A system and method for securely loading data in a cache memory associated with at least one secure processor that performs data processing by using at least one untrusted external memory storing data to be processed, at least one secure internal cache memory to load or store data, and at least one secure cache translator operating as a memory management unit. The secure cache translator stores, into a secure cache digest table, parameters arranged on persistent and variable data pages. The parameters comprise at least a root digest based on node digests calculated on at least one persistent data page according to a Merkle tree structure. The integrity of the data pages is verified during transfers between the secure internal cache memory and the external memory by comparing a calculated root digest with the root digest stored in the secure cache digest table.

A data processing system comprises in general hardware components such as one or more processors, volatile memories RAM (Random Access Memory), cache memories, non volatile writable memories (flash, disks, etc.) and non-volatile read-only memories ROM (Read Only Memory). The data processing system operates in most of the cases under control of an operating system by executing program instructions by using one or more software resources or applications. The applications may be stored in a non-volatile memory and loaded into a volatile memory during execution when required. During execution of an application, the data required by the application or data which is produced by the application may be stored in the non-volatile memory or volatile memory or transferred from one memory to another.
With the advent of multiple connectivity options for data processing systems, including wireless connectivity, and with the huge growth in the use of mobile data processing systems, the need to protect these systems from malicious attacks has become increasingly important. Malicious attacks can be aimed at interfering with system booting, modifying the operating system, intercepting and/or modifying data produced by or utilized by some application.
In fact, it has now become a necessary requirement to protect data processing systems against fraudulent manipulations and attacks on their integrity. Such malicious attacks may come in the form of software designed to take over a data processing system's operating system or otherwise interfere with the normal processing sequence of the data processing system without the user's knowledge or approval. Such software is generally known as malware. The presence of malware in a data processing system is generally difficult to remedy and can lead to complete system failure or even to irreparable damage to the system.
Computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware etc. are all different types of malware. The different types of malware can attack the processing system in various ways such as by intercepting data which was meant for another application or by monitoring key strokes in order to steal passwords or other information which is meant to be kept secret, modifying or otherwise altering data or corrupting files, modifying a program in order to cause it to crash or to execute some function which was not originally intended by the user.
Systems to combat against malware attacks exist and generally use a memory management unit, which is configurable by the system's processor or secure processors provided with access control modules. Because of the increasing complexity of the processors, the additional security functions which would be required in order to minimize the possibility of such malware attacks would lead to a significant cost increase in terms of the extra on-chip real estate necessary to implement such functions and would lead to computing overhead and therefore compromise the speed of operation. Therefore, it would be desirable to have a cost-efficient and size-efficient solution providing secure management of data or applications loading or unloading into or out of memories in a data processing system.
Some solutions exist such as, for example, the one disclosed in document U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,878, where an integrated secured memory management unit is used by a microprocessor for transferring encrypted data and instructions from an external memory. The security is carried out by a direct memory access controller integrated on the same chip as the microprocessor. The instructions and the commands are thus difficult to access for a malicious third party from inside the microprocessor where the data are in clear form. However, no means is available for guaranteeing that the data stored in the integrated memory are accessible only by the authorized processor operating in a particular mode. Therefore, it is still possible for a malicious third party to replace the content of the memory by an illegal content.
The document US2003/037220A1 discloses a memory management unit using a data addressing method by segments in which the stored data comprise a segment descriptor making the address mapping easier by eliminating a separated loader, but without solving problems related to security.
In the context of trusted computing platforms, it is important to ensure not only the authenticity of program instructions being executed by a target processor but also data which are used by the program instructions to execute particular actions. Solutions to the problem of the program instructions have been presented so far in the literature (refer to the publication "Caches and Merkle Trees for Efficient Memory Authentication"; Blaise Gassend, Dwaine Clarke, Marten van Dijk, Srinivas Devadas, Ed Suh). This approach suggests digitally signing and storing a list of page integrity figures (hashes) externally. A signed root hash is also stored externally but loaded to a memory management unit of the secure processor. In fact hash trees and caches are used to efficiently verify memory content. One drawback of the solution proposed in this publication is real applicability to data, because data is not static like program instructions could be, but it may vary during the execution of the program instructions. This publication does not discuss with appropriate details how the problem of preventing replay attacks is solved in a generic way, i.e. independently of the chosen integrity-providing primitive.
Therefore it would be desirable to extend the existing solutions in a way to include a new data protection mechanism consisting of verifying freshness of new data and supporting multi-thread with a same level of protection. Such a multi-thread mechanism allows concurrent application software creating their private protected data storage.

System and method for secure loading data in a cache memory


An electronic music instrument comprises an input configured for receiving at least one note event from an input device having a plurality of input elements configured for generating at least one note event when activated; a software module configured for including: at least one instrument plugin configured for defining sounding note events and non-sounding control events, and at least one play assistant module, wherein the software module is further configured for at least one of the group comprising excluding the control events from being processed by play assistant functions and excluding play assistant functions generating control events.

Keyboard instruments and their corresponding software provide so-called play assistants or play assistant modules to enhance the player's comfort. These are software modules that intercept or influence the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) digital signals or note events generated by the player on the keyboard's keybed and alter the event stream in such a way that the player can achieve musically complex playing styles while not having to be an expert musician, e.g. harmonizing the played notes or arpeggiation of notes.
A so-called scale mode is known from Apple's GarageBand App for the iPad. The app shows a Marimba-like interface to the user, excluding notes that don't fit a certain scale and root note setting. In particular the black keys are suppressed and not depicted on the screen. The black keys are also called intermediate semitones. In the scale mode, when connecting a standard MIDI keyboard to the iPad, all keys are, however, functioning normally.
Further, many electronic music instruments like MIDI keyboard-controlled synthesizers or samplers provide the player with a so-called control octave, which is a range of one or more keys for switching parameters inside the instrument's software. In most cases, this control octave uses low notes to not interfere with the common note range of the instrument. The player commonly plays the instrument with his right hand. By pressing one or more keys, a digital signal or key event corresponding to the one or more played notes is generated. With the left hand the player plays keys of the control octave, thereby controlling the "sound", i.e. switching parameters in the instrument software that affect the sound. The control keys are usually non-sounding keys, i.e. no sound is produced by pressing them alone.
Thereby arises the problem that functions of the play assistant module and of the control functionality might interfere and trigger unwanted states of the electronic music instrument.

Electronic music instrument, system and method for controlling an electronic music instrument


A simple discrete component logic circuit with transistors selectively connected through seat and belt switches to the battery. The transistors operate in either an off mode or a current saturation mode. The circuit includes a plurality of identical resistors and transistors for ease of assembly and reduced cost and can operate over a wide range of voltages without need for power regulation or filters. The circuit recognizes the proper logic sequence with the key switch in either the on or off position but an improper sequence warning signal is provided only after the key switch is turned on. The circuit prevents intermittent warnings or interruptions caused by the operator temporarily bouncing from the seat, but the proper sequence of operations must be preformed and the switches must be operational to prevent a warning signal.

1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a seat belt system for a utility vehicle, and, more specifically, to a simplified circuit for verifying that a vehicle operator observes the proper sequence of positioning on the seat and seat belt fastening.
2) Related Art
In vehicles such as skid steer loaders and similar utility vehicles, there is a need to provide a seat belt system that verifies that the operator follows the proper procedure at the operator station which includes first sitting in the vehicle seat and then fastening the safety belt to assure that the operator cannot merely sit on a fastened belt. Further, the seat belt system must have the capability to prevent resetting of logic circuitry if the operator momentarily bounces out of the seat. Circuits including microcontrollers may be used for such seat belt systems, but the microcontroller requires filtered and reduced regulated voltage rather than direct battery voltage, which adds complexity and cost to the system. A circuit in a utility vehicle often must be able to operate over voltage extremes which can vary from a minimum of several volts to jump start voltages several times the minimum.
Another problem associated with belt and seat sequence circuits is assuring recognition of the proper order of events before or after the key switch is turned to the on position without causing significant current drain when the switch is off. If a warning signal such as a panel light can be lit with the switch off, the battery can be inadvertently discharged.


