Toner particles comprising a toner resin and a thermosublimable dye wherein the resin has measured at 190.degree. C. a viscosity, .eta., between 30 and 100 mPa.s and a tg.delta. such that 0.015.ltoreq.tg.delta./.eta..ltoreq.0.20. Preferably tg.delta. such that 0.02.ltoreq.tg.delta./.eta.0.05.

Toner particles comprising a thermosublimable dye or pigment for use in sublimation transfer textile printing are quite well known in the art. When using said toners, the process for textile printing proceeds as follows. A toner image is formed on an intermediate substrate (e.g. paper, plastic sheet, etc.), the intermediate substrate carrying the toner image is contacted with textile and is heated for a (short) period of time. During this step the sublimable dye or pigment evaporates and enters the textile to be printed where the dye or pigment molecules diffuse into the fibre. After having the dye sublimated from the toner image to the fibres, the intermediate substrate carrying the toner image is removed. This system is especially well suited for printing on synthetic fibres, e.g. polyester.
In such a process it is important that a high amount of dye can be sublimated in a short period of time and that, during the contacting the toner image with the textile and heating it, a very low amount of toner resin is transferred to the textile. When a large amount of toner resin is transferred, the textile becomes stiff and the feel of the textile is changed at the place where the image is printed. This is quite undesirable since, especially when high-quality textiles are printed, the presence of toner resin can adversely affect the pleasure of wearing the printed textile or its draping properties.
Several propositions for toner particles comprising sublimable dye have been made for improving toner particles for use in textile printing, with toner particles containing sublimable dyes.
E.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,611 a method is described for producing single or multi-colour permanent copies by development of a latent electrostatic image, with a magnetic brush, using a toner consisting of polymer particles containing dye(s), which sublime or vaporise between 100 and 250 degrees C., and also a ferromagnetic substance. It is said that only pure dye is transferred, whilst the other components of the toner remain on the latent image and do not cause opacity or discoloration
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,893 spherical magnetic toner particles are prepared from a magnetic product, a polymer, and a wax. The dye used sublimates at 100-200.degree. C. and the wax is preferably a montana wax.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,251,616, a dry electrophotographic developer consisting of a single type of particles containing an electrically conductive substance, a magnetic substance and a binder is disclosed. Typically the developer contains Carbon black (2-20%), dye(s) subliming or vaporising at 130-240 degrees C. a wax and a plasticiser. The binder is a polymer especially PVC, polystyrene or a copolymer of styrene with butadiene and an acrylic resin.
In GB-A 2,095,855 a two-component toner composition for developing latent electrostatic images is disclosed, comprising finely divided toner particles comprising a solid polymeric thermoplastic material, with a softening point (ball-ring) between 60 and 140.degree. C.; and a heat-sublimable dyestuff which sublimes at 100-220.degree. C. at atmospheric pressure and carrier particles.
In EP-A-082 163, an electrostatic single component developer is disclosed in the form of a dry fluid powder comprising spherical particles fixable by heat or pressure, comprising a binder which can be heated at 230.degree. C. without appreciable decomposition, optionally electrically conductive or very fine magnetic particles, and at least 5% of at least one sublimable or vaporisable dye which in 30 seconds at 210.degree. C. passes into the vapour state in an amt. of at least 60% at 100 hPa, whilst at atmospheric pressure under the same temperature, less than 50% passes into the vapour state in 30 seconds. The binder, having a softening point between 100 and 160.degree. C. is especially cellulose esters, vinyl resins, vinyl copolymers, polyamides or polystyrene, and containing a wax chosen from polyethylene wax, aliphatic waxes or hydroxylated fatty acids.
In EP-A-561 313 a method for textile printing is described wherein a printed pattern on transfer material is formed using pigmented powder. The transfer printing, on synthetic fabrics or similar material, proceeds by sublimation of the pigment which is a finely ground powder contained in a pulverised heat sensitive synthetic resin. The resin has a melting point around 120.degree. C.
The toner particles according to the references cited can be used for indirect textile printing, but there is still room for improvement.

Toner composition for use in textile printing


A high-frequency module includes first and second demultiplexers and a band elimination filter. The first and second demultiplexers include common terminals, transmission filters, and reception filters, respectively. In the band elimination filter, a demultiplexer-side terminal is connected to the common terminal of the first demultiplexer. The band elimination filter includes a first pass band, and a second pass band and a stop band that are located adjacent to each other within the first pass band. The band elimination filter is configured so that the second pass band includes the pass band of each of the transmission filter and the reception filter in the first demultiplexer and the stop band includes the pass band of the transmission filter in the second demultiplexer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high-frequency module and a communication device including such a high-frequency module. In particular, the present invention relates to a high-frequency module including a plurality of demultiplexers, and a communication device including such a high-frequency module.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in communication services involving cellular phones, for example, dealing with an increase in the number of subscribers, the realization of global roaming enabling use worldwide, the improvement of communication quality, the capacity enlargement of various kinds of contents have been promoted. So as to deal with such communication services, it is necessary to make communication devices such as mobile phones responsive to the realization of multiple bands or a plurality of communication systems.
Therefore, for example, in a communication device compatible with a plurality of bands in a UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System), a plurality of duplexers corresponding to individual bands and individual communication systems to be used are mounted in an RF (Radio Frequency) circuit. As an example of such a communication device, for example, a communication device described in Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2003-517239 may be cited and includes a high-frequency module including two duplexers. In addition, the duplexer is a demultiplexer including a transmission filter, a reception filter, and a matching circuit.
However, in the high-frequency module described in Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2003-517239, an Inter-Modulation Distortion (IMD) occurs in the duplexer, and in some cases, a problem that the receiving sensitivity of the communication device is deteriorated occurs.

