An array of charge trapping nonvolatile memory cells is arranged in several columns of cells, each arranged in a series, such as a NAND string. Each cell stores no more than a single charge storage state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory, and more particularly to charge trapping memory with limited charge storage states per charge trapping memory cell.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrically programmable and erasable non-volatile memory technologies based on charge storage structures known as flash memory are used in a variety of modem applications. As the dimensions of integrated circuits shrink, greater interest is arising for memory cell structures based on charge trapping dielectric layers, because of the scalability and simplicity of the manufacturing processes. Memory cell structures based on charge trapping dielectric layers include structures known by the industry name PHINES, for example. These memory cell structures store data by trapping charge in a charge trapping dielectric layer, such as silicon nitride. As negative charge is trapped or positive charge is removed, the threshold voltage of the memory cell increases. Conversely, the threshold voltage of the memory cell is reduced by removing negative charge from the charge trapping layer or adding positive charge to the charge trapping layer.
Charge trapping memory cell structures such as PHINES take advantage of the localized charge storage nature of charge trapping, by storing multiple charge storage states. Unlike the floating gate structure, which is an essentially equipotential structure with material such as polysilicon, localized charge storage materials are not equipotential, and can store different amounts of charge in distinct portions of the same charge storage structure. Thus, a single charge trapping memory cell can store, for example, two distinct charge storage states—one physically located by the source of the memory cell, and another physically located by the drain of the memory cell.
However, the scalability of such PHINES structures may be more limited, because the multiple charge storage states of a single memory cell will interact with each other, despite being separated physically in the same charge storage structure. This interaction between multiple charge storage states of a single memory cell will worsen as the size of memory cells shrinks.
Although the PHINES structure with multiple charge storage states of a single memory cell is less scalable, the charge trapping structure of the memory cell with its localized charge storage nature remains advantageous, because less charge is required to program a particular memory cell. Unlike equipotential structures such as floating gates, programmed charge added to a charge trapping structure will not diffuse automatically throughout an entire charge storage structure, which allows changes in the charge storage state of a charge trapping structure to be effected with less total charge.
Thus, a need exists for a nonvolatile memory cell which takes advantage of the localized charge storage nature of charge trapping memory cells, without suffering the scalability issues resulting from storing multiple charge storage states in a single nonvolatile memory cell.

Method and apparatus for operating a string of charge trapping memory cells


A jet burner construction, a heating apparatus utilizing the jet burner construction and methods of making the same are provided, the jet burner construction comprising a burner body having a chamber therein and having an inlet leading to the chamber for directing fuel from a fuel source therein and an outlet leading from the chamber and defining an outlet opening through which the fuel is adapted to issue from the chamber to burn externally to the burner body, the burner body having wing-like extensions respectively disposed on opposite sides thereof for respectively interconnecting with adjacent wing-like extensions of adjacent burner constructions, the wing-like extensions each having a side edge and an elongated outlet slot extending along the side edge thereof and interconnecting with the outlet opening and through which fuel is adapted to issue so as to burn external to the wing-like extensions, each slot having a certain height throughout the elongated length thereof, each wing-like extension having a chamber therein that interconnects with the chamber of the body and is adapted to feed fuel from that body chamber to the respective slot thereof along a major portion of the elongated length thereof, each chamber of the wing-like extensions having a height throughout the length thereof that is greater than the certain height of its respective slot.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new jet burner construction and to a new heating apparatus utilizing such jet burner construction as well as to new methods of making such a jet burner construction and such a heating apparatus.
2. Prior Art Statement
It is known to provide a jet burner construction comprising a burner body means having a chamber means therein and having an inlet means leading to the chamber means for directing fuel from a fuel source therein and an outlet means leading from the chamber means and defining an outlet opening means through which the fuel is adapted to issue from the chamber means to burn externally to the burner body means, the burner body means having wing-like extensions respectively disposed on opposite sides thereof for respectively interconnecting with adjacent wing-like extensions of adjacent burner constructions, the wing-like extensions each having a side edge means and an elongated outlet slot means extending along the side edge means thereof and interconnecting with the outlet opening means and through which fuel is adapted to issue so as to burn external to the wing-like extensions, each slot means having a certain height throughout the elongated length thereof, each wing-like extension having a chamber therein that interconnects with the chamber means of the body means and is adapted to feed fuel from the chamber means to the respective slot means thereof along a major portion of the elongated length thereof. For example, see applicant's allowed copending U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 456,722, filed Dec. 26, 1989.

Jet burner construction, heating apparatus utilizing the jet burner construction, and methods of making the same


A system and method to interact with a hardware device of a processing system. An interpreted language code defining how to interact with the hardware device of the processing system is provided. The interpreted language code is interpreted to interact with the hardware device of the processing system prior to entering an operating system runtime mode of operation of the processing system.

Modern computers are complex computing systems, evolving at an ever-increasing rate. With rapid evolution of technologies, original equipment manufacturer ("OEM") system builders are presented with the difficult task of providing seamless integration between cutting edge technologies and legacy technologies. As a result, these OEM system builders often resort to ad hoc methods to integrate the new with the old. These ad hoc methods, while often providing a sufficient solution, often fail to fully leverage the advantages of these new technologies.
One such new technology is the Advance Configuration and Power Interface ("ACPI"), defined in the ACPI Specification, Revision 2.0a, Mar. 31, 2002 developed in cooperation by Compaq Computer Corp., Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp., Phoenix Technologies Ltd., and Toshiba Corp. The ACPI Specification was developed to establish industry common interfaces enabling robust operating system ("OS") directed motherboard device configuration and power management of both devices and entire systems. ACPI evolves an existing collection of power management BIOS code, Advance Power Management ("APM") application programming interfaces ("APIs"), and the like into a well-defined power management and configuration interface specification. ACPI provides a way for an orderly transition from existing legacy hardware to ACPI hardware, and allows for both ACPI and legacy mechanisms to simultaneously exist within a single processing system.
The ACPI specification further describes a programming language, called ACPI Source Language ("ASL"), in which hardware designers can write device interfaces, called control methods. ASL is compiled into ACPI machine language ("AML") and the AML control methods placed in ACPI tables within system memory for use by the OS to interact with hardware devices.
The basic input output system ("BIOS") sets up the ACPI tables during the boot process (i.e., pre-boot runtime); however, the BIOS itself does not use the AML control methods to interact with the hardware devices of the processing system. Instead, the BIOS relies on BIOS APIs, generally stored in nonvolatile flash memory, to perform the very same interactions with hardware devices as are described by the AML control methods. These BIOS APIs are usually coded in C and compiled into machine language binaries for use by the BIOS.
Thus, OEM system builders must include two independent sets of coded device interfaces—APIs for use by the BIOS and AML control methods for use by the OS—to perform the same tasks. This ad hoc integration of the new ACPI technology with the old BIOS API legacy is wasteful both in terms of limited nonvolatile flash memory and OEM system builder time. Furthermore, this ad hoc integration fails to fully leverage the advantages of ACPI.
For example, AML is a declarative language which describes how a particular interaction with a hardware device may be accomplished and allows the entity calling the AML control method to decide whether or not it wishes to execute the particular tasks described. AML increases system reliability by bounding and guarding the operation of low-level management code. In other words, AML is transparent as to its internal or physical level operations. In contrast, BIOS APIs are defined by an imperative machine language called binaries. An entity calling a binary has no idea how or what the binary executes to accomplish the requested hardware task. Because BIOS APIs are manipulating hardware registers to control hardware devices, the computing system is particularly vulnerable to errant writes and other failures. Prior experience with BIOS APIs shows that they are a rich source of problems. Thus, API binaries do not provide the level of supervision and transparency of operation, as provided by AML control methods.
Another deficiency with API binaries is their lack of portability between software platforms. API binaries are compiled to execute within a particular platform environment. Where as AML control methods abstract the physical implementation through use of an OS interpreter. The OS interpreter interprets the AML control methods on the fly thereby accommodating various software platforms. The OS interpreter (a single entity) may need to be platform specific, but the multitudes of AML control methods are platform independent.

Pre-boot interpreted namespace parsing for flexible heterogeneous configuration and code consolidation


A fluid bearing that utilizes a variable width groove is described. The fluid bearing includes two surfaces that are rotatable relative to one another, with a groove on at least one of the surface. The borders of the groove are a non-constant width from one another.

Hard disk drives are used in almost all computer system operations. In fact, most computing systems are not operational without some type of hard disk drive to store the most basic computing information such as the boot operation, the operating system, the applications, and the like. In general, the hard disk drive is a device which may or may not be removable, but without which the computing system will generally not operate.
The basic hard disk drive model was established approximately 50 years ago and resembles a phonograph. That is, the hard drive model includes a storage disk or hard disk that spins at a standard rotational speed. An actuator arm with a suspended slider is utilized to reach out over the disk. The arm carries a head assembly that has a magnetic read/write transducer or head for writing or reading information to or from a location on the disk. The complete head assembly, e.g., the suspension and head, is called a head gimbal assembly (HGA).
In operation, the hard disk is rotated at a set speed via a spindle motor assembly having a central drive hub. Additionally, there are tracks evenly spaced at known intervals across the disk. When a request for a read of a specific portion or track is received, the hard disk aligns the head, via the arm, over the specific track location and the head reads the information from the disk. In the same manner, when a request for a write of a specific portion or track is received, the hard disk aligns the head, via the arm, over the specific track location and the head writes the information to the disk.
The spindle assembly includes bearing components—specifically, fluid dynamic bearings—that support rotation of the disk. These fluid dynamic bearings create fluid pressure between the stationary and rotating sections of the spindle assembly. Current fluid dynamic bearing geometries have tradeoffs with respect to performance metrics such as stiffness, damping, stability (the propensity to ingest air), and running torque (power consumption).

Fluid bearing with a variable width groove

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.


An error processing method processes an error generated on a bus of a CPU, by inputting a bus error that is generated on at least one of an instruction bus and a data bus of the CPU to the CPU by a bus error input part, counting the bus error by a bus error counter part of the CPU, and specifying a region of a memory part that is coupled to the CPU based on a value of the bus error counter part.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to error processing methods and information processing apparatuses, and more particularly to an error processing method for processing a bus error that is generated in an instruction bus or a data bus, and an information processing apparatus provided with a CPU or the like having a Harvard architecture.
2. Description of the Related Art
For use in vehicles and the like, there are demands to provide a parity check or ECC check function for a memory part in a CPU of a microprocessor. In the conventional CPU, if an error is generated during a bus access, the correct instruction code cannot be supplied to the CPU, and the CPU has to be halted. One method of avoiding such a halting of the CPU is to input an external interrupt to the CPU when the error is generated during the bus access, but according to this method, there is a possibility of executing the instruction code for which the bus error is generated before a jump is made to the interrupt routine. In addition, since the CPU does not always execute the instruction code that makes the bus access, as in the case of the jump instruction, there is a possibility of generating a meaningless interrupt.
Furthermore, in the case where the CPU has the Harvard architecture in which the instruction bus and the data bus are separate, there is a possibility that, after a bus error is generated on the instruction bus for a certain instruction, a data bus error will be generated for an instruction that is executed before the certain instruction. For this reason, it is necessary to process the data bus error with a priority over the instruction bus error. For example, the FR series Reduced Instruction Set Computer (RISC) microcomputer manufactured by Fujitsu Limited of Japan is one example of the microprocessor provided with the CPU having the Harvard architecture. In such a CPU, if an undefined instruction is generated, an exception handler within an instruction sequencer of an instruction decoder part is started, so as to generate instructions for fetching a start address of an undefined interrupt routine and instructions for saving contents of a Processor Status (PS) register that indicates the CPU status and a Program Counter (PC) register by an Exception Interrupt Trap (EIT) process, and to jump to the interrupt routine.
FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing a structure of an important part of a conventional CPU. The conventional CPU shown in FIG. 1 generally includes a fetch part (F-part) 101, a decode part (D-part) 102, an execute part (E-part) 103, a memory access part (M-part) 104, and a general-purpose register part 105.
The F-part 101 carries out an instruction fetch to acquire the instruction code using an internal instruction bus Ibus. The fetched instruction code is set in an intermediate register Tf, and the address in this state is set in an intermediate register Tia_f. The F-part 101 includes an Ibus access controller 111.
The D-part 102 interprets the fetched instruction code, and prepares the data necessary for the operation (or computation) and the operation mode (addition, subtraction, etc.) to be executed by the E-part 103. More particularly, the operation mode of an operation unit (ALU) 132 within the E-part 103 is decoded from the fetched instruction code, and register values to be used for the operation are set in intermediate registers Ta and Tb. A value to be written is set in an intermediate register Tdd when writing via an internal data bus Dbus. When an internal error caused by an external interrupt, an undefined instruction or the like is generated, an exception handler 122 within an instruction sequencer 121 jumps to an interrupt routine, and thus, the D-part 102 automatically supplies instructions for reading an interrupt vector table and saving contents of the PS register and the PC register of the general-purpose register part 105. A decoder 123 and a multiplexer 124 are provided within the instruction sequencer 121. The D-part 102 includes an intermediate register Tdec for latching the operation mode that is decoded by the instruction sequencer 121, a matrix (or selector) 125, and a multiplexer 126.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart for explaining an operation of the instruction sequencer 121 within the D-part 102 of the conventional CPU. After newly fetching an instruction code, the instruction code is input to the D-part 102 (step S1), and the instruction code is decoded (step S2). If the instruction code is normal as a result of the decoding, the operation mode of the instruction and the contents of the general-purpose register part 105 necessary for the operation are set in the intermediate registers Tdec, Ta, Tb and Tdd, and supplied to the E-part 103 (step S3). Thereafter, in the next cycle, the next instruction is input and the decoding is started.
If the decoded result is an undefined instruction or an external interrupt, the vector address is acquired from the vector table so as to jump to the routine of the exception interrupt, and the operation mode for computing the jump address and the contents of the general-purpose register part 105 necessary for the operation are supplied to the E-part 103 (step S4). The technique which uses the vector table is often used as a method of jumping to the exception process, because the data of each address within the vector table points to the start address of the corresponding exception process, and the data of each address is also referred to as the vector address. In the next cycle, the operation mode for saving the content of the PS register and the contents of the general-purpose register part 105 necessary for the operation are supplied to the E-part 103 (step S5). Thereafter, the operation mode for saving the content of the PC register and the contents of the general-purpose register part 105 necessary for the operation are supplied to the E-part 103 (step S6). The steps S4 through S6 form the EIT process. Thereafter, a check is made to determine the existence of other interrupts or errors (step S7), and the next instruction is decoded if no other interrupt or error exists (No in step S7). On the other hand, the vector address acquisition by the EIT process is repeated if other interrupt or error exists (YES in step S7).
The E-part 103 receives the operation mode signal and the operation data from the D-part 102, and carries out the operation. More particularly, the E-part 103 carries out the operation of the instruction, and sets a result obtained by the operation unit 132 in an intermediate register Te. If a register hazard is generated due to the combination of instructions, the E-part 103 uses a register bypass route 131 to directly set the intermediate registers Ta or Tb and Tdd for making input to the E-part 103 from the output of the operation unit 132. The E-part 103 includes an intermediate register Ted that is set with the output of the intermediate register Tdd within the D-part 102.
The M-part 104 receives the data from the E-part 103, and makes a write or read with respect to the memory part using the internal data bus Dbus. More particularly, the M-part 104 makes a write or read with respect to the memory part, the general-purpose register part 105 (PC, R0 to R15) or the like for the operation result of the instruction. The M-part 104 includes an intermediate register Tia_m and a Dbus access controller 141.
The general-purpose register part 105 forms the internal registers of the CPU, and includes the PC register, the PS register, the operation registers R0 to R15, and a multiplexer 151.
In FIG. 1, ID denotes an instruction code, IA denotes the address of the instruction code, and iaccess, irdy, IRDY and ISZE respectively denote the access request of the instruction code, the ready output of the instruction code, the ready input of the instruction code, and the size of the instruction code. In addition, DA, DDout and DDin respectively denote the address of the data, the output data, and the input data. Furthermore, daccess, drdy, DRDY and DSIZE respectively denote the access request of the data, the ready output of the data, the ready input of the data, and the size of the data.
The address of the instruction is stored in the intermediate registers Tia_f→Ria_dec→Tia_e→Tia_m of the parts 101 through 104. If the operation result is set in the operation register Ri (i=0 to 15) for a certain instruction and the operation register Ri is to be used for the next instruction, the operation result set in the operation register Ri will not reach the D-part 102 in time. For this reason, a route that enables the output of the operation unit 132 to be set in the intermediate register Ta or Tb, that is, the register bypass route 131, is provided.
The processes of the instructions are carried out in the order in which the instructions are fetched by the CPU. Each instruction successively transferred to the F-part 101, the D-part 102, the E-part 103 and the M-part 104, every time one clock is input, and the CPU operates according to the instruction. If an instruction I1 is fetched by the F-part 101 and this instruction I1 is transferred to the D-part 102 in response to the next clock, the F-part 101 simultaneously fetches an instruction 12 in response to this next clock. Such an operation is repeated, and a pipeline processing of the instructions 11 through 15 is made, as shown in FIGS. 3 through 8. FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the conventional CPU. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a state (1) shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a state (2) shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a state (3) shown in FIG. 3, FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a state (4) shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a state (5) shown in FIG. 3. In FIGS. 4 through 8, nop denotes a "no operation".
The conventional CPU does not have a bus error input means. Hence, if an error such as a parity error is generated in the memory part, an instruction that is executable by the CPU cannot be prepared externally, and the CPU halts. In addition, if the CPU fetches the instruction, detects a parity error, and uses an external interrupt to indicate the parity error detection, there is a possibility of executing the instruction for which the bus error is generated. Moreover, even if the CPU fetches the instruction and detects the parity error, when the fetched instruction is not executed due to execution of a jump instruction or the like, a meaningless interrupt will be generated. Furthermore, if the bus error is generated on the instruction bus, the data bus error for the immediately preceding instruction is generated later, and it is necessary to take into consideration the priority order of the processes.
For example, a Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 6-242977 proposes a 1-chip microprocessor that is constructed to detect the parity error of the address of data.
Therefore, according to the conventional CPU having the Harvard architecture, there was a problem in that it is difficult to appropriately process a bus error that is generated on an instruction bus or a data bus.

