An RFID-based system for tracking, managing, dispensing and recycling bags, particularly retail and grocery-type bags such as t-shirt bags and the like. The preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates a system wherein there is employed at a T-Shirt bag fabrication facility an RFID tag dispensing system for affixing an RFID tag to the thermoplastic film utilized in forming a T-shirt bag, which bag is formed into a stack. The RFID tag is associated with the bag at the time of manufacture, and information pertaining to said bag is saved in a central computer, which is subsequently used in shipping and management of the bag(s). A sensor bag rack is provided for supporting the bag pack during dispensing and use of the bags at the checkout counter, which supports the bag during loading and is configured to relay data on said bag as it is removed from the rack for placement in the customers cart, or otherwise provided to the customer. An alternative system contemplates a sensor which counts the bags at they are removed from the rack and compiles the number of bags per customer per transaction, which is used to calculate the deposit to be charged the customer for the bags used. Data on the number of bags used in bagging of the customers goods is thereby provided, which maybe used to calculate a deposit for each bag, which is charged to the customer. The customer may also be associated with each bag for compiling subsequent data on recycling of said bags. Lastly, the present invention contemplates a recycling bin which incorporates an RFID scanner to scan a collection of bags simultaneously as they are returned by the user, utilizing the data to calculate a refund due the customer.

The use of RFID tags has significantly increased recently, as costs of the tags and associated equipment has plumitted. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are used to track products, as well as other uses such as toll tags and animal identification.
A typical RFID tag requires no battery as it utilizes the energy of the scanner, the tag acting as a transponder to relay generally basic identification information, which information is used for tracking via a central computer.
On another front, with enhanced environmental awareness, local and regional governments have discussed implementing deposits on thermoplastic grocery bags or the like, to raise revenues as well as discourage littering, while encouraging recycling.
However, a typical customer can utilize literally dozens of bags every month, typically placing the bags in one of the bags. Thus many of the grocery bags can be stuffed in a single bag. By the time a customer gets to a recycling area to return the bags, there may be literally hundreds of bags stuffed in several of the bags.
It would not be cost or time effective for an employee of the recipient of the bags to sort through and count each bag in the collection of bags returned. Further, the deposit to be returned to the customer must be calculated and refunded to the client. Also, the deposit for the bag may vary depending upon the jurisdiction and use, and there is no easy, fast, cost effective means of determining the deposit paid upon the bag. A jurisdiction refunding a fixed deposit price on all t-shirt bags could find itself paying monies under the guise of deposit refunds on bags which had not deposit paid thereon, or bags which had a lesser deposit paid than the intended bags for that jurisdiction.
It is believed there is no automated system for receiving, counting, identifying, calculating, and refunding the deposit, thus at this point a deposit return scheme is believed impractical due to the operational costs utilizing the above discussed manual, non-automated techniques.

Radio frequency identification bag tracking and recycling system, and bag counting rack associated therewith


Various embodiments concern a handheld paint sprayer for spraying a paint. The sprayer can comprise a shell body comprising a door that, when opened, exposes an opening into an interior of the shell body, the door configured to close over the opening. The sprayer can further comprise a trigger connected to a handle, a motor in the interior, and a paint reservoir connected to the shell body. The sprayer can further comprise a nozzle in fluid communication with the reservoir and a pump located in the interior of the shell body. The pump is operated by the motor, the pump configured to pump the paint from the reservoir out of the nozzle as a spray. The pump is removable from the interior of the shell body through the opening when the door is opened but is not removable through the opening when the door is closed.

Airless sprayers are used to apply paint to surfaces such as walls and ceilings. A piston pump pulls the paint from a reservoir, such as a bucket, and outputs the paint through a hose under pressure. The pressure on the paint in the hose, downstream from the pump, can be 1,000-5,000 pounds per square inch. Paint under such pressure can atomize into a desired spray pattern when released through a small metal orifice for spaying the paint onto a surface. Such a process is referred to as airless painting because pressurized air is not used to atomize or otherwise propel the air. The paint is directed in the spray pattern by a gun which carries the small metal orifice as a nozzle. The gun is held by a hand of the operator to direct the spray pattern along the surface being painted. Conventionally, the pump unit remains stationary on the ground proximate the reservoir and moves paint down a hose which extends to a separate gun. However, portability is limited and the range of the painter is limited to the hose length as the paint unit is heavy and kept on the ground proximate the reservoir. An advantage of a conventional pump unit is easy field servicing and repair.
A handheld airless paint sprayer, as shown herein, is more portable than a conventional pump unit and is not limited by hose length. However, there remains a desire to have the handheld airless paint sprayer still be easily field serviceable and repairable.


In a rotary electric system, a switch member includes at least one of a first switch and a second switch. The first switch is connected between a neutral point of multiphase stator windings and a high-side electrode of a direct current power source. The second switch is connected between the neutral point and a low-side electrode of the direct current power source. A controller works to turn the switch member off and on thereby switching control of the multiphase inverter between full-wave driving mode and half-wave driving mode. The full-wave driving mode allows the controller to drive all of the high-side and low-side switching elements per phase of the multiphase stator windings. The half-wave driving mode allows the controller to drive any one of the high-side switching element and the low-side switching element per phase of the multiphase stator windings.

Alternating current (AC) motor systems are used widely for: motor vehicles as their electric power steering systems, hybrid vehicles as their drive systems, and electric compressors as their drive systems. Such an AC motor system is designed to drive a multiphase motor having a multiphase stator coil by a multiphase inverter; this multiphase stator coil consists of star-connected multiphase stator windings.
As high-side switching elements and low-side switching elements (upper-arm switching elements and lower-arm switching elements) of the multiphase inverter, power semiconductor switching elements, such as IGBTs and/or MOSFETs, are normally used. In order to improve reliability, it is desirable for such AC motor systems to be designed to address open faults of the power semiconductor switching elements.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-099066 discloses an electric power steering system for addressing open faults of power semiconductor switching elements constituting a three-phase inverter for driving a star-connected three-phase brushless motor.
The electric power steering system is provided with a first relay connected in series between a U-phase stator winding and a neutral point of the star-connected three-phase stator windings and a second relay connected in series between a V-phase stator winding and the neutral point of the star-connected three-phase stator windings.
The electric power steering system is also provided with a third relay connected in series between a W-phase stator winding and the neutral point of the star-connected three-phase stator windings, and a fourth relay connected between the neutral point of the star-connected three-phase stator windings and a neutral-point driver.
When a power semiconductor switching element for one phase stator winding fails, the relay corresponding to the one phase stator winding is turned off and the fourth relay is turned on. This allows the three-phase inverter to drive the remaining two-phase stator windings of the three-phase brushless motor. This driving method for driving the remaining two-phase stator windings will be referred to as "two-phase stator winding driving method" hereinafter.
However, the two-phase stator winding driving method may increase variations in the rotation of the three-phase brushless motor and those in the torque created thereby, as compared with driving of the three-phase stator windings of the three-phase brushless motor. This results in reducing the drivability of the three-phase brushless motor.
In addition, the electric power steering system disclosed in the Patent Application Publication may have a complicated circuit structure that individually turns off a power semiconductor switching element for each phase stator winding and turns on the fourth relay. This may increase the electric power steering system in size and/or manufacturing cost, resulting in reducing the installability of the electric power steering system in various vehicles and machines.

Rotary electric system with star-connected multiphase stator windings


A process for wet chemically stripping dry, thick film photoresists in semiconductor applications. This process includes contacting the silicon wafer with a stripping solution and agitating the solution. The process may be performed in a strip tank having a chemical stripping solution, and nitrogen or other inert gases may be provided through a pressurized tube to cause bubbling in the solution and to strip the wafer.

