A capacity control valve includes a valve housing provided with a discharge port, suction ports, and a control port and a primary valve including a primary valve seat and a primary valve body driven by a solenoid, the primary valve being configured to open and close a communication between the discharge port and the control port in accordance with a movement of the primary valve body. The capacity control valve further includes a differential CS valve which is openable and closable by a pressure difference between the control pressure Pc and the suction pressure Ps and an electromagnetic CS valve that is openable and closable so as to close the control port and the suction port in a non-energized state of the solenoid 80 in accordance with the movement of the primary valve body.

A variable displacement compressor used in an air conditioning system of an automobile or the like includes a rotating shaft rotationally driven by an engine, a swash plate connected to the rotating shaft so that an inclination angle is variable, a compression piston connected to the swash plate, and the like and changes the inclination angle of the swash plate so that a stroke amount of the piston is changed to control a discharge amount of a fluid. The inclination angle of the swash plate can be changed continuously by appropriately controlling a pressure inside a control chamber, by using a capacity control valve driven to be opened and closed by an electromagnetic force, while using a suction pressure Ps of a suction chamber sucking a fluid, a discharge pressure Pd of a discharge chamber discharging a fluid pressurized by the piston, and a control pressure Pc of the control chamber accommodating the swash plate.
When the variable displacement compressor is driven continuously (hereinafter, simply referred to as a "continuous driving state"), the capacity control valve is energized and controlled by a control computer and performs normal control in which a valve body is moved in the axial direction by an electromagnetic force generated in a solenoid and a primary valve is opened and closed so as to adjust a control pressure Pc of the control chamber of the variable displacement compressor.
During normal control of the capacity control valve, the pressure of the control chamber of the variable displacement compressor is appropriately controlled and the inclination angle of the swash plate with respect to the rotating shaft is continuously changed to change the stroke amount of the piston so that the discharge amount of the fluid with respect to the discharge chamber is controlled and the air conditioning system is adjusted to have desired cooling capacity. Further, when the variable displacement compressor is driven with a maximum capacity, the primary valve of the capacity control valve is closed so as to decrease the pressure of the control chamber. Accordingly, the inclination angle of the swash plate becomes maximal.
Further, there is known a method of improving responsiveness of the variable displacement compressor by forming an auxiliary communication path which communicates a control port and a suction port of the capacity control valve with each other, discharging a refrigerant of the control chamber of the variable displacement compressor to the suction chamber of the variable displacement compressor through the control port, the auxiliary communication path, and the suction port at startup, and promptly decreasing the pressure of the control chamber at startup (see Patent Citation 1).


A method for manufacturing a build-up substrate, the build-up substrate comprising an insulating layer and a wiring pattern layer stacked over a circuit substrate, said method comprising the steps of: (i) applying a photoactive metal oxide precursor material to one or both sides of the circuit substrate with a wiring pattern, and drying the applied photoactive metal oxide precursor material to form an insulating film; (ii) forming an opening for a via hole in the insulating film by exposure and development of the insulating film; (iii) applying a heat treatment to the insulating film to convert the insulating film into a metal oxide film, thereby forming a build-up insulating layer of the metal oxide film; and (iv) plating the build-up insulating layer to form via holes in the openings, forming a metal layer on the build-up insulating layer, and etching the metal layer to form a build-up wiring pattern; and (v) repeating the steps from (i) to (iv) at least one time.

The development of electronic devices contributes to the speeding up of the operation of semiconductor integrated circuits (LSI) used in a CPU or GPU of a computer, a digital television, a smartphone, and the like. Particularly, image processing LSI or the like is being speeded up and highly integrated, and thus is desired to further reduce its size or respond to the increase in number of I/O terminals.
With the miniaturization and increase in number of the I/O terminals at the same time, the miniaturization or decrease of a terminal pitch is further progressed, which makes it difficult to mount a semiconductor integrated circuit on a package wiring substrate.
A ceramic substrate having excellent heat conductivity is hitherto used as the wiring substrate for the LSI package. The ceramic substrate has not only the excellent heat resistance and humidity resistance, but also small heat expansion coefficient and low warpage, and therefore is appropriate for metal bonding, such as soldering. However, the ceramic substrate is difficult to fire in a large size. It tends to cause cracks, and thus, the ceramic substrate is not appropriate for thinning.
A build-up wiring substrate is generally formed of a plurality of build-up layers including an interlayer insulating layer, a via hole, and a copper foil wiring layer stacked on both sides of a core substrate made of an organic material, such as an epoxy resin. Such build-up wiring substrate is used as a wiring substrate for the LSI package. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a build-up substrate which is produced by forming a via hole (photovia process) using a photosensitive build-up resin insulating material, and then by forming wirings by copper plating (see with FIG. 13). Patent Document 2 discloses a build-up substrate which is produced by forming a via hole in a build-up insulating layer by laser process (in a photovia process), and then forming wirings by copper plating in the same way as the above document. Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a method (conformal process) which involves previously forming an opening in a copper foil by etching, and forming a fine via hole in a layer of interest by performing laser processing on the opening (see with FIG. 14).
In the latest CPU, the microfabrication is progressing up to 22 nm, while the number of I/O terminals is increasing and circuits are becoming larger. Applications of servers increasingly require the larger-sized semiconductor integrated circuit chip. The use of such a large-sized chip causes warpage of even the normal build-up substrate during a manufacturing process or due to a heat history during mounting of a LSI chip, which might peel off a soldered portion of a joint. Additionally, the miniaturization of a small-sized via hole process or a fine wiring pitch reduces the insulating reliability, which might decrease the withstand voltage or cause insulating failure. Recently, in order to meet the requirement for the further thinning, devices using a substrate consisting of only a build-up layer in place of the core substrate are being increasingly employed. For this reason, an insulating material with higher reliability that is applicable for the thinned devices is required.

Built-up substrate, method for manufacturing same, and semiconductor integrated circuit package

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


A game tagging system and method of affixing the game tagging system to a game animal utilizes a hunting license and a strip of material which displays the hunting license and attaches the hunting license to the game animal. The strip of material has an upper portion and a lower portion. The hunting license is attached to the lower portion of the strip of material and the upper portion of the strip of material is attached to the game animal. The game tagging system conveniently holds the hunting license until it is necessary to apply the license to the game animal and enables the hunter to easily and securely affix the hunting license to the game animal.

In order to hunt game animals in most jurisdictions, a hunter has to receive a license from a regulating agency in the jurisdiction which is to be attached to the harvested game animal. At the present time, once the hunter receives the issued license, there is no convenient way to store it until it is applied to the harvested animal. As such, many hunting licenses are lost before they can be used.
An additional problem associated with hunting licenses is that the hunter has to affix the license to the harvested animal in the field and there is no easy way to do this. The hunting license can be attached to the game animal by strings or rubber bands but these articles are cumbersome to carry out in the hunting arena and can easily become disengaged from the animal during its transport and result in the license being lost.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a game tagging system which conveniently stores a hunting license until it is desired to apply it to a game animal and allows the license to be securely attached to the harvested game animal. The present invention was arrived at in order to address these problems.

Game tagging system and method of use thereof


A semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method for the same are provided. The method includes following steps. A first gate structure is formed on a substrate in a first region. A protecting layer is formed covering the first gate structure. A second gate structure is formed on the substrate in second region exposed by the protecting layer and adjacent to the first region.

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a semiconductor structure and a manufacturing method for the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the advance in semiconductor technology, electronic elements are kept being miniaturized, such that electronic products possess more and more functions when the size remains unchanged or become even smaller. As there are more and more information to be processed, the demand for the memory having larger capacity but smaller size is ever increasing.
Devices in different regions need integrating various manufacturing processes. However, process applying for an expected region would influence the device in the region not expected to be influenced.