High-frequency module and communication device


Methods and structure for improved import of RAID level 6 logical volumes into subsystems devoid of RAID level 6 hardware support. When a RAID level 6 logical volume is exported from a first storage subsystem and imported into a second storage subsystem devoid of RAID level 6 hardware support, features and aspects hereof first migrate the logical volume for use as a logical volume with a different RAID level supported by the second storage subsystem. The migration may be, for example, to a RAID level 5 logical volume performed by movement of data blocks to form new stripes and re-generation of associated parity blocks or by simpler re-mapping of existing blocks of the RAID level 6 volume to use only blocks and parity needed for RAID level 5 management. Further features and aspects allow migration to any other RAID management level supported by the second storage subsystem.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to import and export of RAID logical volumes and in particular relates to importation of a RAID level 6 volume into a subsystem that does not support RAID level 6 and re-importation of such a volume back to a RAID level 6 subsystem.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Storage subsystems have evolved along with associated computing subsystems to improve performance, capacity, and reliability. Redundant arrays of independent disks (so called "RAID" subsystems) provide improved performance by utilizing striping features and provide enhanced reliability by adding redundancy information. Performance is enhanced by utilization of so called "striping" features in which one host request for reading or writing is distributed over multiple simultaneously active disk drives to thereby spread or distribute the elapsed time waiting for completion over multiple, simultaneously operable disk drives. Redundancy is accomplished in RAID subsystems by adding redundancy information such that the loss/failure of a single disk drive of the plurality of disk drives on which the host data and redundancy information are written will not cause loss of data. Despite the loss of a single disk drive, no data will be lost though in some instances the logical volume will operate in a degraded performance mode.
RAID storage management techniques are known to those skilled in the art by a RAID management level number. The various RAID management techniques are generally referred to as "RAID levels" and have historically been identified by a level number. RAID level 5, for example, utilizes exclusive-OR ("XOR") parity generation and checking for such redundancy information. Whenever data is to be written to the storage subsystem, the data is "striped" or distributed over a plurality of simultaneously operable disk drives. In addition, XOR parity data (redundancy information) is generated and recorded in conjunction with the host system supplied data. In like manner, as data is read from the disk drives, striped information may be read from multiple, simultaneously operable disk drives to thereby reduce the elapsed time overhead required completing a given read request. Still further, if a single drive of the multiple independent disk drives fails, the redundancy information is utilized to continue operation of the associated logical volume containing the failed disk drive. Read operations may be completed by using remaining operable disk drives of the logical volume and computing the exclusive-OR of all blocks of a stripe that remain available to thereby re-generate the missing or lost information from the inoperable disk drive. Such RAID level 5 storage management techniques for striping and XOR parity generation and checking are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
RAID level 6 builds upon the structure of RAID level 5 but adds a second block of redundancy information to each stripe. The additional redundancy information is based exclusively on the data block portions of a given stripe and does not include the parity block computed in accordance with typical RAID level 5 storage management. Thus, the additional redundancy block for each stripe produces redundancy information orthogonal to the parity data redundancy information used in RAID level 5. Typically, the additional redundancy block generated and checked in RAID level 6 storage management techniques is orthogonal to the parity generated and checked in accordance with RAID level 5 standards.
In modern storage subsystems, disk drives are often integrated within an enclosure or box with little to no processing capabilities associated therewith. Such a box is often referred to as "just a box of disks" or "JBOD". Whether configured as such a box or as individual disk drives devoid of such a common enclosure, it is common for large computing enterprises to move individual disk drives or multiple disk drives from one storage subsystem to another storage subsystem. Such movement may be for purposes of load balancing, security or other reasons unique to the computing enterprise. Such physical movement of disk drives or modules or boxes of disk drives is referred to herein as "drive migration" or "physical migration" and refers to the physical act of removing a disk drive or multiple disk drives from one storage subsystem and inserting them into another storage subsystem.
It is common in such storage subsystems to logically define one or more logical volumes such that each logical volume comprises some portion of the entire capacity of the storage subsystem. Each volume may be defined to span a portion of each of one or more disk drives in the storage subsystem. Multiple such logical volumes may be defined within the storage subsystem typically under the control of a storage subsystem controller. Therefore, for any group of disk drives comprising one or more disk drives, one or more logical volumes or portions thereof may physically reside on the particular subset of disk drives. It is common for a storage subsystem controller component (i.e., a RAID storage controller) to record configuration information about the known logical volumes on each disk drive in the storage subsystem. The configuration information ("configuration database") records maintain information regarding which disk drives are used to form a portion of each logical volume. The storage controller updates such configuration information from time to time (i.e., as the configuration is changed) and may associate a version number, time stamp, or other indicia to indicate the validity of the configuration database.
Typically, before a subset of disk drives is physically migrated from a first storage subsystem to a second storage subsystem, all logical volumes associated with the disk drive to be migrated are disabled or otherwise made inaccessible to users of the first storage subsystem from which the disk drive are to be migrated. When a second storage subsystem first senses a new disk drive being inserted into its control, the configuration information contained on the inserted disk drive is read by the second storage subsystem (i.e., the destination of the disk drive migration) and logical volumes defined in that configuration database are merged with the definitions of logical volumes already known to the receiving second storage subsystem. When all disk drives required for any particular logical volume newly defined to the receiving second storage subsystem are finally inserted, that logical volume may be made available to users of the second storage subsystem. Often an administrative user may be asked whether he/she desires the newly defined logical volume to be "imported" into the new receiving storage subsystem to thereby make it available for use in the receiving second storage subsystem.
A problem may arise where a RAID level 6 logical volume is exported from the first storage subsystem and imported to a second storage subsystem that does not adequately support RAID level 6 storage management techniques. Most present-day storage subsystems utilize hardware assist circuitry to maintain desired performance levels for any given RAID storage management level. In other words, a first storage subsystem may include hardware assist circuitry for improving the performance of both RAID levels 5 and 6 while the second storage subsystem (e.g., an older "legacy" subsystem) may include hardware support only capable of adequately performing RAID level 5 storage management techniques. In addition, older legacy systems may provide efficient RAID assist circuitry support only for other RAID levels such as level 1 (mirroring) or even level 0 (striping without redundancy information added).
To resolve the problem of a RAID level 6 logical volume being received for import within a storage subsystem supporting only RAID level 5 or other RAID levels, three generic options have generally been proposed in the past. First, though the logical volume is recognized by the receiving storage subsystem, the storage controller therein may disallow a user from importing the newly defined logical volume into its control. The newly defined logical volume will simply remain unavailable to the second, receiving storage subsystem. A second prior solution involves allowing the importation of the newly discovered RAID level 6 volume but indicating that the volume is incompatible with capabilities of the receiving, second storage subsystem. In these first two options, integrity of the information stored in the newly discovered logical volume is maintained in that no user may be allowed access to the RAID level 6 logical volume.
A third general approach known in the art is to permit importation of the newly defined logical volume and to emulate the RAID level 6 storage management techniques utilizing software features rather than hardware assist circuits that may have been available to the exporting first storage subsystem. In general, this third approach of emulating RAID level 6 management utilizing software techniques within the second subsystem's storage controller provides prohibitively poor performance.
The parent application teaches another approach wherein the mapping of blocks of the RAID level 6 volume may be re-mapped so as to essentially ignore the additional redundancy information blocks of RAID level 6 and use only the blocks pertinent to RAID level 5 management without requiring movement of any blocks. This approach reduces the time required to make the imported volume available on the storage system that imports the volume. However, operation of the volume re-mapped as a RAID level 5 volume may be suboptimal in that the blocks are not as easily located on the volume as compared to a standard mapping of a RAID level 5 volume.
It is evident from the above discussion that a need exists for improved methods and systems for improved importation and exportation between RAID level 6 and RAID level 5 storage subsystems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and structure for improved import/export of raid level 6 volumes


A novel class of NIMA interacting proteins (PIN), exemplified by Pin1, is provided. Pin1 induces a G2 arrest and delays NIMA-induced mitosis when overexpressed, and triggers mitotic arrest and DNA fragmentation when depleted. Methods of identifying other Pin proteins and Pin-interacting proteins and identifying compositions which affect Pin activity or expression are also provided.

The CDC2 kinase associated with its cyclin partners has been shown to play an important role during G2/M progression in eukaryotic cells. However, recent studies demonstrate that activation of the CDC2 kinase itself is not sufficient to trigger mitosis in some eukaryotic cells such as those in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Amon, et al., Nature, 355:368, 1992; Sorger and Murray, Nature, 355:365, 1992; Stueland et al., Mol. Cell. Bio., 13:3744, 1993) and Aspergillus nidulans (Osmani, et al., Cell, 67:283, 1991a). Furthermore, detailed analysis of mouse oocyte maturation reveals that CDC2 histone H1 kinase activity does not increase during the G2/M transition as indicated by germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) (Choi, et al., Development, 113:789, 1991; Jung, et al., Int. J. Dev. Biol., 37:595, 1993; Gavin, et al., J. Cell Sci., 107:275, 1994). These results suggest that there might be other mitotic activation pathway(s) remaining to be identified.
Recent studies have identified a novel mitotic kinase, NIMA, encoded by the Aspergillus nimA gene (Osmani, et al., Cell, 53:237, 1988). NIMA kinase activity is tightly regulated during the nuclear division cycle, peaking in late G2 and M. Overexpression of NIMA promotes entry of Aspergillus cells into M (Osmani, et al., Cell, 53:237, 1988; Lu and Means, EMBO J., 13:2103, 1994). Thus, NIMA is important for progression into mitosis in Aspergillus.
NIMA is a protein-Ser/Thr kinase, biochemically distinct from other protein kinases, and its phosphotransferase activity is regulated by Ser/Thr phosphorylation. It has recently been shown that the NIMA mitotic pathway is not restricted to Aspergillus, but also exists in vertebrate cells (Lu and Hunter, Cell, 81:413, 1995a). In Xenopus oocytes. NIMA induces germinal vesicle breakdown without activating Mos. CDC2 or MAP kinase. In HeLa cells, NIMA induces mitotic events without activating CDC2, whereas dominant-negative NIMA mutants cause a specific G2 arrest. In addition, O'Connell, et al (EMBO J., 13:4926, 1994) have also demonstrated that NIMA induce premature chromatin condensation in fission yeast and HeLa cells. These results reveal the existence of a NIMA-like mitotic pathway in other eukaryotic cells.
Peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases (PPIases, proline isomerases) are ubiquitously expressed enzymes catalyzing the cis/trans isomerization of the peptidyl-prolyl peptide bond which can be the rate-limiting step in protein folding or assembly under some circumstances. Cyclophilins and FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs) are two well characterized families of PPIases that share little if any amino acid similarity to each other. However, the members of each family contain a core structure that has been highly conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. The importance of these PPIases is highlighted by the findings that cyclophilin and FK506-binding proteins are the targets of immuno-suppressive drugs cyclosporin. A and FK506, respectively, and play an important role in cell signaling in T cell activation, although none of these genes have been shown to be essential for life (for review see Schreiber, Science, 251:283, 1991; Fruman, et al., FASEB J., 8:391, 1994).
The recent discovery of parvulin has led to the identification of a third family of PPIases, which show little homology with either cyclophilins or FKBPs and is not sensitive to the immunosuppressive drugs (Rahfeld, et al., FEBS Lett., 352:180, 1994a and FEBS Lett., 343:65, 1994b). A sequence homology search identified several other members of this family including those involved in protein maturation and/or transport and the ESS1 gene (Rudd, et al., TIBS, 20:12, 1995). ESS1 is an essential gene for the growth in budding yeast and previous results suggested that it may be required at later stages of the cell cycle (Hanes, et al., Yeast, 5:55, 1989). ESS1 was recently reisolated as PTF1 in a screen for genes involved in mRNA 5′ end maturation. Ptf1 was shown to contain a putative PPIase domain, but PPIase activity could not be demonstrated (Hani, et al., FEBS Lett., 365:198, 1995). So far, none of the PPIases have been shown to be specifically involved in cell cycle control.
There is a need to identify components of the mammalian NIMA mitotic pathway in order to identify genes essential for life. Identification of such genes has several utilities including the identification of appropriate therapeutic targets, candidate genes for gene therapy (e.g., gene replacement), mapping locations of disease-associated genes, and for the identification of diagnostic and prognostic indicator genes, for example.

