An airbag plate for use in an airbag assembly incorporates a protruding push retainer feature to irreversibly secure the airbag plate to an instrument panel upper. The protruding push retainer feature may use a plurality of contact arms or an upwardly exposed flange region, with or without barbs, as a positive retaining feature. The instrument panel upper is coupled to the airbag plate by inserting a raised boss on the engine side of the instrument panel upper through a corresponding protruding push retainer contained on the airbag plate. This push retainer feature then bites into the boss to aid in preventing the airbag plate from separating from the instrument panel upper when an airbag is deployed.

The present invention relates generally to airbag systems and more particularly to a self-retaining automotive airbag plate.
The airbag plate is a ridge element that is placed between an undeployed airbag and the skin of an instrument panel. In some recent developments, the airbag plate formed from aluminum that is mounted onto the inside surface of a polypropylene skin, commonly referred to as an xe2x80x9cupper.xe2x80x9d The mounting of the airbag plate typically involves the rolling over of plastic bosses, which have been molded into the upper, forming a button cap which retains the airbag plate. Sonic and heat stake forming are typically used to roll the plastic bosses.
There are several problems identified with present methods for attaching the airbag plate to the upper. These include, for example, variations in time and dwell of energy, variations in wall thickness due to drafting of the molded parts, variation in plastic boss height due to styling contours in the polypropylene skin, and the ability of the plastic boss to absorb the forming energy due to the closeness of the metal plate all impact the creation of the button cap.
Further, the process for forming the button cap requires that the instrument panel Upper, which typically exceeds 50 inches, be placed within an apparatus to roll the bosses, a restrictive process requiring plant floor space and excess time. Finally, since the plastic bosses are formed integral to the instrument panel upper, there is the possibility that the IP upper may be scraped due to an incorrectly formed boss.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide a method for mounting the airbag plate onto the surface of the instrument panel skin without the need to form plastic bosses.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a method for mounting the airbag plate onto the surface of the instrument panel skin without the need to form plastic bosses.
The above object is accomplished by providing a modified airbag plate that incorporates a push retainer feature. The airbag plate is secured to the instrument panel upper by forcing the airbag plate over the bosses and retaining it with a push retainer.
The process for retaining the airbag plate to the boss therefore does not require preforming the part for retention. Also, the present invention does not restrict the design of the polypropylene skin to an even-walled circular boss.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon considering the following detailed description and appended claims, and upon reference to the accompanying drawings.


A storage system is provided for a vehicle. The storage system comprises a base including a guideway and a follower received in the guideway. Further the storage system includes a platform that is carried on the follower. The platform is displaceable along an orbital path of movement to allow improved access to various portions of the storage area.

Motor vehicles are often equipped with large storage areas that are useful to store luggage or other objects. This is true whether the vehicle is a sedan with a trunk compartment under the trunk lid, a sport-utility vehicle with a storage space behind the rear seat accessed by means of a tailgate or a hatchback vehicle with a storage area underneath the hatchback. In many of these vehicles, the size of the storage area prevents one at the rear of the vehicle from easily accessing the forward portion of the storage area which is out of reach.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,628 discloses a rotary platform that is mounted to the floor of a trunk 80 and makes the forwardmost area of the storage space more accessible to one at the rear of the vehicle. More specifically, any object held on the platform at the front of the storage space may be conveniently moved toward the individual at the rear of the vehicle by simply rotating the platform.
While such a rotating platform is useful for its intended purpose, it should be appreciated that such a platform only improves access to that portion of the forward storage space in the middle of the vehicle. The forwardmost corners of the storage space to the right and left of the platform essentially remain unreachable and largely inaccessible to someone at the rear of the vehicle.
This document relates to a new and improved storage system for a vehicle that incorporates an orbiting platform that provides much better access to the forwardmost portions of the storage compartment for one at the rear of the vehicle. This includes better access to objects stored at the forward-most corners of the storage area. Accordingly, the storage system disclosed in this document represents a significant advance in the art when compared to a rotatable tray or platform as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,628.

Orbiting platform storage system for a vehicle


The resin composition of the invention comprises as resin components specific aromatic polyamide (A), a specific graft-modified polymer (B), an aliphatic polyamide (C), and plural antioxidants comprising a hindered phenol type antioxidant (D) having a molecular weight of not less than 500 and a TGA 10% weight loss temperature of not lower than 300.degree. C. and a sulfur type antioxidant (E) having a molecular weight of not less than 600 and a TGA 10% weight loss temperature of not lower than 280.degree. C. The connector of the invention has housing formed from the above-mentioned resin composition. The resin composition of the invention shows excellent heat resistance. The connector of the invention is lightweight and is excellent in heat resistance, water resistance and chemical resistance.

Connectors used as connecting terminals of electrical circuits have been conventionally formed from thermosetting resins such as phenol resin, but in these years, thermoplastic resins having high moldability have come to be used instead of the thermosetting resins. Further, the connectors have come to be used not only under mild conditions such as conditions within OA machine, for example, as connectors of electric devices, but also under extremely severe conditions such as those within an automotive engine room. Therefore, the connectors used under the severe conditions such as those within an automotive engine room are required to have extremely high heat resistance. In addition, the connectors are required to have such new features that they are hardly changed in their properties even after repeated heating due to engine heating and that they are hardly changed in their properties even if they are brought into contact with water, oil, etc.
Furthermore, under the world-wide proposal of efficient utilization of petroleum energy, it has been studied to make more lightweight automobiles for the purpose of reducing fuel cost of automobiles and it has been also studied to develop small sized automotive parts.
As the thermoplastic resins for connectors, there have been conventionally used poypropylene (PP), aliphatic polyamide (NY) such as polycapramide (nylon 6, NY 6) or polyhexamethylene adipamide (nylon 66, NY 66), polyphenylene ether (PPE) and acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene resin (ABS resin).
In these thermoplastic resins, PP is insufficient in heat resistance and low in rigidity as the resin for a connector used under severe conditions. Moreover, PP has such a problem that the rate of crystallization is slow. PPE has a certain level of heat resistance, but it is low in chemical resistance, particularly oil resistance, so that PPE is unsuitable as a resin for a connector used near machines such as an engine room. In addition, PPE has such a problem that the moldability thereof is bad because of its low flowability. The ABS resin is also unsuitable as a resin for a connector used under severe conditions in viewpoints of heat resistance, chemical resistance and rigidity, and additionally, it has such a problem that the moldability thereof is bad because of its low flowability.
Of the above-mentioned thermoplastic resins, the polyamide resin is relatively well balanced between the characteristics. Generally used as the polyamide resin is an aliphatic polyamide, but this aliphatic polyamide has a high water absorption rate. Therefore, a connector formed from this aliphatic polyamide varies in its dimension, electrical resistance value, etc. when the connector absorbs water. Especially when the connector is warped, the connector is unable to be connected with the device.
By the way, an aromatic polyamide is known as a polyamide other than the aliphatic polyamide. The aromatic polyamide is obtained from an aromatic dicarboxylic acid as a dicarboxylic acid component and diamine and subjecting this aromatic dicarboxylic acid and diamine to polycondensation reaction.
The aromatic polyamide has a low water absorption rate differently from the aliphatic polyamide, and hence the above-mentioned problems such as decrease of dimensional accuracy and change of electrical resistance value occurring associated with the water absorption of the connector can be solved by using the aromatic polyamide.
However, as a result of further studies on the connector formed from the aromatic polyamide in more detail, the followings have been found. That is, when the connector is exposed to a high temperature, the aromatic polyamide is sometimes thermally deteriorated, and this thermal deterioration of the aromatic polyamide causes lowering of toughness of the connector. The connector thus lowered in toughness becomes poor in stretchability, and thereby the connector is hardly connected smoothly with the device.
Particularly in these years, electrical parts such as connectors are often incorporated into a device by soldering them through an infrared reflow method. If the connector is lowered in toughness by the heat of the infrared reflowing, reduction of workability in the assembly operation of the device or lowering of durability of the device is induced. Further, especially when the connector is used under such conditions that heating and cooling are repeatedly carried out, for example, under conditions within an automotive engine room, the toughness of the connector is easily reduced.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 60(1985)-44362 by the present applicant describes a composition of an aromatic polyamide having improved toughness. Concretely, the composition described in this publication contains the aromatic polyamide and a modified .alpha.-olefin elastic polymer.
In the above publication, studies on heat resistance required for engineering plastic products formed from the polyamide composition by a conventional melt molding method are disclosed, but there is not taken into account any property required for the case where a product made of the polyamide composition is exposed to an extremely high temperature as in the case of a connector of automobile. Accordingly, in order to improve reliability of connectors, resin molded products should be further improved in the long-term heat resistance.
For improving heat resistance of polyamide, there is known a method of adding various stabilizers to the polyamide, as well as the method of adding other resins to the polyamide. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. 2(1990)-212533, No. 2(1990)-214752, No. 2(1990)-173059 and No. 62(1987)-273256 disclose a polyamide resin composition comprising a specific phenol type stabilizer, a specific sulfur type stabilizer and a specific phosphorus type stabilizer and an aliphatic polyamide such as polyamide 66 or polyamide(.epsilon.-caprolactam)/66. The aliphatic polyamide is used as the polyamide and the melting point of the aliphatic polyamide is much lower than that of the aromatic polyamide. Therefore, molded products formed from the compositions comprising the aliphatic polyamide and the stabilizers as described in the above publications exhibit excellent properties. However, if the aromatic polyamide is used instead of the aliphatic polyamide in the composition, foaming of the stabilizers is brought about during the preparation of a composition or the molding procedure of the composition, since the melting point of the aromatic polyamide is high.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 57(1982)-123254 discloses a composition comprising a polyamide, a specific phenol type stabilizer, a specific sulfur type stabilizer and a copper compound. In this composition, the copper compound is used as an essential component to exhibit sufficient thermal aging resistance, and hence the composition can be enhanced in heat stability when the copper compound is used in combination with the specific phenol type stabilizer and the specific sulfur type stabilizer. However, the composition sometimes suffers evil effects of metal caused by the copper compound which is added as the stabilizer. Especially when the composition is contaminated with metallic copper liberated from the copper compound, electrical properties of the resin sometimes vary, and the resin having such variability of electrical properties should not be used as a connector. Further, this resin composition also has such a problem that foaming is brought about during the preparation of the composition or the molding procedure thereof, similarly to the above-mentioned case. In other words, formulation of stabilizers having been conventionally applied to the aliphatic polyamide is not always satisfactory for the aromatic polyamide.

