A computer-aided design system and method facilitates the editing of an object in a workspace of a computer aided design system. A user input indicating selection of an affine tool is received, and a user input indicating selection of the object is received. It is determined whether an additional user input is received. If it is determined that the additional user input is not received, a first set of user-activatable affine functions for manipulating the object is enabled. The first set of user-activatable affine functions includes a move function to move the object in the workspace and a resize function to resize the object. If it is determined that the additional user input is received, a second set of user-activatable functions for manipulating the object is enabled. The second set of user-activatable affine functions includes a skew function to skew the object.

Computer-aided design (CAD) software is a computer-based graphical design tool used to aid professional and/or amateur drafters to more effectively and efficiently create two- and three-dimensional drawings and other documents with graphical content. CAD software is used in a variety of different fields, such as engineering, architecture, automotive design, graphic design, advertising, fashion design, medicine, etc. Unlike a traditional "pen and paper" drafting space, where changes to a document require erasing previous work or discarding an old document and beginning a new document, CAD software provides a graphical user interface with a virtual layout space that may be easily altered and refined as desired using a computer. Generally, a user interacts with CAD software via input devices such as a keyboard, mouse, trackball, and/or stylus. The drafting document is displayed on a graphical display device, such as a computer monitor or screen.
Most CAD software programs allow creation of a variety of objects that may be added to a layout space and used with other objects to create complex shapes and/or objects. CAD software may provide a user with stock objects such as arcs, circles, rectangles, and other known geometric shapes and/or provide tools to create such shapes. Text boxes are also available, should a user choose to insert text into a drafting document. Often, CAD software will also provide stock images to enhance a drawing. For example, an architect may wish to include exemplary landscaping in a depiction of a building and may choose to use stock images of trees, grass, and bushes. Alternatively, a user may choose to import his or her own particular images or previously-created shapes to the layout space.
The CAD software further provides a plurality of tools for manipulation of objects already in a drafting document or workspace. For example, a user may desire to relocate an object that he or she has placed in the drafting document. A "move" tool may be provided by the CAD software so that the user can move a created object within the drafting document. Alternatively, a user may desire to change the size of an object within the drafting document. Rather than requiring the user to delete and re-draw the object at a different size, a "scale" tool may be provided so that a user may re-size an object. Other types of tools that may be provided include functions such as "paint," "rotate," "skew," "move vertex," "stretch," "copy," and "paste." Buttons for invoking or selecting tools are usually provided in a "tool bar" area, which may be located along a border of the screen or the workspace, or in a movable window.
Functions such as move, rotate, stretch, scale, skew, and move vertex are examples of "affine functions." Affine functions are provided by the CAD system as tools for refining objects that have been created, placed, or imported by the user into the CAD workspace. Generally, an affine function includes a linear transformation (e.g., rotation, scaling, or skew) and/or a translation or shift (e.g., a "move"). An affine function can be represented as:x→Ax+b  Equ. 1where x is a vector representing an object being transformed, A is a matrix representing a linear transformation, and b is a vector representing a translation or shift. Generally, an affine function preserves 1) a collinearity relation between points (i.e., the points which lie on a line continue to be collinear after the transformation), and 2) ratios of distances along a line (i.e., for distinct collinear points p1,p2,p3, the ratio |p2−p1|/|p3−p2| is preserved).
To perform an affine function on an object, a user selects the object and then selects the proper tool for the desired manipulation of the object, or vice versa. A user may then perform the desired affine function by way of user inputs, such as clicking a mouse, touching a touch screen, dragging the object or a grip on the object, dropping the object or grip at a desired location, releasing the object or grip, entering coordinates via a keyboard, or any number of suitable input methods. Once the user has completed the desired affine function, the user may choose another tool to perform another function on the object or may choose another object on which to perform the same affine function or another affine function.

Multi-function affine tool for computer-aided design


A two-part container for preserving material samples during storage and transport is separable and can be sealed with the presence of an elastomeric O-ring and internal threads on each part of the container. In the configuration at which the threads first engage between the two halves of the container, there is a small hole in the outer top part just above the O-ring of the bottom mating part. When the two container parts are mated and the sealing O-ring is below the small hole, inert gas can be made to flow through an inlet valve, into the container, and out through the small hole. In this configuration, the inert gas flows through the container and purges the atmospheric gas, replacing it with inert gas. After a period of time, the two container parts are rotated so that the sealing O-ring moves above the small hole. This will stop the flow into and out of the container. After this, the gas inlet valve is closed to seal the inert gas in the container. After the valve is closed, the pressure in the container is increased by screwing the two parts of the container in relation to each other such that the volume of the container is decreased. Prior to opening, the efficacy of the container can be checked by releasing the gas while the container is in the compressed state.

This invention relates to a specialized container that allows a process or method of replacing the atmospheric air that is in a container, which is composed of reactive gas species such as oxygen and water vapor, with an inert gas species such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, and the like, so that a material or the surface of the material disposed in the container does not undergo reactions such as oxidation during storage and/or transportation. Typically, the inventive container is used for the preservation of microscopy or material samples that may undergo changes during the delay between the time the sample is prepared and the time when analysis of the sample occurs, wherein the change in the sample would otherwise adversely affect the results of the analysis. It also includes the preservation of ingredient materials during delays between processing steps in the synthesis of new materials.
There are many examples in microscopy, which include optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanned probe microscopies (SPM), where the sample may change from its desired state because it is exposed to the reactive gas species in the atmosphere. For example, in optical microscopy, oxidation or reaction with sulfur in the air can lead to color changes seen on the sample that affect the quality and the interpretation of the image. SEM, TEM, and SPM techniques are surface sensitive and oxidation of the surface can lead to charging effects and/or the inability to examine the sample. The presence of a modified surface can lead to erroneous interpretation of the images or data acquired from samples that undergo changes. In fact, in some cases such as in electron beam back scattered diffraction (EBSD), the diffraction signal is so sensitive to the condition of the surface, that the changed surface could render the technique useless for the analysis.
There are a number of ways in which materials scientists preserve samples from the adverse effects of exposure of the samples to atmosphere. Moisture in air can be the major problem and an effective desiccant in an enclosed container will often prevent problems. Encapsulation in tubes that have been evacuated, backfilled with an inert gas, and then sealed have been effective. Exclusion of air by the use of a vacuum container will also solve the problem, providing that the vacuum generation process is sufficiently clean from oil and water vapor. To be effective, whatever method is used for the preservation of the samples requires that the concentration of the reactive gas species in the container holding the samples be decreased to very small values and maintained.
The major problem with these techniques is that they are not portable with respect to transporting samples and then resealing them after the sample has been examined at a remote site, unless identical apparatus are located at the two sites. For microscopy applications, samples are often moved between laboratories separated by great distances, and the available facilities and instrumentation will be different between the two locations. For example, when samples are moved to the laboratory where the analysis is to be made, a suitable vacuum pump or a supply of suitable high purity inert gas may not be readily available to re-seal the sample.
Another problem is presented when samples are stored for long periods or transported to another location. It is important to know whether the transport container has maintained its integrity and the samples have not been compromised prior to submitting them for rather costly analyses, but similar facilities for re-sealing the sample are often not available at the second location.

Specimen preservation systems and methods


Various types of diamond tools are provided by utilizing the fact that a synthetic single crystal diamond for use in a tool having a nitrogen content of 3 ppm or less exhibits an enhanced hardness in a (100) plane in a <111> direction and simultaneously the reduction in defects. The above synthetic single crystal diamond is synthesized by the temperature difference method under an ultra high pressure at high temperature and contains, in its crystals, nickel introduced by atomic substitution or boron and nickel introduced by atomic substitution.

Conventional single crystal diamond tools have been fabricated with natural diamond selected from rough diamond, as appropriate. Furthermore, some conventional single crystal diamond tools have been fabricated with artificial, synthetic single crystal diamond (of the Ib type) containing nitrogen as an impurity.
Diamond is widely used in industrial applications, for jewelry and the like as it is significantly high in hardness and significantly satisfactory in thermal conductance and has a large index of refraction and thus shines bright. However, natural diamond is significantly expensive. Accordingly, industrially manufactured diamonds are widely used mainly in industrial applications. Such industrially manufactured diamonds are typically synthesized by a temperature difference method or the like growing a crystal under ultra high pressure at high temperature (as described in Patent Documents 1-6).
Furthermore, with the recent industrial sophistification, there has also been developed a synthetic single crystal diamond excellent, uniform and the like in abrasion resistance and thus superior in such mechanical and physical properties to natural diamond (as described in Patent Documents 7-9).
Furthermore, there has also been developed a synthetic single crystal diamond that is semiconducting or electrically conductive or similarly has a property that is inherently not possessed by diamond (as described in Patent Document 10).                Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 60-12747        Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-137999        Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-138000        Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-329356        Patent Document 5: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 6-182182        Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 6-182184        Patent Document 7: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 3-131407        Patent Document 8: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 3-228504        Patent Document 9: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 7-116494        Patent Document 10: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-200271        Non-Patent Document 1: Sumiya et al., Diamond and Related Materials, 5, 1359 (1996).

