A self-retaining adjustable diameter bolt assembly including a bolt having a head, a shank, and a threaded end adapted to be inserted into aligned holes in a pair of abutting panels for subsequent coupling to a nut on the blind side of the panels. The bolt includes a pawl engaging one side of the panel in which the bolt is inserted with the head thereof on the opposite side of the panels. A plurality of bushing segments are mounted on the bolt shank, the pawl extending through an opening in the segment adjacent the threaded end of the bolt shank and retained therein by engagement with a slot through the segment while simultaneously being oriented in an operative position therein. A nut, having a skirt portion, is threaded onto the threaded end driving the segments forward and filling the spacing between the holes and the bolt shank. The skirt portion of the nut overlies the pawl and protects the same. The nut can be fully torqued to cause complete radial expansion of the bushing segments in the aligned panel holes before bottoming out against the panels.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to self-retaining bolt assemblies; and, more particularly, to an adjustable diameter bolt assembly for use in aircraft and other similar installations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Self-retaining bolts are well known in the aircraft industry. Such bolts are mounted in one panel and adapted to be selectively coupled to and disengaged from a mating member mounted in an adjacent panel. Such prior art bolts include means thereon for retaining the bolt to the panel in which it is installed so that it can't fall out during vibration or the like even if it is not connected to its mating member and for allowing subsequent easy release therefrom. One type of prior art bolt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,671. In this patent, a self-retaining bolt is disclosed having means for retaining the bolt to the panel in which it is installed without weakening the bolt while permitting easy release therefrom. Such means is easy to manufacture and install, require relatively few working parts and does not require orientation in a fixed direction for assembly.
However, the holes in the panels in which such bolts are installed vary in internal diameter. It is difficult to provide a bolt having a shank diameter that tightly fits in all such panel holes. There is thus a need for filling the spacing between the bolt shank and the hole walls of the panel in which the bolt is installed. Bushing segments are known which are used to fill such spacing, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,820 to Pitzer. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,192,820 to Pitzer, there is disclosed a quick release pin having a plurality of male and female rings or bushings which, when compressed axially as a result of a compressive force applied to one end of the bushings, forces the male rings to contract and the female rings to expand to assume a larger diameter. That is, the effective diameter of the quick release pin can be increased after the pin is installed in a hole or opening in an installation. In like manner, the effective diameter of the pin can be reduced (or returned to its original diameter) when it is desired to remove the pin from the installation. There is a need for applying such bushing segments to a self-retaining bolt, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,671, while protecting the pawl during the torquing of the bushing segments. In pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/816,654, filed Jan. 3, 1992, commonly assigned, there is discussed a self-retaining adjustable diameter bolt assembly including a bolt having a head, a shank, and a threaded end adapted to be inserted into aligned holes in a pair of abutting panels for subsequent coupling to a nut on the blind side of the panels. The bolt includes a pawl engaging one side of the panel in which the bolt is inserted with the head thereof on the opposite side of the panels. A plurality of bushing segments are mounted on the bolt shank, the pawl extending through an opening in the segment adjacent the threaded end of the bolt shank. A nut, having a skirt portion, is threaded onto the threaded end driving the segments forward and filling the spacing between the holes and the bolt shank. The skirt portion of the nut overlies the pawl and protects the same. The nut can be fully torqued to cause complete radial expansion of the bushing segments in the aligned panel holes before bottoming out against the panels.
In this assembly, the bushings must be manufactured to exact tolerances and are thus costly to manufacture. There is a need for reducing the number of bushings while retaining the inventive features disclosed in the pending application. Further, in the assembly in the pending application, the bushing segment 44 therein through which pawl 22 protrudes must be peened about the opening in segment 44 surrounding pawl 22 to prevent its withdrawal. There is a need for eliminating the necessity of such peening yet trapping the pawl in the segment. Finally, the pawl 22 in the pending application, and the hole in the bolt in which the pawl 22 is disposed must be machined with mating configured parts to orient the pawl in the proper operative direction. There is a need to eliminate such mating configured parts while retaining the proper orientation of the pawl.


A method and test strip for detecting one or more analytes in a test solution. The method and test strip include a detectable component, such as a gold particle, that is linked to a binder, such as an antibody, through a linkage. The linkage can include an antibody binding protein and an antispecies antibody.

Residues of antibiotics and other toxins in foods are a major food safety concern. Food is tested worldwide for antibiotics, mycotoxins and other contaminants. One type of test method uses what is commonly known as a lateral flow test strip.
Lateral-flow test strips for detecting one or more analytes in a fluid sample may include a capture agent immobilized within a region of the test sometimes referred to as a detection zone. Detection zones can include test zones and control zones. A typical capture agent has binding affinity for a substance that may be in a mobile phase of the test strip.
Lateral-flow tests in which the binding of a substance from a mobile phase to a capture agent generates a visible signal, that can be interpreted visually or using a reader, such as a spectrophotometer, are well known in the art. Examples of such tests are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,985,675, issued Nov. 16, 1999; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,466, issued Nov. 20, 2001, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/289,089, filed Nov. 6, 2002 (based on U.S. Provisional Application 60/332,877, filed Nov. 6, 2001), and U.S. Pat. No. 7,410,808, issued Aug. 12, 2008, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Many such tests utilize a signal component, such as a colored particle, to generate the visible signal. Other such tests utilize a reaction, such as an enzyme-substrate reaction, to generate the visible signal. Generally, tests require a binding substance to be linked to the signal component. If the binding of the binding substance to the signal component is weak or inconsistent, an additional linkage may be necessary.

Method and test strip for detecting residues


A pivoting assembly of a hand tool comprising a tool body, the tool body including a driving portion, a handle and a pivotal portion; the pivotal portion having a first pivoted end and a second pivoted end; the first pivoted end being installed to one of the handle and driving portion; and the second pivoted end being installed to the other one of the handle and driving portion so that an angle between the handle and driving portion is adjustable. The first pivoted end is formed with a buckling hole; a tooth portion is formed in the buckling hole; the second pivoted end is formed with a post; the post is axially moveable with respect to the tooth portion of the buckling hole; and a bottom of the post is formed with teeth with respect to the tooth portion of the buckling hole.

In the prior hand tools, such as spanners, the tool generally has driving portion and a handle. The driving portion is engaged to a screw means for driving the screw means to rotate repeatedly. However the driving portion is retained to the handle, that is, the driving portion cannot rotate with respect to the handle so that if the work environment is not suitable for locating the spanner. The operator will feel uneasy in operation and the operation is inefficiency.
There are some portions which aim at to an adjustable spanner for improving above mentioned defects, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,419,221, 6,928,904 and Taiwan Patent No. 542053. In these prior arts, a pivotal portion is installed between a driving portion and a handle so that the driving portion is rotatable with respect to the handle. However the pivotal portion has a complicated structure and it is difficult to position the pivotal portion. In operation, the pivotal portion easily slides away when a screwing means is rotated. Moreover when the driving portion is engaged to the handle, for installing a buckling portion, the thickness of the driving portion and the handle are twice of a general spanner. Thereby the spanner cannot be inserted into a narrow space. Moreover a larger space is necessary for storing the spanner. Thereby it is impractical.
However the prior art has the following disadvantages. Firstly, the pivotal portion between the driving portion and the handle is too large to be stored. Thereby the structure of the pivotal portion is complicated so that the cost is high and the manufacturing efficiency is low. Furthermore, the operations for buckling and rotating the pivotal portion are inconvenient. The pivotal portion easily slides away in driving a screw means.


The disclosure relates to processes for upgrading heavy hydrocarbon oils such as heavy crude oils, atmospheric residuum, vacuum residuum, heavy oils from catalytic treatment, heavy cycle oils from fluid catalytic cracking, thermal tars, as oils from visbreaking, oils from oil sands, bitumen, deasphlter rock, and heavy oils derived from coal. The process utilizes a utility fluid including recycled liquid hydroprocessed product containing a significant amount of single or multi-ring aromatics. Unlike conventional fixed bed resid hydroprocessing, the process can be operated at temperatures pressures and reactor conditions that favor the desired hydrocracking reactions over aromatics hydrogenation reduce the coking tendencies of heavy hydrocarbon oils.

