A method of protection against the copying of digital data stored on an information carrier envisages, on the basis of a first identification of an encryption of the digital data and of a second identification of a watermarking of digital data, the determination of a first mark if it has been possible to identify the encryption and the watermarking. A third identification of a type of the information carrier is followed by the determination of a second mark if it has been possible to determine the first mark and if has been possible to identify a determined type of information carrier. A fourth identification of cryptographic signature data accompanying the digital data is followed by the determination of a third mark if it has been possible to determine the second mark and if it has been possible to identify a cryptographic signature datum. A permission for digital copying of the digital data is delivered if it has been possible to determine the third mark.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and a device making it possible to protect against the copying of digital data stored on an information carrier.
2. Description of the Related Art
A possibility inherent in digital data is that they can be copied without appreciable loss of quality since copying consists in transmitting a series of "1"s and "0"s from the source to the recorder. The greatest number of errors which may occur when copying can be countered by using error correction methods. Thus, when an information carrier contains digital data, it is in principle relatively simple to record the content of the information carrier identically on a recordable carrier.
Numerous types and kinds of information carriers are used to store information of all sorts in digital form. For example, a magnetic tape, a recordable or non-recordable optical disk (CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R, magneto-optical disk, etc., respectively standing for Compact Disk, CD-Recordable, CD-Read Write, Digital Versatile Disk, DVD-Recordable) can store audio and/or video information in digital form.
In order to better safeguard for example the interests of the authors of stored information or those of producers of prerecorded information carriers, it is desirable to limit the possibilities of freely and simply copying the digital data. Various mechanisms and possibilities currently exist for protecting digital data against illegitimate copying.
In a known manner, the digital data can be encrypted when they are stored on the information carrier. Encryption makes it possible to limit the use of the digital data to the holder of a public or private deciphering key. Encryption is for example used in the protection of data on DVDs, optical disks used to store video data in digital form. Thus, a DVD player requires an appropriate key in order to decrypt the data read from the DVD.
One way of protecting digital data against copying consists in furnishing them with a watermark, that is to say with auxiliary data attached to the digital data. The watermark must be unmodifiable and non-erasable. The playing of the data is carried out with the aid of a public key which identifies the watermark. The public key is a code well known to the public, or more precisely contained in most players of information carriers. Should the watermarked digital data be copied, a private key is required in order to put the watermark back in place on the copy, failing which the copy becomes illegal devoid as it is of watermark. The private key is held by the author or the producer of the information thus watermarked. The digital data copied without watermark are no longer played by the player since the latter does not identify any watermark where it ought to find one. Thus, the watermark precludes copying without the private key. If a copy is necessary then the recorder must build in this private key.
Watermarking does not prevent the copying of the digital data by an analog route, that is to say copying which would firstly require conversion of the digital data into an analog signal and which would take the analog signal as the source of the copy.
A known solution for preventing the copying of a digital carrier by an analog route and more particularly in the field of video and television consists in corrupting the analog signal in such a way that it can be used to display an image on the screen of a television set by way of an analog input of this television set, but so that the same signal cannot be used to make a copy with a video recorder. More precisely, an electronic circuit is employed to influence image synchronization parameters. These synchronization parameters are perceived differently by a television set and by a video recorder. This solution does not make it possible to prevent the digital copying of digital data.
Another solution for limiting digital copies of digital data consists in furnishing the latter with copy generation management information. In principle, this information item conveys the information item "never copy" for data which do not have the right to be copied and the information item "copy" or "copy number X" if the data are a first generation or X-th generation copy of an original. Thus, a recorder can, with the aid of these information items, ascertain whether the digital data to be copied have the right to be copied digitally and prevent copying if it is prohibited for the 2nd or (X+1th) generation. The copy generation management information item is updated with each copy. This manipulation of the copy generation management information item renders it vulnerable to falsification. Specifically, the copy generation management information item is at one stage of copying available as plaintext, that is to say in decrypted form. The manipulation also requires the digital recorder to be equipped accordingly. The copy generation management information item does not by itself make it possible to prevent copying by an analog route.

Copy protection method for digital data stored on a medium


A method according to one embodiment is for transmitting a message. In one embodiment, one or more processor of a messaging system identifies a certain message of the messaging system, the certain message being a blocked message intended for transmission to a certain user of the messaging system. In one embodiment, the one or more processor further determines one or more of a popularity of content of the certain message and a relevance of content of the certain message to the certain user, the certain user being a prospective recipient of a message. In one embodiment, the one or more processor transmits a message to the certain user responsively to a result of the determining of the one or more of a popularity of content of the certain message and a relevance of content of the certain message to the certain user of the messaging system.

A social network is a social structure made up of individuals (or organizations) called "nodes" which are tied (connected) by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, beliefs or knowledge. In its simplest form, a social network is a map of specified ties, such as friendship, between the nodes being studied. The nodes to which an individual is thus connected are the social contacts of that individual. The network can also be used to measure social capital—the value that an individual gets from the social network. These concepts are often displayed in a social network diagram, where nodes are the points and the ties are the lines.
Examples of computer implemented social networks include TWITTER™, FACEBOOK™ email systems and blogs. Computer implemented social networks incorporate messaging systems that are capable of receiving and transmitting messages to client computers of participant users of the messaging systems.

Transmittal of blocked message notification

International Business Machines Corporation


A fiber optical "T" coupler for sending and receiving signals on the same fiber optic element to facilitate ease of building and operating fiber optic communications networks. The fiber optical "T" coupler has three GRIN lenses, a receiving GRIN lens, a transmitting GRIN lens and a focusing GRIN lens, each having a focusing end and a collimating end. The transmitting GRIN lens' and the focusing GRIN lens' collimating ends are attached to and optically connected to the collimating end of the receiving GRIN lens. Fiber optic elements can be connected to the GRIN lenses focused ends for receiving signals to be collimated or for sending focused signals from the collimated end of the GRINs. Thus a light emitting transducer sends light to the transmitting GRIN lens and through the receiving GRIN lens to a fiber optic element. The same fiber optic element brings light to the receiving GRIN lens which is optically connected to the focusing GRIN lens which focuses the light on a light detecting transducer.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to couplers for fiber optic communications, and more particularly couplers for two way communications on the same fiber optic cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the past fiber optic cables were used to transmit energy in only one direction. Separate transmitters and receivers were used on different fiber optic cables for two way communication.

Fiber optic "T" coupler single path transceiver


A method and apparatus for migrating the session state of an original session from a first node to a second node, such that a process, executing in the migrated session, may enqueue and dequeue messages from a queue of messages and experience the same behavior from the queue of messages as if the process was enqueuing and dequeuing messages in the original session. Advantageously, all the benefits of migrating a session from one node to another node may be realized, even when the session contains queuing state information that describes the state of a queue of messages. Data that indicates how many messages one or more subscribers have removed from the queue of messages may also be stored to preserve proper behavior of the queue of messages for multiple subscribers when sessions are migrated.