Error processing method and information processing apparatus


An electronic communications network technology, referred to as 100BASE-TD, offers full duplex operation and robust performance on marginal CAT5 wiring. It highly leverages 100BASE-TX functional blocks and is very complementary to 100BASE-TX, for example with regard to such 100BASE-TX features as auto-negotiation. In particular, the invention provides a carrierless IDLE that requires very low power during ambient operation.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to electronic communications networks. More particularly, the invention relates to a high speed physical layer for CSMA/CD systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, a number of technologies have been developed to solve customer needs for higher bandwidth networking. Of these technologies, several approaches have been developed in the IEEE's 802.3u committee to meet various customer wiring installations. While these technologies have their particular capabilities, each has its own specific shortcomings as well.
For example, 100BASE-TX technology offers full duplex operation at 125 MHz, yet it only requires two pair of cables when it is used on category 5 UTP or shielded twisted pair (STP). Further, 100BASE-TX is widely supported by industry. Unfortunately, this technology provides only marginal signal quality on poor to moderate CAT5 data grade unshielded twisted pair cable (UTP). See the ISO/IEC1801 Wiring Specification. 100BASE-TX is very difficult to Implement because of Its high bandwidth requirements. Thus, although this technology may be implemented with two pair of cables, in fact it requires all four pair of an unshielded twisted pair cable to ease noise sensitivities. Further, interoperability is difficult to achieve because of the small signal margin available, e.g. 1 volt peak amplitude during transmit. Because this technology is implemented using a continuous carrier technique that requires carrier coding, it is sensitive to noise, e.g. a single bit error can lead to the false detection of carrier sense. Finally, it should be noted that continuous carrier requires high power during ambient operation. This makes 100BASE-TX technology unattractive for low power or portable applications, such as for use with laptop computers.
100BASE-T4 technology supports CAT 3, 4, and 5 UTP cable. However, this technology only operates at half duplex, which limits its application for switched environments. At this time, there is no significant industry support for this technology because, for example, the complex waveshaping required to implement this technology has made interoperability difficult to achieve. Finally, performance of this technology is only marginal on CAT3 wire.
100BASE-T2 supports CAT 3, 4, and 5 UTP cables. Further, this technology provides full duplex operation. However, complex signalling requirements of this technology mandates the use of a digital signal processor (DSP). At this time, there is no known industry support for this technology. Finally, it should be noted that this technology is implemented with a continuous carrier that requires high power during ambient operation. This makes 100BASE-T2 technology unattractive for low power or portable applications, such as for use with laptop computers.
As can be seen from the above discussion, each of the existing technologies has substantial limitations. None of the 100BASE-TX alternatives share any common coding logic with 100BASE-TX and, therefore, there is no benefit to creating a multi-technology PHY using 100BASE-TX as the common base technology.
It would be advantageous to provide an electronic communications network technology that offered full duplex operation and robust performance on marginal CAT5 wiring, while taking advantage of industry standard 100BASE-TX functionality. It would be particularly advantageous if such technology were complementary to 100BASE-TX, as well as compatible with such 100BASE-T features as auto-negotiation.

High speed physical layer for CSMA/CD systems


The present invention pertains to a process for the production of hydrogen and carbon dioxide from hydrocarbons involving:    a) supplying a gaseous stream of hydrocarbons and a molecular-oxygen containing gas to a first reaction zone having a fluidized bed of partial oxidation catalyst;    b) catalytically partially oxidizing the hydrocarbons in the gaseous stream at a temperature in the range of from 700° C. to 1400° C., to form a first effluent;    c) supplying a gaseous stream of hydrocarbons, steam and the first effluent to a second reaction zone containing a fluidized bed of steam reforming catalyst;    d) catalytically reforming the hydrocarbons fed to the second reaction zone at a temperature in the range of from 200° C. to 700° C.;    e) separating hydrogen from the reformed gas by a selective membrane in the second reaction zone; and,    f) removing a gaseous stream rich in carbon dioxide.

Hydrogen for fuel cells can be produced by means of fuel processing. In a fuel processor, a hydrocarbonaceous fuel is converted in a hydrogen-rich gas stream that can be used in a fuel cell for the generation of electricity. Typically in a fuel processor, the hydrocarbonaceous fuel is first reacted with oxygen and/or steam by means of catalytic partial oxidation, autothermal reforming, steam reforming, or a combination of one or more thereof to obtain a gas mixture comprising carbon oxides and hydrogen. The thus-obtained gas mixture is subsequently reacted with steam at a water-gas shift conversion catalyst to convert carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide with concurrent production of hydrogen. A gaseous stream comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide is thus obtained. This stream may be fed to a fuel cell.
Fuel processors that integrate steam reforming of hydrocarbonaceous streams with selective hydrogen removal are also described in the art, for example in WO 02/070402, U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,800, U.S. Pat. No. 6,348,278, U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,137, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,474. Such integrated steam reforming/hydrogen separation devices operate at lower temperatures than conventional steam reforming reactors and are not limited by normal equilibrium limitations. In such integrated devices, hydrocarbons are reformed to carbon dioxide and hydrogen according to (in the case of methane):CH4+2H2O→CO2+4H2Advantages of such integrated steam reformers/hydrogen removal devices as compared to fuel processors without integrated hydrogen removal are that a substantially pure stream of hydrogen is obtained and that no separate reaction zone for the water-gas shift conversion is needed.
In WO 02/070402, a fuel processor comprising a membrane steam reforming reactor is disclosed. The membrane steam reforming reactor comprises a fixed bed of steam reforming catalyst and a hydrogen-selective, hydrogen-permeable membrane for removal of hydrogen from the fixed bed. The membrane steam reforming reactor is heated by a flameless distributed combustor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,741,474, a system for producing high-purity hydrogen is disclosed. The system comprises a reforming chamber provided with a fixed bed of catalyst for steam reforming and partial oxidation and a hydrogen-separating membrane. The heat possessed by the portion of reaction gas not permeable into the hydrogen-separating membrane and the heat generated by the exothermic partial oxidation are utilised for heating and reforming.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,137 is described a steam reformer comprising a fixed bed of steam reforming catalyst surrounding at least part of a hydrogen-permeable, hydrogen-selective membrane and a fixed bed of catalytic combustion catalyst arranged around at least part of the fixed bed of steam reforming catalyst. The steam reforming bed is heated by the heat generated by the catalytic combustion of reforming byproduct gases.
In the integrated steam reforming/hydrogen removal processes of the prior art, a fixed bed of steam reforming catalyst is used. In a fixed bed of steam reforming catalyst, it is difficult to achieve an even distribution of the heat needed for the endothermic steam reforming reaction. Even distribution of a fixed bed requires special burners for distributed combustion and/or carefully designed steam reforming chambers, e.g. small annular chambers.
It would be desirable to find a process and reactor for the production of substantially pure hydrogen, wherein heat for the endothermic steam reforming reaction is efficiently provided to that reaction, and the carbon dioxide produced by the process is in a concentrated form.

Process for the production of hydrogen and carbon dioxide


Systems and methods are described for providing ways to protect client devices in communication with virtual desktops and virtual applications from keylogging attacks. A keyboard filter driver obfuscates scancodes from key presses produced on the keyboard of the client device so that malicious keylogging or keyboard hooking software is not able to observe user inputs. The obfuscated scancodes are conveyed and de-obfuscated before being applied in the virtual desktop or virtual application.

