The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for outputting video data of a video compact disc player. A video signal of lines 1 to 425 recorded in a PAL system is outputted as a picture signal under the control of the control section, and the caption detecting section detects and counts a horizontal synchronizing signal included in a video signal corresponding to a region of 200 lines ranging between lines 426 and 625 recorded in the PAL system to detect an edge component. Further, the data mapping section compresses by half the video signal corresponding to the detected region of 200 lines and provides a compressed video signal as caption data. Therefore, when a video signal recorded thereon in the PAL system is displayed via a display equipment of an NTSC system, the picture signal is displayed on a screen which ranges between lines 1 and 425, and the caption signal is displayed on a screen which ranges between lines 426 and 525. Consequently, the video signal is displayed without a loss of caption data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for outputting video data of a video compact disc player and more particularly, relates to the method and apparatus wherein caption data is displayed without a loss of outputted caption data while video data having caption data of a
system is reproduced via a display equipment of an NTSC system in a video compact disc player.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As audio/video recording media have made progress, optical disc players which record audio/video signals onto semipermanent optical discs and which reproduce recorded audio/video signals, have also developed.
More particularly, the optical disc players such as a compact disc player (referred to as "CDP"), a laser disc player (referred to as "LDP"), a compact disc graphic player (referred to as "CDGP"), a video compact disc player (referred to as "VCDP") and the like, have become increasingly used.
Also, because these optical disc players output video and/or audio signals recorded on the optical discs via speakers rather than via video and/or audio reproducing equipment and because they have a much higher signal-to-noise ratio than conventional video and/or audio reproducing equipment, they are capable of reproducing signals with even better quality(s) of picture and/or of sound, and do not produce a noise caused by unstable reproduction and modulation. Additionally, they have many advantages such as the reproduction of video and/or audio signals in a state which is almost not subjected to distortion and to ghost, a random access operation and the like, and thereby tend to rapidly make progress and to be widely used.
Meanwhile, as is generally known, video data is recorded together with audio data onto video compact discs (referred to as "VCD's") which are loaded into VCDP's among the optical discs which are loaded into the optical disc players to reproduce recorded signals therefrom, and provides sounds and pictures to users. Additionally, as is generally known, the video data which is recorded onto the VCD's would be recorded in a system of national television system committee (hereinafter, referred to as "NTSC") or of phase alternation by line (hereinafter, referred to as "PAL") or the like. Further, display equipment which is connected to VCDP's to provide sounds and pictures, would be display equipment of the system of the NTSC, PAL and the like.
Generally, video data of the PAL system which is displayed via display equipment of the PAL system has 625 scanning lines and video data of the NTSC system which is displayed via display equipment of the NTSC system has 525 scanning lines.
As a result, if a display equipment of the NTSC system display the video data which is recorded in the PAL system, it gives rise to a loss of a region corresponding to 100 lines which is placed at a lower end portion on a screen of the display equipment. In particular, as a conventional caption is placed at a lower portion of a screen, the above lost region corresponding to 100 lines is not even displayed or is displayed with most of the lost region thereof cut off.

Method and apparatus for outputting video data of a video compact disc player


An antenna apparatus includes an antenna, and a resin material provided between the antenna and a reflector (windshield). The resin material includes portions, and the thickness (or dielectric constant) of each portion of the resin material is determined in accordance with a length of a straight line connecting a feeding point of the antenna, each portion of the resin material, and the reflector. Therefore, a phase of a reflected wave can be easily adjusted, thereby improving a performance of the antenna.

Conventionally, a system such as an ETC, a VICS and a GPS has been widespread, and therefore an antenna used for such a system is commonly mounted in a vehicle. The antenna is typically mounted in or in the vicinity of an instrument panel provided in the front part of a vehicle interior, so as to favorably receive a radio wave from the outside of the vehicle.
On the other hand, well-known is an antenna apparatus which has a radome for enclosing an antenna thereof so as to, for example, protect the antenna (for example, Patent Document 1). The radome is typically made of synthetic resin material having a uniform thickness, or the like, and positioned so as to enclose the entire radiating surface of an antenna element.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-273639


A power module includes a plurality of conductive wire groups and a sealing member. The plurality of conductive wire groups each include a first bonded portion and a second bonded portion. A maximum gap between intermediate portions of a pair of conductive wire groups adjacent to each other is larger than a first gap between the first bonded portions of the pair of conductive wire groups adjacent to each other. The maximum gap between the intermediate portions of the pair of conductive wire groups adjacent to each other is larger than a second gap between the second bonded portions of the pair of conductive wire groups adjacent to each other. Therefore, the power module is improved in reliability.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2008-270455 (PTL 1) discloses a power module including an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) chip, an emitter pattern, a plurality of conductive wires, and a sealing member composed of an epoxy resin. The plurality of conductive wires electrically connect the IGBT chip and the emitter pattern to each other. The sealing member seals the IGBT chip, the emitter pattern, and the plurality of conductive wires. The sealing member is provided by direct potting.

Power module and method of manufacturing the same, and power conversion apparatus


A self-help application such as in an interactive voice response (IVR) platform serving users is enabled for providing an integrated development (IDE) and monitoring environment. This provides real-time reporting and analysis on user behavior, application performance and transaction success. The application is coded in software objects (VoiceObjects) specific to the context of the application. These are pre-built objects that include dialog components, resource management, logic, actions, layer and business tasks. This object-oriented approach uncouples the underlying technology from the application and allows designers to build user-friendly applications. In one embodiment, Java or VoiceXML codes are generated dynamically from these objects and executed by a browser in the IVR. A set of core metrics is defined for each object type as well as configurable levels for these metrics. Data associated with individual objects are collected, aggregated, analyzed and displayed in context by the IDE.

Two major telecommunication networks have evolved worldwide. The first is a network of telephone systems in the form of the Public Switched Telephone System (PSTN). This network was initially designed to carry voice communication, but later also adapted to transport data. The second is a network of computer systems in the form of the Internet. The Internet has been designed to carry data but also increasingly being used to transport voice and multimedia information. Computers implementing telephony applications have been integrated into both of these telecommunication networks to provide enhanced communication services. For example on the PSTN, computer telephony integration has provided more functions and control to the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Services). On the Internet, computers are themselves terminal equipment for voice communication as well as serving as intelligent routers and controllers for a host of terminal equipment.
The Internet is a worldwide network of IP networks communicating under TCP/IP. Specifically, voice and other multimedia information are transported on the Internet under the VoIP (Voice-over-IP) protocol, and under the H.323 standard that has been put forward for interoperability. Another important implementation of VOIP protocol is SIP ("Session Initiation Protocol".)
The integration of the PSTN and the IP networks allows for greater facility in automation of voice applications by leveraging the inherent routing flexibility and computing accessibility in the IP networks.
An example platform for easy deployment of telephony applications is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,922,411, which entire disclosure is incorporated herein by reference. Essentially, a networked telephony system allows users to deploy on the Internet computer telephony applications associated with designated telephone numbers. The telephony application is easily created by a user in XML (Extended Markup Language) with predefined telephony XML tags (e.g. VoiceXML) and easily deployed on a website. The telephony XML tags include those for call control and media manipulation. A call to anyone of these designated telephone numbers may originate from anyone of the networked telephone system such as the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone System), a wireless network, or the Internet. The call is received by an application gateway center (AGC) installed on the Internet. Analogous to a web browser, the AGC provides facility for retrieving the associated XML application from its website and processing the call accordingly.
This type of telephony platform allows very power yet simple telephony applications to be built and deployed on the Internet. The following are some examples of the telephony applications deployed on this platform. A "Follow me, find me" application sequentially calls a series of telephone numbers as specified by a user until one of the numbers answers and then connects the call. Otherwise, it does something else such as takes a message or sends e-mail or sends the call to a call center, etc. In another example, a Telephonic Polling application looks up from a database the telephone numbers of a population to be polled. It then calls the numbers in parallel, limited only by the maximum number of concurrent sessions supported, and plays a series of interactive voice prompts/messages in response to the called party's responses and records the result in a database, etc. In another example, a Help Desk application plays a series of interactive voice prompts/messages in response to the called party's responses and possibly connects the call to a live agent as one option, etc. In yet another example, a Stock or Bank Transactions application plays a series of interactive voice prompts/messages in response to the called party's responses and conducts appropriate transactions with a backend database or web application, etc.
The latter examples are generally referred to as self-help applications. In the voice context, a self-help application is referred to as IVR. IVR refers to Interactive Voice Response and is a technology that automates interaction with telephone callers. Enterprises are increasingly turning to IVR to reduce the cost of common sales, service, collections, inquiry and support calls to and from their company.
Historically, IVR solutions have used pre-recorded voice prompts and menus to present information and options to callers, and touch-tone telephone keypad entry to gather responses. Modern IVR solutions also enable input and responses to be gathered via spoken words with voice recognition.
IVR solutions enable users to retrieve information including bank balances, flight schedules, product details, order status, movie show times, and more from any telephone. Additionally, IVR solutions are increasingly used to place outbound calls to deliver or gather information for appointments, past due bills, and other time critical events and activities.
The various voice applications described above are typically specified by application scripts coded in VoiceXML. Alternatively, the scripts can be coded using dialog objects. US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0043953 A1 discloses a technique of building dialog control using dialog objects.
Historically, IVR solutions have used pre-recorded voice prompts and menus to present information and options to callers, and touch-tone telephone keypad entry to gather responses. Modern IVR solutions also enable input and responses to be gathered via spoken words with voice recognition.
IVR solutions enable users using voice as a medium or other form of inputs through a voice channel to retrieve information including bank balances, flight schedules, product details, order status, movie show times, and more from any telephone. Additionally, IVR solutions are increasingly used to place outbound calls to deliver or gather information for appointments, past due bills, and other time critical events and activities.
It is desirable for a developer of an application to know how a segment of code in the application interacts with users during runtime and have the usage statistics displayed against the segment of code so that any "hotspots" can easily be detected and rectified if desired. Similarly, insofar as the application represents a portal for conducting business, a business analyst will be interested in the statistics of customer usage and behavior.

