A playlist acquisition unit acquires a playlist including a view segment of contents for a user. The view segment has a start position and an end position in the contents. A copyright information acquisition unit acquires copyright information of the contents from a copyright management apparatus via a network. The copyright management apparatus manages copyright information of each content. A view right information acquisition unit acquires view right information of the user to view the contents. A viewable playlist composition unit composes a viewable playlist by editing the playlist using the copyright information and the view right information. The viewable playlist includes restriction information of the view segment.

Recently, technique to acquire contents (such as a dynamic image) using a private view terminal or a personal computer via an Internet and to view the contents is widely spread. In general, a contents holder (copywriter) who holds a copyright of such contents desires to prohibit copyright infringement (illegal copy and editing of contents). A technique to realize prohibition of such infringement is developed. For example, in a view terminal such as an AV device, a user can compose (create) a playlist describing a method to partially play contents. However, use of the playlist is restricted in this AV device.
Furthermore, another technique is proposed in Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) No. 2003-50588. In this technique, a copywriter registers contents (previously constructed) to a management server, and the copywriter indicates a retrieval condition of contents. The management server selects contents matched with the retrieval condition, and composes a playlist arranging the selected contents. As a result, use of the playlist intended by the copywriter is permitted while restricting the user's editing of contents.
On the other hand, in the Internet, a community to exchange opinions and thoughts via a billboard or a chat room exists, and communication based on the contents is executed. Accordingly, without restricting use of the playlist (composed by the user) to a predetermined device, technique to share the playlist among users belonging to the community is desired.
However, in a method disclosed in above citation, a management server composes a playlist based on a copyright predetermined by the contents holder. Accordingly, for example, the management server cannot compose a playlist to view contents without CM (commercial program). As a result, a playlist having high utility for users of the view terminals cannot be composed.
Furthermore, for the purpose of prohibition of behavior that ignores a copyright and infringes Protection of Original Designs, the contents holder does not often permit distribution of the playlist. Accordingly, a user cannot view contents using a playlist composed by another user by sharing the playlist.

Playlist composition apparatus, copyright management apparatus and view terminal apparatus


A dielectric isolated high voltage semiconductor device having an arrangement for extending a depletion layer of a main junction beyond an insulating layer containing an island to a semiconductor supporter by applying the same reverse biasing voltage to the supporter and the islands. That is, in the structure, an electrode is provided at the back surface of the supporter and connected to a main electrode of the selected island. The above-mentioned main junction is the pn junction to which the reverse biasing voltage for securing the withstand voltage of the semiconductor device is applied. The device is structured, also, with high impurity concentration regions for preventing a depletion layer, formed during a reverse biasing of the main junction of a circuit element of an island, from extending into adjacently disposed islands.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus using a dielectric separation substrate, and more particularly to a semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus having high withstand voltage and high integration density.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A dielectric separation substrate having a high withstand voltage and capable of downsizing the region for separating elements is presently used as a substrate for semiconductor integrated circuits dealing with high voltages, instead of a pn separation method. An existing dielectric separation substrate has the constitution wherein semiconductor islands such as n-type semiconductor islands, each of which are surrounded by oxide films (SiO.sub.2) are embedded together in one side of a supporter. The supporter includes poly-silicon and high impurity concentration layers (n+) formed along with the oxide film at the places adjoining other islands for suppressing the elongation of a depletion layer. This existing dielectric separation substrate has the following problems.
The first problem is one related to product processing. The substrate producing process comprises the steps of:
{1} forming V character form grooves on one side of a n- type semiconductor substrate by the anisotropic etching using a mixture of potassium hydroxide(KOH), water and N-propanol,
{2} injecting impurities to make the n+ layers on the faces of the grooves and the side of the semiconductor substrate,
{3} forming oxide films on the faces of the grooves and one side of the semiconductor substrate,
{4} accumulating poly-silicon on the oxide films, and
{5} chipping down the other side of the semiconductor substrate to the bottom of the grooves and forming the semiconductor islands separated by the oxide films.
The above-mentioned producing process of the dielectric separation substrate has the first problem that the producing process is not easy since it is necessary to form a thick poly-silicon layer. The second problem is that the element integration density decreases in accordance with an increase of the withstand voltage. It is needed to enlarge the region of the depletion layer for increasing the withstand voltage, which requires the formation of deep semiconductor islands. Since the side face of the semiconductor island makes an angle of 55.degree. to its exposed face due to the above-mentioned anisotropic etching, the area of the exposed face becomes larger and the integrated density decreases as the depth of the semiconductor island increases.
One dielectric separation substrate which solves the first problem is described in a Japan Patent Laid Open 292934/1986. The dielectric separation substrate has the constitution wherein the semiconductor islands are made more shallow, the poly-silicon layer is formed a little thicker so that it can bury the grooves, and a semiconductor substrate having a oxide film on its surface is formed on the poly-silicon layer. By this constitution, the producing process becomes easier since accumulation of the deep poly-silicon is not needed. However, this dielectric separation substrate has the drawback that the integration density considerably decreases in accordance with an increase of the withstand voltage, which is explained by FIG. 18.
In FIG. 18, a semiconductor island 100, a poly-silicon layer 101 in which the semiconductor island 100 is buried and supported by a silicon oxide film 102, and a semiconductor substrate 103 adhered to the poly-silicon layer 101 with a silicon oxide film 104 between, etc. are shown. In the case of a diode, the semiconductor island 100 includes a n- type region 100a, and a p+ type region 100b and a n+ type region 100c which are formed separated from each other at the exposed face of the n- type region. An anode electrode 105 and a cathode electrode 106 are connected by an ohmic contact to the p+ type region 100b and the n+ type region 100c, respectively. In the constitution, when the reverse bias voltage is applied to the pn junction formed between the p+ region 100b and the n- type region 100a by the anode electrode 105 and the cathode electrode 106, a depletion layer is considerably extended to the n- type region side. Since the depth of the semiconductor island 100 is shallow, the depletion layer can not be extended to the perpendicular direction but instead must extend to the lateral direction. In the case shown, the field strength and the equipotential lines are as shown in the figure. An unusually high peak of the field strength appears in the vicinity of the boundary between the n- type region 100a and the n+ type region 100c where the extension of the depletion layer is stopped. Increasing the interval between the p+ type region 100b and the n+ type region 100c can suppress the peak, however, this undesirably makes the semiconductor larger and reduces the integration density.
As mentioned above, by virtue of the semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus using the existing dielectric separation substrate, it is impossible to realize a high withstand voltage and a high integration density at the same time since increasing the withstand voltage impedes the high integration density and vice versa. The increasing trend of the commercial power voltage from 100 V to 200 V renders it impossible to avoid the increase of the withstand voltage in the field of the semiconductor integrated circuits using a dielectric separation substrate. The decrease of the integration density of the semiconductor integrated circuit apparatus means the functional deterioration of one-chip circuits and brings about the loss of the largest merit in using an integrated circuit apparatus for an electric circuit.

Dielectric isolated high voltage semiconductor device


A sensor for a separable connector comprises a plug body comprising an insulating resin, the plug body configured to be inserted into the separable connector to encase a high voltage conductor disposed in the separable connector. The sensor also includes one or more high voltage capacitors encased by the insulating resin and configured to be electrically coupled to the separable connector at a first end portion when the plug body is inserted and one or more low voltage capacitors electrically coupled in series to the one or more high voltage capacitors to form a capacitive voltage divider. The sensor also includes a low voltage connection configured to provide a low voltage signal corresponding to a high voltage signal present in the separable connector, the low voltage connection comprising a coaxial contact having a first metal contact and a second metal contact.

As electrical power distribution becomes more complex through the advent of renewable energy, distributed generation, and the adoption of electric vehicles, intelligent electrical distribution and associated electrical sensing is becoming more useful and even necessary. Useful sensing may include voltage, current, and the time relationship between voltage and current at various locations within a power distribution network.
Traditionally, the power has been generated at a central location, and then distributed radially from the generation facility. As the development of the power grid matures, and more renewable energy is involved, the power flow in the distribution grid becomes less obvious, i.e., no longer simply flowing away from primary generation stations. Too, customers are becoming much more aware of power quality in regards voltage, harmonics, real/imaginary power magnitudes, etc.
Many existing relatively high voltage transformers and switchgears have a dedicated space for cable accessories, particularly in higher voltage applications (for example, 5 kV to 69 kV, or higher). Many of these transformers and switchgear are of a variety referred to in the power utility industry as dead-front. Dead-front means there are no exposed relatively high voltage surfaces in the connection between a power cable and the transformer or switchgear. Such cable accessory connections are sometimes referred to as elbows, T-bodies, or separable connectors.
Many cable accessories implement testpoints to provide a limited energy signal that could be transformed into a scaled fraction of the line voltage residing on the shielded and insulated conductor of the cable accessory. The historical use of these test points is for indication of the presence of line voltage at the transformer or switchgear. Often, these testpoints do not provide the voltage ratio accuracy required for modern grid automation power quality and control applications.
In addition, installing new equipment at particular locations in the power distribution grid may require that a power outage be taken. Such outages can cause disruption and loss of significant revenue for a utility.
The need to develop and provide voltage sensing at the distribution grid is increasing rapidly due to substantial change in the global power grid structure. With the advent of more power electronics which often incorporate high frequency switching in their power supplies, the injection of noise in the power grid is increasing. Because of these and other issues in the evolving grid, the need for sensing and sensors at the distribution level is increasing.

