A fixing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a first non-contact temperature detecting section which detects a surface temperature of a heat roller in the vicinity of a heating apparatus, a second non-contact temperature detecting section which is provided in non-contact with a surface of each of a heat roller and a pressure roller, and which detects a surface temperature of at least one of the heat roller and the pressure roller, and a control section which compares a difference between a first temperature detected by the first non-contact temperature detecting section and a second temperature detected by the second non-contact temperature detecting section with a predetermined specified temperature difference, and when the difference between the first temperature and the second temperature is greater than the specified temperature difference for a predetermined period or longer, stops heating of the heat roller by the heating apparatus.

In a copying machine or a printer using an electronic process, it is well known that a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is transferred to a transfer material, and then, a toner image molten by a fixing apparatus including a heat roller and a pressure roller is fixed to the transfer material.
At this time, there is known a method of detecting a surface temperature by using a detecting element brought into contact with a surface of the heat roller and controlling a temperature of the heat roller. However, the contact temperature detecting element may degrade the surface of the heat roller due to sliding and has a problem that a service life of the heat roller is reduced. In addition, responsiveness of the detecting element is degraded due to surface degradation, whereby a temperature may be incorrectly detected.
Further, it is known to use a temperature detecting element which senses a red infrared ray radiated from a heat roller to detect a temperature of a heat roller in a non-contact manner.
However, at a radiation rate of the red infrared ray from the heat roller detected by a non-contact temperature detecting element, the surface of the heat roller is gradually degraded by the heat roller coming into contact with a transfer material which holds a toner. Thus, a deviation occurs at the life beginning of using the heat roller and at the life end of using the heat roller. In addition, the degradation of the surface of the heat roller is different depending on type or size of a transfer material passing through paper, and thus, a deviation occurs in a longitudinal direction of the roller at a red infrared ray-radiation rate. That is, a time for a temperature detected by the non-contact temperature element to reach a set temperature is delayed due to a change of red infrared ray radiation.
For example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2004-21079, there is disclosed a fixing apparatus for pinching, transferring, and heating a recording agent having an image carried by a nip formed of first and second fixing members. In this fixing apparatus, first and second temperature sensing means each have a heat source in the vicinity of the nip and are allocated in non-contact with the heat source. In the case where a difference in sensing temperature between the first and second sensing means is obtained as a predetermined value or more, the heat source is stopped or the heat source is controlled at a lower temperature than a control temperature when fixing is executed. There is disclosed a technique of allocating the first temperature sensing and the second temperature sensing means at their different positions in the longitudinal direction of the nip.
In addition, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2003-017221, there is disclosed a heating apparatus comprising: a heat roller heated by a heating source; external heating means for carrying out heating from at least the outside of the heat roller serving as the heating source; and a safety temperature sensing member which shuts out power supply to the external heating means. The publication discloses a technique of allocating the safety temperature sensing member on a heating region at which the external heating means heats the heat roller and covering a gap between the safety temperature sensing member and a coil serving as the external heating means with a magnetic force shield member.
Further, as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-289572, there is known an invention relating to an apparatus comprising: a thermal fixing section which fixes an image onto a recording medium by heating; first temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of a position through which the recording medium on the thermal fixing section does not pass; second temperature detecting means for detecting a temperature of a position through which the recording medium on the thermal fixing section passes; determining means for determining whether or not a temperature difference between a detected temperature by the first temperature detecting means and a detected temperature of the second temperature detecting means is at a predetermined level or higher; and control means for shielding power supply to the thermal fixing section in accordance with affirmative determination of the determining means.
In addition, as disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 10-031390, there is known a technique using non-contact temperature detecting means which has self temperature detecting means, thereby recognizing a temperature T of the heat roller as a multi-order formula between a self temperature output T1 and a sensor output T0 of a non-contact temperature sensor, the sensor output being sensed and outputted according to the self temperature output and a heat roller temperature which is non-sample, and controlling the temperature of the heat roller.
Moreover, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 9-281843 discloses an electro photography apparatus having a non-contact sensor which senses a temperature of a heat roller in a non-contact manner, the apparatus controlling the temperature of the heat roller by a sensor output of the non-contact temperature sensor. The electro photography apparatus has means (fan) for supplying air from a pair of image carriers to a fixing apparatus, and the non-contact sensor is allocated so as to include at least a part of the sensor in air between the fixing apparatus and each of the image carriers.

Fixing apparatus and heating apparatus control method


A timepiece provided with a liquid crystal display panel (9) for displaying thereon at least one of time information (5) and calendar information (4), wherein a solar battery unit (12) is provided to face at least a part of a visual recognition side surface of the liquid crystal display panel (9) or an opposite-side (lower-side) surface thereof, the light being applied to a power generation portion of the solar battery unit (12) through a transmission portion of the liquid crystal display panel (9) to generate electric power or what is displayed on the liquid crystal display panel (9) being visually recognized through a transmission portion of the solar battery unit (12), a timepiece circuit and the liquid crystal display panel (9) being driven by utilizing the electric power generated by the solar battery unit (12).

In a timepiece for digitally displaying time information and calendar information, or in a combination timepiece made by combining the digital display of them and an analog display using hands, a liquid crystal display panel is used to perform the digital display.
In such a conventional timepiece using the liquid crystal display panel, a battery of simple consumption-type or charging-type is typically used as an energy source (electric power source), and additionally there is one type in which a solar battery is provided around the liquid crystal display panel, and electric power generated by it is accumulated in a secondary battery to use.
When the earth's environmental problems and energy problems are focused on, the simple consumption-type battery will have a serious problem in waste-disposal in the future, or the charging-type battery will have an energy consumption problem if it is charged through supply of electric power from an external power source.
Further, replacement of batteries is not preferable, especially for a timepiece, in maintaining a good waterproof state and in the prevention of the introduction of dust into its case. Further, a timepiece has low power consumption, and thus its timepiece system can be driven with little quantity of power generation. Therefore, it is preferable to install a solar battery in the timepiece to supply the entire or at least a part of the consumed electric power by power generation of the solar battery, thereby offering a great expectation of no waste produced and self-sufficient energy in the future.
In the timepiece using the conventional solar battery as the energy source, however, the solar battery is too conspicuous, and additionally it is necessary to secure a relatively large area for the solar battery, causing great restriction in visual design.
An example of a timepiece using a conventional solar battery as an energy source is explained here with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 35 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a conventional digital wristwatch with solar batteries. FIG. 36 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along a line XXXVI—XXXVI in FIG. 35.
In this wristwatch, as shown in FIG. 35, a liquid crystal display panel 9 is disposed at the center of the upper surface of a watch case 1, and a number of solar batteries 15 are arranged in rows on both sides of the liquid crystal display panel 9.
The liquid crystal display panel 9 is provided with a chronograph display portion 3, a year-month-date display portion 4 and a time display portion 5. Further, four mode adjusting buttons 10 for correcting display contents, adjusting time and the like are provided on the side face of the watch case 1.
The watch case 1 seals the inner space with a cover glass 2 and a case back 7 as shown in FIG. 36.
In the watch case 1, the liquid crystal display panel 9 and fours solar batteries 15 provided on either side thereof are arranged inside the cover glass 2. A circuit board 6 is disposed below them, which includes a timepiece circuit operating by being supplied with electric power from the solar batteries 15, a drive circuit for driving the liquid crystal display panel 9, and the like.
Around the solar batteries 15 and the liquid crystal display panel 9, a panel cover 25 is provided, which shields electrodes and their outer forms.
In the liquid crystal display panel 9, a first substrate 21 and a second substrate 22, each of which is made of transparent glass or the like, are bonded together opposed each other with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween with spacers (not shown) and a sealing portion 23, and a liquid crystal layer 14 is sealed in the gap.
The opposed inner faces of the first substrate 21 and the second substrate 22 are provided with signal electrodes, opposed electrodes opposed to the signal electrodes to form pixel portions, and alignment films, though their illustration is omitted. A twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystal with a twist angle of 90 degrees is used for the liquid crystal layer 14.
In order to allow a change in alignment state of liquid crystal molecules caused by voltage applied to the liquid crystal layer 14 used in the liquid crystal display panel 9 to be viewed, a first polarizing film 16 and a second polarizing film 17 are bonded to the upper side of the first substrate 21 and the lower side of the second substrate 22 respectively with an acrylic resin. Each of the first and second polarizing films is an absorption-type polarizing film of which one polarizing optical axis is a transmission axis and a polarizing optical axis perpendicular thereto is an absorption axis, and the first polarizing film 16 and the second polarizing film 17 are arranged so that the respective transmission axes are perpendicular to each other.
This brings a portion where voltage is not applied between the signal electrode and the opposed electrode of the liquid crystal display panel 9 into a light transmission state, and a portion where voltage is applied into a light absorption state, thereby presenting a display.
Further, a translucent-type reflector 18 made by evaporating aluminum (Al) film to a transparent resin film is bonded to the lower side of the second polarizing film 17, and, opposed to that, an auxiliary light source 19 composed of an electro-luminescent (EL) element is provided on the circuit board 6.
When an external light source is dark, that is, when the environment of the watch in use is dark, the auxiliary light source 19 is turned on. Emitted light from the auxiliary light source 19 is made incident on the liquid crystal display panel 9 through use of transmission characteristics of the translucent-type reflector 18, presenting a transmission-type display.
When the external light source is bright, use of reflection characteristics of the translucent-type reflector 18 enables a reflection-type display.
A secondary battery 8 for accumulating electric power generated by the solar batteries 15 is provided on the back face side of the circuit board 6. These constituted a timepiece module having a function of generating electric power.
There also is a combination watch though the illustration thereof is omitted, which digitally displays lap time of a chronograph and a year, a month and a date by a liquid crystal display panel and includes an hour hand, a minute hand and further a second hand to analog-display time with the hands, in which solar batteries are annularly arranged at the peripheral portion of a dial, and electric power generated by the solar batteries is used as electric power for a liquid crystal display and drive of the hands.
In either structure of the conventional timepieces (watches), the solar batteries are viewed from the outside, which is not preferable in visual design. The liquid crystal display panel and the solar battery are located at different positions, making an outer form of the timepiece large as compared to the proportion of the display area of the liquid crystal display panel. Further, there also is a problem that a large display area of the liquid crystal display panel occupies a space where the solar battery is disposed.


