A digital seismic sensor adapted to be connected, via a two-conductor line, to an acquisition device. The digital seismic sensor includes: a digital sensor; a local sampling clock providing a sampling frequency; a receiver for receiving command data coming from the acquisition device and synchronization information providing accurate timing information to enable seismic sensor synchronization; a compensator for compensating, as a function of the synchronization information, a drift of the local sampling clock; a transmitter for transmitting seismic data towards the acquisition device; a driver for driving the receiver and the transmitter, according to a half-duplex transmission protocol over the two-conductor line and using a transmission clock extracted from the received command data; a power receiver for receiving electrical power; and a coupler for coupling the command and synchronization information receiver, the transmitter and the power receiver to the two-conductor line.

Seismic data acquisition systems conventionally use cabled networks comprising electronic units whereto ground movement sensors are connected.
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a seismic data acquisition system according to a first known solution, based on the use of analog sensors 4.
For the sake of simplification, each reference 4 designates an analog sensor and its corresponding housing and casing (as detailed below with FIG. 6).
To collect the seismic data (geophysical data), one or a plurality of seismic sources (not shown in FIG. 1) in contact with the ground are activated to propagate omni-directional seismic wave trains. The sources may among other things consist of explosives, falling weights, vibrators or air guns in marine environments. The wave trains reflected by the layers of the subsurface are detected by the analog sensors 4, which generate an analog signal characterising the reflection of the waves on the geological interfaces of the subsurface.
The analog sensors 4 are generally referred to using the term "analog geophones". As shown in FIG. 6, they are generally interconnected in groups of sensors by a two-conductor line 5 (or a three-conductor line for a serial-parallel configuration) to form clusters referred to as "strings of analog geophones". To this end, each analog geophone is mounted in a mechanical housing (or cartridge) 62. This mechanical housing 62 of analog sensor is inserted with mechanical tolerances inside a casing 61 (made of plastic in general) which shape is dependent of the type of area to investigate (marsh, land . . . ). The two-conductor line 5 is usually moulded to the casing 61.
Each of the strings is connected to an acquisition device 3 (several strings can be connected to the same acquisition device). To this end, the acquisition device is also mounted in a mechanical housing which comprises a connector 63 with two contacts, adapted to cooperate with a connector 64 of the same type placed on the two-conductor line 5 (i.e. the cable of the string).
A string of analog geophones allows to filter the noise (spatial filtering), since the analog information circulating on the two-conductor line 5 (towards the acquisition device 3) is the average of measurements made by each of the analog geophones.
The acquisition devices 3 are generally referred to using the term "Digitizer Unit". They are interconnected by a cabled network (e.g. a four-conductor line), perform the analog to digital conversion of analog signals coming from the groups of sensors and send the resulting digital seismic data to a central recording system 1 (also referred to using the term "central data processing unit"), via intermediate collection devices 2 (also referred to using the term "concentrator device"). The central recording system 1 is usually onboard a recording truck.
The acquisition devices 3 also performs other functions, notably: synchronisation with the central recording system 1, processing of the seismic signal and interfacing with the digital network (i.e. transferring seismic data to the central recording system 1, receiving and processing commands received from the central recording system 1).
FIG. 2 illustrates schematically a seismic data acquisition system according to a second known solution, based on the use of digital sensors 20. Identical elements are designated by the same numerical reference sign.
The digital sensors 20 are generally referred to using the term "Digital Unit". Each digital unit includes a sensor which is a micro-machined accelerometer (also referred to using the term "MEMS-based accelerometer". MEMS being the acronym for "Micro-Electro-Mechanical System").
Comparing with FIG. 1, each digital unit replaces an acquisition device 3 and the string or strings of analog sensors 4 connected to it via a two-conductor line 5. As the acquisition devices 3 of FIG. 1, the digital units 20 are interconnected by a cabled network (e.g. a four-conductor line) and send the digital seismic data to a central recording system 1, via intermediate collection devices 2.
In a known alternative embodiment, the acquisition device 3 or the digital sensors 20 use a wireless network to communicate with the intermediate collection devices 2 and/or the central recording system 1.
In another known alternative embodiment, the acquisition device 3 or the digital sensors 20 use have a memory sufficient for a later seismic data harvesting.
The digital sensors offer advantages over analog sensors (particularly in terms of bandwidth and sensibility stability). However, the solution of FIG. 2 is not optimal if one wishes to make an acquisition with a high number of digital sensors (for example a thousand digital sensors, and thus a thousand digital units 20) by acquisition line (each acquisition line being connected to an intermediate collection devices 2). Indeed, in this case, all the digital units of an acquisition line are connected in series, which requires a robustness of each digital unit (in quality design and manufacturing, which is expensive).
In addition, the solution of FIG. 2 can not have multiple-sensor strings on a same acquisition line (as opposed to the solution of FIG. 1, with strings of analog geophones). However, there are advantages to use a string of digital geophones, notably:                a higher fidelity and stability of measures; and        a string of analog geophones gives a measure which is the average of the measurements, while a string of N digital geophones gives N measures. The access to these N measures allows for a spatial filter (combination of the N measures) more effective.
At least for these reasons, and for cost reasons, the inventors have come to the conclusion that it would be interesting to implement strings of digital sensors, using the well-proven string technique comprising a two-conductor line 5 (i.e. the cable of the string) and associated connectors 63, 64, casing 61 and housing 62 (see FIG. 6).
In a particular embodiment, the proposed solution should also allow to connect only one digital sensor to the acquisition device, via a two-conductor line (i.e. a connection according to a bus topology, also referred to as a branch topolgy).
Unfortunately, there is currently no solution as discussed above, combining the concepts of string and digital sensor. In other words, it is not possible today to use the existing cable (two-conductor line 5) of the strings by replacing, in mechanical housing (or cartridge) 62 of analog sensors, these analog sensors by digital sensors.
As explained above, this mechanical housing 62 of analog sensors is inserted with mechanical tolerances inside a casing 61 (made of plastic in general) which shape is dependent of the type of area to investigate (marsh, land . . . ).
It must be noted that it is was not obvious for the Man skilled in the art, at the time the present invention was made, to fins a technical solution allowing to connect one or several digital sensors and an acquisition device together, using a two-conductor line usually used to connect one or several analog sensors, which further is a poor quality cable.
Indeed, currently, a given digital unit is connected to another digital unit, via a two pairs line cable, which is a good qualify (and therefore expensive) cable, by which:                the given digital unit receives electrical power (from mid-point of both pairs), used in particular by the digital sensor (MEMS-based accelerometer) included in the given digital unit;        the two pairs are connected to digital unit and are used in full-duplex mode: one pair as input for commands and synchronization (sampling clock); one pair as output for seismic data obtained by the digital sensor (MEMS-based accelerometer for example) included in the given digital unit (these seismic data being intended ultimately to the central recording system 1);        the given digital unit receives a sampling clock (common to tall digital sensors included in the various digital units), used by the digital sensor (MEMS-based accelerometer) included in the given digital unit. The original sampling clock is a high-precision clock (such as a quartz oscillator) contained in the central recording system 1. The digital units are frequency-dependent by means of a low phase noise analog phase lock loop (PLL) that extracts the sampling clock from the data. Low phase noise is mandatory to achieve accelerometer ultra low noise specifications. To achieve low phase noise with such a PLL, it is mandatory to always have data on the input pair hence to be in fall duplex mode. Indeed, periods with no data fed into PLL would lead to PLL drift and phase noise. That's the reason why using such a PLL imposes the use of two pairs.        the given digital unit sends at least quality control data or seismic data obtained by the digital sensor (MEMS-based accelerometer) included in the given digital unit (these seismic data or quality control data being intended ultimately to the central recording system 1);        the given digital unit receives command data (that the central recording system 1 sends to the given digital unit).
It is important to note that the Man skilled in the art is faced with the following dilemma: the digital sensor should receive the sampling clock via a poor quality (low cost) standard geophone cable (i.e a two-conductor line). But in the facts, this is impossible. Indeed, the noise on the line does not allow it. More precisely, the phase jitter of the data, and hence of the sampling clock after recovery by the PLL, on this cable would be too high. In other words, attenuation and distortion induced by such a cable degrade the temporal precision of a clock that would be transmitted on that cable. Moreover such a cable gets ("picks up") the ambient electronic noise that would degrade even more this clock.
The Man skilled in the art is faced with another problem: the use of a phase lock loop (PLL), in order to recover the sampling clock coming from the central recording system 1, induces a size which is not compatible with a desired objective of placing the digital sensor in a housing containing usually an analog sensor.
The use of a PLL also induces a great power consumption which is not compatible with a desired objective to reduce the power consumption of the acquisition device.
Thus, the Man skilled in the art has therefore no incentive to pursue the course of trying to combine the concepts of sensor string and digital sensors.