Polyamide resin composition and connector


Embodiments of the present invention form a weight-compensating/tuning layer on a structure (e.g., a silicon wafer with one or more layers of material (e.g., films)) having variations in its surface topology. The variations in surface topology take the form of thick and thin regions of materials. The weight-compensating/tuning layer includes narrow and wide regions corresponding to the thick and thin regions, respectively.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to integrated circuits and, in particular, to integrated circuit fabrication processes.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In general, the basic process used in fabricating integrated circuits includes a material deposition stage, a patterning stage, a material removal stage, a doping stage, and a heating stage. The particular stages used depend on the type of devices to be included on the integrated circuit.
In the deposition stage, many thin layers of material (e.g., films), each with particular properties, are deposited on a silicon wafer using known techniques, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Due to variations in wafer processing tools and/or techniques, sometimes the wafer may have variations in its surface topology. When a layer of material is then deposited on the wafer surface, the deposited layer may conform to the surface topology of the wafer. The result tends to be uneven distribution of material.
Thickness variations can be particularly troublesome if fabricated components are to be used as frequency-selective devices commonly found in communication systems such as cellular telephone systems that are intended to resonate at a particular frequency. This is because the weight distribution of material on the wafer determines the resonance frequency. The resonance frequency determines the channel of operation. When the weight distribution cannot be controlled, the resonance frequency cannot be controlled and thus the operating channel cannot be controlled.
Traditional solutions to thickness variations include adding a chemical mechanical planarization/polishing (CMP) stage to the fabrication process. CMP is a process technology used to planarize (i.e., make flat) one or more layers deposited on a wafer. In a typical CMP process the wafer is rotated and is polished (or planarized) using chemical slurry. This solution is adequate in many instances, but has limitations. For example; CMP is not selective enough and may thin an already thin area on the layer of material while attempting to thin a thicker area. Additionally, using CMP to planarize a layer of material adds an extra stage to the fabrication process.
Another solution involves measuring the resonance frequency of the devices and discarding defective components. This post situ or after the fact solution can be quite expensive, however. For example, the components must are already be fabricated before determining whether they are suitable for use in a particular application.
Other solutions include laser correction, which also is a post situ or post fabrication solution. As a result, it can be expensive and time consuming as well.

Method to make a weight compensating/tuning layer on a substrate


A developing apparatus includes a developing unit configured to be detachable from and attachable to an image forming apparatus to contain a developer, a rotary member configured to rotate in the developing unit, and a detection unit installed on an internal surface of the developing unit and configured to detect a pressure caused by pressure through the developer by rotation of the rotary member. In addition, a measurement unit is configured to measure a period in which the pressure is changed, and a determination unit is configured to determine an amount of the developer in the developing unit based on the period detected by the measurement unit.

Conventional image forming apparatuses include an example in which remaining amounts of toner in toner containers are detected using piezoelectric sensors or ultrasonic sensors. For example, a remaining toner amount detection apparatus described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H1-6986 includes a piezoelectric sensor installed, with a detection unit of the sensor facing upward, at that position on a bottom face of a hopper near which a thin plate member passes during rotation of an agitation member and detects the remaining amount of toner based on the time during which pressure is detected by the sensor to the time required for one rotation of the agitation member. With the remaining toner amount detection apparatus, when the remaining amount of toner is equal to or larger than a certain amount, output of the piezoelectric sensor is fixed to a Toner Present logic. On the other hand, when the remaining amount of toner is equal to or smaller than a certain amount, the amount of toner cannot be detected and the output of the piezoelectric sensor is fixed to a No Toner logic. However, the detection method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H1-6986 has the following problems. Specifically, when there is a large amount of remaining toner, there is no period of time during which toner weight is not detected, and thus the remaining amount of toner cannot be detected until the toner decreases to a predetermined amount. Also, along with recent increases in the speed of image forming apparatus, when an agitation member operates at high speed, the toner in a toner container whirls up, causing toner to exist at a detection position of the piezoelectric sensor and thereby making it difficult to secure a period of time during which toner weight is not detected.
Conventional image forming apparatuses include one that uses a magnetic permeability sensor to detect the amount of toner in a developing unit. Examples of the apparatus which detects the amount of toner using a magnetic permeability sensor include one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-132036. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-132036 discloses a toner amount detection apparatus which includes a first agitation blade configured to be flexible and adapted to deform in a direction opposite to a rotational direction when agitating toner, a second agitation blade configured to be rigid and placed behind the first agitation blade in the rotational direction, and a magnetic permeability sensor placed on an outer bottom face of a developing unit. The apparatus detects states of rotating operations of the metal materials placed on the respective agitation blades using the magnetic permeability sensor placed on the outer bottom face of the developing unit. Also, the apparatus is configured such that the first agitation blade and second agitation blade rotate integrally when there is a large amount of toner in the developing unit and that the first agitation blade and second agitation blade rotate separately without deformation when there is a small amount of toner in the developing unit. In so doing, variation in magnetic permeability per rotation of a rotating shaft is measured once using the magnetic permeability sensor when there is a large amount of toner in the developing unit, and twice when there is a small amount of toner in the developing unit. The toner amount detection apparatus detects the amount of toner in the developing unit based on variation in the number of detections.
However, the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-132036 has the following problem. When there is a large amount of toner, since the first agitation blade and second agitation blade rotate integrally, a signal detected by the magnetic permeability sensor represents one variation in magnetic permeability per rotation of the rotating shaft. On the other hand, when there is a small amount of toner, the first agitation blade hardly deforms and the first and second agitation blades do not rotate integrally. In this case, a signal detected by the magnetic permeability sensor represents two variations in magnetic permeability per rotation of the rotating shaft. In this way, based on the number of magnetic field variations detected by the magnetic permeability sensor (once or twice), the amount of toner is detected alternatively by selecting between a large amount and small amount or between presence and absence. Thus, it is difficult to successively detect the variation in the amount of toner.

Image forming apparatus having developer amount determination


Methods for processing condensed computer code are disclosed herein. The condensed computer code includes index references that take the place of code structures found in corresponding executable computer code. The condensed computer code, as well as one or more lists that map the index references found in the condensed computer code to the code structures found in the executable computer code, are transmitted to a user system. The condensed computer code is executed by fetching opcodes and operands from the computer code, and then executing the fetched opcodes. If a fetched operand is an index reference, the fetched operand is resolved by using the index reference as an index into one of the lists.

