Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for a compound, methods of making a compound, a probe, methods of making a probe, pharmaceutical compositions including a probe or a compound, methods of using a probe, methods of imaging, diagnosing, localizing, monitoring, and/or assessing a disease (e.g., cancer, diseases caused by inflammation (e.g., arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and the like)), and the like, and/or related biological events using a probe, kit for imaging, diagnosing, localizing, monitoring, and/or assessing a disease, and/or related biological events, using a probe, and the like.

Prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase, known more commonly as cyclooxygenase (COX), is the key enzyme required for the conversion of arachidonic acid to the biological mediators known as prostanoids, which include prostaglandins, prostacyclin, and thromboxane (Moore and Simmons, 2000). The two COX iso-forms, COX1 and COX2, are expressed in different tissue at varying degrees (Dubois et al., 1998). While COX1 is expressed under basal conditions in almost all tissues and is particularly important to the maintenance of gastric mucosal integrity, renal function, and hemostasis, COX2 is undetectable in most normal tissues (van Ryn et al., 2000). COX2 is highly inducible in cells involved in inflammation and cancer (Rouzer and Marnett, 2009). In addition to the role it plays in inflammation, several lines of research suggest that COX2 is involved in the early stage of tumorigenesis (Yokota et al., 1986; Xie et al., 1991). Notably, COX2 not only continues to express during tumor progress, but the expression of COX2 also indicates an aggressive tumor phenotype that behaves more invasively (Fujita et al., 1998) and thus, a poor prognosis (Sobolewski et al., 2010). COX2 overexpression has been well documented in several human carcinomas including colon (Nasir et al., 2011), stomach (Murata et al., 1999), lung (Hida et al., 1998), breast (Glynn et al., 2010; Singh et al., 2011), head and neck (Chan et al., 1998), bladder (Shimada et al., 2011), and pancreas (Hill et al., 2012). The relationship between cancers and increased COX2 activity provides a rationale for the use of COX2 as a prognostic marker and as a quantifiable indicator of tumor progression and treatment efficacy. Collectively, this approach could be achieved through in vivo imaging of COX2 activity, especially when using a sensitive imaging technique such as positron emission tomography (PET). A number of research initiatives have reported the development of COX2 probes with which to visualize cancer-related inflammation including its use in optical (Uddin et al., 2010) and PET imaging (McCarthy et al., 2002; Prabhakaran et al., 2005; Uddin et al., 2011). However, there is still a need to develop other probes to image COX2.

Compounds, probes, and methods of synthesis and methods of imaging COX-2-associated diseases


A display system of an excavating machine that includes a work machine having a bucket, and a main body to which the work machine is attached, the display system includes: a storage unit configured to store at least position information of a design surface; a display unit configured to display the position information of the design surface on a screen; and a processing unit configured to display an outer edge of a second plane of the design surface, the second plane including a first plane existing in the design surface, the second plane existing in a part of a periphery of the first plane, on the screen of the display unit, in a different form from inside and outside of the outer edge.

Typically, an operator operates an operation lever of an excavating machine, such as an excavator, so that a work machine including a bucket is driven, and the excavating machine excavates the ground of a working target. To assist the operator in such excavation work, a technology that guides a target excavation surface has been proposed (for example, Patent Literature 1).

Display system of excavating machine and excavating machine


A collaboration system includes a first group display and a first group display computer, the first group display computer to receive mobile device data streams from at least two mobile devices over a wireless access protocol and to output a first group display data stream over a network, a second group display and a second group display computer, the second group display computer to receive mobile device data streams from at least two mobile devices, different from the at least two mobile devices streaming to the first group display computer, over the wireless access protocol and to output a second group display data stream over the network, a common display computer to receive the first and second group display data streams from the network, and a common display to display data streamed from the first and second group display computers in first and second group display windows.

Collaboration is becoming increasingly critical in numerous scenarios, e.g., active learning scenarios. As discussed in detail below, embodiments are directed to a bring your own device (BYOD) collaboration system that is simple yet supports many different platforms, e.g., is hardware agnostic. Thus, a myriad of collaboration options may be realized with one seamless user experience. In particular, rather than relying on hardware solutions and physical connections, embodiments are directed to software solutions that work seamlessly across a myriad of devices.

Multi-group collaboration system and associated methods


A system for transporting an article between a plurality of processing devices includes a track extending above load ports of the processing devices, and an overhead travelling vehicle that travels along the track and has a hoist. A local track disposed lower than the track extends at least to a position under the track, and is oriented perpendicular to the track when viewed from above. A local carriage travels along the local track and has a hoist for vertically moving the article. A buffer disposed below the local track delivers and receives the article to and from the local carriage, and extends at least to a position under the track.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer system, and particularly relates to a transfer system that transports articles in and out of processing devices without causing the processing devices to wait.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is need for articles such as front opening unified pods (FOUPs: sealed cassettes for transporting semiconductor wafers) to be transported in and out of load ports of processing devices such as semiconductor processing devices and semiconductor inspection devices without causing the processing devices to wait. In view of this, it has been proposed to provide a buffer in the vicinity of processing devices, and provide additional transfer devices for performing transport between the buffers and the processing devices. For example, according to Patent Document 1 (JP 2006-224944A), a plurality of tracks for overhead travelling vehicles are arranged in parallel in a ceiling space, one of which is used for long-distance transport, and another of which is used for short-distance transport. Buffers are disposed under the track for long-distance transport, and load ports of processing devices are disposed under the track for short-distance transport. The overhead travelling vehicles for long-distance transport deliver and receive articles to and from the buffers, and the overhead travelling vehicles for short-distance transport deliver and receive articles between the buffers and the load ports. However, this formation makes the arrangement of a plurality of tracks in front of the processing device unavoidable.
According to Patent Document 2 (JP 2005150129A), buffers including a transfer device are provided in front of processing devices, overhead travelling vehicles deliver and receive articles to and from the buffers, and the transfer device in the buffer delivers and receives articles to and from the load port. However, a display for indicating the operation state, an operation panel for manual operation, and the like are provided on the front surface of the processing device, and it is not preferable for them to be blocked by the buffer. Furthermore, the load port is used not only by an automatic transfer device, but also for manual transport, and manual access is difficult if the front surface of the processing device is covered by the buffer.


Provided is a highly reliable multi-bit memory cell capable of miniaturization including: a semiconductor substrate with a channel formed therein; diffusion layers arranged at two sides of the channel, for serving as source/drain; an insulating film arranged on a part of the channel; a trap film made of an insulating material having an electron trapping characteristic, arranged on the semiconductor substrate, the diffusion layers and the insulating film, and including trap regions each capable of trapping electrons in at least areas in contact with the semiconductor substrate at two sides of the insulating film; and a gate electrode arranged on the trap film. The trap regions are also formed on side surfaces of the insulating film, and the trap film has a structure in which the trap film is bent upward from the surface of the semiconductor substrate in the trap regions due to the insulating film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device including a non-volatile memory cell.
2. Description of Related Art
A MONOS (Metal Oxide Nitride Oxide Semiconductor) transistor is a kind of a non-volatile memory cell (see Eli Lusky et al. [2002], "Electron Retention Model for Localized Charge in Oxide-Nitride-Oxide (ONO) Dielectric." IEEE Electron Device Letters, vol. 23, No. 9., which will be hereinafter referred to as "Non-patent Document 1"). In the MONOS transistor, diffusion layers 102a and 102b serving as source/drain regions are formed on the two outer sides of a part of a semiconductor substrate 101 which is a channel region, and a gate electrode 104 is formed above the part of the semiconductor substrate 101 which is the channel region with a gate insulating film 103 interposed between the gate electrode 104 and the channel region (see FIG. 7). The gate insulating film 103 is a laminated layer (ONO layer) obtained by superposing a silicon oxide film 103a, a silicon nitride film 103b and a silicon oxide film 103c in this sequence, and is formed to be level with the channel region. In a case where a write operation is performed on this MONOS transistor, predetermined voltages are applied to the semiconductor substrate 101, the gate electrode 104, the diffusion layers 102a and 102b. Thereby, electrons are trapped in a trap region 105 mainly in a vicinity of a boundary between the drain (the diffusion layer 102a or the diffusion layer 102b) and the channel region in the silicon nitride film 103b.
The MONOS transistor described in Non-patent Document 1 has a structure which enables the silicon nitride film 103b to trap electrons throughout its entire surface opposite to the channel region. For this reason, if the MONOS transistor is miniaturized too much, one trap region 105 in a vicinity of the source region and another trap region 105 in a vicinity of the drain region are constructed too close to each other, and the trapped electrons accordingly interfere with one another. This brings about a problem that the reliability deteriorates. In addition, parts of the trapped electrons diffuse in directions in which the channel region extends (in the right and left directions in the figure) due to heat and the like. As a result, density of trapped electrons in the trap regions 105 becomes lower (in a later stage) when a time has passed since a write operation than (in an earlier stage) immediately after the write operation. This leads to fluctuation of the threshold value. This fluctuation brings about a disadvantage that the long-term reliability deteriorates (see FIG. 8).
For the purpose of compensating the disadvantage, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2003-332474 (hereinafter referred to as "Patent Document 1") has disclosed a semiconductor memory device characterized by including: a semiconductor substrate 211; a gate insulating film 212 formed on the semiconductor substrate 211; a single-layered gate electrode 213 formed on the gate insulating film 212; two charge retaining parts 261 and 262 formed at the two sides of a side wall of the single-layered gate electrode 213; two diffusion regions 217 and 218 corresponding to the charge retaining parts 261 and 262, respectively; and a channel region arranged under the single-layered gate electrode 213. The semiconductor memory device is also characterized in that each of the charge retaining parts 261 and 262 has a structure in which a silicon nitride film 215 for accumulating electrons is interposed between silicon oxide films 214 and 216. The charge retaining parts 261 and 262 are configured to change an amount of electric current which is going from the diffusion region 217 to the diffusion region 218, according to an amount of electrons retained in the silicon nitride film 215, when a voltage is applied to the gate electrode 213 (see FIG. 9). However, this semiconductor memory device has a disadvantage that a gate voltage controlling characteristic deteriorates in the trap region so that an electric current driving capability needed for fast readout cannot be sufficiently exerted. This is because the semiconductor memory device has a structure in which the gate electrode 213 does not overlap the trap regions (offset regions 242).
For the purpose of pursuing the miniaturization and preventing the electric current driving capability from deteriorating, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2004-88055 (hereinafter referred to as "Patent Document 2) has disclosed a semiconductor device characterized by including an MIS transistor including: a semiconductor substrate 310 with a trench TR1 in its surface; a source region 311s formed in the semiconductor substrate 310 in a way that the source region 311s faces the surface of the semiconductor substrate 310; a drain region 311d formed in the semiconductor substrate 310 so as to face the surface of the semiconductor substrate 310, and to be away from the source region 311s with the trench TR1 interposed in between; a gate insulating film 320 formed on a portion interposed between the source region 311s and the drain region 311d so as to enter the trench TR1; and a gate electrode 330 formed on the gate insulating film 320 so as to enter the trench TR1. The semiconductor memory device is also characterized in that a first and second charge retaining parts capable of retaining charges CH1 and CH2, respectively, are formed in the gate insulating film 320 with the trench TR1 interposed between the first and second charge retaining parts (see FIG. 10). By forming the channel region into a concave shape, the semiconductor memory device is intended to be miniaturized, and to prevent the electric current driving capability from deteriorating. Nevertheless, the length LG of the channel is so long that the semiconductor memory device is not suitable for fast readout. In addition, density of trapped electrons can not be prevented from decreasing in the charge retaining parts (trap regions) due to heat or the like. This brings about a disadvantage that the threshold voltage fluctuates to a large extent.


A universal financial data card for compiling and storing financial transaction records pertaining to a plurality of financial accounts. The financial transaction records are compiled from financial transaction data communicated between the universal financial data card and a card reader. The universal financial data card includes a memory circuit for storing holder data pertaining to a holder of the universal financial data card. The memory circuit further stores account data pertaining to the plurality of financial accounts and the financial transaction records pertaining to the plurality of financial accounts. Further, the universal financial data card includes a processor coupled to the memory circuit. There is also provided a data exchange circuit coupled to the processor. The data exchange circuit permits the universal financial data card to receive first selected data from the card reader and to send second selected data to the card reader during a financial transaction pertaining a selected one of the plurality of financial accounts, wherein the processor, responsive to the first selected data, compiles a transaction record related to the financial transaction pertaining the selected one of the plurality of financial accounts for storage in the memory circuit.

The present invention relates generally to financial data systems. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for a universal financial data system, part of which advantageously serves as a highly portable cash substitute that is also capable of electronically compiling, storing, and retrieving data related to multitudes of financial accounts and transactions in real time as the transactions occur.
In the prior art, there exists known financial data storage methods and apparatus that enable them to serve as cash substitutes. One example involves the familiar credit card, known by their various tradenames as Visa.TM. cards, MasterCard.TM. cards, and the like. On these prior art credit card, however, the amount and types of data stored are typically quite limited. For example, none of the prior art credit cards are capable of storing transactional data, i.e., data related to transactions involving the account associated with that card. Examples of such transactional data include the amounts of money spent on certain goods or services, the names of the establishment where such transaction takes place, the date and time of such expenditures, and the like. Further, each of these prior art cards is typically associated with a single account or a single financial institution. Because of this, it is necessary to carry multiple cards if the use of multiple accounts, some of which may be of different types and issued by different institutions, is desired. Consequently, while these cards are useful as cash substitutes, they do not satisfactorily serve as apparatus for storing data pertaining to one's financial conditions and activities.
Financial data storage systems are also known. By way of example, there exists software accounting packages designed for execution on digital computers, such as Quicken.TM. by Intuit Corporation of Menlo Park, Calif., that are capable of managing data related to financial accounts and transactions. However, these prior financial data storage systems are not designed to operate as cash substitutes. For example, they are neither convenient to carry nor linked to financial institutions to allow their users to obtain goods and services.
Further, they do not, in an integrated manner, gather transactional data automatically as transactions occur to update their accounts. Their function is purely bookkeeping. If the accounts in these prior art financial data storage systems are to be updated, their users would have to manually enter the transaction data, perhaps from the transaction receipts. Because of the additional labor required to track data related to transactions, users are often discouraged from consistently using these products to manage their financial data.
In view of the above, what is desired is an improved method and apparatus for a universal financial data system and card that not only serves as a portable cash substitute but also has the intelligence to gather transaction data as transactions occur to update its accounts. To reduce the number of cards a user has to carry, the improved apparatus is preferably capable of storing financial and transaction data related to multiple accounts, some or all of which may be issued by different financial institutions. To further improve usability, it is preferable that the universal data card communicate with other devices using a wireless link.

Programmable multiple company credit card system


A redundant array element or signal line is selectively added and an defective array element or signal line is eliminated by the method and apparatus of the present invention. A multiplexor receives an input signal and a neighboring input signal and outputs one of these two input signals in response to a control signal. A fuse is provided in connection with each output line and configured such that if the fuse is unblown, the device selects the same input as was selected by its upstream neighbor. If a fuse if blown, the multiplexor will select the second input and will output a control signal to its downstream neighbor causing the downstream neighbor to also output its second input line and to output a control signal to its downstream neighbor to select the second input line. The substitution of a redundant element or line is achieved by blowing a single fuse and the circuitry adds only a single mux delay to the critical path.

A number of circuits are provided with redundant elements, typically for the purpose of replacing a normally-used element which is defective. For example, a memory array may include a plurality of normally-used columns of memory cells plus one or more redundant columns. When a normally-used column is found to be defective, it is desired to discontinue use of the defective column and initiate use of a redundant column. Devices have previously been provided for substituting a redundant row or block of memory cells for a faulty row or block. However, previous devices have had certain deficiencies, particularly in the context of apparatus that must operate rapidly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,830 issued Mar. 31, 1987 to Chua et al. discloses a device in which the substitution involves opening a plurality of fuses in a defective row or block and also opening a plurality of fuses in the portion of the circuit which addresses the redundant row or block. There are, however, yield penalties associated with needing to open a plurality of fuses. For example, if in a typical device, a given percentage of fuses can be expected to be defective (e.g., not blowable) then the probability of being unable to substitute a redundant element is larger if a larger number of fuses needs to be opened than if a smaller number of fuses needs to be opened.
Furthermore, certain previous devices required the routing of signals over relatively long distances, such as routing a signal from a redundant element past a number of non-defective normally used elements to achieve the desired functionality.
Furthermore, some previous devices required a large number of logic gates in the data path in order to provide the desired functionality. Each logic element in the data path or critical path adds more delay to the propagating signal which cannot be tolerated in high-speed circuits.
Accordingly, it would be useful to provide a redundancy element substitution circuit which reduces or minimizes the yield penalties associated with requiring the opening of large number of fuses, the area penalties associated with routing signals over a long distance and the timing delay penalties associated with placing a large number of logic gates in the critical path.

Redundant element substitution apparatus


A microscope with an objective turret (2) carrying an objective (1) and with a specimen holder (4) serving to receive a specimen (3), in order to assure an undesired transport of heat between the specimen (3) and the objective (1), is characterized by the fact that all objectives (1) carried by the objective turret (2) are simultaneously adjusted for temperature by means of the objective turret (2).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a microscope with an objective turret that carries at least one objective and with a specimen holder for receiving a specimen.
2. Description of the Related Art
In actual practice, microscopes of the type under discussion here are known in the most differing designs. In the case of reflecting specimens, they operate according to the reflected light process, while transparent specimens are examined according to the transmitted light process.
Particularly in applications in the field of biology, medicine, etc., it is increasingly the case that xe2x80x9clivingxe2x80x9d objects are examined. Here it is often necessary to maintain the specimen under physiological conditions, including during the process of microscopic examination. This means that cell cultures, for example, during observation or measurement must be kept, e.g., at 37xc2x0 C., in order to assure the physiological conditions.
Adjusting the temperature of a specimen is problematic particularly in the case of microscopic examination at higher magnifications, specifically because there is only an extremely small working distance between the objective and the specimen. Even in the case of specimens that at first are successfully adjusted for temperature, the heat transfer over the microscope objective is so intense that the temperature directly at the point of examination, i.e., at the point nearest to the objective, is closer to the temperature of the objective than to the temperature around the slide or directly at the slide, as achieved by temperature adjustment. This works against microscopic examination or investigation of a temperature-adjusted specimen at high magnifications.
It is already known from actual practice to improve the described situation by directly heating the objective in use. To this end, heating sleeves have been positioned around the objective in order to bring the objective to the desired specimen temperature. The flow of heat over the microscope objective is thereby effectively prevented.
In actual practice, however, the solution known from the prior art for the indicated problem is extremely problematic, since the heating sleeve is positioned outside of and around the objective and when an objective turret is used the heating sleeve obstructs the adjacent positions of this objective when other objectives are used. Furthermore, application of the heating sleeve is associated with a considerable expense in time, which is particularly disruptive when the objective must be constantly changed to obtain different magnifications. The resulting expense is ultimately unacceptable. When the objective is changed, furthermore, it is not only necessary to remount the heating sleeve. The new objective must also be reheated, and here again much time is required. In any case, a rapid examination is not possible using the methods for heating individual objectives known from actual practice.
Finally, in actual practice it is also necessary to cool the specimens or slides. In this matter, the above remarks apply equally.
The invention is thus based on the problem of designing and elaborating a microscope of the indicated type, in such a way that, even when the objectives are constantly changed by means of the objective turret, the flow of heat over the microscope objective in momentary use is effectively avoided.
The microscope according to the invention solves the stated problem by an arrangement whereby all objectives carried by the objective turret are simultaneously adjusted for temperature by means of the objective turret.
The invention recognizes that the direct temperature-adjustment of only one objective makes no sense if the objective turret carries a plurality of objectives. The space that remains between the objectives is in any case insufficient to position the heating sleeve known from actual practice around the objective in use when the objective turret overall is outfitted with a plurality of objectives.
It is also recognized that during microscopic examination involving constantly changing magnifications it is necessary to simultaneously adjust the temperature of all the objectives on the turret, since otherwise an undesired heat flow from the specimen over the microscopic objective will always take place when a new objective is brought into working position by means of the turret.
Finally, it is recognized that this problem can be solved if all objectives carried by the turret are simultaneously adjusted for temperature by means of the turret. It is essential to the invention, therefore, that the objectives on the turret are not directly adjusted for temperaturexe2x80x94as in the prior artxe2x80x94but rather are indirectly adjusted, namely by means of heat conductance from the turret to the individual objective. External means applied to the objective for the purpose of adjusting the temperature of the objective are no longer necessary.
The temperature adjustment of the objective according to the invention can involve both heating and cooling, depending on whether the microscopic specimen is to be heated or cooled. In keeping with the specimen temperature, in any case, the objective can either be heated or cooled, the significant factor being that a constant temperature is maintained at the objective. To this end, a special control or regulating unit is also advantageously provided.
The temperature adjustment of the objective turret is realized in that a heating/cooling unit is positioned around the objective turret. This heating/cooling device is positioned outside of the operating area of the objective, so that the objective will not be obstructed. This heating/cooling device may advantageously take the form of a heating/cooling sleeve like that heretofore positioned around the individual objective.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the heating/cooling device is integrated into the objective turret. Here the heating/cooling device would not be visible from outside the objective turret and would not be obstructive. Only a line, or a pair of lines, to the objective turret would indicate that a special means was provided there.
In concrete terms, the heating/cooling device might comprise a line through which a flowing medium moves. The flowing medium might be a liquid or a gas. The flowing medium would be heated or cooled outside of the objective turret, while a thermostat for temperature control can be provided directly on the objective turret or inside it. Thus, achieving a preselected final temperature and maintaining that final temperature could be assured with simple means.
As an alternative, the heating/cooling device could comprise Peltier elements, which could cool as well as heat, depending on their polarity. It is also conceivable to provide only a heating device comprising heating resistors. Furthermore, the heating/cooling device could be electronically controlled, with the actual temperature on the objective turret being directly detected by a sensor device.
To avoid an undesired temperature line between the objective turret and the rest of the microscope, or the microscope stand, it is of particular advantage if the objective turret is thermally insulated from the microscope stand. This could be achieved, e.g., by producing the connection between the objective turret and the microscope stand out of a plastic that acts as a thermal insulator.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment that supplements the above indicated measures the platform serving to receive the specimen, or specimen holder, is also adjusted for temperature. To this end, a heating/cooling device could be integrated into the specimen holder; the heating/cooling device can be designed in exactly the same way as the heating/cooling device of the objective turret. For example, both heating/cooling devices could be provided with the same heating/cooling liquid, which in this case would be transported from a common reservoir for temperature-adjusted heating/cooling liquids. The same applies to further possibilities for heating and/or cooling. In similar fashion, it is possible to jointly regulate the heating/cooling device of both the objective turret and the specimen holder, so that the same temperature can be adjusted in both cases.


A system and method are provided for evenly distributing central processing unit (CPU) packet processing workloads. The method accepts packets for processing at a port hardware module port interface. The port hardware module supplies the packets to a direct memory access (DMA) engine for storage in system memory. The port hardware module also supplies descriptors to a mailbox. Each descriptor identifies a corresponding packet. The mailbox has a plurality of slots, and loads the descriptors into empty slots. There is a plurality of CPUs, and each CPU fetches descriptors from assigned slots in the mailbox. Then, each CPU processes packets in the system memory in the order in which the associated descriptors are fetched. A load balancing module estimates each CPU workload and reassigns mailbox slots to CPUs in response to unequal CPU workloads.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to computer processing and, more particularly, to a system and method for equally distributing a packet processing load among parallel processors.
2. Description of the Related Art
As noted in Wikipedia, direct memory access (DMA) is a feature of modern computers and microprocessors that allows certain hardware subsystems within the computer to access system memory for reading and/or writing independently of the central processing unit (CPU). Many hardware systems use DMAs, including disk drive controllers, graphics cards, network cards and sound cards. DMA is also used for intra-chip data transfer in multi-core processors, especially in multiprocessor system-on-chips (SoCs), where its processing element is equipped with a local memory (often called scratchpad memory) and DMA is used for transferring data between the local memory and the main memory. Computers that have DMA channels can transfer data to and from devices with much less CPU overhead than computers without a DMA channel. Similarly a processing element inside a multi-core processor can transfer data to and from its local memory without occupying its processor time, thus permitting computation and data transfer concurrency.
Without DMA, using programmed input/output (PIO) mode for communication with peripheral devices, or load/store instructions in the case of multicore chips, the CPU is typically fully occupied for the entire duration of the read or write operation, and is thus unavailable to perform other work. With DMA, the CPU can initiate the transfer, do other operations while the transfer is in progress, and receive an interrupt from the DMA controller once the operation has been done. This is especially useful in real-time computing applications where not stalling behind concurrent operations is critical. Another and related application area is various forms of stream processing where it is essential to have data processing and transfer in parallel, in order to achieve sufficient throughput.
A DMA transfer copies a block of memory from one device to another. While the CPU initiates the transfer by issuing a DMA command, it does not execute it. For so-called "third party" DMA, as is normally used with the ISA bus, the transfer is performed by a DMA controller which is typically part of the motherboard chipset. More advanced bus designs such as PCI typically use bus mastering DMA, where the device takes control of the bus and performs the transfer itself. In an embedded processor or multiprocessor system-on-chip, it is a DMA engine connected to the on-chip bus that actually administers the transfer of the data, in coordination with the flow control mechanisms of the on-chip bus.
A typical usage of DMA is copying a block of memory from system RAM to or from a buffer on the device. Such an operation usually does not stall the processor, which as a result can be scheduled to perform other tasks unless those tasks include a read from or write to memory. DMA is essential to high performance embedded systems. It is also essential in providing so-called zero-copy implementations of peripheral device drivers as well as functionalities such as network packet routing, audio playback, and streaming video. Multicore embedded processors (in the form of multiprocessor system-on-chip) often use one or more DMA engines in combination with scratchpad memories for both increased efficiency and lower power consumption. In computer clusters for high-performance computing, DMA among multiple computing nodes is often used under the name of remote DMA.
A general purpose programmable DMA controller is a software-managed programmable peripheral block charged with moving or copying data from one memory address to another memory address. The DMA controller provides a more efficient mechanism to perform large data block transfers, as compared to a conventional general purpose microprocessor. The employment of DMA controllers frees up the processor and software to perform other operations in parallel. Instruction sequences for the DMA, often referred to as control descriptors (CDs or descriptors), are set up by software and usually include a source address, destination address, and other relevant transaction information. A DMA controller may perform other functions such as data manipulations or calculations.
Control descriptors are often assembled in groups called descriptor sequences or rings. Typically, the software control of a DMA controller is enabled through a device specific driver. The device driver is responsible for low level handshaking between upper layer software and the hardware. This device driver manages the descriptor rings, communicates with the DMA controller when work is pending, and communicates with upper layer software when work is complete.
It is possible that a DMA controller may be shared by many concurrent software threads running on one or more processors. Conventionally, a DMA controller maintains the logical concept of "channels", whereby a channel provides the interface between a single software thread and the DMA controller. In other words, each software thread is associated with a channel. More concurrent driver threads require more DMA controller channels.
It has often been practice to provide multiple channels to address two concerns: thread sharing and quality of service. Oftentimes, multiple concurrent threads are used in systems for the parallel processing different aspects of data flow. Where multiple independent threads are deployed, sharing a common DMA controller can be cumbersome to manage. The software device driver in this case must not only provide the DMA controller with communications, but must also manage an arbitration scheme with upper layer software threads to determine which work gets done next. If this work is being carried out by multiple microprocessors, the overhead of coordination between threads is very complicated. The overhead coordination requires a certain level of software handshaking to determine which thread gets access to the controller at any particular time.
From a quality of service perspective, it is common to have higher and lower priority activities. For example, a software thread may queue a low priority transfer for a DMA controller. At some later time a different thread may be queued, which needs to run a higher priority task on the DMA controller. The ability to pre-empt low priority activities with higher priority tasks is a highly desired feature. Without such capability, a high priority operation must wait until a low priority operation is completed.
A multi-channel DMA controller addresses these issues where different software threads can be bound to specific channels and the underlying DMA controller hardware sorts out the access profile to memory based upon channel priorities. A disadvantage of the channel approach is that there are a limited number of hardware channels. If more logical threads exist than physical channels, then a software mechanism must once again be deployed to take care of the resource contention.
DMA controllers must also maintain a certain level of atomicity with respect to the execution of operations. This means that operational sequences must complete in the order programmed by software. This is typically accomplished using a run-to-completion model whereby a DMA channel completes all operations of a first CD, before moving onto the next CD. However, a brute-force run-to-completion methodology may prevent the data moving engine from performing un-related operations (operations from different CD lists) in parallel, even if the engine is capable.
The communication between software and the DMA controller hardware is typically handled through a programmed input/output (IO) interface. That is, the software device driver programs control registers within the DMA channel, which causes the DMA to carry out the desired action. When the DMA controller is finished it communicates back to software, either through use of a hardware interrupt request, or through setting of a status bit that is polled by software. The software must wait until the current instruction sequence is complete before programming the next sequence. During the software/hardware handshake period the DMA channel is idle waiting for the next CD, thus resulting in dead time that could have been used for real work. To overcome this dead time, DMA controllers may deploy the concept of control descriptor sequences (CDS) and descriptor rings.
The descriptor ring provides a form of FIFO where the software adds new items in memory for the DMA channel at the tail of the ring, while the DMA controller processes CDs from the head of the ring. In this way, the software manages the tail pointers and the hardware (HW) manages the head pointer. Such schemes have the disadvantage of requiring software overhead to keep track of pointers.
A direct CD embodies the command descriptor completely within the command message. A pointer CD contains a pointer to a memory location where a single command descriptor, or a linked list of command descriptors, is located. In this case, a single command message may actually represent a number of chained command descriptors.
In many SoC multicore (multi-processor) systems, an interrupt is assigned to single CPU core from an external device. For example, in a packet processing application an Ethernet device receives the packet and triggers an interrupt to a CPU core. The CPU core acknowledges interrupt, retrieves packet context, and processes packet. The CPU core has to wait for this packet to be processed before it processes the next packet coming in via the same Ethernet port, which causes delay to process second packet.
In a multicore system with multiple Ethernet ports, each port can be assigned to a different CPU core. This is called interrupt affinity. In this case, two packets can be processed in parallel by two different CPU cores if the packets come in on different ports. However, this interrupt affinity introduces inefficiency in using the CPU cores at their full capacity when one port is receiving data, and other port is receiving a lesser amount of data, or no data at all. In this case, one core(s) can be sitting ideal while another core is processing packets, delaying the packet processing of other packets on the same interface.
It is possible to parallel process interrupts in multicore system. The pipeline packet process divides complete packet processing in multiple stages. For example, stage 1 is ingress processing, stage 2 is forwarding, and stage 3 is egress processing. In this case it is possible to perform stage 1 and stage 2 processing in CPU 0, and stage 3 processing in CPU 1. The problem with this method is that each CPU is given a fixed allocation of tasks to be performed. If the processing workload is uneven, there is no means to redistribute the workload dynamically.
With transmission control protocol (TCP) flow pinning, the packets are divided into groups that are processed by particular CPUs based upon packet type. For example, even if the packets are coming in from same Ethernet port, they may be delivered to different CPUs based on some pre-classification. That is, a particular TCP flow is always be given to an associated CPU. However, if the packets coming in one flow are more than the packets coming in other flow, the CPUs are not utilized efficiently. Further, if packets keep coming from only one flow, then only one CPU is used. This method also limits the load balancing to certain packet types.
Another solution is to trigger the interrupt to all the cores when a packet is received on one port. All the cores acknowledge the interrupt, and they all compete to obtain a global lock. Whoever gets the lock first, processes the packet. If a CPU is not able to get the lock, it sends an end of interrupt indication. The drawback to this method is that the cores waste time in competing for the global lock. Since this competition occurs for every interrupt, a significant amount of processor time is wasted. Also, there is no software control or flexibility in the system, and no predictability as to which core will process a packet. Further, no weight can be given to any CPU. For example, it is impossible to configure a system to grant 6 interrupts to CPU 0, for every 4 interrupts to CPU 1, as the competition for global lock is completely random.
It would be advantageous if the above-mentioned problems could be solved by balancing the load between multiple cores that are parallel processing packets.

Packet processing with dynamic load balancing


The invention relates to an automatic method for increasing the throughput of a container reloading point or a container storage space and for reducing the loading and unloading time for a container transport vehicle. According to said method, after the identification of a container transport vehicle, the loading platform of the transport vehicle that has been parked in the parking area of the container storage space is measured. The position co-ordinates of the loading platform are determined by a data processing system. The container to be loaded is then automatically positioned by means of a crane, using the position co-ordinates of the loading platform. To align the container exactly in relation to the loading platform, the latter is measured again and any deviation in relation to the position of the container thus obtained is used for said exact alignment. The container is deposited on the platform automatically. The unloading of a container transport vehicle involves practically identical steps.

The invention pertains to a method for reloading in a container storage space for standard containers, with a stacker crane for the containers that services the container storage space and can be controlled by a DP (data processing) system for logistical management, which can travel between the storage location of each container and a loading platform of a container transport vehicle that can drive into the region of the container storage space, wherein the stacker crane has a means of picking up the container from the loading platform and/or setting it down onto the platform, such as can be oriented with respect to the latter.
Container storage yards are required for short-term interim storage of standard containers, in order to enable the transfer of containers from one means of transport to another. Means of container transport are generally large container ships, railroad cars, trucks, trailers, or also AGVs (automated guided vehicles). At a container harbor, container ships are unloaded and the unloaded containers are temporarily kept in the container yard until further transport is possible. Vice versa, the containers are assembled and kept temporarily in a container yard of a harbor in order to be loaded subsequently onto a container ship. The land transport occurs by truck, trailer, railroad car or AGV, and in the present application the land transport is furnished by special trucks.
The large number of containers handled at a container yard requires fast and accurate loading and unloading of the means of transportation. A stacker crane transports the container from the container yard to the transport vehicle and vice versa. The stacker crane can be an automatic container stacker crane (ACS), or also a gantry crane or a one-legged gantry crane. Thus far, the placement of the container onto a means of transport by the stacker crane has been manually controlled. The stacker crane consists of a bridge and a trolley which can travel on it, while the bridge can travel on rails. The placing of the container suspended from the crane onto a transport vehicle is manually controlled by an operator. For the loading, an operator present in the parking position drives the container by means of the stacker crane into the vicinity of the transport vehicle, and then by slow "approach" he positions the container exactly on the transport vehicle. The approach involves repeated left/right and forward/backward moving of the ACS, as well as the lowering of the container, controlled and monitored by the operator on site. Likewise, when unloading the transport vehicle, the stacker crane is slowly brought up to the container manually by an operator, so that the crane can pick it up.
The large number of containers handled within a container yard necessitates a smooth, error-free, speedy, economical and long-lasting work process. In addition, it is desirable to increase the throughput of containers, i.e., the number of containers handled per unit of time. This will reduce the parking time for containers inside the container yard, the layover time for container ships, and the stopping time for the land transport vehicles. At the same time, this implies a shortening of the length of transport for the containers.
From European patent application EP 1 043 262 A1 there is already known a method for handling of standard containers at a container yard. This container yard has a controllable stacker crane for the containers, which can travel between a storage position for the container and a transport vehicle with a loading platform for the container. The stacker crane is provided with a means of picking up the load in order to set the container down on the loading platform or pick it up from the platform, such as can be oriented with respect to the container and the loading platform. The stacker crane also has a horizontally moveable trolley with a lifting mechanism, from which is suspended the means of picking up the container. On this load suspension device is arranged a sensor in the form of a video camera system, so as to automatically place the load suspension device on the container or pick up the container from the loading platform. Furthermore, a second sensor also in the form of a video camera system is fastened to the load suspension device, in order to adjust the stacker crane. The reference point for this is a wall with optical elements, which is arranged in the region of the parking place of the transport vehicle.
Furthermore, there is also already known from the international patent application WO 01/81233 A1 a system for orienting a load suspension device for containers. The load suspension device, designed as a spreader, has a CCD camera in the region of its twist locks for fastening the spreader to the corner points of a container. Thanks to the video signal obtained from the camera, an operator can thus set this spreader down in true position on a container in relation to its support points. This system can also work automatically in conjunction with a DP system.

Optical device for the automatic loading and unloading of containers onto vehicles


The present invention provides a flyback power converter, a secondary side control circuit, and a control method thereof. The flyback power converter converts an input voltage to an output voltage, and provides a load current to a load circuit. The flyback power converter includes: a transformer circuit, a power switch circuit, a switch current sense circuit, a primary side control circuit, and a secondary side control circuit. The secondary side control circuit adaptively adjusts a frequency of a zero of a compensator gain function and/or a mid-frequency gain of the compensator gain function according to the load current, such that a number of poles of a system open loop gain function of the flyback power converter is at most more than a number of zeroes of the system open loop gain function by one under a crossover frequency.

Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a flyback power converter, a secondary side control circuit, and a control method thereof; particularly, it relates to such flyback power converter which adaptively adjusts a frequency of a zero of a compensator gain function and/or a mid-frequency gain of the compensator gain function according to a load current, and a secondary side control circuit and a control method thereof.
Description of Related Art
In applications of a power converter for providing power to a motor or a light emitting device (LED) circuit, a two-stage power converter is often required in order to achieve power factor correction (PFC) and to provide an adjustable output voltage (e.g., switchable between different levels such as 5V, 12V, and 24V etc.). For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, an AC power supply 30 generates an AC voltage Vac. The power converter 100 includes a first stage PFC circuit 10 and a second stage DC-DC conversion circuit 20. The first stage PFC circuit 10 converts the AC voltage Vac to a DC output voltage Vout. The second stage DC-DC conversion circuit 20 converts the output voltage Vout to a load current Iload which is provided to the load circuit 40, wherein the load circuit 40 is for example a motor or a light emitting device circuit. The first stage PFC circuit 10 is often embodied by an isolated circuit, in order to isolate the output voltage Vout and the AC voltage Vac. The second stage DC-DC conversion circuit 20 may be embodied by a switching regulator or a linear regulator, and if desired, a dimmer function of the light emitting device circuit may be provided in the second stage DC-DC conversion circuit 20.
As one example, the power converter 100 shown in FIG. 1A can be an isolated LED driver circuit with a dimmer function, wherein the first stage PFC circuit 10 operates in a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) to achieve high PFC and to isolate the LEDs from the AC power. The second stage DC-DC conversion circuit 20 regulates the load current Iload by a linear regulator, for adjusting the brightness of the LEDs.
In the aforementioned power converter 100, typically, the control system of the power converter 100 is compensated by fixed parameters which are designed for heavy load condition. In this case, when the load current Iload is low, i.e., when the load circuit 40 is in light load condition, an unstable situation of a control system may occur because the compensation is improper. FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing signal waveforms of the output voltage Vout and the load current Iload in the unstable situation. As shown in FIG. 1B, when the load circuit 40 is in light load condition, the output voltage Vout and the load current Iload will be conductive intermittently, which will cause flickers of the LEDs that is undesirable.
In view of the above, the present invention proposes a flyback power converter, a secondary side control circuit, and a control method thereof, which solve the light load unstable problem. For example, when the present invention is applied to driving LEDs, the brightness of the LEDs can be maintained stable without flickering even in the light load condition.

Flyback power converter, secondary side control circuit, and control method thereof


Processes are disclosed using the depolymerization of a nucleic acid hybrid and incorporation of a suitable nucleotide to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze for the presence of predetermined nucleic acid target sequences. Applications of those processes include the detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms, identification of single base changes, genotyping, medical marker diagnostics, mirosequencing, and.

Methods to detect specific nucleic acids provide a foundation upon which the large and rapidly growing field of molecular biology is built. There is constant need for alternative methods and products. The reasons for selecting one method over another are varied, and include a desire to avoid radioactive materials, the lack of a license to use a technique, the cost or availability of reagents or equipment, the desire to minimize the time spent or the number of steps, the accuracy or sensitivity for a certain application, the ease of analysis, the need to detect multiple nucleic acids in one sample, or the ability to automate the process.
The detection of specific nucleic acids is often a portion of a process rather than an end in itself. There are many applications of the detection of nucleic acids in the art, and new applications are always being developed. The ability to detect and quantify nucleic acids is useful in detecting microorganisms, viruses and biological molecules, and thus affects many fields, including human and veterinary medicine, food processing and environmental testing. Additionally, the detection and/or quantification of specific biomolecules from biological samples (e.g. tissue, sputum, urine, blood, semen, saliva) has applications in forensic science, such as the identification and exclusion of criminal suspects and paternity testing as well as medical diagnostics.
Some general methods to detect nucleic acid hybrids are not dependent upon a priori knowledge of the nucleic acid sequence. Duplex DNA can be detected using intercalating dyes such as ethidium bromide. Such dyes are also used to detect hybrid formation.
Several hybridization methods to detect nucleic acids are dependent upon knowledge of the nucleic acid sequence. Many known nucleic acid detection techniques depend upon specific nucleic acid hybridization in which an oligonucleotide probe is hybridized or annealed to nucleic acid in the sample or on a blot, and the hybridized probes are detected.
A traditional type of process for the detection of hybridized nucleic acid uses labeled nucleic acid probes to hybridize to a nucleic acid sample. For example, in a Southern blot technique, a nucleic acid sample is separated in an agarose gel based on size and affixed to a membrane, denatured, and exposed to the labeled nucleic acid probe under hybridizing conditions. If the labeled nucleic acid probe forms a hybrid with the nucleic acid on the blot, the label is bound to the membrane. Probes used in Southern blots have been labeled with radioactivity, fluorescent dyes, digoxygenin, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase and acridinium esters.
Another type of process for the detection of hybridized nucleic acid takes advantage of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The PCR process is well known in the art (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,195, 4,683,202, and 4,800,159). To briefly summarize PCR, nucleic acid primers, complementary to opposite strands of a nucleic acid amplification target sequence, are permitted to anneal to the denatured sample. A DNA polymerase (typically heat stable) extends the DNA duplex from the hybridized primer. The process is repeated to amplify the nucleic acid target. If the nucleic acid primers do not hybridize to the sample, then there is no corresponding amplified PCR product. In this case, the PCR primer acts as a hybridization probe. PCR-based methods are of limited use for the detection of nucleic acid of unknown sequence.
In a PCR method, the amplified nucleic acid product may be detected in a number of ways, e.g. incorporation of a labeled nucleotide into the amplified strand by using labeled primers. Primers used in PCR have been labeled with radioactivity, fluorescent dyes, digoxygenin, horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, acridinium esters, biotin and jack bean urease. PCR products made with unlabeled primers may be detected in other ways, such as electrophoretic gel separation followed by dye-based visualization.
Multiplex PCR assays are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,989 discloses the simultaneous detection of multiple known DNA sequence deletions. The technique disclosed therein uses a first set of probes to hybridize to the targets. Those probes are extended if the targets are present. The extension products are amplified using PCR.
Fluorescence techniques are also known for the detection of nucleic acid hybrids, U.S. Pat. No. 5,691,146 describes the use of fluorescent hybridization probes that are fluorescence-quenched unless they are hybridized to the target nucleic acid sequence. U.S. Pat. No. 5,723,591 describes fluorescent hybridization probes that are fluorescence-quenched until hybridized to the target nucleic acid sequence, or until the probe is digested. Such techniques provide information about hybridization, and are of varying degrees of usefulness for the determination of single base variances in sequences. Some fluorescence techniques involve digestion of a nucleic acid hybrid in a 5′→3′ direction to release a fluorescent chemical entity from proximity to a fluorescence quencher, for example, TaqMan® (Perkin Elmer; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,691,146 and 5,876,930).
Enzymes having template-specific polymerase activity for which some 3′→5′ depolymerization activity has been reported include E. coli DNA Polymerase (Deutscher and Kornberg, J. Biol. Chem., 244(11):3019-28 (1969)), T7 DNA Polymerase (Wong et al., Biochemistry 30:526-37 (1991); Tabor and Richardson, J. Biol. Chem. 265: 8322-28 (1990)), E. coli RNA polymerase (Rozovskaya et al., Biochem. J. 224:645-50 (1994)), AMV and RLV reverse transcriptases (Srivastava and Modak, J. Biol. Chem. 255: 2000-4 (1980)), and HIV reverse transcriptase (Zinnen et al., J. Biol. Chem. 269:24195-202 (1994)). A template-dependent polymerase for which 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity has been reported on a mismatched end of a DNA hybrid is phage 29 DNA polymerase (de Vega, M. et al. EMBO J., 15:1182-1192, 1996).
A variety of methodologies currently exist for the detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are present in genomic DNA. SNPs are DNA point mutations or insertions/deletions that are present at measurable frequencies in the population. SNPs are the most common variations in the genome. SNPs occur at defined positions within genomes and can be used for gene mapping, defining population structure, and performing functional studies. SNPs are useful as markers because many known genetic diseases are caused by point mutations and insertions/deletions. Some SNPs are useful as markers of other disease genes because they are known to cosegregate.
In rare cases where an SNP alters a fortuitous restriction enzyme recognition sequence, differential sensitivity of the amplified DNA to cleavage can be used for SNP detection. This technique requires that an appropriate restriction enzyme site be present or introduced in the appropriate sequence context for differential recognition by the restriction endonuclease. After amplification, the products are cleaved by the appropriate restriction endonuclease and products are analyzed by gel electrophoresis and subsequent staining. The throughput of analysis by this technique is limited because samples require processing, gel analysis, and significant interpretation of data before SNPs can be accurately determined.
Single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) is a second technique that can detect SNPs present in an amplified DNA segment (Hayashi, K. Genetic Analysis: Techniques and Applications 9:73-79, 1992). In this method, the double stranded amplified product is denatured and then both strands are allowed to reanneal during electrophoresis in non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels. The separated strands assume a specific folded conformation based on intramolecular base pairing. The electrophoretic properties of each strand are dependent on the folded conformation. The presence of single nucleotide changes in the sequence can cause a detectable change in the conformation and electrophoretic migration of an amplified sample relative to wild type samples, allowing SNPs to be identified. In addition to the limited throughput possible by gel-based techniques, the design and interpretation of SSCP based experiments can be difficult. Multiplex analysis of several samples in the same SSCP reaction is extremely challenging. The sensitivity required in mutation detection and analysis has led most investigators to use radioactively labeled PCR products for this technique.
In the amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS, also known as allele-specific PCR or ASPCR), two amplification reactions are used to determine if a SNP is present in a DNA sample (Newton et al. Nucl Acids Res 17:2503, 1989; Wu et al. PNAS 86:2757, 1989). Both amplification reactions contain a common primer for the target of interest. The first reaction contains a second primer specific for the wild type product which will give rise to a PCR product if the wild type gene is present in the sample. The second PCR reaction contains a primer that has a single nucleotide change at or near the 3′ end that represents the base change that is present in the mutated form of the DNA. The second primer, in conjunction with the common primer, will only function in PCR if genomic DNA that contains the mutated form of genomic DNA is present. This technique requires duplicate amplification reactions to be performed and analyzed by gel electrophoresis to ascertain if a mutated form of a gene is present. In addition, the data must be manually interpreted.
Single base extension (GBA®) is a technique that allows the detection of SNPs by hybridizing a single strand DNA probe to a captured DNA target (Nikiforov, T. et al. Nucl Acids Res 22:4167-4175). Once hybridized, the single strand probe is extended by a single base with labeled dideoxynucleotides. The labeled, extended products are then detected using calorimetric or fluorescent methodologies.
A variety of technologies related to real-time (or kinetic) PCR have been adapted to perform SNP detection. Many of these systems are platform based, and require specialized equipment, complicated primer design, and expensive supporting materials for SNP detection. In contrast, the process of this invention has been designed as a modular technology that can use a variety of instruments that are suited to the throughput needs of the end-user. In addition, the coupling of an automatable format with standard oligonucleotide chemistry and well-established enzymology provides a flexible and open system architecture. Alternative analytical detection methods, such as mass spectroscopy, HPLC, and fluorescence detection methods can also be used in the process of this invention, providing additional assay flexibility.
SNP detection using real-time amplification relies on the ability to detect amplified segments of nucleic acid as they are generated during the amplification reaction. Three basic real-time SNP detection methodologies exist: (i) increased fluorescence of double strand DNA specific dye binding, (ii) decreased quenching of fluorescence during amplification, and (iii) increased fluorescence energy transfer during amplification (Wittwer, C. et al. Biotechniques 22:130-138, 1997). All of these techniques are non-gel based and each strategy will be briefly discussed.
A variety of dyes are known to exhibit increased fluorescence in response to binding double stranded DNA. This property is utilized in conjunction with the amplification refractory mutation system described above to detect the presence of SNP. Production of wild type or mutation containing PCR products are continuously monitored by the increased fluorescence of dyes such as ethidium bromide or Syber Green as they bind to the accumulating PCR product. Note that dye binding is not selective for the sequence of the PCR product, and high non-specific background can give rise to false signals with this technique.
A second detection technology for real-time PCR, known generally as exonuclease primers (TaqMan® probes), utilizes the 5′ exonuclease activity of thermostable polymerases such as Taq to cleave dual-labeled probes present in the amplification reaction (Wittwer, C. et al. Biotechniques 22:130-138, 1997; Holland, P et al PNAS 88:7276-7280, 1991). While complementary to the PCR product, the probes used in this assay are distinct from the PCR primer and are dually-labeled with both a molecule capable of fluorescence and a molecule capable of quenching fluorescence. When the probes are intact, intramolecular quenching of the fluorescent signal within the DNA probe leads to little signal. When the fluorescent molecule is liberated by the exonuclease activity of Taq during amplification, the quenching is greatly reduced leading to increased fluorescent signal.
An additional form of real-time PCR also capitalizes on the intramolecular quenching of a fluorescent molecule by use of a tethered quenching moiety. The molecular beacon technology utilizes hairpin-shaped molecules with an internally-quenched fluorophore whose fluorescence is restored by binding to a DNA target of interest (Kramer, R. et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 14:303-308, 1996). Increased binding of the molecular beacon probe to the accumulating PCR product can be used to specifically detect SNPs present in genomic DNA.
A final, general fluorescent detection strategy used for detection of SNP in real time utilizes synthetic DNA segments known as hybridization probes in conjunction with a process known as fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) (Wittwer, C. et al. Biotechniques 22:130-138, 1997; Bernard, P. et al. Am. J. Pathol. 153:1055-1061, 1998). This technique relies on the independent binding of labeled DNA probes on the target sequence. The close approximation of the two probes on the target sequence increases resonance energy transfer from one probe to the other, leading to a unique fluorescence signal. Mismatches caused by SNPs that disrupt the binding of either of the probes can be used to detect mutant sequences present in a DNA sample.
There is a need for alternative methods for the detection of a plurality of nucleic acid hybrids in a single sample (multiplexing). There is a demand for such methods that are highly sensitive. For example methods to determine viral load of multiple viruses in a single sample that are able to reliably detect as few as 10 copies of a virus present in a body, tissue, fluid, or other biological sample would be in high demand. There is a great demand for methods to determine the presence or absence of nucleic acid sequences that differ slightly from sequences that might otherwise be present. There is a great demand for methods to determine the presence or absence of sequences unique to a particular species in a sample. There is also a great demand for methods that are more highly sensitive than the known methods, quantitative, highly reproducible and automatable.
It would be beneficial if another method were available for detecting the presence of a sought-after, predetermined target nucleotide sequence or allelic or polynucleotide variant. It would also be beneficial if such a method were operable using a sample size of the microgram to picogram scale. It would further be beneficial if the various methods listed above were capable of providing multiple analyses in a single assay (multiplex assays). The disclosure that follows provides a wide variety of methods and materials for nucleic acid hybrid detection.

Pyrophosphorolysis and incorporation of nucleotide method for nucleic acid detection


A pivoting drill press mount is provided for enabling the user to drill at a desired angle into a workpiece. The mounting system has a column base, an upper column, and a pivot attaching the two columns to allow the upper column to be rotated to either side. The upper column is supported by an angle adjustment ram and a positive slide lock for safety. The assembly is bolted to a support surface. The upper column provides for interchangeable drill press heads by means of a connecting column.

It is known in the art to mount a drill press on a pivoting mount to allow the drill press head to be pivoted. The pivoting allows the drill bit to drill at an angle into the workpiece. Drill presses manufactured by the American Machine Tool Company and Delta International Machinery Corporation pivot around the vertical axis of the support column and around the horizontal axis of the drill press head as shown in FIG. 1. In order to drill at an angle into a workpiece the user must move the workpiece to one side and up in order to line up with the drill bit.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,831 (1976) to Bukovitz et al. discloses a drill press that pivots from one side of the base of the support column. Therefore, the workpiece often does not have to be moved. However. The drill head does not pivot axially around the pivot axis, so that the drill bit remains a constant distance from the pivot axis. Bukovitz uses pneumatic rods to support the column. His device is complicated and does not provide for interchanging different drill press heads.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,440 (1961) to Miller discloses a drill press which rotates on a vertical axis around the support post. Again the user must move the workpiece in order to drill at an angle into the workpiece. If the user wants to drill a vertical hole and a hole at a specific angle to the vertical hole, then the user must first drill the vertical hole, then move the drill head, then move the workpiece over and up to use the drill bit. The user must figure out how far over to move the work piece by lowering the drill bit to see its path and then place the workpiece in the desired location.
The present invention solves this complex alignment problem by placing the pivoting mechanism within the column so that the drill head pivots around the workpiece. This means that the workpiece remains in one position while the drill press head is moved. The drill bit always remains the same distance from the pivot. If two holes at different angles are to be drilled in the workpiece, then this is much easier to accomplish than with previous systems. Once the first hole is drilled the workpiece only needs to be moved the desired distance to one side. The angle of the drill press head is then changed, and then the drilling is done.
The present invention uses a simple axle system to pivot the column and a simple support and adjustment system. The adjustment system consists of a rod with right handed threads, a rod with left handed threads, a turnbuckle threaded to receive the right handed rod in one end and the left handed rod in the other and a handle to adjust the angle. A positive slide lock is used on the opposite side of the column to add extra support and safety. A unique feature of the present invention is an interchangeable connecting column that allows any manufacture's drill press head to be mounted on the pivoting drill press support system.


A method for reading a memory, which includes a memory cell having a first half cell and a second half cell, includes the following steps. A first voltage is applied to the memory cell to determine whether a threshold voltage of the first half cell is higher than a predetermined value or not. If the threshold voltage of the first half cell is higher than the predetermined value, a second voltage higher than the first voltage is applied to the memory cell to read data stored in the second half cell, otherwise a third voltage lower than the first voltage is applied to the memory cell to read the data stored in the second half cell.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to a method for reading a memory and a memory, and more particularly to a memory reading method capable of enlarging the read window and reducing the read disturbance and a memory using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Memories are now applied to various data storage purposes and are classified into many types, one of which is a multi-level cell (MLC) memory. FIG. 1A (Prior Art) is a schematic illustration showing a conventional multi-level cell 100. Referring to FIG. 1A, the multi-level cell 100 includes a left half cell 110 and a right half cell 120. Each half cell of the multi-level cell 100 may have many bits according to different threshold voltage distributions.
Illustrations will be made by taking each half cell having two bits as an example. FIG. 1B (Prior Art) is a graph showing the threshold voltage distributions of the multi-level cell 100. The threshold voltage distributions of the left half cell 110 and the right half cell 120 are usually and sequentially defined as, without limitation to, (11, 10, 01, 00). Each threshold voltage distribution in FIG. 1B has to be possibly concentrated to keep the sufficient read window.
However, the threshold voltage of the right half cell 120 is influenced by the threshold voltage of the left half cell 110 due to a second-bit effect. So, the read window is decreased to cause an error when the right half cell 120 is being read. In addition, if a bit line voltage or a word line voltage for reading is too high, a low threshold voltage of the left half cell 110 may be influenced so that a read disturbance phenomenon may occur when the left half cell 110 is being read.


A coin box assembly includes a main housing and a coin box removably received in the main housing. The main housing includes a pair of rails to guide the coin box to a position completely received in the main housing. The coin box includes an upper lid assembly which has a fixed plate and a movable door plate biased toward the fixed plate such that an upper opening of the coin box is in a normally open position for receiving coins. The main housing further includes a coin access defined in an upper plate thereof and in alignment with the upper opening of the coin box when the coin box is completely received in the main housing. When removing the coin box from the main housing, the stop of the movable door plate is moved across an electromagnetic valve mounted on the coin box such that the door plate is moved away from the fixed plate and thus blocks the upper opening of the coin box. The stop of the door plate is securely engaged with the electromagnetic valve after the stop has been moved across the electromagnetic valve to still block the upper opening of the coin box.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a burglar-proof coin box assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Coin boxes are widely used in pay phones, slot machines, etc., and a long-existing problem thereof is that the coin boxes can be accessed by unauthorized persons. The present invention is intended to provide a burglar-proof coin box assembly to solve this problem.


The present invention provides an improvement for a wind turbine (20) having at least one blade (21) mounted on a hub (22) for controlled rotation about a blade axis (yb-yb) to vary the pitch of the blade relative to an airstream. The hub is mounted on a nacelle (23) for rotation about a hub axis (xh-xh). The wind turbine includes a main pitch control system for selectively controlling the pitch of the blade, and/or a safety pitch control system for overriding the main blade pitch control system and for causing the blade to move toward a feathered position in the event of an overspeed or fault condition. The improvement includes: an energy storage device (26) mounted on the nacelle and associated with the blade; a pitch-axis controller (25) mounted on the nacelle and associated with the blade and with the energy storage device; an electro-mechanical actuator (28) mounted on the hub and associated with the blade; and at least one slip ring (29) operatively arranged to transmit power and/or data signals between the pitch-axis controller and the electro-mechanical actuator; whereby the mass on the rotating hub may be reduced.

Modern wind turbines adjust rotor blade pitch for several reasons. One reason is to improve blade efficiency by adapting the blade aerodynamics to optimize efficiency with wind speed changes. Another reason is to take the blades to an unloaded, or feathered condition, in the event that wind speed exceeds the maximum safe rated speed or in the event of fault conditions.
Modern wind turbines may have two separate and independent blade pitch control systems: (1) a main blade pitch control system that is used to optimize performance during normal operating conditions, and (2) a safety pitch control system that is adapted to override the main blade pitch control system and to cause each of the blades to move toward an unloaded or feathered condition in the event of a sensed fault or in the event that the wind speed exceeds a predetermined maximum.
The main blade pitch control system is typically controlled by a closed-loop pitch-axis controller. This controller automatically adjusts the operational state of the turbine in order to keep it on some pre-defined operating curve or characteristic. The controller changes the blade pitch, or angle, through a blade pitch actuator. This actuator may be either electrically or hydraulically powered.
The safety pitch control system may be separate and distinct from the main blade pitch control system. Its function is to bring the turbine to a safe condition in the event of a problem. The safety system normally does not depend on adaptive electronics. Rather, the actuator is normally hard-wired to a battery through normally-open relay contacts that selectively close under a fault condition or in the event of an overspeed condition.
Heretofore, the pitch-axis controller, the battery and the electro-mechanical actuator for varying the pitch of each blade, were located in the hub. These were components of a safety pitch control system. This increased the mass of the rotating hub, required the use of premium components, and presented space constraints within the hub.
Thus, there would be a distinct advantage to moving or relocating the batteries and the control electronics to the nacelle.


A display device which includes a substrate having a pixel unit that receiving first and second voltages is disclosed. In one aspect, the first and second power lines are coupled to the first and second voltages, and are supplied to the pixel unit via first and second power pads. In some aspects, the first and second power pads are alternately disposed while being spaced apart from each other in at least a portion of the peripheral area, and the second power pads are disposed in the space between the respective first power pads.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a flat panel display, specifically, to a display driven by varying voltage levels.
2. Description of the Related Technology
Organic light emitting display devices display images using organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) that emit light through recombination of electrons and holes. Since the OLED display device has a fast response speed and is driven with low power consumption, if it has been identified as a next-generation display.
Generally, the OLED display device includes a pixel unit having a matrix of pixels, driving circuits for supplying driving signals to the pixel unit, and a power supply circuit for supplying pixel power to the pixel unit.
When a scan signal is supplied to each pixel, the pixel is synchronized with a gate signal so as to emit light with luminance corresponding to a data signal.
However, in the OLED display device, the emission luminance of the pixels is influenced by the applied voltage level. That is, the voltage applied to a pixel, or pixel power, becomes a factor in the resulting emission luminance of the pixels, in addition to the data signal.
Therefore, the same voltage should be applied to each pixel so as to display images having uniform image quality.
However, pixel power is a DC voltage determined by the difference between a power supply voltage having a high voltage level and a ground voltage having a low voltage level. While passing through a power line, a voltage drop (IR drop) occurs in the power voltage, and a voltage rise (IR rise) occurs in the ground voltage.
In the case where the voltage drop and the voltage rise overlap with each other, the luminance inequality of the display panel increases, and white spots may be locally produced.
Particularly, as the display panel of the display device becomes large in size, the length of the power line is lengthened, and therefore, the difference in luminance between the pixels may be increased according to distances from power pads for receiving pixel power supplied from the power supply circuit.


A luminous lamp having an ultraviolet filtering and explosion-proof thin film is disclosed. An outside of a lamp is coated by a transparent layer which comprises phosphor powder. Energy generated by the lamp is absorbed by the phosphor powder while the lamp is shining. The phosphor powder would release energy to shot brilliance, so as to provide auxiliary lighting after turning off the lamp. Additionally, the phosphor powder can absorb harmful ultraviolet and other harmful radiations with shorter wavelengths to be one part of the thin film for filtering harmful radiations. The harmful ultraviolet can be transformed by the phosphor powder into visible light to red shift radiations with short wavelengths; hence the harmful radiations with shorter wavelengths can be eliminated. The illumination of visible light can be further increased. The transparent layer can catch broken fragments of the outside of the lamp to decrease accidents when the lamp is broken.

Generally, lamp cups are always used for covering lamps. Therefore, extra lighting fixtures are needed to be a support for fixing the lamp cups.
In order to acquire the efficiency of auxiliary lighting, traditionally a small luminous lamp is then added after turning off the main lamp.
Moreover, a filter made by vacuum coating is used for filtering ultraviolet sent from a traditional lamp. That way is very expensive. The frequency filter only uses interferometric technique to filter ultraviolet which may harm the human body. Only energy loss is produced for the lamp and ultraviolet which has been filtered can not be transformed into visible light.

Luminous lamp having an ultraviolet filtering and explosion proof thin film


A structural support member for use in a roof deck system that is supported on an upper surface of a roof deck support structure. The primary embodiment comprises a substantially vertical outer segment, a substantially horizontal lower segment connected to the outer segment, a substantially horizontal upper segment connected to the outer segment, a substantially horizontal intermediate segment connected to the outer segment between the upper and lower segments, and a substantially vertical inner segment connected to the intermediate segment and the lower segment. The lower segment is secured to the upper surface of the support structure and supports a metal deck. The upper, intermediate, and outer segments form a C-shaped cavity for receiving the end of a barrier material, such as insulation or concrete, which is supported on the metal deck. The lower, intermediate, inner, and outer segments form an elongated channel that preferably has a plurality of vent holes therethrough.

Commercial roof systems commonly comprise a roof deck system utilized to support a roof membrane. Some of these commercial roof systems comprise a metal deck, such as a sheet of corrugated steel, mounted on a support structure such as steel or wooden roof beams. The metal deck supports a barrier material, such as rigid insulation or lightweight concrete, which, in turn, supports the roof membrane. Along the terminal edges of the roof deck system, pressure treated wood is frequently used as blocking, wherein the wood blocking is supported on the metal deck and lies immediately adjacent to the barrier material.
Several problems have arisen in the foregoing systems. For example, the wood blocking must be custom designed on-site, resulting in a significant increase in construction expense. The on-site nature of the design and construction of conventional systems reduces the quality of the finished product because it is not manufactured under controlled conditions. In addition to difficulties associated with construction, conventional systems have typically not been designed to provide stable support for finished fascia material and other components of roof deck terminations. Further, the wood blocking suffers problems inherent with such materials such as rotting, warping, burning, shrinking, and being subject to attack by termites. The chemicals used in treating the wood blocking to overcome its inherent problems frequently results in corrosion of the metal decks, metal fasteners, and other metal materials in contact with the treated wood. Finally, current low-slope roofing systems do not provide exit venting for the roof deck at its perimeters.
What is needed, and is not found in the prior art, is a roof deck system that overcomes the problems of the foregoing prior art systems. The present invention is related to the technology disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,237,293 to Gembala, 6,751,923 to Nunley, and 7,143,557 to Ayers, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Structural vented roof deck enclosure system