A method and apparatus for improving the operation of a computer processor by utilizing an asymmetric clustered processor architecture are disclosed. The asymmetric clustered processor apparatus includes a narrow cluster, a wide cluster, a steering logic utilizing a cluster predictor for providing a decoded instruction to either the narrow cluster or the wide cluster; address registers which are not part of the ISA, and a translation look-aside buffer for translating the virtual address of a load/store instruction in parallel with an execute stage. The method includes the steps of: predictably steering the instruction to either a W-bit Wide integer cluster or an N-bit Narrow integer cluster, managing the Address register file, and processing any instruction in the Wide integer cluster but processing only N-bit instructions in the Narrow integer cluster.

The present invention generally relates to computer systems and, more specifically, to an asymmetric clustered processor architecture.
Most conventional clustered processor architectures are symmetric systems. It is known that the scalability of a high-performance processor architecture has been limited in new system designs by various factors, including increasing clock frequencies, issue widths, and greater wire delays. In addition, many high-performance processor families have extended their Instruction Set Architecture (ISA), or have introduced new ones, to handle 64-bit integers, which further exacerbates the above design factors.
Clustering is generally viewed as a possible solution to these problems. Clustered processors have many advantages, including improved implementation and scalability, reduced power consumption and potentially faster clock speed. However, a design difficulty is encountered in assigning instructions to clusters so as to minimize the effect of inter-cluster communication latency.
There is shown in FIG. 1 a functional diagram of a conventional 64-bit clustered processor organization 10 with a 4-wide issue width and two integer clusters sharing a front end and a data cache. The conventional 64-bit clustered processor organization 10 may include a first conventional 64-bit integer cluster 11 and an essentially identical second conventional 64-bit integer cluster 21. A first 64-bit register file 13 in the first conventional 64-bit integer cluster 11 may be replicated in a second 64-bit register file 23 in the second conventional 64-bit integer cluster 21. Each "write" is sent to both a local register file and to a remote register file, with posting to the remote register file at least one clock cycle later than the posting to the local register file. The term "64-bit," as used herein, refers to the size of the operand of an instruction as generally understood in the relevant art.
The first conventional 64-bit integer cluster 11 may also include a first instruction queue 15, with a first pair of 64-bit arithmetic logic units (ALUs) 17 and 19, to provide a combined issue width of two integer instructions. Similarly, the second conventional 64-bit integer cluster 21 may also include a second instruction queue 25, and a second pair of 64-bit ALUs 27 and 29, for an issue width of an additional two integer instructions.
Operation of the conventional 64-bit clustered processor organization 10 may be described with additional reference to a baseline pipeline 30, shown in FIG. 2. An Instruction Fetch stage 31 may be executed by an instruction cache 61. The fetched instruction may move to a decode logic 63 for decoding at a Decode stage 33, and may be assigned physical registers via a rename logic 65 at a subsequent Rename stage 35. The fetched instruction may then enter either the first conventional 64-bit integer cluster 11 or the second conventional 64-bit integer cluster 13, in accordance with the steering.
Steering may be performed by a steering logic 67 after register renaming performed by the rename logic 65. The fetched instruction may pass through a first Queue stage 39 and a second Queue stage 41 to issue, followed by the Issue stage 43, from either the first instruction queue 15 or the second instruction queue 25. If the fetched instruction issues from the first instruction queue 15, the first 64-bit register file 13 receives the fetched instruction, at the Register File Read stage 45. Alternatively, if the fetched instruction issues from the second instruction queue 25, the second 64-bit register file 23 receives the fetched instruction, at the Register File Read stage 45.
For example, if a fetch instruction has been sent to the second register file 23, an instruction may proceed to either the 64-bit ALU 27 or the 64-bit ALU 29, at an Execute stage 47. The following Memory I stage 49, Memory II stage 51, and Write-Back stage 53, function largely as generally understood in the relevant art except for address translation in the Narrow cluster and for testing result value type. A Commit stage 55 functions as generally understood in the relevant art.
As can be appreciated, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for accommodating the increasing clock frequencies, mitigating wire delays, and addressing the problem of issue widths in the past processor architecture designs.

Prediction based instruction steering to wide or narrow integer cluster and narrow address generation

The Regents of the University of California


On an optical ring network side, an optical ring transmission apparatus is provided with a first ring-side TDM device and a separately implemented first packet ring device, on a first ring side. On a client network side, the apparatus is provided with a first client-side TDM device and a first packet transceiver, which are implemented separately from the devices on the optical ring network side. The devices on the client network side can be connected to the devices on the optical ring network side through a switch section including a packet switch and a TDM switch. Further, the apparatus has a dual configuration with the provision of devices that pair up with the above-mentioned devices, such as a second packet ring device. The flexibility can be ensured by the redundant configuration and the independent implementation of the devices as described above.