Various forms of computer languages and compilers have been developed for the creation, compilation and execution of code segments, sometimes known as "class files," which contain bytecode and data. Such languages include the JAVA language developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., and the various dialects of that language that have been developed. These computer languages offer the advantages of allowing the creation of code segments that can be stored on a server computer system and transferred from the server computer system to a remote computer system at a desired time. The remote computer system can receive the code segment and execute it locally.
A common use of such code segments is in the transmission of executable code via a remote electronic communications network, such as the Internet or its components, such as the World Wide Web. For example, a server computer or web site can be contacted by a remote user computer system by specifying a worldwide web "address." The user system receives the bytecode by transmission over the computer network. The user system executes an interpreter, such as a JAVA interpreter or other software containing appropriate code for receiving and executing the bytecode.
One disadvantage of such known computer languages is that the transmitted code segments often contain unnecessary code and/or data, making the code segment longer and making transmission and execution of the code segment more burdensome. A longer code segment naturally takes longer to transmit via a computer network than one which is shorter. For example, the code segment may contain methods or fields which are not actually required for execution in the user or destination computer system. The code segment may also contain repetitive use of particular classes, methods or fields or other code.
In operation, received code segments typically are stored in memory in the user or destination system. The memory may include a non-volatile storage medium such as a hard disk or writable CD-ROM or volatile memory such as RAM (random access memory). Because the code segments may include unneeded components or multiple instances of the same component, they may require an excessive amount of such memory storage. Furthermore, the longer code will also entail longer access and execution times.
The JAVA language and associated interpreters are widely known. Code segments, or class files, generated using JAVA contain method definitions and field specifications. Objects, which are instances of classes, are collections of fields and methods that operate on fields. Methods may call each other via invocations and objects may pass data among each other via methods, such as for private fields, or via direct field references, such as for public fields.
A method is code used to perform a particular task, such as modifying data in some way, such as for performing a procedure or a function.
Fields are components of objects in which object data are stored such as integers or characters, i.e., variables. Data may be designated as public or private. Private data is generally accessible by a single class while public data is accessible by multiple classes.
Data may also be characterized as static or instance data. Static data is associated with each class, whereas instance data is associated with each object, or instance of a class. In a typical JAVA code implementation, a class file is read by the interpreter and executed according to the meaning of the code within the class file.
There is a need for a system and method for compressing bytecode or code segments and for interpreting and executing such compressed code.

Hewlett-Packard and Development Company, L.P.


A water amusement ride system is disclosed. The system may include a device or apparatus, including a water bypass channel in fluid communication with a channel of water. The water bypass channel may include a water entrance, a water exit, and an adjustable valve. The water entrance is in fluid communication with water upstream of the apparatus. The water exit is in fluid communication with water downstream of the apparatus. The adjustable valve may be located between the water entrance and the water exit. The adjustable valve may be adjusted to control an amount of water exiting the water bypass channel. The water bypass channel may increase the flow rate of water between the water entrance and the water exit of the water bypass channel. The water bypass channel may assist in controlling a water effect.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to water amusement attractions and rides. More particularly, the disclosure generally relates to jet and side control gates for controlling water flow in water amusement rides.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
The 80's decade witnessed phenomenal growth in the participatory family water recreation facility (i.e., the water park) and in water oriented ride attractions in the traditional themed amusement parks. The main current genre of water ride attractions (e.g., waterslides, river rapid rides, and log flumes, and others) require participants to walk or be mechanically lifted to a high point, wherein, gravity enables water, rider(s), and riding vehicle (if appropriate) to slide down a chute or incline to a lower elevation splash pool, whereafter the cycle repeats. Some rides can move riders uphill and downhill but for efficiency and performance reasons these rides also generally start on an elevated tower and generally require walking up steps to reach the start of the ride.
With this phenomenal growth came the subsequent problem of finding enough appropriate land available for development into water recreation facilities. One of the problems facing water park developers is finding enough land upon which to develop their water parks. The development of water parks is an expensive enterprise to which the addition of having to purchase large tracts of land only further adds to the expense of developing water parks.
Generally speaking, the traditional downhill water rides are short in duration (normally measured in seconds of ride time) and have limited throughput capacity. The combination of these two factors quickly leads to a situation in which patrons of the parks typically have long queue line waits of up to two or three hours for a ride that, although exciting, lasts only a few seconds. Additional problems like hot and sunny weather, wet patrons, and other difficulties combine to create a very poor overall customer feeling of satisfaction or perceived entertainment value in the water park experience. Poor entertainment value in water parks as well as other amusement parks is rated as the biggest problem of the water park industry and is substantially contributing to the failure of many water parks and threatens the entire industry.
Additionally, none of the typical downhill water park rides is specifically designed to transport guests between rides. In large amusement parks, transportation between rides or areas of the park may be provided by a train or monorail system, or guests are left to walk from ride to ride or area to area. Trains or monorails have relatively minor entertainment value and are passive in nature in that they have little if any active guest-controlled functions such as choice of pathway, speed of riders or rider activity besides sightseeing from the vehicle. They are also generally unsuitable for water parks because of their high installation and operating costs and have poor ambience within the parks. These types of transportation are also unsuitable for water park guests who, because of the large amount of time spent in the water, are often wet and want to be more active because of the combination of high ambient temperatures in summertime parks and the normal heat loss due to water immersion and evaporative cooling. Water helps cool guests and encourages a higher level of physical activity. Guests also want to stay in the water for fun. Water parks are designed around the original experience of a swimming hole combined with the river rafting or tubing. The preferred feeling is one of natural ambience and organic experience. A good river ride combines calm areas and excitement areas like rapids, whirlpools, and beaches. Mechanical transportation systems do not fit in well with these types of rides. There exists a need in water parks for a means of transportation through the park and between the rides.
For water rides that involve the use of a floatation device (e.g., an inner tube or floating board) the walk back to the start of a ride may be particularly arduous since the rider must usually carry the floatation device from the exit of the ride back to the start of the ride. Floatation devices could be transported from the exit to the entrance of the ride using mechanical transportation devices, but these devices are expensive to purchase and operate. Carrying the floatation device or using mechanical transportation to transport the floatation device may reduce guest enjoyment, cause excess wear and tear on the floatation devices, contribute to guest injuries, and/or make it impossible for some guests to access the rides. Also, a park that includes many different non-integrated rides may require guests to use different floatation devices for different rides, which makes it difficult for the park operators to provide the guests with a general purpose floatation device. It is advantageous to standardize riding vehicles for rides as much as possible.
Typically water parks are quite large in size. Typically guests must enter at one area and pass through a changing room area upon entering the park. Rides and picnic areas located in areas distant to the entry area are often underused in relation to rides and areas located near the entry area. More popular rides are overly filled with guests waiting in queue lines for entry. This leads to conditions of overcrowding in areas of the park which leads to guest dissatisfaction and general reduction of optimal guest dispersal throughout the park. The lack of an efficient transportation system between rides accentuates this problem in water parks.
For the reasons stated above and more, a natural and exciting water transportation system to transport participants between rides as well as between parks may be used to interconnect many diverse and stand-alone water park rides. The transportation system relieves the riders from the burden of carrying their floatation devices up to the start of a water ride. The transportation system also allows the riders to stay in the water, thus keeping the riders cool while they are transported to the start of the ride. The transportation system also may be used to transport guests from one end of a water park to the other, between rides and past rides and areas of high guest density, between water parks, or between guest facilities such as hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers. The transportation system itself may be a main attraction with exciting water and situational effects while seamlessly incorporating into itself other specialized or traditional water rides and events.
A transportation system may use sloped and/or flat water channels to transport participants. The depth and/or flow of water in these water channels may be controlled by narrowing or widening the water channels. Narrowing or widening the water channels may especially be useful in deeper water channels typically used for water amusement rides. Typically, a fast moving water section (e.g., a downhill or downhill rapids section) is located following a slow moving water section (e.g., a flat water section). The slow moving water section is typically an area used to collect and/or organize participants before they move into the fast moving water section. The fast moving water section may have a narrower cross-section so that water flows through the fast moving water section at a higher velocity.
It is important to control the water depth in the slow moving water section for several reasons. One reason is that the velocity (flow rate) and momentum of water entering the fast moving water section from the slow moving water section is dependent upon the head (depth) of water at the beginning of the fast moving water section. The depth of water at the beginning of the fast moving water section is dependent upon the depth of water in the slow moving water section.
A second reason is that the velocity of riders in the slow moving water section and upstream of the fast moving water section is determined by the width, depth, and water flow of the slow moving water section of the water channel. Typically, the width and water flow are assumed to be constant, so the velocity of the riders is mainly determined by the water depth in the slow moving water section. The water depth in the slow moving water section may be maintained at a desired level (e.g., a relatively constant level) by selectively restricting the flow of water out of the slow moving water section. A restriction in the flow of water out of the slow moving water section increases the head in the slow moving water section. This increase in head may be balanced by an increase in velocity of the water flowing past the restriction so that the water depth in the slow moving water section is maintained at the desired level. Thus, the velocity of riders in the slow moving water section may be controlled by selecting the water depth in the slow moving water section using the restriction. Selective adjustment of the restriction may be used to adjust water depth in the slow moving water section and control the velocity of riders in the slow moving water section.
Some examples of devices that are used to restrict water flow through an open channel include a sluice gate or an adjustable submerged obstruction (e.g., an adjustable weir). Sluice gates are typically unsuitable for use in water parks in which people participate due to safety reasons. Adjustable submerged obstructions are generally expensive and difficult to install in a water park and/or are unsuitable for controlling the flow of water in a water park. Adjustable side gates may be used to restrict water flow through an open channel. Adjustable side gates include moving parts that open and close into a water channel. The adjustable side gates may be manually controlled and/or actuated by mechanical means. These moving parts may be unsuitable for water parks because of safety issues involving riders in the water channel, especially for the high volume flows of water seen in water parks.

Water amusement park water channel flow system


A nut main body has a slanted hole with a smaller inner end portion having a plurality of stepped portions of differing height. This gives the slanted hole a differing depth relative to a large-diameter end portion of the slanted hole at a plurality of locations about a circumference of the slanted hole. A plurality of nut segments are slidable within the slanted hole and come into contact with at least one of the stepped portions. The nut segments have screw threads at an inner wall surface. A washer is provided at a large-diameter side of the plurality of nut segments. A bias spring is attached within the nut main body so as to urge the plurality of nut segments towards the small-diameter side of the nut main body with the washer therebetween. A stopper piece holds the bias spring within the nut main body.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a thrust nut that includes a plurality of nut segments that slide in an axial direction and are screwed together with a screw portion of a bolt by being rotated in a fastening direction, after the bolt is inserted to a predetermined position.
2. Description of the Related Art
This type of thrust nut of the past is configured by: a nut main body of which an outer wall is formed into a polygonal shape and that has a slanted hole in an inner wall that successively becomes smaller in diameter; a stopper piece that has a bolt insertion hole and is formed in an end portion on a large-diameter side of the nut main body; three guide pieces that are formed in an axial-center direction on an inner wall surface of the nut main body; three nut segments that are attached between the guide pieces such as to be slidable in the axial-center direction and on an inner wall surface of which threads are formed that are screwed together with the bolt; a flange-shaped attachment piece that is fixed to an end portion on the small-diameter side of the nut main body, prevents detachment of the three nut segments, and projects further outward than an outer circumferential portion of the nut main body; and a bias spring that is housed within the nut main body such as to urge the three nut segments towards the small-diameter side of the nut main body at all times.
The thrust nut, configured as described above, is configured such that the three nut segments are screwed together with a screw portion of a bolt by being inserted into the bolt and rotated in a fastening direction. However, there is a problem in that a clearance amounting to a single thread is present or not present at all times.
[Patent Literature 1] Patent Publication No. 4531585
[Patent Literature 2] Patent Publication No. 4201210


In a method of calculating circulation dynamics of a living body, a resistance component corresponding to a shape of a blood vessel in the living body is derived using previously obtained values of viscosity, pressure and flow rate of blood flowing in the blood vessel. Information corresponding to the viscosity of the blood is calculated using the derived resistance component.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to sensor technology and relates in general to an apparatus for measuring a body fluid circulating a living body and a tissue constituting a circulatory organ.
In particular, the invention relates to a technology for grasping a state of blood in distal end part to carry out an evaluation of health, a diagnosis of a disease, an evaluation of medicines, and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, for the purpose of carrying out the evaluation of health of a living body, the diagnosis of a disease, the determination of an influence of medicines exerted on a living body, and the like, there have been proposed various methods utilizing information obtained from blood. In terms of a medical treatment for example, there is a method in which the blood is collected from a living body, and the blood concerned is applied to a component analyzer to obtain a circulation information from a rate of the various blood components contained in the blood to thereby evaluate the health state of the living body, and the like.
Here, circulation dynamics means a state in which the blood and a lymph fluid which are moved through the inside of the circulatory organ to supply tissues and cells of a living body with oxygen and nutrition to carry carbon dioxide gas and wastes away vary continuously with time. For example, a blood flow rate, a change in blood flow, a flow property, a pulse wave and the like correspond to the circulation dynamics.
However, this method is not suitable for the case where the circulation dynamics needs to be measured to evaluate the health state of a living body at locations away from medical facilities, and the case where the circulation dynamics needs to be measured to evaluate regularly the health state of the living body with the circulation dynamics measuring apparatus being usually mounted to a living body because when the blood is collected, a living body needs to be pricked with an injection needle. Then, there has been developed an apparatus with which a wave is noninvasively inputted from a surface of a living body into the living body to be reflected by the body fluid flowing through the living body, in particular, the blood, and then, the blood state is analyzed on the basis of the motion and the position to measure the circulation dynamics to thereby evaluate the health state.
On the other hand, as for a prior art of evaluating medically the health evaluation, there is known the method made by Yuji Kikuchi and entitled "Measurement of total blood flowability using a capillary model," Food Research Result Information (medical journal), No. 11, 1999, i.e., a method in which the blood is collected from a subject and a blood rheology is measured on the basis of a passing time of the blood flow under the constant pressure using a micro-channel array made by a lithographic technique. This method is used, whereby the blood rheology can be measured as the circulation information, and also, the health state can be evaluated on the basis of the resultant value.
In addition, as for a prior art of evaluating noninvasively the health in a home or the like, there is known a method in which a wave such as light is transmitted from a skin surface of a living body to the living body to receive the reflected light to thereby detect the flow rate of the blood flowing through a blood vessel. That is, this method is such that the detected flow rate is differentiated to obtain an acceleration pulse wave as one of the circulation information to thereby evaluate the health state. Here, FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of a signal processing portion 600 of a conventional circulation information measuring apparatus., and a state of connection between the signal processing portion 600 and a circulation sensor portion 607.
As shown in the figure, the signal processing portion 600 is schematically constituted by a driving portion (light emitting portion) 601, a reception portion (light receiving portion) 602, a signal arithmetic operation portion 603, and an output portion 604. The driving portion (light emitting portion) 601 lights a light emitting element 605 installed in a circulation sensor 607 to transmit a driving energy adapted to apply the light towards a blood vessel. The reception portion (light receiving portion) 602 amplifies a signal which is generated at the time when a photoelectric receiving element 606 installed in the circulation sensor 607 subjects the light applied thereto to the photoelectric conversion. The signal arithmetic operation portion 603 executes a processing program stored in a memory region (not shown) provided therein to execute various processings concerned with the measurement of the circulation information to thereby output the processing results to the output portion 604. Then, the signal arithmetic operation portion 603 converts a level of the received signal into a quantity of change in blood volume, and then, differentiates the resultant value twice to thereby obtain the acceleration pulse wave as the circulation information.
In addition, FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an example of a conventional system for measuring quantitatively the blood flow rate. This system is constituted by a flow rate measuring system 702 and a blood vessel diameter measuring system 701. An ultrasonic wave probe 706 is placed perpendicularly to a blood vessel 705, whereby an ultrasonic wave beam is applied to the blood vessel 705 and a diameter of the blood vessel is measured on the basis of an echo from the wall of the blood vessel, and the blood flow velocity is measured with two other ultrasonic wave probes 707 and 708. The two ultrasonic wave beams are used, whereby the flow rate of the blood can be measured on the basis of the angle between the two ultrasonic wave beams irrespective of the angle between the ultrasonic wave beam and the blood vessel, and the diameter of the blood vessel and the blood velocity which have been measured are processed by a microcomputer 703, and the resultant data is displayed as the blood flow rate on a display device 704.
However, in the blood rheology measuring apparatus using the micro-channel array, since the blood is collected from a subject by any means, his/her elbow portion must be pricked with an injection needle using a syringe to collect the blood. Thus, a subject needs to go to a medical facility or the like for the collection of blood. In addition, in the case where as shown in the prior art, a wave is inputted through a skin surface of a living body into the living body to be reflected by the body fluid flowing through the living body to analyze the blood state from the motion and the position of the reflected wave to thereby obtain the circulation information in order to evaluate the health state of a subject, contraction (strain) and slackness of a blood vessel in a living body (change in diameter of a blood vessel) exerts an influence on a fluid state of the blood in the living body to change the circulation information. Hence, it becomes difficult to measure the circulation information with which an essential health state should be evaluated. In addition, since the fluid state of the blood is also changed due to fluctuation in a blood pressure, when evaluating the circulation dynamics, it is necessary to take a change in blood vessel and blood pressure into consideration.
Moreover, in the conventional blood flow measuring system, it is necessary to use an ultrasonic wave prove for measurement of a diameter of a blood vessel and ultrasonic wave probes for measurement of a blood flow. If independent probes are used, since alignment thereof is difficult to be carried out, it is difficult to measure a diameter of a blood vessel and a blood flow velocity in the same position within a blood vessel, and also, there is a limit to the miniaturization. Further, since the independent probes are used, there is a problem in that since dispersion in sensitivity is difficult to be adjusted for the probes, such probes are unsuitable for mass production, and so forth.
Since in the measurement of the circulation dynamics of a distal end part (e.g., the tip of a finger) of a living body, a measurement area is narrow and a diameter of a blood vessel is also small, in the system as in the prior art in which there is a limit to the miniaturization, there is also a problem in that it is difficult to measure the circulation dynamics of a distal end part of a living body.
Furthermore, since no influence of the blood pressure is taken into consideration, the accurate evaluation is impossible from a viewpoint of the evaluation of the circulation dynamics.
In the light of the foregoing, the present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems associated with the prior art, and therefore, the present invention aims at measuring the circulation information with high accuracy irrespective of the degree of strain of a blood vessel of a part to be measured in a living body when a wave is noninvasively inputted through a skin surface of the living body to be reflected by the body fluid flowing through the living body, and then, the state of the blood and the like is analyzed on the basis of the motion and the position of the reflected wave to obtain the circulation information in order to evaluate the health state.
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a circulation dynamics sensor which is capable of measuring the circulation dynamics with accuracy even in a part to be measured having a narrow measurement area and a small blood vessel diameter.

