A system determines a physical topology of a network including a plurality of nodes. Each node includes a multi-chip higher-tier switch, and each chip in the multi-chip higher-tier switch includes a plurality of ports. A network configuration module is configured to assign physical connections to respective ports of chips of the higher-tier switches through an iterative process. The iterative process includes selecting a first route of a plurality of routes, assigning for the source node of the selected route, a first port on a first chip having an odd number of free ports. For at least one intermediate node of the selected route, second and third ports on a second chip having an even number of free ports are assigned. For a destination port for the selected route, a fourth port on a third chip having an odd number of free ports is assigned.

Networks include elements such as nodes that are connected according to an arrangement. A topology of a network corresponds to an arrangement of the various elements of the network. In a data center, a network topology may include superblocks made of hundreds or thousands of servers connected to switches. An interconnected hierarchy of multiple switches can be provided within and between each superblock.

Systems and methods for determining physical network topology


A method of recording data, as embodied, includes creating and temporarily storing first management information for the data recorded before a recording failure occurs, when the recording failure occurs during recording of the data on a recording medium; continuously recording the data starting from a subsequent available recording location; and creating second management  information for the data recorded after the occurrence of the recording failure, and recording the second management information on the recording medium in connection with the temporarily stored first management information when recording is completed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of recording and reproducing data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, an optical disc device capable of recording audio and video data, which is input in real time, has been commercialized and widely used. Broadcast programs received through a tuner or moving image data input through an external terminal are compressed as Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) data streams using a compression technique, such as MPEG-1/2, and are recorded in real time on an optical disc for recording, such as a Recordable/Rewritable Compact Disc (CD-R/RW), a Recordable Digital Versatile Disc DVD-R/+R), a Rewritable DVD (DVD-RWI+RW), or DVD-Random Access Memory (RAM).
An optical disc device continuously records input audio/video data in the data area of a disc. When the recording of data has been completed, the optical disc device creates management information required to control the reproduction of the recorded data, for example, navigation information, as shown in FIG. 1, and then records the management information in a file system area allocated in the leading part of the data area.
Meanwhile, when the recording of input audio/video data fails due to a defective area, caused by impurities or scratches, or servo errors during the recording of the data in the data area of the disc, the optical disc device forcibly terminates a recording operation, defines the data recorded normally before the recording failure occurs as a single title, creates management information about the title, and records the management information in the file system area, as shown in FIG. 2. This operation is performed so that the data recorded before the recording failure occurs can be normally reproduced.
However, when a recording failure occurs, the recording operation is forcibly terminated, so that data, input after the occurrence of the failure, is not recorded. Therefore, it is impossible to view or play the data input after the occurrence of the failure.

Method of recording and reproducing data


A rechargeable battery including: an electrode assembly that includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed therebetween; a case to house the electrode assembly; a cap assembly that is coupled to an opening of the case and electrically connected with the electrode assembly; and an insulating member that is installed between the case and the electrode assembly. The insulating member includes a body disposed on the electrode assembly and a rib that extends from the body and contacts the case.

1. Field
The present teachings relate to a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Rechargeable batteries can be repeatedly charged and discharged, unlike primary batteries. A low-capacity rechargeable battery constituted by one cell is used for a small portable electronic device, i.e., a mobile phone, a laptop computer, or a camcorder. A large-capacity rechargeable battery, constituted by a plurality of cells connected to each other in a pack, is widely used for a power supply of a hybrid electric vehicle.
Rechargeable batteries are manufactured in various shapes. Exemplary shapes may include a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape, etc. For high power applications, rechargeable batteries can be connected in series and incorporated in a large-capacity rechargeable battery module.
Rechargeable batteries include: an electrode assembly, in which a positive electrode and a negative electrode are disposed on opposing sides of by a separator; a case to house the electrode; and a cap assembly that seals the case. Positive and negative uncoated regions, where active materials are not coated, are formed on the positive and negative electrodes, at opposing ends of the electrode assembly.
A negative electrode current collecting plate is attached to the negative electrode uncoated region, and a positive electrode current collecting plate is attached to the positive electrode uncoated region. The negative electrode current collecting plate is electrically connected with the case, and the positive electrode current collecting plate is electrically connected with the cap assembly, to induce current to the outside. Accordingly, the case serves as a negative terminal, and a cap-up installed in the cap assembly serves as a positive terminal.
When external forces, such as shocks or vibrations, are transmitted to a rechargeable battery, the electrical contacts of the current collecting plates may be damaged. When an electrical contact in a welded part is damaged, resistance increases, such that the output of the rechargeable battery may decrease, and when the welded part is disconnected, the current cannot be transmitted to the outside.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the present teachings, and therefore, it may contain information that does not constitute prior art.


A method for pre-lithiating a silicon oxide negative electrode for a secondary battery, specifically a method for pre-lithiation by immersing the silicon oxide negative electrode in an electrolytic solution for wetting, and by applying pressure while a lithium metal is in direct contact with the wetted silicon oxide negative electrode. The silicon oxide negative electrode for a secondary battery manufactured through pre-lithiation provided in the present disclosure has improved initial irreversibility, and a secondary battery manufactured using such a silicon oxide negative electrode for a secondary battery has excellent charge/discharge efficiency.

As the price of energy sources rises due to depletion of fossil fuels and the interest in environmental pollution increases, the demand for environmentally friendly alternative energy sources has become an indispensable factor for future life. In particular, as the technologies related to mobile devices are developed and the demand for the mobile devices increases, the demand for secondary batteries as an energy source is rapidly increasing.
Typically, in terms of the shape of the battery, there is a high demand for a rectangular secondary battery and a pouch-type secondary battery that can be applied to products such as mobile phones with a small thickness. In terms of material, there is a high demand for a lithium ion secondary battery such as lithium ion polymer battery having high energy density, discharge voltage, and output stability.
Generally, in order to manufacture a secondary battery, an active material is applied to the surface of a current collector to form a positive electrode and a negative electrode, and a separator is interposed therebetween to form an electrode assembly, then the electrode assembly is mounted at the inside of a cylindrical or rectangular metal or aluminum laminate sheet, and a liquid electrolyte is injected or coalesced into the electrode assembly or a solid electrolyte is used to manufacture the secondary battery.
Generally, a carbon material such as graphite is used as a negative electrode of a lithium secondary battery, but the theoretical capacity density of carbon is 372 mAh/g (833 mAh/cm3). Therefore, silicon (Si), tin (Sn), oxides thereof, and alloys thereof, which are alloyed with lithium to improve the energy density of the negative electrode, are examined as negative electrode materials. Among them, silicon-based materials have received attention due to their low cost and high capacity (4200 mAh/g).
However, the silicon has poor mechanical stability due to volume change during intercalation/deintercalation of lithium ions and there is a problem that cycle characteristic is deterred. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a material with excellent stability and capable of ensuring cycle characteristics when the material used as an active material of an electrochemical device by having structural stability
In addition, when the silicon-based negative electrode active material is used, there is a problem that a initial irreversible capacity is large. In charging/discharging reaction of the lithium secondary battery, a lithium released from a positive electrode is intercalated in negative electrode during charging, and the lithium returns to the positive electrode during discharging. In the case of the silicon anode active material, the volume change and the surface side reaction are so severe that a large amount of lithium intercalated into the negative electrode at the time of initial charging can not return to the positive electrode again, resulting in an increase in initial irreversible capacity. When the initial irreversible capacity increases, there occurs a problem that the battery capacity and the cycle are rapidly reduced.
In order to solve the above problems, a method of pre-lithiating of a silicon oxide negative electrode including a silicon-based negative electrode active material is known. As the method of pre-lithiating, a method of producing an electrode by lithiating the negative electrode active material by a physicochemical method and a method of pre-lithiating the negative electrode electrochemically are known.
The conventional physicochemical method has a risk of fire and explosion due to environmental factors to be performed at high temperature, The conventional electrochemical method has a problem that the initial irreversible capacity cannot be uniformly controlled and the production cost increases.

Pre-lithiation method of silicon oxide anode electrodes for secondary battery


A method for image acquisition of an object in transit on a movable supporting surface includes detecting a presence signal of the object in a preset position, and at least one dimension and/or position signals, the signals being generated by at least one sensor arranged upstream of a linear camera; detecting a “trigger event” signal, generated on the basis of the presence signal, the linear camera starting to acquire an image on the basis of the “trigger event” signal; starting to acquire an image of the object, when the object has travelled a preset distance from the preset position, the distance being calculated by an advance sensor suitable for generating a signal comprising an electric pulse at each preset movement of the movable supporting surface; and setting a mode for image acquisition of the linear camera on the basis of a resolution of the advance sensor.