Virtual desktops and virtual applications are becoming more and more commonplace in today's enterprise work environments. The security of having a remotely stored desktop or application, ability to access the desktop or application from any location and on any device, centralized management, efficient use of hardware resources, as well as numerous other benefits made possible by virtualization technology is a large benefit for many organizations.
In a conventional virtual desktop or virtual application environment, a user is provisioned a virtual desktop or application and can access the virtual desktop or application over a remote network connection, such as a WAN connection. The virtual desktops and applications are typically hosted on servers that reside in a data center of the enterprise or a third-party service provider, and each host server may execute multiple virtual desktops and/or applications. Users can utilize a client device to remotely log into a virtual desktop or application and all of the desktop/application execution takes place on the remote host server that is linked to the local client device over a network using a remote display protocol, such as remote desktop protocol (RDP), PC-over-IP protocol (PCoIP), virtual network computing (VNC) protocol, or the like. Using the remote desktop protocol, the user can interact with the desktop or application running on the remote host server, with only the display, keyboard, and mouse information communicated with the local client device.
Particularly in industries where security is a priority, such as banking, medicine, etc., virtual desktops and applications have the benefit of an additional level of security not afforded by traditional, localized computing solutions because virtual desktop/application execution takes place on a secure server instead of the more vulnerable user device. For example, with virtual desktops/applications, malicious software on a client user device may be prevented from compromising or infiltrating sensitive applications/resources on the secure server since the client device only has access to the desktop/application UI (user interface) streamed to it from the server. Whereas, desktops and applications executing locally on user devices may be more vulnerable to malicious software that infects such devices. In addition, virtual desktop/application deployments typically implement additional sophisticated layers of security, such as firewalls, antivirus applications, reverse proxies (such as UAG (Unified Access Gateway)), etc., to provide further protection.
However, despite the higher level of security afforded by virtualization, virtual desktops and applications may still be vulnerable to certain types of threats, such as keylogging or keyboard hooking. In such an attack, malware on a user device can see and capture what a user is typing and transmit this information to the attacker. Thus, when the malware is installed on a client device used to access a virtual desktop/application, the attacker may gain access to sensitive information inputted by the user, such as passwords, messages, etc.
What is needed is a way to protect virtual desktops and virtual applications from keylogging attacks.

Secure virtual desktops and virtual applications with anti-keylogging capabilities


A check-out counter includes a side frame which has an entrance-side end and an exit-side end. A top plate is provided on the side frame and has a longitudinal direction. An accounting terminal is provided on the top plate. The top plate comprises a first end surface at the entrance-side end, a second end surface extending in the longitudinal direction from the entrance-side end to the exit-side end, and a circular rounded corner provided between the first end surface and the second end surface. The corner confronts an entrance part of an access lane related to the check-out counter and has a radius large enough for a customer to avoid interference with the corner when entering the access lane.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to check-out counters which are used in stores such as supermarkets for check-out of merchandise bought by customers.
Existing check-out counters, installed in stores such as supermarkets, are designed for physically normal customers only. Recently, stores such as supermarkets are on the way to improvements of convenience for physically disabled persons in wheelchairs. There is a demand for an improved check-out counter which enables the physically disabled persons to get easy access to the check-out counter.
(2) Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional check-out counter 10. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional check-out counter 10 generally has a side frame 11, a rectangular top plate 12 on the side frame 11, and an accounting terminal 13, such as a POS (point-of-sale) terminal, on the top plate 12.
The conventional check-out counter 10 is designed for normal customers only, not for physically disabled persons. The top plate 12 has a square corner 12a located near an entrance part of an access lane related to the check-out counter 10. The square corner 12a is slightly rounded so as to prevent the customer from being injured when the customer hits the corner 12a. The side frame 11 has a side surface 11a located adjacent to the access lane, and the top plate 12 has a side end surface 12b adjacent to the access lane. The side surface 11a is flat and parallel with the side end surface 12b of the top plate 12. The side surface 11a and the side end surface 12b are substantially flush with respect to a horizontal direction.
FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B show an arrangement of a conventional check-out facility using the conventional check-out counter 10 of FIG. 1.
The conventional check-out facility using the check-out counter 10 is usually arranged in a building as shown in FIG. 2A. This arrangement allows for use by the normal customers only. The check-out counter 10 is separated from a wall of the building, and an access lane 16 having a width W1 is provided between the check-out counter 10 and the wall of the building. The width W1 of the lane 16 is set at a width that is adequate for a normal customer 20 to pass through the lane 16 without interference with the check-out counter 10.
In order to enable a physically disabled person 22 in a wheelchair 21 to get easy access to the check-out counter 10, the conventional check-out facility using the check-out counter 10 must be arranged as shown in FIG. 2B. In the conventional check-out facility of FIG. 2B, the check-out counter 10 is separated from a wall of the building, and a wide access lane 17 having a width W2 greater than the width W1 is provided between the check-out counter 10 and the wall of the building. As the conventional check-out counter 10 is not designed for physically disabled persons in wheelchairs, the width W2 of the lane 17 to which the conventional check-out counter 10 is installed must be greater than a width of the wheelchair 21 by about 200 mm. The difference (about 200 mm) between the width W2 of the lane 17 and the width of the wheelchair 21 is called a margin width.
Generally, for many stores such as supermarkets, an internal area of a respective store where a plurality of check-out counters are installed is limited. If the check-out facility as shown in FIG. 2B, which allows easy access by the physically disabled persons, is placed in the internal area of such a store, the number of check-out counters 10 installed therein has to be reduced to a number smaller than the number of check-out counters 10 installed as shown in FIG. 2A.
On the other hand, the conventional check-out counter 10 is designed for normal customers only, and it is inconvenient to the disabled person 22 in the wheelchair 21 in several points. For example, the disabled person 22 in the wheelchair 21 must take a circuitous course, as indicated by a line 25 in FIG. 2B, when entering the access lane 17, such that the wheelchair 21 does not interfere with the corner 12a of the check-out counter 10. It is inconvenient to the disabled person 22 to put a shopping bag on the top plate 12 from a position of the wheelchair 21. It is not easy for the disabled person 22 to see a customer display of the accounting terminal 13 from the position of the wheelchair 21. It is also difficult for the disabled person 22 to place money on or receive change from a cash container above the top plate 12 of the check-out counter 10.

Check-out counter accessible to disabled persons


A method for associating a team with a meeting for prospective meeting includes receiving a meeting invitation comprising first information, wherein the first information comprises data identifying the prospective meeting attendees, receiving second information for a plurality of teams, wherein the second information comprises data identifying members for each one of the plurality of teams, comparing the first information with the second information to determine a match metric for each one of the plurality of teams, and determining a matching team from the plurality of teams for which the match metric is above a match threshold value. The method further includes, in response to determining that the match metric is below the match threshold value computed for each one of the plurality of teams, creating a new team, and associating one of the matching team or the new team with the meeting for prospective meeting attendees.

Team collaboration via various software applications has become increasingly popular over the years. This rise in popularity may be due, at least in part, to the fact that many project team members may be working from multiple remote locations. As such, the need may arise for diverse teams to efficiently communicate with each other while completing a project.
Technology has been developed to address the needs of team collaboration. For example, some collaboration systems have been created that allow users to collaborate on single documents or shared folders across a broad geographical region. Modern collaboration systems may be configured to enable users to exchange text messages, images, audio, video, as well as data files. Further, modern collaboration systems may allow for the creation of collaboration groups, also referred to as teams. A team may be created for a given project, with discussions related to the project confined to data communications between the collaborators of the team. Besides using teams, collaboration frequently involves scheduling a meeting between some of the collaborators using various calendar-related applications, such as Outlook, Gmail, or other similar applications. The information available for scheduled meetings using calendar-related applications may need to be associated with a particular team for streamlining communication between the prospective meeting attendees. Such association may present challenges, as there can be multiple teams that can be selected to be associated with a particular scheduled meeting. Alternatively, a new team may need to be created if none of the existing teams can be determined to match the scheduled meeting.
The disclosed systems and methods for associating a team with a meeting address one or more of the challenges set forth above and/or other problems in the prior art.

Methods and systems for associating a team with a meeting


A card connector includes a housing for accommodating a card; a terminal for contacting with the card when the card is inserted into the housing; an ejection unit for placing the card and capable of sliding in the housing along a direction that the card is inserted into and pulled out; and a spring member for urging the ejection unit in a direction that the card is pulled out. In the card connector, the ejection unit includes an inclining member for inclining downwardly a portion of the ejection unit to be pulled out toward the direction that the card is pulled out when the spring member urges the ejection unit in the direction that the card is pulled out.

The present invention relates to a card connector, and more specifically, to a card connector with an ejection mechanism of a push-push type. In the card connector of the invention, it is easy to insert a card.
Patent Reference has disclosed a conventional card connector with an ejection mechanism of a push-push type. In such a card connector, a tray is disposed to eject outside the card connector for covering a bottom surface and side surfaces of a card, so that the card is inserted into the card connector. When the card is removed from the card connector, the tray is ejected again. Accordingly, a mechanism for ejecting the tray determines how easy a card can be inserted into the card connector.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2000-148927
In another type of conventional connector, instead of the tray, an ejector having a plate portion is used. In order to reduce a size of a card connector, the ejector is arranged to slide inside the card connector with a card mounted thereon, thereby not being ejected outside the card connector. Accordingly, in order to easily insert the card into the card connector, it is necessary to provide a large insertion opening for inserting the card.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a card connector with an ejection mechanism capable of solving the problems in the conventional card connectors.
Further objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.


Ultrasound catheter devices and methods provide enhanced disruption of blood vessel obstructions. Generally, ultrasound catheters include an elongate flexible catheter body with one or more lumens, an ultrasound transmission member extending longitudinally through the catheter body lumen and a distal head coupled with the transmission member and positioned adjacent the distal end of the catheter body for disrupting occlusions. Improved features of ultrasound catheters include prevention of independent rotation of the ultrasound transmission member, a safety anchor for the distal head, a one-piece transmission member/distal head and the like.

The present invention relates generally to medical devices and methods. More specifically, the present invention relates to ultrasound catheter devices and methods for treating occlusive intravascular lesions.
Catheters employing various types of ultrasound transmitting members have been successfully used to ablate or otherwise disrupt obstructions in blood vessels. Specifically, ablation of atherosclerotic plaque or thromboembolic obstructions from peripheral blood vessels such as the femoral arteries has been particularly successful. Various ultrasonic catheter devices have been developed for use in ablating or otherwise removing obstructive material from blood vessels. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,267,954 and 5,380,274, issued to an inventor of the present invention and hereby incorporated by reference, describe ultrasound catheter devices for removing occlusions. Other examples of ultrasonic ablation devices for removing obstructions from blood vessels include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,226 (Boyd), U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,717 (Pohlman, et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,153 (Parisi), U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,281 (Stasz), U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,062 (Kuris), U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,863 (Sterzer), U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,953 (Don Michael, et al), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,954 (Alliger, et al.), as well as other patent publications W087-05739 (Cooper), W089-06515 (Bernstein, et al.), W090-0130 (Sonic Needle Corp.), EP, EP316789 (Don Michael, et al.), DE3,821,836 (Schubert) and DE2438648 (Pohlman). While many ultrasound catheters have been developed, however, improvements are still being pursued.
Typically, an ultrasonic catheter system for ablating occlusive material includes three basic components: an ultrasound generator, an ultrasound transducer, and an ultrasound catheter. The generator converts line power into a high frequency current that is delivered to the transducer. The transducer contains piezoelectric crystals which, when excited by the high frequency current, expand and contract at high frequency. These small, high-frequency expansions and contractions have both longitudinal and transverse components (relative to an axis of the transducer and the catheter), which are amplified by the transducer horn into vibrational energy. The vibrations are then transmitted from the transducer through the ultrasound catheter via an ultrasound transmission member (or wire) running longitudinally through the catheter. The transmission member transmits the vibrational energy to the distal end of the catheter where the energy is used to ablate or otherwise disrupt a vascular obstruction.
To effectively reach various sites for treatment of intravascular occlusions, ultrasound catheters of the type described above typically have lengths of about 150 cm or longer. To permit the advancement of such ultrasound catheters through small and/or tortuous blood vessels such as the aortic arch, coronary vessels, and peripheral vasculature of the lower extremities, the catheters (and their respective ultrasound transmission wires) must typically be sufficiently small and flexible. Due to attenuation of ultrasound energy along the long, thin, ultrasound transmission wire, a sufficient amount of vibrational energy must be applied at the proximal end of the wire to provide a desired amount of energy at the distal end.
An ultrasound transmission wire is usually coupled at its proximal end with the transducer by means of a sonic connector. The sonic connector typically has a significantly larger diameter than that of the ultrasound transmission member, the difference in diameters helping to amplify the vibrational energy being transmitted from the transducer to the transmission wire. Several different means have typically been used for connecting the ultrasound transmission wire with the transducer via the sonic connector, such as complementary threads, pressure fitting and the like. One shortcoming of currently available devices is that they may allow the transmission wire to rotate independently from the catheter body. In these devices, it is not possible to rotate the ultrasound transmission wire by rotating, for example, a proximal handle or sonic connector assembly, since the transmission wire rotates freely and independently of the catheter body and such a proximal assembly.
Another potential drawback of currently available devices is that they often to not include optimal means for removing particles that are broken up or dislodged by the catheter. Yet another possible shortcoming is that many ultrasound catheter devices include a distal tip, as mentioned above, but do not have means for preventing the distal tip from migrating from the device into the patient's body if the tip breaks. Similarly, most ultrasound transmission members include multiple components for transmitting vibrational energy, which causes stresses at the connection points of the multiple components during use and potential breakage of the ultrasound transmission wire or other components. Also, ultrasound transmission wires are often exposed to increased amounts of stress due to one or more bends in patient vasculature, causing increased wear and tear on the transmission wire.
Therefore, a need exists for improved ultrasound catheter devices and methods that provide ablation or disruption of vascular occlusions. Ideally, such ultrasound catheters would include means for reducing or eliminating rotational motion of the ultrasound transmission wire relative to the catheter body. It would also be advantageous to have ultrasound catheters which included means for removing particles, preventing distal tip and ultrasound transmission wire migration, preventing stress at component connection points and/or preventing stress at bends in the catheter. Such catheter devices would ideally be sufficiently thin and flexible to be advanced through narrow, tortuous vasculature, such as the coronary vasculature, while also being configured to enhance the usable life of the ultrasound transmission wire. At least some of these objectives will be met by the present invention.

Method of manufacturing an ultrasound transmission member for use in an ultrasound catheter device


A method of layerwise building up an object from at least a first and a second light hardenable resin on a 3D printing device, and a 3D printing device that is configured to perform such a method. The 3D printing device has a build platform on which the object can be built up, a light-transmissive carrier comprising a plurality of recesses and a light projector for projecting a light-pattern through the carrier. The method has the steps of (a) partially building up the object and thereby providing an object-in-process; (b) coating a first surface area of the carrier with a first blank layer of the first light hardenable resin; (c) moving the carrier and thereby positioning the first blank layer between the build platform and the light projector; (d) bringing the object-in-process into contact with the first blank layer; (e) irradiating the first blank layer with a light pattern and thereby supplementing the object-in-process by a hardened layer; and (f) separating the supplemented object-in-process from the carrier.

In a variety of technical fields physical objects or mechanical workpieces are more and more manufactured by additive manufacturing processes.
Such additive manufacturing processes typically allow for building up an object in its desired individual shape by successively adding material to create that shape. Although additive manufacturing processes are widely used in the industry for rapid prototyping, the manufacturing of final products in many areas is still challenging. In particular for making dental restorations it is generally required to use materials that are compatible for use in a human body. Further, a dental restoration manufactured by additive manufacturing must exhibit the required mechanical stability and must fulfil expectations about aesthetics, for example concerning color shading and translucency.
Some additive manufacturing processes are based on hardening light hardenable resins in layers. The light hardenable resins are typically photo-polymerizable and harden locally in consequence of the exposure of light. A desired three-dimensional object can be built up by consecutively adding layers of a shape that is controlled according to the desired outer shape of the object. The object that is to be built up is typically prepared by computer aided design (CAD) and provided in the form of a three-dimensional computer model. The computer model of the object is virtually sliced into individual layers each of which having a particular shape that results from the outer shape of the object. The shape of the layers is determined by exposing such layers to a light pattern that corresponds to the shape of the respective slices.
In many cases the manufacturing focuses on providing the object at a desired shape. Although there are also applications in which objects are provided at a desired color, there is still a need for a method and device which allow the making of objects having multiple colors or a color gradation. In particular there is still a need to provide dental restorations by additive manufacturing at a color gradation that resembles that of natural teeth.
WO 2012/053895 A1 (DSM) describes an additive fabrication apparatus comprising a movable foil guiding stage having a contact face and comprising on opposite sides of the contact face a pair of upper and lower foil guiding elements, the lower foil guiding element defining a foil height position distanced from the contact face, for guiding a foil including a liquid layer to or from the contact face to contact a tangible object by movement of the foil guiding stage along the tangible object while keeping the foil stationary relative to the object. An energy source is arranged for at least partially solidifying at least part of an intersection pattern in the liquid layer arranged on the foil and in contact with the tangible object.
US 2008/0206383 A1 (Hull et al.) relates to a solid imaging apparatus and methods for use that reduce the amount of uncured solid imaging build material remaining on a completed build object following the completion of the solid imaging build process. The amount of uncured build material is reduced through the use of either an uncoating web that removes excess build material from the build object during the course of the building process or an ink jet source of build material that uses only as much build material as is necessary for the fabrication of the build part.

Method of layerwise building up an object and a 3D printing device for performing such a method


A microcomputer system facilitates the connection of peripheral devices to a computer unit with a plurality of external ports for connecting to external peripheral devices. In one embodiment of the invention, a set of adhesive strips is attached to positions adjacent to the ports. Each strip in the set has a distinct color. Another embodiment of the invention includes an adhesive strip having a plurality of color coded regions, each of the color coded regions being placed adjacent to a separate one of the external ports.

