A self-cleaning screen for shallow water pumping includes a rotatable drum made of mesh material for removing debris from water passing into the drum, and a suction chamber within the drum for feeding water to a suction pipe connected to a centrifugal pump. Inlet openings are arranged across a bottom side of the suction chamber. A check valve assembly is provided to prevent water from back flowing through the inlet openings, to thereby maintain a prime in the suction pipe when the pump is off. The check valve assembly includes valve members that are slidably mounted above the inlet openings for movement between closed and open positions. The valve members move upwardly from their closed positions to their open positions upon movement of water through the inlet openings into the suction chamber, and return to their closed positions by force of gravity when water stops flowing into the suction chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to self-cleaning screen assemblies for use in shallow water pumping systems. In particular, the present invention relates to a check valve assembly for use with a self-cleaning screen in a shallow water pumping system to maintain a prime in a centrifugal pump.
2. Description of the Related Art
Centrifugal pumps are commonly used to suck water out of outdoor pits, reservoirs, streams, rivers, ponds, and the like, especially for irrigation purposes. A suction pipe or hose typically extends between the water source and the centrifugal pump for supplying water to the pump. A screen is typically used to prevent debris, sand and other objects from being sucked into the suction pipe or hose and into the pump while pumping.
Self-cleaning screens have been developed to prevent plugging by debris being drawn to the screen during pumping. An example of a self-cleaning screen is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,270,669 issued to Bauer. Another example of a self-cleaning screen is an earlier version of the product marketed by the Applicant under the proprietary name RIVERSCREEN™. These known products provide rotary self-cleaning drum strainers having a means for cleaning debris from a drum as the drum rotates during operation of the pump. The filtered Water passing into the drum is sucked from the interior of the drum by a suction pipe or hose for delivery to a centrifugal pump.
A well-known limitation to the use of centrifugal pumps is their limited ability to draw fluid for self-priming when starting from an air-filled or dry condition. The impeller is typically not capable of generating a sufficient vacuum when operating in air to draw liquid up to the pump when the standing level of the liquid is below the pump. Before liquid reaches the impeller, very little draw is generated by the impeller. Thus, to begin pumping, the pump must either be primed manually or be self-priming.
Self-priming centrifugal pumps are well known. Examples of such pumps are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,409,478 and 6,783,330 issued to Carnes et al. Although self-priming centrifugal pumps have been used effectively under some conditions, they have generally suffered from a relatively greater complexity, higher expense, unreliability, and/or an inability to lift water as high as necessary to prime the pump in some applications.
There is a need in the industry for an improved self-cleaning screen for use with a centrifugal pump to filter the water entering the pump and to maintain a prime in the pump.

Self-cleaning screen with check valve for use in shallow water pumping


In one aspect, a device includes a battery, a display, a processor, and a memory accessible to the processor. The memory bears instructions executable by the processor to detect a rate of charge of the battery or a rate of discharge of the battery and, based at least in part on the detected rate, actuate at least one of the display and a light on the device other than the display to indicate the detected rate. The display and/or light are actuated based on the detected rate without user input to actuate the display or the light to indicate the detected rate, and without user input to detect or determine the rate of charge of the battery or discharge of the battery.

It is often difficult for a user to determine a current and accurate rate of charge or discharge of a battery for a device. This can be due to many factors, including having to close one application in order to view battery data in a battery-related application. However, between closing one application and opening the battery-related application, the battery charge or discharge rate can change owing to the change in consumption of device resources since an application has closed and a different one has opened. Thus, should the user wish to determine the charge or discharge rate of the battery while running a specific application(s) on the device other than the battery-related application, it is difficult if not impossible to get an accurate real-time appraisal.
Furthermore, it is often the case that a user may be manipulating a device while the device's battery is charging. However, owing to the user's manipulation of the device and hence consumption of power, the battery may not actually be charging even though e.g. the device indicates that the battery is charging based on the device being engaged with a charge source.

Adjusting light emitted by a device based on charge or discharge rate of a battery associated with the device


A data store to store and access digital records is provided, and a key object record is initialized in the data store to store data associated with a physical key object. A digital fingerprint of the physical key object is stored in the key object record. Another digital record is created in the data store that is not the key object record. The digital record is linked to the digital fingerprint of the physical key object. The linking is arranged to provide secure control access to the linked digital record. A tendered access key is received via a programmatic interface or user interface, and the data store is queried based on the tendered access key to identify a matching digital fingerprint of a key object. In a case that the querying identifies the matching digital fingerprint of the key object within a prescribed level of confidence, access to the linked digital record secured by the key object is granted.

Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to a granting or denying access to digital information based on control of a physical device. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to devices, methods, and systems that utilize a physical object, which may be called a "key object." to securely control access to a digital object that may comprise, for example, a provenance history or pedigree of a physical object.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Secure digital fingerprint key object database


The present invention provides for the nucleic acid sequences of plant centromeres. This will permit construction of stably inherited recombinant DNA constructs and minichromosomes which can serve as vectors for the construction of transgenic plant and animal cells.

Two general approaches are used for introduction of new genetic information ("tansformation") into cells. One approach is to introduce the new genetic information as part of another DNA molecule, referred to as an "episomal vector," or "minichromosome", which can be maintained as an independent unit (an episome) apart from the host chromosomal DNA molecule(s). Episomal vectors contain all the necessary DNA sequence elements required for DNA replication and maintenance of the vector within the cell. Many episomal vectors are available for use in bacterial cells (for example, see Maniatis et al., 1982). However, only a few episomal vectors that function in higher eukaryotic cells have been developed. Higher eukaryotic episomal vectors were primarily based on naturally occurring viruses. In higher plant systems gemini viruses are double-stranded DNA viruses that replicate through a double-stranded intermediate upon which an episomal vector could be based, although the gemini virus is limited to an approximately 800 bp insert. Although an episomal plant vector based on the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus has been developed, its capacity to carry new genetic information also is limited (Brisson et al., 1984).
The other general method of genetic transformation involves integration of introduced DNA sequences into the recipient cell's chromosomes, permitting the new information to be replicated and partitioned to the cell's progeny as a part of the natural chromosomes. The introduced DNA usually is broken and joined together in various combinations before it is integrated at random sites into the cell's chromosome (see, for example Wigler et al., 1977). Common problems with this procedure are the rearrangement of introduced DNA sequences and unpredictable levels of expression due to the location of the transgene in the genome or so called "position effect variation" (Shingo et al., 1986). Further, unlike episomal DNA, integrated DNA cannot normally be precisely removed. A more refined form of integrative transformation can be achieved by exploiting naturally occurring viruses that integrate into the host's chromosomes as part of their life cycle, such as retroviruses (see Cepko et al., 1984). In mouse, homologous integration has recently become common, although it is significantly more difficult to use in plants (Lam et al. 1996).
The most common genetic transformation method used in higher plants is based on the transfer of bacterial DNA into plant chromosomes that occurs during infection by the phytopathogenic soil bacterium Agrobacterium (see Nester et al., 1984). By substituting genes of interest for the naturally transferred bacterial sequences (called T-DNA), investigators have been able to introduce new DNA into plant cells. However, even this more "refined" integrative transformation system is limited in three major ways. First, DNA sequences introduced into plant cells using the Agrobacterium T-DNA system are frequently rearranged (see Jones et al., 1987). Second, the expression of the introduced DNA sequences varies between individual transformants (see Jones et al., 1985). This variability is presumably caused by rearranged sequences and the influence of surrounding sequences in the plant chromosome (i.e., position effects), as well as methylation of the transgene. A third drawback of the Agrobacterium T-DNA system is the reliance on a "gene addition" mechanism: the new genetic information is added to the genome (i.e., all the genetic information a cell possesses) but does not replace information already present in the genome.
One attractive alternative to commonly used methods of transformation is the use of an artificial chromosome. Artificial chromosomes are man-made linear or circular DNA molecules constructed from cis-acting DNA sequence elements that provide replication and partitioning of the constructed chromosomes (see Murray et al., 1983). Desired elements include: (1) Autonomous Replication Sequences (ARS) (these have properties of replication origins, which are the sites for initiation of DNA replication), (2) Centromeres (site of kinetochore assembly and responsible for proper distribution of replicated chromosomes at mitosis or meiosis), and (3) if the chromosome is linear, telomeres (specialized DNA structures at the ends of linear chromosomes that function to stabilize the ends and facilitate the complete replication of the extreme termini of the DNA molecule).
The essential chromosomal elements for construction of artificial chromosomes have been precisely characterized in lower eukaryotic species, and more recently in mouse and human. ARSs have been isolated from unicellular fungi, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer's yeast) and Schizosaccharomyces pombe (see Stinchcomb et al., 1979 and Hsiao et al., 1979). An ARS behaves like a replication origin allowing DNA molecules that contain the ARS to be replicated as an episome after introduction into the cell nuclei of these fungi. DNA molecules containing these sequences replicate, but in the absence of a centromere they are partitioned randomly into daughter cells.
Artificial chromosomes have been constructed in yeast using the three cloned essential chromosomal elements. Murray et al., 1983, disclose a cloning system based on the in vitro construction of linear DNA molecules that can be transformed into yeast, where they are maintained as artificial chromosomes. These yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) contain cloned genes, origins of replication, centromeres and telomeres and are segregated in daughter cells with high fidelity when the YAC is at least 100 kB in length. Smaller CEN-containing vectors may be stably segregated, however, when in circular form.
None of the essential components identified in unicellular organisms, however, function in higher eukaryotic systems. For example, a yeast CEN sequence will not confer stable inheritance upon vectors transformed into higher eukaryotes. While such DNA fragments can be readily introduced, they do not stably exist as episomes in the host cell. This has seriously hampered efforts to produce artificial chromosomes in higher organisms.
In one case, a plant artificial chromosome was discussed (Richards et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,201). However, this vector was based on plant telomeres, as a functional plant centromere was not disclosed. While telomeres are important in maintaining the stability of chromosomal termini, they do not encode the information needed to ensure stable inheritance of an artificial chromosome. It is well documented that centromere function is crucial for stable chromosomal inheritance in almost all eukaryotic organisms (reviewed in Nicklas 1988). For example, broken chromosomes that lack a centromere (acentric chromosomes) are rapidly lost from cell lines, while fragments that have a centromere are faithfully segregated. The centromere accomplishes this by attaching, via centromere binding proteins, to the spindle fibers during mitosis and meiosis, thus ensuring proper gene segregation during cell divisions.
In contrast to the detailed studies done in S. cerevisiae and S. pombe, less is known about the molecular structure of functional centromeric DNA of higher eukaryotes. Ultrastructural studies indicate that higher eukaryotic kinetochores, which are specialized complexes of proteins that form on the centromere during late prophase, are large structures (mammalian kinetochore plates are approximately 0.3 μm in diameter) which possess multiple microtubule attachment sites (reviewed in Rieder, 1982). It is therefore possible that the centromeric DNA regions of these organisms will be correspondingly large, although the minimal amount of DNA necessary for centromere function may be much smaller.
The above studies have been useful in elucidating the structure and function of centromeres. The extensive literature indicating both the necessity of centromeres for stable inheritance of chromosomes, and the non-functionality of yeast centromeres in higher organisms, demonstrate that cloning of a functional centromere from a higher eukaryote is a necessary first step in the production of artificial chromosomes suitable for use in higher plants and animals. The production of artificial chromosomes with centromeres which function in higher eukaryotes would overcome many of the problems associated with the prior art and represent a significant breakthrough in biotechnology research.


