A circuit information processing device includes an evaluating unit that evaluates complexity of placement and routing of each of multiple circuit configurations, the multiple circuit configurations each having a common portion common to the multiple circuit configurations and a non-common portion not common to the multiple circuit configurations, a selecting unit that selects, from among the multiple circuit configurations, a reference circuit configuration evaluated by the evaluating unit as satisfying a predetermined criterion, and a generating unit that causes first placement and routing information to be shared by circuit configurations other than the reference circuit configuration, and generates second placement and routing information for each of the circuit configurations other than the reference circuit configuration, the first placement and routing information being information for placing and routing the common portion of the reference circuit configuration, the second placement and routing information being information for placing and routing the non-common portion.

(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a circuit information processing device, a circuit information processing system, a database, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a circuit design method.
(ii) Related Art
In recent years, reconfigurable circuits (dynamically reconfigurable circuits) capable of dynamically reconfiguring their internal circuit configuration have been developed, and various devices utilizing a reconfigurable circuit have been proposed. By utilizing a reconfigurable circuit, for example, data processing circuits corresponding to multiple pieces of data processing are configured (reconfigured) within the reconfigurable circuit so that the data processing circuits are switched between each other, thereby enabling the multiple pieces of data processing to be implemented by the reconfigurable circuit.
A reconfigurable circuit includes multiple processor elements (PEs). A reconfigurable circuit determines the placement of multiple PEs and routing between the PEs on the basis of reconfiguration data (config data), thereby implementing a circuit according to the reconfiguration data.
As a reconfiguration process of a reconfigurable circuit, partial reconfiguration exists in addition to full reconfiguration that fully reconfigures multiple PEs. In partial reconfiguration, a circuit formed by some PEs is maintained while partially reconfiguring other PEs.
Partial reconfiguration, which maintains a circuit formed by some PEs, has the following constraint: these PEs be not used for partial reconfiguration, and their placement be fixed. Therefore, constrained placement and routing such as partial reconfiguration is difficult in comparison to full reconfiguration that does not maintain a circuit formed by some PEs and has no such constraint. The term placement and routing refers to making logic elements applied by logic synthesis correspond to physical logic elements on a circuit.

Circuit information processing device, circuit information processing system, database, non-transitory computer readable medium, and circuit design method


An object of the present invention is to improve substrate processing efficiency. A substrate processing apparatus has a reaction tube that processes a substrate inside, and a heating apparatus disposed so as to surround an external periphery of the reaction tube, so that at least a gas inlet tube is disposed on a side surface in an area in which the substrate is processed inside the reaction tube, and the heating apparatus has a heat insulator that surrounds the reaction tube, an inlet opening formed in the shape of a groove in the heat insulator from the lower end of the heating apparatus so as to avoid the gas inlet tube, and a heating element disposed between the heat insulator and the reaction tube.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a heating apparatus, and particularly relates to an apparatus that is suitable for a configuration in which the gas flow is a side flow.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8 shows a schematic view of a processing furnace 30 that uses a conventional reaction tube 10 and a heater 20 that constitute a substrate processing apparatus.
The reaction tube 10 and heater 20 have a cylindrical shape having a cover at the top end. A boat 16 for holding wafers W on numerous shelves in the vertical direction is disposed in the reaction tube 10. The reaction tube 10 has a gas nozzle 11 that stands erect from the lower end and that supplies processing gas inside the tube. An exhaust tube 12 for evacuating gas from inside the reaction tube 10 is disposed at the lower end of the reaction tube 10.
In the diagram, reference numeral 17 is a manifold that supports the reaction tube 10, 13 is a seal cap that closes off the opening the manifold 17, 21 is a heater element wire, 22 is a temperature sensor for controlling the heater, 23 is a duct for evacuating the space between the heater 20 and the reaction tube 10, 24 is a valve disposed in the duct 23, 25 is a radiator, and 26 is a blower.
In a conventional processing furnace such as the one described above, there is a problem in that the wafer processing efficiency is poor because a majority of the processing gas fed from the gas nozzle 11 passes through the area at the periphery of the wafers W, where conductance is poor, and is evacuated rather than being passed between the wafers W.
In view of this situation, a configuration has been proposed (e.g., JP-A 2000-68214) in which the flow of processing gas improved by configuring the gas nozzle 11 as a multi-system nozzle and feeding processing gas from the multi-system nozzle into the reaction tube during the film formation process.
However, there is a problem that the substrate processing efficiency remains poor because the gas inlet tube still stands erect from the lower end, despite forming the gas inlet tube into a multi-system gas inlet tube.
An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a heating apparatus that solve the problems of the above-described prior art and that can improve substrate processing efficiency.

Substrate processing apparatus having gas side flow via gas inlet


Some embodiments adaptively adjust to the current call load in a packet based virtual circuit to minimize the delay experienced by the first packets of any talk spurt for a particular active call. Some embodiments minimize the jitter introduced by multiplexing voice packets by smoothing out the waiting time experienced by each of the voice packets. Some embodiments effectively minimize jitter when the number of active calls on a virtual circuit drops off suddenly. Some embodiments are able to differentiate signaling packets indicating a telephony event from voice packets and give the signaling packets expedited processing with no delay contributed by the subcell multiplexing process. Other embodiments are described in the claims.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to communication networks, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for decreasing the jitter and average delay experienced by voice packet streams while also conserving bandwidth in a packetized network.
2. Description of the Related Art
In Voice over Packet (VoP) network systems, the end to end network delay and the variation in the time between packets arriving, caused by network congestion, timing drift, or route changes (also known as jitter variation) are important quantities to consider when providing an acceptable level of Quality of Service (QoS) for the delay sensitive voice traffic flow.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram conceptually illustrating the sources of delay and jitter in a VoP network. FIG. 1 shows an originating gateway 2, a VoP network 4, and a destination gateway 6.
A gateway is a network point that acts as an entrance to another network. On the Internet, a node or stopping point can be either a gateway node or a host (end-point) node. Both the computers of Internet users and the computers that serve pages to users are host nodes. The computers that control traffic within a company's network or at a local Internet service provider (ISP) are gateway nodes. A gateway is often associated with both a router, which knows where to direct a given packet of data that arrives at the gateway, and a switch, which furnishes the actual path in and out of the gateway for a given packet. The above definitions are basic and well-known to network engineers.
In the diagram of FIG. 1, the sources of delay and jitter variation are threefold. First, on the originating gateway 2, delay and jitter is contributed by voice and DSP processing. Secondly, delay and jitter are contributed by elements of the voice gateway 2 that multiplex the voice packets. Thirdly, additional delay and jitter is contributed by all the network elements in the VoP network 4 between the originating voice gateway 2 and the destination voice gateway 6.
Many carriers use Voice over ATM Adaptive Layer 2 (VoAAL2) trunks for supporting their wireless networks. A typical scenario involves ATM trunks being established between the Mobile Switching Centers (MSCs) in order to carry the voice traffic collected by wireless Base Switching Centers (BSCs). These trunks offer a means to transport huge quantities of voice data with good bandwidth savings.
However, many times these trunks go through some ATM clouds (included in the VoP network 4) that are under a different carrier's control. In this situation, where there are multi-carrier segments in the VoP network 4, one carrier loses the ability to have total control of the delay and jitter performance because the third source of delay and jitter described above is no longer attributable to the one carrier.
Embodiments of the invention address this and other disadvantages of the conventional art.

Method and apparatus for improving voice quality in a packet based network


The present invention relates to pharmaceutical formulations containing (2R, cis)-4-amino-1-(2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)-(1H)-pyrimidin-2 -one (-)-2',3'-dideoxy,3'-thiacytidine, lamivudine, that are substantially free of ethanol and ethylenediamine-tetraacitic acid, and their use in medical therapy.