System and method for integrating runtime usage statistics with developing environment


An internal combustion engine with a device for cyclically varying the speed of rotation of a cam for gas exchange control comprises a shaft (1) and an axis of rotation (5), a rotary body (2) rotatably supported on said shaft (1), wherein the speed of rotation of the rotary body (2) corresponds to the speed of rotation of the cam, and an intermediate member (4) rotatably supported in a plane perpendicular to said axis of rotation (5) of said shaft (1), wherein said rotary body (2) is rotated cyclically in relation to said shaft (1) if the axis of rotation of the intermediate member (4) is staggered in relation to the axis of rotation (5) of the shaft (1). The intermediate member (4) is rotatably supported on an outer eccentric element (40) which is rotatably supported on an eccentric seat (32) of an inner eccentric element (30). The shaft (1) extends through a bore (33) of the inner eccentric element (30), through the outer eccentric element (40) and through the intermediate member (4) and the inner eccentric element (30) has an outer surface (37) concentric with the center line of the bore (33) and arranged in such a way that the outer surface (37) and the bearing (50) lie in a common plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation (5) of the shaft (1).

The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine having a device for cyclically varying the speed of rotation of a cam for gas exchange control.
It is known in the state of the art to drive a cam for controlling an inlet or exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine by a rotary drive mechanism which causes the speed of rotation of a cam to vary in a cyclic manner about an average speed of rotation at a constant number of revolutions of the internal combustion engine. During each complete rotation of the cam a temporary increase of the angular velocity and a temporary decrease of the angular velocity occurs. The average angular velocity of the cam resulting thereof corresponds to the angular velocity of a cam of an internal combustion engine without cyclic variation of the angular velocity.
If the variation of the angular velocity of the cam is effected such that the increase of the speed of rotation of the cam occurs at a time during one rotation of said cam in which said cam operates the valve, the effective duration of opening of said valve is reduced. On the other hand, if the decrease of the speed of rotation occurs at a time of the rotation of said cam in which it operates the valve, a longer duration of opening of said valve is effected. By means of such mechanism it is possible to provide a variable timing of the opening of the valves of the internal combustion engine.
Such rotary drive mechanism is disclosed in the German patent application 195 01 172.4 which does not constitute a prior disclosure. The content of this prior German patent application shall be contained in the present application. In this internal combustion engine the cyclic variation of the speed of rotation of the cam is effected by a rotary drive mechanism comprising a first rotary body being disposed on a shaft and being fixed on said shaft so that it cannot rotate with respect to that shaft, a second rotary body being rotatably supported on said first rotary body and an intermediate member being rotatably supported in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said shaft and having a first sliding guide and a second sliding guide.
The rotation of the first rotary body is transmitted to the intermediate member by a first transmission element and said first sliding guide and from said intermediate member via the second sliding guide and a second transmission element to the second rotary body. If the intermediate member takes a position in which its axis of rotation is shifted with respect to the axis of rotation of the shaft so that it is not aligned with the latter, the second rotary body is cyclically rotated with respect to the first rotary body at one rotation of the shaft.
With a rotary drive mechanism of that kind either the rotation of the second rotary body can be transmitted to a cam for gas exchange control of an internal combustion engine, for instance by engaging gears, wherein in such case the cam is supported on a separate cam shaft, or the shaft can be formed as the cam shaft and the second rotary body as a cam for gas exchange control of an internal combustion engine.
In both cases there is provided an actuating member for supporting and shifting the intermediate member which supporting member partially accommodates the intermediate member from its outer side wherein said intermediate member with its circular outer circumferential surface is rotatably supported in a corresponding circular inner circumferential surface of the actuating member. The shifting of the actuating member and, accordingly, the intermediate member is effected via two eccentric elements which are engaged with the actuating member in a position outside the circular inner circumferential surface for supporting the intermediate member.
JP 5-118 208 A discloses a device for cyclically varying the speed of rotation of a cam for gas exchange control in which an intermediate ring serving to transmit the rotary motion is supported on a double eccentric assembly.


An exposure apparatus includes a light source, a mask and a blind. The light source is disposed over a substrate. The light source cyclically radiates light. The mask is disposed between the light source and the substrate. The mask includes an exposure region and a peripheral region. The peripheral region surrounds the exposure region. A pattern is formed in the exposure region. A plurality of first alignment marks is disposed in the peripheral region. The blind is disposed between the light source and the mask. The blind includes a blocking plate and an adjusting part. The blocking part may move across the substrate. The blocking plate includes second alignment marks disposed at end portions of the blocking plate, opposite to each other. The adjusting part adjusts a position of the blocking plate.

1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a blind, an exposure apparatus having the blind and a method of driving the exposure apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Background
Generally, in an exposure operation used to manufacture a thin film transistor ("TFT") substrate and/or a color filter substrate included in a display apparatus includes an operation of light radiated on a substrate, on which a photoresist layer is coated, through a photo mask having a specific pattern. To decrease a cost associated with manufacturing the liquid crystal display apparatus in the exposure operation, a size of a mother substrate is increased, to allow more liquid crystal display panels to be formed in a single manufacturing process. However, due to the increase of the size of the mother substrate, the size of the photo mask may also be increased, thereby increasing the cost of manufacturing the liquid crystal display apparatus.
Thus, a small mask type exposure process may be employed in order to decrease the size of the photo mask. The small mask type exposure process involves exposing the substrate using a plurality of exposures and a plurality of small photo masks that are moved with respect to the substrate.
The substrate has an exposed area and a non-exposed area. The exposure includes a blind for blocking an exposure window of the photo mask to prevent the non-exposed area from being exposed. The light radiated on the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the substrate using various optical systems. However, perfectly perpendicular light may be difficult to achieve. Thus, the light radiated on the substrate has dispersion with respect to the direction perpendicular to the substrate at a specific angle. Due to the dispersion of light, the light may not be blocked at a boundary line of the blind. A gray area may be formed around the boundary line of the blind, due to a reduction in the amount of radiated light. A pattern formed by the gray area is called a tail pattern.
Generally, a dummy pattern is formed in the non-exposed area of the substrate. If the blind is combined with the exposure apparatus, a position of the blind may not be precisely controlled, resulting in tail patterns to be formed for each blind. Thus, the tail pattern and the dummy pattern may overlap. Accordingly, a gap between cells on the substrate may increase, so that a stain may be displayed to a user, thereby reducing the display quality of the display panel.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form any part of the prior art.

Blind, exposure apparatus having the blind and method of driving the exposure apparatus


A flaccid plastic film bag has opposed handle portions. Each handle has side elements upstanding from the bag body on either side of a hand-receiving aperture. Slits are provided in the edges of the side elements. The slits originate inward of the edge and extend downward and outward to cut through the edge. When one handle is passed through the aperture of the other handle to close the mouth of the bag, the slitted edges prevent the handles from slipping apart and spilling the contents of a loaded bag during transport.

This invention relates to handled thermoplastic film bags and more particularly to bags of the T-shirt type in which means are provided for maintaining the top opening closed after the bag has been loaded.
Plastic film bags, because of their many advantages, have largely replaced paper bags in many retail stores, especially groceries. These bags generally have laterally spaced handles extending upwardly from opposed sides of an open mouth. Because the film material is so thin and flaccid, the bag will not stand open as would a paper bag. It is held open and suspended from a holder during loading.
A serious disadvantage of this type of bag is related to the flaccid nature of its structure. When the loaded bag is set down in the trunk or on the seat of a vehicle, it often tips over, spilling the contents. This can be overcome by knotting the two handles together. However, this is labor intensive and the knot is not easily untied. Various closure locking means are discussed and reviewed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,979 issued Oct. 29, 1996 to Fifer et al. They all add to the cost of the bag, making their acceptance difficult. A plastic film bag of this type that would lock in the closed position without excessive effort and that would be easy to unlock would be very useful. If it could be provided with such a locking feature without significant additional cost, then it would be more likely to gain acceptance in the industry.

Plastic film bag with locking closure feature


In a set of multilingual tiles, each tile bears a first character of a first language and also bears a second character of a second language. Tiles are positioned by players of a game, to form words in an inherently multilingual educational and entertainment experience. Tile characters are not mere transliterations of one another. The characters on a given tile may have different spatial orientations. Sometimes each player can make words only in one language, and different players try to make words in different languages. Sometimes a player gains points for words made in a language that is not the player's native language, and loses points for words made in a language that is the player's native language. Extra points may be awarded if tiles form multiple words in multiple languages, or if tiles form related words, namely, synonyms and/or antonyms.