A microelectronic device includes a transducer. An overcoat layer is disposed on a transducer surface. A plurality of electrical contact pads are disposed on the overcoat layer. First and second studs that pass through the overcoat layer to connect the transducer to the electrical contact pads. The first and second studs are separated from one another by a reduced spacing distance that is free of trenching.

In a typical thin film read/write transducer, active transducer components (a reader and a writer) are covered by a thick alumina overcoat layer. The alumina overcoat layer mechanically protects the transducer and allows mechanical assembly with suspension components and electrical leads without damage to the transducer. Metallic studs, typically formed of copper, pass through the thick overcoat layer and complete electrical connections between the transducer components and external bond pads that contact the electrical leads.
The studs are formed first, and then the thick alumina overcoat layer is deposited around the studs. One known problem with the alumina overcoat masking process is a defect called "trenching." When studs are placed close to one another, during the subsequent alumina deposition process, the mask tends to shield a space between the studs, resulting in a trench in the alumina layer in the space between the studs. The trench is a void in the overcoat layer that is not filled with alumina. When there is significant trenching, the trench tends to fill with debris during subsequent processing steps such as a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process. If trenching occurs, adjacent studs can be electrically shorted to one another and the read/write transducer becomes useless.
The temperature of the read/write transducer changes significantly during disk or tape drive operation. The studs are typically made of copper and have a larger coefficient of temperature expansion (TCE) that the thick alumina layer. As the read/write transducer heats up, the TCE mismatch of the studs can deform the head as well as the slider upon which the read/write head is deposited. This deformation includes both increased pole tip protrusion (Thermal-PTR) and slider bending (Cross-curve change). There is a desire to reduce the diameter of the studs in order to reduce bending and deformation.
As recording densities increase, read/write heads are being improved to integrate additional features such as fly height sensors and mechanical microactuators in the read/write head itself. There is a desire to provide read/write heads that have more studs for connections to these additional features while at the same time reducing the size of the read/write head so that there is less space available for the studs. As attempts are made to produce read/write transducers with smaller diameter, more closely spaced studs, problems with trenching and deformation due to thermal mismatch increase.
In existing read/write transducers, sliders are large and at the same time, the number of required electrical connections is low. This allows placing studs far enough from each other and from the read/write transducer to reduce thermo-mechanical interaction. Recent heads for high areal density are smaller and at the same time, the number of required electrical connections is increasing.
A method and apparatus for providing smaller diameter, more closely spaced studs on smaller read/write heads without high failure rates due to trenching and excessive distortion and bending. Embodiments of the present invention provide solutions to these and other problems, and offer other advantages over the prior art.

Microelectronic device with closely spaced contact studs


A luminous mouse pad includes a mat part and a light-guiding structure. The light-guiding structure includes a tube portion; and an insertion portion. The insertion portion protrudes from the tube portion and is inserted into an end side surface of the mat part to leave the tube portion to be exposed outside the mat part.

A luminous mouse pad (also known as "light-emitting mouse pad) generally has a bar-shaped light guide at its lateral edge to illuminate when coupling to a power source, such as a computer. Typically, a luminous mouse pad needs thread to stitch the bar-shaped light guide to the edge of the mat part. However, the thread goes along the light-emitting surface of the light guide to result in an uneven surface at the periphery of the mouse pad. This leads to an uncomfortable feeling on the wrist and hand while rubbing or touching the thread. Also, the thread covers the light guide therefore it has to be made of transparent plastic material; however, this type of material is generally hard and will make the discomfort even worse.


An operating system (20) for a washer (1) is mounted on a moveable trolley (52). The trolley carries all of the failure prone elements such as pumps (24, 28, 40) solenoid valves 80, electrical heaters (48), an electrical control circuit (50) and the like. Quick-release couplings (58, 59,60 62), between the operating system and plumbing associated with a washing chamber (10), allow the operating system to be quickly disconnected from and reconnected with the chamber. The trolley is then wheeled a distance away from the chamber, providing ready access to all the operating equipment for maintenance and repair.

The present invention relates to the system control arts. It finds particular application in conjunction with washing and disinfecting equipment and will be described with particular reference thereto. It should be appreciated, however, that the invention is also applicable to the control systems for other large scale pieces of equipment, particularly when a number of pieces of mechanical and electrical operating equipment located outside a housing are to be connected to the housing. Animal cages and associated racks are generally cleaned at frequent intervals to remove biological waste, such as urine, feces, and uneaten food. Similarly, large pieces of health care and scientific equipment, such as hospital beds, wheelchairs and carts are cleaned periodically. Thorough cleaning aids in preventing the spread of disease and reduces the development of unpleasant odors. Washers have been developed to handle the large scale cleaning and disinfecting of animal cages and racks and large pieces of scientific and health care equipment. Typically, these are large enough for a load of the cages or equipment to be wheeled manually into a washing chamber. Cleaning fluids are sprayed onto the load, usually under pressure and at elevated temperatures.
Because the environment of the washing chamber is harmful to operating equipment, such as pumps, electrical controls and heaters, the equipment is usually mounted on an outside wall of the chamber, with connections to the chamber being made through the chamber walls. For the typical washer, numerous such connections are made. Installing a new washer is a time consuming process, taking a week or more for the operating equipment to be mounted on the washing chamber and the connections made.
Periodically, pieces of the operating equipment are repaired or replaced. Access to the pieces is often difficult because of the arrangement and number of pieces surrounding the washing chamber. Sometimes several pieces are removed in order to gain access to the piece needing repair. Further, repairs are sometimes best carried out in a workshop, away from the washer, where suitable analysis and repair equipment is available. The piece of operating equipment to be repaired is therefore unmounted from the washing chamber and transported to the workshop.
The present system overcomes these problems and others.

System for coupling operating equipment to a washer


Provided is a strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri and use thereof. The strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri can significantly increase neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine level in peripheral blood, recover the hormone levels, for example testosterone and so on in peripheral blood of rat, normalize abnormal abundances of Blautia genus and Turicibacter genus, Oscillospira genus and Bifidobacterium genus in intestinal flora of rat affected by high-fat high-starch diet, show good tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal fluid and quickly colonize in intestinal, significantly improve pathological damages of tissues such as liver, duodenum and so on, and increase triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in serum and oral glucose tolerance of rat with metabolic syndrome caused by high-fat high-starch diet. The strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri can be used for preventing, relieving or treating metabolic disorder, such as metabolic syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and mental diseases related to metabolic syndrome such as anxiety, depression and so on.

