the address in the interim; the requesting device is at the mercy of the bus and may very well experience problems because of the unpredictable latency of the write.
Therefore, what is needed is an apparatus for performing a read-modify-write operation that preserves both pipelining and split-transaction features of a system bus during execution of the operation.
In addition, what is needed is a system bus apparatus that enables read-modify-write operations to be executed with certainty within a pipelined, split-transaction environment.
To address the above-detailed deficiencies, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for performing a read-modify-write operation over a system bus that does not require suspension of either pipelining or transaction splitting.
Accordingly, in the attainment of the aforementioned object, it is a feature of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling a read-modify-write transaction to an address in a bus slave device. The apparatus includes transaction control logic and transaction response logic. The transaction control logic provides a write barrier command from a bus master device over an on-chip system bus to the bus slave device. The transaction response logic is coupled to the transaction control logic. The transaction response logic receives the write barrier command and precludes execution of any other transaction to the address within the bus slave device until completion of the read-modify-write transaction while simultaneously allowing execution of other transactions to other addresses within the bus slave device.
An advantage of the present invention is that other transactions can occur over a system bus during the interim between the read portion and the write portion of a read-modify-write operation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system bus apparatus that can perform a write portion of a read-modify-write operation without being required to ensure that other devices have not perturbed the target address of the write in the interim.
In another aspect, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a computer system bus apparatus for executing a read-modify-write transaction to an address within a bus slave device. The computer system bus apparatus has a bus master device and write barrier logic. The bus master device requests the read-modify-write transaction. The bus master device includes an arbitration signal generator and command generation logic. The arbitration signal generator indicates to an address bus arbiter an intent to perform the read-modify-write operation. The command generation logic is coupled to the arbitration signal generator. The command generation logic issues, over an address bus, a read command to the address followed immediately by a write barrier command to the address. The write barrier logic is coupled to the bus master device. The write barrier logic receives the read command and the write barrier command, and prevents reads/writes from/to the address until data corresponding to the read-modify-write transaction is written to the address while simultaneously allowing reads/writes from/to other addresses within the bus slave device.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a system bus is not encumbered with unnecessary retries to accomplish a write portion of a read-modify-write.
In a further aspect, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a computer program product for use in designing, simulating, fabricating, or testing an integrated circuit device. The computer program product includes a storage medium. The storage medium has computer readable instructions embodied thereon, for causing a computer upon which the computer readable instructions are executed to describe the integrated circuit device such that it can be modified, simulated, fabricated, or tested. The computer readable instructions include first instructions and second instructions. The first instructions cause the computer to describe transaction control logic, where the transaction control logic provides a write barrier command from a bus master device over an address bus to a bus slave device. The second instructions cause the computer to describe transaction response logic, where, upon receipt of the write barrier command, the transaction response logic precludes reads or writes to an address within the bus slave device until data, provided over a separate data bus, corresponding to the write barrier command is written into the address, and where the transaction response logic simultaneously allows the execution of reads/writes to other addresses within the bus slave device.
A further advantage of the present invention is that its utilization improves the efficiency at which a system bus transfers data between devices.

Locked read/write on separate address/data bus using write barrier


A positive displacement flowmeter is provided having a body structure defining a flowmeter measurement chamber within which is rotatably supported a large primary gear rotor and a small secondary gear rotor that have rotor teeth intermeshing with one another and also establishing a limited dynamic flow path with respect to internal wall surface segments of the flowmeter measurement chamber. The flowmeter body defines inlet and outlet passages defining a common center-line that is off-center with respect to the flowmeter chamber and which is located between the axis of rotation of the primary rotor and the limited dynamic flow path that is defined within the housing. The essence of this flowmeter construction rests with the rugged, machined gear pair rotating against a limited dynamic seal path coupled with introducing the fluid stream at an off-center position in relation to the flowmeter body and rotor system. These features result in a flowmeter having extremely efficient dynamic responses to changes in flow rate thus permitting the flowmeter construction to take advantage of the fluid stream dynamic pressures. The body structure, particularly at least one end wall thereof, is provided with aligned elongate grooves which provide the flowmeter construction with hydraulic relief which eliminates hydraulic shock that might otherwise cause pressure loss. Electronic signal output of the flowmeter is provided by a radio frequency sensor which detects movement of metallic markers of the primary rotor hub past a detection point during flowmeter operation.

Various types of flowmeters have been developed over the years for measuring the flow of fluid mediums such as liquids gases, liquid/gas mixtures, slurries, etc. Most flowmeters, such as pelton type or paddle wheel flowmeters are subject to certain inaccuracies depending upon temperature, fluid consistency, turbulence of the flowing fluid and various other factors. Nevertheless, pelton type flowmeters can be appropriately calibrated with respect to the fluid to be measured that measurement of flow can be quite accurate. Positive displacement flowmeters of various types are considered to be quite accurate in comparison with pelton type flowmeters but their accuracy can be subject to deterioration by such factors as pressure loss across the flowmeter rotors, magnetic field induced rotor retardation, etc. It is desirable, therefor, to provide a positive displacement type interengaging rotor flowmeter construction which has very little pressure loss across the rotors and which is not subject to any magnetic retardation.
Another factor that contributes to inaccuracy of dual rotor type positive displacement flowmeters is the presence of hydraulic shock at the rotor interface which contributes to pressure loss and which results in flowmeter inaccuracy. It is desirable, therefor, to provide a positive displacement type flowmeter wherein hydraulic shock across the flowmeter rotors is significantly minimized.


A terminal assembly for selectively coupling multiple electrical loads in parallel or in series includes a plurality of jumper contacts in a spaced relationship. The jumper contacts may be in electrical communication with load terminals as well as source terminals. Connections made in a first group of electrically connectable pairings of adjacent jumper contacts couples the load terminals, and thus any loads attached thereto, in parallel. Connections made in a second group of electrically connectable pairings of adjacent jumper contacts couples the load terminals in series.

1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to terminals for interconnecting electrical components. More particularly, the present invention relates to audio signal terminals for selectively establishing parallel or series connections between loads connected thereto.
2. Related Art
While significant improvements have been made in the development of high power loudspeakers, alternative solutions that utilize existing loudspeakers have been considered because of increased costs associated therewith. These alternative solutions have involved connecting the loudspeakers in series or in parallel for enhanced performance. The loudspeakers are connected to an audio signal source, which may be a stereo receiver, an amplifier, etc. As is generally understood, a series connection of multiple loudspeakers increases the load impedance, resulting in a more efficient operation of the audio signal source. However, with the increase in load impedance, there is a decrease in the voltage applied to each loudspeaker and a consequential decrease in the audio output of the same. On the other hand, parallel connections decrease the load impedance, and while each loudspeaker is applied a constant voltage level, current draw on the audio signal source increases.
In addition to individual loudspeakers having single voice coils, recent advances in loudspeakers, particularly in woofers and subwoofers, have introduced the use of multiple voice coils in a single loudspeaker. Dual voice coil subwoofers have two separate electrically isolated windings mounted to a common bobbin. Such loudspeakers are frequently used in car audio applications for increased flexibility in wiring. While power handling levels, frequency response, and other parameters remain the same whether connected in series or in parallel, the impedance "seen" by the audio signal source changes.
A number of devices to connect multiple loudspeakers or multiple voice coil elements of a single loudspeaker in parallel or in series have been contemplated. One is U.S. Pat. No. 6,656,000 to Abdo, which essentially teaches a pair of metallic blocks, a first block being electrically connected to a positive line from the audio signal source and a second block being electrically connected to a negative line from the audio signal source. The first block includes a pair of output terminals to be connected to the respective one of positive wires of the loads (voice coil element). The second block likewise includes a pair of output terminals to be connected to the respective one of negative wires of the loads. Such first embodiment is operative to connect the loads in parallel. A second embodiment includes essentially the same components, but includes only one output terminal for each block. Thus, the positive wire of one of the loads is connected to the first block, the negative wire of one of the loads is connected to the positive wire of the other load, and the negative wire of the other load is connected to the second block, connecting the loads in series. Another is the Applicant's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/453,647, entitled "Terminal Assembly for Selectively Coupling Loads in Parallel and In Series," which is wholly incorporated by reference herein.
As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the Abdo device essentially provides an accessible central junction for connecting the audio signal source and the wires of the loads. However, such prior devices are deficient in that it is still necessary to handle the actual wires of the loads to alter the configuration between series wiring and parallel wiring. Additionally, it is necessary to substitute different terminal blocks to switch between series wiring and parallel wiring. One major difficulty experienced by consumers in altering the configuration of loudspeakers is the clutter associated with handling the wires, and being unable able to ascertain whether the proper connections have been made. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved terminal assembly which can more readily switch the wiring configuration of electrical loads from parallel to series, and vice versa.

