An electronic caliper using a low power induced current position transducer includes a slider assembly mounted on an elongated beam with first and second measuring jaws projecting from the main beam and slider assembly. The position of the slider assembly on the beam is indicative of the distance between the first and second jaws. A depth bar is also attached to, and projects from, the slider assembly. Relative movement between the measuring jaws is determined by an inductive read head mounted on the slider assembly that couples to flux modulators on the beam. The read head includes a transmitter winding and a pair of receiver windings carried by a common printed circuit board. The flux modulators, which can include both flux disrupters and flux enhancers, are carried by the beam and modulate the magnetic fields produced by the transmitter. Thus, the receiver windings produce output voltages corresponding to the overlap between the modulators and the receiver windings. Signal processing electronics are connected to the read head and determine the relative positions of the jaws by monitoring the output of the receiver windings. A digital display displays the determined position. In one embodiment, either flux enhancers or flux disrupters are used. In another embodiment, both flux disrupters and flux enhancers are used. The relatively insensitive nature of the low power induced current position transducer to industrial contaminants allows the caliper to function with improved reliability when operating in traditional shop environments.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic calipers and more particularly, to electronic calipers employing inductively coupled transducer elements.
2. Description of Related Art
Electronic calipers are common in manufacturing industries for measuring the thickness or other physical dimensions of an object. The principal component of these electronic calipers is almost universally a capacitive position transducer.
Capacitive transducers draw very little current. Therefore, capacitive transducers are well suited for use in battery-powered measurement tools, such as electronic calipers. Capacitive transducers operate under a parallel plate capacitor model. Within the capacitive transducer, a transmitter electrode and a receiver electrode are mounted on or in a slide. The transmitter electrode is connected to appropriate signal generating circuitry. The receiver electrode is connected to appropriate read circuitry.
The slide moves along a stationary scale. The scale includes a plurality of spaced-apart signal electrodes, which extend along the length of the scale. As the slide moves relative to the scale, the transmitter and receiver electrodes on the slide capacitively couple to the signal electrodes on the scale. The read circuitry determines the movement or position of the slide relative to the scale by comparing the phase of at least one signal coupled to a receiver electrode with the phase of at least one signal coupled to a transmitter electrode.
The capacitive position transducer may be an incremental type transducer or may be an absolute position type transducer. In the incremental type capacitive position transducer, the read circuitry provides only an indication of relative movement from a known point. In the absolute position type capacitive position transducer, the read circuitry provides an indication of the absolute position between the slide and scale. Incremental and absolute position type position transducers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,420,754 and 4,879,508.
These capacitive position transducers are suitable when used in dry, relatively clean environments, such as in inspection rooms or engineering offices. However, these capacitive position transducers are desirably usable in calipers to measure dimensions in machine shops, construction sites and other relatively contamination-filled environments. In these environments, capacitive calipers can become contaminated by particulate matter and fluids, such as metal particles, grinding dust, and cooling or cutting fluids. The liquid or particulate contaminants find their way between the signal electrodes on the scale and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes on the slide. The contaminants alter the capacitance between the signal electrodes and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes in a manner unrelated to the position of the slide relative to the scale. In general, contaminants between the signal electrodes and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes of a capacitive position transducer cause measurement errors through three different mechanisms. Primarily, the particulate or liquid may have a dielectric constant different from the dielectric constant of air. In this case, the capacitance between the signal electrodes and the transmitter/receiver electrodes sandwiching the contaminant will be greater than the capacitance between other ones of the signal and transmitter/receiver electrodes having the same relative geometry which do not have contaminants between them. As a result, the caliper will not provide an accurate indication of the position of the slide relative to the scale.
Secondarily, the contaminants may have a relatively high conductivity. Normally, the signal and transmitter/ receiver electrodes form an open circuit, such that no current flows between them. A conducive contaminant between the signal and transmitter or receiver electrodes closes this circuit. In particular, an RC circuit is formed, the contaminant forming the resistive element. The time constant of the RC circuit thus formed is a function of both the conductivity of the contaminant and the capacitance between the signal electrode and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes. When the time constant is relatively short, the amplitude of the signal may decay so rapidly that the conventional circuitry employed in capacitive position transducers cannot properly sense the signal.
Thirdly, electrically conductive particles between the signal electrode and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes may alter the field extending between the signal electrode and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes which changes the capacitance between the signal electrode and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes. Distortions in the electric field may also cause the signals between the signal electrode and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes to be distorted such that the caliper circuitry does not provide an accurate indication of the position of the slide relative to the scale.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,485 to Gerhard et al. describes one approach to minimizing the adverse effects of contaminants in capacitive position transducers. This approach comprises coating the electrodes with a thin layer of dielectric material. The slide is then mounted on the scale so that the dielectric coating on the slide (transmitter and receiver) electrodes is positioned adjacent to the dielectric coating on the scale (signal) electrodes. That is, placing the dielectric coatings between the signal electrodes and the transmitter and receiver electrodes minimizes these adverse effects. In addition, the dielectric coating on the slide slidingly contacts the dielectric coating on the scale. The sliding contact between the dielectric coatings reduces the gap between the slide and the scale into which the contaminants intrude.
The sliding contact approach requires that the electrodes be resiliently biased toward each other. The resilient bias allows deviations from exact surface flatness and alignment to be accommodated by permitting the electrodes to move apart from each other. This allows the dielectric layers to be forced apart from each other. Thus, when such a capacitive position transducer is used in a highly contaminated environment, contaminants can force the slide away from the scale and collect between the slide and scale. Thus, this approach has not proven to be adequate under some circumstances.
However, using thick dielectric coats, rather than the thin coats taught by Gerhard et al. has reduced, to some extent, the negative effects due to contaminants collecting between the slide and scale. The thick dielectric coats create a pair of capacitors that are connected in series with the capacitance created by the contaminants. Since the capacitance created by the dielectric coats does not vary as the slide moves along the scale, the change in capacitance between the signal electrodes and the transmitter and/or receiver electrodes resulting from changes in the thickness or composition of the contaminants is dominated by the fixed capacitances created by the thick dielectric coats. Although using thick dielectric coats can reduce the problem caused by dielectric contaminants, this approach cannot completely eliminate the problem.
Another approach isolates the electrodes from the liquid and particulate contaminants. For example, the capacitive position transducer caliper may be sealed. However, sealing the caliper increases the fabrication and assembly costs and is often unreliable. Also, such seals are difficult to practically apply to all sizes and applications of electronic calipers.
Magnetic transducers are alternative types of position measuring transducers. Magnetic transducers are relatively insensitive to contamination caused by oil, water and other fluids. Magnetic transducers, such as the Sony Magnescale encoders, employ a read head that detects magnetic fields and a ferromagnetic scale that is selectively magnetized with one or more periodic magnetic patterns. The read head senses changes in the magnetic field as the read head moves relative to magnetic scale patterns on the scale. However, magnetic transducers themselves are affected by small particles, particularly ferromagnetic particles attracted to the magnetized scale. Consequently, magnetic transducers must also be sealed, encapsulated or otherwise protected to keep contaminants from affecting their accuracy. Magnetic transducers also do not offer the very low power consumption desired for electronic calipers. As a result, magnetic transducers are not used generally in calipers.
Inductive transducers, in contrast to both capacitive and magnetic transducers, are highly insensitive to cutting oil, water or other fluids as well as to dust, ferromagnetic particles, and other contaminants. Inductive transducers, such as the INDUCTOSYN.RTM. type transducers, employ multiple windings on one member to transmit a varying magnetic field received by similar windings on another member. The multiple windings can be a series of parallel hairpin turns repeated on a printed circuit board. An alternating current flowing in the windings of the first member generates the varying magnetic field. The signal received by the second member varies periodically based on the relative position between the two members. A position determining circuit connected to the varying signal from the second member can determine the relative position between the first and second members. However, both members are active. Therefore, each member must be electrically coupled to the appropriate driving circuitry, which increases manufacturing and installation costs. Additionally, because inductive transducers require both members to be electrically coupled, inductive transducers are difficult to incorporate into hand-held devices, such as calipers.
Other motion or position transducers that are insensitive to contaminants, yet which can be more inexpensively manufactured than capacitive, magnetic or inductive transducers, are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,697,144 to Howbrook, 5,233,294 to Dreoni, and 4,743,786 to Ichikawa et al., and British Patent Application 2,064,125 to Thatcher. These references disclose position detection devices that sense position between an energized member and an inactive or unenergized member. The transducing systems described in these references eliminate electrical intercoupling between the two moving members, a drawback of inductive transducers. However, these systems generally fail to provide the high accuracy of inductive or capacitive transducers.
Additionally, in some of these transducing systems, the inactive member is preferably ferromagnetic, which produces a strong magnetic field. Alternately, the inactive member is moved within a magnetic field defined and concentrated by a complex structure formed in or on the active member. Additionally, none of these systems provide the combination of low power operation and sufficient accuracy and measuring range which users demand of calipers. The transducing systems disclosed in these references also produce output signals which are discontinuous or which are not a simply-prescribed function of position. Such signals contribute to inaccurately determined relative positions over extended distances. Furthermore, the transducing systems disclosed in these references are in other ways poorly suited when incorporated into a caliper.