The invention relates to a method for image acquisition actuated by a system for image acquisition provided with optical devices for image acquisition of the digital camera type, in particular fixed optical devices.
In the present description and in the subsequent claims the expression "optical device for image acquisition" is intended for a device capable of acquiring images of an object and particularly optical information associated with an object placed on a supporting plane, e.g. object identifying data, such as, for example, an optical code associated with the object.
The expression "optical information" is intended for any graphical representation constituting a coded or non-coded information. A particular example of optical information consists of linear or bi-dimensional optical codes, wherein the information is coded by means of suitable combinations of elements of predetermined shape, for example squares, rectangles or hexagons of dark colour (normally black) separated by clear elements (spaces, normally white) such as barcodes, stacked codes and bi-dimensional codes in general, colour codes, etc. The expression "optical information" further comprises, more generally, also other graphical shapes, including printed or handwritten characters (letters, numbers, etc.) and particular shapes (so-called "patterns"), such as, for example, stamps, logos, signatures, fingerprints, etc. The expression "optical information" also comprises graphical representations detectable not only in the range of visible light, but also in the entire range of wavelength comprised between infrared and ultraviolet.
It is known from the prior art to use, in systems for image acquisition, linear digital cameras comprising (linear) mono-dimensional arrays of photosensors, in particular of the CCD or C-MOS type, to acquire images of parcels, or objects in general, travelling on a conveyor belt, or on other movement and conveying systems, and to read through said linear digital cameras the optical information printed or affixed thereupon. Hereinafter, said linear digital cameras will be described more concisely as linear cameras. The expression "fixed optical device for image acquisition" is intended for an optical device for image acquisition that is used without human operation (so-called "unattended scanner"). The object detection typically comprises reading an optical and/or character code.
The systems for image acquisition known from the prior art typically comprise at least one linear camera and a lamp or solid state lighting system. In most cases, then, one or more reflecting mirrors are present. These components can be housed in a common container or in separated containers.
The linear camera has the function of collecting the image from which the information for identifying an object has to be extracted. This image can be the image of the object as a whole or of an optical code—as defined above—contained therein. The image acquisition occurs by means of a suitable optical system and a dedicated optoelectronics and electronics, wherein an optical sensor exists consisting of a CCD or a C-MOS of linear type comprising an array of photosensitive elements (also called pixels).
The image is acquired by storing subsequent scans, each of which represents a very thin "line" of the whole image. The movement of the supporting plane, or of the object, at the fixed reading station, enables successive lines of the image to be acquired and, then, the complete image to be acquired. The lighting system enables the acquisition zone to be lighted with the appropriate light levels and lighting angles.
The deflecting mirror, or deflecting mirrors, enables the installation of the device for image acquisition to be optimised from the point of view of the occupied space with respect to the conveying device of the objects and thus enables the field of view of the linear camera (defined below), and possibly also the beam of light emitted by the lighting system, to be oriented to the desired area.
As already said, the linear camera acquires the image of the object row by row and transmits the image to a decoder, which can be separated from the linear camera, or integrated therein, and which reconstructs the image acquired by the linear camera by assembling all the rows and then processes the image in order to extract (decode) the information of the optical codes and/or other optical information, or to send the information and make the information available to a further processing apparatus. The decoding algorithm performs a bi-dimensional analysis of the acquired images whereby a code, or a sequence of characters can be properly read, which has any orientation. For this reason, systems of linear cameras having linear sensors are considered omnidirectional acquiring and reading systems.
The image acquisition is controlled by a microprocessor that, typically, is contained in the linear camera, but can also be external and connected thereto. The microprocessor receives information from external sensors, such as, for example, object height sensors, object presence sensors, distance sensors, speed sensors, and exploits this information to adjust the operating parameters of the linear camera, such as, for example, sensitivity, position of an autofocus system, scanning frequency, etc.
In order to be able to acquire images and read optical information over a wide range of linear camera-object distances, as it is typical for industrial applications (for example for identifying and sorting parcels), it is usual to provide the linear camera with an autofocus system in which the optical receiving system (or part thereof), or the sensor, moves to modify the focus parameters of the linear camera and enable optical information to be read on objects of different shapes and sizes. Usually, the autofocus system of the linear camera "follows" the shape of the objects on the basis of the information about the height provided by the height or distance sensors such as, for example, photocell barriers.
The expression "depth of field" is used herein to indicate the range of linear camera-object distances, in a neighbourhood of the distance of perfect focus that is set each time by the autofocus system, wherein the object is sufficiently focused to enable the optical information to be read.
As indicated above, the linear camera needs some essential information for properly setting its operating parameters, in order to acquire the optical information associated with the moving objects.
In particular, the linear camera has to know the speed of the objects. Usually, if, for example, the conveying device is a conveyor belt or a plate conveyor a speed sensor is associated therewith, that can be, for example, an optical encoder that generates a square wave, the frequency of which is proportional to the belt speed. The encoder is in fact a belt advance sensor, from which the movement speed of the belt and thus also of the objects is obtained by derivation. The speed of the conveyor belt is also used to define the position of the objects on the conveyor belt.
Determining the position of each object on the conveyor belt is necessary to avoid assigning a code of an object to another object, this in order to enable a correct traceability of the objects.
Further, determining the position of each object on the conveyor belt is necessary for focusing each linear camera in the correct point, in particular when a code has to be read that is located on a front face of the objects.
For a correct and efficient operation of the autofocus system, the linear camera also has to know the height of the objects or, if it is a linear camera designed for reading codes on a side face of the objects, it has to know the lateral position of the objects, i.e. the distance of the objects from the edges of the supporting plane. Height and distance sensors are then provided, such as, for example, photocell barriers and laser sensors that measure the time of flight of the emitted laser beam, said sensors being placed upstream the linear camera or cameras.
The linear camera must especially know when acquisition of the sequence of rows, or lines, constituting the image (so-called 'frame') has to be started, and how long acquisition has to last. In systems with a plurality of linear cameras it is furthermore necessary that every object has the same identification for all the linear cameras. For this reason, all the linear cameras of the system share the same source of "frame trigger" for starting the acquisition of the sequence of rows.
This source is typically a presence sensor (for example a photocell) that detects the presence of an object on a horizontal line that is perpendicular to the direction of the conveyor belt and generates the signal of "frame trigger". Alternatively, the height sensor can be provided as the device of "frame trigger". The signal of "frame trigger" is generated when the measured height exceeds a certain preset threshold.
The start and the end of the "frame" acquisition are determined from a start/stop signal generated by the "frame trigger" device. However, acquisition does not start as soon as the "frame trigger" device detects an object, but starts with a delay that is preset for every linear camera of the system, a delay that depends on the distance between the "frame trigger" device and the view line of the linear camera on the belt plane, on the view angle of the linear camera, on the speed of the objects, on the measured height thereof and/or on the measured distance thereof from the edges of the supporting plane and/or on the overall dimensions thereof along the direction of the conveyor belt. All the sensors disclosed above can be physically connected to the linear camera(s) or to a control device that processes the information and "distributes" the information to the linear camera(s).
The control device controls all the sensors and can also control the lighting devices.
The information provided by the sensors is distributed to the linear cameras and every camera, on the basis of this information and the positioning of the linear camera itself, adapts its own acquisition parameters.
In particular, each linear camera, on the basis of the information on the speed of the objects, adjusts its own acquisition frequency (or scanning frequency, i.e. the number of lines acquired per second).
A method for image acquisition that is used in prior art acquisition systems calculates the position of the object on the conveyor belt, determining the average speed of the conveyor belt in a preset range. As the space S through which an object travels in a period T of the encoder is constant, the average speed Vm can be measured by simply dividing the space travelled in a preset number of periods T of the encoder by the total duration of said periods, i.e. Vm=nS/(T1+T2+ . . . Tn). A first calculation of the average speed is made in the range between the "frame trigger" and the start of image acquisition. Subsequently, after the start of image acquisition, the value of the average speed is recalculated for each encoder period, in such a manner as to adapt the image acquisition parameters to possible variations of said average speed. This method for image acquisition also adjusts the scanning frequency of each linear camera on the basis of the average speed of the conveyor belt, calculated as specified above. This method for image acquisition is used, in particular, if the resolution of the encoder available on the conveyor belt is rather poor.
A drawback of this method for image acquisition is that the advance speed of the object on the conveyor belt, i.e. the speed of the conveyor belt, detected on the basis of the period of the encoder, as disclosed above, does not necessarily reflect the actual speed of the conveyor belt at the moment in which image acquisition starts.
In other words, the speed calculated for establishing the scanning frequency of the linear camera in acquiring a line of image does not represent the instantaneous speed of the conveyor belt at the moment in which scanning frequency is adjusted, but an average speed calculated over a period of time preceding the moment of acquisition of said line of image.
Consequently, when adjusting the scanning frequency, it is assumed that the speed of the belt remains constant even for a period of time after the period in which it is detected, i.e. when scanning of the line of image starts.
A deviation of the calculated value of the speed of the conveyor belt, used to establish the scanning frequency with respect to the actual value of the speed at the moment of acquisition of a row of image, determines an incorrect calculation of the acquisition parameters of the linear camera and distorted acquisition of the row of image, which can lead, if it is repeated for a high number of rows of the image to be acquired, to a poor quality image that cannot be decoded correctly.
In particular, the relations between the parameters of the linear camera and the conditions of the line of the conveyor belt are set out below: the acquisition period, and, thus, acquisition frequency, depends on the speed of the objects and can also depend on the height of the objects; and the sensitivity and position of the focus of the linear camera depend on the distance or height of the objects (high objects are normally more lighted).
This means, as already said, that, if the parameters of the linear camera are not correctly adapted to the instantaneous speed of the conveyor belt, there is the risk of acquiring distorted images of the codes or of not acquiring the images at all.
Further, a deviation of the speed of the conveyor belt with respect to the actual speed causes an incorrect calculation of the position of the object on the conveyor belt, entailing the risk of assigning a code of an object to another object, when the data relating to the images are transmitted to a host and, for traceability, it is ascertained which code/s is/are applied to a determined object.
This drawback is particularly accentuated in the event of sudden accelerations/decelerations that occur over the lapse of time in which it is assumed that the speed of the belt remains the speed calculated in the last period of the interval of time of acquisition of the belt speed.
The aforesaid method for image acquisition is thus rather approximate and only suitable for conveyor belts that always move at a substantially constant speed, further, in this method there is not provided the possibility of a temporary stop of the conveyor belt. In this latter case, in fact, in the neighbourhood of the stopping point the detected images would certainly be distorted, because of the fact that the speed of the belt tends to vary very rapidly, both during the deceleration step before the stop and during the restart step after the stop and it is thus not possible to calculate correctly the scanning frequency of the linear camera in the aforesaid steps.
An object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks of known methods for image acquisition.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method for image acquisition that, once it has been implemented, enables correct images to be acquired in any operating condition of a supporting plane on which an object transits that has "optical information" to be acquired.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method for image acquisition that, once it has been implemented, enables the parameters of a linear camera to be set, said linear camera having to acquire images of the object in the manner that conforms as closely as possible to the actual advance conditions of the supporting plane.
According to the invention a method for image acquisition is provided as defined in claim 1.
Owing to the invention, it is possible to obtain a method of image acquisition that enables the parameters of the linear camera to be set in function of the actual conditions of the supporting plane and also regardless of the speed thereof.
Further, the method according to the invention enables it to be avoided that the photosensors of the linear camera become saturated, thereby preventing correct acquisition of the codes to be detected.