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies


A mobile node (MN) comprising an antenna comprising a proximate end, a distal end, and a midpoint, a first feed coupled to the antenna between the proximate end and the midpoint, a second feed coupled to the antenna between the distal end and the midpoint, a first switch configured to toggle between coupling the first feed to a main feed and coupling the second feed to the main feed, and a controller configured to control the toggling of the first switch.

Mobile nodes (MNs) may wirelessly transmit signals to corresponding components via an antenna. Wireless signals may be transmitted in the form of radiant energy, such as radio frequency (RF) energy. Radiant energy transmitted by a MN may be absorbed by a user's body. The amount of radiation absorbed by a user's body when operating a MN is defined as the MN's/antenna's Specific Absorption Rate (SAR). High levels of SAR may be considered unsafe. MNs comprising antennas exhibiting a SAR above certain thresholds may not be sold to the general public.


A sensor roller and method for detecting the presence of a tray located thereon, where the tray is traveling along a conveyor system, includes a housing having an interior chamber and a plurality of apertures. The apertures are in one-to-one correspondence with actuators, where the actuators each have an exposed portion protruding through the apertures. The sensor roller further includes a piston slidable in the interior chamber of the housing and engaging the actuators. The piston slides between a non-actuated position to an actuated position in response to a tray travelling along the conveyor system depressing an actuator into the interior chamber of the housing. A sensor detects the presence of the piston in the actuated position and generates a detection signal in response thereto.

The movement of large numbers of objects, such as product units, trays or pallets, around a processing or manufacturing facility has long been executed by conveyor systems. Presently, most conveyor systems that move product units around a processing facility utilize fixed components having a particular configuration that is not easily changed. The problem of having fixed components within the conveyor system is that when manufacturing and processing requirements change the reconfiguration of the conveyor system is not easily achieved.
Presently, fixed components of the conveyor systems often include a combination of photocells and reflectors to determine the presence of objects on a particular section of the conveyor system. To relocate the photocells and reflectors upon reconfiguration of the conveyor system is a timely and costly operation.
Conventional conveyor systems in use today also utilize pivot plates that are located between rollers to indicate the presence of an object. Each pivot plate has one end which contacts a passing object and another end that activates a sensor. The pivot plates, being movable mechanical equipment, require considerable maintenance and set-up time to ensure proper functioning not to mention the time associated with relocating the pivot plates due to reconfiguration of the conveyor system.
Also, in the event the dimensions of an object vary then the spacing between rollers may change thereby requiring relocation of photocells or pivot plates.
Accordingly, there is a need for a sensor roller to minimize the use of photocells and pivot plates to indicate the presence of an object in a particular conveyor section. Also there is a need for a sensor roller that permits customized spacing between the rollers without relocating photocells or pivot plates. These and other needs are addressed by the sensor roller of the present invention.


An energy system is formed of a plurality of battery cells, and has an application associated therewith that draws power from the energy system, thereby creating a load profile that is presented to the energy system. As the application is being used, voltage and current measurements are taken at a predetermined rate, and stored in a history table to create a series of time-based measurements. The measurements stored in the history table are then processed to produce an energy spectra and a power spectra corresponding to the load profile presented to the energy system by the application. A charging strategy in accordance with this energy spectra and power spectra is then defined and used to charge the energy system appropriately.

It is known in many applications, including self-propelled vehicle applications as seen by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,208 entitled "STARTER/ALTERNATOR CONTROL STRATEGY TO ENHANCE DRIVEABILITY OF A LOW STORAGE REQUIREMENT HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE" issued to Hampo et al., to employ a dynamoelectric machine in a first mode as a motor in order to provide propulsion torque. In such applications, it is also known to reconfigure the dynamoelectric machine in a second mode as a generator, in order to capture and convert some of the potential or kinetic energy associated with the application into output electrical power, a process known as regeneration ("regenerative energy"). Moreover, in such applications, it is also known to provide an energy system, such as a battery, to power the dynamoelectric machine when operated as a motor, and to receive the regenerative energy when the dynamoelectric machine is operated as a generator. In the latter case, the regenerative energy is generally operative to increase the state of charge of the battery, until such battery is "fully" charged. Battery technologies typically used in such applications include nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lead acid (PbA) and nickel cadmium (NiCd) technologies, although energy systems employing lithium chemistry technologies, while not as prevalent as other battery technologies, are also used in practice.
One aspect of the above systems that involves tradeoffs or compromises pertains to optimizing the utilization of the energy system through charging regimens. Energy systems can be presented with at least two different types of load profiles by associated applications. One such type is "energy-based," which means that the load profile produced by the application is substantially constant. An example of this type of load profile would be an energy system associated with an automobile that is operated fairly constantly on an open highway where the operator is not accelerating or decelerating rapidly. This type of operation does not utilize a lot of power, rather it uses more energy. Another type of load profile is a "power-based" load profile, which means that the application with which the energy system is associated is presenting a more dynamic load profile to the energy system. An example of this type of load profile would be an energy system associated in an automobile where the operator is accelerating and decelerating quickly, requiring more power to be used. Presently, most optimization is done in the design phase of the energy system, as opposed to "real time" optimization done while the energy system is "live" in operation, by implementing fixed routines where "expected" customer load profiles are developed, and the energy system is designed around these expected cycles. With respect to energy systems comprised of lithium chemistry technologies, fixed energy-based balancing methods are utilized in an effort to maximize performance for energy-based applications and load profiles, however, no provisions are made to account for more power-based applications.
These existing methods, while adequate, do not allow for the most useful method of optimization. Existing methods, as set forth above, neither provide for "real time" adaptation of the charging regimen to the energy system while it is "live" in operation, nor take into account the varied applications that may be presented to an energy system. For example, while it would generally be desirable to charge the battery to its highest possible state of charge for more constant, energy-based applications presented to the energy system (which in turn would provide the greatest range or longest duration use for the application running off the battery), such an approach is generally not considered optimal for more dynamic, power-based applications. For smooth or constant, energy-based applications, the system operator will want the energy system to be charged to the highest possible state of charge in order to allow for the longest duration of use. However, for dynamic, power-based applications, where the application operator wants big surges of power as opposed to large amounts of energy for constant, smooth use, he may want to charge the energy system to a lower percentage state of charge (i.e., 50% state of charge), thereby optimizing the systems power level to allow for more power in and out of the system.
There is, therefore, a need for a process that allows the energy system to self-learn the type of application that it is being presented, and to then determine a charging strategy that will minimize or eliminate one or more of the above-identified problems.

Method of dynamically charging a battery using load profile parameters


When there is a temperature difference along the length of a cold cathode tube used as a light source for a display device, a cataphoresis phenomenon occurs due to movement of mercury enclosed contained within the tube, thereby shortening the tube life. In order to solve this problem, temperature sensors are provided to detect a temperature difference between both the ends of the tube. A duty cycle of a voltage waveform to be applied from a DC/AC inverter to the tube is changed so as to cancel movement of the mercury due to the temperature difference.

The present invention relates to power source apparatus that AC drive a cold cathode tube, and more particularly to a field of techniques for adjusting an alternate current drive waveform to be applied to a cold cathode tube for use in a display device.
In recent electronic apparatus, liquid crystal display devices excellent in miniaturization and space saving as display devices from which users acquire information are greatly used instead of the conventional Brown tubes.
FIG. 2 shows an example of one of the conventional liquid crystal display devices with a backlight that are used generally in information processing apparatus. The backlight 5 is a light source. A liquid crystal panel 6 adjusts the transitivity of each of the display pixels of the display device using a liquid crystal control circuit 7 and hence a quantity of light coming from the backlight 7, thereby displaying a picture. Some of the liquid crystal display devices put to practical use at present can differ in backlight position and/or drive system in which the display pixels of the liquid crystal panel are driven. With transmissive liquid crystal display devices, a similar structure is employed in which a picture is displayed using light emitted by the backlight.
Although EL elements and LEDs are used as the backlights, cold cathode tubes are generally diffused. Since the cold cathode tubes have high luminosity efficiency and can be produced at low cost, they are very excellent as light sources for transmissive liquid crystal display devices. FIG. 3 shows the internal structure of the cold cathode tube, which encloses mercury 10 and an inert gas such as neon or argon with the internal surface of the tube coated with a fluorescent paint. When an alternate current voltage of several hundred volts is applied across a pair of electrodes 8 each provided at a respective one of both ends of the tube, the mercury enclosed within the tube is excited, thereby emitting UV rays. When the UV rays are applied to the fluorescent paint 9 coated on the inner surface of the tube, the fluorescent paint becomes luminescent, thereby performing a role as a light source.
When this cathode tube is driven repeatedly, the internal mercury changes to amalgam or ineffective mercury, which is any longer excited and cannot contribute to luminescence. Thus, the life of the cathode tube is determined depending on the quantity of mercury enclosed within the tube, but the enclosed quantity of mercury is limited by the size of the tube. Further, the life of the cathode tube is influenced by a quantity of current driven into the tube and the environmental temperature of the tube. Thus, how to prolong the life of the tube has been hitherto studied.
The life modes of the cathode include the simple consumption of mercury as well as an uneven longitudinal distribution of mercury within the tube. FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a life mode in this case. Usually, mercury is uniformly distributed longitudinally within the tube such that the whole tube gets luminescent. When the tube is placed in a state called cataphoresis in which the mercury within the tube moves to one end side of the tube for some reason, the other end side of the tube where no mercury is present cannot become luminescent although the whole quantity of mercury within the tube is not consumed. Thus, the one end side of the display becomes extremely dark, as viewed from a user, and the display device cannot be used, which also is a kind of life mode.
For example, JPA-2005-025981 discloses a technique that proposes a technique for preventing uneven longitudinal luminosity in the cold cathode tube.