Integrated circuit technology utilizes photoresist compositions which generally comprise a polymeric resin or binder compound, a radiation sensitive compound, and a suitable solvent to enable forming a film of the composition over a particular substrate for photolithographically delineating patterns on such substrate. In a typical processing scheme, the photoresist compositions are spun on or applied to the substrate with different methods known in the art. Then the photoresist compositions may be subjected to a pre-exposure bake to drive off a proportion of the solvent and impart dimensional stability to the film. The coated substrate is exposed with actinic radiation, usually in the UV, electron-beam, or x-ray spectra, using an appropriate tool for such exposure. After exposure, the coated substrate undergoes a development process where, due to selective dissolution of certain areas, a pattern is formed or developed. In certain areas of the photoresist film, the resist material is completely removed while in other areas the remaining photoresist forms a pattern having a desired or intended configuration. Such patterns are used to mask or protect the substrate for subsequent wet or dry etching processes, the deposit of conductor or insulator patterns, or for incorporation of the patterned photoresist into the device or package as, for example, an insulating or passivating layer.
The remaining resist material may be further exposed to dry or wet etching. Such treatment serves to define or transfer the pattern and to enable further processing such as the deposition of dielectric or metallic film to be patterned by, for example, a lift-off or polishing step later in the process sequence. Before this etching process, the photoresist materials may be treated with a blanket exposure, with deep UV radiation, at very high temperatures. This treatment improves the resist selectivity and provides better etching and dimensional controls.
It is necessary in comprehensive lithographic processes that the photoresist material, following pattern delineation, be evenly and completely removed in certain areas, in order to meet downstream process and product objectives. Any portion of photoresist remaining in a region of desired removal for such processing may cause deleterious results. Photoresist residues can lead to defects which are detrimental to yield.
Controlled Collapse Chip Connection (C4) is an advanced microelectronic chip packaging and connection technology. C4 is also known as "solder bump" and "flip chip." The basic idea of C4 is to connect chips, chip packages, or such other units by means of solder balls between two surfaces of the units. These tiny balls of electrically conductive solder bridge the gaps between respective pairs of metal pads on the units being connected. Each pad has a corresponding pad on the surface of the other unit so that the pad arrangements are mirror images. As the units are aligned and exposed to temperatures above the melting point of the solder, the solder balls on the pads of the first unit become molten and join to corresponding conductive pads (having no balls) on the second unit, partially collapsing the solder balls and making connections between respective pads.
In C4, the solder balls typically are formed directly on the metal pads of the one surface. The bumps are electrically isolated from each other by the insulating material that surrounds each ball. The substrate might be un-doped silicon (Si) or some other material. The bottom of the ball is electrically connected to the chip circuit. When the balls are aligned to metal pads on a second surface and reflowed, the liquid solder bumps wet the receiving pads. Upon cooling, relatively low-stress solder joints are formed. This process allows all of the connections to be made in one step, even with slight variations in the surfaces.
A major application of C4 is in joining semiconductor microchips (integrated circuits) to chip packages. Chips may be made in rectangular arrays on a mono-crystalline slab of silicon, called a "wafer," which is a thin disc typically several inches across. Many chips may be formed on each wafer, then the wafer is diced into individual chips and the chips are "packaged" in units large enough to be handled. The C4 balls are placed on the chips while they are still in wafer form.
The wafers may be made as large as possible so as to reduce the number of wafers that must be processed to make a certain number of chips. For the same reason (among others), the chips may be made as small as possible. Thus, the best C4 fabrication system is one that can make thousands of very small, closely spaced solder balls each precisely placed over a large area.
C4 allows a very high density of electrical interconnections. Unlike earlier techniques which made connections around the perimeter of a chip or a chip package, C4 allows one or more surfaces of a chip or package to be packed with pads. The number of possible connections with C4 is roughly the square of the number that is possible with perimeter connection. Because the C4 balls can be made quite small, less than a hundredth of an inch in diameter, the surface density of C4 connections can be on the order of thousands per square inch.
To improve performance and reduce cost, electrical engineers are constantly placing more and more circuits onto each chip. As the number of circuits on a chip grows, so does the number of connections needed. C4, which allows more connections in a small space than any other technique, is therefore commercially important.
In addition to making possible area connection, C4 can also be used with perimeter connection techniques such as tape automated bonding (TAB). In TAB, solder balls on a chip are pressed against a pattern of metal foil adhered on a plastic substrate of the chip package. TAB-related applications, also, are commercially important.
C4 solder bumps must be mechanically well-fastened to their pads, or they may fail during the thermal stressing that is characteristic of routine device operation. It will be appreciated that a complex device such as a computer may have dozens of chips and hundreds or thousands of C4 solder ball connections. The entire device may be rendered useless if only one of the balls fails. Thus, the attachment of the C4 balls requires careful design.
A typical C4 structure consists of a solder bump (or pad) resting on a silicon device, interposed by a metal stack known as the ball limiting metallurgy (BLM). Solder bumps are most commonly (although not exclusively) comprised of lead/tin alloys. A variety of metal combinations are used for the BLM with one of the most common being Cr/Cu/Au. One highly utilized method for fabricating C4's involves evaporating solder through a metal (such as molybdenum) mask. A second alternative method involves electrodepositing solder through a photomask.
During C4 fabrication by electroplating, an integral part of the process sequence is the successful removal of the photoresist used to define the C4 features.
A wide variety of resist materials, for a wide variety of applications, have been removed by one or more of the following: halogenated hydrocarbons, such as methylene chloride or tetrachloroethylene; amines and their derivatives, such as dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; glycol ethers such as ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethanol, and the acetates thereof; ketones such as methyl ethyl ketone and acetone; and materials such as isopropyl alcohol, sulfuric acid, ammonium persulfate, dioxane, aqueous hydroxides, and mixtures of caustic and phenol derivatives as well as various other materials. These various agents suffer one or more disadvantages, such as potential toxicity to workers exposed to such materials, environmental and pollution problems after use, volatility, corrosion of equipment, and the safety hazards inherent in operating at temperatures above the flash point of the stripper. Additionally, as the ground rules on semiconductor devices and packaging call for an even greater degree of integration, the presence of even traces of resist materials has become less tolerable. Therefore, processing with strippers heretofore known has involved metal attack, attack of the silicon substrate itself, or both. The presence of water, high temperatures (>100.degree. C.), or both exacerbates such attacks.
Processing conditions for resists such as high temperature bakes, the use of techniques such as ion implantation (e.g., boron ion implantation and the like), and deep ultraviolet radiation hardening lead to highly crosslinked resists which are extremely resistant to dissolution in most organic solvent strippers conventionally used in the art. Particularly tenacious compositions containing phenolic or chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents have been used at elevated temperatures to strip such resists. Such extreme measures are clearly undesirable because they involve considerable hazard to technicians carrying out the stripping and present potential pollution and environmental problems in the disposal of the resulting waste products. These chlorinated solvent-containing compositions are particularly sensitive to the presence of water which forces the equilibrium to shift to a higher chloride ion concentration in solution which causes metal attack. Aqueous solutions of strong bases have the deleterious side effect of exhibiting aggressive metal attack as well as having an etchant effect on silicon substrates and the like.
The art is replete with attempts to provide improved stripper compositions which have been designed to meet the deficiencies that their inventors perceived. Among the solutions are included the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,834 is directed to compositions useful for removing photoresist from substrates comprising 10-90% of a 2-pyrrolidone which may be N-alkyl or N-hydroxyalkyl substituted where the alkyl portion has 1-3 carbons; 10-30% of diethylene glycol monoalkyl ether where the alkyl group has 1-4 carbons; 1-10% of a polyglycol having a molecular weight from about 200-600; and 0.5.4% of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide of the form NR.sub.3 R.sub.4 R.sub.5 R.sub.6 where patterns R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different alkyl groups of 1-4 carbon atoms, R.sub.5 is an alkyl group of 1-18 carbon atoms, and R.sub.6 is an alkyl group of 1-18 carbon atoms, phenyl, benzyl, alkylphenyl, or alkylbenzyl where the alkyl portion has 1-18 carbons. The compositions of this reference were shown to be useful in the removal of photoresist which was hard baked at 125.degree. C. (a range of 120-300.degree. C. is given) by use of the stripping solution at 90.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,395,479, 4,401,748, and 4,428,871 are directed to 2-pyrrolidone based stripping compositions which include a tetrahydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide, a tetrahydrofuran, or a diethylene glycol monoalkyl ether, respectively, to provide improved stripping results. These compositions may also preferably include propylene glycol and a diethylene glycol monoalkyl ether in the case of the first two compositions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,844 is directed to resist stripper compositions comprising 10-100% of a difunctional water-soluble amino derivative which is either a diamino or an amino hydroxy compound and 0-90% of a propylene glycol derivative.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,892 discloses processes for removing photoresist compositions from a substrate including the use of an aqueous solution containing an organic quaternary ammonium base, preferably tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). The solutions may also contain a strong inorganic base. The stripping is generally conducted at an elevated temperature of 30-70.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,673,099 is directed to resist stripping compositions and processes which provide a composition comprising a mixture of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and a strong base such as an alkyl or substituted alkyl ammonium hydroxide. Miscible organic solvents such as ethylene glycol monomethyl ether may also be included. The method is practiced at from 25.degree. C. to the boiling point of the stripping composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,691 is directed to solvents to dissolve potting (encapsulating) compositions having bonds susceptible of hydrolytic cleavage (e.g., polyamides, polyesters, and polyester-base type polyurethanes) which comprise benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide and a constituent selected from the group of (a) tetrahydrofuran and acetone, (b) methylene chloride, (c) methylene chloride and acetone, and (d) N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,661 discloses aqueous stripping solutions containing 0.01-20% by weight of trialkyl(hydroxy-alkyl) ammonium hydroxide (THAH) where the alkyl groups have 1-4 carbons and the alkylene portion of the hydroxyalkyl has 2-4 carbons. The THAH solution is very basic and dissolves alkali metals and aluminum and etches silicon oxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,251 is directed to a stripping composition that is indicated to be free of phenol compounds and of halogenated hydrocarbon compounds because of the toxicity and disposal problems that accompany such materials. The stripper compositions comprise an amine and an organic polar solvent with a boiling point greater than 140.degree. C.
PCT publication WO 88/05813 (based on application number PCT/US87/02291) discloses photoresist stripper compositions comprising a mixture of (a) pyrrolidone, N-substituted pyrrolidone, butyrolactone, or caprolactone and (b) about 2-10% by weight of a tetraalkylammonium hydroxide or a trialkylaralkylammonium hydroxide. The ratio of the component from (a) to the component from (b) is from 50:1 to 4:1. Optional ingredients include surfactants and diluents which may include polar organic solvents such as glycols, e.g., ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, tetrapropylene glycol, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,815 discloses a method of forming a patterned film onto a substrate including a step of stripping the photoresist layer. The disclosed photoresist stripper compositions comprise a mixture of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP); 1,2-propanediol; and tetraalkylammonium hydroxide. Various percentage combinations of these three ingredients are also disclosed.
The present invention addresses stripping of dry, thick film photoresists which are used to create photo images during the fabrication of C4's by electroplating. The use of dry, thick film photoresist for wafer applications is somewhat unconventional. Dry, thick film photoresist is durable, highly cross-linked, and is not easily solvated by simple strippers such as dilute aqueous hydroxides. In addition, these resists often contain bonding agents which promote strong adhesion between the resist and metal (such as copper) surfaces. This high level of adhesion is required to maintain tight tolerances on photo image sizes and to ensure that the photo mask will not delaminate in the somewhat harsh environment of an electroplating bath. The tenacious character of this class of resists provides many advantages, but this must be overcome during the stripping process.
Although aqueous hydroxides do not solvate certain thick film photoresists, they are the conventional means by which to remove them. Under aggressive enough process conditions, the hydroxide radical chemically attacks the metal/photoresist interface, causing pieces of the resist to slough off in sheets. For panel and board applications, where feature dimensions are in the 10-20 mil (mil=0.001 inches) (0.0254-0.0508 millimeters (mm)) range, acceptable results can be achieved by heating a 1-10 wt % solution of aqueous hydroxide to above approximately 50.degree. C., and dispensing it through a series of high-pressure nozzles in a conveyerized arrangement. Extensive filtering schemes are used whenever chemicals are recycled, in order to minimize redeposition of resist chunks on the workpiece surface.
The above approach is unacceptable for removing dry, thick film photoresists used in C4 fabrication processes for a number of reasons. First, silicon wafers are extremely fragile and cannot withstand such aggressive handling. Second, the physical geometry of the plated C4 structures tends to retain the resist around the base of the pads. Photo processing for C4 plating applications must be performed at relatively high aspect ratios of approximately 1:1, which makes it difficult to fabricate completely vertical sidewalls. As a result, a typical C4 photo image contains a slight foot at the bottom, which is inclined to mechanically retain unsolvated resist. Third, the close proximity of the C4 pads within a chipsite can inhibit the stripping process. The spacing between adjacent pads is often less than 5 mils (0.127 mm), which makes it difficult to transport large chunks of resist away from the workpiece surface without entangling them on the C4's.
In addition to all of the above considerations, the chemical compatibility of the stripper with plated C4 devices is a serious concern. During the resist stripping process, several vulnerable materials are exposed, including lead/tin solder, copper, polyimide, and bare silicon. Aqueous hydroxides, as well as a multitude of other commercially available strippers, are corrosive to the above constituents, particularly at elevated temperatures.
For C4 plating applications, established stripping methods such as conveyerized high pressure hot hydroxide sprays are not suitable. As shown in FIG. 5, use of hydroxide 32 as a spray from a nozzle 30 on a plated C4 24 to remove thick film photoresist 22 is likely to leave chunks of sloughed resist 28 as a residual which may redeposit. The thick film photoresist 22 is not soluble enough in the hydroxide 32 to be completely removed even when sprayed, without excessive destruction of device constituents.
FIG. 6 displays the typical results of an attempted hydroxide removal of dry film photoresist in the presence of C4's. Insoluble sloughed resist 28 has been redeposited on C4 solder bumps 24. These chunks of sloughed resist 28 embody the transport limitations which exist near the surface of the wafer 2.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, these aqueous hydroxides 32 or other harsh strippers attack and break down the C4 24 and silicon wafer 2, cause delamination of the polyimide 40, attack copper, and leave residual photoresist 34. Thus, these hydroxides 32 are not compatible with fragile silicon wafers or corrodible features and are not useful for most C4 applications.
Finally, as discussed above, several other established chemistries for stripping tough resists do exist, such as those containing methylene chloride or glycol ethers. They pose serious safety and environmental threats, however, which make them less desirable. Thus, there is a need for a safe, robust, and non-corrosive process for completely removing thick film photoresist from the vicinity of electroplated C4 pads.

