The present invention provides a hardware accelerator, which allows faster switching between processing modes. In an information processing device with a bytecode accelerator BCA for translating a stack-based intermediate code (bytecode) into register-based instructions, a selector SEL for switching between BCA and soft VM is posed between an instruction part FET and a decode part DEC and data transfer paths P4 and P5 are formed between BCA and the register file REG_FILE. When bytecode accelerator BCA is activated, the P3 side is selected by the selector SEL and the translated CPU instructions are transferred to the decode part DEC. If the intermediate language code cannot be translated by the BCA, the processing mode is switched to software processing. During switching between the modes, internal information of BCA can be transferred between BCA and REG_FILE in parallel, achieving faster mode switching.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit used in a microprocessor and in particular, to an information processing device, which mounts a hardware accelerator for translating codes in a given intermediate language into instructions specific to each of microprocessor types.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, applications written in the Java™ language have been increasingly used in cell phones and mobile computers. Java developed by Sun Microsystems is an object-oriented programming language analogous to C++. Note that "Java" is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems. Java has been widely accepted for such a reason that Java programs are executed after being translated from the codes in the intermediate language into the instructions specific to each of microprocessor CPU types using a virtual machine. With the virtual machine mounted, any CPU has a high portability because Java applications can be executed whatever be the CPU type. Note that the intermediate language describes the codes, also called bytecodes, compiled for obtaining the executable Java object program.
As commonly known, since the virtual machine (hereafter, simply referred to as "VM"), which is generally provided by software (hereafter, simply referred to as "soft VM"), interprets and executes individual bytecodes using an interpreter, causing its processing speed to slow, an attempt to speed up processing is made by executing frequently used bytecodes on hardware in some cases. One of these cases is disclosed in PC 2000-507015 (WO 98/21655, PCT/U.S. 07/20980).
Prior to submission of the present application, the inventors of the present invention evaluated consistency between the result from translation of the intermediate language codes (bytecodes) by soft VM and that by hardware typically as in the Java language mentioned above. This means that if hardware is used in translating the bytecodes into instructions in the target language specific to the computer (hereafter, simply referred to as CPU instructions), it is ideal that all the bytecodes can be translated by hardware. Some bytecodes, however, have complex functions and when they are translated, a large amount of CPU codes may be generated ranging from several tens to several hundreds. For this reason, since it is difficult to execute all the bytecodes by hardware, only some of bytecodes are processed by it. This avoids scaling up of hardware involved in executing all the bytecodes by hardware only. Thus, it is required to switch between hardware processing and software processing as appropriate when bytecodes are translated.
FIGS. 9A and 9B show schematic views explaining how to switch between hardware processing and software processing according to the present invention. FIG. 9A shows application software APP1 (the bytecodes) and application software APP2 (the CPU codes), both of which are located on a memory map. Since APP2 is described by a CPU instruction NC, it can be directly executed with no need for translation.
On the contrary, before APP1 (the bytecode) can be executed, it must have been translated into its corresponding CPU instructions. The instructions used in APP1 may be grouped into the following three types from the standpoint of translation and execution. Specifically, C1 is an instruction in the first group of bytecodes and translated by soft VM. This means that C1 is the instruction not supported by a hardware translator. The next C2 is the instruction in the second group of bytecodes and translated by the hardware translator. The third C3 is the instruction in the third group of bytecodes and indicates an action to be taken when a Java run-time exception occurs during execution. The Java run-time exception occurs when the semantic constraint of the Java language is violated. For example, the exception, which occurs when an integer is divided by a divisor 0 (zero), is defined as Arithmetic Exception. When the Java run-time exception is detected, the control is transferred to soft VM and the exception is processed by an error handling routine integrated in soft VM. Since neglecting C3 may induce runaway of the microcomputer itself, any correct error handling action must always be taken.
FIG. 9B shows execution status of a group of C1 to C3 instructions. S indicates the process executed by soft VM while H indicates that by hardware. At this point, to switch from S to H, a hardware start-up process ACT_H must be added and to switch from H to S, a hardware end and soft VM start-up process END_H must be added. The inventors are aware that if switching between S and H are frequently performed using enable and disable instructions for enabling and disabling execution by hardware or if the Java exception occurs during execution by hardware, ACT_H or END_H might occur, causing the processing speed to slow.

Hardware accelerator for a platform-independent code


A heat-transfer label that is well-suited for use on untreated polyethylene. In one embodiment, the label includes a support portion, the support portion comprising a paper carrier web. The label also includes a wax release layer overcoating the paper carrier web. The label further comprises a transfer portion printed on top of the wax release layer, the transfer portion including a protective lacquer layer, an ink layer and an adhesive layer. The protective lacquer layer is printed onto the wax release layer and comprises a polyester resin, castor oil and a chlorinated polypropylene capable of immobilizing the ink layer relative to the protective lacquer. The ink layer, which comprises an acrylic ink, is printed onto the protective lacquer layer. The adhesive layer is printed over the ink layer and comprises a polyamide resin, ethyl vinyl acetate, erucamide and a chlorinated polyethylene resin.

The present invention relates generally to heat-transfer labels and more particularly to a novel heat-transfer label particularly well-suited for use on untreated polyethylene surfaces and the like.
Heat-transfer labels are commonly used in the decorating and/or labelling of commercial articles, such as, and without limitation to, containers for beverages, essential oils, detergents, adverse chemicals, and health and beauty aids, as well as flat surfaces. As can readily be appreciated, heat-transfer labels are desirably resistant to abrasion and chemical effects in order to avoid a loss of label information and desirably possess good adhesion to the articles to which they are affixed.
One well-known type of heat-transfer label is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,015, inventor Kingston, which issued October, 1971, and which is incorporated herein by reference. In the aforementioned patent, there is disclosed a heat-transfer label comprising a paper sheet or web, a wax release layer affixed to the paper sheet, and an ink design layer printed on the wax release layer. In the heat-transfer labelling process, the label-carrying web is subjected to heat, and the label is pressed onto an article with the ink design layer making direct contact with the article. As the paper sheet is subjected to heat, the wax layer begins to melt so that the paper sheet can be released from the ink design layer, a portion of the wax layer being transferred with the ink design layer and a portion of the wax layer remaining with the paper sheet. After transfer of the design to the article, the paper sheet is immediately removed, leaving the design firmly affixed to the article and the wax transferred therewith exposed to the environment. The wax layer is thus intended to serve two purposes: (1) to provide release of the ink design from the web upon application of heat to the web and (2) to form a protective layer over the transferred ink design. After transfer of the label to the article, the transferred wax release layer is typically subjected to a post-flaming technique which enhances the optical clarity of the wax protective layer (thereby enabling the ink design layer therebeneath to be better observed) and which enhances the protective properties of the transferred wax release.
In some heat-transfer labels, an adhesive layer (e.g., solvent-soluble polyamide, acrylic or polyester) is deposited over the ink design to facilitate adhesion of the label onto a receiving article. An example of a heat-transfer label having an adhesive layer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,857, inventor Galante, which issued Oct. 22, 1985, and which is incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, in some heat-transfer labels, a protective lacquer layer is interposed between the wax release layer and the ink layer. An example of such a label is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,422, inventor Daniels, which issued Jan. 17, 1984, and which is incorporated herein by reference.
One phenomenon that has been noted with heat-transfer labels of the type described above containing a wax release layer is that, quite often, a degree of hazing or a "halo" is noticeable over the transferred label when the transfer is made onto clear materials. This "halo" effect, which persists despite post-flaming and which may detract from the appearance of the label, is a result of the nature of the wax coating around the outer borders of the transferred ink design layer. Hazing due to the wax release layer may also appear in "open-copy" areas of the label, i.e., areas of the label where no ink is present between the adhesive and protective lacquer layers, and also may detract from the appearance of the label.
In addition to and related to the aforementioned problem of hazing, when heat-transfer labels of the type described above are applied to dark-colored containers, the outer wax layer of the label often appears as a whitish coating on the container, which effect is undesirable in many instances. Furthermore, scratches and similar abrasions to the outer wax layer of the label can occur easily and are readily detectable.
Accordingly, to address the aforementioned issues, considerable effort has been expended in replacing or obviating the need for a wax release layer. One such wax-less, heat-transfer label is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,435, inventor Asnes, which issued Nov. 25, 1975. In the aforementioned patent, the layer of wax is replaced with a layer of a non-wax resin. This non-wax resinous layer is referred to in the patent as a dry release since it does not transfer to the article along with the ink design layer. In a preferred embodiment of the patent, the non-wax resinous layer comprises a thermoset polymeric resin, such as cross-linked resins selected from the group consisting of acrylic resins, polyamide resins, polyester resins, vinyl resins and epoxy resins.
Another example of a wax-less, heat-transfer label is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,300, inventors Parker et al., which issued Jun. 19, 1990, and which is incorporated herein by reference. In the aforementioned patent, the label, which is said to be particularly well-suited for use on high density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride and polyethylene terephthalate surfaces or containers, comprises a paper carrier web which is overcoated with a layer of polyethylene. A protective lacquer layer comprising a polyester resin and a relatively small amount of a nondrying oil is printed onto the polyethylene layer. An ink design layer comprising a resinous binder base selected from the group consisting of polyvinylchloride, acrylics, polyamides and nitrocellulose is then printed onto the protective lacquer layer. A heat-activatable adhesive layer comprising a thermoplastic polyamide adhesive is then printed onto the ink design layer.
Although the above-described wax-less, heat-transfer label substantially reduces the wax-related effects discussed previously, said label does not quite possess the same release characteristics of heat-transfer labels containing a wax release layer. Accordingly, another type of heat-transfer label differs from the heat-transfer label disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,300, only in that a very thin layer or "skim coat" of a waxlike material is interposed between the polyethylene release layer and the protective lacquer layer to improve the release of the protective lacquer from the polyethylene-coated carrier web. The thickness of the skim coat corresponds to approximately 0.1-0.4 lbs. of the waxlike material spread onto about 3000 square feet of the polyethylene release layer.
An example of the aforementioned type of heat-transfer label, which has been used by the assignee of the present application to label polypropylene bottle caps, comprises a paper carrier web overcoated with a layer of polyethylene. A skim coat is overcoated on the polyethylene layer. A protective lacquer layer comprising vinyl and polyester resins is printed on the skim coat. An ink design layer comprising vinyl and polyester resins is printed on the protective lacquer layer. A heat-activatable adhesive layer comprising an acrylic resin, a chlorinated polyolefin and a plasticizer is printed on the ink design layer. The acrylic resin is a butyl methacrylate resin, such as ELVACITE.RTM. 2045, which is commercially available from ICI Acrylics Inc. (Wilmington, Del.). The chlorinated polyolefin is commercially available from Eastman Chemical Products, Inc. (Kingsport, Tenn.) as chlorinated polyolefin CP-343-1. The plasticizer is a glyceryl tribenzoate, such as BENZOFLEX.RTM. S-404, which is commercially available from Velsicol Chemical Corporation (Chicago, Ill.).
Heat-transfer labels of the types described above, both of the wax-release variety and of the skim-coat variety, have been used to decorate a variety of articles, including high-density polyethylene (HDPE) containers and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) containers. One example of a heat-transfer label which has been used by the assignee of the present application to decorate polyethylene (PE) containers comprises a paper carrier web overcoated with a wax release layer (approximately 6-8 lbs. wax/3000 square feet of paper carrier web). A protective lacquer layer comprising a polyester resin is printed on the skim coat. An ink design layer comprising a polyamide resin is printed on the protective lacquer layer. A heat-activatable adhesive layer comprising a polyamide resin is printed on the ink design layer.
One disadvantage associated with the use of the aforementioned label on polyethylene is that said label will not adhere to a polyethylene surface unless the polyethylene surface has previously been treated by some oxidizing technique. Typical oxidizing techniques include subjecting the polyethylene surface to corona discharge or flaming the surface with an oxidizing flame. Without wishing to be limited to any particular theory as to why pre-treatment of the polyethylene surface is necessary for the aforementioned label to adhere thereto, it is believed that untreated polyethylene is a low energy surface made up primarily of hydrocarbons whereas oxidized or treated polyethylene is a relatively higher energy surface which additionally includes ketones, carboxylic acid groups, etc. Accordingly, because the pre-treated polyethylene surface is a higher energy surface than the untreated polyethylene surface, it is more receptive to binding to the polyamide adhesive layer of the above-described label.
Another disadvantage associated with the aforementioned label is that said label, when applied to treated polyethylene, readily suffers degradation and separation from its associated polyethylene surface when the labelled polyethylene surface is "wet-flexed." "Wet-flexing" typically comprises soaking a labelled polyethylene container in a cool water bath having a sonicator for about 20 minutes, repeatedly squeezing or bending the container for a period of time, and then subjecting the container to a "tape test." A "tape test" involves applying a strip of tape to the label, removing the strip of tape from the container, and then assessing the integrity of the label. As can readily be appreciated, the inability of a label to withstand "wet-flexing" limits the usefulness of such a label on polyethylene containers of the type that are frequently squeezed under wet conditions. Because high density polyethylene containers are considerably more rigid than low density polyethylene containers and are not typically intended for applications where they will be squeezed repeatedly, the ability of a label to withstand "wet-flex" is typically less important for high density polyethylene containers than for low density polyethylene containers.
Another example of a heat-transfer label which has been used by the assignee of the present application to decorate treated polyethylene containers differs from the above-described label in that its adhesive layer comprises a different type of polyamide resin and in that its protective lacquer layer comprises a different type of polyester resin. Said label, however, also suffers from the disadvantage that it will not adhere to untreated polyethylene. Nevertheless, if a polyethylene container is pretreated under appropriate conditions, said label will adhere thereto and the resultant labelled container will pass "wet-flex."


A staging system for construction of a portable performance stage having support units for supporting one or more of the deck panels. The support units having two or more, and preferably four, panel locator pins. One of the locator pins is a stationary pin. The others are capable of being pivoted to a retracted position.

Portable staging is often composed of deck panels arranged edge-to-edge and supported on vertical legs. In accordance with this invention, the legs are provided with support units having two or more locator pins. One of the locator pins is preferably stationary and the rest are retractable. In a preferred embodiment, there is one upright locator pin which is stationary and three additional pins which may be individually shifted from an upright position to a retracted position. When upright, each pin engages and locates a deck panel. In a single deck panel configuration, only the stationary pin is upright. One or more additional locator pins may be shifted to upright position as needed to locate adjacent deck panels.
It is an object of the invention to support one or more deck panels in a platform stage by an arrangement of locator pins having the foregoing features.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent in the following specification and claims in which the invention is described together with details to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the invention, all in connection with the best mode presently contemplated for the invention.

Retractable locators for deck panels of portable staging


A composition comprising a tetrahydrocannabinol compound, a solvent and an acid, wherein the tetrahydrocannabinol compound may be Δ8 tetrahydrocannabinol, (−)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol or a side chain alkyl derivative of either compound, the solvent may be an oil or C1-C4 alcohol (e.g. sesame oil or ethanol), and the acid may be an organic acid or a mineral acid.

The compound (−)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol is the active ingredient in marijuana. It is used therapeutically as an inhalant or an oral drug for stimulation of appetite among AIDS and cancer chemotherapy patients. Tetrahydrocannabinols (THCs) can be isolated from marijuana (a mixture of leaves and flowering heads of the plant Cannabis Sativa). Alternatively, THCs can be obtained by synthetic routes, e.g. as described in WO 02/096899.
Pure (−)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol that has been produced synthetically and purified is unstable and is liable to degrade to products such as cannabinol (which is inactive) and Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol (which is less potent). Although Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol has similar activity to as (−)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol it is only approx. 75% as potent and also tends to degrade to other compounds including cannabinol. Dissolving the (−)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol in a solvent or carrier improves the stability, but it is still usual to store the solutions under refrigerated conditions, e.g. at 5° C., to prevent degradation. The present inventors have sought to improve the stability of solutions of (−)-Δ9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol and Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol.


Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods, apparatus, and articles related to code combination for GPS III, and more particularly, to methods and apparatuses for enabling signal modulation that potentially may minimize power throw away for target code power ratios by shifting linear signal constellation points radially to a circle of equal amplitude, e.g., where the circumference represents e.g. the average RMS power of the original linear signals.

Advances in technology and new demands on the existing Global Positioning System (GPS) led to an effort to modernize the GPS system. In 2000, U.S. Congress authorized the effort, referred to as GPS III. One of the key changes was the addition of two new L1 codes, taking the total signal codes transmitted by each GPS satellite from 3 to 5 signal codes per channel.
One of the key parameters of GPS navigation is ranging information. This information is obtained from the pseudo-random codes transmitted from the GPS satellites. A key characteristic of the pseudo-random codes is that they are orthogonal to each other, to the same codes from a different space vehicle, and to different time shifts of themselves. The GPS receiver independently generates local replicas of the pseudo-random codes in parallel as it receives the pseudo-random codes from a transmitting GPS satellite. The GPS receiver compares the generated codes with the received codes. When the time offsets of the corresponding code streams are aligned, correlation of the GPS signal with other GPS signals from other GPS satellites may be determined. Based on the correlated GPS signals, a GPS receiver may triangulate its position on the surface of the earth.
At present, each GPS satellite transmits a signal made up of three signal codes, these three signal codes are linearly combined and interplexed. To interplex three code signals, two of the code signals are added and placed on one phase of a signal, with the third binary signal and an additional throw-away signal being combined and placed on the other phase. The throw-away signal added to the solitary signal is completely defined by the other three pre-existing signals and contains no message information. Its primary purpose is to shift the symbol points of the signal linear constellation along a vertical axis so the symbols points are relocated onto an equi-amplitude circle. The amount each symbol point is shifted along a vertical axis is the same.
For a signal made up of three GPS signal codes, interplex is a relatively efficient approach, and provides for good correlatable Power Percentage, with the actual percentage of the radio frequency (RF) signal correlatable dependent on the code power ratios of the signal.
With the introduction of GPSIII and the additional two signal GPS codes, however, the current system of combining GPS codes can not be utilized, as the current method does not support the combining of the two extra GPS codes.