Method of calculating circulation dynamics of a living body


Apparatus and method for depositing a banding material on the interior substrate of a tubular device, and the products formed therefrom. The tubular device is, generally, of relatively small diameter and comprises at least one band deposited from a first composition on the interior substrate. When the tubular device is a tubular capacitor and the band is a plating mask, the tubular capacitor comprises at least two electrodes deposited on the substrate in the presence of a deposited plating mask and comprises at least one conductive layer, deposited from a first composition, on the substrate and separated by the plating mask.

Small diameter tubular devices have been found to provide critical advantages in numerous and varied industrial applications. These applications range from catheters and stents in the medical industry to tubular capacitors in the electronics industry. For example, tubular devices, such as Pi capacitors, are well known devices used in RFI (radio frequency interference) and EMI (electromagnetic interference) filters for high frequency applications. Typically, the capacitors are composed of various electronics grade ceramic compositions that have a wide range of electrical properties, which include, but are not limited to, "K" (dielectric constant) and "TC" (temperature coefficient). These basic tubular forms, referred to as the dielectric, are manufactured using various conventional manufacturing processes.
In one method, the capacitor is subjected to the application of a thick film conductor (i.e. electrode), typically in the form of a mixture of silver, glass frit, and organic binders, by mechanical or dipping methods. The thick film material is applied from each end of the axis onto the wall of the inside diameter to, typically, a distance shorter than the center point of the axial length. In this method, the thick film material is coated on the interior substrate of the capacitor to slightly less than half the length from each end of the capacitor. Accordingly, the wall of the interior substrate at or about the center of the axial length is void of the thick film conductor material, which provides electrical insulation between the two inside electrodes. The device is then coated on the surface of the outside diameter with a thick film conductor to form the ground electrode and is, thereafter, subjected to a drying and sintering process to bond the thick film conductors to the device.
It is well recognized that forming small diameter tubular devices, such as by the method described above, is both time consuming and labor intensive. For example, the prior art method set forth above is generally effective in forming a two electrode capacitor, but requires significant allocations of time and manpower to do so. In addition, this method provides the formation of Pi (i.e., two electrode-containing) capacitors used in the electronics industry, but offers limited or no manufacturing flexibility in other electronics applications or applications in other industries. Even with automation, the cycle time for coating each tubular device employing conventional methods is relatively slow. Typical dimensional variations of the tubular devices also affect the yield and quality output from the prior art methods.
In light of these drawbacks, there is a need to manufacture tubular devices, such as tubular capacitors, in a more cost-effective manner and by methods that provide greater manufacturing flexibility, such that one or more annular bands may be formed on the interior substrate with greater speed and accuracy, which allows for a greater product output and reduced manufacturing cost.

Apparatus and method for banding the interior substrate of a tubular device and the products formed therefrom


Five embodiments are disclosed. The first may generate and/or manage reference objects in images. The second may use the reference objects to create 3-D simulations of landscapes, urban settings, architectural models, land management presentations, disaster analysis and/or interactive games. The third may use the reference objects and/or previously presented object schematics to construct provably impartial mug shot folders for law enforcement, alter security processes to support communication of object schematics with a database used to identify people, and/or modify that database to use object schematics. The fourth may access an image with a focal length spread to generate one or more derived images to find the reference images and the items of interest for human facial/body recognition based upon realistic parameters of the reference objects to create/alter the object schematics. The fifth may implement combinations of two or more of the previous four embodiments.

This section will summarize the background from the parent patent application and then discuss new needs and problems that are addressed by some of the embodiments of this disclosure.
As previously presented in the parent application, facial recognition technology is a technology by which a machine, such as a computer, takes one or more digital photographs, scanned photographs, video or movies of a person's face and/or body. The machine finds one or more candidate people from a collection of photos of known people and finds the most probable identity of the person.
One problem arises, as to the fairness of the assembly of mug shot folders for review by an eyewitness of a crime. It may be argued that a folder has only one mug shot similar to the accused. The victim or witness may be selecting the only similar mug shot to whomever they saw.
Another problem involves transforming raw photo sequences from disasters into 3-D models to help figure out what happened and to aid in locating survivors. While the spread of digital cameras in cellular phones has occurred around the world, this life saving capability is unavailable.
Another problem is generating a 3-D model of a landscape or urban setting to support various land management related processes, simulations and/or interactive games.

Reference objects and/or facial/body recognition


A treatment apparatus for insertion in a forceps channel of an endoscope. The treatment apparatus includes a treatment instrument, a flexible element, and a cover tube. The flexible element is slidable within the cover tube and the treatment instrument is provided at a distal end of the flexible instrument. A distal end of the cover tube expands to receive the treatment instrument as the flexible element is drawn toward a proximal end of the cover tube. The treatment device may include a connecting instrument that supports the cover tube within the forceps channel and seals a proximal end of the forceps channel.

The present invention relates to treatment accessories that are inserted into a forceps channel of an endoscope and are used for treating an affected part on human tissue or the like.
One such treatment accessory is a cytology brush used for collecting cells inside a human body.
The process of brushing cytology is well known. In this process, a brush instrument is used to brush mucous or the like in order to collect cells or the like on bristles of the brush instrument. According to a conventional endoscope structure, when withdrawing a brush instrument through a forceps channel of the endoscope, cells that have adhered on the brush may be scraped or knocked off of the bristles either at the inlet of the forceps channel or within the forceps channel itself.
In order to avoid the problem above, a brush instrument provided with a cover tube may be used. In such a brush instrument, a brush portion having bristles is arranged to be movable in relation to the cover tube so that the brush portion can be projected from or retracted inside the cover tube. When cell are to be collected, the brush portion is projected from the cover tube, brushed against the human tissue to collect the cells, and then retracted inside the cover tube. After the brush portion is retracted inside the cover tube, the brush instrument (i.e., the brush portion and the cover tube) is retracted through the forceps channel.
However, when the mucous is brushed and mixture of the cells and the mucous adheres on the bristles of the brush, some cells are sandwiched among the bristles, while other cells remain near the outer tips of the bristles, such that, even with the cover tube, the cells near the tips of the bristles may be scraped off by the end of the cover tube when the brush is retracted inside the cover tube. Therefore, even using the brush instrument having the cover tube, it is difficult to obtain a relatively great amount of cells at a time.
In such a brush instrument, this problem could be avoided by arranging the brush instrument such that a diameter of the brush portion, including the bristles, is less than the diameter of the cover tube. However, if a smaller brush diameter is used, the amount of cells collected in one brushing operation is relatively small, and it may be difficult to obtain a sufficient amount of cells in one brushing operation.
If another instrument such as a grasping forceps instrument is used as the treatment accessory, a similar problem arises. That is, when forceps that are grasping a mucous or tissue are retracted in the forceps channel, a part of the mucous or tissue may be knocked off by the end of the forceps channel. Even if the cover tube is employed, a similar problem as discussed above occurs.


Systems and methods are described for distribution of synchronization in a packet switched local area network environment. A method for extracting network synchronization timing from a data transmission burst includes: recovering a clock during the data transmission burst; and then holding over the clock after the data transmission burst ceases. A method for inserting network synchronization timing into a data transmission burst includes encoding data using a time-base reference signal governed clock.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of data networking. More particularly, the invention relates to distributing network synchronization timing in a packet switched local area network.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The explosive growth of the Internet and the penchant for applying packetized transmission methods for all forms of information traffic has created the need for providing adequate synchronization down to the desk-top level. Inherently, packetized transmission schemes are not geared to transmit time-base information; packets enter the "cloud" and are carried over diverse routes to the destination where they may arrive out of order and with varying delays. In contrast, circuit-switched traffic maintains a given transmission path, the transmission delays are unknown but constant, and sequencing is maintained down to the bit level. Thus, in a packet-switched environment, there is the compelling need to provide synchronization at the entry/egress nodes of the "cloud"; in a general sense these are the "absolute" end-points comprising desk-top PCs and other "Internet Appliances" (including, but not limited, to IP-ready telephones and IP-ready streaming video players/recorders).
The ubiquitous interconnection mechanism associated with Personal Computers (PCs), desktop workstations, etc., is Ethernet. Furthermore, the most common form of Ethernet deployed is over twisted pair cable, namely, 10BaseT and 100BaseT (the 10 and 100 refer to 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps, respectively). For specificity, we shall concentrate here on 10BaseT though extensions of the concepts to 100BaseT, other forms of Ethernet, and other forms of LANs, such as Token Ring, are quite straightforward.
Heretofore, the requirement(s) of providing adequate synchronization down to desk-top level referred to above has not been fully met. What is needed is a solution that addresses this requirement.

Distribution of synchronization in an ethernet local area network environment


A composite oxide coating is provided that efficiently blocks both ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation. Certain embodiments of this invention relate to a coating having IR and UV blocking characteristics. In certain example embodiments, the coating includes a silica matrix, zinc antimonite, and a UV blocking material such as cerium oxide, thereby permitting the coating after application to block significant amounts of both IR and UV radiation.

Commercial products such as low-E coatings used for solar energy management effectively block large amounts of infrared (IR) radiation but fail to block significant amounts of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Meanwhile, coatings specifically designed to block UV radiation tend to be fairly transparent to IR radiation. Thus, there is a need in the art for a coating which is effective at blocking significant amounts of both IR and UV radiation.
A coating sol comprising zinc antimonate is known in the art, under the tradename Celnax. For example, see Nissan Chemical's website at www.snowtex.com/celnax.htm for the absorption spectrum of Celnax sol (zinc antimonate sol) which is mixed with a resin. The nanoparticles of the antimony double oxide absorb significant amounts of IR, while allowing a good portion of UV and significant amounts of visible radiation to transmit therethrough. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,888, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
However, it would be desirable if such coatings could be designed so as to improve blockage of UV radiation.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, coatings are provided which block more UV radiation than those discussed above. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a composite oxide coating is provided that efficiently blocks both UV and IR radiation. Certain embodiments of this invention relate to a colloidal electro-conductive oxide solution having infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) blocking characteristics. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a substantially transparent composite oxide coating is provided that includes a silica matrix, zinc antimonate, and a UV blocking material, thereby permitting the sol after application to block significant amounts of both IR and UV radiation. In certain example embodiments of this invention, a UV and IR blocking coating comprises each of cerium oxide and zinc antimonate in the form of nanoparticulate and silicon oxide (e.g., SiO2) formed from precursor materials such as silane(s). It has surprisingly been found that such coatings are effective at blocking both UV and IR radiation, and also are resistant to high temperatures as spectral response remains substantially unchanged in certain example instances after one or two hours of substantial heating (e.g., to about 400 or 450 degrees C.).
In certain example embodiments of this invention, the coating sol from which coatings are formed comprises from about 15 to 50% cerium oxide (more preferably from about 20 to 45%, and most preferably from about 30 to 40%), from about 30 to 70% zinc antimonate (more preferably from about 35 to 65%, and most preferably from about 40 to 55%), and from about 5 to 35% silicon oxide (more preferably from about 10 to 30%, and most preferably from about 12 to 25%). It has been found that these amounts of such materials in the coating sol provide a coating that is effective at blocking both UV and IR radiation, and is also resistant to high temperatures.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, there is provided a coating sol applied to a glass substrate to form a coating for blocking significant amounts of infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the coating comprising: silicon oxide: from about 5-35%; cerium oxide: from about 10-50%; and zinc antimonate: from about 30-70%. In certain example embodiments, the coated article has a transmission at 2300 nm of less than 10%. In certain example embodiments, the coated article has a transmission at 600 nm of at least about 60%, more preferably at least about 70%. In certain example embodiments, the coated article has an average transmission in the range of 300-380 nm of less than 25%, more preferably less than 15%, and most preferably less than 10%.

Coating with infrared and ultraviolet blocking characteristics


Methods for patterning integrated circuit (IC) device arrays employing an additional mask process for improving center-to-edge CD uniformity are disclosed. In one embodiment, a repeating pattern of features is formed in a masking layer over a first region of a substrate. Then, a blocking mask is applied over the features in the masking layer. The blocking mask is configured to differentiate array regions of the first region from peripheral regions of the first region. Subsequently, the pattern of features in the array regions is transferred into the substrate. In the embodiment, an etchant can be uniformly introduced to the masking layer because there is no distinction of center/edge in the masking layer. Thus, CD uniformity can be achieved in arrays which are later defined.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of integrated circuit fabrication, particularly to a process for improving critical dimension uniformity for integrated circuit arrays.
Description of the Related Art
In the semiconductor industries, integrated circuit (IC) devices have become faster, smaller, and more efficient. This trend has continued with the development of fabrication technology to increase circuit densities on chips.
Reducing critical dimension is one important way to increase circuit densities. The critical dimension (CD) is the dimension of the smallest geometrical features (width of interconnect line, contacts, trenches, etc.) formed during semiconductor device manufacturing. Critical dimensions need to be reduced in order to facilitate the formation of smaller features and faster, more efficient circuits.
In fabricating certain IC devices with small CD, however, pattern non-uniformity occurs due to loading effects. Some IC devices have a number of identical circuit elements arranged in multiple arrays. Such IC devices are typically formed by simultaneously forming multiple arrays on a single semiconductor substrate. In arrays formed by certain methods, the inventors have found a tendency for edge portions to have different dimensions than central portions.

Process for improving critical dimension uniformity of integrated circuit arrays


Method, system and computer program product for updating pre-existing region-dependent software within multiple regions via a common software update without affecting the region-dependent nature of the software. The technique includes extracting region information from pre-existing region-dependent software on a user system; loading the non-functional software update onto the user system, the non-functional update being a common software update for the multiple regions; and merging the region information extracted from the pre-existing region-dependent software with the non-functional software update loaded onto the user system to produce a functional, updated region-dependent software on the user system. In one example, the user system comprises a digital video disc (DVD) PC system, and the distribution network is the internet. An activation module accompanies the common software update and accomplishes the extracting, loading and merging steps.

