A junction box incorporating an integrally formed shunt busbar. The shunt busbar incorporates a first pair of terminals to act as leads to couple the shunt busbar in a current loop of a circuit, and a second pair of terminals to couple a voltage sensing device across a portion of the shunt busbar. The voltage sensing device is preferably a high input impedance voltage comparator. The input impedance of the voltage comparator is great enough to negate the affect of the internal resistance of the mating terminals of the busbar. Furthermore, the second pair of terminals is located on the shunt busbar such that the terminal resistances thereof are outside of the current loop. The electrical busbar is preferably mounted in a suitable insulating housing. When the shunt busbar of the present invention is connected to the high input impedance voltage comparator, a circuit path that allows for easily and accurately measuring the voltage drop across the busbar is made possible. This is accomplished while maintaining adequate current flow to the load for testing purposes.

This invention relates generally to electrical test devices and, more particularly, to electrical test shunts for measuring current. Test shunts generally require some sort of mating terminals to connect the shunt to the circuit in which current is to be measured. The resistance of the shunt mating terminals greatly affects the resistance of the shunt and the accuracy of the current measurement. The amount of resistance added to the circuit is typically more than is acceptable to provide accurate current measurements. Furthermore, it is difficult to compensate for this additional resistance.
The prior art has not addressed the issue of providing a shunt element as an integral part of a junction box. Junction boxes are typically either two or three dimensional mechanical arrays of electrical conducting metal frets that typically join electrical wires with electronic modules within an electrical distribution system. The prior art has further failed to address the issue of providing a junction box having a shunt which can be coupled in a current loop of a circuit in a manner such that the terminal resistances of a voltage sensing apparatus are located outside of the current loop being monitored when the junction box and shunt are coupled in the circuit, to thereby prevent the terminal resistances from adversely affecting the accuracy of the current measurement calculated from the voltage measurement taken across the shunt.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to virtually eliminate the affect of terminal resistance in the calculation of a load current by integrating a shunt in a junction box as part of an electrical conductor array.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a shunt in a junction box that provides a sufficiently accurate resistance necessary to accurately measure a voltage from which a load current may be calculated.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a shunt formed integrally with a junction box, to thereby provide a single apparatus which performs all of the functions of a common junction box as well as providing a readily available shunt for accurate current measurements, and where the apparatus is economical to manufacture.

Junction box having integrally formed shunt


A reference voltage generating circuit. A bandgap circuit includes a current mirror circuit and an output circuit. The current mirror circuit generates a first current. The output circuit generates a reference current based on the first current. A compensation circuit is coupled to the bandgap circuit in parallel at a combination node and generates a compensation current. The compensation current is smaller than the reference current. The reference current has a first temperature coefficient and the compensation current has a second temperature coefficient that is inverse to the first temperature coefficient. The reference current and the compensation current are combined at the combination node, such that an absolute value of a temperature coefficient of the reference voltage of the combination node is smaller than an absolute value of the first temperature coefficient and an absolute value of the second temperature coefficient.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a low temperature coefficient Bandgap reference circuit and the designing methods thereof, and more particularly to circuits and methods for obtaining a stable reference voltage by temperature compensation correction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bandgap reference circuits are widely used in various circuit design fields for providing stable reference voltages. A bandgap reference circuit may be part of a larger integrated circuit (IC) for providing stable reference voltages to the other circuits in the IC. Therefore, the bandgap reference circuit must be insensitive to temperature and voltage variations.
However, it is actually hard for the reference voltage output by the bandgap reference circuit to remain completely unchanged as temperature varies. Therefore, circuits and methods for obtaining a stable reference voltage by temperature compensation correction are required.


A method, an electronic device, and computer readable medium is provided. The method includes identifying a frequency of each word that is present within a set of words. The method also includes deriving relatedness values for pairs of words. Each pair of words includes a first word and a second word in the set of words. Each relatedness value corresponds to a respective one of the pairs of words. Each relatedness value is based on the identified frequencies that the first word and the second word of the respective pair of words are present within the set of words. The method further includes generating a matrix representing the relatedness values. The method additionally includes generating a language model that represents relationships between the set of words included in the matrix.

Methods for interacting with and controlling computing devices are continually improving in order to create more natural interfaces. Many such methods for interacting with and controlling computing devices generally require users to utilize user interface instruments, such as keyboards, mice, or touchscreens. Some electronic devices employ natural language processing that enable users to interact with computing devices via a natural language input. For example, natural language input can include a voice enabled user interface where a user can interact with the computing device by speaking. Natural language processing is becoming the interaction method of choice for some electronic devices and appliances. An electronic device that can interpret the intended meaning of a natural language command and then perform the intended action plays an increasingly important role in consumer satisfaction with respect to artificial intelligent (AI) based system.

System and method supporting context-specific language model


Systems and methods to control charging of power packs. Capacities of a first and second power pack associated with a charging station are monitored. When an energy harvesting device is producing energy, it is connected to a rechargeable device when the capacities of the first and second power pack are below a respective threshold. When the energy harvesting device is producing energy, it is connected to the first power pack and the second power pack is connected to the rechargeable device when the first power pack capacity is below a first threshold and the second power pack capacity is above a second threshold. The second power pack is connected to the rechargeable device when the energy harvesting device is not producing energy, the first power pack capacity is below the first threshold, and the second power pack capacity is above the second threshold.

Energy harvesting devices, such as devices or systems that produce electrical current by harvesting energy from renewable resources, are increasingly used to provide power pack charging energy to rechargeable devices. For example, solar cells harvest energy from sunlight or other light sources and produce electrical current. Another example is wind power generators that harvest energy from the wind to turn mechanical electrical generators that provide electrical current.
Although the advantages of using renewable energy are well known, energy harvesting devices that harvest energy from many types of renewable energy sources are subject to the energy output fluctuations and intermittent availability of their originating energy sources. For example, sunlight available to a solar cell varies during the day due to cloud cover and other factors, and is completely unavailable at night. Wind powered generators are also subject to fluctuating output based on varying winds, and may have long periods of no output due to long periods of calm winds.
Some energy harvesting systems accommodate periods of no output due to the unavailability of the energy source being harvested by using rechargeable batteries to store harvested energy. The energy stored in these rechargeable batteries is used when the energy harvesting device is not harvesting energy. Such devices, particularly less expensive device charging stations, switch between drawing energy from either the energy harvesting device or the rechargeable battery. In an application of a rechargeable device charging station, the energy harvesting device generally has an electrical current output that is below the power that can be used to charge the batteries or other power packs within the rechargeable device. Using only the electrical current available from the energy harvesting device to recharge a battery of a rechargeable device often results in long charging times.
The usability of charging stations that draw energy from intermittent and fluctuating energy harvesting devices is limited by the low output electrical current of the energy harvesting devices relative to the maximum charging current that can be accepted by a device being recharged.

Power pack charging from intermittent sources


A dial controller includes a dial, a displacement converter for converting a rotational displacement caused by a rotation operation of the dial to an axial displacement of the dial along a rotation axis of the dial, and a displacement detector for detecting and outputting information on a rotation angle of the dial based on a detection result of the axial displacement of the dial.

In recent years, various vehicular systems and devices such as an air-conditioner, a car audio system, a navigation system and the like are controlled by using an operation control unit. The operation control unit has an operation unit that is operated by a user, i.e., an occupant of a vehicle, for inputting various inputs for controlling those devices. The operation part of the air-conditioner for controlling an air amount, air temperature, or air-outlet positions, the operation part of the car audio system for controlling sound volume, or the like is, among other operation parts, provided as a dial controller (Refer to Japanese patent documents JP-A-H11-273506, JP-A-2000-67696, and JP-A-2001-184969).
The dial controller described in each of the above documents includes a supplemental devices such as a push switch, an LED indicator or the like in a center portion of an operation dial, where a rotation axis of the operation dial is located. The operation dials are usually arranged in a row on an instrument panel, and an interference between the supplemental devices of the two or more adjacent operation dials is prevented by having a rotation detection unit of the operation dial at an outer periphery of each operation dial. According to the description of the patent document JP-A-H11-273506, a rotation angle of the operation dial is detected by having a variable resistor that has a carbon film resistor printed on a substrate along the periphery of the operation dial. According to the description of the patent documents JP-A-2000-67696 and JP-A-2001-184969, a rotational movement of the operation dial is transferred to a rotary variable resistor by associating a small gear on a shaft of the variable resistor with a large gear on an outer circumference of the operation dial.
However, the structure of the operation dial disclosed in the patent document JP-A-H11-273506 requires a large arc shape carbon film resistor printed on the substrate that fittingly formed to be disposed on the instrument panel, which leads to an increased production cost of the substrate. In addition, an additional space for having the carbon film resistor consumes a limited space on the substrate, thereby reducing an installation space of other circuit elements and leading to a deteriorated space efficiency of the substrate. On the other hand, the disclosure in the patent documents JP-A-2000-67696 and JP-A-2001-184969 proposes the structure that requires the rotary variable resistor or the small gear that occupies a large planar space disposed at a position outside of the operation dial, thereby imposing restriction on the size and/or the design that arises from an increased planar space as a background space of the operation dial on the instrument panel. Furthermore, the increase of the background space of the operation dial is problematic when the plural operation dials need to be positioned in an area within a required distance for having the small gear or the like.


