A micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve is provided which has an operation temperature adjustable readily, causing no leakage below the operation temperature even at a high pressure difference, being useful both in a liquid environment and in a gas environment, and being miniaturizable. The micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve comprises a silicon substrate 100, a channel 101 penetrating the entire thickness of the silicon substrate, and a low melting point metal member 101 deposited on one face of the silicon substrate to obstruct the channel.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve, and to a process for production thereof. More specifically the present invention relates to a temperature dependent one-shot valve having a rupture mechanism, useful as a safety mechanism of a fuel cell, a feed-starting mechanism of a lab-on-a-chips, and a smart micro-pill, or a like mechanism. The present invention relates also to a process for producing the valve by a micro-machine technologies.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since 1980s, various micro-valves are disclosed which are produced by micro-machine technologiess (hereinafter referred to as "micro-machined valves"); (K. W. Oh, and C. H. Ahn: "A review of microvalves", J. Micromech. Microeng., 16, R13-R39, 2006). According to the disclosures, the micro-machined valves are classified mainly into two groups: passive valves and active valves.
On the other hand, another type of micro-machined valves are known which are designed to function only once, such as one-shot valves. The one-shot valves are useful, for example, as a valve for triggering a mixing reaction in a lab-on-a-chips, and a valve for delivering a medical sample to a smart micro-pill. The one-shot valves, which are constructed as a thermally operated valve, are useful as a safety valve of a fuel cell of a small portable device having a small fuel tank. Such a valve can be applicable as a rupture mechanism for releasing the pressure when the pressure of the fuel cell rises abnormally owing to a temperature rise.
In the present invention, the one-shot valve which is manufactured by a micro-machine technologies and is operated by a temperature rise is defined as a micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve.
A micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve is disclosed by O. Guerin, L. J. O. Dubochet, J.-F. Zeberli, Ph. Clot, and Ph. Renaud: "Miniature one-shot valve" IEEE MEMS Conference, pp. 425-428, 1998. This one-shot valve opens a obstructed micro-channel by melting of a polyethylene layer. Therefore, the operation temperature of this valve depends on the melting temperature of the polyethylene.
Another micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve which utilizes a micro-sphere is disclosed by P. Griss, Anderson H., and G. Stemme: "Expandable Microspheres for the Handling of Liquids", Lab Chip, 2:pp. 117-120, 2002. In this micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve, a micro-sphere held in a channel expands at or above a preset temperature to a volume of about 60 times the original volume to obstruct the channel. This micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve serves to obstruct an release channel.
A still another micro-machined one-shot valve which is operated by an electric current is disclosed by J. T. Santini, A. C. Richards, R. Scheidt, M. J. Cima, and R. Langer: "Microchips as Controlled Drug-Delivery Devices", Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 39, pp. 2396-2407, 2000. This valve is placed in a cell in a silicon wafer. At the top of the cell, a metal layer serving as an anode is deposited, and beside the cell another metal layer serving as a cathode is fusion bonded. This valve is immersed in an electrolyte solution. Application of a potential between the anode and the cathode oxidizes the anode and dissolves the anode in the electrolyte solution to open the valve.
Further, a thermal operation valve is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,453. This valve is constituted of a sealing member composed of a solder placed at a metal tube connection portion. This solder stops the flow in the tube. Application of heat melts the solder to open the valve to allow the liquid to flow through the metal tube.
A safety device which prevents a damage of an atomic reactor pressure vessel is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,385. This device has a solder sealing at a pressure-compensation opening. In the normal operation, the solder in a solid state seals the opening: an abnormally high temperature melts the solder and the overpressure inside the reactor pushes out the melted solder to release the pressure.
The above-mentioned disclosed valves have disadvantages as below.
The one disclosed by O. Guerin et al. has its operation temperature not adjustable for its use, although the operation temperature of the micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve is preferably adjustable arbitrarily to be suitable for the use. The desired operation temperature of the valve depends on the boiling point of the liquid to be handled, the maximum pressure of the gas in the container, and so forth.
For a pressure release, the stop valve should be capable of opening a flow path. However, the one disclosed by P. Griss et al. serves only to obstruct the flow path, but cannot release the flow path.
The one disclosed by J. T. Santini et al. is useful only in an electrolyte environment, although the valve is preferably useful in any use environment as a safety mechanism or a feed-starting mechanism.
The micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot shot valve can be incorporated in a small system. Further it has advantages below. One advantage is a high responsiveness to the environmental temperature owing to rapid temperature diffusion in its small size of the valve. Another advantage is that the plural devices can be produced in a batch process on one and the same supporting member by a micro-machine technologies, especially an MEMS technique. This enables reduction of the production cost, and enables also simultaneous preparation of a control mechanism like a heater near the valve.
However, the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,313,453 and 5,526,385 employing a solder is produced necessarily by a typical macro-technique. Therefore the device cannot be made smaller in the size than 2-3 mm3, and the device cannot be produced by a batch process. Further, the control system like a heater cannot be incorporated directly.
The problems with the micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve are summarized as below.
At the ambient temperature higher than the preset temperature Tm, the pressure of the pressurized gas or liquid should be released. That is, the valve is designed such that the valve connected to a tank containing a pressurized gas or liquid is kept obstructed below the preset temperature, and opens at a temperature higher than the preset temperature. The temperature Tm of the valve opening should be made readily adjustable in design of the system. The valve should keep obstructing against a large pressure difference at a temperature below Tm in a designed range without leakage.
The valve is useful both in a liquid environment and in a gas environment. Further, the valve is preferably formed in a size typically smaller than 2-3 mm3. The valve is preferably produced by a batch process. The valve can preferably be combined with a heater in the system for on-demand triggering of the valve.

Micro-machined temperature dependent one-shot valve and process for production thereof


Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining live video content from equipment of a media content provider, determining priority content within the live video content; segmenting the live video content into a plurality of tiles according to the priority content, and transcoding the live video content according to a type of client device. Further embodiments include determining an encoding schedule for the plurality of tiles according to the priority content, encoding the plurality of tiles according to the encoding schedule, and providing the plurality of tiles to the client device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Live streaming has become a popular way in which users enjoy live events such as sports games and concerts. A user can capture the live event as live video content and provide the live video content to a video content server over a communication network. The video content server can then live stream the live video content to many different users across one or more communication networks.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Methods, devices, and systems for encoding portions of video content according to priority content within live video content


A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and method for wireless uplink communication to and downlink communication from a wireless network are provided. The WTRU has a selectively configurable transceiver that has a network connected mode defined by a plurality of functional states including at least one monitoring state and a duplex state. The transceiver is configured to transition from a monitoring state upon occurrence of predefined WTRU events that are each associated with a respective uplink procedure initiation communication where at least one of procedures results in a network response that includes a temporary identifier. The transceiver is configurable into a transition state wherein the transceiver is configured to send only the uplink initiation communications and is otherwise configured only for downlink communications.