An input buffer in a semiconductor device reduces power consumption by decreasing variation of an operation bias voltage. The semiconductor device has an input buffer driving circuit with an inversion circuit at its output, both of which circuits drive the input buffer to cause it to output a power voltage V.sub.dd or a ground voltage V.sub.ss. The driving circuit outputs a "high ground" voltage when an input voltage V.sub.in is 1.685 volts, and a "low power" voltage when V.sub.in is 1.285 volts. The device also has a circuit that generates reference potentials having a "low power" voltage and "high ground" voltage needed by the driving circuit's power voltage terminal and ground voltage terminal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates an input buffer in semiconductors, and more particularly to an input buffer which can reduce power consumption by decreasing a variation of an operation bias voltage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a conventional input circuit diagram used in a high speed interface according to the prior art.
In case that an input buffer circuit illustrated in FIG. 1 is used as a Stup Series Terminated Tranciever Logic (SSTTL) interface, a reference voltage Vref is 1.485 volts, while 1.685 or 1.285 volts is supplied to an input terminal Vin. At this time, if a clock enable signal Cken is at a logic "high" level, direct current flows from Vdd power supply terminal to Vss ground terminal since overall transistors of the input buffer are turned on. However, there is a high voltage difference between Vdd and Vss, and this causes a lot of DC to flow in the input circuit, thereby increasing the power consumption.
In particular, the more pins a memory device has (e.g., 8 MB SGRAM has 53 pins in the input buffer), the more the power consumption caused by flowing current in the input buffer will be increased.
As described above, the conventional input buffer has a disadvantage that a wide variation of the bias voltage causes a lot of DC to flow from the power supply terminal to the ground terminal. As a result, the power consumption may be increased.

Semiconductor device having input buffer with reduced bias voltage variations and low power consumption

Hyundai Electronics Industrial Co., Ltd.


An orthopedic simulator, such as a spinal implant wear test machine, is provided with a specimen containment module that may be removed from the machine as a unit. The releasable attachability of the specimen containment module permits remote specimen installation and reduces environmental contamination.

There is an ever-increasing demand for orthopedic devices and prosthetic implants. These devices and implants need to be tested prior to their use within the human body. Testing standards have been or are being formulated for the testing that such devices must undergo. For example, the wear of an orthopedic device, such as a spinal implant, is a critical parameter that needs to be fully tested. For testing the wear of such an orthopedic device, an orthopedic simulator may be employed to subject the orthopedic device to a large number of duty cycles that simulate the motion that the orthopedic device is likely to be subjected to after implantation into a body.
For an orthopedic device, such as a spinal implant, the wear testing may take place in a container or chamber that contains a fluid bath that essentially simulates the internal environment within a body. For example, with a spinal implant, bovine fluid is specified as the fluid in which the test specimen is immersed.
In preparing a specimen for testing within an orthopedic simulator, which will apply various forces along and around different axes, the test specimen will be typically coupled at a test station to the various test machine components which will apply the forces to the test specimen. It is usually a very laborious and difficult process to install a test specimen into a test station. The orthopedic simulators are complicated machines, and access to the holders or adapters for the test specimen is very limited and awkward. Exacerbating this issue, test specimens are often very delicate and the careful removal and insertion of test specimens requires great expertise and a deft touch in order to install the test specimens directly onto the orthopedic simulators.
Once properly installed, and following the application of various forces over millions of cycles in a wear test, the test specimen needs to be inspected for the signs of wear. This includes examining the test specimen and the fluid in which the specimen was immersed for contamination particles. The presence of such particles reveals wearing. A concern with the in situ installation of test specimens at the orthopedic simulators is the potential for contamination of the fluid so that the results of the wear test may be easily compromised.
Another concern with the mounting of test specimens in situ at orthopedic simulators are the difficulties in mounting one-piece specimens. The mounting of such test specimens has proven particularly difficult with conventional orthopedic simulators.

Specimen containment module for orthopedic simulator


Technologies are generally described for devices for detection of a biofilm by a color change in a moisture-indicating substance, such as a chemical or a dye. The moisture indicating material may be supported by a substrate and sealed to keep moisture from the moisture indicating material. Alternatively, the moisture indicating material may be supported in a pouch and sealed by the pouch. The color change results from an ingress of moisture accompanying growth of a biofilm. The moisture-indicating substance may be used with indwelling or other devices to detect a biofilm. When the biofilm has sufficiently degraded the seal, an ingress of moisture and its accompanying pH may cause a color change in the moisture-indicating substance to signify the presence of the biofilm. Methods of manufacture and use of the disclosed devices are also described.

Biofilm formation on in-dwelling medical devices can lead to serious morbidity and mortality. Detection at the early stages of biofilm formation affords the ability to exchange the device with a new one prior to the establishment of an intractable infection and possible septicemia. There are also other applications in which biofilm contamination is highly undesirable.
The detection of biofilm in any material may provide notification that the material should be removed or replaced to mitigate the risk of contamination. However, current biofilm detection technology may be limited to complex systems.
Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