Digital versatile disc (DVD) is an emerging technology which due to its nature, requires extensive encryption in order to protect the data, such as a motion picture, against unauthorized copying. DVD is a specification for the content of video, audio and other compressed data to be used as playback video, audio and, for example, subtitle data by a DVD decoder. The DVD video data is specified in the moving picture experts group (MPEG) standard (ISO/IEC 13818-2). As well as being represented by the standard, the data is also encrypted for protection.
Encryption is achieved using the industry's content scrambling system (CSS), which produces an encrypted, encoded data stream for DVD playback. The data stream can be decrypted, for example, by hardware licensed to perform CSS decryption. Conventionally, CSS decryption occurs at a PCI card, which also conventionally includes MPEG decompression of the encrypted, encoded data signal.
A DVD PC system or player is manufactured under license of the DVD consortium to include a copy protect module to protect distribution of DVD data worldwide. This technology includes scrambling of data and the concept of DVD regions throughout the world. Each digital video disc includes data that determines in which of the various defined regions of the world that DVD will play. Each DVD player or PC system sold in a given region must only play digital video discs that are allowed to be played in that region. Currently, the global market is divided into six DVD regions and each digital video disc produced contains data representative of regional information where the disc can be played.
In view of the region-dependent nature of DVD PC systems, there would be commercial advantage to a global technique to update the PC software of different DVD systems sold in the various DVD regions of the world without negatively effecting the region-dependent nature of the DVD systems.

Method, system and computer program product for updating region-dependent software using a common update module for multiple regions

International Business Machines Corporation


A mechanism is disclosed operating a transport network function (TNF) as part of a fifth generation wireless (5G) virtualized control plane. The mechanism includes receiving a request to compute a traffic engineering (TE) path in a 5G transport network for a packet data unit (PDU) session, the request received from a 5G virtualized control plane function via a service based interface (SBI) bus. Network topology information for the 5G transport network is obtained via a northbound interface (Nn). A TE path across the 5G transport network is computed for the PDU session based on the network topology information. A TE path identifier for the TE path computed for the PDU session is returned via the SBI bus.

Radio access networks (RANs) are implemented to allow cellular devices to move between base stations. Specifically, a cellular device may connect wirelessly to a base station. The cellular device can then establish a data connection with a network via the base station. The base station is generally selected from a group of base stations, where the selected base station has the best signal characteristics, for example based on distance between the base station and the cellular device, signal power of the base station, etc. As the cellular device moves, the signal characteristics may change. As such, the cellular device may connect to a new base station with the best signal characteristics. Various communication protocols can be employed to ensure data from the cellular device is forwarded to a destination, and vice versa.


A magnet extension, magnetic test assembly, and probe card assembly includes a magnet having a first end and a second end, the first end of the magnet being geometrically configured to provide a selected magnetic field. A resilient member 5 is disposed around the magnet between the first end and the second end. A retaining member is disposed between the first end and the second end. The retaining member surrounds at least a portion of the resilient member.

The semiconductor industry continues to have a need to access many electronic devices on a semiconductor wafer. As the semiconductor industry grows and devices become smaller and more complex, many electrical devices, generally semiconductor devices and on-wafer electrical interconnects, are electrically tested. Some electronic devices utilize a magnetic field. For example, a compass, an accelerometer, and the like, may utilize magnetic fields to function. Often these types of sensors are utilized in, for example, mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, etc.) and in automobiles. Typically, these may be tested prior to packaging by applying a magnetic field to the sensor. The magnets utilized in this testing are often large and expensive. To control the magnetic field to accomplish the testing, the magnets may be specifically manufactured for a given electronic device. This can result in significant testing costs due to utilizing a particular magnet for each electronic device.


A screen net includes a front member with an opening, a base member, a catch member and a wall member. The base member is placed on the ground. The catch member is adapted to catch a ball that passes through the opening of the front member. The wall member is positioned above the opening of the front member. The wall member comprises a wall fabric member and a wall pole member. The wall fabric member comprises a sleeve through which the wall pole member passes. The wall fabric member is attached to the front member. The ends of the wall pole member are supported by the base member. The screen net further comprises straps that connect the front member and the base member. The straps are under tension provided by the elastic pole segments.

This invention relates to a screen net. More specifically, the present invention relates to a screen net that is used to retrieve practice balls and capable of retrieving balls that are thrown out of target area.
Conventional screen nets typically provide an aperture, though which practice balls thrown by a player pass, and a net behind the aperture to catch the practice balls. A larger aperture is needed to catch mistakenly thrown balls more. However, such approach increases the size and cost of a screen net and reduces portability. Also, a simply larger aperture does not provide training effect for guiding a user for more accurate throw.


The present invention relates to a sterile-filtered liquid lactase preparation and to a method of sterile filtering a liquid lactase preparation. At least 0.01% w/w of at least one salt having a monovalent cation is added in order to improve filterability. The system may further comprise a polyol stabilizer.

Lactase enzymes, which are also sometimes referred to as beta-galactosidase enzymes, are used commercially to break down lactose in milk to produce dairy products which are suitable for people with lactose intolerance and/or have a sweeter taste. Lactases have been isolated from a large variety of organisms, including microorganisms, such as yeast and bacteria.
WO 2009/071539 discloses use of a C-terminally truncated fragment of the extracellular lactase from Bifidobacterium bifidum in the production of low-lactose dairy products.
Lactase may be added to milk either before or after pasteurisation or sterilization. In general lactase will be inactivated during pasteurisation or sterilization treatment. When lactase is added before sterilization, a large amount of lactase may be required in order to reduce the storage time between addition and pasteurisation/sterilization. Alternatively, lactase may be added after pasteurisation/sterilization of the milk. In this case, lactase may be added in a lower amount, as the enzyme can digest lactose during transport and storage in the factory, shop and/or in the refrigerator of the consumer. Lactase to be added after pasteurisation/sterilization of the milk has to be sterile. One preferred way of sterilizing lactase is by sterile filtration. Sterile filtration of the lactase may be performed in-line within the production process of the lactose-free milk, for example using the Aldose® system (Tetrapak International S. A., Pully, Switzerland), or it may be performed at the production site of the lactase manufacturer. The sterile lactase solution is then dosed aseptically into the milk, for instance by means of the Flexdos® system (Tetrapak International S. A., Pully, Switzerland). Sterile filtration of the lactase solution is achieved by pumping the enzyme concentrate through a at least one filter with an absolute pore size of 0.22 μm, and that will retain particles such as fungi, bacteria, spores still present in the solution. Prior to passing through the sterile filters, the solution may be pumped through one or several pre-filters with a larger pore size than 0.22 μm and that will retain large particle but will not contribute to sterility of the lactase solution.
Commercial lactase preparations used by the dairy processing industry are often aqueous solution to which one or more stabilizing agents have been added, such as glycerol. Glycerol promotes microbial as well as enzymatic stabilization. Lactase preparations comprising, e.g., 50% glycerol are somewhat viscous and may not be treated easily through sterile filters.
Improved formulations of sterile lactase are still needed, e.g., liquid formulations which can be more easily processed through sterile filters.
WO2015/132349 discloses use of e.g. sodium chloride in an aqueous liquid lactase formulation. WO2016/071500 discloses use of e.g. sodium chloride in a spray-dried composition of a beta-galactosidase enzyme. Possible ultrafiltration of the enzyme-containing fermentation broth is suggested as a possible means for concentrating the enzyme prior to its formulation. Sterile filtration is not mentioned in any of these disclosures.

Sterile filtered lactase preparation comprising salt with monovalent cation


An organic semiconductor material is provided. The organic semiconductor material includes a compound represented by formula (1):

1. Field of the Application
The invention relates to a semiconductor material, and more particularly, to an organic semiconductor material and a thin film transistor.
2. Description of Related Art
Since organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) has characteristics of being thin and light, flexible and low in process temperature, it has been broadly applied to the uses of liquid crystal display, organic light emitting display and electrophoretic display apparatus.
However, patents and sources of organic materials used in the current organic thin film transistors are mainly and mostly lay in the hands of international companies, such that the materials are difficult to be obtained. In order to have autonomy in the technology of the organic thin film transistors, the development of novel organic material with favorable characteristics is currently the most eager developmental goal in this related field.

