An equipment for weather image prediction comprising: a field extracting portion, which calculates the velocity fields of the local echoes with respect to time and space from a plurality of time sequential frames of weather radar images for a plurality of frames therein, and which segments and extracts a field possessing similar velocities with respect to time and space as one precipitation field from said plurality of frames of weather radar images by employing said calculated velocity fields; a moving velocity estimating portion, which estimates the moving velocity of a precipitation field by obtaining the amount of movement, among the neighboring frames, of the precipitation field segmented and extracted by said field extracting portion; and a forecast image generating portion, which extrapolates a plurality of precipitation fields by employing a distance taken by multiplying the moving velocity of the precipitation field estimated by said moving velocity estimating portion by a desired forecasting time, and which generates a forecast radar image by synthesizing the resulting image.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and equipment for weather image prediction which has the objective of predicting weather phenomena such as the amount of precipitation or the amount of clouds, which is accomplished through predicting the local, short-term weather radar images by employing weather radar images obtained from a weather radar apparatus.
This application is based on the Japanese Patent Applications No. Hei 8-333763, No. Hei 9-056200, and No. Hei 9-112718 filed in Japan, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
With regard to conventional prediction methods employing weather radar images, cross-correlation methods are widely used, for example, as seen employed in Publication [1] Yoshio Asuma, Katsuhiro Kikuchi, and Hisashi Kon: "A Method for Estimating the Advection Velocity of Radar Echoes Using a Simple Weather Radar System", Geophysical Bulletin of Hokkaido University, Vol. 44, October, 1984, pp. 23-34 and Publication [2] Yoshio Asuma, Katsuhiro Kikuchi, and Hisashi Kon: "Experiments for a Very-Short-Range Prediction of Snowfall Using a Simple Weather Radar System", Geophysical Bulletin of Hokkaido University, Vol. 44, October, 1984, pp. 35-51.
This method employs two weather radar images measured at an arbitrary time interval .DELTA.T apart. While shifting one of the images, the correlation value of the image gray level is calculated, and the shift indicating the greatest correlation value is made to be the amount of movement of the precipitation field between the two frames. Employing this amount of movement, a parallel translation is performed on the precipitation field within the most current weather radar image. The resulting image is the forecast image.
Concretely speaking, the cross-correlation coefficient is obtained using the equation below from the two weather radar images R1, R2, as illustrated in FIG. 27, which are measured at a time interval .DELTA.t apart. Here, the gray level of the image or the lattice point (i, j) in the radar image is made to be R1(i, j) and R2(i, j), respectively, for the two measured images R1, R2. The fields to be correlated are A and B, respectively. The shift of the two radar images when calculating the correlation value is made to be (k,l). (In FIG. 27, the oblique lines indicate the field to be correlated, and the bold arrow in the center shows the direction of the movement of the echo pattern.) ##EQU1##
The cross-correlation value obtained through the calculation using the above equations may be as illustrated in FIG. 28, for example. At this point, a interpolation based on a second order function is performed on the cross-correlation value .sigma..sub.K,L at point (K,L) of the lattice point where the greatest cross-correlation value exists, and the four cross-correlation values in its vicinity, .sigma..sub.-x, .sigma..sub.+x, .sigma..sub.-y, .sigma..sub.+y. And the shift (k', l') between the point (not necessarily a lattice point) where the cross-correlation value resulting from the compensation is greatest is obtained through the following equation (FIG. 29, only the X component is illustrated). ##EQU2##
According to the above, when the two weather radar images R1, R2 are shifted by (K+k', L+l'), the cross-correlation value is greatest. From this fact, the movement vector of the echo pattern can be obtained from the equation (6) and equation (7) below. This movement vector shows the direction and the speed of the movement of the precipitation field. Here, V.sub.x and V.sub.y indicates the x component and the y component of the amount of movement. ##EQU3##
Next, by extrapolating the echo pattern within a weather radar image measured at a certain time by employing the movement vector obtained through the equations (6), (7), a radar image of a time after the measured time is predicted.
Using the weather radar image I (i, j) as the input image, a forecast image J (i, j) of a time .DELTA.T after the measured time of the weather radar image I (i, j) is obtained from the calculated movement vector, employing V.sub.x and V.sub.y. The forecast image J (i, j) is defined to be an image resulting from the parallel translation of the input image I (i, j) based on the amount of movement in the horizontal direction S.sub.x and the amount of movement in the vertical direction S.sub.y, EQU S.sub.x =.DELTA.T.multidot.V.sub.x (8) EQU S.sub.y =.DELTA.T.multidot.V.sub.y (9)
However, the amount of movement is not restricted to integer values. If the shift from the lattice point of the moved image is expressed by ##EQU4## then the forecast image J (i, j) is defined to be ##EQU5##
The lattice point of the forecast image J which have no correspondence to that of the input image, that is, the blank space of the forecast image resulting from the parallel translation, is set to have the value of zero.
Further, the forecast image can be obtained in the same manner even for the cases other than where v.sub.x >0 and V.sub.y >0.
At this point, the problems posed by the above described method will be made clear by a comparison with the characteristics of the echo within the actual weather radar image.
FIGS. 30A-30B illustrate an example of a typical echo. As can be seen in FIGS. 30A-30B, the radar echo within the weather radar image has large and small echo cells as its fundamental elements, and when these echo cells form a group, one precipitation field is formed. Hereinafter, these echo cells will simply be referred to as echoes. In a weather radar image, a precipitation field possessing a plurality of different dynamics may exist. Although echoes may be generalized as moving along with the flow of the atmosphere, there is a constant repetition of deformation and appearance and dissipation. In addition, especially in the case of FIGS. 30A-30B, the echoes appear at a certain position, move forming a band-shape, and dissipate at a certain position. However, the movement of the precipitation field formed by the group of these echoes is extremely slow when compared to the movement velocity of the echoes.
However, this cross-correlation method calculates one or more global movement vectors based on the correlation value of the gray level of a wide range from the radar images of the two frames. Thus, the moving velocity of the above echo and the moving velocity of the precipitation field cannot be distinguished. Consequently, in the case where the calculated moving vector corresponds to the moving velocity of the echo, there is a problem where the forecasted precipitation field moved to a location widely different from the actual location.
Moreover, since the image gray level changes from one frame to another due to unstable factors such as the deformation and appearance and dissipation of the echoes, there is a problem where the moving components of the echoes and the precipitation field cannot be stably and accurately calculated.
Furthermore, since one or more moving vectors are calculated with respect the radar image, and the image is simply undergoing a parallel translation, there is also a problem that, in the case where the precipitation field possessing a plurality of different movements exists, it is not possible to treat each of the precipitation fields separately, thereby reducing the accuracy of the forecast.
In conclusion, the above described method cannot distinguish the moving velocity of the echoes with the moving velocity of the precipitation field, and it makes the stable and accurate calculation of the moving velocities of the echoes and the precipitation field very difficult due to the influences of the unstable factors such as the appearance, dissipation, and deformation of the echoes, and further, it cannot handle precipitation fields possessing a plurality of different movements. Due to such various problems, the above method could not forecast a weather radar image of high accuracy.

Method and equipment for weather image prediction

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


Embodiments of the present invention are directed to provide a method and system for applying automatic power conservation techniques in a computing system. Embodiments are described herein that automatically limits the frame rate of an application executing in a discrete graphics processing unit operating off battery or other such exhaustible power source. By automatically limiting the frame rate in certain detected circumstances, the rate of power consumption, and thus, the life of the current charge stored in a battery may be dramatically extended. Another embodiment is also provided which allows for the more effective application of automatic power conservation techniques during detected periods of inactivity by applying a low power state immediately after a last packet of a frame is rendered and displayed.

