A speaker apparatus which drives an electromagnetic-coupling-type speaker in accordance with a digital signal is provided with a speaker unit, and a plurality of amplifiers corresponding to the number of quantization bits of a digital audio signal. The output terminals of the amplifiers are connected to the respective primary coils, respectively, and the output impedances of the plurality of the amplifiers are made equal to those of the respective primary coils to which the amplifiers are connected. Each bit of each sample of the digital audio signal is amplified by the plurality of the amplifiers and supplied to the respective primary coils, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a speaker apparatus of a digital driving method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Speaker apparatuses are generally driven in accordance with an analog audio signal. Speaker apparatuses which can be driven directly in accordance with a digital audio signal have been conceived.
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 10 denotes an example of a speaker unit for use in such a speaker apparatus of a digital driving method. This speaker unit 10 is constructed into an electromagnetic coupling type. In this example, a cutout 13 is formed around the front end portions of a center pole section 12 of a yoke 11 formed of the center pole section 12 and a flange section 14, and a primary coil 1 which will be described later is mounted to this cutout 13.
In this case, the primary coil 1 is mounted in such a manner that it is wound as an air-core coil and bonded to the cutout 13, or it is directly wound around the cutout 13, or although not shown, it is wound around a bobbin made of a magnetic material and the bobbin is fitted into the cutout 13 and bonded thereto.
Further, in the flange section 14 of the yoke 11, a hole or opening 15 is formed in a part of a position proximate continuously to the center pole section 12, with a terminal plate 16 mounted on the rear surface of the flange section 14. Then, a lead wire 17 of the primary coil 1 is bonded onto the peripheral surface of the center pole section 12 and inserted into the opening 15, and is connected to a terminal 18 of the terminal plate 16 by soldering or the like.
Further, an annular permanent magnet 21 is bonded onto the front surface of the flange section 14, an annular plate 22 is bonded to the front surface of the permanent magnet 21, and thus a magnetic circuit 20 having a gap 23 between the outer peripheral surface of the front end portion of the center pole section 12 and the inner peripheral surface of the annular plate 22 is formed.
Further, a secondary coil 2 is disposed in the gap 23. In this example, this secondary coil 2 is formed as a cylindrical body made of a non-magnetic conducting material, for example, aluminum and formed into a short coil of one turn.
Further, the inner peripheral portion of a vibration plate, i.e., cone 32, a dust-tight cap 33, and the inner peripheral portion of a damper 34 are mounted to the secondary coil 2, and a speaker frame 35 is mounted to the plate 22. An edge 31 is mounted to the outer peripheral portion of the cone 32, the edge 31 and a gasket 36 are mounted to the speaker frame 35, and the outer peripheral portion of the damper 34 is mounted to the speaker frame 35.
If it is assumed that the digital audio signal is in a format used for CDs and DATs, that is, the number of quantization bits is 16 bits and in the form of two's complement, as shown in FIG. 5, the MSB thereof is a sign bit, which indicates the polarity of the analog audio signal when this digital audio signal is converted from digital to analog form, and 2SB to LSB of which indicate the level of the analog audio signal.
Thus, the above-described primary coil 1 is formed of, for example, 15 coils 1A to 1N, and 1P in correspondence with the digital audio signal, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 5. The number of windings of the coils 1A to 1P is made to be a value corresponding to the weight of each bit of the digital audio signal.
More specifically, as shown in, for example, FIG. 5, if the coils 1A to 1P correspond to the LSB to 2SB of the digital audio signal, the number of windings of a coil corresponding to a certain bit is made twice the number of windings of a coil corresponding to the bit of one lower order, for example, the number of windings of coil 1A is 2, the number of windings of coil 1B is 4, the number of windings of coil 1C is 8, and so on. That is, the ratio of the windings of the coils 1A to 1P is 2**0 to 2**14 (x**y indicates the y-th power of x in the geometrical series of common ratio 2. Hereinafter the same applies).
FIG. 4 shows an example of a signal system of the speaker apparatus of a digital driving method. Reference numerals 44A to 44N, and 44P denote constant-current circuits. These constant-current circuits 44A to 44P are connected to positive and negative power lines and operate in a forward-type mode or reverse-type mode in accordance with a control signal from an external source. In the forward-type mode, a DC current (constant current) I of a predetermined fixed magnitude flows to a load, and in the reverse-type mode, a DC current I of the same magnitude as that in the forward-type mode flows from the load.
Bidirectional switching circuits 45A to 45N, and 45P, and the coils 1A to 1N, and 1P of the speaker unit 10 are connected in series between the output terminals of the constant-current circuits 44A to 44N, and 44P and a ground, respectively.
Further, a digital audio signal SD reproduced from, for example, a CD is supplied to a shift register 42 with serial input and parallel output through an input terminal 41. The signal SD is converted into parallel data for each sampling, the MSB of the converted signal SD is supplied as a switching signal between the forward-type mode and the reverse-type mode to the constant-current circuits 44A to 44P, controlling the constant-current circuits 44A to 44P so as to operate in the forward-type mode when MSB="0" and to operate in the reverse-type mode when MSB="1".
Further, the LSB to 2SB of the signal SD from the register 42 is supplied to a decoder circuit 43 and the MSB is supplied to the decoder circuit 43. Thus, the LSB to 2SB of the signal SD are converted or decoded into the form of lower-order 15 bits in a reflected binary code, namely, binary data indicating the absolute value of the signal SD, as shown in FIG. 6.
Then, the LSB to 2SB after conversion are supplied to the switching circuits 45A to 45P as control signals; when the bit is "0", the corresponding switching circuit is turned off, and when the bit is "1", the corresponding switching circuit is turned on.
With such a construction, when current I flows through the primary coil 1 (1A to 1P), since the primary coil 1 and the secondary coil 2 are electromagnetically coupled to each other, an electric current is induced in the secondary coil 2, and this current flows through the secondary coil 2. Therefore, similarly to a conventional speaker, the cone 32 deviates in a forward or backward direction in correspondence with the polarity of the electric current which flows through the primary coil 1.
When the MSB of the digital audio signal SD is "0", the constant-current circuits 44A to 44P are set to a forward-type mode operation. Therefore, the constant currents I to I flow through components in the following order: the constant-current circuits 44A to 44P, the switching circuits 45A to 45P, the primary coils 1A to 1P, and the ground. When the MSB of the signal SD is "1", the constant-current circuits 44A to 44P is set to the reverse-type mode operation. Therefore, the constant currents I to I flow through components in the following order: the ground, the primary coils 1A to 1P, the switching circuits 45A to 45P, and the constant-current circuits 44A to 44P.
That is, the polarity of the constant currents I to I which flow through the coils 1A to 1P reverses according to the value of the MSB. Therefore, the deviation direction of the cone 32 of the speaker unit 10 is controlled by the MSB of the signal SD.
Further, the LSB to 2SB of the signal SD output from the decoder circuit 43 indicate the absolute value of the analog audio signal when the signal is converted from the signal SD from digital to analog form. When a certain bit of the LSB to 2SB is "1", the corresponding switching circuit of the switching circuits 45A to 45P is turned on, causing a constant current I to flow through a corresponding primary coil of the primary coils 1A to 1P.
At this time, since, for example, the number of windings of the coil 1B is made twice the number of windings of the coil 1A, the magnitude of the electric current which flows through the secondary coil 2 when the current I flows through the coil 1B becomes twice the electric current which flows through the secondary coil 2 when the current I flows through the coil 1A. The same applies for the other adjacent coils.
That is, even if the magnitude of the constant currents I to I which flow through the coils 1A to 1P is equal, since the ratio of the number of windings is set as described above, the magnitude of the electric current which flows through the secondary coil 2 differs in correspondence with the ratio of the number of windings. The ratio of the number of windings of the coils 1A to 1P is a value corresponding to the weight of each bit of the digital audio signal SD. Therefore, when the cone of the speaker unit 10 deviates, the amount of the deviation corresponds to the absolute value indicated by the LSB to 2SB.
As a result of the above, the cone 32 of the speaker unit 10 deviates in a direction and by an amount corresponding to the MSB and the LSB to 2SB of the digital audio signal SD for each sampling. Therefore, a reproduction sound of the digital audio signal SD is output from the speaker unit 10.
In this case, the digital audio signal has been digitized at a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz. Since the coils 1A to 1P are driven in accordance with the digital signal, the low-frequency components of the analog audio signal before being digitized become a high frequency over 20 kHz as a signal current flowing through each of the coils 1A to 1P of the primary coil 1. Therefore, the speaker unit 10 is able to reproduce low-frequency components.
Similarly to a conventional speaker, the vibration system of the speaker unit 10 has difficulty responding to high frequencies and can hardly reproduce high-frequency components, in particular, components over 20 kHz. Therefore, even if the primary coils 1A to 1P are driven in accordance with the digital audio signal of a sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, the components of the sampling frequency are hardly reproduced. If the components were reproduced, since they are reproduced with very small sound pressure and sound with a frequency over 20 kHz can hardly be heard by the human ear, no inconvenience occurs.
Thus, according to this speaker apparatus, it is possible to convert a digital audio signal into a reproduction sound without performing D/A conversion.
However, in the above-described speaker apparatus of a digital driving method, the constant-current circuits 44A to 44P must operate in the forward-type mode or the reverse-type mode according to the MSB of the signal SD. Such constant-current circuits become complex in construction, resulting in a high cost.
Further, when the output of the speaker apparatus is increased, the current I which flows through the coils 1A to 1P must be increased; therefore, the construction becomes more complex and expensive. Moreover, as many as 15 such constant-current circuits are required as indicated by the reference numerals 44A to 44P in FIG. 4.
Furthermore, since the constant currents I to I to be supplied to the coils 1A to 1P are turned on and off respectively according to "0" and "1" of the LSB to 2SB of each sample of the digital audio signal SD, the highest frequency thereof becomes the sampling frequency of 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz of the signal SD. For this reason, the impedance when the coils 1A to 1P are seen from the constant currents I to I becomes several k.OMEGA., and the switching circuits 45A to 45P must supply the constant currents I to I to the coils 1A to 1P having such a large impedance. Likewise, the construction becomes complex and expensive.


