A transformer includes a primary winding coil, a winding frame member, multiple first three-dimensional conductive pieces, a second three-dimensional conductive piece, a magnetic core assembly and a fixing plate. The winding frame member includes a first winding frame and a second winding frame for winding the primary winding coil thereon. The first three-dimensional conductive pieces are respectively sheathed around the first winding frame and the second winding frame of the winding frame member. The second three-dimensional conductive piece is arranged between the first three-dimensional conductive pieces. The magnetic core assembly is partially embedded into the first three-dimensional conductive pieces, the first winding frame, the second winding frame and the second three-dimensional conductive piece. The fixing plate is connected with the first three-dimensional conductive pieces and the second three-dimensional conductive piece so as to fix the first three-dimensional conductive pieces and the second three-dimensional conductive piece.

Switching power converters are used in a wide variety of applications to convert an unregulated power source into various regulated voltage levels by using several switches. For example, a switching DC/DC power converter is used to convert DC power at one voltage level into other regulated DC voltage levels. Such a switching DC/DC power converter usually has a rectifier circuit for rectifying and filtering the input power. For achieving high performance and low power consumption, the rectifier circuit with low voltage but high output current has become a potential candidate to replace the conventional rectifier circuit. For example, a well-known current-doubler rectifier (CDR) circuit has been proposed for use in high frequency DC/DC converter applications.
Although the current-doubler rectifier circuit is effective for reducing power consumption of the DC/DC converter, there are still some drawbacks. The conventional current-doubler rectifier circuit has separate magnetic components, namely a transformer and at least one inductor. In the transformer of the current-doubler rectifier circuit, a coil is wound around a magnetic core assembly to form as a secondary winding assembly. Since the coil is very thin, its surface area is too small and thus the heat-dissipating efficiency of the transformer is unsatisfied. Since the rectifier circuit needs high output current, a great amount of heat will be generated during operation of the DC/DC converter. The drawback of using the coil as the secondary winding assembly becomes more serious if the output current is increased. Due to the separate arrangement of the transformer and the inductor, a lot of layout area of the system circuit board is occupied by the transformer and the inductor. This configuration results in increased size and cost. Furthermore, since the transformer and the inductor are electrically connected with each other through designed trace patterns, the use of the trace patterns increase power loss of the current-doubler rectifier circuit. Under this circumstance, the converting efficiency of the DC/DC converter is usually insufficient.
Therefore, there is a need of providing an improved transformer so as to obviate the drawbacks encountered from the prior art.

Transformer and rectifier circuit using such transformer


To extract part of a large volume of traffic and adjust the total volume of traffic dynamically. When a communication request is originated from a telecommunications apparatus, a communications control unit makes an inquiry to a service control unit. The service control unit screens originators based on originators' attribute information in its possession and service contract information. Then, based on the results of screening, it sends back to the communications control unit instructions to reroute subsequent calls. The communications control unit connects to the information processing unit based on the reply from the service control unit and transfers information. Thus, only the communication requests which satisfy predetermined criteria are connected. The information processing unit compiles statistics on the transferred information based on attribute information in its possession. The statistics are transferred to the information providing unit and to the information processing unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication request processing system, communication request processing method, and communication request processing apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a communication request processing system, communication request processing method, and communication request processing apparatus for receiving connection requests from a plurality of originators in relation to a plurality of communication requests directed to a specific subscriber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, if a large number of calls directed to a specific subscriber arrive from a plurality of originators, it is not possible to connect all of them. A large number of calls can come into a holding apparatus which holds specific information, for example in relation to purchasing of tickets for sports events such as baseball, football, or the like or concerts.
When calls are made to specific information, conventional communications network services do not use cut-through operations, which involve dynamically rerouting the calls and changing connection conditions in cooperation with so-called service control points in the terminology of intelligent networks. This is also true of IP (Internet Protocol)-based communications networks.
A system is known which allows users to find service providing facilities easily via the Internet (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-306742 (Abstract)). This system posts information including selected attributes of users in an electronic bulletin board format on communications terminal on the side of the facilities.
When a large number of connections are made with a holding apparatus which holds specific information as described above, a problem of degraded connection quality arises because junctions with a public communications network become congested.
It is considered that in the future, there will be more than one traffic source as viewed from a holding apparatus which uses a specific transport protocol (e.g., IP) for connection. For example, there will be an interconnection between a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) and IP network using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Consequently, an attempt at simple traffic control at the IP level will complicate interworking when returning appropriate information to the calling party and limits the means of taking service-specific actions with respect to the calling party. IP-based networks prescribe various techniques for guaranteeing QoS (Quality of Service) using the IP layer itself or an ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) layer. In that case, however, the information holding apparatus must perform moment-by-moment control taking a total traffic amount into consideration.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art. Its object is to provides a communication request processing system, communication request processing method, and communication request processing apparatus which can make effective use of the public networks or the like by extracting part of a large volume of traffic and making the total volume of traffic dynamically adjustable.

Communication request processing system communication request processing method communication request processing apparatus


To overcome the difficulties of properly spacing the lower terminal edge of siding above a roof with flashing therebetween, an outwardly projecting elongated guide is formed in the elongated vertical portion of the siding at the predetermined level above the elongated horizontal portion of the flashing. This allows the installer to use the guide to properly cut the siding as well as installing the same the correct distance above the roof. If an attempt is made to install siding to close to the roof, the same will not lie flat against the flashing so that an obvious incorrect installation is indicated.

As natural products such as building lumber have become more scarce and thus expensive, manufactured building products have been developed. Primed lap sidings are a good example of this and are widely used today in the building industry.
Shortly after primed lap sidings were introduced to the market, problems developed in the lower boards rotting adjacent roof areas where flashing was placed behind the siding and under the shingles in the normal manner.
As a result of this, manufacturers now require that the bottom of the sidings stop one inch above the roof shingle to prevent moisture from absorbing into the bottom edge thereof.
As a result of the above, it is a widespread practice for the carpenters to use a one by four inch board as a guide. One by fours, however, are in reality only three quarters of an inch thick and if rot occurs, this could void the manufacturers' warranty on the siding. Other carpenters guess at the one-inch spacing, quite often resulting in uneven cuts, particularly on dormers and the like.


An optical imaging system for imaging a target during a medical procedure, the optical imaging system involving a first camera for capturing a first image of the target, a second wide-field camera for capturing a second image of the target, at least one optional path folding mirror disposed in an optical path between the target and a lens of the second camera, and a processor for receiving the first image and the second image, the processor configured to apply an image transform to one of the first image and the second wide-field image and combine the transformed image with the other one of the images to produce a stereoscopic image of the target.

Related art digital microscopes support advanced visualization during medical procedures. For example, digital surgical microscopes provide magnified views of anatomical structures during a surgery. Digital microscopes use optics and digital, e.g., charge-coupled device- (CCD-) based cameras, to capture images, in real-time, and output the images to displays for viewing by a surgeon, operator, etc.
In the related art, when producing a stereo three-dimensional (3D) video image, separate cameras are typically employed, corresponding to views from a left perspective and a right perspective. Traditionally, these cameras need to have identical optical properties such that the left perspective and the right perspective match. However, to allow for dynamic zoom and focus, maintaining this correspondence involves complex electro-mechanical linkages between a left optical chain and a right eye optical chain. Moreover, adding a second camera to an existing two-dimensional (2D) system is almost impossible without significant interconnections between the left optical chain and the right eye optical chain.
In related art image-guided medical applications, such as surgery or diagnostic imaging, accurate three-dimensional (3D) visualization of patient anatomy and surgical tools is crucial. Thus, a need exists for a lightweight digital microscope solutions that support accurate 3D visualization to overcome at least the foregoing related art challenges.