Semiconductor structure and manufacturing method for the same


When a thermal head prints on a print tape with a tape cassette retained in a receiving section of a main body, the print tape undergone printing is cut by a stationary blade and a movable blade of a cutting mechanism, and when the thermal head performs printing on an optical disk retained in the receiving section of the main body, the cutting section does not operate to the optical disk undergone printing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus which prints on a print tape as well as a hard medium like a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Printing apparatuses for an optical disk, which perform printing on the label side of a recording medium, such as an optical disk, have been developed. Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication JP 2003-72175 discloses a printing apparatus which performs printing on an optical disk. The printing apparatus comprises a tray which supports an optical disk, and a printing mechanism which performs printing on the optical disk supported by the tray.
The tray is so provided as to be movable between the interior of a main body and the exterior thereof. The printing mechanism has a movable carriage. The carriage is located at a predetermined position in the main body, and moves on the tray retained in the main body. A thermal head is mounted on the carriage, and an ink ribbon cassette holding an ink ribbon is detachably mounted on the carriage. The printing apparatus performs thermal transfer printing on an optical disk, supported on the tray placed in the main body, using the ink ribbon by the thermal head which is mounted on the carriage and moves.
There are widely used printing apparatuses for tape printing, which print on a print tape and cut the tape to produce labels. According to this type of printing apparatus, a tape cassette holding a print tape and an ink ribbon is mounted in a cassette receiving section in the main body, the thermal head is driven to perform thermal transfer printing on the print tape fed out, using the ink ribbon, and the printed print tape is discharged out of the main body from a discharge port and is then cut by a cutter provided near the discharge port, providing a label. Such a printing apparatus which prints on a print tape is disclosed in, for example, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication JP 7-314747.
There may be a case where it is desirable for the management purpose that a string of characters like a title should be printed on the label side of an optical disk and a label having the same string of characters printed thereon as the character string printed on the label side of the optical disk should be pasted on a disk storage case for the optical disk.
In such a case, a character string like a title relating to the contents of electronic data recorded on the optical disk is printed on the label side of the optical disk with the printing apparatus for an optical-disk printing, and a label is created by printing the same character string as the one printed on the optical disk on a tape using the printing apparatus for tape printing, and the label is pasted on a disk storage case for the optical disk.
In a case where printing is directly performed on the label side of an optical disk and printing is performed on a tape for a label to be passed on a disk case as discussed previously, however, discrete printing with two printing apparatuses, one for optical-disk printing and the other for tape printing, are required.
Often is a case where it is required to print a necessary character string on the label side of an optical disk, or print such a character string on a labeling tape, regardless of the relationship between an optical disk and its storage case. In this case, two printing apparatuses of different kinds should also be prepared.
The inventors of the present invention have made an intensive study on a printing apparatus which has a single thermal head and a single printing section, and can print on an optical disk and a print tape for creating a label.
Because such a printing apparatus has a capability of printing on a print tape, the printing apparatus has a cutting mechanism. If printing on a print tape to be cut and printing on an optical disk which cannot be cut are carried out with a common printing section, however, the operation of the cutting mechanism, when operated at the time of printing on the optical disk, may damage the optical disk, or the cutting mechanism designed for cutting a sheet-like print tape may break down when used on the optical disk.


The present invention is a receptacle level that simulates a male electrical plug and also contains a liquid bubble level such that when the device is plugged into an electrical wall outlet, proper orientation of the wall outlet can be obtained by reading the bubble level. The receptacle level includes tapered male plugs and fits within coverplate clearances as are typically used with the electrical wall outlet to be leveled. This device simplifies the leveling of electrical wall outlets during installation.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention is a level that can be inserted into an electrical receptacle for the purpose of leveling the receptacle.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Currently, many electrical receptacles are installed and leveled with a level known as a torpedo level. It is difficult to get the electrical receptacle installed properly while holding the torpedo level against the edge of the electrical receptacle. Also, care has to be exercised to avoid scarring finished wall covering while holding the torpedo level against the edge of the electrical receptacle while trying to fasten the electrical receptacle to a mounting box. This is relatively time consuming and awkward. With an injured or missing hand, it is virtually impossible.
There is an ELECTRICIAN'S LEVEL.TM. from Infiniti Incorporated, 164 East Center Street, North Salt Lake, Utah 84054 Ph. 1-800-380-8043 that incorporates a level into a plug, but it lacks some desirable features. The male plugs are standard male plugs which are difficult to insert in some of the standard receptacles and tend to be held in at least one of the standard receptacles sufficiently tight as to be difficult to remove. The difficulties in inserting and removing lead to wear and a relatively short life. Also, an extra handling of the ELECTRICIAN'S LEVEL.TM. is required to level a cover plate for the receptacle. While these shortcomings might seem trivial for a given leveling operation, over the course of hours and days, for a residential construction electrician, these are decided disadvantages.
Prior art patents uncovered in searching:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,123,918 Mar. 10, 1964 Crabtree PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,563 Jan. 7, 1964 Gelbman PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,880 Dec. 26, 1989 Parker
Crabtree is a device for aligning receptacle and wall switch cover plates that is not as compact or as convenient to use as the present invention.
Gelbman is an installation fixture, similar in intended use, that is also not as compact or as convenient to use as the present invention.
Parker is an electrician's level that is a combination template and spirit level that is more cumbersome to use than is the present invention for its intended purpose.
As will be seen from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, these shortcomings of the prior art are overcome.


An inkjet printing apparatus, having a carriage incorporating an inkjet printhead where nozzles for discharging ink are arranged in a predetermined direction, performs printing by scanning the carriage with respect to a printing medium in a direction orthogonal to the nozzle arrangement direction. The apparatus includes first and second conveyance sections, which are arranged at the front and rear of the area scanned by the printhead, for holding and conveying the printing medium. When the printing medium is held only by one of the conveyance sections, nozzles to be used for printing are selected from the nozzles satisfying the condition that the distance between a discharge surface of the nozzle and a printing surface of the printing medium falls within a predetermined range, in accordance with a position of the printing medium with respect to the printing-medium conveyance direction.

A printer capable of printing desired information such as texts and images on a sheet-type printing medium, e.g., paper, film, and the like, is widely utilized as a data output apparatus in a word processor, a personal computer, a facsimile, and so forth.
Although various printing methods are available for such printer, recently an inkjet printing method has particularly attracted the attention because of its capability to perform non-contact printing on a printing medium such as paper, ease of color printing, and low noise. In general, a serial printing method is widely adopted because of its low cost and ease of downsizing. According to the serial printing method, a printhead for discharging ink in accordance with desired printing data is mounted, and the printhead is reciprocally scanned in the direction orthogonal to the printing medium conveyance direction.
In such printing apparatus, a printing medium is conveyed by conveyance rollers to pass through the interior portion of the printing apparatus. To stably convey the printing medium, it is a general configuration to arrange the conveyance rollers at two locations: the upstream side (paper-feeding side) and downstream side (paper discharging side) of the printing medium conveyance path.
In this configuration, the conveyance rollers serve to stabilize the printing medium in the printing area. The distance between the ink discharge surface of the printhead and the printing surface of the printing medium largely affects ink landing precision, consequently affecting the quality of the image being printed.
For this reason, the two conveyance rollers are arranged to stabilize (hold) the printing medium in a printing area and to stabilize the distance between the ink discharge surface and the printing surface.
However, at the front end or rear end of the printing medium, the printing medium is conveyed by only one of the conveyance rollers. Since printing medium conveyance is largely affected by the shape of the conveyance path, stiffness (flexibility) of the printing medium and the like, the distance between the ink discharge surface and the printing surface becomes unstable, causing deterioration in printing quality.
Conventionally, there were not many demands for printing at the front end or rear end of a printing medium. Therefore, the distance between the ink discharge surface and printing surface has not raised many problems. However, recently there are many printing apparatuses which can print photograph data, recorded by a digital camera or the like, on the entire surface of a printing medium (so-called rimless printing). Along with this trend, there are increasing, demands for preventing deterioration of printing quality at the time of printing an area (front end and rear end of a printing medium) where the distance between the ink discharge surface and the printing surface is unstable.