Color change indicator of biofilm formation


The present invention writes location information on representative audio sections, each being specified within an audio track by a user, for audio tracks recorded in a high-capacity storage medium, and, if requested, reproduces representative audio sections only using the written location information, thereby helping a user find a desirable audio track easily and quickly among a lot of recorded audio tracks.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for managing information on representative audio for audio tracks recorded in a rewritable recording medium and for reproducing the representative audio to have a user know easily what contents a recorded audio track has.
2. Description of the Related Art
A disk-type recording medium such as a compact disk (CD) can store high-quality digital audio data permanently, so that it is very popular recording medium. Recently, a digital versatile disk (referred as 'DVD' hereinafter) has been developed as a new disk-type recording medium. A DVD can store much larger size than a CD, that is, high-quality moving picture or audio data is recorded in a DVD for much longer time. Therefore, a DVD will be used widely in the near future.
There are three types in a DVD, DVD-ROM for read-only, DVD-R for write-once, and DVD-RAM or DVD-RW for rewritable. For a rewritable DVD, the standardization of data writing format is in progress.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an optical disk device for recording and reproducing video and/or audio data to/from a rewritable disk according to a related art.
The disk device configured as in FIG. 1 comprises an optical pickup 2 reading a signal recorded in a rewritable DVD 1 or writing a data stream processed into a writable signal in the rewritable DVD 1; a reproduced signal processor 8 restoring the read signal into compressed digital data; a decoder 9 decoding the compressed digital data into original data; a sampler 5 digitizing an inputted analog signal at a predetermined sampling rate; an encoder 4 encoding the digitized data into MPEG-, LPCM-, or AC3-formatted data; a writing signal processor 3 converting data from the encoder 4 into signals adequate to be written; a controller 6 controlling all elements to conduct a recording or reproducing operation; and a memory 7 for storing data temporally. These elements are operatively coupled.
If an analog signal is applied to the disk device of FIG. 1, the sampler 5 samples the analog signal at the predetermined sampling rate, and applies the sampled digital data to the encoder 4. The encoder 4 encodes a block of sampled data into compressed or non-compressed data of pre-specified format, for example, MPEG format for compressed or LPCM format for non-compressed, and the writing signal processor 3 converts bit trains of the formatted data into writing pulses which are applied to the pickup 2. Then, the pickup 2 writes bit information associated with the writing pulses on the recording surface of the rewritable DVD 1.
The audio data recorded continuously from recording start to stop is called a 'track' which is a logical unit and is different from a physical spiral track formed in a rewritable disk. If the recording operation stops after a single audio song provided from a microphone or broadcast signal has been recorded, the recorded song corresponds to a track. However, a track may contain several recorded songs if several songs are recorded continuously at one time.
The recorded audio songs, that is, all tracks are indexed by a track set information as shown in FIG. 2. Information for a track recorded newly is inserted in the track set information and information for an erased track is deleted from the track set information.
A part of a track (PoT) only specified within an audio track is able to be reproduced. Such a partial reproduction is initiated through selecting a play list which defines an audio track playback sequence. That is, a play list identifies an ordered list of predetermined songs or tracks to be played back for the user's enjoyment.
After a track has been recorded or edited, cell information (CI) is created to refer to full or part of the track. The created cell information is written in an original or a user-defined program chain information (PGCI). A play list is associated with a PGCI through the number of PGCI.
Therefore, if a play list defined by a user or created automatically after recording is selected, the controller 6 searches for a PGCI that the selected play list refers to, and reads out location information of full or part of each track written in CIs belonging to the discovered PGCI. Finally, the controller 6 moves the pickup 2 to all locations sequentially, and conducts a reproduction of the tracks or songs according to the selected.
However, since a rewritable DVD is an extremely high-capacity storage device and numerous audio tracks can be recorded in it, it becomes very difficult and time consuming to find a track containing a desirable song or sound after many audio tracks have been recorded.

Method for recording and reproducing representative audio data to/from a rewritable recording medium


A rotating spray nozzle has a nozzle mounting member, for attachment to a supply pipe. A nozzle body is rotatably mounted on the nozzle mounting member, and includes at least one, but preferably two, slot-shaped nozzles. Each slot-shaped nozzle generates a fan-shaped spray in a plane. Each nozzle is inclined to intersect the axis of the nozzle axis, to ensure thorough distribution of spray, on either side of the nozzle body, across the nozzle axis. The slot-shaped nozzles can be formed as slots in a unitary nozzle body.

Spray nozzles are utilized in many areas where a spray of fluid is required, for example: tank and drum washing; metal washing; foam control; asphalt spraying; vehicle washing; and dish washing. For tank and drum washing, one of the more popular forms of spray nozzles is the self-excited or self-driven rotating spray nozzle assembly. Such a nozzle assembly is secured to an end of a supply pipe and the device is inserted into the vessel to be cleaned either by means of entryways specifically designed for the purpose of cleaning the vessel, or by utilizing existing vessel entryways. The nozzle assembly comprises a fixed or stationary mounting element for mounting to the supply pipe, and a rotating nozzle body. A bore extends through the stationary mounting element to outlets which feed the rotating nozzle body rotatably mounted on an outlet end of the mounting element. Rotating spray nozzle assemblies generally have spray outlets which are provided in pairs opposite one another and at an angle to the axis of rotation. This provides driving forces to rotate the nozzle. The rotation is intended to distribute the spray over a specific area within the vessel to be cleaned. This area may include a portion of, or the complete interior of the vessel to be cleaned.
Inherent in the design of most nozzle units of this sort is the inability to achieve direct spray impact on either, or both, of the areas within the vessel directly in line with the axis of rotation of the rotating nozzle unit.
For many uses, the areas on the axis of the rotation of the nozzle are often the most critical areas needing spraying. Thus, spray nozzles are often used to clean a variety of containers, both for industrial uses and in the food and beverage industry. In all cases, it is exceedingly important that a vessel be fully and completely cleaned. In the case of food or beverage containers, often a residual part of the original contents will be left at the bottom, which will dry, and present problems in washing or cleaning. The base of the container is usually on the axis of a rotating spray nozzle. At the other end of the container, due to exposure to the atmosphere, portions of the contents can become encrusted around the neck or opening of the container, which is also on the axis of the spray nozzle.
To ensure proper cleaning of these areas, it is necessary that they be subjected to a vigorous spraying action.


A vacuum cleaner dust container connector plate having a front surface having an opening for an airflow, a first side surface adapted to be inserted into holder of a vacuum cleaner, a second opposite side surface, the second side surface is arranged closer to the opening than the first side surface, a third side surface connecting the first and second side surfaces, and a forth side surface connecting the first and second side surfaces. The connector plate also comprises a flexible zone arranged between the opening and the first surface.

A connector plate for a vacuum cleaner dust container and a dust container are disclosed in eg. EP 1326420. The connector plate is adapted to be inserted in a holder in a vacuum cleaner and is thereby reliably positioning the dust container in the vacuum cleaner. For safety and reliability reason it is important to position the dust container correctly in the vacuum cleaner, this to avoid that dust laden airflow is entering the motor fan without the dust being separated in the dust container first.
Another aspect of the connector plate is that it should make it easy for the user to handle the dust container.
One problem associated with connector plates and dust bags of this type is how to make the connector plate and dust bag operable and easy to use with even more efficient and compact vacuum cleaners.

Connector plate for a vacuum cleaner dust container and a dust container


A cash handling apparatus includes a composite body that consists of a plurality of connected modules, slide rails with which the composite body is drawn out of a housing, and a holding part that is fixed to two or more adjacent surfaces among four outer surfaces of the composite body and holds the plurality of modules together.

To easily and safely perform tasks such as maintenance of a heavy object mounted on a cash handling apparatus, slide rails with which the heavy object can be temporarily removed from the apparatus and then returned thereto have conventionally been used. As examples of such slide rails, two slide rails provided at different heights are known wherein the slide rail provided on the side for operation of attaching or detaching a storage cassette is located at the lower position (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 5472047).


Methods, systems, and devices for a memory device with a high resistivity thermal barrier are described. In some examples a barrier material may be positioned over a memory cell region, an oxide region, and/or a through-silicon via (TSV). The barrier may include a first region above the memory cell region and a second region above the TSV. A process, such as a plasma treatment, may be applied to the barrier, which may result in the first and second regions having different thermal resistivities (e.g., different densities). Accordingly, due to the different thermal resistivities, the memory cells may be thermally insulated from thermal energy generated in the memory device.

The following relates generally to a system with a memory device and more specifically to a memory device with a high resistivity thermal barrier.
Memory devices are widely used to store information in various electronic devices such as computers, wireless communications devices, cameras, digital displays, and the like. Information is stored by programming different states of a memory device. For example, binary devices have two states, often denoted by a logic "1" or a logic "0." In other systems, more than two states may be stored. To access the stored information, a component of the electronic device may read, or sense, the stored state in the memory device. To store information, a component of the electronic device may write, or program, the state in the memory device.
Various types of memory devices exist, including magnetic hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous dynamic RAM (SDRAM), ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM), magnetic RAM (MRAM), resistive RAM (RRAM), flash memory, phase change memory (PCM), and others. Memory devices may include volatile memory cells or non-volatile memory cells. Non-volatile memory cells may maintain their stored logic state for extended periods of time even in the absence of an external power source. Volatile memory cells may lose their stored state over time unless they are periodically refreshed by an external power source.
In some cases, a memory device may perform an access operation (e.g., a read operation or a write operation) on a memory cell. Performing the access operation may generate heat at or near the memory cell. The generated heat may dissipate onto nearby components, such as memory cells and, in some cases may disturb the states stored by the other memory cells.