An image photographing apparatus includes a body, on which a tape cassette is removably mounted, and a camera unit installed in the body and provided with a plurality of camera sections. The camera sections have different pixel numbers and the camera sections are independently driven. The image photographing apparatus also includes a mode sensing unit to sense a photographic mode to correspond to at least one of the camera sections, and a control unit to select a photographic mode according to a signal transferred from the mode sensing unit and to drive a camera unit to correspond to the selected photographic mode. The image photographing apparatus includes a display unit provided in the body to show an image photographed by at least one of the camera sections.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image photographing apparatus, and more particularly, to an image photographing apparatus that unites the functions of a digital still camera and a digital camcorder.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a digital still camera (DSC) converts images incident through a lens into digital signals and stores the digital signals in a recording medium such as a hard disc or a memory card. Thus, a photographed image is not recorded in a film but stored in the recording medium. Therefore, it is possible to directly input digital images into a computer without intervention of a scanner. Because the digital still camera is highly compatible with a personal computer (PC), it is simple and convenient to perform editing and correction, and it is possible to transmit photographed images if the camera is connected with an external computer. The digital still camera includes a lens device, a memory device, a signal modulation device, a display device, etc. However, the digital still camera is mainly used to photograph still images in light of the capacity of the recording medium. That is, the digital still camera is capable of photographing some images. However, it is substantially impossible to photograph for a long period of time by using the digital still camera. In particular, the digital still camera is practically improper to photograph, store and reproduce moving images because there is no way to record and reproduce sounds at the time of photographing and reproducing moving images. In order to compensate such a defect, recording/reproducing apparatuses to record into or reproduce from a recording medium such as camcorders have been widely spread.
The camcorders include a lens device, a signal conversion device, a deck device to record/reproduce photographed images, and a display device. The camcorders mainly use a cassette tape as a recording medium, and the cassette tape is mounted in the deck device to record the photographed images. In addition, the camcorders may be provided with a microphone device and a speaking device and are capable of photographing for one or more hours once the cassette tape is loaded. These types of camcorders have a function to photograph still images. However, because image quality is poorer than that of the digital still camera as described above, the camcorders are mainly used in photographing moving images. Furthermore, because the camcorders generally have many functions and have a complicated construction as compared to digital still cameras, the camcorders are relatively bulky and expensive.
In order to utilize all of the functions of the digital still camera and the camcorder as described above, both products are typically purchased. This may impose a heavy economic burden on consumers. Furthermore, it is also troublesome to the consumer to carry both products because they have individual characteristic functions, which may impose a physical burden.

Image photographing apparatus having photographic mode based on position of camera unit


Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for controlling fertility of a female subject. Particularly exemplified are compositions comprising sugar derivatives, such as 2-deoxyglucose, D-mannoheptulose; and/or 5-thio-D-glucose. Also disclosed herein are methods of preserving ova supply in a female subject that involves administering glucose derivatives. The composition typically includes a glucose derivative that affects Foxo3a expression.

Currently there are two main types of female contraception, both of which are hormone dependent. These hormonal contraceptive methods act by preventing fertilization of the ovum by sperm cells or preventing implantation of the embryo.
Hormonal contraception has various significant negative effects on female patients. One negative effect associated with both oral and injectable hormonal contraceptives is a decrease in bone mineral density. A study demonstrated that women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (injection hormonal contraceptive) for 24 months experienced on average a 5.7% loss in bone mineral density with 3.2% of the loss occurring between months 12 and 24. Users of desogestrel pills (oral hormonal contraceptive) experienced a 2.6% loss in bone mineral density after 24 months. Berenson, et al. Effects of Hormonal Contraception on Bone Mineral Density After 24 Months of Use. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2004; 103:899-906.
Additional negative effects associated with hormonal contraception include changes in body composition including weight gain. The hormonal effects of oral contraception include an increase in mean body weight, mainly caused by an increase in both upper and lower body fat, with no change in lean body mass. See Rickenlund, et al. Effects of Oral Contraceptives on Body composition and Physical Performance in Female Athletes. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2004; 89(9):4364-4370. Sex steroids have also been shown to interfere with appetite and metabolic functions. Estradiol reduces appetite in animals, whereas high dose progestins are appetite stimulating. Id.
Sex steroid hormones, including hormonal contraceptives also play a role in disease predisposition for many genital tract infections. Their effects are variable and influence susceptibility, severity of symptoms, risk of re-infection, and persistence or risk of disease prolongation. See Brabin, L. Interactions of the Female Hormonal environment, Susceptibility to Viral Infections, and Disease Progression. AIDS Patient Care and STDs. 2002; 16(5):211-221.
In light of the foregoing negative impacts of hormonal contraceptives, the inventors have discovered a need for a contraceptive which prevents or inhibits ovulation and thus ultimately fertilization without administering hormones to female patients.

University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.


An imaging device of the present invention comprises driver transistors 23.sub.1 through 23.sub.n and load transistors 24.sub.1 through 24.sub.n. The imaging device has a switch switching output of the driver transistor 23n-1 to output terminal Vout 2 or to the driver transistor 23n as an output signal.

The present invention relates to an imaging device and, more particularly, to an improvement in an output circuit incorporated in a solid-state image pick-up device such as a charge-coupled device (CCD).
The CCD is widely used as a solid-state imaging device to convert light into electric signals. The CCD is therefore incorporated into video cameras, facsimiles and so on. In order to output electric signals, the CCD has an output amplifier which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 4-298176 for example. The output amplifier disclosed therein employs transistors, each of which is of a surface type. For this reason, there occurs a problem that the noise of the output amplifier is large.
To solve such problem, a new output amplifier has been invented by a co-pending patent application Ser. No. 568,930/08 which was filed on Dec. 7, 1995.
Referring FIG. 14, there is shown a high-vision CCD employing such new output amplifier. This CCD has photodiodes 19, vertical CCD registers 20, and a horizontal CCD register 21. An output amplifier 22 is connected to the horizontal CCD register 21. A signal photoelectric-converted by the photodiode 19 is transferred via the respective vertical CCD register 20 into the horizontal CCD register 21 and is amplified by the output amplifier 22 to produce an output signal. The vertical and the horizontal registers are driven a driving signal respectively.
The output amplifier 22, as shown in FIG. 15, employs three-stage source-follower amplifier circuit on chip. The output amplifier 22 has three driver transistors 23, three load transistors 24, a V.sub.DD terminal 2, a GND terminal 6, and a V.sub.out terminal 12. An input terminal of the output amplifier 22 is connected to a floating connection or floating junction (FJ) capacitor 25 and a RESET transistor 26 having a RESET drain terminal 27. The driver transistor of the first stage is formed by surface type in order to hold linearity thereof. The other transistors are formed by buried or embedded type to reduce noise.
Signals applied from the horizontal CCD register 21 is supplied to the connection node of the FJ capacitor 25 and the RESET transistor 26. After the signals is amplifiered by the output amplifier 22, the RESET transistor 26 is active and the level of the connection node of the FJ capacitor 25 and the RESET transistor 26 is equalized with the level applied to the RESET drain terminal 27.
At present, CCD cameras with a multifunction have been developed so that they correspond to multimedia techniques. There therefore is a demand for an application such as photographing a dynamic image or a moving picture and a still image or a still picture with the same camera.
When a still image is photographed or picked out, the CCD camera does not need to drive with a high speed compared with that when a dynamic image is photographed. That is, the vertical and the horizontal registers do not need to drive by the driving signal with high frequency in a still image photographing mode. Therefore, the drive frequency in a still image photographing mode can become low compared with a dynamic image photographing mode. However, the characteristic of the conventional output amplifier has been arranged with the dynamic image photographing mode. Therefore, a conventional semiconductor device incurs waste of gain bandwidth product and consumption of power when it drives in a still image photographing mode.