Word games such as the SCRABBLE®, UPWORDS®, and BOGGLE® word games are well known. (SCRABBLE®, UPWORDS®, and BOGGLE® are marks of Hasbro, Inc.) However, multilingual games of any kind are rare. Some versions of the SCRABBLE® game are played in multiple languages, but only one language at a time is used, with all players making words in the same language. A different tile set may be used for each language, e.g., one set of tiles for play in English, another set of tiles for play in French, another set for Arabic play, and so on. Some versions of the SCRABBLE® game are played in multiple languages at one time, e.g., with one player making words in English and an opposing player making words in Hungarian; the players may use an English tile set mixed with a Hungarian tile set in this case. However, the SCRABBLE® tiles (and UPWORDS® tiles) themselves are monolingual tiles, because they have only one character per tile. A word game using several characters on each tile has been proposed, but the tiles are again monolingual because all characters on a given tile (and apparently all characters in the tile set) belong to a single language.


A candidate prediction block storage unit stores candidate prediction pixel data {“a” to “p”} (a four-by-four area) and neighboring pixel data {“A” to “D”}. A neighboring pixel series-generating unit in receipt of the neighboring pixel data {“A” to “D”} from the candidate prediction block storage unit feeds a first neighboring pixel series {“A”, “B”, “C”, and so on} and a second neighboring pixel series {“B”, “C”, “D”, and so on} into first and second lines, respectively. A predictive processing unit in receipt of the candidate prediction pixel data {“a” to “p”} from the candidate prediction block storage unit multiplies the candidate prediction pixel data by two, thereby providing multiplied data. The predictive processing unit subtracts the first neighboring pixel series from the multiplied data, thereby providing subtracted data. The predictive processing unit subtracts the second neighboring pixel series from the subtracted data, thereby providing further subtracted data. The predictive processing unit divides the further subtracted data by two, thereby providing divided data. A predicted block storage unit stores the divided data as predicted pixel data {“a#”, “b#”, and so on}. As a result, steps of storing and generating predictive pixels are eliminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prediction apparatus for practicing predictive processing of image data to provide encoded image data, an inverse prediction apparatus for practicing inverse predictive processing of the encoded image data to provide decoded image data, and an art related thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an H.26L-coding system has been negotiated for standardization as a next-generation moving picture-encoding system.
In order to provide an enhanced encoding efficiency, the H.26L-coding system includes steps of dividing a frame into small block areas, practicing predictive processing of a candidate prediction block for each block using neighboring pixels around the block, and conducting the entropy encoding of residual information.
A prior art prediction apparatus for providing the predictive processing according to the H.26L-coding system is described with reference to the drawings.
Initially, a prior art prediction apparatus for practicing A-mode predictive processing according to the H.26L-coding system is described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 27 is a block diagram, illustrating the prior art prediction apparatus. As illustrated in FIG. 27, the prior art prediction apparatus includes a candidate prediction block storage unit 800, a predictive pixel-generating unit 801, a predictive pixel block storage unit 802, a predictive processing wait 803, and a predicted block storage unit 804.
The candidate prediction block storage unit 800 stores a candidate prediction block "B1" and nine pieces of neighboring pixel data {"A" to "I"} adjacent to the candidate prediction block "B1". The candidate prediction block "B1" consists of sixteen pieces of candidate prediction pixel data {"a" to "p"}.
The predictive pixel-generating unit 801 generates sixteen pieces of predictive pixel data {A ♭, B ♭, C ♭ . . . D, D, D} using the neighboring pixel data "A", "B", "C" and "D". The neighboring pixel data "A", "B", "C" and "D" are fed into the predictive pixel-generating unit 801 from the candidate prediction block storage unit 800.
The predictive pixel block storage unit 802 stores a predictive pixel block "B2" that consists of the sixteen pieces of predictive pixel data from the predictive pixel-generating unit 801.
The predictive processing unit 803 receives the sixteen pieces of candidate prediction pixel data {"a" to "p"56 in sequence from the candidate prediction block storage unit 800. The predictive processing unit 803 also receives the sixteen pieces of predictive pixel data {"A ♭" to "D"} in sequence from the predictive pixel block storage unit 802. The predictive processing unit 803 subtracts the predictive pixel data from the candidate prediction pixel data, thereby producing sixteen pieces of predicted pixel data {a−A ♭, b−B ♭, c−C ♭, . . . , n−D, o−D, and p−D}.
The predicted block storage unit 804 stores a predicted block "B3" that consists of the sixteen pieces of predicted pixel data {"a−A" to "p−D"} from the predictive processing unit 803.
The predictive pixel data can be expressed by the following expressions: A ♭=(A+B)/2; B ♭=(B+C)/2; and C ♭=(C+D)/2.
The following discusses in details how the prior art prediction apparatus as discussed above practices the A-mode predictive processing.
FIG. 28 is a detailed block diagram, illustrating the predictive pixel-generating unit 801 of FIG. 27 and the predictive processing unit 803 of FIG. 27. In FIG. 28, the same components as those of FIG. 27 are identified by the same reference numerals, and therefore descriptions related thereto are omitted.
FIG. 28(a) is a detailed block diagram, illustrating the predictive pixel-generating unit 801 of FIG. 27. FIG. 28(b) is a detailed block diagram, illustrating the predictive processing unit 803 of FIG. 27.
As illustrated in FIG. 28(a), the predictive pixel-generating unit 801 includes registers 810, 820, 840, an adder 830, and a shifter 850.
As illustrated in FIG. 28(b), the predictive processing unit 803 includes registers 860, 870, 890, a subtracter 880, and a shifter 900.
The predictive processing is now described in detail by taking the candidate prediction pixel data "a" of FIG. 27 as an example.
As illustrated in FIG. 28(a), the candidate prediction block storage unit 800 reads out the neighboring pixel data "A", "B", "C", and "D" into the registers 810, 820.
The adder 830 adds the neighboring pixel data "A" and "B" together. The neighboring pixel data "A" and "B" are entered through the registers 810 and 820, respectively. As a result, added data "A+B" is provided.
The register 840 receives the added data "A+B" from the adder 830. The shifter 850 in receipt of the added data "A+B" from the register 840 divides the added data "A+B" by two, thereby producing predictive pixel data "A ♭".
The predictive pixel block storage unit 802 stores the predictive pixel data "A ♭" from the shifter 850. Similarly, other predictive pixel data "B ♭", "C ♭" are generated. As a result, the predictive pixel block storage unit 802 stores the sixteen pieces of predictive pixel data.
Turning now to FIG. 28(b), the register 860 receives the predictive pixel data "A ♭" from the predictive pixel block storage unit 802.
The register 870 receives the candidate prediction pixel data "a" from the candidate prediction block storage unit 800.
The subtracter 880 subtracts the predictive pixel data "A ♭" from the candidate prediction pixel data "a". The predictive pixel data "A ♭" and the candidate prediction pixel data "a" come from the registers 860 and 870, respectively. As a result, predicted pixel data "a−A ♭" is provided.
The predicted block storage unit 804 stores the predicted pixel data "a−A ♭" after the predicted pixel data "a−A ♭" is passed through the register 890 and the shifter 900.
In this way, the predictive processing unit 803 produces the remaining predicted pixel data "b−B ♭" to "p−D" in sequence.
The following describes how many operation steps are required for the A-mode predictive processing using the prior art prediction apparatus.
The readout of the neighboring pixel data "A", "B", "C", and "D" involves fours steps. Three steps for addition and three steps for division are required to produce the predictive pixel data "A ♭", "B ♭", and "C ♭" using the predictive pixel-generating unit 801.
Sixteen steps are required to store the sixteen pieces of predictive pixel data using the predictive pixel block storage unit 802. Eighteen steps are required to practice the predictive processing using the predictive processing unit 803.
As a result, the A-mode predictive processing using the prior art prediction apparatus involves a total of forty-four operation steps.
The subtracter 880 in the predictive processing unit 803 supports vector instructions. In this case, the number of operation steps is two plus the number of pixels to be processed.
A prior art prediction apparatus for practicing B-mode predictive processing according to the H.26L-coding system is briefly described.
The predictive pixel-generating unit 801 of FIG. 27 is replaced by another predictive pixel-generating unit that includes a multiplier, two adders, and a divider. This replacement realizes the B-mode predictive processing.
More specifically, in B-mode, the predictive pixel-generating unit constructed as described above generates sixteen pieces of predictive pixel data {α, β, γ, δ, ε, α, β, γ, ζ, ε, α, β, η, ζ, ε, and α} using nine pieces of neighboring pixel data {"A" to "I"}.
The predictive processing unit 803 generates sixteen pieces of predicted pixel data {a-α, b-β, c-γ, d-δ, e-ε, f-α, g-β, h-γ, i-ζ, j-ε, k-α, l-β, m-η, n-ζ, o-ε, and p-α}.
The predictive pixel data can be expressed as follows:α=(E+2I+A)//4; β=(I+2A+B)//4; γ=(A+2B+C)//4; δ=(B+2C+D)//4; ε=(F+2E+I)//4; ζ=(G+2F+E)//4; and η=(H+2G+F)//4. The symbol "//" denotes round-off after division.
The following discusses how many operation steps are required for the B-mode predictive processing using the prior art prediction apparatus.
The readout of the nine pieces of neighboring pixel data {"A" to "I"} involves nine steps. Fourteen steps for addition and seven steps for multiplication are required to produce the predictive pixel data "α", "β", "γ", "δ", "ε", "ζ", and "η" using the predictive pixel-generating unit.
Sixteen steps are required to store the sixteen pieces of predictive pixel data using the predictive pixel block storage unit 802. Eighteen steps are required to practice the predictive processing using the predictive processing unit 803.
As a result, the B-mode predictive processing using the prior art prediction apparatus involves a total of seventy-one operation steps.

