A system comprising: a first subsystem comprising one or more first processors, and a second subsystem comprising one or more second processors. The second subsystem is configured to process code over a series of steps delineated by barrier synchronizations, and in a current step, to send a descriptor to the first subsystem specifying a value of each of one or more parameters of each of one or more interactions that the second subsystem is programmed to perform with the first subsystem via an inter-processor interconnect in a subsequent step. The first subsystem is configured to execute a portion of code to perform one or more preparatory operations, based on the specified values of at least one of the one or more parameters of each interaction as specified by the descriptor, to prepare for said one or more interactions prior to the barrier synchronization leading into the subsequent phase.

A multi-threaded processor is a processor which is capable of executing multiple program threads alongside one another. The processor may comprise some hardware that is common to the multiple different threads (e.g. a common instruction memory, data memory and/or execution unit); but to support the multi-threading, the processor also comprises some dedicated hardware specific to each thread.
The dedicated hardware comprises at least a respective context register file for each of the number of threads that can be executed at once. A "context", when talking about multi-threaded processors, refers to the program state of a respective one of the threads being executed alongside one another (e.g. program counter value, status and current operand values). The context register file refers to the respective collection of registers for representing this program state of the respective thread. Registers in a register file are distinct from general purpose memory in that register addresses are fixed as bits in instruction words, whereas memory addresses can be computed by executing instructions. The registers of a given context typically comprise a respective program counter for the respective thread, and a respective set of operand registers for temporarily holding the data acted upon and output by the respective thread during the computations performed by that thread. Each context may also have a respective status register for storing a status of the respective thread (e.g. whether it is paused or running). Thus each of the currently running threads has its own separate program counter, and optionally operand registers and status register(s).
One possible form of multi-threading is parallelism. That is, as well as multiple contexts, multiple execution pipelines are provided: i.e. a separate execution pipeline for each stream of instructions to be executed in parallel. However, this requires a great deal of duplication in terms of hardware.
Instead therefore, another form of multi-threaded processor employs concurrency rather than parallelism, whereby the threads share a common execution pipeline (or at least a common part of a pipeline) and different threads are interleaved through this same, shared execution pipeline. Performance of a multi-threaded processor may still be improved compared to no concurrency or parallelism, thanks to increased opportunities for hiding pipeline latency. Also, this approach does not require as much extra hardware dedicated to each thread as a fully parallel processor with multiple execution pipelines, and so does not incur so much extra silicon.
One form of parallelism can be achieved by means of a processor comprising an arrangement of multiple tiles on the same chip (i.e. same die), each tile comprising its own separate respective processing unit and memory (including program memory and data memory). Thus separate portions of program code can be run in parallel on different ones of the tiles. The tiles are connected together via an on-chip interconnect which enables the code run on the different tiles to communicate between tiles. In some cases the processing unit on each tile may itself run multiple concurrent threads on tile, each tile having its own respective set of contexts and corresponding pipeline as described above in order to support interleaving of multiple threads on the same tile through the same pipeline.
In general, there may exist dependencies between the portions of a program running on different tiles. A technique is therefore required to prevent a piece of code on one tile running ahead of data upon which it is dependent being made available by another piece of code on another tile. There are a number of possible schemes for achieving this, but the scheme of interest herein is known as "bulk synchronous parallel" (BSP). According to BSP, each tile performs a compute phase and an exchange phase in an alternating cycle. During the compute phase each tile performs one or more computation tasks locally on tile, but does not communicate any results of its computations with any others of the tiles. In the exchange phase each tile is allowed to exchange one or more results of the computations from the preceding compute phase to and/or from one or more others of the tiles in the group, but does not yet proceed to the next compute phase. Further, according to the BSP principle, a barrier synchronization is placed at the juncture transitioning from the compute phase into the exchange phase, or transitioning from the exchange phase into the compute phase, or both. That is it say, either: (a) all tiles are required to complete their respective compute phases before any in the group is allowed to proceed to the next exchange phase, or (b) all tiles in the group are required to complete their respective exchange phases before any tile in the group is allowed to proceed to the next compute phase, or (c) both. In some scenarios a tile in the compute phase may be allowed to communicate with other system resources such as a network card or storage disk, as long as no communication with other tiles in the group is involved.
In an interconnected system of senders and receivers that may also have compute tasks to perform in between communicating with one another, there are essentially three ways the senders and receivers can implement this. The first is the "rendez vous" approach. According to this approach the sender signals to the receiver when it is ready to send data and the receiver signals to the sender when it is ready to receive data. If the sender has data ready to send but the receiver is performing some other, compute task, then the sender must either wait for the receiver to finish its computing task and signal its readiness to receive data from the sender, or else the sender must interrupt the receiver. Similarly if the receiver requires data from the sender while the sender is still performing some other, compute task, then the receiver must either wait for the sender to finish its compute task and signal its readiness to send data to the receiver, or else the receiver must interrupt the sender. The rendez vous approach has the advantage that it does not require queues to queue the transmitted data, since communication of the data only proceeds once both sender and receiver have agreed they are ready to communicate. However, the downside is latency: the senders and receivers will spend a lot of time waiting for one another, or else will have to perform a lot of interrupts which also incur a latency penalty. The latency ultimately manifests itself as reduced throughput.
The second possibility is the "post-box" approach. According to this approach the sender does not wait for the receiver before sending its data. Instead the transmitted data is buffered in a queue, from which the receiver reads the data when it is ready. As long as the queues are long enough then this solves the latency problem of the rendez vous approach. However, if the queues fill up then the process stalls and in effect the communications fall back to the rendez vous approach. To reduce the chance of this the queues need to be made long compared to the amount of data likely to be transmitted. But queues incur a significant silicon footprint, especially in an array of many potential combinations of senders and receivers. Also, in practice the queues cannot be made indefinitely long.
Bulk synchronous parallel (BSP) provides a third way: each tile performs a certain defined amount of compute processing in a compute phase, then all tiles synchronize together (a barrier synchronization) before advancing to an exchange phase. This does not incur as much latency as the rendez vous approach, and does not incur as much queuing as the post-box approach.
An example use of multi-threaded and/or multi-tiled processing is found in machine intelligence. As will be familiar to those skilled in the art of machine intelligence, a machine intelligence algorithm is based around performing iterative updates to a "knowledge model", which can be represented by a graph of multiple interconnected nodes. Each node represents a function of its inputs. Some nodes receive the inputs to the graph and some receive inputs from one or more other nodes, whilst the output of some nodes form the inputs of other nodes, and the output of some nodes provide the output of the graph (and in some cases a given node may even have all of these: inputs to the graph, outputs from the graph and connections to other nodes). Further, the function at each node is parameterized by one or more respective parameters, e.g. weights. During a learning stage the aim is, based on a set of experiential input data, to find values for the various parameters such that the graph as a whole will generate a desired output for a range of possible inputs. Various algorithms for doing this are known in the art, such as a back propagation algorithm based on stochastic gradient descent. Over multiple iterations based on the input data, the parameters are gradually tuned to decrease their errors, and thus the graph converges toward a solution. In a subsequent stage, the learned model can then be used to make predictions of outputs given a specified set of inputs or to make inferences as to inputs (causes) given a specified set of outputs.
The implementation of each node will involve the processing of data, and the interconnections of the graph correspond to data to be exchanged between the nodes. Typically, at least some of the processing of each node can be carried out independently of some or all others of the nodes in the graph, and therefore large graphs expose great opportunities for concurrency and/or parallelism.

Synchronization and exchange of data between processors


Novel antiproliferative compounds, compositions comprising the same, and methods of use thereof are disclosed.