Recent years, with the developing economy, life-styles of people in many countries have changed obviously. With the amount of physical activity has decreased, obesity rate has increased significantly, and prevalence rates of diabetes and metabolic syndrome have increased by a large margin. An epidemiology survey shows that 20% to 30% of the adults across the globe are suffering from metabolic syndrome. In 2013, a multicenter, multistage stratified, large-scale sampling survey carried out by Chinese Diabetes Society of Chinese Medical Association showed that among people over 20 years old in large and medium-sized cities, towns and countryside of China, prevalence rates of metabolic syndrome in men and women were 16.7% and 11.7%, respectively, and the total prevalence rate was 13.7%. Furthermore, the rate was continuously increasing. Analyses show that age, blood pressure, diabetes family history, obesity, hyperlipidemia, male, low income and little exercise are main related risk factors for metabolic syndrome. The survey also found that the rates of the overweight and the obesity among people have increased by a large margin, and prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome of male is significant higher than that of female at the same age among middle-aged crowd.
Metabolic syndrome is a clinical syndrome, which has simultaneous symptoms of central obesity, fasting blood glucose rising, high blood pressure, decrease of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and increase of triacylglycerol, in which numerous hazardous factors basing on the abnormal pathological changes of carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism and protein metabolism aggregates, and which promotes development of diabetes (type II) and cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and so on. Due to metabolic syndrome is a pathological condition in which numerous metabolic abnormalities aggregates, its occurrence is relates to insulin resistance, becoming a hot spot in the research field of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and raising many controversies at home and abroad. In addition, metabolic syndrome accompanies with disorder of intestinal microecosystem. Disorder of intestinal microecosystem may further lead to disorder of intestinal functions, nerve center functions and peripheral nerve functions, for example, intestinal inflammation, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), abnormality of neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine level and level of some hormone and so on. Many researches have shown that abundances of intestinal microbes of some genus have intimate connection with intestinal diseases, for example, the abundance of Blautia genus will rise in intestinal flora of IBS patient, and the abundance of Oscillospira genus is closely related to the body mass index. At the same time, researches also show that mental diseases such as depression, anxiety and so on have intimate connection with metabolic syndrome, intestinal flora disorder, and low 5-hydroxytryptamine level in human body. Improving 5-hydroxytryptamine level in peripheral blood helps increasing neurotransmitter level of central nervous system, so that relieving symptoms of anxiety, depression and so on.
At present, all the drug treatments of metabolic syndrome aim to decrease all kinds of risk factors, and these drugs include: anti-obesity drugs for weight loss; dimethylbiguanide and thiazolidinediones for reducing insulin resistance; sulfonylurea and rosiglitazone for controlling blood glucose; fibrate and statin for improving disorder of lipid metabolism; captopril, amlodipine and so on for controlling the blood pressure; drugs for treating intestinal diseases such as IBD, IBS and so on, including glucocorticoid, immunosuppressant, psychotropic drugs and so on; drugs for mental diseases such as anxiety, depression and so on, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as paroxetine, noradrenaline, and specific 5-hydroxytryptamine antidepressant drugs such as mirtazapine and so on. All of the medicines above have certain therapeutic effects, but as the conditions getting worse, the amounts of medicine used increase, the interactions between the medicines as well as the toxic and side effects of medicines become significant, leading to adverse reaction of digestive tract and showing liver and renal toxicity in some degree. In consideration of problems of the medicines, early intervention in metabolic syndrome, intestinal disease and mental disease can effectively decrease onset risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, depression and so on.
Probiotics are edible microbes that are beneficial to human health, which have potential functions of alleviating abnormal metabolism of blood glucose and blood lipid, and modulating intestinal flora proportion and brain-gut axis. Thus, there is important social and economy value to research and develop probiotic products that can effectively intervene the occurrence and development of metabolic syndrome, intestinal diseases and mental diseases.
At present, there is no patent about using probiotics to increase 5-hydroxytryptamine level so as to regulate brain-gut axis and relieve anxiety and depression. There is also no patent about modulating the abnormal abundance of Oscillospira genus to relieve metabolic diseases. Although there is related patent application (CN107083339A) that discloses adding Blautia bacteria to protect piglets from diarrhea, there is no patent about modulating the abnormal abundance of Blautia genus bacteria in intestinal tract so as to alleviate intestinal disease by the uptake of edible microbes (list of bacterium that can be permitted to be used in food, infant food, health products by National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, 2014). In addition, there are some patents or patent application relating to compositions and preparation method thereof for preventing and curing metabolic syndrome. For example, CN104906263A discloses a composition consisting of tea polyphenol, procyanidin and POTENTILLAE DISCOLORIS HERBA extract, which is used to treat metabolic syndrome. CN105796674A discloses a traditional Chinese medicine composition comprising PLANTAGINIS SEMEN, COPTIDIS RHIZOMA and so on, which is capable of preventing and curing metabolic syndrome. In addition, a few patents relate to probiotics-containing compositions that are used to improve metabolic syndrome, and the methods for preparing the same. For example, CN105816623A discloses a probiotic-fermented traditional Chinese medicine composition being used to cure and improve metabolic syndrome, which is made from traditional Chinese medicine such as PANACIS QUINQUEFOLII RADIX, DIOSCOREAE RHIZOMA, MOUTAN CORTEX, PORIA by extracting and fermenting the extract with probiotics. All the above patents and patent applications are using traditional Chinese medicine components or a mixture of bacteria and traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate metabolic syndrome, in which the bacteria and the functions of the bacteria are not clear. CN105567586A discloses a Lactobacillus plantarum NCU116 with antidiabetic function, which achieves antidiabetic effects through modulating body blood glucose, blood lipid, hormone level and body metabolism. The Lactobacillus plantarum is screened and selected from bacteria in kimchi instead of human sources. No evidence shows that Lactobacillus plantarum can colonize in human intestinal tract and take effects. So far, there is no a human-sourced individual probiotic (such as Lactobacillus reuteri) that can colonize in human intestinal tract to relieve the metabolic syndrome, or to alleviate symptoms such as hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, intestinal flora imbalance, intestinal inflammation and so on, and related mental diseases.


A TFT memory 11 is provided with a polysilicon layer 22, wherein each region of the source 22a, the channel 22b and the drain 22c are formed on a substrate 21, and gate oxide films (insulating films) 23 and 25 are formed on the polysilicon layer 22; and a plurality of silicon particles 24 for trapping the charge of injected carriers are placed between the gate oxide films 23 and 25. Specifically, the gate oxide films comprise a first gate oxide film 23 and a second gate oxide film 25 formed on the first gate oxide film 23; the plurality of silicon particles 24 are located between the first gate oxide film 23 and the second gate oxide film 25, and the first gate oxide film 23 is formed in an extremely thin thickness.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and the method of manufacture and, particularly, relates to a semiconductor device having memory functions.
2. Description of Related Art
As one type of nonvolatile memory, a floating gate nonvolatile memory is conventionally known. This memory demonstrates nonvolatile memory functions by injecting carriers to a floating gate and holding therein.
With this type of nonvolatile memory, the floating gate EPROM at a p-channel having an MOS structure was first used for practical purposes. For this type of floating gate, polycrystalline silicon doped with a large quantity of impurities is used, and carriers are injected to floating gates (for writing or programming) by causing avalanche breakdown at drain junctions. This type of nonvolatile memory is called FAMOS (Floating-gate Avalanche-injection MOS). The information written in FAMOS can be erased by the irradiation of ultraviolet rays and X-rays at a sufficiently high energy level.
Nonvolatile memory, having a structure wherein a control gate made of polycrystalline silicon is laminated on the FAMOS floating gate, is called SAMOS (Stacked-gate Avalanche-injection MOS) memory. An appropriate level of voltage is applied to the control gate during the injection process of carriers for avalanche breakdown, so that an electric field near a drain is intensified and avalanche breakdown is likely to occur. At the same time, the electrons generated by the avalanche breakdown may be more effectively attracted to the side of a floating gate, thereby shortening the writing time. Additionally, the control gate may be used like the gate electrodes of normal MOS transistors during the process of information readout.
Devices having an SAMOS structure at an n-channel have been recently referred to as FAMOS, and have become the standard EPROM structure. In this case, channel hot electrons are injected into a floating gate.
Furthermore, according to other research, MOS memory has been proposed as in the thesis, "MOS Memory Using Germanium Nanocrystals Formed by Thermal Oxidation of Sil-xGex, Ya-Chin King et al., IEDM 98 115-118." This is a memory element in which a charge trapping bodies comprising germanium fine particles are buried in an MOSFET gate insulating body. On the other hand, since economical glass substrates, instead of expensive quartz substrates, may be used and preferable TFT characteristics may be easily obtained, the polysilicon TFT formed in the process of a relatively low temperature (about 600° C. or below) has been focused upon.
However, although this TFT is used for the picture elements of displays and peripheral circuits, it is not a device that could be used as a memory element like the above-noted MOS memory. Therefore, a memory and a display cannot be mounted on one panel in one body in, for example, an active matrix display in which a TFT is used for a picture element unit. This is one of the obstacles to the further miniaturization and electricity reduction of liquid crystal display devices or the like.

Semiconductor device with memory function and method of manufacture


A method of operating a multiplication circuit to perform multiply-accumulate operations on multi-word operands is characterized by an operations sequencer that is programmed to direct the transfer of operand segments between RAM and internal data registers in a specified sequence. The sequence processes groups of two adjacent result word-weights (columns), with the multiply cycles within a group proceeding in a zigzag fashion by alternating columns with steadily increasing or decreasing operand segment weights. In multiplier embodiments having additional internal cache registers, these store frequently used operand segments so they aren't reloaded from memory multiple times. In this case, the sequence within a group need not proceed in a strict zigzag fashion, but can jump to a multiply operation involve at least one operand segment stored in a cache.

