A power transfer device comprises a power transfer coil; a case that has a surface extending along a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the power transfer coil and stores the power transfer coil; a rotating shaft rotatable about the shaft that extends in the axial direction of the power transfer coil at a central portion in a radial direction of the power transfer coil and has an end penetrating the surface and protruding outward through the surface; a foreign object remover that projects outwardly from the end of the rotating shaft in a radial direction of the rotating shaft and moves on the surface; a driving source that provides the rotating shaft with power; and a processor that determines whether or not a vehicle is present. The driving source is driven if the processor determines that the vehicle is present.

A contactless power supply device having a rectangular power supply surface has conventionally been proposed. The power supply surface is provided with two wiper parts. Two driving shafts are diagonally provided at two corners of the power supply surface. The wiper parts are coupled to the driving shafts so as to rotate about the driving shafts. The rotation of the wiper parts removes a foreign object adhering to the power supply surface.
To prevent interference between multiple wiper parts of the contactless power supply device, the wiper parts need to be rotated in order, which tends to complicate wiper control.
The present disclosure is made in view of such circumstances, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a power transfer device capable of simplifying the control for removing a foreign object.
A power transfer device according to the present disclosure comprises a power transfer coil; a case that has a surface extending along a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the power transfer coil and stores the power transfer coil; a rotating shaft rotatable about the shaft that extends in the axial direction of the power transfer coil at a central portion in a radial direction of the power transfer coil and has an end penetrating the surface and protruding outward through the surface; a foreign object remover that projects outwardly from the end of the rotating shaft in a radial direction of the rotating shaft and moves on the surface; a driving source that provides the rotating shaft with power; and a processor that determines whether or not a vehicle is present. The driving source is driven if the processor determines that the vehicle is present.
According to the present disclosure, if a vehicle is present, the driving source is driven to thereby rotate the foreign object remover. The foreign object remover removes the foreign object adhering to the surface of the case and prevents a living body such as a person, a dog, a cat or the like from entering the surface.
The power transfer device according to the present disclosure further comprises an accepter that accepts power transfer starting operation, and the driving source is driven if the processor determines that the vehicle is present, and the accepter accepts a start of power transfer.
According to the present disclosure, the foreign object remover is rotated only if power transfer is clearly intended, which enables reduction in electric power consumption of the power transfer device.
The power transfer device according to the present disclosure further comprises a foreign object detector that detects a foreign object, and the driving source is driven if the processor determines that the vehicle is present and a foreign object is detected by the foreign object detector.
According to the present disclosure, the foreign object remover is rotated only if a foreign object is detected, which enables reduction in electric power consumption of the power transfer device.
In the power transfer device according to the present disclosure, the driving source includes a motor, wherein the processor determines whether or not a foreign object is detected by the foreign object detector after rotation of the motor; and the processor changes a rotation speed of the motor to a rotation speed higher than a current rotation speed or a driving duration of the motor to a driving duration longer than a current driving duration if the second processor determines that a foreign object is detected, and the motor is driven based on a rotation speed or a driving duration changed by the processor.
According to the present disclosure, if a foreign object remains on the surface of the case after rotation of the motor, the rotation speed of the motor is changed to a higher rotation speed, or the driving duration of the motor is changed to a longer driving duration. The motor is rotated again based on the changed rotation speed and driving duration, which accelerates the removal of the remaining foreign object and also prevents entry of a living body into the surface.
In the power transfer device according to the present disclosure, the driving source includes a motor, the foreign object detector includes a torque detector for detecting a torque of the motor or a speed detector for detecting a rotation speed of the motor and determines that a foreign object is detected if a torque equal to or larger than a threshold set in advance is detected by the torque detector, or if a speed equal to or smaller than a threshold set in advance is detected by the speed detector.
According to the present disclosure, a foreign object is detected based on the torque or rotation speed of the motor.
The power transfer device according to the present disclosure, wherein the processor determines whether or not a foreign object is detected by the foreign object detector after rotation of the motor; and the processor changes a rotation speed of the motor to a rotation speed higher than a current rotation speed or a driving duration of the motor to a driving duration longer than a current driving duration if the second processor determines that a foreign object is detected, and the motor is driven based on a rotation speed or a driving duration changed by the processor.
According to the present disclosure, if a foreign object remains on the surface of the case after rotation of the motor, the rotation speed of the motor is changed to a higher rotation speed, or the driving duration of the motor is changed to a longer driving duration. The motor is rotated again based on the changed rotation speed and driving duration, which accelerates the removal of the remaining foreign object and prevents entry of a living body into the surface.
In the power transfer device according to the present disclosure, the driving source is stopped after being driven for a first predetermined time and is driven again after a lapse of a second predetermined time from stop of the driving source.
According to the present disclosure, the foreign object remover is intermittently rotated, which prevents a foreign object from staying on the surface of the case and also prevents entry of a living body into the surface.
In the power transfer device according to the present disclosure, the driving source is driven after power transfer by the power transfer coil is started.
According to the present disclosure, the foreign object remover is rotated after start of power transfer, which enables immediate removal of a foreign object that enters during the power transfer and prevents the foreign object from generating heat. This also prevents entry of a living body into the surface.
A control method according to the present disclosure is a control method of a driving source of a foreign object remover projecting outwardly from an end of a rotating shaft in a radial direction of the rotating shaft that extends in an axial direction of a power transfer coil at a central portion in a radial direction of the power transfer coil and that penetrates a surface of a case storing the power transfer coil and protrudes outward through the surface comprises driving the driving source if it is determined that a vehicle is present.
According to the present disclosure, if the vehicle approaches the power transfer coil, the driving source is driven to thereby rotate the foreign object remover. This allows the foreign object remover to remove the foreign object adhering to the surface of the case. This also prevents entry of a living body into the surface.
A recording medium according to the present disclosure is non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording a computer program for causing a control device to control a driving source of a foreign object remover, wherein the foreign object remover projects outwardly from an end of a rotating shaft in a radial direction of the rotating shaft that extends in an axial direction of a power transfer coil at a central portion in a radial direction of the power transfer coil and that penetrates a surface of a case storing the power transfer coil and protrudes outward through the surface, the computer program causing the control device to execute a processing of driving the driving source if it is determined that a vehicle is present.
According to the present disclosure, if the vehicle approaches the power transfer coil, the driving source is driven to thereby rotate the foreign object remover. The foreign object remover removes the foreign object adhering to the surface of the case and prevents entry of a living body such as a person, a dog, a cat or the like into the surface.
In the power transfer device, a control method and a computer program according to the present disclosure, if the vehicle approaches the power transfer coil, the driving source is driven to thereby rotate the foreign object remover. The foreign object remover rotates on the surface of the case, which removes the foreign object adhering to the surface and prevents entry of a living body such as a person, a dog, a cat or the like into the surface. Mere rotation of the foreign object remover can remove a foreign object, prevent entry of a living body into the surface, and simplify control for removing a foreign object and preventing entry of a living body.
The above and further objects and features will more fully be apparent from the following detailed description with accompanying drawings.

Power transfer device, control method and recording medium


Apparatus is provided for use in the sterilization of contact lenses or the like, wherein lenses are disposed within a sterilizing solution contained within a reaction vessel, which sterilizing solution is capable of being decomposed through contact with a catalytic agent. The apparatus comprises a reaction vessel capable of containing a sterilizing solution and comprising a container portion, a cover and structure for supporting an article in contact with sterilizing solution in the container. Further structure is provided for mounting a catalytic agent on the supporting structure such that the catalytic agent is removable for replacement by a user as the catalytic agent becomes exhausted in use. The mounting of the catalytic agent on the article supporting structure prevents contact of the catalytic agent with the solution in the container until the article supporting structure with the contact lenses therein is placed in the solution in the container for beginning the sterilizing process, to thereby prevent premature breakdown of the sterilizing solution prior to the introduction of contact lenses for sterilization therein.

