A wireless communication method and apparatus for encoding and decoding beamforming vectors are disclosed. A base station sends explicit signaling for a beamforming vector of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and implicit signaling for beamforming vectors of interfering WTRUs. Each WTRU uses its own beam forming vector to estimate the beamforming vectors of each of the other WTRUs.

Many wireless communications systems contain a base station in two-way wireless communication with a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs). The base station may send signals containing beamforming vectors to each WTRU. The signal instructs the WTRU as to how to receive a radio beam formed by a base station having a specific beam shape for communicating between the WTRU and the base station. A goal of such beam forming is to optimize the overall performance of the system. One example of such optimization is the supporting of multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) communications and minimizing of interference when two or more WTRUs are transmitting simultaneously using the same frequency/time resources.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/052,842, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses that beamforming or precoding information needs to be communicated from a transmitter, (e.g., a base station), to a receiver, (e.g., a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU)), to avoid a channel mismatch between transmitting and receiving signals. This is particularly important for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) data demodulation when beamforming and precoding are used. When a receiver uses incorrect beamforming information for constructing effective channel responses for data detection, significant performance degradation can occur.
Generally, beamforming or precoding information may be communicated using explicit control signaling, particularly when the transmitter and receiver are restricted to the use of limited sets of antenna weight coefficients for beamforming and precoding. The limited sets of antenna weight coefficients are sometimes referred to as a beamforming or precoding codebook. Explicit signaling to communicate beamforming or precoding information from a transmitter to a receiver may incur large signaling overhead, particularly for MU-MIMO systems in which the desired beamforming information needs to be communicated to the WTRU. Furthermore, interference beamforming information may have to be communicated to the WTRU to enable advanced receiver processing, such as joint detection and interference cancellation. The signaling overhead increases when a large size codebook is deployed.
FIG. 1 shows a wireless communication system 100 including a base station 105 and a WTRU 110. The base station 105 may include a MIMO antenna 115 having a plurality of transmit antennas 116A, 115B, 115C and 115D. The WTRU 110 may also include a MIMO antenna 120 having a plurality of receive antennas 120A, 120B, 120C and 120D. The base station 105 communicates with the WTRU 110 by transmitting signals via resource blocks (RBs) 125 to the WTRU 110. Each of the RBs 125 has a particular RB structure that includes a plurality of resource elements (REs). In accordance with the particular RB structure, each RE may be reserved for one of the following:
1) a common reference signal (CRS) associated with one of the transmit antennas 116A, 115B, 115C and 115D of the base station 105;
2) a dedicated reference signal (DRS) including a single beamformed or precoded pilot;
3) a DRS including a composite beamformed or precoded pilot; and
4) a data symbol.
At least a portion of data symbols reserved by REs of the RBs 125 are "control type" data symbols that include a DRS mode indicator. Once decoded, the DRS mode indicator enables the WTRU 110 to properly detect/demodulate data symbols in the RBs 125 transmitted by the base station 105.
A hybrid DRS scheme in which REs are reserved for DRSs including a single beamformed or precoded pilot and/or a composite beamformed or precoded pilot is introduced, where a plurality (N) of DRSs per RB are used.
As introduced by co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/052,842, FIG. 2 shows an example of an RB structure that may be used to transmit signals by the base station 105 and receive signals by the WTRU. Each of a plurality of RBs 205 and 210 includes a plurality of REs reserved for data symbols (D), a plurality of REs reserved for CRSs associated with respective base station transmit antennas (T1-T4), and a plurality of REs reserved for DRSs (P), which include either a single beamformed or precoded pilot, or a composite beamformed or precoded pilot. As shown in FIG. 2, the DRSs are reserved by REs 215, 220, 225, 230, 235, 240, 245, 250, 255, 260, 265 and 270.
Signaling of the beamforming vector of interfering WTRUs to a specific desired WTRU allows the specific WTRU to perform advanced receiver processing, (e.g. joint detection and cancellation of interference). At the same time, signaling the beamforming vector of the specific desired WTRU may require better accuracy than signaling the beamforming vectors of interfering WTRUs. Usually, the information transmitted using explicit signaling, such as by using a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), is more accurately detected and decoded by the WTRU in terms of error probability or rate of detection than the information transmitted using implicit signaling, such as by using a DRS. This is because explicit signaling (e.g., signaling via PDCCH) is protected by channel coding and cyclic redundancy check (CRC). On the other hand, implicit signaling (e.g., signaling via DRS) does not have channel coding and CRC protection, and requires blind detection to withdraw the information carried by the DRS. However, the overhead using explicit signaling or PDCCH to carry all beamforming information including both desired and interference information is large, as compared with the overhead using implicit signaling or DRS. A more efficient signaling scheme and method is desirable to minimize the signaling overhead while maintaining the performance and at the same time have more protection on the most important beamforming information.

Wireless communication method and apparatus for encoding and decoding beamforming vectors


A processing apparatus (3A) acquires the number of one or more neighbor cells (31B) to which one or more neighbor-cell D2D radio terminals (2G), located in proximity to a first D2D communication pair (2E) belonging to a first cell (31A), belong. In addition, depending on the acquired number of the one or more neighbor cells (31B), the processing apparatus (3A) determines, from D2D radio resources that are shared among three or more cells (31A, 31B, 31E), a first part allocatable to the first D2D communication pair (2E). It is thus, for example, possible to contribute to efficient use of D2D radio resources shared among at least three cells adjacent to one another.