Multiplication hardware necessarily has a finite size, typically defined as having a pair of single-word operand inputs and a two-word result output. In order to also carry out multiply-accumulate operations, the multiplier output is normally connected to an accumulator circuit, which is at least two-words plus one-bit wide. (The supplemental bit can be part of the result or simply be present as CARRY information indicating either an overflow in the case of addition or an underflow in the case of subtraction in the accumulate part of the operation.) The basic operation is thus R=Z±XY. For simple multiplication, R=XY, the accumulator input Z=0. For squaring operations, X=Y. The basic operation is usually designed to perform standard integer arithmetic, but multiplication hardware that performs polynomial arithmetic also exists, especially for use in cryptographic applications.
In cryptography and a number of other applications, there is need to multiply very big integers comprising a large number of words. In order to perform these operations using operands that are much wider than the multiplication hardware, the operands must be sliced into a plurality of single-word segments and fed into the hardware in some specified sequence. These segments are operated upon and the intermediate results are accumulated such that the final product is computed as a sum of cross-products of various weights. The word-wide operand segments as well as the partial results, are stored in a memory that is addressed by the multiplier hardware's operations sequencer.
A typical sequence keeps a first operand's segment constant while the other operand's segments are scanned one word at a time into the multiplier; then the first operand increments to the next word-wide segment and the scan of the second operand is repeated. If X=Σixiwi, Y=Σjyjwj, and Z=Σkzkwk, with w=2n, then R=Σkrkwk=Z±XY=Σk zkwk±ΣiΣj (xiyj)wi+j, where i+j=k, and where n is the word size in bits. Thus, in a typical operations sequence, the words yj are cycled over all j for a fixed word xi, then i is incremented by one and the cycle of words yj is repeated for the new xi.
While the above described sequence is straightforward, easy to program, and obtains the correct result, each step or cycle requires an average of three accesses of the random-access memory. In particular, each step requires that yj and zk be read from memory, and a partial result rk be written back to memory.
An object of the invention is to provide a more efficient multi-word multiplication sequence for large integer operations, that requires an average of only one memory access per multiplication.

Efficient multiplication sequence for large integer operands wider than the multiplier hardware


The invention relates to a process for the combined production of hydrogen and carbon dioxide from a hydrocarbon mixture, in which the residual gas of a PSA H2 (12) is separated by permeation in order to reduce the hydrocarbon content thereof and the hydrocarbon-purified gas is separated at a low temperature to produce a carbon dioxide-rich liquid (22).

The present invention relates to a process for the combined production of hydrogen and carbon dioxide from a mixture of hydrocarbons in which the mixture of hydrocarbons is reformed in order to produce a synthesis gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and at least one hydrocarbon which is cooled, then enriched in hydrogen (H2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), optionally dried, and treated in a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit for the purification of hydrogen in order to produce hydrogen (it being possible for the drying to precede or follow the purification), the residual being treated for the purpose of capturing CO2. It also relates to a plant capable of implementing the process.
As climate change is one of the major environmental problems today, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and very particularly reducing CO2 emissions, is one of the great challenges facing man. In point of fact, one of the essential sources of CO2 emissions is the combustion of fossil fuels.
The industrial plants emitting carbon dioxide include in particular the plants for the production of hydrogen and carbon monoxide which emit carbon dioxide via their flue gases, the CO2 contained in the flue gases originating from the combustion of non-upgradable gases generated in the process and recycled in the form of fuels, and of that of additional fuels, such as naphtha and natural gas. CO2 is captured on these plants both with regard to the CO2 present in combustion flue gases, but also with regard to the CO2 present in the synthesis gas produced by the process. Among the methods for capturing carbon dioxide present in the synthesis gas—that is to say produced during reforming or obtained by subsequent transformation of the synthesis gas—one of the methods used is the capture of carbon dioxide by compression and cooling of the residual gas resulting from the unit for the purification of hydrogen by pressure swing adsorption (PSA H2), so as to liquefy a fraction of the carbon dioxide contained in the said residual gas.
This liquid carbon dioxide can subsequently be transported, stored, converted or used as required, it is desirable for the operator of the plant to upgrade the non-condensed gases resulting from this operation for capture of CO2 by compression and purification or CPU (compression and purification unit).
There is thus known, from WO2006/054008, a process for the production of hydrogen in which the capture of carbon dioxide additionally makes it possible to increase the production of hydrogen of the plant. For this, the process employs stages of compression of the residual gas from the PSA, followed by a drying stage (it being possible for the drying, as described in WO2008/017783, to be carried out upstream of the PSA) with recovery of the carbon dioxide via a cryogenic purification unit (CPU). The non-condensable gases resulting from the CPU are treated by a membrane which allows the hydrogen to permeate. The hydrogen is returned upstream of the process, at the inlet of the PSA, in order to increase the production of hydrogen of the plant, the residual gas resulting from the membrane for its part being used in the reforming stage, as fuel and/or as feedstock intended to feed the reforming.
However, when it is desired to produce food-grade CO2, care must also be taken to remove a certain number of impurities present in the residual gas resulting from the hydrogen purification (PSA H2) unit. For the light impurities (methane, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, argon), it is possible to proceed by distillation, as described in WO2006/054008.
However, if the ethane content is high in the residual gas, it will be necessary to considerably increase the reboiling of this column in order to reach a final content of a few ppm, in comparison with a case where only the light impurities of methane, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, hydrogen or argon type would be removed in this column, which means a significant increase in the energy consumption of the unit.
For the heavy impurities, the same document proposes to carry out a stage of removal of heavy impurities by adsorption prior to the stage of partial condensation of the residual gas. Unfortunately, there does not exist a truly effective and economical adsorption system for removing a constituent such as propane, just as there is none for ethane either.
Another solution would consist in re-evaporating the liquid rich in CO2 produced resulting from the partial condensation of the residual gas, in reheating it to a temperature of the order of 400 to 500° C., in injecting oxygen and in carrying out a catalytic oxidation in order to remove in particular hydrocarbons, such as ethane and propane, in then cooling and liquefying this CO2, in carrying out a new distillation in order to remove the oxygen, so as to produce liquid food-grade carbon dioxide which can subsequently be transported and stored. However, this other solution is both expensive and complex.
According to the process of EP 2 141 119, the CO2 has to be recompressed at the outlet of the membrane, while, according to the invention, a very high pressure is retained on the permeate side which is compatible with condensation of CO2 in the CPU. In EP 2 141 119, the permeate is close to atmospheric pressure, which does not make it possible to directly condense it since the CO2 can be in the liquid state only at a pressure of greater than 519 kPa, that is to say 5.19 bar abs or 0.519 MPa.

Process and device for the combined production of hydrogen and carbon dioxide from a hydrocarbon mixture

L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude


Systems and methods for generating three-dimensional models with correlated three-dimensional and two dimensional imagery data are provided. In particular, imagery data can be captured in two dimensions and three dimensions. Imagery data can be transformed into models. Two-dimensional data and three-dimensional data can be correlated within models. Two-dimensional data can be selected for display within a three-dimensional model. Modifications can be made to the three-dimensional model and can be displayed within a three-dimensional model or within two-dimensional data. Models can transition between two dimensional imagery data and three dimensional imagery data.

Interactive, first-person three-dimensional immersive environments are becoming increasingly popular. In these environments, a user is able to navigate through a virtual space. Examples of these environments include first person video games and tools for visualizing three-dimensional models of terrain. Aerial navigation tools allow users to virtually explore urban areas in three dimensions from an aerial point of view. Panoramic navigation tools (e.g., street views) allow users to view multiple 360-degree panoramas of an environment and to navigate between these multiple panoramas with a visually blended interpolation.
Three-dimensional immersive environments can be generated based on manual user input or based on automatic three dimensional reconstruction systems. Manual generation of these environments is often costly and time consuming. Three-dimensional immersive environments can also have errors or holes. With these developments, there is a consequential need to view and navigate these three-dimensional models on an array of computing devices.

Selecting two-dimensional imagery data for display within a three-dimensional model


A gas analyzer apparatus including a support tube having a distal portion arranged in a flue and a gas sensor supported on the support tube. An air supply tube supplies cooling air into the support tube. A basal portion of the gas sensor is cooled by the cooling air.