Imaging device including output amplifier circuit having variable GAIN BANDWIDTH PRODUCT


A method of producing a composite sheet having a foam layer of a first polyolefin-based resin and a surface layer of a second polyolefin-based resin provided on at least one side of the foam layer and containing a polymeric antistatic agent. The method includes coextruding through die a first melt containing the first polyolefin-based resin and a physical blowing agent and a second melt containing the second polyolefin-based resin, the polymeric antistatic agent and a volatile plasticizer to obtain the composite sheet. The amount of the polymeric antistatic agent is 4 to 100 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the second polyolefin-based resin and the amount of the volatile plasticizer is 5 to 50 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of a total amount of the second polyolefin-based resin and the polymeric antistatic agent. The second polyolefin-based resin has a crystallization temperature of Ta [° C.] and a melt viscosity of Ma [Pa·s], while the polymeric antistatic agent has a crystallization temperature of Tb [° C.] and a melt viscosity of Mb [Pa·s], wherein Ta, Tb, Ma and Mb satisfy the following conditions:Tb<(Ta+30° C.)Mb<Ma.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of producing a composite sheet having a polyolefin-based resin foam layer and an antistatic agent-containing, polyolefin-based resin layer provided on at least one side of the foam layer.
2. Description of Prior Art
Polyethylene foams have been hitherto used as cushioning materials and packaging materials. In particular, antistatic agent-containing polyethylene resin foams have been recognized to be suitable as packaging materials because of their small tendency to cause dust deposition, good softness and excellent cushioning property.
JP-A-H09-169072 discloses an antistatic laminated sheet composed of a polyethylene resin foam layer having a small expansion ratio and a polyolefin layer laminated on the foam layer and containing a bleeding-type antistatic agent. As the antistatic agent, a relatively small molecular weight surfactant such as a glycerin fatty acid ester, a polyoxyethylene alkylamine or an alkyl diethanolamide is used. The laminated sheet exhibits the antistatic property upon absorption of moisture in the air. Thus, under a relatively low humidity condition such as in the winter season, the antistatic property tends to be unsatisfactory. In a high humidity environment, on the other hand, the moisture-absorbed antistatic agent exudes from the sheet and stains its surface so that the surface becomes sticky and whitened. Further, the durability of the laminated foam is unsatisfactory. Namely, when subjected to a wash test using sonication in ethanol, the bleeding-type antistatic agent is washed away and the resulting laminated foam can no longer exhibit desired antistatic properties.
JP-A-2001-347589 discloses a laminated sheet composed of a polyolefin resin foam layer and a conductive non-foamed polyolefin resin layer laminated on the foam layer and containing carbon black. The known laminated sheet has a problem because the carbon black-containing layer, when thin, is apt to be torn and because the color of the sheet is limited to black.
JP-A-2003-136651 discloses a laminated foam composed of a polyolefin resin foam sheet and a synthetic resin layer laminated on the foam sheet and containing a polymeric antistatic agent. The laminated foam has excellent rigidity and can withstand repeated washings without loss of the antistatic property and, therefore, is suitably used as a returnable box. The laminated foam has a relatively large apparent density and is not fully satisfactory for utilization as packaging materials which are required to be soft and to have good cushioning properties.

Method of producing composite sheet having polyolefin foam layer


Systems and methods for improving the quality of recognition of the object based on a series of frame images of objects are described herein. A plurality of images depicting the same object are received. A first image is selected from the plurality of images. The first image may be an image with the highest quality from plurality of images. For each image in the plurality of images, motion estimation of elements of an image in the plurality of images and the first image is performed. Based on the results of motion estimation, motion compensation and signal accumulation of the object in the images in the plurality of images using the first image are performed. A high resolution image of the object obtained based on the motion compensation and signal accumulation is generated. Character recognition on the resulting high resolution image is performed.

The present disclosure relates generally to document image processing, computer vision and video analysis.
Computing devices (e.g., smartphones, mobile phones, laptops, tablet computers, notebooks, personal digital assistants, etc.) are becoming increasingly available worldwide. Moreover, computing devices are becoming more portable and more powerful. These devices are always at hand and their capabilities are comparable with those of a personal computer (PC). Computing devices have become indispensable assistants in business, education, communication, in travel and in everyday life, especially for capturing images, because almost all of these devices include a camera built into them. Various software applications, available for installation on the computing device, may provide methods and means of processing captured images or recorded video received from a mobile camera. Some of these applications may include features related to optical or intelligent character recognition (OCR or ICR) exist.
During the process of character recognition, a common situation arises when the input image does not have enough resolution for the text to be easily recognized. Low resolution source images may be caused by various reasons such as: limited resolution of the camera matrix built into the electronic device, lack in the optical system of an electronic device, data encryption algorithms, insensitive or crude compression algorithms. The imperfections in the use of a mobile camera such as hands shakes and non-ideal light conditions may cause defects in the captured images. Optical distortion and motion blur can be caused by limited shutter speed. Noise, aliasing effects, defocusing, and glares can negatively impact image quality. These shortcomings often interfere with subsequent processing of the images.

Applying super resolution for quality improvement of OCR processing


An information display device includes a location obtaining part configured to obtain location information, a communication part configured to communicate with at least one other information display device through a network, a setting management part configured to determine setting information corresponding to the location information based on setting management information stored in a memory part of the at least one other information display device in response to an operation from a user, a display part configured to display information; and a control part configured to control an output of the information displayed on the display part by using the setting information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information display device and an information display method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a meeting is frequently conducted by projecting contents stored in a PC (i.e., a personal computer) and the like on a projector. The projector is portable, and setting information of the projector such as brightness, color depth, a color shade and the like has to be set in accordance with an environment of a meeting room used in the meeting. In response to this, a technology is already known that automatically controls the setting information at a proper setting suitable for a location of the projector when using the projector.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2010-243845 (which is hereinafter called "Patent Document 1") discloses a technology that automatically controls setting information at a setting suitable for a location of a projector when using the projector by preliminarily storing location information of the projector and setting information at the location, and by reading the setting information corresponding to the location of the projector when using the projector. In Patent Document 1, the utilized location information is arrangement information of the projector, and the setting such as compensation of a projected image is performed based on the location or an inclination of the projector.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 2007-299148 (which is hereinafter called "Patent Document 2") discloses a technology that creates print setting information based on general information (e.g., schedule information) stored in a server in a MFP (i.e., Multifunction Peripheral).
However, Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not assume that the projector uses the setting information of another projector when automatically controlling the setting information of its own projector.
On the other hand, in automatically controlling the setting information of its own, if utilizing the setting information of another projector, the projector can set the setting information of its own to be suitable for the usage environment more quickly.

Information display device and information display method


The present invention has a semiconductor device including a substrate made of an insulating material, a gate electrode formed on the substrate, a thin film made of a silicon semiconductor and formed on the gate electrode through a gate insulating film, a protective film formed on the thin film and having two opposing major surfaces, and a source electrode and a drain electrode formed to be electrically connected with the thin film, wherein the first major surface of the two major surfaces of the protective film is in contact with the thin film, and a region near the second major surface of the protective film contains oxygen. The present invention has a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, in which a gate electrode is on a substrate made of an insulating material, a thin film made of a silicon semiconductor is formed on the gate electrode through a gate insulating film, a protective film having two opposing major surfaces in which a first major surface is in contact with the thin film and a region near a second major surface contains oxygen is formed on the thin film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode are formed to electrically connect with the thin film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device effectively used for a pixel switch or a drive circuit of an active-matrix display device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional semiconductor device having an active layer made of silicon semiconductor such as amorphous silicon (to be referred to as a-Si:H hereinafter), micro-crystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon (to be referred to as p-Si hereinafter), single crystalline silicon, or the like can be uniformly formed on an insulating surface with a relatively large area. For this reason, the semiconductor device is used for a pixel switch or a drive circuit of an active-matrix display device.
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a general thin-film transistor (to be referred to as a TFT hereinafter) used as a pixel switch of an active-matrix display device. The TFT will be briefly described below with reference to FIG. 1.
A TFT 59 is mainly constituted by a transparent insulating substrate 10 such as a glass substrate or a quartz substrate, a gate electrode 13 formed on the transparent insulating substrate 10, a gate insulating film 11 formed on the gate electrode 13, a silicon semiconductor silicon thin film 23 made of a-Si:H, p-Si, or the like and formed on the gate electrode 13 through the gate insulating film 11, a channel protective film 33 formed on the silicon semiconductor thin film 23, source and drain electrodes 55 and 53 electrically connected to the silicon semiconductor thin film 23, and low-resistance semiconductor films 43 and 45 formed to obtain preferable ohmic contacts between the silicon semiconductor thin film 23 and the source electrode 55 and between the silicon semiconductor thin film 23 and the drain electrode 53.
Since parasitic capacitances such as a gate-source capacitance (Cgs) formed between the gate electrode 13 and the drain electrode 53 and a gate-drain capacitance (Cgd) formed between the gate electrode 13 and the drain electrode 53 adversely affects the operation of the TFT 59, it is known that especially the channel protective film 33 is formed to be self-aligned to the gate electrode 13. More specifically, a photoresist film is formed on the channel protective film 33, the photoresist film is subjected to back exposure from the transparent insulating substrate 10 side by using the gate electrode 13 as a mask, and the resultant photoresist film is developed to leave the photoresist film in only an area in which the channel protective film 33 is to be formed. The resultant structure is patterned using the photoresist as a mask to form the channel protective film 33. In this manner, since the channel protective film 33 is self-aligned to the gate electrode 13, a channel protective film 33 is formed between the gate electrode 13 and the source electrode 55 or the drain electrode 53. Therefore, the parasitic capacitances such as the gate-source capacitance (Cgs) or the gate-drain capacitance (Cgd) can be decreased in magnitude in a channel region.
In the TFT 59, a silicon nitride (SiN.sub.x) film or the like is generally used as the channel protective film 33. This is because the silicon nitride film does not adversely affect the interface between the silicon nitride film and the silicon semiconductor thin film 23 and can also be easily patterned.
However, the channel protective film constituted by the silicon nitride film does not have good adhesion to the photoresist film for patterning the channel protective film. For this reason, the resist film may peel from the channel protective film during manufacture, and the channel protective film 33 may not be preferably patterned. Therefore, the following adverse effects occur. That is, the gate-source capacitance (Cgs) or gate-drain capacitance (Cgd) of the TFT 59 increases in magnitude, or the gate-source capacitances (Cgs) or gate-drain capacitances (Cgd) of respective TFTs 59 vary.

