To provide the auxiliary float of a floating structure which can prolong the lifetime of the floating structure by reducing external force acting on the brace and can be used even at very deep water by increasing buoyancy, and to provide a remodeling method of the floating structure.

In general, a marine structure is put in motion by external forces, such as waves, tides and winds, and such motion has to be reduced for reasons of performance and strength of equipment and attachments of the marine structure. To achieve this, the submerged portion of floating structures is elaborately designed in various ways. For example, according to a method, the waterplane area of the float is reduced, and the displacement of the submerged portion beneath the waterplane is increased, thereby reducing motion of the structure caused by waves having periods within a certain range. Floating structures based on this method is referred to as semi-submersible type, and the method is used for oilrigs, marine crane barges, pipe laying barges, production platforms, large offshore structures (such as offshore airports) and the like.
FIG. 6 are diagrams showing a semi-submersible oilrig. FIG. 6(A) is a schematic front view of the semi-submersible oilrig, and FIG. 6(B) is a side view of a floating structure of the semi-submersible oilrig. The floating structure of the semi-submersible oilrig has lower hulls 1 that provide a displacement under the water surface, an upper hull 2 that supports upper facilities, such as a machine room, an accommodation space and a rig, above the water surface, columns 3 that have a small cross section and couple the lower hulls 1 and the upper hull 2 to each other, and braces 4 that three-dimensionally couple these components to each other. In addition, FIG. 6(A) shows a derrick 6 that supports a drill pipe with a cutter for digging in the sea bottom 5 and a riser pipe 7 for circulating muddy water, which are main outer components of the semi-submersible oilrig.
A typical semi-submersible oilrig has two lower hulls 1 that constitute a float as shown in FIG. 6(A), has two to four columns 3 (four columns 3 in the drawing) on each lower hull as shown in FIG. 6(B), and has a plurality of braces 4 forming a truss structure below the upper hull 2 and between the opposing columns 3 as shown in FIG. 6(A). The lower hull 1 may have tapered ends to reduce the resistance when the semi-submersible oilrig is moved or towed. In general, semi-submersible oilrigs in their infancy have three to five columns interconnected by braces and mounted on an upper hull and separate floats, referred to as footings, connected to a lower portion of each column.
Such a semi-submersible oilrig moves floating with the lower hulls 1, and the lower hulls 1 and some of the columns 3 are filled with ballast water to make the oilrig sub-merged at the destination, thereby allowing the semi-submersible oilrig to conduct the digging operation at one fixed place in the ocean. In general, the draft is designed to prevent the bottom of the upper hull 2 from being washed by waves. Therefore, the braces 4 intersect the draft line, and external forces, such as a splitting force (a force to separate the lower hulls in the lateral direction), a pitch connection moment (a moment to make the lower hulls pitch out of phase with each other by 180 degrees) and a racking force (a force to move the lower hulls out of phase with each other by 180 degrees in the longitudinal direction), are exerted on the braces. Thus, the braces 4 and the joints are susceptible to damage from repeated applications of loads, such as waves. Such damage leads to collapse of the rig, and therefore, the lifetime of the semi-submersible oilrig depends on the durability of the braces 4.
As described above, the braces 4 are important to ensure the strength of the semi-submersible floating structure and therefore have to be maintained at regular intervals. Typically, the maintenance is performed on the ocean or in a dock by exposing the braces 4 above the water surface by discharging the ballast water. When the maintenance is performed in a dock, burdens or upper facilities on the upper hull 2 may be removed to reduce the total weight before the braces 4 are exposed above the water surface. There is a problem that the floating structure cannot be used during the maintenance. Thus, there is a demand that the durability of the floating structure is increased to minimize the frequency of maintenances of the braces 4 of the floating structure in operation.
In addition, although the semi-submersible floating structure has conventionally been used in areas of depths D between 300 and 500 m, recently, there is a growing demand that the semi-submersible floating structure is used in very deep water of 1500 m to 2000 m. To use the semi-submersible oilrig in very deep water, a longer drill pipe and a longer riser pipe 7 are needed, and therefore, the load on the upper hull 2 (the variable deck load) increases. For example, when the depth D is 300 to 500 m, the variable deck load is about 2000 to 2500 t. However, when the depth D is 1500 to 2000 m, the variable deck load is 4000 to 5000 t or more. As a result, the conventional floating structure cannot have sufficient buoyancy and therefore cannot be used without modification.
A method for increasing the buoyancy of a floating structure is to install an auxiliary float on a column or a lower hull. For example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-180584 (patent literature 1), there is described an invention in which each column of a floating structure has an additional floating portion having a larger cross section at the level of the draft line. Furthermore, a method in which a box-shaped auxiliary float is installed on each lower hull and welded to a column and the lower hull and a method in which an auxiliary float is installed on the perimeter of each lower hull are also known.    Patent literature 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-180584

Auxiliary float of floating structure and method for remodeling floating structure

Abstract: The auxiliary float (11) comprises two floats (12) coupled, respectively, to lower portions of two lower hulls (1) constituting a floating structure, two main coupling members (13) for coupling the floats (12) to each other, and four sub-coupling members (14) for coupling the main coupling member (13) and the float (12). The auxiliary float (11) is produced in advance and the floating structure is mounted on the auxiliary float (11), and then the lower hull (1) and the float (12) are connected, thus remodeling the floating structure.


A method for fabricating a FinFET structure comprises providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a hard mask layer on the semiconductor substrate; forming a dummy gate structure having a dummy gate, a first sidewall spacer and a second sidewall spacer; removing the dummy gate to form a first trench; forming first sub-fins in the semiconductor substrate under the hard mask layer in the first trench; forming a first metal gate structure in the first trench; removing the first sidewall spacer to form a second trench; forming second sub-fins in the semiconductor substrate under the hard mask layer in the second trench; forming a second metal gate structure in the second trench; removing the second sidewall spacer to form a third trench; forming third sub-fins in the semiconductor substrate under the hard mask layer in the third trench; and forming a third metal gate structure in the third trench.

With the continuous development of semiconductor technology, the technical node has gradually decreased; and the gate-last technology has been widely used in order to obtain desired threshold voltage, and improve the performance of the device. However, when the critical dimension of semiconductor device is further reduced, the structure of the conventional MOS field-effect transistor is unable to satisfy the performance needs of the semiconductor devices even with the use of the gate-last technology. Therefore, as multi-gate devices, fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs) have attracted extensive attentions.
FIG. 1 illustrates a three-dimensional view of an existing FinFET structure. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the FinFET structure includes a semiconductor substrate 10, and a plurality of protruding fins 20 formed on the semiconductor substrate 10. The plurality of fins 20 are usually formed by etching the semiconductor substrate 10. The FinFET structure also includes a dielectric layer 30 covering the surface of the semiconductor substrate 10 and portions of the side surfaces of the plurality of fins 20.
Further, the FinFET structure includes a gate structure (not labeled) crossing over the plurality of fins 20. The gate structure covers portions of the side and the top surfaces of the plurality of fins 20. The gate structure includes a gate dielectric layer 41 and a gate 42 formed on the gate dielectric layer 41. For a FinFET, the top portion and the side portions of the fins 20 contacting with the gate structure become the channel region. That is, the FinFET has a multiple gate structure. The multiple-gate structure is in favor of increasing drive current, and improving the performance of the semiconductor device. Further, the gate structure is able to cross over one or more fins simultaneously.
However, the performance of the existing FinFETs may need further improvements. The disclosed device structures and methods are directed to solve one or more problems set forth above and other problems.

Fin field-effect transistor and fabrication method thereof

SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION


Provided is an ethylene copolymer having improved hygienic property. More particularly, the ethylene copolymer satisfies a correlation between a density thereof and an extract content. The ethylene copolymer having improved hygienic property can be applied in injection molding, rotation molding, or blow molding.

A polyethylene resin has mechanical and thermal properties affected by a molecular weight and a density thereof, which causes the application of the polyethylene resin to be varied. In general, the lower the density of the polyethylene resin, the better the transparency and low-temperature impact resistance, but the worse the physical properties, such as heat resistance, hardness and flexural modulus, and the higher an extract content.
Whereas, the higher the density of the polyethylene resin, the better the physical properties, such as heat resistance, hardness and flexural modulus and the lower the extract content, but the worse the transparency and low-temperature impact resistance. For this reason, when an injection product using an ethylene copolymer, particularly a refrigerating container, a food container, or the like, is manufactured, an injection product having high hygienic property and excellent low-temperature impact rigidity is remarkably difficult to manufacture. In particular, since the injection product such as a refrigerating container, a food container, or the like is highly required to have high hygienic property and excellent low-temperature impact rigidity, the necessity for these techniques is expected to be more increased.