End plug sensor device with voltage divider and test point features


An enclosed belt conveyor having a high strength take-up section that maintains proper belt alignment with the use of just two take-up screws, while still allowing for the take up section housing to be made of lighter weight, less expensive materials. The take-up section of the present invention can be installed at a head section or tail section of an enclosed belt conveyor. The take-up section of the present invention generally includes two support arms slidably mounted in guides that maintain the support arms in a straight orientation and two take-up screws that adjust the support arms within the guides while maintaining proper alignment of the take-up section without the necessity of separate leveling screws.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, enclosed belt conveyors 1 are utilized for the safe, gentle and efficient handling of dry bulk granular materials. Totally enclosed belt conveyors have the advantage of containing dust and spilled materials and automatically reloading spilled material back onto the belt. In addition, they protect conveyed materials from contamination and degradation from environmental factors. Enclosed belt conveyors often incorporate a plurality of spool shaped idler rollers 24 to provide a trough shaped support for the conveyor belt 22. The use of spool shaped idler rollers provides a contoured support for the continuous belt which carries granular materials 31.
Enclosed belt conveyors typically include a head section 12, a tail section 14 and a number of sections intermediate between the head section and the tail section. Typically, the motor and drive mountings are located at or near the head or discharge end of the conveyor. A tail (or non-drive end) section is located at the inlet end of the conveyor. In addition, any number of intermediate sections may be placed between the head section and the tail section to create a complete conveyor assembly. An endless belt runs from the tail section to the head section, and loops around a pulley and a shaft at each end. Enclosed belts conveyors may be several hundred feet long. Consequently, the endless belts will be approximately double the length of the conveyor assembly.
All belts stretch over time. The belts used in enclosed belt conveyors tend to stretch more dramatically during their initial break-in period. However, belts continue to stretch throughout their life. One way to compensate for belt stretch, in an otherwise still usable belt, is to cut out a section of the belt and to resplice the cut ends together thus shortening the belt. Shortening a belt by splicing is a time consuming and labor-intensive process that requires that the conveyor be inoperative while the splicing is performed. It is not uncommon for a long belt to stretch several feet during its life. Therefore, it is necessary to provide for adjustment in the conveyor assembly to take up the slack that develops in a belt as it stretches and also to provide adjustment when the belt is shortened.
Although a take-up may consist of a simple movable bearing mount for the shaft and pulley it is complicated in this instance by the requirement to maintain a fully enclosed conveyor structure.
Referring to FIG. 1, a typical prior art belt tensioner used with an enclosed belt conveyor includes an inner sleeve attached to the tail end of the conveyor and an outer sleeve that is part of a tail end section of the conveyor. The inner sleeve 5 telescopes into the outer sleeve 6 and is supported by the outer sleeve. The tensioner further includes four long bolts, threaded rods or screws. Two of these long bolts are typically referred to as tail take-up screws 2 and the other two as leveling screws 4. The tail take-up screws are located on the centerline of the tail shaft bearings 7. The tail take-up screws 2 are tightened equally to tension the belt and to compensate for belt stretch. The tail take-up screws 2 must be tightened equally to prevent misalignment of the pulleys that cause belt-tracking problems. The tail section leveling screws 4 are typically located above the centerline of the tail shaft bearings. The leveling screws 4 are used to level the tail section to compensate for misalignment that occurs when the tail take-up screws 2 are adjusted to properly tension the belt and to compensate for belt stretch. The leveling screws 4 are not used for tightening the belt. The above described arrangement is typically referred to as a sliding box tail. A take-up section may also be located at the head end of the conveyor if desired or rarely at an intermediate location.
Other prior art conveyors utilize take-up sections with sliding bearing mounts and take-up screws. In this arrangement, the bearings for the end roller in the head or tail section are mounted in a plate that is slidably mounted to the conveyor housing. A screw mechanism is used to slide the plate axially related to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor to tension and compensate for slack in the belt. The length of the section in which it is located limits the adjustment distance available in a sliding bearing mount arrangement.
All of these prior art take-up sections have the disadvantage that the weight and tension of the conveyor belt and its contents are born by the housing of the take-up section. Therefore, the take-up section housing must be very robustly constructed to resist the tension of the belt, the weight of the housing, shaft, pulleys and bearings in addition to the tension of the belt which may be thousands of pounds. Heavy housing components are costly. Further, take-up sections that utilize both take-up screws and leveling screws require the proper adjustment of at least four bolts in order to properly adjust and position the take-up section. If these adjustments are improperly made, the belt will track improperly, wear excessively and have a shortened life. Thus, it would be a benefit to the enclosed belt conveyor industry if belt tensioning could be accomplished without the need for both take-up screws and leveling screws and if take-up sections could be constructed of lighter weight materials.


A device and method for treating female urinary incontinence is provided. A device in accordance with the invention includes a sheath having a distal portion, a proximal portion, and a lumen extending therebetween. A distal member is elastically hinged to the distal portion of the sheath. A flow control valve unit is disposed within a lumen of the sheath. The distal member may be urged into axial alignment with the sheath, and the device may be inserted into a female urethra. Once the device is inserted sufficiently distally into the female urethra, the distal member will return to a position which is not in axial alignment with the sheath.

Female urinary incontinence is a common medical condition, having widespread economic and social ramifications. The difficulty and embarrassment associated with urinary incontinence often causes the affected person to limit her social activities. In some cases, pads or diapers are used to absorb the uncontrolled seepage of urine. These absorbent items must be changed frequently, creating an ongoing economic burden. The wearing of absorbent undergarments may also restrict the type or style of clothing which the patient may wear. More seriously, skin irritation and other hygienic difficulties often result from the lingering presence of captured urine against tender urogenital tissues.
An additional method of treating urinary incontinence is the use of bladder flow control devices, sometimes referred to as artificial sphincters or prosthetic urethral valves. A bladder flow control device may be positioned in the. urethra of a patient to control the flow of urine out of the bladder. It is desirable for the placement of the bladder flow control apparatus in the urethra to be performed easily and non-surgically. Once the bladder flow control device is placed, it is desirable that it be safely and securely retained in the urethra. Optimally, the device surfaces which contact the human body. will be formed of biocompatible materials, to lessen chances of inflammation in patients.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Interlace noises of the image of an iris included in the image of an eye picked up through an interlaced scheme are corrected precisely within a short time. An image processing apparatus (30) corrects a digital image P based on only low-brightness pixels configuring the image of a pupil included in the digital image P of an eye. Accordingly, interlace noises included in the image of the pupil of the eye and that of the iris can be corrected precisely within a short time. Next, a checking apparatus (50) performs authentication on a subject person based on the image of the iris specified based on the corrected digital image P. Hence, precise authentication is enabled.

Recently, instead of a code or a password that is a combination of characters and symbols, biometric authentication technologies that execute authentication using the physical characteristics of a subject person are actively researched and developed. It is typical that biometric authentication uses physical characteristics which are not consistent one another among individuals, such as a fingerprint, a venous pattern on the back of a hand, an iris pattern of an eye, and a voiceprint. In particular, authentication apparatuses using a fingerprint and a venous pattern on the back of a hand have the authentication precision improved, and are built in various devices, such as an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) and a personal computer (PC) together with the advancement of the cost-down of the authentication apparatuses.
According to the authentication using a fingerprint and a venous pattern on the back of a hand, however, it is necessary for a subject person to contact a part of the body like a finger and a hand to the apparatus or to put those close to the apparatus. Hence, in recent days, biometric authentication technologies using an iris pattern of an eye are getting attention (see, for example, Patent Literature 1).

Image processing apparatus, biometric authentication apparatus, image processing method and recording medium


The present invention comprises a lead frame substrate adapted to receive semiconductor die and multiple passive components. The lead frame substrate is preferably formed from a single piece of electrically conductive material, such as copper, and may be mounted within a lead frame package or directly onto a circuit board. The lead frame substrate includes mounting surfaces adapted to receive the semiconductor dice and passive components. The mounting surfaces are linked together by temporary and/or permanent connection bars. A method to manufacture the lead frame package includes, among other steps, forming a lead frame substrate, applying a molding compound to the lead frame substrate to fix each mounting surface and connection bar in place, removing the temporary connection bars, mounting the semiconductor components on the lead frame substrate, and applying a packaging material over the lead frame substrate to encapsulate the semiconductor components.

