A method and system for providing a magnetic memory is disclosed. The method and system include providing a plurality of magnetic storage cells in an array, a plurality of bit lines, and at least one bias structure. Each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells includes at least one magnetic element having an easy axis and being programmable by at least one write current driven through the magnetic element. The plurality of bit lines corresponds to the plurality of magnetic storage cells. The at least one bias structure is magnetically coupled with the at least one magnetic element in each of the plurality of magnetic storage cells. The at least one bias structure provides a bias field in a direction greater than zero degrees and less than one hundred eighty degrees from the easy axis.

Magnetic memories, particularly magnetic random access memories (MRAMs), have drawn increasing interest due to their potential for high read/write speed, excellent endurance, non-volatility and low power consumption during operation. An MRAM can store information utilizing magnetic materials as an information recording medium. Typically, one or more reference or pinned layers has a fixed magnetization, while a free layer has a magnetization that can be changed. Binary coded information, "1" or "0", typically corresponds to the magnetizations of the free and reference layers being parallel or anti-parallel, respectively. Information is written by setting the magnetization direction(s) of the free layer(s) in a specified cell. This is typically accomplished either using a magnetic field generated by supplying a current to a write line disposed in a cross stripe shape, or directly using a current induced switching scheme utilizing the spin transfer effect.
FIGS. 1 and 2 depict portions of conventional MRAMs 10 and 30, respectively. Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional magnetic memory 10 includes magnetic storage elements, such as the magnetic storage element 20. The magnetic storage elements 20 are switched using an external magnetic field (field-based switching). The conventional MRAM 10 also includes a write word line 12, interlayer dielectric layers 14, metal 16, bypass 18, via 24, and bit line 26. Typically, the bit lines 26 and write word lines 12 run in perpendicular directions, with the magnetic storage elements 20 residing at the crossings. The magnetic storage element 20 is coupled to the underlying metal plug 16 through the bypass 18 and is insulated from the write word line 12. The magnetic storage element 20 is also coupled to the bit line 26 above through the via 24.
In the conventional MRAM 10, a magnetic field is used to switch the state of the magnetic storage element 20. In particular, currents may be driven through the bit line 26 and the write word line 12. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the currents required to write to the magnetic storage element 20 do not scale down as the size of the magnetic cell 11 decreases. Because of this, a relatively high current may be needed to generate a magnetic field sufficient to switch the state of the magnetic storage element 20. Consequently, power consumption of the MRAM 10 increases and more reliability issues may be encountered due to the higher current carried by the bit line 26 and word line 12. The conventional field-based MRAM 10 may thus be unsuitable for use at higher densities.
In contrast, the conventional MRAM 30 of FIG. 2 may be written by driving a current through the magnetic storage element 38 (current-based switching). Generally, the MRAM 30 is written using the spin transfer effect. The conventional MRAM 30 thus includes magnetic storage elements, such as the magnetic storage element 38, that utilize current-based switching. For example, the magnetic storage element 38 might include a magnetic tunneling junction. In addition, the lateral dimensions of the magnetic storage element 38 may be small, for example in the range of a few hundred nanometers or less, in order to facilitate current-based switching through the spin transfer effect. The conventional MRAM 30 also includes a metal plug 32, interlayer dielectric layers 34 and 36, via 40, bit line 42, and a word line (not shown). Typically, the bit lines 42 and word lines run in perpendicular directions, with the magnetic storage elements 38 residing at the crossings. The magnetic storage element 38 is coupled to the underlying selection transistor (not shown) via a metal plug 32 and to the bit line 42 above through the via 40. Typically, a memory cell 11 or 31 includes the magnetic storage element 20 or 38, respectively, as well as a selection transistor (not shown). In addition, although depicted as being connected to the bit line 42 through the via 40, in some conventional magnetic memories, the magnetic storage element 38 may be directly connected to the bit line 42.
In the conventional MRAM 30, the current driven through the magnetic storage element 38 induces switching of the magnetization of the free layers of the magnetic storage elements 38. This current required to switch the free, or recording, layers (switching current) decreases as the MRAM 30 density grows, scaling down in a manner comparable to the semiconductor or CMOS technology evolution. The current density required to switch the magnetic element (switching current density), Jc, achievable is on the order of 106 A/cm2. Further, isolation transistors (not shown) used in conventional MRAM 30 have dimension that are proportional to the saturation current and thus scale with the switching current. This low switching current density for the MRAM 30 allows spin transfer switching to be useful in high density MRAM. In particular, the low switching current density may allow for lower power consumption and smaller isolation transistors than the conventional MRAM 10. Currently, the switching current corresponding to the low switching current density may be as small as 0.1 mA. This current is significantly smaller than the switching current used in generating the magnetic field for the conventional field-switched MRAM 10. Power consumption may thus be significantly reduced. Further, because smaller isolation transistors may be used, the size of the magnetic storage cell 31 may be reduced.
Although the lower switching current density is desirable, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are still issues with using the MRAM 30 at higher densities. In particular, size related issues and the initial conditions of the magnetic storage element 38 may adversely affect performance of the MRAM 30. For example, changes in initial magnetization or magnetic distribution of the free layer may radically affect the current-based switching of the free layer.
The affect of the initial conditions may be understood using current spin transfer models. According to a prevalent spin transfer model, at nanosecond switching regime the switching time, τ, for the magnetic cell 31 may be expressed as:
                    τ        =                              2                          α                                                                                γ                                                                                M                s                                                                                I                              c                                                                                0                                                                    I                pulse                            -                              I                                  c                                                                                0                                                                        ln                                                                          π                          2                                                                                θ                0                                                                        (        1        )
where α, γ and Ms, are the phenomenological Gilbert damping, the gyromagnetic ratio and saturation magnetization of the free layer, respectively. In spin transfer switching, a precession mode of initial angle θ0 id pumped until the amplitude reaches π/2 with an overdrive of Ipulse/Ic0−1. In principle, the switching is very sensitive to the initial condition θ0, which is distinct from the long pulse regime. Due to temperature fluctuations of the magnetization around the magnetization's equilibrium position, the divergent slowdown does not occur in such spin transfer switching. Thermal fluctuations cause the excursion of the magnetization from the easy axis by an average amount of √{square root over (kT/HKMsV)}, which generally aids the spin transfer based switching. However, thermal fluctuations may also cause a large distribution in switching time or current, which is undesirable for device applications.
In addition, depending upon the initial state of the magnetic storage element 38, the distribution in switching current across the MRAM 30 may change. Micromagnetic modeling indicates that the actual magnetic moment, for instance, of a standard elliptical magnetic storage element is not uniform. Instead, the magnetic moment has some distribution at the corners subject to the external driving force, such as an Oster field, due to existence of the writing current. For example, the moment distribution of particular magnetic storage elements 38 may include a C-shape state. In such a state there is no Oster field effect at the center portion of the magnetic storage element and the moment is aligned uniformly. However, at the corner the field effect is significant and tends to re-align the moment of the magnetic storage element 38 toward the C-state. This state thus stabilizes, or tends to lock, the moment from switching. Magnetic storage elements 38 in this state may require a higher current to switch, resulting in non-uniform switching. As a result, a wider distribution of current may exist. In addition, these two states may randomly occur in the switching process, depending upon factors such as previous switching processes and history of the magnetic storage element 38. It is, therefore, generally undesirable to commence a magnetization switching process with "C" state because of the potential for the formation of vortices during the switching. Additional energy is generally required to overcome a vortex for a full switching, giving rise to larger switching current with an increased distribution.
At higher densities, the conventional MRAM 30 may also suffer from size-related issues due to edge effects in the magnetic storage element 38. In order for the magnetic storage cell 31 of the conventional MRAM 30 to be written at small current, it is desirable to shrink the size of the magnetic storage cells 31. Size-related issues may occur for such smaller magnetic storage cells 31. As the size of the magnetic storage cells 31 decreases, the magnetic storage element 38 is also typically reduced in size. This reduction in size typically results in non-uniform and uncontrollable edge-fields for the magnetic storage element 38 that are produced by shape-anisotropy. The edge fields result in a large degree of randomly oriented magnetization vectors that form at the edge of the magnetic storage element 38. These magnetization vectors tend to curl back towards the magnetization vector of the body of the magnetic storage element 38. This tends to reduce the energy of the magnetic storage element 38. Such edge effects are also associated with uncompensated magnetic poles that form at the edge of the magnetic storage element 38. Moreover, as the size of the magnetic storage element 38 is decreased, the edge fields become at least as significant as the magnetization of the body of the magnetic storage element 38. Consequently, these edge effects may adversely affect on data write performance. Any irregularities of these shapes, defects at the edge produced during the formation, or uncompensated poles of variable strength, may result in coercivity fluctuation distributed throughout the MRAM 30 array. Thus, the edge effects and non-uniform array coercivity that become noticeable at smaller sizes adversely affect the conventional MRAM 30.
Consequently, although the MRAM 30 has a possibility of being used in higher density memories, issues related to initial conditions and the size of the magnetic storage element 38 persist. These issues adversely affect performance of the MRAM 30, for example resulting in a wider current distribution and a higher switching current. Accordingly, what is needed is a method and system that may improve performance of the current-based switching MRAM 30. The method and system addresses such a need.