Ethylene copolymer with improved hygienic property and process for preparing the same


A developing device includes a developing sleeve for bearing and conveying a magnetic developer, a magnet provided within the developing sleeve, and magnetic members, provided so as to face end portions of the developing sleeve with a gap, for forming a magnetic seal by a magnetic field formed between the magnetic members and the magnet. The magnet or each of the magnetic members has a plurality of grooves for forming a leakage magnetic field.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a developing devices which is used in an electrophotographic or electrostatic-recording image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer or the like, for developing an electrostatic latent image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Developing devices having various configurations for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member according to an electrophotographic or electrostatic recording method using a developer, comprising magnetic particles or particles including magnetic particles, have been proposed.
FIG. 9 illustrates such a developing devices In FIG. 9, a developing device 101 includes a developing receptacle 2 for accommodating a developer T configured as described above. Stirring means 7 and 8 are provided within the developing receptacle 2. The developer T is stirred and conveyed by the stirring means 7 and 8 within the developing receptacle 2.
In order to convey the developer T within the developing receptacle 2 toward an image bearing member 11 for the purpose of developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member 11, the developing device 101 includes a developing roller 3 which serves as a magnetic-particle bearing member or a developer bearing member. Usually, as shown in FIG. 9, the developing roller 3 comprises a fixed magnet roller 3a, and a developing sleeve 3b mounted around the magnet roller 3a so as to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow, for conveying the developer T toward the image bearing member 11. As shown in FIG. 10, a shaft 3c of the developing sleeve 3b is supported on both side walls 2a of the developing receptacle 2 by bearings 9. In FIG. 10, only one of the side walls 2a is shown.
According to this configuration, the developer T is conveyed from an S3 pole to an N1 pole by the rotation of the developing sleeve 3b, and is formed on the developing sleeve 3b as a developer thin layer by being regulated by a regulating blade 4 supported by a supporting plate 5. An N2 pole is a developing main pole, where the developer T develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the image bearing member 11. Then, the developer T is recollected within the developing receptacle 2 by the rotation of the developing sleeve 3b.
In the developing device 101 having the above-described configuration, the developer T circulated and moved within the developing receptacle 2 may be conveyed toward the bearings 9 along the surface of the developing sleeve 3b and leak from the developing receptacle 2 into the main body of the apparatus via the bearings 9, thereby causing various kinds of problems.
In order to prevent such leakage of the developer T, an attempt has been made, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application (Kokai) No. 2-262127 (1990), in which magnetic members 106 are disposed so as to face both end portions of the developing sleeve 3b along at least a part of the circumference of the developing sleeve 3b with a predetermined gap with the surface of the developing sleeve 3b. A magnetic circuit is formed by the magnetic members 106 and the magnet roller 3a disposed within the developing sleeve 3b so that magnetic lines of force are concentrated onto surfaces of the magnetic members 6 facing the developing sleeve 3b, to form a magnetic brush comprising the developer T in the gap portion along the magnetic lines of force. The leakage of the developer T from the developing receptacle 2 is prevented by the magnetic brush.
In such a conventional configuration, however, as shown in FIG. 11, a portion A where the magnetic lines of force are lacking, in some cases, depending on the arrangement of magnetic poles of the magnet roller 3a, and therefore the magnetic brush comprising the developer T is not formed. As a result, the leakage of the developer T is not prevented.
Particularly, according to an increase in the circumferential speed of the developing sleeve 3b due to an increase in the speed of the apparatus, and the provision of finer particles of the developer in order to improve the picture quality in recent apparatuses, the above-described conventional configuration does not satisfy a severe requirement for sealability against the developer.

Developing device with magnetic field control feature


A pull-down signal detection circuit includes an inter-field correlation determination unit configured to determine an inter-field correlation on the basis of a current field signal and a 1-field delay signal, and providing a determination result which indicates a “strong/middle/weak” level, an inter-frame correlation determination unit configured to determine an inter-frame correlation on the basis of the current field signal and a 2-field delay signal, and a pull-down signal determination unit configured to determine whether the input video signal is a pull-down signal or not, on the basis of the determination results of the inter-field correlation determination unit and the inter-frame correlation determination unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus which converts an interlaced-scan video signal to a progressive-scan video signal, and more particularly to an apparatus which detects an interlaced-scan video signal such as a moving picture signal that is generated by 2-3 pull-down or 2-2 pull-down.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of an NTSC video signal that is generally used as a TV broadcast signal, a video image is scanned by an interlaced-scan system. In this system, the equivalent number of images per second is increased, and thereby surface flicker is reduced. On the other hand, in recent years, thin TV receivers, such as liquid crystal display (LCD) devices or plasma display devices, have steadily been gaining popularity. If interlaced-scan video signals are directly displayed on the scan lines on such thin TV receivers, the brightness of the screen would considerably lower and displayed images would not be worth viewing. To avoid this problem, in these display devices, images are displayed by a progressive-scan system. When an interlaced-scan video signal is to be displayed on a progressive-scan display device such as an LCD device, an interlaced-scan/progressive-scan conversion circuit is required.
In some cases, standard TV video signals, such as NTSC signals, include video signals which are produced on the basis of cinema films. The cinema film has 24 frames per second, while the standard TV video signal is an interfaced-scan video signal with 30 frames per second (60 fields per second). Thus, the video signal of the cinema film is converted to the standard TV video signal by a 2-3 pull-down method or a 2-2 pull-down method. In the description below, an interlaced-scan video signal, which is obtained by the conversion from the video signal of the cinema film, is referred to as "pull-down signal".
For example, in the 2-3 pull-down method, a cinema film is first scanned to produce a progressive-scan video signal with a frame frequency of 24 Hz. Then, the progressive-scan video signal is converted such that the first frame of the cinema film may correspond to first and second fields (2 fields), the second frame to third to fifth fields (3 fields), the third frame to sixth and seventh fields (2 fields), and the fourth frame to eighth to tenth fields (3 fields). In the field signal which is converted to the pull-down signal, odd fields and even fields are alternately repeated. When the frame of the cinema film is converted to 3 fields, the last field (fifth field, tenth field) is the repetition of the same video content as the first field (third field, eighth field).
In this manner, two frames of the cinema film are made to correspond to five fields of the standard TV video signal, and the 2-field video signals and 3-field video signals are alternately repeated in accordance with the frames of the cinema film. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2002-290927 discloses this kind of pull-down signal generating method.
In the prior art, pull-down signals could not satisfactorily be detected in both cases of a scene with many vertical high-frequency components and a scene with few vertical high-frequency components in respective images. In particular, when a 2-2 pull-down signal is to be detected, the 2-2 pull-down signal cannot be detected by an inter-frame correlation alone, and an inter-field correlation has to be used. Consequently, the detection is greatly affected by vertical high-frequency components.

Pull-down signal detection apparatus, pull-down signal detection method and progressive-scan conversion apparatus


A sandwich filter device including a block body and an insert held in the block body. The insert and the block body each have a passage for gas flow through. Positioned across the insert passage is a filter for removing contaminants from a gas stream.

In semiconductor manufacturing, gasses are used for a number of purposes, including the creation of plasma for etching a silicon or other wafer surface, ending reactions by introduction of inert gasses, etc. In the manufacturing chamber, a selected type of process gas is introduced into the process chamber as part of a specified step in the manufacturing process. A selected type of gas must be introduced within purity tolerances, at a specified flow rate and at a specified pressure and volume.
A number of different components of a gas transport system regulate the flow of gas to the process chamber. These components may include a mass flow controller, valves, regulators, filters, flow monitors, moisture monitors, gas purifiers, pressure sensors, diffusers, pressure transducers, among other components. In prior systems these components were arranged side by side, connected by a series of in line connectors. Each of the components is used for a specific function, such as a pair of valves connected between another component that allow isolation of that component. The components are connected in line along the horizontal flow path of the gas. Both the component and the connector add to the overall length of the entire gas transport system.
In semiconductor manufacturing, uniform standards that have been adopted to minimize the footprint required for a gas transport system. One method to reduce the length of the system is to have the gas flow into and out of the bottom of each component, rather than from the sides or top and bottom. In one current standard configuration, each of the components is mounted on a base plate. This base plate may have one of two configurations. In a first configuration, the base plate serves as nothing more than a support structure for gas flow devices. A separate system of blocks below each gas flow element provides a passage for fluid to flow from each element. An example of such as system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,961, in which a number of passage blocks include passages from one gas flow component to another. A disadvantage of such systems is the added height requirement of the blocks. This may be a significant drawback, especially if the gas flow systems are going to be stacked. A second alternative is to provide passages in the base plate. In this manner, the individual gas flow elements may be connected using base plate without the need for additional connection blocks. This configuration has the added advantage that the height of the combined gas flow component and the base plate is not further raised by an underlying block.
In systems in which the gas flow components are used with a base plate, one gas flow component, the filter, may be designed such that it does not add to the length of the system. This would be done by using a block under one gas flow component in which the filter is incorporated. In the first configuration outlined above, the filter may be incorporated into one of the blocks. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,599 discloses a gas supply system including a number of gas supply components connected to each other through blocks positioned between each component and providing a passageway between each component for gas flow. The filter block component is a block extending between two gas flow components.
In the second configuration outlined above (in which the base includes fluid flow passageways) a block may also be included for the filtering of gas. This again allows elimination of one element from the length of the gas flow components. This comes at the cost of some added height to the system. One solution is to use a surface mount sandwich filter. For example, one surface mount filter is produced by TEM Filter Company and sold as product TEM 837125. This filter block is mounted between the base plate and a gas flow component. By placing the filter block under a valve or regulator, a separate filter substrate is not required, effectively shortening the filtration system and reducing the cost of the system. About an inch of height would be added to the component under which this filter block is inserted. This filtration block may be used with stainless steel filter media, high flow sintered nickel fiber media, or any other suitable media.
However one drawback of this filter block is the added height the block adds to the system. However manufacturing a shorter filter block has proved challenging. The primary challenge is designing a filter block that conforms to the industry standards, which set specifications for the systems. In some of these standards, the components have inlets and outflows that are essentially adjacent, requiring a filter block with similarly positioned passageways. It has proved difficult to manufacture a filter block that is both lower profile, has desired performance and conforms to the standardized configuration. It is an object of the present device to overcome these obstacles.