Terminal for selectively coupling loads in parallel or in series


According to one embodiment, a memory includes first to fourth memory cells aligned in a first direction. Each of the first to fourth memory cells comprises a cell transistor having a gate connected to a word line extending in a second direction crossing the first direction and a resistive memory element having one end connected to a first source/drain region of the cell transistor. A second source/drain region of the cell transistor is connected to one of a first bit line extending in the first direction and a second bit line extending in the second direction. The other end of the resistive memory element is connected to one of the first and second bit lines which is apart from the second source/drain region. The second source/drain regions in the first and second memory cells are shared, and the second source/drain regions in the third and fourth memory cells are shared.

A resistance-change semiconductor memory is a semiconductor memory which uses a resistive memory element as a recording medium. The resistive memory element is an element formed of a material whose resistance varies in response to voltage, current, heat and other factors. Magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), phase-change random access memory (PCRAM) and resistive random access memory (ReRAM) are all varieties of resistance-change semiconductor memory which are expected to be deployed as high-capacity, high-speed next-generation semiconductor memories.
As a memory cell of the resistance-change semiconductor memory, a cross point type, a one-transistor/one-memory-element type or a two-transistor/one-memory-element type have been investigated in terms of reduction in cell area, improvement in operating characteristics and other factors.
The cross point type is mainly adopted in the ReRAM and the PCRAM and has a single structure where each memory cell is arranged at the intersection of two conductive lines, which is effective for reducing the cell area. However, there is a reduction in selectivity (operating characteristics) of the memory cells because of sneak current.
The one-transistor/one-memory-element type and the two-transistor/one-memory-element type are mainly adopted in the MRAM, and they are effective for improving the selectivity of memory cells. However, a transistor must be provided in each memory cell, and hence an increase in cell area is inconvenient as compared with the cross point type.
In a so-called a spin torque transfer MRAM that executes magnetization reversal by using a polarized spin current in particular, both a write operation and a read operation are executed by passing a current through each memory cell. Therefore, to reduce a probability of destruction of stored information due to a so-called disturbance, it is important to provide a transistor in each memory cell to enhance the selectivity of the cells. However, as described above, there is a problem that the cell area increases in comparison with the cross point type.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The invention provides an electric potential sensor including, at least one detection electrode arranged for capacitive coupling with a sample under test and for generating a measurement signal, and a sensor amplifier adapted to receive the measurement signal as input and to supply an amplified detection signal as output. An input impedance enhancing element provides a high input impedance to the sensor amplifier for increasing the sensitivity of the electrode to reduced electric potentials, and a feedback element applies a coherent feedback signal to the input of the sensor amplifier for enhancing the signal to noise ratio of the sensor.

In order to create a sensitive electrodynamic measuring device, it is customary to provide a high input impedance and thereby reduce the power of the input signal required to operate the device. However, electronic circuits with a very high input impedance tend to be unstable, and so practical devices are usually a compromise between achieving the necessary degree of sensitivity, providing the desired input impedance and ensuring an acceptable degree of stability.
In International Patent Application No. WO 03/048789, an electrodynamic sensor is disclosed in which a number of different circuit techniques are combined to achieve several orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity, by comparison with previously known electrodynamic sensors, whilst still maintaining sufficient stability to permit a relatively unskilled operator to make measurements in everyday conditions. According to this earlier application, an electrodynamic sensor is provided comprising a high input impedance electrometer, which is adapted to measure small electrical potentials originating from an object under test and which employs at least one input probe having no direct electrical contact with the object. The circuit arrangement of the electrometer of this invention comprises an amplifier, which includes a combination of ancillary circuits providing feedback from the output of the amplifier and arranged cumulatively to increase the sensitivity of the electrometer to the small electrical potentials whilst not perturbing the electrical field associated therewith, the ancillary circuits serving to provide at least two of: guarding, bootstrapping, neutralisation, supply rail drift correction, supply modulation and offset correction for said sensor.
Whilst these features assist in providing a sensor with high input impedance and a relatively stable operation, nevertheless, in situations where there may be weak capacitive coupling to, or a signal of small amplitude generated by, a source or sample under test, noise problems may still remain and may inhibit or prevent accurate signal measurement. This is particularly the case in certain medical and microscopic applications in which there is only a weak capacitive coupling and yet highly accurate signal measurement is essential, for example in a remote off-body mode of sensing in which the or each probe has no physical contact with the human body and typically the weak capacitive coupling would be <1 pF.
More particularly, in applications where there is a weak coupling between a sample under test and the sensor electrode, the capacitive coupling to the sample may be comparable with or much smaller than the input capacitance of the sensor. In this case, the measurement signal received by the sensor is attenuated by the capacitive potential divider formed by the coupling capacitance and the input capacitance and may be difficult to capture.
Furthermore, the use of the output signal from the amplifier as the feedback signal has the disadvantage that such a signal is a broadband signal, which may have a poor signal to noise ratio. Hence, the noise is then fed back to the amplifier input with the feedback signal, causing further degradation of the signal to noise ratio.
There is thus a significant need for an electric potential sensor in which the possibility for accurate signal measurement is enhanced in cases of weak capacitive coupling to a sample under test.
Such a need is especially pronounced in cases where accuracy of signal measurement is critical.
There is also a significant need for an electric potential sensor in which the signal to noise ratio is substantially improved.


A mixed gas is contacted with a non-carbonaceous adsorbent while irradiating the adsorbent with an electromagnetic wave having a frequency of 1 MHz to 25 GHz, such as a microwave, so that a gas component having a smaller coefficient of dielectric loss is selectively adsorbed by the adsorbent. A gas adsorbed on an adsorbent may be desorbed therefrom by contact with a desorbing gas while irradiating the adsorbent with the above electromagnetic wave.

This invention relates generally to a gas adsorption and desorption method using an adsorbent. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a method of treating a gas mixture for separating respective components thereof by adsorption and to a method of desorbing a gas adsorbed on a non-carbonaceous adsorbent.
Treatment of a gas mixture with an adsorbent such as activated carbon, silica gel, alumina or zeolite for separation of respective components thereof is now widely carried out in various fields. A packed bed, moving bed or fluidized bed system is generally employed for such a treatment.
In order to effectively perform adsorption and desorption, it is important to select a suitable adsorbent and to use suitable temperature and pressure. In particular, the selection of a suitable adsorbent is essential especially when the gas to be treated contains two or more components to be separated from each other. When there is available an adsorbent having a high selectivity to one of the components of the gas to be treated, such an adsorbent is generally used even if the adsorption power thereof is not fully satisfactory. For example, when a gas containing a chlorofluorocarbon and moisture is to be treated, activated carbon is used notwithstanding the fact that the chlorofluorocarbon is more adsorptive to zeolite than to activated carbon, because of the strong adsorbing power of the zeolite to moisture.
Relative adsorbability of two gaseous components contained in a gas to be treated can be changed to some extent by varying temperature and pressure at which the adsorption of the gas is performed. However, it is practically very difficult to control the selectivity by temperature and pressure.
Thus, in the conventional adsorption method, it is very difficult to effectively treat a mixed gas containing two or more components using an adsorbent which can adsorb at least two of the components. Similarly, in desorption, it is difficult to selectively desorb one of a plurality of the adsorbed gas components from the adsorbent by control of the temperature and pressure.

