A temporary indicated torque is obtained by taking a conventional dead zone area for a first slip control area, and the value proportional to the slip quantity for a maximum value, this temporary indicated torque is corrected by a correction value according to the tight cornering brake quantity to be the indicated torque of the transfer clutch, and occurrence of any tight cornering brake phenomenon is prevented thereby. In a slip control area after passing a dead zone area (a second slip control area), the slip control is smoothly transferred from the first slip control area to the second slip control area by performing the slip control with a value of the indicated torque according to the slip quantity added to the indicated torque in the first slip control area as the indicated torque, abrupt torque change is prevented, and the vehicle behavior is stabilized thereby.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a slip control device of a four-wheel-drive vehicle to prevent slip of wheels by varying the torque transmission distribution on the front wheel side and the rear wheel side via a transfer clutch.
2. Description of the Related Art Statement
Generally, a four-wheel-drive vehicle has an electromagnetic clutch disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 7-25258, or a transfer clutch using a hydraulic-driven clutch, and a system capable of varying the torque distribution on front and rear wheels by varying the coupling force of the transfer clutch is known. The system using this transfer clutch performs the slip control to prevent any slip by varying the coupling force of the transfer clutch according to the differential rotation of the wheels when the slip occurs in any one of the front and rear, right and left wheels.
However, in a conventional slip control system, a relatively large dead zone (a zone in which no control is performed) before starting the slip control is provided, and a problem occurs, in that the torque is abruptly changed if the slip control is started over the control starting slip quantity (over the dead zone), and the vehicle behavior is adversely affected.
In order to prevent the slip in this case, it is necessary to control the coupling force of the transfer clutch in the direct coupling direction according to the differential rotation of the front and rear wheels. However, in order to prevent occurrence of any tight cornering brake phenomenon during the turn at a low speed, in other words, any brake phenomenon caused by the differential rotation attributable to the difference in the turning radius between the front and rear wheels, it is necessary to set the coupling force of the transfer clutch in the uncoupling direction when any differential rotation occurs between the front and rear wheels. If the above-described dead zone is simply narrowed, the differential wheel speed caused by the differential locus of the wheels during the turn at a very low speed is mistaken for the slip, the coupling force of the transfer clutch is controlled so as to be increased, and as a result, occurrence of the tight cornering brake phenomenon is promoted.

Slip control device of four-wheel-drive vehicle


A semiconductor device has a lead, an inner lead of which is upwardly bent while an outer lead is downwardly bent. A junction part of the outer lead is guided from a resin block on a level which is lower than that of an upper major surface of the semiconductor chip. In fabrication of this semiconductor device, a guide frame of a lead frame, a suspending lead and a die pad held by the same are flush with each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device, and more particularly, it relates to a surface-mounted type semiconductor device which is mounted on the surface of a wiring board and a method of fabricating the same.
The present invention also relates to a lead frame which is employed for fabricating the surface-mounted type semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional surface-mounted type semiconductor device (TSOP).
Referring to FIG. 14, this semiconductor device 1 comprises a die pad 2, a semiconductor chip 3 which is die-bonded onto the upper surface of this die pad 2 with solder or resin, a plurality of connection leads 5 which are connected to the semiconductor chip 3 through wires 4, and a resin part 6 exposing only end portions of the connection leads 5 and integrally covering the same.
The resin part 6 is so molded as to seal the internal members.
A suspending lead 7 is adapted to stably hold the die pad 2 in respective steps of fabricating the semiconductor device 1.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a semi-finished state of the semiconductor device 1, with the semiconductor chip 3 being die-bonded onto the die pad 2 and completely subjected to a wire bonding step in steps of fabricating the semiconductor device 1.
The die pad 2 is held by a guide frame 8 through the suspending lead 7 while the connection leads 5 are also held by the guide frame 8, whereby the die pad 2 is maintained in constant positional relation with respect to the connection leads 5.
The connection leads 5 are flush with the guide frame 8, while the forward end of the suspending lead 7 is slightly downwardly bent to hold the die pad 2 in a lower position. Therefore, inner leads 5b are substantially flush with the upper major surface of the semiconductor chip 3 as shown in FIG. 14, so that the former can be easily and reliably wire-bonded with the latter.
Respective outer leads 5a and the suspending lead 7 are interconnected with each other through tie bars 9, so that the leads are prevented from misalignment as well as from imperfect junction.
A method of fabricating the aforementioned semiconductor device 1 comprises the following steps:

Resin-molded semiconductor device and lead frame employed for fabricating the same


In a fixing structure for a rolling bearing in which a bearing fixing ring is incorporated in a device and a rotating member is fixed to a bearing rotating ring using bolts, fastening areas with the bolts are set so that the natural frequency of the device as a whole is larger than the frequency of vibration resulting from the rotation of the rolling bearing. This prevents generation of noise or vibration in the rolling bearing.

a. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fixing structure for an ultra thin rolling bearing for use, for example, in an industrial robot, a machine tool, and medical equipment.
b. Related Art
A gantry bearing in a CT scanner is used as a rotating body bearing provided with an X-ray tube and photographing equipment typically used for image processing. The bearing is an ultra large size device having a bearing outer size of about 1 m and therefore typically coupled to the main body frame of the CT scanner using bolts when it is fixed to the frame.
FIG. 9 shows an example of the CT scanner used as a kind of medical equipment. As shown, in the CT scanner, X-rays generated by an X-ray tube device 50 are directed upon a subject 56 through a wedge filter 52 that equalizes the intensity distribution and a slit 54 that limits the intensity distribution. The X-rays passed through the subject 56 are received at a detector 58 and converted into an electrical signal for transmission to a computer that is not shown. The elements such as the X-ray tube device 50, the wedge filter 52, the slit 54, and the detector 58 are mounted to a rotating base 64 in a substantially cylindrical shape rotatably supported at a fixed base 62 via a bearing 60, and rotated around the subject 56 as the rotating base 64 rotates. In the CT scanner device, the X-ray tube device 50 and the detector 58 opposing each other rotate around the subject 56, so that projection data covering every angle in every aspect in a plane of the subject 56 for examination is obtained, and a tomogram is obtained based on the data using a preprogrammed restructuring program.
The rotating base 64 of the device is coupled to the width side of the rotating ring (hereinafter referred to as "bearing rotating ring") among the inner and outer rotating rings of the bearing 60. The dominant frequency for vibration resulting from the rotation of the bearing 60 is determined based on the number of bolts or the number of areas fastened with the bolts and the number of revolutions of the bearing 60. Meanwhile, the frame 62 fixed to the non-rotating ring (hereinafter referred to as "bearing fixed ring") among the inner and outer rings of the bearing 60 tends to have a relatively low natural frequency because the rigidity of the structure is reduced to satisfy a need for a more compact and simple device. Therefore, the frequency of vibration resulting from the rotation of the bearing 60 matches the natural frequency of the structure, and resonance is caused.