Inkjet printing apparatus and control method for the same


A rolling motion stability control apparatus restrains a roll increasing tendency of a vehicle, with each wheel of the vehicle being braked by a wheel brake device. A first braking force control device is provided for applying a first braking force to the wheel, when the vehicle is turned to one direction. A second braking force control device is provided for applying a second braking force to the wheel, when the vehicle is turned to the other direction. A terminating control adjustment device is provided for adjusting the braking force control devices to continue the first braking force being applied, until the second braking force is initiated to be applied, when the vehicle is turned to the one direction, and then to the other direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rolling motion stability control apparatus for a vehicle, particularly relates to an apparatus for restraining a roll increasing tendency of the vehicle to stabilize the rolling motion.
2. Description of the Related Arts
In order to maintain a stability of a vehicle, there is known heretofore an apparatus for controlling a braking force applied to each wheel by means of a braking system, as disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,168, for example. In the United States Patent, described is "For at least one vehicle-movement dynamics characteristic variable which is indicative of the tendency of the vehicle to tilt about the longitudinal axis, an associated tilting-prevention threshold value is prescribed. The respective characteristic-variable instantaneous value is acquired continuously and compared with the tilting-prevention threshold value. As soon as a characteristic-variable instantaneous value exceeds the associated tilting-prevention threshold value, the wheels which are on the outside during cornering are braked in order to prevent the vehicle tilting about the longitudinal axis of the vehicle." Also, it is described that the instantaneous values of vehicle-movement dynamics characteristic variables include variables such as the lateral acceleration, the change over time of the lateral acceleration, the attitude angle, the attitude-angle velocity, the change in the attitude-angle velocity over time and the slip angle. And, as a first embodiment of the method, it is proposed that the lateral acceleration is the only vehicle-movement dynamics characteristic variable. With respect to another embodiment, it is described that the lateral acceleration, the lateral acceleration, the change in the lateral acceleration over time, the attitude angle, the attitude-angle velocity, the change in the attitude-angle velocity over time and the slip angle are used as vehicle-movement dynamics characteristic variables. And, it is described that if one or more characteristic variables exceed the associated threshold values, the vehicle-movement dynamics control system brakes the wheels which are on the outside during cornering, such that they are placed in a high slip state. In the United States Patent, further described is "If the vehicle-movement-dynamics characteristic variables which are indicative of the tendency of the vehicle to tilt drop back below the associated tilting-prevention threshold values as a result of the vehicle-movement dynamics operating state which then arises, the braking of the wheels which are on the outside during cornering is reduced."
According to the method as described in the above United States Patent, it focused on a vehicle behavior during cornering, which is a motion about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle, to be classified as a rolling motion in view of a vehicle motion control, as described in a book entitled "Vehicle Dynamics and Control" written by Masato Abe, and published by Sankaido Co. Ltd., on May 31, 1994. On Page 3 of that book, the rolling motion has been classified as a motion which is basically created by a steering operation, together with a lateral motion of the vehicle, and a yawing motion about a vertical axis of the vehicle. And, it is described on Page 148 of the book that if a rolling moment acts on the vehicle, a roll angle will be caused about a roll center.
Referring to FIG. 14, will be explained an example of operation according to the method as described in the above United States Patent. In the case where the lateral acceleration is provided for the vehicle movement characteristic variable indicative of a roll increasing tendency of the vehicle, and (Gyo) is provided for a threshold value, for example, there is shown in FIG. 14 such a state that when the vehicle is moving straight, a steering wheel is rapidly steered by a vehicle driver to be turned to the left (from the time (t00) to the time (t03) in FIG. 14), then counter-steering of the steering wheel is made to be turned to the right (from the time (t03) to the time (t07)), and after being turned to the left (from the time (t07) to the time (t08)), the vehicle returns to the straight movement gradually (from the time (t08) to the time (t10)). In a lower section of FIG. 14, a characteristic for a front right wheel is indicated by (fr), and a characteristic for a front left wheel is indicated by (fl). In this case, at the outset, a clockwise rolling motion with respect to the moving direction of the vehicle is created on the vehicle, then a counter-clockwise rolling motion is created by the counter-steering of the steering wheel, and finally the clockwise rolling motion is created, to return to the straight movement.
As shown in FIG. 14, if the lateral acceleration exceeds the threshold value (Gyo), braking force is applied to a front wheel located at the outside of a curve during cornering operation of the vehicle (at the time (t01) and the time (t06)), whereas if it is equal to or smaller than the threshold value (Gyo), the braking force is reduced (at the time (t04) and the time (t09)). Therefore, the braking force applied to the front wheel located at the outside of the curve varies as shown in the lower section of FIG. 14. However, with the braking force being applied to the front wheel located at the outside of the curve, there might be a case where the rolling motion is affected. For example, if the braking force is applied to the front right wheel, the rolling motion will be created clockwise with respect to the moving direction of the vehicle. In this state, if the braking force is reduced, the rolling motion will be reduced to create the counter-clockwise rolling motion. Particularly, in such a case that the counter-steering is made to change the turning operation from the left to the right, as shown in FIG. 14 from the time (t03) to the time (t07), the braking force applied to the front right wheel is reduced, thereby to cause the counter-clockwise rolling motion, and thereafter the braking force is applied to the front left wheel, thereby to cause the further counter-clockwise rolling motion. This rolling motion resulted from increase and decrease of the braking force applied to the wheels will coincide with the rolling motion resulted from the turning (cornering) operation of the vehicle, in their directions, whereby discontinuity of the rolling motion might be caused.

Rolling motion stability control apparatus for a vehicle


A wireless communications receiving apparatus and a method for removing interference in a wireless communication system. The apparatus removes interferences and comprises a power detector, a channelization filter, a channel filter unit having a plurality of filters (e.g., including an all-pass filter, a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter), a plurality of interference power detectors corresponding to the plurality of filters, a channel filter selection block and a multiplexer. The power detector receives a digital signal and detects its power, the channelization filter selects a signal having a predetermined channel frequency from the received digital signal; the channel filter unit has a plurality of filters each for receiving and filtering the signal output from the channelization filter; each of the plurality of interference power detectors respectively receives a stored training signal and a training signal received within an output signal of a corresponding filter among the plurality of filters and calculates a plurality of corresponding interference powers; the channel filter selection block outputs a selection signal based on the power of the first signal; the interference powers calculated from the plurality of interference power detectors and a plurality of reference values; and the multiplexer selects any one from the output signals of the plurality of filters based on the selection signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a receiver in a wireless communication system and, more particularly, to a receiving apparatus and method for removing channel interference in a wireless communication system.
2. Description of Related Art
A receiver of a wireless communication system requires 3 types of conversions including the frequency down-conversion to convert an RF signal (radio frequency signal) to a baseband signal, the sampling conversion (ADC) to convert an analog signal baseband signal to a digital signal, and the quantization conversion.
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a conventional receiver in a wireless communication system. Referring to FIG. 1, the receiver 10 comprises an antenna 15, a RF tuner 20, an analog-digital conversion (ADC) block 30, a channelization filter 40, an equalizer 50 and a channel estimator 60. The RF tuner 20 tunes to a frequency of a channel that is intended to be received through the antenna 15 and converts the tuned frequency RF signal into a baseband signal (having a baseband frequency range). The analog-digital conversion (ADC) block 30 converts an analog baseband signal Sa (having the baseband frequency range) into a digital baseband signal.
The channelization filter 40 selects and outputs only the signal of a desired band among the digital (baseband) signals and having a predetermined bandwidth at a predetermined center-frequency and a predetermined sample rate. The equalizer 50 receives the signal output from the channelization filter 40 and regenerates the high frequency component of the received signals which is attenuated by dispersion of pulse caused by reduction or distortion due to transmission media, based on the channel information from the channel estimator 60. The channel estimator 60 receives the signal output from the channelization filter 40 and estimates channel information such as the channel transfer function and provides it to the equalizer 50.
The performance of the wireless communication system (for example, Global System for Mobile Communication and Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) is deteriorated by various interferences that may occur in the wireless communication environment, and thus a technical countermeasure against such interferences is needed.
Generally, the interference that may occur in the wireless communication system includes co-channel interference and adjacent-channel interference. The co-channel interference includes interference between base stations using a same frequency and interference from other systems such as undercover stations. The adjacent-channel interference includes interference between base stations in a same system using adjacent frequencies and interference between adjacent systems.
Some areas such as an urban downtown, where numerous users are present, need a higher number of base stations in a relatively small area and may have the co-channel interference by a frequency reuse cell and the adjacent channel interference by a user of an adjacent channel.
Since the interference occurs in the unit of burst in the wireless communication using time division multiple access (TDMA), there is no correlation with interference between bursts. Therefore, it is desired to have a method for independently removing interference within each unit of burst.
In the wireless communication system, a receiver should be provided with an interference removing means for removing the above-described co-channel interference or adjacent-channel interference. A channel condition is classified into a channel having thermal noise (hereinafter referred to as "static channel") or a channel having ghost or multi-path fading (hereinafter referred to as "fading channel").
If a filter is selected to remove the channel interference by applying predetermined reference values without regard to the condition of the channel, there would be differences in sensitivity and performance of the receiver according to whether the channel is affected by adjacent-channel interference or co-channel interference.
Particularly, a receiver has less sensitivity for the static channel than for the multi-path channel.

Method and apparatus for removing channel interference in wireless communication system


Provided is a device that allows a DFE decomposer supported for a particular format, such as ICC profile formats, to utilize multiple transformation databases concurrently. For each database, a software plug-in is created to interpret the specific format of particular databases. The plug-ins convert the contents of the third party database into a common structure understood by a decomposer of a digital front end (DFE). The plug-in interface includes data (i.e. structures) and behavior (i.e. methods) supported by all plug-ins. A plug-in for a supported database (i.e. ICC profile formats) is also provided. An interface between a color control manager and decomposer module is used to inform the decomposer of changes to the supported database. An appropriate plug-in may then retrieve data and update an internal database of the decomposer while the system is operating. Updatings of third party databases occur upon initialization of the system.

