A charging apparatus is provided in which electrodes can be protected from corrosion induced by water content in the air, ozone, nitrogen oxide and the like and thereby lack of uniformity in charged potential on photoreceptor surface can be prevented, and in which a charged potential on photoreceptor surface can be kept in an adequate range for a longer period of time. As an electrode disposed in the charging apparatus for charging photoreceptor surface, an electrode formed with a protective layer made of nickel and phosphorus for surface protection is used. In the protective layer, phosphorus concentration and thickness proportion are each set to fall within a specified range.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charging apparatus and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, and a facsimile machine, as an image carrier, a photoreceptor having a photosensitive layer containing a photoconductive substance formed on its surface is used. In this construction, after the surface of the photoreceptor is uniformly charged under application of electric charge, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to image information is formed thereon through various image-formation process steps. Then, this electrostatic latent image is developed into a visible image with use of a developer containing toner that is supplied from a developing section. The visible image is transferred onto a recording material such as paper, and is fixed into place under application of heat and pressure by a fixing roller. In this way, an image is formed on the recording material.
In such an image forming apparatus, a charging apparatus is used for charging the surface of the photoreceptor. In general, the charging apparatus is composed of: a discharging electrode for conducting corona discharge; a grid electrode to which is applied an appropriate voltage, for controlling the amount of charge applied to the surface of the photoreceptor by a charging electrode and thus controlling the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor; and a support member for supporting the charging electrode and the grid electrode. As the grid electrode, a wire grid electrode formed of stainless steel, tungsten, or the like, a porous platy grid electrode constructed by creating a large number of through holes in a metal plate formed for example of stainless steel (grid substrate) and the like can be used.
Among the grid electrode as mentioned just above, the wire grid electrode is susceptible to adhesion of contaminants such as toner. Due to the deposition of contaminants, the capability of controlling the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor becomes insufficient, thus causing lack of uniformity in the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor.
On the other hand, being formed of an iron-based metal material such as stainless steel, the porous platy grid electrode exhibits high durability under normal circumstances. However, the negative side is that the porous platy grid electrode is prone to oxidation in the presence of water content under a high humidity environment, ozone and nitrogen oxide generated in accompaniment with corona discharge during charging operation, and the like. In the long-time use of the porous platy grid electrode, for example, operation under a high humidity environment and contact with ozone and nitrogen oxide are inevitable. Therefore, in the porous platy grid electrode formed of a metal material such as stainless steel, corrosion such as rust occurs due to water content in the air, ozone, nitrogen oxide, and the like, and nitrogen oxide is deposited on the surface thereof, in consequence whereof there results durability deterioration. In addition to that, the capability of controlling the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor becomes insufficient, thus causing lack of uniformity in the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor. This makes it impossible to constantly impart desired charged potential to the surface of the photoreceptor with stability.
In view of the problems associated with such a grid electrode, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2006-113531 discloses a charging apparatus characterized in that its porous platy grid electrode has a nickel plating layer containing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) fine particles formed on at least one surface thereof. The charging apparatus disclosed in JP-A 2006-113531 employs a grid electrode constructed by forming, on a surface of a porous platy grid electrode, a PTFE fine particle-containing nickel plating layer (hereafter referred to as "nickel PTFE composite plating layer" unless otherwise specified) by means of electroless plating. The grid electrode having the nickel PTFE composite plating layer has the advantage of being inexpensive compared to a grid electrode having a gold plating layer.
However, in the grid electrode having the nickel PTFE composite plating layer, since the nickel PTFE composite plating layer includes heterogeneous components such as metallic nickel and organic fine particles PTFE, it follows that water content in the air, ozone and nitrogen oxide generated through discharge and the like. find their ways from the interface between nickel and PTFE particles to the surface of the grid electrode. This leads to oxidation of the surface of the grid electrode and thus to corrosion such as rust. As a result, the charged potential-control capability and the durability of the grid electrode still remain insufficient, thus causing lack of uniformity in the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor.
Meanwhile, as a discharging electrode for conducting corona discharge, a wire electrode, a metal plate electrode having a plurality of needle-like portions (hereafter referred to as "needle-like electrode"), and the like can be used. Among them, the use of a needle-like electrode is particularly desirable because of its advantages of requiring less number of constituent components, having longer service life, generating less amount of ozone, and suffering little from a break and ensuing malfunction. The needle-like electrode is constructed by performing etching on a metal plate mainly formed for example of an iron-based metal material such as stainless steel thereby to form a plurality of needle-like portions. An iron-based metal material such as stainless steel used as the material for forming the needle-like electrode exhibits high durability, but has a drawback that it is prone to oxidation in the presence of water content under a high humidity environment, ozone, nitrogen oxide and the like generated in accompaniment with corona discharge during charging operation. In the long-time use of the needle-like electrode, for example, operation under a high humidity environment and contact with ozone and nitrogen oxide are inevitable. Therefore, in the needle-like electrode formed of a metal material such as stainless steel, corrosion occurs due to water content in the air, and ozone and nitrogen oxide and the like, in consequence whereof there results durability deterioration. In addition to that, there arises deterioration in the capability of controlling a voltage which is applied to the needle-like electrode to induce corona discharge at the needle-like portions, thus causing lack of uniformity in the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor. This makes it impossible to constantly impart desired charged potential to the surface of the photoreceptor with stability. Furthermore, also in the wire electrode, just as is the case with the needle-like electrode, there is a problem to be solved that ozone generated through corona discharge induces rust, corrosion, and the like, which results in lack of uniformity in the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor.
In view of the problems associated with such a discharging electrode for conducting corona discharge, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2006-201488 discloses a charging apparatus characterized in that its discharging electrode has a nickel PTFE composite plating layer formed on at least one surface thereof. In the charging apparatus disclosed in JP-A 2006-201488, the nickel PTFE composite plating layer formed on the surface of the discharging electrode is obtained by means of electroless plating, and the film thickness thereof is set at or above 0.3 μm. Accordingly, as compared with a nickel PTFE composite plating layer obtained by means of commonly-used electrolytic plating under DC current application, the nickel PTFE composite plating layer is dense and hard in layer structure, has less pinholes, exhibits film thickness uniformity even if it is made thin, and provides high adherence with respect to the discharging electrode.
However, in the discharging electrode having the nickel PTFE composite plating layer, since the nickel PTFE composite plating layer includes heterogeneous components such as metallic nickel and organic fine particles PTFE, it follows that water content in the air, ozone and nitrogen oxide and the like find their ways from the interface between nickel and PTFE particles to the surface of the discharging electrode. This leads to oxidation of the surface of the discharging electrode and thus to corrosion such as rust. As a result, the applied voltage-control capability and the durability of the discharging electrode still remain insufficient, thus causing lack of uniformity in the charged potential on the surface of the photoreceptor.

Charging apparatus and image forming apparatus


Work start data is transmitted to an administrating device (a service center) by a work start data transmitting mechanism when an instruction for start of a maintenance work is issued from a work start instructing mechanism, and work end data is transmitted to the administrating device by a work end data transmitting mechanism when an instruction for end of the maintenance work is issued from a work end instruction mechanism. Also time measurement is started by a time measuring mechanism when an instruction for start of a maintenance work is issued from the work start instructing mechanism, and in a case where, even if the measured time reaches a prespecified period of time, an instruction for end of the maintenance work is not issued from the work end instructing mechanism, work end data is automatically transmitted by a work end data automatically transmitting mechanism to the administrating device. For the reasons as described above, reporting from a serviceman to a service center before start of or after end of a maintenance work for an image forming apparatus at a customer's site can be smoothly executed.

As an example of this type of image forming apparatus administration system, as disclosed in, for instance, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 257155/1990, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 259666/1990, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 196053/1991, there has been known a system in which an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine can be connected to an administrating device installed in a service center by utilizing a communication line such as a public line or the like.
This type of image forming apparatus administration system collects data as to how each of image forming apparatuses are used, and utilizes the data for controlling the apparatuses for maintenance of the image forming apparatus under centralized management of a plurality of image forming apparatuses each provided in a remote place by the administrating device (host machine) installed at one site. Contents on the data as to how the apparatuses are used include a number of copied sheets of paper, while contents of the maintenance include automatic call out to the administrating device according to self-diagnosis by the image forming apparatus and adjustment of each section of the image forming apparatus executed in response to access from the administrating device thereto.
Also, by making use of this system, a counter value (generally a number of copied sheets of paper) for charging the contracted maintenance fee for any image forming apparatus (copying machine), which is, conventionally, checked by a serviceman (service engineer) who visits customer sites or by a call, is read out.
Further, the serviceman makes a report to a service center from the customer sites when a maintenance work for the image forming apparatus is to be started, and also when the work is finished.
However, when the serviceman is to make a contact with a service center, when the serviceman starts a maintenance work and also when he finishes the work, at a customer site to inform the facts described above, the contact can not always be carried out smoothly because there are some inconvenient cases where a telephone unit at the costumer site can not be used, so that the serviceman has to go out for using a public telephone set, or even if the telephone set can be used, a supervisor in the service center does not happen to be at the site.
For this reason, the present invention was made in the light of the circumstances as described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus administration system in which a serviceman at a costumer site can smoothly make a contact with a service center at any time before a maintenance work for the image forming apparatus is started and after the work is ended.

Image forming apparatus administration system including a communication control unit and an administrating device


A memory device according to an embodiment includes a non-volatile storage device, a volatile storage device that stores saved data which is saved in the host-side storage device when a first operation mode changing process is executed by the memory device, and a control unit. The control unit transmits, to the host device, a write command that is an instruction to write the saved data to the host-side storage device and the saved data, when the first operation mode changing process is executed by the memory device.

In a GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) and the like in which a plurality of arithmetic processors is integrated, a technique called UMA (Unified Memory Architecture) that shares one memory among a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the arithmetic processors instead of using dedicated memories is used. In a UFS (Universal Flash Storage) that is a memory device standard also has Unified Memory Extension defined therein as a similar technique.
Conventionally, data (e.g., a program executed by a CPU, held cache information, data necessary for an operation) temporarily stored in an internal memory such as RAM, out of information used in a memory device, is lost when a power supply of the memory device is shut down. Therefore, the data in the RAM is saved in non-volatile memory upon the power shutdown of the memory device. The memory device transfers the data to the RAM from the non-volatile memory, every time the data is necessary.
For example, when an operation mode is changed in the memory device, data in the RAM upon the power shutdown is transferred to the non-volatile memory. In this case, data transfer takes time, so that a preparation time for changing the operation mode increases. Accordingly, there arises a problem that the operation mode cannot be changed when a response within a time required for the data transfer is needed for changing the operation mode. Poor reaction time of a whole information-processing device (application system) using a non-volatile memory device and a host device also becomes a problem.
According to these problems, many restrictions are imposed on the memory device for changing the operation mode. Consequently, it has been demanded that the operation mode is changed in a short time in the memory device.

Memory device, information-processing device and information-processing method


A flex-rigid wiring board includes a flexible board including a flexible substrate and a conductor pattern formed over the flexible substrate, a non-flexible substrate disposed adjacent to the flexible board, an insulating layer covering the flexible board and the non-flexible substrate and exposing one or more portions of the flexible board, a conductor pattern formed on the insulating layer, and a plating layer connecting the conductor pattern of the flexible board and the conductor pattern on the insulating layer.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiring board including a flexible portion and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Discussion of the Background
Flex-rigid wiring boards each including a rigid portion and a flexible portion are described in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2006-140213 and 2006-100703, and International Publication No. WO2004/093508.
A flex-rigid wiring board described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-140213 includes a core board provided as a rigid portion, a flexible board disposed adjacent to the core board in the horizontal direction, a flexible adhesive layer laminated on the core board and the flexible board, a wiring pattern formed on the flexible adhesive layer disposed in the rigid portion, and blind vias and/or through holes for connecting wiring patterns formed in respective layers. In this constitution, the flexible adhesive layer is laminated on the flexible board.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-100703 describes a method of manufacturing a flex-rigid wiring board. In the method, first, a rigid board having a vertical wiring portion formed in a connection region thereof and a flexible board having a connection terminal formed at an end thereof are separately formed. Then, the connection region of the rigid board is cut out to a depth larger than the thickness of the flexible board to form a step. Next, the connection terminal of the flexible board is connected to the vertical wiring portion of the step.
A flex-rigid wiring board disclosed in WO2004/093508 includes a rigid board and a flexible board which are bonded together with an insulating adhesive to form a unified body. Furthermore, connection electrode pads of the rigid board and the flexible board are electrically and physically connected through bulk conductors provided through the insulating adhesive. In the flex-rigid wiring board with the above-described constitution, the flexible board is disposed on one of the sides of the rigid substrate, and laser is applied to the flexible board side to form vias for plating connection.
The contents of the above mentioned publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Flex-rigid wiring board including flexible substrate and non-flexible substrate and method of manufacturing the same


Methods of forming microelectronic structures are described. Embodiments of those methods include forming a nanowire device comprising a substrate comprising source/drain structures adjacent to spacers, and nanowire channel structures disposed between the spacers, wherein the nanowire channel structures are vertically stacked above each other.

Maintaining mobility improvement and short channel control as microelectronic device dimensions scale past the 15 nm node provides a challenge in device fabrication. Nanowires used to fabricate devices provide improved short channel control. For example, silicon germanium (SixGe1-x) nanowire channel structures (where x<0.5) provide mobility enhancement at respectable Eg, which is suitable for use in many conventional products which utilize higher voltage operation. Furthermore, silicon germanium (SixGe1-x) nanowire channels (where x>0.5) provide mobility enhanced at lower Egs (suitable for low voltage products in the mobile/handheld domain, for example.

Silicon and silicon germanium nanowire structures


A toner including a binder resin, a colorant and a phenol multimer represented by the following General Formula (1): where R1 to R6, R11, R12, R14 to R16, R21, R22, and R24 to R26 each are a hydrogen atom or a substituent; and n is an integer.

In recent years, in the field of an image forming technology based on electrophotography, increased demand has arisen for full-color image formation capable of providing images with higher image quality, and thus, developers have been designed so as to provide high-quality images. In order to cope with the demand for the improved image quality, particularly in full-color images, there is an increasing tendency toward the production of toners having smaller particle diameters, and studies have been made on faithful reproduction of latent images. Regarding the reduction in particle diameter, a process for producing a toner by a polymerization process has been proposed as a method that can regulate the toner so as to have desired shape and surface structure (see, for example, PTLs 1 and 2). In the toner produced by the polymerization process, in addition to the control of the diameter of toner particles, the shape of toner particles can also be controlled. A combination of this technique with a particle size reduction can improve the reproducibility of dots and thin lines, and can reduce pile height (image layer thickness), whereby an improvement in image quality can be expected. The polymerized toner generally contains a binder resin, a colorant, a charge-controlling agent and other additives.
Conventionally, various charge-controlling agents have been proposed to impart to toners excellent charging property, stability over time and environmental stability. In this case, since a colored material cannot be used in a charge-controlling agent for use in full-color toners, there must be used colorless, white or light-colored charge-controlling agents which do not affect the hue of the toner.
Examples of such charge-controlling agents proposed include metal complex salts of salicylic acid derivatives (see PTLs 3 to 6), metal salts of aromatic dicarboxylic acids (see PTL 7), metal complex salts of anthranilic acid derivatives (see PTL 8) and organic boron compounds (see PTLs 9 and 10).
However, these charge-controlling agents have disadvantages that they contain chromium which may be unstable to the environment, and have insufficient durability, charge-imparting effects and environmental stability. Thus, they do not have sufficient performance to be used successfully as a charge-controlling agent. Also, as a metal-free charge-controlling agent, condensates of phenol derivatives have been proposed (see PTL 11). These condensates may satisfactorily meet the requirements of a charge-controlling agent.
As described above, in the polymerized toner, the charge-controlling agent derived from the toner material may be decomposed, or difficult to disperse in the toner. In many cases, the charge-controlling agent cannot sufficiently exhibit its functions, which is problematic. Therefore, there have been no toners excellent in chargeability, durability and environmental stability by using a charge controlling agent applicable to a polymerized toner, having smaller particle diameter and forming high-quality images. In addition, the relevant techniques to the formation of such toners have not yet been provided. Therefore, keen demand has arisen for such toners and techniques.

Toner, and full-color image forming method and full-color image forming apparatus using the toner


A system for injection molding a part includes a plate, first and second primary mold slides, first and second secondary mold slides and at least a first core post. The first and second primary mold slides define an exterior of a first portion of a molded part and are movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position. The first and second secondary mold slides define an exterior of a second portion of the molded part and are movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position. A first core post defines an interior of the first portion of the molded part. The first and second secondary mold slides are operative to secure the molded part as the first and second primary mold slides are moved from their closed position to their open position, as the molded part is expanded under a source of pressurized air and as the first core post is withdrawn from an interior of the molded part.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Various arrangements are well known in the art for the injection molding of parts. Injection molding is a process for producing parts from materials such as thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics. Raw materials (e.g., plastic granules) are fed into a hopper for deliver to a heated barrel. The raw materials are heated within the barrel to a flowable state. A screw or similar device forces the flowable material into a mold cavity. The flowable material is allowed to at least partially cool and thereby at least partially harden within the mold cavity to a desired configuration.
Depending on the part complexity, a mold cavity may be conventionally defined by one or more mold slides and one or more core posts. These moveable components of known injection molding arrangements may be automatically controlled for purposes of reducing manual labor and thereby reducing or eliminating human error. If practical, it is generally desirable to also automate of removing the molded part from the mold cavity.
While known injection molding arrangements have proven to be successful for their intended purposes, a continuous need in the pertinent art remains. For example, injection molded parts of various geometries still conventionally require a degree of human interaction for purposes of removing the molded part from the mold cavity.

System for injection molding and related method


In a shade determination apparatus for teeth and dental restorations, a set of reference templates for comparing to a patient""s tooth is provided, whereby based on the coloration of the reference template the shade of a tooth or of a restoration to be employed can be determined. The reference templates are produced in a layer arrangement, taking into consideration layer thickness and/or material selection, that corresponds to the tooth or the dental restoration to be employed. A storage apparatus stores the coloration of the reference templates, and the layering of the tooth or of the dental restoration can be matched and determined based on partial images from an image of the patient""s tooth.

The present invention relates to a shade or color determination apparatus for teeth and dental restorations, and also relates to a method for specifying and determining shades for teeth and dental restorations.
Such a shade determination apparatus and such a method are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,006. This solution represents an advance relative to the use of a conventional shade guide. A commercial shade guide has a plurality of color groups, whereby in each group are located teeth with different color saturation and brightness and each group is assigned to a certain shade. The tooth in a shade guide can have a structure of one to five layers.
Such a shade guide has limited selection options. This limitation is not due to a lack of options for producing different color mixtures, but rather to the fact that even experienced dentists are limited in their ability to determine a shade correctly. One reason for this is that the eye becomes fatigued after long periods of comparison. But it is also due to the fact that the eye must observe the natural tooth and the prosthetic tooth held next to it in the shade guide in an xe2x80x9cintegratedxe2x80x9d manner in order to obtain the results of the comparison. As a rule, the tooth in the shade guide has a two-layer structure and an overall thickness of 5 mm, whereby in the incisal region enamel material is applied thicker and in the cervical region dentine material is applied thicker.
An additional problem in the assessability of the reference teeth in the shade guide is that the teeth in the shade guide regularly comprise ceramics fired at high temperatures. Although such ceramics are more cost effective in terms of manufacture, manufacturing costs are substantial since they have to be distributed to all of the dentists. However, today it is not unusual for other ceramics to be used that are fired at temperatures lower than, e.g., 1300xc2x0. The newest materials for dental restorations always have optical properties that are similar to teeth, e.g. opal effects or brightness values determined by precisely-defined crystal sizes, whereby the optical refraction index is adjusted. Shade guides used in the past are generally not well suited for comparing shades with these new materials. The materials d.SIGN and Empress 2 are also among the new materials that have enhanced brightness even with better translucence. The shade guides that were used in the past are generally not well suited for comparing shades with these new materials.
In this regard, systems like that of the aforesaid US patent are not helpful because they use the known shade guides as the reference. However, since these are not accurate despite the tooth-like structure of their coloration, especially for particularly translucent teeth, such computer-supported systems only result in minor improvements despite the expense they involve.
Another problem that in the past could only be addressed unsatisfactorily, if at all, is the progression of both the color and the translucence from the cervical to the incisal region. The cervical region generally has a coloration that tends toward reddish and is a bit transparent. The prior art provides no or only minimal accommodations for this graduation.
The object of the invention is therefore to provide a shade determination apparatus and a corresponding method that are able to provide a tooth or a dental restoration in an aesthetically pleasing manner, whereby the shade comparison is made substantially easier for the dentist and in particular the coloration and translucence obtained matches adjacent teeth or adjacent regions.
This object is achieved in accordance with the apparatus and method of the present invention. In particular, the shade determination apparatus has a set of reference templates for comparison to a patient""s tooth, whereby based on the coloration of the reference template the shade of a tooth or a restoration that is to be employed can be determined. The reference templates are produced in a layer arrangement, taking into consideration layer thickness and/or material selection, that corresponds to the tooth, dental restoration, or filling that is to be employed. The apparatus also has a storage apparatus in which the coloration of the reference template is stored and the layering of the tooth or dental restoration can be matched and determined based on partial images from an image of the patient""s tooth. In the method, a set of reference templates is compared to a patient""s tooth and based on the coloration of the reference template, the shade of a tooth or restoration that is to be employed can be determined. The reference templates are produced in a layer arrangement taking into consideration layer thickness and/or material selection that corresponds to the tooth or dental restoration that is to be employed. The coloration of the reference template is stored and the layering of the tooth or dental restoration can be matched and determined based on partial images from an image of the patient""s tooth.
Surprisingly, the inventive measures make it possible for the first time to obtain adequate coloration, even in terms of perception of the human eye, for the tooth to be replaced or for dental restorations. This is based in particular or the fact that the reference templates are provided with layer thicknesses that correspond to the actual layer thicknesses of the incisal material and dentin material to be applied. Surprisingly this measure makes it possible to obtain a more natural appearance, even when the reference template is not in the shape of a tooth, because by recording the image with the same camera, the same assessment flows into the process for analyzing the natural tooth and the reference template. It is obvious that in this context it is important to reference the shades if the same camera is not used but an identical model camera is used. In order to prevent metamerism effects it is advantageous to provide identical lighting.
In accordance with the invention, it is advantageous to select the layer thicknesses to correspond to the layer thicknesses that occur in practice. For instance, a set of reference templates can be produced with layer thicknesses: incisal material 0.2 mm, dentine 1 mm, and opaque layer 0.1 mm. An additional set of reference templates can be produced with the layer thicknesses: incisal material 0.2 mm, dentine material 0.3 mm, and opaque layer 0.1 mm. An additional set can be produced with the layer thicknesses: incisal material 0.15 mm, dentine 0.4 mm, deep dentine 0.3 mm, and opaque layer 0.1 mm.
In accordance with the invention, it is particularly advantageous in this context that the different colorations can be matched by means of automatic comparison. It is preferable in this context for the recorded natural tooth to be displayed on the screen and sections of this tooth to be marked in a suitable manner, and then to find the correct reference template immediately, selecting the reference template as appropriate. In accordance with the invention it is particularly advantageous for the reference templates to have been fired from original materials in the original layer thickness, cost-related issues not having a negative impact thereupon. On the contrary, it is no longer necessary to divide up shade guides oneself; rather, reference templates can simply be produced with laboratory quality, the appropriate detectable parameters for the reference template then being recorded with a reference camera and stored in a data base. Even if procurement of the recording apparatus and the necessary software represents a certain monetary outlay, modified shades obtained in new materials or other types of shades can then be made available to the dentist or dental technician with no other measures required.
The accuracy of the comparison can be performed in accordance with the invention depending on the number of reference templates available in the data base such that differences are no longer visible. In accordance with the invention, it is advantageous when the regions of the tooth to be analyzed are pre-specified as the regions that are generally particularly critical. When the dentist wants to deviate from the standards, this can be done with no further action required by selecting other surfaces, whereby it is understood that the dentist also pre-specifies the type of material he wants, e.g. plastic or ceramic, and also pre-specifies whether or not an opaque layer will be used for facing metal frameworks.
In accordance with the invention it is particularly advantageous that the shade determination apparatus determines the layers in terms of material selection, layer thickness, and combination of materials for every section of the tooth or tooth restoration that is to be blended in with the analyzed natural tooth. Thus the dental laboratory obtains precise information about how the restoration should be performed. It is also possible to pre-select the complexity of each different stage. For instance, a switch can be provided for xe2x80x9ccomplexxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d, which switch then pre-specifies more complex or simpler layers, as desired.
An additional parameter that must be determined for the dentist""s or dental technician""s comparison to the reference template is the layer thickness that will be available to him for a restoration. In this case as well there is an automatic comparison with the best option, since the reference templates are available in different overall layer thicknesses so that the different shades can be taken into account and included automatically in the assessment.

Shade determination apparatus and method for specifying and determining colors for teeth and dental restorations


A cutting tool assembly consisting of a cutting bit and a mounting block assembly for fixing the bit on a rotating drum or the like which will retain the bit in the mounting block at very high drum rotational speeds, which will accommodate high impact force and minimize the resulting wear experienced by the bit at high drum rotational speeds, and which permits quick and simple replacement of the bit when required.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to trenching assemblies, and in particular to trenching tool assemblies for the high speed trenching of highway surfaces.
2. Description of Related Art
Machines used for trenching concrete, asphalt, rock and the like generally include a plurality of bits rigidly mounted on a rotating mechanism which impacts the bits against the surface. The driven mechanism carrying the bits may be a rotating drum, disk, or a continuous flexible chain for example. Owing to the nature of the materials being trenched, extremely high impact forces are required to be transmitted by the bits. Even greater impact forces are experienced by the bits as the trenching machines are designed to be operated at higher speeds to increase the cutting rate of the machines. As a result, the bits wear quickly and must be frequently replaced. If the machine is to be operated efficiently, the rate of bit wear must be minimized, and bit replacement must be simple and quick.
Bits and bit mounting assemblies have been developed to rigidly mount the bit and mounting block to a rotating drum to withstand the extremely high impact forces, while allowing for ready replacement, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,980 to Krekeler, for example. Another design, incorporated in the Fansteel 765 Series bits available from VR/Wesson Lexington, utilizes an expandable collar fitted around the shank of a bit, and which expands into a recess formed in the mounting block to secure the bit in place. As drum rotation speeds and impact forces increase, however, these known methods of mounting bits on the drum become less satisfactory due to their inability to counter the high centrifugal forces urging the bits out of the mounting blocks at high drum rotation speeds, while at the same time minimizing the damage to the bit from the accompanying high impact forces.
A need remains therefore for a trenching bit and mounting block assembly which allows the bit to enjoy a suitably long life, retains the bit within the mounting block at very high drum rotational speeds, and which allows quick and easy replacement of bits when required.


A leadless alloy for soldering containing 0.1 to 5.0% bismuth, 0.1 to 5.0% silver, 0.1 to 3.0% antimony, 0.1 to 5.5% copper, 0.001 to 0.01% phosphorus, 0.01 to 0.1% germanium and 81.4 to 99.6% tin by weight.

The present invention relates to leadless alloy for soldering, which more specifically prevents damage of the human body such as lead poisoning, etc, in the soldering process and also reduces the amount of production of metal-oxide substance. This results in a drop in the poor connection ratio when this alloy is used for connecting the electric circuit board, at the same time, a drastically reduced amount of the waste lead.


Packages for an integrated circuit die and methods and leadframes for making such packages are disclosed. The package includes a die, a die pad, peripheral metal contacts, bond wires, and an encapsulant. The die pad and contacts are located at a lower surface of the package. The die pad and the contacts have side surfaces which include reentrant portions and asperities to engage the encapsulant.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is to directed toward an improved plastic package for an integrated circuit die, and a method of making such a package.
2. Background of the Invention
Integrated circuit die are conventionally enclosed in plastic packages that provide protection from hostile environments and enable electrical interconnection between the integrated circuit die and printed circuit boards. The elements of such a package include a metal leadframe, an integrated circuit die, bonding material to attach the integrated circuit die to the leadframe, bond wires which electrically connect pads on the integrated circuit die to individual leads of the leadframe, and a hard plastic encapsulant material which covers the other components and forms the exterior of the package.
The leadframe is the central supporting structure of such a package. A portion of the leadframe is internal to the package, ie., completely surrounded by the plastic encapsulant. Portions of the leads of the leadframe extend eternally from the package and are used to connect the package externally.
Further background information concerning conventional plastic integrated circuit packages and leadframes is contained in chapter 8 of the book Microelectronics Packaging Handbook (1989), which was edited by R. Tummala and E. Rymaszewski, and is published by Van Nostrand Reinhold, 115 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y.
A problem with conventional plastic packages is that their internal leadframes limit reduction of the size of the packages. Practitioners have attempted to reduce the size of packages by eliminating internal leadframes, as is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,152 to Roche et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,214 to Castro, but these packages have numerous disadvantages. The contacts of the package shown by Roche in the '152 patent have orthogonal side surfaces. Accordingly, the packages are believed to be unreliable because the contacts could easily be pulled from the encapsulant material. The package shown by Castro in the '214 patent has leads which extend into the body of the package from a lower external surface of the package to the top of the die. These leads are large, and have complex bends. Including such leads in a package would increase manufacturing costs and limit reductions in the lateral size of the package. By contrast, the contacts of the packages within the present invention are simpler, do not have such bends, and allow for packages of smaller lateral size.

Method of making an integrated circuit package

Abstract: A method of making a package includes providing a metal leadframe having a die pad in a rectangular frame. Tabs extend from the frame toward the die pad. The die pad and tabs have side surfaces with reentrant portions and asperities. A die is attached to the die pad. The die is electrically connected to the tabs. An encapsulant is applied to the upper and side surfaces of the leadframe. Finally, the leadframe is cut in situ so that the die pad and tabs are severed from the frame, the sides of the package are formed, and the package is severed from the leadframe.


A method for manufacturing a machine bearing comprising an elastic spring element made of rubber, in which the elastic spring element is affixed to a ring element made of an elastically deformable material is disclosed. The ring element is produced from a lamellar section of a sheet metal and, after being transformed into the shape of a cylinderical ring, is further transformed into the final shape of the ring element.

The invention relates generally to a method for manufacturing a machine bearing comprising an elastic spring element made of rubber, particularly to one in which the elastic spring element is affixed to a ring element made of an elastically deformable material.
Such a ring element may be a component of a hydraulically damping machine bearing that is joined to a metallic bearing support. The ring element comprises a mounting flange, which is fastenable to the bearing support, and a seating flange to accommodate the annular elastic spring element. The elastic spring element has a generally hollow-conical shape. On the side facing away from the bearing support, the machine bearing is delimited by a thrust bearing, which is joined to the elastic spring element. In heretofore known methods, the ring element of this type of machine bearing was manufactured by punching an annular disc out of a flat sheet metal part and subsequently giving it the shape required for assembly using a reshaping method, such as deep drawing. This method requires substantial quantities of material, since considerable punching waste is produced when circular rings are punched out of flat sheet metal. Another disadvantage is that the reshaping operation results in the ready-to-fit ring element having sections of varying material strength along its axial extent, the lowest material strengths occurring, depending upon the particular manufacturing method employed, in the area of the lateral edges of the ring element, where the elastic spring element and the bearing support are affixed. This weakening of the material is caused by the plastic stretching it undergoes during reshaping and the resultant loss of thickness in these regions. The working properties of a machine bearing of this type are less than satisfactory, since elastic deformations of the ring element, particularly in the area where the elastic spring element is affixed, lead to a further change in the performance characteristics of the bearing. The material weakening of the ring element can be reduced by using high-quality sheet metal that is capable of being deep-drawn; however, such materials are not very economical to use.
This invention is directed towards the problem of further developing a manufacturing method to produce an article of the type described above that simplifies the manufacture of the ring element and hence, the machine bearing as a whole, so as to substantially reduce the material required to manufacture the ring element while not requiring the use of high-quality deep-drawn sheet metal. Furthermore, the invention is directed towards the problem of providing that such a method result in a ring element that offers an essentially uniform material strength along its extent.

Method for manufacturing a machine bearing


A power terminal feed-through incorporates a metallic body through which extend one or more current conducting pins that are hermetically sealed to the metallic body by a glass-to-metal seal. The metallic body includes an annular lip with a protrusion. During welding installation of the power terminal feed-through, the protrusion serves to assist in the welding process, better controlling the location and definition of the weld between the metallic body and a housing, and to focus the welding heat at the protrusion, thereby protecting the glass-to-metal seal. The glass-to-metal seal can be a single glass insert through which the current conducting pins extend, thereby reducing the pin circle diameter and the overall size of the power terminal feed-through.

Hermetically sealed electric power terminal feed-throughs provide an airtight electrical feed-through for use in conjunction with hermetically sealed devices where leakage into or from such devices, by way of the feed-throughs, is effectively precluded. For the terminal feed-throughs to function safely and effectively for their intended purpose, the terminal feed-throughs require that their conductor pins be electrically insulated from and hermetically sealed to the body through which they pass and that an optimum air path be established and thereafter maintained between adjacent pins and opposite sides of the body.
Referring to FIG. 1, a typical electrical power terminal feed-through 10 for a fractional compressor application is shown to be installed to a housing 12 (e.g. a compressor shell), which defines an opening 14. The feed-through 10 includes a metal cap 16 having a bottom wall 18, a cylindrical sidewall 20 around the bottom wall 18, and an annular flange 22 extending from the cylindrical sidewall 20. The cylindrical sidewall 20 is disposed within the opening 14. The bottom wall 18 includes a plurality of apertures 24 through which a plurality of current-conducting pins 26 are disposed. A plurality of insulating seals 28 are disposed in the apertures 24 to seal the plurality of current-conducting pins 26 to the metal cap 16.
The feed-through 10 is installed to the housing 12 by resistance welding. Resistance welding refers to the joining of two or more pieces of metal by applying heat and pressure without the addition of any other material. Welding heat is generated when the parts to be welded, which are placed between two electrodes, resist the passage of electric current between the two electrodes, while pressure refines the grain structure in the parts. This combination of pressure and heat causes the parts to be welded to coalesce without actually liquefying. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, by using an upper electrode 30 and a lower electrode 32 to press the annular flange 22 against the housing 12 and by directing electric current through the electrodes 30 and 32, a weld 34 is formed at the contacting area between the housing 12 and the annular flange 22 so as to secure the feed-through 10 to the housing 12.
Installing the prior art feed-through 10 to the housing 12 by resistance welding creates the possibility that excessive heat may be generated which may migrate through the cylindrical sidewall 20 and the annular flange 22 to the insulating seals 28, particularly if the installer (e.g., the compressor manufacturer) does not exercise due care in handling and installing the feed-through. If excessive heat migrates to the insulating seals 28 during the welding process, there is a potential that the integrity of insulating seals 28 may be compromised and thereby become susceptible to leakage.
Moreover, the forces applied by the electrodes 30 and 32 to the typical feed-through are not aligned, causing a bending moment around the contacting area where the weld 34 is to be formed. The bending moment may tend to deform the annular flange 22 and change the welding location on the feed-through 10, making the positioning of the feed-through 10 relative to the housing 12 and thus the welding process more difficult.
Recent developments in hermetic power terminal feed-throughs, particularly those for use in refrigeration and air conditioning compressor applications, though substantially improving performance and providing more efficient operation, have required the compressor manufacturers to exercise greater care in handling and installing the feed-throughs during assembly. In particular, the compressor manufacturers' welding techniques, equipment selection (including welders and welding electrodes) and control settings, are especially critical for achieving proper installation of the feed-through.
Improper installation of the feed-through is to be avoided, since such practice can cause damage to the feed-through and undesirable feed-through failures. For example, welding with improper equipment or under improper control settings can result in making the feed-through more susceptible to heat shock, diminishing the robustness of the glass-to-metal seal due to the abrupt expansion and contraction of the metallic body, pins and/or insulating material. Therefore, there is a need for an electric power terminal feed-through which can be reliably and easily manufactured and installed.


The invention relates to a detector unit which is made for connection to an optical bus which is formed by detector units of the same type arranged adjacently. The detector unit has a light transmitter, a light receiver and at least one optical connection path by which two optical interfaces are optically connected. At least one optical anomaly is arranged along the optical connection path which is made for the coupling of light of the light transmitter into the optical connection path and for the coupling of light out of the optical connection path to the light receiver.

The invention relates to a detector unit which is designed for connection to an optical bus which is formed by detector units of the same type arranged adjacently.
Such detector units serve, for example, as sensor devices, in particular as light barriers, diffuse sensors, inductive proximity switches, capacitive proximity switches or ultrasonic sensors. In some applications a plurality of such detector units are used in a close spatial arrangement to pick up a plurality of measurement values simultaneously. A common control of these detector units and a data flow between the detector units among one another is required here. For this purpose, the detector units are connected to a common data bus.
It is known for the forming of this data bus to provide a galvanic plug connection between the adjacent detector units. Such a connection, however, has an insufficient protection category for some applications.
Detector units have therefore been developed for demands with a higher protection category which have a respective optical interface and an associated photoelectrical transceiver at two opposing housing sides, with the optical interfaces of two adjacent detector units being provided in a congruent arrangement. An optoelectronic bus, which allows a bidirectional communication between the adjacent detector units, is thereby formed via the two photoelectrical transceivers electrically connected to one another and the associated optical interfaces of this detector unit with adjacent detector units.
A disadvantage of this design lies in the fact that the data communication, in particular the synchronization, takes a response time which is undesirably long for some applications since a signal to be transmitted along the formed bus has to be transformed, starting from an optical signal, into an electrical signal and back into an optical signal within each detector unit. Moreover, the design of the detector units explained is comparatively complex and therefore undesirably expensive.


A velocity-changing apparatus of the present invention includes: a drum 3 for transporting the continuous web W1 at a transport velocity which is generally equal to a circumferential velocity V(θ) of the drum 3 while changing the circumferential velocity V(θ) periodically at least once per one rotation of the drum 3; a movable member 2 disposed upstream of the drum 3 for feeding the continuous web W1 to the drum 3,; and a cutter 4 for cutting, on the drum 3, the continuous web W1 being transported at the transport velocity which is generally equal to the circumferential velocity V(θ) of the drum 3. The movable member 2 moves according to the change of the circumferential velocity V(θ) of the drum 3 so that a feed velocity at which the continuous web W1 is fed to the drum 3 is generally equal to the transport velocity of the continuous web W1 being transported by the drum 3.

When a processing such as bonding is added onto the web which is being carried, a certain amount of time for the processing is required. The time for processing can be gained by decreasing the speed of the whole production line, but it might lead to decreased production efficiency. Velocity-changing apparatuses and apparatuses for producing absorbent articles, in which apparatuses the velocity of the web can be slowed down during the processing of the web with the speed of the production line kept constant in order to increase the production efficiency, are heretofore known (for example, the following first and second patent documents).
[First patent document] U.S. Pat. No. 6,596,108 B2 (abstract)
[Second patent document] Japanese Patent No. 3,452,577 (FIG. 5, the nineteenth column) (WO 95/012491)
However, the patent documents fail to disclose the slowdown of the drum itself for processing or cutting the web, and fail to disclose cutting the web on the drum.


A device for detecting electromagnetic radiation, charged particles or photons including a 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) and/or a 2-dimensional hole gas (2DHG). The device detects the collective response of the plasma to perturbations of the 2DEG and/or the 2DHG. The device is tunable by using Schottky contacts. The device can be used for high-speed photodetector devices, terahertz sensors, and charged particle sensors.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of detectors of electromagnetic radiation. In particular the invention relates to the use of a two-dimensional electron gas ("2DEG") and/or a two-dimensional hole gas ("2DHG") in the detection of electromagnetic radiation including terahertz frequency radiation, photodetection, and charged particle detection.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Confined electron behavior has ushered in a new era in electronics and photonics. Controlled variation of the energy level spacing and availability of electronic states using geometric or electrostatic confinement of carriers in quantum wells, quantum wires and quantum dots has led to important advances in transistors, diodes, LEDs and Lasers. The realization of systems in which carriers are effectively confined within planes, along one-dimension, in current rings, or through narrow constrictions or islands, has attracted enormous interest. Detailed investigations in mesoscopic systems have uncovered a range of exciting and unique electronic transport properties, including electron cavities, Kondo physics, the Aharonov-Bohm effect, and other effects, including quantum cascade LASERS, phonon confinement, optical phonon confinement, and exciton confinement.
Modulation doping of hetero-structures which allow electrons to be screened from their dopant ions and travel only subject to lattice and external forces has had a tremendous effect on transistor technology with high electron mobility transistors (HEMT) outperforming all others in terms of speed. Introduction of modulation doping in order to produce a dense arrangement of electrons, on the order of 1012 cm−2 electrons in 1979 and, similarly, a dense arrangement for holes in 1984, has been the driving force behind such progress. In these devices, a heterojunction is made between lattice matched wide-gap and narrow-gap material. Doping of the wide-gap material introduces carriers that are transferred to the narrow-gap material and confined to it due to band-gap discontinuity. Two-dimensional clouds of both electrons, i.e. a 2DEG (2 dimensional electron gas) and holes, i.e. a 2DHG (2 dimensional hole gas) have been produced which have become conduction channels for both n-type and p-type HEMT devices.
In a HEMT device, gating of a channel of charge produces a transistor action and the speed of the device is limited by the transit time of the carriers from source to drain. The model used is that of a reservoir-channel-reservoir with the channel consisting of a 2DEG, or a 2DHG, with the reservoirs of electrons being ohmic metals of the source and the drain. Transit of electrons in this 2DEG is expedited since scattering by ionized dopants is removed. It is nevertheless conduction of the channel subject to an electric field that limits the speed.
Thus, there remains a need for a sensor for detecting electromagnetic radiation that can overcome the canonical limitations of drift or conductivity based devices, such as transistors, thereby achieving unprecedented speed and sensitivity. Such a development applies to a wide range of frequencies including frequencies used in photonics applications, to terahertz range frequencies, and to other detection modalities such as charged particle detection.
A new and important task for electromagnetic radiation sensors is the detection of terahertz (THz) radiation. Detection of the terahertz range of the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as other ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, can play an important role in a variety of different technological and commercial fields. A unique feature of THz frequencies, as compared to shorter wavelengths, is that the ambient background thermal noise almost always dominates the naturally emitted narrowband signals. Therefore, either cryogenic cooling or long integration time radiometric techniques, or both, are typically required. Typically, THz components fall into two categories: sources and detectors. Other components such as waveguides, filters, antennas, amplifiers, and THz materials are also important to THz technology. Terahertz sources are difficult components to realize. The reasons for this include the high frequency roll-off of the electronic solid-state sources, difficulties that tubes face because of metallic losses and scaling problems, and low level photon energies (meV) of solid-state lasers operating at this range, where the energy is comparable to the relaxation energy of the crystal. As far as power level is concerned, frequency conversion techniques, either up from a millimeter wave, or down from the optical and infrared range, have so far been the most successful techniques.
One of the components that has received a lot of attention is the diode frequency multiplier. Varactor diode and Schottky diode multiplier circuits have been introduced multiplying MMW signals up to a few hundred GHz. Recently, a 200 to 2700 GHz multistage frequency multiplier was introduced using Schottky diodes on extremely thin GaAs substrate. A sub-millimeter-wave side band generator consisting of a whisker contacted Schottky varactor mounted in a waveguide is another recent example. This device is a sub-millimeter source with high efficiency and utilizes the pumped nonlinear reactance of the varactor. An output power of 55 μW at 1.6 THz with a conversion loss of 14 dB was reported. Microwave pump power of 20 dBm at 1.8 GHz and a CO2-pumped far-IR laser with 3 mW power at 1.6 THz was used for this demonstration.
Some other methods of THz generation that have been reported by Kolodzey et al. are quantum well inter-sub-band transition in SiGe, boron doped resonant state transition in strained SiGe, and impurity transitions in doped Si. Recently, Shur and co-workers succeeded in obtaining voltage tunable emission of terahertz radiation from a gated 60 nm InGaAs high electron mobility transistor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,631,489 to Roser discloses use of Schottky contacts for terahertz detectors used at room temperature. In Roser, an antenna is made from a whisker of metal (Au—Ni), and Schottky contacts are made from a platinum-gold alloy. A point contact Schottky diode is used as a heterodyne receiver.
Although the device of the instant invention is based on the formation of a plasma of charge using conventional MODFET technology, one of the distinctions from the devices discussed above is that in the proposed device the 2DEG is maintained in quasi-equilibrium and its perturbations are sensed using terahertz radiation. Using the instant invention's detection devices as high-speed, room temperature THz detectors can overcome one or more of the drawbacks found in the prior art. Furthermore, utilization of a tunable device using a 2DEG can also serve a role in providing fast and reliable detectors of other wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation including optical detectors used in fiber optic communication systems, as well as other modalities such as charged particle detection.
Therefore, there exists a need for detection devices using a 2DEG to improve sensing of terahertz radiation and other electro-magnetic radiation in order to provide viable, highly sensitive, detectors.

Optical and electronic devices based on nano-plasma


A computed tomography system has a stationary part and a part that is rotatable around an examination axis that carries at least one x-ray source, a detector unit opposite the x-ray source and a data acquisition unit connected to the detector unit. A data transfer device for transfer of measurement data (acquired with the data acquisition unit) to an image reconstruction device connected with the stationary part is disposed between the stationary part and the rotatable part. The rotatable part has a storage unit for buffering at least a part of the measurement data acquired with the data acquisition unit before their transfer. This storage unit is connected to the data acquisition unit. The computed tomography system enables operation with a high data rate without the data transfer device having to adapt to the maximal data rate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a computed tomography (CT) system of the type having a stationary part and a part rotatable around an examination axis that carries at least one x-ray source, a detector unit opposite the x-ray source and a data acquisition unit connected with the detector unit, and a data transfer device for transfer of measurement data (acquired with the data acquisition unit) to an image reconstruction device connected with the stationary part is fashioned between the stationary part and the rotatable part. The present invention also concerns a method for operation of such a CT system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In multi-slice CT systems, detector arrays with a number of detector rows are used that can be simultaneously exposed by an x-ray beam that conically expands in the direction of the examination axis, what is known as the z-axis. In this manner, a number of slices of the examination subject can be simultaneously acquired with a complete rotation of the rotatable part. This offers a better continuity from slice to slice, as well as the possibility of a noticeably faster data acquisition, as is of great advantage for prevention of movement artifacts, particularly in heart examinations. An increasing need therefore exists for CT systems with which thinner slices of a volume region can be acquired in the same measurement time to increase the resolution, but with which the measurement time can be shortened for the acquisition of a specific volume region.
To meet this need, CT systems with larger, laminar detector units have been proposed that, due to the increase of simultaneously-acquirable examination regions, are designated as volume CT systems. The laminar detector units have a very large number of detector rows (for example in the range between 256 and 1024 detector rows) that can be simultaneously exposed by an x-ray beam that conically expands in the z-direction. The acquisition of a large volume region with only a single complete rotation of the rotatable part around the patient is possible in this manner. However, the large number of detector rows in such a CT system leads to an enormous increase of the measurement data, accumulating per unit of time, which are acquired by the data acquisition unit and must be transmitted to the stationary image reconstruction unit. During typical rotation speeds of the rotating part, such a detector unit generates measurement data with a data rate in the range of 20 to 80 Gbps. However, the presently used data transfer devices are not fashioned for the transfer of such high data rates from the rotating part to the stationary part of the CT system.
The data transfer devices present in multi-slice CT systems transfer the measurement data acquired by the data acquisition unit to the stationary part (with which the image reconstruction unit is connected) in real time via capacitive or optical transfer devices employing slip rings. A single such slip ring enables a data transfer rate of approximately 2.5 Gbps. For the transfer of higher data rates, a number of slip rings must be arranged in parallel on the rotatable and/or stationary part. For a planar detector array for simultaneous acquisition of 256 to 1024 slices, this requires a parallel arrangement of 8 to 32 slip rings. This solution, however, occupies space within the CT gantry and the examination region that is already scarce, and incurs high costs. Improved technologies for data transfer with high data rates (and the costs associated therewith) have not proven to be practical.

Multi-slice computer tomography system with data transfer system with reduced transfer bandwidth


An electrode material for special joining of light metals or spot resistance welding electrode and methods of the electrode material and an electrode are disclosed. An alloy powder is reduced to form a pure alloy powder after the alloy powder composed of copper and from about 0.1 to about 0.3% by weight of beryllium is annealed. The surface of the pure alloy powder is primary oxidized and the beryllium in the alloy powder is secondarily oxidized. The pure alloy powder is reduced to form the powder of a dispersion-hardening alloy comprising copper-beryllium oxide. The electrode made of such alloy can has some advantageous properties such as high heat resistance, high electrical conductivity, high heat conductivity, good abrasion resistance and good workability because the beryllium oxide is homogeneously dispersed through the alloy.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode material and methods for manufacturing the electrode material and an electrode, and more particularly to an electrode material having good properties such as heat resistance, electrical conductivity, heat conductivity, abrasion resistance and workability, and methods for manufacturing the electrode material and an electrode having the electrode material.
2. Prior Art
Concerning conventional electrodes such as special junction electrodes or spot resistance welding electrodes in order to join light metals or surface treatment steel sheets, the electrodes should have several properties including heat resistance, electrical conductivity, heat conductivity and abrasion resistance according their particular use. The electrode materials are also required such properties because the electrodes are made of the electrode materials. Furthermore, the electrode materials should have homogeneous structure and workability for forming the electrodes.
In general, the spot resistance welding electrode functions as a conductor for applying electricity to a material to be welded and a joining material for welding the material to be welded. Hence, the electrode having suitable properties are used as the spot resistance welding electrode in relation to the welding condition and the material to be welded. In most welding processes of the spot resistance welding electrodes, the spot resistance electrodes especially should have heat resistance and electrical conductivity at high temperature since the spot resistance electrodes are continuously subjected to the conditions of high temperature and high pressure. The electrode material should have low dispersity and should not fuse to the material to be welded as the spot resistance welding electrode which can be used under the condition of high temperature and high pressure for long periods.
Pure copper is mainly utilized as the conventional spot resistance welding electrode due to its high electrical conductivity and excellent consume resistance, however, the pure copper has defect of low mechanical strength. Therefore, in order to increase the strength of the pure copper, metals such as chrome (Cr), zirconium (Zr), silicon (Si), tungsten (W) or nickel (Ni) are added in small quantities to a base metal composed of the pure copper to form dispersion-hardening alloys which are utilized as the electrode materials. However, when the dispersion-hardening alloys composed of the above metals are used as the electrode materials, all of the required properties such as heat resistance, electrical conductivity, heat conductivity and abrasion resistance may not be present even though some properties may be partially present. For example, an alloy composed of copper-chrome is widely utilized as the spot resistance welding electrode and is manufactured by a typical casting method. In the alloy composed of copper as a base metal and by weight about 0.2% chrome, the copper-chrome alloy has enhanced mechanical strength because fine precipitated chrome is dispersed in the copper. However, when an electrode made of the copper-chrome alloy is welded to manufacture the spot resistance welding electrode, the thermal stability and abrasion resistance of the electrode made of the copper-chrome alloy are weakened because the precipitated chrome comes to have a large size by an arc-heat generated by the welding which takes place while the copper-chrome alloy is heated.
Therefore, a dispersion-hardening alloy composed of copper and metal oxide has been developed as an electrode material considering the problem of the copper-chrome alloy.
The dispersion-hardening alloy composed of copper and metal oxide includes a copper-aluminum oxide (Cu--Al.sub.2 O.sub.3), a copper-silicon oxide (Cu--SiO.sub.2), a copper-zirconium oxide (Cu--ZrO.sub.2) and so on. It is known that the copper-aluminum oxide alloy has excellent characteristics as the electrode material among the dispersion-hardening alloy composed of copper and metal oxide.
The copper-aluminum oxide alloy is manufactured by the combination of the powder metallurgy technique and the internal oxidation method, The copper-aluminum alloy has superior creep resistance, electrical conductivity and thermal stability at room temperature as well as at high temperature, so the copper-aluminum alloy is suitable as the electrode material.
However, it is difficult to control the degree of the internal oxidation of the copper-aluminum oxide alloy because the optimal quantity of a copper-oxide which is added as an oxidant is hardly controlled when the copper-aluminum oxide alloy is manufactured by the powder metallurgy technique and the internal oxidation method. Thus, an electrode made of the copper-aluminum oxide alloy has low mechanical strength when the electrode is made by using the copper-aluminum alloy and by the extrusion method, the drawing method or the forging method since the aluminum oxide doesn't be formed as a fine particle and homogeneously dispersed in the copper-aluminum oxide alloy.

Electrode material and methods for manufacturing electrode material and electrode

Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials


A power amplifier includes amplifier elements to amplify input signals of different frequencies. The amplifier also includes a power supply circuit that includes a common power supply path including an end connected to a power supply input terminal connected to a DC power supply. The amplifier further includes individual power supply paths each including an end connected to the other end of the common power supply path, and the other end connected to the main electrode of a corresponding one of the amplifier elements. The individual power supply paths have different impedances.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power amplifier mainly for a high-frequency band, and more particularly to a power amplifier that selectively amplifies a plurality of input signals of different frequencies.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exist radio communication systems for providing services of mobile communication of a plurality of frequency bands. In such systems, radio communication devices, such as mobile terminals, are generally provided with the same number of transmission signal power amplifiers as that of frequency bands used.
For instance, in the personal digital cellular (PDC) system that uses two frequency bands, two power amplifiers for the 800-MHz band and 1900-MHz band are provided in a single mobile terminal. Even a mobile terminal compatible with different systems, such as an 800-MHz-band PDC and 1900-MHz-band personal handy-phone system (PHS), is provided with power amplifiers dedicated to respective frequency bands.
In a radio communication device, such as a mobile terminal using a plurality of frequency bands, it is difficult to satisfy a demand for size reduction if power amplifiers dedicated to the respective frequency bands.
On the other hand, broadband amplifiers for use in measuring devices can amplify signals of different frequency bands. This type of amplifier, however, consumes much power, therefore is not suitable for mobile terminals that use a battery as a power supply. For this reason, they are not used in mobile terminals.

Power amplifier and radio communication device using the amplifier


There is provided a communication device performing communication by breaking up a frame into a plurality of links, the communication device includes a dividing means for dividing the frame into units of a predetermined size, a distributing means for distributing the units to a plurality of links, a plurality of storing means for storing the units distributed by the distributed means in payloads of transfer frames for the respective plurality of links, a timer means for measuring a timeout time based on a priority of the frame, and a transmission means for transmitting the transfer frames to another communication device via the plurality of links in one of a case where the units included in the payloads of the transfer frames becomes to a predetermined amount and a case where the timeout time measured by the timer becomes to a predetermined value.

A technology for expanding a communication bandwidth is known as a link aggregation system (link aggregation). According to the link aggregation, an Ethernet (registered trademark) frame is broken up onto a plurality of physical links so as to be transmitted. The link aggregation was standardized by IEEE 802.3ad, and is defined by Chapter 43 of IEEE 802.3-2005 at present.
FIG. 12 illustrates a changed order of frames in a link aggregation system. Communication devices 101, 102 illustrated in FIG. 12 are connected to each other via links 103, 104. Square symbols including numerals illustrated in FIG. 12 indicate frames transmitted and received between the communication devices 101, 102. The numerals in the square symbols indicate the order of the frames.
The link aggregation includes an algorithm for distributing frames to the plural links 103, 104 on the basis of, e.g., a MAC (Media Access Control) address, an IP (Internet Protocol) address, a VLAN ID (Virtual Local Area Network IDentifier). If frames to be transmitted are simply distributed to the links 103, 104 alternately, the order of the frames may possibly be changed on the receiving side in some cases. Thus, Ethernet basically requires that the order of frames be not allowed to change.
Assume, e.g., that link lengths of the links 103, 104 are different from each other as illustrated in FIG. 12. In this case, the communication device 101 receives frames in an order of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and distributes the frames to the links 103, 104 alternately to transmit the frames. The communication device 102 receives the frames in an order of 2, 1, 4, 3, 5, though.
Thus, the MAC address, the IP address, the VLAN ID, etc. are made keys according to the link aggregation, so that the order of the frames is prevented from being changed at least in a same unit of communication (called a conversation). That is, frames of a same source address and a same destination address are distributed to the links as the conversation, so that the order of the frames is prevented from being changed between the frames belonging to the same conversation.
FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a conversation. Communication devices 111, 112 are connected to each other via links 113, 114. Terminals 115a, 115b communicate with each other via the communication devices 111, 112. Terminals 116a, 116b communicate with each other via the communication devices 111, 112. Square symbols including numerals illustrated in FIG. 13 indicate frames transmitted and received between the terminals 115a, 115b. Triangular symbols including numerals indicate frames transmitted and received between the terminals 116a, 116b. The numerals in the square and triangular symbols indicate the order of the frames.
The communication device 111 outputs the frames received from the terminals 115a and 116a to the links 113 and 114, respectively, on the basis of the MAC address, etc. The communication device 112 outputs the frames received from the links 113 and 114 to the terminals 115b and 116b, respectively, on the basis of the MAC address, etc. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 13 by the square and triangular symbols including the numerals, the orders of the frames are maintained for the conversations on the terminals 115a, 115b and on the terminals 116a, 116b.
According to the link aggregation, even if frames are transmitted via p-links, the communication bandwidth is not necessarily multiplied by n, e.g., in a case where volumes of traffic are large and very small on one link and on another link, respectively.
FIG. 14 illustrates an imbalance in the communication bandwidth. Each of portions illustrated in FIG. 14 which is a same as the corresponding one illustrated in FIG. 13 is given a same reference numeral, and its explanation is omitted. Assume, as illustrated in FIG. 14, that the volume of the traffic between the terminals 115a, 115b is larger than that between the terminals 116a, 116b. Even if the communication is carried out via the two links 113, 114 in this case, the communication bandwidth is not twice as broad as that in one-link case.
Thus, it is known to divide a plurality of frames of variable lengths into units of a specific size, and to distribute the units to respective ports aggregated as one broadband port so as to transmit the units, e.g., as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-252333. According to the above, the traffic is equally broken up to the plural ports having been aggregated, so that the communication bandwidth may be effectively used.
If units into which a frame is divided are put into a capsule on a transfer frame such as an Ethernet frame so as to be transmitted, there is a trade-off relation between transfer efficiency and a delay of the transfer frame.
FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary frame format of an Ethernet frame. As illustrated in FIG. 15, the Ethernet frame has a header including a destination address, a source address and an Ethernet type. Further, the Ethernet frame has a payload and an FCS (Frame Check Sequence). The Ethernet frame and the previous frame have to be provided with an inter-frame gap of at least 20 bytes between those frames.
The maximum frame length of an Ethernet frame excluding the inter-frame gap is 1518 bytes. If units are included in the payload up to the 1500 byte maximum, transfer efficiency for transferring the units on the Ethernet frame including the inter-frame gap is 1500/1538=97.5 percent. Meanwhile, if units of only 100 bytes are included in the payload and transmitted, the transfer efficiency is 100/138=72.5 percent. That is, if the number of units included in the payload is small, the transfer efficiency decreases.
Thus, if units are included in the payload up to the 1500 byte maximum, then provided with an FCS and transmitted, the transfer efficiency of the Ethernet frame increases. As, however, the Ethernet frame is not transmitted until the units are included in the payload up to 1500 bytes, the frame transmission delays in case of no units to be transmitted.
As described above, if a frame divided into units is put into a capsule on a transfer frame such as an Ethernet frame so as to be transmitted, there is a trade-off relation between transfer efficiency and a frame delay of the transfer frame.
By the way, the frame indicates a unit of data transferred in the Data Link Layer (the Layer 2) of OSI reference model.


Methods for sequencing datagram transmissions are disclosed, including, receiving an unqueued segment to be enqueued in a queue. The queue comprises at least one segment. Determining a priority level and a number of attempted transmissions for the unqueued segment (100). If the unqueued segment is enqueued in front of a segment belonging to a datagram in the queue, and at least one segment belonging to the datagram has been transmitted before all the segments belonging to the datagram have been transmitted, at least one of the following functions is performed: discarding any remaining segments belonging to the datagram in the queue, transmitting any remaining segments belonging to the datagram in the queue, and re-enqueuing segments belonging to the datagram at the same location in the queue as the partially transmitted datagram, but with a different identifier.

Various network protocols have been developed to allow the transfer of information, such as voice, video or application data, between endpoints (either network infrastructure or devices subscribed to the network). In all cases, the endpoints are given a finite amount of resources to accomplish their information transfer. Scheduling is the process by which the endpoint determines the order in which information multiplexed from many sources is sent over the transport.
An example is a cellular phone designed to use the IS-136 or GSM protocol, which is given a fixed number of timeslots per second to transmit audio. In this case, the required throughput is known a priori and sufficient bandwidth is guaranteed to support the lone data source. The scheduler simply transfers audio packets on a first in, first out basis without fear that packets will timeout (i.e., expire because they remained unsent for their allotted lifetime).
Another example is the packet data component of the TETRA protocol. In this case, each service context establishes its own private link. These links might provide a different quality of service (e.g., a specific priority level, confirmed or unconfirmed transfer, etc.). Again, in this case, since the data on a link is of the same class, it can be scheduled using a simple first in, first out basis.
As customer needs expand to high data rate applications, networks will evolve towards more universal protocols that can support multiple service types at the same time. A common endpoint in such a network might be supporting a video call with associated audio, and at the same time, transferring files or downloading web pages over the Internet. Efficient designs will forgo the wasteful setup of multiple links or contexts and instead multiplex all information over one, common connection.
The joining of all information sources onto a common connection will introduce numerous problems that have yet to be encountered. For example, packets on a link are typically identified using a finite number sequence that wraps around in a modulo manner. When confirmed and unconfirmed packets share the same link, the opportunity arises for a confirmed packet to block the transmission of a rapid arrival unconfirmed packet stream (e.g., from an audio or video CODEC). That is, the packet number of the fast arriving unconfirmed packets might wrap around to the packet number held by the confirmed packet, which has yet to resolve. This might happen due to the confirmed packet being a low priority or requiring multiple attempts to successfully transfer.
In previous systems, such ambiguity was not an issue. A technique common to the art and known as windowing was used to limit the number of packets in flight on a confirmed link at any given moment. Packets on an unconfirmed link could be sent in order to prevent any packet number wrapping. It is a necessity that any new protocol also be capable of avoiding packet number ambiguity. Other desirable traits would be to minimize throughput delay, guarantee the quality of service and provide support for as many quality levels as needed.
Thus, there exists a need for sequencing datagram transmissions.


A data processing device includes: a face-detecting unit to detect a face region from an input image input from an imaging unit which images a subject including a face; a setting unit to calculate subject distance based on the face size of the face detected by the face-detecting unit, and set limits as a focus lens operation range before and after a focus lens position with the calculated subject distance as focal distance; a detecting unit to move a focus lens within the limits set by the setting unit, and detect a focal point where a detection value corresponding to the contrast intensity obtained from a face frame including the face detected by the face-detecting unit is not smaller than a threshold; and a control unit to determine, in a case wherein a focal point has been detected within predetermined set time, the focal point thereof as a focus position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, imaging apparatus control method, and computer program, and more particularly relates to an imaging apparatus, imaging apparatus control method, and computer program whereby rapid and accurate autofocus processing as to a target subject.
2. Description of the Related Art
With a recent great number of imaging apparatuses such as still cameras, video cameras, and so forth, an autofocus (AF) mechanism for automatically focusing on a subject is implemented.
As for this autofocus control technique, a technique has been known wherein a contrast level of imaged data obtained through a lens is determined. Specifically, this technique is a technique wherein a specific region of an imaged image is set as a signal obtaining region (space frequency extraction area) for focus control, determination is made that the higher the contrast of this specific region is, the more the imaged image is in focus, and the lower the contrast is, the more the imaged image is out of focus, and a lens is driven to move a position to enhance the contrast, thereby adjusting focus. Such a focus control processing arrangement has been described, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 10-21373.
Specifically, there is applied a method wherein the high-frequency components of a specific region are extracted, integration data of the extracted high-frequency components is generated, and a contrast level is determined based on the generated high-frequency component integration data. That is to say, multiple sheets of images are obtained while moving a focus lens to multiple positions, and the brightness signals of each image are subjected to filter processing represented by a high-pass filter, thereby obtaining an AF evaluation value indicating the contrast intensity of each image. At this time, in a case wherein there is a subject which is in focus at a certain focus position, the AF evaluation value as to the focus position draws a curve such as shown in FIG. 1. The peak position P1 of this curve, the position where the contrast value of an image becomes the maximum is a focal position where the image is in focus. This method is for detecting the peak of contrast intensity, and is also referred to as a climbing method.
With this method, focusing operation can be performed, which is focus control using the information of an image reflected to an imager, there is no need to provide a ranging optical system in addition to an imaging optical system, and accordingly, this method has been employed widely with recent digital cameras.
Thus, with autofocus control, the high-frequency component integration value of a specific region is calculated to determine a contrast level, thereby employing this as an evaluation value (AF evaluation value). A focus lens is driven such that the evaluation value becomes the maximum, thereby realizing autofocus. In order to perform autofocus, there is a need to drive a lens with the above-mentioned evaluation value as an indicator. As for a lens driving mechanism, for example, a voice coil motor or the like is employed.
Note however, an autofocus (hereafter, abbreviated to "AF") device employing a contrast extraction method for selecting a focus position with such contrast as an index value is apt to focus on a background including a great number of high-frequency components. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a desired subject positioned at a central frame 20 or the like, which is the central portion of an screen overall frame 10 equivalent to the overall region of a shot image shot at an imaging apparatus, is out of focus, and consequently, a phenomenon called background focus occurs in some cases wherein a background is erroneously focused on.
Particularly, this background focus occurs markedly in a case wherein a subject is a face or the like. This is because a face is low in contrast as compared to a background portion, and consequently, a background portion having high contrast is taken as the best focus position of the screen overall frame 10.
If a correct subject can be recognized, it becomes possible to focus on a correct subject. That is to say, in a case wherein, with the settings such as shown in FIG. 2, a correct subject is taken as a person's face, correct focus control as to the target subject can be performed by recognizing this face, setting a ranging area (detection frame) where contrast is detected to perform focus control of a face frame 30, and performing focus control by contrast extraction restricted to the ranging area (detection frame).
With usual camera shooting, there are a great number of cases wherein a person is the principal subject, but a person takes various positions within an image to be shot, and accordingly, there are various types of pictorial composition. In order to handle such a problem, an arrangement has been proposed wherein a face is recognized from an image at an imaging apparatus, and a ranging area is set to the position of the recognized face, whereby focusing on the face can be performed regardless of the composition. For example, a focus control arrangement based on such face recognition has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-107335. This focus control based on face recognition enables suitable focus control (focusing) with shooting of various types of composition.
Some digital still cameras having such a face recognition function already employed, wherein this function is employed in the case of shooting an image including a face. Note however, there has been no case of commercialization of such a video camera. Video cameras are for shooting moving images, the movement of a face region itself occurs, so applying face recognition to autofocus at the time of taking a moving image frequently collapses, so the current state is that practical realization is difficult.
With regard to an arrangement applying a person extraction technique from image data to a camera, for example, there is Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-317699 wherein an arrangement for determining a focus position based on a face size at high speed has been disclosed. Also, a distance estimation technique for executing distance measurement up to a subject based on the principle of triangulation has been described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-215403.
Also, an arrangement for performing processing for switching a contrast extraction area, for example, between the central frame 20 and face frame 30 shown in FIG. 2 has been disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-317699, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-33440, and so forth.
Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-227080 has disclosed a technique wherein a ranging area (detection frame) is set by adding a body portion to a face in light of a case wherein a face is low in contrast. Also, a technique relating to specification of the priority order of face frames in a case wherein multiple faces are included has been disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-86682.
Note however, such related art is an application corresponding to digital still cameras, and as described above, in the case of applying a face frame to a moving image taken by a video camera as such a ranging area (detection frame), there is a need to detect the face frame for each frame of the video camera. Also, when increasing frame size, a background focus problem occurs, and when reducing frame size, a problem readily occurs in that focusing is not performed correctly due to framing out or low contrast of a frame, and consequently, a focus position fluctuates. Such various problems prevent practical realization.
Note that, in a case wherein a face region is employed as a ranging area (detection frame), there is a problem in that a detection signal from the detection frame set to the face region becomes unstable, but for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-162215 has disclosed, as one of solution techniques for this problem, an arrangement wherein in the case of no detection from the detection frame being performed, the detection frame is held at a face detection area.
Note that, in addition to focus position settings based on the above-mentioned contrast determination, a technique has also been disclosed wherein the distance up to a face is measured based on a face size of an image obtained from a camera to estimate a focus position. Note however, face sizes differ between adults and children. Accordingly, with distance estimation based of a face size, it is desirable to perform estimation based on a face type classification such as an adult's face, child's face, and so forth. A technique has been disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2003-242486, 11-175724, 8-106519, 2001-256496, 2001-167110, and 2001-331799, and so forth, wherein determination of face attributes (adult, child, etc.) is made by clustering of the feature amount of faces, or the like, and this determination results are employed to estimate the distance up to a face from a face size of an image obtained from a camera.

Face recognition auto focus apparatus for a moving image