A method for programming a memory cell of a memory device includes the following steps. A plurality of cycle number ranges are set up. A specific one of the plurality of cycle number ranges, in which the memory cell having a drain terminal passes a program-verification, is determined. A bias voltage is applied to the drain terminal for programming the memory cell, wherein the bias voltage varies with the specific cycle number range.

In the prior art, a flash memory cell stores a charge in a floating gate. The stored charge changes a threshold voltage of the memory cell. In a read operation, a read voltage is applied to the gate terminal of the memory cell, and the corresponding indication about whether the memory cell turns on (e.g., a drain current) indicates the programming state of the memory cell. For instance, a memory cell that conducts current during the read operation may have a digital value of "1" assigned; and a memory cell that does not conduct current during the read operation may have a digital value of "0" assigned. A charge may be added to or removed from the floating gate to correspondingly program or erase the memory cell (e.g., to change the memory cell value from "1" to "0").
Another type of memory cell employs a charge-trapping structure rather than a conductive gate material employed in the floating gate devices. The memory cell includes a charge-trapping layer. When the charge-trapping layer is programmed, a charge may be trapped in the charge-trapping layer, so that the charge does not move through the non-conductive charge-trapping layer. The charge may therefore be retained by the charge-trapping layer until the memory cell is erased, thereby retaining the data state without requiring a continuous source of electrical power to be applied. The charge-trapping memory cell can be operated as a two-sided cell. In other words, because the charge does not move through the non-conductive charge trapping layer, the charge can be localized on different charge-trapping sites. Therefore, a charge-trapping memory cell serving as a multi-bit cell (MBC) or a multi-level cell (MLC) can be created, which can increase the amount of data that can be stored in a memory device without consuming more space.
An MLC has a first bit site and a second bit site for saving two bits of data, wherein each of the first and the second bit sites can store a bit of data. A selected one of the first and the second bit sites has a neighbor bit site. The electric charge of the neighbor bit site can affect the selected bit site. In other words, if the first bit site is previously programmed in a state of a high threshold voltage, the speed of programming the second bit site will be slowed down; i.e. there is a neighbor bit disturb (or a program disturb) when programming the second bit site. There are numerous mechanisms that have been developed in an effort to consider the neighbor bit disturb and the program performance. Some of these mechanisms involve the application of different voltages to the source lines, the bit lines or the word lines. Thus, it may be desirable to provide an improved mechanism for programming a multi-level cell.

Memory device and method for programming memory cell of memory device


An engine sound synthesis system is operable to analyze sound. Operation of the system may include providing an input sound signal to be analysed and determining a fundamental frequency of the input signal from the input signal or from at least one guide signal. Furthermore, the frequencies of higher harmonics of the fundamental frequency are determined, thus determining harmonic model parameters. A harmonic signal based on the harmonic model parameters is synthesized and a residual signal is estimated by subtracting the harmonic signal from the input signal. Residual model parameters are estimated based on the residual signal. Furthermore, a corresponding method for synthesizing a sound signal is described.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of sound synthesis, particularly to synthesizing the sound of a combustion engine.
2. Related Art
The growing popularity of hybrids and electric vehicles gives rise to new safety issues in urban environments, as many of the aural cues associated with (combustion) engine noise can be missing. The solution is to intelligently make vehicles noisier. In fact, several countries have established laws which require vehicles to radiate a minimum level of sound in order to warn other traffic participants of an approaching vehicle.


In a gas diffusion electrode assembly, and in an electrolyzer using the same, a bonding piece having on at least one surface a perfluorosulfonic acid layer, a perfluorosulfonyl fluoride layer or an alkyl ester of perfluorocarboxylic acid layer is positioned at its perfluoro compound layer surface with respect to the gas diffusion electrode assembly. Adjacent gas diffusion electrodes are heat fusion bonded together, or heat fusion bonding is carried out using the bonding piece in a frame form. Adjacent gas diffusion electrodes are sealed up by heat fusion bonding, using a material that is similar to the material that forms the gas diffusion electrodes.

The present invention relates generally to a gas diffusion electrode assembly and a bonding method for gas diffusion electrodes, and more particularly to a bonding method for gas diffusion electrodes to build up a gas diffusion electrode assembly having a large electrode area and an electrolyzer comprising gas diffusion electrodes.
Aqueous solutions are electrolyzed to produce various materials while hydrogen is generated at cathodes in general. Hydrogen generated by electrolysis is higher in purity than that obtained by other means. In applications where their main purpose is not to obtain hydrogen, however, it is proposed to avoid generation of hydrogen to lower electrolysis voltage, thereby driving down power per electrolytic reaction.
That is, when oxygen gas diffusion electrodes are used as cathodes in place of general hydrogen generation electrodes, it is possible to achieve a 1.2 V drop of electrolysis voltage because hydrogen is not generated at the cathodes. With the gas diffusion electrodes, accordingly, the electrical energy necessary for electrolysis can be saved. Thus, electrolysis harnessing oxygen gas diffusion electrodes as cathodes is extremely effective at plants with no condition for efficient use of hydrogen.
To prevent generation of hydrogen at cathodes thereby stepping down electrolysis voltage, there has been proposed an electrolysis process where oxygen is fed to an oxygen gas diffusion electrode placed at a cathode.
Creating a gas-liquid-solid three-phase interface at a reaction layer site, a gas diffusion electrode is now produced by forming a composition comprising a hydrophobic synthetic resin such as fluororesin, a catalyst, an electrically conductive substance, etc., or sintering the resultant formed product.
On the other hand, industrially available aqueous solution electrolyzers represented by ion-exchange membrane electrolyzers for brine are becoming larger and larger, and with this an electrode area of as large as a few m2 is being employed.
On such a large electrolyzer a gas diffusion electrode having a large area must be mounted. However, it is cumbersome to produce a large-area gas diffusion electrode. Made of a composition comprising fluororesins, electrically conductive substances, etc., a gas diffusion electrode is of low mechanical strength, and as area increases, it tends to undergo deformation due to its own weight, and is difficult to work with as well.
To produce an electrolyzer having a large electrode area, a number of gas diffusion electrodes, each having a small area, must be provided. In this case, they must be bonded together in such a way as to ensure prevention of leakage of electrolytes and gases through junctions at which they are bonded.
However, gas diffusion electrodes are made of a composition comprising an electrically conductive material such as carbon black and a fluororesin, and so are just only poor in adhesion to other member but lacking in strength as well. It is thus impossible to bond or fix them together with large force, offering a problem with reliable bonding.
For instance, any sufficient bonding strength could never be obtained by use of fluororesins such as polytetrafluoroethylene. On the other hand, tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymers (FEPs) are known as fluororesins having much the same heat fusion bonding properties as general-purpose thermoplastic resins. Gas diffusion electrodes may be bonded together by heat fusion bonding of an EFT film placed on a junction between them. However, even when a thin FEP film is used, the heat fusion bonded junction often warps up in a concave form toward the FEP side. Such an irregular bonded surface may induce stress in the vicinity of the junction and do damage thereto, or render it difficult to mount the gas diffusion electrodes on an electrolyzer.
Projections from the warping junction may do damage to ion-exchange membrane surfaces.
To produce an electrolyzer having a large electrode area, a number of gas diffusion electrodes, each having a small area, must be provided as described above. In this case, they must be bonded together in such a way as to ensure prevention of leakage of electrolytes and gases through junctions at which they are bonded together.
For instance, JP(A) 2000239881 proposes an electrolzyer comprising a number of gas diffusion electrodes, wherein they are bonded by hot pressing to two or more openings provided in a corrosion-resistant metal frame via a silver sheet for the purpose of ensuring prevention of electrolytes and gases.
However, a problem with hot pressing of fluoro-resin-containing gas diffusion electrodes is that any sufficient bonding properties are not obtained at their junctions with a metal sheet.
Currents are conducted through a gas diffusion electrode by connecting a portion (that serves as an electrically conductive connector of the gas diffusion electrode) of a collector drawn out of its gas supply layer in which the collector is embedded with a cathode pan that also serves as a cathode chamber collector, so that the collector can be electrically connected to the cathode pan.
A junction of the collector in the gas diffusion electrode with the cathode pan must be of low electrical resistance, and fully sealed up in such a way as to prevent leakage of electrolyte, etc. through that junction.
To an industrially used electrolyzer of as large as 1 m×1 m or more, a plurality of gas diffusion electrode units having a width of, for instance, about 30 cm are often bonded and attached in a divided fashion in consideration of difficulty with which a large-area gas diffusion electrode is produced, electrically conductive connection with a cathode pan or the like. Even such gas diffusion electrode units are bonded to the electrolyzer, the junctions must be of reduced electrical resistance, and be sealed up in such a way as to prevent leakage of electrolytes.
For instance, JP(A) 2000119880 comes up with an attachment method for such gas diffusion electrodes, wherein electrical conductors mounted on the gas diffusion electrodes are inserted in a groove in a cathode collector frame with wedges embedded therein, thereby bringing the cathode collector frame in contact with the gas diffusion electrodes.
JP(A) 2000199094 proposes a method for prevention of penetration of electrolytes, wherein collectors exposed on the peripheries of gas diffusion electrodes are welded to a cathode collector frame at junctions, and the junctions are sealed up with a sealing agent.
JP(A) 2000273679 puts forward a sealing method for gas diffusion electrodes wherein polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fine powders are filled in junctions of the gas diffusion electrodes and the junctions are sealed up by ultrasonic fusion bonding, or a bonding method for gas diffusion electrodes wherein the gas diffusion electrodes are bonded together using as an adhesive a solution of polyethersulfone resin in an organic solvent.
JP(A) 2000239879 proposes a method wherein a cathode pan is bonded to resin sheets hot-pressed to gas diffusion electrodes.
One object of the present invention is to provide a bonding method for gas diffusion electrodes. Another object of the invention is to provide a gas diffusion electrode assembly that can be attached to an electrolyzer having a large electrode area with junctions having improved airtightness.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an electrolyzer having a large electrode area. A further object of the invention is to provide an electrolyzer having a large electrode area, which, upon assembled, is less likely to suffer from leakage of electrolytes and gases through joints of a plurality of gas diffusion electrodes mounted on an electrolytic surface.
A further object of the invention is to provide a sealing method for gas diffusion electrodes, which ensures reliable prevention of liquid leakage and in which junctions of the gas diffusion electrodes are of low electrical resistance, and the junctions can not only be used as mere junction areas but also can be effectively used as electrodes.