Today's multi chip modules (MCM's) in power applications face significant challenges in terms of heat dissipation and heat management. Coupled with the need to dissipate heat in a uniform manner with low thermal impedance, there is also a need to reduce space and cost. Traditional approaches to packaging MCM's have been in the form of a Land Grid Array (LGA) or Ball Grid Array (BGA) type substrate, which consist of multiple chips (semiconductor dice) plus passive components placed on a laminate substrate. The substrate material conventionally has a high-thermal impedance and, even with enhanced via technology for heat management, still falls short of the low thermal impedance of a lead frame design.
A conventional lead frame device has excellent thermal conductance and optimum heat dissipation with regard to the power component mounting surfaces. But, a conventional lead frame design and manufacturing process limits its ability to have multiple passive components mounted within the package. Manufacturing a lead frame that is adapted to receive a power semiconductor die and passive components is often associated with long manufacturing times, increased expenses, and is generally not considered an efficient manufacturing option. Conventional lead frames are adapted to receive only power semiconductor dice. Thus, external components must be coupled to the lead frame to ensure operational effectiveness, which also adds to both the cost (of procurement, placement, etc.) and the space of the customer's board.
FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate a conventional lead frame package 10. The lead frame includes a semiconductor die pad 14 and multiple leads 16 arranged about the periphery of the lead frame 10. A conventional method for producing the leadless semiconductor chip package shown in FIGS. 1A-1B comprises the steps of: (1) attaching a semiconductor chip 12 onto the die pad 14 of a lead frame 10, wherein the lead frame 10 comprises a plurality of leads 16 arranged about the periphery of the die pad 14; (2) wire-bonding the leads of the lead frame 10 to bonding pads on the semiconductor chip (shown as wires 18 in FIG. 1b); and (3) forming a package body 20 over the semiconductor chip 12 and the lead frame 10 in a manner that each lead 16 of the lead frame 10 has at least a portion 17 exposed from the bottom of the package body. This conventional lead frame package 10 only supports a single semiconductor chip 12. The package 10 cannot support any passive components. Thus, the passive components (e.g., resistors and capacitors) are necessarily external to the package 10.


Disclosed herein are methods and compositions for detecting differential expression of certain miRNAs in cancer cells or their surrounding normal tissues in the tumor microenvironment. The disclosure describes an automated, highly sensitive and specific method for detection of any cellular RNA molecule, including microRNA, messenger RNA and non-coding RNA. The technology includes probe design as well as probe use in an automated fashion for detection of RNA molecules in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPET) samples.

The human genome encodes more than one thousand short (17-24 base) non-coding microRNA molecules that regulate diverse cellular functions. Several of these functions are known to be involved in tumorigenesis including cell growth, motility, and immune surveillance. Not surprisingly, numerous clinical studies suggest that many microRNAs will serve as potent prognostic and/or predictive biomarkers for a variety of diseases including breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancers. However, due to their short sequence length, technical obstacles exist for detection of these potential biomarker targets: (i) limited target sequence limits probe length and subsequent target specificity as well as (ii) detection sensitivity since short probes require significant amplification technologies to generate a visible signal; lastly, (iii) short microRNA targets may be less stable in tissue (increased ribonuclease sensitivity and/or limited crosslinking to cellular components).
MicroRNAs regulate protein expression mainly by inhibiting translation and/or promoting mRNA degradation (Lin He & Gregory J. Hannon Nat. Rev. Genetics 5, 522-531). Over 50% of mRNAs are estimated to be regulated by one or more miRNAs and a single miRNA may regulate several to dozens of genes. miRNAs have been demonstrated to function in many physiological and pathological processes. miRNAs can function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes (Esquela-Kerscher et al. Nat. Rev. Cancer 6, 259-269.).
There are several RNA detection technologies commercially available. Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. has products for automated kappa (Kappa DNP Probe Catalog #: 495-524) and lambda (Lambda DNP Probe Catalog #: 664-693) light chain mRNA expression in FFPET, with commercially available detection chemistries (ISH iVIEW Blue Plus Detection Kit Catalog #: 760-097). This technology does not use 2′-O-methyl RNA oligonucleotide probes or amplification (e.g. tyramide signal amplification). Advanced Cell Diagnostics (ACD) has a full line of products for manual detection of mRNA with their RNAScope technology. Extensive amplification, mediated through branched-DNA technology, post hybridization, is used to amplify the signal sufficiently for detection. Both chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) detections following branched-DNA amplification are offered by ACD. This technology is mainly used manually with limited partial automation provided by the Ventana Discovery instrument. A substantial limitation, overcome by the presently disclosed technology, is that it requires a minimum of 300 bases of RNA target length; therefore, the ACD technology is not capable of detecting microRNA targets. Exiqon provides locked nucleic acid oligonucleotide probes for microRNA detection; the technology is limited to probe design and synthesis and does not provide any specific manual or automated detection capabilities (chromogen or fluorophore development or deposition).

Automated RNA detection using labeled 2′-O-methyl RNA oligonucleotide probes and signal amplification systems


An actuator for selectively causing axial compression of friction elements in a clutch is disclosed. The actuator comprises a pair of beveled wedge washers and a bearing race supported between the washers. The race supports conical bearing rollers in a generally radial orientation. An actuator plate is mounted for rotation relative to the bearing race and includes bearing ramp surfaces that are operable to move the conical bearing rollers radially inwardly thereby forcing the washers to move apart axially and to thereby cause compression of and torque transfer through the friction elements. A clutch including the actuator is well suited for inclusion in a transfer case.

Automotive transfer cases are used in vehicles with four wheel drive to distribute torque to front and rear axles. Some transfer cases that do not provide full time four wheel drive are equipped with friction engagement devices that are selectively actuated to cause the transmission of torque to the axle(s) for the wheels that are not full time drive wheels. Typically, such friction engagement devices include disk packs that transmit torque when subjected to axial compression and do not transmit torque when uncompressed. As is stated in columns 1 and 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,332,                "The use of a ball ramp actuator to operate a driveline master clutch is known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,441,137; 5,469,948; 5,505,285; 5,651,437; 5,810,141; 5,910,061; 5,964,330; and RE 36,502 assigned to the same assignee as this application, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference, disclose methods of using a ball ramp actuator to supply the clamping force on a clutch disc which can be used to frictionally rotationally connect the engine flywheel to the transmission input shaft. The ball ramp actuator is activated when a electrical current is supplied to a coil thereby producing an electromagnetic field in a coil pole which applies a retarding force to a rotating armature. The rotating armature is commonly nonrotatably connected to an annular control plate which has a plurality of control ramps which vary in depth. An opposed annular activation plate has a like number of opposed variable depth activation ramps where a corresponding number of rolling elements are trapped between the control and activation ramps. As the retarding force is applied to the control plate, the rotational movement of the control plate relative to the activation plate causes the rolling elements to traverse the control ramps and the activation ramps thereby causing an increase in separation distance between the control and activation plates to provide the clutch disc clamping force.        "Also shown in the prior art are other types of vehicle driveline devices which make use of a ball ramp mechanism to provide a clamping load to a clutch pack. U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,825 discloses a limited slip differential having a clutch pack loaded by a ball ramp actuator. U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,951 discloses a driveline transfer case where the torque split is controlled by a ball ramp actuator. U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,950 discloses a transmission inertia brake where a ball ramp actuator loads a clutch pack to slow a spinning transmission shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,883 discloses a driveline retarder in which a ball ramp actuator is used to load a clutch pack to rotate a hydraulic pump in response to a signal from a control unit. The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,092,825; 5,499,951; 5,528,950 and 5,819,883 are all hereby incorporated by reference."Thus, compression of a clutch pack carried out with the use of co-acting ball ramps is known. Ball ramp actuators for clutch packs are functional but producing the parts that make up the ball ramps involves complex machining operations.