A graphics processing unit or "GPU" is a device used to perform graphics rendering operations in modern computing systems such as desktops, notebooks, and video game consoles, etc. Traditionally, graphics processing units are typically supplied as either of two general classes of processing units: integrated units or discrete video cards.
Integrated graphics processing units are graphics processors that utilize a portion of a computer's system memory rather than having its own dedicated memory. Due to this arrangement, integrated GPUs are typically localized in close proximity to, if not disposed directly upon, some portion of the main circuit board (e.g., a motherboard) of the computing system. Integrated GPUs are, in general, cheaper to implement than discrete GPUs, but are typically lower in capability and operate at reduced performance levels relative to discrete GPUs.
Discrete or "dedicated" GPUs are distinguishable from integrated GPUs by having local memory dedicated for use by the GPU which they do not share with the underlying computer system. Commonly, discrete GPUs are implemented on discrete circuit boards called "video cards" which include, among other components, a GPU, the local memory, communication buses and various output terminals. These video cards typically interface with the main circuit board of a computing system through a standardized expansion slot such as PCI Express (PCIe) or Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), upon which the video card may be mounted. In general, discrete GPUs are capable of significantly higher performance levels relative to integrated GPUs. However, discrete GPUs also typically require their own separate power inputs, and require higher capacity power supply units to function properly. Consequently, discrete GPUs also have higher rates of power consumption relative to integrated graphics solutions. In software that have higher graphical needs (e.g., advanced gaming applications), the relative power consumption is also naturally higher relative to less graphics intensive application.
Some modern main circuit boards often include an integrated graphics processing unit as well as one or more additional expansion slots available to add a dedicated graphics unit. Each GPU can and typically does have its own output terminals with one or more ports corresponding to one or more audio/visual standards (e.g., VGA, HDMI, DVI, etc.), though typically only one of the GPUs will be running in the computing system at any one time. Alternatively, other modern computing systems can include a main circuit board capable of simultaneously utilizing two identical dedicated graphics units to generate output for one or more displays.
Some notebook and laptop computers have been manufactured to include two or more graphics processors. Notebook and laptop computers with more than one graphics processing units are almost invariably solutions featuring an integrated GPU and a discrete GPU. Unlike configurations common to desktop computers however, due to size and weight constraints, the discrete graphics processors in mobile computing systems may be non-standardized, and specific to the laptop or notebook's particular make or model. Furthermore, unlike desktop computers featuring multiple graphics processors, typical mobile computing systems with an integrated GPU and a discrete GPU will share the same output terminals. For example, a common configuration is to have the integrated GPU directly coupled to the display device and the discrete GPU coupled to the integrated GPU (but not the display device). When the discrete GPU is used, data is transferred first to the integrated GPU through system memory and eventually to the display device through the integrated GPU.
According to conventional configurations, each of the graphics processing units may have specific (and possibly disparate) performance capabilities. These capabilities may be expressed as a plurality of characteristics that shape and configure the graphical output of the GPU as it is displayed by the display device. In a typical embodiment, these characteristics may include, but are not limited to, the resolution, refresh rate, brightness, and color depth of the output as displayed along with any power conservation features that are available. Generally, these characteristics are conveyed to the operating system executing on the computing system, whereupon they may be visible and configurable by a user of the computing system. Typically, a system with both a discrete and integrated GPUs will have only one of the graphics processing units (or class of units) alternatively selected by the user (or application) to provide exclusive graphics rendering and output for the system.
Unfortunately, typical graphics processing units are ill-equipped or unable to adjust to fluctuating power demands. As a result, the rates of power consumption may not be easily manipulated to suit a user's preferences. Even when available, typical power consumption management must be generally performed manually, and, even when automated, only limited features are typically available to be managed (e.g., the brightness of a display device, system sleep intervals, etc.) This problem is of particular concern in situations where a user is operating a graphics intensive application from an relatively inexhaustible power source (such as a wall outlet operating on alternating current) which becomes unavailable, due to an energy blackout, or travel, etc. In such circumstances, the user must terminate the application or operate off the exhaustible DC power source, which may face significant risks (such as loss of progress or unsaved data) if the power source is depleted or fails unexpectedly.

Method and system for artificially and dynamically limiting the framerate of a graphics processing unit


Methods and apparatus for sensing operations in memory devices are disclosed. In at least one embodiment, a sensing operation to determine negative threshold voltages in memory cells by an elevated source potential applied to a string of memory cells and an elevated data line potential applied to the string of memory cells is disclosed. A ramped sense potential is incorporated into the sense operation according to at least one embodiment. A sense circuit diode allows a sense potential to fall below a data line potential during a sensing operation according to another embodiment.

Memory devices are typically provided as internal, semiconductor, integrated circuits in computers or other electronic systems. There are many different types of memory including random-access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), resistive random access memory (RRAM), double data rate memory (DDR), low power double data rate memory (LPDDR), phase change memory (PCM) and Flash memory.
Non-volatile memory is memory that can retain its stored data for some extended period without the application of power. Flash memory devices have developed into a popular source of non-volatile memory for a wide range of electronic applications. Flash memory devices are commonly used in electronic systems, such as personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, digital media players, digital recorders, games, appliances, vehicles, wireless devices, cellular telephones, and removable memory modules, and the uses for Flash memory continue to expand.
Flash memory typically utilizes one of two basic architectures known as NOR Flash and NAND Flash. The designation is derived from the logic used to read the devices. Typically, an array of memory cells for NAND flash memory devices is arranged such that memory cells of a string are connected together in series, source to drain.
Flash memory typically requires a negative voltage source for performing at least a portion of sensing operations, such as read and verify operations, on selected memory cells. These negative voltage sources typically comprise negative voltage charge pumps and tend to consume undesirable amounts of physical space (e.g., real estate) in memory devices. Various methods have been used to attempt to perform negative sensing operations in memory cells without having to rely on circuitry such as the real-estate intensive circuitry of negative charge pumps. However, these methods have their limitations as to the magnitude of negative sensing operations which can be performed in memory devices while still maintaining a desired level of reliability of the sensing operations.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for expanding negative voltage sensing ranges while mitigating the amount of real estate consumed by support circuitry for performing such sensing operations and maintaining a desired level of reliability in sensing operations performed in memory devices.


A method is indicated of recycling plastic sheet material coated with adhesive and available in chopped form. The method provides for separating the plastic from the adhesive. In a first method step the chopped sheet material (4) is introduced into a solvent bath (1) where the chopped sheet material (4) is moved for a predetermined dispersing time under mechanical action. The mechanical action preferably is exercized by rolling or kneading. In a second method step, the adhesive dispersed in the solvent is separated from the chopped sheet material (4) by mechanical action of forces--preferably by introducing squeezing forces in a conveyor screw.

The underlying problem in the first place pertains to the art of manufacturing adhesive tapes from plastics but it is transferable equally well to any kind of plastic material which is coated with adhesive. The manufacture of plastic adhesive tapes and of the other materials mentioned involves the production of waste, for instance, in the form of marginal strips cut off from the material in the manufacturing process. In a more general sense the term "plastic waste coated with adhesive" preferably is understood as relating to waste of thermoplastic materials, especially polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Even in optimized manufacturing processes the proportion of this waste--among others also due to rejects--still accounts for some 10% of the production and, as a rule, results in the form of chopped sheet material of varying size, preferably between 1 and 10 mm long, at the manufacturer's of plastic film or sheet material. It is not only economic for reasons but also under environmental aspects that renewed use is aimed at of this adhesive coated plastic sheet material waste in the form of its separated components.
An economically operating process of the kind mentioned initially is unknown. True, DE-OS 38 31 023 discloses a beneficiation method for reuse of soiled plastic products wherein the chopped sheet material is agitated in a washing solution of organic solvents and subsequently removed from the washing solution in a turbulence-free zone, then predried mechanically by centrifugal force, and thereafter redried thermally by hot gas, the solvent being recycled from the drying stage into the washing stage. However, this known method is not suited to achieve the aim of the instant invention, namely the sustained separation of the adhesive from the plastic sheet material, or not so in an economic manner. Rather, the known method is directed at cleaning the plastic waste mentioned from contamination; the method steps in that case are not adapted to bring about sufficient separation of adhesives from the chopped sheet material, which adhesives stick quite firmly to the chopped sheet material, such as rubber-based adhesives which are not soluble in water and glycol.
It is the object of the invention to indicate a method of the kind mentioned initially for separating the adhesive from the chopped sheet material by means of a solvent in an economic and reliable way.
This object is met, in accordance with the invention, in that
(a) the chopped sheet material is kneaded for a predetermined period of time while the solvent is being added so that the adhesive will become dispersed in the solvent; PA1 (b) subsequently the solvent-adhesive dispersion is separated from the chopped sheet material by the action of mechanical force and discharged.
The kneading of the adhesive-coated chopped sheet material in the presence of the solvent in method step (a) turns the adhesive and the solvent into a pasty, honey-like dispersion which can be separated from the chopped sheet material in the subsequent method step (b), for example by squeezing or shearing forces. It is an advantage of the novel process that reliable separation is achieved and that it is economical because the residence time of the chopped material is short and little solvent is used as compared to the amount of adhesive to be separated. In addition, the adhesive is yielded in the form of a solvent-adhesive dispersion which also permits direct renewed used of the adhesive, such as by applying it on sheet material.
To obtain particularly clean chopped sheet material, the novel method preferably is carried out in two stages, or best in three stages, where method steps (a) and (b) present one first stage of the process which is followed by a second stage or by second and third stages, each comprising steps (a) and (b). Here the chopped sheet material being treated always comes from the preceding stage, the solvent-adhesive dispersion obtained in the second stage and, where applicable, in the third stage is supplied to the respective preceding stage as the solvent, and fresh solvent is used only in the last stage.
To carry out method step (a), it is preferably provided that the dispersing of the adhesive sticking to the chopped sheet material is effected with the solvent in a respective closed kneader, especially a multi-stage kneader. It may be sufficient to use a kneader with less kneading steps in the second or third stages of the method than in the first ones. Suitable kneaders are commercially available.
As regards the second method step (b), it is preferably suggested that the separation of the dispersed adhesive from the chopped sheet material be effected by introducing squeezing forces in a conveyor screw whose volume per unit length decreases in conveying direction and whose shell consists of a perforated plate through which the solvent-adhesive dispersion can pass. The decrease in volume per unit length of the conveyor screw may be realized either by a variation in pitch of the screw shaft or by a casing configuration which converges in conveying direction.
As an alternative, the separation of the dispersed adhesive from the chopped sheet material may be effected by introducing shearing forces in a vessel at the bottom of which two coaxial wing rotors are arranged which rotate in opposite sense in a radial plane and between the wing groups of which there is a cylindrical separating zone. Particularly high shearing forces are created in this cylindrical separating zone to which the chopped sheet material is fed by flow created in the vessel, and these shear forces permit clear separation of the dispersed adhesive from the chopped sheet material, as with the first alternative.
The type of solvent used essentially depends on the type of adhesive which adheres to the chopped sheet material. Experience made in the testing phase of the instant process has shown that the solvent preferably should have a boiling point of from 40.degree. to 90.degree. C., especially from 50.degree. to 70.degree. C.
The preferred solvent is benzine having a maximum benzene content of 1%. The limitation of the benzene content is made in view of safety regulations. The benzine is light benzine consisting of straight chain or branched, preferably branched, saturated hydrocarbons, pentane and hexane being suitable in consideration of the preferred boiling points. However, as hexane is not preferred for use because of the risk involved, it is more advantageous to apply a mixture of pentane and hexane or, most preferably, pentane alone.
The preferred process temperature lies at a value between 25.degree. and 35.degree. C., and the dispersing time in the first stage is about 3 minutes.
Preferably the dispersion to be withdrawn from the first stage of the process and to be returned to the manufacturer of the sheet material has a mixing ratio of approximately 20% of adhesive and 80% of solvent. In this manner the requirements both of the manufacturer of sheet material and of the instant can be taken into account.