A non-volatile semiconductor memory includes a first pump starting to operate at a first timing and producing a first voltage, a second pump starting to operate at a second timing following the first timing and driving a given node at a second voltage, the given node being connected to a non-volatile semiconductor memory cell, and a booster boosting the given node using the first voltage at the second timing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory and a semiconductor device, and more particularly, to a circuit technique for boosting a power supply voltage.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a flash memory that is one of the non-volatile semiconductor memories, a power supply voltage is boosted to internally generate voltages for programming and erasing. For example, in program verification, a power supply voltage (for example, 3 V) is boosted to generate a high voltage (for example, 6 V), which is applied to the gate of a non-volatile semiconductor memory cell (word line) and the gate of a gate transistor for selecting the non-volatile semiconductor memory cell. In programming following the program verification, the power supply voltage is boosted to generate a higher voltage (for example, 9 V), which is applied to the gates of the memory cell and the gate transistor. The program verification is a read operation for verifying that the memory cell has a given threshold voltage. If the verification fails (the memory cell does not have the given threshold voltage), the cell is further programmed to raise the threshold voltage. In this manner, the program verification and programming are repeatedly carried out in turn until the memory cell has the given threshold voltage.
A charge pump circuit implements the boosting. The above-mentioned example employs a charge pump circuit that generates a voltage of 6 V from the power supply voltage, and another charge pump circuit that generates a voltage of 9 V from the power supply voltage. If the charge pump circuit operates slowly (low drivability), it will take a long time to complete programming and erasing. The boosting speed can be improved by increasing the size of a capacitor, whereas this needs a large circuit area and a large power is consumed. Generally, the most importance is attached to the circuit area, and the boosting speed is sacrificed to a certain extent.

Non-volatile semiconductor memory, semiconductor device and charge pump circuit


A hand-scanning color scanner is disclosed which comprises an image sensor provided with color-separation filters for outputting color-component signals, optical means, such as a lamp and other elements, for projecting an image of a manuscript on the image sensor, an encoder for generating pulses in accordance with a movement relative to the surface of the manuscript, processing means for taking in signals output by the image sensor, performing color processing and producing color image signals, and output means for outputting a predetermined signal indicating that an effective color image signal is produced from the processing means according to the pulses from the encoder.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an apparatus capable of processing a color image, and an image reading apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, as an example of such image processing apparatus, there has been known an apparatus which converts an object image into electric signals using, for example, a scanner. As an example of such apparatus, there is known an apparatus which performs photoelectric conversion by means of a sensor having, for example, three light sources for R, G and B, and which switches emission colors by switching among the light sources.
In the above-described apparatus, however, if a method is used in which, for example, a luminance signal and a color signal are separately transmitted, or if each color component is separated and the color components are transmitted in parallel, for the transmitting of color images, there arises, first, the problem that the configuration at the reception side becomes complicated.
Recently, a tendency toward increasing personal use of business machines has been advancing, and remarkable technical progress toward smaller and cheaper machines is being made. Personal computers and word processors occupy the central core of these machines, and image scanners are utilized for preparing intercompany publicity, invitation cards and the like using personal computers or word processors.
Manual-scanning-type image scanners are mainly being used with such systems. With an image scanner, it is possible to perform a two-dimensional reading by forming an image of a manuscript illuminated by an LED array or the like on a line image sensor, and moving the main body of the scanner along the surface of the manuscript.
A handy-type black-and-white-image reading apparatus for inputting images is attached to the above-described personal computer or word processor. Color image processing also becomes possible keeping pace with the development of inks of colors, such as Y, M and C and the like. There has been thereby performed the development of reading apparatuses which convert color images into electric signals to be input to personal computers, word processors and the like. As such reading apparatus, a manual-scanning color scanner capable of performing color reading is desired. Although a scanner for monochrome manuscripts is sufficient for reading, for example, logo marks, demand for color reading is nevertheless strong for photographs and the like. This demand is becoming stronger as the tendency toward the greater use of personal and color displays printers advances.
As an image sensor for reading color images, there is known a CCD color image sensor which has plural photosensors aligned on a line and is provided with R, G and B striped filters in the direction of the line, and which performs color separation of the corresponding area on a manuscript by making continuous R, G and B signals for each line, or the like.
Color reading of a manuscript is usually performed according to the following process using, for example, the above-described CCD color image sensor.
First, the manuscript is subjected to color separation using red (R), green (G) and blue (B) filters, and converted into gradation information consisting typically of anywhere from 64 gradations to 256 gradations. Subsequently, various corrections, such as masking of the filters, .gamma.-correction, logarithmic transformation, ink correction and the like, are performed to obtain color image data for yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C).
However, when a manual-scanning color scanner is used, the manual-scanning color scanner must be light in weight and compact in size so that it can be promptly moved to a desired position.
Accordingly, there is a limitation on the processing circuit and the like which can be incorporated in the scanner in order to perform excellent color processing.
Furthermore, a manual-scanning scanner is moved at an arbitrary timing and an arbitrary speed. If the interval between reading scanning lines of a color image changes according to this arbitrary movement, distortion may occur in the output image.
In addition, the time for reading an image on an identical line differs when moving at a high speed and when moving at a low speed, and hence the density of an image fluctuates. There is therefore the second problem that, although the above-described problems can be corrected by simply changing the threshold value in a scanner for monochrome images having binary values, the problems can not be easily dealt with in a color scanner because the influence is not only on density but also on color balance.
Moreover, dynamic ranges of R, G and B signals read from a CCD color image sensor are in general not equal to one another. Accordingly, in an image reading apparatus in which analog color signals for three colors are amplified, the amplified signals are subjected to A/D conversion by an A/D converter, and image data are subjected to digital processing, the number of gradations from the white level to the black level of each image is different from one another for R, G and B.
This is because the spectral distribution of an illuminating light source in the visible region is not uniform, and there are variations in light transmittance of R, G and B filters attached to CCD color image sensors and the sensitivity as a function of wavelength of CCD color image sensors.
An example of the spectral distribution of an illuminating light source and an example of the sensitivity for wavelength of R, G and B picture elements are shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, respectively. The ordinates are measured in arbitrary (relative) units in both figures.
Relative to R, G and B signal levels when a white manuscript is illuminated by a light source having the spectral distribution shown in FIG. 23, the R signal is the largest and then there come the G and B signals, in descending order.
At this time, if a reference voltage of an A/D converter having a resolution of 5 bits is set for use with the output an R picture element, 32 gradations can be obtained for the R picture element, but only 26 and 20 gradations can be obtained for a G picture element and a B picture element, respectively.
When the number of gradations from the white level to the black level (more exactly, the maximum-saturation level) of each picture element for R, G and B thus differs, color separation and, consequently, image processing of a manuscript become difficult.
In order to solve this problem, the following method can be considered. That is, as shown in FIG. 25, analog-signal amplification units 421-423 for inputting picture-element signals of a CCD 401 are provided, and the gain of each unit is adjusted to each picture element for R, G and B. Outputs of the three amplification units 421-423 are sequentially selected by a selector 424 in synchronization with the driving timing of the CCD 401 to transmit to an A/D converter 403, and 32 gradations are obtained for all the three picture elements. However, this approach entails a third problem, that the circuit scale becomes large.
Now, a conventional line sensor has in general a configuration as shown in FIG. 26.
In FIG. 26, a photodiode array PD has plural photodiodes aligned in the form of a line. CCD analog shift registers CCD A and CCD B correspond to odd-numbered and even-numbered photodiodes, respectively, and transfer signal charges stored in each photodiode. An output stage O synthesizes signals transferred separately in the two channels by the CCD A and CCD B into one channel, and generates a video signal V.
In order to operate such a CCD color image sensor sequentially provided with R, G and B filters in the direction of the line, shift pulses SH, transfer pulses .phi..sub.1, and .phi..sub.2, and reset pulses RS are in general input to the image sensor with timings shown in FIG. 27.
The shift pulses SH are pulses for turning on and off shift electrodes. When the shift electrodes are turned on, signal charges in the photodiode array PD as a photosensitive unit are all transferred to the CCD shift registers CCD A and CCD B as transfer units. After the shift electrodes have been turned off, the signal charges are sequentially transferred through the CCD shift registers CCD A and CCD B by transfer pulses .phi..sub.1 and .phi..sub.2.
The CCD shift registers transfer signal charges one stage for every one period of the transfer pulses .phi..sub.1 and .phi..sub.2, and the transferred signal charges flow into a floating capacitor at the output stage O. These charges change the voltage of the floating capacitor by an amount V=q/c, where q is the net charges transferred to the capacitor and c is the capacitance. This change in voltage changes the current flowing through a load resistance, and is output as a signal OS of voltage.
Since it is necessary to return the voltage of the floating capacitor to an initial value for detecting the signal charges of the next picture element, reset pulses RS are added to the output stage O to cancel the voltage of the floating capacitor.
In the signal OS, the leading 48 bits are dummy bits, and an effective signal can be obtained from the 49th bit, in the example shown in FIG. 27. As the effective signal, each picture-element signal for R, G and B is sequentially output, a group of three consecutive picture elements, one each for R, G and B, are made one set, and color separation of an area on a manuscript corresponding to the one set is performed. The effective signal consists of 1560 bits, that is, 520 sets. After the entire effective signal has been output, additional dummy bits are output until the next SH pulse arrives.
Now, the signal processing procedure until the analog image signal OS output from the CCD line sensor illustrated in FIG. 26 is converted into a digital image signal will be explained with reference to FIG. 28.
Since a DC component is added to an image signal read by the CCD line sensor 501, the DC component is removed at a DC cut unit 601 within an amplification unit 502. The signal is then subjected to sampling-and-holding for every picture element by a sample-and-hold circuit 602, and the resultant signal is amplified by an amplification unit 603. Since a small amount of DC component as noise is added to the amplified signal, the DC component is removed by a DC cut unit 604. The amplified signal from which the noise has been removed is input to an A/D converter 503, and is subjected to analog-to-digital conversion for every picture element.
In the above-described conventional driving method, however, when there is adopted a method in which an image signal for one set of R, G and B picture elements is converted into a print signal for Y, M, C and Bk (Y, M, C and Bk indicate yellow, magenta, cyan and black, respectively) picture elements, it is necessary to output the signal for one set of Y, M, C and Bk within a time during which a signal for one set of R, G and B is read from the CCD.
At this time, if the .phi..sub.1 and .phi..sub.2 are made, for example, by frequency-dividing by 4 a system clock SCLK as a base clock, 12 clocks SCLK are required for reading a signal for three colors, R, G and B. Accordingly, when transmitting print data for 4 colors, Y, M, C and Bk, data for each color, Y, M, C and Bk, must be transmitted by 3 clocks, respectively.
Furthermore, if the .phi..sub.1 and .phi..sub.2 are made by frequency-dividing by 8 the system clock SCLK, print data for 4 colors are to be transmitted by 6 clocks for each color, Y, M, C and Bk, respectively, but clocks for one color become clocks multiplied by 3, such as 3, 6, 9, 12, - - - .
Now, when there is used a method in which, in an image reproducing unit, for example, the density corresponding to data consisting of one set of R, G and B to be input is reproduced as a visible image by the number of Y, M, C and Bk dots plotted within a 4.times.4 dot matrix, data for Y, M, C and Bk are output as print data consisting of 4 bits for each, that is, 16 bits in total, for the reading of an image signal consisting of one set of R, G and B.
At this time, when data are transferred by 6 clocks for each color, Y, M, C and Bk as described above, there can be considered a method in which 2 invalid bits are added to 4 bits of data for every 4 colors to made 6-bit data for one color, and the data are transferred by 6 clocks. However, since 33% of the data to be transferred is invalid, the transfer efficiency of data is inferior, and this method is therefore not preferable.
In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to provide a second oscillation circuit for data transfer separately from the system clock SCLK. Furthermore, the clock of the second oscillation circuit must be perfectly synchronized with the system clock SCLK.
In addition, when reading a white manuscript and the like, the output signal of the amplification unit 603 shown in FIG. 28 resembles a DC signal when there continues a state in which the magnitudes of R, G and B signals are uniform, as for a white manuscript. Hence, even a part of an image signal is removed at the DC cut unit 604.
Accordingly, there is the fourth problem, that it is difficult to obtain a high-quality color image.

Image reading and processing apparatus suitable for use as a color hand-held scanner


A biodegradable composition suitable for the manufacture of low density loose-fill packing by extrusion, which is an aqueous dispersion comprising (1) finely divided particles of a gelatinizable starch product and (2) a water-soluble polymer dispersed in (3) water having dissolved therein (4) a copolymer of vinyl, methyl, ether and maleic anhydride.

Expanded packing products, which are hardened polymer foams, enjoy widespread use as loose-fill packing material. Loose fill packing based on polystyrene currently constitutes the majority of the market for such expanded foam packing products. The use of polystyrene for this purpose has enjoyed several advantages: (1) such foams are relatively inexpensive; (2) very low density foams can be made therefrom; (3) the foams are quite uniform in their physical properties; (4) they have good resiliency; (5) they have a pleasing appearance; and (6) they are easily conveyed in air. Thus, while the advantages of polystyrene packing are many, the disadvantages of the material are significant: (1) the manufacture of polystyrene foams involves volatile hydrocarbon blowing agents, such as pentane, which presents a fire hazard, or halocarbons, which are environmentally unacceptable; and (2) such foams are not biodegradable.
More recently, substantial progress has been made toward the use of starch-based foamed packing, which has the distinct advantage of being biodegradable both in sunlight and in the difficult conditions that exist in compost heaps, landfills and other common disposal means. Such starch-based packing is customarily based on formulations of a water-soluble polymer, such as poly(vinyl alcohol), with various kinds of starch. Though starch-based packing has many physical properties comparable to polystyrene-based packing materials, it has heretofore been quite difficult to obtain comparably low densities at economical material costs. Low densities are, of course, quite important from three different viewpoints: (1) minimization of the weight of packaged goods; and (2) ease of conveying the foamed packing from storage to the packing site, and (3) lower per unit volume cost of packing materials. In particular, the flow characteristics of starch-based packing have been found to be a function of the density of the packing particles. Thus, low density particles are much easier to handle in pneumatic conveying devices than higher density particles.
As a result of these differences in properties, there is considerable incentive to create starch-based packing materials having lower densities than those previously obtained, but which are nevertheless comparable to those obtainable with polystyrene packing.


A lightpipe or lightpipe array is utilized for redirecting light from a surface mounted LED. The lightpipe includes a first surface portion which is aligned with a surface mounted LED on a circuit board when the lightpipe is mounted on the circuit board, a first passageway comprising a plurality of first reflecting surfaces for redirecting light received at the first surface portion in a first direction, a second passageway extending from the first passageway comprising a plurality of second reflecting surfaces for redirecting the light received from the first passageway in a second direction which is different from the first direction, and a light radiating surface portion through which the light received from the second passageway exits so as to provide a visual indicator. Utilization of a plurality of lightpipes in a lightpipe array permits the array in the form of a single molded part to collect light from multiple LEDs and to redirect light to different locations without a perceptible mixture of light between adjacent LEDs.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to structures for mounting visual indicators over a connector such as a standard RJ 45 connector, which is a known telephone jack, in either a single or arrayed position. The visual indicators are utilized to, for example, show the status (e.g. idle or busy) of telephone lines. The present invention further relates to the utilization of an optical wave guide which can be mounted over a set of surface mounted LEDs positioned behind a connector such as a standard RJ 45 connector and redirecting the light to a position just above the input side of the above-noted connector.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a lightpipe for redirecting light from a surface mounted LED, as well as a lightpipe array comprised of a plurality of adjacently disposed lightpipes for redirecting light from a plurality of surface mounted LEDs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Right angle circuit board indicators in a variety of sizes have been known since about 1970. To handle needs for increased packaging density, and to simplify assembly labor, through-hole circuit board indicators designed and built into arrays have been used. The transition from through-hole soldering processes to surface mounted processes has created the need for surface mount compatible circuit board indicators that are also right angle devices.
The approaches utilized for increasing packaging densities for through-hole indicators are not satisfactory for surface mounted applications. A surface mounted LED should ideally be visible and accessible around the solder connections so that solder joint integrity is viewable and rework is possible. Also, a limitation exists in package height because common component placement equipment in use can only clear components at relatively low heights from printed circuit board surfaces. Further, stability of taller surface mounted devices is a problem. Moreover, the weight of an array may be greater than component placement equipment can readily accommodate.

Lightpipe and lightpipe array for redirecting light from a surface mount led


A nonvolatile memory having a plurality of individually erasable blocks is used to store sectors of a file. A method of overwriting the file includes the step of receiving a frame of data. The logical sector that the frame is to be written to is determined. The logical sector corresponds to a first sector located at a first offset in a first block of the nonvolatile memory. The first block also has an associated first logical block number. The frame of data is written to a second sector. The second sector is located at a second offset in a spare block. The first and second offsets are identical. The logical block number of the spare block is updated to be the same as the first logical block number.

Computer systems typically have some form of nonvolatile mass storage device. The computer's operating system is responsible for communicating with the mass storage device in order to create, delete, modify, or append files stored within the mass storage device. Data is stored on the disk by writing to a file within the mass storage device.
An electromechanical hard drive is one type of nonvolatile mass storage device often used by computer systems. Electromechanical hard drives have one or more circular platters or disks. These circular platters include a magnetic storage media for storing data. The platters are divided into concentric circles called tracks. The platters are also divided radially such that the tracks are subdivided into sectors. Thus a platter has a plurality of tracks, wherein each track has a plurality of sectors.
Each sector has a predetermined sector number for reference by the computer system. A file stored in an electromechanical hard drive might occupy a number of sectors. The sectors (i.e., file sectors) associated with the file can be located on one or more platters such that the associated sectors are not necessarily consecutively numbered nor are the sectors necessarily contiguously located to each other. Once a file is created, new data can be stored by appending the new data to the file. This typically results in the expansion of the size of the file by allocating additional sectors to the file.
Some applications only need to modify a pre-existing file rather than appending to the pre-existing file. For example, consider an application which only requires storage of a "window" of data. At any one time only a fixed amount of data must be stored. Instead of continuously appending new data to the file and thus expanding the storage requirements for the file, portions of the file are overwritten with the current window of data. Thus, for example, once sufficient file space is allocated on an electromechanical hard drive to account for the window of data, the file or portions of the file may be continuously overwritten with incoming data so that the file or some portion of the file represents the current window of data. The new version of a sector of data is used to overwrite an older version of the data stored in the same sector. This technique is particularly useful if the electromechanical hard drive is substantially full of data.
Solid state disks provide a mass storage alternative to the electromechanical hard drives. Solid state disks generally use nonvolatile semiconductor memories to provide mass storage. In order to maintain compatibility with electromechanical hard drives, however, solid state disks typically support the same sector-based file storage scheme so that a computer system can refer to numbered sectors in order to store or retrieve data from the solid state disk.
In contrast with an electromechanical hard drive, the nonvolatile memory of a solid state disk typically must be erased before they can be reprogrammed. Thus in order to change the data stored in a portion of the memory, that portion of the memory must be erased first. For some nonvolatile memories, however, erasure can take a relatively long period of time.
In order to achieve solid state disk performance on par with that of an electromechanical hard drive, one technique for updating a file sector writes a new version of the sector to another location within the nonvolatile memory. One disadvantage of writing sectors to different locations within the nonvolatile memory is that a sector map may be required to track the location of the current version of the sector. The sector map will need to be updated every time a sector is relocated.
The old versions are eventually erased in a background cleanup process in order to free up storage space. The background cleanup process permits deferring erasure until some point at which the erasure will not adversely affect the effective programming or write time for the nonvolatile memory.
The deferred erasure process may be suitable for some applications such as intermittent data transfers to the solid state disk, however, the deferred erasure process described above may be unsuitable for a file that is being continuously overwritten. In particular, if the background cleanup process is deferred long enough, a foreground cleanup process will have to be executed in order to free up additional space in the nonvolatile memory.
While the foreground cleanup process is executing, the incoming data must be temporarily stored elsewhere or ignored. Ignoring the data results in loss of the data, which should be avoided. Providing for a relatively large amount of temporary storage tends to increase the cost and size of the solid state drive. Furthermore, insufficient temporary storage can result in loss of data once the temporary storage is exceeded.
A method for permitting continuous overwrite of a file stored in a nonvolatile memory is needed.

Method for performing a continuous over-write of a file in nonvolatile memory


Continuous circular motion filling machine is provided for filling containers. The machine includes a rotating platform having an in-feed section disposed to receive empty containers and an out-feed section disposed to transfer filled containers from the rotating platform. A filling turret is disposed generally above the rotating platform and is rotatable at a speed corresponding generally to that of the rotating platform. The turret includes a plurality of filling elements movable between a rest position and a filling position as the turret rotates. Radially extensible and retractable indexing arms are spaced around the platform. The arms are at a retracted position at the in-feed section and are subsequently extended as the rotating platform rotates so as to index the containers into groups on the rotating platform between respective indexing arms. Each group of containers is arranged in a desired pattern and spacing between adjacent arms corresponding to a pattern and spacing of the filling elements.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for filling containers, such as bottles and the like, with a liquid by conveying the containers through a filling machine.
Automated filling machines configured for filling any manner of container processed through the machine by a conveyor or the like are old and well known in the art. For example, a conventional high-speed filling machine typically uses a worm gear or screw-like device to receive containers (i.e., bottles) conveyed in single file and in contact with each other. The worm gear engages each container and spaces the containers apart a desired distance corresponding to the spacing of downstream filling valves. The containers are typically conveyed from the worm gear to a rotating star wheel that receives the containers in individual pockets or recesses. The star wheel may further convey the bottles to one or more additional star wheels, to a rotating table or platform of the filling machine, or may directly convey the bottles under the heads of the rotary filling machine. Examples of such filling machines are described, for example, in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,666,564; 3,519,108; 4,053,003; 4,588,001; 6,253,809 B1; and 6,474,368 B2.
With the device according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,919, the containers are spaced apart on a conveyor by a pair of parallel screws and conveyed on the same conveyer directly to the filling valves of the rotary filler without the use of a star wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,695 describes a star wheel having a plurality of circumferentially spaced orienting devices around its periphery. Each of the orienting devices includes moveable fingers which can readily assume the contour of different containers. However, the containers must still be indexed prior to being conveyed to the star wheel.
Conventional rotary filling machines of the type described above used in modern high-speed processing lines require relatively sophisticated drives, gearing, and control systems for ensuring precise coordinated movement between the different in-feed and out-feed star wheels, worm gears, and so forth. Also, the star wheel assemblies take up valuable floor space. A typical star wheel may be, for example, 4 feet in diameter. The star wheels also require maintenance and upkeep, and generally add to the overall cost of the filling operation.
Conventional rotary filling operations also generally process the containers in a single file or row through the filling machine, primarily due to the indexing functions of the worm gears and/or star wheels. To accomplish multiple parallel row filling operations with conventional star wheel indexing technology would require complicated and expensive gearing and drive arrangements and is not considered commercially viable. Multiple row filling is thus often provided by linear-type filling machines as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,796. In this linear design, the containers are typically conveyed serially as a group into the filling machine and captured or indexed into position under filling nozzles or orifices. The containers are typically held fixed and motionless while they are filled. Once the containers are filled, the indexing mechanism releases the containers and the filled containers are conveyed out on the same conveyor and another grouping of containers in indexed into position for filling. The linear-type machines, however, also have drawbacks, particularly with respect to processing speed. The basic architecture of the rotary system design is clearly superior with respect to potential through-put of containers as compared to the linear systems. Also, the rotary systems make far more efficient use of floor space.

Circular motion filling machine and method


A toroidal continuously variable transmission comprises a main shaft having a step section. An input disc is drivably supported on the main shaft and axially movable along the axis of the main shaft. An output disc is rotatably supported on the main shaft and located facing the input disc. A power roller is disposed between and in frictional engagement with the input disc and the output disc so as to make transmission of power from the input disc to the output disc. Belleville springs (each having a center opening) are disposed around the main shaft and located at an opposite side of the input disc with respect to the output disc so as to press the input disc toward the output disc. A loading nut is screwed on the main shaft to restrict an expansion amount of the Belleville springs. The loading nut axially faces the step section of the main shaft. A sleeve is disposed between the loading nut and the step section of the main shaft. The sleeve is separable from the loading nut. The Belleville springs are mounted on the sleeve in a manner that the sleeve passes through the central opening of each Belleville spring.

