A method of merging two or more beacon groups (BGs), each BG comprising one or more wireless devices, the method comprising, determining a leader BG based on merging information broadcast by two or more devices of different BGs, said devices being within radio range of each other; and merging the two or more BGs into the leader BG; wherein the merging information of each device comprises an extension indication, the extension indication being positive if another device of a same BG as said each device is out of radio range of said each device, and negative otherwise.

In view of numerous shortfalls of the Wireless Personal Area Network (wPAN) Media Access Control (MAC) protocol of the IEEE standard 802.15.3, which is based on a centralized-control protocol, the Multi-Band Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) Alliance (MBOA) group started a MBOA MAC subgroup. The MBOA MAC is based on a distributed protocol rather than a centralized-controlled protocol as used in the IEEE 802.15.3 MAC. In order for every wireless device to be able to form a network by itself, each device is typically required to beacon in a distributed manner in a superframe.
The beginning of the superframe is typically reserved for beacon transmission. The number of Media Access Slots (MAS) used for beaconing purposes is defined as a Beacon Period (BP) and the remainder of the MAS in the superframe are used for data transfer. The BP is typically dynamic in length and consists of a dynamic number of beacon slots, which extends across up to 20 contiguous MAS. A Beacon Group (BG) is defined as a group of devices which synchronize their beacon transmissions within the same group of MAS in the superframe and which identify these MAS as their BP. The BP expands when new devices join the BG and contracts when devices leave the BG.
Since coexistence of independent BGs typically poses a problem In relation to decentralized network implementation, under the MBOA MAC standard, when two or more BGs are within range of each other, devices of the BGs coalesce to a single BP. The BP of one of the BGs is therefore expanded to accommodate the beacon transmissions of the joining devices from other BGs. However, in the MBOA MAC v0.6 draft specification, there is currently no defined method to select which BG's BP should remain unchanged and which BG should synchronise to join the unchanged BG. When two or more BGs merge, the BG that expands its BP to accommodate devices from other BGs is termed as the Leader BG (LBG) while the remainder of the BGs that coalesce into the LBG are termed as Follower BGs (FBGs).
Devices in a FBG have to change their beacon slots (BS) as well as reschedule or re-negotiate their other data transfer reservations, if any, when the FBGs merge into the LBG. For best device performance considerations, no device would voluntarily choose to be the one to merge into another BG. Therefore, a set of rules is needed so that every device can decide during BG merging whether it should continue beaconing in its current BG or join another BG based on the rules. The rules should enable every device to be able to determine whether its BG is the LBG or a FBG when it comes into range of one or more BGs.
A LBG selection method should ensure fairness. For selection to be fair, the least network disruption should be incurred When considering a selection based on the least impact on existing network topology, the selection can be defined such that a smaller BG always joins a bigger BG so that fewer devices are affected by the merging. Thus, during BG merging, the BG with the most number of member devices-assumes the LBG role and the rest of the BGs, being FBGs, coalesce into the LBG. However, one problem with this selection method is that BG size is typically a temporary value which is subjected to unpredictable changes in every superframe since devices can enter or leave at any time in a WPAN. Another problem is that the total number of devices in a BG is typically not propagated throughout the entire BG. This is true for WPANs where devices can typically only see other devices that are up to 2 hops away.
When considering a selection based on the least impact on ongoing data transfer, in the context of MBOA MAC, the selection is defined such that a BG with comparatively lesser existing data transfer reservations joins a BG with comparatively more existing data transfer reservations. One problem associated with this selection method is that a typical data transfer reservation count is even more temporary than BG size, even when BG size remains unchanged. Another problem is that the total data transfer reservation count is typically not propagated throughout the BG.
In existing attempts to counter the problems of local/neighbouring selection criteria that are based on temporary values as mentioned above, globally consistent selection criteria can be used. One such criteria is network time, which is typically the running clock value in every device. However, one problem with selecting a LBG using network time is that high accuracy clocks are typically required to ensure that all devices in the same BG report the same network time in every superframe.
Another globally consistent selection criteria that has been considered is the usage of the MAC address of each Device ID (DEVID) since the MAC address is consistent and fixed throughout network operation. However, a problem with this selection criteria is that the selection is typically consistently unfair to devices with less advantageous MAC addresses or DEVIDs in terms of the selection criteria used, such as alphabetical order, etc.
Hence, there exists a need to provide a method or system of Beacon Group merging to address one or more of the above problems.


A method for neutralizing acidic species and inhibiting the deposition of amine acid salts on the internal surfaces of elevated temperature processing units in a petroleum refinery comprising adding to the hydrocarbon liquid being processed therein a tertiary amine, including trimethylamine and triethylamine.

Hydrocarbon feedstocks such as petroleum crudes, gas oil, etc. are subjected to various processes in order to isolate and separate different fractions of the feedstock. In refinery processes, the feedstock is distilled so as to provide light hydrocarbons, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene, gas oil, etc.
The lower boiling fractions are recovered as an over head fraction from the distillation column. The intermediate components are recovered as side cuts from the distillation column. The fractions are cooled, condensed, and sent to collecting equipment. No matter what type of petroleum feedstock is used as the charge, the distillation equipment is subjected to the corrosive activity of acids such as H.sub.2 S, HCl, organic acids, and H.sub.2 CO.sub.3.
Corrosive attack on the metals normally used in the low temperature sections of a refinery process system, (i.e. where water is present below its dew point) is an electrochemical reaction generally in the form of acid attack on active metals in accordance with the following equations:
(1) at the anode EQU Fe(s) .fwdarw.Fe.sup.++ +2e.sup.- PA1 (2) at the cathode EQU 2H.sup.+ +2e.sup.- 2H EQU 2H.fwdarw.H.sub.2 (g)
The aqueous phase may be water entrained in the hydrocarbons being processed and/or water added to the process for such purposes as steam stripping. Acidity of the condensed water is due to dissolved acids in the condensate, principally HCl, organic acids, H.sub.2 S, and H.sub.2 CO.sub.3. HCl, the most trouble some corrosive material, is formed by hydrolysis of calcium and magnesium chlorides originally present in the brines.
Corrosion may occur on the metal surfaces of fractionating towers such as crude towers, trays within the towers, heat exchangers, etc. The most troublesome locations for corrosion are tower top trays, overhead lines, condensers, and top pump around exchangers. It is usually within these areas that water condensate is formed or carried along with the process stream. The top temperature of the fractionating column is usually, but not always, maintained at about or above the dew point of water. The aqueous condensate formed contains a significant concentration of the acidic components above-mentioned. These high concentrations of acidic Components render the pH of the condensate highly acidic and, of course, dangerously corrosive. Accordingly, neutralizing treatments have been used to render the pH of the condensate more alkaline to thereby minimize acid-based corrosive attack at those regions of the apparatus with which this condensate is in contact.
One of the chief points of difficulty with respect to corrosion occurs above and in the temperature range of the initial condensation of water. The term "initial condensate" as it is used herein signifies a phase formed when the temperature of the surrounding environment reaches the dew point of water. At this point a mixture of liquid water, hydrocarbon, and vapor may be present. Such initial condensate may occur within the distilling unit itself or in subsequent condensors. The top temperature of the fractionating column is normally maintained above the dew point of water. The initial aqueous condensate formed contains a high percentage of HCl. Due to the high concentration of acids dissolved in the water, the pH of the first condensate is quite low. For this reason, the water is highly corrosive. It is important, therefore, that the first condensate be rendered less corrosive.
In the past, highly basic ammonia has been added at various points in the distillation circuit in an attempt to control the corrosiveness of condensed acidic materials. Ammonia, however, has not proven to be effective with respect to eliminating corrosion occurring at the initial condensate. It is believed that ammonia has been ineffective for this purpose because it does not condense completely enough to neutralize the acidic components of the first condensate.
At the present time, amines such as morpholine and methoxypropylamine (U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,746) are used successfully to control or inhibit corrosion that ordinarily occurs at the point of initial condensation within or after the distillation unit. The addition of these amines to the petroleum fractionating system substantially raises the pH of the initial condensate rendering the material noncorrosive or substantially less corrosive than was previously possible. The inhibitor can be added to the system either in pure form or as an aqueous solution. A sufficient amount of inhibitor is added to raise the pH of the liquid at the point of initial condensation to above 4.5 and, preferably, to between 5.5 and 6.0.
Commercially, morpholine and methoxypropylamine have proven to be successful in treating many crude distillation units. In addition, other highly basic (pKa>8 ) amines have been used, including ethylenediamine and monoethanolamine. Another commercial product that has been used in these applications is hexamethylenediamine.
A specific problem has developed in connection with the use of these highly basic amines for treating the initial condensate. This problem relates to the hydrochloride salts of these amines which tend to form deposits in distillation columns, column pumparounds, overhead lines, and in overhead heat exchangers. These deposits manifest themselves after the particular amine has been used for a period of time, sometimes in as little as one or two days. These deposits can cause both fouling and corrosion problems and are most problematic in units that do not use a water wash.

