An apparatus for storing cable along a tubular in a wellbore using a first retainer for attachment to the tubular at a first location and a second retainer for attachment to the tubular at a second location. Each retainer is constructed and arranged to reverse the direction of the cable and to at least partially retain the cable due to elastic forces therein. In one embodiment, the cable is formed into a plurality of loops, each having an upper end retained by the first retainer and a lower end retained by the second retainer.

Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an apparatus and method for storing cable in a wellbore.
Description of the Related Art
The installation and operation of permanent control or sensor systems in oil or gas wells (geothermal, CO2 injection wells, etc.) requires the use of cables between the surface of the well and the downhole wellbore equipment for supply of power, control and/or the provision of a conduit for communications. For example, cable may include electrical conductors, hydraulic lines, or fiber optic cables. In most cases, the cable runs along a string of tubulars, like production tubing from downhole equipment to the surface of the well where it extends through a liner hanger or other device that supports the weight of the string. Generally, it is desired to run the cable parallel to the axis of the wellbore tubing with clamps applied to support the cable and hold it parallel to the tubing.
It is also common to provide extra cable at an upper end of the tubing string, just below the liner hanger or tubing hanger, to facilitate access to and service of downhole equipment. The additional cable, known as a "service loop", facilitates the replacement and rework of the downhole components as it provides personnel with extra cable. In one current technique, it is common to wrap numerous turns of the cable around the tubing in order to store it in the wellbore. In applications involving more than one cable, the cables are wound around the tubing side by side.
There are a number of difficulties associated with providing a service loop as described above. First, the cables are relatively stiff, so they resist being wound around the tubing and tend to "spring back" when released. In some instances, the cable (and any conductors therein) may break if bent beyond its elastic limit. This can require the involvement of multiple rig personnel when winding the cable. In a typical setting multiple individuals hold the excess cable while encircling the tubing numerous times in order to wrap the cable. The cable also has a minimum bending radius beyond which its mechanical integrity is compromised and great care must be taken not to bend the cable beyond this limit. Additionally, care must be taken to assure the cable is tightly wound around the tubing and does not overlap, as slack cable or overlaps increase the probability that the cable will be damaged during run-in. The process of unwrapping the cable is equally complex, as it must be unwound in a controlled manner to avoid entanglement or damage and to assure that any separate cable remaining on the tubing remains securely wound.
There is a need therefore, for an apparatus and method to store cable in a wellbore that overcomes the problems associated with prior art methods and apparatus.

Method and apparatus for storing cable in a wellbore


A compressor and an air conditioner including the same having an improved structure capable of decreasing a discharge temperature of the compressor. The compressor which compresses and discharges refrigerant includes a casing defining an external appearance thereof, at least one cylinder including an inner space, a rolling piston which eccentrically turns in the inner space, a vane which radially abuts the rolling piston and divides the inner space into a suction chamber and a compression chamber, and a vane chamber recessed outward of the inner space such that the vane advances and retreats, a plurality of plates disposed above and below the at least one cylinder so as to define the inner space, an injection line provided in one of the at least one cylinder and the plural plates, and a check valve installed on the injection line.

1. Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a compressor and an air conditioner including the same having an improved structure capable of decreasing a discharge temperature of the compressor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an air conditioner includes an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit is provided with a compressor, an outdoor side heat exchanger, and an expansion valve, and the indoor unit is provided with an indoor side heat exchanger.
The compressor, the outdoor side heat exchanger, the expansion valve, and the indoor side heat exchanger are connected by a refrigerant pipe so as to form a cooling and heating cycle.
In the typical air conditioner, a discharge temperature of the compressor when R32 refrigerant is used further increases to a level of 10 to 20° C., compared with when R22 refrigerant is used. Since a temperature in the compressor increases as the discharge temperature increases, reliability of the air conditioner may be deteriorated due to exceeding the heatproof temperature of an insulator in a drive element.
In addition, a hermetic compressor in which lubricant oil is accommodated in a hermetic container is used as the compressor of the air conditioner. The hermetic compressor prevents wear by supplying lubricant oil to an operation part of a compression device. However, since an overall inner temperature in the compressor increases as the discharge temperature of the compressor increases, the temperature of the lubricant oil also increases. As a result, viscosity of the lubricant oil decreases and thus wear of the compression device is generated.

Compressor and air conditioner including the same


A physiological sensor forms an integral part of an implantable stimulation/sensing lead used with a medical device, such as a pacemaker. The stimulation/sensing lead includes a tip electrode to which a distal end of a first conductor is connected. The sensor is inserted in series with respective portions of a second conductor. A distal end of the second conductor/sensor is connected to the tip electrode. Operation of the stimulation/sensing lead occurs unipolarly through the first conductor only, with a signal return path being provided through the tip electrode and conductive body fluids. The sensor does not form part of the electrical circuit to the tip electrode, and there are no electrical connections or breaks in the insulation along the entire length of the first conductor. Electrical contact with the sensor is achieved during a time window when the stimulation/sensing lead is not being used by applying an appropriate operating signal, and measuring the resultant output signal, at the proximal ends of the first and second leads.

The present invention relates to implantable leads designed for use with medical devices, and more particularly to implantable leads having a physiological sensor as an integral part thereof.
In recent years, significant advances have been made in the medical arts relative to the use of implantable or transportable medical devices that measure, regulate, and/or control various body functions or organs of a patient. Many of these devices require one or more electrical "leads" that couple the appropriate medical device, whether implanted within the patient or carried external (non-implanted) to the patient, to a desired tissue location.
Such leads typically include one or two elongate flexible electrical conductors insulated with a suitable electrical insulating material. At or near the end of the lead farthest from the medical device, termed the "distal" end, the electrical conductors are connected to one or more suitable electrodes. These electrodes are specially designed for contacting and interfacing with appropriate body tissue. The electrodes (commonly referred to as "tip" or "distal" electrodes) may include a small or large surface area, depending upon the function they are to perform. At the end of the lead closest to the medical device, termed the "proximal" end, the electrical conductors are connected to a suitable electrical connector, which connector is specially designed for detachable connection to the medical device.
All components used in such implantable leads are, of course, made only from body compatible materials, thereby allowing the leads to be freely used within the patient's body.
While the function performed by implantable leads is simply that of an insulated electrical conductor, their construction and design is much more complicated. See, e.g., Moses et al., A Practical Guide to Cardiac Pacing, pp. 32-35 (Little, Brown & Co., Boston/Toronto 1983). For example, where the lead is positioned in or near the heart, or other moving body organs or tissue, the lead must be resistant to fracture in order to withstand constant flexure. (Consider, e.g., that the typical heart beats about 40 million times per year.) Hence, the wire used for the lead conductor must be made of a metal alloy that allows good conductivity, is fatigue resistant, is coiled to increase flexibility, and is frequently multifilar to provide electrical redundancy within the lead. Further, as has been mentioned, the conductors (wires) used in the lead must be insulated, typically with Silastic or polyurethane, so that only the metal tip or electrode is exposed.
It is known in the art to incorporate an implantable sensor as an integral part of an implantable pacemaker lead, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,750,495 and 4,791,935. Generally, the sensors described in these patents are oxygen sensors used to optically detect the amount of oxygen in the blood. Optical detection is accomplished by incorporating a light emitting diode (LED) and a phototransistor in the sensor. The LED emits radiation of a prescribed frequency that is directed through a suitable lens or window to the blood. The amount of such radiation reflected back through the window to the phototransistor is a function of the amount of saturated oxygen in the blood. Hence, by monitoring the output signal from the phototransistor, it is possible to determine how much oxygen is present in the blood. This determination, in turn, is used to control or adjust the rate at which the pacemaker provides stimulation pulses on demand to the heart.
As shown in these patents, when a sensor is included as a part of the implantable lead, the conductors of the lead are utilized to make electrical contact with the sensor. Heretofore, this has required a breaking or puncturing of the insulation of the lead at the location where the sensor is to be positioned along the length of the lead, so that electrical contact can be made with the electrical conductors of the lead. Unfortunately, even though the area of such breakage or puncture may be very small, and even though the entire area of the insulation breakage or puncture is covered by an additional insulation sleeve, this process (of electrically connecting the sensor to the conductor within the lead) compromises the integrity of the insulation at the location where the electrical contact is made with the lead conductor. Further, because some means, e.g., crimping, welding, etc., must be used to make and maintain physical and electrical contact of a conductor from the sensor to the lead conductor, the lead conductor itself may be structurally weakened at the point of contact. Over a long period of time when the lead is immersed in a fluid environment and subjected to constant flexing and bending, such as when the lead is implanted in a patient, there may thus develop slight leaks in the insulation at the point of insulation breakage or puncture, or significant changes in conductivity of the conductor at the point of electrical contact with the sensor. Such changes may noticeably alter the overall impedance of the lead, and thus adversely impact operation of the pacemaker (or other medical device). What is needed, therefore, is a lead construction that allows a sensor, such as an optical oxygen sensor, to be embedded within a pacing (or other) implantable lead that does not compromise the integrity of the lead insulation nor the lead conductivity, thereby providing long term impedance stability of the lead in fluid environments, and further ensuring a continuous, uninterrupted conductor/insulation route along the entire length of the lead. The present invention advantageously addresses this and other needs.