Many enterprise data processing systems rely on multi-node database servers to store and manage data. Such enterprise data processing systems typically follow a multi-tier model that has a multi-node database server in the first tier, and one or more computers in the middle tier and outer tiers.
FIG. 6 depicts multi-node database server mds11, which is implemented on multi-tier architecture 10. A server, such as multi-node database server mds11, is a combination of integrated software components and an allocation of computational resources, such as memory, a node, and processes on the node for executing the integrated software components on a processor, the combination of the software and computational resources being dedicated to performing a particular function on behalf of one or more clients. Resources from multiple nodes in a multi-node computer system can be allocated to run a particular server's software. A particular combination of the software on a node and the allocation of the resources from the node is a server that is referred to herein as a server instance or instance. Thus, a multi-node server comprises multiple server instances that can run on multiple nodes. Several instances of a multi-node server can even run on the same node.
A database server governs and facilitates access to a particular database, processing requests by clients to access the database. A multi-node database server, such as multi-node database server mds11, comprises multiple "database instances", each database instance running on a node. Multi-node database server mds11 governs access to database db11. A multi-node database server can govern and facilitate access to one or more databases.
The middle-tier of multi-tier architecture 10 includes middle-tier computer cmp11 and the outer-tier includes user computer cmp12. User computer cmp12 executes browser br11, which interacts with an end-user. The end-user's interaction with browser br11 causes the browser to transmit requests over a network, such as the Internet, to middle-tier computer cmp11. The request causes a process on middle-tier computer cmp11, client c11, to execute application appl11. Execution of application appl11 by the client c11 causes client c11 to connect to multi-node database server mds11. For example, application appl11 may be an order entry application that is configured to receive order requests from browser br11. Data for the order entry application is stored in db11. To process the requests, execution of application appl11 by client c11 causes client c11 to connect to database db11. Once connected, client c11 issues database statements to retrieve and manipulate data stored in database db11.
The tier that directly connects to a server, relative to other tiers in a multi-tier architecture, is referred to herein as containing the client of the server. Thus, client process c11 is referred to herein as the client of multi-node database server mds11.
An application, as the term is used herein, is a unit of software that is configured to interact with and use the functions of a server. In general, applications are comprised of integrated functions and software modules (e.g. programs comprised of machine executable code or interpretable code, dynamically linked libraries) that perform a set of related functions.
An application, such application appl11, interacts with a multi-node database server mds11 via client-side interface component intcomp11. Execution of application appl11 causes client c11 to execute client-side interface component intcomp11 to interact with multi-node database server mds11. Application appl11 includes invocations of routines (e.g. functions, procedures, object methods, remote procedures) of client-side interface component intcomp11. Applications are typically developed by vendors and development teams different from those that develop servers and interfaces to servers, such as multi-node database server mds11 and client-side component intcomp11.
In order for a client to interact with multi-node database server mds11, a session is established for the client on a database instance of multi-node database server mds11. A session, such as a database session, is a particular connection established for a client to a server, such as a database instance, through which the client issues a series of requests (e.g., requests for execution of database statements).
For each database session established on a database instance, session state is maintained for the session. Session state includes the data stored for a database session for the duration of the database session. Such data includes, for example, the identity of the client for which the session is established, and temporary variable values generated by processes and database components executing software within the database session. A database component is a set of software modules that provide specialized and related functions for a database server, and shall be described later in greater detail. An example of a database component is a Java execution engine.
The beginning and end of a session demarcates a unit of work. Often, the beginning of a database session corresponds to an end-user establishing an interactive session with an application via, for example, a browser, and ends when the end-user logs off. Thus, the beginning and ending of the database session depend on application logic and end-user action, and may not be controlled by a server on which the session is established.
Client-Side Interface Components
Client-side interface components, such as client-side interface component intcomp11, are software components that reside and are executed on the same computer of a client of a server, and that are configured to provide an interface between the client and the server. The client-side interface component intcomp11 is configured for performing the detailed operations needed to interface with multi-node database server mds11. For example, an application appl11 invokes a function of client-side interface component intcomp11 to establish a connection to multi-node database server mds11. The client-side interface component then handles the details of a connection on a particular instance of multi-node database server mds11. To make requests of multi-node database server mds11, such as a request for execution of a query, application app11 is configured to invoke functions of client-side interface component intcomp11, which then transmits a request for the same to the node and database instance on which the session is established.
Client-side interface component intcomp11 may generate and/or access state that is hidden from other software modules, that is, is not or may not be referenced and accessed by other software modules, and in particular, by application appl11. Such state is referred to as being internal or private to client-side interface component intcomp11.
For example, to create a database session on a multi-node database server mds11, application appl11 invokes a routine of client-side interface component intcomp11. The client-side interface component establishes a database session on a particular database instance within multi-node database server mds11, and stores details about the database session within internal data structures or objects. Such data structures and objects define, for example, the session established for an application, and specify such values as an identity of a session on a database instance, the name of the database instance, and a network address and port number for the connection to the database instance.
Such details of the session are not returned to application appl11, nor may application appl11 access the details. Instead, what is provided to application appl11 is an "external identifier" for the session, such as a value that internal data of client-side interface component intcomp11 maps to the session, or a reference to an object generated by client-side interface component intcomp11 to store some details of the session in private attributes of the object that are inaccessible to application appl11. In this way, application appl11 does not "know" of the specific details of the session that has been established for it; however, application appl11 has the information needed to be able to identify to client-side interface component intcomp11 the particular session that has been established for application appl11.
Distributing Workload
An important capability needed to manage multi-node database servers is to distribute workload between the nodes. Distributing workload is used to improve performance, by optimally balancing workload between nodes. Distributing workload also allows work to be shifted from a node that is being taken off-line for maintenance operations to another node.
Different techniques may be employed to migrate or move a session from one instance to another instance. Numerous patent applications identified in the section entitled "Related Application Data" discuss various techniques for migrating sessions from one node of a multi-node system to another node of the multi-node system. Briefly, to migrate a session ("the original session") from a first instance on a first node to a second instance on a second node, the second node is identified by the entity that is initiating the migration. A new session ("the migrated session") is created on the second node. Session state information may then be transferred from the original session to the new session so that the new session on the second node reflects the same state as the original session on the first node. Thereafter, the migrated session on the second node is used in lieu of the original session to perform the work that would have been performed in the original session.
Messaging Systems
A process within a session may interact with a variety of database objects. A database object may be used to implement a queue of messages. In such a case, the queue of messages is accessible to all server instances that can access the database maintaining the queue of messages.
A queue of messages may be used to implement a messaging system. In a messaging system, a queue contains messages, which may be (a) added to the queue (or "enqueued") by publishers, or (b) removed from the queue (or "dequeued") by subscribers or recipients. When a queue is implemented using a database object, a database may maintain a queue by storing information about the queue in a table. A publisher may enqueue a message into a queue by inserting a row into a table implementing the queue. A subscriber may dequeue a message from the queue by selecting and/or deleting a row from the table. Various techniques for implementing a queue of messages are described in the patent application referenced in the Related Application Data section entitled "Buffered Message Queue Architecture for Database Management Systems."
When a process within a session interacts with a queue of messages, the session state reflects how many messages have been queued or dequeued from the queue. In this way, the proper behavior of the queue is ensured. However, when a session, containing session state information that describes the state of a queue, is migrated from one instance to another instance, the session state information describing the state of the queue cannot be preserved during migration to the new session according to the present state of the art. As a result, when a process in the migrated session enqueues or dequeues messages from the queue, the proper behavior of the queue cannot be guaranteed. For example, if a process in the migrated session dequeues a message, a different message may be dequeued from the queue of messages than if the same operation was performed in the original session. Thus, known techniques for migrating a session cannot migrate a session if the session contains queuing state information describing the state of a queue of messages.
Consequently, an approach to migrate a session containing queuing state information that describes the state of a queue is needed in the art. The approaches described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Capturing and re-creating the state of a queue when migrating a session


A dispensing pump for dispensing liquid, particularly suitable for dispensing two-part epoxy for encapsulation of integrated circuits, includes a pumping chamber in communication with a nozzle via a three way valve, the pumping chamber including an outlet, an internal volume, a pair of spaced directional seals located away from the outlet, an open volume reciting between the seals and an external port opening the open volume to atmosphere. A stepped plunger extends axially within the pumping chamber, with a first portion sized to be received and aligned through the first directional seal, the plunger being movable to move the first portion toward the outlet to close off the internal volume at the second seal. The second portion of the plunger is relatively smaller in transverse cross-sectional dimension than the inside diameter of the second seal, to cooperate with the port to promote fluid removal from the internal volume during initial filling and priming of the pumping chamber. Once filled and primed, the plunger causes positive volume displacement of liquid from the pumping chamber and out of the nozzle, with very good repeatability and high fluid flow rates, independent of material viscosity, and/or temperature or viscosity changes. For refilling, the plunger is retracted from a volume which corresponds to the volume of material refilled into the internal volume.

In the dispensing of minute, precise quantities of liquid, such as the dispensing of epoxy to encapsulate portions of integrated circuits, it is important to achieve and maintain high repeatability in the dispensing quantity, notwithstanding possible variations in the temperature and/or viscosity of the liquid. For some applications, the liquid dispensed is extremely sensitive to such changes. For instance, in encapsulating integrated circuits, it is typical to use a two component epoxy which is premixed by the epoxy manufacturer and then frozen. The epoxy must then be used within a few days, and in some instances within several hours.
For typical dispensing operations, an epoxy for encapsulating of this type will have a relatively high viscosity. However, as the temperature changes, the viscosity is also subject to change. These viscosity variations can affect dispensing volumes, particularly if a positive volume displacement device is used to dispense the epoxy. For a given set of dispensing stroke parameters, i.e., displacement distance, force and rate, the dispensing result will vary with variations in viscosity.
Another problem relates to air or bubble entrapment within the liquid to be pumped from the pumping device. Obviously, if a displacement pump is compressing entrapped air during the displacement strike, the relationship between the displacement stroke and the dispensed volume will become distorted.
Most of the premixed two part epoxies used for encapsulations of this type contain an abrasive fill material, such as silica This abrasive filler can cause undue wear on dispensing apparatus, again adversely affecting dispensing and/or resulting excessive downtime due to the need to repair or replace worn components.
While auger pumps have been used in the past to perform precise quantity dispensing of this type, the output of a typical auger pump varies directly with variations in the viscosity of the dispensed fluid, the needle size and the supply pressure. While the effect of viscosity changes and the fluid flow rate can be minimized with proper pump design, advanced calibration techniques and manual adjustments of the valve operation are required. Thus, the maximum possible mass flow rate while maintaining accuracy is limited.