Digital seismic sensor and acquisition device adapted to be connected together via a two-conductor line


An optical film and a backlight unit having the same are disclosed. The optical film includes a base film and a first prism disposed on the base film, the first prism having a first peak height and a second prism disposed on the base film, the second prism having a second peak height. A difference between the first peak height and the second peak height is substantially 1 μm to 10 μm.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This document relates to an optical film and a backlight unit having the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) is an electronic device that changes various electrical information generated from various elements to visual information by using a change in a liquid crystal transmission and transfers it.
The general LCD comprises a liquid crystal panel that displays an image according to a drive signal and a data signal applied from an external source and a backlight unit disposed on a rear surface of the liquid crystal panel in order to illuminate the liquid crystal panel.
The backlight unit comprises a light source unit, a reflection sheet, and an optical film.
The light source generates light of a certain wavelength.
The reflection sheet reflects light that has not been made incident on the optical film, among light generated from the light source, to allow the light to proceed in the direction of the liquid crystal panel.
The optical film comprises a diffusion sheet, a prism sheet, and a protection sheet.
Light outputted toward the liquid crystal panel after being generated from the light source passes through the diffusion sheet. At this time, the diffusion sheet distributes the incident light, preventing the light from concentrating partially and making luminance uniform.
As the light passes through the diffusion sheet, its luminance is sharply degraded, so in order to prevent the degradation of the luminance, the prism sheet is used.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the prism sheet according to the related art, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a display state of the liquid crystal panel when the prism sheet in FIG. 1 is used.
With reference to FIG. 1, the prism sheet 10 comprises a prism support unit 20 and a plurality of prism configuration parts 30 formed side by side on the entire surface of the prism support unit 20.
The prism configuration parts 30 comprise side parts each with a first side 32 and a second side 34 and substantially having an equilateral triangular shape when viewed from the front side. The angle between the first and second sides 32 and 34 is generally 90°, and may vary according to a selection.
As the plurality of prism configuration parts 30 are continuously formed on the prism support unit 20, there are formed valleys 38 and peaks 36 alternately. Light made incident on the prism support unit 20 of the thusly constructed prism sheet 10, it is refracted while passing through the prism configuration parts 30. Accordingly, the light made incident at the low angle is concentrated toward the front side, enhancing luminance within the range of an effective viewing angle.
However, when the prism configuration parts 30 of the related art prism sheet 10 contact with a smooth surface of a different optical film, traces remain on one surface of the optical film according to the configuration of the peaks 36 of the prism configuration parts 30, causing a wet-out phenomenon that the optical film is damaged, which results in appearance of bright lines 40a that a corresponding portion is seen brighter than a peripheral portion when viewed from an outer side of the liquid crystal panel 40.
In addition, when the wet-out phenomenon occurs as the prism configuration parts 30 contact with the different optical film, the configuration of the peaks 36 may be deformed because the peaks 36 come in contact with the optical film.
Moreover, the screen display capability deteriorates because a moiré phenomenon occurs due to interference of periodical patterns between pixels constituting the liquid crystal panel 40 and the prism configuration parts 30 of the prism sheet 10 and also because of a Newton's ring phenomenon.

Optical film and backlight unit having the same


Disclosed is a photothermographic material comprising a support having disposed on a surface thereof, a non-photosensitive silver source, a photosensitive silver halide, and a reducing agent, and having disposed another surface thereof at least one non-photosensitive layer, wherein at least one of the non-photosensitive layers contains at least one type of gelatin having an isoelectric point of from 5.0 to 9.5; and a method for processing the photothermographic material.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photothermographic material (this may be hereinafter referred to as "photographic material"), in particular to that favorable for medical diagnosis, industrial analysis, industrial photography, printing or COM.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reduction of the amount of waste after development and fixing of films for medical diagnostics and photographic printing has been strongly demanded in recent years in view of environmental preservation and for saving work space. Accordingly, technologies related to photothermographic materials are urgently required for providing films for medical diagnosis and photographic printing, by which efficient exposure is possible using a laser image setter or laser imager to form clear monochromatic images with high resolution and sharpness. No liquid chemicals are needed for development and fixing when the photothermographic materials is used, making it possible to supply to customers a photothermographic systems that is more simple and friendly to the environment.
The same applies to the field of general purpose image forming materials, which, however, differ from those in the field of medical diagnosis. Specifically, photo-images for medical diagnosis must clarify the details of body parts and therefore must have sharp and good image quality with fine graininess.
To photosensitive materials, dye is generally added and it serves as a filter dye or acts for antihalation or anti-irradiation. In general, the dye added to photosensitive materials functions while the photographic materials are exposed to have an image thereon, and it is completely removed while the materials are developed. After developed, therefore, the images formed on the photosensitive materials should not be stained with the dye that is not removed but has still remained therein after development. If having still remained in the processed photographic materials, the dye absorbs some visible light to thereby stain the images formed on the processed photosensitive materials.
In conventional wet development, it is relatively easy to remove the dye from the processed photosensitive materials into the processing solutions. However, in dry development such as heat development, the dye is difficult to remove. To overcome the problem, a method of decolaring the dye by heat during heat development has been proposed. For example, JP-A No. 11-352626 discloses a technique of decolaring the dye in processed photothermographic materials, which comprises controlling the melting point of a base precursor in the materials and decolaring the dye in the processed materials by the action of the base formed during the step of heat-developing the materials.
However, this technique does not satisfy some customers' demand for more rapid heat development of photothermographic materials. The drawback of the technique is that dye erasure in developed photothermographic materials is unsatisfactory and some dye still remains in the processed materials.
In the technique proposed, if an excess amount of a base precursor is in the photothermographic materials in order to improve the dye erasure in the processed materials, it causes another problem in that water drops given to the images of the processed materials leave their traces thereon, or that is, the water resistance of the processed materials worsens.

Photothermographic material and method for processing the same


The apparatus comprises a metering roller (7) for the metered supply of liquid developer to an applicator roller (10). A profiled roller (11) is provided for pressing the photosensitive stock against the applicator roller. The profiled roller has a cylindrical core (12). The outer surface of the core is completely covered with a coating (13) of a permanently elastic material. The surface of the coating remote from the core is provided with projecting, mutually staggered, substantially conical or pyramidal nubs (14). The nubs are made of the same permanently elastic material as the coating. A pressing roller (17) rests against the profiled roller and, in the direction of travel designated from I to O of the stock to be developed, precedes the point of contact of the profiled roller against the applicator roller. Stock inserted at I is grasped at the point of contact (19) between the pressing roller and the profiled roller and conveyed on. Because of the soft nubs and the relatively light bearing pressure of the pressing roller, the stock to be developed can be shifted or straightened before it comes in contact with the liquid developer. Adjacent nubs have the tendency to spread apart in the region of the points of contact with either the pressing roller or the applicator roller. An additional tightening of the stock to be developed is thereby produced between these nubs. Especially at the applicator roller, this leads to extremely uniform application of the liquid.

This invention relates to apparatus for developing one face of photosensitive sheet or strip stock, of the type having a metering roller for the metered supply of developer liquid to an applicator roller, a profiled roller for pressing the stock against the applicator roller, as well as guide means for feeding and guiding the stock.
The invention relates particularly to apparatus for moistening one side of sheets or of paper strips.
Prior art apparatus of this kind is utilized in copying equipment, for example, in which it is intended for developing diazotypes.
Apparatus of this type is diagrammatically depicted and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,620. It contains a metering roller made of a metal core surrounded by a plastic sheath. The sheath is provided with fine, helical grooves. The metering roller transfers liquid developer to an applicator roller consisting of a metal core and a smooth rubber sheath. Pressing against the applicator roller is a profiled roller comprising a metal core and a sheath of profiled rings ranged side by side. Each of the profiled rings has outwardly projecting profiles on its outside surface, preferably pyramid-shaped points, regularly distributed over the circumference and repeated n times. Each two adjoining rings are twisted by a certain angle relative to one another.
By means of the profiled roller utilized in this apparatus, it is intended to press the diazo paper uniformly against the applicator roller, the surface of the profiled roller having to remain as dry as possible in the absence of copy stock so that moistening of the back of a copy to be developed can be prevented.
It is proposed to make the profile rings of plastic or metal. The pyramid-shaped points are relatively hard and non-elastic.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,475, reference is made to difficulties which arise with the aforementioned profiled roller. With very wide copiers which are customarily used for making diazotypes, because of sagging of the rollers, the forces acting upon the copy to be developed are not uniform over the entire length of the nip between the applicator roller and the profiled roller. Even small differences in the amount of liquid developer applied to the diazo layer cause fairly great differences in color intensity in the developed copy. Well developed locations alternate with locations developed weakly or not at all. In order to eliminate this problem, it is proposed to divide the profiled roller into a number of partial rollers joined to one another by connection elements in such a way that adjacent partial rollers are displaceable radially to one another. Associated with each partial roller is a spring element intended to press the partial roller against the applicator roller.
A drawback of this second prior art apparatus is the relatively complicated and expensive design, as well as the fact that between the individual partial rollers, where the spring elements engage, there are gaps in which the copy stock is not pressed against the applicator roller. The formation of streaks on the developed copy is possible.


Surge protection is achieved in a turbine engine intended to provide varying quantities of bleed air and having two compressor stages (48, 36) by providing the inlet (56) of the first stage (48) with variable inlet guide vanes (58, 60). The first stage compressor (48) is a high specific speed, single stage centrifugal compressor whose stable operating characteristics are highly sensitive to inlet guide vane geometry, thereby allowing variations in such geometry to be employed to prevent compressor surge.