Gas diffusion electrode assembly, bonding method for gas diffusion electrodes, and electrolyzer comprising gas diffusion electrodes


A light receiving module having a built-in wavelength-tunable wavelength-selective filter that can selectively receive light with a specific wavelength from laser light with various wavelengths emitted from an optical fiber and tune the specific wavelength. In the light receiving module including a light receiving element having a built-in wavelength-tunable wavelength-selective filter that receives laser light from an optical fiber according to the present invention, a flat plate-shaped window (240) transmitting laser light from an optical fiber (600) is formed in the light receiving element (22), a wavelength-tunable wavelength-selective filter for separating wavelengths of laser light traveling as parallel light is disposed in the light receiving element (22), and a lens (400) converting laser light from the optical fiber (600) into parallel light is disposed between the optical fiber (600) and the light receiving element (22).

A light receiving module for optical communication in the related art is illustrated in FIG. 1. Laser light emitted from an optical fiber illustrated in FIG. 1 has the features of emissive light emitted at a predetermined angle. In order to effectively receive such emissive light, there is a need for a lens that can converge laser light with a photodiode for receiving light, and in the related art, light receiving elements included a lens, so the light receiving elements and an optical fiber were optically aligned to receive light. Further, bidirectional light transmitting/receiving modules in the related art, as illustrated in FIG. 2, were manufactured to send signals to an optical fiber, using an assembly of a TO (Transistor outline) type light transmitting element equipped with a lens on the outer side and a TO type light receiving element equipped with a lens. In general, light transmitting elements include a semiconductor laser diode chip, which emits light in the type of emissive light having a predetermined emission angle. Accordingly, in order to collect light emitted from a laser diode chip, which emits light in the type of emissive light having a predetermined emission angle, to an optical fiber, there is a need for a lens that converts emissive light into converging light between a laser diode chip and an optical fiber, so light transmitting elements, as in FIG. 2, is equipped with a lens and converts laser light, which is emitted from a laser diode chip therein, into converging light and optically coupling it to an optical fiber. Laser light for receiving is emitted from an optical module for bidirectional communication to the same optical fiber that receives light for transmitting. Laser light emitted from an optical fiber is also emissive light having a predetermined emission angle, so the size of the laser light increases in proportion to the traveling distance of the light. Photodiodes in optical receiving elements are usually very small in dozens of nanometers, so there is a need for a lens for converging laser light having the features of emissive light from an optical fiber to a photodiode, as in FIG. 2, in order to converge light emitted from an optical fiber to those very small photodiodes.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, in common light receiving modules or common bidirectional optical communication modules, a lens is included in a light receiving element, so laser light having the features of emissive light and emitted from an optical fiber converges into a light receiving area of a photodiode in the light receiving element. However, laser light travels at different angles, depending on areas, between the lens and the light receiving area of the photodiode. This is illustrated in FIG. 3. That is, laser light from, an optical, fiber 600 becomes converging light that converges to a light receiving area 211 of a photodiode 210 through a lens 410 in a light receiving element 20.
Recently, a communication standard of NG-PON2 (Next Generation Passive optical Network 2) has been established by ITU (International Telecommunication Union), in which a wavelength, multiplying method using one optical fiber using four channel wavelengths has been employed, so the communication standard requires a wavelength-tunable light receiving element that can tune and selectively receive specific wavelengths. Tuning and selectively receiving wavelengths can be easily achieved by mounting a wavelength-tunable wavelength-selective filter, which can tune a wavelength, between a lens and a photodiode in a light receiving element. However, when light having a specific wavelength is selectively transmitted using a wavelength-tunable filter, the wavelength of the transmitted light depends on the incident angle on the wavelength-selective filter. Accordingly, in order to effectively select and transmit a specific wavelength using a wavelength-selective filter, the light traveling into the wavelength-selective filter preferably have the features of parallel light, as illustrated in FIG. 4, rather than the features of converging light, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
Further, as illustrated in FIG. 5, it is possible to convert light from an optical fiber into parallel light by attaching a lens to a light receiving element, but conversion of emissive light into parallel light depends on optical arrangement of an optical fiber 600 and a light receiving element 22. That is, as in FIG. 5, when laser light traveling into the light receiving element 22 by optical arrangement between the optical fiber 600 and the light receiving element 22 is converted into the parallel light, the optical fiber 600 should be accurately aligned with the focus of a lens 225, but when the optical fiber 600 is out of the focus of the lens 225, light passing through the lens 225 cannot be parallel light. However, when optical arrangement is achieved, as described above, the features of parallel light, converging light, and emissive light that laser light has in the light receiving element 22 depend on the degree of the optical arrangement, and a change in convergence of light is a phenomenon generated in the light receiving element 22, so it is difficult to know whether the laser light becomes parallel light in the light receiving element 22 in optical arrangement.
Accordingly, it is very difficult to convert light having the features of emissive light outside a light receiving element into parallel light inside the light receiving element, using a lens attached to the light receiving element in the light receiving module illustrated in FIG. 1 and the optical module for bidirectional communication illustrated in FIG. 2. Therefore, when the light receiving element is a wavelength-tunable light receiving element, it is difficult to make the laser light traveling into a wavelength-tunable selective filter into parallel light, so wavelength selectivity is low.

Light receiving module having built-in wavelength-tunable wavelength-selective filter


A housing for optical integrated circuits for protecting the circuit from temperature induced stresses has a base and cap and a thermal bed contained therein. The thermal bed has a region for containing the integrated circuit therein, suspended in a thermally conductive grease. At least one heater is affixed to the thermal bed for heating it, and temperature monitoring apparatus is included for supplying signals to a control apparatus for activating the heater when the temperature of the thermal bed falls outside of the operating temperature range.