Display device having a variable AC source


A series of improved paint stripers and methods for their construction, the use of lightweight, inexpensive, readily available construction materials, and specialized nozzles and actuators.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to applying a liquid to a surface along a desired path.
2. Description of Prior Art
There is often a need to paint various types of surfaces such as parking lots, athletic fields and the like. Various methods have been employed to accomplish these tasks.
In the past, lime or chalk lines were used to mark the boundaries on athletic fields used for playing such sports as baseball, soccer, rugby or football. The use of such lining techniques has several disadvantages such as having to frequently re-lime or re-chalk the fields due to bad weather conditions or players erasing the marks by sliding and running over them. One remedy is to use paint instead of chalk to more effectively mark playing fields.
There are a number of field marking machines that now utilize paint. Examples are the Tru Mark Athletic Field Marker, Line King Athletic Field Marker, and Allstate Athletic's Supply's Jiffy Stripers. However, these machines have several disadvantages namely, their high prices (some models over $1000). Other disadvantages are that these field markers often are heavy, bulky, and difficult to store or transport.
Motorized paint stripers, like Neuling's U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,534, have other disadvantages. They require the use of fossil fuels, which are harmful to the environment. With other motorized ride-on stripers, the operator's view of the paint stripe is limited. Another disadvantage of the existing paint stripers are that they are made from specialized parts that require costly design and tooling and are not readily available.

Paint striper and methods of construction


A process for reaction and separation which comprises inputting a process material into at least one column of a plurality of columns wherein each column has at least one inlet for accepting flow from another column or group of columns, an external feed stream, an external eluent stream or a combination thereof, and each column has at least one outlet for connecting to another column, a group of columns, an external product stream or a combination thereof. Each column is independently operable in an up-flow or down-flow mode and connected independently to one of the group comprising another column, an external feed stream, an external eluent stream, an external product stream and combinations thereof.

Combining a process for conducting a continuous reaction with concurrent separation into a single process technique has received renewed attention in recent years. Various reaction/separation technologies are being investigated and have reached differing degrees of development or commercial viability. Fairly developed techniques include, for example, reactive distillation techniques and reactive chromatography. Other techniques, such as reactive membranes and reactive crystallization techniques, are also being developed. Some of these techniques have provided certain benefits such as reduced capital costs, higher productivity, higher product yields and improved selectivity when competing reactions are taking place. For instance, reactive distillation, where simultaneous reaction and distillation separation processes are carried out, has been implemented for the production of methyl acetate. This technique resulted in five times lower investment and five times lower energy use than the traditional two-step process where the reaction is carried out as a first step and the distillation separation is carried out as a separate second step. Despite these advantages, however, the reactive distillation technique has drawbacks, which include temperature sensitivity and azeotrope formation.
Reactive chromatography systems have also been used for conducting combined reaction and separation. Several different reactive chromatography systems have been investigated including a fixed bed with a pressure swing, cylindrical annular bed with a rotating feed input source, a countercurrent moving bed, and a simulated bed. The choice of a particular reaction/separation technology is made based on the specific requirements of specific applications. Each application will have a particular set of requirements in terms of product yield, purity, process productivity, material handling, etc. (See generally, Vaporciyan, G. G., Kadelec, R. H. AIChE J. 1987, 33 (8), 1334–1343; Fish, B. B.; Carr, R. W. Chem. Eng. Sci. 1989, 44, 1773–1783; and Carr, R. W., In Preparative and Production Scale Chromatography, Ganetsos, G., Barker, P. E., Eds.; Chromatographic Science Series Vol. 61; Marcel Dekker Inc.: New York, 1993; Chapter 18.) Traditionally, the preferred method for carrying out continuous reactive chromatography is the simulated moving bed reactor ("SMB") configuration.
Traditional SMB technology (as shown in FIG. 1) comprises a circulation flow path having multiple beds packed with solid separation/catalyst filler connected in series to allow a circulation liquid to be forcibly circulated through the beds in one direction. It also has a port for introducing desorbing liquid into the circulation flow path, an extract port for removing circulation liquid carrying the strongly adsorptive constituents (extracts) from the circulation flow path, a feedstock port for introducing feed stock, which contains the constituents to be separated or reacted and separated, into the circulation flow path, and a raffinate port for removing circulation liquid carrying the weakly adsorptive constituents (raffinate) from the circulation flow path.
As shown in the prior art in FIG. 1, the SMB process is illustrated showing a combined reaction and separation by the general reaction A→B+C. The process is illustrated using four "zones." Typically, although not always, there are two inlets and two outlets in the SMB system unit. The areas defined between them create the four zones. Component A is feed material 11, which is fed into the SMB system between Zone II and Zone III. Component A decomposes to form Component B and Component C. Component B, for example, is the more strongly adsorbed component and therefore moves with the solid in the direction of the extract outlet, which lies between Zone III and Zone IV. At the extract outlet, Component B is collected as extract product 17. Component C is the more weakly adsorbed component and moves with the liquid in the direction of the raffinate outlet, which lies between Zone I and Zone II. At the raffinate outlet, Component C is collected as the raffinate 19 product. The eluent 15 is introduced to the system between Zone I and Zone IV to remove the more strongly adsorbed Component B and to act as the liquid carrier for the system. A number of reactions have been reported:
The SMB process has been demonstrated to increase product yield from equilibrium-limited, liquid phase esterification reactions. Esterification of acetic acid with β-phenethyl alcohol is disclosed in M. Kawase, T. B. Suzuki, K. Inoue, K. Yoshimoto, K. Hashimoto, Chem. Eng. Sci., Vol 51, 2971–2976 (1996). Esterification of acetic acid with ethanol is disclosed in M. Mazzotti, A. Kruglov, B. Neri, D. Gelosa, M. Morbidelli, Chem. Eng. Sci., Vol 51, 1827–1836 (1996); and acetic acid esterification with methanol is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,405,992 and 5,618,972.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,248 shows that the equilibrium-limited, liquid phase ester hydrolysis reaction of methyl acetate can be significantly increased through the use of reactive SMB.
Ray A., Tonkovich, A. L., Aris, R., Carr, R. W., Chem. Eng. Sci., Vol. 45, No. 8, 2431–2437 (1990) demonstrates that the product yield from the gas phase equilibrium-limited reaction for hydrogenation of mesitylene can be significantly increased using reactive SMB.
A. V. Kruglov, M. C. Bjorklund, R. W. Carr, Chem. Eng. Sci., Vol 51, 2945–2950 (1996), demonstrates that reactive SMB can be used to increase the product yield with the gas phase reaction for oxidative coupling of methane.
The feasibility of the condensation of phenol with acetone to form bisphenol-A and water and the simultaneous separation of the products has been considered through a numerical simulation (Kawase, M.; Inoue, Y.; Araki, K.; Hashimoto, K. Catalyst Today 1999, 48, 199–209).
Despite these advantages, the traditional SMB techniques have certain drawbacks. The traditional SMB configuration has always been defined as a plurality of beds connected in series and employing a unidirectional fluid flow. The SMB flow pattern also leads to many drawbacks such as high pressure drop, limited flow rate range, difficulty removing strongly adsorbed species, lack of tolerance for solids in the streams and incapability of optimizing conditions for both separation and reaction separately. This limited configuration inherently prevents the system from handling many reaction/separation applications, such as those that require high mass flow, toxin removal, and individual optimization of reaction and separation conditions. With these applications, the traditional SMB reactor system becomes very complicated, very expensive, and sometimes impractical. Furthermore, none of the present technologies allows for a continuous reaction and separation process using contacting beds arranged in parallel, rather than series, having reverse flow capabilities, or combination unit capabilities. Accordingly, it is an object in one embodiment of the invention to provide a process for performing combined reaction and separation that further provides parallel fluid flow, reverse flow, or combination unit design, or a combination of any of these thereby eliminating many of the prior art limitations. It is a further object in an embodiment of the invention to provide a process for performing combined reaction/separation step in a single processing unit to greatly decrease processing cost while increasing throughput.

