A technique for managing processor cores within a multi-core central processing unit (CPU) provides efficient power and resource utilization over a wide workload range. The CPU comprises at least one core designed for low power operation and at least one core designed for high performance operation. For low workloads, the low power core executes the workload. For certain higher workloads, the high performance core executes the workload. For certain other workloads, the low power core and the high performance core both share execution of the workload. This technique advantageously enables efficient processing over a wider range of workloads than conventional systems.

Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to multiprocessor computer systems and, more specifically, to a heterogeneous multiprocessor design for power-efficient and area-efficient computing.
Description of the Related Art
Battery-powered mobile computing platforms have become increasingly important in recent years, intensifying the need for efficient, low power systems that deliver highly scalable computational capacity with diminishing cost. A typical mobile device may need to operate over a wide performance range, according to workload requirements. Different performance ranges are conventionally mapped to a different operating mode, with power consumption proportionally related to performance within a given operating mode. In a low-power sleep mode, the mobile device may provide a small amount of computational capacity, such as to maintain radio contact with a cellular tower. In an active mode, the mobile device may provide low-latency response to user input, for example via a window manager. Many operations associated with typical applications execute with satisfactory performance in an active mode. In a high-performance mode, the mobile device needs to provide peak computational capacity, such as to execute a real-time game or perform transient user-interface operations. Active mode and high-performance mode typically require progressively increasing power consumption.
A number of techniques have been developed to improve both performance and power efficiency for mobile devices. Such techniques include reducing device parasitic loads by reducing device size, reducing operating and threshold voltages, trading off performance for power-efficiency, and adding different circuit configurations tuned to operate well under certain operating modes.
In one example, a mobile device processor complex comprises a low-power, but low-performance processor and a high-performance, but high-power processor. In idle and low activity active modes, the low-power processor is more power efficient at lower performance levels and is therefore selected for execution, while in high-performance modes, the high-performance processor is more power efficient and is therefore selected for execution of larger workloads. In this scenario, the trade-off space includes a cost component since the mobile device carries a cost burden of two processors, where only one processor can be active at a time. While such a processor complex enables both low power operation and high-performance operation, the processor complex makes inefficient use of expensive resources.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is a more efficient technique for accommodating a wide range of different workloads.

Heterogeneous multiprocessor design for power-efficient and area-efficient computing


An object is to provide a semiconductor device which can store data even after the application of power supply voltage is stopped, a manufacturing method thereof, or a driving method thereof. Data stored in a first circuit portion is transmitted to a second circuit portion, the data is stored in the second circuit portion in a period during which the application of power supply voltage is stopped, and data corresponding to the data is transmitted to the first circuit portion at the time of applying power supply voltage again. With such a configuration, a semiconductor device can store data even in a period during which the application of the power supply voltage is stopped. In particular, the second circuit portion includes a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, whereby the data can be accurately stored.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturing method. In particular, the present invention relates to, for example, a semiconductor device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a power storage device, a driving method thereof, or a manufacturing method thereof. The present invention relates to, for example, a semiconductor device, a display device, or a light-emitting device each including an oxide semiconductor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Patent Document 1 discloses a semiconductor device provided with a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer over a semiconductor substrate provided with a MOS transistor. Patent Document 2 discloses that a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film has extremely low leakage current in an off state.

Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.


A composition for making a high-refractive-index resin contains a polythiol compound and a compound containing at least two iso(thio)cyanato groups, the polythiol compound having a dithioacetal, dithioketal, orthotrithioformic ester, or orthotetrathiocarbonic ester skeleton. The molar ratio of the mercapto group to the iso(thio)cyanato group in the composition is greater than 1.0 but not more than 3.0. A method for making a resin by curing the composition, a resin prepared by curing the composition, an optical element made from the resin, and a lens made from the optical element are also provided.

Plastic lenses, which are lightweight and unbreakable compared to inorganic lenses and can be dyed, are increasingly used in optical elements such as spectacle lenses and camera lenses. Resins for making plastic lenses are required to exhibit high performance, such as high refractive index, high Abbe number, low specific gravity, high heat resistance, and the like. Various resin materials for making lenses have been developed and used to date. A representative example thereof is a plastic lens made from a polythiourethane resin (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 60-199016, 62-267316, and 63-46213). A polythiourethane resin that exhibits higher refractive index due to an increased sulfur content of thiol used in the polythiourethane has also been developed (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2-270859 and 7-252207).
According to these methods, a high refractive index can be achieved while exhibiting a relatively high Abbe number; however, in order to obtain a polyurethane resin having a yet higher refractive index, a novel thiol having a high sulfur content or a novel polyisocyanate having a high sulfur content must be developed. Despite the need, the development of novel compounds is not easy. Moreover, in order for it to be used in optical elements such as resins for making plastic lenses, physical properties, such as transparency, hue, heat resistance, and shock resistance, other than the refractive index must also be high. Development of a high-refractive-index urethane resin that satisfies all of these requirements is highly difficult.
In a typical conventional process of making a thiourethane resin by polymerization of polythiol and polyiso(thio)cyanate, the polymerizable composition has been prepared such that the molar ratio of a mercapto group to an iso(thio)cyanato group is 1. No examples that investigated the molar ratio and the physical properties of the resin have existed. The reason for this is because when the molar ratio is made greater than 1 using a conventional polythiol compound, i.e., when the mercapto group is excessive relative to the iso(thio)cyanato group, the heat resistance of the resin prepared by polymerization becomes dramatically poor, and the resin may not be applied to optical elements such as plastic lenses. In general, however, high-sulfur-content compounds exhibit high refractive index; hence, the refractive index of polythiol compounds is in most cases higher than that of polyiso(thio)cyanate. Accordingly, if a thiourethane resin can be prepared by using an excessive amount of polythiol, which has a higher refractive index than polyiso(thio)cyanate, a resin with higher refractive index can be made.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily obtaining a high-refractive-index resin.


Apparatus for examining pulmonary function parameters of a patient comprises a rebreathing system (1-6) adapted to be connected with the patient and including a variable-volume reservoir (1), a carbon dioxide absorber (19) in an inhalation conduit (3) and valve means (24) for selectively switching the carbon dioxide absorber (19) on and off. A carbon dioxide meter (25) is controllable to selectively measure the carbon dioxide content of respiratory gas being exhaled and of exhaled respiratory gas collected in the reservoir (1). Volume monitoring devices (17,18) monitory the volume variations of the reservoir (1). A computing unit (30) computes the pulmonary blood flow and other pulmonary function parameters using carbon dioxide concentration parameters measured by the carbon dioxide meter (25) and ventilatory rate parameters are measured by the monitoring devices (17,18).

The pulmonary blood flow or pulmonary perfusion is the rate of flow of the blood passing through the lungs in gas-exchange relation with the respiratory gas contained in the alveoles of the lungs. It is to be noted that this rate of flow is not neccessarily equal to the rate of flow of the blood discharged from the heart, because defects in the blood circulation may result in less than the entire cardiac output reaching the lungs. Moreover, it is not neccessarily equal to the blood flow actually passing through the lungs, because defects of the lungs, such as clogged or collapsed alveols, may result in less than the total blood flow through the lungs coming into gas-exchange contact with the respiratory gas.
Accordingly, the pulmonary blood flow is a measure of the effectiveness of the pulmonary function and obviously is important to examine and measure in patients having an impaired pulmonary function and/or an impaired cardiac function. Of particular interest is the measurement of the pulmonary blood flow in patients having both an impaired pulmonary function and an impaired cardiac function, because many therapeutic methods for improving the pulmonary function impair the cardiac function.
Several different methods for determining the pulmonary blood flow have previously been proposed and have also been practised to some extent. These previously known methods are very complicated and time-consuming, however, and for that reason are not practically useful for clinical purposes. Besides, some of them are invasive. Certain of the previously known methods require that the patient be supplied with respiratory gas that includes non-physiological gases.

Apparatus for examining a patient's pulmonary function


In a cooling system used in cooling of a heater housing box, the present invention presents an apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus capable of changing over a plurality of taps provided in the winding of a power transformer before the output voltage exceeds an allowable voltage range when turning on alternating-current power supply. For this purpose, first resistor 1 for elevating slowly the output voltage of the power transformer when turning on the alternating-current power supply is provided at the secondary side of the power transformer, direct-current voltage V1 rectified and smoothed from the output voltage is delayed by the charging time of a first capacitor, and an electronic controller for operating a tap changeover relay for automatically changing over the plurality of taps provided in the power transformer is started before the output voltage exceeds the allowable voltage range.