Memory device with high resistivity thermal barrier


With a single laser light source, the line width of a beat signal is set to a few tens of kHz or less without it fluctuating over time, and the frequency thereof is set as desired. CW light from a CW laser light source is input into an electroabsorption modulator to which a sine wave electrical signal is applied. A modulation sideband which is made up from line spectra at separations equal to the modulation frequency is generated from the electroabsorption modulator. An optical fiber for higher-order soliton compression broadens the optical spectrum width, and increases the number of line spectra. A tunable wavelength filtering device which is made up from optical fiber gratings and optical circulators chooses two of the line spectra, which are combined by an optical coupler with their beat signal being heterodyne wave detected by a photo-detector.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a standard radio frequency signal generating method and to a standard radio frequency signal generating device, which heterodyne detect CW light which has two different wavelengths, and generate the difference frequency signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there are two principal standard radio frequency signal generating methods. The first of these standard radio frequency signal generating methods is one which takes advantage of the difference frequency between light beams output from two CW lasers. The second of these standard radio frequency signal generating methods is one in which an optical frequency comb consisting of a plurality of line spectra spaced at a fixed frequency separation is generated, two line spectra are selected from these line spectra, and their difference frequency is taken advantage of.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of a standard radio frequency signal generating device to which the above described first conventional standard radio frequency signal generating method has been applied (refer to, for example, "Exact millimeter wave frequency synthesis by injection locked laser comb line selection" by 0. P. Gough, C. F. C. Silva, and A. J. Seeds, 1999 IEEE International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics, Melbourne, Australia, W-4.3, pp. 61-64, 1999). The light beams from two wavelength-tunable lasers 10-1, 10-2 are combined by an optical coupler 11, and are heterodyne detected by a photo-detector (photodiode) 12. It is possible to change the beat frequency as desired by changing the wavelengths of the lasers.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of a standard radio frequency signal generating device to which the above described second conventional standard radio frequency signal generating method has been applied (refer to, for example, "Limit of Optical Frequency Comb Generation due to Material Dispersion" by M. Kourogi, B. Widiyatomoko, Y. Takeuchi, and M. Ohtsu, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, vol. 31, no. 12, pp. 2120-2126, December 1995). As a method for generating an optical frequency comb at a fixed frequency separation, there are a method in which a mode locked pulse laser is employed, or a method in which light of a single frequency is passed through a Fabry-Perot resonator which installs a phase modulator which performs phase modulation at high amplitude. In the spectrum of light output from a fixed frequency separation optical frequency comb generator 13, a plurality of line spectra are generated at separations which are equal to the modulation frequency. Two of these line spectra are selected by a wavelength filtering device 15 and are combined by an optical coupler 11, and the beat signal thereof is heterodyne detected by a photo-detector (photodiode) 12.
With the above described first standard radio frequency signal generating method, two laser light sources are required, and the spectral line width of the beat signal is determined by the line width of the two lasers. Accordingly, if a DFB laser is employed, it is difficult to make the spectral line width of the beat signal be equal to or less than a few tens of kHz. Furthermore, it is extremely difficult to stabilize the oscillation frequency of the laser light sources to the order of kHz. As a result, there is the problem that the frequency of the beat signal fluctuates over time.
Furthermore, with the above described second standard radio frequency signal generating method, it is possible to manage with a single laser light source. However, if a mode locked pulse laser is employed as the optical frequency comb generator, its repetition frequency is limited by the cavity length of the laser. Due to this, there is the problem that it is not possible to vary the beat frequency as desired which is an integral multiple of the repetition frequency. In the same manner, with an optical frequency comb generator which takes advantage of a phase modulator within a Fabry-Perot resonator as well, there is still the problem that it is not possible to vary the beat frequency as desired, since the modulation frequency is limited by the resonator length of the Fabry-Perot resonator.

Standard radio frequency signal generating method and standard radio frequency signal generating device

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation


A data transmission apparatus having a plurality of data transmission functions includes: a transmission operation storage device that, for each data transmission function, stores recipient information that was input during an immediately prior transmission operation; a selecting device that selects one data transmission function from a plurality of data transmission functions; an operation content reading device that reads contents of transmission operations; a resend executing device that reads recipient information for the data transmission function selected from the transmission function storage device by the selecting device, and executes a transmission operation based on the read recipient information; and a transmission executing device that stores the read operation content in the transmission operation storage device as recipient information for the data transmission function selected by the selecting device, and executes a transmission operation based on the read operation content.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data transmission apparatus and a transmission control program that make it possible to simplify operations when transmitting data.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-358110, filed Dec. 10, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, when contents that have been operated on immediately prior to a particular time have been stored and an operator then wishes to transmit information to the same recipient, a function (a redial function) is widely known (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2000-101812) that redials based on the memorized operating contents when a redial function is selected.
Modern multi-function office machines have a number of transmission functions such a transmitting faxes, transmitting email, and transferring files. As a result, transmission operations are complicated. For example, for a fax transmission only the fax number (i.e., the telephone number) needs to be input, while an email transmission requires the inputting of an email address. Moreover, because the recipient of a file transfer is a memory device inside a computer, it is necessary to input authorization information in order to log in on the recipient computer. In order to simplify this type of complicated recipient information input, address book information is often stored inside the photocopier, and by selecting the desired recipient from among recipients registered in the address book, the transmission task is simplified.
However, if the multi-function machine has a plurality of transmission functions, information that needs to be input in order to specify the recipient (i.e., the telephone number or address) is different for each transmission function. As a result, the problem arises that using this method does not work for a conventional redial function. Moreover, if it is necessary to input confidential information such as authorization information, as in the case of a file transfer, then in a conventional redial function in which the contents of the immediately prior operation are stored, a problem may arise in that the confidential information may be leaked to another person.

Data transmission apparatus and transmission control program


Various aspects related to techniques for harmonization between common reference signal (CRS) and demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) based transmission modes (TMs) in unlicensed spectrum are described. In one aspect, a downlink/uplink (DL/UL) subframe configuration may be signaled for each subframe. Information provided by the DL/UL subframe configuration may indicate whether the respective downlink subframe is a single-frequency network (MBSFN) subframe (associated with DM-RS-based TM) or a non-MBSFN subframe (associated with CRS-based TM). In another aspect, periodic as well as aperiodic channel state information (CSI) reporting requests may be supported. In yet another aspect, discontinued reception (DRX) wake ups for unlicensed carriers may be explicitly or implicitly indicated to a user equipment (UE) via a carrier in a licensed spectrum.

Aspects of this disclosure relate generally to telecommunications, and more particularly to techniques for harmonization between common reference signal (CRS) and demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) based transmission modes (TMs) in unlicensed spectrum.
Wireless communications networks are widely deployed to provide various communication services such as voice, video, packet data, messaging, broadcast, and the like. These wireless networks may be multiple-access networks capable of supporting multiple users by sharing the available network resources.
A wireless communications network may include a number of network entities. The network entities of a cellular network (e.g., wireless wide area network or WWAN) may include a number of base stations, such as NodeBs (NBs) or evolved NodeBs (eNBs). The network entities of a wireless local area network (WLAN) may include a number of WLAN network entities, such access points (APs), which may referred to as Wi-Fi nodes. Each network entity may support communication for a number of user equipments (UEs) and may often communicate with multiple UEs at the same time. Similarly, each UE may communicate with a number of network entities, and may sometimes communicate with multiple network entities and/or network entities employing different access technologies. A network entity may communicate with a UE via downlink and uplink. The downlink (or forward link) refers to the communication link from the network entity to the UE, and the uplink (or reverse link) refers to the communication link from the UE to the network entity.
As cellular networks become more congested, operators are beginning to look at ways to increase capacity. One approach may include the use of WLANs to offload some of the traffic and/or signaling of a cellular network (e.g., long term evolution or LTE). WLANs (or Wi-Fi networks) are attractive because, unlike cellular networks that operate in a licensed spectrum, Wi-Fi networks generally operate in an unlicensed or shared spectrum. However, access to unlicensed spectrum may need coordination to ensure that network entities of the same or different operator deployments, using the same or different techniques for accessing the unlicensed spectrum, can co-exist and make effective use of the unlicensed spectrum.
As such, and given the growing use of the unlicensed spectrum, techniques are needed to provide efficient and improved processes to at least support multiple transmission modes.

Techniques for harmonization between CRS and DM-RS based transmission modes in unlicensed spectrum


Disclosed is a ball grid array substrate having a window formed on a core material instead of a thin core material, and wherein a semiconductor chip is mounted thereon, thereby reducing the thickness of a package, and a method of fabricating the same. The ball grid array substrate comprises a first external layer which includes first circuit patterns, wire bonding pad patterns, and a window corresponding in size to a first chip mounted therein and wherein the chip is wire-bonded to the wire bonding pad patterns. A second external layer includes second circuit patterns, a portion corresponding in position to the window of the first external layer, and solder ball pad patterns. Second chips mounted on the solder ball pad patterns. An insulating layer interposed between the first and second external layers. The window is formed through the insulating layer at a position corresponding to the window of the first external layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a ball grid array substrate and a method of fabricating the same and, more particularly, to a ball grid array substrate having a window, in which the window is formed on a core material instead of using a thin core material, and in which a semiconductor chip is mounted thereon, thereby reducing the thickness of a package, and a method of fabricating the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In accordance with the recent trend toward a light, slim, short, and miniaturized package for semiconductor chips, a thickness of the package for semiconductor chips has been gradually reduced. Additionally, reduction of the thickness of a ball grid array substrate, on which the semiconductor chips are mounted, is needed.
Having been developed to satisfy the demand for highly integrated semiconductor chips and multiple pins, a ball grid array package belongs to an SMT-type package (surface mounting technology) which includes a plurality of conductive balls, for example, solder balls, arranged in a predetermined form on a lower side of a main board so as to be mounted on the main board.
In the ball grid array as described above, the solder balls on the ball grid array substrate are electrically attached to conductive connection patterns of a printed circuit board so as to achieve the mounting. The ball grid array is an SMT-type package in which soldering balls are arrayed instead of a lead on a backside of the printed circuit board. The ball grid array is a semiconductor chip, in which a highly integrated circuit (LSI) chip is mounted on a surface of a printed circuit board and the resulting board is sealed using a mold resin or a pot, and put in a package for multiple pin LSIs having 200 or more pins. This is also called PAC (pad array carrier), and is advantageous in that it is possible to fabricate a main body of the package so that the main body is smaller than a QFP (quad flat package) which is provided with L-shaped lead pins protruding from four sides thereof.
Accordingly, with respect to recent packages, such as MCMs (multi-chip packages) and SIPs (system in packages), on which semiconductor chips are stacked, a thin core material is used to make a ball grid array substrate slim.
FIGS. 1a to 1j are sectional views illustrating the fabrication of a ball grid array substrate according to an embodiment of a conventional technology.
As shown in FIG. 1a, a copper clad laminate (CCL), which includes an insulating resin layer 101 and copper foils 102a, 102b on both sides of the insulating resin layer, is prepared as a substrate 100.
As shown in FIG. 1b, via holes (A) are formed to connect circuits of the upper and lower copper foils 102a, 102b of the substrate 100 to each other.
As shown in FIG. 1c, copper plating layers 103a, 103b are formed on the upper and lower copper foils 102a, 102b of the substrate 100 and on walls of the via holes (A) so as to electrically connect the via holes (A).
As shown in FIG. 1d, dry films 104a, 104b are layered on the upper and lower copper plating layers 103a, 103b of the substrate 100.
As shown in FIG. 1e, the dry films 104a, 104b having a predetermined pattern are exposed and developed. The predetermined pattern includes a circuit pattern, lands of the via holes (A), a wire bonding pad pattern, and a solder ball pad pattern.
As shown in FIG. 1f, the dry films 104a, 104b having the predetermined pattern are used as an etching resist, and the substrate 100 is dipped in an etchant, thereby etching portions of the upper and lower copper foils 102a, 102b and the copper plating layers 103a, 103b, which do not correspond in position to the predetermined pattern of the dry films 104a, 104b, to remove them.
As shown in FIG. 1g, the dry films 104a, 104b are stripped from upper and lower sides of the substrate 100, and are thus removed.
As shown in FIG. 1h, solder resists 105a, 105b are applied on the substrate 100, and then subjected to a pseudo-drying process.
As shown in FIG. 1i, the upper and lower solder resists 105a, 105b are exposed and developed to cure portions of the solder resists 105a, 105b, in areas corresponding to patterns of the solder resists. Subsequently, uncured portions of the solder resists are removed to pattern the solder resists 105a, 105b.
As shown in FIG. 1j, a gold plating layer 106a is formed on a wire bonding pad, which has a position corresponding to an opening (B) of the upper solder resist 105a of the substrate 100, and a gold plating layer 106b is formed on a solder ball pad, which has a position corresponding to an opening (C) of the lower solder resist 105b of the substrate 100.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a product, in which a semiconductor chip is mounted on a ball grid array board, fabricated according to the procedure of FIGS. 1a to 1j.
As shown in FIG. 2, after a semiconductor chip 220 is mounted using an adhesive 210 and a wire bond 230 and a solder ball 240 are formed, a molding 250 is formed, thereby creating the product in which the semiconductor chip is mounted on the ball grid array package substrate.
The fabrication of the ball grid array substrate as described above is disclosed in Korean Pat. No. 344,618, which was filed on Dec. 15, 1999 by the applicant of the present invention.
The above conventional technology has a disadvantage in that the package is thick.
Furthermore, the conventional technology is problematic in that since a thin core material is employed, investment is required to move the thin core material.
The conventional technology is also problematic in that a carrier is required to handle the thin material in a package assembly process.
FIG. 3 illustrates a product, in which a semiconductor chip is mounted on a ball grid array substrate, according to another embodiment of the conventional technology.
As shown in FIG. 3, after a cavity is formed through a substrate 300 in which circuit patterns 304 are formed on both sides of an insulator 301, a semiconductor chip 305 is mounted in the cavity. Subsequently, a wire bonding pad is connected to a semiconductor chip through wire bonds 303, and solder balls 302 are mounted on solder ball pads. Finally, the ball grid array substrate is packaged, thereby creating the product.
The fabrication of the ball grid array substrate as described above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,696,666.
The above conventional technology is problematic in that heat, generated from the semiconductor chip 305, is emitted only through the wire bonds 303 but not through the insulator 301 having no thermal conductivity, thus heat radiation is low.

Ball grid array substrate having window and method of fabricating same


A control apparatus and compliance control apparatus of a robot which performs operations while switching between a position control and a compliance control. When a transition from the position control to the compliance control is made, an integration operation of a speed control system is stopped. Thereafter, an integration value of the speed control system is stored in a memory, and, at the same time, the integration value is added to a torque reference. Alternately, a gravity compensation value is added to the torque reference, the gravity compensation value being computed based on a joint angle of a robot arm and a link mass and a position of a center of gravity of the robot. When the control returns from the compliance control to the position control, a present position is dealt with an instruction position. The compliance control apparatus includes a device (102) for controlling a torque of a servo motor to drive a joint portion; a device (106) for measuring a joint angle; a device (108) for computing a very small displacement between coordinates based on the measurement information; a device (102) for converting a limitation value (107) of either a force or a torque set in a working coordinate system by giving the foregoing very small displacement correspondence relation to the foregoing computation means (108); and devices (104, 105, 106) for limiting the torque.

FIG. 1 illustrates a position/speed control system of a motor which has been widely used in controlling joints of a robot. Reference symbol s denotes a Laplace operator.
In this position/speed control system, a speed control loop gain Kv111 and a position loop gain Kp110 is set to be as high as possible, in order to perform a positioning in opposition to friction and external force. Furthermore, an integrator 113 is arranged in parallel with a proportional operator 112 whereby control is performed so as to improve its characteristics. With such a control system, the tip of the robot can be accurately positioned at their target positions even under conditions of external force.
However, the foregoing robot has no ability to cope with usage for performing an operation while absorbing a strong force applied from the outside. For example, in a case where the conventional position control robot aims to work in operations to flexibly receive the force applied from an external machine and in the usage of holding and pushing of parts by the robot, the accomplishment of the operations will be difficult.
Specifically, when operations involving a contact with works are performed in such control system, an output value of a speed control loop, that is, a torque reference value becomes large thereby creating an over load state when a positional shift of the works occurs, due to a gain set to a large value in order to enhance rigidity and action of the integrator. Thus, the operation execution will be difficult. In order to cope with such problems, a force control system has been adopted, in which either a float instrument for absorbing the force of an action or an exclusive use instrument such as an RCC having a mechanical flexibility is provided in a tip of the robot, or a force sensor is employed [Prior art No. 1]. For a method of performing a compliance control without adding a special instrument to the robot, a method for reducing a servo gain has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 6-332538 [Prior art No. 2, see FIG. 2]. Moreover, a method capable of setting the flexibility in an operation coordinate system has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 7-20941 [Prior art No. 3, not shown].
The prior art No. 2 concerns a flexible servo control method which moves a driven body by means of human power, the driven body being driven by a servo motor and is kept away from obstacles. In this method, when a compliance control starts, the position gain Kp110a and the proportional gain Kv112a of the speed control loop are lowered in accordance with the degree of setting flexibility. Further, the output from the integrator 113 of the speed control loop is limited to the value of a setting clamp. As a result, the torque reference will not have a specially large value in spite of an increase in the position deviation, so that the driven body to be driven by the servo motor can be moved by human power. The prior art No. 2 is a technology which is capable of moving the driven body while avoiding an obstacle by human power, in the case when an obstacle is in the movement path of the driven body.
The prior art No. 3 concerns a flexible servo control method which is capable of changing the gain of the servo system of the robot built in each of the coordinate axes by setting the flexibility on the working coordinates. In the control method of the servo motor controlled in the control system which comprises the position control loop and the speed control loop, the prior art No. 3 is a technology in which the flexibility designated on the working coordinates where the servo motor is positioned is converted to the servo gains Kp110a and Kv112a of the servo motor on each of the coordinate axes, the servo motor is driven by the servo gains Kp and Kv converted by the flexibility, and the body to be driven by the servo motor can be moved by human power.
Furthermore, there has been a compliance control system of a robot, in which a limitation to the output of the position speed control system is provided for reducing the loop gain, and the posture is changed when an external power more than a predetermined level is applied [Prior art No. 4, FIG. 3].
Besides, as recited in "Impedance Control of a Direct Drive Manipulator Using no Force Sensor" , Tachi and Sakaki, Journal of Japan Robot Society, Vol. 7-3, 1989, pp. 172-184, in a control system, in which the position control loop, the speed control loop, and the acceleration control loop are independently provided, and the result obtained by adding them is used as the torque instruction for the motor, an impedance is controled by adjusting the gain of each of the loops, the impedance being a mechanical rigidity, a viscosity and a mass [Prior art No. 5, see FIG. 4].
The foregoing prior arts have the following drawbacks.
For the prior art No. 1 shown in FIG. 1, when transition from the position control to the flexible control is made, the robot is affected greatly by a force acting statistically to it, particularly, by gravity. Specifically, when the compliance function starts to operate, the robot arm drops in the direction of the gravity due to the action of the gravity, so that the robot changes greatly in posture, making execution of operations difficult. Moreover, when transition from the compliance control to the position control is made, there are problems that the robot arm drops in the direction of gravity or the response is unstable for a period during which values are accumulated in the integrator of the speed control system. Moreover, during compliance control, the value of the position instruction often does not agree with the present position of the robot. When the transition from the compliance control to the position control is made suddenly, the robot performs a rapid convergence to the position instruction value. Therefore, there are problems that the robot is very dangerous, for example, the robot collides with bodies around it and an unstable response is brought about due to hunting generated by the limitation of the integrator.
Furthermore, a plurality of servo gains for each of the axes which drive each of the axes of the robot must be adjusted to keep a certain relation. In addition, since an increase in the servo deviation creates a proportional increase in a generation torque of the servo motor, it is impossible to cope with machinery and the like which has a great stroke acting on the robot from the outside.
Furthermore, in a method in which an exclusive use jig and a force sensor are used together with other parts (not shown), there is a problem of higher cost.
In the prior art No. 2 shown in FIG. 2 and the prior art No. 3, the method for reducing the servo gains is adopted. It is required for these methods to adjust the plurality of servo gains while keeping a certain relation among them. Moreover, since an increase in the servo deviation creates a proportional increase in the generation torque of the servo motor, it is impossible to cope with machinery and the like with a great stroke acting on the robot from the outside.
Furthermore, in the prior art No. 3, a method which controls the flexibility in the working coordinate system is disclosed. In this method, it is required to obtain the gain by matching the displacement of the joint coordinate system to that of the working coordinate system. Therefore, since the computation load is large due to a complexity of the computation relation formula, it is impossible to continuously obtain the gain for changing the posture of the robot. Particularly, these is a problem that at the particular point where the robot makes a great change in its posture due to a large rate of change of the relation between the joint angle and the displacement in the operation coordinates, a computation load for a CPU is large, a real time computation can not be performed for the posture change of the robot, and the difficulty in the continuous computation of the gain forces the flexibility of the robot to be significantly different based on the posture of the robot.
Next, in the method of the prior art No. 2 shown in FIG. 2, which reduces the loop gain of the control system, although it is possible to perform the control for the rigidity and the viscosity in the mechanical impedance in the case where the robot is operated with an external force, it is impossible to reduce the mass of the arm inherently possessed by the robot and the mass quantity added to the tip of the robot. Therefore, it is impossible to reduce the reaction force exerted when the robot arm is accelerated by the external force, so that the flexibility to move the robot by a small force can not be realized.
The above-described problem is found also in the method of the prior art No. 4 shown in FIG. 3, in which an output limitation in the position and speed control systems is provided.
Moreover, in the method of the prior art No. 5 shown in FIG. 4 by Tachi and Sakaki, the switching between the conventional position and compliance control can not be easily made. Specifically, because of the difference between the constitutions of the control loops, it is difficult to switch between the position control and the compliance control while keeping the continuity of the quantity of state.
In the methods of the prior arts 1 to 5 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, no protection means is provided when the robot is pushed from the outside and makes the displacement more than an allowed value.
For this reason, the robot has the following problems.
A. The robot is pushed by an external instrument, and the robot is moved to the outside of the operation region, resulting in collision with the instruments around it.
B. When the robot holds a body heavier than the prescribed value for handling, the robot changes its posture in the gravity direction, resulting in a problem similar to that recited in item A.
Moreover, in the prior arts 6 to 8, in order to effectively utilize the compliance control, no means for taking the following measures is provided.
C. The handling body is detected based on the displacement produced by the weight during handling, and the following operation plan is changed.
D. The collision with the body is detected, whereby the execution procedures for operations are changed.
Specifically, no means is provided for detecting the information to know whether the robot is in an abnormal state, the information indicating what level force acts on the robot, and what distance the robot shifts from the track to the target due to force. Therefore, when the robot receives a force from the outside for making displacement flexibly, it is impossible to execute the measures such as stopping the robot, stopping the external instruments, and changing the movement schedule of the robot.
Moreover, similarly, in the prior arts 1 to 5, in the case where the operator comes into contact with the moving robot, the operator is caught between the arms of the robot, or the robot comes into contact with other bodies, the deviation between the instruction of the position and speed control systems and the detection value becomes large. Therefore, the robot continues to move in a direction where a more dangerous situation is produced. It is very difficult for the operator to escape from such a dangerous situation, and damage to the robot and other bodies may results.


The present invention provides isolated proteins isolatable from a Pasteurella spp. such as P. multocida. Also provided by the present invention are compositions that include one or more of the proteins, and methods for making and methods for using the proteins.