A form of communication in which a radio terminal directly communicates with another radio terminal without communicating through an infrastructure network such as a base station is called device-to-device (D2D) communication. The D2D communication includes at least one of Direct Communication and Direct Discovery. In some implementations, a plurality of radio terminals supporting D2D communication form a D2D communication group autonomously or under the control of a network, and communicate with another radio terminal in the formed D2D communication group.
Proximity-based services (ProSe) specified in 3GPP Releases 12 and 13 are examples of the D2D communication. ProSe direct discovery is performed through a procedure in which a radio terminal capable of performing ProSe (i.e., ProSe-enabled User Equipment (UE)) detects another ProSe-enabled UE by using only the capability of a radio communication technology (e.g., Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) technology) possessed by these two UEs. ProSe direct discovery may be performed by three or more ProSe-enabled UEs.
ProSe direct communication enables establishment of a communication path between two or more ProSe-enabled UEs existing in a direct communication range, for example, after the ProSe direct discovery procedure. In other words, ProSe direct communication enables a ProSe-enabled UE to directly communicate with another ProSe-enabled UE, without communicating through a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) including a base station (eNodeB (eNB)). ProSe direct communication may be performed by using a radio communication technology that is also used to access an eNB (i.e., E-UTRA technology) or by using a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) radio technology (i.e., IEEE 802.11 radio technology).
In 3GPP Releases 12 and 13, a radio link between radio terminals (UEs) used for direct communication or direct discovery is referred to as a Sidelink. Sidelink transmission uses the Long Term Evolution (LTE) frame structure defined for an uplink and a downlink and uses a subset of uplink resources in frequency and time domains. A radio terminal (i.e., UE) performs sidelink transmission by using Single Carrier FDMA (Frequency Division Multiple Access) (SC-FDMA), which is also used in the uplink.
In 3GPP 12 ProSe, allocation of a radio resource to a UE for sidelink transmission is performed by a radio access network (e.g., Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN)). A UE that has been permitted to perform sidelink communication by a ProSe function performs ProSe direct discovery or ProSe direct communication by using a radio resource allocated by a radio access network node (e.g., eNodeB (eNB)).
Regarding ProSe direct communication, two resource allocation modes, i.e., scheduled resource allocation and autonomous resource selection are specified. The scheduled resource allocation and the autonomous resource selection are referred to as "sidelink transmission mode 1" and "sidelink transmission mode 2", respectively.
In the scheduled resource allocation for ProSe direct communication, when a UE desires to perform sidelink transmission, the UE requests an eNB to allocate radio resources for sidelink transmission, and the eNB allocates resources for sidelink control and data to the UE. Specifically, a UE transmits to an eNB a scheduling request to request an uplink (UL) data transmission resource (i.e., Uplink Shared Channel (UL-SCH) resource) and then transmits a Sidelink Buffer Status Report (Sidelink BSR) to the eNB by using an UL data transmission resource allocated by an uplink grant (UL grant). The eNB determines sidelink transmission resources to be allocated to the UE based on the Sidelink BSR and transmits a sidelink grant (SL grant) to the UE.
The SL grant is defined as Downlink Control Information (DCI) format 5. The SL grant (i.e., DCI format 5) contains contents such as a Resource for PSCCH, Resource block assignment and hopping allocation, and a time resource pattern index. The Resource for PSCCH indicates radio resources for a sidelink control channel (i.e., Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSCCH)). The Resource block assignment and hopping allocation is used to determine frequency resources, i.e., a set of subcarriers (resource blocks), for transmitting a sidelink data channel (i.e., Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSSCH)) for sidelink data transmission. The Time resource pattern index is used to determine time resources, i.e., a set of subframes, for transmitting the PSSCH.
Note that, strictly speaking, the resource block means time-frequency resources in LTE and LTE-Advanced and is a unit of resources specified by consecutive OFDM (or SC-FDMA) symbols in the time domain and consecutive subcarriers in the frequency domain. In the case of Normal cyclic prefix, one resource block includes 12 consecutive OFDM (or SC-FDMA) symbols in the time domain and 12 subcarriers in the frequency domain.
That is, the Resource block assignment and hopping allocation and the Time resource pattern index designate a resource block for transmitting the PSSCH. The UE (i.e., a sidelink transmitting UE) determines a PSCCH resource and a PSSCH resource according to the SL grant.
Meanwhile, in the autonomous resource selection for ProSe direct communication, a UE autonomously selects resources for sidelink control (i.e., PSCCH) and data (i.e., PSSCH) from a resource pool(s) set by an eNB. The eNB may allocate a resource pool(s) for the autonomous resource selection to the UE in a System Information Block (SIB) 18. The eNB may allocate a resource pool for the autonomous resource selection to the UE in Radio Resource Control (RRC)_CONNECTED via dedicated RRC signaling. This resource pool may be available also when the UE is in RRC_IDLE.
When direct transmission is performed on a sidelink, a UE on a transmitting side (i.e., a D2D transmitting UE) (hereinafter referred to as a transmitting terminal or a transmitting UE) transmits Scheduling Assignment information by using a portion of radio resources (i.e., resource pool) for a sidelink control channel (i.e., PSCCH). The scheduling assignment information is also referred to as Sidelink Control Information (SCI) format 0. The scheduling assignment information includes contents such as resource block assignment and hopping allocation, a time resource pattern index, and a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS). In the case of the above-described scheduled resource allocation, the Resource block assignment and hopping allocation and the time resource pattern index indicated by the Scheduling Assignment (i.e., SCI format 0) follow the Resource block assignment and hopping allocation and the time resource pattern index indicated by the SL grant (i.e., DCI format 5) received from the eNB.
The transmitting UE transmits data on the PSSCH by using a radio resource according to the scheduling assignment information. A UE on a receiving side (i.e., a D2D receiving UE) (hereinafter referred to as a receiving UE or a receiving terminal) receives the scheduling assignment information from the transmitting UE on the PSCCH and receives the data on the PSSCH according to the received scheduling assignment information. Note that the term "transmitting UE" just focuses on a transmission operation of a UE and does not mean a UE dedicated for transmission. Similarly, the term "receiving UE" is an expression for expressing a receiving operation of a UE and does not mean a UE only for reception. That is, the transmitting UE is able to perform a receiving operation and the receiving UE is able to perform a transmitting operation.
Similarly as for ProSe direct discovery, two resource allocation modes, i.e., autonomous resource selection and scheduled resource allocation are specified. The autonomous resource selection and the scheduled resource allocation are referred to as "sidelink discovery Type 1" and "sidelink discovery Type 2", respectively.
In the autonomous resource selection for ProSe direct discovery (i.e., sidelink discovery Type 1), a UE that desires transmission (announcing) of a discovery signal (i.e., Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSDCH)) autonomously selects radio resources from a resource pool. That is, in Sidelink discovery Type 1, radio resources are allocated on a non-UE specific basis.
In contrast, in the scheduled resource allocation for ProSe direct discovery (i.e., sidelink discovery Type 2), a UE requests an eNB to allocate resources for announcement via RRC signaling. The eNB allocates resources for announcement from a resource pool to the UE. When the scheduled resource allocation is used, the eNB indicates in a System Information Block (SIB 19) that it supports provision of resources for monitoring of ProSe direct discovery but does not provide resources for announcement. Regarding Type 2, though two types, i.e., Type 2A and Type 2B had been discussed, only Type 2B is specified in the current Releases 12 and Release 13. In Type 2B, an eNB allocates radio resources for transmission of a discovery signal (PSDCH) to a UE in a semi-persistent manner. In contrast to this, in Type 2A, which is not specified in the current 3GPP Releases 12 and 13, an eNB allocates radio resources for transmission of a discovery signal (PSDCH) dynamically to a UE in each discovery period (i.e., PSDCH period).

Apparatus and method for radio communication


Tyre for a wheel of a vehicle, with a profiled tread for supporting the vehicle on the ground, provided with an adjustment device for adjusting a tread pattern height of the profiled tread. Method for at least partly replacing a profiled tread of such a tyre.

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a tyre for a wheel of a vehicle, with a profiled tread for supporting the vehicle on the ground.
According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for at least partly replacing a profiled tread of a tyre according to the first aspect of the present invention.
In a third and fourth aspect, the invention provides a wheel and a vehicle provided with such a tyre according to the invention.
With known tyres for a vehicle, such as a car, the tread pattern is formed by recesses in a tyre body. By arranging such recesses in a structured way, it is possible to obtain a desired tread pattern, wherein the depth of the recess determines the tread pattern height. A drawback of such known tyres is that the use of these tyres is limited with regard to the various different operating conditions of the tyre. In addition, the service life of the tyre can be improved.

Tire with means for setting out studs at the tire surface, and method


A method for discriminating an optical disk is disclosed. Peak values and trough values of focus error signal and RF level signal are detected by an operation of focus search. Threshold levels for detecting each material layer of the optical disk are determined according to the peak values and the trough values. Thereafter another focus search for the optical disk is executed to calculate a thickness of the substrate and a distance between the first and the second recording layer of the optical disk according to the threshold levels. Thus the type of the optical disk can be discriminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk discrimination method, and more specifically, to a stable disk discrimination method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many kinds of optical disks, such as CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, Hybrid CD, single-layer DVD, double-layer DVD, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, and so on. Because different kinds of optical disks have different data formats and different physical characters, an optical disk drive includes several data-reading methods, like exchanging wavelengths of the laser beams emitted from a pick-up head (CD: 780 nm, DVD: 650 nm) or amplifying some predetermined signals. Therefore, when the optical disk is loaded into the optical disk drive capable of reading various kinds of optical disks, the optical disk needs to be discriminated for determining the next data-reading step corresponding to the optical disk.
Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram of a focus mechanism with a pick-up head of an optical disk drive. A laser diode 1 is used for generating a laser beam, and the laser beam generated by the laser diode 1 is passed through a beam splitter 3 and an object lens 5 to generate a focus point 9. A focus actuator 11 can actuate the object lens 5 to move upward or downward so as to change the location of the focus point 9. The light reflected from the focus point 9 on an optical disk 7 is emitted to a photo detector 13 via the beam splitter 3. The photo detector 13 can generate optical signals, such as focus error signal, RF signal, RF level signal, sub-beam add signal, and so on, for controlling focus of the laser beam.
There are two control methods for controlling the focus actuator 11. One is an open-loop control method, and the other is a close-loop control method. The disk discrimination is relative to the open-loop control method, and the detailed introduction is described as follows.
Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a control functional block diagram of the focus open-loop control method. A host sends a control command to a digital/analog IC 20, and then the digital/analog IC 20 generates a control signal. The control signal can be amplified by a driving IC 22 into a focus-driving signal to drive a focus actuator 24 so that the focus point can move upward (as a direction 19 shown in FIG. 1). At the same time, a photo detector 26 can generate a signal and transmit the signal to an RF amplifier 28 for generating a focus error signal. The distances between each material layers are determined according to the focus error signal.
An optical disk with a single recording layer structure is shown as the optical disk 7 in the FIG. 1. When the pick-up head reads/writes data from the optical disk, the laser beam will reach a reflective layer 15, the material layer for recording data, via a plastic layer 17. The thickness of the plastic layer 17 of a DVD-format optical disk is 0.6 mm while CD-format optical disk is 1.2 mm. Therefore the optical disk can be discriminated whether it is DVD format or CD format according to the distance from the surface of the plastic layer 17 to the reflective layer 15 (i.e. the thickness of the plastic layer 17).
The conventional method for discriminating optical disks is by means of the focus error signal. Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a S-curve of the focus error signal and the RF level signal in the prior art. The focus point 9 is approaching a Hybrid CD 38 in a direction 56. The S-curve can be plotted by tracking the focus error signal. When the distance between the focus point 9 and the Hybrid CD 38 approaches infinity, the reflective light is slight so that the focus error signal is also slight. When the focus point 9 is approaching a first reflective layer 42 of the Hybrid CD 38, the focus error signal increases to a positive peak value FE_PK1. And when the focus point 9 reaches the first reflective layer 42, the focus error signal decreases to a zero intersection 52. Afterward the focus point 9 is away from the first reflective layer 42, the focus error signal decreases to a negative trough value FE_BT1 and then increases to the zero to form a S-curve.
As shown in FIG. 3, when the focus point 9 passes through three material layers, a plastic layer 40, the first reflective layer 42, and a second reflective layer 44, the focus error signal includes the S-curves S0, S1, and S2. The distances between the zero intersections 50, 52, 54 of the S-curves S0, S1, S2 are the distances between the material layers.
The optical disks are discriminated according to the distances between the zero intersections of the S-curves in the prior art. However the amplitude of the S-curve of the plastic layer is not so obvious as the ones of the first reflective layer 42 and the second reflective layer 44. Sometimes it is difficult to detect the distance between the plastic layer 40 and the first reflective layer 42, so it is also difficult to discriminate the format of the optical disk. Therefore there is a need to discriminate the format of the optical disk more efficiently.