A node device and a label switched path loop detection method which are capable of detecting a label switched path loop efficiently and quickly are disclosed. In a node device for carrying out the label switching, an ingress node information is included in a message that is to be successively transmitted from the upstream side in order to set up a label switched path, and the fact that the message with the same ingress node information for the same packet flow will be received from a previous hop node that is different from before if the label switched path has a loop formed thereon is utilized. Also, at a time of transmitting a message for the purpose of setting up a label switched path, if a node at which the label switched path for that packet flow already exists on the upstream or downstream side is encountered, this already existing label switched path is traced along the same or opposite direction as the flow, and the label switched path is set up if no loop is detected after tracing to the end.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a node device having a label switched path loop detection function and a label switched path loop detection method.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a network layer protocol in which IP (Internet Protocol) nodes are inter-connected on an NBMA (Non-Broadcast Multiple Access) network, there is a scheme for realizing high speed packet transfer called MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching).
In the MPLS, specific xe2x80x9clabelsxe2x80x9d are allocated to specific packet flows between nodes while a correspondence between an input side label and an output side label is stored at each node, and the label switching is carried out at each node by referring to this information, so that the IP processing can be omitted and a high speed packet transfer can be realized. For example, in the case where the link layer is ATM, VPI(Virtual Path Identifier)/VCI (Virtual Channel Identifier) will be used as a label. A route through which the packet flow is label switched will be referred to as a label switched path.
In the case of constructing the label switched path, the label allocation protocol is used. The label allocation protocol exchanges label allocation messages between nodes on a packet flow route in order to notify a correspondence between a flow identifier for identifying the packet flow in network global fashion and a label for identifying the packet flow in link local fashion.
Usually every time an IP packet passes through a node, a value of an TTL (Time To Live) field (or a hop limit field or their equivalents) within its packet header is decremented by one, and the IP packet is not forwarded any further when the TTL or the like becomes 0. In this way it is possible to prevent a packet to stay in the network indefinitely even when there is a loop in the route.
However, for a packet to be transferred by the label switched path, the IP processing will not be carried out at an intermediate node so that it is impossible to decrement the TTL or the like, and consequently the packet will not leave the label switched path forever if there is a loop in the label switched path. For this reason, it is necessary to provide a label switched path loop detection mechanism or a label switched path loop prevention mechanism in the label allocation protocol.
To this end, in the conventional label allocation protocol, the following two methods are available: (1) a method in which an information on a hop count from an ingress router which originated a label allocation message with respect to the packet flow is included in the label allocation message, and it is judged that a loop is present when the hop count exceeds a threshold (see Doolan et al., xe2x80x9cTag Distribution Protocolxe2x80x9d, Internet Draft, draft-doolan-tdp-spec-01.txt, May 1997); and (2) a method in which each node that forwards the label allocation message sequentially adds its own address to the label allocation message, and it is judged that a loop is present when the own address is already written in the received label allocation message (see Rosen et al., xe2x80x9cA Proposed Architecture for MPLSxe2x80x9d, Internet Draft, draft-rosen-mpls-arch-00.txt, July 1997).
However, the above described method (1) has been associated with a problem that it takes a considerable amount of time until the loop detection because the presence of loop cannot be ascertained until the hop count exceeds the threshold.
Note that in this method if a loop is actually formed or not cannot be ascertained, and even if a loop is actually formed, it is impossible to ascertain a node at which a loop is formed.
On the other hand, the above described method (2) has been associated with a problem that the size of the label allocation message becomes quite large.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a node device and a label switched path loop detection method which are capable of detecting a label switched path loop efficiently and quickly, in the case of constructing a label switched path to which the loop detection based on the TTL field of the IP packet is not applicable.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a node device for label switching entered packets by referring to an input label information capable of identifying a packet flow to be entered and a corresponding information for specifying at least an output side interface, the node device comprising: a memory unit for storing a flow ID capable of network globally identifying a packet flow and an ingress node information regarding an ingress node of a label switched path, according to one label allocation message requesting a set up of the label switched path which is received from one previous hop node; and a judging unit for judging whether a label switched path loop is formed or not according to from which node another label allocation message that contains an identical flow ID and an identical ingress node information as said one label allocation message is received.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a node device for transmitting packets to be label switched using an output label information capable of identifying a packet flow to be outputted, the node device comprising: a transmission unit for transmitting a label allocation message requesting a set up of a label switched path that contain at least an information on said node device as an ingress node information regarding an ingress node of the label switched path; and a judging unit for judging that a label switched path loop is formed upon receiving a label allocation message in which the ingress node information specifies said node device as the ingress node.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a node device for label switching entered packets by referring to an input side label information capable of identifying a packet flow to be entered and a corresponding output label information capable of identifying the packet flow to be outputted, the node device comprising: an exchange unit for exchanging with a neighboring node on a route of one packet flow a label allocation message requesting a set up of a label switched path which contains a flow ID capable of network globally identifying said one packet flow and an ingress node information regarding an ingress node of the label switched path; and a judging unit for judging whether a label switched path loop is formed or not, when a label allocation message that contains a flow ID and an ingress node information that are matching with an existing label switched path is received, according to a change in the input side label information for the existing label switched path.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a node device for label switching entered packets by referring to an input side label information capable of identifying a packet flow to be entered and corresponding one or a plurality of output label information capable of identifying the packet flow to be outputted, the node device comprising: an exchange unit for exchanging with each one of a previous hop node and one or a plurality of next hop nodes on a route of one packet flow a label allocation message requesting a set up of a label switched path which contains an identifier for identifying said one packet flow and an ingress node information regarding an ingress node of the label switched path; and a judging unit for detecting whether or not a message containing an identifier and an ingress node information that are identical to those of a previously exchanged message is received from a previous hop node different from one previous hop node from which the previously exchanged message is received, or whether or not a message that contains an identifier and an ingress node information that are identical to those of the previously exchanged message and changes the input side label information is received, and Judging whether a label switched path loop is formed or not according to a result of detecting.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a node device for label switching entered packets by referring to one or a plurality of input side label information capable of identifying a packet flow to be entered and a corresponding output label information capable of identifying the packet flow to be outputted, the node device comprising: an exchange unit for exchanging with a neighboring node on a route of one packet flow a message for setting up a new label switched path or utilizing an existing label switched path, which contains an identifier for identifying said one packet flow and an ingress node information regarding an ingress node of the new label switched path or the existing label switched path; and a judging unit for detecting whether or not a message containing an identifier and an ingress node information that are identical to those of a previously exchanged message is received from a previous hop node device different from one previous hop node device from which the previously exchanged message is received, or whether or not a message that contains an identifier and an ingress node information that are identical to those of the previously exchanged message and changes the input side label information is received, and judging whether a label switched path loop is formed or not according to a result of detection.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a node device for label switching entered packets by referring to an input side label information capable of identifying a packet flow to be entered and a corresponding output side label information capable of identifying the packet flow to be outputted, and for merging label switched paths by setting one output side label information and a plurality of input side label information in correspondence for one packet flow, the node device comprising: a transmission unit for transmitting to a next hop node in an existing label switched path a hop count update message that contains at least an ingress node information after merging and an updated hop count value, upon receiving one label allocation message requesting a set up of one label switched path that contains at least a given ingress node information regarding an ingress node of said one label switched path and a given hop count value, when said one label allocation message requires merging to the existing label switched path and the given hop count value makes a hop count value of the existing label switched path updated to a larger value than a current value; and a judging unit for judging whether a label switched path loop is formed or not according to from which node another hop count update or label allocation message for an identical packet flow that contains an identical ingress node information as a previously received label allocation message is received.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a node device for label switching entered packets by referring to one or a plurality of input side label information capable of identifying a packet flow to be entered and a corresponding output label information capable of identifying the packet flow to be outputted, the node device comprising: an exchange unit for exchanging with a neighboring node on a route of one packet flow a message for setting up a new label switched path or utilizing an existing label switched path, which contains an identifier for identifying said one packet flow; a memory unit for storing an information indicating a set up of a label switched path corresponding to said message as pending until a response message corresponding to said message is received; and a Judging unit for Judging whether a label switched path loop is formed or not according to whether or not a message regarding a label switched path for which the information indicating pending is stored in the memory unit according to a previously exchanged message is received.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a node device for label switching entered packets by referring to an input side label information capable of identifying a packet flow to be entered and a corresponding output side label information capable of identifying the packet flow to be outputted, and for merging label switched paths by setting one output side label information and a plurality of input side label information in correspondence for one packet flow, the node device comprising: a transmission unit for transmitting to a next hop node in an existing label switched path a hop count update message that contains at least an updated hop count value, upon receiving one label allocation message requesting a set up of one label switched path that contains at least a given hop count value, when said one label allocation message requires merging to the existing label switched path and the given hop count value makes a hop count value of the existing label switched path updated to a larger value than a current value; a memory unit for storing a correspondence between the input side label information and the output side label information for said one packet flow according to said one label allocation message, and storing an information indicating a storing of the correspondence as pending until a success message corresponding to the hop count update message is received; and a judging unit for judging whether a label switched path loop is formed or not according to whether or not a hop count update or label allocation message indicating a packet flow or a correspondence between the input side label information and the output side label information for which the information indicating the storing of the correspondence as pending is stored in the memory unit according to a previously received label allocation message is received.
It is to be noted that the present invention is equally realizable as a method of label switching loop detection in the node device as described above, or a computer usable medium having computer readable program codes embodied therein for causing a computer to function as the node device as described above.

