A method and apparatus for transporting a short message between a subscriber terminal and a digital telecommunications system is disclosed. A short message including user information and control data is created at the subscriber terminal. The short message user information is inserted into a user information field in a call setup message, in accordance with a standard call control protocol. A predetermined code is inserted into a locking shift field in the call setup message, which creates a short message control data field in the call setup message. The short message control data is inserted into the short message control data field in the call setup message, and the call setup message is transported between the subscriber terminal and the system. Also, a method and apparatus for transporting the short message between the digital telecommunications system and a short message service center is disclosed. The short message user information is inserted into a user field of an initial address message, in accordance with an ISUP protocol. The short message control data is inserted in an access transport field of the initial address message, and the initial address message is transported between the digital communications system and the short message service center.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the telecommunications field and, in particular, to the transporting of short text messages to subscribers in a wireless telecommunications system.
2. History of Related Art
The Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) is a digital, mobile cellular radiotelephone system that has been introduced as a standard in several European countries. The basic telecommunications services supported by the GSM include two-way voice communications between fixed and mobile subscribers, CCITT Group 3 facsimile transmissions, and synchronous and asynchronous data transmissions at rates of up to 9.6 kbits/s.
A special telecommunications service supported by the GSM is the Short Message Service (SMS). The SMS enables the GSM to route short text messages, each up to 160 alphanumeric characters long, over the signaling channels to or from mobile stations. If a mobile station for which a short message is intended is not in service, or has left the coverage area, the message is stored in a Short Message Service Center (SMS-C). The SMS-C forwards the message to the mobile station when it returns to service or re-enters the coverage area. The SMS can also transfer short messages between a Short Message Service Terminal (SMT) in a data network and GSM mobile stations.
The GSM is divided into a switching subsystem and base station subsystem. A call from a mobile station is received by a base transceiver station, which is part of the base station subsystem. The base transceiver station defines an individual cell in a geographical service area. A base station controller also in the base station subsystem controls a group of base transceiver stations (cells). A number of base station controllers are served by a mobile services switching center (MSC), which forms a part of the switching subsystem. The MSC controls calls to and from other telephone and data communications systems, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN), and various public and private data networks.
If a user in another network (e.g., PSTN) calls a GSM subscriber, the call is connected to a gateway MSC (GMSC). The GMSC finds the location of the GSM subscriber by interrogating a home location register (HLR), which is a database in the switching subsystem. The HLR provides the address of the GSM subscriber in its most current MSC area. The GMSC routes the call to that MSC. The current location of the GSM subscriber is maintained in a visitor location register (VLR), a database containing information about all of the GSM subscribers currently located in that MSC's area. If the GSM subscriber roams into a new MSC area, the VLR associated with the new MSC requests information about the subscriber from the HLR. At the same time, the HLR is informed about the new MSC area in which the subscriber resides.
In the GSM, a short message can be mobile originated or mobile terminated. A mobile originated short message is submitted from a mobile terminal via a base transceiver station to the visited MSC. The visited MSC forwards the message to the SMS-C given by the originating mobile terminal. The SMS-C forwards the message to its destination, which can be a mobile station or a terminal in the data network.
A mobile terminated short message is submitted by a user directly to an SMS-C. The SMS-C forwards the message to a short message service-gateway mobile services switching center (SMS-GMSC). The SMS-GMSC interrogates the related HLR for transporting information, and reroutes the message to the appropriate MSC. The destination mobile station is paged and a connection is set up between the MSC and the mobile station. Upon set up, the MSC forwards the message to the mobile station via the signaling channel (e.g., stand alone dedicated control channel or SDCCH). If the message was delivered successfully, a notification report is sent from the MSC to the originating SMS-C. If not, the HLR is so informed and a failure report is sent from the MSC to the originating SMS-C. The notification report or failure report can be sent to the message originator by the SMS-C.
In order for a user to receive and send text in a short message, certain short message control data is provided to the SMS-C. This control data allows the message originator to specify the destination subscriber to the SMS-C, along with, for example, when (e.g., at 4:00 p.m.) and how (e.g., by facsimile) the text is to be sent to the destination. In the GSM, the SMS has been implemented by the inclusion of an exclusive SMS protocol in parallel with a Q.931 message-oriented call control protocol.
The Q.931 call control interface (also referred to as CCITT Recommendation I.451) is a protocol that specifies what goes into a signaling packet and also defines the message type and content. Specifically, the Q.931 call control interface provides for call setup and take down, the called party number, calling party number information, bearer capability (e.g., voice or data), status checks (for recovery from abnormal events, such as protocol failures or "busy" trunks), release of bearer channels, and error announcements. The Q.931 call control interface is derived from the CCITT Digital Subscriber Signaling System No. 1 (DSS1) user-network ISDN interface.
In other digital mobile radiotelephone systems, such as, for example, the Personal Digital Cellular (PDC) System (also known as the Japanese Digital Cellular Radio System or JDC), and in fixed ISDNs, the Q.931 call control interface has been specified for use, but no parallel SMS interface has been provided. Consequently, although short message text information can be transported in these networks via the existing Q.931 interface, a problem arises in attempting to transport short message control data without a special SMS interface.
A conventional solution to this problem is to include the short message call control data in the Q.931 User-User Information Element (UUIE) field along with the short message text. However, this solution creates another problem, because the more control data that is included in the UUIE, the less text that can be input to the UUIE by the message originator, and the UUIE already has a very limited length (128 octets).
Another problem arises in attempting to send a short message between an MSC and an SMS-C. The conventional technique is to send the short message using the network interface signaling PDC Mobile Application Part (MAP) protocol. In systems other than the GSM, the use of the MAP protocol to transport a short message to a receiving SMS-C is relatively inefficient and thus problematic. For example, fixed ISDNs (and PDC operators) use a number 7 signaling-based ISDN user part (ISUP) protocol. Consequently, the use of a MAP protocol would force the fixed ISDNs (and PDC operators) to introduce and use a MAP protocol over the existing ISUP protocol, which would increase the design complexity significantly and add at least substantial software costs. Furthermore, since many SMS-Cs are integrated with a voice mail system center, and such voice mail system centers use an ISUP protocol to communicate with an MSC, it is advantageous to use that already existing ISUP protocol for communications between the SMS-C and the MSC. Furthermore, using a MAP protocol to transfer a release command between an MSC and SMS-C does not allow the SMS-C to immediately terminate the connection to the MSC, which ties up that circuit for an unnecessarily long period of time.

Method for transporting short messages in a wireless telecommunications system


Support wires can be used to hold up light tiles to provide a lightweight display system.

Existing light tile systems typically require an extruded aluminum housing that must be attached to a metal frame of some sort. These frames are ground supported by an external structure or make use of rigging systems so they may be suspended from a rated point.
There are some LED tile systems that are transparent but that require frames and ground support structures. The systems require secondary support structures in order to create walls of significant size. This is an additional cost and the structure tends to work against the goal of creating a transparent wall system. Many of these systems are tied to the window size of the building as designed. These are custom systems using extremely large light guides which limits the amount of information that can be communicated.
Alternative direct view LED systems are available in tubes and modules but these systems are not intended to provide the fill level (the percentage of the area of a pixel which generates the image) that a tile system provides. These systems do allow some level of transparency through variable pixel spacing or use in slat system. Examples of such systems are the Barco MiPix, the Opto Tech Intelligent Cluster, Lumino and the GLEC system.
Although some of these systems can be effectively integrated into the structure of the building they do not themselves constitute a wall or a structure. Any system must account for long term service since an installation may stand for decades. LED systems embedded in glass are an expensive problem.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System for creating a tensioned wall composed of individual LED tiles


A mounting and alignment structure of an optical component has an optical element interface. Optical elements, such as lenses or fibers are attached to the mounting structure at this interface. The structure further comprises a base. The base forms the part of the structure that is generally attached to an optical bench or other submount, for example. Armatures extend between the base and the interface to allow for deformation or alignment of the optical structure in a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis. The base further includes an upper support, a lower support, and a link extending between the upper and lower support. In the preferred embodiment, this link allows the mounting structure to be deformed in a direction at least partially parallel to the optical axis. Thus, when a lens optical element is mounted on the mounting structure, a position of the focal point of the beam being transmitted through the lens can be controlled in a direction along the optical axis.

Component alignment is of critical importance in semiconductor laser system and/or MOEMS (micro-optical electromechanical systems) manufacturing. The basic nature of light requires that light generating, transmitting, and modifying components must be positioned accurately with respect to one another, especially in the context of free-space-interconnect optical systems, in order to function properly and effectively in electro-optical or all optical systems. Scales characteristic of semiconductor and MOEMS can necessitate micrometer to sub-micrometer alignment accuracy.
Consider the specific examples of coupling light from a semiconductor diode laser, such as a pump laser, to a core of a single mode fiber or coupling light into and out of a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA). Only the power that is coupled into the fiber core is usable to subsequent system, such as a fiber amplifier or a detector in the case of an SOA. In the context of the SOA, input light must further be focused onto an input facet to provide a signal to be amplified.
One alignment technique that has been proposed for free-space-interconnect optical systems is to mount lenses on deformable mounting structures. Such systems enable the semiconductor laser system to be constructed and then later aligned to maximize coupling efficiencies.
One problem that arises with these proposed mounting structures is that they do not provide for alignment in the direction of the optical axis. Typically, they are configured such that they are deformable in a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis. This is useful for many forms of alignment where the axis of the beam must be vertically and horizontally aligned relative to the optical bench on which the structure is installed. Additional degrees of freedom, however, are required when controlling the cross-sectional characteristics, such as when focusing the beam to couple it into a semiconductor chip or tunable filter.
In general, according to one aspect, the invention features a mounting and alignment structure of an optical component. The structure has an optical element interface. Optical elements, such as lenses or fibers are attached to the mounting structure at this interface.
The structure further comprises a base. The base forms the part of the structure that is generally attached to an optical bench or other submount, for example. Armatures extend between the base and the interface to allow for deformation or alignment of the optical structure in a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis.
According to the present invention, the base further includes an upper support, a lower support, and a link extending between the upper and lower support.
In the preferred embodiment, this link allows the mounting structure to be deformed in a direction at least partially parallel to the optical axis. Thus, when a lens optical element is mounted on the mounting structure, for example, a position of the focal point of the beam being transmitted through the lens can be controlled in a direction of the optical axis.
In a preferred embodiment, two links are provided, each extending between the upper support and the lower support. One of these links is on a proximal side of the structure and the other is on a distal side of the structure.
In the present embodiment, these links form a hollow tubular flexion. The axis of this flexion extends in a direction parallel to the bench to which the mounting and alignment structure attaches, and in a direction that is orthogonal to a plane that is perpendicular to the bench and passes through the optical axis.
In general, according to another aspect, the invention also features a method for manufacturing a mounting structure of an optical component. This method comprises patterning a base resist layer to form a foundation mold for the optical element interface, at least one armature, and a portion of the base. This foundation mold is then filled with bulk material. A link resist layer is then patterned and developed to form a link mold on the bulk material. This link mold is then filled with bulk material to form an additional portion, or link, of the base.
In the preferred embodiment, a second link mold is further made and filled to form a second link.
Preferably, the system utilizes the LIGA process. LIGA is a German acronym for lithography, plating, and molding. Specifically, the foundation resist layer is usually PMMA. It is exposed using X-rays from a synchrotron, for example. The resist layer is then later developed and filled, using a plating or electroforming process with a nickel or gold bulk material.
In general, according to still another aspect of the invention, a method for positioning a mounting and alignment structure on optical bench is featured. This comprises forming a mounting structure comprising a component interface, at least one base, and at least one armature connecting the component to the base. An optical component alignment feature is formed on the base of the mounting structure. Further, a bench alignment feature is formed on the bench. The mounting structure of the optical bench is then mated to the component alignment feature.
The above and other features of the invention including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, and other advantages, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular method and device embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

Mounting and alignment structures for optical components providing optical axis direction deformation


A golf club organizing assembly includes divider members having upper and lower longitudinal edges and respective slits and notches defined through the divider members between their upper and lower longitudinal edges for intersecting and interfitting the divider members with and through one another so as to form a plurality of slots for receiving the shafts of golf clubs placed in a carrying bag. The slits are defined through first divider members and the notches are defined through second divider members. The slits in the first divider members have upper and lower ends inwardly spaced from the upper and lower longitudinal edges of the first divider members leaving upper and lower portions of the first divider members extending between the upper and lower longitudinal edges of the first divider members and upper and lower ends of the slits. The notches in the second divider members extend from one of the longitudinal edges of the second divider members to inner ends spaced inwardly from the other of the longitudinal edges of the second divider members. The second divider members are fitted through the slits in the first divider members with the notches of the second divider members interlocked with respective portions of the first divider members adjacent to the slits therein.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to arranging golf clubs in carrying bags and, more particularly, is concerned with a golf club organizing assembly and method of assembling the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Golf clubs are often carried in a sleeve-like bag designed for that purpose. As seen in a top plan view in FIG. 1 and in a side elevational view in FIG. 2, a basic prior art golf club carrying bag 10 has a tubular sidewall 12 open at an upper end 12A and closed at a lower end 12B by a bottom end wall 14. An interior of the bag 10 defines a cavity 16 in which the golf clubs are stored vertically with their handgrip ends down so that the heads of the clubs extend above the open upper end 12A of the bag 10.
As is well-known, golf clubs generally differ from one another in terms of lengths of their shafts, shapes and sizes of their heads, and angles at which their golf ball striking surfaces extend relative to a horizontal plane. Golfers select one of the clubs to use for any given stroke depending on the particular placement of the ball whether in the rough or on the tee, fairway or green and the distance of the ball from the hole. As a result, many golfers prefer to maintain their clubs in their bag in some organized fashion so that they can quickly locate and replace the one club they have selected to use for the particular stroke at hand.
The basic design of the prior art golf bag 10, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, does not provide a means to organize the clubs in the bag 10. As the bag 10 is moved and jostled about during a round of play, the clubs will bump each other and move around in the bag 10 relative to one another and will be disorganized causing the golfer to constantly search for the selected club. The bumping of the clubs against one another may also result in wear on the handgrip surfaces and dings and nicks on the club heads. In an effort to address these problems with the basic prior art bag 10, a variety of prior art approaches to bag design for better arranging and organizing golf clubs in the bags have occurred over the years.
In a first prior art approach, as shown in a top plan view in FIG. 3, the bag 10 at the open upper end is provided with a front-to-back extending rigid central bar 18 and a pair of front-to-back spaced apart rigid cross bars 20, 22. The bars 18 to 22 are fixedly attached at opposite ends to the upper end 12A of the bag sidewall 12. In some cases, divider panels of cloth or plastic sheets are also provided, being attached to and extending downward from the cross bars 20, 22 to the bottom wall 14 of the bag 10 forming three separate compartments. These bars 20, 22 and panels serve to spread and separate groups of clubs from one another. Nevertheless, clubs within a group can still move around and bump one another such that they remain substantially disorganized and subject to damaging contacts.
In a second prior art approach, as shown in a top plan view in FIG. 4, a plurality of plastic elongated tubes 24, each for receiving one of the clubs, are inserted in the club carrying cavity 16 of the bag 10 and arranged in a side-by-side relation substantially filling the cavity 16. While the tubes 24 will generally maintain the clubs in a desired organized arrangement, they may scuff and wear the handgrips and over time tend to bend and split from golfers repeatedly inserting and pulling out the clubs at various angles relative to the tubes 24. Also, the tubes 24 will frequently be pulled out of the bag 10 with the clubs.
In a third prior art approach, as shown in a top plan view in FIG. 5, the bag 10 is provided with a plurality of peripheral elongated compartments 26 formed about the inside perimeter of the bag sidewall 12 by a large flexible panel 28 which is arranged in a serpentine configuration to define side-by-side, bell-shaped wall portions 30 projecting from the sidewall 12 of the bag 10 toward the center of the bag 10 and attached to the bag sidewall 12 along narrow portions 32 of the flexible panel 28 which extends between the bell-shaped wall portions 30. This approach also has two separate panel pieces 34 attached at their opposite vertical edges to the bag sidewall 12 and extending across the cavity 16 of the bag 10 defining four central elongated compartments 36 for receiving golf clubs and other accessories such as a ball retriever and/or an umbrella. A representative example of this approach is a golf club organizer product sold under a U.S. registered trademark "Crospete". While the compartments 26 will maintain clubs in an organized arrangement, they have a relatively tight fit creating difficulty in removing and returning the clubs from and back to the compartments 26 and causing increased wear to both handgrips and the wall portions 30 which may result in premature deterioration thereof. Furthermore, the peripheral arrangement of the compartments 26 provides a fixed pattern which bears no logical relationship to how most golfers would desire to organize their clubs in the bag.
Consequently, a need remains for an organizing assembly for arranging golf clubs in a carrying bag and a method of assembling the organizing assembly which provides a solution to the aforementioned problems in the prior art without introducing any new problems in place thereof.

Golf club organizing assembly and method of assembling the same


A PET apparatus includes a clock unit. The clock unit includes: a time measuring unit that measures a time; and a reference time receiving unit that receives a reference time. The PET apparatus also includes a detection time revising unit. By using the reference time received by the reference time receiving unit, the detection time revising unit revises detection times recorded by using the time measured by the time measuring unit. For example, the detection time revising unit revises the detection times by calculating a time error that occurred during an image taking period of a predetermined image taking process by using the time measured by the time measuring unit and the reference time received by the reference time receiving unit and further distributing the calculated time error to each of the detection times recorded during the image taking period.

As a nuclear medicine imaging apparatus, Positron Emission computed Tomography (PET) apparatuses are conventionally known. A PET apparatus generates, for example, a function image of a tissue in a human body. More specifically, to perform an image taking process using a PET apparatus, a subject is first dosed with a radiopharmaceutical labeled with a positron emitting nuclide. After that, the positron emitting nuclide that is selectively taken into a body tissue within the subject releases positrons, and the released positrons are coupled with electrons and annihilated. At this time, the positrons release a pair of gamma rays in substantially opposite directions. The PET apparatus detects the gamma rays by using a detector arranged in a ring formation so as to surround the subject and generates simultaneous count information (hereinafter, a "coincidence list") from the detection result. Further, the PET apparatus performs a reconstructing process through a back-projection process by using the generated coincidence list and generates a PET image.
In this situation, the radiopharmaceutical refers to a pharmaceutical in which a radio isotope (RI) is used. During an image taking process using a PET apparatus, it is required to accurately understand the radioactivity level of the radiopharmaceutical with which the subject is dosed. However, because the radioactivity level of a radiopharmaceutical decays over the course of time (see FIG. 12), the radioactivity level is usually understood by using a test time indicating the time at which the radioactivity level of the radiopharmaceutical is measured and a detection time indicating a time at which gamma rays are detected by a PET apparatus. For example, a time difference is calculated between the test time measured by a radioactivity measuring apparatus and the detection time at which the gamma rays are detected by the PET apparatus, so that the radioactivity level at the time of the detection of the gamma rays can be estimated by referring to a decay curve while using the calculated time difference and the radioactivity value at the test time. FIG. 12 is a drawing for explaining the decay of the radioactivity level of a radiopharmaceutical.
However, the clock used by the radioactivity measuring apparatus to measure the test time is different from the clock used by the PET apparatus to measure the detection time. For this reason, if the clock used by the PET apparatus is not accurate, for example, it means that the detection time itself is not accurately measured. Thus, even if the time difference between the test time and the detection time is calculated, the calculated time difference is inaccurate. As a result, conventional techniques have a problem where it is not necessarily always possible to accurately understand the radioactivity level of the radiopharmaceutical with which the subject is dosed.

Nuclear medicine imaging apparatus and nuclear medicine imaging system


An amphibious vehicle, which may plane on water, has at least one pair of front or rear wheels having wheel suspensions fitted with an anti-roll bar (46). Said bar rotates upwards as the wheels are stowed above the waterline for use of the vehicle on water. The wheels may be driven wheels, and may be steered by pivotable steering link (20); or passively steered. Anti-roll bar (46) may be mounted to the vehicle by at least one bearing (48), so that the bar rotates about a single axis when the wheels are retracted. The bar passes through watertight outside bodywork (60), where it may be sealed by an elastomeric seal (62). Said seal may comprise a lip portion (72), sealing against the bar itself or against a ring or a collar (68) attached thereto. The ring or collar may be continuously welded around the anti-roll bar.

Such a vehicle is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,179 (Roycroft). In order to improve road performance, it has been proposed to provide anti-roll bars for amphibians. However this proposal has only, so far as is known, been applied to a slow speed, low marine performance, vehicle such as the Hobbycar. This vehicle was a displacement vessel with an advertised top speed of 5 knots in water; its anti-roll bar was located outside of the hull. For high performance in the marine mode, it is necessary to reduce any external protrusions so that the vehicle can be made to plane.
When a marine vessel is designed to plane, marine handling in cornering is generally much improved if the hull has a deadrise: that is, it is angled upwards at either side from the keel, which passes along the longitudinal centre line of the vessel. Such a hull profile will inevitably raise the centre of gravity of the vessel when compared to a flat bottomed hull. When such a vessel is an amphibious vehicle with alternative use on road, the raised centre of gravity may markedly increase roll angles on the road, unless an anti-roll bar is fitted.
As has been proposed in the Roycroft vehicle mentioned above, the front and indeed also the rear road wheels (it is a four wheeled vehicle) are ranged to fold upwards substantially above the waterline in marine mode. That is, the wheels when retracted are laterally closer to each other, than when protracted in road mode. There is therefore a problem when linking the wheel suspensions by an anti-roll bar, as to how to fold and retract the wheels. A conventional anti-toll bar would inhibit movement of wheels on opposite sides of the body towards each other.


The present invention relates to a vehicle seat that receives by a seatback a load that is input from the side of a vehicle, the vehicle seat including a plate member that has a plurality of uneven portions in which a ridgeline portion extends along the vehicle width direction and is attached to a seatback frame.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle seat that has a function of protecting an occupant from a load that is input from the side of the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Since most vehicle seats are not provided with a structure that rigidly receives a load input from the side with a frame, during a side impact to the vehicle or the like, this vehicle seat itself is not capable of efficiently receiving the impact energy.
As a vehicle seat that deals with this problem, a vehicle seat device has been proposed in which a reinforcing member is provided between left and right side frames of a seatback frame having an approximately rectangular frame shape in order to connect both frames, and as a result of that reinforcement the frame strength near the chest height of the occupant is increased (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-153839).
This vehicle seat disposes the reinforcing member having a large cross-sectional area in a slanting manner from the exterior side to the interior side in the vehicle width direction, receives the load during a side impact to the vehicle that has been input at the chest height of the occupant by the seatback frame and the reinforcing member, and is able to efficiently transmit the load to a center console portion in the middle in the width direction of the vehicle.
Because many functional components such as a lumbar support for enhancing the riding comfort of the occupant and an active headrest for preventing whiplash are built into the seatback portion of the vehicle seat, and the need to ensure the occupying space on the rear seat side, the thickness in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle tends to be restricted.
However, in the case of actually adopting the abovementioned conventional vehicle seat, since the reinforcing member having a large cross-sectional area is obliquely constructed with respect to the seatback frame, internalization of the functional components and making the seatback have a thin profile become difficult.
The present invention was achieved in view of the above circumstances, and has an object of providing a vehicle seat that can reliably receive a load that is input from the side of the vehicle with the seatback portion without greatly occupying space in the thickness direction of the seatback.


A method and apparatus for monitoring for Red Fail faults in a traffic signal control system. Traffic control signals generated by a traffic control unit are grouped into channels. A parent-child relationship is established between some channels. When testing for a Red Fail fault, the control signals in both the parent channel and the child channel are examined. A Red Fail fault will occur only if all the control signals examined in both the parent and the child channel are inactive. The control signals examined in the child channel can be limited to the Green and Walk signals; or may include the Yellow signals.

This invention relates to traffic control equipment used to monitor the states of traffic signal head control signals for proper operation. More particularly, this invention relates to a malfunction management unit which monitors for the absence of any activated traffic signal head control signals in a given channel.
Traffic signal heads are commonly used to regulate the flow of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. A typical traffic signal head is provided with red, yellow, and green A.C. operated light sources, and the operation of these light sources is under the control of a unit termed a controller assembly. For safety reasons, the traffic control industry has long used equipment to monitor the states of the electrical power signals generated by the controller assembly and used to operate the traffic signal head light sources for proper operation. Under the TS-1 standard, this equipment is called a conflict management unit (CMU); under the later TS-2 standard, this equipment is called a malfunction management unit (MMU).
A controller assembly and an MMU are typically configured together in one of two configurations-Type 16 and Type 12. In either configuration, the traffic control signals from the controller assembly to the signal heads in a controlled intersection are typically grouped into channels, with the signals for a given phase assigned to the same channel. In a Type 16 configuration, there are a total of sixteen channels, each consisting of three 120 volt A.C. outputs:Green/walk, Yellow, and Red/Don't Walk. In a Type 12 configuration there are a total of twelve channels, each consisting of four 120 volt A.C. outputs: Green, Yellow, Walk, and Red.
One of the tests customarily applied to the control signals in each channel is termed the Red Fail test. This test checks whether at least one of the traffic light control signals in a channel is active. If not, all the lights controlling that phase of the intersection are dark and the phase is uncontrolled. When this condition occurs, the MMU generates a fault signal and the traffic signals are forced into a flashing mode of operation, overriding the normal mode of operation.
Although the Red Fail test is widely used, this standard test is inaccurate and not suitable for some intersection arrangements. For example, in some overlaps and some protected/permitted applications it may be required that the lights in one channel all be dark while another channel's lights are active. Under the normal Red Fail test, the absence of an active light in the one channel would trigger a Red Fail fault unless the MMU were programmed to inactivate the Red Fail test.

Traffic control malfunction management unit with co-channel monitoring


A frame structure used in a backlight module is disclosed. The frame structure includes an upper frame and a lower frame. By combining the T-shape hook of the upper frame and the corresponding groove of the lower frame, the components of the backlight module, such as the linear light source, the light source fixer, the light guide, the upper diffusing plate, the reflective plate, the lower diffusing plate, and the prism plate can be well assembled. Therefore, an improved positioning and fixing efficacy is provided.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a frame structure used in a backlight module and, more particularly, to a frame structure for fixing the components of a backlight module for illuminating a liquid crystal panel.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, the liquid crystal display device has been commonly applied in the information technologies. In particular, owing to the mature manufacturing technique, the price of the liquid crystal display device has become cheaper, which also further benefits the popularity of the liquid crystal display device.
Generally speaking, displaying method of the liquid crystal display device is passive, which means that there must be a backlight module to illuminate the liquid crystal panel, and thereby the images displayed on the liquid crystal display device can be seen. Therefore, the liquid crystal display device must be mounted with a backlight module. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal display device is composed of several minute and complex elements. Commonly, a liquid crystal panel 4 as well as the components of a backlight module, e.g. a linear light source 6, a light source fixer 9, a light guide 12, an upper diffusing plate 13, a prism plate 14, a reflective plate 15, and a lower diffusing plate 16, are assembled between an outer frame 5 and a lower frame 2. The outer frame 5 is made of metal and optionally combined with a plastic upper frame 1, and the lower frame 2 is made of metal or plastic. Among those elements, the lower frame 2 is made of metal or plastic. Among those elements, the assembling frames, i.e. the outer frame 5, the upper frame 1, and the lower frame 2 must have good fixing ability and assembling characteristics.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,310 disclosed a lighting apparatus, which fixed the upper frame to the lower frame by at least a pair of protrusions produced on one of the upper and lower frames and a recess formed on the other frame to engage with the protrusions. Commonly, the recess for engaging the protrusion has excess space in order to facilitate the engagement. However, the space might lead to a loose engagement between the protrusion and the recess, and make the fixing between the upper and lower frames not firm enough.
Currently, the backlight module utilizes an upper frame A and a lower frame B to receive the components of a backlight module, as shown in FIG. 2. The upper frame A has a plurality of square buckling elements a, which can buckle with the protruding elements b formed at the periphery of the lower frame B for fixing the upper frame A to the lower frame B. Similarly, the upper frame A has to include a gap c for facilitating the buckling between the square buckling elements a—and the protruding elements b, as shown in FIG. 3. As a result, the fixing efficiency is compromised.
Thus, no matter whether the protrusion or the square buckling element is used, it can restrain the relative movement between the upper and lower frames in the upright direction, but it cannot restrain the relative movement between the upper and lower frames in the cross direction effectively. Consequently, the assembling frame of the backlight module currently used cannot provide an effective fixing function.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved frame structure used in a backlight module to mitigate and/or obviate the aforementioned problems.

Frame structure used in a backlight module


A memory unit includes a memory organized into protected and non-protected areas. A controller manages access to the memory so that the protected area can be written to through a JTAG or CPU interface. Once written to, the protected area is only accessible to particular logic and cannot be over-written until the entire memory is erased. The controller is configured to allow a BCV to be stored in the memory through either the JTAG or CPU interface. The controller is also configured to allow writing to the protected area and boot configuration vector in memory before CPU boot-up by using a JTAG clock signal provided through an external pin when a system clock signal is not available. A reset circuit generates one or more initialization signals using either the BCV from memory or another BCV provided on external BCV pins, depending upon whether another external BCV pin is asserted.

In certain applications it is useful to restrict access to memory such as when the memory stores secret information like a private key for decryption purposes or a digital signature for authorization purposes. Although access to read such information may be restricted, it may be useful to allow multiple sources to write such information into the memory. Also, once the information is written, it is useful for security or other purposes to prevent the information from being maliciously or inadvertently overwritten.
Non-volatile memories are useful in these and other applications, because they maintain stored information even after power is turned off. Electrically programmable, non-volatile memories have the additional advantage of being programmable after their manufacture. This allows for easy customization at the system level.
A central processing unit ("CPU") is commonly used to program an electrically programmable, non-volatile memory. However, when information to be stored in the memory is necessary for the proper operation of the CPU, or is to be programmed before the CPU is booted-up or otherwise programmed without the CPU running at the time, another means for programming the memory in such cases is needed.

Memory unit with controller managing memory access through JTAG and CPU interfaces


A mobile load support for cradling and moving heavy loads comprises a pair of axles in spaced apart parallel relationship to each other, having corner units pivotally mounted on respective ends of the axles. Each of the corner units comprises a truck body having swivelable castor wheels disposed at each end thereof, and a platform projecting therefrom at a level below the longitudinal axis of the truck body for cradling a corner of the load. A pair of ratchet straps engages the ends of the axles, and can be tightened to secure the mobile load support around the load. The mobile load support is capable of manoeuvring over uneven surfaces due to the pivoting action of the corner units, which reduces the tendency of the load becoming dislodged from the support, and is flexible in that it can be easily adapted to loads of different sizes.

Traditionally, individual skates, dollies, castors or rollers have been used to support heavy equipment or machinery for movement thereof from one area to another. A roller is inserted under each corner of a machine, for example, in order to provide rolling support to facilitate the moving of the machine. Typically, the rollers raise the machine 4–6″ off the ground, and the only connection provided between the machine and the rollers is the weight of the machine bearing down on the rollers. However, if the floor over which the machine is being moved is uneven, and should one of the rollers encounter a rut or protrusion in or on the surface, it is quite easy for one of the rollers to become dislodged from the load and for that corner of the machine to fall to the ground. When considering top-heavy machines, such a drop could result in the entire machine tipping over with disastrous results.
Various other mobile supports have been developed that include some type of frame that connects four corner rollers together in order to avoid the situation of having one of the corner rollers becoming dislodged from beneath the load. However, the structures are not easily adaptable to different sized loads since the frames consist of rigid members that are specifically fabricated to provide a certain low degree of adjustability, and they are usually cumbersome to adjust. Furthermore, the load is often raised a number of inches off the ground which still presents a hazard if the load were to become dislodged from one corner of the support.
Canadian Patent No. 2,323,848 to Hewitt discloses a mobile base assembly for supporting and moving machinery. The base assembly comprises corner members having platforms that support the load, extension members connecting the corner members together, support wheels and castor wheels, and at least two stops for supporting the base in a stationary position. The corner and extension members utilize a series of holes that are aligned with respect to each other, and then secured together using nuts and bolts. This allows the size of the base to be adjusted to accommodate a variety of load sizes. Although the base is adjustable, the use of nuts and bolts to join the corner and extension members together is cumbersome. Furthermore, the base is not easily adapted to accommodate extra support wheels or castors, which limits the load carrying capacity of the mobile base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,645 to Eltvik teaches a U-shaped dolly apparatus for supporting and moving heavy objects. The device surrounds the intended load on three sides, with the weight of the load being supported by the two end members while the side member telescopes to adjust to the length of the load. The end members include large wheels, however the wheels do not pivot or swivel to allow for easy steering of the apparatus. Once again, adjustability is provided by means of specifically fabricated pieces that are aligned and locked together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,264 to Hewitt reveals an I-shaped apparatus for supporting and moving heavy objects, typically machinery. The device essentially comprises two parallel end members connected by a centrally located longitudinal member creating the I-shape. One of the end members mounts a pair of pivoting castors, arranged at opposite ends thereof, while the other end member has a single centrally positioned swivelable wheel. The apparatus is of a fixed size and accordingly cannot be adjusted to fit different-sized loads.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,272 to Cobb discloses dolly means comprising individual units that have a frame with a supporting surface for engaging the heavy load, and four independent axles mounted beneath the surface with wheels rotatably mounted thereon. Each axle is capable of vertical movement, which allows one or both of its wheels to move up or down to respond to an uneven surface. The use of the dolly means, however, will often require more than one of the individual units with, for example, one of the units being placed under each corner of the load. Cobb's device improves upon the conventional use of skates or rollers by introducing independent axles beneath a single platform, which helps to reduce the likelihood of the device slipping out from beneath the load since the units can adjust to uneven surfaces. However, the possibility of one of the units becoming dislodged still exists as there is nothing holding each unit together in an overall assembly.


Presented is a plan for utilizing resources not being used in a subframe consisting of relay transmission, and being thrown away thereafter. The present invention enables efficient utilization of the resources by reducing the waste of the resources in a wireless communication system supporting a relay.

In a general wireless communication system, since signals are transmitted and received through a direct link between a base station (BS) and a user equipment (UE), a radio communication link having high reliability may be easily configured between the BS and the UE. However, the wireless communication system has low flexibility in a radio network configuration because the location of the BS may be fixed. In addition, in wireless environments in which traffic distribution or variation in the amount of call demands is wide, it is difficult to provide an efficient communication service. To overcome such shortcoming, a data transfer scheme of a multi-hop relay form using fixed relays, mobile relays, or general UEs may be applied to a general wireless communication system.
A wireless communication system using a multi-hop relay scheme may reconfigure a network by rapidly coping with a communication environment variation and may efficiently manage all wireless networks. For example, the wireless communication system using the multi-hop relay scheme may extend cell service area and increase system capacity. That is, when a channel state between the BS and the UE is poor, a relay may be installed between the BS and the UE to configure a multi-hop relay path through the relay, thereby providing the UE with a radio channel having an excellent channel state.
In addition, a higher data channel speed may be provided by using the multi-hop relay scheme in a cell edge area having a poor channel state from the BS and a cell service area can be extended.
Thus, the relay is widely being used as a technique introduced to eliminate an electromagnetic waveform shadow zone. The relay was restricted to a repeater function in the past to simply amplify and transmit signals, whereas the relay has recently evolved into a more intelligent type.
Furthermore, the relay technique is a technology required to reduce BS installation costs and backhaul network maintenance costs in a next-generation mobile communication system and simultaneously to improve service coverage area and data throughput. As the relay technique has gradually developed, a new wireless communication system needs to support relays used in a conventional wireless communication system.

Method for receiving downlink signal and method for transmitting same, user equipment, and base station


A cleaning device for cleaning the front cover lens of a vehicular lamp, including a bracket 8 that is attached to the cylinder of a spray nozzle 5 and positions the cylinder in the opening formed in a vehicle body, a fixing member 9 that covers the bracket, and an elastic member (a clip spring) 101 disposed between the bracket and the fixing member. Engagement pieces 83b and 84a of a pair of arm elements 83 and 84 of the bracket engage the front (outer) side of the opening, a plurality of contact portions 92a, 93a, 94a and 95a of the fixing member are in contact with the rear (inner) side of the opening, and the elastic member interposed between the bracket and the fixing member urges the fixing member toward the opening, thus securing the bracket to the opening.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cleaning device for a vehicular lamp and more particularly to a cleaning device for cleaning the font cover of a vehicular lamp.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cleaning device for a vehicular lamp is mounted in a vehicle such as an automobile and cleans off the dirt on the front cover (front cover lens) of, for instance, a headlamp.
The cleaning device for a vehicular lamp typically has a spray nozzle on the distal end portion of a piston, which is driven by a cylinder. With the piston projected out of the cylinder, cleaning fluid (water) supplied via the internal portion of the cylinder and piston is sprayed from the spray nozzle toward the front cover lens of a vehicular lamp.
When not used, the piston is retracted inside the cylinder, and the spray nozzle is accordingly positioned at a standby position in a vehicle body, in other words, in, for example, the inside of an opening formed in, for instance, the bumper. When the cleaning device is used, the spray nozzle is extended out of the opening to a use position. However, if the cylinder is not adequately positioned with respect to the opening, the moving path of the spray nozzle caused by the movement of the piston becomes unstable, causing a problem that the spray nozzle and piston hit the edge of the opening or the like. Therefore, it is critical that the cylinder is accurately positioned with respect to the opening.
In the cleaning device for a vehicular lamp disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2003-182536, tabs (46c), which are formed at the distal ends of the engagement positioning portions (46) of a bracket (38) that is attached to the front end portion of a cylinder, are engaged with the front surface of the edge portions of an opening (37) that are located at mutually opposed locations; in addition, the distal end portions of flat plate pieces (47) formed on the bracket (38) are set to contact with the edge portions of the opening that face the direction substantially at a 90-degree angle with respect to the edge portions of the opening with which the tabs (46c) are engaged. The front end portion of the bracket (38) is thus positioned at the opening; and attachment pieces (41) formed on the bracket (38) are secured by bolts to the vehicle body at locations away from the opening (37). The numbers in parentheses in the above and below descriptions are the reference numerals used in (the drawings of) Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2003-182536.
As seen from the above, positioning of the front end portion of the bracket (38) is made with respect to the opening (37) in the above-described cleaning device; as a result, positioning of the spray nozzle with respect to the opening (37) is made indirectly.
In the cleaning device of the above-described Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 2003-182536, engagement of the front end portion of the bracket (38) with the opening (37) in the longitudinal direction is made only by the tabs (46c) that are engaged with the front surface of the edge portions of the opening. Accordingly, if the positions where the attachment pieces (41) are fixed and the location of the opening (37) are not accurately positioned (or aligned), excess force is likely to be applied to the tabs (46c) and engagement positioning portions (46), and the tabs (46c) are lifted (or separated) from the front surface of the edge portions of the opening (37), thus deteriorating the positioning state of the bracket. Deflection of the engagement positioning portions (46) that occurs in the direction of the center of the opening (37) also causes the tabs (46c) to be disengaged from the edge portions of the opening (37).


The present invention relates to mutants of a blue multi-copper oxidase, comprising (a) a substitution of one or more amino acid residues with other amino acid residues, (b) an insertion of one or more amino acid residues and/or (c) a deletion of one or more amino acid residues, wherein the substitution, insertion or deletion is carried out at a position which is located no greater than 15 .ANG. from a Type I (T1) copper site. The present invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding the mutants of the present invention, host cells comprising the construct of the present invention, and methods for producing mutants of the present invention.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mutant multi-copper oxidases. More specifically, the invention relates to oxidases which have been modified so as to exhibit altered pH activity profiles relative to the wild-type oxidase.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are currently a number of well-known blue copper oxidases which have various commercial/industrial applications. Two major classes of these enzymes are recognized: (1) the single copper proteins, which are single copper-containing, blue electron-transfer proteins such as plastocyanin, azurin, stellacyanin, amicyanin, auracyanin, cucumber basic blue, mavicyanin, rusticyanin, and urnecyanin; and (2) the multi-copper oxidases, which are multiple copper-containing, blue oxidoreductases such as laccase, bilirubin oxidase, phenoxazinone synthase, ascorbate oxidase, ceruloplasmin, and nitrite reductase. The blue color of these proteins arises from the so-called Type 1 (T1) copper site.
It is an object of the present invention to provide mutants of blue multi-copper oxidases which have improved properties.

Blue copper oxidase mutants with enhanced activity


This stabilizer is a simple counterbalanced horizontal member that attached to a flag and is hoisted and lowered like a regular flag requiring no modifications to any external component, such as the flagpole. The flag remains fully unfurled and extended regardless of wind conditions, including indoors. It is simple to set up and use.

A flag is typically hung on a flag pole. When a wind blows at a sufficient speed the flag "flies" or waves in the breeze. When the wind does not blow at a sufficient speed the flag hangs limp. It is important that a flag always be shown in its best light and that is when it stands out from the flag pole and waves in the breeze. What is needed is a mechanism that will fly a flag in an insufficient wind or no wind at all so that the flag flies unfurled and fully extended at all times.


Provided is metallic powder for powder metallurgy having iron as its principal component and containing indium soap, or metallic powder for powder metallurgy further comprising at least one type selected among bismuth soap, nickel soap, cobalt soap, copper soap, manganese soap and aluminum soap in such indium soap. Thereby obtained is metallic powder for powder metallurgy capable of easily improving the rustproof effect without having to hardly change the conventional process.

The present invention pertains to mixed powder for powder metallurgy to be employed in the manufacture of sintered components, blushes and so on, and particularly to metallic powder for powder metallurgy and an iron-based sintered body suitable in manufacturing the likes of iron-based sintered components superior in rustproof performance to be used as a solid lubricant or the like.
Generally, iron powder used in the application of sintered mechanical components, sintered oil retaining bearings, metal graphite brushes and so on rusts easily, and is commonly used upon mixing an organic rust-prevention agent such as benzotriazole therein.
Nevertheless, although such an organic rust-prevention agent possesses a temporary rustproof effect, it decomposes or evaporates at 500° C. or higher, and becomes lost at an ordinarily employed sintering temperature of 700° C. or higher. Therefore, the same condition will occur unless rust prevention is performed after the sintering, and there is a problem in that the sintered object will rust easily.
Meanwhile, in order to obtain the rustproof performance after sintering, a proposal has been made to form a composite powder sintered body by mixing a slight amount of metal powder such as zinc, bismuth, lead or the like with sintering powder having iron as its principal component, or mixing the vapor thereof to the gas used during sintering.
However, this requires an additional step, the manufacturing process will become complex as a result thereof, and there is a problem in that there will be variations in the quality all that much more. Further, even if metal powder of bismuth or lead is mixed in, minute particles are merely dispersed, and it could not be said that it is evenly distributed. Further, since indium metal is a soft metal, it is difficult to make it into metal powder.
As a conventional additive agent for powder metallurgy, there is an additive agent having organic acid cobalt metallic soap as its component, and technology for manufacturing a sintered body by adding and mixing this additive agent 0.1 to 2.0% by weight, and then molding and sintering this mixed powder has been disclosed (c.f. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-46201).
Moreover, technology of adding and mixing metal stearate to rare earth-iron-boron permanent magnet coarse powder, which is mainly composed in atomic % of rare earth element R (among rare-earth elements containing Y, one or two or more elements are combined) of 10 to 25%, boron B of 1 to 12%, and the remaining part consisting of iron Fe (a part of Fe is replaced at least with one or more kinds of elements selected from Co, Ni, Al, Nb, Ti, W, Mo, V, Ga, Zn and Si in a range of 0 to 15%, if necessary), and thereafter dry-pulverizing this mixture has also been disclosed (c.f. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H6-290919).
Further, a molding improving agent of alloy powder for a permanent magnet consisting of at least one kind selected from polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene monofatty acid ester and polyoxyethylene alkylallylether compounded with at least on kind of stearate at 1/20 to 5/1 compounding ratio has also been disclosed (c.f. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. S61-34101).

Metal powder for powder metallurgy and iron-based sintered compact


Various embodiments for facilitating optical communications utilizing a apparatus are disclosed. One embodiment, among others, is an apparatus that comprises a dispersion element configured to transmit a beam through a plurality of optical paths in a spectral dispersion element to generate a spectrally dispersed beam. The apparatus further comprises a second-harmonic generation (SHG) element integrated into the dispersion element, the SHG element configured to generate second-harmonic light beam from the dispersed beam by splitting the dispersed beam into a plurality of beams, wherein the plurality of beams traverse a common axis. The apparatus further comprises a collimator configured to collimate the second-harmonic light beam over a predetermined path length and a phase decoder configured to receive the collimated beam and measure characteristics associated with the collimated beam.

The field of spectroscopy general relates to the measurement of electromagnetic spectra, which may arise from emission or absorption of radiant energy. The field may also relate to an interpretation of the spectra based on common conventions. For example, the use of a spectrometer to analyze burning fuel can reveal the presence of potentially harmful by-products or whether the fuel meets the standards a customer or government has established.
Typically, usable emission spectra are produced when radiant energy from matter, excited by various forms of energy (in this case, light), is passed through a slit and then separated into its various components (wavelengths in the case of light analysis). This may be accomplished with either a semi-transparent prism (a refraction basis of analysis) or with a ruled grating (frequently a crystalline solid, a diffraction basis of analysis). Laser-based spectra analysis is a subset of this general field, where the production of a given wavelength of light is fixed to some known wavelength range and intensity and assigned a nominal expected variance inside of this fixed specification. The energy produced from this fixed source arrives at the spectrometer for analysis. The light may experience absorption or attenuation, from either the object of interest or background interference (from sources of no real interest to the investigators). Spectroscopic measurements of wavelengths and intensities of electromagnetic radiation are made using instruments called spectroscopes, spectrographs, spectrometers, or spectrophotometers.
The interpretation of spectra is more complicated, and chemists have found such an analysis tool to be of great value. In the past, communications companies have used variability in spectra to encode additional information in a single real path length. Normally used in a fiber-based connection across a building, the use of several lasers close in wavelength for increasing the bandwidth of a connection is one mechanism for increasing the bandwidth a system provides.
Conventional spectrometers have not gained wide use in the field of communications for two reasons—either the power consumption exceeds the power available, or the analysis time is unacceptable. Whether based on refraction or diffraction, spectrometers typically include a focusing lens with two optical surfaces, a slit, followed by at least three optical surfaces and frequently more than three optical surfaces. From an engineering standpoint, the additional elements used for traditional spectrometry result in an unacceptable loss of power. Several Fourier and inverse Fourier spectrometers have designs which dramatically reduce the number of elements. However, such spectrometers add analysis time where some applications demand results in real-time. Thus, additional time required to interpret the spectrum into meaningful information can be unacceptable.

Systems and methods for receiving optical pulses


Method and apparatus for arranging book, magazine, segnature parcels (A, B, . . . ) and the like in rows with a predefined separation of the parcels from one another for transferring them onto a pallet, said rows being formed by causing the parcels (A, B, . . . ) to advance integrally with a lower transportation device (3) and an upper transportation device (7) in lengths of a set amplitude.

The present invention relates to a new method for palletizing book, magazine, segnature parcels and to the related apparatus, with the feature that the individual parcels are advanced between and integrally with first means consisting of a lower conveyor and second means consisting of an upper accompanying device, said device being superposed to the first means, for lengths that are a function of the parcel length and of the position each parcel is to be arranged in relative to the following one.
Precisely, the length the first parcel is to be advanced is equal to the length thereof plus the distance the second parcel is desired to be separated from the first one, and so on for the following parcels with the desired separations between successive parcels.
A further feature that is achieved is the height adjustment of said upper accompanying device as a function of the height of the parcel rows that progressively form.
Apparatuses for forming parcel rows with different separations of the parcels from one another are known, in which said parcel rows, once they have been formed, are transferred to the palletizing area.
Such known apparatuses are rather complicated and do not provide the certainty that precise separations of the parcels from one another are obtained and, especially in the case of parcels composed of loose, i.e. not tied to one another, books or segnatures, there is the hazard that the so formed stacks discompose or fall a part while the row of parcels to be palletized is being prepared.
One of these known apparatuses is described for example in European Patent No. 0562220.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus in which said shortcomings do not come about. Said method and apparatus are based on the above-mentioned concepts, and in particular on the parcels being accompanied in the upper part jointly with their advancement by predefined lengths, and on the accompaniment means being adjusted in their height according to the height of the rows of parcels.
The features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description concerning both the method and the apparatus, taken together with the attached drawings, in which:

Method and apparatus for palletizing parcels with upper accompanying device

O.M.G. de Giorgio Pessina e Aldo Perobelli S.n.c.


A soybean cultivar designated 4826008 is disclosed. Embodiments include the seeds of soybean 4826008, the plants of soybean 4826008, to plant parts of soybean 4826008, and methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean 4826008 with itself or with another soybean variety. Embodiments include methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more genes or transgenes and the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. Embodiments also relate to soybean cultivars, breeding cultivars, plant parts, and cells derived from soybean 4826008, methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean 4826008, and the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. Embodiments further include hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing 4826008 with another soybean cultivar.

All publications cited in this application are herein incorporated by reference.
There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possesses the traits to meet the program goals. The goal is to combine in a single variety an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. These important traits may include higher seed yield, resistance to diseases and insects, better stems and roots, tolerance to drought and heat, and better agronomic quality.
Soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., is an important and valuable field crop. Thus, a continuing goal of soybean plant breeders is to develop stable, high yielding soybean cultivars that are agronomically sound. The reasons for this goal are to maximize the amount of grain produced on the land used and to supply food for both animals and humans. To accomplish this goal, the soybean breeder must select and develop soybean plants that have traits that result in superior cultivars.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification.


A magnetic recording medium with tuned exchange coupling comprises:    (a) a non-magnetic substrate having a surface; and    (b) a stack of thin film layers on the substrate surface, including:            (i) a compositionally segregated, exchange decoupled magnetic layer with substantially non-magnetic grain boundaries; and        (ii) an exchange coupled magnetic layer adjacent to and in direct contact with the exchange decoupled magnetic layer.

In fabricating high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) magnetic recording media, it is desirable that the magnetic particles or grains of the magnetic layer(s) be of uniformly small size, with a small, uniform amount of exchange coupling between the magnetic particles or grains. The optimal value of the exchange coupling is different for longitudinal, perpendicular, tilted, and heat-assisted magnetic recording media, e.g., a higher exchange coupling is desired for perpendicular media. However, in each instance a constant small value of exchange coupling between neighboring magnetic particles or grains is desired.
A low value (i.e., small amount) of exchange coupling between neighboring magnetic particles or grains is desired in order that magnetic switching of the magnetic particles or grains does not become too highly correlated. Reducing the exchange coupling decreases the sizes of the magnetic particles or grains, i.e., the sizes of the magnetic switching units. The cross-track correlation length and media noise are correspondingly reduced. However, near-zero exchange coupling between magnetic particles or grains produces a very low squareness-sheared M-H hysteresis loop, a broad switching field distribution, decreased resistance to self-demagnetization and thermal decay, and low nucleation fields (Hn) in perpendicular media designs. Non-uniform exchange coupling allows some magnetic particles or grains to act independently, with small particle or grain size, while other magnetic particles or grains act in clusters, resulting in broad distributions of particle or grain size and anisotropy field.
Heretofore, exchange coupling between neighboring magnetic particles or grains has been controlled by preferentially forming non-ferromagnetic material(s) at the boundaries between the magnetic particles or grains. Such non-ferromagnetic material may be formed during the sputter deposition of CoCrPtB-containing magnetic alloys on high temperature substrates by preferential surface diffusion of Cr and B atoms to the grain boundaries. The concentration of Co atoms varies between the centers of the magnetic particles or grains and the boundaries, such that a transition from magnetic to non-magnetic composition occurs. Exchange coupling in such compositionally segregated media is typically controlled by changing process parameters such as the Cr and B concentrations of the sputtering target and the substrate temperature during deposition.
Non-ferromagnetic material can also be formed at the boundaries between magnetic particles or grains during sputter deposition of CoPt-containing magnetic alloys on low temperature substrates by incorporation of a metal oxide material in the CoPt-based sputter target or by reactive sputtering of the target in a sputter gas containing oxygen (O2). Exchange coupling in magnetic media produced thereby is controlled by changing process parameters such as the sputter gas pressure, O2 concentration in the sputter gas, and oxide content of the sputter target.
In each of the above-described instances, the sputter deposition parameters are adjusted/selected such that the amount of non-ferromagnetic material present at the boundaries between the magnetic particles or grains is sufficient to effect significant, but not complete, decoupling of the magnetic exchange between the particles or grains.
However, a problem associated with the above-described method/procedure for effecting exchange decoupling is that the magnetic exchange between a pair of magnetic particles or grains is extremely sensitive to, thus dependent upon, the arrangement of a very small number of atoms. As a consequence, the amount of exchange coupling between pairs of magnetic particles or grains exhibits considerable variation, whereby some particles or grains are more strongly coupled than others.
Another problem associated with the above-described method/procedure for effecting exchange decoupling is that radial diffusion profiles of the atoms of the segregated elements (Cr and B) or molecules (e.g., metal oxides) depend upon the sizes of the magnetic particles or grains. Consequently, the larger magnetic particles or grains can have a systematically different composition than the smaller particles or grains, and therefore a systematically different amount of exchange coupling and magnetic anisotropy.
Still another problem associated with the above-described methodologies is that the composition of the entire film, including the ferromagnetic particles or grains, the weakly exchange coupled ferromagnetic regions between neighboring magnetic particles or grains, and the exchange decoupling non-ferromagnetic regions between neighboring magnetic particles or grains is substantially the same, except for the preferential transport (i.e., diffusion) of certain atomic species (e.g., Cr and B) or molecules (metal oxides). Changing the amount of exchange coupling in the magnetic film or layer generally changes the composition of the magnetic particles or grains in addition to that of the boundary material. Thus, it is difficult to separately optimize the properties of each component of the magnetic film or layer.
In view of the foregoing, there exists a clear need for improved methodology for fabricating high performance, high SNR magnetic recording media which avoids or otherwise obviates the above-described disadvantages, drawbacks, and problems associated with the conventional methodology and facilitates fabrication of improved high performance magnetic recording media, including longitudinal, perpendicular, tilted, and heat-assisted media.
The present invention, therefore, addresses and solves the above need for improved methodology for fabricating high performance, high SNR magnetic recording media with enhanced magnetic characteristics, while maintaining full compatibility with all aspects of conventional automated manufacturing technology for fabrication of magnetic recording media, e.g., hard disks. Moreover, the inventive methodology can be readily implemented in a cost-effective manner comparable with that of existing manufacturing methodologies.

Magnetic recording media with tuned exchange coupling and method for fabricating same


A system (and method) for assembly process includes rendering document knowledge as textual components with variable fields, building an object-oriented domain model including domain knowledge, and linking the document knowledge to the domain knowledge.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and system for loose coupling (e.g., linking) domain and document components, and more specifically to a method and system for dynamic binding of document and domain knowledge during an interactive document assembly configuration session.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional document assembly systems represent documents as collections of paragraphs of text or "document components". Document assembly systems draw from a repository of these components. Given the answers to a series of questions, such systems select components from the repository and sequence them composing an initial draft of a completed document.
Document components may contain "Variable Text" (e.g., typically referred to as "variables"). Variables are represented within a document component by a particular word or phrase, typically referred to as a "field". The document assembly systems may assign different values to a variable depending on answers to the initial set of questions.
Document components refer to elements of some domain model. For example, in the case of a loan agreement, the loan document refers to the name and address of the lender or the amount of the loan. These elements make up a "domain model".
In conventional document assembly systems, domain knowledge is captured as answers to a collection of questions. These answers are used to select and assemble a series of document components. The series of questions and their answers are not organized as an object model, and hence has no structure or depth.
As is well-known, object modeling is a technique for modeling software systems and is often used to model the domain about which software systems or other abstract systems are written. In an object model a domain is broken down into discrete entities called "objects". Objects, in turn, possess "attributes" that represent properties of the object. An object model is a formal, symbolic representation of the objects in a domain, and the relationships between those objects. An object model diagram is any visual representation of an object model (e.g., a tree, a graph or more specifically a Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagram, etc.). Reusable subsets of an object model representing a domain are called "domain components". Most typically, a domain component contains a single object and its properties.
Thus, domain components are symbolic encodings of entities and their attributes/properties, about which a document component is written (e.g., things the document component's text or outline might refer to). These are typically represented as objects in an object-oriented programming language (e.g., JAVA™) or a mark-up language (e.g., XML).
In an interactive document assembly technique using an Integrated Interactive Document Configuration (IDC) system, as described in commonly-assigned Ser. No. 09/497,802 entitled "METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTERACTIVE DOCUMENT CONFIGURATION" incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, an object model is used to describe the domain elements that a document's text directly or indirectly refers to, the object model may be captured and linked to the document. This object model is called the document's "domain model".
Hitherto the present invention, the lack of an explicit mechanism for linking a document variable to an expression that facilitated reference to any element in an object model discourages the use of powerful object modeling techniques for independently representing the domain content of a document.
Without the loose coupling afforded by the separate but linked content model, it becomes difficult and time-consuming to ensure that variables of one component refer to the same domain element that other occurrences of that variable from other components (e.g., of the same assembly) refer. Hitherto the present invention, there has been neither method or system for allowing-such an advantage, nor the recognition that the lack of such loose coupling has been a problem.

Method and system for loose coupling of document and domain knowledge in interactive document configuration

International Business Machines Corporation


A two-fluted countersink tool for countersinking holes comprising a holder and removable cutting inserts. The cutting holder having a body with two portions removed to define a first and second pocket. Each insert has first and second ends, first and second lateral surfaces, first, second and third top surfaces and a bottom surface. The cutting surface of each cutting insert extends from an edge of the third top surface. The cutting surface has a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge.. The cutting inserts are positioned inside the pockets and are attached to the holder such that the cutting edge remains as close as possible to the centerline of the countersink tool.

When the countersunk part of a hole is formed, it will accommodate the head of a fastener, such as a rivet or screw, having a shank portion from which extends a terminal or head portion flaring angularly outward from the shank portion. Thus, in the countersunk part of the hole, the outwardly flaring portion engages the head portion of the fastener.
Conventional countersink tools include a rotating shaft, with the cutting edges constituting an integral part thereof. However, this type of countersink tool has a relatively large initial expense when comparing the cost of the countersink tool to the number of holes that it will countersink before the integral edges on the tool wear out. Moreover, when the integral edges on a conventional countersink tool wear out, the entire countersink tool must be subjected to a regrinding operation which is a relatively complicated, time-consuming and an expensive operation. This regrinding operation must be performed on a special machine which can accommodate the entire countersink tool. The regrinding operation was necessary, however, because the large initial expense of the countersink tool made it too expensive to throw it away after it wore down. Furthermore, the cutting edges on an integral countersink tool can be reground only a limited number of times. Eventually, the edges cannot be reground, and, thus, the entire tool must be thrown away and replaced.
Other countersink tools having removable countersink inserts have been used to countersink relatively large holes. Because of the large size of these holes, and thus the large size of the countersink holders, multiple fluted tools are used. However, when countersinking smaller size holes, the holder becomes smaller and it is impossible to machine numerous cutaways or pockets in the cutting holder to accommodate multiple cutting inserts.

Countersinking tool with removable cutting inserts


There is provided a substrate holder which can absorb a change in the thickness between substrates and can hold a substrate while preventing deflection of the substrate and keeping the amount of compression of a substrate sealing member within a certain narrow range. The substrate holder includes a first holding member and a second holding member, both for detachably holding a substrate by holding a peripheral portion of the substrate therebetween; and a substrate sealing member, mounted to the second holding member, for sealing the peripheral portion of the substrate along a substrate sealing line. The first holding member has a thickness absorbing mechanism which biases the substrate toward the second holding member at positions along the substrate sealing line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate holder for use in a plating apparatus for carrying out plating of a surface (front surface) to be plated of a substrate, in particular a plating apparatus for forming a plated film in fine interconnect trenches and holes, or resist openings, provided in a surface of a semiconductor wafer, or for forming bumps (protruding electrodes), which are for electrical connection to, e.g., electrodes of a package, on a surface of a semiconductor wafer. The present invention also relates to a plating apparatus provided with the substrate holder.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is common practice, e.g., in TAB (tape automated bonding) or flip chip to form protruding connection electrodes (bumps) of gold, copper, solder or nickel, or of multiple layers of such metals at predetermined portions (electrodes) of a surface of a semiconductor chip, having interconnects formed therein, so that the semiconductor chip can be electrically connected via the bumps to electrodes of a package or TAB electrodes. There are various methods usable for the formation of bumps, such as electroplating, vapor deposition, printing and ball bumping. Of these, electroplating, which can form fine bumps and can be performed in a relatively stable manner, is most commonly used as the I/O number of a semiconductor chip increases and the electrode pitch becomes smaller.
Electroplating methods can be classified roughly into a jet method or cup method in which a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, is held in a horizontal position with a surface to be plated facing downwardly, and a plating solution is jetted upwardly onto the surface to be plated, and a dip method in which a substrate is held in a vertical position in a plating tank, and a plating solution is injected upwardly into the plating tank and the plating solution is allowed to overflow the plating tank during plating. Electroplating using a dip method has the advantages of a small footprint and good release of bubbles which adversely affect the quality of plating, and is therefore considered suited for bump plating in which plating is performed for relatively large-sized holes and which requires a considerably long plating time.
A common conventional electroplating apparatus using a dip method, which has the advantage of good release of bubbles, is provided with a substrate holder which detachably holds a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, with its front surface (surface to be plated) exposed while sealing an end surface and a back surface of the substrate. The substrate holder, together with a substrate, is immersed in a plating solution in carrying out plating of the surface of the substrate.
With the recent development of those devices and packaging processes which use plating, there is a need to process not only a semiconductor wafer having a standard thickness (775 μm) but also substrates having various diameters. A demand therefore exists for the development of a substrate holder suitable for limited production of diversified products in which processing of substrates having various diameters is required.
A substrate holder, which is to be immersed in a plating solution, needs to securely seal a periphery and a back surface of a substrate so that the plating solution will not enter the back surface of the substrate when the substrate holder holds the substrate. The applicant has proposed a substrate holder for detachably holding a substrate between a first holding member (fixed holding member) and a second holding member (movable holding member) while pressing a substrate sealing member (inner sealing member), mounted to the second holding member, against a peripheral portion of the substrate to seal the contact portion and pressing a holder sealing member (outer sealing member), mounted to the second holding member, against the first holding member to seal the contact portion (see, e.g., patent documents 1 and 2).
In such a substrate holder, the amount of compression of a substrate sealing member for pressing on and sealing a peripheral portion of a substrate changes with the different thickness of the substrate. When the amount of compression of the substrate sealing member is small, there is a fear of leakage of a plating solution. When the amount of compression of the substrate sealing member is large, there is a fear of breakage of a substrate, sticking of the substrate sealing member to a substrate, etc. Further, a change in the thickness of a substrate leads to a change in the contact force on a substrate of an electrical contact which, when the substrate is held by the substrate holder, makes contact with the substrate to supply electricity to the substrate. A small contact force of the contact on a substrate results in a large contact electrical resistance upon supply of electricity to the substrate, whereas a large contact force of the contact on a substrate can cause a scratch in the substrate.
A substrate holder for detachably holding a substrate while absorbing variation (change) in the thickness among substrates has been proposed which includes a leaf spring, disposed in a recess provided in the substrate holder, for biasing a substrate in a direction away from the recess (see patent document 3). To dispose a plate between the leaf spring and a substrate has also been proposed (see patent document 4). A substrate holder has been proposed in which a substrate is pressed against a jig by the biasing force of a spring to obtain a sealing force of a sealing member, mounted on the jig, on a peripheral portion of the substrate (see patent document 5). A substrate holder has been proposed in which a substrate, supported by a support plate, is pressed against a sealing member by the biasing force of a compression spring so that the amount of compression of the sealing member upon pressure contact with a peripheral portion of the substrate is substantially constant regardless of the thickness of the substrate (see patent document 6). A substrate holder has also been proposed which is configured to be capable of applying a constant pressing load, without an adjustment, to a substrate from the back surface by means of a pressing member which is pressed by the biasing force of a compression spring (see patent document 7).


A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor package, a circuit board and an interval maintaining member. The semiconductor package has a body and a lead protruded from the body. The circuit board has a first land electrically connected to the lead. The interval maintaining member is interposed between the circuit board and the body. The interval maintaining member maintains an interval between the lead and the first land. Thus, an interval between the lead and the land is uniformly maintained, so that a thermal and/or mechanical reliability of the semiconductor device is improved.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. More particularly, example embodiments of the present invention relate to a semiconductor device having a substrate and a semiconductor package mounted on the substrate, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a semiconductor device is manufactured by various processes, such as a chip fabricating (FAB) process, an electrically die sorting (EDS) process, a packaging process, a mounting process, etc. In the chip fabricating process, a semiconductor chip including integrated circuits is formed on a silicon substrate. In the EDS process, the semiconductor chip is electrically tested and is sorted. In the packaging process, the semiconductor chip is protected by being packaged into a semiconductor package. In the mounting process, the semiconductor package is mounted on a circuit board.
The semiconductor package includes the semiconductor chip, a molding member and a lead. The molding member protects the semiconductor chip. In addition, the lead protruded from the molding member can be used to transmit an electric signal to the semiconductor chip.
The lead is electrically connected to a conductive pattern (hereinafter, referred to as "land") formed on the circuit board by the mounting process. Particularly, after a solder is formed on the land, the lead is mounted on the land. The solder is heated to a temperature no less than about 200° C. to melt the solder. The molten solder is then cooled. The lead is soldered to the land using the solidified solder. However, a material included in the solder moves to an upper portion of the lead, along the lead, during heating of the solder, so that an interval (hereinafter referred to as "standoff") between an end portion of the land and an end portion of the lead can become narrower. Accordingly, when the semiconductor device is exposed to a temperature of no less than about 400° C., a stress concentrates at the end portions of the land and the lead. This can be because a shear strain applied to the solder is inversely proportion to the standoff. As a result, a crack can be generated at the solder formed between the end portions of the land and the lead. In addition, when a thermal shock and/or a mechanical shock are applied to the semiconductor device, the crack can spread such that an electrical short and/or a mechanical separation between the land and the lead can be generated.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same