A liquid crystal display driving device that reduces horizontal crosstalk and a liquid crystal display employing the driving device are presented. The driving device includes a common voltage generator that generates first and second common voltages, and the common voltage generator includes a first capacitor provided between a first terminal for outputting the first common voltage and a second terminal for outputting the second common voltage. Since the capacitor is provided between two output terminals of the two common voltages, it reduces the distortion components of the common voltages, thereby reducing horizontal crosstalk. The invention reduces the number of parts in the driving device conferring the added benefit of reduced manufacturing cost.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display, and more particularly; to a common voltage generator of a liquid crystal display.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Typically, a liquid crystal display (LCD) includes two display panels having pixel electrodes and a common electrode, and a dielectric-anisotropic liquid crystal layer interposed between the two display panels. The pixel electrodes are arranged in a matrix configuration with rows and columns and are connected to switching elements such as thin film transistors (TFTs) such that data voltages are sequentially applied to rows of the pixel electrodes. The common electrodes are formed to cover an entire surface of the display panel, and a common voltage is applied to the common electrode. In a circuit diagram, the pixel electrodes, the common electrode, and the liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween form a liquid crystal capacitor, and the liquid crystal capacitor and the switching element connected to the liquid crystal capacitor serve as a basic unit of a pixel.
In the liquid crystal display, an electric field is formed in the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the two electrodes, and light transmission through the liquid crystal layer is controlled by adjusting the intensity of the electric field in the liquid crystal layer. Accordingly, a desired image is obtained. Often, the polarity of the data voltage with respect to the common voltage is inverted every frame, every row, or every pixel to prevent device deterioration that may result from applying the electric field to the liquid crystal layer in one direction for a long time.
The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel assembly that has pixels each having a switching element and display signal lines connected to the pixels, a data driver that applies corresponding data voltages to the pixels through the switching elements, a gray voltage generator that generates gray voltages and supplies the gray voltages to the data driver, and a common voltage generator that supplies the common voltage to the liquid crystal panel assembly.
A problem with the liquid crystal display is the formation of a parasitic capacitance between the gate and the drain of each switching element. Formation of the parasitic capacitance causes coupling of the common voltage with the data voltage, which results in the common voltage becoming higher or lower than the intended voltage. Therefore, a direct current is applied in the form of an alternating current, and different voltages are applied to the pixels. When the difference in the voltages applied to the pixels becomes large enough, stripe-shaped horizontal crosstalk is displayed on a screen. It is desirable to eliminate this horizontal crosstalk, as it deteriorates image quality.

Liquid crystal display driving device that reduces crosstalk


Computer-implemented methods, computer-implemented systems, and non-transitory, computer-readable media for processing interaction sequence data are disclosed. One computer-implemented method includes: obtaining a dynamic interaction graph is obtained, where the dynamic interaction graph is constructed based on a dynamic interaction sequence, including a plurality of interactions arranged in a chronological order, where each interaction includes two objects involved in the interaction and a time of the interaction. In the dynamic interaction graph, a sub-graph corresponding to a target node is determined, where nodes in the sub-graph comprise the target node and connection nodes connected to the target node through a predetermined amount of edges originating from the target node. A feature vector corresponding to the target node is determined based on a node feature of each of the nodes of the sub-graph and directions of edges of the sub-graph.

User interactions need to be analyzed and processed in various scenarios. An interaction is a basic element of an Internet event. For example, a click action conducted when a user browses a page can be considered as an interaction between the user and a block of webpage content; a purchasing action conducted in e-commerce can be considered as an interaction between the user and a product; a transfer action between accounts can be considered as an interaction between users. A series of interactions of a user can have features such as habitual preference of the user, and features of objects to interact with. Features of a machine learning model are mainly derived from these interactions. Therefore, in many cases, it is desired to perform feature expression and modeling on participants of interactions based on the interactions.
However, interactions involve both parties of the interactions, and the state of a party can change. As such, it is difficult to accurately perform feature expression based on features of the participants of the interaction. In this case, an improved solution is desired to more effectively analyze and process interaction objects in an interaction to obtain a feature vector applicable to subsequent analysis.

Method and apparatus for processing user interaction sequence data


A camera with a non-TTL type finder may avoid a mechanical complexity, may be produced with a gentler standard in dimensional accuracy than conventional cameras of such a type, and may lower consumption of a power battery.. A finder focusing dial is manually rotated together with a cam member to swing an interlocking lever. An end of the interlocking lever moves an objective lens frame back and forth. When it is observed that an image of a target subject becomes focused on a finder focusing screen through a finder eye piece, the rotation of the dial is stopped. A focused state detecting device detects a stop position of an objective lens to supply a detection value to a photo-taking optical system focusing amount determining device to determine an amount of focusing. A drive device drives the photo-taking optical system into an in-focus state in accordance with the focusing amount thus determined.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in a camera with a non-TTL type finder operatively coupled with a photo-taking optical system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A coupled range finder is well known as a typical example of conventional non-TTL type finder operatively coupled with a photo-taking optical system (photo-taking lens).
The finder of this type is structured, for example as shown in FIG. 9 or 10, such that a feed mechanism of a photo-taking optical system is interlocked by a proper coupling mechanism with a deflector of a coincidence type range finder to complete a focusing operation of the photo-taking optical system when double images of a subject coincide with each other.
A coupled range finder as shown in FIG. 9 is arranged such that a photo-taking optical system (not shown) is fed out by a translation helicoid mechanism (not shown). The deflector is a concave lens 101, which is one of the simplest arrangements. This arrangement can be used either in case of an interchangeable photo-taking optical system or in case of a photo-taking optical system fixedly mounted in a camera.
In the above example, the concave lens 101 as the deflector is mounted at an appropriate position on a swing lever 103, which may swing about a support shaft 102. A free end 104 of the swing lever 103 is in contact with a member 105 directly connected to the translation helicoid mechanism through a biasing force of a biasing spring 106.
The swing lever 103 rotates about the support shaft 102 with a motion of the translation helicoid mechanism in a direction of arrow A upon focusing of the photo-taking optical system. The rotation of the swing lever 103 deviates the concave lens 101 by an amount depending upon the motion of the translation helicoid mechanism in a direction perpendicular to the finder optical axis, whereby achieving a coincidence of double images of a subject.
Another coupled range finder as shown in FIG. 10 is an example in which the deflector is a rotation mirror 111. This arrangement can also be used either in case of the interchangeable photo-taking optical system or in case of the photo-taking optical system fixedly mounted in a camera.
In this example, the rotation mirror 111 as the deflector is mounted at a rotation center of a first lever 113, which swings about a support shaft 112. A free end of the first lever 113 is in contact through a proper gap adjusting mechanism 114 with a contact member 116a provided at an end of a second lever 116, which swings about a support shaft 115.
Transmitted through an interlocking pin 117 to the other end 116b of the second lever 116 is a motion of the translation helicoid mechanism in a direction of arrow A' upon focusing of the photo-taking optical system. The motion of the translation helicoid mechanism is reduced through the second lever 116 to be transmitted to the first lever 113. Then the rotation mirror 111 is rotated by an angle corresponding to the motion of the translation helicoid mechanism, whereby achieving a coincidence of double images of a subject.
Another example of the non-TTL finder is known to display whether a deviation direction of focusing dial manually operated by a user is coincident with a distance measurement result obtained by a so-called active AF (auto-focus).
The coupled range finders have such complex arrangements including a number of constituent members, which need a strict dimension accuracy management, presenting a big problem in structure, in production, and in cost.
The non-TTL type finder using the latter active AF always displays a difference between the distance measurement of the active AF and an indication distance of the focusing dial. Thus, the continuous distance measurement must be carried out, which extremely consumes a power of a battery, presenting a big problem in use.