High performance continuous reaction/separation process using a continuous liquid-solid contactor


A method is provided for training a rake finger (200). In this method the rake finger receives a data signal including a plurality of signal components having a plurality of signal phase values, respectively. (620). The rake finger then sets a current acquisition phase for a locally-generated signal (620) and then calculates a value of an autocorrelation function for the received data signal with the locally-generated signal at the current acquisition phase. (630). The rake finger determines when the autocorrelation function is at a peak value (640), saving the peak value in a storage device (290) when the autocorrelation function is at the peak value (650). The rake finger can then set a finger weight (W) for the rake finger based on the peak value stored in the storage device. This method can be performed at least in part during an acquisition process for the rake finger.

In receiver architectures in which a transmitted signal can take multiple paths to arrive at the receiver, such as in a wireless environment, a process known as raking can be used to maximize the accuracy of processing of an incoming signal. In a raking process, multiple raking fingers within a single receiver process different incoming multipath signal copies. Each raking finger produces a signal estimate, which is then weighted according to its predicted accuracy. The weighted estimates from each of the raking fingers are then summed to generate a predicted value for the incoming signal.
When performing a raking process, it is necessary to determine the weights that should be used for the various raking fingers. In order to generate weighting values that accurately reflect the predicted accuracy of each raking finger, it is generally necessary to perform a training process during which a known signal pattern is transmitted. During this training process, the accuracy of each raking finger in detecting the known pattern can be evaluated, and so the weights of each finger can be properly assigned.
In one rake training method, each raking finger includes a code processor that provides an estimated value for the multipath signal incoming to that finger. The code processor does this by comparing wavelets in an incoming signal to locally-generated wavelets. However, in order for such a code processor to produce valid signal estimates, it is necessary for a local clock that generates the local wavelets to be properly synchronized in phase with the clock for the incoming multipath signal. As a result, it is necessary to wait until an acquisition process has been completed before rake training can be performed.
Prior to the completion of the acquisition process, the phase of the local clock is not properly matched to the transmitter clock that created the incoming signal, and may even be constantly altered to allow the acquisition process to identify the phase of the transmitter clock.
It would therefore be desirable to allow for a rake training method that could be performed during an acquisition process. In this way, the weights of the raking fingers could be determined during acquisition, a time period where no data processing could be done regardless. Thus, no time after acquisition would be required for rake training, and the entire data receiving process could be performed more quickly.

Circuit and method for rake training during acquisition


An entry control system includes a portable device carried by a vehicle user and a biometric sensor attached to a vehicle door. The biometric sensor includes a CCD camera and a shutter. The shutter is moved to uncover the CCD camera only when the portable device is validated. After the biometric sensor detects the biometric information based on a finger print image of the user, the shutter is moved again to cover the CCD camera. Each time the shutter moves, a brush cleans the CCD camera. The vehicle door is enabled to be opened only when the user is validated based on the biometric information.

Various remote control systems are now in use. In one system such as a smart entry system, a portable device (electronic key) carried by a vehicle user transmits a response signal in return to an interrogatory signal periodically transmitted from a vehicle. This response signal includes identification information therein. If the portable device is validated based on the identification information, vehicle doors are unlocked and a vehicle engine starting is enabled. This system is, however, disadvantageous in that the doors may be unlocked and the engine may be started even if the portable device is used by an unauthorized vehicle user.
JP 2000-352245A proposes another system, which validates a vehicle user based on biometric information such as a finger print, a voice print or a face picture of the vehicle user in addition to identification information of a portable device. This system thus restricts vehicle door unlocking and engine starting by an unauthorized user.
In this system using biometric information, a CCD sensor may be used to optically detect the finger print, the face picture or the like. It is necessary to expose a light inlet opening of the CCD sensor. The surface of a glass in the light inlet opening is subjected to dust or the like. The surface of the glass will be stained or blurred, particularly when the finger or a part of a user body is required to touch the glass for biometric detection. This causes poor detection of the biometric information of the user.

Control system and method using biometric information


To provide a film forming method, a film forming apparatus and a manufacturing method of ultrafine particle films, implementing an efficient and proper film thickness control. The manufacturing method of ultrafine particle films includes the steps of: guiding metal ultrafine particles generated in an ultrafine particle generation chamber together with a carrier gas through a conveying pipe to the film forming chamber; and forming a film on a substrate installed over a stage in the film forming chamber through a nozzle, and the evaporated amount of said evaporation material or the thickness of a formed film is controlled by using either the intensity of the emission spectrum intrinsic to an evaporation material or that of the emission spectrum intrinsic to the carrier gas, or else by using both of these.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates especially to a method and apparatus for forming a film by using gas deposition process.
2. Related Background Art
Here, first, the gas deposition process will be described in brief. FIG. 3 shows an outline configuration of a film forming apparatus using the gas deposition process. In FIG. 3, this gas deposition process employs an apparatus comprising an ultrafine particle (grain) producing chamber 1, a film forming chamber 2, a conveying pipe 3 or the like. With the ultrafine particle producing chamber 1, a material 8 is heated by using an arc (arc electrode 5), resistor heating, high frequency wave induction heating, laser radiation or the like in the atmosphere of an inert gas.
And, metal ultrafine particles produced by melting, evaporation (gasification) and collision with the inert gas are guided through the conveying pipe (conveying system) 3 to the film forming chamber 2 by means of the pressure difference between the ultrafine particle producing chamber 1 and the film forming chamber 2. And, by high-speed jet from a nozzle 4 connected to the end of the conveying pipe 3, a pattern is depicted directly on a substrate 10 over a stage 9. Incidentally, in FIG. 3, Reference Numerals 6 and 7 denote a pump and a helium gas, respectively.
This type of dry film forming process is known in Japanese Patent No. 2524622, 1595398, 2632409 or 2596434.
Besides, ultrafine particles (grains) are defined to be particulate invisible to an optical microscope, i.e. grains of 1 xcexcm grain size or smaller (Vacuum Handbook, p.289 (Nippon Shinku, Ltd.)). In such a gas deposition process, a film thickness control method is generally to stabilize the material evaporated amount, i.e. ultrafine particle (grain) produced amount and to regulate the travelling speed of the stage holding a substrate. To keep this material evaporated (produced) amount constant, the high-frequency wave induction heating process generally monitors the crucible temperature from the window of the ultrafine particle producing chamber by using a pyrometer or the like and control the electric source power so as to always keep it constant.
Especially in case of heating a material by the arc heating, however, monitoring the temperature of a material by using a pyrometer or the like is extremely sensitive to the place of the material and convection occurs in the melting portion. Under such circumstances, it is extremely difficult to control the arcing power.
Besides, for the arc heating, a constant evaporated amount is theoretically obtained if the value of current, the value of voltage or a material-arc electrode distance can be kept constant. Actually, however, it is substantially impossible to keep these constant continuously because an electrodes tip is deformed on account of melting or the like of an arc electrode. In this point of view, especially as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 12-17427, it is intended to keep the arc voltage constant and to stably form ultrafine particles. In the case of arc discharge, however, the gap between the electrode and the material widens with the lapse of time on account of melting of an arc electrode and the voltage does not fail to rise as mentioned above.
Such being the case, even if an attempt is made to contract this widened gap and to keep the voltage constant, the initial gap and voltage are not recovered because the electrode surface is deformed rounder. If the gap is forcibly contracted to recover the initial voltage, both of them come into contact with each other and the discharge never fails to end. Besides, if a current is raised so as to keep the voltage constant, the evaporated amount never fails to increase than initial. In such a manner, it is difficult with the arc heating to keep the evaporated amount constant or to control the one.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a film forming method, a film forming apparatus and a manufacturing method of ultrafine particle films as implementing an effective and proper film thickness control.
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of ultrafine particle films using the gas deposition process including: guiding metal ultrafine particles produced in an ultrafine particle producing chamber together with a carrier gas through a conveying pipe to the film forming chamber; and forming a film on a substrate installed over a stage in the film forming chamber through a nozzle; characterized by using either the intensity of the emission spectrum intrinsic to an evaporation material or that of the emission spectrum intrinsic to the carrier gas or else by using both of these to control the evaporated amount of the above evaporation material and the thickness of a formed film.
Besides, the present invention relates to a film forming method including the steps of: evaporating a source material; bringing a gas different from the above source material into contact with the above evaporated source material to granulate the above evaporated source material; and conveying the grains together with the above gas and colliding them onto a substrate to form a film on the substrate, characterized by controlling the evaporated amount of the above evaporation material and the thickness of a film formed on the above substrate on the basis of the emission spectrum intensity intrinsic to an evaporation material produced in gasifying the above source gas and/or and the one intrinsic to the above carrier gas.
Besides, the present invention relates to a film forming apparatus including: means for gasifying a source material; means for ejecting a gas different from the above source material so as to coming into contact with the above evaporated source material to granulate the above evaporated source material; means for conveying the grains together with the above gas to collide them onto a substrate; and means for controlling the position of the above substrate, characterized by the provision of spectrum detection means for detecting the emission spectra of the above gasified source material and condition control means for controlling the conditions for gasifying the above source material to form the above grains on the basis of the detected value of the above spectrum detection means.