Communication systems, as well as other signal processing arrangements, are, more and more, being created utilizing optical signals requiring the use of optical fibers and the numerous components associated therewith, or are being converted to such use. The tremendous bandwidths characterizing optical signal transmission make the use of such systems the preferred mode for signal transmission. However, despite the obvious advantages from the use of optical signals, such transmission gives rise to problems that are unique to light wave signal manipulation, problems which generally are not present in lower frequency signal transmission utilizing conductive wires. For example, optical switching, multiplexing, and demultiplexing are all operations, along with others, that present problems. Such operations have, in general, required a concatenation of discrete optical components, and, as a result, suffer from increased bulkiness and reduced system reliability. As a consequence, much effort has been directed at reducing the number of components by combining their operations on a single, monolithic chip which generally comprises a thin film, compact planar optical circuit. Properly designed chips can greatly improve circuit or signal transmission performance while, at the same time, insuring greatly increased reliability and an advantageous reduction in the number of discrete components in the circuit.
One example of such a monolithic device is the dense wave division multiplexer (DWDM) of the type shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,671 of Dragone, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. Such a device is useful where a large number of transmission channels must be crowded into a narrow bandwidth window. Such narrow windows can result, for example, from the use of erbium doped optical amplifiers, which are widely used today, but which can severely limit the usable bandwidth. In order to accommodate many channels in the narrow window, they must be closely spaced in wavelength, such as, for example, successive wavelengths differing by 0.8 nm or 1.6 nm. By use of a new technology referred to as OASIC (optical application specific integrated circuits), thin film planar optical circuits can be formed to produce such a DWDM as discussed, on a single wafer or chip. Such a chip generally comprises a thin silicon wafer upon which a low refractive index silica glass lower cladding is deposited. A high index core layer is then deposited, patterned, and etched to form the optical waveguides, and then an upper cladding is deposited. Wafers for a variety of functions can be produced using the OASIC technology, however, the remainder of the discussion will be directed to the DWDM in the interest of simplicity and consistency. It should be understood that these other types of integrated circuits are by no means intended to be excluded.
One of the problems arising from the use of some OASIC devices, particularly the arrayed waveguide gratings in a DWDM, is their sensitivity to temperature changes, and to physical stresses which impair their reliability. For example, in the DWDM, because the operating wavelengths of the several individual channels differ by such a small degree, any expansion or contraction or bending due to temperature fluctuations will degrade the optical performance and, in the extreme, cause circuit failure. Likewise, temperature fluctuations less than 1.degree. C. may cause degradation or failure. It has been found that degradation or failure can generally be prevented and reliability of the circuit insured if the temperature of the device is maintained at a predetermined temperature in a range of 75.degree. C. to 90.degree. C. This maintenance temperature, specific to the individual circuit, must be controlled to within a few degrees Celsius even though the ambient temperature may vary from, for example, 0.degree. C. to 70.degree. C. Thus, some sort of protective housing must be provided for the wafer, i.e., circuit.
Maintaining various types of electronic devices at an even temperature by housing them in sealed containers is well known in the art. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,121 of Brusselbach et al. there is shown such a housing for a crystal which comprises an oven having walls of thermally conductive material and an inner chamber within the oven which contains the crystal and maintains it in thermal contact with the walls of the inner chamber. Means are provided for heating both the oven walls and the crystal. Such an arrangement is both complicated and bulky, and, apparently, unsuitable for maintaining an IC wafer at a constant temperature with an economy of components and structure.
In any housing for maintaining a substantially constant temperature in at least a portion thereof, each component within the housing, as well as the housing itself, is subject to deleterious temperature effects during operation. Thus, expansion or contraction of the housing itself due to temperature changes can affect at least some of the components within the housing, to the detriment of the overall operation.


In a method for displaying information, in particular in a vehicle, a list of multiple graphic objects is graphically represented on a display, a display area of the display being associated with each represented graphic object and the objects being selectable for executing a function. Prior to the selection of one of the objects, an animation runs in the display area of at least one graphic object, which illustrates the function associated with the graphic object.

There are various information and communication areas in a motor vehicle to which display instruments are assigned. They are provided to inform the driver and the passengers. Furthermore, they can assist the driver in navigation or communication with the outside world. In particular, the display can visually represent traffic-related or operational data of the vehicle. The so-called instrument cluster is disposed near the driver's primary visual field. It is typically located in the cockpit behind the steering wheel and is visible through an opening in the steering wheel. In particular, it is used to indicate the speed, the fuel level, radiator temperature and other operation-related information of the motor vehicle. Additionally, radio and other audio functions may also be represented. Finally, it is possible to show menus for telephone, navigation, telematic services and multi-media applications. Liquid crystal displays of different designs are typically utilized as displays.
DE 100 01 988, for instance, describes an instrument cluster for displaying data relating to operation and/or traffic. To be better able to accommodate the manifold information, DE 103 03 792 provides for a perspective representation of three-dimensional elements.
As an additional display device, a vehicle frequently has a multifunction display in the center console or above the center console. Such a display for a multifunction operating element is described for example in DE 199 41 955.
Hierarchical menu structures are often used to display the manifold operating and display options in a clearly laid out manner.
The menu items of a menu are often represented in the form of a list based on graphic objects. When one of the represented graphic objects is selected, then the function associated with the corresponding menu item is executed. This function may also include the display of a submenu with additional submenu items.
Using such lists of selectable graphic objects in a vehicle poses the problem that registering the information shown by the display, such as the association of a desired function with a displayed graphic object, requires the diver's attention such that the driver becomes distracted from driving the vehicle. It is therefore desirable to represent the information in the vehicle such that it may be registered quickly and intuitively by the driver such that the apprehension of the represented information does not result in a distraction of the driver while driving. Furthermore, it should be possible to perform the operation in such an intuitive, simple and quick manner that the driver is able to operate the devices of the vehicle, the information of which is represented on the display device, even while driving. The representation of information and the operation associated with a representation of information in the motor vehicle thus contributes to safety when driving the motor vehicle.

Method and device for displaying information, in particular in a vehicle


A safety device associated with a heating element of a glass ceramic cooking hob and arranged to prevent overheating of the cooking hob, the element comprising an insulating body defining a seat containing at least one heat generator, the device comprising a measuring member arranged to measure the temperature of the heating element and to deactivate the operation of the heat generator whenever this temperature exceeds a predetermined value, the measuring member being associated externally with a side wall of the insulating body and having a measuring part connected to a body passing through said wall and projecting to a limited extent above the heat generator.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device in accordance with the introduction to the main claim.
2. Description of the Related Art
A glass ceramic cooking hob is known to comprise a plurality of heating elements positioned below the glass ceramic surface. Each heating element comprises an insulating body defining a seat to contain one or more heat generators (electrical resistance elements, halogen lamps or the like) the operating temperature of which must be continuously controlled both in order to correspond to that chosen by the user, and for safety reasons (for example to prevent overheating of and damage to the glass ceramic hob). Associated with each heating element there are therefore provided temperature measurement means connected to means for controlling the electrical supply to the heat generators which, on the basis of the user's choice and the signals originating from said measurement means, control the activation of said heat generators.
Several temperature control and safety devices associated with the aforesaid heating elements are known. One of these comprises an electromechanical component which varies the positive duty cycle of each heat generator associated with it in order to control the temperature (and hence the heat transmitted to a saucepan standing on it). With such a device, maximum heating level is obtained by connecting the heat generator directly to the electric mains (by way of said control device). Under these conditions a safety member is required for preventing overheating of that part of the glass ceramic hob positioned above the heating element. This member is generally a controlling thermostat, which is however a relatively costly component (negatively affecting the cost of the cooking hob to the public) and very fragile, hence requiring delicate handling.
Moreover, the combination of a thermostat with the said electromechanical control component does not offer performance reliability, i.e. does not ensure constant performance of a cooking hob of the examined type repeatable with time.

Temperature control and safety device associated with a heating element of a glass ceramic cooking hob, arranged to prevent overheating thereof


A masonry guide for supporting a vertical masonry line parallel to, and at a fixed distance from, a structural shell is disclosed. A masonry line attachment means is slidably mounted on the guide to permit location of the masonry line at the desired distance from the structural shell. The masonry guide may be attached to either a flat surface or corner of the structural shell. Alignment of the masonry guide with door and window jambs is facilitated by a locating tab pivotally mounted in the guide.

Various efforts have been made to facilitate the vertical alignment of masonry surfaces applied over a structural shell. Among these are mason's guides fixedly attached with various brackets to the shell and/or supporting foundation. Examples of such arrangements are shown in Schneider et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,666,260, Johnson U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,449, Barlow U.S. Pat. No. 3,201,870 and Sarasin U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,797. Other masonry guides are illustrated in Alwood U.S. Pat. No. 2,544,645 and Schraider U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,915.
These and like devices are primarily used to adjust the vertical spacing of brick layers and maintain the horizontal alignment of such bricks along a given wall. They do not, however readily permit the vertical alignment of the masonry surface.


A top spring of a bush contact encloses a base spring like an enclosing box. The top spring is a stamped and bent part with a production-dictated longitudinal slit in the top wall (extending in a plug-in direction). To form a stable, closed box form of the top spring, the slit top wall parts are provided with a connecting tab, respectively at either end of the longitudinal slit. The connecting tab is joined to the respectively opposite top wall part by form lock and/or by force lock.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a contact with a base spring. The base spring has a connecting part for an electrical conductor and a contact part with a spring leg base and spring legs, originating at this base, for contacting a plug contact, and having a top spring enclosing the contact part of the base spring in boxlike fashion, made of sheet metal from a stamped and bent part, which top spring has a bottom wall, two side walls, and a top wall split by a production-dictated longitudinal slit, and on two opposed walls, is embodied with cut-out, inward-bent top spring tongues resting on the spring legs of the base spring, and having a detent hook cut out of a wall and bent outward, extending longitudinally of the top spring, and is also embodied with a polarizing element.
2. Description of the Related Art
A contact of the above-described kind is known for instance from German Utility Model DE 92 02366 U.
For electrical plug connections, contact springs are used that are embodied as a contact and comprise a base spring and a top spring that, among other purposes to reinforce the contact force for the base spring, surrounds the base spring in boxlike fashion. The top spring moreover usually has still further functions and is intended for instance--as in the known contact--to effect a primary securing and polarization of a contact that can be inserted into a contact chamber of a contact carrier. To that end, the top spring is embodied on one side with a cut-out, outward-bent detent spring arm for primary securing, and also on the same side or on a different side with a likewise outward-bent tablike plate for polarization purposes. In addition, the top spring must still be secured to the base spring in a suitable way. In such contacts, both the base spring and the top spring are made of a sheet-metal stamped and bent part. Because of a resultant production-dictated longitudinal slit on one side, the stability of the box shape of the top spring can be impaired--especially in the case of top springs with additional functions.