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of aberrant, undifferentiated cells (tumor formation) which may spread throughout the body to invade other tissues (metastasis). Mutations in oncogenes, tumor-suppressor genes and stability genes may contribute to the development of a cancer by promoting cell division and growth and inhibiting cell death or cell-cycle arrest (Vogelstein et al. (2004) Nature Med., 10:789-799). No single gene defect is the sole cause of any cancer, necessitating a detailed understanding of the biology of each different cancer type for the development of effective, cancer-specific treatments.
Cancer treatment options were limited to surgery to remove the tumor mass before 1950, while ionizing radiation therapy was introduced in the 1960's. However, neither of these treatments can reach every organ of the body to eradicate metastatic cancers. Therefore, chemotherapy has become a focus in cancer treatment (Chabner et al. (2005) Nat. Rev. Cancer, 5:65-72). Natural products are the ultimate source of 62-67% of the agents in clinical trial for the treatment of cancer (Newman et al. (2007) J. Nat. Prod., 70:461-477). At the end of 2006, there were 185 anticancer drugs available in the West and Japan, of which only 24% (42) were wholly synthetic agents. Of the remaining 76%, 25 (14%) were unmodified natural products, 48 (28%) were modified natural products, 40 (23%) were based on a natural product pharmacophore or mimic natural products and 20 (11%) were "biological" (e.g., proteins) and vaccines (Newman et al. (2007) J. Nat. Prod., 70:461-477). These compounds used alone or in combination with surgery or radiation have had varied success as is reflected in the comparable USA cancer death rates for 1950 and 2005, which is in sharp contrast to the dramatically reduced 2005 death rates attributed to heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and pneumonia/influenza (Amer. Cancer Soc. (2008) Cancer Statistics www.cancer.org/docroot/PRO/content/PRO—1—1_Cancer_Statistics—2008_Presentation.asp). Even in the USA, approximately only 50% of all individuals afflicted with any cancer attain long term survival (Brenner, H. (2002) The Lancet, 360:9340). Accordingly, there is a need in the art to isolate and purify novel, potent cancer chemotherapeutic agents.
Two modified natural products were recently approved (2007) as cancer treatments: ixabepilone (analog of Myxobacterium-derived epothilone B, Ixempra®) for advanced metastatic breast cancer (Moulder (2008) Future Oncology, 4:333-340) and temsirolimus (derivative of rapamycin from Streptomyces hygroscopicus, Torisel®) for advanced renal cancer (Simpson and Curran (2008) Drugs, 68:631-638). Examples of natural products or natural product derivatives in current cancer clinical trials (www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials) with the National Cancer Institute are FR901228 (from Chromobacterium violaceum), bryostatin-1 (from marine bryozoan Bugula neritina) and 17-AAG (analog of geldanamycin from Streptomyces hygroscopicus). Marine organisms continue to yield a diverse array of biologically active molecules, a remarkable number of which are peptide-based cancer cell toxins of putative microbial symbiont biogenesis (Simmons et al. (2008) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 105:4587-4594). Development of these as anticancer drugs has met with some success (Rawat et al. (2006) Med. Chem., 6:33-40). Indeed, there are as many as 50 marine-derived natural products or derivatives in clinical and preclinical trials (Newman et al. (2004) J. Nat. Prod., 67:1216-1238). Ecteinascidin 743 (from the tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata) and Neovastat (from a shark) have progressed to phase III trials where they are being used to treat larger numbers of people. Ecteinascidin 743 (YONDELIS®, trabectedin) is a tetrahydroisoquinolone alkaloid that binds DNA by a novel mechanism, and is being developed by the Spanish company PharmaMar for the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas (Fayette et al. (2006) Curr. Opin. Oncol., 18:347-353). Neovastat (AE941) is an extract of shark cartilage with potent anti-angiogenic activity in phase III trials for lung and renal carcinoma (Gingras et al. (2002) Anti-Cancer Drugs, 14:91-96), and has recently been elucidated as immunoglobulin kappa light chain (28 kDa protein; Boivin et al. (2004) Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 431:197-206). Further, ascidian-derived dihydrodidemnin B (Aplidin®) has orphan drug status for the treatment of multiple myeloma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia; the green algal isolate kahalalide F has also reached phase II clinical trials.
The Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are an ancient group of opportunistic, often toxic colonial organisms, which commonly show spatial and temporal variation in biomass and may indicate shallow reef damage or stagnant waters. The majority of marine cyanobacterial metabolites reported to date has been isolated from the genus Lyngbya and are products of mixed peptide and ketide biosynthesis. This structural class has been a rich source of lead compounds in the development of treatments for cancer (Gerwick, et al. (2001) In: Alkaloids: Chemistry and Biology. Cordell, Ga. (Ed). Academic Press: N.Y. Vol. 57, pp 75-184; Tan, L. T. (2007) Phytochem., 68:954-979), and includes the antimitotic agents curacin A, dolastatins 10 and 15, and cryptophycins (Newman et al. (2004) J. Nat. Prod., 67:1216-1238). Synthetic analogs of curacin A and dolastatins 10 and 15 are in preclinical and clinical trials, respectively. Indeed, TZT-1027, a synthetic analogue of the cyanobacterial metabolite dolastatin 10, has reached phase II clinical trials. The high degree of N-methylation of many of these cyanobacterial peptides may improve their suitability as a drug since N-methylation has been shown to improve pharmacological parameters such as lipophilicity, proteolytic stability, and duration of action, properties for which regular peptides are notoriously poor and which limits their bioavailability (Loffert, A. J. (2002) Pept. Sci., 8:1-7; Morishita et al. (2006) Drug Discovery Today, 11:905-910).

Isolation, purification, and structure elucidation of the antiproliferative compound coibamide A


Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing interference cancellation across base stations. Communications information for transmitting to a receiving device is received from a first base station at a second base station. At the second base station, second communications information is generated for transmission to the receiving device from the second base station. The second communications information comprises data to reduce interference with the first communications information.

This document relates to interference reduction in communication signals.
Given any particular signal power relative to noise, it is possible to achieve the highest channel capacity by spreading a signal across as much spectrum as possible. Thus, optimal utilization of spectrum may be achieved by spreading a signal across as much spectrum as possible. Optimal channel capacity can be achieved by making a signal as much like Additive White Gaussian Noise as possible. Furthermore, low error rates can be achieved by using Forward Error Correction.
This aspect of spectrum utilization also provides for uncoordinated band allocation in which a signal in the band appears as noise in relation to other signals in the band. Such uncoordinated band allocation results in optimal cumulative spectrum utilization. Utilization can be increased using Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output (MIMO), which uses multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to improve communication performance. MIMO increases spectrum capacity in accordance with the number of transmit antennas and receive antennas above what could otherwise have been achieved because the number of independent channels available in a given spectrum band is increased.
Whether in a MIMO system or other communication system, a wireless device may often receive communications from two or more base stations, e.g., cellular towers. Receiving such multiple communications can cause interference and degrade signal quality.


A hand-held optical character scanner includes a handle with a base including a plurality of angled planes for supporting the handle on a substantially flat object at different angles relative to the surface of the object, an arm extending from the handle, with a moveable imaging head having a fixed axis lens and a focus range mounted on the arm, the image head being rotatable to selected positions corresponding to the angled planes whereby the distance between the surface of the object and the image head along the lens axis is within the focus range of the lens when the handle is supported on each of the angled planes.

Optical character readers (OCRs), as opposed to bar code scanners, capture an image of a surface using a device such as a charged coupled array which converts the image to an electronic signal which is subsequently resolved or decoded with sophisticated software or firmware to identify characters in the captured image. Optical character readers have many applications in automated data collection systems where it is desired to rapidly and efficiently collect data in the form of characters printed on the surface of an article. One such application is collection information from mail pieces, specifically letters, flats and packages, millions of which are processed daily by postal services.
Modern, automated postal scanning systems generally consist of large, fixed pieces of capital equipment. These systems typically require that the letters and flats be properly oriented before the items are scanned for OCR readable information such as destination indicia, codes, and similar data. Typically, high speed, automated equipment is utilized to singular a batch of letters and flats into a stream, orientate the individual mail pieces for scanning and convey the mail pieces past a stationary OCR. Automated parcel scanning, on the other hand, is typically accomplished using cameras positioned to capture images of multiple sides of parcels transported past the cameras.
These automated systems may not be applicable to locations where relatively small numbers of parcels are processed. Likewise, parcels that are over weight, oversized, irregularly shaped or otherwise incompatible with automated scanning equipment, may require manual processing. In these cases, handheld optical character readers may be utilized by operators to acquire information appearing as characters on the surface of the parcel or package.
The nature of the equipment used in optical character reading, and in particular the camera and lens used to image the characters, requires that the read distance, i.e., the distance between the imaging head and the characters be consistent for accurate and successful data collection. An additional factor is the angle of incidence, the angle at which the imaging camera is positioned relative to the characters. Ideally the camera or imaging head is held perpendicular to the surface on which the characters appear to avoid angular distortion of the characters and similar problems. In the case of stationary OCR units utilized in automated systems, this does not typically present a problem insofar as articles are properly oriented prior to scanning and passed in front of an imaging head with the surface to be scanned perpendicular to, and at a controlled distance from the imaging head.
In the case of hand held units, the distance and angle requirements imposed by optical character reading equipment may be problematic. For example, when a hand-held OCR is used to read information from the surface of irregularly sized mail pieces including packages, envelopes and similar items, manual operation of a hand held OCR can require awkward, repetitive motions by the operator of the unit to successfully capture images of the area of interest, normally an address, appearing on the surface of the mail pieces. Under these conditions the speed at which information is collected as well as the accuracy of the data collected may suffer. Thus, while a hand held unit may be convenient for scanning information from articles having a wide variety of sizes and shapes, the desired level of successful character imaging is dependent upon accurate positioning of the unit by the operator.


An air conditioning system employing an air conditioning unit the conditioned air of which is obtained from an associated evaporative cooler under the influence only of the refrigeration unit's fan or blower.