Scheme for label switched path loop detection at node device


A circuit breaker having superior shock and vibration resistance is provided. The circuit breaker has a handle pivoted from an off position to an on position. The circuit is closed by bringing a movable contact point into contact with a fixed contact point via lever mechanisms. The circuit breaker has an electromagnetic coil which holds the movable iron piece in a non-attraction position away from an electromagnetic trip coil until power is applied to the electromagnetic trip coil. When the movable iron piece is attracted to the electromagnetic trip coil, the lever mechanisms are released from the constrained state, and the movable contact point is separated from the fixed contact point to thereby open the circuit, and the handle returns to the off position in conjunction with the lever mechanisms.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a circuit breaker having superior shock and vibration resistance.
2. Discussion of Related Art
As shown in FIG. 6, a circuit breaker having the following configuration has already been proposed (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-1-166435). Specifically, when a handle 1 is pivoted from an off (OFF) position to an on (ON) position, a circuit is closed by bringing a movable contact point into contact with a fixed contact point via a lever mechanism A. Further, the lever mechanism A and the handle 1 are constrained in the ON position. In contrast, when a movable iron piece 3 is attracted to an electromagnetic trip coil 2 by application of a signal such as an overcurrent to the electromagnetic coil 2, the lever mechanism A is released from the constrained state, and the movable contact point is separated from the fixed contact point, thereby opening the circuit. Further, the handle 1 returns to the OFF position in conjunction with the lever mechanism A.
In a case where the foregoing circuit breaker is provided on an automobile, the movable iron piece 3 moves in the direction-in which it is supposed to be attracted to the coil-due to abnormal physical shock or vibration, whereby the lever mechanism A is accidentally released from a constrained state. As a result, the movable contact point is separated from the fixed contact point, thereby resulting in a risk of the circuit breaker erroneously carrying out tripping action.
Such a problem may be avoided, so long as a spring 4 is provided for holding the movable iron piece 3 in a non-attraction position more firmly, and the spring force of the spring 4 is increased. However, the electromagnetic trip coil 2 is required to have an attracting force sufficient to overcome the spring force, thereby rendering the circuit-breaking operation of the breaker unstable and resulting in a decrease in the reliability of the circuit breaker.
The handle 1 itself is pivoted from the ON position to the OFF position due to abnormal physical shock or vibration. Accordingly, there may arise a risk of the circuit breaker erroneously causing a tripping operation, as in the foregoing case.

Harness System Technologies Research, Ltd.,


In a simplified method for preventing pattern windings in a winding process for producing random wound yarn packages at a winding station of a winding machine, either the circumferential speed of a yarn package or the traversing speed of a yarn guide is selected as a command variable and the other as a secondary variable. Then, in the winding process the winding roller of the winding station is accelerated and decelerated and the yarn guide is accelerated and decelerated so that each variable varies between respective predetermined maximum and minimum values. Each time the command variable reaches a predetermined maximum or minimum value, a signal is generated and: if a previous change in the secondary variable immediately prior to the generating of the signal was an increase in the secondary variable, then the secondary variable is decreased in response to the signal; and if a previous change in the secondary variable immediately prior to the generating of the signal was a decrease in the secondary variable, then the secondary variable is increased. Furthermore, if during the winding process the secondary variable equals a predetermined value, then the secondary variable is maintained at the predetermined value until a signal is generated.

Patterned windings form in randomly wound yarn packages when the yarn is laid down several times at the same or an adjoining location on the yarn package resulting in ribbon-like yarn layers. Moreover, pattern windings always occur when the winding ratio, i.e., the number of bobbin revolutions to the double stroke of the yarn guide, equals a whole number, and there are several occasions in the course of a winding process of a yarn package when this happens.
Pattern windings considerably interfere with the later unwinding of yarn packages. For instance, because of the inhomogeneous composition of the yarn layers, it is possible for entire yarn layers to be ripped off the yarn package surface during unwinding. In order to produce a high quality yarn package, it is therefore necessary to employ methods for preventing pattern windings.
One conventional method involves the varying of the winding ratio particularly during occasions when pattern windings are known to occur. For instance, a winding machine is known from Swiss Patent 215 637 where yarn packages are driven by friction rollers and a toothed wheel gear having a preset gear ratio connects the drive of the friction rollers with the drive of the yarn guides. The circumferential speed of the friction rollers is continuously varied between a maximum and a minimum value and the number of strokes of the yarn guide is subsequently varied because of the toothed wheel gear. A disadvantage to this method is that a fixed gear is structurally elaborate and it is necessary to keep appropriate toothed wheel gears on hand for changing the gear transmission when, for example, a new roller geometry is used.
Another method and apparatus having an electronic control between drives of the winding rollers and the yarn guides is disclosed in German Patent Publication DE 25 34 239 C2. In this reference, separate drive motors are provided for driving the yarn guides and for driving the winding rollers which drive the yarn packages, with an electronic gear connecting the two drive motors. In the method and apparatus the rpm of the drive motor for driving the yarn guide is arbitrarily changed while the drawing speed is maintained substantially constant with the aid of the electronic gear.
A method for randomly winding yarn packages wherein yarn is also supplied at a constant yarn running speed is known from German Patent Publication DE 43 37 891 A1. In this method, a non-periodic change of the traversing speed is performed for preventing pattern windings. Specifically, the maximum and minimum values of the traversing speed, whereat respective switching from acceleration to deceleration and vice versa occur (the reversing points), are varied within predetermined limits by a computer.
A common drawback to the two previous methods is that each requires a large outlay in control techniques for coordinating the drives of the friction rollers and the yarn guides whereby the resultant drawing speed of the yarn is maintained substantially constant. It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a simplified method for preventing pattern windings.

Method for preventing pattern windings in random wound yarn packages


Cross-linked conductive polymer, coating compositions and light sensitive elements containing at least one antistat layer where the cross-linked polymer is a copolymer of a vinylbenzene sufonic acid and an ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing at least one primary hydroxyl group cross-linked with a methoxyalkylmelamine.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to cross-linked conductive polymers and more particularly to antistat layers employing the cross-linked conductive polymers. Additionally, the invention relates to light sensitive elements having at least one antistat layer.
2. Description of Related Art
Schadt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,665, discloses an antistatic composition for photographic films wherein a conductive polymer having carboxyl groups and a hydrophobic polymer containing carboxyl groups are cross-linked with a polyfunctional aziridine.
Hardam et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,748, discloses a cross-linkable conductive copolymer of a monomer of sodium styrene sulfonate type and a vinyl amine monomer.
Because of the electrostatic charges that build up on polymeric articles as they move in contact with other surfaces of high dielectric constant, it has been necessary to provide a conductive layer on polymeric articles in order to prevent the build up of charges. This problem is particularly acute in photographic applications, both during the preparation thereof and during use and development, because during the preparation it is undesirable to have static discharge that will expose localized areas of the light sensitive recording media. Subsequently, both during the exposure cycle and the development cycle, static charges are unwanted because they attract dirt and dust particles which appear as imperfections in the final presentation of the developed image, whether it be in the form of a print or projected image. The two patents mentioned above, provide antistatic properties during the preparation and subsequently during processing of the film and are for that reason defined as having permanent antistat properties.
It is also desirable to provide antistat coatings for light sensitive elements wherein the antistat layers also serve as subbing layers for subsequently applied layers in the recording element, overcoat layer and the like. When employed as subbing layers, in addition to having antistat properties, the layers should also promote adhesion. When serving as an overcoat, the layer should also provide the recording element a measure of protection with regard to abrasion. Abrasion is an ever present problem in photographic films, particularly because in all stages of its preparation, use and development, the film encounters other objects such as rollers and the like. Indeed in motion picture film, for example, the film is constantly moved passed a variety of elements in the projection apparatus which can cause imperfections as a result of contact therewith. Further, as the film is utilized in projection apparatus, it attracts dust particles from the environment which when projected become enlarged. It is desirable to remove such particles and therefore it is necessary that the film have a measure of abrasion resistance in order to withstand brushing or the like to accomplish this purpose.
It is therefore desirable to provide an antistat layer in a photographic element that not only is of the proper conductivity to prevent the build up of electrostatic charges but also one which also enhances its function as a subbing layer to promote adhesion or as an overcoat to withstand the various forces applied to the surface of the particular photographic element.