Electronic caliper using a self-contained, low power inductive position transducer


In methods of forming a phase-change material layer pattern, an insulation layer having a recessed portion may be formed on a substrate, and a phase-change material layer may be formed on the insulation layer to fill the recessed portion. A first polishing process may be performed on the phase-change material layer using a first slurry composition to partially remove the phase-change material layer, the first slurry composition having a first polishing selectivity between the insulation layer and the phase-change material layer. A second polishing process may be performed on the phase-change material layer using a second slurry composition to form a phase-change material layer pattern in the recessed portion, the second slurry composition having a second polishing selectivity substantially lower than the first polishing selectivity.

1. Field
Example embodiments relate to methods of forming a phase-change material layer pattern, methods of manufacturing a phase-change memory device and related slurry compositions. More particularly, example embodiments relate to methods of forming a phase-change material layer pattern using a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, methods of manufacturing a phase-change memory device and related slurry compositions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor memory devices may be generally divided into volatile semiconductor memory devices, e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices or static random access memory (SRAM) devices, and non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, e.g., flash memory devices or electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM) devices. The volatile semiconductor memory device loses data stored therein when the power is turned off. However, the non-volatile semiconductor memory device retains stored data even if the power is turned off.
Among the non-volatile semiconductor memory devices, the flash memory device has been widely employed in various electronic apparatuses, e.g., a digital camera, a cellular phone, and an MP3 player. Because a programming process and a reading process of the flash memory device take a relatively long time, however, technologies to manufacture a semiconductor memory device, for example, a magnetic random access memory (MRAM) device, a ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM) device or a phase-change random access memory (PRAM) device, have been steadily developed.
The phase-change memory device stores information using a resistance difference between an amorphous phase and a crystalline phase of a phase-change material layer composed of a chalcogenide compound, e.g., germanium-antimony-tellurium (GST). Particularly, the PRAM device may store data as states of "0" and "1" using a reversible phase transition of the phase-change material layer. The amorphous phase of the phase-change material layer may have a relatively large resistance, whereas the crystalline phase of the phase-change material layer may have a relatively small resistance.
In the PRAM device, a transistor formed on a substrate may provide the phase-change material layer with a reset current (Ireset) for changing the phase of the phase-change material layer from the crystalline state into the amorphous state. The transistor may also supply the phase-change material layer with a set current (Iset) for changing the phase of the phase-change material layer from the amorphous state into the crystalline state.
In a method of manufacturing a PRAM device, a phase-change material layer pattern may be formed by dry-etching a phase-change material layer which is formed by a deposition process using a chalcogenide compound. However, while the phase-change material layer is patterned by a dry etching process, the phase-change material layer may be damaged by etching plasma, and the damaged portion of the phase-change material layer may generate an operational defect of the PRAM device, e.g., an error of storing data.

Methods of forming a phase-change material layer pattern, methods of manufacturing a phase-change memory device and related slurry compositions


This invention relates to the design and fabrication of micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) for applications in such varied fields as the biomedical, micro-fluidics and chemical analysis fields.

Micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) have been proposed and demonstrated for applications in such varied fields as the biomedical, micro-fluidics and chemical analysis fields. Biomedical MEMS (bio-MEMS) include implantable components that require the transcutaneous transfer of power and/or data from an external source to an internal source. Transcutaneous energy transfer (TET) may be achieved using inductively coupled radio-frequency (RF) telemetry. Primary (external) and secondary (internal or implanted) RF coils are components of biomedical MEMS devices suitable for uni- and bi-directional TET.
The manufacture of RF coils generally includes mechanically winding metal wires in to coils. However, such techniques are not suitable for the fabrication of coils intended for incorporation in a MEMS-related device. Accordingly, more precise and reproducible mechanisms for the fabrication of devices capable of uni- and bi-directional wireless data and power transfer are needed.

Microfabricated devices for wireless data and power transfer


Sticky back notes may be designed in a region displayed by a monitor of a data processing system. The region may be window which contains a layout area, a note design area, and a sample area. The layout area may have a plurality of note cells, wherein each note cell corresponds to a note to be designed and printed on a sheet of sticky back notes. The note design area is an area where a note may be designed. The sample area contains a sample note which may be imported to the note design area and/or to a note cell of the layout area during the design of notes to be printed on the sheet of sticky back notes.

Sticky-back notes, such as Post-it.RTM. notes, are popularly used for a wide variety of purposes. These notes are offered commercially to users in a variety of colors and with a variety of graphical and/or textual designs. The designs of notes, however, are essentially fixed as far as users are concerned because the designs are produced by note suppliers and because users have basically no facility permitting them to create their own note designs for sticky back notes.
By contrast, there is currently on the market a program which permits users to create their own address label designs. Upon execution of this program, a user is presented with a user selectable template having a plurality of address label cells. This template corresponds to a sheet of address labels which may be fed into, and printed by, a printer. Accordingly, each address label cell of the template corresponds to an address label on the sheet. The program also contains a plurality of sample address label designs which may be used to fill in the address label cells on the template. However, in order to select a sample address label, the user must exit the template screen and then choose a file name of a selected sample from a directory. Thus, the sample address label designs and the template are not simultaneously displayed to the users. Moreover, graphical and textual material of the sample address label designs may not be dragged together to the template.
There are also currently on the market drawing and flow chart programs which permit users to design their own drawings and flow charts. Upon execution of such a program, a user is presented with a design area in which a flow chart may be designed. The user is also presented with a sample area in which various sample graphical designs are offered to the users. These sample graphical designs may be dragged to the design area during design of a flow chart. However, these flow chart programs do not also present a template area similar to the template area presented by the address label program described above. Moreover, although a sample graphical design may be dragged from the sample area to the design area, a flow chart design may not be dragged to the design area, and graphical and textual material may not be dragged together to the design area. Furthermore, in neither the drawing and flow chart programs nor the address label design programs described above may new designs of the user be imported into a sample area or sample file.
There are other programs currently on the market which permit users to design their own checks, business cards, and the like. However, these programs are as inflexible as currently known address label design programs and drawing and flow chart programs.
The present invention overcomes one or more of the problems discussed above.