A medicament for therapeutic treatment and/or improvement of sepsis in a patient with severe sepsis accompanied with one or more organ dysfunctions, wherein a value of International Normalized Ratio (INR) of a plasma specimen obtained from said patient is more than 1.4, which comprises thrombomodulin as an active ingredient.

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) induced by infection. Specifically, sepsis is defined as a pathological condition that meets, in addition to the presence of infection, two or more of the SIRS items ((1) body temperature >38° C. or <36° C., (2) heart rate >90/minute, (3) respiration rate >20/minute, or PaCO2<32 torr, and (4) leucocyte count >12,000/μL or <4000/μL, or immature leucocytes >10%). Although presence of bacteria in blood (bacteremia) has been significantly focused so far, bacteria-positive result of blood culture is not necessarily required according to the above definition. Among sepsis, a condition presenting organ dysfunction, organ hypoperfusion, or hypotension is called severe sepsis. The organ hypoperfusion or abnormal perfusion includes lactic acidosis, oliguria, mental clouding, and the like. Among the severe sepsis, a condition continuously presenting hypotension despite of sufficient load of fluid therapy is called septic shock (Non-patent document 1). It is considered that the circulatory failure observed in these pathological conditions is caused by malfunction of the sympathetic nervous system or a mediator released from neutrophiles and the like, and the organ dysfunction is caused by tissue hypoxia (dysoxia).
Thrombomodulin has been known as a substance that acts to specifically bind to thrombin so as to inhibit the blood coagulation activity of thrombin, and at the same time, exerts anticoagulant activity so as to significantly promote the ability of thrombin to activate Protein C. It has also been known that thrombomodulin exerts to prolong the clotting time by thrombin, or suppresses platelet aggregation by thrombin. Protein C is a vitamin K-dependent protein that plays an important role in a blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, and activated by the action of thrombin to be converted as activated Protein C. It has been known that the activated Protein C inactivates activated blood coagulation factor V and activated blood coagulation factor VIII in vivo, and is involved in generation of a plasminogen activator having thrombolytic action (Non-patent document 2). Accordingly, it has been considered that thrombomodulin promotes the activation of Protein C by thrombin, and therefore is useful as an anticoagulant or a thrombolytic agent. It has also been reported that, in an animal experiment, thrombomodulin is effective for therapy or prophylaxis of diseases associated with hypercoagulable state (Non-patent document 3).
Thrombomodulin was first discovered and obtained as a glycoprotein expressed on the vascular endothelial cells of various animal species including humans, and then successfully cloned. Specifically, a gene of a human thrombomodulin precursor including a signal peptide was cloned from a human lung cDNA library by genetic engineering techniques and the entire gene sequence of thrombomodulin was analyzed, and as a result, an amino acid sequence consisting of 575 residues containing a signal peptide (in general, 18 amino acid residues are exemplified) was revealed (Patent document 1). It is known that a mature thrombomodulin, from which the signal peptide is cleaved, is composed of 5 regions, namely, an N-terminal region (amino acid residues 1 to 226, these positions are defined under an assumption that the signal peptide consists of 18 amino acid residues, and the same shall apply to the following descriptions), a region having six EGF-like structures (amino acid residues 227 to 462), an O-linked glycosylation region (amino acid residues 463 to 498), a transmembrane region (amino acid residues 499 to 521), and an cytoplasmic region (amino acid residues 522 to 557), from the N-terminal side of the mature peptide. It is also known that a partial protein having the same activity as that of the entire length thrombomodulin (i.e., a minimal active unit) is mainly consisting of the 4th, 5th, and 6th EGF-like structures from the N-terminal side in the region having six EGF-like structures (Non-patent document 4).
The entire length thrombomodulin is hardly dissolved in the absence of a surfactant, and addition of a surfactant is essential for manufacturing an entire thrombomodulin preparation. A soluble thrombomodulin is also available that can be fully dissolved even in the absence of a surfactant. The soluble thrombomodulin may be prepared by removing at least a part of the transmembrane region or the entire transmembrane region. For example, it has been confirmed that a soluble thrombomodulin consisting of only 3 regions, namely, the N-terminal region, the region having six EGF-like structures, and the O-linked glycosylation region (i.e., a soluble thrombomodulin having an amino acid sequence consisting of amino acid residues 19 to 516 of SEQ ID NO: 9) can be obtained by applying recombination techniques, and that the resulting recombinant soluble thrombomodulin has the same activity as that of an entire thrombomodulin (Patent document 1). Some other reports are also available regarding soluble thrombomodulins (Patent documents 2 to 9). A human urine-derived soluble thrombomodulin and the like are also exemplified as native thrombomodulins (Patent documents 10 and 11).
As recognized in many cases, as a result of spontaneous mutations or mutations occurring at the time of obtainment, polymorphic mutations have been found in the human genes. At present, thrombomodulin proteins in which the amino acid at the position 473 of human thrombomodulin precursor having the amino acid sequence consisting of 575 amino acid residues is converted to Val or Ala have been identified. In the nucleotide sequence encoding the amino acid sequence, this variation of amino acid residue corresponds to mutation to T or C at the position 1418 (Non-patent document 5). However, the two types of thrombomodulins are completely identical in terms of their activity and physicochemical properties, and it can be considered that they are substantially identical.
It has been reported that thrombomodulin is effective for a therapeutic treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation (henceforth also referred to as DIC) (Non-patent document 6). As for use of thrombomodulin, in addition to the aforementioned use, thrombomodulin is expected to be used in therapeutic and prophylactic treatments of various diseases such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS), thrombosis, peripheral vessel obstruction, obstructive arteriosclerosis, vasculitis, functional disorder occurring after heart surgery, complication caused by organ transplantation, angina pectoris, transient ischemic attack, toxemia of pregnancy, diabetes, liver VOD (liver veno-occlusive disease, e.g., fulminant hepatitis, veno occlusive disease of liver occurring after bone marrow transplantation), and deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and further, sepsis and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (Patent document 12).

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Medicament for therapeutic treatment and/or improvement of sepsis


A shield conductor has a metal pipe and wires accommodated in the metal pipe. The metal pipe is stainless steel, and the stainless steel pipe is provided with a resin layer containing a magnetic material.

One example of a known shielded conductor of this type is a shielded conductor that has a plurality of unshielded wires and a pipe for accommodating the wires to protect them as well as for functioning as an electromagnetic shielding layer (Patent Document 1). One pipe considered to be used as a shielded conductor of this type is made of stainless steel, which is superior in corrosion resistivity.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2004-171952
The stainless steel pipe, however, is inferior in the shielding property, for example, in a high frequency bandwidth higher than 100 MHz. The shielded conductor therefore cannot provide a sufficient shielding effect in the high frequency bandwidth in some cases.
The present invention was achieved in accordance with the circumstances as described above, and its object is to provide a shielded conductor for a vehicle that is capable of providing a sufficient shielding effect even in the high frequency bandwidth.


A method for driving a weaving machine during slow motion includes the steps of carrying out the slow motion drive using the main drive motor, and controlling excitation of the main drive motor as a function of the load on the weaving machine parts which has been predetermined and stored in a memory as a function of weaving machine part positions. The required speed of the weaving machine parts to be driven may also be taken into account in controlling the main drive motor. A device for carrying out the method includes the main drive motor, a power phase controller for the main drive motor, detectors for detecting the positions of the weaving machine parts, and a comparator for comparing the positions with stored positions in order to take into account the load data which has been entered.

The present invention concerns a method and device for driving a weaving machine in slow motion, i.e., at a lower than normal speed.
It is known that it must be possible for a weaving machine to be driven, apart from the normal speed, at a lower speed, both forward and backward, so as to make it possible for a number of weaving machine parts, such as the sley and the harnesses, to be positioned precisely.
Due to increasing weaving machine automation, for example the development of weaving machines having automatic weft repair functions, the accuracy with which the above-mentioned parts must be positioned has to meet ever more stringent demands.
Moreover, it is desirable that the time required to complete a certain action, such as the automatic repair of a weft thread, in which the sley must be successively put in different positions, be kept to a minimum.
It is generally known that for the slow motion of a weaving machine, or at least for the slow motion of a number of parts of the weaving machine, use is made of an auxiliary drive motor. In order to switch on the auxiliary drive motor during the slow motion, use is made of a slow motion clutch, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,392. This clutch provides for a large transmission ratio, such that the auxiliary drive motor can run at a normal speed, whereas the driven parts make a relatively slow movement.
The use of an auxiliary drive motor and slow motion clutch is disadvantageous in that the slow motion always has the same speed, depending on the transmission ratio and/or auxiliary drive motor used. In the case where a relatively low speed is used, there is a disadvantage in that the slow moving of the sley and/or the harnesses takes too much time. In the case where a relatively high speed is used, however, there is a disadvantage in that an exact positioning of the driven weaving machine parts is practically impossible, since it is very difficult then to bring these parts to a standstill in the required position.
It is also known to realize the slow motion drive by means of the main drive motor, by making this main drive motor run at a certain lower speed. To this end, the main drive motor can for example be excited via a separate, low frequency supply system. However, this known technique is disadvantageous in that the machine makes a very irregular movement and in that it is difficult to stop the machine at the required place.