In the field of image rendering, there are a number of different formats in which an image and the color space transformation of that image may be represented. One specific type of format is defined by the International Color Consortium (ICC) (International Color Consortium is a registered trademark of the International Color Consortium). The ICC is directed to generation of an image profile format specification which allows for a cross-platform device profile format. Such profiles can be used to translate color data created in one device into another device""s native color space. The use of a standardized profile format by operating system vendors allows end users to transparently move profiles and images with embedded profiles between different operating systems. For example, device profiles provide color management systems with the information necessary to convert color data between native device color spaces and device-independent color spaces.
The ICC specification divides color devices into three broad classifications: input devices, display devices and output devices. For each device class, a series of base algorithmic models are described which perform the transformation between color spaces. These models provide a range of color quality and performance results. The necessary parameter data to implement these models is described in the required portions on the appropriate device profile descriptions. The profile structure is defined as a header followed by a tag table followed by a series of tagged elements that can be accessed randomly and individually.
As noted above, in addition to the ICC profile format, device specific and/or company specific formats have also been developed, and it is anticipated that other unique formats may be developed in the future.
When the image-rendering technology used in a digital front end (DFE) of a image-rendering device receives image formats supported by the device (such as ICC formats), then communication as to image profiles are understandable by components of the device. However when an image to be rendered is obtained from a third party, the image-rendering component may have its own representation of a color space transformation database, possibly for use on products other than those supported by the image-rendering device. Thus, the color space transformation profile format used by the third party may differ from a profile supported by a DFE of the image-rendering device which is to generate the image. However, the profile information used by the third party may be considered useful. In other words, it may be desirable for two or more databases providing the same type of information but in different formats to function with a single image rendering device.
It is therefore desirable to construct an image-rendering device having a digital front end (DFE) that includes the capability to easily manage color imaging resources, where management activities include loading, deleting, replacing and associating color profiles, and where the DFE supports different profile formats.
The present invention provides a design that allows a DFE decomposer supported for a particular format, such as ICC profile formats, to utilize multiple transformation databases concurrently. For each database, a software component referred to as a plug-in is created to deal with the specifics of the particular database. The plug-ins convert the contents of the third party database into a common structure understood by the decomposer. The invention defines the plug-in interface including data (i.e. structures) and behavior (i.e. methods) supported by all plug-ins. A plug-in for a supported database is also provided. An interface is used to inform the decomposer of changes to the supported database whereby the plug-in may retrieve data and update an internal database of the decomposer while the system is operating. Updatings of third party databases occur upon initialization of the system.

Concurrent utilization of multiple color profile databases for image rending


Systems and methods may be provided to support memory access by packet communication and/or direct memory access. In one aspect, a memory controller may be provided for a processing device containing a plurality of computing resources. The memory controller may comprise a first interface to be coupled to a router. The first interface may be configured to transmit and receive packets. Each packet may comprise a header that may contain a routable address and a packet opcode specifying an operation to be performed in accordance with a network protocol. The memory controller may further comprise a memory bus port coupled to a plurality of memory slots that are configured to receive memory banks to form a memory and a controller core coupled to the first interface. The controller core may be configured to decode a packet received at the first interface and perform an operation specified in the received packet.

Memory is a crucial part of most typical computers. Most memories, especially dynamic random access memories (RAMs), use relatively complex bus protocols for communication. Most memory designs also assume that the memory will be connected directly to exactly one host (e.g., a "North Bridge"). All writes come from that host, and data from all reads go to that host. If more than one destination for data is possible, logic at some higher level must determine the destination for the data, and send that data to the appropriate destination.
This complex protocol and limitation to a single host connection limit flexibility in using memory. These limitations become particularly apparent when using memory in a network on a chip processing device.

Memory controller for a network on a chip device


A method of compressing depth maps including the steps of determining the boundary of at least one object within a depth map, applying a curve to the boundary of each object, and converting the continuous depth data within an area bounded by the curve into at least one ramp function.

In converting 2D images into left and right eye images for stereoscopic viewing it is known to create depth maps to assist in the transmission and creation of the 3D image. Generally speaking, the creation of a depth map refers to a technique whereby each object in a scene is allocated a unique attribute (typically a shade of gray) depending upon the relative, or absolute, distance from the object to a reference point, for example the camera lens.
For systems that seek to create stereoscopic images from a 2D image, the creation of this depth map is in most cases, if not all an interim step in this conversion process. The operator, or system, will analyze a 2D image, create a unique depth map, and then finalize the process by creating left and right eye images. Depending on the circumstances, this final process may take place some time after the creation of the depth map.
There presently exists a number of systems which attempt to convert 2D images into stereoscopic images. Whilst each of these systems may effectively create a depth map, the processes of obtaining those depth maps, and similarly, the process by which those depth maps are utilized differ. Further, in order to determine the depths of an object within an image and thereby a depth map, a number of techniques may be used, including the use of multiple cameras, laser range finders, radar imaging, and techniques using modulated radiation sources coupled with reflected radiation intensity detectors.
For example, in the Applicants prior application PCT/AU96/00820, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, thee was disclosed a number of techniques, including determining the distance of objects from a camera using variable focus techniques. Alternatively, the use of two cameras and an autocorrelator to determine the distance of objects from a camera was also disclosed.
As a result of these various techniques, the depth maps may be in various formats. The more common formats including, grayscale images, color encoded depth images, or a floating point distance matrix.
Whilst numerous techniques exist to convert 2D images to stereoscopic images, and in the process create depth maps, to date it has not been possible to combine these processes, such that one technique is utilized to create the depth map, and a different technique used to produce the stereoscopic image. That is, merging of the various techniques has not been possible, as existing systems are not able to process a depth map produced by a different process.
The inability to combine processes can lead to the same 2D image being processed by a number of different techniques, thereby producing respective depth maps. The task of analyzing a 2D image for conversion to a depth map can be complicated and in some cases time consuming, and it would be preferable to avoid the need to repeat this task depending on the overall 2D to 3D conversion process selected.


A movable plate 5 and torsion bars 6 are monolithically formed in a semiconductor substrate 2. A flat coil 7 is formed on peripheries of the movable plate 5 while a photodiode 8 is formed on a central portion of the movable plate 5. Permanent magnets 10A, 10B, 11A and 11B are provided on upper and lower spaces of the peripheries of the movable plate 5 while coils 12A and 12B for detecting a displacement angle of the movable plate 5 are provided on lower spaces of the peripheries of the movable plate 5. Flowing a current into the flat coil 7 generates a driving force depending on a relation with magnetic fields induced by the permanent magnets 10A, 10B, 11A and 11B, which makes the movable plate 5 to rotate axially around the torsion bars 6 to vary an orienting direction of an optical axis of the photodiode 8. The displacement angle of the optical axis is detectable by changes in mutual inductances between the flat coil 7 and the detection coils 12A and 12B, namely, changes in induction voltages of the detection coils 12A and 12B.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a photo-detecting device and, more particularly, to one which is suitable for monitoring comparatively large objects and targets, for instance, traffic roads, airports and so on.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
As such sorts of photo-detecting device as mentioned above, following two types of devices have been investigated:
a) A first type is a device wherein a photo-detecting cell is rotated by a driving motor. PA1 b) A second type is a device wherein many of individual photo-detecting cells are allocated so that the optical axes of photo-detecting cells orient to relatively dispersed directions. PA1 a movable plate monolithically formed in a semiconductor substrate, PA1 a torsion bar monolithically formed in the semiconductor substrate to axially support the movable plate on the semiconductor substrate, allowing the movable plate freely to swing and to rock with respect to the semiconductor substrate, PA1 a driving coil formed on peripheries of the movable plate, PA1 a generating means of a magnetic field for applying a static magnetic field to the driving coil, and PA1 a photo-detecting cell formed on the movable plate; PA1 wherein a current introduced to flow through the driving coil generates a force to move the movable plate in response to the force to vary an orienting direction of the optical axis of the photo-detecting cell. PA1 an outer movable plate monolithically formed in a semiconductor substrate, PA1 a first torsion bar monolithically formed in the semiconductor substrate to support axially the outer movable plate on the semiconductor substrate, allowing the outer movable plate freely to swing and to rock with respect to the semiconductor substrate, PA1 an inner movable plate monolithically formed inside the outer movable plate, PA1 a second torsion bar monolithically formed inside the outer movable plate to support axially the inner movable plate on the outer movable plate, allowing the inner movable plate freely to swing and to rock with respect to the outer movable plate, of which axial direction orthogonally intersects another axial direction of the first torsion bar, PA1 a first driving coil formed on peripheries of the outer movable plate, PA1 a second driving coil formed on peripheries of the inner movable plate, PA1 a first generating means of a magnetic field for applying a static magnetic field to the first driving coil, PA1 a second generating means of another magnetic field for applying another static magnetic field to the second driving coil, and PA1 a photo-detecting cell formed on the inner movable plate; PA1 wherein currents introduced to flow through the first and the second driving coils generate forces to move the outer and inner movable plates in response to the forces to vary an orienting direction of the optical axis of the photo-detecting cell.
However, the device of the first type encounters with problems that the device is structurally too large to enable a high-speed operation while it is unrealistic from a manufacturing cost point of view.
On the other hand, the device of the second type mentioned above also encounters with another problem that differences in cell characteristics induced between each of the photo-detecting cells are required to be compensated.