A feeding bowl assembly (1) for feeding small animals. The feeding bowl assembly (1) comprises a feeding bowl (2) and a base (3). The feeding bowl (2) is releasably mounted to the base (3) in a locked orientation and an unlocked orientation. The feeding bowl (2) comprises one or more connectors (6) and the base (3) comprises one or more complimentary connectors (12). The locked and unlocked orientations are formed by engagement of the one or more connectors (6) with the one or more complimentary connectors (12).

Animals feeding bowls are often placed on flat, smooth floors. When an animal eats or drinks from the feeding bowl, the feeding bowl may be pushed around the floor by the animal, either intentionally or unintentionally. This movement can result in spillage of the food or water contained within the feeding bowl.
To address this problem, a known feeding bowl assembly comprises a feeding bowl releasably mountable to a weighted base. The feeding bowl can be unlocked from the base to be filled with food or water and then locked to the base to prevent it being moved around on the floor by an animal.
However, such a feeding bowl assembly has limited functionality and it may be difficult for elderly animal owners to unlock and lock the feeding bowl to the base. This can be particularly frustrating for the owner if the feeding bowl does not need to be locked to the base because their animal is inactive and/or weak and thus is unlikely knock the mounted feeding bowl off of the base.
Embodiments of the present invention seek to address the above problem and provide an improved feeding bowl assembly for use by both active and inactive animals.


A drop wire clamp assembly is disclosed which is particularly suited for clamping twin or "figure eight" drop wires having a conducting line and adjacent a support line. The support line is sandwiched between bail housing and a slide wedge assembly. The conducting line is cradled along an elongated side of the bail housing. Guiding assemblies at each opposite end of the bail housing hold the support line in center alignment with a gripping surface, which is located in the bail housing.

Typically, a drop wire clamp assembly is used to support the telephone drop wire which is an insulated telephone cable which is strung between a pole and a building. The drop wire clamp assembly has a wire or cable which attaches to the structure so as to bear the weight of the suspended telephone drop wire where the telephone cable reaches the building or telephone pole. The clamp assembly should firmly grip and hold the drop wire even under great tension. However, the grip must be made without breaking or cutting the insulation of the drop wire, which could cause failure of the telephone service.
Drop wire clamp assemblies typically comprise a wedge-shaped bail housing having a series of ridges, and a wedge-shaped slide which mates with the housing to locate the insulated drop wire therebetween. A wire loop extends from the wedge slide for connection to the structure. The bail housing and wedge slide are all formed of stainless steel or other metal. A shim or pressure pad having a large number of perforations may be located between the wedge slide and the drop wire, and may have retaining ears which prevent the shim from moving longitudinally. As the wedge slide is slid to the bail housing, the shim presses into the insulation of the drop wire to firmly grip and hold the drop wire.
While the foregoing technique is suitable for many types of wires and lines, it is less desirable for use with certain reinforced lines. These reinforced lines are used when a line must span a long distance between supporting members, such as poles. In such long spans, conducting wires alone cannot withstand the tension forces caused by their own weight. Thus, a thin metal support member or cable is provided to reinforce the conducting wires. In the twin or "figure eight" configuration, these reinforced lines have a number of conducting wires which are contained in a first cylindrical insulating sleeve, and a thin metal support wire which is contained in a second cylindrical insulating sleeve. The two insulating sleeves are integrally joined, so that the cross-section of the reinforced line has a figure eight shape. The term "figure eight wire" or "figure eight drop wire" as used herein refers to reinforced line having a configuration as described above.
When the above-described drop wire clamp assembly is used to clamp a reinforced line, such as a figure eight wire, the presence of the support wire creates several problems. First, the support wire makes the line bulky and cumbersome to handle when applying the clamp. Second, the thickness of the support wire reduces the effectiveness of the clamp. Third, the support wire, when inserted into the clamp with the conducting wires, tends to crush the conducting wires, thereby increasing the chances of a short circuit or other failure.
Ideally, a drop wire clamp suitable for figure eight drop wires should clamp the support line without clamping the conducting wires.

Twin drop wire clamp assembly and method


In accordance with one embodiment, a vending machine comprises a plurality of receptacles for holding units of products, each receptacle operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series. The vending machine further comprises a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense, from each receptacle, a first unit in the respective plurality of units, the dispensing mechanism thereby being operable to dispense only a first unit from the respective series at a time. The vending machine further comprises a means for determining, for a unit, information allowing a relationship among the unit and a location of the unit in the receptacle to be determined.

The present invention relates to vending machines. One aspect of the invention relates in particular to vending machines of the type that comprise (i) a plurality of receptacles (e.g., rows, trays or columns) for holding units of products, each receptacle being operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series; and (ii) a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense, from each receptacle, a first unit in the respective plurality of units, the dispensing mechanism thereby being operable to dispense only a first unit from the respective series at a time. Such vending machines are referred to as "series dispensing" vending machines herein.
A vending machine typically holds a finite number of units of products and is refilled by an operator (e.g., a route driver) on a periodic or non-periodic basis. An operator typically loads a vending machine with a number of units of a variety of different products. For example, a first tray may be loaded with a plurality of units of a first product while a second tray may be loaded with a plurality of units of a second product. The operator typically determines how many units of each product to load based on past experience regarding demand for the products. For example, if a first product has been very popular in the past (e.g., the first product is usually sold out or almost sold out when the operator arrives to refill the vending machine), the operator may fill two or more trays of the vending machine with the product. In the same example the operator may only fill one tray of the vending machine with a second, less popular, product (e.g., a product of which some units are typically still available from the vending machine when the operator arrives to refill the vending machine).
A conventional vending machine stores very minimal information (e.g., the single price for all products available from the vending machine or, at most, respective price associated with each tray of the vending machine). It would be advantageous for a vending machine to store, or be operable to access, more detailed information regarding the products available for sale from the vending machine. This would allow various methods to be employed to facilitate additional sales from the vending machine.
Many other drawbacks of conventional vending machines limit the profitability of the vending machines.

Method and apparatus for defining and utilizing product location in a vending machine


The application relates to the use of topiramate and related sulfamates for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