System and methods for correcting image data of distinct images and generating and stereoscopic three-dimensional images


A solid-state imaging device of a vertical overflow drain system according to the present invention includes a first conductive type semiconductor substrate, a second conductive type semiconductor well region formed on the first conductive type semiconductor substrate, and a first conductive type, second conductive type or intrinsic high-resistance semiconductor region formed on the second conductive semiconductor well region and having a lower concentration as compared with the second conductive semiconductor well region and a width enough for infrared ray to be sufficiently absorbed. A light receiving portion is formed on a surface of the first conductive type, second conductive type or intrinsic high-resistance semiconductor region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state imaging device applied to, for example, a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Of solid-state imaging devices, a solid-state imaging device of a so-called vertical overflow drain system for draining an excessive charge at a light receiving portion toward a substrate is well known.
In the vertical overflow drain system solid-state imaging device, e.g., in a charge coupled device (CCD) type solid-state imaging device manufactured by employing an n-type semiconductor substrate as a substrate, a method of forming an overflow barrier region by high-energy ion implantation is employed in order to form a so-called overflow barrier deep inside a silicone substrate to thereby improve the sensitivity of the imaging device.
However, when the above method is employed, the overflow barrier can be formed in the silicone without its depth from the surface of the substrate up to about 5 .mu.m at maximum.
As one of other methods, there is a method of forming an overflow barrier region by heating a portion where ion is implanted and diffusing impurities therein. When this method is employed, it takes a long period of time to manufacture the solid-state imaging device and contamination in the diffusion or the like largely influences the solid-state imaging device, which deteriorates characteristics of the solid-state imaging device.
It is known that the solid-state imaging device manufactured by employing the p-type semiconductor substrate as a substrate has a sensitivity to a frequency region of near infrared rays.
However, since a photoelectric conversion region of a light receiving portion thereof is not all depleted, a modulation transfer function (MTF; which represents a resolution) in the near-infrared-ray region is not satisfactory and a large amount of smear and dark current and so on occur, there is then the problem that the characteristics of the above solid-state imaging device are inferior to those of a solid-state imaging device formed by employing an n-type semiconductor substrate as a substrate.

Solid-state imaging device of a vertical overflow drain system


An object of the present invention is to provide a peptide vaccine for preventing and/or treating diseases caused by amyloid β-peptide, such as Alzheimer's disease. The present invention solves the above object by providing a peptide vaccine constructed by inserting a peptide having an amino acid sequence of a cell attachment motif of a cell adhesive molecule to a peptide which consists of a peptide having an amino acid sequence of multiagretope type T-cell epitope, which has been generated immunological memory, or a peptide including the same; an linker peptide; and a peptide having an amino acid sequence of a B cell epitope which is a specific region of amyloid β-peptide or a peptide including the same.

In aging advanced countries, agnostic patients go on increasing and the increase becomes recognized as a serious problem. Agnosia is classified into cerebrovascular agnosia, caused by cerebrovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is known as a large part of the cause of developing senile agnosia and deteriorates QOL (Quality of Life) of the patients because it gives rise to memory disorder and movement disorder. Alzheimer's disease requires considerable nursing care in addition to the treatment of the disease and also raises the cost of health care and social burdens such as time loss, loss of working opportunity and psychological burden of the patients, their families and care-givers. Alzheimer's disease is one of serious neurodegenerative diseases with no fundamental treating method. The pathologic characteristics of the disease are the deposition of "senile plaque", i.e., the accumulation of Aβ consisting of 40 (SEQ ID NO:1) or 42 (SEQ ID NO:2) amino acid residues to central nerve, the neurofibrillary degeneration and the degeneration and deficiency of nerve cells. For treating Alzheimer's disease, the treatment using cholinesterase inhibitor and clinical trials using cholesterol-lowering agent and cerebral nerve-protective agent such as ethyl-EPA are carried out.
Also, expecting the permanent cure, the development of vaccines for preventing the target molecule, Aβ which is a major cause of Alzheimer's disease, is now in progress (Rf. Agadjanyan M. G. et al., Journal of Immunology, Vol. 174, No. 3. pp. 1580-1586 (2005)). In addition, the development of human anti-Aβ monoclonal antibodies, DNA vaccines, novel adjuvants such as CpGDNA, and peptide vaccines for oral administration is also in progress. However, DNA vaccines are restricted by major histocompatibility antigen (hereinafter, abbreviated as "MHC") class I and tend to induce the activation of cytotoxic T-cell. Peptide vaccines have low immunogenicity and require adjuvant for inducing antibodies because they defect the ability of inducing antibodies against Aβ. When the antigen has a relatively high molecular weight, the immunological reaction to the epitopes has a possibility of causing unexpected inflammatory responses because the antigen has many T-cell or B-cell epitopes. Further, the inflammatory responses give a risk of causing encephalitis as a side effect. Therefore, the fundamental treating method for Alzheimer's disease has not been established yet. Although Aβ is known to involve in the development and progression of various diseases except for Alzheimer's disease, the preventing method and treating method for those diseases have not been established yet.
To overcome those problems, the present inventors disclosed that a peptide vaccine; designed to have an amino acid sequence of cell attachment motif in a peptide which is designed to have an amino acid sequence including T-cell epitope at the amino terminus, linker peptide, and an amino acid sequence including B-cell epitope at the carboxyl terminus; can be used for inducing the production of antibodies specific to Aβ and for treating Alzheimer's disease (Ref. International Patent Application No. WO 2004/87767). However, the specific amino acid sequence of the peptide vaccine usable to overcome the problems is not described in the specification of International Patent Application No. WO 2004/87767. Further, it was revealed that the overlapping-shift-type multiagretope peptide (SEQ ID NO:3, hereinafter, abbreviated as "OMP") and a peptide (SEQ ID NO:4, hereinafter, abbreviated as "Gag") having an amino acid sequence of the 298th to 312nd of Gag protein originated from human immunodeficiency virus (hereinafter, abbreviated as "HIV"), described in International Patent Application No. WO 2004/87767, have low activities for inducing the production of antibodies specific to Aβ when they are used as T-cell epitopes. For inducing the production of antibodies specific to Aβ in many patients of Alzheimer's disease as possible, it is necessary to design a T-cell epitope which is restricted by many human MHC class II haplotypes, i.e., HLA (human leucocyte antigen)-DR haplotypes (allele) as possible and is able to induce the production of antibodies specific to Aβ strongly. As a peptide vaccine used for preventing and/or treating Alzheimer's disease and other various neurodegenerative diseases, it is desired that the peptide is able to inhibit the progress of symptoms rapidly, to induce the production of antibodies specific to Aβ effectively by low administration frequency as possible from the viewpoint of economical cost, and has a smaller risk to induce serious side-effects when it is administered to human.

Peptide vaccine for inducing the production of anti-amyloid β-peptide antibody

Kabushiki Kaisha Hayashibara Seibutsu Kagaku Kenkyujo


A cavity includes a lower-side cavity, an upper-side cavity, a first lip and a second lip. The upper-side cavity has a guide curved surface which extends along a circumference of a first imaginary circle in a section along a cylinder-axis direction, and the first lip has a curved surface which extends along a circumference of a second imaginary circle in a section along the cylinder-axis direction. An angle X which a cylinder axis makes with a common tangential line of the first imaginary circle and the second imaginary circle is set as 75°<X<80°. The guide curved surface is configured such that an angle Y of this guide curved surface which occupies at the circumference of the first imaginary circle is set as 80°<Y<(180°−X).

The present invention relates to a compression ignition engine in which a part of a combustion chamber is formed by a piston provided with a cavity.
The combustion chamber of an engine for a vehicle, such as an automotive vehicle, is formed by an inner wall surface of a cylinder, a bottom surface of a cylinder head (a ceiling surface of the combustion chamber) and a crown surface of the piston. In a direct-injection type compression ignition engine, fuel is supplied into the combustion chamber from a fuel injector provided at a central portion, in a radial direction, of the ceiling surface of the combustion chamber. An engine in which the cavity and a squish area enclosing the cavity are provided at the crown surface of the piston and the fuel is injected from the fuel injector toward the cavity is known. Further, an engine in which the cavity has a two-stage structure in which an upper-side cavity and a lower-side cavity are provided and the fuel is injected toward a lip which is located at a middle position between the both cavities at a compression top dead center is known (Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-101243).
An ideal manner of combustion in the combustion chamber is to achieve the combustion such that air existing in the combustion chamber is used up. In an engine where a bottom surface of the combustion chamber is formed by the crown surface of the piston provided with the above-described upper/lower two-stage structural cavity, it is important that a fuel spray is made to separately flow into the upper-side cavity and the lower-side cavity, thereby effectively utilizing oxygen existing in the cavities. Further, it is also preferable that oxygen existing in respective spaces above the cavity and the squish area be effectively utilized.
According to a conventional structure of the combustion chamber (the crown surface of the piston), however, there is a case where the fuel spray injected toward the cavity remains in the upper-side cavity. In this case, there is a problem that the fuel spray may not sufficiently spread out into the both spaces above the upper-side cavity and the squish area, so that appropriate combustion sufficiently utilizing the oxygen existing in these spaces may not be achieved.


A spread spectrum method and apparatus for protecting and authenticating wirelessly transmitted digital information using numerous techniques. The apparatus may be a wireless code division multiple access (CDMA) communication system, a base station, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a transmitter, a receiver and/or an integrated circuit (IC). The wireless CDMA communication system includes a transmitter which steganographically embeds digital information in a CDMA communication signal and wirelessly transmits the CDMA communication signal. The system further includes a receiver which receives the CDMA communication signal and extracts the steganographically embedded digital information from the received CDMA communication signal.