This invention relates to a chemical sterilization process for articles such as contact lenses. More particularly, the invention concerns an improved apparatus adapted to be employed in said chemical sterilization process.
The sterilization of contact lenses is currently done by a number of different processes. Some processes employ heat, either in a dry sterilization environment, or with a sterilized saline or similar solution. A further process has also been developed which employs an anti-microbial sterilizing solution such as hydrogen peroxide (H.sub.2 O.sub.2).
The present invention concerns an apparatus specifically designed for use with the latter (hydrogen peroxide) type of sterilization technique. One particularly useful method and apparatus is disclosed in prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,410, also assigned to the assignee of this application, to which reference is invited for background material concerning this type of sterilizing process.
Briefly, the hydrogen peroxide solution which is employed is of a relatively weak concentration, for example, no more than on the order of 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide in water. In this sterilizing process it is important to insure that the hydrogen peroxide solution, or any remnants thereof, are completely absent from the lenses before the lenses are reinserted by the wearer. Accordingly, the heretofore applied processes operate to neutralize the hydrogen peroxide solution well before the lenses are removed from the apparatus and replaced in the eye of the wearer.
Generally speaking, the process employed by the above referenced patent uses a catalytic agent such as platinum, which will produce a chemical reaction resulting in neutralization or decay of the hydrogen peroxide. Essentially, a free oxygen molecule is liberated and the hydrogen peroxide is reduced to water. Preferably, the process is arranged to take place over a period of several hours of time, depending on the nature of the catalytic agent and the initial strength of the original sterilizing solution. Accordingly, it is generally recommended that the user employ the process overnight in order to assure full decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide and a considerable period of soaking of the lenses in the sterile water which remains of the solution after decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide.
While the apparatus employed in the above-referenced patent has met with commercial success, there is nonetheless room for further improvement. More particularly, one apparatus currently in use employs a plastic carrier member which is coated with a suitable platinum catalytic agent, and which is generally disposed in the bottom of a cylindrical container. The container is then filled with the hydrogen peroxide solution and the contact lenses, which are held in a further lens carrier/lens support case member, are then disposed within the container. Generally speaking, the lens support or lens carrier members are well-ventilated basket-like structures which are affixed to a cap member which in turn forms a cap or top closure for the solution-filled container. It is important, however, to provide some venting of the cap portion of the closure to control pressure buildup by permitting the escape of some of the free oxygen generated during the decomposition of the hydrogen peroxide solution.
While this system has proven highly successful in operation, there is, as mentioned above, room for improvement. For example, it is necessary for the user to periodically handle the "catalyst" which has the coating of catalyst material. That is, the catalyst material is consumed over a period of use, and therefore the catalyst member must be removed and replaced with a new catalyst from time to time. Handling by the consumer has a number of drawbacks. Some of the platinum coating of the carrier may rub off onto the fingers and cause undesirable staining of the skin and/or clothing of the user. Moreover, various proteins, salts, etc., from the skin might compromise the integrity and action of the catalyst. It appears that to some extent sulfur compounds and the proteins in the skin may combine with the platinum to form an inert compound. Moreover, with the catalyst member disposed in the bottom of the container, it is somewhat difficult to reach it manually without the use of some sort of tool, or the like.
There is also some concern that with the catalyst sitting in the bottom of the container between uses and after rinsing the container following a use, that some excess water may be trapped or entrained around the catalyst member which may give some potential for bacterial growth.

Catalyst support assembly for a contact lens sterilizing apparatus


Performing a hot-swap of a storage device for a node in a virtualization environment having a plurality of storage devices, includes performing pass-thru of a storage manager managing the plurality of storage devices to a service virtual machine, such that the service virtual machine communicates with the plurality of storage devices without going through a storage software layer of its corresponding hypervisor, booting the hypervisor from a device other than the plurality of storage devices and performing the hot-swap of the storage device.

A "virtual machine" or a "VM" refers to a specific software-based implementation of a machine in a virtualization environment, in which the hardware resources of a real computer (e.g., CPU, memory, etc.) are virtualized or transformed into the underlying support for the fully functional virtual machine that can run its own operating system and applications on the underlying physical resources just like a real computer.
Virtualization works by inserting a thin layer of software directly on the computer hardware or on a host operating system. This layer of software contains a virtual machine monitor or "hypervisor" that allocates hardware resources dynamically and transparently. Multiple operating systems run concurrently on a single physical computer and share hardware resources with each other. By encapsulating an entire machine, including CPU, memory, operating system, and network devices, a virtual machine is completely compatible with most standard operating systems, applications, and device drivers. Most modern implementations allow several operating systems and applications to safely run at the same time on a single computer, with each having access to the resources it needs when it needs them.
Virtualization allows one to run multiple virtual machines on a single physical machine, with each virtual machine sharing the resources of that one physical computer across multiple environments. Different virtual machines can run different operating systems and multiple applications on the same physical computer.
One reason for the broad adoption of virtualization in modern business and computing environments is because of the resource utilization advantages provided by virtual machines. Without virtualization, if a physical machine is limited to a single dedicated operating system, then during periods of inactivity by the dedicated operating system the physical machine is not utilized to perform useful work. This is wasteful and inefficient if there are users on other physical machines which are currently waiting for computing resources. To address this problem, virtualization allows multiple VMs to share the underlying physical resources so that during periods of inactivity by one VM, other VMs can take advantage of the resource availability to process workloads. This can produce great efficiencies for the utilization of physical devices, and can result in reduced redundancies and better resource cost management.
Virtualization environments may be implemented to perform I/O and storage device management. One type of architecture for managing I/O and storage for a virtualization environment is described in application Ser. No. 13/207,345. This architecture employs a service VM that sits above the hypervisor to control and manage any type of storage device, including direct-attached storage in addition to network-attached and cloud-attached storage. The term service VM may also be referred to herein as Controller VM. The Service VM implements the Storage Controller logic in the user space, and with the help of other Service VMs in a cluster, virtualizes all storage hardware as one global resource pool that is high in reliability, availability, and performance. IP-based requests are used to send I/O request to the Service VMs. The Service VM can directly implement storage and I/O optimizations within the direct data access path, without the need for add-on products.
When a storage device needs to be replaced while the virtualization environment is still in operation, issues may arise leading to the inoperability of the virtualization environment. Replacing a storage device while the virtualization environment is still in operation is known as "hot-swapping". Hot-swapping a storage device may be necessary when the storage device incurs an error or fails for any other reason during operation of the virtualization environment. However, when a storage device is removed while the virtualization environment is still in operation, the hypervisor supporting the virtual machines of the virtualization environment may be unable to continue operating correctly causing various errors to occur leading to undesirable behavior in the virtualization environment. Because a service VM accesses the storage devices through the hypervisor, the service VM may be unable to accurately perform its I/O and storage management functions when its corresponding hypervisor begins to misbehave due to a storage device being removed while the virtualization environment is still in operation.
Therefore, there is a need for a method for performing a hot-swap of a storage device in a virtualization environment.

Method for performing hot-swap of a storage device in a virtualization environment


A square-toe attachment for removable attachment to the front portion of the golf shoe farthest from the golfer's target. The attachment has a generally U-shaped configuration with sides which engage the inside and outside of the sole of the shoe and a rectangular front toe portion with a generally flat front wall disposed forward of the toe of the golf shoe and generally perpendicular to the bottom of the shoe which causes the golfer's foot farthest from the target to assume a generally vertical position with the heel up and toe down during the follow-through phase of a golf swing. The attachment is removably attached to the shoe by flexible straps with hook and loop fastener material which extend over the top of the shoe and is releasably secured to the bottom of the sole of the shoe by at least one of the shoe spikes. During the follow-through phase of the golf swing, as the heel of the shoe is raised during weight transfer, the attachment causes the foot to assume a generally vertical "toe-down, heel-up" position with only the toe portion of the shoe in contact with the ground. Thus, the position of the foot farthest from the target at the follow-through phase of the swing, automatically causes the golfer to shift their weight toward the target, to flex the back knee moving it very close or even to touch the front knee, and to turn the hips toward the target.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to golf shoe attachments, and more particularly to a square-toe attachment which is releasable attached to the shoe of a golfer to aid the golfer in assuming the correct foot position in the follow-through phase of a golf swing.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In a correct golf swing, a transfer of weight distribution begins to the inside of the back leg and foot (farthest from the target). About half way through the back swing, the main weight is transferred to the inside of the back leg and foot and the hips turn automatically with the weight transfer. At the top of the backswing and before the start of the down swing, most of the weight is principally on the ball of the back foot. At the start of the down swing, a transfer of weight begins from the inside of the back leg and ball of the foot to the forward leg and ball of the foot (closest to the target) so as to drive the with the legs and the turn of the hips. At the completion or "follow-through" phase of the swing, most of the weight should have been transferred to the forward leg and ball of the foot (closest to target).
However, at the completion or "follow-through" phase of a golf swing, many golfers remain flat footed or fail to assume the proper foot position. In the proper "follow-through", the golfer should: (1) shift his or her weight toward the target, (2) touch the back knee (farthest from the target) to the front knee (closest to the target), and (3) turn the hips toward the target. These details are often forgotten, or never properly learned, but if practiced routinely, will improve the golf swing and result in greater accuracy and a more powerful swing.
At the end of the follow-through, most professional golfers will have the heel of their back foot (farthest from target) raised with only the toe portion of their shoe in contact with the ground, rather than just slightly pivoting the back foot or leaving the ball of the foot on the ground. This raised heel foot position is the position that the foot would finish if the three items listed above were executed properly and the weight was completely transferred.
There are several patents which disclose various golf shoe attachments, none of which would aid the golfer in raising the heel of their back foot (farthest from target) and placing the toe portion of their shoe in contact with the ground at the end of the follow-through.
Frisch et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,929 and Latto, U.S. Pat. No. 3,866,339 disclose plate devices which have a series of depending spikes and are removably attached to the heel and sole of a pair of street shoes to convert the street shoes into golfing shoes.
Chiroff, U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,079 discloses a roll bar device having an arcuate surface mounted on the metatarsal portion of the forward shoe (closest to target) which slopes toward the outside edge of the sole for assisting the pivot of the foot closest to the target during the follow-through of the golf swing. This device flexes the forward knee and pivots the forward foot and would hinder the correct weight transfer as discussed above.
O'Brien, U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,075 discloses a detachable wedge-shaped device slidably mounted by pins in holes in the outer side of the sole at the metatarsal portion of the back shoe (farthest from the target) for forcing an inward tilt of the back shoe and a proper knee position. The device is adapted to be secured to conventional golf shoes, street shoes, and sport shoes which are modified to receive the sole engaging mounting pins.
Davis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,940 discloses a wedge-shaped bar which is attached along the outside edge of the bottom of the back shoe (farthest from the target) and causes the back shoe to tilt or slant inwardly and forwardly simultaneously. The wedge-shaped bar slopes inward toward the centerline of the foot and also slopes forward from the heel toward the ball of the foot.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a square-toe attachment for removable attachment to the front portion of the golf shoe farthest from the golfer's target. The attachment has a generally U-shaped configuration with sides which engage the inside and outside of the sole of the shoe and a rectangular front toe portion with a generally flat front wall disposed forward of the toe of the golf shoe and generally perpendicular to the bottom of the shoe which causes the golfer's foot farthest from the target to assume a generally vertical position with the heel up and toe down during the follow-through phase of a golf swing. The attachment is removably attached to the shoe by flexible straps with hook and loop fastener material which extend over the top of the shoe and is releasably secured to the bottom of the sole of the shoe by at least one of the shoe spikes. During the follow-through phase of the golf swing, as the heel of the shoe is raised during weight transfer, the attachment causes the foot to assume a generally vertical "toe-down, heel-up" position with only the toe portion of the shoe in contact with the ground. Thus, the position of the foot farthest from the target at the follow-through phase of the swing, automatically causes the golfer to shift their weight toward the target, to flex the back knee moving it very close or even to touch the front knee, and to turn the hips toward the target.