Dry film resist removal in the presence of electroplated C4's

International Business Machines Corporation


A dual mode voltage regulator according to one embodiment includes a passive regulator circuit, a switching regulator circuit, and a controller circuit configured to determine parameters of an external select input. The controller is configured to selectively couple, on a cold boot up, either the passive regulator circuit or the switching regulator circuit between an input voltage port and an output load based on the determination of parameters.

System on a Chip (SoC) architectures often require multiple voltage sources (or voltage rails) to meet the variety of operational power requirements imposed by the numerous components in the system such as, for example, various input/output (I/O) sub-systems. Existing solutions typically implement voltage regulators on the platform or circuit board which hosts the SoC integrated circuit (IC). Some of these voltage regulators may be passive regulators while others may be switched mode regulators, depending on the requirements of the sub-system to be powered as well as the voltage available on the platform. This approach, however, consumes circuit board space and increases system complexity and power delivery cost. Additionally, voltage sources may be subject to change (rail voltage reduces) with time. Voltage sources may also vary depending on the sourcing of platform components. The potential for variability in voltage sources, including available line voltage, may limit the type of voltage regulator that can be implemented on the platform or circuit board hosting the SoC integrated circuit (IC).
Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Dual mode voltage regulator with reconfiguration capability


In a modular system having a plurality of modules therein, an identification system for, and method of, identifying individual ones of the plurality of modules. The identification system includes: (1) a request generator, associated with a controller of the modular system, that requests each of the ones of the modules to select a polling number, the controller polling the ones of the modules as a function of a value of the polling number to obtain an identification code associated therewith and (2) a polling generator within the controller that assigns a logical identification number to the each of the ones of the modules as a function of the value of the polling number.

Modular systems having addressable or non-addressable slots for receiving a plurality of individual modules are employed in many technology related areas. For instance, modular power supplies, made up of a collection of separate, parallel-coupled power supply modules under unified control, are enjoying ever-widening application today, primarily due to their ability to deliver more power more reliably, because the load is shared more or less evenly among the separate power supply modules. The modular architecture is also more flexible, allowing individual modules to be easily removed and replaced to accommodate changes in power supply requirements. Finally, the modular architecture allows failed modules to be easily replaced.
Conventionally, the power supply may employ multiple parallel-coupled converters in separate modules that convert an AC input voltage to a DC output voltage. Again, the power supply may employ multiple converters in separate modules to increase the overall capacity and reliability of the power supply. The converters, in such a system, share the load to, among other things, evenly distribute stresses between the separate modules, while maintaining a regulated output to the load. Also, when a failure occurs in a modular system, it is possible to identify and shut-down the failed unit without affecting the other parallel connected units and minimizing the overall affects on the output of the power supply. In many modular power supplies, a centralized controller is employed to monitor the individual modules and initialize the power supply modules as they are incorporated into the power supply. Separate physical links between the centralized controller and each individual power supply module are employed to transmit the information therebetween.
While uniform power distribution or load sharing is a goal of parallel converters in the modular power supply, several factors contribute to non-uniform distribution. For instance, as component tolerances and the characteristics of the components change due to uneven aging and different physical conditions, the power distribution therefrom also changes. Also, the non-identical characteristics of the electrical conductors (e.g., separate physical links of varying length) connecting the individual converter modules to the load contribute to the non-uniform power distribution from the power supply modules. While the deterioration of the individual component modules due to uneven aging of the modules therein, for instance, cannot be cured by the system, there are other areas where the modular system may be improved to increase an overall reliability of the power supply.
For instance, employing a serial bus with separate connectors to each individual module removes a portion of the non-identical characteristics of the electrical conductors connected to each module. However, there still must be a system that manages the transmission of information between the centralized controller and the individual modules. There also must be a protocol that detects, assigns addresses and initializes new stations as they are incorporated into the power supply. One such initialization alternative is to employ operator-setable switches to physically and externally address a new station as it is added to the power supply. Alternatively, still other protocols, employing collision detection, may be employed to overcome address resolution problems. However, it is desirable to employ a system protocol that does not require either prior configuration or collision detection circuitry. For the same, or very different reasons, modular systems are applicable to a vast array of technology related areas and, as a result, efforts are ongoing to enhance the operation thereof.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a protocol for a modular system that automatically detects, assigns addresses to and initializes components in the modular system and is operable to monitor an operation of the components in the modules of the modular system.

System and method for identifying individual modules in a modular system


The invention provides a transparent conducting film which comprises a compound of formula (I): Zn1-x[M]xO1-y[X]y(I) wherein: x is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.25; y is from 0 to 0.1; [X] is at least one dopant element which is a halogen; and [M] is: (a) a dopant element which is selected from: a group 14 element other than carbon; a lanthanide element which has an oxidation state of +4; and a transition metal which has an oxidation state of +4 and which is other than Ti or Zr; or (b) a combination of two or more different dopant elements, at least one of which is selected from: a group 14 element other than carbon; a lanthanide element which has an oxidation state of +4; and a transition metal which has an oxidation state of +4 and which is other than Ti or Zr. The invention further provides coatings comprising the films of the invention, processes for producing such films and coatings, and various uses of the films and coatings.

