Methods and apparatus are provided that allow an electronic system having a signaling bus with a fault on a signaling conductor to operate at a degraded performance. A block of data is transferred from a first electronic unit to a second electronic unit over the signaling bus. A transmission sequence sends the block of data using all of the nonfaulty signaling conductors using a minimum number of beats required to complete the transmission.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electronic systems having components coupled by signaling busses. More specifically, the present invention relates to signaling busses having a fault on one or more signaling conductors in a signaling bus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic systems generally comprise multiple electronic units that are interconnected by signaling conductors. These signaling conductors typically are electrically conducting paths made of copper, aluminum, or other such material. Alternatively, optical fibers also conduct signals.
For example, semiconductor chips drive and receive signals which are electrically coupled to signal conductors on modules using wirebond or flip chip techniques. The modules are typically further coupled to printed wiring board (PWB) signal conductors using copper pins, solder columns, or other means. The signal conductors on PWBs interconnect one module with another, as well as route signals to PWB edge connectors or cable connectors. PWB edge connectors and cable connectors are used to interconnect one PWB with another PWB using a backplane or cables. Even within a semiconductor chip, extremely fine electrical conductors route signals between circuits and logical units on the chip.
A group of logically related signaling conductors is called a signaling bus. For example, a processor chip is connected to a memory control chip by a signaling bus having a specified number of signaling conductors over which data flows substantially in parallel. That is, if the processor chip is coupled to the memory control with an eight bit bus, the processor chip sends eight bits of data (a byte) at substantially the same time, one bit on each of the signaling conductors of the signaling bus. For example, the processor chip transmits an address to the memory control chip of the example a byte at a time, and receives data back from the memory control chip a byte at a time.
Economic and physical factors limit the number of signaling conductors that can be used to interconnect electronic elements. Each interconnect between a module and a card, for example, costs approximately a penny. Large numbers of interconnects on highly price sensitive electronic units is not justified. Furthermore, as many components are mounted on a PWB, large numbers of interconnects force additional wiring layers in the PWB, raising the cost of the PWB. Cabling between electronic units becomes very expensive when many interconnects are used, and thick, many-conductor cables are awkward to handle, costly, and troublesome from a reliability standpoint. At a certain point, it becomes not only costly and not reliable, but physically impossible to add more interconnects.
Typically, one electronic unit must transmit a block of data to another electronic unit. The block of data often is relatively large. For example, cache lines in some modern computer systems are 64 bytes or 128 bytes long. If this block (i.e., a cache line) is to be sent over an eight byte signaling bus, eight or 16 bus cycles (beats), respectively, are required to complete the transfer. In many applications, even larger blocks of data are transferred over signaling busses having even fewer signaling conductors.
Today's electronic systems are expected to operate reliably. Downtime on commercial computer systems relied upon to operate a business can cost enormous dollar amounts from loss of sales. In addition, such downtime can frustrate customers, causing them to turn to a competitor. Many commercial systems are counted on to run 24/7 (i.e., continuously). Unexpected failures causing outages at peak use are very serious problems. Users of such commercial systems typically prefer continued operation, even at a slightly degraded performance, if a failure occurs. Users can then plan for correcting the failure at a more convenient time. Military systems also rely heavily on electronic systems and are further subject to rough use and severe environments. A total failure of an electronic system in a combat environment is likely to result in severe consequences to the user. Spare parts (new cables, new PWBs, etc) may not be available in a combat situation. Continued operation at a slightly degraded performance is therefore preferable in many military applications.
Signaling busses have one or more signaling conductors associated with the signaling bus, typically, signaling busses have multiples of eight signaling conductors. Often, a single extra signaling conductor carries a parity bit. For example, a signaling bus having eight signaling conductors also has a ninth (parity) signaling conductor that carries parity. A parity generator on the sending unit produces a logical value on the parity such that the number of logical "1"s on the bus is always odd (or, in another embodiment, is always even). A parity checker on the receiving unit checks whether the received number of logical "1"s (that is, "odd" or "even") is as expected. Such a parity generation/checking system can detect a single fault on the signaling bus but cannot correct the fault. When a parity error is detected, the signaling bus can no longer be used to transmit data. Additional signaling conductors can be used to implement "error correction codes" (ECC), which, in many applications can correct a single fault and detect two faults. Use of ECC incurs additional cost associated with the additional signaling conductors. Cyclical Redundancy Code (CRC) use is yet another technique used to find and accommodate errors in transmitting data.
Many modern electronic systems have the capability of performing "wire test" procedures to determine details on faults in signaling busses. For example, a first electronic unit drives a predetermined pattern of logical "1"s and "0"s on a signaling conductor. A second electronic unit coupled to the first by the signaling conductor receives data from the signaling conductor and compares the received pattern against the predetermined pattern. If the received pattern is not the same as the predetermined pattern, the signaling conductor, the driver, or the receiver, is faulty. Such a path would make a signaling bus with or without parity unusable. Even a signaling bus employing ECC having single error correct, double error detect would be in jeopardy, since another failure in an ECC bus would make even the ECC bus unusable. Faults in two signaling conductors would make even a signaling bus having ECC with single bit correct unusable.
Therefore, a need exists to provide method and apparatus that allow a signaling bus having a faulty signaling conductor to operate at a slightly degraded performance.

Autonomic bus reconfiguration for fault conditions

International Business Machines Corporation


A process and apparatus improve color halftone imaging for ink-based printing by reducing the amount of time necessary to perform the halftoning process, by reducing the amount of ink consumed and by increasing the quality of the images produced. These benefits are achieved by adapting Image Resolution Enhancement Technology (IRET) to render color images that achieve near-photographic image quality on a color inkjet printer having multiple dye load and increased scan axis addressability, while keeping the computation complexity to a minimum. This is achieved by designing basic patterns at multiple intensities, and by using a multi-level halftoning technique to obtain smooth gradations. For plain paper, as well as for coated paper, multi-level halftoning is performed on an asymmetric geometry to yield the best result, while for glossy paper, a regular geometry yields the best result because of the limited ink absorption capacity for glossy paper. Further benefits are achieved through non-primary color ink reduction and the use of assymetric dither matrices. Thus, the method and apparatus of the present invention will yield images that have few undesirable artifacts such as banding, texturing and "worms". Furthermore, a reduced amount of processing time will be required to render an image and a modest amount of ink will be used. Besides decreasing the cost of printing, the use of a lower amount of ink can cause decreased dry time for each print, and can reduce curling of the paper, and smudging of the image.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital image processing and, more particularly, to processing color continuous-tone images into halftone images for ink-based printing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A color inkjet printer has the capability to render an image with color dots that are either bi-level or multi-level in intensity. Color dots of various intensities can be generated by using multiple chambers in print heads, each loading color inks with a different dye load. One example of such a printing system employs regular dye-load cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks, and reduced dye-load cyan and magenta inks.
A printer can also achieve a higher scan axis printing resolution by increasing the firing frequency relative to the cartridge speed. Because the printer dot size remains the same, this is often referred to as the printer addressability. For example, a 300 dpi (dot per inch) printer can have the addressability of 600.times.300 dpi.
Image Resolution Enhancement Technology (IRET) includes two components: a multi-level halftoning algorithm, and basic pattern design. The multi-leveling halftoning algorithm is a general halftoning method, while the basic pattern design is more device specific. IRET has been successfully implemented in the Hewlett-Packard Color LaserJet laser printer. See, Q. Lin, Methods to Print N-Tone Images with Multi-leveling Techniques, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/205,672, filed Mar. 2, 1994, HP Docket 1093765-1; Q. Lin, Printing N-Tone Images with Imperceptible Dots, U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,021, issued Mar. 21, 1997, HP Docket 1094347-1; Q. Lin, B. Hoffmann, and J. Trask, Resolution Enhancement Procedure and Apparatus for a Color Laser Printer, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/788,767, filed Jan. 24, 1997, HP Docket 10960458-1.
It is desirable to develop a halftoning method for rendering a color image that achieves near-photographic image quality on a color inkjet printer having multiple dye loads and increased scan axis addressability. However, as will be discussed below in greater detail, one cannot readily extend the IRET to a dual-dye load inkjet printer. A standard application of IRET to a dual-dye load inkjet printer will yield images that have undesirable artifacts such as banding, texturing and "worms". Furthermore, a large amount of processing time will be required to render an image and an inordinate amount of ink will be used. Besides increasing the cost of printing, the use of excessive ink can cause additional undesirable effects such as an increased dry time for each print, curling of the paper, and smudging of the image.
Thus, it can be seen that physical properties of ink-based printing impose cost, output speed, and image fidelity limits upon ink-based color halftone image output devices, and hinder the use of these devices in many applications.
Therefore, there is an unresolved need for a technique that can improve color halftone imaging for ink-based printing by reducing the amount of time necessary to perform the halftoning process, by reducing the amount of ink consumed and by increasing the quality of the images produced.

