Method for the manufacture of panes with high transmissivity in the visible spectral range and with a high reflectivity for thermal radiation. The panes are coated by cathode sputtering. To the substrates S there is applied a first coating of a material of the oxide group ZnO, SnO.sub.2, In.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, TaO.sub.5, SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.3 O.sub.3, or mixtures thereof, or of one of the nitrides AlN, Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 or their mixtures, or of aluminum oxynitride, titanium oxynitride, zirconium oxynitride or silicon oxynitride or their mixtures, in a thickness of 20 to 60 nm. A second layer 2 follows, of one of the metals Ag, Cu or mixtures thereof, in a thickness of 5 to 30 nm, a third layer 3 of one of the metals Pd or Pt or their mixtures, in a thickness of 0.2 to 5 nm, preferably 0.5 nm, and a fourth layer 4 which, as a metallic or suboxidic (less than stoichiometric) layer of one of the metals Ti, Cr or mixture thereof, or of an alloy with at least 15% of one of the metals, in a thickness of 0.5 to 5 nm, preferably 1.5 nm. Lastly, a fifth layer 5 is applied, of a metal that is the same as that of the first layer 1.

The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of panes with high transmissivity in the visible range of the spectrum and with high reflectivity for thermal radiation, by coating transparent substrates by cathode sputtering, and to panes manufactured by the method.
Such panes are intended, especially in winter, to prevent heat from being radiated away from a room to the outdoors. Suitable coating systems are generally referred to as "low-e" (low emissivity).
A low-e system of layers consists of various classes of coatings which have to have various properties and also to serve different purposes in this system:
a) In general, an electrically highly conductive layer, often a metal such as Ag, Au or Cu, with a very low emissivity coefficient, which is the actual low-e (low emissivity) coating. PA1 b) Since, however, a metal layer has a high reflectivity for light (i.e., a low transmission of light) in the visible range, it is dereflectivized by means of additional transparent coatings. Another purpose of these transparent coatings is to assure a desired shade of color and a high mechanical strength and chemical resistance in the system. PA1 c) In order to protect the thin metal layer against an aggressive ambient atmosphere both during the manufacturing process and after manufacture, and at the same time to assure good adherence of the next adjacent oxide coating, often a so-called blocking layer (barrier layer, adhesivizing layer) of metal or suboxide is applied to this metal layer. PA1 Substrate / Oxide / Silver / Blocker / Oxide.
In order to satisfy the above purposes, a low-e coating of the prior art has been built up as follows:
The substrate is a transparent, inorganic or organic glass sheet or a transparent, organic film.
The silver is an electrically conductive layer.
The oxides form the anti-reflective coating, and
The blocker forms the protective coating for the silver layer and the adhesivizer for the oxide layer.
All of the low-e coating systems known heretofore react very sensitively to moisture, especially at elevated temperature such as during the summer months. Under such conditions the silver layer agglomerates and oxidizes, and for this reason dark specks form on the coating system. The metal blockers or suboxide blockers of metals such as Al, Cu, Cr, Zr, Ti, Ni, Zn, Ta and others or their alloys evidently do not sufficiently protect the present low-e system against corrosion.
A higher resistance of the low-e coating to sodium chloride is especially necessary if the manufactured panes are to be transported overseas. High resistance to sulfur dioxide, on the other hand, is necessary if the pane is to be used, for example, in heavy industrial regions where very high atmospheric pollution by sulfur dioxide prevails.
The low-e coatings known heretofore are mechanically soft and their chemical stability, especially against moisture (e.g., aqueous salt or sodium dioxide solutions), is unsatisfactory. Experience has shown that some of the known coating systems (U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,877, DE 33 07 661, EP 0 158 318, EP 0 226 993, U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,563) are completely destroyed within two hours under test conditions which are defined in DIN 50021 (NaCl test) or DIN 50018 (SO.sub.2 test).
There are also low-e coating systems which do have satisfactory stability toward moisture (EP 0 304 234, U.S. Pat. No. 4,985,312). None of these coating systems, however, is sufficiently resistant to aqueous sodium chloride or aqueous sulfur dioxide (as established in standards DIN 50021 and DIN 50018).

Method for manufacturing panes with high transmissivity in the visible range of the spectrum and with high reflectivity for thermal radiation


According to one embodiment, the radio communication apparatus has a printed-wiring board, an electronic element, a first electrode, a second electrode, an antenna, and a molded member. The first electrode is conductor-connected to the printed-wiring board. The second electrode has the same size as the first electrode, is disposed parallel to the first electrode, and capacitively coupled to the first electrode. The molded member buries the printed-wiring board, the electronic element, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the antenna.

There is a radio communication apparatus provided with an exterior case having an inner cavity and a circuit board stored in the inner cavity and including a first high-frequency circuit and a second high-frequency circuit. In the exterior case, a first antenna electrode and a second antenna electrode are arranged on a pair of opposed inner walls. The first high-frequency circuit has a first coupling electrode disposed to face the first antenna electrode and electromagnetically coupled to the first antenna electrode. The second high-frequency circuit has a second coupling electrode disposed to face the second antenna electrode and electromagnetically coupled to the second antenna electrode.
With the miniaturization of a portable electronic equipment, the standard of radio communication of the electronic equipment is diversified. Although the latest model can be manufactured corresponding to each of various standards of radio communication, the electronic equipment does not always correspond to all standards of radio communication. In order to utilize unsupported radio communication standard, the function is compensated by an extension component. In a portable electronic equipment, a room provided for mounting the extension component is limited. Accordingly, a small radio communication apparatuses storable in the limited room is required. However, the communication performance should not be reduced by mounting the radio communication apparatus inside the electronic equipment.

Radio communication apparatus with built-in antenna


An air pump assembly for a bicycle includes pump components contained within a tubular frame member of the bicycle. A handle extends through a slot in the bicycle frame for access to an operator, although a motor or solenoid contained in the bicycle frame could also be used.

1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to bicycle hand pumps, and more specifically to the front tubes of the bicycle frame. The front tubes extend downwardly and they carry no seat post. Bicycle wheels normally need air from time to time and for this purpose hand operated air pumps may be attached to the bicycle, or, if small enough, may be carried on the person. These pumps add weight and are awkward to handle, especially for women and children. They are not an integral part of the bicycle, nor are they motorized or driven by foot.


An apparatus and method for increasing efficiency of grating couplers are disclosed. The apparatus through the use of a defect or a reflective element allows coupling of light around a normal or nearly normal angle with a high efficiency. The method disclosed teaches how to increase the efficiency of a grating coupler through the use of a defect or a mirror. The apparatus and method can be of particular utility in the context of optical clocking implemented with a III-V chip flip-chip bonded on a CMOS chip.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to grating couplers capable of coupling light around a normal or nearly normal angle with a high efficiency. In particular, it relates to a resonantly enhanced grating coupler, for example a grating coupler with defect mode.
2. Related Art
Grating couplers are usually not very efficient when coupling around a right angle because the Bragg condition to extract normally out of the waveguide also corresponds to the second order bandgap of the grating. Most of the light gets back reflected into the grating instead of being coupled out.
D. Taillaert, H. Chong, P. I. Borel, L. H. Frandsen, R. M. De La Rue, and R. Baets, "A Compact Two-Dimensional Grating Coupler used as a Polarization Splitter", IEEE Photon. Technol. Lett. 15, 1249-1251 (2003) describes a polarization splitting grating coupler. D. Taillaert, P. Bienstam, and R. Baets, "Compact efficient broadband grating coupler for silicon-on-insulator waveguides", Opt. Lett. 29, 2749-2751 (2004) describes a reflector in the vertical direction to enhance efficiency. U.S. Pub. App. No. 2004/0156590 describes an optical waveguide grating coupler with curved grates. S. Miyanaga, and T. Asakura, "Intensity profile of outgoing beams from uniform and linearly tapered grating couplers", Appl. Opt. 20, 688-695 (1981) and K. A. Bates, L. Li, R. L. Roncone, and J. J. Burke, "Gaussian beams from variable groove depth grating couplers in planar waveguides", Appl. Opt. 32, 2112-2116 (1993) describe examples of varying the grate strength to tailor the emission profile. M. Miler, and M. Skalsky, "Chirped and Curved Grating Coupler Focusing Both Outgoing Beam and Guided Wave", Opt. Commun. 33, 13 (1980) describe chirped gratings and focusing in the vertical direction. D. A. Louderback, G. W. Pickrell, M. A. Fish, J. J. Hindi, H. C. Lin, M. C. Simpson, T. J. Eustis, and P. S. Guilfoyle, "VCSELs with Monolithic Coupling to Internal In-Plane Waveguides using Integrated Diffraction Gratings", Electron. Lett. 40, 1064-1065 (2004) describes an example of grating coupler placed inside a vertical cavity.
Developing a grating coupler to couple light into a waveguide through a ninety degrees bend presents a difficult design issue. One possibility is to place the horizontal waveguide and the grating coupler (etched into the waveguide) into a vertical cavity such as in the Louderback paper cited above. However, the approach in Louderback leads to complications. In particular, it necessitates a reflector both above and below the grating. For silicon-on-insulator based integrated optics fabricated with CMOS compatible processing steps there is no possibility to fabricate the top reflector (where "bottom" is where the substrate of the chip is located and "top" is above the chip).