Gas turbine engines are utilized for a large variety of purposes including propulsion by thrust, propulsion by mechanical coupling, driving accessories requiring a rotary input, providing compressed air, and combinations thereof. The compressed air provided is known as "bleed air" because it is bled from the turbine engine at some location following partial or total compression by a rotary or centrifugal compressor utilized in such engines. It may be utilized for a variety of purposes. For example, in an aircraft, it may be utilized for cabin ventilation, deicing, main engine starting, etc.
In any event, many of the uses to which bleed air is put are variable in the sense that quantity of bleed air required for a given use will vary over a period of time. At the same time, the demand for air to support combustion for operation of the turbine engine will remain essentially constant. As a consequence, a decrease in the demand for bleed air, without more, can result in so-called compressor surge or backflow that will occur because of the presence of a higher pressure in the combustor for the engine than in the diffuser for the combustor.
As is well known, this results in unstable operation of the turbine engine.
To avoid this problem, the prior art has resorted to the use of, for example, surge protection valves which are operable to open a flow path through which bleed air in excess of that demanded at a particular time may be dumped to prevent compressor surge. This method providing surge protection is satisfactory in preventing surge from occurring but requires that the turbine engine operate for a greater period of time at or near a full load condition. This relatively high loading on the engine reduces engine life and in addition, consumes unnecessarily large quantities of fuel.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.

Surge protected gas turbine engine for providing variable bleed air flow


The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a customized picture framing apparatus and method of making the same. The framing apparatus includes a window, a picture affixed to the window, and a custom cut piece of glass attached to the window through the application of an adhesive material to at least one of the sides of the custom cut piece of glass. Decorations such as paint, a decorative pattern, and three-dimensional items may be added to the framing apparatus.

Photo and picture frames are well known. Various embodiments of known photo and picture frames include an ornamental design for a clock with photo frame (U.S. Pat. No. D473,145), various ornamental designs for photo frames (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. D462,840, D455,565, D441,547, D448,308), a photo postcard display (U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,233), a photo frame pen (U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,828), a photo frame with build in mini-fan (U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,950), and a picture frame and method of forming same (U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,439), to name a few.
A photo or picture frame is commonly used as a means for displaying one or more photographs and/or pictures. Many individuals place a photo and/or picture frame in a place of prominence, which ensures easy and routine viewing of favorite photographs and/or pictures. Typically, such a photo or picture frame is of a particular geometric shape (e.g., square, rectangular, circular, etc.) and has an opening on what would be considered the back or rear, with said opening being particularly adapted for receiving photographs and/or pictures. Perhaps the most common type of such photo or picture frames also includes a collapsible stand for supporting the frame, and/or certain and various means for hanging the frame.
Generally speaking, available photo and picture frames are quite similar, owing any marginal differences to the shape and size of the frame itself. Perhaps the single most important reason that available photo and picture frames are so uniform in their appearance, design and manufacture is because it is desired by many that such frames allow for photographs and pictures to be easily removed and replaced. This remove and replace functionality is prized by some because of the inevitable former friend, significant other, or spouse whose photo is no longer wished to be displayed. Yet, the desire for such replace and remove functionality has lead to an industry where virtually all photo and picture frames are similar in their design, function, manufacture and appearance. The fact that available photo and picture frames are virtually identical in design, function, manufacture and appearance has severely limited framing options and available choices for those interested in a creative, non-traditional and/or permanent way to display photographs and pictures.
Moreover, traditionally when someone has a photograph or picture that they want to frame they have to go out and find a frame to match the photo or picture. Matching original photographs, for example, with pre-existing, largely uniform frames can be particularly difficult and certainly limits artistic, aesthetic, functional and personal choices.
Accordingly, there is presently a need for a picture frame or photo frame that allows for creative, non-traditional and/or permanent ways to display photographs and pictures. Furthermore, there is presently a need for a picture frame or photo frame that matches, compliments and/or enhances the photo(s) or picture(s) selected for display. Still further, there is presently a need for a picture frame or photo frame that can be created and/or customized to match, compliment and/or enhance the photograph or picture.
None of the abovementioned inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is believed to describe in part or in whole the present invention.

Method and apparatus for framing photos and pictures


An encryption part or a decryption part of an encryption/decryption apparatus or a part common to both parts is used both for encryption and decryption of a datum to be stored and the encrypted memory content and for the generation of the address-individual key and the address-dependent key, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the decryption and encryption during write accesses to a memory, as it is used for securing data with chip cards or smart cards, for example.
2. Description of the Related Art
For protection against unauthorized spying out stored information, in various applications, the memory contents of the memory are encrypted. In the field of cashless payments, for example, amounts of money are stored on chip cards in encrypted manner, to protect it from unauthorized spying out or from manipulation, such as unauthorized amount changes.
An unauthorized person acquires the plain text underlying the encrypted information stored in the memory by statistical analysis of the cipher text stored on the memory, for example. This statistical analysis, for example, includes an analysis of the probability of occurrence of certain cipher text data blocks or the like. In order to make this statistical analysis more difficult, it is desirable that the same plain texts located at different memory positions of the memory in encrypted form are not present there in form of identical cipher text texts.
One possibility to ensure the encryption of plain texts at different memory positions into different cipher texts is to use the so-called cipher block chaining method for encryption, i.e. operating a block cipher in the CBC mode, as it is described in the Handbook of Applied Cryptography, CRC Press, NY, 1997, page 230, for example. In the CBC mode, the cipher text of the preceding plain text data block, such as the plain text data block with an address in the memory lower by 1 or higher by 1, is always employed for encryption of a plain text data block. The CBC mode has the disadvantage that an individual isolated datum in the memory can only be decrypted when the entire or at least part of the chain of the sequential data is decrypted. As a result, no direct access to data within the CBC chain is possible. Going through the cipher chain again costs valuable computation time and consumes unnecessarily much current, which is of disadvantage particularly with smart cards used in battery-operated devices, such as mobile phones, or with chip cards in which the customers of the chip card issuers demand as-short-as-possible transaction times at the terminals.
Another possibility to ensure that the same clear texts located at different memory positions are encrypted into different cipher texts is the generation of address-dependent keys for encrypting the plain texts. The use of address-dependent keys takes advantage of the fact that a fixed memory space, and thus a fixedly associated address, is associated with a datum to be stored and to be encrypted, and that the encrypted, stored datum is and remains stored exactly at this fixedly associated address until it is again read out on the basis of this address. From a present secret master key and the address information for a memory position or an individually addressable unit, an individual key with which the datum concerned can be encrypted in a write process and decrypted in a read process may now be generated.
On the basis of FIGS. 4 and 5, a previously possible construction of systems with address-dependent encryption, as it could be implemented previously, is described. FIG. 4 shows the rough construction of an arrangement with memory encryption. The arrangement includes a CPU 900, a cache memory 902, an encryption/decryption apparatus 904, and a memory 906. CPU 900 and cache 902 are connected to each other via a bus 908. The bus 908 includes an address bus 908a and a data bus 908b. Likewise, the cache 902 and the encryption/decryption apparatus 904 are connected to each other via a bus 910, which again consists of an address bus 910a and a data bus 910b, whereas the encryption/decryption apparatus 904 and the memory 906 are connected to each other via a bus 912 consisting of an address bus 912a and a data bus 912b.
In a write access, the CPU 900 now at first sends the ad-dress at which a datum is to be stored to the cache memory 902 via the address bus 908a. From there, the address proceeds further to the encryption/decryption apparatus 904, which again generates the address-individual key from the address, via the address bus 910a. The CPU 900 outputs the datum to be stored in unencrypted manner to the cache memory 902 on the data bus 908b. The cache memory 902 enters the pair of address and data to be stored, displacing another address/datum pair, and forwards the datum to be stored to the encryption/decryption apparatus 904. This encrypts the datum to be stored according to the address-individual key and outputs the cipher text for physical storage to the memory 906 via the data bus 912b.
In the read process, the CPU 900 outputs the address to the cache memory 902 via the address bus 908a. It at first looks up whether the current memory content of this address is present in the cache memory. In case of a cache miss, the address proceeds further to the encryption/decryption apparatus 904 via the address bus 910a. From the address, it in turn generates the address-individual key and outputs the address to the memory 906 via the address line 912a. The memory 906 returns the memory content of this address to the encryption/decryption apparatus 904 as a response, which in turn converts the cipher text read out from the memory 906 to plain text data on the basis of the address-individual key and outputs the same to the cache memory 902 via the data bus 910b. The cache memory 902 then updates its entries by displacement of another address/datum pair and outputs the decrypted plain text datum to the CPU 900 via the data bus 908b.
FIG. 5 illustrates the encryption/decryption apparatus 904 of FIG. 4 in greater detail. As can be seen, the encryption/decryption apparatus 904 includes an encryption unit 942, a key calculation module 944, and a decryption unit 946. The encryption unit 942 is provided to receive the blocks to be stored during store processes and to output encrypted blocks via the data bus 912b. Similarly, the decryption unit 946 is provided to receive blocks to be decrypted from the memory via the data bus 912b and to forward the same as decrypted blocks in the direction of CPU or cache via the data bus 910b. The key calculation module 944 is connected to the address busses 910a and 912a, which form a uniform address bus, as can be seen in FIG. 5. The key calculation module 904 is provided both during write and read processes, in order to convert the address on the address bus 910a or 912a to the address-individual key and output the same to a key input of the encryption unit 942 and the decryption unit 946, which in turn use this key for encryption and decryption themselves, respectively.
With the dashed line in FIG. 5, the encryption part 948 of the encryption/decryption apparatus 904 is again highlighted. As can be seen, the same includes the encryption unit 942 and the key calculation module 944. Each is in charge of a special task in the encryption, the encryption unit 942 for the encryption of the data block to be stored, and the key calculation module 944 for the generation of the address-individual key. Encryption unit 942 and key calculation module 944 each consist of hardware of their own, which is also different from the hardware of the decryption unit 946. Hence, address and block to be stored pass through physically different data paths in the encryption part 948, so as to obtain the address-individual key and the encrypted data block therefrom, respectively. Viewing the decryption part in isolated manner of course yields the like.
It is disadvantageous in the possibility of realization according to FIG. 5 that enormous hardware effort is required for memory backup. Hence, it would be desirable to have an encryption/decryption scheme for backed-up storage of data, which is less hardware-intensive in its realization or implementation. With chip cards and smart cards in particular, any saving in chip area does pay off extraordinarily, since these items are mass-produced items.
US 2002/0073326 A1 refers to the protection of stored data, using the memory address as an encryption key. As encryption key, the physical address, the logical address, or any other address depending on one of the two addresses in causal and predictable manner may be used.
EP 0 455 064 B1 is different from memory systems in which the stored data is protected using the memory address and undertakes protection of the stored data by providing, based on the data address of a datum to be stored or stored, at first a key address, which then points to a datum serving as an encryption key for the encryption of the datum to be stored or stored. According to a special embodiment, it is described that the provision of the key address takes place by setting bits of the data address to 0, whereupon the key address is used to generate an encryption key bit which is then subject to bit-wise XNORing with the byte stored in the data register. Furthermore, it is described that the generation of the encryption key byte takes place while the actual encryption of the datum from the data register is performed in an encryption circuit separate herefrom.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Decryption and encryption during write accesses to a memory