Image resolution enhancement technology (IRET) for dual dye-load inkjet printer


A method to enforce anti-money laundering, anti-terrorist financing and other anti-crime measures in compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and the USA PATRIOT Act in the USA or equivalent laws in other countries, and to reduce fraud in e-commerce activities such as online banking, trading, money services, shopping, etc. by reading the embedded identification information from a machine-readable government issued official identification document such as passport, driver's license, etc. and sending such information in a dynamically encrypted form to financial institution for approval and anti-money laundering, anti-terrorist financing and other anti-crime purposes. Furthermore, a set of methods can be used by the sender to dynamically encrypt the data in a different form in each transaction, and the recipient can be automatically synchronized to decrypt the received data based on said set of methods.

By the year end of 2006, tens of millions of US consumers have already suffered from identity theft at least once in their lives. A very common and simple scheme used by con artists is to steal the credit/debit card or checking account number and name from a consumer. This can be easily done, for example, through the waiters or cashiers in restaurants, hotels, or stores. The con artist then collects the personal background information of the account holder from the Internet. This can also be easily done today. After using the account holder's background information to open many accounts with online merchants based on the stolen credit/debit card or checking account number, the con artist quickly conducts a shopping spree before the financial institution, which issued the credit/debit or checking account, has detected the fraudulent activities and closed the account.
In addition to fraud in online shopping activities, con artists can easily steal the user ID and password from an account holder of a financial institution by either traditional approaches such as buying the information from dishonest employees, or by technology-based schemes, such as phishing. Once the con artists obtain the user ID and password, they can do almost anything they want with the financial account. In fact, many financial institutions have disclaimed their liabilities if the financial losses are caused by stolen user ID and password at no fault of the financial institution. As a result, many consumers have become innocent victims of the fraud.
To further complicate matters, some dishonest consumers may also deny their own online activities by claiming that they are the victims of identity theft.
Billions of dollars have been lost every year through these fraudulent online activities. In addition to financial losses, it is a time-consuming and painstaking process for a victim to clear his/her bad records and credit history.
Moreover, in addition to the traditional online financial transactions such as bill payment, online person-to-person money transfer such as the services provided by PayPal, Money Gram, etc, can also be easily used to conduct money laundering and terrorist financing activities. Since most online money services businesses cannot really verify the true identity of an account holder, a terrorist or other criminal can easily open an account with online money services businesses based on fake identification information and any email address, then send money to another terrorist or criminal through online money services businesses. As a result, our national security is also under severe threat by these online fraudulent activities.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for governments, financial institutions, merchants, and consumers to eliminate these crimes and online fraudulent activities.
Several methods have already been proposed by different inventors in the past. For example, it was suggested that a consumer can store his/her biometrical information, e.g., fingerprint, in the commercial database of a merchant or a financial institution and such biometrical information can be used to authenticate the consumer's identity before completing online transactions. One problem with this approach is that biometrical information is guarded by most consumers as private and confidential information and thus biometrical authentication is not generally accepted by consumers.
Besides, it is relatively easy for an experienced con artiest to steal the biometrical information from a person as we have already seen in many movies. Moreover, once the biometrical information is stolen from a person, there is not much this person can do to fix the problem. For example, if a person's fingerprint is stolen, the person cannot cut off his/her finger or somehow change his/her fingerprint. In other words, biometrical authentication may actually induce permanent damage to a person's biometrical identity.
It has been proposed to use an Integrated Circuit ("IC") card issued by a financial institution which contains the private key of a private-public key pair. The private key is used to encrypt the electronic message which the IC card holder gives to the financial institution to conduct an e-commerce transaction. When the financial institution receives the electronic message, the financial institution will use the public key of the private-public pair to decrypt the electronic message which was encrypted by the private key and conduct the transaction according to the instruction given by the IC card holder.
In essence, the known system uses the private key inside the IC card to determine whether the IC card holder has the authority to give instructions for a specific account. Therefore, the private key has the same effect as an identification number of the IC card holder. Although the private key is embedded inside the IC card and is not easily available, such a key is a "fixed" key for each account holder. With the expected advances in computer technology, it is just a matter of time before con artists will be able to decode such an encrypted message and figure out what the private key is. Once the con artist has obtained the private key, the con artist can duplicate the key and conduct fraudulent online transactions based on this key.
Furthermore, there are some additional burdens in this approach. The keys used in private-public key cryptography have some mathematical structure. For example, public keys used in the RSA system are the product of two large prime numbers. Thus, public key systems require longer key lengths than symmetric systems for an equivalent level of security. A key length of 3072 bits is suggested for systems based on factoring and integer discrete algorithms which aim to have security equivalent to a 128-bit symmetric cipher. In other words, private-public key systems will become very expensive because they demand a tremendous amount of computer processing power for each online transaction.
Moreover, a monumental effort will be required to replace the existing systems in the financial institutions, and each consumer will have to go through a complicated account opening process to obtain a special IC card with a private key from one or more of the financial institutions before he/she can conduct online transactions. Since such IC cards are granted a great deal of authority in financial transactions, distributing such keys require special processes and extra caution.
More seriously, if fake or stolen identification information has been used to obtain the IC card, it can be easily used by money launderers or terrorists to conduct money laundering and terrorist financing activities because the identity of the account holder is not truly identified. For example, a notorious terrorist can use that IC card to conduct all kinds of online transactions under the cover of another person who actually opened the account.
Since the 9/11 tragedy, many governments have strictly enforced anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing laws. In fact, a large number of financial institutions in the USA have already received an aggregate amount of hundreds of millions of dollars of penalties due to their failure to enforce anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing measures as required by laws. Compliance with anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regulatory requirements has become the top priority for financial institutions in the USA. Identifying the true identity of a person who conducts the transaction is essential to enforcing anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing measures.
Although biometrical information can be used to ensure that an IC card holder is also the true owner of the IC card, as explained before, such a use of biometrical information is not generally accepted because of privacy concerns. And without adequate verification of the user's identity, a conventional IC card will only open a new door for money launderers and terrorists.
Most governments have imposed anti-money laundering, anti-terrorist financing, and other anti-crime obligations upon financial institutions to monitor transactions. These financial institutions have to, for example, (1) verify and record the identification information of all parties in the transaction, (2) check all parties of the transaction against the "blacklists" published by various governments and report or block the transaction, and (3) detect any suspicious activity and report it to the government agencies.
The scope of transactional monitoring as required by law is actually very broad. For example, if a financial institution has identified that several different customers are sending money to the same recipient and the aggregate amount is very large, the financial institution has to study who the recipient is and whether they are financing terrorist activities. If the financial institution identifies any suspicious activity, the financial institution has to report the case to government agencies.
If the financial institution identifies that a customer is sending a wire transfer to a recipient, whose name somehow is very similar to a name on a blacklist published by the government, the financial institution cannot send the wire transfer out until it has proven that such a recipient is not the person on the blacklist.
Although it is required by laws, transactional monitoring is not possible in today's online transactions because the financial institution cannot verify who the remote parties really are. Consequently, financial institutions cannot really fulfill their legal obligation to enforce anti-money laundering, anti-terrorist financing and other anti-crime measures in online transactions.
Furthermore, many con artists are utilizing this weakness of the financial industry to commit all kinds of fraudulent activities. The present invention intends to enable financial institutions to fulfill its legal obligation and, at the same time, to reduce all fraudulent activities.
With modern technologies, government authorities can store a great deal of machine-readable personal identification information within a person's official identification document. For example, the stored identification information may include name, date of birth, identification number, social security number, address, expiration date, biometrical information such as a fingerprint, an iris pattern, a picture, etc.
Encryption has been used often in data transmission for security purposes. However, it has become much easier to decode an encrypted message with today's advanced computer technology. In a recent competition, an encrypted message based on Data Encryption Standard ("DES"), which was once the national standard adopted by the US government, was decoded by experts within less than 24 hours.
Since it takes time for a perpetrator to decode an encrypted message, it is desirable to change the encryption key frequently. If the sender and recipient are notified of the key information whenever a new key is used, the sender and the recipient can always know what the current key is. However, such a key change notification is practically impossible when a large number of users are involved.
In this document, the terminology "network" or "networks" generally refers to a communication network or networks, which can be wireless or wired, private or public, or a combination of them, and includes the well-known Internet.
In this document, the terminology "computer system" generally refers to either one computer or a group of computers, which may work alone or work together to accomplish the purposes of the system.
In this document, the terminology "computer network" generally refers to either one network or a group of connected networks, which may work alone or work together to accomplish the purposes of the network.
In this document, a "bank" or "financial institution" is generally referred to as a "financial service provider", which encompasses either a bank or a non-bank where financial services are provided.
In this document, a "bank account" or "financial account" is generally referred to as an "account for financial transactions", and encompasses accounts in either a bank or a non-bank where financial transactions are conducted by means of payment instruments such as cash, checks, credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, monetary instruments, electronic fund transfers, letter of credit, etc.
In this document, "money services" are generally referred to money-related services such as money transfer, bill payments, check cashing, gift card purchase, etc.
In this document, a "symmetric encryption algorithm" is generally referred to an encryption algorithm which uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt the data. For clarification purposes, an encryption algorithm using a private-public key pair to encrypt and/or decrypt the data is not a symmetric encryption algorithm.
In this document, the terminology "terminal," "self-service terminal," or "kiosk" generally refers to a piece of equipment which interfaces a user with a computer network, so that the user may interact with computer systems and other equipment connected to the computer network.
In this document, the terminology "PDA" or "Personal Digit Assistant" generally refers to a portable device which interfaces a user with a computer network, so that the user may interact with computer systems and other equipment connected to the computer network.
In this document, the terminology "machine-readable" generally includes all the reading methods that can be conducted by machine through a variety of media such as electronic, magnetic, electro-magnetic, optical, etc. and a combination of them.
In this document, the terminology "official identification document" generally refers to a passport, a driver's license, an alien registration card, a state issued ID, an identity card, a certificate of legal status, and other official documents and information bearing instruments that identify a designated individual by certain verifiable characteristics, that are issued or certified by a consulate, embassy, government agency, or other governmental authority, and that are protected against unauthorized copying or alteration by the responsible government or authority. In particular, such "official identification documents" can be formed from various materials and can embed the identification information in various formats, including printed on paper, embossed on a plastic card, written on a magnetic medium, programmed into an electronic device, stored in a memory chip, and combinations thereof. The "identification information" may include, but is not necessarily limited to, names, date of birth, identification numbers, tax identification number, expiration date, signatures, addresses, passwords, personal identification numbers, photographs, fingerprints, iris scans, physical descriptions, and other biometric information.


