The invention provides a forced air furnace integrated with a ventilator having a pair of regenerative bed heat exchangers. The heat exchangers alternate between heat recovery and heat release modes such that when one heat exchanger is in the heat release mode the other is in the heat recovery mode. A pair of valve members are fixed on a common shaft to control the alternate switching of recovery and release modes between the two heat exchange beds. The valve members are mounted adjacent to inlet and outlet partitions containing the inlet and outlet ports, respectively, in communication with the heat exchange compartments, and are provided with valve openings which, by rotating the shaft, are brought into alignment with the inlet and outlet ports to direct the fresh and stale air streams through the heat exchange beds. Heating and ventilating functions are integrated by providing a damper upstream of the ventilator fresh air outlet to the furnace supply elbow, biased by gravity to a closed position such that the force of air from the furnace air blower is sufficient to open the damper.

New standards and techniques of energy efficient building design have been developed in recent years in response to the increasing awareness of government, builders and consumers to the need for energy conservation. Fuel costs and resource-depletion concerns are two major driving factors toward energy efficient building design, and many regions have adopted stringent energy efficiency standards covering such areas as thermal insulation, water heating, space heating and ventilation and controlled air management.
Initial designs which promoted air-tightness of a building have been augmented by designs which focus on efficient usage of energy with a controlled exchange of stale indoor air and fresh outdoor air, in recognition of the potential health problems and structural damage which can result from a poorly ventilated environment. It is thus advantageous to integrate heating and ventilating functions, to achieve the most efficient usage of heating fuels while ensuring proper ventilation of the building for health and structural purposes.
An example of an integrated heater-ventilator is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,307 to Besik, which is incorporated herein by reference. The heater-ventilator has a heat exchange unit containing two regenerative heat exchange beds in isolated compartments. Air inlet to and exhaust from the compartments is controlled so that when one heat exchange bed is releasing sensible heat and moisture into the building air supply, the other heat exchange bed is recovering heat and moisture from the return air supply. The air flow through each heat exchange compartment is periodically reversed, so that the release and recovery functions alternate between the two heat exchange beds. This provides the advantage of preventing frost buildup in the heat exchange beds, which can significantly reduce sensible heat recovery efficiency, and allows the ventilator to be active whenever fresh air is required without being limited by the thermal state of the heat exchange bed. This configuration also facilitates moisture control, allowing for recovery of moisture in winter, during which the heat exchange beds retain moisture from the exhaust air stream and return it to the supply air stream when the air flow through the bed is reversed, and in summer effectively removing moisture from outdoor air before it is introduced into the dwelling, thus reducing the load on an air conditioning system.
The regenerative bed heat exchanger of U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,307 utilizes a pair of four-way shuttle valves comprising axially movable rods bearing dampers, housed in a valve compartment with a series of partitions, to control the alternate switching of recovery and release modes between the two heat exchange beds. This system presents certain disadvantages.
First, both valves must be actuated simultaneously in order to ensure that at all times at least one heat exchange bed is in the recovery mode and the other heat exchange bed is in the release mode. This requires adjoining valve rods creating a mechanical connection between the two valves, which complicates their construction and increases the size of the valve drive system.
Second, when the dampers are at intermediate points in the switching cycle they are remote from the inlet and outlet partitions, so there is a direct fluid communication between the stale air stream entering the heat exchange compartment and the fresh air stream being exhausted from the heat exchange compartment. This not only reduces the efficiency of the heat exchanger, it effectively restricts the stale air stream to clean air sources, such as the return air supply from the building, which will not release noxious fumes into the fresh air stream during switch-over intervals. This precludes the recovery of heat from other stale air sources such as bathroom and kitchen ventilators and combustion gas discharge, which can be a valuable sources of sensible heat.
Another disadvantage to this system is that the low energy blower in the heat exchange compartment cannot be active when the high energy furnace blower is inactive, as this would result in backflow from the heat exchange unit into the furnace. Thus, in order to ventilate the building during a period when the furnace is not active because there is no call for heat, both the heat exchange blower and the furnace blower must be activated. This results in unnecessary electrical energy consumption and, in most cases, unnecessarily high flow rates during any furnace-off/ventilator-on interval.
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing valve means comprising a pair of valve members, in the preferred embodiment plastic discs, fixed on a common shaft to control the alternate switching of recovery and release modes between the two heat exchange beds. The valve members are mounted adjacent to inlet and outlet partitions containing the inlet and outlet ports, respectively, in communication with the heat exchange compartments. The valve members are provided with valve openings which, by rotating the shaft, are brought into alignment with the inlet and outlet ports to direct the fresh and stale air streams through the heat exchange beds. Because their rotational motion allows the valve members to remain in constant contact with the inlet and outlet partitions, even during switch-over cycles, there is no opportunity for leakage between the fresh and stale air streams. Moreover, since both valve members are mounted on a common shaft, construction of the valves is considerably simplified and a small servo motor can be used to drive the valve means.
The present invention also integrates the heating and ventilating functions by providing a damper upstream of the ventilator fresh air outlet to the furnace supply elbow, so that the low energy fresh air blower in the ventilator can be active when the high energy furnace blower is inactive without resulting in backflow from the ventilator into the furnace. The damper is biased by gravity to a closed position such that the force of air from the furnace air blower is sufficient to open the damper. The biasing force is controlled by an external counterweight which can be adjusted to ensure that the damper remains closed when the furnace blower is off, and that the furnace blower discharge will open the damper with minimal back pressure.
The present invention thus provides a regenerative bed heat exchanger, comprising an enclosed heat exchange compartment containing an air permeable regenerative heat exchange bed comprising a bed of a heat recovery medium capable of absorbing and releasing heat, for alternately absorbing heat from and releasing heat into an air stream, the bed having opposed air-permeable faces which permit a flow of air through the medium, an air inlet provided with a fresh air inlet port and a stale air inlet port, and an air outlet provided with a fresh air outlet port and a stale air outlet port, the heat exchange bed separating the fresh air inlet port from the stale air inlet port and separating the stale air outlet port from the fresh air outlet port such that a fresh air flow path is created through the fresh air inlet port, through the heat recovery medium and through the fresh air outlet port, and a stale air flow path is created through the stale air inlet port, through the heat recovery medium and through the stale air outlet port, and valve means for selectively simultaneously opening the stale air inlet port and the stale air outlet port while closing the fresh air inlet port and the fresh air outlet port, or simultaneously opening the fresh air inlet port and the fresh air outlet port while closing the stale air inlet port and the stale air outlet port.
The present invention further provides a ventilator comprising two regenerative bed heat exchangers each provided with a regenerative heat exchange bed, comprising a first enclosed heat exchange compartment containing a first air permeable heat exchange bed having a first air inlet provided with a first fresh air inlet port and a first stale air inlet port, and a first air outlet provided with a first air outlet port and a first stale air outlet port; a second enclosed heat exchange compartment containing a second air permeable heat exchange bed having a second air inlet provided with a second fresh air inlet port and a second stale air inlet port, and a second air outlet provided with a second air outlet port and a second stale air outlet port; the first and second heat exchange beds each comprising a bed of a heat recovery medium capable of absorbing and releasing heat, for alternately absorbing heat from and releasing heat into an air stream, each bed having opposed air-permeable faces which permit a flow of air through the medium, the first heat exchange bed separating the first fresh air inlet port from the first stale air inlet port and separating the first stale air outlet port from the first fresh air outlet port and the second heat exchange bed separating the second fresh air inlet port from the second stale air inlet port and separating the second stale air outlet port from the second fresh air outlet port such that a first fresh air flow path is created through the first fresh air inlet port, through the first heat exchange bed and through the first fresh air outlet port, a first stale air flow path is created through the first stale air inlet port, through the first heat exchange bed and through the first stale air outlet port, a second fresh air flow path is created through the second fresh air inlet port, through the second heat exchange bed and through the second fresh air outlet port, and a second stale air flow path is created through the second stale air inlet port, through the second heat exchange bed and through the second stale air outlet port; and valve means for alternately simultaneously opening the first stale air inlet port, the first stale air outlet port, the second fresh air inlet port and the second fresh air outlet port while closing the first fresh air inlet port, the first fresh air outlet port, the second stale air inlet port and the second stale air outlet port, or simultaneously opening the first fresh air inlet port, the first fresh air outlet port, the second stale air inlet port and the second stale air outlet port while closing the first stale air inlet port, the first stale air outlet port, the second fresh air inlet port and the second fresh air outlet port.
The present invention further provides a valve for a heat exchange apparatus comprising an enclosed heat exchange compartment containing an air permeable regenerative heat exchange bed comprising a bed of a heat recovery medium capable of absorbing and releasing heat, for alternately absorbing heat from and releasing heat into an air stream, the bed having opposed air-permeable faces which permit a flow of air through the medium, an air inlet provided with a fresh air inlet port and a stale air inlet port and an air outlet provided with a fresh air outlet port and a stale air outlet port, the heat exchange bed separating the fresh air inlet port from the stale air inlet port and separating the stale air outlet port from the fresh air outlet port such that a fresh air flow path is created through the fresh air inlet port, through the heat recovery medium and through the fresh air outlet port and a stale air flow path is created through the stale air inlet port, through the heat recovery medium and through the stale air outlet port, the valve comprising a rotating inlet valve member having a valve surface interposed between the air inlet partition and the heat exchange bed, comprising an inlet valve opening positioned to come into alignment with the stale air inlet port or the fresh air inlet port, and a rotating outlet valve member having a valve surface interposed between the air outlet and the heat exchange bed, fixed in position relative to the inlet valve member and comprising an outlet valve opening positioned offset circumferentially relative to the inlet valve opening, such that when the inlet valve opening comes into alignment with the stale air inlet port the outlet valve opening comes into alignment with the stale air outlet port, and when the inlet valve opening comes into alignment with the fresh air inlet port the outlet valve opening comes into alignment with the fresh air outlet port.
The present invention further provides an integrated forced air furnace and regenerative heat exchange apparatus, the furnace comprising a furnace blower for discharging a heated air stream into an air supply conduit and the heat exchange apparatus comprising a ventilation blower for discharging a fresh air stream into the air supply conduit, in which the air supply conduit is provided with a damper gravitationally biased to a closed position to prevent back-flow of the fresh air stream into the furnace when the ventilation blower is active and the furnace blower is inactive, wherein the biasing of the damper is capable of being overcome under a force of the furnace blower when the furnace blower is active.