Dispensing method for epoxy encapsulation of integrated circuits


A method of identifying compounds capable of modulating trans-glutaminase (TG) kinase activity is described. The method involves adding a test compound to a mixture of TG and a suitable TG kinase substrate, incubating the mixture under conditions promoting TG kinase activity, and determining if the test compound activates or modulates TG kinase activity as indicated by greater than expected TG-mediated phosphorylation of the TG kinase substrate or if the test compound inhibits TG kinase activity as indicated by lower than expected TG-mediated phosphorylation of the TG kinase substrate as compared to a control comprising TG and a suitable TG kinase substrate incubated under conditions promoting TG kinase activity.

During the investigation of the mechanism of actions of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), we identified tissue transglutaminase (TG2) as the kinase responsible for the phosphorylation of IGFBP-3. IGFBP-3 is a multifunctional protein that not only functions to transport the insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II ) and modulate the actions of these growth factors but also has IGF-independent and anti-proliferative and proapoptotic effects (Jones and Clemmons, 1995, Endoc. Rev., 16:3–34). It can both enhance and inhibit the effects of IGF-I in vivo and in vitro depending upon experimental conditions (DeMellow and Baxter, 1988, Biochem. Biophys. Res Commun., 156:199–204; Valentinis et al., 1996, Mole. Endocrinol., 9:361–367; Oh et al., 1995, Prog. Growth Factor Res., 6:205–212; Lalou et al., 1996, Endocrinology 137:3206–3212; Hong et al., 2002, J. Biol. Chem., 277:10489–10497).
In addition to these IGF-dependent effects, emerging evidence suggests that IGFBP-3 also functions directly to stimulate apoptosis (programmed cell death) and inhibits cellular proliferation of various cell lines including human breast cancer cells (Oh et al., 1995). However these IGF-independent effects are only apparent under conditions where the IGF-I dependent effects are not observed. For example, studies with mutant IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-3 fragments which have minimal affinity for IGF-I (Lalou et al., 1996; Hong et al., 2002) and with cell lines devoid of IGF-I receptors (Valentinis et al., 1996). We believe that phosphorylation has some role in the IGF-independent effects of IGFBP-3.
In an attempt to further understand the mechanisms that allow for these opposing effects of IGFBP-3 we have investigated the interaction of IGFBP-3 with breast cancer cell membranes. In addition to proteolysis we have recently reported that IGFBP-3 is phosphorylated by breast cancer cells by a process that occurs on the cell membranes, does not require internalization and is inhibited by IGF-I (Mishra and Murphy, 2003, Endocrinology 144:4042–4050). Phosphorylation of IGFBP-3 by this membrane-associated kinase enhanced the binding affinity of IGFBP-3 for IGF-I (Mishra and Murphy, 2003, Endocrinology 144:4042–4050). Thus phosphorylation of IGFBP-3 at the membrane favors the interaction of IGF-I with IGFBP-3 rather than the IGF-I receptor. Furthermore, since formation of IGF-I/IGFBP-3 complexes inhibits binding of IGFBP-3 to the cell membrane, phosphorylation of IGFBP-3 may modulate its pro-apoptotic anti-proliferative effects. To further understand the role of this kinase in physiological regulation of IGFBP-3 action we purified this kinase activity from T47D breast cancer cells. We subsequently demonstrated that this kinase activity is attributed to TG2.
Tissue transglutaminase (TG2) is a ubiquitous enzyme that is involved in post-translation modification and protein-protein interactions. It functions to cross-link glutamine residues with lysine residues resulting in protein polymerization, cross-linking of dissimilar proteins, and incorporation of diamines and polyamines into proteins. It has not previously been known to have kinase activity. In our recent report (Mishra and Murphy, 2003, Endocrinology 144:4042–4050) we demonstrated that insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) was phosphorylated by breast cancer cell membranes and that this activity was due to TG2. Antiserum to TG2 and protein A-sepharose were used to immunoprecipitate TG2 from IGFBP-3 affinity purified membrane fractions. The immunoprecipitates retained IGFBP-3 kinase activity whereas immunoprecipitation deleted kinase activity in the membrane supernatant. The inhibitors of TG2, cystamine and monodansyl cadaverine, abolished the ability of the T47D cell membrane preparation to phosphorylate IGFBP-3. Both TG2 purified from guinea pig liver and recombinant human TG2 expressed in insect cells were able to phosphorylate IGFBP-3 in vitro. TG2 kinase activity was inhibited in a concentration dependent fashion by calcium, which has previously been shown to be important for the cross-linking activity of TG2. These data provide compelling evidence that TG2 has intrinsic kinase activity, a function that has not previously been ascribed to TG2. Furthermore we provide evidence that TG2 is a major component of the IGFBP-3 kinase activity present on breast cancer cell membranes.
Although TG2 contains a GTP binding domain and can hydrolyse both GTP and ATP (Lai et al., 1998, J. Biol. Chem., 273:1776–1781) it has not previously been reported to have kinase activity. It has however been reported to be involved in apoptosis (Thomazy & Davies, 1999 Cell Death Differ., 6:146–154).
TG2 belongs to a family of nine evolutionary related genes that catalyze the posttranscriptional modification of proteins by inserting an isopeptide bond within or between polypeptide chains. None of the these transglutaminase family members have previously reported to have kinase activity. Although we initially demonstarted that the most abundant member of this family, namely TG2 has intrinsic kinase activity directed towards IGFBP-3 we have also shown that another member of the TG family, namely human coagulation factor XIIIa has kinase activity directed against IGFBP-3. This makes it a reasonable prediction that all members of the TG family have this kinase activity. Furthermore we have shown that the kinase activity of TG2 is not restricted to IGFBP-3 but other substrates as well. TG2 also phosphorylated the tumor suppressor genes p53 and retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and histone H3 (FIG. 5). These proteins have been shown to be critically important in cellular proliferation and disturbances in their expression and/or function is apparent in many cancers and disease states associated with increased cell proliferation.
Although the cross-linking activites of TG2 have been thought important in apoptosis this has not been definitively demonstrated. We have shown that the calcium, which stimulates the cross-linking activites of TG2 actually inhibits the kinase activity and therefore we propose that calcium acts as a switch to change the function of TG2 from a kinase to a cross-linking enzyme.

Transglutaminase has intrinsic kinase activity


A new and distinct variety of miniature rose with long lasting, novel peach blend flowers, and dark green and attractive foliage. It exhibits compact, uniform growth and flowering under greenhouse conditions when grown as a potted floral plant. The new variety propagates well from cuttings and by grafting. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

The new variety of miniature rose plant of the present invention originated from a controlled crossing made during the summer of 2003 in a breeding program between 'KORvapoco', a non-patented rose; and 'KORnilsca' described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,268 issued on Feb. 21, 2006.
As part of the rose development program, Tim-Hermann Kordes germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization the following winter and conducted evaluations and observations on the resulting seedlings in a controlled environment in Offenseth-Sparrieshoop, Germany. The resulting seedlings exhibited distinctive physical and biological characteristics. The new rose plant was selected as a single plant from the seedling beds due to its superior characteristics. The new rose plant 'KORzanaby' was selected in May, 2004 from the seedling beds to be asexually propagated for further evaluation. The first asexual reproduction of 'KORzanaby' was done by rooting softwood cuttings in August, 2004 in Odense, Denmark.
The hybridization, seed production, seed germination, seedling selection, and subsequent propagations were conducted in controlled greenhouse environments. This new and distinctive miniature rose variety is named 'KORzanaby'.
This initial and other subsequent propagations conducted in controlled environments show that the foregoing and all other characteristics of 'KORzanaby' come true to form and are transmitted through succeeding generations.

W. Kordes' Söhne Rosenschulen GmbH & Co KG


Disclosed herein are a robot navigating based on obstacle avoidance and a navigation method. In the robot or the navigation method of the robot according to an embodiment, a navigation route may be generated on the basis of position information on a waypoint and on objects sensed by a sensor, such that the robot may move via one or more waypoints.

In order for a robot to operate in a space such as an airport, a school, a public office, a hotel, an office, a factory, a gym, a cultural facility including a venue for events, and the like where goods and services are actively exchanged, the robot is required to continuously sense the space and move in the space. Additionally, while navigating, the robot is required to avoid pedestrians or objects carried by the pedestrians in a space in which there are a plurality of pedestrians or objects.
Specifically, in a space where goods and services are actively exchanged, people may appear suddenly in different directions. In this case, the robot is also required to avoid objects carried by them. Methods for enabling a robot to keep a distance from movable obstacles and to avoid movable obstacles greatly affect a navigation path and a function of the robot. Additionally, movements of the robot to a specific point greatly affect performance of the robot while the robot is moving.
FIG. 1 shows a process in which a robot navigates on the basis of specific points to perform outdoor robot missions disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,539,557. When the robot approaches to a waypoint within a certain radius of the waypoint during the navigation of the robot, it can be considered that the robot went through the waypoint. In this navigation process, only certain distance (threshold) is used for determining whether the robot has passed through the waypoint or not, so, the robot may not respond to pedestrians/objects and the like met by the robot while the robot is moving.
Accordingly, a method and an apparatus for generating a navigation path are described, such that a robot responds to movable obstacles and goes through a waypoint while the robot is moving.