Refiners have had a continuing need to create useable products from a variety of heavy hydrocarbon oils. Particularly, there is an increasing need to produce more fuel and less byproducts from heavy oils with relatively high amounts of 1050° F.+ (565° C.+), heteroatoms, aromatic carbon, metals (such as Ni, V, and Fe), and asphaltenes (pentane and/or heptane insoluble). A common upgrading technique used today is coking, which downgrades substantial quantities of heavy oil into solid coke and C4− gas. For example, typical Canadian bitumen upgrading by coking produces 18 wt. % coke and 10 wt. % C4− gas. The process of the disclosure has the potential to produce <1 wt. % coke and <5 wt. % C4− gas. The process of the disclosure reduces environmental burden by concentrating the metals from the heavy hydrocarbon oil onto spent catalysts and producing solid sulfur as a byproduct which can be disposed of in a safe manor as opposed to being burnt and released into the air as SOx.
Crude oil is typically distilled to produce a variety of components that can be used directly as fuels or that are used as feedstocks for further processing or upgrading. In what is known as atmospheric distillation, a heavy residuum is produced typically that has an initial boiling point of 650° F. (343° C.). This residuum is typically referred to as atmospheric residuum or as an atmospheric residuum fraction.
Atmospheric residuum fractions tend to collect a relatively high quantity of various metals, sulfur components and nitrogen components relative to the lighter distillation fractions as a result of the distillation process. Because these metal, sulfur and nitrogen components are relatively undesirable in various fuels, they are typically removed by various catalytic hydroprocessing techniques.
In many instances, the atmospheric residuum is further distilled under vacuum, i.e., at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, to recover additional distillation fractions. At vacuum conditions, additional lighter fractions can be recovered without adding to various problems encountered in atmospheric distillation such as coking of the heavy fraction components. The heavy residuum recovered in vacuum distillation of the atmospheric residuum is typically referred to as vacuum residuum or a vacuum residuum fraction, and typically has an initial boiling point of 1050° F. (566° C.). This vacuum residuum is generally higher in metals, sulfur components and nitrogen components than atmospheric residuum, and as in the case with atmospheric residuum, removal of these components is typically carried out by catalytic hydroprocessing.
Catalytic hydroprocessing of atmospheric and vacuum residua is carried out in the presence of hydrogen, using a hydroprocessing catalyst. In some processes, hydroprocessing of residua is carried out by adding a diluent or solvent.
Another source of heavy hydrocarbon oils of interest is extracted from oil sands such as Athabasca and Cold Lake oil sands in Canada. Typically, such heavy hydrocarbon oils have an initial boiling point of 200-500° F. (93-260° C.), a specific gravity greater than 1, and also have very high viscosities, which can exceed 5,000 centipoise at 40° C. Such high viscosities inhibit the ability to even pump these materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,525 discloses a process for removing sulfur from a hydrocarbon fraction having a boiling point above 650° F. (343° C.). In carrying out the process, the hydrocarbon fraction is separated into a gas oil fraction having a boiling point between 650° F. (343° C.) and 1050° F. (566° C.), and a heavy residuum fraction boiling above 1050° F. (566° C.). The gas oil fraction is catalytically hydrodesulfurized until the gas oil fraction contains less than 1 percent sulfur. The hydrodesulfurized gas oil is then used to dilute the heavy residuum fraction, and the diluted heavy residuum fraction is catalytically hydrodesulfurized, producing fuels or fuel blending components reduced in sulfur content. The process is considered to provide an increased catalyst life and to use a smaller reactor volume compared to typical processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,323 discloses a process for upgrading a residual petroleum fraction in which the residual fraction is mixed with a light cycle oil and hydrogen and the mixture sent through a catalytic hydrotreating zone containing a hydrotreating catalyst and then a hydrocracking zone containing a hydrocracking catalyst. Upgraded products are then separated from the effluent of the hydrocracking zone. The light cycle oil boils in the range of from 400° F. (204° C.) to 700° F. (371° C.), has a high aromatic content, and is high in nitrogen. It is considered that the light cycle oil acts more as a diluent rather than as a hydrogen donor and that the addition of the light cycle oil resulted in a substantial increase in the yield of premium products such as distillate fuels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,633 discloses a combination hydrodesulfurization and hydrocracking process. The feedstock can be atmospheric residuum or vacuum residuum, which is mixed with a solvent that is a recycled distillate boiling at 400° F.-700° F. (204° C.-371° C.), considered to be equivalent to a FCC light cycle oil. The process uses a mixture of large pore and small pore catalysts such as large and small pore sulfided Ni—W catalysts. The process converts the higher boiling point residua to lower boiling point hydrocarbons by forming distillate and naphtha while removing heteroatoms, metal and carbon residuals from the higher boiling point residua.
There is a need to further develop processes for hydroprocessing heavy hydrocarbon oils to produce fuel grade products that meet pipeline specifications. It is also particularly desirable to provide hydroprocessing processes with improved selectivity to desired products. For example, it is desirable to provide hydroprocessing processes that crack molecules boiling at or above 1050° F. (566° C.) (also referred to as a "1050° F.+ (566° C.+) fraction" herein) into molecules boiling below 1050° F. (566° C.) (also referred to as a "1050° F.− (566° C.−) fraction" herein), while minimizing the formation of C4− hydrocarbon compounds (i.e., hydrocarbon compounds having four carbons or less), and coke byproducts.

Fixed bed hydrovisbreaking of heavy hydrocarbon oils

EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY


An improved method and apparatus for providing multimedia communication between and client device and a server. The improved method and apparatus allows for communication of information, such as audio or video information from an application program to be communicated through a standard application program interface to a device driver which, in turn communicates the information over a network to a server.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of computer networks and more particularly to communication between clients and servers in the network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many computer programs applications have been written to execute on computer platforms which include a processor and real time input/output (I/O) devices such as monitors for display of video and speakers for producing sound. The computer systems typically execute an application program interface (API) which interfaces with the application programs and a device driver which interfaces with the API and the I/O device.
The application programs are written to interface with a particular API. Rewriting the applications to interface with some other API would be time-consuming and expensive at best. More likely, significant commercial issues would be presented in attempting to get application program vendors to rewrite the applications to interface with new API's and, as a result, the may application programs would simply not be rewritten. A result could be that if a new computer architecture was introduced, the end user would have a very limited selection of application programs and this in turn would limit the market for the new computer architecture.
Application programs which require access to realtime I/O devices, especially networked applications, present unique problems especially when compared to non-realtime I/O such as display of graphics (which may be simply buffered and are not time dependent). Briefly, in the X architecture, a workstation 102 may be executing a client process 101 which performs real-time output where the real-time output is displayed on a server device (such as 104, 105, 106) coupled with the client process over a network
Prior art implementation for communication of information from a client to a server in an X architected implementation have generally provided for entirely new applications, or rewritten applications to interface with a special purpose API used for communicating over the network. An example of this is illustrated with reference to FIG. 3 which illustrates an application executing on a client and communicating through a network audio API over a network to an audio server. The network audio API is a special purpose API written to allow networked communication. Application programs executing on the client must be designed to interface with this special purpose API. This API may be referred to as a "network API".
The X Architecture and NCs
It is worthwhile to provide some background on the X architecture. The X Window System was developed originally at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to fulfill a need for a distributed, hardware independent, user interface platform. The architecture of the X Window System is based on the client-server model. A single process, known as a server, is responsible for all input and output devices. The server creates and manipulates windows on a screen, produces text and graphics, and handles input and output devices such as a keyboard or mouse. The X server typically executes on a relatively low performance workstation or personal computer. An application program executes on another device referred to as the client.
FIG. 1 illustrates an X client process 101 executing on a workstation 102. The workstation 102 communicates over a network connection 103 with X servers executing on data terminal equipment (DTE) 104,105 and 106. The network connection 103 may support any of a number of network protocols including for example TCP/IP.
The distributed X architecture allows the server and clients to execute on separate machines located anywhere on the network.
More recently, the concept of network computers (NCs) has been introduced. NCs, in architectural concept, are essentially X servers. With the popularity of the internet, NC have come to be viewed as a relatively low cost computer which allows an easy software upgrade path as new generations of software become available. A new generation of software may be provided to allow the X client to offer additional services to the NC without need to go to the expense and trouble of installing new software on the NC.
Device Drivers
FIG. 2 illustrates aspects of a typical personal computer. The computer is executing an application program 201 (for example, the application may be a game program or other program requiring numerous input/output devices). The application program 201 interfaces with a local device high level application program interface (API) 202 such as the Windows.TM. media control interface (MCI). The local device API, in turn, interfaces with one or more device drivers 203. The device drivers 203 are typically supplied by the manufacturer of the device being controlled by the device driver 203. For example, in the illustration of FIG. 2, the device driver 203 controls audio card 204. Audio card 204 in turn controls audio input/output devices such as microphone 205 and speaker 206.
Certain types of data require presentation in time ordered, relatively equal intervals. Such data is sometimes termed isochronous data. Examples, include audio and graphics data. Typically, in the case of output data (e.g., driving the speaker) the card 204 will receive the data to be played and process it eventually resulting in sound being produced by the speaker 206. Just prior to the card 204 completing processing of any particular piece of data, the card 204 notifies the device driver and the device driver supplies more data.
As can be seen, the architecture described in connection with FIG. 2 assumes an operating system environment which expects local hardware, There is, in fact, a very large installed base of computer systems and application programs using the architecture described by FIG. 2.
It would be useful to allow NCs to use application programs written to execute in the computer architecture environment described in connection with FIG. 2. One approach has been to redesign at least the application program interface (API) software to provide commands to the remote device instead of to the local input/output card. This type of an API may be referred to as a "networked API" and this type of approach is discussed in greater detail in connection with FIG. 3.
The Network Audio System
One approach to supporting input/output devices in X environments is described in Fulton and Renda, The Network Audio System, Make Your Applications Sing (as well as dance)!, The X Resource, Issue IX, January, 1994, O'Reilly & Associates (the "NAS Reference). The NAS Reference describes a system developed by Network Computing Devices of Mountain View, Calif. (the assignee of the present application) for playing, recording and manipulating audio data over a network. The NAS Reference describes using the client/server model to split applications programs from specific hardware drivers. FIG. 3 illustrates the NAS architecture. This system is an example of a system in which a special purpose network API has been written, and the application programs must be written to interface with the network API.
Another system for managing input/output in a client/server environment is provided by the AudioFile, a device-independent network transport audio server described at http://www.tns.Ics.mit.edu/vs/audiofile.html.
Each of the prior art techniques for giving users access to real-time input/output devices over a network suffers from the need to rewrite applications to use new APIs designed specifically to access such devices over a network. This restriction precludes the use of existing industry standard applications.
Further, each of these solutions does not allow for efficiently measuring data flow in the system.
Thus, what is needed is an improved client/server communication system which gives users the ability to access real-time input/output devices over a network using existing industry standard application programs, such as Microsoft Windows applications, which are designed to access local real-time devices using existing standard application program interfaces, such as the standard Microsoft Windows API. It is further desirable for such an improved communication system to allow for the efficient measurement of data flow in the system.