Method and device for driving a weaving machine during slow motion


A capacitor of a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed for preventing generation of leakage current, simplifying the manufacturing process, and improving electric characteristics of the device. The capacitor includes a substrate, an insulating layer having a contact hole therein, a plug formed in the contact hole, a first conductive layer formed on the plug, a conductive oxide layer formed on the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer formed on the conductive oxide layer as part of a lower electrode, a dielectric layer formed on the entire surface inclusive of the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the dielectric layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and, more particularly, to a capacitor of a semiconductor device and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally as the capacity of a semiconductor memory device increases, the cell size of the semiconductor memory device decreases. Similarly, in DRAMs (Dynamic Random Access Memories) a decrease in the cell size causes a decrease in the capacitor size. To compensate the decrease in the capacitor size, the thickness of a dielectric layer is gradually decreased. As the thickness of the dielectric layer decreases, however, more leakage current is generated due to tunneling. This reduces reproducibility and reliability of the semiconductor memory device.
In order to prevent such problems, a method of forming a surface with complicated roughness is utilized to increase the effective area of the capacitor. In this method, however, it is difficult to perform a photolithography process because a significant step coverage is formed on the surface, which increases the process cost. Therefore, this method has been found to be unsuitable for highly integrated devices.
Research and development has been directed to innovatively improving the capacity of a capacitor of a semiconductor device and to reducing the surface roughness. One of the methods proposed in this endeavor utilizes materials of high dielectric constant for forming a dielectric film of the capacitor. This provides various positive effects, except that a dielectric constant of such capacitor is not sufficiently high. As a result, such dielectric films do not provide a wide range of applicability, especially in highly integrated systems.
Recently, much attention has been given to ferroelectric substances having a crystal structure known as Perovskite type. Such a ferroelectric substance has become a research object possibly as a dielectric material usable for semiconductor devices.
A ferroelectric substance, in which spontaneous polarization under the Curie temperature appears, generates spontaneous polarization without the electric field. However, these ferroelectric substances easily react to silicon or silicide of a substrate. Further, their surfaces are exposed to strong oxidative circumstances so that they are likely to be oxidized during a thin film formation. PZT (Pb(Zr,Ti)O.sub.3), PLZT ((Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O.sub.3), BST ((Ba,Sr)TiO.sub.3), BaTiO.sub.3, SrTiO.sub.3, etc. are all examples of a ferroelectric substance.
In order to solve these problems, research and development has been continuously directed to discovering materials and structures which are suitable for electrodes.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the structure of a conventional capacitor of a semiconductor device.
As shown in FIG. 1, an oxide layer 12 is formed on a silicon substrate 11. A predetermined portion of the substrate 11 is exposed to form a contact hole thereon through the oxide layer 12. A silicon plug 13 is formed filing the contact hole up to the top surface of the oxide layer 12. As a lower electrode of the conventional capacitor, a platinum (Pt) layer 14 is formed on the silicon plug 13 and the portions of the oxide layer 12 adjoining the silicon plug 13. Insulating sidewalls 15 are formed on the sides of the Pt layer 14 to provide step coverage for a dielectric layer 16. The dielectric layer 16 and an upper electrode 17 of the capacitor are successively formed on the entire surface inclusive of the Pt layer 14, thereby completing the conventional capacitor of a semiconductor device.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing another structure of a conventional capacitor of a semiconductor device.
As shown in FIG. 2, an oxide layer 22 is formed on a silicon substrate 21 and a predetermined portion of the silicon substrate 21 is exposed to form a contact hole thereon through the oxide layer 22. A silicon plug 23 is formed filing the contact hole up to the top surface of the oxide layer 22. As a lower electrode, a ruthenium (Ru) layer 24 is formed on the silicon plug 23 and the portions of the oxide layer 22 adjoining the silicon plug 23. Subsequently, a ruthenium (RU) oxide 25 is formed on the RU layer 24. The lower electrode of the capacitor includes the RU layer 24 and the RU oxide 25. A dielectric layer 26 and an upper electrode 27 are formed on the entire surface inclusive of the lower electrode, thereby completing the conventional capacitor of a semiconductor device.
The above and other conventional capacitors of a semiconductor device have, however, the following problems.
First, as shown in FIG. 3 when forming a platinum layer pattern (Pt) on the plug 13 as a lower electrode using a mask and a dry etch process, a remnant A remains on the sides of the platinum layer so that an accurate Pt pattern cannot be obtained. On the other hand, if a wet etch process is used, under-cuts B as shown in FIG. 4 are formed and an accurate Pt pattern is difficult to achieve.
Second, in the conventional capacitor having a ruthenium layer as the electrode, a significant leakage current is generated because ruthenium has a smaller work function than platinum.


An amplifier for amplifying a differential audio signal, having common-mode rejection and digital gain control, includes a current source (401) which supplies a constant level of current to a first current path (I1) and a second current path (I2), and input stage (403) which modulates the current in the current paths in response to a differential input signal, and an output stage (405) which produces an output signal by amplifying the difference in current between the current paths, a degree of feedback provided to the input stage by a feedback stage (402) that modulates the current in the current paths in response to the output signal, and the degree of modulation by the feedback stage is determined by the attenuation provided by at least one multiplying digital-to-analog converter (407) located therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the amplification of differential audio signals, such as those produced by high-quality microphones.
2. Description of the Related Art
Differential signaling is a commonly-used technique for transmitting information, whereby two complementary but opposite signals are sent on two separate, and typically balanced, transmission lines—possibly in a single cable. The motivation for employing differential signaling is invariably due to the need to suppress the effect of noise on the cabling used to transmit the information. For instance, even though the level of a signal transmitted over a cable may be reasonably large, say of the order of 100 millivolts, the length of the cable itself may cause the introduction of a significant degree of noise into both lines—in some cases up to ten volts of noise. By transmitting information in differential mode, where the signals are of opposite polarity to one another, the noise will however manifest as a common-mode signal.
The standard approach to recovering the original signal is to subtract the two signals on each line from one another in a pre-amplification stage, thereby rejecting the common-mode noise present on the two lines. Such an approach is commonly taken in high-quality microphone pre-amplifiers, particularly in mixing consoles of the known type, which pre-amplifiers also provide controllable gain.
Problems exist, however, with this approach to recovering the differential signal whilst maintaining common-mode rejection. Due to the inherent topology of circuits presently used in microphone amplifiers, there is no concept of electrical ground at the point in the circuit where gain is controlled. The introduction of variable gain elements that require a connection to ground, such as a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), is therefore not possible. Thus, up until now it has not been feasible to employ commodity DACs in differential signal amplifiers to allow digitally controllable gain.


According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a computer implemented method includes executing, by a virtual machine that is executing on a host server, a stream of instructions, wherein an instruction from the stream of instructions is to be intercepted to a hypervisor. The method further includes, based on a determination that the virtual machine is a secure virtual machine, preventing the hypervisor from directly accessing any data of the secure virtual machine. The method further includes performing by a secure interface control of the host server, based on a determination that the instruction is not interpretable by the secure interface control itself, extracting one or more parameter data associated with the instruction from the secure virtual machine, and storing the parameter data into a buffer that is accessible by the hypervisor. The instruction is subsequently intercepted into the hypervisor.

The present application relates to computer technology, and more specifically, to virtual machines.
Cloud computing facilitates the ability to provision a virtual machine for a customer quickly and easily, without requiring the customer to purchase hardware or provide floor space for a physical server. The customer may expand or contract the virtual machine according to changing preference(s). Typically, the cloud computing provider provisions the virtual machine, which is physically resident at the provider's datacenter. In this environment, the customer's virtual machine is running as a guest and the cloud provider uses hypervisor code running as a host to virtualize the server resources between multiple virtual machines, possibly belonging to different customers.
Customers are often concerned about the security of data in the virtual machine. Cloud operators may not be trusted and customers may want to deploy their work without the risk of being compromised by malicious or broken code (like hypervisor) and/or a system administrator with malicious intent operating the datacenter. For example, a customer may request that cloud providers do not have access to their data, so as to reduce or avoid the possibility that the cloud computing provider, such as a United States (U.S.) company is forced, possibly through subpoena, to turn over confidential or proprietary documents.

Transparent interpretation of guest instructions in secure virtual machine environment

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


An implantable lead includes a tubular polymer body having a plurality of wire conductors embedded or carried within the inner tube body. A ring contact, e.g., a platinum ring contact, is electrically and mechanically connected to at least one of the plurality of wires at at least one end of the tubular body. In one embodiment, ring contacts are attached at both ends of the tubular body. In another embodiment, a lumen passes longitudinally through the length of the lead body.