Method and system for providing field biased magnetic memory devices


A head slider for a flexible magnetic disk has a magnetic pole pad including a magnetic head buried in the pad and being disposed on a surface of the head slider opposed to the flexible magnetic disk, and the magnetic head performs the recording of a signal on the flexible magnetic disk or the reproducing of the signal from the flexible magnetic disk in a state that the pad contacts the flexible magnetic disk rotating at a relative speed of 0 m/s to 25.0 m/s to the magnetic head.

1. Field of the Invention
A head slider for a flexible magnetic disk according to the present invention relates to a slider of a magnetic head for performing record to and/or reproduction from the flexible magnetic disk made of a resin substrate on which a magnetic layer is formed, in particular, relates to a technique for realizing a flexible magnetic disk having a higher density and the transfer rate of data at a higher speed together with aiming lower power consumption.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, as the performance of a computer is improved and various application areas of the flexible magnetic disk such as a digital camera expand, the recording density of a removable flexible magnetic disk represented by a 3.5-inch floppy disk is increased. Consequently, the improvement of a data transfer rate by means of a change of the speed of revolution of the flexible magnetic disk to be high is required.
On the other hand, from a point of view for loading on a portable personal computer, there is conversely required a head slider capable of performing stable record and stable reproduction under a condition of a low speed of revolution of the flexible magnetic disk where the consumption electric power of a flexible magnetic disk apparatus can be saved, and capable of performing the stable record and the stable reproduction with a low frictional force because the strength of the frictional force between a magnetic head and the flexible magnetic disk directly influences the consumption electric power.
That is, a technique realizing securement of a soft and stable contact between the magnetic head and the flexible magnetic disk in a wide range from a low speed of revolution to a high-speed of revolution and realizing a head slider with a low frictional force and high reliability is regarded as an object for a next generation flexible magnetic disk.
For accomplishing such an object, the following can be considered.
1. Changing the speed of revolution of a flexible magnetic disk to be high by means of a magnetic head and a head slider to be used for an existing 3.5-inch floppy disk.
2. Using a magnetic head and a head slider to be used for a hard disk.
 less than AS FOR THE ITEM 1 greater than
In a conventional so-called 3.5-inch floppy disk apparatus that performs record and reproduction at a speed of revolution of 300 rpm and has a capacity of 1.4 Mbytes, the load force of a head slider is about 20,000 mgf, and a frictional force to be produced reaches about 10,000 mgf. Accordingly, for scheming a change of the consumption electric power to be low, it is required to reduce the load force at first for reducing the frictional force.
On the other hand, if the number of revolution is increased for changing a transfer rate to be high though the head slider is urged to the flexible magnetic disk with such a high load force, a floating force is given to the head slider, and thereby the so-called magnetic spacing amount that is a space between the magnetic head and the flexible magnetic disk is increased. The phenomenon is considered to happen owing to an air film lubrication effect because a portion of the outer edge of the head slider beveled to a smooth curved surface called as xe2x80x9cblend Rxe2x80x9d acts just similarly to a taper of a head slider for a floating type hard disk.
Because the increase of the magnetic spacing amount brings about a problem of the deterioration of an overwrite characteristic owing to the increase of a pulse width (PW 50), the lowering of an isolated reproduction wave output (IS TAA) and the lowering of the magnetic field strength, it becomes very hard to change the line density of the flexible magnetic disk to be high and to change the transfer rate of the flexible magnetic disk to be high.
If the magnetic head is made to contact the flexible magnetic disk with the load force simply increased for avoiding the problem, such a problem is produced in turn as dangerousness of lowering of reliability and durability owing to the abrasion of a magnetic head and the abrasion of the magnetic flexible disk at the time of the low speed of revolution of the disk. And then, even if the abrasion resistance of the flexible magnetic disk can be improved, a problem that the consumption electric power of the flexible magnetic disk apparatus is inevitably increased is produced.
 less than AS FOR THE ITEM 2 greater than
Accordingly, various new flexible magnetic disk apparatuses recently enter the stage for avoiding those problems. Those apparatus employ the so-called floating type head slider having a taper flat structure that produces a positive pressure and further having a negative pressure structure similarly to that used for a hard disk. The floating type head slider can perform high-speed record and reproduction, with a stable low magnetic spacing amount of 40 nm-100 nm being kept without almost any contact to the flexible magnetic disk. The number of revolution of the flexible magnetic disk of the new flexible magnetic disk apparatus is about 3,000 rpm, the relative speed thereof is about 13.2 m/s, and the recording density thereof is about 100 Mbpi2-200 Mbpi2.
Now, for changing the recording density of such a flexible magnetic disk apparatus to be higher and for changing the transfer rate thereof to be higher, the magnetic spacing amount should be decreased to be 40 nm or less under a higher line speed.
However, the flatness of the flexible magnetic disk is inferior to that of the hard disk, the amount of the repeatable run-out (RRO) is several times to one digit as large as that of the hard disk. Furthermore, because the bending rigidity of the flexible magnetic disk is low, the flexible magnetic disk is sensitive to a deformation induced by external vibrations and non-repeatable run-out (NRRO) owing to vibrations. Consequently, it is difficult to keep the magnetic spacing amount between a magnetic head embedded in a slider rail and the flexible magnetic disk to a fixed value of 40 nm or less. As a result, a problem that the variation of signal outputs is large and the flexible magnetic disk apparatus becomes unstable is produced.
In addition, in this case, it is inevitable that the head slider frequently contacts the flexible magnetic disk. Then, abrasion powder of the flexible magnetic disk and the head produced by repeating partial contact between them attaches the head slider portion. Consequently, the stability of floating of the head slider is gradually damaged owing to the attached powder and the like. And then, the head slider itself begins to vibrate with the increment of pollution thereof. At last, a hard error occurs owing to head crush or an eternal damage of the flexible magnetic disk.
Besides, even if the slider rail is driven to run in a state of being completely contacted with the flexible magnetic disk for suppressing the aforesaid phenomena by means of the increment of the load force or the like, the abrasion of the flexible magnetic disk and the magnetic head becomes large because of a tendency that the contact pressure at a rear part of the head slider, which is a feature of the floating posture of the head slider, becomes very large. Thus, from this point of view, a problem that it is difficult to maintain the reliability for a long time occurs.
Furthermore, because the head slider does not float owing to the lost of the air film lubrication effect in a region of a small number of revolutions necessary for changing the consumption electric power to be low, a problem that the frictional force unexpectedly increases and the reliability cannot be maintained is produced.
As the aforementioned, the present situation of the performance of the flexible magnetic disk apparatus of the prior art is limited to a degree that the number of revolution of the flexible magnetic disk is about 3,000 rpm and an average recording surface density is about 200 Mbpi2.
Accordingly, the present invention concerns a slider of a magnetic head for performing record to and/or reproduction from a flexible magnetic disk made of a resin substrate on which a magnetic layer is formed, and aims to realize a flexible magnetic disk having a high density and the transfer rate of data at a higher speed together with aiming low power consumption.
For resolving the aforesaid problems, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a head slider for a flexible magnetic disk that has a pad, in which a magnetic head is embedded, disposed on a face of the head slider opposed to the flexible magnetic disk, wherein the magnetic head performs the recording of a signal on the flexible magnetic disk or the reproducing of the signal from the flexible magnetic disk in a state that the pad contacts the flexible magnetic disk rotating at a relative speed in a range of 0 m/s to 25.0 m/s to the magnetic head.
Consequently, the head slider for a flexible magnetic disk of the aspect of the present invention has no floating mechanism including a taper flat or a negative pressure mechanism like a conventional head slider for a hard disk, recording and reproducing with the magnetic head can stably done over a wide range of relative speed from a low speed to a high speed for a long term in a state that the head slider contacts the surface of the flexible magnetic disk. Consequently, the head slider can realize a change of the flexible magnetic disk to be a high density one and a change of a transfer rate to be a high speed one, and further the head slider can change the consumption electric power to be low.


A fiber optic servoactuator control system. The system includes an actuator optical interface having light controlled electric switches for servoactuator control and for control of a solenoid and an optical modulator, all connected to a single optical fiber. The fiber is connected at its second end to a computer optical interface having three light emitters and a detector optically coupled into the single optical fiber. Only the single optical fiber and a pair of electric wires run between these two interfaces. The wires carry alternating and direct current to the actuator to power the device actuated, such as a servovalve. This system typically can be applied to the control of aircraft engines, primary flight controls, machine tools, ships and the like. The system is resistant to electromagnetic interference and pulses. The actuator may be located in a high temperature hostile environment, such as an aircraft engine.

