The invention has an object to provide a substrate detecting device which is capable of detecting the presence of a substrate and the existence of the substrate""s off-position by a low number of substrate sensing parts. In the substrate detecting device for detecting both presence and off-position of the substantially circular substrate W mounted on a substrate mounting part 26, the device includes the plural substrate sensing parts 50, 52 arranged somewhat inward from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate mounted on the substrate mounting part and also arranged at substantially regular intervals along the circumferential direction of the substrate and a judgement controlling unit 40 for judging the presence of the substrate and the existence of the off-position on the ground of respective outputs from the plural substrate sensing parts. Consequently, the presence of the substrate and the existence of the off-position in excess of an allowance can be detected by e.g. three sensing parts.

The present invention relates to a substrate detecting device for detecting both presence and off-position (positional deviation) of a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer and also relates to a method of detecting the presence and off-position of the substrate.
Generally, in order to perform a designated process for the substrate, for example, the semiconductor wafer in a processing apparatus devices, it is executed to first take out one substrate from a cassette unit capable of accommodating a plurality of substrates and secondly load the substrate into a load-locking chamber capable of forming a vacuum in its interior. After evacuating the interior of the load-locking chamber, the substrate is loaded into the processing apparatus via a vacuum transfer chamber evacuated in advance. When unloading the processed substrate out of the processing apparatus, it is transferred in the opposite course to the above-mentioned course.
The reason for the load-locking chamber""s mediation in loading and unloading the substrate is as follows: for the purpose of delivering the substrate between the cassette unit exposed into the atmospheric pressure and the vacuum transfer chamber or the processing apparatus maintained in the vacuum, if there is such a load-locking chamber, which is capable of getting both vacuum condition and atmospheric condition rapidly and easily, between the cassette unit and the vacuum chamber or the processing apparatus, the speedy operation of loading/unloading of the wafers could be accomplished without breaking a vacuum in the vacuum transfer chamber or the processing apparatus.
Besides, by the above-mentioned reason, the volume of the load-locking chamber is established as small as possible. Further, the load-locking chamber is provided, at its loading/unloading port for the substrate, with a gate valve which allows the port to be closed in an airtight manner. However, if the substrate is accommodated in the load-locking chamber while being shifted from the formal position in excess of the allowance, it may be an impossibility for a transfer arm to carry the substrate in the off-position. Alternatively, if the worst comes to the worst, the substrate in the off-position may be pinched and broken by the gate valve.
In order to solve such a drawback, there has been proposed a substrate detecting device which is arranged in the load-locking chamber, for confirming the presence of the substrate in the chamber and the existence of the substrate""s off-position in excess of a predetermined allowance for the substrate.
FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the above load-locking chamber and the substrate detecting device disposed in the load-locking chamber and FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the interior of the load-locking chamber. The load-locking chamber 2 is constituted by a thin and square container capable of forming a vacuum, which is made of e.g. stainless steel. The load-locking chamber 2 is provided, on opposing walls thereof, with loading/unloading ports 4, 6 through which the substrate W, such as semiconductor wafer, is carried in and out. Gate valves G1, G2 capable of closing in an airtight manner are arranged on the loading/unloading ports 4, 6, respectively.
In the load-locking chamber 2, for example, three support pins 8 movable up and down are arranged so as to stand in the form of a substantially regular triangle and support the substrate W thereon. In a position corresponding to the general center of the substrate W, an optical emitter 9 and an optical receptor 10 in pairs are respectively arranged below and above the substrate W, for identifying the existance of the substrate. Also in a position separated outward from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate W by a small clearance L1, a lower optical emitter 11 and an upper optical receptor 12 in pairs are arranged in order to confirm whether the substrate is in the xe2x80x9coff-positionxe2x80x9d or not. In the shown example, three pairs of emitters 11 and receptors 12 for confirmation of the off-position are arranged in the circumferential direction of the substrate W at substantially regular intervals. With the arrangement, when the substrate W is shifted from the formal position in excess of an allowance (L1), the confirmation of the off-position is carried out since the light from the emitter 11 existing in the direction of the off-position is cut off by the substrate W.
Meanwhile, in the conventional substrate detecting device mentioned above, the rising in manufacturing cost is caused due to the requirement for at least four pairs of emitters and receptors. Additionally, with the arrangement where the emitters 11 and the receptors 12 for confirmation of the off-position are positioned outside the outer peripheral edge of the substrate, the interior space or volume of the load-locking chamber 2 is increased to cause the installation space to be enlarged with an increase in time required for evacuating the chamber.
Under such a situation, the present invention originates in the demand for solving the above-mentioned problems effectively. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a substrate detecting device which is capable of detecting the presence of the substrate and the existence of the substrate""s off-position by the information from a small number of substrate detecting sensing parts and also provide a substrate detecting method using the above substrate detecting device.
The 1st. feature of the present invention resides in: a substrate detecting device for detecting presence and off-position of a substrate mounted on a substrate mounting part, the substrate detecting device comprising a plurality of substrate sensing parts each of which is arranged in a position inward departing from an outer peripheral edge of the substrate arranged in a designated position on the substrate mounting part, by a predetermined distance and which are arranged in the circumferential direction of the substrate at intervals; and a judgement controlling unit for judging the presence of the substrate on the substrate mounting part and the existence of the substrate""s off-position being deviated from the designated position, on the ground of respective outputs from the substrate sensing parts.
With the above constitution, since the plural substrate sensing parts are arranged in respective positions just inward departing from the outer peripheral edge of the substrate and also departing from each other in the circumferential direction of the substrate, the judgement controlling unit can judge the presence of the substrate on the substrate mounting part and the existence of the substrate""s off-position in excess of an allowance predetermined for the substrate, on the basis of the outputs from the substrate sensing parts.
The 2nd. feature of the present invention resides in that the judgement controlling unit of the substrate detecting device judges the presence of the substrate on condition that at least one of the plural substrate sensing parts detects the presence of the substrate; and the off-position of the substrate on condition that at least one of the plural substrate sensing parts does detect the presence of the substrate and at least one of the other substrate sensing parts does not detect the substrate. In this case, it means that the substrate is in the off-position where it is shifted from the substantial center of the substrate toward the sensing part detecting the presence of the substrate.
The 3rd. feature of the present invention resides in that the substrate to be subjected to judgement for the presence and off-position is shaped to be substantially circular.
The 4th. feature of the present invention resides in that the substrate sensing parts are at least three in number. In this way, if only providing the sensing parts of three in number, more or less, then it is possible to confirm the presence of the substrate and the existence of off-position of the substrate, thereby not only reducing the number of sensors but controlling the installation space.
The 5th. feature of the present invention resides in that the plural substrate sensing parts are arranged in the circumferential direction of the substrate at substantially regular intervals.
The 6th. feature of the present invention resides in that the substrate detecting device further comprises a pair of opposing substrate restricting walls which are arranged on both sides of the substrate mounting part, for restricting the position of the substrate on the inside of the substrate restricting walls.
The 7th. feature of the present invention resides in that the substrate sensing parts of two in number, are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the opposing direction of the substrate restricting walls in pairs.
The 8th. feature of the present invention resides in that the substrate to be subjected to judgments for the presence and off-position thereof is shaped to be substantially square.
The 9th. feature of the present invention resides in that the plural substrate sensing parts are arranged on respective corners of the square-shaped substrate.
The 10th. feature of the present invention resides in that the plural substrate sensing parts are arranged on two corners of respective corners of the square-shaped substrate, the two corners being in a diagonal direction of the substrate.
The 11th. feature of the present invention resides in that the substrate detecting device further comprises a pair of opposing substrate restricting walls which are arranged on both sides of the substrate mounting part, for restricting the position of the substrate to the inside of the substrate restricting walls, wherein a distance between the pair of opposing substrate restricting walls is longer than a distance between opposing sides defining the square-shaped substrate by a predetermined distance.
The 12th. feature of the present invention resides in that the plural substrate sensing parts of two in number are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the opposing direction of the substrate restricting walls.
The 13th. feature of the present invention resides in that the substrate detecting device further comprises an accommodating chamber for accommodating the substrate mounting part therein, wherein the accommodating chamber is provided with an opening and closing door through which the substrate to be mounted on the substrate mounting part can be loaded into and unloaded from the accommodating chamber. control unit prohibits the closing operation of the opening and closing door when the off-position of the substrate is detected. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the substrate from being damaged by the door""s pinching.
The 15th. feature of the present invention resides in that the accommodating chamber is identical to a load-locking chamber capable of forming a vacuum therein.
The 16th. feature of the present invention resides in that the predetermined distance between the outer peripheral edge of the substrate and each of the substrate sensing parts ranges from 5 mm to 10 mm for the substrate of 12 inches in size.
The 17th. feature of the present invention resides in a method of detecting presence and off-position of a substrate mounted on a substrate mounting part by using a substrate detecting device, the substrate detecting device including the substrate mounting part for mounting the substrate thereon and a plurality of substrate sensing parts arranged in respective positions just inward departing from an outer peripheral edge of the substrate in a designated position on the substrate mounting part and also departing from each other in the circumferential direction of the substrate, the method comprising the steps of judging the presence of the substrate on condition that at least one of the plural substrate sensing parts does detect the presence of the substrate; and judging the off-position of the substrate on condition that at least one of the plural substrate sensing parts does detect the presence of the substrate and at least one of the other substrate sensing parts does not detect the substrate.

Device and method for detecting substrate


Systems and methods are provided for processing and displaying user-generated content. User-generated content is received from a user over a network. A conversation related to the received user-generated content is identified. A score associated with the identified conversation is calculated based on one or more parameters related to the user or the conversation. The user-generated content is provided for display in relation to the conversation, based on the calculated score associated with the conversation.

Typically, online publishers, such as online media companies and other publishers of articles, stories, and other electronic content, provide online web page space and mechanisms for viewers to comment on, or otherwise interact with, that published content.
Some articles attract many comments, including sometimes too many for one person to browse through all of those comments. In addition, some comments form a conversation, replying to one another, and some conversations are worth noting, and actually helping to invite more user interactions. The prevalent way to present comments is in order of recency (more recent comments on the top), sometimes causing other interesting/insightful comments to disappear. Because of how comments are typically displayed in sequential order and in un-nested conversations, it can be difficult for readers to identify important or interesting comments or conversations. For example, an important person such as the author or a pundit may comment on an article, and that comment may spur many additional comments, including comments by popular, demographically-significant, or otherwise important people. Due to the standard sequencing of comments, those comments or conversations may be too far down a chain of comments to appear within a reasonable distance from the original content.

Systems and methods for processing and displaying user-generated content


A covered cutting board assembly for outdoor use includes a cutting board having a cutting surface, a truss structure attachable to the cutting board forming a support structure for a transparent or semi-transparent cover which encloses the truss structure and cutting board. The cover is structured with at least one opening, closeable by a flap securable thereto, to permit insertion of user's hands therethrough to access the cutting surface. The cover remains in position over the cutting surface to provide protection to food prepared and served on the cutting surface, but allows access to the cutting board as needed. The cutting board assembly also includes a waterproof top sized to fit over the cover to prevent entry of moisture. The top also may have an opening to provide access to the cutting surface for use of the cutting board in rain or snow, and the top may have insulative properties to retain heat within the disclosure. The components of the cutting board assembly are disassemblable from each other and are collapsible to a flattened configuration providing easy storage and transportation in a carrying case which is also described.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cutting boards used in food preparation and the like. Specifically, this invention relates to a covered cutting board for use outdoors to provide protection for the cutting board and the food prepared or handled thereon, the cover being structured to provide access to the cutting board surface without removal of the cover.
2. Statement of the Art
Many people like to picnic or go camping, and a significant portion of the time spent in these activities involves the preparation and serving of food. In recognition of the need, a number of products have been developed over the years to aid in preparing and serving food outdoors. However, most people still typically plan their meals prior to leaving home, and prepare and package the individual ingredients for later assembly outdoors. This is because most outdoor locales do not provide any clean or convenient surface upon which food can be freshly prepared.
Further, even if a surface is available, such as a picnic table or the like, the food remains exposed to insects and other sources of contamination during the time the food is being handled. Although some type of cover may be fashioned to temporarily shield the food during times when the food is not being handled, the cover must still be removed during the time the food is handled directly, and the food is thereby exposed to contamination.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a cutting surface for use outdoors which has an enclosure positioned over the board, the enclosure having an access formed therethrough to allow a person to access the cutting surface without removing the enclosure from over the board or over the food. It would also be advantageous to provide a covered cutting surface which is structured to be disassemblable for easy storage and transportation.

Cutting surface having a tent-like cover providing closable access to the cutting surface


A combustion control device for an engine includes a plurality of cylinders, a surge tank disposed in an intake path to the cylinders, an independent intake passage connecting the surge tank and an intake port of each of the cylinders, a fuel injection valve that is disposed for each of the cylinders and that supplies fuel into each of the cylinders, and a control unit that controls a fuel injection amount of each of the fuel injection valves according to an engine operating state. The control unit corrects a target fuel injection amount of each of the cylinders, the target fuel injection amount being determined according to the engine operating state, based on a re-intake correction amount set in each of the cylinders according to a re-intake amount of intake air from the intake port in internal EGR in each of the cylinders.

In an engine having a plurality of cylinders, it is important to reduce a variation in air-fuel ratio between cylinders from the viewpoint of improving output stability and fuel efficiency. Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-232729 discloses a method of determining the air-fuel ratio of each cylinder based on a detection value of an air-fuel ratio sensor disposed in an exhaust collector part and controlling the air-fuel ratio of each cylinder. However, this method has a disadvantage that it is difficult to determine the air-fuel ratio of each cylinder during a low-load operation in which the flow rate of exhaust gas is low or the like, and thus accurate air-fuel ratio control cannot be executed.
Meanwhile, in order to adjust the in-cylinder temperature of a cylinder to a required temperature, internal EGR that leaves high-temperature burned gas in the cylinder has been widely used. In general, the internal EGR is achieved by setting a valve overlap in which both an intake valve and an exhaust valve are opened. For example, in an engine that performs compression self-ignition combustion, by performing the internal EGR, the temperature of an air-fuel mixture in a cylinder can be increased to a temperature at which self-ignition can be performed. In controlling the air-fuel ratio of cylinders and thus reducing a variation in air-fuel ratio between the cylinders, it is necessary to reflect the re-intake amount of intake air (fresh air) from an intake port into the cylinders in the internal EGR.
Engines are often required to be compact from the viewpoint of mountability on vehicles, and it is sometimes required to set paths in an intake system and an exhaust system as short as possible. For example, the intake system has an independent intake passage connecting a surge tank and an intake port of each cylinder, and in some cases, this independent intake passage must be set short. In this case, during a valve overlap period for the internal EGR, the intake air once blown out of the intake port of one cylinder reaches the surge tank through the independent intake passage due to an intake/exhaust differential pressure, and then is re-intaken not into the one cylinder but into other cylinders. This phenomenon causes a difference in the re-intake amount of intake air between the cylinders, resulting in a variation in air-fuel ratio between the cylinders.


A first hydrogen barrier film and an intermediate layer are formed on an interlayer dielectric film. A ferroelectric capacitor is formed on the intermediate layer, and a second hydrogen barrier film is formed over the entire surface including on the upper surface and side surfaces of the ferroelectric capacitor and on the intermediate layer. Then, the second hydrogen barrier film and the intermediate layer are removed while leaving at least portions on the upper surface and side surfaces of the ferroelectric capacitor. Then, a third hydrogen barrier film is formed on the second hydrogen barrier film, on side surfaces of the second hydrogen barrier film and the intermediate layer, and on the first hydrogen barrier film.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices having ferroelectric capacitors, and semiconductor devices. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in which a ferroelectric capacitor is protected from hydrogen included in a lower layer thereof, such that electrical characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor are difficult to deteriorate, and also relates to such a semiconductor device.
2. Related Art
FIGS. 5(A) and (B) are cross-sectional views for describing a conventional method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having a ferroelectric capacitor. First, as shown in FIG. 5 (A), an element isolation film 102 is formed in a silicon substrate 101 by, for example, a LOCOS method. The element isolation film 102 is open above an element region. Next, by thermally oxidizing the silicon substrate 101, a gate oxide film 103 is formed in the element region. Next, a polysilicon film is formed over the entire surface including on the gate oxide film 103, and the polysilicon film is patterned. By this, a gate electrode 104 is formed on the gate oxide film 103. Next, by using the gate electrode 104 and the element isolation film 102 as a mask, impurity ions are injected in the silicon substrate 101. By this, low concentration impurity regions 106a and 106b are formed in the silicon substrate 101.
Next, a silicon oxide film is formed over the entire surface including on the gate oxide film 103, and the silicon oxide film is etched back. By this, side walls 105 are formed on side walls of the gate electrode 104. Then, by using the gate electrode 104, the sidewalls 105 and the element isolation film 102 as a mask, impurity ions are injected in the silicon substrate 101. By this, impurity regions 107a and 107b that become source and drain are formed in the silicon substrate 101. In this manner, a transistor is formed in the element region.
Next, an interlayer dielectric film 108 is formed over the entire surface including on the transistor by a CVD method. In here, a material gas including hydrogen atoms, such as, SiH4, TEOS (Si (OC2H5)4), or the like is used. Next, a photoresist film (not shown) is coated on the interlayer dielectric film 108, and then the photoresist film is exposed to light and developed. By this, a resist pattern is formed on the interlayer dielectric film 108. Then, by using the resist pattern as a mask, the interlayer dielectric film 108 is etched. By this, contact holes 108a and 108b respectively located above the impurity regions 107a and 107b, and a contact hole 108c located above the gate electrode 104 are formed.
Then, the resist pattern is removed. Next, a Ti film and a TiN film that become a barrier metal are successively deposited by a sputter method in the contact holes 108a, 108b and 108c and on the interlayer dielectric film 108, and a tungsten (W) film is further deposited thereon. Then, the tungsten film, the TiN film and the Ti film on the interlayer dielectric film 108 are removed by a CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) method or etching back. By this, W plugs 109a, 109b and 109c are embedded in the contact holes 108a, 108b and 108c, respectively.
Next, a Pt film that becomes a lower electrode, a ferroelectric film and a Pt film that becomes an upper electrode are laminated in this order on the W plug 109b and the interlayer dielectric film 108. Next, a photoresist film (not shown) is formed on the Pt film that becomes an upper electrode, and the photoresist film is exposed to light and developed. By this, a resist pattern is formed on the Pt film that becomes an upper electrode. Next, by using the resist pattern as a mask, the Pt film, the ferroelectric film and the Pt film are etched. By this, a ferroelectric capacitor 110 having a lower electrode 110a, a ferroelectric film 110b and an upper electrode 110c laminated in this order on the W plug 109b is formed. Then, the resist pattern is removed.
Because the ferroelectric film 110b includes oxygen, it is reduced if hydrogen, water or hydroxyl (hereafter described as hydrogen and the like) enters the ferroelectric film 110b, and its electrical characteristics deteriorate. In order to prevent this incident, a hydrogen barrier film 111 is formed on the ferroelectric capacitor 110 and the interlayer dielectric film 108. The hydrogen barrier film 111 is formed from, for example, Al oxide or Al nitride.
Next, as shown in FIG. 5 (B), a second interlayer dielectric film 112 is formed on the hydrogen barrier film 111 by a CVD method. In here, a material gas including hydrogen atoms, such as, SiH4, TEOS, or the like is used, but hydrogen does not reach the ferroelectric film 110b of the ferroelectric capacitor 110 because the ferroelectric capacitor 110 is covered by the hydrogen barrier film 111. For this reason, the ferroelectric film 110b does not deteriorate when the second interlayer dielectric film 112 is formed, and therefore the electrical characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor 110 do not deteriorate.
Next, a photoresist film (not shown) is coated on the second interlayer dielectric film 112, and then the photoresist film is exposed to light and developed. By this, a resist pattern is formed on the second interlayer dielectric film 112. Then, by using the resist pattern as a mask, the second interlayer dielectric film 112 and the hydrogen barrier film 111 are etched. By this, via holes 112a and 112c located above the W plugs 109a and 109c, respectively, and a via hole 112b located above the ferroelectric capacitor 110 are formed in the second interlayer dielectric film 112 and the hydrogen barrier film 111.
Thereafter, the resist pattern is removed. Then, a Ti film and a TiN film that become a barrier metal are successively deposited by a sputter method in the via holes 112a–112c and on the second interlayer dielectric film 112, and a tungsten (W) film is further deposited thereon. Then, the tungsten film, the TiN film and the Ti film on the second interlayer dielectric film 112 are removed by a CMP method or etching back. By this, W plugs 113a, 113b and 113c are embedded in the via holes 112a, 112b and 112c, respectively.
Next, an Al alloy film is formed over the entire surface including on the second interlayer dielectric film 112 and on the W plugs 113a–113c, and the Al alloy film is patterned. By this, Al alloy wirings 114a, 114b and 114c respectively connected to the W plugs 113a, 113b and 113c are formed.
A technology similar to the above manufacturing method is described in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application 2002-176149 (FIG. 2).
In the method described above, the upper surface of the ferroelectric capacitor is covered by the hydrogen barrier film. For this reason, even when hydrogen or the like is generated in a step after the ferroelectric capacitor has been formed, the hydrogen is difficult to reach the ferroelectric film of the ferroelectric capacitor. However, when the interlayer dielectric film located below the ferroelectric capacitor is heated after the ferroelectric capacitor has been formed, gas such as hydrogen or the like may be caused from the interlayer dielectric film. In this case, there is a possibility that the degassed hydrogen or the like may reach the ferroelectric capacitor, and may deteriorate the ferroelectric capacitor. Also, there is a possibility that hydrogen generated in a step after the ferroelectric capacitor has been formed may reach the ferroelectric capacitor through the interlayer dielectric film from the side of the silicon substrate. For this reason, it is desired that the ferroelectric capacitor be protected from hydrogen contained in a lower layer thereof.
The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and its object is to provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in which a ferroelectric capacitor is protected from hydrogen included in a lower layer thereof, such that electrical characteristics of the ferroelectric capacitor are difficult to deteriorate, and also relates to such a semiconductor device.

Method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and semiconductor device


There is provided a method of producing a semiconductor wafer, including: forming a compound semiconductor layer on a base wafer by epitaxial growth; cleansing a surface of the compound semiconductor layer by means of a cleansing agent containing a selenium compound; and forming an insulating layer on the surface of the compound semiconductor layer. Examples of the selenium compound include a selenium oxide. Examples of the selenium oxide include H2SeO3. The cleansing agent may further contain one or more substances selected from the group consisting of water, ammonium, and ethanol. When the surface of the compound semiconductor layer is made of InxGa1-xAs (0≦x≦1), the insulating layer is preferably made of Al2O3, and Al2O3 is preferably formed by ALD.

Non-patent Documents 1 to 3 disclose passivation techniques to passivate a surface of a Group III-V compound semiconductor to be used in an MISFET (Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) by using (NH4)2S, HBr or phosphorous nitride.    Non-patent Document 1: Y. Xuan et al., IEEE Electron Device Lett., 28, 935 (2007)    Non-patent Document 2: Y. Q. Wu et al., IEDM Tech. Dig., 323 (2009)    Non-patent Document 3: H. J. Oh et al., IEDM Tech. Dig., 339 (2009)

Method of producing semiconductor wafer, and semiconductor wafer

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY


A cyclone dust collecting apparatus has a cyclone body having an air inlet for drawing in, contaminant-laden air and an air outlet connected with a vacuum suction source. The vacuum provided by the vacuum source draws air from the air outlet, which passes through the cyclone body from the air inlet. As the air flows through the cyclone body, it forms a whirling stream in the cyclone body. The whirling stream creates a centrifugal force on particles that are suspended in the air, which, because of their greater mass, causes them to become separated from air that is drawn out of the whirling stream and into the air outlet by the vacuum source. The air outlet is provided with a passage guide member arranged in the air outlet that reduces the speed of air discharged via the air outlet and also for guiding a flow streamline. The passage guide member reduces a pressure loss by a turbulence flow generated during discharging a cleaned air such that load of vacuum suction resource decreases and power consumption for operating the cyclone dust collecting apparatus can be reduced.

A vacuum cleaner draws in air by driving a motor-driven fan in a main body of a vacuum cleaner. The suction or vacuum created by the fan draw in dusts and contaminant-laden air from an external surface being cleaned.
Prior art vacuum cleaners generally use a dust bag and/or dust filter to collect dust, but recently, a cyclone dust collecting devices have been used to collect dust in a vacuum cleaner because they have an unlimited life span, are easy to empty and easy to clean.
Korean Utility Model Application No. 1993-4891 entitled 'Vacuum cleaner having a cyclone' and Korean Patent Application No. 1993-5099 entitled 'Vacuum cleaner' are examples of a vacuum cleaner having a cyclone dust collecting apparatus. The cyclone dust collecting apparatus comprises a cyclone body, which includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The cyclone body forms a whirling stream with contaminant-laden air drawn through the air inlet, into the cyclone body where particles are centrifugally separated from the drawn-in air. Cleaned air is discharged via the air outlet to the outside.
As is known, the airflow that exits from the air outlet is turbulent due to inertial forces of the whirling stream into the air outlet. The turbulent air current flowing through the air outlet hits the inside wall of the air outlet, or it collides with newly cleaned air flowing from the cyclone body such that air pressure and volume flowing through the air outlet can lost at the air outlet. The pressure loss at the air outlet increases the load on the vacuum source in a vacuum cleaner. Electrical power consumption therefore increases.
If the air outlet is smaller than the cyclone body in cross-section, the speed of cleaned air flowing from the air outlet will increase accordingly. Unfortunately, an air speed increase at the outlet will cause noise to increase such that noise abatement might be required.


A method for producing formed blanks wherein the components are premixed in a first stage and metered. Heat and moisture are added to the mixture in a controlled manner and the mixture is then formed into pellets. The pellets are cooled with air, comminuted and further processed into formed blanks after storage for an arbitrary length of time. The method of this invention leads to more homogeneous and improved results and is extremely inexpensive.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for producing formed blanks from thermoplastically workable component mixtures which predominantly contain raw vegetable materials with a starch component and which are put into their final shape by using thermoplastic or duroplastic deformation in an extrusion molding machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
First experiments to form component mixtures from edible materials which are thermoplastically workable and can be made into formed blanks have been known since early 1950. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,645,587. The particular basis here is a lignocellulose material, for example nut shells, straw, rice hulls, corncobs and the like. However, all of such experiments have not been developed beyond the laboratory stage. German Patent Publication DE-A-25 52 126 discloses a thermoplastically workable and water-soluble mold mass, which is also suitable for producing formed blanks. The described component mixtures essentially consist of parts of starch, casein-sodium as well as glycerin and a part of gelatin and lecithin. All of such mixtures are worked in a mixer, a double-cylinder mill or a masticator into a fine-grained mass which is placed into the funnel of an extruder and processed into the desired formed blanks in a thermoplastic extrusion process.
Another solution is taught by PCT Reference WO90/05161. Here, an additive is admixed to essentially native and natural starch to produce a thermoplastically workable starch and the mixture is melted by the addition of heat and mechanical energy. The additive is a substance which lowers the melting temperature of the starch, so that the melting temperature of the starch together with this additive lies below the decomposition temperature of the starch. While the basis of the component mixtures so far described is an inhomogeneous mixture, and this inhomogeneity is maintained, the natural starch is worked into a melted mass by adding additives and heat, which subsequently is further processed in the form of granulates, pills, tablets or powders. This involves a process which requires a relatively large amount of energy and in which a final product, although biodegradable, loses its natural appearance.
Various thermoplastically workable component mixtures for producing service articles, articles for daily use and for packaging, are described in German Patent Publication DE-A-40 27 786. All of such component mixtures essentially consist of vegetable parts kept in their natural state as much as possible and consist of components of starch, glycerin and preservatives, as well as the addition of fillers containing vegetable proteins as binders and possibly dextrins for making the surface shiny. These components are mixed and subsequently directly worked in duroplastic or thermoplastic machines. The results derived from such teachings are extremely different. It is hardly possible to obtain reproducible results from the same composition of the mixture. It is assumed that the compression and heating of the component mixtures in the extruder worm leads to structural changes which are so complex that they can hardly be kept under control.
Of course, it is known from many patent publications, such as French FR-A-2 349 286, U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,163, European EP-A-0 040 406 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,632, how to produce cubes of feed in pellet mills. The materials to be worked have a certain similarity with those for producing thermoplastic or duroplastic formed blanks, but this process represents the last change in shape. Certain subsequent processes then only address the improvement of sterility or shelf life.
In contrast thereto it is not know from the prior art that when producing formed blanks or pellets from thermoplastically or duroplastically workable biomasses, another form of producing the granulate, than that in the extruder press, is used prior to shaping in a plastic molding machine. However, this form of processing has proven to be unusable, because the strongly inhomogeneous mixtures result in an intermediate product which has unequal physical properties and in this way leads to results during the final thermoplastic or duroplastic processing into formed blanks, which are not continuously reproducible.

Method for producing formed blanks from thermoplastically workable component mixtures


An active common mode filter is configured to be positioned between a power supply and a switching converter-device/load for reducing common mode noise. The active common mode filter includes an active capacitor that has a sensing stage including one or more sensing capacitors, an amplifying stage including a common collector amplifier for mitigating an input voltage divider effect coupled to a common emitter amplifier for providing high gain, and an injection stage including one or more injection capacitors. Depending on the required attenuation in different applications, a multistage active common mode filter may be formed with a necessary number of stages, each stage including an active capacitor and an inductor.

Power electronic equipment creates electromagnetic interference (EMI). For example, it is well known that switching-mode power converters generate electromagnetic interference (EMI). Due to the latest advances in semiconductor technology, the operating frequency of power switching devices continues to increase. However, faster switching frequency causes higher EMI noise. In particular, EMI can propagate along power cables. Typically, a passive filter (e.g., a combination of inductors and capacitors) is used to reduce EMI. However, when a power cable is connected to the passive filter, the cable may act as a distributed line that worsens the attenuation characteristic of the passive filter at the anti-resonant frequencies of the cable. Concerning the filter inductor, it is limited by its magnetic material core; therefore, the inductor volume cannot be reduced significantly. The inductors become a bottleneck in increasing the power density of the entire system.
According to the propagation paths, EMI noise can be classified into differential-mode (DM) and common-mode (CM) noise. For safety reasons, the leakage current introduced by the Y-capacitors in the CM filter should be within the standard limits, such as IEC 60950. Hence, a large CM inductance becomes necessary to operate with small Y-capacitance to achieve the required attenuation. Even though progress has been made in advancing the magnetic materials and winding techniques, CM chokes still occupy considerable volume and weight in power converters.
Active EMI filters present an alternative by using active components to replace some passive components in order to reduce volume. The general topologies of active EMI filters may be classified based on the noise sensing and compensation methods; active CM filters (ACF) can be classified into four main types: voltage-sensing and voltage-compensation (VSVC), voltage-sensing and current-compensation (VSCC), current-sensing and voltage-compensation (CSVC), current-sensing and current-compensation (CSCC).
Active and passive EMI filters have similar working principles. A voltage-compensation active filter forms a high impedance path in series with noise sources to attenuate the noise, acting as an inductor. A current-compensation active filter forms a low impedance path in parallel with noise sources to circulate high-frequency noise, acting as a capacitor. Transformers are required in the current-sensing and voltage-compensation stages. However, the presence of parasitic capacitance and the degradation of magnetic permeability will hinder high-frequency performance of the transformers.
VSCC ACFs do not require transformers. It is a promising topology to achieve better high-frequency performance and smaller volume than the other three types. While it has been shown that VSCC ACF are viable, there have been few applications due to their limited operating range. The bandwidth of conventional VSCC ACFs is usually below several megahertz, and the structure has one VSCC section only. When the CM noise is too large to handle, the value of the CM inductor should be increased so that the required attenuation can be achieved. Compared with passive filters, the CM inductance in the ACF is reduced. However, the volume of CM chokes still dominates the total filter volume.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improved active common-mode filters (ACF). Improved ACFs should have smaller volumes and a wider range of attenuation frequencies to make them sufficiently practical for use with various power supplies/power equipment.

High-attenuation wideband active common-mode EMI filter section


A residue image down- and/or up-sampling method and apparatus and an image encoding and/or decoding method and apparatus using the residue image down- and/or up-sampling method and apparatus are provided. The residue image downsampling method includes: generating a residue corresponding to the difference between an original image and a predicted image, for each image component of the original image formed with at least two or more image components; and downsampling the residue for each image component at a predetermined ratio. The residue image upsampling method includes: upsampling data downsampled from residue data of an original image; and restoring the original image by adding the predicted image to the upsampled residue of each component. According to the methods and apparatuses, a residue image is obtained by performing spatiotemporal prediction encoding first, and by sampling this residue image, loss of information occurring in the sampling process can be reduced. Since sampling is performed with a residue image obtained through a spatiotemporal prediction process, even when an original image that is not color transformed is directly encoded, sampling can be performed effectively. Also, the methods and apparatuses have an advantage that in addition to colors, sampling of any components can be performed effectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image encoding and/or decoding, and more particularly, to a residue image down- and/or up-sampling method and apparatus and an image encoding and/or decoding method and apparatus using the residue image down- and/or up-sampling method and apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, when a color image is encoded, color transform is first performed and then encoding is performed. That is, when a color image is encoded, the image is divided into a luminance component and a chrominance component and then encoding is performed. At this time, more information is concentrated on the luminance component, and the chrominance component has less information. Accordingly, in order to increase compression efficiency, the number of samples of the chrominance component is reduced and then encoded. At this time, as the sampling format, a 4:2:2 format and a 4:2:0 format are generally used. That is, in the conventional encoding method, an original image is divided into a luminance component and a chrominance component, then the chrominance component is sampled, and then, encoding is performed.
For example, in order to encode an RGB image, the RGB image is transformed into a YCbCr image, a luminance component and a chrominance component are separated, and then, encoding is performed. If thus encoding is performed, the encoding efficiency is enhanced, because there is much redundancy between respective chrominance components and the redundancy has been removed through the transform.
Meanwhile, during a transform and restoration process, loss occurs such that the picture quality of the image can be degraded. The thus transformed image goes through a chrominance sampling process in order to increase a compression efficiency. The reason for this process is, because information is concentrated on the luminance component through the color transform, the amount of information in the chrominance component is less, and because human vision is less sensitive to a color change, even when color information is reduced, it cannot be easily discerned through human vision. FIGS. 1B and 1C illustrate chrominance sampling methods with a 4:2:2 format and a 4:2:0 format, respectively, in YCbCr that is generally used. In FIGS. 1A through 1C, X represents a luminance Y component, while O represents chrominance components Cb and Cr. Here, O is represented by Cb and Cr components overlapping each other. That is, one O mark corresponds to a pair of Cb and Cr components. FIG. 1A shows a 4:4:4 format that is a state before sampling. FIG. 1B shows a 4:2:2 format and it can be seen that the chrominance component is reduced by half compared to the luminance component. At this time, it can be seen that two chrominance samples adjacent in the width direction are combined into one. The reason for combining samples in the width direction is that the redundancy in the width direction is generally greater than that in the length direction, and is also to easily support display in interlaced scanning. In FIG. 1C, 4 samples adjacent in the width and length directions are combined into one such that the chrominance component is reduced to one fourth of the luminance component. In order to sample a chrominance component, only immediately adjacent pixels can be considered, but in general, filtering is performed considering values of surrounding pixels together.
Meanwhile, when the thus transformed image is encoded, a process removing redundancy in each component through spatiotemporal prediction is performed and as a result, a residue image is obtained. In H.264/MPEG-4 pt. 10 AVC Standardization technology of Joint Video Team (JVT) of ISO/IEC MPEG and ITU-T VCEG ("Text of ISO/IEC FDIS 14496-10: Information Technology—Coding of audio-visual objects—Part 10: Advanced Video Coding", ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11, N5555, March, 2003), encoding efficiency is enhanced by performing spatial and temporal prediction encoding in a variety of ways.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a general image encoding process. As described above, the color of an original image (In) is transformed by changing the color representation format through the color transform unit 200. Chrominance downsampling is performed in a chrominance downsampling unit 210, and then encoding process is performed through a spatiotemporal prediction unit 220, a transform/quantization unit 230, an entropy encoding unit 240, an inverse quantization/inverse transform unit 250, and a spatiotemporal prediction compensation unit 260.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a general image decoding process. As described above, also when decoding is performed, a bitstream is entropy decoded in an entropy decoding unit 300, and inverse quantization and inverse transform are performed in an inverse quantization/inverse transform unit 310, and by doing so, decoding is performed. Then, the decoded image (F'n) undergoes chrominance upsampling and inverse color transform in a chrominance upsampling unit 330 and an inverse color transform unit 340 such that a restored image (I'n) is generated.
Among problems occurring in this sampling process, two can be pointed out in particular. One problem is that because sampling is performed immediately after color transform is performed, loss of information is great.
The other problem is that when color transform is not performed, the effect of sampling is reduced greatly. This is because information is redundantly present in each component before color transform is performed and if sampling is performed directly, loss occurs in each component to increase the total loss. Accordingly, generally, sampling is not performed directly but performed after color transform is performed. Also, the luminance component is not sampled and only the chrominance component is sampled and used.

Residue image down/up sampling method and apparatus and image encoding/decoding method and apparatus using residue sampling


The present invention is directed to a method for purifying polysaccharides capable of inducing the production of high titers of opsonic antibodies that kill strains of enterococcal bacteria. In addition, the invention is directed to the antigens produced by this purification method and to vaccines which utilize such antigens.

Enterococci are frequently causes of serious infections in newborns and severely immunocompromised patients. Until recently, infections have been adequately controlled using antibiotics. However, drug-resistant bacterial strains are emerging, and infection by strains resistant to all presently available antibiotics may become a serious problem in the near future. It is therefore essential that new methods for controlling enterococcal infections be developed.
The present invention describes a procedure for purifying polysaccharides from the cell membranes of E. faecalis. When administered to an appropriate host, these antigens induce the production of high titers of opsonic antibodies that kill both E. faecalis and E. faecium.

Capsular polysaccharides from enterococci


An actuation assembly (INST) of a screen (SCR) for closure, solar protection or privacy, comprising, on the one hand, a motorized actuator (ACT) furnished with wireless control command receiving means (RCU) and, on the other hand, a standalone power supply assembly (PWU) furnished with at least one rechargeable accumulator (BAT) and with a power supply connector (PR), designed to be connected to the motorized actuator (ACT) via an electric connection line (LIN) for the latter to be supplied with power by the energy of the accumulator (BAT), wherein the power supply assembly (PWU) comprises a man-machine interface (MMI) whose activation allows the transmission of information to the actuator, this information relating to the control of the wireless control command receiving means (RCU) of the actuator (ACT).

The invention applies to a power supply assembly for a motorized actuator of doors, windows, blinds. Such an actuator may be supplied directly by the mains or by a autonomous power supply assembly comprising a battery kit.
The battery kit usually consists of a source of current, for example a group of batteries or accumulators and at least one connector to connect it to a motor. The source of current is preferably placed in a casing, the connector being placed inside or outside this casing or being mounted on a face of the casing.
If the autonomous power supply assembly comprises a group of rechargeable accumulators, it also comprises an external source of current and an appropriate connection. This external source may comprise an assembly of photovoltaic cells or a solar panel, more usually an energy generator or if necessary a battery.
The autonomous power supply assembly may be mounted close to the actuator or be located at a distance at least partly in a more appropriate place, for example outside a roller blind case, in a place that is more discreet or if necessary more accessible, and advantageously close to the battery kit. A power supply cable or a direct connection between the various elements of the power supply assembly and of the actuator are provided according to the desired spatial configurations.

Self-powered assembly for the actuation of a roller blind or awning


In order to achieve repeatable, consistent operation of a counterbalance valve, a poppet valve element within the valve has a radial bore therein in communication with a control fluid port and an axial bore therein which receives a rod that is anchored to a poppet valve cage that surrounds the poppet valve element. The poppet valve element is urged by a spring into engagement with a valve seat and pilot pressure is applied in opposition to the spring. By virtue of this arrangement, control fluid pressure is applied via the rod directly to the valve body in which the poppet valve element and cage are mounted. By changing the diameter of the rod and axial bore through the poppet valve element which receives the rod, the relief set pressure can easily be changed.

Hydraulically operated machines are frequently used in construction projects and other activities. Exemplary of such machines are man baskets, cranes and backhoes. Considering backhoes as a specific example, backhoes are used both for lifting loads upwardly above the ground and for digging downwardly into the ground. To accomplish this, backhoes are provided with articulated shovel assemblies which are moved by hydraulic operating systems. Such systems are provided with one or more valves which are manipulated by an operator to cause appropriate movement of the shovel assembly. For example, the shovel assembly can first be used to dig downwardly to excavate the soil where a pipeline is to be laid. Then, having removed the soil, the shovel assembly can be used to lower a length of pipe into the hole and to support it adjacent to a previously laid pipe so that the two pipes may be welded together.
The hydraulic operating systems of backhoes and similar machines typically include a source of pressurized fluid which is selectively connected to a cylinder containing a movable piston. The piston sealingly engages the inner surface of the cylinder, dividing it into first and second chambers. As is well known, by connecting the source to supply pressurized fluid to the first chamber and by simultaneously venting the second chamber, the piston can be moved in one direction relative to the cylinder. Conversely, by connecting the source to the second chamber and by venting the first chamber, the piston can be moved in the opposite direction relative to the cylinder. Lastly, by preventing fluid within both the cylinder chambers from escaping therefrom, the piston can be locked in a predetermined position within the cylinder. The piston is connected by a rod to the movable member of the machine (i.e., the shovel assembly of a backhoe) for movement therewith.
In order to control the flow of pressurized fluid to and from the cylinder chambers, a control valve is usually connected between the source of pressurized fluid and the cylinder chambers. A conventional four-way valve is frequently employed for this purpose. Such a control valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,816, assigned to the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference. The four-way valve usually has three operating positions. In its first position, the four-way valve connects the source of pressurized fluid to the first chamber and vents the second chamber, causing the piston to move in one direction. In its second position, the four-way valve connects the source of pressurized fluid to the second chamber and vents the first chamber, causing the piston to move in the opposite direction. In its third position, the four-way valve prevents fluid within both of the chambers from escaping therefrom, causing the piston to be locked in a predetermined position.
In most hydraulically operated machines which perform lifting functions, a holding or counterbalance valve is connected in the hydraulic lines extending between the four-way valve and the cylinder, typically directly adjacent to the cylinder. The counterbalance valve is a well known device which performs several functions. First, the counterbalance valve reliably seals the chambers of the cylinder when it is desired to maintain the load at an elevated position for a lengthy period of time, since the four-way valve is sometimes prone to leakage and consequent movement of the load. Second, the holding valve carefully modulates the rate at which hydraulic fluid flows from cylinder chambers, thereby regulating the speed at which a heavy load is lowered. Third, the holding valve provides a static overload relief function, allowing excess pressurized fluid to escape from the system before causing damage. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, the holding valve prevents the load from dropping uncontrollably if there is a break in one of the lines connecting the source of pressurized fluid to the cylinder. If this occurs, the holding valve prevents any hydraulic fluid from flowing in or out of the cylinder chambers, thereby locking the piston within the cylinder and preventing the load from falling.
In counterbalance valves, a differential area that controls the relief function is fixed by the manufacturer upon fabricating the cage and poppet and is subject to wide tolerances when diameters of the valve components are large. Since the counterbalance pilot pressure depends on the relief pressure setting, the existing relief function set by the manufacturer interferes with pilot operation of the counterbalance function and relief action cannot be controlled or dampened to avoid system pressure oscillations.

Counterbalance valve with improved relief pressure setting arrangement


The present invention relates to a brush head attachment, in particular for an electric sonic toothbrush, comprising a shank member carrying a bristle bundle, and a coupling member (1) provided on the fastening-side end of said shank member with at least one connection surface for a drive shaft of said handpiece which, when a brush head attachment is mounted on a handpiece, protrudes into said coupling member (1), a spring element that can be operatively connected with said drive shaft for securing said drive shaft to said brush head attachment and/or transferring a drive motion of said drive shaft to said brush head attachment, and a metal ring (4) disposed in a widened fastening foot (2) formed by said coupling member (1). In this inexpensively manufactured brush head attachment according to the present invention, said metal ring (4) is a die-cast member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brush head attachment which can be used with an electric sonic toothbrush.
2. Description of Related Art
Such a brush head attachment with an associated handpiece is known from WO 2009/077922 A1. With this reference, its disclosure content is to be included in the disclosure of the present application, at least to the extent as this relates to the basic structural design of the brush head attachment and the handpiece. The handpiece usually has a power source in the form of a battery or of an accumulator battery and a motor being activatable by a switch exposed on the outer surface of the handpiece and being connected to a drive shaft in order to set the latter into motion.
The brush head attachment of the present invention is in particular an attachment for a sonic, especially an ultrasonic toothbrush, in which the drive shaft is by activation of the motor caused to oscillate preferably in the ultrasonic range. This oscillation is transmitted via the brush head attachment to the bristle bundles.
The shank member carrying the bristle bundles—as is also apparent from WO 2009/077922 A1—at its fastening-side end comprises a bore into which a spring element and a coupling member are introduced. The coupling member forms a widened fastening foot, which usually at the face side bears against the handpiece when the brush head attachment is mounted onto the handpiece. Within the widened fastening foot, a metal ring is provided which in prior art is offset inwardly from the face side created by the coupling member made of plastic. The metal ring forms a mass which improves the oscillation behavior of the shank member, in that the oscillation motion of the drive shaft causes a transfer of the oscillation as directly as possible to the cleaning-side end of the shank member. For this, however, it is necessary to accurately insert the metal ring into the fastening foot and anchor it there without any tolerance.
Nowadays, this metal ring is for this purpose manufactured as a stainless steel ring. A semi-finished stainless steel product is turned to size. This is followed by eroding the semi-finished product. This method is costly. Moreover, it can not always be ruled out that manufacturing-related burrs remain or tolerance limits to be observed are exceeded, respectively. In the production of the brush head attachment, this leads to rejects and production downtime where the metal ring is to be introduced into the injection-molded coupling member and mounted therein.


A mobile communication device is configured to evaluate the performance of a mobile wireless communication network. The device is configured for communication across the mobile wireless communication network, and executes a network evaluation application operative to measure a quality of communication services provided by the mobile wireless communication network. The network evaluation application retrieves communication parameters relating to communications of the mobile communication device across the mobile wireless communication network, and measures a throughput of communication packets transmitted or received by the network evaluation application across the mobile wireless communication network. In turn, the network evaluation application displays, on a display screen of the mobile communication device, the communication parameters retrieved from the debugging utility of the operating system and the measured throughput of communication packets across the mobile wireless communication network.

Mobile wireless communication networks enable mobile subscribers to make and receive telephone calls, and to transmit and receive data using mobile communications devices such as cellular phones and smartphones. When a mobile communication device is used in the vicinity of a base station and a clear communication link is available between the mobile device and the base station, the mobile device may be provided with high reliability and high quality mobile communication services. However, when many mobile communications devices are crowded in the vicinity of a base station, or when a mobile device is located in a radio shadow area of the base station, communications between mobile devices and base stations may suffer from slow and/or unreliable service.
To provide high quality mobile communication services, mobile wireless communication network operators monitor the performance of their networks throughout coverage areas of the networks. The performance information can, in turn, be used to update a configuration of a piece of currently installed network equipment to provide enhanced communication services. The performance information can, additionally or alternatively, be used to identify locations for installing additional base stations, repeaters, or other network equipment.
In general, the performance information is obtained through measurement of the quality of the wireless communication network service at various locations, times, and/or under different environmental or usage conditions. The measurements are generally undertaken by highly trained persons having received education related to the measurement of the quality of wireless communications networks and using specialized devices intended for use by such experts. As a result, mobile network operators incur significant expense to obtain such measurements.
A need therefore exists for more versatile systems and methods for measuring the quality of a wireless communication network.

Evaluating the performance of a communication network using a mobile device application


A mattress assembly is described that permits the placement of a fitted sheet without lifting the mattress assembly. The mattress assembly includes a mattress substrate configured to rest on a surface or bed frame (i.e. box spring), and one or more notches configured to form recesses that accommodate a human hand and retain a fitted sheet. In some embodiments, the notches are located at the corners of the mattress substrate. In other embodiments, the notches can be continuous, forming a groove around the perimeter of the mattress substrate.

A mattress is a large pad for supporting the reclining body, used as or on a bed. A conventional mattress consists of a core layer and a support layer. Mattresses are typically placed on a bed base, such as a box spring. Mattress can be formed from a variety of materials (e.g. coils, foam, etc.). Mattresses can be covered with fitted bed sheets that have a material such as elastic or drawstring around the base to hold the sheet against the mattress.


A computer-implemented method for team-sourced anomaly vetting via automatically-delegated role definition. The method may include automatically determining that an event of the computing system corresponding to activity of an end user is anomalous. Based on the anomalous event, a permission store of the computing system may automatically be edited to include an access restriction on the end user, and a notification may be automatically generated and transmitted to one or both of the end user and another end user. The notification may provide access to an executable statement including code configured to be executed to remove the access restriction. A call to the executable statement by the other end user may be automatically received. Further, the permission store may be automatically edited to remove the access restriction on the end user.

Existing methods for combating excessive user access, external network threats, and other threats to the integrity of a database or computer system are either too blunt—essentially gathering up too many "false positives" and/or blindly prohibiting too much productive activity—and/or involve painstaking reviews by administrative personnel that are slow and expensive. A more efficient, less intrusive approach to preserving data integrity within an organization or elsewhere is needed.
This background discussion is intended to provide information related to the present invention which is not necessarily prior art.

Computer-implemented methods, systems comprising computer-readable media, and electronic devices for team-sourced anomaly vetting via automatically-delegated role definition


A loading mechanism for moving a tray between the outside and the inside of a recording and reproduction apparatus is disclosed. The loading mechanism includes a groove part and a projecting part for guiding the tray. The groove part is provided to one of the tray and a holding member holding the tray. The projecting part is provided to the other one of the tray and the holding member so as to fit with the groove part with play being provided therebetween. The amount of the fitting of the groove part with the projecting part differs between first and second positions, the first position being more distant from the center part of a portion of the tray on which portion an information recording medium is placed than the second position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to loading mechanisms and recording and reproduction apparatuses, and more particularly to a loading mechanism, provided in a recording and reproduction apparatus for performing recording on or reproduction from an information recording medium such as an optical disk, for moving a tray on which the information recording medium is placed between a position for performing recording on and reproduction from the information recording medium and a position for removing the information recording medium, and to a recording and reproduction apparatus including the loading mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of conventional loading mechanism employs configurations disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2002-208206 and Japanese Patent No. 2925919 in order to stably hold the tray and guide the movement of the tray.
A description is given, with reference to FIGS. 1 through 3C, of an optical disk drive unit having a conventional loading mechanism. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the optical disk drive unit. The optical disk drive unit includes a unit main body 1 in which a tray 3, an optical pickup (not graphically represented), and a loading mechanism (not graphically represented) are provided. An optical disk 2 as an information recording medium, such as a CD-R, is placed on the tray 3. The optical pickup optically records information on and reproduces information from the optical disk 2 housed inside the unit main body 1. The loading mechanism moves the tray 3 between a housing position at which the optical pickup optically records information on or reproduces information from the optical disk 2 (or a position at which the tray 3 is housed inside the unit main body 1) and an ejecting position at which the optical disk 2 is removed from the tray 3 (or a position at which the tray 3 is ejected from the unit main body 1 to the outside as shown in FIG. 1).
The unit main body 1 includes a box-like cover 4 and a front panel 5 provided to close the front side of the cover 4. A rectangular opening 5a is formed substantially in the center of the front panel 5. An eject button 6 for ejecting or retracting the tray 3 is provided in the vicinity of the opening 5a. By operating the eject button 6, the tray 3 can be moved back and forth in the A′ and A directions between the inside and the outside of the unit main body 1 through the opening 5a of the front panel 5.
The tray 3 is formed of plastic, for instance. A disk placement part 3a on which the optical disk 2 is placed is formed on the upper surface of the tray 3. The disk placement part 3a includes a substantially circular stepped recess. Further, a through opening 3b is formed in the tray 3 along the Z-axis.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the optical disk drive unit of FIG. 1, taken in the Y-Z plane, showing the configurational relationship between the tray 3 and a holding member provided in the unit main body 1. Referring to FIG. 2, a guide part 8 is formed on each Y-directional end of the tray 3 so as to extend along the X-axis. Each guide part 8 has a groove part 8a formed at the bottom thereof so as to extend along the X-axis. On the other hand, the mechanisms and components forming the drive unit are provided to a frame 7 provided inside the unit main body 1 as the holding member. A plurality of bosses 9 are provided on each Y-directional end of the frame 7 in a straight line substantially parallel to the X-axis so as to project along the Z-axis (as projections each having an end thereof facing in the Z direction in FIG. 2). FIG. 2 shows only a pair of bosses 9.
The groove parts 8a and the bosses 9 are fitted together (or engaged) with play being provided therebetween so that the tray 3 is movable (slidable) in the A and A′ directions of FIG. 1 along the bosses 9. Further, a plurality of tray holding parts 10 are formed to protrude from the frame 7 so as to press the upper part of each Y-directional end of the tray 3 toward the bosses 9. As a result, the groove parts 8a and the bosses 9 are held in the fitted state so that the groove parts 8a are prevented from disengaging from the bosses 9.
The rapid spread of information equipment in recent years has increased the number of opportunities for users who are not necessarily experienced in handling information apparatuses to use them. Further, there is also a continuing rapid increase in the number of opportunities to use information apparatuses at home, so that there are more opportunities for children to use drive units of the above-described configuration. If the drive unit is used under these circumstances, a wrong use of the drive unit or unintentional contact with the drive unit by the user may cause a great external force to be exerted on the tray 3 in the above-described second position. It is desirable that the drive unit continue to operate normally even in such a case.
In the above-described drive unit, each groove part 8a of the tray 3 and the bosses 9 of the frame 7 are fitted together (or engaged) with slight clearance (play) provided therebetween as shown in FIG. 3A so that the tray 3 and the frame 7 are held to be movable relative to each other. When an external force is applied to the tray 3, the bosses 9 and the peripheral portion of each groove part 8a deform elastically as shown in FIG. 3B. When a great impact is applied to the tray 3, in the worst case, the tray 3 may disengage from the guiding bosses 9 of the frame 7 as shown in FIG. 3C so that it may not be possible to return the tray 3 and the frame 7 to the fitted state.
In order to prevent such disengagement of the tray 3 from the bosses 9 of the guide parts 8, the groove parts 8a and the bosses 9 may be fitted together in a longer and deeper region. In order to provide such a structure, however, it is necessary to increase the height dimensions of the groove parts 8a and the bosses 9 in the loading mechanism of the tray 3. This increase in the size of the loading mechanism not only leads to an increase in the size of the entire drive unit, but also causes another problem such as a limitation of types of electronic components mountable in the vicinity of the loading mechanism.

Loading mechanism and recording and reproduction apparatus including the same


An interactive program guide system is provided in which an interactive program guide is implemented on user multi-media equipment of a user for displaying programming for a plurality of channels on the user equipment, wherein each channel carries primarily one of a plurality of media types. In the interactive program guide system, program listings data and information on the media types that are associated with each of the channels is supplied to the interactive program guide. The program guide system provides for designating a preferred media type which reflects the user's interests. The program guide system provides the user with the option of designating favorite channels, and with the option of channel selection, while constraining channel selection to the favorite channels of the preferred media type. The user is provided with the option of displaying program listings, tuning to channels, or browsing among channels, constrained to favorite channels of the preferred media type.

This invention relates to interactive program guide systems, and more particularly, to program guide systems that provide users with channels from a plurality of media such as television, audio, video-on-demand, data, or games, and in which user's access to the programming or program listings may be constrained to a preferred single medium or subset of the available media.
Cable, satellite and broadcast systems provide users with a large number of television channels. Moreover, these systems are able provide channels in other media, such as digital audio (e.g., DMX) channels, video-on-demand channels, game channels, and data channels. Users have traditionally consulted printed program schedules to determine the programs being broadcast at a particular time. More recently, interactive electronic program guides have been developed that allow program information to be displayed on a user's television, for example.
Interactive program guides are typically implemented on set-top boxes. Such program guides allow users to view program listings in different display formats. For example, a user may instruct the program guide to display a grid or table of program listings organized in a channel-ordered or a time-ordered list. Users may also search and sort program listings by genre (e.g., movies, sports, etc.) or by title (i.e., alphabetically). A user may obtain additional information for a program by placing a highlight region on a desired program listing and pressing an "info" button. The user may purchase a pay program from the program guide by placing the highlight region on a program listing and pressing an "OK" button. Some systems allow the user to select a program for recording by placing the highlight region on a program listing and pressing a "record" button.
One approach to dealing with the channel navigation problems created by the increasing large number of television channels is described in Michael D. Ellis et al. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/034,934, entitled PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM WITH PREFERENCE PROFILES, filed on Mar. 4, 1998, which is incorporated by reference herein.
Because there are so many communication channels available, particularly with cable and satellite systems, program guides have been developed that allow users to select favorite channels. During tuning, the program guide may allow the user to tune to favorite channels only, while skipping other channels. Alternatively, a display screen containing program listings may be organized in a way that reflects which channels are favorites. For example, a table of program listings may contain only favorite channels and other channels may be suppressed from view. According to another approach, program listings for available channels are displayed. However, when the user scans through the table of program listings, the cursor control, which highlights a program and allows the user to make a selection, will advance among the favorite channels and skip over the other channels.
The increasing number of new channels has not been limited to television channels. Cable and satellite systems in particular are being used to carry channels relating to various types of media. These newer types of media, such as digital audio, video-on-demand, game and data channels, are typically treated identically to television channels. Thus, no distinction is made by typical prior art program guide when the user selects an audio channel as a favorite as opposed to a television channel, for example. A program guide feature, such as a "flip" feature that allows the user to tune to favorite channels, may arbitrarily access both audio and television channels in a random sequence when the user may only be interested in selecting a television channel at that time, and have no interest in the audio channels. In addition, the random sequence of audio and video programming may be confusing to the user. Similarly, if the user consults the program guide to display a list of favorite television programming, the program guide may display both television programming as well as audio programming. The user is thus required to view program listings which are of no immediate interest and which may make the program selection process more tedious.
Thus, what is needed is a sophisticated way in which the program guide may organize and access favorite channels relating to a plurality of different media, in order to provide programming responsive to the user's interests.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a program guide system with increased capability to discriminate among favorite channels relating to a plurality of different media.

Apparatus and method for constrained selection of favorite channels


A shoe gap adjusting device includes a piston for pressing a brake shoe through a piston head, having a projecting end part with a boot cover for protecting an elastic boot that seals an end part of a cylinder body. A shoe gap adjusting ring is fitted on the end part of the piston in a non-rotatable manner. A elastic piece at the inner periphery of the cover axially extends through a cut-out in the ring and elastically supports the outer peripheral surface of the head so that the piston head is elastically attached to the piston. A tool can be inserted through an opening and engaged with an outer peripheral cut-out of the ring, for rotating the ring relative to a bolt and performing an adjustment of the shoe gap. The device simultaneously allows the protection for the elastic boot and realization of rotational operability of the shoe gap adjusting ring by the tool.