A Format Consistency Checker (FCC) for monitoring and enhancing text formatting within a document. The FCC builds and maintains a data table tracking all formatting “runs” within a document. The FCC operates in combination with a formatting pane, for adding formatting to a document. The formatting pane provides a log, maintained in a user interface that can be displayed in the same window as a document being edited, of all formatting in the document. A format checker determines a minority case of formatting within a particular document and offers a user an opportunity to modify the minority case formatting to make it consistent with the majority case. A bullets and numbering component determines how bullets and/or numbering have been previously applied in the document. The current format of the bullets and/or numbering is then set to be consistent with the majority case of bullets and/or numbering formatting in the document.

Users of word processors and other document editors such as Microsoft Word commonly apply formatting to text within a document. Formatting provides a means for emphasizing text or differentiating one kind of text from another. Direct formatting is a conventional means for applying formats (e.g., bold face, italics, underlining) directly to text. Direct formatting involves a user selecting a portion of text within a document and then selecting a format to be applied to that text.
Another means for applying formatting to text is through the use of styles. A style is simply a set of formatting characteristics that can be applied to text and are grouped as a set. The style can be named, so that the set of formatting characteristics can be referred to with a single style name. For example, a "Header" style may include the following formatting characteristics: bold, font size 24, center justification, line spacing 2.0. Similarly, a style entitled "Body Text" may include formats such as not bold, not italics, point size=12, left and right justified, line spacing=1.0.
Unfortunately, for various reasons, many users find styles difficult to use. Moreover, even when users do utilize styles, it is typical that they will use styles inconsistently and will mix styles with direct formatting inconsistently. Because maintaining consistent formatting is essential in making documents look professional, there is a need in the art for a means for analyzing a document to determine the consistency of formatting whether by direct formatting or by the use of styles.

System and method for maintaining text formatting consistency within an electronic document


A method of forming a tensile or compressive strained channel region for a semiconductor device, such as a MOSFET device, allowing improved carrier transport properties and increased device performance to be realized, has been developed. The method features the epitaxial growth of a semiconductor layer such as silicon, or silicon-germanium, with the incorporation of atoms such as carbon. The silicon-germanium-carbon channel layer, under biaxial tensile or compressive strain, is then overlaid with an optional silicon capping layer, used to accommodate the overlying, thermally grown silicon dioxide gate insulator layer, of the MOSFET device.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods used to fabricate semiconductor devices, and more specifically to a method used to fabricate a semiconductor device comprised with a tensile or compressive strained channel region used for performance enhancement.
(2) Description of Prior Art
An attractive approach for improving the performance of a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), or of a complimentary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), device is the introduction of strain induced band modification for mobility enhancement to increase drive current. A compressive strained channel, such as a silicon-germanium channel layer grown on silicon, has significant hole mobility enhancement. A tensile strained channel, such as a thin silicon channel layer grown on relaxed silicon-germanium, achieves significant electron and hole mobility enhancement. The most common method of introducing tensile strain in a silicon channel region is to epitaxially grow the silicon channel layer on a relaxed silicon-germanium (SiGe), layer or substrate. The ability to form a relaxed SiGe layer is paramount in obtaining an overlying, epitaxially grown, silicon layer under biaxial tensile strain, however the attainment of the relaxed SiGe layer can be costly and difficult to achieve.
This invention will describe a process for forming a tensile strained silicon or silicon-germanium channel without the use of an underlying, relaxed SiGe layer. The underlying concept is the introduction of an element with a smaller atomic size than that of silicon, into the silicon or silicon-germanium layer to be used for the channel region. An example of such an element is carbon. The channel layer may therefore be comprised of silicon, germanium, and carbon, and have a lattice constant smaller than that of the underlying silicon substrate. As a result the channel layer will be under biaxial tensile strain. The attainment of the silicon channel layer under biaxial strain, incorporated into a CMOS device, will compute to improved carrier transport properties and thus enhanced MOSFET or CMOS performance. Prior art such as: Kibbel et al, in U.S. Pat. No 6,313,016; Liaw et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,769; Kawakubo et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,165,837; Chu et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,951; Fitzgerald et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,291,321; and Leoues et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,187, all describe processes for forming strained layers formed on underlying SiGe layers. However none of the above prior arts describe the novel process described in this present invention in which a tensile strained silicon, or silicon-germanium layer is obtained via incorporation of an atom into the channel layer, so that the channel layer has a lattice constant smaller than the lattice constant of the substrate material, therefore avoiding the use of a relaxed SiGe layer, as an underlying layer during epitaxial growth of the tensile strained channel layer. In this invention the incorporation of an atom smaller than silicon, such as carbon, into the channel layer can be performed during the epitaxial growth of the channel layer, or during subsequent processing steps such as by ion implantation. An example is the growth of a SiGe channel layer and the implantation of carbon into the SiGe layer.
It is an object of the invention to form a channel region for a MOSFET device, via use of a semiconductor alloy layer characterized as being under biaxial tensile or compressive strain, depending on the amount of incorporation of an element with a smaller atomic size than that of silicon.
It is another object of this invention to epitaxially grow the semiconductor alloy layer featuring biaxial tensile strain on a single crystalline silicon substrate, with the semiconductor alloy layer comprised of silicon or silicon-germanium, and an element with an atomic size smaller than that of silicon, such as carbon, resulting in a Si(1xe2x88x92y)C(y) or Si(1xe2x88x92xxe2x88x92y)GexCy alloy layer.
It is yet another object of this invention to form a silicon capping layer on the underlying semiconductor alloy layer to provide the needed silicon for a silicon dioxide gate insulator layer, obtained via thermal oxidation procedures.
In accordance with the present invention a method used to fabricate a MOSFET device featuring a semiconductor alloy channel region under biaxial tensile or compressive strain, epitaxially grown on an underlying single crystalline silicon substrate, is described. A semiconductor alloy layer is epitaxially grown on an underlying silicon substrate, with the semiconductor alloy layer comprised with an element with an atomic size different from that of silicon. One such semiconductor alloy, silicon-germanium-carbon, is epitaxially grown on the underlying semiconductor substrate, exhibiting the biaxial tensile or compressive strain desired for the channel region. If the carbon concentration y, is low compared to that of Ge, ie, y less than 0.1x, the Si(1xe2x88x92xxe2x88x92y)GexCy layer exhibits compressive strain. If the carbon concentration y, is high compared to that of Ge, ie, y greater than 0.1x, the Si(1xe2x88x92xxe2x88x92y)GexCy layer exhibits tensile strain. A silicon capping layer is next epitaxially grown on the silicon-germanium-carbon layer, followed by a thermal oxidation procedure resulting in growth of a gate insulator layer, with the oxidation procedure consuming a top portion of the silicon capping layer. Definition of a gate structure is followed by formation of a source/drain extension region in an area of semiconductor materials not covered by the gate structure. After formation of insulator spacers on the sides of the gate structure, a heavily doped source/drain region is formed in an area of the semiconductor materials not covered by the gate structure or by the insulator spacers. A rapid thermal anneal procedure is used to activate the dopants in the source/drain region using conditions designed not to disturb the strain in the channel region. Metal silicide regions are formed on the source/drain and gate structures with an option of removing the silicon-germanium-carbon alloy prior to the silicidization procedure, then forming the metal silicide layer on the heavily doped source/drain region located in the silicon substrate, thus avoiding silicidization involvement with germanium and carbon atoms, while a second option entailing formation of metal silicide on raised source/drain structures.

Method of forming a transistor with a strained channel

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company


In some embodiments, a method for auto-partitioning a scalable processing system is disclosed. The method can include establishing connection data, identifying a primary node and automatically transmitting partitioning commands to other nodes to configure them as secondary nodes. The partitioning commands can adjust the basic input output settings of the secondary nodes such that the system can boot as a single partitioned system. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