This invention relates to a methods for the treatment or prophylaxis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using topiramate and related sulfamate derivatives and analogues, and the pharmacologically acceptable acid addition salts thereof, alone or in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
Chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a difficult to treat condition. To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved only one medication, sertraline, for the treatment of PTSD, and has limited the indication to women. Hypotheses on the etiology of PTSD have suggested that after exposure to traumatic events, limbic nuclei may become kindled or sensitized. Consequently, drugs known to have anti-kindling or anticonvulsant effects have been assessed as treatments for PTSD. (See Post RM et al., xe2x80x9cCocaine, kindling, and psychosis,xe2x80x9d Am J Psychiatry 133:627-634 (1976); Post RM et al., xe2x80x9cConditioning and sensitisation in the longitudinal course of affective illness,xe2x80x9d Br J Psychiatry 149:191-201 (1986); and Post RM et al., xe2x80x9cKindling versus quenching. Implications for the evolution and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder,xe2x80x9d Ann N Y Acad Sci 821:285-295 (1997)). For example, carbamazepine may reduce reexperiencing and arousal symptoms, whereas valproate may reduce avoidance/numbing and arousal symptoms but not re-experiencing symptoms. (See Keck PE et al., xe2x80x9cValproate and carbamazepine in the treatment of panic and posttraumatic stress disorders, withdrawal states and behavioural dyscontrol syndromes,xe2x80x9d J Clin Physchopharmacol 12(suppl 1):36-41 (1992).)
The generic class of compounds of the following formula I:
are structurally similar antiepileptic compounds that are highly effective anticonvulsants in animal tests (Maryanoff, B. E. et al., Med. Chem. 30:880-887 (1987); Maryanoff, B. E. et al., Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 3:2653-2656 (1993), McComsey, D. F. et al., J. Org. Chem. 1995). These compounds are covered by three U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,5.13,006, 5,384,327 and 5,498,629. One of these compounds 2,3:4,5-bis-O-(1-methylethylidene)-xcex2-D-fructopyranose sulfamate known as topiramate has been demonstrated in clinical trials of human epilepsy to be effective as adjunctive therapy or as monotherapy in treating simple and complex partial seizures and secondarily generalized seizures (E. Faught et. al., Epilepsia 36 (S4) 33, 1995; S. K. Sachdeo et al., Epilepsia 36 (S4) 33, 1995), and is currently marketed for the treatment of simple and complex partial seizure epilepsy with or without secondary generalized seizures in Great Britain, Finland, the United States, Sweden and elsewhere, and applications for regulatory approval are presently pending or have been approved in over 50 countries throughout the world.
Compounds of Formula I were initially found to possess anticonvulsant activity in the traditional maximal electroshock seizure (MES) test in mice (Shank, R. P. et al., Epilepsia 35 450-460, 1994). Subsequent studies revealed that Compounds of Formula I were also highly effective in the MES test in rats. More recently topiramate was found to effectively block seizures in several rodent models of epilepsy (J. Nakamura et al., Eur. J. Pharmacol. 254 83-89, 1994), and in an animal model of kindled epilepsy (A. Wauquier et al., Epilepsy Res. 24, 73-77, 1996).
More recently, topiramate has been shown to have efficacy in the treatment of a broad range of seizure types in adults and children. (Faught E., xe2x80x9cEfficacy of topiramate as adjunctive therapy in refractory partial seizures: United States trial experience,xe2x80x9d Epilepsia 38(suppl 1):24-27 (1997); Ben-Menachem E., xe2x80x9cClinical efficacy of topiramate as add-on therapy in refractory partial epilepsy: The European experience,xe2x80x9d Epilepsia 38(suppl 1):28-30 (1997); Reife R A et al., xe2x80x9cTopiramate as adjunctive therapy in refractory partial epilepsy: Pooled analysis of data from five double-blind, placebo-controlled trials,xe2x80x9d Epilepsia 38(suppl 1):31-33 (1997); Rosenfeld W E et al., xe2x80x9cLong-term experience with topiramate as adjunctive therapy and as monotherapy in patients with partial onset seizures: Retrospective study of open-label treatment,xe2x80x9d Epilepsia 38(suppl 1):34-36 (1997); Biton V., xe2x80x9cPreliminary open-label experience with topiramate in primary generalized seizures,xe2x80x9d Epilepsia 38(suppl 1):42-44 (1997); Glauser T A, xe2x80x9cTopiramate use in pediatric patients,xe2x80x9d Can J Neurol Sci 25:8-12 (1998); and Elterman R D et al., xe2x80x9cA double-blind, randomized trial of topiramate as adjunctive therapy for partial-onset seizures in children. Topirarnate Y P Study Group.,xe2x80x9d Neurology 52:1338-1344 (1999)). The drug has an usually broad spectrum of pharmacological properties, with several proposed mechanisms of action. In addition to carbonic anhydrase inhibition, topiramate induces state-dependent blockade of voltage-gated Na+ channels, enhances GABAergic activity at GABAA receptors, blocks glutamate inhibition at kainate/AMPA receptors, and promotes protein phosphorylation of neuronal conductance channels. Topiramate thus combines several pharmacological properties of carbamazepine and valproate. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,753,693 discloses that topiramate, and the sulfamate derivatives of formula I (above) are useful for the treatment of manic-depressive bipolar disorder (MDBD).
Recent preclinical studies on topiramate have revealed previously unrecognized pharnacological properties, which suggest that topiramate should be effective in treating post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that topiramate and related sulfamate compounds of the following formula I:
wherein X is O or CH2, and R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined hereinafter, and the pharmacologically acceptable acid addition salts thereof, alone or in association with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, are useful in treating post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The compounds of the invention may also be used prophylactically to lessen the frequency and/or intensity of PTSD symptoms following a traumatic event.
This and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the description of the invention which follows below.

Compounds and methods for the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder


A method for linking front and rear images in a document processing system involves linking the front and rear images by a magnetic ink character code line. The document processing system includes an imaging device and a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) reader. The method comprises capturing a first image and first MICR waveform for the front side of the document, and capturing a second image and second MICR waveform for the rear side of the document. A forward recognition algorithm is applied to the first waveform to produce a first code line. A reverse recognition algorithm is applied to the second waveform to produce a second code line. The reverse recognition algorithm considers the second waveform as resulting from the document being read from the rear side of the document when processing the second waveform.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to document processing, document imaging, and magnetic ink character recognition. The invention further relates to hand-operated document readers/imagers, and to methods and systems for linking front and rear images in a document reader/imager.
2. Background Art
A typical document processing system includes a feeder and a separator in the document-feeding portion of the system, and a series of roller pairs or belts in the document-transporting portion of the system. In the feeding portion of the system, the feeder acts with the separator to feed documents singly, in order, from a stack. In the transporting portion of the system, the roller pairs and/or belts convey the documents, one at a time, past other processing devices such as readers, printers, and sorters that perform operations on the documents. The feeder is typically a feed wheel, but may take other forms. The separator may be a wheel, but also may take other forms such as a belt. Further, the components in the transporting portion of the system may take a variety of forms.
In addition to large document processing systems that handle stacks of documents, smaller systems also exist. These smaller document processing systems may handle smaller stacks of documents, or may even handle single documents, fed one at a time. There are also hand-operated document readers/imagers.
Banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions use document processing systems to regularly process checks, deposit slips, and other types of bank documents in order to execute financial transactions efficiently. Document processing systems have therefore become quite prevalent in the industry. Typically, information is printed on these documents in magnetic ink which can be read both by the human eye and a computer. This form of printing is read by a process called magnetic ink character recognition (MICR). As part of the recognition process, a MICR magnetic read head is used to read the information printed on the document.
Conventional approaches to MICR reading and recognition generally involve determining peak position information for a waveform generated by a single gap magnetic read head. This peak information typically includes information regarding the amount of time between the peaks of each character. Knowledge of the velocity of the document (and thus, the velocity of the characters which are printed on the document) allows this time information to be converted into distance information, which can be compared to the MICR character peak profiles as contained in the ANSI X9.27-2000 "Print and Test Specifications for Magnetic Ink Printing (MICR)" as promulgated by the American National Standards Institute. Based on the design of the standard E-13B character set, in order that a MICR reader reliably read with a high correct character read rate and with a very low substitution rate, the document velocity must be precisely known during reading or otherwise be speed-controlled so that it does not vary.
These conventional approaches are acceptable when the velocity of the document is either known or can be controlled. In fact, conventional approaches to MICR typically involve rather complex schemes for controlling the velocity of the document or attempting to measure its velocity at different times as the document moves past the MICR read head. There has also been an approach to MICR reading and recognition that utilizes a dual gap read head to eliminate the need for precise knowledge or control of the document velocity.
In a hand-operated document reader/imager, the document is placed on a base and the MICR/image device is moved over the document from right to left, which is the traditional direction of larger document readers. During this movement, the MICR characters are recognized and the front image of the document is captured.
In order to capture the rear image of the document, the document must be removed from the base of the hand-operated check reader/imager, flipped over, and placed back on the base. This manual step in the processing could lead to errors. The operator could place a different document on the base.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a method that will verify that the original document was placed back on the hand-operated check reader so as to avoid the accidental association of a front image with an incorrect rear image.

Method and system for linking front and rear images in a document reader/imager


An information recording medium reproducing system has an insertion opening, a recording medium storing portion and a medium carrying device. Photodetectors are provided for detecting passing of the recording medium and for producing a passing signal when the medium passes. A controller is provided for controlling operation of the medium carrying device. The controller applies a discharge signal to the medium carrying device when the passing signal is not produced within a predetermined time, whereby the medium carrying device is actuated in discharge operation.

The present invention relates to a system for reproducing information recorded on an information recording medium.
The applicant of this patent application has provided an information reproducing system disclosed in Japanese Patent Applications 10-107265 and 10-107266.
In the system, an opening is formed at a front panel of a housing for inserting and discharging an optical disc. In the housing, there is provided a plurality of trays for storing recording mediums, a clamp mechanism for positioning the recording medium, and a pickup for reading recorded information.
The trays are stacked and disposed adjacent the opening, and vertically moved so as to position a desired tray at the opening and the clamp mechanism.
When a user instructs a desired tray, the tray is automatically positioned at the opening. When the user inserts an information recorded medium in the opening, the information recorded medium is automatically stored on the tray. Thereafter the stack of trays is vertically moved to a waiting position.
When the user instructs a desired recording medium stored in a tray, the tray is moved to the clamp mechanism, and the information recorded on the recording medium is reproduced by the pickup and a reproducing device.
When the user instructs to discharge a recording medium, the tray storing the recording medium is moved to the opening and the recording medium is discharged from the opening.
If the user inserts a foreign object in the opening or a recording medium is stuck in the device, and the tray is moved in such a condition, the device may break.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Information reproducing system having means for preventing a breakdown thereof caused by abnormal conditions


In a power on/off circuit apparatus, if a microcomputer malfunctions, an on/off operation of a power switch is executed, and thereby, the microcomputer is reset. A non-volatile memory stores an operating state of components just before the power switch is operated. Therefore, if the microcomputer malfunctions, without unplugging an AC cord, it is possible to reset the microcomputer by the power switch, and thus, to carry the components from a state just before the reset to the next operating state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power on/off circuit apparatus, which can turn on/off a power supply from an external power source to each electronic device based on an operation input of power switch, in electronic devices including a microcomputer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in electronic devices such as a DVD (digital video disc) player, a DVD-ROM (digital video disc-read only memory) drive and the like, when these devices are connected to an AC (alternating current) power source, a power is always supplied to a microcomputer. The microcomputer carries out a key scan sensing operation of a key matrix on which various input keys including a power switch are arranged, and then, makes an on/off control of power supply to individual electronic components when the power switch is operated.
Moreover, even when the power supplied to individual electronic components is turned off, the microcomputer is operating; in other words, these electronic components are operating in a power saving mode (key scan sensing operation is still continuing).
By the way, when the microcomputer hangs up due to any factors, key scan sensing operation is impossible, and even when the power switch is operated, the power of the these components is not turned off. For this reason, an AC code must be plugged out and in of a receptacle (plug socket) in order to cancel the above hang-up of the microcomputer.
In the case where the microcomputer makes a malfunction, there is a well-known technique of resetting the microcomputer without plugging the AC code out of the receptacle (e.g., refer to Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. SHO 57-204592).
However, according to the prior art disclosed in the above Publication, in the case where the microcomputer is reset by the power switch making a malfunction, the state of electronic components operating just before is lost; for this reason, a user must start the operation of electronic components at the beginning. Therefore, the user has a misunderstanding of making a power-on operation in spite of making a power-off operation from the power-on state by operating the power switch; as a result, the user has a strange feeling that something is wrong. Moreover, the electronic components are not operating in a power saving mode (key scan sensing operation is still continuing).