With the advent of higher energy costs, the evaporative cooler as part of an air conditioning system is again assuming prominence in the marketplace. Its installation and operating costs are more economical than a refrigeration unit and even where a refrigeration system is needed, the trend is now to utilize both types working together to provide an air conditioning system.
While the cost of operating an evaporative cooling system is considerably less expensive than that of a mechanical refrigeration system incorporating compressors and condensers, further improvements in the effectiveness and efficiency of an air conditioning system is economically desirable. The present invention provides a means for enhancing the cooling efficiency of existing air conditioning systems by merely using a single blower for moving refrigerated air or evaporatively cooled air to a point or area of use by means of a compact unitary system.
Heretofore, air conditioning systems which operationally utilize evaporative and refrigerated cooling usually employ at least two blowers and rather complex ducting or air flow controlling devices. Accordingly, such previous systems have been relatively complicated and expensive, both form the initial and operational standpoints.
In the installation of air conditioning equipment it has been a problem to provide a common unit which affords the convenience of an evaporative and/or a refrigeration cooler. Ordinarily such dual functioning equipment has imposed the necessity of making structural changes in the system after an installation has been initially made. Such changes are usually of a difficult and expensive nature, and ordinarily involve the addition of additional air moving blowers, to deliver the conditioned air to a point of use. This being necessary because the usual evaporative cooler requires an air delivery blower, and the refrigeration cooling system may require another, or separate blower for the delivery of conditioned air to the interior of a building, room or point of use.


Methods and systems are provided for an electromagnetic pulse disconnect assembly. In one example, an electromagnetic disconnect assembly includes an electromagnetic coil assembly including an electromagnetic coil, an armature cam including an annular ring and a plurality of bidirectional cam ramps extending in an axial direction from the annular ring, where the annular ring is adapted to have face-sharing contact with the electromagnetic coil assembly when the electromagnetic coil is energized and be spaced apart from the electromagnetic coil assembly when the electromagnetic coil is de-energized, and a cam follower a plurality of radially extending guides arranged around a circumference of the cam follower and spaced apart from one another via a plurality of elongate apertures, each of the plurality of elongate apertures adapted to receive one of the plurality of bidirectional ramps of the armature cam. The assembly may further include a latching system.

Modern vehicles often incorporate one or more drivetrain modes for providing power from an engine to the driven wheels. For example, a vehicle with only a two-wheel drive system, or 4×2 mode, may provide power via one or a series of rotating shafts to two wheels of the vehicle. Vehicles such as compact cars may use a front wheel drive system with power provided to the two front wheels. In other, often larger vehicles, it is often desirable to incorporate both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive driving modes, wherein power may be selectively distributed to two wheels in one mode and four wheels in another mode. Vehicles of different sizes often incorporate two-wheel drive of the rear wheels and four-wheel drive for the purpose of enabling better handling during varying traction conditions while still being able to switch to two-wheel drive to reduce fuel consumption and reduce wasted power.
For vehicles with switchable drive modes, devices and systems are needed for engaging and disengaging drivetrain components such as axles and shafts. As such, disconnect assemblies are used that often involve a form of clutch that can move to connect or disconnect two rotatable components such as two shafts. The disconnect assemblies can be placed in a variety of areas in the drivetrain of a vehicle, including at the wheel ends, at one or more axles, or along one of the drive shafts. Through the use of disconnect systems, vehicles can be made more versatile by having the ability to switch between different drive modes depending on the driving conditions and operator desire.
In some powertrain disconnecting systems, vacuum directed from the vehicle engine is used as the motive or actuating force that powers the disconnecting systems. In particular, the disconnecting system actuators may be powered by the vacuum. In many systems, the vacuum is directed via a passage from the intake manifold of the gasoline-fueled engine. Due to this, the vacuum level, or amount of force or pressure available from the vacuum, may vary as engine throttle settings change along with engine load. For many engine systems, the vacuum level (amount of pressure available) may be limited or vary due to the effects of altitude. Furthermore, temperature changes can also cause pressure fluctuations in the vacuum level, thereby causing fluctuations in movement of the disconnect actuator which may result in undesirable movement of disconnect components such as the diaphragm and clutch components. Additionally, in some vehicles vacuum may not be readily available since various vehicle accessory systems may not be powered by vacuum, or the vehicle may be designed to remove engine intake connections such as vacuum lines in order to enhance engine control and performance. Finally, vacuum-powered powertrain disconnect systems are becoming less desirable with more advanced vehicle design. As such, powertrain disconnect systems are needed that are powered by sources other than vacuum and feature designs conducive to modern vehicle systems.
Additionally, in other applications, such as other clutching or braking systems, motion may need to be retarded or produced quickly. In one example, electromagnetic coils may be utilized in wet plate clutches or locking differentials. However, the components included in a disconnect system employing electromagnetic coils for initializing transitions between clutch positions may be numerous, complex, and take up significant packaging space, thereby increasing a size of the entire system and reducing flexibility of the disconnect system (e.g., to be used in various applications. The inventors herein have recognized the above issues and developed various approaches to address them.
Thus in one example, the above issues may be at least partially addressed by an electromagnetic disconnect assembly, including: an electromagnetic coil assembly including an electromagnetic coil arranged within an annular housing of the coil assembly, where a first end of the annular housing includes a first face; an armature cam including an annular ring with an outer face and an inner face, a plurality of bidirectional cam ramps extending in an axial direction from the inner face, where the outer face is adapted to have face-sharing contact with the first face of the electromagnetic coil assembly when the electromagnetic coil is energized and be spaced apart from the first face via an air gap when the electromagnetic coil is de-energized; and a cam follower including an outer annular ring and an inner annular ring coupled together via a plurality of radially extending guides arranged around a circumference of the cam follower, the plurality of radially extending guides spaced apart from one another via a plurality of elongate apertures, each of the plurality of elongate apertures adapted to receive one of the plurality of bidirectional ramps of the armature cam.
In another example, the above issues may be at least partially addressed by an electromagnetic disconnect assembly, including: an electromagnetic coil assembly; a clutch ring; and a latching system adapted to hold the clutch ring in a first, engaged position where the clutch ring connects two rotating components or a second, disengaged position where the clutch ring is only connected to one of the two rotating components, after energizing the electromagnetic coil assembly to move the clutch ring into either the first or second position and after de-energizing the electromagnetic coil assembly, the latching system comprising: an annular, latching ring including a first set of teeth arranged on a first side of the latching ring and having a first profile with a single, same-depth tooth pattern that repeats around a circumference of the latching ring and a second set of teeth arranged on an opposite, second side of the latching ring and having a second profile with a different-depth tooth pattern having two different depths that repeats around the circumference of the latching ring; a guiding grooves cage including a third set of teeth adapted to interface with the first set of teeth in a single position; and a latching grooves cage including a fourth set of teeth adapted to interface with the second set of teeth in two different locking positions.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

Compact electromagnetic pulse disconnect system


An airflow booster fan and control device therefor, the booster fan, preferably of the centrifugal, axial flow type, adapted for in-line installation into a length of duct or at the remotely located end of the duct in an air transfer duct system. The duct system may be one which removes heated and moistened air from a clothes dryer and particularly where the duct system is remotely located from the dryer. The control device delivers electrical power to the booster fan when an air pressure signal from within the duct system in close proximity to, or within, the booster fan is sufficient, as indicative of e.g. clothes dryer operation, to activate the control device to do so. However, a time delay relay in the control device maintains the booster fan in operation after each activating pressure signal for a predetermined length of time, after which the booster fan will be shut off. If there is still air pressure buildup in the duct system, the booster fan will be reactivated for another time to shut off delay period. The control device may be mounted directly to the booster fan housing or to adjacent or remote building support structure, the only requirement therebetween being the interconnection of electric power transfer cable between an electric power outlet and the control device and between the control device and the booster fan, as well as an air pressure transfer conduit from the booster fan or adjacent duct and the control device.