A system and method for minimizing memory corruption at power up and/or reset is provided. The system includes, a digitally controlled potentiometer between an adapter and the memory; and a voltage divider functionally coupled to the potentiometer. The voltage divider includes a pull-down resistor that brings down the voltage at one of the plural potentiometer pins, minimizing the chances of memory corruption at power up and/or reset. The method includes, setting the potentiometer to a resistance value such that upon power up and/or reset data cannot be written to the memory; and setting the potentiometer in an increment or decrement mode such that resistance between plural pins of the potentiometer can be increased or decreased allowing content to be written to the memory after power up and/or reset.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to host bus adapters, and more particularly, to minimizing corruption of memory used by host bus adapters.
2. Background of the Invention
A Host bus adapter (may also be referred to as "controller", "adapter" or "HBA") is an adapter placed between a host system computer bus and a network (fibre channel system, Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, or any other system). HBAs manage transfer of information between the host system and the network. To minimize the impact on host processor performance, HBAs perform various interface functions automatically or with minimal host processor involvement.
HBAs are connected to a host system via standard buses. One such bus is the Peripheral Component Interconnect ("PCI"), a standard bus developed by Intel Corporation®, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. PCI is a 64-bit bus, though it is usually implemented as a 32-bit bus. It can run at clock speeds of 33 or 66 MHz. At 32 bits and 33 MHz, it yields a throughput rate of 133 MBps.
PCI-X is another standard bus that is backward compatible with existing PCI cards. The PCI-X standard is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. PCI-X improves upon the speed of the PCI bus from 133 MBps to as much as 1 GBps. PCI-X was designed to increase performance of high bandwidth devices, such as Gigabit Ethernet and Fibre Channel.
Most HBAs are coupled to non-volatile random access memory ("NVRAM") that allows HBAs to move information from a host and to/from the network. The problem with conventional HBAs using NVRAM is that the NVRAM may be erased accidentally when the HBA is powered on.
Typically, NVRAM control inputs are driven by general-purpose input/out ("GPIO") pins from an HBA (or any other integrated circuit), which interfaces with a host system through a PCI backplane. At power up, and even sometimes during reset of the HBA, PCI backplanes drive noisy and non-deterministic waveforms on the RESET pin of the HBA. The GPIO pins can also drive unpredictable waveforms due to the PCI RESET behavior. One such waveform may issue an "ERASE" command to the NVRAM that erases NVRAM content.
As HBAs are being deployed in modern networks, with high bandwidth and performance requirements, such accidental erasure of information can be devastating to the overall performance of computing systems.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and system for preventing corruption of NVRAM information during power-up and/or reset.

Method and system for minimizing memory corruption


A plug for the speaker cables of the invention comprises a plug main body involving terminal loading slots for positive and negative polarities on the front thereof, loading slots for cables in response to both polarities on the rear thereof, and a hollow inside thereof, wherein first tongues for holding terminals functioning to hold speaker terminals are inserted from the terminal loading slots from the external surface thereof by spring action, second tongues for holding cables connected to the tongues for holding terminals and functioning to hold stranded wires of speaker cables are inserted from the cable loading slots from the external surface thereof by spring action, and third tongues for holding cables are formed so as to expand sections for holding cables by operating pieces disposed so as to be exposed outside the plug main body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug for speaker cables, and a speaker terminal by which the speaker cables for respective channels can be connected easily and exactly to the multichannel speaker terminal in an audiovisual field such as a home theater system and to a speaker terminal system composed of the plug and the terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the so-called home theater system by which the impact and sense of movie-like reality, that is, the sensation of a movie theater, has become widely prevalent. In a home theater system, a screen image is projected on a big screen in cooperation with acoustic effects in a delicate, highly real, and powerful manner, delivered from multichannel speakers, e.g., 5.1 channel speakers, which correspond to the screen image so that spectators can enjoy a screen image and acoustic effects which cannot be achieved by a conventional audio system. Accordingly, such a powerful home theater system as mentioned above is expected to become widely used rapidly.
In the above-described system, however, since a number of loud speakers having various sizes are used for realizing such impressive acoustic effects in multiple channels, there is such a problem that not only are connecting operations complicated just in the case where the connection for respective loud speakers is made by the use of terminals of a conventional lever type or the like, but also erroneous connection arises easily because the system involves multiple channels and multiple speakers.

Plug for speaker cables, and speaker terminal and speaker terminal system provided with them


The disclosure relates to drone user equipment (UE) indications that may be conveyed to a wireless network. In particular, a UE that has flight capabilities (i.e., capabilities to operate as an unmanned aircraft system) and optional further capabilities to report a current height level may indicate such capabilities to the wireless network. As such, the wireless network may differentiate the drone UE from other UEs that only operate on the ground. Furthermore, the optional current height level may enable the wireless network to differentiate among drone UEs operating at different heights and/or from other UEs that are operating on the ground. The wireless network may further use the information indicating the flight capabilities either alone or in combination with the optional height information to configure power control parameters, manage interference, provide mobility management functions, generate neighbor lists, control beamforming, or implement a radio resource configuration or management procedure.

Wireless communication systems have developed through various generations, including a first-generation (1G) analog wireless phone service, a second-generation (2G) digital wireless phone service (including interim 2.5G and 2.75G networks), a third-generation (3G) high-speed data, Internet-capable wireless service, and a fourth-generation (4G) service (e.g., Long-Term Evolution (LTE) or WiMax). A fifth-generation (5G) service (e.g., New Radio (NR)) has been proposed that aims to provide higher capacity than current 4G services, thereby allowing more mobile broadband users per area unit and higher or unlimited data quantities to be consumed per user.
There is currently a push to enable unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or, more commonly, as "drones," to operate on commercial LTE networks and networks of the future, including 5G. The goal is to enable future UAS operations, such as Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), as regulations evolve to permit them. The ability to fly beyond an operator's visual range could enable successful delivery, remote inspection, and exploration. Wireless technology can bring many advantages to drones such as ubiquitous coverage, high-speed mobile support, robust security, high reliability, and quality of service (QoS).
However, drones may operate at different radio conditions than devices on the ground, as interference conditions at higher altitudes differ from interference conditions on the ground. Furthermore, interference conditions can vary depending on the height at which a drone may be operating. In general, a wireless network may have difficulty differentiating between drones and ground devices and/or between drones operating at different heights. Furthermore, radio resource management (RRM) used to manage co-channel interference, radio resources, and other radio transmission characteristics in wireless communication systems may not be optimized to take into consideration the different radio conditions under which drones and ground devices operate.


A device enables a camstack in an appliance timer to be rotated without applying electrical power to the switches of the appliance. The device includes a knob having an elongated actuator extending from a lower surface of the knob to an outboard end, the elongated actuator having a shoulder between the outboard end of the elongated actuator and the knob, a camstack shaft for rotating a camstack used to selectively engage cam followers for controlling operation of an appliance cycle, the camstack shaft including a passageway for telescopically receiving the elongated actuator extending from the knob, a switch actuator having a hub and a radial flange, the hub having a passageway for receiving the outboard end of the elongated actuator up to the shoulder so the actuator is axially moved by depression of the knob, a switch having one contact mounted on one end of a resilient member configured to urge the one contact toward another contact to close the switch, and a slider having a first end and a second end, the first end of the slider contacting the radial flange of the switch actuator and the second end of the slider being coupled to the resilient member of the switch so that depression of the knob moves the radial flange of the switch actuator with respect to the first end of the slider to urge the resilient member and the one contact away from the other contact to open the switch.

