A strut type suspension with a reduced difference between left and right suspensions in a moment-arm length change during stroke operations of left and right suspensions in phase is disclosed. The suspension includes a strut, an upper spring seat, a lower spring seat, and a coil spring. A coil center axis of the coil spring and a kingpin axis are set to be in a twisted relationship. In a plan view seen from an upper side along an axis of the strut, a lower axis center of the coil spring is located in a front side of the vehicle with respect to the axis of the strut, and, in said view, a line connecting an upper axis center of the coil spring and the axis of the strut extends in a rotating angle around the axis of the strut between 40 degrees and 50 degrees with respect to a line connecting the lower axis center of the coil spring and the axis of the strut.

In the state of art, such a strut type suspension is proposed in JP11-48728 A, in which the coil center axis (axis line) of a coil spring is set in a twisted relationship with respect to a kingpin axis so as to generate moment around the kingpin axis in a toe-in direction, in order to improve responsiveness, stability, and straight line in stability of a vehicle.
By the way, in such a strut type suspension as mentioned above, depending on ways to set the twisted relationship between the coil center axis and the kingpin axis, the twisted relationship of the coil center axis with respect to the kingpin axis may change when the upper spring seat of the coil spring rotates at the up-and-down stroke operation of the suspension, resulting in change in moment-arm length. At this time, if winding directions of the coil springs for left and right wheels are set to be the same, a difference in moment-arm length between the suspension on the left side and the suspension on the right side occurs during stroke operations of the left and right suspensions in phase, which causes the generation of a steering moment for both of the left and right wheels in the same direction (e.g. in a right-side steering direction), leading to a problem of vehicle pull.


Disclosed is a centrifuge including a rotatable centrifugal drum and a drive spindle to drive the centrifugal drum. The drive spindle is rotatably mounted via a bearing in a housing supported elastically on a machine framework. Further included is a drive device including a drive motor to rotate the drive spindle and a lubricant system to lubricate the bearing. The lubricant system is configured to deliver lubricant from a lubricant supply tank through a lubricant channel into a region of the bearing. An injection device is arranged downstream of the lubricant-supply tank and is configured to deliver the lubricant into the region of the bearing by dispensing quantities of lubricant in temporally discrete pulses with a limited-time air stream. A method is disclosed of directing lubricant into a region of a bearing of the centrifuge as noted above.

The present disclosure relates to a centrifuge, or a separator, with a vertical axis of rotation. The centrifuge includes a rotatable centrifugal drum and a drive spindle to drive the centrifugal drum. The drive spindle is rotatably mounted via a bearing in a housing supported elastically on a machine framework. Further included is a drive device including a drive motor to rotate the drive spindle and a lubricant system to lubricate the bearing. The lubricant system is configured to deliver lubricant from a lubricant supply tank through a lubricant channel into a region of the bearing.
Such centrifuges, in particular separators, which are suitable in particular for industrial use in continuous operation, are known from the prior art. The known systems include designs in which the drum, the drive spindle and the electric drive motor are connected rigidly to form a structural unit which then, as a whole, is supported elastically on a machine framework. Examples of such prior art are disclosed in FR 1,287,551, DE-B 1 057 979 and DE 43 14 440 C1.
Additional technical background is provided by DE 44 08 182, which discloses a belt drive for a separator, and EP 0 756 897 and WO 98/57752.
DE 2005 001 539 U1 discloses a separator which has a drive belt and also has a circuit-like lubrication system, which is intended for lubricating the spindle-bearing means. The separator has a tubular, scraper-like device which is intended for pumping out lubricant. Such lubricant, which exits out of the bearing means of the drive spindle of the separator drive, can be pumped, via a reprocessing unit, into a lubricant sump, in which the drive spindle, designed as a hollow spindle, is immersed by way of its lower end. This arrangement, however, is still relatively long in the axial direction.
WO 2007/125066 A1 discloses a separator with a direct drive. The direct drive device has an electric drive motor with a stator and a motor rotor, which is aligned with the drive spindle, wherein the stator is connected rigidly to the machine framework and the motor rotor, the drive spindle, the centrifugal drum and the housing form a unit which is supported elastically on the machine framework and oscillates during operation. The bearing device here is arranged between the motor and the drum. The lubrication means of the bearing devices can be accommodated above a partition wall above the drive motor.
Against this background, the present disclosure relates to a further improvement of the construction and the arrangement of the lubrication system of centrifuges, in particular separators with a vertical axis of rotation.
The present disclosure thus relates to a centrifuge that includes a rotatable centrifugal drum and a drive spindle to drive the centrifugal drum. The drive spindle is rotatably mounted via a bearing in a housing supported elastically on a machine framework. Further included is a drive device including a drive motor to rotate the drive spindle and a lubricant system to lubricate the bearing. The lubricant system is configured to deliver lubricant from a lubricant supply tank through a lubricant channel into a region of the bearing. Also included is an injection device, arranged downstream of the lubricant-supply tank, and configured to deliver the lubricant into the region of the bearing by dispensing quantities of lubricant in temporally discrete pulses with a limited-time air stream.
Accordingly, at least one injection device, which is arranged downstream of the lubricant-supply tank, is provided for the purpose of delivering the lubricant. This device is designed for dispensing quantities, for example, small quantities of lubricant in temporally discrete pulses, with a limited-time air stream, into the region of the bearing. This makes it possible for the lubricant requirement to be vastly reduced, for example, when the pulse of oil is blown as a mist into the region of the bearing.
The injection device may be designed as an injection lubricator. Such injection lubricators may have a piston. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, small quantities of lubricant are thereby dispensed in the separator, at intervals, into the bearing region, for example, at less than 100 mm3 per pulse.
The use of injection lubricators in the field of lubricating a bearing for a centrifuge has not been considered up until now. However, contrary to original expectation, it has been found that it is possible, using such an injection lubricator, for even a separator intended for industrial use to be lubricated adequately with only a very small amount of lubricant without continuous operation being adversely affected.
Using an injection lubricator thus makes it possible for the consumption of lubricant to be reduced to an extremely small quantity, for example, to less than 30 liters per year of operation occurring, for example, over 8000 hours.
It is within the scope of the present disclosure for the injection lubricator to be designed to dispense a quantity of lubricant by a micropump for up to two seconds long, for example, such that, between the individual pulses, there is a pause of more than 60 seconds, and that each pulse is up to two seconds long, for example, one second long.
The injection lubricator may be advantageously designed in order to dispense a quantity of lubricant by a piston for up to two seconds long per pulse, wherein the injection lubricator, furthermore, may be set such that, between the individual pulses, there is a pause of more than 60 seconds, for example, 60 seconds to 180 seconds.
According to the present disclosure, the injection lubricator, may advantageously be designed in order to dispense a quantity of lubricant of between 5 mm3 and 100 mm3, for example, between 10 mm3 and 40 mm3, by a piston, for example, every 60 seconds to 180 seconds.
A lubricant supply which uses up only a particularly small amount of lubricant is realized with only a small number of components. The design, according to the present disclosure, is suitable both for driving via a belt drive and for various types of direct drive with a drive motor arranged in axial extension of the drive spindle or on the drive spindle. These arrangements also make it possible, according to the present disclosure, to realize a construction for the drive device which is short in the vertical direction.
It should be noted that the centrifuge, according to the present disclosure, may also be designed as a solid-bowl centrifuge.
If the centrifuge is designed as a solid-bowl centrifuge, which may have bearings, for example, on either side of a rotatable drum, and, for example, at least one such bearing, each mounted in a ring-like housing, it may be advantageous, according to the present disclosure, if lubricant can be delivered, by at least one injection device, out of the lubricant-supply tank into the region of one or both of the bearings.
Also provided, according to the present disclosure, is a method for directing lubricant into the region of at least one bearing of a centrifuge, according to the present disclosure, in an advantageous and lubricant-saving manner. A respective oil/air mixture is injected in pulses, by at least one injection lubricator, into the region of the at least one bearing.
Additional disclosure, according to the present disclosure, is provided in the claims.
Since the spindle may not used for the lubricant circuit, the spindle can be used for other tasks such as product feeding, for example, through a hollow spindle, according to the present disclosure.
Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Centrifuge having a lubricant system that delivers lubricant in temporally discrete pulses


A block suitable for forming a block wall that is either a retaining wall or an above ground wall. The block includes a front wall extending between upper and lower block surfaces and presenting a first block face. A rear wall is spaced from said front wall and extends between the upper and lower block surfaces and presents a second block face facing away from the first block face. A pair of side walls extend between the front and rear walls and the upper and lower block surfaces, wherein a reference plane spaced from the front and rear walls extend between the pair of side walls. At least one pair of pin slots is formed in the upper block surface, wherein each pin slot of the at least one pair of pin slots is formed in the upper block surface on opposing sides of the reference plane and spaced from the reference plane. An opening is formed in the lower block surface, has a forward facing inner wall intersecting the lower block surface and spaced rearwardly from the reference line and a rearward facing inner wall intersecting the lower block surface and spaced forwardly from the reference plane, wherein the inner walls at the lower block surface are closer to the reference plane than the pin slots.