Wireless telecommunication systems are well known in the art. In order to provide global connectivity for wireless systems, standards have been developed and are being implemented. One current standard in widespread use is known as Global System for Mobile Telecommunications (GSM). This is considered as a so-called Second Generation mobile radio system standard (2G) and was followed by its revision (2.5G). GPRS and EDGE are examples of 2.5G technologies that offer relatively high speed data service on top of (2G) GSM networks. Each one of these standards sought to improve upon the prior standard with additional features and enhancements. In January 1998, the European Telecommunications Standard Institute—Special Mobile Group (ETSI SMG) agreed on a radio access scheme for Third Generation Radio Systems called Universal Mobile Telecommunications Systems (UMTS). To further implement the UMTS standard, the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) was formed in December 1998. 3GPP continues to work on a common third generational mobile radio standard.
A typical UMTS system architecture in accordance with current 3GPP specifications is depicted in FIG. 1a. The UMTS network architecture includes a Core Network (CN) interconnected with a UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN) via an interface known as Iu which is defined in detail in the current publicly available 3GPP specification documents. The UTRAN is configured to provide wireless telecommunication services to users through wireless transmit receive units (WTRUs), known as User Equipments (UEs) in 3GPP, via a radio interface known as Uu. The UTRAN has one or more Radio Network Controllers (RNCs) and base stations, known as Node Bs in 3GPP, which collectively provide for the geographic coverage for wireless communications with UEs. One or more Node Bs is connected to each RNC via an interface known as Iub in 3GPP. The UTRAN may have several groups of Node Bs connected to different RNCs; two are shown in the example depicted in FIG. 1. Where more than one RNC is provided in a UTRAN, inter-RNC communication is performed via an Iur interface.
Communications external to the network components are performed by the Node Bs on a user level via the Uu interface and the CN on a network level via various CN connections to external systems.
In general, the primary function of base stations, such as Node Bs, is to provide a radio connection between the base stations' network and the WTRUs. Typically a base station emits common channel signals allowing non-connected WTRUs to become synchronized with the base station's timing. In 3GPP, a Node B performs the physical radio connection with the UEs. The Node B receives signals over the Iub interface from the RNC that control the radio signals transmitted by the Node B over the Uu interface.
A CN is responsible for routing information to its correct destination. For example, the CN may route voice traffic from a UE that is received by the UMTS via one of the Node Bs to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or packet data destined for the Internet. In 3GPP, the CN has six major components: 1) a serving General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) support node; 2) a gateway GPRS support node; 3) a border gateway; 4) a visitor location register; 5) a mobile services switching center; and 6) a gateway mobile services switching center. The serving GPRS support node provides access to packet switched domains, such as the Internet. The gateway GPRS support node is a gateway node for connections to other networks. All data traffic going to other operator's networks or the internet goes through the gateway GPRS support node. The border gateway acts as a firewall to prevent attacks by intruders outside the network on subscribers within the network realm. The visitor location register is a current serving networks 'copy' of subscriber data needed to provide services. This information initially comes from a database which administers mobile subscribers. The mobile services switching center is in charge of 'circuit switched' connections from UMTS terminals to the network. The gateway mobile services switching center implements routing functions required based on current location of subscribers. The gateway mobile services also receives and administers connection requests from subscribers from external networks.
The RNCs generally control internal functions of the UTRAN. The RNCs also provide intermediary services for communications having a local component via an Iub interface connection with a Node B and an external service component via a connection between the CN and an external system, for example overseas calls made from a cell phone in a domestic UMTS.
Typically an RNC oversees multiple base stations, manages radio resources within the geographic area of wireless radio service coverage serviced by the Node Bs and controls the physical radio resources for the Uu interface. In 3GPP, the Iu interface of an RNC provides two connections to the CN: one to a packet switched domain and the other to a circuit switched domain. Other important functions of the RNCs include confidentiality and integrity protection. Background specification data for such systems are publicly available and continue to be developed.
In general, commercial wireless systems utilize a well defined system time frame format for the transmission of wireless communication signals. In communication systems such as Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Time Division Duplex (TDD) and Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems, multiple shared and dedicated channels of variable rate data are combined for transmission.
There are four defined states in the Universal terrestrial radio access (UTRA) RRC Connected mode currently specified in 3GPP TS 25.331: Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification as illustrated in FIG. 1b. These states include two duplex states, CELL_DCH and CELL_FACH, and two monitoring states CELL_PCH and URA_PCH. These states allow the UTRAN to allocate resources to the User Equipment (UE) on a demand basis.
The CELL_DCH state is a duplex state characterized by:
A dedicated physical channel is allocated to the UE in uplink and downlink.
The UE is known on cell level according to its current active set.
Dedicated transport channels, downlink and uplink (TDD) shared transport channels, and a combination of these transport channels can be used by the UE.
The CELL_DCH state is entered from an Idle Mode through the setup of an RRC connection, or by establishing a dedicated physical channel from the CELL_FACH state. A PDSCH may be assigned to the UE in this state, to be used for a DSCH. In TDD a PUSCH may also be assigned to the UE in this state, to be used for a USCH. If PDSCH or PUSCH are used for TDD, a FACH transport channel may be assigned to the UE for reception of physical shared channel allocation messages.
Transition from CELL_DCH to Idle Mode is realized through the release of the RRC connection. Transition from CELL_DCH to CELL_FACH state occurs when all dedicated channels have been released, which may be via explicit signaling (e.g. physical channel reconfiguration, radio bearer reconfiguration, radio bearer release, radio bearer setup, transport channel reconfiguration, etc.) or at the end of a time period for which the dedicated channel was allocated. Transition from CELL_DCH to CELL_PCH state occurs via explicit signaling (e.g. physical channel reconfiguration, radio bearer reconfiguration, radio bearer release, radio bearer setup, transport channel reconfiguration, etc.). Transition from CELL_DCH to URA_PCH state occurs via explicit signaling (e.g. physical channel reconfiguration, radio bearer reconfiguration, radio bearer release, radio bearer setup, transport channel reconfiguration, etc.).
Radio Resource Allocation tasks for the CELL_DCH state are specified. For the DCH, several physical channel allocation strategies may be applied. The allocations can be either permanent (needing a DCH release message) or based on time or amount-of-data. Resource allocation can be done separately for each packet burst with fast signaling on the DCH. For each radio frame the UE and the network indicate the current data rate (in uplink and downlink respectively) using the transport format combination indicator (TFCI). However, in TDD, DCH and DSCH or USCH may be mapped on different CCTrCHs, their TFCI are totally independent. DCH transmission is not modified by the simultaneous existence of DSCH/USCH. If the configured set of combinations (i.e. transport format set for one transport channel) are found to be insufficient to retain the QoS requirements for a transport channel, the network initiates a reconfiguration of the transport format set (TFS) for that transport channel. This reconfiguration can be done during or in between data transmission. Further, the network can reconfigure the physical channel allowing an increase or decrease of the peak data rate. For the uplink data transmission, the UE reports the observed traffic volume to the network in order for the network to re-evaluate the current allocation of resources. This report contains e.g. the amount of data to be transmitted or the buffer status in the UE.
RRC Connection mobility tasks for the CELL_DCH state are specified. Depending on the amount and frequency of data macrodiversity (soft handover) may or may not be applied. The RRC Connection mobility is handled by measurement reporting, soft handover and Timing re-initialized or Timing maintained hard handover procedures.
UE Measurements for the CELL_DCH state are specified. The UE performs measurements and transmit measurement reports according to the measurement control information. The UE uses the connected mode measurement control information received in other states until new measurement control information has been assigned to the UE.
Acquisition of system information in the CELL_DCH state is specified. FDD UEs with certain capabilities read system information broadcast on FACH. TDD UEs read the BCH to acquire valid system information. For each acquisition, the UE may need different combinations of system information broadcast on BCH. The scheduling on the broadcast channel is done in such way that the UE knows when the requested information can be found.
The CELL_FACH state is a duplex state characterized by:
No dedicated physical channel is allocated to the UE.
The UE continuously monitors a FACH in the downlink.
The UE is assigned a default common or shared transport channel in the uplink (e.g. RACH) that it can use anytime according to the access procedure for that transport channel.
The position of the UE is known by UTRAN on cell level according to the cell where the UE last made a cell update.
In TDD mode, one or several USCH or DSCH transport channels may have been established.
Transition from CELL_FACH to CELL_DCH state occurs, when a dedicated physical channel is established via explicit signaling (e.g. physical channel reconfiguration, radio bearer reconfiguration, radio bearer release, radio bearer setup, transport channel reconfiguration, etc.). Transition from CELL_FACH to CELL_PCH state occurs when UTRAN orders the UE to move to CELL_PCH state, which is done via explicit signaling (e.g. cell update confirm, radio bearer reconfiguration, etc.). Transition from CELL_FACH to Idle Mode occurs upon release of the RRC connection. Transition from CELL_FACH to URA_PCH State occurs when UTRAN orders the UE to move to URA_PCH state, which is done via explicit signaling (e.g. URA update confirm, radio bearer reconfiguration, etc.).
Radio Resource Allocation Tasks for the CELL_FACH state are specified. In the CELL_FACH state the UE monitors a FACH. It is enabled to transmit uplink control signals and it may be able to transmit small data packets on the RACH. The network can assign the UE transport channel parameters (e.g. transport format sets) in advance, to be used when a DCH is used. Upon assignment of the physical channel for DCH, the UE moves to CELL_DCH state and uses the preassigned TFS for the DCH. If no UE dedicated physical channel or transport channel configuration has been assigned, the UE uses the common physical channel and transport channel configuration according to the system information. For the uplink data transmission, the UE reports the observed traffic volume to the network in order for the network to re-evaluate the current allocation of resources. This report contains e.g. the amount of data to be transmitted or the buffer status in the UE. When there is either user or control data to transmit, a selection procedure determines whether the data should be transmitted on a common transport channel, or if a transition to CELL_DCH should be executed. The selection is dynamic and depends on e.g. traffic parameters (amount of data, packet burst frequency).
In FDD mode, the UTRAN can assign CPCH resources to the UE in CELL_FACH state. When CPCH resources are assigned, the UE will continue to monitor FACHs. When CPCH resources are assigned, the UE will use CPCH for all uplink traffic in accordance with RB mapping. In FDD mode, UTRAN may configure the UE to provide CPCH measurement reports of traffic volume on each CPCH channel used. With these measures, the UTRAN can reallocate network resources on a periodic basis. The UTRAN allocates CPCH Sets to each cell and assigns UEs to one of the cell's CPCH Sets. The UEs can dynamically access the CPCH resources without further UTRAN control.
In the TDD mode, the UTRAN can assign USCH/DSCH resources to the UE in CELL_FACH state. When USCH/DSCH resources are assigned, the UE will continue to monitor FACHs, depending on the UE capability. The UE may use the USCH/DSCH to transmit signaling messages or user data in the uplink and/or the downlink using USCH and/or DSCH when resources are allocated to cell and UE is assigned use of those USCH/DSCH. For the uplink data transmission on USCH the UE reports to the network the traffic volume (current size of RLC data buffers), The UTRAN can use these measurement reports to re-evaluate the current allocation of the USCH/DSCH resources.
RRC Connection mobility tasks for the CELL_FACH state are specified. In this state the location of the UE is known on cell level. A cell update procedure is used to report to the UTRAN, when the UE selects a new cell to observe the common downlink channels of a new cell. Downlink data transmission on the FACH can be started without prior paging. The UE monitors the broadcast channel and system information on BCCH of its own and neighbor cells and from this the need for the updating of cell location is identified. The UE performs cell reselection and upon selecting a new UTRA cell, it initiates a cell update procedure. Upon selecting a new cell belonging to another radio access system other than UTRA, the UE enters idle mode and makes an access to that system according to its specifications.