A solenoid driving apparatus includes at least two solenoids of which driving periods do not overlap, a driving unit for driving each solenoid, and a signal generating unit for giving the driving unit a control signal information of each solenoid. The driving unit includes circuit sections jointly used with regard to the driving of each solenoid, and drives each solenoid based on the control signal information corresponding to each solenoid. The signal generating unit generates the control signal information of each solenoid which is given to the driving unit based on the drive pulse signal corresponding to each solenoid. Also, while a control signal information is given to the driving unit based on the drive pulse signal corresponding to one solenoid, the signal generating unit does not accept the input of any drive pulse signal even when a drive pulse corresponding to the other solenoid is generated by a noise. Thereby, malfunctions and adverse effects on the driving apparatus due to the simultaneous use of common circuit sections of the driving unit for driving more than one solenoid can be prevented.

The present invention relates to a solenoid driving apparatus.
A fuel injection valve driven by a solenoid is known. A fuel injection valve of this type has a stator containing a solenoid, and an armature connected to a needle, for example. The armature is designed to be attracted by the stator and energized by a spring to separate from the stator. When the solenoid is not excited, the armature is energized by the spring, and the fuel injection valve is closed. When the solenoid is excited, the armature is attracted by the stator against the spring, and the fuel injection valve is opened. In a fuel injection control of an internal combustion engine, this fuel injection valve is provided for each cylinder of the internal combustion engine, and a driving apparatus drives solenoids of each fuel injection valve based on drive pulse signals corresponding to each fuel injection valve. In a driving apparatus of this type, it is possible to share a circuit with regard to driving solenoids of fuel injection valves of which injection periods do not overlap. By this, it is possible to decrease the number of circuit parts and cost.
However, when circuits are shared, there is a fear that a noise mixed in a drive pulse signal may adversely affect the driving apparatus. That is, when a noise is mixed in a drive pulse signal, while a solenoid of one fuel injection valve is driven, a solenoid of the other fuel injection valve may be driven by the noise mixed in the drive pulse signal. In this condition, since both fuel injection valves use common circuits at the same time, it causes a hindrance to the driving apparatus and its operation. For this reason, prevention of malfunctioning due to the noise mixed in the drive pulse signal is desired.
Also, in a driving apparatus like this, from a viewpoint that the closing time of the fuel injection valve is shortened, it is desired that a residual magnetic flux due to eddy currents of the stator and the armature is degaussed by inversely exciting the solenoid for a prescribed time by impressing a voltage with an inverse polarity compared with a polarity during driving, following the end of a holding period, and thereby the resetting of the armature by the spring is promoted.
However, if the solenoid is inversely excited, there is a fear that a noise mixed in a drive pulse signal may cause a hindrance to the driving apparatus. That is, while the solenoid is inversely excited, a starting period signal which permits an impression of a high voltage to the solenoid may be generated by the noise mixed in the drive pulse signal. Since the high voltage and the inverse voltage are simultaneously impressed to a drive circuit of the solenoid under this condition, it causes a hindrance to the driving apparatus and its operation. For this reason, such an inconvenience should be avoided.


A die through hole has an inside surface including a bell portion, an approach portion, and a bearing portion from the entrance side. The diameter of the approach portion is D1 on its entrance side and D2 on its exit side and gradually decreases from the entrance side to the exit side. The diameter satisfies Equation (1): 0.7≦D2/D1<0.97. The die half angle of an inside surface where the diameter D3 is D2/0.97 is not less than the die half angle R2 of an inside surface nearer to the approach portion exit side than the inside surface where the diameter is D3. The axial distance LR from the inside surface where the diameter is D3 to the inside surface where the diameter is D2 satisfies Equation (2): 20≦LR/((D3−D2)/2)≦115. The through hole diameter at the bearing portion is fixed at D2, and the length is LB and satisfies Equation (3): 0.3≦LB/D2≦10.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a die, a method of manufacturing a stepped metal pipe or tube, and a stepped metal pipe or tube. The invention more specifically relates to a die for use in an extrusion process for reducing the diameter of a metal pipe or tube, a method of manufacturing a stepped metal pipe or tube using the die, and a stepped metal pipe or tube.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among automobile parts such as a shaft, some parts have a stepped shape of varying diameter in the axial direction (hereinafter referred to as "stepped parts") as shown in FIG. 1. Such a stepped part is manufactured by subjecting a solid material to an extrusion process and reducing its diameter. Referring to FIGS. 2A to 2D, a columnar solid material is cut into billets 1 having a prescribed length (FIG. 2A). Then, a billet 1 is placed in the vertical direction on a die 2 for extrusion, and a press 3 is placed on the upper end of the billet 1 (FIG. 2B). The billet 1 is then pushed into a through hole 21 of the die 2 and the lower end of the billet 1 is forced out from the lower surface of the die 2 (FIG. 2C). The lower end of the billet 1 is extruded to protrude a prescribed distance from the lower surface of the die 2, and then the billet 1 is pushed out from the die 2 using a push-out jig 4 (FIG. 2D). By these processes, the billet 1 is formed into a stepped part.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the through hole 21 of the die 2 has an inside surface including a bell portion 211, an approach portion 212, a bearing portion 213, and a relief portion 214 formed in a continuous manner. The bell portion 211 serves to guide the billet 1 toward the approach portion 212. Compressing force in the radial direction is exerted for the first time on the billet 1 by the approach portion 212, and the diameter of the billet is reduced. The die half angle R1 of the approach portion 212 is usually fixed.
In recent years, in order to manufacture more lightweight automobiles, stepped metal pipes or tubes produced by extruding hollow metal pipes or tubes are coming to be used as stepped parts.
However, when a stepped metal pipe or tube is produced by a conventional extrusion process using the die 2, the cylindrical portion with a reduced diameter is bent as shown in FIG. 3. A stepped metal pipe or tube attached to an automobile usually rotates in the axial direction. A bent stepped metal pipe or tube is not preferable because it vibrations during rotation.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-11518 discloses a die for use in a drawing process. Unlike the extrusion process carried out without fixing the tip end of the material, the tip end of the material is chucked while it is pulled out in the drawing process, and therefore it is not easy for bending to occur. Therefore, the die for drawing and the die for extrusion have different shapes.

Die, method of manufacturing stepped metal pipe or tube, and stepped metal pipe or tube


A method and system for servo stripe width detection and compensation including moving a magnetic tape in a first direction across a magnetic tape head, the magnetic tape having a servo band including a first servo pattern and a second servo pattern, the magnetic tape head having a servo element; detecting a leading edge and a trailing edge of the first servo pattern with the servo element; detecting a leading edge and a trailing edge of the second servo pattern with the servo element; determining a first time from the leading edge of the first servo pattern to the leading edge of the second servo pattern; determining a second time from the trailing edge of the first servo pattern to the trailing edge of the second servo pattern; and determining a correction value from a difference between the first time and the second time.