An information processing apparatus is disclosed which connects to a network and which controls transmission to the network of data being output by an external apparatus having at least a data output function. The information processing apparatus includes a connection switcher configured to disconnect from the network in case of a failure in data output processing by the data output function of the external apparatus and to reconnect to the network upon recovery from the failure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program. More particularly, the invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program for preventing unnecessary data from being output onto a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
There have been cases where an application communicates with an external apparatus over a network runs away and keeps outputting unnecessary (i.e., faulty) data onto the network.
In case of such a runaway, the application was typically disconnected from the network. The application was then restarted or debugged.
Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 11-120104 discloses a technique whereby the receiving application is equipped with a supervisor configured to supervise the loaded state of an input buffer so that the data found to be faulty by the supervisor will be discarded without being passed on to an upper-layer protocol processor. The technique is supposed to let the receiving application continue carrying out processes other than the reception even if the transmitting side keeps sending unnecessary data.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program


A hose coupling (1) is provided, having a sleeve-like configuration and at least one coupling end with a connector (3), at the at least one coupling end, with a retaining profile provided on the outer circumference of at least one connector sub-region, it being possible for a hose end (4) of a flexible hose (2) to be pushed onto said at least one profiled coupling end. The retaining profile is formed by at least one retaining groove (5) which is provided on the outer circumference of the connector (3) and has longitudinal groove sides (8, 9) oriented in the circumferential direction of the connector and narrow groove sides (6, 7) oriented in the longitudinal direction of the connector.

In the sanitary sector, the use of thin copper pipes is increasingly being replaced by the use of flexible hose lines in order to supply water, for example, from a corner valve to a washbasin or similar point of water consumption. A hose coupling of the type mentioned in the introduction is necessary in order to connect the flexible hose to the corner valve or similar water-supply line and/or to the point of water consumption.
The hose couplings which are already known are usually of a sleeve-like design and, at their one end, have a connection thread or a union nut, while a connector is provided at the other coupling end. This connector has a retaining profiling on the outer circumference of at least one connector sub-region, and therefore one of the two hose ends of a flexible hose can be pushed onto said profiled coupling end. This retaining profiling is often formed from at least one annular flange which tapers, towards its outer circumference, in the direction of the free connector end, such that the hose end can be easily pushed on. The disadvantage, however, is that such an annular flange which tapers to a sharp point on the outer circumference acts like an encircling cutting edge. If the hose line is subjected to a torque, and if the connector is rotated relative to the hose line, there is a risk of the at least one annular flange digging into the inner circumference of the hose line, which may be associated with poor sealing or with reduced bursting resistance of the hose line.
It is therefore an object to provide a hose coupling of the type mentioned in the introduction which, even in the event of the hose line being rotated in relation to the connector, still ensures a high level of sealing and loading capability.


A non-invasive probe for application to a body part, such as a finger, toe or limb, for the detection of a medical condition of the subject includes a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at the opposite end for receiving the distal end of the subject's body part including its terminal-most extremity, a sensor for sensing a predetermined condition of the body part after being received within the compartment, and a removable liner lining the inner surface of the housing, to facilitate the insertion of the body part into the compartment. The described probe is one which senses changes in the peripheral arterial tone as manifested by changes in the pulsatile arterial blood volume and/or changes in the oxygen saturation level in a terminal extremity of a body part, and includes a number of other features particularly useful in such probes.

The present invention relates to non-invasive probes for application to a body part of a subject for the detection of a medical condition of the subject. The invention is particularly useful in finger probes, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,319,205 and 6,322,515, and in International Applications PCT/IL99/00292 (published Dec. 16, 1999 as International Publication No. WO 99/63884), PCT/IL00/00307 published Dec. 14, 2000 as International Publication No. WO 00/74551), PCT/IL00/00403 (published Jan. 18, 2001 as International Publication No. WO 01/03569; and PCT/IL01/00970, filed Oct. 22, 2001. The invention is therefore described below with respect to the probes described in the above patents and applications (hereinafter, "the above-identified U.S. patents and International Patent Applications"), but it will be appreciated that the invention could also be advantageously used in other types of probes.
The above-identified U.S. patents and International Patent Applications disclose various probe constructions, methods and apparatus for the non-invasive detection of a medical condition of a subject, particularly by monitoring changes in the peripheral arterial tone as manifested by changes in the pulsatile arterial blood volume in a terminal extremity of a body part, e.g., a digit (finger or toe) of the subject. The various medical conditions detected by such probes, as described therein, include mycardial ischemia, sleep apnea, endothelial dysfunction (ED), sleep disorders, mental stress, sympathetic nervous system reactivity, blood pressure, etc.
In general, the probes described in the above-identified U.S. patents and International Applications include a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at the opposite end for receiving the distal end of the subject's body part, such as a finger or toe, including its terminal-most extremity, and a sensor for sensing a predetermined condition of the body part after being received within the compartment. The preferred embodiments described therein are particularly useful for monitoring peripheral arterial tone in a subject's finger, and for this purpose, they include pressurizing means for applying a static pressure field substantially uniformly around the distal end of the subject's finger, including its terminal-most extremity. The pressure field is of a predetermined magnitude sufficient to substantially prevent distention of the venous vasculature, uncontrolled venous backflow and retrogade shockwave propagation into the distal end of the finger, and to partially unload the wall tension of, but not to occlude, the arteries in the distal end of the finger when at heart level or below. The probe sensor senses changes in the distal end of the subject's finger (or other body part) related to changes in volume therein due to pulsatile changes in instantaneous blood volume related to arterial tone.
Further particulars as to the construction of such probes, and the various medical conditions for which they may be used, are available in the above-identified U.S. patents and International Patent Applications, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Because of the potential diagnostic capabilities of such probes, considerable research and development has been conducted to improve their construction, to make them more convenient to use, and to extend their diagnostic range.

Non-invasive probe for detecting medical conditions


A method of mass spectrometry is disclosed comprising providing a flight region for ions to travel through and a detector or fragmentation device. A potential profile is maintained along the flight region such that ions travel towards the detector or fragmentation device. The potential at which a first length of the flight region is maintained is then changed from a first potential to a second potential while at least some ions are travelling within the first length of flight region. The changed potential provides a first potential difference at an exit of the length of flight region, through which the ions are accelerated as they leave the length of flight region. This increases the kinetic energy of the ions prior to them reaching the detector or fragmentation cell.

The present invention relates to a mass spectrometer and a method of mass spectrometry.
Many time of flight (TOF) detector instruments employ electron multiplier detectors, such as microchannel plate detectors (MCPs) or discrete or continuous dynode detectors. A common feature of these detectors is that primary ions strike the detector, releasing secondary electrons which are guided to further electron multiplication stages. The conversion efficiency or electron yield from an ion strike to the production of secondary electrons defines the efficiency of the detector. Researchers have previously shown that the yield (λ) with which an ion generates a secondary electron in a MCP is:λ=kmν4.4 where m is the mass of the ion, ν is the velocity of the ion, and k is a proportionality constant with a value of 10−24 and which has a unit that cancels the SI units of mass m and velocity v so as to leave a unitless efficiency λ. The strong velocity dependence of the efficiency λ, means that large mass to charge ratio ions that tend to be relatively slow produce significantly fewer ion counts than faster, smaller mass to charge ratio ions.
In conventional TOF systems where ions of charge q are accelerated through a fixed source potential Vs, the above equation for efficiency λ may be rearranged and approximated as follows:λ˜(4q2Vs2)/m
For many situations this yield λ is significantly less than unity and researchers have shown that the mechanism for generating signals from high mass ions (>100 kDa) is dominated by the generation of secondary ion yield at the strike surface of the detector. These secondary ions subsequently generate electrons at the next strike surface within the detector. It is therefore apparent that the problem of poor detector efficiency becomes severe when singly charged, high mass to charge ratio ions are analysed. This is a common problem, for example, when analysing large proteins or polymers using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI). The detector efficiency may also become a dominant problem for time of flight (TOF) instruments having low acceleration potentials.
In order to maximize the yield of electrons or secondary ions, and hence maximise detector efficiency, many TOF mass spectrometers employ high accelerating voltages so that ions reach the detector with high kinetic energy. In such arrangements, the ions enter the acceleration region at or near ground potential and are then accelerated using high voltages so as to have thousands of electron volts of energy. In order to achieve this the strike surface of the ion detector is held at high potential with respect to the ground potential. In order to allow operation with both positive and negative ions the output of the ion detector is also held at a high voltage. The signals output from the ion detector are generally recorded using time to digital converters (TDCs) or analogue to digital converters (ADCs). However, high speed state of the art TOF system recording electronics operate at or near ground potential and are often sensitive to high voltages. It is therefore a common requirement to isolate the high voltage applied to the output of the ion detector from the ADC or TDC, whilst at the same time allowing the signal arising from the arrival of ions at the detector to be transferred with high fidelity. This may be achieved using capacitive coupling or optical coupling. However, the higher the voltage that is isolated, the more difficult it becomes to provide effective isolation without compromising the fidelity of the ion signal.
In some TOF instruments a post acceleration detector (PAD) is used to increase the detection efficiency for low velocity or low energy ions. In this type of detector ions are accelerated onto a separate conversion dynode and the secondary ions and/or electrons generated therefrom are then accelerated to the strike surface of an electron multiplier. As the secondary charged species formed at the conversion dynode are generally of low mass to charge ratio, their velocity may be significantly higher than the velocity of the primary ion and therefore the efficiency of the detection is increased. However, this approach has the disadvantage that the time response of the detector may be many orders of magnitude slower than in normal operation, which can severely compromise the performance of the mass spectrometer. PAD detectors are therefore commonly used to enhance the efficiency for very high mass to charge ratio species where loss of instrument resolution may be an acceptable compromise. PAD detectors are also employed in mass spectrometers that use low ion acceleration voltages.
It is desired to provide an improved mass spectrometer and method of mass spectrometry.