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A method and system for forming a digital facsimile message that includes a subaddress. A source terminal forms a digital facsimile message by using information input by a user in response to prompting inquiries generated by the source terminal. In response to a prompt, a user enters whether the user will enter a subaddress to route the message to a destination terminal. If an affirmative response is received, the source terminal prompts the user to input the subaddress and later to input a telephone number of a destination server which services the destination terminal. The source terminal receives a response from a user indicating whether the subaddress is used for the routing of the digital facsimile message. Based on the input data, the source terminal forms a digital facsimile message that includes the subaddress of the destination terminal. The message may then be sent over a communications channel to the destination server, which then routes the message to the destination terminal. The destination server may convert the subaddress into a matching Internet Protocol address of the destination terminal so that the destination server may route the source terminal's incoming message over the Internet to the destination terminal. The source terminal may also form a polling message by prompting the user to insert specific information, where the polling message allows a user to retrieve data files from the destination terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to communications systems and more particularly to methods for forming a message that includes a subaddress and for routing the message from a source terminal through a network destination server and to a destination terminal.
2. Discussion of the Background
Although facsimile machines have found a niche in the evolving field of computer and Radio Frequency (RF) communication networks, problems exist in "integrating" these paper-based legacy systems into modern communications networks. While advances have been made in the facsimile technology community that permit facsimiles to route messages within networks to particular destination terminals, each known option is cumbersome in that each option requires an operator to input long code words into a source facsimile machine.
The basic function of a facsimile machine is to scan and convert graphics material into digital signals and then transmit the digital signals, either locally or remotely, to another device that produces in record form a likeness of the subject graphics material. Most often, facsimiles are used to convert textual information from a hard-copy document into discrete electrical analog pulses which are transmitted over an analog telephone line to a destination facsimile, where the image is then reproduced.
Traditionally, two facsimile machines (source and destination) communicate through a direct-dialed telephone connection. The source facsimile initiates the connection between the two facsimile machines by dialing a telephone number of the destination facsimile. The connection is made when the telephone line rings at the destination facsimile location and the destination facsimile picks-up the line. The two facsimiles then exchange some "handshaking" information, after which the facsimile image is transmitted to the destination terminal. Included in the handshaking information is a terminal station identifier (TSI) field, which is used to announce to the destination facsimile machine the identity of the source facsimile machine.
Limitations with the above-described traditional approach are that it requires users at the destination and source terminals to manually interact with their respective facsimile machines, and requires a dedicated telephone line to service the destination facsimile machine. Clearly, dedicated lines and manual interaction are not desirable attributes for "integrating" facsimile machines into modern communications networks. The present inventor has determined that a need exists for facsimile machines to communicate to other terminals using the shared resources of a network, and to have a "user-friendly" user interface that makes it easy for a user to send messages to destination terminals connected to data networks.
Newer data network architectures solve part of the above-mentioned problems by connecting destination terminals to a destination server. These architectures allow multiple destination terminals to share a selected few telephone lines. The architectures include a source terminal connected to the destination server through a public switched telephone network (PSTN) line, which a user accesses by first dialing the telephone number of the destination server. Once the telephone number is dialed, the facsimile can provide to the destination server a facsimile message in digital format which the server may then route to network terminals (facsimile machines, computers with and without facsimile cards, or data communication networks that can receive image based information). The destination server does, however, require prior knowledge of a particular routing address in order to route a message to a corresponding destination terminal.
"Intelligent" servers acquire the destination terminal address by using software capable of extracting a routing address from an incoming facsimile message. Advances in facsimile machines, facsimile message protocols, and intelligent servers permit "subaddresses" (i.e., the routing address) to be included as part of the facsimile message formed at a source facsimile terminal. One example of an advancement in the subaddressing field is U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,743, which discloses a methodology for including a subaddress in the Transmit Station Identifier (TSI) field of a facsimile message. The subaddress, as well as other information, is inserted by the operator at the source facsimile.
A limitation with the above-described subaddress methodology is that it requires the operator to enter a lengthy code word. The lengthy code word is both difficult for the user to remember and too long to be displayed on some facsimile machine displays. In particular, the operator inputs a consecutive string of characters including a destination telephone number, a five digit subaddress suffix and unique control characters (i.e., "#" and "*" characters) appropriately spaced in the code word to distinguish the subaddress from other fields in the message. This method is awkward in that a user has to remember a long string of characters that form the code word, and remember precisely where in the code word to insert the control characters. Furthermore, if the capacity of the facsimile's display is less than the length of the code word, a portion of the code word will scroll off of the display, thereby forcing the user to enter the remainder of the code word without the benefit of seeing the full string of characters already entered by the user.
NOVELL, Inc. offers for sale NetWare.RTM. version 4.1, as described in the document NEST Autoroute Code Definition, .COPYRGT.1995 Novell, Inc., part number 106-000644-001, the substance of which is incorporated herein by reference. NetWare.RTM. version 4.1 is a software product hosted on a destination server that permits an incoming facsimile message to be routed to a destination terminal as long as the incoming message is formatted in the NEST autoroute.COPYRGT. code. The NEST autoroute.COPYRGT. code requires the source terminal to produce a consecutive string of characters forming a code word, like that described above in reference to U.S. Pat. No. 5,206,743. The code word includes the subaddress, the destination telephone number, and unique characters used to separate the subaddress. The destination server changes the subaddress into an "identification number" that is unique to the destination terminal. The "identification number" is not a universal address (such as an Internet Protocol (IP) address or an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) address). While, facsimile machines conforming to the CCITT G3 (Comite Consultatif Internationale de Telegraphique et Teleponeque Group 3) format are compatible with NetWare.RTM. version 4.1, the operator of the source facsimile is inconvenienced by having to remember the code word.
The NOVELL NetWare.RTM. software also provides a "polling" feature that provides a source terminal with remote access to files located on a destination terminal. A limitation with this polling approach is that it does not provide a means by which a remote facsimile terminal can conveniently input a polling instruction.

Method and system for forming a digital facsimile message including a subaddress


A base mount supports a secondary mount in surface facing relation and a pair of these mount assemblies are positioned in spaced relation to receive a pallet stringer between them. The mounts support circular cutter discs which are disposed in axially aligned pairs and also in laterally aligned pairs whereby to be capable of severing nails on opposite edges of a stringer in a single pass of a stringer through the space between the laterally spaced mounts. The base mounts support the secondary mounts and are capable of being retrofitted to existing machines. The base and secondary mounts are secured by cross plates that have a cutting edge to form a backup cutter for the cutter discs. The secondary mounts are hingedly supported on the base mounts by a cross hinge at the rear of the mounts and a spring and limit assembly is provided between the mounts to allow adjustment of the mounts for different dimensioned stringers. The cutter discs are supported on the mounts by bearings that provide lateral adjustment of the cutter discs. The bearings are compact in their structure and compactly positioned in the mounts for ruggedness and long life.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a cutter head for pallet dismantling machines.
Wooden pallets are extensively used for stacking products to be transported or stored. Since considerable lumber is used in the construction of the pallets, damaged pallets frequently are repaired rather than discarded. Power devices have heretofore been patented for dismantling the pallets. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,869,780. In order for a pallet dismantling machine to be economically feasible, it must operate with such efficiency as to make its use a substantial improvement over hand dismantling or repair. This efficiency must be adequate to the extent that whole or partial dismantling of the pallet is a speedy and low effort operation. Also pallet dismantling machines must be rugged and reliable in use whereby to be substantially free of down time due to repair or maintenance.
It is considered that prior dismantling machines are deficient primarily because of the structure of the cutter head. That is, the prior cutter heads have a structure that may cause damage to the pallet stringers or deck boards, or the cutter head itself, due to the lack of confining movement of the stringer through the head. Furthermore, it is desired that the cutting head of pallet dismantlers have a structure that makes it versatile in its mounted use on different dismantling machines, namely, a structure that will allow the cutter head to be retrofitted to existing machines Prior devices do not have this feature.

Cutter head for pallet dismantling machine


In a camera lens unit having a plurality of spaced lenses and a lens supporting frame which supports the lenses, so that an image of an object to be photographed formed by the lenses is focused on an image plane, a light intercepting mask, having an opening whose shape is substantially analogous to the shape of an image formed on the image plane is provided and is formed integrally with the lens supporting frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mask for intercepting light for a lens and more precisely, it relates to a light intercepting mask which prevents ghost or flare or the like produced by a specific reflecting surface of a lens of a photographing lens unit consisting of groups of lenses.
2. Description of Related Art
A photographing lens unit in a recent camera is compact but complicated to increase the zoom power (magnification), resulting in a complex internal construction of the lens barrel. For instance, in a lens arrangement shown in FIG. 4 in which a group of rear lenses (rear lens group L2) is constituted by a meniscus lens having a concave surface on the side thereof adjacent to an object to be taken, incident light through the upper periphery of a group of front lenses (front lens group L1) is first reflected by a front surface B (on the object side) of a third lens of the rear lens group L2 closest to a film F and is then reflected by a rear surface C (on the film side) of a second lens (intermediate lens) of the rear lens group L2 to be focused on a point D. An image of the point D may be exposed and formed as a ghost E on the film F.
In the lens system shown in FIG. 4, the front surface B of the third lens of the rear lens group L2 defines a specific reflecting surface by which the ghost is produced. No ghost can be completely prevented by an aperture frame G which is located in rear of the specific reflecting surface to define an image plane.
Furthermore, in a normal photograph, the film plane is rectangular with a longer horizontal side, whereas the photographing lens is circular in cross section. Consequently, in particular, incident light (luminous flux) through the upper and lower edges of the photographing lens includes a large amount of harmful components, thus resulting in a production of a ghost.
It is known to provide a hood in front of the photographing lens in order to eliminate the ghost.
However, a conventional hood has a circular cross sectional shape corresponding to the front shape of the photographing lens, and accordingly, there is a difference in shape between the image plane and the front portion of the lens. In particular, in a zoom lens, since an angle of view (focal length) varies, it is very difficult to realize a simple hood which can effectively prevent the ghost through all the angles of view.
Note that in the present application, a lens surface which causes an image to be damaged (e.g. by a ghost) is referred to as a specific reflecting surface.


Methods, computer readable media, and devices for identifying and preventing invalid memory access. A method may include defining a dynamic scope for an operation, receiving a request to allocate a portion of the range of shared memory, allocating a monotonically increasing portion of the range of shared memory such that a subsequent request to allocate memory is allocated a different portion of the range of shared memory, receiving a request to deallocate the allocated portion of the range of shared memory, deallocating the allocated portion of the range of shared memory by protecting the deallocated portion of the range of shared memory from any subsequent access, and in response to an access of the protected deallocated portion of the range of shared memory by one of the one or more threads or processes of the operation, trapping and terminating the one thread or process.

Memory management is a specialized area for managing a pool of memory including fulfilling requests for memory allocation and memory deallocation from software. In enterprise class software, such requests may be made concurrently from multiple threads and/or processes. Since memory is a shared resource, a risk may exist of memory corruption due to a dangling pointer, use-after-free access, memory overrun, programming errors, or the like. Such memory corruption may be manifested in a non-deterministic, arbitrary fashion, often long after a perpetrator has accessed unauthorized memory. As such, it is hard or even impossible to find a root cause and, when manifested, may generally be an innocent bystander that exhibits non-obvious and/or non-specific errors or crashes.