Regenerative bed heat exchanger and valve therefor


In designing a layout of a semiconductor integrated circuit device having a large scale circuit block and logic circuit elements provided together, a power supply connecting line is formed rectilinearly to increase the integration density, reduce power supply noise and achieve automation of layout and interconnection. The semiconductor integrated circuit device includes one large scale circuit block and a plurality of logic circuit elements. VDD and GND annular power supply interconnecting lines are provided to surround the large scale circuit block. The annular power supply interconnecting lines extending in the lateral direction are divided into two lines to be disposed, respectively. Connection of the logic circuit elements and the annular power supply interconnecting lines are made by rectilinear VDD and GND power supply branch interconnecting lines.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to semiconductor integrated circuit devices and a method of designing a layout thereof and, more particularly, relates to power supply interconnection structures of semiconductor integrated circuit devices where logic circuit elements (standard cells) of uniform height and a large scale circuit block larger than they are arranged together, and a method of designing a layout thereof.
2. Description of the Background Art
Rapid progress is now being made in electronic circuit devices. There is an increasing tendency for an electronic circuit device of high performance and improved function to be developed in a short period of time. Therefore, it is also necessary to develop a semiconductor integrated circuit device of high performance and enhanced function in a short period of time, which is essential for development of such an electronic circuit device within a short time. It is common to use, in designing, an automatic layout and interconnection program in order to develop a semiconductor integrated circuit device within a short period of time. It is difficult to treat logic circuit elements of various shapes in creating a program if the automatic layout and interconnection program is used. Accordingly, shapes of logic circuit elements are standardized. Generally, a method (standard cell method) is employed in which the heights of logic circuit elements to be arranged and interconnected to each other are made uniform. An internal region of a semiconductor integrated circuit device is formed by stacking an appropriate number of logic circuit elements (standard cells) to be arranged in a row in a lateral direction.
Large scale integrated circuit devices (LSIs) are classified into custom LSIs and semicustom LSIs with respect to LSI layout design according to recent, common classification. A custom LSI has its whole structure or an internal block designed exclusively for the specific LSI. A semicustom LSI is designed using a library in which layout patterns designed in advance as common circuits are registered. The above-mentioned standard cell method is classified as a method of designing a semicustom LSI according to the definition.
The standard cell method is a kind of method of designing a semicustom LSI in which an LSI is designed using standard circuit block cells which are designed and registered in a cell library in advance. Each circuit block cell is arranged according to an automatic layout and interconnection program of a CAD system. Standard cells as standard circuit block cells to be registered in the library are normally of layout patterns of a simple logic gate and logic circuits such as flipflops and so on designed in advance. Once these standard layout patterns are designed and their operation with accuracy is verified by a simulation or experiment, they are registered in a data base so as to make up a cell library. The standard layout patterns have geometrical configurations of uniform height and variable width. In short, in designing a layout of an LSI according to the standard cell method, standard layout patterns are taken out from the library and arrangement and interconnection of each layout pattern are made by the CAD system.
FIG. 20 is a plan view showing an arrangement of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to a conventional standard cell method. Referring to FIG. 20, a peripheral circuit 2 such as an input/output buffer circuit is provided in the peripheral portion of a chip to be a substrate of a semiconductor integrated circuit device 1. A plurality of logic circuit elements 4 of the same height are arranged in a row in the lateral direction in the internal region of the chip surrounded by peripheral circuit 2. Power supply branch interconnecting lines 7 and 8 of VDD potential and GND potential for supplying VDD potential and GND potential to each of logic circuit element 4 are connected to each logic circuit element 4. A certain number of power supply trunk interconnecting lines 9 and 10 required for designing are arranged on the left and right sides of the chip and in a region interposed therebetween, for supplying the potentials VDD and GND to power supply branch interconnecting lines 7 and 8, respectively. Power supply terminals for logic circuit elements 4 are provided on the left and right sides of logic circuit elements 4. Adjacent two logic circuit elements are connected to each other by means of a rectilinear power supply interconnecting line. As a result, a pair of power supply branch interconnecting lines 7 and 8 are formed for a row of logic circuit elements 4. Power supply trunk interconnecting lines 9 and 10 are provided for supplying necessary power to the plurality of upper and lower power supply branch interconnecting lines 7 and 8 which are appropriately provided. Though not shown in FIG. 20, relatively thin signal interconnecting lines are provided in a region outside of the row of logic circuit elements 4 or a region above the row of logic circuit elements 4. Furthermore, as for these power supply branch interconnecting lines 7 and 8 and power supply trunk interconnecting lines 9 and 10, basically, the interconnecting lines in the lateral direction are adjusted to form first interconnecting layers and the interconnecting lines in the longitudinal direction are adjusted to form second interconnecting layers for the whole device. Different interconnection layers are connected to each other by a connection hole formed at a desired position of an insulating layer between the interconnection layers. In this way, automation of arrangement and interconnection can be effectively and readily achieved by using a systematic method of forming a chip including power supply interconnecting lines.
However, a more improved performance has been strongly demanded in recent years, so that the need has arisen for developing a semiconductor integrated circuit device of improved performance and function within a short period of time. Under such circumstances, there is a need for forming a semiconductor integrated circuit device by arranging together a large scale circuit block which is large in scale to some degree and has a definite function and logic circuit elements of the same height, instead of using only logic circuit elements of the same height as in the conventional manner. The large scale circuit block is, in advance, made up of elements of high integration density so as to have a high performance. The large scale circuit block may be, for example, a memory (random access memory or read only memory), a PLA, a multiplier or the like. Such a large scale circuit block has its pattern already formed when arrangement and interconnection of the whole chip is performed. Also, then, the configuration of interconnecting lines and positions of terminals in the power supply system have been already determined in the large scale circuit block. Accordingly, in many cases, it is not necessarily easy to interconnect the power supply systems of the large scale circuit block and the adjacent logic circuit elements of uniform heights. As a result, the power supply interconnecting lines of the logic circuit elements and the large scale circuit block cannot be standardized, making it difficult to automate the interconnection.
FIG. 21 is a flow chart showing a method of designing the layout of the semiconductor integrated circuit device on which the large scale circuit block and the logic circuit elements are arranged together. FIGS. 22 to 24 are plan views showing the plane arrangement of the semiconductor integrated circuit device according to FIG. 21. The method of designing the layout of the conventional semiconductor integrated circuit device will now be described with reference to these drawings.
Referring to step 201 of FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, a peripheral circuit 2 including an I/O buffer circuit and so on is provided on the peripheral region of chip 1 to be the substrate of the semiconductor integrated circuit device.
Then, referring to step 202 of FIG. 21 and FIG. 23, functional cells are provided in an internal region surrounded by peripheral circuit 2. One large scale circuit block 3 and a plurality of logic circuit elements 4 of the same height, for example, are provided as functional cells.
Referring to step 203 of FIG. 21 and FIG. 24, power supply trunk interconnecting lines 9 and 10 for VDD and GND and power supply branch interconnecting lines 7 and 8 for VDD and GND are so provided as to be interconnected to each other between each logic circuit element 4 and large scale circuit block 3. In this case, interconnecting lines 15 for signals are also provided between logic circuit elements 4. Arrangement of the power supply interconnecting lines and the interconnecting lines for signals is made by the automatic layout and interconnection program.
Thereafter, a determination is made as to whether the arrangement of the power supply interconnecting lines and the interconnecting lines for signals made by the automatic layout and interconnection program meets a prescribed condition as shown in step 204 of FIG. 21. If the arrangement of the interconnecting lines does not meet the prescribed condition, rearrangement of the power supply interconnecting lines, the interconnecting lines for signals, functional cells, and the I/O buffer is performed as shown in FIG. 21. In this way, the trial-and-error is repeated and the power supply interconnecting lines and the interconnecting lines for signals are rearranged until the prescribed condition is met.
In accordance with the conventional method of designing the layout, however, if the power supply interconnecting lines are to be arranged by the automatic layout and interconnection program, thick interconnecting lines, for example, power supply trunk interconnecting lines 9 and 10 for VDD and GND are provided as being bent as shown in FIG. 24. As a result, more chip area is required in designing the semiconductor integrated circuit device having a prescribed logical function. Manual designing has been inevitably employed in order to control the increase of the chip area as much as possible.
Normally, interconnection includes rough interconnection and minute interconnection which are separately performed. It is possible to arrange interconnecting lines for signals and power supply interconnecting lines separately in the stage of rough interconnection. However, as the interconnecting lines for signals and the power supply interconnecting lines are arranged in a mixed manner in the stage of minute interconnection, even if the power supply interconnecting lines are designated as being rectilinear in the stage of rough interconnection, the power supply interconnecting lines are bent in the stage of minute interconnection.
Methods for solving the problem as stated above have been proposed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-82552 and Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2-86145, in which a sufficiently wide annular power supply interconnecting line is provided around the large scale circuit block.
An arrangement of a semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the proposal of the above-mentioned article is shown in FIG. 25. Referring to FIG. 25, annular power supply interconnecting lines are provided as surrounding the circumference of large scale circuit block 3. The annular power supply interconnecting lines include power supply interconnecting lines 5 and 6 of VDD and GND for supplying VDD potential and GND potential, respectively.