This invention relates to block walls, and more particularly to block wall systems for building retaining and above ground block walls.
Block wall systems are typically formed from manufactured blocks that interlock to form a retaining wall or decorative above ground wall. The blocks are typically formed for use in either a retaining wall or a decorative above ground wall, but not both because of the differences between the walls. In particular, a retaining wall typically must be built with a batter angle (i.e. the face of the wall defines an angle) in order to retain soil behind the wall. Moreover, because only a front face of each block forming the wall is exposed, only the exposed face is typically provided with a texture or pattern. On the other hand, an above ground wall does not have a batter angle, and front and rear faces of each block are exposed requiring a pattern or texture.
Alignment mechanisms for aligning the blocks in either a retaining wall or above ground wall are known in the art. However, these mechanisms are not useful for both retaining and above ground walls because of the above differences in the wall. In particular, alignment mechanisms for use in retaining walls do not provide for turning a block around to expose a face different from the face intended to be exposed. Moreover, alignment mechanisms for use in above ground decorative walls do not provide for forming a block wall with a batter angle. Therefore, a need exists for a block including an alignment mechanism that can be used to build both a retaining wall and an above ground wall.
Both retaining walls and above ground walls are built in straight or curved sections. Blocks having side walls substantially perpendicular to the front and rear walls of the block are often used to build both straight and curved walls. Unfortunately, these blocks leave gaps between blocks when building curved block walls, which can weaken the block wall. Blocks having non-perpendicular side walls relative to the front and rear walls of the block are often used to build curved walls. Unfortunately, these curved wall blocks leave gaps when building a straight wall. Accordingly, a need exists for blocks that can be used to build both a straight block wall and a curved block wall without forming gaps that can weaken the block wall.


A field effect transistor on an active region of a semiconductor substrate includes a vertically protruding thin-body portion of the semiconductor substrate and a vertically oriented gate electrode at least partially inside a cavity defined by opposing sidewalls of the vertically protruding portion of the substrate. The transistor further includes an insulating layer surrounding an upper portion of the vertically oriented gate electrode and a laterally oriented gate electrode on the insulating layer and connected to a top portion of the vertically oriented gate electrode. Accordingly, a T-shaped gate electrode is defined having a lateral portion on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate and having a vertical portion at least partially inside a cavity defined by opposing sidewalls of a vertically protruding portion of the substrate.

The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, and more specifically, to thin body transistors and methods for fabricating the same.
In recent years, semiconductor devices have become highly integrated to achieve a combination of high-performance, a high-speed, and economic efficiency. However, as semiconductor devices become more highly integrated, a variety of operational and structural problems may arise. For example, as the channel length of a typical planar field effect transistor becomes shorter, short channel effects (such as punch-through) may occur, parasitic capacitance (i.e. a junction capacitance) between junction regions and the substrate may be increased, and leakage current may be increased.
To address some of the above problems, thin body field effect transistors using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology have been proposed. However, such devices may be susceptible to floating body effects, which may be caused by heat generated during device operation and/or an accumulation of high-energy hot carriers. In addition, a back bias voltage may not applied to compensate for changes in threshold voltage because of the insulator, so device performance may be affected. Also, problems associated with stress due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients between the substrate and the insulating layer may occur. Furthermore, since SOI field effect transistor technology may require connecting two substrates, processing costs may be increased and fabrication may become relatively complicated.

Field effect transistors including vertically oriented gate electrodes extending inside vertically protruding portions of a substrate


Metrology targets and method of using the metrology targets for measurement of critical dimension, overlay or scanner aberration are disclosed. A target may include an unresolved grid having a plurality of lines spaced equally apart from each other according to a pre-determined pitch distance and at least one resolved feature tilted at an angle with respect to the unresolved grid. The method may indentify multiple regions of interest (ROIs) and determine a series of center points between the ROIs as the ROIs are being shifted. Critical dimension, overlay or scanner aberration may be calculated by analyzing the series of center points between the ROIs.

Thin polished plates such as silicon wafers and the like are a very important part of modern technology. A wafer, for instance, refers to a thin slice of semiconductor material used in the fabrication of integrated circuits and other devices. Other examples of thin polished plates may include magnetic disc substrates, gauge blocks and the like. Modern semiconductor devices are typically fabricated from layers of semiconductor, conductor or isolator material printed on wafers using photolithography techniques. Providing precise positioning, alignment and critical dimension (CD) measurement during semiconductor fabrication is of critical importance.

Measurement of critical dimension and scanner aberration utilizing metrology targets


An extended length strand take up device comprises at least two tension rods disposed in parallel spaced relationship to one another, and a first connecting body slidably mounted on the tension rods for connecting the extended length strand take up device to a guy wire, and a second a first connecting body slidably mounted on the tension rods for connecting the extended length strand take up device to a ground anchor. The first and second connecting bodies each include at least two side load tubes interconnected by a central web, each side load tube being slidably disposed on a respective one of said tension rods. A stop member at each end of said tension rods retains the first and second connecting bodies on the tension rods.

The present invention relates generally to guyed towers for broadcast radio, television, microwave and cellular communications and, more particularly, to a tensioning device for tensioning guy wires that stabilize guyed towers.
There are three basic types of towers—guyed, self-supporting, and monopoles (MP). A guyed tower is a slender, steel structure supported by high strength steel guy cables that anchor the tower to the ground. A guyed tower is typically constructed in prefabricated sections that can be assembled and bolted together on site to reduce installation time and cost. Guyed towers suit a wide range of loading conditions and can be used as broadcast towers, microwave towers, and/or cellular towers.
Periodic inspections and maintenance of guyed towers is important to increase the service life of the tower and to ensure safety of persons and property in the vicinity of the tower. Severe loading conditions and corrosive forces can impair the integrity of the tower structure, and, if not corrected, can lead to tower failure. One area of concern is the presence of broken strands, corrosion, or fraying in guy wires. If damaged guy wires are not properly attended to, the guy wires may break under severe loading conditions, greatly increasing the possibility of a catastrophic failure.
It is recommended that guy wires and guy anchors be inspected at least quarterly. During such inspections, the ends of the guy wire are typically inspected for signs of fatigue, such as broken strands, or corrosion. Most guy wire failures occur at the ends of the guy wire adjacent the connection to either the tower or the ground anchor. If the guy wire shows signs of fatigue or excessive corrosion, the damaged end is cut off. A problem that often occurs when repairing damaged guy wires is that the remaining portion of the guy wire left after the damaged end is cut off is too short to make the connection between the tower and the ground anchor. In these cases, the entire guy wire is typically replaced, which can be time consuming and expensive. It would be beneficial if a way could be devised for reusing a guy wire that has been cut short to remove a damaged or frayed end.


A method for a single-measurement quantification of multiple populations of white blood cells (WBC) is based upon the labeling of different pairs of cell populations, each pair containing mutually exclusive cell receptors which are expressed at substantially similar receptor densities with labeled ligands for each receptor. One cell population is labeled with a ligand capable of binding to a first cell surface receptor which ligand is directly conjugated to a fluorescent phycobiliprotein or tandem dye; and a second cell population is labeled with a ligand capable of binding to a second cell surface receptor, which ligand is cross-linked by an aminodextran to a fluorescent phycobiliprotein or tandem dye. The phycobiliproteins upon laser excitation produce a different detectable fluorescence intensity for each cell population. Use of such pairs of conjugates enable two populations of cells with similar receptor densities to be distinguished with the use of a single color marker. Further use of additional ligands to other cell surface receptors and additional phycobiliprotein or tandem dye, or other markers in the same manner, enables the simultaneous quantification of up to 45 different cell populations with one laser line and four fluorescent colors.