UE Measurements for the CELL_FACH state are specified. The UE performs measurements and transmits measurement reports according to the measurement control information. By default, the UE uses the measurement control information broadcast within the system information. However, for measurements for which the network also provides measurement control information within a MEASUREMENT CONTROL message, the latter information takes precedence.
Transfer and update of system information for the CELL_FACH state is specified. The UE reads the BCH to acquire valid system information. For each acquisition, the UE may need different combinations of system information broadcast on BCH. The scheduling on the broadcast channel is done in such way that the UE knows when the requested information can be found. When the system information is modified, the scheduling information is updated to reflect the changes in system information transmitted on BCH. The new scheduling information is broadcast on FACH in order to inform UEs about the changes. If the changes are applicable for the UE, the modified system information is read on BCH.
The CELL_PCH state is a monitoring (i.e. non-duplex) state characterized by:
No dedicated physical channel is allocated to the UE.
The UE selects a PCH with a specified algorithm and uses DRX for monitoring the selected PCH via an associated PICH.
No uplink activity is possible.
The position of the UE is known by UTRAN on cell level according to the cell where the UE last made a cell update in CELL_FACH state.
The DCCH logical channel cannot be used in this state. If the network wants to initiate any activity, it needs to make a paging request on the PCCH logical channel in the known cell to initiate any downlink activity.
Transition from CELL_PCH to CELL_FACH state occurs
a) by paging from UTRAN (PAGING TYPE1 message) or
b) through any uplink access.
The release of an RRC connection is not possible in the CELL_PCH state. The UE will first move to CELL_FACH state to perform a release signaling.
Radio Resource Allocation Tasks for the CELL_PCH state are specified. In CELL_PCH state no resources have been granted for data transmission. For this purpose, a transition to another state has to be executed. The UE may use Discontinuous Reception (DRX) in order to reduce power consumption. When DRX is used the UE needs only to receive at one paging occasion per DRX cycle. The UE may be instructed to use a specific DRX cycle length by the network. The UE determines its paging occasions in the same way as for Idle Mode, although in this connected mode state, UTRAN DRX cycle length coefficient is also taken into consideration.
RRC Connection mobility tasks for the CELL_PCH state are specified. In the CELL_PCH state, the UE mobility is performed through cell reselection procedures. The UE performs cell reselection and upon selecting a new UTRA cell, it moves to CELL_FACH state and initiates a cell update procedure in the new cell. After the cell update procedure has been performed, the network may direct the UE to change its state back to CELL_PCH state if neither the UE nor the network has any more data to transmit[0]. Upon selecting a new cell belonging to another radio access system other than UTRA, the UE enters idle mode and makes an access to that system according to its specifications. In case of low UE activity, UTRAN may want to reduce the cell-updating overhead by ordering the UE to move to the URA_PCH State. This transition is made via the CELL_FACH state. UTRAN may apply an inactivity timer, and optionally, a counter, which counts the number of cell updates e.g. UTRAN orders the UE to move to URA_PCH when the number of cell updates has exceeded certain limits (network parameter).
UE Measurements for the CELL_PCH state are specified. The UE performs measurements and transmits measurement reports according to the measurement control information. The UE uses the measurement control information according to the system information when no UE dedicated measurement control information has been assigned.
Transfer and update of system information for the CELL_PCH state is specified. The UE reads the BCH to acquire valid system information. For each acquisition, the UE may need different combinations of system information broadcast on BCH. The scheduling on the broadcast channel is done in such way that the UE knows when the requested information can be found.
The URA_PCH state is a monitoring state characterized by:
No dedicated channel is allocated to the UE.
The UE selects a PCH with a specified algorithm and uses DRX for monitoring the selected PCH via an associated PICH.
No uplink activity is possible.
The location of the UE is known on UTRAN Registration area level according to the URA assigned to the UE during the last URA update in CELL_FACH state.
The DCCH logical channel cannot be used in this state.
If the network wants to initiate any activity, it needs to make a paging request on the PCCH logical channel within the URA where the location of the UE is known. If the UE needs to transmit anything to the network, it goes to the CELL_FACH state. The transition to URA_PCH State can be controlled with an inactivity timer, and optionally, with a counter that counts the number of cell updates. When the number of cell updates has exceeded certain limits (a network parameter), then the UE changes to the URA_PCH State. URA updating is initiated by the UE, which, upon the detection of the Registration area, sends the network the Registration area update information on the RACH of the new cell.
Transition from URA_PCH State to CELL_FACH State occurs:
a) when uplink access is performed by RACH.
b) by paging from UTRAN (PAGING TYPE1 message).
The release of an RRC connection is not possible in the URA_PCH State. The UE will first move to CELL_FACH State to perform the release signaling.
Radio Resource Allocation Tasks for the URA_PCH state are specified. In URA_PCH State no resources have been granted for data transmission. For this purpose, a transition to CELL_FACH State has to be executed. The UE may use Discontinuous Reception (DRX) in order to reduce power consumption. When DRX is used the UE needs only to receive at one paging occasion per DRX cycle. The UE may be instructed to use a specific DRX cycle length by the network. The UE determines its paging occasions in the same way as for Idle Mode, although in this connected mode state, UTRAN DRX cycle length coefficient is also taken into consideration.
RRC Connection mobility tasks for the URA_PCH state are specified. In URA_PCH State the location of a UE is known on UTRAN Registration area level. In this state, the UE mobility is performed through URA reselection procedures. The UE performs cell reselection and upon selecting a new UTRA cell belonging to a URA that does not match the URA used by the UE, the UE moves to CELL_FACH state and initiates a URA update towards the network. After the URA update procedure has been performed, the network may direct the UE to change its state back to URA_PCH state if neither the UE nor the network has any more data to transmit. Upon selecting a new cell belonging to another radio access system other than UTRA, the UE enters idle mode and makes an access to that system according to its specifications.
UE Measurements for the URA_PCH state are specified. The UE performs measurements and transmits measurement reports according to the measurement control information. The UE uses the measurement control information according to the system information when no UE dedicated measurement control information has been assigned.
Transfer and update of system information for the URA_PCH state is specified. The same mechanisms to transfer and update system information as for state CELL_PCH are applicable for UEs in URA_PCH state. The UE is put into the CELL_PCH or URA_PCH state by the UTRAN depending on the traffic activity originating from the UE.
At the access stratum level, the UE is identified either by
a) U-RNTI
b) C-RNTI
While using the common transport channels (e.g., RACH, FACH, PCH), UTRAN recognizes the UE using one of the above identifiers. C-RNTI gets deleted when entering the CELL_PCH or URA_PCH state. It also gets deleted when UE reselects a cell for communication via a different base station, even while in a CELL_FACH state.
Whenever the UE transitions from CELL_PCH or URA_PCH state to CELL_FACH state, it performs a respective Cell Update or URA Update procedure. Also, if the UE does not have a valid C-RNTI in the CELL_FACH state, such as when reselecting a cell, it needs to get one from the UTRAN via the Cell Update procedure. The UE transmits a CELL_UPDATE or URA_UPDATE message on the common control channel (CCCH). A CELL_UPDATE_CONFIRM response message is built and sent by the UTRAN on either on a CCCH or DCCH.
FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate successful Cell Update scenarios. FIG. 2a shows the basic flow without a response from the UE; FIG. 2b shows the basic flow with a response from the UE in accordance with 3GPP TS 25.331: Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification. The URA Update procedure is similar.
As noted above, all of the existing connected mode UE state transitions, except coming out of CELL_PCH or URA_PCH, are UTRAN directed (i.e. UTRAN orders UE to be come into the indicated state). In comparison, the UE is configured to transition out of the CELL_PCH or URA_PCH monitoring states depending on events occurring at the UE. As stated above, these transitions take place in connection with either a Cell Update or URA Update procedure which procedures are initiated by the UE entering the CELL_FACH duplex state.
The applicable standard specifications (including 3GPP TS 25.331: Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification, and 3GPP 25.321: Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Specification) state that the UE enters CELL_FACH state when a Cell Update or URA Update procedure starts. This is intended because a CELL_UPDATE_CONFIRM or URA_UPDATE_CONFIRM message can be received on a DCCH, which is unavailable in the CELL_PCH or URA_PCH state. However, the inventors have recognized a problem with this transition, since the UE is without a temporary identifier, such as a C-RNTI, until a response to the update procedure is received by the UE. Also, the inventors have recognized a problem due to the UE losing its C-RNTI when it reselects a cell in the CELL_FACH state.
For mapping the DCCH or DTCH logical channels over RACH (transport channel for uplink), UE MAC uses the C-RNTI in MAC data PDU header (see standard 3GPP 25.321: Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Specification). As a result, the DCCH or DTCH transmission over RACH is not feasible unless the UE has a C-RNTI. On the other hand, the UTRAN can send downlink DCCH or DTCH messages over FACH, by using the U-RNTI in the MAC data PDU header. Hence the inventors have recognized that the UE can only have a half duplex downlink link for DCCH or DTCH until it has a C-RNTI.
Two manifestations of the problem identified by the inventors with the state configurations currently specified in 3GPP TS 25.331: Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol Specification are set forth below in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 3 illustrates problematic UE behavior where the UE is placed in the CELL_FACH state without a C-RNTI to initiate a Cell Update procedure. As shown in FIG. 3, the UE starts in a monitoring state, in this case the CELL_PCH state. An event occurs requiring the Cell Update procedure. Under current specifications, the UE is transitioned into the duplex CELL_FACH state in order to perform the Cell Update procedure which requires an uplink initiation by the UE. In the CELL_FACH state, the UE then sends the appropriate request via a CELL_UPDATE message which is received by the UTRAN. The UTRAN processes the CELL_UPDATE message and responds with a CELL_UPDATE_CONFIRM message that includes a temporary identifier such as a C-RNTI.
This is problematic where another event occurs that requires uplink messaging before the UE receives the CELL_UPDATE_CONFIRM message, i.e. before it receives the C-RNTI. Upon entering the duplex CELL_FACH state, the UE supports all the RRC procedures applicable to CELL_FACH state. For example, it is then specified as being configured to perform 'Initial Direct Transfer' or 'Uplink Direct Transfer' such as set forth in 3GPP TS 25.331 that require DCCH or DTCH uplink transmissions. However, when the UE is in the CELL_FACH state but without a C-RNTI, the UE has only a half duplex (downlink) DCCH. As a result, the UE is not able to transmit 'Initial Direct Transfer' or 'Uplink Direct Transfer' messaging resulting in a failure to properly transmit such uplink messaging which it should be capable of when in the CELL_FACH state. A number of such scenarios are possible because the UE non-access stratum has two independent state machines for circuit-switched (CS) and packet-switched (PS) services. Both of these utilize the common RRC connection or in other words the common RRC state.
A variation of the problem that has been recognized by the inventors occurs where Periodic Cell or URA Updates are processed. A high priority Cell or URA Update can be delayed due to UE's operation in the CELL_FACH state while it is without a C-RNTI. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the UE in the CELL_PCH state initiates a periodical cell update procedure by transitioning to the CELL_FACH state and transmitting a CELL_UPDATE message that indicates that it is a periodic cell update request. The UTRAN upon receiving such a period request treats it as a request for information, not resources, so that the UTRAN responds with a CELL_UPDATE_CONFIRM message with the requested information and a command for the UE to return to the CELL_PCH state. However, if in the interim the UE detects uplink data to transmit, the UE may not be able to send a cell update request with this high priority cause (uplink data transmission), until it has possibly returned to the CELL_PCH state again. This scenario is illustrated in FIG. 4, showing the high priority cell update getting delayed.
In view of the problem recognized by the inventors, it is desirable, to provide a WTRU such as a UE that has a connection mode configuration that includes a transition state to implement transitioning to a duplex state where a temporary identifier is supplied to facilitate duplex communications in the duplex state.