FIG. 26 is an enlarged detail view of a portion XXVI surrounded by the broken line of FIG. 25. As shown in FIG. 26, the annular power supply interconnecting line of VDD is made up of a first VDD annular interconnecting line 51 including a first lateral interconnection layer and a second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 including a second longitudinal interconnection layer. The annular power supply interconnecting line of GND is made up of a first GND annular interconnecting line 61 including a first lateral interconnection layer and a second GND annular interconnecting line 62 including a second longitudinal interconnection layer. The first VDD annular interconnecting line 51 and the second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 are electrically connected to each other through a connection hole 53b formed in an interlayer insulating film. The first GND annular interconnecting line 61 and the second GND annular interconnecting line 62 are electrically connected to each other through a connection hole 63b.
Logic circuit elements 4a and 4b are provided with VDD terminals 47 and GND terminals 48 for supplying VDD potential and GND potential, respectively. In the logic circuit elements 4a and 4b, the two VDD terminals 47 and 47 and the two GND terminals 48 and 48 that are facing each other are connected together by means of the first interconnection layer in advance. A first lateral VDD branch lines 71 including the first interconnection layer is connected to each VDD terminal 47. A first lateral GND branch line 81 including the first interconnection layer is connected to each GND terminal 48.
GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4a is connected to the second GND annular interconnecting line 62 by the first rectilinear GND branch line 81. VDD terminal 47 of logic circuit element 4b is connected to the first VDD annular interconnecting line 51 by the first rectilinear VDD branch line 71. The first GND branch line 81 is connected to the second GND annular interconnecting line 62 through a connection hole 63a. However, connection of VDD terminal 47 of logic circuit element 4a and the second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 and connection of GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4b and the first GND annular interconnecting line 61 are not made by a rectilinear power supply branch line. That is, the first VDD branch line 71 connected to VDD terminal 47 of logic circuit element 4a is connected to a second longitudinal VDD branch line 72 including the second interconnection layer through a connection hole 73b. The second VDD branch line 72 is connected to the first VDD branch line 71 through a connection hole 73a. The first VDD branch line 71 is connected to the second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 through a connection hole 53a. The first GND branch line 81 connected to GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4b is connected to a second longitudinal GND branch line 82 including the second interconnection layer through a connection hole 83b. The second GND branch line 82 is connected to the first GND branch line 81 through a connection hole 83a. The first GND branch line 81 is connected to the first GND annular interconnecting line 61.
In this way, provision of wide annular power supply interconnecting lines around large scale circuit block 3 standardizes and makes easy connection of many power supply branch interconnecting lines of the logic circuit elements adjacent to the large scale circuit block and annular power supply interconnecting lines. That is, the power supply branch interconnecting lines are arranged rectilinearly. As shown in FIG. 26, however, part of power supply branch interconnecting lines must inevitably be bent to be interconnected. Accordingly, providing only annular power supply interconnecting lines leaves portions where the power supply interconnecting lines cannot be simplified or standardized.
FIG. 27 is a plan view showing another example of the conventional semiconductor integrated circuit device having annular power supply interconnecting lines provided thereon. FIG. 28 is an enlarged view of a portion XXVIII surrounded by a broken line in FIG. 27. Referring to FIG. 28, a VDD terminal 47 of a logic circuit element 4a is connected to a first VDD annular interconnecting line 51 by a first rectilinear VDD branch line 71 and a GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4b is connected to a first GND annular interconnecting line 61 by a first rectilinear GND branch line 81. VDD terminal 47 of logic circuit element 4b is connected to a second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 by the first VDD branch line 71 through a connection hole 53b. However, connection of GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4a and the first GND annular interconnecting line 61 is not made by a rectilinear power supply branch interconnecting line. That is, the first GND branch line 81 connected to GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4a is connected to a second GND branch line 82 through a connection hole 83a. The second GND branch line 82 is connected to the first GND branch line 81 through a connection hole 83b. The bent interconnecting line thus connects GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4a to the first GND annular interconnecting line 61.
Annular power supply interconnecting lines 51, 52, 61 and 62 shown in FIGS. 26 and 28 have almost the same width as the heights of logic circuit elements 4a and 4b. As the power consumption of large scale circuit block 3 is large, a wide power supply interconnecting line is provided in order to supply sufficient power. Accordingly, the space between the two power supply branch interconnecting lines connected to the logic circuit elements do not conform to the annular power supply interconnecting lines. As a result, the bent power supply branch interconnecting lines are required at the connections of the logic circuit elements and the annular power supply interconnecting lines as shown in FIGS. 26 and 28.
FIG. 29 is a plan view showing still another example of the conventional semiconductor integrated circuit device having annular power supply interconnecting lines provided thereon. FIG. 30 is an enlarged view of a portion XXX surrounded by the broken line in FIG. 29. Referring to FIG. 30, the widths of annular power supply interconnecting lines 51, 52, 61 and 62 are smaller than the height of logic circuit element 4 in this example. The first VDD annular interconnecting line 51 and the first GND annular interconnecting line 61 diagonally face a VDD terminal 47 and a GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4, respectively. Therefore, connection of VDD terminal 47 of logic circuit element 4 and the first VDD annular interconnecting line 51 and connection of GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4 and the first GND annular interconnecting line 61 are made by bent power supply branch interconnecting lines, respectively. That is, a first VDD branch line 71 connected to VDD terminal 47 is connected to a second VDD branch line 72 through a connection hole 73b. The second VDD branch line 72 is connected to the first VDD branch line 71 through a connection hole 73a. VDD terminal 47 is thus connected to the first VDD annular interconnecting line 51. A first GND branch line 81 connected to GND terminal 48 is connected to a second GND branch line 82 through a connection hole 83a. The second GND branch line 82 is connected to the first GND branch line 81 through a connection hole 83b. GND terminal 48 is thus connected to the first GND annular interconnecting line 61.
As shown in FIG. 30, also in the case where the annular power supply interconnecting lines diagonally face the power supply branch interconnecting lines on a potential basis, the power supply branch interconnecting lines are bent for connecting the annular power supply interconnecting lines and the logic circuit elements. As a result, arrangement of all the power supply interconnecting lines cannot be simplified or standardized.
Connection lines for large scale circuit block 3 and annular power supply interconnecting lines 5 and 6 are omitted in FIGS. 25, 27 and 29.
FIG. 31 is a plan view particularly showing connection of a large scale circuit block and annular power supply interconnecting lines in a conventional semiconductor integrated circuit device having the annular power supply interconnecting lines provided thereon. FIG. 32 is an enlarged view of a portion XXXII surrounded by the broken line in FIG. 31. Referring to FIG. 32, a VDD terminal 13 and a GND terminal 14 are provided in the large scale circuit block 3. A VDD annular power supply interconnecting line includes first VDD annular interconnecting lines 51 and second VDD annular interconnecting lines 52. The first VDD annular interconnecting lines 51 are electrically connected to the second VDD annular interconnecting lines 52 through connection holes 53a, 53b, 53c and 53d. A GND annular power supply interconnecting line includes first GND annular interconnecting lines 61 and second GND annular interconnecting lines 62. The first GND annular interconnecting lines 61 are electrically connected to the second GND annular interconnecting lines 62 through connection holes 63a, 63b, 63c and 63d.
VDD terminal 13 of large scale circuit block 3 is connected to the second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 by a VDD connecting line 11. VDD connecting line 11 is connected to the second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 through connection holes 53p and 53q. GND terminal 14 of large scale circuit block 3 is connected to the second GND annular interconnecting line 62 by a GND connecting line 12. GND connecting line 12 is connected to the second GND annular interconnecting line 62 through a connection hole 63p.
A VDD terminal 47 of a logic circuit element 4 is connected to the second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 by a first VDD branch line 71 extending in a lateral direction. A GND terminal 48 of logic circuit element 4 is connected to the second GND annular interconnecting line 62 by a first GND branch line 81. The first VDD branch line 71 is connected to the second VDD annular interconnecting line 52 through a connection hole 53e. The first GND branch line 81 is connected to the second GND annular interconnecting line 62 through a connection hole 63e.
In this way, connection of logic circuit element 4 and the annular power supply interconnecting lines is made by power supply branch interconnecting lines 71 and 81 extending in the lateral direction in the same way as the connection of large scale circuit block 3 and the annular power supply interconnecting lines. Accordingly, in some cases, configuration of connecting lines for the annular power supply interconnecting lines and the large scale circuit block becomes complicated depending on the relationship between a position of logic circuit element 4 and positions of VDD and GND terminals 13 and 14 of large scale circuit block 3. That is, as shown in FIG. 32, the configuration of VDD connecting line 11 is complicated in connecting VDD terminal 13 of large scale circuit block 3 and the second VDD annular interconnecting line 52. Therefore, in some cases, the connecting line for the large scale circuit block and the annular power supply interconnecting line is not provided rectilinearly. As a result, arrangement of the connecting lines for the annular power supply interconnecting lines and the large scale circuit block cannot be standardized.
In the conventional semiconductor integrated circuit devices, there was a problem that the power supply branch interconnecting lines connected to the annular power supply interconnecting lines could not be formed rectilinearly in order to supply VDD potential and GND potential to the logic circuit element since the power supply interconnecting lines were structured as stated above. Also, the connecting lines could not be formed rectilinearly in connecting the large scale circuit block and the annular power supply interconnecting lines. Therefore, it was difficult to simplify and standardize the arrangement of the power supply interconnecting lines.
In a case as stated above, as power supply branch interconnecting lines which are wider than general interconnecting lines for signals are formed to be bent in a complicated manner, integration density of the semiconductor integrated circuit device is decreased. Also, the impedance of the power supply branch interconnecting lines is increased, so that power supply noise is increased. Furthermore, since the power supply branch interconnecting lines and the connecting lines between the large scale circuit block and the annular power supply interconnecting lines cannot be formed into fixed configurations, it is more difficult to automate arrangement of various logic circuit blocks, power supply interconnecting lines and so on.