Multiplex labeling of cells for analysis of mixed cell populations by flow cytometry has progressed in various ways. Only a finite number of fluorescence emission colors of known organic fluorophores can be squeezed into the visible-near-UV-near-IR spectral regions in which flow cytometry measurements are made. The limitations have been dictated by the bandwidths of emission bands, the spectral overlap between these emission bands, and the excitation wavelength requirements. Up to eight colors requiring three laser lines have been introduced in various stages: two- to four-color [H. M. Shapiro in PRACTICAL FLOW CYTOMETRY, 3rd ed., Wiley-Liss, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1995, Chap. 7, p. 291]; five color [A. J. Beavis and K. J. Pennline, Cytometry, 15: 371-376 (1994); M. C. O'Brien et al, Cytometry, 21:76-83 (1995); M. Roederer et al, Cytometry, 21: 187-196 (1995)]; six color [M. Roederer et al, Cytometry, 24: 191-197 (1996)]; seven color for imaging [T. Ried et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 89: 1388-1392 (1992); A. Gothot et al, Cytometry, 24: 214-225 (1996)]; and eight color [M. Roederer et al, Tissue Antigens, 48: 485 (1996), abstract TC-6-02]. The six and seven color cases appear to represent the present upper limit for flow cytometry applications in which known organic dyes are used as fluorescent labels, since the eight-color example cannot as yet be considered to be of clinical significance due to severe overlap between emission bands of the fluorochromes.
As the upper limit in the number of usable colors was reached, other methods, based on fluorescence intensity differences, either intrinsic to analyzed cell populations or contrived by various means, have been described. Mutually exclusive pairs of targeted white blood cell populations with widely different, intrinsic numbers of receptors per cell can be labeled by a single color marker and analyzed by flow cytometry [U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,855, issued Jul. 23, 1996]. U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,052, issued Feb. 12, 1985 describes a method of distinguishing multiple subpopulations of cells by labeling specific antibodies with fluorescent polymers containing different, pre-selected ratios of fluorescein and rhodamine [see also, A. M. Saunders and C.-H. Chang, Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 468:128 (1986)]. H. M. Shapiro in PRACTICAL FLOW CYTOMETRY, 1st ed., Alan R. Liss, Inc., pp. 127-128 (1985) describes a method using three different antibodies labeled with fluorochrome A, B, and a combination of A and B. U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,143, issued Apr. 27, 1993 describes saturated and sub-saturated amounts of marker mixed with the sample of cells. Quantitative differences in fluorescence intensity of one or two fluorochromes used for labeling cells were obtained. Each subset to be analyzed was labeled with a different amount of fluorochrome, exhibiting fluorescence intensities within a distinguishable range. Mixtures of fluorescein- and phycoerythrin-labeled and unlabeled antibodies were used to produce fluorescence intensity differences of several orders of magnitude among various cell subsets [P. K. Horan et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 83: 8361-8365 (1986)]. Use of this method to identify helper and suppressor/cytotoxic T cells, NK and B cells, and monocytes in whole blood was shown [C.-M. Liu et al, Am. J. Clin. Path, 92: 721-728 (1989)]. Further, eight leukocyte subsets in whole blood were analyzed with six monoclonal antibodies linked with one of three fluorochromes [P. Carayon et al, J. Immunol. Methods, 138: 257-264 (1991)].
Enhanced phycoerythrin (PE, excitation, 486-575 nm, emission, 568-590 nm) fluorescence intensities per marker for direct antibody-PE conjugates were obtained by substituting the direct conjugates with aminodextran-crosslinked conjugates, prepared by methods that are described in ANTIBODY-AMINODEXTRAN-PHYCOBILIPROTEIN CONJUGATES, parent U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/847,941 filed May 16, 1997, and incorporated by reference herein. In this parent U.S. patent application, crosslinked conjugates were loaded with substantially more PE than the direct 1:1 antibody-PE conjugates by simultaneously reacting iminothiolane-activated antibody and PE with sulfo-SMCC-activated aminodextran in appropriate molar ratios. Thus, use of these loaded conjugates in saturation amounts in analysis of cell subsets in biological samples resulted in amplification of the PE fluorescence signals from individually-marked cells by a factor of two- to twenty-fold over the PE fluorescence intensity from cells marked with direct antibody-PE conjugates. The amplification of fluorescence was initially demonstrated for marked cells which usually showed dim fluorescence intensity when their receptors were saturated with direct antibody-PE conjugates. Other types of antibody-aminodextran conjugates are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,713 issued Jun. 18, 1996; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,741 issued Aug. 19, 1997; see also, European Patent No. 0 594 772 B1.
There remains a need in the art for simple methods to permit greater numbers of cell populations to be distinguished by fluorescent markers.

Simultaneous analyses of white blood cell subsets using multi-color, multi-intensity fluorescent markers in flow cytometry


An adjustable hanger assembly comprises a hanger, a hanger mount, and a bracket assembly. The hanger comprises a first set of serrations, a center slot, and a hanger tab. The hanger mount comprises a second set of serrations, and a mount aperture. The hanger mount aperture is positioned in coplanar alignment with the center slot axis. The hanger and the hanger mount are assembled together by meshing the serrations in the first and second sets of serrations in a pre-selected position to accommodate users' positioning requirements. A mounting fastener extends through the hanger and the hanger mount for clamping the abutting assembly together and mounting the same to a wall. The hanger assembly is laterally positionable within, and snap-fittable to, the bracket assembly. Together the hanger assembly and the bracket assembly enable the user to adjust the target wall-hanging in two-dimensional space.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an assembly for enabling vertical and horizontal adjustment to a wall-hanging. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wall-hanging assembly for adjustably hanging or suspending photographs, mirrors, paintings and the like on an indoor or outdoor building wall surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore various adjustable wall hangers have been proposed in some form or another utilizing the theory of attaching an adjustable hanger to a vertical wall surface for mounting pictures, photographs, mirrors, and the like. Some of the more pertinent prior art relating to the adjustable wall hangers and the like are briefly described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,532,162 ('162 patent), which issued to Goss, discloses certain Object Supporting Means. The '162 patent teaches a device for supporting an and opening upwardly. The hooks on the upper strip project upwardly and open downwardly and are mounted for vertical adjustment.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,537 ('537 patent), which issued to Helzer, discloses an Adjustable Plate Holder. The '537 patent teaches an adjustable holder for a planar object such as a plate. The holder is comprised of a base having a channel therein in which an arm is received. The arm is frictionally held in the channel of the base and has a hooked upper end. At the lower part of the base, means to removably attach a pair of feet is provided. Where the holder is to be freestanding, the pair of feet extend forwardly and sidewardly of the base. Where the holder is to be mounted on a wall, an alternative pair of feet is provided which extend downwardly as well as forwardly and sidewardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,438 ('438 patent), which issued to McKinney, discloses an Adjustable Safety Latch with Inoperable Position. The '438 patent teaches a child proof safety latch for a cabinet door or drawer. The safety latch includes a base plate receivable on the door, with a hook extending from the base plate to engage the cabinet. A holding plate is provided to locate the base plate, and the holding plate and base plate have teeth for ratchet adjustment of the base plate. A screw passes through the holding plate and the base plate to secure the latch to the door, and the latch is rotatable to place the hook in a position so the hook will not engage the cabinet. The latch therefore has an operable position and an inoperable position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,462 ('462 patent), which issued to Reese, discloses an Adjustable Wall Hanger. The '462 patent teaches a hanger for adjustably suspending an object from a wall. The device of the '462 patent comprises a wall bracket object such as a mirror, picture, or the like. The device of the '162 patent comprises a first, generally flat member, adapted to be supported flat wise to a support. The first flat member has opposing side margins turned over to form a pair of spaced grooves opening at least one end margin of the first flat member. A second, generally flat member is assemblable with the first flat member by inserting the second member with the grooves from the end margin, and is held in flat wise sliding action relative to the first flat member by guiding action of the surfaces defining the grooves. The second member comprises means for engaging a target object and detent means comprising a corrugated surface on the flat portion of the first member and a resilient tongue on the flat portion of the second member. The tongue is adapted to selectively seat in any one of the troughs formed by the corrugated surface to thereby yieldably hold the first and second members in any one of a number of adjusted positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,696,962 ('962 patent), which issued to Goss, discloses a Mirror Mounting and Supporting Device. The '962 patent teaches a device for mounting and supporting an object such as a sheet glass mirror. The device comprises a pair of substantially flat strips adapted to be fastened to a wall in spaced parallel horizontal position and spaced longitudinal ribs upon the rear face of each strip for contact with a wall. There are spaced parallel rows of apertures in each strip, means selectively inserted through certain of the apertures for attaching the strips to a wall. Certain object supporting devices are secured to the fronts of the strips having hooks for engaging over opposite edges of the mirror and holding the mirror spaced from the strips. The hooks of the object supporting devices upon the lower strip projecting downwardly securable to a wall surface. An adjustable bracket is slidably positioned through the wall bracket and includes a depending hook for suspending an object. A securing fastener is directed through the adjustable bracket and can be rotatably advanced to lock the adjustable bracket relative to the wall bracket in a desired position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,666,425 ('425 patent), which issued to Ferguson, discloses a Vertically Adjustable Picture Hanger. The '425 patent teaches a vertically adjustable picture hanger comprising a main body securable to a vertical surface with mounting screws, nails, or other similar fasteners, and an adjustable bracket. The main body includes a pair of mounting apertures and is generally symmetrical about a plane passing through the axes of the mounting apertures, a vertically-oriented linear ratchet having a plurality of teeth, and a pair of parallel, outwardly-facing spaced apart peripheral tracks or grooves. Each track is open at the top and includes a pair of cylindrical locator pins that enter the tracks at the top of the main body and slide within them. Also included in the adjustable bracket is a pawl that engages the linear ratchet. The locator pins allow the adjustable bracket to be rotated upwardly so the pawl can be disengaged from the linear ratchet, the adjustable bracket moved up or down, and the pawl re-engaged with the ratchet.
It may be seen from an inspection of the noted prior art that the same does not disclose the unique structural configurations possessed by my vertically and horizontally adjustable wall hanger device for adjustably suspending a photograph, a painting or similar object to be mounted on an upright wall which may be inexpensively manufactured and easily operated by a person that needs to make a quick and accurate placement of a wall hanger device with a minimum of difficulty. The prior art thus perceives a need for vertically and horizontally adjustable wall hanger device for adjustably suspending a photograph, a painting or similar object to be mounted on an upright wall which may be inexpensively manufactured and easily operated by a person that needs to make a quick and accurate placement of a wall hanger device with a minimum of difficulty.