Diamond tool, synthetic single crystal diamond and method of synthesizing single crystal diamond, and diamond jewelry


It is an object of the present invention to provide fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride) which has less coloration and higher solubility in comparison with conventional compounds, and a method for producing the same. Further, it is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing a fluorinated bis(phthalonitrile) compound, which is an intermediate raw material compound of the method for producing the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride), and a polyamic acid and a polyimide, which are produced from the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride). A fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride) of the present invention is the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride) represented by the following formula (I1), wherein its specific surface area is 3.0 m2/g or larger. It is also characterized in that its molar absorption coefficient is 0.6 L/mol·cm or less at a wavelength of 360 nm.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride) which is useful as intermediate raw materials of optical materials and the like, and a method for producing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Polyimide, which is highly fluorine-substituted, is useful as optical materials, wiring board materials, photosensitive materials, liquid crystal materials, or the like. This polyimide is produced by hydrolyzing a fluorine-substituted bis(phthalonitrile) compound to form a bis(phthalic acid) compound, dehydrating the bis(phthalic acid) compound to form bis(phthalic anhydride), then condensing the bis(phthalic anhydride) and a diamine compound to form polyamic acid, and further dehydrating the polyamic acid. However, various problems are caused when this production process are performed particularly in industrial mass synthesis.
For example, as the bis(phthalonitrile) compound which is a synthetic intermediate of polyimide, there is known 1,4-bis(3,4-dicyano-2,5,6-trifluorophenoxy)tetrafluorobenzene (hereinafter, referred to as "10 FEDN"). By this compound, excellent polyimide can be produced. This compound is generally obtained by following a synthetic route shown below and using 3,4,5,6-tetrafluorophthalonitrile (hereinafter, referred to as "TFPN") and tetrafluorohydroquinone (hereinafter, referred to as "TFHQ") as raw materials

In accordance with the above-mentioned synthetic route, it is thought that in theory, 2 equivalent amount of TFPN may be reacted with respect to TFHQ. However, under such a condition, a side reaction shown below occurs. That is, there was a problem that, as shown below, the compound formed by condensing TFPN and TFHQ in proportions of 1:1 is reacted not with the TFPN but with 10FEDN, which is an intended compound, and the yield and the purity of the intended compound (10FEDN) extremely deteriorated.

Technology described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 6-16615 succeeded in attaining a fluorinated bis(phthalonitrile) compound having a high purity by using TFPN in an amount of 8 molar equivalent or more with respect to TFHQ. A method for producing a fluorinated bis(phthalonitrile) compound described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 8-333322 is a method in which TFPN is also used in excess, and it facilitates purification by using a solvent which is hardly soluble in water.
In the purification processes employed in these conventional art, the intended compounds are purified with column chromatography after removing the raw material compound such as TFPN, which has not yet reacted and remains in excess in a reaction solution, by distillation. However, 10FEDN, which is an intended compound, is easily affected by heat, and therefore an operation temperature cannot be increased so much in a purification process. On the other hand, since TFPN, which is a raw material compound, has a melting point of 87° C. and is solid at room temperature, a reduced-pressure condition is required for removing by distillation. Therefore, when a fluorinated phthalonitrile derivative was produced by the conventional technology, it was necessary to perform the distillation under reduced-pressure in the purification process and this method was not suitable for mass synthesis at a plant level. Furthermore, there was a problem that since a distillation temperature could not be raised in the distillation under reduced-pressure in this purification process as described above, 10FEDN and others was solidified as the raw material compound was distilled off.
Thus, a method which avoids a distillation process has been desired in the purification process in the production of the fluorinated bis(phthalonitrile) compound. However, column chromatography and the like, which is a purification technique other than distillation, have the problems of an equipment cost and the like. Accordingly, as a purification process for the mass synthesis of the fluorinated bis(phthalonitrile) compound, a purification by recrystallization is ideal.
However, according to the rule of common sense in the synthetic organic chemical field, a compound having less impurities (particularly impurities having a structure similar to these compound) is apt to crystallization. Conversely, when a raw material compound having a structure in common with the intended compound is present as an impurity in a large amount in a reaction system, purification by recrystallization of the intended compound is difficult. Therefore, in the production of the fluorinated bis(phthalonitrile) compound, where the raw material compound is remaining excessively in a reaction system after the completion of a reaction, it was considered to be difficult that a recrystallization process is applied to the purification process.
Also, a process, in which a bis(phthalic anhydride) is produced by dehydrating a bis(phthalic acid) compound, has also a problem. It is thought that as such the dehydration reaction, a known method is applied. As an examples of such the known method, there is described a method, in which only acetic anhydride is added to a mixture of 2,3,3′,4′-biphenyl-tetracarboxylic acid and 3,4,3′,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid and this mixture is heated to obtain biphenyltetracarboxylic anhydride, in a example in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 51-23498. Similarly, in the technology described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 62-116572, 3,4,3′,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic anhydride is produced using acetic anhydride as a solvent, and the concentration of 3,4,3′,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid, which is a raw material compound, is specified for the purpose of improving handling through an increase in a crystal size and reducing coloration contents.
However, if the methods of these patent references are applied to the production of the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride) as it is, not only yield may deteriorates due to the occurrence of a side reaction but also the intended compound may colored. It is conceivable as one of causes that since a fluorinated bis(phthalic acid) compound, which is a raw material compound, exhibits extremely high solubility in acetic anhydride or acetic acid, a reaction proceeds excessively and a dehydration reaction occurs between the raw material compounds instead of the dehydration between adjacent carboxyl groups in a molecule. On the other hand, when the concentration of raw material compounds in acetic anhydride are decreased in order to suppress such the side reaction as with the technology described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 62-116572, purification of the intended compound is difficult and the loss of the intended compound becomes greater. Furthermore, this technology requires contacting with an organic solvent prior to the dehydration reaction in order to enhance an effect.
A method for producing fluorinated phthalic anhydride by dehydrating phthalic acid, which is highly fluorine-substituted, is described, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications No. 2-306945. That is, there is disclosed in this reference a method of obtaining tetrafluorophthalic anhydride by heating tetrafluorophthalic acid in the presence of an organic solvent such as xylene or toluene. However, in case where this method is applied to the production of the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride), since the fluorinated bis(phthalic acid) compound, which is a raw material compound, has relatively low solubility in xylene and the like, a reaction must be a slurry reaction and therefore it may take too much time to react or the intended compound having a high purity may not attained by using only xylene and the like. Therefore, this method cannot be adopted as a method of mass synthesis of the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride).
On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Publications No. 3130653, there is disclosed a method of synthesizing the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride). In this method, dehydration is performed by heating the fluorinated bis(phthalic acid) compound in a solvent such as thionyl chloride, and this method accomplishes certain results. However, since this reaction is carried out in a slurry condition, optimal reaction conditions varies due to a small difference in conditions, for example, a reaction time varies significantly with reaction scales or material lots. Further, since a extremely reactive dehydrating agent such as thionyl chloride is used, the intended compound is readily colored and it is difficult to attain products of high quality. Furthermore, there is also a problem that the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride) obtained by this method has a small specific surface area and is not insufficient in solubility.
As described above, there are known methods of synthesizing the fluorinated bis(phthalonitrile) compound and the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride), which is a synthetic intermediate of highly fluorine-substituted polyimide, and methods considered to be applicable to its synthesis.
However, in the conventional methods, efficiency was low and it was difficult to expand the scale of implementation to a plant level of mass synthesis. Additionally, since the fluorinated bis(phthalic anhydride) attained by the conventional methods has a small specific surface area and low solubility, an efficiency at the next step may deteriorates. Further, it becomes important to reduce further a coloration of a synthetic intermediate, since particularly when polyimide, final products, is used as optical materials, the coloration becomes a problem.

Fluorinated bis (phthalic anhydride) and method for producing the same

Abstract: [wherein, m and n independently represent integers of 1 to 3, and Z1 represents a single bond group or a bivalent organic group.]