Method of manufacturing active matrix display


A generator, for example a three-phase generator including an associated rectifier system, is used, for example for the electrical voltage supply of a motor vehicle. The AC voltage produced by the generator is rectified by the rectifier system having a plurality of rectifying elements 2, 7. Rectifying elements 2 of the rectifier have a plurality of series connections of a self-conducting n-channel JFET and a self-conducting p-channel JFET, the gate terminals being connected to the outer source or drain terminals of the other transistor. Alternatively, the self-conducting JFETS of the rectifying element 2 in FIG. 1 may be replaced by self-conducting MOS field effect transistors (depletion mode MOSFET). The p-channel JFET of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 is replaced by a self-conducting p-channel MOSFET and the n-channel JFET is replaced by a self-conducting n-channel MOSFET. Furthermore, the gate terminals are connected to the diametrically opposed outer terminals.

Three-phase generators are normally used for the supply of electrical voltage or current for the consumers of a motor vehicle. Such three-phase generators are designed to have three or more phases. For the generation of the needed direct voltage or the needed direct current, the generators or three-phase generators used include rectifiers having rectifying elements which in a three-phase generator are normally made up of six silicon pn diodes. Normally the diodes are packaged in a press-fit housing and pressed into openings of the rectifier provided for this purpose. Such press-fit diodes are discussed, for example, in DE-195 49 202 A.
Conventional rectifiers having diodes of the above-mentioned design have forward power losses caused by the unavoidable forward voltages of the pn diodes. This is accompanied by a deterioration of the efficiency of the generator. Since on average two diodes are always connected in series, the mean forward power losses in a 100 ampere generator are approximately 200 watts. The heating of the diodes or of the rectifier caused by these losses must be reduced by complex cooling measures, for example a suitable heat sink and an associated fan.
A significant reduction of the voltage loss and accordingly an enhancement of the efficiency of a generator are able to be achieved by using power field effect transistors instead of diodes. In order to function as rectifiers, such power field effect transistors must be actively triggered. Such an active rectification is substantially more complex than a simple diode rectification in conventional rectifiers, since additional triggering electronics are needed for active rectification. In this connection, the thermal-mechanical design of the generator must be completely reconfigured for the use of power field effect transistors compared to conventional generators.

Generator including a rectifier system for the electrical voltage supply of a motor vehicle


‘Cameo Burgundy Surprise’ is a new variety of impatiens that exhibits full, double burgundy and white bi-colored flowers.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens wallerana known by the varietal name 'Cameo Burgundy Surprise' (breeder reference number IM12098). The new variety was discovered in Quebradilla, Cartago, Costa Rica. The new variety is the result of a cross between two unnamed, unpatented Impatiens wallerana plants.
The purpose of the breeding program was to develop a fully double-flowering cultivar that is compact, mounded, having good garden performance, and large burgundy and white bi-colored flowers. Comparisons between the new variety and its parents cannot be made, as the parental varieties no longer exist. The new variety is similar in plant shape to 'Cameo Scarlet Surprise' (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,598), but has rich burgundy in its petal color. The new variety was first asexually reproduced by stem tip cuttings in Quebradilla, Cartago, Costa Rica. The new variety has been trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain stable and true to type through successive propagations of asexual reproduction. Characteristics that distinguish the new variety from others known to the breeder include:                Largest sized flower of the burgundy and white bi-color flowers of Impatiens wallerana known to the breeder;        Compact, mounded growth habit with flowering over the top of the leaf canopy;        Flowers tend to face upward;        Self branching when propagated from a vegetative cutting;        Flower remains full double, even when the plants are subjected to environmental stress like excessive drying, low levels of fertilizer and very high temperatures;        Can be finished in 20 cm (3 plants) and 30 cm (5 plants) hanging baskets in 8-10 weeks and in 10 and 15 cm pots in 5-6 weeks;        Compact, mounded growth habit under most growing conditions makes the new variety ideal for hanging baskets and large containers;        Free from any major disease or insect problems;        Distinct rounded leaf shape and somewhat larger mature leaf results in a dense foliated plant; and        Can be grown at moderate levels of sunshine but requires some shade outdoors in the summer.
The new variety was grown in a 15 cm container in Lompoc, Calif. under Dynaglass with 30% shade and 21-24° C. day temperatures and 16-18° C. night temperatures. The new variety initiates roots in 10 days in the summer and 12 days in the winter at 21° C. The new variety exhibits developed roots at 21 days at an average temperature of 21° C. Its rooting habit is very dense, fibrous and freely branching with fine roots.

Impatiens plant named ‘Cameo Burgundy Surprise’


Present invention unity parallel processing systems and methods facilitate flexible utilization of sequential program applications in a distributed multi-computer parallel processing environment. The new unity parallel processing architecture enables multiple processing nodes (e.g., SMPs) to perform multi-thread processing within the multiple processing nodes while providing a shared virtual global memory space. Symmetric multiprocessors run shared memory applications with modified runtime guidance directives that permit the memories to emulate a virtual global memory across the plurality of symmetric multiprocessors. Within each SMP node, programs utilize multiple threads according to directives and library calls. Across multiple SMP nodes, each SMP node is treated as a single process with one-way communication to other SMP nodes. Portions of the program data are stored in memories associated with the SMP nodes and communication of the program data across multiple SMP nodes is controlled by unity compiler directives.

Electronic devices and systems have made a significant contribution towards the advancement of modern society and are utilized in a number of applications to achieve advantageous results. Numerous electronic technologies such as digital computers, calculators, audio devices, video equipment, and telephone systems have facilitated increased productivity and reduced costs in analyzing and communicating data, ideas and trends in most areas of business, science, education and entertainment. These advantageous results are often realized through the use of information processing and the speed at which the information is processed is often critical. Advances in parallel processing system configurations often offer the potential to significantly increase the speed at which the information is processed. However, advances in processing system configurations typically require special complex programs to be written for the new systems.
Traditional information processing applications usually contain specialized information processing instructions. The processing information (e.g., data and instructions) is usually stored in a memory. The configuration of the memory and access to the information is critical for proper implementation of application programs. One type of conventional memory configuration is shared memory. In a shared memory configuration, multiple processors share access to a single pool of memory. This type of processing configuration system is relatively simple and allows programs to be written in a traditional sequential format. A single shared memory controller ensures data consistency between sub processes running on different processors. Conventional parallel compilers can decompose a sequential program to run portions of the program in parallel. For example, a do loop working on an array can be partitioned over multiple processors by a conventional compiler. However, shared memory applications can not typically scale well to large multiple processing systems.
Advances in processor fabrication technology typically support faster processors with greater processing bandwidth at cheaper prices. The faster inexpensive processors enable significant scaling of multiple processor approaches in computer system architectures. For example, clustered computer systems incorporate multiple processing nodes in which each node typically has a processor and an associated memory. The multiple processors and memories in the system offer potentially significant speed increases through distribution and parallelization of sub-process operations.
Numerous applications naturally lend themselves to division into sub-processes suitable for multi-processing architectures such as clusters. For example, applications that search for patterns in large data sets can usually be broken down into multiple searches across subsets of the data. Each sub-problem can be solved independently and the results easily combined. However, many important applications such as modeling of fluid flows and other complex scientific applications are not readily decomposed. These applications often evolve over decades of use and represent major investments. Changes in programming languages, tools, libraries, and models, as well as hardware platform changes, usually involve a significant cost as program software codes are ported and/or rewritten. Traditional attempts at achieving parallelism for these applications often involve large scale and/or distributed systems. However, conventional large scale and/or distributed system approaches often encounter significant coordination and synchronization problems.
Message passing has emerged as a primary programming model used to attempt coordination of various application processing in large scale systems. Message passing attempts to provide high performance on large-scale systems, but usually require significant proper application restructuring. However, inconsistent performance, non-incremental high programming and maintenance costs have limited the advancement and spread of MPI applications. On the other end of the spectrum, shared memory parallelism is often exploited using OpenMP (e.g., C or FORTRAN with extensions to support loop and task parallelism). However, OpenMP is limited to the scalability of the SMP node.

Unity parallel processing system and method


In accordance with an embodiment, a developing agent cartridge for supplying developing agent and toner to a developing device comprises a cartridge main body, in which there is a first room and a second room and the boundary of the two rooms is closed by a closure member, configured to respectively fill the toner and the developing agent into the first room and the second room; a supply section configured to supply the infill in the second room to the developing device while stirring it; and an opening section configured to open the closure member to enable the toner to be moved to the second room after the developing agent filled into the second room is supplied to the developing device.