Identifying and preventing invalid memory access


A panel inspection device and inspection method is provided. At least an image capturing element is disposed above or below a spacing between a first conveyer and a second conveyer. During a panel is conveyed from the first conveyer to the second conveyer, the image capturing element captures the image of the panel as the panel passes through the spacing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a panel inspection device and a panel inspection method, and more particularly, to a panel inspection device and a panel inspection method by executing the inspection to the panel between two adjacent conveyers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Compared with a traditional non-flat display panel, such as cathode ray tube display, a flat display panel has been a mainstream product in the market because of having the characteristics of lightweight and thin thickness. The types of flat display panel can be sorted into a plasma display, a liquid crystal (LC) display, and an organic light-emitting display (OLED) according to different display technologies. In order to maintain the quality of display products, every type of above-mentioned display panels has to be inspected during its fabrication process for eliminating products with defects. Taking the liquid crystal display panel as an example, after the formation of electric elements on the upper and lower glass substrates, the fabrication processes include spreading spacers, cell assembly, cell cut, LC-injection, and sealing. After the stage of cell cut, it is required to inspect if there is any defects on the edge of the glass substrates. On the other hands, in a mass production of panels with various sizes and specifications, a process in the production line includes to identify the characteristics (such as two-dimensional bar codes) on the various panel products for managing the fabrication process of panels. Therefore, it is an essential procedure to inspecting the surface of panel in production line of a panel factory. The conventional inspection method of panel surface is performed by visual inspecting. In order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of inspection, the manufacturers have provided inspection equipment with automation functionality.
However, current inspection equipment includes many mechanism apparatuses and has to be operated with complicated process, which influences the total tact time of production. A Taiwan patent No. TW I273233 discloses a panel inspection device includes at least two linear guiders perpendicular with each other, a rotator, a carrier, a rotation motor, four scanners, and two positioning apparatuses. The carrier is used for carrying the panel to be inspected by vacuum fastening for instance. During the inspection process, the panel has to be positioned at first and then be fixed on the carrier. After that, the scanners are enabled to move to appropriate locations along a linear guider, and then the panel is moved by the carrier along another linear guider in order to be inspected. After the scanners inspect the two long sides or two short sides of the panel, enable the rotator to rotate the carrier so that the panel is rotated with an angle of 90 degrees, and than enable the panel to shift along the linear guider so that the scanners can inspect the other two side rims. After the inspection, a process of breaking vacuum is carried out, and a claw is used for taking the panel from the carrier. Accordingly, the process of the prior-art inspection method of panel is very complicated, and the steps of clawing and fastening the panel easily scratch or damage the panel. In addition, the common panel inspection device used by the manufacturers includes many mechanism apparatuses and occupies a certain equipment space that costs lots of money for maintaining and spare parts.

Panel inspection device and inspection method of panel


A densified carbon matrix carbon fiber composite preform is made by vacuum molding an aqueous slurry of carbon fibers and carbonizable organic powder to form a molded part. The molded part is dried in an oven at 50.degree. C. for 14 hours and hot pressed at 2000 psi at 400.degree. C. for 3 hours. The hot pressed part is carbonized at 650.degree. C. under nitrogen for 3 hours and graphite at 2400.degree. C. to form a graphitic structure in the matrix of the densified carbon matrix carbon fiber composite preform. The densified preform has a density greater than 1.1 g/cc.

Carbon-carbon composites are widely used as friction materials in aircraft braking systems, where their high thermal conductivity, large heat capacity and excellent friction and wear behavior lead to significantly improved aircraft braking performance. Consequently, large commercial aircraft (e.g. Boeing 747, 757, and 767) and all military aircraft utilize carbon-carbon composites in their braking systems. The manufacturing process for carbon-carbon composites is very lengthy, thus carbon-carbon composites are extremely expensive. Typically, a preform is prepared by hand lay-up of woven carbon fiber fabric, or by hot pressing a mixture of chopped carbon fibers and resin (prepreg). The preform is then densified by repetitive liquid impregnation with pitch or resin as discussed in the following articles: Thomas, Colin R., "What are Carbon-Carbon Composites and What Do They Offer?," in Essentials of Carbon-Carbon Composites, C. R. Thomas (editor), Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, p. 1-36 (1993) and Fisher, Ronald, "Manufacturing Considerations for Carbon-Carbon," in Essentials of Carbon-Carbon Composites, C. R. Thomas (editor), Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, p. 103-117 (1993)., or by carbon vapor infiltration as discussed in Thomas' article and in Murdie, N., C. P. Ju, J. Don, and M. A. Wright, "Carbon-Carbon Matrix Materials," in Carbon-Carbon Materials and Composites, J. D. Buckley (editor), Noyes Publications, New York, p. 105-168 (1989), followed by carbonization and graphitization as described by Huttinger, K. J., "Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Liquid-Phase Pyrolysis as a Basis of the Carbon Matrix of CFRC," in Carbon Fibers. Filaments and Composites, Figueiredo (editor), Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, p. 301-326 (1990) and Rand, Brian, "Matrix Precursors for Carbon-Carbon Composites," in Essentials of Carbon-Carbon Composites, C. R. Thomas (editor), Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, p. 67-102 (1993). Up to 5 cycles of repeated densification/carbonization can be required to achieve the desired density of 1.8 g/cc as discussed in McAllister, L. E., "Multidimensionally reinforced Carbon/Graphite Matrix Composites," in Engineered Materials Handbook-Composites, Theodore J. Reinhart Technical Chariman), ASM International, Metals Park, Ohio, p. 915-919 (1987), which can take 6 to 9 months. The high cost of carbon-carbon composites has so far restricted the widespread application of these materials to aircraft brakes and other applications that are performance driven, or are relatively cost insensitive. However, the utility of carbon-carbon composites has been demonstrated in the high performance racing vehicle arena discussed by Fisher. Modern Formula One racing cars use carbon-carbon brakes and clutches because of their significantly improved performance and wear characteristics discussed by Fisher. These benefits could readily be transferred to the commercial sector if the cost of manufacture could be substantially reduced. Commercial sector applications include clutch and braking systems for heavy trucks, or railroad locomotives and railcars. Moreover, within the military sector there are numerous applications on fighting vehicles (tanks, armored cars, self propelled artillery, etc.) for brakes and clutches. The technology disclosed here relates to an innovative process for the fabrication of carbon-carbon composites that offers potentially large reductions in processing time, allowing finished carbon-carbon composite brake discs to be fabricated in 1-4 weeks, compared to the more usual 24 plus weeks. Obviously, commensurate reductions in cost can be realized.

Method for rapid fabrication of fiber preforms and structural composite materials


A hinge includes a base frame unit and two rotatable axle units. The base frame unit includes a base seat and a protective cover. The base seat has two guideways having upper and lower segments, and two shaft sliding slots. The protective cover has a base wall and two pivot pins. Each axle unit rotatably extends through the base seat, and includes a hinge shaft rotatably extending through the shaft sliding slot, a first rotary member non-rotatably fitted to the hinge shaft, a second rotary member connected with the first rotary member, and a support bracket non-rotatably fitted to the hinge shaft. The first rotary member has a guide key slidably engaged in the guideway. The second rotary member is pivoted to the pivot pin and has an engaging hole for receiving the guide key.

A conventional double-axle hinge has two rotatable axle units which are respectively connected with two casing parts of a foldable electronic device and synchronously rotatable to open and close the two casing parts. In such design, a clearance between the two casing parts exists in an opened state for preventing contact and collision of the casing parts during closing and opening operations. It is needed to improve the excess clearance thereof to prevent adverse influence on usage of the foldable electronic device.

Hinge with double synchronously rotatable axles


An explosion-proof secondary battery includes a shell, an anode cap, a sealing ring, and a separating structure. The shell defines an opening on the top, and the shell comprises a crimping portion extending from the opening; the anode cap is disposed in the opening and latched with the crimping portion; the sealing ring is configured to seal a gap between the anode cap and the crimping portion; and a separating structure is disposed in the gap, and the separating structure resists the sealing ring; wherein the gap is remained when the sealing ring is melted, the anode cap is fixed to the shell by the crimping portion. In the explosion-proof secondary battery, due to the separating structure resisting the sealing ring, there is a gap between the anode cap and the periphery of the crimping portion of the shell, the internal gas of the explosion-proof secondary battery may successfully exhaust from the gap. Therefore, the internal air pressure of the explosion-proof secondary battery is decreased, and the separating structure prevents the explosion-proof secondary from exploding.

A secondary battery is a battery that can be charged and discharged several times or more. The breakage of a traditional secondary battery often occurs due to internal short circuit, collision, baking in fire and so on. In particular, if the situation continues for a certain period of time, the temperature of the secondary battery rises significantly. Therefore, a sealing ring melts at high temperature, and the internal pressure of the traditional secondary battery is increased, meanwhile the anode cap of the traditional secondary battery bulges outward, the melted sealing ring seals off the traditional secondary battery absolutely, so the inside gas of the traditional secondary battery could not exhaust, and the traditional secondary battery may explode.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.