Organic semiconductor material and thin-film transistor

Abstract: wherein r and s each independently represent a positive integer of 1 to 20; n represents a positive integer of 2 to 10000; X1, X2 and X3 each independently represent O, S, Se, Te, NR, RCR, RSiR, RGeR or RSnR; Y1 and Y2 each independently represent H, F, Cl, CF3, haloalkyl, CN, R, OR, SR, COOR or COR; and Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 each independently represent H, F, Cl, CF3, haloalkyl, CN, R, OR, SR, COOR or COR, wherein R represents alkyl group.


A method for adjusting a resolution and refresh rate of a display monitor (2) of a computer system includes the steps of: providing a portable recording device (3) recording an auto-run application; connecting the portable recording device to a computer (1); generating a matching resolution and refresh rate of the display monitor; and adjusting the current resolution and refresh rate of the computer system to the matching resolution and refresh rate. The portable recording device can be a floppy disk, a compact disk, or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) recorder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to methods for adjusting resolution and refresh rate of display monitors of computer systems.
2. Prior Art
Different display monitors can operate according to different configurations. For example, the CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) monitor for a research engineer or a corporate manager is often a new, expensive monitor with a high resolution and a high refresh rate (e.g. 85 Hz or more). In contrast, the CRT monitor for a low-level clerk or assistant is often an old, inexpensive legacy monitor with a low resolution and a low refresh rate (e.g. 60 Hz). The newer monitors support a higher refresh rate which reduces flicker, while older monitors must be refreshed at a lower rate to avoid damage to the monitor. LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors have rapidly progressed to now enjoy widespread use around the world as the display apparatus of choice for PCs (Personal Computers) and other electronic equipment. An LCD produces an image on a liquid crystal surface of an LCD panel thereof by uniformly illuminating the entire liquid crystal surface area with a backlight. The backlight is a surface light source disposed behind the LCD panel. Most LCD monitors can operate with a low refresh rate (e.g. 60 Hz) without flicker, and can therefore help prevent eyestrain.
PC systems that include a monitor are set with appropriate default display configurations before sale. However, many "DIYers" ("do-it-yourselfers") like to handpick an individual monitor to buy, either at the time they buy a PC or after they have bought a computer system. The monitor may be an old CRT monitor or an LCD monitor. In such case, if the computer system is set with a resolution and refresh rate exceeding what the CRT or LCD monitor supports, when the monitor is connected with the computer the monitor does not work or its circuitry is liable to be damaged. When this happens, a common solution adopted is to find another monitor supporting a higher resolution and refresh rate, connect the other monitor with the PC, go through the menus in a Windows control panel to manually reset the resolution and refresh rate of the computer system, and then reconnect the original monitor to the PC. This solution is highly inconvenient.
More recently, CRT monitors using the PNP (Plug-and-Play) standard have been marketed. PNP allows a PC to automatically configure a resolution and refresh rate suitable for any of a variety of different monitors. In particular, some high-resolution CRTs are capable of supporting PNP. On system initialization, the PC sends out a series of clock signals on a 15-pin VGA cable to the CRT. The CRT responds by transmitting back to the PC a 128-byte data structure called EDID (Extended Display Identification Data). The EDID contains information about the configurations and refresh rates supported by the CRT, as defined by VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) of San Jose, Calif., USA in its "Display Data Channel Standard" dated 1996. Software in the PC reads the configuration information in the 128-byte EDID, and calculates the minimum and maximum vertical refresh rate. From the refresh rate and the current resolution desired by the user, and according to the capabilities of the graphics controller hardware, the active refresh rate can be calculated or selected by the display driver using the appropriate video BIOS function. The correct refresh rate is thus programmed when both the PC and the CRT have hardware and/or software to support auto-configuration of monitors using PNP.
Nevertheless, PNP is a relatively recent standard, and many older CRT monitors do not support the standard. In addition, many PCs do not have the necessary hardware and/or software to support auto-configuration.
To overcome this problem, U.S. Pat. No. 6,049,316 entitled PC with Multiple Video-display Refresh-rate Configurations Using Active and Default Registers and issued on Apr. 11, 2000 discloses a graphics controller sub-system for managing multiple configurations for displays on a portable PC. The graphics controller sub-system has an active register that stores a current vertical refresh rate, a vertical synchronization timer that generates a vertical synchronization pulse with a period corresponding to the current vertical refresh rate stored in the active register, and a driving means that is coupled to the vertical synchronization timer. The driving means drives the vertical synchronization pulse to an external CRT monitor. The vertical synchronization pulse resets the external CRT monitor from a last line of pixels to a first line of pixels. The active register and the default register are hardware registers on a graphics controller chip that contains the pixel transfer means.
However, the graphics controller sub-system must be installed in the computer system, which adds to the software and hardware burden of the computer system. In addition, the user may simply omit or forget to install the graphics controller sub-system before the problem actually arises. A more convenient and efficient method for adjusting a resolution and refresh rate of a display monitor is desired.

Method for adjusting resolution and refresh rate of display monitor of computer system

Bao-an District, Shenzhen, Guangdon Province

Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.


A system for stabilization of the spinal column, including an elongate support member extending along an axis and a plurality of anchor members configured for anchoring to respective vertebrae. A first of the anchor members is engaged to the support member in a manner that substantially prevents axial movement of the support member relative to the first anchor member, and a second of the anchor members is engaged to the support member in a manner that allows substantially unconstrained axial movement of the support member relative to the second anchor member. In a further embodiment, a third of the anchor members is engaged to the support member in a manner that also allows substantially unconstrained axial movement of the support member relative to the third anchor member, with the second and third anchor members positioned on opposite sides of the first anchor member.

The spine is subject to various pathologies that compromise its load bearing and support capabilities. Such pathologies of the spine include, for example, degenerative diseases, the effects of tumors, and fractures and dislocations attributable to physical trauma. In the treatment of diseases, malformations or injuries affecting one or more spinal motion segments (which include two or more adjacent vertebrae and the disc tissue or disc space therebetween), and especially those affecting disc tissue, removal of some or all of a degenerated, ruptured or otherwise failing disc is sometimes required. It is also known that artificial discs, fusion implants, or other interbody devices can be placed into the disc space subsequent to removal of disc material. External stabilization of the spinal motion segments, alone or in combination with interbody devices, may be accomplished via attachment of one or more elongate plates, rods or other external stabilization devices to the spinal column.
Additionally, current operative methods for treating spinal deformities, particularly scoliosis, include correction of the spinal curvature via some form of internal fixation device, and fusion of the spine in the corrected state may be accomplished by the placement of bone graft between the adjacent vertebrae. Several instrumentation systems are available to correct and stabilize the spinal column while fusion occurs. Nonoperative methods also exist and may be used when applicable. These nonoperative methods include, for example, bracing and observation.
Patients with infantile or juvenile scoliosis who undergo curve stabilization via the use of subcutaneous rods are subject to multiple surgical procedures for lengthening and adjustment as they grow. As should be appreciated, it is generally preferable that the number of surgical procedures required for treatment of the spinal column be minimized. Additionally, anterior or posterior spinal fusion in a skeletally immature patient often results in loss of vertebral body height and girth. Another problem that sometimes arises is that some children are not physically able to tolerate the surgical procedures required for a definitive fusion procedure. Further, poor self-image may occur in adolescent patients who are externally braced for scoliosis. Moreover, curve stabilization with bracing is only successful in approximately 75% of patients.
While prior spinal stabilization and support systems are a step in the right direction, there remains room for additional improvements. For example, subsequent to implantation of prior stabilization systems, additional surgeries are sometimes required in order to adjust one or more components associated with the spinal construct. This is particularly true in instances involving growing patients, especially patients under the age of 10 years old, where the spinal construct must be periodically lengthened to accommodate for continued growth of the spinal column (e.g., to compensate for an increase in the distance between the spinal motion segments). In some instances, adjustments may be required every six months, thereby requiring multiple surgeries throughout the treatment process.
Thus, there is a general need in the industry to provided improved systems, devices and methods for stabilizing a portion of the spinal column using one or more elongate members. There is also a need to provide improved systems, devices and methods that reduce the number and/or frequency of adjustments to accommodate for continued growth of the patient's spinal column, particularly in pediatric patients having an immature spine. The present invention satisfies these and other needs and provides other benefits and advantages in a novel and unobvious manner.

Systems, devices and methods for stabilization of the spinal column