Wireless systems are susceptible in many respects. These susceptibilities are increasing as new wireless technologies are growing in prevalence. Ad-hoc networks, where individual users communicate with each other directly without using intermediary network nodes, creates new susceptibilities to the users and networks. These susceptibilities can be categorized as "trust", "rights", "identity", "privacy" and "security" related issues.
"Trust" refers to the assurance that information communicated in these systems can be shared. To illustrate, a wireless user may want to know that a communication was sent to it from a trusted source and using trusted communication nodes. The user in an ad-hoc network may have no knowledge that the communication was transferred over a hacker's wireless device with packet sniffing software. Additionally, with the use of tunneling, intermediate nodes transferring the communication may be transparent to the wireless user.
"Rights" ("rights management") refers to the control of data. To illustrate, one wireless user may have limited rights in a wireless system. However, if that user colludes (knowingly or unknowingly) with a second node having superior rights, that user may gain rights above those that the user is allowed.
"Identity" refers to the control linked to the identity of the wireless user. To illustrate, a rogue wireless device may attempt to access a wireless network by pretending to be an authorized user of the network, by using that authorized user's identity. "Privacy" refers to maintaining privacy of the individual, data and context. A wireless user may not want others to know, which web sites he/she visits and, in particular, information sent to these sites, such as financial, medical, etc. "Security" refers to the security of the data and context, such as preventing an unauthorized individual access to a wireless user's information.
To reduce the susceptibility of wireless networks, various techniques are used. Although these techniques provide some protection, they are still susceptible to the trusts, rights, identity, privacy and security issued. For example, although a particular wireless communication node may have the correct keys to communicate with a wireless user, that user may not know whether the node can be trusted.
Additionally, authentication of the user using these keys typically occurs at higher layers of the communication stack. Accordingly, even when these controls are in place, a rogue wireless user or hacker may have some (although limited) access to the communication stack. This access creates vulnerabilities, such as to denial of service attacks, among others.
Steganography is the art of passing information in a manner that the very existence of the message is unknown. The goal of steganography is to avoid drawing suspicion to the transmission of a hidden message. If suspicion is raised, then this goal is defeated. Steganography encompasses methods of transmitting secret messages through innocuous cover carriers in such a manner that the very existence of the embedded messages is undetectable. Creative methods have been devised in the hiding process to reduce the visible detection of the embedded messages.
Watermarking is a well-known technique for protecting and tracking digital information, which has been successfully exploited in the area of music and video data storage and communication. The traditional framework for watermarking consists of three elements: 1) cover signal s, 2) watermark w, 3) embedding function E and 4) secret key k. The watermarked signal is then defined as sw=Ek{s,w}. The watermark carrying signal sw must be robust to common signal processing operations such as filtering, compression or any other operation that are the basic functionalities of the network. Robustness is defined by the ability to extract the watermark from an altered signal. The second requirement of any watermarking scheme is imperceptibility, (i.e., the difference between s and sw must not alter the operation of the system in any perceptible manner). The watermark must also be transparent in the sense that the watermark-unaware portions of the network must be able to process sw without additional hardware or software. The watermark must also be secure even though the watermarking algorithm itself may be public. This security is frequently achieved through a secret key that is exchanged with the receiver through some form of secure key exchange.
In the prior art, the concept of digital watermarking is used in information assurance and User Authentication. A watermark is embedded into the user data, which is then transported by the physical layer of the communication link. The recipient extracts the watermark and compares it with a local copy to authenticate the transmitter.
Watermarks and signatures are techniques for adding metadata or unique information to media for signaling and/or security purposes. To reduce these susceptibilities to wireless communications, it is desirable to have alternate approaches to watermarking and adding signatures to wireless communications.

Code division multiple access (CDMA) method and apparatus for protecting and authenticating wirelessly transmitted digital information


A computer-implemented method for selecting one or more providers having one or more specialties for a network available to members while satisfying one or more constraints, the method comprising: at a first computing device: receiving, from a second computing device separate and distinct from the first computer, a network provider request to select an optimized network of providers, the request including: a desired objective including at least one of provider cost minimization, provider average quality maximization and provider total volume maximization, one or more geographical designations, computing an optimized provider network of one or more selected providers including: applying a model that produces a non-optimized provider network of one or more providers having one or more specialties that satisfies the desired objective for the one or more geographical designations of the members without consideration of the availability in the geographical designation of one or more providers having one or more specialties, and applying a linear decomposition to the pre-optimized provider network to generate an optimized provider network; providing the optimized provider network to the second computing device.

This application may provide details of a Network Design and Optimization (NDO) project. The purpose of an NDO may be to create an online solution platform that may help business clients construct an effective healthcare provider network solution. The NDO may be required to meet specific business requirements such as product scope, specialty required, minimum retained volume, network coverage ratio and cost/quality baseline. More importantly, it may be cost-effective and the solution time may be limited to 10 minutes. To address these challenging business requirements, a fractional mixed-integer linear optimization model, accompanying with several computational enhancements that speedup the solution time without compromising the solution quality as a bid may be presented herein. Computational results on 396 problems drawn from different product scopes using real life data may show that the proposed solution needs only 35 seconds of computations on average to find the optimal solution. The solution described herein may improve the cost-saving target by 16% on average, when compared with a current baseline solution.
Depending on the product scope and other business requirements, the created optimization model may involve 100,000 binary decision variables and model constraints, which undoubtedly complicates the model complexity. In our computational experience, leading commercial optimization software packages such as Gurobi may require an hour of computations to obtain the optimized network solution. Unfortunately, such excessive solution time must be prohibited, as the purpose of NDO is to provide a network solution in a real-time manner (typically within a 10-minute time limit) In lieu of this obstacle, additional computational techniques that successfully speed up the solution process without compromising the solution quality as a bid may be presented herein.
The invention is to create an online solution platform for business users to create a customized healthcare provider network solution that satisfies the business requirements such as product scope, specialty required, minimum retained volume, network coverage ratio and cost/quality baseline. At the core of the solution is an optimization model that is enhanced with our in-house computational innovations to speed up the solution process. Computational results on a large number of problems drawn from different product scopes using real life data clearly demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our solution approach.


A fuel injection valve control to correctingly increase the fuel amount appropriately for realizing a favorable acceleration performance at the time of accelerating after a throttle full closure period is finished.

In an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle, it is a common practice that, when a throttle valve is fully closed, the fuel injection from a fuel injection valve is stopped under predetermined conditions, thereby contriving an improvement in fuel consumption. In addition, since it is desirable that a desired acceleration can be obtained when the throttle valve is again opened after the throttle valve is fully closed, the fuel injection amount is preferably correctingly increased when it is detected that the throttle valve has been again opened.
From this point of view, a fuel injection system for correctingly increasing the fuel injection amount has been proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-130221 by setting a higher amount increase level as the fuel injection stop duration during the full closure period of the throttle valve has been longer when the full closure period of the throttle valve is finished.
Meanwhile, a part of the fuel injected from the fuel injection valve is adhered to the intake passage or the throttle valve, and the fuel thus adhered is sucked into the combustion chamber according to the operating cycle of the engine 12. Therefore, when the full closure period T (hereinafter referred to simply as full closure period) of the throttle valve during which the opening TH of the throttle valve is 0 is short, as shown in FIG. 7, the adhered residual amount F of the adhered fuel is comparatively large, but when the full closure period T is long, as shown in FIG. 8, the residual amount of the adhered residual amount F is very small. Therefore, it is comparatively effective to set the amount increase level to be larger as the fuel injection stop time during the full closure period is longer as shown in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2000-130221.
However, since the adhered fuel is sucked into the combustion chamber of the number of times of the intake stroke during the throttle full closure period, the suction amount is not necessarily determined only by the length of the fuel injection stop time during the full closure period.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fuel injection control system capable of an appropriate fuel amount increase correction for realizing a favorable acceleration performance at the time of accelerating after the full closure period of the throttle valve is finished.