Mass spectrometers comprising accelerator devices


A mold, comprising: a substrate, the substrate having an inside surface and an outside surface; and a ceramic coating formed on at least substantially the entire inside surface, the ceramic coating comprising chromic oxide, silicon dioxide, and alumina. A method for making the present mold is provided.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to a mold, particularly, to a mold having a ceramic coating for molding metal articles at high temperature and method for making the mold.
2. Description of Related Art
Titanium, magnesium, and aluminum alloys are typically processed to form articles. During the process, a corresponding metallic base alloy is placed into a mold. The mold is heated to a temperature generally higher than 800° C., softening the base alloy. The mold is usually made of metal or ceramic materials. Ceramic molds are good at surface oxidation and corrosion resistance, but have bad shock resistance. Metal molds are strong and shock resistant, but have bad surface oxidation and corrosion resistance. Additionally, at high temperatures, the surfaces of metal molds tend to be oxidized and adhesive.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

High temperature metal mold and procedure for making the mold

Shenzhen Futaihong Precision Industry Co., Ltd.


An ice pack includes a flexible base web, having a polymeric foam web connected to a bottom surface of the base web for frictional engagement with a skin portion of an individual, with at least one refrigerant housing mounted to a top surface of the base web positioned over the foam web. Fastener structure is arranged to opposed ends of the base web to secure about an individual. The base web structure is formed of various lengths to accommodate various appendage portions of an individual's body.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to ice pack apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved ice pack apparatus wherein the same is arranged for securement about an individual.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various ice pack wraps, such as indicated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,000,176; 4,311,022; and 4,971,041 are available in the prior art.
The instant invention sets forth an improvement over the prior art by including a polymeric foam web mounted to a flexible web to provide for enhanced frictional engagement of the wrapping web relative to an individual in use and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A Fresnel lens-type solar heater including an outer enclosure having at least an upper portion for admitting solar energy to be directed to a Fresnel lens mounted above a heat sink mounted within a solar energy collector which is pivotally mounted to be movable in an east-west manner within a support cradle that is pivotally mounted to be movable in a north-south manner such that the lens is correctly oriented toward the sun during each day of a year and wherein fluid directed through the outer enclosure is heated by energy from the heat sink before being exhausted from the heater to an area to be heated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the field of solar heaters and more particularly to solar convection/conduction fluid heating systems used to augment conventional forced air heating systems or hot water radiator heating systems used to heat homes, offices and other buildings and especially to such systems that magnify solar energy to heat a material acting as a heat sink, such as a stainless steel plate, and wherein air or liquid is conveyed in heat exchange relationship with the heat sink before being conveyed into an air duct or radiator system within a structure to be heated.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Due to the need to find alternative sources of energy to reduce the use and consumption of energy sources such as oil, gas and electricity to provide heat for home and other building heating systems, there have been proposed systems which use solar energy to heat liquids and solids in order to provide heat which may be used to directly or indirectly heat homes and other structures. In order to increase the efficient use of solar energy, it has been proposed to use magnification devices to concentrate solar energy toward a pipe or other conduit through which a fluid medium, such as water, is being conveyed to heat the fluid before the fluid is pumped or otherwise conveyed into an area to be heated by convective heat exchange of the air with the area such as an interior room of a home. In a like manner, it has been proposed to use magnification devices to concentrate solar energy onto a solid material in order to heat the material so as to function as a heat sink to heat air or a liquid passing in heat exchange relationship with the heat sink material to heat the air or liquid by convective or conductive heat exchange.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,376 to McLean teaches the use of a Fresnel lens mounted within an outer dome wherein a heat sink material is heated by concentrating solar energy passing through the Fresnel lens onto the heat sink material so as to heat fluid passing in heat exchange relationship with the heat sink material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,698 to Sales shows a somewhat similar solar heater using a Fresnel lens to concentrate solar energy to heat a heat sink material.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,384,320 and 6,653,551, both to Chen, teach the use of a Fresnel lens with a solar collector wherein solar energy from the Fresnel lens is directed to a conduit through which a liquid is flowing in order to heat the liquid. U.S. Pat. No. 7,946,286 to Raymond et al teaches a roof mounted solar energy heater having a plurality of Fresnel lenses for directing solar energy toward a heat sink tube through which a fluid is flowing in order to heat the fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,235,034 to Flaherty teaches a solar heater having a structure to heat both air and water for a house or other building which uses flow controllers and the like to control the circulation of the heat exchange fluid being heated by the solar energy. U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,267 to Coleman et al teaches a solar heater connected to an air duct of a conventional heating system wherein solar energy is concentrated through lenses to heat fins that are in heat exchange relationship with a flow of air or other fluid.
To further increase the efficiency of solar heaters, it has also been proposed to mount solar energy concentrators, such as Fresnel lenses, such that the lenses track the sun both as the earth rotates relative to the sun daily from east to the west and such that the lenses also remain aligned with the sun as the angle of the earth relative to the sun changes during a year, such as taught in the aforementioned patents to McLean and Raymond et al.
There remains a need to further increase the efficiency and operating characteristics of Fresnel lens type solar heaters to augment conventional home and other building forced air and liquid heating systems so as to make better use of solar energy systems and reduce the use of conventional energy sources such as oil, natural gas and electricity.


Methods for forming boronic acids, and intermediates thereof, are disclosed. The method may include mixing a 1-chloro-2-substituted-3-fluorobenzene starting material with an alkyllithium in a first reactor to form a reaction mixture. The 1-chloro-2-substituted-3-fluorobenzene starting material may react with the alkyllithium to form a lithiated intermediate. The reaction mixture may be continuously transferred to a second reactor and a borate may be continuously introduced to form a boronate. The boronic acids may be formed by treating the boronate with aqueous potassium hydroxide followed by acidification. Such methods may provide continuous formation of the boronic acids and may reduce an amount of a reactive intermediate present during processing as well as cycle times. Systems for forming the boronic acids are also disclosed.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,314,849 and 7,300,907 describe respectively certain 6-(poly-substituted aryl)-4-aminopicolinate and 2-(poly-substituted aryl)-6-amino-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid compounds and their use as herbicides. 2-Fluoro-3-substituted-4-chlorophenylboronic acid and derivatives thereof are useful intermediates for the preparation of these herbicides.
For example, 2-fluoro-3-substituted-4-chlorophenylboronic acid derivatives may be prepared by halogen-metal exchange of 1-bromo-2-fluoro-3-substituted-4-chlorobenzenes with n-butyllithium followed by quenching with a boronic acid ester. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,647 to Arndt et al., 1-chloro-2-substituted-3-fluorobenzenes may be selectively deprotonated and functionalized in a position adjacent to the fluoro substituent. Selective deprotonation in the position adjacent to the fluoro substituent is achieved by contacting the 1-chloro-2-substituted-3-fluorobenzene starting material with an alkyl lithium compound under anhydrous conditions in an inert organic solvent.
Current methods used to synthesize 4-chloro-2-fluoro-3-methoxyphenylboronic acid (PBA) and derivatives thereof require that the 2-chloro-6-fluoroanisole (2,6-CFA) precursor be cooled to less than about −28° C., and less than about −50° C. in particular embodiments, and treated with butyllithium to form a lithio-2,6-CFA (Li-2,6-CFA) intermediate. This intermediate compound must be kept at a temperature of less than about −50° C. to prevent decomposition, and less than about −28° C. to prevent rapid decomposition, eliminating lithium fluoride to form reactive benzyne species. Producing PBA on a large scale in a batch process, thus, requires cooling of a large volume of solution and the accumulation of a large amount of the reactive intermediate Li-2,6-CFA.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods and systems for forming boronic acids and intermediates thereof


An electrical connector has separable members for clamping plural conduits for separable circuits for electronic equipment. The members are clamped by a securement member extending through passages in the members and secured by a fastener. A plurality of prongs extend through openings in the members to engage electrical conductors to external circuits.