The present disclosure relates to neural stimulation leads, and more particularly to a cylindrical multi-contact electrode lead and method of making such a lead.
The term "lead" will be used herein to describe a plurality of elongate conductors covered by insulation. At a distal end of the lead, each conductor is connected to an exposed (non-insulated) electrode, or electrode contact, which is adapted to provide an electrical interface with the tissue that is to be stimulated. At a proximal end of the lead, each conductor is connected to an exposed terminal, which terminal is adapted to provide an electrical interface with a pulse generator, or with a connector of an extension lead that connects with a pulse generator or other electronic control unit. The pulse generator may be an implantable pulse generator (IPG). The term "electrode array" will refer to that portion of the lead having a plurality of spaced-apart electrode contacts. The terms "electrode" and "electrode array" may be used herein interchangeably.
As the electronic medical devices implanted in patients have become more sophisticated in providing a wider range of stimulation therapies, there has arisen a critical need for an easy-to-manufacture electrode lead that allows the implanted lead system to be reliably connected to an IPG and provide the prescribed therapy. Thus improvements are needed in an easy-to-manufacture, low cost, multi-contact, implantable electrode lead for use in neurostimulation systems.

Cylindrical multi-contact electrode lead for neural stimulation and method of making same

Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation


A piston for an internal combustion engine has a piston head and a piston skirt spaced apart from the piston head by a ring-shaped recess. The piston has at least one pin bore for accommodating a piston pin. A ring-shaped circumferential cooling channel for a coolant is provided in the piston head, which channel is closed off by a cover ring that consists of at least two segments. At least one region of the cover ring projects at least partially into the clear opening of the at least one pin bore, in such a manner that the cover ring simultaneously forms the retaining element for the piston pin.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a one-part piston for an internal combustion engine, having a piston head and a piston skirt spaced apart from the former by a ring-shaped recess. The piston has at least one pin bore to accommodate a piston pin. A ring-shaped circumferential cooling channel for a coolant is provided in the piston head. The channel is closed off with a cover ring that consists of at least two segments. The present invention furthermore relates to a cover ring consisting of two or more segments, for the ring-shaped circumferential cooling channel of a one-part piston for an internal combustion engine.
2. The Prior Art
A piston of this type and a cover ring of this type are described in German Patent No. DE 103 46 822 A1. This piston has a ring-shaped cooling channel that is closed off, on the skirt side, by a cover ring that consists of two semi-circular half-shells. The cover ring has a groove by way of which the half-shells can be pushed onto a projection on the outside of the piston, shaped complementary to the groove shape, for the purpose of assembly. Furthermore, the half-shells have snap-in connections in the region of their join surfaces, by means of which the half-shells can be quickly connected with one another. However, the provision of the cover ring with an additional groove, and the provision of the piston with an additional projection, respectively, is complicated and therefore not desirable. Furthermore, assembly is difficult, because the two half-shells must be set onto the projections provided on the piston, in targeted manner.
Other comparable pistons are known from German Utility Model DD 252 638 A1 and German Patent No. DE 41 34 530 A1, in which a wall part that serves to cover the ring-shaped circumferential cooling channel, which is open towards the bottom, is configured as an open sheet-metal ring. The sheet-metal ring lies in a groove, against the inside circumference of the piston ring zone, or on the outside circumference of the combustion chamber wall, respectively, under bias in the radial direction.
Finally, one-part pistons having a cooling channel disposed in the edge region of the piston crown are known from European Patent Nos. EP 0 561 817 B1 and EP 0 799 373 B1, which is also closed off with cover rings configured like a plate spring and provided with a collar, if necessary.
With all of these embodiments, each segment of the spring-plate-like cover ring must be individually introduced into corresponding supports on the piston head, in the biased state.

Piston for an internal combustion engine and cover ring for the cooling channel of the piston


In aspects, the disclosure herein provides a method of obtaining and integrating information relating to a process. The method, in one configuration, includes obtaining information relating to the process in a first form that includes a plurality of images generated over a selected time period, obtaining information relating to the process in a second form, time synchronizing the information in the first form and the second form, integrating the time-synchronized information, and recording the integrated time-sequenced information in a suitable storage medium.

1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to recording, integrating and using information relating to process, such as wellsite process.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Complex processes include various phases and a variety of serial and parallel steps performed in each phase. Pertinent data or information is collected during the various process steps and used separately or in conjunction with other real-time or historical information to make decisions relating to the process. Often different individuals make decisions and perform different steps and at different locations, that can have a bearing on the outcome of other steps in the process. Sometimes different security levels are associated with different personnel, in that restrictions are imposed to filter which persons are privy to what type of data and which persons are authorized to make what decisions. One such process is the process of recovering hydrocarbons (oil and gas) from subsurface formations. Such a process includes drilling of a well or wellbore at a selected drilling site from a drilling platform, completing the wellbore for production, producing hydrocarbons from the competed well, monitoring production and performing secondary recovery operations (fracturing, stimulation, workover etc.). The drilling process alone generally involves various entities, such as one or more oil companies as the primary operator, drilling contractors to perform drilling operations, service companies to perform different operations based on the respective company's proprietary technologies, regulatory bodies and various other subcontractors. Various decisions are made by a variety of personnel prior to and during the drilling of a well and during post-drilling activities. For example, the oil company engineers may make early decisions relating to the location and profile of the well based on a variety of data, including, but not limited to, seismic surveys, data from nearby wells, environmental impact studies, and governmental regulations. Drilling contractor personnel perform drilling operations and make many decisions relating to the drilling operations based on real-time and other information, including, but not limited to, decisions made by the operators, downhole and surface sensor measurements, information relating to nearby wells, information received from remote locations, such as service companies, and measurements provided by service companies. The drilling site includes a platform, a variety of screens that display images of measurements of parameters relating to a drill string used for drilling the wellbore and parameters relating to the formation through which the well is being drilled. Decisions are made in meetings held among specialists from one or more entities and are then communicated to the driller. Communications among various personnel occur over different communication modes, such as audio conferencing, video conferencing, electronic mail (email), etc. Currently, much of such information is available in fragmented form. Some of the real-time information is not captured. Additionally, various types of interrelated information are not available in time-synchronized form and integrated or correlated form for real-time use or for performing analysis.
The disclosure herein provides a system and methods for capturing and integrating information relating to process for use contemporaneously with the process and for later use.

System and methods for integrating and using information relating to a complex process