Pasteurella spp. are gram negative, facultatively anaerobic and pleomorphically rod shaped bacteria able to cause disease in a variety of animals as well as humans. Species of Pasteurella in domestic and wild animals have evolved a particular niche for mucosal membranes of the upper respiratory, mucosa of the oral cavity and lower genital tract. In farm animals, diseases are based on clinical symptoms and on the particular Pasteurella specie associated with disease. Today Pasteurella multocida and Mannheimia haemolytica are the two most widely recognized species of the Pasteurellaceae family associated with clinical disease in animal husbandry with particular reference to poultry, cattle, pigs and rabbits. The family Pasteurellaceae currently comprises five genera; Pasteurella, Mannheimia, Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, and Lonepinella and have been the subject of extensive reclassification (Angen et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 49: 67-86 (1999). Recently Pasteurella haemolytica has been taxonomically reclassified as Mannheimia haemolytica based on ribosomal sequencing and DNA-DNA hybridization (Oystein et al. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 49:6-86 (1999).
Pasteurella multocida is the etiological agent of avian pasteurellosis, commonly referred to as fowl cholera, a widely distributed and economically important disease of poultry, having a high incidence in chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks (Rhoades et al. Fowl Cholera. In: Adlam, C. F. and Rutter, J. M. (Eds.), Pasteurella and Pasteurellosis. Academic Press, London, pp. 95-113. 1989). The organism is also responsible for inducing clinical disease in wild birds, commercially raised game birds and Psittacines (Rhoades and Rimler, 1989, Fowl cholera. In Pasteurella and Pasteurellosis, pp. 95-113. Edited by C. F. Adlam & J. M. Rutter. London: Academic Press). All species of birds are susceptible to varying degrees. Heavy breeds appear more susceptible than light breeds, and adult birds and those in late growing phase appear more susceptible than younger birds (Jordan et al. Poultry Diseases. Ballierre Tindall, London, pp 42-50. 1990.). Four capsular serogroups (A, B, D and F) are recognized among avian strains of Pasteurella multocida (Rhoades et al. Avian Dis. 31: 895-898 (1987). In domestic poultry, strains belonging to capsular type A are recognized as the primary agent of pasteurellosis (Rhoades and Rimler, 1987, Avian Dis 31, 895-898; Rhoades et al. Fowl Cholera. In: Adlam, C. F. and Rutter, J. M. (Eds.), Pasteurella and Pasteurellosis. Academic Press, London, pp. 95-113. 1989; Wilson et al. J. Clin. Microbiol. 31: 255-259 1993)). It has been shown that avian strains of Pasteurella multocida are genetically diverse as demonstrated by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and DNA-DNA hybridization. Based on these findings P. multocida has now been subdivided into three subspecies, multocida, septica and gallicida.
The pathogenesis of P. multocida is poorly understood but is dependent on both host and pathogen specific factors. To date no single virulence factor has been associated with disease among strains. Virulence factors that have been studied to date include; capsule, endotoxin, 20 outer membrane proteins, serum resistance, iron-acquisition systems, heat shock proteins, neuraminidase production, adhesion factors, antibody cleaving enzymes and the potential existence of cytopathic toxins.
Clinical manifestation of disease may range from peracute/acute to chronic infections, and may initially arise by the colonization of the upper respiratory tract, followed by invasion and septicaemia. During acute infections, few clinical signs are observed before death which is generally dominated by septicaemic lesions. In chronic forms of P. multocida infections, suppurative lesions may be widely distributed involving the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, the pharynx, nasal passages, conjunctiva and adjacent tissues of the head.
Because of the ubiquitous nature of P. multocida, and the potential for great economic loss, commercial vaccines have been developed to protect against outbreaks of Fowl cholera in layer and breeder broiler operations throughout the US and abroad. Inactivated commercial Fowl cholera vaccines currently available rely on somatic serotypes to offer protection. Most inactivated vaccines contain, at a minimum, Pasteurella multocida strains of serotype 1 (also referred to as A:1), serotype 3 (also referred to as A:3), and serotype 4 (also referred to as A:4). Fowl cholera vaccines made with one serotype do not cross protect against other serotypes, e.g., a vaccine made using a serotype 1 strain does not protect against serotypes 3 or 4.
The ability of Pasteurella multocida to evade the natural defense mechanisms of the vertebrate host depends in part on its ability to obtain host iron, which in turn, directly influences the host-pathogen interaction. Because of iron's essential nature, vertebrate hosts have developed elaborate mechanisms to bind iron in body fluids (e.g., transferrin in blood and lymph fluids and lactoferrin in external secretions). These high affinity iron binding proteins create an iron restricted environment within the host, reducing the level of iron to approximately 10−18 molar, a concentration too low to support the growth of nearly all bacteria. These iron sequestering mechanisms of the host act as a natural defense mechanism to combat bacterial invasion. To circumvent these iron-restrictive conditions many bacterial species have evolved mechanisms for obtaining iron. The most common mechanisms include the diffusion of soluble iron through porins and specialized transport systems that mediate the uptake of iron by siderophores. This latter system is one of the most common and well-studied mechanisms for iron acquisition and involves the specific chelation of ferric iron by siderophores and the synthesis of their cognate transport systems, which permits the bacteria to continue to replicate and overcome the non-specific defense mechanisms of the host. Continued replication, and thus each step in the infectious process, is ultimately dependent on the ability of the organism to obtain iron from its host.
Divalent metal ions such as iron, cobalt, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, and zinc are trace elements often required for the survival of bacteria infecting both animal and human hosts. These trace metal elements are used by bacteria as cofactors for enzymes that catalyze biochemical reactions for various metabolic pathways required by the organism. The impact of iron on the pathogenesis of bacteria has been studied extensively. Iron is essential for nearly all life and is required for enzymatic and metabolic pathways of organisms at all phylogenic levels. It has been well-documented that during bacterial sepsis there is an alteration in the concentration of a number of metal ions in serum such as, iron, copper, and zinc. For instance, serum levels of zinc decrease from 10 percent to 60 percent with the onset of infection. Following the onset of infection, zinc is then redistributed from plasma to liver where it is bound to metallothionein. Decreases in serum iron of up to 50 percent have been described during infectious illness, whereas serum copper has been shown to increase in response to inflammatory stimuli. The alteration of these trace metal ions in serum may directly affect the severity or progression of any bacterial infection.
With so many basic functions relying on the availability of iron, bacteria have evolved a complex regulatory network for acquiring iron under varying physiological conditions. Under anaerobic conditions, iron is present in the soluble ferrous form (Fe II) and can freely diffuse through outer membrane porins into the periplasm. For instance, in E. coli the FeoAB transport system present in the cytoplasmic membrane will transport the ferrous iron molecules into the cell cytoplasm. Under aerobic conditions and neutral pH, iron is primarily present in the insoluble ferric form (Fe III) and cannot pass through the outer membrane porins by passive diffusion. Instead, molecules called siderophores are secreted by bacteria, which have a high affinity for ferric iron. The ferric-siderophore complexes are recognized by receptors in the outer membrane collectively referred to as the TonB-dependent receptors. These receptors, once bound to loaded siderophores, are believed to interact with TonB and its associated proteins localized in the periplasm and cytoplasmic membrane. These protein-protein interactions, though poorly understood, serve to provide the energy necessary to transport the ferric-siderophore complexes across the outer membrane and through the periplasmic space. ABC transport systems present in the cytoplasmic membrane serve to transport the iron-siderophore complexes across the cytoplasmic membrane. Reductase enzymes reduce the ferric iron to its ferrous form, which dissociates it from the siderophore and releases iron into the cell.
Several species of pathogenic bacteria use additional mechanisms to obtain iron from mammalian hosts, including the direct binding of transferrin, heme, and other heme-containing compounds. The receptor proteins that bind these iron-containing molecules most likely rely on the TonB complex for the energy required to transport heme across the outer membrane, similar to the iron-siderophore complexes. Specialized ABC transporters are then used to transport the heme across the cytoplasmic membrane. In addition, some bacteria secrete hemophores, small molecules that can bind heme and present it to receptors on the bacterial cell surface. Several pathogenic species also produce hemolysins, which are toxins that lyse red blood cells, releasing heme and hemoglobin for uptake by the bacteria.
The outer membrane proteins of gram-negative bacteria control the selective permeability of many essential nutrients critical to the survival of bacteria, including all pathogenic bacteria that cause disease in animals and man. This selective permeability of nutrients is controlled by a class of membrane proteins called porins. It now appears that the majority of the outer membrane proteins on the surface of gram-negative bacteria are porins, identified as the general porins (e.g., OmpF), monomeric porins (e.g., OmpA), the specific porins (e.g., the maltose-specific porin LamB) and the TonB-dependent, gated porins (e.g., the siderophore receptor FepA). The porin class of proteins generally share structural features, including the presence of beta-barrels that span the outer membrane.
Beyond the role of iron as an essential nutrient for microbial survival, there are now many other well-defined transitional metals that play critical roles in bacterial survival, homeostasis, and pathogenesis such as iron, manganese, copper, zinc, magnesium, cobalt, and nickel (Waldron and Robinson and 2009; Porcheron; 2013). Iron, zinc and copper are the three most abundant divalent metal ions in mammals in descending order of concentration. The ability of a bacterium to utilize these transitional metals by finely regulated uptake or acquisition systems significantly contributes to the virulence of pathogenic bacteria. It is well known that bacteria within the same genus/species do not have the same uptake systems for the acquisition of transitional metals owing to the difference in pathogenicity from one strain of bacteria to another. These differences in the ability of bacteria to use different transitional metals based on expressed uptake systems may specifically direct what organ or tissue an organism can invade.
Little is known regarding the iron-acquisition by Pasteurella multocida; it has not been studied nearly to the extent of E. coli iron transport systems. The iron regulated proteins of Pasteurella have been investigated as potential immunogens as target antigens for different vaccine strategies in multiple animal species. It has been shown that these proteins provide protective efficacy against homologous challenge yet a combination of these proteins to provide heterologous protection has eluded researchers.
Glisson et al. (Avian Diseases 37:1074-1079, 1993) attempted to induce cross-protection across serotypes by preparing bacterins from P. multocida strains X-73 (serotype 1) and P-1059 (serotype 3) under iron-restricted culture conditions. They found that bacterins produced in medium low in iron did not consistently induce significant protection against heterologous challenge.

Proteins and immunizing compositions containing pasteurella proteins and methods of use


A method is provided for managing a data rate in a communication system that includes a first device. The first device receives (202) at least one data packet from a second device over a link, wherein the at least one data packet is sent at a first data rate, and monitors (204) a frequency of occurrence of early termination of transmissions on the link. The first device further determines (206) a second different data rate for the link based on the frequency of occurrence of early termination of transmissions and sends (208) a request to the second device to adjust the first data rate to the second data rate for subsequent transmission of data packets. Thereafter, the first device receives (210) at least one data packet from the second device over the link at the second data rate.

In a communication system, an access device (also known and referred to in the art as an access terminal) communicates with other access devices through a Base Transceiver Station (BTS). Examples of access devices include, but are not limited to, a mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistance (PDA), a laptop, etc. A BTS is infrastructure equipment that receives data from one access device and transmits it to one or more other access devices via communication links (also referred to herein as communication channels) with each of the access devices, thereby facilitating communication between them. Communication links/channels are the physical wireless communication resources over which information is sent between the BTS and each access device.
Devices in the system can measure or determine a signal quality indicator, such as a Carrier to Interference (C/I) ratio, of a communication channel such as a forward link (also commonly known as a downlink), which is the wireless communication resource over which a BTS sends information to the access device or a reverse link (also commonly known as an uplink), which is the wireless communication resource over which the access device sends information to the BTS. The signal quality indicator provides a measure of link or channel quality by indicating various channel conditions including, but not limited to, cross talk, carrier power, and the like. An amount of data and a data rate that can be supported by the communication channel depends on these channel conditions. After a maximum data rate of the communication channel is determined and requested, data packets are sent over the communication channel at the maximum data rate. However, the data transfer capacity of the communication channel can change with time and with changing channel conditions, or a device may desire to send more data. Hence, the maximum data rate of the communication channel should be revised accordingly.
More particularly, due to an increasing need for channel efficiency in communication systems, there exists a corresponding need for measuring relevant parameters to use in dynamically adjusting the data rate of a communication channel.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various embodiments. In addition, the description and drawings do not necessarily require the order illustrated. Apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the various embodiments so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Thus, it will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, common and well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment may not be depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments.

Method and device for managing data rate in a communication system


A multi-line, passive fiber optic slipring is provided. A plurality of trmitting optical fibers are terminated in a plurality of focusing lenses. The fibers and focusing lens are free to rotate about an axis rotation. A plurality of ellipsoidal mirrors are stacked on top of one another beneath the focusing lenses such that the axis of rotation passes through a first focal point of each of the plurality of ellipsoidal mirrors. Each of the focusing lenses focuses optical signals through the first focal point of a corresponding one of the ellipsoidal mirrors. The optical signals reflect from each corresponding mirror to a second focal point of the corresponding mirror. Each mirror is further provided with an optical aperture along the axis of rotation to allow the optical signals not focused on the first focal point of the corresponding mirror to pass therethrough. Each of a plurality of receiving optical fibers is fixed at a corresponding one of the second focal points.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to optical sliprings, and more particularly to a multi-line, fiber optic slipring that is constructed from passive components.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Present devices used to pass multiple fiber optic lines through a rotating joint generally comprise one of two types. The first type is a passive device known as a coiled ribbon slipring which places optical fibers parallel to each other to form a ribbon cable. The ribbon cable is coiled around the slipring's axis of rotation. One end of the cable is connected to the stationary side of the slipring, while the other end is connected to the rotating side of the slipring. The advantage of this device is that it can pass multiple fiber optic lines through a rotating joint without the use of active conversion devices (e.g., optical-to-electrical conversion devices). However, this type of device is limited to a specific number of rotations determined by the number of times the cable is coiled around itself.
The second type of prior art optical slipring is an active conversion device in which signals from multiple fiber optic lines pass through a rotating joint by using devices that convert the optical signals into electrical signals, send the electrical signals through the joint using conventional electrical slipring methods, and then convert the electrical signals back into optical signals. This type of slipring has the advantage of an unlimited number of rotations, but has several disadvantages in that (1) power is needed to operate the active conversion devices, (2) electrical noise and electromagnetic interference may be introduced, and (3) cross talk between channels may occur.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


A testing arrangement for testing a plasma cluster tool having system control software (SCS) for controlling the plasma cluster tool during production. The testing arrangement includes a data manager module for obtaining, via a computer network, specification data pertaining to a component of the plasma cluster tool. The testing arrangement further includes a test manager module configured to provide a set of tests for testing the component, the set of tests incorporating data obtained in the specification data. The testing arrangement additionally includes a SCS interface engine configured to communicate the set of tests with the system control software of the plasma cluster tool, thereby enabling the SCS to execute at least a test in the set of tests to test the component.