The present invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly to connectors having body components which clamp a plurality of conduits for a plurality of circuits of electronic equipment. A simplified arrangement provides for clamping two or more conduits by operation of a single member or knob.
Connection assemblies for two or more circuits have heretofore generally involved separate mounting assemblies for each circuit. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a typical prior art arrangement for the connection of two circuits involves a pair of nuts or knobs A, a threaded elongated member B for each circuit, with fitting components C having openings for the elongated members, recesses to receive flanges thereof, a mounting member D, and separate nut elements for securing components together for each circuit.
According to the present invention, an electrical connector comprises a base member having a central passage and a plurality of spaced openings, a bridge member having a central passage and a plurality of spaced openings, the passages and openings being registrable respectively with the base member passage and openings, a securement member, typically threaded, having a head portion and an opposite end portion and being extensible through the passages in the base and bridge members, a plurality of conventional prongs extend through the openings in the base member and into the openings in the bridge member, and are adapted for electrical connection to external circuitry. The base member and bridge member are adapted to receive electrical connectors therebetween. Manually operable knob means engages the end portion of the securement member and is operable to urge together the bridge member and the base member to the clamp electrical connectors therebetween.

Electrical connector for plural circuits


The semiconductor industry seeks to reduce the risk of traditional volatile storage devices with improved non-volatile storage devices. The increased demand for a significantly advanced, efficient, and non-volatile data retention technique has driven the development of integrated giant-magneto-resistive (GMR) structures. The present invention relates to non-volatile logic state retention devices, such as GMR storage elements, and concerns a save-on-power-down circuit that may be integrated with conventional semiconductor-based computing, logic, and memory devices to retain volatile logic states and/or volatile digital information in a non-volatile manner.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to volatile memory and, in particular, refers to a method and device for providing a write current for storing a digital logic state in a giant magneto-resistance (GMR) element during a power down event.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the introduction of the digital computer, electronic storage devices have been a vital resource for the retention of binary data. Conventional electronic storage devices, such as static random access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random access memory (DRAM), have been successfully integrated into computing devices for storing digital information. SRAM storage devices utilize static latch structures as storage cells. Typically, an SRAM latch structure is a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit comprising two cross-coupled inverters, wherein the simultaneous activation of two access transistors regulates the flow of current through the cross-coupled inverter circuits for read and write functions. In addition, DRAM storage devices typically incorporate an inline access transistor and a capacitor type structure that are configured to temporarily store one bit of binary information based on the charged state of the capacitor.
Unfortunately, SRAM and DRAM require a continuous supply of power to maintain a particular defined logic state, and DRAM capacitors further require a periodic charge refresh from the inline access transistor to maintain the particular defined logic-state. Therefore, conventional semiconductor random access memory (RAM) is considered volatile memory due to the fact that data may be lost with the loss or interruption of power.
Preventing the loss of data during power interrupts has its disadvantages. Typical systems utilize a primary power source for normal applications and an auxiliary power source for back-up power in case the primary power source fails. The auxiliary power source may be employed within the system to increase the reliability of conventional memory devices in the event of a power failure. Implementing this approach may be cumbersome and inconvenient in that additional devices and circuitry, including the auxiliary power source and power switching circuitry, may be required. In addition, the auxiliary power source usually comprises a battery or the like that has a finite or limited lifetime. Therefore, if the primary power source fails for an extended period of time, the auxiliary power source may also eventually fail causing the conventional memory devices to lose the logic states or data stored therein due to the extended period of time of the power failure.
In some circumstances, conventional memory devices may be replaced with non-volatile memory devices, such as giant magneto-resistive (GMR) devices, such that volatile logic states may be stored in a non-volatile manner. Although GMR devices may facilitate the adverse effects of losing data during power interrupts, GMR devices typically require a current pulse sufficiently capable of generating orthogonal magnetic fields, which may be difficult to implement during loss of power. Auxiliary power sources may be used to provide enough power for storing logic states in GMR devices, but the additional cost associated with using auxiliary power components may deter the use thereof.
Based on the foregoing, there currently exists a need to replace conventional volatile memory devices and circuitry with improved solid-state non-volatile memory devices and circuitry so as to substantially preserve logic states in a non-destructive manner during an interrupt in power. Furthermore, there also exists a need to develop non-volatile memory devices that may be used in conventional applications without compromising the high-density fabrication and processing techniques.

State save-on-power-down using GMR non-volatile elements


A package having an improved yield is provided. The package includes a support on which a plurality of biochips are disposed, and a cover bonded to the support and defining a reaction space for each of the plurality of biochips together with the support, the cover including at least one inlet/outlet.

In recent years, with the advance of genome projects, the genomic nucleotide sequences of various organisms have been identified. Thus, there has been an increasing interest in biochips, and a variety of biochips are fabricated in the form of kits. Biochip kits are tools that have been widely used in testing various biological samples. The kits provide internal reaction spaces and prevent the biochips from being contaminated or damaged.
In order to fabricate a biochip kit, the biochips are sometimes packaged individually. As an example, widely-used packaging techniques include a method of cutting biochips integrated on a wafer into discrete chips and assembling a package and a biochip one by one. These packaging techniques involve a number of processing steps, which may increase the manufacturing costs and decrease the processing efficiency. In addition, since the surfaces of the biochips formed on a wafer are exposed while undergoing various processing steps, the surfaces of the biochips are prone to damage that can result in a reduction in the reaction efficiency.

Packages, biochip kits and methods of packaging


A system for securing a wheeled pole, such as an IV pole, to an adjustable height mobile bed to form a movable assembly. The system includes a linkage element with first and second mounting blocks effective to secure the linkage element to an intermediate frame portion of the bed. An elastomeric member is extendable from the linkage element for engagement with a plurality of engagement members disposed on opposite sides of a channel formed in the linkage element. The elastomeric member effectively secures the IV pole in the channel for transport of the IV pole/bed assembly.

There are many instances where it is desirable to attach one or more pieces of equipment together to form a movable assembly. For example, hospital patients are generally placed in a wheeled hospital bed so that the patients can be moved from one location to another, such as to and from various hospital wards. These patients often have one or more pieces of medical equipment located near the bed for providing various treatments. One such piece of equipment is an intravenous drip bag mounted on a pole extending from a wheeled base or cart (IV pole). When transporting a patient it is usually preferable to keep the IV pole with the patient so as to maintain the flow of solution from the drip bag to the patient. However, transporting a patient coupled to an IV can require additional medical personnel to ensure that the IV pole safely accompanies the patient.
In order to eliminate the need for the additional personnel, various attempts have been made to secure the IV pole to the bed when transporting a patient coupled to an IV. While this may not initially appear to be problematic, a system for coupling the bed and IV pole that is compact, quick, reliable and flexible has proven to be elusive due to competing design requirements and safety issues.
Various obstacles associated with coupling a hospital bed and IV pole are revealed upon examining these components. As shown in FIG. 1, a typical hospital bed 10 has a lower frame 12 supported on a set of wheels 14, an intermediate frame 16 that moves vertically in relation to the lower frame, and an upper frame 20 coupled to the intermediate frame 16 for raising the upper torso of a patient resting on a mattress 22. Generally, the bed 10 further includes a detachable headboard 24 and footboard 26.
FIGS. 2-5 show the bed 10 in various positions including lowered (FIG. 2), raised (FIG. 3), declined, i.e., Trendelenberg (FIG. 4) and inclined, i.e., reverse Trendelenberg (FIG. 5). As shown, the height H of the intermediate frame 16 from the floor 28 can vary depending upon the position desired for or by the patient.
FIG. 6 shows a typical IV pole 50 having a relatively heavy base 52 with wheels 55 affixed to the base from which a column 54 vertically extends. A rack 56 is attached to the column 54 for holding drip bags and other equipment, such as infusion pumps and patient monitoring equipment.
A system for securing the pole 50 to the bed 10 should provide safe, rapid, reliable and secure attachment while accommodating the adjustable features of the bed 10. The secured IV pole should not present hazards to patients or to staff during use. One potential danger to be prevented is the IV pole tipping over. An IV pole and rack may be supporting significant weight that could cause serious injury upon impact or during an attempt to catch a falling pole. A further consideration is the location of the IV pole in relation to the bed. While the pole may initially appear to be well removed from a patient, upon adjustment of the bed, such as to maximum height and/or tilt, the head of a patient may strike a component of the IV pole thereby causing injury. The system should also maintain a predetermined distance between the IV pole and the bed to prevent the pole from striking the bed during transport, or pinching an appendage of a staff person or the IV tubing.
Various attempts have been made to provide a system for coupling an IV pole to a bed that meets the above criteria. Some coupling systems secure the pole to the intermediate portion 16 of the bed frame. Although the intermediate portion 16 of the frame is accessible and can provide adequate stability for the pole, the adjustable height and tilt of the intermediate portion 16 make this portion of the bed unable to provide a fixed attachment point. Further, unstable coupling of the IV pole 50 to the intermediate portion 16 of the frame can cause a top heavy IV pole 50 to tip over in the event that the height of the bed is adjusted. While the lower portion 12 of the frame provides a fixed attachment point, the lower frame is close to the floor and not readily accessible. See also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,344,169 (Pryor et al.), 5,118,127 (Partington), and 4,149,036 (Sheehan).
One system to link an IV pole and a hospital bed, known as "MobilEquip" made by Hill-Rom of Batesville, Ind., includes a cart having at least one pole extending from the cart. The cart is secured to the lower portion of the bed frame via a linking arm. This arrangement may adequately support the IV pole but dramatically increases the size of the bed/cart assembly as compared with the bed alone. The overall dimensions of the assembly can be a significant impediment when maneuvering the bed through hallways and elevators. Other linking systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,647,491 (Foster et al.), 5,400,995 (Boyd), and 5,319,816 (Ruehe).
Another system, known as "Omni-Pal" made by Pryor Products of Oceanside, Calif., provides a plurality of IV poles mounted to a frame that is secured to a modified intermediate frame portion of the bed. A wheel assembly is swung outward from the base when transporting a patient for stabilizing the assembly. In addition to the space required for the frame and wheel assembly, there is no provision to accommodate height adjustments of the bed. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,169 to Pryor et al.
A still further system, the "Pump Porter" made by Majoska, Inc. of Indianapolis, Ind., includes a roller chain with clamping elements at either end. One clamp is secured to the pole and the other to the bed. The chain flexes in a sideways motion but resists bending and twisting motion that could allow the IV pole to tip over. However, this device cannot accommodate bed height adjustments and is incompatible with certain types of commonly used hospital beds. See also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,127 to Partington.
It would be desirable to provide a system for attaching an IV pole to an adjustable bed that can accommodate a variety of beds and poles and is safe, secure, quick, reliable and compact.