Director-General of Agency of Industrial Science and Technology


An aging status diagnostic apparatus for a power conversion system and diagnosing method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes an output current sensing means detecting output current of an inverter switching module; and a measurement and diagnosis means receiving the output current, calculating one or more average values of the output current over one period, and magnitude or effective value of each harmonic of the output current, and determining whether aging of the inverter switching module has occurred. Furthermore, the measurement and diagnosis means determines that the aging of the inverter switching module has occurred if the average value of the output current over one period increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range and/or an even order harmonic or a specific order harmonic based on FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) of the output current increases by a value equal to or greater than a predetermined range.

Recently, in line with the demand of the day, the necessity for safety against the failure of a power conversion system has been increasing, with the result that research into the diagnosis of the aging of power conversion systems has been actively conducted and the results of the research have been presented in various documents.
Methods presented in recent documents focus on the determination of the cause or state of a failure after the failure has occurred in such apparatuses.
Such methods include a method of estimating the abnormality of a conversion device module or equipment through the signal processing of input current and the spectral analysis of an operating frequency, and a method of extracting some of various variables related to the abnormality of a power semi-conductor switch or the abnormality of a controller, a filter capacitor, or an output stage, analyzing the signals, and presenting abnormality results.
Korean Patent Application No. 10-2003-0072963, filed on Oct. 20, 2003 in Korea, published on Apr. 25, 2005, and entitled Apparatus for diagnosing state of power conversion system, is an example of the representative results of research into a method of diagnosing the aging or degradation of a power conversion system. This diagnosing method is configured to analyze the voltage signals of the input and output terminals of a power conversion system or monitor variation in the capacitance of a filter capacitor and variation in ripple voltage, thereby being able to monitor the erroneous operation or damage of the power conversion system and monitor and diagnose an abnormal situation attributable to the aging or degradation of the apparatus in advance.
Furthermore, Korean Utility Model Registration No. 20-0399135, filed on Aug. 7, 2005 in Korea, registered on Oct. 12, 2005, and entitled UPS using individual battery management device, presents a scheme capable of optimally charging and discharging the battery of a power conversion system, such as a UPS, and managing the internal characteristics thereof.

Aging status diagnostic apparatus for power conversion system, and method thereof


The invention relates to a method for disinfecting display screen surfaces of electronic devices. Mobile communication devices, especially those which a reused in the medical sector, have plastic surfaces, often in the form of display screen surfaces. These surfaces cannot be disinfected with conventional alcoholic disinfectants. The disinfectant used in this invention contains a mixture of ethanol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol, an antimicrobial, amphoteric surfactant and water. This disinfectant enables effective eradication of microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria and yeasts, and has the further advantage of being compatible with the materials of the surfaces.

The invention has as subject matter the use of a disinfectant consisting of a mixture of ethanol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol, an antimicrobial, amphoteric surfactant and water for the disinfection of display screen surfaces of electronic devices.
Hygiene is an aspect in modem patient care that is becoming increasingly more important. The focus of many hygienic measures is the disinfection of hands as well as of surfaces without microorganisms. In particular those surfaces must be disinfected that come in contact with the hands, i.e., hand contact surfaces. Surfaces close to patients are usually treated with alcoholic disinfectants. These surfaces and planar objects such as, for example, tables, trays, chairs, doors, door handles, shelves, etc. are usually manufactured from alcohol-resistant materials. They concern primarily "stationary" objects that are subjected to a routine cleaning and disinfection.
The disinfection of objects that are not connected to a location is more difficult. For example, electronic devices are increasingly used for patient care. These modem media make it possible that diagnoses, laboratory results, digital presentations such as x-ray images and the like can be stored and transmitted. This means more certainty in the treatment since fewer transmission errors occur and the relevant information can be rapidly retrieved.
There is the disadvantage that these devices can pass from one patient room into the next one without being disinfected in the meantime. Therefore, the using of these mobile communication devices involves an elevated risk for the transmission of pathogenic germs. The published hygiene regulations state that the hands must be disinfected before and after each contact with a patient. However, if germs pass during the treatment onto mobile communication devices, the latter are not usually subjected to a routine disinfection since they are usually inserted for practical reasons into the coat pocket and are therefore not visible at first. There is therefore the danger that electronic devices, in particular mobile communication devices, are overlooked during the disinfection.
Corresponding devices are used not only in medical and nursing institutions but more and more also in the OP area and in intensive care units. An effective disinfection of all surfaces is necessary in particular in these sensitive hygienic areas in order to avoid a transmission of germs and resulting infections.
Mobile communication devices frequently have surfaces of plastic or glass, optionally also composite materials with a thin, multi-layer construction. In the disinfection of surfaces without microorganisms alcoholic disinfectants are customarily used. Thus, a disinfectant for rapid disinfection is known from EP 1 020 115 A1 that contain 68-80 wt % of a mixture of monoalcohols. These disinfectants also display a good effectiveness against viruses, fungi and bacteria on account of the high alcohol content.
In particular plastic surfaces are partially dissolved by organic solvents such as alcohol or acetone. In addition, many plastics contain softeners that are soluble in organic solvents and are thus washed out during the disinfection. The material therefore loses elasticity by being multiply treated with a disinfectant. This effect can be recognized by opacity and the formation of fissures in transparent plastics.
Mobile communication devices are distinguished by multifunctional properties. The so-called "smart phones" are operated in a simple manner via a touch display. The input surface is technically comparable to a transparent sheet keyboard consisting of a polyester sheet that is placed over a display, e.g., an LED or a liquid crystal display.
The displays of mobile communication devices are frequently provided with a protective display sheet in order to protect them from scratches and other external influences. These protective sheets are very resistant to scratches and impacts and have a crystal-clear optics and pleasant haptics with unlimited ability to use the devices. These protective sheets are usually multilayer laminates that unite the properties of the individual components. They usually consist of acrylic acid polymers, polycarbonate or of other known materials.
Previously, no alcoholic disinfectants were obtainable on the market that were suitable for the disinfection of mobile communication devices, in particular for the disinfection of display screens and touchscreens.
Disinfectants are known for the disinfection of surfaces without microorganisms that have a good compatibility with materials for certain surfaces of traditional objects and devices. EP 1 468 699 A1 discloses the use of a disinfectant based on an aliphatic monoalcohols and on an amphoteric surfactant in aqueous solution for the eradication of mycobacteria. This disinfectant displays a good material compatibility with Plexiglas.
On the other hand, it is known for alcoholic disinfectants with low alcohol contents that they have no comprehensive microbiocidal and in particular no fungicidal effectiveness.

Disinfectant for display screen surfaces of electronic devices comprising a ternary mixture of alcohols


The present invention relates to a micropattern retardation element requiring no stretch processing and no extremely high positioning accuracy in cutting films, and the like, and having the retardation region controlled in width of a micron unit, and a producing method therefore. Said micropattern retardation element can be obtained by forming a liquid crystalline or non liquid crystalline polymer thin film layer having photoactive groups, on a substrate, and then, after orientation treatment in a micropattern form, forming a birefringence layer so as to contact with said polymer thin film layer, so that birefringence molecules of said birefringence layer are oriented according to orientation of photoactive groups in said thin film. Said retardation element is used in a three-dimensional display, and the like.