Respective ball directions from respective players to the ball B are computed, based on display coordinates of the respective players P and coordinates of the ball B. An input direction is computed based on input information from a cross key 18. The respective ball directions and the input direction are compared with each other to select a player P whose ball direction is in a prescribed range based on an opposite direction to the input direction. A game player can arbitrarily select a player, and the selected player is never moved in unintended direction. Player directions from the ball B to players P are computed based on display coordinates of the players P and coordinates of the ball B. An input direction is computed based on input information from a cross key 18. When an offset angle between the player direction and the input direction is in a prescribed range, the player P is moved in the input direction by the cross key 18. The players can be moved as intended by simple operation.

When playing a sports game that is played using a display device, such as a CRT or others, it is general that backgrounds and players used in making the sports game are displayed on the screen. A game player operates movements of the players displayed on the screen by outside input means, such as a control pad or others, to advance the sports game.
In a sports game in which the match is, in most cases, played by singles, it is not preferable that a game player changes a specific player he is operating to the other at least from the start of the game to the end thereof. Such sports games include games imitating tennis singles, judo matches, etc. That is, in a sports game in which the match is, in most cases, played by singles, the sports game can be enjoyed only by operating a selected player.
In a sports game in which the match is played by teams, a plurality of team players imitating sport athletes are displayed on the screen, and a game player must select the specific player the game player wants to operate. Such sports games include games imitating matches of soccer, basketballs, etc.
There are two methods by which a player is selected. In one of the two methods, a game player selects the specific player he will operate as an operational player in a game match before the start of the game, and the game player is not allowed to change the player he is operating during the game. In the other method, a game player is allowed to change an operational player of a game match during the game according to a choice made by the game player.
The method which allows a game player to suitably change a player is applicable to, e.g., soccer games. In a soccer game, a game player likes to operate a specific player in a front position in an offensive situation, while on the other hand, the game player likes to operate a player in a rear position in a defensive situation.
To enable players in a game match to be suitably selected during the game, input operations for selecting operational players are necessary in addition to inputting moving directions and movements of the operational players during the game. This makes the input operations complicated.
To prevent such complicated input operations, in some cases, players at prescribed positions are automatically selected as operational players of a game player. For example, in a game in which coordinates of a position of a ball are a key factor for progress of the game, a player who is nearest to the ball is selected.
The above-described methods, however, by which an operational player is selected, cannot sufficiently satisfy the requirements of game players. That is, in the method by which an operational player is automatically selected, the method of selecting the operational player is unique, and it is possible that the prescribed players may not be those that a game player actually likes to select. The method by which operational players in a game match are suitably selected makes the operation of selecting an operational player in advance of the game too complicated.
As a result, in either of the methods, the game player sometimes can not recognize his own operational players during the game, irrespective of his skill, which actually spoils the amusement of the game.
The method, in which an operational player is not changed during a game match, takes much time to arrive at a new position, when a specific position such as a key factor in a game is greatly changed. That is, in a soccer game, for example, when a long pass is made, even a skilled game player needs time to move to the pass position. As a result, a time when the game player secures a key position to play the game is extremely decreased, which also spoils the amusement of the game.
Thus, it is preferable that operation of selecting specific players in a game match during advance of the game is made without complicating the operation.
Factors for complicating the operation are as follows.
In a soccer game, for example, when a player receives a ball, a game player selects, out of a plurality of players on a game screen, a specific player as an operational player who will receive the ball. The selected player is marked by, e.g., a dotted-line enclosure or other means to be discriminated from the rest of the players. After the selection, the game player operates information input means, such as a control pad or others, to move the operational player to the ball.
The method by which an operational player is selected by a game player has a disadvantage that when a specific player is selected as an operational player by selected-direction information, simultaneously therewith the selected-direction information becomes moving direction information, whereby the operational player is adversely moved in an unintended direction.
That is, as shown in FIG. 14, when an operational player P1 is changed to another operational player by selecting a specific player P2 so as to compete with an opponent player E to get a ball B, selected-direction information of the direction A (see the dotted-line arrow) from the operational player P1 to the operational player P2 is inputted. When the selected-direction information of the direction A is inputted, the operational player P1 is changed to the operational player P2, and the latter P2 is enclosed by the dotted-line. By this time, the game player has inputted the direction information of the direction A, and at the same time that the change is over, the direction information of the direction A becomes moving direction information of the operational player P2. The operational player P2 is moved to the direction A (see the solid line arrow). Thus, although the game player has changed the operational player to get the ball B, the new operational player is moved apart from the ball B.
Conventionally when an object-to-be-moved, such as an operational player or others, displayed on a screen is moved, an information input unit is operated to command a moving direction.
The information input unit is provided by, e.g., a cross key disposed on a control pad of a game machine. The cross key is operated so that when an operational player on a game display of, e.g., a soccer game is moved to get a ball, the operational player can be moved toward the ball.
Generally a cross key is formed in a cross combining a vertical bar and a horizontal bar which are crossed each other at a right angle, and the respective ends are pressed to command moving directions. That is, the upper and the lower ends of the cross key, and the left and the right ends thereof are singly pressed to command the four upper, lower, left and right directions. Furthermore, the upper end and the left end of the cross key, the left end and the lower end thereof, the lower end and the right end thereof, and the right end and the upper end thereof are respectively operated simultaneously to command four obliquely upper left, obliquely lower left, obliquely lower right and obliquely lower right directions. In total, eight directions can be commanded.
When the cross key is operated to command a moving direction so that an operational player is moved to get a ball, a game player operates the cross key so that the operational player P depicts one of the traces x, y, z as exemplified in FIG. 15.
In the case of the trace x, first, the upper end of the cross key is pressed and the players is moved to a position substantially beside a ball B as a target, and then, the right end of the cross key is pressed and the player is moved to the right. In the case of the trace y, first, the upper end of the cross key is pressed and the player is moved in a straight line to an oblique position lower left of the ball B, and then, the right end and the upper end of the cross key are simultaneously pressed and the player is moved in an obliquely upper right direction. In the case of the trace z, first, the right end and the upper end of the cross key are pressed and the player is moved in an obliquely upper right direction, and then, the upper end of the cross key is pressed and the player is moved upward.
Thus whether or not an operational player P can arrive at a ball as intended by a game player depends on his intuition and skill. To arrive at the ball B, however, as exemplified in FIG. 15, an operation for changing a direction at least once is needed. This is not easy for even skilled game players.
The operation of the cross key can command only 8 directions, and unless a game player has sufficient skill, it is very difficult to move operational players P as intended. When an unskilled game player operates, as exemplified in FIG. 16, an operational player P goes around a target ball B without arriving at the ball B. Especially when the ball B is moving, the cross key must be operated many times. A game player needs skill.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method and an image processing device which allow a game player to arbitrarily select one from a plurality of objects-to-be-moved, and prohibits movement of the selected object-to-be-moved in an unintended direction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method and an image processing device which can move objects-to-be-moved by easy operation as intended when an input direction is commanded by an information input unit .