Conventionally, this type of apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus has been applied not only in the heater housing box cooling apparatus, but also in the type having a plurality of taps provided in a power transformer designed to be changed over by detection of secondary side voltage. For instance, an example of this type of apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus is disclosed in patent document 1.
The conventional apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus is described below by reference to FIG. 11, FIG. 12, FIG. 13, and FIG. 14.
As shown in FIG. 11 to FIG. 14, heater housing box cooling apparatus 202 for cooling heater housing box 201 includes heat exchanger 203 as a heat exchanger for releasing an internal air to an external air, electronic controller 205 having first microcomputer 204 as a control unit, and direct-current fan motor 206 controlled and driven by electronic controller 205.
Alternating-current power supply 207 supplied from heater housing box 201 into heater housing box cooling apparatus 202 is connected in a primary winding of power transformer 208. Tap changeover relay 209 as 1C contact type relay is provided as a switch element as a tap changeover part for changing over a plurality of taps provided in a secondary winding of this power transformer 208. It is supposed herein that only one intermediate tap is provided.
A normally closed terminal of tap changeover relay 209 is connected to one terminal b of the secondary winding of power transformer 208, and a normally opened terminal of this tap changeover relay 209 is connected to intermediate tap c. A common terminal of tap changeover relay 209, and other terminal a of the secondary winding of power transformer 208 are connected to first diode bridge 210, and full waves are rectified, and smoothed by first capacitor 211, and produced as direct-current voltage V2, which is supplied to direct-current fan motor 206 and electronic controller 205.
In this configuration, from alternating-current voltage E2 applied to power transformer 208 from alternating-current power supply 207, direct-current voltage V2 of about √{square root over ( )}2 times of the output voltage determined by the turn ratio of the primary winding and the secondary winding of power transformer 208 is generated. Direct-current voltage V2 is divided by fourth resistor 212 and fifth resistor 213 as output voltage detectors for detecting the output voltage of power transformer 208, and is applied into analog input terminal AIN of first microcomputer 204. When the voltage of AIN exceeds a first threshold (for example, corresponding to 29 V at the voltage of direct-current voltage V2), immediately first microcomputer 204 commands relay drive circuit 214 to turn on tap changeover relay 209. Relay drive circuit 214 changes over the contact point of tap changeover relay 209 to the normally opened side, and the circuit is changed over in the direction of decreasing the number of turns of the secondary winding of power transformer 208, and the output voltage of the secondary side of power transformer 208 declines along with the turn ratio, and the value of direct-current voltage V2 is also lowered.
Afterwards, due to changes of alternating-current voltage E2 of alternating-current power supply 207 or the like, direct-current voltage V2 is also changed, and when the voltage of AIN becomes lower than a second threshold (for example, corresponding to 20 V at the voltage of direct-current voltage V2), immediately first microcomputer 204 commands relay drive circuit 214 to turn off tap changeover relay 209. Relay drive circuit 214 changes over the contact point of tap changeover relay 209 to the normally closed side, and the circuit is changed over in the direction of increasing the number of turns of the secondary winding of power transformer 208, and the output voltage of the secondary side of power transformer 208 climbs up along with the turn ratio, and the value of direct-current voltage V2 is also raised. In this manner, direct-current voltage V21 varies depending on the change of alternating-current voltage E2 of alternating-current power supply 207, but by operating tap changeover relay 209 depending on the value of direct-current voltage V2, the plurality of taps provided in power transformer 208 can be changed over, and the output voltage, that is, direct-current voltage V2 is controlled within a predetermined allowable voltage range (herein, 20 to 29 V).
The conventional apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus is not only applied in the heater housing box cooling apparatus, but also available in a type having a plurality of taps provided in a power transformer for detecting the value of alternating-current voltage of the alternating-current power supply and selecting a proper tap depending on the detected voltage value. Such conventional apparatus for stabilizing power supply is disclosed, for example, in patent document 2.
Such conventional apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus is described below by reference to FIG. 15 and FIG. 16.
As shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16, automatic changeover circuit 315 is provided between alternating-current power supply 307 to be supplied to heater housing box cooling apparatus 302 and power transformer 308. This automatic changeover circuit 315 detects alternating-current voltage E3 of alternating-current power supply 307, and selects a proper one of the plurality of taps provided in power transformer 308 depending on the detected voltage value, and supplies alternating-current voltage E3 to this tap. It is supposed herein that two intermediate taps are provided.
Automatic changeover circuit 315 is composed of tap selection relays 316a, 316b, 316c, input voltage detector 317 as input alternating-current voltage for detecting alternating-current voltage E3 of alternating-current power supply 307, and relay drive circuit 314. Relay drive circuit 314 selects a proper tap out of the plurality of taps provided in power transformer 308 depending on the voltage value detected by input voltage detector 317, and drives tap selection relays 316a to c so that the selected one may be connected to alternating-current power supply 307.
The secondary side of power transformer 308 is connected to first diode bridge 310, and full waves are rectified, and smoothed by first capacitor 311, and produced as direct-current voltage V3 of about √{square root over ( )}2 times of the output voltage determined by the turn ratio of the primary winding and the secondary winding of power transformer 308, and it is connected to direct-current fan motor 306 and electronic controller 305. Referring now to FIG. 16, input voltage detector 317 is more specifically described. This is the input alternating-current voltage detector for detecting the voltage value of alternating-current voltage E3 in a wide range from nominal voltage 200 V to 250 V. In input voltage detector 317, voltage transformer 318 is connected to alternating-current power supply 307, and the secondary side output voltage of voltage transformer 318 is rectified and smoothed by second diode bridge 319 and second capacitor 320. This rectified and smoothed direct-current voltage V4 is applied to analog input terminal MN of second microcomputer 321. The power supply of +5 V for driving second microcomputer 321 is created by converting direct-current voltage V4 by means of DC/DC converter 322.
In this configuration, when alternating-current power supply 307 is turned on, second microcomputer 321 commands relay drive circuit 314 so as to control tap selection relay 316c to close the contact if direct-current voltage V4 becomes lower than a third threshold (for example, corresponding to 220 V of alternating-current voltage E3), to control tap selection relay 316b to close the contact if direct-current voltage V4 becomes higher than the third threshold and lower than a fourth threshold (for example, corresponding to 240 V of alternating-current voltage E3), and to control tap selection relay 316a to close the contact if direct-current voltage V4 becomes higher than the fourth threshold.
Depending on this command, relay drive circuit 314 closes any one contact of tap selection relays 316a, 316b, 316c, and creates direct-current voltage V3. Later, depending on the change of alternating-current voltage E3 of alternating-current power supply 307, direct-current voltage V3 and direct-current voltage V4 are changed, and the closing contacts of tap selection relays 316a, 316b, 316c are changed over depending on the circumstances of the third threshold and the fourth threshold, and direct-current voltage V3 is controlled within a predetermined allowable voltage range (herein 20 to 29 V).
Further, if alternating-current voltage E3 of alternating-current power supply 307 exceeds the nominal voltage value due to trouble of the power distribution system or the like, and direct-current voltage V4 becomes an overvoltage exceeding a fifth threshold (for example, corresponding to 275 V of alternating-current voltage E3), all contacts of tap selection relays 316a, 316b, 316c are opened. Power transformer 308 is cut off from alternating-current power supply 307, and it is intended to protect from overvoltage so as not to breakdown heater housing box cooling apparatus 302 due to direct-current voltage V3 exceeding the allowable voltage range.
In such conventional apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus for changing over the plurality of taps provided in the power transformer depending on detection of secondary side voltage, when the alternating-current power supply is turned on, in less than a second, an output voltage determined by the turn ratio of the primary winding and the secondary winding of the power transformer is generated. This output voltage is generated before the electronic controller detects the output voltage value and operates to select the tap. Thus, the operation of the tap changeover relay is delayed, and for several seconds at least, the connection is fixed to one of the plurality of taps provided in the power transformer. Therefore, the output voltage determined by the turn ratio of the primary winding and the secondary winding of the power transformer is fixed for several seconds and cannot be controlled, possibly exceeding the allowable voltage range depending on the input value of the alternating-current voltage. It is hence required to control so as not to induce breakage of the direct-current fan motor or the electronic controller connected to the output voltage due to the output voltage of the power transformer exceeding the allowable voltage range.
An easy method of preventing breakage by exceeding the allowable output voltage range is to design in a wider allowable applied voltage of the direct-current fan motor or the electronic controller to be connected. That is, it may be considered to select a component one rank higher in the dielectric strength, or to provide each device with an overvoltage preventive circuit. In these methods, however, the apparatus may be increased in size or raised in cost unnecessarily, and it has been demanded to decrease the size of the apparatus while solving these problems.
When turning on the alternating-current power supply, a large rush current flows as excitation current of the power transformer, and it is necessary to prepare a sufficient power supply capacity of the alternating-power supply. In other words, the facility cannot be used unless the power supply capacity is sufficient, and it is demanded to suppress the excitation current of the power transformer occurring at the time of turning on the alternating-current power supply.
In the conventional apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus by detecting the value of the output voltage of the alternating-current power supply, and selecting a proper tap out the plurality of taps provided in the power transformer depending on the detected voltage value, as the input alternating-current voltage detector for detecting the voltage value of the alternating-current voltage, for the overvoltage exceeding the nominal voltage value generate due to trouble of the power distribution system or the like, the input voltage detector itself may be exposed to an overvoltage. It is hence demanded to control so that the input voltage detector may not be broken by overvoltage of the alternating-current power source.
As an easy method of preventing breakage of input voltage detecting device due to overvoltage of the alternating-current power supply, it may be considered to select a component one rank higher in the dielectric strength, or to provide each device with an overvoltage preventive circuit. In these methods, however, the apparatus may be increased in size or raised in cost unnecessarily, and it has been demanded to decrease the size of the apparatus while solving these problems.
Besides, since the since the tap of the power transformer and the alternating-current power supply are connected only when detecting the value of the alternating-current voltage of the alternating-current power supply, in order to execute various operations in the automatic changeover circuit, the power supply cannot be supplied from the output voltage of the power transformer, and it was required to compose a power supply circuit separately inside or outside of the automatic changeover circuit. It has been demanded to decrease the apparatus in size by solving these problems.
At the time of overvoltage of alternating-current power supply, the power feed to the power transformer is cut off, and the electronic controller, which is the core of the cooling apparatus operating by the output voltage of the power transformer, cannot be operated. Accordingly, in the event of overvoltage of alternating-current power supply, it is required to assure power feeding to the electronic controller.
Also at the time of overvoltage of alternating-current power supply, it is impossible to report overvoltage protective operation to outside, and it is required to report overvoltage protective operation to outside in the event of overvoltage of alternating-current power supply.    Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H5-109172.    Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H11-155135.

Apparatus for stabilizing power supply of heater housing box cooling apparatus


A charge pump DC/DC converter circuit of the present invention includes: a monitor circuit that detects a potential difference between terminals of a semiconductor switch that turns on during a first period, so as to output a determining signal corresponding to the potential difference; and each of drive circuits that outputs a drive signal to a semiconductor switch that turns on during a first period, in response to the determining signal. The drive signal increases the on-resistance of the semiconductor switch in proportion to the detected potential difference.

An example of a conventional charge pump DC/DC converter circuit is shown in FIG. 34. This circuit is a double step-up charge pump circuit that outputs a voltage twice as much as a power source voltage Vin. As shown in the figure, the DC/DC converter includes a charge pump SW circuit 55, drive circuits 51–54, step-up capacitor C51, and an output capacitor C52. The charge pump SW circuit 55 is made of semiconductor switches Q51–Q54 each being a MOS transistor. The transistors Q51–Q54 are turned on and off by the respective drive circuits 51–54. The drive circuits 51–54 are controlled by externally-supplied signals 51a–54a, respectively. It is noted that "SW" indicates a switch, unless otherwise stated.
When the charge pump performs the step-up, the following two operations (i) and (ii) are repeated: (i) the semiconductor switches Q52 and Q54 are turned on while the switches Q51 and Q53 are turned off, so that the capacitor C51 is charged up to the power source voltage Vin, and (ii) the switches Q51 and Q53 are turned on while the switches Q52 and Q54 are turned off, so that the capacitor C52 is charged up to a voltage which is the sum of the voltage of the capacitor C51 and the power source voltage Vin, and as a result an output voltage is obtained.
The above-described conventional DC/DC converter circuit is disadvantageous in that a rush current or a peak current flows when the step-up operation is carried out while the capacitors C51 or C52 is not sufficiently charged, thereby exerting an adverse effect on other devices.
The details of the above will be given. A charge pump circuit 5 includes a charge pump SW circuit 55 and drive circuits 51–54. In accordance with signals supplied to the drive circuits, the drive circuits drive the charge pump SW circuit 55.
FIG. 34 shows a circuit which is generally termed "doubler". This doubler includes two capacitors (C51 and C52) and fours switches (Q51, Q52, Q53, and Q54). The doubler is switched between two states.
In one state, the output voltages of the drive circuits 51, 53, and 54 are at H (high) level, while the output voltage of the drive circuit 52 is at L (Low) level. Also, the switches Q51 and Q53 are turned off while the switches Q52 and Q54 are turned on, so that the capacitor C51 is charged. In this state, the capacitor C51 is charged up to the power source voltage Vin.
In the other state, the levels of the output voltages of the respective drive circuits are inverted. That is, the output voltages of the drive circuits 51, 53, and 54 are at L (Low) level, while the output voltage of the drive circuit 52 is at H (High) level. Also, the switches Q51 and Q53 are turned on while the switches Q52 and Q54 are turned off. As a result, the capacitor C52 is charged up to the sum of the voltage of the C51 and the power source voltage Vin.
The aforesaid two states are repeatedly alternated so that the resultant output voltage is twice as high as the power source voltage Vin.
In FIG. 34, in a case where (i) the capacitor C51 in the early stage of operation has not have sufficient electric charges, (ii) the switches Q51 and Q53 are turned off and (iii) the switches Q52 and Q4 are turned on, the power source voltage Vin is connected with the capacitor C51. As a result, an extremely large charging current flows. Such an extremely large current that flows in the early stage of operation is termed rush current.
Meanwhile, assume that the switches Q51 and Q53 are turned on and the switches Q52 and Q54 are turned off, while either the capacitor C52 in the early stage of operation has not had sufficient electric charges or the accumulated electric charges in the capacitor C52 are discharged on account of the load fluctuation and hence the output voltage decreases. In such a case, the capacitors C51 and C52 are connected to each other. As a result, an extremely high peak current flows.
Since the charge pump circuit is a power source circuit, the output terminal thereof is connected to another circuit. Also, the primary source side (Vin) of the charge pump circuit is connected to another circuit.
In a case where the aforesaid circuits commonly use the same power source Vin, the voltage Vin may decrease on account of wire resistance influenced by the rush current and peak current, thereby causing malfunction of the circuit. Furthermore, if a current larger than a permissible amount of the wire flows, the wire for the power source may break down.
As means for resolving the adverse effects on connected devices on account of the rush current, a circuit shown in FIG. 35 has been proposed (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-014218 (published on Jan. 16, 1998)).
The circuit shown in FIG. 35 is provided with a circuit 64 that detects a voltage of the step-up capacitor C61 and a gate drive voltage varying circuit (made up of members 62, 64, and 65) controlling the gate voltage of the capacitor C61, which connects/disconnects the power supply side to/from the step-up capacitor C61. When the voltage of the capacitor C61 is high, the gate voltage is increased so that the on-resistance of the capacitor C61 is decreased. Meanwhile, when the voltage of the capacitor C61 is low, the on-resistance of the capacitor C61 is increased so that a charging current flowing into the capacitor C61 is restrained. In this manner, the aforesaid problem is resolved.
However, assume that (i) the capacitors C61 and C63 are turned off while the switches 67 and 68 are turned on so that the capacitors C61 and C62 are connected to each other, and (ii) the capacitor C62 is not sufficiently charged. In this case, a peak current flowing from the capacitor C61 to the capacitor C62 may be generated. Moreover, it is necessary to incorporate, into the SW circuit of the charge pump, the gate drive voltage varying circuit (made up of members 62, 64, and 65), which controls the gate voltage of a transistor 61 which connects/disconnects the power supply side to/from the step-up capacitor C61. Furthermore, since the gate drive voltage is controlled by a control signal OSC of the charge pump, it is necessary to pay close attention to the arrangement of the gate drive voltage varying circuit (made up of members 62, 64, and 65) and the cycle of the control signal OSC.