Various methods have been proposed in relation to technology of three-dimensionally view image (three-dimensional view). One of such technology, two-lens type three-dimensional view using polarized light, is one also called as a polarized light glasses system. This is an observation system, wherein image obtained from a right eye and a left eye in wearing state of glasses each using a polarizing plate having an orthogonal polarizing axis on each eye, is one having binocular parallax, and image information at right and left sides is each assigned to right and left eyes by a polarizing plate of observer's glasses, by means of orthogonalizing each polarized light plane of light. To view image with different polarized light direction in this system, a method for synthesizing image, created by using two displays or projectors, by means of a half mirror or a polarized light mirror, is adopted. This system had a problem that a display is costly and not suitably used in showing three-dimensional view for domestic application or in an office and other occasions for small members, although it is suitable as a display to many audiences. Therefore, use of a micropattern polarizing element having each polarized light axis in orthogonal position in the same plane as a display has been proposed, which has features to enable simultaneous display of images for a right eye and a left eye in one display, and display cost can be made lower.
Conventionally, several polarizing elements formed with a pattern in a plurality of polarizing light region having a different direction of a polarizing light transmittance axis have been known.
For example, in Patent Document 1, a method for application of a resist on a stretched polyvinyl alcohol film, then pattern exposing and developing, patterning the resist and dying a portion of the stretched polyvinyl alcohol film not-covered with the resist with a dichroic compound to form a polarized light region with desired pattern has been proposed. Sadeg M. Faris presented a method for applying a resist on a stretched dichroic polyvinyl alcohol film, patterning, and then removing by dissolving in an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to obtain a patterned polarizing film, and producing a polarizing element called μPol by laminating 2 patterned polarizing films each having an orthogonal polarizing axis, and a method for using thereof in three-dimensional viewing, at Society of Information and Display Conference in 1991 (Non-Patent Document 1). Also in Patent Document 2, Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4, a system for irradiation of polarized light in a pattern form on a thin film consisting of a photo-orientation substance coated on a substrate, on which a solution of a dichroic colorant is applied and oriented to prepare a micropattern polarizing element with orthogonal light axis, and thus completing a retardation element in response to an LCD pixel electrode, has been proposed.
On the other hand, in Patent Documents 5, 6, 7 and 8, a retardation film having a micropattern used for a three-dimensional display has been disclosed.
In Patent Documents 5 and 6, a film having a portion with retardation function and a portion with retardation function lost, in a micropattern form has been proposed, which is obtained by forming a retardation film on a transparent supporting substance via adhesives, and subsequently by forming a resist part on a specified position of said retardation film, followed by immersing in hot water, allowing retardation function to disappear at a portion of a retardation film without presence of a resist part, and drying.
In addition, in Patent Document 7 and Patent Document 8, a film having a portion with retardation function and a portion with retardation function lost, in a micropattern form has been proposed, which is obtained by forming a retardation film on a transparent supporting substance and cutting away a specific portion of a retardation film by an ultra hard blade.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-62-96905
Patent Document 2: JP-A-2001-159713
Patent Document 3: JP-A-2002-357720
Patent Document 4: U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,285
Patent Document 5: JP-A-2001-59948
Patent Document 6: JP-A-2001-59949
Patent Document 7: JP-A-2002-14301
Patent Document 8: JP-A-2001-147499
Non-Patent Document 1: Sadeg M. Faris SID 91 DIGEST, page 840 to 843

National Institute Of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology


The invention relates to thick film conductor compositions which are useful in application to both via-fill and/or line conductors to manufacture of Low Temperature Co-fireable Ceramic (LTCC) devices and other Multilayer Interconnect (MLI) ceramic composite circuits such as Photosensitive Tape On Substrates (PTOS); gold, silver and mixed metal multilayer circuits and devices. The invention is useful for forming microwave and other high frequency circuit components selected from the group comprising: antenna, filters, baluns, beam former, I/O's, couplers, via feedthroughs, EM coupled feedthroughs, wirebond connection, and transmission lines.

Thick film conductors serve as electrical interconnections between resistors, capacitors, inductors, integrated circuits etc. Besides, in multilayer devices and circuits, these conductors interconnect between layers of conductor lines through vias built into the devices. In other words, tape-casted ceramic green sheets for LTCC devices are punched, screened with appropriate conductor lines, stacked and laminated prior to firing. Punching involves mechanical perforation of vias through each layer which are filled with via-fill conductor formulations to interconnect the circuitry between layers. Processing of PTOS circuits are described in a recent invention disclosure U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/703,530, herein incorporated by reference. In other words, interconnect devices are an electronic circuits and surface and buried sub systems of resistors, capacitors, inductors etc that are connected both by electrically and mechanically, "green systems", electronic systems contain very little or no known toxic materials, is a new goal for environmentally safer to the public-at-large and furthermore the public desired such systems.
Similar to other thick film materials, thick film conductors and via-fills are comprised of an active (conductive) metal and inorganic binders, both of which are in finely divided form and are dispersed in an organic vehicle. The conductive phase is ordinarily gold, palladium, silver, platinum or alloy thereof, the choice of which depends upon the particular performance characteristics which are sought, e.g. resistivity, solderability, solder leach resistance, bondability, adhesion, migration resistance and the like. In multilayer devices, internal conductor lines and via conductors additional performance characteristics which are sought, e.g. minimization of conductor line "sinking" into the top and bottom dielectric layers on firing, resistivity variation on repeated firing, interface connectivity of line conductor to that of via-fill conductor, interface bonding of via-fill conductor to that of surrounding ceramic materials.
Thick film techniques are contrasted with thin film techniques which involve deposition of particles by evaporation or sputtering with or without vacuum. Thick film techniques are well known to those skilled in the art.
In addition to the proper level of conductivity and other properties listed above, there are many secondary properties which must also be present such as, wire bondability, good adhesion to both ceramic and thick films, solderability and compactibility to other thick films, both surface and buried, long-term stability without little or less properties degradation.
As would be expected, one critical variable in the technology of thick film conductors for use in the multilayer interconnect devices is the resistivity variation by interaction with surrounding ceramics. Of particular importance in this regard has been the incorporation of high-melting refractory glasses and glasses have little or no miscibility with the remnant glasses present in the surrounding ceramics. Furthermore, additional incorporation of metal oxide and non-metal oxide binder materials in the composition increases the densification of the conductor composites and/or control the growth of crystalline materials into the conductor composites which would change the resistivity of the composites, a non-desirable result.
Additionally, the second most critical variable in the technology used in the MLI devices is the interface connection of via-fill buried within and the line conductor. Due to the differences in the solids and printing conditions which are needed to fill the vias completely and to connect vias to the line conductors result in conductor-via interface stress development and significant delaminations and microstructure variations at the interface which result in conductivity differences, an unwanted result.
As would be expected, the third most critical variable in the state-of-the-art thick film technology used in the MLI devices is the printing differences needed to fill vias and line conductors, due to the significant viscosity differences of the formulations. Typical via-fill conductor formulation viscosity is in the range of 1500-7000 or more PaS and that of line conductors is typically in the range of 150-300 PaS. These viscosity differences are critical to fill vias and fast printing of line conductor formulations. Lower viscosity via-fill formulations could "flow out of the bottom of the tape" and show "peaking"; and high viscosity formulations need more than one print to fill the vias. Many high viscosity formulations also show "posting" of the vias. On the other hand, line conductor formulation viscosity should be kept low in order to print connective lines without line-break, thinner lines and print the formulation fast enough for better productivity.
The fourth most critical variable is the processing of multilayer interconnect laminate without delamination particularly thicker laminates containing higher number of layers and thicker Green tapes up to 10 mils or higher. These green parts contain large amount of organics. During the heat processing, resins and polymers present will "depolymerize" to monomers, dimers etc. which have higher vapor pressure than the parent polymer, leaves the system at the early stages of the processing. The residual organic components decompose to carbon containing species later in the process.
The temperature profile needed to get rid of all the organics before softening of the glasses present in the tape depends on: quantity and quality of the organics, rate of heating, temperature, firing atmospheric conditions etc. Variations of one or more of the above components result in delaminated of layers, via-to-tape side wall separation, via-to-line conductor separation and finally yield loss.

Thick film conductor composition(s) and processing technology thereof for use in multilayer electronic circuits and devices


An apparatus that conducts in situ analyses of fluids in real time is disclosed. The apparatus comprises bifurcated optic fibers, a pulsed light source, a light detector, a water-tight pressure case that houses the pulsed light source and the light detector, and a flow-through cell that receives one end of each bifurcated optic fiber. The flow-through cell may comprise a plurality of attached tube sections that define a volume which acts as a passageway for conducting fluids. One or more sections of the flow-through cell may be adapted to introduce a reagent into fluid flowing through the cell. Sections of the cell may contain potassium periodate and N,N-diethylaniline that are released into a fluid flowing through the passageway, enabling the spectrophotometer to analyze manganese (II) concentrations by monitoring the decrease in fluorescence accompanying the oxidation of DEA to 2 DEA'. The fluid may also be analyzed by measuring reflectance, absorption, turbidity, and fluorescence.

Chemical analyses of fluids, such as natural bodies of water, often involve sample collection and transportation of the sample to a remote test site. Collecting and transporting the sample may alter the sample's composition. For instance, the collection process may contaminate the sample, or a chemical reaction may occur that changes the composition. Collecting and transporting the sample is therefore inefficient, costly, and time consuming.
Moreover, discrete sampling characterizes the state of the fluid only at the time the sample is collected. Natural systems are not static; therefore, the dynamic interactions that occur in natural systems can only be surmised from samples taken at various time intervals.
Remote probes addressed a few of the problems associated with discrete sampling and transportation of the sample to a remote test site. Unfortunately, remote probes are typically limited to measuring gross properties of fluid systems such as temperature, conductivity, and suspended particulate loading.
The advent of fiber optics also addressed limitations apparent in prior analytical devices. For instance, optic fibers convey light to the sample itself, rather than the sample being conveyed to the light source. Furthermore, flexible optic fibers are not limited to specific configurations required in typical laboratory devices. Thus, optic fibers can be configured in transportable devices in manners previously inaccessible.
Bifurcated spectrophotometers are known and have been used to measure various properties of aqueous systems. Many of these devices measure properties of a fluid only through light-scattering or light-absorption techniques. Detecting analytes with light absorption techniques has several disadvantages as compared to detecting fluorescence For instance, the optimum color change associated with an analyte may require lengthy time periods to develop at room temperature, making "real time" measurements impossible. Also, the detection limit of absorption measurements is limited by the extinction coefficient of the colored complex, whereas a fluorescent emission signal can be increased by increasing the excitation energy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,907 describes a bifurcated fiber optic device that includes a multi-wavelength light source and a photomultiplier connected to the light detecting arm. The common end of the optic fibers can be immersed in a fluid sample to measure the fluorescent emissions of a pH sensitive fluorophore. Carbon dioxide levels can also be detected with the device by measuring the pH change associated with the carbon dioxide-bicarbonate ion equilibrium.
Briggs' U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,564,598, 4,676,640, and 4,739,171, describe a bifurcated fiber optic system that measures particulate levels in fluid systems by monitoring fluorescent emissions. These patents also describe a flow tube that houses beads coated with a reagent such as a photosensitive dye.
Knight's U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,530 describes a device intended to be a transportable detecting device for analyzing aqueous media. The bifurcated or trifurcated optic system can measure properties of dilute fluid systems, including turbidity, absorption, reflection, fluorescence and phosphorescence.
The sensitivity and complex nature of typical analytical instruments limit their use to laboratory settings. For instance, spectrophotometers include sensitive electronic equipment and are therefore not suitably immersed in fluids during testing operations Even analytic devices that are compact and transportable require a skilled operator to attain accurate data. Thus, currently available devices are not easily translocated and are susceptible to damage from hostile environments.
Finally, prior art devices typically are designed to measure natural fluorescence rather than induced fluorescence. These devices are therefore limited to detecting species that are themselves capable of fluorescent emissions.
The aforementioned problems make the real time, in situ analyses of fluid systems, such as natural bodies of water, heretofore infeasible.

Spectrophotometer for chemical analyses of fluids

The State of Oregon Acting by and through the State Board of Higher Education on Behalf of Oregon State University


An apparatus (304) and method is provided for bonding wire (104) to bond sites (108) of integrated circuits (110), lead frames, and packages at room temperatures. In preferred embodiments a ball end (106) of a gold wire (104) is bonded to an aluminum bond pad (108). Apparatus (304) includes a high frequency ultrasonic energy source (306) designed to provide ultrasonic energy at frequencies above 200 kHz. The ultrasonic energy is transmitted to the bonding interface via capillary (302). In this manner, a strong bond is formed between ball end (106) and bonding site (108). The apparatus and method provided enable bonds of sufficient shear strength to be fabricated in a sufficiently short bonding time even at ambient temperatures, enabling the efficient fabrication of temperature sensitive devices such as micromechanical structures.

The standard technique for making circuit interconnections for semiconductor devices consists of bonding a wire, typically a gold or aluminum alloy wire, to an aluminum alloy bond pad on the semiconductor die. In the case of a gold wire, bond eventually results in an intermetallic structure of several possible phases, depending on time and temperature and dictated by diffusion behavior. The highest bond strength is obtained by maximizing the intermetallic coverage under the ball bond.
Clean surfaces, high temperatures, and the proper amount of pressure and mechanical scrubbing contribute to an optimum reaction between the gold and aluminum metals in the wire and bond pad. Ideally, a very short bonding time may be used to create the intermetallic bond between the surfaces. While satisfactory processes have been developed for many of the typical semiconductor devices, all of the processes, known as thermosonic bond processes, rely on elevating the temperature of the semiconductor device during the bonding process.
Unfortunately, micromechanical devices such as the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) cannot tolerate the elevating temperature required by IC wire bonding processes of the prior art. Therefore, a room temperature wire bonding process is needed that will allow temperature sensitive devices such as the DMD to be fabricated without damaging the temperature sensitive structures.


A dual lamp illumination system adapted for a projection display system. The dual lamp illumination system includes a first illumination module and a second illumination module, a beam deflecting unit, and a light homogenizer. The first and the second illumination modules each includes a light source, and an elliptically-shaped housing having an interior reflective coating. The light sources each generates an optical beam comprising converging optical rays such that optical beams each has an angular distribution range of [−P, +Q] degrees, where P and Q are preferably 30. The beam deflecting unit reflects at least one of the optical beams from the first and the second illumination module and couples the optical beams to form a multiplexed beam. The light homogenizer is then for homogenizing the multiplexed beam. The invention achieves throughput of 1.5×–1.7× higher gain than single lamp illumination systems useful particularly in a projection display system.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to an illumination systems, and more particularly to a dual lamp illumination system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Projection systems are widely used in various applications. In a conventional projection system, an arc lamp is used for generating an optical beam. The optical beam, through the color wheel, is then filtered into red, green and blue components. The filtered optical beam is in turn directed towards a light pipe, for modifying the distribution of the optical beam and making the light intensity distribution more uniform.
The optical beam from the light pipe is then relayed by relay optics, such as condensing lens and mirrors, to a digital micro-mirror device (DMD). The DMD includes a number of micro mirrors that can be arranged to either selectively reflect the optical beam towards projection lens to produce image light, or block the optical beam from getting through the projection lens. The optical beam from the projection lens is then projected onto the display screen, thereby displaying an image.
However, the arc lamps used by the conventional projection system often cannot be scaled up to high enough power levels. That is, low lumens level causes the image projected on display screen to appear dark. Due to such inherent drawbacks, methods for increasing power levels have thus been an important topic.


A valve island that has vented non-active areas is disclosed. The valve island has a plurality of active gas passageways that are coupled together between components. At the junction between the different components the active fluid passageways are surrounded by a sealing surface. The sealing surface essentially surrounds some non-active areas. The non-active areas are vented to the outside air through one or more passageways. The non-active areas may be recessed from the sealing surface.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of pneumatic controls, and in particular, to an improved valve island.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Valve islands are typically considered to be a group of electrically operated pneumatic valves mounted on a common base with a common electrical wireway. Valve islands may also be manually or pneumatically controlled. FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a typical valve island. Valve island 100 comprises a plurality of sub-bases 102, two end plates 104 and 105, with one or both end plates having multipole or fieldbus connections 106, a plurality of valves where the plurality of valves may be single solenoid valves 116 or double solenoid valves 118, the valves have a plurality of solenoids 108 attached, optional sandwich plates and base accessories 114, and a mounting bracket 112. The plurality of sub-bases 102 are joined together in a row with one of the end plates attached at each end of the row of sub-bases. The plurality of valves are mounted on top of the plurality of sub-bases 102.
One of the advantages of a valve island is that they can be expanded by incrementally adding a single or double valve stations. FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of a typical valve island. Valve island 200 has a plurality of sub-bases 202, two end plates 204 and 205, a single add on station 203, a plurality of single solenoid valves 216, two double solenoid valves 218, screws 220, gasket 222, expansion PC board 224, a plurality of solenoids 208, and a main PC board 230 installed in the electronic raceway of the valve island 200. Screws 220 are used to couple the sub-bases together and attach the sub-bases to the end plates 204 and 205. Gasket 222 helps form a seal between the sub-bases 202 and the single add on station 203. A gasket (not shown) may also be used between single add on station 203 and end plate 205. PC board 224 is installed into electronic raceway 226 and is used to control the valve attached to the single add on station 203. Screws 228 are used to attach a valve to the single add on station 203.
FIG. 3 is an isometric view of main PC board 330 being inserted into the electronic raceway 326 of a valve island 300. Electrical connectors 332 are attached to main PC board 330 and are used to mate with or couple the main PC board 330 with the valves (not shown) attached to the top of the sub-bases 302 and 303.
Current valve islands have a number of problems. One problem is the complexity of the fluid passageways that run between and connect the various components of the valve island. The fluid passageways are difficult to manufacture and may limit the minimum size of the valve components.
Therefore there is a need for an improved valve island.