As the magnetic storage of information becomes more sophisticated, greater amounts of data are packed into smaller volumes of space. In storing large amounts of data on a magnetic tape, multiple tracks of data are stored paralleling the length of the tape. The number of tracks that can be stored on a particular width of tape depends on the sensitivity of the technology used. Currently it is possible to have several hundred tracks on a ½ inch wide magnetic tape. The accuracy of how well the read/write head can be properly positioned depends on several factors.
A major hurdle in recording and reading data from the hundreds of tracks on the magnetic tape is the lateral movement of the tape media as it traverses the read/write head. This is overcome by manufacturing the tape with recorded tracks of servo information at various lateral locations across the tape. These servo tracks provide information that allows the servo mechanisms in a tape transport to correctly position the magnetic tape head with respect to the data tracks.
One method of coding information in the patterns written in the servo tracks is timing based servo (TBS) coding which is insensitive to reading speed and provides a method of generating a tracking error signal to accurately position a read/write head on tape media. The TBS method provides that each servo track is written with a repeating cyclic sequence of patterned lines whose separation from each other varies in a consistent manner across the width of the servo track at the time of the magnetic tape manufacture. The periodic gaps are written at the time the cartridge is manufactured using a formatter head which writes a series of servo bands down the length of tape.
Servo bands written on the tape are monitored and followed to ensure that the drive's read/write heads are correctly placed on the tape. Repeatable vertical data track placement is essential to avoid errors that may occur when reading and writing data. A misplaced read/write head could read data from an adjacent track during a read operation or when writing data it is possible to overwrite existing data on an adjacent track. Correct data track placement assumes that the servo edges are a predetermined distance apart. The magnetic tapes are servo formatted to achieve such predetermined spacing. The servo readers on the magnetic tape head are also a predetermined distance apart. Variations in the servo bands may result in a data track placement error.
Tape drives often use the TBS format which determines the timing from edge to edge between two servo patterns, specifically an A and a B pattern. It is this edge to edge timing in conjunction with drive microcode that determines the position of the magnetic tape head on the tape. The A and B patterns are made up of individual stripes that include leading and trailing edges and are written by two separate servo format gaps. It is desirable to write the stripes of the same width, but due to head, coil, and electronic tolerances, the widths of these stripes can differ. This difference can introduce errors which will induce a positional offset of the magnetic tape head relative to the tape which can begin to encroach on adjacent tracks. If the stripe widths are significantly different, the read/write head can be positioned such that it can overwrite a portion of the adjacent track which can lead to data detection errors, data loss or the like.
The gain of the servo algorithms is such that even small difference in the stripe widths can cause a meaningful amount of track misregistration (TMR) in the tape tracks. As the track densities become higher, the track misregistration budgets become tighter and the TMR component becomes a larger percentage of the TMR budget.
It would be desirable to have a method and system for servo stripe width detection and compensation that would overcome the above disadvantages.

Method and system for servo stripe width detection and compensation

International Business Machines Corporation


In an image scanner, multiple exposures are used for each scan line, and only part of the pixels for each scan line are used for each exposure. For example, with two exposures, half the pixels may be used for the first exposure, and half for the second exposure. For each exposure, half of the charges are shifted out rapidly and discarded, without waiting for the A/D conversion time. As a result, for each exposure, the time required to empty the charge shift register is greatly reduced, reducing the thermal noise for all pixels.

Image scanners convert a visible image on a document or photograph, or an image in a transparent medium, into an electronic form suitable for copying, storing or processing by a computer. An image scanner may be a separate device or an image scanner may be a part of a copier, part of a facsimile machine, or part of a multipurpose device. Reflective image scanners typically have a controlled source of light, and light is reflected off the surface of a document, through an optics system, and onto an array of photosensitive devices. The photosensitive devices convert received light intensity into an electronic signal. Transparency image scanners pass light through a transparent image, for example a photographic positive slide, through an optics system, and then onto an array of photosensitive devices.
Photosensor arrays typically have thousands of individual photosensitive elements. Each photosensitive element, in conjunction with the scanner optics system, measures light intensity from an effective area on the document defining a picture element (pixel) on the image being scanned. Optical sampling rate is often expressed as pixels per inch (or mm) as measured on the document (or object, or transparency) being scanned.
Photosensor arrays for image scanners commonly have three or four rows of sensors, with each row receiving a different band of wavelengths of light, for example, red, green and blue. Each row may be filtered, or white light may be separated into different bands of wavelengths by a beam splitter.
Sensor arrays are typically exposed for a fixed amount of time, and electric charges for each sensor element are transferred to one or more charge shift registers. The charges are then serially shifted bucket-brigade style in the charge shift registers to amplifiers and analog-to-digital (A/D) converters.
Bit depth is the number of bits captured per pixel. Typically, a pixel is specified in a three-dimensional color space with a fixed number of bits in each dimension. For example, a pixel may be specified in red, green, blue (RGB) color space, with 8 bits of red information, 8 bits of green information, and 8 bits of blue information, for a total of 24 bits per pixel. Alternatively, a pixel may be specified in a cylindrical color space in which the dimensions are luminance, chrominance, and saturation. Alternatively, a three-dimensional CIE color space may be used, for example, CIELAB or CIELUV, where one dimension is luminance.
During exposure to light, the primary noise source (called shot noise) is related to conversion of photons to electrons, and the noise increases with the square root of the signal. Even if a sensor is receiving no light, some thermal noise (called dark noise) may occur. Thermal noise (dark noise) increases with time, temperature, and photosensor area.
The sensitivity of the human visual system to light intensity is approximately logarithmic. That is, the human visual system is very sensitive to intensity changes in dark areas and shadow areas and the sensitivity to intensity change decreases with increasing intensity. Therefore, for a fixed level of noise, the noise is visually more apparent in the dark areas of an image. Photosensor signals are smaller for dark areas of an image, so that the signal-to-noise ratio becomes a particular concern for the dark areas of an image. Areas of an image with slowly varying color, particularly dark colors, require accurate lower order bits of bit depth, and high signal-to-noise, to accurately reproduce the smooth tone and texture of the original. Accordingly, because of the sensitivity of the human visual system in dark areas, and because of the signal-to-noise ratio in dark areas, and because of the need for accurate lower order bits in areas with slowly varying color, there is a need to reduce thermal noise.
Typically, for each generation of products, optical sampling rate increases, requiring smaller sensor sizes. Increased sampling rate also results in the sensors gathering less light, so that if a specified signal-to-noise ratio is required, then other changes may need to be made, such as increasing the light intensity, making the lens in the optical system larger, or increasing exposure times, each of which affects cost or performance. There is a need for a scanner that provides accurate lower order bits in bit depth, and high signal-to-noise, with a high optical sampling rate, with minimal impact on cost and performance.

Photosensor array using multiple exposures to reduce thermal noise

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, LP.


A data transmission system in accordance with the present invention is configured so that a control device 29 of an NC machine tool 20 may be connected to a data management device via a network 2. The control device 29 comprises a data storage section 32 which stores data, a setting data storage section 41 which stores setting data for determining whether or not to approve a transmission and/or reception for every data stored in the data storage section 32, and a data transmission/reception section 42 which is configured so that a transmission and/or reception process may be performed only on data which has been approved for transmission and/or reception by referring to the setting data stored in the setting data storage section 41.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control device of a data transmission system configured so as to connect said control device to a management device via network, wherein said control device numerically controls operation of a machining motion mechanism of an NC machine tool and is arranged to make it capable of data communication, and to the transmission system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An NC machine tool comprises a machining motion mechanism, such as a main spindle unit and a feed mechanism or the like which are a motion mechanism for machining a work piece, and a control device which controls operation of this machining motion mechanism, and this control is performed based on various kinds of data for use in control, such as those for machining program, amounts of pitch error compensation, and amounts of tool offset.
Said data for use in control is stored in a suitable storage section of the control device, and can be updated and outputted via an input/output device arranged in the operating panel or the like as needed.
In addition, said data for use in control is roughly classified into two categories: one needs to be updated in order for an operator of the NC machine tool to perform suitable machining operation as the need arises as represented by the amounts of tool offset; and the other is related to fundamental performance of the NC machine tool, such as a time constant used for control of a main spindle motor and a feed motor. Then, with regard to the former, in general, the operator can update it freely, and with regard to the latter, it is set so that the operator cannot update it but only a maintainer well versed in the NC machine tool can perform the necessary update.
By the way, in recent years, by connecting each control device of a plurality of NC machine tools to a data management device via network such as LAN, a central management of the data stored in each control device through the data management device has been performed as a way for transferring the data stored in each control device to the data management device for storing the same therein, and on the contrary, for suitably sending the data from the data management device to each control device for use in updating the data stored in each control device.
Then, formerly, a data update by said data management device has become available for all data stored in each control device, for this reason, on data, such as said amounts of tool offset, which need to be updated in order for the operator to perform suitable machining as the need arises, the update has also been made available by said data management device.
However, in a situation where the update can be freely performed by the data management device side on said amounts of tool offset or the like, since it may happen that data, such as the amounts of tool offset, is accidentally updated by the data management device when the operator does not become aware, there has been a fear that machining accuracy would decrease, or a serious accident caused by interference between a tool and a work piece might happen.
The present invention is made in view of the above actual situation, the object thereof is to provide the control device which is arranged to become capable of data communication and can increase the security of the data stored therein, and the transmission system provided therewith.

Control device capable of data communication and transmission system provided therewith


An optical pickup apparatus in which a difference between a crosstalk amount to a desired track to be read on an optical disc by a signal recorded on a track locating on an inner circumference of the desired track and a crosstalk amount to a desired track by the signal recorded on the track locating on an outer circumference of the desired track is generated as a tilt error signal value indicative of the occurrence of an aberration, and the aberration is optically corrected on the basis of the tilt error signal value. Thus, the crosstalk can be sufficiently reduced even for the optical disc with a high recording density.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical pickup apparatus for writing or reading an information signal such as a video signal, an audio signal and a computer data signal to/from an optical recording medium such as an optical disc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Studies of a high density recording of an information signal including not only an audio signal but also a video signal or computer data on an optical disc are advancing. For example, in case of recording an information signal including a video signal of a movie of about two hours to an optical disc having a size of a well-known compact disc on which only an audio signal has been recorded, recording density of the optical disc has to be set to an extremely high density. In order to accomplish high density recording, a method of narrowing an interval between tracks on each of which the information signal is recorded is considered. When the interval between tracks, that is, a track pitch is decreased, there is a problem such that a crosstalk amount which is mixed in the information signal increases, thereby deteriorating a quality of a reproduced information signal. Especially, when the optical disc is inclined to an optical axis, that is, when there is a tilt in the optical disc, the crosstalk amount from one of neighboring tracks increases and a situation such that the signal cannot be preferably reproduced occurs.
The crosstalk occurring due to the existence of the tilt of the optical disc is principally caused by a coma aberration shown by the following equation (1). ##EQU1## where, t : disc thickness NA: numerical aperture of an objective lens
.theta.: tilt angle of the disc PA1 n: refractive index of the disc PA1 .lambda.: reproduction wavelength
It will be understood from the equation (1) is that an occurrence amount of the coma aberration is proportional to the cube of the numerical aperture NA of the objective lens and is inversely proportional to the reproduction wavelength .lambda. even in the case of the same disc tilt angle .theta.. In an optical disc such as a DVD (digital video disc) on which a digital information signal has been recorded, since it is necessary to increase the numerical aperture NA to, for example, 0.6 in order to realize the high density recording, a method of setting the reproduction wavelength .lambda. to a short wavelength. However, when the reproduction wavelength .lambda. is set to be shorter than a present value, it is beyond the limit of the disc manufacturing technique. Consequently, there is no way except a decrease in numerical aperture NA of the objective lens and this obstructs the realization of a high recording density of the optical disc. It is, therefore, difficult to reduce the coma aberration due to the set values of the numerical aperture NA and reproduction wavelength .lambda. for the purpose of the realization of the high recording density of the optical disc.
In a conventional pickup apparatus, a tilt sensor for detecting an inclination of the disc is provided in order to reduce the crosstalk, and a tilt servo control for controlling the inclination of the optical axis to the optical disc in accordance with a tilt detection amount detected by the tilt sensor is executed.
FIG. 1 shows a tilt sensor which is used for a conventional pickup apparatus. In the tilt sensor, a light emitting diode 11 generates a beam for detecting a tilt of a disc to a disc 12. Photodetectors 13 and 14 are arranged at both side positions of the light emitting diode 11 in the radial direction of the disc and receive a light reflected from the disc 12, respectively. Photosensitive level signals of the photodetectors 13 and 14 are supplied to a differential amplifier 15 and a difference between the level signals is obtained. For example, when the disc 12 is tilted so that the right side thereof goes down in the diagram, the output level of the photodetector 13 increases and the output level of the photodetector 14 decreases, so that the tilt of the disc can be detected from the level difference. An output signal of the differential amplifier 15 is supplied to a driving mechanism for adjusting a tilt of a whole pickup and the tilt of the whole pickup is automatically adjusted so as to correct the tilt detected by a disc tilt detector.
The tilt sensor, however, requires a space of a certain size, so that it cannot be arranged at a converging position of a reproducing beam. The tilt sensor, consequently, detects the tilt at a position different from a reproducing (recording) position. According to such an indirect method, it cannot be said that accurate correction is executed. A change in output due to aging changes of the tilt sensor, pickup, and the like also disturbs the accurate correction.
This results in a problem especially in playing an optical disc of a high density recording which requires the correction of the crosstalk as a prerequisite.

Optical pickup apparatus having crosstalk balance and tilt correction


Crystalline form of Pregabalin characterized by X-ray powder diffraction peaks at about 5.8, 18.4, 19.2, 20.7, and 23.7° 2θ±0.2° 2θ, methods for its preparation, its pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods for the preparation of crystalline form of Pregabalin characterized by X-ray powder diffraction peaks at about 5.7, 15.4, 17.2, 18.2, and 23.0° 2θ±0.2° 2θ, are provided.

(S)-Pregabalin, (S)-(+)-3-(aminomethyl)-5-methylhexanoic acid, a compound having the chemical structure,
is also known as γ-amino butyric acid or (S)-3-isobutyl GABA. (S)-Pregabalin, marketed under the name LYRICA®, has been found to activate GAD (L-glutamic acid decarboxylase). (S)-Pregabalin has a dose dependent protective effect on-seizure, and is a CNS-active compound. (S)-Pregabalin is useful in anticonvulsant therapy, due to its activation of GAD, promoting the production of GABA, one of the brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitters, which is released at 30 percent of the brains synapses. (S)-Pregabalin has analgesic, anticonvulsant, and anxiolytic activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,637,767 discloses crystalline racemic pregabalin which is a monohydrate.
The present invention relates to the solid state physical properties of Pregabalin. These properties can be influenced by controlling the conditions under which Pregabalin is obtained in solid form. Solid state physical properties include, for example, the flowability of the milled solid. Flowability affects the ease with which the material is handled during processing into a pharmaceutical product. When particles of the powdered compound do not flow past each other easily, a formulation specialist must take that fact into account in developing a tablet or capsule formulation, which may necessitate the use of glidants such as colloidal silicon dioxide, talc, starch, or tribasic calcium phosphate.
Another important solid state property of a pharmaceutical compound is its rate of dissolution in aqueous fluid. The rate of dissolution of an active ingredient in a patient's stomach fluid can have therapeutic consequences since it imposes an upper limit on the rate at which an orally-administered active ingredient can reach the patient's bloodstream. The rate of dissolution is also a consideration in formulating syrups, elixirs and other liquid medicaments. The solid state form of a compound may also affect its behavior on compaction and its storage stability.
These practical physical characteristics are influenced by the conformation and orientation of molecules in the unit cell, which defines a particular polymorphic form of a substance. The polymorphic form may give rise to thermal behavior different from that of the amorphous material or another polymorphic form. Thermal behavior is measured in the laboratory by such techniques as capillary melting point, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and can be used to distinguish some polymorphic forms from others. A particular polymorphic form may also give rise to distinct spectroscopic properties that may be detectable by powder X-ray crystallography, solid state 13C NMR spectrometry, and infrared spectrometry.
The present invention also relates to solvate of Pregabalin. When a substance crystallizes out of solution, it may trap molecules of solvent at regular intervals in the crystal lattice. Solvation also affects utilitarian physical properties of the solid state like flowability and dissolution rate.
One of the most important physical properties of a pharmaceutical compound, which can form polymorphs or solvates, is its solubility in aqueous solution, particularly the solubility in gastric juices of a patient. Other important properties relate to the ease of processing the form into pharmaceutical dosages, as the tendency of a powdered or granulated form to flow and the surface properties that determine whether crystals of the form will adhere to each other when compacted into a tablet.
The discovery of new polymorphic forms and solvates of a pharmaceutically useful compound provides a new opportunity to improve the performance characteristics of a pharmaceutical product. It enlarges the repertoire of materials that a formulation scientist has available for designing, for example, a pharmaceutical dosage form of a drug with a targeted release profile or other desired characteristic.


The present invention discloses that the binding of Arf with Dm2, important components of the p53 tumor suppressor pathway, results in specific domains of both proteins undergoing a dramatic transition from dynamically disordered conformations to amyloid-like structures comprised of anti-parallel β-strands. The invention exploits this discovery by providing unique methods for identifying and/or designing compounds that mimic, inhibit and/or enhance the effect of Arf on Dm2. The present invention also provides specific peptides derived from the binding domains of Arf and Dm2 which co-assemble into supramolecular structures comprised of binary anti-parallel β-strands. The disclosed peptides may represent structural prototypes for a broader class of peptides that is capable of assembly into supramolecular structures.