A spray apparatus including an airless spray system, a spray gun having an on and off control, and a center spray device coupled to the spray gun for providing a spray, the improvement which includes: a center valve device coupled to the center spray device for turning the center spray device on and off; a first extension device coupled to the spray gun for providing an extension from the spray gun; first spray device for providing a spray attached to the first extension device; a first device for directing pressurized liquid from the spray gun to the first spray device coupled to the first spray device; and a first valve device for turning the first spray device on and off coupled to the first spray device. The improved airless spray system reduces the cost of spray painting with an airless spray system and increases productivity, while maintaining an even spray fan beam.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spray systems and more particularly to airless spray systems.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Related Art
Painting is a very labor intensive endeavor and costs are primarily a function of the painter labor cost. Thus, it is important to increase the productivity of painters as much as possible.
There are a number of ways to paint a surface, such as a wall, structure or house. One conventional approach is to use paint brushes; however this is prohibitively expensive for large structures, because the painter can only apply paint at a rate which is determined by the width of the brush and it is necessary to continuously dip the brush into paint to rewet the brush. One conventional approach that speeds paint application is to use a paint roller; however, this has also proven to be relatively costly for painting large structures and has the same shortcoming that the roller must be continually rewetted with paint.
A conventional approach that does not need continual pausing to rewet a brush or roller is to use an airless spray system, which can be used to spray paint and other fluids. An airless spray system consists of a pump that pressurizes paint drawn from a tank to about 2500 pounds per square inch. The pressurized paint is sent through a high pressure hose to a spray gun with a single spray tip nozzle, which has a trigger controlled by the painter. The painter points the spray gun at the surface to be painted, activates the spray gun trigger, and moves the spray gun in a sweeping motion covering the surface with paint. The speed at which the painter can move the fan of paint spray across the surface is a function of the amount of paint that must be applied and the width of the fan beam of paint spray from the single spray tip nozzle.
There is a numbering system for spray tips, which are nozzles placed on the spray gun, that indicates the width of the fan beam and the size of the opening in the nozzle. The width of the fan beam is the width of the paint spray fan beam on a surface one foot from the spray gun nozzle. The size of the opening in the nozzle indicates the paint flow rate from the spray tip. A larger size opening in a spray tip increases the paint flow rate that exits the opening.
For example, a 513 spray tip has a nominal fan beam width of 2 times 5=10 inches at a foot away from the surface and has a 0.013 inch size opening. A 515 spray tip has the same fan beam width as a 513; however, a 515 has a larger opening and therefore the paint flow rate will be higher. A 619 spray tip has a nominal 12 inch fan beam width when spraying 12 inches from the surface and a nozzle opening of 0.019 inches. The painter selects a spray tip that is appropriate for each type of painting. A 619 spray tip may be appropriate to paint a large concrete wall; however, a 513 spray tip may be more appropriate for painting fine furniture.
With the conventional single spray tip apparatus, one approach to increasing the width of the fan of paint spray is to select a spray tip with a larger fan beam; however, in general spray tips all have approximately a one foot wide spray beam. Also, a spray tip with a larger fan beam, such as a 619 spray tip versus a 513 spray tip, may not be appropriate because the spray tip with the larger fan beam may have a flow rate that is too large. A larger size opening in a spray tip increases the paint flow rate; however, the painter does not have as much control with a larger opening as with a smaller opening.
Another approach to cover a larger area with the conventional apparatus is for the painter to hold the spray gun further away from the surface being painted. For example, if a 513 spray tip is held about 3 feet away from the surface, then one would expect that the fan beam would triple to about 30 inches in width; however, the disadvantage of increasing the spray width by holding the spray gun further away from the surface is that more of the paint atomizes and dries in the air and therefore does not reach the surface to be painted, thereby reducing the volume of paint on the surface. This wastes paint and actually slows down the painter, because to obtain the proper volume of paint on the entire surface, the painter will have to move the spray gun slower. Therefore, moving back from the surface is not a solution to increasing the fan beam width and thereby the productivity of the painter.
Another approach to cover a larger area with the conventional apparatus is to use a dual spray nozzle, which is a device that has two spray nozzles immediately adjacent to the spray gun. In one device the nozzles can swivel 90 degrees from center. For example, the two spray nozzles can be swiveled to 30 degrees off center, which would cover a larger area than a single nozzle. However, the shortcoming with this design is that there is too much paint sprayed near the center of the larger spray fan beam and not enough paint sprayed at the two ends of the spray fan beam. Also, the painter would have less control of the painting due to the unevenness of the spray fan beam.
The conventional spray gun, while an improvement over paint brushes and paint rollers, still limits the productivity of painters.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a paint spray system and approach that reduces the cost of spray painting with an airless spray system and increases productivity, while maintaining an even spray fan beam.

Spray apparatus for an airless spray system


A method of temporarily displaying information by an electronic price label which avoids resending previously-displayed information. The method implemented by the electronic price label includes receiving a first message containing a first command to display first contents of a first memory area identified by a first memory locator, storing a second memory locator identifying a second memory area containing second memory contents currently being displayed in a third memory area, receiving a second message containing a second command to redisplay the second contents of the second memory area, reading the second memory locator from the third memory area, reading the second memory contents from the second memory area, and displaying the second memory contents.

The present invention relates to electronic price label (EPL) systems, and more specifically to a method of temporarily displaying information by an EPL.
EPL systems typically include a plurality of EPLs for merchandise items in a transaction establishment. EPLs typically display the price of corresponding merchandise items on store shelves and are typically attached to a rail along the leading edge of the shelves. A transaction establishment may contain thousands of EPLs to display the prices of the merchandise items. The EPLs are coupled to a central server from where information about the EPLs is typically maintained in an EPL data file. Price information displayed by the EPLs is obtained from a price look-up (PLU) data file and stored within an EPL price change record.
EPLs are also being used to display more than just price information. For example, retailers are using EPLs to display employee-directed information which employees use to manage a store. Employees may be restocking shelves, taking inventory, and performing other store-related tasks using the information displayed by EPLs 22 as necessary.
Examples of employee-directed information include xe2x80x9cPull from Loc XYZxe2x80x9d (pull stock from back room location XYZ), 5 Deep (stock this item 5 deep on this location, xe2x80x9c5 Deep/2 Widexe2x80x9d (stock this item 5 facings deep and 2 facings wide for this location), xe2x80x9c17 in Locationxe2x80x9d (stock 17 of this item at this location), xe2x80x9c4 locsxe2x80x9d (this item is located at 4 different locations within the store).
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a method of controlling display of temporary information, such as employee-directed information. It would also be desirable to temporarily display and resume display of previously displayed information.
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a method of temporarily displaying information by an EPL is provided.
The method implemented by the electronic price label includes receiving a first message containing a first command to display first contents of a first memory area identified by a first memory locator, storing a second memory locator identifying a second memory area containing second memory contents currently being displayed in a third memory area, receiving a second message containing a second command to redisplay the second contents of the second memory area, reading the second memory locator from the third memory area, reading the second memory contents from the second memory area, and displaying the second memory contents.
An electronic price label system includes an electronic price label and a computer. The electronic price label includes a memory containing a plurality of areas, including a first area identified by a first memory locator and containing currently displayed first information. The computer sends a first message containing a first command to display temporary second information from a second memory area identified by a second memory locator for a predetermined time period, determines an end of the predetermined time period, and sends a second message containing a second command to redisplay the first information. The electronic price label receives the first message, stores the first memory-locator in a third memory area, displays the second information, receives the second message, reads the first memory locator from the third memory area, reads the first information from the first memory area, and redisplays the first information.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily displaying information by an EPL.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily displaying information in a particular memory register.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily displaying information in a particular memory register using a broadcast message.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of temporarily displaying employee-directed information by an EPL.

Method of temporarily displaying information by an electronic price label


The present disclosure relates to a surface-modifiable injection-molded body comprising a thermoplastic polymer matrix and second polymer material at least in parts, in which the polymer matrix and the second polymer material have different weight average molecular weights and polarities, and the second polymer material is an adhesive. The present disclosure also relates to a method for its production.

This has given rise to a growing trend toward reducing the number of gluing steps in attachments made of plastic, for instance, by integrating a gluing function into the injection-molding process.
Polypropylene and reinforced polypropylene are cost-effective and frequently used plastics for injection-molded parts. In most cases, due to the apolar properties of the polypropylene, it is not possible to further process or finish the injection-molded parts without pretreatment. Pretreatment is necessary especially in the case of gluing and varnishing, as otherwise the adhesives and varnishes would not adequately bond to the surface.
In what is referred to as "cure on demand," the glue or an adhesive layer is applied to the injection-molded part in a process step directly following the injection molding.
For example, German Patent Document DE 103 49 177 A1 discloses a process for finishing previously molded panels that includes the following steps:                (a) a layer of a solid adhesive type Hot Melt 100% based on reactive polyurethane is applied with a squeegee or a roller to one of the two surfaces of a laminate, a foil or a film for coating purposes, particularly one made of a polymer material or a natural material or technical fabric;        (b) the laminate, foil or film intended for the coating is placed on the corresponding surface of the panel to be finished;        (c) the laminate, foil or film intended for the coating is preheated; and        (d) the panel to be finished is covered with the laminate, foil or film intended for the coating by hot pressing.
Comparable methods may be found in the field of metal-plastic composites.
European Patent Document EP 2 374 593 A1 discloses an injection-molding method for modifying a surface of a molded body of apolar polymer, a multilayer foil suitable for this purpose and a molded polymer part with a modified surface. The method involves back-molding a multilayer foil having at least a first apolar layer and a second layer with one or more surface properties that differ from those of the first layer. Back-molding foils is a technology that is known per se, in which first of all a foil is placed in the cavity of an injection-molding tool or it is spread out on the injection mold. The foil is pressed into the cavity, then shaped to match the form of the cavity. A polymer is then injected into the cavity, whereupon the side of the foil facing the polymer bonds with the polymer. This results in molded parts coated with a foil. Nowadays, back-molding is applied in particular in decor foils, as in the technique referred to as "in-mold-decoration" (IMD).
Moreover, EP 2 374 593 A1 discloses that a multilayer foil with one or more apolar layers and one or more second layers having at least one surface property that differs from that of the first layer is laid into the cavity of the injection-molding tool in such a way that the first apolar layer faces the interior of the cavity while the second layer comes to rest on the inner wall of the cavity. The apolar polymer is then injected into the interior of the mold. The injected polymer and the first apolar layer of the multilayer foil are in contact with one another in the mold and subsequently bind together.
European Patent Document EP 2 664 643 A1 shows a molded material in which a composite material has reinforcing fibers that contain a thermoplastic binding agent.
United States Patent Application No. 2005/163998 A1 discloses a compound for coating reinforcing fibers that have only one polymeric component.
International Application WO 2008/064950 A1 shows a molded part to be adhered to metal or plastic substrates, which consists entirely of a hotmelt adhesive.
Here the second layer of the multilayer foil has at least one surface property that differs from the first apolar layer.

Surface-modifiable injection-molded body and method for its production


Various embodiments of the invention relate to a method for making an article of jewelry, the method may comprise, but is not limited to, mixing zirconia and a binder to form a mixture, heating the mixture, applying a pressure to the mixture to place the mixture in a mold to form a molded body, and applying heat to the molded body in a controlled atmosphere to at least partially remove the binder from the molded body. The method may further comprise forming at least one hole extending completely through the molded body, the at least one hole for inserting at least one stone setting or a housing for the stone setting.

Ceramic materials are characterized by high strength and hardness, good wear resistance, heat and corrosion resistance, and brittleness. One class of ceramic materials includes zirconia (ZrO2) ceramics. The properties of zirconia ceramics have been modified by adding varying amounts of oxides such as Y2O3 (yttria), MgO, or CaO to prepare stabilized zirconia. Embodiments of the present invention provide articles of jewelry prepared with zirconia or stabilized zirconia, and methods of making such jewelry.

Method of making yttria-stabilized zirconia ring


A coating composition prepared by adding 0 to 150 parts by weight, in terms of diorganosilane, of a hydrolyzate and/or a partial condensate of an diorganosilane (b), 2 to 300 parts by weight of a vinyl resin containing a silyl group (c), 0.01 to 50 parts by weight of a metal chelate compound (d), and an organic solvent (e), to 100 parts by weight in terms of organosilane of a hydrolyzate and/or a partial condensate of an organosilane (a), to which are added two or more mols of a type of .beta.-diketone and/or .beta.-ketoester (f) for one mol of the metal chelate compound (d).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coating composition, and, in particular, to a coating composition with superior storage stability which is suitable for forming a coating film with superior performance on the surface of substrates made of stainless steel, aluminum, ceramics, cement, paper, glass, plastic, inorganic ceramic, and on cloth, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years there have been increased requirements for a coating composition which can form a coating film with a high degree of hardness and good adherence, superior in resistance to heat, moisture, staining, organic chemicals, acids, alkalis, corrosion, abrasion, weathering, humidity, and the like.
A portion of the above-mentioned requirements has been satisfied by the provision of a coating composition as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open (ko-kai) No. 135465/1985, comprising a dispersion of a partial condensate of an organosilane with a colloidal silica and a silicon-denatured acryl resin; a coating composition as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open (ko-kai) No.1769/1989 comprising a composition formed from a condensation product of an organosilane with a chelated zirconium alkoxide compound and a vinyl resin containing a hydrolyzable silyl group; or a coating composition as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,721 comprising a composition formed from a condensate of organosilane, colloidal alumina and a vinyl resin containing hydrolyzable silyl group.
However, in coating films formed using the coating compositions disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open (ko-kai) No. 135465/1985 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,721, the glossiness of the coating film decreases on long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
The composition disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open (ko-kai) No. 1769/1989 exhibits inadequate stability in storage and, if its solid content is increased, tends to form a gel over in a short period of time.

Coating composition and process for manufacturing the same


An objective lens is provided for an optical pickup apparatus at least reproducing information for a first optical disc, and recording and/or reproducing information for second and a third optical discs. The objective lens includes an optical surface including a common area including a diffractive structure having a cross section in a serrated shape and divided into a plurality of ring-shaped zones. Refractive index differences between media arranged at both side of the optical surface for a light flux with one and the other wavelength satisfy a predetermined condition, and the objective lens satisfies a predetermined conditions defined by using an approximate coefficient which makes a Pearson's correlation coefficient R satisfy 0.99998≦R when a depth parallel to the optical axis of step differences between the ring-shaped zones at a vertical distance from the optical axis is approximated by a least squares method.

In recent years, there has been advanced a trend towards a shorter wavelength of a laser light source used as a light source for reproducing of information recorded on an optical disc and for recording information on an optical disc, and a laser light source with a wavelength of 405 nm such as, for example, a violet semiconductor laser or a violet SHG laser that conducts wavelength conversion of an infrared semiconductor laser by utilizing second harmonic generation has been put to practical use.
When these violet laser light sources are used, information in volume of 15-20 GB can be recorded on an optical disc having a diameter of 12 cm, in the case of using an objective lens having a numerical aperture (NA) identical to that of a digital versatile disc (hereinafter referred to as DVD for short), and information in volume of 23-27 GB can be recorded on an optical disc having a diameter of 12 cm, in the case of enhancing NA of the objective lens to 0.85. Hereafter, an optical disc employing a violet laser light source and a magnetic optical disc are called "high density optical disc" generically in the present specification.
Incidentally, as a high density optical disc, there are proposed two standards at present. One of them is Blu-Ray disc (hereinafter referred to as BD for short) that uses an objective lens with NA 0.85 and has a protective layer whose thickness is 0.1 mm, and the other is HD DVD (hereinafter referred to as HD for short) that uses an objective lens with NA 0.65-0.67 and has a protective layer whose thickness is 0.6 mm. When considering possibility of circulation of these two high density optical discs in the two standards on the market, compatible optical pickup apparatuses which can conduct recording and/or reproducing for not only existing DVD and CD but also for all types of high density optical discs are important, and a one-lens system that is compatible by using a common objective lens for a high density disc, DVD and CD amount them is most ideal.
With respect to an optical pickup apparatus having compatibility for plural types of optical discs, there have been known technologies to change a degree of divergence for a light flux entering an objective optical system or to provide a diffractive structure on an optical surface of an optical element constituting an optical pickup apparatus, as a method of correcting spherical aberration caused by differences in a light flux wavelength and a protective layer thickness used in respective optical discs (for example, see Patent Document 1).
However, when achieving compatibility for BD, HD DVD and CD, coma of an objective lens caused by its tracking is great, and preferable recording signals and reproducing signals cannot be obtained accordingly, when trying to achieve compatibility only by a method to change a degree of divergence of a light flux entering an objective optical system (hereinafter referred to as an objective lens), because a difference of substrate between respective optical discs is great. On the other hand, when trying to achieve compatibility by providing a diffractive structure on an optical element and by utilizing diffracting effects, high amount of light of 90% or more cannot be obtained because of a wavelength ratio of violet laser light used for high density disc to infrared laser light used for CD. Further, since wavelength dependency of the diffractive structure is determined by the design for achieving compatibility, if a wavelength of each incident light entering an objective lens is varied or changed, wavefront aberration is affected.    Patent Document 1: TOKUKAI No. 2002-298422
The invention described in Patent Document 1 is one to record and reproduce information for respective optical discs by making optical system magnification of the objective lens for each of plural types of optical discs to be 0. In this method, however, a change in wavelength characteristic caused by diffracting effects grows greater, and wavefront aberration is worsened, when an oscillation wavelength is varied among laser lots, although coma is hardly generated by lens shifting in the course of tracking, which is a problem. Further, there is a problem that an objective lens seems most likely to be designed giving top priority to the high density disc, and light utilization efficiency for the lowest density optical disc is insufficient, although light utilization efficiency for CD representing an optical disc of lowest density is improved. Therefore, it is difficult to realize higher speed of recording and reproducing information for the lowest density optical disc which is more specifically CD, which is a problem.
Further, when the technology disclosed in the Patent Document 1 is applied as it is, there are problems that an increase of manufacturing cost for optical pickup apparatuses and worsening efficiency of manufacturing operations are caused.

Objective lens and optical pickup apparatus


In one embodiment a method is provided for maintaining a substrate processing surface. The method generally includes performing a set of measurements on the substrate processing surface, wherein the set of measurements are taken using a displacement sensor coupled to a processing surface conditioning arm, determining a processing surface profile based on the set of measurements, comparing the processing surface profile to a minimum profile threshold, and communicating a result of the profile comparison.