An infrared receiver includes a shielding member and an infrared detecting member. The shielding member has negative refractive power for diverging incident infrared rays. The infrared detecting member includes a main body formed with a convex surface having positive refractive power and an infrared sensor enclosed in the main body. The infrared sensor receives infrared rays converged by the convex surface, and converts received infrared rays to electrical signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to infrared receivers, and particularly to an infrared receiver arranged in an electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Infrared receivers are widely used in electronic devices, such as televisions and digital versatile disc (DVD) players. An infrared receiver is utilized for detecting infrared rays, and providing electrical signals converted from the detected infrared rays to achieve some functions of a corresponding electronic device.
Referring to FIG. 6, a conventional infrared receiver 90 includes an infrared detecting member 91 and a shielding member 93. The infrared detecting member 91 includes a convex surface 912 and an infrared sensor 911. The infrared sensor 911 is generally located at a focus of the convex surface 912, for receiving infrared rays converged by the convex surface 912. The infrared sensor 911 receives the infrared rays and coverts them to electrical signals for further processing.
The shielding member 93 is disposed between an infrared transmitter (not shown) and the infrared detecting member 91. Typically, the shielding member 93 is a planar plate and is adjacent to the convex surface 912. Therefore, parallel infrared rays 922 perpendicularly pass through the shielding member 93 without changing their propagation direction. Consequently, the infrared rays are properly converged to the infrared sensor 911 for detecting.
Referring to FIG. 7, when parallel infrared rays 924 are obliquely projected to the shielding member 93, the infrared rays are converged by the convex surface 912 to a point that deviates from the focus. As a result, some infrared rays are not able to arrive at the infrared sensor 911. Hence, the currently used infrared receiver has limited reception capability of infrared rays and the infrared rays may not be correctly converted to electrical signals.
Therefore, an infrared receiver with improved reception capability of infrared rays is desired. Moreover, an electronic device has an infrared receiver arranged therein is also desired.

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd.


An automatic transmission control system having a hydraulic control circuit for supplying operating pressure selectively to a plurality of friction coupling elements to place the transmission in desired gears includes a pressure generator for generating operating pressure and supplying it to specific coupling elements which operate in response to operating pressure at different highest levels and an accumulator having a spring loaded piston which provides an increase in operating pressure at a rate variable according to movement of the piston, the rate being greater for greater piston movement as compared with for smaller piston movement, the accumulator being brought into communication selectively with the specific coupling elements by means of a switching element.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission, and, more specifically, to an automatic transmission control system of the type utilizing a hydraulic control circuit to which an accumulator is incorporated.
2. Description of Related Art
Automatic transmissions used in automotive applications include a transmission gear mechanism which is driven by input torque from an engine through a torque converter. The torque transmission path within the transmission gear mechanism is changed by selectively locking and unlocking a plurality of friction coupling elements, such as clutches and brakes, to automatically place the automatic transmission in desired gears according to driving conditions. This type of automatic transmission is equipped with a hydraulic control circuit which manages the supply of hydraulic operating pressure to the friction coupling elements.
Hydraulic control circuit includes a hydraulic pressure source, such as a regulator valve which develops line pressure as source pressure for the hydraulic operating pressure and a duty solenoid valve which directly generates hydraulic operating pressure to be delivered to the friction coupling elements, shift valves which serve as a switching means to selectively direct the hydraulic operating pressure between the friction coupling elements. In order for the hydraulic control circuit to promote a gentle rise in pressure level of the hydraulic operating pressure for the friction coupling elements, or in order for the hydraulic control circuit to absorb fluctuations in the hydraulic operating pressure in the case where the hydraulic operating pressure is generated directly by the duty solenoid valve, an accumulator is further incorporated in the hydraulic control circuit between the hydraulic pressure source and the friction coupling elements. This spring loaded accumulator shifts a piston against a spring in response to the hydraulic operating pressure.
Because effective operating pressures needed by the respective friction coupling elements are not at the same highest level, operating characteristics of the accumulators must be different to comply with the specific hydraulic operating demands of the respective friction coupling elements. As a specific example, since a band brake used in a second gear is applied in a wide range of engine throttle operating conditions from a full throttle condition to a throttled-down condition, the accumulator for the band brake must be able to operate reliably with high hydraulic operating pressure. Conversely, since a low-reverse brake, which is used in a reverse gear or in a first gear serving as engine brake in a low (L) range, is applied when the engine throttle opening is relatively small, the accumulator utilized for the low-reverse brake must be able to operate reliably with relatively low hydraulic operating pressure.
An automatic transmission control system, such as known in U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,391, which accommodates such demands for operating characteristics, is equipped with separate accumulators for the respective friction coupling elements in a hydraulic control circuit. In this prior art automatic transmission control system, as a result of the utilization of separate accumulators for the respective friction coupling elements, an increased number of accumulators must be installed in a control valve unit, which always poses certain design problems in regard to space and layout, and makes it difficult to provide a compact design of control valve unit for integration into the automatic transmission.
It has been considered to utilize a single accumulator of a type capable of providing a sufficient piston stroke at low hydraulic operating pressure while providing reliable operation with high hydraulic operating pressure, and having the ability to effectively absorb fluctuations in hydraulic operating pressure, which can accommodate the demands for hydraulic operating pressure at different highest levels commonly to more-than-one frictional coupling elements. However, a compression spring utilized in this type of accumulator must have a long physical dimension with a relatively small spring constant which imposes various dimensional constraints on the accumulator. If this type of accumulator is to be integrated into the control valve unit, it would still not solve the design problems in regard to the size and layout of the control valve unit.

Hydraulic control system for automatic transmission


The present invention relates to a quaternary ammonium salt composition containing (a) a quaternary ammonium salt represented by the following general formula (1), (b) a specific tertiary amine and (c) an organic acid ester in specific mass ratios which is excellent in hue and storage stability, a process for producing the quaternary ammonium salt composition, and a wood preservative containing the quaternary ammonium salt composition.

Wood preservatives serve for protecting wood from damages by vermin or injurious insects such as termite, and quaternary ammonium salts having a high insect- or ant-proof capability and a high antiseptic or mildew-proof capability are known as the wood preservatives.
The quaternary ammonium salts are usually produced by quaternarizing tertiary amines. However, in many cases, since alkyl halides such as methyl chloride and methyl bromide are used as a quaternarizing agent, halogen ions such as chlorine ion and bromine ion tend to be inevitably included in the obtained quaternary ammonium salts. As a result, when the halogens contained in the quaternary ammonium salts are contacted with metals, rusts tend to be generated, thereby causing problems such as damage to production apparatuses and, therefore, poor production efficiency. To solve the problems, organic acids have been used instead of the alkyl halides.
As the method for producing the quaternary ammonium salts using the organic acids, there are known an ion exchange resin method and an electrodialysis. However, in the ion exchange resin method, the ion-exchanged resin used must be subjected to an alkali treatment or an acid treatment for regenerating the resin, or the ion exchange resin must be periodically replaced with new one, resulting in prolonged production process, high costs for facilities and high production costs. Also, since the reaction used in the ion exchange resin method cannot be conducted at a high concentration, the ion exchange resin method is unsuitable for mass production of the quaternary ammonium salts. On the other hand, in the electrodialysis, only limited solvents are usable therein because of possibility of explosion upon using inflammable solvents, resulting in poor flexibility of the method.
Further, JP 2000-336070A discloses a method for synthesizing a quaternary ammonium salt by reacting a tertiary amine with an alkyl halide and then adding an alcohol containing sodium, etc., and an organic acid to the obtained reaction product for replacement of a counter ion of the salt. However, in this method, since a large amount of the solvent must be used in the reaction, the productivity tends to be lowered, and additional operations for removal or recovery of the solvent are also required. For this reason, in the above method, there tend to occur problems such as increase in size of production facilities, complicated production process and high production costs.
JP 4-57661B, JP 6-96243B and FUJIMOTO, Takehiko, "NEW INTRODUCTION TO SURFACE ACTIVE AGENTS", Sanyo Chemical Industries, Ltd., 1st Edition, Oct. 1, 1981, p. 68, disclose a method for producing a quaternary ammonium salt from a tertiary amine and an alkyleneoxide.
However, these conventional methods have problems such as low reaction rate, poor hue of the resultant products, deterioration in pH or hue upon storage.

Abstract: wherein R1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group; R2 is an alkyl, alkenyl or hydroxyalkyl group; R3 is an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group; R4 is an alkylene group; n is a number of from 1 to 5; and A is a counter ion derived from sulfonic acid, etc.


The present disclosure provides functional test equipment for a device under test and method of testing the device under test. The functional test equipment includes a first power supply, a second power supply and a relay system. The first power supply is configured to generate a first supply voltage. The second power supply is configured to generate a second supply voltage different from the first supply voltage. The relay system is configured to electrically couple the first power supply or the second power supply to the device under test, wherein the first supply voltage is applied to the device under test for a first duration and the second supply voltage is applied to the device under test for a second duration less than the first duration.