In a toroidal continuously variable transmission, input and output discs are disposed on a main shaft, and a power roller is disposed between and in frictional engagement with the input and output discs. The input disc is fixedly mounted through ball splines on the main shaft. Belleville springs are usually disposed at an opposite side of the input disc with respect to the output disc to apply a pre-load to the input disc in order that the input and output discs are in frictional contact with the power roller at a suitable pressure. It is usual that the axial contraction amount of the belleville springs are restricted by a loading nut which is screwed on the main shaft and fixed at a position near a step section of the main shaft. Such a toroidal continuously variable transmission is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 4-69439.
However, drawbacks have been encountered in the above conventional toroidal continuously variable transmission, as discussed below. That is, the toroidal continuously variable transmission of this type is arranged such that rotation of a cam flange connected to an input shaft is-transmitted through a loading cam mechanism to the input disc, and then the rotational power of the input disc is further transmitted through the power roller to the output disc. Particularly in case that the transmission is of the double cavity type, the loading nut screwed and fixed on the main shaft is higher in rigidity (or spring constant) and difficult to have a sufficient axial length of its internal threaded portion from the viewpoint of construction of the transmission. Additionally, it is also difficult that the length of an abutting end section (contactable with the main shaft step section) of the loading nut is sufficiently large to compensate the tightening force of the loading nut. Under such a situation, when relative rotation (in an amount corresponding to play of each ball spline in the rotational direction) is made between the input disc and the loading nut while the main shaft elongates owing to a thrust under a large input torque change, the tip end of the abutting end section of the loading nut separates from the step section and therefore there is the fear of the loading nut being loosened.
Additionally, during operation of the above conventional transmission, the belleville springs make their axial sliding movement and axial contraction on the cylindrical section of the loading nut, in which the cylindrical section is subjected to a large amount of wear owing to sliding contact between it and the belleville springs. In view of this, the peripheral surface portion of the cylindrical section of the loading nut has been usually hardened, for example, by carburizing. In making such a hardening processing to the loading nut, it is necessary to make a precise control in order to avoid a strength degradation (depending on hardening) of the internal thread portion of the loading nut, thereby complicating the production process of the loading nut.

Toroidal continuously variable transmission for preventing the loosening of a loading nut


A non-cash media card which is dispensable through automated teller machines (ATM's) and a process for dispensing a non-cash media card from an automated teller machine, by which a non-cash media card is dispensed through the same mechanism as cash is dispensed. The non-cash media card can have separable portions, or be redeemable for goods or services, or may allow the bearer entry to an event or a location. One version of this type of card has a removable portion which is credit card size and can contain memory storage media. Information on the memory storage media can be later read, modified, and have its value reduced or augmented by subsequent uses.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to non-cash media which is dispensed to a user, and more particularly to non-cash media which has value, and which is dispensed to a user through an automatic teller machine.
2. Description of Related Art
Automated teller machines (ATM's) were introduced in the mid 70's. These are machines which dispense cash to a user, typically after the user inserts a card with electronically encoded information, such as name and account number. The value of the cash dispensed is deducted from one of the user's bank accounts and shows up on his bank statement. Currently, ATM's can be found in the lobbies of banks, in drive-through installations, in malls, in gas stations, in grocery stores, in airports, and in any place where a customer may need to obtain cash.
It is common that ATM's also dispense certain non-cash documents, such as receipts, or information about a client's account balance. These documents are printed within the machine upon demand, and are typically produced and presented through a separate delivery slot than the cash which is presented to customers.
There are also specialized non-ATM machines presently available for use by consumers which dispenses such objects as stamps, or in other configurations, phone cards which entitle the user to a certain monetary value of phone transactions. These machines are configured to dispense a particular item, either stamps, phone cards, or other types of output. Because of their specialized function, it is impractical to offer to the customer a wide selection of cards dispensed from these machines, nor is cash dispensed from these machines, as an ATM does. What is needed is a card which may be dispensed from an ATM machine which has value to the user and which is selectable by the user through an ATM interface. Cards which may be dispensed and which have value could include admission tickets to events or locations, cards with encoded memories, such as phone cards or gas cards, cards with computer chips with encoded memory, collectable cards, cards with punch outs for goods or services, bar codes, cards redeemable for goods and services, or any other card like instrument which has value to the consumer. To be dispensable from ATM machines, the card would have dimensions and characteristics which correspond to the parameters of the ATM machine. From such an ATM dispensable card, one configuration could contain a credit card-size card which could be removable from the ATM dispensable card. The credit card size card could be a pass to an event, or contain encoded memory information, or be any of the previously listed embodiments of the card. If it contained encoded memory information, this card could be updated with new memory information, which could augment the value remaining on the card. Since the dispensed card could be the size of the currency dispensed by that particular ATM machine, and a smaller card would be removable from the currency-sized card, the dispensable card presents the opportunity for advertising, instructions, or other information to be presented to the user.
Accordingly, this invention provides a non-cash media card for use in ATM machines which is dispensable by the same apparatus which dispenses cash from ATM machines. It is a further object of the invention to provide a process for dispensing the non-cash media cards from an ATM machine through the same apparatus which dispenses cash.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description as follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Non-cash media card and process of dispensing from automated teller


This invention provides a bearing retainer for a sliding mechanism for use in a machine tool, especially a press. The bearing retainer has a tubular or generally cylindrical retainer body. The retainer body has a plurality of supporting holes to support rollers. Tongue-like portions are formed at the edge portions of each supporting hole for preventing a roller from falling out of the supporting hole. Cavities are provided between the adjacent supporting holes. Each cavity permits the edge portion including the tongue-like portion to deform elastically in the direction that the aperture of each supporting hole will be enlarged on the outer side surface of the retainer body. Thus, when the outer mold has moved away from the inner mold during the injection molding process of the retainer the retainer can be obtained from a mold set without cracking or breaking the tongue-like portion of the retainer. In this way, the tongue-like portion can be molded on the outer side surface of the retainer by injection molding process. As a result of this, caulking process for forming the tongue-like portion is not required and manufacturing cost can be reduced.

The present invention relates to a bearing retainer for use in a sliding mechanism of a machine tool, particularly a press.
A die-set is generally used to improve precision in press working, such as punching or bending. The die-set includes a punch holder to hold a punch, a die holder facing the punch holder to hold a die and a guide-post as a sliding mechanism which slidably supports each holder. The guide-post includes a longitudinally extending post, a sleeve slidably received outside the post and a bearing inserted between the post and the sleeve.
As shown in FIG. 12, a conventional bearing 100 for a guide-post includes a generally cylindrical retainer 101 and a plurality of balls 102 received in the retainer 101. Each ball 102 is rotatably received in each hole 103 formed in the retainer 101.
Each hole 103 of the retainer 101 is formed by drilling a pipe. A drilled hole 103, as shown in FIG. 13A, has a tongue-like portion 105 protruding inwardly from the edge of the hole 103 on the inner side surface 101a of the retainer 101. The ball 102 is then inserted into the hole 103 from the outer side surface 101b of the retainer 101.
After the ball 102 is inserted into the hole 103 a caulking tool 110 is pressed around the adjacent part of the edge of the hole 103 on the outer side surface 101b of the retainer 101. As a result of this caulking, as shown in FIG. 13B, a tongue-like portion 107 similar to the tongue-like portion 105 is formed around the edge of the hole 103 on the outer side surface 101b of the retainer 101. These tongue-like portions 105, 107 hold the ball 102 inside the hole 103 and prevent the ball 102 from dropping out of the hole 103.
As described above, caulking process as well as drilling process is required in manufacturing a prior art bearing retainer for use in the guide-post of the die-set. This increases the manufacturing cost of the bearing retainer.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a bearing retainer for use in a sliding mechanism of a machine tool, particularly a press, which can decrease the manufacturing cost.

Bearing retainer for a sliding mechanism for use in a machine tool


An operations manual generation apparatus for use with a host system. The apparatus has an input for receiving ordering input data when an operator places an order following a prescribed procedure for requesting an operations manual from the host system. The apparatus has a first memory which stores first information needed to prepare the requested operations manual. The apparatus also has a second memory for storing instruction information which includes a set of guidance text data which describes the minimum number of operating steps needed to be carried out by an operator. Finally, an edit controller is provided for analyzing the first information to select a suitable combination of guidance text data, so that an operations manual may be output which has been automatically optimized to minimize the number of steps which the operator must take to cause the host system to perform the desired function.