1. Scope of Invention
This invention relates generally to booster fans for airflow duct systems, and more particularly to an in-line booster fan for such duct systems which is fully automatically controlled by air duct operating conditions.
2. Prior Art
When there is a need for boosting or increasing the air flow within a duct system such as that associated with the removal of heated and moistened air discharging or venting from a clothes dryer, an axial flow booster fan is generally added somewhere along the length of the duct system. Such booster fan installations are typically required where the outlet vent or discharge for the duct system is remotely located from the clothes dryer or other vented appliance or equipment which discharges air for removal.
However, the booster fan is only needed and therefore ideally should only operate during the time periods of clothes dryer operation. In many cases however, it is impractical to control the operation of the booster fan using the electrical power supply from the appliance because of the remoteness between the booster fan and the appliance. Further, it is generally impractical to control the operation of the booster fan with conventional manually operated electric switches, again due to the remoteness of the booster fan location.
It is well known to utilize pressure differential sensors between the inside and the outside of the duct system or axial flow booster fan. Such a pressure switch which measures static or total pressure and may be triggered by either a positive or a negative pressure differential to accomplish this booster fan operation control. Such increased duct system static pressure occurs when the appliance begins to operate, causing the static pressure buildup in the duct system. However, erratic and undesirable operation is likely to result.
If the pressure sensor is located in one section of the duct system, the pressure change as a result of the booster fan operation may cause the pressure switch to open, prematurely shutting off the booster fan. Thereafter, the pressure switch will again close, restarting the booster fan. This undesirable on-off cycling of the booster fan continues until the appliance itself shuts off.
If the pressure switch is located in another section of the duct system, the booster fan will amplify the pressure differential, causing the pressure switch to remain closed, even when the appliance shuts off and its airflow into the duct system is discontinued.
With great care, the pressure sensing arrangement may be located in conjunction with the pressure buildup of each individual booster fan so as to timely energize and shut off the operation of the booster fan generally coincident with the operation of the appliance requiring system ventilation. However, this is a time-consuming and tedious procedure, requiring a higher level of technical competence in the installation.
The present invention utilizes the pressure sensing features which is indicative of appliance operation, but couples this pressure signal input to energize the booster fan with a predetermined time delay for shutting the blower fan off, e.g. about five to twenty minutes. Thus, no matter what pressure signal is used by the control device of the present invention, the booster fan will remain operational for the predetermined time period after which it will be shut off by the timed delay relay. Subsequent booster fan reactivation will occur each time pressure buildup in the duct system in close proximity to the booster fan reoccurs.

Air duct booster fan and control device therefor


A motorcycle including a frame having a top, a bottom, a front, a rear, and a centrally-located longitudinal axis extending through the front and the rear. The longitudinal axis defines a vertical plane. The motorcycle also includes an engine supported by the frame and a radiator coil obliquely mounted to the frame. The radiator coil is spaced apart from the vertical plane and includes a forward end and a rearward end as viewed from above the motorcycle. The forward end defines a first distance measured normal to the vertical plane and the rearward end defines a second distance measured normal to the vertical plane. The first distance is shorter than the second distance.

The present invention relates to a motorcycle, and particularly to a radiator coil mounted on a motorcycle.
Motorcycles commonly include a radiator coil in communication with an engine of the motorcycle to facilitate cooling of the engine. A liquid coolant (e.g., water, ethylene glycol, etc.) circulates from the radiator coil toward the engine to remove heat from parts of the engine. The coolant then flows back to the radiator coil and is cooled by air passing over the radiator coil.


A CMOS image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed, in which a blue photodiode is imparted with a greater thickness to improve sensitivity of blue light. The blue photodiode of a CMOS image sensor includes a first lightly doped P-type epitaxial layer formed on a heavily doped P-type semiconductor substrate; a gate electrode of a transfer transistor formed on the first epitaxial layer; a first N-type blue photodiode region formed on the first epitaxial layer; and a second N-type blue photodiode region formed on the first epitaxial layer corresponding to the first blue photodiode region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, and more particularly, to a blue photodiode of a CMOS image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same, in which the blue photodiode is formed to be higher and wider than a semiconductor substrate to improve sensitivity of blue light.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
An image sensor is a semiconductor device that converts optical images to electrical signals. The image sensor is classified into a charge-coupled device (CCD) and a CMOS image sensor. The CCD stores charge carriers in MOS capacitors and transfers the charge carriers to the MOS capacitors. The MOS capacitors are approximate to one another. The CMOS image sensor employs a switching mode that sequentially detects outputs of unit pixels using MOS transistors by forming the MOS transistors to correspond to the number of the unit pixels using CMOS technology that uses a control circuit and a signal processing circuit as peripheral circuits.
The CMOS image sensor that converts data of an object into electrical signals includes signal processing chips having photodiodes. Each of the signal processing chips includes an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, an internal voltage generator, a timing generator, and a digital logic. The CMOS image sensor is economical in view of space, power consumption, and cost. The manufacture of the CCD requires technical process steps. However, a CMOS image sensor can be manufactured in mass production by a simple etching process of a silicon wafer. Thus, it is cheaper to manufacture a CMOS image sensor than to manufacture the CCD. Also, an advantage of the CMOS image sensor is its packing density.
To display images, the CMOS image sensor sequentially detects signals in a switching mode by forming a photodiode and a transistor in a unit pixel. Also, since the CMOS image sensor uses CMOS technology, low power consumption is required. The number of masks for a CMOS image sensor is fewer by twenty fewer than the thirty to forty masks required for the CCD image sensor. In this way, in the CMOS image sensor, process steps are simplified and various signal processing circuits can be integrated in one chip. Therefore, the CMOS image sensor has received much attention as an image sensor for the next generation.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a unit circuit of a related art CMOS image sensor.
As shown in FIG. 1, a photodiode PD for generating optical charges using received light, a transfer transistor 101 for transferring the optical charges generated by the photodiode to a floating diffusion region 102 by applying a signal Tx to its gate, a reset transistor 103 for resetting the floating diffusion region 102 by applying a signal Rx to its gate to set the potential of the floating diffusion region 102 at a desired value and for discharging the floating diffusion region 102, a drive transistor 104 serving as a source-follower buffer amplifier by applying a signal Dx to its gate, a selection transistor 105 for addressing and applying a signal Sx to its gate, and a load transistor 106 for providing an output signal (Vb) to be read out from the unit pixel. Power (VDD) is applied.
As shown in FIG. 2, a P-type epitaxial layer 111 is grown on a heavily doped P-type substrate 110, and a lightly doped N-type photodiode region 113, a P-type well 114 and a device isolation film (FOX) 112 are formed in the epitaxial layer 111. The transfer transistor 101 and the reset transistor 103 are formed on the epitaxial layer 111 between the photodiode region 113 and the P-type well 114. The drive transistor 104 and the selection transistor 105 are formed on the P-type well 114. The floating diffusion region 102 is formed on the epitaxial layer 111 between the transfer transistor 101 and the reset transistor 103. A P-type diffusion layer 115 is formed in the lightly doped N-type photodiode region 113 below the surface of the lightly doped P-type epitaxial layer 111 and is doped more lightly than the epitaxial layer.
Referring to FIG. 3, illustrating a blue photodiode portion of the above CMOS image sensor, the device isolation film 112 is formed on the semiconductor substrate 110 in which the lightly doped P-type epitaxial layer 111 is formed. The device isolation film 112 serves to isolate an active region including the lightly doped N-type photodiode region 113. The transfer transistor 101 including a gate electrode is formed on the epitaxial layer 111. A first interlayer dielectric film 116 is formed on the epitaxial layer 111 including the transfer transistor 101. The first interlayer dielectric film 116 is selectively etched to form a via hole 117. Then, a first metal layer (not shown) is deposited and selectively etched to form a first metal layer pattern 118. A second interlayer dielectric film 119 is formed on the first interlayer dielectric film 116 including the first metal layer pattern 118. A second metal layer (not shown) is formed on the second interlayer dielectric film 119 and then selectively etched to form a second metal layer pattern 120. A third interlayer dielectric film 121 including the second metal layer pattern 120 is formed on the second interlayer dielectric film 119. A device passivation layer 122 is formed on the third interlayer dielectric film 121. A blue color filter array element 123 is formed on the device passivation layer 122 as part of a color filter array. The color filter array includes a red filter pattern, a blue filter pattern, and a green filter pattern. A planarization layer 124 is formed on the blue color filter array element 123. Finally, a microlens 125 is formed on the planarization layer 124 and corresponds to the blue color filter array element 123.
In the related art CMOS image sensor manufactured above, however, the blue photodiode may fail to sense shorter wavelengths because blue light in a general pixel structure has a penetration depth of 0.3 μm. By contrast, red light has a penetration depth of 10 μm. Therefore, the desired display of the respective colors (i.e., red, green, and blue) at a ratio of 1:1 is impeded, thereby degrading color reproduction quality.

CMOS image sensor and method for manufacturing the same


Disclosed are a voltage measuring apparatus and a battery management system including the same. The voltage measuring apparatus is connected to a plurality of battery cells connected to each other in series to measure respective voltage of the battery cells. The voltage measuring apparatus includes a first node coupled to one of an positive electrode and a negative electrode of one of a plurality of battery cells as a voltage measuring target, amplifies a voltage difference between the first node and the second node to generate an error voltage, converts the error voltage into a digital signal, and compensates for a polarity of the digital signal.