A new ferroelectric memory element is disclosed. The ferroelectric material exhibits little polarization fatigue up to 10.sup.12 switching cycles, long retention and minimal tendency to imprint, producing a nonvolatile, nondestructive readout memory element having low saturation voltage for switching. The memory element can be manufactured using conventional CMOS transistor technology and may include a SrBi.sub.2 Ta.sub.2 O.sub.9 ferroelectric thin-film between metallic electrodes, and an oxide, optionally, conventional SiN.sub.x O.sub.y layer or Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 --SiO.sub.2 bilayer, to protect the substrate from contaminant migration from the ferroelectric layer. Platinum or a metal oxide material (e.g., RuO.sub.2, IrO.sub.2, La.sub.x Sr.sub.1-x CoO.sub.3) may serve as electrodes and provide a lattice matching material for the ferroelectric layer overlying the bottom electrode. Formation of SrBi.sub.2 Ta.sub.2 O.sub.9 or other ferroelectric member of the layered perovskite family may be integrated into conventional CMOS transistor processing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new type of nonvolatile memory (NVM) based on a Metal-Ferroelectric-Metal-Insulator (SiN.sub.x O.sub.y)-Semiconductor (Si)(MFMIS) structure. More particularly, the present invention relates to a new NVM memory cell structure, i.e., a ferroelectric field effect transistor (FEFET) using a new ferroelectric material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there has been interest in the use of ferroelectric materials for NVM operations. Nonvolatile ferroelectric RAM (FERAM) is desirable because data can be written at high speed (1-100 ns) and at conventional supply voltages (3-5 V). However, FERAMs use a destructive readout followed by a rewrite that limits cycling. Conventional NVM based on CMOS technology e.g., flash memory, as used in wireless communication has relatively slower write speed (.sup.18 1 msec) and read/write capabilities of only about 10.sup.6 cycles. For nonvolatile memory applications, high speed read/write capabilities and a minimum of 10.sup.10 read/write cycles are preferred.
The following characteristics of ferroelectric materials make them attractive for memory applications: (1) the ability to retain two stable remanent polarizations (.+-.P.sub.r) at zero electrical field, enabling memory nonvolatility; and (2) the reversibility (by applying voltage) of remanent polarization +P.sub.r (1) to -P.sub.r (0) or vice versa. A typical ferroelectric material used is PbZrTiO.sub.3 (also known as PZT); this material has a relatively high dielectric constant of about .epsilon.=1000. A drawback of early ferroelectric memories was that the amount of switched charge decreased with use because of fatigue after a relatively few (e.g., 10.sup.6) cycles.
There are two types of ferroelectric memory. One type is achieved with a device in which a ferroelectric thin-film capacitor memory element is integrated into conventional CMOS transistor technology. This design provides destructive readout only, e.g., ferroelectric RAM (FERAM), and thus has relatively limited utility. The other type of ferroelectric memory is a nonvolatile memory device relying on a metal-ferroelectric-silicon structure (so called MFS FET or FEFET). In contrast to conventional CMOS FET, a FEFET structure has a ferroelectric thin film in the transistor instead of a SiO.sub.2 insulator layer. A FEFET structure can be a useful NVM element since a change of the polarization direction of the ferroelectric film changes channel conductivity; no applied field or voltage is required to maintain memory. Nondestructive readout is achieved in an FEFET device since information is stored as a polarization direction rather than charge such as on a capacitor in an FERAM device. Operation speed (access and writing) of FEFET memory is .ltorsim.100 ns and determined by the polarization switching time of a ferroelectric film.
Conventional MFS FET structures have a few problems, such as diffusion of Pb, Ti and other components of the ferroelectric material into the adjacent Si or SiO.sub.2 layer. As a result of the diffusion, the trap density at the ferroelectric-Si interface dramatically increases to .apprxeq.10.sup.16, a level high enough to interfere with device switching. To solve this problem, a metal-ferroelectric-insulator structure in which a layer of CaF.sub.2 or MgAl.sub.2 O.sub.3 overlies the silicon layer and acts as a buffer layer between the ferroelectric film and the silicon layer, has been proposed. Another option is to grow an epitaxial ferroelectric BaMnF.sub.4 film on the silicon layer; this can be done as part of the manufacture of the gate structure of the FET. However, fabrication of either of these alternative structures is relatively difficult and involves expensive molecular beam epitaxy processing.
A PZT ferroelectric can be disadvantageous in certain memory applications because of its tendency to act as a source of metals, e.g., Pb, Ti and Zr, as ionic contaminants. PZT ferroelectric materials are also undesirable for MFMIS structure-based NVM because of their high dielectric constants(.epsilon..sub.f =1000). Application of 2 V switching voltage requires 25 V to be applied to the 10 nm SiO.sub.2 film (E.sub.ox =V.sub.ox /t.sub.ox =25 Mv/cm) , a very severe condition for a SiO .sub.2 film. Scott, et al., Science, Vol. 246, pages 1400-1405 (December 1989) also discuss several problems related to fatigue in PZT films.
SrBi.sub.2 Ta.sub.2 O.sub.9 has been used in FERAM elements with destructive readout as a polar material that is easy to switch at low voltages, but has not been used in MFMIS FET devices to date.
Therefore, a ferroelectric material having low dielectric constant and coercive field is needed for high speed, long-lasting MFMIS FET memory devices with nondestructive readout capability.

Nonvolatile memory based on metal-ferroelectric-metal-insulator semiconductor structure


An object of the invention is to provide a solid state laser device design so as to improve a cooling effect in said laser device; whereby an electric power to be applied to an excitation lamp can be increased, a large oscillation power can be obtained, and a thermal lens effect generated in the laser medium can be suppressed. The solid-state laser device includes a laser medium, an excitation lamp for applying excitation light to the laser medium, a transparent first cooling pipe accommodating the laser medium, a transparent second cooling pipe accommodating the excitation lamp, wherein a first cooling system which feeds a cooling water to the first cooling pipe and a second cooling system which feeds a cooling water to the second cooling pipe are independent of each other and the respective systems have a water-feeding pump. The cooling pipes are formed of cerium-doped quartz glass capable of inhibiting transmission of light having a wavelength not longer than 320 nm.

A cooling system for cooling a laser medium of a solid-state laser device and an excitation lamp for applying excitation light to the laser medium in the prior art comprising, as shown in FIG. 10, a laser medium 10 accommodated in a transparent first cooling pipe 12, and an excitation lamp 11 is accommodated in a transparent second cooling pipe 13. Said two cooling pipes are communicated with each other through a communication pipe 17 for circulating a cooling water to the cooling pipes and the communication pipe.
However, the above-mentioned solid-state laser device comprises each laser medium and each excitation lamp accommodated in the respective cooling pipes through which the communication pipe is communicated and into which the cooling water is feeded by the pump, and a flow passage in each cooling pipe is narrow, and there are present any projections in the flow passage, so that a pressure loss of the cooling water becomes large. As a result, a flow rate of the cooling water in each cooling pipe is reduced, and accordingly it is difficult to obtain a sufficient cooling effect in each cooling pipe. Thus, a limited electric power to be applied to the excitation lamp is suppressed to reduce a laser power from the laser medium.
If a large electric power greater than the limited electric power is applied to the excitation lamp, there is a possibility that the laser medium will be broken.
Generally, the solid state laser device provided with the laser medium and the excitation lamp for applying excitation light thereto, as mentioned above, prevents heat accumulation in the laser medium and the excitation lamp due to optical pumping by accommodating the laser medium in the transparent first cooling pipe and accommodating the excitation lamp in the transparent second cooling pipe to thereby cool the laser medium and the excitation lamp with the cooling water.
If the laser medium is heated, a laser beam will be expanded by a thermal lens effect to cause a reduction in laser power. If the laser medium is further heated, there is a possibility that the laser medium will be broken.
In Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 57-175452, there is disclosed a technique such that an adverse wavelength light-absorbing material is sealed in a space of a double pipe surrounding a laser rod. However, this technique has a possibility of aged deterioration of the adverse light-absorbing material.
In Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. 58-11268, there is disclosed a solid-state laser oscillation device, wherein as laser rod side and an excitation lamp side are partitioned each other, having a laser head formed with two water passages for individually cooling the laser rod and the excitation lamp, and a pair of pure water circulating units individually connected to the two water passages. Each pure water circulating unit includes a water temperature control device and a water tank. A water temperature of a pure water to be circulated in the water passage for the laser rod is maintained at a temperature higher than ordinary temperature, which water temperature is higher than a water temperature of a pure water to be circulated in the water passage for the excitation lamp. Thus, the water tanks must be individually provided in the pure water circulating units.


A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material having a silver halide emulsion layer, and    (1) a substantially light-insensitive dye-forming-coupler-containing layer, and    (2) at least one layer selected from a non-color-forming intermediate layer containing a color-mixing inhibitor and a non-color-forming intermediate layer substantially free of color-mixing inhibitor,wherein    i) when the light-insensitive dye-forming-coupler-containing layer is included, the layer is positioned adjacent to the silver halide emulsion layer, and    ii) when the non-color-forming intermediate layer containing a color-mixing inhibitor and the non-color-forming intermediate layer substantially free of color-mixing inhibitor are included, these layers are positioned adjacent to each other.