A stage assembly (220) for moving and positioning a device (200) includes a stage base (202), a stage (206), a stage mover assembly (204), and a reaction assembly (226). The stage mover assembly (204) moves the stage (206) relative to the stage base (202). The reaction assembly (226) is coupled to the stage mover assembly (204). The reaction assembly (226) reduces the reaction forces created by the stage mover assembly (204) that are transferred to the stage base (202). In one embodiment, the reaction assembly (226) includes a pair of masses (250A), (250B) and a connector assembly (236) that connects the masses (250A), (250B) together, allows the masses to move independently along a first axis, and causes the masses (250A), (250B) to move concurrently along a second axis.

Exposure apparatuses are commonly used to transfer images from a reticle onto a semiconductor wafer during semiconductor processing. A typical exposure apparatus includes an illumination source, a reticle stage assembly that retains a reticle, an optical assembly and a wafer stage assembly that retains a semiconductor wafer. The reticle stage assembly and the wafer stage assembly are supported above a ground with an apparatus frame.
Typically, the wafer stage assembly includes a wafer stage base, a wafer stage that retains the wafer, and a wafer stage mover assembly that precisely positions the wafer stage and the wafer. Somewhat similarly, the reticle stage assembly includes a reticle stage base, a reticle stage that retains the reticle, and a reticle stage mover assembly that precisely positions the reticle stage and the reticle. The size of the images transferred onto the wafer from the reticle is extremely small. Accordingly, the precise relative positioning of the wafer and the reticle is critical to the manufacturing of high density, semiconductor wafers.
Unfortunately, each stage mover assembly generates reaction forces that can vibrate the stage bases and the apparatus frame. The vibration influences the position of the stage bases, the stages, the wafer, and the reticle. As a result thereof, the vibration can cause an alignment error between the reticle and the wafer. This reduces the accuracy of positioning of the wafer relative to the reticle and degrades the accuracy of the exposure apparatus.

Stage assembly including a reaction assembly having a connector assembly


A construction form system for forming concrete walls for use as above grade walls, foundations, frost walls, exterior envelopes, and the like, is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of pairs of opposing vertical forming panels spaced from each other to define a forming cavity disposed to receive a hardenable material. Each pair of opposing forming panels comprises an inner panel forming part of an inner wall and an outer panel forming part of an outer wall. The system also includes an outer rail positioned between each adjacent pair of outer forming panels and an inner rail positioned between each adjacent pair of inner forming panels. The inner forming panels comprise support panels configured to be selectively addable and removable from between each adjacent pair of inner rails prior to and subsequent to a pouring of the hardenable material into the cavity.

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to building construction form systems and, more particularly, to a high strength, adjustable construction form system for forming concrete walls for use as above grade walls, foundations, frost walls, exterior envelopes, and the like.
Concrete walls for use in foundations, above grade walls, and the like have typically been constructed using expensive reusable forms. In such systems, the forms maintain their proper position by a combination of metal tie plates between adjacent forms and metal tie rods between opposing forms. Such tie systems hold the forms in place during the assembly of the forming system and resist the movement of the forms from their proper alignment positions when concrete or other hardenable materials are poured and worked between the forms. After the concrete or other materials are hardened and at least partially cured, the conventional forms are typically removed from the structures and reused in other installations. These reusable forms, however, have typically been heavy and extremely labor-intensive to assemble.
Various other form systems have been proposed to reduce construction expense. These systems typically reduce labor costs and expense through the use of light and inexpensive materials that can be left in place after concrete or other building materials are poured into the form system. For example, insulating concrete forms, or "ICF" systems, are forming systems that utilize pre-formed, expanded polymeric foam forms. The blocks and panels of the ICF are retained as permanent or semi-permanent components of the completed structure.
Although effective, ICF systems are not without drawbacks. Existing ICF system designs require parts that are formed by injection molding, which is an expensive process requiring expensive tooling. Injection molding has also limited the practical length of the parts that can be produced to around nine feet. These relatively short lengths increase labor costs by increasing the number of connections required in the assembly process. Additionally, previous designs have generally required complex shapes and relatively complex assembly procedures. This complexity increased training costs and decreased efficiency while workers learned to use the system. Further, this complexity increased tooling costs.
Existing ICF systems also have been prone to form failure, commonly referred to as "bulging" or "blowout." That is, the foam insulation used to hold the poured concrete in place may fail due to the pressures exerted thereon, thereby allowing the concrete to distort or escape from the form system. The potential for such failures can lead to the use of additional external bracing in the ICF system that later must be removed, leading to increases in construction time and cost.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a form system having improved structural strength. It would be further desirable to provide a form system that can be efficiently assembled, reduces the need for customized form components, and that reduces time and cost associated with training and installation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Vertical concrete form with removable forming panels


Surfaces of fine polystyrene (PS) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) powders were modified by exposure to the downstream products of a nitrogen or oxygen microwave plasma. The effects of nitrogen and indium incorporation in the powder surface were studied with emphasis on variations in the triboelectric properties of the powder. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was utilized to determine the changes in surface elemental composition. After nitrogen plasma treatment, the C 1s peak profiles suggested the formation of amines in the case of PS, and the formation of imines and amides in the case of PMMA. Oxygen plasma treatment suggested the formation of hydroxyl and carbonyl groups on the surfaces of both PS and PMMA. After treatment with a nitrogen or oxygen plasma, the charge-to-mass ratio (Q/M) of PS and PMMA powders in contact with carrier particles was measured using the cage blowoff method. The surface charge density (Q/A) was calculated from Q/M. The Q/A of nitrogen plasma-treated PS powder was seen to shift towards positive charge with small increases in the nitrogen concentration. The Q/A of oxygen plasma treated PS powder initially shifted toward negative charge, but changed towards positive charge with higher oxygen concentrations. Plasma-treated PMMA powder showed a different behaviour and the variation of Q/A on PMMA was much less than that of PS. Results suggest that triboelectrification of the polymer powder may be related to changes in the electrical surface states, and that nitrogen may act as a group V dopant within the PS surface.

This invention relates to the charging of materials by triboelectrification, especially the fine polymer powders used as toners in electrophotographic systems.
The charging of materials by triboelectrification has been applied to a number of industrial products for some time. Since the invention of the electrophotographic technique used for copiers and non-impact printers by Carlson in 1938 (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,297,691 (Carlson, 1942)), the field has developed into a large commercial market. Recently, electrophotography has required higher resolution images than was necessary previously, for application in colour image systems (see E. Czech, W. Ostertag, SPIE 1253, Hard Copy and Printing Products, 64, (1990)). For this purpose it is very important to control accurately the electrical charge of the fine polymer powders used as toners in electrophotographic systems (see S. Kume, The Institute of Electrostatics of Japan 10(5), 306 (1986)).
Toners are fine polymer particles typically about 10 .mu.m in diameter mixed with various additives and usually include a coloured dye. In a two-component development system, the toner particles are charged by making contact with larger metal beads known as carriers [see L. B. Schein, "Electrophotography and Development Physics", ISBN 3-see 540-18902-5, Springer Verlag (1988)]. The toner is transferred to the photoreceptor due to an attractive electric field to form a real image (development). For a high quality image, it is important to control the charge-to-mass ratio (Q/M) of the toner within predetermined limits. The Q/M varies with changes in environmental conditions and surface properties of the toner (see N. Matsui, K. Oka and Y. Inaba, J. Electrophotographics 30(3), 282 (1991)). Much work has been done to investigate the triboelectrification of fine polymer powders (see J. Henniker, Nature 196, 474 (1962); C. B. Duke and T. J. Fabish, J. Appl. Phys. 49, 315 (1978); and L. B. Schein and M. Latta, J. Appl. Phys. 69 (10), 6817 (1991)), but the mechanisms are still not fully understood. Some investigations suggest that the nature of the chemical species on the surface is the most important aspect for controlling the triboelectric charge of the particle (see I. Shinohara, F. Yamamoto, H. Anzai, and S. Endo, J. Electrost. 2, 99 (1976), and H. W. Gibson, Polymer 25, 3 (1984)).

I.C.S.T., The Institute For Chemical Science and Technology


Determining a quality score for a part manufactured by an additive manufacturing machine based on build parameters and sensor data without the need for extensive physical testing of the part. Sensor data is received from the additive manufacturing machine during manufacture of the part using a first set of build parameters. The first set of build parameters is received. A first algorithm is applied to the first set of build parameters and the received sensor data to generate a quality score. The first algorithm is trained by receiving a reference derived from physical measurements performed on at least one reference part built using a reference set of build parameters. The quality score is output via the communication interface of the device.

The term "additive manufacturing" refers to processes used to synthesize three-dimensional objects in which successive layers of material are formed by an additive manufacturing machine (AMM) under computer control to create an object using digital model data from a 3D model. One example of powder-bed fusion based additive manufacturing is direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), which uses a laser fired into a bed of powdered metal, with the laser being aimed automatically at points in space defined by a 3D model, thereby melting the material together to create a solid structure. The term "direct metal laser melting" (DMLM) may more accurately reflect the nature of this process since it typically achieves a fully developed, homogenous melt pool and fully dense bulk upon solidification. The nature of the rapid, localized heating and cooling of the melted material enables near-forged material properties, after any necessary heat treatment is applied.
The DMLM process uses a 3D computer-aided design (CAD) model of the object to be manufactured, whereby a CAD model data file is created and sent to the fabrication facility. A technician may work with the 3D model to properly orient the geometry for part building and may add supporting structures to the design, as necessary. Once this "build file" has been completed, it is "sliced" into layers of the proper thickness for the particular DMLM fabrication machine and downloaded to the machine to allow the build to begin. The DMLM machine uses, e.g., a 400 W Yb-fiber optic laser. Inside the build chamber area, there is a powder dispensing platform and a build platform along with a recoater blade used to move new powder over the build platform. The metal powder is fused into a solid part by melting it locally using the focused laser beam. In this manner, parts are built up additively layer by layer—typically using layers 20 to 100 micrometers thick. This process allows for highly complex geometries to be created directly from the 3D CAD data, automatically and without any tooling. DMLM produces parts with high accuracy and detail resolution, good surface quality, and excellent mechanical properties.
Anomalies, such as subsurface porosity, cracks, lack-of-fusion, etc., can occur in DMLM processes due to various machine, programming, environment, and process parameters, and due to the chemistry of the material used. For example, deficiencies in machine calibration of mirror positions and laser focus can result in bulk-fill laser passes not intersecting edge-outline passes. Such deficiencies can result in unfused powder near the surface of the component, which may break through the surface to cause anomalies which cannot be healed by post-processing heat treatment steps including hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Laser and optics degradation, filtration, and other typical laser welding effects can also significantly impact process quality, particularly when operating for dozens or hundreds of hours per build.
In conventional additive manufacturing practice, a part build plan (PBP) is generated for a particular part design and executed by the additive manufacturing machine (AMM). Based on the PBP, the AMM controls multiple build parameters that are applied during the build, including the travel path of the material addition zone and parameters governing the application and processing of the material added to the part in the zone. In general, there is a complex relationship between these parameters and the quality of the built part.
The design of the PBP is an iterative process, which includes building a part based on a trial PBP, followed by assessment of the resulting trial part quality, and then modification of the trial PBP to adjust the expected part quality. This iteration of trial PBPs to meet overall manufacturing requirements, such as part quality and production rate, may require multiple iterations to attain the desired manufacturing requirements. Conventionally, assessment of the trial part quality is done by experimental testing of the part using either destructive or non-destructive techniques. In particular, DMLM parts may be sectioned, optical micrographs produced from the processed section, and the micrographs processed to quantify anomalies. The assessment of trial part quality is based on such tests. Such testing is laborious, expensive, and time-consuming, and significantly increases the time and cost of developing an acceptable PBP to release to final production.

System and methods for determining a quality score for a part manufactured by an additive manufacturing machine


A rating plug may be provided with an electrical coding such that unsuitable identification of the rating plug is not transmitted to the trigger unit, but rather the attempt to make use of such a rating plug leads to a signal. The signaling unit is arranged on the housing of the low-voltage power breaker, or on the trigger unit. Thus, if the rating plug is the wrong rating plug, wrong contact connection and a defective rating plug may be recorded.

Power circuit breakers in the low-voltage range should be suitable for use in as wide a rated-current range as possible, for example 200 A to 6300 A. It should therefore be possible to select their rated current. By setting a specific rated current, the appropriate overcurrent release parameters are set for a selected rated current. The overcurrent release may thus be physically the same for the whole rated-current range.
It is known for overcurrent releases to be equipped with a plug-in rated-current plug connector (rating plug) which is fitted with resistors, for example, and by use of which one or more characteristic values can be determined for the switch. It is thus not possible to operate the switch without the rated-current plug connector.
A rated-current plug connector is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,649,455. If the rated-current plug connector according to this solution is taken out of the switch, for example in order to replace it with a rated-current plug connector having different user settings, the tripping unit sets itself automatically to a minimum tripping value until a rated-current plug connector has been inserted again. In the simplest case, this is achieved by a setting resistor, which is connected electrically in parallel with the setting resistors in the rated-current plug connector, being arranged fixedly in the tripping unit and determining the rated current when the rated-current plug connector is removed.
In order to prevent unsuitable rated-current plug connectors, which would set a rated current outside the rating limits for the power circuit breaker, from being used, it is known, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,091, to mechanically code the rated-current plug connector using key-coding.
DE-A 198 45 825 also discloses a solution which uses electrical coding so that unsuitable characteristic values for the rated-current plug connector are not transferred to the tripping unit but, when an attempt is made to use such a rated-current plug connector, a signal is output. The signaling device should be arranged on the rated-current plug connector. A fault signal is output only when the rated-current plug connector is inserted. It is not possible in this way to indicate faults such as the absence of a contact connection between the rated-current plug connector and the tripping unit or the complete absence of a rated-current plug connector.

Low-voltage power breaker with a rating plug


A nonvolatile magnetic memory array uses magnetic memory cells that are formed in two types of shapes. The cells lie at the intersections of rows and columns of electrically conductive lines, which serve as the conductive paths for the write currents used to change the magnetization states of the magnetic cells. The two types of cells have shapes that are mirror images of each other, i.e, the shape of the second type of cell is arrived at by rotating the first type of cell 180 degrees about an axis through the cell. The two types of cells are thus a pair of asymmetric cells because they are asymmetric in regard to the predominant axis of magnetization. In the preferred pattern, each of the cells has a parallelogram shape with a length and a width with the predominant axis of magnetization lying substantially along a line between the acute corners of the parallelogram. The two types of cells are preferably arranged in the array in an alternating checkerboard pattern, which means that one type of cell is surrounded by neighboring cells of the other type. Because the predominant axis of magnetization of all neighboring cells is different from the predominant axis of magnetization of the cell selected for writing, there is substantially less likelihood that adjacent neighboring cells will also be written to. The memory array may be formed using either magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) cells or giant magnetoresistance (GMR) cells.

A nonvolatile magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is an array of memory cells formed on intersections of word lines and sense lines, each memory cell typically having two magnetic layers separated by a conductive or insulating layer. IBM's U.S. Pat. No. 5,343,422 describes an MRAM array wherein the memory cells operate on the basis of giant magnetoresistance (GMR), where each cell is a "spin-valve" cell comprising two thin layers of ferromagnetic material separated by a thin layer of nonmagnetic metallic conducting material, such as copper. IBM's U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,343 describes an MRAM array formed from magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) memory cells, where each cell comprises two thin layers of ferromagnetic material separated by a thin layer of insulating material, such as alumina. In the GMR type of MRAM array, the magnetization easy-axis of both ferromagnetic layers in each memory cell or storage element is oriented substantially lengthwise of the storage elements and substantially parallel to the direction of an applied sense current. In the MTJ type of MRAM array, the sense current is perpendicular to the plane of the magnetic layers. The magnetic moment or magnetization direction of one of the ferromagnetic layers is fixed in a direction substantially lengthwise of the storage elements, and the magnetization direction of the other layer is free to switch between two digital states in which the magnetization is substantially parallel or substantially antiparallel to the magnetization direction in the one layer.
To fabricate a large and reliably accessed MRAM array containing thousands or millions of cells on a single chip, uniformity and predictability of the magnetic response characteristic of each cell is of great importance. Prior methods of accessing unique cells for storing data involved two write currents, each producing less magnetic stimulus required to write a cell, but together producing more magnetic stimulus than required to write the cell. However, due to many factors related to manufacturing uncertainties and intrinsic magnetic material variability, cell to cell magnetic response variations can be very large. This magnetic response variability from cell to cell directly impacts the electrical and resultant magnetic writing stimulus needed to access each cell for storing data, and therefore prevents array-wide selectivity to occur using a preferred, fixed electrical and resultant magnetic writing stimulus value.
The prior art approach to the magnetic cell variability problem has been to improve the manufacturing process. This has been challenging because the magnetic response of the cells is sensitive not only to local defects but also to edge and surface roughness.
What is needed is an MRAM array that is operable even when there is variability of magnetic properties among the cells.

Magnetic memory array with paired asymmetric memory cells for improved write margin

International Business Machines Corporation


A golf ball has an inner core layer including a thermoplastic highly-neutralized ionomer and having a geometric center hardness less than a surface hardness to define a first positive hardness gradient. An outer core layer is formed about the inner core and includes a homogenous thermoset composition. The outer core has an interior hardness less than an outer surface hardness to define a second positive hardness gradient. An inner and outer cover layers are disposed about outer core layer. The first and second hardness gradients each have a slope and the slope of the second hardness gradient is less than the slope of the first hardness gradient such that a ratio of the first and second slopes is 0.8 to 0.85.

Solid golf balls are typically made with a solid core encased by a cover, both of which can have multiple layers, such as a dual core having a solid center (or inner core) and an outer core layer, or a multi-layer cover having inner and outer cover layers. Generally, golf ball cores and/or centers are constructed with a thermoset rubber, such as a polybutadiene-based composition.
Thermoset polymers, once formed, cannot be reprocessed because the molecular chains are covalently bonded to one another to form a three-dimensional (non-linear) crosslinked network. The physical properties of the uncrosslinked polymer (pre-cure) are dramatically different than the physical properties of the crosslinked polymer (post-cure). For the polymer chains to move, covalent bonds would need to be broken—this is only achieved via degradation of the polymer resulting in dramatic loss of physical properties.
Thermoset rubbers are heated and crosslinked in a variety of processing steps to create a golf ball core having certain desirable characteristics, such as higher or lower compression or hardness, that can impact the spin rate of the ball and/or provide better "feel." These and other characteristics can be tailored to the needs of golfers of different abilities. Due to the nature of thermoset materials and the heating/curing cycles used to form them into cores, manufacturers can achieve varying properties across the core (i.e., from the core surface to the center of the core). For example, most conventional single core golf ball cores have a 'hard-to-soft' hardness gradient from the surface of the core towards the center of the core.
In a conventional, polybutadiene-based core, the physical properties of the molded core are highly dependent on the curing cycle (i.e., the time and temperature that the core is subjected to during molding). This time/temperature history, in turn, is inherently variable throughout the core, with the center of the core being exposed to a different time/temperature (i.e., shorter time at a different temperature) than the surface (because of the time it takes to get heat to the center of the core) allowing a property gradient to exist at points between the center and core surface. This physical property gradient is readily measured as a hardness gradient, with a typical range of 5 to 40 Shore C, and more commonly 10 to 30 Shore C, being present in virtually all golf ball cores made from about the year 1970 on.
The patent literature contains a number of references that discuss 'hard-to-soft' hardness gradients across a thermoset golf ball core. Additionally, a number of patents disclose multilayer thermoset golf ball cores, where each core layer has a different hardness in an attempt to artificially create a hardness 'gradient' between core layer and core layer. Because of the melt properties of thermoplastic materials, however, the ability to achieve varied properties across a golf ball core has not been possible.
Unlike thermoset materials, thermoplastic polymers can be heated and re-formed, repeatedly, with little or no change in physical properties. For example, when at least the crystalline portion of a high molecular weight polymer is softened and/or melted (allowing for flow and formability), then cooled, the initial (pre-melting) and final (post-melting) molecular weights are essentially the same. The structure of thermoplastic polymers are generally linear, or slightly branched, and there is no intermolecular crosslinking or covalent bonding, thereby lending these polymers their thermolabile characteristics. Therefore, with a thermoplastic core, the physical properties pre-molding are effectively the same as the physical properties post-molding. Time/temperature variations have essentially no effect on the physical properties of a thermoplastic polymer.
As such, there is a need for a golf ball core, in particular a dual core, that has a gradient from the surface to the center (or inner portion) of each core layer. The hardness gradient may be either soft-to-hard (a "negative hardness gradient"), hard-to-soft (a "positive hardness gradient"), measuring radially inward, or, in the case of a dual core having a thermoplastic inner core layer, any combination of hardness gradients for each core layer (e.g. positive/positive, positive/negative, negative/positive, or negative/negative). A core exhibiting these various hardness gradients will allow the golf ball designer to create a thermoplastic core golf ball with unique gradient properties allowing for differences in ball characteristics such as compression, "feel," and spin.

Golf ball having a thermoplastic positive hardness gradient inner core layer and a thermostat shallow positive hardness gradient outer core layer


A exposure apparatus includes a charged beam radiating unit configured to radiate a charged beam, a shaping unit including an opening for shaping the beam, a storage unit to store a history of data concerning a beam area of the beam on the shaping unit, a predicting unit to predict change amount of dimensions of the beam passing through the opening to design dimensions of the opening, the predicting the change amount being carried out based on a relation between the beam area previously prepared and change amount of the dimensions of the beam passing through the opening to the design dimensions of the opening, and a correcting unit to correct dimension of a pattern which corresponds to the beam and is to be formed on the sample based on the change amount predicted by the predicting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charged beam exposure apparatus, a charged beam exposure method, a method of manufacturing a mask, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, which are used in semiconductor process.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one of lithography processes in semiconductor manufacturing processes, there is a photolithography process. The photolithography process has advantages including an easy-to-use process, a low cost performance, and the like. Therefore, the photolithography process is used widely in device production.
In the photolithography process, innovations are always made continuously. For example, in recent years, ultrafine elemental devices of a 0.1 μm level have been nearly attained through the introduction of a short wavelength (adaptation of an ArF excimer laser light source). For further ultrafine elemental devices, an immersion exposure apparatus in which a region between an objective lens and a surface of sample is immersed in liquid has been under its development. This type of exposure apparatus is expected to become a mass production lithography tool for the 65 nm rule generation.
However, in realizing the immersion exposure apparatus, the time concerning the development of the next-generation lithography technology has been prolonged, and it is worried that it may not catch up with the speed of miniaturization of devices.
On the other hand, it has been substantiated that an electron beam (EB) lithography process enables processing down to 10 nm by use of a thin narrowed electron beam. From the viewpoint of the miniaturization, the process will not have problems for some time to come. Nevertheless, concerning the dimensional precision and positional precision of drawn patterns, the process has the following problem. That is, the process has the problem that there occur a beam dimension error and a beam exposure position error depending on the cross-sectional area of the electron beam.
In an electron beam drawing apparatus of a variably shaped beam type, an electron beam is emitted from an electron gun. The electron beam passes through the first shaping aperture mask. The electron beam having passed through the first shaping aperture mask is irradiated onto the second shaping aperture mask. Dimensions of the beam that reaches onto a sample through the second shaping aperture mask is controlled by controlling a position of the beam that is irradiated onto the second shaping aperture mask.
When a fine pattern is drawn, in other words, when a fine beam is irradiated onto the sample, most of the electron beam is cut by the second shaping aperture mask. Therefore, most of the electron beam energy is absorbed in the second shaping aperture mask.
On the other hand, when a large area pattern is drawn, in other words, when a large area beam is irradiated onto the sample, the amount of the electron beam cut by the second shaping aperture mask is extremely small. Therefore, only a little amount of the electron beam energy is absorbed in the second shaping aperture mask.
Thus, in the case of drawing the fine pattern, the amount of the electron beam energy that is absorbed into the second shaping aperture mask is larger than in the case of drawing the large area pattern. Accordingly, the heat quantity that is given to the second shaping aperture mask becomes larger in the case of drawing the fine pattern than in the case of drawing the large area pattern. Therefore, the thermal expansion of the second shaping aperture mask becomes larger in the case of drawing the fine pattern than in the case of drawing the large area pattern.
Such the difference in the heat quantity absorbed in the second shaping aperture mask causes temperature fluctuation in the second shaping aperture mask, and as a result, thermal expansion changes occur in the second shaping aperture mask. Then, owing to such thermal expansion changes, a position of an opening (aperture) in the second shaping aperture mask changes, and in a conspicuous case, there occurs a distortion in the opening shape. These changes of the opening position and the distortion of the opening shape become factors to cause a dimension error of the electron beam which passes through the second shaping aperture mask or an irradiation position error of the electron beam on a sample (Japanese Patent No. 3431445).
Also, even in the case of a character projection type (partial entire exposure type) exposure apparatus or an electron beam projection lithography (EPL) type exposure apparatus (large area transfer exposure apparatus) that transfers a mask pattern by use of an electron beam, there occur similar problems.
More specifically, the heat quantity that the electron beam supplies to a mask differs due to differences in an opening ratio of a partial entire exposure transfer mask (character aperture mask), and an opening ratio of an EPL mask, and accordingly, temperature fluctuations occur in the mask during exposure. As a result, there occurs a change in the thermal expansion of the mask, and a position of the opening in the mask changes, and in a conspicuous case, there occurs a distortion in the opening shape. These changes of the opening position and the distortion of the opening shape become factors to cause a dimension error of a transferred pattern (for example, a resist pattern) on a wafer or an irradiation position error of the electron beam on a wafer.

Charged beam exposure apparatus and method for manufacturing mask and semiconductor device


A hydraulic ride control system for a working vehicle such as a wheel loader is provided with boom cylinders, an actuator control valve for controlling a pressure in bottom pressure chambers of the boom cylinders, an accumulator connected to the bottom pressure chambers of the boom cylinders via a connection line, an opening control valve having a pilot chamber to selectively communicating or cutting off the connection line depending on a pressure in the pilot chamber, and a selector unit for selectively feeding a pressure to or draining a pressure from the pilot chamber. The selector unit comprises a controller for variably controlling an opening of the opening control valve.

In digging/loading work by a wheel loader, earth, sand or the like loaded in a bucket is often moved to a predetermined place. When traveling with the load, up and down movements of the vehicle cause a boom to swing up and down due to an increased weight of the bucket, and as a result, amplify vibrations of the vehicle.
With a view to suppressing these vibrations, a bottom pressure chamber of a boom cylinder and an accumulator are brought into communication with each other during traveling to have pressure fluctuations in the bottom pressure chamber absorbed in the accumulator, and during digging work with a bucket, on the other hand, the communication with the accumulator is cut off to prevent the absorption of digging force in the accumulator. As a conventional technique of this sort, reference can be made to JP-A-2000-309953.
FIG. 9 illustrates an essential part of the technique disclosed in JP-A-2000-309953 although it is not any of the drawings contained in this patent publication. Taking FIG. 9 as the conventional technique, a description will hereinafter be made. The conventional technique shown in FIG. 9 is provided with hydraulic cylinders arranged on a working vehicle, specifically boom cylinders 51, an actuator control valve for controlling a pressure in pressure chambers of these boom cylinders 51, specifically an actuator control valve 54, and main lines 52, 53 connecting the actuator control valve 54 and bottom pressure chambers 51a and rod pressure chambers 51b of the boom cylinders, respectively, and is also equipped with a branch circuit 50 branched out from the main lines 52,53. The branch circuit 50 has branch lines 55,56 branched out from the main lines 52,53, respectively, and these branch lines 55,56 are connected to an accumulator 58 and reservoir 61, respectively, via an opening control valve 57. Responsive to a signal from a controller 60, a solenoid valve 59 is switched so that the opening control valve 57 switched into a closed position G or open position H.
During digging work with the bucket, the opening control valve 57 is in the closed position G, so that the bottom pressure chambers 51a of the boom cylinder 51 and the accumulator 58 are kept out of communication to prevent the absorption of digging force, which is applied to the boom cylinders 51, in the accumulator 58.
During traveling, on the other hand, the solenoid valve 59 is switched to bring the opening control valve 57 into the closed position H. The bottom pressure chambers 51a of the boom cylinders 51 are, therefore, brought into communication with the accumulator 58 to have fluctuations in the load on the bottom pressure chambers 51a absorbed in the accumulator 58, so that vibrations of the vehicle can be suppressed.
In the above-described conventional technique, the opening control valve 57 is arranged to selectively bring the bottom pressures 51a of the boom cylinder 51 into communication with the accumulator 58 or to selectively cut off their communication. During the communication, the opening of the opening control valve 57 always remains constant. The weight of a front part, however, varies depending on the material or the like loaded on the bucket, the vehicle class, the front attachment, and the like. When the opening of the opening control valve 57 is excessively small relative to the weight of the front section, fluctuations in the load applied on a boom may not be fully absorbed in the accumulator 58 in some instances, in other words, vibrations may not be suppressed in some instances. When the opening is conversely too large relative to the weight of the front section, the vibrations of the front section may not be sufficiently attenuated so that the body of the working vehicle may be shaken to make it unstable in some instances. Accordingly, the conventional technique may not be able to fully absorb, in some instances, vibrations which take place as a result of a change in the weight of the front section.

Hydraulic ride control system for working vehicle

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.


A base station device includes: a receiver, which, in operation, receives signals from one or more other base station devices in a system using an adjacent frequency band; a searcher, which, in operation, searches for one or more center frequencies of signals from the one or more other base station devices; a selector, which, in operation, selects a synchronization target base station device from which a respective center frequency has been acquired from among the one or more other base station devices; and a controller, which, in operation, sets an operation parameter to establish synchronization with transmission and reception timings of the synchronization target base station device.

A network listening technique, which is being developed, controls interference between the base stations that have cell regions overlapping each other in the identical system using the same frequency band (see PTL 1). In the identical system, each base station knows resources used by other base stations. Thus, the interference can be avoided by using a resource that is not used by the other base stations.
In a case of two different systems using adjacent frequency bands, a sufficiently wide guard band is conventionally provided between the adjacent frequency bands to reduce the interference between the adjacent frequency bands. For existing local broadband wireless access (BWA) systems using a 2.5 GHz band, for example, frequency bands ranging from 2575 MHz to 2582 MHz and from 2592 MHz to 2595 MHz are fixedly provided, as guard bands, within an allocated frequency band ranging from 2575 MHz to 2595 MHz.

Base station device and communication method thereof

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co.


Disclosed is a method and apparatus for tracking in-progress writes to a data volume and a copy thereof using a multi-column bit map. The method can be implemented in a computer system and, in one embodiment, includes creating a data volume in a first memory, and creating a copy of the data volume in a second memory. In response to the computer system receiving a request to write first data to the data volume, the computer system switches the state of first and second bits of a map entry in a memory device, wherein the state of the first and second bits are switched using a single write access to the memory device.