Semiconductor integrated circuit having annular power supply with plural lines


The holder device (3) according to the invention comprises:                a lower surface (21);        an upper part (25, 75);        a rear surface (23);        an electronic device (27), positioned near the rear surface (23).

A holder device of this type is known from KR 2011 0040622. This device can only receive a limited range of portable electronic apparatuses.
In this context, the invention aims to propose a holder device that can receive a wider range of portable electronic apparatuses.
To that end, the invention pertains to a holder device of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the holder device comprises an adjustment mechanism to adjust the separation between the lower surface and the upper part in a main direction, based on the size of the electronic apparatus in that main direction, the adjustment mechanism comprising a moving element that can be moved relative to one of said lower surface and upper part, the other of said lower surface and upper part being connected to the moving element.
Thus, the holder device can receive portable electronic apparatuses whose size in the main direction is extremely varied. This size can for example vary between 100 mm and 160 mm.
The holder device is provided to be arranged inside a vehicle, for example onboard a motor vehicle, such as a car or truck. The holder device is provided to be arranged in a dashboard, or in another inner structure of the vehicle.
The main direction is typically parallel to the rear surface. It is vertical, or forms a smaller angle relative to the vertical direction. Typically, it forms an angle comprised between −30° and +30° relative to the vertical direction.
In the present description, the front, rear, longitudinal and transverse directions are understood relative to the normal movement direction of the vehicle. The horizontal direction is substantially parallel to the rolling plane of the vehicle, and the vertical direction is perpendicular to said rolling plane.
The lower surface is typically horizontal, or has a small incline relative to the horizontal. It is typically perpendicular to the rear surface. The lower surface typically forms an angle comprised between −30° and +30° relative to the horizontal.
The electronic apparatus is typically a mobile telephone, for example a mobile telephone of the "smart phone" type. The portable electronic device may also be a GPS, or an electronic tablet, or any other type of portable electronic device.
The portable electronic apparatuses generally have a parallelepiped shape, with two large faces opposite one another, connected by a thin border. A large front face bears the screen of the portable electronic apparatus. The other face makes up the back of the electronic apparatus. The two large faces are typically rectangular. The main direction corresponds either to the large side of said faces, or the small side of said faces.
The electronic device is a short-range wireless apparatus. It is situated below the rear surface, i.e., on a side of the rear surface opposite the electronic apparatus. For technical reasons related to the design of the electronic device, this device must be situated at a depth below the rear surface smaller than 10 mm, preferably smaller than 5 mm. If the electronic device is situated too deeply below the rear surface, it can no longer cooperate with the complementary electronic device situated inside the electronic apparatus.
The holder device may also have one or more of the features below, considered individually or according to all technically possible combinations.
Advantageously, the upper part is connected to the moving element.
According to one, alternative, it is instead the lower surface that is connected to the moving element.
Advantageously, the adjustment mechanism comprises an elastic member biasing the moving element toward the lower surface or the upper part. Thus, the upper part and the lower surface are continuously biased toward one another. The upper part is thus kept against the upper edge of the electronic apparatus and presses the electronic apparatus toward the lower surface. The holding of the electronic apparatus is thus improved. Furthermore, the adjustment of the separation between the upper part and the lower surface is thus made easier. When the user wishes to position the electronic apparatus on the holder device, he separates the upper part and the lower surface from one another, and inserts the electronic apparatus. He next allows the upper part to come against the upper edge of the electronic apparatus or the lower surface to come back against the lower edge of the electronic apparatus, under the biasing of the elastic member. The separation between the upper part and the lower surface is therefore adjusted automatically.
Advantageously, the adjustment mechanism is situated entirely, in the main direction, either on a side of the electronic device turned toward the upper edge of the electronic apparatus, or on a side of the electronic device turned toward the lower edge of the electronic apparatus.
Thus, in the event the upper part is connected to the moving element, the adjustment mechanism is preferably entirely housed above the electronic device. The adjustment mechanism does not comprise an element interposed between the electronic device and the rear surface. This contributes to the fact that the electronic device can be positioned in the immediate vicinity of the rear surface. In fact, if an element of the adjustment mechanism is inserted between the electronic device and the rear surface, it is necessary to increase the separation between the electronic device and the rear surface to house the adjustment mechanism. This also disrupts the operation of the electronic device.
This aspect of the invention is in particular reflected, for the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, by the fact that the guide rails of the moving element are situated entirely above the electronic device. For the second embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is the axis of rotation of the moving element that is situated above the electronic device.
According to one obvious alternative embodiment for one skilled in the art, the adjustment mechanism may alternatively be entirely housed below the electronic device. This arrangement is particularly well suited to cases where the lower part is connected to the moving element.
According to one, alternative, the adjustment mechanism may alternatively be entirely housed below the electronic device. This arrangement is particularly well suited to cases where the lower part is connected to the moving element.
Such a mechanism is simple and inexpensive.
Typically, the adjustment mechanism comprises two guide rails, parallel to one another.
Advantageously, the rail comprises at least one bowed segment, and the moving element is flexible.
This facilitates the arrangement of the main holder device in the structure designed to receive it.
In this case, the moving element is typically a flexible curtain.
The edges of the flexible curtain are engaged in the guide rail(s) and are free to slide inside the rails.
The flexible curtain may be of any suitable type. For example, it is made up of strips parallel to each other. Alternatively, the flexible curtain is made up of a sheet of a flexible material.
Preferably, the rail comprises at least one first segment substantially parallel to the rear surface, and a second segment extending in an inclined direction relative to the rear surface. Thus, the bulk of the adjustment mechanism is limited, for example in the main direction. The second segment forms an angle comprised between 30° and 150° relative to the rear surface, preferably comprised between 45° and 120°, and for example equal to 70°.
Alternatively, the rails can be straight, and the moving element can be a rigid curtain or any other type of rigid element.
Advantageously, the adjustment mechanism comprises a retarder suitable for retarding the movement of the moving element along the rail. This makes it possible to prevent the upper part or the lower surface from colliding with the edge of the electronic apparatus and damaging it if the user abruptly releases the moving element after placing the electronic apparatus in the holder device.
According to a second embodiment, the adjustment mechanism comprises a pivot link designed so that the moving element pivots relative to the lower surface or the upper part.
Thus, the separation between the lower surface and the upper part is adjusted by varying the angle between the moving element and the lower surface.
In that case, the moving element is for example a flap. Alternatively, the moving element is an arm or a finger.
The upper part, or the lower surface, is made up of a surface of the moving element turned toward the lower surface, toward the upper part, respectively. Alternatively, the upper part or the lower surface is attached on the moving element.
The pivot link has an axis substantially parallel to the lower surface and the rear surface.
In that case, the axis is preferably situated, in a direction perpendicular to the rear surface, opposite the electronic apparatus relative to the rear surface.
In other words, the axis is positioned away from the rear surface, for example at a distance comprised between 3 and 10 cm. As indicated above, it is for example offset above the electronic device, on the side of the upper edge of the portable electronic apparatus. As a result, it is possible to arrange the upper part such that the surface of said upper part bearing against the electronic apparatus constantly forms a smaller angle relative to the lower surface. Conversely, it may be offset below the electronic device.
Preferably, the holder device comprises a nonslip element on the lower surface and/or on the upper part, the lower and/or upper edges of the electronic apparatus bearing against the nonslip element in the upright position.
The stability of the electronic apparatus is thus improved. The nonslip element is of any suitable type. For example, this nonslip element is a mat made from an elastic material such as an elastomer.
The nonslip element also contributes to preventing the deterioration of the upper and lower edges of the electronic apparatus that could result from the rubbing of those edges against the lower surface or the upper part.
This nonslip element also contributes to reducing or eliminating noise and vibrations. When there is no nonslip element, these noises and vibrations are created by the upper and lower edges of the electronic apparatus colliding with the lower surface or the upper part.
According to one alternative embodiment, the nonslip element delimits a housing with a shape corresponding to that of the lower and/or upper edge of the electronic apparatus. When the apparatus is in the upright position, the lower and/or upper edges of the electronic apparatus are engaged in said housings.
The electronic apparatus is thus very well held in the holder device.
However, it is necessary to change the nonslip element(s), each time one wishes to use a new type of electronic apparatus. The nonslip elements are therefore specific to each electronic apparatus format.
Advantageously, the adjustment mechanism comprises a device for reversibly locking the moving element in position. This locking device locks the moving element in its current position relative to the lower surface or the upper part. This improves the locking of the electronic apparatus in the holder device.
For example, the locking device comprises a locking member, a motor arranged to move the locking member between a position locking the moving element in position and a position releasing the moving element, and a computer program to control the motor. The locking member may be of any suitable type. For the second embodiment of the invention, the locking member is for example a strip bearing teeth, cooperating in the locking position with a toothed wheel rigidly fastened to the moving element. For the first embodiment of the invention, the locking member is for example a bolt moved linearly by the motor.
In the locking position, the moving element is locked relative to the lower surface or the upper part in its current position. In the released position, the moving element can be moved relative to the lower surface or the upper part.
The motor is provided to move the locking member via a kinematic chain of any suitable type.
The computer is programmed to drive the motor such that the locking member is moved into the locked position in response to different events: the startup of the heat engine of the vehicle, or the startup of the wireless charging unit, or a locking order entered by the user via the electronic apparatus, or a locking order entered by the user via a control member situated at another point of the vehicle.
Likewise, the computer is programmed so that the motor causes the locking member to enter the released position in response to various events: stopping of the heat engine of the vehicle, or stopping of the charging device, or a command entered by the user via the portable electronic apparatus, or a command entered by the user via another control member situated onboard the vehicle.
Other command sequences can be considered.
Typically, the moving element and/or the additional part protrudes, in a direction perpendicular to the rear surface, past a front face of the electronic apparatus opposite the back, and forms a sun visor. The shape of the moving element and/or the upper part is chosen to cast shade on the front face of the electronic apparatus in the upright position.
The visibility of the screen of the electronic apparatus is thus improved. This aspect applies to both embodiments of the invention. In the first embodiment, the upper part is configured as a sun visor. In the second embodiment, the moving element is configured as a sun visor.
Advantageously, the electronic device comprises a wireless charging unit suitable for electrically recharging the electronic apparatus and/or a short-range communication unit with the electronic apparatus.
The wireless charging unit cooperates with a complementary charging device of the electronic apparatus to electrically recharge the battery of the portable electronic apparatus. The communication unit cooperates with a complementary communication unit of the electronic apparatus to send communications coming from or received by the electronic apparatus. This unit is of the NFC (Near Field Communication) type.
According to a second aspect, the invention relates to an inner vehicle structure, comprising a holder device having the above features. The inner structure is for example a dashboard.
According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a vehicle comprising a holder device having the above features, for example a motor vehicle, such as a car or truck.