1. Field of the Invention
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-288935, filed on Oct. 24, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
The present invention relates to a ring transmission apparatus and a signal processing method used in a packet ring network such as an optical ring network or the like, which transmits various types of data by using packets. Particularly, the present invention relates to a ring transmission apparatus and a signal processing method that deal with both real-time data such as voice and other types of data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, there is an increasing demand to construct packet networks that transmit packets to a network, such as an Ethernet™ network, with high liability. On this demand, attention has been given to packet ring networks, which can maintain communications even when a failure occurs, without loss of packets. With such a technical background, an optical ring transmission apparatus is proposed that is mounted with a single packet ring device for connecting to a ring network (see, for example, International Publication No. WO2003/015351). If such an optical ring transmission apparatus adopts a redundant configuration using two packet ring devices, a packet network with higher reliability than conventional ones can be realized. A schematic example of such an apparatus adopting a redundant configuration can be considered as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an optical ring transmission apparatus connected to a ring network. This optical ring transmission apparatus 101 includes a packet ring device 102 incorporating a time-division-multiplex (TDM) switch section 103 and a packet switch section 104, and a packet ring device 105 incorporating a TDM switch section 106 and a packet switch section 107. The TDM switch section 103 is configured to transmit and receive data to/from a first ring 108 of a ring network 110, and the TDM switch section 106 is configured to transmit and receive data to/from a second ring 109 of the ring network 110.
The TDM switch sections 103 and 106 are also connected to a TDM switch 111 and are further connected to the packet switch sections 104 and 107, respectively. The packet switch section (104, 107) is connected to a packet switch 112 to perform multiplexing of packets into a virtual container and demultiplexing of a virtual container into packets. The TDM switch section (103, 106) multiplexes virtual containers received from the packet switch section (104, 107) and the TDM switch 111 into a multiplex signal and demultiplexes a multiplex signal received from the optical ring network 110 into virtual containers forwarded to the packet switch section (104, 107) and virtual containers forwarded to the TDM switch 111. A client network (not shown) is connected to the optical ring network 110 through the optical ring transmission apparatus 101.
In the optical ring transmission apparatus 101 as described above, the TDM switch section 103 and the packet switch section 104 are implemented in parallel in the packet ring device 102 in order to accommodate TDM traffic and packet traffic efficiently. Similarly, the TDM switch section 106 and the packet switch section 107 are implemented in parallel in the packet ring device 105. Packet traffic input from the client network is forwarded to a selected one of the packet switch sections 104 and 107 by the packet switch 112, where packets are processed directly to produce a virtual container. On the other hand, TDM traffic of virtual containers received from the client network is forwarded as it is to a selected one of the TDM switch sections 103 and 106 by the TDM switch 111.
The TDM switch section 103 multiplexes TDM traffic received from the TDM switch 111 and packet-traffic virtual containers received from the packet switch section 104 to produce a multiplex signal, which is further multiplexed by a TDM interface (not shown) into a TDM frame corresponding to the transport band of the ring network 110, and then sent out to the first ring 108. As for the packet ring device 105, the same signal processing is performed.
As described above, the optical ring transmission apparatus 101 can efficiently multiplex TDM traffic and packet traffic and output them onto the ring network 106. Therefore, not only a packet routing function and a TDM framing function are realized, but the TDM switch section (103, 106) and a TDM interface circuit are also implemented.
According to the optical ring transmission apparatus having the redundant configuration as shown in FIG. 1, even if a failure occurs in one of the packet ring devices 103 and 106, communication can be maintained by using the other ring device suffering no failure. Accordingly, it is possible to construct a network that is more reliable than the apparatus disclosed in the above-mentioned document (International Publication No. WO2003/015351). In addition, by adopting such a configuration, it is possible that the traffic input from the client network can be handled by any one of the packet ring devices. Therefore, this optical ring transmission apparatus can be applied not only to connection to a single-ring network but also connection to a multi-ring network or stackable ring network.
However, the TDM switch section and the TDM interface are conventionally implemented in a fixed manner inside the first packet ring device 102 and the second packet ring device 105. Accordingly, the transport band and transmission distance of the packet ring device are determined depending on the TDM switch section and the TDM interface, resulting in a problem that the optical ring transmission apparatus 101 lacks extensibility and flexibility.
Moreover, according to the conventional ring transmission apparatus shown in the above-mentioned document (International Publication No. WO2003/015351), the TDM switch, which processes voice traffic, and the rouging module, which processes data packet traffic, are implemented on a switch card that is a single package. Therefore, according to such a conventional system, the routing module, which processes packets, is implemented on the same switch card that has another switching function. Accordingly, this configuration also lacks the extensibility of the routing module and cannot adapt to a future update.
Here, the transport band means the transmission capacity that an optical ring transmission apparatus can transmit to the optical ring network or the transmission capacity that the optical ring transmission apparatus can receive from the optical ring network. An interface used in transmission of an optical signal generally has a fixed transmission capacity, and transmission/reception cannot be performed with a transmission capacity different from the fixed one. For example, 2.4 Gbps (gigabits per second) or 10 Gbps is used for the interface. In the case of an optical-signal interface, the properties of a received signal are degraded in proportion to the propagation distance depending on the wavelength range and dispersion characteristic of a light source employed. Such signal degradation also causes other restrictions.
To overcome such problems, it is necessary to provide a set of packet ring devices for each one of various transport bands and distances. This makes it difficult to reduce the cost of the optical ring transmission apparatus 101. Moreover, for the TDM switch sections 103 and 106, it is necessary to use those capable of multiplexing traffic, which increases the costs of the first and second packet ring devices 102 and 105.