Camstack timers have been used in many household appliances, such as dishwashers, clothes washers, clothes dryers, etc. These timers control the operational cycles of appliances by opening and closing switches to start and stop various motors, actuate various valves, and illuminate indicators. The switches ("camstack switches") are actuated and de-actuated as a timer motor turns a camstack, which is a cylindrical structure having undulations in its circumference. These undulations act as cams that move cam followers riding against the circumference of the camstack. The movements of these cam followers under the influence of the cam surfaces on the camstack result in the opening and closing of switches in switch assemblies. These switches, in turn, determine whether electrical current is applied to the motors, actuators, values, and indicators of the appliance.
To orient the camstack to an appropriate position to perform an operational cycle for the appliance, the camstack typically includes a shaft that extends beyond the surface of a control panel where a knob is mounted to the shaft. The knob usually includes an index mark that can be aligned with cycle indicia located on the control panel about the knob. Typically, the knob is rotated so the knob index is aligned with the cycle indicia that the operator wants the appliance to perform and then the appliance is activated. The timer motor then begins to rotate the camstack to operate the motors, actuators, valves, and indicators of the appliance to perform the selected cycle.
Manual rotation of the control knob to the position for selecting a cycle may adversely affect the components of the timer. For example, if electrical line power is available for application to the camstack switches by the interaction of the cams on the camstack and the cam followers, the switch contacts may experience damage from arcing as the contacts are closed and opened quickly. To address this risk of damage, some appliances have included dedicated manually operated line switches that are separate from the camstack timers. These separate line switches are manually moved by the operator to disconnect electrical line power from the timer switch assemblies before the control knob is rotated to the desired start position. Once the initial position is reached, the switch is moved to reapply electrical line power to the timer. However, operator error may result in the separate line switches not being used before the control knob is rotated to a position for cycle commencement.
More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,760 to Voland ("Voland") discloses, among other things, a camstack timer including a line switch such that alternative manual axial indexing of a control knob can alternatively open and close the line switch, while the camstack setting can still be manually adjusted by rotating the same control knob. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,982 to Hueber et al. discloses a timer mechanism with an improved clutch assembly. The device disclosed in this patent also includes a switch actuator that selectively disengages a set of electrical contacts based on axial position of a shaft within the camstack structure. This structure, however, requires operator movement of the shaft to both engage and disengage the electrical contacts. Additionally, the switch actuator is not fixedly linked to the contacts. Consequently, slippage and wear over time may result in the contacts becoming close enough to arc even though the shaft is in position to disengage the electrical contacts.

Camstack timer with momentary start switch


A door latch system comprises an interchangeable latch assembly for securing a door to a door frame. The interchangeable latch assembly comprises a head and a latch mounted to the head. The latch is moveable between latched and unlatched positions. A driven member is operatively connected to the latch, the driven member moveable to latch or unlatch the latch. The door latch system further comprises a universal actuating assembly removably couple-able to the interchangeable latch assembly. The universal actuating assembly comprises a mounting bracket and a driving member releasably coupled to the driven member. Actuation of the universal actuating assembly translates the driving member and the driven member, moving the latch to the unlatched position. A first interchangeable latch assembly may be swapped with a second interchangeable latch assembly without requiring modification of the universal actuating assembly.

Existing door latch systems, such as exit devices, incorporate a locking element, such as a latch, engageable with a mating strike. In unlocking, the latch of the exit device is required to rotate or retract out of the way of the mating strike to reach a state of being unlocked. The latch is typically mounted in a door and the strike in a door frame. However, the opposite may exist to equal effect.
Exit devices typically employ a push bar to enable unlocking of the latch system so as to enable door opening. Push bars allow users to open the door without necessarily requiring the use of their hands. Rather, the user's body can be used to push against the push bar until the latch is retracted from the strike. Alternatively or additionally, exit devices may also include an electrically actuable latch such that an electric current is supplied to the latch to withdraw the latch from the strike.
Doors associated with exit devices may be secured in the door frame through numerous possible latching heads such as, for example, a Pullman style latch head, a star wheel style latch head, a vertical rod style latch head or a mortise style latch head. In some cases, where an alternate means is used to secure the door, such as an electromagnetic lock system, a dummy "latch-less" head may be used.
Typically, each of these devices requires an entire, dedicated door latch system to be utilized with that particular style of latch head. As a result, numerous bulky systems must be fabricated and inventoried by a manufacturer or distributor so a desired door latch system is available when requested or needed. Further, special features, such as for example, a dogging feature to lock out the push bar, a push bar position sensor or a built in audible alarm, may be desired adding to the number of systems that must be fabricated and inventoried. In addition, if repair or reconfiguration of the door latch system in the field is required, replacement of the entire door latch system may be necessary.
Thus, what is needed in the art is a simplified door latch system, and especially a simplified door latch system that incorporates a universal actuating assembly configured to engage with one of a number of various interchangeable latch head assemblies such that fabrication and stocking requirements are reduced and ease of repair or reconfiguration is improved.
What is further needed is a door latch system with an assortment of available add-on accessories and features wherein the system is designed to readily incorporate any of the accessories/features, or not, depending on the end use needs of the system.
It is a principal object of the present invention to address these, as well as other, needs.

Interchangeable latch assembly for an exit device


A socket connector (1) includes an insulative housing (2) and a plurality of terminals (7) received in the housing. The housing defines a plurality of passageways (24) for accommodating the respective terminals. Each passageway forms a step (248) therein for dividing the passageway into a receiving channel (246) and an interfering channel (242). Each terminal defines a fastening portion (70) for securing the terminal in the passageway and the fastening portion forms a pair of shoulders (703) for interfering with the receiving channel. When the terminal is installed into the housing via the corresponding passageway, the shoulders are spaced from the step for forming some clearance between the shoulders and the step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a socket connector for electrically connecting an integrated circuit to a printed circuit board, especially to a land grid array socket connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern computer systems increase in performance and complexity at a very rapid pace, driven by intense competition and market demands. In order to meet ever-increasing performance requirements, the area and volumetric interconnect densities of electronic board assemblies must increase accordingly. In combination with other competitive forces, this demand has driven the need for improved high-density socket technologies in computer applications, and the connector industry has responded with a variety of new alternatives to meet these needs. One of the most attractive of the new connector types is the land grid array (LGA) socket connector, which permits direct electrical connection between an LGA integrated circuit and a printed circuit board. LGA socket connectors are an evolving technology in which an interconnection between mating surfaces of an IC or other area array device and a printed circuit board is provided through a conductive terminal received in the socket connector. Connection is achieved by mechanically compressing the IC onto the socket connector.
FIGS. 4–5 disclose a conventional socket connector 90 for electrically connecting an integrated circuit (IC) package 91 to a printed circuit board (PCB) 92. The conventional socket connector 90 comprises a plurality of contact terminals 93 received in an insulative housing 94, a stiffening body 95 surrounding the housing 94, a load plate 96 pivotably assembled with one end of the stiffening body 95 and a load lever 97 pivotably attached to the other end of the stiffening body 95. The housing 94 defines a recessed area 940 for receiving the IC package 91 therein and the recessed area 940 has a bottom wall 941. The housing 94 defines a multiplicity of arrayed passageways 942 through the bottom wall 941. Each passageway 942 forms an upper receiving channel 943 and a lower interfering channel 944. The interfering channel 944 is narrower than the receiving channel 943 and a step 946 is accordingly formed. Each terminal 93 includes a fastening portion 930 defining a pair of shoulders 931 at a top portion thereof. The fastening portion 930 further defines a plurality of protrusions 932 for interfering with the interfering channel 944. When the terminal 93 is installed into the housing 94, the shoulders 931 are secured in the receiving channel 943 and abut against the step 946, and the fastening portion 930 is interferentially received in the interfering channel 944. Each terminal 93 further includes a solder portion 933 extending from and substantially perpendicular to the fastening portion 930. A solder ball 934 is attached to the solder portion 933 for mechanically connecting the connector 90 on the PCB 92 by surface mounting technology (SMT).
However, when the connector 90 is shaken by an improper exterior force, the housing moves upwardly relative to the PCB 92, and the step 946 acts on the shoulders 931 directly. As the terminal 93 is soldered on the PCB 92, the force acted on the shoulders 931 by the step 946 will break the connection between the solder ball 934 and the PCB 92, and connection between the solder ball 934 and the solder portion 933. As a result, the conventional socket connector cannot provide reliable connection between the IC package 91 and the PCB 92.
Hence, a new socket connector which overcomes the above-described disadvantages is desired.