In order to replace compositions based on CFC or on HCFC in applications for cleaning or drying solid surfaces (in particular defluxing), the invention proposes azeotropic or virtually azeotropic compositions based on 1,1,1,2,3,4,4,5,5,5-decafluoropentane, methylene chloride and optionally methanol.

1,1,2-Trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane (known in the trade under the name F113) has been widely used in industry to clean and degrease very varied solid surfaces made of metal, glass, plastic, composites) Besides its application in electronics in the cleaning of soldering fluxes in order to remove the stripping flux which adheres to printed circuits, mention may be made of its applications in the degreasing of heavy metal articles and in the cleaning of high-quality and high-precision mechanical components such as, for example, gyroscopes and military, aerospace or medical equipment. In its various applications, F113 is usually combined with other organic solvents (for example methanol), preferably in the form of azeotropic or virtually azeotropic mixtures which do not demix and which, when used at reflux, have substantially the same composition in the vapour phase as in the liquid phase.
F113 is also used in operations to dry or dewet surfaces by means of hydrophobic surfactants.
However, the use of compositions based on F113 is now banned since F113 is among the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are suspected of attacking or degrading stratospheric ozone.
In these various applications, F113 may be replaced by 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (known under the name F141b), but the use of this substitute is already regulated since, although low, its destructive effect on ozone is not non-existent.

Cleaning or drying compositions based on 1,1,1,2,3,4,4,5,5,5-decafluoropentane


A method and apparatus for negotiating a shared secret among members of a multicast group are disclosed. A tree that represents the group is created and stored in a memory. Each node of the tree is associated with a group member. The shared secret is generated by traversing the tree in post-order, and at each node of the tree, recursively generating a partial key value for use in the shared secret and a base value for use in subsequent recursive partial key value generation. At each node, a partial key value is computed by accumulating the exponent portion of the Diffie-Hellman key equation and computing a new base value for use in subsequent computations. If a particular node has a left or right child sub-tree, each sub-tree is also recursively traversed in post-order fashion. When traversal of the entire tree is complete, all nodes have the shared secret key.

There are many known ways to protect data communications between two parties. For example, the Secure Internet Protocol (IPSec) standards may be used, as defined in the Internet Drafts that are available at the "html.charters/ipsec-charter.html" document of the Internet Engineering Task Force Web site at "ietf" dot "org". IPSec implementation is generally described in the latest version of the "Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol" Internet Draft (draft-ietf-arch-sec-xx.txt). An earlier version of IPSec is described in RFCs 1825 through 1829.
Numerous firewall products, such as Cisco IOS and Cisco PIX Firewall, support the IPSec standards. However, protection of communication among multiple parties is a more difficult problem and there are fewer established solutions.
Achieving secure multi-party communication has become more important as more multimedia information has begun to move across public data networks. Video and audio traffic consumes far more resources, such as bandwidth, buffer space, and processing power, than conventional data traffic. To avoid congestion at traffic routing points and reduce processing load at data sources, multicasting is often used to efficiently deliver traffic to a group of nodes. Secure communication is a requirement for network services that use multicasting, such as confidential tele-conferencing, broadcasting customer information, and distribution of video to subscribers.
In one security approach, each data packet in a multicast session is encrypted at the data source with a security key that is shared by all group members. For the purpose of efficiency, members who are participating in a multicast group are required to use the same session key to decrypt data packets that carry the multicast information. This approach is used because it requires each data packet to be encrypted only once. The encrypted packet is then delivered to each group member, which uses the same key to decrypt the packet.
During the course of the multicast, group members may join or depart, resulting in re-formation of the group. To ensure that departed group members cannot continue to obtain multicast information, and to ensure that joining group members can, establishment of a new shared session key for use by the re-formed group is required. Thus, an important technical problem involves how to establish and re-establish a shared session key for communication among all participants.
Among two parties, "pairwise" session keys can be negotiated either through a trusted agent or directly between the two participants. When negotiation occurs through a trusted agent, a public key exchange can be used, such as Diffie-Hellman key exchange. Each participant establishes a secure channel with the trusted agent and negotiates or retrieves the pairwise session key over the secure channel. When negotiation occurs directly between two participants, several approaches may be used. A public key exchange may be used; alternatively, a pre-determined secret "mega" key is shared by the parties and used in periodic re-negotiation of pairwise session keys.
These approaches can be applied to multi-party key negotiation. In one application, each of the members of a multicast group establishes a different pairwise key with a group controller. As a result, each group member sets up a different secure communication channel with the group controller. Thereafter, group members can negotiate and re-negotiate new session keys with the group controller using their respective secure communication channels.
For example, pairwise keys are negotiated between a session controller node and all participants in H. Harney et al., "Group Key Management Protocol Architecture, RFC 2094, September 1994, and H. Harney et al., "Group Key Management Specification," RFC 2093, September 1994. In D. Wallner et al., "Key Management for Multicast: Issues and Architectures, RFC 2627, June 1999, additional keys are used to form a logical hierarchy of secure communication, where the session controller can use a single key to talk to a sub-group of participants. In H. Harney et al., "Group Secure Association Key Management Protcool," Internet-Draft "draft-harney-sparta-gsakmp-sec-02.txt," June 2000, the underlying Security Associations (SA's) between the group controller and the members are assumed to exist. The SA's are established by protocols such as ISAKMP, IPSec, etc., and use pairwise shared keys.
Further, in T. Hardjono et al., "Intra-Domain Group Key Management Protocol," Internet-Draft "draft-ietf-ipsec-intragkm-02.txt," February 2000, the group key is delivered using a two-level hierarchy. Each participant is assumed to have established an SA and a shared key with an Area Key Distributor (AKD) of the area in which the participant resides, and each AKD is assumed to have established an SA and a shared key with the Domain Key Distributor (DKD), which is the root of the hierarchy. The approach in S. Setia et al., "Kronos: A Scalable Group Re-Keying Approach for Secure Multicast," Proc. Of 2000 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, 2000, has similar requirements. In H. Harney et al., "Group Key Management Protocol (GKMP) Architecture," RFC 2094, July 1997, secure pairwise communication is assumed for the distribution of a group key.
Thus, while many approaches for two-party key negotiation have been extended for use in multi-party key negotiation, they all require generating pairwise keys to establish a secure communication channel for key negotiation traffic. There is a need for a way to negotiate and re-negotiate session keys among multiple parties using an insecure channel. An example of an insecure channel is a public network or group of internetworks, such as the global packet-switched internetworks known as the Internet.
Diffie-Hellman key exchange is widely used to negotiate keys among two parties over an insecure channel, as described in W. Diffie et al., "New Directions in Cryptography," IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, pp. 644–654, November 1976. However, Diffie-Hellman key exchange is difficult to implement in a distributed environment that includes a large group of participants. It requires a node to send a control message to traverse all participants in older to accumulate local random numbers in the exponent of its calculation. When the control message arrives back, the node can compute the shared key. If all nodes follow the same approach, all will have the same key, and the control messages can be sent in the clear.
Unfortunately, the processing overhead involved in this approach, based on the number of messages that must be dispatched to arrive at a shared key, is very high. One known implementation has a complexity of O(|M|2) with respect to computation or communication, where |M| is the size of the communication group M; this is far higher than the complexity O(|M|) of the established protocols described above.
Based on the foregoing, there is a clear need to negotiate and re-negotiate session keys over a non-secure channel among a large number of multicast group participants in a way that is computationally efficient.

Method and apparatus for negotiating Diffie-Hellman keys among multiple parties using a distributed recursion approach


A multifunction test instrument probe includes a housing having a hollow bore with an open end. A clamp plunger is carried in the hollow bore, with a first end including a thumb press, and a second end including an alligator clamp having a pair of jaws, with a compression spring normally biasing the thumb press away from the housing, and normally biasing the alligator clamp substantially within the hollow bore proximate the open end. A point plunger is also carried in the bore, with a first end including a thumb press, and a second end terminating in a point, with a second compression spring normally biasing the thumb press away from the housing, and biasing the point within the hollow bore proximate the open end. When the clamp plunger is depressed, the alligator clamp is extended from the open end and the jaws are urged open by a jaw spring, and when the clamp plunger is released, the compression spring acts to retract the alligator clamp back towards the hollow bore and the jaws are urged closed by contact with the open end. When the point plunger is depressed, the point is extended from the open end. When the clamp plunger is again depressed, the point retracts into the housing.