Valve island with non-active area venting between components


A Wheel Spoke Adjuster Guard that comprises a visually pleasing outer shape with an internal cavity, where the internal cavity has a lower portion shaped complimentary to the wheel adjuster nuts on the wheel spokes of either motorcycles, bicycles, or other motor conveyances using spoked wheels and an internally threaded portion adapted to threadably engage the spokes of the wheel. The upper portion of the internal cavity has a shape complimentary to the existing diameters of the spokes of the wheel assemblies. The adjuster guard is threaded onto the spoke and the internal cavity encases the spoke adjuster. The adjuster guard may have some Lock-Tite© or sealant to prevent any loosening of the adjuster guard.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is an improvement of U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,852 by Steven Mason dated Jul. 8, 2003. This invention relates to a device that can protect the adjustment and wheel rim areas of spoked wheels from the intrusion of foreign objects such as dirt. By adding this device to spoked wheels, they will enhance the functionality of the spoke adjusting areas of the wheel rims by increasing the life span of the spoked wheels and also provide a decorative addition to the spoked wheel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of devices to protect the adjustment areas of wheel spokes is known in the prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,852 by Steven Mason (the inventor of the current invention) reveals a wheel spoke adjuster guard that comprises a pleasing outer appearance with an internal cavity complementary to the wheel adjuster nuts on the wheel spokes of a wheel. The adjuster guard has means to lock the guard onto a wheel spoke, preventing unwanted motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,050 by Soder et al., discloses "Beads for Bicycle Wheel Spokes." The principle purpose of this invention is to provide visual and audible effects while the wheel is being used. This invention discloses a bead that is free to move along the length of the spoke, which then creates a pleasing visual effect. This invention is specifically related to the creation of a visual effect and an audible noise.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,099 by Klein, discloses a "Wheel Spoke Adjuster Guard." This invention is a two-piece device that is snapped together around the adjuster lug portion of the spoked wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,558,423 by Dobrosky, discloses "A Spoke Ornament for Bicycle Wheels." This device uses tubular sections in unison, where when connected together, have interlocking key areas that prevent any one element from being dislodged from the spoke. This invention is ornamental in concept. When attached to a bicycle wheel, the alternating colors create alternating bands of color while the wheel is moving.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,269,670 by Kieckbusch, discloses a "Balance Weight." This invention is used to balance motorcycle wheels inexpensively, easily and simply.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,883 by Peters, discloses "High Visibility Reflective Tubing for Bicycle Wheels." This invention is to create a highly reflective area of a bicycle rim in order to enhance the bicyclist's visibility in low light and bad weather conditions.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,906,050, 2,558,423, and 5,801,883 contain no teaching or suggestion that they may be used to attach to the lug area of spoked wheels and prevent the intrusion of foreign materials. They specifically teach the art of either enhancing the visibility of the operator, or making a pleasing sound. None of the previously mentioned patents disclose a lug adjuster guard that is threaded onto the spoke and/or the adjuster guard to enhance the aesthetics of the wheel rim, and protect the adjuster guard from dirt and debris.


In order to prevent any erroneous insertion of a thin circuit board 3 into a gap 5 formed between a main circuit board 1 and a connector 2 when the thin circuit board 3 is inserted into an inserting port 2e formed at the connector 2 fixed at a mounting surface of the main circuit board 1 by electric connection, a guide 6 is formed by applying solder onto the mounting surface of the main circuit board 1 and in the vicinity of the inserting port 2e. The guide 6 can prevent any insertion of the thin circuit board 3 into the gap 5.

In electric equipment such as audio equipment, video equipment, a computer and peripheral equipment thereof, functional equipment such as a motor, an actuator or an input/output device is connected to a main circuit board, on which a circuit having a function as a control circuit is mounted. There has been conventionally known a structure for connecting a thin circuit board having flexibility to a connector as a structure for connecting the functional equipment connected onto the main circuit board to a power source. Here, the connector is formed into a shape of a casing, which contains therein a plurality of terminals electrically connected and fixed to the main circuit board by soldering and whose one surface has an inserting port thereat. Moreover, a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter abbreviated as "an FPC") and a flexible flat cable (hereinafter abbreviated as "an FFC") have been well known as the thin circuit board for use in connection to the connector.
In recent years, the connector, the FPC and the FFC also have become thinner in association with the miniaturization of the electric equipment. In the meantime, since the connector has been merely mounted on the main circuit board by soldering the terminal, a slight gap has been formed between the connector and the main circuit board.
FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing a structure for inserting an FPC into a connector in the prior art.
An FPC 300 is thin and has flexibility. Therefore, a worker intends to insert the FPC 300 into a connector 200 while holding the vicinity of a tip of the FPC 300 during an inserting work of the FPC 300 into the connector 200 by the worker. However, the worker cannot hold a connector joint 310 of the FPC 300, which is a portion to be inserted into the connector 200. Consequently, the tip of the connector joint 310 of the FPC 300 is flexed, and cannot be properly positioned. As a result, the worker cannot accurately insert the FPC 300 into a connector inserting port 210. As countermeasures against this, a guide surface 220 is formed at the connector inserting port 210, such that the FPC 300 can be favorably inserted into the connector inserting port 210 at a substantially proper position. Nevertheless, the FPC 300 may be flexed downward of the guide surface 220, and as a result, may be erroneously inserted into a gap 500. In this case, the worker must do the inserting work of the FPC 300 again, thereby raising a problem of degradation of productivity by the worker. In addition, in the case where the FPC 300 is erroneously inserted into the gap 500, the FPC 300 has been caught in the connector 200 when the FPC 300 is inserted into and drawn back from the gap 500, whereby the FPC is scratched. As a result, the FPC 300 becomes a defective product, thereby raising a problem of an impossibility of reuse of the FPC 300.
As countermeasures against the above-described erroneous insertion, there has been a method for preventing any erroneous insertion by constituting a connector of a plurality of members and forming a cutout at an FPC in the prior art. In this case, since a special part for preventing any erroneous insertion of the FPC must be mounted on the connector, the number of parts has been increased. To make matters worse, the shape of the connector must be varied, and therefore, a versatile connector cannot be used. This leads an increase in unit cost of the connector. Additionally, since the FPC corresponding to the connector also must be made into special shape in a similar manner, a versatile FPC cannot be used. This leads to an increase in unit cost of the FPC.


The text is generated from voice input that divides the processing of each spoken word into a dictation event and a text event. Each dictation event handles the processing of data relating to the input into the system, and each text event deals with the generation of text from the inputted voice signals. In order to easily distinguish the dictation events from each other and text events from each other the system and method creates a data structure for storing certain information relating to each individual event. Such data structures enable the system and method to process both simple spoken words as well as spoken commands and to provide the necessary text generation in response to the spoken words or to execute an appropriate function in response to a command.