Retroviruses form a sub-group of RNA viruses which, in order to replicate, must first "reverse transcribe" the RNA of their genome into DNA ("transcription" conventionally describes the synthesis of RNA from DNA). Once in the form of DNA, the viral genome may be incorporated into the host cell genome, allowing it to take advantage of the host cell's transcription/translation machinery for the purposes of replication. Once incorporated, the viral DNA is virtually indistinguishable from the host's DNA and, in this state, the virus may persist for the life of the cell.
A species of retrovirus, the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been reproducibly isolated from patients with AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) or with the symptoms that frequently precede AIDS. AIDS is an immunosuppressive or immunodestructive disease that predisposes subjects to fatal opportunistic infections. Characteristically, AIDS is associated with a progressive depletion of T-cells, especially the helper-inducer subset bearing the CD4 surface marker. HIV is cytopathic and appears to preferentially infect and destroy T-cells bearing the CD4 marker, and it is now generally recognized that HIV is the etiological agent of AIDS. Clinical conditions such as AIDS-related complex (ARC), progressive generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL), Karposi's sarcoma, thrombocytopenic purpura, AIDS-related neurological conditions, such as AIDS dementia complex, multiple sclerosis or tropical paraparesis, and also anti-HIV antibody-positive and HIV-positive conditions, including such conditions in asymptomatic patients, are also conditions which may be treated by appropriate anti-viral therapy.
Another RNA virus which has been recognized as the causative agent of an increasingly serious international health problem is the non-A, non-B hepatitis virus. At least 80% of cases of chronic post-transfusional non-A, non-B hepatitis have been shown to be due to the virus now identified as hepatitis C and this virus probably accounts for virtually all cases of post-transfusional hepatitis in clinical settings where blood products are screened for hepatitis B. Whereas approximately half of the cases of acute hepatitis C infection resolve spontaneously over a period of months, the remainder become chronic and in many if not all such cases chronic active hepatitis ensues with the potential for cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The structure of the hepatitis C virus genome has been elucidated and the virus has been characterized as a single stranded RNA virus with similarities to flaviviruses.
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a small DNA containing virus which infects humans. It is a member of the class of closely related viruses known as the hepadnaviruses, each member of which selectively infects either mammalian or avian hosts, such as the woodchuck and the duck. Recent insights into the mechanism of replication of the hepadnavirus genome indicate the importance of reverse transcription of an RNA intermediate, suggesting that the reverse transcriptase is a logical chemotherapeutic target. HBV is a viral pathogen of major world-wide importance. The virus is etiologically associated with primary hepatocellular carcinoma and is thought to cause 80% of the world's liver cancer. Clinical effects of infection with HBV range from headache, fever, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia and abdominal pains. Replication of the virus is usually controlled by the immune response, with a course of recovery lasting weeks or months in humans, but infection may be more severe leading to persistent chronic liver disease outlined above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,407 discloses (2R, cis)-4-amino-1-(2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)-(1H)-pyrimidin-2-one (Epivir.RTM., lamivudine) and its use in the treatment and prophylaxis of viral infections. Lamivudine has proven antiviral activity against HIV and other viruses such as HBV. Current liquid formulations of lamivudine used in the clinic contain disodium(ethylenedinitrilo)tetraacetate dihydrate (edetate disodium, EDTA) and 6% (v/v) ethanol. However, liquid formulations without ethanol or other sedatives and EDTA or other unnecessary anti-oxidants are considered advantageous, particularly for pediatric use and in renally or hepatically impaired adults.
The addition of alcohol and EDTA. is thought to be necessary in order to maintain preservative efficacy against bacteria, yeasts, and mold. EDTA, a chelating agent, has been shown to potentiate the activity of many antimicrobial agents by chelating Mg.sup.2+ and Ca.sup.2+ ions which are normally responsible for the stability of the cell wall of Gram-negative organisms. In a study of factors affecting preservative efficacy of lamivudine oral solution, Nguyen et. al. reported that preservative efficacy improved with increasing EDTA concentrations and with increasing pH from 4.5 to 7.5 (Nguyen, N-A. T., et. al., Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy 21, 14, 1671-1682, 1995). The same study reported that the chemical stability of lamivudine increased with increasing pH from 4.5 to 7.5. Preservative efficacy was greatest at pH 7.5, but increasing the pH from 4.5 to 7.5 resulted in extensive degradation of preservatives such as esters of hydroxybenzoate (hereinafter referred to as parabens). All formulations were effective against bacteria and yeasts, but not against the mold, Aspergillus niger.
In a study evaluating the effects of alcohol concentration on preservative efficacy of lamivudine oral solution, Wells et. al. reported that the reduction or elimination of alcohol from lamivudine oral solutions resulted in unacceptable preservative efficacy (Wells et al., Pharmaceutical Research, 10(10), S171, 1993).
Lamivudine is currently formulated at pH 5.5 with 0.01% EDTA, 0.12% (w/v) methyl paraben, 0.015% propyl paraben, and 6% ethanol. In this formulation, EDTA functions both to maintain pH and preservative efficacy. At this concentration of parabens and pH, ethanol is needed in order to pass the Antimicrobial Preservatives Effectiveness (APE) test according to United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards (United States Pharmacopeia 23, <51>, p. 1681, 1995), BP standards (Efficacy of Antimicrobial Preservation, Appendix XVI C, 1995), and PhEur standards (Efficacy of Antimicrobial Preservation, Chapter VIII.14, 1992). The pH was maintained at 5.5 in order to preserve the chemical stability of the parabens. We have surprisingly found that there is a sharp increase in preservative efficacy when lamivudine is formulated at pH>5.5 (FIG. 1) and the concentrations of parabens are increased by 20-25% of the concentration of parabens in the ethanol-containing formulation.
We have found that the oral formulations of lamivudine according to the present invention surprisingly maintain preservative efficacy and chemical stability while eliminating ethanol and EDTA.
An object of the present invention is to provide pharmaceutical compositions comprising lamivudine and a preservative system that allows the elimination of ethanol and EDTA, while maintaining preservative efficacy.

Pharmaceutical compositions containing lamivudine


Methods, systems, and computer readable media for misdirected packet drill down and negative packet capture at a network test device are disclosed. One exemplary method includes, at a network test device, receiving and storing, in the network test device, expected receive port information regarding a plurality of test packets. The method further includes transmitting the test packets to a device under test. The method further includes receiving at least some of the test packets from the device under test. The method further includes using the expected receive port information and the received test packets to identify misdirected test packets. The method further includes, for each of the packets identified as misdirected, determining a port of the network test device at which the packet should have been received and outputting an indication of the port of the network test device at which the packet should have been received.

Network test devices test the functionality of network devices, such as routers, switches, firewalls, and network address translators, by sending test packets to the network devices and monitoring the responses. For example, in order to test whether the routing tables of a router are properly configured, a network test device may generate packets, send the packets to the router, and monitor one or more output ports of the router to determine whether the packets are routed to the proper destinations. In a load testing scenario, the network test device may send packets to the router at a high data rate to see how the router's performance is affected by increased traffic loads.
In these and other test scenarios, it is desirable for the network test device to detect lost and misdirected packets. Misdirected test packets are test packets that are transmitted to the device under test that are received by the network test device at a port other than the expected receive port of the device under test. Lost packets are test packets that are transmitted to the device under test but that are not returned to the network test device. Packets may be lost or misdirected for a variety of reasons, including misconfiguration of the device under test, misconfiguration of the test setup, hardware or software defects in the device under test, etc. For both lost and misdirected packets, it is desirable to provide the test system operator with as much information as possible so that the operator can determine the cause of lost and misdirected packets.
Accordingly, in light of these difficulties, a need exists for improved methods, systems, and computer readable media for misdirected packet drill down and negative packet capture at a network test device.


A vehicular headlamp for emitting light toward a predetermined emitting direction, includes: a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices approximately aligned; and an optical component, having its optical center on one of the semiconductor light emitting devices, for irradiating light emitted by the semiconductor light emitting devices toward the emitting direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular headlamp. More particularly, the present invention relates to a vehicular headlamp for emitting light toward a predetermined emitting direction. The vehicular headlamp the invention concerns, for example, regular headlamp, fog lamp and cornering lamp for automobiles, trains, motorcycles or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicular headlamp for emitting light ahead of an automobile, for example, has to distribute the emitted light in a desired distribution pattern with high precision from safety reasons. That light distribution pattern is formed by means of an optical system using a reflecting mirror, a lens or the like, for example, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication (Laid-Open) No. 6-89601, pages 3–7 and FIGS. 1–14. In recent years, the use of a semiconductor light emitting device in the vehicular headlamp has been discussed.
In order to obtain sufficient light amount in the vehicular headlamp, a method has been discussed in which a plurality of semiconductor light emitting devices are used. In this case, however, optical design may become more complicated, resulting in difficulty in formation of an appropriate light distribution pattern.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An image forming apparatus which uses a plurality of heat-fixing devices, and secures a fixing property and a high quality of image and on the other hand, suppresses electric power consumption and further, curtails the number of parts, and gives consideration to an environment and realizes a lower cost. The image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion which forms a toner image on a recording medium, and first and second fixing devices which heat-fix the toner image formed on the recording medium, and an exhaust heat route from the first fixing device passes via the second fixing device.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as, for example, a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile apparatus which adopts image forming process means of an electrostatic recording type, an electrophotographic recording type or the like, forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium such as a sheet by a transferring process or a direct process, fixes the unfixed toner image formed on the recording medium as a permanently fixed image on the recording medium by heat-fixing means and outputs the image-formed article.
2. Related Background Art
There has heretofore been proposed an image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of heat-fixing devices as heat-fixing means. There is also an image forming apparatus which tentatively fixes a toner transferred onto a transfer material on the transfer material at a low temperature by the utilization of a plurality of heat-fixing devices differing in fixing temperature from one another, and thereafter regularly fixes the tentatively fixed toner on the transfer material at a high temperature (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H03-75772). According to the image forming apparatus adopting such construction, various image conditions such as a line image and image density are not adversely affected, and the toner transferred onto the transfer material can be sufficiently fixed, and an image of high fixing strength and high quality has become obtainable.
However, in a case where the plurality of heat-fixing devices as previously described are disposed, there has been pointed out the problem that the use of the plurality of heat-fixing devices which are originally high in electric power consumption leads to a great increase in consumed electric power in the entire image forming apparatus. Also, a plurality of heat exhaust means for exhausting hot air produced by the heat-fixing devices become necessary so that the interior of the image forming apparatus may not be filled with the hot air. Further, the amount of heat to be exhausted also increases.