Method of recycling adhesive-coated plastic sheet material


A traffic management device (TMD), system, and processor-readable storage medium are directed towards reducing a number of login web pages served by a server device over an end-to-end encrypted connection. In one embodiment, a TMD intercepts and processes requests for content addressed to the server device. The TMD may serve a stored copy of a login page corresponding to the requested content to the client device. In response, the client device may submit login information associated with the login page to the TMD. The TMD may extract the login information from the submitted response and send a request to the server device to authenticate the client device based on the extracted login information. If the client device is authenticated, the TMD may transmit a ‘login successful’ page to the client device.

An increasing number of applications within an enterprise are provided over Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), Transport Layer Security (TLS), or any number of protocols that network devices may use to communicate over an encrypted session. Maintaining security while increasing performance and reliability of such encrypted sessions is of practical benefit to end users, system administrators, infrastructure providers, and the like.
However, traditional methods of optimizing data transfer between two network devices are often rendered inoperable when two network devices, such as a client device and a server device, encrypt the data being transferred. For example, a pair of network accelerators, one operating in physical proximity to the client device and the other in physical proximity to the server device, are traditionally unable to perform certain types of compression on the encrypted data. Moreover, such pairs of network accelerators are also traditionally unable to insert content or otherwise modify the encrypted data, redirect data requests to particular servers, or the like. Thus, optimizing network traffic sent over an SSL/TLS sessions is an ongoing challenge.

Local authentication in proxy SSL tunnels using a client-side proxy agent


The blind spot alert apparatus provides a pair of identical sensors for fit to opposite rear quadrants of a vehicle. Each sensor senses a presence or lack thereof of an obstacle proximal to either rear quadrant of the vehicle. Sensors signal the driver via instrument panel chime and buzzer and also via the “WARNING” and “OK” indicia in each side of the instrument panel. Signaling occurs only with a turn signal initiation. Blind spot related accidents are thereby avoided.

As an example of motor vehicle accident problems, according to the United States DOT, approximately 346,000 auto accidents occurred in 2006 that were directly related to merging or changing lanes. This serves as a reminder of how severe the problems of blind spots are. Blind spot typically refers to areas on both the left and right rear sides of a vehicle, usually about proximal to the rear fender or rear bumper. As an anecdote, drivers notoriously and incorrectly adjust outside mirrors to view down the sides of the vehicle, instead of off of the rear fender or bumper toward an adjacent lane, thereby negating full view of blind spots. Cautious drivers also practice a habit of glancing over their shoulder, toward a given side, to establish blind spot clearance. Such a practice is dangerous because a vehicle ahead of the driver may slow rapidly, giving the cautious driver insufficient time to react to avoid a rear end collision. Obviously the interior rearview mirror sees only behind a vehicle.
Therefore, an apparatus is needed that gives a vehicle operator a clear indication of blind spot obstruction. The present apparatus provides for alerting a vehicle operator, upon initiation of a turn signal, to any obstruction in either side's blind spot.


Controlling, monitoring and managing system applied in self-service equipment for banking, a system (1) that previews, inside each of the self service banking terminals (2) associated to a specific bank, a Local Management Feature (3), connected through a Local Server (4), to a Control, Monitoring and Management Center (5), responsible for the general administration of the system, and provided with a Security Module (6), being that, when the administration of the place is local, Control, Monitoring and Managing Consoles are previewed (7); at the back part of the terminal (2), a command panel is previewed (8) bearing an interface to communicate with the Local Management Feature (3) previewed inside the above-mentioned terminal (2), as well as the Control, Monitoring and Management Center (5) and with Local Consoles for Control, Monitoring and Management (7); such control panel (8) is endowed with a keyboard (9), LCD display (10), magnetic and “smart card” reader (11, digital printing reader (12) and a biometric data comparison system; internally the command panel (8) is endowed with a Cryptography Module (13); the system (1) still previews one sole master key for each banking agency, being that each master key can be used in all terminals (2) associated to that specific agency.

In the state of the art the bank automatic teller terminals (ATMs) are known and common in the market, designed to automation and non-centralization of the banking services in general, in said terminals the user benefits from an adequate interface to request and obtain given services directly interacting with the equipment without the interference of any person.
Such ATMs are located inside bank branches or inside appendages integrated to said branches or inside boxes foreseen in several locations, whether external (in streets and avenues of the city) or internal (in shopping centers, clubs, schools, parking lots, gas stations, etc.).
The great problem with these terminals is that they are not provided with any system capable of allowing the control and management of all operations performed by the authorized operators in all terminals of that bank.
In fact, at present, each ATM terminal has a respective physical switch and an off-line electronic secret combination (disconnected from the network), and the switch remains in possession of the employee in charge of that equipment and designated to accomplish the removal of documents and money deposited inside the same (specifically inside the safe of the depository provided in the equipment) as well as to periodically supply the equipment with money (specifically the safe of the dispenser or draft terminal provided in the equipment).
With this, a great number of ATM terminals can normally be opened at the same time and there is no control of the operations performed by each employee or a time schedule or verification of the reason for opening. This is because the current hardware and software architecture of the common bank automatic teller terminals allow all the ATMs be opened simultaneously at undue times without any control and without audit tracking (history of operations), which is not acceptable as far as security is involved. In summary, nobody knows who opened it, much less when or why it was opened.
Thus, due to the lack of a system capable of allowing monitoring, management and control of the operations in the bank automatic teller terminals, the number of assaults occurred in said terminals is increasingly greater, many of them occurring during the opening or closing thereof by the operators; and such assaults are generally successful since the ATM terminals do not count on any security system capable of perceiving their occurrence and actuating means to bar the performance of the operations.

Itautec Philco S/A - Grupo Itautec Philco


The present disclosure provides a method of fabricating a graphene touch sensor, a graphene sensor and a touch-sensitive display device. The method comprises: forming a graphene layer on a substrate; forming a metal layer on the graphene layer; coating a photoresist layer on the metal layer; exposing the photoresist layer by using a gray-scale reticle and developing the exposed photoresist layer to obtain a photoresist completely removed region, a photoresist partially remained region, and a photoresist completely remained region; removing the metal layer located in the photoresist completely removed region; removing the graphene layer located in the photoresist completely removed region; removing the metal layer located in the photoresist partially remained region; coating a protective film on the graphene layer located in the photoresist partially remained region; striping off the remainder photoresist. The embodiment of the present disclosure avoids the alkaline developing solution and the alkaline stripping solution from contacting the graphene film to degrade the conduction of the graphene, thereby increasing yield and reducing cost.

Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to touch display field, and particularly to a graphene sensor and a method of fabricating the same and a touch-sensitive display device.
Description of the Related Art
Graphene is a flat film constructed by carbon atoms in hexagon-shaped honeycomb crystal lattice with sp2 hybridized orbit (i.e., one s orbit and two p orbits are hybridized), which is one kind of 2D material having a thickness of one carbon atomic monolayer, i.e., 0.335 nm. A monolayer graphene has a light transmission of 97.7%. That is, it has excellent properties such as a high light transmission, a non-reflection, an ultrahigh carrier mobility (2*105 cm2/Vsec), a high flexibility, a high mechanical strength (tensile strength of 10-20 GPa), a good chemical stability, and a high thermal conductivity. The graphene as a transparent conductive film may be used to fabricate an ultra-lightweight, ultra-thin, high light transmittance and flexible touch screen.
It is a trend to develop a touch screen that has a big size and a narrow frame and is ultra-lightweight and ultra-thin. It is required to fabricate a metal leading wire having a thin line width with a high etching precision, and produce a product with narrow/ultra-narrow frame rim meeting the requirements. However, an existing screen printing technique to directly form a leading wire by a conductive silver paste does not meet the requirement of producing a product with the narrow frame rim. In addition, although a technique of fabricating an ITO touch sensor by etching an Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) film and a metal leading wire through a lithographic approach is a well-known technology that may achieve a high etching precision and high efficiency, the ITO film may be damaged during etching a metal layer. If the ITO film is replaced by graphene, then the graphene film may be not influenced by the corrosion caused by an acid solution during etching the metal, when fabricating the graphene touch sensor and the metal leading wire by the lithography. However, when fabricating a patterned graphene layer by the conventional lithography, an alkaline developing solution and an alkaline stripping solution contact the graphene film and cause the electrical conductivity of the graphene film to be degraded.

Graphene sensor and method of fabricating the same and touch-sensitive display device


A system and method for providing a sealing arrangement in an X-ray tube are provided. The X-ray tube includes a rotating portion having a plurality of ball bearings and a liquid metal within a housing having the ball bearings therein. The rotating portion is configured to rotate an anode. The X-ray tube further includes a sealing portion formed by a liquid metal vacuum interface configured in a radial direction to resist flow of liquid metal from the housing to a vacuum portion.

The present invention relates generally to X-ray tubes, and more particularly, to lubricant sealing within X-ray tube bearing assemblies.
Various techniques for manufacturing a rotary anode type X-ray tube are known. The rotary anode type X-ray tube typically includes generally, a vacuum chamber, a rotating shaft and a stator. A bearing cartridge also typically is provided between the rotating shaft and the stator and includes a roller type bearing assembly. The rotating shaft is attached to the anode that is rotated using the shaft. The anode includes a target that heats to high temperatures during the operation of the X-ray tube. This is due to the constant impingement of electrons on the surface of the target-bearing cartridge, which accumulates heat generated at the target. As a result, there is a temperature inequality between the rotating shaft and the stator. This causes increased wear and tear of the X-ray tube, which can result in reduced performance.
A lubricant is typically provided in the bearing cartridge to reduce the heat level, wear and thereby increase the life of the bearing. The lubricant equalizes the temperatures of the shaft and the stator. Both solid as well as liquid metal lubricants are used to surround the bearing assembly and increase their conductivity. X-ray tubes containing bearing cartridges, which use liquid metal lubricants (e.g., Gallium or Gallium alloys) typically have a longer life and reduced operation noise at higher gantry loads and at higher anode rotation speeds. However, an appropriate sealing arrangement must be provided to reduce or eliminate the risk of the liquid metal lubricant leaking from the bearing section into the vacuum chamber. Such leakage can cause electrical (high voltage) instability in the X-ray tube, thereby shortening operating life.
In known X-ray tubes, a seal is provided in the form of an axial interface between the liquid metal lubricant and the vacuum chamber, to prevent this leakage. However, the axial interface may not perform adequately at higher loads and speeds.

System and method for providing sealing arrangement in X-ray tube


A shower additive dispenser assembly including an arm member. A receptacle is mounted to the arm member. A body member has a cavity formed therein for retaining a fluid, the body member is removably mounted to the receptacle. A microporous flow restrictor is disposed at the body member. The microporous flow restrictor is configured for allowing the fluid to exit the body member.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to chemical dispensers. More specifically, to an additive dispenser attachable to a showerhead or a shower pipe.
2. Description of the Related Art
Attachment devices for showerheads are well known and provide a method for dispensing an additive such as aromatic oil or medication into shower water. The devices previously proposed either lack the ability to accurately control the flow rate of the additive, aromatic oil or medication, into the water, or those devices that provide such control generally are of very complex construction and, hence, are too expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, they are cumbersome to use and take up considerable space.
For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,056 discloses a method to control the rate by which the additive is introduced into the water prior to the water entering the showerhead, i.e. the additive is mixed with water under pressure. However, the device requires the use of a mixer coupling and three different valves. An additional disadvantage of this and many similar devices described in the prior art is that the additive is mixed with the water prior to the water entering the showerhead. Most commercial showerheads are fitted with various parts made of synthetic rubber, and additives such as aromatic oils cause significant swelling of these rubber parts, thus causing damage to the showerhead.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,131,232 and 6,923,384 disclose two very similar liquid additive dispensing devices in which the additive is added to the shower water after the water exits the showerhead. Both devices use gravity as the force to cause the flow of the additive from a reservoir into the shower water. However, with both devices the additive flows into the water stream as discrete droplets, which is undesirable in many applications. For instance, in one potential type of application, namely aromatherapy, the amount of aromatic oil that is needed for a shower of typical duration is extremely small, generally of the order of less than 0.5 ml per minute or approximately 10 drops per minute. Therefore, if the oil is added in the form of discrete droplets, the aroma effect will be very intermittent, with a sudden burst of strong aroma followed by a period of several seconds with no aroma, a result, which is generally undesirable.
Furthermore, none of the above-mentioned patents disclose a specific method for controlling the flow rate of oil. Simple valves such as needle valves or pinch valves are not capable of providing adequate flow control at the very low flow rates that are required to dispense aroma oils or other additives such as medication. Electronically operated valves may provide adequate control of the flow rate, but such valves are too expensive for most consumer applications. Accurate and reliable control of the additive flow rate is important in many applications. For instance, in the case where bath oil or essential oil is added to shower water to generate an aroma effect, there is a need to control the flow rate because the intensity of the aroma is influenced by several factors such as the type of oil and the water temperature and the preference for different aroma intensities (strong, medium, mild) varies among users. The need to control the additive flow rate is not limited to essential oils and bath oils, but also applies to other additives such as medications.
The present invention provides for a shower additive dispenser which delivers a continuous, i.e. non-intermittent flow of an additive to shower water at extremely low flow rates, and which is capable of controlling the flow rate over a wide range using only one moving part.


First equipment is provided in a first lateral branch of a well, and second equipment in a second lateral branch of the well. Cross-lateral logging is performed using the first and second equipment in the corresponding first and second lateral branches.

A well can be drilled into a subterranean structure for the purpose of recovering fluids from a reservoir in the subterranean structure. Examples of fluids include hydrocarbons, fresh water, or other fluids. Alternatively, a well can be used for injecting fluids into the subterranean structure.
In some cases, a well can have multiple lateral branches. Equipment can be provided in these lateral branches to perform various well operations.

Providing equipment in lateral branches of a well


A device is provided which comprises a solar cell section formed in a plate and a storage battery section. The solar cell section includes one or more solar cells which generate electrical power when they receive light. The storage battery section is lying under the solar cell section and comprises one or more storage battery cells separated by bulkheads. Each of the storage battery cells comprises two chambers containing electrolytic solutions and a membrane dividing the chambers, whereby ions solved in the solutions undergo a change in valences, while maintaining their status as solved ions. Holes are extending through the bulkheads to exchange the electrolytic solutions in the storage battery cells, thereby the concentration of the cells can be maintained to be substantially uniform.

The present invention relates to a device containing a solar cell panel and a storage battery integrally, which is preferable as an electronic power supply or source for facilities in remote places, mobile station and so on.
Solar cell panels are widely used in view of their energy efficiency and non-maintenance. A maintenance-free power source is particularly useful in remote places.
However, not only a silicone solar cell panel (such as a single crystal silicone solar cell panel, a polycrystal silicone solar cell panel, or an amorphous silicone solar cell panel) but also a thin film solar cell panel (such as a gallium arsenide thin film solar cell panel) can generate electricity only when it receives light such as solar light and so on, and it cannot generate any power at nighttime and under cloudy or rainy conditions even if it is daytime, power generation is remarkably reduced.
Consequently, in a case where a conventional power supply (or system power supply) is provided through distribution lines or cables, a solar cell panel and the conventional power supply are used in parallel, and when an output voltage from the solar cell panel falls below a predetermined level, the power from the conventional power supply is provided to a load. Obviously, however, this method requires power distribution means (or power distribution cables) and thus it is impossible to be employed in a case where there is no distribution means of a conventional power supply. Further, a conventional power supply usually provides an AC voltage, while a solar cell panel provides a DC voltage. Therefore, a converter and/or an inverter is required to convert the AC or DC voltage output from the conventional power supply or solar cell panel to an appropriate current, or a DC or AC voltage to be applied to a load, even if the load is an AC load or a DC load.
Furthermore, in a case where there is a great discrepancy between a time period during which a solar cell panel can generate and charge electrical power and a time period during which a load power is consumed, there is little advantage in using a solar cell panel in order to supplement the capability of power generation. For example, when a load is an air cooling system which is usually used in summer time, power generation in a solar battery substantially coincides with power consumption of the air cooling system, and when a load is an air heating system which is usually used at night in winter or a TV receiver which is usually turn-on at night, power generation in a solar cell panel may well not coincide with power consumption of the air heating system or TV. In the former case, there is a great advantage in employing the solar cell panel for electricity requirements, while in the latter case, there is little advantage therein.
Accordingly, if there is no main power supply or conventional power supply is available and power is consumed during period when no light reaches the solar cell panel, a system is employed in which power generated by the solar cell panel is charged to a storage battery.
In this case, however, a place for positioning the storage battery thereat is needed, and when power storage is required on a large scale, a chamber for accommodating the storage battery is needed. In addition, since the solar cell panel is produced separately from the storage battery, it is necessary to properly match the voltages of the solar cell panel and the storage battery, otherwise poor performance results. That is, charging to the storage battery is made impossible, or an operating point of the solar cell panel greatly deviates from the maximum performance point. Therefore, solar cell panel manufacturers, storage battery manufacturers or third party equipment fabricators have to adjust the output voltage of the solar cell panel or storage battery to coincide with the other.
Although a polymer battery, which is a kind of a solar cell panel having a power charging function, has been fabricated, it is still at laboratory level. Neither there has been developed nor put to practical use such a type of solar cell panel having the same power generation capability as that of a silicone solar cell panel.