Neutralizing amines with low salt precipitation potential


A device receives, from a voicemail server, log information associated with voicemail transactions performed by the voicemail server, and determines data elements, of the log information, to be aggregated. The device also aggregates the determined data elements of the log information, determines a time period to provide the aggregated log information to a database for storage, and provides the aggregated log information to the database at the determined time period.

Visual voicemail (VVM) is a user friendly application that adds a visual aspect to managing voicemail messages. Traditional telephone user interface (TUI) voicemail requires users to dial into a system to listen to voicemails in a sequential order. VVM may enable mobile phone users to manage voicemail message in an order of their choice, e.g., in a random order rather than a sequential order.
VVM servers (and some voicemail (VM) servers) provide a middle interface between mobile devices and a voicemail system. All transactions between the mobile devices and the voicemail system may be provided through the VVM servers, and a large amount of transactions may place a heavy load on the VVM servers. The VVM servers may be monitored to determine and/or report load conditions experienced by the VVM servers in real time. For example, processor (e.g., central processing unit (CPU)) usage information, memory (e.g., disk space) usage information, and/or response information associated with the VVM servers may be monitored. Log files associated with the VVM servers may also be scanned (e.g., in real time) to monitor a response time of each VM transaction, failure messages associated with the VVM servers, and/or backlog messages associated with the VVM servers. The monitored information may be utilized to provide one or more reports about the load conditions experienced by the VVM servers. However, real time scans of the log files associated with the VVM servers have a significant impact on the performance of the VVM servers. Furthermore, multiple VVM servers in a cluster render data combination and real time scans of the log files associated with the VVM servers extremely difficult.

Voicemail server monitoring/reporting via aggregated data


A circuit arrangement for setting the operating point of at least one signal transistor (2) driven by alternating signals (1), with a current source (3) that is coupled to a supply potential (8) and to the control input of the signal transistor (2). A regulating transistor (4) has a load path coupled to a reference potential (9) and to the control input of the signal transistor (2). A resistor (5) is connected to the control input of the regulating transistor (4) and to the setting input of the signal transistor (2). A capacitor (6) is connected between the control input of the regulating transistor (4) and the reference potential (9).

The present invention is directed to a circuit arrangement for setting the operating point of at least one signal transistor driven by alternating signals.
Prior art, German reference DE 38 11 949 A1 discloses a circuit arrangement wherein narrow-band power amplifiers operate in the high-frequency range. The operating point of the transistors employed should be as optimally set as possible in order to obtain high efficiency and good harmonic behavior of these amplifiers. Over and above this, low signal energy should be consumed for setting the operating point for the purpose of a higher efficiency and the setting should be largely unit-independent.
An inductance or, respectively, a .lambda./4 line is usually utilized for decoupling the setting of the operating point from the useful signal. Given partial or complete integration of the amplifier circuit, either additional terminals at the respective, integrated circuit or, additional chip area is required. Given push-pull amplifiers, two identical operating point settings are undertaken, whereby the space requirement practically doubles compared to the single-ended embodiment because of two inductances or, respectively, .lambda./4 lines.

Circuit arrangement for setting the operating point


Serial data communication methods and apparatus using a single line are provided. The data communication methods may include: setting a rising edge of a serial pulse signal so that a cycle of the serial pulse signal begins therefrom; setting a falling edge of the serial pulse signal within the cycle of the serial pulse signal according to a data value recorded within the cycle of the serial pulse signal; and transmitting a packet formed by combining at least one cycle of the serial pulse signal in series via a single line.

In general, data communication systems that include a master and a slave may be classified as either high-speed communication systems or as low-speed communication systems. Low-speed communication systems are generally used, for example, to set a register or to turn on/off a hand-held device.
One type of bus used in low-speed communication systems is an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus. An I2C network is a small-sized network established by connecting integrated circuits (ICs) and other electronic systems using an I2C bus.
In an I2C network, a master generates a start signal and a stop signal, thereby initiating communication. The master generates a clock signal, transmits slave addresses, and determines a direction in which data is to be transmitted. An example of the master is a central processing unit (CPU). An I2C bus may be comprised of two lines: a serial clock line (SCL) and a serial data line. The I2C bus carries out serial data communications using these lines.
A considerable number of devices may be connected to an I2C bus waiting for their turn to communicate. The devices are in a slave state when the I2C bus is inactivated. In the slave state, the devices are able to make a response to the master when addressed by the master.

Serial data communication apparatus and methods of using a single line


A multilayer interconnection board (10) comprises a dielectric substrate (11), a through-hole (15), a signal line (12) having a large width section (12A) and a small width section (12B) connected with the through-hole (15), and a ground layer (13, 14). A length L (mm) of the small width section (12B) meets the formula of 0<L≦(3×1010)/(F×√ε), wherein, ε denotes the dielectric constant of the dielectric substrate (11) and F (Hz) denotes the frequency of a signal transmitted through the signal line (12). The ratio (W2/W1) of a line width W2 of the small width section (12B) relative to a line width W1 of the large width section (12A) is determined to be smaller as the length of a stub portion of the through-hole (15) becomes larger.

The present invention relates to a multilayer interconnection board, especially a multilayer interconnection board suitable for a strip line structure or micro-strip line structure.
It is possible to adjust the characteristic impedance of the multilayer interconnection board by adjusting a thickness of a dielectric substrate made of a dielectric, a dielectric constant of the dielectric, a line width of a signal line, a distance between a ground layer and the signal line, and so forth. However, when the signal line is connected with a capacitive load, such as a through-hole, the characteristic impedance is reduced because of the increase of a capacitive component in the vicinity of the through-hole. If the characteristic impedance is reduced in the vicinity of the through-hole, a signal reflection, which is generated by an unconformity of the impedance, degrades a high-speed signal. Especially, if the through-hole includes a stub, the characteristic impedance is reduced remarkably and the degradation of a high-speed signal becomes serious.
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Unexamined Number 2004-14800 that when a multilayer interconnection board is provided with a pair of signal conductors performing a data differential transmission, the differential impedance can be adjusted by extending the distance between the pair of signal conductors in the though-hole.
The above method, however, cannot be used for a wiring pattern of high density


A low pressure air cleaning system that allows a surface to be cleaned easily by blowing particulate matter from the surface including a housing defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a back wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall. A motor is disposed within the housing. The motor has a power cord extending outwardly of the first end wall of the housing. The motor includes an air intake. The air intake has an open outer end extending outwardly of the first end wall. The motor includes an air outlet. An air compression tank is disposed within the housing. The air compression tank has an air inlet in communication with the air outlet of the motor. The air compression tank has an air outlet. A regulator is disposed within the housing. The regulator has an air inlet in communication with the air outlet of the air compression tank. The regulator includes an air outlet extending outwardly of the second end wall of the housing. An air hose is adapted for coupling with the air outlet of the regulator.

The invention relates to a low pressure air cleaning system that allows a surface to be cleaned easily by blowing particulate matter from the surface.
Several references show various cleaning devices. U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,773 to Krentz discloses a portable cleaning device capable of providing various functions and includes an air compressor for spraying compressed air. U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,462 to Amoretti discloses a multi-purpose cleaning appliance that is capable of generating a jet of air. U.S. Pat. No. 5,457,846 to Kuwano discloses a portable blower assembly, powered by an internal combustion engine. U.S. Pat. No. 2,299,987 to Hunter discloses a portable cleaning unit using air under pressure.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
It is an object of the invention to produce a low pressure air cleaning system that allows a surface to be cleaned easily by blowing particulate matter from the surface including a housing having a generally rectangular configuration defined by a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall, a back wall, a first end wall, and a second end wall. The housing has a hollow interior. The top wall has a generally L-shaped handle extending upwardly therefrom. The bottom wall has a plurality of support feet extending downwardly therefrom. The first and second end walls each have a removable cover member coupled thereto. A motor is disposed within the hollow interior of the housing. The motor has a power cord extending outwardly of the first end wall of the housing. The power cord includes a cord mount secured to the first end wall for wrappedly receiving the power cord thereon. The motor includes an air intake. The air intake has an open outer end extending outwardly of the first end wall. The motor includes an air outlet. The motor has a power switch disposed in the top wall of the housing. An air compression tank is disposed within the hollow interior of the housing. The air compression tank has an air inlet in communication with the air outlet of the motor. The air compression tank has an air outlet. A regulator is disposed within the hollow interior of the housing. The regulator has an air inlet in communication with the air outlet of the air compression tank. The regulator includes an air outlet extending outwardly of the second end wall of the housing. The regulator includes a control valve and pressure gauge disposed within the top wall of the housing. An air hose is adapted for coupling with the air outlet of the regulator. The air hose includes a cord mount secured to the second end wall for wrappedly receiving the air hose thereon. The air hose includes a plurality of nozzle attachments adapted for being removably coupled therewith. The nozzle attachments include clips secured to the front and back walls of the housing for receiving the nozzle attachments when not in use.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.


A transport channel selecting apparatus is provided, in which the transport channel selecting apparatus includes: a storage for storing information on combinations of transport blocks of transport channels to be transmitted to a radio base station; a transmission buffer for storing transport blocks of the transport channels; an address generation part for generating an address by using numbers of the transport blocks stored in the transmission buffer for each transport channel; an extraction part for extracting, from the storage, information on a combination of transport blocks of transport channels corresponding to the address; and a selection part for selecting transport blocks from the transmission buffer according to the combination indicated by the extracted information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a technical field of mobile communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transport channel selecting apparatus and a transport channel selecting method for transmitting a predetermined combination of transport blocks of transport channels to a radio base station.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the technical field of the mobile communications, the IMT 2000 system has been developed as a next generation (third generation) mobile communications system and the IMT 2000 system is being standardized by 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) from requirements to realize high speed data communications that can provide mobile media services and to realize international global roaming services and the like.
FIG. 1 shows an overview of the mobile communications system. As shown in the figure, the mobile communications system 100 includes a user apparatus or a mobile terminal (UE) 102, a radio base station (or node B) 104 that communicates with the mobile terminal 102 by radio, a radio network control part (RNC) 106, and a core network (CN) 108 that communicates with the radio network control part 106 via wire lines. The radio network control part (RNC) 106 performs control of the radio base station 104, management of radio resources, control of hand over and the like. The core network 108 performs movement management of the mobile terminal 102, signaling, service control and the like. In the figure, Iu represents an interface between the core network 108 and the radio network control part 106, Iub represents an interface between the radio network control part 106 and the radio base station 104, and Uu represents an interface between the radio base station 104 and the mobile terminal 102.
From the viewpoint of protocol layers, the mobile communications system 100 is formed by, in an ascending order from the bottom layer, the physical layer (layer 1), the data link layer (layer 2) and the network layer (layer 3). Further, the layer 2 that mainly relates to operations of the radio network control part 106 includes a radio link control (RLC) layer and a medium access control (MAC) layer that is below the RLC layer. The RLC layer is for controlling operations of ARQ (automatic repeat request) and the like. Comminations between the layer 1 and the layer 2 are performed by "logical channel", and communications between the layer 2 and the layer 3 are performed by "transport channel (TrCH)". Such mobile communications system is disclosed in Japanese laid open patent application No.2003-46557 and "http://www.3 gpp.org/", for example.
In the mobile communications system, the mobile terminal 102 and the radio base station 104 are connected by radio, and resources (bandwidth) used for the communications between them are limited to a predetermined range. In addition, for using resources efficiently and for transmitting high priority information rapidly, types of transport channels and the number of transport blocks (or number of ATM cells) are limited to a predetermined combination, so that the predetermined combination of transport blocks is transmitted to the radio base station. As the high priority information, there is a paging channel (PCH) for example. As other transport channels, there are a notification channel (BCH : Broadcast channel) for transmitting information on radio base stations such as frequencies used by the radio base station and the like, an uplink common channel (RACH : Random Access Channel), a downlink common channel (FACH : Forward Access Channel), and a dedicated channels (DCH) and the like. In the channels, the paging channel (PCH) and the downlink common channel (FACH) are multiplexed and transmitted in a predetermined channel (S-CCPCH : Secondary Common Control Physical Channel) from the radio base station.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show tables indicating examples of combinations of transport channels (TFC: Transport Format Combination) transmitted from the RNC to the node B. For the sake of simplicity, although seven combinations (TFC number 0-6) for four kinds of transport channels (TrCH_A-D) are shown in the tables, other values can be taken according to usage. Each line in the table shown in FIG. 2A indicates a combination of numbers of transport blocks for each of transport channels. For example, the combination indicated by the TFC number: 0 indicates that data of the transport channels TrCH_A-C are not transmitted but one transport block of a transport channel TrCH_D is transmitted. In addition, the combination indicated by the TFC number: 5 indicates that transport blocks of transport channels TrCH_A-D are transmitted by two, two, one and one respectively. By transmitting a predetermined combination of the transport blocks, resources can be used efficiently. The information relating to the predetermined combinations is stored n a memory as a TFC list table as shown in FIG. 2B. If a combination of transport blocks of transport channels that is not included in the predetermined combinations is transmitted to the node B, it is not guaranteed that data of the channels are properly transmitted (for example, unintentional coding process may be performed, or data of the channels may be discarded).
When the radio network control part RNC 106 sends data received from an upper part to the node B and to the mobile terminal UE, the radio network control part RNC 106 transmits transport blocks of transport channels to the node B according the above-mentioned predetermined combination. In this case, for transmitting transport blocks of transport channels in a transmission buffer to the node B, the radio network control part RNC 106 selects a combination and transmits transport blocks corresponding to the combination such that the best transmission efficiency can be obtained. Therefore, the radio network control part RNC 106 may select an optimal combination by checking all combinations shown in FIG. 2A.
FIG. 3 shows a conventional flowchart for determining a combination of transport blocks of transport channels. In step 302, transport blocks of transport channels to be transmitted to the node B are stored in the transmission buffer in the RNC, and a transmission request arises.
In step 304, the RNC accesses the TFC list table. In the TFC list table as shown in FIG. 2B, predetermined combinations of numbers transport blocks of transport channels are stored.
In step 306, the RNC selects a combination (TFC) from the TFC list table. The selected TFC is treated as a new TFC hereinafter.
In step 308, the RNC determines whether the new TFC can be used for the transmission request. For example, if the TFC number 4 (FIG. 2B) is selected and if transport blocks of transport channels TrCH_B-D are stored in the transmission buffer but data of the TrCH_A is not stored in the transmission buffer in step 308, the TFC number 4 cannot be selected since one transport block of TrCH_A must be transmitted according to the TFC number 4, so that the step goes to step 314. On the other hand, if transport blocks of the transport channels can be transmitted, the step goes to step 310.
In step 310, transmission efficiency is determined between an old TFC that was previously selected and the new TFC. The transmission efficiency is determined according to the numbers of transport blocks or information amount that can be transmitted by one time transmission. If the transmission efficiency of the new TFC is lower than that of the old TFC, the step goes to step 314. If the transmission efficiency of the new TFC is not lower than that of the old TFC, the step goes to step 312.
In step 312, the old TFC is updated to the new TFC. In step 314, it is checked whether every TFC has been checked. If there exists any unchecked TFC, the step moves to the step 304 so that the above-mentioned procedure is repeated. If every TFC has been checked, the step goes to step 316.
In step 316, the old TFC is determined as the combination used for actually transmitting the transport blocks of transport channels, and the transmission is performed and the process ends.
The above-mentioned series of operations generally need much amount of time, so that there is a problem in that real time processing becomes difficult and the transmission efficiency becomes worse due to increase of waiting time and delay time. In addition, if selection of a proper TFC is delayed, the status in the transmission buffer may be changed while selecting a TFC based on the status of the transmission buffer, so that the determined TFC may not be a optimum combination. As to the problems, in the invention described in the Japanese laid open patent application No.2003-46557, to improve the method of selecting a combination, various specific pieces of data such as list selection calculation data are generated and the specific pieces of data are compared each other so that a proper combination is selected. However, also according to this method, a proper combination needs to be selected by checking all combinations for transmitting given transport channels to the radio base station. Thus, since generation of the pieces of data used for comparison and the comparison of the pieces of data may be delayed, the above-mentioned method is not effective.

Transport channel selecting apparatus and the selecting method


Improvements relating to a control device for controlling a display of a computer system for use with a video game includes a coordinate control unit for providing information related to a vertical and horizontal tilt of the control device, a game control unit for inputting game control information and a controller for processing the information provided by the coordinate control unit and game control unit. The vertical and horizontal point of view of the user in the video game and/or the vertical and horizontal position of a cursor on the display is determined based on the information related to the vertical and horizontal tilt of the control device. The control device is preferably shaped like a firearm to enhance the realism of the video game, and may include an LCD display mounted on the control device, as the primary display, and may also include an LCD mounted in a sighting device of the control device.

As computers have become a part of every day life, video games playable on computers have similarly become a very popular means of entertainment. While software and computer graphics innovations have made video games very realistic, most video games rely on more contemporary input devices such as a keyboard, computer mouse or joystick to allow a player to interact with the video game. While these traditional input devices are familiar to most users and easy to operate, they tend to take away from the realism of the video game.
My prior PCT application PCT/US04/41396 filed Dec. 9, 2004, and published as WO/2005/058434 and incorporated herein by reference, discloses an improved game controller.
The present application discloses further improvements to a controller of the type known by my prior PCT application, which improvements add to the realism of the environment being controller by the controller, such as a video game.