Generally, in an electrophotographic recording type image forming apparatus, a photoconductive drum is irradiated with laser beam to form an electrostatic latent image. The photoconductive drum forms a toner image with the toner supplied from a developing device, and transfers the toner image to a paper to form an image. In the developing device, when the toner in the developing device is insufficient, toner is replenished from a toner replenishing port of the developing device. Further, at time of shipment, setting, maintenance and the like, the serviceman fills the two-component developing agent including toner and carrier through a developing agent filling port into the empty developing agent housing section.
Further, when the two-component developing agent is used repeatedly, the carrier of the two-component developing agent is gradually deteriorated and the developing capability is reduced, thus the developing agent including the deteriorated carrier is exchanged by the serviceman. Conventionally, when inputting the developing agent to the developing device, the following work is needed, that is, a process unit is taken out from the main body, the lid of the developing device is opened to input the developing agent, and then the process unit is installed in the main body again. Further, for facilitating the work, there is a mechanism in which the developing agent is automatically input to the developing device from a cartridge by sealing the developing agent in the cartridge and setting the cartridge in the main body of the image forming apparatus.
However, in the above-mentioned mechanism, in addition to the toner cartridge, a developing agent cartridge needs to be installed in the main body, and thus, there is a problem that additional space is required. Further, in the example disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 8-185033, that the developing agent container and the toner container are set to one container is disclosed.
The example disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei 8-185033 is only applicable to the apparatus having a mechanism in which the whole toner container rotates. Further, at time of shipment, setting, and maintenance, the toner concentration is adjusted to be a given ratio when replenishing the developing agent; however, since the toner container is not sealed, there is a possibility that some toner is replenished. Thus, the toner concentration (TC) within the two-component developing agent is changed, which affects the gradation reproducibility, and results in an image failure.

Developing agent cartridge and image forming apparatus


The semiconductor device according to the present invention is an nMOS SGT and is composed of a first n+ type silicon layer, a first gate electrode containing metal and a second n+ type silicon layer arranged on the surface of a first columnar silicon layer positioned vertically on a first planar silicon layer. Furthermore, a first insulating film is positioned between the first gate electrode and the first planar silicon layer, and a second insulating film is positioned on the top surface of the first gate electrode. In addition, the first gate electrode containing metal is surrounded by the first n+ type silicon layer, the second n+ type silicon layer, the first insulating film and the second insulating film.

1. Field of the Invention
This application relates generally to a semiconductor device and a method of producing such.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor devices, particularly integrated circuits using MOS transistors, are increasingly being highly integrated. MOS transistors in integrated circuits have been downsized to nano sizes as the integration level is increased. As MOS transistors are downsized, problems arise such as difficulty in leaking current control. For that reason, further downsizing is difficult. In order to resolve these problems, a surrounding gate transistor (SGT) structure has been proposed in which the source, gate and drain are provided on a substrate in the vertical direction and the gate surrounds an island-shaped semiconductor layer.
In order to reduce power consumption in SGTs, it is preferable for resistance to be reduced in the source, gate and drain. In particular, in reducing the resistance of the gate electrode, it is desirable to use metal in the gate electrode. However, contamination of manufacturing equipment by metal and contamination of semiconductor devices produced by that manufacturing equipment is not desirable. Accordingly, processes subsequent to the forming of the metal gate electrode need to be special processes such as those that constantly control such metal contamination.
Patent Literature 1 discloses a method for producing an SGT satisfying to a certain extent the various conditions stated above.    [Patent Literature 1] International Laid-Open Patent Publication 2009/110049
However, in Patent Literature 1 the protection of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and semiconductor devices from metal contamination is imperfect. For example, in Patent Literature 1 the gate electrode is formed by planarizing the gate metal using CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) and then etching this material. At this time, the gate metal is not covered by other materials and is exposed. In addition, the gate metal is similarly exposed during the process of wet etching the nitride film hard mask and nitride film sidewall. Consequently, there is a concern that the CMP device, the gate etching device and the nitride film wet etching device could be contaminated by metal in the course of producing the SGT. Hence, there is a possibility that a semiconductor device produced through such a metal device could be contaminated by metal.
In addition, when forming a metal-semiconductor compound through etching in Patent Literature 1, the gate metal is exposed. Consequently, per Patent Literature 1, the gate metal needs to be tantalum or some other material that is not etched by the chemicals used when forming the metal-semiconductor compound.
In addition, another problem is that similar to MOS transistors, as SGTs are downsized parasitic capacitance occurs in the multi-layered wiring and through this the operating speed of the SGT declines.
In consideration of the foregoing, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device having a structure that controls metal contamination of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and semiconductor devices in semiconductor manufacturing processes while having good characteristics, and a method of producing such a device.

Surrounding gate transistor (SGT) structure

UNISANTIS ELECTRONICS SINGAPORE PTE LTD.


A container lid has a top wall with a series of recessed areas that include therewithin a plurality of geometrical projections and a bottom wall that displays a plurality of recesses complementary in shape to the projections of the top wall whereby identically shaped lids may be stacked or cross-stacked in nested condition with the projections of one lid being received in the corresponding recesses of a superposed lid. The lid is adapted to be affixed to a container having four side pieces and a bottom piece, the configuration of the lid allowing a stacking or cross-stacking arrangement of lid-covered containers with their side pieces in the erected position as well as the stacking or cross-stacking of lid-covered containers with their side pieces in an inwardly folded position.

In applicant's co-pending application, U.S. Ser. No. 835,752 filed Apr. 8, 1997, there is described a five-piece open container consisting of a bottom piece and of four side pieces, each side piece having a lower edge pivotally connected to the bottom piece. The bottom piece displays at each corner a vertically extending post which cooperates with a post-receiving recess on the underside of the bottom piece to lockingly engage the containers allowing them, with their side pieces in an inwardly folded position over the bottom piece, to be stacked with similarly-constructed containers.