Cross-linked conductive polymers and antistat layers employing the same


In a broad aspect, the invention is an infinitely variable ratio transmission that may include an input shaft connected to a carrier plate. The input shaft is disposed within the bore of a sun gear. At least one planetary gear is rotatably attached to the carrier plate. A ring gear is connected to an output shaft. The at least one planetary gear is disposed between and meshed with the ring gear and the sun gear. A pump having a first and second gear enclosed within a housing is disposed about the input shaft. The second gear is attached to the sun gear. A pump oil pickup passageway connects an inlet port on the pump to a pump oil reservoir. A pump oil return passageway connects an outlet port of the pump to the reservoir. A control valve is provided to regulate fluid flow through the pump. Various clutch arrangements are disclosed to provide a reverse mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transmissions, and more particularly, to an infinitely variable ratio transmission.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is well known that a "transmission" is a mechanical device for transmitting power from a power source, such as an automobile engine or electric motor, to an output shaft or driven member, such as an axle connected to the drive wheels of an automobile. The two basic types of transmissions are manual and automatic, each of which generally transfers power to the output shaft at a multiple of discrete gear ratios. In this regard, automobile transmissions are commonly available as two- to six-speed transmissions, each speed having a different ratio. For reasons well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, it is desirable to provide a transmission with an infinite number of gear ratios, instead of being limited to a specific number of gear ratios. These types of transmissions are commonly referred to as continuously or infinitely variable ratio transmissions (IVRT). There are numerous approaches in the prior art to providing an IVRT, some of which employ a planetary gear set having a carrier plate with a set of pinion gears rotatably attached thereto that are meshed between a sun gear and a ring gear, the operation of which is well known in the art. Some of these approaches that employ planetary gear sets attempt to achieve an IVRT by connecting the power source to the carrier plate through an input shaft and then using some type of mechanism to apply a braking force to the sun gear. Sample types of braking mechanisms used to slow down the sun gear include belt and pulley arrangements, torque converters, gears, clutches, pumps, and motors, or a combination thereof. As more fully explained below, the IVRT of the present invention represents an improvement over IVRTs disclosed in the prior art.


In order to identify a marking which is arranged on a body and contains a marking substance with a specific property, the marking initially is scanned by use of radiation. The marking substance is then brought into contact with a detector substance having a specific property corresponding to the marking substance. A combination of the marking and detector substances which results because of the corresponding specific properties, exhibits fluorescent behavior. The marking is then scanned by use of the radiation in a second measurement, and identified by based upon the results of the two measurements.

A method and a device are known from WO 99/47702 A2. In this known method and this known device, the marking substance is brought into contact with a detector substance which has a specific property corresponding to the marking substance. The marking and detector substances are each configured as a nucleotide sequence, especially as a deoxyribonucleic acid (=DNA) or a peptide nucleic acid (=PNA). If the mutually matched nucleotide sequences are brought into contact with one another in a particular way, hybridization takes place. The nucleotide sequence of the detector substance is furthermore linked to at least one fluorophore molecule. Owing to measures which are additionally provided, this molecule does not develop its fluorescent property until after hybridization with the nucleotide sequence of the marking substance. By exposure to a light signal with a corresponding wavelength, a fluorescence reaction can then be induced which is employed to identify the marking.
WO 99/47702 A2 gives no indications about how the fluorescence reaction can be precisely detected. In fact, the received light radiation is made up of a first component, due to the fluorescence reaction of the hybridized marking, and a second component which results from reflection by the marking and, above all, by the marking background. Since only the fluorescent component of the marking identification can be used, it is necessary to separate this component. However, WO 99/47702 A2 provides no information about this. In the least favorable case, the two radiation components cannot be separated and no identification is possible.
A device, designed as a so-called fluorescence mirror scanner, for detecting an invisible marking which fluoresces in the near infrared wavelength is known from WO 97/50053 A2. In order to be able to separate the component coming from the background from the component caused by the fluorescence reaction in the received radiation, either tracking of the radiation source power or a special background material is provided in the disclosed device. The tracking is carried out so that the component caused by the background in the received radiation is kept constant. However, the power tracking entails a relatively complicated structure with a regulating unit. The other components used for constructing the fluorescence mirror scanner are also elaborate. The described device is furthermore not easy to transport and, in particular, it cannot be used as a hand-held instrument.
The same is true of another device for detecting an invisible fluorescent marking, which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,140. In order to separate the component caused by the fluorescence in the received radiation, the radiation used for excitation is modulated with two frequencies. An intermodulation component of these two frequencies is extracted from the electrical signal derived from the received radiation. The intermodulation product results from nonlinear behavior which is associated with the fluorescence reaction. The frequency modulation and separation of the intermodulation product entail outlay which is not inconsiderable. Other complicated components are furthermore used, for example the adjustable deflection mirror which directs the exciting radiation onto the various regions of the marking.
A device for identifying a marking which contains fluorescent material is described in JP 11-306276 A. The device is configured in the form of a hand-held instrument. An expensive optical filter is used for separating the background radiation and the fluorescent radiation in the received radiation. The device, just like all the others mentioned above, is furthermore suitable only for the detection of a marking which already fluoresces before the start of the measurement.

Method and device for identifying a marker using a detector substance


A gas detector management system includes a plurality of docking stations distributed in a region being monitored. One or more gas detectors in the region, which have been exposed to various gas concentrations, and which include respective stored maximum concentrations can be coupled to respective docking stations. Information including the maximum stored concentrations can be downloaded to the stations. Alert messages can be automatically generated and transmitted to displaced safety officer for follow-up.

Systems are known to manage large numbers of gas detectors used in monitoring the exposure of individuals to one or more gases working in a region of interest. Docking stations are provided to enable detector users to automatically provide exposure information to a database maintained by the system. The collected data can be analyzed and management information provided as to gas exposures and locations in the region being monitored. One such system has been marketed by Sperian Protection Instrumentation, LLC, a Honeywell Company under the trademark, IQ SYSTEM.


A vehicle seat includes: a fixed frame; a tower frame arranged at a position offset from the fixed frame toward a first side along a seat-width direction; a recliner arranged between the tower frame and the fixed frame; a tilt restriction mechanism arranged opposite to the recliner relative to the fixed frame; and an abutting member arranged on a same side as the tilt restriction mechanism relative to the fixed frame.

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle seat to be mounted in a vehicle.
For example, a vehicle seat having a walk-in function described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-192861 is provided with a mechanism (hereinafter a "tilt restriction mechanism") to hold a back frame in a tilted state by a predetermined angle toward a seat front side. The tilt restriction mechanism does not rotate with the back frame, and is immovable, for example, relative to a cushion frame.


A BJT, an inductor, and an RTD are configured to define a negative resistance oscillator circuit that is suitable for monolithic integration. The BJT is forward biased so that the RTD operates at a DC operating point (I.sub.Q,V.sub.Q) on its characteristic I-V curve in its negative differential resistance region. The thermal noise inherent in the circuit causes it to start oscillating about the DC operating point (I.sub.Q,V.sub.Q) where the RTD's negative resistance R.sub.n provides positive feedback that amplifies the oscillations until equilibrium is established thereby producing a sinusoidal waveform. The low power BJT/RTD oscillator operates at power levels approximately one-tenth those of known integrated feedback oscillators and oscillates at frequencies in the hundreds of Ghz range that are currently only achievable using waveguide oscillators.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to oscillator circuits and more specifically to a low power BJT-RTD oscillator.
2. Description of the Related Art
Communications systems use sinewave oscillators to establish transmitter carrier frequencies, drive mixer stages that convert signals from one frequency to another, and generate clocking signals. Of particular interest are wireless communications systems such as satellites or portable systems where low-power consumption and high frequency performance are important. Most known oscillators include a single active device such as a diode, BJT, or FET and a tuned circuit (or crystal) in a positive feedback path. The feedback loop is self limiting so that the oscillations do not become unbounded but instead reach an equilibrium at which a stable sinusoidal waveform is produced.
Solid State Radio Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, Ch. 5, pp. 128-139, 1980 describes two different types of sinewave oscillators; negative resistance and feedback oscillators. In a negative resistance oscillator, a parallel-resonant RLC circuit is connected across a negative resistance device such as an active diode. The static resistance of this device is always positive and, hence the diode always absorbs direct current. However, above a peak voltage the diode's small-signal resistance is negative. Therefore, biasing the circuit at an operating point Q above the peak voltage provides positive feedback that causes the circuit to oscillate. As long as the diode delivers more power than the load absorbs, the amplitude of the oscillations will continue to grow. On each cycle, the diode will swing further away from the operating point Q where the magnitude of the small-signal resistance becomes quite large. This reduces the power delivered by the diode until equilibrium is established.
Physics of Ouantum Electron Devices, Springer-Verlag, Federico Capasso (Ed.), pp.155-158, 1990 describes a negative resistance oscillator for use at frequencies in the hundreds of Ghz range. A waveguide is used to define the parallel-resonant RLC cavity. A resonant tunneling diode (RTD) chip is mounted on a stud that is connected to ground and connected via a "whisker" to another stud on the other side of the waveguide that is connected to a DC supply voltage. The RTD chip is biased to operate in its negative resistance region, which causes the cavity to oscillate and produce a sinusoidal waveform that travels down the waveguide to a load. A mechanical plunger is used to change the cavity dimensions and set the frequency of oscillation.
RTD chips are currently fabricated with III-V compounds such as indium phosphide (InP) or InAs/AlSb/GaSb and exhibit switching speeds in the terahertz range with peak voltages as low as 0.1V. As a result the negative-resistance waveguide oscillator uses very little power to produce a pure high frequency signal. However, because the waveguide cannot be monolithically integrated with the RTD chip, the oscillator is relatively large, expensive, difficult to mass produce and has poor reliability.
Feedback oscillators generally employ a gain element (junction transistor, FET or operational amplifier), a load (RLC circuit), and a feedback network. The output of the gain element must be fed back to its input with gain greater than unity and with a phase shift of 0.degree. or some multiple of 360.degree.. The circuit will oscillate at the frequency that produces this phase shift. Known feedback oscillators are monolithically integrated in silicon and gallium-arsenide technologies that support Ghz frequencies but require a minimum 2V supply to bias the active device. As a result, they consume a relatively large amount of power, which reduces battery life.