Prediction apparatus, encoding apparatus, inverse prediction apparatus, decoding apparatus, and computing apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A frequency jittering circuit modulates a hysteretic band of an oscillator such that the clock generated by the oscillator has a jitter frequency, and thus a switching mode power supply operative on the clock will have a jittering switching frequency.

Most switching mode power supplies operate at a fixed and fast switching frequency. Unfortunately, a strong noise would be generated at such switching frequency and its relative harmonic, thereby inducing loud electromagnetic interference (EMI). Jittering or dithering switching frequency can distribute the noise's energy to a broad band, and thus depresses the noise and improves the performance in conduction of EMI. As is well known in the art, the switching frequency of a switching mode power supply depends on the clock frequency of the oscillator in the power supply. For further detail, FIG. 1 shows a conventional oscillator 100, in which a comparator 102 will trigger a comparison signal COMP1 to a set input S of a flip-flop 110 when the voltage Vosc on the capacitor C-osc is lower than a lower limit VREF1 of a hysteretic band, causing the output Q of the flip-flop 110 to be high, and thereby turning off a switch S4 for a current source 108 to stop discharging the capacitor C_osc, and turning on a switch S3 for a current source 106 to charge the capacitor C_osc. When the voltage Vosc increases to touch an upper limit VREF2 of the hysteretic band, a comparator 104 triggers a comparison signal COMP2 to a reset input R of the flip-flop 110, causing the output Q of the flip-flop 110 to be low, and thereby turning off the switch S3 for current source 106 to stop charging the capacitor C_osc, and turning on the switch S4 for the current source 108 to discharge the capacitor C_osc. A one shot circuit 112 generates a clock CLK according to the output Q of the flip-flop 110. As shown in the oscillator 100 of FIG. 1, the frequency of the clock CLK is determined by the charging current IREF 1, the discharging current IREF2, the capacitance C_osc and the hysteretic band corresponding to the lower limit VREF1 and the upper limit VREF2. U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,876 to Balakrishnan et al. disclosed a frequency jittering control for varying the switching frequency of a power supply by adjusting the charging and discharging currents in the oscillator circuit of the power supply, and thus reduces the EMI emission. However, this art requires a huge capacitor to be charged and discharged, which is disadvantageous to cost reduction and chip circuit integration.
Therefore, it is desired a smaller and cost-effective frequency jittering circuit for varying the switching frequency of a power supply.

Frequency jittering control for varying the switching frequency of a power supply


A suspension for a hearing device receiver includes: a receiver holding part; and a damping structure with a body and a receiver base, the body comprising a first body part, the damping structure having an inner surface forming a sound duct, the sound duct extending through the first body part, the damping structure having a first opening at a first sound duct end, the first opening configured for connecting an output port of a receiver, the damping structure having a second opening at a second sound duct end, the sound duct providing a sound path for conveying sound energy from the receiver through the damping structure to the second opening, the first body part extending from the receiver base; wherein the damping structure comprises a first damping element connecting the body and the receiver base so that the receiver base is separate from and in parallel to the first body part.

A hearing device comprises a microphone which receives acoustic signals. The received acoustic signals are processed where the processing may include amplification of the acoustic signals. The signal processing may preferably be digital. The processed signals are transmitted to a receiver of the hearing device which converts the processed signals into an acoustic output signal e.g. with a larger amplitude at certain frequencies. The receiver broadcasts the acoustic output signal towards the tympanic membrane of a user of the hearing device.
The broadcasting of the acoustic output signal can cause the receiver and the hearing device to vibrate which vibrations may be transmitted back to the microphone resulting in an unwanted feedback loop thereby putting a limitation on the amplification which the hearing device may deliver to the user.
Suspensions for hearing device receivers are known in the art, see for example international patent applications published under WO 2004/008803, WO 2007/011421 and WO 2012/062761.

Suspension for a hearing device receiver


A new and distinct cultivar of Torenia plant named ‘Dancat911’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading to cascading, and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; shiny dark-green colored foliage; early, freely and continuous flowering habit; light blue purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Torenia plant, botanically known as Torenia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Dancat911.
The new Torenia is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Torenia hybrida cultivar Dantopur, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,723. The new Torenia was discovered and selected by the Inventor in February, 2002 in a controlled environment in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings at Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, Israel since April, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Torenia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