It is an object of the invention to provide print control apparatus and method such that at the time of a document processing in a non-recording mode, a recording medium is not left on a feed path. To accomplish the above object, only for a period of time during which a print menu is displayed on a display, when the recording medium is detected on a sheet sensor on the feed port side, a feed motor is rotated, thereby feeding the recording medium to a predetermined position. At a time point when the print menu is finished, when the recording medium is detected on the sheet sensor on the feed port side, the recording medium is delivered and the print menu is finished after that.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to print control apparatus and method and, more particularly, to print control apparatus and method to control a conveyance of a recording medium in accordance with a specified state.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, each of document processing apparatuses such as a word processor having a printer and the like has a keyboard 1, a display 2, a memory 3, a recorder 4, and the like as shown in FIGS. 8 to 12. A feed path of a recording medium in each of the above document processing apparatuses will be described hereinbelow.
The feed path of the recording medium in the document processing apparatus as shown in FIG. 8 is a type which is considered to be most general. The recording medium is inserted from an upper feed port 55a of the recorder 4 locating on the rear side of the display 2 and is delivered from an upper delivery port 55b on the front side of the upper feed port 55a.
According to the document processing apparatus shown in FIG. 9, the recording medium is inserted from a rear feed port 55a of a recorder 4 locating on a rear side of a display 2 and is delivered from the upper delivery port 55b.
According to the document processing apparatus shown in FIG. 10, the recording medium is inserted from the upper feed port 55a of the recorder 4 locating on the front side of the display 2 and is delivered from the upper delivery port 55b.
According to the document processing apparatus shown in FIG. 11, the recording medium is inserted from the feed port 55a on the rear side of the apparatus and is delivered from the upper delivery port 55b of the apparatus on the front side of the display 2.
According to the document processing apparatus shown in FIG. 12, the recording medium is inserted from the feed port 55a on the front side of the apparatus, passes along the feed path under the keyboard 1, reaches the recorder 4 located on the rear side of the display 2, and is delivered from the rear delivery port 55b of the apparatus.
Among the above feed paths, however, there are many feed paths each having a curved feed path to curve the recording medium to a certain degree. There are a few feed paths each having a feed path which rectilinearly feeds the medium in the horizontal direction and is suitable for a rigid and thick recording medium, so that they are inconvenient. As shown in FIG. 12, even in the document processing apparatus having the feed path to rectilinearly feed the recording medium in the horizontal direction, in case of an apparatus such that a feed port of the recording medium is provided on the front side of the apparatus and the feed path is provided under the keyboard 1, it is difficult to set a recording medium of a small size, and it is necessary to provide a space under the keyboard 1. Therefore, the position of the keyboard 1 is high and an operating efficiency deteriorates, so that it is inconvenient.
From the drawbacks mentioned above, a document processing apparatus having a feed path shown in FIG. 2 is devised. A recording medium is inserted from the feed port 55a locating on the lower side of the display 2, passes along the feed path on the keyboard 1, reaches the recorder 4 locating on the rear side of the display 2, and is delivered from the delivery port 55b on the rear side of the apparatus.
As a method of setting the recording medium of the conventional apparatuses having the various feed paths mentioned above, a method of manually feeding the recording medium by-a platen knob or a method of automatically feeding the recording medium to a predetermined position when the recording medium is detected as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-329166 or 5-294027 is used.
In case of a construction in which the portion on the keyboard is used as a feed path of the recording medium as shown in FIG. 2, however, if the construction such that when the recording medium is detected, the recording medium is simply fed as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-329166 or 5-294027 is used, when the recording medium is set during the execution of a process such as a document editing other than the printing or the like, the keyboard 1 cannot be depressed, so that it is inconvenient.
Further, a print menu is finished in a state in time which the recording medium is set in a recording apparatus, the recording medium remains on the keyboard 1. Unless the recording medium Is taken out, the keyboard 1 cannot be depressed, so that It is inconvenient. In case of a recording medium in which the platen knob to manually feed the recording medium is not equipped, the recording medium cannot be taken out from the recording apparatus, so that it is inconvenient.
Further, in case of an apparatus that adjusts the from the detection of the recording medium until the conveyance of the recording medium is adjusted in accordance with a degree of the user's skill as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 4-329166 or 5-294027, such a time has to be adjusted each time the user changes.


An ion implantation system and associated method includes a scanner configured to scan a pencil shaped ion beam into a ribbon shaped ion beam, and a beam bending element configured to receive the ribbon shaped ion beam having a first direction, and bend the ribbon shaped ion beam to travel in a second direction. The system further includes an end station positioned downstream of the beam bending element, wherein the end station is configured to receive the ribbon shaped ion beam traveling in the second direction, and secure a workpiece for implantation thereof. In addition, the system includes a beam current measurement system located at an exit opening of the beam bending element that is configured to measure a beam current of the ribbon shaped ion beam at the exit opening of the beam bending element.

In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, ion implantation is used to dope semiconductors with impurities. Ion beam implanters are used to treat silicon wafers with an ion beam, in order to produce n or p type extrinsic material doping or to form passivation layers during fabrication of an integrated circuit. When used for doping semiconductors, the ion beam implanter injects a selected ion species to produce the desired extrinsic material. Implanting ions generated from source materials such as antimony, arsenic or phosphorus results in "n type" extrinsic material wafers, whereas if "p type" extrinsic material wafers are desired, ions generated with source materials such as boron, gallium or indium may be implanted.
Typical ion beam implanters include an ion source for generating positively charged ions from ionizable source materials. The generated ions are formed into a beam and directed along a predetermined beam path to an implantation station. The ion beam implanter may include beam forming and shaping structures extending between the ion source and the implantation station. The beam forming and shaping structures maintain the ion beam and bound an elongated interior cavity or passageway through which the beam passes en route to the implantation station. When operating an implanter, this passageway is typically evacuated to reduce the probability of ions being deflected from the predetermined beam path as a result of collisions with gas molecules.
Dosimetry is the measurement of ions implanted in a wafer or workpiece. In controlling the dosage of implanted ions, closed loop feedback control systems typically are utilized in order to dynamically adjust the implantation to achieve uniformity in the implanted workpiece. Such control systems utilize real-time current monitoring to control the workpiece slow scan velocity. A Faraday disk or Faraday cup periodically measures the beam current and adjusts the slow scan speed to ensure constant dosing. Frequent measurement allows the dose control system to respond quickly to changes in beam current. The Faraday cup is located close to the workpieces, making it sensitive to the beam current actually dosing the workpieces.
The purpose of the dosimetry system is to know the amount of dopant being delivered to a workpiece and, in ion implantation applications, it is done by measuring electrical current (i.e., the beam current). If all the dopant particles carry the same charge value q, the number of dopant particles "n" delivered to a wafer per second is given simply by the measured electrical current (beam current) "I" (amps) as follows:n=i/(qe),where e is the value of electron charge, which is about 1.6×10−19 Coulomb. Normally all the ions carry a same charge value and the charge value, q, is a single integer. If the ion beam consists of ions of different charge states (including neutrals for which the charge value is zero), q is a weighted average of the charge values with its charge state distribution and the simple relationship provided above no longer holds. Since the charge state distribution of an ion beam can change (by charge exchange reactions which will be described in greater detail infra) and is very difficult to measure, especially since it may contain large portion of neutral atoms (which can not measured with any electrical methods), substantial effort is paid to keep the charge value in the ion beam at the initially intended single value.
Some processes, however, act to cause ions to change their initial charge value, and one such process is called a charge exchange reaction. When a high speed ion comes in close proximity to another molecule or atom, the ion may pick up an electron from the molecule or atom (i.e., an electron "picking up" reaction), or may loose an electron to the molecule or atom (i.e., a charge stripping reaction). The former reaction reduces the value of ion charge by 1, for example, a singly charged ion becomes a neutral, that is, an electrically neutral atom. The latter increases the value of ion charge by one, e.g., a singly charged ion becomes a doubly charged ion.
In ion implantation systems, effort is expended to prevent the frequent occurrence of these charge exchange reactions by maintaining the entire path of the ions at a high degree of vacuum, typically at <1×10−6 torr. However, in many ion implantation applications dealing with semiconductor manufacturing, a workpiece, a semiconductor wafer, is partially covered with a thin organic film called photoresist to mask certain areas and thereby selectively dope only a desired portion of the wafer. When high speed ions hit the photoresist layer on the wafer, some of molecular bonds in the organic film are broken and some of the released atoms form gas, most likely hydrogen gas. The amount of released gas can be substantial and may operation to degrade the vacuum level in the ion beam path, and in extreme cases almost 50% of the ions in the ion beam experience charge exchange reactions.
For each charge exchange reaction, there is a value called reaction cross section which describes a probability of the occurrence of the reaction under a unit density of residual atoms. The reaction cross section is given in the dimension of area (as its name suggests, usually in cm2), and its value changes in wide range by ion speed, ion charge value, ion mass and a residual gas atom. If one denotes the value of charge exchange cross section, σxy, for a reaction to change ion charge x to y, the fraction of the ion beam that has changed charge value from the original charge x to a final charge value y after passage through a gas layer is given as;fy≈3.3×1016p*L*σxy,where p is a vacuum pressure in torr, and L is the length of the passage in cm. The fraction of the original charge state x is given as:fx=1−(fx−1+fx−2+ . . . )−(fx+1+fx+2+fx+3+ . . . )and the second term on the right is for electron "pick up" reactions, while the third term is for stripping reactions.
Using the fraction of final charge, fy, one can calculate the average charge value after the passage of the gas layer as:qav=fx*x+{fx−1*(x−1)+fx−2*(x−2)+ . . . }+{fx+1*(x+1)+fx+2*(x+2)+ . . . }.For practical purposes, one can limit the final charge states to values between 0 and 3. For example, for a starting ion charge of +1 (x=1),qav≈(1−(f0+f2+f3))+{f0*0+f2*2+f3*3}.Further, when the ion beam energy is low enough for all the stripping reactions to be negligibly small (σ12≈σ13≈0) and the only charge exchange reaction is an electron picking-up, the formula becomes much simpler:qav≈1−f0.In this simplified example case, the formula for number "n" of dopant atoms is given by the measured beam current i:n=i/((1−f0)*e),i.e., number of dopant atom goes up by 1/(1−f0) for a same beam current.
The above example shows that to get actual number of dopant from a measured electrical beam current, we have to know f0, the fraction of charge exchanged ions, which is very difficult to know.
FIG. 1 shows a prior art ion implantation system, that employs pressure compensation for dosimetry control. An ion beam 9 exits an ion source 2, and is mass analyzed by a mass analyzer 3, and then directed toward an end station 5 that, in one example, is a batch system containing a plurality of workpieces 6 thereon. A Faraday cup 7 measures the ion beam reaching the wafers immediately behind the end station through a slit 8 on the disc. Since number of dopant particles arriving at the disc has to be calculated from a measured beam current at the Faraday 7 with the above formula that contains a factor f0 which in turn depends on the pressure in the beam path, this method uses an empirical correction to the measured beam current with an instantaneous pressure measured with an ion gauge 16 placed in a process chamber 15.
In this method, a proportionality factor between a beam current and number of atoms on wafer is empirically determined for each implantation condition, according to each implantation "recipe", that is: ion beam energy, mass, charge value, beam current and total dose level of the implantation. One shortcoming of this p-comp method is that the empirical factor has to be determined on each implant recipe prior to actual implantation and effort has to be made so that the factor stays unchanged for long time. Another challenge to this prior art solution is that the assumed functional approximation between a pressure and dose tends to break down at higher pressures. Because of this challenge, some users limit beam current to keep the approximation valid although it affects the productivity adversely.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an improved system and method for performing dosimetry control.

System and method of performing uniform dose implantation under adverse conditions


According to a voice recognition device of this invention, with respect to a keyword extracted by a voice recognition unit from a speech content by a user, display contents each displayed by an operation by the user and their respective numbers of display times are stored as history information, and a search level is set through determination of whether or not the same operations and displays have been made by a predetermined number of times or more. This makes it possible, at the next time the same keyword is extracted, to immediately present information of such a level that the user requires, and thus, detailed information necessary for the user can always be provided efficiently, so that the convenience of the user is enhanced.

With respect to voice recognition functions installed in car-navigation systems or the like, a passenger (user) generally specifies (or orders) a start of speech for the system. For that purpose, a button for ordering a start of voice recognition (hereinafter, referred to as a voice-recognition-start ordering unit) is displayed on a touch panel or mounted on a steering wheel. Then, the voice is recognized that is spoken after the voice-recognition-start ordering unit is pushed down by the passenger (user). That is, the voice-recognition-start ordering unit outputs a voice-recognition start signal, and a voice recognition unit, upon receiving that signal, detects from voice data acquired by a voice acquisition unit after reception of that signal, a voice period corresponding to the content spoken by the passenger (user) to thereby perform processing of voice recognition.
However, there is also a voice recognition device that always recognizes the content spoken by the passenger (user) even without a voice-recognition start order by the passenger (user). That is, even though not receiving a voice-recognition start signal, the voice recognition unit detects a voice period corresponding to each content spoken by the passenger (user) from voice data acquired by the voice acquisition unit and extracts feature values of the voice data in that voice period, to thereby repeatedly perform: processing for recognition on the basis of the feature values using a recognition dictionary; and processing for outputting a character string resulting from voice recognition or for searching a database on the basis of the character string to display a search result.
In Patent Document 1, for example, there is disclosed a voice recognition device in which voice recognition is performed by constantly inputting a voice spoken by a user, its recognition result is displayed, and thereafter, processing based on the recognition result is executed through a determination operation made by the user using an operation button.


A bumper and front rail assembly includes first and second front rails with a steel cross-member extending therebetween. The steel cross-member has a substantially U-shaped cross-section. A steel forward member is secured to the cross-member and spans the length thereof. The forward member is configured to act as a spring for elastic deformation against the cross-member in a low energy impact. First and second steel crush cans are disposed in the cross-member adjacent the first and second front rails, respectively. The crush cans are configured for improved energy management and can be used with or without the energy absorbing bumper system described.

Typically, vehicle bumpers comprise a primarily plastic and/or steel construction designed for elastic deformation up to a 5 mile per hour impact. These bumpers are typically not of sufficient structural integrity to dissipate substantial energy in a high energy impact; i.e., an impact between 5 and 40 miles per hour. Accordingly, since such bumper systems are typically 4-6 inches in depth, this 4-6 inches is wasted length which could be used for energy management. Also, such bumpers typically have insufficient structural integrity to generate a deceleration pulse significant enough to be sensed by a vehicle deceleration sensor for airbag deployment.
Another shortcoming of such bumpers is that offset frontal impacts create an energy pulse which is absorbed almost entirely in one of the front rails, and the energy management characteristics of the opposing front rail is not utilized.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a bumper and front rail assembly for a vehicle which deforms elastically in a low energy impact (less than 5 miles per hour), and absorbs a greater amount of energy in a high energy or high velocity impact in a manner sufficient to create a deceleration pulse which may be sensed for deployment of an airbag. It is further desirable to create a bumper and front rail assembly for a vehicle in which both front rails are used to dissipate energy in an offset frontal impact.
It is further desirable to provide an apparatus which effectively extends the length of the vehicle side rails without requiring redesign and retooling of the side rail assembly operation. Preferably, such apparatus will perform in crash tests as if the side rails themselves were physically extended in length for additional energy absorption.