Device containing solar cell panel and storage battery


A portable spa has a recirculation system with an automatic vacuum breaking mechanism for preventing objects, such as small children, from becoming lodged at the discharge opening at the bottom of the spa. The recirculation system includes a vacuum sensor adapted to sense the amount or rapid change in the amount of vacuum within the discharge conduit of the recirculation system. When a pre-defined vacuum parameter exceeds a pre-determined set point, the safety switch automatically engages the vacuum breaking means, such as recirculation pump power relays, so as to immediately break the vacuum at the discharge pump.

Portable spas have become enormously popular throughout the world. Portable spas generally comprise a molded tub vessel sufficiently large to seat one or more people. Disposed within the walls of the tub vessel are openings to allow for the ingress and egress of water.
Generally the water egress opening in the tub vessel is connected by a pump to one or more water ingress openings in the tub vessel to allow the recirculation of water within the tub vessel.
Such water recirculation systems have been found to entail a problem. That is, under certain circumstances, the egress opening at the bottom of the tub vessel can have sufficient suction force to adhere an object to the egress opening. In at least one instance, a small child was drown in this way.
Accordingly, there is a need for a portable spa recirculation system which efficiently and inexpensively eliminates this problem.

Portable spa with safety suction shut-off


Power switching apparatus for an electrically driven vehicle drawing power from a plurality of spaced apart ground disposed busses separated by insulators. The apparatus employs a pair of contacts for routing power from the busses to the vehicle motor, the speed of which is controlled by the power frequency presented at each successive buss as the vehicle proceeds on its journey. The contacts are serially positioned one after another with respect to the line of travel of the vehicle and are joined together by a switching mechanism which senses the power status of each contact at any particular moment. Power is transferred to the vehicle motor through one contact or the other in accordance with a selected sequence of operation. Voltage arcing and power lapse conditions are substantially alleviated by this arrangement.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention resides in the field of ground based transportation systems for passenger or freight and more particularly relates to apparatus for the programmable control of an electric vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention relates to an improvement in the transportation system concept disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,082 by the same applicant. The method and apparatus employed in that system provide for vehicle speed control by the sequential application of multiple electrical power sources at varying frequencies to an electric motor used to power the vehicle.
The vehicle receives power sequentially from a plurality of groups of busses connected to power supplies which generate a programmed succession of power waves of varying frequencies.
The busses are reached through a vehicle connector extension or pickup, a brush or rotary device for example. As the vehicle moves forward, separate insulated busses are continually contacted and the propulsion motor responds to each contact depending upon the power frequency encountered. The design parameters of motor, power supply frequency, buss spacing, and vehicle speed are selected to bring about a desired result of vehicle mobility pattern.
In particular, the power frequency supplied to each buss is sequentially varied such that, if the vehicle moves continually at a desired speed, it is always supplied with power of a frequency that results in the motor providing sufficient torque to maintain synchronous velocity. If the vehicle slows down or speeds up as a result of grade or load changes it will encounter a power frequency which will cause it to run faster or slower as the case may be. As the velocity of the vehicle adjusts, the motor will again synchronize with a power source frequency that will result in a desired rate of travel.

Power collection switching for automated driverless vehicles


A method for transmitting/receiving wireless data and an apparatus therefor according to the quality of an application service and features of a coder/decoder (CODEC) of an application layer are provided. The method for transmitting/receiving wireless data includes the steps of: establishing a catalog of information related to the application data service; adding header information of each layer by referring to the catalog established in the above step, and error detecting codes to the application data; deciphering a header if data errors are detected by the error detecting codes added to the data during the reception, and transmitting the data to the upper ranking layer according to the quality of service, if the deciphered value of the header belongs to the catalog established in the above step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for transmitting/receiving wireless data, and more particularly, to a method for transmitting/receiving wireless data according to the quality of an application service and a feature of an application layer coder/decoder (CODEC), and an apparatus thereof. The present application is based on Korean Patent Application No. 2000-31952 filed on Jun. 10, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a transmitting terminal of a edma (code-division multiple access) telecommunication system transmits data through an application layer, a radio link protocol layer, an MUX sub layer, and a physical layer. That is, the application layer is a CODEC-related standard such as H.324M , H.323, and T.120. The physical layer 140 of FIG. 1 is a portion for performing channel coding, PN (pseudo noise) spreading and modulation, and also includes a portion for performing an air interface.
A radio link protocol (RLP) layer includes a signaling portion, and converts a payload of the application layer transmitted by a radio channel into an input format of the physical layer. The RLP layer has an RLP per N number of application layers, and is connected to the physical layer through the MUX sub layer. The MUX sub layer adaptively multiplexes an RLP received from the RLP layer into a protocol data unit (PDU).
The cdma telecommunication system checks for errors in the physical layer. Here, data which is determined to have errors in the physical layer by cyclic redundancy code (CRC) information cannot be transmitted to the upper layer if the MUX sub layer does not include a CRC field. Also, if errors are included in the MUX sub layer including the CRC field, data is not transmitted to the upper layer. Therefore, the amount of overall data which is transmitted from the transmitting portion to the receiving portion is decreased by performing an error check of the CRC field.

Apparatus for transmitting and receiving wireless data and method thereof


A recirculating paint supply system supplies single or multiple paint coatings to paint spray stations arranged in parallel or series relation, each station including manually operated flexible monoline and coaxial conduits to supply paint to an improved spray gun. In one aspect of the invention, the improved spray gun is comprised of a polymeric material to reduce the overall weight of the spray gun thereby reducing operating fatigue and ailments caused by the use of conventional spray guns. In another aspect, the improved spray gun includes larger air passages which provides for a greater volume of air to pass through the spray gun, thereby providing increased atomization of the liquid coating composition. Thus, the reduced weight, as well as the increased atomization, increases the overall finish quality of the object being painted.