Photo-detecting device having optical axis orienting variable direction


Systems and methods are provided for scoring support messages from users indicative of the likelihood of escalation of the messages, upon which the messages may be prioritized. One exemplary method includes receiving, from a user, a support message related to a payment service provider and generating an escalation score for the support message based on a temporal factor associated with a duration associated with the support message, a source factor for the support message, and a text content factor of the support message. The exemplary method further includes identifying a likelihood of escalation of the support message based on the escalation score, whereby a support representative assigned to the support message is able to prioritize the support message over at least one other support message based on the likelihood of escalation for the support message.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Payment accounts are known for supporting transactions for goods and services (broadly, products) by consumers at merchants. Often, the transactions involve, or invoke, services associated with payment service providers and/or related applications configured to process the transactions, where the benefits of the services are realized by different entities involved in the transactions. When the services are not functioning properly, or are perceived as not functioning properly, or are misused and/or mishandled by the entities, for example, users associated with the entities (e.g., representatives of the entities, etc.) are known to submit support messages (e.g., emails, etc.) to the payment service providers identifying the issues. And, in response to the support messages, the payment service providers (or other associated entities) seek to resolve the issues. In doing so, the support messages may be subject to different levels of review, by support personnel at the payment service providers, based on complexity of the issues raised in the support messages. The support personnel then respond, as appropriate, in due course, with resolutions to the issues.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Systems and methods for processing support messages relating to services associated with payment systems


A ball valve assembly comprises a housing with ball valve rotatably disposed in a valve chamber in the flow passage. The ball valve is rotatable between open and closed positions by a valve stem that is connected to the ball valve at one end. The ball valve has an open ended slot in which the end of the stem is received. During assembly the stem may be inserted into the housing first and then the ball valve introduced into the housing with the slot facing the stem and then moved in the direction of the slot so that that the stem is received in the slot. The arrangement enables the conventional bonnet in a ball valve assembly to be eliminated and therefore provides for a compact design.

In ball valve assemblies designed for use with relatively high pressure fluids (i.e., gases or liquids) a ball valve is generally supported for rotation in a valve housing by at least one trunnion that extends through the housing into the valve chamber. In many designs the ball valve is actuated between open and closed positions via a rotary spindle (or stem) that extends through a bore in the valve housing and into the ball.
The other end of the spindle extends out of the housing where it is connected to an actuator such as a lever or a motor. The spindle is supported in the housing bore by a bonnet that is fastened to the housing exterior. The bonnet serves to retain the spindle in the housing and generally has a lower surface that is designed to abut an anti-blowout shoulder on the spindle. The abutment of the shoulder and the bonnet surface prevent significant movement of the spindle out of the housing.
A ball valve assembly of this kind is assembled by inserting the components in a certain sequence. Typically one of the valve seats is first inserted into the valve chamber followed by the ball valve and then the opposite seat. The trunnion is fitted into the ball through an aperture in the housing and then spindle and bonnet are inserted into the bore together. The end of the spindle is received in a socket in the ball valve and the bonnet is then fastened securely to the outside of the housing.
There remains a need for an improved ball valve assembly and a method for assembling a ball valve assembly. The present invention satisfies this need and provides other benefits and advantages in a novel and unobvious manner.


A plate cocking apparatus for a plate cylinder of a sheet-fed printing press including a clamp on a front grip end of the plate cylinder and a clamp on a rear grip end of the plate cylinder. Both clamps are disposed inside a groove of the plate cylinder and both clamps engage a plate wound on the outer periphery of the plate cylinder. The apparatus further includes drive assemblies for moving the clamp on the front grip end in both the axial and circumferential directions. The drive assemblies are connected to a motor within the plate cylinder.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sheet-fed printing press, and more particularly to a plate cocking apparatus for correcting a register error resulting from distortion of a plate position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a multi-color printing press, a plate is wound on each of plate cylinders that are disposed in the same number as the number of colors, and printing is sequentially carried out for each color. In this case, high printing quality cannot be obtained unless each color printing is made sequentially at a correct position of a sheet of paper.
To obtain a correct register for each color, crisscross marks referred to as "register marks" are printed in a margin of the sheet of paper. A plate or a plate cylinder is register-adjusted by measuring the deviation of the register marks for each color.
Register errors can be classified into parallel errors where the register marks deviate in parallel in horizontal/vertical direction(s) of the plate, and distortion that occurs when phase error in the horizontal direction is combined with error in the vertical direction.
As a counter-measure for the parallel errors, a technique for correcting the register error by adjusting the plate cylinder itself in its axial/circumferential direction(s) has already been established but this technique is not the subject matter of the present invention.
As the counter-measures for the distortion, mention can be made of the manual adjustment technique which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53034/1988, but this technique wastes time and moreover, must stop the operation of a printing press. A cocking apparatus by socalled "plate cylinder cocking", which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 72731/1985, applies an excessive load to the printing press and moreover, its structure is extremely complicated.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 56146/1987 discloses a hydraulic cocking apparatus for effecting so-called "plate cylinder cocking and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 108046/1989 discloses a technique which integrally moves a front grip end and a rear grip end of a plate. However, both of them are complicated in structure and are not much practical.

Plate cocking apparatus for sheet-fed printing press


A method and apparatus for unifying graphics processing unit (GPU) computation languages is disclosed. The method comprises identifying a GPU of a computer system; accessing a plurality of macros representing a difference in source code between a first GPU computation language and a second GPU computation language, expanding each macro in the plurality of macros based on the identified GPU and executing a kernel on the computer system using the expanded macro.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to computer graphics processing, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for unifying graphics processing unit computation languages.
2. Description of the Related Art
A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a processor optimized for accelerating computer graphics. GPU computation languages have been developed for rendering the GPUs on specific hardware and/or software platforms.
For example, a GPU method for rendering computer graphics built on NVIDIA's Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA) technology can only run on the NVIDIA hardware platform, while Open Computing Language (OpenCL) is a GPU computing language that may run on multiple platforms. In order to allow platform independent application and integration of GPUs having a platform dependency, the GPU's computation language platform dependency must be overcome.
One solution which would allow platform independent application and integration of the CUDA and OpenCL computing languages, for example, is to maintain parallel OpenCL and CUDA code bases. However, this solution requires a massive amount of duplicated code that becomes difficult to maintain. Another solution is to develop a new language or compiler that facilitates use of the functionality of both OpenCL and CUDA. However, this requires a significant commitment of time and expense to develop and test the new language. Another solution is to support only OpenCL, but that would require abandoning a significant amount of existing and well-tested CUDA code. Also, CUDA allows certain functionality on NVIDIA hardware, which functionality is not available through OpenCL.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus for unifying GPU computation languages.

Method and apparatus for unifying graphics processing unit computation languages


A semiconductor device mountable on a wiring board with the bottom surface being opposed to the wiring board including a semiconductor chip; a mold resin encapsulating the semiconductor chip; a first heat spreader joined to the semiconductor chip on the bottom surface side with both ends protruding from the mold resin, the first heat spreader being capable of being joined to the wiring board at both ends; and a second heat spreader joined to the semiconductor chip on a top surface side with both ends thereof protruding from the mold resin, the second heat spreader being capable of being joined to the wiring board at both ends. One of the heat spreaders is a lead frame electrically connected to the semiconductor chip. The first and second heat spreaders are substantially entirely covered with the mold resin on the bottom surface side and the top surface side, respectively.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip encapsulated with a mold resin, and more particularly to a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor chip generating a large quantity of heat, encapsulated with a mold resin.
2. Description of Related Art
Because a semiconductor chip is encapsulated with a mold resin (an encapsulating resin) in a semiconductor device, heat generated in the semiconductor chip readily resides within the semiconductor device (a mold resin). It is therefore necessary for a semiconductor device provided with a semiconductor chip that generates a large quantity of heat while it is driven to efficiently dissipate heat generated in the semiconductor chip to the outside of the semiconductor device.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-160639(1985) has disclosed a semiconductor device, in which a lead frame joined to one surface of the semiconductor chip is exposed through a mold resin in the vicinity of the joint to the semiconductor chip. With this semiconductor device, heat generated in the semiconductor chip is chiefly dissipated to the outside via the exposed portion of the lead frame through the mold resin.
Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8-298302(1996) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-321768(1998) have disclosed a semiconductor device, in which a heat-spreading plate or a heat-spreading body joined to one surface of the semiconductor chip instead of the lead frame is exposed to the outside of a mold resin. With this semiconductor device, heat generated in the semiconductor chip is chiefly dissipated to the outside via the exposed portion of the heat-spreading plate or heat-spreading body through the mold resin.
Further, there is known a semiconductor device, in which the semiconductor chip is directly exposed through the mold resin. This semiconductor device is shaped like a rectangular prism, and the semiconductor chip is exposed through the center of one surface of the semiconductor device. Heat generated in the semiconductor chip is thus directly dissipated to the outside of the semiconductor device. This semiconductor device is mounted on a wiring board in an orientation such that the surface from which the semiconductor chip is exposed opposes the wiring board.
In the case of the semiconductor chip generating a large quantity of heat, however, the semiconductor device having the structure described above is not able to dissipate heat generated in the semiconductor chip in a satisfactory manner, and there has been a need for a semiconductor device with an enhanced heat-spreading capability.
In addition, a semiconductor device in which the semiconductor chip is exposed directly through the mold resin has a problem that the semiconductor chip readily breaks. Further, in a case where the exposed semiconductor chip is joined to the wiring board through soldering or the like in such a semiconductor device, because the joint is hidden in a space between the semiconductor device and the wiring board, direct visual inspection of the joint is impossible, which makes it difficult to confirm whether the two components are joined to each other in a satisfactory manner.