A novel communications system is provided, including a plurality of user terminals capable of communication using a predetermined communication software program and accessible to Internet, and an administrator server on line with Internet, wherein each of the user terminals is capable of transmitting a character message comprising character information for designating a character, action information for designating an action of the character and a text message to another user terminal through Internet via the administrator server with use of the communication software program, while the latter user terminal having received the character message is capable of displaying an image of the character performing the action and the text message on a screen by selecting a motion picture file based on the character information and the action information received using the communication software program and executing the motion picture file.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications systems utilizing communication channels such as an electronic mail system and a mobile phone system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The number of electronic mail users is rapidly increasing with recent steep proliferation of computers, mobile terminals and mobile phones accessible to Internet.
However, electronic mails are basically in the form of text though they can be attached with images, programs, sound and the like.
With only a text message, it is difficult to convey the nuance of a subject one wishes to say exactly to the other party. The receiver of an electronic mail consisting only of text has to understand the contents of the mail relying only upon letters of the text and, hence, misunderstanding is possible to occur.
In the case of a business transaction through an electronic mail it is sufficient for the electronic mail to transmit specific matters like "delivery of . . . (number) sets of . . . until . . . (fixed date)" and, hence, the contents of the electronic mail can be understood relatively easily by the receiver of the electronic mail.
In the case of everyday communications through an electronic mail, in contrast, text is usually written in a spoken language and, hence, the receiver of the electronic mail has to make effort in understanding what the text of the mail intends to say with the help of imagination because the receiver cannot know stressed points of the text and expressions or gestures of the transmitting side.
Generally, text gives a somewhat hard impression since it gives the receiving side a stronger impression than speech and remains as a record in future. For example, it is possible that even a friendlily written text transmitted through an electronic mail is misunderstood to be disdainful by the receiver of the electronic mail. In this way a subtle difference in usage of words may cause the reader of a text to misunderstand or make the reader unpleasant.
Those familiar with electronic mail use face marks for expressing a laughing face, crying face and the like with a series of letters or symbols such as (^0^) in order to convey the nuance of a written speech or their intention more exactly to a mail receiver and lighten the expression with limited expression means, i.e., letters and symbols.
However, expressions of such face marks consisting of limited letters and symbols are limited and, hence, it is difficult for such face marks to convey diverse intentions and feelings.
Though an image can be attached to an electronic mail, laborious and time-consuming operations are needed to draw a picture using painting software or to capture an image using a digital camera, scanner or the like before the image is attached to the electronic mail. In addition, the image thus attached is a still image and, hence, the expression with a single picture or photo is limited very much.
Although a motion picture can be transmitted as attached to an electronic mail, it takes a very long time to transmit such a motion picture comprising multiplicity of images each having a large amount of image data.
Some mailers (software programs for transmitting and receiving electronic mails) display a character such as a bear or a rabbit that appears to bring an electronic mail to the mail receiver. To utilize such a mailer, it is required that a mail sender and a mail receiver have respective terminals installed with a same version of mailer. Further, the character used in such a mailer merely brings a mail and does not function as means for expressing mail sender's intention.
There is a merit that a mail sender can send an electronic mail whenever the main sender wants it and a mail receiver can read the electronic mail whenever the mail receiver wants it. In another aspect this merit is a demerit because the mail sender is incapable of checking whether the mail receiver has read a mail sent by the mail sender. For this reason, electronic mail insufficiently works as reliable means for transmitting information. In fact, the mail sender becomes worried about whether or not his or her mail reached the main receiver if there is no response from the mail receiver. As is often the case with such a situation, the mail sender cannot but make sure that the mail reached the mail receiver by telephone. Since there is no guarantee that an electronic mail necessarily reaches an intended mail receiver, any means for confirming the receipt of an electronic mail is desired.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a communications system that is capable of transmitting one's intention to a receiving side in diverse expression manners as well as of confirming that the receiving side read the contents transmitted from the transmitting side.
It is another object of the present invention to provide various convenient functions that cannot be achieved by the prior art electronic mailing system.

Communications system for transmitting, receiving, and displaying an image and associated image action information


A 3D display apparatus is provided, which comprises: a display, a camera configured to track human-eye position information of human eyes, and a processor electrically connected with the camera and configured to generate a control signal according to the human-eye position information. Preferably, the display comprises a dynamic grating, which is electrically connected with the processor and configured to, according to the control signal, control bright and dark stripes of the dynamic grating to change in position adaptively according to positions of human eyes. Thereby, the 3D display apparatus of the present disclosure utilizes the camera to track human-eye position information and then utilizes the control unit to change positions of bright and dark stripes of the grating according to the human-eye position information so as to adapt to different observing positions of the user's two eyes, thus achieving a 3D image effect.

In the current grating technologies, after a grating is fabricated, positions of bright and dark stripes of the grating become fixed, and this is inconvenient in use. Particularly when the parallax barrier technology is adopted to achieve displaying of a 3D image, a 3D image effect can be perceived by the user only when the user's eyes are located within a specific range because the positions of the bright and dark stripes of the grating are uncontrollable. This affects application of the parallax barrier 3D displaying technology in the daily life.
Accordingly, a 3D display apparatus needs to be provided to solve the aforesaid technical problem.

3D display apparatus and dynamic grating


An exception notification system is described herein that provides an early notification that a software exception has occurred before exception handling code has run. The exception notification system receives a registration request from program code to register a handler to receive an early notification when an exception occurs. When an exception occurs, the system raises an event that calls each registered handler. After the handler returns, the system performs normal exception handling, so that the early notification does not change existing exception-handling behavior. The exception notification system allows a program to inspect and log an exception before the program state has been modified by exception handling. The program code can capture detailed information about the cause of the exception to enable further offline analysis. Thus, the exception notification system allows developers to improve their programs by receiving more information about unexpected conditions in the program code.

Computer programs typically contain two types of code: instructions that carry out the purpose of the program and error handling code that contains instructions for recovering from or responding to unexpected or unusual conditions that occur. Error handling may include addressing anything from a file open failing because the file is not at a requested location to accessing memory that does not belong to the program (e.g., memory that the program did not allocate or has already freed). Software exceptions are one type of error notification paradigm. An exception is the signal raised when a condition is detected that was not expected in the normal execution of a program thread. Many agents can detect incorrect conditions and raise exceptions. For applications running in a managed environment, exceptions can be raised by program code (or library code the program uses), the runtime engine, and unmanaged code that the application invokes. Exceptions allow the developer to write fast and straightforward software code for the normal case, and contain code for handling errors (e.g., exceptions) in a predefined area. Using exceptions, a program typically surrounds a block of instructions with a "try" block and when an abnormal condition occurs, the program leaves the try block and executes one or more conditionally executed blocks.
Exceptions raised on a thread of execution follow the thread through native and managed code and across application domains (e.g., Microsoft .NET AppDomains). If the program does not handle an exception, the exception is typically presented to the operating system and treated as an unhandled exception. A program can handle an exception if it understands the conditions that caused the exception to occur. Exceptions represent a wide range of unexpected conditions during execution of a program. Exceptions may occur at a variety of levels when a program is viewed as a logical stack of layers. For example, the operating system may provide exceptions (e.g., structured exception handling (SEH)), an underlying runtime may provide exceptions (e.g., the C-language runtime or Microsoft .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR)), and the program itself may provide exceptions defined by the language used to create the program (e.g., C-language exceptions, Microsoft .NET exceptions, and so forth). For higher-level languages, the environment may wrap each of these exceptions into one or more types recognized by the language of the program. For example, Microsoft .NET represents any native exception as a specific managed exception that inherits from the Microsoft .NET Exception class.
Software has grown so complex that component reuse is common and many software programs invoke external components or include components (e.g., by static linking) internally that were not written or verified by the program author. For example, a data mining application may invoke a database library for establishing connections to a database and receiving data from the database in response to queries. In addition, programs may include whole platform paradigms that differ from the main paradigm of the program. For example, a native C++ application may invoke managed Microsoft .NET software classes to perform certain actions. Any part of such complex systems may include errors and exceptions that other parts of the system do not anticipate or handle. For example, if a native application invokes managed code, and the managed code hits an exception or other failure, the native application state may be corrupted or the native application may terminate because the native application is unaware of or was not designed to handle the failure. Conversely, a managed application may call into native code that corrupts the application state or experiences some other failure.
Often the most relevant information about an exception for offline analysis is knowing that the exception occurred. Unfortunately, it is difficult for an application, in particular one that includes one or more third-party components or add-ins, to detect every exception and log information about the exception. For example, software code may catch the exception and handle it (correctly or incorrectly) making it impossible for other application code to detect that the exception occurred. If the application is run in a debugger, debuggers commonly provide developers with a notification of a raised exception before the program is allowed to process the exception. However, running applications in a debugger is not practical in regular consumer scenarios.
Various mechanisms for handling exceptions outside of the normal application flow exist today. As one example, applications can provide unhandled exception filters that receive any exception that was not otherwise caught by an application. As another example, Microsoft Windows provides a mechanism called Vectored Exception Handling that allows a programmer to add a filter to a chain of filters executed by the OS when a native exception is raised. Hooking this from managed code can allow similar functionality. However, this is not recommended, and application exception processing may cause changes in the program state, that make it difficult for an unhandled exception filter to log enough relevant details about the cause of the exception. The delivery of an exception to a program's exception handling regions (normally catch or filter blocks) involves the exception system performing a significant amount of work. Program code cannot examine an exception without accepting the exception for processing, which is an action that can modify the exception state and program state before the handler receives the exception.


A composition having Lactobacillus Plantarum strain GMNL-662 for promoting bone regrowth is provided. The Lactobacillus Plantarum strain GMNL-662 has an ability to promote the expression of osteogenic genes, inhibit the expression of osteoclast related genes, and promote the expression of osteogenesis-related cytokine TGF-β, so that the bone loss is improved.