1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to removing material from a substrate. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to polishing or planarizing a substrate by electrochemical mechanical polishing.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the manufacture of integrated circuits, layers of conductive material are sequentially deposited on a semiconductor wafer and removed to produce a desired circuit on the wafer.
Chemical Mechanical Processing (CMP) is a technique used to remove conductive materials from a semiconductor wafer or substrate surface by chemical dissolution while concurrently polishing the substrate with downforce and mechanical abrasion. Electrochemical Mechanical Processing (ECMP) is a recently developed variation of CMP which implements an electrochemical dissolution while concurrently polishing the substrate with a reduced downforce. Electrochemical dissolution is typically performed by applying a bias to the substrate surface performing as an anode, and applying a bias to a cathode to remove conductive materials from the substrate surface into a surrounding electrolyte. The bias may be applied to the substrate surface by a conductive material disposed on, or a conductive contact disposed on or through, a polishing material upon which the substrate is processed. The polishing material may be, for example, a processing pad disposed on a platen. A mechanical component of the polishing process is performed by providing relative motion between the substrate and the polishing material that enhances the removal of the conductive material from the substrate. ECMP stations may generally be adapted for deposition of conductive material on the substrate by reversing the polarity of the bias applied between the substrate and an electrode.
The substrate typically begins the planarization process having bulk conductive material deposited thereon in a non-planar orientation, which may be removed by one or more CMP, ECMP, or combination CMP/ECMP processes. When more than one process is utilized, the bulk removal is designed to produce a high removal rate and produce a substrate surface that is substantially planar before going to the next process (e.g., residual removal). In some processes, various chemistries have been developed to promote a higher removal rate of conductive material with lower downforce applied to the substrate. For example, passivation chemistry promotes a higher removal rate on raised areas of the substrate surface by passivating the conductive material on recessed areas of the substrate, thereby producing a more planar surface after the bulk removal process.
The processing pad performing bulk and residual removal must have the appropriate mechanical properties for substrate planarization while minimizing the generation of defects in the substrate during polishing. Such defects may be scratches in the substrate surface caused by raised areas of the pad or by polishing by-products disposed on the surface of the pad, such as accumulation of conductive material removed from the substrate precipitating out of the electrolyte solution, abraded portions of the pad, agglomerations of abrasive particles from a polishing slurry, and the like. The polishing potential of the processing pad generally decreases during polishing due to wear and/or accumulation of polishing by-products on the pad surface, resulting in sub-optimum polishing qualities.

CMP pad thickness and profile monitoring system


A MOSFET integrated circuit device has a main MOSFET, a mirror MOSFET, a current sensing resistor, a reference voltage source, a comparator for detecting an overcurrent condition by comparing a potential at the source of the mirror MOSFET with a reference potential of the reference voltage source, and a control circuit section for turning off the main MOSFET in case of the overcurrent condition. The device further comprises a group of pads allowing a test of the overcurrent detecting function by application of a test current much lower than an overcurrent. The pad group comprises a first pad for measuring the potential at the source of the mirror MOSFET, a second pad for measuring the reference potential and a third pad for detecting a change in the output of the comparator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an overcurrent detecting circuit, and test system and process for testing overcurrent detecting function. More specifically, the present invention relates an integrated MOSFET circuit having an overcurrent detecting circuit section of a mirror MOSFET, and test system and process for testing integrated circuit devices of such a type.
2. Related Art
A MOSFET integrated circuit device of one example comprises a main MOSFET having a drain connected with an output terminal and a source connected with a ground terminal, a mirror MOSFET, a current sensing resistor, a comparator for detecting an overcurrent condition by comparing a potential at the source of the mirror MOSFET with a reference potential of a reference voltage source, and a control circuit section for protecting the circuit by turning off the main MOSFET in case of the overcurrent condition. The drains of the main MOSFET and the mirror MOSFET are connected together to the output terminal which is connected through the load to a power source. A drive current flows along a path of power source.fwdarw.load.fwdarw.output terminal.fwdarw.main MOSFET.fwdarw.ground terminal.
In a test system used in a fabricating process, for testing the overcurrent detection function of such a MOSFET integrated circuit device, it is required to supply a drive current at an overcurrent level from the output terminal to the main MOSFET, and checks if the main MOSFET is turned off by the overcurrent detecting circuit. In consideration of requirements on the main MOSFET, the current threshold above which an overcurrent condition is judged to exist is set at a high magnitude of about several amperes or higher, near the maximum current which the main MOSFET, and bonding wires of the output terminal and the ground terminal can handle. Application of such a high drive current in a package testing operation is liable to reduce the lifetime of a socket used for connection of a semiconductor package.
Moreover, a probe test of such an integrated circuit device in the state of a wafer is infeasible because a current to be detected as a overcurrent exceeds an allowable current of a contact portion between a pad of the semiconductor device and a probe of the tester. Recently, many semiconductor devices are used in the form of bare-chip mount without packaging. However, the testing of overcurrent detecting function is not possible because of lack of an appropriate way for probe testing.

Configuration and test process for semiconductor overcurrent detecting circuit


A sulky for a self propelled lawn mower, the sulky being interconnected by a pivot frame and a horizontal pivot to the mower frame, and a vertical pivot between the sulky frame and wheels in order to retain the operator in a constant position in respect to the mower under all operator conditions.

Self powered lawn mowers have been in use for a significant period of time. Typically, these mowers comprise a frame having power driven wheels, rearwardly extending handlebars, and a mowing deck. By selectively manipulating the controls on the handlebars, the operator can cause this self propelled mower to selectively go forward or reverse, turn, and accomplish basic mowing functions. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,734 and U.S. application Ser. No. 08/047,101 filed Apr. 14, 1993. In certain applications, for example lawn care professionals, the operation of these mowers is quite tiring due to the fact that the operator must continually walk behind such lawn mowers. For this reason, sulkies may be provided, which sulkies, when interconnected to the lawn mower frame, allow the operator to be propelled by the lawn mower, thus eliminating the necessity of his walking behind same. Examples of commercial sulkies include the sulky marketed under the name Velke as reflected in Velke U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,251 issued Apr. 2, 1991, Sulky Apparatus Attachable To A Self Propelled Power Mower and Herr U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,314, Article Caring Vehicle With Optional Storable Riding Attachment. These prior art sulkies are advantageous in that they allow the operator to ride in relative comfort behind the self propelled mower. The problem with them is, however, when a turn is accomplished, both of them severely inconvenience the operator. This inconvenience occurs because the operator is displaced from his positioning directly behind the handlebars. Further, in at least the Velke patent, it is possible for the operator to be forced off the apparatus due to a jackknifing effect. This limits the utilization and convenience of these prior art sulkies.


This provides an optically transmitting apparatus, an optically transmitting system and an optically transmitting method. This receives an optical signal which is configured in accordance with any one frame format among a plurality of frame formats and includes at least a clock signal and a data signal, and performs an optical-electric/electric-optical conversion on the received optical signal, and extracts the clock signal and the data signal, which correspond to the frame format, from the optical-electric converted signal. This correlates and stores an idle code indicative of a block where the actual data is not communicated and the frame format, reads the idle code from the extracted data signal, identifies the frame format corresponding to the read idle code, and executes a transmitting process in accordance with the identified frame format.

The present invention relates to an optically transmitting apparatus, an optically transmitting system and an optically transmitting method, which can receive a plurality of data sequence frame formats by using one port and then identify therein a frame format and consequently carry out a suitable data transmission.
The optically transmitting system for using an optical signal and carrying out a data transmission at a high speed has been rapidly spread. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration example of the typical optically transmitting system. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of client networks 1, 1, - - - are connected to optically transmitting apparatuses 2, 2, - - - . The optically transmitting apparatuses 2 are connected such that data can be communicated with each other through a network 3. The optically transmitting apparatuses 2, 2 - - - receive or transmit the optical signal through the client networks 1, 1, - - - by using the data sequence frame format, such as Giga-bit Ethernet (hereafter, referred to as GbE), 1-Giga-Fiber Channel (hereafter, referred to as 1GFC), 2-Giga-Fiber Channel (hereafter, referred to as 2GFC), ESCON (hereafter, referred to as ESCON) and the like.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration example where the conventional optically transmitting apparatuses 2, 2 are used as a receiver and a transmitter. The optically transmitting apparatus 2 includes: an optical module 21 for converting an optical signal into an electric signal or converting the electric signal into the optical signal; a client I/F unit 22 for performing a predetermined process on a signal received from a client; a network I/F unit 23 for performing a predetermined process to transmit to and receive from the other optically transmitting apparatus 2 functioning as the transmitter; and a client mode setter 24 for setting to a mode corresponding to a frame format of the optical signal received from the client. The client mode setter 24 is connected through a communication line to an external PC 25 and sets to the mode corresponding to the received frame format before starting an optically transmitting process. That is, when the optical signal configured in accordance with any frame format is received, the setting of the client I/F unit 22 is changed through the client mode setter 24 so as to obtain the mode corresponding to the frame format. Consequently, it is possible to embody the optically transmitting apparatus that can correspond to a plurality of frame formats.
However, the above-mentioned conventional optically transmitting apparatus 2 was required to specify the frame format of the optical signal to be received before receiving the optical signal and then set to the mode corresponding to the specified frame format. Thus, there were problems that a pre-process for actually performing the optical transmission became complex and that a communication trouble caused by the setting mistake resulting from a human error and the like might be induced. In order to solve such problems, for example, through use of the protocol identification method (see to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-083562) there is a possibility to be able to provide an optically transmitting apparatus that can avoid the complex setting process by identifying the frame format in accordance with a header information of the received data and the like and then setting to a moderate mode.

Optically transmitting apparatus, optically transmitting system and optically transmitting method


The present invention provides novel regulatory elements and vectors for the expression of one or more proteins in a host cell. The present invention also provides methods for expressing one or more proteins, such as antibodies, in a host cell. These methods utilize the novel regulatory elements and vectors of the present invention for the expression of proteins in a host cell. The host cells are used for producing various protein products, including but not limited to pharmaceutical proteins, antibodies, variants of proteins for use in screening assays, and for direct use in high throughput screening.