Robot navigating through waypoints based on obstacle avoidance and method of robot's navigation


An automated system for casting hollow fiber membranes into a variety of prescribed shapes, including spiral, linear, circular and rectangular. The system also has the capability to change the configuration during casting, which increases productivity. A co-extrusion die is rotated over a stationary coagulation bath A computer is used to control the motion of the die to make a membrane with the desired shape The nozzle is oriented in a manner that will compensate for distortions that occur in wall thickness in the area of a bend. In addition, the nozzle's annulus is offset to make the leading portion of the annulus slightly thicker and the trailing portion thinner at the point where the fluids exit the nozzle, which results in a uniformly symmetric wall thickness. A system embodying the invention includes X, Y and .theta.-directional servomotors 1A-1C (FIG. 1), each of which is coupled to an associated position encoder 2A-2C. The motors are controlled by a computer 3 via servodrivers 4 and an associated interface card. Also included in the system are a tub 5 for holding a coagulation bath, bearings 6, carriage 7, screw drive 8, rotary table 9 and co-extrusion die 10.

The present invention deals with the manufacturing process of casting various configurations of tubular hollow fiber membranes, for example, membranes that have a 6 millimeter (mm) diameter tubular shape with a wall thickness of approximately 0.125 mm. Such membranes may be used in an artificial pancreas, as described by Chick et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,661, issued Mar. 26, 1991. These membranes, however, are very fragile and difficult to form. It is particularly difficult to form tight coil and spiral shapes with such a wall-to-diameter ratio.
A known casting method comprises forcing a polymeric fluid out of an annular orifice of a nozzle of a coextrusion die while forcing a coagulating fluid out of a center core of the nozzle. A phase inversion process occurs at the point of contact between the two fluids; as a consequence, the polymeric fluid coagulates and forms a tubular structure. The tubular structure's coagulation rate is mitigated by solvents in the coagulation fluid, which allows for some manipulation of the fiber before final hardening occurs. A large bath of water is present a few millimeters below the extrusion die. The forming tubular structure is immersed into the bath, where further coagulation commences, and formed into the desired configuration before it can become fully congealed.
In certain applications, it is desired to use hollow fiber membranes in specific shapes or configurations, for example in a spiral or coiled shape. It is important, however, that no distortions or crimping occur in the membrane wall.

Method and apparatus for casting hollow fiber membranes


There is provided a method and composition for rinsing sliced ingots into wafers from a wire saw cutting operation. The method uses an alkoxylated alcohol diluted in water alone or with a polyalkyl siloxane when the bath has a dynamic flow of water to prevent foaming.

In the slicing of hard material ingots using abrasive slurries in wire saws, the cut disks/wafers coming out of the saw are surface saturated with glycol, or other water miscible or water compatible slurry from the abrasive cut. In most cases, the spaces between cut wafers are extremely small, measuring as low as ˜100 μm between surfaces, or lower. In order to further process and use the cut wafers/disks for any end purpose, the entire surface of the cut wafers must be rinsed clean of all residual abrasive slurry. Any remaining residue of slurry solids may negatively impact further processing of the cut wafers/disks, reducing final use efficiency and overall production yield of the slicing process.
It is generally believed that to increase water penetration, wetting along a solid surface or spreading of water, that surface tension of water needs to be greatly lowered below its ambient STP level of about 70 Dynes/cm. In general, such a procedure can be accomplished by the addition to the water of any one of many known surface active agents or detergents.
However, effective water rinsing of slurry from microscopic spaces must also be performed without foaming. Foaming presents a direct obstacle to liquid wetting and penetration into small or large spaces by the presence of gas entrapped membranes which block or inhibit liquid water from effective contact with said spaces, holes, cavities, etc.
Further, the suspension characteristics of all current abrasive slurries including those compatible, miscible or soluble in water, are known in the art to be quickly and significantly compromised upon the exposure to excess water. The result of this solids suspension effect is the abrasive solids within the slurry, upon exposure to "rinsing volumes" of water will agglomerate, then coagulate and quickly precipitate out onto the wafer or disk surface during the rinsing process. Once such solids precipitation has occurred, continuing rinsing with water will not effectively remove the precipitated solids, and the resulting "rinsed" wafers will be contaminated with precipitated slurry solids which can be impacted on the wafer surface making further processing difficult or impractical.
To avoid the above precipitation process during the rinse step, the water rinse must be both complete and mechanically faster than the solids precipitation process on exposure to excess rinse water from the slurry coating the wafers. To accomplish this, the water rinse must be extremely effective at penetrating, flowing through, and removing wafer surface slurry from even the microscopic spaces between the cut wafers. Further, the rinse water must be provided with a large amount of mechanical energy, most preferably in a uni-directional mode in order to "sweep" away the abrasive slurry before said solids precipitation can occur.
With a large amount of mechanical force applied to the water rinse flow, the presence of even low-foaming surface active agents will create sufficient "foaming" that will quickly and effectively inhibit rinsing speed and efficiency, particularly on free space constricted surfaces such as the sliced "kerf slots" between wafers on a cut ingot from a wire saw slicing process. This will result in a lower yield of clean, properly rinsed wafers from the slurry cut, and is highly undesirable. The preferred water rinse composition effectively has no tolerance for foaming at all, and all such propensity under high mechanical force/agitation must be eliminated to produce an effective water rinse composition.
The art contains a large number of effective "defoamers" that might be used. Among these are those materials or compounds in which foaming is not eliminated, or for which very large levels of the defoamer are required to completely eliminate foaming. Further, many defoamers also interfere with the surface tension lowering properties of the added surfactant system, or may reduce the wetting or penetration properties of the treated water system, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the surfactant composition in the rinse water.
Also, since the treated rinse water is typically discarded to drain, it is important that the environmental properties of the additive surfactant composition be human and environmentally friendly, with very low or non-existent toxicity. This requirement further limits the available materials to be selected that will also perform to the effectiveness level described herein.
It is desirable that the aqueous rinse composition have the following characteristics:    1. Lower the surface tension of water as a method of increasing water penetration and wetting on a solid surface.    2. Independent of surface tension, increase the wetting of water on a solid surface.    3. Perform (1) and (2) above without causing or initiating any foaming of the cutting liquid. Absence of foaming should be complete, even in the presence of violent agitation of the water mixture.    4. Create a composition that is human and environmentally friendly providing a water solution/mixture that is of very low toxicity or non-toxic.    5. Create a composition whose surface tension and surface wetting/penetration properties in mixture with water are not substantially affected by the presence of solid particle contamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,991 to Hashimoto, et al, discloses an aqueous cutting oil composition which contains a polyether compound and one or more surfactants, preferably a non-ionic surfactant. The cleaning process involves the use of water at an elevated temperature and then using the immersion method, ultrasonic cleaning, vibration and/or spraying to clean the wafers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,814 to Kaburagi et al discloses an aqueous cutting liquid which comprises a hydrophilic alcohol such as ethylene glycol and a lipophilic compound such as propylene glycol which uses an organic solvent or water in the cleaning process.

Wafer/Ingot cleaning in wire saw cutting comprising an ethoxylated alcohol/polyalkylsiloxane mixture


A moulding system for moulding a mass with a pasty or dough-like composition, such as a mass of meat, for example for moulding hamburgers, includes a housing having a chamber which is delimited by internal walls of the housing. The chamber emerges on the outside of the housing. A displaceable mould plate, which is formed in a manner corresponding to the chamber, fits with a small degree of play into the chamber and has at least one mould cavity. The housing has a feed opening, which opens into the chamber, for the mass to be moulded, such that, in the position in which the mould plate has been slid into the housing, the mould cavity is in communication with the feed opening and, in the position in which the mould plate has been slid out of the housing, the mould cavity is situated outside the housing. One of the internal walls of the chamber, in the region of the feed opening, has a recess in which a pressure-exerting member is situated, which bears with prestressing against the mould plate in order to provide a good seal and cutting action.

A moulding system of this kind is known from NL-A-9301248. The mould plate is situated in a housing which on the underside has a base plate with a feed opening, and on the top side has a ventilation plate for allowing air which is entrained during the feed of the mass and the air which is entrained during the return movement of the mould plate to escape. The base plate and the ventilation plate are held apart from one another by means of lateral guides, which are slightly thicker than the mould plate, so that the latter can move smoothly.
Owing to these slightly thicker lateral guides, the mould plate fits into the chamber with a small degree of play; since the mould plate is filled under pressure, leakage then occurs as a result. Meat juices and/or runny meat run out between the mould plate and the base plate, leading to loss.