Conical clutch pack actuator especially for a transfer case


Implemented preferably within a digital camera, an electronic device is used to prevent a captured data clip from being fraudulently altered without detection. The electronic device performs "time-bracketing" and may contain cellular phone circuitry to establish wireless communication to receive a state value used to preserve data integrity when time-stamping is performed in combination.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for data security. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electronic device and corresponding method of maintaining the integrity of data.
2. Description of Art Related to the Invention
For data security to be highly reliable, it must preserve the "integrity" of data transmitted between two sources. This may be accomplished through a mechanism that determines the data's origin in order to detect whether the data has been illicitly corrupted and to establish when the data was created.
Currently, access control techniques, such as biometrics for example, are failing to preserve data integrity. In general, biometrics involve digitally scanning a characteristic of the user (e.g., finger print, iris, retina, etc.) to capture one and more frames of data (generally referred to as "data clip") associated with the characteristic. Then, the captured data clip is compared to a previously stored master. If certain characteristics of the captured data clip match those of the stored master, the user is identified and/or authenticated.
The reason that access control techniques are failing to preserve data integrity is that electronic technology has become so sophisticated that alteration of a digitally captured data clip is difficult to detect. For example, security systems using biometrics are now susceptible to fraudulent alteration of the captured data clip if the biometric system is not physically connected to a system or component that processes or stores the captured data clip. Usually, this is due to the fact that the communication path is publicly accessible which allows interlopers an opportunity for the captured data clip to be (i) substituted for a prior recorded data clip, (ii) substituted with another data clip transferred in real-time from another location, or (iii) combined with other non-existent images or characteristics.
In fact, our society is beginning to doubt the integrity of images transferred or stored as data clips because these data clips can be easily manipulated. Unless the integrity of the data is preserved, more cases of fraud will be committed, creating distrust between persons. For example, it is foreseeable that insurance companies will begin to distrust and contest claims of property damage where a hardcopy image formed by a data clip (e.g., a photograph from a digital camera) is used by a member of the real-estate industry to appraise and insure property prior to its damage. Likewise, it is foreseeable that hardcopy images formed by a data clip will become inadmissible in court due to their susceptibility to fraudulent modification.
In an effort to preserve data integrity, a technique called "time stamping" has recently been developed and is commercially offered from Surety Technologies, Inc. of Chatham, N.J. Referring to FIG. 1, an example of time-stamping is shown in which a hash operation is initially performed on digital data 110. The hash operation involves a one-way hash function 120, normally stored within first source 100, mapping digital data 110 from its arbitrary size into a fixed size, usually referred to as a "digest" 130. The digest 130 cannot be manipulated to reproduce the data (i.e., no information content). Examples of the hash function 120 include, but are not limited or restricted to those provided by RSA Data Security, Inc. of Redwood City, Calif. (e.g., "MD5"), or those published by the U.S. Government (e.g., "Secure Hash Algorithm").
As indicated by a dotted line 140, a conscious effort is made by a person to electrically download the digest 130 by a telephone line to a time-stamping service provider 150. The digest 130 is hashed and combined with a number of other digests 160 from different sources in a "binary tree" fashion. This results in a composite digest 180 produced from "intermediate digests" 170. Next, the composite digest 180 is widely published (e.g., printed in a publication, disseminated to all sources, stored in a trusted database, etc.) to establish that data 110 existed at least before the publication of the composite digest 180.
However, there is no current mechanism for protecting the integrity of data by ensuring that it was created or existed after a particular point in time as well as before publication of the composite digest. By providing a technique ("time-bracketing"), which ensures that data was created or existed after a particular point in time, fraudulent modification or substitution of a previously captured data clip would be prevented. Hence, there exists a need for an electronic device, employed within a capturing device and coupled with communication circuitry, which would preclude a captured data clip from being altered without subsequent detection by using standard communication schemes with the time-stamping service provider.


This invention provides non-naturally occurring and isolated naturally occurring nucleic acid molecules which encode proteins designated pro-Yama, p11 Yama and p20 Yama. This invention also provides recombinant polynucleotides coding for these proteins. Also provided by this invention is a non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule encoding mutant CrmA protein and a dominant inhibitory Yama. Vectors and host cells containing these nucleic acid molecules are further provided. Methods of modulating a cellular function regulated by the Fas receptor pathway in a cell is provided herein. In one aspect, this method comprises introducing into the cell a nucleic acid molecule coding for a gene product having CrmA biological activity such as dominant inhibitory Yama or alternatively, the CrmA gene product.

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death (PCD), is of fundamental importance to biological processes including embryogenesis, normal cellular development of multicellular organisms and the development of the immune system (Ellis et al. (1991) Ann. Rev. Cell Biol. 7:663-698). It is a type of cell death that is fundamentally distinct from degenerative death or necrosis in that it is an active process of gene-directed cellular self-destruction which in some instances, serves a biologically meaningful homeostatic function. This can be contrasted to necrosis which is cell death occurring as the result of severe injurious changes in the environment of infected cells. For a general review of apoptosis, see Tomei, L. D. and Cope, F. O. Apoptosis: The Molecular Basis of Cell Death (1991) Cold Spring Harbor Press, N.Y.; Tomei, L. D. and Cope, F. O. Apoptosis II: The Molecular Basis of Apoptosis in Disease (1994) Cold Spring Harbor Press, N.Y.; and Duvall and Wyllie (1986) Immun. Today 7(4):115-119.
Morphologically, apoptosis is characterized by the rapid condensation of the cell with preservation of membranes. Synchronistically with the compaction of chromatin, several biochemical changes occur in the cell. Nuclear DNA is cleaved at the linker regions between nucleosomes to produce fragments which are easily demonstrated by agarose gel electrophoresis wherein a characteristic ladder develops.
Apoptosis has been linked to many biological processes, including embryogenesis, development of the immune system, elimination of virus-infected cells, and the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Apoptosis also occurs as a result of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of CD4+ T lymphocytes (T cells) . Indeed, one of the major characteristics of AIDS is the gradual depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes during the development of the disease. Several mechanisms, including apoptosis, have been suggested to be responsible for the CD4 depletion.
The depletion of CD4+ T cells results in the impairment of the cellular immune response. It has been proposed that an inappropriate activation-induced T cell PCD causes the functional and numerical abnormalities of TH cells from HIV-infected patients, that leads to the near collapse of the patient's immune system.
This invention has identified an effector component of mammalian apoptosis which is an element of the apoptotic cell death pathway. Accordingly, this invention provides compositions and methods to modulate apoptotic cell death and associated biological processes.

Method and composition for regulating apoptosis


A circuit arrangement for use in a utility meter includes a processing circuit, a magnetically-actuated switch, and a first circuit. The processing circuit has a first mode and a second mode. The processing circuit performs a first set of metering operations related to energy metering in the first mode, and a second set of operations in the second mode or sleep mode. The second set of operations has fewer operations than the first set of operation, and requires less energy. The switch has is coupled to provide a first output signal to the processing circuit. The first circuit is configured to generate a pulse signal responsive to the switch transitioning states, and is operably coupled to provide the pulse signal to the processing circuit. The processing circuit causes display of stored values responsive to receiving the pulse and receiving the first output signal.

Electrical service providers such as electrical utilities employ electricity meters to monitor energy consumption by customers (or other entities). Electricity meters track the amount of energy consumed by a load (e.g. the customer), typically measured in kilowatt-hours ("kwh"), at each customer's facility. The service provider uses the consumption information primarily for billing, but also for resource allocation planning and other purposes.
Many current electricity meters use digital circuitry to determine energy consumption and other billing values. For example, it is known to digital signal processors to calculate energy consumption from digital energy measurement signals. The calculated consumption information is then displayed on a meter display. From time to time, a meter reader from the utility obtains the consumption information displayed on the customer's meter display, thereby enabling billing. In the alternative, or in addition, the meter may include transmission capabilities for transmitting consumption information to a remote utility computing device, thereby also enabling billing.
Electrical power is transmitted and delivered to load in many forms. For example, electrical power may be delivered as polyphase wye-connected or delta-connected power or as single phase power. Such various forms are known as service types. Different standard electricity meter types, known as meter forms, are used to measure the power consumption for the various service types. The commonly used meter forms in the United States include those designated as 2S, 3S, 5S, 45S, 6S, 36S, 9S, 16S, 12S and 25S meter forms, which are well known in the art.
A primary purpose of metering is to allow a utility to obtain information regarding the energy usage by a load (customer) for the purposes of accurate billing and/or planning. To this end, meters employ multiple methods of communicating energy usage (and other) information. The methods of communication include displaying meter values at the meter location, communicating meter values in locally transmitted signals, and communicating meter values using remote communication methods. While communication of signals to local or remote computing devices is in widespread use, the most common means for communicating energy use is through the meter display.
In electronic meters, the meter display is often a relatively simple LCD segmented display panel that displays basic information, such as an accumulated energy usage value. In some meters, a technician can manipulate the display to obtain additional information about the meter.
One drawback to electronic meters with LCD (or other electronic) displays is that the display generally does not work during a power outages. To this end, in most electronic meters, the power for the meter circuits is obtained from the utility power lines that are being measured. When power is absent, the meter loses power. However, the utility meter has no energy consumption to measure when line power is absent, and the power loss to the meter is tolerable.
Nevertheless, it is sometimes desirable to access to information within a meter even when power is absent. For example, it is not inconceivable the periodic meter reading to take place during a power outage. In such a case, the lack of displayed information can be a disadvantage. Moreover, in many cases the power may be purposefully disconnected from a load for various reasons. In such cases, again, it may be a disadvantage to lack displayed information about a meter.
In most cases, the only way to obtain information from a meter during a power outage is to restart the meter, which requires utility power. This is not always possible, and in the case of purposefully removed power, disadvantageous.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method of obtaining data from a meter when utility power is absent from the meter.