Image processing method and image processing device


A polymer used for optical products wherein the polymer comprises 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dithiane skeletons represented by formula (1): ##STR1## and 1,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane skeletons represented by formula (2): ##STR2## and a part of or all of bonds between the 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dithiane skeleton and the 1,3,5-trimethylcyclohexane skeleton are thiourethane bonds. The polymer exhibits 1.63 or more of refractive index, 35 or more of Abbe's number and 100.degree. C. or more of second-order transition point. The polymer is prepared by polyaddition of 2,5-dimercaptomethyl-1,4-dithiane and 1,3,5-triisocyanatomethylcyclohexane.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polymer used for optical products having, as the major skeletons, 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dithiane skeletons and 1,3,5-trimethyl-cyclohexane skeletons. The polymer of the present invention has advantageous optical characteristics since it exhibits both of high refractive index and low dispersion. Thus the polymer is a suitable material for optical products such as a lens for eye glasses, an optical lens, a prism, an optical fiber and a substrate for recording information.

Polymer for optical products and process for preparation thereof


An improved fuel injector for providing precise control over injection timing, quantity and rate shape is provided which includes a piezoelectric actuator for compressing actuating fluid in an actuating fluid circuit which includes a fluid chamber positioned adjacent a needle valve element and fluidically separate from a fuel supply circuit for supplying high pressure fuel for injection. Actuating fluid pressure in the chamber acts on the needle valve element to initiate injection. A fuel pressure balancing device is provided for balancing the fuel pressure forces acting on the needle valve element while the element is in both the closed and open positions thereby permitting the piezoelectric actuator to more precisely and predictably control the rate of movement, and the extent of movement, of the needle valve element.

In most fuel supply systems applicable to internal combustion engines, fuel injectors are used to direct fuel pulses into the engine combustion chamber. A commonly used injector is a closed-nozzle injector which includes a nozzle assembly having a spring-biased nozzle valve element positioned adjacent the nozzle orifice for resisting blow back of exhaust gas into the pumping or metering chamber of the injector while allowing fuel to be injected into the cylinder. The nozzle valve element also functions to provide a deliberate, abrupt end to fuel injection thereby preventing a secondary injection which causes unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust. The nozzle valve is positioned in a nozzle cavity and biased by a nozzle spring to block fuel flow through the nozzle orifices. In many fuel systems, when the pressure of the fuel within the nozzle cavity exceeds the biasing force of the nozzle spring, the nozzle valve element moves outwardly to allow fuel to pass through the nozzle orifices, thus marking the beginning of injection. However, these conventional injectors rely on injector or system components upstream of the nozzle assembly to determine the injection timing, metering and rate shape, and, therefore, may not provide the optimum control over the fuel injection event necessary for certain applications and to achieve certain objectives.
Internal combustion engine designers have increasingly come to realize that substantially improved fuel supply systems are required in order to meet the ever increasing governmental and regulatory requirements of emissions abatement and increased fuel economy. It is well known that the level of emissions generated by the diesel fuel combustion process can be reduced by optimizing the fuel injection timing, metering and injection flow rate for a particular application or set of operating conditions. For example, emissions may be minimized by decreasing the volume of fuel injected during the initial stage of an injection event while permitting a subsequent unrestricted injection flow rate. In other applications, pilot and multiple injections produce the optimal combustion event. As a result, many closed nozzle assemblies have been proposed for enabling more precise control of injection timing, quantity and flow rate throughout engine operation.
One way of more precisely controlling the movement of the needle valve element of a closed nozzle element and, therefore, more precisely controlling the fuel injection event, is to utilize a piezoelectric actuator. U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,886 to Igashira et al. discloses a piezoelectric actuator controlled fuel injector where the amount of fuel delivered by the operation of the injector is determined by the driving voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator. The actuated piezoelectric actuator acts upon a piston which compresses the fuel inside a pump chamber, wherein the compressed fuel is supplied to an injection valve. The reference further discloses that the injection valve includes a needle valve having a step-shaped portion that includes a small diameter portion under a larger diameter portion. The pressure of the compressed fuel acts upon the stepped portion of the injection valve to overcome forces biasing the valve shut thereby raising the needle valve to open the nozzle of the injector. However, the injection fuel, metered by a check valve, is used lift the needle valve to the open position and this metered fuel is then injected from the nozzle. Therefore, the opening of the needle valve element and, therefore, the timing of the injection event is undesirably dependent on the pressure of the fuel to be injected. Moreover, it has been found that the piezoelectric actuators are incapable of effectively and efficiently generating the high fuel pressures desired in many fuel system applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,074, No. 4,784,102, No. 4,909,440 and No. 5,452,858 and PCT Publication No. WO 96/37698 all disclose fuel injectors which utilize a piezoelectric actuator to relieve pressure in a chamber so as to cause a needle valve element to open. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,858 discloses the use of a piezoelectric actuator to drive a piston which changes the pressure of a working fluid, separate from the injected fuel, in a pressure chamber to control the opening and closing of a needle valve. However, the injectors disclosed in each of these references disclose that the piezoelectric actuator is energized to expand a pressure chamber located adjacent to the injector needle, thus decreasing the pressure within the pressure chamber, in order to relieve the forces biasing the injector needle closed. Also, this injector is not fuel pressure balanced in the closed position and thus the piezoelectric stack be maintained in the expanded state to maintain the hydraulic pressure in the pressure chamber at a high level to hold the element in the closed position.
PCT Patent Publications WO 93/06625 and WO 94/19598 each disclose fuel injection valves using a piezoelectric actuator for moving a piston to controllably vary the pressure of fluid in a hydraulic chamber which is fluidically separate from a fuel supply. The hydraulic chamber is positioned at one end of a needle valve element biased by a spring toward the piezoelectric actuator into a closed position. Pressurization of the fluid in the hydraulic chamber forces the needle valve element into an open position to begin injection of fuel supplied to a nozzle cavity. However, each of these injection systems requires the needle valve to be an outwardly opening valve. Also, the needle valve elements do not appear to be fuel pressure balanced in both positions.
Consequently, there is a need for an improved closed nozzle fuel injector assembly operated by a piezoelectric actuator which is capable of effectively, precisely and selectively controlling the rate and degree of opening of a needle valve element.

Fuel injector with piezoelectric and hydraulically actuated needle valve


Methods are described for fabricating devices having vias containing more than one electrical conductor, in particular coaxial electrical conductors. A plurality of wires are bonded to a first substrate, such as a copper wire to a copper substrate. A second substrate having through-holes with side walls covered with an electrical conductor is disposed over the first substrate so that the wires are within the through-holes and spaced apart from the side walls. The first substrate is spaced apart from the second substrate by dielectric spacers. A polymer is injected into the space between the first and second substrates to provide electrical isolation therebetween. A polymer is injected into the space in the via between the elongated conductors and the conductive sidewall to provide dielectric isolation therebetween. The second substrate has electrically conductive pattern on both sides which are electrically interconnected by the electrically conductive sidewall to form an inner coil of electrical conductors. The first substrate is patterned to form an electrical conductive pattern. A pattern of electrical conductors is formed on the dielectric material on the side of the second substrate opposite the patterned first substrate and is electrically connected therewith through the elongated conductors on the through-hole to form an outer coil of electrical conductors around the inner coil of electrical conductors to from a transformer or an inductor.