As computing needs for organizations have increased, and as organizations plan for growth, one common way to plan for, and obtain economical computing is to purchase computing systems that are scalable. A system or architecture is scalable when it can be upgraded or increased in size or reconfigured to accommodate changing conditions. For example, a company that plans to set up a client/server network may want to have a system that not only works with the number of people who will immediately use the system, but also can be easily and economically expanded to accommodate the number of employees who may be using the system in one year, five years, or ten years. In another example, a company that runs a server farm and hosts web pages or applications via the Internet may continue to grow, and this company would desire a scalable system where they can economically add servers as needed to accommodate growth.
Accordingly, scalable server systems can merge or integrate a number of scalable servers or chasses having one or more processors to create a "larger" unitary system having processing nodes. Thus, a collection of scalable servers can function like a single larger server when properly merged. When multiple servers are merged they can be partitioned using hardware partitioning. A system with a single partition can run a single instance of an operating system (OS) and all the nodes of the system are thus conceptually combined. Thus, in effect, the user will experience a single, more powerful computing system, functioning as one "scaled up" node, instead of a number of less powerful nodes running independently.
A traditional approach for combining multiple nodes of a system into a single-partition merged system running a single instance of an OS is to have a trained technician manually integrate and configure each node as a system is built or as computing resources (nodes) are added. Traditionally, a trained technician or administrator must configure each node with the proper partition configuration information, entering data to specify or configure one of the nodes as the primary, or boot node, and the other nodes as secondary nodes to the primary node. This approach is cumbersome, and requires trained technicians to build and configure such a system. When there are more than a few nodes to manually configure, the configuring process can get complex and such configuring is prone to connection and configuration errors and omissions.
As stated above, one issue in scalable processing systems is that after the processing components are cabled together, each component must be configured such that all components can boot together and operate together in the desired configuration. Also, as stated above, in most systems the customer/user must manually designate one node as a primary node or a boot facilitator. This process may require that the primary node is capable of communicating with the other nodes, for example, the primary node as well as the secondary nodes must be "turned on" or "up and running." The "technician" configuring the system, has to know information about the connected nodes, addresses etc. and the technician typically has to manually enter that data into a user interface to describe which nodes should boot together etc. A typical customer setup is where all the components that are cabled together are desired to boot as a single entity, as a single partitioned system or as a system that runs a single operating system. Traditionally, many scalable server systems utilize a management interface (a standalone computing system with specialized hardware) to properly boot the connected server nodes. It can be appreciated that this approach requires costly dedicated hardware, and may require modification to preexisting systems that do not allow for the addition of such functionality.
In many scaled server systems, nodes can communicate with intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) commands. This protocol can be utilized to monitor server hardware components for temperature, voltage, chassis intrusion, etc. and can provide limited control for various system operations. The IPMI concept was introduced in 1998 by many major server producers. Generally, IPMI commands are a standard set of messages for the characteristics of hardware components such that servers can communicate and function together. Sensors in the system can provide data to a baseboard management controller (BMC), (a controller on a circuit board) which can send IPMI messages over the server's system bus to the network as well as over an independent, internal Platform Management Bus (IPMB).
Alternately described, an intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) can be understood as a hardware level interface specification that defines a common, abstracted, message-based interface to platform monitoring and control functions. As a hardware-level interface, the IPMI can reside at the bottom (the lowest level) of a typical management software stack.
"Power up" issues can also be a concern for scalable systems. One approach to address this issue is to have a "luck-of-the-draw" or timing-based approach programmed into the nodes of the system. When a node boots up, the node can determine whether a single-partition merged system is already running, and if so, the node can join the partition or system. If the node does not find a preexisting system or partition to join, it can start one, and become the primary node and create a "new system." The new node thus can become a primary node due to timing issues and the luck of the draw. Such an approach, however, can be complex, and often does not provide the administrator with control over which node becomes the primary node.
Generally, systems in a scalable environment do not automatically know that they are cabled together and can work as one system. These scalable systems have to be told (i.e. configured by a technician) such that they know that they are cabled to other nodes and must be configured regarding how they can communicate with other nodes. There are many current designs available that utilize this manual configuration approach. One design uses a network such as an Ethernet connection between nodes and utilizes dedicated hardware such as a remote supervisor adapter (RSA) to facilitate set up of the system.
The RSAs can communicate with each other on Ethernet (embedded service on each RSA) and can instruct the scalable components to work together with a set partitioning. This system, among other things, requires a user to input the Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of each RSA, in the RSA interface before the scalable systems can work as a single entity. This process can be cumbersome for a user to discover and enter the RSA IP address for each component. This IP detection process can include booting each scalable component and after the component is connected to the network the user can request and find the IP address in the BIOS menu of the component. Another traditional arrangement uses a service location protocol (SLP) discovery routine to detect all scalable components via the system's RSA Ethernet network connections. Then the arrangement can iterate through the list of SLP scalable systems and an application can send a message (ping) through each scalable system port and detect received messages on another scalable system port. Each scalable system relies on RSA Ethernet protocol to initiate and detect how other scalable systems interconnect. In the end, all scalable connections are determined for all SLP scalable systems.
This Ethernet based arrangement does not exchange comprehensive system information and such information can depend on the intercommunication of scalable components via RSA Ethernet. One solution utilizes SLP to discover the communication mechanism, which can find a large number of systems. Only the number of RSAs connected to that network limits the number of discovered systems. Often not all of these detected systems can be operated as a single identity. This can cause extra time filtering through the systems not capable of scalability.
Another approach is to connect the servers and configure virtual building blocks. These building blocks can be broken down to any level, but this is generally only supported in a Linux environment. These systems often utilize a relatively complex set-up procedure. Such a set up can also require extensive hardware and software overhead. Many traditional systems can require an Ethernet communication system to communicate set up commands to all of the subsystems. Further, it is expensive to require a trained technician be present at every installation or every system expansion.

Arrangements for auto-merging and auto-partitioning processing components

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides a process for the manufacture of printed orthopedic casting tapes. A knit, open mesh fibrous tape having elastic filaments extending in the length direction is stretched in a predetermined amount and a pattern is printed onto the stretched fibrous tape using a low temperature drying ink. The printed tape is thereafter passed through a drying zone maintained at a temperature of less than about 100.degree. C. while the tape is maintained in the stretched condition. The printed tape is thereafter allowed to relax and is subsequently coated with a hardenable liquid resin.

Synthetic orthopedic casting tapes are widely used throughout health care industries. Synthetic orthopedic casting materials are made from a liquid resin-impregnated narrow fabric or casting tape formed of glass fibers and/or synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, polyolefins and the like. Orthopedic casts formed from the synthetic casting materials have various advantages over conventional Plaster of Paris casts in that they are lighter, stronger and, due to the nature of the materials used, more breathable.
Water hardenable polyurethane prepolymers disclosed in Yoon, U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,680, constitute a particularly desirable hardenable liquid resin for use in synthetic casting materials. These polyurethane prepolymers, which employ a dimorpholinodiethylether catalyst, have a long shelf life during which the polyurethane polymer remains in a liquid state. When the casting tape is to be used, it is removed from a sealed package and placed in water for a few seconds. It is removed from the water and applied to the patient, usually over a tubular, knitted fabric and a padding. The bandage sets rapidly to a hardened condition in which it is capable of immobilizing a fracture.
Open mesh knit fabrics are widely used in casting tapes because of their inherent ability to stretch and because of their ability to maintain a stable mesh structure when tension is applied along the length and/or width direction of the fabric. Stretch is important because it is highly desirable that the hardened cast conform uniformly to irregular surfaces of a patient's body without causing pressure points. Stretchable narrow fabrics, i.e. tapes, can be applied to the body of a patient without requiring the formation of tucks and/or folds to compensate for irregular surfaces. High porosity, open mesh fabric structures allow the liquid resin carried by the tape to harden at a relatively fast rate and also allow the circulation of air through the hardened cast, thereby improving patient comfort.
Buese et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,563, discloses high modulus casting tapes of improved conformability wherein the casting tape fabric is formed from a combination of high modulus yarns and elastic yarns. The elastic yarns are incorporated into the fabric along the length direction to give the fabric an extensibility of between 40% and 200% in the length direction. Preferably, these fabrics are Raschel Warp Knit fabrics having the elastic yarns forming or distributed within the wale yarns. The elastic yarns are incorporated into the fabric during the knitting process under a predetermined amount of tension so that the finished fabric gathers or bunches to a moderate degree when it is released from the knitting machine. The resulting fabrics are impregnated with a hardenable prepolymer to provide a casting tape of substantially improved conformability that has experienced wide-spread commercial success.
Recently, visibly patterned orthopedic casting tapes as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,484 to Freeman et al. have also achieved substantial commercial success. These casting tapes employ open mesh fibrous tapes bearing coloring agents which are applied to the tape in a visible pattern by various conventional processes including dyeing, sublimation dye printing and ink printing. The visible pattern formed by the coloring agent is stable in the presence of the uncured, hardenable casting resin and also in the presence of the cured, hardened resin.
Patterned casting tapes are preferably provided with colored patterns of substantial optical density and uniformity so that the colored pattern is readily visible on the finished cast. However, highly conformable casting tapes based on highly elastic casting tapes are typically stretched as they are applied to a patient, thus distorting the pattern on the casting tape and also distorting the optical density of the pattern. The distortion of the shape of a visible pattern on an open mesh, highly elastic knit fabric is non-uniform due to the phenomenon of `necking` in which an elastic fabric contracts in its width direction as it is stretched in its length direction. Such necking behavior is particularly apparent in open mesh, highly elastic knit fabrics because of the interlocked nature of a knit fabric structure and because of the relatively low basis weight, i.e, relatively low fabric density, of open mesh knit fabrics. The impact on the printed pattern caused by stretching a highly conformable casting tape is increased by the open mesh structure of the casting tape fabric and by the nature of the fabric itself. In the relaxed state, open mesh knit fabrics based on elastic filaments are generally gathered or thickened. Accordingly, as the fabric is stretched, the optical density of the fabric is decreased both by the increase in porosity of the fabric and by the decreasing thickness of the fabric.
Distortion of visible patterns printed on elastic fabrics as a result of subsequent stretching of the fabric is known as recognized, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,613,679 to Vijou. This patent proposes the application of a visible pattern to an elastic bandage of the type employed to support a sprained joint or the like by wrapping the bandage around an injured joint under tension. An undistorted pattern is applied to the elastic bandage by printing while the bandage is stretched. When the bandage is subsequently relaxed, the pattern is distorted. When the bandage is applied to a patient, a predetermined amount of tension can be applied by the bandage by stretching the bandage sufficiently to return the pattern to its undistorted state. Although in theory the variations in the distortion of the pattern should uniformly indicate a desired amount of tension on the elastic bandage, U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,408 to Arkans indicates that because elastic webs have different stretch characteristics between different lots or types of webs, changes in the geometric form are not necessarily uniform. According to this patent, uniformity of pattern distortion in elastic bandages can be achieved by printing a geometric form onto the elastic bandage while maintaining the bandage under a predetermined measured amount of tension rather than a predetermined amount of stretch.
Despite the expectation of the prior art that printing of a geometric pattern onto a stretched elastic tape under controlled tension should provide an elastic tape exhibiting the same, undistorted printed pattern when the tape is subsequently stretched the same amount as it was stretched during printing, it has been found that open mesh, knit orthopedic casting tapes based on elastic filaments do not uniformly follow the expected behavior. Thus when printed under tension using conventional printing processes and thereafter coated with liquid resin using conventional coating equipment, these tapes in many cases do not exhibit an undistorted pattern when they are subsequently stretched in about the same amount as during printing. There are substantial differences between open mesh casting tapes and elastic bandages including substantial differences in the power of the tapes. The low power of casting tapes renders these tapes more susceptible to stretching upon variations in tension. In addition, thickness changes and necking are more pronounced in casting tapes upon stretching.

Process for the manufacture of printed orthopedic casting tape


A portable communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention includes a first means having a microphone and a speaker, and a second means having operation keys and/or display means. At least one of the first and second means has a magnet for attaching the second means to the first means. The second means can be attached to the first means. Each of the first means and the second means has a light emitter and a light detector, whereby data is transmitted therebetween. The operation keys are provided on one surface of the second means. When the second means is attached to the first means with the one surface thereof being faced forward, data is transmitted between the light emitter of the first means corresponding to the light detector of the second means and the light emitter of the second means corresponding to the light detector of the first means. The second means has a memory means for storing identification information of a user.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable communication terminal apparatus suitable for use in a handset of a radio telephone apparatus and so on.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various proposed casings of the portable communication terminal apparatus such as a radio telephone apparatus, a portable telephone apparatus or the like are arranged so as to be convenient in portability.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portable telephone apparatus which is not being used for communication. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the portable telephone apparatus which is being used for communication.
In FIGS. 1 and 2, a portable telephone set 1 is formed of a body casing 2 and a card casing (sub casing) 3.
The body casing 2 has a shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. As shown in FIG. 2, the body casing 2 has a step portion 4 and a thickness that is lower-side portion of the body casing 2 is smaller as compared with that of an upper-side portion 2a thereof. A panel 5 having an operation key group 6 for telephone such as a ten key or the like is provided on a front surface of the lower-side portion 2b. A hook switch 7 is provided on the panel 5.
The upper-side portion 2a of the body casing 2 incorporates a receiver 8 therein. The receiver 8 emanates a dial tone through apertures 9 provided through the body casing 2. A power source key 10 is provided on a front surface of the upper-side portion 2a. An antenna 11 can be inserted in the body casing 2 and is drawn therefrom upon a telephone call as shown in FIG. 2.
The card casing 3 incorporating a transmitter 13 is pivotally fitted to a lower end edge portion of the body casing 2 by a hinge portion 12. The surface of the card casing 3 merely functions as a cover in a state that the card casing 3 is rotated around the hinge portion 12 and closed so as to be opposed to the panel 5 of the body casing 2 as shown in FIG. 1. On the other hand, in a state that the card casing 3 is rotated around the hinge portion 12 and opened as shown in FIG. 2, a user can make a telephone call by speaking toward the transmitter 13 through apertures 14 formed through a transmitter-side surface of the card casing 3.
According to the portable telephone apparatus having the above arrangement, it is possible to make the portable telephone apparatus compact when the user carries it, and it is possible to realize the arrangement which provides convenience in portability. However, since the portable telephone apparatus is used upon a telephone call with the card casing 3 being rotated around the hinge portion 12 and opened as shown in FIG. 2, the card casing 3 is not stable and is easily broken. Since the user puts the portable telephone apparatus to his ear, the user cannot watch the display unit and operate an operation unit. These disadvantages lead to inconvenience in use thereof.
Moreover, there is then the problem that when the user makes a telephone call, the body casing 2 and the opened card casing 3 occupy a considerable space or area and hence the whole of the portable telephone apparatus becomes large-sized.
Since various systems of the portable telephone apparatus have been proposed, if a user carries a certain kind of a portable radio telephone terminal and goes out of a predetermined service area thereof, it is frequently observed that the user cannot use it there. Therefore, there is then the problem that even if the user uses a rental terminal, then he cannot use his own data such as personal telephone numbers or the like at all.

Portable communication terminal apparatus


A conveyor system guide shoe for guiding a conveyor chain or belt from the catenary sag onto a return way, wherein the guide shoe has multiple and reversible wear surfaces, each of the wear surfaces extending the width of the guide shoe. The guide shoe is reversible so that either one of the multiple wear surfaces can be utilized. The guide shoe also has grooves into which the wear strips of the return way can be inserted end-wise. A square support hole is provided through the center of the guide shoe for supporting the guide shoe while preventing its rotation. Support pins are also provided to secure the wear strips within the grooves of the guide shoe.

Generally, conveyor systems comprise a conveyor chain or belt which moves in a generally circuitous loop, having a carrying way to support the chain or belt and a return way to support the chain or belt on its return run. The chain or belt is often made of steel or plastic, and travels in the circuitous loop about two or more sprockets, and is driven by a drive sprocket having teeth. The chain typically is adapted to flex generally in a primary direction, and to back flex in the reverse direction, although the chain typically flexes to a greater degree in the primary direction than in the reverse direction.
As the chain or belt moves along the circuitous loop, a catenary sag is provided for proper chain tension. Because conveyor chains or belts may become disengaged from the drive sprocket by excessive creeping, many chain manufacturers recommend that the chain or belt never be run tight. Thus, some sag immediately underneath the drive sprocket is normally required. The catenary sag, however, must be limited so that the entire bottom run of the chain or belt does not sag.
To limit the amount of catenary sag, standard conveyor systems comprise a return way on the bottom run of the chain or belt, which supports the chain or belt along the return run of the circuitous loop. Return ways are often comprised of wear strips which are positioned in a serpentine manner, upon which the chain or belt slides. The transition area between the catenary sag and the return way requires a guide shoe which facilitates the flexing of the chain from the primary flex to the backward flex as it moves from the front sprocket to the return way.
In the past, various types of return way guide shoes have been provided which facilitate the chain or belt's movement from the catenary sag to the return way, including a roller in combination with several other rollers comprising the return way. The problem with rollers, however, is that the rollers tended to stop rolling when they became dirty, which impeded movement of the chain, or were prone to wear out quickly.
Low friction return way guide shoes have also been provided in the past, having metal structures with plastic covers, which form the wear surface upon which the chain or belt slides. However, these guide shoes are relatively expensive to manufacture and replace, especially in view of the varying sizes and dimensions that are needed for different applications.
Recently, a return way guide shoe having a wear surface made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene has been provided. Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene is ideally suited for this application, as it is chemical resistant, very durable, low in friction, and has high impact resistance. Though the previous return way guide shoes are useful and have many advantages, the problem is that they consisted of two separate wear surfaces, one supporting either side of the chain or belt, which tended to wear the chains or belts, particularly the plastic ones, relatively unevenly. Other guide shoes having two wear surfaces on either side have been produced in Europe in smaller sizes, but have the same problem of causing uneven wear on plastic belts or chains.
There is, therefore, a need for a guide shoe having a wear surface which extends the entire width of the chain or belt, which does not wear the plastic chains or belts unevenly. Also, there is a need for a more cost-effective return way guide shoe utilizing a material that is chemically resistant, durable, low in friction, and has high impact resistance, such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.


An improved technique for providing persistence to velocity signals obtained by an ultrasound imaging system is disclosed. The velocity signals with appropriate persistence are then used to form an image on a display device so as to accurately depict fluid flow. The persistence technique intelligently decides whether or not to provide persistence to the velocity signals. In making these persistence determinations, the persistence technique not only avoids distorting the velocity values with corrupt signals, but also preserves directional flow information. The persistence technique can also make use of various thresholds to reduce errors (e.g., flash artifacts or random noise) as well as persistence of such errors.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ultrasound imaging systems and, more particularly, to ultrasonic color flow imaging.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasound imaging systems are known to display images associated with blood flow in a subject. Such a display mode is known as a color flow mode because different flow directions are indicated by different colors. Additionally, the velocity of the flows are indicated by degree of brightness of the colors.
Displaying blood flow on a display device is known to be problematic. In particular, with stationary or slow moving blood, it is difficult to display accurate images of blood flow that are not confusing to a clinician. With conventional ultrasound imaging systems, blood flow that is either stationary or slow moving in a particular direction often leads to measurement inaccuracies by the ultrasound imaging system that cause blood flow to appear to be moving when it is stationary or appears to be moving in an opposite direction than it is actually moving. In addition, for the portions of an image being displayed that correspond to stationary or slow moving blood, there tends to be small interspersed areas of blood flowing to the transducer as well as away from the transducer. In a two color display mode, where red is used for blood movement in one direction and blue is used for blood flowing in the opposite direction, a clinician can be confused by the resulting image displayed because red and blue pixels will often be interspersed. Consequently, the clinician may be mislead or be unable to diagnose the subject's ailment.
Attempts to overcome the problems associated accurate display of slow moving blood have been somewhat successful. Generally, the conventional approaches perform some sort of averaging of previous signals with current signals. This averaging approach smoothes out the resulting signals such that the interspersed regions of red and blue pixels are largely prevented. However, other regions not needing the smoothing are also smoothed, and thus distorted. Hence, confusion or misdiagnosis by a clinician can still occur because the high velocity signals are now distorted.
Another problem that occurs due to the averaging of the previous signal and the current signal is that unacceptably long decay times for colors being displayed may occur. As an example, very long decay times may result in data being displayed even after the probe is no longer receiving information. Such long decay times cause the resulting image to lag and often distort actual flow conditions.
Recently, averaging approaches have been enhanced to overcome some of the above-mentioned problems. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,580 an improved averaging solution is disclosed in which a variable weighting coefficient is used so as to heavily average image information for smaller velocities and minimally average image information for high velocities. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,770 discloses a filter that provides an averaging solution with persistence to ultrasound images by using filter adjustable weighting coefficients. Further, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,094 another similar averaging solution is disclosed. The averaging of a new value with a previous output value is performed by a persistence modulator to provide asymmetric persistence to the image displayed pertaining to fluid velocity. In particular, increases in the velocity are processed to exhibit a shorter time constant than the time constant used for decreases in velocity.
However, these recent averaging approaches still have significant shortcomings. There is no accommodation for velocity values that have rapidly changed direction. In addition, small flow detection is hampered for low flows, particularly when flow direction reverses. Further, when aliasing is present due to high flow velocities, the resulting image is typically not accurately displayed. Also, corrupt velocity values distort actual velocity values in the averaging approach.
Thus, there is a need for an improved approach to imaging velocity of fluids in an ultrasound system such that persistence processing suitably deals with rapid direction changes in flow, low velocity flows, and corrupt signals.


The invention relates to a royal jelly collection frame which enables to cultivate the queen bees easily and to collect royal jelly productively. According to the invention, there is provided with a royal jelly collection frame (10) comprizing of a queen excluder panel (2) having a plurality of holes through which the working bee can pass but the queen bee can not pass and a queen bee passage window (3) into which the queen bee can pass and it could be closed by cover, a queen cup insert panel (4) being spaced from the queen excluder panel (2) and having a plurality of hollow projections (21) into which the queen bee may spawn, an single queen cup member (5) having an closed end and being insertable into the outer wall of the hollow projections (21), and a bundle queen cup member (6) having a plurality of queen cup and being insertable into the corresponding hollow projections (21), and at least a queen cup mount (1) disposed at the other part of frame (10) and into which the bundle queen cup member can be mounted.

The present invention relates to a royal jelly collection frame, and more particularly to a royal jelly collection frame which enables to bring up the queen bees easily and to collect royal jelly productively.
The success of bee keeping mainly depends upon how to acquire many superior queen bees, so the bee-keeper makes efforts to cultivate superior queen bees. In order to cultivate queen bees, the larvae of bee should be moved from the small working bee cells of honeycomb to the relatively big artificial queen cups in which the larvae will grow into queen bees or the working bee will secrete royal jelly. To do this, the bee keeper should cautiously pick up the individual larva by needle or pincette manually to move it without causing no damage on larva. And it will be impossible for the weak-sighted bee keeper to move the larvae from working bee cells to queen cups without causing the wounds on larvae. Therefore, the job of moving the larvae is very difficult and troublesome, so requires many times and labors.
On the other hand, in order to collect the royal jelly, it is also necessary to transfer many larvae from working bee cells into queen cups, which will also cause many labors and times. Therefore, it is desired to provide a solution to move the larvae from working bee cells to queen cups effectively for cultivating the queen bee or for collecting royal jelly.
The present invention was created to resolve the above problem in relation with bee larvae moving for cultivation of queen bee or collection of royal jelly, and the object of the invention is to provide a royal jelly collection frame by which the bee keeper can easily move the bee larvae from working bee cells to queen cups in which the larvae will grow into queen bees or the working bee will secrete royal jelly.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided with a royal jelly collection frame 10 comprizing of a queen excluder panel 2 having a plurality of holes through which the working bee can pass but the queen bee can not pass and a queen bee passage window 3 into which the queen bee can pass and it could be closed by cover, a queen cup insert panel 4 being spaced from the queen excluder panel 2 and having a plurality of hollow projections 21 into which the queen bee may spawn, an single queen cup member 5 having an closed end and being insertable into the outer wall of the hollow projections 21, and a bundle queen cup member 6 having a plurality of queen cup and being insertable into the corresponding hollow projections 21, and at least a queen cup mount 1 disposed at the other part of frame 10 and onto which the bundle queen cup member 6 can be mounted.
According to other aspect of the invention, there is provided with a royal jelly collection frame 10 being further provided with a feeder chamber 30 on the upper part of it, the feeder chamber 30 having a floating chamber 34 with float 34 and feed inlet 35 to feed the bee during no honey season.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided with a royal jelly collection frame 10, in which a cup cover 40 is further provided with to be inserted into the opening end of the queen cup 5, 6 the cup cover 40 having a opening 42 smaller than the opening 41 of the queen cup 5, 6.


An adaptive anti-flicker data conversion system for converting picture data in a video graphic adapter for displaying on a television. The conversion system reduces flickers adaptively according to the luminance of a pixel and neighboring pixels one line above and below. Contrast difference and mean value are defined based on the luminance of three neighboring pixels. A contrast ratio is computed by dividing the contrast difference by the mean value. Three threshold values are defined for examining the contrast ratio and selecting an appropriate anti-flicker filter. Pixels having higher contrast ratio are processed with filters having stronger anti-flicker effect. The adaptive anti-flicker method reduces flickers without blurring every pixel in the picture data.

As personal computers go multi-media, many electronics companies try to redefine the computers as home entertainment centers. In the coming years, personal computers may gradually merge with televisions. Displaying picture data generated by a computer on a television with both high quality and good resolution is an important issue that many computer manufacturers are working to resolve.
Traditionally, the picture data generated by a computer system are stored in a VGA card in an RGB format before being displayed. The format used in a television system is, however, either YIQ for NTSC standard or YUV for
standard. Conversion in the format is required if the data are displayed on a television. When the picture data from a computer are displayed on a television, flickers that are not only annoying but also harmful to human eyes often occur due to the fact that only every other line is displayed.
The flickers are, generally, the consequence of under-sampling effect introduced during the conversion of computer picture data to television picture data. One approach to reducing the flickers is to apply a low-pass filter to the picture data after the format conversion and before the data are displayed. This approach blurs the whole picture data. Therefore, the pictures displayed on a television may have less flickers but their resolution is also greatly reduced throughout the whole pictures due to the blurring effect. The quality of the pictures shown on the television is degraded.

Adaptive anti-flicker method for VGA to TV data conversion


A vacuum insulated switchgear having a vacuum container, a fixed contact disposed in the vacuum container, a movable contact disposed in the vacuum container capable of being in contact with or out of contact with the fixed contact, a driving mechanism for driving the movable contact in directions to contact with and out of contact with the fixed contact, a resin portion molded around the vacuum container, an insulative bushing for covering a pulled-out portion of a conductor connected to the fixed contact and for extending from the molded resin portion, and a cable head insulating member for covering a conductor of a cable head connected to the conductor at the pulled-out portion and an outer surface of the cable head insulating member being earthed, characterized in that:                an earthed conductive member is embedded at least at a position opposite to an end of the cable head insulating member in the bushing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vacuum insulated switchgear, specifically, to a technology for suppressing dielectric breakdown of a vacuum insulated switchgear that uses a solid insulation method.
2. Description of Related Art
A power receiving facility has a closed power distribution panel (referred to below as a switchgear at appropriate places) that includes a vacuum breaker for shutting off load current and fault current, a disconnecting switch and an earthing switch for securing safety for an operator who services a load, a detector for detecting a voltage and current in the system, a protective relay, and the like.
This type of switchgear is insulated in various ways; in addition to conventional air insulated panels and cubicle gas insulated switchgears (GISs) that use an SF6 gas, switchgears that use solid insulation, compressed air insulation, and complete vacuum insulation have come on the market in recent years as an aid to solving environmental issues.
For example, Patent Document 1 describes a vacuum insulated switchgear in which a switching portion that integrates shutoff, disconnection, and earthing functions into a vacuum container is solid-insulated by being molded by epoxy resin, and a conductor on a bus side and conductor on a load side that extend from the switching are solid-insulated.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2007-14087


The automatic transmission includes a first friction engagement element which is engaged when a first gear position is realized and disengaged when a second gear position is realized, a second friction engagement element which is engaged when the second gear position is realized and disengaged when the first gear position is realized, and a controller. The controller causes the second friction engagement element to slip by decreasing an instructional pressure for the second friction engagement element while running in the second gear position, and learns an engagement start pressure of the first friction engagement element based on a change in a differential rotation of the second friction engagement element, or in a parameter that changes in accordance with the differential rotation, at a time when an instructional pressure for the first friction engagement element is increased during the slip.