A method of producing a grain oriented silicon steel thin sheet having excellent magnetic properties. A silicon steel slab containing Cu, Se and Sb as inhibitor-forming elements is hot rolled to form a hot-rolled sheet, followed by cold rolling at least twice including intermediate annealing to form a cold-rolled sheet having a final thickness of about 0.10 to 0.25 mm, decarburization and primary recrystallization annealing, and then final finish annealing. The temperature of the material to be rolled on the inlet side of the hot finish rolling mill is about 1000.degree. to 1150.degree. C. the surface temperature of the work rolls of the first stand of the hot finish rolling mill immediately before contact with the material to be rolled is about 100.degree. C. or less the total rolling reduction of the hot finish rolling is about 93 to 97%, the intermediate annealing is effected at a temperature of about 900.degree. to 1050.degree. C. within a time of about 50 seconds, and the rolling reduction of the final cold rolling is about 50 to 80%.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of producing high magnetic flux density grain oriented silicon steel sheets having excellent iron loss properties, and more particularly relates to a method of producing grain oriented silicon steel sheets having a thickness of about 0.10 to 0.25 mm in which iron loss is significantly and advantageously improved without decreasing magnetic flux density.
2. Description of the Related Art
Grain oriented silicon steel sheets are mainly used as iron cores for transformers and other electrical devices, and accordingly need to have excellent magnetic characteristics, particularly low iron loss as exemplified by the W.sub.17/50 value.
It is important for this purpose to highly align the <100> orientation of the secondary recrystallized grains in the steel sheet in the rolling direction. It is also necessary to decrease the amounts of impurities and precipitates in the steel as much as possible. In consideration of the above requirements, iron loss has been improved from year to year. In recent years a thickness of 0.23 mm in a sheet product having a W.sub.17/50 of 0.90 W/kg or less has been obtained.
However, the demand strongly tends to request electrical machinery and apparatus having still further reduced power loss in view of the current energy crisis. For this purpose, it is important to develop grain oriented silicon steel sheets having much lower iron loss as a core material than ever before.
In general, many fundamental techniques are known for reducing the iron loss of grain oriented silicon steel sheets. These include metallurgical methods such as increasing the Si percentage, thinning the sheet product, finely dividing the secondary recrystallized grains, reducing the amounts of impurities, highly aligning the secondary recrystallized grains of the ( 100 ) [100] orientation, and the like.
However, with regard to the above methods, increasing the percentage of Si is unsuitable for industrial production processes because an Si content over 4.5 wt % significantly deteriorates cold-rolling workability.
On the other hand, various methods have been proposed such as thinning the sheet product. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 58-217630 and 59-126722 disclose a method in which Sn and Cu are added to a grain oriented silicon steel sheet containing AlN as an inhibitor to obtain a product having a thickness of 0.15 to 0.25 mm. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 62-167820, 62-167821 and 62-167822 disclose a method in which the average grain size of a grain oriented silicon steel sheet containing MnSe and MnS as inhibitors is adjusted to the range from 1 to 6 mm after secondary recrystallization to obtain a product having a thickness of 0.15 to 0.25 min.
However, addition of Sn and Cu to a grain oriented silicon steel sheet containing AlN as a main inhibitor produces a relatively high magnetic flux density, but produces a W.sub.17/50 value of 0.85 to 0.90 W/kg. As shown in Table 5 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-126722, this cannot be said to be a satisfactory value. Moreover, it is disadvantageous that since the proper rolling reduction of final cold-rolling exceeds 80% in the production of a grain oriented silicon steel sheet containing AlN as a main inhibitor, when the thickness ,of the product sheet-is decreased, secondary recrystallization becomes unstable, and the probability of producing a favorable iron loss is significantly decreased.
On the other hand, the method of thinning grain oriented silicon steel sheets containing MnSe and MnS as inhibitors and decreasing the sizes of the crystal grains therein causes the magnetic flux density to be inferior to that of the grain oriented silicon steel sheet containing AlN as a main inhibitor, but this method is excellent in regard to refining the crystal grains. Therefore, this method provides an improved iron loss, for example, a W.sub.17/50 of 0.83 to 0.88 W/kg shown in Table 2 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-167820. However, it cannot be said that the level of the iron loss value is a satisfactory value. This method also has the problem of instability in producing materials with low iron loss.
Further, in order to highly align the (110) [001] orientation of the secondary recrystallized grains, it is necessary to carry out rapid secondary recrystallization while sufficiently inhibiting the growths of normal grains. Adding Cu to steel is well known as a method of increasing inhibition. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-17688 discloses the technique of increasing inhibition by adding 0.10 to 0.30% Cu and moving MnTe to the grain boundaries. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 50-15726 discloses the technique of relaxing the limitation of hot-rolling conditions related to the precipitate of an inhibitor by decreasing the melting temperature of the inhibitor in slab heating by using manganese copper sulfide containing 0.1 to 0.5 % Cu as an inhibitor. Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-32412 discloses the technique of improving magnetic flux density by adding 0.2 to 1.0 % Cu or Ni so as to rationalize the rolling reduction and final finish annealing. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-12822 discloses the technique of increasing inhibition by adding 0.02 to 0.20 % Cu and precipitating (Cu, Mn).sub.1.8 S fine grains as an inhibitor, thereby improving the magnetic properties. Japanese Patent Publication No. 54-32412 discloses that a very high magnetic flux density and favorable iron loss can be obtained by adding both Cu and Sb to a grain oriented silicon steel material and secondarily recrystallizing the material at 800.degree. to 950.degree. C.
The effect of addition of Cu to steel is caused by the function of the inhibitor in steel to increase the inhibition. This is due to the fine dispersion and precipitation resulting from the change to Cu.sub.2-x Se of the type of the inhibitor precipitated and the control of deterioration in the inhibition in a steel surface portion. The deterioration of inhibition in the steel surface portion is the most critical problem in actual production processes in factories. The addition of Cu to steel is extremely effective because it can avoid deterioration and maintain the inhibition in the surface layer.
The demand for increasing inhibition in the surface layer of a steel sheet is increased with a decrease in the thickness of the steel sheet. The use of Se as an inhibitor element in place of S and the addition of Sb to steel are known as means for supplementing the function of the Cu addition and increasing inhibition. Namely, the use of Se causes the precipitates of CuSe as an inhibitor which is more stable than a CuS as an inhibitor with respect to the decomposition of the inhibitor in the surface layer of the steel sheet, thereby maintaining inhibitor in the surface layer of the steel sheet. The addition of Sb causes segregation of Sb on the surface of the steel sheet and segregation around Cu.sub.2-x Se, thereby further inhibiting the decomposition of Cu.sub.2-x Se used as an inhibitor.
Since the use of Se as an inhibitor element in place of S and the addition of Sb are effective for preventing the deterioration in inhibition in the surface layer portion of the steel sheet, as the addition of Cu, they are generally used in the industrial field.
However, it was found that there is a problem that the effects of Cu addition deteriorate as the thickness of a sheet material is further decreased. This makes it difficult to comply with the strong demand for further decreasing the iron losses. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-159531, discloses embodiments of steel plates each containing 0.04 to 0.19 % Cu and respectively having a final thicknesses of 0.225 and 0.175 mm. However, the embodiments respectively have magnetic flux densities and iron losses which are B.sub.10 =1.87T (B.sub.8 =about 1.85T) and W.sub.17/50 =0.94 W/kg and B.sub.10 =1.88T (B.sub.8 =1.86T) and W.sub.17/50 =0.90 W/kg. The effect of the decrease in the thickness of each of the steel sheets was not sufficiently obtained.

Method of producing grain oriented silicon steel sheet having very excellent magnetic properties


A movable connector 21 for absorbing misregistration thereof with a mating connector when the two connectors are fitted together includes a connector housing 23, a support plate 25 which is formed integrally with the connector housing 23, and is parallel to a plane perpendicular to an axis e of fitting of the connector housing 23, and a retaining portion 29 which is formed on and projects from one face of the support plate 25 facing away from a connector fitting surface 27 of the connector housing 23, and is movably retained in a mounting hole 35 formed in a mounting member 33.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a movable connector which is movably mounted on a mounting member so as to correct a misregistration thereof with a mating connector when the two connectors are fitted together.
2. Related Art
Various accessories mounted on vehicles require electric power. For example, in the mounting of a cabin lamp, as shown in FIG. 12, a mounting construction is used in which a vehicle body-side connector 3, having a wire 1 connected thereto, is mounted on a mounting member (roof bow) 5. A lamp-side connector 7 for engaging with the vehicle body-side connector 3 is mounted on the lamp housing 9. Electrical connection is completed simultaneously with the mounting of the lamp housing 9. In such a mounting construction, in order to correct for relative misregistration between the two connectors 3 and 7, the vehicle body-side connector 3 needs to be fitted relative to the lamp-side connector 7 while moving the vehicle body-side connector 3 in accordance with the position of the lamp-side connector 7 when the lamp 9 is to be mounted.
Therefore, there has been proposed a so-called "movable connector" which is movable so as to correct a misregistration developing when mounting the lamp. FIG. 13 is a side-elevational view of such a conventional movable connector. In this movable connector 11, elastic retaining piece portions 15 are formed on a rear surface of a connector housing facing away from a fitting open portion 13, and retaining projections 15a of these elastic retaining piece portions 15 are retainingly engaged with a peripheral edge portion of a mounting hole 17, thereby retaining the movable connector 11 on a roof bow 5.
This movable connector 11 is thus retained relative to the mounting hole 17 through the elastic retaining piece portions 15. Therefore the movable connector is allowed to slightly move because of elastic deformation of the elastic retaining piece portions 15, thereby correcting for misregistration thereof with a mating connector (not shown).
In the conventional movable connector 11, however, the elastic retaining piece portions 15, are projected from the back of the connector housing. Therefore, the movable connector 11 projects from the mounting surface 5a of the roof bow 5 by an amount corresponding to the overall length of the connector housing. Therefore, a large reception space needs to be provided between the mounting surface 5a and an interior material (ceiling plate) 19.
As noted above, the conventional movable connector 11 can be moved only by elastic deformation of the elastic retaining piece portions 15. Therefore the direction of movement (indicated by arrow X) is linear in the direction perpendicular to the axis c of insertion of the elastic retaining piece portions 15. According to such construction, the connector can not be moved in other directions such as a rotation direction. Therefore, there are occasions when misregistration can not be satisfactorily corrected.
Furthermore, in the conventional movable connector 11, the rear surface of the connector housing is held against the mounting surface 5a, and therefore the movable connector can not be moved in a connector-fitting direction (that is, a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface 5a). Consequently, when an excessive insertion force is applied to the movable connector 11, there is a possibility that the connector housing and other portions will be damaged.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a movable connector in which the distance between the movable connector-mounting surface and a fitting open surface is reduced. Additional objects of the invention are that the connector can be rotated or turned in a plane parallel to the mounting surface, and also can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface so that an excessive load, acting in a connector-fitting direction and a connector-disconnecting direction, can be relieved, thereby enhancing a misregistration-correcting function and also preventing damage to the connector.

Movable connector having an extending support plate


Percutaneous treatment of aortic aneurysms and like vascular anomalies by an apparatus and method wherein the apparatus is delivered via catheter and comprises a sleeve with at least one peripheral conduit which is caused to assume an expanded, rigid configuration by the introduction of a chemical or mechanical hardening means, whereby the sleeve is caused to assume an open cylindrical configuration for fluid flow therethrough.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the percutaneous treatment of vessels by an apparatus and method wherein the apparatus is delivered via catheter and comprises a surgical graft which is fixated in a vessel by means of a chemical or mechanical hardening-filler material system.
2. General Background
Previous methods of treating aortic aneurysms include treatment via surgical procedure in which an incision is made in the abdomen or chest of the patient, the diseased area is cleaned by the surgeon and an artificial graft is sutured in place. This highly invasive procedure usually results in long hospital stays and lengthy recoveries. Further, mortality and morbidity complications often result as a consequence of this surgical procedure.
Other percutaneous methods have been attempted, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,631 (utilizing occlusion catheters with pressure sensitive adhesives), U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,207 (self-expanding stent-type materials) and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,271,839, 4,776,337 and 4,762,132 (other stent derived devices).
There still exists a need, however, for a simple method of repairing a vessel with an intravascular graft which allows normal tissue ingrowth to occur at the repair site. There exists a specific need for a percutaneous approach in which a catheter could be loaded with a surgical graft that can be fixated in a vessel such as the aorta.


A technique includes selecting a first device from a plurality of interconnected devices to form a root of a power tree connecting the interconnected devices and allocating power among neighbors of the interconnected devices in a direction along the tree away from the root. The technique includes determining whether at least one of the interconnected devices needs power after the allocation of power among the neighbors and selectively further allocating power among the neighbors in a direction along the tree toward the root based on the determination.