The transformation of electrical power from AC to DC, and/or from one voltage to another is critical in the use of all electronic devices. Transformer and inductor circuits are used in the transmission of electrical power from the generating site to distribution points and from there to consumers. Most electrical devices require magnetic components to modify the electrical voltages especially those devices containing integrated circuits and logic elements.
As the sizes of devices continue to shrink, to improve speed, reduce weight and product size, the power transformer has become a limitation to this continual reduction. The largest single component in products such as computers has become the transformer. The most commonly used transformer consists of copper wires hand wound around a magnetic material such as iron or ferrite core. Due to the limitations of today's manufacturing methods, heat dissipation requirements and electrical efficiency, the size of magnetic components cannot be significantly further reduced.
A number of alternative magnetic structures have been developed over the last few years, with a number of deficiencies, most notably the prospect of the further reduction in size and improved efficiency. Examples of these include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,543,553, 4,689,594, 5,126,714 and 5,279,988.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,553 describes a magnetic inductor structure. The coil is achieved by passing current through a series of successive magnetic layers, using one conductor per via to create the coil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,594 defines a structure which operates as an inductor, the simplest type of magnetic device. In this structure, magnetic material is utilized with through holes. It is important to note that once again, only one conductive element is utilized per through hole.
Another magnetic structure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,714 in which the transformer is formed from two layers of magnetic material with magnetic posts connecting the two layers. The coil is formed on a planar sheet using printed circuit technology. Once assembled, the posts extend through the structure, making the magnetic elements. The through vias used are for electrical connection to the external contacts and are single conductor elements. U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,988 also utilizes single conductor vias for interconnection through the multilayer magnetic structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,911, "Monolithic Magnetic Device with Printed Circuit Interconnections" describes a magnetic device in which a slab of magnetic material which contains an array of through holes that permit the connection of electrical circuits on each side, forming a "coil". These through connections are formed by using electroplating technology to metallize the through hole to form two concentric, electrically isolated, conductive elements which forms the connection to each of two separate wiring structures on each side of the magnetic element thus forming a secondary and primary winding layer. The difficulties with this approach are the limitation in the wiring density and the performance due to the technologies required to make two concentric electrically conductive elements which are electrically isolated by electroplating techniques.

Methods of fabrication of coaxial vias and magnetic devices

International Business Machines Corporation


Embodiments are directed towards minimizing the impact flood attacks may have on packet traffic management performance. A packet traffic management device (“PTMD”) may employ a data flow segment (“DFS”) and control segment (“CS”). The CS may perform high-level control functions and per-flow policy enforcement for connection flows maintained at the DFS, while the DFS may perform statistics gathering, per-packet policy enforcement (e.g., packet address translations), or the like, on connection flows maintained at the DFS. The DFS may include high-speed flow caches and other high-speed components that may be comprised of high-performance computer memory. The impact of flood attacks may be reduced by protecting the high-speed flow caches from being consumed by flow control data associated with malicious and/or in-operative non-genuine network connections. In at least one of the various embodiments, flood control filters may be adaptively activated based on the condition and quality of network traffic received at PTMD.

The expanded use of the Internet has increased communication connections between client devices and server devices. Often, a client device establishes a network connection with a server device by using well-known protocols, such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol ("TCP/IP"), User Datagram Protocol ("UDP"), and the like. This network connection may be identified by one characteristic or a combination of characteristics, such as a source port, a destination port, a source address, a destination address, a protocol, and the like. Typically, the source address, destination address, destination port, and protocol are relatively fixed for a network connection between a client device and a server device. Thus, the source port may be utilized to uniquely identify a connection between the client device and the server device. Currently, however, the number of source port values that may be utilized may be rather limited (e.g., 216 minus 1024 (i.e., system ports assigned by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, as per Request for Comments ("RFC") 6335). Therefore, in situations where thousands of connections are established between a client device and a server device, the source port values may no longer uniquely identify a connection and may be cycled through and reused for different connections. Typically, a source port value may be recycled and used again under certain conditions, such as after a predetermined time limit. However, if the recycle time limit (e.g., 2 ms) is less than the amount of time a connection is established (e.g., 2 sec.), then a source port value may be recycled before a previous connection using the same source port value is closed. Furthermore, SYN flood requests might also have an identical source address, destination address, source port, destination port, and protocol type as an established TCP connection.
Additionally, the expansion of the Internet has led to improvements in packet traffic management. One such advancement is to split operations between a control segment and a data flow segment as described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 7,343,413, filed Mar. 21, 2001, and entitled "Method and System for Optimizing a Network by Independently Scaling Control Segments and Data Flow," which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this patent application. SYN flood requests and other malicious network activity may interfere with efficiently splitting network flow control operations between the control segment and the data flow segment. Thus, it is with respect to these considerations and others that the invention has been made.

Minimize SYN-flood issues with flow cache while maintaining performance


A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device that reduces degradation of device properties includes forming an impurity region in a surface layer of a semiconductor substrate by ion injection; forming a transition metal layer in a surface of the impurity region; and exposing the semiconductor substrate with the transition metal layer formed thereon to a hydrogen plasma atmosphere formed by microwaves. The transition metal layer is heated and the heat is transferred from the transition metal layer to the impurity region to form an ohmic contact at the interface of the transition metal layer and the impurity region by reaction of the transition metal layer and the impurity region, and the impurity region is activated. When the substrate is a silicon carbide substrate, the ohmic contact is composed of a transition metal silicide and the impurity region, which is an ion injection layer, is activated.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments discussed herein are related to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a semiconductor device (semiconductor apparatus) that uses a silicon (Si) semiconductor, a silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor, etc., an ohmic contact (electrical contact portion) of a semiconductor portion and a transition metal layer (electrode) is conventionally formed by heat treatment (annealing).
To form such an ohmic contact, a method has been proposed that includes a process of depositing a transition metal layer on a surface of a semiconductor substrate (hereinafter, silicon substrate) formed of a silicon semiconductor, and heat treating the transition metal layer, where the heat treatment is performed at a temperature of 400 degrees C. to 750 degrees C. for 30 seconds to 90 seconds to heat the entire silicon substrate (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-246216).
Another method has been proposed where a transition metal layer is vapor deposited at a contact on a silicon carbide substrate and subject to rapid heat treatment at a temperature of 1000 degrees C. for 2 minutes whereby the entire silicon carbide substrate is heated and a carbon-rich silicide electrode is formed (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-177102 (paragraph 0017)).
A further method has been proposed where a titanium (Ti) layer, an aluminum (Al) layer, and a silicon layer are sequentially formed on a silicon carbide substrate by sputtering to form a contact electrode, followed by annealing using laser light to form an alloy of the titanium, aluminum, and silicon included in the contact electrode and the silicon and the carbon included in the silicon carbide substrate (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-099599 (paragraphs 0042 to 0044)).
Yet another method has been proposed where ion injection is performed to form a source extension region and a drain extension region in a surface of a silicon semiconductor substrate, an absorber film is formed of a metal film and an insulting film that cover the entire source extension region and drain extension region including a gate electrode, and the source extension region and the drain extension region are subject to laser annealing by irradiating laser light on the absorber film (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-280548).
Still another method has been proposed that is characterized by including a process of using a gate electrode as a mask and implanting an impurity into a semiconductor layer; a process of forming an interlayer insulating film so as to cover a gate electrode; a process of forming on the interlayer insulating film, a light absorbing film from a metal having a higher melting point than the semiconductor layer; and a process of irradiating the light absorbing film with light and activating the impurity in the semiconductor layer by the heat generated from the light absorbing film absorbing the light (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2010-040545).
Another method has been proposed where an object to be subject to annealing and having an absorption layer formed on a silicon carbide layer and a silicon carbide layer is prepared; the absorption layer of the object is irradiated and caused to generate heat by the energy of the laser beam absorbed by the absorption layer; and the silicon carbide layer is heated by the heat generated by the absorption layer (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-069748).
Nonetheless, with Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2012-246216 and 2009-177102, a portion forming the ohmic contact (i.e., the transition metal layer, an interface of the substrate and the transition metal layer) alone cannot be heated and the entire substrate (the entire device) is uniformly heated. For example, when an ohmic contact of the silicon carbide semiconductor portion and the transition metal layer is formed, as described above, heat treatment is performed at a high temperature of 1000 degrees C. or greater. Therefore, interface properties of the semiconductor portion and gate insulating film and/or the material configuring the device may degrade. In Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-099599, since a predetermined area is selectively heated by irradiation via a laser for which the spot diameter has been reduced, the described problems occurring with respect to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2012-246216 and 2009-177102 can be resolved.
Nonetheless, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-099599, the distance from a lens that converges the laser light, to the surface of the transition metal layer has to be equivalent over the entire surface of the transition metal layer. In other words, device structure has to be such that the device surface is flat without asperity. Therefore, when the distance from the lens that converges the laser light, to the surface of the transition metal layer is not constant such as with disposal of the transition metal layer in a trench side wall, chip side wall, etc., laser irradiation has to be performed according to conditions that correspond to such arrangement and therefore, not all of the transition metal layer can be simultaneously heated and throughput may decrease.
Further, with Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2012-099599, since a predetermined region is selectively heated by laser irradiation, programming control of the irradiation locus and the irradiation position of the laser is complicated. Further, consequent to deviations in the position of laser irradiation, uneven irradiation may occur, contact resistivity may deviate, and constituent portions disposed around the transition metal layer (e.g., gate insulating film, etc.) other than the transition metal layer may be heated causing device properties to degrade. When the surface area of the transition metal layer is less than the area corresponding to the spot diameter of the laser, a problem arises in that the transition metal layer alone cannot be selectively heated.

Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device


An automatic thresholding target detection system operable in high clutter, noisy environments provides target recognition through the generation of automatic signal thresholds. Infrared and radar detectors scanning an environment detect radiant energy from manmade and natural sources. The energy received is converted to electrical signals representative of the varying energy intensities which are filtered and compared with a computed target signal threshold. Signal spikes having amplitudes greater than the automatically generated threshold are then evaluated using a shape parameter test. Finally, an automatic region clutter recognition processor confirms that the spike is a true target, clutter or noise.

The present invention relates to target detection, and more particularly to target detection using an automatic threshold system in infrared (IR) and radar detectors to differentiate between targets and clutter in high noise environments.
One application for large imaging arrays is in scanning sensors for detecting and locating the onset of a radiative event in a cluttered or noisy environment. For example, a satellite-based sensor array can be used to scan a region on earth to detect missile or spacecraft launchings or nuclear tests. The sensors detect radiated energy in for example the infrared spectrum and electrical signals are generated by the scanning sensors. Electrical signals of sufficient amplitude would represent targets, or bright spots of radiative energy.
A key problem in infrared and radar systems is the need to detect the electrical signals caused by legitimate radiating targets and reject those caused by noise or background clutter. This is differentiation process is classically accomplished by "thresholding". A predetermined threshold is compared to the received signal. If the amplitude of the electrical signal is greater than the threshold then a target has been detected.
Known methods and systems for computing signal thresholds typically partition the geographic area scanned into a number of "threshold zones". A different threshold value is then computed for each zone. Every point within a given zone gets the same threshold value. This method works well when the noise statistics are approximately constant over the entire zone. However, this threshold zone method does not provide reliable data when radiative clutter is present.
Clutter occurs when portions of the zone scanned are very "noisy" or bright while other areas are very "quiet" or dark. Noisy areas occur when the sensor receives non-target generated radiation from the earth's atmosphere or from natural radiating elements on the earth's surface such as bodies of water. Additionally, man-made radiation from manufacturing processes or weapon detonations would also produce false targets as viewed by a scanning sensor.
The computed threshold value is driven up by the noisiest portion of the zone. This results in very poor probability of target detection for targets near clutter areas. The method of computing threshold values is typically to count the number of threshold exceedances (false detections) for each zone on one or more frames of data and then compute the threshold value needed to achieve the desired false detection rate. The computed threshold value is not applied until the next frame so that there is a lag in response to changing noise or clutter conditions.
When counting threshold exceedances, present thresholding methods cannot distinguish between exceedances caused by noise, and those exceedances which may be caused by true targets. The sudden appearance of a large number of targets may cause thresholds to be raised resulting in poor target detection probability. The technique commonly used to prevent this event is to further delay application of the computed threshold until some outside intelligence such as a human operator, determines whether the signal threshold should be raised or not.
Disadvantages of the known zone thresholding systems and method include: poor overall performance near clutter; poor performance in rapidly changing noise conditions (for example during battle field counter-measure) and required human intervention to set or adjust thresholds.


A wire end terminal includes a terminal body portion formed by melting and stamping conductors of a wire W, and a fuse element portion formed between the terminal body portion and the conductors.

This invention relates to a wire end terminal having a fuse element portion formed integrally therewith, and also relates to a method of producing this wire end terminal.
FIG. 5 shows one conventional wire end terminal of this kind (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). As shown in FIG. 5, this wire end terminal 50 includes a wire press-clamping portion 51 for being press-fastened to a conductor (not shown) of a wire W, a terminal body portion 52 for being fixed by a bolt, and a fuse element portion 53 which is provided between the terminal body portion 52 and the wire press-clamping portion 51, and melts when an electric current of above a predetermined level flows therethrough.
When an excess current flows through the wire W, the fuse element portion 53 of the wire end terminal 50 melts, thereby protecting the wire and others from the excess current.
Patent Literature 1: JP-A-11-260238 (FIG. 1)
In the above related structure, however, the wire W and the wire end terminal 50 are separate from each other, and therefore in the case of producing a wire harness with the wire end terminals, the number of its component parts is large, and therefore there has been encountered a problem that the cost increases. And besides, the wire end terminal 50 is connected to the wire W by press-fastening the wire press-clamping portion 51 to the conductor of the wire W, and therefore a resistance loss develops at the press-fastened portion. As a result, there has been encountered a problem that a voltage drop loss is large, so that the reliability of the connection is lowered.

Wire end terminal and method of producing same


An electronic lock for use with lockers has a recess or contacts for accepting an electronic ID chip as a "key". Upon receiving the current ID chip, the lock shifts a latch to unlocked position, with the latch or mortise being spring-biased. The construction of the electronic lock is modular, easily fitting on nearly all contemporary locker designs, retained by only a few screws preferably in the standard three-hole locker door prep layout. An outer housing on the outside of the locker door has an electrical plug-in connection through the door with an inner housing at the inside of the door, and the housing portions can be changed to opposite hand use. Power input ports preferably are included on the front of the outer housing to power the lock in the event of battery failure, and in addition, an audible beep occurs when batteries are low. An LED indicator can be included for status.

This invention is concerned with security of lockers, safes, desks, file cabinets or other such storage devices assigned for temporary or long-term use. In particular, the invention relates to a lock operated by an electronic identification means for such storage situations.
Electronic locks are well known. For example, hotel safes for temporary use by guests have included digital locks with keypads for use by the guest. In some cases, the guest was able to select his own combination for the digital lock. In other cases, a combination sequence has been pre-assigned to electronic locks, with the combination sequence not under the control of the user.
The following U.S. Patents are believed to have some relevance to this invention: U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,561 (Johnson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,282 (Gartner), U.S. Pat. No. 5,021,776 (Anderson), U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,345 (Gartner), U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,445 (Beatty), U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,540 (Remington), U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,511 (Wagner), U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,065 (Martin), U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,213 (Merroni), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,164 (Zorzy).
There has been a need for an electronic lock operated by an electronic identification means of relatively inexpensive construction with more versatility as to use on various standard designs, modularity as to assembly and opposite-hand use, easy programmability and convenience and simplicity to the user. These are the goals of the present invention described below.


Provided are systems, methods, and devices for providing topical similarities in a knowledge database. A knowledge database containing a number of articles is accessed, and clickstream data for the knowledge database is obtained including aggregated counts of user clicks on links within articles in the knowledge database. The clickstream data is sorted by source article, with each source article corresponding to a number of target articles that the source article links to. A directed article graph is constructed based on the sorted clickstream data. An input search term is received from an input device, and then an unbounded graph search is performed on the directed graph based on the input search term. Finally, a ranking heuristic for a predefined number of articles in the knowledge database is provided corresponding to topical similarity of the articles to the input search term.