A pneumatic pulverizer comprises an acceleration pipe for transporting powders under acceleration by a high pressure gas, a pulverization chamber, a collision member for pulverizing the powders ejected from the acceleration pipe by a force of collision, the collision member being provided against the outlet of the acceleration pipe, a raw material powder supply inlet provided on the acceleration pipe, and a secondary air inlet provided between the raw material powder supply inlet and the outlet of the acceleration pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a collision-type gas current pulverizer and a method for pulverizing powders, using a jet gas current (pressurized gas), and more particularly to a collision-type gas current pulverizer and a method for pulverizing powders for efficiently forming toners or color resin powders for the toners for use in the image formation by electrophotography.
2. Related Background Art
A collision-type gas current pulverizer using a jet gas current is used to transport a powdery raw material with a jet gas current and allow the powdery raw material to collide with a colliding member, thereby pulverizing the powdery raw material by the force of collision.
A conventional collision-type, gas current pulverizer will be explained below, referring to FIG. 4.
A collision member 4 is provided against the outlet 13 of an acceleration pipe 43 connected to a compressed gas supply nozzle 2, and a powdery raw material is introduced into the acceleration pipe 43 from a powdery raw material hopper 1 in communication with the middle of the acceleration pipe 43 by suction generated by high speed flow of a high pressure gas supplied to the acceleration pipe 43 and ejected at the outlet 13 together with the high pressure gas, thereby subjecting the powdery raw material to collision with the collision member 4 and pulverizing the powdery raw material into finer powders through the collision. In order to pulverize the powdery raw material to a desired particle size, a classifier is provided between the powdery raw material hopper 1 and a discharge outlet 5 and is supplied with the powder from the pulverizer, and the classified coarse powders is supplied to the pulverizer through the powdery raw material hopper 1 and pulverized. The resulting pulverization product is returned to the classifier from the discharge outlet 5 to repeat the classification. Finer powders classified by the classifier are a finely pulverized product with the desired particle size.
However, in the foregoing prior art example, it is difficult to thoroughly disperse the powdery raw material introduced into the acceleration pipe by suction in the high pressure gas current, and thus the powder stream ejected at the outlet of the acceleration pipe contains a thick stream portion with a high powder concentration and a thin stream portion with a low powder concentration. Thus, the powder stream unevenly collides with the collision member counterposed to the outlet of the acceleration pipe, resulting in a decrease in the pulverization efficiency, which leads to a decrease in the powder-treating capacity. When the powder-treating capacity is to be increased in that state, the powder concentration in a pulverizing chamber 8 is partially increased, thereby making the powder stream uneven.
That is, the pulverization efficiency is lowered thereby.
Particularly in the case of resin-containing powders, a fusion product is unpreferably formed on the surface of the collision member.
In order to increase the pulverization efficiency of powder particles in the acceleration pipe 43, a pulverization pipe is proposed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 46-22778, which is provided with a high pressure gas feed pipe for ejecting a secondary high pressure gas at the position just before the outlet of acceleration pipe 43. The proposed pulverization pipe is directed to promotion of collision in the acceleration pipe and is a useful means for a pulverizer that conducts pulverization only in the acceleration pipe, but not a useful means for a collision-type, gas current pulverizer that conducts pulverization through collision with the colliding member, because the introduction of a secondary high pressure gas for promotion of collision in the acceleration pipe 43 impairs a transporting stream of the high pressure gas introduced from the compressed gas supply nozzle, thereby lowering the speed of the powder stream ejected at the outlet 13 of the acceleration pipe 43. Thus, the force of collision on the colliding member 4 is lowered and, also the pulverization efficiency is unpreferably lowered. In other words, a pulverizer with a good pulverization efficiency and a method for pulverization has been keenly desired.
On the other hand, toners and color resin powders for the toners for use in a process for forming an image by electrophotography usually contain at least a binder resin and a coloring agent or magnetic powders. The toners develop an electrostatically charged image formed on a latent image carrier, and the thus formed toner image is transferred onto a transfer material such as plain paper or a plastic film. The toner image on the transfer material is fixed to the transfer material by a fixing apparatus such as a heat fixing means, a pressure roller fixing means or a heat-pressure roller fixing means. Thus, the binder resin for use in the toners has such a characteristic as to undergo a plastic deformation when heat and/or a pressure is applied thereto.
Now, toners or color resin powders for the toners are prepared by fusion-kneading a mixture comprising at least a binder resin and a coloring agent or magnetic powders (and, if necessary, a third component) and cooling the fusion-kneaded product, followed by pulverization and classification. That is, the cooled product is usually subjected to coarse pulverization (or intermediate pulverization) by a mechanical, impact-type pulverizer (crusher) and the coarse pulverized powders are then subjected to fine pulverization by a collision-type, gas current pulverizer using a jet gas current.
When the pulverization capacity is to be increased in the conventional collision-type, gas current pulverized and the method for pulverization, as shown in FIG. 4, a fusion product is formed on the surface of colliding member 14, resulting in failure to stably produce the toners. Thus, an efficient collision-type, gas current pulverizer and a pulverization method for efficiently producing toners or color resin powders for the toners for use in the image formation by electrophotography, free from the foregoing problems, have been keenly desired.

Collision type gas current pulverizer and method for pulverizing powders


Techniques of compressing level of detail (LOD) data involve sharing a texture image LOD among different mesh LODs for single-rate encoding. That is, a first texture image LOD corresponding to a first mesh LOD may be derived by refining a second texture image LOD corresponding to a second mesh LOD. This sharing is possible when texture atlases of LOD meshes are compatible.

Some applications such as video games in virtual reality (VR), office applications in augmented reality (AR), and mapping software applications involve representing three-dimensional objects to a user. In one example, an adventure game played by a user in a virtual reality environment may require the generation of virtual trees, rocks, and people. In another example, a mapping application may require the representation of buildings. In some applications, each such object includes a triangular mesh having a plurality of vertices, i.e., points in space that form triangles. Such a triangular mesh involves a plethora of data that may be stored on disk and transmitted to the user. Practical implementations of storing and transmitting the triangular mesh data representing a virtual object include compressing the triangular mesh data. Some applications such as video games in virtual reality (VR), office applications in augmented reality (AR), and mapping software applications involve representing three-dimensional objects to a user. In one example, an adventure game played by a user in a virtual reality environment may provide representations of virtual trees, rocks, buildings or people. In some applications, it is beneficial to provide for an object several approximations of varying level of detail. A low level of detail (requiring less data) may be used as a placeholder while the actual object is still loading to improve the experience of the user. In some applications, a lower level is displayed while the object is in the distance, and a higher level is needed, e.g., as the distance between the user and the object decreased.
In some applications, data representing these objects include a triangular mesh having a plurality of vertices, i.e., points in space that form triangles, and potentially other attributes such as normals, color or UV coordinates associated with corresponding texture images. (UV coordinates are a two-dimensional representation of texture data that is rendered in three dimensions.) In the process, a plethora of data may be stored on disk or transmitted to the user. A progressive encoding of the data is the encoding of a chain of LODs where the encoder provides for a LOD in the chain a data structure that allows the generation of the LOD from a previous LOD in the chain. Thereby, compression can benefit from information in the previous LOD.

Cost-driven framework for progressive compression of textured meshes


A system and method for delivering channels of presentation streams carrying targeted advertisements in a television service network environment. The system includes a generator for generating a set of presentation streams for each of programming channels, each of the presentation streams in each set having same programming data but different ads directed to advertiser-specific market segments of different advertisers. A plurality of local routing stations receive the generated sets of presentation streams. At least one local routing station processes the sets of presentation streams and selectively switches between the presentation streams in each set to output one presentation stream for a programming channel. As a result, a presentation stream carrying the most appropriate ad is provided to a viewer at any given time for at least one programming channel.

The invention pertains to advertising. More particularly, the invention pertains to targeted advertising using multiple presentation streams, such as in television programming delivery systems.
Traditionally, whether the television programming service is being provided by antenna broadcast, analog cable, digital cable, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), Switched Digital Video (SDV) or any other means, generally all viewers of a particular program see the same ads in the same order at the same times. In essence, each advertisement is "linked" to a particular point within a particular program. If the particular viewer is not viewing the particular program at the particular time, he or she will not see the linked advertisement. In such linked advertising, the advertisements are simply part of the data stream from the head end, i.e., from the central office of the television service provider, to all subscribers of that service.
However, with modern digital television service systems, such as digital cable systems, DBS systems, and SDV systems (in which television service is received over the telephone lines, e.g., via Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line, VDSL), more personalized television service is possible. For instance, in DBS and SDV systems, individual subscriber households can be selectively addressed though STBs. In digital cable systems, a group of subscriber households can be selectively addressed through a cable node serving that group. For this reason, STBs and cable nodes may be referred to herein as addressable units.
In other words, through addressable units, the service provider can send different data to different subscribers or groups of subscribers. For instance, in telephone based systems such as SDV, the service provider can send different information to any individual subscriber through the subscriber's STB. In digital cable systems, different data can be sent to different groups of subscribers through cable nodes wherein each cable node may serve several hundred subscriber households. In addition, two-way communication between the subscriber's set top box and the service provider via the network is possible, e.g., using a Data Over Cable System Interface Spec (DOCSIS) compliant modem to provide return path communications.
The selective addressability of these modern digital television service systems renders more targeted TV advertising possible. In accordance with one targeted TV advertising method, ads that have been prepared to interest a particular subscriber of the television service network may be inserted into ad insertion spots or "avails" of the television programming stream at the particular subscriber's device (e.g., a set top box or STB). As a result, different subscribers of the same television program may view different advertisements that are particularly directed to them. PCT Patent Publication No. WO 99/66719 entitled "Techniques for Intelligent Video Ad Insertion," which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses at least one such scheme. Other such schemes are discussed in aforementioned Provisional Patent Application No. 60/229,156, owned by the same assignee of the present invention.
Although these systems provide effective means to deliver targeted ads to the subscribers, in some applications, it may be desirable to have targeted ads deliver to the subscribers without the ad insertion occurring at the subscriber's STB.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for delivering targeted advertising via a network, such as a television service network, using selective multiple presentation streams.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a system and method for delivering targeted TV advertising without ad insertion occurring at the subscriber's device.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method for addressing targeted advertisements at a cable node level.

System and method for delivering targeted advertisements using multiple presentation streams


The color image sensor generates an image signal representing a subject. The color image sensor has a light sensor and imaging elements arranged to form images of the subject in light of different colors on respective regions of the light sensor. The light sensor includes sensor elements and is operable to generate the image signal in response to light incident on it.