The present invention relates to text generating systems that generate text from a voice input and more particularly to a text generating system that generates text from a voice input and also accepts voice generated control commands with the ability to distinguish between the input and the commands.
Voice controlled text generating systems generally include a microphone for detecting speech signals. A speech signal processor transforms the detected speech signals into a representation for recognition by a processor (e.g. short term spectral cross-sections). A speech signal processor transmits the processed signals to a speech event analyzer which generates a set of recognition candidates in response to each detected speech event. A recognition candidate is a vocabulary item which is stored in a system memory (not shown) that is similar to the detected speech event which represents the spoken word or phrase. The system creates a candidate set that includes all of the recognition candidates, or in other words, the candidate set includes all known vocabulary items which are sufficiently similar to the detected speech event that the speech event analyzer 16 decides that there is a high degree of probability that the speech event is an instance of the vocabulary item represented by the recognition candidate.
In order to enable the system to choose the most appropriate candidate, the system assigns a recognition score to each candidate. The recognition score indicates the likelihood that the speech event is an instance of the candidate, and after processing is complete, the recognition candidate with the highest recognition score is designated the "Best Match". The system then selects the "Best Match" as the candidate representing the chosen vocabulary item.
After the best match candidate has been selected, the system translates the candidate and transmits the translated candidate to the application. In other words, the translation is the input to the application that has been designated as the input to be sent when the candidate is chosen as best match for a particular state of the recognizer. As a result, in theory, there is a specified translation for each combination of best match vocabulary item and recognizer state. Often, of course, a translation is simply the spelling of the best match word or phrase, but it can be any legal input to the application.
In addition to including the capability of accepting voice input and deriving the corresponding text to that voice input, it is also desirable to be able to control the system through the use of voice commands. In such a system, the voice commands actuate assigned tasks in response to the voice commands. This is especially important for a system designed for use by handicapped individuals or for a system designed for use by an individual who does not have free use of his/her hands because the hands are occupied with another task during use of the system. Moreover, when a text generating system is used for dictation, the person dictating usually can not efficiently use a keyboard, and voice operated commands would greatly facilitate use of the system.
Known systems treat verbal input as typed input, or in other words, convert the speech into keystrokes. A speaker, however, supplies input to the system in word units, and verbal commands are more easily understood in terms of word units rather than characters. For this reason, known systems do not make effective usage of vocal commands, especially commands involving backtracking through documents.
Another problem with known systems is that they assume that each input character is correct, and as a result the systems do not efficiently correct mistakenly translated verbal input.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a system and method for generating text from a voice input that organizes and records information about system state and verbal and non-verbal input.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for generating text from a voice input that reliably and effectively implements system functions which make it possible for the user to inform the system of misrecognitions; for the system to undo the effects of said misrecognitions; for the user to control the application by referring directly to earlier events in the dictation process; and for the system to control and modify the recognition of speech, including the ability to learn from earlier misrecognitions.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for generating text from a voice input that organizes the process of speech dictation to computerized systems, and the response of those systems, into similar structures which can be used to effectively control and modify system operation.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system and method for generating text from a voice input that groups and organizes the various inputs in a manner that facilitates retrieval of any input.

Historical database storing relationships of successively spoken words


An off-road vehicle includes a frame and four wheels that support the frame. An engine powers the wheels. The engine is mounted on the frame. The frame includes multiple frame members that surround the engine. One of the frame members disposed behind the engine is detachably affixed to the rest of the frame members. The frame members are divided into first and second groups. The first and second groups are offset fore to aft relative to each other and overlap with each other in a rear section of the first group and in a front section of the second group. The rear section of the first group defines a bent portion coupled with the second group. The front section of the second group defines a bent portion coupled with the first group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present inventions generally relate to a frame arrangement for an off-road vehicle, and more particularly to an improved frame arrangement for an off-road vehicle that is operated off-road.
2. Description of Related Art
Off-road vehicles are designed to be operated over rugged terrain. These vehicles are often operated off-road over terrain such as, for example, steep inclines and declines, rough roads, and areas covered in mud and water.
Off-road vehicles typically include a frame that is supported by wheels. In one common arrangement, the vehicle has four wheels, i.e., a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels. Also, the frame is formed with a plurality of members. A prime mover such as, for example, an internal combustion engine is employed to power at least the rear or front wheels, and most commonly, all of the wheels. Typically, the engine is combined with a transmission to form an engine unit. The transmission transfers power to an output shaft from a crankshaft of the engine. The output shaft drives the wheels.
The frame of such a vehicle is subjected to strong shocks produced while proceeding over rugged terrain, and thus is engineered accordingly. Additionally, the frame should provide some protection for the engine. For example, JP-Y2-H6-34213 (Japanese Utility Model Publication) discloses such an arrangement.


Disclosed is a method for making printing plates which comprises:. forming an image on a substrate having an ink absorbing layer for lithographic plates by ink-jet printing using a photopolymerizable ink composition, and PA0 exposing it to an active light in the wavelength region with which said ink composition is sensitized to cure the image.

Digitalization of information has made rapid progress in recent years throughout the process from manufacturing a block copy, an upper stream process of printing, to manufacturing a printing plate, thereby putting, for example, a photographic forme system of characters, by which a block copy of manuscripts can be readily prepared, or a scanner which directly reads picture images, to practical use. With this progress, there has arisen a demand for a direct plate-making method in which lithographic plates can be directly prepared from digital data output from computers, facsimiles, or the like without using a film for making printing plates.
As one example of the direct plate-making method, a method wherein an image or non-image portion is directly formed on a substrate by ink-jet printing is known to the art. The ink-jet printing system is a relatively rapid image output system and has a simple construction because it does not require any complex optical system. Therefore, the printing system makes an apparatus for making printing plates simple and the cost for making printing plates can be lowered since the maintenance labor is largely reduced.
As examples of the methods for preparing printing plates by using the ink-jet printing system, Japanese Kokai Publication 113456/1981 proposes the methods for preparing printing plates wherein ink-repelling materials (e.g. curable silicone) are printed on a printing plate by ink-jet printing. The printing plate obtained by this method is an intaglio printing plate in which the ink-repelling material formed on the surface of the substrate serves as a non-image part. As a result, the resolution of the printed images at shadow area or reversed lines is not so good. Moreover, a large amount of ink is needed in this method because the ink-repelling material must be deposited on the whole non-image part which occupies most of the surface of the printing plate, thereby delaying the printing process.
Japanese Kokai Publication 69244/1992 discloses a method for making printing plates comprising the steps of: forming a printed image on a recording material subjected to a hydrophilic treatment by ink-jet printing using a hydrophobic ink containing photocurable components; and exposing the whole surface to an active light. However, the surface of the substrate to be used for the lithographic plate is usually subjected to various treatments such as a mechanical graining, an anodizing or a hydrophilic treatment to obtain good hydrophilic property and water retention property. Therefore, even the use of an ink composition having a very high surface tension is resulted to form a poor image on the surface of the substrate because of ink spreading.

Method for directly making printing plates using ink-jet system


A device (1) for varying the valve timing in an internal combustion engine having a hydraulically displaceable annular piston (9) comprises a locking piston (15) arranged adjacent to a pressure chamber (14) which is situated in front of the annular piston (9) and to facilitate a displacement of the locking piston (15) in its uncoupling direction by hydraulic medium, a vent passage (27) leads out of a pressure chamber (26) situated axially behind the locking piston (15) for evacuating the air collected in this pressure chamber (26) into the open.

In a device of the above type known from DE-PS 29 09 803, the problem arises on starting of the internal combustion engine that the adjusting piston moves at a high speed into a position of maximum displacement in which its repeated abutting is accompanied by a considerable amount of noise. This is due to the fact that when the engine has been turned off, the hydraulic medium contained in the device gradually escapes therefrom so that the adjusting piston is no longer sufficiently supported hydraulically. Due to the torsional vibrations of the camshaft, the adjusting piston, because of a lack of hydraulic support, is displaced into an end. position on re-starting of the engine, with the already mentioned, considerable noise generation. This state prevails during the period of time between the ignition of the engine and the filling of the pressure chambers, that is to say, for a few seconds after the engine has been started.

Device for varying valve timing in an internal combustion engine


An automated system for evaluating biological samples which includes a centralized registry that contains protocols and configuration information for both instruments and analysis applications. The registry provides for improved automation of biological process runs using an autoanalysis applications manager component or daemon, which accesses and transmits the appropriate protocol and configuration information to selected instruments and/or applications. This information is used to instruct data capture by the biological instruments and direct the analysis of the data by the analysis applications.