Moulding system for moulding a mass such as a mass of meat


The present invention relates to a projection type image displaying apparatus capable of displaying larger picture images which are bright, uniform and after-image-free.. A projection type image displaying apparatus, comprising a OASLM (1) for grasping an photoconductive layer (4), a light reflection layer (5) and a light modulating layer (6) by two glass substrates (2, 2') with conductive transparent electrodes (3, 3') each being provided on it, an image source (8) for displaying inputting images on the OASLM (1) by a time serial scanning operation, a driving signal generating means (40) for supplying to the OASLM (1) a driving signal synchronized with the vertical synchronous frequency of the image,. wherein at least either of two conductive transparent electrodes (3, 3') is divided into a plurality of regions, a driving signal to be generated from the driving signal generating means (40) is composed of a plurality of signals different in phase, a signal to be fed respectively to a region adjacent to the divided conductive transparent electrodes (3) has a phase difference approximately equal to time where the vertical effective scanning period is divided by the number of the region.

Recently, images of television, VTR or the like are enlarged. Development of the image displaying apparatus for displaying larger picture scenes is active. For the reason, larger size is difficult to make in the conventional direct viewing type television. Also, in the projection type image displaying apparatus using a CRT or a liquid crystal displaying apparatus such as liquid crystal panel (hereinafter referred to as TFT-LCD) driving by a thin film transistor liquid crystal panel, it becomes difficult to be higher in resolution for brighter operation. A projection type image displaying apparatus attracts public attention, using a light storing, or writing, optically addressed spatial light modulation (hereinafter referred to as OASLM) with a photoconductive layer and a modulating layer being combined (for example, Y. Tanaka and others, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 33 in 1994, Page 3469 through Page 3477 (Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 33 (1994) pp. 3469-3477)).
Fundamental Art and its task
To understand the features of the present invention, the summary of the projection type image displaying apparatus using the most fundamental OASLM will be described in accordance with FIG. 17 through FIG. 27. The explanation in accordance with FIG. 17 through FIG. 27 indicates the contents experimented by us inventors, and is not prior art. FIG. 17 shows the basic construction of the OASLM. The OASLM 151 has construction where a photoconductive layer 4, a light reflection layer 5, and a light modulation 6 are held between glass substrates 2 and 2' with conductive transparent electrodes 3 and 3' being respectively provided on it. The light reflection layer 5 is divided into a plurality of pixels as shown. The photoconductive layer 4 is etched through the gaps between the pixels and a light absorbing layer 7 is formed therein.
When the write lights are inputted into the photoconductive layer 4 from the side of the glass substrate 2 of the OASLM 151, the voltage corresponding to the two-dimensional light intensity distribution of the image is applied upon the light modulation layer 6 and it switches in accordance with the voltage. As a result, reading lights which come from the side of the glass substrate 2' are modulated within the light modulation layer 6 and are outputted after the reflection by the light reflection layer 5. The light absorbing layer 7 prevents the reading lights from leaking to the photoconductive layer 4 from between the pixels of light reflection layer 5.
A projection type image displaying apparatus using the OASLM will be described in FIG. 18. The CRT, TFT-LCD and so on are used as an image source 8. The image inputting to the OASLM 151 is operated by focusing write lights 9 which are images of the image source 8 on the photoconductive layer 4 by the write lens 10. The reading lights 12 from the light source 11 are incident from the side of the light modulation layer 6 of the OASLM 151. The reading lights are modulated by the light modulation layer 6. After that, the lights have been reflected by the reflection layer 5, and are outputted through the light modulating layer 6 again. The output lights 13 are visualized through the visualizing means 14 and are enlargingly projected onto the screen 16 by the projection lens 15. The driving signal generating circuit 30 produces a driving signal S5 which drives the OASLM 151, and is produced from the vertical synchronous signal from the image source 8, to erase, and/or store images from the image source 8.
A liquid crystal material such as nematic type liquid crystal, ferroelectric liquid crystal and so on can be used as the light modulation layer 6, and the amorphous silicon of p-i-n structure can be used as the photoconductive layer 4. As a visualizing means 14, a polarization beam splitter can be used, and a metal hyride lamp, a xenon lamp or the like can be used as the light source 11.
In principle, it is possible to conduct a bright and higher-resolution image displaying operation by raising the output of the light source 11 and making the image of image source 8 into the OASLM higher in resolution in such a projection type image displaying apparatus.
A method of driving the OASLM 151 will be described hereinafter. FIG. 20 shows a basic driving signal wave form of the OASLM. The driving signal consists of a positive pulse (hereinafter referred to as erasing pulse) in synchronous relation with the vertical synchronous signal of the image and a negative pulse (hereinafter referred as writing pulse). The period where the writing pulse is applied to the OASLM is culled writing period, and the period where the erasing pulse is applied to the OASLM is called a erasing period. The OASLM reads in accordance with the light intensity inputted at a writing period so as to output the modulating light. An initializing operation is effected compulsorily in spite of the existence of the write light, during a erasing period, to remove the output to zero. When the respond-quick ferroelectric liquid crystal is used as the light modulating layer, the output becomes zero within several hundreds micro seconds after the impression of the erasing pulse.
FIG. 19 is a construction view of the driving signal generating circuit 30 for generating the driving signal of FIG. 20. In FIG. 19, the erasing voltage generating circuit 31 outputs the voltage of the erasing pulse, and the writing voltage generating circuit 32 outputs the voltage of the writing signal all the time. The pulse width controlling circuit 33, composed of a mono-stable multi-vibrator, normally outputs a voltage corresponding to the logic 1, and outputs (S4) a voltage corresponding to a logic 0 in a constant period after the rising edge input of the vertical synchronous signal S1. The switch circuit 34 and the resistance 35 feed the output voltage of the writing voltage generating circuit 32 when the output voltage of the pulse width controlling circuit 33 is a logic 1, and the output voltage of the erasing voltage generating circuit 31 when the signal is a logic 0, respectively to the output amplifier 36 (SS). The output amplifier 36 amplifies the input signal and outputs it.
In the evaluation of the image, the uniformity and the afterimage or the like are important parameters in addition to the brightness and the resolution. In the projection type image displaying apparatus using the OASLM shown in FIG. 17, it is impossible to satisfy simultaneously with three elements of high brightness, realizing of uniformity of the brightness and removing of afterimages.
The reasons for them will be described briefly with reference to the drawings. The brightness, uniformity of the brightness, and afterimage of the projection images are decided in a manner explained below. FIG. 21 is a time response wave form in a certain one point of image projected on the screen. The brightness of the image is decided by a product of an area of response wave form, i.e., the peak height and the ratio of the time (hereinafter referred to as time aperture factor) when the OASLM responds with respect to one field period (vertical scanning period). The height of the peak depends the brightness of the light source, the efficiency of a illuminating optical system (not shown), the modulating efficiency of the OASLM. The time response wave form depends upon a writing light intensity to be inputted for the writing period, and the timing when the writing starts. To raise the uniformity of the brightness, the time aperture factor of the OASLM has only to be equalized through the whole image with respect to the same writing light intensity. To remove the afterimages, the OASLM is required to be responded faithfully with respect to the input image to be inputted for each of one field period.
Difficulty in the simultaneous settlement of the task of the brightness, uniformity of the brightness, the afterimages in the projecting type image displaying apparatus will be described by way of an example where CRT is a writing source. In the case of CRT, a substrate emits its light immediately after an addressing by the electron beam and the light emitting operation is attenuated by its inherent time constant. Namely, for one point of the OASLM a writing light which is attenuated in terms of time is inputted.
The output of the OASLM in three points, such as upper portion, middle portion and lower portion, of the projection image is considered. Assume that the input signal is a white signal of NTSC (1 field period=about 16.7 milliseconds). In the OASLM, the erasing pulse is applied upon the whole face of the OASLM, synchronizing with the vertical synchronous signal. FIG. 22 indicates a driving signal wave form (FIG. 22 (a)) in the upper portion of the projection image, the time change of the writing light (FIG. 22 (b)), the response wave form of OASLM (FIG. 22 (c )). In the upper portion of projecting image shown in FIG. 22, the writing light is inputted (FIG. 22 (b )) within few milliseconds after the erasing operation has been conducted. The OASLM can respond almost 1 field period (FIG. 22 (c)), so the time aperture factor is high.
As shown in FIG. 23, the writing operation is effected (FIG. 23 (b)) at about 8 milliseconds after the erasing operation has been conducted in the projection image central portion. Although the OASLM starts to respond immediately after it, the erasing pulse is applied after the next vertical synchronous signal and the output of the OASLM becomes zero. Namely, the responding operation is conducted (the time aperture factor is about 50%) only for about as half as 16.7 milliseconds. In the lower portion of the projection image as shown in FIG. 24, the erasing operation is effected immediately after the writing operation starts. Therefore, the response period for 16.7 milliseconds is extremely shorter.
Namely, a timing in which the writing light is inputted is different among various places in the OASLM, but the erasing pulse is applied at the same time. Thus, the time aperture factor is different in space by the difference of the writing and the erasing timing, and the lower portion of the projecting image becomes darker. In this manner, the uniformity of the brightness of the projection image is spoiled considerably.
In order to realize the uniformity of the time aperture factor, (uniformity of the brightness of the projection image) (1) the storing light intensity of the image upper portion is lowered so as to be lower the time aperture factor of the whole image as that of lower portion, (2) the afterglow of the fluorescent substrate to be used in the CRT is made longer, i.e., the attenuation operation of the light emitting operation from the fluorescent substrate is made slower, (3) the response speed of the OASLM is made slower, and (4) the driving frequency is made higher (more than ten times) with respect to the field frequency. However, in the case of (1), the image becomes darker. In the methods of the (2) and (3), even if the brightness and the uniformity can be realized, it is impossible to reduce the afterimages. In the method of the (4), beating becomes conspicuous and sufficient uniformity cannot be obtained and the writing light intensity is necessary to increase considerably. Therefore, the resolution of the original image from the CRT is reduced.
For example, the brightness of the projection image is considered when the afterglow of the fluorescent substrate of the CRT is made longer. The response of the projection image of the central portion is shown in FIG. 25. The erasing operation is conducted once after about 8 milliseconds from the light emission. When the afterglow of the fluorescent substrate is long, so the writing light which can respond the OASLM sufficiently is given, even at the time when the next writing period has been applied. So, the OASLM responds again. It is possible to obtain high time aperture factor as approximately much as that of the upper portion as shown in FIG. 22. This is similar as that even in the lower portion of the projection image. Namely, it is possible in principle to make the time aperture factor the same as that in all the location of the projection image by adjusting the strength of the light to be written.
But when specific signal (for example, the black signal) of the image which is different from that of the prior field is inputted continuously, the OASLM cannot be responded faithfully with respect to the change in the signal. A further description will be given in connection with FIG. 26 showing the response wave form of the projection image central portion. The afterglow of the florescent substrate of the CRT is long as shown in FIG. 26 (b). Therefore, the responding operation is conducted again (FIG. 26 (c)) after the OASLM has been erased by the erasing pulse at about 8 milliseconds after the response. As the next erasing operation is conducted after 16.7 milliseconds, the OASLM remains responded even in the time where the black should be originally displayed. Namely, the afterimage of about 8 milliseconds is caused. As a result, when a flicker signal consists of repeat of the white and black signal for each 1 field period is inputted, the output of the OASLM is repeated in half tone as shown in FIG. 27.
Such afterimages are considerably reduced in the resolution degree of the moving image, so as to give large different feeling to an observer. For example, the moving object of the image looks leaving a trail. The same afterimage can be observed even by the OASLM with slow response of the light modulation larger. As above, in the conventional projection type image displaying apparatus using the OASLM of FIG. 17, it is impossible to simultaneously settle the problems of the brightness, uniformity and afterimage.
An object of the invention is to provide a projecting type image displaying apparatus capable of image display which is brighter, higher in uniformity and extremely reduced in afterimage.

Projection type image displaying apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A method is executed by a network device implementing a session-sender to perform a test to determine whether differentiated services code point (DSCP) and explicit congestion notification (ECN) are modified in a single test session in a forward direction and a reverse direction between the session-sender and a session-reflector, where multiple DSCP and ECN are tested using the single test session. The method includes determining a first initial forward DSCP and ECN, generating a first test packet including the first initial forward DSCP and ECN, and sending the first test packet to the session-reflector in the single test session. The method further includes determining a second initial forward DSCP and ECN, generating a second test packet including the second initial forward DSCP and ECN, and sending the second test packet to the session-reflector in the single test session.

The Two-Way Active Measurement Protocol (TWAMP), defined by Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Request for Comment (RFC) 5357, is broadly used to measure delay and delay variation in Internet Protocol (IP) networks. TWAMP is based on an earlier protocol One-Way Active Measurement Protocol (OWAMP), defined by IETF RFC 4656. TWAMP provides a common protocol for measuring two-way metrics between network devices. The measurements are performed in a test session that enables two-way or roundtrip measurement of data traffic in the test session between two network devices.
TWAMP consists of two inter-related protocols: a control protocol (TWAMP-Control) and a test protocol (TWAMP-Test). TWAMP-Control is used to initiate, start and stop test sessions, whereas TWAMP-Test is used to exchange test packets between two TWAMP entities. There are a set of TWAMP entities or TWAMP logical entities, referred to as a session-sender, session-reflector, server and control-client.
The control-client initiates a transmission control protocol (TCP) connection with the server, which responds with a greeting message. The control-client responds with mode information and the server then sends its acceptance. The control-client configures the session-sender to send test packets in a test session with the session-reflector. The server configures the session-reflector to return the test packets received from the session-sender to the session-sender. Thus, in this way TWAMP establishes test sessions where the session-sender can identify and measure the flow of data traffic between the network devices implementing the session-sender and the session-reflector, respectively.
Each test session is conducted with Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) and Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) fields. The DSCP and ECN Monitoring extension to TWAMP lets operators detect remarking, intended or erroneous, of the DSCP field as well as changes in the ECN field in the forward and reverse directions between the two test points. But to test multiple combinations of DSCP and ECN requires a separate test session to be established for each combination. Thus, in the case where the TWAMP-Control protocol is used to negotiate a TWAMP test session, test parameters, including source and destination user datagram protocol (UDP) port numbers, will be re-negotiated which may affect the result of the DSCP and ECN monitoring. And in the case where TWAMP is controlled by a command line interface (CLI) or network management system (NMS)/central controller, separate test sessions must be configured.

Method and apparatus for data plane to monitor differentiated services code point (DSCP) and explicit congestion notification (ECN)


A valve timing control apparatus includes a driving rotation member, a driven rotation member, an advance angle chamber displacing a rotation phase of the driven rotation member relative to the driving rotation member in an advance angle direction, a retard angle chamber displacing the relative rotation phase in a retard angle direction, an advance angle oil passage, a retard angle oil passage, an oil pump, a passage switching valve switching a position between first and second positions, and a drain mechanism provided between the passage switching valve and at least one of the advance angle chamber and the retard angle chamber to accelerate discharge of the hydraulic fluid from one of the advance angle chamber and the retard angle chamber when the hydraulic fluid is supplied to the other of the advance angle chamber and the retard angle chamber.

A valve timing control apparatus is disclosed in JP H10-280919A. In the valve timing control apparatus disclosed in Paragraph 0029 and FIG. 1 of JP H10-280919A, for example, when a hydraulic fluid is supplied from an advance angle oil passage to an advance angle chamber for displacing the relative rotation phase in an advance angle direction, the hydraulic fluid in a retarded angle chamber is discharged from a retard angle oil passage to an oil pan through a one way drain control passage and a fourth port of a passage switching valve. Then, a pressure of the retard angle chamber becomes low and the relative rotation phase is displaced to advance the opening and closing timing of an intake valve.
However, in the valve timing control apparatus disclosed in JP H10-280919A, the drainage is conducted through a relative narrow port of the passage switching valve. Thus, when the hydraulic fluid is rapidly supplied to the advance angle chamber through the advance angle oil passage for displacing the relative rotation phase in the advance angle direction quickly, back pressure resistance occurs in the hydraulic fluid in the retard angle oil passage. Similarly, when the hydraulic fluid is rapidly supplied to the retard angle chamber through the retard angle oil passage for displacing the relative rotation phase in the retard angle direction quickly, back pressure resistance occurs in the hydraulic fluid in the retard angle oil passage. Accordingly, the rapid displacement of the relative rotation phase becomes difficult, and therefore responsiveness of the valve timing control apparatus is not sufficiently enhanced.
A need exists for a valve timing control apparatus which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.


An apparatus for locking a sheet of metal to be shaped in a press, comprising at least one fluid-operated actuator for translational motion of a first sheet presser, adapted to support, in an initial operation step a sheet of metal to be shaped, arranged above a first lower die part, coupled to the base of the press. The first presser cooperates with a second presser, coupled to the second die part associated with the upper ram of the press, in locking a perimetric portion of the sheet of metal during shaping. The actuators are part of a circuit for regenerating and supplying the working fluid, provided with devices for the delayed return of the actuators, upon opening the press, for shaped sheet protection.