Test instruments such as AC Voltmeters, DC Voltmeters, Ammeters and Ohmeters are all used for measuring the numerical value of their respective functions. All of these measurements and many more are available within one instrument known as a Multimeter or VOM (Volt-Ohmeter). The multimeter can be manually switched between the various functions, usually with a rotary selector knob or push-button switch and displays the numeric value of the function with an analog or digital read-out, and is used in all major sectors of machinery and electronics testing encompassing transportation, communications, computer, control, instrumentation, and components in various electrical circuits and devices. A multimeter also has two receptacles, one labeled (+) and the other labeled (−) into which are plugged two test leads, each lead connecting onto a hand-held probe, to be described below, which is the means of making electrical contact to specific locations on the Device Under Test (DUT). These probes are designed for convenience and safety to insulate and separate the user's fingers away from any electrical contact from the DUT and the multimeter. The probes are in the form of two insulating plastic stems, one held in each hand, each typically about 5-6 inches long and ½ to ¾ of an inch in diameter terminated with either a point-type or clamp-type tip and with a receptacle on each stem to accommodate the plug of a test-wire lead. The two test leads are each a very flexible insulated wire typically about 5 feet long. Most often one lead as well as one probe is colored red to denote positive, and the other lead and probe colored black to denote negative or ground, although other colors may be used. There is a plug on each end of the test lead, one plug plugging-into the receptacle on the stem, the other plug plugging-into a corresponding receptacle on the multimeter.
At the contact end of the probe stem that interfaces with the circuitry of the DUT, different probe tips are required for different test applications. For instance, it is sometimes convenient to have one of the probes tipped (terminated) with an 'alligator-clamp', sometimes called 'clip', used to clamp the probe to a wire, terminal, or chassis on the DUT (such as a negative, common, or ground) while the second probe tip is a pointed metal rod, called a point or 'pin', used to make point contact with locations on the DUT such as the pin-outs of IC chips and on component leads and connections, which require a pointed tip. The alligator clamp of one probe (usually the (−) for DC and 'ground' for AC tests) is often clamped in place and that hand can then be removed. Other tests may require both probe tips to be points, or both to be clamps. To meet changing requirements of the test, it is often necessary to change-out one or both of the probes by un-plugging one probe and plugging-in another probe (or probe tips if these are replaceable). The changing to a different tip from that already on the probe, which in practice is often unavailable due to being lost or misplaced, requires two hands, consumes time, and can result in accidents. For example, to avoid the inconvenience of retrieving and installing the appropriate probe or tip, the operator may continue to work with the existing configuration, risking equipment damage or even personal injury.
Consequently, there is a need for electrical test probes where different connector tips (e.g., clamps or points) can be easily deployed with a minimum of experience or practice, without physically replacing the probe or installing a different tip, and using only a thumb movement of the same hand holding the probe without having to subvert the continuity of the test procedure by diverting the eyes away from the DUT to do this.
Some prior patents provide background to the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,522,810 to Bailey discloses an insulated electrical connector comprising a pair of insulated, spring loaded pivoted jaws.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,918,646 describes a convertible test probe adapted for effecting electrical test contact either by clipping, probing, or sliding contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,462 to Teyler teaches an electrical test probe having a spring biased clip with an extendable and retractable tip movable within the clip. The normally retracted tip is extendible intermediate spring biased jaws of the electrical probe and is retained in the extended position by a spring bias and the gripping action of the jaws. The housing for the probe includes a compartment for containing interchangeable active or passive circuitry operative upon the signal sensed by the probe or a signal injected thereto from the probe. Apparatus for checking the electrical continuity through the probe is also disposed within the housing. A socket which provides both electrical and structural interconnection between the probe and an attached electrical conductor(s) is disposed at the rear of the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,902,848 to Eccleston, et al. discloses a reversible test probe and test probe tip. In one embodiment, a test probe tip is reversible relative to a test probe body. The reversible probe has a first probe tip at a first end and a second probe tip at a second end. The test probe body has an opening operable to receive the first probe tip and the second probe tip. When the first probe tip is positioned in the opening, the first probe tip is electrically coupled to a metal device in the test probe body. When the second probe tip is positioned in the opening, the second probe tip is electrically coupled to a metal device in the test probe body. In another embodiment, a test probe having two test probe tips is reversible relative to a test lead.
The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.


A 3-dimensional decorative panel is disclosed to easily embody a wanted 3-dimensional shape by using Styrofoam having good heat insulation and workability. The panel includes a drain groove (22) formed on a side of the Styrofoam (20) for draining a rainwater, and a metal plate (10) coupled to a rear surface of the Styrofoam (20), the metal plate having a plurality of bent portions (11), and a reinforcing core (12) being attached to the metal plate 10. A polygarde (30), silicon (31), a polygarde (30), a primer (32), and a colored layer (33) are sequentially layered on a surface of the Styrofoam (20) in order to enhance a durability of the Styrofoam (20).

Styrofoam has advantages of good heat insulation and easy transportation due to its light weight, but also has disadvantages of weak durability.
The weak durability means that Styrofoam can be easily processed. Also, since Styrofoam can be easily moved due to the light weight, the embossment of 3-dimensional shape such as protruding column, character, intaglio, and relieve can be easily carried out. Therefore, it is preferable that Styrofoam is processed as a 3-dimensional panel.
In order to use the embossed Styrofoam as a decorative panel, the durability should be reinforced. The durability may be obtained by attaching a metal plate having a reinforcing core onto a rear side of Styrofoam or by applying polygarde or silicon onto a surface of Styrofoam.
The 3-dimensional decorative finishing is generally achieved by using wood or attaching field stones or artificial stones onto a wall. However, there are drawbacks of increased material costs and hard machining of the material.


Provided is a method of processing information on a tuple comprising latitude, longitude, and a timestamp collected from a position information collection device. The method includes changing a significant level value for calculating the statistical value of the speeds of past tuples in order to determine whether the current tuple has an error.

The present disclosure relates to a method of determining whether there is an error in positional data collected by a user device, and a technology to correct the value of a position where there is an error.
People are apt to avoid selecting, as a destination, a place where they rarely visit. Regarding this matter, there are various research results for predicting a destination that people visit. In order to predict the movement of people, accurate positional data on them should be obtained. To this end, it is possible to use a well-known positional data system such as a GPS, a GLONASS or Galileo. Alternatively, it is possible to use wireless communication network positioning using a WiFi position approach as a mobile communication base station or a crowd source. Such methods may be implemented in a mobile user device. However, there may be an error in raw position data that is actually measured. There are many errors in position data in position data measured by a mobile user device that a specific manufacture manufactures. There is a need for filtering glaring errors and correcting a position determined as an error.

Method of correcting global position error


A process and materials method for making a glucose tetraester may include reacting glucose with a carboxylic acid to create a glucose pentaester. The glucose pentaester was reacted with a basic reagent to create a glucose tetraester. Glucose was reacted with a carboxylic acid anhydride in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine to create a glucose pentaester product. The glucose pentaester reaction product was separated. The glucose pentaester reaction product was reacted with a basic reagent, wherein the reaction steps may take place at a temperature of about 0° C. to about 60° C. and about ambient pressure, wherein the ratio of the carboxylic acid to the glucose was from about 5:1 to about 50:1, and wherein the ratio of the glucose pentaester to the basic reagent was from about 1:50 to about 1:150.

Typically, some processes may attempt to manufacture tobacco material that enriches sugar esters (or other compounds), which is focusing on raising the concentration of such compounds during the drying of the tobacco leaf. Generally, some sugar ester synthesis processes may require enzyme catalysis. Such enzyme catalysis processes may be sensitive to environmental parameters. Without careful control of reaction conditions, the enzyme may be impacted and lose its activity. Such reactions typically have lower than, e.g., 80% purity.

Processes and materials for the synthesis of sugar esters found in natural tobacco


A method for manufacturing high-purity alumina material is disclosed, which includes the steps of: reacting aluminum metal with a mixture of organic base and water to form aluminum hydroxide suspension; removing water by filtration to form aluminum hydroxide slurry, and drying/baking the slurry to form aluminum oxide powders. The method is amenable to mass production of high-purity aluminum oxide containing total silica and non-aluminum metal impurities less than 0.005% and having a bulk density higher than 3.0 g/cc. In addition, the invention also provides high-purity aluminum oxide prepared by using the method disclosed and bulk products prepared therefrom.