(a) Field
An exemplary embodiment relates to a voltage measuring apparatus and a battery management system including the same.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A voltage measuring apparatus according to the related art for measuring a plurality of battery cell voltages includes a switching unit for changing a polarity of a voltage received from a battery cell. The voltage measuring apparatus according to the related art includes a capacitor for storing voltages received from a plurality of battery cells.
When a plurality of battery cells are sequentially connected to the capacitor, a polarity of the voltage stored in the capacitor is alternately changed. The switching unit for changing the polarity of the voltage stored in the capacitor is sequentially and directly connected to the battery cells, respectively.
However, at least two of the battery cells have high voltages across the battery cell, respectively. As illustrated above, since the switching unit is directly connected to the battery cells, the switching unit must be configured by high voltage switching elements.
The high voltage switching elements have a larger size or a higher cost as compared with other type switching elements. Accordingly, the size and the cost of the voltage measuring apparatus are increased.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Voltage measuring apparatus and battery management system including the same


Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for performing Built-In Self Tests (BIST) on memories. One such BIST includes loading microcode instructions into a main microcode sequencer and loading subroutine instructions into a subroutine microcode sequencer on the memory. The microcode instructions generate subroutine calls to the subroutine microcode sequencer. The subroutine instructions generate memory operation codes, address codes, and data codes for testing the memory device. BIST addresses are generated in response to the memory operation codes and the address codes. BIST data are generated in response to the memory operation codes and the data codes. Conventional memory commands are created by generating command signals, address signals, and data signals for the memory in response to the memory operation codes, the BIST data, and the BIST addresses. Test results output data may be stored in a data checker in the form of information stored in data registers or checksum registers.

The number of semiconductor memory devices and storage capacity for those memory devices continues to grow, making testing of the memory chips more complex and more expensive. This growth in number and capacity is particularly evident for Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) devices. The variety of DRAM types also continues to grow, supporting a variety of speed grades, storage capacities, and data bit widths. Testing the large capacities and varieties of DRAM memory types becomes even more problematic as data interfaces of 64 bits or more in width appear. Memory testers for such parts will be very expensive. Part of the issue in testing a memory device is that memory die are generally incompletely tested in wafer form. However, when not completely tested before the wafer is separated into individual semiconductor dice, there is the possibility that a memory that passed wafer level tests may fail more rigorous tests later. In areas where bare die are sold for multi-chip modules or three dimensional packaging, wherein memory devices are stacked, the issues with incompletely tested die will become a greater concern.
At the same time that test issues for individual memory parts continues to grow, the number of memory parts on Dual In-line Memory Modules (DIMMs) and similar carriers continues to increase as does the number and kinds of memory card interfaces. These interfaces often do not easily connect to memory testers for testing the DIMM. As a result, sometimes the DIMMs and memory devices on those DIMMs can only be tested when driven by and incorporated into the processing system for which they are designed. Thus, manufacturing costs and complexity increase and, over time, will become an increasingly important cost factor in the production and maintenance of reliable memory devices.
Furthermore, memory testing often requires detailed testing algorithms that go far beyond simply testing whether a memory cell can retain a "1" value and a "0" value. For example, memory devices may have particular pattern sensitivities based on neighboring data bits within a data word or nearby data words at a different address. In addition, DRAM devices are susceptible to limited data retention times and tests must be devised to verily that data bits will reliably retain their value for a specified period before those values need to be refreshed.
Integrated Built-In Self Test (BIST) capability has been proposed for many types of semiconductor devices, including memory devices. However, often these BIST capabilities are custom designs with little flexibility. In addition, the more flexible designs are large and often include significant requirements for the testing device (e.g., such as a device tester, a memory card tester, or other system devices) to cooperate with the BIST capability.
There is a need for apparatuses and methods to create memory BIST operations that are small and flexible with capabilities to support test operations at wafer level testing, packaged part testing, memory module testing, and system testing.

System, apparatus, and method for memory built-in self testing using microcode sequencers


A magnetic head carriage including a head carriage (13), a gimbal (11) which has a magnetic head (12) attached thereon and is fixed to one surface of the head carriage (13), a flexible substrate (14) fixed to the other surface of the head carriage (13), and leads (12d, 12e, 12f, 12f) from the magnetic head (12) and are conductively connected to electrodes (15, 16, 17, 18) formed on the flexible substrate (14), the head carriage (13) comprising opening holes (14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) which are opened in the flexible substrate (14) in the vicinity of the electrodes (15, 16, 17, 18) so as to position the leads (12d, 12e, 12f, 12g) at the respective electrodes (15, 16, 17, 18).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magnetic head carriage, and more particularly to a magnetic head carriage which records or reproduces data on or from a floppy disk.
2. Related Art
In a magnetic disk device such as a floppy disk device, data are recorded or reproduced by a magnetic head. The magnetic head is supported by a head carriage and is moved to an arbitrary position on the floppy disk by moving the head carriage between the internal and outer circumferences of the floppy disk. In recent years, high-density recording or reproduction of data is achieved, and floppy disks having 1-megabyte or 2-megabyte capacity to those having storage capacity greater than 100 MB have already been developed.
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation for explaining an existing magnetic head carriage. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 designates a magnetic head having a magnetic head core (omitted from FIG. 5); 2 designates a coil which is comprised of leads 2a, 2b wound around a magnetic head core; and 3 designates a flexible substrate having electrodes 4, 5, 6, and 7 formed thereon. A gimbal for fixing the magnetic head 1 and a head carriage existing between the gimbal and the flexible substrate are omitted from the drawing.
The leads 2a, 2b of the coil are conductively connected the electrodes 4, 5 of the flexible substrate 3 by soldering.
In the magnetic head carriage having the foregoing construction, since the leads 2a, 2b of the coil are not fixed to the electrodes 4, 5 of the flexible substrate 3, the leads 2a, 2b are difficult to be connected to the electrodes 4, 5.

Magnetic head cartridge having head connected to a gimbal and having leads extending through openings in the gimbal and openings in the head carriage


Described are methods and apparatus for providing fluorescent lamps having a two-layer phosphor coating that includes a base coating and a top coating that economically provides a high color rendering index (CRI) of at least 87 with improved brightness. In an embodiment, a low-pressure discharge lamp includes a light transmissive envelope having a basecoat phosphor layer disposed on an inner surface, wherein the basecoat phosphor layer includes less than ten percent weight of a rare earth phosphor. Also included is a topcoat phosphor layer on a surface of the base coat phosphor layer that includes a blend of at least red, green, green-blue and blue emitting rare earth phosphors, and a fill gas composition within the light transmissive envelope.

Fluorescent lamps may employ various combinations of three or four narrow band emitting phosphor materials for conversion of ultraviolet (UV) light to visible light. A "phosphor" is a luminescent material that absorbs radiation energy in a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and emits energy in another portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Each phosphor material produces a red, a blue or a green color emission, and a combination of phosphor materials may be used, for example, in low pressure type mercury vapor discharge lamps. Crystalline inorganic compounds form an important class of phosphors that are of high chemical purity and of controlled composition to which small quantities of other elements (known as "activators") have been added to convert them into efficient luminescent materials. Phosphors used in low pressure lamps mercury vapor discharge lamps convert ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted by the excited mercury vapor to visible light.
Typically, a blue color emission phosphor exhibits an emission band in the wavelength range from about 430 nanometers (nm) to about 500 nm, a red color emission phosphor exhibits an emission band in the wavelength range from about 590 nm to about 670 nm, and a green color emission phosphor exhibits an emission band in the wavelength range from about 500 nm to about 600 nm. This phosphor combination produces efficient white light illumination. A blend of four narrow band emitting phosphor materials may include first and second green emitting phosphors having different visible emission spectrum, a third blue emitting phosphor, and a fourth red emitting phosphor. Some conventional phosphor combinations utilized a dual layer phosphor coating. For example, a thin layer of the tri-phosphor combination may be deposited on the surface of a basecoat of conventional calcium haloapatite phosphor material to produce the desired high light output with fair color rendition at a considerable cost savings for the overall phosphor combination. But the color rendering index (CRI) of the basecoat is typically about 70, and the tri-phosphor top layer CRI is typically about 83 and thus the CRI of the basecoat is much lower than that of the topcoat. The combination of the layers therefore results in a CRI of about 78.
Thus, a need exists for energy efficient lamps that provide a CRI of at least 87 while also reducing the cost of utilizing relatively expensive phosphor materials.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

High color rendering index fluorescent lamp with multi-layer phosphor coating


A device, and a method and a system for editing command sets applied to the device are provided. The system includes an editor installed in a computer device for initiating an editing interface used to edit one or more command sets applied to the device and a writer used to convert the command sets into profiles with a format specified to the device. The command sets are used to form the profiles configured to be written to the device via the writer. The command sets including a set of scripts of commands and input codes specified to the device can be edited through the editor. The device is a computer mouse with multiple keys. The keys can be used to switch the profiles stored in the device, and the command set of the profile being activated is applied to the device for operating the device.