Ring transmission apparatus and signal processing method


Systems and methods are provided herein that generally involve measuring a prostate or other object. In some embodiments, a membrane can be sealed over a digit extension to form a closed volume. The closed volume can be inflated via an inflation tube, and a reference pattern can be disposed within the closed volume along with a measurement assembly. In use, a user can put on the glove, position the membrane in proximity to a rectal wall overlying a prostate, and inflate the membrane. As the user slides their finger across the rectal wall, optical fibers in the measurement assembly can move relative to a reference pattern, and a controller can sense light reflected through the fibers from the reference pattern. The controller can calculate or estimate various attributes of the prostate based on the reflected light, such as the palpable surface width or volume.

Prostate problems are widespread in the male population, especially the older male population. In particular, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer are common in men over 50 years of age. Indeed, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men in the United States. Each year, there are more than 200,000 new cases and more than 30,000 deaths. However, if prostate cancer is detected early and treated effectively, the chance of survival improves significantly. Unfortunately, conventional methods for detecting prostate problems are wanting as many early stage cancers go undetected.
While ultrasound systems have been developed to diagnose prostate problems, such systems are very expensive. Most ultrasound imaging is performed by radiologists at an outside facility, or at the practitioner's office on a contract basis with a portable ultrasound unit. The technology and interpretation is difficult to master, requiring a time-consuming learning curve. Consequently, no routine examining system or technique exists which provides a high degree of accuracy in measuring prostate volume, nor is the required repeatability of results achieved.
Thus, the digital rectal examination continues to be the modality of choice for monitoring the prostate even though the process is very subjective. The standard exam is done by inserting a finger into the rectum and palpating or feeling the palpable surface of the prostate. The physical characteristics of the prostate size, contour, consistency, symmetry, and the presence or absence of nodularity, are assessed and recorded by attempting to translate the physician's subjective impressions into a written record. This method of data collection is inexact and makes comparisons from exam to exam very difficult.
Exemplary methods and devices for measuring the prostate are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,309,319, entitled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PALPABLE SURFACE OF THE PROSTATE," U.S. Publication No. 2009/0069721, entitled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PALPABLE SURFACE OF THE PROSTATE," and U.S. Publication No. 2011/0172563, entitled "APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MEASURING THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PALPABLE SURFACE OF THE PROSTATE," the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Controller for measuring prostate volume


In a variable intake apparatus for a V-type internal combustion engine, each of plural intake pipes is separated from a surge tank by a partition wall, and communication ports, provided in the partition wall for the respective intake pipes, are opened and closed by respective variable intake valves to adjust length of intake passages. The variable intake valves in one of two parallel rows are offset from the variable intake valves in the other row. The variable intake valves are opened and closed by turning the turning shafts to which the variable intake valves are connected. Further, a synchronization mechanism synchronously turns the turning shafts (5a; 5b), and is connected between the paired turning shafts. The turning motion of one turning shaft is transmitted to the other turning shaft via the synchronization mechanism, and the variable intake valves are synchronously opened and closed.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a variable intake apparatus for a V-type internal combustion engine, such as a V-eight engine. More specifically, the invention relates to an arrangement of a plurality of valves provided in a variable intake apparatus and a drive mechanism thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a variable intake apparatus for a V-type internal combustion engine in which each of intake pipes is separated from a surge tank by a partition wall is provided. In the variable intake apparatus, communication ports are provided in the partition wall for the respective intake pipes, and opened and closed by respective variable intake valves to adjust the length of intake passages.
For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-9969 describes a technology with respect to such a variable intake apparatus in which a plurality of variable intake valves are arranged in one row, and integrally connected to a single turning shaft. In the variable intake apparatus, the turning shaft is turned by an actuator such that the variable intake valves synchronously open and close the respective communication ports.
However, in the above-described variable intake apparatus, the variable intake valves are arranged in one row, and therefore the length of the variable intake apparatus in the direction in which the variable intake valves are arranged may need to be long enough to accommodate the required number of the variable intake valves. This may increase the size of the variable intake apparatus.
Moreover, if all the variable intake valves are arranged in one row, there is a restriction on the diameter of each valve. Due to this restriction, the requirement for the valve diameter to achieve the desired performance may not be satisfied.