Most of LED substrates are now made from sapphire single crystal boules through cutting, grinding, oriental sectioning and polishing single crystal sapphire boules. Recently, sapphire single crystal has also found wide applications in smart phones, tablet computers, and other consumer electronic devices. High purity aluminum oxide is the most important precursor for sapphire singe crystal growth.
The sapphire single crystal is produced from aluminum oxide melts at high temperature. Popular methods for sapphire growth include Czochralski method, Edge-defined Film-fed Growth, Vertical Gradient Freeze method, Kyropoulos method, and the like.
Defects inside a sapphire crystal often include dislocations, bubbles, inclusions and cracks. These defects can cause absorption, scattering, reflection or diffraction of photons, phonons or other electromagnetic energy, and can therefore reduce the overall quality of sapphire substrates. Consequently, these defects can significantly impact the performance of LEDs made from the substrates with these types of defects. Furthermore, these defects can also result in discoloring of the sapphire crystal. The formation of defects in the sapphire crystal growth is believed to be due to high level of impurities, especially high metal contents in the aluminum oxide raw material. Therefore, it is often recommended to control overall metal contents, as well as silicon impurity, within less than 0.005% in the aluminum oxide raw material for high quality sapphire crystal manufacturing.
In addition, if the aluminum oxide powder is used as a raw material for sapphire crystal growth, the issues also include dusting during packing process and low batch quantity of the raw material. Because the sapphire growth is a batch process, low packing quantity can reduce the manufacturing efficiency, and therefore impact the overall sapphire growth capability and cost control. For the aluminum oxide raw material currently used in the sapphire growth process, overcoming the two major issues, i.e., high metal and silicon contents and low packing quantity, is highly desirable.

Methods and processes of preparing aluminum oxide


An electronic linear tape measure using a low power induced current position transducer. The tape measure includes an enclosure case with a lateral slot through which the tape blade can be pulled. The tape blade is wound inside the enclosure case on a tape reel which is mounted on an axis support that has a spring loaded rewind mechanism. Also included are a tape lock, a keypad for various functions, and a conventional LCD display for displaying measured lengths. The signal processing and display electronics of the electronic tape measure are connected to the active portion of the transducer. The display provides an indication of the relative position between the elements of the transducer that coincides with the length of tape that has been pulled from the enclosure case. The relatively insensitive nature of the low power induced current position transducer to contaminants, tape damage and mechanical shock allows construction of an electronic tape measure with the preferred, historically proven, form that functions with greatly improved reliability when operating in a traditional environment. Additionally, the low power consumption of the induced current position transducer significantly increases the practicality of an electronic tape measure.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic linear tape measures or rules. More particularly, this invention relates to a low cost and contamination resistant electronic tape measure which digitally displays a length measured by its tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic tape measures have been known and available for a number of years. In many such devices, the length measured is determined by mechanically or optically tracking the length of a tape unwound from a rotating take-up reel located within a case of the tape measure. In tape measures using incremental systems, electrical pulses are generated as the tape is unwound from the take-up reel. The counted number of pulses correspond to the length of tape unwound from the take-up reel. The pulses are counted and the measured length is displayed on the display.
The counting function may be implemented by an encoder. Such an encoder may be provided on the take-up reel, for example, by mechanical contacts defining multiple rotary switches coupled to the motion of the take-up reel.
These known measuring devices, although capable of providing measurement readings at reasonably precise intervals, require close tolerances and relatively expensive parts to accurately convert the linear motion of the tape to a corresponding rotation of the rotary transducers. Furthermore, these known measuring devices tend to be unreliable and inaccurate when subjected to a mechanical shock. In these known measuring devices, mechanical shock can result in missed or spurious pulses. In a purely incremental system, missed or spurious pulses cannot be corrected.
Using the tape blade to encode absolute displacement data and to employ various optical readers to read the encoded data on the tape blade is also known. However, using photosensors to read absolute displacement data printed on a tape also involves problems, such as providing sufficient light, the high power consumption of the optical readers, mechanical damage to the displacement data on the tape surface, and/or contamination by dirt, grease and the like. Mechanical damage and contamination occur frequently under normal use. Such damage and contamination render these optically encoded devices highly unreliable for the most common uses of these tape measures.
In addition, some of the known electronic measuring devices that employ optical techniques have absolute displacement data imprinted on the tape surface. The absolute displacement data is provided by reflective and non-reflective bar-code elements. These previously known devices use multiple component optical technology and high resolution optical elements for reading the coded tapes. These optical elements require the coded tape to be precisely printed and are complicated to assembly. As a result, these measurement devices are expensive and difficult to manufacture.
Another approach, which combines certain methods of incremental and absolute optical encoding, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,526 to Crane. Crane uses an optical encoder that provides absolute position readings in combination with an incremental encoder. The incremental encoder provides updated measurements between the absolute position measurements. This absolute encoder corrects for missed or spurious pulses generated by the incremental encoder at certain intervals. The incremental encoder outputs position information frequently enough for the desired resolution of a conventional tape measure. Crane also teaches conserving power by performing the spaced absolute encoder readings using the high-power optical sensor only when a designated pulse is received from the incremental encoder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,250 to Shen-Orr et al. discloses a contactless position sensor with a coreless coil coupling component. The inductive position transducer assembly includes a magnetic field generator and sensor which create and receive a magnetic field coupled to a loop. The displacement of the coupling coil varies the degree of coupling between the transmitter and the receiver such that the magnitude of the induced electrical current indicates the location of the loop relative to the read head.
However, systems such as those described by Crane and Shen-Orr are also subject to mechanical damage and contamination that prevent accurate absolute measurement optical readings. Also, such systems are not truly absolute, since they rely on spaced absolute measurement readings. That is, these systems require a tape displacement sufficient to scan the absolute symbols. Additionally, the high-power optical sensor is a significant power drain on a conventional power source for a hand-held tape measure, even when such sensors are only intermittently used.
An electronic tape measure is needed that: 1) is insensitive to contaminants such as oil and ferromagnetic particles; 2) consumes low amounts of power; 3) is accurate; and 4) is inexpensive to manufacture. An electronic tape measure providing at least these four benefits has until now been unavailable.

Electronic linear tape measure using a low power induced current position transducer


In this manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, a metal plate having a plurality of projection electrodes in each of a plurality of semiconductor device formation areas is prepared. Next, the projection electrodes of each of the semiconductor formation areas are aligned corresponding to external connection electrodes of each semiconductor construction, and each semiconductor construction is separately arranged on the projection electrodes in the semiconductor device formation areas. Next, an insulating layer formation sheet is arranged on the metal plate, and the metal plate and the insulating layer formation sheet are joined by heat pressing. Then, the metal plate is patterned and a plurality of upper layer wirings that connect to the projection electrodes is formed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming wiring on a plurality of semiconductor devices from a single metal plate, and a semiconductor construction assembly formed by the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional semiconductor device is known in which a semiconductor construction is embedded on one surface of a semiconductor substrate, and columnar external connection electrodes are arrayed on the semiconductor construction in matrix form. Generally, a planar area of the semiconductor substrate is small, and thus the number of external connection electrodes that can be arrayed within the area is limited.
For this reason, an insulating film is formed on the periphery of the side surfaces of the semiconductor construction, an upper-layer insulating film is provided on top of the insulating film and the semiconductor construction, and an upper-layer wiring having an external connection pad section is formed on top of the upper-layer insulating film. In this instance, the upper-layer wiring is connected to the external connection electrodes of the semiconductor construction via a contact hole formed in the upper-layer insulating film. When a configuration such as this is applied, an integrated circuit of a larger scale having a large number of external connection electrodes can be miniaturized because the upper-layer insulating film has a greater planar area than the semiconductor construction.
A method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2007-134738 is known as a manufacturing method of a semiconductor such as described above. In this prior patent document, as shown in FIG. 11 to FIG. 13, a method is described in which a contact hole is formed in the upper-layer insulating film by laser beam irradiation, and after a base metal layer is formed on the overall surface of the upper-layer insulating film including the top surfaces of the columnar external connection electrodes exposed via the contact hole, an upper-layer metal layer is formed by electroplating, and then patterning is performed by a photolithography method to form the upper-layer wiring.
As another method, a method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2004-349361 is known. In the method described in this prior patent document, manufacturability is further improved. As shown in FIG. 13 to FIG. 15, conical projection electrodes are formed in advance on a metal plate in positions corresponding to connection electrodes, and after the metal plate is heat pressed from above an upper-layer insulating film, and each projection electrode is wedged into the upper-layer insulating film, the tips of the projection electrodes are placed in contact with the surfaces of corresponding columnar external connection electrodes, and then patterning is performed on the metal plate by the photolithography method to form the upper-layer wiring.
However, in the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2007-134738, a small-area contact hole is formed on the upper-layer insulating film, and then the upper-layer wiring is formed by electroplating. Therefore, a void (air bubble) is formed within the contact hole, and because of this, a disconnected area is formed or uniform plating thickness is difficult to ensure. That is, there is a problem that highly reliable connection is not ensured with regard to a fine pitch.
Moreover, in the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) Publication No. 2004-349361, when a large number of semiconductor constructions are arrayed on a base, and the metal plate on which the projection electrodes are formed is heat pressed, each semiconductor construction is displaced differently from each other. That is, there is a problem that, with a single metal plate, alignment between all external connection electrodes on the semiconductor constructions and projection electrodes on the metal plate is difficult, and the yield cannot be improved.

Method of forming wiring on a plurality of semiconductor devices from a single metal plate, and a semiconductor construction assembly formed by the method