Disclosed is a floating island construction method for overall transplantation of sandy soil plants, the method comprising the following steps: separation from a surrounding soil body; construction of a buoyancy tank device (13); and waterproof construction, so as to construct a plant floating island from plants to be transplanted in a reservoir area. The floating island protects all the root systems of the plants and most of the undisturbed soil, improves the survival rate, preserves the unique landscape of an original habitat, and can be constructed at the same time as water conservancy project construction, which saves on the construction period, saves costs, and is convenient for on-site overall scheduling.

During the construction of the reservoir, large tracts of land upstream will be submerged to form the reservoir area. The endangered plants in the reservoir area need to be transplanted. For single or scattered plants, traditional transplanting methods are generally used. Keep the plant's root system as much as possible, separate the plant's root system from the soil, and transport the plant to a reserved area. However, it is more difficult to transplant large-scale plants individually with landscape function, or the plants need unique habitats. On the one hand, the cost of transplanting a single plant is very high, and the transplanting of large-scale plants is often sky-high; on the other hand, the survival rate of transplanting cannot be guaranteed since the roots of large-scale plants are entangled with each other. There is often no way to separate the roots of different plants clearly. The loss of the root system is significant, and many plants cannot survive after transplanting due to root damage; more importantly, the original habitat and landscape cannot be preserved after single-plant transplanting, the entire vegetation will be abandoned, and it isn't easy to ensure the actual value of habitat and landscape.
Some plants occupy an important ecological position in the river reach habitats near the reservoir area. If we use transplanting as a preserve plan, it will be migrated near the river. Mainly to avoid submerging caused by water filling in the reservoir. There is no help for the environmental and ecological conservation around the reservoir area. Therefore, the best protection mode is in situ reserve.

Floating island construction method for overall transplantation of sandy soil plants

CHINA RENEWABLE ENERGY ENGINEERING INSTITUTE


System for preventing the accumulation of water within exterior foundation areas, such as basement window wells, even under conditions of extreme groundwater flow. The system comprises a combination of an upper horizontal conduit section which extends out through a bore in a basement wall and opens into the dry well area within an exterior basement window well, and has an opposed end which opens at the interior surface of the basement wall, and an elongate, vertical stepped wall panel having a central stand-off conduit section and opposed vertical seat portions which sealingly-engage the interior surface of the basement wall and form therebetween the central, vertical, raised or stand-off water-conveying conduit section. The wall panel extends from an upper location, above the interior opening of the horizontal conduit, to a lower water-drainage location, preferably within a horizontal baseboard water drainage system, to permit the free flow of water from the window well, through the basement wall, and down between the raised or standoff vertical water-conveying conduit section and the wall surface into the water drainage system.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for preventing the accumulation of water in exterior areas such as basement window wells, from rain or melted snow. Recessed basement window wells are common in homes and other buildings in which the basement window extends below ground level and therefore is enclosed within a retaining wall which retains the soil to form a well area which extends below the lower level of the window frame opening. Frequently the well area is filled with stones, up to the lower level of the window frame opening, to form a dry well which assists the gravity drainage of water downwardly away from the window.
It is also common to cover window wells with clear plastic domes or covers which prevent the direct deposit of rain or snow within basement window wells. While such covers are effective for their intended purpose, they have no effect upon the migration of ground water run-off, which is the main cause of window well flooding.
Excess water accumulation or flooding of basement window wells can lead to seepage of the exterior water around and through the interface of the window and its frame, and through cracks between the frame and the foundation which are common in the area of basement windows.
2. State of the Art
It is known to prevent the accumulation of water in exterior basement window wells by means of a drain pipe system having an upper horizontal pipe section which extends from the basement, through a bore in the foundation out into a dry well within the window well. The horizontal pipe section is integral with a vertical pipe section within the basement, spaced from the interior basement wall, which drains through a hole in the basement floor.
Such system requires the existence of a sub-floor drainage system or else the water may not be able to drain through the existing soil under the floor.
An important disadvantage is that the piping extending within the basement is obtrusive, unsightly and interferes with the finishing of the basement wall and floor.
Another known system for preventing water accumulation within basement window wells, aimed at avoiding the problems of piping extending into the basement as discussed above, comprises a similar upper horizontal pipe section which extends through the foundation into the dry well of a window well area and opens at the interior surface of the basement wall to permit water to drain from the exterior well, through the wall and down the interior surface of the basement wall into a horizontal baseboard water drainage system of the type disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,842 (DRYTRAK) or U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,044 (WATERGUARD). The area of the entry and vertical flow of the water down over the interior surface of the basement wall is covered by a flat plastic sheet which extends from the lower level of the window frame down into the baseboard water drainage system and is attached against the interior surface of the basement wall to enclose the water path.
While such systems can be concealed during the finishing of the basement walls, they are unsightly in an unfinished basement and, because they comprise a flat plastic sheet mounted flat on the interior basement wall they substantially restrict and limit the entry and flow of water to a degree that flooding can occur at times of excessive ground water conditions.


The present invention describes semi- and fully-automated methods and reagents therefor for the assay and analysis of body fluid samples, particularly non-blood samples. The methods and reagents are especially useful for the assay and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. The reagent compositions sphere and fix all cells in the sample in suspension. Reported results can include red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) counts, WBC differential values, cell-by-cell volumes and dry-mass concentrations.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is present between two meningeal membranes of the brain and is circulated over the cerebral hemispheres and spinal cord. The CSF acts as a protective cushion for the underlying central nervous tissue; other functions include collection of wastes, circulation of nutrients, and lubrication of the central nervous system.
The major clinical role of CSF analysis is in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, the differential diagnosis of viral and fungal meningitis, encephalitis, neurological disorders and the diagnosis of leukemias with CSF involvement. Other indications for CSF analysis include the monitoring of patients undergoing therapy for leukemias and lymphomas. The examination of CSF samples typically involves chemical and immunological studies, and, more particularly, microbiologic examination and hematological analysis to derive red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC) and WBC differential cell count. These results are correlated with clinical findings and radiographic studies to provide a clinical diagnosis.
Hematological analysis of CSF specimens is currently performed in the majority of hospital laboratories using manual cell counting and cell differentiation methods. These analyses are among the most laborious manual procedures in the clinical laboratory today. For instance, the analysis of one CSF specimen using current manual methods takes approximately 30-45 minutes. Currently, no automated method for CSF analysis is available on existing hematology platforms.
Automated cell counters or hematology analyzers, such as the ADVIA 120® analyzer (Bayer Corporation, Tarrytown, N.Y.), are typically designed to enumerate cells from samples of whole blood. The standard reagents used on such instruments are designed to compensate for, or take advantage of, various chemical effects of some of the major components of blood plasma, e.g., albumin, lipoprotein, and the like (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,741,875 and 4,412,004). Also, automated analyzers/cell counters typically count from about 2,000 to 50,000 cells in a single blood-dilution per analytical cycle. In addition, the presence of as few as 5 to 10 non-cellular particles (or 5 to 10 cells carried over from a previous cycle, i.e., carryover) which overlap the regions occupied by countable cells, causes only a very small loss of accuracy and/or precision in whole blood sample analysis. Further, instruments such as the ADVIA 120® are typically designed to accept a fixed-sized aliquot of whole blood which is automatically diluted to provide the required cell concentration for a fixed counting period.
Body fluids other than whole blood, for example, cerebrospinal fluid, normally contain no red cells or platelets, little or no dissolved protein and as little as 0.01% of the typical white blood cell count of whole blood. Therefore, if the same automated instruments that handle whole blood cell analyses are also used to determine the cell counts of such other non-blood body fluids, it is required that reagents and dilutions be designed to compensate for the typically nearly acellular conditions of such samples. Moreover, unlike whole blood cell analysis, if the analytical cycle of the instrument handles a volume of body fluid sample that contains only 5 to 10 authentic cells, the interference of non-cellular particles and carryover, referred to above, constitutes a problem in the analysis of such non-blood body fluids that contain very few cells.
Because of the low concentration of cells in samples of non-blood aliquots of body fluids such as CSF, the dilution of sample must be greatly reduced to provide useful precision for the same fixed counting period. Further, rare samples such as CSF are considered to be in a special category compared with whole blood samples. For example, body fluid samples, e.g., CSF, typically arrive in the laboratory infrequently and/or randomly; it is not usually convenient to interrupt the work-flow of the automated analyzer on whole blood samples to accommodate the analysis of the infrequent or random non-blood samples. As it happens, these types of samples are commonly analyzed immediately as "STAT" samples, but they may also be set aside to accumulate for later analysis and more efficient batch-processing. However, such untreated body fluid samples are usually less stable than are typical anti-coagulated whole blood samples, which can often be analyzed with accuracy even after 24 hours of storage at 2-6° C.
It is therefore desirable to be able to mix such non-whole blood body fluid samples with a reagent that fixes the cells in a state that safely permits their later accurate analysis, even after storage for up to 24 or more hours. In addition, for such special procedures involving non-blood body fluid samples, it is usually necessary to develop control materials, which are stable for at least a few months, and which can be used to confirm system gains, when necessary, so that the accuracy of the counts obtained using body fluid samples is assured. The present invention is designed to overcome and address these problems and needs.
In addition, the present invention offers automated methods and procedures, i.e., semi- and fully-automated methods and procedures, for analyzing body fluid samples, such as CSF, and advantageously provides the skilled practitioner with an efficient, reliable and less time-consuming assay for analyzing non-blood samples.

