A connector device for connecting and disconnecting female and male connectors by use of a fitting operation lever which allows easy and accurate confirmation of the incomplete fitting of the connectors to thereby prevent such incomplete fitting. The device includes a fitting operation lever (5), which is rotatably disposed in a female connector (A) and has a driving groove (6) in the front end portion thereof, and a driven pin (11) which is provided in a male connector (B) and is engageable with the drive groove (6). The connecting device connects the female and male connectors (A) and (B) with each other and disconnects them from each other upon rotation of the fitting operation lever (5). When the connectors are only partially connected to each other, there is some space for free and easy movement in the operation lever which allows the lever (5) to rotate in the reverse, un-locking direction due to its own weight. Thus, the incomplete connection can be visually detected.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connecting device for interconnecting a pair of connectors mainly used to connect an automobile wire harness.
2. Background
Referring to FIGS. 7-9, a conventional connector device includes a male connector a and a female connector b each having terminal metal fittings therein which are connected to each other when the two connectors a and b are connected together, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 52-133993.
The male connector a includes a fitting operation lever c which is pivotally mounted to the male connector a so as to pivot about shaft d. The fitting operation lever c has a driving groove e in the front end portion thereof and an operation portion f in the rear end portion thereof. The operation portion f includes an engaging projection g at the distal end of the lever. After the lever is rotated clockwise to facilitate the interconnection of the connectors, the engaging projection g of the lever is engaged with an engagement portion g' provided in the male connector a to retain the connectors in the interconnected state. On the other hand, the female connector b includes on the outer surface thereof a driven pin h which opposes the driving groove e of the lever c.
In such a conventional connector device, the male and female connectors a and b are provisionally located with respect to each other in a position where the respective terminal metal fittings i and i' are aligned with each other. From this position, the fitting operation lever c is rotated, causing the fitting side wall e.sub.1 of the driving groove e to engage the driven pin h such that further rotation of the lever c causes the groove wall e.sub.1 to urge against the pin h. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the male and female connectors a and b are completely fitted with each other. In this state, the engaging projection g rotates beyond the engagement portion g', resulting in the male and female connectors being engaged and locked together.
However, as shown in FIG. 8, occasionally the fitting operation lever c is not rotated sufficiently far to engage the engaging projection g with engagement portion g'. Since it is difficult to visually confirm that the lever is locked, the connectors are often secured to each other in an un-locked state. During operation, the vibration generated by the automobile causes the connectors to become slightly disconnected from each other resulting in poor electrical contact between the connectors.
The reason that the lever is prematurely stopped before it reaches the locked position is because the contact resistance of the terminal metal fittings i and i' reaches a maximum when the connectors approach the completely locked state. In addition, there is an added resistance associated with moving the engaging projection g over the engagement portion g'. As a result, a relatively large force is required causing an operator to mistakenly believe that complete fitting is achieved. Further, if the operation is stopped in a state shown in FIG. 8, then gravity acts on the fitting operation lever c tending to rotate it in the opposite, un-locking direction. Accordingly, contact resistance between the terminal metal fittings i and i' prevents the male and female connectors a and b from further moving. Moreover, the driven pin h is in close contact with both the fitting side wall e.sub.1 and disconnecting side wall e.sub.2 of the driving groove e, so that the fitting operation lever c is left in the above mentioned state (i.e., in the position illustrated in FIG. 8).
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks found in the above-mentioned conventional connecting device. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a connector device which, when the rotational operation of a fitting operation lever is prematurely interrupted so that the operating lever is disposed in an interrupted position before the connectors are completely fitted and locked, allows the interrupted position of the lever to be readily viewed from the outside and thereby prevents the incomplete fitting of the connectors.


A motor control system is disclosed. The motor control system includes a level-shifting unit, a motor unit and a control unit. The level-shifting unit receives an original pulse width modulation (PWM) signal to generate an output PWM signal. When a first high level of the original PWM signal is larger than a first reference value, the level-shifting unit shifts a second high level of the output PWM signal to a set high level. When a first low level of the original PWM signal is lower than a second reference value, the level-shifting unit shifts a second low level of the output PWM signal to a set low level. The control unit controls the speed of the motor according to the output PWM signal.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to motor control technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to a motor control system and a method thereof.
Description of Related Art
Motors have a wide range of uses in our daily lives. For instance, the fan utilized in motherboards, computer casings and projectors, etc. for improving heat dissipation is usually driven by motors. Motors are also often seen in small home appliances such as blenders and in various toys such as robots.
In various motor applications, the technique of pulse width modulation (PWM) is used to adjust the magnitude in the current of a motor in order to save power and control the speed of the motor. The technique of PWM involves adjusting a ratio of a power-transmitting time and a non-transmitting time within a period of a square wave, in which a power supply transmits power to a load in the power-transmitting time. The proportion of the power-transmitting time with respect to the length of the square wave is also known as duty cycle. However, a conventional control unit that controls the speed of the motor usually identifies certain forms of high/low levels only. If a PWM unit for generating the square wave generates the forms of high/low level that the control unit cannot recognize due to process variations or other design factors, the control unit cannot control the motor in an appropriate manner.
Therefore, what is needed is a new motor control system and a control method thereof for addressing the issues mentioned above.


A system and method for performing an operation within limits upon a shared value stored in an actual value location. The method provides a plurality of memory locations, two of the memory locations being first and second reservation memory locations, and two of the memory locations being limit memory locations containing limit values. An operand is obtained and the operation is performed upon an affected reservation register using the operand. A resulting value is compared to the limit values in the limit memory locations and if the resulting value is not within the values in the limit memory locations, an inverse operation is performed to restore the affected reservation register and a failure is reported. Else the operation is performed to update the actual value location, the operation is performed to update an unaffected reservation register, and a success is reported.

Uninterruptible or atomic operations are operations that cannot be interrupted by another processor or by another thread on the same processor. Intel processors, for example, perform addition as an atomic machine instruction with extremely short locking implemented by a cache coherency mechanism. A LOCK prefix implements the atomic operation for a set of operations that do read-modify-write operations on a single memory address such as the LOCK XADD instruction (Exchange Add). The lock time of atomic instructions is generally very short.
Current technology suffers from the inability to add or subtract from a shared memory location without locking the location during the operation if it is necessary to keep the value within limits or maintain a valid transaction log. Using atomic operations, it is possible to add or subtract without locking which causes blocking, provided that there are no limits and a valid transaction log is not necessary.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and method for enhancing concurrent computation with shared resources. Further, a need exists for a software-based system that is capable of enhancing the concurrency of any multiprocessor computing system.

Method and system for enhanced concurrency in a computing environment


A drain plug warning system includes a first member that can be attached to a transom or other wall of a watercraft and a second member that is shaped to be received within an aperture that is formed through the first member. To drain water from the watercraft, the drain plug or second member is removed from the aperture of the first member, and water is allowed to drain through the aperture. If the second member is not replaced within the aperture to a predetermined location relative to the first member, a magnetically sensitive component near the aperture assumes a state that will cause an alarm under certain predefined conditions such as when an operator activates a key switch mechanism of the watercraft. The magnetically sensitive component can be a Hall effect element or other magnetically sensitive component. The actuator in the second member can be a permanent magnet, but other embodiments of the system could utilize a ferromagnetic material in the second member combined with a biasing magnet associated with the magnetically sensitive component near the aperture.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a drain plug warning system and, more particularly, to a warning system that provides a magnetically actuated switch that is activated when a removable plug is in its proper location to close an aperture used to drain water from a watercraft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different types of watercraft are provided with drain plugs to empty water from the craft after use. Drain plugs are provided for several types of watercraft, such as boats and personal watercraft. When the drain plug is removed, an aperture is opened through a wall of the watercraft, such as the transom. Typically, the aperture is located near the bottom of the watercraft to allow draining of water from the hull structure.
Unfortunately, an operator can occasionally forget to replace the drain plug prior to reusing the watercraft. If this occurs, water can rush through the opening in the transom when the watercraft is placed into the water. This will flood the hull of the watercraft and can cause it to sink and be subject to severe damage.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,373, which issued to Hillock on Sep. 17, 1985, discloses a small craft plug detector. The detector indicates whether a drain plug of a small boat or craft is installed. In one embodiment, a hollow cylindrical housing has upper and lower ends with central openings therethrough. An indicating plunger disposed within the housing has a rod which extends upwardly through the hole in the upper end of the housing and the lower end which extends downwardly through the opening in the lower end of the housing. A spring biases the plunger in an upper direction. Electrical contacts are provided so that an electrical connection may be made to activate a lamp, alarm or the like when the plunger is moved downwardly. A second embodiment utilizes the electrical contacts of the first embodiment but has no central opening in the upper end of the housing, and the plunger has no rod portion extending therethrough. A third embodiment of the invention is similar to the first embodiment but does not include the electrical contacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,753, which issued to Birchfield on Sep. 10, 1991, describes a drain plug position indicator apparatus. The apparatus includes a plug detector mechanism mounted adjacent an interior surface of a drain plug aperture directed through a transom of a boat. The detecting means includes a spring-biased switch positionable from an extended position in the absence of a plug to a retracted position in the presence of a plug directed through the transom. The switch is cooperative with an audible member to effect alarm in the absence of the plug.
It is clearly beneficial to provide a warning system to indicate that a drain plug is not properly replaced to seal an aperture in the transom. U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,753, described immediately above, discusses several prior patents that also address this problem. Warning systems known by those skilled in the art have provided switches to detect the presence of a drain plug in the aperture through the transom or hull of a watercraft. However, drain plug warning systems known to those skilled in the art have several severe disadvantages. Typically, warning systems use switches with moving parts that can be mechanically jammed or made electrically inoperative because of corrosion. Furthermore, the area within a boat or personal watercraft where the aperture is provided through the transom is particularly subject to the accumulation of sand, seaweed and other types of debris. This accumulation of foreign matter can adversely affect the moving parts of the switches used in drain plug warning systems. It would therefore be significantly beneficial if a drain plug warning system could be provided which detects the absence of a drain plug from its proper position to seal an aperture and, in response, provides an alarm such as a horn when an attempt is made to operate the watercraft without the drain plug in its proper position, and whose mechanisms do not interfere with the flow of water and debris through the aperture.