Many businesses rely on large-scale data processing systems for storing and processing their data. Insurance companies, banks, brokerage firms, etc., rely heavily on data processing systems. Often the viability of a business depends on the reliability of access to data contained within its data processing system. As such, businesses seek reliable ways to consistently protect their data processing systems and the data contained therein from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or computer hardware and/or software failures.
Businesses must be prepared to eliminate or minimize data loss and recover quickly with useable data after an unpredicted event such as a hardware or software failure in the data processing system. When an unexpected event occurs that causes loss of data, businesses often recreate the data using backup copies of their data made on magnetic storage tape. Restoring data from a backup tape is typically a time-consuming process that often results in a substantial loss of business opportunity. Business opportunity is lost because the data processing system cannot process new data transactions while data is being recreated from backup copies. Further, restoration from tape usually involves loss of data. For most businesses, this kind of data loss and down time is unacceptable. Mirrored data volume and virtual point-in-time (PIT) backup technologies offer better solutions for full and accurate restoration of business critical data. Mirrored data volume and virtual PIT technologies not only minimize or eliminate data loss, but also enable rapid recovery of a data processing system when compared to conventional bulk data transfer from sequential media.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary data processing system 10 that employs mirrored data volume and virtual PIT backup technology. Data processing system 10 includes a host node 12 coupled to data storage systems 14–18. Data storage systems 14–18 include data memories 24–28, respectively. As will be more fully described below, data memory 24 stores a primary data volume, data memory 26 stores a virtual PIT backup copy of the primary data volume, and data memory 28 stores a mirrored copy of the data volume. Data processing system 10 shown in FIG. 1 and its description herein should not be considered prior art to the invention disclosed and/or claimed.
Host node 12 may take form in a computer system (e.g., a server computer system) that receives and processes requests to read or write data to the primary data volume stored within memory 24. In response to receiving these requests, host node 12 generates read or write-data transactions for reading or writing data to the primary data volume within data memory 24. It is noted that host node 12 is capable of accessing each of the memories 24–28 or memory internal to host node 12 for reading or writing data to the data volumes stored therein.
Each of the data memories 24–28 may include several memory devices such as arrays of magnetic or optical discs. The primary data volume maybe distributed across several memory devices of memory 24. Likewise, the virtual PIT copy of the primary data volume is distributed across several memory devices of data memory 26, and the mirrored copy of the primary data volume is distributed across several memory devices of data memory 28. Each of the data memories 24–28 may include nmax physical memory blocks into which data can be stored. More particularly, data memory 24 includes nmax memory blocks allocated by host node 12 for storing data of the primary data volume, data memory 26 includes nmax memory blocks allocated to store the virtual PIT backup copy of the primary data volume, and data memory 28 includes nmax memory blocks allocated to store the mirrored copy of the primary data volume. Corresponding memory blocks in data memories 24–28 are equal in size. Thus, memory block 1 of data memory 24 is equal in size to memory block 1 of data memories 26 and 28.
Host node 12 creates the virtual PIT backup copy of the primary data volume according to the methods described in U.S. patent application No. 10/143,059 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Creating a Virtual Data Copy," and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/254,753 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,912,631, filed Sep. 25, 2002 and entitled "Method and Apparatus for Restoring a Corrupted Data Volume," each of which is incorporated herein by reference in entirety. These references describe how host node 12 reads and writes data to the virtual PIT copies. Additionally, the above referenced applications describe how the virtual PIT backup copy can be converted to a real PIT backup copy using a background copying process executed by host node 12.
Host node 12 creates the virtual PIT backup copy of the primary data volume when host node receives or internally generates a command to create a PIT copy of the primary data volume. Initially (i.e., before any virtual PIT copy is created in data memory 26) data memory 26 contains no data. When host node 12 creates the first virtual PIT backup copy in memory 26, host node 12 creates a pair of valid/modified (VM) maps, such as maps 30 and 32 shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 also shows a third map 34 which will be more fully described below. VM maps 30 and 32 correspond to the primary data volume and the virtual PIT copy thereof, respectively, stored within data memories 24 and 26, respectively. Hence, VM maps 30 and 32 will be referred to as primary VM map 30 and PIT backup copy VM map 32.
Each of the VM maps 30 and 32 include nmax entries, each entry having two bits. Each entry of primary VM map 30 corresponds to a respective block of data memory 24, while each entry of the virtual PIT backup copy VM map 32 corresponds to a respective block of data memory 26. The first and second bits in each entry of VM maps 30 and 32 are designated Vn and Mn, respectively. Vn of each entry, depending on its state (i.e., logical 0 or logical 1), indicates whether block n of the associated memory contains valid data. Vn of the primary VM map 30 indicates whether a corresponding memory block n in memory 24 stores valid data. For example, when set to logical 1, V2 of VM map 30 indicates that block 2 of data memory 24 contains valid data of the primary data volume, and when set to logical 0, V2 of the VM map 30 indicates that block 2 of data memory 24 contains no valid data of the primary data volume. Vn of the PIT backup copy VM map 32 indicates whether memory block n in memory 26 stores a valid point-in-time copy of data in block n of memory 24. For example, V2 of VM map 32, when set to logical 1, indicates that block 2 of memory 26 contains a valid copy of data that existed in block 2 of memory 24 at the time the PIT backup copy was first created or at the time the PIT backup copy was last refreshed. U.S. application Ser. No. 10/326,427, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,053, entitled "Instant Refresh of A Data Volume" describes one method of refreshing a PIT backup copy and is incorporated herein by reference in entirety. V2 of VM map 32, when set to logical 0, indicates that block 2 of memory 26 does not contain a valid copy of data. The Vn bit of PIT backup copy VM map 32 is used to determine when data in block n of memory 24 is to be copied to block n of memory 26. More particularly, when host node 12 generates a write-data transaction for writing data to block n of memory 24, host node 12 checks the status of Vn in PIT backup copy VM map 32. If Vn is set to logical 0, then the PIT backup copy in memory 26 lacks a valid copy of data of block n in memory 24. Before data can be written to block n of memory 24 in accordance with the write-data transaction, data in block n of memory 24 must first be copied to block n of memory 26. If, on the other hand, Vn is set to logical 1, data can be written to block n of memory 24 in accordance with the write-data transaction without first copying data to block n of memory 26.
Mn in each entry of VM map 30 and PIT copy VM map 32, depending upon its state, indicates whether data within a respective block n of the corresponding memory is modified (or new) since the time the PIT backup copy was first created or last refreshed. For example, when set to logical 1, M3 of the primary VM map 30, indicates that block 3 of data memory 24 contains data which has been modified since the time the PIT backup copy was first created or last refreshed. When set to logical 0, M3 of the primary VM map of 30 indicates that data has not been modified or written to Block 3 of data memory 24 since the time the PIT backup copy was first created or refreshed.
When VM maps 30 and 32 are first created by host node 12, each entry of PIT VM map 32 is set to logical 0 thus indicating that data memory 26 contains no valid or modified data. For purposes of explanation, it is presumed that each block of data memory 24 contains valid data of the primary volume. Accordingly, VM of each entry within primary VM map 30 is initially set to logical 1. Lastly, Mn of each entry in primary VM map 30 is initially set to logical 0.
As noted above, data memory 28 stores a mirrored copy of the primary data volume. A mirrored copy is considered a real time copy of the primary data volume. Each time host node 12 writes data to the primary data volume stored in memory 24 via a write-data transaction, host node also generates a transaction to write the same data to the mirrored copy stored within memory 28. Thus, the mirrored copy, as its name implies, closely tracks the changes to the primary data volume. The mirrored copy within memory 28 provides an immediate backup data source in the event that data storage system 14 fails as a result of hardware and/or software failure. If data storage system 14 suddenly becomes unusable or inaccessible, host node 12 can service client computer system read or write requests using the mirrored volume within data memory 28.
Host node 12 is also subject to hardware and/or software failure. In other words, host node 12 may crash. When host node 12 recovers from a crash, host node 12 expects contents of the data memory 24 to be consistent with the contents of the data memory 28. Unfortunately, host node 12 may crash after a write-data transaction is completed to data memory 24, but before the mirrored copy can be updated with the same data of the write-data transaction. If this is to happen, the contents of the primary data copy stored in memory 24 will be inconsistent with the mirrored copy in memory 28 when host node 12 recovers from its crash.
Host node 12 uses the dirty region (DR) map 34 shown in FIG. 2 to safeguard against inconsistencies between memories 24 and 28 after crash recovery. DR map 34 includes nmax entries corresponding to the nmax memory blocks in data memories 24 and 28. Each entry includes one bit which, when set to logical 0 or logical 1, indicates whether respective memory blocks in data memories 24 and 28 are the subject of an in-progress write-data transaction. For example, host node 12 sets DR2 to logical 1 before host node 12 writes data to memory block 2 in data memories 24 and 28. Setting or clearing a bit in DR map 34 requires a write (i.e., an I/O operation) to memory that stores DR map 34. After the write transaction is completed to memory block 2 of data memories 24 and 28, host node 12 switches the state of DR2 back to 0 using another write operation.
If host node 12 crashes, the contents of DR map 34 is preserved. After recovering from the crash, host node 12 copies the contents of memory blocks in data memory 24 to respective memory blocks in data memory 28, or vice versa, for each respective DRn bit set to logical 1 in DR map 34. After these memory blocks are copied, host node 12 is ensured that the primary data volume of data memory 24 is consistent with the mirrored copy of data memory 28.
Host node 12 is burdened by having to generate two separate write operations to update VM map 30 and DR map 34 with each write-data transaction to the primary data volume. More particularly, with each write-data transaction, host node 12 must generate a first write operation to update VM map 30 and a second write operation to update DR map 34. Additionally, a substantial amount of time is needed to complete separate write operations to VM map 30 and DR map 34. To illustrate, FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating operational aspects of modifying or writing data of the primary volume within data memory 24 in accordance with a write-data transaction. More particularly, when host node 12 receives a request to write data to the primary volume from one of the computer systems, host node 12 generates a write-data transaction to write data to block n of memory 24. In step 42, host node 12 accesses VM map 32 to determine whether Vn is set to logical 1. If Vn of the VM map 32 is set to logical 0, then host computer 12, as shown in step 44, copies the contents of block n of memory 24 to the corresponding block n in memory 26. Thereafter, in step 46 host computer 12 sets Vn of the VM map 32 to logical 1. Before host computer system 12 writes or modifies data of block n of memory 24 that stores a portion of the primary volume and block n of memory 28 that stores a portion of the mirrored copy, host computer system 12 must set Mn and DRn of primary VM map 30 and DR map 34, respectively, to logical 1. It is noted that Mn and DRn are in separate tables, and thus have separate addresses within memory. Accordingly, host computer system 12 must generate separate writes or 10 functions to set Mn and DRn to logical 1. The time it takes, for example, for the read/write head (not shown) to travel across a magnetic disc to reach the appropriate sector that stores Mn of VM map 30, followed by the time it takes for the magnetic read/write to travel across the magnetic disc to reach another sector that stores DRn of the DR map 34, may be substantial. Once Mn and DRn are set to logical 1 in steps 50 and 52, host node 12 writes data to block n in memory 24 as shown in step 54 and writes data to block n of memory 28.