The present invention relates generally to microcomputer systems, and more particularly to methods and devices for facilitating the connection of peripherals or the like to a microcomputer.
The power of microcomputers has grown drastically since the introduction of first generation microcomputers (such as the Altair 8800). The Altair 8800 was sold to electronic hobbyists in kit form. It had 256 bytes of RAM. Programs were entered into the RAM by entering binary instruction codes using switches. About all that the computer could do was to blink a few lights. It had no keyboard, no external storage device for storing data or program, and no video monitor.
Better computers were soon introduced. All of them had keyboards. They used dumb terminals as display devices. Cassette tapes and floppy diskettes were used as external storage media. Programs could be written in high-level languages such as BASIC and FORTRAN. Operating systems (such as CP/M) were developed for microcomputers. Business oriented programs, such as an electronic spreadsheet called VisiCal, were also introduced.
The microcomputer market took off with the introduction of IBM personal computer and compatible computers (collectively, the xe2x80x9cIBM PCxe2x80x9d). More than a hundred million IBM PCs had been sold. One of the reasons for the success of the IBM PC is that it is a microcomputer with open architecture, i.e., the technical standard for attached peripheral devices and boards to the IBM PC is in the public domain, thus allowing many vendors to make and sell competing products to owners of the IBM PC. Buyers are more willing to invest in the IBM PC because they will not be locked into products supplied by just one vendor.
As a result of the hugh market and the associated revenues, many companies, including chip, board and peripheral device manufacturers, spent millions of dollars to improve the performance of the IBM PC and related products. Consequently, the IBM PC and peripheral devices became more powerful. At the same time, the price of IBM PCs and peripherals decreased as a result of economy of scale. Soon, microcomputers became useful tools for general purpose usage instead of toys for hobbyists or special instruments used in laboratories.
The first segment of society which bought a large number of IBM PCs was the business segment comprising large and medium size companies. As of today, the business segment still represents a substantial portion of the microcomputer market. The microcomputers are used in these companies to run word processor, spreadsheet, and database software.
As a result of IBM PC""s open architecture, it is often necessary to assemble several peripheral devices to a main computer unit in order to build a complete microcomputer system. This assembling process is not easy because many connectors and cables look substantially the same. Consequently, the companies in the above mentioned business segment hire computer professionals, either in-house or outside consultants, to set up and maintain microcomputers.
Currently, the price of an IBM PC is within the reach of many families and small offices. These families buy microcomputers to run education software for children and entertainment software for the whole family. The home computers also allow office workers to take some of their works home. At the same time, many small offices discover that they can save money by using a microcomputer to perform many functions which previously required professional helps, such as accounting. In addition, standard word processor, spreadsheet and database software allow an office to be run more efficiently. Consequently, the home and small office computer market become a very important part of the microcomputer market.
Typically, persons who buy a home or small office IBM PC do not have any training in computer hardware. Some of them even cannot identify the names of the peripheral devices which need to be connected to the main computer unit. However, these buyers cannot afford to hire high-priced consultants to set up the computers for them. The stores which sell them computers cannot afford to send a technician to every home or small office to set up the computers because of the low profit margin in selling computers. Consequently, these buyers encounter a great deal of frustrations in setting up their computers. Thus, there is a need to design microcomputer systems which can be easily set up by these inexperienced buyers.
The present invention involves a microcomputer system designed to facilitate the connection of peripheral devices to a computer unit. The computer unit has a plurality of ports for connecting to external peripheral devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a set of adhesive strips is attached to positions adjacent to the ports. Each strip has a distinct color. The present invention also covers other means for providing color coding to the ports, such as painting.
The microcomputer system also contains at least one peripheral device. The device is designed to be electrically matched to one of the ports. In one embodiment of the present invention, the peripheral device contains a cable and a plug. The plug has a color which is substantially the same as the strip associated with the matching port. Thus, a user merely has to match the color of the plug to the color of the strip in order to determine the correct way to connect the peripheral device to the computer unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the cable instead of the plug can be color coded. In a further embodiment of the present invention, both the cable and the plug can be color coded.
These and other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims.

Microcomputer system with color coded components

Abstract: The microcomputer system also contains at least one peripheral device. The device is designed to be electrically matched to one of the ports In one embodiment of the present invention, the peripheral device contains a cable and a plug. The plug has a color which is substantially the same as The strip color associated with the matching port. Thus, a user merely has to match the color of the plug to the color of the strip in order to determine the correct way to connect the peripheral device to the computer unit. Alternately, the cable instead of the plug can be color coded or both the cable and the plug can be color coded. In yet another embodiment of the invention, one or more adhesive strips each also have a commonly used icon, identifying the peripheral device whose plug is designed to connect with the external port, adjacent to which the adhesive strip has been attached.


A holder with a device for holding a flexible circuit board is provided. The holder comprises at least one further device for holding at least one component such that the component may be electrically connected to or disconnected from the circuit board.

The present invention relates to a holder with a device for retaining a flexible circuit board.
Electrical connections between and within complex subassemblies are increasingly being realized using flexible circuit boards, also referred to as flexible foils. In comparison with electrical cable connections, these have a series of advantages. A flexible circuit board allows good movement of components of the subassemblies in relation to one another, in particular also during fitting. Furthermore, in comparison with conventional cables, a flexible circuit board takes up less space and, at the same time, can be subjected to relatively high mechanical loading. A flexible circuit board is used to connect, for example, various electronic components, such as sensors, actuators, etc., electrically to a control electronics unit. The prior art discloses various holders for connecting such electronic or mechatronic components electrically to the flexible circuit board and for retaining the flexible circuit board itself For example, there are holders in existence which provide strain relief for the flexible circuit board during fitting and operation of mechanical and/or electronic components which can move in relation to one another.
The object of the invention is to provide a holder for flexible circuit boards which allows particularly straightforward and cost-effective fitting of the flexible circuit board and of the components connected thereto.
This object is achieved by the features of the independent claim.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are given in the dependent claims.
The invention builds on the retaining means of the generic type for flexible circuit boards in that the holder has at least one further device for retaining at least one component, it being possible for the component to be connected to the flexible circuit board. It has proven to be advantageous to provide, on the holder for the flexible circuit board, retaining devices for further components which can be connected to the flexible circuit board. This reduces the number of retaining means during production and subsequent fitting, and the overall production costs decrease as a result. Furthermore, the component or the further components is/are already located in the immediate vicinity of the flexible circuit board to which they are to be connected. This reduces the necessary length of the connecting paths, makes it easier to arrange the components which are to be connected and reduces the number of additional connecting elements required between the circuit board and component.
In the case of a likewise preferred embodiment, it is provided that the component forms an electrical connection. This may be, for example, the electrical connection of a sensor, of an actuator or of other electrical components which are to be connected electrically to the flexible circuit board. It is thus possible, on the holder, for individual components of the subassemblies to be connected to the flexible circuit board itself by means of the component. It is thus possible for any mechanical or thermal loading which may occur during fitting or operation to be absorbed by the component, which, in comparison with the flexible circuit board, can usually be better equipped in this respect.
In the case of an alternative embodiment, it may be provided that the component forms an active element. A short connection between the element and the flexible circuit board is advantageous, in particular, in the case of active elements.
Moreover, it may advantageously be provided that the active element is a sensor. In particular sensors profit from particularly short connecting paths since often only low signal heights are present and/or undesirable interference signals may be impressed on the measuring signal as a result of long connecting paths.
In the case of a likewise preferred embodiment, it is provided that the sensor is a displacement, a speed and/or a temperature sensor. For example, it is possible for an active element comprising a combination of a speed sensor and a temperature sensor to be fastened on the holder and for the plug-in connection thereof to be connected to the flexible circuit board.
In the case of an advantageous embodiment, it may be provided that the component has a leadframe. It is thus possible, in particular, for leadframe ends of a sensor which have been secured by injection molding to be advantageously retained and positioned.
It may likewise advantageously be provided that the component has a strain relief device. Such a strain relief device may be advantageous in a number of application cases. For example, the flexible circuit board itself may require a strain relief device upon contact connection with an electronics unit. Furthermore, however, it is also the case that the further components which can be fastened on the holder are often connected to mechanically loaded components both during fitting and during operation. In this case, it is likewise possible to provide devices on the component which absorb tensile forces for example in cables, sheathed leadframe ends, etc.
Analogously, it may likewise be the case with an advantageous embodiment that the component provides an antikink means. It is preferably even possible to realize a strain relief device and antikink means in a single suitable form of the component.
Furthermore, in the case of a likewise preferred embodiment, it may be provided that the further device essentially secures the position of the component in relation to the holder. In particular in the case of components which can be electrically connected directly to the flexible circuit board, it is advantageous to secure the position of the second component relative to the holder, thus also relative to the flexible circuit board. This does away with the need for a further positioning step, which would be necessary according to the prior art. Furthermore, this results in a higher degree of reliability during operation of the subassembly as a whole since, in the case of a corresponding configuration of the holder, it is not possible for the position between the flexible circuit board and component to change.
A likewise advantageous embodiment provides that the connection between the component and the holder, the connection being created by means of the further device, is releasable. This is advantageous, in particular, in respect of fitting and/or repair.
In particular, a likewise advantageous embodiment provides that the further device is a latching device and/or plug-in device. This facilitates the installation of the component during fitting and/or repair or changeover work.
A further, likewise advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the component has a guide for electrical connections. This makes it possible to facilitate the handling of the component and the connections, in particular, during fitting and repair work.
The invention is based on the finding that, in a central retaining and/or carrying element, it is possible to combine in one part a number of functions which are usually performed by a number of separate parts. The central carrying element here performs the following functions: it retains and fixes a flexible circuit board, and it forms a strain relief device and an antikink means for the flexible circuit board upon contact connection with an electronics unit. Furthermore, the carrying element performs the functions of retaining and positioning connections, in particular a plug-in connection of a sensor, and feeds the flexible circuit board to this sensor. Furthermore, it is also possible for cable and leadframe connections of sensors to be retained and positioned on this carrying element.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH


An ion-based triple sensor is disclosed. The ion-based triple sensor may include an ion sensing unit, configured to measure an ionic current intensity, a pressure sensing unit, configured to measure a pressure, and a temperature sensing unit, configured to measure a temperature. The ion-based triple sensor may further include a signal processing unit coupled to the ion sensing unit, the pressure sensing unit and the temperature sensing unit. The signal processing unit may include a filtering component, configured to filter at least one of the ion, pressure and temperature measurements, and a data acquisition component, configured to sample the filtered measurements and communicate the samples to a controller.

In a combustion chamber of a diesel engine as well as aftertreatment components, malfunctions of the air inlet valve, exhaust valve, and/or injector may lead to knock, misfiring, and out-of-phase combustion. To detect these malfunctions, an engine control module (ECM) usually relies on in-cylinder pressure measurements at particular crank angles. For example, pressure measurements may be obtained by a quartz pressure sensor installed in the combustion chamber or aftertreatment components. However, the measured pressure data are reliable only after averaging tens of engine cycles, and thus, result in significant delays in engine and/or aftertreatment component fault detection. The delay prevents the ECM from promptly adjusting control parameters to avoid catastrophic events of engine operation. Therefore, it is desirable that the sensor provides timely feedback to the ECM as early as the first engine cycle.
Furthermore, a chemical reaction status in the combustion chamber or an aftertreatment component may be indicated by multiple characteristic parameters, such as pressure, temperature, and ion current intensity. Therefore, it may be helpful that a sensor can measure these characteristic parameters at the same location and combine them to determine the unique chemical reaction condition. In addition, it may also be beneficial if the sensor has a self-validation function to monitor and detect sensor faults using its own measurements.
An apparatus for detecting knock in an internal combustion engine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,409 to Tanaya et al. ("the '409 patent"). The '409 patent describes an apparatus for accurately distinguishing knock from normal noise in the internal combustion engine. The apparatus includes an ion-current detection device for detecting an ion current flowing between the electrodes following combustion in the combustion chamber, a knock detection device for detecting knock occurring following an abnormal rise in either pressure or temperature in the combustion chamber, a center-of-gravity calculation device for calculating a gravity position of an ion current waveform, and a knock determination device for determining knock or noise based on outputs of the knock detection device and the center-of-gravity calculation device.
Although the knock detection apparatus described in the '409 patent may be effective for detecting knock in the internal combustion engine, it may be problematic. For example, the knock detection apparatus described in the '409 patent relies on an abnormal rise in either the steady-state pressure or the steady-state temperature to detect the knock, and thus may not be capable of providing timely and accurate feedback to the ECM shortly after startup, as the machine has not been operated long enough for the temperature or pressure sensor to reach steady-state operation. Furthermore, although the apparatus described in the '409 patent measures multiple characteristic parameters (e.g., ion current, pressure/temperature, etc.), these measurements are obtained from sensors that are located in different parts of the engine. As a result, the apparatus described in the '409 patent may not be able to determine a chemical reaction status corresponding to a single location, as the pressure measurement data may have been gathered from a different part of the engine than the ion current data. In addition, the apparatus described in the '409 patent may lack self-validation functions.
The disclosed ion-based triple sensor is directed towards overcoming one or more of the shortcomings set forth above.


A laser is used to a form information indicative of a pattern on a surface of a support piece formed from a compressed wood fiber product substrate. The pattern can be a wood grain. The field of the laser is increased, to allow lazing more of the material at once. According to an embodiment, the field is increased in a way that does not reduce the resolution of the lasing.

Engineered wood fiber products with a variety of different surfacing materials find wide application in commercial and residential countertops, bathroom fixtures, store fixtures, trade show displays, flooring and wall panels, furniture and a host of other building material interior components. A typical engineered wood fiber product substrate may be formed of MDF (medium density fiberboard), particle board, or products manufactured from wood fiber products—which can include wood fragments, sawdust, or any other wood parts, with various resins.
MDF is a common wood fiber product material consisting of about 92% wood fiber product and 8% resins. Particleboard is composed of wood fiber product and sawdust. Such products are also used in furniture, shelving, countertop substrates, etc. Surfacing materials may cover the surface of the wood fiber product substrate. The surfacing materials may include laminates, veneers, foils, acrylics, top coated paper, melamine and thermal fused melamine and others, such as some type of coating or paint. These surfacing materials may cover the substrate surface, thereby converting the engineered wood products to a final finished product such as a bookshelf, desk or kitchen countertop. Laminates are synthetic materials typically made up of several layers of multiple sheets of brown paper, a decorative paper and a melamine or plastic-type coating. Of course, there are many other constructions and materials used in the production of laminates. For example, laminates for flooring typically are formed of several layers. The top wear layer is cellulose paper impregnated with clear melamine resins. Below this layer is the decorative layer—a photo or pattern printed on paper and strengthened with resins. The core is usually a durable fiberboard type wood fiber product. Other such products are composed of mainly wood fiber product and wood fiber product recycled and recovered products with resins and/or glues to hold the wood fiber product together.
Finished products with different graphics and patterns, can be used for example, to simulate granite or wood grain structures. These effects may be obtained by manufacturers using laminates with decorative paper with a pattern printed on the paper. This may provide a more interesting effect as compared with a solid color printed paper, and other surfacing materials. An objective of this kind of finishing is to provide more attractive design surfaces to compete with granite and wood, yet offer a significantly reduced price. Whereas granite countertops may cost between $70-$100 a square foot, laminate countertops generally cost between $5-$20 a square foot.
However, a basic problem inherent in patterned laminates is that the patterns or graphics indeed look like they were "painted-on". Typical materials do not look like a part of the laminate surface or texture. It is often the reaction of consumers that such patterned laminates appear cheap and look cheap. No one is fooled to believe that a paper-patterned wood grain laminate is really wood or a paper-patterned granite laminate is really granite.
Cheaper materials may provide even poorer quality. Top coated papers, for example, may produce a relatively poor quality surface image. Melamine surfacing materials often require the melamine to be glued on both the top and bottom of the wood composite board to insure satisfactory structural integrity. Veneers produce an attractive wood grain appearance, but cause a marked increase in cost of the finished product.
Current design options limit the application and share of the market laminates hold in both the residential and commercial market sectors.

Engineered wood fiber product substrates and their formation by laser processing


A method for controlling the communication with mobile stations in a network, preferably in a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) according to the IEEE 802.11 standard, wherein the network comprises access points through which the mobile stations are associated with the network and wherein the mobile stations can be set to power save mode is—with respect to an especially energy-efficient operation of the mobile station-designed in such a way that paging signaling is performed in order to locate a mobile station.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for controlling the communication with mobile stations in a network, preferably in a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) according to the IEEE 802.11 standard, wherein the network comprises access points, over which the mobile stations are associated with the network, and wherein the mobile stations can be set to power save mode.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many mobile stations have in most cases wireless access to a network, with which they can, for example, access the Internet or e-mailboxes. The IEEE 802.11 standard represents a widely accepted access technology to wireless local networks (Wireless Local Area Networks, WLANs) and is more and more commonly used in private contexts and hotspots in order to access the internet. In case of mobile stations that are mostly run by power supplies that are independent from the electricity network, as for example by batteries, accumulators, or fuel cells, a utilization of the limited energy available as efficient as possible is particularly important. It is hence requested to de-activate individual functions of the mobile stations whenever they are not needed. Whenever needed, the availability of the functions should not be hampered though. Accordingly, also in case of wireless network accesses the activity of the sending and receiving function of the mobile station can always be reduced, when no IP packets are received or sent by the mobile station for a longer time. At the same time, it has to be ensured that also in power save mode possibly incoming packets can be received.
For this end, the IEEE 802.11 specification shows the basic mechanisms to support the network interface card (NIC) of mobile stations after having entered the power save mode (PSM). Furthermore, the IEEE 802.11 standard allows for a signaling of existent data traffic, as well as for forwarding of IP packets arriving at IEEE 802.11 access points (AP) to mobile stations that have entered PSM. The correspondingly relevant configurations are performed during an association process between the mobile device and an access point. Here, the mobile device gives information to the access point about parameters concerning its listen interval (LI), and in exchange the access point assigns the mobile device an association identifier (AID). The whole control of a mobile station in PSM is hence with the access point, i.e. the access point administers the state of the mobile station, buffers IP packets destined for the mobile station in power save mode, and informs the mobile station by a so-called traffic indication map (TIM) when packets have arrived that can be polled, i.e. collected, from the access point. Finally, the access point forwards the buffered data packets to the corresponding station, when the station retrieves the packets by an IEEE 802.11—specific signaling message (a so-called power save poll, PSP) packetwise.
For communication between a mobile station and an access point the AID acquired during the association process is used. In this context, it is problematic that the AID is only valid as long as the mobile remains associated with this particular access point. If the mobile station moves, a change of the coverage areas of individual access points is rather unavoidable. Consequently, as soon as the mobile station changes into the coverage area of another access point, a new association has to be performed and a new AID has to be requested. If a mobile station is in PSM, it has to leave the PSM in order to newly associate, and can re-enter PSM only afterwards. This leads to unnecessarily high power consumption, as compared to when the mobile station could stay in PSM due to a reduced activity. (See M. Liebsch, X. Perez-Costa, "Utilization of the IEEE802.11 Power Save Mode with IP Paging," In Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), Seoul, Korea, May 2005.)