A gate driving unit, a gate driving circuit, a gate driving method, and a display device are provided. The gate driving unit includes a first output circuit and a second output circuit; the second output circuit comprises a first output sub-circuit; the first output circuit is respectively electrically connected to the first node, the second node and the first gate driving signal output end and is configured to control the first gate driving signal output end to output a first gate driving signal under the control of the potential of the first node and the potential of the second node; the first output sub-circuit is respectively electrically connected to the first node, the second gate driving signal output end and the first clock signal end, and is configured to control the second gate driving signal output end to be connected to the first clock signal end.

With the increasing demand of people for display, high and low frequency display becomes a hotspot for research, and an oxide TFT (thin film transistor) can realize low frequency due to its low leakage current, and is compatible with LTPS (low temperature polysilicon) process, so that it is used in an OLED (organic light emitting diode) pixel circuit. Since the Oxide TFT is an n-type transistor, a gate driving circuit for providing a control signal thereto becomes one of key technologies of LTPO (Low Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide) technology.


A personal and/or institutional health and wellness communications system, which may be used for a variety of emergency and non-emergency situations using two-way communication devices and a bi-directional communication network. In one application two-way pagers are adapted for use in the system. In one application cellular devices are adapted for use in the system. In one application an assisted living response center is established using various embodiments of the present personal and/or institutional communications system. The system provides multiple levels of prioritization, authentication of person (task, step, process or order), and confirmation via interrogation of person, device, or related monitor. One embodiment provides a method for receiving, evaluating and responding to calls received from a subscriber, patient, related party, or health care provider or health care system.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/956,474 filed Sep. 19, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/384,165, filed Aug. 27, 1999 and now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,356,192, which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/135,862, filed May 25, 1999 and to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/105,493 filed Oct. 23, 1998. The present application is also a continuation-in-part of a co-pending U.S. patent application filed Mar. 28, 2002, entitled "Method and System for Wireless Tracking", which claims priority to a provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/279,401, filed Mar. 28, 2001.
The present invention relates generally to bi-directional personal and health-wellness provider communication system and in particular to a personal communication system suitable for use with children, vulnerable adults (such as those in assisted living situations), and more specifically, medically distressed persons and those in whom an personal medical device has been deployed, for medical testing, and for other life enhancements.
There are several trends which taken together are causing a change in the way medical services are delivered. Among other things, these include longer lifespan, medical technology improvements, automation of diagnostic processes, specialization of caregivers, the rapid pace of technology that causes a shortening of the amortization of development and investment costs, increasing expense of medical care centers, and the shortage of health care workers.
The results of these trends are manifold. They include moving more of the delivery of services out of a medical center and away from the direct supervision of highly trained medical personnel. They include providing personal medical devices to allow long-term patients to resume a more mobile lifestyle. They include allowing patients to be treated from home for issues of cost and comfort. They include reducing the level of training associated with caregivers so that in some cases, even a casual passerby is able to provide meaningful assistance with devices once associated only with properly trained medical personnel, for example using Portable Automated Defibrillators. However, the remoteness of patients from professional caregivers increases the need for communications systems to monitor the patient, deliver care, and communicate.
What is needed in the art is an improved detection system that is friendly to a mobile user, that is easy to adapt to existing devices, that is easy to install, that is inexpensive, and that provides substantial interoperability between wireless technologies, communication network providers, and other widely used medical and public systems.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Personal medical device communication system and method


Combinatorial blocks (KBL) are arranged between an input register (RG1) and output register (RG2) in the circuit arrangement. The input (E.sub.-- RG1) and the output (A.sub.-- RG1) of the input register (RG1) connected preceding the combinatorial blocks (KBL) is connected to a comparison unit (COM) that compares the value at the input and at the output of the input register (RG1) and, given occurrence of a signal value change at the input, outputs a control signal for loading the output value of the combinatorial blocks (KBL) into the output register (RG2) connected following the combinatorial blocks. In this way, the running time required for an operation in the circuit arrangement can be shortened given specific value combinations.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electrical circuit arrangement for data transfer between registers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the development of synchronous circuits, what are referred to as combinatorial blocks KBL (also called combinatorial circuits, see FIGS. 1 and 2) always lie between registers (called, for example, an input register RG1 and an output register RG2 below). In order to adhere to the physically conditioned setup and hold times, there are currently three principles for arranging combinatorial blocks and registers:
The running time/delay time KBL-VZ of changes in the signal value by the combinatorial blocks KBL is smaller than the clock period minus the setup time setup/hold-VZ and minus the signal running time RG-VA through a register RG. This is shown in FIG. 1. A combinatorial block KBL is connected between an input register RG1 and output register RG2. The registers RG1 and RG2 are driven with a clock signal T. PA1 The running time of value changes through the combinatorial blocks KBL is greater by a factor N than a clock period of the clock signal T. However, the result is only taken N clock signals later at the output of the output register RG2 after the combinatorial blocks KBL. PA1 The running time of value changes through the combinatorial blocks KBL is greater by a factor N than a clock period of the clock signal T. However, the result is only written into the output register RG2 following the combinatorial blocks KBL N clock signals later. To that end, an enable terminal EN at the output register RG2 is driven with a pulse that is delayed by N clock signals and is generated by a control circuit CON. This may be seen in FIG. 2.
The running time of a combinatorial circuit KBL is designed to the effect that the last possible signal value changes at their outputs always determine the running time. It is thereby assumed that these instances also always occur during operation.
When, however, certain input signals of a combinatorial circuit do not change, then their effect on the running time need not be taken into consideration. When the input signals are input signals that determine the running time of a combinatorial circuit, then the running time through the combinatorial circuit is shortened in this case.
German Letters Patent DE 36 06 406 C2 discloses a circuit arrangement with combinatorial blocks wherein the output signals thereof are output at output registers connected following the combinatorial blocks.
Further, European Patent Application EP 04 56 399 A2 discloses a circuit with combinatorial blocks and memory units.