Apparatuses for locking the sheet of metal to be shaped are currently used in presses for cold-forming operations, such as pressing and drawing metal sheets.
The sheet of metal must in fact be locked in several points of one of its perimetric portions in order to prevent regions arranged perimetrically with respect to the area to be shaped of the sheet from being moved inappropriately between the die parts, jeopardizing the obtainment of the intended shaping.
Currently known apparatuses generally comprise at least one fluid-operated (gas-operated or hydraulic) actuator for the translational motion of a first sheet presser, which is adapted to support, during an initial step of a shaping operation, the sheet of metal to be shaped.
These fluid-operated actuators are generally constituted by gas cylinder actuators.
The first lower sheet presser supports the metal sheet to be shaped so that it lies above a first lower die part, which is rigidly coupled to the base of the press.
Such first sheet presser is adapted to cooperate with a second sheet presser, which is instead rigidly coupled to the second die part associated with the upper slider of the press.
During the actual shaping operation, i.e., during the descent of the upper ram of the press, the two sheet pressers hold a perimetric portion of the metal sheet closed between them.
The gas cylinder actuators which support the lower sheet presser are part of a circuit for regenerating and supplying the working fluid, i.e., the gas, which is provided with suitable means for the delayed return of the pistons, during the opening of the press.
When the piston of the gas cylinder actuator is pushed downward by the action of the press, the gas, which is intrinsically compressible, is in fact evacuated only partially from the pressurized chamber of the actuator; at the beginning of the step for extraction of the shaped sheet from the press, when the upper ram moves upward again and the actuators are discharged, the compressed gas, which is still present within the chamber of each actuator, expands, acting with a substantially impulsive thrust on the perimetric portions of the freshly stamped metal sheet, causing warping, inflections or other similar deformations thereof or even pushing the entire sheet so that it collides against the upper die part, which has started to rise, causing damage.
Such means for the delayed return of the pistons of the gas cylinder actuators are constituted generally by hydraulic plenums or mixed oil and gas plenums, which are adapted to send pressurized oil, under the thrust of the upper ram of the press, into the gas cylinder actuator, in the cylinder compartment which lies opposite the one in which the gas acts, with respect to the piston.
These means, in addition to being expensive, do not eliminate the problem of the overheating of the gas which flows through the intake and discharge valves, said overheating producing an increase in the pressure that the gas applies within the cylinder of the actuator.
Hydraulic plenums also must be provided with cooling devices, since oil, too, by overheating, changes its properties.
In order to eliminate the drawbacks caused by gas overheating, it is necessary to apply cooling devices which are onerous both in terms of additional costs and in terms of space occupation.
Further, the simple application of the hydraulic plenums is not sufficient to eliminate completely the so-called "spring-back" effect, i.e., the elastic reaction of the compressed gas that has remained in the actuator at the end of the compression of said actuator.
It is in fact necessary to coordinate the operation of the plenum or plenums and of the press so as to anticipate the blocking of the injection of oil into the actuator and avoid even the slightest return of oil into the plenum if the thrust of the gas is simultaneous with, or, worse still, anticipates the closure of the one-way valve.

Apparatus for locking a sheet of metal suitable to be shaped in a press


A fuse structure for an integrated circuit device includes an elongated metal interconnect layer defined within an insulating layer; a metal cap layer formed on only a portion of a top surface of the metal interconnect layer; and a dielectric cap layer formed on both the metal cap layer and the remaining portions of the metal interconnect layer not having the metal cap layer formed thereon; wherein the remaining portions of the metal interconnect layer not having the metal cap layer formed thereon are susceptible to an electromigration failure mechanism so as to facilitate programming of the fuse structure by application of electric current through the elongated metal interconnect layer.

The present invention relates generally to integrated circuit (IC) device fabrication and, more particularly, to a structure and method of forming electrically blown metal fuses for integrated circuits.
In integrated circuit devices such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits, it is often desirable to be able to permanently store information, or to form permanent connections of the integrated circuit after it is manufactured. Fuses or devices forming fusible links are frequently used for this purpose. Fuses can also be used to program redundant elements to replace identical defective elements, for example. Further, fuses can be used to store die identification or other such information, or to adjust the speed of a circuit by adjusting the resistance of the current path.
One type of fuse device is "programmed" or "blown" using a laser to open a link by exposure to high-energy light after a semiconductor device is processed and passivated, thereby (for example) activating a redundant circuit. This particular type of fuse device requires precise alignment of the laser on the fuse device to avoid destroying neighboring devices. This and other similar approaches can result in damage to the device passivation layer, and thus, lead to reliability concerns. For example, the process of blowing the fuse can cause a hole in the passivation layer when the fuse material is displaced.
Another type of fuse device is based on the rupture, agglomeration or electromigration of silicided polysilicon. These types of fuses include a silicide layer disposed on a polysilicon layer, and overlain by an insulating layer such as silicon nitride. The silicide layer has a first resistance and the polysilicon layer has a second resistance greater than the first resistance. In an intact condition, the fuse link has a resistance determined by the resistance of the silicide layer. In common applications, when a programming potential is applied, providing a requisite current and voltage across the fuse element over time, the silicide layer begins to randomly ball-up, eventually causing an electrical discontinuity or rupture in some part of the silicide layer. Thus, the fuse link has a resultant resistance determined by that of the polysilicon layer (i.e., the programmed fuse resistance is increased with respect to that of the first resistance). However, this type of fuse device can result in damage to surrounding structure and/or suffers from unreliable sensing because of the inconsistent nature of the rupture process and the relatively small change typically offered in the programmed resistance. Further, these types of devices may not be viable for use with many of the latest process technologies because of the required programming potentials (i.e., current flow and voltage levels over a requisite amount of time).
In still another type of fuse, namely an electromigration fuse, a potential is applied across the conductive fuse link via the cathode and anode in which the potential is of a magnitude and direction to initiate electromigration of silicide from a region of the semiconductor fuse reducing the conductivity of the fuse link. Electromigration is a term referring to the phenomenon of mass transport of metallic atoms (e.g., copper or aluminum) which make up the interconnect material, as a result of unidirectional or DC electrical current conduction therethrough. More specifically, the electron current collides with the metal ions, thereby pushing them in the direction of current travel. The electromigration is enhanced by commencing a temperature gradient between the fuse link and the cathode responsive to the applied potential. Even with an electromigration fuse, the programming of the fuse is still dominated by the polysilicon material. Since the polysilicon film contains a significant number of imperfections, the final resistance has a wide distribution. This sometime results in a programmed fuse from being sensed incorrectly, thus leading to the failure of the chip.
In summary, integrated circuit fuses are conventionally either laser blown by exposure to high-energy light or electrically blown with a high current introduced through the structure. Typically, when the fuse material is a metal, a laser is used to blow the fuse structure, and when the fuse material is polysilicon, a high current is used to electrically blow the fuse structure. Of the two programming mechanisms, an electrically blown fuse is generally preferred since the electrical signal can be applied to the wafer using the same wafer probers that are used to test individual chips. In other words, a laser blown fuse requires an additional tool set, as well as an increase in the time to test the wafers. On the other hand, a metal fuse structure is advantageous in that, among other aspects, they are flexible with respect to their location in the integrated circuit device. Another advantage of electrically blown fuses (with respect to laser blown fuses) is that the programming can be implemented in the field, in addition to during fabrication of the device.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to be able to provide a metal fuse structure that is electrically blown, and without the use of excessive voltages and currents for accomplishing the programming.

Structure and method of forming electrically blown metal fuses for integrated circuits