Recently, digitalization has been remarkably widespread in the field of a color print using a color photographic printing paper. For example, a digital exposure system in which laser scanning exposure is used, has been rapidly spreading.
On the other hand, as a color print process other than one using a color photographic printing paper, technologies such as an ink jet process, a sublimation process, and a color xerography are advanced, and products applying these technologies are wide-spreading. Among these color print processes, a digital color print process using a color photographic paper is characterized in a high image quality, a high productivity, and a high fastness property of the image.
Particularly, in the remarkable widespread of the digital camera, if it were possible to receive digital camera recording media at a shop counter, and finish high-quality printing in a short period of time of about several minutes at a low cast, the superiority of color printing using color photographic printing paper would doubtlessly increase. Therefore, it is important to raise the rapid processing suitability of color-printing paper by using a printing apparatus, which is smaller in size and lower in costs while having high productivity.
To enhance the suitability of color photographic printing paper for rapid processing, various proposals have been made from the viewpoints of reducing each of exposure time, the time from the end of exposure to the beginning of processing, the time from processing to drying, and the like. Of these, reducing the time from processing to drying contributes the most to the rapid processing suitability. Decreasing the coating amount of silver and the thicknesses of coatings, though effective in achieving such reduction, results in the developed color densities being lowered. As such, this problem has awaited solution. Decreasing the thickness of a coating or the coating amount of a hydrophilic binder can lead to a condition in which the reach of oxidation products of a developing agent is beyond the thickness of a swollen color-forming layer, causing a drop in efficiency of dye-forming reaction with dye-forming couplers (hereinafter also referred to as couplers). Further, the oxidation products of a developing agent are consumed by color-mixing inhibitors in non-color-forming intermediate layers, and their concentration gradients become great; as a result, the proportion of oxidized developing agents that form no dyes in color-forming layers, is increased.
In a silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material, a non-color-forming intermediate layer containing a color-mixing inhibitor is generally disposed between emulsion layers having different color sensitivities, to prevent color impurity. The oxidized color-developing agent produced during development from emulsion grains present in the vicinity of the boundary surface between the emulsion layer and the intermediate layer has a high probability of being consumed by the neighboring color-mixing inhibitor, which is a contributing factor to reduced reaction efficiency of dye-forming couplers. In addition, it is known that migration of color-mixing inhibitors to other layers in advance of processing causes various detrimental effects, including decreased dye formation efficiency. Interlayer migration of color-mixing inhibitors is accelerated during storage under high humidity conditions, in particular, and the detrimental effects caused thereby become considerably serious when the coating amounts of hydrophilic binder and silver are reduced. Remedial steps to cope with these difficulties have therefore been desired.
Therefore, the idea of placing a spacer layer (a hydrophilic colloid layer containing neither a color-mixing inhibitor nor a silver halide emulsion) between a color-mixing-inhibitor-containing layer and a silver halide emulsion layer was conceived, and methods to incorporate a dye-forming coupler into a spacer layer, and convert the spacer layer into a light-insensitive, dye-forming layer, have been proposed. Known methods to increase reaction efficiency of an oxidized developing agent, by designing a color-forming layer to have a multilayer form, include the method of providing a color-enhancing layer between an emulsion layer and a color-mixing-inhibiting layer (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,159); the method of providing a coupler-containing layer and a silver halide emulsion layer independently, with these layers being adjacent to each other (see, e.g., JP-A-4-75055 ("JP-A" means unexamined published Japanese patent application) and European Patent No. 0062202); and the method of combining light-sensitive layers and non-light-sensitive dye-forming layers without interposing color-mixing-inhibiting layers among them (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,268,116).
A known method to design an intermediate layer, to inhibit color-mixing, to have a multilayer form, on the other hand, is to provide light-insensitive intermediate layers that are different in color-mixing inhibiting property from each other (see, e.g., JP-A-4-110844). However, the above references have no mention of color-mixing-inhibitor-free, non-color-forming intermediate layers.
However, these methods cannot always produce satisfactory effects on ultra-rapid processing. As such, further improvements have been needed in developed-color changes during storage under high humidity, in silver removal characteristics, and in drying characteristics.
As a measure to lessen the loss of oxidized developing agent due to migration from an emulsion layer to an intermediate layer, reduction in size of emulsion grains is also effective. This is because reduction in the reach of an oxidized developing agent can be achieved by adoption of fine-grain emulsions, and can lead to improved reaction efficiency of dye-forming couplers.
Further, it is known (by T. H. James, THE THEORY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESS, 4th. ed., p. 350) that the reaction speeds of dye-forming couplers can be increased, to some extent, by reducing particle sizes of oil-in-water dispersions (emulsified dispersions) containing the dye-forming couplers, to increase surface areas of the particles.
As an emulsifying method, agitation with a dissolver, milling with a colloid mill, and the like are generally adopted. In addition, there is the method of making emulsion grains fine, by making a fluid flow collides with a wall or by making fluid flows collide with each other, to generate impact and shear forces, as in the case of using a Monton-Gaulin homogenizer. However, these methods have the problem of failing to achieve reduction of grain sizes to a value below 0.1 μm.
On the other hand, JP-A-2001-27795 discloses a dispersing method of preparing emulsion grains having sizes of 0.1 μm or below, by use of an ultrahigh-pressure homogenizer.
The methods as mentioned above can produce some effect of improving developed-color densities of silver halide color photographic light-sensitive materials of the type that are reduced in coating amount of silver, but the effect produced is still insufficient. Moreover, it has been revealed that photographic light-sensitive materials having a reduced coating amount of silver had a new problem of developing unevenness of images when they were processed with replenisher-depleted processing solutions after aging. To aim at systems designed with attention to environmental conservation, the replenishment rates of processing solutions are important. As such, there has been a need to solve this new problem.

Silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material


Two storage areas are created in a first storage subsystem, a synchronous remote copy is performed from a first storage area included in the first storage subsystem to a storage area included in a second storage subsystem, and an asynchronous remote copy is performed from a second storage area included in the first storage subsystem to a storage area included in a third storage subsystem. Besides, a computer accessing the first storage subsystem performs mirroring to both the storage areas included in the first storage subsystem.

The present invention relates to an information processing system including a storage subsystem, and particularly to a technique for transferring data stored in storage subsystems between plural information processing systems.
In an information processing system including a storage subsystem, in the case where a failure occurs in the storage subsystem due to a power failure, a natural disaster or the like, business operations using the information processing system are temporarily stopped, and in the worst case, data stored in the storage subsystem are lost. In order to avoid such a situation, there is a technique (hereinafter referred to as a "remote copy") for transferring and copying data stored in the storage subsystem of the information processing system to a storage subsystem provided at a remote place different from the information processing system.
The remote copy includes two kinds of remote copies, that is, a synchronous remote copy and an asynchronous remote copy, and they have merits and demerits, respectively. Specifically, in the synchronous remote copy, in the case where a write request is issued from a computer of an information processing system, after completing transfer of data accompanying the write request to a storage subsystem existing at a remote place, a storage subsystem of the information processing system makes a response to the computer as to the write request. Accordingly, in the synchronous remote copy, although data loss due to the failure is small, when a line delay between the storage subsystems is increased, the I/O performance between the computer and the storage subsystem deteriorates.
On the other hand, in the asynchronous remote copy, the storage subsystem of the information processing system executes the response to the computer as to the write request and the transfer of the data accompanying the write request to the remote place at independent timings. Accordingly, in the asynchronous remote copy, even if the distance between the storage subsystems is long, the performance is hardly lowered, however, the possibility of data loss becomes higher than the synchronous remote copy.
In recent years, in order to compensate the demerits of both remote copies, a remote-copy technique using plural information processing systems (hereinafter referred to as "sites") starts to be used.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,002 discloses a system including a second site (including a second storage subsystem) near a storage subsystem included in a first site, and a third site (including a third storage subsystem) remote from the first site. In this system, two modes are alternately carried out.
Specifically, in a first mode, the synchronous remote copy is performed from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem, and the remote-copied data are duplicated in the second storage subsystem. Incidentally, in this mode, a remote copy from the second storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem is not performed.
On the other hand, in a second mode, while the synchronous remote copy from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem is continued, the asynchronous remote copy from the second storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem is performed. However, in this mode, the duplication of the data in the second storage subsystem is stopped.
Besides, "Addressing Federal Government Disaster Recovery Requirements with Hitachi Freedom Storage" by Claus Mikkelsen et al. also discloses a system including a second site (including a second storage subsystem) near a storage subsystem included in a first site, and a third site (including a third storage subsystem) remote from the first site. In this system, in order to perform a copy from the first storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem, two modes are alternately carried out.
Specifically, the synchronous remote copy is always performed from the first storage subsystem to the second storage subsystem. Besides, in a first mode, data written by a computer of the first site is duplicated in the first storage subsystem. Incidentally, in this mode, the remote copy from the first storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem is not performed.
On the other hand, in a second mode, the asynchronous remote copy from the first storage subsystem to the third storage subsystem is performed. However, in this mode, the duplication of the data in the first storage subsystem is stopped.
In the techniques disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,002 and "Addressing Federal Government Disaster Recovery Requirements with Hitachi Freedom Storage" by Claus Mikkelsen et al., since the copy of data to the third storage subsystem is only periodically performed, there is a possibility that data lost becomes large, in the case where the first storage subsystem and the second storage subsystem simultaneously fail.


In a vehicle tire air pressure detection system, a charging electromagnetic wave is transmitted for a predetermined period from a vehicle chassis side and stored as a charge voltage in a transmitter unit attached to a tire wheel. When the charge voltage reaches a predetermined level, a sensor in the transmitter unit detects a tire air pressure and a transmitter/receiver of the transmitter unit transmits a detection data on an electromagnetic wave in the same frequency band as the charging electromagnetic wave after the predetermined period from a time point at which the charge voltage has reached the predetermined level. Thus, interference between the charging electromagnetic wave and the electromagnetic wave of the detection data is prevented.

Various vehicle tire air pressure detection systems are proposed. In JP P2000-255229A, for instance, a transmitter and an air pressure sensor are attached to a vehicle wheel and operated with electric power supplied from a vehicle chassis side in a contactless manner, that is, by electromagnetically coupling coils of the vehicle chassis side and the vehicle tire side. In this system, if the coils are electromagnetically operating to supply the electric power, it is likely that an air pressure detection data transmitted as an electromagnetic wave from the transmitter is interfered by the electromagnetic operation of the coils.

Vehicle tire air pressure detection system and method


A load driving circuit causes a driving current to flow through a load, such as a reel motor, an audio load or the like through the collector and emitter of a drive transistor. A load voltage which changes according to changes in the driving current is obtained at a point of connection between the drive transistor and the load. On the basis of the load voltage, an offset voltage having a predetermined constant value is generated in a power supplying circuit so as to cancel a change in the load voltage. The offset voltage is supplied as driving source output to the drive transistor so as to prevent the generation of excess heat in the drive transistor even if the driving current changes.