Holder device for portable electronic apparatus, inner structure and vehicle including such a device

Abstract: The holder device (3) comprises a mechanism (26) for adjusting the separation between the lower surface (21) and the upper part (25, 75) as a function of the size of the electronic apparatus (5).


The subject of the invention is a process for separating silicic compounds from baths for cleaning steel substrates containing iron ions and silicic compounds, consisting of the following stages:. a) a concentrated spent cleaning bath is cooled in a controlled manner to a temperature below 60.degree. C. so as to precipitate the silicic compounds, PA0 b) the cleaning bath is allowed to cool for at least 2 hours, PA0 c) the cleaning bath is reheated, PA0 d) the silicic compounds precipitated from the cleaning bath are separated off.

A process for separating a silicic compound from a spent steel-cleaning bath is known from application Ser. No. EP-0,141,034.
In this process the spent cleaning bath passes through a filter consisting of a material adsorbing the silicic compound.
Such a process has the disadvantage of requiring an operation of regeneration of the adsorbent materials forming the filter. In fact, in the course of its use, the adsorbent filter becomes blocked and the flow rate and the volume of the treated cleaning bath decreases progressively.
The cleaning baths currently employed for cleaning steel substrates contain iron ions, essentially in the form of ferrous ions, and a certain proportion of silicic compounds formed from the element silicon originating from the substrate.
After having been concentrated beforehand, these cleaning baths are decomposed thermally by known methods and are, in particular, calcined in an oven of the Ruthner type, and this makes it possible to recover iron oxides, essentially in the Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 form.
The iron oxides, being sufficiently pure, can be employed as colorants, for example in paints and cosmetic products, or as excipients in the pharmaceutical industry. They also form part of the manufacture of magnetic components or of the manufacture of cements, to improve the mechanical characteristics.
The silica content of the iron oxides currently recovered from cleaning baths is at least 350 ppm, whereas it would be desirable to lower it below 100 ppm for the applications referred to above.

Process for separating silicic compounds from cleaning baths and plant for its application


A heat sink for electrical circuit components includes a chill plate which is formed by a front plate and a back plate. The front and back plates are interconnected and cooperate to define passages for liquid coolant. Cooling fins extend from the back plate and are exposed to the atmosphere to conduct heat from the back plate. A pump is mounted on the chill plate and induces a flow of the cooling medium through passages between the front and back plates. An expansion chamber is also disposed between the front and back plates and holds gas which is compressible by the liquid cooling medium to accommodate expansion of the liquid cooling medium.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for use in cooling electrical circuit components and more specifically to a heat sink on which electrical circuit components may be mounted.
Electrical circuit components, such as semi-conductors and particularly power semi-conductors such as silicon controlled rectifiers or thyristors, generate substantial amounts of heat when they are used. Liquid coolant has been conducted through cooling chambers connected with the electrical circuit components. Heat is transferred from the electrical circuit components to the coolant in the cooling chambers.
The coolant is conducted from a cooling chamber to an expansion reservoir and then to a pump. The pump induces a flow of coolant through a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has surface areas which are exposed to a flow of air to transfer heat from the coolant. The coolant is then conducted back to the cooling chambers associated with the electrical circuit components. One cooling system having this general construction is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,393. Other cooling systems for electrical circuit components are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,817,321 and 3,965,971.
Cooling systems similar to the ones disclosed in the aforementioned patents commonly utilize a system of pipes or conduits to conduct the liquid coolant between an expansion reservoir, pump, heat exchanger and cooling chambers associated with the electrical circuit components. The mounting of the expansion chamber, pump, heat exchanger and their associated piping in association with the electrical circuit components requires a substantial amount of space. In addition, after a period of use, leaks may tend to develop. Of course, any leakage of liquid coolant in association with electrical circuit components is objectionable.

Heat sink for electrical circuit components


A method of forming a halftone screen, the method comprising: representing a first tone range by forming a plurality of dots arranged in a grid; representing a second tone range by forming a plurality of substantially cross-shaped dots arranged in a grid, the cross-shaped dots contained within respective dot cells and having four arms, a distal end of at least one of the arms wider than a proximal end, the second tone range darker than the first tone range; and representing a third tone range by forming a plurality of substantially cross-shaped dots arranged in a grid, the cross-shaped dots contained within respective dot cells and having four arms, a proximal end of at least one of the arms wider than the proximal end of at least one arm of the cross-shaped dots representing the second tone range, the third tone range darker than the second tone range.