Variable intake apparatus for V-type internal combustion engine


Apparatus for detecting working fluid state in a heat transfer system of the type having an evaporator and an expansion valve for controlling mass flow of the working fluid to the evaporator, comprises a first sensor disposed in the working fluid on the outlet side of the evaporator; the first sensor producing a first signal related to the working fluid state; a second sensor disposed in the working fluid on the inlet side of the evaporator; the second sensor producing a second signal related to a pressure dependent characteristic of the working fluid; and a control circuit for receiving the first and second signals and determining the working fluid state based on a ratio of the first and second signals.

This application is related to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,289,692, 5,477,701 and 5,522,231; the entire disclosures of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. These patents are referred to herein collectively as the Low Side patents.
The invention relates generally to heat transfer and refrigeration control systems. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for detecting characteristics and for controlling mass flow of the working fluid in such systems.
The basic building blocks of all refrigeration and heat transfer systems are well known and include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion means and an evaporator, all of which are connected in a fluid circuit having a working fluid such as halogen containing working fluids such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and so forth. In an automotive or truck air conditioning system, for example, the working fluid or refrigerant is typically in heat exchange with the vehicle compartment ambient air by means of the evaporator. The liquid refrigerant turns to gas as it passes through the evaporator or endothermic heat exchanger thus absorbing heat from the ambient air. The working fluid leaving the evaporator, preferably is in an all gaseous state, and is drawn into the compressor through a suction line. The compressor increases the gas pressure and the gas then passes through the condenser or exothermic heat exchanger where it is cooled back to a liquid state but is still under high pressure. The liquid high pressure working fluid is then passed through the expansion means, such as an expansion valve, wherein the fluid pressure is adiabatically decreased prior to re-entering the evaporator.
Over the years, many different types of control mechanisms and monitoring devices have been used to regulate the operation of heat transfer or refrigeration systems. One of the more important functions required of a heat transfer control system is to monitor and control the low pressure state of the working fluid in the suction line near the outlet of the evaporator or at the inlet to the compressor. Usually, the systems are designed to operate with the working fluid in a superheated state at the outlet of the evaporator. This is important for many reasons, particularly to maximize cooling from the working fluid flow, and to protect the compressor from receiving liquid working fluid and/or a loss of lubricant.
A known technique for controlling the working fluid state is to maintain a minimum superheat state in the vaporous working fluid exiting the evaporator. The superheat is usually maintained in the range of 5 to 10 degrees fahrenheit. In some systems, the superheat is regulated by monitoring the evaporator inlet and outlet temperatures of the working fluid and controlling the flow with the expansion valve so that the temperature difference is near a preset value or range. Other approaches include the use of pressure and temperature sensors on the outlet side of the evaporator to measure the actual temperature and pressure characteristics of the working fluid based on the thermodynamic properties of the working fluid. Still another approach is the use of charged bulb sensors. From a heat transfer efficiency standpoint, it is desirable, of course, to maintain a low superheat which is difficult with the aforementioned sensors and controls.
Although these known approaches for regulating superheat can work, they tend to exhibit inaccurate control. One reason is that in the evaporator the liquid and gas phases are not in thermal equilibrium. The droplets of gas are boiling because heat is being transferred to the droplets from the gas phase. In order for this to take place, the gas must be hotter than the liquid, which makes conventional superheat measurement difficult.
Some heat transfer systems are designed to operate "wet", in other words with an expected quality less than 100% at the evaporator outlet. Known apparatus for detecting working fluid conditions and states such as percent quality and superheat typically operate best under one of these states or the other, but not both. For example, a quality detector that is sensitive to liquid droplets in the working fluid may not operate accurately to detect superheat conditions. Detectors that operate to measure superheat may not operate accurately to detect working fluid states in which the quality is less than 100%.
Another significant problem with low superheat control systems is that pressure drop of the working fluid through the evaporator can change over a large range, particularly for heat transfer systems that operate under varying loads and other dynamic operating conditions. Substantial pressure changes reduce the effectiveness of conventional superheat based control systems. Therefore, superheat as measured by temperature differentials across the evaporator is a poor control mechanism for regulating the state of the working fluid at the outlet of the evaporator in dynamic systems that exhibit significant changes in evaporator pressure.
The apparatus and methods, for detecting and controlling quality in a working fluid, that are described in the above-incorporated Low Side patents, may not always provide adequate control when systems operate with the working fluid in higher superheated states, such as, for example, greater than 5.degree. F. For example, a quality sensor that is used for determining thermal conductance between the sensor and the working fluid droplets is not always effective under higher superheat conditions because of the relative absence of liquid droplets in the working fluid at the sensor. It has also been found that a self-heated thermistor, when used as a quality sensor, produces readings that are dependent on the thermal load conditions of the evaporator. Although the Low Side sensor techniques in the referenced patents are useful in many applications, it is desired to improve the effectiveness of such sensors under conditions of higher superheat and/or substantial load variations.
Accordingly, the objectives exist for economical, reliable and accurate apparatus and methods for detecting state characteristics of a working fluid in a heat transfer system, particularly as those characteristics relate to detecting and controlling quality and superheat states of the working fluid on the outlet side of the evaporator.

Apparatus and method for mass flow control of a working fluid


A self defense tool comprising a generally S-shaped tool having at one end thereof a ring portion for finger placement. The handle portion is used for holding the S-shaped tool and the handle portion is located between the ring portion and a blade portion. The blade portion has a tip portion at an opposite end of the S-shaped tool, which is used to apply pressure to specific areas of a person's body. The blade portion further comprises an inside curve portion near said handle portion for trapping and hooking capabilities. The tool can be in a solid form or in a foldable version such as a folding knife. Additional embodiments include LED strobe and/or steady-on lights and shock voltage capabilities and an automatic blade release trigger and locking mechanism.

A tool for providing self-defense or means for controlling an attacker is a valuable asset in a culture where violence is common. In addition, law enforcement personnel needs tools that will enable them to control a suspect who may be violent in a non-lethal or less than lethal manner. What is needed is a tool that provides the above non-lethal control and/or protection from attackers that is easy to use and can be used with a minimal amount of strength form the user but the force can be incremented depending on the users skill level. When circumstances warrant, what is needed is a lethal self-defense tool as well.

Lethal or non-lethal self-defense bladed tool


The invention is a highly efficient synthesis for making compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein: R.sup.1 is a six membered saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic ring containing one or two heteroatoms wherein the heteroatoms are N; or NR.sup.6, wherein R.sup.6 is H or C.sub.1-10 alkyl;. m is an integer from two to six; and PA0 R.sup.4 is aryl, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, or C.sub.4-10 aralkyl.

European Publication 478 363 describes fibrinogen receptor antagonists which can be prepared according to the procedure of the present invention. According to the procedure described in EP 478 363, the compound: ##STR2## is prepared according to an 11-step procedure involving the formation of potentially hazardous NaH/DMF for ether formation, which required a chromatographic purification.
Zenitz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,586 and Singerman et al., J. Heterocyclic Chem. (1966), 3, 74, describe a procedure for preparing 4-(4-pyridinyl)butanol.
Beumel et al., Synthesis (1974), 43; Screttas et al., Chimia (1970), 109; and Osuch et al., Chimia (1956), 1723, describe a procedure for metallation of 4-picoline.
Barlos et al., Liebigs. Ann. Chem. (1986), 1407 describe Mitsunobu alkylation of tyrosine derivatives.

Process for preparing fibrinogen receptor antagonists


A weather barrier is provided for a frangible element such as a window having an outer perimeter, the frame including a plurality of struts defining a converging end and a diverging end of the frame, the diverging end having a given periphery, a plurality of brackets disposed about the outer perimeter of the frangible element, the diverging end of the frame engageable with the brackets to space the converging end spaced from the window, the given periphery of the diverging end corresponding to the outer perimeter of the window, and a flexible material encapsulating the frame to define an enclosed volume.

Severe weather such as tropical storms, hail, tornadoes, wildfires, and hurricanes has recently destroyed thousands of businesses and homes. Hurricanes are particularly problematic as multiple storms develop each season, and the torrential rains and heavy winds of each storm launch windborne objects that damage homes, vehicles and other property. According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance companies paid approximately $40.6 billion from damage cause by Hurricane Katrina of August 2005 alone. Further, over three million claims were made in 2005 for personal property loss, which excludes vehicles.
Since these types of natural disasters occur repeatedly, insurance companies in states prone to severe weather are unsuccessful in maintaining a profit and being self-sustaining. Therefore, property owners suffer catastrophic losses which cannot be fully recovered from insurance companies. Thus, it is most desirable to protect personal and real property from damage during severe weather.
The conventional method for protecting personal and real property in severe weather is to cover the property with a tarp and to place plywood over windows, doors and other openings. While this method is inexpensive, it is also ineffective. Frangible openings in buildings, such as windows and doors usually succumb to the force of hurricanes wherein the glass cracks, break or even burst from windborne debris and changes in air pressure.
What is needed then is a method and apparatus for temporarily encapsulating a frangible element in an opening in a building so as to protect the building from severe weather.
It would, therefore, be desirable to provide a weather protection device that overcomes the aforesaid and other disadvantages.

Weather protection barrier for a frangible opening of a building


A linear vibration motor includes a fixed portion, a movable portion, and a suspension portion; the fixed portion further includes an outer frame, a coil set, a conductive sheet set, a connecting circuit and a terminal; the movable portion includes a bracket, a primary magnet set, at least a secondary magnet set; the suspension portion includes a pair of elastic members connected to the fixed portion and the movable portion, and provides a restoring force when the movable portion is displaced; the coil set and the primary magnet set provide a driving force to drive the movable portion to generate vibration; the conductive sheet set and the secondary magnet set provide damping when the movable portion moves.

The typical mobile devices and wearable devices must be equipped with a vibrating motor to provide a vibration as a tactile feedback when the user operates the device. Since the linear vibration motor can provide a variety of vibration modes, the linear vibration motor is currently the first choice for the configuration of mobile devices and wearable devices.
The linear vibration motor usually generates motion by driving a magnet carried by a movable portion through a driving coil of a fixed portion, and the movable portion is coupled to the fixed portion by an elastic mechanism; in other words, the elastic mechanism supports the movable portion and also provides a restoring force required when the movable portion is displaced to generate vibration.
However, since the mobile device may be affected by external force shaking, the movable portion of the linear vibration motor can also be shaken accordingly; when the extent of shaking is excessively large, the movable portion may hit the fixed portion to cause noise.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,358,633 B2 discloses the use of a magnetic fluid attached to the movable portion, wherein the magnetic fluid is the first to contact with the movable portion to reduce noise on impact. In addition, there is also a conventional linear vibration motor that coats the magnetic fluid between the driving coil and the magnet carried by the movable portion to provide resistance when the movable portion moves.


An electrically conductive substrate with a high heat conductivity has an aluminum plate having multiple holes. An isolation layer is formed on the aluminum plate and inner walls of the holes. Multiple electrically conductive materials are inserted in the holes. A circuit layer is formed on the aluminum plate, electrically connects to the electrically conductive materials and has a rough surface. A graphite layer is formed on the rough surface of the circuit layer. The electric components are respectively provided on the holes, and the heat generated by the electric components is dissipated effectively by the aluminum plate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrically conductive substrate, and more particularly to an electrically conductive substrate with high heat conductivity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a PCB substrate is used for electrical components to electrically connect to each other. However, conventional PCB substrates have low heat conductivity. Because electric components generate much heat or because the conventional PCB substrate is used in a closed environment such as inside a notebook computer, heat does not dissipate easily. Therefore, the electric components are damaged easily.
A conventional high-power light emitting Diode (LED) is one electric component that generates very much heat.
With the development of the LED, the LED can provide different colors of lights, namely, red, yellow, green, blue or white light. With the improvement of light intensity in the LED, the LED is gradually replacing traditional lighting.
To obtain a desired lighting effect, different LEDs are connected together and mounted on a conventional PCB substrate to efficiently provide the desired illumination.
However, LEDs generating high heat mounted on the conventional low heat conductive PCB substrate increase the chance of damage.
Therefore, the invention provides an electrically conductive substrate with high heat conductivity to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Electrically conductive substrate with high heat conductivity


Data processors, each comprising a distributed processing system, include means for executing checkpoint restart processing synchronously with each other. Each of the data processors erases old checkpoint data when it can execute restart processing based on new checkpoint data. When one of the data processors cannot execute the restart processing based on the new checkpoint data, the other of the data processors executes the restart processing based on the old checkpoint data synchronously with the one of the data processors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to checkpoint restart facilities installed in each of a number of data processors which are interconnected to form a distributed processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A distributed processing system is a system in which a plurality of data processors are interconnected by communication lines so that data transmission and reception can occur among the data processors. With such a system, the data processors can share data and execute distributed processing of an application program.
In a data processing system, checkpoint restart facilities are well known in which, when a system failure occurs in the system, processing is allowed to continue from the last checkpoint of a program which has normally been executed before the system failure occurs. The facilities save information (i.e., checkpoint data) necessary to restart the execution of a program from that point in the program execution at which the information is saved.
In the distributed processing system, each of the data processors has the checkpoint restart facilities and independently executes its checkpoint restart facilities to recover from a failure.
In the distributed processing system, however, with data transmission and reception performed between data processors, even if one of the data processors operates properly, a system failure may occur in another data processor. In such a case, the following problem will arise when each of the data processors independently performs the checkpoint restart facilities as described above. That is, with data transmitted from one data processor to another data processor, when a failure occurs in the former, it will execute the checkpoint restart facilities to continue processing from a point prior to occurrence of the failure. In this case, the latter which functions properly does not recognize that the restart facilities has been executed in the former and thus will not identify whether data transmitted from the former is data transmitted prior to occurrence of the failure or is fresh data. Therefore, a situation in which no data necessary for the current processing is transmitted to the latter may take place, and a malfunction may occur in data communication. This will lower the reliability of the distributed processing system.