System for communicating real time data between client device and server utilizing the client device estimating data consumption amount by the server


An IoT device and system improves on prior approaches to tracking and analyzing symptoms and behavior of special needs individuals. The IoT device may include one or more buttons that can be pressed or held for an extended time by the user. Button presses and duration may be registered in a remote computer as being associated to a symptom or behavior. Patterns may be registered based on a sequence of the button presses and duration. Triggered button events may be collected and transmitted to a host server/network for re-transmission to support team members. In some embodiments, a machine learning module may analyze the collected data for patterns and/or deviations of behavior, which may be displayed to team members. In some embodiments, an automatic prognosis may be generated.

The disclosure below relates to tracking symptoms and behaviors related to special needs children through a system that leverages a specialized IoT button device. In many special needs systems, behavioral tracking for those working with special needs individuals is a requirement and is commonly audited. Traditional approaches use manual pen and paper tracking of symptoms and behavior. This approach is prone to error as many support members cannot be distracted for long periods of time that is associated with filling out paperwork. Some current technology may use an electronic user interface to input behavior data but similar to the manual pen and paper approach, current electronic systems require one to take their attention away from the special needs individual. In another example, there may exist some applications on mobile phones but these may distract the child (since many are drawn to such mobile electronic devices) or a supporting adult more than help the situation.
In addition, while conventional approaches allow one to manually input data (either by paper or digital field), these approaches may still fall short of providing useful information. One has to read through a paper file and compare written notes from page to page to do any meaningful analysis. In addition, the notes do not in and of themselves provide any immediate indication of a behavioral change that requires immediate attention.
In a separate field, prior art IoT buttons exist in the e-commerce space that may trigger a single transaction when pressed. For example, some e-commerce merchants can register a clicked device which is programmed to automatically purchase an item and have it delivered to the device owner. As will be realized, this type of device does little more than trigger a commercial transaction and more than one press of the device may just repeat the same transaction repeatedly and is not germane to embodiments of the invention disclosed below.
Thus, as can been, there exist problems in the current field of technology for special needs behavioral monitoring and prognosis.

Special needs IoT device and system for parents, schools and medical collaboration


A memory cell and method of destabilizing a memory cell for facilitating a write operation are provided. A stability switch is coupled between one of a voltage supply or a ground terminal and the memory cell, and is turned off during the write operation to reduce the drive voltage required to drive a bit value into the memory cell.

The insulated-gate field-effect transistor (IGFET) has been arranged in various configurations of bistable stages, or cells, resembling bipolar transistor flip-flops. Unlike a conventional bipolar junction transistor, in which both majority and minority carriers are required for operation, an IGFET is a unipolar transistor to the extent that only majority carriers are required for operation. Conduction in an IGFET device is controlled by signals applied to a control electrode, without any current flow between the control electrode and controlled electrodes because the control electrode in insulated from the controlled electrodes. IGFET memory cells consume significantly less power than bipolar transistor cells.
In the background art, each IGFET memory cell generally requires at least four leads to the cell, a pair of cross-coupled inverter IGFET devices, a pair of load devices, and two additional gating IGFET devices for transferring information into and out of the cell.
A typical memory cell 100 as shown in FIG. 1 includes a pair of pull-up PMOS (p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor) inverter transistors 101 and 102, and a pair of pull-down NMOS driver transistors 103 and 104. The gate electrodes of transistors 101 and 103 are cross-coupled to the gate electrodes of transistors 102 and 104. The transistors 101–104 comprise a data storage device, which serves to store bit values of "0" or "1." The memory cell 100 further includes a pair of NMOS transfer transistors 105 and 106. Transistors 105 and 106 comprise data transfer devices, which serve to transfer information into and out of the memory cell 100.
Transfer transistor 105 is coupled to bit line BL and to node 1001 between the drain electrode of transistor 101 and the source electrode of transistor 103. Transfer transistor 106 is similarly coupled to complementary bit line /BL and to node 1002 between the drain electrode of transistor 102 and the source electrode of transistor 104. A gate electrode of each of transfer transistors 105 and 106 is coupled to word line WL. The transfer transistors 105 and 106 are thus made conductive by activating word line WL (i.e., by supplying a high voltage level to WL), which electrically connects bit line BL to node 1001 and complementary bit line /BL to node 1002.
The bit value of a memory cell is conventionally considered to be the value at node 1001, which is read out on bit line BL. When a bit value at node 1001 is "1" (V1001=Vcc) a bit value at node 1002 is "0" (V1002=0). Consequently, in this state, transistor 101 is turned on and transistor 103 is turned off by the voltage at node 1002, thereby keeping the voltage of node 1001 at Vcc. Similarly, the voltage Vcc at node 1001 turns off transistor 102 and turns on transistor 104, thereby coupling node 1002 to ground and keeping the voltage of node 1002 at V1002=0.
At the beginning of a read operation, bit lines BL and /BL are pre-charged to the supply voltage by a pre-charge signal. The word line WL is then enabled to turn on data transfer transistors 105 and 106 and thereby to connect bit-line BL to node 1001 and complementary bit-line /BL to node 1002. Because both bit line BL and node 1001 are at the supply voltage Vcc, the voltage on bit line BL remains substantially unchanged. However, because complementary bit line /BL is now coupled to ground through turned-on transistors 106 and 104, the pre-charge voltage at bit line /BL will be discharged to ground. As is well-known, sense amplifiers coupled to the bit lines BL and /BL sense the difference between the voltages on bit line BL and complementary bit line /BL to determine that memory cell 100 stores a bit value of "1."
However, as the voltage on complementary bit-line /BL decreases below the supply voltage Vcc, the voltage at node 1002 will begin to rise above ground because transistors 104 and 106 will act as a voltage divider. Thus there exists the possibility that the voltage at node 1002 may rise to a level that undesirably causes the memory cell 100 to switch its stored value from a "1" to a "0."
As one conventional way to prevent this, the resistance of the transfer transistor 106 may be made higher than the resistance of driver transistor 104, such as by lengthening the channel of transistor 106. Conventionally, the IGFET devices have width-to-length ratios which are interrelated. The width w of each channel is the distance across the substrate surface of the semiconductor channel in a direction perpendicular to the direction of current in the channel. The length l of each channel is the distance between the source and drain electrodes in the direction of the current in the channel. The load devices have essentially equal width-to-length ratios w/l (L), and the gating devices also have essentially equal width-to-length ratios w/l (G). A relative ratio R relating the width-to-length ratios of the load and gating devices is given:
      as                          R    =                    w        /                  l                                (            L            )                                      w        /                  l                                (            G            )                                .
If in a particular cell the ratio R is too small, stored information can be lost during a read operation because both cross-coupled inverter devices will be pulled into conduction rather than just one of them. This loss of information occurs because the voltage drop across one inverter transistor, which is correctly conducting, exceeds the threshold voltage of the opposite inverter transistor and causes it to also conduct but in error. On the other hand, if the ratio R is too large, bit-writing into the memory cell is made more difficult because very large voltage swings are required on the bit lines and on the word line for changing the state of the cell. This difficulty of changing the state of the cell occurs because the large ratio R involves devices which require more current through either inverter transistor to establish a source-to-drain voltage that exceeds the threshold voltage of the opposite inverter transistor.
Consequently, there is a trade-off balance that must be reached between providing a highly stable memory cell in which data is reliably stored without the possibility of loss of information during a read operation, and providing a memory cell to which a write operation can be performed without requiring very large voltage swings.
In the conventional art, progress in small scaling technology (such as by providing shared a write circuit for plural memory cells) has resulted in increased variation in transistor threshold voltage Vth caused by modification of the channel w/l ratio, which has led to "tweaking" of device size to maintain memory cell stability, i.e., preventing inadvertent "flipping" of a bit value stored in a memory cell when the memory cell is subjected to a read operation.
However, as explained above, increasing the stability of the memory cell makes writing operations more difficult. There thus exists a need in the art for improvements to semiconductor memory cells to eliminate the shortcomings mentioned above, e.g, to realize a stable memory cell that also exhibits good write operation characteristics.