An improved method of incorporating a high performance graphics device into a base graphics subsystem of a processor includes two pairs of interface chips. One pair of interface chips is used to transfer pixel data between a base graphics system and the high performance graphics device, while the second pair of interface chips is used to transfer commands between the graphics device and the base graphics system. One of the pair of interface chips that is used to transfer pixel data is coupled to a bus within the base graphics subsystem while the second one of the pair is coupled to the graphics device. With such an arrangement, a high speed interface allows for pixel data to be fed directly to the frame buffer of the graphics subsystem, enabling the windows that are rendered by two different graphics systems to share a frame buffer memory.

Computer systems generally are sold with a specific number of base components. These base components typically include a host processor, a graphics subsystem, a display system and one or more external devices such as a disk drive. The base graphics subsystem of the computer system typically includes a graphics processor which may be dedicated to rendering picture element (pixel) data that is to be displayed on a display screen. The pixel data that is displayed on the display screen is stored in a frame buffer memory of the base graphics system in a digital pixel format. During operation, the contents of the frame buffer memory repeatedly are read out of the frame buffer and fed to a Random Access Memory Digital-to-Analog Converter (RAMDAC), which converts the digital pixel data into analog representations of the colors red, green and blue for display on a graphics device. The contents of the frame buffer are modified by the graphics processor to change images that are projected on the display screen.
Many applications may be executing at a given time on the computer system. Associated with each different application may be a unique window that displays the operative state of the application. For example, a given workstation may be executing a word processing application at the same time that it is executing a spreadsheet application, and each application will have associated therewith a different display window. As the user of the graphics workstation switches from application to application, the window associated with that application is displayed on top of the other displayed windows on the screen. Windows that are obscured by the top window may not save the pixel data that is hidden.
The base graphic system sold with the computer system usually provides certain basic graphics capabilities that allow an application to provide a general purpose display of two-dimensional objects. When a higher level of graphics capability is desired, for example, for executing applications that display high speed three dimensional images (such as those provided computer games flight simulators and the like), the user either must upgrade the graphics capabilities of his/her computer system by adding an additional high performance graphic device or, alternatively, must use software emulation techniques to provide the desired display.
There are a number of methods that are used to interface an additional high performance graphics device to an imaging system. One method is to directly connect the external graphics device to an external monitor. Another method that is commonly used to enable pixel data from two different graphics devices to be rendered on a common display is known as chroma keying. During chroma keying, pixel data from both of the frame buffers are forwarded as inputs to a multiplexer that is positioned after the respective RAMDACs. One color is selected as the "chroma key" and is used to control the select line of the multiplexer. When a pixel of the chroma key color is forwarded from the base graphics system, the multiplexer is switched to propagate data from the high performance graphics device in order to allow the high performance graphics device to provide a graphical display on the display screen. Similarly, when a pixel of the chroma color is forwarded from the high performance graphics system, the multiplexer is switched to propagate pixel data from the base graphics system, to allow the base graphics system to provide a graphical display on the display screen.
Although chroma keying is an effective technique for allowing windows generated by two different graphics devices to be displayed on a common display, the use of chroma keying introduces several drawbacks. One drawback is that the color value that is used as the chroma key is unavailable for use as a display color. A second drawback is that there are visual artifacts that are introduced during the transition from pixel data provided from the first frame buffer to the pixel data provided from the second frame buffer. Because the display screen may simultaneously display pixel data from two different frame buffers during the transition between frame buffers, visual artifacts that may blur an image are introduced. In addition, because separate frame buffers are included in each of the graphic devices, there is an increase in cost associated with the high performance graphics device.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a technique for seamlessly integrating various windowing systems into a base graphics system without incurring visual artifacts, losing available colors, and increasing the cost of the overall system.

Multiple graphics pipeline integration with a windowing system through the use of a high speed interconnect to the frame buffer


A two-part foam hair dye having a first agent containing an alkali agent, a second agent containing hydrogen peroxide, and a non-aerosol foamer container, wherein the first agent contains (A), from 0.20 to 2.00 mol/kg of (B), and 0.05 mol/kg or greater of (C1); a total concentration of (C1) and (C2) in the first agent is from 0.16 to 0.50 mol/kg: and a mixture of the first agent and the second agent has a viscosity of from 1 to 300 mPa·s;

Two-part foam hair dyes facilitate a dyeing operation by discharging, in foams, a mixture of a first agent containing an alkali agent and an oxidation dye and a second agent containing an oxidation agent. Compared with one-part foam hair dyes, two-part foam hair dyes can achieve a high hair dyeing effect by only one dyeing operation. Of two-part foam hair dyes, an aerosol type has such problems that it may cause uneven bleaching or uneven dyeing; a pressure container or the like made of a metal is oxidized and corroded by hydrogen peroxide; and an inner pressure of the pressure container increases excessively due to decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
There are, on the other hand, proposed two-part hair dyes dischargeable in foams from a non-aerosol foamer container (refer to Patent Documents Nos. 1 to 6). Use of them ensures a uniform-color finish because the mixture of the first agent and the second agent can be applied uniformly to the hair. In particular, they are effective for eliminating a difference in color between a newly grown portion and an already dyed portion.
Non-aerosol two-part foam hair dyes should contain a substantial amount of a water-soluble cationic polymer in order to improve lathering and prevent dripping. On the other hand, dyes for gray hair sometimes contain a high concentration of oxidation dyes. Of oxidation dyes, those having a phenolic hydroxyl group are important oxidation dyes inevitable for providing various colors.

Abstract: (A) a water-soluble cationic polymer,

Abstract: (B) an alkali metal ion,

Abstract: (C1) an oxidation dye having a phenolic hydroxyl group, and

Abstract: (C2) an anionic surfactant.


A method of performing error analysis in a system comprising microservices comprises identifying a root cause error span from among a plurality of error spans for a trace associated with a user-request, wherein an error span is a span that returns an error to a microservice initiating a call resulting in the span, and wherein a root cause error span is an error span associated with an error originating microservice. The method further comprises determining a call path associated with the root cause error span, where the call path comprises a chain of spans starting at the root cause error span, and where each subsequent span in the chain is a parent span of a prior span. Subsequently the method comprises mapping each span in the chain to a span error frame to create an error stack and rendering an image of the error stack.

Computer systems may run applications or services that are provided via a server or cloud. A client computer system may send a request to a server that retrieves application installation files in an underlying database. The applications or services can be developed and deployed as a single unit or as multiple units, such as a collection of microservices. Applications that are developed as single unit may be a monolithic application that includes a user interface and data access codes combined into a single program from a single platform. Monolithic applications are self-contained and independent from other computing applications. With the advent of cloud computing, however, these large centralized monolithic systems are being decoupled and distributed to address scalability needs and to allow companies to deliver value faster.
Microservices or microservice architecture is a software development method of developing software applications as a suite of independently deployable smaller cooperating services. The cooperating services run processes and communicate to serve a business goal to form an enterprise application. More specifically, in a microservice architecture, an application is developed as a collection of small services; each service implements business capabilities, runs in its own process and communicates via APIs (e.g., HTTP APIs) or messaging. Each microservice can be deployed, upgraded, scaled, and restarted independent of other services in the application, typically as part of an automated system, enabling frequent updates to live applications without impacting end customers.
With the rise of cloud native applications, which include microservices, there has been not only a shift in the manner in which software is built and deployed, but also in the manner in which it is monitored and observed. Microservices based applications have to deal with dramatically increased complexity and many more layers of abstraction compared to previous generations of monolithic applications. Compared to monolithic applications, microservice architectures introduce complexity in network communication, feature short lifecycles, and require resiliency in dynamic environments.
As companies begin to increasingly rely on microservice architectures, they run into operational complexity and struggle to efficiently monitor their environments. One of the challenges associated with microservice architectures, for example, is getting visibility in distributed workflows without a central orchestrator. Traditional monitoring and troubleshooting tools, designed as symptom-based solutions with single purpose capabilities, result in information overload and are unable to keep up with the dynamic nature of cloud native applications. Thus, systems that can efficiently and accurately monitor microservice architectures and microservices based applications are the subject of considerable innovation.