A plasma cluster tool is made up of a plurality of modules (i.e., processing module, transfer module, etc.). Each of these modules is made up of a plurality of subsystems (i.e., RF match, gas box, TCP match, bias match, etc.). For ease of discussion, the term "component" will be used to refer to an atomic or a multi-part assembly in a plasma cluster tool. Thus, a component may be as simple as a gas line or may be as complex as the entire process module. A multi-part component (such as a process module) may be formed from other multi-part components (such as a vacuum system, a gas system, a power supply system, etc), which may in turn be formed from other multi-part or atomic components.
Generally, the various components of a plasma cluster tool may be manufactured by more than one party. For example, a manufacturer of plasma cluster tool, such as Lam Research Corporation of Fremont, Calif., typically utilizes components from a member of third-party suppliers in the manufacturing of a plasma cluster tool. In fact, such practice is standard in the semiconductor processing equipment field since it permits companies to focus on their strengths while delegating tasks outside of their fields of interest or expertise to other companies.
Before a plasma cluster tool is sent to a customer by a manufacturer, a multitude of quality control tests are performed on the plasma cluster tool and its various components. The tests may be performed by the manufacturer and/or by a third-party. Currently, a standard testing framework does not exist. Tests performed internally allow the manufacturer some control on the testing methodology. However, tests that have been outsourced to a third-party allow the manufacturer limited or no control over the tests that are performed.
To aid in testing components, test fixtures may be available. As discussed herein, a test fixture is hardware with a software interface that allows a component to be tested in a simulated processing environment. For example, a test fixture is created to test an AC/DC box. The test fixture is able to test the wiring connection, the power components, etc. The test fixture is also able to log the data and stores the data on the test fixture.
Tests that are performed using test fixtures created by the manufacturer allow the manufacturer some control on the testing methodology that may be used. If the tests are performed internally, the manufacturer may have access to the electronic version of the data that are gathered, thus enabling the manufacturer the ability to manipulate the data for analysis. However, for tests that are performed off-site by a third-party, the manufacturer generally has limited access to the data since the data is usually provided to the manufacturer in a paper or image format. As a result, the manufacturer may have difficulties manipulating the data for analysis.
In some situations, test fixtures may be created by third-party suppliers. In these situations, the third-party suppliers may have incorporated their own testing methodology and control logic (which may differ significantly from the production environment of the plasma cluster tool) into the test fixtures. Consequently, the manufacturer is dependent upon testers using test fixtures created by third-party suppliers to perform good tests and collect relevant data on the components.
In some instances, a test fixture may not exist for a component. Thus, any testing that may be performed on the component has to be performed manually using paper procedures. With paper procedures, the quality of the test is dependent upon a tester's skills and discretion. Furthermore, the procedures are subjected to interpretation by the tester. Also, the tester may not always perform all steps completely. In some cases, a tester may fabricate data. Thus, test results may be inconsistent and may lack integrity.
Since the testing methodology may vary, the data that is gathered may differ in substance and quality depending upon the testing methodology and the tester. Further, the reports that are produced from the testing may vary by format and substance. If the testing is performed internally, the manufacturer may have access to the electronic data and may have some ability to manipulate the data and to produce reports that are usable by the manufacturer. However, if tests are performed off-site by a third-party, an electronic copy of the data is usually not available. Instead, the third-party usually provides a paper or an image copy of the data and the manufacture is unable to manipulate the data. As a result, traceability is almost impossible when a problem arises.
To facilitate discussion, FIG. 1A shows an example of a plasma cluster tool with a process module 102 and a transfer module 111. Within process module 102 are components 106 and 108 (i.e., Gas Box and RF Match. Attached to process module 102 is a test fixture 112 (i.e., LamWorks), which enables the entire process module 102 to be tested. Additional test fixtures (i.e., LamWorks based test fixture 104 and Nyker Labview test fixture 110) are attached to components 106 and 108.
As discussed, test fixtures are not always available. In this example, a test fixture is not available for transfer module 111. Thus, tests that may be performed on transfer module 111 have to be performed using paper procedures and the data has to be gathered manually by the tester.
FIG. 1B shows a chart of the components in FIG. 1A and the testing architecture associated with these components. For process module 102, a test fixture (i.e., LamWorks) produced internally by the manufacturer is attached. The data collected by the test fixture is logged onto a SQL database. The reporting or access to the report is limited to an internal intranet or a paper printout. Also, even though the test fixture is internally produced, the control system is different from that of the actual production environment. Thus, possibility of a discrepancy between the production and test environments will most likely exist.
Likewise, the test fixture (i.e., LamWorks) attached to component 106 (i.e., RF Match) is internally created but has been sent off-site to a third-party to test the component. Thus, the manufacture is most likely to receive a paper printout only. Further, the control logic for the test fixture is not the actual production environment.
In regard to component 108 (i.e., Gas Box), test fixture (i.e., Nyker using LabView) may be created by a third-party. The data collected by the test fixture is also store onto a SQL database. However, since it is not an internal test fixture, the manufacturer is usually limited to paper printout only. As with the previous test fixtures, the control logic may also be different than that of the production environment.
In some cases, a component, such as transfer module 111, may not have a test fixture associated with the component. In situations where there are no test fixtures, the tester has to rely on paper procedures to perform any type of test on the component. The test methodology for this situation is usually dependent upon the skill and knowledge of the tester. Further, the data collected is dependent upon the discretion of the tester. For example, the tester may choose not to perform a thorough test (such as skipping some of the steps) or the tester may choose to bypass the test and fabricate the data. Generally, the data collected is stored directly on paper and the information is scanned into the system. Like the other scenarios, the control logic may differ from the one in the production environment.
As can be appreciated from the above-discussion, the control logic for testing usually does not resemble that of the production environment. Further, each test fixture may have its own control logic. As a result, the test environment may not be able to replicate what may happen in the production environment. For example, it is not unusual for changes to be occurring in the control system as a plasma cluster tool is being manufactured. However, the changes may not always be propagated to all the testers. As a result, the testers may not have all the data to create an environment that resembles the production environment. Further, there may have been changes in the various components, but the manufacturer may not have been informed to accommodate the changes. As a result, changes may not be noticeable until the plasma cluster tool is in the field.
The discussion above illustrates several problems with the current method of testing a plasma cluster tool and its components. First, the lack of testing standards, which may result in a wide range of testing methodology, inhibits manufacturers of cluster tool from being able to provide assurance to their customers that quality tests have been performed on all the components. Second, control logic which is different from the production control logic and which may vary in each test fixture may result in test results which may not capture what will happen in a real production environment. Third, the quality of the data collected may range depending upon the test fixture used and the tester performing the test. Fourth, data reporting lacks consistency. For example, some reports may be electronically produced while other may be in paper format. Finally, since a tester is usually limited to the component he/she is testing and the control logic does not represent a production environment, an integrated system test is not possible.

Automated test and characterization web services


Ambient amount of a hazardous condition may be monitored. A mode may be set to a state indicative of the hazardous condition being present in the ambient environment. It may then be determined that the amount of the hazard in the ambient environment has dropped below an alarm criterion. A time period may then be tracked during which the amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector has remained below the alarm criterion. It may be determined that the time period has reached at least a threshold duration, during such time period the amount of the hazardous condition present in the ambient environment of the hazard detector having remained below the alarm criterion. An indication of the hazardous condition easing may be output in response to the time period being at least the threshold duration.

A conventional smoke or carbon monoxide alarm likely provides no indication that a hazardous condition is present until a loud alarm is sounded. Such an arrangement may be annoying to a user when the alarm has been triggered accidentally. For example, a small amount of smoke generated by cooking may be enough to trigger a smoke alarm to sound. The user may then have to remedy the condition that caused the alarm by airing out the room in which the smoke alarm is located to clear the smoke and/or by actuating a button on the alarm to silence it. Further, the user may be left guessing as to whether the remediation actions being taken by the user are sufficient to alleviate the conditions that initially triggered the alarm to sound.

Smart hazard detector providing follow up communications to detection events