Disclosed are compounds having a scytoneman skeleton, such as scytonemin, and methods of using thereof. Methods of using a compound having a scytoneman skeleton to inhibit, modulate, attenuate, or prevent cell-cycle progression, cell proliferation, kinase activity, or induce apoptosis are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods of treating, preventing, or inhibiting diseases and disorders associated with cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, kinase activity, tissue hyperplasia or angiogenesis, such as cancer or an inflammatory disease.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to compounds having a scytoneman skeleton, such as scytonemin. Specifically, the present invention relates to methods of using a compound having a scytoneman skeleton to inhibit, prevent, modulate, or attenuate cell-cycle progression, cell proliferation, kinase activity, phosphorylation, or induce apoptosis. Additionally, the present invention relates to methods of treating, preventing, or inhibiting diseases and disorders associated with cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, kinase activity, or angiogenesis in a subject comprising administering a scytoneman compound to the subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
The cell cycle is a tightly regulated series of events, eventually leading to the formation of two daughter cells. The transitions of the cell cycle are controlled by the reversible phosphorylation of certain proteins. For example, the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) when complexed with a specific cyclin protein, are responsible for coordinating the passage of the cell through the different stages of the cell cycle. See Norbury, C. et al. (1992) Ann. Rev. Biochem. 61:441-470; Sherr, C. J. (1993) Cell 73:1059-1065; and Nasmyth, K. (1993) Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 5:166-179. The phosphorylation of certain residues on CDK/cyclin complexes control catalytic activity both positively or negatively. See De Bondt, H. L. et al. (1993) Nature 363:595-602; Ducommun, B. et al. (1991) EMBO J 10:3311-3319; Jeffrey, P. D. et al. (1995) Nature 376:313-320. For instance, the catalytic activity of CDK1/cyclin B requires the removal of inhibitory phosphates by the cdc25C phosphatase. See Dunphy, W. G. et al. (1991) Cell 67:189-196. Subsequent activity of CDK1/cyclin B allows the cycle to progress from G2 into mitosis. See Maller, J. L. (1991) Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 3:269-275; Krek, W. et al. (1991) EMBO J 10:3321-3329; Atherton, F. S. et al. (1993) Mol. and Cell. Biol. 13:1675-1685; Endicott, J. A. et al. (1994) Prot. Eng. 7:243-253.
Aberrant cell proliferation is symptomatic of many debilitating disease conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, psoriasis, and cancers. Genetics research has advanced our knowledge as to what factors contribute to regulating the cell cycle. Many of these molecules have been targeted for pharmacological inactivation in attempts to discover novel mechanisms by which uncontrolled cell proliferation may be abrogated.
Recent evidence indicates that a novel family of enzymes, the polo-like kinases (Plks), may serve to regulate the activity of cdc25C. A Xenopus Plk (Plx1), and the human Plk homologue (PKL1), have both been implicated in the phosphorylation and subsequent activation of cdc25C. See Kumagai, A. et al. (1996) Science 273:1377-1380; Roshak, A. K. et al. (2000) Cellular Signaling 12:405-411. These findings suggest that the Plks constitute another level of regulation for CDKs, in particularly the activation of the CDK1/cyclin B complex via activation of cdc25C.
The polo gene was originally identified in Drosophila melanogaster, where mutant polo phenotypes displayed aberrant mitotic divisions due to abnormal spindle formation. See Sunkel and Glover, (1988) J. Cell Sci. 89:25-38. Functional homologues have subsequently been identified in organisms ranging from protozoa to human. See Graham, T. M. et al. (1998) Gene 207:71-77; Kitada, K. et al. (1993) Mol. Cell. Biol. 13:4445-4457; Ohkura et al. (1995) Genes and Dev. 9:1059-1073; Kumagai (1996); Clay et al. (1993) PNAS USA 90: 4882-4886; Golsteyn, et al. (1994) J. Cell Sci. 107:1509-1517; Hamanaka, et al. (1994) Cell Growth Differ. 5:249-257. Members of this family of serine/threonine kinases share homologous structural features which includes a 30 amino acid motif at the C-terminus, called the polo-box, the function of which is unknown. See Golsteyn, et al (1996) Cell Cycle Res. 2:107-114; and Nigg (1998) Curr. Opin. Cell Biol. 10:776-783. Polo-family members also share a conserved sequence in the ATP binding domain. This conserved sequence, GxGGxAxC, differs from the sequences of ATP binding pockets of most other serine/threonine kinases, GxGxxGxV, wherein xe2x80x9cxxe2x80x9d is any nucleotide. See Golsteyn et al. (1996) and Nigg (1998).
Functional studies suggest that Plk homologues play an integral role in regulating cell cycle progression. See Lane, et al. (1996) J. Cell Biol. 135:1701-1713; Llamazares, et al. (1991) Genes Dev. 5:2153-2165; and Ohkura et al. (1995). The expression of PLK1 correlates with the mitotic index of many cancer cell lines. Over-expression of the enzyme in murine NIH3T3 cells results in a transformed phenotype. See Smith, et al. (1997) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 150:1165-1172. In addition, when PLK1-neutralizing antibodies are microinjected into a T cell line, the T cells lose the ability to undergo mitosis. See Lane (1996). These data suggest that PLK1 plays a critical role in cell cycle regulation and targeting its activity may yield another means of inhibiting aberrant cell proliferation.
Prior to the present invention, there have been no reports of small molecule inhibitors of PLK1 activity. Thus, there is a need for a polo-like kinase inhibitor for the treatment of cancer and other diseases and disorders associated with aberrant cell cycle progression and cell proliferation.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of inhibiting, modulating, attenuating, or preventing cell-cycle progression, intracellular signaling, or cell proliferation of a cell comprising exposing the cell to at least one scytoneman compound. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is scytonemin.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of inhibiting, modulating, attenuating, or preventing a kinase, kinase activity, or phosphorylation of a substrate by a kinase comprising exposing the kinase to at least one scytoneman compound. In preferred embodiments, the kinase is a cell cycle regulatory kinase or an intracellular signaling kinase. In some embodiments, the kinase is a serine/threonine kinase, a threonine/tyrosine kinase, or a tyrosine kinase, preferably, a polo-like kinase, a cyclin-dependent kinase, or a checkpoint kinase, more preferably, PLK1, Myt1, CHK1, CDK1/cyclinB, PKCxcex22, PKA, or Tie2.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of treating, preventing, or inhibiting a disease or disorder associated with inflammation, cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, kinase activity, tissue hyperplasia or angiogenesis in a subject comprising administering at least one scytoneman compound to the subject. Preferably, the subject is a mammal, more preferably, human. In some embodiments, the disease or disorder is an acute or a chronic inflammatory disease or disorder. In some embodiments, the disease or disorder is cancer, a papilloma, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, atherosclerosis, diabetic retinopathy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, tuberculosis, chronic cholecystitis, osteoarthritis, rheumatic carditis, bronchiectasis, Hashimoto""s thyroiditis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn""s disease, silicosis, or the like. In preferred embodiments, the disease or disorder is cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, angiogenesis, or psoriasis. Preferably, the scytoneman compound is administered in a therapeutically effective amount or concentration.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of inducing apoptosis in a cell comprising exposing the cell to at least one scytoneman compound. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of treating a disease, disorder, or tissue, in a subject comprising inducing apoptosis in a target by administering at least one scytoneman compound to the subject. In preferred embodiments, the target is a cell, an abnormal cell, or an organism.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of treating, preventing, inhibiting, attenuating or modulating inflammation related to an neurogenic inflammatory pathway in a subject comprising administering at least one scytoneman compound to the subject.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of treating, preventing, or inhibiting pain associated with neurogenic inflammation in a subject comprising administering at least one scytoneman compound to the subject.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of treating, preventing, or inhibiting a tissue hyperplasia in a subject comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising at least one scytoneman compound. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is scytonemin. Preferably, the composition is topically administered to the subject. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is present in a therapeutically effective amount. The subject is preferably mammalian, and more preferably, the subject is human. The composition may further include a pharmaceutical excipient. The composition may also include at least one supplementary active compound. Preferably, the supplementary active compound is an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory agent, or an anti-proliferative agent such as dexamethasone, glucocorticoids, cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, aspirin, methotrexate, taxol, and the like. In some preferred embodiments, the tissue hyperplasia is skin hyperplasia. Preferably, the tissue hyperplasia is prevented or inhibited by about 25% to about 75% as compared to a control.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of reducing an epidermal layer in a subject comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising at least one scytoneman compound. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is scytonemin. Preferably, the composition is topically administered to the subject. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is present in a therapeutically effective amount. The subject is preferably mammalian, and more preferably, the subject is human. The composition may further include a pharmaceutical excipient. The composition may also include at least one supplementary active compound. Preferably, the supplementary active compound is an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory agent, or an anti-proliferative agent such as dexamethasone, glucocorticoids, cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, aspirin, methotrexate, taxol, and the like. In preferred embodiments, the epidermal layer is reduced by about 1 to about 6 cells or about 0.02 mm to about 0.04 mm.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of reducing, preventing, or inhibiting cell proliferation in a subject comprising administering at least one scytoneman compound to the subject. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is scytonemin. Preferably, the composition is topically administered to the subject. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is present in a therapeutically effective amount. The subject is preferably mammalian, and more preferably, the subject is human. The composition may further include a pharmaceutical excipient. The composition may also include at least one supplementary active compound. Preferably, the supplementary active compound is an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory agent, or an anti-proliferative agent such as dexamethasone, glucocorticoids, cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, aspirin, methotrexate, taxol, and the like. In preferred embodiments, the cell proliferation is reduced, prevented, or inhibited by about one third as compared to a control.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to a method of reducing the concentration of at least one proinflammatory mediator in a subject comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a scytoneman compound. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is scytonemin. Preferably, the composition is topically administered to the subject. In preferred embodiments, the scytoneman compound is present in a therapeutically effective amount. The subject is preferably mammalian, and more preferably, the subject is human. The composition may further include a pharmaceutical excipient. The composition may also include at least one supplementary active compound. Preferably, the supplementary active compound is an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory agent, or an anti-proliferative agent such as dexamethasone, glucocorticoids, cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors, aspirin, methotrexate, taxol, and the like. The proinflammatory mediator is IL-1xcex2, TNFxcex1, PGE2, or the like.
In some embodiments, the present invention relates to mouse ear assay for determining whether a test compound has an effect on chronic inflammation, cell proliferation, or tissue hyperplasia comprising measuring the amount of IUdR uptake in a test sample, or histologically analyzing a test sample after staining with PCNA, or both.
The present invention also relates to a method for treating, preventing, or inhibiting an infection, disease, or disorder related to an organism belonging to the kingdom Protista in a subject comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a scytoneman compound. The organism may be a flagellate, a ciliate, an opalinidae, or a sporozoan. The organism may be a plasmodium, a trypanosome, or a paramecium such as trichinosis, trypanosomiasis, leishmania, filariasis, or dracunculiasis. The infection, disease or disorder may be malaria, Chagas"" disease, African sleeping sickness, Leishmaniasis, giardiasis, or amebic dysentery.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

The Regents of the University of California

State of Oregon c/o Oregon State University


A screen printing apparatus in which alignment marks are provided on the screen and the printing material. The marks are detected accurately and clearly by an alignment mark detector located between the printing material and the screen.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a screen printing apparatus that can adjust the position of a material to be printed on mounted on a table and that of a screen relative to each other to achieve proper alignment and to a method of adjusting the printing position.
2. Description of the Related Art
Screen printing apparatuses are known for applying an ink (or a printing paste) on a material (hereinafter referred to as printing material) such as paper and substrates. In such a printing apparatus, a squeegee is slid from a printing start side toward a printing end side on a screen on which an ink is loaded to apply the ink onto the printing material mounted on a printing table. After completion of printing, a scraper is slid from the printing end side toward the printing start side to scrape the residual ink on the screen back to the printing start side. By repeating the procedures described above, a plurality of printing materials are designed to be printed successively.
However, when a printing material mounted on the printing table is printed as described above, it is necessary to carry out accurate alignment between the screen and the printing material. For such purpose, the screen and the printing material are generally provided with alignment marks for bringing them in proper printing positions.
In a double-table type screen printing apparatus, alignment of the screen and the printing material with each other using the alignment marks provided on both of them and actual printing are often carried out at different places. In such case, the screen and the printing material get out of position relative to each other when they are transferred from the aligning place to the printing place, leading to poor printing accuracy.
There is another method, in which the alignment marks provided on the screen are detected by alignment mark detectors located above the screen, and the alignment marks provided on the printing material are detected through the screen by the alignment mark detectors located above the screen to adjust the position of a table unit based on these detection results in the X, Y and theta (.theta.) directions.
However, in this case, due to the structure of the screen printing apparatus where the screen is arranged above the printing material mounted on the table, the alignment mark detectors are spaced away from the screen so as to detect the alignment marks provided on the printing material through the screen.
Accordingly, the screen hinders accurate detection of the marks, particularly the pattern of the alignment marks provided on the printing material. Therefore, in order to accurately detect the pattern of the alignment marks on the printing material, it is necessary, for example, to increase the detection sensitivity of the alignment mark detectors or to apply a filtering treatment through an electric circuit so as to remove the screen from the image detected.


A modified read-ahead (i.e., jump) command, contains a sequential access parameter SAP, JUMPm(X,Y:SAP), for instructing a disc drive to jump to block Y after having read block X. If the SAP parameter has a value indicating that a host, such as a PC, designed to recognize the SAP parameter, deliberately signals a disc drive to jump to a lower address (e.g., Y<X), a disc drive designed in accordance with the present invention will comply. A disc drive not designed to recognize the modified read-ahead command may ignore the SAP parameter. A host not designed to recognize the modified read-ahead command is not capable of setting the SAP parameter.