A method is described for making concrete from an initially dry mixture including Portland cement, a fine aggregate, and a coarse aggregate. The method is effective for curing mixtures which contain rubble, as well as for mixtures which contain primarily virgin aggregate. In the method, substantially dry steam is introduced to the mixture at elevated temperature and pressure. Air injection may be utilized to further increase the pressure. An improved concrete is also described. The concrete exhibits unexpectedly high compressive strength.

Concrete is a versatile building material made by mixing cement, aggregate, and water in a proper proportion. Traditionally, the water is introduced in liquid phase and the concrete is cured in a moist condition for twenty-eight days to reach a design strength. See "Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures", Twelfth edition, Portland Cement Association, ISNBN 0-89312-023-5 at page 11 (1979). This procedure has been used for centuries and is still the dominant technology in concrete construction around the world today.
More recently, some manufacturers of precast concrete have reported mixing cement, aggregate, and liquid water to produce a wet mixture and, subsequently, contacting the wet mixture with steam in order to accelerate a curing process. In some cases, steaming of the wet mixture is reportedly followed by a relatively longer period of natural curing, which is said to produce a concrete which develops a useful design strength in a relatively short time.
It has been published that a mortar made from Portland cement and fine (virgin) aggregate exhibits a relatively high compressive strength when cured by contact with steam at greater than atmospheric pressure. For example, Republic of China (Taiwan) Patent No. 55,148 describes autoclaving a dry cement and sand mixture in the presence of steam for time periods in the range of 6 to 18 hours. Mortar cubes having desirably high compressive strengths are also described in that patent.
However, many industrial nations are currently in need of a practical method for recycling waste materials, particularly construction debris known as rubble. To date, concrete mixtures containing rubble are not commonly employed as building materials. Concrete containing recycled materials often exhibits relatively poor compressive strength, apparently as a result of weaker bond strengths at interfaces between cement paste and recycled materials used as aggregate.
Accordingly, a need exists for a method for producing stronger concrete from mixtures containing recycled materials. Similarly, a method for producing stronger concrete products, generally, from Portland cement and aggregate would be enthusiastically received by the construction community.

Method for rapid hydration of cement and improved concrete


An information processing apparatus of the present invention includes first and second computer elements which execute the same instructions substantially simultaneously and which are substantially synchronized with each other. The first computer element includes first and second memory elements, which are written by the first and second computer elements, respectively, during a first state. The information processing apparatus has a control element which makes the first computer element read from the second memory element during a second state. Another information processing apparatus has the first and second computer elements, and first and second memory areas which are provided in the first computer element. The first and second memory areas are written by the first computer element and the second computer element, respectively, during a first state. A control element makes the first computer element read from the second memory area during a second state.

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, such as a lockstep fault tolerant computer, that simultaneously processes the same instructions in a plurality of clock-synchronized computer modules therein, and more particularly, to an information processing apparatus that speedily synchronizes a computer module, which has been out of synchronism with the other computer modules and isolated from the operation, with other computer modules.
A conventional lockstep fault tolerant computer has a plurality of computer modules which simultaneously execute the same instructions. In the fault tolerant computer, one of the computer modules may operate differently from the other computer modules because of a failure or some other causes. Upon detecting a computer module that operates differently from the other computer modules, in other words, on finding a computer module which is out of lockstep synchronism, the lockstep fault tolerant computer once puts the detected computer module out of the operation.
Causes which make the computer module be out of the lockstep synchronism vary. A course of reaction to be taken for the computer module, which is out of the lockstep synchronism, depends on the cause. One of the causes, which makes the computer module be out of the lockstep synchronism, may be a permanent failure that occurs within the computer module. The permanent failure is not a temporary disturbance or a failure that recovers by the computer module itself, but a failure requiring repairs. A computer module, in which a permanent failure occurs, is usually taken out of the lockstep fault tolerant computer and, instead of that module, another healthy computer module is installed.
Another potential cause, which makes the computer module be out of the lockstep synchronism, may be a lack of synchronism that the operation timing does not synchronize temporarily with the other computer modules because of manufacturing variations of the computer modules. Yet another potential cause may be temporary malfunction of a memory in the computer module affected by an influence such as an a ray. In those causes like a lack of synchronism or temporary malfunction, which does not cause a permanent failure, the computer module need not be replaced.
If the permanent failure occurs, the faulty computer module is replaced and the replaced computer module is joined to and synchronized with the other computer modules. If there is no permanent failure, the computer module is rejoined to and resynchronized with the other computer modules. The operation to make a disconnected computer module rejoin the other computer modules is a resynchronization. When the conventional lockstep fault tolerant computer resynchronizes with the computer module which was out of the lock step synchronism, the conventional lockstep fault tolerant computer copies a memory of the computer module, which is to be rejoined, from a memory of another computer module which is in the lockstep synchronism. There joined computer module there after executes the same operations with the other computer modules.
A conventional lockstep fault tolerant computer forces all computing modules stop and copies the whole contents of memory of the joined or rejoined computer module from another computer module being in the lockstep synchronism when joining or rejoining the computing module. This allows all the computing modules to have completely the same internal state. A conventional lockstep fault tolerant computer is forced to stop long time to join or rejoin the computer module. This is because it takes a long time to copy the whole contents of the memory in the computer module. Especially, as memory size in the computer module increases, time to copy the whole content of the memory in the computer module increases.


Compensation measurements can be made of the transmit and receive path circuitry of a dual FDD/TDD system which can be selectively operated in either the FDD mode or alternately in the TDD mode. BY selectively controlling the switches coupling low frequency and high frequency receivers and coupling low frequency and high frequency transmitters to a diplexer, compensation measurements can be made for both FDD and TDD modes of operation.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to wireless discrete multitone spread spectrum communications systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Wireless communications systems, such as cellular and personal communications systems, operate over limited spectral bandwidths and must make highly efficient use of the scarce bandwidth resource for providing quality service to a large population of users.
In the TDD PWAN system described in the copending US patent application by Siavash Alamouti, Doug Stolarz, and Joel Becker, entitled "VERTICAL ADAPTIVE ANTENNA ARRAY FOR A DISCRETE MULTITONE SPREAD SPECTRUM COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM", Time Division Duplexing (TDD) is used by a base station and a remote unit for transmitting data and control information in both directions over the same multi-tone frequency channel. Transmission from a base station to a remote unit is called "forward transmission" and transmission from a remote unit to a base station is called "reverse transmission". The time between recurrent transmissions from either a remote unit or a base station is called the TDD period. In every TDD period, there are four consecutive transmission bursts in each direction. Data is transmitted during each burst using multiple tones. A base station and each remote unit must synchronize and conform to the TDD timing structure and both a base station and a remote unit must synchronize to a framing structure. All remote units and base stations are globally synchronized so that all remote units transmit at the same time and then all base stations transmit at the same time.
Further, since the TDD PWAN system uses a TDD format, the compensation measurements of the transmit and receive path circuitry are made during the respective idle times of the paths. The time domain duplexing of an airlink results in a 50% duty cycle for utilization of the transmit and receive circuits. Therefore, compensation measurements for the circuitry of a particular path are performed when an airlink does not require its use. Use of the transmit/receive duty cycle of the forward and reverse circuits for making transmit/receive compensation measurements frees system bandwidth and provides much greater measurement flexibility.
In the FDD PWAN system described in the copending US patent application by Alamouti, Michelson, et al., entitled "Method for Frequency Division Duplex Communications", Frequency Division Duplexing (FDD) is used by a base station and a remote unit for transmitting data and control information in both directions over different multi-tone frequency channels. The remote stations and the base station are frequency division duplexed (FDD) by transmitting their respective signals on different sets of discrete frequency tones in two different frequency bands separated by 80 MHZ. The FDD PWAN system needs to make compensation measurements of the transmit and receive path circuitry.
What is needed is a way to perform compensation measurements of the transmit and receive path circuitry of a dual FDD/TDD system which can be selectively operated in either the FDD mode or alternately in the TDD mode.

Transmit/receive compensation for a dual FDD/TDD architecture


Methods and computer equipment racks configured for data communications and power distribution are disclosed that include a plurality of servers mounted horizontally, each server having a power distribution connection and one or more switch connections; one or more power distribution units (‘PDUs’) mounted vertically; and one or more network switches mounted vertically, each network switch comprising one or more rows of switch connections.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is data processing, or, more specifically, methods and computer equipment racks for data communications and power distribution.
2. Description of Related Art
The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited as the beginning of the computer era. Since that time, computer systems have evolved into extremely complicated devices. Today's computers are much more sophisticated than early systems such as the EDVAC. Computer systems typically include a combination of hardware and software components, application programs, operating systems, processors, buses, memory, input/output devices, and so on. As advances in semiconductor processing and computer architecture push the performance of the computer higher and higher, more sophisticated computer software has evolved to take advantage of the higher performance of the hardware, resulting in computer systems today that are much more powerful than just a few years ago.
Many computer systems today can be mounted in a single rack. A rack may hold 12, 24, 48, or more, individual computer systems. Such computer systems require power to operate and are typically connected to other electronic devices through a network. Each power and network connection on a computer system installed in a rack typically requires a cable. Managing cables can be difficult as the number of individual computer system installed in a computer equipment rack increases. In some cases, for example, one computer rack may include 24 computer systems, each having three cables connected to various modules in the rack or another nearby rack. In typical racks each of the cables may need to be a different length. Having hundreds of varying-length cables increases the difficulty already present in managing cables for power and data communications in a rack.

