A method of controlling cyst nematode population in soybeans by providing a blended composition of soybean varieties. At least one of the soybean varieties in the blend has resistance to a given race spectrum, while another of the soybean varieties in the blend may have resistance to a differing race spectrum or be a susceptible variety. The blend may include 10 to 90% of the first variety and 90 to 10% of the second variety. The blend may consist of three or more soybean varieties.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of soybean production, and more particularly to a method of controlling cyst nematode population in soybeans.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cyst nematodes are responsible for direct loss in soybean yield, and indirect losses due to cost of pesticides and non-optimal use of land or rotation. Soybean cyst nematodes (Heterodera glycines) have a negative economic impact that may exceed $500 million per year in the United States.
Economically significant densities of cyst nematodes usually cause stunting of crop plants. The root system is smaller than for uninfected plants, resulting in leaves showing symptoms of mineral deficiencies with an increased risk of wilting in dry soil conditions. Yield losses are related to the density of cyst nematode present at planting and in severe cases may be substantially above 50% for crops such as soybeans.
Current control methods include the use of chemicals, cultural techniques, and the use of resistant soybean varieties. Nematicides are considered to present significant health risks and cultural control such as crop rotation may be unacceptable to specialist growers or growers with few alternative crops.
Use of resistant soybean varieties does not provide adequate long-term control since cyst nematode race shift occurs. For example, if race 3 is present in a field and the farmer plants a race 3 resistant variety, within one year race shift occurs, i.e., race 3 mutates (race shifts) to race 1, 2, 4, etc. Therefore, the same race 3 resistant soybean variety is again susceptible to the new race spectrum of cyst nematode. Furthermore, cyst nematode is capable of race shifting at a rate faster than the industry can breed or engineer resistant varieties with high yields.
Those concerned with these and other problems recognize the need for an improved process for controlling cyst nematode population in soybeans.

Process for controlling cyst nematode population in soybeans


A thrust reverser actuator gimbal assembly for mounting a thrust reverser actuator to fixed structure of the thrust reverser is disclosed. The thrust reverser actuator gimbal assembly may comprise a gimbal, first and second gimbal pins mounted to the gimbal and defining a first pivot axis, the first and second gimbal pins adapted to form a pivotal joint with the fixed structure of the thrust reverser, third and fourth gimbal pins mounted to the gimbal and defining a second pivot axis normal to the first pivot axis, the third and fourth gimbal pins adapted to form a pivotal joint with the thrust reverser actuator, wherein the first and second gimbal pins each include a shaft and a flange integrally formed together, the flange including a pair of bores for receiving a fastener to fasten the respective gimbal pin to the thrust reverser fixed structure.

Jet engines, such as those that power modern commercial aircraft, typically include thrust reversing structures (or thrust reversers). The thrust reverser typically includes an extendable thrust reverser actuator which mounts on one end thereof to a fixed structure of the thrust reverser via a gimbal. The gimbal is desirably lightweight, and capable of withstanding the loads and vibrations it is subjected to without excess wear or fatigue.


Disclosed is a chair-type massaging apparatus that is capable of massaging lower legs freely and precisely in pressing angles or pressing positions with a user seated therein and allows the user to assume a desired posture without interference. The chair-type massaging apparatus of the present invention typically includes a leg rest including a support portion configured to support lower legs of a user, and massaging portions configured to protrude and retract to press the lower legs of the user. The support portion includes protrusible portions that is mounted on both sides in the rightward and leftward direction and is protrusible to rise up inward in the rightward and leftward direction and is retractable. The massaging portions are mounted on the protrusible portions. With the protrusible portions and the massaging portions retracting, the protrusible portions and the support portion located inward relative to the protrusible portion in the rightward and leftward direction and the massaging portions form a substantially flat surface.

Massaging apparatuses configured to apply stimulation to a body of a user, such as kneading, tapping, finger pressure, and rolling, are widely known. There are a variety of massaging apparatuses, such as chair-types and mattress-types, among which the chair-type massaging apparatus has been highly demanded and widely used because it is capable of massaging the user in a relaxed posture and its installation area is smaller than that of the mattress-type.
Most of the conventional chair-type massaging apparatuses are typically configured to apply pressing stimulation to a back and a shoulder of the user. In order to enable the user to efficiently obtain effects such as facilitation of blood circulation, recovery from fatigue, or relaxation, it is important to massage physical parts such as the legs and arms of the user. In recent years, chair-type massaging apparatuses capable of massaging arms and legs have been developed.
One type of chair-type massaging apparatus comprises a chair body (massage chair) and a leg rest (lower leg massager) provided with two concave receiver portions on which fight and left lower legs of the user are supported (see Japanese Patent No. 3012127). This chair-type massaging apparatus is constructed such that air bags are provided on opposite side surfaces of each concave receiver portion, and the air bags expand and contract to allow a calf of a leg of the user to be massaged with the calf sandwiched from right and left sides.
The chair-type massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3012127 is constructed such that the chair body is separated from the leg rest, while in Japanese Patent No. 3012780, the leg rest is attached to the chair body. In the latter construction, the leg rest is attached to a front side of a seat portion of the chair body. The user is seated in the chair body and thereby the lower legs of the user are placed on the leg rest. In the chair-type massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3012780, as in the chair-type massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese patent No. 3012127, the leg rest is provided with concave receiver portions and right and left lower legs are placed on the concave portions to be massaged (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 3012780).
Some mattress-type massaging apparatuses are capable of massaging lower legs of the user. One type of such mattress-type massaging apparatus provides double air bags on both sides of each of right and left calves of the legs of the user lying on his or her back (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 10-57436 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 10-118143). This mattress-type massaging apparatus is capable of massaging the right and left calves of the user by expansion and contraction of the air bags with the calves sandwiched and retained from right and left sides; this mattress-type massaging apparatus is also capable of increasing the force to sandwich and retain the calves by expanding the dual air bags simultaneously.
However, in the chair-type massaging apparatuses disclosed in Japanese Patent Nos. 3012127 and 3012780, when the user puts his or her calves into the concave receiver portions, the posture of the user is restricted and obstructed by side walls of the concave receiver portions. This makes it difficult for the user to assume a desired posture.
In the chair-type massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3012780, the lower legs can remain outside the concave receiver portions with the user seated therein. In this case, the leg rest may become an obstruction, making it difficult for the user to assume a desired posture.
It is known that there exist a plurality of acupuncture points called "sanri" and "horyu" in an outer region of a shin of a lower leg of a body, i.e., in a front outer region of the lower leg, and function to provide adjustment of various internal organs as well as to provide effects such as facilitation of blood circulation, recovery from fatigue, or relaxation by applying stimulation to these regions. But, the chair-type massaging apparatuses disclosed in above Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 3012127 and 3012780 are incapable of massaging the outer region of the shin.
The inventions disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication Nos. Hei. 10-57436 and 10-118143 are applicable to the leg rest of the chair-type massaging apparatus. Since the front surface of the leg rest is substantially flat when each air bag is contracted, the user easily assumes a desired posture. However, the chair-type massaging apparatus of such a construction is incapable of massaging the outer region of the shin.
Since the invention disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 10-57436 is not a chair-type massaging apparatus but a mattress-type massaging apparatus, the user must lie on a mattress, and the lower leg is incapable of being massaged with the user seated in the chair.
In the inventions disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication Nos. Hei. 10-57436 and 10-118143, since the mattress portion is substantially flat with the air bag contracted, there is no protruding portion that restricts or obstructs the posture of the user in such a contracted state. However, since a protrusible and retractable system of the massaging apparatus is constructed such that the air bag, substantially flat in a retracted state, protrusively expands from the lower side of the lower leg, setting a pressing angle or a pressing position with respect to the lower leg in a limited range, and therefore, a massage pattern is very limited. In addition, since the air bags or cloth covers which cover these air bags protrude and are flexible, the precision of the pressing position or the pressing angle is not high.
Some massaging apparatuses are configured to massage the body of the user in such a manner that a massaging system such as massaging elements protrudes and retracts with respect to the body of the user to apply pressure to the body.
A cover that covers a massaging system provided with the protrusible and retractable system is disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 8-112330. The cover covers a side surface of a massaging system causing a pressing drive plate having a pressing element to protrude and retract by expansion and contraction of air cells (air bags). One sheet (continuous sheet without seams or joints) is bent in a bellows-like manner, and an elastic material such as rubber is stitched inside. The bellows-like sheet expands with extension of the elastic material during expansion of the air cell and is folded by contraction of the elastic material during contraction of the air cell (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 8-112330).
The cover disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. 8-112330 is configured not to cover a body side of the massaging system but to cover a side surface of the massaging system so as not to interfere with the body side. On the other hand, the cover disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open patent Application Publication No. Hei-10-295753 is configured to cover the body side of the massaging system and is made of an elastic material such as an elastic cloth or rubber sheet. Such an elastic material enables the cover to expand and contract according to protrusion and retraction of the massaging system with respect to the body of the user (see Japanese Laid-Open patent Application Publication No. 10-295753).
In the massaging apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 8-112330, a foldable portion of the cover which is folded during contraction of the air cell (retraction of the massaging system) is not located on the side of a support surface on which a body of the user who is being massaged is supported, but at a position of the side surface which is away from the support surface side. Therefore, this cover does not cover the support surface on which the body of the user is supported. This cover is not configured for protrusion and retraction operation of a massaging apparatus that protrudes and retracts within the support surface on which the body of the user is supported.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 10-295753 discloses a cover made of an elastic material as a cover which is capable of covering the body side of the massaging system having the protrusible and retractable system and is configured for protrusion and retraction operation. However, the elastic material decreases elasticity after repeated expansion and compression during use. As a result, the cover becomes deformed, and its external appearance degrades.

Chair-type massaging apparatus, cover for massaging apparatus, cover for leg rest, and massaging apparatus


A constant ratio current source comprises a first current branch which includes a first transistor that conducts a current I1 from a first current input to a first node and a resistor R1 connected between the first node and a circuit common point, and a second current branch which includes a second transistor that conducts a current I2 from a second current input to a second node and a resistor R2 connected between the second node and the circuit common point. The current branches are arranged such that I2 varies with I1. A linear negative resistance circuit connected between the first and second nodes provides an apparent negative resistance that increases the differential output impedance at the first and second current inputs, such that the ratio of I2:I1 is maintained approximately constant for a varying differential voltage applied across the first and second current inputs.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to current sources, and particularly to current sources capable of providing a second current in a constant ratio to a first current.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many circuit applications in which a second current is needed which is in a constant ratio to a first current. Circuits which provide currents that compensate for the base currents of a differential input stage typically require the generation of a second current that varies with the input stage's tail current. If the second current closely tracks the tail current, it can be used to provide compensation currents which substantially reduce the stage's input currents.
Difficulties can arise when there is a differential voltage between the first and second current sources. For example, one way in which ratioed currents can be generated is shown in FIG. 1a. First and second transistors Qa and Qb have their emitters connected to a circuit common point and their bases connected to a common bias voltage. When so arranged, Qa and Qb conduct currents I1 and I2, respectively, with:
                    I                                                  1                    I                                                  2              ∝          1      +              (                              V            diff                                V            A                          )              ,where Vdiff is the differential voltage between the two collectors, and VA is the Early voltage. As the current ratio varies significantly with Vdiff, this approach is unacceptable for many applications in the differential voltage is likely to vary.
The performance of the circuit of FIG. 1a can be improved by the addition of degeneration resistors Ra and Rb in the emitter circuits of Qa and Qb, as shown in FIG. 1b. When so configured:
                    I                                                  1                    I                                                  2              ∝          1      +              (                                            V              diff                                      V              A                                *                                    kT              q                                                      V                deg                            +                              kT                q                                                    )              ,where Vdeg is the voltage across the degeneration resistors. Here, the variation of the current ratio with Vdiff is significantly reduced, but the addition of Ra and Rb results in the circuit requiring additional headroom.
Another way to improve the performance of the circuit of FIG. 1a is to provide cascode transistors for Qa and Qb; this is shown in FIG. 1c. Here, assuming that all the transistors have equal beta (β) values:
            I                                      1              I                                      2        ∝      1    +                  (                              V            diff                                β            *                          V              A                                      )            .      This approach also reduces the variation of current ratio with Vdiff, but at the expense of additional headroom and an extra bias voltage generator.
A basic current mirror can also be used to generate a second current which is proportional to a first current. However, since the output impedance of each mirror transistor is proportional to its Early voltage divided by its collector current, the mirror's output impedance will be low—causing the current ratio to vary significantly with Vdiff. This can be improved by adding emitter degeneration resistors Ra and Rb as shown in FIG. 1d, but as with the circuit of FIG. 1b, the addition of Ra and Rb results in the circuit requiring additional headroom.
Another way to improve the performance of the current mirror of FIG. 1d is to add a negative resistance circuit 10 as shown in FIG. 1e; such an arrangement is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,587,689 to Bowers. In this configuration, emitter-coupled transistors Qc and Qd are cross-coupled, with the base of Qc and the collector of Qd connected to the emitter of Qa, and the base of Qd and the collector of Qc connected to the emitter of Qb. This arrangement creates an apparent negative resistance which acts to increase the effective resistance of emitter resistors Ra and Rb, and thereby increase the mirror's output impedance such that the variation of the I2:I1 ratio with Vdiff is reduced. However, non-linearities associated with Qc and Qd render the negative resistance circuit of FIG. 1e nonlinear and poorly controlled, thereby degrading the accuracy of the I2:I1 ratio.


Specialized telecom network users who burden the network, such as high-volume users of Internet services, are identified by analysis of network traffic data to identify addresses (e.g. telephone numbers) for callers to destinations associated with the particular call-in service. Destination telephone numbers may be identified from a list of known service providers or from a network traffic study, which identifies destination numbers receiving unique patterns of incoming traffic. Analysis of the records of calls to the destination numbers then identifies numbers for callers who made more than some minimum number of calls during the study or who accumulate more than some threshold amount of total connect time on such calls. The preferred embodiments utilize automated systems to compile and analyze call records from standard messages of a telephone network, such as interoffice signaling messages or automated accounting messages. Data from the records can be translated to identify the calling subscribers, e.g. by name and address or by point of connection to the network.

Rapid changes and increases in demand for telecommunication services increase the pressures for cost effective engineering and upgrading of the telephone network. The demand for traditional telephone service continues to increase, but at a steady and readily predictable pace. Several newer types of traffic through the telephone network, however, are increasing at an exponential rate and impose new traffic patterns that exacerbate difficulties in meeting the new traffic demands. The most significant and burdensome of these new types of traffic relates to calls through the telephone network to access data services, particularly the Internet.
The most common form of Internet access relies on modems and analog telephone network connections. A modem of this type modulates data from a personal computer (PC) for transmission in the voice telephone band over a telephone connection to the Internet service provider (ISP) and demodulates data signals received from the ISP over such a link. The analog telephone modem operates at one subscriber premises end of a voice grade line to transmit and receive signals over the line and through the telephone switch network to and from another similar line and modem in communication with an ISP's host equipment.
To access the Internet, the user activates her PC and modem to dial a number for the ISP. The telephone network switches the call through to a line going to a modem pool operated by the ISP. Once connected through the telephone network, the user logs on, and the ISP's equipment provides communications over the worldwide packet switched network now commonly known as the Internet. This telephone-based operation provides the voice grade analog modem a unique power, the necessary connections for Internet access are virtually ubiquitous. Users can call in from virtually any telephone line or wireless telephone (e.g. cellular) almost anywhere in the world.
However, the calling patterns for this type of data communications, particularly Internet access, are radically different from those of normal voice traffic. The sudden increase in popularity of access to the Internet and the difference in call-in traffic patterns have radically changed the loading placed on the telephone network.
Normal voice telephone calls tend to occur at random times, and the network typically routes the majority of such calls to random destinations. Also, the average hold times for such calls tend to be short, e.g. three minutes or less. By contrast, Internet traffic tends to have severe peak traffic times during any given twenty-four hour period, e.g. from 8:00PM to 11:00PM. Also, the network must route Internet access calls to a very small number of destinations, i.e. to the lines for modem pools operated by Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Instead of many parties calling each other randomly, many callers are all calling in to a limited number of service providers. Finally, hold times for Internet calls can last for hours. Some Internet users access the Internet when they sit down at their desks and leave the call connections up until they decide to turn their computers off, e.g. at the end of their day. If they leave their computers on all the time, the connections to the ISPs may stay up for days. These Internet traffic patterns add incredibly heavy traffic loads to the telephone network and tend to concentrate those loads in specific offices providing service to the ISPs.
The local exchange carriers (LECs) are considering a number of different options for relieving the congestion caused by Internet access traffic. Using existing technologies, these options include deploying more switches and trunk circuits and designing the connections of switches and trunks to the ISPs and their high-end users to minimize call switching and/or trunk congestion. For example, if there is a heavy concentration of ISP bound calls from a mid-town end office switch to an end office in the suburbs that serves the ISP, the LEC might install additional direct trunks between those offices to reduce the need for overflow routing through a tandem office. Within the mid-town office switch, the LEC might connect the high-end users that call the particular ISP to the same switch module that connects to the new direct trunks to the suburban end office, in order to reduce the inter-module switching load within the mid-town switch. Similarly, in the suburban office, the LEC would connect the new trunks to the same switch module that serves the ISP.
The carriers also are considering and experimenting with a number of options to off-load the Internet access traffic from the voice telephone network. Such options range from deployment of dedicated trunks to the modem pools of the ISPs to deployment of advanced digital loop carrier systems that can recognize data calls and switch such calls over to some link directly to a fast packet network. Other technologies, such as Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) networks, provide a totally separate logical path for the data communications.
The various strategies intended to address the increasing traffic demands of Internet access, such as adding end offices, deploying specialized switching modules, installing ADSL networks, adding trunks, deploying more tandem offices and the like, all require considerable expense by the carriers. Accurate engineering, to minimize cost and yet reduce congestion and provide effective service to the various customers, becomes ever more essential. To provide effective engineering, it is necessary that the carrier understand the traffic involved. Such understanding requires accurate and complete traffic measurement. Accurate information also is necessary to resolve disputes, for example with the ISPs over service quality.
Understanding the loading caused by access calls to ISPs requires identifying the high-volume users of data services. Identifying such users would allow network engineers to design off-load strategies to reduce congestion. Such knowledge also would enable the carrier to focus efforts to market advanced data services, such as Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), to customers having an existing need for data services. These often are the customers most troubled by network congestion and low-bandwidth. As discussed more later, current technology does not readily enable identification of heavy callers to data services or the like.
A need therefore exists for an effective technique to measure and analyze unique traffic patterns, particularly as they relate to Internet access calls. A more specific need is for a technique to measure traffic, identify characteristic traffic patterns and determine therefrom the heavy users making calls to the data access points, e.g. the heavy callers to the ISPs.
A number of techniques have been developed for monitoring operations of the public switching telephone network. While these prior techniques may be effective for some purposes, they have not proven effective for analyzing Internet access traffic or recognizing heavy users of data services. To complete the understanding of the background of the invention, it may be helpful to briefly consider some of the prior techniques for network monitoring.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,732 Pester describes an SS7 Network Preventative Maintenance System for detecting potential SS7 and switched network troubles, automatically analyzing the troubles, and providing alarm and corrective action to avoid major network events. The Pester SS7 Real Time Monitor System described in that Patent is a multi-stage SS7 network preventative maintenance tool that traps SS7 messages, detects potential SS7 and switched network troubles, automatically analyzes those troubles, and provides alarm and corrective action instructions to maintenance personnel
U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,530 to Brockman et al. relates to an SS7 monitoring system for evaluating the operations of telephone switches by capturing data between signaling nodes of a telephone switching system. The Brockman et al. surveillance equipment captures signaling information from different signaling network paths within a mated STP pair and correlates the fragmented messages for each monitored call. The system is capable of generating call detail records from the SS7 messages of a mated pair cluster, for use in billing and fraud detection.
While the above discussed Pester and Brockman et al. Patents describe the usefulness of monitoring an SS7 common channel interoffice signaling network for event detection, neither of these patents is directed to the particular problems of traffic measurement addressed by the present invention. The Pester Patent places emphasis on monitoring of the SS7 network itself in order to detect troubles in its functioning. The Brockman et al. Patent focuses on monitoring of all links to the STPs in a pair and the assembly of related SS7 signaling messages to form a record of call completions.
While these methodologies may be effective for their stated purposes there remains a distinct need for an efficient and effective tool for monitoring and analyzing types of traffic through the telephone network, to recognize unique patterns and identify key users involved in such traffic patterns. Attempts to use other more traditional approaches, such as the accumulation of data from the switches themselves and the Engineering and Administrative Data Acquisition System fell short of providing the desired information.
For example, today, a LEC conducts studies on usage in an office by setting up a "busy study" with respect to specific individual lines served through that office. It is not possible to look at all the traffic in the office at one time. Typically, the LEC can study maybe three different lines at a time. So in a 50,000-line office the LEC engineers can examine the traffic for up to three hundred lines at any one time. Also, setting up and maintaining such studies are labor intensive. To conduct a meaningful number of studies throughout a large service area, a LEC virtually needs an army of clerical people whose main job function is setting up busy studies. Once set up, such a study may run for three weeks, but at the end of that time, it takes another two weeks to process the output and organize the results into a report. Results are not available in real-time. Even when results do become available, the study only shows data on a few lines that may or may not be causing blockage in the busy hour. If the lines were not properly selected, the busy study may be virtually meaningless to the network engineer trying to relieve congestion through the office. Traffic patterns are changing rapidly, e.g. as new ISPs obtain lines or existing ISPs add new lines in already congested service areas. As a result, by the time that the engineer accumulates enough data for a meaningful study, the data may already be obsolete. Finally, the known network study techniques provide little or no help identifying the high volume users; i.e. the users who call often and exhibit long hold times on the calls to the service provider.
It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a relatively low cost solution to those problems.
It is another object of the invention to provide a timely, powerful, cost effective means of analyzing traffic on the Public Switching Telephone Network (PSTN) to identify the calling parties involved in unique and troublesome traffic patterns.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a flexible, expedient, accurate, and cost effective method to identify individual calling parties (numbers and/or lines) contributing to network blockage. Specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide such a technique to identify numbers or lines associated with high volume Internet users.
It is yet another object of the invention to implement Internet related traffic studies and enable better service to Internet users while maintaining optimal network utilization.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A directory event system for providing timely event notifications of each corresponding data replication of a master directory database to a replicate directory database includes an event master server, one or more event service servers, and one or more event client servers. For an event client server having directory clients in electrical communication with the replicate directory database, the event master server provides an event message to an event service server in response to the data manipulation of the master directory database by a directory service provider server. The event message includes the event notification and the sequence number, and the event service server provides the event notification to the event client server upon a replication of the sequence number within the replicate directory database. The replicate directory clients can poll the replicate directory database for the manipulated data upon receipt of the event notification from the event client server.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the management of directory events, and more particularly relates to the synchronization and ordering of directory events in a highly distributed directory environment.
2. Description of the Related
A directory service provider server controls any manipulation of data stored within a master directory database as requested by a directory client. For each data manipulation, the directory service provider server transmits an event notification describing the data manipulation to all directory clients. The performance of the directory service provider server an manipulating daut stared withip the master directory database in accordance with numerous received requests from one or mare directory clients can be impeded as the directory service provider server concurrently attempts to transmit corresponding event notifications to all of the directory clients. This is particularly true when the directory service provider server is also receiving new data manipulation requests from directory clients.
Also, in a highly distributed environment where numerous directory clients have registered to receive directory events, the processing overhead for event notification by the directory service provider server can become significant. This will not only affect the directory service provider server's processing of event notifications, but potentially other processes in the environment as well.
Additionally, transmission of an event notification by the directory service provider server to a directory client can arrive to the directory client a significant amount of time before the manipulated data has been replicated by the master directory database in all replicate directory databases. A directory client may therefore futilely attempt to access a corresponding replicate directory database for the manipulated data prior to the master directory database's replication of the manipulated data into that particular replicate directory database.
The computer industry is therefore continually striving to improve upon the processing of directory events in a distributed environment.

Method and system for processing directory events

International Business Machines Corporation


A virtual communication bus for sharing information between applications is provided. When a user accesses media content on a television or content via an application on a virtual communication bus, data associated with the media content or the application content may be stored in a communal memory in a standard format, and may be accessed by one or more other applications on the virtual communication bus. The data may include data associated with interactions between the user and an application and interaction between applications. The data may be utilized to determine relevant information to provide the user. When a user accesses another application (on a same or another device), information determined to be relevant to the user may be provided. Data may be stored and shared between applications on the virtual communication bus.

Oftentimes, users interact with multiple devices at the same time. For example, many users utilize a smart phone, tablet computing device, or other type of computing device while watching television. While watching a television program, a user may find a subject of interest and may use another device to learn more about the subject of interest, or an application that is determined to be related to content a user is watching may be presented to a user on an interactive television.
Currently, a standardized way for applications to communicate with each other and with a television does not exist. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present invention has been made.

System for providing new content related to content currently being accessed


A pressure difference rearward of a windshield is efficiently corrected in a windshield unit for a saddle-ride type vehicle provided with two types of air ducts for directing the air flow from the front of the vehicle to the upside of the vehicle and to the rear of the windshield. A windshield unit includes an air duct for allowing an air introduction port opening toward the front of the vehicle to communicate with an air blowout port opening toward the upside of the vehicle and a second air duct for allowing a second air introduction port opening toward the front of the vehicle to communicate with a second air blowout port disposed rearward of the air duct to open toward the rear of the vehicle. The second air blowout port is disposed within the left-right width of the air blowout port of the air duct.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a windshield unit for a saddle-ride type vehicle.
2. Description of Background Art
Conventionally, a windshield for a saddle-ride type vehicle is known that includes a first air duct adapted to allow a first air introduction port opening toward the front of the vehicle to communicate with a first air blowout port opening toward the upside of the vehicle and a second air duct adapted to allow a second air introduction port opening toward the front of the vehicle to communicate with a second air blowout port opening toward the inside of a windshield. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-062616.
This is effective because of the following. The air flow from the front of the vehicle is led to the upside through the first air duct to suppress the height of the windshield and further to enhance the windshield effect, as compared with that of the general windshield unit not having the air duct. In addition, the occurrence of a negative pressure inside the windshield due to an enhanced windshield effect is suppressed by the air flow directed through the second air duct to correct the pressure difference rearward of the windshield.
However, in the conventional technology, the second air blowout ports are located on the left and right outsides of the windshield. More specifically, on the outside of the left-right width of the first air blowout port. In this case, the air flow blowing out from the second air blowout ports may be caught in the air flow flowing on the left and right outsides of the windshield. Thus, the pressure difference rearward of the windshield may not be sufficiently corrected in some cases.

Windshield unit for saddle-ride type vehicle


Exemplary embodiments provide a method of manufacturing a substrate for an electro-optical device. The method includes sequentially depositing on the substrate a lower conductive layer which is a lower electrode of the capacitor, an intermediate layer which is a dielectric film of the capacitor, and an upper conductive layer which is an upper electrode of the capacitor, in which the lower conductive layer is made of a material having an etching rate lower than an etching rate of a material of the upper conductive layer with respect to a predetermined etching agent; forming a mask having a predetermined planar pattern on the upper conductive layer; patterning the upper conductive layer, the intermediate layer and the lower conductive layer by etching with the mask, in which the etching agent is applied to at least the upper conductive layer and the lower conductive layer; and removing the mask. Accordingly, it is possible to simply manufacture a high reliable capacitor on the substrate.

1. Field of Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of manufacturing a substrate which is used for an electro-optical device such as a liquid crystal device and has a capacitor formed thereon, the substrate for the electro-optical device, and the electro-optical device and an electronic apparatus such as a liquid crystal projector provided with the same substrate. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also relate to a method of manufacturing a substrate which is used for a general semiconductor device and has a capacitor formed thereon, and the substrate for the semiconductor device.
2. Description of Related Art
The related art includes a manufacturing method of a substrate for electro-optical devices. The method includes forming a capacitor on a substrate and having, a lower conductive layer, an intermediate layer which is a dielectric film, and an upper conductive layer sequentially deposited on the substrate. Next, by way of etching with one mask corresponding to a planar shape of the capacitor to be formed, the capacitor consisting of a lower electrode, a dielectric film and an upper electrode is typically obtained.
The related art also includes, a method of forming a capacitor on the substrate in which the upper electrode is smaller than the lower electrode or vice versa. In this case, by way of etching with a plurality of masks, the capacitor provided with the lower electrode and the upper electrode having a different shape from each other is formed.
However, in the method of preparing the lower electrode and the upper electrode having a different shape from each other, since a plurality of masks are used to pattern the lower electrode and the upper electrode to have a different planar shape, a manufacturing process becomes complicated and advanced. Generally, one mask is prepared by forming a resist on one surface and patterning the resist by way of photolithography or etching technique. Therefore, if a plurality of masks is used, it is necessary to repeat the above steps several times. Further, whenever one mask is used, a misalignment or dimensional variations may be generated, which results in a problem that poor manufacture may be caused. As a result, the production yield will be lowered naturally.
In addition, if the upper electrode and the lower electrode are manufactured so as to have a remarkably different shape, a region for the capacitor is increased, but a capacitance is lowered. The reason is that a region actually serving as the capacitor is limited to only a region in which the upper electrode and the lower electrode are opposed to each other with the dielectric film interposed therebetween. Further, though a difference in size between the upper electrode and the lower electrode is made smaller, there is a limit in forming a fine pattern since two large-sized masks are used. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a capacitance corresponding to the formed area. That is, in preparing a capacitor in which the upper electrode and the lower electrode having a different planar shape are formed on a limited region of the substrate, there is a technical problem in that it is out of keeping with increasing the capacitance.
Alternatively, according to a method in which the upper electrode and the lower electrode are manufactured so as to have the same planar shape, it provides a relatively simple manufacturing process, but on ends of the dielectric film of the resultant capacitor, in order to increase the capacitance, edges of the upper electrode and edges of the lower electrode are opposed to each other via only an extremely thin dielectric film, respectively. For this reason, a slight misalignment or dimensional variations, film-forming foreign substance, film remnant or film-forming defects from an incomplete etching or removal may be caused, which results in a problem in that the edge of the upper electrode and the edge of the lower electrode may be electrically shorted from a concentration of electric field.

Method of manufacturing substrate for electro-optical device, substrate for electro-optical device, electro-optical device, and electronic apparatus


A method and a device for detecting an imminent rollover of a vehicle. The method comprises taking a series of images of the surroundings of the vehicle, in particular of the road ahead, with a camera; determining and tracking point features in the series of images; eliminating point features which are located on objects that move relative to the stationary surroundings of the vehicle; and computing at least one parameter of the rotational movement of the camera (roll, pitch and/or yaw rate) taking into account the remaining point features.

EP 1240533 B1, which is incorporated by reference, shows a method for detecting a rollover and for activating occupant protection means in vehicles. An angle of inclination of the vehicle relative to a flat road surface, which angle is derived from visual surveillance of the surroundings, is linked to the angle of inclination determined by an angular rate sensor. The occupant protection means are only activated if the two angles of inclination that have been determined are the same.
EP 1474315 B1, which is incorporated by reference, shows a device for detecting a rollover, which device is based on a stereo camera measuring distances to objects and generating image vectors for each image sensor. A rollover is detected based on the change of vertical components of these image vectors over time.

Method for detecting an imminent rollover of a vehicle


A tail light structure having a light-emitting body and a reflector member for reflecting light from the light-emitting body for external illumination. The reflector member has a lower reflecting surface for receiving maximum external light and an upper reflecting surface and left and right reflecting surfaces, and the lower reflecting surface having a lower reflectance than the upper reflecting surface and the left and right reflecting surfaces.

Some motorcycles or the like, for example, employ light-emitting diodes as tail lights. Such a tail light has a reflecting plate disposed around the light-emitting diode for reflecting light from the light-emitting diode for keeping visibility. For example, the tail light structure disclosed in Japanese patent laid-open No. Hei 6-24371.
The conventional tail light structure described above is advantageous in that its power consumption is small because it employs the light-emitting diode. However, if sunlight is applied to the tail light structure and is reflected by the reflecting plate in daytime, then the reflected sunlight is possibly mixed with the reflected light of the light-emitting diode. In view of this drawback, the tail light structure may be so shaped that it is disposed in a location where sunlight is less likely to be applied. However, such a solution poses the problem of reduced design freedom.
Consequently, the present invention provides a tail light structure which achieves better visibility and higher design freedom.


A pipe testing apparatus includes a mandrel adapted for insertion within the pipe and two sealing devices connected to the mandrel and adapted to seal opposite ends of the pipe to create an annular space between the mandrel, the pipe, and the sealing devices. The apparatus further includes one or more ports for filling the annular space with a pressurized fluid and a pressure gauge for monitoring the pressure within the annular space. At least one of the sealing devices includes a combination of a sealing ring and a force applying ring, which forces the sealing ring to bear against one end of the pipe to from a seal. The mandrel is provided with stops for preventing the at least one sealing device from moving axially away from the pipe.

Pipes and other such conduits are commonly used in many applications for conveying fluid materials between locations. In order to ensure safety, it is common to conduct integrity tests on pipes to identify any cracks or other such openings through which the fluid being conveyed may leak. These cracks may result from defective welds on the pipe or from a defect in the tube manufacturing process. Pipe integrity testing is particularly important in situations where the pipe is used to convey flammable or toxic substances or when the pipe is conveying fluids under high pressure.
Various apparatus and methods are known in the art for testing pipes. In some of these known methods, a pipe section is simply filled with a typically incompressible fluid and pressurized while monitoring the pressure within the pipe. Any pressure drop is indicative of a leak in the pipe wall. Although effective, these known methods are inefficient since they require the entire volume of the pipe to be filled and pressurized, which is problematic when the pipe volume is large due to either a large diameter or a long length.
The prior art provides various types of pipe testing devices such as those taught in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,463,791; 6,131,441; and, 5,844,127 (all of which share a common inventor with the present invention). Although these devices have proven effective in conducting tests on sections of pipe, there exists a need for an apparatus that efficiently tests lengths of pipe. Such a device is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,228. This reference provides an apparatus having a mandrel for insertion within a pipe segment to create an annular space between the inner pipe wall and the outer surface of the mandrel. In order to conduct the integrity test, a small volume of fluid is injected in the annular space and pressurized. Although providing an efficient test method, the apparatus of this reference is quite complicated and difficult to move from one location to another. Further, this reference does not provide a means of testing curved sections of pipe.
Thus, a need exists for a more efficient apparatus for testing the integrity of sections of pipes.


A support tube is arranged for securement about a golf cart handle, with the support tube arranged for pivotally mounting a support flange structure that is arranged to include a floor and surrounding band member to receive and position a beverage container therewithin.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to beverage container structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved golf cart beverage support wherein the same is arranged for mounting an associated golf cart member for ease of transport and support of an associated beverage container therewithin.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Golf cart accessory structure of various types have been utilized throughout the prior art, wherein U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,760 to Hewkins indicates the use of a clamping arrangement relative to a golf cart for means of assembly and securement of accessory structure relative to a golf cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,267 indicates the use of a beverage container cooler mounted to a golf cart, and wherein U.S. Pat. No. 3,734,439 to Wintz indicates a golf cart member having a pivotally mounted receptacle for receiving a beverage container thereon.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for a golf cart member arranged for ease of assembly and disassembly relative to a golf cart for securing a beverage container thereon and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A self-tapping, screw-type masonry anchor turnable into a hole drilled in masonry to fasten an object thereto, the anchor also being capable of being chemically retained in the hole to render it exceptionally resistant to pull out and vibratory forces. The anchor includes a head engageable by a tool to turn the anchor into the hole and a shank extending from the head surrounded by at least one helical cutting thread whose crest diameter exceeds the hole diameter whereby as the anchor is turned into the hole, a mating thread is then tapped in its bank. Also surrounding the shank in the space between successive convolutions of the thread is a helical zone. The shank of the anchor is coated with a release agent, and when a charge of an uncured, flowable resinous adhesive is deposited in the hole and the shank is turned therein, this adhesive then fills the helical zone, the flowable adhesive acting to lubricate and cool the cutting thread as the shank is turned into the hole. When the adhesive cures and hardens, a chemical barrier is formed in the zone which is bonded to the bank of the hole but not to the shank. Thus the anchor is mechanically retained in the hole by the cutting thread and chemically retained therein by the hardened barrier, yet the anchor can be turned out of the hole to unfasten the object from the masonry.

1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to masonry anchors, and more particularly to a self-tapping, screw-type masonry anchor which can readily be turned into a hole drilled in masonry to secure a fixture or other object thereto, the anchor also being capable of being chemically retained in the hole whereby the installed anchor which combines the holding power of a self-tapping anchor with that of a chemical anchor is exceptionally resistant to forces seeking to pull the anchor out of the hole as well as to vibratory and shock forces.
2. Status of Prior Art
It is frequently necessary to secure fixtures, brackets, channel pieces and other more or less heavy objects to the surface of a masonry structure formed of concrete, brickwork or other masonry material. These objects are fastened to the masonry structure by masonry anchors.
Concrete is made by mixing cement and an aggregate of sand or broken stone screenings with gravel. Compressive strength is generally accepted as the principal index to the structural quality of concrete. Mixtures for concrete masonry structures, such as walls and partitions, ordinarily employ aggregates having a maximum size of one-half inch. Masonry brick is usually formed from clay, shale or pumice hardened by heat. Bricks for this purpose are available in different degrees of hardness, depending on the material used in making the brick.
But regardless of the material used in forming a masonry structure, when a hole is drilled therein to receive a self-tapping metal masonry anchor whose threaded shank taps the bank of the hole, because the material is friable this tapping action may cause the masonry to crumble or pulverize. Hence the suitability of a self-tapping masonry anchor depends on the quality of the masonry.
The Ernst et al. patent 3,937,119, discloses a self-tapping, screw-type masonry anchor having a sharp-crested helical male thread surrounding the shank, the convolutions of the thread running the length of the shank. When the anchor is screwed into a hole drilled in masonry, the male thread functions to tap the bank of the hole to create an internal female thread therein. Since the male thread on the shank mates with the female thread in the bank of the hole, the anchor is then mechanically resistant to pull-out forces which seek to back the anchor out of the hole.
Also included in the Ernst et al. anchor is a second thread whose convolutions surround the shank in the zone between successive convolutions of the cutting thread. The crests of the second thread have a diameter smaller than that the crests of the cutting thread and about equal to the diameter of the masonry hole. This second thread functions as a guide thread to center the anchor in the masonry hole so that the anchor is not permitted to tilt as it is turned into the hole. By preventing such tilting, one enhances the pull-out resistance of the anchor; for if the anchor were tilted, the crests of the cutting thread would then not be properly embedded in the hole.
Other patents disclosing a screw-type anchor which includes a secondary thread in addition to a primary cutting thread are the patents to Dixon et al. 5,051,136 and 5,628,161. As in the Ernst et al. patent, the secondary thread in the Dixon et al. patents serve to guide the screw anchor and prevent it from tilting.
The Giannuzzi patent 5,282,708 discloses a self-tapping screw-type thread in which the crests of the male thread decrease progressively in diameter from the leading to the trailing end to create a reverse taper. But there is no secondary thread disclosed in this patent.
Also of prior art interest in regard to screw-type masonry anchors is the European patent application No. 91 919296.3 of Charles Bickford which discloses an anchor in which the successive convolutions of the cutting thread which has a helix angle of at least 8 degrees, are spaced apart by an intervening land having a helical zone depressed therein.
In any form of screw-type masonry anchor, one is faced with the problem that a cutting action by the male cutting thread to cut a deep female thread in the bank of the drilled masonry hole may not have the desired result despite the fact that the deeper the female thread, the greater is the holding power of the anchor. The reason this result is not always realized is that the cutting action of the male thread may so disintegrate the masonry material as to weaken the holding power of the anchor.
In order, therefore, to anchor a threaded bolt or stud in a hole drilled in masonry without disintegrating the masonry, it is common practice to use a curable chemical bonding agent or adhesive for this purpose as disclosed, for example, in the Giannuzzi patent 5,628,161 which shows a chemically-bonded stud anchor for fastening a fixture to masonry.
A typical bonding agent of this type has two flowable components, one being a resinous bonding agent, the other a hardener therefor. The resins may be phenol, vinyl, ester or epoxy based. The two components, when stored, must be separated to prevent interaction therebetween. Many bonding agents currently available have an accelerated curing time and set within 30 minutes to afford substantial holding power. In practice, a charge of the resinous component and sufficient hardener intermixed therewith are deposited in the hole, and a threaded mounting stud is then inserted in the hole.
To this end, use may be made of a dispenser gun to inject a charge of the flowable bonding agent into the drilled hole. Or the charge may be contained in a capsule that is deposited in the drilled hole and is ruptured to release the bonding agent when the stud is inserted in the hole.
After the resinous interfacial layer between the stud and the bank of the hole cures and rigidifies, it then bonds itself both to the stud and to the masonry whereby the stud is permanently anchored in the hole. In order now to secure a fixture to the masonry face, the fixture which has a mounting hole therein is placed over and onto the projecting stud and locked thereto by a washer and nut.
It is known in a chemical anchor to coat the externally-threaded cylindrical shank of the stud or bolt with a release agent, such as TEFLON (PTFE) or a similar material having non-stick properties. When the shank of the bolt is inserted in a drilled masonry hole having a deposit of an uncured adhesive therein, the release coating prevents this adhesive, when cured and hardened, from adhering to the shank.
A chemical anchor of this type is disclosed in the Kellison patent 4,642,964 and also in the Roth patent 5,590,360. In the chemical anchors disclosed in these patents, when the epoxy cures and hardens in the drilled masonry hole, a female thread is then impressed in the hardened epoxy surrounding the shank. This female thread matches the male thread of the release-coated shank; hence the bolt is then free to turn in either direction.
A serious practical drawback of a chemical masonry anchor is that it does not function as such until the bonding agent has fully cured and hardened so that the anchor is firmly retained in the masonry hole. Even with fast-acting epoxy bonding agents, it takes at least a half hour before the installation is fully secure. If therefore a chemical anchor is used to fasten a railing or a fixture to the surface of the masonry, it becomes necessary to provide some external means to maintain the railing or fixture in its proper position until the bonding agent has fully hardened. In contradistinction, with a screw-type anchor for fastening an object to masonry, once screwed into the drilled masonry hole and tightened, it attains its full holding power.
Another drawback of a chemical anchor for fastening an object to masonry is that after the bonding agent has hardened, it is usually then necessary to effect tightening of the fastening by turning in the anchor to further advance it into the hardened agent. It becomes necessary therefore as in the Kellison patent '964 to create a free space in the bonding agent below the shank of the anchor to permit the shank of the anchor to advance.
Since a hybrid masonry anchor, in accordance with the invention, acts chemically as well as mechanically to retain the anchor turned into a masonry hole, of prior art interest is the Gugle patent 3,897,713. Though this patent is not related to the field of masonry anchors, it does disclose a stud type anchor having a dual thread that is both chemically and mechanically held in a hole formed in a plastic workpiece.
In Gugle, the stud is provided with a shank having a high-crested helical cutting thread that taps its way into the hole in the workpiece and thereby mechanically anchors the stud, the shank being coated with a heat-activatable adhesive. The shank is also provided with a smaller crested thread that does not engage the bank of the hole, but acts only to increase the area of surface contact between the shank of the stud and the heat-activatable adhesive coating the shank. In order to activate this adhesive and chemically anchor the stud, heat must be applied to the workpiece to melt the coating on the shank.
When a fixture or other object is fastened to masonry by means of an anchor that goes into a drilled masonry hole through a mounting hole in the fixture that lies in registration with the drilled hole, it is useful to be able not only to fasten the object to the masonry, but also to be able to later unfasten the object. Thus if the object fastened to the masonry is a heavy duty motor, one must be able to detach the motor when it becomes necessary to replace it.
With a screw-type masonry anchor which taps a female thread in the bank of the masonry hole, it is a simple matter to unscrew the anchor to unfasten the motor. But with a chemical anchor, should one wish to be able to later remove this anchor from the masonry hole, it is essential that the bonding agent, though serving to chemically retain the shank of the anchor in the masonry hole, not be bonded to the shank, thereby permitting the bolt or stud to be unscrewed from the hardened bonding agent.

Chemical self-tapping, screw-type masonry anchor


A storage system enabling effective use of storage resources by immediately releasing a storage device provided as a spare from data recovery processing for a faulty storage device. Even before the completion of the collection copy, the faulty disk drive may be replaced with a new disk drive and a relevant control unit in the storage system recognizes this replacement and has data in the spare disk drive automatically copied back to the new disk drive.

The present invention relates to a storage control system and a storage control method. In particular, it relates to a storage control system connected to host systems and storing, according to a RAID method, data transmitted between itself and the host systems in hard disk drives (HDDs) arranged in arrays, and a storage control method for the storage control system.
This type of the storage control system is known as one having: drives containing rotatable-type storage devices for storing data; and storage controllers existing between the drives and host systems and controlling data transmission therebetween. Such a storage control system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H11-191037.
The above publication describes that, when a failure occurs in a disk drive in an ECC group (RAID group) and prohibits the operation of the disk drive, the entire data in the faulty drive is recovered based on the data in the remaining drives in the group and copied to spare disk drive(s) (collection copy).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-297322 discloses a storage control system having spare disk drives. With this storage control system, in the case of failure in any one of disk drives constituting the RAID groups, data is recovered based on data in the remaining disk drives in the RAID group so that the RAID operation mode recovers from a degeneration mode to a normal access mode in which all the disk drives constituting the RAID operate.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication H6-139027 discloses a storage control system having: disk array controller(s); disk drives arranged in arrays, connected to the disk array controller(s) via drive interface(s), and storing a plurality of pieces of data; and data backup device(s) for backing up the data stored in the disk drives. In this storage control system, some of the disk drives are used as spare disk drives and the rest are used as data/parity disk drives, and when a failure occurs in a data/parity disk drive, a spare disk drive is set as a data/parity disk drive in place of the faulty data/parity disk drive.
With these conventional storage control systems, when a failure occurs in a disk drive, they commence the collection copy and a maintenance person who is informed of that commencement checks the completion of the collection copy and replaces the faulty disk drive with a normal one. After the replacement, the maintenance person gives a command to the storage control systems to copy back the storage information in the spare disk drives to the new disk drive.

Storage control system and storage control method


A cable operated gas cylinder comprises: a base tube; a spindle which is inserted at hollow part in said base tube; a cylinder which is mounted within said spindle; a piston dividing the gas-filled space within said cylinder into upper part and lower part; a pipe holder sealing airtight the upper part of said cylinder; a gas opening/closing pin which is mounted penetratingly through central part of said pipe holder and for controlling getting in and out of the gas filled within said cylinder; a release arm for controlling the opening/closing of said gas opening/closing pin; a cable for controlling turning of said release arm when being pulled by external force; and a taper holder which receives said release arm therein and rotationally intervenes within said spindle, wherein said release arm and said taper holder are capable of rotating together as said cable rotates.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cable operated gas cylinder and more particularly to a cable operated gas cylinder, gotten rid of the phenomenon of kinking or twisting of the cable upon rotation of the chair, thereby operable with enhanced operation reliability and product durability.
2. Background of the Related Art
A gas cylinder is an apparatus formed between a seat of a chair and a chair base for being used in adjusting height of the seat. Also, the gas cylinder may be applied to a variety of apparatus such as an impulse buffering apparatus for a vehicle as well as an apparatus for adjusting height of a seat of a chair.
A general configuration of traditional gas cylinder is shown clearly by a Korean Patent Application No. 10-1998-0028313 entitled as "Gas Cylinder Type of Height Adjuster for Chair" which was applied by the applicant of the present invention and granted for a patent registration by Korean Government.
But, in the gas cylinder of the related art, a gas opening/closing pin should operate up and down directions with use of a separate knob formed on the lower side of a seat of a chair. Therefore, there exists a problem that a user should bend his/her body in order to operate the knob.
In order to solve such inconvenience, Korean Patent Application No. 10-1998-0026546 entitled as "Adjusting Member for Height of Chair", which has been already filed as a patent application by the applicant of the present invention and granted for a patent registration by Korean Government, could be suggested for the related art.
The registered patent "Adjusting Member for Height of Chair" discloses a gas cylinder operating with use of a cable, and additionally having: a separate button additionally installed on a predetermined structure exemplified as an arm rest of a chair; and a cable operated by the button, and the gas cylinder is characterized in that its up and down movements are performed by button pressing.
With such construction, a user could adjust height of a chair by simple button pressing only with a hand, without bending his/her body.
Such "Adjusting Member for Height of Chair" of the relate art, however, has following problems.
On the first place, the apparatus is so complicated that a plurality of various parts is used, and assembling process of the parts is difficult. Also, as a plurality of parts is used, manufacturing costs are increased.
Also, due to the complicated structure of the apparatus, in case where the apparatus is continuously used repeatedly, disorder is frequently generated.
Also, because of user's turning of the chair in use, the cable will twist and kink so that operation reliability of the product becomes lower and even further the product itself gets disordered.


The imaging apparatus includes an image sensor for obtaining a picture image from an optical image that is projected to the image sensor through an optical system, an image moving portion for moving the optical image on the image sensor, a motion detecting portion for detecting a movement on the picture image of a moving subject that appears in the optical image, and a control portion for controlling, during an exposure period after a predetermined operation, the image moving portion in the direction of canceling the movement of the moving subject on the image sensor due to a movement of the moving subject in the real space, based on a movement of the moving subject detected in advance. The control portion sets length of the exposure period based on the movement of the moving subject detected in advance.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus such as a digital still camera or a digital video camera, and it also relates to an imaging control method that is used by the imaging apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
There is a special imaging technique called "follow shot" that is used for emphasizing fast speed of a vehicle or the like running in a car race or the like. Conventionally, the follow shot is performed by setting an exposure time that can generate necessary background blur in accordance with the speed of the moving subject such as a vehicle and by moving the imaging apparatus horizontally so as to pursue the moving subject. The operation of moving the imaging apparatus horizontally so as to pursue the moving subject requires much experience and professional skill.
There are various methods are proposed for obtaining the effect of the follow shot easily without such an operation. For example, one of the conventional methods detects the motion of the moving subject and changes the optical axis so as to pursue the moving subject in accordance with a result of the detection for obtaining the imaging effect of the follow shot.
Important thing in the imaging by the follow shot is the extent of blur generated in the background portion (although there is no clear definition of the extent of blur, a degree of blur of a background portion on a picture image will be referred to as a "flow blur degree" in this description). If the "flow blur degree" is too small with respect to a magnitude of a motion of the moving subject, the image expresses little speedy feeling. If the "flow blur degree" is too large, the image may become unnatural.
If the optical axis is changed so as to pursue the moving subject like the conventional method described above, the imaging effect of the follow shot will be obtained at least. However, in order to obtain a good imaging effect of the follow shot (e.g., in order to obtain a natural image with a speedy feeling), it is necessary to consider this "flow blur degree".

Imaging apparatus and imaging control method


A passenger suite seating arrangement that includes first and second passenger suites positioned side-by-side and including respective first and second seats and first and second video monitors respectively positioned in a viewing position directly forward of the first seat and second seats. Third and fourth passenger suites are positioned side-by-side and facing the first and second passenger suites, and include respective third and fourth video monitors positioned and adapted to move between a stowed position laterally offset from a viewing position and a deployed viewing position forward of the third and fourth seats. In the deployed viewing position the third and fourth video monitors block visual contact between occupants of the first and second seats and the occupants of the third and fourth seats.

The present invention relates generally to premium class aircraft passenger seating arrangements and seat privacy, and more particularly, to a seating arrangement including laterally adjacent columns of alternating fore and aft facing suites, wherein video monitors and partitions are moveable to selectively provide privacy between suites or to permit conferencing between laterally and longitudinally adjacent suites.
Premium passenger seating arrangements in aircraft can take the form of individual suites separated and defined by privacy walls and partitions. Such suites typically include a passenger living area outfitted with comfort, luxury and convenience features such as lie-flat adjustable seats, desks, advanced media and electronics, closets and various storage compartments, among other amenities.
With the development of passenger suites, there is a continuing effort to offer more and better features and amenities to passengers to further accommodate their needs and increase the level of luxury of such suites. There is also a continuing effort to arrange suites to maximize seating density in an aircraft, maximize the use of limited space in the suites, and maintain the perceived openness of the suites. While passengers have come to expect certain amenities, the inclusion of amenities comes with additional cost, weight, complexity and space requirements.
Therefore, to meet the expectations of passengers while maximizing the use of space and minimizing complexity, provided herein are novel passenger seating arrangements and amenity configurations wherein amenities are arranged to serve multiple functions.

Passenger suite seating arrangement with moveable video monitor


A circuit pattern having a size finer than a half of a wavelength of an exposure beam is transferred on a semiconductor wafer plane with an excellent accuracy by means of a mask whereupon an integrated circuit pattern is formed and a reduction projection aligner. The accuracy of transferring the circuit pattern on the semiconductor wafer is improved by synergic effects of super-resolution exposure, wherein a mask cover made of a transparent medium is provided on a pattern side of the integrated circuit mask so as to suppress the aberration of reduction projection alignment, and a method of increasing the number of actual apertures of the optical reduction projection lens system provided with the wafer cover made of the transparent medium on a photoresist side of the semiconductor wafer to which planarizing process is performed.

As an integrated circuit pattern has become a very narrow pattern, forming a circuit pattern of the narrower dimension than halves of the exposure wavelengths has to study in lithography technology field, where an integrated circuit pattern formed on the mask is printed onto a semiconductor wafer with ultra violet exposure light.
For example, a reference of "Photo mask gijutu no hanashi', Kougyouchousakai K. K. pp. 236-240, 1996" discloses as follows: Optical Proximity Correction technology prevents the decline of a printing accuracy to a semiconductor wafer of an integrated circuit pattern, and accuracy of integrated circuit pattern is possible to increase by correcting of circuit pattern formed on the mask.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2710967 invented by this inventor discloses a phase shift technology which is improved resolution of printing the integrated circuit pattern on a semiconductor wafer. This is using a dark line of light interference of transmitted light by a phase difference of light set on the mask.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 2634037 discloses an exposure technology, which is improved resolution of printing the integrated circuit pattern on a semiconductor wafer. This technique uses an off-axis illumination of exposure light limited on the mask illumination.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-303114 discloses a liquid immersion exposure equipment which does not lead to deterioration of the image performance for fine pattern by filling the room between the reduced projection lens and wafer with liquid.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 3120474 invented by this inventor discloses a projection exposure method using a phase shift mask, which is formed by overlapping an opaque pattern substrate and a phase shifter pattern substrate.
Related Japanese Patent Documents                (1) Japanese Patent Publication No. 2710967        (2) Japanese Patent Publication No. 2634037        (3) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-303114        (4) Japanese Patent Publication No. 3120474
Other References
M. Hoga et al, 'Photo the mask gijutu no hanashi', Kougyou Chousakai K K, pp. 235-240, Aug. 20, 1996
The subject which invention tries to solve.
A semiconductor integrated circuit device has been becoming more higher integration without stopping. Minimum pattern size of semiconductor circuit of large volume production device has become narrower than 100 nm pattern.
The reduced projection exposure method has formed circuit patterns. This exposure method cannot cope with progress of integrated circuit device any more, because shorting of exposure light wavelength and enlarging of numerical aperture of projection lens have become very difficult. The technique until now cannot be taken any more. Using the above mentioned phase shift technique, it is said to cope with pattern size to the half of exposure wavelength, but it is very difficult for narrower pattern.
The exposure technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3120474 had problems of both increasing printed pattern deformation and miss-matching of forming a narrow pattern. This reason is a phase shift mask fabricated by overlapping an opaque pattern and a phase shift pattern.
A liquid immersion exposure equipment disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-303114 had problems of both generating of bubbles in liquid and changing of liquid temperature during exposure. And it has practical problems of photosensitive resist material and developer material.
A reduced projection exposure equipment is repeating exposure steps after changing position between projection lens and wafer surface. Then, solid material of immersion method cannot change position between a projection lens and a wafer surface, instead of liquid material.
An object of the present invention is to provide a reduced projection exposure method, which is possible to manufacture a semiconductor integrated circuits device whose circuit pattern size is less than half of exposure wavelength.
Another objective of this invention is to provide an exposure method, which is possible to printing a very narrow pattern on a semiconductor wafer, by both increasing numerical aperture of projection lens and reducing optical phase difference between ideal wave-front and actual wave-front.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a reduced projection exposure equipment for printing circuit pattern on the mask to semiconductor wafer. And another objective of this invention is to provide a mask for a semiconductor fabrication process.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a high efficient semiconductor fabrication technology by lowering investment of both development and fabrication of a semiconductor device.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a forming method of very narrow pattern which pattern size is narrower than exposure wavelength, by overcoming surface roughness of both an insulator film and a conductor film on a semiconductor wafer.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a method of forming a circuit pattern whose pattern size is narrower than exposure wavelength, by solving problems of both micro bubbles and liquid temperature in the liquid immersion exposure.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a circuit design method of reduced cost for a new fine circuit development.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a exposure method of reduced mask fabrication cost, by using an opaque mask instead of a phase-shift mask.
The above-mentioned objects and other objects of the present invention, and new features thereof will be apparent from the description of the present specification and attached drawings.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device fabrication method


A system for providing secure asynchronous message publishing and retrieval in a serverless environment. The system may be used on ad-hoc and segmented networks such as peer-to-peer networks. The system may provide a method of sending and storing asynchronous message requests/responses via a Distributed Hash Table (DHT), a method for establishing RSS feeds via the asynchronous messaging service, a method for publishing a request for Internet Message buddy authorization and of retrieving pending buddy requests.

Asynchronous messaging may be used in a number of different applications running on a network. However, these applications may use asynchronous messaging functions provide by a dedicated server, thereby hindering the application from functioning independently in a serverless system. One such application may be buddy list functionality in an instant messaging (IM) application.
Traditionally, messaging systems may use a dedicated server for receiving and publishing IM buddy request and reply messages. This system may require that all users subscribe to a particular service and trust that service, and all servers. The system may also require Internet connectivity. The use of a dedicated server also does not provide the flexibility that may be provided in a serverless system. Alternatively, email may be used as an asynchronous messaging system to facilitate request and response messages.


In a semiconductor device, a method for reducing the effect of crosstalk from an aggressor line to a victim line begins with sensing the occurrence of a voltage change on the aggressor line that can induce a voltage pulse having a pulse magnitude that exceeds a pulse threshold on the victim line. The induced voltage pulse is counteracted by coupling the victim line to a counteracting voltage source. After a predetermined delay period, the coupling of the counteracting voltage source is removed from the victim line. The voltage change on the aggressor line my be sensed from a node connected to either the aggressor line or the victim line. A rising induced pulse is counteracted by coupling the victim line to a more negative voltage source, and a falling induced pulse is counteracted by coupling the victim line to a more positive voltage source.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to circuits and methods in integrated circuits, and more specifically to circuits and methods for reducing the effects of crosstalk noise in integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As integrated circuits (ICs) become faster, smaller, and more complex, signal lines in the integrated circuit are carrying high-speed signals in densely routed circuits where the conditions are ideal for producing crosstalk noise. Crosstalk occurs when a signal from one conductor leaks to another. Strong crosstalk noise can be generated because of tight electrical coupling of two or more signal lines in a high-speed and high-density application.
Crosstalk is induced through three coupling mechanisms: capacitive, inductive, and radiative. Capacitive coupling occurs when conductors are so close that the capacitance becomes large enough to couple significant energy from one line to another. Most of the wire capacitance is to parallel neighboring wires in the same layer, where wires can be routed side-by-side on a semiconductor wafer for relatively long distances. Inductive coupling occurs when two signal lines are coupled by mutual inductance. Radiative coupling is essentially a self-induced electromagnetic interference (EMI) disturbance.
In current deep submicron integrated circuit manufacturing technologies, a large percentage of the total capacitance of a wire is the capacitance of coupling to other conductors. This coupling can lead to large spikes being induced on victim lines when an aggressor line switches. The spikes are particularly severe when two lines run adjacent to each other for long distances, as occurs when buses are routed.
Crosstalk is deleterious to integrated circuits for several reasons. First, the induced spike can sometime cause a gate on the victim line to flip or change logical states. This leads to functional faults in dynamic logic circuits. In static logic circuits, such glitches can induce new, longer critical paths in the design, slowing down the function of the part.
Second, even if the gate on the victim line does not flip, it can slow down a signal that is transitioning in the opposite direction from the induced spike on the victim line. This is because the gate driving the victim line needs more time to remove the induced charge from the crosstalk pulse. With process scaling, crosstalk will become a more serious problem as a greater proportion of a line's capacitance comes from coupling with other conductors.
FIG. 1 illustrates a known solution for reducing crosstalk noise on coupled lines by inserting inverters between the coupled lines. In this solution, inverters 40 are placed between cross coupled lines so that if a voltage on aggressor line 20 is rising, the coupled victim line 26 will be pulled down, and vice versa. This technique reduces the size of the voltage spike due to crosstalk.
The solution shown in FIG. 1 has its disadvantages, however, as the inverters consume power whenever aggressor line 20 and victim line 26 are at the same logic value. If the aggressor and victim lines are driven by domino cells, lines are at the same voltage during every cycle when the gates are in precharge. Additionally, cross coupled inverters 40 can increase the delay for a line to switch since they form a feedback loop that needs to be overcome whenever a line changes.
Other solutions used in industry to reduce coupling effects include passive schemes, such as shielding and greater line spacing. Both of the these techniques are effective, but they require additional area on the wafer, which increases the cost of the part. In addition, circuit blocks with a lot of wiring congestion may become unroutable if a large number of wires must have wider spacing or shielding. This is because shielding and spacing both require extra routing tracks. For a long, wide bus, in particular, shielding or spacing every line from every other one would consume a large area on the wafer.
Another approach for reducing crosstalk uses simultaneous redundant switching on an extra conductor. This approach also has an area penalty, which may make it unsuitable for some designs.
Therefore, it should be apparent that there is a need for an improved method and apparatus that reduces the effects of crosstalk noise, consumes less power, has a small speed penalty for signal propagation, requires a smaller area on the wafer, and has performance similar to or greater than shielding and increased line spacing.

Crosstalk noise reduction circuit and method


A vehicle adaptive cruise control system having active deceleration control provides for appropriate decelerations consistent with the objectives of preventing the vehicle from violating a desired minimum distance from a preceding vehicle and efficient utilization of road space through minimization of inter-vehicle spacing.

Conventional cruise control systems control vehicle speed to an operator set speed. Adaptive cruise control systems are known which have varying degrees of interaction with preceding vehicles. A general objective of adaptive cruise control systems is to sense in path objects such as preceding vehicles and to provide throttle control to maintain a predetermined distance therefrom. Such base systems are characterized by passive deceleration, that is to say deceleration effectuated during closed throttle coast.
An exemplary adaptive cruise control system employing active vehicle deceleration, that is to say deceleration effectuated by active, controlled application of the vehicle service brakes, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,859 to Deering, hereafter "Deering", also assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Deering describes a system wherein vehicle braking control is invoked to decelerate a succeeding vehicle when the succeeding vehicle violates a predetermined range from the preceding vehicle with a range rate indicating that the succeeding vehicle is closing on a preceding vehicle.
In Deering, the determination of a desired succeeding vehicle deceleration is in accordance with coincidental occurrence of a predetermined desired minimum inter-vehicle spacing or range, and convergence of the respective vehicle velocities. Deering operates with the assumption that the preceding vehicle deceleration is adequately accounted for through the relative deceleration expressed implicitly in iterative updates to range rate information. Under certain driving conditions, for example during city driving conditions, the implicit accounting for preceding vehicle deceleration may result in deceleration determinations insufficient to meet certain objectives of the system, for example a minimum separation distance objective. Explicit inclusion of preceding vehicle deceleration into the determination of the desired succeeding vehicle deceleration, still in accordance with coincidental occurrence of the predetermined minimum desired range and convergence of the respective vehicle velocities, provides for improved succeeding vehicle deceleration determinations. However, such inclusion of preceding vehicle deceleration in determining the desired succeeding vehicle deceleration may have the undesirable effect of producing succeeding vehicle deceleration which may be unnecessarily too aggressive resulting in inefficient inter-vehicle spacing during preceding and succeeding vehicle decelerations.

Active vehicle deceleration in an adaptive cruise control system


An object is to provide a clock generating circuit that can suppress variation of an oscillation frequency from the clock generating circuit, which is due to a change in the output voltage according to a discharging characteristic of the battery, and effectively utilize the remaining power of the battery. A structure includes an output voltage detecting circuit for detecting an output voltage from a battery; a frequency-division number determining circuit for determining the number of frequency-division by a value of the output voltage detected by the output voltage detecting circuit; an oscillation circuit for outputting a reference clock signal depending on the output voltage; a counter circuit for counting a number of waves of the reference clock signal that depends on the number of frequency-division; and a frequency-dividing circuit that frequency-divides the reference clock signal depending on the number of waves counted by the counter circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clock generating circuit. The present invention particularly relates to a clock generating circuit that generates a clock signal depending on an output voltage from a battery, and can steadily generate a clock signal of a desirable frequency even if the output voltage fluctuates due to a discharging characteristic of the battery. The present invention also relates to a semiconductor device provided with the clock generating circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various electronic appliances have spread, and a variety of products is shipped to the market. The spread of portable electronic appliances is particularly notable. For example, the resolutions of the display portions and decay durability of the batteries have been improved for portable telephones, digital cameras, and the like, and their power consumption have been reduced, which makes them more convenient. Power for driving a portable electronic appliance is secured by a battery that is a storage means, which is incorporated in a structure of the portable electronic appliance. As the battery, a battery such as a lithium ion battery is used.
As an example of a portable electronic appliance, research and development for practical application of RFID (radio frequency identification) tags (hereinafter called "RF tags") have been actively pursued. RF tags can be classified into two types: an active type and a passive type. The active type includes a battery and can transmit an electromagnetic wave containing information of an RF tag. Also, separately from the active type RF tag, the development of a technique for charging a battery for securing power for driving an RF tag using electromagnetic wave generated from a portable phone or the like (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2003-6592) has been in progress.
Note that an RF tag is also called an IC (integrated circuit) tag, an IC chip, an RF chip, a wireless tag, or an electronic tag.
On the other hand, since a discharging characteristic of a battery is degraded over time, the development of a technique for efficiently utilizing a remaining amount of power in the battery has been in progress (see Patent Document 2: Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2003-69891). This is done by detecting the remaining amount of power in the battery when an output voltage of the battery becomes lower, and having a plurality of modes for changing a driving frequency for driving an electronic appliance.

Clock generating circuit and semiconductor device provided with clock generating circuit

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd


A method of determining optimal frequency to load haul trucks can include a central controller receiving an indication of the amount of paving material at a paving machine, and an indication of production rate of the paving machine. The central controller can then determine when more paving material should be provided to the paving machine. Based on this determination, the central controller can provide alerts or triggers to a paving material plant to indicate when haul trucks should be loaded to provide additional paving materials to the paving machine.

Paving machines are used to deposit a specified distribution of a paving material, such as asphalt, over a base surface, such as a road or bridge. Typical paving machines include a hopper containing a supply of a paving material mixture such as asphalt, and a screed that lays the asphalt paving material onto an area to be paved in a strip of uniform thickness. Paving material is usually prepared at a plant that may be located close to or some distance from the surface being paved. Coordination of communications between a plant and a paver is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,481,964 by Marsolek, issued Nov. 1, 2016, which discusses systems for communication between a plant and paving machine, among other communications.
In a typical paving operation, a continuous mat of material is formed behind the paving machine as the paving machine travels forward along the base surface. A compactor follows the paving machine and rolls over sections of the formed material mat until the formed material mat is compacted to a desired degree. Preferably, the formed material mat is formed such that the material is within a desired temperature band at least at the time that the compactor rolls over a given section of the formed material mat. One way to maintain the material within the desired temperature band is to continuously operate the paving machine, with little or no stopping of the paving machine. Such continuous operation can be ensured by providing paving material to the paving machine at periodic intervals, the periodicity being based on factors such as speed of paving or paving production rate, size of the paving job, etc.
The paving material is made in batches at the plant and transported by haul truck. If the batch of paving material remains in the haul truck too long, it becomes unusable in the paving operation and it is therefore undesirable to continuously have haul trucks standing idle and waiting to unload into the paving machine. On the other hand, it is also undesirable for the paving machine to have to wait for paving material, because the paving machine screed may continue to heat the newly-formed material mat beneath the screed, causing the newly-formed material mat to reach a temperature outside the desired temperature band described above. Therefore, it is important to control the timing with which haul trucks deliver paving material to paving machines.

Determine optimal frequency to load haul truck