The present invention relates to a shoe gap adjusting device for a drum brake, which is manually operated.
A conventional shoe gap adjusting device which is relevant to the present invention is known and disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 5-65,734.
This patent document discloses a conventional shoe gap adjusting device as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, which is comprised of a stationary cylinder body 51 and a brake actuating piston 52 as shown in FIG. 6.
The brake actuating piston 52 is slidably fitted in the cylinder body 51, and adapted to be extended and retracted by feeding and discharging a brake fluid pressure into and from a pressure chamber 53. The piston 52 presses a brake shoe through the intermediary of a shoe engaging member 54, leftward as seen in FIG. 6, so as to effect a braking action upon extension by the feed of the brake fluid pressure. Meanwhile, the piston 52 is retracted by the force of a return spring which acts upon the brake shoe 55 so as to return the brake shoe 55 to its original position, in order to release the braking upon discharge of the brake fluid.
By the way, an opening is formed in the cylinder body 51, and one end part of the piston 52 is projected through the opening. This opening is covered with an elastic boot 56 for dust-proof and water-proof measures. Further, a shoe gap adjusting ring 57 is arranged adjacent to the opening in the cylinder body 51.
The shoe gap adjusting ring 57 also serves as a protecting member for protecting the elastic boot 56 from being damaged, and is arranged adjacent to the elastic boot 56 for covering the latter while it is fitted in the projecting end part of the piston 52 and prevented from rotation. Further, the ring 57 is formed therein with a cut-out groove 57a which serves to receive a tool for rotating the same.
The shoe engaging member 54 is fitted with the front end face of the projecting end part of the piston in a form-locking manner so as to be relatively rotatable as shown at 54a. The shoe engaging member 54 is elastically attached to the projecting end part of the piston 52 through the intermediary of a clip 58 fitted to the projecting end part of the piston 52, in order to prevent the shoe engaging member 54 from coming off and being lost.
The clip 58 grips the shoe engaging member 54 as particularly shown in FIG. 7, and has an annular shape. Specifically, the clip 58 is comprised of an annular elastic support piece 58a for gripping the shoe engaging member 54, an annular elastic piece 58b adapted to be elastically fitted on the projecting end part of the piston 52 so as to prevent the shoe gap adjusting ring 57 from coming off, as well as a connecting part 58c bridging between these pieces 58a, 58b.
Upon adjustment of the shoe gap, which is required for replacement of the brake shoes or the like, a minus screw driver or the like tool is inserted from outside of a drum brake. After the tip end of the tool has been engaged in the cut-out groove 57a of the shoe gap adjusting ring 57, the shoe gap adjusting ring 57 is rotated by the tool.
At this stage, the piston 52 is pressed by the elastic force of the shoe return spring, through the intermediary of the shoe engaging member 54, toward right as seen in FIG. 6. The conical tip end face 59a of the adjusting bolt 59 threaded into the piston 52 inhibits rotation of the adjusting bolt 59 through the frictional contact with the cylinder body 51.
Thus, the rotation of the shoe gap adjusting ring 57 causes the rotation of the piston 52 only, and the shoe gap can be adjusted by the action of the threaded part 59b therebetween, in association with the rotation of the piston 52 relative to the adjusting bolt 59.
By the way, the larger the cut-out groove 57a, the easier the work in which the tip end of the tool is engaged in the cut-out groove 57a of the shoe ring adjusting ring 57. In the above-mentioned conventional shoe gap adjusting device, however, since the shoe gap adjusting ring 57 also serves as a protecting member for the elastic boot 56, if the cut-out groove 57a formed therein is excessively large, the elastic boot 56 is apt to be damaged by the tool thereby giving rise to a tendency that the protecting function for the elastic boot 56 becomes insufficient.
On the contrary, should the size of the cut-out groove 57a be small in order to sufficiently protect the elastic boot 56, the engagement of the tip end part of the tool into the cut-out groove 57a becomes more difficult, and this results in such a problem that the shoe gap adjustment becomes more difficult.
For overcoming the above-mentioned problems, it may be considered that an additional protecting member for protecting the elastic boot 56 is interposed between the elastic boot 56 and the shoe gap adjusting ring 57, in order to allow the shoe gap adjusting ring 57 to eliminate the necessity of the provision of the protecting function for the elastic boot 56.
However, it has been confirmed that the above-mentioned measure is not practical since an additional component is required as the protecting member for the elastic boot, giving rise to disadvantage in terms of added cost in combination with increased number of components.
Further, in the above-mentioned conventional device, the clip 58 for elastically fitting the shoe engaging member 54 in the piston 52 is substantially complicated in shape so that the disadvantage in terms of cost has been unavoidable.

Shoe gap adjusting device for drum brake


A base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator provided by the present invention comprises a polyethylene terephthalate fiber, in which an average fiber diameter of the polyethylene terephthalate fiber is 9.0 μm or less, a specific X-ray diffraction intensity derived from the polyethylene terephthalate fiber is 300 cps/(g/m2) or more, and a coefficient of variation of a specific X-ray diffraction intensity is 12.0% or less, and is excellent in the workability during production and excellent in mechanical strength, uniformity and handling in a subsequent treatment step.

In recent years, with the spread of mobile electronic devices and high performance requirement thereof, a secondary battery having a high energy density has been desired. As this kind of battery, a lithium ion secondary battery that uses an organic electrolyte (non-aqueous electrolyte) has been under attention. Since this lithium ion secondary battery can generate an average voltage of about 3.7 V, which is about 3 times a voltage of an alkali secondary battery that is a conventional secondary battery, it can achieve a high energy density. However, unlike the alkali secondary battery, the lithium ion secondary battery can not use an aqueous electrolyte, and therefore a non-aqueous electrolyte having sufficient oxidation-reduction resistance is used. Since the non-aqueous electrolyte is inflammable and has danger of ignition or the like, a full attention is paid to safety in the use thereof. Several cases that are exposed to a danger of ignition or the like can be considered, and particularly overcharge is dangerous.
In order to prevent the overcharge, in a conventional non-aqueous secondary battery, a constant voltage and constant current charge is performed, and a precise IC (protection circuit) is provided to the battery. The cost of the protection circuit is large, which makes the cost of the non-aqueous secondary battery high.
In case of preventing the overcharge by the protection circuit, the protection circuit is naturally assumed not to work well in some times, and it is difficult to say essentially safe. In a conventional non-aqueous secondary battery, for the purpose of safely destroying the overcharged battery due to breakdown of the protection circuit during the overcharge, attempts have been made to develop equipment of a safety valve•PTC element, a lithium ion secondary battery separator having a thermal fuse function and the like. However, even when such equipment and function as described above are adopted, the safety of the battery during the overcharge is not surely guaranteed depending on the condition of the overcharge. Actually the fire accident of the non-aqueous secondary battery occurs at the present time.
As a lithium ion secondary battery separator, film-like porous films made of polyolefin such as polyethylene are often used. The porous film has a thermal fuse function (shut-down function) such that when an inside temperature of the battery becomes about 130° C., the porous film is melted and fills micro-pores, thereby preventing a lithium ion from migrating, and shutting off the current. However, when the temperature further rises for any reasons, there is suggested a possibility that the polyolefin itself is melted and short-circuited, and thermal runaway is caused. For this reason, at the present time, a heat-resistant separator that is neither melted nor shrunk even under a temperature of about 200° C. has been developed.
As the heat-resistant separator, there are a non-woven fabric made of a polyester fiber and a non-woven fabric in which an aramid fiber that is a heat-resistant fiber is blended with the polyester fiber. However, since these fabrics have large pore diameters and cause an internal short circuit, they are not practical (see Patent Documents 1 to 3, for example). On the other hand, there have been reported examples in which a lithium ion secondary battery separator is formed by applying various composition treatments on a base material such as a non-woven fabric and a woven fabric for a lithium ion secondary battery separator. For example, there have been reported an example in which a composite is formed by laminating a film-like porous polyolefin film on a base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator, which is composed of a non-woven fabric made of a polyester fiber, and an example in which heat resistance is imparted to the battery by performing a composition treatment such as incorporation of filler particles, surface coating of a resin or the like to a base material such as a non-woven fabric and a woven fabric for a lithium ion secondary battery separator (see Patent Documents 4 to 6, for example). However, since the non-woven fabric that is used as the base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator has large pore sizes and low surface smoothness, there were quality problems such that surface irregularity is large when fabricated by surface coating, and fabricating materials such as filler particles and the resin are likely to fall off.
In order to improve the denseness of the base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator, there has been proposed base materials in which an average fiber diameter of a synthetic short fiber that forms the base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator is made small and a fiber having a specified fiber diameter and fiber length is contained (see, Patent Documents 7 and 8, for example). Patent Documents 7 and 8 disclose a process for producing a base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator by a wet method and they mention the dispersibility of the fiber. However in these Patent Documents, neither other producing processes are detailed nor studies are not made on a relationship with quality and handling of the base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator and the lithium ion secondary battery separator. Further, there have been reported examples in which as a fiber that forms a base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator, a fibrillated fiber is blended to further improve the denseness of the base material (see Patent Documents 9 to 11, for example). However, also in Patent Documents 9 to 11, detailed studies have not been made on the process for producing the base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator, and a relationship with quality and handling of the base material for a lithium ion secondary battery separator.

Base for lithium ion secondary battery separators, method for producing base for lithium ion secondary battery separators, and lithium ion secondary battery separator


Substrates, coatings and methods for marking substrates using the coatings. The substrate contains a coating of encapsulated marking materials. Capsules of the encapsulated marking materials are designed to preferentially absorb a predetermined wavelength of light or range of wavelengths of light. The capsules contain color chemistry capable of activation by the predetermined wavelength of light or range of wavelengths of light for the generation of a color response. By utilizing capsules of differing color chemistries, such substrates are capable of multi-color image generation.

Optical discs, such as CDs and DVDs, have become immensely popular for the storage of data, music, pictures, videos, etc. A growing number of people are creating or "burning" their own discs. While commercially-produced discs often have full-color graphics printed on a non-data surface of a disc, home-produced discs or low-budget commercial discs are often labeled by hand as the equipment to transfer images to the discs can be quite expensive. Common solutions include writing on the disc by hand or printing a label and then applying the label to the disc. In recent years, the significant increase in the use of optical discs for data storage by consumers has increased the demand to provide customized labels to reflect the content of the optical disc.
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, Calif., USA has disclosed LightScribe Direct Disc Labeling technology for printing images directly onto media and other surfaces. In the case of optical discs, this technology can be used to print images directly onto the discs using the same drive that is used to burn the data onto the discs. After burning the data onto the disc, the user removes the disc and reinserts it into the drive upside down to use the drive's laser to selectively illuminate portions of the disc. The laser activates a chemical reaction in the disc's coating to produce a color change. Currently, this technology delivers monochromatic images.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below that will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for alternative methods and apparatus for providing multi-color imaging suitable for use on discs.

Substrate marking using encapsulated materials

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.