This invention relates to a paint system including a flexible conduit or hose arrangement to supply a liquid coating composition from a paint supply system to a spray gun. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved spray gun for the paint system.
As those familiar with the prior art will appreciate, in previous paint supply systems, a base coat of paint is applied at a first station and then the article, such as an automobile body, is conveyed to a new station where a clear coat paint is applied, the clear coat paint adding the feeling of depth to the paint. The ability to apply a clear coat and a base coat at the same time would provide a dramatic reduction in the cost of painting the car in the sense that half of the spray booths could be eliminated or deactivated and therefore half of the equipment and half of the manpower could be eliminated from the painting operation.
Additionally, the modern factory is typically spread out and paint booths are not localized in one area or arranged so as to be parallel to one another. As a result, the use of a series connection between paint booths requires extensive tubing, particularly when the paint must be supplied to opposite sides of each booth. Accordingly, it would be desirable to minimize the number of lines needed to supply paint in a paint system and the cost associated with these lines.
A continuing problem associated with the spray application of liquid paints is the presence of foreign particulate matter in the liquid paint supply which causes imperfections on the surfaces of the article being spray painted, frequently necessitating a refinishing or repainting thereof. Such foreign particulate matter, sometimes referred to as "seeds," or "strings," or "snotters" are formed in many instances as a result of an agglomeration of the paint constituents during standing or recirculation of the liquid paint necessitating removal prior to discharge through the spray nozzle. The foregoing problem is particularly pronounced in recirculating type liquid paint systems, although they are present in direct line systems as well.
Recirculating paint supply systems conventionally comprise a mixing tank equipped with suitable agitation for maintaining the liquid coating composition uniformly mixed and a pump for transferring the liquid coating composition under a desired pressure to a manually manipulable supply conduit connected to the spray nozzle. A suitable return hose is provided for returning the excess quantity of paint back to the mixing tank for recirculation and to keep the paint in suspension. Typical of such a system is the recirculating paint supply system shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,861, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. In this paint supply system, the supply and return hoses are interconnected by suitable fluid fittings so as to form a single conduit having coaxial passages for supplying and returning the liquid composition.
This and like paint systems typically will utilize many different fittings, connectors and coupling arrangements to complete the necessary fluid interconnections. Such fittings are often generally made of metal which can result in the conduit being relatively heavy. However, the paint supply hoses or unitized fluid conduit, and the associated fluid fittings, should be as light as possible to reduce operator fatigue and enable the operator to manipulate the position of the spray gun.
Moreover, conventional spray guns are also generally made of metal which results in the spray gun, including the fittings to be relatively heavy. This weight may cause operator fatigue or ailments based upon the continuous and repetitive use of the heavy spray gun, which typically weighs about 22 ounces. Still further, as the work day draws on, this fatigue increases which may cause an appreciable decrease in finish quality of the object being coated. This decreased quality generally occurs because the operator may angle the spray delivered from the spray gun as opposed to maintaining the spray substantially perpendicular to the object which is desired.
Seals and filters are also included in the paint supply line to seal the interconnections as well as to remove particulate matter from the paint being provided to the spray gun. In spite of the seals and filters, foreign matter can still be present. For example, the quick connectors used for the spray gun tend to create spit at the quick disconnect upon disconnecting which is generally not noticeable but, when dry, will cause leakage and contamination to occur. Further, to prevent leakage, it is known to cover the threaded sections of fluid fittings with pipe dope and then assemble the fittings. While this arrangement works well in many fluid sealing applications, it has several disadvantages. First, a pipe fitter must be called to assemble or disassemble the unit, which can be an inconvenience. Further, exposed threads create voids in the joint between the components which causes paint to accumulate and generates paint particles (dirt, etc.) that will be sent downstream and end up on the car, resulting in the need to rebuff and/or repaint the car.
Various flow control devices or paint restrictors are also used with paint supply systems. In many cases such prior art constructions have been handicapped by their tendency to become plugged over periods of use, necessitating frequent replacement and/or downtime to permit cleaning to restore them to proper operating conditions. The build up of deposits in such flow regulators cause a progressive decrease in the pressure of the liquid coating composition supplied to the spray nozzle, thereby resulting in variations in the quality and thickness of the coating, thus detracting from their use.
Moreover, a flow control device must include an element that moves relative to its valve body in order to change the flow rate. For example, a conventional ball valve has a rotatable ball member through which fluid can flow and seal portions positioned at the opposing upstream and downstream faces of the ball to inhibit flow therearound. Extended use of the valve member in one flow position can result in paint coagulating in voids formed around the seal portions. When the ball member is rotated, paint portions can break loose, thus detracting its use. Paint flakes, particles and dirt can result from the mating of fluid connector members, notwithstanding a seal being positioned to prevent flow around mated portions.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to limit or replace the use of threaded fittings with compression fittings, or those that use only pressure, thereby eliminating voids which tend to cause the paint to accumulate.
Moreover, it would also be desirable to reduce the weight of the conventional spray gun and fittings, thereby reducing operator fatigue and increasing finish quality.

Recirculating paint system having an improved spray gun


Disclosed herein is a method and Serially Attached SCSI (SAS) controller for transmitting data using SCSI. In an embodiment, a plurality of I/O operations received from a storage unit are fragmented into a plurality of blocks. Further, each of the plurality of blocks are mapped with corresponding memory drives. Thereafter, a reduced number of virtual lanes required for transmitting the plurality of blocks to the corresponding memory drives is estimated. Finally, the reduced number of virtual lanes are created for transmitting the plurality of blocks to the corresponding memory drives. In an embodiment, the present disclosure uses virtual lanes for transmitting data, thereby eliminating requirement of dedicated, physical lanes for transmitting the data. Consequently, according to embodiments of present disclosure, the SAS controller may be configured to simultaneously activate multiple virtual lanes for completing the data transmission, thereby resulting in faster and reliable data transmission.

Generally, enterprise storage architectures use Serially Attached Small Computer System interface (SAS) expanders to connect multiple memory drives to a reduced number of storage controllers. In general, each storage architecture will have two or more SAS expanders to ensure redundancy in case of failures. Further, each SAS expander may have multiple SAS expander lanes, which connect to the memory drives for propagating data blocks from the storage controllers to the memory drives. Further, each SAS expander is associated with a cache, which is used to temporarily store the data blocks when the lanes are unavailable. However, if the cache space gets filled up, the data blocks will not be processed for propagation and, in turn, processor computation cycle experiences latency due to unprocessed data blocks.
Further, one of the major problems with existing storage architectures is that, a single memory drive may connect to a maximum of two expander lanes due to hardware constraints associated with the memory drives. As a result, availability of the memory drives is highly limited. Consequently, availability of the SAS expander lanes connected to the memory drives is also limited. That is, suppose if there are 12 expander lanes, out of which only 6 expander lanes are used by a particular device, the remaining 6 expander lanes may also be considered to be used during a computational cycle.
Additionally, in the existing SAS expanders, when a problem arises in one of the expander lanes, the entire SAS expander is discarded. As a result, there is an increase of costs in terms of additional SAS expanders and associated hardware resources required.
The information disclosed in this background of the disclosure section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.

Method and system for transmitting data using small computer system interface (SCSI)


A semiconductor process including forming a gate dielectric on a semiconductor substrate. First and second conductive gates are then formed on the gate dielectric. The conductive gates are aligned over respective channel regions of the substrate. The channel regions are laterally displaced between respective pairs of source/drain regions. A first interlevel dielectric is then deposited on the substrate and source/drain vias are then formed in the interlevel dielectric. The source/drain vias terminate on the pairs of source/drain regions. Thereafter, a source/drain impurity is introduced into the source/drain regions to form source/drain structures. A conductivity type of the source/drain structures is opposite a conductivity type of the field region. The first interlevel dielectric substantially prevents the source/drain impurity from entering the field region of the semiconductor substrate. In this manner, adjacent source/drain regions displaced on either side of the field region 106 are isolated from one another.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor fabrication and more particularly to method of increasing circuit density by providing a discontinuous source/drain structure.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
In the conventional fabrication of an MOS integrated circuit, a silicon wafer is divided into a plurality of active regions and field regions typically through the use of a selective oxidation or trench formation process during which dielectric isolation structures are fabricated into the field regions of the substrate to provide physical and electrical isolation between adjacent, subsequently formed transistors comprising the integrated circuit. In this manner, the semiconductor substrate is essentially divided into active regions and field regions. The field regions in the conventional process flow are characterized by an isolation dielectric structure fabricated into the upper surface of the silicon substrate. The presence of these dielectric isolation structures is required in the conventional integrated circuit process to prevent a conductive path from being formed between each active area of the transistor during a subsequent source/drain implant. Typically, a source/drain implant in a conventional semiconductor process is performed across the entire surface of the substrate. The presence of patterned polysilicon gate structures on the wafer during the source/drain implant results in the formation of MOS transistors. But for the presence of the isolation structures, however, each of the source/drain regions created by the source/drain implant would be electrically coupled.
Dielectric isolation structures are typically fabricated with a LOCOS process or with shallow trench isolation structures. In a LOCOS process, the field regions of the silicon substrate are thermally oxidized by patterning a silicon nitride layer over the active regions of the substrate, and thereafter, thermally oxidizing the exposed portions of the substrate to create relatively thick dielectric structures over the field regions of the wafer. In addition to requiring a photolithography step, LOCOS processing typically requires the deposition of a pad oxide layer prior to the deposition of a silicon nitride layer and further requires a rather extensive thermal oxidation step to produce an oxide thickness necessary to isolate adjacent structures. Similarly, a shallow trench isolation process requires a photolithography step and additional processing including a silicon etch step, an oxide deposition step, a planarization step, and possibly a thermal oxidation process to form a thermal oxide liner over the sidewalls and floor of the trench. Thus, it will be appreciated that the formation of adequate isolation structures in a typical semiconductor fabrication process can be an expensive, time consuming, and complicated process during which random defects in the form of particles may be generated possibly resulting in a decrease in the yield of the semiconductor process. In addition, the physical dimensions of the isolation structures places a lower limit on the density with which transistors may be fabricated on the substrate. In a LOCOS process, for example, it is well known that the thermal oxidation process that produces the field oxide structure is characterized by a bird's beak structure that laterally encroaches upon the active regions of the silicon substrate thereby increasing the minimum spacing between adjacent transistors. Shallow trench isolation dielectric structures also tend to result in some consumption of the active regions at the boundaries between the isolation regions and the active regions of the wafer. The surface area of the silicon substrate consumed by these isolation structures would be more desirably utilized as an active region of the circuit. Increased circuit density is desirable from a manufacturing perspective because of the increased number of devices that may be fabricated upon a single silicon wafer. In addition, smaller integrated circuits are less likely to be rendered non-functional by a randomly generated particle defect. In other words, smaller devices result in a larger number of devices available on a single wafer and in a higher manufacturing yield. Thus, it would be desirable to implement an MOS fabrication process that increased circuit density.
In addition to the density concerns described, conventional silicon fabrication processes typically result in source/drain interconnect structures that have a relatively high sheet resistivity. Typically, the source/drain regions of selected transistors are coupled to one another through a source/drain interconnect that is formed simultaneously with the formation of the transistor source/drain regions. Because these source/drain interconnects comprise doped silicon, their resistivity is typically higher than the resistivity associated with other well known materials used for interconnect structures in semiconductor fabrication process including, among others, aluminum, copper, and tungsten. The higher resistivity associated with source/drain interconnects may, in some circumstances, require the circuit designer to increase the physical dimensions of a source/drain interconnect to achieve a desired sheet resistivity. Under such circumstances, the larger physical dimensions imposed by the higher resistivity source/drain structure, may result in an additional reduction in the maximum circuit density attainable. Accordingly, it will be further desired to implement a semiconductor fabrication process in which the sheet resistivity of source/drain interconnects is less than the sheet resistivity of the heavily doped source/drain structures.