Since the technology of optical data storage is general, including the way in which information can be stored in an optical disc, is commonly known, it is not necessary here to explain this technology in great detail. It is briefly summarized that an optical storage disc comprises at least one track, either in the form of a continuous spiral or in the form of multiple concentric circles, of storage space where information may be stored in the form of a data pattern. The storage space is divided into blocks. The data to be written is organized into data sectors, each sector comprising a user data portion and a header portion. A data sector is written into a storage block.
For writing information into the storage space of the optical storage disc, or for reading information from the storage space of the optical storage disc, the storage track is scanned by an optical beam, typically a laser beam. The actual handling of the storage disc is performed by an apparatus that will be indicated as disc drive apparatus. This handling includes the functions of receiving, holding, and rotating the disc. This handling also includes the functions of generating the laser beam(s); directing, focussing and displacing the laser beam(s); suitably modulating the laser beam(s) for writing; sensing the reflected beam(s) for reading. This handling also includes the functions of error correction, deciding which information to write at which physical addresses, etc.
The above-mentioned general functions of the disc drive apparatus are known per se. The present invention is not aiming at improving these general functions; in fact, the present invention may be implemented while using the general functions according to the state of the art. Therefore, a more detailed description and explanation of these general functions is omitted here. It suffices to say that the disc drive apparatus has a data input for receiving data-to-be-stored, and a data output for outputting data-read-from-disc.
Typically, apart from an optical disc as a record medium and a disc drive apparatus for handling the disc, an optical storage system comprises a host apparatus. The host apparatus, which may be a PC running a suitable program, or an application of a consumer apparatus such as a video recorder, is a device which communicates with the disc drive, sending data and commands to the disc drive instructing the disc drive to write the data to a certain storage location, or sending commands to the disc drive instructing the disc drive to read data from a certain storage location, and receiving data from the disc drive. For the purpose of explaining the present invention, it is immaterial what the host intends to do with the data. It suffices to say that the host apparatus has a data input for receiving data-read-from-disc, and a data output for outputting data-to-be-stored. It is to be noted that, when sending data to the disc drive, the host already sends the data in the form of sectors.
When a storage system is operating in write mode, the disc drive can only perform the actual write operation after having received a sector from the host. This restriction does not apply in the case of a storage system operating in read mode: while one sector is being communicated to the host, the disc drive is free to already read a next sector. This feature allows for a streaming read process, i.e. a continuous flow of data to the host, which is especially important in the case of, for instance, audio or video being reproduced from disc.
Usually, audio and video is also written in a streaming process, and the disc drive usually writes the disc in a sequential process, i.e. when a block is full, writing continues at the beginning of the next following block. Based on this fact, a disc drive is designed to operate in a sequential read mode, where blocks are read in a sequential manner. In other words, when a block has been read completely, reading continues automatically at the beginning of the next following block. Such mode of operation is based on the assumption that this block actually is the next block which the host wants to read: this is called "sequential access by the host". So, normally, there may be a relatively large distance between the block currently being read by a disc drive and the block currently being transferred to the host. The blocks in-between are stored in a block buffer of the disc drive.
In the following, the address of a block which is currently being read by a disc drive will be indicated as Read Block Address RBA, while the address of a block whose data is currently being transferred to the host will be indicated as Transfer Block Address TBA. The distance between RBS and TBA will be indicated as Block Ahead Distance BAD. In practice, BAD can be as high as the entire length of a track.
Usually, information is stored sequentially, indeed, and the sequential read mode is actually the correct way of reading data. However, it may happen that the host intends to make a jump thus terminating its sequential access. In order to assure the streaming read process, the host is capable of signalling to the drive his intention to jump, so that the disc drive can already perform the jump and start reading before the host actually requires the data from the jumped location.
This signalling is executed by the host sending a so-called "set-read-ahead" command. This command typically has the format JUMP(X,Y) containing two parameters X and Y which indicate block addresses of jump-start and jump-end, respectively. For the host, this command has the meaning of saying: "I shall continue to give sequential read commands until I have finished reading block X; then, I shall wish to continue reading at block Y." For the disc drive, this command has the following meaning: "I shall continue to sequentially read blocks and store their contents in my buffer, until I have read and stored block X; then, I shall make a jump to block Y, and I shall sequentially read blocks from Y onwards."
A read-ahead command as described above is known per se. However, when this known command was designed, it was assumed that write jumps would always have been made towards a higher address, so only commands JUMP(X,Y) with Y>X were to be expected. Current disc drives are programmed to ignore a read-ahead command JUMP(X,Y) with Y<X, and/or to issue an error message to the host, under the assumption that the host has made a mistake or that the command has been corrupted in some way. This constitutes a problem, especially in the case of BD video recorders, where the data can actually be fragmented and scattered over the entire disc.
Accordingly, an important objective of the present invention is to overcome the above problems.
Particularly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a modified read-ahead command JUMPm(X,Y) with Y<X in such a way that a disc drive modified in accordance with the present invention will jump back from X to Y only when the command originates from a host modified in accordance with the present invention. If the host is designed in accordance with prior art, i.e. not modified in accordance with the present invention, the disc drive should behave as before, i.e. ignore the command JUMP(X,Y<X) and/or issue an error message to the host.

Method and device for utilizing a modified read-ahead command to store data on a record medium


Shielding is associated with RFID tags to achieve new systems and methods having various advantages. These systems include containers configured to store RFID enabled identity documents, the use of RFID tags to monitor the state of a container, and the inclusion of shielding in identity devices. Disclosed are shielded passports, driver's licenses, and the like. Some embodiments further including reading systems for reading identity devices comprising shielding and RFID tags.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the fields of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, and more specifically in the field of RFID tag shielding.
2. Description of Related Art
Radio Frequency identity (RFID) tags are, for example, typically small, flexible, and low profile devices that can be affixed to items for electronic tracking and information storage purposes. An RFID tag can be read by an RFID reader when the RFID tag is brought within a certain vicinity of the reader that is broadcasting a radio frequency signal. In some cases, once within that vicinity, the RFID tag receives sufficient power from the radio frequency signal to permit it to transmit a return radio frequency signal using the received power. These RFID tags are referred to as passive RFID tags. In other cases the RFID tag has an independent power source for generating a return radio frequency signal. These RFID tags are referred to as active RFID tags. With either passive or active RFID tags, the return radio frequency signal may include an encoded copy of information stored within the RFID tag. As RFID tags achieve more wide-spread use they will become ubiquitous on forms of identification, and be included in personal and business effects, such as passports, driver's licenses, keys, cell phones, PDAs, and so forth. For example, an RFID tag may be incorporated in a driver's license to store personal information about the licensee. As used herein, RFID tags include radio frequency contactless chips.
A problem with using RFID tags to store security, confidential and/or personal information is that an RFID reader can read any RFID tags that pass within its range. Even if data is encrypted, this creates a possibility of unauthorized access to the personal data and other information stored in the RFID tag, or at the least, detection of the presence of the RFID tag.


A system for regulating the amount of fog produced by foggers in a humidification system in which a control signal calling for a certain amount of humidification from foggers is used and wherein the foggers require pressurized air and water to produce fog for an air stream. The pressure differential between the air and water to the foggers is varied according to the amount of required humidification. The pressure differential may be regulated with a pneumatic device or with an electronic control.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,268 a standard control system for supplying humidification is described using foggers that require pressurized air and water. The air pressure is kept at a higher fixed differential pressure to that of the water pressure. The bias (the difference between the air and water pressures) is constant throughout the full modulation range of the water and air pressures as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,268, which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. The constant bias enables a precise control over the amount of fog produced by the fogger and thus the amount of humidification of a space. A constant bias signal, however, tends to limit the range of humidification modulation.

Control for fogger using pressurized air and water


The present invention provides SPR sensors in which the sensing element is a planar lightpipe. The sensors of this invention include configurations which employ multiwavelength light incident on the SPR sensing area at a single angle or at a range of angles. Sensors of this invention also include configurations that employ monochromatic light at a range of angles. Many of the configurations of the SPR lightpipe sensors of this invention involve imaging of input light through the lightpipe. In one embodiment, the invention provides a first order SPR sensor system in which the sensing element is a planar lightpipe. Light coupled into the lightpipe reflects off an SPR sensing area positioned on an external surface planar surface of the lightpipe. Multiwavelength light that is coupled into the lightpipe input face at a range of angles propagates through the lightpipe by total internal reflection (TIR), making multiple reflections, and exits in a series of angular bands each containing spectral information (including SPR features)for a small range of incidence angles. A detector or detectors are positioned to measure the reflection spectrum, including any surface plasmon resonance feature, of one or preferably more than one of the angular bands exiting the lightpipe. SPR sensor configurations include those that have multiple sensing channels and those which can be multiplexed. This invention provides SPR sensors with planar lightpipe sensing elements and method of detecting analytes in samples using these sensors. The invention also provides planar lightpipe that have a plurality of SPR sensing layers on a planar surface.