The present invention relates to a gas analyzer apparatus, and more particularly, to a flue gas analyzer apparatus for detecting and analyzing a predetermined chemical component contained in flue gas that flows through a flue.
To protect the global environment, flue gases emitted from combustion devices, such as internal combustion engines and combustion furnaces, are required to reduce their concentrations of nitrogen oxides. To satisfy this requirement, many flue gas analyzer apparatuses have been developed for detecting and analyzing nitrogen oxides contained in flue gases. The analysis results of a flue gas analyzer apparatus are reflected in combustion control for internal combustion engines and combustion furnaces to reduce concentrations of nitrogen oxides in their flue gases.
Known flue gas analyzer apparatuses include-direct-insertion type and gas-induction type flue gas analyzer apparatuses. A direct-insertion type flue gas analyzer apparatus is inserted in a flue at a measurement point to analyze the flue gas at that measurement point (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 63-58152). A gas-induction type flue gas analyzer apparatus induces flue gas sampled at a sampling point in a flue to a position distant from the sampling point and analyzes the flue gas at the distant position (refer to Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 61-13964).
A direct-insertion type flue gas analyzer apparatus includes a probe for sampling the flue gas that flows in the flue. The probe is cylindrical and has a flange. The probe is inserted through a hole that is formed in an exhaust pipe (flue) of a combustion furnace etc. and is fixed to the exhaust pipe by means of its flange. A porous metal-sintered filter is arranged on a distal portion of the probe. A gas sensor is arranged in the probe at a position adjacent to the metal-sintered filter. A known solid electrolyte gas sensor uses a solid electrolyte formed from a ceramic such as zirconia. The flue gas that flows in the exhaust pipe is drawn into the probe through the metal-sintered filter. The gas sensor then performs detections on the gas in the probe. A terminal unit is arranged at a basal portion of the gas sensor. The terminal unit is electrically connected to an external control unit by lead wires.
A gas-induction type flue gas analyzer apparatus includes a gas sampling tube. The gas sampling tube includes a distal portion having a gas inlet and a basal portion having a gas outlet. The gas sampling tube is bypass-connected to an exhaust pipe. The distal portion of the gas sampling tube is arranged in the exhaust pipe. A solid electrolyte gas sensor is arranged in the gas sampling tube. The dynamic pressure of the gas that flows in the exhaust pipe causes gas to flow into the inlet of the gas sampling tube. The gas then comes into contact with the solid electrolyte gas sensor and then flows out of the outlet of the gas sampling tube so as to return to the exhaust pipe. A detection signal of the gas sensor is transmitted to an external meter through lead wires drawn out of a terminal unit.
In such conventional flue gas analyzer apparatuses, the distal portion of the probe or the gas sampling tube is arranged in or near the center of the exhaust pipe. This arrangement enables the flue gas analysis to be conducted without being affected by an eddy that is often generated at the inner surface of the exhaust pipe. The length of the portion of the probe or gas sampling tube inserted into the exhaust pipe is determined in accordance with the diameter of the exhaust pipe. Thus, the insertion length of the probe or the gas sampling tube in the exhaust pipe increases as the diameter of the exhaust pipe increases and decreases as the diameter of the exhaust pipe decreases. The gas-induction type flue gas analyzer apparatus simply requires the insertion length of the gas sampling tube in the exhaust pipe to be adjusted but does not require the position of the gas sensor to be changed. However, depending on the diameter of the exhaust pipe, the direct-insertion type flue gas analyzer apparatus, in which the gas sensor is arranged in the distal portion of the probe, may require the entire gas sensor, which includes its basal portion in which the terminal unit is arranged, to be arranged in the exhaust pipe.
To keep the lead wires drawn out from the terminal unit in a bundled state, a lead wire bundling cap is attached to the basal portion of the gas sensor. The lead wire bundling cap is a circular plate having a plurality of holes. The lead wire bundling cap is made, for example, from an elastic rubber material. The lead wires are drawn through the holes of the lead wire bundling cap. When the gas sensor is used in a high temperature environment, the lead wire bundling cap is easily damaged by heat.
To prevent heat damage to the lead wire bundling cap, materials having high heat resistance (e.g., ceramics or a metal material such as platinum) may be used to form the lead wire bundling cap. However, materials having high heat resistance are expensive. The use of such a material increases the costs of the components used in the flue gas analyzer apparatus. The flue gas analyzer apparatus is required to reduce heat damage of the basal portion of the gas sensor without increasing the component costs.


A hair spray composition exhibiting high curl retention, fast drying time, high rinse-out with low flaking and high shine characteristics comprised of fixative resins, silicone plasticizers and neutralizers in a crystal clear formulation which meets or exceeds the currently mandated alcohol requirements in a hand pump spray application.

In the preparation of prior art aerosol and pump spray hair care formulations, pure (100%) alcohol has, heretofore, been the primary solvent of choice utilized in consumer "pump" hair sprays to deliver the product onto human hair for hair control and cosmetic appearance. Discussions of such products appear in Cosmetics: Science and Technology, Balsam and Sagarin, 2nd Ed., Vol. 2, 352-358, and Hair and Hair Products, Society of Cosmetic Chemists Continuing Education Program (held in Los Angeles, Calif., Feb. 3-4, 1992) which are incorporated herein by this reference hereto.
Hair spray is a styling and beautifying aid used by 65% of women over thirteen. Seventy percent of these women use hair spray daily. Consumers require hair sprays to perform in holding their hairstyle and also to contribute to beautifying the appearance of their hair. People who perm and color their hair are also concerned that the hair spray will not dull the color of their hair or weigh down their curls. Consumers are also conscious of environmental issues and expect their products to comply with regulations without sacrificing performance.
Good holding power is perhaps the primary attribute a consumer looks for in a hair spray. Curl retention under conditions of changing humidity, especially changes to a higher humidity, is critical to the performance of a hair spray. Good curl retention in chemically damaged hair is important since the hair fiber is weakened by the chemical process and will be less likely to maintain the curl. In addition, the hair spray must be capable of being washed out of the hair with shampoo and it must not build up on the hair over successive use. The consumer also requires the hair spray to perform as a beautifying agent. It is expected to contribute positively to the appearance of the hair. Improved shine and luster are some properties a consumer expects. Therefore, a careful equilibrium between ingredients must exist to provide superior hold, be rinsable without buildup, non-flaking, and yet provide shine and manageability.
Hair sprays are similar in their basic ingredient content. They contain solvents, a synthetic polymeric resin, a base to neutralize the resin (especially when the resin is a carboxylic acid containing resin), plasticizers and in some cases a surfactant and a fragrance. The resin is the primary ingredient responsible for the curl retention characteristics. The neutralizer contributes to the resin's film properties and also to the resin's solubility or wash out property. Surfactants improve the spreadability of the resin on the hair surface. Plasticizers are added to provide less brittle films, minimize flaking and to maximize shine and curl retention. Hair sprays differ from each other by the type of resin(s) and neutralizer used, the degree of neutralization of the resin, and the use of various types of plasticizers and surfactants. The blending of these ingredients is important in order to obtain and maximize desired properties in the consumer product.
Three types of hair sprays are on the market today; pump hair sprays, hydrocarbon aerosols and carbon dioxide aerosols. Pump hair sprays and hydrocarbon aerosols comprise the majority of the market sales. The predominant solvent system in all three types of hair sprays is alcohol. New regulations require the alcohol level to be limited to a maximum content of 80% in current and new products in an effort to reduce volatile organic compounds (VOC's) at ground level which form ozone through a photochemical reaction with nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight.
In response to consumer and environmental needs, we have developed three pump hair sprays that fulfill consumers high expectations in performance while meeting strict standards for reduced air pollution.
Active ingredients found in the prior art hair spray formulations include: a fixative resin such as octyl acrylamide/acrylates copolymer octylacrylamide/acrylates/butylaminoethyl methacrylate copolymer and the like; neutralizing agents, especially desirable when the fixative resin is an acrylic acid, such as sodium hydroxide, aminomethylpropanol (AMP), triethanolamine and the like; solvents including water and alcohols; propellants such as hydrocarbons and the like for aerosol products; plasticizers such as dimethyl silicone, triethyl citrate and lanolin derivatives; and other optional ingredients such as perfumes, coloring agents and pH adjusters depending on the properties desired in a final formulation.
Given that silicones in a synergistic combination with other specially preselected ingredients is a salient feature of the present invention, and that silicones have been employed in prior art hair sprays, it is essential to understand the diverse roles such compounds may play in the hair spray art. A key review of this aspect of the art is found in Hair Fixatives--benefit from the physical and chemical properties of silicones. Christine M. Handt, Soap/Cosmetics Soecialties. October 1987 wherein is reported that different silicones, in diverse concentrations can provide a variety of benefits to hair fixative systems, including softer feel, shine and better curl retention.
The "pump" hair spray products of the prior art contain 100% alcohol as the solvent/carrier. However, this can no longer be. standards require that the alcohol content of such products cannot exceed 80% beginning Jan. 1, 1993 (See: Product Standards for Hair Sprays, California Clean Air Act).
Many researchers are engaged in the hunt for a replacement formulations of pump hair sprays which will be environmentally safe and yet functionally acceptable to the consuming public. However, problems arise when water is used to either replace alcohol or to reduce the alcohol to the mandated content of less than 80%. Because the products created thus far leave hair flat and dull, require excessive drying time, promote increased tackiness and exhibit substantially weaker holding power for curls.
Obviously, the problems involved in adding relatively small amounts of water, approximately 15% of the solvent system, to a pump hair spray are very significant. The reason is that water greatly affects the physical properties of the fixatives.
The ultimate product, heretofore unattainable, should provide: a hair control spray which can be delivered by a pump spray which will contain less than 80% alcohol solvent; which will provide cosmetically acceptable curl retention; low tack and drying time; better rinse-out and little or no flaking; high shine (luster); and a crystal clear formulation which yields a clear dried film.


Network state information and network topology information associated with a network is retrieved and transformed using a meta-language. The transformed data is compared against known network fault patterns to identify a matching network fault signature. The matching network fault signature is used to diagnose potential cause(s) of network problems that resulted in the matched signature.