Tracking error propagation across microservices based applications using distributed error stacks


A part inspection and calibration method for the inspection of integrated circuits includes a camera to image a precision pattern mask deposited on a transparent reticle. Small parts are placed on or above the transparent reticle to be inspected. A light source and overhead light reflective diffuser provide illumination. An overhead mirror or prism reflects a side view of the part under inspection to the camera. The scene of the part is triangulated and the dimensions of the system can thus be calibrated. A reference line is located on the transparent reticle to allow an image through the prism to the camera of the reference line between the side view and the bottom view. A precise reticle mask with dot patterns gives an additional set of information needed for calibration. By imaging more than one dot pattern the missing state values can be resolved using an iterative trigonometric solution. The system optics are designed to focus images for all perspectives without the need for an additional focusing element.

Prior art three dimensional inspection systems have involved multiple access mirrors and multiple cameras or a single camera and multiple images. These systems have been used to inspect integrated circuits and other small parts. The prior art requires a multiple number of images to accomplish the three dimensional inspections. Traditional prior art methods utilize a triangulation method that requires multiple images. Multiple images increase the cost of prior art solutions as well as the complexity and the time needed for inspection.
Prior art solutions do not include a method or apparatus for providing three dimensional inspections of a part having leads from a single image using a reference system, wherein the reference system comprises a reticle mask reference line, wherein the reference line is located between the bottom view and the side view of the part in a single image. Using a single image for three dimensional systems provides a speed and cost benefit. It is therefore a motivation of the invention to provide a three dimensional scanning system for a part having leads where the scanning system requires only one image of the part being taken with a reference line providing a view of the part through a prism or mirror.
Other scanning systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,796, issued Dec. 22, 1992 to Palm et al., entitled "THREE DIMENSIONAL SCANNING SYSTEM", U.S. Pat. No. 5,276,546, issued Jan. 4, 1994 to Palm et al., entitled "THREE DIMENSIONAL SCANNING SYSTEM", and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/850,473, filed May 5, 1997, entitled "THREE DIMENSIONAL INSPECTION SYSTEM" and the disclosures of which are incorporated herein, in their entirety, by the foregoing references thereto.


An authentication apparatus includes a biometric data acquirer configured to acquire fingerprint data and an electrocardiogram (ECG) waveform of a user, and a humidity level acquirer configured to acquire a humidity level of skin of the user. The apparatus further includes a similarity extractor configured to adjust a first similarity between the fingerprint data and reference fingerprint data of a pre-registered user, and a second similarity between the ECG waveform and a reference ECG waveform of the pre-registered user, based on the humidity level, and extract a combined similarity based on the adjusted first similarity and the adjusted second similarity. The apparatus further includes an authenticator configured to authenticate whether the user is the pre-registered user based on the combined similarity.

1. Field
The following description relates to a user authentication method and a user authentication apparatus based on a fingerprint and an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal.
2. Description of Related Art
Technology for applying signals and data extracted from a body, to various systems is developing. For example, biometric technology for establishing a security system based on a biosignal and biometric data is drawing attention. The biometric technology may refer to technology for extracting a signal or data associated with a body of a user and comparing a result of the extracting to pre-stored data, thereby authenticating the user as a registered user through identification. As an example, technology for recognizing a user based on a personal electrocardiogram (ECG) signal is under development in a biometric technology field.
The biometric technology may use a unique biosignal of each user. Since the unique biosignal may not be stolen or lost and have robustness against forgery or falsification, the biometric technology is highly favored in a security field. Research has been conducted to improve a unique biosignal recognition rate.

User authentication method and apparatus based on fingerprint and electrocardiogram (ECG) signal


A document protection system is disclosed which employs a thermochromic pantograph and a validation mark. Also disclosed is a method to print thermochromic pantographs onto a substrate. A thermochromic pantograph according to the present invention has a latent image which is rendered visible when sufficient heat is applied to the document to activate the reactive properties of the thermochromic ink. The latent image could form a warning message such as "STOP" or "ALERT" which would alert recipients that a counterfeit copy has potentially been created. The thermochromic pantograph may also comprise a camouflage background pattern which conceals the printed ink of the latent image. A validation mark preferably has a latent "validation" image which can be visually identified on an original document, but which cannot be accurately reproduced by conventional copying or scanning means, and thus will not be visible on an unauthorized copy or duplicate. The use of both thermochromic pantograph and validation mark in the present invention provides multiple levels of protection against the unauthorized alteration or counterfeiting of valuable documents. Used in conjunction, these features allow the present invention to provide efficient and effective protection against unauthorized alterations and counterfeits.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention pertains to the prevention and detection of the unauthorized tampering or counterfeiting of valuable documents. In particular, the field of the present invention pertains to the use of thermo-activated pantographs and validation marks to protect against the unauthorized alteration and counterfeiting of documents.
2. The Related Art
Presently known approaches for recognizing altered, duplicate or counterfeit copies of original documents have generally sought to prevent alteration, duplication or counterfeiting of documents by physical alteration, electronic scanning or xerographic photocopying by printing information on the document in specially designed inks or other printing materials so that the printed information can be viewed on the original, but due to the unique color, texture, or reflective properties of the printed information on the altered or counterfeited copy, will be readily discernable from the original.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,280 to LaCapria describes a document upon which is printed a specularly reflective coloring material such as powdered aluminum, which is not accurately reproduced by color copiers. The duplicate image will appear in different colors than on the original.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,126 to Heckenkamp et al. describes an original document having surface relief in the form of embossed characters. A luminescent substance is formed into raised or depressed areas of the surface relief. The reflective properties of the surface relief render the original readily discernable from a photocopy which lacks the surface relief.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,426 describes retroreflective sheet materials formed of a monolayer of microsphere-lenses overlaying a specularly reflective layer coated over a polymeric material. A transparent image layer of varying thickness permits light rays to be transmitted to and reflected by the specularly reflective layer behind the image layer. The varying thickness of the image layer and the spacing between the specularly reflective layer and the microsphere-lenses changes the reflective characteristics of the sheeting, so that markings on the sheet are visible only from certain angles under retroreflective viewing conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,385 to Webster, Jr. et al. describes an authenticating device which can be bonded to the surface of a document to identify an original document.
Another approach has been to provide specially manufactured copy-resistant paper upon which information of any kind can be printed using conventional processes and inks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,481 to Gundjian describes copy-resistant paper having a two-color grid-like pattern printed over its surface, with each color having the same spectral profile but different spectral response. U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,307 to Tureck et al. describes a paper substrate coated with specially sized and spaced beads which break up incident light emitted by a photocopier. U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,184 to Edwards describes security paper having elongated metallic elements embedded in the paper.
Yet another approach has been to provide specially designed inks or other printing materials having different or unique color or reflective properties. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,645 to Wicker describes a color-copier resistant pigment consisting of print stuff mixtures obtained by mixing commercially available pigments with fluorescence compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,532 to Abe et al. describes a print produced by printing or coating an infrared reflective coloring agent and another printing ink containing an infrared absorptive coloring agent in combination on a base material, to produce visually-recognizable information along with other information recognizable with the aid of infrared lighting.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,025,673 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,742 to Reinnagel describe prevention of photocopying by selection of different color or color filter combinations for the text and background.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,776 to Ranauro describes a document in which the text and background are characterized by different optical reflectivities for incident visible light and which are substantially non-absorbing with respect to incident light having wavelengths within the response spectrum of color xerographic copying machines. When the document is photocopied, the incident light of the photocopier produces a uniform reflected pattern over the indicia which causes the indicia to "drop out" of the copy.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,429 to Gardner et al. discloses a document upon which text is printed upon colored paper having a reflection spectral response of less than about ten percent for light of below 600 millimicron wavelength, so that the color is sufficiently contrasting with the text to be visible when viewed under white light, but cannot be successfully photocopied.