Tracking in-progress writes through use of multi-column bitmaps


A cutting- and creasing -wheel assembly includes a cutting tool, such as a circular disc having a continuous or a serrated cutting edge. The disc is rotatable and supported between a pair of rotatable creasing- wheel halves, the creasing-wheel halves being of equal radial dimension. The disc is controllable for movement between a non-operative position wherein the cutting edge is withdrawn radially inside the outer peripheries of the creasing-wheel halves, and an operative position wherein the cutting edge is projecting radially outside the peripheries. The method of slitting a corrugated or otherwise compressible material involves the provision and control of a cutting tool, preferably a circular disc having a continuous or serrated cutting edge. The disc is arranged to be rotatable and movably supported between a pair of rotatable creasing-wheel halves of equal radial dimension in a cutting- and creasing wheel assembly.

In the production of packaging blanks, e.g., it is a common practice to feed a web material to be engaged by creasing tools and cutting tools arranged to produce creasing lines and slits, respectively, in a pattern adapted for making a packaging design, such as a box. In the prior art, creasing wheels and cutting wheels are separately supported and arranged in tandem in machines through which the web material is advanced by feed rollers. Examples of prior art cutting wheels and creasing wheels may be found in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,072,641; 5,964,686, and 6,840,898.
Each operative engagement with a material being fed through separate stations for creasing, cutting etc., increases the risk of the material jamming in or between the separate stations. More stations also means more expensive components such as feed rollers and supporting structures, and results in machines of greater lengths. Longer machines makes the accuracy in lateral guidance of a web material more problematic, and also makes it more difficult to observe and monitor the process and to reach into the structure at maintenance work.
Another problem encountered in connection with forming slits through a corrugated paper board, e.g., is the thickness of the material, resulting from the corrugation that separates the upper paper liner from the lower paper liner. Cutting the corrugated paper board with the circular edge of a cutting wheel thus requires an excessive cutting length through the upper liner and through the corrugation, which may weaken the finished packaging and which may form crack indications that occasionally will lead to rupture. Obviously, this problem grows with increasing radial dimensions of the cutting-wheel.

Cutting-and creasing-wheel assembly, and a method for cutting and creasing a compressible material


A method for forming a photo-mask is provided. A first photo-mask pattern relating to a first line, an original second photo-mask pattern relating to a first via plug, and a third photo-mask pattern relating to a second line are provided. A first optical proximity correction (OPC) process is performed. A second OPC process is performed, comprising enlarging a width of the second photo-mask pattern along the first direction to form a revised second photo-resist pattern. A contour simulation process is performed to make sure the revised second photo-mask pattern is larger or equal to the original second-mask pattern. The first photo-mask pattern, the revised second photo-mask pattern, and the third photo-mask pattern are output. The present invention further provides an OPC method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an OPC method and method using the OPC method for forming at least a photo-mask, and more particularly, the photo-masks are used in a self aligned via (SAV) process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In semiconductor manufacturing processes, in order to transfer an integrated circuit layout onto a semiconductor wafer, the integrated circuit layout is first designed and formed as a photo-mask pattern. The photo-mask pattern is then proportionally transferred to a photoresist layer positioned on the semiconductor wafer.
In recent years, with the increasing miniaturization of semiconductor devices, the design rule of line width and space between lines or devices becomes finer. However, the width is subject to optical characteristics. To obtain fine-sized devices in the exposure, the interval between transparent regions in a mask is scaled down with device size. When the light passes through the mask, diffraction occurs and reduces resolution. Moreover, when light passes through the transparent regions of a mask having different interval sizes, the light through the regions having small interval sizes is influenced by the transparent regions having large interval sizes and results in deformation of the transfer pattern. Currently, a technique called "optical proximity correction (OPC)" is developed. The OPC method is used to imitate the feature that light passes through the photo-mask and to further compensate the pattern of the mask to form the desired pattern after the exposure process.
In the conventional arts, the "dual damascene" process is widely used to form a metal interconnection system which is consisted of metal lines and plugs. However, the OPC method used for forming the masks of the metal interconnection system is not well studied.

Method for forming photo-mask and OPC method


A crystalline N-(4-(4-aminothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)phenyl)-N′-(2-fluoro-5-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)urea benzenesulfonate characterized in the triclinic crystal system and P-1 space group, when measured with radiation at 0.7107 Å, by lattice parameters a, b and c of 7.800 Å±0.001 Å, 13.406 Å±0.002 Å and 13.554 Å±0.002 Å, respectively and α, β and γ of 67.155±0.002, 79.724°±0.002° and 84.067±0.002, respectively, ways to make it, compositions comprising it, and methods of treatment using it are disclosed.

The compound N-(4-(4-aminothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)phenyl)-N′-(2-fluoro-5-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)urea is useful for treating diseases caused or exascerbated by upregulation or overexpression of protein tyrosine kinases.
Because the crystallinity of salts of compounds may effect, among other physical and mechanical properties, their solubility, dissolution rate, hardness, compressability and melting point, there is an existing need in the process and therapeutic arts for identification of crystalline salts of N-(4-(4-aminothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)phenyl)-N′-(2-fluoro-5-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)urea and ways to reproducibly make them.


A computer system is described in which a table created in memory includes drive description data for one or more IDE devices included in the system. A command intercept circuit is described which intercepts device-identification commands and reroutes the device-identification operation to memory. The command intercept circuit includes an address decode circuit which asserts a first control signal upon decoding an address corresponding with the one or more IDE devices. A command decode circuit responds to the asserted first control signal to decode data and asserts a second control signal when the decoded data corresponds with a device-identification command. An address generator responds to the asserted second control signal to generate a memory address where the drive description data table is stored.

The use of computers, especially personal computers (PCs) is widespread. The computing power of the PC, whether coupled to a network or operating as a stand-alone device, has increased significantly as new computer designs move into production. Central processing units have become faster and more complex with each new generation of PC. Memory chips have also increased in both capacity and speed. Other elements, such as disk drives and compact disk read-only memory drives are common on PCs.
As the new computer designs have consistently increased computing power, the complexity of the programs that run the computer has correspondingly increased. To take advantage of the increased computing power, operating systems, such as Microsoft MSDOS.RTM. and Microsoft Windows.RTM. 95, have become more complex. As a result, the installation and set-up of a new computer can be extremely complex, especially for individuals with little or no technical training.
Certain computer devices, such as integrated device electronics (IDE) devices and "plug and play" interface boards, have the ability to be identified by the computer operating system and/or other system management software, which is then configured accordingly. But while the speed of central processing units and memories have increased, there are limitations to the speed at which the IDE devices can transfer data, including data used to identify the devices. For example, writing an auto-identification command to an IDE disk drive is slow relative to the processing speed of the central processing unit, as is reading drive-identifying data retrieved from the IDE disk drive. Further, currently available schemes for managing multiple drive systems and/or protecting regions on a drive that might otherwise be used by system management software are awkwardly implemented and result in sub-optimal system performance. Therefore, it can be appreciated that there is a significant need for an improved system and method for identification of computer data storage devices. The present invention provides this and other advantages as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.

Method of redirecting I/O operations to memory


A system and method for identifying and removing potentially unwanted software. A mechanism is provided that identifies suspect programs to a user and allows the user to prevent the suspect programs from running without actually deleting them. In one embodiment, scanner data identifying potentially unwanted software is displayed in a GUI that allows the user to inhibit its continued execution. For example, any software not on a list of known, benign applications/processes may be identified as potentially unwanted. Similarly, software that displays one or more suspect behaviors may be so identified, allowing the user to distinguish between normal and suspect software without irreversibly altering the user's system.

It is estimated that four out of five users have unwanted software on their PCs. Many vendors have developed programs to remove these pieces of software. Typically, a collection of signatures is developed which represents each piece of unwanted software and the computer is searched for objects which match these signatures. The list of unwanted software is displayed to the user, and the user is given the option to remove and/or quarantine these objects. The problem with this approach is the need to develop an exact match for each piece of unwanted software which should be removed. This list of potentially unwanted software can grow indefinitely and needs constant updating. Moreover, at any given time there may be any number of entities developing and distributing potentially unwanted software, and it is difficult to install identifying signatures for each of them on every machine.
The embodiment of the present invention is directed to providing a system and method that overcome the foregoing and other disadvantages. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a system and method for identifying and removing unwanted software.

Identifying and removing potentially unwanted software


A Cold Spark Device (CSD) is provided and includes a CSD base, wherein the CSD base includes a CSD collector defining a collector cavity, wherein the CSD collector includes a collector top, collector sides and a collector bottom, the collector top defining a top opening, and wherein the collector bottom defines a first collector bottom opening and a second collector bottom opening, a CSD sparkling device, and a CSD display case, wherein the CSD base includes a base structure which defines a base cavity for containing the CSD sparkling device, wherein the base structure defines a base cavity opening communicated with the base cavity.

Pyrotechnic displays are well known and have been used for entertainment purposes for many years. However, these displays are notorious for emitting hot embers or sparks that can ignite surrounding materials. This is undesirable because it can start fires in crowed venues that can easily get out of control thereby causing property damage and/or death. In fact, there have been several instances where pyrotechnic displays were found to be the cause of fires that killed or injured a large number of people.