Image forming apparatus which uses a plurality of heat-fixing devices


An oral care composition, including a catalyzing enzyme and an anhydrous matrix configured to at least partially stabilize the catalyzing enzyme, wherein the anhydrous matrix includes a source of hydrogen peroxide, an acyl donor, a non-aqueous anhydrous liquid, and a surfactant mixture including sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), Betaine, and a poloxamer.

Oral care compositions (e.g., toothpastes, whitening gels, etc.) incorporating whitening agents are commonly used to whiten teeth. Peroxides, such as hydrogen peroxide, are one of the most common teeth whitening agents. In addition, in order to improve teeth whitening efficacy, some oral care compositions include a combination of teeth whitening agents or include additional ingredients configured to boost an effect of the teeth whitening agents. For example, some oral care compositions may include catalyzing enzymes and/or acyl donors configured to create teeth whitening enhancers, such as peroxyacid or peracetic acid, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.
However, whitening agents having relatively increased reactivity are often unstable and subject to degradation. For example, hydrogen peroxide is an unstable molecule that is prone to decomposition, especially in aqueous environments. Similarly, catalyzing enzymes may be denatured or destabilized in the presence of certain ingredients commonly found in oral care compositions, such as specific detergents or surfactants.
Accordingly, it would be useful to develop oral care compositions incorporating whitening agents with improved stability and efficacy.


An information processor has an older version program and a latest version program of the same application software installed thereon. The information processor includes: an older version detection unit that detects the older version program installed on the information processor; a path name modification unit that modifies a first path name of a file storing the older version program to a second path name if the older version detection unit detects the older version program; and a start program file generation unit that generates a start program file storing a start program. The start program file generation unit generates the start program file as a file having the first path name, after the path name modification unit executes the path name modification.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei-7-295796 has proposed an information processor that stores a plurality of programs in different versions of the same application and that can start a selected one of the latest version program and the program one revision earlier than the latest one.
That is, the information processor starts the latest version program when a user presses a particular program start key that is assigned to the latest version program.

Information processor with configuration modification function


The present invention provides a communication member for a medical container capable of allowing communication between the inside and the outside of a container body containing a liquid in a state of being fixed to the container body. The communication member includes: a valve 2 having an insertion hole 2a; a tubular body 3 supporting the valve 2; and a closing film 4 for closing a bore of the tubular body 3 in the bore and in the vicinity of the valve 2. The tubular body 3 and the closing film 4 are molded integrally. A groove 4a that passes through the center of the closing film 4 is formed on either a surface of the closing film 4 on the valve 2 side or a surface opposite to the valve side. A pair of ribs 4b are formed on a surface opposite to a surface of the closing film 4 on which the groove is formed, and one of the pair of ribs is formed on one of the two areas that are divided by a straight line whose longitudinal direction is the same as that of the groove and that passes through the center of the closing film, and the other rib is formed on the other area.

Examples of medical containers include a medical container containing a drug solution for an intravenous drip, a medical container containing a nutritional supplement (also called "high-calorie infusion solution") supplied to the central vein, and the like. These medical containers are composed of a container body made of a flexible sheet material and a liquid discharge port provided for discharging the drug solution or the like present in the container body out of the container body.
The liquid discharge port is composed of a tube that is welded and fixed to the container body by being sandwiched by a sheet material, a sealing member that seals an end of the tube located outside the container body, and the like. A plug into which a metal injection needle, a resin introducer needle or the like can be inserted is used as the material for the sealing member. The plug is made of, for example, a synthetic rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer. The tube is a relatively-hard molded product made of plastic, for example.    Patent Document 1: JP H08-317961 A

Communication member and medical container using the same


An internal corrosion prevention anode device and method for retrofitting an existing fuel storage tank of the type having one or more low points, includes inserting an anode through an opening formed in the top of the tank. The anode is formed having a rounded shape so that it will roll to a low point in the storage tank. An elongated electrical conductor is attached to the anode, which conductor has a sufficient length for extending from the top to the bottom of the inside of the tank and has sufficient flexibility to permit the anode to roll to a low point in the tank. A cap closes the opening in the top of the tank and electrically connects the elongated conductor from the anode to the top of the storage tank.

Methods of external corrosion prevention for a storage tank are known which include substantially complete systems of protection, such as one known as the Steel Tank Institute Protection 3 (STIP 3), which includes coating the outside of the tank with fiberglass, positioning anodes around the outside of the tank connected to supply an electrical potential onto the tank, and providing non-conducting bushings at each pipe and pump connection. Anode protection of the outside of a tank does not affect the internal corrosion. Presently, unless a tank is constructed initially with an internal anode protection system or an expensive tank lining, no good internal corrosion protection system is available.
The problem of internal tank corrosion primarily results from the collection of water or moisture inside of the tank, either from contaminated fuel or oil or from condensation from vented air. In fuel or oil, the water is heavier and collects at the bottom of a steel storage tank. The water typically forms an acid when in contact with liquid hydrocarbons for an extended period of time. Complete and total drainage of the water on a regular basis is not a convenient process and is not undertaken with sufficient frequency to avoid the corrosion. Even small amounts of water can result in an acidic solution which begins a corrosion process. The corrosion process is, in effect, an exchange of electrically charged ions between the steel tank and the acidic liquid. The removal of these ions from the steel into the acidic solution is the corrosion process which may lead to tank cracks and leakage.
In order to prevent this type of corrosion, some storage tanks have in the past been constructed initially with anodes made of zinc or magnesium or the like, inside the tank. During construction, the anodes are positioned at the expected lowest point or points in the tank. The anodes are mounted on steel brackets which space the anode slightly above the low point in the tank and provide a completed electrical circuit across the space between the tank and the anode and then through the welded steel bracket back to the anode. Typically, the zinc or magnesium is molded or cast as a block or cylinder onto the horizontal section of an inverted "U" shaped steel bar or bracket.
In the past, some oil storage tanks were formed with a large open top. Methods of and apparatus for protecting the inside of a metal tank against corrosion were devised as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,512,557, which included placement of anodes in the tank substantially evenly spaced across the bottom and connected with an electrically conductive cable to a portion of the tank preferably above the level of the liquid. Substantially flat plates of zinc or other metal which is electropositive toward iron was used. The metal anode was spaced apart from the bottom of the tank with electrically insulating materials, such as glass, porcelain, bakelite, or the like, either secured directly to the zinc plate or secured to wooden frames supporting the anode plates. A protective coverings of canvas over the top of the plates was also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,512,557 in order to prevent the deposit of bottom sediments or products of corrosion upon the plates and on the bottom of the tank. The canvas permitted the passage of electrical current to the plate but shielded the top of the plates from sedimentation. This method and apparatus of anode protection was beneficial for open top tanks in which positioning and placement of the flat plate anodes from above was unobstructed. The flat anodes could be appropriately positioned right-side up. The insulative spacers projected only from one side of the plate. The use of this system is not adequate for closed top tanks, such as underground storage tanks. Available access openings are of limited size and do not accommodate bulky flat plate anodes. Positioning of the flat plate anode assemblies, both right-side up and in a desired location, could not be conveniently accomplished through small openings.
Underground storage tanks, such as gasoline tanks and the like, are now commonplace and their use is much more widespread than open mouth tanks of the past. The closure of the top of the tank has reduced the speed with which water accumulates and has reduced concerns regarding sedimentation. However, the problem of internal corrosion continues to exist and there are many existing tanks which were initially constructed without adequate internal anode protection.
Various anodes have been constructed for their use in water tanks, boilers, water heaters and the like, including those which are enclosed during boiler construction as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 635,468. Also, various water tank anodes have been designed to be inserted into previously erected tanks or receptacles, in particular those in which a small clearance distance may exist between the tank opening and adjacent structures or other equipment. One such anode is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,455 which provides an anode which is formed with segments on a bendable rod. Another water tank anode design is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,666,027 which provides a series of anodes interconnected with a spring connector to avoid breakage of the connecting rod due to bending during insertion. The anodes are suspended from the opening in the water. Proximity to the tank bottom is not a factor in water tanks.
Other anodes have been designed for hot water tanks and the like, which are designed to be threadedly received within an opening, such as an outlet port, and rigidly project from the opening into the water tank. Such threaded anodes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,867,274; 4,773,977 and 4,786,383. These constructions are designed primarily to be inserted through openings at the bottom of the water heater and apparently project a short distance into the tank. Such devices are not adequate for purposes of large fuel and oil storage tanks with top openings, such as those at gasoline pumping stations.
Coating of the interior of the tank with an insulative epoxy or resin or fiberglass or the like, may reduce corrosion and may facilitate effectiveness of an anode. One such process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,941,935 for a tanker ship, where access is presumably more convenient than for an underground storage tank. However, it still requires removing the tanker from operation for a period of time while the coating is applied and the anode is affixed.
Certain anode materials, such as magnesium and aluminum, can produce a hot spark upon metal-to-metal contact with steel, such as by dropping from relatively short distances of several feet Anodes with flexible plastic shielding have been used, particularly in connection with oil transporting trucks or oil tanker ships, which are periodically drained, accessed by workmen for inspections and repairs and thereby exposed to hazards from dropping or contact with other falling metal objects, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,254. Such anodes are designed to be affixed to the bottom or the walls during construction or while the tank is emptied for inspection or repair. They are not easily adapted for retro-fitting, as by insertion into existing underground fuel storage tanks while they are in operation.
Many underground or closed tanks now in operation have been constructed without internal anodes. To date, there has not been an adequate or convenient way to insert anodes into existing tanks without going through a complicated process which involves taking the tanks out of service. Previously, the tanks had to be drained, cleaned and de-gassed. Then, an opening had to be formed in them of sufficient size for a man to climb inside to either weld anodes supported from the tank at the appropriate bottom locations or alternatively, to completely coat the inside of the tank with a fiberglass or other non-corroding polymeric material. Complete and thorough coating of the interior of the tank has been a difficult process which essentially requires forming an internal fiberglass tank within the existing steel tank. This has been an expensive process and unless properly done to insure complete and total coverage could, in fact, exacerbate the problem. Where portions of the tank were coated and other portions were exposed, a focal point for corrosive activity was formed. In either event, the man-size opening had to be re-sealed as by welding before putting the tank back into service.

Storage tank internal corrosion prevention anode apparatus and method


A multi-speed transmission may include an input member and an output member disposed in a housing. A first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, and a fourth planetary gear set may be disposed within the housing, each planetary gear set including a sun gear, a planet carrier, and a ring gear. Six control elements may be operably coupled to each of the planetary gear sets and selectively engagable to create a set of different gear ratios between the input member and the output member. The set of different gear ratios may include at least ten forward gear ratios and at least one reverse gear ratio.

Machines such as, for example, trucks, construction equipment, mining machines and the like, are used to perform many tasks. To effectively perform these tasks, the machines require a power source that provides significant power to a transmission. The power source may be an engine such as, for example, a diesel engine, a gasoline engine, a turbine engine, or a natural gas engine operated to generate a power output. The transmission may provide a range of gearing in order to allow the machine to work at several different speeds while keeping the engine within a desired operating range. Typically, the machines include a multi-speed transmission that generally includes a series of gears and is connected to the engine by a torque converter. The torque converter may assist with initial start up and further may provide a broader torque transmission range.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,828,690 to Wittkopp et al. discloses a multi-speed transmission in FIGS. 2a-2c having four planetary gear sets, three clutches, and three brakes to provide ten forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The input for the transmission is continuously connected to the ring rear of the first planetary gear set and the output is continuously connected to the planetary carrier of the fourth planetary gear set. The transmission disclosed by Wittkopp et al. provides a smaller overall gear ratio and a larger maximum step ratio than the transmission of the present disclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,909,726 to Phillips et al. discloses a multi-speed transmission having four planetary gear sets, four clutches, and two brakes to provide ten forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The input for the transmission is continuously connected to the planetary carrier of the first planetary gear set and the output is continuously connected to the planetary carrier of the fourth planetary gear set. The transmission includes a continuous mechanical link between adjacent planetary gear sets (i.e. an element of the first planetary gear set is continuously linked to an element of the second planetary gear set, an element of the second planetary gear set is continuously linked to an element of the third planetary gear set, and an element of the third planetary gear set is continuously linked to an element of the fourth planetary gear set). The transmission disclosed by Phillips et al. provides a smaller overall gear ratio and a larger maximum step ratio than the transmission of the present disclosure.


A software architecture, data model, and access protocol to facilitate real time, session-based access to server-based data from low bandwidth wireless computing devices.

The proliferation of low cost mobile computing devices with wireless capabilities has created a demand for software systems that support their capabilities. The variety of devices and methods for accessing remote servers also demands server software that is flexible in the manner which it communicates and formats its responses. Some devices expect browser-targeted markup languages, such as HTML (HyperText Markup Language) or WML (Wireless Markup Language). Other devices, which can support more complex, custom client applications, can support more complex data formats. Ultimately, new devices are being developed and distributed to the general public everyday, making the openness and flexibility of a software system which supports them even more critical.
For a software system of this type to be useful, a core application which makes use of its capabilities for remote access from any device to any data is necessary. Perhaps no type of data is more time sensitive and essential to the modern worker than what is commonly referred to as groupware. Groupware includes essentially any application or application-suite that offers collections of canonical item-types, such as messages, contacts, events, and tasks, and exposes query-able interfaces to those collections. For example, Microsoft's Outlook® client and Microsoft Exchange Server® allow a user to store contacts in an address book, send e-mail to those contacts, schedule a meeting based on the results of e-mail, and create a list of tasks necessary to prepare for some milestone.
Indeed, getting e-mail to handheld devices has been a problem in need of a better solution than is currently available. Previous methods of synching information between wireless devices and servers have been laden with shortcomings. From resolving conflicting data, to not having up-to-date information, to not receiving urgent information quickly enough, mobile workers have been saddled with numerous inadequate choices due to synching technology. Particularly troublesome for users that were searching for an e-mail solution that did not rely on synching was the fact that most e-mail-enabled wireless devices have had their own separate e-mail address and inbox. Autoforwarding has therefore been the only way for a user to access e-mail sent to their primary inbox. This has been a poor solution to a complex problem.
A need therefore exists for a software architecture, data model, and access protocol for wireless devices which utilizes low bandwidth, high latency, wireless networks to facilitate access to highly complex and dense remote servers on demand, in real-time. For a system which includes these components to be useful and applicable, a core "killer" application is required. The invention described by this document satisfies both of these needs.

Software architecture for wireless data and method of operation thereof


A scoring apparatus is constructed for evaluating a live vocal performance which is voiced by a singer along with a karaoke music synthetically reproduced from melody data. A first detector sequentially detects the live vocal performance to extract therefrom sample data which is characteristic of actual voicing of the singer. A second detector sequentially detects the melody data to extract therefrom time data representative of right progression of the karaoke music and reference data representative of right voicing which should match the karaoke music. A comparator sequentially compares the sample data and the reference data with each other to produce differential data which indicates difference between the actual voicing and the right voicing. A processor processes the differential data with reference to the time data to produce score data which represents degree of deviation of the live vocal performance voiced by the singer relative to the karaoke music.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a karaoke scoring apparatus for evaluating singing skill of a karaoke singer based on actual singing voice vocalized by the singer along with instrumental accompaniment of karaoke music. More particularly, the present invention relates to a karaoke scoring apparatus for detecting score data necessary for scoring the singing skill of the karaoke singer by comparing the actual singing voice of the singer with a melody of the karaoke music. The actual singing voice is vocalized along with the accompaniment of the karaoke music generated by a MIDI tone generator.
2. Description of Related Art
The conventional karaoke apparatus utilizes a musical sound player which reproduces karaoke music from a magnetic tape on which the karaoke music is recorded in the form of an analog audio signal. With the advance in electronics technology, the magnetic tape is replaced by a CD (Compact Disk) or an LD (Laser Disk). The audio signal recorded in a disk media is changed from analog to digital. The data recorded on these disks contains not only music data but also a variety of other items of data including image data and lyrics data.
Recently, communication-type karaoke apparatuses become popular, in which, instead of using the CD or the LD, music data and other karaoke data are delivered through a communication line such as a regular telephone line or an ISDN line. The delivered data is processed by a tone generator and a sequencer. These communication-type karaoke apparatuses include a non-storage type in which music data is delivered every time karaoke play is requested, and a storage-type in which the delivered music data is stored in an internal storage device such as a hard disk unit and read out from the internal storage device for karaoke play upon request. Currently, the storage-type karaoke apparatus is dominating the karaoke market mainly because of its lower running cost.
Some of the above-mentioned karaoke apparatuses have a karaoke scoring device designed to evaluate singing skill of a karaoke singer based on voice of the singer vocalized along with the accompaniment of karaoke music. The conventional karaoke scoring device detects pitch and level of the singing voice of the karaoke singer, and checks the detected pitch and level with respect to stability and continuity of live vocal performance for evaluation and scoring.
However, the evaluation and scoring by the conventional karaoke scoring device are made independently of tempo information and melody information contained in the karaoke music data. There is no correlation between the actual vocal performance and the accompanying karaoke music. In the conventional scoring device, the evaluation is made without any relationship with melody information and tempo information contained in the karaoke music data. Namely, the conventional scoring device simply evaluates only the way of singing of the karaoke singer regardless of regulated progression of the karaoke music. Therefore, the conventional karaoke scoring device cannot draw distinction between good singing performance well synchronized with karaoke accompaniment and poor singing made out of tune. The conventional scoring device can evaluate only physical voicing skill of a karaoke singer, and consequently cannot evaluate the singing skill in musical relationship with the melody information contained in the karaoke music data.