Power requirements for stackable switches are becoming more unpredictable. As a result, the old method of having a dedicated power supply for each stackable switch is becoming less cost effective and does not provide the reliability of power sharing and redundancy. Stackable switches have their own integral power supply that is designed to meet the needs of only that one device's switching circuitry and to provide power via its Power Over Ethernet (PoE) ports. Some variations, such as the DecHub 90 & 900, had snap-on power supplies that converted a hub module into a stackable module. Although stackable switches have the capability to connect into a Redundant Power Supply (RPS) via a dedicated RPS connector and cable, these solutions only provide power; they do not provide power-sharing from one switch to another. Furthermore, they use dedicated connectors to provide the power to the switch.
There is a catch-22 problem managing power allocation between switch port operation and PoE power delivery. If one were to first measure the power used by the switching circuitry to estimate the amount of power the circuitry will need, the estimate will be low because the circuitry is in an idle state and therefore not consuming as much power as when it is passing data in an active state. If one were then to allocate PoE power based on this low estimate and then turn on the external devices, the devices would begin to transmit data, thereby activating the switching circuitry, which would not receive sufficient power. On the other hand, if one first tries to allocate all the PoE power requested, insufficient power may be reserved for the switching circuitry. To avoid such problems, existing switches typically supply the maximum (worst-case) power to the switching circuitry and to PoE at all times.
What is needed, therefore, are improved techniques for providing power to network switches.

HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT LP


There is provided a range shifter which includes a transmissive plate whose thickness has been adjusted depending on a setup value of an amount of energy to be attenuated, and a holder portion that holds the transmissive plate, wherein the thickness of the transmissive plate is adjusted to be a thickness equivalent to an attenuation amount lower than the setup value by a predetermined rate thereof; and wherein, a superimposing mechanism capable of releasably superimposing an adjustment sheet over the transmissive plate, is provided to at least one of the transmissive plate and the holder portion, the adjustment sheet being adjusted to have a thickness equal to or less than a thickness equivalent to a two-fold attenuation amount of the predetermined rate.

A particle beam therapy, which is a treatment of a deceased tissue by irradiating it with a particle beam to thereby damage the tissue, is a part of broad-sense radiation therapy. However, unlike a y-ray, an X-ray or like other ray, the imparted dose of a particle beam such as a proton beam, a heavy ion beam, etc., becomes maximum abruptly in a specific depth range (Bragg peak) in a body according to energy of the particle beam. Thus, in the particle beam therapy, it is possible to control the irradiation region (irradiation field), not only as a planar shape, but also in a depth direction by adjusting the energy.
Meanwhile, since the facility of an accelerator that is a beam source for the particle beam therapy is huge, the particle beam emitted from a single beam source is distributed to a plurality of treatment rooms, individually. Although the energy of the particle beam is adjustable by changing the condition of the accelerator, it takes time. Thus, what is generally taken is to provide a device having a transmissive plate of a predetermined thickness, so-called "range shifter", in each of the treatment rooms, to thereby adjust the energy of the particle beam according to its attenuation amount during transmission in the transmissive plate (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 9).

Range shifter and particle radiotherapy device


It is intended to provide a thermostable AMP deaminase originating in a microorganism. Namely, an AMP deaminase having the following characteristics. (1) Catalyzing the reaction: 5′-adenylic acid+H2O→5′-inosinic acid+NH3; (2) being stable at a temperature of 65° C. or below (in an acetate buffer (pH 5.6)); (3) having a molecular weight of 48,000±2,000 in gel filtration; and (4) having the optimum pH value at around 5.6 (in McIlvaine buffer).

AMP deaminase is also called adenyl deaminase, AMP aminohydrolase, and the like, and catalyzes a reaction of allowing adenylic acid to hydrolytically deaminate to generate inosinic acid and ammonia. It has been reported that AMP deaminase has been widely found in living animal tissues and separated from various tissues from various species to date (Fujishima T. and Yoshino H., Amino Acid-Nucleic Acid, Vol. 16, pp 45-55 (1967): non-patent document 1, Magdale'na Rosinova' et al., Collection Czechoslov. Chem. Commun. Vol. 43, pp 2324-2329 (1978): non-patent document 2, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. S55-120788: patent document 1). Meanwhile, mainly from the viewpoint of industrial utilization, search for AMP deaminases derived from microorganism has been extensively carried out. Particularly, many studies have been done on AMP deaminase derived from filamentous bacterium. Some AMP deaminases, for example, AMP deaminase derived from Aspergillus melleus have been attempted to be industrially used aiming at increasing taste in production of yeast extract.    Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. S55-120788    Non-patent document 1: Fujishima T. and Yoshino H., Amino Acid-Nucleic Acid, Vol. 16, pp 45-55 (1967)    Non-patent document 2: Magdale'na Rosinova' et al., Collection Czechoslov. Chem. Commun. Vol. 43, pp 2324-2329 (1978)

AMP deaminase originating streptomyces and utilization thereof


A wristworn device comprising a radio communication device for receiving from and/or transmitting signals to a radio communication device external to the wristworn device. In at least one embodiment, the casing comprises a metallic watchcase having a slot, and wherein the watchcase is electrically coupled to the radio communication device to function as the antenna. In another embodiment, a metallic loop is provided in the casing proximate the watchcase, wherein the metallic loop is electrically coupled to the radio communication device to function as the antenna and the watchcase comprises a slot and functions as an element for the reception and/or transmission of electromagnetic radiation. In a third embodiment, the metallic watchcase does not have a slot and the watchcase is electrically coupled to the radio communication device to function as the antenna.

The present invention relates generally to antennas, and in particular, to an improved antenna for a wristworn device having signal transmitting and/or receiving capabilities. In exemplary embodiments, the wristworn device is a timepiece such as a wristwatch, but, as will become quite clear below, a timepiece or wristwatch is only by way of example and not limitation. In particular, the invention is primarily directed to improved signal transmission and reception within a metal casing, such as a casing for a timepiece.
The prior art is full of examples of antennas associated with wristworn devices, such as wristwatches. As would be well known to those skilled in the art, loop antennas are particularly advantageous due to their size and directivity, as it is well known that a loop antenna is desirable since it has a geometry that essentially "pulls in" signals from 360 degrees (i.e. from all different azimuths and orientations). For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,072,231; 6,104,354; 6,028,555 and 6,154,177 are but just a few examples of devices incorporating loop antennas for signal reception and transmission. While these arrangements may have been satisfactory for their intended uses, they all are perceived to be deficient in various respects.
The use of loop antennas for signal reception and transmission has been found to be particularly desirable in devices, such as timepieces. However, use of a loop antenna in a metal case, such as a watch casing, has been found to have drawbacks and to be less than optimal, typically because of the poor performance due to the shielding of the antenna by the metal case itself. Additionally, electro-static discharge (ESD) is also a known problem when using a metal casing.
Introducing a slot in the case to improve signal reception or transmission is known. For example, the inventor is aware of at least one device that had therein an RFID transmitter/receiver, which incorporated a slotted casing. However, this known example utilizes a coil antenna with a ferrite core, which doesn't provide a desirable distance communication range. Moreover, the use of coil antennas in such devices are limited to short range (e.g. 1–2 feet) communications, which are less than desirable in the communications contemplated by the present invention.
With all of the known obstacles related to shielding and performance of a loop antennas in a metal casing, it is believed that the prior art designs have been less than effective in incorporating a loop antenna into a device having a metal casing. Even more remote is the idea of using the metal casing itself as the loop antenna. However, as discussed below, the present inventor has recognized that when a slotted casing is used as the actual antenna or when the loop is placed underneath and the case is used a "re-radiator," signal reception/transmission performance is significantly improved.

Antenna arrangement for an electronic device and an electronic device including same


A vortexing chamber, including: a chamber housing having a hollow channel, a first end and a second end; and one or more structural impediment objects having a substantially spherical, cubic, rectangular, cylindrical, polyhedron, tetrahedron, or irregular shape; where the objects are housed within the hollow channel, configured to mix a liquid and gas (for example, oxygen or nitrogen) when a liquid and gas pass through the vortexing chamber. The structural impediment objects can provide turbulence and dispersion when a liquid and gas are passed through the vortexing chamber at a high velocity, resulting in micro-bubbles or nano-bubbles suspended in a liquid and gas mixture.

Liquid and gas mixing vortexer devices are known and used for a variety of applications, and take different forms. For example, laboratory mixers and vortexers generally include a base with controller that is capable of holding and moving (for example, by shaking, swirling, and/or vibrating) vessels (for example, test tubes, beakers, and vials), to mix a liquid and gas within the vessels. Laboratory mixers and vortexers, however, are not suitable for providing a continuous flow of large quantities of a mixed liquid and gas, because the steps of adding a liquid and gas to be mixed in a vessel, mixing the liquid and gas in the vessel, and removing the mixed liquid and gas from the vessel is time consuming and results in a relatively small volume of a mixed fluid.
A liquid and gas vortexing system more suitable for continuously mixing higher volumes of liquid and gas can have a channel providing for the flow of liquid, a gas supply, and a vortexing chamber. Such system may include active moving components, for example, a rotating impeller or a beater, to sheer gas bubbles, mix the gas through the liquid and to create turbulence in the liquid and gas.
Devices for mixing a liquid and gas have various benefits. For example, providing drinking or bathing water with hyper-saturated oxygen micro-bubbles or nano-bubbles suspended in water may provide health benefits. Similarly, suspending nitrogen in water or another suitable liquid can be used for soft drinks. In addition, liquid and gas mixtures are frequently required in laboratory environments for research and testing in the chemical arts.