Optical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors are sensitive to changes in the refractive index (RI) of a sample near the sensor surface. Most bulk prism SPR sensor configurations measure either the angular reflection spectrum for monochromatic light or the wavelength reflection spectrum for collimated white light.
Various SPR sensor configurations utilizing waveguides, including optical fibers, have been reported. These include a single-mode planar waveguiding structure which detects intensity changes in monochromatic light (Lavers, C. R. and Wilkinson, J. S. (1994) "A Waveguide-Coupled Surface-Plasmon Sensor for an Aqueous Environment" Sensors and Actuators B 22:75-81) and a sensor system in which white light is injected into a single-mode waveguide having an SPR supporting superstructure (Kreuwel, H. J. M. et al. (1987) "Surface Plasmon Dispersion and Luminescence Quenching Applied to Planar Waveguide Sensors for the Measurement of Chemical Concentrations," Proc. SPIE 798:218-224; Lambeck, P. V. (1992) "Integrated Opto-Chemical Sensors" Sensors and Actuators B 8:103-116). Additionally, a white light multi-mode fiber optic SPR sensor has been introduced (U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,681, issued October 1994); Jorgenson, R. C. and Yee, S. S. (1993) "A Fiber Optic Chemical Sensor Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance," Sensors and Actuators B 12:213; Jung, C. C. et al. (1995) "Fiber-Optic Surface Plasmon Dispersive Index Sensor for Highly Opaque Samples" Process Control and Quality 7:167-171; Jorgenson, R. C. and Yee, S. S. (1994) "Control of the Dynamic Range and Sensitivity of a Surface Plasmon Resonance Based Fiber Optic Sensor" Sensors and Actuators A 43:4448; Mar, M. et al. (1993 ) "In-Situ Characterization of Multilayered Langmuir-Blodgett Films Using a Surface Plasmon Resonance Fiber Optic Sensor" Proc. of the 15th Annual Conf. of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Soc., San Diego, Calif. pp. 1551-1552.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,277 (filed Jul. 26, 1994, issued Jan. 16, 1996) "Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor and Methods for the Utilization Thereof " reports an SPR sensor said to comprise a "waveguide" cartridge, a cylindrical diverging lens coupled to the "waveguide" and a plurality of photodetectors optically connected to the cylindrical lens. The "waveguide", exemplified by a microscope slide with angled input and output faces, carries a symmetrically positioned metal layer that supports SPR. Apparently, monochromatic light is introduced into the "waveguide" through the angled polished input face by focusing the light through the end of the "waveguide" onto the metal sensor surface at a range of angles spanning angular location of the surface plasmon resonance. The angle of the input face of the "waveguide" is polished to an angle .alpha..sub.wvg, where ##EQU1## and n.sub.wvg is the refractive index of the "waveguide" and .theta..sub.central is the center angle of the range of rays directed at the sensing surface. It appears that .theta..sub.central is very close to .theta..sub.SPR, the surface plasmon resonance angle. The RI of the sample is determined by measuring light intensity exiting the sensor as a function of angle. The patent also discusses the use of sensing and reference channels on the same metal film-coated waveguide.
SPR sensor waveguide configurations that have been reported are limited to those measuring refractive index at either a single wavelength or a single angle (angular or wavelength modulation, respectively). Such configurations are considered zero order sensors since they measure only one independent variable for a given analyte. Recently, a first order SPR sensor geometry that can simultaneously measure a sample's index of refraction at multiple wavelengths was reported (Karlsen, S. R. et al. (1995), "Simultaneous Determination of Refractive Index and Absorbance Spectra of Chemical Samples Using Surface Plasmon Resonance," Sensors and Actuators B 24-25:747-749). This dispersive RI sensor which employed a cylindrical sapphire prism with a gold sensing layer required several discrete optical components which introduced optical aberrations in the reflected signal, making it difficult to calibrate both the angular and spectral outputs of the sensor.
Thus there remains a need in the art for first order SPR sensors that allow independent measurements of two variables for a given analyte providing dispersive RI information and for SPR sensors allowing the simultaneous determination of two parameters, for example, film thickness and RI of a thin film applied to an SPR sensing surface. There is also a need in the art, particularly for assay of biological samples, for SPR sensors that can simultaneously detect more than one analyte in a sample (multiplexed sensors). There also generally remains a need for SPR sensors which are sensitive, simple to use, readily calibrated, compact in size and rugged, and inexpensive to produce. SPR sensors of this invention meet these needs.

Surface plasmon resonance light pipe sensor


A new bag filling device for easily scooping ballast material, such as sand or dirt, into a flexible bag. The inventive device includes an elongate tubular body member formed by a perimeter wall having inner and outer surfaces with the inner surface defining a body member hollow interior. At the top end of the body member is a top edge defining an upper opening into the body member hollow interior. The top edge also includes a scooping portion which is positioned towards the back of the body member. The scooping portion is designed for permitting the scooping of material, such as sand, dirt, and gravel, through the upper opening into the body member hollow interior. The bottom end of the body member has a bottom edge which defines a lower opening into the body member hollow interior. The bottom end of the body member is designed for insertion through the opening and into the interior of a flexible bag to permit passage of material through the body member hollow interior into the interior of a flexible bag.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bag filling devices and more particularly pertains to a new bag filling device for easily scooping ballast material, such as sand or dirt, into a flexible bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of bag filling devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, bag filling devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art bag filling devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,147; U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,745; U.S. Pat. No. 5,107,666; U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,978; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 321,631; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 337,244.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new bag filling device. The inventive device includes an elongate tubular body member formed by a perimeter wall having inner and outer surfaces with the inner surface defining a body member hollow interior. At the top end of the body member is a top edge defining an upper opening into the body member hollow interior. The top edge also includes a scooping portion which is positioned towards the back of the body member. The scooping portion is designed for permitting the scooping of material, such as sand, dirt, and gravel, through the upper opening into the body member hollow interior. The bottom end of the body member has a bottom edge which defines a lower opening into the body member hollow interior. The bottom end of the body member is designed for insertion through the opening and into the interior of a flexible bag to permit passage of material through the body member hollow interior into the interior of a flexible bag.
In these respects, the bag filling device according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of easily scooping ballast material, such as sand or dirt, into a flexible bag.


Provided is a method of producing spherical silver powder, which makes it possible to easily produce spherical silver powder having primary particle diameters with less variation than conventional powder and spherical silver powder obtained by the method.

Conventionally, as a method for forming an internal electrode of a multilayer capacitor, conductive patterns of a circuit board, electrodes and circuits of solar cells and plasma display panels, for example, the following method is widely used. A conductive paste of a sintered type produced by adding silver powder and glass frit into an organic vehicle and kneading the mixture is formed into a predetermined pattern on a substrate, followed by heating at a temperature of 500° C. to remove organic components, thereby sintering the particles of the silver powder.
A conductive paste used for such an application is required to be capable of being formed into a conductive pattern having higher density and a finer line (smaller line width) in order to obtain smaller electronic components. Accordingly, silver powder to be used is required to have a reasonably small diameters and similar particle sizes and to be dispersed in an organic vehicle.
A wet reduction process is known as a method of producing silver powder for such conductive paste. For example, in JP 2005-220380 A (PTL 1), a reductant is added to an aqueous reaction solution containing silver ions thereby precipitating spherical silver powder by reduction.
Further, as a method of producing spherical silver powder of uniform particle diameter, JP 2009-235474 A (PTL 2) proposes a method of precipitation by reduction in which seed particles are added before the reduction, whereas JP 2010-070793 A (PTL 3) proposes a method of precipitation by reduction in which an aqueous solution containing silver ions and an aqueous solution containing a reductant are flown through different channels and then brought into contact and mixed. On the other hand, as a method of producing copper powder, WO 2014/104032 A (PTL 4) proposes a method of precipitation by reduction using a plurality of reductants.

Method of producing spherical silver powder

Abstract: The method of producing spherical silver powder includes a reduction precipitation step of precipitating silver particles by reduction by adding a reductant including hydrazine carbonate to an aqueous reaction system containing silver ions.


An apparatus comprising a magnetic head suspension assembly (10) comprised of a rectangular portion (12), load beam (14) and flexure (16) fabricated from a silicon structure using the etching techniques of the integrated circuit fabrication industry. The magnetic head suspension assembly (10) has electrical leads (23) to a slider, a pre-amp circuit (25) and a microactuator (27) fabricated directly thereon. A system of providing a loading force passing to slider (50) comprises either a tapered base plate (40) adapted to be held by a horizontally oriented actuator arm or an actuator arm (60) having at least one angled receiving surface (62,64) for attachment to said suspension assembly. The method of forming a magnetic head suspension assembly (10) from an etched silicon structure comprising a cutting step comprising cutting the silicon structure into the silhouette shape of a magnetic head suspension assembly, having a rectangular portion (12), a load beam (14) and a flexure (16), the flexure is cut in a shape such that finger members (18), slider bond tongue (19) and dimple tongue (20) appear thereon. Subsequent to the cutting step, photo-etching regions of the silicon structure reduces thickness of the silicon structure in certain regions. The photo-etching leaves a remaining non-etched small plateau area which is adapted to act as a point or dimple for an attached slider to gimbal about.