A network system generally includes a number of devices connected so as to allow communication among the devices such as desktop machines, servers, hosts, printers, fax machines, switches, and routers. Nowadays, due to the advantages (e.g., cost benefits and productivity gains) created by network technology in communication provided by networks, businesses and other organizations are increasingly dependent on their networks. Consequently, today's networks are often highly complex and include numerous devices. Furthermore, the network topology and network traffic may change as the network evolves with additional newer devices added to the network, or the removal of older devices from the network. As the network changes and grows increasingly large and complex, effective network management has become increasingly vital to businesses and other organizations.
Network management encompasses several areas including configuration management, accounting management, fault management, security management, and performance management. In particular, the area of fault management deals with being able to detect network faults, notifying users of network faults, logging network faults, and fixing network faults in order to keep the network operating efficiently and productively. As network faults can cause considerable network degradation and/or downtime, successful fault management is an important aspect of good network management.
However, conventionally, network management products are more focused on network monitoring and are limited in their actual network analysis capabilities. Many network management products that are aimed at large enterprise customers must support heterogeneous devices (a mix of devices from different vendors). Because such network management products are usually focused on breadth of analysis rather than depth of analysis, they are often constrained by the limited commonality across the heterogeneous devices. On the other hand, while network management products aimed at smaller customers tend to provide better command and control capabilities for their homogeneous (single vendor) devices than their counterparts that are aimed at larger enterprises, they are often less sophisticated in their capabilities and lack the ability to diagnose the root cause of network faults. Such network management products provide better command and control capabilities than their enterprise-focused counterparts because they assume a relatively homogenous environment, a situation that is more often encountered with smaller network deployments. Finally, for other network management products that can discover and compute topology for heterogeneous devices, the command and control capabilities across the devices are usually still segregated (typically by device vendor) by a hodgepodge of vendor-specific tools that plug into the heterogeneous management platform. This scenario generally results in a plethora of data for the network administrator to interpret when attempting to identify, analyze, and rectify network faults because of the differences in capability and presentation between the various vendors' tools.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


The invention provides a method, system, and program product for reducing use of one or more computer resources. In one embodiment, the invention includes monitoring a user's interaction with a virtual universe, determining whether the user's interaction with the virtual universe is consistent with the user's attention being diverted from the virtual universe, determining whether a computer resource allocated to the user should be reduced, and in the case that the computer resource should be reduced, reducing the computer resource.

A virtual universe (VU) is a computer-based simulated environment intended for its residents to traverse, inhabit, and interact through the use of avatars. Many VUs are represented using 3-D graphics and landscapes, and are populated by many thousands of users, known as "residents."
VUs have become more complex as processing power, memory storage, and bandwidth have increased. Likewise, opportunities for multi-avatar events such as business meetings, lectures, and social gatherings have increased. Residents or participants in the VUs find that demands on their time are comparable in many ways to time demands in the real world. Thus, a real-world resident who is also a VU resident may find that he or she is obligated to attend to business in the real world which occurs simultaneously with one or more events in the VU. While a person attends to business in the real world, the computing resources of the VU are used unnecessarily to maintain the details of the form and appearance of a user's avatar or another object in the VU. A method is needed to reduce the computing resources required to maintain the avatar or other object while the owner is attending to other business.

Reduction of computer resource use in a virtual universe

International Business Machines Corporation


An arc discharge lamp including a two-piece base member having a main housing and a cap disposed at opposite ends of the lamp envelope. The main housing of the base member includes elongated slots to enable the housing to expand outwardly in response to positioning of the press seal. At least one internally-protruding segment formed in the housing is positioned within a detent formed in the press seal region of the lamp. Following positioning of the press seal, the cap is secured to the main housing. The base member is thus secured to the ends of the lamp envelope without the need for basing cements or the like.

Fluorescent lamps are well known and are used as a light source for various types of office automation equipment as well as for general lighting purposes and as a backlighting source for liquid crystal display units. Recently, there has been demands for miniaturization or increased effective luminescent length of these light sources. Due to limitations in space available for various applications, it is desired to reduce the size of the lamp or increase the effective luminescent length when the length of the lamp is not changed.
Conventionally, in low pressure discharge lamps of this type, that is, straight fluorescent lamps for example, the bi-pin type bases, which each have a couple of terminal pins extending in the axial direction of the bulb, are used as the bases attached to the ends of the bulb. Since the bases each have a couple of terminal pins protruding in the axial direction of the bulb, the entire length including the terminal pins is long. In addition, lamp sockets need to provide for the axial ends of the lamps in a manner that the lamp sockets are placed against the bases. As a result, the whole lighting equipment including the lamp sockets has to be large.
European Patent Application No. 0 281 079 discloses a low pressure discharge lamp having a pair of bases attached to opposite ends. Each base has a cylindrical base body into which the end of the bulb is inserted. The base is firmly secured to the bulb by an adhesive supplied between the end of the bulb and the inner surface of the base body. A pair of receiving terminals protrude from the base body in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bulb.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,891 which issued to Takagi et al on Mar. 6, 1990, discloses a low pressure discharge lamp having a pair of bases fastened to the end of the bulb by injecting an adhesive into the gap between the bulb and the bottom wall of the base body. Each base member has a pair of terminals containing contact portions which project from the periphery of the base body and include contact surfaces extending parallel to the axis of the bulb and facing the same direction. The contact surfaces are located so as to contact a common plane.
Although the above-described lamp bases have been employed with varying degrees of success, it has been found that certain disadvantages do exist and such bases do leave something to be desired. More specifically, it has been found that such bases of the prior art require the use of an adhesive or the like to fasten the base to the lamp bulb. Moreover, some of the base/socket arrangements disclosed by the prior art do not accommodate for differences in the overall length of the lamp and/or leave a portion of the base terminals exposed when inserted in a socket and therefore may present a shock hazard.

Arc discharge lamp having cementless right-angle base members


A bare chip (1) is rectangular, and has a front surface (1a) on the center of which semiconductor elements are integrated and a back surface. Notches (2) are formed on a side of the bare chip (1) according to the kind of the semiconductor elements integrated on the bare chip (1). The notches (2) are oblong and extend through the bare chip (1) from the front surface (1a) to the back surface. For example, assuming that the notch (2) represents "1" and a portion without the notch (2) represents "0", one-bit information is obtained according to the presence or absence of the notch (2). When detection of several portions is made, binary information according to a detection result, i.e., information regarding the type of the bare chip (1), is obtained. For detection of the presence or absence of the notch (2), the bare chip (1) is irradiated with light, and then whether the light goes through the notch (2) or is intercepted by the bare chip (1) is detected. Thus, a semiconductor device which allows easy identification of its type is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a construction of a semiconductor device (LSI), which is effective in identifying the type name of itself.
2. Description of the Background Art
For multi-chip-module, it is now expected that shipments of unpacked LSI, i.e., bare chip, will increase in the future. There arises a need for screening of bare chips in order to select a required type of bare chip among a plurality of types of bare chips.
FIG. 33 is a plan view of a background-art bare chip 1. On a surface of the background-art bare chip 1, a type name 8 represented by characters is printed. The type of bare chip 1 is identified by the type name 8.
The background art disadvantageously needs a special device for locating and recognizing the type name 8. Furthermore, until now, no standard has been established as to where the type name 8 should be printed in the bare chip 1, and therefore it is very difficult to locate the type name 8.

Semiconductor device with identification function


A polarization diversity device for reducing a fading effect. The polarization diversity device for reducing a fading effect, which has a microstrip disk type of antenna for outputting a signal received from a first position, in the form of a field dipole polarized in a direction of X, and outputting a signal received from a second position perpendicular to the first position, in the form of a field dipole polarized in a direction of Y, a phase shifter for phase-shifting the signal received from the second position, thereby to set the signal having the most appropriate value to a fading environment of a corresponding channel, and a combiner for combining the signal received from the first position, with the signal outputted from the phase shifter.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polarization diversity device and, more particularly, to a polarization diversity device for reducing fading effects during radio reception.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, fading occurs when a reception field intensity varies periodically due to interfering radio waves two or more different channels or by a change in condition of the received radio communication. Width of the fading (width change) reaches from nearly 0 dB to beyond 10 dB, and a cycle thereof reaches from one second to several hours.
Various methods have been used in the prior art to reduce a fading effect under such a fading environment. One of such methods is a diversity method which uses two antennas and selects one antenna at a certain time point. Such conventional diversity method, however, has the disadvantage of utilizing two antennas for reducing the fading effect. Accordingly, the conventional diversity method has additional disadvantages due to the use of two antennas, such as the cost of manufacture being considerably increased and the circuit being made complicated.
The use of polarization diversity is well known in the art for combating losses in different conditions. Polarization diversity consists of using two antennas with responsive orthogonal polarizations to receive or transmit the same signals. U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,347 to Milton H. Brockman, et al., and entitled Radio Frequency Arraying Method For Receivers describes the use of two antennas having polarized diversity for increasing signal-to-noise ratio of a receiving facility using power dividers and phase shifters. To overcome the deficiencies related to using two separate antennas, U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,033 entitled Polarization Diversity Antenna to Martin S. Smith contemplates the use of a single dual polarized flat plate antenna comprising separate horizontal and vertical flat plate antenna structures superimposed one on the other. Additonally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,891 to Daniel H. Schaubert, et al. entitled Microstrip Antenna With Polarization Diversity contemplates a single antenna element for constructed to provide complete polarization coverage with the necessity of using power dividers and phase shifters.