In marketing, one is often tasked with generating product ideas, slogans, and innovations based on aggregated data associated with consumer behavior. Furthermore, marketers often look to generate ideas which incorporate topical and semantic relatedness to brand keys or high-level concepts. From a neurocognitive perspective, consumers are predisposed to look favorably on marketing campaigns which tap into their subconscious biases and desires.
Linguists and neurocognitive scientists occasionally use "knowledge databases" as usable datasets for language modeling, natural language processing, machine learning, and more. A knowledge database is a searchable database constituting a dataset of knowledge in written or spoken language. Knowledge databases often contain vast and sometimes comprehensive amounts of useful knowledge in searchable and accessible form. One example of a knowledge database is Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia created and edited by volunteers around the world. The Wikipedia corpus provides a rich source of information surrounding both world knowledge and the ways in which the world's population accesses and prioritizes this knowledge.
Given this popularity, as well as the relatively transparent access to usage data, Wikipedia and similar knowledge databases can be useful avenues for marketers, neurocognitive researchers, and others to gain insight into the topical similarities of different topics, based on how users access and navigate the knowledge contained therein.

Detecting topical similarities in knowledge databases


A heliostat including a mirror configured to reflect light directed towards a first surface of the mirror, the light being external to the heliostat, the first surface being opposite a second surface of the mirror. A control mechanism is connected to the mirror and configured to change at least two angles of the mirror. An inertial reference unit is in communication with the control mechanism and configured to produce a beam and use the beam to optically sample the second surface of the mirror, the beam at least reflecting from the second surface. The control mechanism is configured to use data from the beam and the inertial reference unit to control the least two angles such that a virtual beam from the inertial reference unit remains about co-aligned with a line of sight vector of the mirror when the heliostat is subjected to an exogenous disturbance.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to stabilization of heliostat mirrors.
2. Background
A heliostat mirror is an astronomical instrument used to reflect the light of the sun, or possibly some other light or energy source, in a constant direction. A heliostat mirror may be the primary component in a reflective optical architecture that can be found in many applications including astronomy, solar power collection, and imaging systems.
An issue confronted by heliostat mirror systems is how stabilize a light beam's propagation or imaging path when the heliostat system is undergoing one or more exogenous disturbances. The disturbances may arise due to many sources, including platform motion (including vehicle motion if the heliostat system is mounted on a vehicle), associated rigid body and structural dynamics of the heliostat system, target motion, atmospheric dynamic effects on an optical line of sight, and possibly many other sources of exogenous disturbances. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a method and apparatus that takes into account at least some of these issues, as well as other possible issues.

Stabilization of a heliostat output mirror using an inertial reference beam


A lateral metal-insulator-metal capacitor fabricated with consistent dummy fill and slotting patterns that assure predictable and controlled performance from the metalization layout while conforming to process design rules.

It is paradoxical that, historically, that is to say before the 1950's, the largest elements in an electronic circuit tended to be the active elements. At that time, active elements took the form of expensive vacuum tubes. Vacuum tubes consumed copious amounts of power. Vacuum tubes operated at dangerously high voltages. Vacuum tubes generated very large amounts of heat. The cost of vacuum tubes dominated the parts cost of a product. Resistors and capacitors in those systems were relatively small. The effect of resistors and capacitors upon the size and cost of a product was almost negligible.
Today the situation is nearly exactly reversed. Semiconductor chips (integrated circuits) exist that include upward of 100 million transistors are commonplace. Transistors are the active elements in today's electronic devices that replace the vacuum tubes of pre-1950's electronics. Transistors are extremely small. Transistors consume microscopic amounts of power. Transistors operate at very low voltages. Transistors cost almost nothing. The effect of a single transistor on the design of a very large scale integration (VLSI) chip is virtually invisible. The paradox, then, is that resistors and capacitors now are relatively large when compared with the size of a single transistor.
Resistors and capacitors are very difficult to fabricate as part of integrated circuits. Even though resistors and capacitors may appear to be small to the naked eye, they occupy relatively large amounts of valuable area on an integrated circuit. This area might better be populated with transistors. For this reason, resistors and capacitors often appear in electronic circuits as discrete elements. Discrete elements are elements that stand alone on printed circuit boards outside VLSI chips.
Even so, situations do arise where it is necessary and desirable to fabricate, for example, a capacitor as part of a semiconductor integrated circuit. In these instances, every effort is made to keep the capacitor small and to squeeze it into as small an area as possible. The traditional textbook diagram of a basic capacitor shows two metal parallel plates (a first plate and a second plate). The plates are placed closely together with insulation (called dielectric material) between them. A terminal is attached to each plate. The capacitor functions by storing equal and opposite amounts of electrical charge on its opposite plates. A capacitor is characterized in part by its "capacitance." Capacitance is a parameter that increases as the area of the plates increases and that further increases as the distance between the plates decreases. The value of the capacitance also is affected by the characteristics of the dielectric material that separates the two plates. Practical stand-alone capacitors can be fabricated, for example, from two sheets (a first sheet and a second sheet) of foil. The two sheets of foil are wrapped tightly together. An insulating layer is placed between the sheets. A terminal is attached to each sheet. The larger the area of the sheets and the thinner the insulating layer, the larger the capacitance. The picture to be grasped here is the concept that two metallic surfaces separated by insulating (dielectric) material form a capacitor.
Sometimes capacitance in a circuit is designed in on purpose and is therefore desirable. In other situations, capacitance arises incidentally. For example, any time two metallic surfaces lie close to each other, some amount of capacitance results. In integrated circuits, nearly invisible wires may run near each other for some distance. Even these tiny pairs of wires sometimes give rise to "parasitic" capacitance. Parasitic capacitance normally is considered to be undesirable. In still other situations, this effect of parasitic capacitance can be used to advantage. For example, a circuit may require a capacitor. If so, then one method for creating a capacitor comprises intentionally introducing some parasitic capacitance. Indeed, techniques for fabricating such capacitors have evolved to become quite sophisticated.
One form of capacitor fabricated in an integrated circuit by one technique is called a lateral metal-insulator-metal (LMIM) capacitor. An LMIM capacitor can be fabricated by constructing metallic fingers (like the tines of a fork) that interleave with each other to create a capacitive effect. The tines of one fork play the role of the first plate in the textbook version of a capacitor; the tines of the other fork play the role of the second plate. Some integrated circuits repeat this basic structure on several layers of the integrated circuit in order to increase the effective area of the plates of the capacitor being fabricated. Even so, only two groups of fingers are used, one group being connected together by wires or other means to form a first plate of the capacitor; the second group being connected together to form a second plate. When fabricated, the fingers of each plate resemble the bristles of a coarse hairbrush. The capacitor is formed by facing two "hairbrushes" together so that the two sets of "bristles" overlap while taking care to assure that the bristles of one hairbrush are insulated from the bristles of the other.
Although the mathematics can become complicated, design engineers are able to calculate the capacitance of these LMIM structures. By controlling the size, number of fingers, type of dielectric material and so on, a capacitor with a desired amount of capacitance can be designed quite precisely. However, while certain parasitic effects are exploited to design an LMIM capacitor, other parasitic effects act to frustrate the efforts of the circuit designer. These parasitic effects make it difficult to predict the value of capacitance that results in a given circuit design.
These other parasitic effects arise because of the proximity of an LMIM capacitor to other elements in the circuit that are not part of the LMIM capacitor itself. Thus, the capacitance of an LMIM capacitor can be influenced by factors outside the control of the LMIM capacitor designer.
The design of an integrated circuit is governed, in part, by a set of design rules to which circuit designers must adhere. One such set of rules governs the amount of metal that can appear in each layer of an integrated circuit. Integrated circuits typically are fabricated in layers with four, five, or six layers being employed in some embodiments. If a basic circuit design does not comprise sufficient metal to satisfy the design rules, then a "dummy fill" algorithm is used to add "islands" of metal in unused areas of each layer of the circuit in order to satisfy the design rules. Conversely, if a layer (such as a ground or power plane) comprises too much metal, then a "slotting" algorithm is employed to remove metal by creating slots in the existing metal, again, in order to satisfy the design rules. The slotting and dummy fill algorithms in the prior art do not take into account the structure of circuit elements near the slotting or dummy fill areas. In particular, the slotting and dummy fill algorithms insert and remove metal essentially randomly in the neighborhood of an LMIM capacitor. As a result, two identically designed LMIM capacitors placed in different regions of an integrated circuit can exhibit different performance because of the different parasitic effects present in each region. Further, the prior art gives the LMIM capacitor designer no means by which to correct this undesirable situation.

Method for fabricating a lateral metal-insulator-metal capacitor