Power on/off circuit apparatus having a reset function


Various embodiments of this invention disclose a scarf with a knit tension differential between opposing sides along the length of the scarf that produces the effect of a scarf that takes and holds certain specific architectural shapes when it is worn by a user. The scarf of the present invention preferably has a three dimensional, hyperbolic shape that takes and holds certain architectural shapes when wrapped in different ways around the wearer.

This invention generally relates to an article of clothing. Specifically, it pertains to a scarf or scarf-like article of clothing designed to take and hold certain defined shapes when worn around the neck of the wearer.
Scarves are an important accessory to any wardrobe because they offer warmth, versatility, and a way to accent or complete a wardrobe. Scarves are typically flat, rectangular, straight edged, and are made from a uniformly woven or knitted cloth material. Frequently, these straight edge scarves are woven to be precisely straight, to have even knitting, and to have an even knit tension differential. Because of this even knit tension differential, most scarves are limp and fail to hold the shape that the wearer places the scar in around the neck. As such, the wearer is forced to continually adjust the scarf so that it once again takes the shape desired by the user.
Although there are mechanisms external to the stitch types or knit types of the scarf, such as plastic inserts or elastic bands, which can be used to create a scarf that holds its shape, there is no scarf available that holds its shape solely from knit tension. A scarf with knit tension differential between opposing sides along the length of a scarf produces the effect of a scarf that takes and holds certain desired shapes when it is worn by a user. To date, no such scarf has been commercially available on the market.
A typical scarf is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 1,666,819, issued to Goetze. Goetze discloses a scarf that is rectangular, flat, and has two types of knit stitching, a tight stitch on the outer edges and a loose stitch on the inside. However, the knit stitching of the scarves of Goetze does not create a knit tension differential between opposing sides along the length of the scarf, and it does not produce the effect of a scarf that takes and holds a desired specific shape when it is worn by a user. Indeed, the dual knit stitching of the Goetze scarf is wholly for an ornamentally visual effect and serves no actual structural utilitarian purpose.
There are scarves commercially available, such as curly whirlies, that are stitched or knitted so that the scarf takes on a circular shape. However, a curly whirly is specifically knitted to have a circular-corkscrew shape, and the curvature of a curly whirly is usually so extreme that it gives the scarf a wavy or warped look. Additionally, the curly whirly does not have a knit tension differential between opposing sides along the length of the scarf, and it does not produce the effect of a scarf that holds a shape when worn by a user. Indeed, a curly whirly is designed to be floppy and wavy, rather than architecturally structured and shape retaining.
Thus, there remains a long felt need in the art for a scarf with knit tension differential between opposing sides along the length of the scarf that produces the effect of a scarf that takes and holds certain specific desired shapes when it is worn by a user.


A rechargeable battery according to embodiments of the present invention has improved safety against puncture and collapse. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a case, a first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal, a cap plate, and a short circuit member. The electrode assembly includes a first electrode, a separator, and a second electrode. The case contains the electrode assembly. The first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal are electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode of the electrode assembly, respectively. The short circuit member extends from the end of one of the first electrode and the second electrode and is wound around the outermost periphery of the electrode assembly to short circuit the electrode assembly when the secondary battery is punctured or collapsed.

1. Field
The following description relates to a rechargeable secondary battery, and more particularly to a rechargeable secondary battery with improved safety against puncture and collapse.
2. Description of Related Art
Lithium ion secondary batteries are widely used as a power source for small electronic devices such as notebook computers and cellular phones. In addition, because lithium ion secondary batteries have high output density, high capacity, and are light weight, they are also being used in hybrid and electric automobiles.
Lithium ion secondary batteries used as a power source of automobiles should satisfy safety and reliability requirements under severe conditions. There are a plurality of test categories for safety, among which, three of the most extreme test categories include puncture, collapse, and overcharge.
The puncture and collapse tests are performed to estimate secondary battery related damage in the event of a car accident and thus are very important test categories for safety. Specifically, in nail puncture tests, such as a nail penetration test, and collapse tests, the battery should not excessively increase in temperature after puncture or collapse.

Rechargeable secondary battery having improved safety against puncture and collapse


A foldable greeting card and method of making the card, with a polygonal base with hinged lobes attached to the edges of the base, with the lobes foldable inward to the center of the base. The lobes overlap neighboring lobes. The card is made by affixing at least two separate units to each other, so that each hinged lobe overlaps by a neighboring lobe and is overlapped by a neighboring lobe. A message or graphic may be placed on the lobes or the base.

Greeting cards are available in a wide array of shapes, sizes, and themes to provide for many different occasions. Designs that are exceptionally pleasing to the eye, portray a desirable message, or are found otherwise entertaining are more likely to become popular among consumers. Cards have used various colors and materials as well as different folding patterns to become aesthetically pleasing.


One embodiment relates to a method for metrology using an electron beam apparatus. At least one region of interest is selected in a field of view at a magnification level. Scanning parameters are determined to selectively scan over the at least one regions of interest under the magnification level of the field of view. The electron beam is selectively scanned over the at least one region of interest to capture image data from the at least one region of interest while maintaining the magnification level of the field of view. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to metrology, and more particularly to electron beam metrology in the semiconductor manufacturing and microfabrication industries.
2. Description of the Background Art
Fabrication of semiconductor devices such as logic and memory devices typically includes a number of processes that may be used to form various features and multiple levels or layers of semiconductor devices on a surface of a semiconductor wafer or another appropriate substrate. For example, lithography is a process that typically involves transferring a pattern to a resist arranged on a surface of a semiconductor wafer. Additional examples of semiconductor fabrication processes may include chemical-mechanical polishing, etch, deposition, ion implantation, plating, and cleaning. Semiconductor devices are significantly smaller than a typical semiconductor wafer or substrate, and an array of semiconductor devices may be formed on a semiconductor wafer. After processing is complete, the semiconductor wafer may be separated into individual semiconductor devices.
Semiconductor fabrication processes, however, are among the most sophisticated and complex processes used in manufacturing. In order to perform efficiently, semiconductor fabrication processes may require frequent monitoring and careful evaluation. In particular, many dimensional aspects of these fabrication processes must be carefully controlled, such as line or space widths, hole dimensions or areas, rounding of corners, or shrinkage of line ends. Semiconductor fabrication processes may introduce a number of deviations from these desired dimensions into a semiconductor device. As an example, variations in lithographic exposure levels may cause deviations in printed line widths. Such deviations may adversely affect the performance of the process to an extent that overall yield of the fabrication process may be reduced below acceptable levels. Therefore, extensive monitoring and evaluation of semiconductor fabrication processes may typically be performed to ensure that the process is within design tolerance and to increase the overall yield of the process. Extensive monitoring and evaluation of the process may take place both during process development and during process control of semiconductor fabrication processes.
As the dimensions of semiconductor devices continue to shrink with advances in semiconductor materials and processes, the ability to examine microscopic features and to detect dimensional deviations has also become increasingly important to the successful fabrication of semiconductor devices. Significant research has been focused on increasing the throughput and utility of metrology and/or inspection tools used to examine microscopic features and dimensions. There are several disadvantages, however, in using the currently available methods and systems for metrology and/or inspection of specimens fabricated by semiconductor fabrication processes. For example, testing time and process delays associated with measuring and/or inspecting a specimen may increase the overall cost of manufacturing and the manufacturing time for fabricating a semiconductor device. For example, process tools may often be idle while metrology and/or inspection of a specimen is performed such that the process may be evaluated before additional specimens are processed thereby increasing manufacturing delays. Furthermore, if processing problems cannot be detected before additional wafers have been processed, wafers processed during this time may need to be scrapped, which increases the overall cost of manufacturing.