Memory cell with stability switch for stable read operation and improved write operation


According to one embodiment, an analysis system includes a display controller. The display controller is configured to display a first comprehensive image and a first individual image from a plurality of workpiece data. The plurality of workpiece data relate to a plurality of workpieces, are classified into a plurality of categories, and are classified into one of a plurality of classes. The first comprehensive image is based on the plurality of workpiece data. The first individual image is based on a part of the plurality of workpiece data classified into one of the plurality of categories.

There is an analysis system that classifies workpieces into one of multiple classes for each category. By referring to the classified results, the user can shorten the time necessary to investigate the workpieces. To further shorten the time necessary for the investigation of the user in the analysis system, it is desirable to develop technology so that information that is more beneficial to the user can be provided.


Methods and materials to fabricate electrochromic including electrochemical devices are disclosed. In particular, emphasis is placed on the composition, fabrication and incorporation of electrolytic sheets in these devices. Composition, fabrication and incorporation of redox layers and sealants suitable for these devices are also disclosed. Incorporation of EC devices in insulated glass system (IGU) windows is also disclosed.

Variable transmission devices are used to make "smart glass" or "smart windows" where the light transmission or reflection characteristics of a window are changed by electronic switching. These devices may be used for variable transmission windows for use in buildings and transportation, displays and automotive mirrors for controlling reflectivity. When used in construction of buildings and in transportation, these windows result in energy efficient envelopes by regulating the solar energy penetration through the windows. The invention will be principally illustrated as it applies to electrochromic devices (which are electrochemical in nature), but many aspects of this may be used for any type of variable transmission devices, and other electrochemical applications.

Perimeter sealant for an electrochromic device


A disk drive suspension for mounting to the end of an actuator arm. The suspension includes a load beam having a base at a proximal end, a rigid region, a spring region between the rigid region and the base, a flexure for receiving and supporting a read/write head on a distal end of the load beam, a moving section, and a stationary section. The moving section is supported from the stationary section by at least 2 transversely extending resilient support beams. The support beams allow the moving section to pivot with respect to the stationary section. A microactuator is located on the load beam to pivot the moving section and shift the flexure including the read/write head along a transverse tracking axis in response to tracking control signals.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to suspensions for supporting read/write heads over recording media. In particular, the present invention is a head suspension assembly having a microactuator mounted on the base plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Disk drives include disk drive suspensions for supporting read/write heads over information tracks of rotating disks. The well known and widely used Watrous-type suspensions include a load beam having a mounting region on a proximal end, a flexure on a distal end, a relatively rigid region adjacent to the flexure and a spring region between the mounting region and rigid region. An air-bearing slider which includes the read/write head is mounted to the flexure. The mounting region is typically attached to a base plate for mounting the load beam to an actuator arm. A motor which is controlled by a servo control system rotates the actuator arm to position the read/write head over desired information tracks on the disk. This type of suspension is used with both magnetic or non-magnetic disks.
Disk drive manufacturers continue to develop smaller yet higher storage capacity drives. Storage capacity increases are achieved in part by increasing the density of the information tracks on the disks (i.e., by using narrower and/or more closely spaced tracks). As track density increases, however, it becomes increasingly difficult for the motor and servo control system to quickly and accurately position the read/write head over the desired track.
The use of head suspensions having microactuators or fine tracking motors has been proposed to overcome these problems. One such suspension is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/457,432 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,188) filed Jun. 6, 1995 by Jurgenson et al. entitled Head Suspension with Tracking Microactuator which is assigned to Hutchinson Technology Incorporated, the assignee of the present application.
There is, however, a continuing need for improved head suspensions having microactuators. In particular, the head suspension/microactuator combination must be capable of quickly and accurately positioning the read/write head. The head suspension/microactuator should also be light weight to minimize detrimental effects on the resonance characteristics of the suspension, and relatively thin to enable close disk-to-disk spacing. To be commercially viable the head suspension/microactuator must also be reliable and capable of being efficiently manufactured.

Base plate-mounted microactuator for a suspension


A method for controlling the speed in a vehicle includes adjusting at least one gain parameter based on a vehicle speed error and the displacement on demand mode of the engine. A new cruise throttle area is calculated from the adjusted gain parameter.

Cruise control systems are used to control vehicle speed and vehicle acceleration. When the cruise control system is active, a driver-selected speed is maintained without requiring the driver to operate the accelerator pedal. The cruise control system is manually activated and controlled by the driver via a cruise control input device. The cruise control system may be deactivated by the cruise control input device, application of a brake pedal and/or application of clutch pedal in vehicles with a manual transmission.
The cruise control system adjusts throttle area to control the speed of the vehicle. With electronic throttle control (ETC), an ETC module implements an ETC algorithm that adjusts the throttle area based on sensors, driver commands and/or cruise control algorithm commands.
The throttle valve controls the torque and speed of the engine by metering the supply of air to the engine. An engine controller modulates fuel based on an estimated airflow entering the engine. Sensors monitor the air flow to the engine and the amount of oxygen in the exhaust. The engine controller typically adjusts fuel delivery so that the air-to-fuel ratio is substantially equal to a stoichiometric value.
Some internal combustion engines (ICEs) include engine control systems that selectively deactivate cylinders under low load situations. For example, an eight-cylinder engine can be operated using four cylinders to improve fuel economy by reducing pumping losses. This process is generally referred to as displacement on demand (DOD). As used herein, activated mode refers to operation using all of the engine cylinders. Deactivated mode refers to operation using less than all of the cylinders of the engine (one or more cylinders not active). When cruise control is active and the engine is operating with minimal reserve torque in the deactivated mode, the DOD engine may frequently transition between the activated and deactivated modes based on changing road load conditions, which may cause perceptible torque disturbances and reduced fuel economy.

Method for improving fuel economy and performance when deactivating cylinders with vehicle cruise control


A grinder as a power tool has a torque limiter. The torque limiter includes a second bevel gear; a spindle; a flange to which the rotation of the second bevel gear is transmitted, and a plurality of balls which are disposed between the second bevel gear and the flange. The ball is positioned at a first region and the second bevel gear, the ball and the flange rotate integrally thereby the rotation is transmitted to the flange. In a state that a torque exerted on the spindle exceeding the predetermined threshold, a relative rotation between the second bevel gear and the flange is occurred and the ball moves from the first region to the second region while rolling by means of the relative rotation. Therefore, the transmission of the rotation from the second bevel gear to the flange is regulated, and the torque exerted on the spindle is regulated.

Japanese non-examined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-326168 discloses a hammer drill having a torque limiter. The torque limiter is provided with an intermediation gear actuated by a driving gear; a driven flange including a plurality of fear cam portions; balls held in a plurality of holding holes formed on the intermediate gear with a predetermined interval in a circumferential direction; a pressing plate, and a disc spring pressing the pressing plate.
While the hammer drill is working, in a state that the torque exerted on a hammer bit is less than the predetermined threshold, the pressing plate presses the intermediate gear against the driven flange by means of a biasing force of the disc spring and the intermediate gear and the driven flange are rotated integrally, thereby a torque of the intermediate gear is transmitted to the driven flange. On the other hand, in a state that the torque exerted on the hammer bit exceeds the predetermined threshold, since the ball moves over the cam portion against the biasing force of the disc spring, the pressing plate is pushed and the pressing to the intermediate is cancelled, thereby a transmission of the torque from the intermediate gear to the driven flange is cancelled.


A system and method for tailoring of electronic messages by combining in a composite electronic message information with an indication that at least one portion thereof is targeted for at least one predetermined class of recipient; performing a comparison of the indication contained in a received composite message with a predetermined indication of whether a recipient is of a class intended to receive the indicated portion; and passing the indicated portion to the recipient in dependence on the comparison.

In the field of this invention it is known that electronic messages such as e-mail and newsletters, because of their ease of use (and particularly the ease which they may be addressed to multiple addressees) are sent in wide proliferation and often indiscriminately.
Consequently, electronic message recipients may receive a lot of redundant information in electronic newsletters and e-mail. Recipients today spend much time on reading mails where a major or minor part is without any relevance to them and their job role. Also, if an author wants to distribute e-mail or newsletters to specific target groups the author is often forced to produce various versions of a message—one to each target group—to be able to show respectively only the information that might be of interest to each specific target group.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,269 describes a dynamic sorting of (for example) newsgroup postings received by a client based on categories of posting. However, this known sorting allows only for any individual message to be blocked or allowed in its entirety.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,648 describes filtering of (for example) e-mail at a client to remove junk mail; U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,932 describes a solution where an e-mail as a whole is marked with a kind of status code for filtering; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,033 describes filtering Internet material such as e-mail. However, again, in all of these known descriptions filtering is achieved only by blocking or allowing an individual e-mail as a whole.
Clearly, there is a need for a recipient to be able to receive only that part or those parts of an electronic message having relevance to the recipient. Similarly there is a need for an author to be able to produce a reduced number of different versions of a message, where the message is to be sent to different recipients who may be interested in different parts of the message.
A need therefore exists for a system and method for tailoring of electronic messages wherein the abovementioned disadvantages may be alleviated.

System and method for tailoring of electronic messages

International Business Machines Corporation


A dual function serial and parallel data register with integrated program verify functionality. The master and slave latching circuits of the dual function data register can concurrently store two different words of data. In a program verify operation, the master latch stores program data and the slave latch will receive and store read data. Comparison logic in each register stage will compare the data of both latches, and integrate the comparison result to that of the previous register stage. The final single bit result will indicate the presence of at least one bit that has not been programmed. Automatic program inhibit logic in each stage will prevent successfully programmed bits from being re-programmed in each subsequent reprogram cycle. Either data word can be serially clocked out by selectively starting the shift operations on either the low or high active logic level of a clock signal.

Over the past 30 years, anti-fuse technology has attracted significant attention of many inventors, IC designers and manufacturers. An anti-fuse is a structure alterable to a conductive state, or in other words, an electronic device that changes state from not conducting to conducting. Equivalently, the binary states can be either one of high resistance and low resistance in response to electric stress, such as a programming voltage or current. There have been many attempts to develop and apply anti-fuses in microelectronic industry, but the most successful anti-fuse applications to date can be seen in FGPA devices manufactured by Actel and Quicklogic, and redundancy or option programming used in DRAM devices by Micron. Anti-fuse technology is well known in the art, and example anti-fuse transistors are shown in FIGS. 1 to 5b.
Anti-fuse memory is one type of one-time programmable (OTP) memory in which the device can be permanently programmed (electrically) with data once. This data is programmed by an end user for a particular application. There are several types of OTP memory cells which can be used. OTP memories provide users with a level flexibility since any data can be programmed.
Anti-fuse memory can be utilized in all one time programmable applications, including RF-ID tags. RF-ID tagging applications are gaining more acceptance in the industry, particularly in sales, security, transport, logistics, and military applications for example. The simplicity and full CMOS compatibility anti-fuse memory allows for application of the RF-ID tag concept to integrated circuit manufacturing and testing processes. Therefore, IC manufacturing productivity can be increased by utilizing anti-fuse memory in combination with an RF communication interface on every wafer and/or every die on the wafer allowing for contact-less programming and reading chip specific or wafer specific information during IC manufacturing and packaging, as well as during printed circuit board assembly.
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram illustrating the basic concept of an anti-fuse memory cell, while FIGS. 2 and 3 show the planar and cross-sectional views respectively, of the anti-fuse memory cell shown in FIG. 1. The memory cell of FIG. 1 includes a pass, or access transistor 10 for coupling a bitline BL to a bottom plate of anti-fuse device 12. A wordline WL is coupled to the gate of access transistor 10 to turn it on, and a cell plate voltage Vcp is coupled to the top plate of anti-fuse device 12 for programming anti-fuse device 12.
It can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 that the layout of access transistor 10 and anti-fuse device 12 is very straight-forward and simple. The gate 14 of access transistor 10 and the top plate 16 of anti-fuse device 12 are constructed with the same layer of polysilicon, which extend across active area 18. In the active area 18 underneath each polysilicon layer, is formed a thin gate oxide 20, also known as a gate dielectric, for electrically isolating the polysilicon from the active area underneath. On either side of gate 14 are diffusion regions 22 and 24, where diffusion region 24 is coupled to a bitline. Although not shown, those of skill in the art will understand that standard CMOS processing, such as sidewall spacer formation, lightly doped diffusions (LDD) and diffusion and gate silicidation, can be applied. While the classical single transistor and capacitor cell configuration is widely used, a transistor-only anti-fuse cell is further desirable due to the semiconductor array area savings that can be obtained for high-density applications. Such transistor-only anti-fuses must be reliable while simple to manufacture with a low cost CMOS process.
FIG. 4a shows a cross-sectional view of an anti-fuse transistor that can be manufactured with any standard CMOS process. Variants of this anti-fuse transistor are disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/762,552, filed on Jun. 13, 2007, the contents of which are incorporated by reference. In the presently shown example, the anti-fuse transistor is almost identical to a simple thick gate oxide, or input/output MOS transistor with one floating diffusion terminal. The disclosed anti-fuse transistor, also termed a split-channel capacitor or a half-transistor, can be reliably programmed such that the fuse link between the polysilicon gate and the substrate can be predictably localized to a particular region of the device. The cross-section view of FIG. 4a is taken along the channel length of the device, which in the presently described example is a p-channel device.
Anti-fuse transistor 26 includes a variable thickness gate oxide 28 formed on the substrate channel region 30, a polysilicon gate 32, sidewall spacers 34, a field oxide region 36, a diffusion region 38 and an LDD region 40 in the diffusion region 38. A bitline contact 42 is shown to be in electrical contact with diffusion region 38. The variable thickness gate oxide 28 consists of a thick oxide and a thin gate oxide such that a portion of the channel length is covered by the thick gate oxide and the remaining portion of the channel length is covered by the thin gate oxide. Generally, the thin gate oxide is a region where oxide breakdown can occur. The thick gate oxide edge meeting diffusion region 38 on the other hand, defines an access edge where gate oxide breakdown is prevented and current between the gate 32 and diffusion region 38 is to flow for a programmed anti-fuse transistor. While the distance that the thick oxide portion extends into the channel region depends on the mask grade, the thick oxide portion is preferably formed to be at least as long as the minimum length of a high voltage transistor formed on the same chip.
In this example, the diffusion region 38 is connected to a bitline through a bitline contact 42, or other line for sensing a current from the polysilicon gate 32, and can be doped to accommodate programming voltages or currents. This diffusion region 38 is formed proximate to the thick oxide portion of the variable thickness gate oxide 28. To further protect the edge of anti-fuse transistor 26 from high voltage damage, or current leakage, a resistor protection oxide (RPO), also known as a salicide protect oxide, can be introduced during the fabrication process to further space metal particles from the edge of sidewall spacer 34. This RPO is preferably used during the salicidiation process for preventing only a portion of diffusion region 38 and a portion of polysilicon gate 32 from being salicided. It is well known that salicided transistors are known to have higher leakage and therefore lower breakdown voltage. Thus having a non-salicided diffusion region 38 will reduce leakage. Diffusion region 38 can be doped for low voltage transistors or high voltage transistors or a combination of the two resulting in same or different diffusion profiles.
A simplified plan view of the anti-fuse transistor 26 is shown in FIG. 4b. Bitline contact 42 can be used as a visual reference point to orient the plan view with the corresponding cross-sectional view of FIG. 4a. The active area 44 is the region of the device where the channel region 30 and diffusion region 38 are formed, which is defined by an OD mask during the fabrication process. The dashed outline 46 defines the areas in which the thick gate oxide is to be formed via an OD2 mask during the fabrication process. More specifically, the area enclosed by the dashed outline 46 designates the regions where thick oxide is to be formed. OD simply refers to an oxide definition mask that is used during the CMOS process for defining the regions on the substrate where the oxide is to be formed, and OD2 refers to a second oxide definition mask different than the first. Details of the CMOS process steps for fabricating anti-fuse transistor 26 will be discussed later. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thin gate oxide area bounded by edges of the active area 44 and the rightmost edge of the OD2 mask, is minimized. In the presently shown embodiment, this area can be minimized by shifting the rightmost OD2 mask edge towards the parallel edge of active area 44. Previously mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/762,552 describes alternate single transistor anti-fuse memory cells which can be used in a non-volatile memory array. Two transistor anti-fuse memory cells are known in the art, as shown in the example of FIGS. 5a and 5b.
FIG. 5b shows a planar view of a two-transistor anti-fuse memory cell 48 having a minimized thin gate oxide area that can be manufactured with any standard CMOS process, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5a shows a cross-sectional view of the memory cell 48 of FIG. 5b, taken along line B-B. Two-transistor anti-fuse memory cell 48 consists of an access transistor in series with an anti-fuse transistor. The access transistor includes a polysilicon gate 50 overlying a thick gate oxide 52, which itself is formed over the channel 54. On the left side of the channel 54 is a diffusion region 56 electrically connected to a bitline contact 58. On the right side of the channel 54 is a common diffusion region 60 shared with the anti-fuse transistor. The anti-fuse transistor includes a polysilicon gate 62 overlying a thin gate oxide 64, which itself is formed over the channel 66. Dashed outline 68 represents the OD2 mask which defines the area where thick oxide is to be formed. The thick gate oxide 52 can correspond to that used for high voltage transistors while the thin gate oxide 64 can correspond to that used for low voltage transistors. It is well known that polysilicon gates 50 and 62 can be independently controlled, or alternatively can be connected to each other as shown in FIG. 5b. In the example of FIG. 5b, both polysilicon gates 50 and 62 are part of the same polysilicon structure, and connected to a wordline through wordline contact 70. Both diffusion regions 56 and 60 can have LDD regions, which can be identically doped or differently doped, depending on the desired operating voltages to be used. Commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/762,552 filed on Jun. 13, 2007 describes alternate two-transistor anti-fuse memory cells which can be used in a non-volatile memory array.
The programming speed of OTP memories is relatively slow, since each programming cycle will attempt to program a certain number of data words at the same time.
Following each programming cycle is a program verify cycle to ensure that the data words were successfully programmed. Any bits that do not pass the program verify step are reprogrammed. This process continues until all the memory cell states have been successfully programmed. FIG. 6a shows how an unprogrammed anti-fuse memory cell, such as anti-fuse transistor 26, is programmed. Anti-fuse transistor 26 has its gate terminal connected to a wordline WL and its single diffusion region connected to a bitline BL. Programming is effected by biasing the bitline to VSS and driving the wordline to a high voltage level VPP. VPP is selected based on the process technology and thickness of the thin gate oxide that is sufficient for forming a conductive link between the polysilicon gate and the channel region.
A successfully programmed anti-fuse transistor 26 is shown in FIG. 6b, where a conductive link 72 is formed between the polysilicon gate and the channel region. Conductive link 72 is schematically represented as a resistive connection between the wordline and the channel region under the thin gate oxide region of anti-fuse transistor 26. Therefore a programmed anti-fuse transistor having a conductive link stores one logic state of one bit of data. Accordingly, an unprogrammed anti-fuse transistor will by default store the other logic state of one bit of data. To prevent programming of the anti-fuse transistor 26, the bitline is biased to VDD while the wordline is driven to VPP. This will be sufficient for inhibiting the conductive link from forming.
Reading the anti-fuse transistor is achieved by driving the wordline to a read voltage VREAD, and by precharging the bitline to VSS, as shown in FIG. 7. If the anti-fuse transistor 26 has a conductive link 72, then the wordline will pull the bitline towards the VREAD voltage level via the conductive link 72 and the positive gate voltage of the anti-fuse transistor. This bitline voltage can be sensed and amplified by sense amplifier circuits. On the other hand, if the anti-fuse transistor 26 is not programmed, ie. does not have a conductive link 72, then the bitline will remain at approximately VSS.
Most electrically programmable non-volatile memories, such as Flash, EEPROM or anti-fuse memories, require the use of high voltages to program the memory cells. These high voltages are generated on chip and distributed to wordlines and/or bitlines during programming operations. Depending on the architecture of the memory, any number of words can be programmed simultaneously, where each word is made up of a predetermined number of bits. Assuming that the memory cells start in the unprogrammed state, logic 0 for example, only memory cells for storing a logic 1 state actually undergo programming. The number of logic 1 states to be programmed at the same time depends on the data to be programmed. Because a large number of bits may be programmed simultaneously, the finite on-chip high voltage generators may not have sufficient current to program all the selected memory cells. Hence, after a first program cycle, the cells subjected to programming must be verified to ensure that they were successfully programmed.
Verification is done by reading out the memory cells and comparing their stored logic states (logic 0 or 1) to the desired programmed state (logic 1 for example). If specific bits were not successfully programmed, as determined by the program verify cycle, then the programming cycle is repeated. However, there is no need to re-program cells which were successfully programmed. This is especially problematic for anti-fuse transistors. A programmed anti-fuse transistor has a conduction path formed between its wordline and its bitline, thus repeating a program cycle on such a cell will draw more current away from the cells where programming is still required. Hence, those memory cells must be excluded from the next programming cycle. This iterative program-verify-program sequence continues until every memory cell to be programmed has been deemed to be successfully programmed.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a simplified anti-fuse memory device of the prior art, illustrating the logic circuits required for implementing program verify operations. The anti-fuse memory device of FIG. 8 includes a memory array 80 consisting of anti-fuse memory cells, or other non-volatile memory cells, connected to wordlines and bitlines. Wordline drivers 82 apply the read and programming voltage levels to the wordlines, while column decoders and sense amplifiers 84 are coupled to the bitlines for sensing and multiplexing the sensed data to a data register 86. The data register 86 is primarily responsible for storing data to be programmed and for storing read data. The program-verify circuits include additional latch circuits, which can be a second data register 88, and comparison logic 90. In use program data P_DATA is received by data register 86, which is also stored in the second data register 88. Those skilled in the art will understand that other circuits required for proper operation of the memory device are intentionally omitted, in order to simplify the schematic.
Once a programming cycle has been completed, the data is read out from the memory cells being programmed, and stored in data register 86. The comparison logic 90 then compares each bit position of data registers 86 and 88 to each other. If all the bit positions match, meaning that each bit position was successfully programmed, then the status signal STATUS will have a logic level indicating that all bits were programmed. Otherwise, if just one bit position did not successfully program, then the status signal STATUS will have another logic level, indicating that at least one bit was not properly programmed. Then further program cycles are executed, while the successfully programmed bits are masked, or inhibited from further programming.
One of the main problems with this program verify scheme is that the circuit implementation consumes too much valuable circuit area. Mainly, a second data register is required for storing the program data, which will be very large if the word to be programmed is very wide. The logic required to disable successfully programmed bit positions can be complex, as can be the comparison logic used to detect the failed programming of at least one bit position. Those skilled in the art will understand that increased circuit area will directly impact the manufacturing cost of the device as more chip area is required per device.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a program verify scheme that does not require a second data register, and can simplify program verification operations.


A meat skinning device having a clamp and a shoe that holds a blade therebetween, the clamp having at least one groove that extends from one edge of the clamp to the other.

This invention is directed toward a meat skinning machine and more specifically, a clamping mechanism for holding a blade of a meat skinning machine.
Meat skinning machines are well known in the art and typically have a gripper roll with a plurality of teeth positioned underneath and adjacent to an elongated sharp cutting blade which is held in place by a shoe and a clamp that binds the blade between the clamp and the shoe. As the meat is moved toward the blade, it is gripped by the teeth on the gripper roll which draws the meat product into contact with the blade whereby a layer of skin is cut from the meat and pulled between the gripper roll and the shoe while the meat moves upwardly over the blade and the clamp.
A problem that has plagued skinning machines is that during trimming a layer of fat is received between the shoe and the clamp which builds up separating the shoe and the clamp and pushing the blade outwardly. As a result, as the blade extends outwardly, a cut thicker than desired will occur or the blade will be displaced causing safety problems. Also, the fat build up tends to cause undue stress on locking pins and screws used to secure the clamp to the shoe. Therefore, a need exists for a means to maintain the position of the blade without additional clamping force.
A principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved clamping mechanism for a meat skinner that reduces fat buildup between the clamp and shoe.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for an improved clamping mechanism that will maintain the blade in a desired position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a meat skinning device that is safer to use and maintain.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a meat skinning device that reduces wear on locking pins and screws.
These and other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.

Skinning blade clamp with fat relief grooves


A memory includes a first cell array including a plurality of first memory cells connected to a plurality of word lines, a bit line selection unit configured to select one or more bit lines among a plurality of bit lines based on repair information, a second cell array including a plurality of second memory cells connected to the plurality of word lines and the plurality of bit lines, wherein a group of the plurality of second memory cells connected to a corresponding word line stores the number of activations of the corresponding word line when the one or more connected bit lines are selected and an activation number update unit configured to update a value stored in the second memory cells, which are connected to the one or more selected bit lines and the activated word line among the plurality of word lines.

1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to semiconductor design technology, and more particularly, to a memory core circuit, a memory, and a memory system including the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the degree of integration of a memory increases, a space between word lines included in the memory, such as DRAM is reduced. As the space between the word lines is reduced, a coupling effect between adjacent word lines increases.
Meanwhile, whenever data is inputted or outputted to or from a memory cell, a word line toggles between an activated state and a deactivated state. In this regard, as the coupling effect between adjacent word lines increases as described above, the data of a memory cell connected to a word line adjacent to a frequently activated word line may be degraded. Such a phenomenon is called word line disturbance or row hammer. Due to the word line disturbance, the data of a memory cell may be degraded within a retention time of the memory cell to be refreshed.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a part of a cell array included in DRAM for explaining the word line disturbance.
In FIG. 1, 'WLL' corresponds to a frequently activated word line (i.e., a word line having the large number of activations), and 'WLL−1' and 'WLL+1' correspond to adjacent word lines, which are disposed adjacent to the frequently activated WLL. Furthermore, 'CL' denotes a memory cell connected to the frequently activated word line WLL, 'CL−1' denotes a memory cell connected to the adjacent word line WLL−1, and 'CL+1' denotes a memory cell connected to the adjacent word line WLL+1. The memory cells CL, CL−1 and CL+1 include cell transistors TL, TL−1 and TL+1, respectively, and also include cell capacitors CAPL, CAPL−1 and CAPL+1, respectively.
When the word line WLL is activated or deactivated, the voltages of the word lines WLL−1 and 'WLL+1' are increased or decreased due to a coupling effect occurring among the word lines WLL and WLL−1 and among the word lines WLL and WLL+1. Accordingly, the amounts of charges charged in the cell capacitors CAPL−1 and CAPL+1 is affected, so that the data of the memory cells 'CL−1' and the 'CL+1' may be degraded.
Furthermore, as electromagnetic waves, which are generated while the word line toggles between the activated state and the deactivated state, introduce or discharge electrons into or from the cell capacitors of the memory cells connected to adjacent word lines, data are likely to be degraded.
To prevent degradation of data due to the word line disturbance, it may be necessary to provide a scheme for detecting the frequently activated word lines by counting the number of activations of respective word lines and a scheme for storing the count information. In the case where the scheme for detecting frequently activated word lines is introduced in a memory core circuit, a fail related to the count information may occur.

Memory and memory system including the same


A system is disclosed for use in additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a nozzle configured to discharge a composite material, including a matrix and a continuous reinforcement. The system may also include a support configured to move the nozzle in multiple dimensions during discharge of the composite material, and a vibration mechanism configured to generate oscillations within the nozzle during discharge.

Extrusion manufacturing is a known process for producing continuous structures. During extrusion manufacturing, a liquid matrix (e.g., a thermoset resin or a heated thermoplastic) is pushed through a die having a desired cross-sectional shape and size. The material, upon exiting the die, cures and hardens into a final form. In some applications, UV light and/or ultrasonic vibrations are used to speed the cure of the liquid matrix as it exits the die. The structures produced by the extrusion manufacturing process can have any continuous length, with a straight or curved profile, a consistent cross-sectional shape, and excellent surface finish. Although extrusion manufacturing can be an efficient way to continuously manufacture structures, the resulting structures may lack the strength required for some applications.
Pultrusion manufacturing is a known process for producing high-strength structures. During pultrusion manufacturing, individual fiber strands, braids of strands, and/or woven fabrics are coated with or otherwise impregnated with a liquid matrix (e.g., a thermoset resin or a heated thermoplastic) and pulled through a stationary die where the liquid matrix cures and hardens into a final form. As with extrusion manufacturing, UV light and/or ultrasonic vibrations are used in some pultrusion applications to speed the cure of the liquid matrix as it exits the die. The structures produced by the pultrusion manufacturing process have many of the same attributes of extruded structures, as well as increased strength due to the integrated fibers. Although pultrusion manufacturing can be an efficient way to continuously manufacture high-strength structures, the resulting structures may lack the form (shape, size, and/or precision) required for some applications. In addition, conventional pultrusion techniques may suffer from poor fiber-to-fiber adhesion, poor fiber impregnation, bubble inclusion, and other related problems.
The disclosed system is directed to addressing one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art.

Additive manufacturing system having vibrating nozzle


The present invention is an electroconductive particle for forming an electrode including a precious metal particle including Pt or a Pt alloy and having an average particle diameter of 50 to 150 nm, a first ceramic particle including Al2O3 or ZrO2 dispersed in the precious metal particle and having an average particle diameter of 5 to 50 nm, and a second ceramic particle including Al2O3 or ZrO2 bonded to an outer periphery of the precious metal particle and having an average particle diameter of 5 to 50 nm. The sum of the volume of the first ceramic particle and the volume of the second ceramic particle is preferably 2 to 40 vol % based on the whole electroconductive particle. A metal paste containing the electroconductive particle according to the invention is one from which an electrode film of low resistance and excellent durability can be manufactured and further excellent in adherence and conformability to a substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electroconductive, particle to form various types of electrodes such as sensor electrodes, heater electrodes and lead wire electrodes, and further to a metal paste for forming an electrode using the electroconductive particle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In manufacture of sensor electrodes of various types of gas sensors such as oxygen sensors, NOx sensors and exhaust gas temperature sensors, heater electrodes and the like, the manufacture is carried out generally by applying a metal paste containing an electroconductive metal powder on a substrate by one of various types of methods such as screen printing and firing the applied metal paste. A form of a metal paste is often used because the metal paste form is preferable from the viewpoint that the form can cope with a complicated pattern of an electrode, and besides from the viewpoint of the manufacturing efficiency in which a substrate and an electrode can simultaneously be manufactured by application and firing of a metal paste on a green sheet for forming a ceramic substrate.
As a metal paste for forming an electrode, a metal paste is conventionally used in which an electroconductive particle such as a precious metal and a ceramic powder such as Al2O3 or ZrO2 are mixed in a solvent. Mixing a ceramic powder in a metal paste, when a substrate and an electrode are manufactured by application and firing of a metal paste on a green sheet as described above, is for improving the adherence of the electrode by correcting a difference in contraction rate between the metal paste and the green sheet and eliminating the problem of warpage and deformation of the substrate due to the contraction rate difference. Further, mixing a ceramic powder in a metal paste also exhibits an advantage of being capable of preventing oversintering of the electroconductive particle in firing.
However, a ceramic powder, while securing formability of an electrode film as described above, raises the resistance value of the manufactured electrode film, and is likely to make the resistance value considerably higher than in an electrode of a bulk metal. Therefore, the use of a ceramic powder is not preferable from the viewpoint of the property as a precursor material of an electrode, however if no ceramic or a too small amount thereof is mixed, the formation itself of an electrode becomes impossible, and thereby there has been no choice but to mix a ceramic as an actual situation.
The significance of mixing a ceramic powder in a metal paste for forming an electrode has also an aspect of securing the durability of an electrode film. The durability of an electrode is a property required, for example, in an electrode film exposed to a high temperature of a heater electrode or the like, and an electrode film having poor durability has a risk of causing wire breakage in a relatively short time. Then, although the durability of an electrode film can be improved by an increase in the amount of a ceramic powder mixed, there is a demand of reducing the amount of the ceramic powder mixed from the viewpoint of the reduction of the resistance value, as described above.

Electroconductive particle and metal paste, and electrode


A communication protocol and system is disclosed for network communications between a data service residing on a client that provides network communications between one or more mobile applications on a source and a network based on a process number. The shared data service communicates with a data service plug-in on the server side associated with the process number, in order to handle requests from the mobile applications that access the network through the data service. Predetermined network connection, priority, and additional rules can be used to control what plug-in can be reached through what type of network connection.

Mobile computing systems are used daily, in a wide range of industries, with applications such as route accounting, pre-sales, field services, parcel delivery, medical services, retail, warehousing, public safety and public services. To tailor a mobile computing device used in a mobile computing system to a particular industry application, the mobile computing device is typically provided with one or more business applications that configure the mobile computing device for that particular industry application use. For example, a mobile computing device such as a scanning device, may be provided with a business application for managing inventory. This business application will generally set the settings of the scanner to the settings required to satisfy the communication needs of the business application, such as sending and receiving data to and from the business application. With the scanner so configured, the business application will then be able to recognize and store inventory data captured by the scanner into data files and to manipulate and communicate that data to allow the user to manage the inventory at, for example, a warehouse.
Each of these business applications is generally designed to meet the special needs of that industry's mobile workforce, and as a result, these applications have different functionality which leads to different data structures, data-flow, work-flow, user interfaces, and supported peripherals.
Conventional business applications may manage communications with the network directly in which case the business application will handle details of the communication itself. For example, each business application will typically open a network connection with a host server, such as a web server, and interact directly with the host system through whatever interface it exposes to address commands to the server, receive results, etc. Alternatively, business applications may use an application program interface (API) to assist in that management that allows them to access the network using a set of predefined functions that are part of the API. A business application that uses the API to handle communications over the network will typically manage details of the network communication itself, using the API. For example, the API will assist the business application in opening a network connection with a host server, such as a web server, and interact directly with the host system through whatever interface it exposes to, address commands to the server, receive results, etc. In either case, all of this requires that the designer of business applications have a thorough understanding of all of the details of the network, network protocols, servers, etc., and, in the case of the business application that uses the API, have a thorough understanding of the API as well. This can be a considerable burden for the developers of business applications with typical communication needs.
The requirement that a business application typically manages details of the network communication itself, alone or using the API, makes it difficult to scale the mobile computing system since diverse business applications have different network communication requirements. This requirement that a business application typically manages details of the network communication itself, alone or using the API, also leads to segmentation of the business applications at the network communication level; making it harder for the administrator to manage the rules that govern the network communications. It is harder to manage communications because typically each mobile application would independently, only for its own use, establish a communications session, through any network that was available, to any host system and the administrator has no way to monitor or manage what mobile applications are communicating from the device, with what server side resources, what data is being requested and submitted between the device/application and host system, who was the device user associated with the data exchange, how long the session took, through what network its being executed, etc. It also makes the network less open and less extendible to meet the specific needs of each organization since some business applications may not be configurable for use with or it may be difficult to configure the business application for use with the network which means that a business application may not get used with a network. The requirement that a business application typically manages details of the network communication itself, alone or using the API, also means that each business application will have a separate communication link with the network which creates more channels of communication with the network. This means that there are more communication channels that the network needs to manage. It also means that there are more channels of communication that are open to a security breach.
There is a need for a mobile computing system in which any number of mobile business applications running on the same device (and running on any number of devices and device types) can exchange data in parallel with any number of host system resources. There is a need for a mobile computing system in which the details of the network communication between a business application residing on a mobile computing device and a network or host system are made more uniform. There is a need for a unified approach to implementing connectivity between mobile applications and host systems that improves mobile communication flexibility and reliability, enhances data transmission security, enables better mobile device management and mobile application support, enables extensive control over mobile data exchange transactions, enables mobile computing devices to be more quickly and efficiently used on the network, provides an integrated and yet highly scalable solution, and enables comprehensive monitoring of all communications and data processing. This disclosure addresses those needs.

System and process for managing network communications


A living hinge includes a hinge body formed of a material. The hinge body has attachment edges and a flexing zone between the attachment edges defining a flexing axis. The material of the hinge body has at least one separation formed therein in the flexing zone. The at least one separation describes an angle with the flexing axis being other than 90°.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a living hinge. Such hinges are also known as live or flexible hinges in the art.
2. Description of the Related Art
Common articulating hinges are relatively complex, expensive, multipart devices with separate parts for rotating attachment edges about a pivot or axis. Living or live hinges are relatively simpler, lower-cost, one-piece flexing devices or functional hinges having of a flexing zone between attachment edges.
A living hinge of high strength requires the desirable qualities of toughness and stability found in metal or other high strength materials. However, those same properties of strength and rigidity limit their flexibility to be used as living hinges.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,355,335 to Kulkaski discloses a flexible hinge having a thin flexible web between two inflexible members. U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,304 to Smith teaches a hinged structure having S-shaped hinge members of resiliently flexible material passing partially around each other and tensioned around supports. Both the Kulkaski and Smith devices have extremely complicated, multipart configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,273 to McCaffrey relates to a spring-like hinge in which a spring-like compressive force is applied to arcuate arms. The McCaffrey device relies upon the inherent flexibility of the material of the arms. However, that flexibility reduces and limits hinge strength and flexing cycle life.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,418 to Greenwood et al. discloses a flexible hinge in which a groove portion is etched away in a silicon body. The opposing surfaces of the hinge are placed alternately in destructive tension and compression, leading to low cycle life durability and high failure rates due to molecular disruption and fracture in the area of tension.


A pigment particle coated with at least one of a resin and a charge control surface additive, wherein the pigment particle is a pearlescent or metallic pigment. The pigment adds pearlescent effects and is of a size and charge as to be used as a toner material in electrostatographic or xerographic image formation.

The present disclosure relates to resin-coated pearlescent or metallic type pigments for use in forming special effect images, for example using a xerographic or electrophotographic printing devices.
A still desired goal of electrophotography is to be able to print special effects, such as pearlescent or metallic images. While many commercial specialty pigments exist for pearlescent or metallic effects, their particle size is too large to be incorporated into electrophotographic toner particles. Median pigment sizes for commercial pearlescent/metallic pigments range from 5 to >50 microns, which is similar in size or larger than the electrophotographic toner itself. While the large particle size pigments are needed to produce special optical effects, such as metallic reflectivity, both chemical and conventional toner making processes currently available fail to incorporate these large pigments because it is currently not possible to incorporate such large pigment particles in an emulsion aggregation (EA) toner process.
One attempt to combine specialty pigments with toner is to melt-mix a specialty pigment with a toner resin. However, due to the large size of the specialty pigment, even if the toner were 20 or 30 microns in size, the pigment particles would comprise the bulk of the toner. Thus, it would be extremely difficult to jet or print with such toner particles with the inclusion of the specialty pigments, as the toner particles would end up very large. Also, with such large pigments, even a 20-30 micron toner would only have at most only a few specialty pigment particles in each particle, making the toner very inhomogeneous and the effect minimally realized. Many toner particles would have no pigment particle in them, while others would have one or merely a few pigment particles.

Resin-coated pearlescent or metallic pigment for special effect images


A magnetic pocket card, including: a planar blank having a first planar surface and a second planar surface, the planar blank having a fold line thereacross, the fold line dividing the planar blank into a pocket back portion and a pocket front portion, the planar blank being folded along the fold line, the pocket front portion being secured to the pocket back portion at at least one preselected location on the first planar surface thereby forming a pocket between the pocket back portion and the pocket front portion; and, a thin, flexible, magnetic sheet material having magnetic materials therein, the magnetic sheet material being capable of magnetically holding the magnetic pocket card to a magnetic substance, the magnetic sheet material being secured to the second planar surface on the pocket back portion. The pocket can receive a menu, coupons, phone listing, or the like. The planar blank can have an additional section attached to the pocket back portion which may include a coupon portion and/or a hang tag portion. The additional section can be sized to fold over the pocket and even fold over the magnet to protect the insert and magnet for distribution.

(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cards such as post cards, greeting cards, advertising cards, pocket cards and the like, and more particularly to such cards having a magnet for removably attaching the card to a magnetic surface for display of the card. The preferred embodiment of this CIP application is a magnetic pocket card, wherein a card is folded to form a pocket for holding an insert, the pocket having a magnetic material adhered thereto so that the magnetic pocket card can be placed onto a metallic surface, for example, a side of a refrigerator.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
There are no pocket cards known to me which include a magnetic material which can be used to attach the card to a magnetic surface for displaying the card and permitting access to the insert in the pocket card.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,311, to Geisenheimer, teaches a direct mail advertising system having a bulk mail card separable into two portions along a perforation line. U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,310, to Russell, teaches a remote mail delivery system where a permanent magnet 17 placed inside an envelope 18 or affixed to a postcard activates the electronic notification system.