Disruption of cell cycle control mechanisms contributes significantly to the development of cancer in humans [Sherr, Cancer Res., 60:3689-95 (2000)]. Consistently, the two most frequently inactivated tumor suppressor genes in human cancer irrespective of tumor type, site, and patient age, are the p53 gene and the INK4a-Arf gene locus, both of which encode proteins involved in the regulation of cellular replication [Hall and Peters, Adv. Cancer Res., 68:67-108 (1996); Hainaut et al., Nucleic Acid Res., 25:151-157 (1997)]. The p53 gene encodes the transcription factor p53. Activation of the p53 gene in response to oncogenic stress signals results in cell cycle arrest or apoptosis, thereby enabling cells to repair genotoxic damage or alternatively, to be eliminated from the organism [reviewed in Ko et al., Genes & Devel. 10:1054-1072 (1996); Levine, Cell 88:323-331 (1997)]. Loss of p53 function cancels these surveillance functions thereby allowing defective cells to replicate and predisposing the cell to cancer development.
The INK4a/Arf gene locus has been shown to encode two unrelated proteins from alternative but partially overlapping reading frames: (i) p16INK4a and (ii) Arf (p14Arf in humans and p19ARF in the mouse) [Quelle et al., Cell, 83:993-1000 (1995)]. These proteins independently target two cell cycle control pathways. The N-terminal 62 amino acid residues of the 132 amino acid p14ARF protein and the N-terminal 63 amino acid residues of the 169 amino acid p19ARF protein are encoded by a unique first exon (1β), whereas the remaining amino acid residues are encoded by exon 2. An alternative reading frame of exon 2 also encodes the bulk of p16INK4a.
p16INK4a is an antagonist of cell replication. More specifically, p16INK4a inhibits the cyclin D-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6 [Serrano et al., Nature, 366:704-707 (1993)]. CDK4 and CDK6 play an important role in the cell replication cycle through their phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein (Rb). Hyperphosphorylation of Rb stimulates the cell to exit from the G1 phase and begin DNA synthesis, a required step prior to cell division. Thus, the inhibition of CDK4 and CDK6 by p16INK4a prevents hyperphosphorylated Rb-dependent DNA synthesis, thereby maintaining the cell in its non-replicating mode.
Disruption in mice of either the entire INK4a/Arf locus [Serrano et al., Cell, 85: 27-37 (1996)] or exon 1β [Kamijo et al., Cell, 91:649-59 (1997)] leads to multi-type tumor growth and early death, identifying Arf as a bona fide tumor suppressor. Interestingly, it has been suggested that disruption of INK4a does not contribute to spontaneous tumor formation in mice and that Arf disruption accounts for the high rate of spontaneous tumor formation in INK4a/Arf-null mice [Sherr, Cancer Res., 60: 3689-95 (2000)]. Since the INK4a/Arf locus is frequently disrupted in human cancers [Raus and Peters, Biochim. Biophys. Acta Rev. Cancer, 1378:F115-F177 (1998)], the loss of Arf function appears to be a major contributor to human cancers.
Indeed, Arf, in concert with other cell cycle regulators and tumor suppressors such as p53 and Rb, plays a central role in cellular responses to oncogenic stress, such as inappropriate mitogenic signaling. For example, Arf expression is activated by overexpression of proteins involved in mitogenic signaling, such as Myc [Zindy et al., Genes & Dev., 12:2424-2434 (1998)], E1A [de Stancbina et al., Genes Dev., 12:2434-42 (1998)], E2F [Bates et al., Nature, 395:124-5 (1998)], Ras [Palmero et al., Nature, 395:125-6 (1998)], and v-Ab1 [Radfar et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 95:13194-13199 (1998)]. Activation of Arf leads to stabilization of p53 [Pomerantz et al., Cell, 92:713-23 (1998); Kamijo et al., Proc. Natl. Acad Sci., 95:8292-8297 (1998); Stott et al., Embo J, 17: 5001-14 (1998); and Zhang et al., Cell, 92:725-734 (1998)] followed by cell cycle arrest. Arf therefore connects the Rb and p53 pathways [Sherr, Cancer Res., 60: 3689-95 (2000)] so that excessive proliferative signaling via the Rb pathway activates arrest mechanisms controlled by p53.
Arf stabilizes p53 by interfering with an auto-regulatory loop involving p53 and Double Minute 2 (Hdm2 in humans, Mdm2 in mice) [Wu et al., Genes Dev., 7:1126-1132 (1993)] that maintains p53 at low levels under normal cellular conditions (i.e. in the absence of oncogenic stress, DNA damage, etc.). The positive component of this auto-regulatory loop involves activation of Mdm2 transcription by p53 [Barak et al., EMBO J, 12:461-468 (1993)]. The negative component has several facets. First, Mdm2 binds p53 [Kussie et al., Science, 274:948-953 (1996)] and inhibits the transactivation function of p53 [Oliner et al., Nature, 362:857-860 (1993); Momand et al., Cell, 69:1237-1245 (1992)]. Second, Mdm2 shuttles p53 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and facilitates p53 degradation [Roth et al., Embo J, 17:554-64 (1998)]; Freedman et al., Mol Cell Biol, 18:7288-93 (1998)]. Third, Mdm2 acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase toward p53 within the ubiquitin-dependent 26S proteosome pathway [Honda et al., FEBS Lett, 420:25-7 (1997)]. Therefore, Mdm2 inhibits p53 activity in the nucleus through multiple and diverse mechanisms. Balance between the positive and negative components of this auto-regulatory system is essential for cell survival. When p53 is inactivated, mice develop tumors at an unusually high rate [Donehower et al., Nature, 356:215-221 (1992)], indicating that p53-dependent tumor suppression is compromised. Additionally, when Mdm2 is inactivated, mice are not viable [Jones et al., Nature, 378:206-8 (1995); Montes de Oca Luna et al., Nature, 378:203-206 (1995)], suggesting that unregulated p53 expression is lethal. Mdm2−/− mice are rescued, however, by the additional inactivation of p53 [Jones et al., Nature, 378:206-8 (1995); Montes de Oca Luna et al., Nature, 378:203-206 (1995)]. Thus, proper regulation of p53 activity relies on appropriate balance between the positive and negative components of the p53-Mdm2 auto-regulatory system.
The first direct biochemical connection between p19ARF and p53 was established when it was found that p19ARF could bind to Mdm2, [Pomerantz et al., Cell, 92:713-723 (1998); Zhang et al., Cell, 92:725-734 (1998)]. Arf was subsequently found to inhibit the negative components of the p53-Mdm2 auto-regulatory loop by interfering with several of Mdm2's activities toward p53. First, by binding Mdm2, Arf inhibits Mdm2-dependent nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling of p53 which leads to stabilization and activation of p53 [Tao et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 96:6937-41 (1999)]. Second, Arf inhibits the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of Mdm2 toward p53 in vitro [Honda et al., Embo J, 18:22-7 (1999); Midgley et al., Oncogene, 19:2312-23 (2000)] and is thought to be an important aspect of Arf-dependent activation of p53 in vivo [Midgley et al., Oncogene, 19:2312-23 (2000); Llanos et al., Nat. Cell Biol., 3:445-452 (2001)]. Finally, Arf binds and sequesters Mdm2 in the nucleolus, physically separating Mdm2 and p53 in different sub-cellular compartments [Weber et al., Nat. Cell Biol., 1:20-26 (1999); Lohrum et al., Nat. Cell Biol., 2:179-81 (2000); Weber et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 20:2517-2528 (2000)]. The relative importance of these three mechanisms to Arf-dependent stabilization and activation of p53 is a matter of debate. For example, a recent report shows that Mdm2 binding but not nucleolar localization is the functional property of Arf that is required for p53 activation [Llanos et al., Nat. Cell Biol., 3:445-452 (2001)]. This report, however, does not rule out earlier reports that nucleolar co-localization of Arf and Mdm2 contribute to p53 stabilization through sequestration [Weber et al., Nat. Cell Biol., 1:20-26 (1999)]. It is likely that Arf acts via several mechanisms to stabilize p53 and these have evolved in concert with the multiplicity of Mdm2's effects on p53. Importantly, direct interaction between Arf and Hdm2 is required for the multiple mechanisms of p53 stabilization.
Therefore, there is a need to further characterize the Arf-Hdm2 complex. In addition, there is a need to determine the specific domains of Arf and Hdm2 that are involved in this complex. Furthermore, there is a need to identify compounds that can mimic the effect of Arf on Hdm2, since the absence of functional Arf is commonplace in tumor cells. Alternatively, there is a need to identify compounds that inhibit the binding of Arf to Hdm2 to prevent undesired activation of p53-dependent pathways by, for example, DNA damaging agents, in normal cells.
The citation of any reference herein should not be deemed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art to the instant invention.

Arf and Hdm2 interaction domains and the methods of use thereof

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Inc.


An architecture for switching on and off power, which applies to a power supply has a power factor regulation unit, a primary power system, and a regular power system. The regular power system provides the primary power system with a regular power to start the primary power system. The regular power system includes: a voltage detection unit generating a driving signal signifying and a regular power output unit receiving the driving signal and outputting the regular power. The voltage detection unit connects with a logic signal switch. The logic signal switch controls the voltage detection unit to determine whether the driving signal is normally output to the regular power output unit or coercively interrupted. Thereby, the power supply can be coercively switched off. As the driving signal has a smaller current, the liability of electric shock is decreased, and the volume and cost of the logic signal switch is reduced.

With the development of various electronic devices, there are also many power supplies developed to provide reliable power for electronic devices. Refer to FIG. 1 for a conventional power supply. The power supply has a switch unit 5, a rectifier unit 1, and a power factor regulation unit 2. The rear side of the power factor regulation unit 2 is coupled to a primary power system and a regular power system. When the switch unit 5 is turned on, an input power will enter the power supply and pass through the rectifier unit 1 and the power factor regulation unit 2. The power factor regulation unit 2 modulates the current phase of the input power and provides the power for the primary power system and the regular power system. The primary power system includes: a primary pulse modulation unit 31, a transformer unit 32 and a rectification/output unit 33. The turn-on/turn-off of the primary pulse modulation unit 31 is controlled by the regular power system. The regular power system includes: a voltage-detection unit 41, a regular power output unit 42, a power administration unit 43 and a far-end start switch 6. When a user triggers the far-end start switch 6, the power administration unit 43 generates a far-end start signal (Vcc) to drive the primary pulse modulation unit 31 to make the primary power system output power. In the conventional technology, the switch unit 5 must be turned on before the power supply obtains the input power. The switch unit 5 may be a single throw switch or a double throw switch. With the persistently rising output of a power supply, the switch unit 5 has to withstand higher and higher current. Thus, the switch unit will have a larger volume and a higher cost. Further, with the rising current, the switch unit 5 may generate sparks during switching. Under an environment of high humidity, or with a wet hand, a user touching the switch unit 5 may get an electric shock. Therefore, the switch unit 5 should be improved to solve the abovementioned problems.