A communication apparatus preventing output of wasteful error reports is provided. To this end, first, the communication apparatus comprises a display means displaying an error report regarding a communication error and a print means printing an error report regarding a communication error. The communication apparatus further comprises a control means allowing the display means to display an error report regarding a communication error in the case the occurrence of the communication error is detected while the user is authenticated by an authentication means. The control means allows the print means to print an error report regarding a communication error where the occurrence of a communication error is detected and when the user is not authenticated by the authentication means.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus and more specifically to a communication apparatus preventing output of wasteful error reports.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communication apparatuses, such as facsimile machines, image-forming apparatuses, and multifunction apparatus having communication functions, have a communication function to print an error report on which the occurrence of a communication error is referred when a communication error occurs, for example, after the facsimile transmission function as the communication function is executed. A variety of communication errors occur depending on the communication function. For example, in considering the communication errors sustained by each communication function, the facsimile transmission function may sustain a communication error such as line connection failure. Such a communication error occurs when a telephone number given as the telephone number of the other party does not exist or when there is no answer a specific period of time after the communication function is launched.
The e-mail transmission function, which is another communication function, may sustain a communication error such as an e-mail message transmission failure. For example, it is assumed that a user has sent an e-mail message with image data attached to an SMTP (simple-mail transfer protocol) server. The SMTP server reads and searches the destination e-mail address. The above communication error occurs when the destination e-mail address does not exist.
The personal computer (PC) transmission function may sustain a communication error such as failure of image data transmission to a PC. Such a communication error occurs when the user transmits image data to a specific PC and the IP address of the PC does not exist or the communication cable is disconnected.
When the above communication errors occur, the user sees an error report regarding the communication error, enabling the user to recognize the occurrence of the communication error.
However, the above communication apparatuses print an error report even if the user recognizes the occurrence of a communication error, irritating the user and paper and toner is wastefully used for printing the error report.
Particularly, as for the communication functions such as e-mail transmission function and PC transmission function in which the occurrence of a communication error is relatively quickly detected, the user often recognizes the communication error and, in which case, the error reports are excessively wasteful.
In order to resolve the above problem, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2002-232625 discloses a communication apparatus having a display part displaying error messages and a printer printing image information. The communication apparatus further comprises an error identification means identifying the nature of an error when an error occurs, an error information storage means storing the error identification result, and an error information output means selecting and outputting only the specified error nature information among the information stored in the error information storage means. With this arrangement, the user is efficiently made aware only of error information in which the user has an interest. The user is not irritated and output of wasteful error reports is prevented.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2006-333265 discloses a communication apparatus comprising a communication means communicating with other devices, an error detection means detecting the occurrence of a communication error in the communication, and an acknowledgment detection means detecting the user acknowledgement of the occurrence of the communication error. The communication apparatus further comprises a print time storage means storing the print time for printing an error report and a print means printing an error report on the communication having a communication error when the acknowledgment is not detected within the print time since the communication error is detected. With this arrangement, when the user has acknowledged the communication error occurrence, no error report is printed, preventing, as in the above case, irritation to the user and the output of wasteful error reports.

Communication apparatus that prevents the wasteful printing of error reports


Described herein are methods, systems, and apparatuses for determining sag in a signal. In one example, a method of tracking sag in a signal includes, when in an initial state, monitoring for when the signal transitions to a sag state based at least on an output of a tracking filter. In response to the signal transitioning to the sag state, increasing a bandwidth of the tracking filter and, when in the sag state, monitoring for when the signal transitions to a recovering state. The method further includes, in response to the signal transitioning to the recovering state, decreasing the bandwidth of the tracking filter.

Maintaining precise power for industrial devices is an important aspect for control systems for these devices. Control systems often include motion and motor controllers, actuator controllers, among many other control devices. The industrial devices being controlled may include motors, and multi-axis robots within complex manufacturing processes, among other industrial devices.
Abnormal grid conditions, such as voltage sags, may cause a converter for the industrial device to fault or malfunction, thus affecting system reliability. In some instances, an over current fault cannot be automatically reset, which then requires manual resetting that costs both time and resources. Further, voltage sags can affect controller performance and lead to the injection of undesirable current harmonics to the grid, and may also result in excessive stresses on power components within the converter. For all of these reasons, it is important that the power supplied to these complex devices remain within an acceptable range and accurate to ensure proper productivity. Without monitoring the power, the efficiency of the often-expensive devices may suffer or come to a halt as a result of improper power supplies.


A hollow cylindrical pulley body 5 is carried rotatably by a hollow cylindrical shaft member 11. A support rod 8 is inserted in the shaft member 11 to support the shaft member 11 for rocking motion about a pivot axis C2 orthogonal to the shaft member 11. The pivot axis C2 is inclined backward in the direction of belt travel with respect to the direction of load on the shaft member 11. With this configuration, when the drive belt 3 deviates to one side, the pulley body 5 is immediately angularly moved so that it is inclined with a level difference with respect to the direction of load on the shaft member 11 and is positioned obliquely relative to the drive belt 3, thereby producing a force of returning the drive belt 3 to its normal position.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to drive belt pulleys and belt drive systems.
(b) Description of the Related Art
In drive systems using a flat belt, the flat belt when running often causes wobbling and sidetracking towards one side of the pulley. This is because a flat belt is susceptible, as compared with the other kinds of drive belts, to position changes of drive system components, such as deviation of a pulley shaft from its normal position, deflection thereof due to change in load thereon, and pulley wobbling. If such a belt wobbling or sidetracking occurs, then the flat belt may come into contact with a flange of the flat pulley, resulting in a fuzzed flat belt side face or a frayed cord.
A known approach to this problem is to crown the outer periphery of a flat pulley (i.e., to form it into a convex surface). There is also a proposed technique to form the crown at the outer periphery of a pulley into the shape of a sphere around the rotation center of the pulley (see Japanese Unexamined Utility-Model Publication No. 59-45351). This proposed pulley is intended to take the advantage of rotation moment acting on the pulley by tension of the flat belt to eliminate inclination (angular deviation) of the pulley shaft and sidetracking of the flat belt.
There is also known a flat pulley the outer periphery of which has a multiplicity of grooves formed at regular intervals along its circumference (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-307521). Each groove extends to form a V-shape symmetrically from the middle of the pulley width toward both sides. These grooves create between the flat belt and the pulley a frictional force which allows the flat pulley to approach the middle of the pulley width. The frictional force prevents wobbling and sidetracking of the belt.
There is still also known a technique to place guide rollers to both sides of a flat belt and thereby limit the running position of the flat belt (see Japanese Examined Utility-Model Publication No. 63-6520).
The first-mentioned approach of crowning the pulley groove surface, however, has the following problem. When the curvature of the crown is set at a small value taking count of running stability of the flat belt (prevention of wobbling and sidetracking), stress is focused on the middle of the belt width. This prevents effective utilization of the entire belt width for power transmission and leads to early cord fatigue and degraded power transmission performance.
The above-mentioned technique of forming the pulley crown into a sphere around the rotation center of the pulley, even if it enhances the effect of preventing sidetracking of a drive belt, still has the above problem that stress is focused on the middle of the belt width by the pulley crown.
The above-described grooving of the flat pulley surface raises the production cost of the flat pulley. In addition, it is difficult to certainly prevent wobbling and sidetracking of the flat belt simply by the grooving.
When the approach is employed of limiting the running position of the flat belt by placing guide rollers or the like to both sides thereof, both sides of the flat belt always contact such a limiting member. As a result, the belt side face is likely to fuzz and the cord is likely to fray. This creates the need for applying to the flat belt a special process for preventing such adverse effects, which is a disadvantage to reduction of production cost of the flat belt.
For the above-described reasons, the fact is that though flat belt drive systems have lower loss due to belt flexing and very higher power transmission efficiency as compared with systems using other types of belts, such as V-belts, they are not exploited enough.