1. Magnetic Head Suspension Assemblies
Computer disc drives store information on rotating magnetically recordable discs. This information is stored in concentric tracks on the rotating disc. A magnetic head or transducer element is moved from track-to-track on these discs to read and record the desired information. Typically, these rotating discs are closely held apart in a parallel stacked relationship. Sometimes, however, only one rotating disc is found in the disc drive. In either case, available vertical space is very limited in the construction of the disc drive. Accordingly, these magnetic heads or transducer elements must be designed to be held in close contact with a rotating disc or between two very closely spaced apart parallel rotating discs. Magnetic head suspension assemblies provide an arm-like structure which is inserted either above a single rotating disc or between two separately spaced apart rotating discs, moving the magnetic head back and forth. These suspension assemblies support the magnetic head which is held near the surface of the disc as the disc rotates. This magnetic head is carried in a carrier or slider which is pushed gently against the surface of the disc when the disc is not rotating by the suspension assembly. When the disc begins to rotate at high speed, the slider is aerodynamically shaped to fly slightly above or very slightly away from the surface of this rotating disc. When the slider flies slightly away from the rotating disc, the magnetic head contained in the slider is then moved back and forth from track to track by the action of the support assembly holding the slider. In certain disc drive designs, the carrier of this magnetic head rides on a liquid film on the rotating disc. In either the air or liquid case, the magnetic head suspension assembly connects the slider to a rotary or linear actuator which operates to move the suspension assembly thereby positioning the magnetic head or transducer element directly above the desired track location on the disc. Acting as an arm, the suspension assembly also provides a point support for the slider which allows the slider to gimbal in order to adjust its orientation as appropriate to the surface of the disc. Typically, in many disc drives, a plurality of magnetic head suspension assemblies are used, each holding a magnetic head, with each magnetic head being kept in close proximity to a rotating disc, thereby requiring a plurality of parallel suspension assemblies, with each suspension assembly extending between two very closely spaced apart parallel rotating discs.
Magnetic head suspension assemblies typically are composed of an elongated load beam adapted to be connected to an actuator arm at one end. At the other end, an arrangement of flexible members, or flexure is provided. To this flexure is attached the slider which carries the magnetic head. This flexure is designed to allow limited up-and-down spring-type movement in the slider which is holding the magnetic head or transducer. A point for this slider to be mounted to and gimbal about is provided at this flexure.
As disc drives have become smaller in size with increased data storage capacity, data recording density of the disc has gone up dramatically and the data tracks have become smaller and closer together. The magnetic heads and sliders have also decreased in size. These lighter weight magnetic heads and accompanying sliders require a flexible suspension to support them as the older suspensions tended to be too stiff to allow the new smaller sliders to adjust their position. In addition, while the suspension assembly must be flexible in the vertical direction as well as allow for some pitch and roll of the slider, the suspension also must be rigid in the horizontal or lateral direction in order to prevent unwanted side-to-side yaw movement in the slider. Traditionally, this problem was solved by using thinner and thinner suspension assemblies with a proportionally larger ratio of width-to-thickness. However, the lower limits of the thickness to which materials can be milled are being approached. Steel can be milled accurately to a thickness of 0.025 millimeters. In attempting to mill steel to such a small thickness, the irregularities in the grain structure of the steel can cause great variations in the thickness and make material unsuitable for use in suspension assemblies. As such, the desire exists for a new method or material which can be used to produce thinner suspension assemblies, overcoming the problems inherent in steel suspension assembly fabrication at this exceptional thinness.
Another issue encountered in the present design of magnetic head suspension assemblies is that the trend in the industry has been to design concentric tracks closer and closer together. As these tracks become closer and closer together, it becomes more difficult for current suspension assemblies to find and follow a particular track. A novel suspension assembly design would be to place a microactuator on the suspension near the slider as a way of providing small, fine tuned track following capabilities while a main rotary actuator provides the large actuation motions. These micro-actuators can be magnetically driven or electro-statically driven.
In the construction of magnetic head suspension assemblies, it is also necessary to provide a downward vertical loading force acting from the load beam through the flexure and onto the slider which holds the magnetic head against the rotating disc. This downward vertical force is counterbalanced by the lifting force when the slider flies above the rotating disc drive. (It is to be understood that if a slider is instead positioned below a rotating disc, the vertical force will instead be directed upwards). The balancing of the loading and lifting forces is stabilized when the slider positions the magnetic head very close, but not touching, the rotating disc. In order to have the magnetic head closely follow the disc surface at constant spacing, it is desirable to enable the slider to roll around a first axis substantially parallel to the load beam of the suspension assembly and to pitch about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. It is also desirable to eliminate yaw about an axis substantially parallel to said first axis.
As it is necessary to have the magnetic head in electrical communication with various control circuitry located elsewhere in the disc drive, all prior art designs have used some form of wire which is attached to the magnetic head and strung along the load beam of the suspension assembly. This wire may be glued to the load beam. Minimizing the amount of wiring along the load beam, especially at the connection point to the slider holding the magnetic head would be desired as a further space saving measure. Present systems which use pre-amp circuits require that these components be placed some distance away from the magnetic head as they are too heavy and bulky to be carried on the suspension assembly, where available space is extremely limited. A system for placing these components closer to the magnetic head, and decreasing their bulk and weight in the system would be highly desirable. In addition, the possibility of integrating electrical leads, pre-amp circuitry, and a microactuator device into a suspension assembly would offer the advantages of a reduced number of components, simplified assembly, and higher performance.
Consequently, the need exists for an exceptionally thin magnetic head suspension assembly which is enabled to reach between two parallel closely spaced stacked rotating discs or above a single rotating disc, where minimal space is available. In spite of its exceptional thinness, however, this magnetic head suspension assembly must be sufficiently rigid to resist any unwanted bending yaw motion, and also provide a stiff enough load beam which provides and carries a downward (or upward) vertical load through to the slider holding the magnetic head, thus tending to hold the slider in position against the disc. In addition, the preferred suspension assembly must have a high resonance frequency to avoid unwanted vibrations and must also maintain pitch and roll gimbal stiffness for its slider which is comparable to present designs. In addition, the need exists to minimize the size and weight of electrical components and wiring connections along the load beam. The desired end result of this design would be fabricating miniaturized electrical leads connecting directly with the slider, with a miniaturized pre-amp circuit and a microactuator also being directly fabricated onto the load beam thereby providing a compact integrated device.
Accordingly, a novel approach to solving the above limitations would be to fabricate the entire suspension assembly from a silicon structure, for example a silicon crystal wafer. This would enable manufacture of a very thin suspension assembly which could be etched away to a very small thickness using processing methods similar to those presently used in the integrated circuit fabrication industry. An etched silicon suspension assembly would be sufficiently rigid and the various electrical components, such as leads running directly to the magnetic head, a pre-amp circuit and a microactuator could be etched directly on the silicon load beam, thus providing an extremely thin and compact system.
2. Specific Prior Art Systems
U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,641 to Watrous discloses a transducer suspension mount apparatus. This device provided a head arm assembly which is responsive to changes in the topography of the surface of a spinning disc, thereby maintaining a substantially uniform close distance and attitude between the magnetic head transducing gap and the rotating disc surface. This head suspension assembly is designed to respond with pitch and roll movements in its transducer carrier while resisting against any radial, circumferential and yaw motions. This device suffers from various limitations. First, it does not possess the required extreme thinness as needed in today's magnetic head suspension assemblies. This is due in particular to the fact that Watrous' load beam has a plurality of flanges giving rigidity to its structure, but also thickening it. Secondly, as the Watrous design is not fabricated from silicon, there is no capacity to fabricate electrical leads to the slider, a pre-amp circuit, or a microactuator directly into the load beam.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,834 to Ebert et al. discloses a bending spring joint formed of a selectively etched silicon wafer material. This joint is designed for use in flexible suspensions for pendulums, having a generally T-shaped pendulum and a pendulum fastening device. The Ebert system is not structured or adapted to be used as a magnetic head suspension assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,946 to Matsuzaki discloses a flexible polymeric resonance magnetic head supporting device. This device provides a magnetic head supporting device with a reduced size and simple wiring structure. This device suffers from various limitations. First, the load beam of this head supporting device is not very thin. The thickness of this load beam is partially due to the fact that the supporting arm comprises a resilient spring portion and a rigid beam portion contiguous to said resilient spring portion, thus giving added thickness to the support arm suspension assembly. This rigid beam portion is also provided on both sides with flanges which also contribute to the thickness of the support suspension assembly. As this suspension assembly is not made of silicon, it is not possible to have electrical leads, a pre-amp circuit, or a microactuator integrated directly into the load beam of the suspension assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,864 to Matsuzaki discloses a magnetic head supporting device including a flexible member of polymeric resonance material. This device assures an appropriate balance between the dynamic pressure for lifting the magnetic head from the rotating disc and the spring pressure exerted by the supporting device, thus achieving a stable floating posture for an accompanying slider. The Matsuzaki device suffers from various limitations. As this device is not fabricated from silicon, the Matsuzaki magnetic head supporting device will not be extremely thin and will not be adapted such that electrical leads to the slider, a pre-amp circuit, or a microactuator could be directly fabricated on the magnetic head supporting arm or suspension assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,181 to Frater, et al. discloses an etched suspension system. This head suspension assembly comprises a load beam, a flexure, and a transducer assembly. This suspension system suffers from various limitations. First, it is rather thick. This is caused in part by the fact that the load beam has flanged sides and that the flexure is mounted adjacent to the load beam along a significant portion of this load beam. Secondly, as this suspension system is not adapted to be manufactured from silicon, the advantages of exceptional thinness and the potential for fabricating electrical leads, a pre-amp circuit, and a microactuator directly on the load beam of the suspension assembly, cannot be met.