A system includes a light source and a nonlinear converter optically coupled to and remote from the light source. The nonlinear light converter converts a light pulse received from the light source to a broadened or spectrum-shifted light pulse. The system also includes a sensor in situ with the nonlinear light converter. The sensor performs a sense operation based on the broadened or spectrum-shifted light pulse and generates an electrical signal corresponding to the sense operation. The system also includes an electro-optical interface in situ with the sensor that transforms the electrical signal to an optical signal for conveyance to a signal collection interface.

Modern oil field operations demand a great quantity of information relating to the parameters and conditions encountered downhole. Such information typically includes characteristics of the earth formations traversed by a borehole, and data relating to the size and configuration of the borehole itself. In general, sensor-based data acquisition occurs during various oil field operations including drilling, openhole logging, well completion, treatment applications, and production.
Of the various types of sensors that are available to collect downhole data, optical sensors offer particularly useful measurements for characterizing downhole fluids and materials. However, many such measurements require light spectra that cannot feasibly be transmitted downhole. Drawbacks also exit with proposed sensing systems having downhole light sources. For example, it can be difficult to achieve the desired level of accuracy and operational robustness with an incandescent bulb. Such issues do not appear to be adequately addressed by the prior art.
It should be understood, however, that the specific embodiments given in the drawings and detailed description thereof do not limit the disclosure. On the contrary, they provide the foundation for one of ordinary skill to discern the alternative forms, equivalents, and modifications that are encompassed in the scope of the appended claims.

Remote sensing methods and systems using nonlinear light conversion and sense signal transformation


Highly conformal layers of either titanium, Ti, titanium nitride, TiN, or titanium oxide, TiO.sub.x, are formed on exposed surfaces of silicon substrates by first forming a very thin chemical vapor deposition (CVD) layer of either doped polysilicon or a chosen metallic silicide, such as titanium silicide, tungsten silicide, tantalum silicide, or molybdenum silicide on the exposed silicon surfaces and any masking material remaining thereon. Thereafter, the layered structure is transferred to an electroplating bath wherein a layer of titanium is plated on the surfaces of the metallic silicide film using either an aqueous electroplating solution, a non-aqueous solution or a molten salt solution. Then, the structure is transferred to either an anneal furnace or to a rapid thermal processor (RTP) and heated to a predetermined elevated temperature for a predetermined time in the presence of nitrogen, using either nitrogen gas, N.sub.2, or ammonia, NH.sub.3, to form a titanium nitride film and an underlying metal-silicon interface having a good contact resistance at the silicon substrate surface. Alternatively, titanium oxide, TiO.sub.x, films may be formed in an oxygen ambient as an excellent etch stop material, or the vias may be completely electroplated with titanium, Ti, and then annealed with no nitrogen or oxygen present in the anneal furnace or rapid thermal processor.

In the manufacture of silicon integrated circuits used in the construction of dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), static random access memories (SRAMs), and the like, certain types of multi-level conductor (MLC) interconnects are required to provide the necessary electrical paths between MOS transistors and other devices fabricated in the silicon substrate and the external circuitry used for passing data to and from these devices. As the device packing density for these integrated circuits is increased in accordance with the corresponding increased demands on function and performance of the integrated circuit chip, it becomes necessary to optimize and maximize the conformality of the various deposited layers of materials used in building up the completed integrated circuit structure from the surface of the silicon substrate to the top layer or layers of conductor thereof. This demand for increased layer conformality is not only related to an improved overall component packing density, but it is also related to improving the overall reliability and performance of the various electrical conductors which form the required electrical paths within the integrated circuit chip.
The term "conformality" as used herein refers to the degree to which a deposited layer conforms to the exact surface contour of the underlying surface on which the deposited layer is formed. Thus, when depositing layers of metal on a silicon substrate in which openings have been etched in either a surface mask layer or the silicon substrate itself, or both, then a high degree of deposited layer conformality means that not only must the deposited metal layers conform to the horizontal upper and lower boundaries of these openings, but it must conform to the vertical sidewalls of these openings as well.
One of the preferred conductors used in manufacturing multi-level conductor interconnects is titanium nitride, TiN, which has been widely used in many diverse arts including the manufacture of integrated circuits. Titanium nitride displays an interesting combination of properties, such as optical properties that resemble those of gold and a hardness greater than all elemental metals and sapphire and almost as hard as diamond. Its melting point is almost 3000.degree. C., which is higher than that of most materials, and it is inert to most chemicals and solvents except aqua regia which dissolves it slowly, and hydrogen fluoride (HF). In addition, titanium atoms at the silicon substrate interface form a thin layer of titanium silicide, TiS.sub.2, which makes a good low resistance contact at the surface of a silicon substrate. Titanium nitride used in the manufacture of certain types of integrated circuits is disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 07/734,708 of Fernando Gonzalez et al, filed on Jul. 24, 1991, and in co-pending application Ser. No. 07/785,681 of Gertej S. Sandhu, filed Oct. 31, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,334, both assigned to the present assignee and incorporated herein by reference.
Known currently used prior art processes for forming titanium, titanium nitride, and titanium oxide films include either the use of sputtering techniques to form the titanium and titanium nitride films or the use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques to form these films. Current high density integrated circuit applications utilize very high aspect ratio contact holes and trenches which can be greater than 3:1. Consequently, prior art techniques for forming titanium, titanium nitride, and titanium oxide are not acceptable for the more advanced IC devices being built today. Sputtering processes have tended to produce very poor step coverage for these coatings, whereas CVD TiN forming techniques tend to involve the production of high contaminant levels of either chlorine or carbon or oxygen which in turn can cause various electrical problems within the integrated circuit structures being produced.

Electroplating process for enhancing the conformality of titanium and titanium nitride films in the manufacture of integrated circuits and structures produced thereby


The present invention provides a nonwoven web prepared from multicomponent fibers which are partially split. The partially split multicomponent fibers have at least one component of the multicomponent fiber separated from the remaining components of the multicomponent fiber along a first section of the longitudinal length of the multicomponent fibers. Along a second section of the longitudinal length of the multicomponent fibers the components of the multicomponent fibers remain together as a unitary fiber structure. In addition, part of the second section of the multicomponent fibers is bonded to part of a second section of an adjacent multicomponent fiber.

Nonwoven webs have been used to make a variety of products, which desirably have particular levels of softness, strength, uniformity, liquid handling properties such as absorbency, and other physical properties. Such products include towels, industrial wipes, adult incontinence products, infant care products such as baby diapers, absorbent feminine care products, and garments such as medical apparel, just to name a few products. Nonwoven webs may make up one or more layers in these products. Nonwoven webs have also been used in other applications including as a filter media typically used as fluid filters such as air filters. Nonwoven webs have also been used as sound absorbing materials which are used in vehicles, appliances, homes, and the like.
In the field of filtration, it is desirable to have a filter media which has both high filter efficiency and high fluid (air or liquid) throughput. That is, the filter media must have the ability to prevent fine particles from passing through the filter media while having a low fluid flow resistance. Typically, filter media prevents fine particles from passing through the filter media by mechanically trapping the particles within the fibrous structure of the filter media. In addition, some filter media, in the case of air filtration media, is also electrostatically charged which allows the filter media to electrostatically attract and capture fine particles. Flow resistance is measured in terms of pressure drop or pressure differential across the filter material. A high pressure drop indicates a high resistance to the fluid flow through the filter media, while a low pressure drop indicates a low fluid flow resistance. In addition, the filter media must also exhibit a useful service life which is not too short as to require frequent cleaning or replacement of the filter containing the filter media.
However, these performance requirements for filter media are generally inversely correlated. There is a balance between filter media efficiency, pressure drop across the filter media, and useful life of a filter media. Generally, as is known in the filter media art, increasing the particle capture efficiency by increasing the surface area of the filtration media increases the pressure drop across the filtration media and/or the reduces the useful life of the filter media. It is also pointed out that a high pressure drop across the filter media increases the energy cost to operate the systems using the filters. This is because the pumps or fans designed to move the fluid through the filter media must be run at a higher speed or pressure to achieve the same desired fluid flow when the pressure drop is large.
There is a need in the art for a filtration media which has high filtration efficiency, low pressure drop across the filtration media and a long service life.