Colour images are typically printed using three or more colours and black. These colours are known as process colours. Common process colours comprise cyan, magenta and yellow. Black is also used to improve the printing of dark areas. A large range or gamut of colours can be reproduced by printing the process colours in different combinations, together with black. Some printing techniques use other colours either in addition or in substitution for cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
A given colour is reproduced by adjusting the amount of each of the process colours and black. This is achieved by adjusting the ratio of ink to white paper for each process colour and black. Generally the ratio of ink to white paper is controlled by printing each process colour in a series of dots that vary in either size or frequency. The pattern of dots for each process colour is called a halftone pattern, a halftone screen or a screen.
The combination of the individual halftone screens for each process colour and black results in the appearance of the full colour image.
In traditional amplitude modulated screening, the ratio of ink to white paper is controlled by varying the size of individual dots. The dots are arranged on a grid that is defined by the number of lines per inch. This is known as the screen ruling or screen frequency. The grid can be either orthogonal or non-orthogonal.
The grids for each process colour and black will generally be on different angles known as screen angles. In irrational screening, which is a commonly used technique, three orthogonal grids of the same screen ruling are rotated to intervals of 30° relative to each other. The three grids typically represent cyan, magenta and black respectively. A fourth screen for the yellow colour may be of a slightly different screen ruling or frequency which is generally arranged at 15° to two of the other screens. This arrangement results in a pattern that incorporates a series of circular features known as rosettes.
An individual grid comprises an array of cells known as dot cells. Each dot cell generally contains a maximum of one dot. In the case of an orthogonal grid, the dot cells are square.
There are a variety of dot shapes that are used to create halftone screens. Each dot shape is made up of n individual shapes that begin with a white dot cell representing 0% tone. The dot shape is formed and increases in size as the tone darkens (the level of density increases). Eventually a dot cell is formed that is completely filled with ink representing the 100% tone, i.e., the dot shape covers 100% of the area of the dot cell. As the area covered by the dot increases, the density of ink is said to increase or, alternatively, the tone is said to become darker. Often n will be 255 since this number of individual dot shapes, also representing the number of density levels, is an industry norm.
Three traditionally used dot shapes are round dots, elliptical dots and square dots (usually found on a 45 degree orientation where the sides of the dot are orientated at 45 degrees to the edge of the dot cell. Another traditionally used dot shape is the inverse round dot, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,222. All of these dot shapes have a tendency, when used in a number of screens to make colour images, to result in rosettes that are apparent, particularly at lower screen rulings. The apparentness of rosettes makes the image appear less smooth than an image with less apparent rosettes. The apparentness of the rosettes can vary according to the precise registration of the screens in the image. Precise registration can be difficult to control in practice. The large open white spaces between dots of the traditionally used shapes contributes to the apparentness of the rosettes.
It is an object of preferred embodiments of the present invention to address some of the aforementioned disadvantages of the traditionally used dot shapes. An additional and/or alternative object is to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Method and system for forming a halftone screen


The present invention provides a nitrogen-containing saturated heterocyclic compound of the formula [I]:

Renin inhibitors are expected as a medicine for the prevention and/or treatment of diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, diabetic nephropathy and the like, and 3,4-substituted piperidine derivatives are disclosed for example (Patent Literature 1). But a morpholine derivative is not described in the literature.
Also WO 2008/153182 discloses some morpholine derivatives but they are compounds having a formula I wherein R is a hydrogen atom (Patent Literature 2).

Nitrogen-containing saturated heterocyclic compound

Abstract: wherein R1 is a cycloalkyl group and the like, R22 is an optionally substituted aryl and the like, R is a lower alkyl and the like, T is a carbonyl group, Z is —O— and the like, and R3 to R6 are the same or different and a hydrogen atom and the like;or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, that is useful as a renin inhibitor.

SHANGHAI PHARMACEUTICALS HOLDING CO., LTD.


Provided is a method for inducing innate apolipoprotein B editing catalytic protein (APOBEC) driven C>U RNA deamination of RNA in a cell comprising contacting the cell with an effective amount of atpenin A5 with or without interferon. Specifically, APOBEC3A is a cytidine deaminase enzyme that edits RNA transcripts of hundreds of cellular genes upon stimulation of innate immune cells by low oxygen tension (hypoxia) or antiviral factor interferon. Atpenin A5 induces APOBEC3A-mediated RNA editing in normoxia to levels comparable to those seen in hypoxia. The method can be used to treat viral conditions.

RNA editing is a co- or post-transcriptional process that alters transcript sequences without any change in the encoding DNA sequence. Although various types of RNA editing have been observed in single cell organisms to mammals, base modifications by deamination of adenine to inosine (A>I), or cytidine to uracil (C>U) are the major types of RNA editing in higher eukaryotes. I and U are read as guanosine (G) and thymine (T) respectively by the cellular machinery during mRNA translation and reverse transcription. RNA editing can therefore alter amino acid sequences, thereby modifying and diversifying protein functions.
The activation-induced deaminase (AID), apolipoprotein B editing catalytic polypeptide-like (APOBEC) family AID causes C>U deamination of DNA. However, multiple studies have failed to identify any RNA editing activity for this protein. Humans have 10 APOBEC genes (APOBEC1, 2, 3A-D, 3F-H and 4). APOBEC3 proteins can deaminate cytidines in single-stranded (ss) DNA, and although the APOBEC proteins bind RNA, C>U deamination of RNA is known for only APOBEC1, with apolipoprotein B (APOB) mRNA as its physiological target9. C>U RNA editing alters hundreds of cytidines in chloroplasts and mitochondria of flowering plants, but the underlying deaminating enzymes are unknown.
APOBEC3A belongs to a family of APOBEC3 enzymes that play an important role in restricting diverse viruses including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and endogenous retrotransposons. Most studies show that cytidine deaminase catalytic activity of APOBEC3s is essential for their antiviral activities.

Use of atpenin to activate innate immunity


A connector with a cover (1) includes a connector housing (11) and a cover (21) fitted in the connector housing. The connector housing has a regulating rib (16) provided projecting in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction where the fitted cover is pulled away from the connector housing. The cover has a regulating groove (26) that is formed into a shape corresponding to the regulating rib, and into which the regulating rib is inserted when the cover is fitted in the connector housing. The regulating rib is formed to become larger in width in the first direction from a base end toward a tip in the second direction. Release of the fitting of the cover in the connector housing is regulated by the regulating groove and the regulating rib inserted into the regulating groove in a state where the cover is fitted in the connector housing.

Conventionally, as a connector with a cover provided with the cover that covers and protects an electric wire pulled out from a connector housing, for example, a connector with a cover described in Patent Literature 1 has been proposed.
This connector with the cover is substantially configured with a connector housing that houses a terminal connected to an end of an electric wire, and the cover that is fitted in the connector housing to cover the electric wire pulled out from the connector housing.
The connector housing has a fitting projecting portion provided projecting in a direction perpendicular to a direction where the cover fitted in the connector housing is pulled away from the connector housing. The fitting projecting portion is formed having a same width over an entire length in a projecting direction from the connector housing. Additionally, the fitting projecting portion extends in a straight line in a direction perpendicular to both the projecting direction from the connector housing and a pulling-away direction of the cover from the connector housing. Meanwhile, the cover has a fitting concave portion into which, when the cover is made to fit in the connector housing, the fitting projecting portion is inserted from one end side in an extending direction thereof.
Then, the fitting projecting portion is inserted into the fitting concave portion, and thereby the cover is fitted in the connector housing.

Connector cover regulating rib and groove


A refrigerant handling system that includes a closed vessel for storing refrigerant and an apparatus for determining quantity of air captured within the vessel. A first sensor is operatively coupled to the vessel for providing a first electrical signal as a function of air/refrigerant vapor pressure within the vessel, and a second sensor is operatively coupled to the vessel for providing a second electrical signal as a function of air/refrigerant vapor temperature within the vessel. A microprocessor-based controller has internal memory in which electronic indicia is stored for relating saturation pressure to temperature for multiple types of refrigerant. This stored electronic indicia is employed in conjunction with the first and second sensor signals to determine quantity of air within the vessel as a function of a difference between pressure indicated by the first sensor signal and the saturation pressure indicia at the temperature indicated by the second sensor signal. Air is purged from the vessel, either automatically or manually, when quantity of air so indicated exceeds a predetermined threshold.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,369, assigned to the assignee hereof, discloses a refrigerant handling system, specifically a refrigerant recovery and purification system, that includes a compressor having an inlet coupled through an evaporator and a solenoid valve to the refrigeration equipment from which refrigerant is to be recovered, and an outlet coupled through a condenser to a refrigerant storage vessel or container. Refrigerant may be withdrawn from the storage container and pumped, either by the compressor or by a separate liquid refrigerant pump, through a filter/drier for removing water and other contaminants, and then returned to the storage container. A pressure differential valve receives a first pressure input from a refrigerant bulb positioned for heat exchange with refrigerant fed to the storage container, and thus indicative of temperature of refrigerant within the container itself. A second input to the valve is indicative of air/refrigerant vapor pressure within the container. The valve is coupled to a purge port on the container for automatically venting air from within the container when the pressure differential between the valve input ports exceeds the threshold setting of the valve. In a modified embodiment, a differential pressure gauge receives the first pressure input indicative of refrigerant temperature ana the second input indicative of air/refrigerant vapor pressure within the container, and a manual valve is coupled to the container purge port for manipulation by an operator when the gauge indicates excessive pressure differential.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,749, also assigned to the assignee hereof, discloses a refrigerant handling system having both air purge and multiple refrigerant capabilities. A refrigerant bulb is positioned for heat exchange with refrigerant fed to the storage container as in the earlier patent. A double-needle pressure gauge has a first port coupled to the refrigerant bulb and a second port coupled to the container. The gauge needles thereby indicate vapor pressure of refrigerant fed to the container and refrigerant/air vapor pressure within the container. The gauge is provided with multiple scales calibrated for different types of refrigerant, so that an operator knowing the type of refrigerant under service may observe the gauge, determine the pressure differential between the container refrigerant/air vapor pressure and the saturation pressure for that refrigerant, and manually purge air from within the container when such pressure differential exceeds the desired level.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,391, also assigned to the assignee hereof, discloses a refrigerant handling system having both air purge and multiple refrigerant capabilities. A bulb containing a reference refrigerant is positioned in heat transfer relation with refrigerant fed to the storage container, as in the earlier patents. A pressure gauge is coupled to the bulb and calibrated to indicate saturation temperature of the reference refrigerant, and thereby reflect actual temperature of refrigerant in the container. A differential pressure gauge has separate scales for multiple refrigerant types (e.g., R22, R134a, R500, R502) to indicate apparent refrigerant temperature as a function of any bulb/container pressure differential. Any difference between these temperature readings is considered to reflect partial pressure of air within the container, which may be purged through a valve coupled to the container.
Although the systems disclosed in the above-noted patents and application address and overcome problems theretofore extant in the art, further improvements remain desirable. For example, although the automatic and manual air purge techniques disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,369 operate well for a specific type of refrigerant, this technique is not well suited for use in conjunction with multiple refrigerants because the air/refrigerant vapor pressure in the storage container does not compare with the saturation pressure within the bulb properly to indicate partial pressure of air within the container unless the refrigerant in the bulb is of the same type as that in the container. The systems of U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,749 and application Ser. No. 07/844,559, U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,391, provide such multiple refrigerant capability, but have the disadvantage that comparison of two needle readings is required.
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a refrigerant handling system with air purge capability that is accurate and adapted for both automatic and manual operation, that i s capable of handling multiple differing types of refrigerants, and/or that can assist an operator in identifying and/or confirming the type of refrigerant in the handling system and indicating potential mixing of refrigerants.