Methods for expression of recombinant proteins in bacterial host are widespread and offer ease of use and purification of the recombinant product. However, use of these systems for the expression of eukaryotic proteins is often limited by problems of insolubility and lack of proper post-transcription and post-translational processing (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,121, incorporated herein by reference). Thus, eukaryotic expression systems are generally used for the expression of eukaryotic proteins. In particular, the pharmaceutical biotechnology industry relies heavily on the production of recombinant proteins in mammalian cells. These recombinantly produced proteins are essential to the therapeutic treatment of many diseases and conditions. In many cases, the market for these proteins exceeds a billion dollars a year. Examples of proteins produced recombinantly in mammalian cells include erythropoietin, factor VIII, factor IX, and insulin. In addition, recombinant antibodies are often used as therapeutic agents. Clinical applications of recombinantly produced proteins, in particular antibodies, often require large amounts of highly purified proteins. Proteins are generally produced in either mammalian cell culture or in transgenic animals.
Vectors for transferring the gene of interest into mammalian cells are widely available, including plasmids, retroviral vectors, and adenoviral vectors. Retroviral vectors are widely used as vehicles for delivery of genes into mammalian cells (See e.g., Vile and Russell, British Medical Bulletin, 51:12 [1995]). However, current methods for creating mammalian cell lines for expression of recombinant proteins suffer from several drawbacks. (See, e.g., Mielke et al., Biochem. 35:2239-52 [1996]). Episomal systems allow for high expression levels of the recombinant protein, but are frequently only stable for a short time period (See, e.g., Klehr and Bode, Mol. Genet. (Life Sci. Adv.) 7:47-52 [1988]). Mammalian cell lines containing integrated exogenous genes are somewhat more stable, but there is increasing evidence that stability depends on the presence of only a few copies or even a single copy of the exogenous gene. Vectors are often unstable, resulting in a decrease in the level of protein expression over time.
Based on overall product yield, expression of recombinant proteins in animals results in higher yields, relative to expression in cell culture (See e.g., Werner et al., Arzneimittelforshcung, 48:870 [1998]; Pollock et al., J. Immunol. Methods, 231:147 [1999]). However, expression in transgenic animals is limited by methods of producing transgenic mammals, variation in production and purity, and the life span of the animal.
Thus, despite continued efforts in the field, vectors for high level, continuous expression of one or more proteins in a host cell remain needed in the art.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Methods and systems of co-browsing may provide for establishing a co-browsing session for a local peer device, generating a navigation window associated with the co-browsing session, and loading a set of bookmarks into the navigation window. The bookmarks may also be dynamically updated based on the browsing sequence as well as shared between participants in the co-browsing session.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to co-browsing sessions. More particularly, embodiments relate to the use of bookmarks during co-browsing sessions.
2. Discussion
Web widgets may support peer-to-peer co-browsing sessions in which two users share viewed pages. For example, a personal computer (PC) user might participate in a co-browsing session with a contact center (e.g., help desk) participant who uses a workstation to guide the user through a process such as an ordering or troubleshooting sequence of operations. While pre-existing approaches to managing co-browsing sessions may be suitable under certain circumstances, there remains considerable room for improvement. For example, although some co-browsing sessions may involve customizable and/or repeatable navigation sequences, conventional co-browsing solutions can lack the ability to leverage such customization and repeatability knowledge for future page accesses.

Dynamically loadable contact center bookmarks in co-browsing environments

International Business Machines Corporation


A detachable food container includes a base plate having a periphery base rim integrally and perpendicularly extended from a periphery side of the base plate; two fold plates which has an end piece perpendicularly and integrally bent on each end thereof; two side plates which both ends each provides a V-shape fork means to engage with the respective end piece of the corresponding fold plate in order to form a hollow quadrilateral frame body which is placed on top of the base plate and bounded by the base rim thereof; and a top lid cover having a periphery cover rim integrally and perpendicularly extended from a periphery side of the top lid cover for covering on top of the hollow quadrilateral frame body to form the detachable food container. When the detachable food container is not used or no food is carried therein, the two fold plates and the two side plates can be detached apart and arranged on top the top place, and that the top lid cover is able to cover on top of the base plate to form a collapse structure having a minimum size and form to reduce the carrying room and storing space.

In today's competitive society, people spend all their time try to move up in the society. People who can well manage their time are usually at the top of class, those who don't treasure their time, are unable to keep up. This kind of competitive environment starts as early as school years, and gets more competitive in the working environment. But still, people need to eat to restore the necessary energy to go further, therefore the most effective and convenient way to have lunch without wasting time is to bring your own lunch. It can eliminate the traveling time between the work place to the restaurant, and the waiting time at the restaurant. That is just exactly what a lot of business people are doing now, having a simple fast lunch, then a decent and relax dinner with the family.
Normally, the conventional food container that the people use to carry their food has a container body and a lid to cover the container body. The container body is usually integrally formed, that is unable to detach and takes large space to store. Therefore, it may not be able to store in the brief case of the businessman or businesswoman. People often need to bring a separate bag especially just to carry the food container that creates great inconvenience.
There are other types of the food container which are made of the paper board or polylone. When these products are first in use, we believe that these types of the food container are very convenience because the paper board or the polylone made food container can just be throw away after used. But now that we are more environmental conscious, we know that if we don't recycle what we used, our forests would be gone, and there would be land filled everywhere. The polylone also has further hazard of emitting poison substance that can be harmful to human health when it is in contact with hot food.
The above described paper board or polylone food container further has the following shortcoming:
Because the disposable food container is conventionally made of the paper board, polylone or thin wood piece, it can not withstand high pressure. When the food container is accidentally pressed or encountered pressure, the food that is stored within the food container might leak out and pollute the carrying bag or, in the worst case, all the documents in the brief case if the food container was originally carrying in the brief case. When the above described incident happens, not only the food is wasted, but also the user needs to find a good explanation on why all his or her works are filled with grease. PA1 two fold plates which are quadrilateral plates each having a length equal to or slightly shorter than an inner length of the first pair of base rims and a width equal to or slightly less than a half width of the base plate, wherein each fold plate further has two end pieces integrally and perpendicularly extended from two end sides of the fold plate respectively, so that when the fold plates are perpendicularly positioned on the base plate, two outer surfaces of two bottom portions of the two fold plates are abutting against two inner surfaces of the first pair of base rims of the base plate respectively, and that a height of each end piece of each fold plate is equal to or less than a height of each base rim of the base plate; PA1 two side plates which are also quadrilateral plates each having a length equal to or shorter than an inner length of the second pair of base rims of the base plate and a width equal to a width of each fold plate, both ends of each side plate each having a V-shape fork means for engaging with the respective end piece of the corresponding fold plate perpendicularly, so that the two fold plates and the two side plates are assembled side to side to form a hollow quadrilateral frame body vertically and upwardly extended from the base plate; and PA1 a top lid cover which is a quadrilateral plate having two pairs of lower straight cover rims integrally and perpendicularly extended from four sides of the top lid cover, in which a size of the top lid cover is equal to or slightly larger than the base plate, so that when the top lid cover is positioned on top of the hollow quadrilateral frame body, four inner surfaces of the four lower straight cover rims of the top lid cover are abutting against the outer surfaces of the upper portion of the two fold plates and the two side plate respectively for covering the interior of the hollow quadrilateral frame body.
As mentioned above, the conventional disposable food container are made of the paper board or thin wood plate. This type of the food container is very convenience because the users do not need to clean the container after used, but instead just throw away the waste. However, we know that the paper board and wood are all come from our natural forest, if people stop using these types of material, then our forest can be saved to last longer for our future generation. Also, if we can re-use our food container, then the trash we generate each day can be greatly reduced, awarding less the burden on our environment.


A method includes arranging multiple semiconductor chips over a first carrier and depositing a first material layer over surfaces of the multiple semiconductor chips, wherein depositing the first material layer includes a vapor deposition, and wherein the first material layer includes at least one of an organic material and a polymer.

A semiconductor device may be damaged during its production and operation. Semiconductor devices and methods for manufacturing semiconductor devices constantly have to be improved. It may be desirable to improve the quality of semiconductor devices and the methods for manufacturing the same. In particular, it may be desirable to prevent semiconductor devices from being damaged during production and operation. In addition, it may be desirable to reduce the production costs of methods for manufacturing the semiconductor devices.


A fuel pump which can suppress fuel bubbles from being sucked into a fuel pressure chamber, and can achieve a stable fuel pressure property. The fuel pump has a pump body formed with a suction passage and a pump operation chamber, and a pressure pump mechanism to pressurize and discharge fuel. The pump body has a lower side wall portion and an upper side wall portion respectively at the vertically lower and upper sides of the inner wall portion forming a suction gallery chamber partly forming the suction passage. The pressure pump mechanism has a valve retaining member having an insertion portion inserted into the suction gallery chamber. The insertion portion has internal suction inlets through which the fuel is sucked from the suction gallery chamber into the pump operation chamber, the internal suction inlets being positioned in the intermediate height area in the suction gallery chamber.