Signaling method and apparatus using radial interplex


Systems, apparatus and methods for determining a set of ranges from selected subcarriers of an OFDM signal sent between a receiver (e.g., first transceiver or a local receiver of a local unit at a first location) and a transmitter (e.g., second transceiver or remote transmitter of a remote unit at a second location) are presented. The set of ranges is ambiguous as to the correct range. Each range in this set of ambiguous ranges represents a possible range between the transmitter and the receiver. Range ambiguities may be resolved by using additional subcarriers from the OFDM signal and/or using a last know position of a receiver and/or finding ranges to two, three or more transmitters. The range may be used with other ranges to find a location estimate of the receiver.

I. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to systems, apparatus and methods for wireless position estimation, and more particularly, to indoor ranging based on an auto-correlation of a subset of OFDM subcarriers.
II. Background
A mobile device may use GPS to find its current position and provide a good fix. In doors, however, GPS signals are blocked and good GPS fixes are unreliable or impossible. The mobile device may switch to internal sensors (e.g., from accelerometers, gyrometers and magnetometers) determine how far and in which direction the mobile device travelled from the last good fix. Alternatively, the mobile device may record RSSI and/or RTT measurements from nearby wireless access points (APs). The RSSI measurements may be used for ranging; however, the resulting ranges have a high degree of uncertainty of 50 to 100 feet. The RTT measurements provide a lower degree of uncertainty; however, the uncertainty may still be 10 to 50 feet. By estimating ranges to three or more APs, the mobile device may use trilateration to estimate its location but the degree of uncertainty remains.
What is needed is a way to determine a mobile device's range and position to a higher degree of accuracy.

Indoor radio ranging based on a subset of subcarriers employed by orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)


A dicing sheet which supports electronic-component aggregation with adhesive in the case of separating the electronic-component aggregation in which a plurality of electronic components are integrated, has a substrate and an adhesion layer which is formed at one surface side of the substrate, in which a concave portion is formed on a surface of the adhesion layer, and the concave portion is formed so that a convex shape member projected from an adhesion surface of the electronic-component aggregation which is adhered to the dicing sheet is inserted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dicing sheet, a manufacturing method thereof, and a manufacturing method of a semiconductor apparatus.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-204499 filed Jul. 12, 2004, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor chip is performed by the following method, that is, a predetermined pattern of the integrated circuit is formed on a semiconductor wafer, and the predetermined pattern of the integrated circuit thereof is cut away, and is divided into parts. The cutting of the wafer is called dicing. In the dicing process of the semiconductor wafer, using a holding member in which an adhesive film (dicing sheet) having an adhesive agent at one side thereof is applied at one surface side of a ring shape of frame of which the size is larger than the size of the semiconductor wafer, a rotation blade is penetrated with regard to the semiconductor wafer in the state in which the semiconductor wafer is attached to the dicing sheet, while each semiconductor wafer is moved along the cutting line (dicing line) which distinguishes each semiconductor wafer, and thereby each semiconductor wafer is divided (for example, Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. S61-180442, Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. S63-29948).
By the way, at present, because it is necessary for the electronic apparatus having portability such as the portable phone, the notebook type of personal computer, PDA (Personal data assistance), or the like, or the apparatus such as the sensor, the microdevice, the head of a printer, or the like to be miniaturized and the weight reduced, miniaturization of various electric parts such as the semiconductor chip, or the like which is provided at the inside of the above apparatus is attempted. Moreover, the mounting space of the electric parts is extremely limited. Thereby, in order to perform the further high integration, both semiconductor chips which have the same function as each other, or both semiconductor chips which have different functions from each other are laminated, the electrical connection between each semiconductor chip is carried out, and thereby three-dimensional mounting technology which plans the high density mounting of the semiconductor chips is also considered. Furthermore, in the semiconductor chip using such three-dimensional mounting technology, electrodes are formed at both the front surface and the back surface thereof, while the through hole which penetrates the semiconductor chip is provided, and the electrode structure is provided in which both electrodes of the front surface and the back surface is electrically connected via the electric member (penetration electrode) which is filled in the through hole.
By laminating the semiconductor chips which are provided with such electrode structure, the wiring connection between the laminated semiconductor chips can be easily performed.
However, when the semiconductor chip which is provided with the above-mentioned electrode structure is made, it becomes clear that the defect in the dicing process easily occurs. That is, when the semiconductor wafer in which the penetration electrode is formed is adhered to the dicing sheet, because the penetration electrode is projected from the adhesion surface of the semiconductor wafer, it turns out that the close adhesion between the dicing sheet and the semiconductor wafer is inhibited, and the chip peeling or the chip floating at the time of cutting occurs. Even if the chip peeling, or the like does not occur, because the close adhesion between the dicing sheet and the semiconductor wafer is weak, the dust (cutting dust) which is generated by the dicing is mixed in the gap between the sheet and the semiconductor wafer, and thereby it is possible for the semiconductor wafer to be contaminated. Furthermore, because the holding of the semiconductor wafer is not sufficient, cracking may arise in the cutting surface of the semiconductor wafer.

Dicing sheet, manufacturing method thereof, and manufacturing method of semiconductor apparatus


A method for controlling a mechanical vibrating element driven by a driving means includes operating the driving means at an operation frequency for stimulating the vibrating element to oscillate at this frequency. The method also includes adjusting the operation frequency of the driving means for stimulating the vibration element at different frequencies and of determining a respective energy consumption of the driving means depending on the frequency at which the vibrating element oscillates. The resonance frequency of the oscillation of the vibrating element is identified as the frequency at which the energy consumption of the driving means is lowest and the driving means for stimulating the vibrating element can be operated at the resonance frequency.

The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling a mechanical vibrating element which is driven by a driving means operable at variable frequencies.
In diverse technical fields mechanical elements are operated so as to vibrate. The vibrating element typically is driven by a driving means which is coupled mechanically or in a different manner, e.g. electromagnetically to the vibrating element. In order to minimize the power consumption of the driving means it is advantageous to operate the driving means so that the vibrating element is stimulated to oscillate at its resonance frequency.
Due to diverse influences such as environmental influences it may happen that the mechanical properties of the vibrating element change, this means that also the resonance frequency of the vibrating element can change during lifetime and operation. Accordingly, there is a need in the prior art to take into consideration adjusting the resonance frequency at which a mechanical vibrating element is operated depending on varying mechanical properties of the vibrating element.
Accordingly, there is a need in the prior art to take into consideration adjusting the resonance frequency at which a mechanical vibrating element is operated depending on varying mechanical properties of the vibrating element.

Method for controlling a mechanical vibrating element


This laser processing machine, which processes a work piece mounted on a table by irradiating the work piece with a laser light, is provided with: an optical head having a nozzle that sprays a liquid to form a columnar liquid flow and introducing a laser light into the nozzle and shining said light; and an alignment adjustment device having a reflector that is disposed so as to face the optical head and reflects the laser light, and a light-shielding portion around the portion of the reflector that reflects the laser light, and adjusting the position or orientation of introduction of the laser light into the columnar liquid flow.

In a laser beam machine configured to machine a workpiece by directing the laser beam through the pillar-like liquid flow formed by a liquid discharged through a nozzle, the optical axis of the laser beam and the axis of the pillar-like liquid flow must be aligned with each other. Patent Literature 1 discloses a laser beam machine provided with such an alignment adjusting device.
The alignment adjusting device of Patent Literature 1 is configured to move a jet nozzle and an optical fiber relative to each other so as to align the center of an image of the laser beam with the center of an entrance opening of the jet nozzle, based on the images of the entrance opening of the jet nozzle, for discharging a liquid to form a liquid pillar, and the laser beam.

Laser beam machine and alignment adjusting method


An apparatus and method for facilitating the transfer of an oscillating ventilator apparatus from one patient to the next, without requiring disinfection of the air pulse generating diaphragm and components, by separating the airway of the patient from the air pulse generating apparatus by a patient isolation apparatus comprising a patient isolation connection unit which mounts a flexible, fluid-impervious diaphragm in sealing relation to the ventilator housing and in adjacent relationship to the outer face of the air pulse generating apparatus, whereby no fluids emanating from the patient can contact said air pulse generating apparatus. The patient isolation apparatus may be disposed of after use with one patient, or may be disinfected and reused.

The invention relates generally to ventilators for supporting ventilation in air breathing mammals, both humans and animals. More particularly, the present invention relates to high frequency ventilators which operate by supplying oscillating respiratory gases to a patient at a frequency above the normal breathing frequency of the patient.
High frequency oscillating ventilators are well known and have been previously described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,910, which is incorporated hereby by reference in its entirety. Unlike conventional ventilators which ventilate by positive-pressured gas flow and rely on passive recoil of the lung tissue for expiration, high frequency oscillating ventilators employ an active expiratory phase in which gas is pushed into and pulled out of a patient's lungs during alternate half-cycles of the oscillating diaphragm (or piston) of the ventilator. The forward motion of the diaphragm (toward the patient) creates a positive-going pressure relative to the static pressure in the patient's airway. As the diaphragm is driven rearward from its most forward position, the dynamic pressure it generates reverses from positive-going to negative-going. This bipolar dynamic pressure waveform is the principle reason for the success of the high frequency oscillating ventilator in providing improved respiratory gas exchange.
A problem that has been encountered in the use of high frequency oscillating ventilators of the type disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,719,910 is that gases, vapors, and secretions, in other words, fluids, from the lungs and airways of a patient return with the expired air, and may contaminate all parts of the oscillating ventilating machine which they directly contact or to which they may migrate. While patient endotracheal tubes and associated parts and connections used for the introduction of gas, anesthetics, medications, etc. to a patient are generally disposed of when transferring the high frequency oscillating ventilator from one patient to another, the vibrator unit, which produces the oscillating pulses of air or oxygen, cannot be disposed of because of the relatively high cost of manufacture of such units. Therefore, in order to avoid cross-contamination or cross-infection between patients, time consuming and rigorous cleaning and disinfection procedures have been a necessary and expensive step preceding the transfer of the high frequency oscillating ventilation machine from one patient to another.

Oscillating ventilator apparatus and method and patient isolation apparatus


A real estate offer management system includes a server in electronic communication with a user computer over the Internet. A user interface is provided by the server and includes a webpage for receiving seller preferences from the user computer. The seller preferences relate to a plurality of offer components for the sale of a property. An offer scorer receives a plurality of offers concerning the property and calculates scores for each offer using the seller preferences.

Real estate offer management systems are known. They comprise computer hardware/software having a graphical user interface (GUI) that allows potential buyers to submit their offers. An offer management system acts as an intermediary to collect various offers from potential buyers so that a seller/listing agent has a centralized place to view them.
However, known systems lack the ability to effectively compare the offers received. Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a superior real estate offer management system.


A method of playing the card game of twenty-one or "Black JacK` involving a variation which allows a player to place a side wager in addition to the initial wager or ante, wherein the side wager allows the player to win at least a portion of a supplemental payout, which may be a predetermined amount or be derived from a progressively increasing wager pool, if one or more hands of the player have a final number count which ties the final number count of the dealer's hand. The player has the opportunity to concurrently play additional hands, each of which may also be eligible to participate in at least a portion of the supplemental payout if any one or all of the additional hands have a final number count equal to the final number count of the dealer hands. The player's additional hands are created by "splitting" initial and successive cards dealt the player if such cards are the same numerical count.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a method of playing a variation of the card game twenty-one comprising allowing a player to make a side bet in addition to his initial ante bet in order to be eligible for a supplemental payout if the final number count of the player's hand is equal to the final number count of the dealer's hand. The player, with or without the aforementioned side bet, is allowed to participate in the normal payout under the conventional rules of the game of twenty-one.
2. Description of the Related Art
The card game of twenty-one, also known as "Black Jack" is a game found being played at most casinos or gaming establishments and is extremely popular with many players regardless of their economic level of play. This popularity is due in part to the simplicity of the game as well as the fact that under certain conditions, the odds of winning may vary greatly, frequently favoring the player instead of the casino or "house".
Under the conventional rules of the game of twenty-one, the goal of the game is for one or more player's to achieve a hand which has a final number count closer to 21, without exceeding 21, than the final number count of the dealer's hand. Each card dealt contributes to the final number count in accordance with its face value, except all face cards count as 10 and an ace may count as either 1 or 11. The play of the game involves each player, as well as the dealer, receiving a first of two cards. Depending upon the particular rules of a given casino or gaming establishment, the first card dealt the dealer normally represents his "up" card and is dealt to him face up. The second card dealt the dealer is considered his "hole" card and is presented to the dealer face down, usually during a normal deal or after the players have concluded their hands. Furthermore, depending upon the particular house rules, each of the first two cards dealt the player may be face up or face down. In establishing the final number count and attempting to come as close to 21 as possible without exceeding 21, both the players and the dealers are allowed to "stand" on the number count of their first two cards or receive additional cards or "hits". Each player may stand or hit on any number count of the first two cards. However, if any player decides to take additional cards or "hits" such player "busts" if the final number count exceeds 21. Any player's or dealer's hand that "busts" is considered a loosing hand and is removed from consideration in the further play of the game. The dealer is normally placed under the additional requirement of being forced to take one or more hits if his number count is under 17. If the final number count of the first two cards dealt the dealer is between 17 and 21, the dealer is generally prohibited from taking a hit unless house rules provide otherwise.
Typical betting involved under the conventional rules of the game of twenty-one require each player to make an original wager or ante. The player wins the amount of his initial wager from the house if the final number count of his hand is greater than that of the dealer's hand without exceeding 21 or if the dealer busts. If the player receives a "Black Jack" or reaches the final number count of 21 with his first two cards, he is paid a greater amount than his initial wager, normally in the range of one and one-half to two times the initial wager.
One advantage of the house which exists in the conventional play of the game is that the dealer shows his total number count of his first two cards only after all the players decide to stand, take hits or bust. As a result one or all of the players may be eliminated prior to the dealer determining his final number count. After all of the players have taken hits or have decided to stand on their hands, the dealer "stands" or "hits" based on the conventional rules of the game subject to any modification by the casino or house. After the final number count of the dealer's hand has been established, it is compared to the final number count of the hands of the existing players. All player's hands having a final number count closer to the 21 than that of the dealer win in accordance with the conventional or normal payout, based on their initial ante or wager, as set forth above.
There are other variations normally found and accepted under the conventional rules of casino twenty-one. Such variations include the well-known procedure of splitting pairs. If the player's first two cards are pairs, meaning that they have the same numerical count, they may be "split" thereby giving the player the opportunity to create two hands. The player is normally required to put up an additional ante bet equal in amount to his initial wager or ante and is thereafter dealt a second two cards, with the second card of one of the hands either being dealt immediately, or after the first hand is played out, depending upon the house rules. Each of the second two cards is applied to a different one of the split cards so as to form two complete hands for the player. The player then proceeds in his play by standing or taking hits on each of the two hands as set forth above. In most casinos the player is given the added opportunity of creating even more hands if either or both of the second two cards dealt the player also has the same number count as the split pair of cards. There is normally a limit of 3 or 4 additional hands that may be created by splitting cards, however, the number of splits possible may be any amount desired by the house.
Other variations normally accepted under the conventional rules of twenty-one include allowing a player to "double down" if he is holding a total number count of 10 or 11. The player may double his original wager and take only a single additional hit. The player is not allowed to take additional hits in order to increase his final number count. If the player's final number count is closer to 21 than that of the dealer's hand, he wins the total amount wagered.
Yet another accepted version under the conventional rules of twenty-one involves "insurance" wherein the player may make an insurance bet, often equal to half of his initial ante or wager if the face card of the dealer's hand is an ace. If the dealer's hand reaches the number count of 21 with his first two cards, the player looses his initial ante or wager, unless the player also has a natural 21, but receives twice the amount of his insurance bet.
These and other variations are generally accepted in playing conventional casino twenty-one in order to make the game more exiting and seemingly more attractive from a payout standpoint to the player. However, in order to increase the popularity of the game by raising the excitement level of the players, additional variations in the method of play, not normally considered within the conventional rules, have been proposed. Such variations include the creation of a progressive jackpot or payout, at least a portion of which is paid to a player who obtains certain, predetermined arrangements of cards, in his first two cards or first successively dealt number of cards. Other modifications or variations involve allowing a player to modify his wager and/or make a side bet so he may selectively choose to bet that either a player's hand or a dealer's hand will be the winning hand. Other unconventional "side bet" variations of the game involve the player making a side wager on the number of hits that the players and/or the dealers will ultimately take. In addition, a player may make a side bet on whether he will receive a "stiff" hand wherein the term "stiff" is defined as occurring when the first two cards dealt to a player have a total number count of 12 to 16 or whether the player will be dealt either a non-pair "stiff" hand or a pair of aces. Yet other variations include allowing a player to play the same hand against multiple and/or successively dealt hands of the dealer thereby potentially giving the player an odds advantage.
While the above noted "unconventional" variations of the method of play of the game of twenty-one are suggested to increase the attractiveness of the game to players, the result generally has been the opposite. Such a lack of acceptance of these variations is due at least in part to the modified method of play being overly complex or frequently resulting in the odds of winning swinging strongly in favor of the casino or house. Also, such unconventional variations frequently involve extensive modification and redesign of the gaming surface as well as the inclusion of certain mechanical and/or electronic hardware and software facilities which of course add to the expense of maintaining and playing the game.
Therefore, even though the card game of twenty-one, particularly as played live in casinos or like gaming establishments, enjoys great popularity with players, there is still a need for a variation of the method of play wherein a player may render his hand eligible for a supplemental payout which, under certain circumstances may be a payout based on a progressively increasing wager pool if the player's hand meets certain criteria. In addition, such a preferred variation should allow continuance of the player's hand in order to win his initial ante or wager under the conventional rules of twenty-one.

Method of playing a variation of the card game "twenty-one"


A step-up/step-down DC-DC converter for reducing loss caused by activation and inactivation of transistors. An error amplifier included in a control circuit generates an error signal in accordance with voltage difference between an output voltage and a reference voltage. A PWM comparator compares a triangular wave signal and the error signal to generate a control pulse signal having a pulse width that is in accordance with the voltage difference between the output voltage and the reference voltage. A pulse detector monitors the control pulse signal and generates a mode switch signal for switching the operation mode of the DC-DC converter in accordance with a monitoring state of the control pulse signal. A switch provides the PWM comparator with the triangular wave signal or an offset signal, which is generated by adding an offset voltage to the triangular wave signal, in response to the mode switch signal.

The present invention relates to a DC-DC converter, and more particularly, to a circuit and method for controlling a step-up/step-down DC-DC converter.
Portable electronic devices, such as notebook computers and game machines, incorporate a plurality of semiconductor integrated circuit devices. Each semiconductor integrated circuit device included in an electronic device is supplied with operating power from a battery. The output voltage of a battery decreases as the battery is discharged. Electronic devices use a DC-DC converter to keep the operating power voltage constant. Three types of DC-DC converters are known, namely, a step-down DC-DC converter, a step-up DC-DC converter, and a step-up/step-down DC-DC converter. The type of DC-DC converter used by an electronic device is determined in accordance with conditions such as consumption power, operation time during use of the battery, size of the electronic device, and weight of the electronic device.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block circuit diagram of a step-up/step-down DC-DC converter 10 according to a first prior art example.
The DC-DC converter 10 performs DC-DC conversion on an input voltage Vi to generate an output voltage Vo.
The DC-DC converter 10 includes a control circuit 11, a choke coil L1, output transistors T1, T2, T3, and T4, and a smoothing capacitor C1. Each of the transistors T1 to T4 is an N-channel metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor.
The first transistor T1 has a drain supplied with the input voltage Vi and a source connected to a first terminal (input side terminal) of the choke coil L1. The second transistor T2, which is used for synchronous rectification and which corresponds to the first transistor T1, has a drain connected to the first terminal (input side terminal) of the choke coil L1 and has a source connected to a low-potential power supply (ground).
The third transistor T3 has a drain connected to a second terminal (output side terminal) of the choke coil L1, and has a source connected to the low-potential power supply (ground). The fourth transistor T4, which is used for synchronous rectification and which corresponds to the third transistor T3, has a drain connected to the smoothing capacitor C1 and a source connected to the second terminal (output side terminal) of the choke coil L1.
The gates of the first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 at the main switching side are provided with a first control signal DH from the control circuit 11. The gates of the second transistor T2 and the fourth transistor T4 at the synchronous side are provided with a second control signal DL from the control circuit 11. The first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 are turned on and off at the same time. The second transistor T2 and the fourth transistor T4 are turned on and off at the same time.
When the first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 are turned on and the second transistor T2 and the fourth transistor T4 are turned off, current flows through the choke coil L1 so that energy is accumulated in the choke coil L1. Then, when the first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 are turned off and the second transistor T2 and the fourth transistor T4 are turned on, the energy accumulated in the choke coil L1 is discharged via the second transistor T2. The on-time of the first transistor T1 is the time during which current flows through the choke coil L1. Energy is accumulated in the choke coil L1 in accordance with the on-time of the first transistor T1. The value of the output voltage Vo is determined by the energy accumulated in the choke coil L1, which is in accordance with the on-time of the first transistor T1 and the second transistor T2. The smoothing capacitor C1 smoothes the output voltage Vo.
A feedback signal FB having the output voltage Vo is fed back to the control circuit 11. An error amplifier 12 included in the control circuit 11 amplifies the voltage difference between a divided voltage, which is obtained by dividing the feedback signal FB using resistors R1 and R2, and the voltage of a reference power supply e1 to generate an amplified signal. A pulse width modulation (PWM) comparator 13 compares the amplified signal of the error amplifier 12 and a triangular wave signal of a triangular wave oscillator 14 to generate the control signal DH, which has a pulse width that is in accordance with the comparison result, and a control signal DL, which is complementary to the signal DH.
When the energy accumulated in the choke coil L1 decreases, the output voltage Vo decreases, and the divided voltage obtained using the resistors R1 and R2 becomes lower than the voltage of the reference power supply e1, the first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 are turned on. Then, when the output voltage Vo increases, the output voltage of the error amplifier 12 decreases, the on-time of the first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 is shortened, and the on-time of the second transistor T2 and the fourth transistor T4 is lengthened. When the output voltage Vo decreases, the output voltage of the error amplifier 12 increases, the on-time of the first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 is lengthened, and the on-time of the second transistor T2 and the fourth transistor T4 is shortened. Such operation keeps the output voltage Vo maintained as a constant voltage based on the reference power supply e1.
In the DC-DC converter 10, the first transistor T1 and the third transistor T3 are turned on and off at the same time, and the second transistor T2 and the fourth transistor T4 are turned on and off at the same time. In other words, a large number of transistors operate at the same time. This results in operation loss and lowers efficiency of the DC-DC converter 10.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block circuit diagram of a DC-DC converter 20 according to a second prior art example. A control circuit 21 of the DC-DC converter 20 controls first and second step-down transistors T1 and T2 separately from third and fourth step-up transistors T3 and T4. More specifically, the control circuit 21 includes a first PWM comparator 22 and a second PWM comparator 23. The first PWM comparator 22 generates control signals for controlling the step-down first and second transistors T1 and T2. The second PWM comparator 23 generates control signals for controlling the step-up third and fourth transistors T3 and T4. A voltage supply e2 is connected between an inversion input terminal of the second PWM comparator 23 and a triangular wave oscillator 14. A triangular wave signal of the triangular wave oscillator 14 is offset by an amount corresponding to a DC voltage of the voltage supply e2. The second PWM comparator 23 is provided with the offset triangular wave signal.
The first PWM comparator 22 compares the triangular wave signal of the triangular wave oscillator 14 and an amplified signal of the error amplifier 12 to generate the control signals DH1 and DL1 based on the comparison result. The second PWM comparator 23 compares the triangular wave signal of the triangular wave oscillator 14 to which the voltage of the voltage supply e2 is added and the amplified signal of the error amplifier 12 to generate the control signals DH2 and DL2 based on the comparison result. Thus, the control circuit 21 operates the step-up transistors T3 and T4 or the step-down transistors T1 and T2 in accordance with the level of the output voltage Vo. In this way, the DC-DC converter 20 operates as a step-up DC-DC converter or a step-down DC-DC converter depending on the level of the output voltage Vo. Although the DC-DC converter 20 includes the four transistors T1 to T4, operation loss that would be caused when activating and inactivating two transistors at a time is avoided.

Circuit and method for controlling step-up/step-down DC-DC converter


An apparatus for sealing a passageway through an access assembly includes a variable seal member having an orifice for reception of an instrument therethrough. Each of a pair of compression members has a pressure face for contacting the variable seal member, each pressure face opposing the variable seal member from an opposite longitudinal side, and each compression member moveable with respect to the other compression member in a longitudinal direction transverse to the pressure faces. The compression members may be moved in the longitudinal direction to adjust the degree of compressive force exerted on the portal seal member and thus adjust a diameter of the orifice to effectively interface with the instrument to form a fluid tight relation therewith.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a surgical portal apparatus employing a system for maintaining a fluid-tight seal across a passageway for surgical instruments. In particular, the disclosure relates to a portal apparatus employing a variable diameter seal with a longitudinal displacement mechanism in communication with a power source for accommodating instruments of various sizes.
2. Background of Related Art
Surgical procedures such as laparoscopic, arthroscopic, and endoscopic procedures in general are termed minimally invasive at least in part because the incision required is relatively small, perhaps one inch in length or less. Small incisions are preferred because they are inherently less traumatic to the surrounding body tissue. Also, small incisions subject internal organs to a limited exposure to the contaminants in the outside atmosphere. Thus, small incisions enable shorter hospital stays and faster recoveries with less pain and scarring than is common with the larger incisions required for conventional surgery.
Endoscopic surgery is possible due in part to the availability of instruments designed specifically for this purpose. A trocar assembly, for example, may include a sharp trocar or obturator for creating a small incision, and a cannula assembly for providing a conduit through the incision once the obturator has been removed. A cannula is an elongated tube, typically 5 mm to 13 mm in diameter, which may be configured to have a distal end inserted into an internal body cavity adjacent an operative site. The body cavity is often inflated with an insufflation gas, carbon dioxide for example, to separate the body wall from vital organs. This provides a space where a surgeon may introduce viewing equipment or maneuver tools into position without damaging surrounding tissue. Various other instruments may then be inserted and withdrawn through the cannula for access to the working space and operative site. In order to fit through a cannula and enable a surgeon to manipulate tissue far removed from the incision, instruments adapted for endoscopic surgery typically include a long and narrow cylindrical shaft. The exact size and shape of the instrument shaft, however, may vary for the many instruments required for a single procedure.
Endoscopic procedures generally require that any instrumentation inserted into the patient's body be sealed, i.e. provisions must be made to ensure insufflation gasses, blood and other fluids do not escape the body through the cannula. Furthermore, a seal acts to prevent contamination of the body cavity by the outside environment. In the absence of such a fluid-tight seal, many of the attendant advantages of minimally invasive surgery are lost.
A dual seal system is commonly employed wherein a first seal is normally biased to a closed condition to seal the conduit in the absence of an instrument, and a second seal configured to form a fluid-tight interface with the shaft of an instrument. The second seal must be adaptable to accommodate the various instrument sizes and geometries. Often the second seal takes the form of a septum seal, which is a generally flat, elastomeric member having an orifice therethrough. The orifice may be sized such that the smallest instrument may not pass through the septum seal without engaging and forming a seal with the elastic material. The elasticity of the septum seal permits the orifice to expand to accommodate the largest instrument.
An aspect of concern in the use of such a septum seal is the contact pressure applied by the septum seal on the instrument shaft. If the contact pressure is insufficient, the insufflation pressure may not be maintained as the surgeon manipulates the instrument. If the contact pressure is too great, however, the surgeon may experience difficulty in advancing and properly controlling the instrument. Because larger instruments must expand the orifice to a greater degree, the contact pressure is consequently larger than for smaller instruments, and thus larger instruments may be more difficult to manipulate than smaller instruments. Accordingly, a need exists for an apparatus for forming a seal about an instrument inserted through a cannula that is capable of accommodating variously sized instruments while ensure a proper contact pressure.

Powered variable seal diameter trocar employing a longitudinal displacement mechanism


A container corner fitting provided at each right angle of a container body and connected with other parts of the container body includes a sealing device arranged thereon including a first flange of a predefined length provided on one of an inner side surface and a top or a bottom surface of the corner fitting. A second flange of a predefined length is provided on the other of the inner side surface and the top or the bottom surface of the corner fitting and aligned with the first flange. The seal gasket, provided with circumstance of the container gate, can depend on the first and second flanges while closing the gate, greatly improving container hermetic performance. The thickness of an upper or a lower horizontal container member can be reduced to approximate that of a top or a bottom container plate, obtaining the largest volume without inclining the bottom plate.

In the structure of a container, a corner fitting is often used to connect with the other members of the container structure to form a complete container body. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a prior art corner fitting 10, which has side surfaces 12, a bottom surface 14, and a top surface 16. The corner fitting 10 utilizes its own surfaces to connect with other members of a container body 20. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing part of the container body 20 connected by corner fittings 10. Upper corner fittings 10a, 10b are connected with an upper horizontal member 22 of the container body 20 at inner side surfaces 12a and 12b, and are connected with a corner post 24 of the container body 20 at bottom surfaces 14a and 14b, while lower corner fittings 10c and 10d are connected with a lower horizontal member 26 of the container body 20 at inner side surfaces 12c and 12d, and are connected with the corner post 24 at top surfaces 16c and 16d. Therefore, the space confined by the upper and lower horizontal members 22 and 26 and the corner post 24 determines the size of the container gate. In practice, it is always desired that the gate size of the container body 20 is as large as possible so as to facilitate loading and unloading. For example, in the prior art container structure, one can try to reduce the thickness of the upper horizontal member 22 or that of the lower horizontal member 26 to approximate the thickness of a top plate 28 or a bottom plate (not shown) of the container body 20. However, when the thickness of the top plate 28 or the bottom plate (not shown) is less than that of the corner fitting 10, sealing of the container cannot be ensured at the inner side of the corner fitting 10. There is a seal gasket on the circumference of the gate of the container body 20. Since no sealing structure is provided at the inner side of the corner fitting 10, the seal gasket provided on the circumference of the gate of the container body 20 has no surface to rest on, resulting in poor sealing of the container body.

Corner fitting and container using the same

China International Marine Containers (Group) Co., Ltd.


A method and an apparatus for enabling a prefetch engine to detect and support hardware prefetching with different streams in received accesses. Multiple (simple) history tables are provided within (or associated with) the prefetch engine. Each of the multiple tables is utilized to detect different access patterns. The tables are indexed by different parts of the address and are accessed in a preset order to reduce the interference between different patterns. When an address does not fit the patterns of a first table, the address is passed to the next table to be checked for a match of different patterns. In this manner, different patterns may be detected at different tables within a single prefetch engine.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to data processing and more particularly to prefetching data for utilization during data processing. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for prefetching data having multiple patterns.
2. Description of Related Art
Prefetching of data for utilization within data processing operations is well-known in the art. Conventional computer systems are designed with a memory hierarchy comprising different memory devices with increasing access latency the further the device is away from the processor. These conventionally-designed processors typically operate at a very high speed and are capable of processing data at such a fast rate that it is necessary to prefetch a sufficient number of cache lines of data from lower level caches (and/or system memory). This prefetching ensures that the data is ready and available for use by the processor.
Data prefetching is a proven, effective way to hide increasing memory latency from the processor's execution units. Conventional systems utilize either a software prefetch method (software prefetching) and/or a hardware implemented prefetch method (hardware prefetching). Software prefetching schemes rely on the programmer/compiler to insert prefetch instructions within the program execution code. Hardware prefetching schemes, in contrast, rely on special hardware to detect patterns in data accesses and responsively generate and issue prefetch requests according to the detected pattern. Because hardware prefetching does not incur instruction overhead and is able to dynamically adapt to program behavior, many hardware prefetching techniques have been proposed over the years. Most of these hardware techniques have shown great success in detecting certain types of access patterns, in particular sequential accesses.
Conventional hardware prefetching schemes utilize history tables to detect patterns. These tables save a number of past accesses and are indexed either by instruction address (i.e., program counter (PC)) or data address. Indexing using PCs works only for streams accessed within loops. However, as compilers continue to perform aggressive optimizations such as loop unrolling, which results in a stream being accessed through multiple instructions, such indexing is becoming less and less attractive.
When indexed by data address, a history table is able to save either virtual addresses or physical addresses. Saving virtual addresses can predict streams across multiple pages but requires accessing the page translation hardware to translate virtual addresses to physical addresses. Because the page translation hardware is in the critical path of the instruction pipeline, significant hardware overhead is required to allow prefetch requests to access the page translation hardware without slowing down the whole pipeline. Consequently, most (and perhaps all) prefetch engines in commercial systems, such as Intel Pentium™ and Xeon™, AMD Athlon™ and Opteron™, Sun UltraSPARC III™, and IBM POWER4™ and POWER5™, are indexed by physical addresses and store physical addresses.
In data operations, several types of stream patterns exist, and each requires a different scheme to detect the particular pattern. These different patterns can be sequential unit stride pattern, non-unit stride pattern, and pointer chasing, among others. Current systems are designed to perform well only on some of these patterns. However, no existing scheme is able to efficiently work on all patterns and typically systems are designed to track only one pattern. Also, all existing systems operate with a single history table for detecting patterns from the tracked requests.
Thus, because of the difficulty of detecting multiple patterns using one table, the prefetch engines of all of the above listed real systems are able to detect only sequential streams (i.e., unit-stride streams) or in some instances small non-unit stride streams. Researchers in the industry have proposed utilizing a complicated history table with a complicated state machine to detect odd access patterns in physical addresses. However the complexity of these designs prevents the designs from being adopted into a real system.
Thus, the prefetch engines of the conventional systems are unable to provide support for more than one of the common patterns in data prefetch operations. Further, there is no existing prefetch scheme that is able to detect both unit and non-unit stride streams without incurring a substantial hit with respect to chip area and additional cost due to the required hardware complexity.

Efficient multiple-table reference prediction mechanism

International Business Machines Corporation


An apparatus and method for detecting characteristics of a microelectronic substrate. The microelectronic substrate can have a first surface with first topographical features, such as roughness elements, and a second surface facing opposite from the first surface and having second topographical features, such as protruding conductive structures. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a support member configured to carry the microelectronic substrate with a first portion of the first surface exposed and a second portion of the second surface exposed. The apparatus can further include a topographical feature detector positioned proximate to support member and aligned with the first portion of the first surface of the microelectronic substrate to detect characteristics, such as a roughness, of the first surface while the microelectronic substrate is carried by the support member.

The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for detecting topographical features of microelectronic substrates, for example, detecting the surface roughness of a microelectronic substrate having solder or gold bump terminals. Packaged microelectronic assemblies, such as memory chips and microprocessor chips, typically include a microelectronic substrate die encased in a plastic, ceramic, or metal protective covering. The dies are typically formed in or on a wafer, such as a silicon wafer, and can include functional devices or features, such as memory cells, processing circuits, and interconnecting wiring. Each die also typically includes bond pads or other conductive structures, such as gold bumps or solder bumps that are electrically coupled to the functional devices. The conductive structures can then be electrically coupled to pins or other types of terminals that extend outside the protective covering for connecting to buses, circuits, and/or other microelectronic assemblies.
One method for increasing the throughput of packaged microelectronic assemblies is to perform many processing operations on the dies before the dies are singulated from the wafer, a practice referred to in the industry as wafer-level packaging. One such process step includes disposing gold or solder bumps on the dies at the wafer level to form a "bumped" wafer. When performing such operations at the wafer level, it is typically important to measure the average thickness, thickness variation, and roughness of the wafer to ensure that the wafer meets tight dimensional specifications, and to ensure that any microdefects of the wafer (which can reduce wafer strength) are eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels.
FIG. 1A is a schematic illustration of a conventional apparatus 10a for measuring the thickness and thickness variation of a wafer 30. Such apparatuses are available from ADE of Westwood, Mass., under model numbers 9520 and 9530. The apparatus 10a can include a narrow, rod-shaped vacuum chuck 12 that supports the wafer 30, a lower capacitance probe 11a that measures the distance to the wafer back surface, and an upper capacitance probe 11b that measures the distance to the wafer front or device-side surface. The thickness of the wafer 30 at a particular point on the wafer can be calculated by subtracting the two distance measurements from the total distance between the capacitance probes 11a and 11b. The total thickness variation (TTV) of the wafer 30 can be calculated by traversing the rotating wafer 30 in between the probes 11a and 11b, determining a maximum thickness value and a minimum thickness value, and subtracting the minimum thickness value from the maximum thickness value. The average thickness of the wafer can be calculated by taking the mean of all the thickness values collected.
FIG. 1B is a schematic illustration of an apparatus 10b used to determine the roughness of the wafer 30. The apparatus 10b can include a support table 20 that carries the wafer 30 with the back surface of the wafer 30 facing upwardly. A stylus 41 traverses over the back surface of the wafer 30 and moves up and down as it passes over roughness features on the back surface. A light 12 illuminates the back surface of the wafer 30 for visual inspection through a microscope 13 which can be used to capture a video image that can be saved on a bitmap file for correlating with the capacitance scan data. Such apparatuses are available from Veeco-Metrology Group of Santa Barbara, Calif.
One drawback with the devices 10a and 10b described above is that they may not be suitable for detecting the characteristics of bumped wafers which have solder bumps or gold bumps that project from a surface of the wafer. For example, the apparatus 10a shown in FIG. 1A typically cannot distinguish between the surface of the wafer 30 and the elevated surface of the bumps on the wafer 30, and can accordingly produce erroneous thickness and thickness variation measurements. The capacitance probes 11a and 11b typically do not have the high resolution required to determine surface roughness. The apparatus 10b shown in FIG. 1B typically includes a vacuum system in the support table 20 to draw the wafer 30 tightly down against the table 20. When the wafer 30 includes solder bumps or gold bumps, the bumped surface of the wafer 30 may not form an adequate seal with the support table 20. Furthermore, the contact between the support table 20 and the wafer 30 can damage the bumps and render all or part of the wafer 30 inoperable.
FIG. 1C illustrates a conventional apparatus 10c available from August Technology of Bloomington, Minn., and specifically configured to detect characteristics of a bumped wafer 30. The apparatus 10c can include a support table 20 having a vacuum system to draw the back surface of the wafer 30 down tightly against the support table 20, with the bumps 34 facing upwardly. A two-dimensional inspection camera 43 traverses above the device-side surface of the wafer 30 to assess the position, diameter, and/or surface characteristics of the bumps 34. A three-dimensional inspection camera 44 can traverse above the device-side surface of the wafer 30 to determine the height of the bumps 34.
One drawback with the device 10c shown in FIG. 1C is that it is not configured to determine the thickness, the total thickness variation, or the roughness of the backside of the wafer 30. Accordingly, none of the apparatuses described above with reference to FIGS. 1A–C are capable of adequately determining the characteristics of the wafer 30 typically used to assess whether the wafer 30 is ready for singulation and subsequent packaging operations.

Method and apparatus for detecting topographical features of microelectronic substrates


An imaging device for generating an image signal includes an image sensing device for producing an image signal subject to one or more clock signals and a circuit for generating one or more of the clock signals, wherein the clock signal generating circuit is responsive to a programmable input signal for adjusting a duty cycle of at least one of the clock signals. In particular, by clocking two recirculating shift registers out of phase and parallel loading them with a programmable bit pattern to produce the output clock signals, the frequency of an input clock that is required to produce the output clock signals can be reduced by half.

In digital integrated circuits which must produce a wide variety of signal patterns, it is often necessary to design special counters and/or state machines to produce the desired results. An example of this application is in the field of digital imaging, where a charge coupled device (CCD) imager is employed in much the same manner as traditional silver-halide film. A CCD imager is a digital device which usually requires a substantial number of input signals with specific and unique characteristics. These signals are often referred to as "clocks", since they are usually periodic in nature. However, due to the operating tolerances of the various electronic devices employed in digital imaging systems, it is often desirable or necessary to be able to slightly alter the duty cycle and/or phase of these CCD clocks. Specifically, it is desirable to be able to alter pulse width and pulse location within each pixel period. Traditionally, this as been accomplished with analog delay circuits, synchronous digital techniques and/or ad hoc approaches. The disadvantages of these approaches are significant. The analog delay circuits are expensive and often inaccurate. Most of the digital techniques require high frequency crystal oscillators which, in addition to being more expensive, can also result in undesirable levels of radiated electromagnetic interference. Rapid prototyping of these higher speed circuits with programmable logic is often impossible, thus forcing engineers to commit their designs to more expensive ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) technology before they have had the opportunity to test them in the system environment. Most of these techniques do not allow for in-system adjustment or tuning for optimal performance. This invention presents a method which overcomes these difficulties while also providing increased flexibility.

Programmable clock generator for an imaging device


An adhesive for bonding together a first substrate made of vinylidene fluoride resin and a second substrate comprises an elastic fluorohydrocarbon resin, a polyisocyanate, and an organic solvent. This elastic fluorohydrocarbon resin is obtained by graft copolymerization of a fluorine-containing copolymer with a vinylidene fluoride monomer. This copolymer is prepared by copolymerizing at least one first fluorine-containing monomer with at least one unsaturated monomer that has peroxy bond. The adhesive itself is superior in durability, and bond strength between the first and second substrates is also superior.

The present invention relates to an adhesive for bonding together a first substrate made of a vinylidene fluoride resin and a second substrate and thus for preparing a laminate which is in the form of, for example, film, sheet or composite cloth.
Vinylidene fluoride (VDF) resin, which is a general term referring to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or to VDF copolymer, is widely known as being resistant against corrosive chemicals and ultraviolet rays and as being superior in mechanical characteristics. Of fluororesins, VDF resin is particularly superior in extrudability and meltability for use as a powder coating or the like. Therefore, VDF resin is widely used as an anticorrosion coating for metal and as an electric wire coating. Furthermore, VDF has a superior characteristic as a barrier against gases, as compared with other fluororesins.
VDF resin film is widely used as a coating on a substrate, for providing the substrate with chemical resistance, stain resistance and the like. For example, there is provided a commercial VDF-resin product for an awning of truck and the like. In this product, a PVDF film having a thickness of about 5 .mu.m is stuck to a soft polyvinyl chloride sheet by an acrylic adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,557 discloses an elastic fluorohydrocarbon resin obtained by graft copolymerization of a fluorine-containing elastomeric polymer with a fluorine-containing crystalline polymer (e.g., PVDF). Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-A-64-22547 discloses an elastic fluorohydrocarbon resin film stuck to a substrate by a polyurethane resin layer (adhesive). This elastic fluorohydrocarbon resin film is obtained by graft copolymerization of a fluorine-containing elastomeric polymer with PVDF.
However, conventional adhesives for bonding together VDF resin and another material are inferior to the VDF resin itself in weathering resistance, water resistance, heat resistance, and the like. Therefore, these adhesives may be deteriorated under a condition of outdoor use for a long period of time or under a condition of severe temperature and severe humidity. With this, for example, the VDF resin may peel off the adhesive.

Adhesive for bonding together vinylidene fluoride resin and substrate


A communication device (107) employs a method for determining signal quality of a communication channel (117) in a communication system (100). Upon receipt of a radio signal, a communication device (107), such as a portable radio, determines the signal quality of at least two portions (121, 124) of the communication channel (117) over which the radio signal was transmitted. The communication device (107) then determines which of the determined signal qualities is lowest and selects the lowest determined signal quality as the signal quality of the communication channel (117). The communication device (107) can then use the selected channel quality in the handoff decision-making process.

Communication systems that geographically reuse communication channels are known These systems allocate a predetermined set of communication channels in one geographic area and reuse the same set of communication channels in one or more other geographic areas. This reuse technique improves communication capacity by minimizing the number of communication channels necessary to provide communication service in a large geographic area comprised of several smaller geographic areas. As is also known, a communication channel may be a frequency carrier or a pair of frequency carriers in a frequency division multiple access (FDMA) communication system, a time slot or a pair time slots in a time division multiple access (TDMA) communication system, or any other radio frequency (RF) transmission medium.
Two of the most common communication systems that geographically reuse communication channels are cellular communication systems and trunked mobile communication systems. In both communication systems, allocation of a communication channel begins when a communication unit requests communication service. Based on channel availability and signal quality, a system controller assigns the communication channel to the communication unit A communication, such as a conversation or a facsimile transmission, occurs on the communication channel between the communication unit and another communication unit or between the communication unit and a subscriber to a public service telephone network. The communication continues until completion or an interruption in service occurs. Upon conclusion of the communication, the system controller retrieves the communication channel, thereby making the communication channel available for another communication.
An important parameter in identifying an acceptable communication channel is signal quality. In a wireless communication system, the communication channels are typically RF channels which occupy predetermined bandwidths. When information signals are transmitted on the RF channels, undesired channel effects, such as fading, interference and noise, alter the information signals during transmission. Thus, the information signals received by a receiver in the communication unit, or a base station, are corrupted by the undesired channel effects. By ascertaining an indication of the corruption on available communication channels, the least corrupted communication channel may be selected for the communication. This indication of corruption is known as signal quality.
In geographic reuse communication systems, signal quality is typically limited by the quantity of co-channel interference present on the RF channel. Co-channel interference occurs when receivers receive unwanted information signals from neighboring communication units, or base stations, transmitting on the same RF channel as the desired RF channel. Thus, signal quality decreases as co-channel interference increases.
Received signal strength indication (RSSI), bit error rate (BER), and carrier-to-interference plus noise ratio are three common methods of estimating signal quality. In an RSSI estimate, the receiver measures the level of a received signal on the desired RF channel. This measurement provides a summation of signal levels including the desired information signal (C), the co-channel interference (I), and the noise (N) on the desired RF channel. Accordingly, RSSI does not distinguish between the desired information signal level and the level of undesired channel effects. In a BER measurement, the receiver measures the number of errors detected in a received bit stream BER measurements provide accurate estimates of signal quality in high error rate environments, but in geographic areas where error rates are low, multiple measurements and excessive averaging times may be required to obtain the accurate estimates. In a carrier-to-interference plus noise ratio determination, the receiver isolates the desired information signal (C) from the summation of co-channel interference and noise (I+N) and forms a ratio of the two quantities (C/(I+N)) to more accurately evaluate the quality of the communication channel used to convey the desired information. One approach to determining carrier-to-interference plus noise ratios in a digital communication system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,582, entitled "Method and Apparatus for Determining Signal Usability" and assigned to Motorola, Inc.
Presently, the three common methods of determining signal quality of a communication channel make such a determination by evaluating the communication channel as a whole. For example, if a TDMA system permits a voice user to transmit in only one time slot per time frame, then the transmission channel for each voice user is one slot per time frame. Accordingly, to measure the signal quality of such a transmission channel, the receiver in the TDMA system measures the signal quality of the assigned slot in each time frame to determine the overall channel signal quality. However, current communication systems are embarking on efforts to improve received audio quality by increasing the amount of digitally encoded voice transmitted in a particular time period. In such systems, two or more time slots per time frame may be necessary to convey the encoded voice. In addition, these new systems may be dual-mode, simultaneously permitting improved audio quality transmission for one user in two slots per time fame (e.g., in a telephone-interconnect mode) and standard audio quality transmission for another user in one slot per frame (e.g., in a dispatch mode).
In such dual-mode systems, existing signal quality measurement approaches (i.e., measuring one slot per time frame) are inefficient for obtaining accurate channel signal quality for improved audio quality transmissions because a standard audio quality transmission in one slot per time frame may be interfering with an improved audio quality transmission in two slots per time frame. Such interference from the standard audio quality transmission is detectable only if the receiver receiving the improved audio quality transmission is measuring the signal quality of the particular time slot of the two slot improved audio channel that contains the interfering standard audio transmission. If the receiver of the improved audio quality transmission is not measuring the signal quality of the correct time slot of the two slot channel, the receiver will, in most cases, determine an errantly higher or better channel signal quality.
Therefore, a need exists for a method of determining signal quality of a communication channel that accurately detects signal quality in the aforementioned dual-mode type of communication system. Such a method that further permits handoff decisions to be made based on such a signal quality determination would be an improvement over the prior art.

Method for determining signal quality of a communication channel


A polarization filter includes a multilayer structure including a first plurality of elements and a second plurality of elements alternating between each other. The first plurality of elements and the second plurality of elements have different thicknesses, and the multilayer structure is configured to interact with unpolarized light incident on the multilayer structure and separate transverse electric (TE) waves and transverse magnetic (TM) waves of the unpolarized light.

During semiconductor wafer fabrication, a lithographic process is typically utilized to transfer a pattern from a mask to the semiconductor wafer. One method of fabricating smaller patterns is to use shorter wavelength of light. Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is being used to fabricate semiconductor devices having feature size of less than 22 nm to meet the ever-present demand of increased device density in integrated circuits.

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) polarization splitter

TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.


A folding device of the present invention includes a fold plate and a fold roller pair for folding a sheet or a sheet stack conveyed thereto. A controller causes the fold roller pair to move back and forth while nipping the folded portion of the sheet or that of the sheet stack at its nip for thereby continuously exerting pressure on the folded portion. The fold roller pair is rotated in opposite directions for thereby sharpening the fold of the sheet or that of the sheet stack.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding device mounted on or operatively connected to a copier, printer or similar image forming apparatus for folding a sheet or recording medium or a sheet stack carrying images thereon or a sheet finisher for folding, sorting, stacking, stapling, center-stapling or otherwise finishing the sheet or the sheet stack, and an image forming system consisting of the sheet finisher and image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Background Art
A sheet finisher positioned at the downstream side of an image forming apparatus for stapling or otherwise finishing a sheet stack is well known in the art. To meet the increasing demand for multiple functions, a sheet finisher having a center-stapling capability in addition to the conventional edge-stapling capability has recently been proposed. Further, a sheet finisher with a center-folding capability in addition to the center-stapling capability has been proposed to fold a center-stapled sheet stack at the center for thereby producing a pamphlet.
A sheet finisher with the binding capability mentioned above uses, in many cases, one or more pairs of fold rollers to fold a sheet stack. In this type of sheet finisher, a flat fold plate is caused to contact the stapled position of a sheet stack and push it into the nip of each fold roller pair, thereby folding the sheet stack.
When the fold plate is used to push a sheet stack into the nip of each fold roller, it is necessary to locate the sheet stack at a position where it faces the fold roller. Therefore, the fold roller pair located at the first stage is exposed to a sheet conveyance path, so that the sheet stack must be conveyed via the position where the fold roller pair is exposed. At this instant, if the sheet stack is relatively thick, then it is likely that the leading edge of the sheet stack facing the fold roller pair is caused to abut against the rollers or to be caught by the rollers and bent thereby.
In light of the above, it has been customary to use means for preventing a sheet stack from contacting the rollers, e.g., a shutter. The shutter prevents the leading edge of a sheet stack from contacting the rollers until it reaches a preselected position. However, the shutter or similar movable member must be driven by a mechanism arranged in the vicinity of the conveyance path, making the sheet finisher bulky. Moreover, the shutter slides on the surface of a sheet when operated, lowering the quality of an image printed on the sheet.
On the other hand, when a sheet stack is relatively thick, the folding device of the type described is apt to fail to sharply fold the sheet stack, leaving a swell in the sheet stack. To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 9-2735, for example, discloses a folding system configured to pass a relatively thick, center-folded sheet stack through the nip of a fold roller pair, reverse the rotation of the fold roller pair to again pass the sheet stack through the above nip, and repeat such a procedure a plurality of times. This system, however, has a drawback that the sheet stack, passed through the nip of the fold roller pair a plurality of times, is smeared around the fold due to sliding contact with the fold roller pair, failing to achieve high quality when implemented as a pamphlet.
To protect a sheet stack from smearing mentioned above, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-218483, for example, proposes a system that lowers a speed at which a sheet stack is pulled out at the time of reversal of rotation of the fold roller pair, thereby efficiently obviating the swell of the sheet stack. This system, however, cannot fully free a sheet stack from smears although reducing them.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2000-72320 and 2001-146363 each teach a system in which two fold roller pairs are arranged such that the former fold roller pair folds a sheet stack, and then the latter fold roller pair makes the fold of the sheet stack more firm. Although this kind of scheme almost frees a sheet stack form smears, it cannot sharply fold a relatively thick sheet stack and therefore fails to solve the problem of swell. Further, the system is not satisfactory as to productivity and whether or not a desired degree of fold can be formed.
Of course, for a given degree of pressure, the fold of a sheet stack becomes dull as the number or sheets constituting the sheet stack increases. In light of this, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 3,254,363, for example, proposes a system including selecting means for selecting either one of a first and a second mode and counting means for counting sheets constituting a single sheet stack. In the first mode, a fold roller pair is rotated only in the forward direction to fold a sheet stack one time while, in the second mode, it is rotated in the forward direction and then in the reverse direction to fold the sheet stack two times. The second mode is selected in accordance with the output of the counting means, thereby sharpening the fold of the sheet stack when the sheet stack has more than a preselected number of sheets.
Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 9-183568 and 2000-198613.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Sheet finisher and image forming system using the same