Electronic devices have become extremely common in daily life. Along with personal computers in the home, many individuals carry more than one productivity tool for various and sundry purposes. Most personal productivity electronic devices include some form of non-volatile memory. Cell phones utilize non-volatile memory in order to store and retain user-programmed phone numbers and configurations when the power is turned off.
As non-volatile memories become larger, denser and more complex, testers must be able to handle the increased size and complexity without significantly increasing the time it takes to test them. Many memory testers run continuously, and testing time is considered a major factor in the cost of the finished product. As memory technology evolve and improve, the tester must be able to easily accommodate changes made to the device. Another issue specific to testing non-volatile memories is that repeated writes to cells of a memory can degrade the overall lifetime performance of the part. Non-volatile memory manufacturers have responded to many of the testing issues by building special test modes into the memory devices. These test modes are not used by the purchaser of the memory, but may be accessed by the manufacturer to test all or significant portions of the memory in as little time as possible and as efficiently as possible. Some non-volatile memories are also capable of being repaired during the test process. The tester, therefore, should be able to identify: a need for a repair, a location of the repair, and the type of repair needed; in addition, the tester must then be able to perform the appropriate repair. Such a repair process requires a tester that is able to detect and isolate a specific nonconforming portion of the memory. In order to take full advantage of the special test modes as well as the repair functions, it is beneficial for a tester to be able to execute a test program that supports conditional branching based on an expected response from the device.
This Discussion of the Background section is provided for background information only. The statements in this Discussion of the Background are not an admission that the subject matter disclosed in this Discussion of the Background section constitutes prior art to the present disclosure, and no part of this Discussion of the Background section may be used as an admission that any part of this application, including this Discussion of the Background section, constitutes prior art to the present disclosure.

Functional test equipment including relay system and test method using the functional test equipment


One embodiment of the present invention includes a method for enabling a client node to automatically read ahead data from a network based file system. Specifically, in response to an application operating on the client node requesting a data page, the client node requests delivery of data pages from the network based file system. Upon reception, these data pages can each be served to the application. After each data page is served, it is determined whether the number of unrequested available data pages is less than the value of M. If so, an asynchronous read-ahead request is sent to a primary node of the network based file system for P number of data pages. The values of M and P can be such that P data pages can be fetched before M data pages are consumed by the requesting application.

Computers have become integral tools used in a wide variety of different applications, such as in finance and commercial transactions, computer-aided design and manufacturing, health care, telecommunication, education, etc. Computers are finding new applications as a result of advances in hardware technology and rapid development in software technology. Furthermore, the functionality of a computer system is dramatically enhanced by coupling these types of stand-alone devices together in order to form a networking environment. Within a networking environment, computer users may readily exchange files, share information stored on a common database, pool resources, and communicate via electronic mail (e-mail) and video teleconferencing.
It is appreciated that computers can receive data and information stored on a common database known as a network based file system. For example, a back-up software application operating on a client computer may try to read a huge data file sequentially (from the first byte to the last byte) from a network based file system. Conventionally, as part of this reading process, the back-up application asks for a particular page of data. As such, the file system operating on the client computer determines whether that data page is available on the client computer. If so, the data page is returned to the back-up application. If not, the file system causes the client computer to transmit a read request for that particular page across a network to a primary node which is serving the network based file system. It is noted that the primary node is the client access point for the network based file system and the primary node is connected to the storage which physically holds the data of the file system. The primary node fetches the requested data page from the storage and then sends it to the client computer via the network. The file system operating on the client computer subsequently provides the requested data page to the back-up software application. It is understood that this process can be repeated for each requested data page.
One conventional technique for reducing network delay is that when the current data page asked for is not available on the client computer, the file system causes the client computer to send a synchronous read request for the current data page to the primary node. Additionally, the file system on the client computer also send an asynchronous read request for the next "X" pages of data that follow the current data page since the back-up application is going to eventually request them. Subsequently, the requested current data page and the next X pages of data are received by the client computer from the primary node and then stored. With the current data page and the next X pages of data resident on the client computer, the file system can promptly serve each of these data pages to the back-up application upon request. This process described above is repeated each time the current page is unavailable on the client computer.

Read ahead technique for network based file systems


A semiconductor device and a method for making the semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device has a silicon surface of a silicon substrate from which particles and metallic impurities are removed and on which a hydrophilic property is maintained to reduce contamination while the substrate is cleaned and conveyed. A first cleaning step cleans the silicon substrate by a first cleaning solution. At that time, a native oxide film is formed on the silicon surface. The silicon substrate is then rinsed by a first rinsing step using a first rinsing solution. The silicon substrate having the native oxide film is thereafter cleaned by a second cleaning solution containing hydrogen fluoride. In the second cleaning step, the surface layer of the native oxide film is removed. The silicon substrate is further subjected to a second rinsing step that rinses the silicon substrate that retains the second cleaning solution by a second rinsing solution. A time T1, in minutes, from the start of the second cleaning step to the start of the second rinsing step is: EQU T1<6.35.times.10.sup.6 .times.(hydrogen fluoride concentration (ppm)).sup.-2.214.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process of making a semiconductor device by the use of a silicon substrate or a substrate with a thin film of silicon formed thereon, and the semiconductor device.
2. Description of Related Art
When a semiconductor device is to be produced using a substrate of silicon (which will be referred to as "Si substrate") or a substrate with a thin film of silicon formed thereon (which will be referred to as "thin Si film"), the surface of the substrate is generally cleaned in each step, if necessary. For example, semiconductor devices based on the Si substrates or thin Si films include MOS type field-effect transistors (MOSFET), thin-film transistors (TFT) and so on. When such semiconductor devices are to be produced, the surfaces of the Si substrates or Si thin films to be worked are cleaned, for example, prior to formation of Si oxide films such as gate insulation films and so on.
Methods of cleaning the surfaces of the Si substrate or thin Si film may be mainly classified into four types:
(a) The first method of cleaning by the use of a first acid cleaning solution such as a hydrochloric acid-hydrogen peroxide mixture cleaning solution, or a sulfuric acid-hydrogen peroxide mixture cleaning solution, which may include hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) and hydrochloric acid (HCl), or hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid (H.sub.2 SO.sub.4). The first acid cleaning solution will not etch the native oxide film of Si formed on the surface of the Si substrate or thin Si film. PA1 (b) The second method of cleaning by the use of a second acid cleaning solution including hydrogen fluoride (hydrofluoric acid solution) or the like. The second acid cleaning solution will generally etch all the native oxide film on the surface of the Si substrate or thin Si film. PA1 (c) The third method of cleaning by the use of an alkaline cleaning solution such as an ammonia-hydrogen peroxide mixture cleaning solution which may include ammonia (NH.sub.4 OH or NH.sub.3) and hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2), or an organic alkaline solution. Such an alkaline cleaning solution will etch the native oxide film on the surface of the Si substrate or thin Si film. PA1 (d) The fourth method of cleaning by the use of any combination of the cleaning solutions described in connection with the aforementioned methods (a) to (c). PA1 (e) In addition, there is a cleaning method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-355921, in which after the surface of the Si substrate or thin Si film has been cleaned by an ammonia-hydrogen peroxide mixture cleaning solution, the native oxide film on the top layer thereof is etched and removed by the use of a dilute hydrofluoric acid solution or a dilute hydrogen fluoride-hydrogen peroxide mixture cleaning solution which is a water solution including hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2) or the like and the dilute hydrofluoric acid solution. PA1 Method (a): Any metallic impurity contained in the cleaning solution will not be absorbed into the native oxide film formed on the surface of the Si substrate or thin Si film since the cleaning solution is acidic. However, particles on the Si substrate or thin Si film surface will be insufficiently removed since the native oxide film is not etched by the cleaning solution. PA1 Method (b): Silicon of the surface of the Si substrate or thin Si film will be exposed since all the native oxide film is generally etched. It is therefore difficult for the Si substrate or thin Si film surface to maintain its hydrophilic property, resulting in hydrophobic property. The Si substrate or thin Si film surface therefore tends to receive particles and impurities, and the particles in the acidic cleaning solution will easily deposit on the Si substrate or thin Si film surface. To prevent the deposition of the particles, a surfactant may be added into the acid cleaning solution, which may lead to a problem of the waste solution containing the surfactant and the increased operating cost. In addition, the other metals having electronegativities higher than that of the Si material will also deposit on the Si substrate or thin Si film surface. PA1 Method (c): The Si substrate or thin Si film surface tends to be reversely contaminated by the alkaline cleaning solution since the metallic impurities in the alkaline cleaning solution are absorbed by the native oxide film on the Si substrate or thin Si film surface and cannot be sufficiently removed from the alkaline cleaning solution. To avoid the reverse contamination, a chelating agent may be added to the alkaline cleaning solution. It is also required to treat the waste water containing the chelating agent. This also increases the operating cost. PA1 Method (d): The Si substrate or thin Si film surface will be affected by the last used cleaning solution. Thus, the particles or metallic impurities will be insufficiently removed from the Si substrate or thin Si film surface, as in the methods (a) to (c). PA1 Method (e): In the cleaning method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-355921, the dilute hydrofluoric acid cleaning solution having a concentration, HF:H.sub.2 O=1:200, or the dilute hydrogen fluoride-hydrogen peroxide mixture cleaning solution having a concentration, HF:H.sub.2 O.sub.2 :H.sub.2 O=1:1:200, is used to etch the native oxide film to a film thickness between 0.1 nm and 0.8 nm. Considering the fact that the concentration of hydrogen fluoride in a hydrofluoric acid solution used in the semiconductor producing factories is normally 50%, the concentration of hydrogen fluoride in the dilute hydrofluoric acid or dilute hydrogen fluoride-hydrogen peroxide mixture cleaning solution is about 2500 ppm. From some experiments, the inventor confirmed that the hydrogen fluoride of such a concentration required 11.4 seconds to remove all the native oxide film on the Si substrate or thin Si film surface. PA1 a first cleaning step of cleaning the substrate with a first cleaning solution, where a native oxide film is formed on the silicon surface; PA1 a first rinsing step of rinsing the substrate wetted with said first cleaning solution with a first rinsing solution; PA1 a second cleaning step of cleaning the substrate including the native oxide film formed thereon with a second cleaning solution including hydrogen fluoride, where a surface layer is removed from the native oxide film; PA1 a second rinsing step of rinsing the substrate wetted with the second cleaning solution with a second rinsing solution, and PA1 time T1 in minutes from the start of the second cleaning step to the start of the second rinsing step being defined by the following relationship: ##EQU1##
However, the aforementioned methods are disadvantageous in the following respects:
In the cleaning step of the actual semiconductor device producing process, the Si substrate or thin Si film is rinsed by the pure water and then dried after it has been cleaned by chemicals. Time required to move the Si substrate or thin Si film from a cleaning bath containing chemicals into a rinsing bath is at least between several seconds and several tens of seconds. When the cleaning solution includes hydrofluoric acid solution, the native oxide film will continue to be etched by the cleaning solution while the Si substrate or thin Si film wetted with the cleaning solution is being moved toward the rinsing bath after being removed from the cleaning bath. Thus, all the native oxide film on the Si substrate or thin Si film will be removed. As a result, the Si substrate or thin Si film surface cannot maintain its hydrophilic property.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-29516 also discloses a cleaning process in which the native oxide film is left on the substrate surface. However, even if the native oxide film is left on the substrate immersed in the cleaning solution, all native oxide film will be removed by the cleaning solution while the substrate is moved into the rinsing bath after being removed from the cleaning solution for the same reason as described above. Therefore, this cannot reliably prevent the particles from being built up on the substrate. The invention of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-29516 cannot also prevent the metallic impurities from being taken in the substrate.
If the cleaning machine is stopped and thereafter re-started for any reason such as machine trouble while the cleaning solution is on the Si substrate or thin Si film, all the native oxide film may be removed. It is required that the hydrophilic property be maintained even if the set cleaning time is extended.

Process of making semiconductor device and improved semiconductor device


A method is provided that includes obtaining two or more microphone audio signals; analysing the two or more microphone audio signals for a defined noise type; and processing the two or more microphone audio signals based on the analysis to generate at least one audio signal suitable for automatic speech recognition. A corresponding apparatus is also provided.

Virtual assistants like Cortana, Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant have become important features of mobile devices. The latest devices make it possible to use, for example, information services practically everywhere. The voice interface allows the use of services in hands free use cases such as when operating machinery. Voice interaction is also an important technical enabler for natural language understanding which has several commercial applications and is one of the most prominent trends of AI technologies in the mobile industry.
Mobile phones are used for accessing digital services in a wide range of different acoustic environments and environmental conditions. This raises a requirement that good automatic speech recognition performance is expected in conditions which range from the ideal to unfavourable. Voice recognition systems are vulnerable to errors and because misinterpretation of individual words can completely change the meaning of the sentence if a Word Error Rate (WER) increases (for example in less optimal environmental conditions) the services can be unreliable causing the user to reject them.
Audio signal processing includes a wide range of signal processing methods aiming to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of captured audio (for example captured from microphones). These methods are typically designed for human listener so that the perceived audio quality or intelligibility of the recorded speech is improved compared to unprocessed signals. In automatic speech recognition (ASR) application the goal is to enhance the recorded audio in such a way that the ASR engine can perform accurate speech to text transcription e.g. for an input to a search engine.
In general, ASR engines and human listeners have quite similar requirements and high-quality signal is favourable for both human as well as machine listening. However optimization of ASR performance reveals differences where certain types of nonlinear signal distortions do not affect a human listener as much as the machine listening methods.

Pre-processing for automatic speech recognition


For a car as merchandise specified by remote negotiation, a commercial transaction document such as an estimate, a contract, or a purchase order which decides an amount related to providing of the merchandise is prepared on the same system and stored in a database in accordance with an operation on a salesperson terminal by a salesperson (provider). A receiver such as a customer can browse (display) the prepared commercial transaction document by using a user terminal. The commercial transaction document to be browsed is provided as document data or a printing product.

Conventionally, techniques are proposed in which a provider who provides merchandise or a service and a receiver who receives it do negotiation (remote negotiation) through various communication lines without actually facing each other (e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 2002-183583 and 2002-215944).
These prior arts describe the basic concept of remote negotiation but do not sufficiently disclose any detailed system configuration for implementation.
In the above remote negotiation systems, generally, a salesperson and a customer negotiate without actually facing each other. During the negotiation, the communication means used imposes restrictions on communication between them. Hence, for example, when the service desired by the customer is specified by the remote negotiation, and accordingly, the salesperson side prepares so-called documents necessary for commercial transactions, including estimates, purchase orders, and contracts, there is no means for providing each prepared commercial transaction document to the customer.
In the conventional remote negotiation system, to quickly provide the prepared commercial transaction document to the customer, the document information of the commercial transaction document is transmitted by using a communication means such as e-mail. However, it is relatively easy to tamper document information. Hence, it is not preferable to easily transmit the document information of a commercial transaction document that contains the service providing price and the like to many unspecified customers.
In purchasing merchandise, one customer as the party concerned generally makes a decision alone. However, for merchandise such as a car, not only the customer as the party concerned but also a plurality of direct or indirect customers, including acquaintances and family, are often involved. When this point is taken into consideration, the conventional remote negotiation system is very convenient because it allows face-to-face negotiation between a salesperson and a customer, who are not physically in the same location but at remote sites, so that a plurality of persons can participate in the negotiation without physically gathering in the same site at the same time. However, the conventional remote negotiation system has no means for providing a commercial transaction document such as an estimate to the customer, as described above. It is not preferable to easily transmit the document information to the plurality of customers involved in the remote negotiation.

Remote negotiation apparatus, remote negotiation method, and program product


An optical system includes optical fibers, a decoupling surface, an intersecting surface and a connecting portion. The optical fibers are arranged in at least one row. Each of the optical fibers includes a coupling surface onto which light from a light source is received. Light is directed through the optical fibers along an optical main axis. Light emitted from the optical fibers is directed onto a decoupling surface. The connecting portion is planar and is disposed between the decoupling surface and the optical fibers. The intersecting surface bounds the decoupling surface and is parallel to the optical main axis. Each of the optical fibers has an intersecting face oriented parallel to the optical main axis and parallel to the intersecting surface. The intersecting surface and the intersecting faces of the optical fibers generate a sharp outer edge of a light pattern formed by light emitted from the optical system.

For lighting applications, for example in the vehicle sector, individually adapted light patterns as well as individually adapted light pattern shapes, such as an individually adapted outer contour of the light pattern, are usually required. The design of the light patterns depends on optical elements such as reflectors or lenses, which may be part of a vehicle headlight.
Projector systems are known that include light sources arranged in a matrix-like fashion. The projector system includes at least one primary lens or optical system connected downstream of the light sources, as well as a secondary lens which in turn is connected downstream of the primary lens. The secondary lens, for example, projects the light pattern, which is formed or imaged by the primary lens on its focal plane, into a far field. For example, the prior art describes segmented primary lenses that have a large number of individual optical fibers, each having its own light source. This makes it possible to illuminate a limited area by switching individual light sources on or off, such as with an Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB). An outer contour of the entire light pattern is then generated by the sum of the individual illuminated areas.
An object of the present invention is to create an optical system for the output of an improved light pattern, an assembly for the output of the improved light pattern and a headlight for the output of the improved light pattern.

Lighting technology in the automotive area


A method and system for directly measuring the compression of a ripple spring (23) in a dynamoelectric machine through a corresponding wedge (27). A compression-assessment tool (3) is provided that includes a carriage (32) for supporting a proximity sensor (34). The carriage (32) enables the proximity sensor (34) to be passed over the length of the ripple spring (23), which produces an output signal that is representative of the compression of the ripple spring (23).

Electric generators include a rotor and a stator. Rotors are generally constructed from a steal forging and include a number of slots that run the length of the rotor. Rotors are electrically wound by placing conductors referred to as rotor windings into the slots of the rotor.
Stators are generally constructed from a number of stacked, metal laminations. Stators also include slots, which run the length of the stator. Stators are electrically wound by placing conductors known as stator coils into the slots of the stator.
Conventional stator coils are often held in place in stator slots using a wedge and ripple spring configuration. In this configuration, a stator coil is placed into a slot, and a wedge is driven into groove near the top of the slot. A ripple spring is positioned above the stator coil and below the wedge. This ripple spring provides compressive force to keep the stator coils held firmly in the slot.
Over time, stator wedges may become loose. If a stator wedge becomes loose, it can permit a stator coil to vibrate, which can cause catastrophic failure in an electric generator. In order to avoid stator-coil vibration and catastrophic failure of a generator, it is desirable to periodically inspect the tightness of ripple springs. However, such inspections present a challenge because ripple springs are difficult to access within a generator and because they are concealed by the corresponding stator wedge.
There are a number of conventional approaches to inspecting the compression of ripple springs. One approach involves manually tapping the stator wedges. Another approach involves measuring the depth of the surface of ripple springs through pre-formed test holes in the wedge. A third approach involves physically displacing the wedge and measuring the resulting wedge movement.
There are significant challenges associated with the conventional approaches to testing ripple-spring tightness. The first approach, manually tapping stator wedges, is extremely subjective. The results vary greatly between different inspectors. Manually tapping stator wedges is also only possible after a generator's rotor has been removed from the generator.
The second approach, using a depth gauge to take measurements through pre-formed test holes, is time consuming. This approach is also only possible when a generator has pre-formed test holes in its stator wedges. Many generators do not have such pre-formed test holes.
The third approach, physically displacing the stator wedge, involves impacting a stator wedge and then measuring the displacement of the stator wedge with a sensor such as an optical or capacitive sensor to give an indirect indication of the compression of the ripple spring beneath the stator wedge. This method is not ideal because it involves only an indirect indication of ripple-spring compression. This approach also requires a relatively complex algorithm for converting the displacement of the stator wedge into an indication of ripple-spring compression. U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,388 to Fischer et al, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, discloses a method and system that utilizes this approach.
Despite advances in the area of ripple-spring compression assessment, improved methods and systems are still needed to enable fast, accurate, and direct measurement of ripple-spring compression in generators that do not necessarily have pre-formed test holes.

Method and system for ripple-spring compression assessment


Compositions, method, and devices are provided for cleaning surfaces, including glass and plastic surfaces. The compositions include white carbon black. The white carbon black can be combined with a binder to form a white carbon black formulation. The white carbon black formulation can be used to clean various glass and plastic surfaces, including transparent surfaces.

There are numerous plastic and glass surfaces that require frequent cleaning for satisfactory performance and clarity, including, but not limited to, camera lenses, microscope lenses, telescope lenses, and surfaces in other products. It is often important for these surfaces to remain relatively scratch free and damage free.
Conventional cleaning apparatuses such as brushes, cloths, and blowers for cleaning such surfaces can become contaminated with dust, fingerprints, and/or other debris, thereby resulting in inefficient cleaning and/or damage to the surfaces. The use of cleaning solutions with special cloths adds cost and complexity to surface cleaning.
Carbon black, sometimes referred to as "soot," has been used for cleaning optical surfaces. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,560 to Wasak, et al. discloses devices and compositions for cleaning optical surfaces with carbon black. Carbon black and its use, however, can be disadvantageous for one or more reasons. Carbon black may leave a fine black carbon residue on an optical surface, the cleaning equipment, and/or the user's hands or clothes. As a result, carbon black may require special handling or further cleaning steps.
Products and method are desired that clean plastic and glass surfaces without one or more of the disadvantages associated with carbon black.

Silicon dioxide-based white carbon black formulations and methods


A light-load power transistor and a heavy-load power transistor are connected in parallel between an input voltage and an output voltage. The light-load power transistor has a smaller current driving capability, i.e. a smaller dimension of a current path. During a light-load mode, only is the light-load power transistor activated to reduce the current consumption caused by an error amplifier, thereby enhancing the efficiency. When a detection current signal is higher than a threshold current signal, the heavy-load power transistor is additionally activated through a gate control circuit by a mode selection circuit, thereby achieving a sufficient current driving capability.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a linear voltage regulator and, more particularly, to a linear voltage regulator capable of enhancing the efficiency during a light-load mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Voltage regulators supply a required output current at a regulated output voltage to a load. Linear voltage regulators employ a power transistor operated in the ohmic region as a passive device. The output voltage is fed back to control a variable resistance of the power transistor for obtaining the regulated output voltage from an input voltage, e.g. a battery voltage, minus a potential difference across the variable resistance. During a light-load mode, the necessary output current is reduced but the current consumption of an error amplifier remains unchanged. Therefore, the conventional linear voltage regulator has a poor efficiency during the light-load mode.
FIG. 1 is a detailed circuit diagram showing a conventional linear voltage regulator 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional linear voltage regulator 10 has a power transistor 11 connected between an input voltage Vin and an output terminal A. The power transistor 11 has a gate controlled by an error signal Verr generated from an output terminal of an error amplifier 12. The error amplifier 12 has an inverting input terminal for receiving a reference voltage signal Vref, and a non-inverting input terminal for receiving a feedback voltage signal Vfb. Consequently, the error signal Verr generated by the error amplifier 12 is a representative of the difference between the feedback voltage signal Vfb and the reference voltage signal Vref. The reference voltage signal Vref is determined by a reference voltage generator and has a constant voltage level. As a representative of an output voltage Vout, the feedback voltage signal Vfb is generated by a feedback circuit 14 connected to the output terminal A. For example, the feedback circuit 14 may be implemented by a resistive voltage divider using two resistors connected in series between the output terminal A and a ground potential for providing a voltage division [R2/(R1+R2)]*Vout as the feedback voltage signal Vfb. Therefore, the linear voltage regulator 10 supplies the necessary output current Iout through the power transistor 11 to a load 15. In order to improve ripples of the regulated output voltage Vout, a capacitor Co may be installed between the output terminal A and the ground potential.
In response to the in-time current requirement by the load 15, the linear voltage regulator 10 supplies a larger or smaller output current Iout with the output voltage Vout regulated at [(R1+R2)/R2]*Vref. For achieving a sufficient current driving capability so as to supply a larger output current Iout, the power transistor 11 must have a large enough dimension. However, the large-dimension power transistor 11 causes a larger gate capacitance. For more appropriately controlling the gate of the power transistor 11, the error amplifier 12 must be designed to have a smaller output impendence, which results in a larger current consumption. Therefore, when the linear voltage regulator 11 is operated in the light-load mode, i.e. the output current Iout is tiny or close to zero, the efficiency of the linear voltage regulator 10 deteriorates due to the large current consumption caused by the error amplifier 12.
Therefore, it is desired to develop a linear voltage regulator capable of enhancing the efficiency during a light-load mode.

Linear voltage regulator with selectable light and heavy load paths


A multiple-stage pipeline for transaction conversion is disclosed. A method is disclosed that converts a transaction into a set of concurrently performable actions. In a first pipeline stage, the transaction is decoded into an internal protocol evaluation (PE) command, such as by utilizing a look-up table (LUT). In a second pipeline stage, an entry within a PE random access memory (RAM) is selected, based on the internal PE command. This may be accomplished by converting the internal PE command into a PE RAM base address and an associated qualifier thereof. In a third pipeline stage, the entry within the PE RAM is converted to the set of concurrently performable actions, such as based on the PE RAM base address and its associate qualifier.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to transactions, such as memory requests and their responses, and more particularly to the conversion of such transactions into performable actions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many different types of multi-processor computer systems. A symmetric multi-processor (SMP) system includes a number of processors that share a common memory. SMP systems provide scalability. As needs dictate, additional processors can be added. SMP systems usually range from two to 32 or more processors. One processor generally boots the system and loads the SMP operating system, which brings the other processors online. Without partitioning, there is only one instance of the operating system and one instance of the application in memory. The operating system uses the processors as a pool of processing resources, all executing simultaneously, where each processor either processes data or is in an idle loop waiting to perform a task. SMP systems increase in speed whenever processes can be overlapped.
A massively parallel processor (MPP) system can use thousands or more processors. MPP systems use a different programming paradigm than the more common SMP systems. In an MPP system, each processor contains its own memory and copy of the operating system and application. Each subsystem communicates with the others through a high-speed interconnect. To use an MPP system effectively, an information-processing problem should be breakable into pieces that can be solved simultaneously. For example, in scientific environments, certain simulations and mathematical problems can be split apart and each part processed at the same time.
A non-uniform memory access (NUMA) system is a multi-processing system in which memory is separated into distinct banks. NUMA systems are similar to SMP systems. In SMP systems, however, all processors access a common memory at the same speed. By comparison, in a NUMA system, memory on the same processor board, or in the same building block, as the processor is accessed faster than memory on other processor boards, or in other building blocks. That is, local memory is accessed faster than distant shared memory. NUMA systems generally scale better to higher numbers of processors than SMP systems.
Multi-processor systems usually include one or more memory controllers to manage memory transactions from the various processors. The memory controllers negotiate multiple read and write requests emanating from the processors, and also negotiate the responses back to these processors. Usually, a memory controller includes a pipeline, in which transactions, such as requests and responses, are input, and actions that can be performed relative to the memory for which the controller is response are output. Transaction conversion is commonly performed in a single stage of a pipeline, such that transaction conversion to performable actions is performed in one step.
However, performing transaction conversion in a single stage of a pipeline suffers from some deficiencies. They may be inefficient, since the memory controller must convert a given transaction to performable actions before it acts on the next transaction. This can make the pipeline a bottleneck within the performance of the memory controller, decreasing overall performance of the memory controller, and hence the multi-processor system of which it is a part. Single-stage conversion may also be difficult to implement, due to the complexity involved in converting a transaction into performable actions. For these described reasons, as well as other reasons, there is a need for the present invention.

Multiple-stage pipeline for transaction conversion

International Business Machines Corporation


A battery connection detecting device includes a connecting unit, to which a battery is connected, a voltage detecting unit that detects a voltage value of the connecting unit, the voltage value detected by the voltage detecting unit being a detection voltage value, a switching unit that switches supply of charging power to the battery connected to the connecting unit based on the detection voltage value, and a connection detecting unit that compares at least one predetermined voltage value with at least one of the detection voltage value before the switching unit switches the supply of the charging power and the detection voltage value after the switching unit switches the supply of the charging power in order to detect whether or not the battery is connected to the connecting unit.

There has been proposed a related art technique for detecting presence or absence of attachment of a cell. For example, JP-A-08-095678 discloses a technique using a switch that is mechanically switched to an on/off state by attaching/detaching the cell so as to detect whether or not a chargeable secondary cell is attached by on/off of the switch. Then, JP-A-08-095678 uses a remaining amount detecting unit for detecting, remaining amount of the cell so as to detect whether or not an unchargeable primary cell is attached by detecting whether or not the remaining amount of the cell exceeds a predetermined amount or more. Accordingly, JP-A-08-095678 detects the presence or absence of attachment of the cell.

Battery connection detecting device and image forming apparatus including the same


A method and apparatus is provided to improve an error correction capability for transmitted information, thereby reducing bit error rate and block error rate, and improving the reliability. The method and apparatus can generate error correcting codes having a good minimum distance characteristic, and which can achieve soft decision decoding and reduce the quantity of calculations for the decoding by using an IFHT decoder. Also, the method and apparatus can perform decoding while improving the error correcting capability of particular bits.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cellular Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communication terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for encoding/decoding transmission information.
2. Description of the Related Art
A Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS) is a third generation (3G) mobile communication system which uses a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA) scheme and is based on Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) and General Packet Radio Services (GPRS), which are European mobile communication systems. The UMTS provides a consistent service by which users of mobile phones or computers can transmit packet-based data and digitalized voice, video and multimedia data at a high speed of at least 2 Mbps anywhere throughout the globe.
The UMTS system uses an Enhanced Uplink Dedicated Channel (EUDCH or E-DCH) as a transmission channel in order to improve performance of packet transmission in the uplink, that is, in a transmission from a User Equipment (UE) to a Base Station (BS or node B). In order to support more stable high speed data transmission, the E-DCH supports technologies such as Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC), Hybrid Automatic Retransmission Request (HARQ), shorter Transmission Time Interval (TTI), and so forth.
The AMC is a technology which improves the efficiency in the use of resources by determining the modulation scheme and coding scheme of a data channel according to the channel state between a node B and a UE. A Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) is a combination of the modulation scheme and coding scheme, and various MCSs can be defined according to the supportable modulation schemes and coding schemes. The AMC adaptively determines the MCS level according to the channel state between the UE and the node B, thereby improving the efficiency in the use of the resources.
The HARQ is a technology of re-transmitting a packet in order to compensate for an erroneous data packet when an initially transmitted data packet comprises erroneous data packet. The HARQ scheme can be classified into a Chase Combining (CC) scheme by which packets in the same format as that of the erroneous initial packets are retransmitted, and an Incremental Redundancy (IR) scheme by which packets in a format different from that of the erroneous initial packets are retransmitted.
Further, the E-DCH permits a TTI shorter than 10 ms, which is the minimum TTI length presented by Release 5 (Rel 5) of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), thereby reducing the retransmission delay time and achieving a high system throughput.
A node B control scheduling is a scheme for data transmission using the E-DCH, in which a node B determines whether to transmit uplink data, an upper limit for an available data rate, and so forth, and transmits the determined information as a scheduling command to a UE, and the UE determines the data rate of the uplink E-DCH with reference to the scheduling command and transmits data by the determined data rate.
According to the node B control scheduling, a lower data rate is allocated to UEs located away from a node B within a range capable of preventing a value of noise rise or Rise over Thermal (RoT) measured by the node B from exceeding a target value, and a higher data rate is allocated to UEs located near the node B, in order to improve the performance of the entire system. The RoT represents radio resources used in the uplink by the node B and is defined by Equation (1) below.RoT=Io/No  (1)
In Equation (1), Io denotes a power spectral density for the entire reception band of a node B, which corresponds to the quantity of all uplink signals received by the node B, and No denotes a thermal noise power spectral density of the node B. Therefore, the maximum allowable RoT represents the entire radio resources which the node B can use in the uplink.
FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of transmission and reception that is achieved through a typical E-DCH.
First, in step 102, the node B and the UE set up an E-DCH. The setup step 102 comprises the transmission of messages through a dedicated transport channel. When the setup of the E-DCH has been completed, the UE reports scheduling information to the node B in step 104. The scheduling information comprises UE transmission power information representing uplink channel state, information of extra power transmissible by the UE, the quantity of data accumulated for transmission in a buffer of the UE, and so forth.
After receiving scheduling information from a plurality of UEs during communication, the node B monitors the scheduling information of the UEs, so as to schedule data transmission of each of the UEs in step 106. Then, the node B determines to allow uplink packet transmission of the UE and transmits a scheduling allocation command to the UE in step 108. The scheduling allocation command comprises scheduling allocation information which instructs the increase/maintenance/decrease of the maximum allowable data rate to the UE, or instructs the maximum allowable data rate or the timing for allowed transmission to the UE.
The UE determines the Transport Format (TF) of the E-DCH to be transmitted through uplink based on the scheduling allocation command in step 110, and transmits TF-related information in step 112 and uplink packet data through the E-DCH to the node B in step 114. The TF-related information comprises Enhanced Transport Format Indicator (E-TFI) which represents information of resources necessary in demodulating the packet data of the E-DCH. In step 114, the UE selects an MCS level in consideration of the channel state and the maximum allowable data rate allocated by the node B and transmits the uplink packet data by the MCS level.
In step 116, the node B determines if there is an error in the TF-related information and the packet data. In step 118, the node B transmits through an ACK/NACK channel to the UE, a Negative Acknowledgement (NACK) when any of the packet data has an error and an Acknowledgement (ACK) when none of the packet data has an error. When the node B has transmitted an ACK, which means completion of the packet data transmission, the UE transmits a new user data through the E-DCH. However, when the UE has received a NACK, the UE retransmits a packet data having the same content through the E-DCH.
In the environment as described above, in order to perform efficient scheduling, the node B allocates a low data rate to a UE farther away from the node B or a UE in a bad channel condition or a UE for receiving a service having a low priority, and allocates a high data rate to a UE near the node B or a UE in a good channel condition or a UE for receiving a service having a high priority, in consideration of the buffer state and power state of the UE and the RoT, and so forth, thereby improving the performance of the entire system.
In order to support the E-DCH operated as described above, the UE must report the scheduling information to the node B as performed in step 104. As described above, the scheduling information comprises UE transmission power information representing the uplink channel state, information of extra power transmissible by the UE, the quantity of data accumulated for transmission in a buffer of the UE, and so forth.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method to provide a specific channel encoding scheme for transmitting and receiving information having a predetermined size such as the scheduling information and the TF-related information.

Method and apparatus for encoding/decoding transmission information in mobile telecommunication system