Osteoporosis is a kind of systemic skeletal disease, which includes bone loss and bone tissue microstructure deterioration, resulting in bone fragility and risk of fracture.
During bone remodeling process, the bone formation of osteoblasts and bone resorption of osteoclast maintain the dynamic balance of bone tissue together. Once the bone resorption is over bone formation, bone loss will caused, and finally result in osteoporosis. In general, osteoporosis can be divided into postmenopausal osteoporosis and senile osteoporosis. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is common in women after menopause, due to the rapid reduction of estrogen in the female body, so that the osteoclast activity is increased to absorb the trabecular bone, and ultimately make the trabecular bone thinning, broken off, and make the number of the bone cells reduced or discontinuous, resulting in reduction of bone strength. Senile osteoporosis is caused by the decline of osteogenic cell function, insufficient calcium and vitamin D intake, intestinal absorption dysfunction, leading to reduced bone synthesis, thick loose cortical bone, and trabecular bone disappeared, so that bone strength is significantly reduced.
According to its mechanism, the current drugs for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and fracture can be divided into anti-osteoclast or anti-loss drugs, bone formation or promoting osteoblast drugs, and mixed type drugs. Anti-osteoclast drugs include calcium, vitamin D, calcitonin, bisphosphonates, estrogen receptor modulators, sex hormones, osteoclast enzyme inhibitors, RANKL monoclonal antibody. The mixed type drug is currently strontium salt only. The drugs that control osteoporosis are accompanied by some side effects. It is found in the clinical trials that the use of drugs in combination has no addition effect, but will resist each other, or increase the incidence or strength of the side effects. Therefore, the current guidelines for various prevention and treatment of osteoporosis are not recommended to use two anti-loss reagents, or use one anti-loss reagent together with one promoting osteoblast reagent.
The osteoporotic drugs clinically used in the elderly and menopausal women, such as Fosamax, Tevanate, Covaxin (bisphosphonates drugs), will cause serious necrosis of jaw bone joint if users do not pay attention to oral hygiene, or the users are subject to tooth extraction, dental implant surgery. Recent studies have also found that it may cause the adverse reactions including atypical femoral fracture.
Although some literatures state that certain specific probiotic strains, for example: L. reuteri ATCC PTA 6475; L. paracasei DSM13434; L. plantarum DSM 15312, DSM 15313 and B. longum, have the ability to reduce bone loss in ovariectomized rats, but they are applied in the form of live bacteria in the experiments, and it is found that the ability to slow down bone loss is achieved by reducing inflammation. The abovementioned strains do not have the ability to make bone regeneration, and thus the treatments are more passive.
It is therefore necessary to provide a composition for promoting bone regrowth, in order to solve the problems existing in the conventional technology as described above.


Some embodiments of the invention include an integrated circuit having a node or pin to detect a first information during a first a detection period and to detect a second information during a second detection period. In some embodiments, the information at the pin may allow the integrated circuit to operate in a quasi-resonant operation. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Electrical devices or systems need power from a power source to operate. In situations where the characteristics of the power source are incompatible with the characteristics of the power needed by the systems, a controller or converter may be used to manipulate the power source to provide a suitable power for the systems. The controller is usually formed in an integrated circuit (IC) or IC chip.
A switch mode power supply (SMPS) is an arrangement of electrical components, including the IC controller, to provide suitable power to a system. A typical IC usually includes external pins for electrical communication with other components. In an SMPS, the IC may include pins for providing specific functions in the SMPS.
In some cases, new functions for the SMPS may be needed. Existing pins of the IC controller may be unable to carry both existing functions and the new functions. Therefore, to accommodate the new functions, new pins may be added to the IC. However, for some ICs, adding new pins may increase size, cost, or both.

Apparatus, system, and method for multifunctional pin in an integrated circuit


According to one general aspect, an apparatus may include a multi-tiered cache system that includes at least one upper cache tier relatively closer, hierarchically, to a processor and at least one lower cache tier relatively closer, hierarchically, to a system memory. The apparatus may include a memory interconnect circuit hierarchically between the multi-tiered cache system and the system memory. The apparatus may include a prefetcher circuit coupled with a lower cache tier of the multi-tiered cache system, and configured to issue a speculative prefetch request to the memory interconnect circuit for data to be placed into the lower cache tier. The memory interconnect circuit may be configured to cancel the speculative prefetch request if the data exists in an upper cache tier of the multi-tiered cache system.

Generally, computers and the programs executed by them have a voracious appetite for unlimited amounts of fast memory. Unfortunately, memory (especially fast memory) is generally expensive both in terms of cost and die area. The traditional solution to the desire for unlimited, fast memory is a memory hierarchy or system of tiers or levels of memories. In general, the tiered memory system includes a plurality of levels of memories, each level slower but larger than the previous tier.
A typical computer memory hierarchy may include three levels. The fastest and smallest memory (often called a "Level 1 (L1) cache") is closest to the processor and includes static random access memory (RAM and SRAM). The next tier or level is often called a Level 2 (L2) cache, and is larger but slower than the L1 cache. The third level is the main memory and generally includes dynamic RAM (DRAM), often inserted into memory modules. However, other systems may have more or less memory tiers. Also, in some systems the processor registers and the permanent or semi-permanent storage devices (e.g., hard drives, solid state drives, etc.) may be considered part of the memory system.
The memory system generally makes use of a principle of inclusiveness, wherein the slowest but largest tier (e.g., main memory, etc.) includes all of the data available. The second tier (e.g., the L2 cache, etc.) includes a sub-set of that data, and the next tier from that (e.g., the L1 cache, etc.) includes a second sub-set of the second tier's subset of data, and so on. As such, all data included in a faster tier is also included by slower tier.
Generally, the caches decide what sub-set of data to include based upon the principle of locality (e.g., temporal locality, spatial locality, etc.). A program may wish to access data that it has either recently accessed or is next to the data it has recently accessed. For example, if a movie player program is accessing data, the movie player may want to access the next few seconds of the movie, and so on.
However, occasionally a program may request a piece of data that is not available in the fastest cache (e.g., the L1 cache, etc.). That is generally known as a "cache miss" and causes the fastest cache to request the data from the next memory tier (e.g., the L2 cache). This is costly to processor performance as a delay is incurred in determining that a cache miss has occurred, retrieving the data by the L1 cache, and providing it to the processor. Occasionally, the next tier of memory (e.g., the L2 cache, etc.) may not include the requested data and must request it from the next tier (e.g., main memory, etc.). This generally costs further delays.

Prefetching in a lower level exclusive cache hierarchy


An end-surface wick structure of a heat pipe provided by the present invention has a pipe member and a wick structure. The wick structure has at least one woven mesh to be attached to an internal sidewall of the pipe member and one sintering powder attached to an internal surface of a bottom lid covering a bottom end of the pipe member. Thereby, the sintering powder can be attached to bottom corners of the pipe member to improve heat transfer and conduction of the heat pipe.

The present invention relates in general to an end surface capillary structure of a heat pipe, and more particularly, to a heat pipe that includes end surfaces in contact with heat source to dissipate heat and a wick structure fabricated by power sintering and mesh woven.
Having the characteristics of high thermal conductivity, fast thermal conduction, light weight, non-movable components and simple structure, heat pipes are able to deliver large amount of heat without consuming electricity, and are therefore commonly used in the market.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional heat pipe 1a that includes a pipe member 10a and a powder-sintered wick structure 11a attached to an internal sidewall of the pipe member 10a. The wick structure 11a provides capillary force to transport working fluid filled in the pipe member 1a. However, the fabrication of the wick structure 11a requires an axial bar 12a inserted into the heat pipe 1a for supporting the wick structure 11a during powder sintering process to avoid powder collapse. This type of wick structure has the following drawbacks.
1. When the axial bar 12a is inserted into the pipe member 10a of the heat pipe 1a, it is difficult to dispose the axial bar 1a along the axis of the pipe member 10a. Instead, the axial bar 1a is easily deviated from the axis to cause non-uniform wick structure 11a, such that the fluid transportation is non-uniform to cause poor thermal conduction.
2. After powder sintering process, the powder for forming the wick structure 11a is easily attached to the axial bar 12a to cause problem for removing the axial bar 12a from the pipe member 10a. Therefore, the quality of such heat pipe depends on proficiency of the operator, and it cannot be fabricated by mass production.
3. As it is difficult to remove the axial bar 12a, external force is required for the removal. However, because an annealing process the wick structure 11a and the pipe member 10a are before being removed, the heat pipe 1a is extremely soft during the removal process. Therefore, the heat pipe 10a is easily deformed, the wick structure is easily damaged, and the dimension precision will be greatly affected.
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross sectional view of another conventional heat pipe 2a. The wick structure 21a attached to an internal wall of the pipe member 20a of the heat pipe 2a is fabricated by mesh weaving. The mesh woven wick structure 21a is easily bent and curled before being disposed into the pipe member 20a. Therefore, the woven mesh cannot be properly adhered to the interior bottom corners A to cause incomplete capillary transfer. That is, the capillary force is relatively weak, delivery of the working fluid is slower, and the heat conduction performance is poorer. If one forces the woven mesh completely attached to the internal surface at the bottom corners, the structure of the woven mesh will be discontinuous because of deformation and pressure to cause poor delivery of working fluid.
Therefore, there exist inconvenience and drawbacks for practically application of the above-mentioned conventional heat pipe. There is thus a substantial need to provide an improved end surface capillary structure of a heat pipe that resolves the above drawbacks and can be used more conveniently and practically.

End surface capillary structure of heat pipe


In one aspect, the invention provides a substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material including starch and hydrophobically modified layered silicate clay. In another aspect, the invention provides packaging made from material including the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material described above. The nanocomposite material has improved mechanical and rheological properties and reduced sensitivity to moisture in that the rates of moisture update and/or loss are reduced. In another aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material described above, including a step of mixing the starch in the form of an aqueous gel with the hydrophobic clay in a melt mixing device. In a further aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material, including the steps of mixing the starch with the hydrophobic clay to form a masterbatch (hereinafter “the masterbatch process”) and mixing the masterbatch with further starch.

The following discussion is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the matter referred to was published, known or part of the knowledge of the skilled worker at the priority date of the application.
Thermoplastic materials are typically prepared from hydrocarbon raw materials. Due to environmental problems associated with their production and degradation, alternative materials have been developed.
One alternative is to use a natural polymer such as starch to make thermoplastic materials. Natural polymers originate from renewable sources and are intrinsically biodegradable.
Nanocomposites made from unmodified low amylose starch and unmodified or hydrophilic clays have been disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,811,599 discloses a biodegradable thermoplastic material comprising a natural polymer, a plasticiser and an exfoliated clay having a layered structure. The description refers to a need to choose an organic modificant of the clay for compatibility with the natural polymer. This suggests that a hydrophilic clay is desirable. A problem with the material is that only partial exfoliation was obtained.
A paper by H Park et al, entitled "Preparation and properties of biodegradable thermoplastic starch/clay hybrids" in Macromolecular Materials and Engineering 2002, 287, (8), 553-558, discloses starch-based nanocomposites based on both sodium montmorillonite unmodified clay (CLOISITE™ Na+) and organic modified clays (CLOISITE™ 6A, 10A, and 30B). The most desirable mechanical properties were obtained with the unmodified clay and little exfoliation or expansion of the clay structure was observed.
A paper by B Q Chen and J R G Evans, entitled "Thermoplastic starch-clay nanocomposites and their characteristics" in Carbohydrate Polymers 2005, 61, (4), 455-463, discloses nanocomposites based on glycerol-plasticised thermoplastic starch. The clays used were sodium montmorillonite, sodium hectorite, sodium hectorite modified with dimethyl di(hydrogenated tallow) ammonium chloride and kaolinite. Samples were prepared by melt processing using a two-roll mill. Only the unmodified montmorillonite and hectorite clays, both of which are hydrophilic, were reported to give partial exfoliation.
A paper by K Bagdi et al, entitled "Thermoplastic starch/layered silicate composites: structure, interaction, properties" in Composite Interfaces 2006, 13, (1), 1-17, discloses the preparation of clay (nano)composites based on glycerol-plasticised wheat starch. The clays used were sodium montmorillonite and clay modified with aminiododecanoic acid (NANOFIL™ 784), stearyl dihydroxyethyl ammonium chloride (NANOFIL™ 804) or distearyldimethylammonium chloride (NANOFIL™ 948). No or only limited expansion of the clay was observed.
A paper by B Chiou et al, entitled "Rheology of starch-clay nanocomposites" in Carbohydrate Polymers 2005, 59, (4), 467-475, discusses the rheology of thermoplastic starch-clay nanocomposites (clays used were CLOISITE™ Na+, CLOISITE™ 30B, 10A, and 15A). Various starches were examined, including wheat, potato, corn and waxy corn starch.
International patent WO 2005068364 claims starch and modified starches as intercalants for nanoclays. The method employed makes use of the water-friendly nature of clay.
Nanocomposite materials based on starch and clay having a high degree of exfoliation of the clay, and having improved properties including, for example, a high degree of transparency, improved mechanical and rheological properties and/or reduced sensitivity to moisture, would be desirable.
It has been found that use of a hydrophobic clay in the preparation of a nanocomposite material results in surprising levels of improvement in the properties of the resulting material, including in its clarity, pliability, tensile strength, impact resistance and/or tensile properties.
Thus in one aspect, the invention provides a substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material including starch and hydrophobically modified layered silicate clay.
The hydrophobically modified layered silicate clay (hereinafter "hydrophobic clay") is present preferably in an amount of 0.1% to 5% w/w, more preferably 0.1% to 3%, and most preferably 0.5% to 2%.
Preferred clays which include such long chain alkyl ammonium ions include CLOISITE™ 20A and CLOISITE™ 25A.
Preferably, the nanocomposite material includes one or more plasticisers, and/or one or more water-soluble polymers such as but not limited to polyvinyl alcohol, and/or one or more processing aids.
The starch may be blended with other suitable polymers including polyvinyl alcohol and polyesters such as polylactide and polycaprolactone. The blends used may be modified according to the functional and mechanical properties required.
The nanocomposite material preferably has water content of between 5% and 30% by weight, more preferably 5% to 15%, and most preferably 8% to 12%.
The nanocomposite material may be used, for example, as rigid thermoplastic packaging trays, injection moulded products such as bottles, flexible films and barrier films, and biomaterials. Thus in another aspect, the invention provides packaging made from material including the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material described above.
The nanocomposite material has improved mechanical and rheological properties and reduced sensitivity to moisture in that the rates of moisture update and/or loss are reduced. The nanocomposite material has a higher melt strength which facilitates its use in processes such as foaming or film blowing, and has improved aging characteristics and reduced gas and water permeability.
The improved properties of the nanocomposite material reduce the need for plasticisers and/or processing aids. In particular, as the nanocomposite material of the invention is more plastic than other materials previously disclosed, the amount of plasticiser added may be reduced.
The nanocomposite material has improved clarity, which is an indication of exfoliation. The material becomes transparent during the preparation process, and its level of transparency continues to increase after preparation on drying to the desired moisture content. The material remains transparent for an extended time because it has a reduced rate of retrogradation.
In another aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material described above, including a step of mixing the starch in the form of an aqueous gel with the hydrophobic clay in a melt mixing device. Suitable melt mixing devices include extruders. Preferably, the clay is in the form of a powder.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a process for preparing the substantially exfoliated nanocomposite material, including the steps of mixing the starch with the hydrophobic clay to form a masterbatch (hereinafter "the masterbatch process") and mixing the masterbatch with further starch. The masterbatch is collected as strand and may be dried and pelletized for use in further processing. Preferably the masterbatch is mixed with further starch in a second and subsequent step. The second step can be performed immediately following the first step or after a period of time. The period of time of time between the first and second steps is preferably less than three months, and more preferably less than two months.
Preferably, the masterbatch process includes a step of rehydrating the masterbatch before the subsequent step of mixing the masterbatch with further starch.
Preferably, the masterbatch process includes a step of grinding and/or milling the resulting masterbatch to a powder before the subsequent step of mixing the masterbatch with further starch.
More generally, the invention provides a process for preparing a nanocomposite material, including a step of mixing starch with clay to form a masterbatch and a subsequent step of mixing the masterbatch with further starch. Preferably, the clay is present in the masterbatch in an amount of between 5% and 70% by weight.
The inclusion of a masterbatch in the process has a number of advantages. The masterbatch concentrate is easy to handle and store, and may be fed into an extruder more easily than a raw clay or a clay slurry. The use of a masterbatch also reduces potential for exposure of the operator to nanoclay dust during the subsequent step. The masterbatch may be stored for more than three months, and potentially indefinitely, in a relatively dry state with moisture content of less than 15% by weight, to be rehydrated before use. Most notably, the masterbatch process leads to improved exfoliation when compared with one step preparation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor memory having non-volatile memory cells capable of electrically erasing and writing data. Each memory cell has a floating gate formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate above the channel region, and a control gate. The floating gate partially covers the channel region. Each memory cell is thereby constructed of a parallel connection of a floating gate transistor and an enhancement type transistor. The floating gate transistor is displaced in one of the widthwise directions of the channel region, or partially covers only the central portion of the channel region in the widthwise direction thereof. A plurality of memory cells are connected in series to constitute a basic block. Adjacent basic blocks are separated by an enhancement type MOS transistor. In this memory, a memory cell (floating gate) and an enhancement type MOS transistor (gate) are formed in self alignment with each other using the same mask. In addition, in this memory, a control gate and a floating gate are formed in self alignment with each other using the same mask.

A ROM, the storage contents of memory cells of which can be electrically erased and changed, is known as an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable ROM). When compared with an EPROM, EEPROM can be used more easily since data are erased with electric signals while being mounted on a circuit board, since the demands for use with various control circuits, memory cards or the like are rapidly increasing. A large scale EEPROM in particular which is used when changing data in a floppy disk has been recently desired.
FIGS. 1A to 1C show the structure of the memory array of a conventional NAND type EEPROM suitable for large scale integration. FIG. 1A is a plane view of the pattern, FIG. 1B is a cross section along line A--A' of FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a cross section along line B--B' of FIG. 1A. Referring to FIG. 1A, a portion enclosed by a broken line and indicated at 10 represents one NAND basic block. As understood from FIG. 1B, this NAND basic block 10 is partitioned from other NAND basic blocks disposed in the right/left direction as viewed in FIG. 1B by field oxide films 12, 12, . . . . The vertical cross section of the NAND basic block 10 is as shown in FIG. 1C. Specifically, referring to FIG. 1C in particular, reference numeral 11 represents a p-type silicon semiconductor substrate, 13 a common source region made of an n.sup.+ diffusion layer and shared by respective basic blocks 10, 14 a drain region of the NAND basic block 10 which region is also made of an n.sup.+ diffusion layer, 15, 15, . . . source/drain regions of memory cells within the NAND basic block 10 which regions are made of n.sup.+ diffusion layers, 16, 16, . . . floating gates made of a first polysilicon layer, 17, 17, . . . control gates made of a second polysilicon layer, 18 a first select gate constructed by electrically connecting together the first and second polysilicon layers, 19 a second select gate constructed by electrically connecting together the first and second polysilicon layers, 20 a data line, 21 a contact connecting the drain region 14 and the data line 20, 22 a gate oxide film formed between the floating gate 16 and the substrate 11 and having a thickness of, e.g., about 100 .ANG., 23 a gate insulating film formed between the floating gate 16 and the control gate 17 for which the film has a thickness of about 300 .ANG. and a three-layered structure of, e.g., ONO (oxide-nitride-oxide), 24 an insulating oxide film, and 25 and 26 gate oxide films formed between the substrate 11 and the first and second select gates 18 and 19, respectively, and having a thickness of, e.g., about 400 .ANG.. This gate oxide film 25 may be of the ONO three-layered structure which is formed at the time of forming the gate oxide film 23. In this case, the select gate transistors 18 and 19 are made of only the second polysilicon layer without using the first polysilicon layer. As seen from FIG. 1C in particular, each NAND basic block 10 is formed with ten transistors (memory cells and select gate transistors) 31 to 40 which will be described later in detail. The transistors 31 to 40 are turned on and off by means of gates 17 to 19 of respective channels. The on/off of the transistors 32 to 39, however, is controlled in dependence upon whether each floating gate 16 has electrons or holes.
Each floating gate 16 stores "1" or "0" in dependence on whether it has electrons or holes.
The number of control gates 17, 17, . . . provided for each NAND basic block 10 is, for example, eight. Each control gate is formed continuously to cover a plurality of floating gates 16, 16, . . . positioned under the control gate. Namely, as seen from FIGS. 1A and 1B in particular, the width (width in the up/down direction as viewed in FIG. 1A) of each floating gate 16, 16, . . . is the same as that of each control gate 17, 17, . . . , and the length (length in the right/left direction as viewed in FIG. 1A) of each floating gate 16, 16, . . . is formed shorter than the width of each NAND basic block. The memory cell array is constructed by disposing the NAND basic blocks 10 in matrix in the up/down right/left directions as viewed in FIG. 1A.
The equivalent circuit of the NAND basic block 10 is shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, two NAND basic blocks 10 and 10 disposed right and left are shown. As seen from FIG. 2, the equivalent circuit of each NAND basic block 10 is constructed such that between the source 13 and the data line 20 (DL1, DL2),.the select gate transistor 31, eight memory cells 32 to 39, and select gate transistor 40 are serially connected. The transistors 31 and 40 are inputted with select gate signals SG1 and SG2, respectively, and word lines WL1 to WL8 are connected to the control gates 17 of the memory cells 32 to 39.
The data erase/write operation of eight memory cells 32 to 39 each made of a floating gate transistor will be described hereinbelow.
As understood from FIG. 3A, data are erased by applying a high voltage, e.g., 15 V to the control gate 17 and connecting the source 15 and drain 15 to a 0 V ground potential. By applying a high voltage to the control gate 17, the control gate 17 and the floating gate 16 are electrostatically coupled so that the potential of the floating gate 16 rises and electrons are injected from the source 15 or drain 15 into the floating gate 16 via the gate oxide film 22. This is called an erase state, and the stored data at this state is defined as a "1" level. The threshold voltage of the memory cell at this state becomes about 2 to 3 V as shown in the characteristic curves of FIG. 4.
As understood from FIG. 3B, data are written by setting the control gate 17 at 0 V, making the source 15 in an open state, and applying a high voltage to the drain 15. In this case, electrons are emitted to the drain 15 from the floating gate 16, and the threshold voltage of the memory cell becomes about -5 V as shown in the characteristic curves of FIG. 4. The stored data at this state are defined as a "0" level.
The operation of the NAND basic block 10 show in FIGS. 2 and 1A will be described with reference to Table 1.
TABLE 1 __________________________________________________________________________ ORDER OF WRITING DATA CELL 1 CELL 2 CELL 3 CELL 4 CELL 5 CELL 6 CELL 7 CELL 8 READ ERASE (32) (33) (34) (35) (36) (37) (38) (39) (EXAMPLE) __________________________________________________________________________ SG2 15V 20V 20V 20V 20V 20V 20V 20V 20V 5V WL8 15 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 0 5 WL7 15 20 20 20 20 20 20 0 0 5 WL6 15 20 20 20 20 20 0 0 0 5 WL5 15 20 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 5 WL4 15 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 0 5 WL3 15 20 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 WL2 15 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 WL1 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SG1 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 DL1 0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 1 DL2 0 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 0 __________________________________________________________________________
Data are erased by setting the data line DL1, DL2 to 0 V, SG1 to 5 V, SG2 to 15 V, and word lines WL1 to WL8 to 15 V. In this state, all the drains and sources of the memory cells 32 to 39 become 0 V so that all the data in the memory cells 32 to 39 are erased collectively.
Data are written sequentially and selectively starting from the memory cell 32 (cell 1) nearest to the select gate transistor 31. First, in order to write data in the cell 32, SG1 is set to 0 V, data line DL1 to 20 V, DL2 to 10 V, and SG2 to 20 V. Next, word line WL1 is set to 0 V, and all the other word lines WL2 to WL8 to 20 V so that the memory cell 32 is selected and data are written therein. The threshold voltage of the memory cell whose data have been erased is about 3 V, whereas that of the memory cells 33 to 39 (cell 2 to cell 8) with a high voltage being applied in a write state is about 5 V while taking the substrate effect into consideration. As a result, the drain of the memory cell 32 is applied with (gate voltage of the memory cell 33)--(threshold voltage of the erased memory cell)=(20 V-5 V)=15 V, so that electrons are emitted from the floating gate to the drain via the gate oxide film (indicated at 22 in FIG. 1B) having a thickness of 100 .ANG., in other words, data are written in the memory cell 32.
In writing data in the next memory cell 33, word lines WL1 and WL2 are set to 0 V, and all the other word lines WL3 to WL8 are set to 20 V. In a similar manner, data writing is sequentially performed up to the memory cell 39 with voltages being set as shown in Table 1.
If data are not written in a selected memory cell, i.e., if the "1" level data are remained unchanged, data line DL1 is applied with 0 V or 10 V instead of 20 V. In this case, a voltage is not applied between the floating gate and the drain, or an applied voltage is small, so that data are not written.
As described above, data writing is sequentially performed for eight memory cells starting from the memory cell 32 on the source side. The reason for this is that if data are written into a cell without using this data writing order, a high voltage (20 V) is applied to the word lines of the other cells already written, and 0 V is applied to the drain, to thereby produce an erase state and erase the data in the other cells. By using the above-described data writing order, it is possible to prevent the written data from being erased.
Furthermore, while a data erase/write operation is carried out for the block 10 on the data line DL1 side, the other data line DL2 is applied with about 10 V which is an intermediate voltage between the write and erase operations. This is carried out for preventing erroneous data erase/write relative to the memory cells connected to the data line DL2.
Furthermore, while one NAND basic block is selected and data are written, in the other NAND basic blocks connected to the block vertically (in the up/down direction as viewed in FIG. 1A), SG2 is set to 0 V and the word lines WL1 to WL8 are set to 0 V so as to prevent erroneous data erase/write.
The data read operation from the NAND basic block is carried out in the following manner. For example, in FIG. 2, consider the case wherein data are read by selecting the memory cell 32 in the NAND basic block connected to the data lines DL1. In this case, as shown in Table 1, DL1 is set to 1 V, SG1 and SG2 to 5 V, the selected word line WL1 to 0 V, and the other word lines WL2 to WL8 to 5 V. The non-selected data line DL2 becomes a floating state, and takes approximately 0 V. If the stored data in the selected memory cell 32 are of the "1" level (threshold voltage of +3 V), the control gate voltage is 0 V so that it takes an off-state. As a result, in the selected NAND basic block 10, current will not flow between the data line DL1 and the ground potential so that the "1" level data are sensed with a sense amplifier (not shown) connected to the data line DL1. On the other hand, if the stored data in the selected memory cell 32 is of "0" level (threshold voltage of -5 V), the memory cell 32 takes an on-state even if the control gate voltage is 0 V. In this case, the control gate voltages of the other memory cells 33 to 39 are 5 V and these memory cells 33 to 39 take an on-state irrespective of the stored data. Therefore, in this basic block, current flows between the data line DL1 and the ground potential so that the "0" level data are sensed with the sense amplifier.
In a conventional memory having NAND basic blocks described above, memory cells can be disposed at the pitch of the word lines (control gates 17), and only a single contact 21 is used for a plurality (e.g., eight) of memory cells, allowing a larger number of memory cells per unit area and providing a structure suitable for miniaturizing a large capacity memory. A conventional memory, however, has the following problems.
A first problem is as follows. Since a NAND basic block has a NAND type cell structure with a plurality of memory cells connected in series, it is necessary for reading data from a selected memory cell to turn on other non-selected and erased memory cells. It becomes necessary to therefore turn them on by using a 5 V gate voltage and to maintain the threshold voltage smaller than or equal to about 3 V (at least smaller than or equal to 5 V). Similarly, it is also necessary to maintain the threshold voltage of the selected and erased memory cell larger than or equal to about 1 V (at least larger than or equal to 0 V). It is difficult however, to uniformly erase all memory cells of a large capacity memory of large scale such as 1 M bits or 4 M bits as variation will necessarily occur. If such variation causes the threshold voltage of even one erased memory cell to move out of the range from 0 V to 3 V, then the memory becomes a defective one. It is very difficult to design and manufacture a memory capable of uniformly and reliably erasing the data of all memory cells.
Apart from the above, in order to speed up the data read speed, it is necessary to make a larger current flow in a NAND basic block which includes a memory cell storing "0" level data. Also in this case, if the threshold voltage of a non-selected memory cell whose gate is applied with 5 V, is 3 V, it is not possible to make the on-current sufficiently large. For instance, in a NAND basic block designed on the basis of a 1 .mu.m rule, a cell current only in the order of several .mu.A flows during data reading, which is not suitable from the standpoint of increased speed.
A second problem of a conventional memory is the necessity of high voltage withstanding. During data writing into the memory cell 32 for example, the threshold voltage of the memory cells 33 to 39 is about 5 V so that a high voltage of 20 V becomes necessary to efficiently write data in the memory cell 32. For this reason, a sufficiently high voltage withstand is required for peripheral circuits, while posing another problem of lowering the reliability due to voltage stress applied to memory cells.