A modern computer input device, for example a computer mouse, generally includes multiple function keys in addition to the legacy keys such as the left, right and middle keys of the computer mouse. A driver program proprietary to the input device is provided by a manufacturer thereof for a computer system that the input device is connected with to function the input device appropriately. Some basic settings for the input device can be managed through the driver program. For example, a user can set up DPI (dots per inch) for the computer mouse via a driver interface in order to adjust a speed of a cursor when the cursor is moved over a computer screen.
Further, an advanced multi-key computer input device is designed to have additional function keys for various specific purposes, e.g., gaming, and functions applied to the function keys can be customized or edited via a specific program such as the above-mentioned driver program. However, most manufacturers develop their own specifications to define the functions specified to their products, such that their products have very low compatibility with other products. Therefore, in the conventional technologies, various computer input devices are required to be driven by corresponding proprietary driver programs. It is inconvenient for the user to install proprietary driver programs to a computer system for driving the corresponding computer input devices. Furthermore, the user is required to use proprietary editors to edit commands applied to the functions of the computer input devices when the user sets up the computer input devices.
Still further, the advance multi-key computer input device, for example, a gaming computer mouse, may support multiple switchable profiles that can be selectively activated to drive multiple function keys of the advanced multi-key computer input device in order to adapt to different applications. Similarly, the functions applied to the multiple function keys can still be edited through a proprietary editor that supports other devices even when compatibility is low.

Method, system for editing a command set and device applying the method


The present invention concerns a novel tamper-evident, child-resistant blister package for medicaments and nonmedicaments which is user-friendly, but which is difficult to open by young children and impaired adults.. Because the blister package has pull tabs which are designed to be pulled away from, rather than towards, article-receiving pockets which may be present in the blister package other than the article-receiving pocket being accessed, a young child or user of the blister package can only access one article-receiving pocket at a time, whether deliberately or inadvertently.. The blister package of the invention is an attractive and inexpensive package for the merchandising of pharmaceutical and other products which is constructed in a manner which facilitates mass production.

The present invention generally relates to novel tamper-evident, child-resistant blister packages for medicaments and non-medicaments.
It is desirable for manufacturers of products to provide tamper-evident packaging for their products which will provide a clear indication when the packaging has been subject to tampering, and which is highly resistant to opening by children, but which, at the same time, is sufficiently easy for the average unimpaired consumer to open.
One of the problems facing parents today is their responsibility of keeping medications and other dangerous and/or small articles beyond the reach of their young children. Young children do not have the ability to recognize the risk involved in consuming prescribed or over-the-counter medication and other dangerous and/or small articles. Because of this fact, there is an important need for a package from which these items are readily accessible to an unimpaired adult, but are not accessible to a young child or impaired adult.
In past years, a trend in the packaging of medication and other dangerous and/or small articles has been to provide packages which will be safe, even if found by young children. Most developments in the "child-proofing" line have been directed to the improvement in pill bottles. In this regard, safety caps have been devised which require a certain series of pushes and turns in order to open the bottle. However, there has been less development in the area of "childproofed," press-type blister packages with which this invention is concerned.
Blister packaging has become popular in recent years, not only for medicaments in capsule, lozenge or pill form, but also for small automotive parts, household articles, and miscellaneous hardware.
Blister packages are generally made up of a first sheet, typically a clear, preformed polyvinyl chloride or polystyrene with flexible bubbles which form separate compartments for one or more pills, and a second, rupturable sheet material, such as an aluminum foil or paper sheet, which has been attached to the first sheet. The second sheet is attached to the first sheet by heat-sealing, solvent welding, gluing, or otherwise. The article contained in the package may be removed from the blister compartment by pressing on the flexible blister which, in turn, forces the tablet against the second sheet, rupturing the second sheet, and ejecting the article.
Because the contents of blister packages are generally visible, and are often brightly colored, young children are attracted to the contents of these packages, with a substantial risk of injury and/or death if they succeed in opening such packages and ingesting their contents. Accordingly, it is important to "childproof" such packages by rendering these packages too difficult to open for children too young to realize the potential hazard in doing so but, at the same time, user friendly for adult users of the various articles contained in the packages.
The tamper-evident, child-resistant blister packages of the invention for medicaments and non-medicaments are structurally different from child-resistant packaging described in the art.

Tamper-evident, child-resistant blister packages for medicaments and non-medicaments


A method for playing DVD. A method for simultaneously outputting a DVD movie to multiple channels each having its own playback parameters such as view angle, spoken language and subtitle language, using a single DVD player.

The invention is related to a method of DVD play, and in particular, to a method of simultaneously outputting a DVD movie stream to multiple channels of one DVD player each comprising individual playback parameters.
According to digital versatile disc (DVD) specifications, a disc may provide a movie with support for several languages, thus various playback parameters, such as a subtitle language, a spoken language and a view angle may be selected as desired. Although various options are provided, only one option can be implemented per viewing. That is to say, no more than one subtitle language, one spoken language and one view angle can be implemented at one time.
Conventional implementation of DVD options on a per viewing basis are adequate for general use, however, certain environments may require additional functionality. Such environments may include a plane, bus or Karaoke bar. Typically, a DVD player can play one DVD with specific playback parameters, thus, no all audiences requiring various native languages or preferring different view angles will be satisfied. If multiple DVD players, however, are provided to meet various requirements, cost is increased.


Systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, related to associative long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network layers configured to maintain N copies of an internal state for the associative LSTM layer, N being an integer greater than one. In one aspect, a system includes a recurrent neural network including an associative LSTM layer, wherein the associative LSTM layer is configured to, for each time step, receive a layer input, update each of the N copies of the internal state using the layer input for the time step and a layer output generated by the associative LSTM layer for a preceding time step, and generate a layer output for the time step using the N updated copies of the internal state.

This specification relates to recurrent neural network architectures.
Neural networks are machine learning models that employ one or more layers of nonlinear units to predict an output for a received input. Some neural networks include one or more hidden layers in addition to an output layer. The output of each hidden layer is used as input to the next layer in the network, i.e., the next hidden layer or the output layer. Each layer of the network generates an output from a received input in accordance with current values of a respective set of parameters. Some reinforcement learning systems select the action to be performed by the agent in response to receiving a given observation in accordance with an output of a neural network.
Some neural networks are recurrent neural networks. A recurrent neural network is a neural network that receives an input sequence and generates an output sequence from the input sequence. In particular, a recurrent neural network can use some or all of the internal state of the network from a previous time step in computing an output at a current time step.

Associative long short-term memory neural network layers


Systems and techniques are presented for identifying fare evasion at an access control to a paid area. Received signal strength (RSS) is determined for wireless signals communicated between two or more wireless transceivers and a fare media. A position of the fare media is determined based on the RSS and the position is added to a collection of positions. A position of an object is detected and the position of the object is compared with each position in the collection of positions. A determination is made that the position of the object is not proximate to any position in the collection of positions and an indicator light is generated on the floor proximate to the position of the object.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to fare collection. More specifically, the present invention relates to detecting and identifying fare evasion.
2. The Relevant Technology
A turnstile is a commonly found example of a fare gate that can be placed at entry or exit gatelines to process pedestrians through the gate. The turnstile ensures that only one pedestrian can pass through at a time. A payment device can be used in conjunction with a turnstile to automate the fee collection and access granting processes. For example, a payment device that accepts coins, tokens, tickets, or cards can be placed next to the turnstile and can operate the turnstile to grant passage only if a valid payment has been received. Turnstiles also typically include small displays to indicate feedback information, such as a success/failure message or remaining credit.
Turnstiles with payment devices and displays can be used in a wide variety of settings to restrict access to paying customers. While turnstiles are most commonly found in mass transit systems, they can also be utilized at stadiums and sporting events, amusement parks and attractions, or any other setting where payment is collected in exchange for access to a restricted area.

Detecting and identifying fare evasion at an access control point


Gaseous-phase portion of a condenser contains vapor and a non-condensing gas, such as air, that impedes condensation of the vapor, and a non-condensing gas discharge device of the condenser is arranged to discharge only the non-condensing gas from the condenser. The non-condensing gas discharge device includes a valve device, in the form of an air vent, for separating the non-condensing gas from the vapor and selectively discharging only the non-condensing gas from the condenser.