The present invention generally relates to an operations manual editing system, and more particularly to an operations manual editing system which prepares, edits and outputs an operations manual for guiding an operator to enable a host system to execute a desired service function, when a request for the operations manual is made by the operator.
Recent information processing equipment including wordprocessors, information processors, facsimile systems and other office automation systems have come to incorporate various kinds of intelligent service functions and enhanced communication capabilities. However, for using such communication capabilities and service functions of the recent information processing equipment, one must perform a given procedure of service ordering operations which is often complicated and troublesome. To use quickly and properly such capabilities and functions of the recent information processing equipment, it is necessary for an operator to acquire a certain level of experience and knowledge about the hardware itself and the machine operation. And, the operator must become familiar with various kinds of machine operations to use quickly and properly a service function of the recent information processing equipment. Conventionally, an operations manual which is previously prepared and edited to deal with detailed information about the equipment is usually attached to such information processing equipment, enabling an operator to make efficient use of such capabilities and service functions. Therefore, the operator must carefully read or make reference to the operations manual to obtain adequate knowledge concerning the machine operation for a desired service function. However, because various kinds of intelligent functions and capabilities are provided to users and a great volume of an operations manual is often produced, it is difficult for an operator to easily and quickly learn a pertinent machine operation and become familiar with the recent information processing equipment. And, it is difficult to make a full use of the intelligent functions and capabilities of the recent information processing equipment.
Conventionally, the information processing equipment have a "help" function which provides the operator with a guidance information concerning the usage and machine operations on a display screen. When the operator is at a loss, or does not know, how to operate on the terminal for obtaining a desired function, the related information, for example, a guidance text or description to explain the meaning of key commands or the functions assigned to special keys, will appear on the display screen by depressing a specified key like a so-called "help" key on a keyboard. The "help" function, however, merely provides a prepared guidance information which appears on the display screen when the specified key is pressed, regardless of the current operating condition of the equipment. And, only with such a prepared "help" information on the display screen, it is difficult to supply guidance information that is adequate for the every level of skill or proficiency of operators to request a desired function of the information processing equipment easily and quickly.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application NO.61-243518 discloses a help guide system which has been proposed for eliminating the above described problem. When a user requests help, the request is analyzed by this help guide system. Display items are selected from a list of help items stored in a storage part on the basis of analyzed information, the list of help items is displayed to an output part. When the user selects each item, the selected item is displayed under the list. Pertinent help information is retrieved by the selected item. If the pertinent help information exists, this list is extracted and displayed on the output part. If the user continues to request help, the selection range is changed by repeating the same procedure. This help information is previously prepared and stored in the storage part for each help item which is expected to be needed by users. And, if pertinent information does not exist, the selection range of the list is changed to a wider range and a help information to be displayed is determined. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.62-262120 discloses a guidance information system which has been proposed for displaying only pertinent and necessary guidance information depending on the frequency of the use by an operator who uses the guidance information system. When the same operator or operators belonging to the same group operates repeatedly at a given number of machine operations, displaying the guidance information on a display screen is inhibited in the next machine operation, so that only a pertinent and necessary information is displayed. Or, when the operator instructs the guidance information system to specify the information to be displayed, only pertinent and specified information is displayed in the subsequent machine operations. However, a set of such guidance information is previously prepared and stored, and only pertinent information is selected from the set of the prepared guidance information to suit the demands from expected users.
In addition, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.63-66623 discloses a help information system. In this help information system, a user information concerning the personal data and the operating history and a system information concerning the environment of system terminals and the operating records are prepared and stored in a storage part. Based on the user information and the system information an efficient output method to supply pertinent help information needed by an operator is selected by this help information system, and the pertinent help information is displayed on an output part by the efficient output method selected. However, also in this system, a set of such help information is previously prepared and stored in the output part, and only pertinent information is selected from the set of the prepared help information to suit the demands from expected users.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.1-280821 discloses a guide help system which comprises an input part, an output part, amain memory part, an auxiliary memory part and a control part. In this guide help system, when a user has an operating mistake or a trouble during application of an information processor, a guidance of a concrete operating procedure can be retrieved and displayed for execution of a desired process in the application state of that time point. For instance, the user has a question about the producing procedure of a pattern during production of the pattern. In such a case, the guidance can be displayed for the substantial end of production of the pattern at that time point since the pattern is already kept under a production state. Thus, the operating efficiency for the user is improved. The guide help information in such a case is synthesized by this guide help system from a set of prepared guide help messages corresponding to each operating state and to each operation. However, an operating procedure is predetermined and the guide help information is synthesized in accordance with each operating state and each operation in the predetermined operating procedure. The guide help messages are not freely synthesized to suit the procedure of the application program.
However, in the conventional help message functions as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.61-243518, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.62-262120 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.63-66623, pertinent guidance information is selected and outputted in accordance with the level of skill of an operator, but a set of help messages for supplying the help information must be previously prepared and stored in a storage part of the help guidance system. Because pertinent information is selected and outputted from those help messages depending on the level of skill of an operator, it is difficult to meet fully various kinds of the demands from several users. And, in order to meet such various kinds of the user demands, it is necessary for the information processing equipment to have a large capacity of storage devices for storing the help information covering such various kinds of the user demands. Hence, there is a problem in that the cost of manufacturing such information processing equipment with a large capacity of memory devices will become high.
In a case of the guide help system disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No.1-280821, in order to retrieve and display a guidance describing a concrete operating procedure from a state in which the user has an operating trouble during the application of the information processor to a state in which the user can deal with a desired process in the application, the guidance is developed by combining a set of prepared help messages corresponding to each operating state and to each operation. However, an operating procedure is predetermined and the help information is developed in accordance with each operating state and each operation in such preset operating procedure. The guide help messages are not freely developed to suit the procedure of the application program.

Apparatus for producing an operation manual for use with a host system


A method, system, and computer program product for blind Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT) coding is disclosed, wherein KLT coefficients and possibly additional information are transmitted without transmitting KLT basis vectors. Instead the KLT basis vectors are estimated at both the transmitter and the receiver. In particular, the KLT transform coefficients are calculated based on an original signal frame, quantized, encoded, and transmitted. The transmitted KLT coefficients are received, decoded, and transformed into a reconstructed original signal frame by the receiver. Exemplary embodiments include a KLT coder in which a search direction vector is initially set to an arbitrary vector, such as a white noise vector, a KLT coder which selects a search direction vector from a set of search direction vectors in a codebook and a KLT coder for an original signal frame with an unknown signal subspace dimension.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of signal coding, and more specifically to Karhunen-Loeve transform coding.
2. Discussion of the Background
Transform coding is a known technology for coding signals. FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a conventional transform coder, including a transmitter 10 and a receiver 11. At the transmitter 10, an original discrete-time signal frame xn is transformed by a transformer 100 into transform coefficients yn. Each signal frame xn, for n=1, 2, 3, . . . is generally comprised of a continuous segment of length N of a discrete-time signal x(k) and can be defined, for example, as xn=[x(nN−1)x(nN−2) . . . x(N(n−1))]. Further, the segments of the signal x(k) defining the signal frames xn can overlap up to N−1 elements or be totally non-overlapping.
The transformation preferably decorrelates the original signal frame and compacts a large fraction of the signal energy, i.e. variance, into relatively fewer transform coefficients. This is known as an energy-packing property. Because of this property, it is possible to retain a fraction of the transform coefficients without seriously affecting the reconstructed signal quality. The transform coefficients are quantized at the quantizer 110 to yield the quantized transform coefficients ŷn. As a result of quantization and the possible elimination of redundant transform coefficients, the quantized signal ŷn that is encoded by the encoder 120 may contain significantly less than the N elements in the original signal frame xn. The encoded signal is then sent along the channel.
At the receiver 11, the encoded signal is received through the channel into the decoder 130. The signal is decoded, yielding the quantized transform coefficients ŷn. The original signal frame is reconstructed at the inverse transformer 140 to produce the reconstructed signal frame {circumflex over (x)}n. Because the transform coefficients were quantized and some redundant or insignificant transform coefficients were possibly eliminated prior to encoding, the reconstructed signal frame {circumflex over (x)}n is generally slightly different from the original signal frame xn.
The Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT) is known to be the optimum transform for signal compression because the KLT exhibits a significant energy-packing property. In other words, a larger fraction of the total energy or variance of the signal frame is contained in the first few coefficients, as compared to other transforms. Therefore, the number of transform coefficients retained, quantized, and encoded can be significantly less than other transforms. As a result, the signal bit rate during transmission is reduced while the signal quality is maintained. More details concerning the KLT are found in Digital Coding of Waveforms, by N. Jayant and P. Noll, 1984, the entire contents thereof incorporated herein by reference. Additional information about KLT may also be found in (1) C. E. Davila, "Blind Adaptive Estimation of KLT Basis Vectors", Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 49, No. 7, pgs. 1364–1369, July, 2001; (2) C. E. Davila, "Blind KLT Coding," Proc. 2000 IEEE Signal Processing Workshop, Hunt, Tex., Oct. 15–18, 2000 (the proceedings of which are available via HTTP at "spib.rice.edu/SPTM/DSP2000/submission/DSP/papers/paper153/paper153.pdf"); and (3) C. E. Davila, "Blind Adaptive Estimation of KLT Basis Vectors," Proc. IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, Istanbul, Jun. 5–9, 2000. The contents of those papers are incorporated herein by reference.
In the transformer 100, the KLT transform coefficients yn are determined by applying a KLT transform matrix Q to the original signal xn, as shown in Equation (1),yn=Qxn.  (1)The net effect of the transformation is to establish a new coordinate system whose origin is at the centroid of the population of the original signal frame xn and whose axes are in the direction of the eigenvectors of the autocorrelation matrix R of the original signal frame xn. The eigenvalues are the variances, i.e., original signal energy, of the KLT transform coefficients yn along the eigenvectors. The eigenvectors form the column vectors of the transform matrix Q, and are also referred to as KLT basis vectors.
Unfortunately, the KLT basis vectors are data-dependent, i.e., they require an estimate of the autocorrelation matrix of the original signal frame xn for their computation. Hence, in order to reconstruct the original signal frame at the receiver 11, the KLT basis vectors must also be encoded with the KLT transform coefficients and transmitted to the receiver. The necessity of transmitting the KLT basis vectors reduces signal compression and leads to increased bit rates. For this reason, the KLT has had limited use in signal coding algorithms.