Region-of-interest based electron beam metrology


An electrical connector (1) includes a housing (10) and a number of wafers (20). Each wafer has a number of contacts (30) each having a contacting portion (31). The housing includes an insulative base (11) having a number of chambers (115) and a number of spacers (13) mounted on the insulative base. Each spacer includes a main portion (131), and a number of finger-shaped portions (132) formed on the main portion. Each finger-shaped portion has a floor (133) and a number of projecting walls (134,135) projecting laterally from the floor to form a plurality of passageways. The finger-shaped portion inserted in the chamber of the insulative base. Each passageway has an open front end (137) and an open rear end (138), the contacting portion of the contact inserted into the passageway from the open rear end toward the open front end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a high speed electrical connector, and more particularly, to a high speed electrical connector for transmitting high speed signal between mother boards and daughter boards or other electrical components.
2. Description of Related Arts
High speed electrical connector used in High speed systems typically has a great number of contacts, and an insulative housing having a great number of passageways for receiving the contacts. A high speed electrical connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,461,202 issued to Kline on Oct. 8, 2002. The electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a spacer, and a plurality of wafers having a plurality of contacts insert molded on the wafer. The spacer defines thereon a plurality of passageways each having an open side. The wafer should be assembled to the spacer prior to inserting the spacer together with the wafer into the insulative housing, since the contacts of the wafer are pressed into the passageways via the open side. During the assembly of the spacer and the wafer, the wafer is assembled to the spacer via an engagement between a plurality of holes defined on the wafer and corresponding posts formed on the spacer.
When the engagement between the holes defined on the wafer and corresponding posts formed on the spacer is not reliable, it is hard to insert the wafer and the spacer to the predetermined position. Therefore, the contacts could not be fixed in the predetermined position within the insulative housing firmly.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is needed to solve the above problem.

High speed electrical connector having improved housing


A display apparatus includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a pixel layer and an adhesive part. The first substrate includes an adhesive area, fiber bundles and a base material which is impregnated between the fiber bundles. The second substrate includes an adhesive area, fiber bundles and a base material which is impregnated between the fiber bundles. The pixel layer is between the first and second substrates and includes a display area. The adhesive part is between the first substrate and the second substrate, is in each of the adhesive areas of the first and second substrates, and seals the pixel layer between the first and second substrates. The adhesive area of the first or second substrate includes an exposure area through which the fiber bundles are exposed, and the adhesive part contacts the exposure area.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to a flexible display apparatus and a method of manufacturing the flexible display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of an information society, demand for various display apparatuses increases. Particularly, flat panel displays, such as a liquid crystal display ("LCD"), an organic light emitting display ("OLED"), an electrophoretic display ("EPD"), etc., have been heavily researched.
In addition, it is desired that the flat panel display has properties such as a light weight, a thin thickness, various shapes, a curved-surface display, etc. Accordingly, a flat panel display employing a flexible plastic substrate with light weight and high impact-resistance has been developed.

Display apparatus and method of manufacturing the same


There is provided a device management system. In the system, a first communication device sends a device ID and an owner identifier to a device management apparatus, and receives a first confirmation code. The device management apparatus receives the device ID and the owner identifier, generates the first confirmation code and provisional registration information, records the received and generated information items, sends the first confirmation code to the first communication device, and sends the provisional registration information to a second communication device. The second communication device receives the provisional registration information, obtains a second confirmation code, and sends the second confirmation code to the device management apparatus. The device management apparatus receives the second confirmation code, and records registration completion information if the second confirmation code matches the corresponding first confirmation code.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device management system, a communication device, a device management apparatus, and a control method.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, pairing between communication devices has been performed. As one example, pairing between a transmission device and a response device via a cooperative control apparatus will now be described. First, the transmission device obtains a transmission code from the cooperative control apparatus and displays the transmission code. Here, the cooperative control apparatus stores the transmission code in association with an identifier of the transmission device. Next, in accordance with an operation of a user who has seen the transmission code displayed on the transmission device, the response device inputs the transmission code and sends the transmission code to the cooperative control apparatus. Upon receiving the transmission code, the cooperative control apparatus generates a reply code and sends the reply code to the response device. Here, the response device stores the reply code in association with the identifier of the transmission device. Then, the response device receives the reply code from the cooperative control apparatus and displays the reply code. Meanwhile, the transmission device receives a list of reply codes associated with its own identifier from the cooperative control apparatus, and displays the list of reply codes. The user cross-references the list of reply codes displayed on the transmission device with the reply code displayed on the response device, and if there is a matching reply code, the transmission device selects the matching reply code and notifies the cooperative control apparatus of the same. Then, the cooperative control apparatus stores pairing between the transmission device and the response device as authenticated pairing (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-209936).
However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-209936 handles pairing between communication devices, but does not handle pairing between a communication device and its owner.

Device management system, communication device, device management apparatus, and control method


A furnace for molding glass blanks includes a housing having a series of electrical heating stations and a rotary door adapted to receive glass blanks for processing. The furnace also includes a rotary turntable for receiving the glass blanks and a steering coil positioned to direct the glass blanks in a spiral pattern as they are heated at the electrical stations, a paddling platform for manual shaping, and a pressing station for pressing the glass blanks into a predetermined configuration.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to glass molding furnaces. Particularly, this invention relates to an electric glass molding furnace. More particularly, this invention relates to an efficient, rotary electric glass molding furnace.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Currently, glass molding furnaces are of the direct-gas type. These furnaces are inefficient for producing small quantities (less than 10,000) repressed glass blanks. These blanks are supplied to manufacturers of precision optics. The manufacturers supply any industry which produces assemblies which redirect light (i.e., medical, military, photography, communications, lasers, etc.). The furnaces used to create these blanks are energy inefficient, as well as, totally operator controlled and regulated with the training period of an operator being many years. Within the last two decades, the majority of companies producing molded glass blanks have traditionally scaled their manufacturing operations to large volumes and have used energy efficient, computer controlled in-line furnaces. Thus, there is a need to decrease furnace energy consumption, production lead time and cost when producing small quantities of repressed glass blanks.

Energy efficient, electric rotary furnace for glass molding (repressing) precision optical blanks


A sanitary washing device includes a nozzle, a valve unit, a controller, and a casing. The nozzle is configured to discharge water toward an ano-genital region of a human body. The valve unit is provided on a pipe line between a water supply source and the nozzle. The valve unit includes an electromagnetic valve. The controller is configured to control operation of the nozzle and the valve unit. The casing stores the nozzle, the valve unit, and the controller. The valve unit is disposed further frontward than the controller.

In a sanitary washing device, it is known to provide a valve unit including an electromagnetic valve or the like on a pipe line for supplying water from a water supply source to a nozzle. A drain path is provided on the inner bottom surface of the casing for draining the leaking water from the valve unit or the like to the toilet in case of water leaking. However, when the valve unit is disposed in the back portion of the casing, the distance from the back portion of the casing to the toilet becomes long, so that it is necessary to provide a long drain path, which causes a problem of poor drainage efficiency.