Rankine cycle apparatus have been known as systems for converting heat energy into mechanical work. The Rankine cycle apparatus include a structure for circulating water as a working medium, in the liquid- and gaseous-phase states within a sealed piping system forming a circulation system in the apparatus. Generally, the Rankine cycle apparatus include a water supplying pump unit, an evaporator, an expander, a condenser, and pipes connecting between these components to provide circulation circuitry.
FIG. 17 hereof is a schematic block diagram of a general setup of a conventionally-known Rankine cycle apparatus (e.g., vehicle-mounted Rankine cycle apparatus) and certain details of a condenser employed in the Rankine cycle apparatus. The Rankine cycle apparatus of FIG. 17 includes a water supplying pump unit 110, an evaporator 111, an expander 107, and the condenser 100. These components 110, 111, 107 and 100 are connected via pipes 108 and 115, to provide circulation circuitry in the apparatus.
Water (liquid-phase working medium), which is supplied, a predetermined amount per minute, by the water supplying pump unit 110 via the pipe 115, is imparted with heat by the evaporator 111 to turn into water vapor (gaseous-phase working medium). The vapor is delivered through the next pipe 115 to the expander 107 that expands the water vapor. Mechanical device (not shown) is driven through the vapor expansion by the expander 107 so as to perform desired mechanical work.
Then, the expanded water vapor is delivered through the pipe 108 to the condenser 100, where the vapor is converted from the vapor phase back to the water phase. After that, the water is returned through the pipe 115 to the water supplying pump unit 110, from which the water is supplied again for repetition of the above actions. The evaporator 111 is constructed to receive heat from an exhaust pipe extending from the exhaust port of the engine of the vehicle. Among various literatures and documents showing structural examples of the Rankine cycle apparatus is Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2002-115504.
The following paragraphs detail a structure and behavior of the condenser 100 in the conventional vehicle-mounted Rankine cycle apparatus, with reference to FIGS. 17 to 19.
The condenser 100 includes a vapor introducing chamber 101, a water collecting chamber 102, and a multiplicity of cooling pipes 103 vertically interconnecting the two chambers 101 and 102. In FIG. 17, only one of the cooling pipes 103 is shown in an exaggerative manner. Substantial upper half of the interior of each of the cooling pipes 103 is a vapor (gaseous-phase) portion 104 (i.e., portion occupied with the vapor 104), while a substantial lower half of the interior of the cooling pipe 103 is a water (liquid-phase) portion 105 (i.e., portion occupied with the water 105). In the vapor (gaseous-phase) portion 104, most of the working medium introduced via the vapor introducing chamber 101 to the cooling pipe 103 is in the gaseous phase, while, in the water portion 105, most of the working medium flowing through the cooling pipe 103 is kept in the liquid (condensed water) phase. Boundary between the vapor 104 and the water 105 (i.e., gas-liquid interface) is a liquid level position 112.
One cooling fan 106 is disposed behind the cooling pipes 103 (to the right of the cooling pipes 103 in FIG. 17). The cooling fan 106 is surrounded by a cylindrical shroud 106a. Normally, operation of the cooling fan 106 is controlled by an electronic control unit on the basis of a water temperature at an outlet port of the condenser 100. The single cooling fan 106 sends air to the entire region, from top to bottom, of all of the cooling pipes 103 to simultaneously cool the cooling pipes 103.
The condenser 100 operates as follows during operation of the Rankine cycle apparatus. Water vapor of a relatively low temperature, discharged from the expander 107 with a reduced temperature and pressure, is sent into the vapor introducing chamber 101 of the condenser 100 via the low-pressure vapor pipe 108 and then directed into the cooling pipes 103. Cooling air 109 drawn into the cooling fan 106 is sent to the condenser 100.
Strong cooling air is applied by the cooling fan 106 to the upstream vapor portion 104 of the condenser 100, i.e. a portion of each of the cooling pipes 103 where a mixture of the vapor and water exists, and thus latent heat emitted when the vapor liquefies can be recovered effectively by the cooling air. Cooling air is also applied by the cooling fan 106 to the downstream water portion 105 of the condenser 100, i.e. a portion of each of the cooling pipes 103 where substantially only the water exists. Water condensed within the cooling pipes 103 of the condenser 100, is collected into the water collecting chamber 102 and then supplied by the water supplying pump unit 110 to the evaporator 111 in a pressurized condition as noted above.
In FIG. 17, reference numeral 116 represents a surface area of a condensing heat transmission portion, and 117 represents a surface area of a heat transmission portion of the condensed water. The surface areas 116 and 117 of the heat transmission portions and the liquid level position 112 have the following relationship.
The conventional Rankine cycle apparatus 100 inherently has the characteristic that the liquid fluid position 112 varies. Namely, because the engine output varies in response to traveling start/stop and transient traveling velocity variation of the vehicle, the amount of water supply to the evaporator 111 also varies, in response to which the liquid level position 112 within the condenser 100 varies. Namely, in the condenser 100, the liquid level position 112 rises when the amount of the vapor flowing into the condenser 100 (i.e., inflow amount of the vapor) is greater than the amount of the condensed water discharged from the condenser 100 (i.e., discharge amount of the condensed water), but lowers when the inflow amount of the vapor is smaller than the discharge amount of the condensed water. In this way, the vapor-occupied portion 104 in the cooling pipes 103 of the condenser 100 increases or decreases. Because the condensed water (in the portion 105) is discharged from the water supplying pump unit 110 subjected to predetermined flow rate control, a pressure from an outlet port 113 of the expander 107 to an inlet port 114 of the water supplying pump unit 110 is determined by a pressure within the condenser 100. The pressure within the condenser 100 is determined by an amount of condensing heat exchange caused by cooling of the vapor portion 104 of the condenser, and the amount of condensing heat exchange is determined by a flow rate of the medium to be cooled and a surface area of the condensing heat transmission portion 116. Thus, if the portion occupied with the vapor increases or decreases due to variation (rise or fall) of the liquid level position 112, the surface area 116 of the condensing heat transmission portion increases or decreases and so the pressure within the condenser 100 and the flow rate of the medium to be cooled do not uniformly correspond to each other any longer.
Similarly, the temperature of the condensed water at the outlet port of the condenser 100 is determined by an amount of heat exchange caused by cooling of the water portion 105 of the condenser, and the amount of the heat exchange of the condensed water is determined by the flow rate of the medium to be cooled and a surface area 117 of a heat transmission portion of the condensed water. Thus, if the portion occupied with the condensed water 105 increases or decreases due to variation (rise or fall) of the liquid level position 112, the surface area 117 of the heat transmission of the condensed water portion increases or decreases and so the temperature of the condensed water and the flow rate of the medium to be cooled do not uniformly correspond to each other any longer.
In the Rankine cycle apparatus where water is used as the working medium, the saturation pressure, at an atmospheric temperature, of the water within the circulation system is lower than the atmospheric pressure, and so the interior of the circulation system would assume a negative pressure after deactivation of the Rankine cycle apparatus as the entire apparatus is cooled. Thus, a non-condensing (i.e., non-condensable) gas, such as air, would enter the interior of the circulation system through sealed portions of various components and joints between the pipes. Further, where the working medium used has a saturation pressure at an atmospheric temperature greater than the atmospheric pressure, and if the working medium is contained in the circulation system in poor filling condition, the non-condensing gas, such as air, would remain within the circulation system of the apparatus.
If the Rankine cycle apparatus is operated with the non-condensing gas present or contained within the circulation system of the Rankine cycle apparatus, the non-condensing gas would enter the condenser 100 along with a flow of vapor. In such a case, the vapor 104 having entered the condenser 100 condenses within the condenser 100 and is discharged as condensed water 105, as illustrated in FIG. 18. On the other hand, the non-condensing gas 121, having flown into the condenser 100, would build up or accumulate within the condenser 100 due to its con-condensable characteristic. Because the flow of the vapor 104 from the expander 107 to the condenser 100 is present in an upstream region of the condenser 100, the non-condensing gas 121 is carried, by the flow of the vapor 104, to a lower area of the vapor portion 104 within the condenser 100. In other words, the circulation system is formed systematically, in the Rankine cycle apparatus, by the flows of the water and vapor as illustrated in FIG. 17, and the non-condensing gas too flows into the circulation system in accordance with the flow of the vapor 104 through the pipe 108 extending from the expander 107 to the condenser 100.
The condensable vapor 104 condenses by the condensing operation of the condenser 100 and is discharged from the condenser 100 as condensed water 105. The non-condensing gas, on the other hand, does not condense and would therefore remain within the condenser 100 in the gaseous-phase state while being subjected to the vapor flow. As a consequence, the non-condensing gas would remain in the lower area of the vapor portion 104 within the condenser 100 as denoted at 121 in FIGS. 18 and 19.
Further, because the interior of the condenser 100 is placed in conditions such that the air density is greater than the vapor density, air would accumulate in the lower area of the vapor portion 104 due to the action of gravity. Actually, in the boundary between the gaseous-phase portion 118 (corresponding to the vapor portion 104) and the liquid-phase portion 119 (corresponding to the water portion 105), there would be produced water and condensate liquid membrane 105a as illustrated in FIG. 19. The non-condensing gas 121 is surrounded by the water 105 and condensate liquid membrane 105a and pressed in an upstream-to-downstream direction by the flow of saturated vapor 104. As a consequence, the non-condensing gas (i.e., air) 121 having a greater density than the vapor 104 would be accumulated in the lower area of the gaseous-phase portion (i.e., condensing heat trans-mission portion) within the condenser 100. Thus, in the lower area of the gaseous-phase portion within the condenser 100, as illustrated in FIGS. 18 and 19, the non-condensing gas 121 would become a resistance to impede passage of the saturated vapor 104 supplied from upstream, and so there would be formed an area 122 where the saturated vapor 104 can never reach or can only reach with difficulty. In the area 122, no heat exchange can be effected, so that the heat transmission area 116 for the vapor 104 to condense would decrease. As a consequence, the operating efficiency of the condenser 104 would decline significantly.
Therefore, a particular mechanism is required to discharge the non-condensing gas 121 accumulated within the condenser 100. Japanese Utility Model Publication No. SHO-63-47751 discloses a heat exchange apparatus for an automotive vehicle engine, which is designed to reduce a temperature difference between upwind and downwind portions of cooling air of the heat exchanger and control opening/closing of an electronic magnetic valve, provided in a tank beneath the heat exchanger, to discharge the non-condensing gas when the working medium has reached a high temperature. However, in the disclosed heat exchange apparatus, the opening/closing of the electronic magnetic valve is controlled on the basis of the temperature condition alone. Therefore, even vapor that can not be differentiated on the basis of the temperature condition would be undesirably discharged, and thus it was difficult to selectively discharge only the non-condensing gas accumulated in the lower are of the gaseous-phase portion 116.
For the foregoing reasons, there has been a great demand for an improved non-condensing gas discharge device of a condenser which can reliably separate the non-condensing gas, remaining within the condenser and impeding condensation of the vapor, from the vapor and thus selectively discharge only the non-condensing gas so that the gaseous-phase portion of the condenser is filled only with the vapor, to thereby achieve an enhanced condensing efficiency and permit efficient heat exchange on the entire heat transmitting surface of the gaseous-phase portion.