Karaoke scoring apparatus analyzing singing voice relative to melody data


A bearing with axial variations may include two or more different zones along its axial length either on the surface of a bore formed in the main body of the bearing with axial variations or on the outside diameter thereof. Each zone may include one or more radial holes in fluid communication with one or more grooves, respectively, wherein each groove may be positioned adjacent an interface between a rotating member and a non-rotating member.

Journal bearings may have one or more inlets and/or grooves/features in the bore. Generally, the configuration and number of features affect both the static and dynamic performance of the bearing. Compared to a standard cylindrical bore bearing, profiled journal bearings, examples of which include but are not limited to elliptical, multi-lobe taper land, and offset bore bearings may be more stable due to lobes/features in the bore of the bearing. However, because such a bearing is a fixed profile bearing, its performance film thickness, maximum bearing temperature, and stability) is typically optimized for one or just a few loading conditions. Accordingly, when the load changes (e.g., direction, magnitude, etc.) it is common for the bearing performance to degrade. Furthermore, a profiled journal bearing may also exhibit instabilities like a standard cylindrical bore bearing under certain operating conditions.
Examples of journal bearings are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,966,700; 6,547,438; 5,480,234 and 4,097,094 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/708,439, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.


A paint supply and finishing system includes a tray and a paint roller. The tray includes a floor, a plurality of upstanding walls extending from the floor to form a basin and a partitioning wall configured for being removably positioned within the basin to create first and second pans within the basin configured for receiving roller covers. The pans preferably include at least one paint metering medium. The paint roller includes a handle, a continuous elongate shaft coupled to the handle, a first roller cover rotatably supported about the shaft and a second roller cover rotatably supported about the shaft. The first and second roller covers are axially spaced from one another so as to independently rotate relative to one another and so as to be simultaneously positionable within the first and second pans.

Faux finishing processes, such as sponging, stippling and rag rolling, are popularly used to create various textures, patterns or attractive combinations of colors on walls or surfaces using various types of surface coatings (hereinafter collectively referred to as "paint"). To achieve the faux finish, the paint is applied using sponges, rags or other paint applicators. However, the techniques employing such sponges, rags and other paint applicators are labor intensive, time consuming and require great skill to produce an attractive finish.
To reduce the time, labor and skill necessary for creating a faux finish, paint supply and finishing systems employing paint rollers have been developed. These systems include a bifurcated roller and a three compartment paint tray. The bifurcated roller includes a handle supporting two distinct shafts which rotatably support cages configured to receive roller covers. The three compartment tray is a generally rectangular basin having two integrally molded partitions which divide the basin into three elongate compartments. Each compartment includes a ramp and a deep well. The ramp includes an integrally molded grid. To prevent the paint rollers from absorbing too much paint, the tray additionally includes insertable plastic grids which are positioned within the wells to limit the extent to which the rollers may be dipped into the wells.
To create a desired faux finish, different colors of paint are poured into each of the compartments of the tray. Depending upon the desired finish, either standard roller covers or patterned roller covers are positioned on the cages of the bifurcated roller and are simultaneously lowered into the different paint colors contained in adjacent compartments of the paint tray. To remove excess paint from the roller covers, the covers are rolled across the grids or are rolled across scrap paper. The two roller covers are then rolled across the wall or surface to simultaneously apply the two paint colors in an overlapping fashion.
Although the described systems reduce the time and skill necessary to create attractive faux finishes, the bifurcated roller and the three compartment tray of there systems have several disadvantages. Because the roller is bifurcated, the roller frame can only be used for supporting two spaced apart roller cages and roller covers. As a result, the bifurcated roller frame is limited to particular faux finishing techniques and cannot be utilized for the conventional application of paint to walls and other surfaces. Because the handle must support two separate bifurcated shafts, the manufacture of the handle is complex and expensive. In addition, because the handle must support the two bifurcated shafts, the handle is subject to cracking and failure.
Moreover, the three compartment paint tray and the associated plastic grids waste paint and are difficult to use. Because each of the compartments contains different colors of paint, it is extremely difficult to pour the different colors of the unused paint back into their original containers for storage. Moreover, because the tray and insertable plastic grids frequently allow paint rollers to carry too much paint, the excess paint must be removed by rolling the rollers across the grids and also across scrap paper. The frequent necessity of removing excess paint from the rollers increases the time required to finish the surface and wastes paint.
As a result, there is a continuing need for an improved paint supply and finishing system that is simpler to manufacture, easier to use, more durable, less wasteful and more versatile.

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A cuboid hydraulic block of a slip control system of a hydraulic vehicle brake system has a lateral face, an opposite lateral face, at least two long sides, a short side, and an opposite short side. All receptacles for solenoid valves of the slip control system are disposed in the lateral face of the hydraulic block. Receptacles for hydraulic accumulators of the slip control system and connecting bores for a master brake cylinder are disposed in the opposite lateral face of the hydraulic block. Receptacles for hydraulic pumps of the slip control system are disposed in the long sides of the hydraulic block. An electric motor for driving the hydraulic pumps is disposed on the short side of the hydraulic block. Connecting bores for wheel brakes are disposed in the opposite short side of the hydraulic block.

The disclosure relates to a cuboidal hydraulic block for a hydraulic assembly of a slip control system of a hydraulic vehicle brake system.
Slip control systems are for example anti-lock, traction control and/or driving dynamics control systems/electronic stability programs, for which the abbreviations ABS, ASR, FDR/ESP are conventional. Such slip control systems of hydraulic vehicle brake systems are known from passenger motor vehicles and motorcycles and will not be discussed in any more detail here.
The core part of such slip control systems is a hydraulic assembly which comprises a hydraulic block which is equipped with hydraulic components of the slip control system and which is connected by means of brake lines to a master brake cylinder and which is connected by means of brake lines to one or more hydraulic wheel brakes. Hydraulic components are inter alia solenoid valves, hydraulic pumps (normally piston pumps), check valves, hydraulic accumulators, damper chambers and pressure sensors. The hydraulic block is typically a cuboidal metal block which serves for mechanical fastening and hydraulic interconnection of the hydraulic components of the slip control system. Interconnection refers to a hydraulic connection of the hydraulic components in accordance with a hydraulic circuit diagram of the slip control system.
The hydraulic block comprises receptacles for the hydraulic components of the slip control system. These are commonly cylindrical countersinks, blind holes or passage holes, normally of stepped diameter, which are formed in the hydraulic block and into which the hydraulic components are entirely or partially inserted, for example by being pressed in. For example, hydraulic pumps are commonly inserted entirely into their receptacles in a hydraulic block, whereas, in the case of solenoid valves, commonly only a hydraulic part is inserted into a receptacle of a hydraulic block, and an electromagnetic part of the solenoid valve projects out of the hydraulic block. By means of normally Cartesian drilling of the hydraulic block, the receptacles are connected to one another in accordance with the hydraulic circuit diagram of the slip control system. Cartesian means bores formed in the hydraulic block so as to be parallel or at right angles with respect to one another and with respect to surfaces and edges of the hydraulic block. Equipped with the hydraulic components, the hydraulic block forms a hydraulic assembly.
For a connection of the hydraulic block to a master brake cylinder and for the connection of wheel brakes to the hydraulic block, known hydraulic blocks have connection bores for brake lines. The connection bores are typically cylindrical countersinks or blind holes, which have for example internal threads for a screw connection to a screw nipple of a brake line, or which are threadless for the pressing-in and calking of a press-in nipple of a brake line, preferably by way of so-called self-clinch technology. Self-clinch means that the press-in nipple, as it is pressed into the connection bore of the hydraulic block, calks itself in pressure-tight fashion in the connection bore of the hydraulic block with plastic deformation of material of the hydraulic block.
The laid-open specification DE 10 2006 059 924 A1 discloses a hydraulic block for a hydraulic assembly of a slip control system of a hydraulic vehicle brake system, in the case of which all of the receptacles for solenoid valves of the slip control system are arranged in a top side, which can also be referred to as valve side, of a cuboidal hydraulic block. The top side is one of the two large sides of the cuboidal hydraulic block, which is not cubic but rather is longer and wider than it is thick. The top side may be square or rectangular.
Centrally in a longitudinal central plane and offset with respect to a transverse central plane of the hydraulic block, the known hydraulic block comprises an eccentric space in a base side. The base side, which can also be referred to as motor side, is situated opposite the top side and is congruent with respect thereto. The eccentric space is a cylindrical countersink of stepped diameter and is provided for accommodating a pump eccentric which serves for driving two hydraulic pumps. The pump eccentric is driven by an electric motor as pump motor, which is attached on the outside to the motor side of the hydraulic block.
Two receptacles for hydraulic pumps, specifically piston pumps, are arranged opposite one another, radially with respect to the eccentric space, in the known hydraulic block. The two receptacles for the hydraulic pumps are thus arranged in, or open into, longitudinal sides of the hydraulic block. The two piston pumps that form the hydraulic pumps may also be regarded as pump elements.
In the case of the known hydraulic block, four connection bores for brake lines which lead to hydraulic wheel brakes are formed in a transverse side, and two connection bores for brake lines which lead from a two-circuit master brake cylinder are formed in the motor side.

Hydraulic block for a hydraulic assembly of a slip control system of a hydraulic vehicle brake system


A front loader arrangement (12) with a mounting frame (16) and mounting mast (18) is proposed, wherein the mounting mast (18) can be coupled to the mounting frame (16) and can be decoupled therefrom. Furthermore, a loader arm (20) is connected to the mounting mast (18) for being pivoted vertically by a hydraulic cylinder (24) extending between the loader arm (20) and the mounting mast (18). In order to facilitate coupling of the mounting mast (18) to the mounting frame (16), it is proposed that a hydraulic system (85) be coupled to the hydraulic cylinder working chamber(s) (90, 96) and include adjusting means by which the hydraulic cylinder (24) can be brought into a floating position when the hydraulic fluid supply is decoupled from the hydraulic system (85).

Front loader arrangements, i.e., the arrangement of a front loader on a vehicle, in particular on an agricultural vehicle, or else on a different type of utility vehicle, are known. Front loaders can be connected to, or mounted on, a vehicle, for example on a tractor or an agricultural tractor, by means of a mounting frame, in order to carry out loader operations. The mounting frame is customarily screwed to the vehicle frame or fastened to the latter. The front loader itself has a connecting or mounting point or mounting mast which is connected to, or is mounted on, or coupled to, the console. Various possibilities are known in this respect. Some known exemplary embodiments of front loader arrangements have mechanisms which are formed on the console and serve for receiving two bearing bolts formed on the mast arrangement of the front loader, wherein at least one of the catch hooks is locked after receiving the bearing bolts. The bearing bolts are received here by the mounting frame being guided up to, or the vehicle being driven up to, the mounting mast or to the front loader which is in a corresponding parking position or mounting position. After the bearing bolts have been received, the catch hooks can be locked manually or else in a partially automated or fully automated manner or by an external motor or by remote control. In other mechanisms, the console has only one catch hook which serves for receiving a bearing bolt formed on the mast arrangement. For locking purposes, connecting openings are then formed both on the mounting frame and mounting mast, with the connecting openings, when brought into alignment with each other, being connected to each other via a locking bolt, or a locking bot is guided therethrough. The locking can also take place here manually or else in a partially automated or fully automated manner or by an external motor or by remote control.
Such a partially automated locking is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,632,056, granted Dec. 15, 2009 which presents a front loader arrangement which comprises a spring pre-tensioned locking bolt which can be actuated via adjusting elements formed on a mounting mast and on a mounting frame by the adjusting elements, by means of a relative movement with respect to one another, triggering a locking in such a manner that the locking bolt is guided by spring force into connecting openings formed on the mounting mast and on the mounting frame of the front loader arrangement. For unlocking purposes, the locking bolt has to be guided manually out of the connecting openings counter to the spring force and the adjusting elements have to be brought into a corresponding unlocking position. It is disadvantageous in this connection that, in particular, the design and arrangement of the adjusting element formed on the mast arrangement, and also the connection of said adjusting element to the locking bolt require a relatively complex outlay in terms of manufacturing and installation.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,832, granted Jun. 23, 2009, discloses a front loader arrangement, in which the mounting mast is guided via a ramp formed on the mounting fame wherein the mounting frame has catch hooks in which bearing bolts formed on the mounting mast are received. The front loader arrangement can be locked via a spring pre-tensioned spring-loaded locking catch, which engages in a first depression and then a second depression formed on the frame, wherein a pre-locking is formed here, in which the spring-loaded locking catch engages in the first depression and the mounting mast is still movable relative to the mounting frame until the mounting mast reaches the end position thereof, in which the bearing bolts have been fully inserted into the catch hooks. Only then does the spring-loaded locking catch snap into the second depression, at which final locking arises. Disadvantages here include the fact that, firstly, the design and arrangement of the spring-loaded locking catch provided on the mounting mast and, furthermore, the first and second depressions which are formed on the mounting frame and are intended for the pre-locking and final locking require a relatively complex outlay in terms of manufacturing and installation and also a great diversity of components.

Arrangement for effecting float condition in loader hydraulic lift cylinder when hydraulic fluid supply is decoupled


A light application apparatus includes an optical modulation element provided with a plurality of phase steps, a light beam which is entered into the optical modulation element being phase-modulated by the phase steps and exits from the optical modulation element as a light beam having a first light intensity distribution. An optical system is arranged between the optical modulation element and an predetermined plane. The optical system divides the phase-modulated light beam into at least two light fluxes having second and third light intensity distributions and different optical characteristics from each other, and projects a light beam including the divided two light fluxes, the light intensity distributions of the projected light fluxes being combined with each other, so that the projected light beam has a fourth light intensity distribution with an inverse peak shape on the predetermined plane and enters the predetermined plane. The first to fourth light intensity distributions are different from each other on the predetermined plane.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light application apparatus, a crystallization apparatus and an optical modulation element assembly, and to, e.g., a technique which generates a crystallized semiconductor film by applying a laser light having a predetermined light intensity distribution to a non-single-crystal semiconductor film or layer such as a polycrystal semiconductor film or an amorphous semiconductor film.
2. Description of the Related Art
A thin film transistor (TFT) which is used for a switching element or the like which selects a display pixel in, e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) has been conventionally formed in an amorphous silicon layer or a polysilicon layer.
The polysilicon layer has a higher mobility of electrons or electron holes than the amorphous silicon layer. Therefore, when a transistor is formed in a polysilicon layer, a switching speed is increased and a display response speed is thus increased as compared with a case where a transistor is formed in an amorphous silicon layer. Further, a peripheral LSI can be formed of a thin film transistor. Furthermore, there is an advantage that a design margin of any other component can be reduced. Moreover, peripheral circuits such as a driver circuit or a DAC can be operated at a higher speed when these peripheral circuits are incorporated in a display.
Since polysilicon is formed of an aggregation of crystal grains, when, e.g., a TFT transistor is formed, a crystal grain boundary exists in a channel area of this transistor, and this crystal grain boundary becomes an obstacle and lowers the mobility of electrons or electron holes as compared with single-crystal silicon. Additionally, in case of many thin film transistors formed to polysilicon, the number of crystal grain boundaries formed in channel portions differs between the respective thin film transistors, this becomes unevenness and leads to a problem of display irregularities in case of a liquid crystal display. Thus, in recent years, in order to improve the mobility of electrons and electron holes and reduce irregularities in the number of crystal grain boundaries in channel portions, there has been proposed a crystallization method which generates crystallized silicon having crystal grains with a particle size which is as large as at least one channel area can be formed from non-single-crystal silicon.
As this type of crystallization method, there has been conventionally known a "phase control ELA (excimer laser annealing) method" which generates a crystallized semiconductor film by applying an excimer laser light to a phase shifter which is closely arranged in parallel to a polycrystal semiconductor film or an amorphous semiconductor film. The detail of the phase control ELA method is described in, e.g., Journal of the Surface Science Society of Japan Vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 278-287, 2000.
In the phase control ELA method, a light intensity distribution having an inverse peak pattern (a pattern in which a light intensity is minimum at the center and the light intensity is suddenly increased toward the periphery) in which the light intensity is lower than that at the periphery is generated at a point or a line corresponding to a phase shift portion of a phase shifter, and a laser light ray having this inverse-peak-shaped light intensity distribution is applied to a non-single-crystal semiconductor film (a polycrystal semiconductor film or an amorphous semiconductor film). As a result, a fusing area having a temperature gradient according to the light intensity distribution is generated in an irradiation target area, a crystal nucleus is formed at a part which is solidified first or not solidified in accordance with a point where the light intensity is minimum, and a crystal grows in a lateral direction from this crystal nucleus toward the periphery (which will be referred to as a "lateral growth" or a "growth in a lateral direction" hereinafter), thereby generating a crystal grain with a large particle size.
Further, there has been conventionally a crystallization method for a large particle size described in M. NAKATA and M. MATSUMURA, "Two-Dimensionally Position-Controlled Ultra-Large Grain Growth Based on Phase-Modulated Excimer-Laser Annealing Method", Electrochemical Society Proceeding Volume 200-31, page 148-154. In this method, an element having a pattern which forms, e.g., a V-shaped light intensity gradient distribution and an element having a pattern which forms an inverse-peak-shaped light intensity minimum distribution are both realized by providing a phase step on an SiO2 substrate. Furthermore, an excimer laser light is applied in a state where a processed substrate is in close proximity to the two laminated elements, thereby generating a crystallized semiconductor film on the processed substrate.
Moreover, there is a crystallization method for a large particle size described in "Silicon thin film amplitude/phase-controlled excimer laser fusing/re-crystallization method—new two-dimensional position-controlled large grain formation method" by Inoue, Nakata and Matsumura, The institute of Electronics, information and Communication Engineers Transaction, The institute of Electronics, information and Communication Engineers, August 2002, Vol. J85-C, No. 8, p. 624-629. In this method, an element having a pattern which forms, e.g., a V-shaped light intensity gradient distribution is realized by a thickness distribution of SiONx which is a light absorption material, and an element having a pattern which forms an inverse-peak-shaped light intensity minimum distribution is realized by a phase step of SiO2. These two elements are laminated and formed on one substrate. Additionally, an excimer laser light is applied in a state where a processed substrate is in close proximity to this one element substrate, thereby generating a crystallized semiconductor film on the processed substrate.
In the conventional technique, when a phase shifter having a phase step of 180 degrees is used, there is a disadvantage as described below with reference to FIGS. 44A and 45.
A crystallization apparatus in which an image formation optical system is provided between a phase shifter 191 shown in FIG. 44A and a processed substrate and an image of the phase shifter 191 is formed on a predetermined surface of the processed substrate by the image formation optical system, as shown in FIG. 44B, a minimum light intensity (a light intensity at an inverse peak point) 192 in a light intensity distribution having an inverse peak shape formed on the processed substrate through the image formation optical system is dependent on a phase difference obtained by a step 193 of the phase shifter 191. As shown in FIG. 44C, when a phase shifter having a phase difference of 180 degrees obtained by a step 193 is used, a light intensity distribution with an inverse peak shape formed at a focus position (an image formation surface) of the image formation optical system is symmetrical, and its minimum light intensity is substantially zero.
Further, an inverse-peak-shaped light intensity distribution to be formed is likewise symmetrical at a defocus position slightly moved in the vertical direction from the focus position of the image formation optical system as shown in FIG. 44D, and its minimum light intensity becomes slightly stronger but it is a very small light intensity. When a phase shifter having a phase difference of 180 degrees is used in this manner, since the symmetry of the light intensity distribution is maintained without being dependent on a defocus direction, a deep focal depth can be realized. Since the minimum light intensity is very weak at the inverse peak point, however, there is a disadvantage that an irradiation target area with the minimum light intensity is not fused, an uncrystallized area (an area having a smaller light intensity than that at a crystal growth start point) becomes large to some extent and a filling rate of a crystal grain cannot be increased. That is, almost all of an irradiation target surface can be fused by selecting a minimum light intensity in such a manner that a temperature of the irradiation target area generated when irradiated with the minimum light intensity becomes a temperature in the vicinity of a fusing point, and a crystallized area can be widened.
A step which is used to form the phase shifter 191 having a desired phase difference is obtained from an expression λ/(θ/360)/(n−1), wherein λ is a wavelength of a laser light, θ is a value which represents a desired phase difference by degree, and n is a refraction factor of a transparent quartz base material of the phase shifter. When a refraction factor of the quartz base material is 1.46 and a wavelength of an XeCl excimer laser light is 308 nm, a step of 334.8 nm must be formed to the quartz substrate by a method such as etching in order to provide a phase difference of 180 degrees. When a phase shifter in which a step 193 is selected to obtain a phase difference of 60 degrees is used as shown in FIG. 45A, a light intensity distribution with an inverse peak shape formed at a focus position of the image formation optical system is symmetrical (symmetrical in the lateral direction) as shown in FIG. 45C, and its minimum light intensity is strong to some extent. On the contrary, at defocus positions slightly moved upwards and downwards from the focus position of the image formation optical system, the symmetry of the light intensity distribution with the inverse peak shape to be formed largely collapses, and a position of its minimum light intensity (an inverse peak point) moves in the lateral direction. Here, a board thickness deviation which can be a factor of defocusing unavoidably exists in the processed substrate.
As described above, the phase shifter 191 having a phase difference of 60 degrees (FIG. 45A) has a slightly stronger minimum light intensity at an inverse peak point than the phase shifter (FIG. 44A) having a phase difference of 180 degrees, and hence a crystallized area can be widened. However, the symmetry in the lateral direction greatly collapses in the light intensity distributions at defocus positions moved upwards and downwards from the focus position, and the symmetry collapsing directions in the light intensity distributions shown in FIGS. 45B and 45D are opposite in dependence on the defocus direction, and the focal depth thereby becomes shallow (narrow). Furthermore, since a position of the inverse peak point moves in a surface (an up-and-down direction and a right-and-left direction in the drawing) due to defocusing, a position of a crystal grain to be generated is also shifted from a desired position, which disadvantageously results in a problem when forming a circuit in a formed crystal grain. That is, if a crystal grain is not formed at a desired position, a channel portion of a transistor cannot be or is hard to be accurately formed in a crystal grain, and hence there is a problem that characteristics of the transistor are deteriorated.
Moreover, when the phase shifter having a phase difference of 180 degrees is used and when the phase shifter having a phase difference of 60 degrees is used, an unnecessary protruding peak shape is generated on both sides of the inverse peak in the light intensity distribution with the inverse peak shape in, e.g., the focus state as indicated by circles of broken lines in FIGS. 44C and 45C. That is, this unnecessary peak shape corresponds to a high light intensity part. When such a peak shape exists on both sides or one side of the inverse peak in the light intensity distribution with the inverse peak shape, since the light intensity becomes large at this peak shape part only, ablation occurs and the semiconductor film is disadvantageously broken. Additionally, when a crystallized semiconductor film is generated by applying a light intensity distribution with an inverse peak shape to a non-crystal semiconductor film, since crystal growth which has started in the lateral direction from a minimum intensity area at an inverse peak part stops at a descending gradient part of a peak shape part with a high intensity, there is a disadvantage that a crystal with a large particle size cannot be generated.

Light application apparatus, crystallization apparatus and optical modulation element assembly

Advanced LCD Technologies Development Center Co. Ltd.


A steel track chain component, such as a track bushing, may be formed with a carburized portion, a hardface portion, and a core portion. The core portion may be softer than the carburized portion, which in turn, may be softer than the hardface portion. This configuration of the various portions of the component may allow for relatively high wear resistance of the component, as well as toughness. The core portion may be mostly ferrite crystal structure, while the carburized portion and the hardface portions may include martensitic and/or austenitic crystal structure. The carburized portion may be formed by carburizing the track chain component in a heated and carbon rich environment. The hardface portion may be formed by welding a hardface alloy over at least a portion of the carburized portion.

Track-type machines are in widespread use in construction, mining, forestry, and other similar industries. The undercarriage of such track-type machines utilizes track assemblies, rather than wheels, to provide ground-engaging propulsion. Such track assemblies may be preferred in environments where creating sufficient traction is problematic, such as those frequently found in the industries identified above. Specifically, rather than rolling across a work surface on wheels, track-type machines utilize one or more track assemblies that include an endless loop of coupled track links defining outer surfaces, which support ground-engaging track shoes, and inner surfaces that travel about one or more rotatable track-engaging elements, such as, drive sprockets, idlers, tensioners, and rollers, for example.
Typical track chain assembly designs include a track pin either fixedly or rotatably connected to a pair of chain links and a bushing rotatably positioned between the links and about the track pin. Such track chain assemblies can operate in extremely adverse environments in which track joints may be exposed to various abrasive mixtures of water, dirt, sand, rock or other mineral or chemical elements. The bearing interface between the track pin and the bushing can encounter high contact stresses which lead to galling failure. Galling is a principal failure mode for track chain assemblies and can limit the life of track chain assemblies in many applications. Additionally, operation of track chain assemblies can wear out the components of the track chain, such as the bushings, sprockets, idlers, etc.
During operation, the track bushing and/or other components of the track chain assembly may experience excessive loading. Different surfaces of the track bushing, for example, an inner diameter, end ring surfaces, and so on may require abrasion resistance with increased strength and toughness to endure loads that may be imposed on the track bushing. Similarly, other components of the track chain may also be prone to high levels of abrasion and made to endure high loads. As a result, components of track chain assembly may be manufactured to have hard outer portions to reduce the amount of wear during use. However, the production of these track components may be a time consuming, laborious, and costly process. Furthermore, the final components, such as the bushings, may fail to provide sufficient wear resistance and toughness when produced by traditional methods.
An example of producing track chain components is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,657,990 (hereinafter referred to as the '990 reference), where material is plasma transfer arc (PTA) welded on a surface or into an undercut or channel of an iron-based alloy. For example, a hard metal alloy slurry is disposed on a surface or into an undercut or channel and then fused to form a metallurgical bond with the iron-based alloy. However, this requires additional processing steps, such as undercutting and then application of metal alloy slurry. Specifically, in '990, the carburized metal is removed prior to surface welding. Thus, the process of slurry application and fusing, as described in the '990 reference, is not performed on a hardened and/or carburized layer of steel. This may limit the thickness of the outer layer.
Example embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward overcoming the deficiencies described above.

Track chain components with hardface overlay


Adaptive channel optimization in a disk drive is achieved by selecting a track of the recording medium and then writing a first data pattern to opposite sides of the selected track. The first data pattern is written a certain percentage off-track in relation to the centerline of the selected track. A second data pattern is then written directly on the selected data track and the off-track margin is determined as a function of how far the recording head can be positioned away from the center of the selected track during reading of the second data pattern while meeting a specified error rate. The off-track margin test is repeated iteratively using a combination of channel variable settings in order to find a set of variable settings which provides an optimal performance criteria for the drive.

Modem disk drive recording systems typically rely upon a flat, circular platter having a surface which has been coated with a magnetic material for the storage of information by selective polarization portions of the magnetic surface. In such systems, a transducer or head is positioned over the magnetic surface of the rotating disk. By energizing coils in the transducer, magnetic flux can be generated to polarized selective portions of the disk surface. Likewise, the magnetic flux emanating from the disk surface from previously recorded data can be detected by the transducer in a similar manner. The presence or absence of polarity transitions is recognized by the disk drive electronics by means of a set of binary signals. An electronic data processing circuit, commonly known as a read/write data channel, is employed for this purpose.
For example, during the reading process the read channel converts the voltage waveform of the transducer output signal to a digital waveform which should be the same as the original modified frequency modulation signal. A general discussion of data channel operation in a rigid disk drive assembly is provided in Magnetic Recording, Vol. 11 Computer Data Storage by Mee and Daniel, McGraw-Hill, 1988, pp. 155-162.
Experimental techniques for analyzing the performance of a digital magnetic recording read/write channel are well-known in the field of disk drives. Numerous factors can affect the strength of the polarization of the magnetic surface in a manner which interferes with normal data reproduction. For example, defects in the magnetic disks, crosstalk between adjacent tracks of the disk, and intersymbol interference in re-occurring noise transients all contribute to the data read/write error rate of the disk drive. Theoretical models have been presented to predict the most effective utilization of a read/write channel in order to improve the channel error rate in the face of the combined effects of the above listed factors. By way of background, an article entitled "Effective Bit Shift Distribution On Error Rate In Magnetic Recording," by Katz and Campbell, IEEE Transactions On Magnetics, Vol. MAG-15, No. 3, May, 1979, describes such a theoretical model.
For some time, practitioners have struggled to develop various techniques for eliminating the presence of false or missing pulses from the raw data signal. The goal of such techniques is generally to optimize the raw soft error rate performance of the disk drive channel. The raw soft error rate refers to the frequency of errors that occurs due to the susceptibility of the read channel signal to various factors such as crosstalk and intersymbol interference. In basic terms, the raw soft error rate means that the data reproduced should be the same as the data that were originally written to the magnetic medium.
To improve the error rate of a magnetic recording system, prior art approaches have generally provided for read/write data channels that are programmably adaptable in processing data signals transferred to and from the read/write head. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,262 describes programming elements for determining whether data signals transferred from the media exceed a programmable data discrimination level, and whether data signals transfer from the medium occur within a data signal window whose timing is relative to a data clock signal. Another example of an adaptive variable threshold qualification level circuit for disk drives is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,050. In the latter system, a qualification level generator circuit generates a qualification level signal which varies in value depending upon the address portion of the magnetic disk.
One of the problems associated with prior art adaptive read/write channel controls has been their focus on the measurement criteria of timing margin and threshold margin. Additionally, past approaches rest on the assumption that disk drives always read on track; that is, that the head or transducer is optimally positioned over one of the concentric data tracks defined on the surface of the recording medium. In a disk drive system subject to real-world environmental influences, however, external forces such as mechanical shock and vibration often cause the head to move off-track.
What all of this means is that the true test of whether an adaptive algorithm works in an actual disk drive is not only related to how good its timing and threshold margins are on-track, but also how wide its erase bands are off-track. Once the transducers or heads are positioned slightly off-track, noise from adjacent tracks becomes a serious problem. Thus, a disk drive system may have its read/write channel performance optimized under ideal on-track conditions, while under real operating conditions the drive will either fail or perform non-optimally due to poor off-track margin control.
Therefore, what is needed is an adaptive read/write channel which can optimize the raw soft error rate performance of the disk drive, while taking into account the realistic environmental and operating conditions that the drive normally experiences.

Disk drive using off-track margin to obtain optimal performance parameters


A hanger bar assembly comprises a first hanger bar, a second hanger bar, and a hanger bar holder. The first hanger bar and the second hanger bar are mechanically coupled where the first hanger bar slides relative to the second hang bar in a telescopic manner. The first hanger bar and the second hanger bar both include an interlocking structure that interlocks the first hanger bar with the second hanger bar, reducing lateral movement, such as backlash or slop. The hanger bar holder is used to hold at least one of the first hanger bar or the second hanger bar. The hanger bar holder includes a first section to guide at least the first hanger bar and a second section to guide at least the second hanger bar. The first section and the second section also constrain lateral movement of the first hanger bar and the second hanger bar, respectively.

Recessed lighting systems are typically installed or mounted into an opening in a ceiling or a wall. Modern recessed lighting systems generally consist of a trim, a light source module, a driver circuit, a junction box, and a set of hanger bars. The driver is insulated from other portions and components of the recessed lighting system, including the light source module, through the use of insulation provided by the junction box while the light source module is housed therein. The driver is electrically coupled to the light source module through the use of wires or other conduits so that the driver can power the light source module to emit light.
The junction box, the can, and other components of the recessed lighting system are attached to the hanger bars such that the hanger bars may support the components of the recessed lighting system in a wall or ceiling of a structure. For example, the junction box may be attached to the hanger bars through the use of screws and bolts, which anchor the junction box and driver.
The inventions of commonly owned U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2015/0233506 dramatically advanced the state of the art or recessed lighting systems having such components. However, opportunities for further improvement remain.


A method for reducing the risk of atherosclerosis in a patient at risk of same comprising the steps of removing cholesterol ester transfer protein from blood of the patient to reduce the plasma CETP levels in the patient. In an embodiment, the method includes the step of passing the patient's plasma through an apheresis machine to remove at least some of the plasma cholesterol ester transfer protein.

The present invention relates generally to treatments for atherosclerosis. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods of reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. In the United States, of a population of 226.5 million in 1980, 551,400 died of ischemic heart disease and 169,500 died of cerebrovascular causes related to arterial disease. See Merck Manual, 15th Edition, p. 386.
Atherosclerosis is a form of arteriosclerosis marked by the formation of atheromas. The disease causes the lumen of an artery to become narrowed or blocked (occluded). The atheroma obstructs circulation by protruding into the arterial lumen. The narrowing of the artery restricts blood flow to the organ that is nourished by the artery. The reduced blood flow results in a deterioration of the organ to the point wherein the organ can be permanently damaged unless the blockage of blood flow is removed. When an artery that serves the heart is narrowed or blocked, the pathological process results in a heart attack.
The relationship between hypercholesterolemia, abnormal lipoprotein profiles, and atherogenesis has been well defined. A major risk factor of atherosclerosis is elevated serum lipids. See Merck Manual, 15th Edition, p. 386. Studies have also demonstrated that elevated levels of high density lipoproteins (HDL) - cholesterol are negatively correlated to the incidence of coronary heart disease. See, Yamashita et al, "Accumulation of Apolipoprotein E-Rich High Density Lipoproteins in Hyperalphalipoproteinemic Human Subjects with Plasma Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein Deficiency", Journal of Clinical Investigation, Vol. 86, September 1990, 688-695.
Cholesterol is an essential component of the membranes of every human cell, necessary for tissue repair and other functions. The amount of cholesterol entering the circulation each day, however, greatly exceeds the essential requirements. There is no system for the cholesterol catabolism in the peripheral tissues. Accordingly, excess cholesterol arriving at the periphery must be returned to the liver if it is to be eliminated. The process by which the cholesterol is returned to the liver is termed "reverse cholesterol transport." High-density lipoprotein has been implicated in reverse cholesterol transport. See, Cholesterol Ester Transfer Protein, The Lancet, Vol. 338, Sep. 14, 1991, pp. 666-667.
Although HDL levels are known to be decreased by obesity, cigarette smoking, male sex, and diets high in polyunsaturated fat, the mechanisms of variations of HDL levels in populations are poorly understood. Inazu et al, "Increase High-Density Lipoprotein Levels Caused By A Common Cholesterol-Ester Transfer Protein Gene Mutation", The New England Journal of Medicine, Nov. 1, 1990, p. 1234-1238.
In vivo, cholesterol ester transfer protein is believed to be central to cholesterol transport in human plasma. Despite the potential benefits of the cholesterol pathway, in terms of control and regulation of cholesterol transport, there is considerable disadvantage because cholesterol ester transfer protein can convert the non-atherogenic HDL into VLDL. VLDL is the precursor for LDL that has been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. It has been reported that the combination of sodium oleate and CETP promotes a major redistribution of cholesterol ester from HDL to LDL. See, Barter. "Enzymes Involved in Lipid and Lipoprotein Metabolism", Current Opinion in Lipidology, 1990, 1:518-523. See also, Brown et al. "Molecular Basis of Lipid Transfer Protein Deficiency in a Family With Increased High-Density Lipoproteins", Nature, Vol. 342, Nov. 23, 1989, pp. 448-451 ("[t]he plasma cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) catalyses the transfer of cholesterol ester from HDL to other lipoproteins and therefore might influence HDL levels.").

Method for reducing the risk of atherosclerosis