Automated method and reagent therefor assaying body fluid samples such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)


A chuck device for driving nails into boards includes a nail-driving mechanism and a staging mechanism for positioning the nails to be driven by the nail-driving mechanism. A driving mechanism drives both the nail-driving mechanism and the staging mechanism for positioning the nails. A countersink control mechanism positioned between the staging mechanism and the driving mechanism provides the capability for selectively changing and fixing a distance between the staging mechanism and the driving mechanisms and a distance between the staging mechanism and the nail-driving mechanism.

The present invention relates to pallet-making machines in general, and in particular to nail-driving chucks for use in pallet-making machines.
The forerunners of today's wooden pallets were developed during World War II to assist the armed forces in moving large amounts of goods in short time periods with forklift trucks. Wooden pallet usage has increased explosively since that time.
Automated pallet-making machines were developed in response to the high demand for wood pallets and now occupy an important position in the pallet manufacturing industry. The primary function of these pallet-making machines is the automatic nailing of pallet boards which have been positioned either manually or with some assistance from the pallet-making machine.
Automated pallet-making machines often use drive pins or rams to drive nails being held by a chuck into boards located below the chuck. Nails driven into the component boards of a pallet must be countersunk so that the nail heads do not protrude above the top surface of the boards. Countersinking is important because bags or packages containing goods which are placed on pallets can be torn by nail heads protruding above the boards.
Depending upon the pallet buyer's specifications, pallet manufacturers countersink the top of the nails to different depths below the top surface of the pallet boards. This change in countersink depth has traditionally been made by changing the relative distance between the board end of the nailing chuck and the drive end of the nailing chuck so that the pin's final extended position of the nail-driving pin is changed relative to the board end of the nailing chuck.
An example of such a countersink adjustment apparatus is shown in the Wallin U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,989. In the Wallin patent the board end of the nailing chuck and the drive end of the nailing chuck are connected together by threads. The drive end of the nailing chuck contains female threads and the board end of the nailing chuck contains male threads. Where the drive end and the board end connect, a female threaded lock ring selectively locks the board end of the nailing chuck in position. The drive end of the nailing chuck is independently fastened in place so that the drive end cannot rotate about the longitudinal axis of the nailing chuck.
The board end of the chuck can be selectively rotated about the longitudinal axis of the nailing chuck while connected to the drive end of the chuck to change the relative distance from the board end of the chuck to the drive end of the chuck. The nail-driving pin is connected to the drive end of the chuck and extends into the board end of the chuck. When the distance from the board end of the chuck to the drive end of the chuck is changed, the position of the nail-driving pin, relative to the board end of the chuck, is also changed since the position of the nail-driving pin is fixed relative to the drive end of the chuck. Consequently, by changing the position of the board end of the chuck relative to the drive end of the chuck, the final extended position of the nail-driving pin can be adjusted relative to the board end of the chuck, and the nail countersink depth can be selectively changed.
One complication of this nail countersink depth adjustment method is that automatic nail feeding devices are often connected to the board end of the chuck. Since the board end of the chuck must be rotated to adjust the countersink depth, the automatic nail feeding device must be removed from the board end of the chuck prior to its adjustment and must be reattached following adjustment of the countersink depth. Since the automatic pallet-making machinery does not operate when the chuck is not operating, pallet making is suspended during the time required for removing and reattaching the automatic nail feeding equipment to the board end of the chuck and during the relatively short period of time required for actual adjustment of the board end of the chuck relative to the drive end of the chuck.

Compensating nail-driving chuck for pallet-making machine

Viking Engineering & Development, Incorporated


A unit is located inside a mailbox which prevents access to the mailbox through the door of the mailbox when the unit is in place. The unit includes a fence-like portion that is attached to the mailbox body by an arm that is locked to the mailbox in the rear of the mailbox. The fence-like portion is locked to the arm and is attached to the mailbox by a hinge. When unlocked, the fence can be pivoted out of the way to allow access to inside of the mailbox.

Many citizens in this country have mail delivered to mailboxes remote from their home, usually located adjacent a nearby main thoroughfare. Mailboxes used are commonly mounted on poles or other suitable supports, and are generally formed of elongated, longitudinal containers having a hinged door which opens at one end thereof for delivering and removing articles of mail.
Mailboxes are, of course, common and well-known. One problem that often occurs with mailboxes is easy access to mail during the time when the homeowners are gone. Put another way, mail continues to pile up in the mailbox and is not removed. This is mail highly susceptible to theft because of the easy accessibility by simply opening the box door. It is, of course, necessary that the box door be easily accessible for the mailman on a daily basis. The theft of personal mail is one of the most insidious crimes threatening America today. For example, a new credit card may be stolen by a mail thief and the true owner will have no idea the credit card has been stolen until a large bill arrives, and the battle with the credit card company begins. The theft of social security checks is another common occurrence, the thefts facilitated by the knowledge that social security checks are sent out periodically at a publicly-known interval. Thus, during periods of time when homeowners are gone, there is a substantial risk of security violations for mailboxes.
In the past there have been some attempts at development of more secure mailboxes which perform both the function of easy access for mail carriers, and at the same time provide some means for storage in a non-accessible box area. However, generally those that have been developed in the past are bulky, use complex mechanical elements that are susceptible to failure, and are in effect cost prohibitive for real world use.
Accordingly, there is a real and continuing need for the development of mailboxes having both easy access for mail carriers, and at the same time having secure areas for mail storage, while at the same time doing so with a minimum of mechanical parts and yet provide a cost-effective mailbox. This invention has as its primary objective the fulfillment of this need.


The present invention relates to the use of at least one, optionally alkylated diarylamine in a fuel or a fuel additive for cleaning the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle engine. A further aspect relates to a method for cleaning the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine during the operation of the internal combustion engine by burning a fuel, wherein the fuel contains a fuel additive comprising at least one, optionally alkylated diarylamine.

The worldwide tightening of exhaust gas legislation and the demand for lower fuel consumption lead, in the development of internal combustion engines such as motor vehicle engines, to reduced engine size ("downsizing"), direct injection and high boost pressures. Internationally varying legislation, the technically very sophisticated engine technology and the increasingly ambitious exhaust gas standards mean that the currently available fuels no longer satisfy the requirements of motor vehicle engines. In particular, chemical processes in the fuel system can lead to dirt, deposits, coking and coatings. Further factors affecting the increased formation of deposits and contamination in the engine are, for example, varying fuel qualities, the addition of bio-components and an increased metal content in the fuel. This can result in increased CO2 emissions, increased consumption, a higher susceptibility to faults in the engine and costly repairs.
A further problem of current development is the increased risk of pre-ignition occurring during operation of the engine. Pre-ignition is a self-ignition phenomenon which occurs more at high load or high medium pressures and low engine speed operation conditions ("Low Speed Pre-Ignition, LSPI"). In the process, combustion starts before the actual ignition point.
A distinction should be drawn between pre-ignition and the previously known phenomenon of knocking. In contrast to knocking, pre-ignition occurs independently of the combustion initiated by the spark plug. Traditional knocking in direct-injection engines therefore takes place after the ignition point, but in the case of pre-ignition, the increase in pressure as a result of heat release starts before the ignition point. Generally, pre-ignition leads to extreme pressure peaks and, as a result of the high burning rates, extreme pressure gradients and high-frequency pressure oscillations. The occurrence of pre-ignition can therefore rapidly lead to engine damage. Sequences with an alternating combustion sequence have a particularly damaging effect. The damage potential of pre-ignition is much higher than that of other self-ignition phenomena such as knocking, since even individual events can lead to destruction of the engine, owing to extremely high pressure peaks. This greatly restricts the performance of modern engines.
It has been demonstrated that there is no relationship between the octane number or ignition ability and the tendency to pre-ignite, which confirms that traditional knocking and pre-ignition are two different self-ignition phenomena (Kalghatgi G. "The outlook for fuels for internal combustion engines" International J of Engine Research 2014, vol. 15(4) pages 383-398).
The factors influencing pre-ignition are very complex, and the initiation mechanisms form the subject matter of current research. In particular, detached oil-fuel droplets or glowing particles of deposits are discussed as possible causes of pre-ignition (Lauer T. et al "Modellansatz zur Entstehung von Vorentflammungen" MTZ 01/2014 pages 64-70; Yasueda, S. et al "Abnormal Combustion caused by Lubricating Oil in High BMEP Gas Engines", MTZ Industrial 3 (2013), pages 34-39; Dahnz, C. et al "Irregular combustion in supercharged spark ignition engines—pre-ignition and other phenomena", International Journal of Engine Research 11 (2010), pages 485-498; Zandeh, A. et al. "Fundamental Approach to Investigate Pre-Ignition in Boosted SI Engines" SAE Technical Paper 2011-01-0340).
Glowing particles or glowing detached deposits have been identified both as initial pre-ignition initiators and subsequent pre-ignition initiators. Deposits are detached in particular by severe knocking, and therefore a large number of detached deposits or particles fly around freely in the combustion chamber at the end of a pre-ignition event, which in turn can lead to further pre-ignition event in the following combustion cycles.
For this reason, combustion chamber deposits are of particular interest. Deciding factors for the formation of deposits at inlet ducts and in the combustion chamber are fuel composition, engine oil, the engine design and the operating conditions of the engine.
Fuel additives likewise have an important influence on deposit formation. It has been shown that traditional detergents based on polybutyleneamine and polyetheramine reduce deposits at inlet ducts but can at the same time increase deposits in the combustion chamber (Stepien Z. "Intake valve and combustion chamber deposit formation—the engine and fuel related factors that impacts their growth", NAFTA-GAZ, ROK LXX, No. 4/2014; Cheng S. S. "The Impact of Engine Operating Conditions and Fuel Compositions on the Formation of Combustion Chamber Deposits" SAE Paper 2000-01-2025; Kalghatgi G. T. "Fuel and Additive Effects on the Rates of Growth of Combustion Chamber Deposits in a Spark Ignition Engine" SAE Paper 972841).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,280 relates to fuel compositions containing diphenylamine. It is disclosed in particular that the addition of diphenylamines leads to a reduction in knocking of an internal combustion engine owing to the increase in the octane number of the fuel.
WO 2015/042337 relates to a method for reducing the possibility of pre-ignition in a direct-injection internal combustion engine, in which a lubricant composition containing a base oil and an ash-free antioxidant is supplied to the engine.

Fuel additive for cleaning an internal combustion engine


Disclosed is a carrier tape feeder for a chip mounter. The carrier tape feeder includes: a body part; a rotation part, which is rotatably mounted on the body part and rotates by being engaged with a portion of a first carrier tape; a handle part, which is disposed by being separated by a predetermined distance from the outer circumferential surface of the rotation part, is rotatably mounted on the body part, and is selectively engaged with a second carrier tape; and a block part, which is rotatably mounted on the body part and exerts a force to the second carrier tape towards the rotation part according to rotation of the handle part.

In general, to mount semiconductors, semiconductor parts may be provided by mounting a carrier tape feeder for a chip mounter in the chip mounter. In this case, the carrier tape feeder for a chip mounter may provide semiconductor parts to the chip mounter by installing a carrier tape including the semiconductor parts therein.
The carrier tape feeder for a chip mounter may operate by mounting a winding roll around which a carrier tape is wound outside the carrier tape feeder and supplying the carrier tape to the carrier tape feeder for a chip mounter. In detail, the carrier tape may be supplied to the chip mounter via a transfer part inside the carrier tape feeder for a chip mounter.
As described above, the carrier tape supplied to the carrier tape feeder may be continuously supplied to the chip mounter. When the carrier tape wound around the winding roll is completely supplied, the winding roll may be replaced by a new winding roll to supply a carrier tape again.


To provide a polytetrafluoroethylene granular powder for molding and a process for preparing the granular powder, in which the granular powder contains only a small number of coarse particles, is obtained with good tumbling efficiency and further no organic liquid is required to be used. The process is for preparing a polytetrafluoroethylene granular powder for molding by granulating a polytetrafluoroethylene powder through tumbling with a granulator having a rotating inclined disc and a rotating side plate; characterized in that the granulator:. (1) comprises a disc inclined to a horizontal level and a side plate provided on the periphery of the disc, PA0 (2) has the side plate assembled in one unit with the disc and rotating together, and PA0 (3) is equipped with an agitator positioned eccentrically to the center of a vortex of the polytetrafluoroethylene powder which is caused by tumbling, PA0 (1) comprises a disc inclined to a horizontal level and a side plate provided on the periphery of the disc, PA0 (2) has the side plate separated from the disc and being rotatable around the periphery of the disc, and PA0 (3) is equipped with an agitator positioned eccentrically to the center of a vortex of the polytetrafluoroethylene powder which is caused by tumbling,. or the granulator:. and that the granulation is carried out by tumbling the polytetrafluoroethylene powder wetted with an aqueous solution containing a surfactant.

Hitherto a process for granulating a polytetrafluoroethylene granular powder for molding by using an organic liquid and tumbling a powder has been proposed. For example, JP-B-45-9071 discloses a process for tumbling a powder while heating the powder, JP-B-44-22620 discloses a process for granulating by tumbling for obtaining a filler-containing PTFE granular powder, and JP-B-46-14535 discloses a process for granulating by tumbling with a pan type pelletizer.
However, the processes disclosed in those publications have problems such that an organic liquid used is inflammable and harmful to human body and further that equipment cost for carrying out the processes becomes high.
An object of the present invention is to provide a polytetrafluoroethylene granular powder for molding, which contains only a small amount of coarse particles, and a process for preparing the granular powder at high yield with good tumbling efficiency without necessity of using an organic liquid.

Granulated powder of polytetrafluoroethylene for molding and process for the production thereof


The invention includes a method of treating a predominantly inorganic dielectric material on a semiconductor wafer. A laser is utilized to generate activated oxygen species. Such activated oxygen species react with a component of the dielectric material to increase an oxygen content of the dielectric material. The invention also includes a method of forming a capacitor construction. A first capacitor electrode is formed to be supported by a semiconductor substrate. A dielectric material is formed over the first capacitor electrode. A precursor is provided at a location proximate the dielectric material, and a laser beam is focused at such location. The laser beam generates an activated oxygen species from the precursor. The activated oxygen species contacts the dielectric material. Subsequently, a second capacitor electrode is formed over the dielectric material.

Dielectric materials are incorporated into numerous semiconductor constructions, including, for example, capacitor constructions. The dielectric materials will frequently comprise an oxide, such as, for example, one or more of silicon dioxide, silicon oxynitride, and tantalum pentoxide. A difficulty that can occur in forming such dielectric materials is that there can be regions within the materials which are oxygen deficient. For instance, there can be regions within a tantalum pentoxide material in which the ratio of tantalum to oxygen is higher than that which exists in the stoichiometric material Ta2O5. Such regions have a lower dielectric constant than would exist if the regions had sufficient oxygen to reach the stoichiometry of Ta2O5.
It is typical for a dielectric material to comprise oxygen-deficient regions interspersed within a material that predominantly is not oxygen deficient. For instance, it is common for Ta2O5 to be formed under conditions in which the majority of the material comprises the stoichiometry of Ta2O5, and in which oxygen-deficient regions are interspersed throughout the tantalum pentoxide material. The oxygen-deficient regions can disrupt a uniformity of the physical properties of the tantalum pentoxide material. For instance, the oxygen-deficient regions can disrupt the uniformity of dielectric strength throughout the tantalum pentoxide material. Disruption of the physical properties of the tantalum pentoxide material can cause inconsistencies in device performance from semiconductor devices incorporating the dielectric material, which can reduce performance of the devices and, in particularly problematic cases, can render the devices inoperable.
A solution to the problem of having oxygen-deficient regions within a dielectric material is to expose the material to an oxidant to cure oxygen deficiencies within the material. For instance, dielectric materials can be exposed to ozone to cure oxygen deficiencies within the materials. A difficulty which is frequently encountered is that the oxidants do not cure enough of the oxygen deficiencies within a dielectric material to acceptably overcome the above-described problems associated with having oxygen deficiencies interspersed throughout a dielectric material. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop new methods for reducing the oxygen deficiencies within a dielectric material, and it would be particularly desirable if such methods could entirely eliminate oxygen deficiencies throughout a dielectric material.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods of forming capacitor constructions


Amine-containing, water dispersible polyurethanes made by the following process: (1) in a reactive diluent such as acrylate, methacrylate, acrylonitrile monomer, low viscosity epoxy compound or epoxy resin, or mixture thereof, using an excess amount of polyisocyanate to react with polyol to form NCO-terminated urethane prepolymer; (2) adding hydroxy alkyl acrylate or hydroxy alkyl methacrylate monomer to react with the prepolymer in step (1) to convert its -NCO end group into alkyl acrylate or alkyl methacrylate end group; and (3) using an excess amount of polyamine to react with the alkyl (meth)acrylate-terminated prepolymer in step (2) and the reactive diluent and the residual hydroxy-containing monomer in step (2), if any. The polyurethane can be mixed with a crosslinking agent having multi-epoxy or blocked polyisocyanate functionalities, to prepare a stable aqueous coating composition.

Traditional polyurethane containing coating compositions employ large quantities of organic solvents. Because they are able to undergo chemical crosslinking at low temperatures and harden fast, and coatings prepared from them possess very good chemical and physical properties, they have long been widely employed in the surface treatment of articles such as fabrics, leathers, flexible PVC sheets, and the like. In recent years, due to the escalated requirements in environmental protection, industrial safety, and employee health, coating resins employing large quantities of organic solvents can no longer satisfy the needs and have gradually become obsolete. Generally accepted substitutes are water dispersible polyurethanes. However, up to date, water dispersible polyurethanes still have many problems in their production methods and the films formed by the latices containing such polymers have not been found to be entirely satisfactory with respect to sufficient hardening, curing or crosslinking under ambient conditions, chemical and physical properties, which prevent them from being widely used.
Many methods of preparing water dispersible polyurethanes are known in the art. They can be generally classified as surfactant-containing and surfactant-free methods. Due to the fact that residual surfactants can hurt coating properties, surfactant-containing methods are seldom used. Surfactant-free methods are more widely employed. A typical surfactant-free method is to first prepare NCO-terminated urethane prepolymer, and then let the prepolymer undergo salt-forming and chain-extending processes and eventually disperse into water. The production processes of surfactant-free methods can be further categorized into organic solvent-containing and organic solvent-free methods.
The organic solvent-containing methods produce resins with a higher molecular weight and better properties. However, after the preparation of aqueous dispersion, organic solvents have to be removed. As a result, the process is of low productivity and requires a long process time. Furthermore, it is often complicated by defoaming difficulties and other problems that have strong effects on productivity and manufacturing costs. There are methods that employ approximately 10-20% by weight of low odor, hydrophilic organic solvents such as N-methyl pyrolidone, NMP, and require no removal after being dispersed into water. However, NMP's low volatility and high hydrophilicity greatly reduce the drying rate of coating films (especially at room temperature or low temperature). Thus, it is suitable for use only in high temperature baking processes. Nevertheless, the use of organic solvent is not favored in environmental consideration. Examples of organic solvent-containing process can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,046,729, column 14; 4,066,591, column 14; 4,147,679, column 14; 4,203,883, columns 6-7; and 4,335,029, columns 4-5.
There are organic solvent-free methods, such as Melt Dispersion Process, Prepolymer Mixing Process and Ketimine Process. These methods have common limitations of having to operate in at high temperature and high viscosity environments, and have gelation and other unsurmountable difficulties in actual manufacturing. As a result, these methods are seldom employed in industrial manufacturing. Furthermore, polyisocyanates suitable for these methods are limited to aliphatic diisocyanates, which are of low water reactivity and extremely expensive. Diisocyanates of low cost but higher water reactivity such as TDI are not suitable for the methods. As a result, the raw material costs of these methods are in great disadvantage.
Comparing water dispersible polyurethanes prepared by the methods described above with those prepared by traditional, organic solvent-based methods, the former show inferior physical and chemical properties due to their difficulties in undergoing chemical crosslinking reactions. Furthermore, the hydrophilicity of the residual salts also results in inferior properties. If polyurethanes are crosslinked before being dispersed into water, their low meltability and low solubility would result in operational difficulties in manufacturing processes, and it would be difficult to disperse them into water. Even if they were dispersed into water, the storage stability of the aqueous dispersion would be poor. Thus, in order to improve its properties, common practices are to add crosslinking agents into the aqueous dispersion of polyurethanes. Up to now, the majority of crosslinking agents can only undergo crosslinking reaction at high temperatures. and their curing rate is not satisfactory to the high speed requirements common to industrial productions. Although there are crosslinking agents such as polyaziridines and polycarbodiimides that undergo crosslinking at low temperatures, their use is still limited by shortcomings such as low curing rate, low stability, toxicity and poor coating properties.

Water dispersible polyurethane and process for preparation thereof


According to one aspect of the present invention, a method and apparatus is provided in which input data (e.g., input video data) is encoded in accordance with a first coding standard (e.g., MPEG-4) to generate encoded data. The input data is also encoded based on a reconstruction of the input data to generate encoded side information associated with the input data. The encoded data are transmitted to a destination (e.g., a decoding subsystem) over a first channel and the encoded side information are transmitted to the destination over a second channel. The encoded data and the encoded side information are decoded and combined at the destination to generate output data.

As technology continues to advance and the demand for video and audio signal processing continues to increase at a rapid rate, effective and efficient techniques for signal processing and data transmission have become more and more important in system design and implementation. Various standards or specifications for multimedia processing and transmission including video signal processing have been developed over the years to standardize and facilitate various coding schemes relating to multimedia signal processing. In particular, a group known as the Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) was established to develop a standard or specification for the coded representation of moving pictures and associated audio stored on digital storage media. As a result, a standard known as the ISO/IEC 14496-2 (Part 2—Visual) CODING OF AUDIO-VISUAL OBJECTS (also referred to as the MPEG-4 standard or MPEG-4 specification herein), published December, 1999, was developed which standardizes various coding schemes for visual objects or video signals. ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization and IEC stands for International Electrotechnical Commission, respectively. Generally, the MPEG specification does not standardize the encoder but rather the type of information that an encoder needs to produce and write to an MPEG compliant bitstream, as well as the way in which the decoder needs to parse, decompress, and resynthesize this information to regain the encoded signals.[Q1] Other coding standards include, for example, ITU-T Recommendation H.263 "Video Coding for Low Bitrate Communication", H.264, etc.
A typical video processing system 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1 which includes a video encoder 110 and a video decoder 130. In this configuration, the video encoder 110 and the video decoder 130 may operate in accordance with an established standard or specification. For example, the video encoder 110 and the video decoder 130 may operate in accordance with the MPEG-4 standard. Thus, the video encoder 110 may be referred to as MPEG-4 encoder and the video decoder 130 may be referred to as MPEG-4 decoder, respectively. In the system configuration illustrated in FIG. 1, at the transmitting end, the video encoder 110 receives video input data and encodes the video input data to generate or produce encoded video data that are transmitted to the video decoder 130 via a channel 120. The channel 120 can be a wireless or wired channel and is also referred to as the main channel or main stream herein. At the receiving end, the video decoder 130 receives the encoded video data, decodes the encoded video data to generate or produce video output data. During the transmission process over the channel 120, errors may be introduced due to various factors including noise, signal interference, fading, loss of connection, etc. Such errors will negatively impact the performance of the video decoder 130 and thus the quality of the video output data is degraded. Various conventional error coding techniques such as error detection coding, forward error correction (FEC), or automatic repeat/retransmission request (ARQ) schemes may be used to keep the error rate at an acceptable level. However, such conventional techniques may result in significant inefficiency because of the data redundancy and/or longer latency. Video compression standards also provide additional mechanisms to mitigate the adverse effects of errors introduced by transmission. These are resynchronization markers, data partitioning, reversible variable length coding (RVLC), etc. These error resilience tools increase the complexity of the encoder/decoder and increase the data rate required to transmit video information. Furthermore, these tools may not provide adequate protection against bursty errors typically seen in a spread spectrum communication channel such as a CDMA network.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method, apparatus, and system for improving the quality of multimedia information such as video data in multimedia processing systems without incurring significant processing inefficiency.

Method, apparatus, and system for encoding and decoding side information for multimedia transmission