Bipolar junction transistor (BJT)--resonant tunneling diode (RTD) oscillator circuit and method


A semiconductor device includes a voltage control and oscillation circuit oscillating at a frequency according to a first control voltage to output an oscillation signal, a frequency/voltage conversion circuit receiving the oscillation signal from the voltage control and oscillation circuit and converting a frequency of the oscillation signal into a voltage, a control voltage generation circuit generating a new second control voltage having a level between that of the voltage converted by the frequency/voltage conversion circuit and that of a second control voltage generated previously, and an analog integration circuit integrating the second control voltage to generate the first control voltage and outputting the first control voltage to the voltage control and oscillation circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to semiconductor devices, in particular, a semiconductor device that outputs an oscillation signal.
2. Description of the Background Art
A universal microcontroller product requires not only a conventional oscillation control circuit controlling an external crystal resonator, an external ceramic resonator and the like, but also an oscillation circuit (an on-chip oscillator circuit) incorporated in a semiconductor device without requiring an external crystal resonator or an external ceramic resonator. On-chip oscillator circuits vary widely in terms of required specifications such as oscillation frequencies, frequency accuracy and allowable power consumption.
For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-086997 discloses the following oscillation circuit. That is, an oscillator oscillating at a frequency according to a control signal to generate an output signal, a frequency-to-voltage converter generating a detection signal of a voltage according to a frequency of the output signal from the oscillator, a difference detector generating a difference signal indicating a difference between the detection signal and a reference signal and an integrator integrating the difference signal to generate a control signal are connected in a closed loop.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 06-303133 discloses the following oscillation circuit. That is, the oscillation circuit has a self-propelled oscillation unit, and outputs an oscillation signal. The oscillation circuit includes an oscillator having a frequency of an output controlled by a control signal, a first frequency-to-voltage converter receiving the output from the oscillator or a signal obtained by dividing the output from the oscillator, a second frequency-to-voltage converter receiving a reference frequency signal or a signal obtained by dividing the reference frequency signal, and a subtracter receiving an output from the first frequency-to-voltage converter and an output from the second frequency-to-voltage converter and outputting a difference between the output from the first frequency-to-voltage converter and the output from the second frequency-to-voltage converter. Herein, the oscillator receives the output from the subtracter or a signal obtained by amplifying the output from the subtracter. A frequency of the output from the oscillator is controlled by a frequency of the reference frequency signal.
However, each of the oscillation circuit disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2006-086997 and the oscillation circuit disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 06-303133 integrates a signal having a voltage level which changes at every cycle that an oscillation frequency is converted into a voltage. Consequently, the integrator requires a rapid response and increases in amount of electric current to be consumed.

Semiconductor device outputting oscillation signal


The present invention is directed to a system, comprising: (i) first and second computational components 102a and b having, respectively, first and second unique identifiers; (ii) a license file 112 comprising third and fourth identifiers 212a and b respectively associated with the first and second computational components; (iii) a license manager 113 operable to (a) obtain, from the first and second computational components, the first and second unique identifiers, (b) access the license file to obtain the third and fourth identifiers, (c) compare each of the first and second unique identifiers with one or both of the third and fourth identifiers; and (iv) a mode setting agent 124 operable to permit the one or both of the first and second computational components to perform an operation, when both the first and second identifiers match one of the third and fourth identifiers, and not permit the first and second computational components to perform the operation, when only one of the first and second identifiers matches one of the third and fourth identifiers.

To provide high levels of reliability and availability, it is common to provide duplicated or redundant computational components. In the event that one component malfunctions, the other component can be enabled to provide continued processing capabilities. In this manner, the duration of any interruption or malfunction is minimized or eliminated altogether.
The use of duplicated computational components can cause difficulties in providing right-to-use protection and software copy protection. In one licensing approach, a valid license file is required to run a computational component. This approach is discussed in detail in copending U.S. patent application entitled "Securing Feature Activation in a Telecommunication System", Ser. No. 09/357,679, filed Jul. 20, 1999, to Serkowski, which is incorporated herein by this reference.
In such licensing verification systems, the license file contains a serial number that must be present on the hardware that is to execute the licensed software for the license to be valid and the software to be executable. In telecommunication applications, for example, the serial number of the control processor must be in the license file for the control processor to run the licensed software.
The license file also contains a software name and/or version of the licensed telecommunication application and licensed features. The data structures corresponding to the features are of two types. In a type 1 feature, the data structures reflected enablement or disablement of the corresponding feature using a simple on/off state. Examples of features falling into this category include abbreviated dialing enhanced list, audible message waiting, vectoring, answer supervision by call classifier, ATM trunking, agent states, dial by name, DCS call coverage, echo cancellation, multifrequency signaling, and wideband switching. In a type 2 feature, the data structures include a single numeric value and/or a name kind of entry. Examples of features falling into this category include logged-in agents, offer category, maximum numbers of concurrently registered IP stations, administered IP trunks, ports, and concurrently administered remote office stations/trunks, and call center release.
This licensing scheme is not configured for licensing duplicated systems. In duplicated systems, the same type of computational component, such as a (control) processor or an application specific integrated circuit or ASIC, has a plurality of corresponding serial numbers. To provide the desired reliability and availability of duplicated systems, both the primary and backup computational components must be able to be enabled by the licensing verification system. In telecommunication switching systems for example, the licensing verification system must be able to run on both the primary and backup sides of the duplicated processor hardware. Existing licensing verification systems, however, allow only one serial number to be enabled per license file. When two license files are used to enable independently each of two duplicated computational components, users of the duplicated computational components can use each license file to create unlawfully two simplex systems, each having only one nonduplicated computational component, to process software licensed for only one system. In telecommunication applications, the software for a duplicated system costs considerably less than twice the cost of the software for a simplex system.


A bioconjugate comprising at least one neuropeptide covalently bond to at least one hydrocarbon compound of squalene structure.

The present invention aims to propose novel neuropeptide derivatives, in particular in nanoparticulate form, compositions containing the same and therapeutic uses thereof.
Pain represents an important global health challenge for many reasons, including high prevalence, serious associated sequelae and the relative lack of efficient treatment, especially for neuropathic pain alleviation. Pain relevant disorders such as arthritis, cancer and pathological changes in nervous system are highly prevalent and bring great inconvenience and distress to the patients. Chronic pain has a significant impact not only on the patients themselves, but also on the broader community and economy. By activating μ-opioid receptors, the most powerful and widely used painkillers in current clinical practice are morphine and the related synthetic opioids. But morphinic treatments are associated with severe side effects, such as respiratory depression and addiction linked to the development of opioid tolerance and dependence. According to CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System, every day, more than 115 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. The misuse of and addiction to opioids, especially morphine, represents a serious national crisis in the US (and probably also in other countries) that affects public health, as well as, social and economic welfare. This highlights the need to urgently find new pain killers.
In this context, endogenous neuropeptides, such as enkephalin, remain an attractive option. Enkephalins activate both μ- and δ-opioid receptors, but with a ten-fold higher affinity towards δ-opioid receptors. Compared with μ-opioid receptor agonists, δ-opioid receptor ligands are believed to have a much lower abuse potential, as well as, reduced respiratory, gastrointestinal and cognitive impairments. However, enkephalins have historically been limited because of pharmacokinetic issues, and rapid plasma metabolization.
To date, the two main approaches to enhance the analgesic activity of opioid peptides relied on (i) the increase of the stability of endogenous peptides using enkephalinase inhibitors, or (ii) the chemical synthesis of exogenous peptides with enhanced lipophilicity and degradation resistance. However, due to insufficient enzymatic specificity, the enkephalinase inhibitors are often endowed with poorly tolerated side effects. On the other hand, the derivatization of peptides often ends-up with biologically inactive compounds, and the same applies to neuropeptides covalently linked to blood brain barrier transport vectors. This explains why none of the research efforts performed since decades ago has resulted in marketed medicines.
Hence, there is a need for new safe anti-hyperalgesic or analgesic compounds, which are therapeutically effective without generating side effects when they are administered to a subject in need of.
The aim of the present invention is precisely to propose new safe neuropeptides derivatives.

Bioconjugates of neuropeptides derivatives

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE


An all-terrain four wheel welding cart having an independent suspension system making the cart capable of traveling across a variety of terrains either by being manually pulled by a handle connected to the suspension system making it easy to control cart direction or by an interchangeable tow hitch which can replace the manual towing handle allowing the cart to be mounted onto a tow receiver and quickly driven away. Due to the cart's ground clearance, size of wheels and pneumatic tires, it can travel most terrains usually unavailable to standard welding carts.

It can be appreciated that welding carts have been around for years. These carts typically have two wheels and some have compartments for holding welding machinery, tools and gas/oxygen bottles.
Traditional welding carts are mainly two-wheeled, and pulled in and around welding shops or transported inside work truck beds and on utility-type towing trailers to job site locations.
An example of a prior art cart is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,623 with the title "Dual Cylinder Cart With Firewall Divider" issued Sep. 12, 2000 to Frank S. Salvucci. While being functional for its intended purpose which is to provide a firewall for two cylinders, it has not been designed to travel across rocky terrain, lacks independent suspension and makes no provision for dedicated tool holders nor is there space for hauling equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,644 "Utility Wagon" issued Aug. 29, 2000 to Lem L. Cox discloses a wagon having a universal base upon which can be mounted a different chassis, it is not specifically designed for a gas cylinder or welder unit setup. This wagon has no rotating base under and supporting the welding unit nor are there dedicated tool holders or independent suspension. It would not be workable for the purpose of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,286 "Cart Mounting A Welding Torch Or Cutting Torch" issued Dec. 2, 1997 to Isamu Htanaka, Yariaki Kaneko and Kenichi Nezu shows a welding cart designed to run on a guide track and not specifically designed to hold a gas cylinder nor is there independent suspension allowing it to traverse rough terrain.
U.S. Pat. D322,501 "Welding Cart" issued Dec. 17, 1991 to Timothy J. Legault is an all-purpose carrying cart that is workable for the purpose intended but does not have four wheels, independent suspension, nor the ability to carry a bottle and welding unit. It would not in its present state be capable of traveling on rough terrain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,154 "Welding Torch Carriage" issued Oct. 18, 1988 to Crespin Cortez, Jr. discloses a cart specifically designed to hold a welding torch in a chosen welder line. Though workable for its intended purpose, it would not be workable when compared to the present invention since the carriage does not have independent suspension, lacks four wheels, makes no provision for a gas bottle and is therefore limited to the purpose it was designed for.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,736 "Carriage For Cutting Torches" issued Apr. 20, 1962 to E. H. Cameron discloses a cart that has been specifically designed to hold a welding torch in a fixed carriage. In contrast to the present invention, it provides no space to carry a gas bottle, is limited to where it can be used, nor does it have four wheels with pneumatic tires or an independent suspension which limits it's ability to be moved over rough terrain, nor does it provide equipment storage area and tool holders.
To overcome the above mentioned inadequacies, the present invention has an independent suspension system making the cart capable of traveling across a variety of terrains either by being manually pulled by a handle connected to the suspension system making it easy to control cart direction or by an interchangeable tow hitch which can replace the manual towing handle allowing the cart to be mounted onto a tow receiver and quickly driven away. Due to the cart's ground clearance, size of wheels and pneumatic tires, it can travel most terrains usually unavailable to standard welding carts.
In these respects, the present invention substantially departs from conventional concepts and designs shown in the prior art, and in so doing the present invention provides a new and unique invention primarily developed to provide independent suspension and steering capability.


A solar powered mobile, comprising a drive housing fitting within a case, a solar cell panel fitted within the top of the drive housing, a clear cover over the solar cell panel, a removable DC motor with speed control driven by the solar cell panel, gears connecting the motor to a bearing which provides fastening of a spinner or other device for display.

A solar powered mobile is desirable not only for application in areas of little air movement but also for longevity. A desirable solar powered mobile should be direct in design and offer easy parts replacement. A desirable solar powered mobile should offer bearing design that provides freedom in choosing devices to be spun, such that even heavier devices can be displayed. The present invention offers these and other advantages.


The present invention is an information processing device which registers in a map database, a charging point in which charging equipment is located at the time of charging of an electric vehicle, including a registration section that, in a case where the charging point is located within a facility area registered in the map database, registers in the map database, the charging point in association with positional information of the facility area.

As a technical literature relating to this field, Patent literature 1 is known. In this publication, a charging point registration device is disclosed which registers a current position of an electric vehicle as a charging point when a charge amount at the time of restart of the electric vehicle is increased to a predetermined amount or more compared to a charge amount at the time of stop of the electric vehicle.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A double-headed piston type swash plate compressor includes a swash plate, a double-headed piston, a control pressure chamber, a discharge pressure region, a suction pressure region, a supplying passage, which extends from the discharge pressure region to the control pressure chamber, a narrowing portion, which narrows an opening degree of the supplying passage, and a displacement control valve. The displacement control valve controls a pressure in the control pressure chamber. The displacement control valve includes a driving force transmission rod, a valve chamber, a guide wall, and a back pressure chamber. The back pressure chamber is in communication with the valve chamber through a clearance between the guide wall and the driving force transmission rod. The narrowing portion has a passage cross-sectional area that is larger than a passage cross-sectional area of the clearance.

The present invention relates to a double-headed piston type swash plate compressor including a double-headed piston that engages with a swash plate and reciprocates with a stroke according to an inclination angle of the swash plate.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication H1-190972 teaches one example of a double-headed piston type swash plate compressor having a crank chamber. The crank chamber in this publication does not function as a control pressure chamber for varying an inclination angle of a swash plate. This differs from a variable displacement type swash plate compressor including a single-headed piston in which a crank chamber functions as a control pressure chamber. For this reason, the double-headed piston type swash plate compressor has a movable body that is connected with the swash plate to vary the inclination angle of the swash plate. The movable body moves in an axial direction of a rotation shaft when a control pressure chamber formed in a housing is supplied with a control gas to change a pressure inside the control pressure chamber. The movement of the movable body in the axial direction of the rotation shaft changes the inclination angle of the swash plate. The double-headed piston type swash plate compressor further includes a displacement control valve for controlling a pressure in the control pressure chamber.
The control pressure chamber defines a smaller space than the crank chamber. Accordingly, the response characteristic of the displacement control valve for controlling the pressure in the control pressure chamber is likely to affect the variability of the inclination angle of the swash plate. It is desirable that the response characteristic of the displacement control valve be improved.

Double-headed piston type swash plate compressor


An electrically/battery powered transdermal drug applicator comprising a flexible non-conductive substrate with a plurality of conductive coated areas, the conductive coated areas forming drug reservoir electrodes, and a plurality of drug reservoirs separated by occlusive adhesive dams and in electrical contact with said drug reservoir electrodes. The battery is connected to the electrodes of the drug reservoirs and said applicator including electrical current conditioning means, with a conformal cover adhesively secured to said transdermal drug applicator and with a release liner covering and protecting said plurality of drug reservoirs until use.

Reference to or disclosure of devices for transdermal delivery of drugs by application of electrical current through the skin of a person or animal are shown in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.:
______________________________________ 385,556 4,243,052 486,902 4,325,367 588,479 4,367,745 2,493,155 4,419,091 2,267,162 4,474,570 2,784,715 4,406,658 3,163,166 4,314,554 3,289,671 4,166,457 3,547,107 4,239,052 3,677,268 4,290,878 4,008,721 4,164,226 4,141,359 4,362,645 4,239,046 4,273,135 ______________________________________
The following foreign patents refer to or disclose transdermal delivery devices:
EPA 0060452 PA1 DE 290202183 PA1 DE 3225748 PA1 EPA 0058920 PA1 UK 2104383

Disposable and/or replenishable transdermal drug applicators and methods of manufacturing same


A vibrator motor has an armature rotor whose center of mass is off the axis of the shaft thereof. The rotor includes at least three poles each having an winding arm and an arcuate pole blade. All of the blades have an equal length and are disposed angularly evenly about the axis of the shaft so that all of the blade-to-blade spacings are equal. At least one winding arm is angularly out of alignment with the dimensional center of the arcuate blade of the corresponding pole, or, the size and the mass of at least one arm is different from those of any other arms, or, the mass of at least one of armature windings is different from the mass of any other armature winding, or, a weight is fixedly attached to the rotor in an eccentric manner either between two armature poles or on the shaft.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a self-vibrating motor used for a wireless silent alerting device or a massager.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the prior known vibrator motors is shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, a vibrator motor M has an output shaft S on which an eccentric weight W, made of copper-tungsten alloy etc., is mounted. Some danger of mechanical interference pertains to this type of vibrator motor since the rotating eccentric weight is located outside the motor case. In addition, the motor requires an extra space in which the eccentric weight turns.
In Japanese laid-open patent application, application No. 2-294482 (application date Oct. 31, 1990), which has been assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a vibrator motor in which one of ordinarily three armature poles is deleted and the rotor has two armature poles angularly spaced at 120.degree. each other. However, this type of vibrator motor has a large cogging effect and, therefore, requires comparatively high voltage to obtain a large power for starting the rotation in order to overcome the cogging effect. Such vibrator motor is less suitable for a battery-operated pocket type alerting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,239 (issued Jul. 30, 1991) assigned to the assignee of the present invention discloses a miniature flat vibrator motor employing a flat eccentric rotor which is rotatably supported by a pair of bearings.
In the case of a miniature flat motor having a very small thickness, the coaxial alignment tolerance between the two bearings must be made extremely small in order to maintain a proper clearance between the rotor and the housing. Obtaining such a small positional tolerance of the bearings, extremely small machining tolerances of the components are required.

Vibrator motor for a wireless silent alerting device


An aquarium filter for removing chemical and physical waste from an aquarium. The filter can include a mechanical filter portion, followed by a fluidized bed of particles, such as sand, for removing ammonia from the water and then a chemical filter portion. The filter can be constructed in an aesthetically desirable manner and can be convenient to maintain.

The invention relates generally to aquariums and more particularly to a system for maintaining a healthy environment for fish within the aquarium by removing undesirable materials from the aquarium water.
Undesirable material is being generated constantly within an aquarium. Fish ingest food and eliminate solid and chemical wastes. Uneaten food also leads to solid waste. That solid waste can be broken down by bacteria within the tank to form other secondary wastes. These wastes can encourage the growth of algae or other undesirable life forms and stress fish in the aquarium. Accordingly, it is desirable to remove both solid and chemical wastes from an aquarium in order to provide a healthy environment and reduce stress on fish within the aquarium.
A common aquarium filter employs carbon particles for removing organic waste from the aquarium water and a fibrous pad or wad of fibers to trap solid waste. The carbon and fibers are commonly located in a small tank which hangs from the side of the aquarium. A pump is used to draw water from the aquarium into the conventional filter which then flows from the filter back to the aquarium. Changing the charcoal and fiber is inconvenient and the filter has little aesthetic value. Furthermore, the carbon/fiber filter system can be unable to minimize certain wastes that can put stress on fish in the aquarium.
Other conventional filters draw aquarium water into the gravel at the bottom of the aquarium which then flows out through carbon particle cartridges. Solid matter becomes trapped in the gravel, where it can decompose biologically. Some of the biological decomposition leads to undesirable chemical byproducts which can stress the fish. The carbon cartridges are employed to remove organic material from the aquarium water. Such filters leave unsightly debris at the aquarium bottom and are ineffective for removing certain chemical wastes.
Over the years, various attempts have been made to overcome functional and aesthetic drawbacks in conventional filters. U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,238 describes a filter tank mounted on the side of an aquarium. Water is drawn from the aquarium, to the tank, down through a filtering medium such as sand or glass wool for catching waste and sediment, then back to the aquarium by passing up through the gravel for the purpose of additional filtration of the finer particles of waste and foreign matter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,566 describes an external tank that receives waste from the aquarium. The water passes through a coarse filter material in the tank, then back through the bottom of the aquarium and up through the gravel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,821 describes a multi-layer filter in which water flows into the top of the filter, down through multiple layers of filtering media, then up through the bottom of the aquarium. U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,594 also describes a filtration method in which water flows up through the gravel to prevent uneaten food and waste from accumulating therein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,951 describes an in-tank pump, which draws in water and forces it up and out through the gravel on the aquarium floor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,650 describes an aquarium filter in which sediments are collected separately so that they can be removed without interfering with operation of the filter. The contents of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,135,238, 4,002,566, 4,606,821, 4,863,594, 5,062,951 and 5,172,650 are incorporated herein by reference.
Although these patents present various ways of attempting to maintaining a healthy environment in an aquarium, they have shortcomings. None present a fully satisfactory method and filter for eliminating waste from the aquarium water. For example, while some of these discusses the use of bacteria colonies in gravel bed, for providing biological filtration, such filtration has not proved to be fully effective for removing undesirable chemicals from the water. Furthermore, the bacteria grow in a generally unrestrained and uncontrolled manner and can be detrimental to the aquarium environment. Also, the accumulation of debris at the bottom of the aquarium is undesirable, unhealthy and unsightly. Finally, many of these filters require flow rates that unduly stress certain types of fish in order to provide effective filtration.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improved aquarium filter which overcomes the drawbacks in the prior art.

Fluidized bed aquarium filtration system


A mobile device having the capability of performing real-time location recognition with assistance from a server is provided. The approximate geophysical location of the mobile device is uploaded to the server. Based on the mobile device's approximate geophysical location, the server responds by sending the mobile device a message comprising a classifier and a set of feature descriptors. This can occur before an image is captured for visual querying. The classifier and feature descriptors are computed during an offline training stage using techniques to minimize computation at query time. The classifier and feature descriptors are used to perform visual recognition in real-time by performing the classification on the mobile device itself.

The proliferation of mobile devices having cameras has increased the need for location recognition applications that can recognize an image taken from the mobile device's camera. Since a mobile device has limited storage capacity and computational resources, the task of visual location recognition is often performed remotely. The mobile device may upload an image taken from the mobile device to a server. The server matches the image with similar images stored on the server. The stored images are annotated with geographic data pertaining to the location of the image. The server downloads the location of the image to the mobile device. However, the mobile device may have limited bandwidth to communicate with the server. The latency involved in transmitting images and data between the mobile device and the server may be a bottleneck for the mobile device to perform the location recognition in real time.


Adaptive estimation techniques to create a battery state estimator to estimate power capabilities of the battery pack in a vehicle. The estimator adaptively updates circuit model parameters used to calculate the voltage states of the ECM of a battery pack. The adaptive estimation techniques may also be used to calculate a solid-state diffusion voltage effects within the battery pack. The adaptive estimator is used to increase robustness of the calculation to sensor noise, modeling error, and battery pack degradation.

The present disclosure relates generally to a system and method for calculating the state of charge (SOC) of a battery system, and more particularly to the use advanced estimation techniques to determine the diffusion in the battery system.
Batteries are used in a wide range of motor vehicle applications. For example, the desire to improve fuel economy and reduce the amount of pollutants emitted by vehicles has led to the development of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) incorporating sophisticated battery systems and vehicles propelled by such systems.
Common to all types of electrified or battery-propelled vehicles is a battery that undergoes various charge and discharge cycles as the battery powers the vehicle and/or vehicular components. It is important to know the state of the battery as expressed by the SOC of the battery. In order to make decisions regarding the usage and utilization of the battery it is important to know the SOC of the battery.
The SOC of a battery indicates the amount of usable energy stored within the battery at a given time. It is analogous to the amount of fuel in a fuel tank. In order to improve battery life and overall battery performance, the battery must be maintained at an optimal SOC. The state of health (SOH) of a battery indicates the condition of the battery. The SOH is based on observing particular battery parameters to determine the extent of unobservable, internal damage or degradation.
A battery can be considered a system that has current and heat flow as inputs and responses of voltage and temperature. The voltage response of the battery to current stimulation can be modeled using a combination of voltage states. These voltage states include an equilibrium potential, voltage resulting from hysteresis effects, the voltage drop resulting from Ohmic resistance, and voltage drop resulting from dynamics in the battery (double-layer and/or diffusion voltage). Each of these voltages can be described by an algebraic function, a differential equation or a convolution integral.
During use (either by driving or plug-in-charging), battery resistance, equilibrium potential, voltage resulting from hysteresis effects, voltage drop resulting from Ohmic resistance, double-layer voltage, and diffusion voltage are not directly measurable. These values influence the SOC and the parameters that indicate the SOH of the battery. Because they are not directly measurable, it is often difficult to accurately determine the SOC and SOH of the battery. Therefore, it is difficult to maintain the battery at an optimal SOC or to determine when the SOH has degraded to a point where battery performance is significantly affected.
Different methods have been developed to determine the SOC. One method to determine the SOC is based upon the use of an equivalent circuit of a battery system to model the battery. The equivalent circuit that models the battery accounts for factors such as the surface charge on the plates of the battery. While such approaches provide a model for determining the SOC of the battery, these circuits fail to account for diffusion in the battery system.

Battery state-of-charge estimation for hybrid and electric vehicles using extended kalman filter techniques


Halogen free flame retardant thermoplastic elastomer compositions including a hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer having relatively high styrene or mono alkenyl arene content and styrene or mono alkenyl arene in each block. Surprisingly, the compositions contain low amounts or are free of plasticizing softeners. The compositions include a blend of non-halogen flame retardants including a liquid phosphorous-containing component and a solid secondary component. The compositions are suitable for extrusion or molding and are useful for films or wire and cable applications.

Wire and cable coverings, sheathes, jackets, and films exhibiting desirable flame retardant performance are sought in the industry. Customers often require or demand compositions meet minimum standards such as the Underwriters' Laboratory (UL) 94 VB Test, with a VO rating at a specified thickness. In addition, film or wire and cable producers require extrudable compositions for some applications. Most styrenic block copolymer-based thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compositions require the use of a mineral oil as a plasticizing softener. Without the plasticizing softener, the flame retardant containing TPE compositions can be difficult to process and extrude. However, the use of a softener can significantly reduce the flame retardant performance of such compositions.
U.S. Patent Application publication 2013/0065051 A1 relates to halogen-free, flame-retardant thermoplastic compositions that include a styrenic block copolymer, a low-melting, phosphorus-based flame retardant having a melting temperature no higher than 170° C., and a blend of solid intumescent phosphorus and nitrogen-containing flame retardants. The blend of solid intumescent flame retardants include at least two phosphorous and nitrogen-containing phosphoric acid salts that reportedly synergistically enhance the flame-retardant properties of the compositions relative to compositions that include other flame-retardant packages.
U.S. Patent Application publication 2012/0261163 A1 disclose a halogen-free, flame retardant thermoplastic resin composition based on polypropylene and one or more thermoplastic elastomers with an organic nitrogen- and/or phosphorus-based intumescent flame retardant comprising a piperazine component. The composition is processed easily to make a wire and cable sheath reportedly exhibiting a balance of high flame retardancy, good flexibility, high wet electrical resistance and excellent heat deformation properties, and which reportedly passes the VW-I flame retardancy test, the US1581 heat deformation test at 150° C., and the wet electrical resistance test, and also exhibits good tensile and flexibility properties. Also disclosed is a wire and cable sheath made from the composition.
In view of the above, one problem of the present invention was to provide extrudable thermoplastic elastomer compositions that are halogen-free and exhibit excellent flexibility and flame retardant performance. Still another problem of the present invention was to provide thermoplastic elastomers having low or no mineral oil softener content, yet remain easily processable and extrudable.
Another problem of the present invention was that mineral oils typically utilized to make styrenic block copolymer-based halogen free flame retardant thermoplastic elastomers processable can significantly reduce the flame retardancy performance. Simply replacing the mineral oil with a liquid flame retardant can cause the liquid flame retardant to leach out of the processed, e.g. molded or extruded, composition leading to surface tackiness. The use of a relatively low styrene content styrenic block copolymer allows the use of softener free compositions, although flexibility and physical strength of the thermoplastic elastomer can be poor.

Low softener halogen free flame retardant styrenic block copolymer-based thermoplastic elastomer compositions


One method of forming replacement gate structures for first and second devices, the first device being a short channel device and the second device being a long channel device, is disclosed which includes forming a first and a second gate cavity above a semiconductor substrate, the first gate cavity being narrower than the second gate cavity, forming a bulk metal layer within the first and second gate cavities, performing an etching process to recess the bulk metal layer within the first and second gate cavities, resulting in the bulk metal layer within the second gate cavity being at its final thickness, forming a masking layer over the bulk metal layer within the second gate cavity, and performing an etching process to further recess the bulk metal layer within the first gate cavity, resulting in the bulk metal layer within the first gate cavity being at its final thickness.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure generally relates to the formation of semiconductor devices and, more specifically, to various methods of forming gate structures of semiconductor devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The fabrication of advanced integrated circuits, such as CPUs, storage devices, ASICs (application specific integrated circuits) and the like, requires the formation of a large number of circuit elements in a given chip area according to a specified circuit layout, wherein so-called metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs or FETs) represent one important type of circuit element that substantially determines performance of the integrated circuits. The transistors are typically either NMOS (NFET) or PMOS (PFET) type devices wherein the "N" and "P" designation is based upon the type of dopants used to create the source/drain regions of the devices. So-called CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) technology or products refers to integrated circuit products that are manufactured using both NMOS and PMOS transistor devices.
Field effect transistors, whether an NMOS or a PMOS device, typically have a source region, a drain region, a channel region that is positioned between the source region and the drain region, and a gate electrode positioned above the channel region. Current flow through the FET is controlled by controlling the voltage applied to the gate electrode. For an NMOS device, if there is no voltage (or a logically low voltage) applied to the gate electrode, then there is no current flow through the device (ignoring undesirable leakage currents, which are relatively small). However, when an appropriate positive voltage (or logically high voltage) is applied to the gate electrode, the channel region of the NMOS device becomes conductive, and electrical current is permitted to flow between the source region and the drain region through the conductive channel region. For a PMOS device, the control voltages are reversed. Field effect transistors may come in a variety of different physical shapes, e.g., so-called planar FET devices or so-called 3D or FinFET devices.
For many early device technology generations, the gate structures of most transistor elements have been made of a plurality of silicon-based materials, such as a silicon dioxide and/or silicon oxynitride gate insulation layer, in combination with a polysilicon gate electrode. However, as the channel length of aggressively scaled transistor elements has become increasingly small, many newer generation devices employ gate structures that contain alternative materials in an effort to avoid the short channel effects which may be associated with the use of traditional silicon-based materials in reduced channel length transistors. For example, in some aggressively scaled transistor elements, which may have channel lengths on the order of approximately 10-32 nm or less, gate structures that are made of a so-called high-k dielectric gate insulation layer (k value of 10 or greater) and one or more metal layers that function as the gate electrode (HK/MG) have been implemented. Such alternative gate structures have been shown to provide significantly enhanced operational characteristics over the heretofore more traditional silicon dioxide/polysilicon gate structure configurations.
In many cases, the metal-containing gate structures are formed by performing well-known replacement gate processing techniques. In general, the replacement gate technique involves forming a sacrificial gate structure (e.g., a silicon dioxide gate insulating layer and a polysilicon gate electrode) and a gate cap layer, followed by forming a protective sidewall spacer adjacent the gate structure. The sacrificial gate structure is eventually removed to define a replacement gate cavity between the spacer. Thereafter, the high-k gate insulating layer and the various layers of metal that will comprise the gate electrode are sequentially deposited in the gate cavity. Excess materials positioned outside of the gate cavity are removed by performing one or more chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process operations. Next, one or more recess etching processing operations are performed to remove some of the materials within the gate cavity to create a space for the formation of a protective gate cap layer. The gate cap layer is formed by overfilling the recessed cavity with a material, such as silicon nitride, and thereafter performing a CMP process to remove the excess gate cap materials.
In modern device fabrication, transistors having relative short channel lengths and transistors having relatively long channel lengths are formed on the same substrate. Unfortunately, some of the metal materials employed in such metal gate structures, such as tungsten, have different etch characteristics depending upon the channel length of the transistor device, due to differences in grain sizes. Accordingly, during the recess etching process that is performed to make room for the gate cap layer above the replacement metal-containing gate structure, some of the gate structure materials may be inadvertently removed or etched, leading to poor device performance or lower yield. More specifically, etching the gate structures of devices having different channel lengths may result in uneven and inadvertent etching of at least the metal gate materials, such as tungsten or the like, due to the larger grain size and surface area of the metal material in the longer channel devices.
The present disclosure is directed to various methods of forming gate structures of semiconductor devices and the resulting devices that may solve or reduce one or more of the problems identified above.

Methods of forming gate structures of semiconductor devices