Document security system having thermo-activated pantograph and validation mark


A master information carrier has on its surface an irregularity pattern representing information to be magnetically transferred to a magnetic recording medium held in contact with the surface of the master information carrier. The parts of the surface of the master information carrier which is brought into contact with the magnetic recording medium are in the range of 0.3 nm to 10.0 nm in center plane mean surface roughness SRa.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a master information carrier for magnetic transfer carrying thereon an irregularity pattern representing information to be transferred to a magnetic recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
With an increase in information quantity, there is a demand for a magnetic recording medium which is high in memory capacity, low in cost and preferably requires a short time to read out a necessary part of data (a magnetic recording medium which allows so-called high-speed access). As an example of such a magnetic recording medium, there has been known a high recording density magnetic medium such as a hard disc, a zip (Iomega) and the like. In such a high recording density magnetic medium, the recording area is formed by narrow data tracks. In order to cause a magnetic head to accurately trace such narrow data tracks and reproduce the data at a high S/N ratio, the so-called servo tracking technique has been employed.
In order to perform the servo tracking, it is necessary to write servo information such as servo tracking signals for positioning the data tracks, address signals for the data tracks and reproduction clock signals on the magnetic recording medium as a preformat upon production thereof. At present, such preformat recording is performed by the use of a specialized servo recording apparatus (a servo track writer) However, the preformat recording by the conventional servo recording apparatus is disadvantageous in that it takes a long time since the servo information must be recorded on the magnetic recording medium one by one by the use of a magnetic head, which deteriorates the productivity.
As a method of recording the preformat accurately and efficiently, there has been proposed, for instance, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 63(1988)-183623, 10(1998)-40544 and 10(1998)-269566, a magnetic transfer method in which a pattern which is formed on a master information carrier and represents servo information is copied to a magnetic recording medium (a slave medium) by magnetic transfer.
In the magnetic transfer, the magnetization pattern representing the information carried by a master information carrier is magnetically transferred from the master information carrier to a magnetic recording medium (a slave medium) by applying a transfer magnetic field to the slave medium and the master information carrier in close contact with each other, and accordingly, the information carried by the master information carrier can be statically recorded on the slave medium with the relative position between the master information carrier and the slave medium kept constant. Thus, according to the magnetic transfer, the preformat recording can be performed accurately and the time required for the preformat recording is very short.
We, this applicant, have proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-14667 a method of magnetic transfer in which the magnetization pattern on a master information carrier is magnetically transferred to the magnetic layer of a slave medium by forming the magnetic layer on the surface of the protruding portions of the master information carrier of soft magnetic material which is small in coercive force, initially DC-magnetizing the magnetic layer of the slave medium in one direction of the recording tracks and applying a transfer magnetic field to the slave medium in the direction opposite to the direction of the initial-DC-magnetization with the magnetic layer of the slave medium held in close contact with the soft magnetic layer of the master information carrier.
In order to improve the transfer quality (the quality of the signal transferred to the slave medium), it is necessary to uniform the space between the master information carrier and the slave medium. Since it is difficult to uniformly space the master information carrier and the slave medium over the entire area of the slave medium, the master information carrier and the slave medium are generally brought into close contact with each other. Also in the case where the master information carrier and the slave medium are brought into close contact with each other, it is important to uniformly brought into close contact with each other over the entire area. That is, when the slave medium is unsatisfactorily brought into close contact with the master information carrier at a part, the intensity of the magnetic field becomes non-uniform in the transfer magnetic field around the part and non-uniformity of magnetization can occur in an area of magnetic transition or in an area of magnetic uniformity. As a result, the quality of the transferred signal deteriorates and in the case where the signal to be transferred is a servo signal, satisfactory tracking function cannot be obtained on the slave medium, which deteriorates the reliability of the slave medium.

Master information carrier for magnetic transfer


A method in a first user terminal (300, 500) for supporting provision of capabilities of the first user terminal to a second user terminal (302) is provided.

In modern user terminals for communication, there are typically multiple options available for communication and usage of services in a communication network. For example, a user terminal may be capable of supporting several different types of communication such as voice calls, video telephony, messaging based on Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Message Service (MMS), text chats, file sharing, video sharing, online games, and also different encoding schemes and protocols, to mention a few illustrative examples. In this description, the term "capabilities" basically refers to such communication types, encoding schemes and protocols.
A network architecture called "IP Multimedia Subsystem" (IMS) has been developed to enable such differentiated services and sessions for user terminals connected to different access networks. The signalling protocol " Session Initiation Protocol" (SIP) can further be used for initiating and controlling communication sessions between different entities, as controlled by specific session control nodes in the IMS network, sometimes referred to as Call Session Control Function (CSCF) nodes. IMS also allows a user to have more than one terminal that can be addressed by the same identity, typically a telephone number.
There is thus a mixture of different user terminals in use today, having more or less differentiated capabilities, and when two user terminals shall execute some communication with each other, it is a common practice that they compare their capabilities first in order to know which type of communication is available for these two particular terminals. The communication type to use must be supported by both terminals, otherwise it cannot be used.
In the following description, the term "user terminal" is used to represent any terminal, user equipment, device, etc. which is capable of communication with an opposite entity such as another user terminal over a communications network. Some non-limiting examples of user terminals that can be used in this context include mobile phones, smartphones, laptop computers, tablets, television units, media players, and game consoles. Each of these terminal categories includes in turn a myriad of different brands and models with different functions and communication possibilities.
One existing mechanism for exchanging capabilities between entities is the so-called "SIP Options" method, which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. In this example, an originating user terminal 100 sends a SIP Options message towards a terminating user terminal 102, in an action 1:1, which message is routed over a session control node 106 in a network 104 for communication services. For example, the network 104 may be an IMS network and the session control node 106 may be a CSCF node comprised therein. The SIP Options message may be triggered in terminal 100 when a user selects a contact of terminal 102 in preparation of a forthcoming session.
In particular, the SIP Options message from terminal 100 may include the capabilities of terminal 100, e.g. presented basically in the form of a list or record indicating which communication types the terminal 100 is capable of using. The opposite user terminal 102 conventionally responds by returning a so-called "200 OK" message to terminal 100, in an action 1:2, which typically always includes the capabilities of terminal 102 indicating which communication types the terminal 102 is capable of using. Thereby, the capabilities of the terminals 100, 102 have been exchanged and each terminal can determine which communication types are possible to use, i.e. those supported by both terminals. The capabilities of either terminal are thus exposed in this way at the opposite side and the available communication options can also be displayed on the terminals 100, 102, e.g. by showing or lightening corresponding icons or the like on the screen, such that their respective users can easily see which options are available before selecting and activating a communication type to use.
GSM Association (GSMA) has selected such a capability query mechanism that allows a user of a user terminal with a Rich Communication Suite (RCS) client, to query another user terminal for a complete set of service capabilities. This allows an RCS subscriber to add a phone number into his/her contact book whereby the user terminal automatically queries the capabilities of the terminal belonging to the party associated with said phone number.
Another known mechanism, schematically illustrated in FIG. 2, is to exchange capabilities between two user terminals 200 and 202 by means of a presence service. In this example, the capabilities of terminal 202 are first published in a presence server 204, as illustrated in an action 2:1. The other terminal 200 may do the same, although not shown here for simplicity. The terminal 200 may subscribe to the capability information of terminal 202 and is therefore able to obtain the published capabilities of terminal 202, in another action 2:2, e.g. by fetching them from the presence server 204 or by receiving a notification therefrom. Using common presence terminology, terminal 202 acts as a "presentity" while terminal 200 acts as a "watcher", and vice versa is of course also possible.
In this case, it is not necessary to exchange capabilities in specific request and response messages between the terminals 200, 202, as in the above SIP Option method. Once retrieved, the capabilities of terminal 202 are known and used by terminal 200 to determine which types of communication are possible to use, and corresponding icons or the like may be displayed on the screen of terminal 200 indicating to its user which options are available. The user of terminal 200 can thus select and activate an available communication type, and a session request or the like is then issued to terminal 202 over a session control node 206, in an action 2:3. Terminal 202 will then respond accordingly to the session request in another shown action 2:4.
However, there are some drawbacks associated with the above procedures. A user may not be willing to expose his/her terminal(s) for starting, e.g., a video call or a text chat with anybody, depending on the current situation and/or depending on who is calling which could be a totally unknown person. One possibility often used to avoid unwanted calls is to block the terminal altogether from incoming calls, which can also be done selectively e.g. using so-called "black lists" or "white lists". Still, when using the SIP Options method of FIG. 1, the capabilities of one or more terminals associated with an identity such as a called number are automatically exposed at the opposite calling terminal in a way that cannot be controlled, which can be perceived by the called user as an intrusion of privacy. It is possible for an illicit party to gain knowledge of the characteristics and current state of a user's terminals and their locations simply by making capability requests according to the SIP Option method, e.g. for planning some malicious attack.
Even if the presence method of FIG. 2 provides some flexibility in that the terminal user can select which capabilities to expose by publication, this method is deemed somewhat taxing and costly by requiring establishment of a presence service. Further, the published capability information may be out of date or misleading, e.g. if the capabilities have not been updated or properly published in the presence server by the user as required, or if the terminal is currently in a situation which is not suitable for some of the published communication types such as when a mobile terminal is present in an area with very limited bandwidth, or when the user's terminal is simply turned off or otherwise unavailable for one or more communication types.

Method and user terminal for supporting provision of capabilities

Abstract: The method comprises receipt (402) of a capability request from the second user terminal. Upon receipt of the capability request, filtering rules are used (406) on the capabilities of the first user terminal, wherein the filtering rules have been pre-configured for the first user terminal to control exposure of said capabilities. Thereafter a capability message is transmitted (408) to the second user terminal, wherein at least one of the capabilities of the first user terminal have been omitted from the capability message based on the filtering rules.


An inductive power supply that maintains resonance and adjusts duty cycle based on feedback from a secondary circuit. A controller, driver circuit and switching circuit cooperate to generate an AC signal at a selected operating frequency and duty cycle. The AC signal is applied to the tank circuit to create an inductive field for powering the secondary. The secondary communicates feedback about the received power back to the primary controller. The power transfer efficiency may be optimized by maintaining the operating frequency substantially at resonance, and the amount of power transferred may be controlled by adjusting the duty cycle.

In recent years, wireless power supply systems have received increased attention because of some of their benefits over traditional wired power supply systems. Some more basic wireless power supply systems are specifically designed to charge a particular device, which can help minimize power transfer efficiency issues. Other wireless power supply systems attempt to account for misalignment, charge different remote devices and provide different amounts of power. In these systems, maintaining an acceptable power transfer efficiency can be difficult.
Some wireless power systems adjust the operating frequency of an AC signal across the tank circuit closer to or further from resonance to increase or decrease the amount of power delivered to the remote device. Other wireless power systems adjust the resonant frequency of the tank circuit closer to or further from the operating frequency. One issue with these systems is that the power transfer efficiency between the inductive power supply and the remote device is a function of how close the operating frequency is to resonance. So, while adjusting the operating frequency or resonant frequency can provide some control over the amount of power delivered to the remote device, it may come at the cost of decreased power transfer efficiency.
Other wireless power supplies use a fixed operating frequency and instead adjust the rail voltage, duty cycle, or phase of the AC signal across the tank circuit to increase or decrease the amount of power delivered to the remote device. One issue with this is that in order for the power transfer efficiency to be acceptable, the inductive power supply and remote device may need to be precisely aligned and specifically designed to work with each other.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Inductive power supply with duty cycle control


An extraction tool for extracting a module that is detachably connected to a mounting substrate includes a fixed plate that is vertically supported over the module to be extracted. A movable plate is arranged below the fixed plate and a screw is inserted in central openings in each of the fixed and movable plates. A pair of vertically extending side panels are connected at one edge by a hinge to opposite sides of the movable plate. The opposite edge of the respective side panels are used to grip the module to be extracted. A spring biases the side panels inwardly. A rotatable handle is arranged above the fixed plate and is connected to the screw. Lateral rotation of the handle causes a corresponding axial rotation of the screw for moving the movable plate in a vertical direction. The precise vertical movement of the plate also causes vertical movement of the side panels gripping the module which ensures that the module is extracted without any side-to-side or twisting motion, thereby avoiding damage to the connectors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to extracting modules or other semiconductor packaged devices from a motherboard or substrate, and more particularly, to an apparatus that allows for the vertical removal of the modules or packaged devices without any torque or twisting motion being applied to the module or package.
2. Description of the Related Art
The design and development of more complex and higher-functionality semiconductor chips continues unabated. Integrated circuit density has progressed from Small-scale integration (SSI) and Large-scale integration (LSI), to Very large-scale integration (VLSI) and Very high-speed integration (VHSI), and now to Ultra large-scale integration (ULSI). With each progressive generation, the number of transistors, gates, and conductive paths per square centimeter increases, and clock speeds have increased as well.
With the development of such high performance application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), memory and high-speed chips, the need for denser packaging and interconnection schemes capable of eliciting the full performance of the chips has increased accordingly. It has become clear that the packaging and interconnection of groups of semiconductor chips into modules offers advantages in packaging density, electronic product performance and scalability. The modules are in turn generally attached, by pin connectors or other conventional connection means, to a motherboard, daughterboard, or the like depending on the sub-assembly, system, or product application.
Despite the high reliability of present day integrated circuits and modules, failures still occur and the modules may have to be extracted or removed from the board and reworked. Also, a module may need to be extracted so that it can be replaced with an upgraded or next generation module. Moreover, the modules may be repeatedly extracted and replaced during the developing, testing and manufacturing phases of a particular assembly or product.
Since the central processor unit (CPU) chip is not placed on the motherboard, hundreds of data and power lines need to be fed from the module to the motherboard. This in turn requires denser connections which are tighter and more difficult to install. Moreover, because the surface area of such modules is generally larger than a typical semiconductor chip, a greater force is required to remove them. The higher packaging density in present systems also makes it harder to remove the module without damaging adjacent modules or circuits.
The conventional extraction process is usually accomplished by applying a lateral shear ("rocking") force, for pin connections for example, or a twisting force for other types of connections such as adhesives. In particular, for the pin-type connections, which are designed to be reused, such a side-to-side rocking motion damages both the module connector containing the pins and the board connector into which the pins must be inserted.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an extraction tool that is capable of vertically removing the module without a rocking or twisting motion, and which does not damage the module or board connections, nor adjacent modules or chips.

Vertical extraction tool for semiconductor packaged devices


This invention is a high speed illumination apparatus and technique which isolates bond wires, ball bonds, bond wedges and microcircuit chips exclusively for manual or high speed automatic inspection of microelectronics assemblies. This system consists of multiple concentric rings of illumination, which are focused towards the center of the rings, but from different angles of incident. Light from these angles reflect off the different specular surfaces of the bond wires, wire bonds, and bond wedges, providing background contrast. Light projected on the flat surfaces of microchip bodies tends to be absorbed, producing a negative contrast shadow if the other elements are illuminated in parallel. Unique angles of incidence provide substantial illumination contrasts between the areas of interest and its neighboring surfaces. The reflections provide unique signatures which are easily distinguishable by an image processing system. Alternating the transmission of light through each of the rings at high speed using electronic shutters, contrasted images with unique features can be highlighted exclusively in milliseconds. These contrasted images are then captured by a light responsive transducer such as a video camera for further fault determination.

Early improvements in inspection methods were concerned with better work-piece illumination, more accurate location, object image acquisition, flaw identification, recognition and finally rejection against given criterion. The focus of evolutionary inventive steps in these directions may be seen by overview of the following patents:
The need for diffused lighting to reduce reflections and shadows in close-up photography has been long recognized. Shank, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,226 discloses apparatus in which an indirect light source illuminates a small object through a series of pyramidal reflectors. Light is thus diffused around four sides of the object before reflection to a camera. This invention was for close-up photography and would have limited value for high speed inspection of microelectronic elements.
Kanade et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,880, provide an array of discrete light-emitting sources which are used to sequentially illuminate a symmetrical work piece object. Reflections are focused on a light responsive position sensor so as to provide continuous indications of distance, surface orientation and curvature of the object. Details of surface geometry are not provided. This approach is most effective for measuring distance if the reflective surface is flat. Based on the position of the reflected light spots on the surface, the distance between the surface and the optical sensor can be calculated and determined. The system does not use continuous illumination for visual identification of the object and its orientation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,452 to DiMatteo et al provides for determining the surface profile of an object by projecting a pre-coded pattern onto the surface. By matching the newly acquired image pattern to a pre-determined image pattern, the profile of the newly acquired image can be extracted. An object surface is scanned by a moving projector and subdivided into the large number of coded sections. Comparisons are made of progressive photographs of the work-piece with those of a standard reference surface. The entire surface of an object may therefore be mapped. The system is not applicable to improving contrast between very small three dimensional objects, such as wires, and the reflective background.
Imamura et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,835, detects foreign matter such as dust particles on a plane substrate by means of scattering of the reflections from a laser beam. As a specimen work-piece such as a photomask is scanned by an oblique incidence laser illumination beam, reflections from foreign materials are less directly scattered than are those from the edges of the circuit pattern. The illumination incidence angle is 80 to 60 degrees off normal, with a portion of the beam being reflected from the substrate surface while the remainder is refracted into the substrate medium from which it is internally reflected then externally scattered outward. This approach does not consider circular illumination used with a highly reflective, low refractive background medium.
In a different surface measurement application, Schachar, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,695,163, determines the contour of a cornea by scanning the surface with coherent light from different positions along a rectilinear path. Reflections received by detectors along the track are maximally polarized when the incidence angle equals Brewsters's angle. From a knowledge of the index of refraction of the medium and of Brewster's angle, the relative spacial locations of points over the surface may be determined. The system should provide slow but precise information when a refracting medium is under inspection, but will have limited utility with highly reflective objects.
An object locating system for use with robotic systems is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,482 to Barry et al. The system projects a known geometrical image from a light source onto the surface of an object. The plane of the image on the object is determined by finding a normal to the surface from known geometrical relationships. Comparison of normals at different surface points are used to calculate distances and angles between the points. Gaussian images are generated for comparison between referenced objects and the unit under test.
In the field of solder joint inspection systems, Sanderson in U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,455 discloses a fiber optic solder joint inspection approach, in which light from multiple sources is reflected from a specular object to a fixed array of transducers. The individual light sources are derived from a single source which is scanned and piped to a plurality of optical fibers which lead to individual openings spaced around a semicircular illumination frame. For a given surface attitude, reflections to the fixed transducers will result from only one illumination source, assuming essentially specular reflection from the surface. Given known surface features of the object, an approximate reconstruction of the shape is made. The point source is usable with solder joint fillet inspection, but not with the variably curved and positioned wiring connections of microelectronic assemblies.
A related invention, U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,202 to Nayar et al, extends the above approach to include generation of an Extended Gaussian Image representation of a solder joint which is then evaluated as to acceptability.
A system for inspection of the uniformity of the surface of a flat circuit board component such as a dual inline package, employing computer vision is taught by Chemaly in U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,493. Illumination is provided by low angular light at the surface edge. Anomalies on the flat surface of dual in-line packages are inspected for pits, holes, blisters, grease, marks, chips and cracks Marks on the surface are distinguished from planned surface irregularities by comparison of grey scale brightness. The two directional lighting is not developed for specular surfaces such as wires, bonds and wedges.
Inspection of the circuit board components when soldered in place is taught by Ikegaya et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,418. Component lighting is provided by a standard ring illuminator positioned normal to the board. Board masking is provided to make an assessment of soldering condition independent of component lead placement on the circuit board lands.
It may be noted that none of the above inspection systems treat identification and inspection of variably curved and placed circuit elements such as microelectronic wires and bonds. Further, none teach the use or advantages of dual annular illumination sources, each disposed at different angular relationships with respect to normal, each of which provides optimal viewing contrasts for different classes of microelectronic wires and bonds relative their similar background.

High speed image acquisition for microelectronics inspection


A motor-generator for converting between electrical and rotational energy includes a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation relative to a stationary a stator that magnetically interacts with the rotor. The rotor has two spaced apart rotor portions that define therebetween an armature airgap. Magnetic poles on the rotor portions drive magnetic flux across the airgap. An air core armature is located in the airgap, such that opposite sides of the air core armature face the two opposed rotating surfaces of the rotor. The air core armature has windings in which AC voltage is induced as the rotor rotates. The windings are wound with multiple individually insulated strand conductor wire wrapped with a wrapping of a thin dielectric tape film over the multiple individually insulated strand conductor wire.

Air core motor-generators utilizing a double rotating construction have been developed. These electrical machines eliminate magnetic induced power losses in a steel stator and provide for high efficiency through elimination of the steel stator. A circumferentially varying magnetic flux thereby does not pass through a stationary steel structure and hence no hysteresis or eddy current losses in stationary steel result. An additional benefit of air core motor-generators is that they have much lower inductance than conventional slot wound machines. This low inductance can allow for easier high-speed operation as well as faster current rise times and potentially higher power output when operating a generator.
Double rotating air core motor-generators have mostly been used in small and high speed motor applications such as for use in cameras, disc drives and similar products. New versions of these electrical machines are currently being developed for use in larger products such as for industrial and commercial applications. Unfortunately, these new motor-generators are encountering several deficiencies including unpredictable armature failures, less than optimal windings densities resulting in reduced efficiency potential and windings that are very difficult to construct.

High performance air core motor-generator winding


Digital frequency synthesizer (DFS) circuits and methods use counters to define the positions of the output clock edges. A clock divider divides an input clock by a positive integer to provide a divided clock. A first counter circuit counts for one divided clock period, and the count is provided to a timing circuit that generates two or more sets of intermediate values. Each set represents a set of intermediate points within a period of the divided clock. Based on a specified multiplication value, one set of intermediate values is selected. Utilizing the divided clock, the selected set of intermediate values, and a second counter running at the same frequency as the first counter circuit, an output clock generator provides an output clock having an initial pulse at the beginning of each divided clock period, and a subsequent pulse at intermediate points represented by the selected set of intermediate values.

Programmable logic devices (PLDs) are a well-known type of digital integrated circuit that can be programmed to perform specified logic functions. One type of PLD, the field programmable gate array (FPGA), typically includes an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by a ring of programmable input/output blocks (IOBs). The CLBs and IOBs are interconnected by a programmable interconnect structure. Some FPGAs also include additional logic blocks with special purposes (e.g., DLLs, RAM, and so forth).
The CLBs, IOBs, interconnect, and other logic blocks are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data (bitstream) into internal configuration memory cells that define how the CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect are configured. The configuration data can be read from memory (e.g., an external PROM) or written into the FPGA by an external device. The collective states of the individual memory cells then determine the function of the FPGA.
FIG. 1 is a simplified illustration of an exemplary FPGA. The FPGA of FIG. 1 includes an array of configurable logic blocks (LBs 101a–101i) and programmable input/output blocks (I/Os 102a–102d). The LBs and I/O blocks are interconnected by a programmable interconnect structure that includes a large number of interconnect lines 103 interconnected by programmable interconnect points (PIPs 104, shown as small circles in FIG. 1). PIPs are often coupled into groups (e.g., group 105) that implement multiplexer circuits selecting one of several interconnect lines to provide a signal to a destination interconnect line or logic block. As noted above, some FPGAs also include additional logic blocks with special purposes (not shown), e.g., DLLs, block RAM, and so forth.
Another type of PLD is the Complex Programmable Logic Device, or CPLD. FIG. 2 is a simplified illustration of an exemplary CPLD. A CPLD typically includes two or more logic blocks (LBs 201a–201h) connected together and to input/output blocks (I/Os 202a–202f) by a programmable interconnection array (203). Each logic block of the CPLD includes a two-level AND/OR structure similar to those used in Programmable Logic Arrays (PLAs) and Programmable Array Logic (PAL) devices. The interconnection array includes many multiplexer circuits 205, each including several PIPs 204. In each multiplexer circuit 205, only one PIP 204 is enabled. The enabled PIP selects one of the many input signals provided to the interconnection array, and the selected input signal is provided as the output signal from the multiplexer circuit 205.
In CPLDs, configuration data is typically stored on-chip in non-volatile memory. In some CPLDs, configuration data is stored on-chip in non-volatile memory, then downloaded to volatile memory as part of an initial configuration sequence.
For all of these programmable logic devices (PLDs), the functionality of the device is controlled by data bits provided to the device for that purpose. The data bits can be stored in volatile memory (e.g., static RAM cells, as in FPGAs and some CPLDs), in non-volatile memory (e.g., FLASH memory, as in some CPLDs), or in any other type of memory cell.
Other PLDs are programmed by applying a processing layer, such as a metal layer, that programmably interconnects the various elements on the device. These PLDs are known as ASIC devices (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). PLDs can also be implemented in other ways, e.g., using fuse or antifuse technology.
Whatever type of architecture is used, PLDs generally include many programmable logic blocks of various types interconnected by a programmable interconnect structure. Other circuits included in the PLD might or might not be programmable. These additional circuits can include, for example, configuration logic and a clock distribution structure.
Clock signals are used in virtually every IC and electronic system to control timing. PLDs are no exception. For example, every time a rising edge occurs on a clock signal, all the flip-flops in a circuit might change state. Clearly, the higher the frequency of the clock signal, the faster the circuit operates. Therefore, where performance is an issue, circuit designers usually prefer to use the fastest available clock that can be supported by the delays on the logic paths through the circuit. In other words, the performance of a circuit is typically limited by the logic delays on the slowest logic path. However, sometimes the longest path delay through the circuit is significantly shorter than the period of the available clock, and the frequency of the available clock becomes the limiting factor.
To overcome this limitation, circuit designers can increase (e.g., double or quadruple) the frequency of a clock signal using a phase-lock loop (PLL) or delay-lock loop (DLL) circuit. However, PLLs are analog in nature and take a long time to simulate, and a design that works in one manufacturing process may stop working when manufactured using another process. Therefore, PLLs are very difficult to design, and often are not feasible in a given circuit or system. DLLs can also be very complicated and difficult to design. Additionally, DLLs typically consume a great deal of silicon area. Therefore, clock frequency multiplication is often not feasible using known circuits and methods.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide circuits and methods that enable a circuit designer to increase the frequency of an input clock without using a PLL or DLL, using a fairly simple circuit that consumes a relatively small amount of silicon area. It is further desirable to be able to implement such circuits and methods using the logic resources included in a programmable logic device (PLD) when desired. When implemented in a PLD, it is further desirable to optionally provide a programmable multiplication factor between the input and output clock frequencies.

Counter-based digital frequency synthesizer circuits and methods


A soft stuffed puppy is carried in a flexible sling with the head of the puppy exposed. The head has animatable ears driven by rotation of the head relative to the body. In addition, a protruding moveable tongue is driven by an actuator which also serves to effect the rotation of the head relative to the body. Actuation of the animatable ears and tongue may be readily accomplished while the puppy is carried in the sling by a child.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to animatable toy characters and particularly to soft stuffed toy characters with manually animatable features.
2. Background Art
Soft dolls, animals and characters are popular playthings, particularly for younger children. Basic play with such toys involves considerable carrying and cuddling of the toy by the child. In addition, animatable features of soft dolls, animals and characters enhance their play value. Thus, for example, Katzman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,063 issued Dec. 8, 1981 and Terzian U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,742 issued Apr. 28, 1981 disclose soft stuffed dolls having animated facial features, including a moveable tongue in the Katzman et al. doll, that respond to pressure upon the abdomen area of the doll. In Morrison U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,855 issued May 5, 1987, an animated, pop-up crib toy is driven upwardly to extend the flexible neck of the character by a motor and mechanism housed in a box mounted on the edge of a crib. Katzman et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,400 issued Aug. 24, 1982 shows a plush piggy bank with facial features that are animated by a mechanism actuated by depositing a coin into the bank. In the action game of Rehkemper et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,682 issued Nov. 1, 1983, enjoyment of the game is enhanced by insertion of manually manipulatable members in the flexible arms of a character so that the arms of the character are animated as the game is played. Nevertheless, there remains a need for soft dolls, animals or characters having features that may be manually animated by a child, particularly as the child holds or cuddles the character close to the child's body. There also remains a need for such a soft character in combination with a device to facilitate the child's carrying of the soft character while being able to manually animate features of the character.

Soft stuffed toy with manually driven head, ears and/or tongue

Breslow, Morrison, Terzian & Associates, Inc.


An easily operating safety lighter includes an actuating lever normally pivotally mounted on a top frame protruding upwardly from a gas container of the lighter for operatively sparking a flint for burning gas emitted from a gas valve of the lighter, a locking stem protruding downwardly from a depression member of the lever to be blocked on a retarding platform formed on a container cover for preventing a depression of the lever for igniting the lighter by a child, a coupling device having a pair of hook members respectively formed on the actuating lever and on the top frame for temporarily holding the actuating lever when pushing the lever frontwardly for unlocking the locking stem from the retarding platform of the container, thereby allowing a downward depression of the lever to enter the locking stem into a cavity recessed in the container cover for operatively igniting the lighter, and a restoring spring normally urging the locking stem of the actuating lever rearwardly when uncoupling the pair of hook members by a downward igniting depression of the lever for normally resting the locking stem on the retarding platform for an automatic locking purpose for safely preventing an ignition of the lighter.

A conventional child resistant cigarette lighter such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,596 to Glenn Morris includes a permanently attached stop member slidably mounted on a conventional disposable butane lighter for releasably engaging the gas valve actuating lever. The construction and arrangement of the lighter is such that an adult can easily manipulate the stop member and gas valve actuating lever while igniting, while such manipulation is beyond the dexterity of a child, thereby rendering the lighter child resistant.
However such a conventional gas lighter still has the following drawbacks:
1. The stop member 9 is slidably mounted on the lighter outside a butane container of the lighter, which may obstruct a normal igniting operation when using such a lighter and may even cause inconvenience when storing or handling such a lighter because its increased volume requiring an additional space for allocating such specially-constructed lighter such as in a purse or a pocket.
2. The stop member 9 includes an elongate rod 10 which may be easily broken or deformed by any external object or force to influence its normal operation.

Automatically lockable safety lighter for easy operation


An excavator bucket top assembly can be completed as an assembly before being attached to other components to form an excavator bucket. The top assembly includes a flat bottom plate and a top plate with two bends, each having relatively simple geometry for ease of manufacturing. Two hinge plates penetrate through the top plate and are joined to both the bottom plate and the top plate. The top assembly includes strategically positioned, continuous weld joints to avoid weld starts and stops that create stress risers. The top assembly produces a torque tube which is stiff and resistant to fatigue.

Excavators, such as the one illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,464, can be used in a wide variety of applications: in the construction industry to prepare building sites, in mining to load ore-laden material into trucks or onto conveyors, in road building to make cuts through hillsides for new road beds, in pipe laying and utility work to dig trenches. In all of these operations, excavators employ buckets to penetrate into material in the ground or in a pile, to scoop the material, and then to dump it. The bucket is the implement at the center of performing these tasks.
Excavator buckets are subjected to extreme loads and wear. An excavator bucket on a large excavator could be used to penetrate into extremely hard and dense material such as loosely shot or fractured granite. For this kind of duty, an excavator bucket requires high performance steels and a specialized construction to withstand both the high shock loads, and the extreme abrasive wear. Besides withstanding these maximum load cases and the abrasive environment, an excavator bucket must also be strong enough to endure many thousands, or in some cases, millions of cycles. (A cycle is each repetition of penetrating into the material, scooping, and dumping.) So an excavator bucket also requires resistance to fatigue wear and failure.
If an excavator bucket fails, replacement of the bucket can amount to a great expense in parts and labor. In addition, replacing a bucket will cause the excavator to sit idle and its productivity to decline, resulting in further costs. Besides idling the excavator, a bucket failure can also idle other machines in an integrated operation, such as haul trucks and crushers, further increasing the losses. Thus, a reliable excavator bucket that lasts through many cycles without breaking can be an important requirement for owners of excavator machines.
An excavator bucket can be expensive and difficult to manufacture because of its size and weight and other factors. Excavator buckets are typically constructed as weldments of more than a dozen pieces of plate steel. A bucket for a large, 60 metric ton excavator, for example, can be about 2 meters tall and 2 meters wide, weighing about 5 metric tons. Manipulating these large and heavy pieces of plate steel to align them to one another, and then correctly performing the welds can be a difficult and expensive task. A bucket design which requires a large number of pieces and multiple welds can add to the costs.
Thus, there are many demands affecting the design of an excavator bucket. The design must result in a bucket which exhibits the appropriate performance characteristics of resistance to high loads, abrasion, and fatigue, and which can also be manufactured in an economical manner. To produce a competitive bucket design, a designer must identify design features and techniques to satisfy and balance all of these demands.


A new class of anti-microbial agents and methods for preventing or reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and/or diseases is provided. Preferably, these anti-microbial agents are also contraceptive and, thus, also prevent or reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancies. The anti-microbial agents comprise a delivery vector having anti-microbial activity (and preferably contraceptive activity) coupled with a nitric oxide donor moiety.

In recent years, sexually transmitted diseases have become an increasing medical problem and concern throughout the world. The HIV/AIDS epidemic over the last decade or so has significantly and dramatically underscored the threat of STDs to the human population. Until there is a cure, or at least an effective treatment, the best, and perhaps only realistic, approach to this increasing problem of STDs (especially HIV/AIDS) appears to be reducing the risk of transmission of STDs by the STD-causing organisms and thus reducing the number of individuals who become newly infected. Even when treatments or cures become available, prevention of infections in the initial instance will likely remain as the first line of defense. For economic, medical, and psychological reasons, it is preferable to prevent the initial infection rather than treating, and even curing, individuals with STDs.
At present, education in regard to STDs, their modes of transmission, and so-called "safe-sex" techniques has, at least to some degree in the more developed countries, shown promise in reducing the risks of STD transmission through sexual activity. Screening of the blood supply has helped to reduce the risk of transmission of such STD-causing organisms via blood transfusions and related medical practices. Nonetheless, the spread of such STDs has not been halted to a satisfactory degree even in developed countries with active and progressive education programs. Even with their known effectiveness in preventing STDs, current safe-sex techniques are not always used, or are not always used properly, for many reasons (e.g., carelessness, lack of knowledge, improper techniques, cultural barriers, unplanned or spontaneous sexual activity, and the like). Moreover, even when used, safe-sex techniques (except perhaps abstinence) are not always effective. For example, condoms are generally only about 90 percent effective in preventing conception when used alone; in the case of such failures, STD-causing organisms, if present, may pass from one sexual partner to the other.
Various birth control devices—including barrier methods and vaginal contraceptives—are currently available. Some of these may, in addition, also have a least some degree of anti-STD activity. For example, condoms can help prevent the transmission of STDs so long as they are properly used and/or they perform properly. Nonoxynol-9, currently one of the most widely used contraceptive agents, is reported, at least in some cases, to reduce the risk of transmission of some STDs. Nonoxynol-9, which is a nonionic detergent with strong surfactant properties, acts, like most other chemical-based contraceptives, by killing or otherwise immobilizing spermatozoa (e.g., spermicidal activity). Nonoxynol-9 is a potent cytotoxic agent which tends to nonspecifically disrupt cell membranes. These properties, however, give rise to some very significant disadvantages. Because nonoxynol-9 is strongly cytotoxic, it can injure vaginal/cervical epithelial and other cells at concentrations as low as about 0.0005 percent. Clinical studies have confirmed epithelial disruption of the vagina and cervix. Nonoxynol-9 also disrupts the normal vaginal flora which provides a protective mechanism, perhaps by maintaining a low pH, to guard against the invasion of pathogenic microbes. Nonoxynol-9 may also partially dissolve or remove the protective glycoprotein coating in the vagina. The cytotoxic, flora-disruptive, and glycoprotein-removal effects of nonoxynol-9 can lead to vaginal damage or injury, including lesions. Some women are especially sensitive to nonoxynol-9 and manifest these effects with only occasional use. The disruption of these protective mechanisms by nonoxynol-9 can actually increase the risks of STD since the breakdown of the protective mechanisms, and especially the occurrence of lesions, allows STD-causing organisms an easier pathway into the cells. Thus, any anti-STD activity of the contraceptive may be reduced or even lost (i.e., overwhelmed) by the increased risk of infection due to physical damage from the contraceptive. Even if such a contraceptive method provided some degree of STD protection, it would, of course, mainly be directed at heterosexual relationships in which pregnancy was not desired.
More recently contraceptives having anti-STD activity have become available. U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,621 (Jul. 20, 1999), U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,619 (Aug. 3, 1999), U.S. Pat. No. 6,028,115 (Feb. 22, 2000), and U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,182 (May 29, 2001) provide methods for the reduction of sexual transmitted diseases using inhibitory agents such as phosphorylated hesperidins, sulfonated hesperidins, polystyrene sulfonates, substituted benzenesulfonic acid formaldehyde co-polymers, H2SO4-modified mandelic acids, and the like.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide more effective anti-microbial agents and methods for preventing or reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and/or diseases; preferably such anti-microbial agents would also be contraceptive and, thus, prevent or reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancies. It would be desirable if such anti-microbial agents, whether contraceptive or not, and methods would not interfere with the natural and protective vaginal mechanisms. It would also be desirable if such anti-microbial agents, whether contraceptive or not, and methods would be relatively easy to use, have significantly fewer side effects than currently available methods (i.e., nonoxynol-9) so that it would more likely be used on a consistent basis, and be effective at lower concentrations. It would also be desirable if such anti-microbial agents, whether contraceptive or not, and methods could be used in heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual relationships and for a wide range of sexual activities. It would also be desirable if such anti-microbial agents, whether contraceptive or not, and methods could be implemented by either party to the sexual activity. The present invention, as detailed in the present specification, provides such anti-microbial agents and contraceptive anti-microbial agents and methods.


A clothes dryer is disclosed having improved noise insulation characteristics which requires minimum alteration of existing dryer drum construction thereby adding relatively little additional cost over and above the cost of materials. The clothes dryer has a rotating dryer drum with steel bands or straps fastened about the periphery of outside surface cylindrical wall of the dryer drum to absorb noise created by articles tumbling within the dryer drum during operation. An adhesive material is laminated to the band which secures the band to the outside wall of the dryer drum. Baffle mounting screws passing through the dryer drum are used to secure ends and intermediate parts of the band to the dryer drum.

Domestic clothes drying machines typically comprise a rotating steel dryer drum in which clothes are tumbled as warm air is circulated through the dryer drum drying the clothes. As the articles of clothing tumble within the dryer drum, the articles fall into contact with the drum wall. Heavier articles, metal buttons and loose coins have a tendency to impact the dryer drum and create noise. There is a need to reduce the noise created by clothes and other articles tumbling within the dryer drum.
To compensate or reduce the noise created by articles tumbling in the dryer drum, the use of a plastic drum has been suggested by Japanese patent application 7,080,193 published Mar. 28, 1995 to Sanyo Electric. Also Japanese patent applications 7,275,582 published Oct. 24, 1995 in the name of Nippon Kentetsu Co. and Japanese patent application 8,000,898 published Jan. 9, 1996 in the name of Hitachi Ltd. both teach the use of a plastic or foam sheet of plastic attached to be inside peripheral wall of the dryer drum to reduce noise. The problem with these dryers is that the plastic chosen will be subjected to high temperatures during drying and may be difficult to assemble inside the drum thereby significantly increasing the cost the dryer to the consumer.
In another attempt to reduce noise created by articles tumbling within a clothes dryer, Japanese patent application 2,023,999 published Jan. 28, 1990 teaches the use of a rotary dryer drum comprising a multi-layer metal plate with a plastic resin material positioned between the metallic plates. While this solution does not involve the use of a plastic sheet positioned in the inside of the dryer drum wall, the use of a laminated dryer drum comprising two steel plates having to be secured together with a resin material between the dryer drums, would be a difficult drum structure to manufacture increasing cost in the clothes dryer consumer.
Accordingly, there is a need for a clothes dryer having improved noise insulation characteristics which requires minimum alteration of existing dryer drum construction thereby adding relatively little additional cost to the clothes dryer.


The present invention relates to certain compounds of the formula (I) the racemic-enantiomeric mixtures and optical isomers of said compounds, prodrugs thereof and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts, depicted below, which are .beta.-adrenergic receptor agonists and accordingly have utility as, inter alia, hypoglycemic and antiobesity agents. The invention also relates to methods of use for the compounds and to compositions containing them. The compounds of the present invention also possess utility for increasing lean meat deposition and/or improving the lean meat to fat ratio in animals, e.g., ungulate animals, companion animals, especially dogs, and poultry. The compounds of formula (I) have the following structure ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are as defined in the specification.

The present invention relates to certain compounds of the formula (I) depicted below, which are .beta.-adrenergic receptor agonists and accordingly have utility as, inter alia, hypoglycemic and antiobesity agents. More specifically, the compounds of the instant invention are selective agonists of the .beta..sub.3 -adrenergic receptor. The invention also relates to methods of use for the compounds and to compositions containing them. The compounds of the present invention also possess utility for increasing lean meat deposition and/or improving the lean meat to fat ratio in animals, e.g. ungulate animals, companion animals, especially dogs, and poultry.
The compounds of this invention further possess utility in the treatment of intestinal motility disorders, depression, prostate disease, dyslipidemia, and airway inflammatory disorders such as asthma and obstructive lung disease.
The disease diabetes mellitus is characterized by metabolic defects in production and utilization of carbohydrates which result in the failure to maintain appropriate blood sugar levels. The result of these defects is elevated blood glucose or hyperglycemia. Research in the treatment of diabetes has centered on attempts to normalize fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels. Current treatments include administration of exogenous insulin, oral administration of drugs and dietary therapies.
Two major forms of diabetes mellitus are recognized. Type I diabetes, or insulin-dependent diabetes, is the result of an absolute deficiency of insulin, the hormone which regulates carbohydrate utilization. Type II diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes, often occurs with normal, or even elevated levels of insulin and appears to be the result of the inability of tissues to respond appropriately to insulin. Most of the Type II diabetics are also obese.
The compounds of the present invention and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof effectively lower blood glucose levels when administered to mammals with hyperglycemia or diabetes.
The compounds of the present invention also reduce body weight or decrease weight gain when administered to animals. The ability of these compounds to affect weight gain is due to activation of .beta..sub.3 -adrenergic receptors which stimulate the metabolism of adipose tissue.
.beta.-Adrenergic receptors have been categorized into .beta..sub.1 -, .beta..sub.2 - and .beta..sub.3 -subtypes. Agonists of .beta.-receptors promote the activation of adenyl cyclase. Activation of .beta..sub.1 -receptors invokes increases in heart rate while activation of .beta..sub.2 -receptors induces relaxation of skeletal muscle tissue which produces a drop in blood pressure and the onset of smooth muscle tremors. Activation of .beta..sub.3 -receptors is known to stimulate lipolysis (the breakdown of adipose tissue triglycerides to glycerol and free fatty acids) and metabolic rate (energy expenditure), and thereby promote the loss of fat mass. Compounds that stimulate .beta..sub.3 -receptors are therefore useful as anti-obesity agents, and can also be used to increase the content of lean meat in animals. In addition, compounds which are .beta..sub.3 -receptor agonists have hypoglycemic or anti-diabetic activity, but the mechanism of this effect is uncertain.
Until recently .beta..sub.3 -adrenergic receptors were thought to be found predominantly in adipose tissue. .beta..sub.3 -receptors are now known to be located in such diverse tissues as the intestine (J. Clin. Invest, 91, 344 (1993)) and the brain (Eur. J. Pharm., 219,193 (1992)). Stimulation of the .beta..sub.3 -receptor has been demonstrated to cause relaxation of smooth muscle in colon, trachea and bronchi. Life Sciences, 44(19), 1411 (1989); Br. J. Pharm., 112, 55 (1994); Br. J. Pharmacol., 110, 1311 (1993). For example, stimulation of .beta..sub.3 -receptors has been found to induce relaxation of histamine-contracted guinea pig ileum, J. Pharm. Exp. Ther., 260, 1, 192 (1992).
The .beta..sub.3 -receptor is also expressed in human prostate. Because stimulation of the .beta..sub.3 -receptor causes relaxation of smooth muscles that have been shown to express the .beta..sub.3 -receptor (e.g., intestine), one skilled in the art would predict relaxation of prostate smooth muscle. Therefore .beta..sub.3 -agonists are useful for the treatment or prevention of prostate disease.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,061,727 concerns certain substituted 5-(2-((2-aryl-2-hydroxyethyl)amino)-propyl)-1,3-benzodioxoles which are disclosed to possess anti-diabetic and/or anti-hyperglycemic and/or anti-obesity properties.
European Patent publication 516,349, published Dec. 2, 1992, refers to certain 2-hydroxyphenethyl amines which possess antiobesity, hypoglycemic and related utilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,455 is concerned with certain heterocyclic compounds of the formula Het-CHOH--CH.sub.2 --NH-aralkyl, useful for treating glaucoma and cardiovascular disorders.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,640 concerns certain .alpha.-heterocyclic ethanol amino alkyl indoles, useful as growth promoters, bronchodilators, antidepressants and antiobesity agents.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,578 concerns certain .alpha.-heterocyclic ethanol amines useful as growth promoters.