The present invention relates to a load driving circuit, and particularly to a load driving circuit suitable for the constant-current driving of a load.
For example, video tape recorders each comprise such a load driving circuit for the constant current driving of a load, which circuit serves as a reel motor driving circuit for driving a take-up reel.
In such a reel motor driving circuit, the driving current of a reel motor comprising a dc motor is controlled by employing the characteristic that the driving current is proportional to a torque, which can be generated by the dc motor, so that the tension of a magnetic tape is controlled to a constant value regardless of the rotational speed of the reel.
It is generally necessary to select a relatively large value as the output current value of the load driving circuit applied to such a reel motor driving circuit so as to cause the driving circuit to generate a torque sufficient for practical use. It is also necessary to use a power source with a sufficiently high voltage for practical use because the rotational speed of the reel motor varies within a wide range.
The torque of the reel motor comprising a dc motor is proportional to the value of the driving current thereof, and the rotational speed of the reel motor is proportional to the voltage under a constant load torque. The reel motor must rotate the reel at a relatively low speed during a recording/reproducing mode, while it must rotate the reel at speed when the magnetic tape is moved at a high rewind or fast-forward speeds.
It is therefore thought that the power loss of the load driving circuit which forms the output stage of the reel motor driving circuit is inevitably increased.

Circuit for driving reel motor of videotape recorder


A mask for supplying gas under pressure to an airway of a human including a flexible manifold shell, an air inlet connected to an air delivery pipe, and at least two side walls which are at least partially formed by portions of the manifold shell. A flexible face contacting element defines an orifice to accommodate the nose of the human. Straps connected to the mask allow forces exerted by the straps to deform the manifold shell at least along X and Y axes, creating a variety of different orifice shapes. The face contacting part includes a flexible membrane allowing X and Y axis movement of the mask and movement of the mask along a Z axis between the user's face and the manifold shell. The flexible membrane may deform while retaining a gas seal against the face of a wearer.

In general, conventional respirator masks consist of a face contacting part which defines an orifice and which fits over the patient's nose and/or mouth and provides a gas tight seal against the patient's skin. The reverse side of the orifice is enclosed by a manifold part for the delivery of pressurized gases to the patient's nose and/or mouth via a gas delivery tube connected to the manifold. Typically, the manifold part is made from a rigid material to which an adjustable harness, for retaining the mask on a patient's head, is attached. The geometry of the manifold is fixed. When adjusted and placed over the patient's head, the harness applies forces through the rigid manifold and onto the face contacting part of the mask. The face contacting part is compressed against the patient's face causing a gas tight seal to form between the face contacting part and the patient's face.
Typically, the face contacting part of a conventional respirator mask is made from a soft flexible material such as silicone rubber. While this part will distort in one axis (the Z axis) perpendicular to the plane of the patient's face (that plane being the X-Y or facial plane), this part will typically not distort substantially in the X-Y plane, in use (note that FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings shows the X, Y and Z axes).
This is due to the typical design features of such masks in which a significant part of the face contacting part is relatively thick, being several millimetres in thickness, making it substantially inflexible under the forces which are normally applied in use through the harness. Further, the face contacting part is generally held in place in a single X-Y plane by the rigid manifold which prevents any distortion of that part in the X-Y plane. Also, the configuration of the harness and mask results in any forces transmitted to the mask being transmitted in the Z direction onto the face contacting part thereby tending not to distort the mask in the X-Y plane.
In one common design of conventional mask, as well as the relatively thicker face contacting part, the mask includes a much thinner face sealing membrane portion attached to the face contacting part. In use, as the face contacting portion is lowered onto a patient's face some areas of the flexible membrane portion will contact some parts of the patient's face before others.
These areas are compressed towards the relatively thicker, less flexible, section of the face contacting part. Once in place, at some sections of the interface between the mask and the patient's face, the flexible membrane is compressed tightly against the relatively thicker portion of the face contacting part, whereas at other sections the membrane seals against the face but floats freely of the relatively thicker portion. The flexible membrane provides a gas tight seal between the relatively thicker portion and the patient's face. In this way, such conventional masks attempt to form a gas tight seal in a diverse range of patients having different facial contours, which vary significantly in their X-Y-Z topography, at the position of the mask interface. Generally speaking, the topography of the face sealing portions of such masks is fixed in the X-Y plane, with the flexible membrane accommodating different facial contours in the Z direction.
Such conventional masks have a number of significant shortcomings. In some cases, patients find them uncomfortable. In particular, the relatively thicker sections of the face contacting part can cause discomfort when pressed against a patient's face at the pressures required to create a gas tight seal. This is a particular problem where high therapeutic gas pressures are required. In other cases, such masks do not fit properly, for example where the mask is too narrow in the X-Y plane for the patient's nose. Often, the bulky rigid manifold and relatively high attachment points of the harness cause a patient's line of vision to be impaired and this can cause a degree of claustrophobia in some patients.
An additional problem arises from the use of rigid materials in mask construction, particularly for the manifold. When a patient wearing a mask having a rigid manifold turns in bed and contacts an object such as a pillow, reaction forces from the pillow tend to push the manifold laterally and lift the face contacting part from the patient's face thereby breaking the gas tight seal and causing an air leak which prevents optimum therapy being delivered to the patient. Hard plastic components may also cause pain or discomfort if they are pushed hard against a patient's skin during sleep.
The use of hard components also makes it difficult for a patient to sleep on their stomach, because pressure on the manifold tends to result in air leakage or patient discomfort. The use of rigid manifolds also requires that a patient removes their mask, if they wish to scratch their nose. The design of many existing masks involves the use of multiple plastic and silicone parts. Such masks can be difficult for some patients to dismantle and clean. In addition parts can become broken or lost. A mask made from many parts is typically more expensive to produce than a mask having fewer parts, due to increased moulding costs for the many different parts, and assembly and inventory costs.
A further problem with existing conventional masks is that a substantial number of patients leak gas from their mouth during positive gas pressure therapy. In particular patients using nasal masks may release gas from their mouths. Typically, pressurised gas will enter a patient's oral cavity and cause the patient's cheeks to stretch and balloon out until their mouth starts to open and the gas pressure is released. Such patients are often treated with full-face masks which deliver positive gas pressure both nasally and orally. In general, these masks are similar in design to conventional masks which only deliver gas nasally. They consist of a rigid manifold part attached to a face contacting part, typically made from a flexible material such as silicone. Full-face masks have a face contacting part designed to encompass both a patient's nose and mouth, providing a gas tight seal at the mask/face interface in order to enable successful delivery of pressurised gas. However one of the problems with these masks for some patients is that they do not succeed in fully preventing gas leakage from the patient's mouth. Often gas leakage is preceded by stretching and ballooning of the patient's cheeks, which tends to substantially change the facial contours adjacent the face sealing portion of the masks. This significant facial deformation has the effect of breaking the gas tight seal around the mask, since the face contacting portion of the mask presents a relatively rigid sealing surface incapable of adapting to such large changes in facial contours.
The present invention seeks to address and attempt to alleviate at least some of the deficiencies of the existing masks described above.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.


An intake manifold (1) of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprises a single pipe portion (4), a collector (5) connected to the pipe portion (4), and a plurality of branch pipes (6) branching from the collector (5) to each cylinder. The pipe portion (4) and the collector (5) divided into a plurality of spaces (1a, 1b) by a partitioning member (12). Blow-by gas is equally distributed to each cylinder using a simple structure comprising a discharge vent (3) for blow-by gas in the pipe portion (4) extending over the partitioning member (12) and being equal to the two spaces (1a, 1b). It is preferred that a notch (8) is formed facing the discharge vent (3) on the partitioning member (12).

A quite limited portion of a gaseous mixture aspirated into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine flows downwardly from a space between a piston and a cylinder block and accumulates in the crank case. This outflowing gaseous mixture is termed blow-by gas.
In order to combust the blow-by gas in a multi-cylinder engine, for example, the oil pan and the intake manifold of the engine are connected by a blow-by gas recirculation passage whereby blow-by gas is mixed into the gaseous mixture supplied to the cylinders using the negative intake pressure of the intake manifold. During this process, unequal distribution of blow-by gas to the respective cylinders results in deviations in the air-fuel ratio of each cylinder and has adverse effects on combustion and exhaust gas composition.

Intake manifold for internal combustion engine


A new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant named ‘BLT03’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; strong and vigorous growth habit; relatively narrow leaflets; early and freely flowering habit; single purple and light green-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus niger×Helleborus sternii, and hereinafter referred to by the name 'BLT03'.
The new Helleborus is a product of a planned breeding program in Hampshire, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program was to create new frost-tolerant Helleborus cultivars with unique and attractive flower coloration.
The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination in Hampshire, United Kingdom in 2001, of proprietary selection of Helleborus niger, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Helleborus sternii, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Hampshire, United Kingdom in 2003.
Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in The Netherlands since 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.