When an access terminal is handed off, requested-data-rate information based on a data rate control signal from each access terminal, average throughput of each access terminal before handoff, and a handoff request count are obtained from a base transceiver subsystem. A throughput after handoff of each access terminal is estimated from a ratio of the data rate information of each access terminal to the number of connected access terminals, and an estimated throughput ratio representing the degree of change from the average throughput of each access terminal before handoff to the estimated throughput is calculated. If the estimated throughput ratio is lower than or equal to a given value, the corresponding access terminal is not handed off. If the estimated throughput ratio is higher than the given value, the access terminal having the highest estimated throughput among access terminals requesting handoff is handed off.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to handoff control methods, base station controllers, and base transceiver subsystems in mobile radio communication systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a CDMA radio communication system, radio waves sent from an antenna of a base transceiver subsystem to an access terminal diminish as the distance from the base transceiver subsystem increases. The radio waves finally do not reach the access terminal. The reach of radio waves is handled as a service area, and communication services are provided for a plurality of access terminals within the service area.
In the communication system described above, the access terminal must transfer its own location information to the network. Accordingly, the terminal always sends its current location information to the base transceiver subsystem. The base transceiver subsystem holds the location information sent from the plurality of access terminals within the local zone and enables data communication with the network. If the access terminal moves toward an adjacent zone during data communication, radio waves sent from the current base transceiver subsystem are gradually attenuated, radio interference from the adjacent base transceiver subsystem increases, and the quality of service decreases. Then, the communication is switched to the adjacent zone that can provide a good radio environment (the radio channel is switched), so that stable communication is maintained. This technology is referred to as a handoff control method.
A representative handoff control method is soft handoff. When the access terminal moves in the middle of communication, the soft handoff method establishes a radio channel to an adjacent base transceiver subsystem while maintaining the radio channel to the current base transceiver subsystem, and allows communication with a base transceiver subsystem that provides a better radio environment.
One soft handoff method disclosed in patent document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-238248) is outlined as follows: One access terminal (AT) can simultaneously connect radio channels to a plurality of base transceiver subsystems (BTSs); The strength of a pilot signal from each BTS is always monitored; When the signal strength exceeds a given threshold, handoff to the corresponding BTS is carried out.
The conventional handoff control methods judge that a radio environment is good if the pilot signal is sufficiently strong.
The AT monitors a carrier-to-interference-power ratio (C/I), or a ratio of the strength C of the pilot signal to the interference signal I from the adjacent BTS. The AT specifies the transmission rate (throughput) of a forward link channel (from the base transceiver subsystem to the access terminal) in accordance with C/I. The AT sends a data rate control signal (DRC) including data rate information that requests the base transceiver subsystem to perform data communication at the specified throughput. The BTS that receives DRC specifies the highest possible transmission rate and starts communicating with the AT accordingly.
The radio signal used in the radio channel includes control data such as the pilot signal and traffic data such as voice conversation data and moving picture data. The traffic data is hereafter referred to as communication data.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a conventional CDMA radio communication system.
FIG. 1 shows that an AT which is receiving a Pilot CH1 signal from BTS1 101 in a position 105-1 moves in a first zone 103 toward BTS2 102, and reaches a position 105-2. The position is on the boundary of the first zone 103 and a second zone 104, and a Pilot CH2 signal from BTS2 102 can also be received there. A solid line representing radio waves indicates that the radio signal is received with a high strength while a broken line indicates that the strength is low.
If C/I of the Pilot CH2 signal from BTS2 102 exceeds a channel assignment threshold T_ADD when the AT is going to move from the position 105-2 to a position 105-3, the AT notifies a base station controller (BSC) 106 that the Pilot CH2 signal of BTS2 102 becomes a candidate for handoff, in the position 105-2 through BTS1.
The BSC 106 receives the notification and starts allocating a radio channel between the AT in the position 105-2 and BTS2 102. Now, the AT has two radio channels: one connected to BTS1 101 and the other connected to BTS2 102 (two-way state). Communication data is transferred in either of the two radio channels.
When the AT moves further to the position 105-3, C/I of BTS2 102 exceeds C/I from BTS1 101, and the communication is switched to BTS2 102. When the AT reaches a position 105-4, C/I of BTS1 101 falls below a communication capability threshold T_DROP. The Pilot CH1 signal of BTS1 101 is eliminated from the candidates for handoff, and the corresponding radio channel is disconnected. Then, the AT in the position 105-4 can communicate with BTS2 102 alone.
In the conventional handoff control system, the access terminal gives high priority to the strength of radio waves, and handoff is carried out to obtain a higher momentary transmission rate. No consideration is given to load statuses such as the total throughput and the number of channels connected to the base transceiver subsystem of the handoff destination. If the base transceiver subsystem of the handoff destination is congested, the user throughput may often decrease due to transmission scheduling on the side of the base transceiver subsystem, despite a good radio environment.
Moreover, because handoff control is performed irrespective of the congestion of the base transceiver subsystem, imbalances may be created among access terminals handed off to base transceiver subsystems.

Handoff control method, base station controller, and base transceiver subsystem

Hitachi Communication Technologies, Inc.


A heat-assisted magnetic recording device includes a granular magnetic recording layer and a thermal absorption layer formed on top of the magnetic recording layer. The thermal absorption layer is patterned to include rows extending in a cross-track direction of the magnetic media, each adjacent pair of the rows being separated from one another by an insulating material.

In patterned media devices, magnetic material on a disc is patterned or grown into small isolated islands or "grains" such that there exists a single magnetic domain in each island or grain. Each single magnetic domain can be a single grain or a plurality of strongly coupled grains that switch magnetic states in concert as a single magnetic volume. This is in contrast to conventional non-patterned media wherein a single "bit" may have multiple magnetic grains separated by grain boundaries. The media may be fabricated so that there is no magnetic material in the regions between the islands.
While patterned media are viewed preferentially as a promising tool for effectively deferring the superparamagnetic limit (an areal density limit at which thermal fluctuations in the media spontaneously switch the polarization of recorded bits), currently favored techniques for creating patterned media tend to cause damage to the magnetic islands, leading to grain-to-grain inconsistencies in characteristics such as coercivity distribution, switching field distribution or the grain-to-grain deviations in Curie temperature. This damage to the magnetic islands tends to increase as the pattern density increases. Consequently, conventional patterning methods are not conducive to high density pattern formation.

Patterned thermal absorption layer for granular storage media


A heteroepitaxially grown structure includes a substrate and a mask including a high aspect ratio trench formed on the substrate. A cavity is formed in the substrate having a shape with one or more surfaces and including a resistive neck region at an opening to the trench. A heteroepitaxially grown material is formed on the substrate and includes a first region in or near the cavity and a second region outside the first region wherein the second region contains fewer defects than the first region.

Technical Field
The present invention relates to heteroepitaxy, and more particularly to devices and methods for employing crystal defect cancellation structures for epitaxially forming a crystal on non-lattice matched materials.
Description of the Related Art
High aspect ratio features with patterns and materials engineered so that selective area growth only occurs at a bottom of the features may help reduce defects during heteroepitaxy. This permits defects to terminate along sidewalls of the features. This type of defect reduction is called aspect ratio trapping (ART). Work has been done on controlling a seed area at the bottom of the high aspect ratio features at the bottom interfaces (e.g., making a V groove) to help control which defects and interfaces are active at relieving the strain and to trap the defects.
However, the trapping schemes and features attempted guide the fronts along only one or two growth fronts. This fails to address that in many crystal systems there are actually more crystallographic directions that are active for stacking faults and other defect generations.

Enhanced defect reduction for heteroepitaxy by seed shape engineering

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided are a novel exhaust pipe temperature estimation device and a sensor heater control apparatus for an exhaust gas sensor using the same that accurately estimates an estimation exhaust pipe temperature when an internal combustion engine is stopped and restarted in response to a change of an environmental condition of the internal combustion engine and controls an operation of a sensor heater based on the estimated estimation exhaust pipe temperature. Thus, at least first correction information Tz based on a change of an exhaust pipe temperature and an elapsed time at stop, second correction information Ty based on a change of an internal combustion engine temperature at the stop of the internal combustion engine, and third correction information Tz based on a change of a cooling degree due to outdoor air during stop from the stop to restart are obtained, an estimation exhaust pipe temperature at the stop is corrected using at least one or more pieces of the correction information at restart of the internal combustion engine to estimate an estimation exhaust pipe temperature at the restart, and an estimation exhaust pipe temperature during an operation of the internal combustion engine thereafter is obtained using the estimation exhaust pipe temperature as an initial value, and further, a heating operation of a sensor heater is started when the estimation exhaust pipe temperature becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

In internal combustion engines, air-fuel ratio feedback control is performed to control the amount of fuel to be injected from a fuel injection valve by causing an exhaust gas sensor (for example, an oxygen concentration sensor) to face an exhaust pipe and detecting a component of an exhaust gas (for example, oxygen concentration). Further, a sensor element provided in the exhaust gas sensor is generally activated in the state of being heated to a predetermined temperature or higher so that the oxygen concentration can be measured. Therefore, the exhaust gas sensor is provided with a sensor heater for heating the sensor element, and the outer side of the sensor is covered with a metallic protector having a plurality of vent holes configured to protect the sensor element and narrow down the exhaust gas.
In such an exhaust gas sensor, an exhaust gas in the exhaust pipe condenses in the exhaust pipe after a previous engine stop so that water remains at the time of start or cooling before or after start, or an exhaust gas, discharged from the internal combustion engine after start, touches a low-temperature exhaust pipe wall to condense and generate condensate water. Thus, when the condensate water is applied to the sensor element whose temperature has become high due to a heating operation of a sensor heater, there is a problem that damage caused by element cracking of the sensor element may occur due to a thermal shock.
As a countermeasure against such element cracking, for example, JP 2004-316594 A (PTL 1) proposes a technique of providing a temperature sensor outside an exhaust pipe, measuring a temperature of an exhaust pipeline using this temperature sensor, determining whether it is a state where condensate water may exist in the exhaust pipeline based on the temperature, and heating the exhaust pipeline using high-temperature water heated by a combustion burner to evaporate the condensate water if the exhaust pipeline is in the state where the condensate water may exist. In this manner, the damage of the sensor element of the exhaust gas sensor is avoided.