Jet impingement assemblies and power electronics devices incorporating jet impingement assemblies are described. The jet impingement assemblies include a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a manifold, and a heat distribution member. The manifold includes a distribution side in fluid communication with the fluid inlet, a collection side in fluid communication with the fluid outlet, a plurality of orifices extending from the distribution side to the collection side, and a return channel extending from the collection side to the distribution side. The heat distribution member is positioned proximate to the collection side of the manifold.

Heat management devices may be coupled to a heat generation device, such as a power electronics device, to remove heat and lower the operating temperature of the heat generating device. A fluid may be introduced to the heat management device, and may receive heat from the heat management device, primarily through convective and/or conductive heat transfer, thereby removing heat from the heat generating device. In one example, fluid may be directed in a jet in a localized region at a high velocity such that the fluid impinges a surface of the heat generating device.
As power electronic devices are designed to operate at increased power levels, the power electronics devices generate an increased corresponding heat flux. The increase in heat flux generated by the power electronics devices may render conventional heat sinks inadequate to reject sufficient heat to maintain a desired operating temperature in the power electronics device.
Accordingly, heat management devices that incorporate jet impingement coolers may be desired to mitigate high temperature operation of the power electronics devices.

Jet impingement coolers and power electronics modules comprising the same

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.


An image forming apparatus has a main body with a casing and performs an image forming operation. A sheet receiving surface constitutes part of the casing and can receive a sheet discharged after an image forming process is performed. A window is provided on the sheet receiving surface for enabling part of the interior of the main body to be seen. An auxiliary tray is attached to the sheet receiving surface and is displaceable between an unfolded position to auxiliary support a discharged sheet and an accommodated position to be accommodated in the sheet receiving surface. The window is at a bottom of a recess formed by recessing a part of the sheet receiving surface. The auxiliary tray is accommodated in the recess when at the accommodated position and includes a transparent portion for ensuring visibility of the window.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine or a complex machine having functions of these apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a printer includes a developing mechanism for supplying toner particles to an image bearing member and a toner container for replenishing the developing mechanism with the toner particles. This toner container has a container main body for storing the toner particles and is normally detachably mounted in a main body of the image forming apparatus so as to be replaceable as the toner is used up. This holds true for an ink cartridge of the ink-jet type in a printer or the like.
Generally, an image forming apparatus has a casing structure, and component members such as the above image bearing member, developing mechanism and toner container are accommodated in the casing so as not to be visible from the outside (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication NO. 2006-23347). Upon replacing the toner container, a user opens an opening cover of the casing, takes the used toner container out from the inside of the casing, mounts a new toner container and closes the opening cover. The user can see the toner container only when the opening cover is open.
A printer or the like includes a sheet receiving surface for receiving a sheet discharged after an image forming process. For example, in a small-size printer generally used in an office or the like, an auxiliary tray is attached to this sheet receiving surface in many cases. This auxiliary tray is used to auxiliary support sheets upon discharging large-size sheets to the sheet receiving surface or for an improvement in the alignment of sheets.
In a conventional image forming apparatus, a user cannot know which toner container is actually mounted with the opening cover closed. In other words, the manufacturer and model number of the toner container mounted in the main body of the image forming apparatus cannot be known, and the opening cover had to be opened in order to know these. Accordingly, the user had to confirm the model number and the like by opening the opening cover every time despite its cumbersomeness, for example, in the case of ordering a new toner container or in the case of being required to notify the model number of the toner container at the time of requesting maintenance.
Accordingly, it is normally thought to provide a window on a sheet receiving surface of a printer located at a position easy to see by a user so that the user can see a part of a mounted toner container from the outside. However, the auxiliary tray is attached to the sheet receiving surface in many cases as described above and, if the window is additionally provided, it is not preferable in terms of design since the sheet receiving surface becomes unnecessarily complicated to impair an aesthetic impression.

Image forming apparatus with transparent window in sheet receiving surface


A coil support arrangement for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging System and method of support are provided. One coil support arrangement includes a main former body having a plurality of channels between end flanges and a splint coupled to the main former body between the end flanges. The coil support arrangement also includes a load spreader coupled to the main former body adjacent one or more of the ends of the splint, and having a gap between the one or more ends of the splint and the load spreader.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to diagnostic imaging systems, and more particularly to an apparatus for supporting and method for forming a support for a superconducting magnet in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system.
MRI systems and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) imaging systems can include a superconducting magnet that generates a temporally constant (i.e., uniform and static) primary or main magnetic field. MRI data acquisition is accomplished by exciting magnetic moments within the primary magnetic field using magnetic gradient coils. For example, in order to image a region of interest, the magnetic gradient coils are sequentially pulsed to create pulsed magnetic gradient fields in a bore of an MRI scanner to selectively excite a volume corresponding to the region of interest in order to acquire MR images of the region of interest. The resultant image that is generated shows the structure and function of the region of interest.
In MRI systems, the superconducting magnet is an electromagnet that is commonly formed from a plurality of superconducting magnetic coils surrounding and supported by a magnet coil support structure. When the superconducting magnetic coils are energized or de-energized, the coils move. The magnet coil support structure maintains the position of the superconducting magnetic coils along and around the support structure.
The magnet coil support structure for MRI systems may be formed as a composite support structure (e.g., a composite former) with channels for receiving and supporting therein the superconducting magnet coils. When the coils are energized or de-energized an electromagnetic (EM) force is applied to the composite support structure. In particular, the EM force compresses the composite support structure in the axial direction to the iso-center of the magnet.
Conventional support structures for resisting the EM forces include a metal, usually stainless steel, splint in the axial direction and extending into and within the magnet coil support structure. The splint supports all of the EM forces. Additionally, the splint adds both weight and cost to the overall system.

Coil support for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet and method of support


An electronic device includes a display and an input region separate from the display. The device detects a first portion of a first input on the input region. In response to detecting the first portion of the first input: if the first portion of the first input meets first criteria that do not require a characteristic intensity of the first input to increase above a first intensity threshold in order to be met, the device displays a precursor object of a user interface object that includes one or more selectable options. While displaying the precursor object, a second portion of the first input is detected on the input region, wherein an intensity of the first input increases above the first intensity threshold. In response to detecting the increase in intensity, the device reveals the user interface object by an amount that varies with a current intensity of the first input.

Many electronic devices with displays include mechanical buttons, such as mechanical home buttons, volume buttons, and power buttons. But mechanical buttons provide little, if any, feedback to a user beyond a fixed down click and a fixed up click. Some devices have solid state home buttons on the display-side of the devices to replace the mechanical home buttons. A display-side solid state home button is coupled with tactile output generators that generate tactile outputs to simulate various types of mechanical button clicks when the solid state home button is activated by a press input. The solid state home button is a close analog of a mechanical home button and is designated for a very limited set of functions triggered by a few types of press inputs. Display-side solid state buttons also take up valuable space on the display-side of the device, reducing available display area for visual information on a portable electronic device.

Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for interaction with an intensity-sensitive input region


A buckling device for safety belts includes a buckle made of metal material and bent to form a projected holder. A wider segment of the holder is used to insert a side of the safety belt to the buckle. On each of two sides of a narrower segment of the holder is mounted a second side plate. Between two second side plates is defined a locking unit by using a shank. On an upper rim of the second side plate is a recess. The locking unit includes an engagement member in which a rotary member, a fixing piece, a compression spring, a mounting member, and a torsion spring are received. A fastening member includes a bottom sheet, with a wider segment thereof being used to insert another side of the safety belt. The fastening member further includes a retaining pore secured on a narrower segment thereof.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buckling device and, more particularly, to a buckling device for a safety belt that can be used safely.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional safety belts are used in general vehicles and racing cars. However, they have the following disadvantages:
1. In buckling operation, the engagement member of the buckling device has to be rotated to a certain angle to insert the fastening member into the buckle, making operating inconvenient.
2. The conventional buckling devices are buckled in a one-section operating manner to disengage the engagement member easily, causing unsafety in car crashes.
3. The holder of the conventional buckles is forged, resulting in a heavy weight.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.


An Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema file can be resolved by receiving an XML instance document that includes data to be validated using an XML schema file at an XML validating system. The XML instance document can be parsed to map an external XML schema reference to the XML schema file defined by a source outside the XML validating system to an internal XML schema reference defined internal to the XML validating system. The internal XML schema reference can be resolved using a Java Classloader to provide the XML schema file as an input stream to the XML validating system. Related systems and computer program products are also disclosed.

It is known to validate data included in extensible mark-up language (XML) documents using XML schema files that describe how the data in the XML document is structured. For example, in some systems, an XML document can be validated by checking the structure of the data included in the XML document against an XML schema file which is accessed by the system. The XML schema file can be accessed by the system by either resolving the location of the XML schema file (i.e., finding the XML schema file itself) or by using a "hint" provided with the XML document that may indicate where the XML schema can be found, such as on a server accessible via the Internet.
Resolving the XML schema file using the system itself can be complicated because the system may be implemented on any one of a multiplicity of platforms (such as Linux, Windows, Unix, etc.). Accordingly, conventional systems may need to provide a way of resolving the XML schema file for each of the platforms on which the systems can be implemented. For example, if an XML validating system were implemented on a Unix system, the XML schema file may be stored according to the Unix file system, which may be different from other file systems on which the XML validation system may be implemented (such as Linux or Windows). Accordingly, the XML validation system may employ different processes for resolving the location of the XML schema file for each of these file systems.
Alternatively, if the location of the XML schema file is resolved using the hint provided in the XML document, the system may search for the XML schema file at a location outside of the system (such as on a server located on the Internet). As such, the XML schema file resolved by the system is assumed to be valid, which may raise security and/or other concerns regarding the authenticity of the XML schema file (such as the ultimate source of the file). Validation of XML documents is also discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,317,742 to Nagaratnam et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,446 to Lection et al., and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20030093717 by Mason, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Methods, systems and computer program prodcuts for validation of XML instance documents using Java classloaders


A chitin oligosaccharide which is a chitin oligomer having a 2,5-anhydromannose group or a chitosan oligosaccharide which is a chitosan oligomer having a 2,5-anhydromannose group having a structure of the formula shown below at a terminal end: ##STR1## wherein it can be prepared by allowing chitin or chitosan to react with nitrous acid at a temperature of 10.degree. C. or lower in an aqueous solution with a hydrogen ion concentration of 1 to 6 to effect deamination reaction and pinacol rearrangement reaction, and further reducing this with a reducing agent, a chitin oligosaccharide which is a chitin oligomer having a 2,5-anhydromannitol group or a chitosan oligosaccharide which is a chitosan oligomer having a 2,5-anhydromannitol group having a structure of the formula shown below at an end: ##STR2##

1. Field of the Art
This invention relates to a method for preparing a chitin oligomer or a chitosan oligomer and for preparing a chitosan oligosaccharide which is a mixture of chitin oligomers or a chitosan oligosaccharide which is a mixture of chitosan oligomers at high yield from chitin or chitosan.
2. Related Art
In recent years, food life has become rich, and crabs, prawns are imported from abroad, and from the chitin material of their shells, chitin and chitosan have been produced in large amounts. Chitin and chitosan are themselves now under development as agricultural chemicals, artificial skin, life-related substances, etc., and chitin oligosaccharide or chitosan oligosaccharide which is of further added value is now attracting attention.
It has been known in the art that such chitin oligosaccharide or chitosan oligosaccharide can be generally prepared by degradation with chitin with chitinase or chitosan with chitosanase.
It has been also known that chitin and chitosan can be partially hydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid to prepare from N-acetylglucosamine or glucosamine, N-acetylchitopentaose or chitopentaose.
On the other hand, a method is also known of utilizing the Van Slyke Method quantitating amino-form nitrogen, in which chitosan is depolymerized by addition of nitrous acid to chitosan at a temperature of 20.degree. to 25.degree. C. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,260).
However, the above degradation method with an enzyme can control the molecular weight with difficulty, whereby an oligosaccharide mixture having various molecular weights is obtained, and yet the concentration is as dilute as 0.001% and therefore must be concentrated. Accordingly, for obtaining an oligosaccharide with an adequate molecular weight, fractionation must be carried out which is extremely cumbersome laborious, and also since oligosaccharide with a terminal end of the structure as follows: ##STR3## is formed, when heated in the concentration operation or sterilization operation, a Maillard reaction may occur which causes coloration. Also, even if this may be further reduced with a reducing agent, there is the problem that it may be subjected to ring opening to be converted to a sugar alcohol. Besides, this method employs a dilute reaction concentration, and large scale equipment is required for bulk production.
Also, since the above-mentioned method of partially hydrolyzing with hydrochloric acid gives the same product as the above enzyme, the problems of coloration, ring opening as mentioned above cannot be solved.
On the other hand, the latter method of depolymerizing chitosan with nitrous acid, partly because chitosan with an extremely high molecular weight is used, requiring nitrous acid employed to be added in of as much as 3 to 5 moles per 1 mole of the amino groups of the chitosan, whereby it may be degraded to glucosamine which is a monosaccharide. Alternatively, since the decomposition reaction is carried out at a relatively high temperature of 20.degree. to 25.degree. C., side reactions such as transfer reaction may occur before degradation to monosaccharides, and these reaction products may be recombined to form products other than chitosan oligosaccharides.
Accordingly, in the product obtained by such a method, recombined glucoside compounds may be present, other than the above-mentioned glucosamine, which may exhibit toxicity; also unreacted nitrous acid is mixed in the product, whereby there are problems for use as food additives or pharmaceuticals.

Chitin-chitosan oligomer having 2,5-amhydromannitol group or 2,5-anhydromannose group at terminal end and method for preparation thereof


A negatively-chargeable dry electrostatographic developer is disclosed containing fluorinated inorganic microparticles, and toner particles comprising an acidic binder resin having an acid value between 10 and 30 mg KOH/G and not comprising (a) charge-controlling agent(s). The developers according to this invention show excellent fluidity and have improved negative chargeability. According to a preferred mode, fluorinated silica-type microparticles are added to the developer as free flowing additive in an amount of 0.1 to 5% by weight with respect to the toner, which preferably comprises an acidic carbon black.

It is well known in the art of electrographic and electrophotographic copying and printing to form an electrostatic latent image corresponding to either the original to be copied, or corresponding to the digitized data describing an electronically available image, on a photoconductive member. In another image forming method, the electrostatic latent image is formed by imagewise discharge over styli towards a dielectric substratum. The xeroprinting process such as disclosed e.g. in European Patent Application 0 243 934 involves imagewise exposing a photopolymer master, charging e.g. by corona, toning with dry or liquid toner and transferring to another substrate.
Electrostatic latent images can be developed using a liquid developer consisting of a colloidal system of charged colloidal particles in an insulating liquid. In most cases the latent image is developed with a finely divided developing material or toner to form a powder image which is then transferred onto a support sheet such as paper. The support sheet bearing the toner powder image is subsequently passed through a fusing apparatus and is thereafter discharged out of the copying resp. printing machine as a final copy, resp. final print.
One of the objectives set forth for the overall electrostatographic process is to provide an image on the final copy, resp. final print with the best possible quality.
By `quality` in electrostatography is generally understood a true, faithful reproduction of the original to be copied, or faithful visual print of the electronically available image.
Quality consequently comprises features such as uniform darkness of the image areas, background quality, clear delineation of lines, as well as overall resolution of the image.
The accuracy, inclusive of the resolution, by which the latent electrostatographic image, formed in either an electronic printing or copying apparatus, is developed into a visually discernable copy, is predominantly determined by the characteristics of the developer used.
It is known that one of the principal contributing characteristics herefore is the size and size distribution of the developer particles used, and in case a two component developer material is used, in particular the size and size distribution of the toner particles employed.
In the document published by ATR Corporation, 6256 Pleasant Valley Road, El Dorado, Calif. 95623, entitled `Effect of Toner Shape on Image Quality` published Mar. 28, 1988, the influence of toner particle diameter and shape upon image quality, particularly for high resolution images, has been tested.
For a developer to be used in a high resolution laser beam printer, the effects of toner particle size and shape upon the image were experimentally examined. As a result it was made clear that apart from the shape of the toner and its charge distribution, fine particles are most effective to provide high resolution.
This fact being known in itself, there have been several prior art proposals for the manufacture of fine toner particles and in particular for toner particles, the size distribution of which meets a well-defined classification.
In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,942,979 and 4,284,701 the preparation and use of toner particles with well-defined particle-distributions has been disclosed.
Apart from the size distribution, the resolution of an electrostatographic print is determined also to a large extent by the average or median size of the toner particles. So efforts have been made to manufacture and use extremely fine developer materials.
However the smaller the average size of the toner particles, the greater the tendency of the toner and of the overall developer composition to agglomerate or to cluster together, and the greater the tendency of the toner particles to stick to the image bearing member. In order to partially remedy these problems it is known to add a lubricant, e.g. zinc stearate, in an amount of at least 0.5 wt %, to the developer composition, as is disclosed e.g. in UK application GB 2,180,948.
In JP KOKAI 60-159857 a magnetic toner superior in fluidity and tranferability is disclosed, said toner comprising a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene wax, a colorant, a magnetic material, a silica and a surfactant having perfluoroalkyl groups.
In JP KOKAI 63-300243 a low-temperature fixable toner is disclosed wherein in order to prevent blocking the surface of each specified particle is coated with a specified F-containing silane compound.
EP-A-0 050 987 discloses a one-part flowable, dry, electrostatically attractable toner comprising a thermoplastic binder and a magnetically responsive material and a surface treatment composition comprising a fluoroaliphatic compound.
Also in JP KOKAI Nr. 60-93455 the addition of a fluorine substituted silane coupling agent to toner is disclosed, said agent being e.g. colloidal silicon dioxide. In said specification the effects of enhanced flowability and negative chargeability of the developer wherein such fluorinated particles are incorporated, are set forth and in particular the decreased dependence on environmental conditions is put forward. In the examples of said specification, a styrene-acrylic and a polyester resin is used as binder for the developer, whereas the particle size of the developer is set to be around 10 micron.
In EP-A-0 335 676 a developer for developing electrostatic images is disclosed, said developer comprising 0.05 to 3 wt parts of hydrophobic silica fine power having a tribo electric chargeability of -100 to -300 .mu.c/g. According to a preferred mode described in said specification the silica fine power is produced through vapor phase oxidation of a silicon halide, treated with a silane coupling agent and/or silicone oil. As preferred examples of such silicone oil are mentioned i.a. a fluorinemodified silicone oil.
It is quite common in the art of manufacturing electrostatographic developers to incorporate charge controlling agents (commonly called CCA's) into the developer mass. In the latter EP specification, it is set forth that the toner according to the invention disclosed therein may also contain as desired such CCA-compound, and in all (eight) examples described in said specification a negative charge control agent (a particular Cr-complex) is indeed incorporated in the developer.
A difficulty arising in the manufacture of fine toner particles is the requirement of intimate and uniform incorporation of the ingredients in the toner particles. Variations in the composition of the individual toner particles should be avoided. This applies in particular to the incorporation of CCA-compounds in the toner particles. Indeed, variations in the amount of CCA's incorporated in the toner particles give rise to varying charges carried by the toner particles which in turn cause several problems in processing e.g. a selectivity in development so that the composition of the developer in multi-use changes as a function of print amount, further a shift in average charge-mass relationship (Q/m) value altering the copy quality by variations in copy density, resolution etc. Concomitantly a detrimental effect on the transfer efficiency is observed. Such non-uniform distribution of the CCA's over fine toner particles in particular occurs when using large CCA-compounds, such as disclosed e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,525,445. When using soluble CCA-compounds the uniformity of the distribution of the CCA-compounds over the toner can be increased, however such soluble CCA have a plasticizing effect on the toner particles, causing other problems such as a reduction of the lifetime of the toner particles by smearing on the carrier surface. This phenomenon impedes the use of tougher (higher Tg) polymers, indirectly affecting fusing characteristics in an adverse way. This causes difficulties in particular when toners/developers are considered for use in full-color applications. Finally one could use CCA-compounds built-in in the toner-binder resin. These CCA-compounds have the disadvantage however of a high price and complexity in preparation. As a conclusion it may be set forth that the problem-free incorporation of CCA-compounds in toner particles featuring a well-defined size distribution as characterized by e.g. a fine average particle size is not yet satisfactorily solved.

Dry electrostatographic developer composition


An electronic pen for recording of handwritten or hand-drawn information has a control unit and a memory. The control unit registers pen movements across at least one base, stores a plurality of digital pen strokes in the memory as a function of said movements, and supplies a set of the digital pen strokes for processing. The digital pen strokes include a first type, which is processed as graphical information constituting the information to be recorded, and a second type, which is processed as instructions for the processing of digital pen strokes of the first type. The electronic pen may detect a current working session of the pen. The control unit indicates, for the processing of the set of digital pen strokes, the working session during which the respective digital pen strokes have been input.

Input systems for inputting handwritten or hand-drawn graphical information into a computer are widely used together with different types of graphics software, for example CAD programs or web design programs. These input systems include a drawing device, and also a base or support for the latter. The drawing device can consist of an electronic pen which is intended to be held in a user's hand and is moved in desired pen movements across the base for inputting graphical information, such as handwriting, drawings, geometric figures, graphical patterns, symbols, numbers or the like. WO 01/71473 describes the use of such an electronic pen.
In this connection it is desirable to increase the user's possibilities of acting on the appearance of the graphical information produced or on other properties associated with the graphical information. Thus, in many applications it is necessary, or at least expedient, for the user to be able to specify purely graphical properties such as line thickness, line color, and the choice between solid, broken or dotted lines. The selectable properties for the graphical information can also be of a more advanced character, for example properties which allow the graphical information to look as if it has been produced by a special pen, such as a calligraphy pen, or by means of an airbrush technique. The selectable properties can also concern whether certain graphical information is intended to be visible or invisible or can simply indicate that particular information is intended to be read only by a certain recipient or group of recipients.
There are traditional ballpoint pens with which it is possible to write with ink in different colors. Such multicolor pens comprise a set of buttons which are arranged on the pen and are used to select the desired color. It would be obvious to transfer this principle of choice of properties to electronic pens too. However, this has the disadvantage that the user usually has to change grip in order to be able to access the button which is to be depressed to obtain a desired property (e.g. color). A further disadvantage of this solution is that the number of buttons which it is possible to incorporate on a pen is limited.
The problem of being able to make a large number of selections using a limited number of buttons has of course been solved in other types of handheld electronic appliances, for example mobile phones, by introducing screen-based menu systems. However, the narrow and elongate shape of an electronic pen can only provide a small accessible area for a display, and hence a menu system solution is less suitable for this type of product. A menu system would in any case not represent an optimum user interface for a pen because the user has to move or turn the pen round in order to be able to view the display and access the operating buttons for the menu system.
A better way of making it possible for the user to select a property from among a large number of properties without substantially changing his grip on the pen is instead to use a property palette placed on the base, that is to say an area comprising partial areas or selection fields, the meaning of which is pre-defined in the pen. For example, a certain selection field in the palette can signify the color red, and the pen stores the subsequent input with the color red property.
The advantage of this procedure is that it resembles an intuitive method of producing graphical information, but the solution has a serious disadvantage in its lack of flexibility. When the definitions of different selection fields have been programmed into a pen, it is difficult to increase the number of properties because the pen's memory is limited. In addition, changing the definition of a certain property requires reprogramming of the pen, and, if several different palettes are to be used, extensive and regular reprogramming of the pen is required, which complicates the construction of the pen.
In a more flexible solution, instead of storing the meaning of each pen stroke in the electronic pen, all definitions and interpretations of pen strokes on palettes and also on conventional writing surfaces are handled in a remote server with which the pen can communicate. The advantage of this solution is that it is much easier to reprogram a server for interpretation of certain properties than to reprogram a large number of pens.
The solution indicated in the previous paragraph is described in more detail in WO 01/71473 which relates to an arrangement for inputting graphical information into a computer system, the graphical information arising when a drawing device is moved in relation to a base which is provided with a position-coding pattern. The drawing device is arranged to record positions on the base, and a computer system connected to the pen is arranged to interpret position information from a first area as graphical information, and position information from a second area as control information concerning a visual property,of the graphical information. Examples of such properties are line thickness and line color.
The inventors of the present invention have now realized that there is a problem with a solution according to the previous paragraph: when a user of an electronic pen with selectable properties begins a new session of producing graphical information by means of the pen, said user cannot always remember the most recently selected settings from the most recently preceding writing session. This can happen, for example, in cases where a long period of time has elapsed since the last time the electronic pen was used.
An intuitive solution to this problem would be to provide the user with feedback concerning the selected properties via a user interface on the pen. However, because of the desired configuration of an optimum electronic pen, especially given the requirement for a low weight and an elongate shape for user-friendly handling, and also given the requirement in respect of a low price, the possibilities of constructing a user interface are limited. In addition, any property settings would either need to be stored locally in some way in the pen (which is not desirable for the above reasons) or transferred to the pen from the server.
The inventors of the present invention have also realized that there is another problem associated with the fact that it is often advantageous to provide the writing support in an arrangement like a book, file or notepad, where a number of "empty" input pages of paper are supplemented with a property palette which is either printed on a separate page of paper or on a special part of the input pages. A property selection on the palette page can and will then affect all subsequent inputs on the input pages, regardless of which page this takes place on. It is necessary in this connection to transfer all pen strokes input on the palette page to the server so that the latter is able to process (render) the pen strokes on the input pages in the correct way. This procedure can therefore involve transmitting large amounts of information on pen strokes from the palette page to the server, and this in turn has disadvantages in terms of long transmission times, costs associated with these long transmission times, high power consumption in the pen, and the need for large storage capacity in the server.

Electronic pen and method for recording of handwritten information


A two stroke cycle internal combustion engine machine that does not require lubricating oil to be mixed with its fuel, producing greater efficiency, higher power to weight ratio, cooler operating temperatures, a wider speed range, greater simplicity, and lower toxic emissions, many of the improvements also transferable to four stroke engines.

This invention relates generally to the field of internal combustion engines and more specifically to an internal combustion engine machine incorporating significant improvements in power, efficiency and emissions control.
This invention was conceived in response to the need for greater simplicity, efficiency and power in internal combustion piston engine designs.
Although two-stroke cycle engine technology has many advantages, it has deficiencies have caused widespread legislative restriction on its use and, in the US, an outright EPA ban on it by the year 2006.
Additionally, in nations where sophistication of publicly available technology is low, the prevalent two-cycle technology is producing high levels of air pollution and creating excessive fuel and lubricating oil expense due to the fact that the lubricating oil is burned along with the fuel in inefficient combustion. However, it is the only technology that the users can afford to acquire and maintain. This invention was conceived to defeat these problems.
Prior internal combustion piston engine technology has been divided into two primary groups, two-stroke cycle engines and four-stroke cycle engines. Prior two-stroke cycle engine technology has a number of advantages over four-stroke cycle technology. These advantages are a higher power to weight ratio and greater design simplicity that results in low production and maintenance costs. Four-stroke technology, on the other hand retained advantages over two-stroke technology in efficiency, dependability, and clean operation. No prior technology produced the advantages of both types in one engine.
Two Stroke Engine Technology Prior Art in General
Prior two-stroke cycle engines suffer a number of deficiencies. They are inefficient, up to or beyond ten times less efficient than comparable four-stroke cycle engines. They also inconveniently require that oil be measured and mixed with their fuel. As a result, prior two-stroke cycle engines operate much less cleanly than comparable four-stroke cycle engines, produce several times the volume of toxic emissions over that of comparable four-stroke cycle engines, experience a high incidence of plug fouling, are notoriously undependable, and use excessive fuel and lubricant.
Previous attempts at improved two-stroke technology have included linier engine configurations with pistons in each piston pair located diametrically opposite one another, as does this invention. One such popular configuration is popularly known as the "Bourke" engine. However, such previous linier designs have had a comparably narrow range of RPM speeds within which they could perform. These speeds are unsatisfactory for many applications and also complicate engine performance and design parameters for the various internal components.
Prevalent conventional engine technology causes wear on the many moving machine parts, largely due to components of articulated motion. This wear is concentrated, in particular, on the pistons, piston rings, cylinders, wrist pins, connecting rod bearings; main bearings and other related principal parts.
In present conventional engine technology, high operating temperatures bring increased complexity and expense in engine design and choice of materials.
Present conventional technology is not adaptable to attain significant energy savings by being run on fewer than all cylinders, when full power is not required, letting the unused cylinders and pistons disconnect from the drive train and come to complete rest until again needed.
Cylinder Head Exhaust Valve Prior Art
A number of cam or hydraulically controlled cylinder head exhaust valves are taught in prior two-stroke technology, but none were found teaching cylinder head exhaust valves applied to spark ignited two-stroke technology. However, spark ignition is the more compatible, and therefore overwhelmingly more dominant, configuration for lightweight engines. Therefore, this new use of a cylinder head exhaust valve in application to spark ignited two-stroke technology with the resultant increase in efficiency and reduction in toxic emissions is a much-needed improvement.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,097,883 to Johansson teaches an exhaust valve for two-stroke cycle diesel engines (i.e., not spark ignited). The valve in that patent is specifically designed to control combustion chamber pressure in compression ignition engines.
Oil Hoarding Rings Prior Art
No use of rings on a piston for the purpose of sealing the lubricated space and retaining oil between them has been found in prior technology. In fact, U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,307 teaches against such usage, particularly noting that it would be inappropriate to place sealing rings both above and below a lubrication groove. That, however, is precisely one design characteristic of this invention. Dynamic Pressure Pump, Double-Acting Piston Rod and Multi-Function Pistons to Carry, Distribute, and Recover Lubrication Oil A number of patents teach the transport of lubrication oil via a piston rod and/or pistons adapted to distribute oil transported by such a rod. Some use dynamic energy to propel the oil. (The general principle of dynamic energy/pressure pumps is to apply dynamic energy to the medium, such as oil, by scooping it up and propelling it by rapid cyclical motion.) However, none of said patents provide for complete "round trip" oil circulation via this method. They transport oil only one-way. This necessarily limits utility of the oil in cooling the engine, for it must either be slowly metered out so as to prevent a significant amount of it burning with the normal engine combustion, or it must be restricted from the cylinder interior entirely.
Further, dynamical propulsion oil pumps and oil carrying piston rod systems consistently teach their use only in lubricating the piston wrist pins, or lubricating/cooling the bottoms of the pistons. None are designed, as this patent teaches, to provide the primary lubrication to cylinder walls plus a return route for the oil for complete circulation loops. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,569,103 and 2,645,213 (to Huber), U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,466,387, 4,502,421, and 4,515,110 (Perry), U.S. Pat. No. 2,865,349 (MacDonald), U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,468 (Burck), U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,980 (Ryan et al), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,472 (Athenstaedt), and U.S. Pat. No. 2,899,016 (Swayze).
Additional examples of systems incorporating piston rod oil transport also include pressure sealed walls at the base of their cylinders, as does this patent application. (These sealed walls are also known as "cross heads.") However, as in those described above, none provide for complete oil circulation cycles to include oil return from the engine cylinder to the sump. Examples of these include U.S. Pat. No. 1,268,056 (Ruether), U.S. Pat. No. 1,827,661 (Kowarick), U.S. Pat. No. 2,064,913 (Hedges), U.S. Pat. No. 2,244,706 (Irving) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,767 (Smith).

Internal combustion engine machine incorporating significant improvements in power, efficiency and emissions control


An oxide film is formed of a silicon substrate, and then the oxide film is cleaned together with the silicon substrate. Afterwards, a medical fluid is dropped on the oxide film which has been cleaned, and then the oxide film is dissolved by the medical fluid to collect contaminants included in the oxide film.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of detecting concentration of contamination on a semiconductor wafer, and especially relates to a method of detecting concentration of contamination on a semiconductor wafer which is effective to sensitively detect concentration of contamination on a semiconductor wafer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The WSA (wafer surface analysis) method has been used as a method of detecting metal contamination such as Fe or Cu formed on a semiconductor wafer. The WSA method is carried out in a series of the following steps.
1) A hydrophobic surface is formed on a semiconductor wafer by dissolving a natural oxide film formed on the semiconductor wafer. PA1 2) A medical fluid is dropped on the hydrophobic surface. PA1 3) The medical fluid dropped on the hydrophobic surface is moved along the surface of the semiconductor wafer so that the medical fluid contains therein contaminants attached to the surface of the wafer. PA1 4) The medical fluid which contains the contaminants is collected. PA1 5) The medical fluid collected in the step 4 is analyzed with an analysis device to obtain the concentration of contamination. PA1 6) The concentration of contamination on a product wafer is determined based on the concentration of contamination obtained in the step 5.
The concentration of contamination down to a level of 10.sup.9 -10.sup.10 (atoms/cm.sup.2) can be detected according to the WSA method. However, to detect the contamination on a semiconductor wafer in the WSA method is gradually more difficult as contamination on semiconductor wafers which have been cleaned becomes lower with the improvement of the cleaning technology.

Method of detecting concentration of contamination on a semiconductor wafer


A method for producing a CT image by applying Z-filtering to axial scan data collected using a multi-row detector, wherein second axial scan data is collected at a second position Z2 to which an X-ray tube and a multi-row detector are rectilinearly moved relative to a subject to be imaged from a first position Z1 toward an end of the multi-row detector, projection data corresponding to a central portion a2 of a reconstruction field P3 near the end of the multi-row detector is extracted from the second axial scan data, and Z-filtering is applied based on the projection data of reconstruction fields P1, P2 and P3 to produce one CT image.

The present invention relates to a CT (computed tomography) image producing method and an X-ray CT apparatus, and more particularly to a CT image producing method and an X-ray CT apparatus for producing a CT image by applying Z-filtering to axial scan data collected using a multi-row detector.
Conventionally, there is known a technique of producing a CT image by applying Z-filtering to helical scan data collected using a multi-row detector (see Non-patent Document 1, for example).
[Non-patent Document 1] "New Heights in Multi-slice CT" (Japanese original title: "Kiwameru Multi-slice CT"), edited and written by Yasuyuki Yamashita, published by Chugai Igakusha, Apr. 15, 2001 (pp. 23–24).
However, no technique for producing a CT image by applying Z-filtering to axial scan data collected using a multi-row detector is known.

CT image producing method and X-ray CT apparatus

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


A bracket for a hot surface ignitor is provided with a central opening having downwardly directed supporting arms and upwardly directed L-shaped retention arms such that the ignitor can be lockingly engaged with the bracket without creating crack-inducing stresses in the ceramic base of the ignitor. The bracket is further provided with upwardly directed resilient detents that allow the bracket to be securely snapped into the burner box of a gas furnace. The bracket thus positions the hot surface portion of the ignitor within the burner box while positioning the ceramic base and electric supply wires exterior to the box.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to hot surface ignitors used in gas furnaces having burner boxes and, in particular, to a snap-in bracket for receiving the hot surface ignitor and positioning it relative to the burner box of the furnace.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The residential heating industry has benefitted from the advent of hot surface ignitors. Such ignitors are used in gas furnaces to ignite the gas as it exits combustion burners provided in a burner box. The hot surface ignitors are an advancement over the lit gas pilot lights used in older furnaces to ignite the primary flow of gas for heating.
Hot surface ignitors typically include a silicon oxide resistance portion cemented in a ceramic base. Electric wires are connected to the ceramic base to provide electric current to the silicon oxide resistance portion. Current supplied to the resistance portion is converted to heat that produces a red hot glow in the silicon oxide. In this condition, the hot surface ignitor is enabled to ignite the gas exiting the combustion burners.
In typical gas furnaces, gas is supplied to the furnace by a gas manifold. The manifold is provided with jets that direct the gas into burners contained in a burner box. The gas is ignited as it exits the burners contained in the burner box. The heated flue gas produced by combustion of the gas is then directed into a heat exchanger. The heated flue gas is induced to move through the heat exchanger while a blower moves clean circulating air over the heat exchanger. The heated air thus produced is directed to desired locations by a system of ducts and registers.
Prior gas furnaces utilizing hot surface ignitors secure the ignitor within the burner box by means of a sheet metal screw. A hole would be provided through the ceramic base of the igniter to receive the screw. During installation of the ignitor in the burner box, this mounting screw could be tightened to the point of creating crack-inducing stresses within the ceramic base portion of the ignitor. In addition, this method of installation resulted in exposing the entire ceramic base and electric supply wires to the relatively high temperatures maintained within the burner box during combustion.


Various methods for selectively etching metal-containing materials (such as, for example, metal nitrides, which can include, for example, titanium nitride) relative to one or more of silicon, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and doped silicon oxides in high aspect ratio structures with high etch rates. The etching can utilize hydrogen peroxide in combination with ozone, ammonium hydroxide, tetra-methyl ammonium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid and/or a persulfate. The invention can also utilize ozone in combination with hydrogen peroxide, and/or in combination with one or more of ammonium hydroxide, tetra-methyl ammonium hydroxide and a persulfate. The invention can also utilize ozone, hydrogen peroxide and HCl, with or without persulfate. The invention can also utilize hydrogen peroxide and a phosphate, either alone, or in combination with a persulfate.

Numerous applications exist in which it is desired to selectively etch metal-containing materials relative to other materials. One such application is fabrication of capacitor structures during semiconductor processing. An exemplary process for forming capacitor structures is described with reference to FIGS. 1-4.
Referring initially to FIG. 1, a semiconductor wafer fragment 10 is illustrated at a preliminary processing stage. Fragment 10 comprises a substrate 12 supporting a pair of conductive nodes 14 and 16.
Substrate 12 can comprise, for example, monocrystalline silicon lightly doped with background p-type dopant. To aid in interpretation of the claims that follow, the terms "semiconductive substrate" and "semiconductor substrate" are defined to mean any construction comprising semiconductive material, including, but not limited to, bulk semiconductive materials such as a semiconductive wafer (either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials thereon), and semiconductive material layers (either alone or in assemblies comprising other materials). The term "substrate" refers to any supporting structure, including, but not limited to, the semiconductive substrates described above.
Electrical nodes 14 and 16 can comprise, for example, conductively-doped diffusion regions extending into a monocrystalline silicon substrate. Alternatively, or additionally, the conductive nodes can comprise electrically conductive pedestals extending upwardly from conductively-doped source/drain regions, and surrounded by electrically insulative material. Substrate 12 and nodes 14 and 16 are shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, and it is to be understood that the substrate can comprise multiple layers of material, and further that the conductive nodes 14 and 16 can comprise multiple layers of conductive material.
An electrically insulative material 18 is formed over substrate 12. Insulative material 18 can comprise any suitable electrically insulative material, or combination of electrically insulative materials. For instance, material 18 can comprise silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, doped silicon oxide (such as, for example, borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG) or phosphosilicate glass (PSG)), etc.
A pair of openings 20 and 22 extend into insulative material 18. The openings are partially filled with a first conductive material 24 which can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of a metal nitride, such as, for example, titanium nitride. First conductive material 24 appears to form a pair of sidewall spacers in the shown cross-sectional view. It is to be understood, however, that the openings 20 and 22 would each have a continuous periphery when viewed from above (typically a circular or elliptical periphery) and accordingly the apparent pair of spacers 24 shown within each of the openings in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 would actually be a single spacer extending entirely around the periphery of an opening. Material 24 can be formed in the shown configuration by depositing the material within the openings and across an upper surface of substrate 12. The deposited material will extend across bottom surfaces of the openings. The material can then be removed from over the upper surface of material 18 and from over the bottom surface of the openings with an appropriate etch, to leave the material along the sidewalls of the openings as shown.
A second conductive material 26 is formed within the openings 20 and 22 and physically against the first material 24. Second material 26 can comprise, for example, conductively-doped silicon, such as, for example, conductively-doped polycrystalline silicon. If material 26 comprises silicon, it can be undoped at the processing stage of FIG. 1. Accordingly the silicon can be electrically insulative, rather than in the shown electrically conductive form. Thus, material 26 can be a silicon material which is doped at a processing stage subsequent to that of FIG. 1, or it can be a silicon material which is doped prior to the processing stage of FIG. 1.
The wafer fragment 10 is shown divided into a first segment 30 and a second segment 32. The segments 30 and 32 can correspond to, for example, a memory array region and a region peripheral to the memory array region, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 2, first conductive material 24 (FIG. 1) is selectively etched relative to materials 26 and 18, which forms openings 36 between materials 26 and 18. If material 18 comprises silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and/or doped oxide; material 26 comprises either doped or undoped silicon; and material 24 comprises a metal nitride (such as, for example, titanium nitride), the etching will typically be conducted with one of three etchant solutions. Such etchant solutions are: (1) sulfuric acid (H2SO4)/hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); (2) H2O2/hydrochloric acid (HCl); and (3) H2O2/ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH). The H2SO4/H2O2 solution will typically comprise a ratio of sulfuric acid (provided as a commercially available solution of sulfuric acid and water) to hydrogen peroxide (provided as commercially available hydrogen peroxide solution that is about 30 weight percent hydrogen peroxide in water) of from about 10:1 to about 2:1.
The H2O2/HCl solution will typically be formed by mixing about 5 parts water with about 1 part hydrogen peroxide (provided as commercially available hydrogen peroxide solution that is about 30 weight percent hydrogen peroxide in water) and about 1 part hydrochloric acid (provided as commercially available hydrochloric acid, which is about 29 weight percent HCl in water). The final solution will comprise about 92 weight percent water, about 4.3 weight percent hydrogen peroxide, and about 4.1 weight percent hydrochloric acid.
The H2O2/NH4OH solution will typically be formed by mixing about 10 parts water with about 1 part hydrogen peroxide (the 30 weight percent hydrogen peroxide) and about 1 part ammonium hydroxide (provided as commercially available ammonium hydroxide, which is about 29 weight percent NH4OH in water). Accordingly, the final solution will typically comprise about 95 weight percent water, about 2.5 weight percent hydrogen peroxide, and about 2.4 weight percent ammonium hydroxide.
The solutions discussed above are typically utilized at a temperature of from about 50° C. to about 75° C.
Although FIG. 2 shows the etch of the metal nitride material (24 of FIG. 1) as being highly selective relative to materials 18 and 26, such is typically not the case. Instead, some of materials 26 and 18 are removed during the etching of material 24. Removal of materials 26 and 18 decreases the height of materials 18 and 26, and can also increase the width at the upper locations of openings 36 relative to the lower locations of openings 36.
The non-selectivity of the etch becomes increasingly problematic as an aspect ratio of openings 36 increases. In modern processing, it can be desired that material 18 have a thickness of 20,000 Å or more, and that openings 36 are formed to have a width of from about 30 Å to about 150 Å. Accordingly, openings 36 are long capillaries. Etching within the capillaries is slower than etching of surfaces external to the capillaries (with the etching frequently being nearly eight-times slower in the capillaries than along surfaces external to the capillaries). Accordingly, unless the etch for the material 24 (FIG. 1) is highly selective, there will be significant loss of materials 18 and 26 during the etch. Such is a problem with conventional etching processes.
The upwardly-open structures defined by material 26 can be storage nodes for capacitor constructions. The two illustrated storage nodes are labeled as 27 and 29, respectively.
Referring to FIG. 3, the material 18 remaining after formation of openings 36 (FIG. 2) is subjected to an isotropic etch to remove the material 18 from between storage nodes 27 and 29. Since the etchant solution can penetrate into openings 36 (FIG. 2) the material 18 between structures 27 and 29 is subjected to etching from all sides during the isotropic etch, whereas the material 18 over region 32 is subjected to etching from the upper surface only. The material 18 over region 32 is thus removed more slowly than the material 18 between structures 27 and 29. Accordingly, some of material 18 remains over region 32 after removal of all of the material from between structures 27 and 29. It is desired to leave material 18 over region 32 after the isotropic etch of material 18, so that the material 18 can protect circuit device structures (not shown) associated with region 32 during subsequent processing.
The structure shown in FIG. 3 is an idealized prior art structure, and a "hoped for" structure during the processing of FIGS. 1-3. The structure can result if openings 36 (FIG. 2) have a low enough aspect ratio, so that the non-selectivity of the prior art etch does not significantly impact the height of material 18 during removal of material 24 (FIG. 1) in formation of openings 36 (FIG. 2). However, if the openings have a high enough aspect ratio, the non-selectivity of the etch will significantly reduce the height of material 18 during formation of openings 36. If the height of material 18 is reduced too much, the desired structure of FIG. 3 will not result. Instead, material 18 will be removed from over both of regions 30 and 32 during the isotropic etch of material 18.
Referring to FIG. 4, a capacitor dielectric material 40 and a second capacitor electrode 42 are formed over capacitor storage nodes 27 and 29. Capacitor dielectric material 40 can comprise any suitable material, or combination of materials, including, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, and various high-K materials. Electrode 42 can be formed of any suitable conductive material, including, for example, conductively-doped silicon, and/or various metals, and/or various metal compounds. If material 26 comprises undoped silicon at the processing stage of FIGS. 1-3, the silicon will typically be conductively-doped prior to formation of dielectric material 40 and electrode 42. Such doping can be accomplished utilizing various suitable methods including, for example, an implant directly into material 26.
Conductive material 42 is spaced from conductive material 26 by dielectric material 40, and accordingly conductive material 42, dielectric material 40 and storage nodes 27 and 29 form a pair of capacitor constructions 44 and 46. The capacitor constructions can be connected with transistor devices (not shown) and utilized as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells, as will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art. Materials 40 and 42 are not shown extending over peripheral region 32 in the shown aspect of the prior art. However, it is to be understood that the materials 40 and 42 could also be formed over peripheral region 32 in accordance with some prior art methodologies.
A difficulty in conducting the above-described prior art processing occurs during removal of material 24 (FIG. 1), and results from a lack of a suitably selective etch chemistry having a sufficiently high etch rate to perform in high aspect ratio features. It is therefore desired to develop new etch chemistries having higher selectivity for metal-containing materials (such as, for example, metal nitrides) relative to silicon nitride, silicon dioxide and/or doped silicon oxide.

Methods of removing metal-containing materials


Disclosed are clear antiperspirant or deodorant compositions that include visible capsules.

Antiperspirant and deodorant compositions are well known personal care products. The compositions come in a variety of forms and may be formulated, for example, into aerosols, pumps, sprays, liquids, roll-on, lotions, creams, gels, and sticks (both hard and soft).
It is known that clear antiperspirant and deodorant compositions are desirable for aesthetic reasons. Three techniques generally have been used to provide such clear compositions. One technique involves matching the refractive indices of two immiscible phases in an emulsion. A second technique involves solidifying a solution with an clear gellant. A third technique involves forming a microemulsion of immiscible components.
Various cosmetic products containing microcapsules are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,534,091 discloses several types of products that contain a microcapsule formed with chitosan. However, no clear antiperspirant gel products containing visible capsules are known. This may be due to the problems associated with preparing compositions that maintain the desired clarity, while avoiding undesirable aesthetic attributes such as gritty feel and flaky film residues.

Clear personal care compositions containing visible capsules


A subnetwork of client computers includes a designated relay host computer that communicates through a firewall with an outside server computer located within the same computing environment or over an Internet connection. A specially-designated URL on the server is used when the relay host requests that a downlink connection be kept alive indefinitely with the server computer. The server receives the HTTP request and activates a continuous heartbeat program. Heartbeat messages are sent continuously from the server computer to the relay host to keep the downlink connection open indefinitely. When the server needs to send an urgent message to the client computers it can do so immediately by using the already open downlink connection. The relay host forwards messages to the other component client computers in the subnetwork. The relay host may also use a proxy server. The downlink connection uses a standard request-reply protocol.

In a client/server computer network environment the client computers are typically separated from the server computer by a firewall that protects the client computers from any unauthorized tampering. The server computer might be part of the same corporate intranet as the client computers but located on a different network segment, or might be located anywhere in the world. Whether the network environment is part of a corporate intranet or is connected to the Internet, use of a firewall prevents unauthorized access to the client computers that might originate from within the intranet or from anywhere on the Internet. Such use of a hardware or software firewall is well known.
In such a typical client/server network environment a client makes a connection to the server, requests a service, the server replies to client and then the connection is closed. An example of this request-reply type protocol is the HTTP/HTTPS web protocol. Using such a protocol, a server would not be able to open a connection to a client computer behind firewall of its own accord. Unfortunately, in many situations it would be desirable to allow a server computer to proactively deliver a time-critical message to a client computer behind firewall without waiting for a client to establish a connection and make a request first.
For example, when a new computer virus outbreak occurs certain companies track such an outbreak and are in a good position to alert their clients to take protective action. It would be desirable to deliver an urgent message within minutes to any number of their client's client computers advising them to make a configuration change, even before the new virus update or virus pattern is available to more effectively counteract the new virus. Once the new virus pattern is available, it is also important to be able to deliver these patterns as quickly as possible to client computers. Other situations where it would be desirable to deliver an urgent message to client computers include immediate delivery of security policies and general command messages in order to immediately enforce such policies.
Prior art techniques do not adequately address these needs while at the same time preserving the integrity of the purpose of the firewall. In some situations each client computer behind the firewall maintains an active connection to the server computer outside the firewall at all times through polling. But, polling is very resource intensive technique and not very scalable. It is not uncommon to have hundreds of client computers behind a firewall; it is not practical to have each client continuously poll the server to see if there are any urgent messages. Even if polling were successful, if polling happens only every five minutes for each computer, then an urgent message might be delayed by as much as five minutes. Other techniques, such as custom protocols, rely upon opening "a hole" in the firewall to allow for an active connection from the server computer to a client computer, thus accommodating any urgent messages. For example, one company opens a dedicated DNS port in the firewall to allow such urgent communications. But, such an open port makes the firewall and the client computers behind it more vulnerable to exploitation from the outside.
Given the need to deliver such urgent messages to client computers behind a firewall, and the inadequacy of prior art techniques, a solution is desired.

Proactive delivery of messages behind a network firewall