Data communications and power distribution in a computer equipment rack

Lenovo Enterprise Solutions (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


The present invention provides a Mycobacterium-E. coli shuttle vector containing sequences coding for a tribrid fusion containing the M. leprae 18kDa antigen sequence, a phoA protein antigen sequence and a non-mycobacterial, non-E.coli heterologous protein antigen sequence. Also provided is a method of producing protective immunity in an animal or human host in need of such treatment, comprising the step of administering to said animal or human host an effective dose of recombinant mycobacteria carrying the vector of the present invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of molecular biology and vaccinology. More specifically, the present invention relates to a non-antibiotic system for selection of recombinant mycobacterium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the most extensively utilized attenuated live vaccine in the world today. Recent advances in mycobacterium vectors hold great promise for the development of effective and inexpensive recombinant-based vaccines. However, the use of antibiotic resistance genes for the selection of recombinant mycobacterium in preparation of the vectors remains problematic. It is inadvisable to administer a vaccine containing an antibiotic resistance gene if it can be avoided.
Dengue is caused by four serologically related viruses known as dengue types 1, 2, 3 and 4, which are found in most tropical parts of the world (including the Caribbean and Mexico) infecting approximately 20 million annually with a mortality rate of 5%. Dengue is an emerging disease that is spreading through the Americas and is likely to be increasingly introduced into Texas from Mexico. There are no vaccines currently available to prevent dengue.
The prior art is deficient in the lack of an effective non-antibiotic system for selection of recombinant mycobacteria such as Mycobaterium bovis BCG, mycobacterium smegmatis or other mycobacteria that may have potential as vaccines. The present invention fulfills this longstanding need and desire in the art.

Non-antibiotic system for selection of recombinant mycobacteria

The Board of Trustees of the University of Texas System


The present invention discloses a resource scheduling method and an apparatus, and is applied to the field of communications technologies. The method includes: receiving, by a terminal UE, a first time division duplex TDD configuration and a second time division duplex TDD configuration; determining the first TDD configuration or the second TDD configuration as a target TDD configuration corresponding to the UE; dividing, based on the target TDD configuration, subframes corresponding to the UE into a first subframe subset, a second subframe subset, and a third subframe subset; and performing channel quality state measurement based on the first subframe subset, the second subframe subset, and the third subframe subset, and reporting a measurement result of the channel quality state measurement to an eNB, so that the eNB schedules a subframe resource according to the measurement result.

Radio spectrum resources are not inexhaustible common resources, and are becoming increasingly limited. However, humans impose swelling demands on radio spectrum resources, and competition between various radio technologies and applications becomes increasingly intense. Consequently, radio spectrum resources become increasingly scarce. The prior art provides multiple spectral efficiency improvement manners, specifically including a full-duplex technology.
In the full-duplex technology, a throughput of a wireless system is doubled from an approximately physical perspective, and an innovative effect is produced on a Medium Access Control (Medium access control, MAC) design. Therefore, the wireless system may obtain a higher throughput in the future.
Although the full-duplex technology is theoretically feasible, this concept is considered to be difficult to implement from perspectives of mobile communications and device scheduling. This is because a signal sent by a device penetrates into a receiving chain of the device, resulting in detection of a desired signal.
In addition to the full-duplex technology, there are some other spectral efficiency improvement manners. For example, both a single user multiple-input multiple-output (single-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output, SU-MIMO) technology and a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (Multi-User Multiple-Input Multiple-Output, MU-MIMO) technology are solutions for improving spectral efficiency. For example, it is indicated on an ith physical resource block (Physical Resource Block, PRB) in a subframe n (subframe n) that user equipment (User Equipment, UE) transmits a PUSCH in a subframe n+4. At least the following options are provided for an evolved NodeB (Enhanced Node B, eNB) to multiplex a same resource.
Option 1: Uplink transmission of another UE 2 is scheduled on a same resource in a subframe n.
Option 2: Downlink transmission of at least another UE 3 is scheduled on a same resource in a subframe n+4.
Option 3: Downlink transmission of UE 1 is scheduled on a same resource in a subframe n+4.
The option 1 indicates an uplink multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (UL MU-MIMO) technology. In a current Long Term Evolution (Long Term Evolution, LTE) system, spatial multiplexing may be used to improve spectral efficiency, and the UE 1 and the UE 2 need to perform space division to enable the spatial multiplexing. As a receiver, the eNB needs to process inter-flow interference. If there are many UEs in the system, it is expected that a UE pair appropriate for an MU-MIMO operation may be obtained to improve the spectral efficiency.
In the option 2, an eNB side uses full duplexing, though this is still a hardware operation for a UE. To implement the operation in this option, the UE 1 and the UE 3 need to keep away from each other to avoid inter-UE interference. Compared with the option 1, the option 2 has the following advantage: UEs in different link directions can be multiplexed on a same resource. This advantage is embodied as follows: When more downlink data is transmitted in the system, by using the option 2, the eNB may activate, on a physical downlink shared channel (Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH) resource of a UE, uplink transmission of another UE. A prerequisite is that the two UEs are not close to each other, and a full-duplex capability is introduced on the eNB side.
In the option 3, full duplexing is used on both the eNB side and a UE side. That is, both the eNB and the UE have a self-interference cancellation capability. Compared with the option 2, in the option 3, a same UE may perform uplink transmission and downlink transmission on a same resource. This avoids the inter-UE interference in the option 2, but both the eNB side and the UE side need to have a self-interference cancellation capability. In addition, it should be noted that the option 3 is used only when the UE has both uplink data and downlink data.
In conclusion, resource utilization is limited and a resource waste is caused in a spectral efficiency improvement manner provided in the prior art.

Resource scheduling method and apparatus


A display device including a display section configured to display an image; a display control section configured to arrange a plurality of display areas in a display range of the display section and display an image in each of the display areas; an image selection section configured to select the image to be displayed in each of the display areas from a plurality of input images; and a multi-screen display control section configured to display an image designation panel designating an image of a display object out of the plurality of input images on the display section, determine the images to be displayed in all of the display areas in a lump if the images to be displayed in all of the display areas are designated during display of the image designation panel and a determination operation is performed, and make the image selection section select the images determined.

In the past, there has been known a so-called multi-screen display function for displaying a plurality of screens side by side using a display device (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-331471 (Document 1) and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-295280 (Document 2)).
When changing the image displayed on each screen of the multi-screen display function, an operation for selecting which image is displayed is required for each screen, and there arises a problem that the operation becomes more cumbersome as the number of screens increases. In order for solving the problem, the device described in Document 1, for example, is arranged to automatically start two-screen display after turning ON the power, so that a viewer's favorite image is displayed on at least either one of the screens. Further, in Document 2, for example, there is disclosed a configuration in which the television program displayed on either one of the screens is switched in response to the operation of a predetermined key provided to a remote controller while the television receiver is performing the multi-screen display. However, although such devices as described above are made, if the image to be displayed is selected in each of the screens on which the multi-screen display is performed, the cumbersome operation is required, and therefore, further simplification of the operation has been required.

Display device, method of controlling display device, and computer program product


A detector is for electromagnetic radiation. In an embodiment, the detector includes a first, pixelated electrode layer, a second electrode, and a first layer including at least one first perovskite, located between the first, pixelated electrode layer and the second electrode. An embodiment further relates to a method for manufacturing a corresponding detector.

Digital X-ray detectors have a plurality of possible applications, for example in medical diagnostics, where they are usually provided in sizes between 20×20 cm2 and 43×43 cm2. Current detectors are based on amorphous silicon (indirect conversion) and amorphous selenium (direct conversion).
In direct conversion X-ray quantas excite a particle, which results in the formation of an electron-hole pair. After the application of an electrical field these can migrate to electrodes, where they are detected. The direct conversion of X-rays in selenium is usually carried out with precharged layers up to 1 mm thick in a blocking direction in the kV range. A direct conversion in this case, in contrast to detection using indirect converters, which can be manufactured more easily and more cheaply, usually achieves an improved resolution.
In indirect conversion X-ray quantas excite a scintillation material (e.g. CsI:Tl, with thallium doped cesium iodide; or with terbium doped gadolinium oxysulfide), which results in the formation of visible photons. These can then be made into a stacked photodetector array, which is made of amorphous silicon (a-Si) photodiodes for example, which ensures the conversion of photon to charge. After application of an electrical field these charges can be detected at photodetector electrodes.
An alternative to the two X-ray detector technologies mentioned, which are based on inorganic semiconductors, is represented by hybrid-organic detectors, which are usually manufactured from the liquid phase or from powders. These make possible simple manufacturing with sizes of 43×43 cm2 and more. Usually inorganic absorber materials such as quantum dots or scintillator particles such as gadolinium oxysulfide are introduced into the organic matrix. Organic semiconductors can be easily applied to large surfaces from the liquid phase or from powders and optical cross-talk can be minimized by direct introduction of the inorganic scintillator material. There are currently not yet any hybrid X-ray detectors on the market. Because of isotropic light emission in scintillators indirect converters usually have an inferior resolution by comparison with direct converters.
There are already many approaches to improving the adhesion and for guaranteeing electrical contacting (pixel by pixel) in a multilayer system for detectors.
Direct-converting X-ray detectors in particular are usually manufactured by growing the active material directly on the backplane, e.g. a-Se by PECVD (plasma-assisted chemical gas phase deposition) or by bump bonding of the active material to the backplane, e.g. CdTe or CZT (cadmium zinc telluride). Both methods do not have any adhesion problems, but are expensive and time-consuming. Moreover usual start materials are expensive and in the case of a crystalline material are restricted to the maximum wafer size if no butting is used.
Standardized connection techniques such as bump bonding, which are employed in the semiconductor sector, as a result of the small pixel surfaces (of in some cases below 50 μm) and the enormous number of pixels (up to 4000×4000 pixels) are not usually able to be easily transferred to other detector applications such as in X-ray detectors for example. Likewise anisotropically conducting and adhesive materials such as e.g. conductive glues or ACF (Anisotropic Conductive Film) films, which are furnished with conductive particles (e.g. silver particles), are not used because of short circuits of individual pixels, in some cases non-"connected" pixels (dead pixels) and insufficient contact surface in the pixel.
In recent times semiconducting perovskites have been mentioned as new detector materials. Semiconducting perovskites are a low-cost material for photovoltaics (PV), lasers, LED and X-ray detection, such as described for example in H. Wei et al., "Sensitive X-ray detectors made of methylammonium lead tribromide perovskite single crystals", Nature Photonics 10, 2016, pp. 333-339, doi:10.1038/nphoton.2016.41; S. Shrestha et al., "High-performance direct conversion X-ray detectors based on sintered hybrid lead triiodide perovskite wafers", Nature Photonics 11, 2017, pp. 436-440, doi:10.1038/nphoton.2017.94; and S. Yakunin et al., "Detection of X-ray photons by solution-processed lead halide perovskites", Nature Photonics 9, 2015, pp. 444-449 doi:10.1038/nphoton.2015.82. However an adhesion problem arises with these materials too.
The application of a relatively thin adhesive layer has been given as a solution for this in EP 3474339 A1. As described in EP 3474339 A1, adhesive layers can be applied, which can improve adhesion through their chemical and mechanical properties. A material already often publicized for this is Pedot:Sorbitol. However this approach has been developed for thin layers with thicknesses of a few μm or less and usually comes up against its limits with larger layers (>10 μm).
For an improved sensitivity however thick X-ray detection layers of more than 100 μm should be provided however. By application from the liquid phase or gas phase deposition however, large amounts of solvents are released, and the surface roughness can be difficult to check. A complete degasification of solvents is not only technically challenging but also problematic in respect of health and environmental aspects.
In WO 2016/091600 A1 and WO 2016/091442 A1 the manufacturing of thick detection layers comprising perovskites using a soft sinter method is proposed.
The bonding of thick perovskite layers (>100 μm) to different substrates (e.g. glass, polymer films, metal films) or functional substrates (e.g. a-Si or indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) backplanes for thin film transistor (TFT) arrays on glass or flexible substrates) is difficult however because of the poor adhesion of e.g. polycrystalline perovskite layers to the substrates themselves.
A further approach is the mechanical anchoring or two layers or components. EP 2973688 B1 for example deals with sensor modules which contain a shape coupling feature (trench) on a module and the matching mating piece (protruding element) on another module. The shape coupling feature specifically consists here of trenches with at least two parallel walls. Through the lock and key principle the sensor module is secured in two spatial directions against slippage. The method that is described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,453,763 B2 is based on a similar principle. This involves an encapsulation structure of an electronic device, which likewise possesses structures such as walls for example. An auxiliary material is applied in this predetermined structure and in this way increases the adhesion of the encapsulation to the substrate of the electronic device; a planar electronic contacting of individual pixels is not taken into consideration here however.
Another method for increasing the adhesion of individual components of an electronic system is the sintering of an adhesion layer: DE 102009040627 presents a method in which a structurable mask layer is applied to a semiconductor chip. The openings made by photo ablation or etching are filled with a mass with electronically conductive particles, on which a carrier layer is subsequently laid. The mass is compressed by sintering and in this way the adhesion to the carrier layer and the chip is increased.

Perovskite-based detectors with increased adhesion


A projection exposure apparatus includes a light source, a condenser lens for illuminating an illumination light emanating from the light source onto a mask on which a circuit pattern has been formed, a projection lens for condensing the illumination light which has passed through the mask onto a surface of a wafer, and an aperture member disposed between the light source and the condenser lens and having both a transmission area for shaping the light emanating from the light source and a light blocking area formed at a central portion of the transmission area. An outer diameter of the transmission area of the aperture member is set such that a ratio .sigma. of an outer diameter of an effective light source to a diameter of a pupil of the projection lens is 0.6.+-.0.3, while a light blocking rate of the light blocking area is set to 60.+-.35%.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus for forming fine patterns required for manufacture of LSIs.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7 shows an optical system of a conventional projection exposure apparatus. The optical system includes a lamp house 1, a mirror 2, a fly's eye lens 3 disposed in front of the lamp house 1 with the mirror 2 between the lamp house 1 and the fly's eye lens 3, an aperture member 4 located in front of the fly's eye lens 3, condenser lenses 5 and 6, a mirror 7, a photo mask 8 including a circuit pattern, a projection lens 9, and a wafer 10 located in front of the mask 8 with the projection lens 9 between the mask 8 and the wafer 10. The aperture member 4 has a disk-like shape including a circular open portion 4a , as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
Light rays emanating from the lamp house 1 reach the fly's eye lens 3 through the mirror 2, and are split into regions by the individual lenses 3a of the fly's eye lens 3. The rays which have passed through the individual lenses 3a pass through the aperture portion 4a of the aperture member 4, the condenser lens 5, the mirror 7 and the condenser lens 6, and then illuminate the entire surface of the exposure area of the mask 8. Therefore, on the surface of the mask 8, the rays from the individual lenses 3a of the fly's eye lens 3 are laid on top of one another, and the mask 8 is thus uniformly illuminated. The light rays which have passed through the mask 8 in the manner described above pass through the projection lens 9 and then reach the wafer 10, whereby transfer of the circuit pattern on the surface of the wafer 10 is achieved.
In such a projection exposure apparatus, the minimum resolution R is proportional to .lambda./NA, where .lambda. is the wavelength of the illumination light and NA is the numerical aperture. Thus, the resolution of the conventional projection exposure apparatus is improved by designing an optical system such that the numerical aperture NA is increased, thereby providing an exposure apparatus which can cope with the increase in the degree of integration of LSIs has taken place in recent years.
However, although an increase in numerical aperture NA of the optical system improves the resolution R, it further reduces the depth of focus DOF of the projection exposure apparatus. The depth of focus DOF is proportional to .lambda./NA.sup.2. Therefore, in a conventional projection exposure apparatus, an increase in the resolution reduces the depth of focus and thus deteriorates the transfer accuracy.
Here, the numerical aperture NA of the optical system is expressed by sin .theta., where .theta. is the angle of incidence of the light incident on a wafer 10. Thus, the larger the angle of incidence .theta. with respect to the wafer 10, the shorter the depth of focus DOF.
Hence, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-91662 has proposed a projection exposure apparatus which employs a ring-shaped aperture member. In this exposure apparatus, only the light which has passed through the peripheral portion of the aperture member is utilized by employing the ring-shaped aperture member. Consequently, in the diffracted light of the first order which is incident on the wafer, the components having a large angle of incidence are blocked, whereby the numerical aperture NA of the optical system is reduced and hence the depth of focus DOF is improved. Therefore, it has been described in the above-mentioned invention that the resolution is improved while the depth of focus DOF is enlarged by employing only the light which passes through the outermost portion of the aperture member.
However, when a large ring-shaped light source is employed so that only the light which passes through the outermost portion of the aperture member is used, as described in the above-mentioned publication, a light source image S.sub.0 of the zeroth order and light source images S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 of .+-. first order are produced on the surface of a pupil 9a of the projection lens, as shown in FIG. 10. As a result, the angle of incidence of the light of the zeroth order is increased, and hence the depth of focus DOF deteriorates. In FIG. 10, hatched portions P.sub.0 through P.sub.2 indicate the light blocked portions formed by the ring-shaped aperture member.


A system and method for synchronizing a plurality of networked fire alarm panels is disclosed. A plurality of fire panels (i.e., nodes) are arranged on a peer-to-peer network, such as a token ring network. One node is designated as a SyncHost, and the remaining nodes are periodically reset to the clock time associated with the SyncHost to ensure all nodes remain substantially synchronized to a single time. As such, when an alarm condition is signaled, the visual notification devices (i.e., strobe lights) of all the fire panels (nodes) will flash at substantially the same time, in accordance with government guidelines. To accomplish the synchronization, the SyncHost sends periodic attendance polls around the network, noting the transit times of the polls. The individual nodes on the network also note times associated with the polls. The SyncHost sends a sync message to the nodes, and each of the individual nodes resets its internal clock according to the sync message and internal compensations calculated that are based on the attendance poll transit times. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.

Typical building fire alarm systems include a number of detectors positioned throughout a building. Signals from those detectors are monitored by a fire panel which, upon sensing an alarm condition, activates a number of notification appliances throughout the building. The notification appliances can include audible alarms, such as sounders or horns, and visual alarms, which can include flashing light strobes. Typically, the fire panel drives these devices over one or more "notification appliance circuits" (NACs).
In very large buildings, a plurality of individual fire panels may be used to service the building. For example, each floor of such a building may be serviced by its own fire panel, with all of the fire panels connected to a network. In addition, for commercial and/or educational campuses, certain portions of the campus may be served by different fire panels. For example, a courtyard or atrium that adjoins several buildings or building floors may be serviced by a plurality of notification appliances (i.e., strobes) controlled by different fire panels.
Such installations may require that the output of all notification devices be synchronized. For example, where multiple strobes are used, the strobe flashes must be synchronized to reduce the risk of seizure for people having photosensitive epilepsy. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) can require such strobes to be controlled to ensure that an individual viewing multiple strobes will see effective flash rates no higher than a predetermined amount to reduce the aforementioned risk. As can be appreciated, this presents a problem where the multiple flashing strobes are controlled by different fire panels. To date, the only solutions to this problem have been hardware based. For example, to synchronize the strobes within a large area, all of the strobes would need to be run from a single fire panel, which undesirably requires wiring all of the affected areas back to the single fire panel rather than wiring the strobes to the closest for panel. As can be appreciated, hardware synchronization increases system costs in terms of additional time.
Thus, there is a need for an improved system and method for synchronizing the flashes of a plurality of strobe lights controlled by a plurality of different fire panels. The system and method should be appropriate for use across a variety of modern distributed network systems used to link multiple fire panels.

System and method for synchronization of networked fire alarm panels


A distal tip, and associated method of producing, of a biosensor ion sensing transducer for use in detecting an analyte comprising an halogenated organic compound in an environment such as soil or an aqueous environment. Features include: a biocomponent comprising at least one enzyme for carrying out a dehalogenation of the compound; the biocomponent is immobilized to a surface of the tip; a treatment of the biocomponent for maintaining a period of enzymatic efficacy; and the biocomponent stabilized by means preferably selected from the group consisting of crosslinking a surface of the immobilized biocomponent, crosslinking a polymer layer to the biocomponent, adding a gel-hardening agent to the biocomponent, adding a stabilizing agent to the biocomponent, and modifying a component of the immobilizing means. Immobilization can be carried out by: (a) entrapment within a hydrogel; (b) entrapment within a polymeric network; (c) (micro)encapsulation; (d) covalent-bonding; and (e) adsorption. The dehalogenase of the biocomponent may be selected from the group consisting of hydrolases, subclass EC 3.8, and lyases, subclass EC 4.5 as listed in Table 2A.

This application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e) and 37 C.F.R. §1.78 to pending provisional patent application No. 60/259,211, filed 01 Jun. 2001.
In general, the present invention relates to techniques for monitoring halogenated organic chemicals (pollutants, pesticides, etc.) in soil, as well as groundwater, waste waters, and other aqueous environments. More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved distal tip having a transducer to which a biocomponent comprising a dehalogenase (selected for dehalogenation of a selected analyte of interest) is immobilized, treated, and/or stabilized for monitoring continuously in situ soil or an aqueous environment to detect the presence and/or concentration of the analyte, such as any of the s-triazine pesticides, including the chlorinated herbicide atrazine (used to control broadleaf and grassy weeds), simazine, terbuthylazine, propazine, cyanazine, deethylatrazine, and deisopropylatrazine, plus other s-triazines (including those in TABLE 1), lindane, and DDT. Disclosed is a novel technique of measuring an analyte and associated biosensor capable of measuring pH (hydrogen ion) and halide ion concentration in soil and aqueous environments to detect the concentration, or collect other information about, the analyte. In one aspect of the invention, focus is on a unique biosensor including a fiber optic element (an optical fiber or bundle), the tip of which has a layer of a bacteria atop a layer of a pH-sensitive fluorophore (dye). The bacteria is selected such that it carries an enzyme to catalyze a reaction with the halogenated compound of the analyte, releasing either protons (and causing a detectable pH change) or a measurable halide ion concentration. Further, prior to being 'glued' (immobilized or otherwise affixed) to the tip of the fiber optic transducer, the bacteria layer is specially treated and/or stabilized.
Currently available techniques to measure analytes, and more-particularly pollutants, in groundwater include ex situ laboratory measurements which generally have a long response time and are expensive, or use of immunoassay kits which can be quite inaccurate and also expensive. In Campbell, 1998 entitled "The Development of Biosensors for the Detection of Halogenated Groundwater Contaminants." Spring 1998, submitted by D. W. Campbell in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science at Colorado State University, available from Morgan Library at the Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., reference is made to a pH optode structure featuring the reaction illustrated schematically in Campbell, 1998 (labeled FIG. 2.4): the cleavage of halide ion X− and proton H+ from a halogenated hydrocarbon by the appropriate hydrolytic dehalogenase. An earlier reference entitled "Multicomponent fiberoptical biosensor for use in hemodialysis monitoring" (Cord Muller, et al.) employed a pH optode-type biosensor structure limited to the use of urease as a catalyst (urea is split into ammonia & CO2): the bifunctional reagent glutaraldehyde was used to bind the urease directly to the head of a pH optode.
Chemical biosensors are miniaturized analytical devices, which can deliver real-time and on-line information on the presence of specific compounds or ions in complex samples. Usually an analyte recognition process takes place followed by the conversion of chemical information into an electrical or optical signal. Two popular classes of chemical sensors used today are electrochemical transduction type. (amperometric, potentiometric, including ion-selective electrodes (ISE), field effect transistors (FETs), gas-sensing electrodes, etc., and conductimetric) and optical transduction type (including pH optodes). They are used during laboratory analysis as well as in industry, process control, physiological measurements, and environmental monitoring. The basic principles of operation of the chemical sensors utilizing electrochemical and optical transduction are quite well understood. In developing biosensors for general manufacture and commercial use, longevity and stabilization of the biocomponent are critical. It is preferable to have a stable, long-lived biosensor that can stand prolonged storage as well as perform well in use for a selected period of time. Among the biocomponent possibilities, enzymes, though very selective, fall on the lower end of the 'stability spectrum'.
The s-triazine compounds include many pesticides. Within the s-triazine family (which includes both pesticides and non-pesticide groups, see TABLE 1), atrazine is most widely used, although others include simazine, terbuthylazine, propazine, cyanazine, deethylatrazine, and deisopropylatrazine as well as others in FIG. 1, a depiction of several pathways derived from general knowledge of atrazine degradation. S-triazines are characterized by a symmetrical hexameric ring consisting of alternating carbon and nitrogen atoms.
TABLE 1Non-pesticide s-triazine groups with comments about use and biodegradability.Cyanuric (isocyanuric) acids: N-Chlorination of Cyanuric acid at the R1, R2,and R3 sites yields chloroisocyanurates that are used as disinfectants (inswimming pools and hot-tubs), sanitizers (in household cleansers and automaticdishwashing compounds), and bleaches (in both the industrial and householdbleaching of fabrics). The most common chloroisocyanurates are Trichloro andDichloro isocyanuric acid(TCCA, DCCA) and Sodium dichloroisocyanuric acid(SDCC). Triallyl isocyanurate (R1, R2, and R3 = propenyl) is used as a crosslinking agentfor poly(vinyl chloride) and other systems.Methylamine (also on the metapathway map) and N-substituted methylamines aresometimes used as finishing agents for textiles. Nitramine explosives: Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) is an explosive and apropellant used in military rockets. The partial biodegradation of RDX by mixedmicrobial culture is reported in (Binks et al 1995). Triazone: A cyclic urea used as a cross linking agent in textile finishing. 1,3-di-methylol-5-alkyltriazone is still widely used for this purpose. Cross linkingagents are used in the preparation of textiles to induce "memory" and to addluster.

Optical biosensor with enhanced activity retention for detection of halogenated organic compounds

Colorado State University Research Foundation (CSURF)