A method for polishing peripheral chamfers of a semiconductor wafer comprising steps of: (a) turning a cylindrical cup-like rotatory buff having an internal polish groove formed in the inner wall surface thereof, the groove having a profile complementary to the profile of the chamfered wafer edge to be polished; (b) disposing the wafer inside the turning buff; (c) turning the wafer at a relatively low rate; and (d) pressing the wafer edge into the running internal polish groove with an appropriate pressure; furthermore there is proposed an apparatus for this novel method including the cylindrical cup-like rotatory buff as described above.

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for polishing chamfers of a wafer.
1. Prior Art
A semiconductor wafer, which is used to make substrates for semiconductor devices, is obtained from a single crystal ingot, such as one grown of molten polycrystal silicon, by slicing the ingot into thin disks orthogonally to the axis of the ingot, which disks are then chambered, lapped, etched, annealed, polished, and given other finishing treatments.
Each semiconductor wafer, as produced in the manner generally described above, is chamfered along the peripheral edge thereof so as to remove any sharpness from the edge and thereby fashion the wafer edge difficult to chip. However, due to the increased demand for stricter prevention of dust creation called for by highly developed super LSI (large scale integration) technology based on high precision machining, the current tendency is to polish the chamfers of wafer periphery until they are glossy (specular finish polishing) so as to nullify the possibility of creation of particles due to microscopic chipping.
Incidentally, a wafer is usually formed with a cut-away portion where the wafer edge line is straight and this edge portion is conventionally called an orientation flat (OF for short), and when the wafer is chamfered and polished, the entire periphery including the OF is made glossy. Conventionally, the circular circumference portion as well as the straight-line OF portion of the wafer edge is polished by means of an external surface-contact type cylindrical polisher. FIG. 7 shows a manner of employing one of such external surface-contact type cylindrical polisher, which consists of a buff 140 made of a resilient body and formed with a groove 140a, which extends around the side of the cylinder describing a circle normal to the axis of the cylinder. The profile of the groove 140a is about complementary to the profile of the chamfered wafer edge so they fit each other when they are in contact.
The buff 140 is turned about the axis of rotation and the wafer being turned in the same angular direction as the buff 140 is brought so that the wafer edge enters the groove 140a. Slurry (polishing liquid) is applied to the running groove 140a, and the running edge of the wafer W is pressed in the groove 140a of the cylindrical buff 140, whereby the chamfers W1 of the wafer W are polished.
2. Problems the Invention seeks to solve
However, in such polishing method wherein an external surface-contact type cylindrical polisher (buff 140) is employed, the contact between the wafer edge and the side of the cylindrical buff is of convex-to-convex type so that the area of the wafer chamfers W1 contacted at any moment by the buff 140 is meager. Thus, the time efficiency of polishing work effected on the wafer chamfers W1 by the buff 140 is low, so that the time required for effecting the specular finish polishing is relatively long, and the wafer production efficiency is restricted.
The present invention was contrived in view of this problem, and it is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for polishing chamfers of a wafer in a manner such that the required polishing time will be reduced and the wafer production efficiency improved.
With this object in mind the inventors conducted a theoretical study of comparing the polishing time required for specular finish in the case of a novel internal surface-contact type buff (convex-to-concave contact) with that in the case of the conventional external surface-contact type cylindrical buff (convex-to-convex contact). The study will be described with reference to FIG. 8(a) and FIG. 9(a); in FIG. 8(a) a wafer W with exaggerated thickness is seen to be inscribed to the internal surface of an internal surface-contact type buff 240, and in FIG. 9(a) a wafer W with exaggerated thickness is seen to be in contact with the external surface of an external surface-contact type cylindrical buff 240.
The rate of reduction (removal) of roughness R of the chamfers of a wafer W is considered to be proportionate to the roughness R itself and to the length L of the area of contact between the wafer W and the buff 240 measured in the direction of brushing (polishing); hence, the following equation holds: EQU dR/dt=-KLR (1)
wherein K is a coefficient determined by the contact pressure, relative velocity at the contact point, slurry condition, etc; t is time during which the polishing is conducted, and L is the length of the contact area.
The above equation is rewritten into a following differential equation: EQU dR/R=-KLdt (2).
And by solving this differential equation, we obtain a following equation, EQU log R/R.sub.0 =-KLt (3)
wherein R.sub.0 is the initial roughness of the chamfers (i.e., the roughness at t=0, or R.sub.t=.spsb.0).
Consequently, the roughness R of the wafer chamfers at any moment is given as a function of polishing time t: EQU R=R.sub.0 e.sup.-KLt ( 4).
According to the theory of elastic contacts, the length L1 of the contact area in the case where the wafer edge is inscribed by the internal polishing surface of an internal surface-contact type buff 240 (convex-to-concave contact), shown in FIG. 8(a), is substantially greater than the length L2 of the contact area in the case where the wafer edge contacts the side surface of the cylindrical buff 240 (convex-to-convex contact), shown in FIG. 9(a); and such result is intuitively confirmable, as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 9(b) (L1>L2). Also, it is intuitively confirmable that, in the case of convex-to-concave contact, the closer the radius of curvature of wafer to that of the internal polishing surface without exceding it, the greater the length L of the contact.
Values of roughness R of the wafer chamfers at different times t are calculated by means of equation (4) both in the case of convex-to-concave contact and in the case of convex-to-convex contact, and the results are plotted in FIG. 10 to show the variation of the roughness R of the wafer chamfers with time. In FIG. 10, curve a corresponds to the case of convex-to-concave contact (L1) and curve b corresponds to the case of convex-to-convex contact (L2). Suppose it is desired that roughness R is reduced to a low level value of R.sub.A ; then, the polishing time t required to attain roughness R.sub.A is t1 in the case of convex-to-concave contact and t2 in the case of convex-to-convex contact, and t2 is definitely greater than t1. Hence, the time efficiency of polishing is higher in the case of convex-to-concave contact polishing where a long contact length L1 is obtained than in the case of convex-to-convex contact polishing where the contact length L2 is relatively small. Thus, a change to convex-to-concave type polishing from convex-to-convex type polishing will shorten the required polishing time t and contribute to a sharp increase in wafer productivity.
The inventors, therefore, contrived their novel method and apparatus for polishing chamfers of a wafer based on this concept.

Method and an apparatus for polishing wafer chamfers


The present disclosure discloses a thin film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, an array substrate and a display device, and belongs to the field of semiconductor display technology. The active layer of the thin film transistor is made of a CIGS material. By manufacturing the active layer of the thin film transistor with the CIGS material, and the crystal defects of the CIGS are less than LTPS and IGZO, the mobility of the thin film transistor is higher, and the switching speed of the thin film transistor is faster, thereby being advantageous to further improve the resolution of the display device.

The thin film transistor (TFT) is an indispensable component in liquid crystal display device and organic light-emitting diode display device.
The higher the mobility of the thin film transistor is, the faster the switching speed of the thin film transistor is. The faster the switching speed, the more favorable to improve the resolution of the display device. The mobility of the thin film transistor is mainly affected by the active layer of the thin film transistor.

Thin film transistor and manufacturing method thereof, array substrate and display device


A fluid spray burner for a heater having a nozzle block which supports a spray nozzle and to which fuel can be fed from a fuel line via a fuel pump. A fuel pump is integrated in the burner housing, and in particular to a radial carrier plate thereof.

An atomizing burner of the above-described type, in which the burner nozzle assembly and the fuel pump is, together with other components, a preassembled structural unit, which can be fastened to a flange of the burner housing, has been known from DE 35 36 170 C2. A comparatively compact design of an atomizing burner and simplified assembly are achieved as a result.