1. Field
The present teachings relate to biological laboratory instruments and, more particularly to a system and methods for integrating large numbers of instruments and analysis applications into an automated framework.
2. Description of the Related Art
Biological analysis is often a complex process that involves many different instruments and associated analysis applications. In genomic and molecular biological studies, large numbers of samples may be processed by sequencers, fluorometers, mass spectrometers, and other instruments to provide data, indicative of the composition or expression of nucleotide or protein components comprising the sample. Captured data is subsequently provided to one of a number of different applications for further processing and analysis. The analysis applications are typically software-based and may perform such tasks as sequence determination, mutational analysis, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identification, etc. In certain implementations, a number of applications may be required to process the data from a variety of different samples in order to complete the analysis. These applications may be configured to operate serially wherein the resultant data output by one application is used as input for another application. When operating in this mode, the data must be properly organized and configured in the manner which is expected by each application. Typically, such operations are performed by an investigator and means to better automate the process are lacking in the industry. Likewise, parallel data processing to achieve improved throughput often requires investigator coordination, monitoring, and review thus limiting the potential to more fully automate the analysis process.
As biological laboratories become increasingly complex with more associated instruments and analysis applications, the difficulty of integrating the analysis applications and instruments into a unified system amenable to automated analysis becomes more complex. Hence, there is a need for systems and methods which permit improved integration of instruments and analysis applications in biological laboratory environment.

Auto-analysis framework for sequence evaluation


This invention relates generally to an apparatus design that minimizes fabrication and assembly costs for an omni-directional wheel.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to an apparatus design that minimizes fabrication and assembly costs for an omni-directional wheel. More specifically it refers to the design of the wheel and the roller mounting. The unique design allows the use of two identical stampings or molded bases with key holes and locating posts diametrically opposed, assembled back to back with elastomeric or rubber outer rollers mounted in between at an angle to the axis of rotation. The unique stamped or molded bases are so aligned as to allow the rollers to be assembled in either a right handed or left handed wheel orientation for either right or left wheels on a self propelled platform. This unique design allows for assembly with a minimum number of separate parts with commensurate minimized tooling costs which then allows for the use of omni-directional wheels in many applications that were heretofore cost prohibitive.
2. Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,112 Ilon 1973 through U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,707 Guile 2005 show various complex and expensive variations of the original Ilon concept known as a Mecanum Wheel. Four of these wheels mounted on the corners of a robot and independently driven cause the robot to move in a controlled omni-directional fashion. Harris patents U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,203 B1 2002, 6,340,065 B1 2002, 6,547,340 B2 2003 and 6,796,618 B2 2004, focused on the design of the outside rollers in an attempt to promote a vibration free ride under various load conditions.

Omni-directional wheel design for construction cost reduction


A baler for baling polystyrene material which has a high bulk and low weight for subsequent recycling. The baler includes a ram, to compress the material past its form memory, which provides significant penetration over repeated cycles to compress the polystyrene into a bale, which is subsequently ejected through a bale door of the baler. The baler can either be manually controlled or automatically controlled, such as by an algorithm stored in a programmable logic controller. Feedback systems measure the length of travel of the ram and the pressure of the ram to determine the status of the baling operation, and can automatically provide for ejection of the baled material. The bale can either be manually strapped, automatically strapped, or no strapping of the bale may be required. The polystyrene material is chopped by a chopper system on the baler to break the material into smaller sections for baling. The baler also includes a vertical tamper to tamp the polystyrene down into the baling chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is for a baler, and more particularly, pertains to a baler for expanded or foamed polystyrene. A first alternative embodiment of the present invention includes a polystyrene baler which compacts a bale to 26".times.30".times.50" to cost effectively produce a bale of the appropriate density to fill up a trailer of a tractor-trailer to maximum weight for transportation on a cost-effective basis to recycling centers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art balers have not been practical for baling polystyrene, or polyfoam because the ram did not have sufficient penetration through the baling chamber, and therefore, could not compress the material sufficiently. Therefore, high-volume and low-mass materials generally were very difficult to bale because of the lack of suitable ram penetration in the baling chamber. Bales made with prior art balers were unstable and tended to come apart even with careful handling.
Expanded polystyrene is a material of particular concern to environmentalists, as the material is of high volume and low mass, and is taking up considerable space in landfills. Polystyrene is used to package a wide assortment of products, such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, other household appliances, TVs, audiovisual equipment, model trains, and just about any other type of product which is shipped in a box. The packaging can range from small blocks measured in inches, to large shapes measured in feet. Polystyrene also comes in what is referred to as peanuts, spaghetti or denoted with other cute names, and is used as packing material to protect goods in boxes against damage in transit.
The wide diversity of sizes and shapes of polystyrene complicates the baling problem. Of course, it would be possible to sort polystyrene waste according to size and density, but this adds expense and complicates the salvage process.
The subsequent disposal of polystyrene is of very serious concern to the environmentalists, who in the past have had no real recourse but to see this type of packing material buried in landfills, wasting landfill space, which is now considered a precious, non-renewable natural resource.
One particular concern of baling polystyrene was to achieve a bale weight of a density so that a trailer of a tractor-trailer, also referred to as a semi, reached maximum trailer weight, while filling the trailer at the same time for the most economical cost of transportation. Prior art problems with baling recyclable materials is that the trailer would be full, but yet a maximum weight would not be reached for the trailer, which made the cost of transportation not only inefficient, but more importantly uneconomical. Polystyrene had not been able to be recycled, and since it only recently has been possible to recycle polystyrene, there has now been a need created to effectively bale polystyrene on a cost-efficient basis so that the economies were appropriate for transportation of baled polystyrene. Achieving the appropriate bale density for cost-efficient transportation was not only important, but is being demanded by the recycling industry, as well as the transportation industry.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing a baling system for polystyrene packing material, where the bales of the polystyrene can then be recycled which saves, protects and preserves the environment.


This disclosure describes techniques that include performing cryptographic operations (encryption, decryption, generation of a message authentication code). Such techniques may involve the data processing unit performing any of multiple modes of encryption, decryption, and/or other cryptographic operation procedures or standards, including, Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cryptographic operations. In some examples, the security block is implemented as a unified, multi-threaded, high-throughput encryption and decryption system for performing multiple modes of AES operations.

In a typical cloud-based data center, a large collection of interconnected servers provides computing and/or storage capacity for execution of various applications. For example, a data center may comprise a facility that hosts applications and services for subscribers, i.e., customers of the data center. The data center may, for example, host all of the infrastructure equipment, such as compute nodes, networking and storage systems, power systems, and environmental control systems. In most data centers, clusters of storage systems and application servers are interconnected via a high-speed switch fabric provided by one or more tiers of physical network switches and routers. Data centers vary greatly in size, with some public data centers containing hundreds of thousands of servers, and are usually distributed across multiple geographies for redundancy.
Many devices within a computer network, e.g., storage/compute servers, firewalls, intrusion detection devices, switches, routers or other network attached devices, often use general purpose processors, including multi-core processing systems, to process data, such as network or storage data. However, general purpose processing cores and multi-processing systems are normally not designed for high-capacity network and storage workloads of modern networks and can be relatively poor at performing packet stream processing.
Further, cryptographic operations relating to security and other functions may require and/or consume substantial computing resources. In cryptography, the message to be transmitted is called plain text and the encrypted message is called cipher text. The algorithm used to encrypt and decrypt is called a cipher, and may involve significant processing and/or resources to implement. In symmetric ciphers, such as those used in Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) operations, the same key is used to encrypt as well as decrypt data. In an asymmetric cipher, different keys are used for encryption and decryption; the key used to encrypt or verify a signature is called a public key, and the key used to decrypt or sign is called a private key. To detect tampering by adversaries, a Message Authentication Code (MAC), which is a keyed hash of the cipher text or encrypted data, may also be transmitted along with the cipher text to enable the recipient to verify the validity or authenticity of the encrypted data.