Circuit arrangement with combinatorial blocks arranged between registers


A DMA controller coupled to two separate buses controls the transfer of data between them. To effect a block data transfer, data is simultaneously read on one bus and written on the other. This allows data to be transferred between buses at the maximum transfer rate supported by the slower bus.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to computer systems, and more specifically to DMA transfers on computer systems.
2. Background Art
To improve computer system performance, direct memory access (DMA) devices are often used to transfer data between input output (I/O) devices and system memory. These devices provide for block data transfer in either direction. Typically, all that is required for a DMA transfer is control of the bus, a starting address, and a length of block count.
The standard DMA interface between memory and an I/O port works well when there is a direct, dedicated connection between the DMA controller and the I/O device. However, in some systems, such tight coupling between the DMA controller and the I/O devices is not possible. For example, in the System2 bus used in the IBM PS/2 series of microcomputers, also known as the microchannel bus, such close coupling between the I/O devices and the DMA controller connected to system memory is not possible. In these machines, there are actually two buses. A first bus, referred to as a system bus, connects the central processor, system main memory, and an I/O cache controller (IOCC) which includes the functions of a DMA device. Also attached to the IOCC is an I/O bus. It is this I/O bus which is referred to as the microchannel bus.
I/O devices which are to be attached to the system communicate through the I/O bus. They communicate only indirectly with the central processor and system memory through the IOCC. The IOCC then passes data transfers on to the central processor and system memory.
Since two separate buses are involved, the standard DMA configuration cannot be used. All of the I/O devices on the I/O bus reside in an I/O address space, and must be separately addressed by the IOCC. This means that the IOCC must generate an address to read an item of data from an I/O device, read that data item from the bus, generate an address on the system bus, and place the data item on the bus. This results in a system where the interface between the two separate buses, the IOCC, must read from one bus on one cycle and write to the other bus on the next cycle. This results in a certain amount of system inefficency since both buses are only operating at half capacity.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an interface between two buses which could improve DMA data transfer between an I/O device on one bus and a system memory on the other bus.

International Business Machines Corporation


Provided is a multi-display apparatus. The multi-display apparatus includes a first display including a region configured to allow external light to pass therethrough, a first module electrically coupled to the first display unit, a second display coupled to the first display, the second display overlapping the first module and being configured to not allow external light to pass therethrough, and a second module electrically coupled to the second display.

1. Field
Aspects of the present invention relate to a multi-display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, flat panel display devices may be classified as a light emission type or a light receiving type. Light emitting display apparatuses may include organic light emitting display devices (OLEDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), cathode ray tubes (CRTs), vacuum fluorescent display panels (VFDs), and light emitting diode panels (LEDs). Light receiving display apparatuses may include liquid crystal display (LCD) panels.
Among the above displays, an organic light emitting display device has advantages of a wide viewing angle, high contrast, and fast response speed. Accordingly, the organic light emitting display devices may be utilized for mobile devices such as digital cameras, video cameras, camcorders, portable information terminals, smartphones, ultra slim notebooks, tablet PCs, and electronic/electric appliances such as ultra slim televisions.
In a case of a large-sized window display device used as displays in stores, there is a limitation in forming the large-sized window display by using one display unit. Therefore, such a large-screen display may be realized by arranging a plurality of display units in a tiling way.
When forming a multi-display apparatus, transparent display units may be used so that displayed goods in stores may be seen from outside the store. However, if a plurality of transparent display units are arranged, module units having circuit boards included in the display units may be undesirably visible on certain portions, for example, bonding or attaching portions between the plurality of display units.


A first mobile station (102) can be wirelessly linked to a second mobile station (104). A physical location of the second mobile station with respect to a physical location of the first mobile station can be determined. A first player (112) using the first mobile station can be presented an icon (402) representing a second player using the second mobile station. The icon can be presented from a perspective of an eye level view. At least one targeting icon (410) can be presented to the first player to facilitate targeting of the second player. A physical stimuli can be generated from the first mobile station and/or the second mobile station in response to a simulated weapon activation on the first mobile station. The physical stimuli can be a narrowly focused ultrasound beam (302) modulated to generate an audible sound when a propagation of the ultrasound beam is disrupted by a physical object.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to gaming devices and, more particularly, to mobile gaming devices communicatively linked via wireless communications network.
2. Background of the Invention
A wide variety of gaming devices are currently available, and their use has become pervasive among youths and young adults. Examples of these gaming devices include handheld gaming units, gaming consoles, and virtual reality gaming systems. Virtual reality gaming systems typically require a user to wear a head mounted display and manipulate tactile input devices. The tactile input devices generally are connected via cables to computer hardware, thus limiting the range of movement available to the user.
Recently, gaming systems have been designed which utilize mobile communication devices, such as wireless telephones or personal digital assistants (PDAs). Such gaming systems enable a user to move through a physical environment without being encumbered by cables. However, these systems lack realism often sought by game players.

Wirelessly networked gaming system having true targeting capability


The present invention provides a process for producing a water-absorbent resin of which the residual monomer content and the extractable content are low. The process for producing a water-absorbent resin comprises the step of polymerizing at least one monomer component including acrylic acid and/or its salt as major components to produce a water-absorbent resin that is a neutralized salt, and this process is characterized in that the acrylic acid is a product obtained by catalytic gas phase oxidation of propylene and/or propane and has a protoanemonin content of not more than 10 ppm, and in that the resultant water-absorbent resin has a neutralization ratio of not less than 50 mol %.

A. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a process for producing a water-absorbent resin of which the residual monomer content and the water-extractable content are low.
B. Background Art
Water-absorbent resins are widely utilized as absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers and sanitary napkins, by being combined with fibrous materials such as cotton, pulp, paper, and sponge.
Industrially most commonly used as the water-absorbent resins are acrylic acid-based crosslinked polymers, such as crosslinked polymers of partially neutralized poly(acrylic acids), because of their high water absorbency wherein the acrylic acid-based crosslinked polymers are obtained using acrylic acid and/or its salt as monomers (e.g. JP-A-054751/1987, JP-A-031306/1991, JP-A-211934/1994, U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,039, U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,810, U.S. Pat. No. 5,574,121, U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,646, EP 0574260 and EP 0942014).
As is mentioned above, the acrylic acid-based polymers are most commonly used because of their high water absorbency. However, their use is directed mostly to the above sanitary materials. Therefore naturally in this field the acrylic acid-based polymers are required to have no problems. The acrylic acid-based polymers are obtained by a process including the step of polymerizing at least one monomer component including acrylic acid and/or its salt as major components, and the resultant polymers contain the unreacted residue of the acrylic acid monomer although its content is very small. Therefore, the decrease of this content is required. As to the water-absorbent resin, it further needs to be water-swellable and water-insoluble, but a very small amount of water-extractable component which is a water-soluble polymer is also contained in the water-absorbent resin, and this water-extractable component has a bad influence on water absorption properties, therefore the decrease of the amount of this water-extractable component is also required. Further demanded to the water-absorbent resin are properties under a load, such as water absorption capacity under a load and liquid permeation quantity under a load.

Production process for water-absorbent resin


A magnetic OR/NAND circuit has a first, a second, a third, and a fourth magnetic transistor. These four magnetic transistors that work as the ordinary transistors can be turned on or turned off by the control of several metal devices respectively disposed around the magnetic transistors. The ‘OR’ and ‘NAND’ logic functions of the binary system can be implemented by the control of these metal devices.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an OR/NAND circuit. More particularly, the present invention relates to an OR/NAND circuit configured by several magnetic transistors.
2. Description of Related Art
'OR' and 'NAND' logic circuits are very important for IC circuit design. The designer can combine these two logic circuits with other logic circuits to implement the required functions.
FIG. 1 is a CMOS circuit with the NAND logic function of the prior art. The CMOS circuit has two PMOS transistors 100 and 130 coupled in parallel, and two NMOS transistors 160 and 190 coupled in series. The NMOS transistor 190 couples to the low voltage end 140, and the PMOS transistors 100 and 130 couple to the high voltage end 120. The input signal 'X' at the input end 110 controls the PMOS transistor 100 and NMOS transistor 160. The Input signal 'Y' at the input end 150 controls the PMOS transistor 130 and NMOS transistor 190. The CMOS circuit generates the NAND logic function (output=(X·Y)′) at the output end 170.
The Giant Magnetoresistance Effect (GMR) is a quantum mechanical effect observed in structures with alternating thin magnetic and thin nonmagnetic sections. The GMR effect shows a significant change in electrical resistance from the zero-field high resistance state to the high-field low resistance state according to an applied external field.
Therefore, the GMR effect can be used to design the magnetic transistor. Thus, magnetic transistors can further be used to integrate a magnetic OR/NAND circuit without the expensive process and equipment. The magnetic OR/NAND circuit can be designed and manufactured with short programming time and high density.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need to have a magnetic OR/NAND circuit integrated by magnetic transistors.


A clamp includes a mounting base, a clamp arm, and an adjustable device. The mounting base includes an attachment device for securing the mounting base to a surface. The clamp arm is moveably attached to the mounting base. The adjustable device is moveably attached to the clamp arm. The adjustable device is configured to extend the clamp arm and to retract the clamp arm.

The ability to secure or tie down an object or objects for use in transportation, storage, assembly, and fabrication is crucial in many aspects. In one aspect the overall size of an object can dictate the length of a tie-down clamp. Allowing the adjustability of a clamp on assembly or installation of a tarp, cover, bonding jig, vehicle top, storage container, or another object is crucial. Current over-center clamps typically require adjustment and re-adjustment to the clamp upon each use as determined by the size or shape of an object or objects to be secured. In order to adjust one type of over-center clamp, two lock nuts on each end of a pivoting carrier are loosened using additional tools. After this action, a clamping arm of the over-center clamp is adjusted to the appropriate length. Finally, the two lock nuts are re-secured using the additional tools. All of these actions have to be repeated for each installation. This requires much time, effort, and cost.
A clamp and method for use of the clamp is needed to reduce or eliminate one or more issues of one or more of the current clamps.


Disclosed is an apparatus for controlling a self-refresh period in a memory device capable of normally performing a self-refresh operation that is indispensable to the operation of a volatile memory device using a refresh period control even if the inner temperature of the memory device is changed. The apparatus determines different bank refresh periods according to the self-refresh entering time in a self-refresh mode, and thus the refresh operation can properly be performed to cope with the change of inner temperature of the memory device.

1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for controlling a self-refresh period in a memory device, and more particularly to an apparatus for controlling a self-refresh period in a memory device which can normally perform a self-refresh operation that is indispensable to the operation of a volatile memory device using a refresh period control even if the inner temperature of the memory is changed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well known, a volatile memory device has the drawback in that it cannot maintain data stored in memory cells over a predetermined time due to leakage current components that the memory cells have.
In order to compensate for such limitations, a system for the memory device performs a refresh operation for restoring data at predetermined intervals. The refresh operation is classified into an auto-refresh operation that is performed during a normal operation of the memory device and a self-refresh operation that is performed in a state that the memory device performs the minimum operation in order to reduce the power consumption as the system does not operate for a long time. In a self-refresh mode, the refresh operation is performed in order to accurately maintain the stored data.
The refresh operation is basically the same as a raw-active operation and a precharge operation that are normal operations. That is, the data stored in the memory cells is amplified by a sense amplifier, and then the data is stored again in the memory cells.
Meanwhile, in the case of the self-refresh operation, the refresh operation should be performed at predetermined intervals without any command from an outside of the memory device, and thus the self-refresh operation is independently performed inside the memory chip.
That is, even if a row-active command is not applied from an outside, a row-active operation is performed, and then a precharge operation is performed.
Hereinafter, the self-refresh operation will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a conventional process of generating a refresh signal when a memory device enters into a self-refresh mode. FIG. 1 shows the process of internally generating a refresh signal srefreq that is a signal for operating the memory device in the same manner as the case that an active command is applied in the self-refresh mode.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, if a self-refresh command is input from the outside, a self-refresh command signal self_refresh obtained by combining signals produced from an internal command decoder (not illustrated) operates an oscillator 110 that operates for a period of t0, and a frequency doubler 120 receives a signal having the period of t0 from the oscillator 110, and generates pulse signals having predetermined periods of 2t0, 4t0, 8t0 and 16t0.
A frequency selection generator 130 is used to produce the refresh signal srefreq of FIG. 1, that is, the signal suitable to be used in the memory device by selecting a proper frequency signal among period signals having passed through the above-described process. A row control unit 140 receives this signal, and outputs a row-active signal for driving a corresponding word line by banks. Additionally, an address control unit 150 receives the signal, and outputs an address signal for operating word lines in an accurate operation order. For reference, a bank control unit 160 controls a plurality of banks included in a core unit 170.
FIG. 2a is a circuit diagram of a frequency selection generator 130 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2a, it is assumed that a pulse signal 4t0 having a period of 4t0 and a pulse signal 8t0 having a period of 8t0 are received from a frequency doubler 120.
As shown in FIG. 2a, the frequency selection generator is provided with a fuse selector 210 and a generation unit 220, and the generation unit 220 is provided with a selection unit 221, a pulse generation unit 222 and an output unit 223.
A pulse signal having a period suitable to be used in the memory device is selected between two pulse signals 4t0 and 8t0 generated from the frequency doubler 120 in accordance with frequency selection signals Select1 and Select2 generated from the fuse selector 210. One pulse signal selected as above is output as the refresh signal srefreq through the generation unit 220.
FIG. 2b is a waveform diagram explaining the operation of the frequency selection generator illustrated in FIG. 2a.
As illustrated in FIG. 2b, the frequency selection generator selects the pulse signal 8t0 having a period of 8t0 between the two pulse signals 4t0 and 8t0 received from the frequency doubler 120, and outputs the selected pulse signal as the refresh signal srefreshq. That is, if the self-refresh command signal self_refresh is changed to a high level when the memory device enters into the self-refresh mode, the refresh signal srefreq becomes a pulse signal having a period of 8t0.
As is already known, due to the structural limits of the volatile memory cells, the refresh operation is compulsory, and particularly, even if the memory device enters into the self-refresh mode, the refresh operation should be performed in the same manner.
In a normal operation of the memory device, heat is generated due to the high-speed operation of the memory device, and the inner temperature of the memory device is increased. If the memory device enters into the self-refresh mode in such a high-temperature state, the leakage current of the memory cell itself is increased, and the data is consumed as the leakage current to cause a data loss. In order to prevent such a data loss, the data should be restored by shortening the refresh period.
Meanwhile, as a predetermined time elapses, the inner temperature of the memory device is lowered, and thus the leakage current of the memory cell itself is reduced. In this case, the power consumption should be reduced by reducing the current through the lengthening of the refresh period.
However, according to the conventional apparatus for controlling a self-refresh period in a memory device as described above, the frequency selection generator (See FIG. 2) outputs the refresh signal srefreq having the period of one pulse signal selected through the output signals Select1 and Select2 of the fuse selector 210 when the memory device enters into the self-refresh mode. The refresh operation of the memory device is performed by the refresh signal srefreq at predetermined intervals. As a result, if the refresh period is lengthened in the event that the memory device is in a high-temperature state, a data loss may occur. Meanwhile, if the refresh period is excessively shortened in a state that the inner temperature of the memory device is lowered as the predetermined time elapses, it results in the excessive use of the current in the self-refresh mode to cause great power consumption.

Apparatus for controlling self-refresh period in memory device


A method and apparatus is provided for molding a semiconductor device in a mold including two mold halves. One mold half includes a compressible sealing mechanism constructed and configured to exert a sealing pressure between a surface of the mold half and a surface of a semiconductor device located in the mold. A compliant tape is positionable onto the mold half comprising the sealing mechanism between the semiconductor device and the sealing mechanism for molding of the semiconductor device.

Molding in a semiconductor lead frame package is performed to protect a semiconductor integrated circuit die attached to a metal lead frame substrate in a conventional packaging process. Molding is carried out in a mold press or molding machine. Typically, the molding machine includes a mold chase with two mold halves, which sandwich the lead frame with the semiconductor dice positioned within cavities formed in the mold halves. Encapsulation material, such as epoxy molding compound ("EMC"), is introduced into the cavity of the mold, thereby encapsulating the semiconductor dice.
One semiconductor package that has been developed fairly recently is the quad, flat, no-lead package sometimes known as a QFN package. A characteristic of a QFN package is that EMC is molded around a semiconductor die on only one side of the lead frame substrate. The opposite side of the substrate is substantially free of EMC. QFN packages generally fall into one of two categories, either matrix QFN or block QFN.
For the matrix QFN package a single die is attached to each die pad and during molding, each die is located within its own mold cavity. Hence, each die is individually encapsulated on the lead frame. After molding, the lead frame is singulated by cutting the metal of the lead frame between each encapsulated die.
As for the block QFN package, the lead frame has separate blocks of die pads to which dice are attached, and each block has a square array of die pads. During molding, all the dice on the die pads in the same block are located in the same mold cavity. Hence, all the dies in the same block are encapsulated in the same block of molding and singulation is performed by cutting through the lead frame and the molding material between the dies in a block.
In both matrix and block QFN packages the overall size of the package is close to the size of the semiconductor chip located within the package. Thus, these packages are also referred to as chip-scale packages. In addition, QFN packages are lead frame based packages and have an exposed die paddle. Hence, QFN packages enable good electrical performance and thermal characteristics, as the exposed die paddle can be used as a ground plane and a heat sink.
However, one problem with QFN packages and other semiconductor packages which are molded on only one side of the substrate, is the problem of epoxy flash seeping onto the other side of the lead frame during the molding operation.
One method that has been developed to avoid the problem of epoxy flash seepage is to paste an adhesive tape to a surface of the lead frame that is to be free of epoxy. This method is described in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0082854A1 entitled, "Lead Frame, Method of Manufacturing the Same, and Method of Manufacturing a Semiconductor Device Using the Same". Mass molding of a lead frame is performed to a lead frame that has an adhesive tape attached to an entire back surface of the lead frame, so as to prevent a leakage of molding resin from the back surface of the lead frame. Generally, the attachment of the adhesive tape to the back surface of the lead frame (taping) is performed prior to the package assembly process.
A problem with this approach is that lead frame warpage may occur during molding due to a difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between a material constituting the lead frame and the material constituting the adhesive tape. Furthermore, the taping process is relatively expensive because the adhesive tape has to be applied individually to each lead frame prior to the package assembly process. The material cost of the adhesive tape itself (which is not reusable) is also significant. In fact, the disclosure in the aforesaid invention suggests sectioning the adhesive tape into smaller pieces and attaching them to the lead frame, which would further increase the fabrication steps and costs in preparing each piece of lead frame for molding. Furthermore, means must be provided to remove the adhesive tape after molding, and some adhesivity may even remain on the lead frame surface that may adversely affect handling of the lead frame by downstream processes after molding.
An alternative to attaching an adhesive tape to a back surface of each individual lead frame is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,165 entitled, "Mold for a Semiconductor Chip". The said patent provides a mold for a semiconductor chip comprising two mold halves, wherein one mold half comprises sealing means adapted to exert a sealing pressure between a surface of the mold and a surface of a substrate located in the mold during a molding operation. It was found that with a high clamping pressure, a mold surface coated with the sealing means can be effective to prevent the molding compound from seeping into an unmolded surface of the substrate.
The sealing means may comprise an elastically deformable coating which is preferably heat resistant and may be, for example, a silicone or fluorine based rubber coating. It is typically laminated onto the surface of the lower mold half. Nevertheless, it has been found that if molding is performed on the sealing means and there is direct contact of epoxy molding compound ("EMC") on the rubber coating, the EMC will tend to abrade the rubber coating and shorten its useful life span. Once the rubber coating is abraded, it would be necessary to change the coating. That could be expensive and time-consuming.
It would be advantageous to prolong the life of the rubber sealing means without reducing the effectiveness of the sealing means.

Method and apparatus for molding a semiconductor device


A row redundancy system is provided for replacing faulty wordlines of a memory array having a plurality of banks. The row redundancy system includes a remote fuse bay storing at least one faulty address corresponding to a faulty wordline of the memory array; a row fuse array for storing row fuse information corresponding to at least one bank of the memory array; and a copy logic module for copying at least one faulty address stored in the remote fuse bay into the row fuse array; the copy logic module is programmed to copy the at least one faulty address into the row fuse information stored in the row fuse array corresponding to a predetermined number of banks in accordance with a selectable repair field size.

Increased repairability of a memory array typically means more hardware, such as redundancy circuits, fuses and register elements, is required. This increase in hardware components also means an increase in chip size to accommodate these components. However, in the early design phase, especially when a new memory design and/or technology is still in its development stage, increased repairability of a memory array leads to not only the higher yield of the memory chip, but also an environment for debugging for future design or technology improvement.
Today's high-density memories, especially dynamic random access memory (DRAM) macro, embedded or not, comprise many sub-arrays called banks. Each bank comprises numerous smaller memory units called blocks or micro-cells. FIGS. 1A-B show prior art row redundancy storage 10 and a repair field region of a memory array, each having a fixed repair field size (RFS) of 1M (eight banks), respectively, of a prior art row redundancy system. In FIG. 1A, the row redundancy storage 10 is shown having storage cells 12 addressed as Bank0-127 storing redundancy information RI(1-16) corresponding, respectively, to 128 banks of the memory array.
In this case, 16 different sets of redundancy information RI(1-16) are stored, where each set of redundancy information corresponds to a repair field of 8 banks. As shown in FIG. 1A, one copy of each set of RI(n) is stored. Each set of RI(n) corresponds to one repair field, i.e., RI(1) corresponds to Banks0-7, RI(2) corresponds to Banks8-15, RI(16) corresponds to Banks120-127, etc.
Each set of redundancy information RI(n), includes 8 sets of 11 bits (or 88 bits). Each set of 11 bits represents a defective row address. Each defective row address indicates an address of a detected defective wordline. Eight redundant wordlines (RWL) are available for replacing defective wordlines detected in each repair field.
With reference to FIG. 1B, the repair field shown includes a set of eight banks, Bank0-7 forming a 1-megabyte (M) region. Each bank is traversed by 1,024 parallel wordlines WL(m), where m=0-1023, and 8 parallel redundant wordlines RWL(n), where n=0-7. Redundant wordlines RWL(0-7) are provided for replacing up to 8 possible failed wordlines of the wordlines WL(0-1023) within a bank. The redundant wordlines may be located anywhere within the bank however, typically, the row redundancy wordlines RWL(0-7) are located at the same location for each bank. In the example of FIG. 1B, the row redundancy wordlines RWL(0-7) are shown placed at the top portion of the bank.
A repair field size is defined as the minimal array size where repairing is done by the same set of given redundancy wordlines RWL(0-7). In FIG. 1B, the repair field size of row repair is 1M. When a wordline WL(m) is found to be defective within a bank, all the wordlines WL(m) across all eight banks (or the 1M region) within the repair field size are replaced by one redundancy wordline RWL(n), regardless of whether these wordlines WL(m) are defective or not. In the prior art example shown in FIG. 1B, only eight defective wordlines WL(m) with eight different row addresses are allowed in the whole 1M region. If more than eight wordlines WL(m) fail, the chip housing the 1M region is determined to be irreparable and must be discarded. In the prior art, the repairability of a memory chip is fixed, and once the RFS is defined in the design stage, it cannot be changed thereafter.
In the design stage, the repairability may be increased in order to improve yield. However, larger components are needed to accommodate increased repairability. For example, the size of an off-chip fuse bank used to store failed row information (row fuse information) discovered during a testing mode is proportional to the degree of repairability. Thus, the size of the fuse bank limits the degree of repairability of failed (faulty) wordlines WL(m).
Generally, the row redundancy is designed with the limited and inflexible repairability described above with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B, which is sufficient once the technology has reached a mature stage, since the defect density becomes better controlled and the limited repairability is sufficient to get reasonable yield. Depending on the development stage of the memory design and/or related technology, different degrees of repairability may be desired. Greater repairability is typically desired at early stages of development, requiring a longer testing period and a larger storage area. Once the technology has reached a mature stage, it may be desirable to reduce the repairability in order to reduce the testing period and required storage area.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and a method for selectably increasing repairability of a memory chip with a minimal increase in the size of circuitry associated with wordline repair. A need further exists for a system and method for flexible selection of repair field size.

International Business Machines Corporation


A system and method that employs standardized data collection forms for use by health care providers and patients to enable efficient collection, storage and management of patient data for treatment of diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for collecting and managing patient data. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method that employs standardized data collection forms for use by health care providers and patients to enable efficient collection, storage and management of patient data for treatment of diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Redesigning the delivery-of-care processes for diseases, such as rheumatic diseases within rheumatology practices and health systems, is critical to improving the outcomes and costs of care for patients. Traditional approaches to doing this work are generally inefficient, highly variable, and undependable. The complexity of the task is steadily increasing because of growing treatment options and expanding requirements for documenting services and disease outcomes. The electronic medical record actually does little to improve efficiency and physician functioning in and of itself; it merely stores whatever information we enter, in whatever format we enter it. A more fundamental redesigning of how we collect and manage information is needed, and the potential impacts of these efforts on outcomes and costs should be dramatic. Continuing with traditional approaches will lead to a further deterioration in outcomes, costs, and profits.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system and method for efficiently collecting and managing patient data to assist in achieving improvements in patient treatment.

System and method for collecting and managing patient data

Cosortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America, Inc.


Methods and kits are provided for diagnosis of specific cancerous conditions. The invention features a method for diagnosis of a condition in a patient associated with an elevated level of telomerase activity within a cell. The method involves determining the presence or amount of telomerase within the cells in the patient, e.g. by the use of the polymerase chain reaction. In one embodiment of the invention, the condition associated with elevated telomerase activity is chosen from prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, renal cancer, ovarian/cervical cancer, lung cancer, and leukemia. The invention allows cancer to be detected even in tissues and cells which are not positive by pathology.

This invention relates to methods for diagnosis of cellular senescence and immortalization.
The following is a general description of art relevant to the present invention. None is admitted to be prior art to the invention.
Michael D. West et al., entitled "Therapy and Diagnosis of Conditions Related to Telomere Length and/or Telomerase Activity," U.S. application Ser. No. 08/151,477, filed Nov. 12, 1993, and PCT WO 93/04546 filed Nov. 25, 1993, both hereby incorporated by reference, generally describe art which relates to cellular senescence, and theories or hypotheses which explain such aging and the mechanisms by which cells escape senescence and immortalize. West et al. discusses the use of telomerase activity detection for diagnosis of various cancerous conditions.
West et al., U.S. application Ser. No. 08/151,477, filed Nov. 12, 1993, describes methods by which telomerase activity can be used to determine whether a cell is immortalized. One such method (example 21) involves providing appropriate primers and using the polymerase chain reaction to determine the presence of telomerase activity in the cells.
In this method, West et al. rely upon the ability of telomerase to template and catalyze the synthesis of telomeric sequence onto a single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide (oligo) substrate. The conventional assay for this activity uses an oligo of known sequence as substrate, radioactive deoxynucleotide triphosphate (dNTP) for labeling, and sequencing gel for resolution and display of the products. Since telomerase stalls and can release the DNA after adding the first G in the T.sub.2 AG.sub.3 repeat, the characteristic pattern of products is a six nucleotide ladder of extended oligo substrate. The phase of the repeats depends on the 3' end sequence of the oligo substrate; telomerase recognizes where it is in the repeat and synthesizes accordingly to yield contiguous repeat sequence. Although telomeric sequence oligos are the most efficient in vitro substrates, telomerase will also synthesize T.sub.2 AG.sub.3 repeats onto non-telomeric oligos.
The basis of the assay of West et al. is application of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for specific amplification of the in vitro products of telomerase. The telomerase reaction portion of the assay is unchanged. The telomerase products (the nested set of one to hundreds of six nucleotide telomeric repeats added to the oligo substrate) serve as the templates for PCR amplification. Exponential amplification is achieved by a PCR primer set consisting of a downstream primer complementary to telomeric repeats and an upstream primer composed of sequence from the oligo substrate. In fact, the oligo substrate (typically an 18-mer) itself serves as the upstream primer and since a standard telomerase reaction contains 1 .mu.M oligo substrate of which less than 1% is extended by telomerase, there is no need to add more for the PCR reaction. A downstream primer of comparable length is used. A stringent annealing temperature in the PCR cycle ensures specific primer binding which results in preservation of the six nucleotide ladder in the PCR products, reflective of the template population.
West et al. determined a downstream primer which they designated CX. CX is composed of sequence complementary to three imperfect telomeric repeats and one perfect repeat (5' (CCCTTA).sub.3 CCCTAA-3') (SEQ ID NO:1). The single nucleotide difference in three of the repeats compromises the capacity of CX to anneal to the 3' end of M2 (which contains 5 of 6 nucleotides of a telomeric repeat). Under optimized conditions, West et al. found that M2 and CX alone in a PCR reaction set up at room temperature and then subjected to 27 cycles of 95.degree., 50.degree., and 72.degree. produced no PCR products.
As yet another measure to prevent primer interaction and non-specific amplification, West et al. also suggested that the hot start method be utilized. In this technique, CX was dried at the bottom of the tube and then covered with a wax barrier. All other PCR reaction components were combined in the tube above the wax barrier, and the tube was placed in the thermal cycler. With this set-up, CX did not appear in the PCR reaction until the wax melted (about 60.degree. C.) during the first cycle, preventing CX interaction with any other reaction component at a temperature below the annealing temperature.
West et al. suggested that since both telomerase and Taq polymerase are DNA synthesizing enzymes with similar reaction components, the assay could be further streamlined by combining the activities in a single reaction. A single tube protocol was achieved. In this protocol, CX oligo is isolated by wax barrier for hot start of the PCR. All other reaction components are combined above the wax barrier including the telomerase oligo substrate/upstream primer M2, the telomerase extract, and Taq polymerase. PCR buffer and deoxynucleotide conditions allow sufficient telomerase product generation in 10 minutes at room temperature. The tubes are then simply placed in the thermal cycler for PCR. West et al. showed that specific amplification of telomerase products under these conditions occurs if and only if the oligo substrate M2 has been extended with three or more T.sub.2 AG.sub.3 repeats.
West et al. also determined that a correlation exists between telomerase activity and the tumor cell phenotype.

Detecting cancerous conditions by assaying for telomerase activity


A diagnostic information display system for a construction machine includes a sensor for detecting status variables related to an operating state of a hydraulic excavator or ambient environment, and a controller which stores combinations between a plurality of snapshot items and one or more status variables related to each of the snapshot items in advance, acquires or extracts status variable data, which is regarded as being related based on the stored combinations, from corresponding detected signals of the sensor 40, etc. with respect to the snapshot item selected by a selection command from an operator, thereby displaying the status variable data on a display unit, and compares each of the status variables or a value computed based on a plurality of status variables with a predetermined reference value range. A failure of a corresponding part or the related status variable is displayed on the display unit.

A construction machine, in particular a large-sized hydraulic excavator, is used for excavation of earth and stones in a very wide worksite, for example. In general, such a large-sized hydraulic excavator is continuously operated for the purpose of increasing productivity. If any abnormality occurs, the operation of the hydraulic excavator must be stopped for repair. Depending on a degree of the abnormality, it may happen that the operation of the hydraulic excavator must be ceased for a long period. In such a case, because production work using that hydraulic excavator must be suspended, it is required to change steps of a production schedule.
In view of such a situation, a monitoring device for a hydraulic working machine is proposed in which, when an abnormality is detected in, e.g., an engine system, status variables (detection data) related to an engine operating state in a certain period until the detection of the abnormality are selectively stored and accumulated as operation data while being displayed (see, e.g., Patent Document 1). With the proposed related art, abnormality diagnosis can be advantageously made and trouble-shooting can be promptly performed by using the operation data in the certain period until the detection of the abnormality.
Patent Document 1: JP,A 7-119183

Diagnostic information providing apparatus for construction machine and diagnostic information display system for construction machine

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.


Described is a component for a fill level measuring device or for a pressure measuring device. The component may include a coating with a microsmooth surface so that the microsmooth surface remains essentially free of any deposits.

In many industrial fields, components are frequently subjected to considerable dirt accumulation and impurities that remain adhering to the surfaces of said components. However, partly due to the fact that these components are hard to reach or are used in hazardous environments, it is difficult or arduous to manually clean these components. Attempts have therefore been made to create surfaces that can feature self-cleaning effects.
In particular in the field of metrology, in which the devices used are exposed to harsh industrial conditions and are thus often covered with dirt, such dirt can significantly reduce the measuring characteristics. The term "dirt" can refer both to solid materials (such as e.g. dust) and to liquid materials, such as for example condensates. Depending on the conditions, considerable dirt accumulation can occur on the measuring device over time so that the measuring functions can be impeded or even cease altogether.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,025 B1 and WO 02/14804 A1 propose coatings which are based on the so-called lotus effect. In this technique the surface comprises a defined microstructure with elevations and indentations with structural dimensions ranging from 5 μm to 200 μm. The microstructure and its low-energy or hydrophobic character causes water to run off from the surface. At the same time any dirt particles located on the surface are swept away by the water that runs off.
Coatings of low-energy plastics such as for example PTFE or PVDF are a further option. As a rule such coatings are at least 1 mm thick so as to provide adequate sealing characteristics. These coatings are not transparent; as a result of their thickness they can also considerably influence the measuring characteristics of a measuring device.

Fill level sensor or pressure sensor with an anti-adhesive coating


A free running clock circuit includes a switching circuit for switching between first and second logic states at a predetermined frequency based upon a trip voltage. The switching circuit has an inherent temperature profile associated therewith. A voltage divider circuit outputs a defined trip voltage that is compensated over the temperature to offset the temperature profile of said switching circuit to provide an overall temperature compensated operation for the free running clock circuit. The voltage divider circuit has a top programmable resistor array connected in series with at least two programmable resistor arrays between two supply terminals of differing voltages.

Universal, asynchronous transmitter/receivers (UARTs) are interface circuits, generally in the form of integrated circuit chips, which are disposed between a data providing circuit, such as, for example, a personal computer (PC) and a modem to provide parallel-to-serial and serial-to-parallel data conversion. Although UARTs can be stand-alone devices, they also can be incorporated into the communication port of a more complex integrated circuit chip. UARTs generally include an oscillator and a crystal to synchronize data conversion with a fairly precise oscillator frequency, which facilitates asynchronous communication between two remotely disposed UARTs. The purpose for having a crystal controlled oscillator is to ensure that the frequency of a specific UART is within a defined limit specified for UART operation. The use of an on-chip free-running oscillator, built entirely of integrated components, e.g. transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, etc., but no crystal, will typically not be acceptable due to temperature drift, manufacturing tolerances, supply voltage variation, etc. On the other hand, crystals are typically external devices, thus requiring a more complex external assembly.
A typical two-terminal integrated resistor consists of a series connection of three parts: a desired "pure" resistor part which is typically well-controlled during manufacturing, and two undesired parasitic "end" resistor parts, one on each side, which are typically very poorly controlled during manufacturing. For maximum precision with respect to temperature coefficient, the resistor network topology must be designed to maximize the contribution from the desired pure parts of the resistors and to minimize the contributions from the undesired parasitic end parts.
Moreover, digitally programming the resistor values requires the addition of transistor switches to the network. When turned on, a transistor used as a switch has an unwanted series on-resistance associated with it, which suffers from a high, nonlinear, and poorly-controlled temperature coefficient. When turned off, the transistor switch exhibits a sub-threshold leakage current which is very temperature and manufacturing dependent. These sub-threshold leakage currents are especially problematic in modern submicron CMOS processes, e.g. 0.18 micron processes. Unfortunately, there exists a fundamental physical trade off between on-resistance and sub-threshold leakage which cannot be avoided by simply changing the size of the transistor: making the sub-threshold leakage smaller makes the on-resistance larger, and vice versa. As a result of both on-resistance and sub-threshold leakage, the use of transistor switches within programmable resistor arrays destroys the otherwise very low, linear, and well-controlled temperature coefficient of the pure resistors themselves—unless special techniques are included to prevent this from happening. When the temperature coefficients of the resistors in the voltage reference circuit are degraded, so too is the temperature coefficient of the overall oscillator circuit, resulting in poor frequency stability of the oscillator. Thus, a programmable resistor array including the ability to digitally program temperature coefficients and the ability to control and minimize the effects of end resistances, switch on-resistances, and sub-threshold leakage currents, would be of great benefit.


A racket frame has a head hoop, a connecting segment, a handle and two prestressing devices. The head hoop has a bottom end and a string. The connecting segment is connected with the head hoop and has a yoke, two shafts and a throat. The yoke is formed on the bottom end of the head hoop. The shafts are respectively mounted with the yoke and each shaft has a mounting hole. The handle is connected with the connecting segment. The prestressing devices are attached to the shafts in the mounting holes.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a racket frame, and more particularly to a racket frame with a prestressing device to provide an enhanced structure.
2. Description of Related Art
With reference to FIG. 9, a conventional racket frame (60) is made of carbon fiber and epoxy resin composite and used for playing with a tennis ball or a paddleball and has a head hoop (61), a connecting segment (62) and a handle (63).
The head hoop (61) is connected with a string (611) and has an inner surface and a bottom end. The string (611) is wound on the inner surface of the head hoop (61) in a crisscross manner.
The connecting segment (62) is connected with the head hoop (61) and has a yoke (621), two shafts (622) and a throat (623). The yoke (621) is formed on the bottom end of the head hoop (61). The shafts (622) are arc shaped, are respectively mounted with the yoke (621) and each shaft (622) has an upper end, a lower end, a front side and a rear side. The upper ends of the shafts (622) are respectively connected to the yoke (621). The throat (623) is connected to the lower ends of the shafts (622).
The handle (63) is connected with the connecting segment (62) and has a proximal end. The proximal end of the handle (63) is connected with the throat (623).
When the tennis ball or a paddleball hitting on the string (611), the front sides of the shafts (622) bear a tensile stress and the rear sides of the shafts (622) bear a compressive stress because the shafts (622) are made of material of carbon fiber and epoxy resin composite. The material has a property that its tensile strength is much better than the its compressive strength. So the conventional racket frame (60) always broken from the compressed side if the conventional racket frame (60) was broken cause by overloading.
The invention provides a racket frame that can mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.


An image forming apparatus includes: a rotating belt which rotates around a roller; a drive section which rotates the belt; a detection section which detects a position of the belt in a width direction; a moving section which moves the belt in the width direction; a control section which corrects a deviation of the belt by controlling the moving section. The control section conducts a preparatory operation in which the control section changes an amount of control to be given to the moving section under the condition where the belt is rotated to obtain a correction data showing a relation between the amount of control and a change of a position of the belt in the width direction detected by the detection section, stores the correction data in a memory section, and then corrects the deviation based on the correction data stored in the memory section.

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus equipped with an endless rotating belt, and in particular, to an image forming apparatus that carries out deviation correction for the rotating belt.
Some of image forming apparatuses employ a wide and endless rotating belt as a pressing device for an image carrier or for transfer and fixing. For example, in an image forming apparatus such as a color copying machine of a tandem type using electrophotographic process, there is arranged an image forming section composed of a photoreceptor drum, a charging device, a scanning optical device and of a developing device for each of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) colors, and these respective image forming sections are arranged along the endless intermediate transfer belt, whereby, images respectively for Y, M, C and K are superimposed on the rotating intermediate transfer belt, to form a color image.
When meandering or deviation is caused on the belt, out of color registration comes into existence to deteriorate image quality. Therefore, there is controlled to detect the state of deviation of the belt for correction so that the belt may run stably (for example, see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 57-139775).
Deviation correction is carried out by driving, for example, a prescribed mechanism that changes a degree of tension of the belt, with a stepping motor. With respect to control of the stepping motor, a meandering correction table showing relationship between an amount of deviation of the belt and an amount of correction (an amount of control to be given to the stepping motor) is prepared in advance, and the control is carried out by acquiring an amount of control that corresponds to an amount of deviation of the belt detected by the sensor (for example, see Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-48533).
Control that employs a correction table prepared in advance without updating it is based on the assumption that relationship between an amount of deviation of the belt and an amount of control for correcting the amount of deviation is constant and does not fluctuate. Actually, however, when the belt ages, a relationship between an amount of control and a belt behavior is changed. Therefore, when the belt ages, an amount of control obtained from a correction table becomes an inappropriate value, and if this value is used for control, longer time is required for the belt to become the stable state free from deviating, which is a problem.

Image forming apparatus having a control section which corrects deviation of a belt

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


A fresnel magnifying lens for forming a hand-held, pocket-sized hybrid assembly of the lens and another object or objects. The lens is provided with at least one hole for use with a fastener to detachably or permanently couple the lens to the other object in a manner which allows a selective magnified hand-held viewing, through the lens, of both the other object, as well as different objects. The coupling of the lens to the other object is such that the lens can be slidably moved, using the fastener which couples the lens to the other object as a pivot point, to permit the lens to be used to view different objects which are not part of that hybrid assembly. The pocket-sized fresnel magnifying lens can thereby be attached onto a variety of objects, for example, marketing objects, such as credit cards, debit cards, ID cards, pocket calenders, schedules, telecards, magnetic note holders, key rings, etc., thereby permitting improved accessibility of the visual aid provided for by the fresnel lens to individuals and consumers. This piggy backing scheme of the lens onto such marketing objects allows the marketing objects to be even more powerful marketing tools in view of the inherent accessibility of the fresnel lens.

Many common marketing objects like credit/debit cards, telecards, pocket calendars, magnetic note holders, etc. contain printed or encoded information which users have difficulty reading, thus affecting their ability to use them. Most solutions are either economically unfeasible, deviate too much from normal and traditional marketing practices, or are simply impractical.
In 1995 U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,199, titled "Credit card with magnifying lens" and U.S. Pat. No. 5,434,405, titled "Credit card with a magnifying lens formed in a section of the transparent core" focused mostly on how a fresnel magnifier could be built into a plastic credit card. They described a machine readable card that could be encoded with all the necessary information needed to be a financial card and housing a fresnel window used as a visual aid to check the accuracy of receipts (printed on paper) at point of sale.
Finkelstein et al have cited many references in their patents (their lists could also be considered as prior art for this application) but none has shown any relevancy to my invention. My invention is a fresnel magnifier with a simple coupling device which allows the lens to be externally attached onto other objects, thus forming a hybrid assembly of the lens and another object or objects.

Fresnel magnifying lens for forming a hand-held pocket-sized hybrid assembly and method therefor of providing the hybrid assembly


A nontoxic deicing/anti-icing fluid includes a freezing point depressant selected from short chain polyols having 3 to 5 carbons atoms, and mixtures thereof, a wetting agent, an antioxidant/preservative, and water. The fluid has an LD50 greater than about 10,000 mg/L. Another deicing/anti-icing fluid includes the freezing point depressant, a vinylpyrrolidone polymer having a molecular weight between about 10,000 and about 700,000, and water. A runway deicing fluid includes glycerol, a buffer, an antioxidant/preservative, and water. Another deicing/anti-icing fluid includes a freezing point depressant having hydrophobic character, a wetting agent comprising an organophosphorus compound capable of producing an organic wettable surface, and water.

This invention relates in general to compositions to remove ice, snow and/or frost ("frozen precipitation") from surfaces and/or to prevent ice from forming on surfaces, and in particular to deicing/anti-icing fluids.
De-icing/anti-icing fluids are used on many different surfaces where frozen precipitation is a problem. Deicing involves the application of a deicing fluid onto frozen precipitation that has already formed in order to remove it from a surface. The deicing fluid melts the frozen precipitation by lowering its freezing point. Anti-icing involves the application of an anti-icing fluid onto a surface before ice is present, thereby lowering the freezing point of any precipitation that contacts the surface and preventing it from turning into ice. Some fluids are useful for both de-icing and anti-icing, while others are particularly useful for one or the other.
In a particular application, deicing/anti-icing fluids are used in the airline industry. Aircraft deicing fluids (ADF) are formulated to remove ice, snow and frost from the exterior surfaces of aircraft. They are also formulated to flow easily from the aircraft surfaces during takeoff and to minimize effects on aerodynamic performance at low temperatures. Runway deicing fluids (RDF) are formulated to deice and anti-ice airport runways and taxiways. They penetrate and break the bond between packed snow and ice and the runway/taxiway surface, thus facilitating the removal of the frozen accumulation by mechanical means. They also decrease the potential for ice formation on the runway/taxiway.
Aircraft deicing fluids are usually composed of water, a freezing point depressant, and an additive package. The freezing point depressant is typically ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, or propylene glycol. The glycol-based fluids are effective deicers, but they are often considered to be harmful to the environment, particularly if applied in large volumes. Consequently, there is a need for environmentally friendly deicing/anti-icing fluids that perform comparably to the glycol-based fluids.
The additive packages of aircraft deicing fluids usually include wetting agents, pH buffers, antioxidants, antiprecipitation agents, dyes, foam suppressors, and in many cases corrosion control and fire inhibitors. The wetting agents of choice of aircraft deicing fluids are nonylphenol ethoxylates such as octylphenol ethoxylates and alcohol ethoxylates. The nonylphenol ethoxylates are low-cost, nonionic wetting agents that reduce surface tension and are characterized by low foaming potential. However, one of their breakdown products, nonylphenol, is a known endocrine disruptor and could present a danger to the receiving water from an airport engaged in aircraft deicing operations. (Corsi, Steven R., et al. "Nonylphenol Ethoxylates and Other Additives in Aircraft Deicers, Antiicers, and Waters Receiving Airport Runoff," Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 37, No. 18, 2003, pp. 4031–4037.) Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide improved wetting agents for deicing/anti-icing fluids.
Several patents disclose aircraft deicing/anti-icing fluids containing sorbitol and/or glycerol as a freezing point depressant instead of a glycol. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,857 to Sapienza discloses aircraft deicing/anti-icing fluids containing sorbitol, water and other ingredients. U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,684 to Back et al. discloses aircraft deicing fluids containing glycerol, sorbitol and water, and optionally materials such as thickeners, antioxidants, pH adjusters, stabilizers, biocides, or corrosion inhibitors. International Patent Publication No. WO 01/29146 A1 to Westmark et al. discloses aircraft deicing fluids containing glycerol, nonionic surfactant, polysaccharide thickener, and water. There is still a need for improved deicing/anti-icing fluids.