Method and system for blind Karhunen-Loeve transform coding


A torch-mounted power controller mounts to the handle of a welding torch and includes a control lever that is operated by the user's finger. The control lever is arranged to allow the user to hold the torch with a normal grip. Power supply to the welding torch is controlled by applying finger pressure to a control lever. A voltage control circuit is operatively connected to the control lever and controls the amount of power supplied responsive to the movement of the control lever.

Probably every operator who has ever used a TIG torch has wanted a true fingertip controller for the welding current. The prior art offers numerous examples of torch-mounted controllers that purport to offer such control. Examples of torch-mounted controllers in the prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,808 to Kleppen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,066 to Bulwidas, and U.S. Pub. No. 2005/0023263 A1 to Bilde.
The prior art torch-mounted welding controllers have proved unsatisfactory so that most TIG operators still prefer to use a foot pedal control whenever possible Controllers taught in the prior art have the following problems:                They require the operator to alter his normal, preferred grip on the torch in order to reach the control with one or more fingers. In some cases, as with trigger type schemes, the grip required will be completely foreign to most operators.        Once the operator's finger has found the control knob or trigger, activation requires a large range of motion, involving many muscles of the hand; in fact, with many controllers you can't go from off to full power in one smooth motion, but must finger the controller repeatedly.        Many of these controllers require a fair amount of finger pressure, because they work by friction between the finger and a knob or belt.        Operation of the controller interferes with the operator's main task, which is maintaining an exact and very close height of the torch and electrode above the weld puddle.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a troch-mounted welding controller that overcomes one or more of these problems.

Torch-mounted fingertip welding controller


Approaches are described for allowing an access control policy to specify that a substitute operation be executed when a request for access matches certain conditions specified in the access control policy (e.g., when the identity of the requestor matches a specified identity in the policy). For example, the access control may specify that a substitute result should be provided to a requestor in response to a request for access or a substitute request should be executed instead of executing the received request and the results of the substitute request should be provided to the requestor in response to the request. The substitute result or the result of the substitute request may appear to the requestor as though their original request for access succeeded but the content of the result may be different than what would have been generated if the access control policy allowed the request to proceed.

As an increasing number of applications and services are being made available over networks such as the Internet, an increasing number of content, application, and/or service providers are turning to technologies such as cloud computing. Cloud computing, in general, is an approach to providing access to electronic resources through services, such as Web services, where the hardware and/or software used to support those services is dynamically scalable to meet the needs of the services at any given time. A user or customer typically will rent, lease, or otherwise pay for access to resources through the cloud, and thus does not have to purchase and maintain the hardware and/or software needed.
A potential disadvantage to such an approach, at least from a customer point of view, is that the resources typically are at a location under control of the provider of those resources, and thus are out of the direct control of the customer. In order to help ensure that resources allocated to the customer perform tasks only under direction of that customer, the customer or provider can utilize one or more access control policies that can be used to indicate which requests requiring access to those resources should be allowed, and which should be denied. However, in certain situations, merely allowing or denying a request may not capture the intent of the customer for whom the resources have been provisioned. In those situations, it may be advantageous to enable the policy to specify additional actions that may be performed upon its evaluation.

Substitution of requests or results in access control systems


An apparatus and process for manufacturing changes of a substrate in a work region which is 100×100×100 microns or smaller is described. The apparatus uses a plasma source adjacent to the work region to produce radiation or matter which changes the surface. An atomic force microscope or laser can be used in addition. The process and apparatus can be used to produce MEMS devices on a substrate for use in a wide variety of applications.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for modifications of a substrate in a work region which is 100×100×100 microns or smaller. A beam of radiation or matter (for instance light, electrons, atoms, and particles) is impinged on the work region to change the surface for instance by etching, welding, machining and fabrication of components in the work region. Preferably an atomic force microscope is used to determine the progress of changes in the work region and in some instances to position objects in the work region using the sensing probe.
(2) Description of the Related Art
One fundamental problem exists in terms of developing nano devices: complexity still remains in manufacturing these devices repeatably and reliably. That is, presently, unlike Integrated Circuit (IC) technology, there is no universally accepted method to make nano devices, even for devices as simple as a carbon nanotube connected between two electrically conductive pads. Consequently, only very simple interconnects and geometries have been reported thus far for nano devices. This is understandable since the fabrication of nano devices usually involves the integration of components based on different materials and fabricated by different processes than are employed by the IC industry.
The traditional batch process used in the IC industry is not able to produce and assemble such components on a nano scale. New manufacturing processes are required that combine both continuous and discrete manufacturing processes and integrate both top-down and bottom up approaches. In essence, the research and development in assembly, batch fabrication, and packaging of nano devices are still in a preliminary stage. Hence, unlike for IC manufacturing, the difficulty in fabricating parametric designs of a particular nano device for extensive tests and measurements is a great concern for nano technologists. Therefore, the development of technology to reliably build nano devices will directly further the evolution of nanoscale devices such as NEMS (Nano Electronic and Mechanical Systems) and nano circuits and sensors, in terms of the throughput and long-term reliability of nano devices.
One of the major challenges in the advancement of nano technology is to develop nanomanufacturing processes that reliably and efficiently produce nano devices and systems. This is the essential step to bring the results of research on nano science to applications. In general, a manufacturing system includes the processes of removing or adding (growing) material, and dividing, joining or assembly of different materials. These are the basic processes in nanomanufacturing.

Process and apparatus for modifying a surface in a work region

Board of Trustees of Michigan State University


A method is provided for use in a computer system for: (A) receiving notification of a virtual memory trap; (B) determining whether the virtual memory trap was triggered by an access to a region of memory identified as protected against access; (C) if it is determined that the virtual memory trap was triggered by an access to a region of memory identified as protected against access, determining whether the virtual memory trap was triggered by computer program code identified as suspect; and (D) if it is determined that the virtual memory trap was triggered by computer code identified as suspect, signaling a fault to a debugger executing on the computer system.

Debugging computer programs can be tedious and time-consuming, in part because the program code responsible for a bug can be difficult to find. A serious software bug may be caused by a single instruction among millions of instructions in a computer program. Such an instruction may be difficult or prohibitively costly to find by manually inspecting every instruction in the program. As a result, software programs known as "debuggers" have long been used to facilitate the process of debugging.
One useful feature of conventional debuggers is the ability to execute a program until the program accesses a predetermined memory location. When the program accesses the predetermined memory location, the debugger halts execution of the program. This feature may be useful when it is suspected that the program is storing an incorrect value in the memory location or otherwise accessing the memory location in a way that is causing the program to malfunction. Halting execution of the program at this point enables the programmer to inspect the contents of the predetermined memory location in an attempt to identify the source of the bug being investigated.
Modern microprocessors typically include special "watchpoint registers" provided specially for use by debugger software in the circumstances described above. To execute a program until a predetermined range of memory locations is accessed, the debugger stores the range of addresses in a pair of watchpoint registers and then executes the program. When the program accesses a memory location in the predetermined range, a "watchpoint trap" is generated, which causes control to pass to the debugger. Providing this functionality directly in the hardware of the microprocessor enables programs being debugged to be executed much more rapidly than if such functionality were implemented in software. The number of watchpoints, however, is limited by the number of watchpoint registers in the processor.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.