Exhaust pipe temperature estimation device and sensor heater control apparatus for exhaust gas sensor using exhaust pipe temperature estimation device


The present invention provides a setting solution for calcium phosphate cement as well as a calcium phosphate cement composition. The setting solution does not cause disintegration of the composition when the composition is used immediately after preparation. The content of the pectin in the setting solution is 0.5-10% by weight per 100% by weight of the solution. The setting solution has a pH of 3-5, and a viscosity of not more than 200 dPa.multidot.s. The calcium phosphate may be selected from the group consisting of tetracalcium phosphate, calcium hydrogen phosphate, tricalcium .alpha.-phosphate, tricalcium .beta.-phosphate, and hydroxyapatite.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a setting solution for calcium phosphate cement and to a calcium phosphate cement composition containing the setting solution. The setting solution and the composition of the present invention are useful in the medical and dental fields. Particularly, the composition containing the setting solution and calcium phosphate cement of the invention is advantageously used to form, for example, artificial bone, artificial tooth roots, and artificial joints which have both excellent strength and excellent compatibility with living tissue.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous different compositions of medical cement used for the living body have so far been proposed. Among such compositions, biocompatible cement of the calcium phosphate type yields hard material of excellent biotropism, since the cement powder transforms into hydroxyapatite as the powder sets.
After being kneaded, a conventional mixture of calcium phosphate-type biocompatible cement and pure water sets in 10-20 minutes in air. However, when the mixture is immediately immersed in water after being kneaded, powder disperses into the water before the mixture is set, causing the mass of cement to disintegrate. Therefore, in the case in which such a biocompatible cement is placed in the living body--which contains large amounts of body fluid--some countermeasures must be taken. For example, a kneaded mixture may be allowed to set to a certain degree before being put in the living body. Alternatively, the body fluid present in the location receiving the cement is first removed, then hemostasis and other similar treatment is performed, and subsequently the kneaded material is placed in the body.
However, cement which is set to a certain degree is difficult to handle and may cause incorrect shaping. Moreover, removal of body fluid and hemostasis require human hands and time. To solve these problems, there has been proposed a preparation containing a cement powder and a specified setting solution. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,053 discloses the addition of acid to a setting solution to shorten the setting time and thereby reduce the extent of disintegration. Japanese Patent Application No. 77261/1990 discloses addition of chitosan to a setting solution to further suppress dispersion of powder and disintegration of the cement. However, if a cement and a setting solution containing an acid is placed in the living body, the acid irritates the skin considerably and can cause an inflammatory reaction in the vicinity of the filled portion. In addition, in order to dissolve chitosan, the pH of the aqueous solution must be adjusted to 1-2, which as a matter of course requires addition of an acid, raising the inflammation problem again.

Calcium phosphate composition and a setting solution therefor


A hook shaped or generally concave hip-turn restrictor provides for maximizing the differential angle between a golfer's shoulder and hip so that an increased torsional force will be transferred from the golfer's torso to a golf ball. The generally concave member receives and engages a golfer's hips and is rotatable about a pivot axis but for a stop member which limits rotation of the generally concave member during the backswing of a golf swing.

Golfers are constantly seeking to improve their techniques in order to maximize their accuracy and distance. One common mistake that a golfer commits is the unnecessary and debilitating hip movement that is imparted when attempting to drive the ball down the fairway. It is not a matter of the total turn of the golfer's swing, but rather, the coiled energy or torsional force provided by the torso twist and distributed via the club to the ball. By restraining the hip-turn with respect to the twist of the upper body, the golfer maximizes the amount of power transferred from the torso to the golf ball. Golf pros and amateurs alike have practiced restraining their hip-turn while a coach provides feedback as to the execution of the swing. This technique requires self-discipline and instruction from a second party.

Golfer's hip turn restrictor training aid


A flash memory apparatus of an embodiment is configured to include a flash memory including a plurality of blocks and a read operation control circuit determining whether to replace a block in accordance with the number of times a read process is performed for each block of the plurality of blocks.

1. Technical Field
The embodiment described herein relates generally to a semiconductor memory apparatus, and more particularly to a flash memory apparatus and read operation control circuit, and method therefor.
2. Related Art
In general, flash memories are composed of a plurality of blocks and each of the blocks is composed of a plurality of pages. Further, read and write operations are performed in a page unit and an erasing operation is performed in a block unit.
In flash memory a corresponding page must be erased before data is recorded, and therefore recording data directly to the flash memories by using a data address generated from an application can cause failure.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a common flash memory apparatus.
As shown in the figure, a flash memory apparatus is configured to include a flash memory 10, an application 12 (e.g., a user program requesting a predetermined data calculation), a control unit 14 allowing data calculation to be executed in the flash memory 10 in accordance with the request of the application 12, and a driver 16 performing physical access to the flash memory 10.
In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 14 is configured to include a file system 142 and Flash Translation Layer (FTL) 144.
The file system 142 manages files and directories to provide a user with more efficient storage device environment.
The FTL 144 allows the flash memory 10 to be used as a virtual block device, and therefore performs a function of mapping an address, that is, the FTL 144 converts a logic address transmitted from the application 12 into a physical address that is used in the flash memory 10.
Further, the FTL 144 performs a function of wear-leveling. As described above, the flash memory 10 cannot overwrite data, the existing data must be erased before performing a write operation. Over time, performing the erasing operating can deteriorate a flash memory, and when the erasing operation is performed more than a predetermined number of times, the corresponding block can no longer be used. Therefore, to extend the life span of a flash memory the erasing operation should be uniformly performed throughout the blocks of the flash memory, which can be achieved through wear-leveling. The FTL 144 manages the number of erasures for each block. Further, the FTL 144 allows the flash memory to sufficiently function as a disc by transferring data stored in blocks where the erasing operation has been performed many times to blocks where the erasing operation has not been performed as many times.
Small electronic devices, such as MP3 players, portable game machines, mobile communication terminals and the like commonly use Flash memories.
Small portable electronic devices, such as MP3 players, are not typically used for recording data in a memory, but rather the small portable electronic devices are used for repeatedly reading recorded data. Such repeated read operation of a memory causes electric current leakage and influences adjacent cells that a hot carrier did not access due to repeated read operations.
In flash memories, performing a write operation requires the application of a voltage of at least a predetermined level. In the flash memory, when repeatedly performing the read operation for a specific page, the voltages of the adjacent cells can increase by a predetermined level due to the hot carrier generated by the repeated read operation, which can bring the same result as writing data in the corresponding adjacent cells.
As a result, conventionally the data stored in a flash memory can be changed to an undesired value resulting in reading the wrong data in a later reading operation when repeatedly performing the read operation as described above.

Flash memory apparatus and read operation control method therefor


A concrete pipe making machine having a packerhead consisting of a rollerhead and a longbottom in which the rollerhead and longbottom are quickly assembleable and disassembleable as a unit from the packerhead drive means with one connector and brought into final adjustment off the machine, said drive means providing no obstruction to the flow of wet concrete toward the compaction area, the speed ratios between the rollerhead and longbottom being infinitely variable, and easily replaceable protective wear rings for precluding erosive deformation of the permanent parts of the machine due to undesired penetration of wet concrete into the longbottom.

In the packerhead system of concrete pipe manufacture a packerhead which consists of a rollerhead, or roller assembly, and a trowel, more frequently referred to as a longbottom, are lowered into a circular mold and rotated as they move upwardly, all the while packing wet concrete, which is dropped onto the packerhead, against the inner wall surface of the mold. Although well functioning machines are available which produce good quality pipe, both wire reinforced and non-reinforced, as epitomized by the machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,539 and further improvements thereon as represented by U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,571, market dynamics require that pipe quality be further improved.
In this connection it is necessary to appreciate that industry engineering and quality standards are continually increasing, particularly with respect to reinforced pipe. As has been well known for many years, when the wire cage which constitutes the reinforcement in a concrete pipe is twisted or otherwise prevented from making a good bond with the concrete, undesirable voids form which will cause the pipe to fail post production D-load testing, which simulates fill soil loading on the pipe, and water pressure testing, or, if the tests are passed, to fail prematurely in the field. The underdesireable voids form due to twisting of the wire cage in the manufacturing process, the twisting resulting from the pressures of the rollerhead and troweling surfaces against the wet concrete, said pressures, when unbalanced, eventually exerting a twisting force on the wire cage. The cage twist phenomena can be substantially reduced by the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,539 but the relationship of the speed ratios between the rollerhead and the longbottom cannot be controlled precisely enough in current machines to totally eliminate cage twist. More importantly, current systems, due to the lack of precise control of the aforesaid speed relationships, are not well suited to automatic control which, it is now known, produces the most economical and consistently high quality pipe since operator judgment, and possible misjudgment, is eliminated. Further improvements dictated by market pressures include increased production rates, component life increase, and capital investment decrease by increasing the number of sizes of pipes that can be made on a single machine.