A music search engine is invented to find a desired song in the database by comparing the melodies. This invention comprises two major parts: a client-end and a server-end. The client-end converts various input formats into a note sequence and sends it to the server-end engine. The server-end then compares the note sequence with the melodies in the database and finds the closest match. This invention enables us to search music by its melodic content instead of titles, lyrics or other annotated information. Moreover, this invention tolerates inaccurate inputs so that even less skilled people can hum to the system with inaccurate melody and find the target song.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method to search songs by their melodies.
2. Description of the Related Art
In prior art, music search has been performed by searching some keywords, such as its title, lyrics, or the performers. However, if we remember songs by their melodies, or hear some music without knowing what it is, it is difficult to find this song with the prior methods.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,530 [Sonoda, 1999], a web-based music search engine with melody input has been presented. It analyzes the whole database to find a threshold for adjacent pitch differences and another for span ratios, and then uses the thresholds to encode the pitch sequences into Up/Down/Equal category, and span sequences into Longer/Shorter/Equal. Finally, the encoded sequence from the query melody is compared with each sequence in the database to find the best match. However, the global thresholds might not best describe the melody contour of each song in the database. That is, melodies with relatively smaller pitch changes might be considered no change at all. This rough categorization leads to lots of false matches. Another problem is that if a note is missing in the input, or an extra note is added to it, the distance will be large due to misalignment of corresponding notes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,010, a comparison method by marking peaks and dips is invented. However, it also suffers from the note misalignment problem. Another problem is that note spans are not considered.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,678,680, the note sequence is encoded into adjacent note differences and span ratios. The distance between the query and target is defined by the sum of the absolute differences between the two symbols from each coded sequence. This method also suffers from the note misalignment problem as the previous two. Moreover, when the duration information is encoded in the string, the distance calculated by the difference of two symbols does not correlate to the difference between two melodies successfully.


In a direct forward throw sweeper, improvements related to a door for closing the opening into the hopper permit backing away from a debris receptacle with the hopper door open after dumping a load of debris without damage to the machine. An attachment part is provided for connecting a vacuum pickup wand to the debris hopper. Associated improvements to a related air filter chamber provide improved dust control while dumping the hopper and convenient access for servicing a dust accumulation space in the bottom of the filter chamber.

Direct forward throw sweepers are well-known machines for sweeping debris from floors of buildings and also from outdoor areas. Such a sweeper uses a cylindrical brush rotating about a transverse horizontal axis to throw debris from a surface being swept directly into a debris hopper located in front of the brush. The hopper must, of course, have an opening facing the brush to permit entrance of the debris thrown by the brush.
When the sweeper has loaded as much debris as possible into the hopper then it must be emptied, or dumped. This involves raising the hopper a little if the debris is to be "low dumped" in a pile on the floor, or to a substantial height if the debris is to be "high dumped" into a truck body or trash container. Then the hopper is "rolled out" or tilted so the contained debris will slide out. Some sweepers are built to tilt forward and empty through a dump door in the front of the hopper, but a more economical design is to tilt the hopper to the rear and empty it through the opening that admits debris during sweeping, thereby saving the cost of a special dump opening and door. It is with the rear dump design that we are concerned.
High dumping a sweeper with a rear dump hopper involves raising the hopper and tilting it to the rear. Commonly these movements are combined by using a pair of lift arms attached at their forward ends to the sides of the hopper and pivoted at their rear ends on a transverse line at a high point on the sweeper. An actuator such as a hydraulic cylinder pivots the lift arms and attached hopper upwardly about the pivot point, so that in one motion the hopper opening rises to a desired height and also is turned to face downwardly. The machine is then moved forward so that the hopper is over the truck bed or trash container to be emptied into and the debris is dumped.
In order to prevent premature dumping of the debris while the hopper is being raised it is necessary that a door be provided to close the hopper opening until the hopper is in the final position where it is to be dumped. Such a door is commonly hinged across the top of the hopper opening so that it swings down to close the opening and is opened and closed by one or more actuators such as hydraulic cylinders which hold the door firmly in an open or closed position as selected by the machine operator. When the hopper has been tilted into final high dumping position its opening will be facing downward, and when the hopper door is opened it will project down and will be the lowest part of the hopper. As such it may be below the lip of the trash container being dumped into, and since it is positively connected to its actuator the machine is susceptible to damage if the operator backs it away from the container with the door open after dumping. Such misadventures are all too common.
Sweepers of the type being discussed commonly are equipped with a dust control system to prevent dust stirred up by the sweeping brush from escaping into the surrounding atmosphere. Such a dust control system commonly comprises a vacuum fan which pulls air in under the skirts that surround the brush, into the hopper, then through an air filter in a filter chamber adjacent to the hopper which removes entrained dust. Finally the clean air is exhausted to atmosphere.
In the past it has been common to further utilize the vacuum fan by offering a vacuum pickup wand with a flexible suction hose as an accessory for cleaning restricted areas where the sweeper could not enter. A means was provided for closing off the entrance to the air filter chamber, thereby converting it into an airtight plenum, and attaching the suction hose of the wand to a port in a side wall of this plenum, in a location on the so-called "dirty side" of the air filter.
This approach provided a functional vacuum cleaner, but it had a disadvantage in that debris picked up by the wand was fed into the filter chamber. This chamber was only intended to hold the fine dust typically collected by an air filter, and periodically to dump this dust, so a typical filter chamber commonly did not have much capacity or an adequate outlet to satisfactorily dump the sometimes rather coarse debris picked up by the wand. Such debris would on occasion clog the filter chamber and a very awkward service operation was required to clean it out. To date there has been no satisfactory solution to this problem.
Dust control is also a concern when dumping debris from the hopper of a sweeper, as well as when sweeping. The mass of debris being dumped generates an objectionable cloud of dust, which is aggravated in prior art sweepers by a stream of fine dust released from the filter chamber concurrently with the hopper dumping. A solution to this problem is needed, and even partial relief would be appreciated.
Also, it is advisable to thoroughly clean the bottom of the filter chamber periodically, but access to this area has been inconvenient and time consuming, a condition which needed improvement.

Hopper and filter chamber for direct forward throw sweeper


In electronic equipment device 1, a limitation level on reading an access level to selectively control the ability to read data from a USB flash drive (storage device) 2 is set to a setting section by an access level setting unit 3 in advance. The USB flash drive 2 ascertains the setting at the setting section 3 access level when the USB flash drive is connected to the electronic equipment 1 and limits reading data based on the determined setting device. If the limitation access level does not match with the condition for permitting data read-out as determined in USB flash drive 2 permit the reading of data, the USB flash drive 2 prohibits the electronic equipment 1 device from reading out data from a memory 24 of the USB flash drive by removing an application of power from the external device to the memory. By executing the processing for limiting data read-out at the side of the USB flash drive 2, unauthorized leakage of data can easily be prevented.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an electronic equipment system including electronic equipment and a storage device connected to the electronic equipment, and also relates to the storage device.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic equipment such as a notebook PC (Personal Computer) is often connected to an external device and is provided with a connection interface performing data transfer between the electronic equipment and the device. The connection interface may supply power to the device in addition to data transfer. An example of the connection interface includes a USB (Universal Serial Bus). Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3151486 discloses USB 3.0 for an example of the connection interface.
A device compliant with USB, if it is a power-saving device, may be used only by connecting it to electronic equipment without the need for another power supply. Because of its versability, USB is employed in a number of types of devices. Specifically, a USB flash drive connected to electronic equipment by a USB connection interface can easily be portable and has been widespread in general because of its lowered cost and increased volume.
Due to the high convenience of the USB flash drive, however, unauthorized leakage of data may easily occur when such a USB flash drive is used. There is a measure against the unauthorized leakage of data, which stores special software in a USB flash drive and makes electronic equipment execute the software. This, however, may require complicated setting or a password, generating troublesome work which may often be disfavored. Furthermore, a number of limitations in use arise such as limitation of the OS (Operating System) in the electronic equipment which can use the USB flash drive with such a measure.

Selectively limiting read access to a portable storage device


An electronic device includes an accepting connection terminal to which a connection cable can be connected, and a rotation inhibiting member that inhibits the connection cable from rotating an amount equal to or greater than a predetermined amount around the accepting connection terminal in a state where the connection cable is connected to the accepting connection terminal.

1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to an electronic device, an attachment, and a connection cable.
2. Related Art
JPA 2007-172857 discloses a power cable supplying power to an electronic device. JPA 2007-172857 discloses also a technique of molding a cable protector integrally with the power cable to improve the durability of the power cable.

Electronic device, attachment, and connection cable

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.