An address generation apparatus and an operation apparatus are shown to generate a complex address and to suppress an increase of a mounted area even if a bit width of a counter is widened. An address generation apparatus has at least one counter setting a count value by an operated value, at least one operation section being arranged corresponding to the counter respectively, operating a supplied step value and a count value of the corresponding counter in response to a control signal and supplying the operated count value to the corresponding counter, a selection section selecting either a set value or the operation result of the operation section in response to a control signal and inputting it to the counter, and an address operation section performing an operation in response to a control signal for the count value of the counter and outputting the operation result as an address.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an address generation apparatus applicable to an operation system and a reconfigurable operation apparatus to which this address generation apparatus is applied.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general operation system has, for example, a CPU, an address generation apparatus, a plurality of configuration information memory and a reconfigurable operation apparatus.
In this operation system, a selection of a plurality of the configuration information memory is controlled by using the CPU.
In this case, the selection of the memory is performed by using the CPU during the period that the address generation apparatus generates an address.
In a DSP and so on in the related art, an address pattern to be generated is limited to a simple pattern such as for a loop of the C language. When performing a complex access, an address generated automatically was insufficient and it was necessary to perform the address calculation by using, for example, an ALU of the DSP.
Therefore a, cycle number necessary for the processing is more inefficient than that of the automatic address generation.
For improving this, an address generation apparatus using, for example, a counter has been proposed (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-215388).

Address generation apparatus and operation apparatus


A fixture for mounting point of sale equipment on a counter includes a shelf supported beneath the counter and cable guides that extend over the top of the counter and around an edge thereof. The shelf includes a bottom wall and a plurality of upstanding side walls secured between the bottom wall and the counter. A generally horizontal cable guide includes a top wall and a plurality of depending side walls, and the side walls are slotted for receipt of the equipment cables so that the cables on the counter are concealed within the cable guide. A generally vertical cable guide is connected between the shelf and the horizontal cable guide, and includes a front wall and a pair of laterally spaced front side walls secured to the front wall and adapted to extend between the front wall and the edge of the counter so that the equipment cables passing around the edge of the counter are concealed within the vertical cable guide.

The present invention relates generally to equipment support fixtures, and more particularly to a fixture for mounting point of sale equipment on a counter and for managing the cables that interconnect the equipment.
Point of sales equipment has evolved dramatically over the years since the days of the cash register, and is now typically computerized, including in many instances a central processing unit, an input keyboard, a monitor, a printer, a credit card reader, a product code scanner, a telephone, and other now conventional input and output devices. This radical increase in the amount of equipment required to manage retail sales and inventory has created many problems for those designing point of sale fixtures, including how to make the most efficient use of the space allotted to point of sale activities, and how to manage the many cables that extend between and interconnect the equipment without creating an unsightly tangle that interferes with normal sales efforts.
It is conventional in many retail environments to construct a point of sale counter with an underlying shelf on which some of the equipment such as the central processing unit and the cash drawer are mounted. With such an arrangement, the remaining equipment is positioned on the counter top and cables connecting the counter top equipment to the central processing unit are either trained over the front edge of the counter or threaded through access holes drilled through the counter. An unsightly tangle of cables typically results from attempts to bundle the cables and pass them over the edge of the counter. In addition, it is difficult to clean in and around such bundles and they frequently collect dust and debris, giving an unkept appearance.
By providing access holes in the counter, these unattractive cable bundles are hidden from view, and it is much easier to manage and clean the point of sales area. However, access holes represent a permanent alteration to the counter that are not easily covered, and it is troublesome to move the point of sale along the counter without substantially reconstructing the original location on the counter.

Apparatus for mounting computer equipment


A method and apparatus are disclosed that modify [ies] and generalize [s] the use in artificial neural networks of the error backpropagation algorithm. Each neuron unit first divides a plurality of weighted inputs into more than one group, then sums up weighted inputs in each group to provide each group's intermediate outputs, and finally processes the intermediate outputs to produce an output of the neuron unit. Since the method uses, when modifying each weight, a partial differential coefficient generated by partially-differentiating the output of the neuron unit by each weighted input, the weight can be properly modified even if the output of a neuron unit as a function of intermediate outputs has a plurality of variables corresponding to the number of groups. Since the conventional method uses only one differential coefficient, that is, the differential coefficient of the output of a neuron unit differentiated by the sum of all weighted inputs in a neuron unit, for all weights in a neuron unit, it may be said that the method according to the present invention generalizes the conventional method. The present invention is especially useful for pulse density neural networks which express data as an ON-bit density of a bit string.

The present invention relates to a neural network and method for training the neural network. An information processor called hierarchical neural network, which attempts to mimic neurobiological systems, includes plural synapses of parallel-distributed-processing elements called neuron units arranged in layers, an input layer A1, an output layer A3, and one or more "hidden" layers A2 (A2-1 and A2-2) in between, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Each unit's output goes to either other units in subsequent layers or outside the network, an output signal Y.sub.j being defined by the unit's weight and threshold as follows with reference to FIG. 3: ##EQU1## where W.sub.ji is a weight (incidentally, in the above equation (1) and hereinafter, a threshold is treated as another weight), X.sub.i is an input signal, and f(x) is a mapping function (so-called sigmoid logistic function) shown in FIG. 4 and defined as follows; EQU f(x)=1/(1+exp(-x)) (2)
When the weight has been set to a correct level, a complex stimulus pattern (input signal) at the input layer successively propagates via hidden layers to result in a simpler output pattern (output signal). The network can be taught by feeding it an input signal and corresponding expected output signal, referred to as teacher signal; the network can learn by measuring the difference at each output unit between the expected output signal and the output signal that is actually produced. All or appropriate weights are gradually modified by iterating a learning algorithm to provide an output signal which more closely approximates the expected output signal. Hereupon, a backpropagation algorithm, disclosed in Learning Internal Representations by Error Propagation, Chapter 8 of Parallel Distributed Processing, by Rumelhart et al., MIT Press Cambridge, Mass., pp. 318-362, 1986, and has been well-known as such a learning algorithm, uses a gradient search technique to minimize an error function E equal to the mean square difference between the expected output signal d.sub.j and the actual output signal Y.sub.j. The error function E is defined in a neural network with "M" outputs and "K" pairs of input and expected output signals, as follows; ##EQU2##
Each weight W.sub.ji is modified by adding .DELTA.W.sub.ji .alpha.-.differential.E/.differential.W.sub.ji thereto to minimize the error function E, hereupon, ##EQU3## where .eta. is called a learning ratio (generally less than 0.5 ).
In addition, ##EQU4##
In the neuron unit j at an output layer; EQU .delta..sub.j =(d.sub.j -Y.sub.j).f'(net.sub.j) (9(.BECAUSE.(3))
In the neuron unit j at a hidden layer; ##EQU5##
Thus, .delta..sub.j regarding the neuron unit j can be expressed by .delta..sub.k of each of neuron units k which receives a signal from the neuron unit j.
Thus, a weight may be modified by the following procedures:
1. CALCULATE ERROR OF NEURON UNIT AT OUTPUT LAYER (.BECAUSE.(9))
2. CALCULATE ERROR OF NEURON UNIT AT LAYER JUST PREVIOUS TO THE OUTPUT LAYER (.BECAUSE.(10) and the above result)
3. CALCULATE SEQUENTIALLY, LAYER BY LAYER, ERROR OF NEURON UNITS LOCATED BETWEEN THE OUTPUT AND INPUT LAYERS (.BECAUSE.(10) and the above result)
4. CALCULATE .DELTA.W.sub.ji (.BECAUSE.(7))
Various methodologies to construct the neural network as hardwares have been proposed; the easiest methodology being to produce it by a software. This software implements various types of neural networks but results in a low operational speed and a bulk-sized computer, so that the method is useful only for the research of the neural network. Accordingly, as another methodology, a neurocomputer architecture built on a chip, as an analog circuit or a digital circuit, has been proposed. The analog neural network expresses each weight as a variable resistor and each unit as an operational amplifier, however the analog network has disadvantages in an instable characteristic depending on temperature, every chip of discrete characteristic, and a low degree of noise tolerance. On the other hand, the digital neural network can overcome the above disadvantages however have a disadvantage in a complicated circuitry construction. Accordingly, the applicant has disclosed a new digital network having a relatively simple circuitry construction, referred to as a pulse-density neural network hereinafter, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No. 1-179629 and No. 1-343891, and 1990 SPRING NATIONAL CONVENTION RECORD, THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONICS, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERS D-56, and THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONICS, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERS REPORT IDC90-129. In addition, the applicant has also proposed a new neutral network squeezed on an LSI chip in 1990 SPRING NATIONAL CONVENTION RECORD, THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONICS, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERS D-41. Other various types of pulse-density neural networks are disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-244567, U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,255, and THE TRANSACTIONS OF THE INSTITUTE OF ELECTRONICS, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION ENGINEERS REPORT MBE87-157, pp. 415-422, March, 1988.
A brief description will now be given with reference to FIGS. 5 to 11 of the operation of the pulse-density neural network disclosed by this applicant. As shown in FIG. 5, an input signal 4601, an output signal 4602 and a weight 4603 respectively are expressed as a synchronous bit string comprising an OFF-bit "0" and an ON-bit "1" and its bit density (pulse-density) is expressed as a ratio of the ON-bits for all the bits. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, if an input signal (101101) shown in FIG. 6, whose pulse-density is thus 4/6, is input to an AND circuit 4604 with a weight (101010) shown in FIG. 7, whose pulse-density is thus 3/6, the AND circuit 4604 outputs a bit string (101000) to an OR circuit 4605 with multiplex input terminals which functions as the above function f(x). This pulse-density neural network can manage an excitatory synapse whose weight is non-negative, and an inhibitory synapse whose weight is negative in accordance with one of the following three methodologies:
1. Classifying each synapse into either the excitatory synapse 4909 or inhibitory synapse group 4910, as shown in FIG. 8; Logical operations being individually performed for each group. Instead of the above, each input signal may be classified into the excitatory input group or the inhibitory input group. An output signal of an OR circuit 4906 in the inhibitory synapse group 4910 is inverted by an inverter 4907, and an AND circuit 4908 performs the logical multiplication for the output of an OR circuit 4905 and that of the inverter 4907 to produce an output signal 4902.
2. Providing memories 5011 for storing information for classifying each synapse into an excitatory synapse or an inhibitory synapse, and set circuits 5012 connected to the corresponding memory 5011, for classifying each weight in accordance with the information stored therein, as shown in FIG. 9; i.e., "0" stored in the memory 5011 indicates the excitatory synapse whereas "1" stored therein indicates the inhibitory synapse. OR circuits 5005 and 5006, an inverter 5007, and an AND circuit 5008 respectively correspond to the OR circuits 4905 and 4906, the inverter 4907, and the AND circuit 4908, and a duplicate description thereof will be omitted.
3. Expressing each weight into a subtraction of a negative weight (component) W.sub.ji- from a positive weight (component) W.sub.ji+ (W.sub.ji+ -W.sub.ji- W.sub.ji+ .gtoreq.0 and W.sub.ji- .gtoreq.0), and storing the positive weight into a memory 5103 and the negative weight into a memory 5104, as shown in FIG. 10. An AND circuit 5105 performs the logical multiplication for an input signal 5101 and the positive weight whereas an AND circuit 5106 performs the logical multiplication for an input signal 5101 and a negative weight. OR circuits 5107 and 5108, an inverter 5109, and an AND circuit 5110 respectively correspond to the OR circuits 4905 and 4906, the inverter 4907, and the AND circuit 4908, and a duplicate description thereof will be omitted.
The above three methodologies have characteristics in that, when the pulse-density "0" of the input signal is supplied, that of the output signal becomes accordingly "0". In addition, the input signal from the inhibitory synapse group influences more strongly than that from the excitatory signal. However, the above three methodologies have a disadvantage in that their mapping functions are approximately expressed as a function shown in FIG. 11 similar to the sigmoid function shown in FIG. 4 but whose longitudinal axis is biased toward the negative direction. Accordingly, the applicant has improved the above three methodologies, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2-316505, to approximate the sigmoid function shown in FIG. 4. Briefly speaking, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14 respectively corresponding to FIGS. 8 to 10, the improved pulse-density neural network uses a logic operational circuit (5214, 5314, or 5414) and a predetermined input signal (5213, 5313, or 5413) generated by an external pulse generator. Since the bit density of the predetermined input signal can be freely adjusted, the output signal will preferably approximates to the sigmoid function if the bit density thereof is set to 0.5.
However, each of the above pulse-density neural networks has the following disadvantage: The backpropagation algorithm using the equation (1) can be applied to a digital neural network which is not the pulse-density neural network and manages both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, since "net.sub.j " can freely choose a positive or negative value and thus express two variables. But, contrastingly, the backpropagation algorithm using the equation (1) cannot be applied to each of the above pulse-density neural networks which manages both the excitatory and inhibitory synapses since the pulse-density can only take a positive value and thus express only one variable. Accordingly, it is necessary for each pulse-density neural network compatible with both the excitatory and inhibitory synapses to individually process two variables so as to generate an output signal defined by the following equation (11). EQU Y.sub.j =f{X.sub.i+, X.sub.i- } (11)
Incidentally, U. Hirai has disclosed a new pulse-density neural network in NIKKEI MICRODEVICES JULY, 1988, pp. 72-75, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 1-244567, in which an updown counter is used to calculate "net.sub.j " for two variables. However, Hirai's neural network has a disadvantage in that the updown counter complicates the circuitry construction of the neural network.

Neural network and method for training the neural network


For a sanitary outlet piece (1), it is proposed to have at least two hose connection points (3, 4, 5), which are laterally offset to each other, formed on an inlet side (6) and are guided in the sanitary outlet piece (1) separate from one another from the inlet side (2) to an outlet side (6) of the sanitary outlet piece (1).

The invention relates to a sanitary outlet piece with an inlet side and an outlet side and with more than two, preferably at least three, hose connection points which are formed in a manner spaced apart from one another on the inlet side and are each guided to the outlet side. The invention is also concerned with a sanitary fitting which has a sanitary outlet piece of the type mentioned at the beginning. Furthermore, the present invention is also concerned with the use of an outlet piece mentioned at the beginning in a sanitary fitting of the aforementioned type.
Sanitary outlet pieces are known and are used in fitting outlets, i.e., for example, in the outflow-side ends of fittings, in order to provide a desired jet shape and/or a desired flow rate.
It is customary in this connection for the sanitary outlet piece to be supplied with an available amount of water which is subsequently shaped in the sanitary outlet piece to form the desired jet pattern.
DE 20 2006 004 399 U1 already discloses a fluid fitting with a sanitary outlet piece of the type mentioned at the beginning, which fluid fitting is determined as a multifunction fitting for dispensing a plurality of fluids. In order to transmit information about the property and/or the state of the removed fluid to the user, the previously known fluid fitting has a coloration device for coloring the dispensed fluid. The sanitary outlet piece used in the previously known fluid fitting has an inlet side and an outlet side and also more than two, preferably at least three, hose connection points which are formed in a manner spaced apart from one another on the inlet side and are each guided to the outlet side.
US 2003/0010721 A1 already discloses a sanitary outlet fitting, in which the water flowing through is removable at a water outlet. An adjustable and closable mixing device is integrated in the previously known outlet fitting. The water is guided by said mixing device to the water outlet via a hose line running in the interior of the outlet fitting.
EP 0872601 A1 already discloses a multifunction fitting which is intended for the optional removal of warm water, hot water and enriched water from one and the same water outlet. In the previously known outlet fitting, various lines are guided separately from one another for this purpose, the outflow-side line openings of which are provided in the water outlet of the sanitary outlet fitting.
WO 2007/113663 A2 discloses a comparable multifunction fitting, in which, by contrast, the line openings of the hose lines guided in the outlet fitting open in a common water outlet.

Sanitary outlet piece, sanitary fitting and use of an outlet piece


An endonuclease and its method of use for the detection of mutations in targeted polynucleotide sequences are provided, which facilitate the localization and identification of mutations, mismatches and genetic polymorphisms.

Several publications are referenced in this application by numerals in parenthesis in order to more fully describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. Full citations for these references are found at the end of the specification. The disclosure of each of these publications is incorporated by reference in the present specification.
The sequence of nucleotides within a gene can be mutationally altered or "mismatched" in any of several ways, the most frequent of which being base-pair substitutions, frame-shift mutations and deletions or insertions. These mutations can be induced by environmental factors, such as radiation and mutagenic chemicals; errors are also occasionally committed by DNA polymerases during replication. Many human disease states arise because fidelity of DNA replication is not maintained. Cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia and some cancers are caused by single base changes in the DNA resulting in the synthesis of aberrant or non-functional proteins.
The high growth rate of plants and the abundance of DNA intercalators in plants suggests an enhanced propensity for mismatch and frameshift lesions. Plants and fungi are known to possess an abundance of single-stranded specific nucleases that attack both DNA and RNA (9-14). Some of these, like the Nuclease .alpha. of Ustilago maydis, are suggested to take part in gene conversion during DNA recombination (15, 16). Of these nucleases, S1 nuclease from Aspergillus oryzue (17), and P1 nuclease from Penicillium citrinum (18), and Mung Bean Nuclease from the sprouts of Vigna radiata (19-22) are the best characterized. S1, P1 and the Mung Bean Nuclease are Zn proteins active mainly near pH 5.0 while Nuclease .alpha. is active at pH 8.0. The single strandedness property of DNA lesions appears to have been used by a plant enzyme, SP nuclease, for bulky adduct repair. The nuclease SP, purified from spinach, is a single-stranded DNase, an RNase, and able to incise DNA at TC.sub.6-4 dimers and cisplatin lesions, all at neutral pH (23, 24). It is not yet known whether SP can incise DNA at mismatches.
In Escherichia coli, lesions of base-substitution and unpaired DNA loops are repaired by a methylation-directed long patch repair system. The proteins in this multienzyme system include MutH, MutL and MutS (1, 2). This system is efficient, but the C/C lesion and DNA loops larger than 4 nucleotides are not repaired. The MutS and MutL proteins are conserved from bacteria to humans, and appear to be able to perform similar repair roles in higher organisms. For some of the lesions not well repaired by the MutS/MutL system, and for gene conversion where short-patch repair systems may be more desirable, other mismatch repair systems with novel capabilities are needed.
Currently, the most direct method for mutational analysis is DNA sequencing, however it is also the most labor intensive and expensive. It is usually not practical to sequence all potentially relevant regions of every experimental sample. Instead some type of preliminary screening method is commonly used to identify and target for sequencing only those samples that contain mutations. Single stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) is a widely used screening method based on mobility differences between single-stranded wild type and mutant sequences on native polyacrylamide gels. Other methods are based on mobility differences in wild type/mutant heteroduplexes (compared to control homoduplexes) on native gels (heteroduplex analysis) or denaturing gels (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis). While sample preparation is relatively easy in these assays, very exacting conditions for electrophoresis are required to generate the often subtle mobility differences that form the basis for identifying the targets that contain mutations. Another critical parameter is the size of the target region being screened. In general, SSCP is used to screen target regions no longer than about 200-300 bases. The reliability of SSCP for detecting single-base mutations is somewhat uncertain but is probably in the 70-90% range for targets less than 200 bases. As the size of the target region increases, the detection rate declines, for example in one study from 87% for 183 bp targets to 57% for targets 307 bp in length (35). The ability to screen longer regions in a single step would enhance the utility of any mutation screening method.
Another type of screening technique currently in use is based on cleavage of unpaired bases in heteroduplexes formed between wild type probes hybridized to experimental targets containing point mutations. The cleavage products are also analyzed by gel electrophoresis, as subfragments generated by cleavage of the probe at a mismatch generally differ significantly in size from full length, uncleaved probe and are easily detected with a standard gel system. Mismatch cleavage has been effected either chemically (osmium tetroxide, hydroxylamine) or with a less toxic, enzymatic alternative, using RNase A. The RNase A cleavage assay has also been used, although much less frequently, to screen for mutations in endogenous mRNA targets for detecting mutations in DNA targets amplified by PCR. A mutation detection rate of over 50% was reported for the original RNase screening method (36).
A newer method to detect mutations in DNA relies on DNA ligase which covalently joins two adjacent oligonucleotides which are hybridized on a complementary target nucleic acid. The mismatch must occur at the site of ligation. As with other methods that rely on oligonucleotides, salt concentration and temperature at hybridization are crucial. Another consideration is the amount of enzyme added relative to the DNA concentration.
The methods mentioned above cannot reliably detect a base change in a nucleic acid which is contaminated with more than 80% of a background nucleic acid, such as normal or wild type sequences. Contamination problems are significant in cancer detection wherein a malignant cell, in circulation for example, is present in extremely low amounts. The methods now in use lack adequate sensitivity to be practically applied in the clinical setting.
A method for the detection of gene mutations with mismatch repair enzymes has been described by Lu-Chang and Hsu. See WO 93/20233. The product of the MutY gene which recognizes mispaired A/G residues is employed in conjunction with another enzyme described in the reference as an "all type enzyme" which can nick at all base pair mismatches. The enzyme does not detect insertions and deletions. Also, the all type enzyme recognizes different mismatches with differing efficiencies and its activity can be adversely affected by flanking DNA sequences. This method therefore relies on a cocktail of mismatch repair enzymes and DNA glycosylases to detect the variety of mutations that can occur in a given DNA molecule.
Often, in the clinical setting, the nature of the mutation or mismatch is unknown so that the use of specific DNA glycosylases is precluded. Thus, there is a need for a single enzyme system that is capable of recognizing all mismatches with equal efficiency and also detecting insertions and deletions, regardless of the flanking DNA sequences. It would be beneficial to have a sensitive and accurate assay for detecting single base pair mismatches which does not require a large amount of sample, does not require the use of toxic chemicals, is neither labor intensive nor expensive and is capable of detecting not only mismatches but deletions and insertions of DNA as well.
Such a system, coupled with a method that would facilitate the identification of the location of the mutation in a given DNA molecule would be clearly advantageous for genetic screening applications. It is the purpose of the present invention to provide this novel mutation detection system.

Mismatch endonuclease and its use in identifying mutations in targeted polynucleotide strands


The present invention broadly comprises a method for controlling engine speed, engine torque, and torque converter output including the steps of applying engine torque to a torque converter and modulating the transferring of the torque to a pump for the torque converter. In some aspects, the torque converter further comprises a pump clutch and the method applies torque to the pump clutch and controllably slips the pump clutch. In some aspects, the method supplies engine torque from an engine with a turbocharger and controllably slips the pump clutch to increase speed and torque for the engine during a launch event for the vehicle or determines a parameter regarding operation of the vehicle and controllably slips the pump clutch responsive to the parameter. The present invention also comprises a method for controlling torque converter output by connecting a clutch between an engine and a torque converter and controllably slipping the clutch.

Turbochargers are used in vehicle engines to increase the power output of the engine without increasing the size of the engine, specifically, the cylinder displacement. That is, a turbocharger can significantly improve the power-to-weight ratio for the engine. A turbocharger uses the exhaust flow from the engine to spin a turbine, which in turn spins an air pump. The turbine in the turbocharger spins at speeds of up to 150,000 rotations per minute. Power increases of 30 to 40 percent are typical for turbocharged engines.
Unfortunately, turbochargers do not provide an immediate power boost during a launch event. A time period, typically measured in seconds or fractions of seconds is needed for the turbine to reach the speeds necessary to produce the desired boost. This phenomenon, known as "turbo-lag," results in a hesitation at the start of a launch event. It is known to decrease turbo-lag by reducing the inertia of the rotating parts in the turbocharger, mainly by reducing the weight of the parts. This weight reduction enables the turbine and compressor to accelerate more quickly, and start providing boost earlier. Inertia can be reduced by reducing the size of the turbocharger. Unfortunately, a smaller turbocharger may not be able to provide adequate boost at higher engine speeds. Also, a smaller turbocharger may rotate at excessive speeds.
For turbocharger engines in vehicles with torque converters, it is known to use a "loose" torque converter. This arrangement allows the engine to attain higher speeds during the launch event, decreasing the time necessary for the turbocharger to reach the desired speed. Unfortunately, this configuration results in a decrease in fuel economy across the entire operating range of the torque converter.
Thus, there is a long-felt need for a means to reduce turbo-lag without compromising fuel economy or the performance of the turbocharger.

Method and system for controlling engine speed, engine torque and output from a torque converter


Upon receiving (101) a vocoded voice frame and detecting (102) that the received vocoded voice frame comprises an erased frame, one automatically replaces (103) the erased frame with a valid frame having at least one error condition. In a preferred approach this error condition is one that is known to cause a receiving target platform to invoke a corresponding erasure process with respect to the valid frame when received.

Communication systems of various kinds are known in the art. Many such systems support the conveyance of speech. In its natural or fully digitized form speech can consume a considerable amount of bandwidth. A strong needs exists, however, to limit bandwidth usage in many communication systems to thereby permit supporting a large user base. Vocoding techniques are often employed to meet these concurrent but sometimes opposing needs.
Various forms of vocoding are known. In general, digitized speech is analyzed and then characterized by representative parameters. These parameters are usable to effect reconstruction of the original speech content and typically require considerably less bandwidth to effect their conveyance.
It is also known that vocoding information can be damaged during transit. Wireless communication systems are particularly susceptible to such phenomena. Because speech transmissions are often real time sessions there will usually not be sufficient time to permit a damaged parcel of vocoding information to be replaced. Accordingly, many modern vocoding systems will recognize when a given frame of vocoded voice has been damaged or otherwise sufficiently corrupted during transit (to a point where the vocoder information cannot be reliably decoded) and can categorize such a frame as being "erased." Upon recognizing that a given vocoded voice frame is erased, any of a variety of techniques (such as interpolation, insertion of noise, and so forth) can be employed to at least attempt to minimize the impact of the lost information.
Unfortunately, not all systems can reliably ascertain the existence of an erased frame of vocoder information. More particularly, not all mobile stations may be configured to reliably detect when a given received vocoder frame is, in fact, erased. Problems such as this can arise, for example, as system protocols advance with time and legacy user equipment fails to remain completely current with all operating protocols.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will further be appreciated that certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the arts will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.

Method and apparatus to facilitate vocoder erasure processing


A media management module maintains and uses device profile data stored on a computer-readable medium. The device profile data includes, for each of at least one device in a user premise, a respective first data element to indicate whether a device is to remain in or be removable from the user premise, and a respective second data element to indicate whether a memory associated with the device is resident or removable from the device.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to pooling available memory resources on disparate consumer electronics devices for purposes of sharing same.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the widespread adoption of broadband networks, various consumer electronics devices that support network connectivity are being marketed. Examples of such devices include personal computers, hi-fi stereo shelf units and personal video recording (PVR) devices with Ethernet connections, and portable devices such as MP3 players that connect to a network via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) to retrieve music files over the network. Also available are DVD players with built-in Ethernet connections that facilitate the retrieval of video files over the Internet. The players decode the retrieved video files for viewing on a television set.
Some network-enabled devices, from DVD players to refrigerators, are capable of being accessed remotely via the Internet. Many of these devices are designed to store and play media files, e.g. a personal video recorder is to play video files and an MP3 player is to play music or audio files. As memory prices decline, these devices are being made capable of housing increasing amounts of internal storage.
Consumer product manufacturers are hopeful that users will take advantage of home networking to share media in their homes. For example, Philips hi-fi stereo products support the ability to play media from a home personal computer running special software to manage the storage and play lists of digital music.
Manufacturers of large storage systems are moving to create systems that adopt a virtual storage paradigm. A goal is to have vendor storage products interoperate and be interchangeable for enterprises supporting multi-terabyte databases. The Storage Network Industry Association, whose Internet address is http://www.snia.org, is sponsoring a specification called Bluefin as a storage management standard.

Apparatus and method for aggregating disparate storage on consumer electronics devices