Wireless transmit receive unit having a transition state for transitioning from monitoring to duplex connected states and method


In a network node having one or more packet processors and at least one CPU required to process specific types of packets, a system for managing the specific types of packets for CPU processing has one or more packet processors enabled to sort the specific types of packets into two or more categories of different priority for processing; and a queue set for queuing the sorted packets according to priority ahead of the CPU. The system is characterized in that the CPU processes the queued packets according to priority. In a special case the queues are a part of network access controller (NAC). Also in some cases a software component is provided for configuring the hardware.

In the art of routing digital data through data-packet networks, research and development of methods for more efficient handling of data packets continues. Generally speaking, a data packet is a digitized and organized block of binary data that is a "packaged" portion of a specific communication or data transfer from a source location to an ultimate destination on a network. A data packet typically has a header, and a data body. The packet header is used for data routing through the network. During routing from a source location to a routed destination, data packets may be processed at one or more stops or routing points along the way. These hops, as they are often termed, are between data routers and, in some cases, server nodes distributed through the network. Common types of data packets routed, for example, over the Internet network and most commonly dealt with in data routing include transfer control protocol (TCP) packets and Internet protocol (IP) data packets.
Among TCP packets there are packets carrying data and also others carrying other information such as error messages, and control messages. Some TCP packets are generated by routers and communicated to other routers, as well as generated by routers and communicated to source/destination locations other than routers. TCP communication is a substantial part of all network communication or load.
It will be appreciated by the skilled artisan that many TCP and IP data packets comprising router-to-router communications and internal router communications are generated in the network and are destined for a central processing unit adapted to process them. For example, router-to-router communications, such as request and response messages related to routing are prevalent. Error packets related to control errors and the like are also prevalent.
Prior-art data routers typically utilize a central processing unit (CPU), which is separate from the router's data packet processor or processors in order to process error messages, control messages, and data packets that for some reason require special handling. A network access controller (NAC) is (typically) hardware that reads and routes CPU-destined data packets to the router CPU for processing.
In some instances, CPU-destined data packets are corrupted packets or damaged packets. Still other CPU-destined packets are addressed to the router by another router or computer. In some cases these are fraudulent data packets purposely and repeatedly generated and sent to a network destination (CPU) with the mission being to compromise the CPU of the destination machine. Computer network hackers, working alone or in conjunction with others have been known to launch such attacks, wherein an overload of erroneous data is generated and routed to a single point in the network for processing, causing that point to fail from CPU overload. One common form of attack is known in the art as a denial-of-service (DOS) attack wherein repeated requests are sent to one network location, causing the location to overload while processing and responding to all of the requests.
A problem with prior art CPU handling of data packets is that the CPU has no means of determining priority in packet handling. For example, all packets directed thereto by a NAC are processed on a first-come, first-processed basis. There is no method of sorting good packets from bad packets or sorting packets by the type of request they carry. This problem has led to occurrences of failure for routers and, in many cases, loss of traffic to network servers connected in their paths. In some cases servers themselves are targeted. In the case of an attack on a router, the affected router may fail or become compromised as the CPU works in overload conditions to process all of the erroneous or spurious data sent. Moreover, a server connected to that router may suffer lack of data traffic due to failure of the router in front of it.
What is clearly needed is a method and apparatus that enables a router or server to quickly identify and sort data packets that require special handling by category and priority so that the CPU is able to adequately process legitimate and useful packets, even in the presence of an overload of erroneous or spurious packets.

Method and apparatus for intelligent sorting and process determination of data packets destined to a central processing unit of a router or server on a data packet network


Techniques for reducing the frequency of an output signal from a hard intellectual property (HIP) block on an integrated circuit are provided. By reducing the frequency of the output signal, circuit blocks in the integrated circuit that operate at a lower frequency than the HIP block are able to capture the output signal. A plurality of serially coupled flip-flops store values of an HIP output signal during each period of the output signal. Logic circuitry then generates a lower frequency HIP output signal in response to the values stored in the flip-flops. Also, a flip-flop can generate a heartbeat signal that is used to determine whether a signal within an HIP block is operating properly.

The present invention relates to techniques for reporting output signals from a hard intellectual property block, and more particularly, to techniques for reporting output signals from a hard intellectual property block at a lower frequency.
Programmable logic devices (PLDs) are a type of programmable logic integrated circuit. Programmable logic devices can be configured to perform a variety of logical user functions. Programmable logic integrated circuits also include field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays, configurable logic arrays, etc.
PLDs typically have numerous logic blocks that can be configured to implement various combinatorial and sequential functions. The logic blocks have access to a programmable interconnect structure. The programmable interconnect structure can be programmed to interconnect the logic blocks in almost any desired configuration.
Many of today's PLDs have on-chip non-programmable application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) blocks. The ASIC blocks are also referred to as hard intellectual property (HIP) blocks. A HIP block typically operates at a higher clock frequency than the programmable logic in a PLD, because the interconnect wires between programmable logic blocks usually have longer routing delays than interconnect wires in an HIP block.
Many types of HIP blocks that are used in PLDs generate error signals that indicate whether erroneous values are being generated within the HIP block. Many types of HIP blocks also generate status signals that indicate operational states of circuits in the HIP block. A HIP block typically generates the status and error signals at the same frequency as the clock signal used in the HIP block.
For a particular embodiment, the internal clock frequency inside a HIP block configured as a System Packet Interface Level 4 Phase 2 (SPI4.2) processor running at Gbps is 500 MHz. Conversely, programmable logic within a PLD or FPGA typically has to operate at a lower clock frequency (e.g., 250 MHz), a timing requirement that is a side effect of the additional delays encountered with the interconnect wires and programmable Logic Elements (LE). As a result, it is not possible for the programmable logic to capture higher frequency (500 MHz) HIP block output signals that are transmitted in a single bit stream.
One option is to lower the frequency of the HIP block's clock signal. Reducing the frequency of the HIP block's clock signal affects the operation of logic circuitry in the HIP block and can mask timing violation bugs inside the HIP block. Therefore, this option by itself is not desirable.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide techniques for capturing output signals from a hard intellectual property (HIP) block that operates at a higher clock frequency than programmable logic on the same integrated circuit.
Hardware debugging of an HIP block is difficult because the HIP block internal clock rate is higher than the programmable logic clock rate, as described above. It is desirable for a hardware engineer to check some or all of the HIP block input clock and reset signals. However, the standard methods of signal probing are difficult in the HIP block because of the speed limitations of the FPGA standard logic elements. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a signal from the HIP block at a lower clock frequency that indicates whether various clock and reset signals are operating properly.

Output reporting techniques for hard intellectual property blocks


A communication connection control method and a device, with the device configured to, when the device finds that communication service quality provided by an optimal wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) access point is better than communication service quality provided by a currently connected Wi-Fi access point, the device automatically disconnects from the currently connected Wi-Fi access point, and initiates a connection request to the optimal Wi-Fi access point.

With popularization of a Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity, Wireless Fidelity) technology, an increasing quantity of users prefer to use a device having a Wi-Fi function, such as a mobile phone and an iPad, to enter a coverage area of a Wi-Fi access point, so that the device connects to the Wi-Fi access point to obtain communication service quality.
With wide deployment of the Wi-Fi access point, multiple Wi-Fi access points may cover a same area, and when a device is located in a common coverage area of multiple Wi-Fi access points, the device may find all the multiple Wi-Fi access points by searching, and establish a connection to one of the Wi-Fi access points. Specifically, when the device is located in a coverage area of a Wi-Fi access point 1, and is also located in a coverage area of a Wi-Fi access point 2, based on an existing Wi-Fi connection mechanism, the device establishes a connection to the Wi-Fi access point 1 or the Wi-Fi access point 2. Using the Wi-Fi access point 2 as an example, after the device establishes a connection to the Wi-Fi access point 2, if a user wants to obtain a communication service provided by the Wi-Fi access point 1, the user needs to manually switch the connected Wi-Fi access point to the Wi-Fi access point 1. Therefore, in the prior art, an intelligentization level of human computer interaction of a device is relatively low, causing inconvenience to a user.

Communication connection control method, and device


The a user interface (UI) residing in a mobile environment, which has a possibility of indicating after reading each message whether or not the message is divergent from the normal/general level as to the importance of the message. Advantageously, the user does not need to do the indication every time when reading the mail. In the interface, after a given mail has been read (or a part of the given mail has been read), there occurs a possibility to choose between two alternatives: interesting or non-interesting. Advantageously, there is not required other extra work from the user. Gradually, a mail agent collects information about what kind of mail the user prefers and does not prefer. The result will be a prearranged list by preference in the incoming mail. Any mail similar to the ones previously indicated as important will appear first to the user. The applied algorithm in the methods and systems is based on statistical analysis of the linguistic contents of the mail.

Electronic mail (e-mail) is a popular way to communicate with others. Electronic mail systems operate to send messages over a network. The network can include internal networks and external (e.g., public) networks. An example of an internal network is a local area network (LAN), and an example of an external network is the Internet. Typically, the electronic mail systems are LAN wide systems that reside on an internal network but also permit coupling with an external network so that messages can be exchanged with other electronic mail systems.
Recently, Internet-based electronic mail systems have been developed and implemented to provide electronic mail services over the Internet. In such systems, there may not be internal network because the electronic mail system resides on the Internet. The electronic mail system has a mail server that interacts with users' network browsers so that users are able to request electronic mail services which are performed by the mail server. Typically, the mail server is a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server.
The electronic mail systems have been implemented over wired networks as well as over wireless networks. The availability of the network determines whether a client application (e.g., network browser) is in communication with the mail server. The client application operates on a local machine, whereas the mail server operates on a remote machine. In the case of wired networks, the local machine is, for example, a desktop computer. In the case of wireless networks, the local machine is a mobile device. For example, the mobile device can be a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a portable computer that has wireless local area network access to the mail server.
Because of the dependency of the operation of client applications on the bandwidth of networks, client applications often have to wait for resources from mail servers. These wait times are unacceptably long when the network is loaded. Even when the network is not congested, the client applications conventionally require substantial amounts of network bandwidth to provide the e-mail services and this tends to burden the network and induce wait times faced by users.
A cache memory may be helpful in reducing the dependency of the computers or mobile devices on network bandwidth. However, the cache memory is only helpful when the newly requested resource happens to reside in the cache memory. Still further, the cache memory is limited and cannot serve as a storage to store all the resources likely to be again requested. Moreover, mobile devices (particularly hand-held mobile devices) need to keep cache memories relatively small due to power, cost and space limitations.
Mobile devices when used as a mail terminal have further problems. An interface limitation poses significant difficulties to mobile electronic mail technology. A size of the screen of the mobile device is tiny and very limited. Mobile device's screen can only show a limited amount of information, for example 5 rows each row with 10 characters. The screen supports scarce amount of graphics. Typically, the screen can only present simple pixel graphics. Moreover, the limited bandwidth of the mobile communication poses difficulties to mobile e-mail services. For example, conventional mobile communication systems provide text messages of limited length, and result in truncation. Concatenation of messages yields back to the problem of limited size. Even the most sophisticated mobile communication system can only provide data transfer rate which is about few hundred kbits/s, and the future mobile communication systems promise about a couple hundred kbit/s more data transfer speed. Yet, e-mail messages may constitute as large as megabyte files entirely. Thus, the limited number of messages that can be shown without too great a time lag and effort cause problems when gaining mail via a mobile device. In addition, the problems limit the mushrooming of the e-mail services. For example, a rather common solution has been avoiding using the mobile device for mail purposes, or using it when other mediums have not been available.
In view of various inherent limitations of mobile devices, it would be desirable to avoid these and other problems associated with prior art systems. Thus, there is a need for techniques to provide smooth facing with information by a user seeking to utilize electronic mail service provided by a mail server across a network.

Method and arrangement for obtaining an electronic mail service


A method and apparatus for managing a memory in a portable terminal including a main memory, a secondary memory, and a plurality virtual machines allocated by partitioning the main memory are provided. The method includes generating, by the virtual machines, monitoring information by monitoring access to the main memory and the secondary memory and swapping out with respect to the secondary memory; determining memory allocation amounts for each of the virtual machines by using the monitoring information; and allocating the main memory to the virtual machines in a partitioning scheme based on the determined memory allocation amounts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to memory management, and more particularly, to a method of managing a memory in a computing environment in which a plurality of virtual machines is performed in a physical machine, and an apparatus thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A virtual machine monitor (also referred to as a hypervisor, or manager) is software for performing a plurality of virtual machines (also called guest operating systems) in one physical machine (e.g., a device including a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and memory), and provides an independent virtual machine interface to respective virtual machines. The virtual machine monitor serves as a host operating system, whereas the virtual machine itself serves as a guest operating system. A virtualization technology using the virtual machine monitor is generally known in a server environment. In recent years, the virtualization technology has been used for the purpose of security in a mobile environment.
The virtual machine monitor causes virtual machines to separately use one physical machine according to a time-sharing scheme. A virtual machine to which a logically independent "virtual machine interface" is allocated recognizes a time-shared physical machine as a logic device to perform its functions. The virtual machine monitor may have performance isolation and Quality of Service (QoS) according to the time-sharing scheme. More specifically, a CPU and an Input/Output (I/O) interface may be shared by virtual machines according to the time-sharing scheme.
However, it is more difficult to efficiently share memory with virtual machines according to the time-sharing scheme than it is to efficiently share the CPU and the I/O interface. Accordingly, a fixed size of memory is allocated to the virtual machine monitor for each virtual machine. In the following example, there are 4 GB of Random Access Memory (RAM) and two virtual machines. The virtual machine monitor may allocate 2 GB of RAM to each virtual machine. However, a static memory partitioning scheme has following problems.
The performance of the CPU or the I/O interface has significantly been developed, whereas the size of a memory mounted in one physical machine is still restrictive. Accordingly, when using a static memory partitioning policy, the number of virtual machines capable of being simultaneously performed in the physical machine is determined according to the size of the memory.
Due to the problems with the static memory partitioning scheme, there is a need for a new memory partitioning scheme. An operating system uses an unused space in the main memory as a page cache, that is, a cache memory to reduce access of a secondary memory (e.g., NAND flash memory, hard disk) to the utmost. Accordingly, there is a need to dynamically allocate the memory to virtual machines in order to improve the performance of a system (e.g., a smart phone having a physical machine and virtual machines).

Method and apparatus for managing memory in virtual machine environment

Sungkyunkwan University Foundation for Corporate Collaboration


A plurality of press devices 2 are arranged in a plastic working system. The plastic working system includes: a loop correction sensor 13 for watching a slack of a coil material C intermittently delivered from a preceding first press device 2a; and a second slack watching means 19 for watching a slack of the coil material C generated at the time of sending the coil material C to a succeeding second press device 2b. According to the slack generated by intermittent feeding of the coil material C sent from the first press device 2a, intermittent feeding is converted to continuous feeding by the feeding means 15. At the same time, the continuous feeding speed is subjected to speed increasing/decreasing control. On the other hand, by the second slack watching means 19, a slack of the coil material C is watched at the time of feeding the coil material C to the second press device 2b and the preceding first press device 2a is subjected to speed increasing/decreasing control.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plastic working method and plastic working system, in the working line of which a plurality of plastic working devices are arranged and a workpiece can be smoothly supplied to the working devices and a high speed operation can be executed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional plastic working device, for example, a conventional press device is incorporated into a press working line to which a coil material, which is a workpiece, is supplied so that it can be worked by press working, the coil material is delivered from an uncoiler which holds and uncoils the coil material and the coil material is made to pass through a leveler which straightens the coil material and also made to pass through a section, in which a loop (slack or loosening) is generated, and the coil material is sent to a press device through an intermittently feeding mechanism so that the coil material can be subjected to press working.
In this case, the supply operation of coil material to the press device will be done intermittent to the press operation that repeats the movement and the stop. Which results in the coil material vibrating and flapping in some cases.
When the coil material flap as described above, not only the intermittently feeding mechanism receives an excessively heavy load, but also the coil material is bent and damaged which results in the material being erroneously fed. In order to reduce the flapping of the coil material, the following method is employed. For example, a pair of feed rollers having a servo motor are arranged before the intermittently feeding mechanism so that it can be used as a loop controller. The coil material is supplied to the intermittently feeding mechanism while an appropriate loop is being formed by these feed rollers.
Due to the above structure, the loop size of the coil material is detected. By this detection signal, a servo motor speed is controlled so as to control an amount of feed of the coil material. By this constitution, the coil material can be supplied to the intermittently feeding mechanism while an appropriate loop is being maintained. Therefore, flapping of the coil material can be minimized and the operation can be executed at high speed.
However, while the material to be processed is diversified, for instance, the size of the allowed loop is different for the difference of board thickness. Therefore, to form an appropriate loop, loop controller's installation position becomes a problem.
In order to solve the above problems, more flexibly, to supply the material in the high quality, JP-A-2004-142876 proposes the following coil material supply device. The coil material supply device for supplying a coil material to an intermittently feed device incorporated into a press device comprises: a coil material supply portion; a position sensor, which is arranged on the downstream side of this coil material supply portion, for detecting an amount of loop of the coil material; a control unit for controlling an amount of feed of the coil material executed by a feed roller when a servo motor is controlled by a signal sent from the position sensor; and a stand for holding the coil supply portion, the attaching angle of which can be changed so that a supply angle of the coil material can be changed in accordance with a condition of supplying the coil material.
However, JP-A-2004-142876 discloses a coil material supply device applied to a press working line in which press working is executed by one press device. Accordingly, improvement in production capacity is limited. Therefore, a press working line is proposed in which a plurality of press devices are arranged in series to each other and synchronously operated by a predetermined phase difference so as to enhance productivity.
However, this coil material supply device is disadvantageous in that even when the plurality of press devices are arranged in series to each other, a feed mechanism incorporated into each press device is intermittently operated. Therefore, due to the flapping generated in a workpiece located between the press devices, erroneous feeding is induced in the press device arranged before and after the coil material supply device. Accordingly, it is only possible to execute a low speed synchronous operation. Therefore, it is difficult to enhance productivity.
On the other hand, when the same working is executed not by an intermittent type device, but by a continuous feed type device, the occurrence of flapping of a workpiece can be reduced. However, the repetitive accuracy of the continuous feed type device is lower than that of the intermittent type device. Further, when the operation speed is increased, there is a fault that the decrease in accuracy repeatedly becomes remarkable.

Plastic working method and plastic working system


A fabric separable fastener member is provided which comprises a fiber for a base fabric and a fiber for a fastening element firmly anchored by the fused fiber for the base fabric and which is excellent in flexibility and durability without a back-coated layer.

As a fabric separable fastener member, there has been widely used a separable fastener member in which a hook or loop fastening element (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a fastening element) is risen from a surface of a woven or knitted base fabric. In usual, such a fabric separable fastener member is, in view of strength, elasticity, or a recovering property from deformation, produced mainly by weaving or knitting a polyamide or polyester fiber as the fiber for the base fabric and for the fastening element. In the case where the fiber constituting the fastening element is not appropriately anchored to the base fabric, the fabric separable fastener member cannot exploit a desired property.
In order to dissolve the above problem, in practical cases, the fabric separable fastener member is provided with an adhesive layer (or back-coated layer) on the surface where the fastening element does not rise, i.e., on the backside (back surface) of the separable fastener member, to anchor the base fabric fiber and the fastening element fiber together. The adhesive layer (or back-coated layer) is producible from a variety of adhesive agents called a back-coating agent, and is typically a urethane layer.
However, the conventional separable fastener member provided with the adhesive layer has a drawback that the fastener member deteriorates in hand touchiness because of inflexibility thereof. Further, deterioration of the adhesive agent caused by usage such as washing or ironing gradually decreases anchoring ability (fixability) of fibers, resulting in degradation of the engaging function of the fastener member.
Moreover, the fabric separable fastener member is often dyed in a desired color for usage depending on application. However, in the fabric separable fastener member on which a conventional polyurethane back-coating agent is applied, due to hard dyeing property of the polyurethane, even if a disperse dye is used for dyeing, the separable fastener member is low in the color fastness and releases the dyestuff to stain other fiber products. Accordingly, there has been widely produced a separable fastener member which is fabricated by dyeing only a polyamide or polyester fiber which takes a dye well, subsequently applying a polyurethane back-coating agent to the dyed fiber to form a polyurethane layer without dyeing the polyurethane layer. However, such a production process takes many or long steps for obtaining a separable fastener member having a desired color, and low in productivity (efficiency in product supply). Consequently, a separable fastener member without the adhesive layer is proposed.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 250434/1989 (JP-01-250434) (Patent document 1) discloses a sheet material for a separable fastener, which comprises a backing material partially containing a bonding yarn and a pile yarn knitted into the backing material. In the sheet material, the bonding yarn comprises a thermoplastic binding material having a low melting point and fuses to anchor fibers (yarns) with each other. In the document, the bonding yarn includes a combined filament yarn in which a multifilament yarn made of a high-melting component and a monofilament yarn made of a low-melting component are doubled, or a sheath-core structure conjugated fiber which comprises a low-melting component as a sheath component. More concretely, as the bonding yarn, there is used a doubling and twisting yarn comprising a polyamide or polyester monofilament having a low melting point and a polyamide or polyester multifilament having a high melting point, or a yarn comprising a high-melting polyester multifilament and a low-melting ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer surrounding around or filling inside of the multifilament. Moreover, as the pile yarn, there is used a mono- or multifilament made of a polyamide 66, a monofilament made of a polypropylene.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 115312/1993 (JP-05-115312) (Patent document 2) discloses a fabric separable fastener member comprising a ground part (a base fabric) comprising a sheath-core structure conjugated fiber, in which the conjugated fiber comprises a low-melting polymer as the sheath component and the low melting polymer of the conjugated fiber fuses and anchors the fibers together. The document describes that the sheath-core structure conjugated fiber includes a conjugated fiber which comprises a low-melting polyester copolymer as the sheath component, and a high-melting polyester or polyamide 6 as the core component. Further, as the pile yarn, a polyamide 6 filament is concretely employed, and a loop part (element) of the separable fastener member is formed by raising the pile yarn.
However, in these separable fastener members, although the bonding fibers (binder fibers) fuse and anchor the pile fibers forming a fastening element of the separable fastener member in a certain degree, anchoring (fixation) of the pile fibers to the base fabric fibers is insufficient, and the separable fastener member cannot resist to usage for a long period.    Patent document 1: JP-01-250434 (Claims 1 and 2, and Examples)    Patent document 2: JP-05-115312 (Claim 1 and Examples)

Abstract: The separable fastener member comprises (α1) a ground warp, (α2) a ground weft containing a binder fiber, and (α3) a pile yarn, and the pile yarn (α3) is anchored by the fused binder fiber. In the separable fastener member, each of the ground warp (α1), the ground weft (α2) and the pile yarn (α3) comprises a polyester fiber, the mass ratio of the ground warp (a1) relative to the ground weft (a2) is 40/60 to 80/20, and the mass ratio of the total amount of the ground warp (a1) and the ground weft (a2) relative to the pile yarn (a3) is 90/10 to 50/50.


A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘USTUNI7502’, characterized by its low spreading to cascading plant habit; freely branching and vigorous growth habit; numerous single flowers that are light purple in color; and good garden performance.

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name USTUNI7502.
The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new disease-resistant and heat-tolerant Petunias with semi-upright plant habit and attractive flower colors.
The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 26, 2001 of two unnamed proprietary selections of Petunia×hybrida, not patented. The new Petunia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny on Jun. 18, 2002 in Gensingen, Germany, on the basis of its plant habit and attractive flower coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since Jun. 18, 2002, in Gensingen, Germany has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.


A method for manufacturing a semiconductor component using a sacrificial masking structure. A semiconductor device is formed from a semiconductor substrate and a layer of dielectric material is formed over the semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor device. The layer of dielectric material may be formed directly on the semiconductor substrate or spaced apart from the semiconductor substrate by an interlayer. Posts or protrusions having sidewalls are formed from the layer of dielectric material. An electrically insulating material that is preferably different from the layer of dielectric material is formed adjacent the sidewalls of the posts. The electrically insulating material is planarized and the posts are removed to form openings that may expose a portion of the semiconductor device or a portion of the interlayer material. An electrically conductive material is formed in the openings.

Semiconductor component manufacturers are constantly striving to increase the performance of their products, while decreasing their cost of manufacture. Because semiconductor components such as microprocessors and memory elements can contain millions of transistors or devices, one focus for increasing performance and lowering manufacturing cost has been to shrink the sizes of the transistors making up the semiconductor components. As those skilled in the art are aware, typical semiconductor manufacturing process flows involve a series of steps that include photolithography, etching and material deposition. However, as the semiconductor devices are made smaller, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to use optical lithography because of limitations in the resolution and etch capabilities of photoresist. These problems are further complicated by the poor selectivity of newer photoresists and their inability to withstand plasma etch processes.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a semiconductor device and a method for decreasing the size of the semiconductor device using photolithography. It would be of further advantage for the structure and method to be cost and time efficient and compatible with semiconductor component manufacturing processes.

Method for manufacturing a semiconductor component


A cable connecting structure of serial bus connector, including a main body, multiple contacts inserted in the main body and a cover member covering the main body. The main body includes a rear retaining seat formed with multiple guide channels, a front coupling seat formed with multiple guide cavities, and multiple through holes passing through the main body to communicate with the guide channels and the guide cavities. Each contact includes a rear cable connecting section, a front conductive coupling section and a locating section interconnecting the cable connecting section with the conductive coupling section. The cable connecting section is received in the guide channel of the retaining seat in a bridge pattern and connected with a front end of a cable. The conductive coupling section is received in the guide cavity of the coupling seat in a bridge pattern. The locating section is engaged in the through hole of the main body. The cover member is detachably assembled with the retaining seat of the main body for cooperatively enclosing the cable connecting section of the contact and the cable.

The present invention relates to a cable connecting structure of serial bus connector, and more particularly to a cable connecting structure of serial bus connector, which can be assembled without any specific tool.
FIGS. 1-1B show a conventional cable connecting structure of serial bus connector, including a main body 100 and multiple contacts 200. The main body 100 has a front section formed with a coupling seat 101 disposed with multiple guide channels 102. The main body 100 is formed with multiple through holes 103 respectively corresponding to the guide channels 102, whereby the contacts 200 can be inserted into the through holes 103 with their front conductive coupling sections 201 exposed and received in the guide channels 102 of the coupling seat 101 in a bridge pattern. Each contact 200 has a rear securing section 202 formed with ratchets 203 on two sides for engaging with the wall of the through hole 103 so as to secure the contact 200 therein. After the contacts 200 are assembled with the main body 100, a metal frame body 400 is fitted around the main body 100 and the rear section of the metal frame body 400 is coated with an insulative plastic layer 401 as shown in FIG. 1B to form a serial bus connector. Several shortcomings exist in the above arrangement as follows:
1. When assembled, a specifically designed tool must be used to insert the contacts 200 into the main body 100 with the ratchets 203 hooked in the through holes 103. Therefore, each production line necessitates an expensive tool for production. This increases the manufacturing cost of the connector. PA1 2. Each contact has a cable connecting end 204 exposed outside the main body 100 very near the through hole 103, so that the high temperature generated during soldering of the cable 300 often melts and deforms the wall 103' of the through hole 103 near the securing section 203 of the contact 200 as shown in FIG. 1A. As a result, the ratchets 203 often fail to tightly engage with the wall of the through hole 103. Therefore, the contact 200 will slip back and forth to form a defective product. PA1 3. The main body 100 has a rear vertical end face and the cable connecting end 204 of the contact and the cable 300 soldered therewith protrude from the vertical end face as a cantilever without being securely supported and enclosed. Therefore, during the successive working procedure, the contact and cable are apt to be pulled and torn apart. PA1 4. The cables 300 soldered with the contacts are not isolated from each other by any insulative body so that the adjacent cables 300 are very easy to touch each other to cause a short circuit. PA1 5. In the injection operation of the insulative layer 401 for coating the rear section of the metal frame body 400 as shown in FIG. 1B, because the contact 200 is not designed with any plastic stopper means, the molten insulative plastic tends to flow through the clearance 104 between the contact 200 and the wall of the through hole 103 onto the conductive coupling section 201 of the contact. This will affect the conduction efficiency of the contact to form a defective product. PA1 1. The contacts can be assembled with the main body of the serial bus connector without using any specific tool so that the equipment cost is reduced. PA1 2. The main body is easily detachably associated with a cover member directly by latching so as to enclose and protect the cable connecting end of the contact and the cable soldered therewith from being torn apart. In addition, it becomes easier to maintain or repair the contact and cable. PA1 3. The contact and the cover member are disposed with double plastic stopper designs for sealing the through hole of the main body. Therefore, in the injection operation of the molten insulative plastic material for coating the metal frame body, the insulative plastic material is prevented from flowing toward the conductive coupling section of the contact, so that a good efficiency of electrical conduction can be maintained.

Cable connecting structure of serial bus connector


An optical member drive control apparatus includes an acquiring unit configured to acquire first information corresponding to a movement speed of an optical member when a movement of the optical member is controlled and second information corresponding to a movement amount of the optical member; and a controller configured to output a signal to an actuator that moves the optical member and that can detect a drive amount of the actuator per unit time. The controller includes at least a first mode that carries out closed loop control of the actuator according to the detection result of the drive amount of the actuator per unit time and a second mode that carries out open loop control of the actuator, and the controller selects the first mode or the second mode based on the first information and the second information that have been acquired by the acquiring unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and a control method for same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in an imaging apparatus such as a digital camera and a video camera and the like, a stepping motor is used in order to drive the lenses and the like that form a lens barrel quickly and precisely. As a method for rotationally driving this stepping motor at a high speed, a control method is known in which a position detecting apparatus such as an encoder and the like is provided on the motor, and closed loop control (advance angle control) is carried out.
In the case in which the stepping motor is driven at a speed that is equal to or greater than a self-activation area, an acceleration-deceleration operation is required. At this time, in the case in which the positioning of an object is carried out using the number of revolutions of a motor, the amount of movement required for the acceleration-deceleration operation must be taken into consideration. Japanese Patent No. 4,165,915 discloses a method in which, depending on the amount of movement, the drive control of the stepping motor is switched between open loop control and closed loop control.
However, a method in which switching between open loop control and closed loop control is carried out depending only on the amount of movement is not suitable for driving in which high position precision is required, such as contrast AF (autofocus) processing in an imaging apparatus.

Imaging apparatus and control method for same


A method for analyzing stored frames of time-stamped imaging data and time-stamped physiologic data obtained during a study of a patient during a plurality of cardiac cycles. The imaging data includes frames representative of a succession of images of the patient's heart. These configurations use a computer to analyze the stored physiologic data to determine times of a selected phase in the plurality of cardiac cycles, select, in the plurality of cardiac cycles, stored images corresponding to the determined times of the selected phase, and align and average images corresponding to the selected phase across the plurality of cardiac cycles to produce a single representative frame of image data.

This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for diagnostic medical imaging and more particularly to methods and apparatus for automated angiographic analysis. However, the invention is also more generally useful for analysis of other cyclical images.
A coronary angiogram (or synonymously, an arteriogram) is an x-ray of the coronary arteries. Such images help the physician observe blocked arteries for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. An angiogram is often part of a cardiac catheterization procedure including other tests and measurements. A patient undergoing catheterization also undergoes physiological monitoring. Typically, an electrocardiogram (ECG or, synonymously, EKG) is produced from electrical leads attached to a patient and analyzed to detect irregularities indicative of heart damage or disease. Data from the ECG is stored in a computer database.
To perform an angiogram, a physician injects a contrast medium into the coronary arteries using catheter inserted through a blood vessel (such as a femoral artery) up to the heart and then takes an X-ray of the heart. The angiogram assists the physician in determining the location and severity of coronary artery disease. This information is then used to determine what, if any, treatment is medically appropriate.
Cardiac angiography is performed in a cardiac catheterization laboratory utilizing cardiovascular X-ray imaging equipment. Left ventricular analysis, which is the contour detection of the diastolic and systolic left ventricle, can be carried out by capturing images in which a contrast medium has been injected into the left ventricle.
Images produced by X-ray imaging equipment can be stored on photographic film or electronically as digital images. Typically, digital images are stored in DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine format) and stored and viewed at a workstation.
Cardiac angiography images are usually reviewed as moving pictures. For left ventricular analysis, the perimeter of the dye filled left ventricular chamber is manually or semi-automatically delineated in each portion of the cardiac cycle. Various known analysis methods require a user to manually select a pair of images, more particularly, a diastole and a systole image, draw or mark the contours of the dye filled ventricle. Automatic (i.e., computerized) edge detection is possible, but is often difficult due to lack of edge definition or obscuration by musculature inside the ventricle. More often than not, automated edge detection systems require manual adjustment for successful edge detection for left ventricular analysis.

Methods and apparatus for analysis of angiographic and other cyclical images

GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC


A device for manipulating colloidal particles in a bistable medium, the device includes a microcontroller, which stores a color and/or design scheme for a bistable medium, and a mechanism for changing the bistable medium from a first state to a second state.

Methods to achieve bistability in specified materials, for instance PCT application No. US2010/001105 discloses magnetite nanoparticles within a solid media. Through a combination of magnetic or electrical tuning and a UV reversible curing process, structures can be fixed by converting the liquid medium to a solid, which can be converted from a solid back to a liquid to change the color of the medium with the colloidal particles.
In addition, a number of inventions relating to tuning apparatuses designed to modulate frequencies of a bistable materials and/or solutions are known, including the cathode ray tube (CRT). For example, the CRT uses high-powered electromagnets to power and steer a stream of electrons, causing them to hit the television screen and make it glow.
The use of alternating magnetic fields using magnetic particles was first introduced by Gilchrist et al. (1957) to produce intratumoral heating. The tissue heating comes from magnetic friction from the magnetic particles. Advances in the field of alternating magnetic field heating of magnetic nanoparticles induced by magnetic friction, have been extensive in the last 50 years. There is an array of scientific and technological application of this phenomenon, in particular, biomedicine. Recently, superparamagnetic have been used for inducing hyperthermia in cancerous tumors. A host of different magnetic and superparamagnetic particles and nanoparticles have been identified in the literature.
Typical magnetic field amplitudes are small of order 150 Oe and frequencies are high for example 300 kHz. By using a magnet to heat superparamagnetic particles in a medium, the heating of the medium can be controlled by particle concentration, magnetic amplitude and the frequency of oscillating the magnetic field. References: Gilchrist Ric, Medal R Shorey S D et al. Ann Surgery 1957: 146:596; Jordan A Schulz R, Wust P., et al. J. Magnetism Magnetic Mater. 1999: 201:413; and DeNardo G L and DeMardo S J Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharm. 200: 23:671
However, it would be desirable to provide a tuning apparatus designed to manipulate colloidal particles in a bistable medium to create color change and/or color design by means of applying an external magnetic or electrical field(s), electromagnetism, an electrical frequency, light, and/or pressure to the bistable material.

Apparatus to manipulate colloidal particles in a bistable medium


The present invention is directed to the controlled delivery of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, preferably from a polymeric material that is implanted in the body. More specifically, the present invention relates to compositions comprised of a GnRH agonist, preferably histrelin, in a polymeric material that results in a desired and controlled delivery of a therapeutically effective amount of GnRH agonist over an extended period of time in order to treat central precocious puberty (CPP).

The present invention is directed to the controlled delivery of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists, preferably from a polymeric material that is implanted in the body. More specifically, the present invention relates to compositions comprised of a GnRH agonist, preferably histrelin, in a polymeric material that results in a desired and controlled delivery of a therapeutically effective amount of GnRH agonist in order to treat central precocious puberty (CPP).
There is a wide range of ages at which individuals normally start puberty. Girls usually develop breasts and then pubic hair between the ages of 8 and 13 years. Menstrual periods typically start at 12 to 13 years of age. Girls will often experience moodiness and become more irritable during puberty. Boys normally develop testicular enlargement and then pubic hair between the ages of 9 and 14 years. Underarm and facial hair, as well as deepening of the voice, typically occur between the ages of 13 and 16 years.
In the United States, an estimated one out of every 10,000 children suffers from central precocious puberty or premature puberty. This condition is evident when girls under the age of eight years and boys under the age of nine years develop signs of sexual maturity, such as the early onset of secondary sexual characteristics, increase in growth rate, advancement of skeletal age beyond chronological age. Signs or symptoms of CPP include, but are not limited to, the development of secondary sex characteristics such as breasts, testicle growth, or pubic hair.
True precocious puberty is the result of premature initiation of the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Premature release of the luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) by the hypothalamus triggers secretion of the pituitary gonadotropin hormones. As a consequence, the gonads function at an inappropriately early age. Precocious puberty per se has many subdivisions: isosexual, heterosexual, gonadotropin-dependent (true precocious puberty), gonadotropin-independent, male-limited (familial testotoxicosis), cerebral, central, and idiopathic (unknown) precocious puberty. Precocious puberty is also known as familial testotoxicosis, gonadotropin-independent familial sexual precocity, and pubertas praecox.
In the majority of cases of precocious puberty, the cause is unknown. In some instances, the pituitary signals the ovaries and testicles to make female and male hormones at an earlier than usual time. In other cases, signs of puberty occur prematurely because of abnormalities in the ovaries, testicles, or adrenal glands. Tests are usually necessary to determine whether the cause of precocious puberty is in the brain or in another area of the body. Usually precocious puberty is idiopathic (unknown cause). In some instances, it is due to an endocrine disorder. Cerebral precocious puberty is associated with a brain abnormality, for example a tumor of the central nervous system, including hypothalamic hamartomas, infections, head trauma, hydrocephalus, or hypothyroidism. Precocious puberty may also be a feature of McCune-Albright syndrome, neurofibromatosis, Russell-Silver syndrome and disorders of the adrenal glands. Affected individuals may encounter psychological problems due to their accelerated growth and may feel alienated from their peers. They may exhibit increased aggressiveness and hyperactivity. Male-limited precocious puberty (familial testotoxicosis) is considered hereditary.
In females, the breasts start to develop before age 8, or menstruation occurs before age 10, and growth is rapid. In males, onset is before age 10; boys grow facial, underarm, and pubic hair; growth, including that of the penis, accelerates; the voice deepens; and behavior becomes more aggressive. Puberty may take place before age 3 in some children. Children with precocious puberty are taller than their peers. Since bone maturity is usually hastened in precocious puberty, closure of growth occurs prematurely, and patients are short in stature in adulthood. In isosexual precocious puberty, feminizing signs appear in girls, masculinization in boys. Heterosexual precocious puberty causes signs of masculine characteristics in girls and feminization in boys. Cerebral precocious puberty differs in cause but mimics true precocious puberty. Central precocious puberty is attended by changes that concern the central nervous system. Gonadotropin-dependent precocious puberty is marked by high gonadotropin levels in girls. Gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty usually affects boys, who have low levels of gonadotropin. Idiopathic precocious puberty is associated with EEG (Electroencephalogram) irregularities in girls. The cause of the unusual brain waves is unclear.
Treatments that affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis can effectively reduce hormones to pre-pubertal levels. This may arrest and prevent further development of secondary sex characteristics. Reduction of gonadotropins will allow for normal physical and psychological growth and development. Natural maturation occurs when gonadotropins return to pubertal levels following discontinuation of treatment.
GnRH (also referred to as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH)) acts on the anterior pituitary gland to effect release of hormones that affect activity of the reproductive organs. GnRH is produced by the hypothalamic region of the brain and controls the reproductive cycle by acting on the anterior pituitary gland to affect release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), which in turn act on the gonads to stimulate the synthesis of steroid hormones and to stimulate gamete maturation. The natural GnRH peptide is a hydrophilic decapeptide. Agonist analogs of GnRH may be used to control fertility, for example, low doses of GnRH agonists may stimulate ovulation and larger doses may block ovulation in females and suppress spermatogenesis in males through classic negative feedback principles.
Conventional treatment of CPP includes administration of GnRH agonists. Synthetic analogues of GnRH agonists are considered to be more effective than the natural agonists. Examples of GnRH agonists include, but not limited to, leuprolide (Lupron Depot®), goserelin (Zoladex®) and histrelin (Supprelin®), buserelin (Suprefact®), nafarelin (Synarel®) and triptorelin (De-capeptyl®, Trelstar Depot®). Many of these formulations involve monthly intramuscular injections of the drug. While usually effective in suppressing gonadotropin secretion, the monthly injections are painful, expensive, and inconvenient (monthly visits to the clinic nurse or physician). In some patients, gonadotropin suppression is not sustained by a monthly schedule of injections and the GnRH analog needs to be administered at 3-week or even 2-week intervals (1-3). For children, the daily dose of histrelin for treatment of CPP is typically about 10 μg/kg/day, which is equivalent to about 300 to about 600 μg histrelin per day.
Histrelin is a synthetic nonapeptide agonist of the naturally occurring GnRH. Initially the drug stimulates release of GnRH; however, chronic use desensitizes responsiveness of the pituitary gonadotropin, causing a reduction in ovarian and testicular steroidogenesis.
In view of the foregoing, a method for treating central precocious puberty and therapeutic compositions of GnRH agonists are provided.

Compositions and methods for treating precocious puberty


An electric machine includes a stator (1) and a rotor (2), which are arranged in a housing (3). A liquid cooling jacket is configured for cooling the stator (1). At least one extended surface cooler (10), which is connected to the liquid cooling jacket via a housing wall, is provided in an interior of the housing (3) for direct cooling of components arranged in the interior of the housing (3). Moreover, an axle drive of a vehicle may include the electric machine.

Publication EP 0 231 785 A2, for example, describes a vehicle including a generator. In order to cool the stator of the generator, a jacket cooling is provided, which is acted upon with coolant from the vehicle. The jacket cooling can provide, via additional heat-conducting elements, an indirect cooling of further components. Moreover, an air blower is driven, which generates a cooling air flow.
Since it is crucial for the performance of an electric machine to sufficiently dissipate the generated heat, a sufficient liquid cooling is necessary, in particular, for electric machines that are operated as a motor. In addition to the stator, which is thermally managed with the aid of a jacket cooling, further considerable heat-producing components are also provided in the interior of the electric machine, which absolutely must be cooled. The cooling of components provided in the interior of the electric machine is structurally complex.

Electric machine with an extended surface cooler