Distributed processing system with checkpoint restart facilities wherein checkpoint data is updated only if all processors were able to collect new checkpoint data


An object of the present invention is to provide an EL element, which is with a problem of the EL layer deterioration caused at the time of forming a cathode layer on an EL layer resolved, and without the decline of the original functions; and a production method suitable for producing such an EL element. The object has been achieved by providing an EL element having a lamination structure with an anode layer, an EL layer, a charge transporting protection layer and a cathode layer formed in this order on a substrate, and by using a hole transporting material such as TPD for the charge transporting protection layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electroluminescence element.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since an electroluminescence (hereafter, it may be abbreviated as "EL") element having a light emitting layer interposed between a pair of electrodes for emitting a light beam by applying a voltage between the electrodes has a high brilliance among various display elements and a high response speed, it attracts the attention so as to promote its use in practice.
For the production of the EL element, a method of successively laminating an anode layer, an EL layer and a cathode layer onto a substrate is adopted. In actually forming the EL layer, various layers comprising the EL layer are successively laminated.
Among the above-mentioned layers, it is efficient to laminate by sputtering the electroconductive layers such as the anode layer and the cathode layer in terms of production. However, at the time of laminating the cathode layer, since the base is the EL layer, the EL layer performance may easily be deteriorated because the EL layer is exposed to sputtering particles having high energy or to the plasma atmosphere in the case plasma is used.
The material comprising the EL layer of the EL element is vulnerable to the physical or chemical environmental change and often generates the dark spots. To prevent permeation of the moisture content in the air, one of the cause to generate dark spots, the entire EL element may be covered with a protection film for shielding the moisture content (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2003-338368).
A method of avoiding introduction of the moisture content or the oxygen in the air to the cathode comprising an ITO, or the like by providing the cathode of the organic EL element comprising an electron injecting electrode layer (made of such as Mg, Ca, or Ba) and an amorphous transparent electroconductive layer (made of a In—Zn—O based oxide film) from the organic light emitting layer side has been proposed (JP-A No. 10-162959).
A method of successively laminating a first electrode, a sputtering protection layer and a second electrode on a substrate, in which the sputtering protection layer is made of gold, nickel or aluminum has also been proposed (JP-A No. 2003-77651).
A method of providing a cathode layer of the organic EL element in a two layer structure, in which an electron transporting protection layer is provided between the two layers as a layer of a mixture of an electron transporting organic material such as a BCP (bathocuproin) and Li, Cs, Ba, Sr, Ca, or the like as an alkaline metal or an alkaline earth metal has also been proposed (JP-A No. 2004-127740).
A cathode structure of an organic EL element containing a thin metal layer covered with a wide band gap semiconductor (such as ZnSe) to be directly contacted with an organic EL region has also been proposed (JP-A No. 10-223377).
Alternatively, the organic EL layer of an organic EL light emitting element that comprises a substrate, a cathode, an organic EL layer, and an upper transparent anode has been proposed. Here, the organic EL layer comprises an organic light emitting layer and a hole injecting layer, in which the hole injecting layer contacts with the upper transparent anode and has a 30 to 1,000 nm thickness (JP-A No. 2004-227943).
Furthermore, a buffer structure comprising a first buffer layer containing an alkaline halide and a second buffer layer containing a phthalocyanine formed between a light emitting layer and a sputtering cathode layer has been proposed (JP-A No. 2002-75658).
A buffer layer containing a phthalocyanine compound with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Au, Pt, Pd and Ag, and formed between an organic El layer and an upper electrode has also been proposed (JP-A No. 2004-296234).
Although JP-A No. 2003-338368 discloses that the cathode already laminated at the time of forming the protection film of a high melting point metal on the cathode (second electrode) provides a buffer so that the protection film can be formed by sputtering, any measure for solving the deterioration of the EL layer at the time of laminating the cathode is not shown.
In JP-A No. 10-162959, although the electron injecting electrode layer as the lower layer may produce the protection effect at the time of forming an amorphous transparent electroconductive film on the electron injecting electrode layer by sputtering, a problem of transmittance decline caused when a sufficient thickness to perform the protection effect is provided to the layer cannot be avoided.
JP-A No. 2003-77651 discloses an issue of solving the deterioration of the EL layer at the time of laminating the second electrode. However, it has been difficult to achieve both the necessary protection function and transparency because, in the case of using a metal, a thicker layer which is preferable in terms of the protection function adversely deteriorates the transparency.
In JP-A No. 2004-127740, the cathode layer has a three layer structure including the electron transporting protection layer, and a metal is mixed. Accordingly, a problem is involved in that the protection effect and the transmittance can hardly be achieved at the same time. Moreover, due to the introduction of the alkaline metal or the alkaline earth metal, stability of the electron transporting protection layer may be deteriorated.
As to JP-A No. 10-223377, transparency cannot be obtained sufficiently with a cathode structure comprising a wide band gap semiconductor such as ZnSe and a thin metal layer.
As to JP-A No. 2004-227943, although the hole injecting layer may perform the protection function at the time of forming the upper transparent electrode, the problem at the time of forming the cathode after the organic light emitting layer is not touched upon.
Furthermore, JP-A No. 2002-75658 discloses that the damage applied to the organic layer such as the light emitting layer at the time of sputtering the cathode can be reduced. However, a problem is involved in that the driving voltage is made higher if the film thickness of the second buffer layer containing a phthalocyanine is made thicker for improving the protection effect. Moreover, since the phthalocyanine absorbs a visible light beam (blue to green), a problem of the transmittance decline is also involved.
JP-A No. 2004-296234 discloses that the damage to the organic EL layer at the time of forming the upper electrode can be alleviated. Nonetheless, since the buffer layer contains a phthalocyanine compound and a metal is doped to the phthalocyanine compound, as in the above-mentioned case, a problem of the transmittance decline is also involved.


An implantable medical device is provided for isolating an elongated medical lead from internal device circuitry in the presence of a gradient magnetic or electrical field. The device includes an isolation circuit adapted to operatively connect an internal circuit to the medical lead in a first operative state and to electrically isolate the medical lead from the internal circuit in a second operative state.

Numerous types of implantable medical devices (IMDs), such as cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardiovertor defibrillators (ICDs), neurostimulators, operate to deliver electrical stimulation therapies to excitable body tissue via associated electrodes. The electrodes are disposed at a targeted therapy delivery site and are commonly coupled to the IMD via conductors extending through elongated leads. Patients implanted with such IMDs are generally contraindicated for undergoing MRI procedures. The gradient magnetic fields that may be applied during an MRI procedure can induce current on the elongated lead conductors, which can be large enough to cause undesired stimulation of the excitable tissue in contact with the electrode(s) carried by the lead. As the number of patients having IMDs continues to grow, it is desirable to provide IMD systems that allow patients to safely undergo MRI procedures.

Isolation circuitry and method for gradient field safety in an implantable medical device


A communications system is arranged to provide a service to user equipment in accordance with mobility management information. The system comprises a session protocol server (S-CSCF) operable to control the state of a communications session for at least one user equipment in accordance with user profile data, a subscriber information database (HSS) for providing the user profile data for the session protocol server (S-CSCF), and a mobility server. The mobility server comprises a mobility manager operable to receive mobile dependent evaluation reports providing an indication of a current state for communicating with the user equipment and to form the mobility management information based on the evaluation reports. The mobility server includes an application programmer's interface operable to communicate call control signalling data between the mobility manager and the session protocol server (S-CSCF). The mobility manager is operable to notify the application program providing the service to the user equipment of the mobility management information in response to a subscription for the information from the application program, the subscription being provided via the session protocol server (S-CSCF) using the call control signalling data. By integrating the mobility server within the system, mobility management information provided by the mobility server can be integrated with other services provided by the system. As such, mobile users deploying application programs within the system, which subscribe to the mobility server, can benefit from added value provided by established system components and re-using established interfaces.

The third generation partnership project known as 3GPP has developed and standardised an Internet Protocol Multimedia Sub-system (IMS) to provide a multi-media and call control service architecture. The service architecture is supported by a real-time capable Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) communicating data in the form of Internet Protocol (IP) packets. IMS provides a basis for service provision and development of new services and is envisioned as a standardised convergence platform, which enables integration of real time multi-media services with non-real time services and person-to-machine communications. In addition, IMS provides the ability to modify a media type, which is active during a multimedia session. For instance, video media can be added during a communications session which was originally established for an audio only communication.
Co-pending European Patent application number 02293276.8 discloses a mobility manager, which can initiate and direct hand-over execution of a mobile terminal from one access network to another, in accordance with information received from a network operator, the network itself and mobile terminals and a network policy provided by a policy enforcer. The mobility manager provides a facility for enabling a network operator to adapt a service being provided by an application program in accordance with a relative ability of an access network to which the mobile terminal is to be re-affiliated to support the service, before or after the re-affiliation has occurred. To this end, there is also disclosed a communication protocol between an application server and a mobility manager located in a core network of a mobile communications network.
WO 01/58177 discloses a method for controlling hand-over of a mobile terminal conducting a communications session in a mobile communications network. The method includes receiving a trigger indicating a requirement for hand-over, testing the conditions for hand-over with respect to a network policy for communicating and controlling the hand-over in accordance with the hand-over requirement with respect to the network communications policy.

Communication system, apparatus and method for providing mobility management information