Refrigerant handling system with air purge and multiple refrigerant capabilities


An automated method for conditionally propagating metadata instances among documents includes defining groups of metadata instances and includes assigning different propagation coefficients to each group. Each propagation coefficient assigned to a particular group is based upon correlating the associated document attribute or attributes with reliable propagations of metadata instances within the group. After the groups of metadata instances have been defined and the propagation coefficients have been assigned, propagation of a metadata instance from a second document to a first document is based upon a combination of (1) determining the particular group in which the metadata instance resides, (2) identifying the propagation coefficients that are assigned to that group for the associated document attributes, and (3) comparing the first and second documents with respect to the associated document attributes.

With the proliferation of imaging technology in consumer applications (e.g., digital cameras and Internet-based support), it is becoming more common to store libraries of digitized pictures and other multimedia documents, such as video files. There are a number of known approaches to identifying or organizing multimedia documents. One approach is to merely organize the documents in a chronological order based upon the times at which the documents were acquired. For example, digitized pictures may be stored in an archive that is presented to a viewer of the archive in a chronological order from the earliest acquired digital photo to the latest acquired digital photo. Another approach is to form separately labeled folders into which the multimedia documents may be stored. Thus, a folder may be labeled "Vacation," and digital photos acquired during a particular vacation trip may be stored within the folder.
In a more complex organizational approach, the contents of documents are analyzed using enabling technology, so that the documents may be categorized on the basis of contents. This approach can be useful for businesses that utilize a large volume of multimedia documents, such as an image archive of a newspaper. Content-analysis technology may be used to classify documents with identifiers that describe the image contents. Following the classification, the identifiers can be input as a query during a search operation.
A technique for distinguishing individual documents, such as digital images, is to annotate each document. An "annotation" is defined herein as a semantic label that is associated with a document by an entry by a human. That is, annotations are human generated. Typically, an annotation is descriptive of the content of the document. For example, a digital image may have the annotation "This image depicts a Hawaiian beach."
Annotations provide one form of "metadata," which is defined as information other than attribute information, that is attached to the document without being contents of the document. Metadata instances may be human-generated, but may also be automatically generated. Other forms of metadata include song lyrics attached to an audio file and ratings attached to a video file.
As distinguished from metadata, "attributes" are defined as information regarding features of the associated document. Attributes may be classified as being specific to (1) intrinsic non-content features, such as time stamps and image dimensions, (2) intrinsic content features, such as color histograms, illuminations and face detections, and (3) access and usage features, such as access patterns and usage characteristics for documents that are stored at a common site.
While the available approaches to organizing documents operate well for their intended purposes, there are concerns with each approach. For example, the content analysis for automatic classification requires a high level of sophistication for proper implementation. On the other hand, the human-generated annotations are less complex, but are laborious when used within a large archive of documents. The same is true for other forms of human-generated metadata attached to digital images and other non-textual documents. Optionally, only a limited number of documents may be annotated, with the contents of the remaining documents being inferred. As one example, the first image acquired during a vacation may be associated with an annotation, allowing a user to infer that images acquired in the same calendar week are also images of vacation activity or scenery. The inference is valid in such a situation, but less valid in others.
What is needed is a method and system for enabling automated organizational processing of documents without a high level of complexity.

Automated propagation of document metadata

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


Provided are methods and systems for evaluating security of firmware. An example method may include acquiring a firmware image of firmware associated with at least one computing device. The method may include extracting at least one component of the firmware image. The method may include analyzing the component to detect at least one vulnerability of the firmware. The method may also include estimating, based on the at least one vulnerability, a security risk level of the firmware. The method may further include providing a report regarding the security risk level and the at least one vulnerability of the firmware. The analysis may include determining that the component matches a specific file or contains a specific string or a specific pattern. The analysis may include detection of a cryptographic key or password hash in the component and determining a level of weakness of the password hash.

With the development of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the number of IoT devices being made and used is increasing. These IoT devices can communicate and interact with each other, as well as with external devices, via the Internet. Manufacturers of IoT devices often rely on open source or third parties to provide code for the firmware used by the IoT devices. However, IoT devices can be vulnerable to unauthorized access and can be used to stage attacks against other devices. Currently, there are no robust solutions for detecting and diagnosing the vulnerability of firmware for IoT devices.


A light-emitting semiconductor component which contains a sequence of semiconductor layers (2) with an area of p-doped semiconductor layers (4) and n-doped semiconductor layers (3) between which a first pn junction (5a, 5b) is formed. The pn junction (5a, 5b) is subdivided into a light-emitting section (7) and a protective-diode section (8) in a lateral direction by means of an insulating section (6). An n-doped layer (9), which forms a second pn junction (10) which acts as a protective diode along with the p-doped area (4), is applied to the p-doped area (4) in the area of the protective-diode section (8), the first pn junction (5b) in the protective-diode section (8) having a larger area than the first pn junction (5a) in the light-emitting section (7). The protective-diode section (8) protects the light-emitting semiconductor component from voltage pulses due to electrostatic discharges (ESD).

The increasing miniaturization of opto-electronic components and special requirements, particularly with regard to the threshold current and the radiation quality, lead to the radiation-emitting active area of such components frequently being constructed to be relatively small. On the other hand, it is known that a relatively small active area produces increased sensitivity of the component to electrostatic discharges (ESD). Such ESD voltage pulses can impair the operation of an opto-electronic component or even destroy it.
From U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,240 B1, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is known which contains a protective diode integrated monolithically on the semiconductor substrate for increasing its ESD resistance. This protective diode is connected in antiparallel with the VCSEL by means of a multi-stage etching process and suitable running of the contact metallizations and in this manner protects the VCSEL from ESD voltage pulses which occur in the reverse direction of the pn junction of the VCSEL.
A further radiation-emitting semiconductor component with improved ESD immunity is known from DE 199 45 134 A1. In this component, a monolithically integrated protective diode is implemented by providing a part of the pn junction with a Schottky contact. The part-section provided with the Schottky contact is connected in parallel with the light-emitting section and has the same forward direction. Due to a steeper current/voltage characteristic, the current preferably flows through the protective-diode section at high voltages in the forward direction. In this manner, this component is protected against ESD voltage pulses in the forward direction.

Light-emitting semiconductor component comprising a protective diode


The present disclosure relates to an oxygen-permeable topically-applied composition (OPTC) and methods of its use for the treatment of skin conditions and injuries.