Sn-doped In2O3 thin films [In2-xSnxO3: ITO] exhibit a remarkable combination of optical and electrical transport properties. These include a low electrical resistivity, which is typically in the order of 10−4 Ωcm. This property is related to the presence of shallow donor or impurity states located close to the host (In2O3) conduction band, which are produced by chemical doping of Sn+4 for In+3 or by the presence of oxygen vacancy impurity states in In2O3-x. The films also exhibit high optical transparency (>80%) in the visible range of the spectrum (P. P. Edwards, et al.; Dalton Trans., 2004, 2995-3002).
Transparent conductive coatings or layers which comprise ITO have many applications, including in liquid crystal displays, flat panel displays (FPDs), plasma displays, touch panels, electronic ink applications, organic light-emitting diodes, electroluminescent devices, optoelectronic devices, photovoltaic devices, solar cells, photodiodes, and as antistatic coatings or EMI shieldings. ITO is also used for various optical coatings, most notably infrared-reflecting coatings (hot mirrors) for architectural, automotive, and sodium vapor lamp glasses. Other uses include gas sensors, antireflection coatings, electrowetting on dielectrics, and Bragg reflectors for VCSEL lasers. Furthermore, ITO can be used in thin film strain gauges. ITO thin film strain gauges can operate at temperatures up to 1400° C. and can be used in harsh environments.
Due to the cost and scarcity of indium metal, the principle component of ITO, a stable supply of indium may be difficult to sustain for an expanding market for flat panel displays, solar cells and other applications. There is therefore an ongoing need to reduce the amount of indium or produce indium-free phases as alternative transparent conducting materials for transparent conductor applications.


A method is provided for separating people from direct access to personally identifiable information. The method involves use of a rules-based section which selectively blocks access to personally identifiable information where the access fails to comply with specified rules, and which selectively permits access to personally identifiable information where the access abides with the specified rules.

Data management is in crisis. Private data is subject to abuse, and legal punishments for the leakage of data are in ascendancy. Today, personally identifiable information (PII) is just as valuable as money or intellectual property. Identifiers such as name, postal address, e-mail address, social security number, credit card number and so on, need to be managed and guarded with the same diligence afforded other types of precious assets. In the past PII was not so valuable. But in today's information society, where institutions like banks deal with individuals through telecommunications, PII is critical for knowing who is who and what their reputation is.
One problem is that, if someone can steal PII, they can profit from it. They can masquerade as some other person, for example by taking out a loan or renting an apartment in the person's name. This is often referred to as identity theft.
Identity theft has, in just the past few years, become rampant. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission now estimates that a staggering 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft in the 12 month period preceding September, 2003. To business, the cost of identity theft during those 12 months has been estimated to be $47.6 billion. Further, it has been estimated that this is on its way to becoming $2 trillion.
For criminals, a growing source of access to PII is through computer break-ins. Incidents of computer break-ins are rising sharply, and the public is unhappy about it. Legislators and government watchdogs are taking action. Businesses are paying real dollars.
As one example, California Senate Bill 1386 provides that people holding PII in electronic form must give prompt notice to any California resident whose data is reasonably believed to have been compromised. Under Senate Bill 1386, Wells Fargo spent millions of dollars in late 2003 and early 2004 to give notice and support to 200,000 customers after a criminal stole a laptop computer containing their names and account information. Since July, 2003, numerous other institutions have been forced to notify data subjects about computer burglaries. These include Arkansas-based Acxiom, the University of California at Berkeley, and Equifax Canada.
In March, 2004, Softbank (Japan's largest broadband ISP) notified its 4.51 million current and former subscribers that someone had breached the security of its customer database. To compensate customers, the company dedicated $37.8 million for free services, and executives agreed to cut their salaries for the year. In August 2002, the New York Attorney General forced Ziff-Davis to pay $125,000 after a hacker broke into its database of online game customers. The attorney general took action under the state's deceptive trade practices law.
Ligand Pharmaceuticals settled a common-law negligence lawsuit brought by 30 employees who suffered identity theft after their names, birth dates, addresses and social security numbers were stolen from company records.
In late 2003, the California legislature enacted another law, Senate Bill 1, which provides specific monetary penalties for financial institutions that negligently allow PII to get out.
These developments are alarming, and it is expected that the future will bring more lawsuits, and more new laws. Information technology has brought the situation to a point of crisis. There is a need for ways to manage personal information in ways that better promote the interests of all parties.


The invention relates to a device and a method for transmitting data over the Internet, in particular data for operating and monitoring an automation system using a bidirectional user data connection, even behind fire walls and even from a client which is not visible as a server on the Internet. The method and device transmit a first connection request for setting up a first transmission channel from a first data processing device of a client, in particular from an operator control and monitoring system to an Internet server of an automation system via an Internet connection. In addition, a second connection request for setting up a second transmission channel is transmitted to the Internet server from the client, the first and second transmission channels being provided for bidirectionally transmitting and receiving, independently of one another in terms of timing, data between the client and the Internet server over the Internet. A chronologically unlimited period of use of the transmission channels is assured by virtue of the fact that in order to maintain the transmission channels, dummy data are transmitted even in the absence of user data.

The use of the WWW (World Wide Web), which is also referred to as the Internet, makes it possible to set up a data connection to a web server or Internet Information Server (IIS) from any computer which has access to the Internet. The access to an Internet Server is made, for example, using known Internet browsers, for example Internet Explorer from Microsoft or the Internet browser from Netscape. When a data connection is set up from a web client, a request is output to an Internet Server by inputting and dispatching a URL address. When a data connection comes about, the called Internet server responds with a HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) page. The WWW clients, for example Netscape or Internet Explorer, communicate with the WWW servers via the Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP). Each data connection between the WWW client and WWW server is thus based on a request protocol, and a response protocol in reaction thereto.
DE-A-198 08 616 discloses a method for the remote control of equipment by means of a computer which is located geographically remotely therefrom, and for transmitting current information from the equipment to the computer over the Internet, a bidirectional information channel for mutual exchange of data being connected between the computer and the equipment.

System and method for the operator control and for the monitoring of an automation system over the internet using an asymmetric internet connection


A frangible closure coupling is used with or on pipe of a tank that contains a potentially dangerous fluid, such as liquid natural gas. The closure coupling mitigates the uncontrolled release of fluid from the tank in the event of a rupture of a pipe attached to the tank.

A tender car (or "rail tender") is a special rail vehicle hauled by a rail locomotive. The tender car contains the locomotive's fuel. Some rail vehicles are fueled by liquid natural gas (LNG), which means that the tender car is an LNG tender car, which typically includes a pump that is submersed within LNG in a tank. The submerged pump is configured to pump the LNG to the rail locomotive for power.
LNG rail tenders are relatively uncommon and the rail regulatory agencies still have not developed a set of regulations specifically for LNG rail tenders. A legitimate concern is the safety of the rail tender in the event of a rail accident such as derailment. In such an accident, the pipe that is coupled to the LNG tank may rupture, fracture, or rip from the tank, which might lead to release of LNG and subsequent jet or pool fires. This would obviously be undesirable and dangerous.

Frangible closure coupling for liquid natural gas tank


A CPE device may include a plurality of CPE modules implemented in hardware. The plurality of CPE modules may include a first module and a second module. The first module and the second module may be arrangeable in a stacked configuration. The first module may include a first interconnection interface component disposed on a top surface of the first module. The second module may include a second interconnection interface component disposed on a bottom surface of the second module. The second interconnection interface component may be configured to complementarily couple to the first interconnection interface component when the first module and the second module are arranged in the stacked configuration.

A local area network (LAN) may include a group of computing devices that are connected to one another in a limited area. A wide area network (WAN) may include a group of computing devices that connect multiple LANs so as to form a large geographic network. A WAN implementation may include, for example, a Fourth Generation (4G) network, a Fifth Generation (5G) network, a Passive Optical Network (PON), a Next Generation Passive Optical Network (NGPON), an NGPON 2, a Narrowband Internet-of-Things (NB-IoT) network, a low power wide area network (e.g., a Long-Term Evolution Category M1 (LTE Cat-M1)-based network), and/or another next generation network.

Systems and methods for modular in-premises equipment


In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a fluidic die assembly is described. The fluidic die assembly includes a rigid substrate having a bend therein. A fluidic die is disposed on the rigid substrate. The fluidic die is to eject fluid from a reservoir fluidly coupled to the fluidic die. The fluidic die includes an array of ejection subassemblies. Each ejection subassembly includes an ejection chamber to hold a volume of fluid, an opening, and a fluid actuator to eject a portion of the volume of fluid through the opening. The fluidic die assembly also includes an electrical interface disposed on the rigid substrate to establish an electrical connection between the fluidic die and a controller. The fluidic die and the electrical interface are disposed on a same surface on opposite sides of the bend.

A fluidic die is a component of a fluidic system. The fluidic die includes components that manipulate fluid flowing through the system. For example, a fluidic die includes a number of ejection subassemblies that eject fluid onto a surface. Through these ejection subassemblies, fluid, such as ink and fusing agent among others, is ejected or moved.
Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not necessarily identical, elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover, the drawings provide examples and/or implementations consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or implementations provided in the drawings.

Fluidic die assemblies with rigid bent substrates

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A cable-type steering device for controlling operation of a power-steering motor in accordance with the tension on stranded metal wire cables which connect a vehicle steering wheel to a steering gearbox. Tensions of the cables are detected by contact with an arm of a potentiometer. The surfaces of the cables are smoothed by a swaging treatment or resin coating treatment to prevent undesirable vibrations of the arm of the potentiometer and improve the detection accuracy of the potentiometer. The smoothing treatment eliminates undesirable vibration which might otherwise occur due to irregularity of the surface of untreated stranded metal wire cable.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable-type steering device for a vehicle in which a steering wheel and a steering gearbox are connected to each other by a flexible cable such as a Bowden cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the case of a conventional steering device for a vehicle, the bottom end of a steering shaft having a steering wheel at its top end is connected to a steering gearbox to transmit a steering torque input to the steering wheel to a rack-and-pinion mechanism set in the steering gearbox through the steering shaft.
However, when connecting the steering wheel with the steering gearbox by the steering shaft, certain design problems occur. For example, the degree of freedom for design is greatly limited. Moreover, the steering gearbox cannot be used commonly in a right-hand steered vehicle and a left-hand steered vehicle because it is difficult to freely select a position of the steering wheel relative to the steering gearbox. Moreover, because vibrations inputted to tires from the surface of a road and vibrations of an engine are inputted to the steering wheel through the steering shaft, comfort problems are experienced in that the silence within a vehicle compartment and the riding comfort of the vehicle deteriorate.
Therefore, a cable-type steering device has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-2431) which uses a flexible transmission means such as a Bowden cable instead of a conventional steering shaft. With the proposed device it is possible to freely select a position of the steering wheel relative to the steering gearbox and the above comfort problems are minimized because road vibrations and vibrations of the steering gearbox are not readily transmitted to the steering wheel.
When combining a cable-type steering device with an electric power steering device, it is possible to assist the driver's steering by detecting a steering torque input to a steering wheel and driving an actuator of the electric power steering device in response to the steering torque so detected. To detect the steering torque in accordance with the tension of a cable, it is necessary to move a detection member of a tension detection means into contact with the cable. However, because the cable of a cable-type steering device is generally a stranded metal wire having a high strength, a problem occurs when the cable slides while contacting the detection member. That is, the detection member finely vibrates due to irregularity of the surface of the cable which varies and disrupts the accurate detection of the tension of the cable.


A new, distinct Pennisetum alopecuroides plant as shown and described, characterized by thick red inflorescences on 85 cm stems that start in Mid August in northern Illinois.

The present invention relates to a new form of Pennisetum alopecuroides plant named 'Ginger Love'. 'Ginger Love' is a seedling of an unnamed Pennisetum alopecuroides, not patented, characterized by thick red inflorescences on 85 cm stems that start in Mid August in northern Illinois. The new plant is the result of a breeding program taking place at a wholesale perennial nursery since 2001. The seedling was grown by the inventor at a wholesale perennial nursery in Hebron, Ill. in 2010 as an open pollinated seedling from a block of open pollinated unnamed selections. The selection of the new plant was due to its thick red inflorescences on 85 cm stems that start in Mid August in northern Illinois. Asexual, vegetative division propagation has been the only means of reproduction. Propagation has taken place at a wholesale perennial nursery Hebron, Ill. since 2011. To date these plants have remained uniform in height. The new Pennisetum has shown to be stable and identical in reproduction to the parent after making over 550 vegetative divisions from 2011 to 2013.


A rotating disk storage device is provided with a charging filter capable of efficiently removing dust staying in the interior of the device. In one embodiment, a charging filter is disposed below a magnetic disk and on a bottom of a base. The charging filter has plural through holes by forming a fibrous electret filter medium in a pleat shape. The through holes are formed so as to face a flowing direction of air. Dust, which is moving together with the air flow, is polarized and is attracted to the charging filter. The charging filter can collect even very fine particles without causing such problems as clogging and pressure loss. The pleat portion, which forms the through holes, further exhibits an air flow uniforming effect.

The present invention relates to a dust collecting filter housed within a rotating disk storage device such as a magnetic disk drive or an optical disk drive. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a rotating disk storage device having an electrostatic filter. The electrostatic filter electrostatically sucks dust suspended in an air flow created with rotation of a disk medium, then separates the dust from air, and collects the dust.
In a magnetic disk drive as one of rotating disk storage devices, the recording density rises with an increase in storage capacity and reduction of size. As a result, the spacing between a recording surface and a head is becoming more and more narrow. At the same time, it has become more important to cope with the problem that very fine dust particles adhere to a surface of a magnetic disk and cause head crash. Assembly of the magnetic disk drive is carried out in a clean room held in a clean air environment, but it is difficult to completely prevent dust from staying in the interior of a disk enclosure. Moreover, an accidental contact of the magnetic disk, which is rotating at high speed, with a head slider may cause the generation of new dust.
The disk enclosure permits ingress and egress of a slight amount of air between the interior and the exterior through a breathing filter. The ingress and egress take pressure balance upon occurrence of a pressure difference between the interior and the exterior of the magnetic disk device. However, fine dust particles penetrating the breathing filter may attract each other and grow larger. Therefore, in a conventional magnetic disk drive, a mechanical filter is mainly used for collecting dust present in the interior of the disk enclosure. Further, an electrostatic filter has also been used. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conventional magnetic disk drive 1 having a mechanical filter. As a magnetic disk 3 rotates in the direction of arrow A, an air flow flowing in the same direction as the rotating direction of the disk is created on a surface of the magnetic disk. A portion of the air flow enters a corner chamber 8 formed at a corner of a disk enclosure. In the corner chamber 8, a mechanical filter 7 is disposed between an island-like wall portion 6 and a side wall of the disk enclosure.
The mechanical filter 7 is formed such that an activated charcoal filter is surrounded with a charging filter. In addition, the charging filter is surrounded with cloth superior in gas permeability such as gauze. While the air flow, which has entered the corner chamber 8, passes through the mechanical filter 7 and moves again toward the magnetic disk 3, the filter 7 collects dust suspended in the air flow. In the mechanical filter, smaller meshes collect dust suspended in the air flow. Therefore, as the filter is used, dust gradually clogs meshes from the surface to the interior of the filter, with consequent increase of pressure loss and decrease of the dust collection efficiency.
In the mechanical filter, the probability of crash of dust particles against the filter becomes higher as the weight per unit area of the filter formed in a fabric shape increases. An appropriate weight per unit area of the filter is selected according to the size of dust particles to be collected. As the weight per unit area of the filter increases, it becomes possible to collect finer dust particles, but the pressure loss increases and the amount of air passing through the filter becomes smaller. Within the disk enclosure, the air flow is produced by the magnetic disk 3, which rotates at a predetermined number of revolutions. Thus, the number of revolutions and radius of the magnetic disk 3, as well as the number of disks stacked determine the flow velocity of the air flow. If the precision of the mechanical filter is enhanced to collect finer dust particles, the weight per unit area of the filter increases and a deficiency in the air flow velocity can occur. Moreover, even if the pressure loss of the filter increases with use of the filter, it is impossible to increase the air flow velocity. The only measure against a decrease of efficiency is the replacement of filter medium. Thus, in the mechanical filter, it is impossible to attain a satisfactory performance.
A method using 90% clean-up time is known as a method for evaluating the performance of a filter used in a magnetic disk drive. The 90% clean-up time means the time required until dust staying in the interior of the disk enclosure is collected on the filter with rotation of the magnetic disk and the amount thereof decreases 90% relative to an initial value. When the magnetic disk drive using the mechanical filter was measured for 90% clean-up time, it turned out that the 90% clean-up time became longer as the product of the number of revolutions and the diameter of the magnetic disk became smaller. Under the condition that the number of revolutions and the diameter of the magnetic disk were fixed, the 90% clean-up time showed an increasing tendency as the number of stacked disks became smaller. From these facts it can be presumed that the number of revolutions and the diameter of the magnetic disk, as well as the number of stacked disks, have a bearing on the total amount of air flowing through the mechanical filter. In the case of a small-sized magnetic disk drive having a small number of magnetic disks stacked and having a small diameter, a satisfactory dust removal may be impossible.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-222854 discloses a technique of affixing an electrostatic charge member (sub-liner) such as electret to a liner for keeping clean the surface of a recording medium in a floppy disk drive (floppy is a registered trademark) (see FIG. 2 in the same document). As the electrostatic charge member, fibers are formed into a non-woven cloth shape as an electrostatic charge attraction member that is then constituted in the form of liner to enhance the dust attraction effect.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 3-54790 discloses a technique related to an air cleaner for a magnetic disk drive utilizing an electric charging action. Air passing through the air cleaner is provided with a charging section and a dust attracting section. The charging section is disposed on a charging side for electrically charging dust suspended in air into a positive charge or a negative charge. The dust attracting section is disposed on a downstream side of a flow path to attract the dust having been charged to a positive or negative charge. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 6-60608 discloses a technique wherein a filter having an electric charging property is used in a positioning mechanism of a magnetic disk drive to enhance the dust collection efficiency.