This invention relates in general to servoactuator control systems and, more specifically, to an apparatus for computer control of remote servoactuators using a fiber optic information transmission system between a servoactuator interface and its controlling computer system.
A variety of different systems are used to operate, measure the position of, and control remote actuators, such as servoactuators, servovalves, solenoid valves and other servomechanisms. In aircraft, ships, machine tools and other applications these functions have generally been accomplished by hydraulic operating systems or mechanical linkages. While effective, these systems are heavy, occupy considerable space. Providing redundant control paths for safety is also quite difficult.
Recently, systems have come into use that use electrical signals passing through wires from input or control devices to the device, such as a flight control system, valve or the like. These so called "fly-by-wire" systems have come into widespread use in military aircraft and missiles. However, these systems are complex, a conventional electrically wired system requiring, typically, a servovalve, an actuator, valve position sensors and servovalve current sensing. Often, more that 25 conductors with attendant shielding is required. The weight, complexity, opportunity for breaks in wires or short circuits in these systems are significant problems. Also, these wired systems are subject to power failures, electromagnetic interference (EMI) from other nearby wiring or electrical devices and are subject to damage from electromagnetic pulses (EMP). There is a particular need to overcome these problems in military aircraft, missiles and ships as well as in numerical controlled machine tools and any other situation where EMI and EMP can be serious problems.
Considerable interest has developed in using optical fiber systems for remote control applications and for transmitting information rapidly and accurately over long distances. Fiber optics have many of the advantages of the fly-by-wire systems while being impervious to electrical shorts, EMI and EMP. Typical fiber optic control systems are disclosed by Sichling in U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,378 and Blackington in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,226. While often effective, these systems tend to be electrically and optically complex with the mechanisms for measuring and controlling actuator position and transmitting corresponding optical signals being less than fully effective.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved accurate, simple and effective servoactuation systems capable of accurately measuring the position of an actuator, reporting that position to a central computer interface and changing or correcting the actuator position as needed.

Apparatus for controlling remote servoactuators using fiber optics


In a coater for applying a liquid onto a surface of a moving object, the coater includes a front edge surface, a back edge surface and a slit, wherein the back edge surface has an entrance edge from which the coating liquid is introduced into a gap between the back edge surface and the surface of the object and an exit edge from which the extruded coating liquid leaves the gap with the movement of the object. The back edge surface further is arranged in relation to the object so as to satisfy following two formulas; 1.0 mm.ltoreq.L.ltoreq.30 mm and 1.8.ltoreq.h/h.sub.0 .ltoreq.3 where L is a length of a contour of the back edge surface projected on the surface of the object between the entrance edge and the exit edge; h is a gap distance at the entrance edge; and h is a gap distance at the exit edge.

The present invention relates to an extrusion type coater and a coating method. More specifically, the invention relates to a coater and a coating method for coating thin film stably at a high speed when producing photographic materials or magnetic recording media, and so on.
Various coating methods such as roll coating, gravure coating, extrusion coating, slide bead coating, and curtain coating are generally known.
A photographic material is produced by applying undercoating liquid onto a supporter and then photographic emulsion on it and a magnetic recording medium is produced by applying magnetic coating liquid onto a supporter. The coating method often used for photographic materials is slide bead coating, extrusion coating, curtain coating, or roll coating and the coating method often used for magnetic recording media is reverse roll coating, gravure coating, or extrusion coating. Among them, the extrusion coating method is considered to be superior to the others because the coating film thickness is determined by the liquid flow rate, and no excessive coating liquid is returned, and a uniform coating film thickness is obtained regardless of the viscosity of coating liquid.
In the aforementioned manufacture of photographic materials or magnetic recording media, there are increasing demands for thin film coating so as to cope with high density or for high speed coating as far as possible so as to increase the productivity.
The prior arts of the extrusion coating method, which are mentioned, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 57-84771, 58-104666, 58-202075, and 60-238179, are known.
Although any of the above prior arts of the extrusion coating method can produce a uniform coating film thickness, the applicable good coating condition range is narrow and under the high-speed coating condition that low-viscosity liquid such as under-coating liquid for photographic materials is applied at a speed of several tens m/min or high-viscosity liquid such as magnetic coating liquid for magnetic recording media is applied at a speed of several hundreds m/min, it is very difficult to coat thin film stably.
At the time of high-speed thin film coating mentioned above, faults such as streaks in the longitudinal direction or cross lines in the transverse direction are generated very frequently.
In view of the above problem, the inventor has devoted himself to study and found that to realize stable high-speed thin film coating, it is necessary to increase the force for applying coating liquid onto the surface of the supporter and to increase the force, it is necessary to increase pressure (generation pressure) which is generated by the above coating liquid between the back edge surface and the coating object, for example, the surface of the supporter when the coating liquid passes the back edge surface and the present invention has been achieved.

Extrusion type coater and coating method


A helium-containing stream is recovered from a natural gas feed using a membrane followed by multiple distillation steps. Refrigeration is provided by expanding a bottoms liquid with a higher nitrogen content than the feed, achieving a lower temperature in the process. The helium-enriched vapor is then purified and the helium-containing waste stream is recycled to maximize recovery and reduce the number of compressors needed. The helium-depleted natural gas stream can be returned at pressure for utilization or transportation.

The present invention relates to processes and apparatuses for the extraction of helium integrated with further helium purification. In particular, the invention relates to the separation of helium from a natural gas stream comprising methane, nitrogen, and helium using membranes and cryogenic distillation.
Helium exists in many natural gas deposits worldwide, but there is a growing interest in efficiently recovering helium from natural gas deposits with low concentrations of helium, e.g. below 2000 ppmv. All percentages, unless otherwise specified, are on a mole basis. Recovery of helium from natural gas at these low levels has long been considered uneconomical. Helium recovery from natural gas occurs normally as a by-product of liquefied natural gas (LNG) production or nitrogen rejection. In both cases methane is condensed and the lighter helium is easily recovered as a gas. The present invention relates to the case in which the natural gas stream does not require liquefaction or nitrogen rejection. In this case, the gas may still contain significant nitrogen, but not enough to prevent the natural gas from being used in a pipeline or gas turbine.
Helium extraction from natural gas using cryogenic distillation is known. Oeflke (US 2014/0137599) teaches a cryogenic cycle for helium extraction that in FIG. 4 shows a cryogenic column for extraction of helium followed by further refrigeration and concentration of helium in a flash vessel. Refrigeration is provided by expanding the bottoms of the first extraction column. The temperature this refrigerant can achieve is limited by the mole fraction of methane in the bottoms liquid: the higher the methane, the higher the temperature.
Integrating a membrane into a helium extraction process is also known. Voss (WO 2017/020919) teaches a membrane—adsorption hybrid cycle for helium extraction in which two stages of membrane extraction feed an adsorption system. The permeate from the first stage of membranes must typically be compressed to a high pressure to feed the second stage of membranes, which usually results in high overall power consumption. Furthermore, at large feed flow rates the adsorption system would typically require multiple trains.
Integrating a membrane with distillation at sub-ambient temperatures is taught by Kulkarni (U.S. Pat. No. 8,911,535) for the separation of carbon dioxide. The membrane concentrates CO2 to the point that it can be partially condensed in a heat exchanger. FIG. 6 shows that the CO2-lean overhead can be sent to a helium recovery unit prior to recycle to the membrane feed, described as a second distillation column.
Typically, a helium extraction process produces a crude helium stream containing 5-50% helium. This crude helium stream is then sent to a helium purifier using a combination of partial condensation and/or adsorption steps to generate a pure helium stream containing over 99% helium. Schmidt (US 2009/0013718) teaches the integration of helium extraction using a flash vessel with helium purification using pressure swing adsorption (PSA). The tail gas from the PSA is sent to a dedicated compressor so that it can be mixed with the feed to the heat exchanger in order to recover the helium in the PSA tail gas.
At large feed flow rates, cryogenic distillation technology requires multiple parallel trains, reducing the capital cost advantage distillation usually has at large scale over membranes. In addition, for low feed concentrations of helium, the separation of helium in the distillation column is challenging due to the very high ratio of liquid to vapor flow rates. There is a need for increasing the helium content of the feed stream in order to mitigate both disadvantages: by reducing the flow rate to the distillation column enough that only a single train is needed, and increasing the ratio of vapor to liquid flow rate in the column due to helium enrichment.


A headset communication unit includes a housing and a microphone arm pivotally connected to the housing. The housing has a first pivotal portion that has a pivotal end and connects a supporting pillar in direction of the pivotal end. The microphone arm has a microphone and an elastic slice member received therein. In the process of the microphone arm rotating from an opening status to a closing status, the elastic slice member contacts the supporting pillar and rotates around the supporting pillar. Among this process, there is a farthest supporting position away from a geometric center of the cross-section of the supporting pillar in all supporting position of the supporting pillar. When the elastic slice member contacts the farthest supporting position, an elastic force stored in the deformed elastic slice is maximized. The elastic force is released to push the microphone arm forward to the closing status.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a headset communication unit, and more particularly to rotating structures of the headset communication unit.
2. The Related Art
U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0052364 disclosed a headset communication unit. The headset communication unit comprises a housing, an ear hook mounted on the housing and a microphone arm pivotally connected to the housing. The housing has a pair of opposite first pivotal portions disposed thereon.
The microphone arm pivotally connected to the housing rotates between an opening status and a closing status. The microphone arm comprises an upper housing and a lower housing combined with the upper housing. A microphone and a torsion spring are contained between the upper housing and the lower housing. The lower housing has a connecting end and a tail end and has a pair of opposite second pivotal portions respectively extending upwardly from the two sides of the connecting end. The second pivotal portion has a pivotal hole defined therethrough. A pair of latch cavities are formed at the top and the bottom ends of the wall of the second pivotal hole. The second pivotal hole pivotally connects with one end of a pivotal axle. A pair of latch portions extend from the top and bottom ends of the end of the pivotal axle. The latch portion is held in the respective latch cavity to prevent the pivotal axle from rotating relative to the second pivotal portion. The other end of the pivotal axle pivotally connects with the corresponding first pivotal portion of the housing. The pivotal axle further has a penetrating hole defined in the axle center therethrough.
The torsion spring is approximate V-shaped and comprises a pair of elastic arms respectively bending and extending into the corresponding penetrating hole of the pivotal axle. In the process of the microphone arm rotating from the opening status to the closing status, the pivotal axle moves outwardly or inwardly.
However, the structures that enable the microphone arm to rotate around the housing in the above headset communication unit need the corresponding latch structures between the second pivotal portion and the pivotal axle to prevent the pivotal axle from rotating relative to the second pivotal portion. In the process of the pivotal axle rotating following the second pivotal portion and the pivotal axle moving outwardly and inwardly, an interaction force is produced between the latch cavity and the latch portion. As time passes, some bad conditions such as looseness will be produced between the latch structures. As a result, the microphone arm will can not rotate around the housing reliably. Besides, the above structures mentioned are comparatively complex.


A steplessly variable transmission has an input body rotatable about an input-element axis and an output body rotatable about an output-body axis and movable between a position with the axes coaxial and a position with the axes substantially parallel and offset from each other. An annular formation on one of the bodies is centered on the axis of the one body. A plurality of guides rotationally coupled to the other of the body are angularly equispaced about the axis of the other body. Respective control elements displaceable in the guides and angularly coupled to the other body are each displaceable relative to the other body between a torque-transmitting position engaging the annular formation and rotationally coupling the bodies and a no-load position disengaged from and out of contact with the formation. A controller is selectively engageable with the control elements for displacing same between the engaged and disengaged positions.

According to EP 0,708,896 a stepless or nearly steplessly variable, continuous-mesh, planetary-gear transmission is known that has an input element, an output element, and a plurality of separate gears that together form a satellite wheel that is in continuous mesh with a central sun gear. If the relationship of the effective radii of the satellite wheel and the sun gear and the relative eccentric position of the satellite wheel and the sun gear are varied relative to each other by appropriate mechanism, the speed ratio between the input and output elements is correspondingly varied. The gears forming the satellite wheel move cyclically when set eccentrically through a force-transmitting load path and a no-load path, the gears on the one hand orbiting about the satellite-wheel axis and on the other hand being constrained by one-way clutches to only rotate in one direction about their own axes. On transitioning from the no-load path to the force-transmitting path the wheels are blocked and thus transmit the angular force applied to them. Any irregularity in the torque transmission is at least partially compensated out by varying the radii of the force-transmitting path and/or the effective tangential components by a cyclical variation. In an actual embodiment that is described in this reference, the coupling elements are mounted on the periphery of the drive element and can move in different paths established by output-side radial grooves. The coupling elements are here made to mesh via various direction-dependent force and/or mesh effects so that at any time that coupling element transmits the torque that leads to the highest peripheral speed in the output element. Thus the other coupling elements shift automatically to the "passing mode," that is uncoupled. The transmission described in EP 0,708,896 and similar direction-dependent transmissions have the inherent disadvantage that as a result of the automatic shift to freerunning the transmission always produces higher output speeds and cannot produce a ratio giving a lower output speed.


A navigation system for vehicles comprises a read device that reads planar map data from a recording medium which stores in memory planimetric map data of a road map, a current position detection device that detects the current position of the vehicle, a storage circuit that stores in memory function tables for converting positional coordinates of nodes included in a road map area around the detected current position to positional coordinates of nodes on a bird's-eye-view map obtained by looking down upon the road map in a specific direction, at a specific look-down angle and a specific aspect angle from a viewpoint set above the vicinity of the detected current position and a bird's-eye-view map display data preparation circuit that reads out data related to coordinate positions of nodes on the bird's-eye-view map by operating the conversion table with the coordinate positions of nodes on the road map and prepares bird's-eye-view map display data for displaying the bird's-eye-view map on the monitor based upon the data thus read out.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a map display apparatus which displays a map in a bird's-eye view format and converted from a map in a plane view format.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are map display apparatuses for vehicles in the prior art that display a road map on a display device in the so called bird's-eye view display format, whereby a road map in the vicinity of the current position of the vehicle is displayed magnified compared to the portions of the map in the distance (refer to U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,886). The apparatus disclosed in the publication mentioned above sets a viewpoint to the rear of the current position of the vehicle and displays, on the screen of a display device, roads viewed from this viewpoint looking down in the advancing direction of the vehicle. In such a bird's-eye view display, the road map in the vicinity of the current vehicle position can be displayed enlarged and, since a wide range of area from the current position to distant positions can be displayed, it is easy to visually read the connection state and so forth on the road map. Moreover, a road map can be displayed in such a realistic manner that the driver will feel as if he were looking down at the road himself.
In order to display a road map in the bird's-eye view format, road maps for bird's-eye view display may be stored in a CD ROM or the like in advance. However, since the map scale constantly changes with a bird's-eye view as the viewpoint moves, the quantity of data required for the road map becomes massive. Because of this, it is a general practice to convert road map data for normal planar map display to bird's-eye-view data for display. However, since the conversion calculation to obtain bird's-eye-view data must be performed every time the position of the viewpoint moves, screen redraw becomes slow and this could detract from ease of use.


An acousto-optic device includes an optical waveguide in which incident light is able to propagate; a metal layer surrounding at least a first portion of the optical waveguide; a gain medium layer disposed in the first portion of the optical waveguide; and a sonic wave generator configured to generate surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and apply the SAWs to the optical waveguide and/or the metal layer.

1. Field
This disclosure relates to acousto-optic devices having nanostructures, optical scanners, optical modulators, and display apparatuses using the acousto-optic devices, and more particularly, to an acousto-optic device having a nanostructure to increase a range of a diffraction angle of output light, an optical scanner, an optical modulator, and a display apparatus using the acousto-optic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The acousto-optic effect is an effect in which a refractive index of light is periodically varied in a medium by a series of compressions and rarefactions in the medium produce by sonic waves such as ultrasonic waves propagating in the medium. The series of compressions and rarefactions produces a phase grating in the medium, which diffracts light incident on the medium. In general, a medium exhibiting the acousto-optic effect is called an acousto-optic medium. An intensity and a diffraction angle of diffracted light produced by the phase grating in the medium depend on an intensity of the sonic waves and a frequency of the sonic waves, respectively. Thus, an acousto-optic device having a sonic wave generator such as an ultrasonic wave generator on a surface of the medium having the aforementioned characteristic may be used in an optical modulator for modulating the amplitude of incident light, or in an optical scanner for deflecting incident light.
However, acousto-optic devices that use raw mediums existing in the natural world have a limited range of a diffraction angle of output light due to a limited optical anisotropy and a limited acousto-optic coefficient of the mediums. That is, in an acousto-optic medium according to the related art, a range of a diffraction angle of output light is too narrow. Thus, when an acousto-optic device according to the related art is used in various optical application fields, including an optical scanner, an optical modulator, a display or the like, a separate optical system is required to compensate for the narrow range of the diffraction angle. This separate optical system increases a size of the system and/or may reduce resolution of the system. Accordingly, research into various structures of the acousto-optic medium and an increase in a range of a diffraction angle of the acousto-optic device have been conducted.

Acousto-optic device having nanostructure, and optical scanner, optical modulator, and display apparatus using the acousto-optic device


An ultrasonic sensor is provided with a substrate unit where a thin-walled portion is arranged and a piezoelectric oscillator which is formed at the substrate unit. The piezoelectric oscillator includes two electrodes and a piezoelectric film positioned between the two electrodes. The thin-walled portion and the piezoelectric oscillator construct a membrane structure which will resonate at a predetermined frequency.

Generally, an ultrasonic sensor is used for an obstacle detection system of a vehicle. Fore example, with reference to JP-2003-284182A, an ultrasonic sensor of a piezoelectric type which is manufactured by a MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) technology is disclosed.
In this case, the ultrasonic sensor has a thin-walled portion (semiconductor activated layer and insulating membrane layer) which is formed at a semiconductor substrate having a SOI (silicon on insulator) construction, and a piezoelectric oscillator where a strong dielectric is sandwiched between two electrodes (upper detection electrode and lower detection electrode). The piezoelectric oscillator is arranged to cover the thin-walled portion in such a manner that the electrodes are respectively arranged at the lower surface and the upper surface of the strong dielectric.
That is, the forming part of the thin-walled portion and the piezoelectric oscillator constructs a membrane structure where the semiconductor activated layer, the insulating membrane layer, the lower electrode, the strong dielectric and the upper electrode are sequentially stacked.
In the case where the piezoelectric-typed ultrasonic sensor is manufactured by the MEMS technology, a resonance frequency of a membrane structure which is constructed of the thin-walled portion and the piezoelectric oscillator may deviate from a desirable value due to unevenness in manufacture. Moreover, in the case of an ultrasonic sensor where the membrane structures are arrayed, there will be unevenness in the resonance frequencies of the membrane structures (that is, unevenness in sensitivities thereof).
Considering the above-described problem, it is proposed in JP-2003-284182A to adjust the resonance frequency of the ultrasonic sensor by applying a predetermined voltage between the two electrodes during the operation of the ultrasonic sensor. In this case, with the variation of a spontaneous polarization generated in the strong dielectric, the value of the physical property (for example, membrane stress and Young's modulus) related to the stiffness varies so that the resonance frequency varies. However, it is difficult to control the resonance frequency for a long time, because the state of the polarization gradually varies when the voltage is continuously applied.
Moreover, according to JP-2003-284182A, it is also proposed that the predetermined voltage is applied between the two electrodes before the operation of the ultrasonic sensor to beforehand change (polling) the spontaneous polarization of the strong dielectric so that the resonance frequency of the ultrasonic sensor is adjusted. However, in this case, the spontaneous polarization will become weak when being provided with ambient temperature, for example. Therefore, it is difficult to control the resonance frequency for a long time.
Furthermore, according to the methods in JP-2003-284182A, it is difficult to adjust if the material does not have the spontaneous polarization such as the strong dielectric. For example, the methods cannot be suitably used for a piezoelectric material such as aluminum nitride (AlN), zinc oxide (ZnO) or the like.
Moreover, according to the ultrasonic sensor having the membrane structure disclosed in JP-2003-284182A, buckling will be caused when the internal stress (in the state where piezoelectric oscillator does not vibrate) of the whole of the membrane structure constructed of the thin-walled portion and the piezoelectric oscillator is a compressive stress. Because the shape of the membrane structure in the state where the piezoelectric oscillator does not vibrate varies (i.e., is lack of reproducibility) due to buckling, there will also occur a variation in the deformation amount of the membrane structure when ultrasonic wave is received or sent. That is, there will have a variation in the sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensor.
Generally, for the ultrasonic sensor having the membrane structure, the internal stress (in the state where piezoelectric oscillator does not vibrate) of the whole of the membrane structure is adjusted to be a tensile stress or to be zero. Thus, the membrane structure in the state where the piezoelectric oscillator does not vibrate is maintained to be substantially flat, to reduce the variation in the deformation amount of the membrane structure when the ultrasonic wave is received or sent. However, because the internal stress of the whole of the membrane structure is adjusted to be the tensile stress or to be zero, the deformation amount of the membrane structure when the ultrasonic wave is received or sent will be small. That is, the sensitivity of the ultrasonic sensor will be low.

Ultrasonic sensor and manufacture method of the same


A method for manufacturing a permanent-magnet motor rotor includes manufacturing a rotary shaft, a permanent magnet, a front end cover, a rear end cover, and a magnetic yoke unit, where the magnetic yoke unit contains multiple pole shoe parts and one iron core part, where each pole shoe part and the iron core part are connected therebetween via a connecting strip; manufacturing a rotor spacer; all positioning holes of the magnetic yoke unit correspond to the permanent-magnet through hole of the rotor spacer to form a permanent-magnet passage; inserting the permanent magnet into the permanent-magnet passage; inserting tightening bolts; cutting off the mid-section of each connecting strip, overlapping the pole shoe parts to form a rotor pole shoe, overlapping the iron core parts to form a rotor iron core; and arranging respectively the front end cover and the rear end cover on a front end and a rear end.

(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a permanent-magnet motor rotor.
(2) Field of the Invention
A motor is an electromagnetic device taking magnetic field as media to carry out mutual conversion between mechanical energy and electrical energy. In order to establish an air-gap magnetic field inside of the motor needed by electromechanical energy conversion, two methods are provided. As to one method, a motor winding is energized to generate a magnetic field, such as a conventional DC motor, the motor and so on. This electrically excited motor not only needs a special winding and a corresponding device but also needs to be continuously provided with energy to maintain its current flow. As to the other method, the magnetic field is generated by a permanent magnet. Due to the inherent characteristics of a permanent-magnet material, after it is pre-magnetized (magnetization), it does not need external energy to establish the magnetic field around its surrounding space; that is, it is the so-called permanent magnet motor.
Compared with the conventional excited motor, the permanent magnet motor has the advantages of simple structure, low loss, high power factor, high efficiency, high power density, high starting torque, low temperature, light weight and other obvious characteristics. With the continuous improvement and perfection of the magnetic properties in rare-earth permanent-magnet materials (especially NdFeB) and gradually reduced price, the permanent-magnet motor research and development gradually becomes mature, thus facilitating the permanent magnet motor to be more and more widely used in defense, industrial and agricultural production, daily life and so on.
The permanent-magnet motor is the motor which depends on the permanent magnet on a rotor to generate the magnet field. Its stator structure is basically identical to that of a common synchronous/asynchronous motor. That is, it consists of a stator iron core constituted by stacked silicon steel sheets and a stator coil embedded in an iron-core slot of the stator. It is energized by three-phase alternating current to generate a rotating magnetic field in the stator coil. The permanent-magnet motor rotor mainly consists of a rotor iron core and the permanent magnet, which is the main difference between the permanent-magnet motor and other type of the motor. A rotor magnetic circuit structure is the key technology of the permanent magnet motor. If a magnetic path structure adopted by the rotor is different, the operating performance, the control strategy, the manufacturing process and the use occasion of the motor are also different.
According to different installation locations of the permanent magnet in the permanent magnet motor rotor, the rotor magnetic path of the permanent-magnet motor may generally be divided into three types including a surface type, a built-in type and a claw-pole type. The surface-type rotor magnetic path has the advantages of simple structure and low manufacturing cost. However, as the surface of the rotor may not be mounted with a starting winding, this type permanent-magnet motor does not have asynchronous starting capability. Furthermore, the rotor has worse mechanical strength, and the permanent magnet is easily broken at high rotation speed. The permanent magnet of the built-in type permanent-magnet motor rotor is positioned inside the rotor. According to the relationship between the magnetization direction of the permanent magnet and the rotation direction of the rotor, the magnetic path structure of the built-in type rotor can also be divided into three types including a radial type, a tangential type and a mixed type. Compared with the surface type rotor, the built-in permanent-magnet motor rotor may protect the permanent magnet with the lower mechanical properties. According to performance requirements of the permanent-magnet motor, the size of the permanent magnet may be tremendously increased. Therefore, the structure of the permanent-magnet motor rotor is currently widely used.
At present, the conventional permanent-magnet motor rotor generally adopts a rotor guide strip to fasten the rotor. However, there are still obvious problems of low mechanical strength, poor reliability, severe eddy current loss of the rotor surface, obvious magnetic flux leakage, etc. These hinder the development of the permanent-magnet motor with high power, high speed and large rotary diameter, and further more limit the application of the permanent-magnet motor on high-speed trains as a traction motor.
China patent application No. 201010513307.3 discloses a big-power permanent-magnet motor rotor and a method for mounting the rotor. Adopting a permanent-magnet embedded structure, the rotor consists of at least two rotor units along the axial direction. A magnet-separation groove along the rotor in the axial direction is opened and provided on an iron core between two adjacent permanent magnets of each rotor unit. A spacer made of a non-magnetic material is provided between the adjacent rotor units. An end plate is provided at two ends of the rotor unit. At least two rotor units are fixed through axially positioned tightening bolt.
The permanent-magnet rotor has the following disadvantages: 1. The centrifugal force stressed by a rotor pole shoe is born jointly by an end plate, the spacer and a positioning tightening bolt. That is, the positioning tightening bolt fixing the rotor unit needs to bear bending moment. When the rotor rotates at high speed, the centrifugal force is so large that the positioning tightening bolt is easily to be bended by the centrifugal force. That is, the rotor does not apply to the motor with high speed rotation. 2. Although the magnet-separation groove is opened and provided at the iron core, the iron core, between the adjacent permanent magnet, still has a connection part. The magnetic field of the permanent magnet of adjacent poles, through the direct communication of the iron core between the permanent magnets, causes magnetic flux leakage. That is, the structure cannot avoid magnetic flux leakage and has serious magnetic flux leakage. 3. The spacer is provided between two adjacent rotor units. The thickness of the spacer occupies the effective length of the rotor in the axial direction. When the number of the rotor units of the adopted rotor is increased and the thickness of the rotor spacer is increased, the effective length is dramatically reduced, thus affecting the electromagnetic properties of the rotor.

Method for manufacturing permanent-magnet motor rotor


A method and system for DMA transfer of data in scatter/gather mode. A table of buffer descriptors may be used to determine the next buffer to be used when a current buffer storing data that has been transferred or will be transferred and may be used in automatic buffer switching, which does not require processor intervention. Entries in the table of buffer descriptors are entered programmatically. The method and system also provide for hardware writing to table of packet descriptors which describes location and size of incoming data and can indicate whether a packet of data straddles two or more buffers, thus decoupling packet sizes from buffer sizes.

Processors whose computer bus architectures have Direct Memory Access ("DMA") capability may transfer data between a device attached to the processor (such as disk controllers, graphics cards, etc.) and the processor's system memory independent of the main CPU. DMA allows devices of different speeds to communicate without placing a processing burden on the CPU. DMA further speeds up data transfer by eliminating the fetch and execute cycles required when data transfers pass through the CPU.
In a DMA transfer, the CPU stops its bus activity to allow the DMA operation. A DMA controller then reads or writes memory bytes and transfers the data to the desired location; generally, a DMA transfer involves either a device read and memory write or a memory read and a device write. FIFO buffers may be used to store the data to be transferred.
It would be advantageous to enhance DMA transfer of data.

System and method for DMA transfer of data in scatter/gather mode


The present invention provides methods and combinations for reducing the infarct volume in a tissue of a subject undergoing ischemia or at risk of developing ischemia.

Situations involving blood loss, ischemia or hypoxia routinely result in organ and tissue damage causing morbidity and mortality. These situations include common surgical and interventional procedures as well as trauma and natural disease states. These episodes present as ischemic syndromes widely distributed throughout the body and extremities and in the brain as strokes. Additionally, clinical procedures including surgery and angiography can produce microemboli resulting in silent or sub-clinical cerebral ischemia as well as clinical strokes. Neuroprotective compounds, hyperbaric oxygen, hemoglobin-based blood substitutes, other approaches, and liquid perfluorocarbon-based oxygen carriers have shown promise but largely failed to compensate in these situations. Prompt revascularization and restoration of oxygenated blood flow remain the primary foci of clinical stroke therapy at this time.
There is a need therefore for another oxygen transport substance that has the ability to physically dissolve, transport, and deliver significant quantities of oxygen and other electron-rich respiratory gases into even the smallest areas of microcirculation and tissues that would not otherwise be oxygenated in an ischemic episode.

Dodecafluoropentane emulsion as a stroke and ischemia therapy


An AC cord/plug is “dead” while disconnected and goes “live” only when connected. The plug has a set of spring-loaded, normally-open contacts, each having two sets of fixed contacts and a single set of movable contacts. The movable contacts are in a spring-loaded assembly that has an iron core opposite the contacts, and the fixed contacts are in a hermetically sealed compartment shielding them from the plug's exterior. The AC plug inputs (L1, L2) are connected to one set of the normally open, fixed contacts, and the plug's socket terminals are connected to the other set of normally opened, fixed contacts. In the unplugged state, the plug's socket contacts are electrically isolated from the L1 and L2 inputs. When plugged-in, the plug's socket terminals go “live” when a magnetic circuit closes between the plug and socket that causes the plug's spring-loaded assembly to move to close the contacts.

Common to all electric vehicles is their need to have their traction battery packs recharged after use. The term "plug-in" in describing electric vehicles speaks directly to this universal requirement. This invention addresses the manner in which electric vehicles are plugged in for recharging. To enable an electric vehicle to replenish the traction battery system, the vehicle must be connected to a power source. For "plug-ins," this typically involves connecting the power cord to an AC electrical service. During this power connection process, the user must grasp a live AC cord/plug set in order to make this connection, but there is an inherent safety risk when one grasps a live cord/plug set, especially in wet conditions.


An approach is presented for making the use of a mobile device more socially suitable. Remote control application programming interfaces and installation packages are specified to developers for designing applications that can be controlled via a main device (e.g., a mobile phone) and one or more accessory devices (e.g., a watch). Specifically, each application is required to have two installable components—one that resides on the main device and one that is automatically installed on an associated remote accessory device. By enabling the seamless installation of these two components, a new paradigm or ecosystem for how applications are to be created and installed is introduced. In this new paradigm, application developers will not only develop the applications, but they will also design and define a way to make their applications remotely controllable and reachable from an accessory device, thus making the associated mobile devices running such applications more socially suitable.

Service providers and device manufacturers (e.g., wireless, cellular, etc.) are continually challenged to deliver value and convenience to consumers by, for example, providing compelling network services such as mobile communication services (e.g., email, short message service (SMS), etc.), real-time applications (e.g., sports, stocks, weather, etc.), social networking features (e.g., FACEBOOK, TWITTER, etc.), and the like. Unfortunately, the increasing popularity of such compelling network services can also increase a mobile device (e.g., mobile phone) user's attachment to his or her mobile device, which then often leads to various forms of social disruption. Other companies have previously attempted to address this problem by pairing a mobile phone with a watch that was able to remotely control the mobile phone. However, in most cases, the watch was designed only for certain pre-programmed actions and in the cases where it was possible to create additional pre-programmed actions, there was no tight integration between the applications on the mobile phone and the options on the watch.

Method and apparatus for developing socially suitable applications and devices


To enable a recovery control program to be executed quickly by a robot controller without needing to equip the robot controller with a large-capacity storage device, provided is a robot system, including a first robot controller for controlling a first robot. The first robot controller includes a posture information obtaining unit for obtaining information indicating a posture of the first robot when an anomaly occurs in the first robot. The robot system further includes a recovery control program generating unit for generating, by computing, based on the posture of the first robot, a recovery control program for changing the posture of the first robot to a given standby posture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot system, a robot management computer for a robot system, and a method of managing a robot system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, industrial multi-articulated robots and other industrial robots are connected to a robot controller which is constructed mainly from a computer and which controls the operation of the robot. Specifically, the robot controller executes a robot operation control program also called a task, thereby transmitting various control commands to the robot from the robot controller. The robot performs a given operation under the commands.

Robot system, robot management computer for a robot system, and method of managing a robot system


A base end of a hook plate is simply inserted into a column surface of a columnar receiving member for fixing. A hook of the hook plate is inserted into an inserted groove provided in an end of a crossing member such as a girder. Further, a bolt passing through the crossing member is received by the hook. As a result, a framework of the receiving member and the crossing member can be fixed. Alternatively, hook plates each having a circular outer periphery and provided in the hooked form are respectively inserted into inserted grooves provided in a receiving member and a crossing member. The respective hook plates are fixed by bolts so as to build a framework.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a framework member for wooden building and a framework structure using the framework member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general Japanese wooden building, a unique framework method is used to construct structural members. In particular, the parts of each connection are processed to fit, each part of the joint having a complicated and irregular shape with respect to each other. A highly skilled operator is required for such a process.
On the other hand, frameworks such as "lap joint", "shiplap", "box joint" and "butt joint" are frequently built up by using metal fittings in order to simplify conventional framework structures, improve operational efficiency and reduce cost or the like. In the framework using the compound reinforcing metal fittings, however, a large number of metal fittings having complicated construction and a large number of bolts are actually used for junctions of column and beam or the like in actuality.
A complicated processing of the connection is necessary in conventional and traditional framework methods as described above. Accordingly, the conventional methods are undesirable since the highly skilled operator is required for the operation. In addition, there are some drawbacks of high cost, delayed finishing of the construction or the like due to the necessity of many hands. The building operation is disadvantageously complicated and causes frequent troubles during the framework.
On the other hand, a large number of metal fittings or batten plates having a complicated shape and a large number of bolts or the like are used in the framework using construction metal fittings. Therefore, it is not always possible to reduce the amount of time to complete construction and the cost sufficiently. Accuracy of the framework is also insufficient.

Framework structure for wooden building and framework member


The present invention provides a method of designing a redox flow battery system that can prevent system efficiency loss caused by weak generation power or load power at the time of electric charge or discharge, without using any lead storage battery, and can also provide further improved system efficiency. In the present invention, generating equipment that varies irregularly in output of power generation is provided with the redox flow battery to smooth the output of power generation. An average value of output distribution of the battery with respect to the smoothed output of power generation and standard deviation are determined. Then, at least either of a specified output of the battery and a specified output of the converter for converting the battery output is determined based on the standard deviation.

It is inherent in the electric power supply that power supply conforming to electricity consumption, what is called "simultaneous supply of equivalent electricity" is required. Meanwhile, developments of new energy resources, including power generation by wind and solar photovoltaic power generation, have been made increasingly in recent years. However, the power generation by wind, the solar photovoltaic power generation, and the like are all power sources which are irregular in output of power generation, due to which these power sources cannot serve as a satisfactory power supply source by themselves. Consideration is now being made on combination with some storage battery to stabilize the output of power generation. JP Laid-open (Unexamined) Patent Publication No. Sho 61-218070 describes the technique using a redox flow battery as the storage battery.
This publication describes that a lead storage battery, which does not need any moving parts, such as a pump and the like, is further annexed to the redox flow battery, in order to reduce a pump power loss and a loss caused by a shunt current, which contributes to reduction of combined efficiency of the redox flow battery, in response to input power.
In general, the redox flow battery is used for equalization of load or for countermeasure to voltage sag. FIG. 8 shows an explanatory view showing an operating principle of a general redox flow secondary battery. This battery has a cell 100 which is separated into a positive electrode cell 100A and a negative electrode cell 100B by a membrane 103 of an ion-exchange membrane. A positive electrode 104 and a negative electrode 105 are contained in the positive electrode cell 100A and the negative electrode cell 100B, respectively. A positive electrode tank 101 for feeding and discharging positive electrolytic solution to and from the positive electrode cell 100A is connected to the positive electrode cell 100A through conduit pipes 106, 107. Similarly, a negative electrode tank 102 for feeding and discharging negative electrolytic solution to and from the negative electrode cell 100B is connected to the negative electrode cell 100B through conduit pipes 109, 110. Aqueous solution containing ions that change in valence, such as vanadium ion, is used for the respective electrolytes and is circulated by using pumps 108, 111, to charge or discharge with an ionic valence change reaction at the positive and negative electrodes 104, 105. For example, when the electrolyte containing the vanadium ions is used, the following reactions occur in the cell during the charge or discharge of electricity:Positive electrode: V4+→V5++e−(Charge)V4+←V5++e−(Discharge)Negative electrode: V3++e−→V2+(Charge)V3++e−←V2+(Discharge)
However, the annex of the lead storage battery for the purpose of improving reduction of efficiency caused by weak power generation or load power at the time of electric charge or discharge or preventing increase of a system loss at the time of electric charge or discharge, as in the technique disclosed in the publication above, causes the problems of not only increase in production costs but also increase in scale of facilities.
Driving the pump for feeding and discharging the electrolyte to and from the cells is absolutely necessary for the redox flow battery. Due to this, the conventional employs the annex of the lead storage battery to the power source which is irregular in output of power generation, while suffering from the disadvantages of increase in production costs and others.
In general, a system loss means a total of a battery loss and a converter loss. The technique described in the publication cited above takes a pump power loss and a shunt current loss into consideration as factors of the battery loss, but takes no thought of an efficiency loss caused by a battery resistance (cell resistance). In view of this, the system that can provide further reduced loss is being desired.
Meanwhile, there are some conventional facilities in which only the redox flow battery is combined with the power source which is irregular in output of power generation, without the lead storage battery annexed thereto, taking no thought of the reduction of efficiency caused by weak generated power or load power at the time of electric charge or discharge. In these facilities, no study is made on how great magnitude the storage battery should be for combination with the magnitude (output of power generation, variation in output of power generation, etc.) of the power source which is irregular in output of power generation, such as power generation by wind and solar photovoltaic power generation, and no design guideline thereof is provided. In the circumstances above, the redox flow battery is practically operated, combining with the storage battery of a reasonable magnitude, or specifically, a magnitude of output about one half the total output of power generation, but this operation induces a great system loss, leading to deterioration of system efficiency.
Also, it is common that no study is made on how great the magnitude of the converter should be for combination with the magnitude (output of power generation, variation in output of power generation, etc.) of the power source which is irregular in output of power generation, such as power generation by wind and solar photovoltaic power generation, and no design guideline thereof is provided. For this, the redox flow battery combined with the power source irregular in output of power generation takes no thought of the converter loss.
Further, no study has been made on the design guideline that can provide further reduction of the system loss for the redox flow battery used for equalization of load power or countermeasure to irregular variation in power consumption, such as voltage sag, as well as for the redox flow battery used for stabilization of output of power source which is irregular in output of power generation.
Additionally, a method of designing an optimum redox flow battery considering not only the system loss but also reduction of production costs and scale of the facilities is being desired.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method of designing a redox flow battery that can provide a more optimal operation for the redox flow battery which is irregularly operated for stabilization of an output of power generation of a power source which is unstable in generated power, as well as for control of supply and demand of electricity.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of designing a redox flow battery system that can reduce a system loss caused by weak generation power or load power at the time of electric charge or discharge, without using the lead storage battery.

Method for designing redox flow battery system


Embodiments of the present invention provide a semiconductor structure having a strain relaxed buffer, and method of fabrication. A strain relaxed buffer is disposed on a semiconductor substrate. A silicon region and silicon germanium region are disposed adjacent to each other on the strain relaxed buffer. An additional region of silicon or silicon germanium provides quantum well isolation.

A compressive stress or tensile stress can be applied to some types of transistors to increase their performance. For standard orientation Si wafers, the performance of a p-type field effect transistor (pFET) improves when a longitudinal (in the direction of current flow) compressive stress is applied to the channel region. On the other hand, the performance of an n-type field effect transistor (nFET) improves when a longitudinal tensile stress is applied to the channel region. Additionally, for heterostructures comprising different channel materials on an underlying structure, it is favorable to have a quantum barrier between the channel material and underlying structure to help confine carriers to the channel and thus reduce off-state leakage. When nFET devices and pFET devices are used together in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) structure, it is desirable to apply the appropriate type of stress for each device and to achieve the appropriate quantum barrier offset.

Semiconductor structure with self-aligned wells and multiple channel materials


Disclosed are a method of reducing spent oxides nuclear fuel to nuclear-fuel metal, in which metal oxides are reduced to metals using an electrochemical reduction device with LiCl—Li2O salt as an electrolyte, a cathode electrode assembly used in the method, and a reduction device including the cathode electrode assembly. The method is advantageous in that the process of reducing the spent oxide nuclear fuel to the nuclear-fuel metal and another process of recovering Li are united to simplify the whole processes, direct use of high oxidative Li metals is excluded to secure safety, and conversion efficiency of the spent oxide nuclear fuel is 99% or more.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a method of reducing metal oxides to metals using an electrochemical reduction device in which LiCl-based salt is employed as an electrolyte. In particular, it can be used to reduce spent oxide nuclear fuel to nuclear-fuel metal utilizing the reduction device with LiCl—Li2O salt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those who have experience in the art, an electrochemical reduction device consists, in general, of a cathode, an anode, and an electrolyte. Chemical changes such as reduction and decomposition of compounds are occurred in these kinds of apparatuses by difference in electric potentials. Many instruments have been devised especially in recovering highly purified metals from metal oxides.
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in the USA has developed a method of recovering nuclear-fuel metal from spent oxide nuclear fuel using an electrochemical reduction device in which the spent oxide nuclear fuel is reduced to the nuclear-fuel metal in molten LiCl-based salt at high temperature. Actinide elements in the spent oxide fuel are recycled according to the IFR (integral fast reactor) nuclear fuel cycle process. Researchers of the ANL have developed a fuel recycle technology to reuse the spent oxide nuclear fuel by reducing into metal in the molten LiCl-based salt at high temperature and found that a LiCl—Li salt system is sufficiently competitive in recovering the spent oxide fuel to the corresponding metallic form considering the reaction temperature and corrosiveness of materials.
The conversion efficiency of the reduction reaction increases as Li metal reacts with the spent oxide nuclear fuel into the nuclear-fuel metal and Li2O which is dissolved in molten LiCl-based salt then recycled to the reactor by Li electrowinning in LiCl—Li2O salt.
On the other hand, the method has the following disadvantages:
First, when the concentration of Li2O produced during the reduction of the spent oxide nuclear fuel increases, the conversion efficiency of some elements in the spent oxide nuclear fuel such as uranium and plutonium oxides decreases and undesirable side products such as complex oxides and chlorides are produced since Li2O with rare-earth elements. Accordingly, it takes a relatively long time of 80 hours to convert the spent oxide nuclear fuel effectively to the nuclear-fuel metal and the conversion efficiency of the spent oxide nuclear fuel reaches an unsatisfactory value while maintaining the concentration of Li2O below 3.2 wt %.
Second, both the inside and the outside of the reactor must be kept under an inert atmosphere since the Li metal is vulnerable even to small amount of oxygen and moisture.
Third, there is difficulty to form the LiCl—Li salt system because of the low solubility of the Li metal to the molten LiCl and the density difference between molten LiCl and Li metal. Therefore, a mixture of the LiCl-based liquid salt and the Li metal must be agitated mechanically for the uniform dispersion of the floating Li and the consequent enhancement of the reaction rate as disclosed in Japanese Pat. No. 2000-292593.
Japanese Pat. No. 2000-131489 describes the simultaneous performance of the first process of reducing the spent oxide nuclear fuel to the nuclear-fuel metal and the second process of recycling the Li metal into the first stage. However, the patent discloses that the first and the second process are independently conducted when the first process is combined with the second process. Therefore, the patent fails to clear up the listed disadvantages, and is unfavorable since it is difficult to connect the first and the second process for subsequent processes because of complexity of whole processes including the above processes. Furthermore, the patent is not competitive in terms of operational stability.
Accordingly, there remains a need to develop a method capable of overcoming the above disadvantages.

Method of reducing spent oxide nuclear fuel into nuclear-fuel metal using LiCl-Li


A method and a control device for deflection of a laser beam for laser-based additive manufacturing processes includes first and second orthogonally rotatable mirrors designed to reflect the laser beam and guide the laser beam to an irradiation field. The first mirror and the second mirror are secured on respective first and second shafts, with the first mirror performing a continuous first vibration with a first frequency, and the second mirror performing a continuous second vibration with a second frequency different from the first frequency and/or with a phase difference with respect to the first vibration. Each of the two shafts has a known position such that the first vibration is synchronous with the second vibration. The laser is activated/deactivated upon reaching/leaving an irradiation point. The generated vibrations of the mirrors describe a continuous Lissajous curve.

The invention relates to a control device for laser beam deflection for the processing of irradiation points in an irradiation field by means of a laser beam for laser-based additive manufacturing processes, having at least one first and one second orthogonally rotatable vertical mirror, via which the laser beam can be reflected, for guiding the laser beam to the irradiation field, and wherein the first mirror is secured on a first shaft and wherein the second mirror is secured on a second shaft. The invention further relates to a method for controlling the laser beam deflection.
In many companies of almost all branches of industry the use of various rapid prototyping methods, such as additive manufacturing for example, has become a fixed element in the development of new products. Product development times and market introduction times that are becoming ever shorter as well as the increased pressure to save time and money demand suitable methods for manufacturing component and tool prototypes within fewer hours, where possible from highly-durable materials close to those used in series production, such as steel for example.
Additive manufacturing, selective laser beam melting/sintering, stereo lithography in liquids etc., involve a group of processes that are characterized by three-dimensional components being manufactured by essentially two-dimensional layers (or substrates) being built up layer-by-layer. In general each of the layers is very thin (for example between 20 and 100 micrometers), and many layers are formed one after the other, wherein the two-dimensional form changes with each layer, so that the desired final three-dimensional profile is produced. By contrast with conventional manufacturing processes, in which material is removed to form a desired component profile, with additive manufacturing processes, material is added progressively in order to form a finished component that is faithful to final contours or close to final contours.
To this end the laser source, e.g. a laser scanner with two mirrors, is typically connected to a galvanoscope/galvanometer, which moves the mirrors, so that the beam is guided to a point or a defined line. Through this, together with the varying laser beam intensity, the energy input by the laser into the material or substrate is determined locally. However the following problems arise here:
One is that the laser scanner needs a very fast discontinuous mechanical movement of the mirrors, from which problems result with the inertia and the acceleration/deceleration.
A second irradiation point in each case needs a defined movement of the beam from a first irradiation point. Since this movement is an individual process, a large number of individual process parameters must be provided for said process. The process parameters include coordinate translations, path length, relative setting of the mirrors as well as their range of movement, laser scanner characteristics, acceleration, target coordinates and temperature equalization etc. All these parameters represent possible sources of error however.
Another problem is that at least two movement modes are also needed for the laser: One in operating mode; here the laser is active, as well as one in travel mode. Here the laser is inactive. Since in travel mode no process-related conditions (coupling of the laser beam into the substrate) are needed, the travel mode, provided the laser system allows this, can be carried out more quickly.
irradiation strategies such as multiple irradiation by a single laser (laser unit) for laser beam melting for example, in which an inertia-free orientatable electron beam is projected practically simultaneously onto a number of points of the irradiation field, e.g. for local preheating/prewarming of a given area to be irradiated, are not able to be implemented. For prewarming a number of laser units are used at the same time in the prior art. Digital Light Processing Chips can also be used, with which images are created by a digital image being modulated onto a laser beam. Because of the low energy input the application is restricted to SLAs however and is not transferrable for applications in which a higher energy input is needed, such as e.g. laser beam melting.
Nowadays therefore the processing by the laser can be implemented with sufficient accuracy, but only with increased computing effort/calculation effort and irradiation strategies. Each additional movement however influences the performance and the precision of the irradiation process.

Control device and method for controlling the laser beam deflection


A switch/router circuit integrates a multi-port memory array with the Media Access Control (MAC) units to facilitate direct transfer of packet payloads to the destination port. The store and forward functions are performed using a single memory cell with multiple pass gates, one pass gate designated for each MAC port. That is, a switch router is implemented using the multi-port memory array such that the number of ports in each memory cell is proportional to the number of MACs integrated in the single monolithic chip. An arbitrator arbitrates between the integrated ports, a lookup table identifies the destination port and a system controller controls all of the integrated elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor integrated circuit devices and, in particular, to the integration of a store switch element into a multi-port memory cell in a switch router product.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a typical switch or router product, the incoming bit stream packet is separated into a header and a payload. The header is processed to determine if the packet's destination address exists in the domain of that switch router; if it does, then the payload is delivered to the corresponding destination port of that switch router.
As the speed of the incoming data stream increases, the time available both for checking the header in the switch router lookup table and for transferring the payload from the incoming port to the destination port decreases.
In current switch router architectures, there is typically enough buffer memory allocated to store the incoming bit stream while the data is being processed through the lookup table and routed to the destination port. However, incoming packets can get dropped if the incoming bit stream fills up the buffer memory. This can happen if it takes longer for header processing, header lookup or payload transfer.
As shown in FIG. 1, in currently available integrated monolithic switch router products, the Media Access Controllers (MACs) 10 and a single port, common pool buffer memory 12 are interconnected via a high speed data bus 14. A system controller 18 connected to a system bus 20 receives an incoming data packet from a receiving MAC port 10, strips the header from the packet and provides it to an address lookup table 22, shown in FIG. 1 as a content addressable memory (CAM); the packet payload is provided to the common pool buffer memory 12. An arbitrator 16 provides the arbitration for the data transfer from the receiving MAC port 10 to another, destination MAC port 10 via the high speed bus 14.
As can be seen from the FIG. 1 architecture, as the incoming bit stream speed increases from, for example, 10 Mbits/sec. to 100 Mbits/sec., or from 1 gigabit/sec. to 10 gigabit/sec., the speed of the high speed bus 14 must also scale up by 10 times to 1000 times. To address this disparity, a large pool of buffer memory must be provided to accomodate the peak switching load.

Integrated high speed switch router using a multiport architecture


A loading car for bulk material for incorporation in a freight train of a plurality of successively arranged like loading cars, includes a box open on top and mounted on a frame for storing bulk material. A bottom conveyor is disposed in a lower portion of the box and has opposite conveyor ends spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction. Positioned between the boxes of two successive cars, each loading car has a transfer conveyor arrangement which projects beyond the frame and is angularly adjustable with respect to the bottom conveyor, with the transfer conveyor arrangement including two separate transfer conveyors, with one of the two transfer conveyors cooperating with one of the conveyor ends and the other one of the two transfer conveyors cooperating with the other one of the conveyor ends so as to allow a reversal of the conveying direction for the bulk material.

The present invention generally refers to material transportation, and more specifically to a loading car for bulk material useful for incorporation in a freight train of a series of successively arranged like loading cars. In particular, the present invention refers to a loading car of a type having a box which is open on top and mounted to a frame for storing bulk material, an endless bottom conveyor positioned in a lower portion of the box in a longitudinal direction of the car and having two conveyor ends spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction, and a transfer conveyor extending at an angle to the bottom conveyor and projecting beyond the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,538 discloses a loading car of this type which when coupled together with other like loading cars to form a freight train provides a continuous conveyance path along the length of the train so that bulk material can be dumped into the box at one end and transported to the opposite end. The drive for the bottom conveyor, typically a conveyor band, can be operated at variable speed so that a slow conveying speed results in a slow advance of bulk material enabling the box car to be fully charged. A higher conveying speed, on the other hand, allows a transport of bulk material to the preceding box car without intermediate storage. This type of loading train permits a transport of e.g. waste material generated by a cleaning machine from the adjacent end of the loading train via the respective bottom and transfer conveyors, typically also conveyor bands, to the leading box car for storage. The projecting transfer conveyor is swingable about a vertical axis so as to allow unloading of all box cars at the same time.
British Pat. No. GB 2,277,725 also describes a loading car of this type in which the transfer conveyor is swingably mounted in an area of its lower conveyor end in order to allow the transfer conveyor to be vertically adjustable by a drive from a first upper end position effecting a transfer of bulk material to the successive loading car into a second lower end position for discharge of stored bulk material directly onto the track at smaller height of drop.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,002 discloses a loading car which includes two parallel bottom conveyors positioned side-by-side and two parallel transfer conveyors in side-by-side disposition, with the bottom and transfer conveyors so positioned that the conveyor end of a bottom conveyor is either disposed below or above the conveyor end of the transfer conveyor so that a continuous conveyance path is provided with the conveyor ends of the transfer conveyor alternatingly disposed beneath and above the facing conveyor ends of successive bottom conveyors. Both bottom conveyors are separated from one another by a central, longitudinally extending partition, with each bottom conveyor being associated to a separate box. Although this dual arrangement of two conveyor arrangements allows parallel storage and/or transport of bulk material in two opposite conveying directions, each conveyor arrangement can be operated only in one conveying direction.

Franz Plasser Bahnbaumaschinen-Industriegesellschaft mbH.