Non-condensing gas discharge device of condenser


A sink system includes a sink basin. The sink basin includes a bottom surface having a drain; one or more walls extending upward from the bottom surface; one or more ledges formed on at least one wall; and one or more sink accessories configured to be removably and slidably positioned on at least one of the one or more ledges, each of the one or more sink accessories being sized and shaped to fit within the sink basin. The one or more sink accessories are configured to assist with one or more tasks.

The present application relates to a sink system. Particularly, the present application relates to a multi-function sink system and methods for adjusting the working height of a sink.
Sinks, and particularly kitchen sinks, often serve more than one function for a user of the sink. Kitchen sinks, for example, are frequently used for many tasks associated with the cooking process. For instance, the user may use the sink to clean the user's hands, to clean food products, to store, rinse, and/or clean used dishes or cookware, to unpack, stage, and/or cut the food products before cooking, to dispose of uneaten food, or for any number of other tasks associated with the cooking process. A typical sink basin may not be optimally suited for all of these varied tasks.
Kitchen sinks generally include a single or double sink basin, with each sink basin having a bottom surface. Typically, the bottom surface of the basin is stationary and positioned at a height above the floor (i.e., bottom surface height). Often, the bottom surface is used to assist with certain cooking-related tasks. For example, the bottom surface may provide a support surface for cleaning (i.e., scrubbing) cookware, a staging area for arranging or preparing food, and/or a repository for food waste and/or used dishes. However, the single bottom surface height may not be conducive to all tasks typically performed within the sink basin. For instance, a relatively deep sink basin having a relatively lower bottom surface height may be conducive to tasks that involve large objects, such as deeper pots and pans, while a shallower basin may be more desirable for certain heavy duty tasks (e.g., mixing, scrubbing, cleaning, etc.), precision tasks (e.g., staging, sorting, etc.), or light duty tasks (e.g., peeling, cutting, etc.). Therefore, a typical sink basin may not provide the proper support to efficiently perform many sink-related or cooking-related tasks.
It would be advantageous to provide a sink that addresses one or more of the above-identified issues, and accessories for use in such a sink.


A probe assembly for inspecting power semiconductor devices, which includes a probe block having more than one probe holding hole, more than one probe, each of which is contained in one of the probe holding holes with its outer surface being in contact with the inner surface of the probe holding hole, and which has lower end protruding from the probe block and coming into contact with the power semiconductor device on inspection, and one or more cooling units which cool the probe block. According to the probe assembly and the inspection apparatus, it is possible to inspect characteristics of power semiconductor devices accurately by suppressing temperature rises of the probes as well as the power semiconductor device under test.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a probe assembly for inspecting power semiconductor devices and an inspection apparatus for power semiconductor devices using the probe assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
For inspecting electric characteristics of power semiconductor devices, such as power transistor and IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor), it is preferable as a matter of course to apply large electric current at a level of several hundreds amperes to the device under test adapting to its actual operating conditions. However, when a large electric current is applied through inspection probes to a power semiconductor device in wafer state or in chip state after dicing, the semiconductor device and/or the inspection probes generate heat because of internal resistance of the semiconductor device and contact resistance found at the contact points of electrodes of the semiconductor device and the probes. The heat thus generated tends to invite temperature drift which disturbs accurate measurements, and damage the semiconductor device and/or inspection probes in some cases.
In view of the circumstances as above mentioned, power semiconductor devices are, in general, roughly selected in wafer state or in chip state by inspecting their characteristics applying relatively small electric current to them, and then finally inspected in the final process after having been assembled in a package. However, characteristic faults are frequently found in a final full-spec inspection on some of the power semiconductor devices which passed characteristics inspections conducted by applying small electric current. In that case, various processes carried out after the rough selection become useless, which invites disadvantages such as products cost rising and waste volume increasing.
On the other hand, as to probe cards, many types of probe cards equipping a cooling means have been proposed. The Japanese Patent Kokai Hei 2-192749 (JP1990/192749 A1), for example, discloses a probe card which has a cooling pipe inside of the probe card to flow an appropriate cooling medium. The cooling means, however, is equipped in the probe card not to prevent probes or a semiconductor device from being heated by large electric current applied to the semiconductor device through the probes, but to prevent the probe card from melting or deforming by the heat radiated from a semiconductor device which is heated at high temperature for inspection.
The Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2000-28641 (JP2000/28641 A1) discloses a probe card, which supplies cooling air to a cooling chamber to cool the base part of probe needles contained in the cooling chamber, thereby preventing the heat transfer from a semiconductor device heated at high temperature for inspection to the probe card. In this probe card, however, what is in question is not the heat generated in the semiconductor device or in the proves by large electric current applied to the semiconductor device for inspection through the probes, but the heat transferring from the semiconductor device under test to the probe card. In addition, the probe card has disadvantages that the cooling effect is not sufficient because the base part of the probe needles are cooled just by cooling air which come into contact with the outer surface of the base part.
Further, the Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2007-121245 (JP2007/121245 A1) discloses a probe card, which has Peltier elements attached to the side wall of a ceramic board which composes the probe card, and leading wires branched from a part of the probe wires which are connected to the side wall of the ceramic board. The probes are cooled through the leading wires. The probe card, however, has disadvantages that the cooling effect may not be sufficient because the probes are cooled indirectly through the leading wires. Furthermore, since the probe card needs the leading wires to cool the probes, the structure of the probe card is complicated and a lot of works is needed to produce the probe card.
The present invention was made in view of the conventional technical situation as above mentioned. An aim of the present invention is to provide a probe assembly for power semiconductor devices, which makes it possible to realize accurate measurements by effectively preventing temperature rising caused by electric current supplied to the probes and the semiconductor device in a large current inspection of power semiconductor devices. Another aim of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus for power semiconductor devices, which uses the probe assembly for power semiconductor devices.

Probe assembly for inspecting power semiconductor devices and inspection apparatus using the same, the probe assembly having a probe block, a probe, and a cooling device


Disclosed is a perfume composition including grapefruit oil and bergamot oil and further including one or more selected from a group consisting of pine oil, lemon oil, cypress oil, rose oil and armoise oil. The perfume composition is useful in the field of beauty care, cosmetics, or the like.

Stress refers to a state of psychological/physical tension felt under an environment difficult to adapt to. If the stress persists, it may lead to physical diseases such as heart disease, gastric ulcer and hypertension or psychological maladjustments such as insomnia, neurosis and depression. In the industrialized societies filled with conflictions and competitions, most people get a lot of physical/psychological stresses while they try to adapt to the society changing in a complicated way. Moderate stress can be beneficial since it gives an impetus of life and promotes efficiency and productivity. However, since excessive stress may lead to diseases or even death, it is an important health risk factor. Accordingly, to recognize and manage stress well is essential in maintaining and promoting health.
The ways that have been proven effective in treating stress thus far include psychological or mental therapy, biofeedback therapy, progressive relaxation therapy, exercise therapy, or the like. Although the external cause of stress may not directly removed with these methods, they help people appreciate the various stresses occurring incessantly in their lives and get less negative effects on their health. Among these stress-relieving methods, aromatherapy is gradually gathering a lot of attentions. Particularly, use of aroma is increasing to provide a pleasant environment in the workplaces or public places. Especially, it is known that the essential oils used in the aromatherapy relive stress and maintain the balance of autonomic nerves and, thereby, enhances immune functions. According to a subjective evaluation study on the stress and aromatherapy, inhalation of aroma oils resulted in reduced stress in working environments.

Perfume and cosmetic composition with anti-stress and relaxing effect