Method for controlling paging signaling communication with mobile stations within a WLAN network


The nitrate-nitrogen concentration in soil is estimated based on the nitrate-nitrogen 200 nm absorption peak. In one embodiment, a device measures the attenuation spectrum of a soil-extractant mixture over a wavelength range that includes wavelengths in the vicinity of the 200 nm absorption peak (the spectral operating range) and then determines the nitrate-nitrogen concentration based on the attenuation spectrum.

1. Field of Art
The present invention generally relates to measurement of nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in soil.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nutrient levels in soil have significant spatial and temporal variations. Accordingly, there has been significant effort placed into development of local nutrient management schemes, often referred to as "precision agriculture," addressing nutrient level variation. Local nutrient management increases agricultural efficiency while reducing its environmental impact by allowing growers to locally apply nutrients where needed. Increases in nutrient costs and a growing awareness of the environmental consequences of current agriculture practices have made improvements in agricultural efficiency and environmental impact increasingly important.
Nitrate-nitrogen is one of most important nutrients for a variety of crops, but it is particularly mobile in the soil, making it subject to large spatial variations. The conventional approach to nitrate-nitrogen measurement is based on laboratory-based soil measurements. Soil samples are typically mailed to the labs, where the samples are unpacked, sorted, dried, ground, and then measured. This process is fairly expensive and can take up to two weeks before results are available. This can be a significant drawback.
As an example, in-season nitrogen management in corn-growing regions is often difficult because of the slow turnaround time of laboratory-based soil testing. Extending the time when corn growers are able to measure soil nitrogen levels would allow corn growers to test fields before their last application of fertilizer. This would enable corn growers to test fields later in the growing season and implement better nitrogen management practices. Further, allowing growers to promptly retest fields, such as retesting after a rain, would allow growers to adopt more efficient nitrogen management practices. Additionally, laboratory-based soil measurement costs scale directly with the number of samples, making it prohibitively expensive to sample at high grid densities.
As a result, there has been interest in developing faster, simpler and/or less expensive soil measurement techniques to expand the benefits of precision agriculture. Technologies used have ranged from mid-infrared (mid-IR) spectroscopy to ion-selective electrodes. However, each of these methods has suffered from some combination of expense, low accuracy, stringent calibration requirements or difficulty of use.
One approach is based on canopy sensors and satellite imagery that can measure NDVI (normalized difference vegetative index), which is essentially a color measurement that can be used to infer nitrogen needs. These methods are typically fast and operate on a relatively low cost/acre. Unfortunately, there are numerous interferences to NDVI measurements, as many factors can affect crop color, such as water needs and disease. Thus, it appears to suffer from low accuracy. Additionally, this method requires a dense crop canopy to be useful, which puts a tight operational limit on its use. It can only be used fairly late in the season.
There have also been several recent efforts to perform fast "on-the-go" measurements of soil nitrate-nitrogen using ion-selective electrodes. However, the fragility of the ion-selective membrane has caused significant problems with the robustness and reproducibility of soil measurements. Ion-selective systems also require frequent calibration, making them unappealing for routine field use.
Nitrate "strip tests," commonly available from scientific supply stores or from manufacturers, have also been used. However, nitrate strip tests typically suffer from poor accuracy compared to standard laboratory-based tests and require extensive sample preparation, including consumable reagents. For example, the standard preparation time for nitrate strip tests typically approaches 30 minutes, includes numerous preparation steps and requires precise timing of the reaction steps.
In another recent approach, optical absorption has been used for in-situ monitoring of soil nitrate content. However, this approach was based on a filtering method, in which an optical probe was encapsulated inside a porous stainless steel casing. As a result, the method suffered from very slow measurement times (in the tens of hours). In addition, this approach was focused on measuring the nitrate absorption peak at 300 nm. However, the peak at 300 nm has a relatively weak absorption cross section, and so presents difficulties when measuring nitrate concentration values typically found in agricultural soils. For example, experimental results based on the 300 nm peak typically do not demonstrate sensitivity below 100 ppm nitrate-nitrogen concentration, whereas agronomically relevant levels of soil nitrate-nitrogen concentration are in the 0-50 ppm range.
Accordingly, a rapid and economical soil nitrate-nitrogen measurement system could significantly increase the efficiency of agricultural nitrate use.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Measurement of nitrate-nitrogen concentration in soil based on absorption spectroscopy


A varactor is configured with first and second conducting layers, spaced apart from one another such that a given voltage can be applied across the first and second conducting layers. Further, an insulator arrangement includes at least one insulator layer disposed between the first and second conducting layers, configured to cooperate with the first and second conducting layers to produce a charge pool which changes responsive to changes in the given voltage such that a device capacitance value between the first and second conducting layers changes responsive to the given voltage. The insulator arrangement can include one layer, two distinct layers or more than two distinct layers. One or more of the layers can be an amorphous material. A zero-bias voltage version of the varactor is also described.

An electronic component that varies in capacitance, responsive to a bias voltage, is used in many modern-day electronic designs and is likely to be of continuing utility for the foreseeable future. Such devices are often referred to as "varactors". High speed varactors (i.e.—varactors whose capacitance can change very quickly with high frequency changes in voltage) find use as low-loss frequency multipliers as well as tuning elements in high-frequency circuits.
The state-of-the-art in the design of a varactor typically employs semiconductor materials to produce a p-n junction that is biased so as to vary the capacitance of the junction. While the use of a semiconductor-based design has been effective for its intended purpose, the present application discloses a new design which is intended to provide significant advantages over the use of a typical prior art p-n junction design, for example, with respect to device speed, as well as providing still further advantages.

The Regents of the University of Colorado


A system for supplying product information to a user by means of a computer interface at a client computer. A server computer supplies a list of product choices to the client computer so that a user can select one or more items from the list of product choices which in an exemplary embodiment is lamp component selections. The server computer responds to the user selection of the one or more items by providing a number of options concerning one or more characteristics of the product. The user chooses from the available options and the server searches a database for one or more products that produce a best fit to the customer specifications and conveying the results of said search to the user by means of the interface. A preferred system uses web pages to present the interface to the user and communications between the server and the client is via the internet.

The present invention concerns the automated selection of lamp components based on user supplied inputs and access to a database of component information based on the user supplied inputs.
Customers trying to purchase or find out about lamp components have traditionally called customer service representatives. After explaining their lamp needs, the customers have been told what products the lamp manufacturer had available to satisfy those needs. The customer service representative may have been using out of date information to try to match the customers stated needs with the products then available. Additionally, customers frequently want more information than they can get from a brochure or other documentation available to the customer service representative.
The present invention allows a potential customer to specify a product option or criteria and rapidly receive accurate up to the date product descriptions that most closely match that criteria.
One exemplary embodiment of the present invention features a method of supplying product information to a user by means of a computer interface. The interface presents a list of product choices and a means for a user to select one or more items from the list of product choices. In response to this selection a response is displayed which provides a number of options concerning one or more characteristic of the product. A user then makes choices concerning those options and based on these choices by the user, a computer searches a database for one or more products that produce a best fit to the customer specifications and conveying the results of said search to the user.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is performed by means of a computer server which accesses a database or databases concerning product characteristics and availability. An interface is presented on a viewing screen of a client computer with which the server computer communicates. This communications can occur over the Internet or via other suitable computer networks such as a local area network. The presently preferred interface is by means of Web pages that are viewed on a browser on the client computer.
These and other objects advantages and features of the invention will become better understood through a review of the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Selection and ordering of lamp components