Non-volatile semiconductor memory and method of manufacturing the same


A swing arm assembly (10) for use in converting a motorcycle into a tricycle is described which includes a rear axle assembly (12) and a swing arm (14) having a first end (16) and a second end (18). The first end (16) is adapted for pivotal attachment to a motorcycle chassis. The swing arm (14) is detachably secured to the rear axle assembly (12). A pair of axle engaging members (22) are secured in spaced relation to the rear axle assembly (12). A pair of telescopically extendable/retractable members (24) are provided having a first end (26) and a second end (28). The first end (26) of each telescopic member (24) is telescopically received in one of the axle engaging members (22). The second end (28) of each telescopic member (24) is attached to the second end (18) of the swing arm (14) after a continuous belt for a belt drive is slid loosely into position. The telescopic members (24) are telescopically extendable once the continuous belt is in position to place the belt in proper operating tension.

The conversion of a motorcycle into a tricycle involves removing the single rear wheel of the motorcycle and replacing it with a rear axle assembly of the tricycle. The rear axle assembly is mounted to the motorcycle chassis by means of a pivotally mounted swing arm assembly.
Modern motorcycles are driven by a belt drive, which is considered as superior to a chain drive which the belt drive replaced as an industry standard. However, when a motorcycle having a belt drive is converted into a tricycle, the custom in the industry is to convert the drive system from a belt drive to a chain drive. Although this is acknowledged as a regressive step, it is generally considered unavoidable that this be done as the swing arm assembly prevents the installation of a continuous belt drive. In comparison the swing arm assembly does not prevent a chain drive from being installed as two of the interconnecting links of the chain can be separated to pass the chain around the barrier formed by the swing arm assembly.
The closest known prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,449 which issued to D'Addio et al in 1982 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,960 which issued to McConnell in 1981. The D'Addio reference is the primary reference which discloses a swing arm assembly that includes a rear axle assembly and a swing arm having a first end and a second end. The first end is adapted for attachment to a motorcycle chassis. The second end has attachment means. Means is provided for detachably securing second end of the swing arm to the rear axle assembly. The McConnell reference discloses an alignment mechanism which enables alignment to be adjusted by means of a bolt during the assembly of a conversion kit.


Apparatuses, methods, systems, and program products are disclosed for modifying the enabled features of a hardware component at the time of use. An apparatus includes a processor and memory that stores code executable by the processor. The code is executable by the processor to obtain a feature of the hardware component that is not enabled and generates an encrypted code associated with the feature of the hardware component to be enabled. The apparatus processes a payment for the cost of enabling the hardware component and enables the feature of the hardware component in response to the association of the payment processed with the encrypted code for the feature of the hardware component.

Computing devices have various resources on a hardware component that can be enabled through firmware and system software on the device. The hardware component is designed to execute programs, run system software, process data, or the like. The computing device model's base configuration is generally characterized by the enabled and disabled features on the hardware components.

Smart inclusion of technology at time of use


An analysis method includes: acquiring first path information indicating a first movement path, first velocity information of a first moving body on the first movement path, second path information indicating a second movement path, and second velocity information of a second moving body on the second movement path; calculating, based on a specific rule, a similarity between the first velocity information and the second velocity information when the first path information and the second path information are extracted as candidates to be integrated; determining, based on the similarity, whether the first path information and second path information are to be integrated; and generating graph information to draw at least a part of the first path information and at least a part of the second path information as a single path when it is determined that the first path information and the second path information are to be integrated.

Traditionally, there is a technique for executing analysis related to a path of a moving body as spatial information analysis. For example, there is a technique for executing an origin-destination (OD) search so as to search, from a plurality of trajectory data items that are actually observed data, a path on which a specified point is an origin or a destination. In addition, there is a technique for analyzing, from a plurality of trajectory data items, frequent ODs that are combinations (for example, Shinjuku station and Shibuya station, Shinagawa station and Ikebukuro station, and the like) of origins and destinations that appear a predetermined number (for example, 10) of times or more. In addition, there is a technique for analyzing, from trajectory data items, a partial path such as a path extending from Shinagawa station through the outer track of Yamanote line to Ikebukuro station, for example. Furthermore, there is a technique for analyzing, from trajectory data items, a frequent partial path that is a partial path that appears a predetermined number (for example, 10) of times or more. In the path analysis, if a path to be analyzed is identified based on a road network, map data, or the like, appropriate analysis results may be obtained by associating the path with trajectory data items.
In addition, a technique for analyzing a state of a moving body or the like based on information, such as trajectory data or the like, on a movement of the moving body has been proposed. For example, for a device configured to predict a state of a vehicle, a device configured to identify a traveling location by a predetermined road unit and acquire a measurement result indicating the state of the vehicle during the traveling on the road unit has been proposed. The device organizes measurement results obtained from the same road unit into a group and generates traveling data including measurement data based on the measurement results belonging to the group. The device associates the traveling data with the road unit corresponding to the group, stores the traveling data, and predicts the state of the vehicle based on the distance of the road unit.
In addition, a car navigation system has been proposed, which accumulates traveling history data including information of trajectories and velocities of many vehicles that have actually traveled and searches the optimal traveling path using the data.
Techniques related to the above description are disclosed in, for example, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publications Nos. 2008-282263, 2012-63260, 2013-148574, and 2012-27557.


An apparatus for producing a high purity stream of ozone including a reaction chamber having an inlet and an outlet, a gaseous feed stream having a first purified component and an ultraviolet source. The gaseous feed stream enters the reaction chamber through the inlet, the first purified component includes oxygen, the ultraviolet source forms ozone from the oxygen, and the ozone exits the reaction chamber through the outlet.

Ultraviolet light can drive both useful and detrimental chemistry. Useful chemistry can include activating oxygen, e.g., forming ozone, which activated oxygen can subsequently be used for other purposes such as cleaning optics. It should be noted that although the activation of oxygen may be desirable, the activated oxygen may have some detrimental effects such as attacking adhesive polymers. Detrimental chemistry driven by UV light alone, i.e., without the oxygen, can include degrading polymers and turning contaminants into graphite.
Optical assemblies are used in a wide variety of industries. Through the course of fabrication, assembly and operation, the optical assemblies and optical elements included therein are exposed to a number of contaminants. The contaminants affect both the performance and the overall life span of the assembly and the discreet elements. While current cleaning techniques are largely effective, the UV light in the current method can cause deposits to form on the optical assembly and/or elements, e.g., graphite deposits, thereby causing permanent damage and shortened lifespans.
The current standard in cleaning optical assemblies involves ozone generation by passing UV light through the optical assembly while simultaneously passing an oxygen containing purge gas through the optical assembly. Thus, diatomic oxygen is exposed to ultraviolet radiation within the optical assembly. Typically, optical assemblies have an ultraviolet light source built into the unit and a purge gas stream containing oxygen gas flowing through the optical assemblies. Ozone is generated when the purge gas stream, containing oxygen, is introduced into the assembly and is exposed to UV light. The oxygen reacts with the UV light causing the formation of ozone and oxygen radicals in the optical assembly. These two components, ozone and oxygen radicals, are powerful oxidants resulting in an effective cleaning agent.
While the ozone and oxygen radicals clean the optical assembly, there are a number of side effects. For example, the adhesives in the optical assembly undergo accelerated degradation, i.e., UV light causes accelerated decomposition of adhesive polymers. This, in combination with the already high oxidation effect of the ozone and oxygen radicals, causes the adhesives to degrade at an accelerated rate, significantly decreasing the life span of the optical assembly. Moreover, the current technology can cause graphite deposits on an optical element, contributing to decreased lifespan of the optical assembly. The reaction between the contaminants and ultraviolet light causes the formation of graphite. The graphite gets deposited on the optic element, e.g., a lens. However, there is currently no way of easily removing the graphite from the lens without potential further damage to the lens; therefore, the deposit can be effectively permanent. Graphite deposits absorb UV light during operation and can cause permanent coating damage, i.e., the performance of the lens is decreased. Furthermore, the propagation of the ultraviolet light into the optical assembly makes this method of ozone generation ineffective in cleaning the assembly walls. The ultraviolet light generally enters at the top of the optical assembly, e.g., above the lens. The purge stream is directed around the optic. As the ozone is created, it cleans the wall of the assembly and the top of the lens in the general vicinity of the entry point for the purge stream.
Although ozone may remain stable for a reasonable length of time, i.e., it can travel some distance, oxygen radicals are very reactive and will react with the first surface contacted. At times, the ozone will convert to diatomic oxygen before it can reach the small crevasses between the adhesive or the underside of the lens. Therefore, because the ozone may break down before it can spread to the entire assembly, the known methods are ineffective in cleaning the entire optical assembly.
The generation of ozone is known in the art. In fact, ozone is the preferred method of cleaning in many industrial processes. However, ozone is not stable enough to enable bulk storage and transportation. Therefore, ozone must be produced near its location of use. Existing methods of generating ozone are generally effective and permit cleaning in an industrial setting; however, the known methods of ozone generation for optical assembly cleaning have several side effects that decrease the life span of the optical assembly. For example, known methods of ozone generation produce "dirty" ozone which includes contaminants that drive the contamination of optics that contact the "dirty" ozone. Furthermore, ozone is of great importance in an industrial setting as it is highly effective in removing contaminants, especially spores and microbes.
Thus, there is a long felt need for an optimized high purity ozone generating assembly constructed completely of industry standard materials used for the cleaning and recovery of optical assemblies which ozone generating assembly produces ozone that does not leave behind harmful contaminants.

High purity ozone generator for optics cleaning and recovery


Disclosed is a semiconductor storage device in which a cell array including a plurality of cells in need of refresh for data retention includes the redundancy area, which has a plurality of redundant cells for replacing faulty cells of a normal area within the cell array. When the redundancy area is tested, a refresh counter circuit for generating and outputting refresh addresses rearranges the address in such a manner that a row address of the redundancy area is substantially reduced and placed on a lower-order bit side inclusive of the LSB of the counter.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a semiconductor device having a memory that includes cells in need of refresh for data retention.
2. Description of Related Art
In a DRAM (Dynamic Random-Access Memory) provided with redundant cells for rescuing faulty cells, a faulty cell detected by for example a wafer test, is replaced with a redundant cell. More specifically, a word line of a faulty cell is replaced with a redundant word line in a redundancy area by fuse programming (fuse blowing) of a redundancy decoder circuit. As a result, when an X address (row address) to be accessed matches an X address of the faulty cell, a redundancy decoder circuit selects a redundant word line in the redundancy area based upon the fuse-programmed information and accesses the redundant word line instead of the word line of the faulty cell.
As an example of the related art, Patent Document 1 (JP Patent Kokai Publication No. 05-342859) describes an arrangement having a circuit for receiving a test mode signal, exercising control in such a manner that only higher-order bits (nine higher-order bits) higher than a specific bit of the output signal of a refresh address counter are fixed at the same level, and exercising control in such a manner that lower-order bits (two lower-order bits) are changed by counter operation, wherein when a CBR(CAS before RAS) cycle is executed, higher-order bits (nine higher-order bits) of an internal row address are fixed at HIGH, only lower-order bits are changed and only some word lines are selected. As an example of manipulating bit position, Patent Document 2 discloses an arrangement in which an address generator for FFT (Fast-Fourier Transform) computation includes a rearranging unit in which the order of bits from the most significant bit to the least significant bit of a parallel register is reversed. With regard to a test of a redundancy arrangement, see the description of Patent Document 3, etc.
[Patent Document 1]
JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-05-342859
[Patent Document 2]
JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-05-266059
[Patent Document 3]
JP Patent Kokai Publication No. JP-A-05-210998


A method of treating atopy-evoked pruritic symptoms by administering a prostaglandin derivative.

Recent years have seen a rapid increase in the number of patients with pruritic symptoms as from atopic dermatitis, atopic conjunctivitis and senile xerosis. These diseases are accompanied by an intense itch sensation of obscure etiology and itch-evoked scratching behavior is believed to induce inflammations in mucous membranes or skin. Therefore, eliminating an itch sensation is crucial to the elimination of those symptoms.
Pharmaceutical preparations conventionally used to treat chronic dermatitis include steroids for external application, antihistamines and antiallergics. However, the use of steroids is restricted for the side effects they may cause as a result of prolonged continued use, and no antihistamines or antiallergics have been obtained that are completely satisfactory in terms of therapeutic efficacy.
Heretofore, antipruritics have been assessed by administering histamine, serotonin and other pruritogens into the skin of animals and measuring their itch-evoked scratching behavior. However, it was recently reported that the manifestation of an itch due to pruritic symptoms as in atopic dermatitis is not simply the reaction caused by histamine, etc. that are released from mast cells (J. Dermatological Science 25, 20-28, 2001).
Therefore, it is desired to develop antipruritics that depend on a new mechanism of action for preventing and treating pruritic symptoms as in atopic dermatitis.
A prostaglandin has been reported to be a prurigenic component (J. Am. Acad. Dermatol. 47, 28-32, 2002) but its use as an antipruritic is not known.


Traps are disclosed for controlling flying insects such as wasps. The traps are pre-packaged with attracting liquid prior to sale, and then sealed with a peel-off film in a manner that prevents leakage prior to use. When the trap is about to be used, the peel-off film is removed to expose both a trap entry and a pivotable stand. A rain/sun shield is then mounted on the stand, preferably with the upper portion of the stand projecting through the shield to form part of a hanger.

The present invention relates to traps for controlling flying insects. More specifically, it relates to an insect trap which can be pre-loaded with liquid or other flowable attracting material prior to sale, yet provide ready access to the attracting material once the trap is installed for use.
A variety of traps have been devised for trapping flying insects. Some of these traps rely on electricity to power attracting or retaining devices. Others use materials which are toxic. Still others use replaceable sticky sheets. While these approaches do create functional insect traps, it is desired to have insect traps for certain applications which do not require electrical power, toxic materials, or replaceable sticky sheets.
A variety of traps have been developed for controlling wasps, yellow jackets and bees based on the concept of using an essentially "one-way" entrance which leads to an attracting liquid supply. The entrance in such devices is typically quite small and tapered inwardly. The wasp or other insect enters the trap, samples the liquid, and then attempts to leave. However, because the entrance is so small at its junction to the attractant holding cavity the insect typically fails to find the exit, becomes exhausted from trying to do so, and then ultimately drowns in the non-toxic attracting liquid. See e. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,637,149 and 6,789,351. The disclosure of these patents, and of all other publications referred to herein, are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
However, this type of trap was typically designed so that the homeowner had to mix up a batch of sugar water (or other attracting material), pour that material into the trap, and then install the trap at the point of use. This required the homeowner to become involved in mixing the attractant (with the attendant possibility of creating a non-optimal concentration and/or experiencing a spill), and in any event this type of system could be time consuming when multiple traps were to be installed.
A need therefore exists for improved insect traps of the above kind, particularly where the improvement relates to how the attracting liquid is provided.