Polarization diversity device for reducing fading effect


Disclosed is a method for providing a guide broadcasting in the same way as that for a voice call without changing hardware in a mobile communication system supporting a video phone. In the method, a Mobile Station transmits a ‘SETUP’ message for requesting multimedia communication and fallback speech communication to a Mobile Switching Center, and switches into a speech mode and receives a voice guide broadcasting from the Mobile Switching Center, when a ‘CALL PROCEEDING’ message or a ‘MODIFY’ message for indicating the fallback speech communication is received from the Mobile Switching Center before. The method provides service users with convenience in terms of continuity for an existing voice service and provides carriers with an opportunity for creating new profits through differentiation of services.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video phone system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for providing a guide broadcasting in the same way as that for a voice call without a change of hardware in a mobile communication system supporting a video phone. Embodiment of the present invention relates to embodiments for providing a guide broadcasting before a call is set up, after a call is set up, and when a call forwarding is performed in providing a video phone service in a mobile communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, 3G mobile communication systems using Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunication Service (UMTS) systems, CDMA 2000 1x systems and 1x Evolution Data and Voice (EV-DV) systems, provide consistent services capable of transmitting packet-based texts, digitized voices, and video and multimedia data at a high speed of more than 2 Mbps regardless of the user's global position.
Further, 3G mobile communication systems can distinguish voice calls, which are realtime and have narrow bandwidths, from data calls, which are sensitive to errors and have very wide bandwidths, and provide communication services in speech modes when the voice calls are required. Also, 3G mobile communication systems can provide communication services in data modes when the data calls are required. The voice call is connected through an existing Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) called a circuit switched network and the data call is connected through a packet data network, such as the Internet, called a packet switched network.
A video phone service simultaneously transmits voice data and video data, displays the appearance of a listener on a screen during communications, so that a speaker can talk to the listener while seeing the appearance of the listener. As compared with a speech communication service, the video phone service as described above can provide the speaker with greater satisfaction because it enables the speaker to talk to the listener while seeing the appearance of the listener.
Meanwhile, an existing circuit-based mobile phone service provides a guide broadcasting and various tones, which report 'Voice Mailing Service (VMS) forwarding', 'no response', and 'busy' for voice calls. However, since the video phone service is basically provided in a data mode, it is unable to be linked to the guide broadcasting typically provided through voice service. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a technology capable of providing a guide broadcasting for a video phone in the same level as that for the existing voice call.

Method for providing guide broadcasting for video phone by means of fallback between speech mode and data mode


A bracket system holds a filter(s) in quick-attach and quick-release fashion. Brackets are combined in modular fashion, with conduit between the brackets, to create a “bank” of filters easily changed in number, arrangement, and flow scheme. Top brackets and bottom brackets capture/support the top end and bottom end of a filter, respectively, and filter inlet and outlet ports preferably slide onto and off of cooperating tubes/ports in the bracket modules without tools or threaded connections. A retainer may pivot on and off of its respective filter, holding the filter in place and releasing the filter, respectively. After pivoting the retainer up from the filter, the filter may be lifted up off of its respective bottom module, so that the filter is substantially vertically and pivotally removable from the bracket system. A keyed system may ensure that only the appropriate filter fits into the appropriate filter holder, wherein the keyed system includes key protrusions and cooperating key recesses on the mating surfaces that form a fluid connection between the filter and the filter holder. Sets of holders and filters may be provided wherein each set has key structure at different radial locations on the members, so that filters from a particular set cannot be used with any other set's holder. A universally-keyed filter may also be supplied that has key structure that fits with and cooperates with more than one of the differently-keyed filter holders so that the universally-keyed filter may be used with the various sets' holders.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to brackets and piping manifolds for holding water filters, and more specifically, brackets and manifolds that allow quick change-out of the filters. The invention relates to a bracket system that may accommodate a plurality of filters in series and/or parallel flow, and is adaptable to many different flow schemes, media and liquids. The invented system used a pivotal system, wherein a top bracket pivots away from each filter so that the filters may be lifted up out of the bracket system.
2. Related Art
Manifold systems have been developed to accommodate multiple filters or water treatment tanks for increasing filter capacity and for allowing quick replacement of the filters. In 1972, Warren disclosed (U.S. Pat. No. 3,685,539) a multi-station system comprising a plurality of filters attached to a vacuum manifold. In 1973, Bjork disclosed (U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,495) a water conditioning unit with a filtering tank and a water softening tank connected to a manifold. In 1992-1994, Posner et al. disclosed a manifold system that comprises horizontally-removable filters that include a "means for effective evenly distributed filtration" that includes a first conical stage filter near the filter inlet and a second conical stage filter near the filter outlet, with a charcoal element between the conical filters. Each Posner filter is removable in a horizontal direction, that is, perpendicularly to the plane of the piping manifold, which plane is typically vertical. The Posner fittings are stationary snap-together and snap-apart connections that are parallel in fixed horizontal planes.

Quick change filter and bracket system with key system and universal key option


An encoding method in a mobile communication system is provided. The method comprises selecting at least one adaptive coding rate and at least one modulation method according to estimated forward channel characteristics for a plurality of transmission antennas, based on BLAST-decoded signals received from a plurality of reception antennas; coding and modulating a plurality of transmission signal layers generated for transmission by the plurality of transmission antennas according to the selected adaptive coding rate and modulation method; and transmitting the plurality of transmission signal layers to the plurality of transmission antennas simultaneously by way of V-BLAST-coding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile communication system and, in particular, to an adaptive modulation coding apparatus for providing multimedia communication services in a mobile communication network.
2. Related Art
In a mobile communication system, mass capacity of transmission data and acceleration of data transmission speed are required to deal with the need for various multimedia services. Accordingly, methods are needed for using a limited frequency efficiently. One of the methods is AMC (adaptive modulation and coding) scheme. The AMC scheme is for varying encoding and modulating methods according to variation of forward channel characteristics.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an AMC apparatus for a general mobile communication system. The AMC apparatus comprises an AMC receiver 10 for estimating forward channel characteristics by using a reception signal received through a reception antenna. AMC receiver 10 selects a level of a MCS (modulation coding scheme) according to the estimated forward channel characteristics and provides a feedback of the estimated forward channel characteristics. AMC receiver 10 also demodulates and decodes the reception signal. The AMC apparatus also includes an AMC transmitter 20 for selecting a level of a MCS according to the feedback forward channel characteristics, and coding and modulating transmission data according to the selected MCS level.
The AMC receiver 10 includes a channel estimator 12 for estimating forward channel characteristics by way of a reception signal received through the reception antenna 11. The AMC receiver 10 also includes a demodulator 13 for detecting a demodulation method according to the forward channel characteristics estimated in the channel estimator 12. The AMC receiver 10 demodulates the reception signal according to the demodulation method. A channel deinterleaver 14 for channel-deinterleaving the reception data demodulated in the demodulator 13; and a decoder 15 for decoding the reception data outputted from the channel deinterleaver 14, may also be included in the AMC receiver 10.
The AMC transmitter 20 includes a MCS level selector 21 for selecting a MCS level, according to the forward channel characteristics transmitted from the AMC receiver 10. The AMC transmitter 20 also includes an encoder 22 for encoding transmission data according to a pertinent coding rate of the feedback MCS level from the AMC receiver 10, a channel interleaver 23 for channel-interleaving transmission data encoded in the encoder 22 according to the MCS level, and a modulator 24 for modulating the transmission data outputted from the channel interleaver 23 according to a pertinent modulation method of the MCS level and transmitting it to a transmission antenna 25.
The AMC receiver 10 is included in a mobile communication terminal, and the AMC transmitter 20 is included in a base station. The base station can perform the MCS level selecting by feedback-receiving SNR (signal noise ratio) of a forward channel from the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal can perform the MCS level selecting according to the estimated SNR of the forward channel to provide feedback to the base station.
First, a method for classifying a MCS level according to channel characteristics will be described. FIG. 2 shows a method for classifying each MCS level according to a FER (frame error rate) about a SNR level and throughput. For example, when a channel SNR is not less than 3.25 dB and not greater than 7.25 dB, a 2/3 encoding ratio-QPSK (quadrature phase shift keying) modulation method has a throughput greater than that of an 1/3 encoding ratio-QPSK modulation method.
In addition, when a channel SNR is not less than 7.25 dB and not greater than 9.25 dB, a 2/3 encoding ratio-8PSK (phase shift keying) modulation method has a throughput greater than that of the 2/3 encoding ratio-QPSK modulation method. When a channel SNR is not less than 9.25 dB, a 2/3 encoding ratio-16QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) method has a throughput greater than that of the 1/3 encoding ratio-QPSK modulation method.
Accordingly, when a channel SNR is not greater than 3.25 dB, the 1/3 encoding ratio-QPSK modulation method is selected. When a channel SNR is not less than 3.25 dB and not greater than 7.25 dB, the 2/3 encoding ratio-QPSK modulation method is selected. When a channel SNR is not less than 7.25 dB and not greater than 9.25 dB, the 2/3 encoding ratio-8PSK modulation method is selected. When a channel SNR is not less than 9.25 dB, the 2/3 encoding ratio-16QAM modulation method is selected.
FIG. 3 is a table showing MCS levels with reference to FIG. 2. As depicted in FIG. 3, a MCS level 1 shows the 1/3 encoding ratio-QPSK modulation method. A MCS level 2 shows the 2/3 encoding ratio-QPSK modulation method. A MCS level 3 shows the 2/3 encoding ratio-8PSK modulation method, and a MCS level 4 shows the 2/3 encoding ratio-16QAM modulation method.
Hereinafter, the operation of the adaptive modulation coding (AMC) apparatus of the general mobile communication system will be described. The channel estimator 12 of the AMC receiver 10 estimates the forward channel characteristics by using the reception signal from the reception antenna 11. The estimated forward channel characteristics are provided by the mobile terminal to the AMC transmitter 20 of the base station.
The demodulator 13 of the AMC receiver 10 detects a demodulation method according to the estimated forward channel characteristics and demodulates the reception signal according to the detected demodulation method. The demodulated reception signal is decoded through the channel deinterleaver 14 and the decoder 15.
When the AMC transmitter 20 receives the MCS level transmitted from the AMC receiver 10, the MCS level selector 21 of the AMC transmitter 20 selects an optimum MCS level according to the forward channel characteristics. Encoding, channel interleaving and modulation of the forward channel are thus performed according to the selected MCS level.
The encoder 22 of the AMC transmitter 20 encodes transmission data according to a pertinent encoding ratio of the MCS level. The channel interleaver 23 performs channel-interleaving of the encoded transmission data according to the MCS level. The modulator 24 modulates the transmission data according to a pertinent modulation method of the MCS level and transmits the modulated transmission signal (i.e., transmission symbol) via the transmission antenna 25.
As described above, in the adaptive modulation coding (AMC) apparatus of a general multimedia communication system, transmission performance can be improved by varying modulation and coding schemes according to channel characteristics. However, it is difficult to correspond to acceleration of data transmission speed required for providing various and rapid multimedia services with the transmission performance improvement by the AMC scheme.