Concrete pipe manufacturing machinery and methods

International Pipe Machinery Corporation


In steady control, a shaft control unit (922) adjusts rotation speed of a first support shaft (31) to cause a first roll (R1) to have peripheral speed equal to predetermined conveyance speed by maintaining a sheet storage amount in a storage mechanism (5) in a first storage amount as a reference. In storage amount adjustment control, the shaft control unit (922) accelerates the rotation speed of the first support shaft (31) to increase the peripheral speed of the first roll (R1) higher than the conveyance speed, until the sheet storage amount in the storage mechanism (5) reaches a predetermined second storage amount that is larger than the first storage amount. A calculation unit (911) calculates an outer diameter of the first roll (R1) based on the conveyance speed when the steady control is performed, and calculates the outer diameter of the first roll (R1) based on the sheet thickness calculated from a decrease amount of the outer diameter of the first roll (R1) in the steady control when the storage amount adjustment control is performed.

Sheet feeding devices have been conventionally known in which a sheet is sequentially fed from each of a first roll and a second roll around which the sheet is wound, and the sheet is supplied to a downstream processing device at predetermined conveyance speed (e.g., see Patent Literature 1). This type of sheet feeding device includes a joining mechanism that performs joining processing of joining a sheet on a second roll (standby roll) to a sheet on a first roll (supply roll) in a sheet supply state, and a storage mechanism that stores the sheet fed from the supply roll.
The sheet feeding device is configured such that rotation speed of the supply roll is adjusted to maintain a storage amount of sheet using the storage mechanism in a reference storage amount in a steady state in which a sheet of the supply roll is supplied, or is adjusted to cause the amount of sheet fed from the supply roll to the storage mechanism to be equal to the amount of sheet fed from the storage mechanism to the processing device. It is assumed that supply of a sheet from the supply roll causes the sheet remaining amount of the supply roll to be equal to or less than a predetermined remaining amount. In this case, the joining processing is performed by the joining mechanism, and the supply roll is switched from the first roll to the second roll. Before the joining processing is performed by the joining mechanism, the rotation speed of the supply roll is accelerated to cause the sheet of the supply roll to be stored in the storage mechanism in a predetermined storage amount that is larger than the reference storage amount. The joining mechanism performs the joining processing of joining the sheet of the standby roll to the sheet of the supply roll in a state where rotation of the supply roll is stopped. While the joining mechanism performs joining processing, a large amount of sheet stored in the storage mechanism is supplied. This causes the sheet to be continuously supplied to the downstream processing device.
The sheet remaining amount of the supply roll can be calculated from an outer diameter of the supply roll and a sheet thickness. For example, the supply roll has peripheral speed equal to the conveyance speed in the steady state in which the amount of sheet stored by the storage mechanism is set to the reference storage amount, so that the outer diameter of the supply roll is calculated from a sheet length fed per rotation of the supply roll, and a sheet thickness is calculated from the outer diameter that decreases for each rotation. However, while the storage amount of sheet using the storage mechanism is increased, the supply roll has a peripheral speed that is not equal to the conveyance speed. Thus, the outer diameter cannot be calculated by the above method, and the sheet remaining amount of the supply roll cannot be grasped. To grasp the sheet remaining amount, the outer diameter of the roll that changes as the sheet is fed needs to be calculated. The conventional technique enables the outer diameter of the roll to be calculated based on the storage amount of sheet in the storage mechanism.
In the calculation of the outer diameter of the roll based on the sheet storage amount in the conventional technique, the outer diameter of the supply roll is calculated while change in the storage amount is fed back to the calculation unit. Thus, the calculation is less likely to be applied when the storage amount is increased to more than the reference storage amount. That is, when the storage amount is larger than the reference storage amount, the storage amount of sheet using the storage mechanism rapidly changes, and the supply roll has a small sheet remaining amount and a small diameter. Thus, the amount of change in the outer diameter increases when the sheet is supplied by a predetermined length. This causes the outer diameter of the roll to be difficult to be calculated based on the sheet remaining amount. For this reason, the sheet remaining amount of the roll cannot be accurately grasped. As a result, the storage amount of sheet using the storage mechanism may be insufficient before the joining processing is performed by the joining mechanism. When the storage amount of sheet using the storage mechanism is insufficient, supply of the sheet may be stopped while the joining mechanism performs the joining processing. To avoid this, the joining processing needs to be performed with a large sheet remaining amount, and thus the sheet remaining amount after the joining processing increases to cause a large waste.

Sheet feeding device and sheet feeding method


A semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment includes: a stacked body alternately stacking first insulating layers and gate electrode layers in a first direction; first to third semiconductor layers in the stacked body extending in the first direction; first to third charge accumulation layers; and a second insulating layer in the stacked body extending in the first direction, the second insulating layer contacting the first semiconductor layer or the first charge accumulation layer in a plane perpendicular to the first direction. A first distance between two end surfaces of the gate electrode layer monotonically increases in the first direction in a first cross section parallel to the first direction. A second distance between two end surfaces of the gate electrode layer monotonically increases in the first direction, decreases, and then monotonically increases in a second cross section parallel to the first direction different from the first cross section.

A three-dimensional NAND flash memory in which memory cells are three-dimensionally arranged increases the degree of integration and reduces manufacturing costs. The three-dimensional NAND flash memory may be manufactured, for example, by alternately stacking a plurality of insulating layers and a plurality of gate electrode layers to forma stacked body, forming memory holes penetrating through the stacked body, and forming charge accumulation layers and semiconductor layers in the memory holes to form memory strings in which a plurality of memory cells are connected in series to each other. The capacity of the three-dimensional NAND flash memory may be further increased by increasing the number of gate electrodes stacked in the stacked body or scaling-down the size of the memory hole.

Semiconductor memory device and method for manufacturing semiconductor memory device


A computer product generates an installation plan based on the products, components, features, and system configuration of the associated software product that the user selects for installation on the user's system. The installation plan is printable and creates an easy-to-follow installation sequence including information regarding product configuration and software and hardware requirements. In addition, the installation plan lists the product CDs required during the installation process.

Installation and configuration of large software packages is often a time consuming and tedious task. For large software packages that involve multiple products, components, and features, the system administrator must read multiple manuals and chapters to gather information necessary for installation. This information might include which components must be installed, any required prerequisites, the necessary sequence of installation steps, which CDs inside and outside of the software package are required, configuration steps, etc. Consequently, users or system administrators spend a considerable amount of time collecting planning and installation information for the software package to be installed.
Currently, a "Before You Start" CD has been provided to the installer for use with the Winhelp format. This "Before You Start" CD provides product overview and system configuration information, but does not necessarily include other relevant information. In addition, a customized installation plan is not generally created for the user to follow.
What is therefore needed is a computer program that provides users with a custom installation plan based on a single point of access for product packaging information, planning information, and installation assistance. This plan and associated information should be provided to the user before the user begins installing the product to minimize confusion. The need for such a product has heretofore remained unsatisfied.

System and method for dynamically creating a customized multi-product software installation plan as a textual, non-executable plan


The method includes the steps of: preheating a selected volume of product to a temperature proximate to the maximum temperature of the treatment; irradiating the product with an alternating electromagnetic field in order to heat the product to approximately 50.degree. C.; maintaining the product at a substantially constant temperature for a set time; cooling the product to a temperature close to the packaging temperature. An apparatus for performing the above method includes a pair of facing emitting surfaces connected to the terminals of an oscillator operating below 1 GHz and set to heat the product to a maximum temperature of approximately 50.degree. C. The apparatus also includes a thermally insulated region to maintain the product at the maximum temperature of the treatment for a selected time adapted to ensure the complete destruction of the bacterial and sporal loads.