An RC oscillator integrated circuit includes: an active current mirror connected to an external resistor, for receiving a current signal corresponding to a voltage signal applied to the external resistor, performing 1/N-times division of the received current signal according to an input clock signal, and generating a 1/N-times current signal; an oscillation circuit for generating an output voltage corresponding to a charging- or discharging-operation of a capacitor via a current path formed by the active current mirror; a feedback switching circuit for controlling a charging- or discharging-path of the capacitor by a feedback of an output signal Vo of the oscillation circuit; and a divider for generating not only a first clock signal capable of driving the active current mirror according to the output signal of the oscillation circuit, but also a second output clock signal having a compensated mismatch of the active current mirror.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an oscillator integrated circuit (IC), and more particularly to an RC oscillator IC including a capacitor.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating a conventional saw-tooth oscillator (also called a triangular oscillator). Conventional saw-tooth oscillators include first and second transistors M1 and M2, a capacitor CT, first and second comparators COMP1 and COMP2, and an RS flip-flop SR LATCH. The RS flip-flop includes an output terminal Q, such that the Q output terminal generates a saw-tooth wave signal as an output voltage Vo. If the output voltage Vo assumes a low level, the first transistor M1 is switched on, and the capacitor CT is charged with a first current I1. If the capacitor-voltage VCT is higher than a threshold voltage VT, the RS flip-flop (SR LATCH) is set so that the output voltage Vo assumes a high level. If the output voltage Vo is high, the first transistor M1 is switched off, and the second transistor M2 is switched on, such that the capacitor CT is discharged to a second current I2.
If the capacitor-voltage VCT is less than the reference voltage VB, the output signal of the second comparator COMP2 assumes a high level, such that the RS flip-flop SR LATCH is reset, and the output voltage Vo assumes a low level. If the output voltage Vo assumes a low level, the above-mentioned operation is repeated, resulting in an oscillation. Provided that the first current I1 and the second current I2 is approximately constant I, an oscillation period T can be represented by the following Equation 1, and an oscillation frequency f can be represented by the following equation 2:
                    T        =                  2                                                                                CT                                            (                                  VT                  -                  VB                                )                                      I                                              [                  Equation                                                              1                ]                                f        =                  I                      2                                      sCT                                            (                                  VT                  -                  VB                                )                                                                        [                  Equation                                                              2                ]
Here "CT" is indicative of the capacitance of the capacitor CT. The above-mentioned saw-tooth oscillator may determine the first current I1 and the second current I2 using resistors, respectively. In this case, the oscillation frequency f is changed according to the resistance of the resistors. Oscillators containing a resistor and a capacitor are referred to as RC oscillators.
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram illustrating a conventional RC oscillator. Conventional RC oscillators include first and second transistors M1 and M2, a capacitor CT, first and second comparators COMP1 and COMP2, a RS flip-flop SR LATCH, a first current mirror 110, a second current mirror 120, and a voltage/current converter 130. The first transistor M1 is connected to a second output terminal OUT2 of the first current mirror 110. A first output terminal OUT1 of the first current mirror 110 is connected to an input terminal IN of the second current mirror 120. The second transistor M2 is connected to an output terminal OUT of the second current mirror 120. The input terminal IN of the first current mirror 110 is connected to an external resistor RT via the voltage/current converter 130. In the above-mentioned configuration, a voltage signal applied to the resistor RT is indicative of a reference voltage VREF, and a current signal IRT applied to the resistor RT assumes the value of VREF/RT, the voltage VREF divided by the resistance of RT.
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of the current mirror of FIG. 2. If the first transistor M1 has the same characteristics as the second transistor M2, the ratio of the input current IN to the output current IO will be 1:1. However, typically the first transistor M1 has different characteristics than the second transistor M2. Due to this mismatch of the characteristics between the first and second transistors M1 and M2, the relationship, or ratio, between the input current and the output current will be 1:(1+A). Here A indicates the degree of mismatch, and is typically close to 0.
FIGS. 4-6 illustrate the layout and the operation of an active current mirror. A plurality of switches SW1-SW6 are arranged to solve the above-mentioned mismatch problem of FIG. 3. The switches SW1-SW6 perform a switching operation timed by a clock signal CLK or an inverse clock signal CLK.
The active current mirror is able to minimize the degree of the mismatch between the first transistor M1 and the second transistor M2 by the switching operation of the switches SW1-SW6. If the clock signal CLK assumes a high level, the switches are configured to implement the equivalent circuit of FIG. 5. The equivalent circuit of FIG. 5 operates in the same manner as in FIG. 3, and the output current IO can be represented by the following Equation 3:IO=(1+A)·IN  [Equation 3]
On the other hand, if the clock signal CLK assumes a low level, the inverse clock signal CLK assumes a high level, the switches SW2, SW5, and SW6 are switched on, to be configured as the equivalent circuit of FIG. 6. In this case, the output current IO can be represented by the following Equation 4:
                    IO        =                  IN                      1            +            A                                              [                  Equation                                                              4                ]
Provided that the clock signal CLK assumes the high and low levels for the same length of time, leading to a duty of essentially 50%, the output current IO will assume the value of Equation 3 and Equation 4 for the same length of time. Therefore, the average output current IO(AVG) can be represented by the following Equation 5:
                                                                        IO                                                  (                  AVG                  )                                            =                                                                            (                                      1                    +                    A                    +                                          1                                              1                        +                        A                                                                              )                                ·                                  IN                  2                                                                                ≈                                                                            (                                      1                    +                    A                    +                    1                    -                    A                    +                                          A                      2                                                        )                                ·                                  IN                  2                                                                                =                                                                            (                                      1                    +                                                                  A                        2                                            2                                                        )                                                IN                                                                        [                  Equation                                                              5                ]
As can be seen from Equation 5, the current output signal of the current mirror depends on the square of the mismatch A. For example, if the mismatch A equals 0.1, representing a 10% mismatch, the average output current IO(AVG) of the current mirror will change only by (0.1)2/2=0.005. This implementation lowers the influence of the mismatch on IO(AVG) considerably.
However, in order to operate the current mirror in the above manner, the duty of the clock signal needs to be maintained at 50% with high precision. This is not an easy task, as the conventional current mirrors do not receive external clock signals.
If a user desires to include a capacitor in an oscillator IC, the area covered by the capacitor must be minimized to improve an integration degree of the IC. For this reason, implementing the capacitor CT with high capacitance is not easy. A low capacitance for capacitor CT, however, leads to an undesirably high frequency.
Capacitor CT is charged or discharged with the current IRT. To address the above high frequency problem, the input current IRT is multiplied by 1/N using the current mirror of FIG. 3 or 4 for the discharging of the capacitor CT. This implementation will make the capacitor CT have the same effect as an N-times larger capacitor.
However, there are problems with the just-described approach. The characteristics-mismatch of elements of the current mirror is such a problem. Also, there may be a mismatch-dispersion, making it impossible to correctly generate a desired current signal lower than that of the apparent N-fold increased capacitor. The higher the current-division ratio N, the higher the degree and dispersion of the mismatch.

RC oscillator integrated circuit including capacitor


Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, which can comprise a circuit adapted to cause an actuation of an output device according to a control output. The control output can be generated comprising a control signal, the control signal extracted from a sequence of clock pulses. The sequence of clock pulses can comprise the control signal.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,529 (Boggs), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly discloses a "programmable logic controller with enhanced and extended the capabilities. A digital input filter implement filters with considerable less logic by simulating the action of a capacitor being driven by a constant current source whose output voltage is sensed by a comparator with a large amount of hysterisis. A pulse catch circuit captures the input pulse even though the update occurs between scan cycles. A pulse output controller includes a hardware pipeline mechanism to allow for smooth, hardware-controlled transitions from wave-form to wave-form. A free port link allows the user to control the port either manually or by operation of a user program. In order to provide higher performance for communication using PPI protocol, the PLC includes a built-in protocol. An n-bit modem protocol ensures data integrity without use of a parity type data integrity system. A hide instruction protects proprietary software by encrypting the sensitive code and decrypting the code during compilation and, thereafter, re-encrypting the code. A system function call allows the user to create and/or download new PLC functions and implement them as PLC operating system functions. An STL status function debugs programs during run-time and while the program is executing. A micro PLC arrangement provides compact size and efficiency." See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,389 (McNutt), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly discloses an "expansion module address method and apparatus for a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) is taught. Briefly stated, a PLC base unit sends an address to an expansion module or modules attached thereto. Each expansion module takes the address number it receives and considers it to be its own address number. Unless the number presented to it is a zero, the expansion module decrements the number and passes it onto the next module. Thereby each module knows its own address. Each expansion module has contained therein a plurality of address and data lines which are common to all modules with the exception of one address line which is interrupted by each module circuitry, which is used to decrement the address number and then passes it along the interrupted address line to the next module." See Abstract.

Devices, systems, and methods for reducing signals


A battery cell connector for a battery module includes a pair of cantilevered arms and base portions that are linked at the base portion by a bridge. An interconnect board for connecting a plurality of battery cells includes a circuit board and a plurality of battery cell connectors. A battery block system includes a battery block that has a tray and a plurality of battery cells, and an interconnect board in mating relationships with the tray. A battery system includes first and second bus bars, a first and second pluralities of battery cells, and an interconnect board having a plurality of battery cell connectors linking the first and second plurality of battery cells.

Many devices, including computers and electric vehicles, are powered by secondary (rechargeable) batteries, such as lithium-ion, nickel cadmium, nickel-metal hydride and lead acid batteries. Many of these devices consume enough electricity to require that conventional secondary batteries be connected collectively in modular form, such as in battery modules of six, eight, or up to several dozen batteries per module. Devices may operate at voltages requiring series connections of cells to achieve this voltage. Parallel connections of cells increase the total energy capacity available. However, secondary batteries, such as the lithium-ion secondary batteries, typically can vary from cell-to-cell and, therefore, must be monitored (for safety, life, discharge and charge limits) during charging and discharging. When necessary, they must be charged separately or selectively discharged in order to balance the cells in each battery module and maximize the collective efficiency and utilization of the individual cells.
Further, some cells have shorter cycle lives than others within a single battery module, and it can be difficult to selectively access and replace individual modules, thereby deleteriously affecting the performance of the battery system and the device as a whole. This, in addition to an inability of many battery systems to identify individual cells failing within a module, often requires that the module be replaced, thereby adding to the expense of maintenance associated with the battery system, and reducing the efficiency and utility of the device relying upon the battery system.
Therefore, a need exists for a modular battery system that overcomes or minimizes the above-referenced problems.