Adaptive modulation coding system and method in a mobile communication network


An antenna device includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A first conductive layer is formed on the first surface of the substrate, the first conductive layer having a perimeter defined by one or more shapes having straight or curved edges. The first conductive layer defines a slot and a coupling gap, and also includes a top ground. The coupling gap separates the top ground from a metal plate region. A second conductive layer is formed on the second surface of the substrate, the second conductive layer including a bottom ground. The slot, coupling gap, first conductive layer, and substrate form a composite right and left handed (CRLH) structure.

A conventional slot antenna is generally made up of a one piece planar metal surface, such as a metal plate, with a hole or slot formed in the metal surface. By design, a slot antenna may be considered structurally complementary to a dipole antenna. For example, a printed dipole antenna on dielectric substrate, having similar shape and size to a printed slot antenna, may be formed by interchanging the conductive material layer on the dielectric substrate and open slot area of the slot antenna and vice versa. Both antennas may be similar in form and have similar electromagnetic wave patterns. Factors determining the radiation pattern of the slot antenna, as with the dipole antenna, include shape and size of the slot. Slot antennas can be used in various wireless communication systems due to certain advantages it offers over conventional antenna designs. Some advantages include a smaller size than other conventional antenna designs, lower fabrication costs, design simplicity, durability, and integration. However, slot antenna designs may still have limitations on the size reduction since the antenna size is primarily dependent on a center frequency, thus making the size reduction a challenge at certain frequencies.

Multiband composite right and left handed (CRLH) slot antenna


The present invention provides a thin-film structure that includes an etch-stop layer having a first side and a second side, a patterned compensation layer for dissipating thermal energy, and an etch-vulnerable layer, where the etch-stop layer substantially impedes etching. The patterned compensation layer is adjacent the first side of the etch-stop layer, and the etch-vulnerable layer is adjacent the second side of the etch-stop layer.

The present invention relates to the field of magnetic data storage and retrieval systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a thin film structure that exhibits improved thermal dissipation properties and a method of fabricating the same.
In a magnetic data storage and retrieval system, a transducing head generally includes a transducer, a substrate upon which the transducer is built, and an overcoat deposited over the transducer. The transducing head often times further includes a basecoat, which forms an interface layer between the substrate and the transducer, and is generally formed of an insulating material. The transducer, which typically includes a writer portion for storing magnetically-encoded information on a magnetic media and a reader portion for retrieving the magnetically-encoded information from the magnetic media, is formed of multiple patterned layers successively stacked upon the basecoat.
The transducer layers, which include both metallic and insulating layers, exhibit different mechanical and chemical properties than the substrate. The differences in properties affect several aspects of the transducer, including pole-tip recession/protrusion (PTR) of the metallic layers of the transducer relative to the substrate at an air bearing surface (ABS) of the transducing head.
During operation of the magnetic data storage and retrieval system, the ABS of the transducing head is positioned in close proximity to the magnetic media. Performance of the transducer depends primarily upon the head-media spacing (HMS), which is the distance between the transducer and the media. Preferably, the HMS is small enough to allow for writing to and reading from the magnetic media with a large areal density, and is great enough to prevent contact between the magnetic media and the transducing head. However, PTR at the ABS is considered to be a primary technical gap for hitting required HMS targets. During high drive ambient temperatures, PTR decreases HMS, which increases the risk of head-disc contact and the attendant mechanical reliability problems. Alternatively, during a cold write PTR can increase the HMS to the point of degrading writeablity, signal-to-noise ratio, and bit error rate.
The effects of PTR generally result from thermal pole-tip recession/protrusion (TPTR), current-induced recession/protrusion (CPTR), or a combination of TPTR and CPTR. TPTR arises from isothermal (global) temperature changes in the transducing head during drive operation. TPTR is proportional to the difference in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between the transducing head and substrate materials. The CTE of materials used in forming the substrate are typically much smaller than the CTE of materials used in forming the metallic layers of the transducer. As such, when the transducing head is subjected to high operating temperatures, the transducer's metallic layers exhibit greater expansion compared to the substrate. This greater expansion causes the metallic layers to protrude closer to the magnetic disc than the substrate.
CPTR results from localized joule heating during application of currents to the writer coil and the resultant heat dissipation into the surrounding components of the transducing head. CPTR, in contrast to TPTR, is proportional to the first order of the ΔT(CTE) product, where ΔT is the localized temperature rise in the writer core, and CTE is based on the core fill material (i.e., the insulating material generally disposed around the writer coil in the writer core). At large write currents in the writer coil, ΔT can be more than 20° C., causing CPTR to exceed 0.3 micrometers, which is a large fraction of the total fly height budget. In the drive, heat transfer to the disc will reduce this value by 3-5 times, but it will still be a large portion of the total fly height budget. As such, CPTR places constraints on the amount of write current utilizable. Accordingly, there is a need in the industry for preventing significant TPTR and CPTR changes with temperature.

Etch-stop layers for patterning block structures for reducing thermal protrusion


An X-ray imaging apparatus and control method thereof precisely designates an imaging region and reduces user fatigue by designating a segmentation imaging region using an image of a target object captured by a camera and automatically controlling an X-ray generator according to the designated segmentation imaging region. The X-ray imaging apparatus includes an X-ray generator to perform X-ray imaging of a target object by generating and irradiating X-rays, an image capturer to capture an image of the target object, an image display to display the image captured by the image capturer, an input part to receive designation of a region for which segmentation imaging is to be performed on the image displayed on the image display, and a controller to control the X-ray generator to perform segmentation imaging with respect to the designated region.

1. Field
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to an X-ray imaging apparatus which generates an X-ray image by irradiating a target object with X-rays, and a control method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
An X-ray imaging apparatus irradiates a target object with X-rays and analyzes X-rays passing through the target object, thereby discerning an internal structure of the target object. Since the penetrating ability of X-rays differs according to the composition of the target object, the internal structure of the target object may be expressed as an image using an attenuation coefficient which represents the penetrating ability.
During X-ray imaging, the locations of an X-ray generator and an X-ray detector vary according to which part of the target object is to be imaged. Before starting X-ray imaging, a user should directly adjust the locations of the X-ray generator and the X-ray detector in an imaging room.
When using a segmentation imaging scheme to obtain a plurality of X-ray images and stitch the obtained X-ray images, the user should designate segmentation imaging regions by directly moving the X-ray generator and the X-ray detector.
Thus, user fatigue may increase, an X-ray imaging time may increase, and the segmentation imaging regions may not be precisely adjusted.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Navigation assistance information for a mobile station is acquired based on a feature descriptor of an image of a visual beacon captured by the mobile station. The navigation assistance information includes locations of neighboring visual beacons, locations of wireless positioning resources; user environmental context information. The navigation assistance information may then be used to assist in navigating within the local environment. The visual beacon may be an artificial feature, such as a QR code or other type of matrix or bar code or a natural feature, such as a statute or architectural detail. The mobile station may request navigation assistance by transmitting the feature descriptor to a server. The server retrieves the navigation assistance information from a database based on the feature descriptor and optionally location information, which may also be provided in the navigation assistance request, and transmits the navigation assistance information to the mobile station.

The use of accurate position information of a mobile station, such as cellular or other wireless communication devices, is becoming prevalent in the communications industry. The satellite positioning system (SPS), such as the Global Positioning System, offers an approach to providing wireless mobile station position determination. A SPS user can derive precise navigation information including three-dimensional position, velocity and time of day through information gained from satellite vehicles (SVs) in orbit around the earth. The signals that are received from the SVs are typically weak. Therefore, in order to determine the position of a mobile station, the SPS receiver must be sufficiently sensitive to receive these weak signals and interpret the information represented by them.
One limitation of current SPS receivers is that their operation is limited to situations in which multiple satellites are clearly in view, without obstructions, and where a good quality antenna is properly positioned to receive such signals. As such, they normally are unusable in areas with blockage conditions, such as where there is significant foliage or buildings or other obstacles (e.g., urban canyons) and within buildings.

Acquisition of navigation assistance information for a mobile station