Electronic image sensors are incorporated not only in digital cameras but, more recently, also into such consumer electronic products as mobile telephones and personal digital assistants (PDAs). Such products are subject to market pressure to reduce them in size, or to pack more features into a product of a given size.
FIG. 1 is a schematic isometric view of a highly simplified example of a typical conventional color image sensor 10 found in present day products such as digital cameras, mobile telephones and PDAs. Image sensor 10 is composed of a single light sensor 12 and a single imaging element 14 that forms an image of the subject on the major surface 16 of the light sensor.
Light sensor 12 is typically composed of a two-dimensional (typically rectangular) array of sensor elements and an associated read-out circuit (not shown). The boundary of an exemplary sensor element 20 is shown by a broken line. The example of light sensor 12 shown is highly simplified in that it has only 48 sensor elements. A typical light sensor has hundreds of thousands or millions of sensor elements. Each sensor element is typically a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor element or a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor element. The read-out circuit receives the electrical values generated by the sensor elements in response to light from the subject and converts the electrical values into an analog or digital image signal, typically in raster-scan order. To enable the light sensor to generate a color image signal that additionally provides color information regarding the subject, the light sensor additionally incorporates a color mosaic filter 30 on major surface 16.
The most common type of color mosaic filter is the Bayer color mosaic filter, named after its inventor. The example of the Bayer color mosaic filter 30 shown in FIG. 1 has N/4 red filters, N/2 green filters and N/4 blue filters, where N is the number of sensor elements 20 in light sensor 12. The red filters, green filters and blue filters will be generically referred to herein as color filters. Each color filter filters the light incident on a respective one of the sensor elements of the light sensor. The color filters are arranged in square blocks of four, an exemplary one of which is shown at 32. Block 32 is composed of a red filter 34, two green filters 36 and 37 diagonally opposite one another, and a blue filter 38. The remaining blocks of color filters are similar in structure. The colors of the filters are indicated in FIG. 1 by different hatching. Many variations of the Bayer pattern have been tried, including a pseudo random arrangement of the color filters and use of filters of four or more colors.
Each sensor element 20 generates an electrical value that represents the intensity of the light incident on the sensor element. The light incident on the sensor element is of the color transmitted by the color filter overlying the sensor element. For example, the sensor element under the red filter 34 generates an electrical value that represents the intensity of red light incident on the sensor element. Since a color image signal representing a color image typically includes electrical values representing the intensities of red light, green light and blue light incident on the color filter over each sensor element of light sensor 12, the light sensor additionally includes a processing circuit (not shown) that receives the electrical values from the read-out circuit (not shown) connected to the sensor elements and synthesizes the missing electrical values for each sensor element. The processing circuit synthesizes the missing electrical values by interpolation using the electrical values generated by neighboring ones of the sensor elements.
The processing circuit generates the color image signal by synthesizing a red value and a blue value for each sensor element covered by a green filter, a green value and a blue value for each sensor element covered by a red filter and a red value and a green value for each sensor element covered by a blue filter. For example, the processing circuit synthesizes a green value for the sensor element covered by red filter 34 from the electrical values generated by the sensor elements covered by green filters 36 and 37, and possibly additionally from other neighboring sensor elements covered by green filters. The electrical values from which the green value is synthesized are all green values. Two thirds of the resulting color image signal is synthesized by interpolating from the electrical values generated by the neighboring sensor elements covered with filters of the appropriate color.
The need to synthesize the missing electrical values in conventional light sensor 12 causes many problems with certain types of subject when a picture is displayed in response to the color image signal. Adjacent areas of the picture with sharp color differences can produce false colors. Almost horizontal or vertical lines are displayed with jagged edges and can exhibit color problems. Conventional color image sensor 10 typically additionally includes a spatial filter (not shown) interposed between imaging element 14 and light sensor 12. The spatial filter reduces the high spatial frequency content of the image formed on light sensor 12. This ameliorates some of the effects just described at the expense of a displayed picture that is less sharp than the sharpness implied by the number of sensor elements 20 in light sensor 12 and the optical quality of imaging element 14.
Another problem of conventional light sensor 12 is that light leakage from one sensor element to a neighboring sensor element not only causes blurring in the displayed picture but additionally causes false color.
A further problem with conventional color image sensor 10 arises because imaging element 14 forms an image on light sensor 12 in polychromatic light. Consequently, imaging element 14 must be color corrected to ensure that the image it forms on light sensor 12 is sharp for all colors. This typically requires that imaging element 14 be a multi-component lens, which is typically larger than a single-component lens in the direction of light transmission through the lens. This increases the overall depth of the color image sensor. A large image sensor depth is particularly undesirable in the highly-miniaturized applications described above. The need for color correction additionally limits the choice of lens material.
A further problem with conventional color image sensor 10 is that all the sensor elements use the same exposure time regardless of the color of the overlying color filter. This limits the dynamic range of the image sensor. For example, if a subject includes a bright green region, the exposure time of light sensor 12 must be reduced to avoid saturating the sensor elements having green filters. The same reduced exposure is also applied to the sensor elements having red and blue filters, so that the electrical values generated by those of the sensor elements on which a subtle red portion of the subject is imaged will include an unwanted noise component.
A final problem with conventional color image sensor 10 is its low light performance. The color filters cause the underlying sensor elements to receive typically only a fraction of the light incident on the color filters.
Thus, what is needed is a color image sensor that does not suffer from the problems described above.

Color image sensor with imaging elements imaging on respective regions of sensor elements


An orthopedic implant including an articulation portion having a pyrolytic carbon bearing surface and a porous bone on- or in-growth structure, and methods of making the same.

Pyrolytic carbon has gained a lot of interest over the past few years as a bearing material in orthopedic applications. The material shows excellent wear characteristics, a modulus of elasticity similar to bone, and high strength. Pyrolytic carbon implants are commonly made by depositing a layer of pyrolytic carbon on a graphite substrate or core. Typically, pyrolytic carbon implants included a solid or non-porous bone fixation portion that is implanted into the bone and relies on a press-fit interference with surrounding bone tissue for fixation of the implant to the bone.
Bone on-growth or in-growth porous structures, such as porous tantalum and titanium structures, are sometimes used in orthopedic implants as the bone fixation component of the implant. Such porous structures are implanted into the bone and are designed to foster osseointegration. Osseointegration is the integration of living bone tissue within a man-made material. The porous structure and the bone material become intermingled as the bone grows into the pores. This intermingling of the bone tissue with the porous structure can enhance fixation between the orthopedic implant and the bone tissue. Because of the difficulties of bonding porous on-growth and in-growth structures to pyrolytic carbon and graphite surfaces, pyrolytic carbon implants have not included such porous fixation surfaces.

Pyrolytic carbon implants with porous fixation component and methods of making the same


Described are composite materials and methods of using them for mixed-mode chromatography. In certain embodiments, the composite material comprises a support member, comprising a plurality of pores extending through the support member; and a multi-functional cross-linked gel. The multi-functional cross-linked gel possesses at least two of the following functions or characteristics: cationic, anionic, hydrophobic, hydrophilic, thiophilic, hydrogen bond donating, hydrogen bond accepting, pi-pi bond donating, pi-pi bond accepting, or metal chelating. The composite materials may be used in the separation or purification of a biological molecule or biological ion.

Mixed-mode chromatography (MMC), also known as multimodal chromatography, refers to chromatographic method for separating one analyte from another by utilizing more than one form of interaction between the stationary phase and analytes. Importantly, the secondary interactions in MMC must be strong enough to contribute to retention of the analyte; this approach is distinct from conventional single-mode chromatography.
MMC has many advantages over traditional single-mode chromatography, and over other methods of separation. MMC exhibits higher selectivity than single-mode chromatography. For example, positive, negative and neutral substances could be separated by a reversed phase (RP)/anion-cation exchange (ACE) column in a single run. In addition, mixed-mode chromatographic media display a remarkably higher loading capacity. Because MMC uses two forms of interaction, one mixed-mode column can replace two or even more single mode columns; so, MMC is economical and reduces waste.
The ability to combine and streamline separation methods can enhance selectivity in a protein purification process. Unlike affinity chromatography, where a known site on the protein is targeted, mixed-mode ligands are not tailored to a known specific site. Accordingly, screening mixed-mode media becomes a search for sites on the target protein that provide useful affinity and selectivity.
Monoclonal antibodies constitute the largest number of protein-based therapeutic molecules in current use or in clinical trials. Protein A chromatography is routinely employed as a first capture step in industrial monoclonal antibody purification processes due to its high selectivity, resulting in good overall yields and purities. However, a major drawback of affinity chromatography is its high price, which, especially in case of therapeutic antibodies needed at high doses or for chronic administration, can account for a significant component of the cost of goods. In addition, leached protein A ligand from the affinity matrix must be removed by further chromatography steps due to its potential immunogenicity (Roque A. C. et al. Biotechnology Progress 20(2004), 639-654). In addition, traditional protein A chromatography requires elution at low pH, which can result in product aggregation or precipitation.
Monoclonal antibodies can be separated by MMC on multimodal media exhibiting, for instance, ionic and hydrophobic functionalities. These multimodal media offer a valuable alternative to the classical affinity approach for the separation of monoclonal antibodies. Due to the salt tolerability of the hydrophobic component, the clarified cell culture supernatant can be directly loaded on the matrix, resulting in an effective capturing of the monoclonal antibody. However, due to the multimodal nature of the resin, different types of interaction of the ligand with a particular monoclonal antibody are possible, requiring unique wash and elution conditions, differing from traditional ion-exchange or hydrophobic interaction chromatography.
There exists a need for MMC media and methods that display enhanced selectivity, high flow velocity, and low back pressure, are inexpensive, and allow for longer column lifetimes, reduced process times, increased productivity, and operational flexibility compared to affinity based methods.


An optical device for generating a beat frequency between two optical wavelengths includes two waveguides (2a, 2b) of different width and a grating layer (4) that is common to both wave guides.

It is known that beating the modes of two single frequency lasers of different wavelength on a fast photodiode will result in the generation of an RF beat frequency. The frequency of the beat signal is defined by the separation in wavelength of the light generated by the two lasers. Such an approach has been used for the generation of RF carriers for optical communications. In much of the prior art this is accomplished by the use of two or more discrete devices as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,651 (Logan), U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,309 (Logan) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,473 (Wake). This approach, while feasible, requires the accurate control of two discrete devices, which increases the complexity and therefore the cost of the required control. In Electronics Letters, 1995, Vol. 31 No. 5 pp 364-365 (C. R. Lima, D. Wake and P. A. Davies), the use of a dual frequency distributed feedback (DFB) laser is proposed. In this approach both wavelengths are generated within one device by the use of lasing on either side of the stop band of a DFB. This approach limits the frequency difference to around 60 GHz due to the limitations of the strength of grating that may be employed.
It is also recognised that the beating of two wavelengths from different or the same semiconductor laser places limitations on the phase noise of the beat frequency. U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,309 (Logan) proposes overcoming this by the use of an additional mode locked laser. While Lima, Wake and Davies achieve this by providing an electrical drive signal at a sub-harmonic of the beat frequency.

The Centre For Integrated Photonics Limited


Surface drawing is described as a medium which provides direct control over the creation of a wide range of intricate shapes. Surfaces are created by moving a hand, instrumented with a special glove, through space in a semi-immersive 3D display and interaction environment. Intricate forms can be created using intuitive motions. The design space can be freely explored during the modeling process without the need to plan the construction of the final shape. In particular it supports unconstrained erasing and buildup of new geometry. An incremental Cookie Cutter algorithm, a construction method for triangulated meshes is described which allows the user to freely grow, join, and erase surfaces based on hand motions.

The state of the art in three-dimensional modeling can represent a variety of complex smooth surfaces. When artists and designers create shapes with these techniques, it is often observed that often the method of surface representation restricts the ways in which a shape can be modeled.
Traditional spline-based modeling can be used to represent many different shapes, for example. A user often needs to think of the most efficient way to represent a shape before beginning the modeling process. However, changing directions once in the design process often requires a drastic change in the underlying placement of patches and may require extra work. The traditional shape modeling approach of the graphics and CAD communities is fundamentally different from the approach taken by the artistic community.

Three dimensional surface drawing controlled by hand motion


Apparatus and associated systems and methods may include one or more features for high speed transmission line structures that may substantially reduce signal degradation due to effects, such as dielectric loss, parasitic capacitance, cross-talk, and/or reflections. For example, one such feature may include a dielectric layer having a reduced thickness within at least a part of a region that extends between two conductors fabricated on a PCB (printed circuit board). In some embodiments, the dielectric layer may include a solder mask layer that is partially or substantially absent in the region between two coplanar conductors. In another embodiment, a substrate layer made of a dielectric material may include a trench in the region between the two conductors. Another such feature, for example, may include a conductor having vias spaced less than a quarter wavelength apart to substantially reduce resonance effects on propagating high frequency signals.

Data rates continue to increase in digital systems, communication systems, computer systems, and in other applications. In such applications, various devices communicate data using signals that may be encoded with information in the form of signal levels (e.g., amplitude) in certain intervals of time. Proper decoding of signals, for example, may involve measuring small signal levels in the correct time intervals. As data rates increase, margins of error for the signal level timing tend to decrease.
Likewise, operating frequencies for some analog signal processing systems continue to increase along with advances in telecommunication technologies, for example.
Various test and measurement equipment may be used to verify signal integrity in analog and digital systems. For example, oscilloscopes may be used to measure analog waveforms, and protocol analyzers may be used to monitor data in digitally formatted signals.
In a typical measurement set-up example, a measurement cable assembly may connect a protocol analyzer to one or more digital data lines on a device under test (DUT). The cable assembly may have multiple parallel conductive paths that serve as transmission lines for the signals to be monitored. In some cases, each conductive path may include a combination of different transmission line sections, which may include any or all of, for example, an interface to the DUT, traces on a printed circuit board (PCB), and a flexible cable.

High speed signal transmission line having reduced thickness regions


A foldable display apparatus is provided. The foldable display apparatus includes a flexible display panel, first body configured to support a left portion of a flexible display panel, and second body configured to support a right portion of the flexible display panel, first and second frames configured to surround portions of outlines of the first and second bodies, a hinge member configured to hinge-connect the first and second frames with each other in a foldable manner, and first and second supports having sides hinge-connected to the first and second frames, and configured to form an accommodation space in which a folded portion of the flexible display panel is folded to form a curvature at a first position at which the first and second bodies are folded, and to support the folded portion of the flexible display panel at a second position at which the first and second bodies are unfolded.

In general, a flexible display panel is a display panel that can be bent with a predetermined curvature. According to the related art, display panels, which are not configured to be flexible display panels, generally use a glass substrate. In contrast, a flexible display panel uses a plastic substrate rather than a glass substrate. As a result, in order to prevent damage to the substrate, a low-temperature manufacturing process is mainly used without using the existing manufacturing process.
Such a flexible display panel according to the related art has been produced as a touch screen on which, for example, a capacitive or resistive touch input can be made to receive a user's command in a touch type.
A portable foldable display apparatus in the related art is provided with a flexible display panel on which a touch input can be made as described above. In such a foldable display apparatus in the related art, a specific accommodation space, in which a folded portion of the flexible display panel can be bent with a specific curvature, is formed in a portion at which a pair of bodies that support the flexible display panel are hinge-connected with each other.
According to the foldable display apparatus in the related art, however, if the pair of bodies are unfolded to form a straight angle so that a user can view an image that is displayed on the flexible display panel, a center portion (e.g., folded portion) of the flexible display panel is positioned on an upper side of the accommodation space, and the rear surface of the flexible display panel becomes in an unsupported state.
Accordingly, if a user touches the center portion of the flexible display panel, the flexible display panel is pushed to move a specific distance in a touch direction. Consequently, inputting an accurate touch input on the center portion of the flexible display panel is difficult, thereby deteriorating the usability of the flexible display panel according to the related art.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Hinge device and foldable display apparatus having the same


A prosthetic sleeve holding apparatus for holding at least one prosthetic sleeve includes a base member including opposed top and bottom surfaces having a generally planar configuration, the base member including a first guide ring positioned on the top surface. A support member is rotatably coupled to the base member, the support member having upper and lower surfaces and a circular configuration for rotation about an imaginary vertical axis of rotation. The support member includes a second guide ring situated on the lower surface of the support member. A pair of spaced apart support rods extends upwardly from the support member, each support rod having a cylindrical configuration and a free end displaced from the base member and that is configured to support the prosthetic sleeve.

This invention relates generally to prosthetic device accessories and, more particularly, to a holding apparatus specifically configured to hold a prosthetic sleeve or liner in a vertically suspended and rotatable configuration.
A person having a prosthetic limb, such as a prosthetic leg or arm, typically wear a sleeve (also referred to as a liner or sock) over the stump of their natural limb before inserting their remaining limb into the prosthesis socket. Then, at the end of the day, such as at bedtime, the person removes the prosthetic limb and the sleeve. It may be desirable to spread out the sleeve or hang it so that it can air out or dry before being used again the next morning.
Various devices have been proposed in the art for holding or suspending devices such as musical instruments, tools, and the like. Although presumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices are not suitable for supporting prosthetic liners or sleeves in a manner that allows for sufficient ventilation or drying and which also is convenient for rotating a fresh sleeve into position to be used next while the newly suspended sleeve remains in a support configuration.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a prosthetic sleeve holding apparatus having a support member that is rotatable on demand relative to a base member and having at least a pair of support rods extending upwardly from the support member, each support rod being configured to support a prosthetic sleeve in an elevated position. Further, it would be desirable to have a prosthetic sleeve holding apparatus in which a pair of support is rotatable by a user so that a more recently used sleeve may be rotated away and a less recently used sleeve may be removed for use.


A particular method includes receiving a conflict notice from a first airfield computing agent associated with a first airfield at a first aircraft computing agent associated with a first aircraft. The conflict notice indicates that the first aircraft is associated with a first conflict of the first airfield. The method also includes identifying, based on parameters associated with the first aircraft, one or more actions associated with the first aircraft to address the first conflict.

Conflicts at airfields can cause mission delays. Conflicts can be caused by limitations of the airfield. For example, efficiency of operations at an airfield may be related to how many aircraft are on the ground at the airfield. A number of aircraft that can be on the ground at the airfield at a particular time may be limited by a maximum-on-ground (MOG) limit. When the MOG limit is exceeded, efficiency of the airfield can be reduced. Thus, conflicts that result in the MOG limit being exceeded should be avoided. Conflicts can arise as a result of issues related to individual aircraft, crews, other limitations, or any combination thereof.

Agent-based airfield conflict resolution


Provided are an opposed iron core transmitting rotation motion, a manufacturing method thereof, and an electromagnetic fan clutch formed by the opposed iron core. The opposed iron core includes iron core grooves (12; 13) axially arranged in a back-to-back manner on an electromagnetic iron core body (11). The manufacturing method of the opposed iron core includes: directly drawing the iron core body (11) to form the iron core grooves arranged in the back-to-back manner, or directly spinning the iron core body (11) to form the iron core grooves arranged in the back-to-back manner. The electromagnetic fan clutch formed by the opposed iron core has a first actuation gap (841) and a second actuation gap (842) respectively on two sides of the electromagnetic iron core body (11) of an opposed iron core apparatus.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an opposed iron core transmitting rotation motion, a manufacturing method thereof and a related clutch, and in particular relates to an opposed iron core for a vehicle electromagnetic fan clutch, a manufacturing method thereof and an electromagnetic fan clutch including the opposed iron core.
Description of Related Arts
For the present invention, those skilled in the art may consult a Chinese patent document entitled "STRONGLY-FLEXIBLE DRIVING ELECTROMAGNETIC FAN CLUTCH FOR HIGH-POWER HEAVY-DUTY VEHICLE" with the publication number "CN101968004A".
For the present invention, those skilled in the art may also consult a Chinese patent application No. 201010588608.2 filed on Dec. 7, 2010 and entitled "VEHICLE ELECTROMAGNETIC FAN CLUTCH", a Chinese patent application No. 201020659237.8 filed on Dec. 7, 2010 and entitled "VEHICLE ELECTROMAGNETIC FAN CLUTCH", a Chinese patent application No. 201010621450.4 filed on Dec. 27, 2010 and entitled "MAGNET FIXING DISC WITH CYCLONE HEAT DISSIPATION FAN BLADES", and a Chinese patent application No. 201020697219.9 filed on Dec. 27, 2010 and entitled "MAGNET FIXING DISC WITH CYCLONE HEAT DISSIPATION FAN BLADES", which were proposed by the present applicant.
For the present invention, those skilled in the art may further consult related contents of an invention patent application proposed by the present applicant, published on Mar. 17, 2010 with the publication number CN101672210A and entitled "THREE-SPEED ELECTROMAGNETIC FAN CLUTCH".
Due to various reasons, there are many defects of over large size, poor stability, high manufacturing cost and short service life of electromagnetic fan clutches as well as components and devices thereof in the conventional clutches, particularly in various vehicle electromagnetic fan clutches listed above.
Particularly, in the manufacturing process of an electromagnetic fan clutch, the traditional electromagnetic iron core always adopts the form recorded by the present invention in FIG. 1. An electromagnetic iron core body 1′ provided with one or more annular grooves 2′ and 3′ opened towards the same side of the electromagnetic iron core body 1′ is cast first by using a mold, and then corresponding electromagnetic coils 7′ and 8′ are placed in the annular grooves 2′ and 3′. The electromagnetic coils 7′ and 8′ are respectively provided with paired leading-out terminals 9′ and 10′, 11′ and 12′, then the leading-out terminals may penetrate through corresponding paired lead holes 16′ punched in a single annular friction plate, corresponding lead slots are inwards adaptively formed along the radial direction of the friction plate according to the random positions of the lead holes 16′, so that the lead terminals are connected to the corresponding positions, e.g. the inner part of a driving shaft, and the lead terminals are finally extended and connected to corresponding power supply circuits. Finally, the single annular friction plate 13′ is fixed on a side wall end edge 6′ of the opening of the corresponding annular groove by welding through a plurality of spots, that is to say, the annular friction plate 13′ completely covers the side wall end edge 6′. A through hole 14′ of the single annular friction plate is greater than the outer circumference of an electromagnetic iron core through hole 4′ and is correspondingly sleeved on the electromagnetic iron core through hole 4′.
Since a part of electromagnetic force is counteracted by mutual interference of the electromagnetic coils, larger coils are needed to meet the practical requirements of the electromagnetic clutch in use, so that the volume and size of the aforementioned electromagnetic iron core are relatively large. Meanwhile, the friction plate is provided with the lead holes or slots, and stress, fatigue and slits or cracks are produced after long-time friction use, so that the service lives of the friction plate and the whole electromagnetic clutch are shortened. Moreover, this form and structure lead to high material consumption and high manufacturing cost, and many manual factors in the process part are not favorable for large-scale production and fine machining.

Opposed iron core, manufacturing method thereof, and electromagnetic fan clutch using opposite iron core


Textiles are re-cycled by grinding and scatter-laying onto a needle-punched web optionally containing low-melting material, followed by laying a second needle-punched web over the scattered layer and re-needling the three layers before applying heat or heat and pressure to activate the low-melting ground material present within the layers. Additional low-melt ground material is optionally blended into the ground textile if low melt components are absent or insufficient to bond the composite. The ground material is driven and dispersed into the surrounding web layers with at least part of the material being adjacent the two outer surfaces. The physical properties of the composite can be adjusted by selecting suitable combinations including but not limited to needling stroke depth, needling density, needle gage, low-melt content, heat finishing conditions, and relative layer weights. The final composites can optionally be reintroduced into the original end use and include significant percentages of recycled material.

It is advantageous for textile sheets including fabrics and floorcoverings to contain functional surface layers providing aesthetics, wear resistance, barrier properties, antimicrobial properties and other properties to the textile sheets. These functional surface layers may be combined with additional layers that provide different properties to the textile sheets, for example, layers with higher bulk and lower density, reinforcing or stabilizing layers, layers of films, scrims and glass nonwovens, layers formed with short or recycled fibers and layers of bulky felts or foams. These additional layers may lack the durability and cohesive properties of the outer functional surface layers.
Other advantages are achieved through the incorporation into the textile structure of recycled textile materials. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,514,026 describes an incorporation process that includes shredding textiles, blending with low-melting staple fibers, and using chute feeders to form oriented structures useful as backing materials. Cohesion and abrasion resistance of the structures depend upon the level and degree of the subsequent adhesive bonding. High levels of cohesion tend to produce stiff structures. The described process requires staple fibers extracted from recycled textiles in reasonably long and opened form, limiting the available choices of recyclable material and processing equipment.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0014678 describes a multi-layer needle-punched composite containing an optional layer of shredded textiles between two layers of pre-needle-punched webs each pre-formed into coherent felts, with 160 ppsc as the lowest level of accumulated penetrations used to form the pre-needle-punched webs. The disclosed process uses coarse needles and very low needling densities per surface area, under 25 ppsc, to combine the pre-needle-punched felts by passing fibers from the outer surfaces of each pre-needle-punched felt through the composite and past the opposing outer surface. These fibers are then used to bond the outer surfaces by applying heat to the outer surfaces of the composite. While delamination resistance and surface stability are achieved, the placement of material within the structure is not controlled, and the stability of cut edges is not achieved unless the felts contain a high amount of low melt adhesive or extra adhesive is applied to the surfaces and heat is applied to the structure, affecting overall stiffness. The layer of shredded textiles still includes a multitude of fibers with substantial lengths. The layer of shredded textile stays mostly between the two outer fibrous layers and requires additional edge heating or pressing to stabilize its cut edges. Even if the shredded textile layer contains a higher level of low-melting material, this layer does not contribute to the stability of the overall textile structure, because the low-melt components of the shredded textile layer are not substantially advanced into the remainder of the textile structure.
Finer grinding as compared to simple shredding is a widely applicable and less expensive process for recycling a large variety of textiles. The finely ground material can furthermore be formed into uniform layers covering a wide range of area weights using commercial scattering laydown equipment, including very low weights. However, a layer of ground material can not be contained and held securely within highly open and bulky textile structures unless the layer of ground material is immediately heated following deposition. Such immediate heating usually forms a dense and stiff film-like layer.
Multiple fibrous layers, including layers of recycled textile fibers, can also be combined in a textile sheet by conventionally needle-punching fibers to penetrate through the layers. However, unless the fibrous layers are highly-entangled, joined by a high number of needle penetrations per unit area, tightly and solidly bound with adhesives, joined by sewing or stitching, or stitch-bonded with yarns, the resulting composite textile sheet can delaminate, collapse or wear quickly. Increasing the total number of needle penetrations per unit area improves surface-stability and delamination resistance but densifies the textile sheet. Densifying the textile sheet results in an undesirable loss of thickness and cushion. Bonding the fibrous layers of the textile sheet using adhesives or low-melting fibers located within the fibrous layers prevents delamination but adds undesirable cost, weight, and stiffness and densifies the textile sheet.
Therefore, a method of incorporating ground textile materials into a bulky and open textile structure by directing the propagation of the ground textile material into the desirable strata of the structure including the outer strata with minimum compaction and loss of bulk and cushion is desired.

Needle-punched structures containing recycled fibers


Method and system for connecting a joint of pipe to a top drive motor just above the drilling platform of a drilling rig where the connection can be made quickly and safely by a drilling operator. The system includes a top drive motor that tilts about a horizontal axis and a pipe launcher that brings joints of pipe up to the drilling platform for connection with a top drive motor at a safe and convenient height above the platform. The top drive motor further includes a clamping assembly that grasps and pulls the joint of pipe to the motor as the connection is being made. The clamp assembly supports the motor-pipe connection as the top-drive motor is raised in the drilling mast of the rig bringing the joint of pipe up into a vertical orientation for connection with the drill tubing string.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related generally to drilling rigs that utilize top drive motors, and in particular to a method and system for connecting drill pipe to top drive motors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the oil and gas industry, it is known to use top drive motors to drill wells. Top drive motors are mounted in the drilling mast of the rig and are typically raised lowered in the mast by a draw works mechanism. The top drive motors comprise powerful electrical or hydraulic motors and provide the motive force to rotate the drill string.
A major obstacle with top drive motors is the manner in which joints of pipe are brought up from a storage rack to the drilling platform and connected to the top drive motor and the drill string. Typically, joints of pipe are stored horizontally at ground level and are brought into a vertical position above the drilling platform by a variety of mechanisms. These mechanisms bring the pipe into position above the platform to connect to the top drive motor and to the drill string. These mechanisms may include separate devices that grasp stored pipe and haul it into position above the drilling platform or may include attachments to the top drive motor itself that pull the pipe up above the drilling platform as the top drive motor is raised in the drilling mast. In either of these cases, the pipe is connected to the top drive motor while the top drive assembly is positioned high up in the drilling mast. This height is in excess of 30 to 45 feet above the drilling platform or more depending on the length of each joint of pipe and whether the joints of pipe are assembled as doubles or trebles.
In this situation, it is difficult for a drilling operator located on the drilling platform to quickly and safely connect the joint of pipe to the top drive motor given that the connection is made so high above the platform in the drilling mast.
It is, therefore, desirable to have a method and system of connecting a joint of pipe to a top drive motor at the drilling platform level where a drilling operator can quickly and safely make the connection.

Method and system for connecting pipe to a top drive motor


A system and method to re-fetch operand data lost for instructions with operands greater than eight bytes in length due to line invalidation due to storage update from a single or plurality of processors in a multiprocessor computer system using microprocessors that perform out of order operand fetch with respect to sequential program order in which it is not possible or desirable to kill the execution of the instruction when the storage access rules require that it appear that the operand data is accessed in program execution order.

In computer architectures similar to the IBM Z/Architecture and its predecessors there are provisions made about access to computer storage. In this architecture, as defined in the IBM Z/Architecture Principles of Operation, Publication SA22-7832-00, numerous instructions exist that have one or more data operands that are longer than eight bytes (the basic operand length processed from the cache in the execution units). For each of these instructions as defined in the architecture there is a description of the storage rules. It is also common place in the computer processor or microprocessor that implement this architecture to have a cache storage with data organized on line boundaries.
To prevent system deadlocks in multiprocessing configurations the processor cache can not hold a cache line for the duration of instruction execution of instructions that take many cycles to execute. As a result there are cases where even if the processor units are still actively fetching data from this cache line the cache must release this line to another processor or processors in the system. When the line has been released to another processor, this other processor may update part or all of the line. This architecture allows for this behavior with some storage access rules. The architecture does not specify at what point in the operand for a given instruction execution that the update is detected. The architecture does specify that at what ever point the update to the operand data has been detected, all data for that operand prior to that point must be old data and all data after that point must be new data. The architecture does not allow access to old data for that operand data past a point in the operand where new data has been used.
The size of the unit of storage that an update to operand data must be detected in is dependent on the instruction. The size may be as small as one byte or as large as eight bytes. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,871 (owned by the assignee as the subject application) entitled "Coordination of Out-Of-Sequence Fetching Between Multiple Processors Using Re-execution of Instructions" discloses a processor that executes instructions out of order and can cancel any instruction right up to the point where the instruction can reach completion, the point at which the instruction's results are committed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,871 discloses that the cache monitors invalidates against lines in the cache and if data from one of those lines is being used by the cache it is reported to the processor and the entire instruction is canceled and re-executed. In this case, data is fetched again from the start of the operand. In this scheme, all of the data from a given line will always be from the same instant copy of the data.
However, it is contemplated in a future processor, for example a zSeries processor, to execute instructions in program order with an out of order operand fetch. This type of processor can not abort execution of an instruction once the instruction has started execution unless the entire contents of the processor including all cache contents are cleared and all architected state is restored from a protected check point copy, which is called a recovery action. In this type of processor this action is called processor recovery.
In normal program execution on a multiprocessor computer system it is likely to have data that has been fetched that will need to be invalidated. It is also likely that such invalidated data would be fetched out of order for instructions with long data operands. Furthermore, it is unacceptable processor performance to undergo a processor recovery action to deal with this.
Thus a solution is desirable that allows the instruction with long operands to continue execution and comply with the storage access rules without undergoing a processor recovery action.

Re-fetch of long operand buffered remainder after cache line invalidation in out-of-order multiprocessor system without instruction re-execution

International Business Machines Corporation


A method for starting an engine includes preloading a spring of a torsion damper by transmitting torque having a magnitude less than engine cranking torque from an electric motor through a clutch to the spring, before cranking the engine, increasing a torque capacity of the clutch, and using the electric motor to crank the engine in response to a command to start the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method for starting an engine of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) by transmitting torque from a starting motor through a clutch and damper to the engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A modular hybrid transmission (MHT) is an arrangement of powertrain components that produces parallel hybrid electric drive (HEV). The powertrain includes a torsion damper, transmission pump, electric machine and torque converter arranged in series between an engine and a transmission.
During an engine restart, the torsion damper may bottom out or oscillate due to the large torque used to crank the engine. This bottoming of the damper may damage the flywheel or adversely affect control of engine restarts, which should be consistent. The engine restart may occur using a dual mass flywheel.

Hybrid electric vehicle engine starting with a preloaded damper spring


An inkjet recording apparatus that records an image on a recording medium including: at least one recording head for unused-ink having a nozzle array made of a plurality of nozzles that selectively ejects unused-ink; at least one recording head for recycled-ink having a nozzle array made of a plurality of nozzles that selectively ejects recycled-ink of an equivalent color to the unused-ink ejected from the recording head for unused-ink; a collector that collects ink discharged from the recording head for unused-ink and the recording head for recycled-ink so as to restore an ejectable state of the recording heads; and a recycled-ink supplier that supplies ink, collected by the collector, to the recording head for recycled-ink as recycled-ink.

This invention relates to an inkjet recording apparatus. Particularly, the present invention relates to technique for reusing ink ejected when nozzle maintenance is performed.
An inkjet recording apparatus has already been achieved wherein color recording is possible with a plurality of colors of ink (for example, black (to be referred to as "K"), cyan (to be referred to as "C"), magenta (to be referred to as "M"), and yellow (to be referred to as "Y")). In such an inkjet recording apparatus, nozzles from which a respective color of ink is ejected are provided on a recording head. Ink is selectively ejected from each nozzle onto a recording medium so as to record an image on the recording medium.
However, it is known that nozzles of this kind of inkjet recording apparatus go into an unejectable state, wherein nozzles are blocked when dust or air enters the nozzles or when the ink inside of the nozzles becomes dried and solidified. In order to restore a normal state of nozzles from such an unejectable state, various maintenance operations are performed, such as a vacuum purging, purging with positive pressure, and flushing. When such maintenance operations are performed, unused-ink is forcibly ejected for the purpose of removing dust, air, and solidified ink from the inside of the nozzles. The ejected ink is conventionally discarded by being stored in a waste ink reservoir or absorbed into a waste ink absorber.
If a large amount of ink is discarded without being used for recording, because of the maintenance operations described above, the amount of ink that can be used for recording inevitably decreases. There has been a problem in that the running cost, such as for ink, becomes higher.
A technique for collecting and reusing waste ink has been devised. In an inkjet recording apparatus with this technique, virgin-inks C, M, and Y, which have not been used yet, are used for recording. As for ink K, a processed ink, wherein C, M, and Y, are blended, is used for recording. This inkjet recording apparatus is provided with recording heads for respective colors of ink C, M, and Y, and a recording head for the processed black ink. When ink is ejected from each recording head due to a maintenance operation, ink is collected by a cap. Dust and air bubbles are removed from the collected ink via a filter. Diluting-fluid is added to the collected ink so as to adjust the viscosity. The diluted ink is supplied to the recording head for the processed black ink and reused.
However, the above-described inkjet recording apparatus is provided with only one recording head for ink K (i.e. for the processed black ink). Since processed black ink (made of C, M, and Y, blended together) is used as ink K, the actual color of ink K sometimes does not appear black depending on the mixture ratio of each color of ink blended therein. When such blended ink is used for image recording, the quality of an image might be deteriorated.
Moreover, because the processed black ink is made of ink C, M, and Y, causing a large consumption of processed black ink for black-and-white image recording, such as for text-image formation or facsimile-data image formation, causes the quick consumption of a large amount of ink C, M, and Y. These colors of ink might run out before color image recording is performed. Using color ink for black-and-white image recording might cause an increase in ink cost.


Methods and associated structures of forming a microelectronic structure are described. Those methods may comprise forming a conductive material in an interconnect opening within an interlayer dielectric material that is disposed on a substrate, forming a low density dielectric material on a surface of the dielectric layer and on a surface of the conductive material, and forming a high density dielectric barrier layer on the low density dielectric layer.

In the manufacture of microelectronic circuits, interconnect structures may be formed on a substrate using a dual damascene process, for example. Such a process may include trench and via openings being formed in an interlayer dielectric (ILD) material, which are then filled with a conductive material, such as copper, for example. A barrier layer may then be formed on the conductive material and on the ILD, which may act as an etch stop/barrier layer during further processing, for example.

Methods for forming planarized hermetic barrier layers and structures formed thereby


A borehole induction coil transmitter which is a part of a cross-borehole electromagnetic field system that is used for underground imaging applications. The transmitter consists of four major parts: 1) a wound ferrite or mu-metal core, 2) an array of tuning capacitors, 3) a current driver circuit board, and 4) a flux monitor. The core is wound with several hundred turns of wire and connected in series with the capacitor array, to produce a tuned coil. This tuned coil uses internal circuitry to generate sinusoidal signals that are transmitted through the earth to a receiver coil in another borehole. The transmitter can operate at frequencies from 1-200 kHz and supplies sufficient power to permit the field system to operate in boreholes separated by up to 400 meters.

The present invention relates to electromagnetic field systems, particularly to such systems utilized to provide an image of underground processes, and more particularly to a borehole transmitter utilized in a cross-borehole electromagnetic system to determine the location of such underground processes.
The central problem in petroleum production is the development of a reservoir model that guides the drilling of wells and the management of the field. Ideally, the model provides a three-dimensional numerical representation of the petroleum-bearing rock, properties of the reservoir units and the nature of the boundaries. To construct this model the reservoir engineer has only the detailed data from well logs in a limited number of holes, a geologic concept model, and more recently, structural controls provided by seismic data. The extrapolation of drill hole data to the interwall volume is an area where geophysics can be of great benefit. Using high resolution geophysics to assign physical properties to the model is a relatively new idea which could revolutionize the effectiveness of reservoir simulation.
Seismic velocity and electrical conductivity are both dependent on the porosity, saturation, temperature and anisotropy of typical reservoir rocks and consequently seismic and electrical techniques are a first choice in the search for new reservoir characterization methods. Surface-based 3-D seismic methods have already had a large impact on reservoir engineering by providing detailed maps of the geometry of producing formations and in some cases hydrocarbon distribution. This is a significant departure from their traditional role of finding target structure in an exploration program.
Electrical conductivity has an even more direct relationship to reservoir fluid properties than do seismic parameters because porosity, pore fluid conductivity, saturation, and temperature all determine the conductivity. Electrical logs are indispensable to the reservoir engineer for assessing saturation, pore fluid type and indirectly, permeability. Electrical logging measures the conductivity in the vicinity of the borehole to a radius of a few meters. Means are now at hand to map the conductivity on a reservoir scale and it is this prospect that motivates study and experiments relating to cross-bore electromagnetic methods.
Although seismic methods are relatively mature, the methodology for measuring electrical conductivity on a reservoir scale is in the development stage. Surface low frequency electromagnetic and direct current (dc) resistivity methods have been applied to process monitoring, but such has been limited to identifying the presence and general configuration of relatively shallow processes. High frequency electromagnetic ( greater than 1 MHz) methods have been used in cross-hole configuration since the early eighties, but the low resistivity of most sedimentary formations typically limits the propagation distance of these fields to a few meters.
Cross-hole and borehole-to-surface configurations typically offer improved sensitivity as compared to surface-based schemes. In surface surveys, the fields must first penetrate, with considerable loss of strength, to the target zone, produce a secondary or scattering current, and the fields from these currents again attenuate greatly in returning to the surface. This attenuation obviously limits the sensitivity of small features at depth. A further complication in surface methods is that the near-surface weathered layer is invariably inhomogeneous and thus exerts a strong attenuation and distortion of the fields from deep targets. Getting at least one of the transmitter-receiver pair near the target zone alleviates these problems somewhat but an even greater improvement occurs if both the source and receiver are placed in boreholes. For example, cross-hole dc resistivity surveys have far greater resolution than surface or surface-to-borehole configurations.
It has been established that low frequency cross-hole electromagnetic systems for reservoir scale problems have shown that a low frequency analog of seismic diffraction tomography provides good resolution of interwell features. Thus, as geophysical technology becomes mature, and the emphasis shifted to engineering and front-tracking applications, the geophysicist is directed towards the use of boreholes and electromagnetic systems. By the use of boreholes, one can escape the cultural and geological noise at the surface and also move the sensors much closer to the region of interest. Both of these are necessary to achieve the high sensitivity and high resolution imaging required.
Electromagnetic (EM) systems are typically deployed in ground-based or airborne configurations. Exception to this are the high frequency electromagnetic (HFEM) systems which are often deployed in closely-spaced boreholes. New applications of cross-borehole EM methods include petroleum reservoir characterization, front-tracking in enhanced oil recovery operations, and monitoring of subsurface fluid movements in hazardous waste applications. These applications all require the use of boreholes to achieve the necessary sensitivity. Boreholes in these applications are typically spaced up to 200 meters apart and are drilled through moderate to high conductivity rocks typically found in sedimentary basins. The large spacing of the boreholes and high conductivity makes the high frequency systems impossible to apply due to the high degree of spatial attenuation.
Cross-borehole electromagnetic systems have been developed to provide an image of underground processes; specifically to determine the location of injected plumes of steam used in the enhanced oil recovery process. The electromagnetic data can provide a determination of the subsurface electrical resistivity which is markedly changed by the introduction of steam, and thus mapping of the steam plume by the associated change in electrical resistivity can be accomplished. Such an electromagnetic system utilizes transmitters and receivers located in various boreholes in the oil field involved in enhanced oil recovery process.
While these prior efforts have greatly advanced this field of technology, to effectively apply cross-hole EM requires the development of a higher power/lower frequency system. This need is partially satisfied by the present invention directed to a borehole induction coil transmitter which can operate at frequencies from 1-200 kHz and provides sufficient signal for propagation through rocks typical of oil field strata for more than 400 meters.
It is an object of the invention to provide a borehole induction coil transmitter for through-the-earth imaging.
A further object of the invention is to provide an induction coil transmitter which can operate at frequencies from 1 Hz to 200 kHz.
A further object of the invention is to provide a borehole induction coil transmitter enclosed to survive to depths of 1 km and provides sufficient signal for propagation through oil field strata for more than 400 meters.
Another object of the invention is to provide a transmitter for a cross-borehole electromagnetic system which consists of four basic components, a wound ferrite or mu-metal core, an array of tuning capacitors, a current driver circuit board, and a flux monitor.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings. Basically, the invention is a borehole transmitter designed to be an integral part of a cross-borehole electromagnetic system, to provide an image of underground processes, such as to determine the location of injected plumes of steam used in the enhanced oil recovery process.
The transmitter is packaged as a borehole tool and the tool encased in fiberglass, for example, and can survive to depths of 1 km. The transmitter can operate at frequencies from 1-200 kHz, which is sufficient frequency range to provide moderate to high resolution subsurface images in a typical oil field. The transmitter provides sufficient signal for propagation through rocks of a typical oil field strata for more than 400 meters, which allows the field system to be routinely used in an oil field without the need for closely-spaced drill-holes, as in the above-referenced prior high frequency electromagnetic systems. The invention is an induction coil transmitter particularly adapted for cross-hole electromagnetic systems having high power/low frequency. Two embodiments have been developed, one using a ferrite core and operating in the 250 Hz to 200 kHz range; and the other using a mu-metal core and operating in the 1 Hz to 4 kHz range. The first embodiment was designed for relatively shallow environmental applications, and the other embodiment being for deeper, higher temperature boreholes and in steel-cased boreholes, and described in greater detail hereinafter.

The Regents of the University of California


Apparatus and methods for treating an inter-vertebral disc by ablation, coagulation, shrinking, stiffening, or other treatment of disc tissue. A method of the invention includes positioning at least one active electrode within the inter-vertebral disc, and applying at least a first high frequency voltage between the active electrode(s) and one or more return electrode(s), wherein the volume of the nucleus pulposus is decreased, pressure exerted by the nucleus pulposus on the annulus fibrosus is reduced, and discogenic pain of a patient is alleviated. An apparatus of the invention includes an electrosurgical probe, an introducer needle adapted for passing the distal end of the probe therethrough, and a positioning unit for monitoring a position of the probe in relation to the introducer needle.

The present invention relates to the field of electrosurgery, and more particularly to surgical devices and methods which employ high frequency electrical energy to treat tissue in regions of the spine. The present invention is particularly suited for the treatment of the discs, cartilage, ligaments, and other tissue within the vertebral column. The present invention further relates to electrosurgical apparatus and methods for treating cervical discs.
The major causes of persistent, often disabling, back pain are disruption of the disc annulus, chronic inflammation of the disc, contained and non-contained herniation, and relative instability of the vertebral bodies surrounding a given disc, such as the instability that often occurs due to a stretching of the interspinous tissue surrounding the vertebrae. Inter-vertebral discs mainly function to cushion and tether the vertebrae, while the interspinous tissue (i.e., tendons and cartilage, and the like) function to support the vertebrae so as to provide flexibility and stability to the patient's spine.
Spinal discs comprise a central hydrophilic cushion, the nucleus pulposus, surrounded by a multi-layered fibrous ligament, the annulus fibrosus. As discs degenerate, they lose their water content and height, bringing the adjoining vertebrae closer together. This results in a weakening of the shock absorption properties of the disc and a narrowing of the nerve openings in the sides of the spine which may pinch these nerves. This disc degeneration can eventually cause pain in the neck, back, and legs of a patient. Weakness in the annulus fibrosus resulting from disc degeneration or disc injury can allow fragments of nucleus pulposus from within the disc space to migrate through the annulus fibrosus and into the spinal canal. There, displaced nucleus pulposus tissue, or protrusion of the annulus fibrosus, e.g., due to herniation, may impinge on spinal nerves or nerve roots. A weakening of the annulus fibrosus can cause the disc to bulge, e.g., a contained herniation, and the mere proximity of the nucleus pulposus or the damaged annulus fibrosus to a nerve can cause direct pressure against the nerve, resulting in pain and sensory and motor deficit.
Often, inflammation from disc herniation can be treated successfully by non-surgical means, such as rest, therapeutic exercise, oral anti-inflammatory medications or epidural injection of corticosteroids. Such treatments result in a gradual but progressive improvement in symptoms and allow the patient to avoid surgical intervention.
In some cases, the disc tissue is irreparably damaged, thereby necessitating removal of a portion of the disc, or the entire disc, to eliminate the source of inflammation and pressure. In more severe cases, the adjacent vertebral bodies must be stabilized following excision of the disc material to avoid reocurrence of the pain or other symptoms. One approach to stabilizing the vertebrae, termed spinal fusion, is to insert an interbody graft or implant into the space vacated by the degenerative disc. In this procedure, a small amount of bone may be grafted and packed into the implants. This allows the bone to grow through and around the implant, fusing the vertebral bodies and preventing reoccurrence of the symptoms.
Until recently, surgical spinal procedures resulted in major operations and traumatic dissection of muscle, as well as bone removal or bone fuision. In an attempt to overcome the disadvantages of traditional traumatic spine surgery, minimally invasive (e.g., endoscopic) spine surgery was developed. In endoscopic spinal procedures, the spinal canal is not violated and therefore epidural bleeding with ensuing scarring is minimized or completely avoided. In addition, the risk of instability from ligament and bone removal is generally lower in endoscopic procedures than with open procedures. Further, more rapid rehabilitation facilitates faster recovery and return to work.
Minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of spinal diseases or disorders include chemonucleolysis, laser techniques, and mechanical techniques. These procedures generally require the surgeon to form a passage or operating corridor from the external surface of the patient to the spinal disc(s) for passage of surgical instruments, implants, and the like. Typically, the formation of this operating corridor requires the removal of soft tissue, muscle or other types of tissue depending on the type of procedure (e.g., laparascopic, thoracoscopic, arthroscopic, etc.). This tissue is usually removed with mechanical instruments, such as pituitary rongeurs, curettes, graspers, cutters, drills, microdebriders, and the like. Unfortunately, these mechanical instruments greatly lengthen and increase the complexity of the procedure. In addition, these instruments often sever blood vessels within this tissue, usually causing profuse bleeding that obstructs the surgeon's view of the target site. Once the operating corridor is established, the nerve root is retracted and a portion or all of the disc is removed with mechanical instruments, such as a pituitary rongeur. In addition to the above problems with mechanical instruments, there are serious concerns in this type of procedure because these mechanical instruments are not precise, and it is often difficult, during the procedure, to differentiate between the target disc tissue, and other structures within the spine, such as bone, cartilage, ligaments, nerves, and other non-target tissue. Thus, the surgeon must be extremely careful to minimize damage to the cartilage and bone within the spine, and to avoid damaging nerves, such as the spinal nerves and the dura mater surrounding the spinal cord.
Lasers were initially considered ideal for spine surgery because lasers ablate or vaporize tissue with heat, which also acts to cauterize and seal the small blood vessels in the tissue. Unfortunately, lasers are both expensive and somewhat tedious to use in these procedures. Another disadvantage with lasers is the difficulty in judging the depth of tissue ablation. Since the surgeon generally points and shoots the laser without contacting the tissue, he or she does not receive any tactile feedback to judge how deeply the laser is cutting. Because healthy tissue, bones, ligaments and spinal nerves often lie within close proximity of the spinal disc, it is essential to maintain a minimum depth of tissue damage, which cannot always be ensured with a laser.
Monopolar and bipolar radiofrequency devices have been used in limited roles in spine surgery, such as to cauterize severed vessels to improve visualization. Monopolar devices, however, suffer from the disadvantage that the electric current will flow through undefined paths in the patient's body, thereby increasing the risk of undesirable electrical stimulation to portions of the patient's body. In addition, since the defined path through the patient's body has a relatively high impedance (because of the large distance or resistivity of the patient's body), large voltage differences must typically be applied between the return and active electrodes in order to generate a current suitable for ablation or cutting of the target tissue. This current, however, may inadvertently flow along body paths having less impedance than the defined electrical path, which will substantially increase the current flowing through these paths, possibly causing damage to (or destroying surrounding tissue or neighboring peripheral nerves.
Other disadvantages of conventional radiofrequency (RF) electrosurgical devices, particularly monopolar devices, include nerve stimulation, and interference with nerve monitoring equipment in the operating room. In addition, these devices typically operate by creating a voltage difference between the active electrode and the target tissue, causing an electrical arc to form across the physical gap between the electrode and the tissue. At the point of contact of the electric arcs with tissue, rapid tissue heating occurs due to high current density between the electrode and the tissue. This high current density causes cellular fluids to rapidly vaporize into steam, thereby producing a "cutting effect" along the pathway of localized tissue heating. Thus, the tissue is parted along the pathway of evaporated cellular fluid, inducing undesirable collateral tissue damage in regions surrounding the target tissue site. This collateral tissue damage often causes indiscriminate destruction of tissue, resulting in the loss of the proper function of the tissue. In addition, conventional RF devices do not remove any tissue directly, but rather depend on destroying a zone of tissue and allowing the body to eventually remove the destroyed tissue.
Many patients experience discogenic pain due to defects or disorders of inter-vertebral discs. Such disc defects include annular fissures, fragmentation of the nucleus pulposus, and contained herniation. A common cause of pain related to various disc disorders is compression of a nerve root by the disc. In many patients for whom major spinal surgery is not indicated, discogenic pain naturally diminishes in severity over an extended period of time, perhaps several months. Some pain management specialists believe that, in many cases, spine fusion procedures are unnecessary, and could be replaced by disc decompression. There is a need for a minimally invasive method to treat such patients in order to alleviate the chronic, and often debilitating, pain associated with spinal nerve root compression. The instant invention provides methods for decompressing nerve roots by ablation, shrinkage, or stiffening of disc tissue during a percutaneous procedure, wherein the volume of the disc is decreased and discogenic pain is alleviated. In particular, there is a need for apparatus and methods for treating inter-vertebral discs in the cervical region of the spine in a minimally invasive manner.

Apparatus and methods for treating cervical inter-vertebral discs


A search apparatus and method for establishing efficiently whether a particular number, eg a MAC address, is stored in a database, eg in a communications bridge. The search is conducted stepwise on the basis of portions of the number, until one or zero match is found in the database. In the event that one match is found, a final confirmation is made that the whole of the number located and the number searched for are the same. This provides an efficient way to search among a subset of possible very large numbers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a search mechanism and associated implementations for locating quickly and efficiently items of data associated with a given identifier. It is particularly useful in communication hubs such as bridges which are used in computer communication networks.
2. Description of Related Art
Computer networks are typically made up of a number of devices, eg user stations, data storage devices, output devices, etc, which are arranged to be able to communicate with each other. This is achieved by interconnecting the devices by way of communication hubs. The simplest form of such a hub is a repeater. A hub in general terms has a plurality of ports, to each of which a network device or another hub may be connected. A repeater functions to output each communication received on any port to each of the other ports. This ensures that any communication sent by any device reaches all other devices connected to the repeater, and thus reaches its intended destination, although a considerable number of unnecessary communications appear on the network.
This is not a problem when the volume of communications traffic on the network is relatively low but problems can occur in high volume situations when communication between network devices can be noticeably slowed.
Another type of known network communication hub, the bridge or switch, attempts to reduce this problem. In particular a bridge, when it receives a communication on a particular port outputs it only to that port or those ports necessary for the communication to reach its intended destination(s). To enable a bridge to function in this manner it is necessary for the bridge to maintain a database which relates intended destinations of communications packets to the ports of the bridge. On receipt of a communication the bridge must read from the data base the port associated with the intended destination of the packet and output it accordingly.
In the Ethernet network standard all network devices are identified by a Media Access Control (MAC) address. These addresses are made up of 48 bits (6 bytes) enabling a very large number of devices (2.8.times.10.sup.4) to be uniquely identified. It is recognised however that a given bridge need only store details of a limited number of MAC addresses. This is because only a limited number of devices will communicate via any given bridge, and also it is known that it is not necessary to maintain details of a MAC address for longer than a predetermined time after its last use. The "timing out" of MAC addresses may occur for instance 15 minutes after the last use.
Thus it has been proposed that a bridge should store details of 8000 MAC addresses. These details would include, as mentioned above, the port of the bridge with which that MAC address is associated. Other information, such as the time of last use, may also be stored related to each MAC address.
In operation it is therefore necessary on reception of a packet, to search on the basis of the destination MAC address to find which port or ports of the bridge the packet should be sent to. Given that within the fast Ethernet standard communications may occur at speeds up to 100 Megabits per second (100 Mbps), in order for the bridge to keep up with the communications, it is necessary to perform the look-up in 6 .mu.s.