Architecture for switching on and off power


The present disclosure discloses an optical imaging lens assembly including, sequentially from an object side to an image side along an optical axis, a first lens having a positive refractive power; a second lens having a refractive power; a third lens having a refractive power; a fourth lens having a refractive power, a fifth lens having a refractive power, of which an image-side surface is a concave surface; a sixth lens having a refractive power; and a seventh lens having a negative refractive power. An effective focal length f of the optical imaging lens assembly and half of a maximal field-of-view angle HFOV of the optical imaging lens assembly satisfy: 5.5 mm<tan(HFOV)*f<6.5 mm. The optical imaging lens assembly of the present disclosure has at least one of the advantages of a large imaging plane, a large wide angle, a large aperture and ultra-thinness.

Recently, with the vigorous development in the field of smartphones, major smartphone manufacturers have more new demands on lens assemblies of the smartphones. Especially in the main camera of high-end flagship models, the imaging lens assemblies of smartphones appear a growing trend toward large imaging plane, large wide angle, large aperture, and ultra-thinness, which causes higher challenges for optical system design.
Compared with the lens assemblies of previous smartphone, the change of these main parameters greatly improves the imaging ability and competitiveness of the lens assemblies of the smartphones. Large imaging plane means higher resolution, large wide angle means larger field-of-view, large aperture means more effective luminous flux and higher signal-to-noise ratio, and ultra-thinness can achieve a better compatibility with smartphones, so that the smartphones are easy to carry. Based on these demand challenges required by smartphone suppliers, the traditional structure with five lenses or six lenses is not enough to effectively meet these challenges, and the optical imaging lens assembly with seven lenses will gradually become the mainstream.
The present disclosure intends to provide an optical imaging lens assembly having seven lenses and with a large imaging plane, a large wide angle, a large aperture, and an ultra-thinness, which can better meet the application requirements of the main camera on the next-generation high-end smartphone.


According to the preset invention, an optical viewfinder state in which an optical image of a photographic subject can be observed at an eyepiece part of a finder and an electronic viewfinder state in which a captured image of the photographic subject can be observed at the eyepiece part of the finder are switched when a first operation is carried out with a finger by an operation device, and a magnification (optical magnification) of a first finder optical system of the finder is changed when a second operation is carried out with a finger by the operation device in the optical viewfinder state. Thus, a user can perform photographing while freely observing the photographic subject by an operation of switching the finder (first operation) and an operation of changing the optical magnification of the finder (second operation) while looking through the finder.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging device and an imaging method, and in particular, relates to an imaging device and an imaging method that make it possible to freely perform a switching operation for determining which of an optical image of a photographic subject and a captured image of the photographic subject is to be led to an eyepiece part of a finder and a switching operation of an optical magnification of the finder while looking through the eyepiece part.
2. Description of the Related Art
PTL 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-292067) discloses a finder capable of leading an optical image of an optical viewfinder (OVF) and a display image of an electronic viewfinder (EVF) to an eyepiece part.
Also, as a lens interchangeable type camera for which an imaging lens is freely attachable and detachable to/from a camera body, a mirrorless single-lens camera from which a reflection mirror is omitted is spreading.


In a semiconductor device, a charge transfer device, a bipolar transistor, and a MOSFET are formed on a single chip, and the peripheral portion of the charge transfer device is surrounded by an N.sup.+ -type region. Since the charge transfer device block is surrounded by the N.sup.+ -type region and the N.sup.+ -type buried layer, leaked charge of clocks from the charge transfer device is absorbed by the N.sup.+ -type region and the N.sup.+ -type buried layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a charge transfer device in which a bipolar transistor and a MOSFET are formed on a single chip.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a CCD, which is one type of charge transfer device, is formed on a single chip in combination with n-channel type MOSFETs. The n-channel type MOSFETs, combined with the CCD, constitute a CCD delay line, a CCD drive circuit, a sample/hold circuit, an output circuit, a clock drive circuit, etc. The power source voltage employed in the MOSFET is 12 V or 9 V. Recently, in accordance with a requirement for the reduction in power consumption, a power source voltage of 5 V is employed in order to use MOSFETs in the form of CMOS's, and to match the power source voltage for the FET with that for a bipolar IC formed in another chip.
However, in the case where the power source voltage of 5 V is employed, as compared to the conventionally employed power source voltage of 12 V or 9 V, the input/output linearity of a sample/hold circuit and an operational amplifier such as an output circuit, which are constituted by MOSFETs, is degraded. Thus, the yield of wafers is lowered owing to poor linearity of input/output characteristics in a wafer test.
Also, the only function of a CCD delay line using a CCD is to delay an input signal. The circuit for performing delay processing for this signal is, in general, a bipolar IC formed on a separate chip.
For example, when MOSFETs used in a sample/hold circuit and/or an operational amplifier such as an output circuit are replaced with bipolar transistors which have excellent input/output linearity and operate at high speed at low voltage, and if these bipolar transistors and CCDs are formed on a single chip, the input/output linearity can be improved, the yield is enhanced, and high-performance is achieved. Further, if bipolar transistors for processing signals from CCDs and CCDs are formed on a single chip, such advantages as reduction in size and manufacturing cost, increase in the number of functions, and simplification in system can be brought about.
However, if CCDs are used along with bipolar transistors on a single chip, charge of transfer clocks employed for transferring charge of CCDs may leak to a base region or the like in a bipolar transistor. Because of this, it is difficult to use CCDs along with bipolar transistors on a single chip. In other words, the circuit operation of the bipolar transistor is considerably adversely affected by the leak of transfer clocks, the characteristics of the bipolar transistor are degraded, and the reliability of the product is lowered.

Semiconductor device having CCD and its peripheral bipolar transistors


A projector has a case, a zoom lens, a zoom ring, a control plate, a lodging element, a control rod, and a handle. The case has an opening, and the zoom ring is disposed within the case and nearby the opening, the zoom ring is moved back and forth to drive the zoom rod. The control plate is mounted on the case and laid over the opening movably, the lodging element is movably contacted with the control rod, wherein the handle accepts the force along the extending direction of the rectangular opening so as to let the control plate move the lodging element along the extending direction of the rectangular opening and further to move the control rod for continuously regulating the focal length of the zoom lens.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a projector, more particularly to a projector with a means of controlling the focal length of a zoom lens.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which show a conventional projector 2. The conventional projector 2 has a zoom lens 8, a front end of a case 4 of the projector 2 has a hole, and the zoom lens 8 of the projector 2 extends toward outside the projector 2 from an interior of the case 4 via the hole.
A zoom rod 802 extends upward from a lateral of a column of the zoom lens 8. To move the zoom rod 802 is able to regulate the movement of a zoom lens set (not shown in figures) of the zoom lens 8 in order to adjust the focal length of the zoom lens 8.
A rectangular opening 402 is disposed on an upper surface of the case 4, wherein two long sides of the opening 402 extend and are parallel to two long sides of the case 4. An interior arc surface of a zoom ring 6 female-connects to a cylindrical lateral of the zoom lens 8, and the zoom ring 6 is disposed between the opening 402 and the zoom lens 8.
The interior the arc surface of the zoom ring 6 further has a groove, and a zoom rod 802 reciprocates along the groove. The zoom rod 802 is moved by moving the zoom ring 6 along the arc surface thereof in order to regulate the focal length of the zoom lens 8.
Furthermore, a handle 602 is disposed on an upper surface of the zoom ring 6, and passes through the opening 402 so as to reach an outside of the projector 2. Hence, a user changes the focal length of the zoom lens 8 by moving the handle 602 simply.
However, the opening 402 is shielded by the arc surface of the zoom ring 6, and there is a chink existed between an even surface of the case 4 and the arc surface of the zoom ring 6. The light in the projector 2 is leaked out and dust is deposited into the projector 2 from the chink. Hence, problems, such as light leakage and dust contamination occur.
Additionally, the handle 602 moves along the arc surface and passes through the opening 402. The handle 602 is fully extended out of the opening 402 when the handle 602 is moved at a middle of the opening 402, and the handle 602 is partly extending out of the opening when the handle 602 is moved at two ends of the opening 402. So that the handle 602 is not easy to operate for a user.

Projector with a linearly adjustable zoom projection lens


A mechanized food manufacturing for manufacturing savory or sweet foods based on pastry and dry or wet, liquid, solid or pasty ingredients held in specific sachets. The pastry sachets are processed first in order to make the pastry and spread it over a cooking device. The process is carried out by mechanized, programmed devices. The ingredient sachet is then processed by mechanized programmable devices. So as to enable the sachet to be opened and its contents to be spread over the cooked, precooked or ready-to-cook pastry, the configuration of the sachets and the topographical distribution of the ingredients in the sachet cooperate with the relative movements of the cooking device so as to enable a calculated amount of the ingredients to be spread randomly or geometrically.

Patent application FR 95.04498 of Apr. 12, 1995 filed by the present applicants describes a fabrication process for such dishes from ingredients contained in special dosing units designed to receive the wet and dry products to be mixed and the ingredients such as tomato sauce, anchovies, cheese, etc.
Patent WO A 9215183 (SYNINTEL) describes a machine to bake a soft dough intended to remain soft after baking to make a pancake. It uses two baking units in the form of a drum with one unit baking one face and the other the other face of the pancake. This machine does not provide for the placement of any garnish whatsoever on the dough. In that patent, the required transfer of the baking dough from one face of the baking drum to the other makes the result uncertain.
Patent WO86/03931 describes a breadmaking machine. This machine includes a heated enclosure which acts both as a product mixing chamber, as a dough fermentation chamber and as a closed baking oven.