An engine is connected to the upper end of a drive shaft housing and a work head with a string trimmer or blower or both is operatively connected to the lower end of the drive shaft housing and is rotatably driven by an engine rotating a drive shaft inside the drive shaft housing and connected to the working head. The drive shaft housing is rigidly connected to the working head and may be rotated about its longitudinal axis relative to the engine in any desired amount of rotation, but the preferred degree of rotation is 135° to move the working head from a trimming position with the rotating trimmer string in a horizontal position to an edging position with the rotating trimmer string in a vertical position and with the working head being displaced to the operator's right side for better viewing and control and operator comfort. In one embodiment, a gear driven crank handle is rigidly connected to the drive shaft housing and is itself rotated 135° as the drive shaft housing is rotated 135° to place the handle in a position that is comfortable to use. Further, the amount of air flowing through the blower is regulated by an air outlet regulating valve and a separate air intake regulating valve.

The present invention is related to an apparatus for facilitating lawn trimming care. More particularly, the present invention combines a blower inside a housing having an exit blower duct and a string trimmer head, both driven simultaneously by a motor connected to a drive shaft. Novel handles facilitate rotating the apparatus into a trimming mode or an edging mode and air flow control valves regulate the volume of air flowing through the blower.

Combination blower, trimmer and edger for tending vegetation


A medical lamp has a closed housing having a front side, a rear side and a peripheral side connecting the front side and the rear side. A light source and a reflector are provided in the housing and means are provided to reduce the heat dissipation to the outside from the rear side of the housing.

The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Medical lamps of this type are generally known and have to be flexibly adjustable during a medical examination or a medical intervention in order to ensure an optimum illumination. Furthermore, hygiene plays a decisive role with lamps of this type, i.e. the lamps must be light and easy to clean, on the one hand. On the other hand, it is desirable for the lamps to be optimized with respect to flow engineering, in particular when they are operated under a supply air ceiling which generates a laminar air flow to suppress particle or germ introduction in the region of the operating position.


A storage component including a cover and an easel coupled to the cover. The easel includes a first portion and a second portion pivotally coupled together, wherein the easel is movable between a substantially flat configuration wherein the first and second portions are generally flat and coplanar, and a propped configuration wherein the first and second portions are arranged in a non-coplanar configuration and the first portion is oriented at an angle relative to the cover. The first portion of the easel in the propped configuration is configured to support an item thereon for display.

The use of portable electronic devices, including smart phones, laptop computers, tablet computers, and the like, has become commonplace. In contrast to previous devices such as flip phones or laptop computers that may have a hinged cover to protect the screen when not in use, electronic tablet computers may have an exposed screen. When in use, an electronic tablet computer may be placed flat upon a table or desk, or upon the user's lap. However, it is often convenient to place the electronic tablet at an angle for easier viewing.

Electronic tablet case with internal easel


An attaching mechanism to attach to a paintbrush. The attaching mechanism comprises a hook so that when the attaching mechanism is attached to a paintbrush, the paintbrush can be hung by the hook on a rim of a paint can.

1. Field of the Invention
The present inventive concept relates to an apparatus and method to facilitate placement of a paintbrush while it may be wet with paint in a convenient and practical position for a painter.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a painter is using a paintbrush to paint a medium, typically there is no easy way for the painter to put the paintbrush down. If the painter places the paintbrush down on the floor, then typically paint will drip off from the paintbrush. Sometimes painters may place the paintbrush on top of the paint can, but this also subjects the paintbrush to dripping and falling.
What is needed is a way in which a painter can locate his or her paintbrush which may be full of paint in a manner in which it will be easy to reach and will reduce or eliminate unwanted dripping onto a clean surface.

Device to facilitate stationary placement of a paintbrush


A flat bed scanner of the type commonly used as a stand-alone computer peripheral in combination with a contact image sensor module, the glass cover of which is removed and the module placed under the glass surface of a flat bed scanner and which extends the full width of the scanning area to provide a 1:1 scanning ratio using a rod lens to focus the image onto the image sensors, with a monorail carriage for the scanner and including low friction strips to prevent tipping of the module into the glass, paper sensors to control the beginning and end of the scanning and for accomplishing scanning in both directions.

A. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a stand-alone flat bed scanner or hand-held scanner and which incorporates a contact image sensor (CIS) module.
B. Description of the Prior Art
CIS modules and monorail carriages are known; however their use heretofore has been limited to flat bed scanners of the photocopier or facsimile type, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,957,689 and 5,610,731. Additionally, specific carriage arrangements for CIS modules are known, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,528,410; 5,579,128 for scanners which are unidentified in those documents but which are believed to be directed to scanners in which the document rather than the sensor module is moved, i.e., scanners of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,995.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,812 describes a hand-held scanner with a rod, or "Selfoc" lens and CCD array and U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,858 describes a linear sensor array in a variety of scanner types. Contact-image sensors per se, are known, such as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,939,591.


The frequency response of a differential amplifier or comparator is improved by adding a positive and negative clamp at the collector (drain in the case of an MOS embodiment) outputs of the differential transistor pair that will clamp the output voltage swing to less than one RC time constant. The frequency response (rise time t.sub.r) is improved from t.sub.r =2.2.times.RC to t.sub.r <<1.times.RC. The differential output resistors can be increased to improve the differential gain while maintaining an improved rise time of t.sub.r <<1.times.RC.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to differential amplifiers or comparator circuits.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Differential amplifiers or comparators generally require high gain and high frequency response. The frequency response of a differential amplifier or comparator circuit is inversely proportional to the differential gain. As shown in FIG. 1, which is a typical basic prior art differential amplifier circuit, the differential amplifier frequency response or bandwidth is dominated by the RC time constant which is the product of the resistance of resistor R1 or R2 connected to a collector (or drain) of the differential transistor pair Q1 or Q2 and the lumped capacitance of the collector (or drain in the case of an MOS embodiment) nodes. The capacitance of the collector nodes, C, is dominated by the collector to substrate capacitance and the collector to base capacitance. The capacitance, C, is also dependent upon the semiconductor process used. Therefore, the capacitance C of the differential amplifier is fixed and cannot be reduced. The differential gain of the amplifier is proportional to the resistance of resistor R1 or R2 divided by the differential pair emitter (or source in the case of an MOS embodiment) resistance. The higher the resistance value of resistors R1 and R2, the greater the gain. Also, the lower the resistance value of resistors R1 and R2, the higher the frequency response. Therefore the performance of a differential amplifier is the result of a trade-off between frequency response and differential gain. To increase the gain of the amplifier, the resistance values of resistors R1 and R2 must be increased and to increase the frequency response, the resistance values of resistors R1 and R2 must be reduced.
Several differential amplifier stages can be cascaded to increase the gain. If there are, for example, three stages and the gain of each stage is, for example, 10, then the gain of the circuit is the product of the gain for each stage or 1000. Cascading gain stages can provide higher gains but is more susceptible to noise and increase power dissipation. Timing errors are also introduced when the differential input voltage is reduced (overdrive).
Transistors Q1 and Q2 do not completely switch, where the current supplied by transistor Q3 is shared by transistors Q1 and Q2. The voltage across the resistors R1 and R2 in the first stage does not reach full amplitude because the current is being shared by transistors Q1 and Q2. The differential voltage takes much longer to pass through the threshold because the RC effect is still present, but at a lower amplitude. The lower differential output causes the next differential pair to share current longer and switch at a slower rate as well. At these lower differential input voltages, noise can be introduced in the first two cascaded stages. Inductance of the package leads for power, ground and input leads can introduce noise on the die. Noise can be introduced by power and ground ringing, noisy substrate coupling to the signal paths or crosstalk between signals, causing positive and/or negative parasitic feedback. Positive feedback can cause frequency dependent timing errors and negative feedback can cause low level oscillations. Higher gain in the first stage will reduce these noise related errors.
Both high gain and high frequency response of differential comparator circuits is required for analog to digital conversions. This includes high speed comparators for logic threshold conversions, digital input and output buffers, flash converters and successive approximation analog to digital converters.
A circuit which has been used to improve frequency response involves the addition to the differential amplifier of FIG. 1 of schottky diodes (D1, D2) with a series resistor R4 across the differential output resistors R1 and R2 as shown in FIG. 2. The series resistor R4 is chosen to be 1/2 of R1 or R2 such that the high and low state is centered around the threshold voltage. The diodes D1, D2 are 0 volts biased at the threshold of the amplifier such that the gain is not reduced by the added circuit. However, the schottky diodes D1, D2, become forward biased through the series resistor R4 once the differential output has crossed through the threshold. With the diodes D1, D2 forward biased, the RC resistance is reduced to R1 in parallel with the series resistor R4+resistor R2 or 0.6.times.R1. The reduced R improves the rise time to 2.2.times.(0.6.times.R).times.C or 1.32 RC. This is a significant improvement, but the capacitance, C is assumed to be constant. Actually, the addition of the diodes adds a significant amount of capacitance (about 25% or more). Therefore, the rise time is T.sub.r =1.32.times.RC.times.(1.25) or 1.65.times.RC. This is still a significant improvement over 2.2.times.RC.
It is the goal to further improve one or both of the frequency response and the gain of a differential amplifier without affecting the other or by affecting the other to a lesser extent than in the prior art, thereby diminishing or eliminating the trade-off.

Differential clamp for amplifier circuits


Systems, methods, and computer program products for analyzing source code are disclosed. The system includes a file reader module on a computer, a parser module on a computer, a metrics accumulator module, and a reporting engine on a computer. The file reader module may read an input source code file. The parser module may parse source code in the source code file into source code components. The metrics accumulator module may analyze the source code components in accordance with one or more rules to generate application metadata. The reporting engine may use the generated application metadata to generate a report of the analysis.

Source code is a set of computer instructions written in a human-readable format. Source code is written in a computer programming language that can be executed by a processor after being compiled or interpreted into machine-readable instructions. There are circumstances in which analysis of source code for different metrics, such as size or complexity, can be useful. However, these can be difficult tasks to perform, particularly for an entire code repository. Therefore, there is a need for a tool that analyzes source code in an easier and more effective manner.


A method to monitor the health status of a rolling bearing of a machinery, including a first acquiring step of a rotation speed value of a shaft coupled to the rolling bearing, a second acquiring step of a first signal generated by a vibration sensor located on the machinery in a position distant from the rolling bearing, and a first calculating step of a variation of the shaft rotation speed value during a predetermined time interval, and if the calculated variation of the rotation speed falls within a predetermined variation interval, performing a first filtering step of the first signal with a first algorithm based on a vibration produced by parts of the machinery different from the bearing at the rotation speed value, so as to obtain a second signal representative of a bearing health status.

In the field of 'Oil and Gas', as well as in the field of 'Power', machinery like compressor or turbomachinery in general are widely used.
Those kinds of machineries comprise rotating parts, like shafts, that may be mounted on rolling bearings. Rolling bearings comprise a plurality of rolling elements, which may be balls or cylinders, located between an outer ring and an inner ring. The rolling elements may rotate on an inner race and an outer race respectively formed on the inner ring and on the outer ring.
In order to lubricate and refrigerate the bearings, the machinery may be equipped with a lubricating circuit, feeding lubricant to the each bearing. The lubricant draining form the bearing may gather in a sump structure surrounding the bearing and then may be recirculated in the lubricating circuit.
Rolling bearing faults or malfunctioning may lead to serious damages, especially in turbomachines. Here, impellers or turbines are mounted on the shaft with a minimal distance from a stator, in order to operate correctly and efficiently. If a rolling bearing breaks, impellers and other rotating components may contact the stator leading to a severe damage of the entire machinery.
As bearing health is so critical, different systems are used to monitor the health of a rolling bearing.
When a rolling bearing is damaged, its temperature increases. In addition, a damaged bearing may generate important vibrations that may add on to the vibration of the whole machinery. Moreover, wear and tear in the bearing can cause small metal chips to break (in particular races and rolling parts) and may flow in the lubricating circuit together with the lubricating fluid.
Baseline values of healthy systems are used to monitor the bearing temperature, overall machinery vibration and the quantity of chips present in the scavenge line of the lubricating circuit.
The values of monitored parameters may change significantly only when the bearing is severely damaged.
Therefore, the known monitoring systems may not be able to correctly diagnose a rolling bearing problem at an initial stage of bearing malfunction.

Method and system to monitor the health status of a rolling bearing of a machinery, and machinery equipped with said system


Methods and arrangements are provided for introducing nitrogen into a tunnel oxide layer within a stacked gate structure of a non-volatile memory cell. The nitrogen is advantageously introduced into only a select portion of the tunnel oxide, preferably nearer the source region of the memory cell. This prevents the unwanted or residual nitrogen from detrimentally affecting other devices within the semiconductor integrated circuit.

A continuing trend in semiconductor technology is to build integrated circuits with more and/or faster semiconductor devices. The drive toward this ultra large-scale integration (ULSI) has resulted in continued shrinking of device and circuit features. As the devices and features shrink, new problems are discovered that require new methods of fabrication and/or new arrangements.
A flash or block erase Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (flash EEPROM) semiconductor memory includes an array of memory cells that can be independently programmed and read. The size of each memory cell, and therefore the memory array, is made small by omitting select transistors that would enable the cells to be erased independently. The array of memory cells is typically aligned along a bit line and a word line and erased together as a block. An example of a memory of this type includes individual metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) memory cells, each of which includes a source, drain, floating gate, and control gate to which various voltages are applied to program the cell with a binary 1 or 0. Each memory cell call be read by addressing it via the appropriate word and bit lines.
An exemplary memory cell 8 is depicted in FIG. 1a. As shown, memory cell 8 is viewed in a cross-section through the bit line. Memory cell 8 includes a doped substrate 12 having a top surface 11, and within which a source 13a and a drain 13b have been formed by selectively doping regions of substrate 12. A tunnel oxide 15 separates a floating gate 16 from substrate 12. An interpoly dielectric 24 separates floating gate 16 from a control gate 26. Floating gate 16 and control gate 26 are each electrically conductive and typically formed of polysilicoln.
On top of control gate 26 is a silicide layer 28, which acts to increase the electrical conductivity of control gate 26. Silicide layer 28 is typically a tungsten silicide (e.g., WSi.sub.2), that is formed on top of control gate 26 prior to patterning, using conventional deposition and annealing processes.
As known to those skilled in the art, memory cell 8 can be programmed, for example, by applying an appropriate programming voltage to control gate 26. Similarly, memory cell 8 can be erased, for example, by applying an appropriate erasure voltage to source 13a. When programmed, floating gate 16 will have a charge corresponding to either a binary 1 or 0. By way of example, floating gate 16 can be programmed to a binary 1 by applying a programming voltage to control gate 26, which causes an electrical charge to build up on floating gate 16. If floating gate 16 does not contain a threshold level of electrical charge, then floating gate 16 represents a binary 0. During erasure, the charge needs to be removed from floating gate 16 by way of an erasure voltage applied to source 13a.
FIG. 1b depicts a cross-section of several adjacent memory cells from the perspective of a cross-section through the word line (i.e., from perspective A, as referenced in FIG. 1a). In FIG. 1b, the cross-section reveals that individual memory cells are separated by isolating regions of silicon dioxide formed on substrate 12. For example, FIG. 1b shows a portion of a floating gate 16a associated with a first memory cell, a floating gate 16b associated with a second memory cell, and a floating gate 16c associated with a third memory cell. Floating gate 16a is physically separated and electrically isolated from floating gate 16b by a field oxide (FOX) 14a. Floating gate 16b is separated from floating gate 16c by a field oxide 14b. Floating gates 16a, 16b, and 16c are typically formed by selectively patterning a single conformal layer of polysilicon that was deposited over the exposed portions of substrate 12, tunnel oxide 15, and field oxides 14a-b. Interpoly dielectric layer 24 has been conformally deposited over the exposed portions of floating gates 16a-c and field oxides 14a-b. Interpoly dielectric layer 24 isolates floating gates 16a-c from the next conformal layer which is typically a polysilicon layer that is patterned (e.g., along the bit line) to form control gate 26. Interpoly dielectric layer 24 typically includes a plurality of films, such as, for example, a bottom film of silicon dioxide, a middle film of silicon nitride, and a top film of silicon dioxide. This type of interpoly dielectric layer is commonly referred to as an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer. The thickness and physical properties of interpoly dielectric layer 24 affect the data retention capabilities of memory cell 8.
The continued shrinking of the memory cells, for example, as depicted in the memory cells of FIGS. 1a-b, requires that floating gates 16a-c be reduced in size (e.g., reduced width, length and/or height). The resulting reduced-size memory cell is typically operated with an attendant reduction in the threshold level of electrical charge that is required to program floating gate 16 to a binary 1 state. By way of example, in certain reduced-size memory cells, a binary 1 state can be represented by the electrical charge provided by as few as 5,000 electrons stored within floating gate 16.
Consequently, there is a need to provide a thin, reliable tunnel oxide within a floating gate arrangement. One way to improve the quality of tunnel oxide 15 is to introduce nitrogen into tunnel oxide 15. It has been found, however, that in certain fabrication processes the step of introducing nitrogen into tunnel oxide 15 can lead to reliability/fabrication problems in other devices within the integrated circuit die. Thus, there is need for improved methods and arrangements for introducing nitrogen into the tunnel oxide that avoid introduction of reliability/fabrication problems in other devices.

Methods and arrangements for introducing nitrogen into a tunnel oxide in a non-volatile semiconductor memory device


Spin torque magnetic integrated circuits and devices therefor are described. A spin torque magnetic integrated circuit includes a first free ferromagnetic layer disposed above a substrate. A non-magnetic layer is disposed above the first free ferromagnetic layer. A plurality of write pillars and a plurality of read pillars are included, each pillar disposed above the non-magnetic layer and including a fixed ferromagnetic layer.

The operation of spin torque devices is based on the phenomenon of spin transfer torque. If a current is passed through a magnetization layer, called the fixed layer, it will come out spin polarized. With the passing of each electron, its spin (which is angular momentum of the electron) will be added to the magnetization in a next magnetic layer, called the free layer, and will cause a small change in the free layer. This is, in effect, a torque-causing precession of magnetization in the free layer. Due to reflection of electrons, a torque is also exerted on the magnetization of an associated fixed layer. In the end, if the current exceeds a certain critical value (given by damping caused by the magnetic material and its environment), the magnetization of the free layer will be switched by a pulse of current, typically in about 1 nanosecond. Magnetization of the fixed layer may remain unchanged since an associated current is below its critical value due to geometry or due to and adjacent antiferromagnetic layer.


A method and apparatus, in particular, for filtering mail to mitigate the problems of SPAM mail or unwanted access across a network is disclosed. The invention provides an access controller for a data store, operable within for example a mail client. The controller includes a token generating mechanism for generating tokens indicative of the number of times a client can access the data store; and an authenticating mechanism for validating any token included in a message from a client to allow or deny access to said data store.

The present invention relates to an access controller and method for controlling access to a data store. In particular, the invention relates to a method operable in a mail client and a mail client for filtering incoming e-mail.
When an e-mail message is sent, a receiver can discover the sender""s e-mail address from the information attached to the e-mail message. Thus, the receiver may subsequently send as many mails as the receiver wishes to the sender. The receiver may also inform someone else of the sender""s e-mail address and third parties may also do the same. Normally this wouldn""t be a problem but there is an increasing amount of unsolicited and useless xe2x80x98Spamxe2x80x99 mail which can choke in-boxes (in-folders) and make it difficult for a receiver to discern real or important e-mail from junk-mail.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an access controller for a data store, said access controller being cooperable with means instantiable to send messages across a network to a plurality of clients and means instantiable to receive messages from said clients across said network, said access controller including: means instantiable to generate a token indicative of the number of times a client can access said data store; and authenticating means instantiable to validate any token included in a message from a client to allow or deny access to said data store and a method for controlling access to a data store comprising the steps of: generating a token indicative of the number of times a client can access said data store; and validating any token included in a message from a client to allow or deny access to said data store.
The invention enables the sender to control the ability of 3rd parties to successfully send e-mail or to enable the classification of real e-mail from unsolicited possibly junk-mail.

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention relates to a roller for the thermomechanical treatment of a web-shaped medium, the roller including: a roller body; axial bores for a thermal treatment fluid which are incorporated in roller body near to an outer surface of the roller body and into which the thermal treatment fluid flows on an inflow side; inflow zones, formed on the inflow side in the upstream ends of the bores or in feed channels through which the thermal treatment fluid flows into the bores; and directing or guiding portions provided in the inflow zones, which transfer a rotational movement of the roller onto the thermal treatment fluid, the directing portions at least substantially completely transfer the rotational movement onto the thermal treatment fluid and in this way suppress a relative swirl between the bores and the thermal treatment fluid, while still in the inflow zones.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the fluidic thermalization, i.e. heating and cooling, of a roller for the thermomechanical treatment of a web-shaped medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
A thermal treatment fluid, for example a thermal oil, flows through the roller body in near-surface, axially parallel bores. In order to ensure that the rollers are heated as uniformly as possible, the flow velocity of the thermal treatment fluid in the bores is influenced. Examples of such measures are described in DE 40 36 121 A1. These utilize the fact that the transfer of heat from the thermal treatment fluid to the wall of the bore and therefore to the roller body is dependent on the velocity of the thermal treatment fluid relative to the wall of the bore. Even when the thermal treatment fluid has a turbulent flow in the cross-section of the bore, the thermal treatment fluid is slowed down by friction directly on the wall of the bore, enough for a thin layer of laminar flow to be formed on the wall, which acts as a barrier for the transfer of heat from the thermal treatment fluid to the wall of the bore. A temperature difference arises between the mean temperature of the thermal treatment fluid in the cross-section of the bore and the temperature of the wall of the bore. In the case of a heating fluid, this is a drop in temperature, i.e. the heating fluid is warmer than the wall. In otherwise identical conditions, the higher the flow velocity of the thermal treatment fluid, the thinner the laminar layer near the wall and therefore the lower the temperature difference. The drop in temperature is therefore counteracted by a corresponding increase in the flow velocity.
DE 200 11 530 U1 aims to equalize the temperature distribution on the surface of a roller using a nested arrangement of outward flow and return flow channels. One outward flow channel and one return flow channel is formed in each of the peripheral bores of the roller body, such that the thermal treatment fluid is guided in each of the bores in the counter flow. Equalizing the heat between the outward flowing and return flowing thermal treatment fluid reduces the temperature differences in the roller body.

Roller for the thermomechanical treatment of a web-shaped medium


An electric power conversion system includes: a primary electric power conversion circuit including a primary coil connected to a connection point between a plurality of transistors; a secondary electric power conversion circuit configured similarly to the primary electric power conversion circuit and including a secondary coil corresponding to the primary coil; and a control circuit controlling transfer of electric power between the primary and secondary electric power conversion circuits. The control circuit executes feedforward control for setting one of an on/off ratio of a terminal voltage signal of the primary coil and an on/off ratio of a terminal voltage signal of the secondary coil, in response to at least one of fluctuations in voltage ratio between both waveforms and fluctuations in phase symmetry between both waveforms, when the terminal voltage waveform of the primary coil and the terminal voltage waveform of the secondary coil are different from each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electric power conversion system and, more particularly, to an electric power conversion system that includes a primary electric power conversion circuit and a secondary electric power conversion circuit magnetically coupled to the primary electric power conversion circuit.
2. Description of Related Art
There has been developed an electric power conversion system that bidirectionally exchanges electric power between a primary electric power conversion circuit and a secondary electric power conversion circuit magnetically coupled to the primary electric power conversion circuit. Each of the primary electric power conversion circuit and the secondary electric power conversion circuit is configured to include a plurality of transistors that are serially connected to each other between a positive electrode bus and a negative electrode bus. In each of the primary electric power conversion circuit and the secondary electric power conversion circuit, a dead time during which both the serially connected transistors are turned off is provided in order to prevent a short circuit between the plurality of serially connected transistors.
As a related technique of the invention, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,408,794 describes an electric power conversion circuit that includes three input/output ports and half-bridge circuits. There is also disclosed that a high-voltage inverter circuit, a 14V load and a 42V load are respectively connected to the three input/output ports of the electric power conversion circuit.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-187147 (JP 2006-187147 A) describes an electric power conversion circuit that includes two input/output ports and full-bridge circuits. The electric power conversion circuit includes three reactors in addition to reactors that constitute a transformer. There is also disclosed that a high-voltage inverter circuit and a low-voltage electronic device are respectively connected to the two input/output ports of the electric power conversion circuit.
In the above electric power conversion system, a power transfer direction and a power transfer amount are controlled by equalizing the terminal voltage waveform of a primary coil of the primary electric power conversion circuit to the terminal voltage waveform of a secondary coil of the secondary electric power conversion circuit and then adjusting a phase difference φ between the two voltage waveforms.
When a dead time is provided as described above, the phase symmetry between the terminal voltage waveform of the primary coil of the primary electric power conversion circuit and the terminal voltage waveform of the secondary coil of the secondary electric power conversion circuit may fluctuate.
Due to fluctuations in voltage of a power supply connected to the primary electric power conversion circuit or secondary electric power conversion circuit, the voltage ratio between the terminal voltage waveform of the primary coil and the terminal voltage waveform of the secondary coil may fluctuate. In this way, when there occur the above-described phase symmetry fluctuations or voltage ratio fluctuations, circulating current that does not contribute to transfer of electric power flows in the primary electric power conversion circuit and the secondary electric power conversion circuit.


A single, integral cap and handle assembly adapted to be screwed on the narrow threaded open neck of a container. The cap has an access port in registry with the open neck and a resealable plug engageable in said port which plug is integrally formed with the cap. The handle is integral with the annular perimetric wall of the cap and is constructed and arranged to be positioned in close proximity to and parallel with the cylindrical body of the container. The handle has aligned openings for removably engaging and holding a straw which can be inserted through the open port of the cap and the neck of the bottle for drawing fluid therethrough from the container.

The combination cap and handle is contemplated to be most beneficial when used with the common sports-type bottle containing refreshing liquids. Such bottles or containers generally are of the vacuum bottle type of suitable internal insulation structure for maintaining the temperature of the stored liquid relatively constant during storage over a protracted period time. Such bottles or containers generally include a cylindrical insulated liquid storage body which includes a narrowed open neck at the upper end of the body through which the liquid can be poured for filling the body or dispensed from the body. The combination cap and handle embodying the invention is removably attachable on the narrow neck.
Attention is invited to a group of known cap or cover structures for beverage containers. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,709 is shown a container cover which snaps over the open end of the container body and which includes a resealable plug for the dispensing opening in the cap. The plug has a strap formation perforated to hold a straw when the plug is engaged in the opening.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,135 is shown a handle in combination with a resealing latch for installation on a neck of a bottle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,614 is shown a handle which can be mounted over a flange on the neck of the bottle for lifting, carrying and pouring. The cap for the bottle is separate from the handle. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,826 also is shown a separate handle for attaching to the narrowed neck of the bottle.
The structure embodying the invention provides a single, unitary assembly of a cap and handle with a resealable plug for the cap and means in the handle for retaining a straw. This combination cap and handle is most economical to manufacture from a synthetic plastic material, simple to install, use, remove and clean for installation again on the beverage container.

Combination cap and handle for a beverage container


An electric circuit is to be incorporated in a pointing device (such as a computer mouse) which is used in combination with a data processing system (such as a computer) so as to reduce the energy consumption of the pointing device without affecting the original functions and efficiency thereof and thus permit the pointing device to fit into a system wherein electric consumption is of vital importance. The electric circuit includes a timing control circuit and a noise-suppressing sampling circuit which controls the operation of the energy consuming elements of the pointing device according to the movement of the pointing device. The noise-suppressing circuit can distinguish movement signals from noise signals, thus suppressing the interference due to noise and further reducing the energy consumed by the pointing device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a pointing device which is generally used to generate coordinates of position, more particularly to an electric circuit which is to be incorporated in a pointing device so as to reduce the energy consumption of the pointing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A pointing device, such as a computer mouse, is used in combination with a data processing system, such as a computer, and is a useful and handy tool in determining and in generating coordinates of position so as to move a cursor on a computer display screen. The computer mouse generally comprises a movable part, a movement sensor means to detect the movement of the movable part on a flat surface and a plurality of function keys. The computer mouse can encode the status of the function keys and the relative position and movement thereof on an X-Y plane and send the resulting codes to the computer via a communication port, such as an RS-232C interface. The computer then moves the cursor and performs different operations in accordance with the received codes.
The movement sensor means is used to determine the velocity of the movable part, including its speed and direction. The movement sensor means is generally categorized into two groupings, mechanical and optical. In the mechanical movement sensor, the rolling movement of a tracking ball on a flat surface actuates a grid and thus intermittently turns on and off a photocoupler. The resulting analog signal is then amplified and conditioned so as to become a digital signal. In the optical movement sensor, optical elements are provided so as to emit light signals which, after being reflected by a grid pad, will be received and encoded by a rotary encoder so as to be obtain electric signals.
The photoelectric elements and analog amplifying and conditioning circuits which are used in the above-mentioned movement sensors consume a great amount of energy. This is very uneconomical, especially for a computer mouse which is connected to an RS-232C interface, for a cordless mouse or for a computer mouse of a lap-top computer.
Furthermore, in a conventional computer mouse, the grid receives a great number of noise signals when it is partially closed. These noise signals are often mistaken for movement signals by the computer mouse, and frequent, untimely movement of the cursor on the computer display screen therefore occurs. The frequent unwanted movement of the cursor also results in greater energy consumption.

Electric circuit for reducing the energy consumption of a pointing device used in combination with a data processing system

No. 1, R&D 4th Rd., Science-Based Industrial Park


Embodiments of an appliance and method utilize data keys to facilitate the exchange of data and information among devices as part of an energy management system. The data keys contain and/or encode information particular to the appliance. This information helps to distinguish data that originates from one appliance from data that originates from other appliances in the household. In one embodiment, the data keys are stored locally, either on devices (e.g., memory) incorporated into the appliance or on a communication device (e.g., a wireless radio) that can connect to the appliance to permit the exchange of inputs and outputs. Exemplary configuration of the appliance can sense the connection with the communication device and provide an input to the communication device to determine the data key that is associated with the appliance.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject matter of the present disclosure relates to energy management in a household and, more particularly, to improvements that facilitate data collection and communication among appliances in the household.
2. Description of Related Art
Home owners and other consumers of electrical power desire efficient energy management systems that can help reduce costs and peak demand to provide more efficient energy use. Various measures have been developed to address energy management goals. For example, energy efficient devices and appliances enable consumers to reduce energy consumption. In addition, utilities provide some consumers with direct control for certain electrical loads, such as heating or cooling devices, pool pumps, and so on, to allow utilities to control energy and power usage. Also, some utilities implement demand response programs for residential as well as industrial consumers in order to provide reduced peak demand requirements and to effectively manage energy consumption.
While these and other developments are available and enable consumers to manage power consumption, intelligent systems that monitor and manage consumption and effectively communicate information to the consumer are still being developed. In many systems, appliances exchange data with remote devices such as smart power meters. However, although these systems can successfully gather data, few systems can associate the data to individual appliances in the household. Since most households have numerous appliances that operate differently from one another, the inability to distinguish data of one appliance from another limits certain data analysis and related tasks.

Appliance and method for data exchange in a household


A switch or other processing element of a communication system is configured to detect automatically the particular version of an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) user-network interface (UNI) protocol or other signaling protocol utilized by a customer premises equipment (CPE) device or other device coupled to the switch. The switch analyzes at least one message received in a signaling channel from the coupled device in order to determine the particular version of the protocol, and stores an indicator of the particular version of the protocol for use in subsequent interaction with the coupled device. Call processing functions of the switch may be reconfigured based at least in part on the determination of the particular protocol version.

Conventional techniques for updating signaling protocols in communication system elements are problematic in that such techniques often require manual intervention by a system administrator or technician. For example, a generally accepted user-network interface (UNI) signaling protocol for ATM networks is the UNI 3.1 protocol, described in the reference specification ATM Forum, "ATM User-Network Interface Specification," Version 3.1, September 1994, which is incorporated by reference herein. However, newer, more advanced versions of this UNI signaling protocol are also available, such as, e.g., the UNI 4.0 version described in ATM Forum, "ATM User-Network Interface (UNI) Signaling Specification," Version 4.0, July 1996, which is incorporated by reference herein. In addition, previous developments in this area suggest that there will be further enhancements to these and other similar network signaling protocols in the future. Unfortunately, if an upgrade is made to the signaling protocol used by any terminal, switch or other piece of equipment connected to a given local switch of the system, it is currently necessary to also update the version of the signaling protocol in the local switch so as to match that of the attached equipment. As previously noted, this may require manual intervention by the system administrator or technician to update the version of the signaling protocol, e.g., in a system database associated with the local switch.
The need for the above-described updating approach is attributable to the fact that newer versions of the signaling protocol typically enable functions that allow new user features or support more effective operation of the system. For example, the ATM Forum UNI 3.1 signaling protocol is associated with a connection admission control function that allocates a requested amount of bandwidth at call establishment time, based on the contents of a control message (SETUP) that originates a call. If available, this amount of bandwidth is dedicated to that call instance for the duration of the call. However, the UNI 4.0 signaling protocol supports additional information, made available as part of the call establishment process, that can be used to negotiate the actual amount of bandwidth that the particular call instance will use. This latter amount of bandwidth may be smaller than the amount originally requested in the SETUP message, and in that case the connection admission control function can release the unused bandwidth back to the available pool for assignment to another call. This increases the level of bandwidth utilization efficiency for the system.
The updating problem is further complicated in that certain customer premises equipment (CPE) may run a variety of signaling protocol versions, e.g., UNI 3.1, UNI 4.0, etc., and may upgrade their protocol software without notification to their service provider. Such an upgrade can result in a logical capabilities mismatch between the CPE and its corresponding local switch.
Although many network elements may be configured to support an Integrated Local Management Information (ILMI) protocol to share management information between peer network elements, certain network elements may choose not to support the ILMI protocol or other similar information-sharing protocol. In situations in which there is no ILMI support or similar communication mechanism between the network and the CPE, information such as the protocol version generally must be manually administered, both at installation and update time.
In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that a need exists for improved techniques for managing updates of signaling protocols in communication system elements.

Automatic protocol version detection and call processing reconfiguration in a communication system