An automatic transmission includes two or more friction engagement elements (a clutch, a brake) whose engagement states can be hydraulically switched. The automatic transmission switches among power transmission paths by causing one friction engagement element to be engaged while another friction engagement element is disengaged, thereby realizing shift and switching between forward and reverse movements.
Some automatic transmissions perform neutral idle control for improving fuel economy while a vehicle is stopped. According to this control, while the vehicle is stopped, the engine load is decreased by placing a friction engagement element used in starting the vehicle in a state that immediately precedes the engagement, thus setting an engagement capacity thereof to zero.
In order to realize a smooth start, shock-reduced shift, and neutral idle control, it is important to correctly discover a hydraulic pressure (engagement start pressure) at which a friction engagement element starts to hold a transmission capacity (transmittable torque).
In view of this, automatic transmissions learn an engagement start pressure of a friction engagement element while a vehicle is stopped (JP 2008-106814A). In the course of learning, a hydraulic pressure supplied to a friction engagement element targeted for learning is increased and decreased. An engagement start pressure of this friction engagement element is learnt based on a resultant change in a rotation speed of a rotation element of the automatic transmission.

Automatic transmission and method for controlling same


A composition contains an inorganic substance obtained as a residue after incinerating skins of marine organisms, and chitin/chitosan. The composition is obtained by incinerating the skins of the marine organisms at a temperature within a range between 600° C. and 1000° C. to obtain the inorganic substance as a residue, obtaining a powdered inorganic substance from the inorganic substance, and kneading the powdered inorganic substance with chitin/chitosan powder.

This invention relates to a composition containing an inorganic substance derived from skins of marine organisms and chitin/chitosan, and to a method of producing the composition.
In the medical field, a composition as a medical biomaterial is known. As a specific example, a composition for jaw bone regeneration is known in the field of dental treatment. The composition is called an osteoconduction substance.
When the osteoconduction substance is implanted or embedded between a jaw bone and gingiva after a surgical treatment for a periodontal disease, the osteoconduction substance exhibits an ability of creating a new bone by a function of increasing osteoblasts. Alternatively, the osteoconduction substance creates a new bone if it is implanted in the vicinity of a bone or into a bone.
The osteoconduction substance is produced by preparing a powder mixture of apatite and animal bone meal and kneading the powder mixture with chitosan sol obtained by dissolving chitosan by an acidic aqueous solution. In most cases, the animal bone meal is obtained from bone tissues of domestic animals, such as bovine bones and pig bones (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. H5-220211).
Recently, however, a problem of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) is exposed. In particular, it is pointed out that the osteoconduction substance using bovine bone powder as a material brings a potential risk of human infection by a pathogenic agent. Thus, in the medical field, it is desired to obtain a novel composition in view of the safety and a limited amount of resources.

Composition containing a marine-derived inorganic substance and chitin/chitosan, and method of producing the composition


A process for examining the appearance of an examination object has the steps of taking an image of the object to obtain image data and processing the image data by an image processing apparatus. A mask is formed to determine, in the image data to be processed, a non-examination region of various configurations and, when the position of the examination object is deviated from the correct position, the position of the mask also is shifted correspondingly to enable appearance examination in varying conditions. To this end, a brightness threshold value is set in the input multi-value image data so as to define the non-examination region to be excluded from said examination region, thereby forming said mask, and the pixels having gradation levels not higher or lower than the threshold value are excluded from the examination region.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of forming a mask in an image processing operation and, more particularly, to a method of forming a mask in an image processing operation conducted for the purpose of examining the appearances of articles.
2. Description of the Related Arts
The present invention relates to a method of forming a mask in image processing. In general, a method for checking the appearances of articles for any defect by an image processing technique employs a comparison between image data of a region determined in accordance with the configuration of the article as the examination object and the image data actually obtained from the article, so that any defect can be detected on the basis of the difference between these two kinds of image data. In the case where a multiplicity of articles are examined, as in the case of a production line, it is often experienced that the configurations of the article delicately differ from one another. It has been therefore attempted to approximate, with a known function, the contour of the examination object of the input image data, for each type of article, and a predetermined region is extracted from the approximating function so as to be used as the region conforming with the configuration of the examination object. The known function approximating the configuration of the examination object may be linear lines which are determined by the least square method on the basis of the points of the configuration, or a pattern determined by such linear lines. The function also may be a circle or a quadratic function.
The present applicant has filed an application for a patent, as Japanese Patent Application No. 2-293349, on an improvement in an image processing apparatus which is shown in FIG. 8 attached hereto. Referring to FIG. 8, the image processing apparatus 50 has an image LSI control device 51, the input end of which is connected to a switching control device 52 which is composed of a mode change-over circuit 54 and a synchronizing device 55. The mode switching circuit 54 is adapted to be changed-over by the MPU (main processing unit) 53. More specifically, the mode switching circuit 54 operates in response to a control signal from the MPU 53 so as to connect the latter selectively either to the synchronizing device 55 or the image LSI (large scale integrated circuit) control device 51. Consequently, the LSI control device 51 receives, either from the MPU 53 or the synchronizing device 55, a trigger signal S.sub.T for controlling an image processing LSI 56 which is a module exclusively for image processing. The synchronizing device 55 also receives a synchronizing signal which is supplied from a synchronizing signal generating circuit 57 adapted for generating the synchronizing signal of TV (television) rate. The synchronizing device 55 synchronizes the output of the MPU 53 with the synchronizing signal from the synchronizing signal generating circuit 57 and delivers the same to the image LSI control device 51 as the trigger signal S.sub.T for triggering the operation of the image processing LSI 56. The MPU 53 controls all the devices in the apparatus 50, including an input selection circuit 58 and an output selection circuit 59.
A buffer device 61 is provided between the input selection circuit 58 and an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter 60. The input buffer device 61 includes a pair of image input memories 62a, 62b and a memory change-over portion 63 for selectively connecting one of the image input memories 62a, 62b to the A/D converter 60. The trigger signal S.sub.T from the switching control device 52 is supplied to the input buffer device 61 as the switching timing signal for the switching between the image input memories 62a and 62b.
The image processing LSI 56 has three pins (input 1, input 2, input 3) which are not shown, so that it can simultaneously read the image data stored in any three memories selected by the input selection circuit 58 out of the image memories 64a, 64b, 64c, . . . , 64n and the image input memory 62a, 62b. The memory switching portion 63, however, is so constructed as not to allow the image input memories 62a, 62b to be selected simultaneously.
An image output memory 65, connected to the output selection circuit 59, temporarily holds the data output from the image processing LSI 56 and delivers the same to a display 67 via a digital-to-analog converter (D/A) 66.
According to this arrangement, the switching control device 52 performs, at a predetermined period or at an arbitrarily timing, the switching between a plurality of image input memories 62a, 62b, and the data from the selected image input memory is read, in synchronization with the switching, by the image processing LSI 56 which is a module used exclusively for the image processing. For instance, when it is necessary to process an image determined by image data picked up by a TV camera 68, it is possible to operate the image processing LSI 56 in synchronization with the TV rate. Therefore, when processing image data from an image input device which does not require a synchronizing signal, as is the case of processing of image data from the image memories 64a, 64b, 64c, . . . , 64n, it is possible to execute the processing by the image processing LSI 56 in such a manner as to cope with variation in the processing time, thus attaining a remarkable improvement in the image data processing efficiency.
When the image processing LSI 56 is connected to readable image memories 64a, 64b, 64c, . . . , 64n for processing data in such memories, the switching control device 52 delivers a processing start trigger signal S.sub.T to the image processing LSI 56 at a timing corresponding to the length of the processing time, so that the image processing LSI 56 is controlled in accordance with the length of the processing time. For instance, when the image processing performed by the image processing LSI 56 and the processing performed by the MPU 53 which controls the whole apparatus 50 are to be executed consecutively, the image processing LSI 56 can be controlled in accordance with the length of the processing time, so that the data processing efficiency is improved.
This improved apparatus, however, is still unsatisfactory in that it suffers from the following problem which is encountered when the articles to be examined have prints of letters or symbols as in the cases of electronic parts or when the articles are plastic parts having complicated configurations such as gears. More specifically, the examination of the surface state or configuration of an article with letters or symbols printed thereon is conducted by inputting multi-value image data showing the surface state or configuration of the article and finding any difference in the gradation values of pixels corresponding to the non-defective portion and the gradation values of pixels corresponding to the defective portion. In some cases, however, there is only a slight difference in the gradation value between any defective part and the printed letters or symbols, making it difficult to decisively discriminate between such defective part and the printed letters or symbols. Such a problem would be overcome by forming a masking region which would conceal the printed letters or symbols so as to neglect the data carried by the pixel inside such a mask. It is, however, extremely difficult to approximate contours of characters such as Japanese hiragana and kanjis with linear lines, circle or quadratic function through the least square method.
Examination of surface state or contour of a plastic article having a complicated configuration such as a gear also is conducted by inputting multi-value image data showing the surface state or configuration of the article and finding any difference in the gradation values of pixels corresponding to the non-defective portion and the gradation values of pixels corresponding to the defective portion. In this case, difficulty is encountered in the discrimination between defective and non-defective portions, particularly when only a small difference is presented in the gradation value between the pixels corresponding to the defective portion and pixels corresponding to background or letter portion.
As will be understood from the foregoing description, the aforementioned method relying upon formation of a region on the image data by approximating the configuration of the examination object through approximation by a function cannot satisfactorily be used in the examination of appearances of articles which are complicated in configurations or which have letters or symbols printed thereon.

Method of forming a mask in image processing operation


A tire is manufactured on standard tire building equipment and cured in standard curing presses. The tire tread has at least one deep circumferentially extending groove. Within the groove is a separately assembled ring. The ring may be fitted into the deep groove after vulcanization of the tire. For very wide tires, two grooves with two external rings may be used or more than two grooves and beads, depending upon the tire width.

Many attempts have been made to design tires that have superior performance on wet roads and which significantly reduce the aquaplaning phenomena at high speed on water covered roads. Well known examples are the Goodyear Aquatread (U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,037), the Michelin Catamaran (European Pat. App. EP 465,786 A1), and dual or multi-tire wheels. However, large grooved tires, such as the Goodyear Aquatread have reduced anti-aquaplaning as the tread wears.
The predecessor development tire to the Catamaran was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,273 entitled Dual Tire. This early tire suffered from poor handling and ride problems and therefore was never commercially accepted. The primary feature of this tire was the employment of a third bead centrally disposed between two tread portions reinforced by belts. The use of three or more beads was not in itself novel and had been employed in several very early patented tires. However, the use of a third bead coupled with a large channel was new. EPO application publication No. 0613793A1 describes an improved third bead structure designed specifically to improve the handling characteristics of the Catamaran type tire.
Later patents have sought to improve upon the teachings regarding a third bead coupled with a large channel, see U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,658, EP 465786, JA 62-86404, and JA 62-86405. All of these patent teach placing the third bead core coupled with the large channel within the tire; i.e. incorporating the third bead core into the tire during the green building stage of the tire, prior to vulcanization. However, such a method of construction requires new and more complex building processes to permit the use of an inextensible bead ring at a location radially inward of the belt plies. Thus, the manufacturing of the tire is very complex and costly in regards to capital investment.


An automobile equipped with helicopter flight apparatus capable of travel on public roads or flight in any direction. The conversion from ground travel mode to flight mode and vis-versa is automatic.

Helicopter type vehicles capable of vertical takeoff and landing as well as travel on roads have been proposed but none are of wide spread use. One such transport vehicle has counter rotating rotor blades, each of which fold in half. Far more complicated than the design offered herein. Another combination automobile-helicopter has two engines increasing complexity. Other vehicles of this type require manual conversion from ground travel to flight while the present vehicle converts from ground mode to flight mode and vise-versa automatically.


An improved method for injection molding including the steps of plasticizing a shot of molding material with the extruder running at a high rpm, transferring the shot to an accumulator means with the extruder running at a low rpm, and injecting the shot into a mold cavity.

1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to methods of molding. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved method of injection molding of preforms.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Molding operations are commonly done with either reciprocating screw or two stage injection units. When an object is to be made by a blow molding process, such as a beverage container, it is common practice to make a parison or a preform as an initial stage of the process. It is common practice in the manufacture of such preforms to use a polyethylene therephthalate (PET) material to make such preforms. Such PET reheat and blow preforms commonly use injection molding equipment of the two stage injection type. This two stage injection system allows the plastication or extruder screw to focus on melting the material, while the shooting pot/plunger system injects the molding plastic into the injection mold.
This separation of functions allows optimization of each of the processes in a relatively independent manner. The major focus of optimization in the plastication or extrusion screw is the minimization of polymer degradation while maintaining melt output. The predominant degradation product generated during standard melt processing is acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde has been demonstrated to affect the taste of bottled water, cola soft drinks, and other beverages at very low concentration levels.
Separating the plastication function from the injection function also allows the plastication screw to run in a nearly continuous manner, with the screw stopping momentarily just prior to melt transfer from the plastication unit to the injection unit. This mode of operation minimizes degradation of the molten polymer by reducing the amount of sheer heat generated during plastication through the use of reduced speeds. Also, because the screw is operating in a nearly continuous mode, the amount of degradation that occurs due to residence time in the melt is also reduced because the diameter of the screw, and thus its melt residence time, can be reduced when compared to a standard reciprocating screw injection unit.
In general, the two stage injection systems have had the ability to provide melt with acceptable levels of acetaldehyde. However, the acetaldehyde produced by the sheer heat in the plasticizing stage and residence time in the melt are not the only factors determining the acetaldehyde level. Other factors such as the particular material, the particular mix of the preferred material, the size of the shot and other factors are all important in determining the final level of acetaldehyde in the melt. When all of these factors combined, the prior art methods were found to meet specifications, but always on the high end of the specification level, making the process much harder to control. Thus, those skilled in the prior art continued to search for a solution to reduce the acetaldehyde content of the finished product which was traceable to the plastification and transfer function.

Improved method for transfer of molding material in two stage injection molding units during molding of preforms


An apparatus for measuring an optical property of a fluid. The apparatus may comprise a light source for projecting a beam of optical energy through the fluid and a reflector positioned opposite the fluid from the light source. The apparatus may also comprise receiver optics defining a receiver aperture. The reflector may be selected to under-fill the receiver aperture by a factor of at least 2.5. According to various embodiments, the apparatus may also comprise a reflector purge nozzle positioned at least partially between the reflector and the fluid. In addition to, or instead of the under-fill factor described above, the reflector may be selected to have a diameter less than a diameter of the reflector purge nozzle by a factor of at least 6.

Regulations in the United States and other nations place limits on the levels of pollution that can be emitted into the air or water by various processes. For example, the regulations limit the opacity, particulate matter content, and other properties of stack gas emitted by electric utilities, industrial and other sources. Many of these regulations require that outgoing stack gas be monitored to ensure compliance with the standards. Accordingly, instruments have been developed to monitor outgoing stack gas and other fluids.
Various existing instruments operate by directing a beam of optical energy across a stack or other fluid containing area and measuring the portion of the beam that is extinguished, scattered, or otherwise interacts with the fluid. One such device is a double-pass opacity monitor. A double-pass opacity monitor, such as opacity monitor 100 shown in FIG. 1, includes a transceiver assembly 102 on a first side of a fluid 101 and a reflector assembly 104 on a second side of the fluid 101 opposite the transceiver 102. The fluid 101 may be contained within a stack (not shown) positioned between the transceiver assembly 102 and reflector assembly 104. In use, a light source 108 of the transceiver assembly 102 emits a forward beam 120 of optical energy that is reflected by beam splitter 110 toward an aperture 106. An imaging lens 105 is present at or near the aperture 106 and directs the forward beam 120 out of a purge nozzle 114 of the transceiver assembly 102 and toward the reflector assembly 104. At the reflector assembly 104, the beam 120 is received by a purge nozzle 116 where it may be incident on corner cube reflector 112. The reflector 112 reflects a portion of the forward beam 120 back toward the transceiver assembly 102 as a reverse beam 122. The reverse beam 122 is incident on the aperture 106 and imaging lens 105, which focus the reverse beam 122 through the beam splitter 110 and onto a sensor 109. The difference between the intensity of the return beam 122 in a clear environment and the intensity of the return beam 122 when a fluid, such as stack gas 101, is present yields an indication of the opacity of the fluid 101.
FIG. 1 shows a typical prior-art configuration of the opacity monitor 100. As shown, the transceiver assembly 102 directs a diverging forward beam 120 across the stack, represented by the distance d, and toward the reflector assembly 104, where the beam 120 over-fills the reflector 112. That is, when the forward beam 120 is incident on the reflector 112, it has diverged to a diameter greater than that of the reflector 112. This wastes of a portion of the optical energy of the beam 120, but greatly simplifies the process of aligning the transceiver assembly 102 and reflector assembly 104. The return beam 122 then traverses the distance d again, until it is incident on the aperture 106 and lens 105. The diameter of the reflector 112 is selected to configure the return beam 122 to approximately fill the aperture 106. It is not desirable to significantly over-fill the aperture 106 because this wastes additional optical energy. Also, in prior designs, it was thought undesirable to significantly under-fill the aperture 106 because this will reduce the intensity of the return beam, and consequently the signal-to-noise ratio of the monitor 100.
Although the opacity monitor 100 shown by FIG. 1 should theoretically produce accurate results, in practice, it does not. Opacity monitors, such as monitor 100, and other similar optical instruments, have long exhibited an unexplained negative bias when installed on a stack. That is, the instruments often produce an opacity reading that is lower than the actual opacity of the fluid 101. It is believed that this negative bias affects results at all observed opacity levels, however, it is most apparent in relatively clean stacks with relatively low opacity. In some of these stacks, the actual opacity of the stack gas is less than the amount of the negative bias, causing the instrument to read a negative opacity. Predictably, sources that report negative opacity have been subjected to scrutiny and accused of having malfunctioning monitors. Also, environmental regulatory agencies are believed to have penalized sources that report excessive negative opacity readings. Paradoxically, as sources have improved process control and installed more effective pollution control devices, their stacks have become cleaner and therefore more likely to exhibit a negative opacity reading as a result of the negative bias. There has been much speculation about the source of the negative bias, but there are still no satisfactory ways of dealing with it.