Nonwoven web and filter media containing partially split multicomponent fibers


A luggage cover for covering a luggage container, comprising a plurality of panels comprising a front panel, a rear panel, a top panel, a bottom panel, a first side panel, and a second side panel, the panels capable of being shaped into a protective shell for covering the luggage container, and a first fastening apparatus for detachably fastening the plurality of panels together to maintain the shape of the protective shell, wherein one of the plurality of panels is an expandable panel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a protective cover, and more particularly, to an expandable luggage cover for protecting an expandable luggage container.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has always been a need to protect one's luggage from exposure to natural elements, general wear-and-tear, and overall deterioration, just as there has always been a need for luggage to effectively protect the contents placed within. The need to protect luggage from such conditions has increased more so due to the rising cost of quality-crafted luggage and subsequent maintenance. These costs are compounded by the fact that some luggage items are manufactured with perishable materials such as leather and are subject to a higher rate of deterioration.
Prior art has shown the use of protective covers for various items including luggage to increase the useful life of the product. However, such covers for luggage are often bulky and awkward and, due to their relatively large surface areas, the covers often occupy large amounts of valuable space within the main compartments of the luggage containers if transported. Subsequently the user is required to open the main compartment in transit, search for and extract the cover, and finally deploy it. This time consuming process allows for further exposure of the luggage container to the elements.
In addition, these covers are not likely to be tailored to the dimensions of the luggage item. Accordingly, a cover may prove to be too small (in the case of a large suitcase) or too large (in the case of smaller "carry-on" luggage) for the luggage container it is attempting to protect. Should a cover be too small for the intended luggage item, a portion of the luggage may remain exposed. The resulting disparity in deterioration between the exposed and covered areas of the luggage item may detract from the aesthetic and physical qualities of the luggage item. Also, during transport, the leading edge of the undersized cover may allow the cover to become caught on protruding objects. This situation also arises for protective covers that may be too large for its intended luggage container, where loose portions of the cover may get snagged or get caught in moving parts such as a luggage conveyor system at an airport.
Further problems arise when considering luggage containers capable of adjusting their volume capacity. Typically, these containers comprise an expandable main compartment kept in an unexpanded state by a fastening apparatus such as zipper mechanism. When a user does not require much luggage room, the user may utilize the luggage container in the unexpanded state. However, if the user wishes to carry additional luggage in the luggage container, the user may unfasten the fastening apparatus to expand the expandable compartment. In the expanded state, more luggage may be accommodated in the luggage container because of the increased volume. Accordingly, prior art protective covers do not give expandable luggage containers adequate protection. While a cover may sufficiently protect the container in the unxepanded state, the cover cannot fittingly accommodate the luggage container when utilized in the expanded state.
Prior art has attempted to address the concern of better fitting covers for luggage containers. U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,796 issued to Trevino on Aug. 28, 2001 illustrates the use of a drawstring in covers incorporated into backpacks. This system may work well with backpacks and smaller luggage containers which can be handled easily without requiring the container to be set down and allow for a facet of the container to be exposed. However, bulkier luggage containers such as suitcases require covers with more robust means of enclosing the container than drawstrings. During transport and handling, bulkier luggage containers would create undue pressure against the contraction provided by the drawstring, thus expanding the aperture and allowing a portion of the luggage to be exposed. Should the perimeter controlled by the drawstrings be great enough, the luggage container could slip out from within the cover.
Although various attempts have been made to solve the problem of effectively covering a luggage container, as cost and extravagance of luggage containers increase, an improved design is required. The present invention is designed to provide a luggage system whose aesthetic nature and durability are effectively protected without inconveniencing the user.


The present application provides a dispensing package for a number of articles therein. The dispensing package may include a tub and a reclosable lid enclosing the tub. The reclosable lid may include a dispensing aperture, one or more mating slots, and a spout flap forming a reclosable spout.

Eating facilities and other locations often provide disposable cutlery utensils such as a knife, a fork, a spoon, a spork, and the like in dispensing bins for retrieval by a customer. Although such arrangements provide for easy and economical dispensing of the cutlery utensils as compared to sets of utensils being separately wrapped in plastic sleeves, the dispensing bins generally must be manually restocked with the cutlery utensils. Specifically, the cutlery utensils may be packaged and shipped to the facility in one package and then manually transferred to the dispensing bins as needed. Moreover, the dispensing bins may or may not be easy to relocate or suitable for outdoor events or other types of temporary uses requiring the transport of the cutlery utensils.
There is thus a desire for an improved cutlery utensil dispensing package. Such an improved cutlery utensil dispensing package may be suitable for shipping and transporting the cutlery utensils therein while also providing for easy dispensing of the cutlery utensils therefrom. Moreover, such a package may be easily openable and reclosable.


A novel resin composition for use in applications requiring low formaldehyde concentration levels. The novel composition comprising a stabilized polyacetal polymer with capped end groups is characterized by the concentration of formaldehyde generated from a formed object of the said composition in a closed environment being less than 20 ppm.

1. Industrial Use Field
This invention pertains to molded parts used for photographic sensitive materials and resin compositions used to make such parts as magazines which house photographic sensitive materials like photo-film and printing paper or springs and rollers that are used around the photographic sensitive materials.
2. Existing Technology
Polyacetal resin which is a thermoplastic resin is used as a molding composition for machine bearings, gear wheels, rollers, cams, clips and plate springs because of its excellent mechanical properties, heat resistance, friction resistant and anti-abrasion properties and fatigue resistance property. However, a small amount of the monomer formaldehyde is dissolved in molded parts made of the polyacetal resin and its slow release into the air causes deterioration of work environment and compromized work efficiency and, in some cases, may lead to harmful result to the end use objective. For example, because chemically active formaldehyde is present, the polyacetal resin causes some concern to be used as food and medical packaging material.
Also, it is known that formaldehyde has detrimental effect on photographic sensitive materials such as photographic film and printing paper. While a silver halide emulsion is used in these photographic sensitive materials, formaldehyde has the ability to reduce silver halides, resulting in chemical fogging. Therefore, polyacetal resins, in general, cannot be used as a resin composition of magazines that receive photographic sensitive materials and various molded parts that are used around them. Consequently, metals are often used to make parts that require sufficient elasticity such as a film pressing board.
Considering these situations and in order to reduce concentrations of formaldehyde gas in the molded parts made of acetal resin, Japanese Kokai 1992-34548 describes hydrazide compounds to be used as an additive, and Japanese Kokai 1994-107900 describes the use of fatty acid ester of polyvalent alcohol compound as an additive.
Problems that Invention Attempts to Solve
But, when a hydrazide compound is added as an additive to polyacetal resin, there is a certain danger of its byproduct, hydrazine itself, functioning as a reducing agent of photographic sensitive materials. Also, when a fatty acid ester of polyvalent alcohol compound is used as an additive, its effect to suppress formaldehyde is not sufficiently and practical problems persist for its use as a resin composition to make molded parts for photographic sensitive materials.

Molded parts used for photographic sensitive materials and resin compositions used to make thereof


A method of eliminating user position biases caused by satellite constellation changes or differential signal gain/loss is provided. The method comprises: (A) substantially continuously determining an unbiased user's position by using a radio receiver”; (B) detecting a “detectable event” by using the radio receiver; (C) measuring a bias caused by the detectable event; (D) performing an update process by accumulating each bias caused by at least one detectable event to generate an accumulated bias; and (E) eliminating the accumulated bias at each Epoch by using a correction process.

A detectable event is herein defined as a loss or gain of one or several positioning satellites (and/or pseudolites) and a loss or gain of a differential correction signal that lead to undesirable user position biases. If user's initial position coordinates were determined by using a Weighted Least Squares (WLS) solution, these biases would appear in the form of instantaneous jumps in the Weighted Least Squares (WLS) solution. If, on the other hand, an initial position coordinates were determined by using a Kalman Filter (KF) solution, the biases would appear in the form of drifts in the Kalman Filter (KF) solution. As a result, in both situations, the positioning becomes problematic in various types of applications.
For instance, on an agricultural field, when user is trying to maintain long, parallel and straight swaths that are tightly close to one another, these position biases occur causing the vehicle to divert from its straight line path. Although, a bias might lead to a more accurate position in the absolute sense, in the agricultural (and many other applications) what is important is a relative position accuracy defined in a reference to an initial position accuracy determined at the end to a selected initial Epoch at which an initial position and its accuracy were determined by using an initial satellite (and/or pseudolites) constellation and an initial differential signal status. This initial Epoch's constellation and the initial differential signal status are hereafter referred to as truth, and all events that occur after it are considered to be problematic as all these events create biases that should be eliminated.
To deal with this task, in the case of WLS, a Position Bias Filter (PBF) was implemented in the position domain. The PBF simply tracks and calculates the WLS position biases caused by every event and accumulates them in a position bias vector that is removed from the WLS solution's position vector.
However, a PBF cannot be used with a KF solution because the KF diffuses the instantaneous position jumps, encountered in WLS, into drifts over the course of several Epochs, making it difficult to assess the biases in the position domain during these Epochs.