Skin injuries and actinic lesions can result in scarring, edema, and/or erythema, the recovery from which can take months and even years, during which a subject suffering from such an injury can experience a lot of discomfort. Skin injuries can be the result of exposure to fire, caustic chemicals, ionizing irradiation. Skin lesions include keratosis, thickening and wrinkling, elastosis, telangiectasia, solar comedones, diffuse or mottled hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, and skin tears. Both can result in scarring, edema, and/or erythema.
Scarring, edema, and/or erythema can also be caused by procedures used to treat these injuries and lesions. Such treatment includes laser fractional ablation, used for example, to treat wrinkles (rhytids), discoloration, photodamage, tattoo removal, and acne scarring. Traditionally, the deeper the ablation, the more effective the treatment at improving the damage. However, with deeper ablation also comes edema and erythema, and potentially infection, leading to increased downtime with healing times often ten to fourteen days before skin re-epithelization. Ablating the skin necessarily disrupts the skin barrier, exposing the skin to infectious agents from the outside world. This elevates the risk of infection, the most common cause of scarring following treatment.14 Thus, taking active preventative measures is critical following treatment.
The current treatment guideline to minimize this risk is the application of topical petroleum-based products to act as a barrier until the true skin barrier reforms.
Generally, formulations such as white petroleum or standard petrolatum ointment, are preferred to antibiotic ointments due to the propensity of the latter to cause contact dermatitis, particularly those containing neomycin. The hydrocarbon structure of petrolatum ointment makes it impermeability to oxygen. This structure aids in its barrier-like properties.
The basic concept of petroleum barriers is well justified. However, the standard petrolatum ointment contains emollients, additives and other ingredients such as lanolin, mineral oil, Panthenol, and glycerin that can cause localized reaction.9, 10 Petrolatum ointment has been found to have a higher incidence of wound redness (52%) compared to those treated with pure white petrolatum (12%),11 possibly due to irritation from these additives. In addition, the lack of oxygen permeability may result in longer healing times due to the increased metabolic demand of damaged tissue during healing that, accordingly, would benefit from exposure to oxygen to fuel the reparative process.
Thus, the lack of oxygen permeability, the thick consistency, and breadth of potential irritants in many petrolatum products when used can lead to unwanted side effects of unpleasant healing time and contact dermatitis and can result in longer healing times. Also. in a modern, busy society, post-operative downtime is a major factor for patients when considering aesthetic procedures.2 As such, improving the recovery experience may result in more patients opting to do these procedures as well as higher subject satisfaction.
Thus, what is needed are improved formulations and methods for the treatment of skin injuries which facilitate and hasten healing, are non-irritating, effective in staving off infection, and which are easy to apply.


A method and system for authenticating in a communication system are provided. The method includes, in a first authenticator, sending an authenticator relocation request to a second authenticator transmitting a hash value for an authentication parameter of a Mobile Terminal (MT), a random parameter 1, and a random parameter 2 from the second authenticator to the first authenticator; in the first authenticator, transmitting the hash value received from the second authenticator and the random parameter 1 to an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server; in the AAA server, determining a validity of the hash value received from the first authenticator, and in the AAA server, transmitting the authentication parameter ever used at the time of authenticating the MT, to the first authenticator.

1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to a method and system for authenticating a Mobile Terminal (MT) in a communication system. More particularly, aspects of the present invention relate to a method and system for relocating an authenticator of an MT without performing a procedure of re-authentication of the MT in a communication system.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a communication system, a service provider carries out a user authentication procedure to determine subscription or non-subscription for users who intend to use a network service and service provision or non-provision. For example, when using Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), an MT and an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) server perform an authentication procedure through a serving network of the MT. The authentication procedure is described below with reference to FIG. 1. The EAP represents a protocol for encapsulating and information to facilitate authentication, such as Message Digest number 5 (MD5), Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Remote Password (SRP), and the like.
FIG. 1 illustrates a procedure of authenticating an MT in a wireless communication system according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, in step 131, the MT 100 completes a physical layer attachment with an authenticator 110. The MT 100 and the authenticator 110 then initiate a procedure of link-layer entry of the MT 100. In step 133, the authenticator 110 sends the MT 100 an EAP request message (EAP Request/Link-layer) requesting IDentification (ID) information for authentication of the MT 100. At this time, the MT 100 and the authenticator 110 exchange a signal through a Base Station (BS) that is located between the MT 100 and the authenticator 110. The EAP request message is defined here as 'PKMv2 PKM-REQ/EAP-Transfer' in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard.
In step 135, the MT 100 sends the authenticator 110 an EAP response message (EAP Response/Link-layer) including its own ID information in response to the EAP request message (EAP Request/Link-layer). The EAP response message is defined here as 'PKM-RSP/EAP-Transfer' in the IEEE 802.16 standard.
In step 137, the authenticator 110 includes the ID information of the MT 100 included in the EAP response message (EAP Response/Link-layer), in an AAA request message (EAP Response/AAA Request), and sends the AAA request message (EAP Response/AAA Request) to a home AAA server 120.
The AAA server 120 determines an EAP authentication method using the ID information of the MT 100 identified through the AAA request message (EAP Response/AAA Request). In steps 139 and 141, the AAA server 120 transmits the determined EAP authentication method information to the MT 100 through the authenticator 110.
Through an EAP request message (EAP Request/Link-layer) received from the authenticator 110, the MT 100 identifies the EAP authentication method determined by the AAA server 120. In steps 143 and 145, the MT 100 transmits information of the MT 100 necessary for the EAP authentication method to the AAA server 120 through the authenticator 110. In steps 139 to 145, the AAA server 120, the authenticator 110, and the MT 100 repeatedly transmit/receive the EAP authentication method information and the information of the MT 100 necessary for the EAP authentication method, in preparation for packet loss.
The AAA server 120 determines whether to authenticate the MT 100 using the information of the MT 100 necessary for the EAP authentication method included in an AAA request message (EAP Response/AAA Request) received from the authenticator 110. If the AAA server 120 is able to authenticate the MT 100, then in steps 147 and 149, the AAA server 120 sends an authentication success message to the MT 100 through the authenticator 110.
In step 151, the MT 100 completes the link-layer entry with the authenticator 110. If so, then in step 153, the AAA server 120 starts accounting for the authenticator 110. Upon being authenticated from an AAA server and succeeding in a link-layer entry through the above authentication procedure, an MT is provided with a network service.
However, the above authentication procedure can have a problem that a delay caused by transmission/reception of a message between an authenticator and an AAA server results in a failure of a network entry of the MT. For instance, when the MT authenticated from the AAA server moves to a service area of a different network or the authenticator is relocated, the MT should again perform the authentication procedure of FIG. 1. However, there can be a problem that a delay caused by transmission/reception of a message between the authenticator and the AAA server results in a failure of a network entry of the MT.

Method and system for authenticating in a communication system


A trigger assembly prevents the rifle from being damaged and improves the user safety by preventing unintentional firing (rifle's falling down to the ground, hitting any place, etc.) as long as a trigger lever is not pulled by the user.

Weapons such as handguns, rifles, shotguns, cross-bows and others generally are activated or fired by using a trigger. The trigger generally operates with various linkages that interact with elements of the weapon causing the weapon to fire. The operation of the weapon trigger largely depends on the type of weapon. There can be a danger if someone unauthorized to operate the weapon gains access to the weapon and is able to "fire" the weapon especially if the weapon is loaded.
Devices other than weapons that have triggers could benefit from a device that would selectively fix the trigger in a fire or operation and no-fire or no-operation position. This unauthorized operator may not realize that the weapon is loaded or may not understand how to correctly and safely operate or handle the weapon. They may just be careless with the weapon and not realize at is loaded. No matter what the issues are relating to safety, another safety device or additional device likely to lessen the likelihood of accidents and unauthorized users of weapons would be welcome.
Generally hand guns and other weapons have some type of "safety" devices. These devices engage some portion of the weapon and prevent the weapon from firing when these devices are in the no-fire position. Many of these devices are well known in the prior art and consist of various manually operated levers or buttons which put the weapon selectively in the no-fire or fire positions.
The problems with some types of devices are that they can be defeated or manipulated rather easily so that the weapon can be put in the fire position without much effort or intellect. Some of these devices can arm a weapon if the lever or button is caught on clothing or bumped while the weapon is being carried or stored. While these devices may be appropriate for careful responsible adult users, these devices are not the best for curious children. User safety has a great importance in the air aiming rifles as in all of the guns those are currently present. After the rifle mechanism is set up, the rifle should not burst as a result of the falling of the rifle meaning the rifle's falling down, hitting any place, or as a result of a concussion. Otherwise, the user security cannot be provided and the rifle is damaged.
Various developments have been made for meeting the need against these types of reasons in the known art. These developments are disclosed in United States Patent Publication No. U.S. 2008 078 284, Turkish Patent Publication No. TR 2006 044 54, and PCT Application No. PCT/TR2008/000141. Many types of other devices exist and are well know in the art such as transmitter type rings and locks that clamp over the trigger and prevent operation of the tiger. While separate devices that lock the trigger can be effective, there are problems in that the devices detach from the weapon and can be misplaced or dropped in the snow or mud. It these devices come in two or more pieces that can become detached from one another, this contributes to the possibility of loss. This can be a dis-incentve to replacing the device on the weapon once removed, thus endangering unauthorized persons when the device is not replaced. Other clip or attachment type devices suffer from similar disadvantages.
Another disadvantage of the attachable type devices is that many only attach to one side of the weapon and must be oriented to the weapon to be attached property. This can make them difficult to reattach to the weapon in low light, the dark or with gloves or mittens.
Another disadvantage to these types of devices is that they must be stored somewhere when removed while the weapon is in the fire position. The storage spot will many times be the users pocket which can be bulky and uncomfortable. In bush conditions the device could possibly fall out and become lost. The user could also put the device down once removed, and this raises the possibility of forgetting it if they were to leave in a hurry. There are weight issues too that can arise for one who is hiking or hunting and needs to carry gear that is of minimal weight.
In view of the disadvantages to the devices known in the art there is a need for a device that stays affixed to the weapon, is of light weight, is relatively easy to operate and yet provides protection from unauthorized users. For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a trigger lock device that deters the operation of a trigger on a weapon or device by unauthorized users.

Trigger assembly with a device to prevent accidental firearm discharge when dropped