Process for making a discontinuous source/drain formation for a high density integrated circuit


A retractable, stairs-like stand includes plural steps of floor-bases which are moved horizontally between the advanced position where the floor-bases are mutually shifted into a form of stairs and the retracted position where the floor-bases are mutually lined up along the vertical direction, and plural seats fitted onto the floor-bases. The front portions of the respective floor-bases are equipped with parallel link mechanism for parallel moving the seat sections of the seats back and forth between the use-position where the seat sections of the seats are spaced from the floor-bases and the descent position where the seat sections of the seats are adjacent the floor-bases. Fastening mechanisms are disposed for selectively fixing the seat sections to the use-position and the fastening position where releasing the sections from the use-position. Rear link members are jointed to the backs so as to rotate the back of the seats following the rotation of the front and rear link members constituting the parallel link mechanism, between the use-position where the backs of the seats stand up away from the floor-bases and the collapsed position where, behind the descent position, the backs are adjacent the floor-bases lying on their back faces.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a retractable, stairs-like stand which includes plural steps of floor-bases which are moved horizontally between an advanced position where the floor-bases are mutually shifted into a form of stairs and a retracted position where the floor-bases are mutually lined up along the vertical direction, and plural seats fitted onto the floor-bases, which can be compactly put together when the stands are not used.
2. Description of the Related Art
A typical arrangement of such retractable stairs-like stand is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open 61-113867. In this conventional the stairs-like stand, the seat sections of the respective seats are fixed onto the front end portions of the respective floor-bases, and the lower end portions of the backs of the respective seats are rotatably joined to the rear end portions of the seat sections, so that the backs can be pushed down onto the seat sections to overlap the seat sections.
However, in the above-mentioned, conventional retractable stairs-like stand, the seat sections of the respective seats and the backs which are pushed down onto the seat sections to overlap the seat sections are received and held inside gaps between the floor-bases lined up along the vertical direction at the retracted position, when the stands are not used. Therefore, the thickness of the seats when received and held becomes large, thereby resulting in the problem that the seats lined up along the vertical direction cannot be held inside the gaps between the floor-bases, in the case in which the difference in level between the floor-bases is small which is usually determined on the basis of the specification of the stands corresponding to the place where the stands are installed.


A solid and liquid separation device includes a housing provided with a heater so that liquid contained in the housing will not freeze. A filter net layer may divide the housing into an upper space and a lower space. A conveying assembly includes a plurality of connecting rods each having a scraper and a brush. The scraper may contact the filter net layer for driving solids, and the brush may remove solids attached on the filter net layer. A squeeze assembly includes a cylinder provided with a threaded rod that may be rotated to output the solids. A liquid spraying assembly includes a water pumping member for delivering water liquid through a conveying pipe to be sprayed toward the filter net layer through a plurality of nozzles.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid and liquid separation device, and more particularly to a movable solid and liquid separation device that will not be affected by the weather.
2. Description of the Related Art
The closest prior art of which the applicant is aware is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,873, entitled xe2x80x9cSolid and Liquid Separation Machinexe2x80x9d, and is shown in FIG. 12. The separation machine includes a body 90 having two ends respectively provided with a rotation shaft 91 and a drive gear 92. One rotation shaft 91 is driven to rotate by the motor 93. A chain 94 is mounted between the two drive gears 92. A scraper 97 is secured on the chain 94 by a fixing plate 95 and a locking plate 96, for carrying upward the solids contained in the waste water, and squeezing the water contained in the solids. The front section of the bottom of the body 90 is provided with a bottom net 98, and the rear section of the bottom of the body 90 is provided with a bottom plate 99. The squeezed solids are then carried upward by the scraper 97 to drop into a collecting tank.
However, when the solids are carried upward by the scraper 97, the bottom net 98 is easily blocked by the solids, thereby greatly affecting the water filtering effect, and thereby easily causing inconvenience in operation and increasing the cost of maintenance. In addition, when the atmospheric temperature is decreased to 0xc2x0 C., the liquid will freeze. Thus, the solid and liquid separation machine cannot conveniently separate the solid from the liquid.
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a solid and liquid separation device that may reduce the blocking problem caused by solids contained in waste water that is produced by various kinds of industry, thereby efficiently separating the solid from the liquid.
A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a solid and liquid separation device that is not influenced by the weather, thereby exactly separating the solid from the liquid.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a solid and liquid separation device, comprising:
a housing, including a filter net layer for dividing the housing into an upper space and a lower space, the upper space of the housing provided with a water inlet pipe for introducing waste water to be treated, the lower space located under the filter net layer capable of collecting water liquid, the lower space of the housing having a wall provided with a water outlet for drawing out liquid that has been treated and separated;
a conveying assembly, mounted in the housing located above the filter net layer, and including two rotation shafts co-operating with two drive members, a plurality of connecting rods mounted between the two drive members, each connecting rod including a scraper and a brush, the scraper capable of contacting the filter net layer for driving solids toward a terminal, the brush capable of removing solids attached on the filter net layer;
a squeeze assembly, including a cylinder for supporting solids falling from the housing, the cylinder provided with. a threaded rod that is driven to rotate by a power member, the rotating threaded rod capable of outputting the solids toward an outlet; and
a liquid spraying assembly, including a water pumping member for delivering water liquid through a conveying pipe to be sprayed toward a bottom of the filter net layer through a plurality of nozzles.
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.


A bulb in an electrodeless lamp system comprises a bulb unit having an envelope space in which luminous material excited by an electric field to form plasma and generate light is filled and two or more conductors installed in the envelope space so that ends of the conductors face each other.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrodeless lamp system, and particularly, to a bulb used in an electrodeless lamp system.
2. Description of the Background Art
An electrodeless lamp system is a device for lighting by forming an electric field using microwave in a bulb unit in which a luminous material which illuminates by forming plasma due to the electric field.
Generally, when the electrodeless lamp is turned off, the electrodeless lamp system can be re-lighted after a certain time (tens of seconds˜a few minutes) has passed, since a mean free path of an electron having energy for forming plasma is not ensured due to high pressure of neutral gas, that is, the buffer gas filled together with the luminous material in the bulb unit.
In a case in which Xenon Xe is used as the buffer gas, light efficiency is improved about 5% more than in a case in which Argon Ar gas is used. However, a collision cross-section of Xe is large, and therefore, it is difficult to discharge in a high pressure state.
Therefore, in the conventional art, in order to reduce the re-lighting time of the electrodeless lamp system, a strong wind is blown directly to the bulb unit to cool down the bulb and to decrease the pressure in the bulb unit, however, problems such as increased cost due to additional devices, reliability of the additional devices, utilization of a space around the bulb unit, and light screening by the additional devices are generated.
Also, in a case of a light source of small size, that is, in a case of the bulb unit for a point light source (an arc gap is less than 2 mm), there should be an auxiliary device for initial light emitting.

Electrodeless lamp system and bulb thereof


A cutting machine comprises a chucking means for holding the semiconductor wafer that is to be cut, a cutting means for cutting the semiconductor wafer held on the chucking means, a first moving means for moving the chucking means relative to the cutting means in a moving direction perpendicular to the center axis of the chucking means, and a second moving means for moving the cutting means relative to the chucking means in a direction of depth of cutting which is the direction of center axis of the chucking means. The cutting machine further comprises a thickness detecting means for detecting the thickness of the workpiece held on the chucking means, and a control means for controlling the motion of the second moving means depending upon the thickness of the workpiece detected by the thickness detecting means and for setting the position of the cutting means in the direction of depth of cutting relative to the chucking means thereby to set the depth of cutting the workpiece by the cutting means. The thickness detecting means includes a non-contact back-pressure sensor having a nozzle for flowing out a gas toward the surface of the workpiece held on the chucking means.

The present invention relates to a cutting machine for cutting a workpiece and, particularly, for cutting a semiconductor wafer with a required depth of cutting.
In the production of semiconductor chips as is well known among people skilled in the art, a number of rectangular regions are sectioned on the surface of a semiconductor wafer by streets that are arranged in a lattice form, and a semiconductor circuit is arranged in each of the rectangular regions. The semiconductor wafer is separated along the streets into individual rectangular regions to obtain semiconductor chips. A cutting machine used for separating the semiconductor wafer along the streets includes a chucking means for holding the semiconductor wafer that is to be cut, a cutting means for cutting the semiconductor wafer held on the chucking means, a first moving means for moving the chucking means relative to the cutting means in a moving direction perpendicular to the center axis of the chucking means, and a second moving means for moving the cutting means relative to the chucking means in a direction of depth of cutting, which is the direction of center axis of the chucking means. In this cutting machine, a position of the cutting means in the direction of depth of cutting relative to the chucking means is set by the second moving means, and the chucking means is moved relative to the cutting means by the first moving means to cut the semiconductor wafer. The depth of cutting the semiconductor wafer is defined by the position of the cutting means in the direction of cutting relative to the chucking means and by the thickness of the semiconductor wafer held on the chuck.
Generally, the thickness of the semiconductor wafer is nearly the same in each lot and hence, only one piece of semiconductor wafer in each lot is measured for its thickness manually to recognize the thickness of the semiconductor wafer to be cut. In the cutting of the semiconductor wafer by the cutting machine, the depth of cutting the semiconductor wafer is set by setting the position of the cutting means in the direction of cutting relative to the chucking means at a predetermined position, without detecting the thickness of the individual semiconductor wafers that are to be cut. However, the individual semiconductor wafers in each lots fluctuate a bit in thickness and hence, the depth of cutting the semiconductor wafers varies also in the individual semiconductor wafers, even though it is a slim amount.
Meanwhile, it is important to set the depth of cutting the semiconductor wafer very precisely and it is desired to avoid a change in the depth of cutting the semiconductor wafers that is ascribed to a change in the thickness of the individual semiconductor wafers. For example, it has been done to form a groove of a V-shape in cross section along the streets in the surface of the semiconductor to chamfer the four side edges of the surfaces of the individual rectangular regions prior to completely cutting the semiconductor wafer along the streets to separate it into the individual rectangular regions. Even in forming the V-shaped grooves, however, it is important to sufficiently precisely set the depth of cutting to sufficiently precisely set the size of chamfering. In recent years, further, a mode of separation into rectangular regions or a so-called predicing, has been put into practice. In this mode, too, it is important very precisely set the depth of cutting the semiconductor wafer. In the mode of separation into rectangular regions called dicing-before-grinding, the semiconductor wafer is cut to form grooves of a predetermined depth from the surface along the streets arranged in a lattice form. Then, the back surface of the semiconductor wafer is ground to decrease the thickness of the semiconductor wafer up to a thickness equal to the depth of the grooves thereby to separate the semiconductor wafer into the individual rectangular regions.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 261907/1987 (JP-A 62-261907) discloses an art in which a gap between a microscope system and the surface of chucking means and a gap between the microscope system and the surface of a semiconductor wafer held on the chucking means are measured by an automatic focusing technology using the microscope system disposed above the chucking means that is located at a predetermined position, and the thickness of the semiconductor wafer is calculated from the measured values. According to this prior art, further, the position of the cutting means in the direction of cutting is set relative to the chucking means based on the calculated thickness of the semiconductor wafer, thereby to set the depth of cutting the semiconductor wafer. When a transparent or semitransparent film such as glassy film is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, however, it is not possible to detect the thickness of the semiconductor wafer precisely by the above automatic focusing technology, which is a serious problem.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a-cutting machine particularly suited for cutting a semiconductor wafer, which is capable of detecting the thickness of a workpiece held on the chucking means with a sufficient degree of precision even when a transparent or semitransparent film exists on the surface of the workpiece, and which can set the depth of cutting the workpiece with a sufficient degree of precision based on the detected thickness of the workpiece, without the need of bringing a probe into contact with the surface of the workpiece such as the semiconductor wafer and hence, without possibility of damaging the surface of the workpiece.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned principal object according to the present invention, there is provided a cutting machine comprising a chucking means for holding a semiconductor wafer that is to be cut; a cutting means for cutting the semiconductor wafer held on the chucking means; a first moving means for moving the chucking means relative to the cutting means in a moving direction perpendicular to the center axis of the chucking means; a second moving means for moving the cutting means relative to the chucking means in a direction of depth of cutting, which is the direction of center axis of the chucking means; a thickness detecting means for detecting the thickness of the workpiece held on the chucking means; and a control means for controlling the motion of the second moving means depending upon the thickness of the workpiece detected by the thickness detecting means and for setting the position of the cutting means in the direction of depth of cutting relative to the chucking means thereby to set the depth of cutting the workpiece by the cutting means;
wherein the thickness detecting means includes a non-contact back-pressure sensor having a nozzle for flowing out a gas toward the surface of the workpiece held on the chucking means.
Preferably, the nozzle of the non-contact back-pressure sensor is mounted to freely move in the direction of depth of cutting. In a preferred embodiment, the chucking means has an adsorbing surface for vacuum-adsorbing the workpiece; and the thickness detecting means includes a nozzle position detecting means for detecting a gap from an original position of the nozzle where an end of the nozzle comes in contact with the adsorbing surface of the chucking means to the present position of the nozzle, and a thickness calculation means for calculating the thickness of the workpiece from the gap between the end of the nozzle and the surface of the workpiece on the chucking means detected by the non-contact back-pressure sensor and from the gap between the original position of the nozzle and the present position of the nozzle detected by the nozzle position detecting means. Further, the workpiece is a semiconductor wafer.


A system and method are provided for analyzing media content and generating related metadata as it is provided to a computer. In one embodiment, the system includes an extensible analysis object managing a plurality of plug-ins for analyzing the media content and generating metadata related to the media content.

Capturing video includes the process of transferring media content from a recording device such as a digital video camcorder to a computer. A user is required to capture video in order to edit the media content of the video with a computer non-linear video editing system, or to store the media content on a computer. Recording devices (e.g., digital video camcorders) may have any number of memory systems with a common one being a tape based memory system. Capturing from tape based recording devices is a real-time process such that capturing 1 hour of video to a computer requires approximately 1 hour of time. Other types of recording devices (e.g., flash based memory, optical drive based memory, or magnetic drive based memory) have similar requirements.
Video capture applications typically allow the user to preview the media content while it is being captured. For example, the media content is stored on a recording device in the form of a DV-AVI video clip or MPEG-2 video clip. In order for a user to preview the media content as it is streamed to the computer, video capture applications must decode the video clip from its native format into an uncompressed format as it is received.
Users are required to manually apply processes to generate metadata, correct and enhance the video after completing the capture of the media content to the computer. Additionally, the generated metadata is stored in a location defined by the process generating the metadata. Since metadata generating applications are made by a number of different developers, there exists no common location and format of metadata generated for any given video clip. Thus, it is difficult for an application produced by one developer to use or even access metadata generated by an application produced by another developer.

Analysis of media content via extensible object


A shiftable memory supporting atomic operation employs built-in shifting capability to shift a contiguous subset of data from a first location to a second location within memory during an atomic operation. The shiftable memory includes the memory to store data. The memory has the built-in shifting capability. The shiftable memory further includes an atomic primitive defined on the memory to operate on the contiguous subset.

Modern computers and related processing systems typically include a processor and some form of memory. The processor is generally responsible for performing the various computational tasks of the computer while the memory stores data that is used in and generated by the computational tasks. The architectural division of processing by the processor and data storage by the memory has proven successful for nearly the entire history of such systems.
For example, a typical general-purpose computer usually includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a main memory that communicate with one another over one or more communication channels (e.g., data, command and address buses). Typically, the CPU provides facilities to perform various arithmetic and logical operations, to provide operational sequencing, and to otherwise control aspects of the general-purpose computer. For example, virtually all CPUs provide functions or operations for reading data from memory, writing data to memory and executing programs comprising a set of instructions that utilizes the data to perform a predefined task. In addition, CPUs may handle input/output (I/O) allowing communication with peripherals as well as subsystems outside of the general-purpose computer. CPUs may even provide graphics processing to handle generating and updating a graphical display unit (e.g. a monitor), in some examples.
In contrast, the main memory of modern computers, which can include one or more of static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), flash memory and a variety of other memory types, typically provides a relatively narrow set of capabilities. Principal among these capabilities is storing computer programs and data that are executed and used by the CPU. Among other limited capabilities that may be found in or that are often associated with the main memory of modern computers are certain memory management functions. For example, DRAM memory subsystems of main memory may possess circuitry for automatic refresh of data stored therein.
However, the historical architectural division of processing in the processor and storage in memory does present certain problems that are becoming more and more evident as time goes on. In particular, the conventional architectural division that centralizes all processing in the CPU while relegating the main memory to providing storage can and does present problems, especially as the memory is shared or used concurrently by one or both of multiple processes (e.g., threads) and multiple processors. Such concurrent processing systems, whether multi-threaded, multi-processor, or both, can present serious synchronization problems when considering shared and concurrently used main memory.
Certain examples have other features that are one of in addition to and in lieu of the features illustrated in the above-referenced figures. These and other features are detailed below with reference to the above-referenced figures.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Shiftable memory supporting atomic operation

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP