A MEMS acceleration sensor is provided. In one embodiment, the MEMS acceleration sensor comprises: a frame; a first proofmass located within the frame, the first proofmass including a left side, right side, top, and bottom; an axis running from the left side to the right side at about a median point between the top and bottom; a first flexure running along the axis and coupling the left side to the frame; a second flexure running along the axis and coupling the right side to the frame; a first channel that extends from the bottom up past the axis to a first channel end; a second channel that extends from the top down past the axis to a second channel end; a second proofmass located within the first channel and coupled to the first proofmass via a first hinge and a first gauge at the first channel end and coupled to the frame at the bottom via a second hinge and a second gauge; and a third proofmass located within the second channel and coupled to the first proofmass via a third hinge and a third gauge at the second channel end and coupled to the frame at the top via a fourth hinge and a fourth gauge.

An accelerometer is a transducer that converts acceleration forces into electronic signals. Accelerometers are applied and used in a variety of devices. For example, accelerometers are often included in automobile systems for air-bag deployment and roll-over detection. Accelerometers are also used in computer devices, such as for motion-based sensing (e.g. for drop detection) and motion-based control (e.g. in gaming).
A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer typically includes, among other things, a proofmass and one or more sensors for sensing movement or changes in position of the proofmass that are induced by external accelerations. A MEMS accelerometer can be configured to sense acceleration along one or more axes. Typically, the proofmass is configured in a predetermined device plane, and the axes of sensitivity are referenced relative to this device plane. For example, accelerations sensed along an axis or axes parallel to the device plane are usually referred to as X- or Y-axis accelerations, and accelerations sensed along an axis perpendicular to the device plane are usually referred to as Z-axis accelerations. A single-axis accelerometer might be configured to detect only X- or Y-axis accelerations or only Z-axis accelerations. A two-axis accelerometer might be configured to detect X- and Y-axis accelerations or might be configured to detect X- and Z-axis accelerations. A three-axis accelerometer might be configured to detect all three of X-, Y-, and Z-axis accelerations.
In the MEMS field, using a pressure- or force-sensitive element, such as a cantilever, in conjunction with a strain-sensing element for measuring acceleration, force, or pressure, is known in the art. Accelerations on the strain-sensing element along the relevant axis will put that element into tension or compression, thereby changing the element's cross-sectional area and the resistance to the flow of electrical current in proportion to the acceleration. The change in resistance is measured using techniques such as a Wheatstone bridge to determine the amount of acceleration.
Prior attempts to achieve high sensitivity in acceleration sensors have been plagued by susceptibility to cross-axis, i.e. out-of-plane, accelerations. Thus, there is a need for a high-output MEMS accelerometer that is sensitive in the plane it is designed to measure while being insensitive to out-of-plane accelerations.


A vehicle is disclosed having an automatic idle adjustment system. The vehicle may also include an automatic shutdown system. A method for utilizing the automatic idle adjustment system and the shutdown system is also disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle having a control system. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a vehicle having an automatic idle adjustment system, and to a method for utilizing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A work vehicle, such as a loader, a bulldozer, an excavator, or a motor grader, may be operated to push, shear, carry, and/or spread soil and other material. When the work vehicle is not in use, the engine may be left running in an idle state. Even in this idle state, the vehicle consumes fuel and the engine is subjected to wear.

Automatic idle adjustment and shutdown of vehicle


In a device having a capability of using time data acquired from an external time information generator, a notification unit notifies a user of time information. The notification unit also notifies the user whether the notified time information is based on time data acquired from the external time information generator. Processing performed by the device is restricted depending on a status associated with time information. Although some types of processing are allowed when the device is in a status in which the time information is based on the time data acquired from the external time information generator, the same type of processing are disabled when the device is in any other status associated with time information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device having a capability of communicating with a server that provides time information service via a communication medium such as a network. The present invention also relates to a device, information processing apparatus, and an image forming apparatus, having a capability of using time data supplied from an external time information generator. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of controlling such a device or apparatus, method of controlling displaying information, a method of operating such a device or apparatus, a storage medium, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the art to calibrate an internal clock disposed in an apparatus by using time information supplied from an external device, such as time information provided via the Internet, time information provided using a radio wave, or time information provided by broadcasting (further detailed information may be found, for example, in Japanese Patents Laid-Open Nos. 8-16528 and 2000-131471).
A large number of apparatuses are known which use such time information service. However, most of those apparatuses use time information service simply for the purpose of calibration of their internal clock and do not use time information service in further useful manners.
Nowadays, we have to deal with a great number of pieces of digital information. In dealing with such a large number of pieces of digital information, it is needed to manage the date/time at which each piece of digital information has been produced or changed. When there is a plurality of versions for certain digital data, date/time information is useful to retrieve latest data.
In many apparatuses, the capability of automatically calibrating the internal clock using time information provision service allows a reduction in burdon on users to adjust time. However, there are some problems to be solved in order to achieve higher reliability of date/time information.
Some apparatuses using time information provision service have a capability of allowing users to manually set date/time information used by apparatuses, but some apparatuses do not have such a capability. Even if an apparatus has a capability of allowing a user to manually set date/time, the date/time manually set by the user is not necessarily accurate, because there is a possibility that the date/time is incorrectly set either by mistake or intentionally. Thus, the apparatus operates in a status in which the date/time information cannot be guaranteed, until the date/time is set using time information provision service.
If the time information provision service becomes unavailable for a long period for some reason, there is a possibility that the error of the internal clock of the apparatus becomes too large during that period.
In the conventional techniques, devices are designed simply to achieve high accuracy in controlling the operation of devices. However, in order to properly use such a device designed to operate on the basis of accurate time information using the time information provision service, a user has to have sufficient knowledge of how to use it. Even in such an apparatus, problems can occur if the time information provision service becomes unavailable for some reason (or if the time information provision service is not used although the service is available). In such a situation, a user will be confused about what to do. Devices are not designed taking into account the possibility that such a problem can occur, and devices do not have capability of dealing with such possible problems, which may be solved by disabling some or all of functions of devices during the period in which the time information provision service is unavailable.
The capabilities or functions of devices using time information provision service vary from one device to another. For example, in a case of an image forming apparatus using time information provision service, the design thereof can be made in many ways. For example, in design of an image forming apparatus, a capability of using time information provision service may be simply added to image forming apparatus, or various capabilities of the image forming apparatus may be optimized so that users can user the image forming apparatus in a more convenient manner and so that the image forming apparatus can operate in a more reliable manner. That is it is needed to design devices from the above point of view, to provide devices that can be used by users in more convenient and reliable manners in various environmental conditions.
That is, when a device or a system using time information service is designed, it is needed to more closely analyze the above-described problems that can occur in actual usage of the device, and it is needed to design the device such the above-described requirements are met.

Electronic device and control method thereof


The present invention provides a control system (100, 200, 300) for controlling a single phase induction motor (150, 250) with a main winding (151, 251) and with an auxiliary winding (152, 252), the control system (100, 200, 300) comprising a first bidirectional switching element (101) and a second bidirectional switching element (102), wherein the first bidirectional switching element (101) is arranged between a phase supply input (103, 203) of the single phase induction motor (150, 250) and the main winding (151, 251) and wherein the second bidirectional switching element (102) is arranged electrically parallel to the main winding (151, 251), and a control unit (105, 205) coupled to the first bidirectional switching element (101) and the second bidirectional switching element (102).

Although applicable to any electric motor, the present invention will mainly be described in conjunction with single phase induction motors.
There exist various types of electric motors. A commonly used type of electric motor is for example the single phase induction motor. Such electric motors require only a single phase of AC supply voltage to provide a rotational movement on the shaft of the motor. Further, such motors comprise mechanically simple arrangements. Single phase induction motors are therefore used in a plurality of applications, like white goods, compressors of e.g. air conditioning devices or the like.
Since only a single-phase AC supply voltage is provided to single phase induction motors, these motors usually comprise a main winding and a smaller auxiliary winding. While the main winding is supplied with the unmodified single-phase AC supply voltage, the auxiliary winding is supplied with a delayed supply voltage. For example a capacitor may be provided in the supply line of the auxiliary winding to delay the AC supply voltage for the auxiliary winding.
To start certain motors (e.g. compressor motors) a sufficient starting torque may be required. To increase the starting torque an additional start capacitor may be provided. Such motors may be called CSCR (Capacitor Start Capacitor Run) single phase motors with start capacitor. However, a high starting torque usually also requires or causes a high inrush current.
Accordingly, there is a need for reducing the inrush current in electric motors during start of the electric motor.


A real-time process and apparatus for controlling conditions in a lumber drying kiln include measuring the shrinkage of a sample of the lumber across the longitudinal axis of the lumber and over time. A slope of the curve is analyzed and can be used to determine when a stress peak and stress reversal occurs in the lumber sample. The detection of the stress peak indicates that the drying schedule of the kiln should be incremented to the next drying step. According to the invention, the schedule is incremented in the fastest possible way without degrading the quality of the lumber.

The present invention relates in general to the control of kilns used for drying wood, and in particular to a new and useful method and apparatus for controlling a wood drying kiln which is based on changes of the shrinkage rate in one or more boards of the lumber charge. In accordance with the invention, this information is used to determine internal stress levels in the board which in turn can be used to identify the occurrence of peak stress, stress reversal and reduced shrinkage as the drying rate is reduced after an initial increase of the drying rate during each advancement of the kiln schedule.
Kilns have long been used to dry lumber, in particular hardwood, but also some softwoods, with multiple step schedules. It is also known to periodically change the internal conditions of temperature and humidity in a kiln, according to a manual or automated schedule for the purpose of maximizing the drying while minimizing damage to the lumber in case the moisture content is reduced too quickly.
This balancing of maximum drying rate and the need to avoid damage to the wood, is the subject of several patents and articles.
Presently kiln controls are based on a number of parameters such as electrical resistance of the lumber (U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,144), weight of the lumber (U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,593,890; 4,176,464; 5,226,241; 5,325,604), internal temperature of the lumber, air temperature decrease across the stack of lumber, or length of drying time. All are used to indicate the moisture content of the lumber. This inferred moisture content is an indirect and poor indicator of the internal stresses which are ultimately the key to drying efficiently while providing quality lumber. Further, all of the above methods have weaknesses which reduce accuracy in determining the true moisture content of the load.
Board shrinkage has also been examined by Fortin, et al. in 1994 for example, but it was stated that an abrupt change in slope in shrinkage curves that were used, were due to the occurrence of fiber saturation point (FSP). See Fortin, Y., M. Ilieva, A. Cloutier, and P. Laforest. 1994, "Potential use of a semi-ring extensiometer for continuous wood surface strain measurement during kiln drying." 4th IUFRO International Wood Drying Conference August 9-13th, 1994 Roturua, New Zealand. Ed. by A. Haslett and F. Laytner, pages 329-336. The error in their conclusions were precipitated by the absence of any stress data collected and reliance on the traditional moisture content orientation of drying research. They also did not mention how the data could be used to automate the kiln process.
Fiber point saturation is not meaningful when considering average moisture content. It refers to a time when a cell wall in the wood contains the maximum amount of water but has no free water in the cell lumen. Stress reversal has been recorded to occur an at any board average moisture content between 60% and 30% (percentages in this disclosure are all by oven dry weight). The reason it occurred at about 33% for the researchers mentioned above is that they were using a particular schedule on a species which generally causes stress reversal to occur at about 30%. They did not realize that the abrupt change in slope they observed is caused directly by stress reversal, not moisture content. For this reason, the work of Fortin, et al. 1994, has not helped to progress automated kiln control.
Bello and Kubler (1975) developed a shrinkage verses fracture-strain theory based on the comparison of true surface shrinkage and fracture strain of the material. By knowing the experimentally determined average fracture strain of the material and temperature, a theoretical loss of moisture can be calculated whereby the shrinkage is less than the average fracture strain. When this moisture is lost, a new data set of moisture and temperature set points can be calculated to advance the schedule. A drawback to this theoretical system is that the kiln sample boards would still be used to monitor moisture loss. Another drawback to this method is the need to know beforehand the average fracture strain of the material which is variable from board to board, a reversion back to the traditional manual method. See Bello, E. and H. Kubler 1975 "Shrinkage-strain-control (S-S-C)--A new approach to the process of kiln-drying wood" Wood Science 7(3):191-197.
A second point mentioned in the Bello and Kubler article is shrinkage referred to in a paper by McMillen (1969). In the original paper, McMillen labels his graphs as shrinkage but refers to them in the caption as plastic strain (which they actually are) and not shrinkage. The curves are for released plastic strain of individual layers from a board, not an entire board or gross shrinkage as is measured by the present invention. The destructive, time-consuming method of slicing the board and measuring the released strain was only conceived as a research tool to measure stress gradients within a board and was never intended as a monitoring method.
Hill, in 1975, performed a study to measure "barreling" or "bulging" of the side edge of lumber to infer stress levels. He was never able to obtain repeatable results that could be used as a control device. See Hill, J., 1996, Personal communication, Apr. 26, 1995. Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 15, 16, 17, illustrate Hill's device. Hill also only sought to detection stress reversal, not peak stress nor reduced drying rates. Hill advocated a system which measures the moisture contain difference between the surface and center of the board to obtain a theoretical stress level. He assumed stresses develop after 30% moisture content has been reached. In contrast, shrinkage can develop as high as 60% moisture content. Hill's system thus is not an actual stress level monitoring device.
In Hill's device, a frame 1 includes a centrally located feeler mechanism 2 having a probe tip 3 for contacting the side edge of a board. The frame is held to the edge of the board by screws 5 and the differential between the longitudinal position of feeler 3 and fixed reference plate pins 4 measures the relative amount of bulging or cupping of the board edge.
Although Hill's system is a real-time system, the moisture stress gradient is based on moisture content and the differential shrinkage obtained by measuring the bulging and cupping at the edge of the board, is a strain measurement and does not reveal peak stress points in the board, which is a main consideration and preferred for the present invention.

Kiln control based on changing shrinkage rate


An image forming apparatus of the wet fixing method includes a toner image forming section, a intermediate transfer section including an intermediate transfer belt, a fixing fluid applying section that applies a fixing fluid to a toner image on the intermediate transfer belt and swells and/or softens the toner image, a transferring and fixing section, a recording medium feeding section, and a scanner section. The fixing fluid applying section and the transferring and fixing section are placed so that, when the toner image in a swelled and/or softened state on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred and fixed to a recording medium, adhesive force A between toner forming the toner image and the intermediate transfer belt becomes smaller than adhesive force B between the toner and the recording medium.

1. Field of the Technology
The present technology relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The adoption of electrophotographic image forming apparatuses as copying machines, printers, facsimile machines, and the like equipment has been widespread. In general, image formation is carried out by an electrophotographic image forming apparatus as follows. As a photoreceptor, there is used a photoreceptor on which surface a photosensitive layer containing a photoconductive substance is formed. After electric charge is applied to the surface of the photoreceptor in such a way that the entire surface is charged evenly, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to specific image data is formed thereon through various process steps for image formation. The electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image by using a developer containing toner that has been supplied from a developing section. The toner image is directly transferred onto a recording medium such as a paper sheet, or is transferred onto an intermediate transfer medium once and is thereafter transferred onto a recording medium. Lastly, the toner image transferred onto the recording medium is fixed into place. The fixation of the toner image onto the recording medium can usually be achieved by heating and pressing the recording medium with use of a fixing section constructed based on a heat fixing method, for example, a fixing roller comprising a heating section.
However, there has been a growing trend recently to achieve energy conservation as a countermeasure against global warming. As a natural consequence thereof, a reduction in power consumption required to fix a toner image onto a recording medium has come to be increasingly demanded of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Unfortunately, the heat fixing method presents the following disadvantages. Firstly, a heating section is used inside the image forming apparatus, wherefore the apparatus is interiorly heated to a high temperature. This creates the need to enhance the heat resistance of constituent components, which results in an undesirable increase in material costs. Secondly, image fixation cannot be effected until a part to be fixed has been heated to a predetermined temperature. In this case, the time required for the to-be-fixed part to reach the predetermined temperature, namely, warm-up time, tends to be increased. Thirdly, much time needs to be spent in fixing a multi-color toner image onto a recording medium as compared to the case of fixing a monochromatic toner image. Accordingly, a reduction in time required to fix a multi-color toner image has been sought after.
In view of the foregoing requirements, a wet fixing method has been known that employs a fixing fluid containing water and a liquid which is dissoluble or dispersible in water and produces the effect of softening or swelling out toner. According to the wet fixing method, a toner image is brought into a softened or swollen state through the application of the fixing fluid. In this state, the toner image is adhered to a recording medium, and is then fixed into place by pressurization. The wet fixing method consumes far less power than does the heat fixing method, and is thus of a useful method from energy-saving standpoint. Another advantage is that the wet fixing method does not require a large amount of heat to fix a multi-color toner image. This, in contrast to the case of adopting the heat fixing method, enables a reduction in fixation time. Accordingly, various proposals have been made for further improvements of the wet fixing method.
For example, there is a proposal of an image forming apparatus that, when applying a fixing fluid to a toner image transferred onto a recording medium and fixing the toner image to the recording medium, heats or pressurizes the toner image before applying the fixing fluid, thereby increasing toner-to-toner binding force of toner forming the toner image (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication JP-A 2004-294847, for example). According to the image forming apparatus of JP-A 2004-294847, since the toner forming the toner image is softened to some extent by heating or pressing before application of the fixing fluid, it is possible to reduce the amount of the used fixing fluid. On the other hand, however, in a case where recording paper, which is the most generally used as a recording medium, is used, the recording paper absorbs the fixing fluid in large amounts. Therefore, substantial reduction of the amount of the consumed fixing fluid is not realized as a whole. Accordingly, the following method has been proposed in a lot of documents. That is, the method comprises steps of: applying a fixing fluid to a toner image on an intermediate transfer belt hardly absorbing the fixing fluid; softening and/or swelling toner forming the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt; making the intermediate transfer belt and a recording medium in contact with each other in a transferring and fixing section; and transferring and fixing the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt to the recording medium by adhesive force of the softened and/or swelled toner. According to this method, since the intermediate transfer belt does not absorb the fixing fluid, it is possible to substantially reduce the amount of the consumed fixing fluid, whereas a problem resulting from use of the intermediate transfer belt newly arises. In this method, the intermediate transfer belt and the recording medium are made in contact with each other in the transferring and fixing section, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt is transferred and fixed to the recording medium, and thereafter, the recording medium is peeled from the intermediate transfer belt. However, depending on timing of peeling the recording medium from the intermediate transfer belt, the toner image may be transferred to the recording medium insufficiently, thereby remaining on the intermediate transfer belt. In this case, image defect is caused in a formed image.
According to research by the inventor, what determines whether a toner image is transferred to a recording medium or remains on the intermediate transfer belt is presumed to be, mainly, the amount of the applied fixing fluid, and fluctuations of adhesive force between the intermediate transfer belt and swelled and/or softened toner (referred to as the "adhesive force A" hereafter) and adhesive force between the recording medium and the swelled and/or softened toner (referred to as the "adhesive force B" hereafter) during a required time from when the fixing fluid is applied to the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt to when the recording medium is peeled from the intermediate transfer belt.
FIGS. 20 to 22 are graphs each illustrating a relation between a time after application of the fixing fluid to the toner image and the adhesive force (the adhesive force A and the adhesive force B). In the drawings, the time after application of the fixing fluid to the toner image is plotted on the horizontal axis, and is referred to as the "time after application." The adhesive force is plotted on the vertical axis. The adhesive force A is shown by a solid line, and the adhesive force B is shown by a dashed line. The adhesive force is a value measured by a measurement method described later. FIG. 20 is a graph illustrating a relation between the time after application and the adhesive force in a case where the amount of the applied fixing fluid is more than an amount to sufficiently swell and/or soften the toner image. Since the intermediate transfer belt retains heat or static electricity transmitted when coming in contact with other components, the adhesive force A is somewhat high already at a point that application of the fixing fluid starts. When application of the fixing fluid starts in this state, the adhesive force A gradually increases from a value at the point that application starts because the toner forming the toner image is swelled and/or softened. After that, because the fixing fluid is dried up, and releasability of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt appears, the adhesive force A gradually decreases, and becomes constant. Although the adhesive force B is considerably smaller than the adhesive force A at the point that application of the fixing fluid starts, the adhesive force B increases more rapidly than the adhesive force A when application of the fixing fluid starts. The maximum value is determined based on surface roughness of the recording medium, permeability to the recording medium, and so on, and the adhesive force B becomes constant. In a case where the amount of the applied fixing fluid is large, the maximum value of the adhesive force A is larger than the maximum value of the adhesive force B.
FIG. 21 is a graph illustrating a relation between the time after application and the adhesive force in a case where the amount of the applied fixing fluid is an amount that is not too much nor too little to swell and/or soften the toner image (a proper amount). In this case, since the amount of the applied fixing fluid is proper, the fixing fluid hardly penetrates through an interface between the intermediate transfer belt and the toner image. Therefore, the adhesive force A keeps an initial value resulting from the heat or static electricity retained by the intermediate transfer belt regardless of a lapse of time, and the value is constant. Although the adhesive force B rapidly increases right after application of the fixing fluid because the fixing fluid penetrates through the toner as in the case of FIG. 20, the adhesive force B becomes constant when reaching the maximum value. In a case where the amount of the applied fixing fluid is proper, the maximum value of the adhesive force A is smaller than the maximum value of the adhesive force B. FIG. 22 is a graph illustrating a relation between the time after application and the adhesive force in a case where the amount of the applied fixing fluid is less than the amount to sufficiently swell and/or soften the toner image. In this case, since the amount of the applied fixing fluid is small, the fixing fluid hardly penetrates through the interface between the intermediate transfer belt and the toner image as in the case of FIG. 21. Therefore, the adhesive force A keeps the initial value resulting from the heat or static electricity retained by the intermediate transfer belt regardless of a lapse of time, and the value is constant. The adhesive force B rapidly increases right after application of the fixing fluid because the fixing fluid penetrates through the toner. However, since the amount of the applied fixing fluid is small, the adhesive force B rapidly increases temporarily, and becomes constant at a value lower than the adhesive force A.
For the relations as described above, in order to peel the recording medium from the intermediate transfer belt in a state where the toner image is transferred to the recording medium in the almost complete form, it is necessary to select a period of time in which the adhesive force B is higher in value than the adhesive force A in the time after application. Consequently, it is possible to obtain a high-quality image without image defect. On the other hand, in toner images formed by a color image forming apparatus, monochrome toner images and laminated toner images formed by laminating toner images of two different colors or more are mixed. When a proper amount of fixing fluid to swell and/or soften the monochrome toner image is applied to the laminated toner image, the amount of the applied fixing fluid becomes insufficient, and the adhesive force B becomes lower than the adhesive force A at all times as illustrated in FIG. 22. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the toner image remains on the intermediate transfer belt. On the contrary, when a proper amount of fixing fluid to swell and/or soften the multicolor toner image is applied to the monochrome toner image, the amount of the applied fixing fluid becomes excessive, and it is necessary to design so as to peel between time t1 and time t2 or after time t3 as illustrated in FIG. 20. Therefore, such an image forming apparatus is desired that the adhesive force B is higher in value than the adhesive force A at all times and a recording medium can be peeled from the intermediate transfer belt in a state where a toner image is almost completely transferred onto the recording medium.

Image forming apparatus with fixing fluid application device


A disk driving spindle motor wherein a hub portion having a flange portion on which a disk is to be clamped is supported for rotation relative to a housing body and a rotor frame is attached to the flange portion, the hub portion being driven for rotation by magnetic repulsive action produced between the housing body and the rotor frame. A clearance extending from the outer to the inner periphery of the flange portion is formed between the abutment surfaces of the flange portion and the rotor frame. This structure results in decreased warping of a disk attached to a disk support surface.

Recently, there has been a trend for photodisk and magnetic disk devices to decrease in size and weight and increase in capacity. Popular use of notebook-sized personal computers has made it imperative to prepare spindle motors of small size and decreased thickness, and as the development of operating systems and applications advances, HDD devices (hard disk drivers) are required to have an increased capacity. Further, by decreasing the flight height of the head or by using an MR head, an increase in the capacity of small-sized thin HDD devices may be attained. To this end, it is necessary to minimize the warping;
This kind of spindle motor has a rotor frame attached to a hub formed with a support surface for the disk, said hub portion being driven for rotation by magnetic repulsive action produced between the housing body and the rotor frame.
If the processing accuracy of the top surface of said rotor frame is poor, or if there is a difference in thermal expansion coefficient due to a difference in material between the rotor frame and the hub portion, or if the contact surfaces of the rotor frame and hub portion are adhesively bonded, a deformation takes place in which the outer periphery of the flange portion which serves as the support surface of the hub portion for the disk rises above the level of the inner periphery, and a warp develops in the disk attached to the flange portion, adversely affecting the reading and writing of signals from and in the disk.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


An embodiment of the invention provides the ability for forest products sellers to provide potential buyers with price and availability information about their products, whether or not those products are in existing inventory. It gives the seller control over which products can be pre-sold prior to production or purchase, and control over pre-sold quantities so that the seller may be not committed beyond his capacity to produce or purchase to fill orders and inquiries. An embodiment of the invention provides sellers a means for indicating willingness to sell specific forest products under specific conditions of price, time, delivery, and other terms.

The forest products marketplace is large and complicated, with thousands of producers, wholesalers, distributors, and end users. This marketplace has a vast array of specific products and product features, constant flux in pricing and availability of both the product and transportation, and poor transparency into real pricing and availability of even the most commoditized products. Quality market information is difficult to obtain for those actively shopping and/or selling products in the marketplace. Unlike the securities markets, for example, where price, volume and market analytics are readily available to a wide audience, forest products are bought and sold with unclear notions of their real current worth in the broader marketplace. There is a need for efficient systems that allow sellers to provide better price and availability information to buyers, and to allow sellers to assess the response from buyers.

System and method for displaying inventory and future inventory for purchase


A magnetic storage device and a manufacturing method thereof, the magnetic storage device having grooves formed on a substrate, each of the grooves having a magnetic film formed therein. Since the magnetic head does not contact directly with the magnetic film, reliability of the magnetic disk increases. Moreover, the reproduced output of the magnetic head increases since the space between the magnetic head and the magnetic disk can be reduced. Accordingly, high-density recording becomes possible.

In recent years, in response to the increase in the sheer volume of information to be dealt with, a demand has arisen for higher density and larger capacity magnetic storage devices which record information. Examples of magnetic storage devices that have appeared in response to this demand are magnetic disks and magneto-optical disks. These are widely used in computers as external storage devices since, apart from the fact that they have a high density and large capacity, they can be randomly accessed.
As shown in FIG. 5, the magnetic disk comprises for example a magnetic film 22 made of a magnetic substance such as CoNiCr and formed on an Al substrate 21, and a lubricant film 23 made of lubricant material such as carbon. The magnetic film 22 and the lubricant film 23 are layered in sequence.
Information is recorded and reproduced by, for example, a magnetic head 27 attached to a flying type slider 26. When the contact-start-stop (CSS) method is used and the magnetic disk is not rotating, the flying type slider 26 presses down on the lubricant film 23 since the flying type slider 26 is suspended from a suspension 25. When the magnetic disk is rotated, a constant space 28 of approximately 0.2 .mu.m comes to be maintained between the magnetic head 27 and the magnetic disk due to the dynamic balancing of a floating force with a depressing force. The floating force is the force exerted upwards on the flying type slider 26 due to an air flow between the lubricant film 23 and the bottom side of the flying type slider 26. The depressing force is the force exerted downwards by the flying type slider 26 since it is suspended from the suspension 27.
When information recorded at high density is to be reproduced, it is desirable that the magnetic head 27 be brought as close as possible to the magnetic film 22 in order to increase the reproduction output of the magnetic head 27. Consequently, the smaller the space 28, the better. However, if the space 28 is too small, the magnetic head 27 sometimes contacts with the lubricant film 23 and, since the lubricant film 23 is thin, problems occur such as noise and damage to the magnetic film 22. Due to the fact that the contact between the magnetic head 27 and the lubricant film 23 occurs at portions projecting from the lubricant film 23, it is desirable that the surface finish of the lubricant film 23 be as fine as possible. This allows the space 28 to be reduced without damaging the magnetic film 22.
However, if the surface finish is too fine the flying type slider 26 may stick to the lubricant film 23, making it impossible for the magnetic disk to start rotating.
In order to prevent such sticking, concavities and convexities are formed on the surface of the lubricant film 23. This is done by a process generally referred to as the texturing process according to which, as shown by a partially enlarged view in FIG. 6, concavities and convexities approximately 20 nm high are formed on the Al substrate 21 by polishing the surface thereof after performing anodic oxide coating. When the magnetic film 22 and the lubricant film 23 are subsequently layered on the Al substrate 21, the lubricant film 23 acquires a concavo-convex surface.
However, a problem exists in the texturing process that a sufficient reproduced output is not achieved because an effective space 28 of more than 0.2 .mu.m becomes necessary in order to prevent the magnetic head 27 from hitting the highest convexities.

Magnetic storage device and manufacturing method thereof


A method and apparatus for fluidly coupling a reservoir containing a flowable biomaterial to a mold. The flow of the flowable biomaterial into the mold is controlled in accordance with a first operating parameter. At least one injection condition is monitored. The flow of the flowable biomaterial is controlled in accordance with a second operating parameter in response to one or more of the injection conditions reaching a threshold level. The second operating parameter is maintained during at least a portion of the curing of the flowable biomaterial. In some embodiments, the second operating parameter may optionally include permitting a portion of the flowable biomaterial to be expelled from the mold.

The intervertebral discs, which are located between adjacent vertebrae in the spine, provide structural support for the spine as well as the distribution of forces exerted on the spinal column. An intervertebral disc consists of three major components: cartilage endplates, nucleus pulpous, and annulus fibrosus. The central portion, the nucleus pulpous or nucleus, is relatively soft and gelatinous; being composed of about 70 to 90% water. The nucleus pulpous has a high proteoglycan content and contains a significant amount of Type II collagen and chondrocytes. Surrounding the nucleus is the annulus fibrosus, which has a more rigid consistency and contains an organized fibrous network of approximately 40% Type I collagen, 60% Type II collagen, and fibroblasts. The annular portion serves to provide peripheral mechanical support to the disc, afford torsional resistance, and contain the softer nucleus while resisting its hydrostatic pressure.
Intervertebral discs, however, are susceptible to a number of injuries. Disc herniation occurs when the nucleus begins to extrude through an opening in the annulus, often to the extent that the herniated material impinges on nerve roots in the spine or spinal cord. The posterior and posterio-lateral portions of the annulus are most susceptible to attenuation or herniation, and therefore, are more vulnerable to hydrostatic pressures exerted by vertical compressive forces on the intervertebral disc. Various injuries and deterioration of the intervertebral disc and annulus fibrosus are discussed by Osti et al., Annular Tears and Disc Degeneration in the Lumbar Spine, J. Bone and Joint Surgery, 74-B(5), (1982) pp. 678-682; Osti et al., Annulus Tears and Intervertebral Disc Degeneration, Spine, 15(8) (1990) pp. 762-767; Kamblin et al., Development of Degenerative Spondylosis of the Lumbar Spine after Partial Discectomy, Spine, 20(5) (1995) pp. 599-607.
Many treatments for intervertebral disc injury have involved the use of nuclear prostheses or disc spacers. A variety of prosthetic nuclear implants are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,055 (Bao et al.) teaches a swellable hydrogel prosthetic nucleus. Other devices known in the art, such as intervertebral spacers, use wedges between vertebrae to reduce the pressure exerted on the disc by the spine. Intervertebral disc implants for spinal fusion are known in the art as well, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,772 (Brantigan) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,757 (Brantigan).
Further approaches are directed toward fusion of the adjacent vertebrate, e.g., using a cage in the manner provided by Sulzer. Sulzer's BAK® Interbody Fusion System involves the use of hollow, threaded cylinders that are implanted between two or more vertebrae. The implants are packed with bone graft to facilitate the growth of vertebral bone. Fusion is achieved when adjoining vertebrae grow together through and around the implants, resulting in stabilization.
Apparatuses and/or methods intended for use in disc repair have also been described but none appear to have been further developed, and certainly not to the point of commercialization. See, for instance, French Patent Appl. No. FR 2 639 823 (Garcia) and U.S. Pat. No. 6,187,048 (Milner et al.). Both references differ in several significant respects from each other and from the apparatus and method described below. For instance, neither reference teaches switching the flow of biomaterial between discrete operating parameters or methods of detecting ruptures in the mold. Further, neither reference teaches shunting an initial portion of a curing biomaterial in the course of delivering the biomaterial to the disc space.
Prosthetic implants formed of biomaterials that can be delivered and cured in situ, using minimally invasive techniques to form a prosthetic nucleus within an intervertebral disc have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,429 (Felt) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,220 (Felt et al.), and U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2003/0195628 (Felt et al.), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The disclosed method includes, for instance, the steps of inserting a collapsed mold apparatus (which in a preferred embodiment is described as a "mold") through an opening within the annulus, and filling the mold to the point that the mold material expands with a flowable biomaterial that is adapted to cure in situ and provide a permanent disc replacement. Related methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,224,630 (Bao et al.), entitled "Implantable Tissue Repair Device" and U.S. Pat. No. 6,079,868 (Rydell), entitled "Static Mixer".

Multi-stage biomaterial injection system for spinal implants


A semiconductor device including a conductive substrate, an insulator layer, a silicon layer doped with impurities and forming a first transistor and a second transistor, an isolation volume between said first transistor and said second transistor, and a conductive stud extending from the doped silicon layer to the substrate.

Semiconductor processing has moved towards the production of smaller and smaller devices having greater computing capability. The reduction in device size and increase in power has resulted in a higher density of transistors in a given unit area. Enhanced semiconductor fabrication techniques, such as silicon on insulator (SOI) processing, tend to increase metal wiring requirements due to significant resistance increases in device components such as the transistor source and drain.
Specific applications, such as arrays, are often impacted by the amount of wiring needed to fully enable the application. Wiring in semiconductor devices is generally configured in multiple planes, especially when multiple devices are configured in a dense pattern. Metal wiring in a given plane of the device reduces the amount of real estate available in that plane and can put severe constraints on device performance. These problems can undermine the overall objective to fabricate smaller, more densely packed devices having superior performance.
Prior publications which are exemplary of silicon on insulator process technology include Iwamatsu, U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,821. Iwamatsu discloses silicon-on-insulator technology which is intended to provide more uniform electrical characteristics including a reduction in breakdown voltage. Iwamatsu proposes a device having active layers diffused into the substrate to stabilize the electrical characteristics of the device.
Tyson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,802, discloses a silicon-on-insulator circuit which includes a set of buried body ties that provide a local ohmic contact to the transistor bodies disposed on an insulating layer. This is intended to provide a path for holes generated by impact ionization and also act as a potential shield between the substrate and the transistor sources.
Kang et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,670, teaches a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having buried elements with electrical characteristics. Kang uses a complex system buried electrical elements in the substrate bonding the substrate to the silicon that is to become the SOI region. One exemplary use for the buried elements is as capacitors in memory cells.
However, these publications do not address or resolve many of the problems which arise with increased device density. In fact, certain of these publications, such as Kang et al, add to the complexity of device fabrication without resolving concerns of wiring density.
As a result, there is a need for processes and devices which allow for the reduction of metal wiring in a given plane thereby allowing for greater device performance and greater design flexibility in high density applications.

Bulk silicon voltage plane for SOI applications

International Business Machines Corporation


The invention relates to an orthopaedic clamped connection as a functional element for force transmission in a prosthesis, comprising a tube socket and a tube made of light metal. To increase the dynamic stressability, the contact area between tube socket and tube made of light metal is provided with an intermediate layer which is composed of a low molecular weight carrier material in which at least one lubricant and/or auxiliary is embedded.

The present invention relates to an orthopaedic clamped connection as a functional element for force transmission in a prosthesis, of the general type comprising a tube socket and a tube made of light metal.
Such a clamped connection is described in EP-A2 0 694 295. This document discloses an axially slit tube socket which can be circumferentially tensioned by means of a clamping screw. The socket is adjoined at one end by an annular coupling section which on its circumference has four threaded holes, each to accommodate a coupling and adjustment screw, and on the end face has an annular ball socket to rest against a ball joint of an adjustment body which, in the coupling position, has a projection configured as a multiface pyramid projecting into the clamping region of the clamping screw. The free end section of the tube socket opposite the coupling section is provided on its inner annular surface with a plastic clamping sleeve which can be configured as a separate ring or as an inner coating. The axial length of the plastic clamping sleeve corresponds approximately to one fifth of the axial length of the tube socket. As a result of this design, clamping no longer occurs directly at the end of the tube but at a distance therefrom, so that the tube section lying between the plastic clamping sleeve and the coupling section can be subjected to elastic deformation. In the region of the highest relative movement between the tube socket and tube end, metallic contact between these two parts is prevented by the plastic clamping sleeve. Dynamic flexural tests have shown that this considerably increases the life of said components.
This previously known solution has been found to be useful in principle, but other disadvantages have to be accepted in order to attain the advantages mentioned. Thus, the sleeve as a separate plastic ring requires a lengthening of the adapter and thus higher manufacturing costs and a higher weight. The plastic sleeve itself can have stresses and can be out-of-round as a result of the manufacturing process, which can lead to problems in assembly. When the sleeve is configured as a plastic layer, the achievable tolerances are unsatisfactory; an excess therefore has to be applied and subsequently machined away. Moreover, a plastic sleeve can suppress frictional corrosion to only a limited extent.

Otto Bock Orthopaedische Industrie Besitz- Und Verwaltungs-Kommanditgesel lschaft


Performing an inventory count is provided. A scan of an object is initiated according to a profile in order to perform the inventory count of the object. A scan result is compared with a recorded level for the object to determine if a variance exists between the scan result and the recorded level. A variance analysis is performed if the variance exists.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a computer implemented method, system, and computer usable program code for performing an automatic digital rotating inventory count (RIC) using radio frequency identification (RFID) to facilitate the RIC and detect inventory variances in near real-time.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, production facilities use a standard inventory method known as a RIC to ensure that inventory accuracy is maintained. This standard RIC process requires facility personnel to go from part bin to part bin in order to physically count each part. The goal of this standard RIC process is to compare the physical part count against inventory management records to determine if any variance exists between the part count and the records. If facility personnel discover a variance, then an inventory coordinator is assigned to investigate the discrepancies and to initiate actions to reconcile the differences.
However, this standard RIC process is an expensive manual process that impacts operations, especially during peak production periods. The standard RIC process may create an interruption in manufacturing capacity either by production stoppage or by directly impacting production personnel workload. In addition, a RIC may become outdated and a subsequent RIC may not be performed as scheduled because of the impact on production. As a result, the purpose of performing a RIC is defeated. Consequently, serious impacts to the production facility may occur due to problems associated with unrecognized inventory variances.
Material requirements planning (MRP) is a software based production planning and inventory control system used to manage manufacturing processes. An MRP system is utilized to ensure materials and products are available for production and delivery to customers, while managing inventory levels and planning execution of various manufacturing activities, such as a RIC.
These MRP systems require production facility personnel to intercept a request to perform a RIC and then take action on the RIC request. As discussed above, these actions are slow, manually intensive, and expensive. In addition, these actions result in stoppage of production and loss of use of inventory locations during the counting process. The production facility incurs these negative impacts during the performance of every standard RIC regardless of the presence of any inventory variance. Furthermore, these processes also are subject to human counting errors and often need to be performed multiple times when a variance occurs.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have an improved computer implemented method, system, and computer usable program code for performing an automatic digital RIC using RFID to facilitate the RIC and identify an inventory variance in near real-time.

Automatic inventory variance identification

International Business Machines Corporation


The present invention provides a method for transmitting a non-SCSI command via a SCSI command. A CDB for the SCSI command is provided. The CDB includes bytes byte—0, byte—1, byte—2, . . . , byte_n, in which byte—0 includes an opcode for the SCSI command. An opcode for the non-SCSI command is loaded into byte—1. When the non-SCSI command is not greater than a fixed number of bytes, the non-SCSI command is loaded into at least one byte of the CDB, which includes byte—2. Data associated with the non-SCSI command is transmitted via a data phase associated with the SCSI command.

SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) is a standard interface for transferring data between devices on a computer bus. To attach a computer to the host bus requires a SCSI host adapter which controls the data transfer on the SCSI bus; the peripheral side must feature a SCSI controller, which is generally embedded (i.e., integral to the peripheral) in SCSI devices. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape storage devices, but also connects a wide range of other devices, including scanners, CD-ROM drives, CD writers, and DVD drives.
In the context of computer data storage, Internet SCSI (iSCSI) uses the SCSI protocol over a TCP/IP network in the context of computer data storage. It enables a machine on an IP network (initiator) to contact a remote dedicated server (target) and perform block I/O (input/output) on the server just as it would with a local hard disk. Since an iSCSI target is a SCSI device, all the commands to the target have to be SCSI commands. However, some commands (e.g., management commands) to the target may be non-SCSI commands. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a method for transmitting a non-SCSI command between a SCSI iniatior and a SCSI target.

Methods of transmitting non-SCSI commands involving loading opcode in command descriptor block (CDB) bytes and non-SCSI commands into remaining CDB bytes


A spark plug having excellent load life performance, and a method of manufacturing the same, the spark plug having a connecting portion which electrically connects a center electrode and a metallic terminal within the axial hole of an insulator, the connecting portion including a resistor whose porosity is 5.0% or less.

In general, a spark plug used for igniting an internal combustion engine such an automotive engine includes a tubular metallic shell; a tubular insulator disposed in the bore of the metallic shell; a center electrode disposed in a forward end portion of the axial hole of the insulator; a metallic terminal disposed in a rear end portion of the axial hole; and a ground electrode whose one end is joined to the forward end of the metallic shell and whose other end faces the center electrode so as to form a spark discharge gap. Further, there has been known a spark plug including a resistor which is disposed in the axial hole between the center electrode and the metallic terminal so as to eliminate radio noise which would otherwise be generated when the engine is operated.
Incidentally, recent internal combustion engines for automobiles or the like have been required to produce a higher power and to operate with a higher efficiency, and development of a spark plug of a reduced size has been demanded in order to allow free design of engines and a reduction in the size of engines themselves. In order to reduce the size of a spark plug, the diameter of the bore of the insulator must be decreased. However, in the case of a spark plug designed in a conventional manner, decreasing the diameter of the insulator may deteriorate load life performance and decrease the fixing strength of the metallic terminal to the insulator.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2009-245716 discloses a spark plug which can solve such a problem. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2009-245716, there is recited a "spark plug characterized in that the diameter D of the electrically conductive glass seal layer is 3.3 mm or less, and the joint surface between the electrically conductive glass seal layer and the resistor is formed to have a curved shape." Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) No. 2009-245716 states that, the invention can provide a "spark plug which is enhanced in adhesion between the resistor and the electrically conductive glass seal layer, which is excellent in vibration resistance and load life performance of the resistor, and which has a reduced diameter" (see paragraph 0012).

Spark plug and manufacturing method for same


A reactor comprises a cylindrical body (1) with a lower cylindrical portion (5) and an upper cylindrical portion (6) of greater diameter than the lower portion, mutually connected by a connecting ring (7), a filtering ring (2) arranged in the lower part of the upper portion (6) and supported by the connecting ring (7), and an inner cylindrical member (3) having, at the lower end thereof, a flange (8) bearing on the filtering ring (7) and providing a gap (9) between the outer periphery of the flange (8) and the inner wall of the upper portion (6), wherein all the rotary elements are coaxially disposed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reactor intended for the implementation of chemical reactions involving a biomass.
Particularly in the field of water purification, many reactions can be carried out by living organisms that are capable of breaking down various organic materials during their biological processes, e.g., the respiratory process.
Thus, the elimination of organic pollution from aqueous effluents is achieved by maintaining, in vats containing the effluents to be treated, the development of a biomass for a given period of time, at the conclusion of which the biomass is separated by decantation of the liquid aqueous phase.
The term "biomass" refers to a population of living microorganisms, such as microbes, bacteria, or protozoa. In the water-purification field, the active biomass is usually referred to as "sludge".
To implement a purification treatment on a specific effluent, many parameters need to be studied, including in particular the compatibility of the treating sludge with the polluted effluent (i.e., to determine the presence, if any, in the effluent of substances that inhibit the properties of the sludges); the useful sludge concentration; the temperature; and, if necessary, the useful quantity of dissolved oxygen. The corresponding tests need to be carried out in large numbers, and therefore (for reasons of time and expense) at a much smaller scale than the scale of the purification plant.
2. Description of the Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.
Small- or medium-volume model systems are already known that allow the study of treatment by sludge culture in an aerated medium. These model systems consist of an aeration vat, in which the sludges perform the purification in an aerated medium, and which is connected by means of an overflow system to a decantation vat. The sludges that accumulate in the decantation vat are recycled into the aeration vat by means of a tapping or bleed-off pipe. However, these systems have the disadvantage of needing maintenance at increasingly frequent intervals as the volume of the system decreases. In fact, the sludges tend to accumulate in the pipes with small cross-sections that make up the overflow system or the recycling circuit for the decanted sludges, such that the resulting blockages require interruption of the test so that the components can be cleaned.
Reactors consisting of a single aeration/decantation vat exist, but allow tests to be performed only semi-continuously. In such tests, a pre-determined amount of the effluent to be treated is introduced into the reactor containing the aerated sludge. The aeration is then halted in order to allow the sludge to decant, and the treated supernatant liquid is extracted. However, these systems do not allow the study of phenomena that require treatment of a large quantity of effluents, for example, study of the problems caused by an organic pollutant acting through a threshold effect.
Thus, there is still a need for a reactor that allows accurate simulation of the large-scale implementation of a biological process and that allows the study of all of the associated operational parameters.
The purpose of the present invention is to meet this need.

Reactor for implementing chemical reactions involving a biomass


A multi-board assembly includes a main printed circuit board (PCB) assembly that is coupled to at least two secondary PCB assemblies. A positioning device situates the second PCB assemblies in a desired position such that electrical connectors on the second PCB assemblies align with and engage complementary connectors on the main PCB assembly.

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are commonly used in the electronics industry in a variety of products, including computers, servers, and communication devices. Generally, an enclosure for an electronic product will include multiple PCBs which are coupled together using complementary electrical connectors. Such arrangements often include a PCB on which one or more electrical connectors are mounted that must align with one or more complementary connectors mounted on another PCB. When designing such an assembly, particular attention must be paid to PCB manufacturing tolerances which ultimately affect whether a connector on one board will properly align with a complementary connector on another board. Minimizing the effect of manufacturing tolerances has become increasingly difficult as technological advances have led to increases in the number and speed of signals carried by the electrical connectors, which, in turn, have resulted in connectors having smaller and more densely packed pins. Conventional manufacturing practices can hold positional tolerances for standard drilled holes on a PCB approximately in the range of to +/−2 mils to +/−5 mils. This tolerance range generally is sufficiently small to ensure that complementary connectors mounted on two separate PCBs will properly align and engage.
Problems with connector alignment arise, however, with board assemblies in which connectors on two or more boards must engage complementary connectors on another board (referred to herein as a multi-board assembly or arrangement). For instance, in multi-board arrangements having two boards that must couple to a single board, the stackup of manufacturing tolerances can result in hole-to-hole position variations between complementary connectors that are on the order of +/−20 to 30 mils. These large variations make the use of such multi-board arrangements impractical or impossible due to connector alignment problems. Unfortunately, a multi-board arrangement may not be avoidable in designs in which the circuit topology cannot fit on a printed circuit board that can be fabricated from a standard 18 inch×24 inch board panel. Although a printed circuit board can be manufactured from a larger panel, such a solution is undesirable due to increased manufacturing costs and the limited availability of manufacturers that can fabricate printed circuit boards from larger panels.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a multi-board printed circuit board arrangement that overcomes the problems arising from the stackup of manufacturing tolerances and ensures that the connectors mounted on the various PCBs are aligned for proper engagement.

Multi-board printed circuit assembly having aligned connectors

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


This disclosure relates to adjusting individualized content made available to users of an online game based on user gameplay information. In implementations, information relating to prospective usage of the online game is used to classify users according by user type, and content made available to the users is customized accordingly. Information relating to prospective usage may include predictive information such as demographic and geographic information, as well as game usage information for the users. User types may include resource collection, player versus player, and player versus environment. Customized content may include content made available to the users through the users in-game actions, such as exploring a map, researching a technology or skill, purchasing an in-game item, and completing an in-game achievement, including in-game items, in-game powers, in-game skills, in-game technologies, in-game pets, in-game transportation units, in-game units, and in-game buildings.

It is known that within online games, users tend to participate in various aspects of the game and eschew others. These aspects include, for example, a collection/harvesting mechanic in which resources are collected, cultivated, manufactured, etc. Another aspect includes Player versus Player ("PvP") gameplay in which users seek to engage in compete directly with other players within the game (e.g., battling). Yet another aspect includes Player versus Environment ("PvE") gameplay in which users seek to complete "quests" or other tasks within the game to gain points, virtual items, and/or other rewards. In conventional online games, the content available for discovery, unlocking, or winning through accomplishment tends to be the same without regard for the playing style of the users. This may be unsatisfying for players.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Adjusting individualized content made available to users of an online game based on user gameplay information


This invention describes a low resistance contact structure to n-type GaAs and a method for making such a contact structure. The contact structure is formed by depositing successive layers of Ni, Au, Ge, and Ni. A fifth layer is then deposited on the first four layers. The fifth layer is a metallic tungsten oxide. The metallic tungsten oxide is formed by sputtering tungsten onto the 4 layer stack in a low pressure argon plus oxygen atmosphere. The resulting 5 layer stack is then annealed in a rapid thermal anneal (RTA) process. The RTA process heats the stack for 5 seconds at 600 degrees. The resulting structure consists of an intermetallic NiGe compound having a small amount of a AuGa compound dispersed within it and being covered by a metallic tungsten oxide film. The oxygen from the metallic tungsten oxide film acts as a gettering mechanism to create gallium vacancies in the GaAs lattice structure during the RTA process. The oxygen forms a compound with gallium which is sandwiched between the metallic tungsten layer and the NiGe metallurgy. The sheet resistance of the contact metallurgy is low because the metallic tungsten oxide film is substantially thicker than that required to provide oxygen for the gettering process. The contact resistance to the n-type GaAs is low because the oxygen acts in a similar fashion to gold and creates more gallium vacancies in the GaAs. These vacancies are filled with an n-type dopant (Ge), supplied by the contact metallurgy, to create a better ohmic contact. The contact structure is reliable because there is a low gold content in the contact and because the nickel stabilizes the germanium which is not used for filling the gallium vacancies in the GaAs lattice.

Electrical devices built from gallium arsenic (GaAs) offer many advantages over conventionally built silicon semiconductor devices. In particular, gallium arsenide devices operate at higher speeds than silicon devices. This is due to the fact that electrons have a higher mobility in gallium arsenide than in silicon. However, the speed advantage inherent in gallium arsenide cannot be realized unless the electrical signals produced by the individual devices can be transmitted to other devices. Gallium arsenide devices, like silicon devices, must be connected to other devices without impairing the signal transmission between devices. Therefore, transmission of signals to and from the devices requires high quality contacts. This is a particular problem for gallium arsenide because contacts are not as easily made to gallium arsenide devices as they are to silicon devices. Therefore, unless high quality contacts can be made to gallium arsenide, the speed advantage of gallium arsenide over silicon will not be realized.
The electrical quality of the contact to the gallium arsenide device is measured by the resistance (called contact resistance) between the gallium arsenide semiconductor and the contact metallization. If the current flow through the contact is linear with the applied voltage across the contact and the resistance (V=IR) is low, the contact is said to be a good ohmic contact. Typically, the various gallium arsenide devices are interconnected during circuit fabrication by aluminum alloy wiring, although other types of metals can be used. However, merely depositing the aluminum (or most other metals) directly onto the gallium arsenide creates a Schottky diode rather than an ohmic contact. This diode can be made into an ohmic contact to n-type GaAs by doping the GaAs with an n-type dopant. Specifically, the dopant concentration in the GaAs must be in excess of approximately 1E19 per cubic centimeter to create an ohmic contact. This level of doping creates enough tunnelling current through the diode potential barrier that the diode behaves electrically like an ohmic contact. The problem with this solution to GaAs n-type contacts is that conventional doping and annealing techniques of GaAs are not sufficient to dope GaAs to such high levels. Therefore, in order to create an ohmic contact to GaAs, the metallurgy itself must supply the necessary dopants.
Prior art attempts to solve the problem of GaAs contact resistance have generally included a germanium-gold (Ge-Au) alloy layer interposed between the n-type gallium arsenide and the wiring metallurgy. This multi-element alloy is employed to facilitate the incorporation of a dopant into the GaAs lattice. A commonly used ohmic contact to GaAs is based on the eutectic germanium-gold (Ge-Au) alloy (88 weight % Au), in conjunction with nickel (Ni). The compound is typically annealed above the eutectic temperature of approximately 360 degrees Celsius which results in the alloy being melted. The gold is highly reactive with Ga from the GaAs lattice and forms Au-Ga compounds during the annealing process. This leaves Ga vacancies in the GaAs lattice which are occupied by Ge, an n-type dopant. This n-type dopant contributes to the tunnelling current and helps form an ohmic contact even though the doping concentration without the contact metallurgy is less than 1E19/cubic centimeter. The problem with this solution to the contact problem is that, in addition to having low resistance, contacts must be thermally stable. Device processing after the contact formation includes multilevel interconnect processing and packaging. These steps can expose the GaAs device to temperatures of approximately 400 degrees Celcius for periods of a few minutes to several hours. Heating the eutectic based Ge-Au-Ni contacts to 400 degrees after contact formation results in local melting of the contact which raises the contact resistance. In addition to the contact resistance being raised generally, the variance in contact resistance between devices on a chip is also raised. This is because the melting of the contact metallurgy does not occur uniformly across the chip. Therefore, the eutectic based Ge-Au-Ni contact is not a solution to the GaAs contact resistance problem because the processes after the contact formation degrade the Ge-Au-Ni compound contact resistance. Another prior art attempt to produce a reliable contact structure to gallium arsenide comprises a plurality of layers of different metals. Specifically, the contact structure includes a first layer of nickel covered by a thin layer of gold followed by a Ge-Ni layer and a tungsten (W) layer. The gold content in the annealed NiGe(Au)W compound is low compared to the eutectic Ge-Au-Ni compound. The NiGe(Au)W compound is more thermally stable than the eutectic Ge-Au-Ni compound and it still retains enhanced contact resistance. The tungsten is added in order to reduce the sheet resistance of the low Au content alloy. The resulting contact structure is characterized by a low contact resistance which has high thermal stability, smooth morphology and a uniform metal to gallium arsenide interface. These characteristics are essential for providing the improved reliability of the metal to gallium arsenide contact structure. The problem with this particular contact structure, however, is that tungsten has a very high melting point. Therefore, evaporating tungsten onto gallium arsenide is incompatible with VLSI processing of high performance gallium arsenide devices. Furthermore, conventional sputtering of the tungsten onto the identical nickel/germanium/gold layered structure results in contacts with poor contact resistance. Sputtering the tungsten, rather than evaporating it, defeats the purpose of the contact structure.

Oxygen assisted ohmic contact formation to N-type gallium arsenide


A memory device as provided may apply a pulse amplitude modulation method to data (DQ) signal transmission/reception and may scale a DQ signal according to an operating frequency condition, so as to improve data transmission performance and effectively improve power consumption. The memory device includes a memory cell array, and a data input/output circuit configured to scale a DQ signal that includes data read from the memory cell array and output the scaled DQ signal. The data input/output circuit is configured to scale the DQ signal based on an n-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAMn) (where n is 4 or a greater integer) with a DQ parameter that corresponds an operating frequency condition and output the DQ signal. Other aspects include memory controllers that communicate with the memory devices, and memory systems that include the memory devices and memory controllers.

The present disclosure relates to memory devices, and more particularly, to memory devices configured to generate pulse amplitude modulation-based data (DQ) signals, memory controllers, and memory systems that include the memory devices and the memory controllers.
As mobile devices are rapidly distributed and Internet access rapidly increases, demand for high-capacity and high-speed data transmission has been increasing. However, it may be difficult to satisfy demands for the high-capacity and high-speed data transmission when using signal modulation methods based on non-return to zero (NRZ) type encodings.
Recently, research into pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) methods has been actively performed to investigate alternatives to NRZ-type encodings for signal processing methods adapted for high-capacity and high-speed data transmission. In addition, in some memory systems, techniques for storing high-capacity data and high-speed data transmission in response to a data request are increasingly desirable, and research into data transmission-related technologies suitable for characteristics of such memory system has been performed.

Memory devices configured to generate pulse amplitude modulation-based DQ signals, memory controllers, and memory systems including the memory devices and the memory controllers


A compound semiconductor device includes a channel layer of first arsenide semiconductor, an electron supply layer of second arsenide semiconductor over the channel layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode over the channel layer, and a metal film between the gate electrode and the drain electrode, the metal film being insulated from the gate electrode and the drain electrode.

In a compound semiconductor device, particularly in a super-high frequency device such as a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) including an arsenide semiconductor layer over a substrate such as an InP substrate, higher frequency has been trying to be enabled by reducing a gate intrinsic capacitance or a gate parasitic capacitance. As a way to reduce a gate intrinsic capacitance, shortening of a gate length is cited. As a way to reduce a gate parasitic capacitance, it is cited to form a cavity at an interlayer insulating film at a periphery of a gate, and to use an air bridge wiring structure without forming an interlayer insulating film at a periphery of a gate.
However, it is difficult to further improve output characteristics such as a gain by these conventional HEMTs.    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2011-249439    [Patent Document 2] Japanese National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2008-533717

HEMT with a metal film between the gate electrode and the drain electrode


The invention is a catalytic ion exchange resin bed with low pressure drop, low catalyst breakage and low catalyst deactivation as well as an improved process for the production of bisphenol A employing such a catalytic ion exchange resin bed.

This invention relates to a process for fixed-bed reactors in the production of bisphenol A, sometimes hereinafter referred to as BPA, which employs a catalytic combination ion exchange resin bed with low pressure drop, low catalyst breakage and long catalyst life.
Processes for the synthesis of bisphenol A by ion exchange resin catalysis are known (see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,051,079, 4,391,997, 4,400,555, 4,590,303, 5,395,857, JP-A 8 272 972, EP-A 210 366, etc.).
It is known that, in the industrial production of bisphenol A (BPA), a mixture of excess phenol and acetone is passed through a cylindrical fixed-bed reactor filled with divinyl benzene cross-linked sulfonated polystyrene ion exchange resin catalyst. The direction of flow of the mixture may be either downwards or upwards as required. Each of these feed directions has advantages and disadvantages. Where the feed direction is downwards, the pressure loss through the ion exchange bed is a major problem on account of the resulting compressibility of the ion exchange resin used. The spherical resin particles can be deformed under pressure into a lenticular shape, thus leading to an exponential reduction in throughput. Firm compression of the catalyst bed can promote the formation of flow channels so that flow through the reactor is not uniform. Accordingly, the quantity of catalyst used as a whole may not be fully utilized.
A process has now been found in which the catalyst breakage and deactivation rate in the industrial production of bisphenol A from acetone and phenol in a cylindrical fixed-bed reactor filled with sulfonic acid ion exchange resin catalysts in large quantities can be greatly reduced. Because of the reduction of catalyst resin bead breakage and the substantially lowered rate of catalyst deactivation, the catalyst bed requires less frequent changeovers minimizing lost production time while, at the same time, maintaining efficient pressure drop levels.
Hydraulic problems of the type in question have been observed in particular with ion exchange resin catalysts having a low degree of crosslinking (i.e., less than 2%). On the other hand, these very ion exchange resin catalysts represent an optimum in regard to catalyst bead integrity, reactivity, selectivity and maintenance of catalyst activity in the synthesis of bisphenol A.
Although, with ion exchange resin catalysts having a higher degree of crosslinking (i.e. greater than 2% up to about 4%), the hydraulic problems of the low degree of crosslink resin beds decrease with increasing degree of crosslinking, the friability and deactivation rate of such catalysts in the synthesis of BPA also decrease catalyst life to a considerable extent.
The effect of a higher degree of cross-linked catalyst in BPA synthesis is most pronounced in the catalyst at the portion of the resin catalyst bed which makes up the upper layer of the resin catalyst bed and which is initially in contact with the full force of the reactant mixture as it enters the resin catalyst bed. It has been observed that, the catalyst beads with a higher degree of cross-linking, i.e., greater than 2% to about 4%, which are at the top of the bed (downstream case), break to a large extent within a very short period of operation of the resin catalyst bed. This breakage then leads to extremely high pressure drops because the fractured particles clog the flow channels through the bed and severely impede its efficient operation.
On the other hand, catalyst beads with a low degree of cross-linking, i.e., 2% or less, and high intrinsic flexibility when making up the upper layer of the resin catalyst bed which is initially in contact with the full force of the reactant mixture as it enters the resin catalyst bed withstand the force of the reactant mixture influx, do not show perceptible breakage and do not clog the flow channels so that the efficiency of the resin catalyst bed is maintained and the life of the resin catalyst bed is substantially extended.
One way of improving the hydraulic quality of lightly crosslinked resin beds is to cover some of the sulfonic acid groups with cations. Partial covering with xe2x80x94NH3CH2CH2SH or similar systems, as described for example in DE-A 3 619 450 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,089, is particularly advantageous. In addition to embrittlement and hence greater rigidity of the ion exchange resin, a catalytic effect of the groups in the synthesis of BPA is also observed. However, the useful life of such systems is shortened by a factor of approximately 10 compared with unmodified resin systems by deactivation of the co-catalytic unit and is therefore uneconomical. The necessary subsequent regeneration of the large quantities of the sulfonated divinylbenzene cross-linked resin catalyst is time-consuming and expensive and has to be replaced by an equally large quantity of fresh ion exchange resin to maintain the output of BPA.
A resin catalyst bed meeting the long felt need for a catalytic combination ion exchange resin bed with low pressure drop, low catalyst breakage and long catalyst life has now been found. The desirable characteristics of low breakage, less clogging and long catalyst life are found with both attached promoter catalysts as well as bulk promoted catalysts. Further, the shock absorbing layer of ion exchange resin catalyst with a low degree of cross-linking, i.e., 2% or less, causes a rapid reaction of a high percentage of acetone fed into the catalyst bed, thus, substantially reducing the formation of harmful tars and precursers which block the reactive sites on the ion exchange resin catalyst with a higher degree of crosslinking, i.e., greater than 2% to about 4%. This enables the more rigid ion exchange resin catalyst with a higher degree of crosslinking to continue to perform without loss of efficiency for a longer period of time because of the reduction or elimination of tar build up.
The ion exchange bed for producing bisphenol A from phenol and acetone in a fixed bed reactor containing a gel-form or macroporous sulfonic acid ion exchange resin catalyst bed of the present invention is a resin catalyst bed having an upper layer and a lower layer wherein:
the lower layer comprises a resin which has a higher degree of crosslinking than the upper layer, preferably greater than 2%, more preferably, from greater than 2% to about 4%, and which comprises from 50 to 95%, preferably, from 75 to 85%, of the bed volume as a whole and
the upper layer of the bed, which comprises from 5 to 50%, preferably, from 15 to 25%, of the bed volume as a whole, comprises either
an unmodified resin having a low degree of crosslinking, preferably 2% or less, or
a resin having a low degree of crosslinking, preferably 2% or less, in which 1 to 35 mol % of the sulfonic acid groups are covered with species containing alkyl-SH groups by ionic fixing.
The process for preparing bisphenol A from phenol and acetone in a fixed bed reactor containing gel-form or macroporous sulfonic acid ion exchange resins in the form of a resin catalyst bed of the present invention comprises a process passing a mixture of phenol and acetone through a resin catalyst bed having an upper layer and a lower layer wherein:
the lower layer comprises a resin which has a higher degree of crosslinking than the upper layer, preferably greater than 2%, more preferably, from greater than 2% to about 4%, and which comprises from 50 to 95%, preferably, from 75 to 85%, of the bed volume as a whole and
the upper layer of the bed, which comprises from 5 to 50%, preferably, from 15 to 25% of the bed volume as a whole, comprises either
an unmodified resin having a low degree of crosslinking, preferably 2% or less, or
a resin having a low degree of crosslinking, preferably 2% or less, in which 1 to 35 mol % of the sulfonic acid groups are covered with species containing alkyl-SH groups by ionic fixing.
In a preferred embodiment, the lower layer of the ion exchange bed has a degree of crosslinking from equal to or greater than 2% to less than or equal to 4%.
In another preferred embodiment, the lower layer of the ion exchange bed is a resin in which from 1 to 25 mol % of the sulfonic acid groups are covered with species containing alkyl-SH groups by ionic fixing
In still another preferred embodiment, the upper layer of the ion exchange bed has a degree of crosslinking less than or equal to 2%. This upper layer is either an unmodified resin or a resin in which from 1 to 35 mol % of the sulfonic acid groups are covered with species containing alkyl-SH groups by ionic fixing.
Ionic fixing is described in DE-A 3 619 450 or in U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,089.
In the practice of the process of the present invention, it is preferred that the flow of acetone and phenol proceed from above the bed down through the bed. This is the flow pattern conventionally used in the process for making BPA. However, if for any reason it is desired to reverse the flow of the phenol and acetone through the bed, i.e., pass the phenol and acetone up through the bed from the bottom, the benefits of longer bed life, lower catalyst breakage and high yields of BPA can still be achieved merely by reversing the layers so that the resin with the lower cross-link density is on the bottom and the resin with higher cross-link density is on the top. The key is to have the resin with the lower cross-link density cover the surface of the bed through which the phenol and acetone enter the bed to minimize catalyst breakage by absorbing the impact of the full force of the incoming phenol and acetone mixture. Thus, in the description of the present invention it is intended that the upper layer be construed as the layer through which the phenol and acetone mixture enters the resin catalyst bed and the lower layer be construed as the layer through which the reacted mixture exits the resin catalyst bed.
It has been surprisingly found that employing as the upper layer of the resin catalyst bed a resin with a lower degree of cross-linking and as the lower layer of the resin catalyst bed a resin with a higher degree of cross-linking, resin catalyst bed life is extended because catalyst fouling and deactivation and fracturing of the catalyst resin beads are reduced. Further, employing the resin with a higher degree of cross-linking in a preferred embodiment of the present invention as the major component of the resin catalyst bed, provides increased yields of BPA at high production rates.
From the hydraulic point of view, resin beds according to the invention behave as if the lower rigid resin layer were the sole filling of the reactor, i.e. the capacity of the reactor is no longer determined by the hydraulics of the filling, but instead by the acetone conversion which proceeds at a particularly high rate of reaction in the lower crosslinked top layer of the catalyst resin bed.
In addition to its favorable hydraulic properties in the synthesis of BPA, the two layer combination bed of the present invention surprisingly shows the excellent reactivity and selectivity behavior of a resin bed entirely consisting of a lightly crosslinked ion exchange resin type, having a cross-link density of equal to or less than 2%.
In a preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention, a mixture of phenol, recycled mother liquor (consisting of phenol, bisphenol A and secondary products) and acetone is introduced into the reactor from above through a pipe. The reactor is normally filled with ion exchange resin to between 50 and 80% of its total volume. The water-wet ion exchange resin catalyst can be dried or partially dried prior to charging it to the reactor, the advantage being that dried or partially dried ion exchange resin catalyst shrinks during the drying stage and does not shrink during dehydration with phenolic compounds. Hence, more ion exchange resin catalyst can be charged in the reactor and the 2 catalyst layers will not being disturbed during the dehydration stage.
In the lower part of the reactor, there is a layer of mineral material as carrier for the resin bed. The reaction mixture flows downwards through the fixed bed. The reaction solution exits from the reactor at its lower end and is then subjected to further processing.
The feed volume is normally controlled by a pneumatic control valve and a through flow meter. The feed temperature is in the range from 50xc2x0 C. to 62xc2x0 C.; the discharge temperature is in the range from 75xc2x0 C. to 85xc2x0 C. The reactor is operated under adiabatic conditions. Heat losses are avoided by insulation and backup heating. The pressure loss through the resin catalyst bed is measured in the upper part of the reactor. For safety reasons, introduction of the reaction mixture is stopped when the pressure loss caused by the resin catalyst bed reaches 2 bar.
The composition by weight of the reaction mixture introduced into the reactor may vary within the following limits: phenol 75-85% by weight, bisphenol A and secondary products 12-20% by weight and acetone 2-6% by weight.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the catalyst bed is treated more delicately during start-up to avoid breakage of the catalyst. A reactor feed during normal steady state conditions will typically contain up to 5% acetone and 6000 ppm of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (3-mpa) with phenol. During the first week of catalyst start up it is preferred to start with a low acetone concentration and slowly increase it to 4% (e.g., steps of 0.1% every 2 hours). During the next 1 or 2 weeks it is best to keep the acetone concentration at 4%. Next, the acetone concentration can be increased to 4.2%. After operation at 4.2% for 1-4 weeks, the concentration can be slowly increased to 4.5%. After another 1-4 weeks the concentration may be slowly increased to 5%. If this careful start up procedure is used it is possible to significantly extend catalyst life.

Combination ion exchange resin bed for the synthesis of bisphenol A