Bumper and front rail assembly for vehicle


A channel allocating method for random access is disclosed, which is suitable for allocation of uplink RACH in a radio access network and by which random access processing performance in a radio access network is enhanced using RACH of new structure. The present invention includes the steps of setting up a channel area (Ic) dedicated for new access attempt among random access channels of a prescribed frame (t) and allowing a mobile terminal to attempt access to an access point via a prescribed random access channel corresponding to the channel area (Ic).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a channel allocating method for random access in uplink of a radio access network.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, a radio access network according to a related art consists of an access point (hereinafter abbreviated AP) and a mobile terminal (hereinafter abbreviated MT) attempting to access the AP via an air interface. In this case, FDMA, TDMA, CDMA, OFDMA, OFDMA-CDMA or the like can be used as the air interface.
In case that the MT attempts to transmit data in uplink (from MT to AP), an uplink resource needs to be allocated to the MT. To have the uplink resource allocated, the MT transmits a resource request packet (hereinafter abbreviated RR) to the AP via a random access channel (hereinafter abbreviated RACH).
Each MT that requests the uplink resource transmits the RR packet via RACH each frame until receiving a response of access success or failure from the AP. In this case, the frame is a medium access control 9 hereinafter abbreviated MAC) frame of a limited count.
Meanwhile, a result of an access attempt, i.e., the access success or failure (collision) is notified to the corresponding MT via an access feedback channel (hereinafter abbreviated AFCH) among downlink (from AP to MT) channels of a next frame.
Collision frequently occurs in the above-explained random access process since at least one or more MTs make access via the same RACH. Each of the MTs having the collision occurrences in the random access process should retransmit the RR packet to the AP. In this case, there are three RACH allocating methods according to the AP's scheme of processing the retransmitted RR packet as follows.
1. First RACH Allocating Method that AP Fixes the Count of RACH to Random 'n', [1]: HIPERLAN Type2; Data Link Control (DLC) Layer; Part 1: Basic Data Transport Functions, Broadband Radio Access Networks (BRAN), ETSI TS 101 761-1 V1.3.1, December (2001).
If a collision occurs when an MT transmits an RR packet to an AP via RACH, a window size (window size=frame count) is determined by binary exponential back-off algorithm according to the count of collision occurrences. The MT stands by during the determined window size and then retries a random access. Namely, after the duration of the frames of which count have been determined by the algorithm, the MT retransmits the RR packet to the AP via RACH.
Meanwhile, the random access via RACH is controlled by a contention window (hereinafter abbreviated CW) managed by each MT.
Each MT determines a size of CW by a retransmission count (a) of the RR packet according to the following manner.
First of all, the retransmission count in initial attempt is '0'. Hence, CW0 has a size corresponding to a RACH count (n) of a current frame.
On the other hand, the retransmission count (a) in retransmission has a value equal to or greater than '1'. Hence, the size of CW becomes 256 (2a≧256), 2a (n<2a≦256) or n (n≧2a) according to the retransmission count (a) of the RR packet for access re-attempt.
Meanwhile, for the control of random access via RACH, the MT determines the size of CW using the retransmission count (a) of the RR packet and then selects a uniform distribution random variable (r) between the CW sizes according to '1' and the retransmission count (a). In this case, the selected 'r' becomes the number of RACH the MT attempts to access.
In the first allocating method, the count (n) of RACH in each frame is not changed.
2. Second Method of Allocating RACH Dynamically Using Split Algorithm:
[2] Peter Mathys and Philippe Flajolet, "Q-ary Collision Resolution Algorithm in Radio-Access Systems with Free or Blocked Channel Access", IEEE Transactions on Information Theory, Vol. IT-31, No.2, March 1985;
[3] D. Petra, A. Kramling, and A. Hettich, "MAC Protocol for Wireless ATM: Contention Free versus Contention Based Transmission of Reservation Requests", 7th IEEE PIMRC, 1996; and
[4] Benny Van Hooudt and Chris Blondia, "Analysis if an Identifier Splitting Algorithm Combined with Polling (ISAP) for Contention Resolution in a Wireless Access network", IEEE Journal on Selected Area in Communications, Vol.18, No.11, November 2000.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example of allocation of random access channel (RACH) according to a related art, in which RACHs are allocated dynamically using split algorithm.
Referring to FIG. 1, after MTs of a set Qi have attempted random accesses via RACHs of a frame t, a contention resolution period corresponding to prescribed frames following the frame t is given to MTs of collision occurrence among the MTs of the set Qi. In this case, 'Qi' represents a set of MTs having made random access to a frame i.
In the second allocating method, the count of RACH differs in each frame.
And, the second allocating method is explained in detail as follows.
First of all, MTs of a set Qt having attempted random access via transmission of RR packet in the frame t are divided into MTs succeeding in access and MTs failing (colliding) in access.
The MTs (succeeding in access) having collision occurrence of the transmitted RR packets among the MTs of Qt acquire uplink resources from AP, i.e., prescribed channels.
In contrast, for the MTs (failing in access0 having the collision occurrence of the transmitted RR packets among the MTs of Qt, a contention resolution period begins in the AP.
Meanwhile, the RACHs of the frame t, in which the access-failing MTs have transmitted the RR packets, i.e., the RACHs having the collision occurrence are split into m (≧2) in a next frame (t+1). For instance, if collisions occur in RACHs of c, the count of RACHs in the frame (t=1) becomes (c×m).
Hence, the MTs of 'j (≧2)' having the collision occurrence in attempting the random access to a random kth RACH in the frame t re-attempt random access via one of 'm' RACHs from which the kth RACH was split in a next frame (t+1). Namely, the kth RACH of the frame t is split into 'm' in the next frame (k+1) and the RR packet is transmitted via one of the m-split RACHs in the next frame (t+1).
Yet, if collision occurs in c′ RACHs in the frame (t+1), the RACH count in a frame (t+2) becomes c′×m.
Therefore, 'j' MTs having the collision occurrence in attempting the random access in the frame t can send RR packets after a frame p(≧1).
In the above-explained second allocating method, throughput (=count of RACHs succeeding in access/total count of RACHs allocated to one frame) becomes higher than that of the first allocating method. And, the retransmission time of the second allocating method for the MTs having the collision occurrence is shorter than that of the first allocating method.
3. Third Method of Allocating RACH Dynamically by Algorithm of Equation 1, [5]
[5] Gyung-Ho Hwang and Dong-Ho Cho, "Adaptive Random Channel Allocation Scheme in HIPERLAN Type2", IEEE Communications Letters, Vol.6, No.1 January 2002.r(t+1)=r(t)+α(Nf(t)−Ns(t))(1−Iidle(t))−Iidle(t)   [Equation 1]                r(t): Count of RACHs allocated to frame t        α weight        Nf(t): Count of RACHs colliding in random access in a frame t        Ns(t): Count of RACHs succeeding in access in a frame t        Iidle(t): '1' if no access to RACH in a frame t, '0' if not
The RACHs of the frame t are classified according to the result of the random access attempt of MTs, i.e., according to the success or failure (collision) of the random access.
In the third method, new RACHs amounting to the count of RACHs having the collision occurrence among total RACHs of the frame t are added to the frame (t+1). On the contrary, RACHs amounting to the count of RACHs succeeding in access among total RACHs are deleted from the frame (t+1).
For instance, if the count r(t) of RACHs of frame t is 10, if collisions occur in three of the RACHs, if five of the RACHs succeed in access, and if the rest two of the RACHs did not attempt random access, a count r(+1) of RACHs that will be dynamically allocated to the frame (t+1) is '10+3−5=8'.
Meanwhile, a minimum count of RACHS should be at least 1 each frame. Hence, if the count r(t+1) of RACHs of the frame (t+1) is smaller than 1, it becomes 'r(t+1)=1'.
If there was no access attempt to RACHs of the frame t, he count r(t+1) of RACHs of the frame (t+1) becomes 'r(t)−1'.
And, the MTs having the collision occurrence in RR packet transmission determine the size of CW by the retransmission count (a) of the RR packets like the first allocating method and then retransmit the RR packets.
In the third allocating method, the count of RACHs is variable each frame. And, throughput (=count of RACHs succeeding in access/total count of RACHs allocated to one frame) becomes similar to or slightly higher than that of the first allocating method. Yet, the retransmission time of the third allocating method for the MTs having the collision occurrence is longer than the retransmission time of the first allocating method.
However, the related art allocating methods have the following problems or disadvantages.
In the first allocating method, since the count of the RACHs is the same in each frame, in case that the MTs attempting the random access are in a fluidly situation, waste or shortage of channel resources may be brought about. Hence the throughput (=count of RACHs succeeding in access/total count of RACHs allocated to one frame) of the first allocating method is relatively lower than that of another allocating method. In case that the count of the RACHs is set excessively in a prescribed frame, it results in the waste of radio resources. In contrast, if the count of the RACHs is set lower than necessary in a prescribed frame, collisions of the MTs for the access attempt are raised to elongate the overall access time.
And, since the binary exponential back-off algorithm is used as the algorithm for the retransmission of the RR packets, unfair access opportunities are provided to the MTs having the collision occurrence and retransmission delay is considerable.
Moreover, since each of the MTs needs to calculate the window size (=frame count) necessary for the re-attempt of the random access using the binary exponential back-off algorithm, complexity in MT implementation is raised.
In the second allocating method, as the RACH is dynamically allocated using the split algorithm, the MTs having the collision occurrence in attempting the random access succeed in retransmission of the RR packets fast through a prescribed p(>1) frame. Yet, the transmission of RR packet for new random access is not allowed during the time for the retransmission of the RR packet (contention resolution period). Namely, random access of new MTs is not allowed for the n frames corresponding to the period for resolving the collisions occurring in the frame t in FIG. 1 but new random access is allowed in a frame (t+n+1). So, the access delay for new MTs is brought about.
In the third allocating method, since the RACH count of each frame is changed, the resources can be used more efficiently than those of the first allocating method. Yet, since each MT uses the binary exponential back-off algorithm like the first allocating method, the same problem of the second allocating method is brought about.

Channel allocating method for random access


A peristaltic pump in which a tube is stably supported by a platen so as to be stably collapsed by fingers during normal operation, whereas, when an excessively large collapsing force is exerted by one of the fingers, the excess portion of the force is absorbed without fail so as to realize a stable pumping operation. The level or ability for absorbing the excess collapsing force is easily adjustable in accordance with changes in conditions such as the elasticity of the tube and the size of the tube. The tube can be stably set in a proper position between the platen and a group of the fingers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a peristaltic pump suitable for use in, for example, transfusion.
2. Prior Art
Hitherto, various peristaltic pumps have been proposed as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 56-113084. In general, a known peristaltic pump has a plurality of cams, a plurality of pressing fingers actuated by the cams so as to move between a retracted position and an operative position, and a platen opposing the pressing fingers so as to carry a tube therebetween. In operation, the pressing fingers are successively actuated to the operative position by the cams so as to collapse the tube, whereby a liquid in the tube is displaced and transported, while the elastic tube is allowed to restore when relieved from the pressing force so as to expand the liquid passage, thus performing a pumping action.
In the peristaltic pump of the type described, problems are caused such as damaging of the tube due to excessive pressing, unduly large load posed on the cam actuating device, and so forth, as a result of any dimensional errors caused during manufacture of the components such as the cams, pressing fingers and the platen, as well as insufficiency in the locating precision of these components. In order to obviate these problems, it has been proposed to provide an elastic support member on the back side of the platen opposite to the pressing fingers, so that any excessively large pressing force is absorbed by the elastic deformation of the supporting member thereby relieving and unburdening the platen.
When the platen is unburdened, the pressing force to be relieved acts only on a local point on the tube which is immediately under a certain pressing finger which has been set to the operative position. Therefore, during the unburdening, the platen does not always make a translational movement. Namely, the platen may be moved at an inclination with respect to the plane of the group of pressing fingers. In such a case, the support of the tube on the platen is rendered unstable so as to impair the precision in control of the flow rate of the liquid during transfusion.
Under this circumstance, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 62-20182 discloses a peristaltic pump which is improved to eliminate the above-described problems concerning unburdening of the platen. In this improved peristaltic pump, any excessive force which would unduly collapse the tube is relieved not by a displacement of the platen but by elastic deformation of an elastic buffering portion of each pressing finger made of an elastic material. Thus, any excessive force applied to a pressing finger, which would otherwise be exerted on the tube, is effectively absorbed by the pressing finger itself.