A software application implementable on a computer system for performing process hazard analysis. The process has a plurality of nodes with equipment, and process data created by external applications is stored in a plurality of external databases on the computer system. A plurality of internal master lists are created for the software application by importing the process data from the external databases into the software application. A node record for each node of the process is compiled by inputting information on the node. The node records for each node are organized according to one of a plurality of guidewords. The node records of the process are reviewable by filtering the node records according to a selected guideword, nodes, equipment, or other process data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an apparatus and method for performing process hazard analysis and more particularly relates to a software application and databases implementable on a computer system for performing process hazard analysis of a process plant or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a process 10 is schematically illustrated. Typical, the process 10 may have thousands of pieces of equipment 12, such as valves, vessels, pumps, pressure chambers, relief valves, etc. The equipment 12 is interconnected by piping 14. Each piece of equipment 12 can have several operating parameters, safeguards, overpressure scenarios, or the like.
A Distributive Control System (DCS) 16 is typically used with the process 10. The DCS 16 may automatically control some aspects of the process 10 and may require operators to take action on other aspects of the process 10. The DCS 16 has a plurality of instruments 18 that are positioned in the field, measure process variables, and are wired to the DCS 16. The instruments 18 may be associated with the equipment 12 of the process 10. However, not all pieces of equipment 12 have instruments 18 associated with them. The instruments 18 can be flow indicators, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, etc. The DCS 16 typically has instrument tags assigned for each instrument 18. The instruments tags are numbers identifying the instruments 18 in the process 10. Portions of the process 10, which can include instruments 18 and/or equipment 12, are often referred to as nodes 13 of the process 10.
An Engineering Information Management (EIM) framework 20 is also typically used with the process 10. The EIM framework 20 includes a plurality of external applications 21 and a plurality of databases 22-26, which store process information on a computer or network. The external applications 21 can include a pressure management application, an alarm response analysis application, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Access, or other industry specific software, such as Meridium. The external databases 22-26 of process information created by these external applications 21 include an equipment database 22, safe operating limit database 23, drawing index database 24, Pressure Protection Manager® (PPM®) database 25, and alarm response analysis (ARA) database 26. In the process industry, there is no standard structure for such databases 22-26, and the databases 22-26 can have a variety of different information depending on the process or particular implementation.
The various databases 22-26 of the EIM framework 20 are discussed below. The equipment database 22, which can be created in Lotus Notes, includes details about equipment 12 used in the process 10. For example, the equipment database 22 typically includes an equipment number or tag and a description of the equipment 12 of the process 10. The equipment tag can identify a specific piece of equipment 12 or can provide the functional location of the piece of equipment 12 in the process 10. Furthermore, the equipment database 22 can contain information pertinent to Process Safety Information (PSI) and can contain the source of the PSI information with linked documents.
The safe operating limit (SOL) database 23, which can be created in Lotus Notes or Microsoft Access, includes details of safe operating limits associated with the equipment 12 of the process 10, such as pressures, temperatures, levels, flow rates, compositions, etc. Furthermore, the SOL database 23 identifies the tags of the instruments 18 used to measure the operating limits of the process equipment 12.
The drawing database 24, which can be created in Lotus Notes, includes details of the drawings of the process. The drawing database 24 typically includes numbers, revision dates, and descriptions or titles of the drawings of the process 10.
The PPM database 25 is created by a Pressure Protection Manager® (PPM®) application disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,372, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The PPM database 25 stores information on overpressures caused by equipment 12 and pressure relief devices used in the process 10.
The ARA database 26 can be created in Lotus Notes, for example. The ARA database 26 includes details on alarms for the process 10. The alarms are safeguards for monitoring the process 10. The alarms are defined by tag numbers and can include set points, priorities, required operator response, safety shutdowns, and other information.
Plant safety and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) §1910.119(e)(1) require that a process hazard analysis be periodically performed on processes, such as process 10. The process hazard analysis identifies potential hazards of the process 10 and ensures that adequate safeguards and corrective actions exist for the potential hazards. To analyze the hazards of the process 10, an analysis team uses information from the various databases 22-26 of the EIM framework 20. Considering the magnitude of information on the process 10 and the calculations required, analyzing the process 10 and maintaining its integrity can be extremely difficult using traditional methods of paper, computerized data sheets, and manpower.
Software packages for performing process hazard analysis (PHA) are known in the art. Typical PHA software packages are primarily tools for documenting a hazard analysis. Examples of PHA software packages include PHA Works from Primatech, DNV Pro from DNV, and PHA-Pro® from Dyadem. Existing PHA software packages require the analysis team to input pertinent information about the process 10 directly into free text fields of the software. However, the required process information is typically not easily accessible to the analysis team as it is typically stored in the various databases 22-26, or in other control systems, binders, manuals, and other locations. Accordingly, the team analyzing the process 10 may have to make a number of assumptions about information on the process 10 due to the lack of automation and organization of the process information. For example, the analysis team may assume an alarm is associated with a particular node 13 of the process 10. However, the team may assign the alarm in error because the DCS 16 may actually have the alarm for the instrument 18 disabled. Such errors can lead to improper assessments of the hazards of the process 10. To ensure that a proper alarm is assigned to a point of the process 10, the team may have to contact the control room of the DCS 16 to verify if a particular node 13 has an associated alarm. Such labor-intensive fact finding of process information considerably slows down the analysis. In addition, process information that is not readily available and that must be directly entered into text fields increases the chances of producing errors.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.

Apparatus and method for performing process hazard analysis


The invention relates to an automatic fault diagnostic procedure for machines, such as steam, gas and hydro-turbines, generators, pumps, electrical motors, etc. For each of a plurality of components, for each of a number of possible faults, a total fault symptom strength value is calculated from measured data. If the value is above a predetermined value, the fault symptom strength is plotted and fitted to a trend line to determine an estimate of when the fault symptom strength will exceed a predetermined value. Output messages are then selected based on the fit.

Various attempts to monitor the health and make fault diagnoses of machines have been attempted. Conventionally, this is done by human experts after abnormal behaviour, such as increased vibration level, has been observed. The experts may in cases be supported by expert systems.
The fault diagnosis may include analysing vibration and process data from critical machines to determine whether the specific machine components show a tendency of imbalance, misalignment, cracks, wear or other faults.
As regards the use of expert systems, the results from such systems may merely indicate the association of a symptom with the likelihood of a potential fault, but does not predict the future development of this fault. Furthermore, expert systems are sensitive to boundary conditions of the collected data and knowledge, and may even indicate faults, which would possibly not occur in practice. In addition, such a method, when monitoring the many machine components, soon arrives at a point where the amount of data to be analysed reach the limit of the capacity of the computer executing the algorithms of the expert system.
Expert systems and other types of automatic fault detection systems also require training, and the difficulty of training an expert system for the many different types of fault and indicators thereof maybe prohibitive.
There accordingly remains a need for an improved automatic machinery fault diagnostic method and apparatus.

Automatic machinery fault diagnostic method and apparatus


A starter-generator system is configured to be operable at multiple variable frequencies. The starter-generator includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor is configured to rotate and has a single main field winding wound thereon. The stator has at least a first stator winding set and second stator winding set independently wound thereon. Upon electrical excitation and rotation of the rotor the starter-generator supplies electrical power from each of the stator winding sets at different frequencies. Also, upon electrically exciting one or both of the stator winding sets with appropriate AC power, the rotor will rotate and generate a starting torque.

Aircraft are being designed to use electrical power more, and various other sources of power, such as hydraulic and pneumatic sources, less. Aircraft system architectures that rely either solely, or in greater abundance, upon electrical power are sometimes referred to as More Electric Architecture (MEA) systems. Typically, MEA systems use starter-generators to both start the aircraft main engines and supply electrical power to various system loads. These various system loads may utilize electrical power at various frequencies and voltages. Thus, many MEA systems, and/or the starter-generators that are currently used to power MEA systems, typically include relatively complex and heavy power electronics circuits. For example, some systems may include inverters, for converting DC to AC power, rectifiers, for converting AC power to DC power, and potentially complex voltage and frequency control circuits, which can increase overall complexity, cost, and maintenance.
Although brush-type DC machines may alleviate the need for some of these complex and heavy electronic circuits, these also suffer certain drawbacks. For example, the brushes tend to wear fairly quickly, which can reduce machine reliability and increase the need for periodic maintenance and cleaning. Some brush-type DC machines can also suffer what is known as torque ripple during startup. In some instances, the torque ripple can be large, which can result in poor starter performance.
Hence, there is a need for a generator that can be used to supply various loads and does not rely on relatively complex and heavy inverters and frequency control circuits for proper operation, and/or does not suffer reduced reliability from brush wear, and/or the need for potentially frequent maintenance and cleaning, and/or does not experience significant torque ripple during startup. The present invention addresses one or more of these needs.

Starter-generator operable with multiple variable frequencies and voltages


An unreliability detector apparatus for generating an unreliable decision signal in response to an input signal. An input terminal receives the input signal, a first comparator unit compares the input signal with a first threshold value and a second comparator unit compares the input signal with a second threshold value. A processor is provided for carrying out a function for determining whether a curve in an X-Y plane has at least one point in common with a predetermined line in the X-Y plane. The curve in the X-Y plane is obtained by plotting time equivalent signals values of the first and second comparator output signals along the Y- and X-axis respectively of the X-Y plane, while the predetermined line in the X-Y plane is formed by a first line interconnecting a first fixed point and a second fixed point and in which half plane a third fixed point is located. The three fixed points are obtained by plotting combinations of a first through a fourth signal value along the X- and Y-axis. The processor is adapted to generate the unreliable decision signal upon detecting that the curve has at least one point in common with the predetermined line. An apparatus for reading information from a record carrier may be provided with the unreliability detection apparatus.

The invention relates to an unreliability detector apparatus and to a reproduction apparatus provided with the unreliability detector apparatus. Unreliability detector apparatuses are generally provided with two comparators in which the input signal is compared with a positive and a negative threshold level respectively that lie between the maximum positive signal level and the zero signal level and between the maximum negative signal level and zero respectively.
In a bit detector, it is commonly decided whether the signal is positive or negative. A positive signal is said to correspond with a +1 and a negative signal with a -1. Ideally, signal values at the decision moments are +100% or -100%: that is, without noise and other disturbances. Decisions, which are taken from the signal around the +100% or -100% values are almost certainly correct. Decisions, which are taken from the signal near the zero level are uncertain.
With two threshold levels, equal to +V.sub.d and -Vd respectively, a decision >+V.sub.d is said to correspond with +1 and a decision <-V.sub.d is said to correspond with -1.
Decisions between -V.sub.d and +V.sub.d are less certain. They are called erasures. The number of erasures depends strongly on the levels of the decision thresholds. For increasing threshold values, the erasure rate will increase very strongly.
If we consider erasures as uncertain bit decisions, we can try to make these uncertain bit decisions more certain. This is what is done in a dual decision feedback equalizer (DDFE). DDFEs are well known in the art. Reference is made in this respect to international patent application no. IB97/00792, which corresponds to copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/886,997 filed Jul. 2, 1997.

Unreliability detector apparatus and reproduction apparatus provided with the unreliability detector apparatus