Disk device with charging filter outside pivotal range of head actuator and having projection plane overlapping the disk

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


A power converter includes a power module allowing supply and cutoff of main current, a driver module controlling supply and cutoff of the main current, a high potential side semiconductor device, and a low potential side semiconductor device. Plural power module side wirings are connected with respective electrodes contained in the high and low potential side semiconductor devices. Plural driver module side wirings are provided on the driver module as wirings connected with the plural corresponding power module side wirings. Conductors are disposed in the vicinity of a plane on which the plural power module side wirings are provided and a plane on which the plural driver module side wirings are provided, and electrically connected to surround magnetic flux generated by current looping at least through a power source transformer, the driver module side wirings, and the power module side wirings.

A power converter for a hybrid system of an automobile controls motor current by switching of a power semiconductor device. With increase in the output from the hybrid system in recent years, motor current and voltage of the system are increasing. Therefore, the problem of surge voltage generated at the time of switching of the power semiconductor device has been an issue to overcome.
Conventionally, surge voltage generated by switching is decreased by reduction of main circuit inductances of the power semiconductor device and a capacitor achieved by shortening the wiring lengths of the power semiconductor device and the capacitor and laminating the wirings thereof, and laminating the wirings inside the capacitor, or by other methods (for example, see PTL 1). The reduction of surge voltage allows high-speed switching and thus achieves reduction of losses, so that the fuel cost of the vehicle can improve.

Power converter including a power module allowing main current supply and cutoff


A rocker arm (25) adapted to engage a pair of cam lobes (15,17), the rocker arm having first (31) and second (33) sidewall portions, and being formed from a flat sheet metal blank (25B) having a nominal thickness (T). The sidewall portions (31,33) define fold regions (51,53) whereby, after each is folded over upon itself, and the rocker arm is formed to have the sidewall portions generally parallel to each other, the fold regions provide first (41) and second (43) cam contact surfaces, each having a width (W) substantially greater than the nominal thickness of the blank.

The present invention relates to rocker arms for use in valve control systems of internal combustion engines, and more particularly, to rocker arms of the type which are formed from a flat metal blank.
Rocker arms are commonly used in internal combustion engines as part of a valve control system, i.e., a system which is able to control the movement (opening and closing) of an engine poppet valve. Typically, the rocker arm is utilized to transmit motion from a rotating camshaft, and specifically, from a cam lobe, to the engine poppet valve, by means of the rocker arm. As is well known to those skilled in the art, there is a substantial load applied by the "lift portion" of the cam lobe to the rocker arm, as the engine poppet valve is being moved to the open position, typically in opposition to the biasing force of a valve return spring.
Among the more common type of valve control systems are those in which the rocker arm is of the "center-pivot" type, in which the rocker arm pivots about a centrally located rocker shaft while one axial end of the rocker arm engages the engine poppet valve, and the cam lobe engages the axially opposite end of the rocker arm. Another common type of valve control system is one in which the rocker arm is of the "end-pivot" type, in which one end of the rocker arm pivots about a generally stationary member (such as a hydraulic lash adjuster), the axially opposite end engages the engine poppet valve, and the cam lobe engages a cam follower or cam contact surface disposed intermediate the axially opposite ends of the rocker arm. The above-described valve control system is typically referred to as an OHC (overhead cam) system. There could also be other rocker arm types, beside the center-pivot and end-pivot types, but most rocker arms in commercial use comprise one of these two types. However, it should be understood that, although the OHC type valve control system is the preferred embodiment, the present invention is not necessarily limited to any one particular type of rocker arm, in terms of the pivot location of the rocker arm.
Some known valve control systems for engine poppet valves utilize only a single rocker arm, but in recent years, those skilled in the art have developed a number of various valve control systems which utilize two separate rocker arms which may, selectively, be "latched" to move in unison, or may be "unlatched" to be pivotable relative to each other. By way of example only, such a valve control system, utilizing two rocker arms, may provide "dual lift" in which, for example, when the rocker arms are latched, one cam lobe engages one of the rocker arms to provide high lift of the engine poppet valve, whereas, when the rocker arms are unlatched, a different cam profile engages the other rocker arm to provide a low lift of the engine poppet valve. Examples of such dual lift, latchable rocker arm valve control systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,524,580; 5,584,267; and 5,655,488, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference.
Although the present invention may be utilized to provide an improved rocker arm for use in a single rocker arm valve control system, or to provide either the inner or the outer rocker arm in a dual rocker arm system, it is especially advantageous when used to provide the outer, high lift rocker arm in a dual lift system, and will be described in connection therewith.
One of the conventional, prior art methods utilized to manufacture rocker arms is to form the "rough" rocker arm by any one of a number of well known processes, such as investment casting, and then to finish-machine all of the various important surfaces, dimensions, etc. Rocker arms made in this manner typically have excellent mechanical properties, but are also normally quite expensive, especially considering that, by way of example, a six cylinder engine would require at least twelve rocker arms, and in some cases, as many as eighteen or twenty-four rocker arms.
In many engine applications, the rocker arms are formed as steel stampings, in order to reduce substantially the manufacturing cost of each rocker arm. However, for many engine valve control systems, a stamped rocker arm may not possess the mechanical properties required for that particular valve control system especially in the case of dual rocker arm systems. Such a stamped rocker arm may be especially insufficient in regard to the cam follower surface of the rocker arm, i.e., the surface which engages the lift portion of the cam lobe during engine poppet valve "lift".


A vehicle seat is disclosed. The vehicle seat includes a seat back frame made of a light alloy and formed into a substantially quadrilateral shape, the seat back frame comprising an upper section, left and right side sections, and a lower section, an airbag module provided at one of the left and right side sections, the airbag module being adapted to be enclosed by stay cloths which are sewn at one terminals thereof together with terminals of front and side portions of a trim cover, first and second retainer members secured to the side section for retaining the other terminals of the stay cloths, the first and second retainer members including applying plate portions, the applying portion of the first retainer member being applied onto one surface of the side section, the applying portion of the second retainer member being applied onto the other surface of the side section, bolts penetrating the applying portion of the first retainer member, the side section, and the applying portion of the second retainer member, and nuts mounted on the bolts, so that the first and second retainer members are fastened together to the side section so as to be interpose the side section therebetween.

Hitherto, there is known a vehicle seat which includes a seat back, and in which a seat back frame for the seat back is provided with an airbag module at a side thereof, a pair of stay cloths are provided at inner sides of front and side cover portions of a trim cover for the seat back, one terminals of the stay cloths are sewn together with terminals of the front and side cover portion of the trim cover so as to form a breakage portion of the trim cover for allowing expansion of an air bag, and the other terminals of the stay cloths are fixed to the seat back frame, whereby the air bag module is enclosed by the stay cloths (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei. 11-78762).
In the conventional seat back, the seat back frame is formed into a substantially quadrilateral shape by bending a metal pipe, and the other terminals of the stay cloths are fixed to a retainer or a zigzag spring provided at the seat back frame whereby the airbag module is enclosed by the stay cloths.
Also, there is known a seat back frame which is formed into a substantially quadrilateral shape, made of a light alloy such as a magnesium alloy, an aluminum alloy or the like, and comprises an upper section, left and right sections, and a lower section (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-114004). When an airbag module is mounted to this seat back frame, it is conceivable that a retainer member for retaining terminals of stay cloths is provided at the seat back frame.
The retainer member can be secured to the seat back frame made of a light alloy, using bolts and nuts. However, in a case where the retainer member is fixed to the light alloy seat back frame by causing the bolts to be penetrated the seat back frame and holding the bolts in their places with the nuts, heads of the bolts or the nuts are bitten into regions of the light alloy seat back frame. As a result, the regions of the seat back frame are decreased in thickness, so that rigidity of the seat back frame is reduced.

Vehicle seat having light alloy frame provided with airbag module


A rotation control brake system includes a tubular brake actuator coaxially mounted at a steering handle of a rider propelling vehicle, a brake unit operatively mounted at a position close to a driving wheel of the rider propelling vehicle, and a brake cable having a driving end coupling with the brake unit and an opposed actuating end extended to couple with the brake actuator to retain the brake actuator at a normal driving position. wherein at a braking position, the brake actuator is rotatably, longitudinally and outwardly slid with respect to the steering handle to pull the brake cable that the brake unit is biased against the driving wheel to control a rotational speed of the driving wheel, such that the rider propelling vehicle is adapted for being well controlled while the rider keeps the hand thereof at the steering handle.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a rider propelling vehicle, and more particularly to a rotation control brake system for a rider propelling vehicle such as bicycle or scooter, wherein the rotation control brake system comprises a brake actuator rotatably mounted to a steering handle of the rider propelling vehicle to control the speed thereof through the rotational movement of the brake actuator.
2. Description of Related Arts
Nowadays, rider propelling vehicles, such as bicycles, strollers, or scooters, are well known and have been considered as a form of transportation, recreation, and exercise. A conventional rider propelling vehicle comprises a supporting frame, having a steering handle, for supporting a rider, at least two wheels spacedly and rotatably mounted to the supporting frame, transmission unit linked to one of the wheels as a driving wheel for transmitting human power to a rotational power at the driving wheel, and a brake system for controlling a rotational speed of the driving wheel.
For example, when the rider rides a bicycle as the rider propelling vehicle, the rider applies the human power at a bicycle pedal to drive the driving wheel to rotate through a transmitting chain of the transmission unit. In addition, the brake system comprises a brake pad coupling with the driving wheel, a brake handle pivotally mounted at the steering handle, and a brake cable having one end coupling with the brake pad and another end coupling with the brake handle in such a manner that when the rider pivotally presses the brake handle towards the steering handle, the brake pad is driven to press against the driving wheel through the brake cable to reduce the speed of the bicycle. Likewise, the scooter has the similar structural design except the rider is riding the scooter in a standing position. However, such brake system has several drawbacks.
For safety purpose, the rider should normally grip the steering handle during riding. However, the rider must release his or her fingers to reach the brake handle in order to press against the brake handle during braking operation. Therefore, the rider may easily loss control of the rider propelling vehicle at the time the fingers of the rider leave the steering handle.
In addition, the rider, such as a young child, has a smaller hand that the fingers of the rider cannot substantially extend to reach the brake handle such that the rider has insufficient pressing power to grip the brake handle so that the brake handle of such brake system is not practical in use. Since the brake handle is transversely extended from the steering handle, the cloth of the rider may accidentally catch at the outer free end of the brake handle which may tangle with the hand of the rider and may cause an unwanted injury.
Furthermore, an improved rider propelling vehicle is designed to be folded up into a compact unit for easy storage and transportation. However, the pivotal connection of the brake handle occupies the space of the steering handle such that the brake handle will form as an obstruction to block the folding operation of the improved rider propelling vehicle.


The present invention relates to, among other things, the use of digital object fingerprints to account for digital objects.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for identifying digital objects. More specifically, the invention relates to systems and methods that use digital object fingerprints to identify digital objects. Such systems and methods can be used to track, monitor and filter identified digital objects.
2. Discussion of the Background
There exists a need to identify, track, monitor and filter digital objects. As used herein, the term "digital object" refers to any message (i.e., any set of data). For example, any file stored on a computer's hard drive is a digital object. Similarly, the entire set of data stored on the hard drive can be considered a digital object. As another example, a set of bits (i.e., one or more bits) stored in a record or field of a database can be considered a digital object.
One example environment where it is important to identify digital objects is a high-security computing environment. In a high-security computing environment, only "trusted" digital objects should be stored on a secured computer (an example of an un-trusted digital object is a file that includes code implementing a virus). In order to determine whether a digital object is trusted, one must first identify the digital object and then, based on the identification, determine whether the digital object is trusted.
Accordingly, there is a need for systems and methods that can identify, track, monitor and/or filter digital objects.

Data object identification, tracking, filtering and monitoring using data object fingerprints


Laser-addressable thermal transfer materials for producing color proofs, printing plates, films, printed circuit boards, and other media are disclosed. The materials contain a substrate coated thereon with a propellant layer wherein the propellant layer contains a material capable of producing nitrogen (N.sub.2) gas at a temperature of preferably less than about 300.degree. C.; a radiation absorber; and a thermal mass transfer material. The thermal mass transfer material may be incorporated into the propellant layer or in an additional layer coated onto the propellant layer. The radiation absorber may be employed in one of the above-disclosed layers or in a separate layer in order to achieve localized heating with an electromagnetic energy source, such as a laser. Upon laser induced heating, the transfer material is propelled to the receptor by the rapid expansion of gas. The thermal mass transfer material may contain, for example, pigments, toner particles, resins, metal particles, monomers, polymers, dyes, or combinations thereof.. Also disclosed is a process for forming an image as well as an imaged article made thereby.

Laser induced thermal transfer of materials from a donor sheet to a receptor layer has been described in the patent and technical literature for nearly thirty years. However, few commercial systems have utilized this technology. Exposure fluences required to transfer materials to a receptor have been, at best, on the order of 0.1 Joule/cm.sup.2 (i.e., J/cm.sup.2). Consequently, lasers capable of emitting more than 5 Watts of power, typically water-cooled Nd:YAG lasers, have been required to produce large format images (A3 or larger) in reasonable times. These lasers are expensive and impractical for many applications. More recently, single-mode laser diodes and diode-pumped lasers producing 0.1-4 Watts in the near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum have become commercially available. Diode-pumped Nd:YAG lasers are good examples of this type of source. They are compact, efficient, and relatively inexpensive. In order to use these new sources in a single-beam, large format imaging system, the exposure fluence of thermal transfer materials should be reduced to less than 0.04 J/cm.sup.2 and the exposure pixel dwell time should be less than 300 nanoseconds. There have been many unsuccessful efforts in the art to achieve this goal.
Separately addressed laser diode arrays have been utilized to transfer dyes in color proofing systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,547 describes the binderless transfer of dye from a dye-binder donor sheet to a polymeric receptor sheet. In that process, dye molecules are vaporized or sublimed via laser heating. These molecules traverse the gap between the donor and receptor and recondense on the receiver. The donor and receptor are separated by spacer beads. This technique has several disadvantages. First, the state change of dye (i.e., solid to vapor) requires high energy fluences (.about.0.5 J/cm.sup.2) and relatively long pixel dwell times (.about.10 .mu.sec), thus requiring multiple beam arrays for rapid imaging of large format areas. A plastic-coated receptor is required for proper laser addressed transfer. The image on this receptor must then be retransferred to plain paper, a step that adds cost, complexity, and time to the printing process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,247 discloses the use of binderless, abrasion-resistant dyes coated on transparent donors. The dyes employed have low vaporization temperatures and low heats of vaporization. The binderless coating contains less thermal mass and therefore, the exposure energy required to transfer the dye should be less than that required in the system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,547. However, no examples demonstrating less exposure energy were disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,978,247. In general, however, dyes are inadequate for critical proofing applications where the proof is used as a diagnostic tool to evaluate press performance. Printing presses print with pigments; therefore, the proof should be printed with pigments to properly match the characteristics of the printing press. Laser addressed proofing with pigments is difficult because pigments typically have a high vaporization temperature and are intrinsically less volatile than dye molecules, making direct thermal transfer of pigments difficult.
Exothermic heat-producing reactions have been used for the thermal transfer of inks. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,824 aromatic azido compounds were incorporated into thermal transfer inks. When heated to 170.degree. C., the aromatic azido compound melts the ink and allows it to flow into a receptor, such as plain paper. The heat generated by the decomposition of the aromatic azido compound reduces the amount of heat that must be supplied by the thermal head or laser source, thereby improving the overall imaging throughput. However, the process occurs over a relatively long time scale (.gtoreq.1 msec), thereby resulting in significant heat diffusion and heat loss. In addition, pressure between the donor and receptor is required to maintain uniform transfer. An optically transparent means of applying pressure (e.g., a cylindrical lens or a flat glass plate) is difficult to employ in high resolution laser-based imaging systems.
Laser induced propulsive transfer processes can be used to achieve exposure fluences and pixel dwell times that are substantially less than those of the previously disclosed processes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,210 discloses the use of laser induced propulsive transfer to create a positive and negative image on film. A clear substrate was coated with heat-absorbing particles dispersed in a self-oxidizing binder. In that patent, the heat absorber was carbon black and the binder was nitrocellulose. The donor sheet was held in intimate contact with a receptor. When the coating was locally heated with a laser, combustion in the binder was initiated, thus blowing the carbon black onto the receptor. The receptor could be paper, adhesive film, or other media. The self-oxidizing binder was employed to reduce the exposure fluence required to achieve imaging.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,389, crosslinkable resins were added to a carbon black/nitrocellulose coating and the material was transferred to aluminum by imagewise heating with a laser. The resin was thermally crosslinked on the aluminum to produce a lithographic printing plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,513 discloses the use of a dual-layer coating construction for the production of lithographic printing plates. The first layer was a coating of carbon black and nitrocellulose binder coated on top of a clear substrate. An overlying layer of crosslinkable, ink-receptive resin was coated over this propellant layer. Upon laser heating, the resin was transferred to an aluminum plate. The run length and the image sharpness of the resulting plate were improved with this construction. That patent discusses the advantages of placing the propellant in a separate layer below the material to be transferred. Unlike the single layer case, the expansion of gas serves to propel the transfer material from behind, thus achieving forward propulsion of the transfer material toward the paper and minimal lateral dispersion. Exposure fluence measurements were not disclosed, but examples presented later herein show that more energy is required to expose media that use commercially available nitrocellulose in the underlying propellant layer than materials used in the present invention.
Nitrocellulose propellant layers have several undesirable characteristics when employed in imaging systems, as pointed out in British Patent Application No. 2,176,018. For example, mixed oxides of nitrogen are produced during decomposition of nitrocellulose, forming a corrosive acid that can damage the imaging apparatus. Nitrocellulose with high nitration levels is required to produce sufficient amounts of gas during imaging. However, this form of nitrocellulose presents safety and storage risks (explosion hazard). In addition, exact and uniform reproduction of nitrocellulose is difficult to achieve as explained in PCT Application No. 87/02904. As a consequence, an alternative to nitrocellulose as a blowing agent is needed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,245,003 discloses the use of graphite in an ethyl cellulose binder for producing films. By using graphite, the imaged areas of the negative transparency were blown clean. In that case, the binder was not self-oxidizing. No exposure fluence information was disclosed. Graphite images are not useful in color proofing applications.
The use of decomposable polymers for color proofing applications is disclosed in PCT Application No. 90/01635. A single layer containing pigment, infrared dye, acid initiator, and polymeric binder was coated on a transparent substrate. Upon heating with a Nd:YAG laser, an acid was produced that rapidly decomposed the polymer to produce gas. An exposure energy of 0.1 J/cm.sup.2 was required to transfer this material. The gas serves to propel the pigment to a receiver such as plain paper, but that construction does not provide the flexibility to transfer many types of materials due to the compatibility of the components in the single layer construction. For this reason, the use of a two layer construction that does not require excessive exposure energy would be preferred.
PCT Application No. 91/06813 discloses methods and materials for thermal imaging using an "ablation-transfer" technique. The donor element for that imaging process comprises a support, an intermediate dynamic release layer, and an ablative carrier topcoat. The topcoat carries the colorant. The dynamic release layer may also contain infrared-absorbing (light to heat conversion) dyes or pigments. No specific examples of azido group-containing polymers were given. Nitrocellulose as a binder was disclosed.
Copending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/855,799 discloses ablative imaging elements comprising a substrate coated on a portion thereof with an energy sensitive layer comprising a glycidyl azide polymer in combination with a radiation absorber. Demonstrated imaging sources were infrared, visible, and ultraviolet lasers. Solid state lasers were disclosed as exposure sources although laser diodes were not specifically mentioned. That application concerns formation of relief printing plates and lithographic plates by ablation of the energy sensitive layer. No mention of utility for thermal mass transfer was made.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,372 discloses transfer recording media comprising a substrate having sequentially coated thereon a layer of a photolyzable compound (e.g., aromatic diazo and azide compounds) and a solid ink layer.
Japanese Kokai Patent Appln. No. 64-14081 discloses a thermal transfer recording medium comprises of an interlayer containing a photolyzable compound; light-to-heat conversion layer; and thermally transferable ink layer deposited on one side of a transparent support. Aromatic azide compounds are preferred for use as the photolyzable compound.
In view of the foregoing, what is needed in the industry are thermal transfer donor elements which overcome the above-disclosed deficiencies of conventional systems.

Propellant-containing thermal transfer donor elements

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A transmitter transmits a quadrature modulated signal including transmission data as an I component and a known PN sequence as a Q component. The signal is received by a receiver which separates the signal into a real part and an imaginary part, and then is supplied to an equalizer and also to an I correlation circuit and a Q correlation circuit. In the meantime, a PN sequence identical with the PN sequence of the transmitter is generated by a generator, and then supplied to the I correlation circuit and the Q correlation circuit. The I correlation circuit and the Q correlation circuit determine a ratio and a time difference between a leakage component of the Q component leaking to an I channel and the Q component formed by a direct wave, and a ratio and a time difference between the Q component formed by an indirect wave and the Q component formed by the direct wave in a Q channel, respectively, on the basis of the real part, the imaginary part, and the PN sequence supplied to the I correlation circuit and the Q correlation circuit. The equalizer adaptively equalizes by the data obtained by the I correlation circuit and the Q correlation circuit.

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transmitting a quadrature modulated signal, and an apparatus and a method for receiving the quadrature modulated signal. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for transmission, an apparatus and a method for reception, and an apparatus and a method for transmission and reception, all of which enable reliable adaptive equalization on the receiving side in transmission and reception in a millimeter wave band.
Conventionally, there has been technology for wireless LANs (Local Area Networks), which constructs a LAN by communication using radio waves and infrared rays. A wireless LAN uses radio waves in a quasi-microwave band, for example a 2.4 GHz frequency band, to achieve a communication speed of 1 to 2 Mbps. Recently, communication over a wireless LAN using a higher frequency band, for example a 60 GHz band, has been proposed. Use of radio waves in such a millimeter wave band makes it possible to achieve a higher communication speed.
Multipath interference tends to occur in communication using radio waves in such a millimeter wave band. When there is multipath interference, characteristics of a communication channel are changed with time as the receiving side or the transmitting side is moved, for example. In addition, in communication using radio waves in a millimeter wave band, a slight movement of the receiving side and the transmitting side may result in a change in phase. Therefore, an equalizer on the receiving side needs to equalize a signal adaptively.
Conventionally, a training time is provided by time division during communication, and known data is transmitted as a pilot signal during the training time. A coefficient of an equalizer on the receiving side is renewed on the basis of the pilot signal, and after the coefficient converges, the coefficient of the equalizer is fixed to transmit data. According to this method, if a sufficient time period and frequency band for transmitting the pilot signal are not secured, in a case where characteristics of the communication channel are changed with time, adjustment of the coefficient of the equalizer cannot track the changes in the characteristics of the communication channel, thus resulting in degraded characteristics of the equalizer with respect to received radio waves.
On the other hand, a method has been used which renews the coefficient of the equalizer on the basis of known data transmitted during a training time, makes data determination during a tracking time after convergence of the coefficient, and uses the data as known data for adjustment of the coefficient of the equalizer. According to this method, the characteristics of the equalizer with respect to received radio waves are degraded when there is an error in the data determination.
In this case, when an IIR type filter is used for the equalizer, in particular, the characteristics of the equalizer are degraded, and also the equalizer may diverge.

Transmitting apparatus and method, receiving apparatus and method, and transmitting and receiving apparatus and method


A vehicle inspection system for acquiring measurements of at least one vehicle moving through an inspection lane is in communication with a remote data processing and storage system to aggregate data from multiple vehicles passing through the inspection lane, and optionally, from multiple inspection lanes. The remote data processing and storage system is configured with suitable software instructions to store the received vehicle inspection data, as well as vehicle service data received from vehicle service equipment, and to generate reports and/or respond to data queries using the stored vehicle inspection and vehicle service data.

The present application is related to vehicle measurement or inspection systems and, in particular, to a vehicle inspection or measurement system configured with multiple sensor modules to acquire data associated with a vehicle passing through a vehicle inspection lane, and to communicate the acquired data to a centralized processing system configured for data processing, data storage, and data reporting functionality, as well as communication with other elements present within a vehicle service operation.
Systems for measuring or inspecting vehicle properties, such as wheel alignment, tire tread depth, tire pressure, and associated parameters, are traditionally set up for obtaining measurements to a high degree of accuracy under controlled conditions, with the vehicle disposed in a stationary location on a level surface or alignment lift rack. These vehicle measurement or inspection systems may require the temporary placement of various inclinometers or optical targets on the vehicle wheels, or the use of specialized sensors, from which data is acquired to determine the various measurements. In general, vehicle measurement or inspection procedures often require a technician to spend time preparing the vehicle for measurements, acquiring the measurements, and optionally performing adjustments necessary to correct any identified problems.
In order for the technician to complete these tasks, the vehicle must be stationary for part of the time, such as for the attachment (and subsequent removal) of optical targets or angle sensors to the vehicle wheels. This necessitates establishing a routine or procedure which must be followed by a technician each time a vehicle is brought into the shop for service. During busy times, or when multiple customers are waiting, a technician may not have sufficient time to carry out these routines or procedures for every vehicle, potentially failing to identify vehicles in need of additional services.
In response to the recognized need for a way to quickly identify vehicles which may require a service, various vehicle measurement and inspection systems have been developed to identify, inspect, and measure parameters of a moving vehicle passing through an inspection lane. These systems include optical imaging systems configured to identify a vehicle license plate for retrieval of vehicle identifying information, such as license plate characters, drive-over tire tread depth measurement sensors for measuring tire tread wear on the vehicle wheels, drive-over tire pressure sensors for determining an inflation pressure of the vehicle tires, contactless measurement systems for determining alignment characteristics of the moving vehicle's wheels, and optical recording systems for acquiring a set of images representative of the condition of the vehicle exterior surfaces as it moves through the inspection lane.
Operating independently, each of these various vehicle measurement and inspection systems provides useful information to a vehicle service provider. However, due to their independent nature, it becomes difficult for a service provider, vehicle technician, or vehicle owner to fully utilize all of the available information acquired for an individual vehicle passing through an inspection lane, both at the time of the vehicle inspection, and at subsequent points in time.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to the vehicle service and inspection industry to amalgamate vehicle related data acquired from a variety of sensor modules associated with a vehicle inspection lane both at a local processing system and at a remote processing system so as to enable the data to be efficiently utilized at the time of the vehicle inspection and at a subsequent point in time independent from the specific sensor modules and vehicle inspection lane in which the data was acquired.

Vehicle inspection system and method for evaluating vehicle inspection and service information