In recent years, there have been proposed two types of fuel injection devices one of which is adapted to directly inject fuel into a cylinder, and the other of which is designed to jointly use the methods of directly injecting the fuel into the cylinder and injecting the fuel into an intake port.
From the point of view it is necessary to pressurize the fuel to the high pressure and supply the fuel to a fuel injection valve (injector) used for injecting the fuel into the cylinder, there has so far been employed a fuel supply system that supplies the fuel at the high pressure which is produced by even further pressurizing the fuel with the help of a fuel pump used for pressuring the fuel from a feed pump.
As the fuel pump for use in supplying the fuel at the high pressure and the fuel supply system of this kind, there have so far been employed many kinds of fuel pumps and fuel supply systems each of which comprises a pump body (pump housing), a pressurizing plunger mounted on the pump body to be reciprocatable with respect to the pump body, and a pump drive cam driven by the rotational force of the internal combustion engine to reciprocate the plunger. The high pressurized fuel pump thus constructed has a fuel accommodation unit with a damper and capable of intermittently sucking the fuel by the reciprocation motions of the plunger. There have so far been also proposed many types of fuel pumps each of which comprises an auxiliary chamber variable in volume in response to the reciprocation motions of the plunger, and a fuel galley chamber held in communication with the auxiliary chamber.
More concretely, for example known is an apparatus which comprises a pump body having an upper portion formed with a fuel galley formed in a cylindrical shape. The pump body has a lower wall portion forming an inner bottom surface of the fuel gallery chamber and formed with an inlet opening through which the fuel is introduced into the fuel gallery (see for example Patent Document 1).
Further, another known apparatus comprises a pressure adjustment valve capable of adjusting the fuel supply pressure from a low pressure pump to a high pressure pump and the back pressure of the high pressure pump, and a pressure control valve capable of adjusting the discharge pressure of the high pressure pump to a preliminarily set delivery pressure. The relief set pressure of the pressure control valve is set to have a value equal to or larger than a saturated steam pressure corresponding to the maximum temperature of the internal combustion engine after the stoppage of the internal combustion engine (see for example Patent Document 2).
Furthermore, still another known apparatus is proposed to enhance fuel introduction efficiency, and formed with a fuel gallery allowing a lateral flow to be formed toward a suction opening to a pressure chamber side by the fuel introduced through an inlet opening and the fuel introduced from an auxiliary chamber when a plunger is retracted. The suction direction of the fuel from the suction opening to the pressure chamber side is set at an acute angle with respect to the lateral flow (see for example Patent Document 3).

Fuel pump and fuel supply system of internal combustion engine


A method for manufacturing an equalizer used to compensate a digital signal passed by a transmission line, in which the digital signal can be presented as a frequency-domain function. The method includes measuring a the transmission line scattering-parameter; performing an integration and a differentiation about the transmission line scattering-parameter, the frequency-domain function, the ideal gain, and an equalizer scattering-parameter to get the component impedances of the equalizer; and manufacturing the equalizer circuit with the derived component impedances.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of an equalizer. More particularly, the present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a transmission line equalizer.
2. Description of Related Art
As the working frequencies of the integrated circuits increase, transmission line signal degradation increasingly becomes the major cause of signal losses. To prevent signal distortion due to the signal losses caused by the transmission lines, a passive equalizer is used to compensate for the signal losses at high frequency.
The passive equalizer is composed of passive components such as resistors, inductors, and capacitors. The passive equalizer operates as a high-passing filter while the transmission lines operate as a low-passing filter. Because the passive equalizer can compensate the high frequency signal losses, the transmitted signal can approximate the original signal, which reduces the signal distortion.
However, the conventional method for manufacturing the passive equalizer can't predict the required component impedances effectively. In the conventional way, various component impedances are tried and simulated to derive suitable component impedances. This method wastes human resources and is not able to compensate for the signal losses accurately.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a new method to manufacture the equalizer more effectively and compensate the signal losses more accurately.

Method for manufacturing a transmission line equalizer


A system for displaying an image where all or part of an image is generated as an aggregation of very small regions uses, a random number assigned to each very small region so as to change the color or brightness of each very small region when uniform random numbers are generated, the range within which the uniform random numbers are generated is specified by the operator. When the random numbers are generated in accordance with a distributed function, the average value and dispersion value are similarly specified by the operator, so that the image can be more realistically displayed.

This invention relates to the displaying of images in computer graphics, and particularly to a method and apparatus for displaying images suited to display an image formed of an aggregation of fine regions, for example, fine lines such as the human hairs.
The image processing technique using computer graphics has been rapidly developed to enable various different objects to be displayed. The images of objects having anisotropic reflective properties such as the human hair and fur cannot be realistically expressed yet, and thus they are now being investigated in various fields.
A computer algorithm for expressing the anisotropic reflective properties is disclosed in Proc. Graphics Interface '88, pp. 138-145, "FROM WIRE-FRAMES TO FURRY ANIMALS" (Miller). This conventional makes rendering of models of furry animals with short straight fur.
There is another publication of Proceedings of Computer Graphics International '89, pp. 691-700, "New Advances in Computer Graphics" SPRINGER VERLAG, in which the human hair is represented as straight hair. Moreover, a method of processing the surface of an object concerning the two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional object is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Gazette JP-A-64-79889.
In the above-given papers, body hairs on a body or head hairs are approximated by an aggregation of short straight hairs, but the actual feeling of the "gloss" which appears when respective lustrous hairs are equal in their direction cannot be represented realistically. Also, the required computing time is too great to be practical.
These problems are assumed to have been caused by the following facts. The development of CG has so far been made chiefly on the anisotropic reflective model itself which has diffused reflection light in macroscopic but aligned reflection light in microscopic, and therefore the investigation has been centered on the development of theoretical expressions and precise or simple analysis of models according to the optical law. In other words, conventional techniques do not effectively specify the color, tone, and brightness for each very small region, or each hair as a unit to be displayed, and does not consider that upon displaying, the outline of an object image should be displayed at high speed for practical purpose even though the display is not a physically strict simulation.

Method and apparatus for displaying images


An arrangement for connecting the terminal contacts of an optoelectronic component to electrical contacts of a printed circuit board using a flexible conductor arrangement. The flexible conductor arrangement has a planar form and includes a plurality of interconnects that are arranged to provide an electrical connection between the terminal contacts of the optoelectronic component and the electrical contacts of the printed circuit board. The flexible conductor arrangement is bent in such a way that, starting from the printed circuit board, it is led around the optoelectronic component and contacts the latter on a side facing away from the printed circuit board.

It is known from DE 100 64 577 A1 to solder the terminal pins of a TO package which contains an optoelectronic component directly to a printed circuit board. Since both the printed circuit board and the TO package are fixed in a common housing (usually a transceiver housing), inadmissibly high mechanical stresses can occur, however, at the soldering points due to mechanical tolerances and thermal expansion.
Furthermore, it is known to connect the terminal pins of a TO package with a flexible conductor (e.g., a flexible flat cable). Flexible conductors are arrangements known in the prior art in which interconnects have been applied to one, both or several sides of a flexible, insulating substrate. The connection between the terminal pins of a TO package and a flexible conductor takes place by means of via holes in the flexible conductor, through which the terminal pins are inserted. Flexible conductors have the advantage that they have favorable RF properties at high frequencies in the GHz range. In addition, they allow compensation for tolerances with regard to the arrangement of an optoelectronic component with respect to a printed circuit board.
An arrangement with a flexible conductor known in the prior art for the electrical connection of an optoelectronic component to a printed circuit board is represented in FIG. 9. The optoelectronic component formed as an electro-optical converter 100 has a TO package 101, in which optoelectronic components such as an optical transmitting module and/or an optical receiving module which emit or receive light modulated in a way corresponding to data to be transmitted are arranged in a known way. The TO package 101 is adjoined by a plug unit 300 for an optical plug, in the exemplary embodiment represented for a SC plug (SC=subscriber connector).
An electrical connection to a printed circuit board (not shown), which is located for example in an optoelectronic transceiver and contains additional electronic components such as capacitors, resistors and integrated circuits such as driver modules and preamplifier modules, takes place by means of a flexible conductor 200.
Terminal pins 103 protrude perpendicularly from a base plate 102 of the TO package 101. The flexible conductor 200 runs parallel to the base plate 102 of the TO package 101 at its end 201 facing the TO package 101 and, in this region 201, contacts the terminal pins 103. The end 202 to be brought into electrical contact with a printed circuit board, on the other hand, runs perpendicularly in relation to the base plate 102. It is accordingly required to bend the flexible conductor 200 between these two ends 201, 202, producing a bent region 203. On account of a minimum bending radius of the flexible conductor 200, the size of which depends on the type of flexible conductor, a certain installation space is required for the bent region 203, which leads to an undesired additional space requirement. It is desirable to arrange the optoelectronic components in a way that saves as much space as possible.

Arrangement for connecting the terminal contacts of an optoelectronic component to a printed circuit board