A power supply control circuit is disclosed. In one aspect, a power supply control circuit includes a controller to be coupled to a switch to regulate an output of a power supply in response to a feedback signal and a parameter change signal. A parameter response circuit is coupled to generate the parameter change signal in response to a difference between a first value of a parameter measured before an event and a second value of the parameter measured after the event. The difference between the first value of the parameter and the second value of the parameter is representative of the relative efficiency of the power supply.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates generally to power supplies, and more specifically, the invention relates to power supply controllers.
2. Background
In general, a switched mode power supply controller regulates an output of the power supply by controlling the switching of a switch of the power supply. For instance, an example controller may regulate an output of the power supply by choosing whether or not to allow the switch to conduct current during each switching cycle. An enabled switching cycle is one in which the controller allows the switch to conduct. A disabled switching cycle is one in which the controller does not allow the switch to conduct. The controller produces a sequence of enabled and disabled switching cycles to regulate the output of the power supply.
In one type of controller, conduction of the switch terminates when the current in the switch reaches one of a plurality of current limit values. The controller chooses a particular current limit value in response to the sequence of past enabled and disabled cycles to avoid undesirable patterns in the sequence of enabled and disabled switching cycles. The undesirable patterns can generate audio noise from electrical and magnetic components. Also, such patterns can cause undesirable deviations in the regulated output, particularly when the regulated output is an output voltage.
The load of a power supply typically changes over a wide range. Each current limit value provides acceptable operation of the power supply over a limited range of load. The range of load associated with one current limit value overlaps the range of load assigned to an adjacent current value to assure smooth and stable operation over the entire range of loads. Therefore, two current limit values may provide acceptable operation for the same load.
The two current limit values correspond to two different modes of operation for the same load, each one with different conduction losses and different switching losses for the same load. The conduction losses and the switching losses reduce the efficiency of the power supply. Thus, the power supply may operate at different efficiencies for the same load, depending on which current limit value the controller selects for that load. Since such a controller may use a state machine, for example, to determine the current limit value from a sequence of enabled and disabled switching cycles, random changes in loading can produce different efficiencies for the same load.

Method and apparatus to control a power supply for high efficiency


An imaging system includes an imaging device which outputs a plurality of digital signals each of which indicating an amount of light irradiating on a corresponding one of a plurality of pixels arranged in two dimensions, a pre-processor which reduces an amount of data of the plurality of the digital signals output by the imaging device, a processor which processes digital signals, a memory which stores the digital signals, and a memory controller which stores the plurality of the digital signals output by the pre-processor in the memory and reads the plurality of the digital signals from the memory to output the plurality of the digital signals to the processor.

The conventional imaging system includes an analog-to digital (A/D) converter for converting analog signals output from an imaging element to digital signals (A/D conversion), a data processing section for processing the image data, a memory for storing the image data, and a memory control section, wherein the image data output from the A/D converter or the data processing section is stored in the memory or the image data is transferred from the memory to another data processing section by means of the memory control section (refer to e.g., Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 10-178612).
FIG. 28 is a block diagram of a configuration of such a conventional imaging system. As shown in FIG. 28, the imaging system 200 includes an optical lens 211, a solid-state imaging element 212, a drive circuit 213 of the solid-state imaging element 212, an analog circuit 214, an A/D conversion circuit 215, a memory controller 216, a Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (hereinafter referred to as "SDRAM") 217 serving as a memory circuit, a camera signal processing circuit 218, a JPEG compression circuit 219, a display circuit 220, a liquid crystal display unit 221, a card controller 222, and a recording medium 223.
The operation of the imaging system 200 will now be described. When light enters through the optical lens 211, the solid-state imaging element 212 is irradiated with the light. The solid-state imaging element 212 photoelectrically transfers the light irradiating thereon, and outputs the obtained electric signals (analog signals) to the analog circuit 214. The analog circuit 214 performs the analog signal process on the analog signals output from the solid-state imaging element 212, and outputs the processed analog signals to the A/D conversion circuit 215. The A/D conversion circuit 215 converts the analog signals output from the analog circuit 214 to a digital signal. Here, the digital signals output by the A/D conversion circuit 215 is signals before the digital signal process is performed thereon, and thus is referred to as raw data (RAW). The A/D conversion circuit 215 outputs the raw data to the memory controller 216. The memory controller 216 then stores the raw data, which is output from the A/D conversion circuit 215, to the SDRAM 217.
The memory controller 216 then reads the raw data stored in the SDRAM 217 and transfers the raw data to the camera signal processing circuit 218. The camera signal processing circuit 218 performs camera signal process on the raw data read out from the SDRAM 217, and generates YC data (YC) for recording and for displaying expressed by a luminance signals (Y) and a chrominance signals (C) The camera signal processing circuit 218 performs a zoom process and the like on the raw data to generate the YC data for displaying. The memory controller 216 reads the YC data from the camera signal processing circuit 218 and stores such YC data in the SDRAM 217.
Next, when compressing and storing the YC data in the SDRAM 217, the memory controller 216 reads and outputs the YC data for recording stored in the SDRAM 217 to the JPEG compression circuit 219. The JPEG compression circuit 219 performs the compression process according to the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) standard, and generates coded data (JPC). The memory controller 216 reads the coded data from the JPEG compression circuit 219, and stores the coded data in the SDRAM 217.
When displaying the captured image on the liquid crystal display unit 221, the memory controller 216 reads the YC data for displaying stored in the SDRAM 217 and transfers such YC data to the display circuit 220. The display circuit 220 converts the YC data to signals (display data) for displaying and outputs the signals to the liquid crystal display unit 221. The liquid crystal display unit 221 displays the image represented by the signals for displaying.
The card controller 222 is connected to the SDRAM 217 and reads out the JPEG coded data stored in the SDRAM 217 and writes such data into the recording medium 223.
As mentioned above, in the conventional imaging system, many data such as raw data, YC data, coded data, display data and the like are transferred between the memory and the memory controller. Thus, the power consumption at the interface of the memory and the memory controller becomes large, that is, the power consumption becomes large.
Further, in the conventional imaging system, the processing speed tends to be slow due to large amounts of data to be handled. In order to increase the processing speed, either the operation frequency must be increased or the processing performance of the circuit must be enhanced, but in either case, the power consumption increases. In other words, it is difficult to increase the processing speed without increasing the power consumption.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an imaging system in which the power consumption is small and the speed of processing the data is fast.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A mechanism is provided for augmenting the mail header of a message with a list of digital signatures representing the chain of contributors to the message. The augmented header may also encode the actual contributions corresponding to each digital signature. The list is appended every time a message is forwarded. If a message has a portion with no corresponding digital signature or if one or more of the digital signatures is not trusted, the user may handle the message accordingly. Furthermore, a mail server or client may discard a message if the number of digital signatures exceeds a threshold to filter out unwanted messages, such as e-mail chain letters.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to network data processing systems and, in particular, to electronic mail. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and program for verifying multiple digital signatures in mail forwarding.
2. Description of Related Art
With the increasing popularity of computers, paper transactions are gradually being replaced by digital formats, such as e-mail and electronic data interchange (EDI). While the legal framework to establish and support the validity of digital transactions are evolving, it is clear that digital signatures will play a pivotal role, especially in the area of non-repudiation in the near future. Therefore, it is essential that important documents are digitally signed for them to support the framework alluded to above.
In this context, e-mail plays a pivotal role in communications, both in the corporate and noncorporate worlds. Since the content of e-mail can evoke a range of actions, such as litigation, it is important to assign responsibility and the non-repudiation properties to e-mail transmissions. Furthermore, with the spread of viruses and spyware through electronic transmissions, improved security and accountability is needed. Under current implementations, an e-mail message typically bears the digital signature of the sender. However, in the case of forwarded e-mail, there is no way to attach easily enforceable non-repudiation properties and responsibilities to the chain of recipients. In essence, the sender becomes responsible for the entire content in case of disputes under the current implementations. This implies that the sender has to always peruse through the entire chain before forwarding an e-mail message. This may be time consuming.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a mechanism for the insertion and retention of multiple digital signatures corresponding to contributing authors in forwarded e-mail.

System for forwarding and verifying multiple digital signatures corresponding to users and contributions of the users in electronic mail


An integration network device and a service integration method thereof are provided. The integration network device receives a connecting request from the VDI user device. The integration network device establishes a connection between the VDI user device and the first management network device according to the connecting request. The integration network device determines that the first management network device fails the connection according to a first management information of the first management network device. The integration network device routes the VDI user device to the second management network device according to a second management information of the second management network device.

In conventional cloud computing, users can use the resources of the cloud system. Particularly, users can store and access the data in the cloud system; moreover, users can even use the applications deployed at the cloud system end and retrieve the results only. Accordingly, the storage and the computing resource at the user end can be saved efficiently. However, in the existed cloud computing structures, the resources user can use at a time are almost limited in one cloud system.
Further speaking, in the current cloud computing structures, once a user connects to a cloud system, the user can use only the resources of the cloud system. Therefore, since each cloud system works independently, the user's on-going works on one cloud system will be failed directly if the cloud system crashes. In other words, the user's work can not be processed through different cloud systems since each cloud system works independently. Accordingly, the uses of the current cloud systems will be very inflexible and limited.
Hence, an urgent need exists in the art to integrate the different cloud systems for increasing the availability and the flexibility of cloud computing.

Integration network device and service integration method thereof