A sampling clock generator circuit comprises a ring oscillator including series-connected m first inverters connected to a first power supply line, where m is an odd number equal to or larger than 3, a delay line including series-connected 2m or 2m−1 second inverters connected to a second power supply line, for delaying an externally supplied clock, and a PLL circuit for controlling an oscillation frequency of the ring oscillator by controlling a voltage of the first power supply line by using the ring oscillator as a voltage controlled oscillation circuit. A voltage of the second power supply line is set substantially equal to the voltage of the first power supply line and the delayed clock obtained by the second inverters is used as a sampling clock.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sampling clock generator circuit and a data receiver using the same circuit for use in a transmission system in which data is serially transmitted in units of n data at a frequency, which is n times a frequency of a transmitting clock signal, on a transmitting side, and converted into parallel data by using n sampling clock pulses on a receiving side as a receiving data, where n is an integer equal to or larger than 2, and a data receiving device using the same sampling clock generator circuit. In particular, the present invention relates to a sampling clock generator for generating a sampling clock signal with which a data sampling miss due to jitter of the external clock can be prevented, and a data receiving device using the sampling clock generator circuit.
2. Prior Art
It has been usual that, when data is transmitted from a personal computer to a peripheral unit, the data is serially transmitted together with a clock signal at high speed. In the serial data transmission system, a transmitting side transmits data serially in units of n data at a frequency, which is n times that of the clock CLK or with a period, which is one n-th of a period of the clock signal on the transmitting side, and a receiving side receives the clock signal having period n times that of the data as an external clock (a transmitting clock signal ) together with the data and generates a sampling clock pulses the number of which is n times that of the clock signal on the transmitting side to convert the serial data transmitted in units of n data into a parallel data in units of n data on the basis of the n sampling clock pulses. Incidentally, n is an integer equal to or larger than 2.
A high speed transmission system of this kind is used in a data transmission from a personal computer, for example, to a color printer or a color liquid crystal display, a transmission within a digital TV or a set top box, etc., for example, and a data transmission in various communication equipments or in peripheral equipments of a computer. In order to receive the transmitted external clock CLK and output n data in parallel on the receiving side, the data receiving side generates sampling clock signal having frequency, which is n times that of the external clock CLK, by PLL control on the basis of the external clock CLK. Therefore, a sampling clock generator circuit of PLL control type is provided on the receiving side.
In such case, in order to restrict skew or jitter of the data and the clock during transmission thereof as small as possible, the sampling clock signal CLK having frequency, which is n times that of the external clock CLK, and generated in the receiving side is not obtained directly from an oscillator circuit oscillating at that frequency. That is, n clock pulses CK each having a period T, which is the same as the period T of the external clock CLK, and having phases mutually deviated are generated such that sampling clock pulses CK are located in centers of sub periods T/n obtained by dividing the period T of the external clock signal CLK by n. In other words, the sampling clock generator circuit generates n clocks CK including a first one of them having phase deviated from the data period T by T/2n and a second and subsequent clocks CK having phases deviated from directly preceding clocks by +T/n, respectively, and the rising edges of the n clock pulses CK are used as a sampling clock signal having frequency n times that of the external clock CLK. Therefore, the high frequency sampling clock signal can be obtained with precise timing on the receiving side.
Similarly, the transmission of the external clock signal CLK and the transmission of the data are performed simultaneously by transmitting each of them as positive and negative phase signal data through two lines having phase difference of 180°. In order to achieve this transmission, LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signalling) system is used, in which signals having two phases are transmitted by a differentially operating transmitting/receiving buffer circuit.
A digital color liquid crystal display device is an example, which uses this system. In the digital liquid crystal display device, data is serially transmitted in units of 7 (n=7) data at a speed 7 (n=7) times a transmission speed of the external clock signal CLK transmitted from the computer and the data thus transmitted is outputted in parallel on the receiving side.
The sampling clock generator circuit for generating a sampling clock signal having frequency n times that of the external clock signal CLK on the receiving side in this case takes in the form of a PLL circuit utilizing a ring oscillator as a VCO (voltage controlled oscillator) as shown in FIG. 4. Outputs of n stages (when n is an even integer, n+1 stages) of the ring oscillator are derived as the sampling clocks.
In concrete, the sampling clock generator circuit 1 in the form of the PLL control circuit includes a phase comparator 2, a charge pump circuit 3, a low-pass filter (LPF) 4 and an ring oscillator 5 having series-connected 7 inverters, as shown in FIG. 4. The charge pump circuit 3 receives the output of the phase comparator 2 and an output current of the charge pump circuit 3 is inputted to the low-pass filter (LPF) 4.
In the sampling clock generator circuit 1 using the ring oscillator 5 as the VCO, an output voltage of the low-pass filter 4 for generating an oscillation control voltage is inputted to a voltage follower and an output of the voltage follower is supplied to a power source line for the odd number of inverters of the ring oscillator to drive them. An output of the inverter in the last stage of the ring oscillator is fedback to an input of the inverter in the first stage. Thus, the operating currents of the respective inverters are controlled according to the output voltage of the LPF 4 to control the oscillation frequency of the ring oscillator.
The external clock signal CLK, which is transmitted from the computer as the transmitting side through a transmission circuit 9 and has a period T, is inputted to the phase comparator 2 and n (n=7) clock pulses CK are derived from the inverters in the odd numbered stage of the ring oscillator 5 in synchronism with the external clock signal CLK. Therefore, the ring oscillator 5 is composed of series-connected 7 inverters.
The n (=7) clock pulses CK obtained by the ring oscillator 5 are sent to a serial/parallel converter circuit 6 as a sampling clock to sample three data corresponding to R, G and B, which are supplied serially from the data receiving circuit 7 to the serial/parallel converter circuit 6. The serial/parallel converter circuit 6 converts the R, G and B data into a parallel data in units of n (=7) data at a rate, which is n (=7) times the data transmission rate. The parallel data is supplied to a controller 8.
Incidentally, a reference numeral 10a depicts data lines between the transmitting circuit 9 on the computer side and the receiving circuit 7 on the liquid crystal display side and a reference numeral 10b depicts the transmission lines for the external clock signal CLK between the transmitting circuit 9 on the computer side and the receiving circuit 7 on the liquid crystal display side. The transmission and the receiving in this case is performed by transmission and receiving of the respective data and the external clock signal CLK using the LVDS system through two signals having phase difference of 180° obtained by a differential amplifier as a driver.
The sampling clock pulses CK outputted from the ring oscillator 5 are derived from the odd-numbered inverter stages and the phase of the sampling clock pulse CK of the first inverter stage is shifted from the external clock signal CLK by T/2n (2n=14), where T is the period of the external clock signal CLK, and the phases of the sampling clock pulses CK from the subsequent odd-numbered inverter stages are shifted by +T/n (n=7) from immediately preceding inverter stages, respectively, as shown in FIG. 5. In a case, the sampling clock pulse CK of the second inverter stage becomes the sampling clock pulse CK of the ninth inverter stage, the sampling clock pulse CK of the forth inverter stage becomes the sampling clock pulse CK of the eleven inverter stage and the sampling clock pulse CK of the sixth inverter stage becomes the sampling clock pulse CK of the thirteenth inverter stage.
The rising edges of these clocks CK become sampling timing of the data. In this manner, when data is to be transmitted at a frequency n times that of the external clock signal CLK, rising or falling edges of the n clock pulses CK are used as sampling clocks having frequency equivalent to n times that of the received external clock signal CLK.
In a case where XGA (1024×768) display is performed by the liquid crystal display device, however, the period of the external clock signal CLK is limited to the order of 15.38 nano sec (≈65 MHz) and the period of data transmitted at a rate n times that of the external clock signal CLK is as short as 2.20 nano sec (≈455 MHz). Therefore, if there is jitter in the external clock signal CLK transmitted through a cable, a deviation in phase between the transmitted data and the transmitted clock becomes large, so that a period in which the rising and falling of the data becomes uncertain is shifted, resulting in that a range in which data sampling can be done becomes 1 nano second or shorter. Therefore, even when sampling clocks at a speed n times that of the external clock signal CLK can be generated by PLL control, there is a problem that a highly precise data receiving can not be done.
An example of the timing problem due to jitter is shown in an ellipsoidal area in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the rising edges of the respective clocks CK, which are PLL-controlled, do not correspond to the rising edge of the external clock signal CLK. Therefore, if the external clock signal CLK is delayed, the rising edges of the clocks CK are advanced with respect to the rising edge of the external clock signal CLK, so that it becomes impossible to sample the data, which is synchronized with the external clock signal CLK and has a frequency n times that of the external clock signal CLK, that is, a period of one n-th of the period of the external clock signal CLK.

Sampling clock generator circuit and data receiver using the same


A mouthpiece for a single reed musical instrument, such as a clarinet, is made with a tubular body having an outer surface and having a facing angle. The mouthpiece is made so that its facing angle is 4 degrees or less to enable musicians to play music with much fuller and more pleasant sounds then in the prior art.

A. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to an improved woodwind mouthpiece for an instrument, such as clarinet, that provides an improved sound, response, and feel. The mouthpiece has several new features including geometry changes that allow for a steeper facing angle that is not in excess of 4 degrees, a less obtuse relationship between the bore and the chamber, a longer chamber that is at least 1.5 inches, and a deeper baffle at the point where the bore and baffle meet. These innovations create improved ergonomics for the player's comfort, more depth of sound, better response, and more stability, for instrumentalists of all levels.
B. Description of the Prior Art
The clarinet, invented in the early 1700's is a member of the woodwind family of instruments that along with the saxophone and in some cases the oboe and bassoon use a mouthpiece and reed for its source of vibration. The mouthpiece has a window, facing, sound baffle, chamber, and a bore, and it can easily be mounted to the body of its instrument or removed when necessary. A single flat cane or synthetic reed is clamped to the mouthpiece facing that is over the sound baffle and opening. The reed subsequently vibrates when a player blows into the top portion of the mouthpiece.
In an attempt to improve playability such as intonation, tone, and response, since their origination, there have been numerous modifications made not only to clarinets and all other single reed instruments, but also to their mouthpieces. Today, there remain structural differences between clarinets depending on country of origin. For instance, the bores associated with mouthpieces and clarinets designed and produced for the German school of playing are generally larger in dimension than instrument and mouthpiece bores of the French school of playing. These differences in bore size and key configuration attributed to the French-Boehm and German-Ohler systems also require mouthpieces that are made with slightly different bore sizes and internal details, and the change in physical characteristics of the clarinet body or mouthpiece results in a change in the tonal quality and playing techniques associated with each instrument.
So in an ongoing pursuit for a better playing experience, music instrument technicians continue their efforts to improve mouthpieces by changing various physical characteristics to make them more comfortable for a player to use, and help a player produce a better tone. The numerous components of mouthpiece design, that when altered create meaningful change in a musician's playing experience include the bore, chamber, baffle, throat, rails, window, and facing. The bore, is the tube that connects into the clarinet and can be altered by both width and length, but must balance with the chamber volume to maintain the correct total volume for ideal intonational characteristics. The chamber must be of the correct volume for pitch, but it can vary in shape as the sidewalls can be tilted to create an "A-frame" shape or they can be parallel. If the sidewalls are narrower, the tone is more concentrated whereas a wider throat and greater "A-frame" angle creates a broader tone, and less resistance. The floor of the chamber is also known as the baffle. When the baffle is deeper the sound becomes softer and when the baffle is higher, especially near the tip, the sound becomes brighter. The baffle shape also influences the speed of resonance and response. The window can vary in length and width, but when made too wide, the tone becomes more diffused and lacks core, whereas a window that is too narrow can create a tight, resistant feel that is resistant to the air. The facing has two components; the table and the curve. The curve, although not easily visible to the eye is the part of the mouthpiece that the reed vibrates against, and it curves downwardly toward the tip of the mouthpiece. Altering the gap and creating different tip openings and or types of curve (elliptical, radial) have important influence over all elements of the playing experience. The table is the part of the mouthpiece that the reed is fastened to, and it is best produced with either a flat or concave surface. All of these components influence one another and their correct balance is important in influencing a musicians sound, response, pitch, or overall playing experience.
A further parameter that has an important effect on the sound from a clarinet is the playing posture of the player, i.e., the angle at which the instrument is held. Clarinet teachers around the world instruct their students to hold the clarinet closer to their body as opposed to a more horizontal trumpet-like playing posture that has been adapted by jazz clarinetists (such as the late Benny Goodman) who often play with the clarinet oriented outward towards a more horizontal alignment. However the existing clarinet mouthpieces are shaped such that they do not promote an optimal posture and, hence, the sound produced by the clarinet is not as good as it could be.

Mouthpiece for a woodwind musical instrument


In a method for classifying a sequence of records into events based upon feature values, such as time and/or location, associated with each of the records, feature differences between consecutive records are determined. The feature differences are ranked. A sequence of three or more clusters of feature differences is computed. The clusters are arranged in decreasing order of relative likelihood of respective feature differences representing separations between events. The records can be inclusive of images.

Pictorial images and other records are often classified by event, for convenience in retrieving, reviewing, albuming, and otherwise manipulating the images. Typically, this has been achieved by manually or by automated methods. In some cases, images and other records have been further classified by dividing events into subeverits. Further divisions are sometimes provided.
Although the presently known and utilized methods for partitioning images are satisfactory, there are drawbacks. Manual classification is effective, but is slow and burdensome unless the number of images is small. Automated methods are available, but tend to have a number of constraints, such as inherent inaccuracy due to lack of consistency, flexibility, and precision.
Some automated methods partition images into groups having similar image characteristics based upon color, shape or texture. This approach can be used to classify by event, but is inherently difficult when used for that purpose. "Home Photo Content Modeling for Personalized Event-Based Retrieval", Lim, J-H, et al., IEEE Multimedia, Vol. 10(4), October-December 2003, pages 28-37 discloses classification of images by event using image content.
Many images are accompanied by metadata, that is, associated non-image information that can be used to help grouping the images. One example of such metadata is chronological data, such as date and time, and geographic data, such as Global Positioning System ("GPS") geographic position data. These types of data are particularly suitable for grouping by event, since events are limited temporally and usually limited spatially. Users have long grouped images manually by looking at each image and sorting by chronology and geography. The above-cited article by Lim et al., suggests use of chronological and geographic data in automated image classification by event using image content.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,606,411, to A. Loui, and E. Pavie, entitled "A method for automatically classifying images into events," issued Aug. 12, 2003 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,556, to A. Loui, and E. Pavie, entitled "A method for automatically comparing content of images for classification into events," issued Feb. 26, 2002, disclose clustering image content by events using a two-means event clustering algorithm. Two-means event clustering uses both time and image content to group images.
The 2-means algorithm establishes event boundaries in two general steps. First, the set is divided into events based on the time difference between images. The images are then compared across the event borders and events are merged as necessary. Once event boundaries are established with the procedure above, additional steps are taken to further divide the events into sub-events. Like event detection, this process involves multiple steps and considers both image content and date-time. However, the role of the two information sources is reversed. The algorithm first compares the content of adjacent images and tentatively marks sub-event boundaries. These sub-events are then checked against the date-time information and are merged if the boundaries don't align with real time differences.
Although the 2-means algorithm taught by these references can yield fair or good results, extensive tests revealed problems with its consistency. When image sets included large time differences, they were often skewed by these values, resulting in fewer found events. In the most extreme cases, the addition of a single image prevented the detection of all other events. This consistency problem is a shortcoming.
It would thus be desirable to provide automatic clustering methods, computer programs, and apparatus, which can automatically classify and sort large collections of images relatively consistently and with a relatively low rate of error.


A coating film (43) in which a plurality of fluoric resin particles (45) are dispersed in a matrix resin (44) is formed on the surface of a base material (41). Each exposed part (45a) of the fluoric resin particles (45) which is exposed at the surface of the coating film (43) is crushed to expand therearound to increase the area of the exposed part, increasing the amount of a fluorine element existing in a sliding face portion.

Fluoric resins typified by PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), which have low friction resistance and excellent abrasion resistance, are used for sliding members. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a coating obtained by adding a fluoric resin powder to a urethane resin as a binder is prepared and applied to an aluminum alloy plate for a recording medium cassette shatter to form a coating film having a coefficient of kinetic friction between 0.03 and 0.20 and a surface roughness Ra of 0.2 μm or larger.
Further, Patent Document 2 discloses that the maximum surface roughness of resin-made members that slide to each other is set in the range between 1 μm and 100 μm, both inclusive, and a fluorine-containing coating agent is applied to the sliding face of one of the members, thereby reducing the amount of abrasion at the sliding faces of both the resin-made members.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 10-106215A    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid Open Publication No. 09-212967A

Sliding member, sliding member manufacturing method, and coating for sliding member


Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and program product for dynamically updating an input language of a smart physical keyboard. A local computer receives an indication that a remote session has been started, where starting the remote session includes the local computer accessing a remote computer. The local computer determines a keyboard input language for the remote session. The local computer then updates one or more keys of a smart physical keyboard to display the keyboard input language for the remote session.

A smart physical keyboard is a hardware device that uses LED or ePaper technology to graphically display a character on each key as opposed to a physical keyboard where the characters are painted or physically written onto each key. Keys of a smart physical keyboard are accessed in a similar manner as the keys of a physical keyboard. However, the keyboard layout of a smart physical keyboard, i.e., the character graphically displayed on each key, can be changed or updated by accessing and changing the keyboard input language.
A keyboard input language is software that denotes the specific layout of a keyboard. A keyboard device driver uses the keyboard input language as a way to map from a specific keystroke to a specific character. Keyboard input languages may vary from country to country. The most common keyboard input language is the "QWERTY" layout. Other common keyboard input languages include the "QWERTZ" layout and the "AZERTY" layout. A user may install multiple keyboard input languages on their computing device and manually switch between the keyboard input languages as needed. Having multiple keyboard input language on a single computing device can be useful if a user is interested in typing in a foreign language that features keys that are not present on a standard "QWERTY" layout, or if the user wishes to type using the keyboard layout which the user is more familiar with. However, switching manually between keyboard input languages can be quite tedious, especially if the user desires to frequently move back and forth between the languages.

Dynamically updating a smart physical keyboard

International Business Machines Corporation


Disclosed are a system and a method for optimizing a handover process in a mobile broadband wireless access system. The method performs handover in a mobile communication system including a mobile subscriber station, a serving base station currently providing service to the mobile subscriber station, and at least one neighbor base stations adjacent to the serving base station. The method includes the steps of receiving a handover request from the mobile subscriber station by the serving base station; instructing the mobile subscriber station to perform handover by the serving base station in response to the handover request from the mobile subscriber station and performing by the mobile subscriber station a network reentry process for fast handover in accordance with information included in a handover instruction from the serving base station.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and a method for handover in a mobile communication system, and more particularly to a system and a method for optimizing a handover process, which can reduce handover time delay in a broadband mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a 4th generation (hereinafter, referred to as a 4G) communication system, which is the next generation communication system, research has been actively pursued to provide users with services having various quality of services (hereinafter, referred to as a QoSs) and supporting a transmission speed of about 100 Mbps. Especially, in a current 4G communication system, research has been actively pursued to develop a new type of communication system ensuring mobility and QoS in the wireless Local Area Network (LAN) system and the wireless Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) system supporting relatively high transmission speeds, and support a high speed service to be provided by the 4G communication system. As representatives of such new type communication systems, an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16a communication system and an IEEE 802.16e communication system have been developed.
The IEEE 802.16a communication system and an IEEE 802.16e communication system employ an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) scheme and an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) scheme in order to support broadband transmission network for a physical channel of the wireless MAN system.
The IEEE 802.16a communication system is a system for only a single structure without reflecting the mobility of a Subscriber Station (SS) at all, in which the SS is in a stationary state. In contrast, the IEEE 802.16e communication system is a system reflecting the mobility of SS, and the SS having the mobility will be referred to as a Mobile Subscriber Station (MSS).
Hereinafter, the structure of the conventional IEEE 802.16e communication system will be described with reference to FIG. 1 which is a block diagram schematically illustrating a structure of a conventional mobile communication system (e.g. the IEEE 802.16e communication system).
The IEEE 802.16e communication system has a multi-cell structure including a cell 100 and a cell 150. Further, the IEEE 802.16e communication system includes a Base Station (BS) 110 controlling the cell 100, a BS 140 controlling the cell 150, and a plurality of MSSs 111, 113, 130, 151 and 153. The transmission/reception of signals between the BS 110 and 140 and the MSSs 111, 113, 130, 151 and 153 is accomplished using an OFDM/OFDMA method. Herein, the MSS 130 is located in an overlapping area (i.e., a handover area) between the cell 100 and the cell 150. Accordingly, when the MSS 130 moves further into the cell 150 controlled by the BS 140 while transmitting/receiving a signal with the BS 110, a serving BS for the MSS 130 changes from the BS 110 to the BS 140.
Hereinafter, a typical process of handover will be discussed with reference to FIG. 2 which is a flow diagram illustrating a typical handover process.
First, an MSS 210 linked to a serving BS (BS #1) 220 tries to connect to a new BS when a status of the link to the serving BS 220 degrades below a predetermined threshold. In order to determine suitable base stations which can serve as a new serving base station, the MSS 210 scans linkable neighbor BSs, for example, BS #2 230, BS #3 240 and BS #4 250 (Step 201). Thereafter, based on the determination, the MSS 210 selects BSs (e.g., BS #2 230, BS #3 240) to which the MSS 210 will request handover. Then, the MSS 210 transmits to the serving BS 220 an MSS handover request (MOB_MSSHO_REQ) message including the recommended neighbor BSs 230 and 240 and the scanned result (Step 203). Upon receiving the MOB_MSSHO_REQ message, the serving BS 220 transmits a handover pre-notification (HO_pre_notification) message reporting the handover request by the MSS 210 to the recommended neighbor BSs (i.e., BS #2 230 and BS #3 240) contained in the MOB_MSSHO_REQ message (Steps 205 and 207, respectively). The HO_pre_notification message includes a required bandwidth and required service quality information of the MSS 210. Upon receiving the HO_pre_notification message, the neighbor BSs 230 and 240 transmit to the serving BS 220 a response (HO_pre_notification_response) message including approval or disapproval of the handover request of the MSS 210 which is based on their own resource statuses (Steps 209 and 211, respectively). Thereafter, the serving BS 220 determines BSs to which the MSS 210 can be handovered and transmits a handover response (MOB_BSHO_RSP) message including the determined BSs to the MSS 210 (Step 215). Here, the MOB_BSHO_RSP message includes one or more BSs. Thereafter, the serving BS 220 transmits a handover confirmation (HO_confirm) message to the target BS one of the recommended target BSs (e.g. BS #3 240) included in the MOB_BSHO_RSP message so that the BS can prepare the handover of the MSS 210 (Step 213).
Upon receiving the MOB_BSHO_RSP message, the MSS 210 determines a target BS to which handover will be performed from among the recommended target BSs included in the MSS_BSHO_RSP message and transmits to the serving BS 220 a handover indication (MOB_HO_IND) message including the determined BS (Step 217). Upon receiving the MOB_HO_IND message from the MSS 210, the serving BS 220 releases the wireless connection channel with the MSS 210 (Step 219).
Then, the MSS 210 performs a network reentry process with the neighbor BS (e.g. BS #3 240) included in the MOB_HO_IND message (Steps 221-225). Hereinafter, the neighbor BS to which the MSS 210 moves and newly connects will be referred to as a target BS. After performing the network reentry process, the MSS 210 sets a new wireless connection channel with the target BS 240. The network reentry process with the target BS 240 is similar to the network entry process with the serving BS 220 and includes the steps of: (1) downlink/uplink parameter acquisition; (2) ranging; (3) basic capability re-negotiation; (4) re-authorization; (5) re-register; and (6) re-establishment of IP connectivity. Finally, the MSS 210 having established a new wireless connection channel with the target BS 240 can continue the data transmission (Step 227). According to the construction as described above, in the course of releasing the wireless connection channel with the existing serving BS and establishing a new wireless connection channel with the target BS, the existing serving BS deletes the service context of the MSS at the following time point. That is to say, the serving BS deletes the service context at the time point when receiving the MOB_HO_IND message from the MSS or at the time point when receiving a handover completion message from the target BS after establishment of a new wireless connection channel between the MSS and the target BS is completed. Here, the handover completion message has yet to be defined in detail.
The existing handover method in which the MSS releases the existing wireless connection channel with the serving BS and establishes a new wireless connection channel with the target BS at the time of handover as described above has the following disadvantages.
Specifically, according to the existing handover method, frequent handover is necessary when an MSS frequently moves between different cells controlled by different BSs and a network reentry process causing a delay is necessary whenever the handover is performed. Therefore, according to the existing handover method, interruption of data transmission/reception due to handover may increase and become unacceptable.
Further, if the handover process is initiated when the signal from the serving BS has a Carrier to Interference and Noise Ratio (CINR) is smaller than that of a neighbor BS, the MOB_MSSHO_REQ message, the MOB_BSHO_RSP message and MOB_HO_IND message must be transmitted even in a state in which the connection between the MSS and the serving BS is poor. In this case, a transmission error or a delay due to a retransmission may occur which can cause further delays and service interruptions. Moreover, a random access delay may occur when the MSS transmits the MOB_MSSHO_REQ message and the MOB_HO_IND message. Therefore, depending on the length of the time delay, the connection with the serving BS may be interrupted even before the handover process is completed.

System and method for optimizing handover in mobile communication system


Disclosure includes a control method for over voltage protection, suitable for a power converter. The power converter has a rectifier for rectifying an alternative-current voltage into a direct-current input voltage. The direct-current input voltage is sensed and determined whether it locates in a valley. A detection voltage is provided, capable of representing the direct-current input voltage. The detection voltage is compared with a predetermined reference voltage. When the detection voltage exceeds the predetermined reference voltage and the direct-current input voltage is in the valley, an OVP signal is provided to stop the power conversion of the power converter.

The present disclosure relates generally to over voltage protection for power converters.
Power converters, which usually supply power to appliances used in daily life, need to be equipped with protection mechanism to prevent abnormal satiations from damaging users or surroundings. For example, a power converter that powers light emitting diodes for lighting must have over-voltage protection (OVP) so as to avoid over voltage occurring in its outputs, which might cause electric shock to human beings if touched.
FIG. 1 demonstrates a conventional power converter 10. Bridge rectifier 12 provides full-wave rectification to alternative-current (AC) mains voltage VAC to generate rectified direct-current (DC) input voltage VIN and a ground line. Power converter 10 is a buck converter having LED module 14 as a load, which connects in series with a primary winding PRM in a transformer, between DC input voltage VIN and the ground line. Power controller 17 has a power switch 18, which, when turned on (as being in a conduction state), energizes primary winding PRM and conducts a driving current to illuminate LED module 14. When power switch 18 is turned off (as being in a non-conduction state), primary winding PRM starts to release its stored energy to generate another driving current, which passes wheel diode 16 to keep LED module 14 illuminating. Current-sense resistor 20 provides to power controller 17 current-sense signal VCS, a representative of the current passing through power switch 18.
If a LED open event happens to LED module 14, meaning that at least one LED in LED module 14 is open or cannot conduct current, driving voltage VLED could rocket if there is no corresponding protection mechanism, or OVP, built in power controller 17. The two end terminals of LED module 14, which meanwhile has a drop voltage the same with the rocket-high driving voltage VLED, could cause severe electric shock to anyone whoever touches them, endangering human beings.
Power controller 17 in FIG. 1 detects driving voltage VLED, through the help from the combination of node VOP, voltage divider 22 and secondary winding SEC. When the transformer de-energizes to release its stored energy, the voltage across primary winding PRM is about the summation of driving voltage VLED and the forward voltage of wheel diode 16, and the voltage across secondary winding SEC is in proportion to that across primary winding PRM. Accordingly, in case that the voltage at node VOP exceeds a certain limit when the transforming de-energizes, it implies driving voltage VLED is somehow over high, and, responsively, power controller 17 could continuously turn off power switch 18 to stop power conversion of power converter 10, achieving OVP.

Control methods for over voltage protection and relevant power controllers


The image displaying apparatus includes an image production apparatus, a first light conduction section and a second light conduction section. The first light conduction section includes a first light conduction plate which propagates part of incident light thereto by total reflection in the inside thereof and emits the propagated light, and a reflection type volume hologram diffraction grating disposed on the first light conduction plate. The second light conduction section includes a second light conduction plate, a first deflection section and a second deflection section.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical apparatus and an image displaying apparatus in which the optical apparatus is incorporated.
2. Description of the Related Art
A virtual image displaying apparatus as an image displaying apparatus wherein a virtual image optical system allows a two-dimensional image formed by an image formation apparatus to be observed as an enlarged virtual image by an observer is well known, for example, from JP-T-2005-521099 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-162767.
As conceptually illustrated in FIG. 25, the image displaying apparatus 900 mentioned includes an image formation apparatus 911 including a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix, a collimate optical system 912 for converting light emitted from the pixels of the image formation apparatus 911 into parallel light and a light conduction section 930 for receiving, conducting and emitting the parallel light from the collimate optical system 912. The light conduction section 930 includes a light conduction plate 931 for propagating incident light in the inside thereof by total reflection and then emitting the propagated light therefrom, a first deflection section 940 formed, for example, from a single-layer light reflecting film for reflecting the light incident to the light conduction plate 931 such that the light incident to the light conduction plate 931 is totally reflected in the inside of the light conduction plate 931 and a second deflection section 950 formed, for example, from a light reflecting multi-layer film having a multi-layer lamination structure for emitting the light propagated in the inside of the light conduction plate 931 by total reflection from the light conduction plate 931. If, for example, a head-mounted display (HMD) unit is formed from such an image displaying apparatus 900 as described above, then reduction in weight and size of the apparatus can be achieved.
Alternatively, a virtual image displaying apparatus as an image displaying apparatus in which a hologram diffraction grating is used in order to allow an observer to observe a two-dimensional image formed by an image formation apparatus as an enlarged virtual image by a virtual image optical system is known, for example, from Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-094175 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-012530.
As conceptually illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27, the image displaying apparatus 1000 mentioned above includes, as basic components thereof, an image formation apparatus 1011 for displaying an image, a collimate optical system 1012 and a virtual image optical system or light conduction section 1030 which receives light displayed by the image formation apparatus 1011 and conducts the inputted light to the pupil 41 of an observer. The light conduction section 1030 includes a light conduction plate 1031, and a first diffraction grating member 1040 and a second diffraction grating member 1050 provided on the light conduction plate 1031 and individually formed from a reflection type volume hologram diffraction grating. Light emitted from pixels of the image formation apparatus 1011 is inputted to the collimate optical system 1012, and parallel light is produced by the collimate optical system 1012 and then is introduced to the light conduction plate 1031. The parallel light enters and outgoes from a first face 1032 of the light conduction plate 1031. Meanwhile, the first diffraction grating member 1040 and the second diffraction grating member 1050 are mounted on a second face 1033 of the light conduction plate 1031 which extends in parallel to the first face 1032 of the light conduction plate 1031.

Image displaying apparatus and optical apparatus


A method for producing a system, including a first microelectromechanical element and a second microelectromechanical element, including the following: providing, a substrate, having the first microelectromechanical element and the second microelectromechanical element, and a cap element, a getter material being situated on the substrate in a first region in a surrounding environment of the first microelectromechanical element and/or on the cap element in a first corresponding region; situating the cap element on the substrate using a wafer bonding technique so that a sealed first chamber is formed that contains the first microelectromechanical element and the first region and/or the first corresponding region, a sealed second chamber being formed that contains the second microelectromechanical element; producing an opening in the second chamber; and sealing the opening at a first ambient pressure, in particular a first gas pressure.

Microelectromechanical sensors for measuring, for example, accelerations, rates of rotation, magnetic fields, or pressures, are known and are produced in mass production at the wafer scale for various automotive and consumer applications. Developments in this area are significantly driven by the continuing miniaturization of the components, saving both space and costs. Correspondingly, systems are becoming more important in which at least two different microelectromechanical systems are situated on one chip, whereby more functionality can be achieved in the same constructive space and the integration density (i.e. the realization of more functionality in the same constructive space) is increased. Such configurations require special production methods with which different sensor types, for example a rotational rate sensor and an acceleration sensor, can be situated in a small constructive space. However, in such systems it is a problem that the different sensor types require different ambient pressures for their respectively optimal functionality. Correspondingly, there is a need for production methods that make it possible to provide different sensors on one chip with different chamber pressures.
Various methods for setting up two caverns having different internal pressures are known from the existing art. For example, from EP 2004542 B1 it is known for a first of two cavities, having a microelectromechanical (MEMS) component, to be provided with a getter material, and for the bonding of the substrate and the cap to take place in a gas atmosphere that has at least one type of gas that can be absorbed by the first getter material. In this way, due to the absorption properties of the getter material, after the activation of the getter material a lower internal pressure is achieved in the first cavity than in the second cavity.
However, in such methods it is a problem that high temperatures are frequently required in wafer bonding processes. For example, in the most commonly used metallic bonding processes, wafer bonding with a eutectic alloy of aluminum and germanium, a temperature above 430° C. is required for the formation of the eutectic phase. However, in most standardly used getter materials, activation already begins significantly below this temperature (in the range above 300° C.). Correspondingly, at the time of the getter activation the bonding frame of the formed chambers/caverns is not yet completely hermetically sealed despite high pressure onto the wafers. On the one hand, in this way a gas exchange may still take place between the cavern, containing the getter material, of the one sensor (for example a rotational rate sensor) and the cavern, free of getter material, of the other sensor (for example an acceleration sensor). On the other hand, a gas diffusion of chips among one another and between chips at the outer wafer edge and the bonding chamber is possible. In the first case, the cavern of the acceleration sensor may be partly evacuated, indirectly and undesirably, via the getter in the rotational rate sensor cavern. In the other case, fresh gas can continuously undergo residual diffusion in chips at the wafer edge until the sorption capacity of the getter in the rotational rate sensor cavern is exhausted. In sum, therefore, it can happen both that the internal pressure in the chamber of the acceleration sensor is too low and that the internal pressure in the chamber of the rotational rate sensor is too high.
An alternative method is known from US 2012 0326248 A1. Here, after the sealing of the caverns, one of the caverns is opened, a suitable pressure is set, and the cavern is then sealed again. Here it is disadvantageous that when the components are exposed to higher temperatures (for example during later process steps such as tempering steps during the further processing of the wafer, or during soldering of the individual components onto the application circuit board) bound process gases such as H2 or possibly argon may be subsequently released from the various parts of the wafer (for example from the oxide layers of a CMOS backend (metal-oxide stack)), which in some circumstances can cause a massive undesirable increase in the cavern internal pressure. Even the application of additional outgassing barriers (for example layers of metal or dielectric), which additionally complicates the production process, cannot reliably prevent such problems in all cases.

Method for producing a system including a first microelectromechanical element and a second microelectromechanical element, and a system


A flexible circuit board for producing a flexible-rigid circuit board composite made of at least one flexible circuit board and at least one rigid circuit board, the at least one flexible circuit board having at least one first planar segment, which interacts as intended in the installed state with at least one second planar segment of the at least one rigid circuit board, wherein the at least one first planar segment comprises at least one flexible connecting element, which is elastically connected to a face of the at least one first planar segment. Furthermore, a flexible-rigid circuit board composite is provided having at least one flexible circuit board, a flexible-rigid circuit board arrangement, and a method and a device for producing a flexible-rigid circuit board composite.

A flexible-rigid circuit board composite represents a hybrid composite of circuit boards, also referred to as PCB (printed circuit board), in which flexible and rigid circuit boards are connected to one another to form a single circuit board composite. The various layers of a multilayer flexible-rigid circuit board composite are typically connected via metallically coated through openings.
U.S. Publication No. 2004/0118595 discloses a circuit board composite made of flexible and rigid circuit boards, in which at least one flexible circuit board is arranged on at least one rigid circuit board. For this purpose, the rigid circuit board intentionally has a structural weak point at a defined position. The structural weak point is used for the purpose of intentionally breaking off the rigid circuit board and connecting the fracture edges to the flexible circuit board.
A method for producing a rigid-flexible printed circuit board composite (PCB) from rigid and flexible circuit boards is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,690,104. The circuit boards are placed on a carrier, on which the circuit boards are aligned to one another so that the bond regions of the flexible circuit board overlap with the bond regions of the rigid circuit board. The aligned circuit boards are subsequently pressed together and sent through a reflow furnace, with the solder on the circuit boards melting and, after the solidification, the circuit boards and electrical components located thereon being mechanically and electrically connected.
The fastening of flexible connecting bridges to rigid or stiffened PCBs is typically performed to utilize the advantages of packaging, i.e., construction and connection technology, with flexible substrates in costly electronic components, in which significantly more cost-effective rigid circuit boards are used for reasons of cost. Such a connection step, typically by means of hot bar soldering or laser soldering, is performed in discrete steps, circuit by circuit.
The additional handling and positioning of isolated flexible connecting bridges and PCB structures is difficult to automate, which results in high production costs and decreases the cycle time for the production of the flexible connections. In small PCB structures, as are used in medical implants, these problems are increased still further.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the above-identified problems.
The present invention is based on an object of providing a flexible circuit board which allows extensive automation of the production method of a flexible-rigid circuit board composite.
A further object is the provision of a flexible circuit board arrangement having at least one flexible circuit board for a flexible-rigid circuit board composite, which allows extensive automation of the production method of a flexible-rigid circuit board composite.
Yet a further object is to provide a flexible-rigid circuit board composite which is producible cost-effectively with high precision and is suitable, in particular, for electronics in medical implants.
Still a further object comprises providing an improved method for producing a flexible-rigid circuit board composite.

Flexible-rigid circuit board composite and method for producing a flexible-rigid circuit board composite