The problem which must be solved by means of the sterilization and/or pasteurization of these products essentially consists in attenuating the pathogenic and enzyme activity of the micro-organisms while respecting the active principles which determine the original organic and organoleptic properties.
Known preservation methods used on an industrial scale are of the physical, chemical-physical, chemical and biological types. In particular, physical methods comprise refrigeration, heat transmission or drying.
Among the above mentioned methods, processes based on the application of heat are by far the most valid and widespread in solving the above mentioned problems. Heat application conditions depend not only on the type of product to be treated but also on the types of micro-organism contained therein and finally on the simultaneous use or non-use of other preservation processes. The degree of heat resistance of the micro-organisms must be related both to external and environmental factors, such as the initial microbial concentration of the medium, the characteristics of said medium and the time and temperature parameters, and to intrinsic factors, such as the heat resistance of the germs.
Sterilization destroys all of the micro-organisms present in the products by heating the product up to temperatures between 65.degree. and 121.degree. C. for a time between 5 and 12 minutes.
Pasteurization comprises a moderate heat treatment in order to destroy most, but not all, of the bacterial flora by using temperatures below 100.degree. C., generally between 60.degree. and 75.degree. C.
In both cases, the temperature and duration of the heat treatment depend on the heat application method and on the type of product. Furthermore, at the end of the treatment the product must be subjected to the fastest possible cooling down to temperatures below 35.degree. C. before being introduced in sterilized containers.
In the sterilization process as well as in the pasteurization process, heat can be applied with an indirect exchange, in which the product and the heating medium are separated by the wall of an exchanger, or with a direct one, in which the product and the heating medium are in direct contact.
Current thermal preservation methods are the most important from the industrial point of view, but they have some problems.
In order to increase the effectiveness of sterilization, it is in fact necessary to raise the maximum temperature of the process, with the consequence of damaging the product from the organoleptic point of view, sometimes giving it a cooked or burnt taste or reducing its natural taste and aroma. In non-alimentary products, high temperatures can destroy essential enzymes and proteins.
Furthermore, in indirect-transmission systems the heat is transmitted from outside inward, so that it is necessary to increase the temperature of the exchange surface in order to destroy the micro-organisms even in the innermost regions. This can produce a partial non-uniformity and ineffectiveness of the process.
In direct-exchange systems, the heating medium is generally constituted by steam, which has the disadvantage of condensing inside the product itself.
Electronic preservation apparatuses having no exchange surfaces have recently been provided and are based on the following principle.
As is known, micro-organisms, like all living organisms, are poor heat and electrical conductors. Because of this, the application of heat to these organisms is difficult and slow, and also occurs unevenly. In practice, due to their low electrical conductivity, micro-organisms behave like dielectric particles which align in an external magnetic field.
FIGS. 1a and 1b schematically illustrate the structure of a pathogenic micro-organism A, for example constituted by a unicellular organism which has a generally spherical shape, when it is not subjected to any magnetic or electric field. If the micro-organism A is placed between the pates B and C of a capacitor suitable for generating an electric field with lines of force which are substantially perpendicular to the surfaces of said plates, it is observed that its approximately circular contour deforms and assumes the configuration A' due to the migration of charges with opposite signs toward its ends. Therefore, part of the energy of the field is transferred to the micro-organism as deformation work and part is transformed into kinetic energy, which increases the micro-organism's molecular agitation and therefore its temperature. Collisions due to molecular agitation and the deformation work tend to weaken or break the atomic bonds of the molecules of the microorganism A, altering its structure irreversibly. In FIG. 1b, the orientation of the electric field generated by the plates B and C is reversed, and consequently the molecular dipole also undergoes a change in shape and orientation, assuming the configuration A" which is symmetrical to the preceding one. High-frequency oscillation of the electric field generated by the plates B and C therefore produces corresponding structural modifications of the molecules of the pathogenic microorganisms, accompanied by mild heating, causing their complete degeneration at certain resonance frequencies.
By using the above described physical principle, electronic preservation methods entail the immersion of the product in a high-frequency alternating electric or electromagnetic field for a time sufficient to cause the structural degeneration of the pathogenic microorganisms.
The Japanese patent application, publication No. 2-211855 filed on Feb. 10, 1989, describes a method and an apparatus for sterilizing an alimentary liquid by irradiation with high-frequency electromagnetic waves.
In this known method, the radiation is constituted by microwaves at frequencies higher than 1 GHz emitted by a magnetron oscillator and are transmitted axially inside a waveguide, with very short irradiation times in the range of a few seconds. Due to the high frequency and to the limited wavelength of the electromagnetic waves, shielding is necessary in order to protect the personnel that works in the neighboring area. The intense heating caused by the microwaves furthermore makes it necessary to perform extremely short treatments in rapid succession, each of which is followed by intense cooling in order to keep the product below the temperature at which its organic and organoleptic properties change.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,576,862 and 3,272,636, FR-A-2 547 732 and DE-A-2 628 234 describe other methods and apparatuses which use electromagnetic waves with frequencies comprised within the ranges of microwaves and/or radio frequencies. These known methods and apparatuses are applied to already-packaged products and always require appropriate shielding against emissions which are harmful to the human body.
Furthermore, since the destructive action of the alternating electromagnetic field affects not only the pathogenic microorganisms but also the active principles which determine the organoleptic properties of the products to be preserved, these known methods and apparatuses change said organoleptic properties, reducing the value of the active principles.

Apparatus for preserving biological products


A runtime environment injects an instance of an external resource into an application component to be executed in the runtime environment by first determining an external resource associated with the application component, then selecting from a library of injectors an injector to inject an instance of the application component with an instance of an external resource referenced by the external resource annotation. The selected injector determines the instance of the application component to inject with the instance of the external resource and injects the instance of the application component with the instance of the external resource.

Java 2 Enterprise Edition ("J2EE") is a specification for building and deploying distributed enterprise applications. J2EE is based on a multi-tiered architecture in which server side program code is divided into several layers including a "presentation" layer and a "business logic" layer.
The presentation layer may be implemented as a Web container and the business layer may be implemented as an Enterprise Java Bean ("EJB") container. Containers are runtime environments which provide standard common services to runtime components. For example, the Java Naming and Directory Interface ("JNDI") is a service that provides application components with methods for performing standard naming and directory services. Containers also provide unified access to enterprise information systems such as relational databases through the Java Database Connectivity ("JDBC") service, and legacy computer systems through the J2EE Connector Architecture ("JCA") service. In addition, containers provide a declarative mechanism for configuring application components at deployment time through the use of deployment descriptors associated with the components or annotations provided in the components (as described in greater detail below).
Each layer of the J2EE architecture includes multiple containers. The Web container, for example, is itself comprised of a servlet container for processing servlets and a Java Server Pages ("JSP") container for processing Java server pages. The EJB container includes three different containers for supporting three different types of enterprise Java beans: session beans, entity beans, and message-driven beans. A more detailed description of J2EE containers and J2EE services can be found in RAGAE GHALY AND KRISHNA KOTHAPALLI, SAMS TEACH YOURSELF EJB IN 21 DAYS (2003) (see, e.g., pages 353-376).


An electrochromic device in which specific channel direction for the conduction of ions is implemented. As a result ionic crosstalk between display pixels is greatly reduced and unwanted transient coloration effects are minimized. Further, specific gel, polymer, or ionic liquid solutions can greatly eliminate the corrosive effects associated with the use of electrolyte salt solutions.

Electrochromic display devices operate by controlling the redox state of one or more chromophores contained within the device that change color depending on the redox state. These displays are bi-stable over many minutes or hours, only requiring power to update the screen and not to retain information. Electrochromic displays may be direct drive, passive matrix or active matrix devices.
In normal operation of any of these display classes, a voltage or current signal is applied to the device. This causes a change in the charge and hence the coloration of an addressed segment or pixel. In the example described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,301,038 and 6,870,657, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety as if fully set forth, a surface bound redox chromophore is reduced upon application of a negative potential. These devices contain an anode and cathode. In order to balance the charge state on one switching electrode, an electrolyte is provided that contains counter ions of opposite charge to the colored redox state of the chromophore in question. Normally, the counter ion will be free to move within the electrolyte in response to an applied potential. The anion, which provides charge compensation at the anode, and the cation which provides charge compensation at the cathode, move under the action of an emf between the two electrodes. Across two or more differentially charged segments or pixels, however, a potential difference may exist. The potential difference between segments or pixels may cause lateral movement of the charge compensating ions, and thus unwanted crosstalk between segments. Further, the slow equilibration of the counter electrode potential over time due to lateral ionic movement can cause unwanted transient coloration effects.
Crosstalk is commonly considered a risk in the case of passive or active matrix devices, where the pixels are addressed in a multiplexed manner and the pixels may be tightly spaced. Crosstalk is also a risk where the segments are tightly spaced in a fixed segment (direct drive) device. In addition, crosstalk may impact the bistable lifetime in any of the display classes. It is desirable for low-power operation and for enhanced image quality and grey-scale resolution to reduce this crosstalk effect.

Electrochromic device employing gel or solid polymers having specific channel direction for the conduction of ions


According to some embodiments, a device includes a first conductive plane electrically coupled to a first terminal associated with a first polarity and a second terminal associated with the first polarity, a second conductive plane electrically coupled to a third terminal associated with a second polarity, a dielectric disposed between the first conductive plane and the second conductive plane, a third conductive plane electrically coupled to the second terminal and not electrically coupled to the first terminal, and a second dielectric disposed between the second conductive plane and the third conductive plane. A first capacitance is present between the first terminal and the third terminal, a second capacitance is present between the second terminal and the third terminal, and the first capacitance and the second capacitance may be substantially dissimilar.

Integrated circuit packages provide physical protection to an integrated circuit. Packages may also provide thermal and electrical management to the integrated circuit. More specifically, an integrated circuit package may dissipate heat generated by an integrated circuit and electrically connect the integrated circuit to external circuitry. In the latter regard, a conventional package may provide power and ground planes as well as integrated capacitors for distributing and routing electrical signals between an integrated circuit and a motherboard. The transmission of these signals often results in unwanted resonance between the motherboard and the package, which negatively affects the performance of the integrated circuit.

Capacitor-related systems for addressing package/motherboard resonance