Position bias amelioration method and apparatus in GNSS receiver


The invention relates to compositions and methods related to Toll-like receptor (TLR) polypeptides. In some embodiments, the invention relates to managing TLR3 related diseases. In further embodiments, the invention relates to methods of preventing and treating inflammation. In some embodiments, the invention relates to antagonists of TLR3, to amino acid sequences that act as dominant negative molecules, and to nucleic acid sequences that encode said amino acid sequences. In additional embodiments, the invention relates to the manipulation of biological materials to evaluate TLR3 activity.

Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) has been shown to be involved in inflammation processes. Inflammation is the body's protective response to an injury that is caused by cytokines. Overstimulation of the inflammation response is a factor in a variety of inflammatory diseases. For example, inflammation of the joints is associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Inflammation of the small tubes that transport air to the lungs is associated with asthma. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be used to treat these symptoms. However, these drugs often have varying success as well as adverse side effects. Thus, there is a need to identify compositions and methods for managing inflammatory responses that have limited adverse affects.

Compositions and methods related to toll-like receptor-3


The present invention provides a filter element and a method for producing the same, which do not generate pollution during waste disposal, can be easily produced, improve the pressure loss and reduce the production cost. The filter element and the method for producing the same are characterized in that ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene fine powders, which have an average molecular weight of 3,000,000 to 11,000,000 and a bulk specific gravity of 0.15 to 0.29, are the aggregate of primary particles, and are shaped to have voids of 1 to 5 μm in a part where the primary particles are connected, are filled into the pores on the surface of a filter element base made of an open-cell porous molded body prepared by heating and sintering synthetic resin powders, a non-woven fabric or a felt.

A filter element for separating solid particles from a gaseous or liquid medium is disclosed in Patent Document 1 (JP-A No. 61-502381) as a filter element for discharging to the outside only the air cleaned by removal of fine solid particles from air containing fine dust of an air conditioner or an exhaust gas containing fine solid particles of a combustion engine and as a filter element for discharging to the outside only the liquid cleaned by removal of fine solid particles from a liquid containing fine solid particles such as oil and wastewater.
The filter element can remove fine solid particles contained in a medium to be filtered by originally forming a fine primary filter layer, without having to depend on the formation of a filter layer for dust adhesion like a bag filter, by filling granular polyethylenes composed of a mixture of medium molecular weight polyethylenes and macromolecular weight polyethylenes in a mold, heating and sintering the granular polyethylenes to mold into a rigid filter base, and filling somewhat large pores of the filter base with a filler composed of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fine powders using a process such as a partial heat treatment. Further, the polytetrafluoroethylene has water and oil repellency, thus the filter can recover filtration ability by removing adhered dust (the aggregate of fine solid particles, etc.) through back washing.
However, as described above, the filter element, which has a construction obtained by heating and sintering granular polyethylenes composed of a mixture of medium molecular weight polyethylenes and macromolecular weight polyethylenes to mold into a filter base and filling pores of the filter base with a filler composed of polytetrafluoroethylene fine powders to form a fine filter layer, become disabled over time due to heat deterioration of the filter base or pulse fatigue deterioration caused by back washing. A filter element filled with the polytetrafluoroethylene fine powders, when it became disabled due to clogging and is discarded by burning, cannot be burnt because the polytetrafluoroethylene fine powders filled on the surface of the base are exposed to high heat and decomposed to a harmful low molecular weight organic fluoride gas such as ethylene tetrafluoride, propylene hexafluoride, and perfluorocyclobutane, thus having an adverse effect on the environment. Therefore, there is no other way than to bury it underground which is only transferring the pollution to the underground. Further, the specific gravity of polytetrafluoroethylene is 2.2, which is heavy, and very nonhydrophilic, thus the dispersion of the suspended fine powders is unstable, and when filling pores of the filter base with polytetrafluoroethylene fine powders, it is difficult for a coating solution having polytetrafluoroethylene fine powders dispersed therein to make an aqueous suspension comprising only a water as a medium thereof, thus the addition of ethyl alcohol or the like is required. In addition, during brush coating or spraying coating, the dispersion solution is required to coat while stirring so that irregularity in coating does not occur.
Further, the filter element in which polytetrafluoroethylene fine powders are used as a filler, requires further improvement in pressure loss (also referred to as "pressure drop") and reducing production cost.
[Patent Document 1] JP 61-502381
An object of the present invention is to provide a filter element and a method for producing the same, which do not generate pollution at the time of a waste disposal, which can be easily produced by easy preparation of the coating solution for filling pores of the filter base, and which improve pressure loss and reduce production cost.

Filter element and process for producing the same


Various embodiments of the invention provide human receptors and membrane-associated proteins (REMAP) and Q polynucleotides which identify and encode REMAP. Embodiments of the invention also provide expression vectors, host cells, antibodies, agonists, and antagonists. Other embodiments provide methods for diagnosing, treating, or preventing disorders associated with aberrant expression of REMAP.

Signal transduction is the general process by which cells respond to extracellular signals. Signal transduction across the plasma membrane begins with the binding of a signal molecule, e.g., a hormone, neurotransmitter, or growth factor, to a cell membrane receptor. The receptor, thus activated, triggers an intracellular biochemical cascade that ends with the activation of an intracellular target molecule, such as a transcription factor. This process of signal transduction regulates all types of cell functions including cell proliferation, differentiation, and gene transcription.
Biological membranes surround organelles, vesicles, and the cell itself. Membranes are highly selective permeability barriers made up of lipid bilayer sheets composed of phosphoglycerides, fatty acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, glycolipids, proteoglycans, and proteins. Membranes contain ion pumps, ion channels, and specific receptors for external stimuli which transmit biochemical signals across the membranes. These membranes also contain second messenger proteins which interact with these pumps, channels, and receptors to amplify and regulate transmission of these signals.


A method and system for installing shakes on a building comprising a ledger board and a shake jig for assisting with installation of shakes. The shake jig comprising a base member supporting an adjustable member with a releasably fastener facilitating releaseable retention of the adjustable member in a desired relative position with respect to the base member. The base member has a shake shelf for abutting against a surface of a shake to prevent further insertion of the base member, between an installed topmost shake and an at least partially overlapped shake, and facilitate desired alignment of the shake jig with respect to the installed topmost shake. The adjustable member has a ledger shelf for engaging with the ledger board and retaining the ledger board in a desired horizontal orientation with respect to the shake shelf and assisting with installation of shakes.

A variety of different mechanisms and techniques are currently utilized by carpenters and/or installers when installing shakes, such as cedar shakes and the like, to a side of a building. One common technique is the use of a "snapped" horizontal chalk line extending from one edge of the building to the opposite edge of the building which is used as a guide when installing the shakes to the building. After a horizontal row of shakes is installed on the building using the "snapped" chalk line as a guide, another chalk line is then "snapped" to the side of the building for the next row and so forth until the entire side of the building has been sided with the shakes. This process is repeated for each side of the building. Such technique, although very accurate, is a quite cumbersome and time consuming and generally slows down installation process for the shakes to the building.
While there are a variety of other methods and processes which are known and utilized to assist with installing shakes to the siding of a building, none of them, heretofore, have been relatively simple and easy to use while also reducing the installation time and effort while still, at the same time, assisting reliable installation of shakes.


A configuration for a bit-1 read-only memory (ROM) cell is provided. The bit-1 ROM cell comprises a first circuit connected to a second circuit. The first circuit comprises a first transistor and the second circuit comprises a second transistor. The second circuit is configured to receive a YMUX signal. The second circuit is connected to a word-line bar. The second circuit is configured to maintain a disconnection or connection between the first transistor and the word-line bar based upon the YMUX signal. The first circuit is located on a different physical layer than the second circuit.

Read-only memory (ROM) is a type of memory that persistently stores content or data. Typically, a ROM device comprises a memory arrangement having a plurality of bit-1 ROM cells and bit-0 ROM cells, where a bit-1 ROM cell is configured as storing a bit of data equal to 1 and a bit-0 ROM cell is configured as storing a bit of data equal to 0. To read a memory cell within a memory arrangement of a ROM device, a voltage is applied to the memory cell. If the memory cell is a bit-1 ROM cell, the memory cell produces a first response. If the memory cell is a bit-0 ROM cell, the memory cell produces a second response different than the first response. Thus, depending upon the response of the memory cell to the applied voltage, the memory cell is determined to be a bit-1 ROM cell or a bit-0 ROM cell, and thus as storing a 0 or a 1.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited